Trial continues of 'tiger' accused
A Securicor ATM worker has revealed he thought his former partner would have a heart attack at the wheel of their company van shortly after depositing €2.28m cash for armed raiders.
Mr Sean Kelleher said that his Securicor crew partner of 12 years, Mr Paul Richardson, had become "erratic" and "frenzied" as he drove out of Dublin with a walkie-talkie in his hand to hear any news about his wife and sons, who had been taken hostage by masked gunmen.
Mr Kelleher told prosecution counsel, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, that he ripped his partner’s shirt open to help him breathe when Securicor Control told the crew over the radio that the Richardson family were safe after their kidnapping ordeal.
He said Mr Richardson collapsed when he heard the news and "started complaining he was going to have a heart attack".
David Byrne (aged 36) of Old Brazeel Way, Knocksedan, Swords; Niall Byrne (aged 27), of Aughavanagh Road, Crumlin; Mark Farrelly (aged 37), of Moatview Court, Priorswood; Christopher Corcoran (aged 61), of Bayside Boulevard North, Sutton; and Jason Kavanagh (aged 34), of Parslickstown Court, Ladyswell have all pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning the Richardson family on March 13 and 14, 2005.
They have also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Paul Richardson and Securicor on the same date.
Mr Paddy O’Callaghan, the third crew member, told Mr Vaughan Buckley that he spoke to a man with a Northern Irish accent when he was passed a phone shortly after the van set off to deposit the cash.
He said this man gave him directions to The Angler’s Rest pub carpark near Lucan, where Mr Richardson placed the money, phone, two Polaroid pictures and the ATM run trip sheet behind a container.
Mr O’Callaghan described Mr Richardson as "distraught" and that his driving was "erratic to say the least."
A retired Securicor supervisor agreed under cross-examination that there had been "occasional" garda escorts on the ATM runs.
Mr Eugene Grant agreed with Mr Fergal Foley SC, defending ex-Securicor worker Mr Niall Byrne, that the gardaí could just "show up" on an ATM run with no prior indication to the firm.
The trial continues before Judge Tony Hunt and a jury of seven men and five women
