James Flynn sentenced to nine years over getaway car conspiracy

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

James Flynn was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the final year suspended, for his part in the theft of a car used in the Lordship Credit Union robbery and the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The proceedings were reported on 21 December 2023.

Flynn, from south Armagh, was convicted at the Special Criminal Court of conspiring with Aaron Brady and others to break into a house in Clogherhead, Co Louth, and steal the keys of a Volkswagen Passat. The break-in happened two days before the robbery and murder on 25 January 2013.

The court was satisfied that Flynn picked up Brady in his BMW that night for what it called “night work”, and that Flynn’s car was later captured on CCTV in convoy with the stolen car. The report said Flynn also made two visits to the credit union in preparation for the crime.

On 21 December, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said Flynn knew the full purpose of the conspiracy to burgle the home and steal a fast car needed for the robbery. The judge said Flynn was part of an organised crime gang and that the car had been stolen for a specific purpose. He said Flynn had not pleaded guilty and had shown no remorse.