Dublin men accused of demanding €30,000 drug debt from pensioner (75)
Luke Boylan (27) and Keith Mooney (38) are accused of calling to the man’s home to collect a supposed drug debt of €30,000.
According to gardaí, they were heard on “damning” phone calls to each other, discussing debts and the use of “extreme violence” to get payment if necessary.
They are both charged with demanding money with menaces from a man at a house in Swords, Co Dublin, on June 18.
Mr Boylan, a father-of-one from Greencastle Crescent, Coolock, and Mr Mooney, a father-of-three of Castlegrange Green, Clondalkin, were both refused bail.
Judge Maire Conneely remanded them in custody to later this week.
Objecting to bail, Detective Sergeant Domhnall O’Connell said it was an alleged joint enterprise with similar evidence in both cases.
It was alleged the accused carried out a “pre-meditated and well-thought out plan” to demand money from the alleged victim, “a 75-year-old gentleman with a number of underlying health conditions”.
Demands were placed on him for money supposedly owed and he went to credit unions and banks seeking loans that were refused due to his age and ill health.
He said audio conversations between the two accused were uncovered on Mr Mooney’s phone.
In Mr Boylan’s case, “the use of extreme violence was suggested on the basis of getting things moved on,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
He alleged Mr Boylan was heard “openly referring to people as being elderly and handicapped”.
There were numerous conversations about debts, he said.
It was alleged a “tick list” was found at Mr Boylan’s home, containing figures up to €45,000.
“It’s the state’s case that Luke Boylan is a member of a structured, organised criminal gang,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
“Luke Boylan and others have made it quite clear they are calling in and trying to collect debts that individuals don’t actually owe and they have shown that the use of physical violence is not something beyond them to achieve this,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
The audio was played to court and the sergeant said in figures discussed “they are talking about thousands” while “paint” was a reference to cocaine.
Applying for bail, Mr Boylan’s solicitor Michael French said the sergeant had “dramatically exaggerated the strength of the evidence”.
His client was not on CCTV or identified in any witness statement as intimidating anyone or engaging in any sort of aggression, he said.
The evidence was circumstantial and phone-based, he said. His client was presumed innocent and could be waiting up to three years for a trial, Mr French said.
In Mr Mooney’s case, the court heard CCTV showed him at the alleged victim’s home and there was a conversation about the collection of a debt.
Applying for bail, his solicitor Andrew Molony said his client was also presumed innocent and there was no evidence of physical intimidation.
Det Sgt O’Connell said there was “clear communication” with the co-accused on the audio where they openly discussed that “physical violence will be used if necessary”.
Mr Molony said his client was not alleged to be the main protagonist.
Det Sgt O’Connell said Mr Mooney was heard referring to threats of inflicting injury.
He said the mobile phone evidence was “damning”.
“Drug related intimidation has become something of a pandemic…frightening amounts of money are being taken off the most vulnerable people,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
Mr Mooney was “doing a favour for a friend, knocked on a door”, he didn’t get violent and was not aware of any drugs, Mr Molony said.
Judge Conneely remanded both accused in custody to Cloverhill District Court.
Luke Boylan (27) and Keith Mooney (38) are accused of calling to the man’s home to collect a supposed drug debt of €30,000.
According to gardaí, they were heard on “damning” phone calls to each other, discussing debts and the use of “extreme violence” to get payment if necessary.
They are both charged with demanding money with menaces from a man at a house in Swords, Co Dublin, on June 18.
Mr Boylan, a father-of-one from Greencastle Crescent, Coolock, and Mr Mooney, a father-of-three of Castlegrange Green, Clondalkin, were both refused bail.
Judge Maire Conneely remanded them in custody to later this week.
Objecting to bail, Detective Sergeant Domhnall O’Connell said it was an alleged joint enterprise with similar evidence in both cases.
It was alleged the accused carried out a “pre-meditated and well-thought out plan” to demand money from the alleged victim, “a 75-year-old gentleman with a number of underlying health conditions”.
Demands were placed on him for money supposedly owed and he went to credit unions and banks seeking loans that were refused due to his age and ill health.
He said audio conversations between the two accused were uncovered on Mr Mooney’s phone.
In Mr Boylan’s case, “the use of extreme violence was suggested on the basis of getting things moved on,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
He alleged Mr Boylan was heard “openly referring to people as being elderly and handicapped”.
There were numerous conversations about debts, he said.
It was alleged a “tick list” was found at Mr Boylan’s home, containing figures up to €45,000.
“It’s the state’s case that Luke Boylan is a member of a structured, organised criminal gang,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
“Luke Boylan and others have made it quite clear they are calling in and trying to collect debts that individuals don’t actually owe and they have shown that the use of physical violence is not something beyond them to achieve this,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
The audio was played to court and the sergeant said in figures discussed “they are talking about thousands” while “paint” was a reference to cocaine.
Applying for bail, Mr Boylan’s solicitor Michael French said the sergeant had “dramatically exaggerated the strength of the evidence”.
His client was not on CCTV or identified in any witness statement as intimidating anyone or engaging in any sort of aggression, he said.
The evidence was circumstantial and phone-based, he said. His client was presumed innocent and could be waiting up to three years for a trial, Mr French said.
In Mr Mooney’s case, the court heard CCTV showed him at the alleged victim’s home and there was a conversation about the collection of a debt.
Applying for bail, his solicitor Andrew Molony said his client was also presumed innocent and there was no evidence of physical intimidation.
Det Sgt O’Connell said there was “clear communication” with the co-accused on the audio where they openly discussed that “physical violence will be used if necessary”.
Mr Molony said his client was not alleged to be the main protagonist.
Det Sgt O’Connell said Mr Mooney was heard referring to threats of inflicting injury.
He said the mobile phone evidence was “damning”.
“Drug related intimidation has become something of a pandemic…frightening amounts of money are being taken off the most vulnerable people,” Det Sgt O’Connell said.
Mr Mooney was “doing a favour for a friend, knocked on a door”, he didn’t get violent and was not aware of any drugs, Mr Molony said.
Judge Conneely remanded both accused in custody to Cloverhill District Court.
