Minichan

A MAN who tried to rob a building society while dressed as a wealthy wheelchair-bound woman has been jailed for this and another attempted robbery. Thomas Clark (43), arrived at the building society unshaven and wearing a poor quality black wig. He was being pushed in the wheelchair by his accomplice Martin Collins (21). Collins had previously made an appointment with the manager on the pretence that a woman he was caring for had been awarded €2.9 million by the State and wanted to invest it. Detective Sergeant Peter Woods told Dara Hayes BL, prosecuting, that the manager of the building society, Michael Doyle, noticed that the “older woman” was wearing what was obviously a black wig when Collins pushed her into his office. Collins left the wheelchair facing the door, which Mr Doyle thought was strange.

Clark then got out of the wheelchair and produced what Mr Doyle thought was a shotgun. It was then that he noticed that it was a man dressed as a woman and described his face as being round and unshaven. Clark shouted ‘Get down on the floor’ and Mr Doyle realised the weapon he had in his hand was actually an imitation firearm. Collins then produced a similar weapon but this was a hatchet made to look like a gun. Det Sgt Woods said Mr Doyle then shouted at the raiders; “Would you ever fuck off,” before telling them to “stop being stupid.” Collins then struck Mr Doyle on the back of the leg, causing him to bleed, before the robbers ran from the building society empty-handed to a waiting car and sped off towards Blackrock.

Gardai arrested them a short time later [...]

Det Sgt Woods agreed with Michael O’Higgins SC, defending Clark, that it had been “a venture that was unlikely to be successful”.