'Tiger kidnapping' trial starts in Dublin

Four Dublin men have gone on trial accused of the false imprisonment of a family of four and the robbery of €2.28m in cash eight years ago.

At the start of the trial Judge Martin Nolan warned the jurors that they could be held in contempt of court if they were found to have searched the Internet or any other source for information about the events in the trial.

Jason Kavanagh (aged 39) of Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Christopher Corcoran (aged 66) of Bayside Boulevard North, Sutton, Mark Farrelly (aged 42) of Moatview Court, Priorswood, Coolock, and Alan Costello (aged 50) of Cromcastle Road, Coolock pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five charges each.

They are accused of falsely imprisoning Paul Richardson at Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin on the night of March 13 and 14, 2005 and of falsely imprisoning Marie, Ian and Kevin Richardson on the same dates.

The four accused are also charged with robbery of €2.28m in cash from Paul Richardson of Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd..

The trial is set to last eleven weeks and will run into in the third week of December.

After the jury was formally put in charge of the trial Judge Nolan told it that to investigate the case through sources other than the evidence before it in court would be a breach of the oath the jurors took.

He told the jury this would be a “long and difficult trial” and said: “Do not investigate the case yourself. All evidence should come from the witness box.”

He also warned the jurors they are also not allowed to speak about the evidence they hear during the trial amongst themselves or with family and friends.

“To do otherwise would lessen the fair trial these men are entitled to,” he said.

Evidence in the case is due to begin tomorrow.