Courts / Louth / Report

Organised gang with local knowledge targeted Lordship Credit Union, trial told

Summary

A Special Criminal Court has heard that an organised criminal gang comprising at least five members with local knowledge deliberately targeted Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, in the robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. The State's closing address, delivered by barrister Lorcan Staines SC on 15 May 2023, relied on circumstantial evidence including CCTV footage and mobile phone data to link the accused men to the attack and a series of related burglaries. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn deny charges of conspiracy to commit creeper burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and of robbing €7,000 from the credit union on 25 January 2013. The prosecution contends the gang possessed detailed local knowledge of the area and prior intelligence about the credit union's operations. Counsel noted coordination indicators such as synchronised phone deactivations before the robbery and evidence of reconnaissance visits. Aaron Brady, already serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum for Detective Donohoe's murder, was named as a co-conspirator. The trial continues at the Special Criminal Court. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Organised gang with local knowledge targeted Lordship Credit Union, trial told. Charges or matters: murdering Det Gda Adrian Donohoe; robbery at Lordship; robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union; conspiracy to enter residential premises with the intention of stealing car keys. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• August 2011 Other
• January 23, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 11 2013 Incident
• January 30, 2013 Incident
• January 25, 2013 Incident
• September 11, 2012 Other
• 23 January 2013 Other
• 2012 and 2013 Other
• 2023-05-15 Publication

Why: The credit union was targeted, Mr Staines said, because it had been robbed two years earlier, in August 2011, when the raiders got away with more than €22,000 in cash plus cheques. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime

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• DPP wants retrial after conviction for conspiring to steal Det Gda Adrian Donohoe getaway car is overturned
• Conviction for conspiring to steal Det Gda Adrian Donohoe getaway car is overturned
• Gang member only heard of change to Lordship getaway car conspiracy charge after he was convicted of it, appeal hears

Read the original CNI report