A Dublin mother of two who acted as the getaway driver in two robberies and an attempted robbery has received a two year suspended sentence.

Amanda Murphy (28) of Bride Street pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of acting to impede the apprehension or prosecution of someone knowing they were responsible for a robbery, and an attempted robbery on October 8th 2011.

She has no previous convictions and her barrister Bernard Condon SC submitted to the court that she was vulnerable at the time due to a drug addiction.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring had adjourned the case, having heard evidence initially in February this year and again in July to give Murphy more time to co-operate with the Probation Service.

She said it was a serious offence and Murphy had played an essential role in the raids.

Today Judge Ring said it had been her intention to impose a jail term - but she noted from an updated probation report that Murphy has since attended all appointments and is now on a methadone maintenance programme.

"She has begun to address the issues in a more positive fashion according to the Probation Service," the judge said before she suspended a two and half year jail term on strict conditions - including probation supervision.

Garda Paul O'Hanlon told Garnet Orange BL, prosecuting, at the sentence hearing in February, that two men entered a convenience store in Harold's Cross on October 8th, 2011 brandishing an imitation firearm.

They left the shop without robbing anything and fled in a waiting getaway car.

Later that day, the same men raided a Centra shop on Lower Kimmage Road in Terenure where they robbed €100.

A few hours later a young woman was mugged of her mobile phone while she was walking in Ballsbridge. She had been confronted by a man armed with an imitation firearm.

 Imitation firearm found on the back seat

Garda O'Hanlon said gardaí on patrol in College Green on that day spotted a Ford Focus on Trinity Street.

The vehicle was parked dangerously and there was movement going on in the back of the car. When the officers checked on it they spotted the imitation firearm on the back seat and the three occupants were arrested.

Murphy was sitting in the driver’s seat. The young female victim's mobile phone and a balaclava were also found in the Focus.

Murphy later told gardaí that she had agreed to drive the getaway car after asked to do so by one of the other men. Garda O'Hanlon accepted that was the extent of Murphy's involvement.

She said she did not know there was an imitation firearm involved and the garda accepted that she never received any payment for her role.

One of the men has since received a partly suspended three year term while the other received an 18 month suspended sentence.