TWO Drogheda men who falsely imprisoned two teenagers and assaulted them over £600 worth of ecstasy which went missing have been ordered to compensate their victims by February.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Judge Kieran O'Connor said he knew they might have difficulty getting work, but all he was interested in was ensuring the victims were paid £1,000 compensation each.
He adjourned sentence on Paddy Judge (28), single and a father of one, of Ballsgrove, Drogheda and Patrick J. Coyle (26), married and a father of three, of Marley's Court, Drogheda, Co Louth, to February 28th, 1997.
Both men admitted at an earlier hearing they falsely imprisoned Ms Naomi Farrell and Mr Gareth Jein on July 24th, 1994.
Coyle further pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from Ms Farrell's mother, Ms Irene Farrell, on or about July 24th, 1994 with intent to steal it.
Judge's counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, said his client had already paid £500 since the hearing last July. Coyle's counsel, Mr John Peart SC, noted that what he called "the major perpetrator" of the crime, Darren McCann, was just concluding a five year sentence imposed on him by Dundalk Circuit Court.
Judge O'Connor was told previously the ecstasy was owned by McCann. Det Garda Maureen McFadden said the matter began when Ms Naomi Farrell took 41 ecstasy tablets which a girlfriend was minding for McCann. Ms Farrell gave it to Mr Jein who hid the drugs in a ditch.
The weather reduced the drugs to powder and McCann was annoyed at his loss. He decided to remonstrate with Ms Farrell. McCann, Judge and Coyle were in a van driven by Neville Heery when they met both victims.
Det Garda McFadden said the men beat them and interrogated them about the location of the drugs. Coyle then went to Ms Irene Farrell and demanded money to pay for the drug. Subsequently she arranged a £400 bank loan but nobody met her to collect the money.
Heery (25), single, of Collen, Co Louth, who also admitted the false imprisonment charge, was given a one year suspended sentence at the earlier hearing.