Roscommon eviction trial hears of Northern Irish 'mercenaries' video circulating on social media

A video stating Northern Irish “mercenaries” evicted the owners of a Roscommon house and showing security men still at the residence circulated on social media two days before an attack at the property, a trial has heard.

After viewing the footage, a decision was made by a local sergeant to maintain a garda presence at the property at Falsk, but staffing levels meant gardaí could not remain in the area past 3am at night, the Roscommon eviction trial heard today (Friday, March 24).

At around 5am on December 16, 2018, a group of approximately 30 armed men, some wearing balaclavas, arrived at the rural property just outside Strokestown and attacked four of the security guards present, the trial has heard. The house and farmlands had been repossessed five days previously.

Patrick Sweeney (44) of High Cairn, Ramelton, Co Donegal, Martin O'Toole (58) of Stripe, Irishtown, Claremorris, Co Mayo, Paul Beirne (56) of Croghan, Boyle, Co Roscommon and David Lawlor (43) of Bailis Downs, Navan, Co Meath have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Each man is separately charged with false imprisonment of and assault causing harm to four security personnel at Falsk on December 16, 2018. Each man is also charged with aggravated burglary, as well as four charges of arson in relation to a car and three vans which were allegedly set alight.

The four men are also each charged with criminal damage to a door of a house, violent disorder, robbery of a wristwatch from security guard John Graham and, finally, causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by causing or permitting an animal to be struck on the head.

Sergeant Bernard Kilroy told Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, that he went on duty at Boyle garda station on December 14, some three days after the property at Falsk had been repossessed. He said he was told about a meeting in a nearby house and a planned protest in relation to the repossession and he went on a patrol of the area as a result.

Sgt Kilroy said he saw no signs of anything out of the ordinary in the area and went on to Falsk where he met Ian Gordon, who was in charge of security, and some of his staff at the property.

While there, Sgt Kilroy said he was shown a video which was circulating on social media which had been recorded outside the property on December 14. It depicted a woman interviewing a local man, the court heard.

After viewing the video, Sgt Kilroy said he suggested to his superintendent that they maintain a garda presence at the property and a garda car was deployed. He said staffing levels meant gardaí could not keep a car at the property after 3am.

In the video, which was played in court, a man who described himself as a neighbour told the woman recording the video that he was at the property on the day of the repossession. He said up to 25 “fellas in black uniforms” arrived at the property and said they were taking possession of it.

The man told the woman interviewing him that when one of his group asked what authority these men had, this man was punched in the face and suffered broken teeth. “There was no assault on our end,” the man told the woman.

The man described the men as “paramilitaries”, adding “I don't know what they were”. He said they dragged the owners out of the house, including a man who had lived there 64 years. “I was ashamed to be Irish that day,” the man said.

“The house is still in possession of our Northern friends,” the man added. The woman then videoed the locked front gate of the property and observed that two men “dressed head to toe in black” were sitting in a white van parked in the driveway.

She said that up to “30 mercenaries” had come down from Northern Ireland to evict two local men and a woman from their family home. She urged viewers to share the video online and “let people know what is happening in this country”.

Sgt Kilroy said this video caused concern to Mr Gordon and the security men staying at the property. He agreed with Emer Ní Chúagáin BL, defending Mr O'Toole, that he was not aware how many people had viewed the footage online.

The trial continues next Tuesday before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury.