Courts / Dublin / Report

Woman tells court of hijack where raiders demanded to know her address

Summary

Ms Helen Leigh gave evidence in the Special Criminal Court that on 19 March 2010 she was hijacked at gunpoint near Applewood Village, Swords. Two masked men forced her into a car, demanded proof of her address, threatened to kill her if she reported the incident, and asked if she had children. Leigh described the men as wearing dark clothing and a balaclava, one holding a small silver gun. They took a business letter containing her address, tore it, and left her with a phone that had 15 missed calls. The ordeal lasted about 20–25 minutes. The testimony is part of the trial of Trevor Byrne, 41, charged with armed robbery, possession of a firearm, vehicle seizure, false imprisonment, and threatening to kill Leigh. Byrne denies all charges. The trial is ongoing in the non‑jury court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman tells court of hijack where raiders demanded to know her address. Charges or matters: five offences relating to an armed robbery at BoyleSports in Swords the previous year, during Cheltenham Race Week on Gold Cup day. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 19, 2010 Incident
• 2021-04-14 Publication

Why: At around the Kilshane Cross area, Ms Leigh again asked to be let out because she knew where she was but was "terrified" that if the car went further she would not know where she was. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Theft

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Read the original CNI report