By Declan Brennan & Brion Hoban
A drug addict from Wexford who used a large pair of scissors to threaten staff in raids on three city-centre shops has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Rossitter, a homeless man from Co Wexford, had 85 previous convictions, 46 of which are for road traffic offences.
Anthony Rossitter (32) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three charges of attempted robbery on the shops in Dublin city centre on May 15, 2019.
At a previous sentencing hearing, the court heard that at around 9 am on the day in question, Rossitter went into a Gala shop on Abbey Street. Dublin and placed a plastic bag on the counter. He told a staff member at the cash register to put cash into the bag.
He was holding a pair of large stainless steel scissors and told one member of staff to give him money or “he would cut him”. A member of staff who was stacking chocolate in the aisles came over and told Rossitter they didn't have cash on hand and Rossitter left.
He went to a Spar shop in Temple Bar and demanded cash but again left empty-handed.
Finally, he went into a Gala shop on Dorset Street and demanded money while showing the scissors. Staff told him their boss had just taken all the cash and Rossitter asked them to give him €20. He left without any cash and was arrested a short time later.
Kevin McCrave BL, defending, said that Rossitter had taken tablets that morning. He said he was trying to deal with his drug addiction while in custody and wanted to be a father to his young child.
Mr McCrave said his client had a drug debt at the time of the offence. He said Rossitter has been a drug addict for 18 years of his life and is only allowed to see his daughter when he is sober.
On passing sentence, Judge Melanie Greally said Rossiter was someone whose long-standing addiction to drugs has been the primary cause of his more serious offending. She said he was someone in need of support if he was to “break the cycle”.
Judge Greally sentenced him to four-and-a-half years imprisonment but suspended the final twelve months of the sentence on strict conditions including that he follow all directions of the Probation Service for twelve months post-release.
