€500k was sought as ransom, trial hears

A man yesterday told how, after he and a friend were abducted, he was freed and told his friend would be killed if his friend’s mother did not pay €500,000.

At Limerick Circuit Court, Zachary Coughlan Ryan, aged 34, of Brennan’s Row, Catherine Place, Limerick, has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning, Stephen Cusack and Niall Reddan on Aug 19, 2012.

The court was told €500,000 was demanded for the release of Mr Cusack, whose mother ran a post office in Garryowen.

In evidence, Mr Reddan said he was with his friend Mr Cusack at a house at Caisleán na hAbhann, Castletroy, when three men entered the sitting room. He and Mr Cusack were forced face down on the ground by the men.

One had a knife and another had what looked like a gun, said Mr Reddan. He was hit on the head with the butt of the knife.

They were then forced into the back of Mr Cusack’s truck, which was parked in the driveway of the house.

They were then driven for about 15 minutes to a derelict house in the countryside. Mr Reddan was put by the side of the house, and heard one of the men saying they wanted money or they would kill Mr Cusack. They knew his mother owned a post office and mentioned her name.

He was then put in the front of the truck with two of the men and Mr Cusack was put back in the back.

At this point, the men did not have their faces covered and they told him if he looked at their faces they would pull over and kill him.

Some time later, Mr Reddan was freed. They told him to tell Mr Cusack’s mother that they had him and if they were not paid, they would kill him.

Mr Reddan was warned not to inform the gardaí, and if he did, they would kill Mr Cusack.

Mr Reddan got a local to ring a taxi. When the taxi arrived, he travelled to his sister’s house in the city and told her what happened. His sister’s boyfriend then drove him to the Cusacks’ home where he told his parents what had happened.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Brendan Nix about the amount of money he claimed was demanded, Mr Reddan said he could not recall the amount. Mr Nix mentioned a sum of €500,000 and Mr Reddan said this could have been the amount, but he did not say the amount in his evidence as he did not want to be wrong

Mr Nix put it to Mr Reddan that the story was concocted so he could get money from the Cusacks.

Mr Reddan said he was not that desperate.

Prosecuting counsel John O’Sullivan asked: “Is it a load of rubbish to say you were falsely imprisoned.”

Mr Reddan replied: “I was forced, that’s the truth of it.”

The trial before Judge Carroll Moran and a jury continues.