A man has been released from prison after serving two years of a seven year sentence for attempted kidnap.
Raymond Brown, a carpenter, was jailed in 1997 for attempting to coerce his former girlfriend to return to England in the boot of his car, threatening to have her home burned down by an accomplice if she did not co-operate, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
An English police sergeant had told the court Brown had set another woman on fire, beat her with an iron bar and told her he was bringing her to woodland to kill her.
Two years ago Judge Kevin Haugh jailed Brown (31), of Stanway Street, Hoxton, London, for having conspired with a co-accused, Craig Ferrigi, to falsely imprison the woman, who is from Dublin, in November 1996.
The court heard their plan had been foiled by gardai who found the intended victim's name and address in Brown's car with the words "judgment day" marked for the day of the planned kidnap. They had also found a knife, a scalpel, petrol cans, and a balaclava.
Brown had told Ferrigi (21), Carysfort Road, Stoke Newington, London, that if a kidnap attempt on the woman failed, he was to burn down her house when her family was at home.
Yesterday, while reviewing Brown's sentence, Judge Haugh was shown a certificate Brown had received for woodwork while in prison, as well as a Junior Certificate `B' grade for business studies.
He heard that Brown's father would provide accommodation for his son in London. Brown was willing to make an undertaking to the court that he would not return to Ireland.
Judge Haugh said Ireland was now part of the global village and he did not believe the court could restrict Brown from re-entering the country. He now believed Brown was no longer a threat to society.