New podcast tells true story of Ireland’s polite bank robber

I’m Not Here To Hurt You is a new podcast from The Irish Independent, telling the true story of Ireland’s polite bank robber.

John O’Hegarty studied philosophy at the University of Leuven in Belgium and had a masters in psycho-analytic studies from Trinity College, Dublin.

Life was on a good track until a winter’s evening in 2002 when a bicycle accident changed everything. “It’s like a crack emerged. I just floated away,” John says.

What happened next is almost believable. A man destined for great things in academia went on to raid 15 Dublin banks.

Over the course of a year, presenter Kevin Doyle meets with John to hear a story full of unexpected twists and confessions.

On the day he politely robbed his first bank in 2004, he crossed over into a world where all his education became meaningless. Brought to life by The Irish Independent, the multi-episode podcast series covers John’s rise and fall.

Doyle, who is group head of news at Mediahuis Ireland, said: “We revisit uncomfortable truths as he slowly opened up about his crimes, life in prison and the idea that you can never truly be an ex-criminal.

“One thing he said has always stuck in my mind: ‘We all deal with pain in different ways.’

“And it’s so true. How John dealt with his pain visited huge distress on others. He knows that now and is, at times, searingly honest in analysing his own life story.

“As much as this is a true-crime podcast, it is even more so a window into human fragility.”

The first three episodes of I’m Not Here To Hurt You are available now wherever you get your podcasts and are available to advertise on only through Acast.