In a Louth double‑murder trial, the prosecution argued that a collection of circumstantial evidence—mobile‑phone records, CCTV footage, witness statements and vehicle details—when combined, proved that Jason O'Driscoll was involved in the killings of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012. The accused, 35, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution highlighted the timing of the victims' movements, the presence of a silver Mercedes linked to O'Driscoll, and the absence of motive. O'Driscoll's defence counsel, Vincent Heneghan, counter‑argued that the case lacked motive, criticised police work as sloppy, and questioned the evidence's reliability. The trial was ongoing, with the jury instructed to consider the evidence as a jigsaw that might conclusively prove guilt if assembled together. The case remained at the closing‑speech stage before Mr Justice Michael White.
In the trial of 35‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, charged with the murders of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012 in County Louth, the jury has been shown 'EvoFIT' sketches of a suspect driver. The sketches were produced after Sergeant Stephen Downey of the PSNI described seeing a silver Mercedes, travelling northbound on the Dublin Road, with two men inside who appeared relaxed and laughing. Downey, who was a passenger in an unmarked armoured patrol at 11 pm that night, claimed the car was the same one he had seen earlier in Newry and attempted to chase it, but a puncture forced him to stop. He later supplied a description to a facial artist, who created the 'EvoFIT' images that were given to the jury. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of 35‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, charged with murdering 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012 in County Louth, has seen CCTV footage of O'Driscoll in the days before the killings. The footage, compiled by Garda Gareth Kenna from cameras on the Northern Ireland side of the border, shows O'Driscoll purchasing mobile‑phone credit in a shop in Newry on several occasions. Ambient noise from the footage also captured a Dublin accent ordering the credit. The prosecution, led by Alexander Owens SC, has presented circumstantial evidence of the mobile‑phone credit purchases and other technical evidence. The defense, represented by Vincent Heneghan SC, has argued that the evidence is insufficient to convict. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Denise Burnett, sister of Anthony Burnett, gave emotional testimony about her brother, who was 31 when he was murdered in March 2012. She recalled that he would have celebrated his birthday on March 15 and that he had nicknames "Freaky" and "GTI" because of his interest in cars, which she explained involved robbing them. Burnett said Anthony had received compensation for a prior incident in Oberstown and had bought an apartment in Turkey. She described a phone call from Joseph Redmond on the evening of the disappearance, during which Redmond mentioned traveling to Dundalk or Newry to sell a car for €700 or €1,000. The trial of Jason O'Driscoll, 35, accused of murdering Anthony and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the evidence stage. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Jason O'Driscoll, is charged with murdering two men, Anthony Burnett (31) and Joseph Redmond (25), on 7 March 2012 in County Louth. He pleaded not guilty. Firefighters Stephen Hoey and Vincent McGuinness testified that after extinguishing a car fire at Ravensdale Park, they found a badly cracked skull and a ribcage in the driver's seat, and a second skull in the footwell. Constable Niamh Mulholland described pursuing a silver 07 D Mercedes that night, noting two male occupants and a driver who made eye contact with police before the vehicle fled. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of five women and seven men.
