A Lithuanian national living in Mullingar and an accomplice have been jailed for four years for hijacking a car from a fellow national last year.
Mykolas Dockevicius (21 ) of Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, and Marius Bardauskas (22 ) of Oldbridge Way, Lucan, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to the crime before a jury of six men and six women just after their trial began at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A third Lithuanian, Eimantis Kadzevicius (21 ) of Moyglass Lawn, Lucan, Co Dublin, received a two-year suspended sentence for his role in the 'carjack' which happened at Milberton, Skerries, Co Dublin on March 22, 2008.
Garda Audrey Garvey told prosecution counsel, Mr Shane Costelloe BL, that the car owner met the group after they contacted him about viewing his vehicle which was advertised for sale in a Lithuanian newpaper.
Garda Garvey said Kadzevicius arranged to go on a test drive with the seller but pulled the vehicle over some time later and rang someone on his mobile phone.
She said Dockevicius and Bardauskas then pulled up in a second car, jumped out and pointed a sawn-off shotgun at the seller before threatening him, stealing his wallet, mobile phone, and watch, and taking the car.
She agreed with Mr Kenneth Fogarty SC (with Mr Cathal McGreal BL ), defense counsel for policeman's son Dockevicius, that his client told gardai he was forced into the crime by a middle-aged man he met at the Spire in Dublin city centre, promising him construction work shortly after he came to Ireland.
She further agreed that his co-accused told gardai a similar story, claiming they committed the crime "under duress" and couldn't name the other party involved out of fear for their own safety and that of their families in Lithuania.
Judge Patrick McCartan told the three that they had "forfeited their right to hospitality" in Ireland.
He suspended the final two years of the sentence for Dockevicius and father-of-one Bardauskas due to their guilty plea and young ages.
He ordered they leave the country after their release and gave Kadzevicius, who didn't know weapons were being used until they were produced, seven days to return to Lithuania.
