Man jailed over ‘frightening’ New Year’s robbery at Luas stop

 • 7h ago

The victim of a “random”, violent attack by a gang of robbers at a Luas stop on New Year’s Eve was left suffering from headaches and nightmares , a court heard.

One of the “main aggressors”, Daniel Dore, held the victim as others took his phone, cash and Revolut card in a “very frightening experience”.

Judge Treasa Kelly jailed him for six months when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

Dore, of Cloonmore Green, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to robbery.

Dublin District Court heard the victim was at the Smithfield Luas stop on December 31, 2021.

Gardaí were flagged down by the “very distressed” victim who said he had been attacked by a group of three men and one woman.

The victim said Dore and another person were the main aggressors, holding onto him while attempts were made to get his phone.

The victim was attacked by other co-accused and “it was a very frightening experience” for him, a garda said.

These people were seen pulling out of the victim while Dore was holding onto him.

​The court heard the man  was not available to provide victim impact evidence but had told gardaí he had experienced “headaches and nightmares” following the robbery.

A number of co-accused had already been before the courts and convicted of robbery.

Separately, Dore was found handling a stolen bicycle when gardaí found him cycling it with a broken and twisted lock still on the crossbar.

Dore had previous convictions, mostly for motoring offences, but including one for assault causing harm.

He had had a “very troubled life” with lots of ups and downs, his solicitor Eoin Lysaght said.

His participation in the robbery was to hold on to and drag out of the victim, but there was no allegation that he took the phone.

The judge said the evidence was that the accused was one of the main aggressors.

“He was in that he held onto (the victim) but he didn’t hit him,” Mr Lysaght said.

“This seems to have been a random attack on this person at a Luas stop” the judge said.

She said the accused was on a suspended sentence for assault at the time of the robbery. Sentencing him to six months, she refused to suspend it.

The charge against Dore was under Section 14 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act.