Lordship Credit Union robbery trial moved to Special Criminal Court

Paul Neilan

A man who was extradited from the UK accused of a robbery at Lordship Credit Union nine years ago, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered, has had his case transferred for trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court.

On Monday, the three-judge court accepted an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to hear the case of James Flynn, who is accused of the robbery of €7,000, the property of Pat Bellew, at the credit union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25th, 2013.

Mr Flynn (31), of Raven's Glen, Newry, Northern Ireland, is also accused of conspiring with Garda-killer Aaron Brady, Brendan Treanor and others of entering a residential premises with the intent to steal the keys of a motor vehicle between September 11th, 2012, and January 23rd, 2013.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt on Monday allowed the application by the DPP and adjourned the matter to Thursday, October 6th, 2022.

The State can apply for a certificate to transfer a trial to the non-jury Special Criminal Court if it is believed the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure the effective administration of justice.

Garda murder

Aaron Brady (31) was found guilty of the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020.

The father-of-one with a last address at New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was sentenced to the mandatory term for murder of life imprisonment.

As he had been found guilty of murdering a Garda acting in accordance with his duty, he will serve a minimum of 40 years. Brady was also sentenced to 14 years for the credit union robbery - a sentence that will run concurrently with the life sentence.

Brady’s trial was the longest murder case in Irish legal history, lasting 122 court days.

Mr Treanor (34), with a previous address at Emer Terrace, Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, is also charged with participating in the robbery.

He was due to go on trial at the Special Criminal Court this month, but his trial has been put back to January next year as the DPP wants to try Mr Treanor alongside Mr Flynn.

Mr Flynn had unsuccessfully appealed against his extradition from the UK, ordered by Westminster Magistrates’ Court in April, to face the robbery charge.