Three brothers who were part of an organised crime gang that carried out a series of ATM robberies in the northeast of the country during which almost €800,000 was stolen in two years have been jailed at the Special Criminal Court.
The gang used stolen jeeps, trailers and diggers to rip ATMs from the walls of five banks and businesses in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath over nine months in 2018 and 2019.
Stephen Duffy, 35, from Tullynahinera, Castleblayney in Co Monaghan was jailed for four years.
His two younger brothers, 31-year-old Gerard and 27-year-old Ciaran, both from Loughnamore in Co Monaghan were each jailed for seven years and nine months.
The brothers were arrested after gardaí foiled a sixth attack, the attempted raid on the ATM machine in Virginia in Co Cavan on 14 August 2019.
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Three men stole a digger and escorted it in convoy with a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser and trailer to the bank machine at the Riverfront Restaurant on Main Street.
The bucket of the digger was metres from the wall when gardaí who had them under surveillance moved in.
Gerard Duffy was one of the two men who ran from the Land Cruiser, but was caught by gardaí.
His brother Ciaran jumped out of the digger and initially got away.
However, he jumped out of nearby undergrowth later that day when gardaí searching it, poked at his hiding place. He ran into a hotel, but was found hiding in the bathroom.
Six days later, Stephen Duffy was caught in a car with over €103,000 in cash along another gang member, Niall Finnegan, who has already been jailed.
They were leaving a yard in Tullypole in Co Meath where some of the stolen cash had been buried and subsequently dug up.
Gerard Duffy pleaded guilty to the attempted theft of the ATM in Virginia, Co Cavan.
Ciaran Duffy admitted participating in the movement of cash on behalf of a criminal organisation and attempting to steal the ATM, while Stephen Duffy admitted possessing cash at The Yard, Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath six days after the attempted robbery.
The organised crime group the brothers were involved with targeted six ATM machines in Ballybay and Castleblaney in Monaghan, Kingscourt and Virginia in Co Cavan, and two in Kells in Co Meath and stole a total of €790,000.
The court expressed considerable surprise that the brothers, who worked for years in construction and had formal qualifications, were involved in such serious criminality.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the crimes had a serious effect on rural communities in the way they caused fear of serious crime, and on the availability of cash and banking facilities in areas where such services were in short supply.
He sentenced Ciaran Duffy, who he said "was caught red handed hiding in the bushes", to eight years and nine months, with the final twelve months suspended.
He said Gerard Duffy "played an important, direct and intentional part" in the crime and was not, as he claimed, "solely a look out" on the night and also sentenced him to eight years and nine months with the final twelve months suspended.
Stephen Duffy, who the judge said "knew perfectly well what he was at" but whose role was limited to the aftermath of the attempted robbery, was sentenced to four years and nine months with the final nine months suspended.
The judge also commended the gardaí on "their diligent work in finally solving the mystery of these thefts".
