blackmail charge | 

Two men accused of intimidating dad over his son’s €100k drug debt denied bail

Dublin District Court heard that it was recommended to a father, who handed over more than €41,000 against his son’s debt, that he should sell his house.

Today at 09:44

TWO men accused of demanding €100,000 during an alleged drug-debt intimidation in Dublin have been denied bail and were remanded in custody yesterday.

Dublin District Court heard that it was recommended to a father, who handed over more than €41,000 against his son’s debt, that he should sell his house.

Truck driver Dominic Dynes, 53, of Bree, Castleblayney, and Alan Fitzsimons, 46, originally from Dublin but now living at Lisduff, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, are charged with three counts of blackmail.

They are also accused of money laundering and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a north Dublin man from November 6 – 16, 2021.

They faced bail objections due to the seriousness of the case when they appeared before Judge Shalom Binchy at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Detective Sergeant Donal O’Connell alleged that on November 6, 2021, a man with a northern accent and another who sounded like he was from Dublin visited the alleged injured party’s home.

The contested bail hearing was told he was asked to pay €60,000. Subsequently, there was an alleged demand for €100,000, and one of the men told him to “sell the house”.

The court heard that on November 14, the man paid €41,000, and they stated they would be back. A further €3,000 was handed over two days later.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has decided they should be tried at a higher level in the Circuit Court, and the State must produce a book of evidence before a trial order is granted.

A car carrying the defendants was allegedly stopped, and the €3,000, in a plastic bag, was recovered.

Detective Sergeant O’Connell was concerned about the man’s fear and the possibility of witness interference.

The court heard he later made a statement to gardai but has withdrawn it and refused to come to court to give evidence at the bail hearing.

Barrister Fergal McMorrow, for Mr Dynes, submitted that the garda based the bail objection on supposition, and there was no evidence to substantiate his belief.

He said his client, a father of two, was willing to abide by bail conditions, and a relative had come to court offering to lodge a surety.

Mr Fitzsimons told the court that he had moved to Monaghan three years ago to look after his deceased brother’s house and land, where he kept some animals. He claimed he had been threatened to go to the house in Dublin.

He agreed with his solicitor, Holly Laher, that he would stay out of Dublin and abide by any terms imposed by the court.

Ms Laher submitted that this could alleviate the prosecution’s fears.

Judge Binchy stressed they have the presumption of innocence.

However, she refused bail and remanded them in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next week. Legal aid was granted.