Two brothers were convicted of attempted robbery of a petrol station at Claremorris District Court this week. Brothers Martyn and Rafal Justa, both of The Cottage, Brookhill, Claremorris, pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery, with Rafal Justa also pleading guilty to possession of a weapon.
Superintendent Padraic O’Toole told the court that on the morning of August 22 2010, both brothers walked into the Vivo filling station on the Ballindine Road, Claremorris, at 7.20am. Both men were wearing stockings over their heads and Rafal had a kitchen knife in his hand when they demanded money from the owner of the station, who was working behind the counter; the owner refused to give them money. The owner then started a conversation with the two men which finished up with one of the brothers taking the stocking off his head, picking up a sandwich, and paying for it, before both men left the petrol station in their car.
The incident was reported to the gardaí and the men were arrested later that evening.
Judge John Coughlan gave Martyn Justa the benefit of the Probation Act after pleading guilty to attempted robbery, while he sentenced his brother Rafal to five months’ detention for attempted robbery and possession of a weapon.
