A JUDGE delivered an unprecedented warning to the "spineless men" involved in tiger kidnappings as he handed down lengthy jail sentences to three men, following a landmark 66-day trial.

Judge Tony Hunt spoke out at the new "cancer of society" as he jailed three "inhuman monsters" for up to 25 years in the first ever major tiger kidnapping conviction.

He also warned that an innocent child or adult would be maimed or killed if the recent spate of tiger kidnappings went unchecked.

Mark Farrelly (37), of Moatview Court, Priorswood, Coolock, and Jason Kavanagh (34), of Parslickstown Court, Ladyswell, Mulhuddart, were jailed for 25 years each yesterday at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Christopher Corcoran (61), of Bayside Boulevard North, who the judge said was "one league removed from the other men", was jailed for 12 years.

The Dubliners were convicted of stealing €2.28m from Paul Richardson and Securicor and to falsely imprisoning the Richardson family on March 13 and 14, 2005.

The three men have 28 previous convictions between them.

Cash

None of the cash has been recovered and gardai are continuing to seek two Irish men in the Philippines, whom they believe were also involved.

The case was the longest-running criminal trial in the history of the State, totalling 66 days.

Speaking at the sentencing yesterday, Justice Hunt said there were few mitigating factors in favour of the three men, whom he described as a "revolting crew".

He detailed 11 reasons for handing down a hefty sentence, including the use of physical violence against Marie Richardson. She was grabbed by the throat and pushed up against a wall when the men broke into her home.

He said the family were now deprived of a normal quality of life thanks to the "sheer inhumanity of their behaviour".

"His (Paul Richardson's) home has been violated but so has his life," said Mr Justice Hunt. "He has bravely attempted to get on with his life but is not, and will not, be the same."

He commended the family on their bravery and on their attempts to carry on with their lives. "They are examples of the best types of persons in our society, in contrast to the spineless men in court today who prey on the young and vulnerable."

The judge also pointed to recent spate of kidnappings.

"The spate of tiger kidnappings are the kind that target women and children and prey on the fears of a father," he said.

"It is a foul and repulsive cancer in our society. And, like any such disease, when it is located it must be aggressively treated.

"I have a very real concern that if this continues unchecked that an adult or child will be maimed or killed."

He said he believed he would have to set a precedent for those who were considering carrying out a similar crime and told the trio they could not complain if they were used as examples.

The maximum sentence for the offence is life imprisonment. Judge Hunt said the raid warranted slightly less but if the men had used their weapons or had been any more violent, he would have had no hesitation in imposing the full term.

He said he based the sentences on 11 factors, including the "almost military planning" of the raid and the "violent degradation by the inhuman monsters who forced their way in there that night".

Judge Hunt also took into account that once the gang had got the money they did not call Mr Richardson as promised to tell him his family were safe. He said the failure to make that call showed the "sheer inhumanity" of their behaviour.

He said the evidence showed Kavanagh and Farrelly had started celebrating prematurely by getting drunk in a pub instead of having the "simple human thought" of calling Mr Richardson. He also noted the pair went to Spain shortly afterwards, which he believed was to move the money offshore.

He said the trio "still have no acceptance of the unanimous jury verdict" and pointed out that Kavanagh "told untruths" to gardai.

"We're dealing with ruthless criminal motivation in its purest form," he added.

He also dismissed views that the €2.28m cash -- which has never been retrieved -- was stolen to fund an early retirement for the three men. He pointed out that none of them were living in poverty.

He said he believed the money was stolen to be used as "seed capital" for further criminal ventures such as drug running or to buy firearms.

During the sentencing, Mr Justice Hunt expressed concern that this was another case where "pay as you go" phones were used, which were unregistered. The evidence -- which he said was "circumstantial but overwhelming" -- showed a large amount of phone traffic between the men as they carried out the operation.

Mr Justice Hunt said he hoped that in time the Richardson family would be able to move on, acknowledging that Mr Richardson remained severely traumatised.

"He struck me as a very damaged man," he said. "What has happened has irretrievably changed his life for the worse."

- Edel Kennedy

Irish Independent