Martin O’Toole jailed for 15 years over Roscommon attack

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

Martin O’Toole was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the false imprisonment of security guard Ian Gordon during an attack at a repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown, Co Roscommon. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him and two co-defendants at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 28 July 2023.

O’Toole, PJ Sweeney and Paul Beirne each received 15 years for falsely imprisoning Mr Gordon and 14 years for falsely imprisoning the other three guards. Each also received 13 years for aggravated burglary, 10 years for violent disorder and arson, eight years for criminal damage and five years for animal cruelty. The sentences run concurrently and were backdated to when the men entered custody. Judge Baxter suspended no part.

All three had denied the charges. A jury found them guilty of 15 charges arising from the attack at Falsk on 16 December 2018. These included falsely imprisoning and assaulting Ian Gordon, Mark Rissen, John Graham and Gary McCourtney, setting three vans on fire and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. They were acquitted of robbing Mr Graham’s wristwatch and one count of arson concerning a car. A fourth man, David Lawlor, was found not guilty of the same 17 charges.

The court heard that around 30 armed men forced their way into the property and attacked the guards. Mr Gordon’s dog was struck on the head and later put down because of its injuries. The prosecution said the group shared the goal of removing the guards and ensuring they did not return. The proceedings were reported on 28 July 2023.

Before sentence, O’Toole, who represented himself, said he had been denied a free and fair trial because his legal team had refused to take his instructions. The court had previously heard that Sweeney maintained he was not at the scene, while O’Toole and Beirne told gardaí that the situation had got out of control.