Porters tied up in terrifying raid on popular Trim hotel

Two night porters at Trim"s Knightsbrook Hotel are recovering this week from a terrifying ordeal in the early hours of Monday morning, when four masked men raided the hotel. The four men, who were armed with iron bars and a lump hammer, forced their way into the four-star hotel - located on the Dublin Road - at around 4.20am and overpowered the porters. The raiders tied up the two men before taking a number of safes from the premises. It is not believed there was much cash in the safes. The raiders used the hotel"s courtesy bus, which Knightsbrook uses to take guests to and from the town, to make their getaway. The two porters were uninjured but, according to Gardai, they were very badly shaken. They managed to raise the alarm a short time after the raiders left the hotel. The four raiders were believed to have been in their 20s and spoke with strong Dublin accents. The hotel"s minibus, a silver Dublin-registered Mercedes which features a distinctive Knightsbrook Hotel logo on the side, had not been located up to yesterday (Tuesday) morning. Trim Gardai have appealed to anyone who may have seen the vehicle after 4.20am on Monday morning to get in contact with them on (046) 948 1540. The burning out of two cars parked at Blackcastle Shopping Centre and a serious assault at Bridge Street marred the peace of the festive season in Navan. Navan Gardai and Fire Brigade were called to the car fires at Blackcastle Shopping Centre"s rear car park at around 5.30am on St Stephen"s Day. One of the cars was owned by a member of the staff at the Adam Gayle hair salon in Blackcastle Shopping Centre. Gardai confirmed that they are to interview a suspect in the assault incident which took place at Bridge Street, Navan, last weekend. Both the victim and his assailant were described as being aged in their 20s. The victim was taken to Tullamore Hospital"s intensive care unit for what Gardai have described as 'precautionary' reasons. However, the victim is believed to be recovering from the injuries he sustained in the assault. The smashing of a shop window at McElhinney"s, Athboy, in the early hours of Christmas morning proved to be the only significant criminal incident in the north of the county. Across the Kells subdivision (Kells, Oldcastle, Athboy and Ballivor), there were just eight public order arrests over the festive period and just four suspected drink-drivers detained, making it one of the quietest Christmases for several years. A man was removed to Our Lady"s Hospital, Navan, late on Christmas Day after he opened the door of his home and was assaulted in Nobber. The victim was struck in the face and fell, suffering a head injury, sometime between 3pm and 4pm but he has since been released following treatment. Nobber Gardai believe that more than one perpetrator may have been involved and they are continuing their enquiries into the incident.