Darren Weldon, a 47‑year‑old taxi driver from Kilbarrack, Dublin, had his 2014 conviction for membership of the Irish Republican Army quashed on appeal. The Special Criminal Court had found him guilty on 14 October 2014, sentencing him to five years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal held that the trial court's finding was "factually incorrect" because it relied on a photo from Weldon's iPhone that did not actually show him, and that the evidence left a "substantial gap" in the court's reasoning. The appeal judge, Mr Justice John Hedigan, noted that the conviction was based on a combination of opinion evidence, DNA linking Weldon to a car bomb's number plate, and the disputed photo. With the conviction deemed unsafe, it was quashed, a retrial ordered, and Weldon was released on bail to appear again before the Special Criminal Court on 29 June 2018. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial of 34‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, a witness named Ms. Reynolds testified that she saw a burning car near Ravensdale Park, Dundalk, six years earlier. She described a glow, flames, and a body slumped over the steering wheel, which she later learned was just the seat. Ms. Reynolds called the fire brigade at 10.52 pm; by the time they arrived, the flames were out and she heard explosions. The prosecution, represented by Alexander Owens SC, argued that circumstantial evidence was sufficient to convict O'Driscoll of murdering 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012. Owens claimed O'Driscoll was a knowing participant in the killings, though he did not assert that O'Driscoll fired the gun. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, is expected to last up to five weeks. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
The Irish Government has announced its intention to appeal the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) finding that 14 men in Northern Ireland were not tortured when detained by the British Army in 1971. The appeal will be directed to the ECHR's Grand Chamber, following a ruling last March. The decision comes after Mary McKenna, daughter of Sean McKenna, one of the detainees known as 'the hooded men,' initiated proceedings in the Irish High Court to compel the government to inform her of its appeal intentions. Michael Halleron, representing Ms. McKenna, stated that the referral to the Grand Chamber offers another opportunity to revise the 1978 ECHR ruling, which found the treatment of the men to be inhuman and degrading but not torture. In 1971, Mr. McKenna and 13 others were subjected to interrogation and sensory deprivation practices by the British Army. Mr. McKenna was released into a psychiatric hospital and died in 1975. Ms. McKenna believes his death was directly attributable to the treatment he suffered. The Irish Government had requested a revision of the 1978 decision in 2014 after new information was disclosed. Last March, the ECHR refused the request. The Government had until June 20th to seek a referral to the Grand Chamber. Ms. McKenna brought High Court proceedings after being informed that any decision on the appeal would be made on June 19th. Mr. Justice Seamus Noonan adjourned the matter to Wednesday's sitting of the court.
Mary McKenna, daughter of the late Sean McKenna, one of the "hooded men" detained by the British Army in the early 1970s, has filed a High Court challenge demanding the Irish Government urgently inform her whether it intends to appeal the European Court of Human Rights' 1978 ruling that the men's treatment was not torture. Ms McKenna argues that her father's death in 1975 was directly caused by the interrogation and sensory deprivation he endured while interned. She cites medical evidence and new information released in 2014 showing the UK knew of the long‑term effects of the techniques used. The Irish Government's 2014 request for a revision of the 1978 decision was denied by the ECHR in March. At the High Court, counsel for Ms McKenna, Leanora Frawley Bl, noted the government has until 20 June to decide whether to appeal to the Grand Chamber, a deadline she says is too short.
Dessie O'Hare, 61, of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, was charged with assault, false imprisonment and threatening to kill. The assault charge involves John Roche, whom O'Hare allegedly assaulted at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin, causing him harm and committing violent disorder. The false imprisonment charges involve Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart, and Lisa Byrne and Brandon Byrne at The Towers. O'Hare also faces a charge of threatening to kill Martin Byrne or cause him serious harm. All alleged offences date from 9 June 2015. O'Hare had been granted bail and a trial date of 29 April next year. On 8 June 2018 the Special Criminal Court varied his bail to allow him to travel to Lourdes with his wife from 6 to 12 July, provided he supplies travel documents and continues to sign in at a Garda station twice a week and obey a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m.
Sean Darragh, 49, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for possessing 263 g of heroin worth €37,366, which he had agreed to transport from Dublin to Newry to settle a drug debt of €4,000. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 19 September 2017. Darragh, a grandfather of two from Cois Locha, had 48 prior convictions, mainly for drugs and thefts in Northern Ireland. Garda Killian Leydon described how Darragh and co‑accused Josephine Hoey were caught after suspicious activity in an apartment car park; Hoey later received a four‑year suspended sentence for possession. Darragh sold his Volkswagen to pay Hoey's bail and had two dogs impounded, which she later reclaimed. Judge Martin Nolan noted Darragh's cooperation and steps taken in custody to address his drug addiction, back‑dating the sentence to his arrest date.
Haulier Cathal Dempsey, a Co Monaghan resident, is suing A&M Commercials Ltd and A&M Commercial Ireland Ltd in the High Court over seven trucks purchased in 2009 and 2011. Mr Dempsey alleges that the defendants sold him vehicles with mileage records of approximately 500,000km, when expert examination suggests some units had nearly 1 million kilometres. He claims this breach of contract caused frequent breakdowns and business damage. The defendants deny these allegations, stating there was no implied condition regarding mileage or reliability, and that the vehicles were not fraudulently altered or unfit for purpose. The case opened before Mr Justice Donald Binchy, with counsel for Mr Dempsey highlighting significant discrepancies in the trucks' odometer readings. However, the judge adjourned the case for two weeks after evidential difficulties arose. The dispute centered on whether technical evidence regarding the alleged mileage could be presented by Mr Dempsey's expert or if it required testimony from other examiners, with the defendants opposing hearsay evidence. Mr Justice Binchy noted the seriousness of the allegations but was not prepared to dismiss the action, resulting in the matter being adjourned rather than concluded.
