Man guilty of kidnapping and €2.28m robbery

One of four men accused of taking part in the kidnapping of a Securicor worker and his family and the robbery of the firm of €2.28m has been found guilty on day 49 of the trial.

Jason Kavanagh, aged 39, was alleged to have been part of an armed kidnap gang which burst into the family home of Paul Richardson in Raheny, Dublin on March 13, 2005.

The gang took Mr Richardson’s wife and their two teenage sons into the Dublin mountains and held them at gunpoint overnight.

Other gang members held Mr Richardson at gunpoint at his home until the next morning when he was told to go to work and deliver the cash to a drop off point.

Shortly after 2pm having deliberated for nearly 14 hours, the jury returned majority guilty verdicts on all the charges against Kavanagh, of Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown.

Judge Martin Nolan remanded Kavanagh in custody until today.

Two remaining co-accused Christopher Corcoran, aged 66, Mark Farrelly, aged 42, are still awaiting the jury’s verdict.

On Tuesday the jury returned not guilty verdicts on a fourth co-accused, Alan Costello, aged 50, after nearly 10 hours of deliberations.

Dubliners Mr Corcoran of Bayside Boulevard North, Sutton; Mr Farrelly of Moatview Court, Priorswood, Coolock; Kavanagh; and Mr Costello of Cromcastle Road, Coolock had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to all charges.

These are falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of Mar 13 and 14, 2005, and to robbery of €2.28m in cash from Paul Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd on Mar 14, 2005.

The jury continue to deliberate on the remaining counts and have been told they can return a majority verdict on these.

The trial had heard evidence that Kavanagh’s father had called a number described as the “green” phone in a network of mobile phone alleged activity between the kidnappers.

There was also evidence that a DNA profile linked to him matched one found on a pillowcase allegedly used as a makeshift balaclava by one of the raiders.

The jury also heard Kavanagh and Mr Farrelly know each other through a horse racing syndicate.

The State also gave evidence that Niall Byrne, Gerard Grant, and David Byrne were alleged to be members of the kidnap gang but were not on trial at this time.

The court heard that Jason Kavanagh is married to Niall Byrne’s cousin and the two men are lifelong friends.

Counsel for Kavanagh said he has also socialised with both Gerard Grant and Alan Costello.