*Michael McMahon.
ONE of the four men charged in connection with the alleged robbery of Carrigaholt Post Office last month has secured a conditional consent to bail in the High Court, a court has heard.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, the four Clare men accused of the robbery at the post office on January 21st appeared in court via video link from Limerick prison.
All four were initially refused bail at Ennis District Court on January 23rd after Garda objections.
Martin Downes (36) was the first to appear via video-link and his solicitor, Tara Godfrey said that arising from a bail application to the High Court, Mr Downes was remanded in custody with consent to bail.
However, Mr Downes has not been able to take up his bail to date as Ms Godfrey said “there is an issue around the address” for Mr Downes to reside at while on bail.
Sgt Frank O’Grady said that DPP directions are not yet available and Judge Alec Gabbett remanded Mr Downes in custody with consent to bail as per the High Court order.
In relation to a bail application for co-accused Daragh Pender (30), his solicitor, John Casey told the court that a bail address is an issue.
Mr Casey told Mr Pender appearing via video-link in court, “The bail application – I checked that address in Galway and it is not going to work unfortunately”.
Co-accused Darren Cassidy (38) also appeared in court via video-link and his solicitor, Daragh Hassett told the court that his client “won’t be agitating a bail application”.
Mr Hassett asked that the State move the case on as quickly as resources allow.
Co-accused Michael McMahon (38) also appeared on the video-screen from prison and Mr Hassett said that his client would be applying for bail in the High Court.
Judge Gabbett remanded Mr McMahon, Mr Cassidy and Mr Pender in custody to appear before court again on February 25th.
In the case, Martin Downes (36) of Seafield Park Quilty, Michael McMahon (38) of Plunkett Drive, Kilkishen, Darren Cassidy (38) of Lifford Mews, Lifford, Ennis and Darragh Pender (30) of Dun na hInse, Ennis are all 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.
At a contested bail hearing last month 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 Gardai 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 and confirmed to the court that both men have no previous convictions.
