Courts / Dublin / Report

Trainee garda overpowered criminal who put imitation firearm to shopkeeper's head

Date
2017-01-12

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Patrick Brazil, aged 42, was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final two and a half years suspended, for a series of robberies committed while on bail between August 2014 and January 2016. In one incident, he entered a shop on Oxmantown Road, Dublin 7, brandishing an imitation Smith & Wesson gun and threatening a shop assistant's head, demanding the till be emptied. A trainee off‑duty Garda intervened, and a struggle ensued in which the Garda overpowered Brazil, disarming him and causing the gun to fall. Brazil, who has spent 25 years in prison since age ten and has 76 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of trespassing, criminal damage and possession of a knife. The judge, taking into account his addiction history and efforts to seek treatment, imposed the suspended sentence and 18 months of probation supervision.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Trainee garda overpowered criminal who put imitation firearm to shopkeeper's head. Charges or matters: three counts of robbery, one count of trespassing and causing criminal damage and possession of a knife. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

August 2014 Incident
January 2016 Incident
January 29, 2016 Other
July 8, 2015 Other
2017-01-12 Publication

Case subjects

Unnamed 10-year-old

Defendant

Charges: three counts of robbery, one count of trespassing and causing criminal damage and possession of a knife (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: By Isabel Hayes and Fiona Ferguson A man who committed a string of robberies while on bail has been given an eight year sentence with the final two and half years suspended. Judge Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling eight years and suspended the final two and a half years on strict conditions including 18 months probation supervision.