A man who was described as being "high up" in a gang consisting of paramilitaries and criminals that stole over €380,000 worth of cash, cigarettes and electrical goods in two armed raids in Co Louth during which people were tied up and threatened at gunpoint, will be sentenced at Dundalk Circuit Court tomorrow.
Wayne Wallace (30), a Dublin man with an address at Park Head Crescent, Newry, Co Down pleaded guilty to robbing €351,190 worth of cash and goods on the December 3rd, 2001 at the Value Centre cash and carry, Castle Road, Dundalk.
He also admitted robbing nearly €30,000 in cash and cheques from Ferguson's Caravan Park, Carlingford, on July 25th last year. In the cash and carry raid Wallace was one of two men and a woman who posed as gardaí to gain entry to the premises while at Ferguson's Caravan Park he posed as a revenue official.
The manager in the cash and carry was told by Wallace that gardaí were checking an alarm call and all the staff were called together. The gang of 12 men arrived and within minutes the manager and 12 other staff were put lying on the floor and had their hands tied with plastic cable ties.
Some were kicked and hit about the face and all said they were put in fear, were shocked and had their lives threatened.
Wallace admitted to gardaí that he was the only red or ginger haired member of the gang and the court heard that a man of his description, dressed as a garda, had pushed a gun into the back of the head of the manager of the cash and carry while he was on the ground and then kicked him in the face.
However, in his statements to gardaí Wallace denied handling a gun or assaulting anyone.
He got €3,174 for his involvement and said he did it because it was coming up to Christmas and he was short of money.
The court heard that through his work as a bouncer in Dublin Wallace had met a man who offered him money to take part in the raid.
He had been brought to a house in Dundalk where he saw the 12 men wearing balaclavas, a number of them had guns, as well as items of clothing from the old garda style uniform.
In the raid on the caravan park Wallace was one of three people, the others who dressed as gardaí, that called to the home of the Ferguson family at 7.45 a.m. and claimed to be from the revenue and carrying out a routine search.
The gang who had two imitation guns, forced Mr Anthony Ferguson to open the safe and fill a sports bag with its contents. His son had a gun pointed at his head and was threatened.
Mrs Anne Ferguson and her two children were tied up and the family was told that if the gang found out there was other money on the premises they had not got that they would return. There was no doubt in their minds that the meant they would return with a view to shooting some of the family, the court heard.
Close to €30,000 was taken in cash and cheques. Wallace told gardaí he was told his girlfriend would be harmed if he did not take part in the raid.
Judge Raymond Groarke was told his risk of reoffending was low and he adjourned sentencing until tomorrow morning.
Bernadette McArdle, (28), Moneymore, Drogheda, who dressed as a garda during the cash and carry raid, and pleaded guilty to the robbery charge received an 18-month suspended jail term.