Accused withdrew from plan to extort businessman, defence say

At the Special Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of two men charged with offences arising from an assault on a Mayo businessman in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness and William Twomey deny falsely imprisoning, assaulting, and robbing the victim, as well as demanding money with menaces. The prosecution alleged the businessman was lured to a remote location under false pretences…