Pleads guilty to mugging woman on Bachelor’s Walk three years ago

A MAN who mugged a tourist in Dublin city three years ago will be sentenced later for this and three raids on convenience stores last year, reports Sonya McLean.

Rian Dunne (27), of Raheen Park, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of the woman on Bachelor’s Walk on August 22, 2023.

He also admitted two robberies and an attempted robbery of three different premises on May 28, 2025. Dunne’s 20 previous convictions include drug, public order and road traffic offences.

The 64-year-old woman was dragged for a short distance after she fell during the struggle when Dunne grabbed her handbag from her. Dunne was arrested after gardaí spotted him running along carrying the stolen items

close to his chest.

Garda Patrick Hynes told Diarmuid Connolly BL, prosecuting, when he stopped Dunne a call came in over the garda radio alerting him to the fact that the lady had just been mugged and Dunne replied “that was me”.

He was brought in for questioning and made full admissions.

The victim was treated in the garda station for minor injuries following the robbery, including a swollen finger that got caught in her bag as Dunne was taking it from her.

A victim-impact statement was handed into the court but not read out.

Gda Hynes agreed with Amy Deane BL, defending, that her client acknowledged that it was “a horrible situation” and told gardaí he wanted to apologise for his actions.

It was accepted that none of his previous convictions include offences for robbery or theft and that this offence was carried out to feed a drug addiction.

In May 2025, Dunne was one of two males that entered a service station as it was opening at 5.45am. They took €81 worth of vapes but despite demanding cash there was no money in the till.

Within ten minutes, they tried to rob a second service station after kicking in a security door and attempting to pull a Perspex screen from in front of the tills. They were unsuccessful and fled the shop.

That afternoon, just after 2.30pm the men robbed €250 in cash and €450 worth of vapes from a Mace shop.

The panic alarm was pressed and gardaí were contacted.

grabbed the cash after his co-accused demanded that the tills be opened.

The court heard that the men were identified as they used Dunne’s co-accused’s vehicle as the getaway car. It was traced back to the man and items of clothing found in that car were consistent with what the suspects had been wearing on CCTV footage of the raids.

Dunne was arrested at his home on June 2, 2025. He made no admissions when interviewed by gardaí. There were no victim-impact statements in relation to these robberies and attempted robbery. Dunne has been on remand in custody since June 2025.

Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing to later this month to allow for the completion of a psychological report.