TWO BROTHERS of deceased Limerick criminal Philip Collopy have been jailed for five years for threatening to kill a man they believed had money belonging to their late brother.
Kieran Collopy (35) and Damian Collopy (21), St Ita’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick, admitted issuing the threat to former family friend Willie Moran, who remains under 24-hour Garda protection.
Earlier this year, another brother, Brian Collopy (38), was jailed for eight years for intimidating Mr Moran, who was a key witness in the case against his younger brothers. A judge described Brian Collopy’s actions as an “attack on the administration of justice”.
Yesterday, the same judge, Judge Carroll Moran, jailed Kieran and Damian Collopy for five years at Limerick Circuit Court, where they pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Moran at St Senan’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick, on April 14th last year.
During the case, evidence was heard that the brothers believed Mr Moran owed them money arising out of matters involving the late Philip Collopy and horses he owned. The 29-year-old died after he accidentally shot himself in the head with a Glock pistol in March 2009.
Philip Collopy and the murdered crime figure Kieran Keane were responsible for the killing of Eddie Ryan in November 2000, which led to the escalation of the widely publicised Limerick feud.
Before imposing sentence yesterday, the judge said Mr Moran and his family still felt under threat and remained under 24-hour Garda protection. He described this as having a “most traumatic and constricting influence on their lives”.
The judge said citizens of this country were entitled to expect the courts to protect them and their homes and to keep them safe.
He said it was “unacceptable” that Mr Moran was subjected to threats “with the additional hint of extortion or assault”.
Judge Moran imposed eight-year sentences on both men and suspended the last three years.
He backdated the sentences to April 2010 when they first went into custody and ordered that the Collopy brothers have no contact with Mr Moran or any members of his family.