Dessie O'Hare, 61, of Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, appeared at the Special Criminal Court where his trial was scheduled for April 29 next year. He is accused of assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, and committing violent disorder by threatening to use unlawful violence at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin. O'Hare also faces three charges of false imprisonment involving Martin Byrne, Lisa Byrne, and Brandon Byrne, as well as a charge of threatening to kill Martin Byrne or cause him serious harm. All alleged offences date from June 9, 2015. Justice Robert Eagar, sitting with Judges Patricia Ryan and James Faughnan, set the trial date. O'Hare is currently on bail. His co-accused, Donal O'Hara, 26, of Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, at the same address on the same date. O'Hara will be sentenced on May 30 next at the Special Criminal Court. The matter regarding O'Hare was adjourned for trial, while O'Hara's case was adjourned for sentencing.
Dessie O'Hare, aged 61 and resident of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, will be tried at the Special Criminal Court on 22 March 2018. He faces charges of assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, and committing violent disorder at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin, as well as threatening to use unlawful violence. O'Hare is also charged with three counts of false imprisonment involving Martin Byrne, Lisa Byrne and Brandon Byrne, and with threatening to kill or seriously harm Martin Byrne. All alleged offences date from 9 June 2015. He is currently on bail.
A trial date has been set for Joseph Hillen, a 23‑year‑old from Forkhill, County Armagh, who is charged with the murder of 53‑year‑old Martin Mulligan, a taxi driver from Dundalk. The killing took place at Carnmore, off the Armagh Road outside Dundalk, on 28 September 2015. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy of the Central Criminal Court fixed the trial for 2 October, with the case expected to last two weeks.
An autistic man, Alyn Maginn, 41, was caught with over €600,000 of heroin and cocaine in a car park at Dublin Airport. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession. The drugs were found in a Seat Ibiza after customs profiling. Maginn had not imported the drugs; they had been in the car already. The drugs were owned by a co‑accused, Martin Gilroy, who had previously been jailed for seven years. Maginn had no prior convictions and cooperated with Gardaí. A psychological report showed Maginn had borderline cognitive ability, was on the autism spectrum, and was easily led. Judge Martin Nolan, citing Maginn's psychological make‑up and low moral culpability, imposed a suspended five‑year sentence, stating it would be unjust to jail him for this crime.
In February 2018, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court fined Felix O'Hare Contractors €25,000 plus costs for breaching health and safety standards at a construction site on Harbour Road, Skerries, Co Dublin. The company had failed to erect appropriate barriers, allowing amateur photographer Harvey Wolfe (54) to enter the site. Wolfe was caught between a hoarding and an excavator moving stones, sustaining crush injuries that proved fatal. The court heard Wolfe's mother, Patricia Wolfe, who expressed that her son would not want his death to harm his "comrades" on the site. Judge Martin Nolan noted the company's good record but stressed that Wolfe should not have been allowed on site that day and that stronger preventive measures were required. The Health and Safety Authority inspector highlighted the lack of interlocking plastic fencing and traffic control. The company has since increased its health and safety officers from one to three. Felix O'Hare Contractors pleaded guilty.
The High Court adjourned a receivership application for 31 Dublin apartments owned by Sean Mackin. Receivers Luke Charleton and Andrew Collier, appointed by Promontoria (Aran) Ltd, allege interference by Mackin, who has leased all units for €3,000 per month—about 15% of the estimated €20,000 monthly value. The receivers seek injunctions restraining Mackin, who resides in Cullyhanna, Newry, and orders for him to hand over possession. They also target tenants Mr Thierry Mangione and Ms Eulalia St Maria, the latter's whereabouts unknown. Mackin entered a letting agreement in 2016 without PAL or Ulster Bank consent, and the lease expired last month. The court adjourned the case for two weeks to allow the tenants' renewal application to be presented on affidavit and to obtain contact details for the defendants.
