Knives held to necks of football fans in robbery

A son of a convicted gangland murderer terrified teen soccer supporters in Shannon when he held a knife up to their necks during a daylight robbery.

Anthony Moran, aka Rodney Stanners, aged 20, is the son of notorious Limerick criminal David ‘Frog Eyes’ Stanners, who was jailed for life for the murder of Kieran Keane in January 2003.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Moran, of Delmege Park, Moyross, Limerick, pleaded guilty to robbing two 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old at an area known as the Black Path at Corrib Drive in Shannon on May 17, 2014.

Moran was in Shannon to support Moyross United against Shannon Town FC.

The three victims were part of a larger group of local teens that had left the match early and had congregated on the Black Path behind the Drumgeely flats in Shannon.

Only one of the victims gave a victim impact statement and described Moran as the ring-leader who was “so cold”.

The 17-year-old said that he was “terrified and fearful for my life” after Moran brandished the knife and held it up to his throat.

Moran was accompanied by two other youths and they approached the larger group. Det Sgt Kevin O’Hagan said that Moran “demanded money and put the knife up to the neck of a number of the teenagers”.

Det O’Hagan said Moran also jabbed his knife at the left thigh of one teen but did not break the skin.

The boy then handed over his wallet, containing €20, while Moran robbed another teen of €4 and robbed a €60 mini-speaker from a third youth.

Det O’Hagan said Moran “was in possession of all the weaponry and he gave the two he was with knives and they went around to search the other parties and this took the form of patting the other teens down and asking them to empty their pockets”.

Det O’Hagan said that the three left the group and returned to the match while the victims raised the alarm with officials at Shannon Town FC, who in turn called the gardaí.

Det O’Hagan said that Moran had no previous convictions at the time but now has 19 previous convictions.

Mark Nicholas, defending, said Moran’s father was convicted for murder when Anthony was aged eight or nine.

Mr Nicholas said: “His father, who was not the best influence, was taken out of his life and his mother also left so he was raised by his brother.”

He remarked that the Stanners name itself “is enough to get you into trouble” and Moran took on his mother’s surname.

He said: “He has tried to do his best to stay out of trouble and, by and large, he has managed to do that, given the Stanners moniker.”

Mr Nicholas said that none of the 19 previous convictions relate to any violence.

Mr Nicholas said: “What happened was unpleasant, mean-spirited, and frightening.

“Knives were held and shown, but at no stage was any injury inflicted. The Probation Report shows the difficulties this man has had from an early age.”

Stephen Coughlan, prosecuting, said that it was an extremely serious matter and Judge Gerald Keys agreed.

Judge Keys said that he would like an updated Probation Report before he pronounces sentence. Judge Keys adjourned the matter to today for mention where he will assign a date for sentence before the end of July.