Three Derry men jailed for Donegal Post Office robbery in Royal Mail van

Three men from Derry have been jailed at Letterkenny Circuit Court this afternoon for their roles in the robbery at Manorcunningham Post Office last year.

Last week at the same court, 37-year-old Noel Lavy, a father-of-one of 57 Ballymagowan, Derry pleaded guilty to robbery, causing criminal damage, the unlawful taking of a Royal Mail van, dangerous driving and driving without insurance on the day in question.

Father-of-four David Knight, also 37, from 24 Melmore Gardens in Derry pleaded guilty to robbery, the production of an article, criminal damage and allowing himself to be carried in a mechanically-propelled vehicle.

Charges against Joseph McMullan, 25 of 5 Kavanagh Court, Derry included being carried in a stolen vehicle and possession of a knife used to intimidate.

The court heard that the gang were wearing high visibility vests when they hijacked a Royal Mail van in Derry at 9.40 on the morning of October 4th 2014 before driving across the border and carrying out the raid half an hour later on the An Post outlet.

A total of €2,920 was stolen in the raid which was later recovered and returned to the post mistress Kathleen Diver.

The court heard that Mrs Diver saw one of the men walking past the post office window carrying an axe and activated the panic alarm. The three men then burst into the premises shouting and brandishing weapons including a knife, hammer, hatchet and the axe. Mrs Diver threw cash at the males who also threatened her husband William with a knife before making off in the van. They headed towards Killea in an attempt to flee back across the border towards Derry but gardaí brought the van to a halt at the border using a stinger. The three fled the van but were apprehended a short time later.

Judge John Alymer heard that the incident had not been a master plan but was a hair-brained expedition that was premeditated that morning following a long night of drug taking as the gang attempted to feed a drug habit.

The court was told that trio have 317 previous convictions between them, all carried out in Northern Ireland. Lavy’s 95 previous convictions include 16 for burglary and 39 for road traffic offences along with other incidents of criminal damage, obstruction and disorderly behaviour. Knight also has 96 previous convictions including 27 for burglary and 48 for road traffic matters while McMullan’s 126 past offences include seven for assaulting a police officer, eight for criminal damage, 71 for road traffic matters and 10 theft offences.

Judge Aylmer had adjourned sentencing until today, describing the incident as “an extremely frightening experience for Mr and Mrs Diver”.

He said: “There are many comical and amateurish elements to the case not least the use of the Royal Mail van. There is no doubt that Mrs Diver would have seen nothing comical about what was a very serious incident of robbery in which weapons were used in a most threatening manner. It was fortuitous that most of the money had been locked away and that the sum taken was relatively small but this doesn’t detract from the serious nature of the offence.”

Lavy and McMullan were each jailed for six years, with the last three years suspended on a bond of €100 that they be of good behaviour for two years. Lavy was also banned from driving for one year. Knight was handed a six year sentence with the last two years suspended on a similar bond.

All three sentences were back-dated to last October as the men have been in custody since then.