Limerick man jailed after court hears he and 'two henchmen' demand €10,000 from man
A Limerick man “with two henchmen” who demanded €10,000 with menaces from a man in North Cork by pretending to be paramilitaries was jailed for three years.
Patrick Moloney, 37, of 13 Seán Heuston Place, Limerick, was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Brian O’Callaghan who said the defendant’s moral culpability was extremely high.
Initially, the accused pleaded not guilty to making an unwarranted demand with menaces from Liam Heffernan at Liscarroll, County Cork, between May 15 and June 15 2016. However, on Day 2 of the trial, he changed his plea to one of guilty.
Judge O’Callaghan imposed a sentence of five years with the last two years suspended and added that Moloney should keep away from the victim and his family in perpetuity.
Shane O’Callaghan, defence barrister, said Moloney was remorseful for his actions.
Mr Heffernan testified in the trial that three men called to his home and demanded €10,000 or failing that, they wanted a car.
Mr Heffernan said he sold cars as a hobby and that one of the men wanted him to sell cars for them.
He said they were very pushy and that one of the unidentified men said, “We are the real deal, the boys with the AK47s.”
Mr Heffernan said he asked, “Do you mean the IRA?” He said one of the men replied, “You’re the smart boy alright.”
Asked how he felt during the encounter, Mr Heffernan said, “I was petrified – three fellas in my back door roaring into my face.”
Judge O’Callaghan said that not alone did the accused go to the injured party’s home with “his two henchmen” pretending to be from the IRA but that he returned there on his own a few days later.
