Man was at violent gang’s beck and call

A man who through financial difficulties was at the beck and call of a violent gang, drove armed and masked men on a raid during which they subjected two elderly sisters and their bachelor brother to what was described as a barbaric attack at their isolated rural home, a court heard.

William Gammell, aged 29, of Monard, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday to aggravated burglary.

The court was told he picked up two, unnamed, violent gang members before the raid at Ballyluddy, Pallsagreen, on May 31, 2012, and collected them afterwards.