Courts / Dublin / Report
Two men accused of tiger raid found not guilty by direction after "dramatic" ruling
Summary
At the appeal stage, Mark Farrelly (43) and Christopher Corcoran (67), previously convicted in 2009 for their roles in a 2005 tiger raid involving the robbery of €2.28 million from Mr Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd, were found not guilty by direction. The ruling followed a decision by Judge Mary Ellen Ring that mobile phone records could not be used as evidence in the case. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges of falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of March 13 and 14, 2005, and the robbery of €2.28 million in cash. They had been sentenced to 25 years and 12 years respectively in 2009, but their convictions were overturned in 2012 due to a Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutionality of search warrants. A retrial in 2013 ended in a hung jury. The current appeal concluded with the matter being adjourned, as the jury was directed to find the men not guilty, and no retrial will take place. The legal argument centred on the admissibility of mobile phone records, with the defence relying on the 1992 Cochrane ruling. The case has had a lasting impact on the Richardson family, who have not retrieved the stolen cash and continue to be affected by the events ten years later.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Two men accused of tiger raid found not guilty by direction after "dramatic" ruling. Charges or matters: falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of March 13 and 14 and robbery of €2.28 million in cash from Mr Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd on March 14, 2005. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- Sunday March 13, 2005 Other
- March 13 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 14, 2005 Other
- 2015-01-22 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of March 13 and 14 and robbery of €2.28 million in cash from Mr Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd on March 14, 2005 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: They were sentenced to 25 years and 12 years respectively.
Appellant
Charges: falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of March 13 and 14 and robbery of €2.28 million in cash from Mr Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd on March 14, 2005 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Photo: Collins) Two men previously jailed for taking part in a 2005 tiger raid have been found not guilty after a "dramatic" ruling that mobile phone records cannot be used as evidence in the case.
Places mentioned
Topics
Related court reports
- Solicitor agrees not to contact former tenant following High Court settlement
- No jail for Afghan man who laundered €45k while on social welfare
- 'I guess this is just my turn': visually impaired woman describes panic during false imprisonment by bogus taxi driver
- 'Nuisance' offender gets life for murdering 'drunken bowsie' after 'lewd requests'
- Parcel from South Africa contained €210k worth of cannabis
- Custody records of Ana Kriegel killer 'crucial to appeal', court told
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request