A man has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for shooting the publican Charlie Chawke during an armed robbery at his pub in Goatstown in Dublin.
Larry Cummins, of Mellowes Road in Finglas, was found guilty of a number of charges including the theft of over €48,000 and possession of a shotgun in October 2003.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Frank O'Donnell described the crime as cold, calculated and callous and paid tribute to the gardaí who caught Cummins and an accomplice.
He accepted that Cummins's accomplice was the person who pulled the trigger but said Cummins was just as culpable because he knew the weapon would be used.
Charlie Chawke got into his car outside his pub, The Goat Grill, at lunchtime on 6 October 2003 with a bag of cash and cheques.
A man with a shotgun approached, opened the door and demanded the bag. Mr Chawke went to grab the gun but missed and the man shot him in the right knee. His leg was later amputated.
Two unarmed gardaí ran to the scene and struggled with the gunman but backed off when Cummins pointed a gun at them.
However, they followed the raiders by car and on foot and even though they were shot at, they found the two raiders hiding in bushes and arrested them.
Cummins has 65 previous convictions and previously served eight years for an armed robbery.
