A man has been jailed for 15 years in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his part in having held four people hostage for up to two hours.
He was also given a 12-year sentence for the robbery of £7,773 from the restaurant owned by one of the people he had held hostage. This sentence is to run concurrently to the 15 years and both were backdated to May 2000.
Derek Murphy (33), Macroom Avenue, Coolock, Dublin, was found guilty on July 24th by a jury of detaining Ms Medina Desmond, Ms Michelle Grimes, Mr John Comer and Mrs Mary Comer at Ayrfield Drive , Coolock, between October 1st and 2nd, 2000.
He was also found guilty of the robbery of £7,773 from Mrs Comer at Graham O'Sullivan's restaurant in Artane Shopping Centre on the same date.
Judge Patrick McCartan said forensic evidence taken from a cigarette found at the house in Ayrfield Drive was crucial in convicting Murphy and the defendant would "rue the day" he had so casually thrown this evidence away.
He commended the hard work of the gardaí in investigating this offence, in particular Det Garda Patrick O'Toole, who was the first officer on the scene.
Judge McCartan praised his sharpness of mind in noticing the cigarette butts lying around and his speed in closing off the area to preserve the evidence.
Defence counsel Mr John Phelan SC said Murphy had first been in trouble with the authorities when he was 10, a year after his parents separated. He has since spent 18 of his 33 years in custody.
Murphy's co-accused, Joseph Cole (34), Bunratty Road, Coolock, was sentenced to eight years by Judge McCartan in January.
Det Garda O'Toole said Mrs Comer was the supervisor of Ms Desmond at Graham O'Sullivan's restaurant and Ms Desmond often baby-sat for her two children with her friend, Ms Grimes.
The Comers had gone out at about 8 p.m.
Shortly after 11 p.m., there was a knock at the door and Ms Desmond opened it to Murphy and Cole, who were armed with a firearm each and one also carried a long-bladed knife.
They searched the house looking unsuccessfully for the keys to the restaurant. Shortly after midnight Mr and Mrs Comer arrived home.
A gun was held to Mr Comer's head while the raiders demanded the restaurant keys from his wife.
A terrified Mrs Comer gave them to the raiders. Mr Comer then had his hands and feet tied together and Murphy forced Mrs Comer out into her husband's car.When Murphy was leaving with Mrs Comer he said to Cole "if he tries anything funny shoot him in the leg", pointing at Mr Comer.
At the restaurant, Ms Comer was in such a state of shock she broke the key in the door to the room containing the safe.
Murphy broke the door open using a fire extinguisher and took the money. Murphy then drove Mrs Comer home and he left with Cole in the family car.
Mr Comer was untied and the gardaí were called.
DNA was extracted from a partially smoked cigarette found at the home and the profile was matched to a hair sample given by Murphy to the gardaí.