Courts / Tipperary / Report
Man jailed for his role in robbery of over 40 firearms has sentence cut by two years on appeal
Summary
Alan Freeman, aged 34, was convicted of theft for his role in a January 2009 robbery at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary, where more than 40 firearms were taken. He pleaded guilty at Naas Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Gerrard Griffin on 1 April 2014. The Court of Appeal noted the robbery's significance to the Gardaí and that Freeman had been assisted by experienced counsel. On appeal, Judge George Birmingham reviewed Freeman's earlier suspended sentence of eight years for a bank robbery, of which six years had been reactivated, making a global sentence of 13 years. Applying the principle of totality and proportionality, Birmingham suspended two years of the seven‑year sentence, leaving Freeman with an overall sentence of 11 years. He agreed to a €100 bond to maintain peace and good behaviour during the suspended period.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man jailed for his role in robbery of over 40 firearms has sentence cut by two years on appeal. Charges or matters: theft over his role in a robbery at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary in January 2009; theft at an advanced stage of his trial and he lost an appeal against conviction on the single ground that the onus to prove he wasn't induced into entering a guilty plea rested on the prosecution. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- January 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
- Tuesday April 1 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2015-06-26 Publication
Why: In order to provide that incentive, Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, suspended two years of the seven year sentence leaving him with an overall sentence of 11 years. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: theft over his role in a robbery at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary in January 2009; theft at an advanced stage of his trial and he lost an appeal against conviction on the single ground that the onus to prove he wasn't induced into entering a guilty plea rested on the prosecution (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by Judge Gerrard Griffin on Tuesday April 1 2014. Moving to his sentence appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham said Freeman had been subject to a "very unusual" suspended sentence of eight years imposed in respect of a bank robbery, six of which was reactivated on sentencing.
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