Man robbed Waterford St Vincent de Paul shop at knifepoint

A man was sentenced to four years in prison for carrying out a litany of crimes across Dungarvan. 

Jamie Coward (33), of Congress Villas, Dungarvan, appeared at Waterford Circuit Court for his sentencing for three separate criminal acts. 

On August 26, 2023, Coward assaulted a man in Lismore Park playground. The victim was known to him, and Coward believed that the man had struck his child at an earlier date.

Both men were in the playground with their children at the time. CCTV footage captured Mr Coward punching the man repeatedly, and the man falling to the ground. 

The man suffered two broken ribs, minor cuts and bruising from the assault.

When Gardaí interviewed Mr Coward over the incident, he told them: "He attacked me first", "I could put him 6 feet under", and "He hit my daughter". He later apologised for his comments.

On September 30, he attacked the father of his partner in his home in Dungarvan. The man suffered a hit to his nose, and his front door panel was kicked in by Mr Coward. 

On October 25 at approximately 4pm, he entered the St Vincent De Paul shop in Dungarvan wearing a black balaclava, black gloves and a hooded jacket, and carrying a large kitchen knife. 

He pointed the knife at one of the two women working in the shop and shouted: "Give me the money."

CCTV footage captured him pointing the knife at the woman. The woman fled to the backroom, where her colleague was working, and both women tried to keep the door shut in time to call the authorities. 

After trying to force his way into a backroom, one of the women came out of the room and was forced to open the till. She told Gardaí: "I was afraid for my life." 

Mr Coward proceeded to take €250 in cash and fled the scene. He was quickly apprehended by Gardaí, who recovered the knife and stolen cash. 

In Waterford Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Eugene O'Kelly heard the evidence of the crimes, as well as mitigating factors. 

Defence counsel Sarah Jane Comerford BL spoke on her client's background and long-standing issues with addiction and mental health. According to Ms Comerford, on the day of October 25, Mr Coward took 45 tablets of Tranax as part of a suicide attempt. He had no recollection of robbing the shop.

Mr Coward was sentenced to three years for the playground assault, two years for the second assault and four years for the SVP robbery.

All sentences will run concurrently.