A 21-year-old Dubliner was given jail sentences ranging from two to five years and disqualified from driving for life at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
Patrick Healy, Buttercup Park, Darndale, Dublin, pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to the unlawful seizure of a motor vehicle, robbery, unlawful imprisonment of two shop assistants, assault and causing damage with intent to a Garda patrol car. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Michael Brady, an accomplice, also from the Darndale area.
The charges were in respect of a crime involving a three-man gang on September 12th, 2004.
The court heard that apart from the member of the gang who was killed, the third man, who was named in court as Troy Spratt, with a Coolock address, was already dealt with by the courts and had received a 2½-year jail sentence for his involvement in the incident.
The court heard the trio had stolen an SUV in Dublin and drove to McCaughey's Filling Station at Brackagh, Broomfield, Co Monaghan, adjacent to the main Dublin/Derry N2.
They entered the shop where they threatened and imprisoned two female members of staff as they grabbed a till containing €550.
They also endeavoured to immobilise CCTV equipment at the shop and assaulted a 37-year-old man by striking him with bolt-cutters at the forecourt of the premises.
Gardaí were alerted and as the raiders were travelling towards Carrickmacross they were met by a mobile patrol. Gardaí chased the vehicle but the gang did a U-turn and rammed the Garda car twice.
However, despite the damage to their vehicle, gardaí were able to bring the car to Carrickmacross, where they took up the chase using a private car.
As the gang drove towards Dublin they hijacked another car belonging to a 64-year-old man who was brutally assaulted and left bleeding on the roadway. The accused then drove the hijacked car at speeds of up to 241 km/h towards the roundabout at Dunleer, near Ardee, where it went out of control and crashed, fatally injuring Brady.
A nurse who arrived at the scene went to the aid of the occupants but at this point the accused suddenly made off in her car, which was subsequently found abandoned in Dublin.
The court heard the other gang member, Spratt, was taken to hospital and was subsequently charged, but it was not until December 17th that the accused was arrested and later admitted his involvement.
Judge John O'Hagan said the sentences would have been greater if the accused had not pleaded guilty to the charges, and in taking account of all the factors in what were very serious charges, he said it was not the court's duty to exact revenge but to impose penalties which were compatible in the light of all the circumstances.