A pub owned by a prominent Limerick businessman, who recently received a three-year suspended jail term for his role in a kidnapping plot, lost its liquor licence yesterday at Limerick District Court.
Four local residents had objected to the licence renewal of Russell's pub on Fr Russell Road, Limerick, owned by Raphael Mullally.
Last month Mr Mullally received a three-year suspended prison sentence after admitting to his role in the abduction of a Liberian national who was threatened that he would be shot by the IRA.
Mr Mullally had ordered the abduction to secure the return of property that had been stolen from his sister's house, a robbery he had mistakenly believed had been carried out by the Liberian man.
The Circuit Court heard last month that the publican offered the victim €30,000 in compensation for his ordeal.
At Limerick District Court yesterday Judge Tom O'Donnell summarised details of several objections to the renewal of the liquor licence.
The court heard that last year that residents had also objected to the renewal of the licence due to noise from a smokers' area outside the pub.
Mr Mullally undertook in court to take steps to control the noise, and this was generally adhered to from November 2004 to May 2005.
However, Judge O'Donnell said yesterday that since that time an outside canopy on the smoking area had been replaced by a permanent structure capable of holding many more customers than previously facilitated.
Mr Mullally, who was in court yesterday, said he had spent some €44,000 on the new awning but Judge O'Donnell noted that it had been erected without proper planning permission.
The judge noted that since last summer the pub had also had live music and DJs, even though the premises had no music or singing licence. He refused the licence renewal application.