The hit-and-run driver in a €50,000 robbery was caught after trying to use dye-stained cash

Former architectural design student Leon Sharlott, 33, formerly of Compass Court North, Royal Canal Park, Ashtown, Dublin 15, appeared at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court today.

The father of one, who had previously been jailed for a weapons seizure, pleaded guilty to robbing a GSLS Security employee of a box containing €50,000 on June 13, 2019 in Main Street, Kinnegad, Co Westmeath .

Judge Keenan Johnson heard that Gardai, based in Mullingar, carried out a “substantial” investigation tracing Sharlott’s movements in a BMW 5 Series with fake English number plates to a warehouse in Dublin.

Another development came when several betting shops in central Dublin alerted their colleagues at Store Street station about hundreds of smeared bank notes in their betting machines.

The dye had exploded on the bills inside when the robbers opened the box.

The court heard Sharlott was “remorseful” and was already serving a six-year sentence for the seizure of two guns in 2018 in Co Wexford.

Judge Johnson adjourned sentencing until November, when updated background and progress reports on him will be presented to the court.

Detective Garda Vincent Reynolds agreed with prosecutor John Hayden that the robbery occurred at 10.20am outside a Bank of Ireland branch.

The security man was making a delivery when two men standing at a nearby bus stop were met with their faces covered and wearing gloves.

“One was carrying a hammer and the other had what appeared to be an iron bar,” Detective Garda Reynolds said.

They demanded that he “drop the damn box,” which he dropped.

The security man, who did not have to give evidence, said in his statement to gardaí that he “feared for my life”.

The pair got on the other side of the road in a gold Renault and drove off, followed by Sharlott in the blue BMW.

The Renault was “burned” almost immediately after the theft.

The court heard the robbers did not have the key to open the cash box, which had a mechanism that released dye when forced open.

It was found on the road empty and covered in dye.

When asked about the movements of the BMW, Detective Garda Reynolds said they gathered video evidence from ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras.

Officers “tracked” the BMW on footage arriving in Kinnegad that morning, being in the vicinity of the theft and returning along the M4 and then the M50 northbound in Dublin to a warehouse on a business park where the license plates were changed. tuition.

Further CCTV footage was gathered showing Sharlott driving the car and “clearly identifiable”.

Coincidentally, another police officer, unaware of the robbery, stopped Sharlott driving his BMW that afternoon in Dublin. The officer inspected the trunk and observed a portable, battery-powered angle grinder in the space normally used for the spare tire.

Meanwhile, several Dublin betting shops notified gardaí in Store Street about the appearance of dye-stained €50 notes in their betting machines.

Detective Garda Reynolds agreed with Hayden that Sharlott was identified from video evidence downloaded from one of the bookmakers.

Dye stains on the money, the cash box and his car were forensically examined and compared.

The court heard he had 10 previous criminal convictions and was sentenced to six years in prison in 2022 for firearms offenses in 2018.

In 2016, he received a three-year suspended sentence for assault causing harm after paying compensation.

His other convictions were for traffic offences.

The detective told Vincent Heneghan SC, for Sharlott, that a “substantial investigation” involving a large number of gardai had been carried out. He also accepted that the guilty plea was helpful.

Heneghan said there was naivety and stupidity in carrying out the robbery but not retrieving the remote control to open the cash drawer.

The lawyer said Sharlott had been “a lookout and getaway driver for others” but had not threatened anyone and did not use violence.

Heneghan said that at the time of the robbery, Sharlott was taking an architectural design course at a Dublin university and planned to finish his studies after prison.

Since entering custody, he has taken educational courses on physical training and first aid, and has worked with the Samaritan organization “to help other prisoners and be available to listen to their difficulties.”

Sharlott did not address the court but wrote a letter apologizing to the security man for his role and saying he regretted his actions.

The court heard he was in a long-term relationship and intended to move in with his girlfriend after his release.

He was eager for education and employment, the court heard asking for leniency.

In requesting an adjournment for a psychological report, the lawyer also said his client had a difficult background.

Gardaí had confiscated the 2007 BMW worth €5,332, and Sharlott pleaded no contest to the confiscation of his car.