ONE of the four Co Clare men accused of the robbery of Carrigaholt Post Office in west Clare in January has signed a guilty plea to the robbery.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Darren Cassidy (38) of Lifford Mews, Lifford, Ennis signed the guilty plea to 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.
Mr Cassidy was in court to sign his guilty plea and he confirmed to Judge Adrian Harris that he has availed of legal advice before signing the guilty plea and is aware of the implications of signing the guilty plea.
Judge Harris said that Mr Cassidy can be sent forward to the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court for sentence.
Mr Cassidy has not sought bail since he was remanded in custody to Limerick prison at Ennis District Court on January 23rd.
Arising from an application from solicitor, Shiofra Hassett for Mr Cassidy, Judge Harris extended the legal aid certificate for a junior counsel and solicitor, Daragh Hassett to represent Mr Cassidy in the circuit court.
In the case, three others, Michael McMahon (38) of Plunkett Drive, Kilkishen, Darragh Pender (30) of Dun na hInse, Ennis and Martin Downes (36) of Seafield Park, Quilty face the same robbery charge.
Mr Pender is currently on bail.
At a contested bail hearing in January, Sgt Shane Graham 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 Gardai later recovered €6,500 in notes and coins from the road.
