Man accused of credit union robbery where Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead denied bail

Brendan Treanor's (34) lawyers had argued that it was an offence to his dignity to keep him in custody away from his newborn son in circumstances where his trial has been put back to January of next year.

Delivering the ruling of the three-judge court this morning, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath said today he is satisfied that there is a real risk of interference with witnesses if Mr Treanor is granted bail. He said the court is also satisfied in regards to an objection to bail by gardai under S.2 of the Bail Act.

The Act allows an objection based on fears that the applicant will commit a further serious offence if released on bail. Evidence in relation to that was given by Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern at a previous hearing but the court ordered that no details of the objection should be published.

Mr Treanor (34), is charged with participating in a robbery that occurred at the Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013. He was due to go on trial at the Special Criminal Court in October.

His trial has been put back to January next year as the DPP wants to try Mr Treanor alongside James Flynn for the same robbery. Mr Flynn, (31), originally from south Armagh, is currently awaiting an appeal against his extradition from the UK to Ireland to face the robbery charge.

Aaron Brady (30) was found guilty of the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court on August 11 2020. The father-of-one with a last address at New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh was sentenced to the mandatory term for murder of life imprisonment.

As he had been found guilty of murdering a garda acting in accordance with his duty, the judge ordered that he serve a minimum of 40 years. Brady was also sentenced to 14 years for the robbery of €7,000 - a sentence that will run concurrently with the life sentence - at Lordship Credit Union.