"We will never forget": Family at centre of tiger kidnap happy justice has finally been done
The family at the centre of a tiger kidnapping have paid tribute a jury who sentenced their attackers to a total of 53 years and said that today they felt they had got justice for "a horrific and inhumane crime".
The trial heard how Paul Richardson's home was raided and he, his wife, Marie and their two teenage sons, Ian and Kevin, were threatened at gunpoint by a gang who forced Mr Richardson to go to work the next day while his family were held at gunpoint in the Dublin mountains until he had delivered the cash to a car park in west Dublin.
Today Mark Farrelly of Moatview Court, Priorswood, Coolock, Christopher Corcoran of Rosedale, Raheny, David Byrne of Old Brazil Way, Knocksedan, Swords and Niall Byrne of Crumlin Road Flats were sentenced to a total of 53 years for their role in the robbery of Mr Richardson and Securicor of €2.08 million on March 14, 2005 and to the false imprisonment of the Richardson family at their home at Ashcroft, Raheny on March 13 and 14, 2005.
Speaking outside court Mr Richardson said: “It has been a long road. One that has spanned 13 years and four months. Today my family and I have got justice for such a horrific and inhumane crime.
"I would like to thank the judge for a fair trial. I would like to thank the legal team, headed by Dominic McGinn. I would like to thank the gardaí for the effort they have put into this case from the start and to this date. Thank you to the jury for spending a long time and effort and most of all I would like to thank my family and two colleagues in G4S for all their support.
"I would like to thank all our friends and family. At long last it is over but we will never forget March 2005.”
Asked how he has kept going over the last 13 years Mr Richardson said his family had to dig deep.
"Some times you say to yourself, is there anything left in the well but with the support that we have from our friends and family and everything else you just seem to get some more when you thought you had none left.”
Referring to it being the fifth time that case has gone to court, knowing they were dangerous and violent people, Mr Richardson, said he had would never have given up because he had promised his family that night that he would go to the very end to get justice.
"And that's what I did. That means an awful lot to us, that we have got justice and that these men will serve a lenghty sentence and they can reflect on what they've done to us.”
Mr Richardson went on to say that the memories of what happened will never go away.
"It will always be there. Sometimes it takes over. You may forget an anniversary or a birthday but the 13th of March 2005, I will never forget.”
Mr Richardson said he was pleased with the sentence handed down.
“Yes, I am, at long last we can say goodbye to it.”
Mr Richardson's wife, Marie, went on to say it had been a long hard 13 years but that despite being disheartened at times her family never lost faith in the justice system and had this advice for other victims?
“Never give up ... never give up. I mean this took 13 years. After the first trial we thought, this is it, it was finished, we didn't know what was going to happen then but then just as Paul said, you keep going and get some justice.”
Detective Superintendent Paul Scott went on to thank the Richardsons for their forbearance during what has been an extremely lenghty trial process over the last 13 years.
"I would also like to thank all the members of the public who came to court to give evidence, without them we couldn't have succeeded. The Garda Siochana will relentlessly pursue those who are responsible for crimes of this nature. We would be resilient in that and I would like that message to go out.”
“In relation to the sentences, that is a matter for the courts but I will say it is a clear message, that those responsible for these serious crimes, will face stiff sentences. I hope that that will act as a deterrent in future cases.”
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