Romanian construction worker Grigore Malanca is charged with robbery and attempted robbery arising from two alleged incidents involving older women in Donnybrook and Sandymount. The latest report located on 23 September said prosecutors had received another four weeks to await directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The allegations
The first charge concerns an alleged robbery outside a 75-year-old woman’s home in Donnybrook on 28 July 2026. Garda evidence said a driver performed a U-turn, approached the woman and pulled an €800 gold necklace from her neck. The pendant was reported to commemorate her deceased son.
The second charge concerns an alleged attempt to take a necklace from a 62-year-old woman in Sandymount on 12 September. The court heard that the attempt stopped when motorists sounded their horns. Gardaí relied on CCTV identification evidence. Malanca made no admissions after arrest.
Background reported to the court
Malanca was reported as a 42-year-old Romanian construction worker who had moved to Ireland in January 2026 and had been living and working here for about eight months. At the bail hearing, the Garda witness agreed that he had no prior convictions, warrant history or other pending cases. That is a reported statement in this Irish bail hearing, not a certified search of every foreign criminal register.
Bail granted over Garda objections
Garda Aisling Shannon opposed bail on flight-risk and further-offending grounds. Defence solicitor Andrew Vallely relied on Malanca’s work and residence ties and proposed restrictions. Judge Conor Fottrell found that the grounds required to refuse bail had not been established.
The reported conditions required Malanca to surrender his passport, undertake not to seek replacement travel documents, sign on daily at Crumlin Garda Station, remain outside Dublin 4 and stay contactable by phone. Bail was set on his own bond of €500 with a cash lodgement required. A bail order is not a finding of guilt and the reports do not establish whether the cash was lodged.
Name spelling and identity match
The Irish Times and Courts News Ireland use Grigore Malanca. The later Gript report uses Gregori Malanca. The same reported age, address and necklace allegations make this a strong publisher-spelling match. The variation is not presented as an alias.
Timeline
- January 2026: Reported arrival in Ireland.
- 28 July 2026: Date of the alleged Donnybrook robbery.
- 12 September 2026: Date of the alleged Sandymount attempted robbery.
- 14 September 2026: Dún Laoghaire District Court granted conditional bail after Garda objections.
- 21 September 2026: Gript reported that prosecutors received four further weeks to await DPP directions. The accessible text did not establish the exact next court date or any change to bail.
- 23 September 2026: No later plea, trial or disposal was located in a fresh search of both reported spellings.
Cost status
No taxpayer-cost estimate is supportable at this stage. No prison sentence or verified remand period has been established. The reported legal-aid grant, €500 bail security and alleged property value cannot be added together as if they were one public-cost total.
Sources
- The Irish Times, 14 September 2026: charges, reported background, Garda and defence positions, record statement, legal aid and bail conditions.
- Courts News Ireland, 14 September 2026: charges, alleged incidents, CCTV evidence and bail order.
- Gript, 21 September 2026: accessible premium-page excerpt reporting the four-week DPP adjournment and Gregori spelling.