Sticky bandit Dublin girl (17) pleads guilty to armed raid with imitation gun made from duct tape

A 17-year-old Dublin girl has pleaded guilty to carrying out an armed raid at a service station while brandishing an imitation gun made from duct tape.

The girl, who cannot be named because she is a minor, appeared at the Dublin Children's Court.

She was charged with robbery of the Applegreen service station on Parnell Road, Dublin 12, of €179 in cash as well as €73 worth of cigarette papers on a date in January last year.

The teen faces an additional charge for producing an implement covered in black duck tape, shaped to look like a firearm, during the raid.

The second charge is contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.

The court heard she was aged 16 at the time and acted as an accomplice to an adult male who was also armed.

Judge Brendan Toale adjourned sentencing the girl for gardaí to obtain victim impact statements from two shop workers.

The girl, accompanied to court by her mother, had no previous criminal convictions.

The judge described a pre-sentence probation report as "reasonably positive".

Earlier, Detective Garda Eoin Hickey told the court the girl "made no reply to charge after caution".

There was no objection to bail.

She met gardaí at Crumlin garda station by appointment to get charged.

The Director of Public Prosecutions recommended the girl should face trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, which has more sentencing powers, unless she pleaded guilty in the Children's Court.

The stolen property was recovered.

Section 93 of the Children Act states news reports must not reveal details likely to lead to the identification of a child in the criminal proceedings.