Men sentenced over pub kidnapping

Two Belfast men have been jailed for their part in the kidnapping of dissident republican Bobby Tohill.

Thomas Tolan, of Ballymurphy Parade, was sentenced to six and a half years while Gerard McCrory, of Dermott Hill Road, was jailed for seven years.

Both men had admitted being part of a four-man gang who took him from a Belfast pub in February 2004.

All four went on the run while on bail but McCrory and Tolan were re-arrested last month.

The two other men, Harry Fitzsimmons, 37, from Spamount Street, Belfast, and Liam Rainey, 33, from New Barnsley Crescent, Belfast, involved in the kidnapping remain at large.

Belfast Crown Court heard Mr Tohill had appealed for the two men not to be sent to prison.

However, the judge said he could not be sure a letter written by Mr Tohill which described the two accused as personal friends was written of his own free will on a voluntary basis.

Jailing the pair, Lord Justice Girvan said the defendants showed very little or no remorse.