A night porter and his friend staged a robbery at a Cork hotel but were caught out when gardai viewed CCTV footage of the incident.

Detective Garda Aidan Forrest said that in investigating the incident the night porter told them that a masked man had vaulted the counter and robbed more than €10,000 in cash from Oriel House in Ballincollig.

But one viewing of the CCTV of the incident made it clear to investigating gardaí that all was not as it seemed.

David Drohan, 22, from Church View, Ballincollig, and now living at an apartment at 23 Patrick’s Hill, Cork, is seen on video making a dramatic vault over the reception desk.

“He then dramatically assaults Adam Buckley (23), from 57 Castle Avenue, Muskerry estate, Ballincollig, who was the night porter. The altercation looked suspect and somewhat exaggerated. Both men were arrested,” Det Garda Forrest said.

They appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing today.

Between money recovered in the course of the investigation and compensation gathered by the pair, all of the money was paid back.

The staged robbery on September 8, 2018 happened on what was Adam Buckley’s last night working as night porter at Oriel House.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said to the detective, “You are satisfied from the initial viewing that it was clear to the guards it was staged and amateurish.”

The detective agreed and said:

“The dramatics of the event were very staged and false looking. It was detected very quickly.”

Barristers Peter O’Flynn and Brendan Kelly for Buckley and Drohan, respectively, said it was out of character for the duo.

Mr O’Flynn said, “Mr Buckley just handed in his notice and came up with this foolish notion.”

Both men pleaded guilty to committing a theft on September 8 last year at Oriel House.

Judge Ó Donnabháin said it was a substantial breach of trust by Buckley against his employer at the time. However, he said he would treat both accused the same from the point of view of sentencing.

He accepted it was out of character and he imposed a three-year suspended jail term.