A LIMERICK man who was arrested along with seven other men following a Garda investigation into extortion has pleaded guilty to violent disorder before the Special Criminal Court.
Gerard Dundon, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, is to be sentenced in the new year before the other men stand trial on charges including making threats to kill and demanding money with menaces.
The other seven men have been in custody since July.
They are standing trial before the Special Criminal Court after the DPP certified that the ordinary courts were inadequate to deal with the case.
Dundon appeared briefly before the three-judge court yesterday where he admitted violent disorder in that he and other people used or threatened to use violence to cause people to fear for their safety or the safety of others at Sarsfield Avenue, Garryowen, Limerick, on February 17th last.
His co-accused include brothers Christopher McCormack (27), of McNamara Terrace, Wolfe Tone Street, and David McCormack (25), of Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, who are also charged with committing violent disorder at Sarsfield Avenue on the same date.
Gareth Collins Keogh (27), of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, and his father Jimmy Collins (47), of Crecora Avenue, are charged with demanding money with menaces from Mark Heffernan at John Carew Park on dates between January 29th and February 28th, 2009.
The father and son are also charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Heffernan on October 17th, 2009, at the Milk Market, and with demanding money with menaces on the same date.
Gareth Collins Keogh is also charged with committing violent disorder at Sarsfield Avenue on February 17th of this year.
Christopher McCarthy (27), of Crecora Avenue, is charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Heffernan at the Milk Market, and with demanding money with menaces on the same date.
Michael Bridgeman (51), of Glenview, Ballyneety, is charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Heffernan at John Carew Park on a date between January 29th, 2009, and February 12th, 2010, and with demanding money with menaces.
Patrick Pickford (19), of Talbot Avenue, Prospect, is charged with demanding money with menaces.
The trial, which is due to begin in March, is expected to last four weeks.
Mr Justice Paul Butler asked counsel for the prosecution, Tom O’Connell, if he felt that sentencing Dundon on a date before the trial may prejudice it.
Mr O’Connell said it would not, and Dundon was remanded in continuing custody to be sentenced in early 2011.