Three men jailed for playing part in violent raid on Wexford house

JAIL was prescribed at the Circuit Court for three of the gang of men who entered a house in Wexford causing damage which rendered the building unliveable in for a couple of weeks.

Patrick (or Paddy) Connors (29) of 14 Chestnut Grove, Rosslare, followed his already sentenced brother Ger into prison, receiving a five year sentence for aggravated burglary.

Judge Dermot Nolan made it clear that he regarded the two Connors as the prime movers behind the disturbance at 7 Marian Row in December of 2018.

However, he was not prepared to spare accomplices Dean Barnwell and Walter Lawlor jail time.

Barnwell of 12 Ard Munna, Taghmon, and Lawlor of Ardinagh Great, Foulksmills, were both put away for two years.

Due to Covid restrictions, no family members or well-wishers of the three defendants were permitted into Courtroom 3 where the Circuit Court was sitting.

Prosecuting barrister Sinead Gleeson detailed how the gang arrived in Wexford Town on the night in question in pursuit of Patrick Boyle.

It was after 11 p.m. when their Subaru pulled up before the house where Boyle (since deceased) resided with his grandmother Bernie Boyle (also now deceased) and his fiancée Leanne Clarke.

The unwelcome visitors were armed with various implements and their faces were covered.

Gardaí arrived promptly, with Paddy Connors arrested after he was struck with his police baton by Garda Hubbard.

The same garda also intercepted Dean Barnwell

who was taken into custody after being hit on the shoulder with the baton and then pepper sprayed.

Walter Lawlor was dealt with by Garda Kevin Larkin who made the arrest after a struggle.

Connors’s record showed past convictions for offences that included burglary, attempted robbery and drug dealing.

However, his accomplices appeared to be less hardened criminals.

Lawlor’s previous convictions all related to road traffic offences while Doyle had a couple of minor public order convictions marked against him.

Barnwell’s counsel suggested that his 22-yearold client had tagged along with the Connors when he was drunk that night.

The barrister defending 30-year-old Lawlor said that his unemployed client was at home drinking when he fielded the call to join in the events described.

‘He did not realise what he was getting into,’ suggested counsel.

The court received a letter from Jade Power, long term partner of Connors and mother to his three children aged 11, 7 and 6.

After reading the letter, the judge responded that the defendant appeared to be a good father.

However, he could not overlook the forceful, violent and determined nature of the terrifying attack. He also concluded that the Connors brothers instigated the effort to terrify the late Patrick Boyle, imposing a five year sentence for aggravated burglary.

Barnwell and Lawlor received two year terms, with immediate effect.