A Donegal man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in an attack on security personnel guarding a repossessed house near Strokestown, Co Roscommon five years ago.
PJ Sweeney (44) from High Cairn, Ramelton was one of three men convicted of multiple offences carried out during the incident.
Sweeney, along with Martin O’Toole (59), Stripe, Irishtown, Claremorris, Co. Mayo and and Paul Beirne (57), Croghan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon were found guilty in June of 15 charges in relation to the incident at Falsk, Strokestown on December 16, 2018, including aggravated burglary, violent disorder and criminal damage to a door of a house.
They were also found guilty of false imprisonment of and assault causing harm to Ian Gordon, Mark Rissen, John Graham, and Gary McCourtney.
They were further convicted of three counts of arson in relation to three vans and to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by causing or permitting an animal to be struck on the head.
Following a trial of over three months, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court returned guilty verdicts in respect of 15 charges faced by the three men, but acquitted them of robbery of a wristwatch from John Graham and one count of arson in relation to a car.
A fourth man – David Lawlor (43), of Bailis Downs, Navan, Co. Meath – was found not guilty of the same 17 charges.
The court previously heard that a group of around 30 armed men smashed their way into the house.
These men were armed with weapons, including a baseball bat, a meat cleaver, a hurley, a stick with nails in it, and a chain saw; and they attacked the security men who were guarding the property.
Imposing sentence today Judge Martina Baxter said this was a “well executed plan” and the group were there to “make a point about repossession” and to “terrify the security men” to ensure they never came back.
She said the defendants were “part of and actively participated” in events and the evidence demonstrated “extensive planning and pre-mediation” on the part of those involved.
Judge Baxter said this case falls into the “exceptionally serious category of offending” and the defendants had a “high degree” of moral culpability.
She said the evidence showed Mr Gordon was “singled out for particular attention” and was beaten and humiliated in a “truly callous” manner. She imposed a sentence of 15 years on each of the three accused for the false imprisonment of Mr Gordon.
She handed them 14 year sentences for the false imprisonment of the other three security guards, 13 years for the aggravated burglary, ten years in respect of the violent disorder and arson charges, eight years for the criminal damage count and five years in relation to the charge of animal cruelty. All sentences are to run concurrently and are backdated to the date they entered custody.
Judge Baxter said there was no proof before the court of rehabilitation and she declined to suspend any element of the sentences.
Around 60 supporters and family members of the three defendants were present in court during the hearing.
There was heckling and shouting in court as the sentences were handed down. One person shouted “what a joke” and another said “you should be ashamed of yourself judge”.
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