A mechanic who turned himself in after carrying out a string of robberies over several days has been jailed for four and a half years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Amir Essalhi (39) apologised and told gardaí he had relapsed on crack cocaine when he handed himself in the day after his fourth robbery of a Dublin shop last year.
“Look, I relapsed. I just want to say - it’s not me, it’s the drugs,” Essalhi told gardaí after he had robbed just under €1,000 from a tanning shop, an off-licence and a grocery store over a three-day period.
Essalhi, of Burg an Rí Walk, Balgaddy, Clondalkin, also attempted to rob a pharmacy but fled after the owner refused to give him any cash.
Passing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Orla Crowe said it was “highly unusual” for an accused person to go to gardaí after what she termed “a spree of offending”.
The judge commended the “redoubtable” owner of O’Reilly’s Pharmacy in Coolock, who was not scared and stood her ground when Essalhi threatened her with a penknife before fleeing the scene.
Judge Crowe backdated the sentence to May 19th,2022, noting that Essalhi was doing very well in custody where he is being trained as listening volunteer for the Samaritans.
Essalhi pleaded guilty to three robberies and one attempted robbery between May 16th and 19th, 2022.
Threat
Garda Gary Tuohy told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that a woman working at The Tanning Shop in Clarehall Shopping Centre initially laughed when a man came in and asked her to open the till.
The woman told gardaí she thought it was a joke at first, until the man came around the counter and pressed something against her right leg and said: “Open the till, or I’m going to gut you.”
The man opened the till himself and took out €270 in cash before running out and hailing a taxi, the court heard.
Two days later, an employee was working in Fine Wines on the Malahide Road when a man approached the till and asked if they had any Captain Morgan rum.
The man was told there was no Captain Morgan and walked away, before reappearing behind the till pointing a small silver knife at the employee.
The man then opened the till and started grabbing notes and putting them in his pockets, robbing a total of €205 in cash before running out.
The following day, a man later identified as Essalhi walked into O’Reilly’s Pharmacy, Tonlagee Rd, Coolock and came behind the till, demanding that staff open it.
The pharmacy owner, Margaret O’Reilly, told gardaí later that the man was waving a penknife around but that he didn’t scare her and that she knew the man was nervous after she pressed the panic button. “I knew he would leave if I held my ground,” Ms O’Reilly told gardaí.
The court heard that about an hour later at 7pm, Essalhi walked into Central Grocery Store on Main Street, Balmayne and crept around the side of the till.
The staff member working at the till later told gardaí that she initially thought the man was “having a laugh” until he said “open the fucking till” and she saw that he was holding a blade that was three or four inches long.
The woman struggled to locate the panic button and Essalhi told her: “Don’t fucking touch anything else,” and kept asking was there any more money. He stole €500 and made his escape on a bike outside the shop.
The woman told gardaí that she was in shock and kept thinking she might be stabbed.
I don’t want this hanging over my head
Essalhi has 69 previous convictions, of which 31 were before the Circuit Court, including nine for robbery and 15 for theft.
Gda Tuohy agreed with Ger Small SC, defending, that Essalhi’s mother rang Coolock Garda Station the day after the last offence and said her son was on his way down to them.
The court heard that Essalhi arrived at the station 15 minutes later and told gardaí: “I’m going to be straight with you, I don’t want this hanging over my head.”
He identified himself on CCTV and said he felt absolutely disgusted watching himself carrying out the offences. Essalhi apologised numerous times to gardaí and to the victims, the court heard, saying he had not meant to scare or hurt anyone.
Gda Tuohy agreed that Essalhi was polite and respectful and had pleaded at the earliest opportunity.
The court heard that Essalhi’s brother had been murdered in horrific circumstances in 2011. Essalhi’s mother was present in court.
A letter was handed in from Essalhi’s previous employer, who said he was a very good mechanic who was still being asked after by customers, and that he would employ him again if he could.
The court heard Essalhi is on an enhanced regime in prison, where he works as a cleaner and is doing a Red Cross course as well as training with the Samaritans.
He attends addiction counselling and is reducing his methadone dose, the court heard.
