REACTION:OUTSIDE THE court Kevin and Marie Richardson urged other victims of kidnap robberies not to give up hope and to have faith in the justice system.
Insp Paul Scott, who led the investigation, also paid tribute to his team and the jury for bringing about the first conviction for a so-called tiger kidnapping. He added that investigations were ongoing in relation to another two suspects who are thought to have fled to the Philippines.
Mr Richardson described the four years since the robbery as “your worst nightmare”, and said he hoped they could now try to put it behind them.
He thanked the Garda, judge and jury, as well as the court support services. He told reporters: “Today we have come to an end of a very long road. At last we feel that justice has been done.” Addressing other victims, he said: “It is not often that you can say to someone, ‘We know how you feel’, but to all those other tiger kidnap victims, we know exactly how you feel and we say, ‘Don’t give up on the justice system’.”
Ms Richardson added: “Don’t give up hope. It might be a long time, but hopefully in the end, with the guards’ support, they will get the people that did it to them.”
When asked how she would describe the raiders, she said: “These are men who have families themselves. How can you do it to someone else who has a family?” She said the moment she most remembered was being in the Garda station and finding out her husband was safe.
Insp Scott further praised the bravery of the family, and congratulated them. He told other tiger kidnap victims to “have heart”. “There is an end to these investigations, and we will . . . bring the persons responsible for those crimes before the courts.” He added: “I would hope that those . . . who are contemplating carrying out horrendous crimes of this nature would take a second look on the basis of what has been handed out in the sentence today.”