A man whose family endured a burglary at their home in Co Limerick has told Limerick Circuit Court the frightening ordeal changed their idyllic country life dramatically.
A number of men broke into the Garvey family's country house near Pallasgreen, threatened them at gunpoint and assaulted them in April 2012.
Their elderly neighbours were also subjected to a brutal and frightening assault when they were burgled six weeks later.
54-year-old Patrick Roche, his son Philip Roche, 24, both with addresses in Clondalkin in Dublin, and son-in-law Alan Freeman, with an address in Tipperary town, were found guilty after a nine-week trial.
The three men, who denied any part in both robberies, will be sentenced on 24 November.
Men armed with a sawn-off shotgun, a sledgehammer and a baseball bat broke down a glass back door at the Garvey family home at Sunville House near Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, on the night of 16 April 2012.
They subjected Gerard Garvey, his wife Ann, and their teenage children (two sets of twins aged 17 and 14 at the time) to a frightening ordeal as the raiders demanded money.
Mr Garvey was handcuffed and assaulted in the face with the gun and told he and his family would be killed.
His teenage daughter was also restrained with cable ties, and one of his sons punched in the face.
The raiders got away with $3,000 and £2,000 after raiding the family safe.
In a victim impact statement Mr Garvey said the frightening burglary changed their idyllic country life dramatically.
The children suffered nightmares, were frightened by the slightest noises and were constantly nervous the ordeal would reoccur.
Six weeks later, on 31 May, siblings Willie Creed, 72, and his sisters, Chrissy (72) and and Nora (66), were tied up and punched repeatedly when their remote rural farmhouse at Ballyluddy - also located outside Pallasgreen - was broken into by two men.
The raiders got away with around €5,000 in cash on that occasion.
Patrick and Philip Roche faced charges of aggravated burglary and false imprisonment connected to both violent robberies. Alan Freeman faced charges connected with the Garvey family robbery.
A sentencing hearing at Limerick Circuit court heard Patrick Roche has 139 previous convictions for robbery and other serious offences and is currently serving a 17-year sentence.
Both Philip Roche and Alan Freeman also have a number of previous offences for aggravated robbery and assault.
Judge John Hannan said he would impose sentences on all three on 24 November.
