Judge Tom O’Donnell is to pass sentence at Limerick Circuit Court next week
A MAN who travelled the world without fear now lives in anxiety after a seven-inch blade was held to his neck during a robbery in Limerick city centre in the early hours of St. Patrick’s Day last year, a court has heard.
Earlier this year, Damien Quinn (34) with an address at Shannabooly Road, Ballynanty, Limerick pleaded guilty to the robbery and was due for sentence at Limerick Circuit Court last week.
Det Gda Paul Crowley said that the victim was a 55-year-old man from South Galway who parked his car near the Peoples Park on Pery Square to make a telephone call. There was an interaction with a woman and minutes later, two men dressed in hoodie tops got in to the front and rear passenger doors.
Damien Quinn, who was behind the driver, held a “six or seven-inch blade to his neck while his companion, 20-year-old Christopher Higgins, demanded money.
After they stole a €50 note and €20 in coin as well as a WIFI dongle, Higgins tried to take the driver’s wrist watch and the victim was warned to “keep your f**king mouth shut”.
Higgins was later sentenced to six years in prison with the last two years suspended.
When the victim reported the robbery to Henry Street Gardaí, he said he saw Quinn and Higgins heading towards the railway station and later to an apartment on Parnell Street.
In an impact statement read by prosecution counsel John O’Sullivan, the man said he travelled the world “without fear” including to war-torn areas like Lebanon, Israel and the Middle East as well as Eastern Europe and America.
Since the robbery, he had become anxious and was afraid of travelling alone.
“I was in the Samaritans and always wanted to help people, but not so much now. I have changed the security in my car and home and this has had a big impact on my life. I’m getting through it with a good doctor and medication”, he added.
When he was arrested and asked about the robbery, Quinn said “When I remember, I will be more than willing, but right now I cannot remember”.
He subsequently admitted his involvement in the incident.
The court was told that he has a number of previous convictions including a ten year sentence for the possession of firearm with the intent to endanger life. He was also convicted for attempting to slash a prison officer’s neck with a broken CD.
Mr O’Sullivan said it was fair to say that Damien Quinn had a very poor upbringing with institutionalisation in the past.
“However he does have a propensity for violent crime”.
Defence counsel Mark Nicholas said that when he was 13 or 14 years old, his client was sent to an institution where “certain unspeakable things happened to him”.
“He bottled it up, didn’t do much schooling and found himself drinking and drug taking”.
He got upset with the exchange the victim had with his girlfriend and CCTV footage supported this.
Judge Tom O’Donnell adjourned the case until next week to consider sentence.