Patrick McArdle, a 48‑year‑old former mechanic and casual truck driver from Co. Armagh, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to careless driving causing the death of Slawomir Korytowski, a married father‑of‑two who was travelling with four other motorcyclists to catch a ferry to Scotland. The fatal incident occurred on 3 July 2015 at North Wall Quay when McArdle, who had been disqualified for drink‑driving for six years a year earlier and for further driving offences last year, pulled out of a loading bay and briefly crossed onto the wrong side of the road. Korytowski, panicking at the oncoming lorry, applied the brakes, was thrown from his bike and struck under the wheel of another lorry, dying at the scene. The judge, citing McArdle's misjudgment and the aggravating factor that he was not legally permitted to drive, sentenced him to ten months' imprisonment and a six‑year driving ban.
Darren Weldon, 46, has appealed his conviction for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Weldon, from Kilbarrack in Dublin, pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court on October 14, 2014. He was found guilty by the non-jury court and sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, on January 16, 2017. The prosecution alleged that DNA matching Weldon was found on the number plate of a car that exploded outside Newry courthouse in 2010. Weldon's counsel, Hugh Hartnett SC, argued the trial was corrupted by misdirections, specifically regarding the DNA evidence and association evidence. Hartnett contended the court impermissibly bolstered the DNA sample by finding it was left by primary contact beyond a reasonable doubt. He also challenged the reliance on photos of Alan Ryan, noting that the court incorrectly stated Weldon was in the company of two men with unlawful organisation convictions, a point conceded as incorrect by the DPP's counsel, Paul Greene SC. The DPP argued the conviction was supported by substantial DNA and photo evidence. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice Alan Mahon, Mr Justice John Edwards, and Mr Justice John Hedigan, reserved its judgement on the appeal.
A truck driver from Cavan has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment following his conviction for drug smuggling at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Maurice McCreesh, aged 38 and resident in Lisreagh, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply. Gardaí discovered nearly 15 kilos of cocaine, valued at over €1 million, concealed in his truck at Dublin Port on 12 September 2015. The defendant initially claimed to be a customs informant but subsequently admitted transporting the drugs from Liverpool to Dublin on behalf of criminals to whom he owed money. The court heard McCreesh had been coerced into the arrangement following financial pressure and had spent time in hiding from the gang involved. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence having regard to the seriousness of the offence, while acknowledging the defendant's co-operation with gardaí and absence of previous convictions.
A jury could not reach a verdict in the trial of 34‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, charged with murdering 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond in Co. Louth on 7 March 2012. The case centred on a car that the two men had stolen and were attempting to sell to O'Driscoll for €700. O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage of the men and a stolen Mercedes S Class W221 that was later found abandoned. The defence argued that the evidence did not prove O'Driscoll's involvement or motive. After 11½ hours of deliberation over four days, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous or majority verdict and was discharged from service. O'Driscoll was remanded in custody pending further court dates.
In a 2017 double‑murder trial, the prosecution presented CCTV footage and mobile‑phone records to the jury, arguing that the accused, 34‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, was escorting the stolen Volkswagen Golf to its destruction. The evidence included a call from the deceased men to a phone linked to O'Driscoll, a brief period of traffic footage showing two cars near the scene, and a later sighting of O'Driscoll in a blue shirt leaving a chip shop. The prosecution claimed these strands, taken together, proved O'Driscoll's presence, participation and guilt. The defence was scheduled to present its closing argument before the judge. The case remained at the trial stage, with no verdict announced. The article does not state any outcome or further proceedings. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
The 34‑year‑old accused in the Louth double murder trial, Jason O'Driscoll, admitted in court that he is the man shown in CCTV footage presented by the State. The admission was made by his barrister, Seán Guerin, under Section 22 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, allowing the prosecution to rely on the footage without further proof. The footage includes a man entering a Newry hotel at 7.45 pm on the night of the killings, a man in a blue jacket inside Murphy's in Meigh after 11 pm, and a man in a Eurospar shop on several days in March. Guerin confirmed that O'Driscoll was the man in each of these recordings. The trial continues with the jury awaiting further proceedings after the judge addressed a legal issue. The accused remains not guilty on the charges of murdering Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Jason O'Driscoll, a 34-year-old Dublin man, continued with evidence regarding mobile phone data analysis. O'Driscoll, of Richmond Avenue, Fairview, has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 31-year-old Anthony Burnett and 25-year-old Joseph Redmond in Co Louth on March 7, 2012. The jury heard testimony from An Garda Síochána analyst Eddie McGoey, who presented charts summarising contact between eight phone numbers of interest on the day of the alleged killings. McGoey referenced CCTV footage of a Newry hotel payphone and credit purchases at Mulkerns Eurospar. Under cross-examination by Seán Guerin SC, the defence highlighted a table showing that calls between a phone attributed to Burnett and a witness were followed by contact with an unknown number, with which Burnett had no prior contact in the available six-week record. McGoey agreed that Gardaí had not provided records for this unknown number, meaning potentially significant information was excluded from his original analysis. He conceded that, in theory, the unknown number could have used the same cell sites as the phones attributed to the deceased. The trial is before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who indicated the case is moving towards a close. The matter was adjourned and continues on Tuesday.
