Tiger kidnap victim was threatened with death
Stephen Cusack was abducted with a friend Niall Reddan while they watched TV on the night of Aug 19/20, 2012, Limerick Circuit Court was told yesterday.
Mr Cusack was 18 at the time and Mr Reddan 19.
Zachary Coughlan Ryan, aged 34, of Brennan Row, Cathedral Place, Limerick, has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning both men.
John O’Sullivan, counsel for the DPP, said Mr Cusack and Mr Reddan were watching TV at 135 Caisleann na hAbghainn, Castletroy, on the night of Aug 19 when they were confronted by two armed intruders. One, armed with a handgun, was wearing a balaclava and the other who was carrying a knife had a scarf over his face and wore a hoodie.
Initially Stephen Cusack thought it was somebody messing, before realising the seriousness of it.
He and Mr Reddan were tied up and gagged.
The court heard the behaviour of the two intruders was threatening and Mr Cusack and Mr Reddan were placed in the back of Mr Cusack’s pickup truck.
They became aware of a third male, who the prosecution claims was a youth, under the age of 18.
The man with the gun drove the truck with the other man sitting alongside him in the front.
Mr O’Sullivan said it is the State’s case that the man with the knife was the accused, Zachary Coughlan Ryan.
After being driven up a passageway in Ballyclough on the outskirts of the city, the two abducted men were taken into a derelict house for a short time, before being returned to the truck.
Before later freeing Mr Reddan at another location the two armed men said they wanted a substantial sum of money from Mr Cusack’s parents.
Mr O’Sullivan said Mr Cusack’s mother, Carol was postmaster at Garryowen post office.
They warned Mr Reddan not to contact gardaí, and made it clear that Mr Cusack’s life was at risk unless the money was produced.
Mr Reddan managed to get a taxi back into the city and went to Mr Cusack’s family and alerted them to what had happened.
Mr Cusack was driven to a field and the younger of the three was given the task of minding him.
Mr Cusack managed to make his escape and raised the alarm at around 1am on Aug 20.
No money was paid out, said Mr O’Sullivan.
The three males gave each other false names in an attempt at disguise and at one point Mr Cusack was able to clearly see the face of the man, calling himself “Michael”, and identify him as the accused.
The trial is continuing.
