A father of two has been jailed for 18 years following a tiger kidnapping in North Dublin.

A post mistress, her daughter and an Italian student were tied up and held for hours during the terrifying ordeal in Malahide in September 2014.

The court heard two armed men broke into the home of post mistress Susan Lawlor at around 1am on the 25th of September 2014.

Her daughter started screaming when she saw them coming up the stairs while Ms Lawlor immediately dialled a special ‘tiger kidnapping’ number that she had been given by An Post.

Over the next few hours the three women were tied up and their faces were covered as they were driven around.

Ms Lawlor was assaulted when she pointed out that the post office safe wouldn’t be opened until 8am.

One of men told her he would pour petrol over all three women and burn them if they didn’t comply.

The raiders made off with over €90,000 before the women managed to escape.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Howard said what the women went through was horrific.

He said: "These women were woken from their sleep in the dead of night by an armed gang.

"They were then falsely imprisoned at an unknown location for a number of hours. It was terrifying for those ladies."

Dublin man Paschal Kelly with an address in Cootehill in Cavan was convicted by a jury, and was today sentenced to 18 years behind bars.

The judge commended the intelligence of all three women that night which led to this prosecution, and said one can’t imagine the terror they endured.