Man pleads guilty in Lusk attempted robbery case

A Dublin man has today admitted his participation in an attempted armed raid of a post office where two of his fellow gangmembers were shot dead by gardaí.

Gavin Farrelly (aged 35) Lower Sherriff Street, Dublin 1 pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery of Ms Linda Neary at the Village Stores, Post Office, Main Street, Lusk on May 26, 2005.

Gardaí later named the to dead raiders as Colm Griffin (aged 33) from Cannon Lillis Avenue and Eric Hopkins (aged 24) from Lower Rutland Street, both in Dublin city centre.

He also admitted to allowing himself to be carried in a stolen car, which was unregistered and bore false license plates, on the same day.

Judge Bryan McMahon remanded Farrelly on continuing bail and adjourned sentencing to a date next April when all facts in the case will be heard.

Mr Brendan Grehan SC (with Mr Paul Anthony McDonagh BL), prosecuting, asked the court to order a victim impact report for the sentence hearing.

Mr Michael O Higgins SC (with Mr John Byrne BL), defending, specifically asked for a date after April 1 to allow his client time to sort out his "private affairs".