Three family members of suspected burglary gang charged with organised crime offences
Three suspected members of a burglary gang were charged yesterday with organised crime offences.
The men, from Dublin, who are related and include a father and son, were denied bail at Sligo District Court and remanded in continuing custody.
The court previously heard the case against them was part of a wider investigation into a large number of burglaries, mostly in the west of Ireland.
The three are Edward Connors (50) and his son Larry Connors (27), both of Bridgeview, Cloverhill Road, Clondalkin, and Edward Connors (28), of Drumkerring Park, Fettercairn, Tallaght.
Edward Connors (50)
Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 4th
They face a range of charges linked to separate burglary and associated offences.
They were brought before Sligo District Court yesterday and charged with organised crime offences as part of an investigation carried out by gardaí from the Western Region.
The elder Edward Connors was charged with one count under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 of facilitating and enhancing the activities of a criminal organisation in relation to a garda interception in Co Kildare last November.
He was further charged under Section 73 of the same act, which states that a person who commits a serious offence for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organisation is guilty of an offence.
In his case, these alleged offences are concerned with two burglaries, in Co Sligo in April 2023 and Co Tipperary last August.
Larry Connors (27)
Among other offences he is charged with is alleged criminal damage to a van that occurred in Co Roscommon last November.
Larry Connors was charged with the same two offences under the Criminal Justice Act, with his Section 73 charge related to an alleged burglary in Co Roscommon last November.
The men are further charged with handling stolen jewellery
The younger Edward Connors was charged with a single Section 72 offence under the organised crime legislation.
As with the other two defendants, this charge is related to the circumstances of his arrest in Co Kildare last November 29.
Gardaí had earlier charged all three men with having in their possession gloves, torches, a pry bar, pliers, a heavy-duty axe, screwdrivers, a signal interference device, a telescopic ladder, a vehicle refuelling kit, surface disinfectant and two sets of number plates not matching the car they were travelling in, when they were stopped at Cadamstown, Johnstownbridge, Co Kildare, last November 29.
They have been in custody since their arrests last November.
All three were refused High Court bail during an application before Mr Justice Tony Hunt in early January and were again refused bail at yesterday's hearing.
Bail could not have been granted to them at the district court on the organised crime charges.
Convictions in relation to Section 72 or 73 of the act can attract a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
Their case is expected to be sent forward to the next sitting of Sligo Circuit Criminal Court, and it has been remanded for a week for service of books of evidence.
The men are further charged with handling stolen jewellery taken during the course of a burglary at a house in Tuam, Co Galway, last November 28.
They are charged with further separate offences, some of which were upgraded at yesterday's court sitting.
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