Pair demanded cash from lapdance club owner, court told

Two Dublin men who claimed they were in the Continuity IRA demanded money from the owner of a lap dancing club in Temple Bar, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Martin Kelly, aged 46, a former Irish soldier, of Westpark, Artane and William Clare, aged 35, of Adare Park, Coolock have denied membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 29, 2002.

Opening the prosecution case, Mr George Birmingham SC said that the court would hear the opinion of the head of the Special Branch, Detective Chief Superintendent Philip Kelly that the two men were members of an illegal organisation.

He said the court would also hear evidence from David Mooney, a businessman who had worked abroad in the bar business for a number of years.

Mr Mooney returned to Ireland in 2002 and decided to set up a lap dancing club in Temple Bar. He and his business associates also arranged to have security provided for the club.

At a meeting in a bar in Temple Bar on May 27 attended by Mr Mooney and others including the two accused men, the accused William Clare indicated that he and Kelly were representatives of the Continuity IRA and that they required money for the families of republican prisoners.

Mr Mooney was told that his club would be allowed to open if €50,000.

During negotiations Clare purported to make phone calls to Belfast and eventually it was agreed that €25,000 would be paid.

Mr Mooney paid over €15,000 on three different occasions to Clare and to Kelly and Clare.

"What the civilian witnesses will be saying is that both men were engaged in activities consistent with membership and both men were purporting to be members of the IRA when engaged in that activity," he said.

The trial is continuing.