Courts / Roscommon / Report
'No excuse for lawlessness': 15 years for Strokestown eviction vigilantes
Summary
Three men have been sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment following their conviction on fifteen charges relating to an armed attack on security personnel at a repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown, County Roscommon on 16 December 2018. Martin O'Toole, PJ Sweeney and Paul Beirne were found guilty of aggravated burglary, violent disorder, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson and animal cruelty. A fourth defendant, David Lawlor, was acquitted of all charges. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martina Baxter described the incident as a "well-executed plan" involving approximately thirty armed men who arrived in the early hours to terrorise the security guards. The judge noted the attack demonstrated "extensive planning and pre-meditation" and included "calculated cruelty". Sentencing to run concurrently, Judge Baxter stated there was no excuse for such lawlessness and declined to suspend any portion of the sentences. All three men are to be backdated to when they entered custody.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'No excuse for lawlessness': 15 years for Strokestown eviction vigilantes. Charges or matters: the unlawful possession of a firearm on December 19, 2018, at Croghan, Boyle. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 16, 2018 Incident
- December 11, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2012 Incident
- December 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 16 Incident
- December 19, 2018 Incident
- 2009 and 2012 Other
- 2023-07-28 Publication
Why: O'Toole said: "I've been denied the right to a free and fair trial because my legal team refused to take my instructions; that's all I have to say". CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: the unlawful possession of a firearm on December 19, 2018, at Croghan, Boyle (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Photo: Collins) Three men who took part in a vigilante "mob" attack on security personnel guarding a repossessed farmhouse in Roscommon, which was carried out with "calculated cruelty" designed to create "fear and terror", have each been sentenced to 15 years in prison. She imposed a sentence of 15 years on each of the three accused for the false imprisonment of Mr Gordon.
Places mentioned
Topics
Burglary Stage Sentence Violent Crime
Related court reports
- Strokestown assault conviction overturned by High Court
- Strokestown eviction vigilante fails in appeal against 15-year sentence
- 'You are denying me my human rights': Strokestown vigilante walks out of appeal
- 'The most barbaric violations of human rights': Strokestown eviction vigilantes to remain in jail
- Strokestown eviction vigilantes appeal convictions
- 11.5 years for father who 'poisoned' daughter's youth with years of rape and abuse
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