TWO men from Dublin and six Belfast men went on trial before Lord Justice Nicholson at Belfast Crown Court yesterday on charges of involvement in a £150,000 cigarette robbery last February.
Mr Gordon Kerr QC, prosecuting, claimed that Dubliners Mr Desmond Christie (32), and Mr Derek Sweetman (38), told police they were "picking up a load" when arrested during the raid on Holmes Cash and Carry at Boucher Road on February 12th last year.
Mr Kerr told the court that the men were arrested as a Volvo lorry with a Dublin registration was being loaded with cigarettes. He said the gang forced the manager to return to the warehouse after taking his wife and three young children hostage.
In the depot, the evening supervisor and seven workers were detained in the canteen by a gang member. Mr Kerr claimed this man was Mr Martin Devlin (31), from Norglen Road, Belfast.
Counsel said that one of the Dublin men, Mr Christie, of Ratoath Drive, was arrested hiding in the Volvo lorry, while Mr Sweetman, from Dingle Road, Cabra, was arrested in the warehouse with another accused man, Mr Christopher Moran (39), from Rock Grove, Belfast.
Mr Kerr said that Mr Christie claimed after his arrest that he had travelled from Dublin to "collect stuff for a Mr Paddy Vascal". Mr Sweetman claimed he was there to "pick up a load" after being offered a day's work by a man in a Dublin bar.
The court heard that two other alleged gang members - Mr Seamus Hawkins (53), of Summerhill Gardens, Dunmurry, and Mr Bernard McElkerney (39), of Ross Street, Belfast - were also arrested in the warehouse. Mr Hawkins allegedly told police that he had been paid £30 to move a lorry, while Mr McElkerney said he had "come with the man in the lorry".
Mr Michael Russell (25), from Falls Road, was also arrested at the warehouse. He claimed he was there to look for a job.
Mr Kerr said that the remaining member of the gang, Mr Kevin McCaffrey (32), of Riverdale Park, Belfast, was caught when he tried to run away.
The trial is expected to last for three weeks.