An armed robber who took over €700,000 from the AIB in Crumlin after he and an accomplice got a set of keys was today sentenced to 12 years in prison.
47-year-old John Foy from Croftwood Park, Ballyfermot also had a loaded gun and knew the layout of the bank and the location of the CCTV cameras.
Judge Tony Hunt suspended the last four years on condition that no approach to any of the witnesses was made either by or on behalf of Foy.
On 3 June 2006 John Foy and his accomplice Danny Hamill jammed the ATM machine at the AIB in Crumlin to lure staff to the bank on Saturday.
Heavily disguised, they then forced them inside and ordered them to collect and hand over money.
They both had loaded guns, and a set of keys to the branch and they knew the security systems.
They tried to get away with €700,000, and had the hard drive with the CCTV footage with them when the gardaí confronted them outside.
Foy put down his weapon but Hamill, who was dressed as a woman, pointed a loaded 9mm pistol at Garda Robert Reilly before he was arrested, while another garda, Caitríona Joyce, who was pregnant at the time, blocked their escape.
Judge Tony Hunt said the robbery was well planned and organised and how they got the keys of the bank has never been adequately explained.
Judge Hunt said the raid had been ‘upsetting and distressing’ for the two bank staff lured to the robbery and highlighted the danger of the every day jobs of ordinary bank staff who did not have compensation packages and pensions top-ups.
He suspended the last four years of Foy’s sentence warning him not to become involved in criminality again and that no approach to any witnesses in the case was to be made by or for him.
