Man remanded in connection with 2009 tiger-kidnapping

A 24-year-old man has appeared before Kilkenny District Court charged in connection with a tiger-kidnapping at the home of a former All-Ireland hurling star.

Stephen Freeman from Balcurris Gardens in Ballymun, Dublin, appeared before Kilkenny District Court earlier.

The wife of Adrian Ronan, who is a former Kilkenny hurler, had been taken hostage in front of their children during the incident.

The home of bank employee Adrian Ronan at Ballyhendricken, Ballycallan, Co Kilkenny, was raided before dawn on November 3, 2009, by a gang of armed men.

They took the former hurler's wife hostage and demanded that he go to the Bank of Ireland on Parliament Street in Kilkenny city and take out more than €3m in cash.

The raid was later aborted without anyone being injured and no money exchanged hands.

This afternoon Stephen Freeman from Balcurris Gardens in Ballymun, Dublin, appeared at Kilkenny District Court charged with false imprisonment, possession of a handgun and attempted theft.

The 24-year-old was arrested at his home in Dublin this morning.

He was granted bail on a number of strict conditions, including having to sign on daily at Ballymun garda station and being placed under curfew from 10pm to 7am.

The judge remanded the accused in custody until he surrenders his passport to the authorities.

Stephen Freeman will appear before the court at the same time next week.