A family affair: Brothers jailed for drug fuelled Limerick home shooting

TWO BROTHERS were sentenced to a combined total of 14 years imprisonment for shooting at a home on the north side of Limerick city following “a long night’s drinking and drugs”. 

Limerick’s Circuit Court heard that Roy Roche, 35, and Pa Roche, 33, both with an address at Cliona Park, Moyross, descended on Altamira Court, Thomondgate at 5 am with a sawn-off shotgun. 

The pair acted with the intention to target occupants of a house, on June 6, 2025. 

Roy Roche pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to threaten life, and criminal damage, and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

The man fired six rounds of bullets at the house from a sawn-off, 12 gauge shotgun. The court heard from Garda Aoife Keane that “six shots involved reloading the shotgun three times”. 

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His younger brother, Pa Roche, carried the gun. The man pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to threaten life and was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

The pair were seen leaving the scene, with Roy Roche observed “firing indiscriminately at the estate”. 

The court heard that the night before the shooting, bottles were thrown at the residence. 

Judge Colin Daly said that being in possession of a shotgun of the type they had is "intrinsically associated with criminality as it cannot legally be held". 

The court heard that the pair revisited the scene of the crime to collect used shotgun bullet shells from the house. 

The pair also threw away the shotgun and their jackets at the nearby Donnellan’s field after the crime took place.  

Before sentencing, Judge Colin Daly said that the "culpability of both accused is high" and that the pair "visited the place with the intention to shoot". 

Judge Daly said that the mitigating factors in this case were there were no casualties from the shooting, and that both brothers signed a guilty plea. 

However, he said that there were a "multiplicity of aggravating factors" in this case. 

The judge said "both accused tried to conceal the crime" and that "society cannot countenance" men firing guns at night. 

Roy Roche signed a plea, expressed remorse at his wrongdoing before the court, and offered an apology to the victims. 

The court heard that Roy Roche was "drinking at an early age", and had been taken into care and separated from his siblings at 11 years of age. 

Roy Roche has 30 previous convictions, however, the judge said he wanted to give “one last chance” to Roy Roche to "be a positive member of his community".

For Pa Roche, the judge said the man "did not pull the trigger" and that he said he has "no recollection of events" and was "heavily intoxicated on the night in question".

The judge said that the man was "in care since he was nine", has no previous convictions involving firearms and that "addiction is the root of his offending". 

Roy Roche was sentenced to eight years and six months imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. 

Pa Roche was given a sentence of six years and eight months, with the final eight months suspended. 

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme