Five men were given prison terms at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday for their part in an attempted robbery in Co Wicklow last May when a sixth raider was shot dead.
Ronan McLoughlin (28), of Ballymun, Dublin, died when gardai opened fire on a gang of raiders attempting to rob a security van near Ashford. The "Real IRA" later admitted that McLoughlin was one of its members and "acting under army orders" when he was shot.
Sentenced yesterday were Pascal Burke (34), of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin; Stephen Carney (23), of Dolphin House, Dublin; Saoirse Breatnach (24), of Cypress Court, Ballybrack, Co Dublin; Philip Forsythe (25), of Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, Co Dublin, and Danny McAllister (43), from Belfast, with an address at Cromlech Fields, Ballybrack, Co Dublin.
The court sentenced Burke, Carney and McAllister to eight years' imprisonment and Breatnach and Forsythe to seven years for the attempted raid. It took into account that Breatnach and Forsythe had no previous convictions. The sentences were ordered to date from last May.
Mr Justice Morris, presiding, said the court had no doubt that this was " a highly organised and premeditated crime and bore all the hallmarks of a paramilitary undertaking." He said that the five men had attempted to rob money from the Securicor van after blocking the road and posing as workmen. All had resisted arrest "in varying degrees".
All five pleaded guilty last Tuesday to having an AKM Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge pump action shotgun and a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver with intent to commit a robbery at Cullenmore, Ashford, Co Wicklow on May 1st.
They also admitted having 18 shotgun cartridges, six rounds of .357 Magnum ammunition and 28 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition with intent to commit a robbery and assaulting Mr Aidan McGauran with intent to rob him at Cullenmore on May 1st last.