A third County Clare man charged in relation to the alleged robbery of Carrigaholt post office in west Clare in January is to enter a signed plea of guilt, a court has heard today.
At Ennis District Court today, solicitor, John Casey for Daragh Pender (30) said that he has indicated to the State that Mr Pender will be going forward to the circuit court on a signed plea.
Mr Pender’s indication of a signed guilty plea follows solicitor, Daragh Hassett for two co-accused, Michael McMahon (38) of Plunkett Drive, Kilkishen and Darren Cassidy (38) of Lifford Mews, Lifford, Ennis stating in court last month that his instructions are that his clients intend to proceed to the circuit court on signed pleas to the robbery charge before the court.
All four accused in the case were today appearing via video-link from Limerick prison and all four have been on remand in custody since January of this year.
In the cases of Mr McMcMahon, Mr Cassidy and Mr Downes (36) of Seafield Park, Quilty, Judge Adrian Harris said that the next remand to May 6th is peremptory against the State.
This means that if the DPP does not have directions in the case for that date, it is open to Judge Harris to strike out the charges against the three accused.
Mr Hassett asked if the adjournments were peremptory against the State given the traffic light system on such remands and Judge Harris said that it is.
Sergeant Frank O’Grady told the court today that Gardai have received correspondence from the DPP stating that they have the file and that it is quite a complex matter.
Sgt O’Grady said that the DPP has stated that it has taken a number of days to go through the documents and it is looking for as long a remand as possible.
Both Mr Pender (30) of Dun na hInse, Ennis and Mr Downes (36) have both secured High Court but have been unable to take it up.
In the case, Mr Downes, Mr Cassidy, Mr Pender and Mr McMahon are each charged with robbing Maura McKiernan, the post-mistress at An Post Carrigaholt, The Square, Carrigaholt of cash, coins and a cheque to the value of €8,944.63, contrary to Section 14 of the Criminal justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 on January 21st.
At a contested bail hearing in January, Sgt Shane Graham on behalf of the Gardai successfully opposed bail and told the court that it is the Garda belief that the four men before the court charged with robbery were part of a four person joint enterprise “who acted in concert and colluded in order to carry out a cold and calculated robbery”.
Opposing bail for the four, Sgt Graham said that it will be alleged that the four member strong gang “involved two getaway drivers and two members of the gang that entered the premises where the post mistress was violently and viciously assaulted with iron bars by both males”.
Sgt Graham was one of the members of An Garda Síochana who was involved in a high speed car chase across west Clare that ended on the outskirts of Ennis where the four suspects were apprehended by members of the Garda Armed Response Unit (ARU) at 3.45pm, January 21st.
Sgt Graham said that during the case, items were thrown from the alleged second getaway car, a BMW, and he said that Gardai later recovered €6,500 in notes and coins from the road.
Sgt Graham said that it will be alleged that Mr Pender and Mr Downes were the getaway drivers involved in the alleged robbery and both have no previous convictions.
Judge Harris remanded Mr McMahon, Mr Downes and Mr Cassidy in custody to appear via video-link at Ennis District Court to May 6th and remanded Mr Pender to appear via video link to Ennis District Court on May 13th.
