A 54-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting and stealing from publican Charlie Chawke.
Frank Ward from Knockmore Avenue in Tallaght pleaded guilty to the charges at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Chawke was shot in the leg by Ward and robbed of almost €50,000 on 6 October 2003.
His right leg had to be amputated above the knee after the attack.
Ward told Judge Pat McCartan today that he was not a man given to gratuitous violence.
Sentencing Ward, Judge McCartan paid tribute to the heroism of Mr Chawke who tried to grab the shotgun from Ward.
He also praised the four gardaí who chased Ward and his accomplice Larry Cummins after they heard the shot.
Judge McCartan said Garda Michelle Gethings, Garda Nigel Burke, Garda David Sweeney and student Garda Keelin O'Keeffe were real heroes.
He said what they did was the stuff that makes life possible for all of us.
The court heard that Ward has six previous convictions including five for robbery and firearms offences.
They include a conviction at the Special Criminal Court in 1981, for armed robbery and shooting with intent to murder relating to a robbery at the Bank of Ireland in Stillorgan in which two gardaí were shot and wounded.
Judge McCartan said Ward was a career criminal who appeared to have no insight into the consequences of his actions.
Leave to appeal refused
Before he imposed sentence, Judge Pat McCartan advised Ward that he should be legally represented, however Ward said he would 'take his chances'.
He told the court that shooting Mr Chawke had done him no service because it had attracted the attention of gardaí.
Ward suggested that Mr Chawke had brought the shooting on himself by grabbing the gun and trying to make a citizen's arrest.
He also suggested that the State had not proved that Mr Chawke had suffered serious harm as a result of being shot because they had not provided a medical certificate.
Judge McCartan said he was imposing the highest tariff he could because Ward was a career criminal who appeared to have no insight into the consequences of his actions.
Ward received three 12-year sentences for three charges of possessing a firearm. All of the sentences will run concurrently.
Judge McCartan refused Mr Ward leave to appeal but allowed him legal aid in the event of an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal.
