A Roscommon man's terrifying encounter with a notorious Dublin burglar gang in Frenchpark left him in fear for his life and was an experience he said he would "never forget."
Another Roscommon family were robbed of €10,000 they had been saving for a family holiday after their home in Dysart was burgled.
Their traumatic experiences at the hands of the infamous Connors gang in November 2024 were revealed at a sentence hearing at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court.
Edward 'Ned' Connors (51) of 2 Bridgeview, Cloverhill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 2 was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in directing a criminal organisation and a spate of burglaries in the West of Ireland while his son Larry Connors (30) of the same address was sentenced to six years in prison with the final year suspended.
Judge Kenneth Connolly described the "boldness" and "utterly casual execution" of the burglaries as "a scourge on rural communities."
Detective Garda Conor Jordan described the moment two ordinary citizens confronted the gang in Roscommon.
A blue BMW was suspected of being involved in a number of burglaries in Frenchpark since May 2024 and he said the local community would have been well aware of this.
At 4.43pm on 16th November 2024, Mr Alan Lavin and his nephew Cian were travelling towards Frenchpark in their white Peugot van when they were suddenly overtaken by a blue BMW driving dangerously. They followed the BMW to Frenchpark.
At Portaghard, the BMW drove up a boreen and reversed into a gap.
Mr Lavin stopped his van in front of them, blocking the BMW.
In his victim impact statement, Mr Lavin said that when the men smashed his van window with the axe, he and his nephew "were in fear for our lives."
Detective Garda John Duggan of Castlerea Garda Station then gave evidence of a burglary in Dysart about a fortnight later, on 29 November 2024.
Gardaí got a call that night from Mr Eoin Carty to say his home in Dysart had been broken into while his family were out.
His rear patio door was broken and a significant amount of cash taken - €10,020 - along with wireless headphones worth €180.
Larry Connors later pleaded guilty to burglary at the home of Mr Carty at Lisseenanmaragh, Dysart, Co Roscommon on 29 November 2024.
In his victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Carty said the actions of the Connors gang had greatly affected his life.
In sentencing Larry Connors Judge Connolly said an aggravating factor was that he had broken into a family home which has a special protection and sanctity in the constitution.
He sentenced Larry Connors to six years imprisonment with the final year suspended for two years post-release, backdated to 29 November 2024.
Edward Connors Jnr (30) was remanded in custody to Longford Circuit Court on 8 July.
