Son of postmistress held by gunpoint, court told

The son of a Limerick postmistress had a gun put to his head when armed and masked raiders entered his home, a court heard.

Zachary Coughlan Ryan, 34, of Brennan’s Row, Catherine Place, Limerick has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Stephen Cusack and Niall Reddan at a house in Caisleann na hAbhainn estate, Castletroy on Apr 19, 2012.

Limerick Circuit Court has been told that three men abducted Mr Cusack and Mr Reddan and demanded €500,000 for the safe release of Mr Cusack, whose mother ran the post office in Garryowen.

Mr Reddan told the court that he was released and told to inform Mr Cusack’s family that the kidnappers wanted the money for their son’s safe release.

Mr Cusack managed to escape after one of his captors was put in charge of him in a field on the outskirts of the city.

In evidence yesterday, Mr Cusack said he was watching TV with his Mr Reddan on Aug 19, 2012.

The sitting-room door opened and two men wearing balaclavas came in, one armed with a gun and the other with a knife.

The man with the gun came towards him, put the gun to his head and told him to get on the floor.

He and Mr Reddan were then tied with cable ties.

Mr Cusack said: “One said: ‘Your brother owes us money’ and I said I didn’t know anything about that and after that they said: ‘Where is the safe, where is the money?’ ”

Mr Cusack said the man got a few belts and he was gagged by having two tied socks put into his mouth

They took his mobile phone saying said they needed it as a means of communication.

When he and Mr Reddan were brought outside, there was a third man.

Both of them were put in the back of his truck and driven out the Ballysimon Rd.

The trial will resume next Wednesday.