Two men have gone on trial accused of robbing a credit union worker during a heist that led to the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe 10 years ago. Brendan Treanor, of Emer Terrace, Castletown Road in Dundalk, and James Flynn, of Raven's Glen in Newry, are also accused of conspiring to commit burglary.
It took prosecuting barrister, Lorcan Staines SC, several hours to summarise the case his side aims to prove beyond a reasonable doubt over the coming months. Benny Treanor and Jimmy Flynn are accused of conspiring with others to engage in a series of so-called ‘creeper burglaries’ between 11th of September, 2012 and the 23rd of January, 2013.
These burglaries usually involve the theft of a vehicle parked outside by first breaking into a house and taking the car keys while the owner is asleep. Among the cars alleged to have been stolen is a VW Passat, which Mr Staines claims was used during the robbery at Lordship Credit Union two days later.
In 2020, Aaron Brady from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was convicted of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe during that armed robbery. Mr Staines told the judges that the cases against the two on trial are circumstantial and contain many fine threads which reveal certain patterns when woven together. Both men deny the charges.
