WATCH: English police welcome jailing of notorious Limerick criminal over 'blackmail' plot
A SENIOR police officer in England has welcomed the jailing of a notorious Limerick criminal for his involvement in a plot to blackmail two brothers.
Ger Dundon, aged 38, whose most-recent address is at Hackney in London was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment on Friday by a judge at Wood Green Crown Court in London.
Dundon, who changed his name by Deed Poll a number of years ago, was prosecuted under his current identity - Darren McLean.
In a statement issued following Friday's sentencing hearing, Staffordshire Police said: "Following an extensive investigation by our Major and Organised Crime Department, Darren McLean, 38, of Hackney, London, was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment at Wood Green Crown Court. During the hearing, he received a further five years in prison for unrelated offences."
McLean (aka Ger Dundon) was found guilty, in January, of two charges of conspiracy to blackmail and one count of conspiracy to falsely imprison. The court heard how two brothers from Stoke-on-Trent (in northern England) travelled to London in July 2020.
"They were subjected to blackmail threats, and in the days that followed, mobile phones were used to demand large sums of money, over £300,000, to secure the release of one of the brothers. These demand calls continued for the next few days until on the 16 July, armed police stopped a yellow transit van leaving a travellers’ site in Cambridgeshire," stated a spokesperson for Staffordshire Police.
"As officers approached the van, driver Darren McLean caused deliberate damage to a mobile phone he was carrying which was later identified as being one of the phones used to make threats and demands. The victim, who McLean claimed was a friend, was found inside the rear compartment, lying on a mattress. He reported being threatened with violence and racially abused," they added.
Commenting following the imposition of the ten year prison sentence, Deputy Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Garry Jackson said: “This was a terrifying experience for the victims. It also had a profound impact on their family members and friends. The investigation was incredibly complex and involved a number of police forces who supported our efforts, including the Metropolitan Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
“I would like to thank all of the officers and staff involved from Staffordshire for working tirelessly on the case. As a force we are committed to tackling and disrupting organised criminality.
“I also want to express our thanks to the prosecuting barristers Anne Whyte KC and Eloise Emanuel KC who have presented the case to the court, the jury, and also to Mr David Parsons, the reviewing lawyer from the Crown Prosecution Service, who has advised on the case since the start of the investigation.
“We’re pleased that McLean will now be serving a substantial sentence which reflects the seriousness of this disturbing crime.”
Five other individuals who were arrested and charged as part of the investigation were found not guilty during the trial.