Lithuanians jailed for car hijack

Two Lithuanian men have been jailed for four years for hijacking a car from a fellow national in Skerries.

Mykolas Dockevicius (aged 21) of Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, Co Westmeath and Marius Bardauskas (aged 22) of Oldbridge Way, Lucan pleaded guilty to the crime before a jury of six men and six women just after their trial began at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

A third Lithuanian, Eimantis Kadzevicius (aged 21) of Moyglass Lawn, Lucan, received a two-year suspended sentence for his role in the 'carjack' which happened at Milberton, Skerries on March 22, 2008.

Garda Audrey Garvey told prosecution counsel, Mr Shane Costelloe BL, that the car owner met the group after they contacted him about viewing his vehicle which was advertised for sale in a Lithuanian newspaper.

Gda Garvey said Kadzevicius arranged to go on a test drive with the seller but pulled the vehicle over some time later and rang someone on his mobile phone.

She said Dockevicius and Bardauskas then pulled up in second car, jumped out and pointed a sawn-off shotgun at the seller before threatening him, stealing his wallet, mobile phone and watch, and taking the car.

Judge Patrick McCartan told the three that they had "forfeited their right to hospitality" in Ireland.

He suspended the final two years of sentence for Dockevicius and father-of-one Bardauskas due to their guilty plea and young ages.

He ordered they leave the country after their release and gave Kadzevicius, who did not know weapons were being used until they were produced, seven days to return to Lithuania.