A man was sentenced to six years in prison yesterday and two others were given three-year jail terms, with two years suspended, for robberies of the elderly in Co Roscommon.
The raiders had shown no compassion for their victims, Judge Anthony Kennedy said at Roscommon Circuit Court yesterday. The men had terrorised them and the attacks were "low and vicious", he added.
Aidan Fallon (26), of Rinnegan, Lecarrow, Co Roscommon, was given six years, while David Meyers (26), of Harry's Lane, Athlone, and Peter McDonald (27) of Crystal Village, Athlone, each received three years in prison, the last two years of which were suspended.
All three pleaded guilty to robbing Mrs Catherine Dillon (70) and falsely imprisoning her in Lecarrow on December 6th, 1995. Fallon also admitted robbing Mr Christopher Doyle (76) and falsely imprisoning him at Glanduff, Lecarrow, on September 12th, 1995. The court heard that Meyers and McDonald were members of a band called Grease and had appeared on the Late Late Show and Live at Three.
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, for the State, told the court that the elderly victims had been tied up and beaten before being robbed. He outlined how Mrs Dillon was attacked and robbed while her son was out playing bingo. Her telephone line had been cut and she had been tied to a chair and threatened she would be shot.
Mr Doyle had been grabbed when he went out to get water. He was knocked to the ground before having his hands and feet tied with baling twine. In all cases the defendants wore balaclavas.
Sgt Tom Fitzmaurice, of Roscommon, told the court that the attack had affected Mrs Dillon terribly. She was now extremely nervous at night and could not stay on her own. Mr Doyle was extremely shocked.
Sentencing Fallon, the judge noted he had only recently pleaded guilty and last Friday had made an application to his colleague in Sligo to have his case transferred to Dublin. There was no evidence he had sought help for his addiction to drink and gambling.
Judge Kennedy said he was taking into consideration the fact that neither Meyers nor McDonald had previous convictions. He bound both of them to the peace for five years.