Tipp Town men jailed for part in Cork robbery

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Two Tipperary men who violently resisted arrest when carrying out a targeted robbery have been jailed.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Larry O’Connor, 32, of An Duiche, Scallagheen in Tipperary town and 27 year old Patrick Harty of Mountain View, Bansha Road were found at the scene in Cork on January 21st by the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).

O’Connor, and Harty who have a combined 110 previous convictions along with three associates, two of whom were juveniles, arrived in Bandon in January having made the journey from Cashel in an Audi A3 with cloned registration plates.

Gardaí had become concerned following a number in burglaries in Munster in January of this year and an operation was put in place.

The men had been captured on CCTV in Cashel putting fuel in the car and broke in to the unoccupied house at 4.50pm believing that it contained a large amount of cash.

When the ERU went to the house O’Connor ran out the front door holding a crowbar colliding with a garda and dragging him down three steps before he was restrained.

Harty tried to get away from Gardaí via a back window and then violently resisted arrest.

Inspector Lyons told the court “It was a targeted burglary. Not random or opportunistic.”

Ray Boland, defence barrister for O’Connor, said his client was “genuinely remorseful”, stating also that as he is in custody for another offence until 2029 a second sentence would be “the equivalent of a life sentence.”

The court then heard that Harty has no employment history with his barrister Jane Hyland, saying her client suffers from anxiety and depression.

Judge Helen Boyle said that it was a serious offence which merited custodial sentences.

She jailed Larry O’Connor for four years with the last six months suspended to run consecutively to the 12-year sentence he is serving for an aggravated burglary in Newcastle, Co Limerick.

She jailed Harty for four years with the final year suspended.