*Michael McMahon.
FOUR CLARE men charged in relation to the alleged robbery of Carrigaholt post office in January remain on remand in custody.
At Ennis District Court on Thursday, all four accused appeared via video link from Limerick prison.
In court, Sgt Frank O’Grady said that directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) are awaited and asked for a further two week adjournment in the case for directions.
Two of the four accused, Darragh Pender (30) of Dun na hInse, Ennis and Martin Downes (36) of Seafield Park, Quilty remain in custody but have consent to bail after applying to the High Court for bail. Both men have no previous convictions.
Solicitor for Mr Downes, Tara Godfrey said Mr Downes has difficulty in finding a bail address and remains in custody.
Co-accused Michael McMahon (38) of Plunkett Drive, Kilkishen and Darren Cassidy (38) of Lifford Mews, Lifford, Ennis also appeared via video-link.
Urging the State to expedite the issue of directions in the case, solicitor for Mr McMahon, Daragh Hassett pointed out to the court that his client and his co-accused have been on remand in custody since January.
In the case, Mr Downes, Mr Cassidy, Mr Pender and Mr McMahon are each charged with robbing Maura McKiernan, the post-mistress at An Post Carrigaholt, The Square, Carrigaholt of cash, coins and a cheque to the value of €8,944.63, contrary to Section 14 of the Criminal justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 on January 21st.
At a contested bail hearing in January, Sgt Shane Graham on behalf of the Gardaí successfully opposed bail and told the court that it is the Garda belief that the four men before the court charged with robbery were part of a four person joint enterprise “who acted in concert and colluded in order to carry out a cold and calculated robbery”.
Opposing bail for the four, Sgt Graham said that it will be alleged that the four-member strong gang “involved two getaway drivers and two members of the gang that entered the premises where the post mistress was violently and viciously assaulted with iron bars by both males”.
Sgt Graham was one of the members of An Garda Síochana who was involved in a high speed car chase across West Clare that ended on the outskirts of Ennis where the four suspects were apprehended by members of the Garda Armed Response Unit (ARU) at 3.45pm, January 21st.
Sgt Graham said that during the case, items were thrown from the alleged second getaway car, a BMW, and he said that Gardaí later recovered €6,500 in notes and coins from the road.
Sgt Graham said that it will be alleged that Mr Pender and Mr Downes were the getaway drivers involved in the alleged robbery.
Judge Valerie Corcoran remanded all four in custody, two with consent to bail- for a further two weeks to appear before Ennis District Court to March 25th