In the Louth double murder trial, the jury heard forensic evidence that partly evaporated petrol vapour was found on a sample taken during the post‑mortem of one victim. The 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Jason O'Driscoll, pleaded not guilty to the murders of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, who were shot in a burning car in Ravensdale Forest Park on 7 March 2012. Firefighters arrived before 11 o'clock, and the bodies were discovered inside the vehicle. Dr John O'Shaughnessy testified that he examined fire debris and post‑mortem samples for accelerants. He reported finding partly evaporated petrol vapour on a sample from 'Body A' and also petrol and paraffin oil vapour from a sample taken under the car. The petrol vapour was confirmed to have come from petrol.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard technical mobile‑phone evidence in the double murder trial of a 34‑year‑old Dublin man charged with killing 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond in Louth on 7 March 2012. The defendant, Jason O'Driscoll, pleaded not guilty. Witnesses described a fire at Ravensdale Forest Park, the discovery of the bodies with gunshot wounds to the heads, and the use of Meteor top‑ups purchased in Newry. The trial continued tomorrow before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women.
In a double murder trial, the jury heard technical evidence on a reconstruction of CCTV footage to identify vehicles involved in the 2012 killings of Anthony Burnett (31) and Joseph Redmond (25) in Louth. The defendant, Jason O'Driscoll (34) of Fairview, pleaded not guilty. Firefighters responded to a burning car in Ravensdale Forest Park before 11 pm, where the bodies were found with gunshot wounds to the head. The prosecution presented CCTV of vehicles before and after 11 pm, and forensic image analysts Matthew Cass and Andrew Wooller testified about a reconstruction exercise. Cass described testing about a dozen vehicles, using side‑by‑side comparisons due to operational constraints. Wooller noted the reconstruction's limited value after CCTV changes, but identified a large light‑toned car as a Mercedes S‑Class and a dark‑toned hatchback as possibly a Volkswagen Golf. The State's case links the victims to a stolen black Volkswagen Golf, which was later found abandoned in Meigh.
The double murder trial of Dubliner Jason O'Driscoll, 34, continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy. O'Driscoll has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 31-year-old Anthony Burnett and 25-year-old Joseph Redmond in Co Louth on March 7th, 2012. The prosecution alleges the victims, who were car thieves, were shot dead in a layby at Ravensdale Forest Park and their vehicle set on fire. The State's case asserts that O'Driscoll and another man fled the scene in a stolen black Volkswagen Golf, which was later found abandoned in Meigh, Armagh. A vehicle identification expert, Andrew Wooller, testified that he was contacted by Gardaí to analyze CCTV footage from both locations. Wooller, who manages a UK-based imagery analysis firm, identified a light-toned vehicle in Ravensdale as consistent with a Mercedes S Class and a following dark hatchback as potentially a Volkswagen Golf. He further stated that a vehicle entering a carpark in Meigh was immediately apparent as a Mercedes S Class. The jury has reviewed the relevant CCTV footage. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded at this procedural stage.
In a double murder trial, the jury watched CCTV footage of the night two Dublin men were shot dead in County Louth. The footage, shown to the Central Criminal Court, covered movements of people and vehicles before and after 11 pm, including a burning car in Ravensdale Forest Park and a licensed chip shop in County Armagh. Jason O'Driscoll, 34, charged with murdering 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, pleaded not guilty. The trial moved into legal argument before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and will resume with the jury on Monday.
