A 42-year-old Romanian national living in Dublin has appeared before Dún Laoghaire District Court charged with robbing a pensioner of a sentimental gold necklace in Donnybrook and attempting to rob another woman in Sandymount.

Grigore Malanca, a construction worker residing at Walkinstown Crescent, Dublin 12, faces one count of robbery under Section 14 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and a separate charge of attempted robbery.

Garda Aisling Shannon of Irishtown Garda Station told the court that a 75-year-old woman was targeted outside her home in Donnybrook on July 28. The court heard that the suspect allegedly executed a U-turn in a Land Rover Freelander, approached the woman at her front gate, and ripped an €800 gold necklace bearing a heart pendant engraved with the letter "M" from her neck. The pendant held significant sentimental value as a memento dedicated to her deceased son.

Mr Malanca is also accused of attempting to rob a 62-year-old woman of her gold necklace in Sandymount on September 12. Garda Shannon stated that a man wearing a hoodie ran across the road to pull off the woman's necklace but fled in his vehicle after passing motorists sounded their horns.

Gardaí objected to bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act 1997 and O'Callaghan grounds, citing concerns regarding flight risk and the potential for further serious offending against vulnerable older women in the Dublin 4 area.

Judge Conor Fottrell granted conditional bail requiring a €500 lodgement. Under the bail conditions, Mr Malanca must sign on daily at his local garda station, surrender his passport, maintain phone contactability, and stay out of Dublin 4. He was remanded to appear in court again on September 21.