Woman on robbery charge facing trial at Longford Circuit Court

A woman is currently standing trial before Judge Keenan Johnson and a jury of eight women and four men at Longford Circuit Court. Helen Doyle (42), 4 Cluain Ard, Ardnacassa, Longford, is charged with robbing Pat Lynch of €110 at his furniture shop on Great Water Street on August 18, 2018.

Mr Lynch alleges that, on the date in question, Ms Doyle pushed open the door of his shop, threatened him with karate, pushed him in the chest and knocked him onto a settee in his furniture store. It is alleged that Ms Doyle then "pounced" on Mr Lynch, pinning him down by putting her knee on his chest. She allegedly demanded Mr Lynch give her €300 before proceeding to take €110 out of his trouser pocket.

In her own evidence, Ms Doyle said that she and Mr Lynch were friends, that he was supporting her financially as she was homeless at the time and that, on the day in question, she had asked Mr Lynch to lend her €20 for a bottle of vodka. My Lynch, she added, had told her that he didn't have it, but to come back later and he would give it to her.

Evidence in court today was provided by Pat Lynch, the victim of the alleged robbery; his son Kevin Lynch, who is a sergeant at a garda station in Donegal; David McHale, who provided Gardaí with CCTV footage from Great Water Street; Joe Campbell, who is a neighbour of Mr Lynch's Great Water Street store; Detective Garda Seán Galvin, to whom the alleged robbery was initially reported; and Helen Doyle, the accused.

The trial will continue tomorrow morning and is expected to come to a conclusion by tomorrow afternoon.

More on this story to follow.