In the trial of Jason O'Driscoll, a 34‑year‑old Dublin man charged with the murders of Anthony Burnett, 31, and Joseph Redmond, 25, on 7 March 2012, a CSI named Belinda Kennedy gave evidence to the Central Criminal Court. Kennedy, a crime scene investigator with the PSNI in Belfast, examined a silver Mercedes that had been abandoned on the northern side of the border the morning after the killings. She photographed the vehicle, noted damage, tested for firearms residue and DNA, lifted fibre tape, and collected soil samples. Kennedy reported that she had swept the entire car for fingerprints but found none, and that a smell of cleaning fluid suggested the car had been cleaned. She also noted that the car had been driven through Dublin City after being stolen that early morning. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
Mary O'Driscoll, 61, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing cigarettes and tobacco for sale after being caught with nearly 14,000 cigarettes in her Summerhill home. She had bought the cigarettes in Newry, Northern Ireland, and intended to sell them on North Earl Street, Dublin. The court noted she has 119 prior convictions, 108 of which are casual trading offences, and that she has severe kidney problems requiring dialysis. Judge Melanie Greally, citing her age and ill‑health, imposed a two‑year suspended jail sentence, warning that continued street trading would lead to incarceration. The court also heard that customs officers seized the cigarettes in a child's buggy and that O'Driscoll had admitted plans to sell them at €4 per pack and €10 per packet of tobacco. The judge emphasised the need to stop her trading activities.
In the double murder trial of Jason O'Driscoll, a 34‑year‑old Dublin man charged with killing 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012, the jury was shown footage of the alleged getaway route. The route, from Ravensdale Forest Park to Newry, was captured on the onboard camera of a Garda patrol car in July 2014. The evidence was presented to the Central Criminal Court this morning. The trial had already heard that firefighters responded to a burning car in Ravensdale shortly before 11 p.m. that night, where two bodies with gunshot wounds to the head were found. A silver Mercedes, registered in the south, failed to stop for police in Newry a short time later, was pursued in a high‑speed chase, escaped, and was later abandoned near the border. The State argued that this car was used by O'Driscoll and another man to leave Ravensdale after the killings. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence in the double murder trial of Dublin man Jason O'Driscoll, 34, charged with killing fellow Dubliners Anthony Burnett, 31, and Joseph Redmond, 25, on 7 March 2012. The prosecution presented facial composites of the alleged getaway driver, created by facial imaging specialist Lorna Heron after receiving separate descriptions from PSNI officers Stephen Downey and Niamh Mulholland. Heron explained that she input the data into a computer program, generated images, added artwork, and produced two separate composites, which were then morphed into a single composite shown to the jury. The officers described seeing the driver of a silver Mercedes for about five seconds in Newry when they attempted to stop him; the car fled after the officers activated their blue lights. A silver Mercedes was later found abandoned near the border, with a shoe print cast taken by PSNI Crime Scene Investigator Jonathan Poole. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
In a double murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard details of a high‑speed police chase in Newry that followed the discovery of a burning car containing two bodies. The case concerns Jason O'Driscoll, 34, of Richmond Avenue, Fairview, who is charged with murdering Dubliners Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012. Firefighters responded to a blaze at Ravensdale Forest Park before 11 o'clock that night, finding two bodies with gunshot wounds to the head. Constable Simon Pringle testified that he was on duty in Newry at the time and observed a silver Mercedes, unregistered, moving toward his patrol car while being pursued by a police vehicle with blue lights. The chase, occurring in a 30 mph zone, was reportedly at 70–80 mph when the Mercedes was lost. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
In a double‑murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Jason O'Driscoll, was charged with the 2012 killings of Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond, two Co. Louth criminals who were shot dead in a stolen Volkswagen Golf. O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Alexander Owens SC presented a circumstantial case, arguing that O'Driscoll was present at the scene and therefore a participant in the murders, without needing to prove he fired the fatal shots. Owens described the victims as "full‑time criminals" involved in car theft, noting they had stolen the Golf from a Sandymount home and later drove it north to a layby at Ravensdale Park, where they were shot in the head and the car was set on fire. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, was instructed to consider whether O'Driscoll's presence alone made him guilty.
