A 32-year-old man has been jailed for eight years for breaking into a house and stealing the keys of a car which was later used in the robbery of a credit union and capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.
James Flynn from south Armagh was convicted at the Special Criminal Court.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he was part of an organised crime gang and the car was stolen for a specific purpose.
It is almost 11 years since Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead during an armed robbery at the Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth.
The robbery and murder was carried out by a cross border south Armagh organised crime gang.
One gang member, Aaron Brady, is serving life in prison for the capital murder of the detective, a married father-of-two, on 25 January 2013.
A second criminal gang member was convicted at the Special Criminal Court for his role in the theft of the getaway car used in that robbery.
Flynn was found guilty of conspiring with Brady and others to break into a house in Clogherhead, Co Louth, two days before the robbery and murder, and steal the keys of the Volkswagen Passat used as a getaway car in that crime.
The court was satisfied that Flynn picked up Brady in his BMW that night for what they termed as "night work" and that Flynn’s car was later captured on CCTV in convoy with the stolen car.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt said today that Flynn knew the full purpose of the conspiracy to burgle the home and steal a fast car needed for the robbery. Flynn also made two visits to the credit union in preparation for the crime.
Flynn, he said, did not plead guilty and has shown no remorse.
The 32-year-old was sentenced him to nine years in prison with the final year suspended.
