Louth man to be sentenced later for attempted extortion

A Louth man who tried to extort €25,000 from his late brother’s friend by producing a fake handgun in a pub will be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Thomas Hogan (aged 48) of Cedarfield Close, Dorove Road, Drogheda told his victim that he was going to kill him and his wife and that if he was sent to prison he would get someone else to do it.

He pleaded guilty to using an imitation firearm to demand money from and threaten to kill Mr Frank Martin at the Fingal House, Glasnevin Avenue, Dublin on December 27, 2008.

The court heard that Hogan claimed he mistakenly believed Mr Martin owed €25,000 to his late brother with whom Mr Martin was close friends.

Garda Ronan O’Reilly told prosecuting counsel, Ms Anne Marie Lawlor BL, that Mr Martin and Hogan were both in the Fingal House on the morning having a drink. Hogan approached Martin, put a hand on his shoulder and said, “you know who I am”.

Mr Martin was intimidated by this and said that he did. Hogan took out a black handgun from his back pocket and said: “I want €25,000 within two weeks.”

He put the gun away and continued, “You can go to the gardaí, I don’t give a f***. You can get me 10 years in jail, I’ll just get someone else to kill you.”

Hogan said that he would also kill the victim’s wife and that if he tried to flee abroad he would find him. He then went outside and Mr Martin followed to make sure he had gone.

Hogan was outside smoking and repeated the threats when he saw Mr Martin. He added that he would have done something a long time ago but his sisters would not let him. Before he left he told Mr Martin, “Don’t worry, it’s not over yet.”

Hogan went from the pub to a nearby bookmakers where an off-duty garda arrested him after he saw the gun sticking out of his back pocket.

Defence counsel, Mr Vincent Heneghan BL, said Hogan mistakenly believed Mr Martin owed money to his late brother. He said he had never been in trouble with gardaí before or since the incident and was now living in Drogheda caring for the children of his recently deceased partner.

Mr Heneghan submitted that his client had fully co-operated with gardaí and had entered an early guilty plea.

Judge Katherine Delahunt said she would finalise a sentence in November and remanded Hogan on bail to appear then.