Four Chinese students who threatened to kill a compatriot unless he paid them €4,000 within 10 days following a dispute over rent have each been jailed for six years by Judge Desmond Hogan.
The men made their extortion demand after they terrorised the victim and his girlfriend in their home for several hours on March 1st and 2nd, 2002, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told.
One of the men, Jin Nan, had met the victims, Mr Hou Yun Feng (23), and his girlfriend, Ms Ji Chai (22), in July 2001 on the plane from China to Ireland, where they planned to study English. That November the three moved in together to a house in Southdene, Monkstown Valley, Co Dublin, and Jin paid €700 as part of the deposit and the first month's rent.
He moved out of the house in January 2002 following a dispute with Mr Hou and Ms Ji. A few weeks later he returned with seven other Chinese men, claiming he was owed money. The men were armed with a baton, knives and baseball bats. They falsely imprisoned Ms Ji in her room for six hours and when Mr Hou returned from work they discussed in front of him how best to kill a person.
They also took his passport, his Garda National Immigration Bureau certificate of registration and his bank cards, and forced him to sign an IOU for €3,800.
Jin Nan (20), Ji Guang (22), Hatio Yin (28) and Wang Yue Nin (26), all from Venetian Hall, Howth Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment and demanding money with menaces.
Judge Hogan said custodial sentences were warranted.