FOUR DUBLIN men have became the first to be charged under tough new anti-gangland legislation.
The four men have been charged with organised crime activities in connection with a foiled post office robbery in Drumcondra, north Dublin, last October.
David Atkinson (41), Windmill Park, Crumlin; Dwayne Stacey (22), South Circular Road; Philip Kerfoot (38), Ross Road; and Gerard Carey (33), Kildare Road, Crumlin were before Dublin District Court yesterday.
Det Mark O’Riordan and Det Greg Fleming of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation told Judge Ann Ryan the four men were arrested early yesterday.
They were charged under the Criminal Justice Amendment Act 2009 that between July 23rd and October 16th last year, knowing of the existence of a criminal organisation, they participated in activity with intent to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that organisation or its members.
They all gave no reply to caution after they were brought to Sundrive Road and Crumlin Garda stations. Mr Stacey and Mr Kerfoot were also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery at Drumcondra post office, on October 16th. Their co-defendants had been charged earlier with the same offence.
Defence solicitor Darragh Molloy made no application for bail. Judge Ryan remanded the men in custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court on May 18th.
Mr Molloy asked for medical attention to be given to Mr Atkinson and Mr Carey, who are on methadone maintenance programmes. Legal aid was granted.
The gang-related legislation under which the men were charged was enacted last July. It is intended to ground prosecutions against people gardaí suspect are involved in serious crime allegedly involving people acting in joint enterprise to plan and commit that crime. Some offences covered carry sentences of up to 15 years.