A man who served a seven-year term in Portlaoise Prison for INLA activities has been given an eight-year suspended sentence for extortion. Gardai used marked money, as well as secret tape and video recordings of a transaction in the car park of the North Star Hotel, to bring three men before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where they pleaded guilty.
Malachy McCarry (48), with addresses at Old Court Drive, Bray, Co Wicklow, and St Teresa's Gardens, Rialto, Dublin, was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for the seven-year term in May 1990. He was also jailed for five years in 1982 by the Special Criminal Court for receiving goods and firearms charges. A three-year term was imposed on him in Newry, Co Down, in 1974 for attempting to escape from custody.
McCarry and two other men pleaded guilty to conspiring to demand money with menaces from Mr Paul Bracken at the North Star Hotel, on February 16th, 1995.
Judge Kelly imposed a five-year suspended sentence on Paul "Dommo" Byrne (33), of Homelawn Drive, Tallaght, and a three-year suspended sentence on David Fahey (43), of Cappagh Avenue, Finglas.
A further two years' concurrent suspended sentence was imposed on Byrne, who also pleaded guilty taking a 1982 Mercedes car, valued £2,000, from Mr Bracken on January 8th, 1995.
Det Sgt Gerry Feeney said the car was sold on initially for £1,000, and then again to another person for £1,800. It was then stolen and eventually found burned out.
Det Sgt Feeney said all three men in the protection racket attempt were known to and had worked for Mr Bracken, who ran a car park behind the North Star Hotel. He paid out £650 before gardai became involved. Some of the marked money was found in McCarry's possession.