The Special Criminal Court has heard of the "terrifying" events surrounding a credit union robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead in Louth ten years ago.
Staff at Lordship Credit Union and Cooley Credit Union, both in Co Louth, told the three-judge court that they were about to travel with a Garda escort to a bank in Dundalk when a car blocked their exit from Lordship CU and three men jumped a back wall on the night of Detective Garda Donohoe's murder.
Brendan Treanor previously of Emer Terrace, Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, and James Flynn from South Armagh are charged with the robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013.
The two men are also accused of conspiring to commit 'creeper' style burglaries with a group of men, including Detective Garda Donohoe's murderer Aaron Brady, to break into houses to steal car keys and quietly make off with the cars.
During yesterday's proceedings at the non-jury court, Pat Bellew, who was the secretary at Lordship CU, said he had locked up at around 9.30pm on the Friday night and walked to his car with around €2,800-2,900 in cash" while the rest of the €7,000 was in cheques.
Mr Bellew walked past his garda escort after waving at them and got into his car when moments later the driver's side window was smashed in and a hand attempted to grab the bag containing the takings. The hand reached across Mr Bellew, who was covered in glass, but could not reach the bag on the passenger seat and retreated.
Mr Bellew told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that his passenger door was then opened and the bag was stolen. He said he saw "at least two or possibly three" men jump the car park wall immediately before the robbery and that a colleague's car had been blocked in at the gate.
The court was told that when it went quiet, Mr Bellew got out and only then did he realise that Detective Garda Donohoe had been shot and his partner, Detective Garda Joe Ryan was calling for assistance. The trial continues on Tuesday before presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Alan Mitchell.
