Updated 15.45

Three Dublin men have been jailed for seven and a half years after gardaí foiled a cash in transit robbery in Dunboyne, Co Meath.

The gang had been targeting €2 million  which was in the van and an ATM in October 2016.

The court’s heard the accused men in this case had gone to extraordinary lengths to protect themselves against forensics, and were wearing tight clothes, ski masks and two sets of gloves when arrested.

Two of them had lay in wait in an unused building for the cash in transit van for hours – and used a bottle to relieve themselves.

Gardaí moved in when the van arrived and arrested two of the men, while the third was picked up nearby.

A gun, a crow bar, cable ties, duct tape, bleach and a stanley knife were found inside the building.

41-year-old Stefan Saunders of Hazelbury Park in Clonee, 32-year-old Damien Noonan of Rusheeny Court, Hartstown and 39-year-old Francis Murphy – originally from Finglas but with an address at Carranstown, Drogheda Road in Duleek, Co Meath - all pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit robbery.

The judge noted it was very professional, planned and organised robbery - and, if successful, would have resulted in substantive financial gain for the three men.

Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland spoke outside court after the men were jailed.

He said: "This successful outcome today also demonstrates that An Garda Síochana will deploy the resources that are necessary to target groups and people who are willing to use firearms to commit crime for financial gain against ordinary citizens who are going about their daily work."