Jason O'Driscoll, a 34‑year‑old Dublin resident, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on 17 October 2017 charged with the double murder of Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond in County Louth on 7 March 2012. He declared his innocence and pleaded not guilty to both charges. The prosecution, represented by Alexander Owens SC, noted that O'Driscoll was originally from Fairview and had lived in Newry, while the victims were from Ballybough, Dublin. A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in for a trial set to begin the following day and last three to four weeks.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Seamus McGrane, 63, of Dromiskin, County Louth, pleaded not guilty to directing the activities of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army (IRA) between 19 April and 13 May 2015. The court listened to an audio recording from a surveillance device placed in the Coachman's Inn pub in Dublin on 19 April 2015. In the recording, McGrane described mixing fertiliser, glucose and corn syrup, grinding the fertiliser, adding sugar and corn syrup, and testing the resulting compound. He also spoke of boiling the materials, discussing chemical ratios, and a timer device. McGrane mentioned a "science graduate" who could assist, and talked about strategies for England and other areas. He questioned the relevance of the IRA in 2016 and criticised police and Sinn Féin. The trial continues before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge Cormac Dunne.
Vincent Banks, aged 47, from Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin 7, has been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The conviction follows his trial regarding the purchase of a Toyota Camry used in the fatal shooting of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black on 1 November 2012. Mr Black was killed in a drive-by shooting on the M1 near Lurgan, County Armagh. The vehicle was subsequently found burnt out in a ditch near Carrigallen, County Leitrim, with firearm cartridges connected to the death recovered from inside. Banks had denied the charge, maintaining he knew nothing of Mr Black or the vehicle. However, the court accepted evidence from Chief Superintendent Gerry Russell regarding Banks' membership and found his conduct surrounding the car's purchase surreptitious. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding with judges Gerard Griffin and Gerard Haughton, noted that inferences could be drawn from Banks' failure to answer material questions during garda interviews. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 9 October.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Joseph Hillen, aged 23, received a suspended sentence of two and a half years for handling stolen property. Hillen admitted to transporting a €9,000 Atlas compressor, stolen from an Irish Rail depot near the border, from Northern Ireland to Dublin. He claimed he was paid €100 to drive the machine and that he feared for his safety, so he did not name the individuals he met. The compressor was found in a white van at a Topaz petrol station in Clondalkin on 29 April 2016, where Hillen and another man were arrested. Hillen, who has 12 prior convictions, pleaded guilty and acknowledged his wrongdoing. The judge noted his cooperation and early guilty plea, and the court imposed the suspended sentence. The co‑accused is expected to stand trial later. The compressor belonged to Laois Hire, which had rented it to Irish Rail a few weeks earlier.
During the second day of Andresj Krauze's murder trial, the jury heard that his brother, Sergejs Krauze, had been convicted of manslaughter in the death of Juris Buls. Garda Cormac Bane presented CCTV footage from Glenamaddy showing a maroon‑coloured Honda Accord, similar to Sergejs's car, arriving an hour after Buls' girlfriend left his home. The footage also suggested a black Audi, Buls' vehicle, was seen driving around four hours after Buls was last seen alive. The prosecution alleged that Buls was killed in his home by Andresj Krauze shortly after the Honda arrived, and that his body was taken to a wooded area 7 km outside Glenamaddy. The case was heard by a jury of six men and six women, and the trial continues before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. Andresj Krauze pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 trial, the State presented evidence that Andresj Krauze, 31, of Dudley Heights, Glenamaddy, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 30‑year‑old Juris Buls, a Latvian car enthusiast and former Titan Plastics employee. The prosecution alleged Buls was last seen by his girlfriend at 22:45 on 7 July 2011 and never returned to work. An hour later, a maroon Honda Accord owned by Krauze's brother arrived, and a man left the vehicle heading toward Buls' house. The State claimed Krauze killed Buls at his home shortly after the Accord's arrival, then transported the body to a wooded area 7 km outside Glenamaddy where it was dumped. The prosecution also noted that a black Audi appeared at Krauze's Portadown residence, suggesting a possible link. The jury heard CCTV footage of Buls driving a black Audi on 7 July and the case was heard by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. The trial continues.
An Armagh man has been ordered to complete 240 hours of community service following his conviction for attempting to remove markers from diesel fuel. Paul Haughey, aged 36 and resident in Keady, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence, which occurred on 1 September 2011 at a property near Castleblaney, County Monaghan. Gardaí and customs officials conducted a surveillance operation and discovered over 13,000 litres of laundered diesel on the premises. The markers are used to differentiate between taxed diesel fuel and untaxed mineral oil, with significant tax rate variations between the two products. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the community service order in lieu of a one-year prison sentence, allowing Haughey eight months to complete the work. The judge noted he played a minor role in the operation and maintained an otherwise unblemished record in the jurisdiction. The defence submitted psychological evidence indicating Haughey was suffering severe depression and stressed his cooperation with investigating gardaí and his family responsibilities.
Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old from Kilbarrack, Dublin, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for membership of a dissident terrorist organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The conviction followed DNA evidence linking him to a number plate recovered from the wreckage of a car bomb that detonated outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The court heard that the plate was found by PSNI officers and that DNA swabs taken from Weldon while in custody matched the profile on the plate. Weldon had previously been arrested in September 2012 on suspicion of IRA membership after attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, a former "Real IRA" member. The court also considered a WhatsApp message on Weldon's phone praising those who act "regardless of the consequences." Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Weldon to five years, suspending the final year, and the effective custodial term was four years.
A 45‑year‑old Meath man, Darren Weldon, was found guilty of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The conviction was based on DNA evidence linking Weldon to a car registration plate recovered from the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Garda DNA swabs taken from Weldon matched the DNA profile on the plate. Weldon had previously denied membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) when he was charged on 14 October 2014. He had been arrested in September 2012 for suspected IRA membership after attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, a former "Real IRA" member who was killed in 2012. During the trial, a WhatsApp message on Weldon's phone praising Alan Ryan was presented, and Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan testified that confidential information indicated Weldon's IRA membership. Weldon was remanded in custody until 16 January, when sentencing will occur.
Noel Murtagh, 29, pleaded guilty to assaulting Christopher and Joseph Lennon on Camden Street, Dublin, on 26 June 2014. The assault was unprovoked and involved punching and kicking the brothers. Joseph Lennon suffered a badly broken jaw, requiring metal plates and still cannot fully open his mouth. Murtagh's co‑accused, Michael Coleman, was found to have caused the more serious injuries, including punching and kicking Joseph Lennon while he was on the ground. Coleman was jailed for 18 months in July 2015. Judge Melanie Greally accepted evidence that Coleman was the instigator and that Murtagh's role was less violent. She sentenced Murtagh to a three‑year prison term, suspended in full, and ordered 240 hours of community service within 12 months. The court noted a probation report indicating Murtagh was at low risk of re‑offending and had shown appropriate shame for his actions.
A barrister for Darren Weldon, 45, has applied to the Special Criminal Court to direct a verdict of not guilty in his IRA membership trial. Weldon pleaded not guilty on 14 October 2014. The prosecution alleges DNA links him to a number plate found in debris from a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Mr Hartnett argues significant frailties and gaps in the evidence, including the chain of DNA evidence and the fairness of a chief superintendent's belief evidence. The court will rule on the application on Monday.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Garda chief superintendent testified that he believed Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, was a member of the Irish Republican Army. Weldon pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 14 October 2014. The prosecution argued that DNA evidence linked Weldon to a number plate found in the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The case was closed by the prosecution, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Darren Weldon, a 45-year-old man from Drinadaly, Trim, has heard evidence regarding the prior conviction of Alan Ryan. Mr. Weldon has pleaded not guilty to the charge of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, allegedly committed on October 14, 2014. The prosecution alleges that DNA evidence links Mr. Weldon to a number plate found in the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on February 22, 2010. During proceedings, Detective Inspector William Hanrahan of the Special Detective Unit testified that in March 2001, Alan Ryan pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to receiving training in the use of firearms. This conviction was related to activities at a "Real IRA" training camp in Co Meath on October 20, 1999, for which Ryan was one of six men jailed. The court also heard that gardai observed Mr. Weldon in conversation with Mr. Ryan on April 2, 2012. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne. The matter is currently ongoing and has not been finalised.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dr John Gibson presented DNA evidence linking Darren Weldon, 45, to a number plate recovered from the debris of a 2010 car bomb that detonated outside Newry courthouse. Gibson compared a DNA sample from Weldon to a profile obtained from the UK forensic services, concluding the probability of a coincidental match was "considerably less than one in a thousand million." He acknowledged uncertainty about how the DNA was deposited and its age, noting secondary and tertiary transfer were possible. Assistant scientific officer Chloe Holland had earlier recovered DNA from the top and bottom edges of the plate, while senior scientist Jonathan Irons reported receiving the plate on 3 March 2010. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, continues with Weldon pleading not guilty to IRA membership charges.