THREE men who falsely imprisoned the residents of a Dublin city centre flat during a heroin smoking session have been remanded in custody for sentence on April 22nd next by Judge Cyril Kelly at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
They are James Brady (23) Matt Talbot Court; Christopher Conlon (23), Sean MacDermott Street; and Mark Brennan (22) Champions Avenue, all Dublin.
The three pleaded guilty to a series of robberies, to the false imprisonment of three people in a flat at Marlborough Street on June 4th, 1995, and to the theft of cash, jewellery and musical equipment to the value of £1,000.
Det Sgt Walter O'Connell told Mr Adrian Mannering, prosecuting, that the three men had been admitted to the flat by the residents on two occasions for drug related purposes.
Shortly after their first visit they left to get drugs. While they were smoking heroin the second time Brady produced a knife and held it to the back of a woman. The three residents were forced into a bedroom, where a duvet was put over them. The defendants ransacked the flat and left with the cash and property.
Det Sgt O'Connell said that the crime was not reported for two days because the injured parties did not want to admit smoking heroin. At first, they claimed that the defendants had followed them into the building, but they later admitted inviting them in.
Det Sgt O'Connell agreed with Ms Aileen Donnelly (for Brennan) that her client had been taken aback by Brady's action.
He agreed with Mr Gerry O'Brien (for Conlon) that the residents had described Conlon as being "spaced out" in the flat.
Brady and Conlon each admitted stealing £1 from two youths, and clothes and a watch from a third victim at the Irish Life Mall on June 3rd, 1995. The victims had been threatened that they would be syringed with AIDS.
Det Garda Michael Cryan said that a security camera had filmed the defendants walking behind their victims in the mall, but the video did not show the robbery.
Brady pleaded guilty to robbing victims in laneways off O'Connell Street and Talbot Street on August 12th and October 29th, 1995, and Conlon admitted stealing money, jeans and runners from a youth at North Lotts near Abbey Street on June 20th, 1995.
Det Garda Sean McAvinchey said that the victims were approached by the defendants in daylight and forced into the laneways, where they were robbed. Victims had told of syringes being pulled on them or of being pricked in the side by something sharp.
Brady told Mr Rea that he had been off drugs in Mountjoy, where he had applied for treatment. He now realised the seriousness of his crimes.
Mr O'Brien said that Conlon had started on drugs by taking "ecstasy" at raves. His sister had then introduced him to harder drugs such as heroin. He was now serving a sentence in Portlaoise.