Drug-addicted identical twin brothers who robbed a service station of a stash of Easter eggs and chocolate while hiding their faces with tea towels have been remanded on bail pending sentence.
Mark and Ciarán Cummins (28), of Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown, who were described by gardaí as "an unlikely pair of criminals", pleaded guilty to robbery of Brady's Service Station on the Navan Road, Dublin, on April 1st, 2006.
Mark also pleaded guilty to criminal damage of a hatch window at the Shell garage in Mulhuddart earlier that same day.
An assault charge on a garda by Ciarán was taken into account and he also admitted to a separate robbery of Hickey's Pharmacy in Tyrellstown on April 7th, 2006.
Judge Frank O'Donnell noted that Ciarán was in a "different category" to his brother and adjourned sentencing to allow him time to consider the case.
Garda Olive Jollie said workers in Brady's Service Station described the twins as wearing scarves over their faces "like Eastern women". They were carrying a screwdriver and a bucket and demanded money while claiming they had a gun.
The shop employees ran into the back office for safety where on the CCTV footage they watched the twins raid the shop of chocolates and Easter eggs to the value of €42.
Gardaí arrived 15 minutes later and, after viewing the security footage, searched the area and came upon them outside the local GAA club, where one had a silver bucket and a wheel jack covered with a towel.
Garda Jollie said both were taken to Blanchardstown Garda station where Mark, who had no previous convictions, immediately admitted his involvement. Ciarán, who had three previous convictions for road traffic offences, hit a garda but did not injure him.
Gardaí discovered the stolen Easter eggs, chocolate and two tea towels in a car with the twins. Gardaí were then alerted to another incident earlier that morning in which two men fitting the twins' description tried to rob the Shell garage in Mulhuddart and one of them smashed the service hatch window with a hammer.
Ciarán also admitted that he was the getaway driver in a robbery of Hickey's pharmacy in Tyrellstown where €1,000 and an assortment of drugs were taken. He was on bail for the previous robbery at the time.
Ciarán told gardaí he agreed to take part in the robbery after two men approached him and offered him "an easy job". He was promised a cut of the drugs taken but never received any.
Garda Jollie agreed with solicitor for Ciarán, Caroline Biggs, that Ciarán had a serious drug addiction at the time but was now drug-free and if he remained so "would not only be an unlikely criminal but would be unlikely to come before the courts again".
Garda Jollie said Mark had also succeeded in dealing with a long-standing drug addiction and was now preparing to look for work as a plasterer. She accepted that neither man had come to Garda attention since April 2006.