Three men, named as Mr Alan Freeman, aged 35, with an address at No. 73 Pierce Park, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary; Mr Patrick Roche, aged 53, and his son Mr Philip Roche, aged 23, both the latter with an address at Kilcornan Close, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, have appeared in Kilmallock District Court today.
The three men are facing a total of 23 charges between them, which include; Assault, Aggravated Burglary, False Imprisonment, Handling of Stolen Goods, Aiding and Abetting and Drug Possession (with intent to sell).
Mr Freeman made no reply when he was formally charged by Gardaí, in connection with three counts of aggravated burglary, false imprisonment at Killuragh and the handling of a stolen Land Rover vehicle.
The incidents, under which the three individuals stand accused, in total relate to aggravated burglaries at Killuragh, Cappamore, Sunville House, Pallasgreen and Ballyluddy, Pallasgreen including the false imprisonment of residents at these addresses in April and May 2012.
Killuragh: Ian Cruise’s home at Killuragh, Cappamore was raided by a gang of men armed with a shot gun, a baseball bat and a sledge hammer.
Sunville House: It’s alleged that six members of the Garvey family were falsely imprisoned at their home and threatened by a number of men who were armed with a sawn-off shotgun, a baseball bat and a sledge hammer on the 16th of April 2012.
Ballyluddy, Pallasgreen: On the 31st of May 2012 it is alleged that three elderly members of the Creed family, (one male and two females, all aged 69, 75 and 77 years old respectively), were tied up and beaten during an incident which lasted for over an hour, while their assailants remained armed with a knife and an iron bar.
A Garda detective informed Judge M/s Marian O’Leary that he believed that Mr Philip Roche was a leading member of the Roche-Freeman criminal organisation, which had links across counties Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and Dublin. He also stated that he feared that Mr Philip Roche would interfere with witnesses; commit further aggravated burglaries and fail to appear for his forthcoming trial, if granted bail.
Judge O’Leary remanded all three men to be detained in custody, to appear before Limerick District Court, via video link, on March 21st next.
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