A man who held a screwdriver to the neck of a school principal during a robbery has been jailed.
James Cranny (38), of Meadow Crest, Boyle, Co Roscommon, was sentenced to three years at a sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
The court heard he had consumed a cocktail of drink and drugs in Dublin before travelling by train to Longford on the evening of August 27 last year.
He interrupted a board of management meeting at St Joseph's National School in a bid to steal money for more drugs.
Armed with a screwdriver and pair of scissors, he put the screwdriver to the neck of principal Orla Egan.
Management chairperson Frank Gearty handed him €100 in attempt to defuse the situation and he also stole €100 from another board member, Beatrice Shanley.
However, the court heard that she was able to take a photograph of him, while another board member, Fr James McKiernan, "very cleverly and surreptitiously" managed to contact gardaí.
Ms Egan told a previous hearing: “Utter fear and trepidation engulfed me. Mr Cranny had the capacity to inflict serious injury.”
Ms Shanley said: “I can never erase the horror of our principal’s face as she realised what was happening.”
Cranny, who has more than 140 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two charges of robbery, three of attempted robbery and one charge relating to the possession of a weapon.
Judge Keenan Johnson said the entire episode had clearly been a "very traumatising and unsettling experience" for the five board members present, whose actions he praised.