Two organised crime 'foot soldiers', Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), have been sentenced to 12 years each, with one and two years suspended respectively, for their involvement in a 'shambolic' and 'ill-prepared' plot to murder Dublin man Michael Frazer. The sentences were handed down at the Special Criminal Court following guilty pleas in May to possession of a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm calibre ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court heard that during an operation targeting organised crime in Dublin in August 2017, armed detectives intercepted the men's van, which contained a loaded firearm 'ready for use'. The court was told that the men had discussed aiming for 'head shots' or they would not get paid, and that a transcript of their conversation was described as a 'disturbing document' containing a 'graphic description' of their intentions. The judge noted that the men's drug use was clearly audible on secret recordings. Defence counsel for both men highlighted mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas, Gleeson's violent offending history, and Dunne's long-term heroin addiction and mental health issues. The sentences were backdated to August 7, 2017, when the men were arrested. The court also heard that Dunne's DNA was found on a SIM card linked to a tracking device under Mr Frazer's van, and that the men had been contracted and paid to carry out the attack by senior figures in the organised crime group.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Karl Sutton, aged 33, received a suspended sentence for a violent assault on his girlfriend, Tiffany Curtis, on 16 August 2003. Sutton accused Curtis of cheating before attacking her, striking her head against walls and floors, kicking her, and threatening their infant son who was in a Moses basket nearby. The court noted the extreme violence, the couple's turbulent relationship, and that they had two children together, one of whom died in 2010. Curtis had written to the court expressing remorse for Sutton's potential imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of five years, then imposed a four‑year term entirely suspended on strict conditions, including two years of probation and participation in an intervention program for intimate‑violence perpetrators. Sutton pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had no prior convictions. The case ended with the suspended sentence and probationary conditions.
Judge Melanie Greally sentenced four men to a total of 53 years for their roles in the 2005 €2.08 million robbery of Paul Richardson and Securicor, along with the false imprisonment of the Richardson family. Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne, all of whom pleaded not guilty, were convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury. Farrelly, identified as the mastermind, received 17.5 years. David Byrne was sentenced to 13.5 years. Corcoran was sentenced to 12 years, with the final five years suspended due to his age and health. Niall Byrne, the former Securicor worker convicted of conspiracy to rob, received 10 years. The jury failed to reach a majority verdict on a kidnapping charge against Niall Byrne. The judge noted the victims' "uncommon and unbending faith" in the justice system after five trials. She ordered the forfeiture of €19,220 in cash and a BMW belonging to Niall Byrne. This sentencing follows previous legal history where convictions for Farrelly and Corcoran were overturned in 2012 and later acquitted in 2015 before those acquittals were overturned by the Court of Appeal.
Two Dublin men, Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), who were contracted by senior figures in an organised crime group to murder Michael Frazer, will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court. They pleaded guilty in May to possession of a 9mm Luger pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life, offences committed on Naas Road, Crumlin on 7 August 2017. The court heard that the men were intercepted by Garda detectives in a Fiat Doblo that contained a loaded firearm, a can of petrol, a lighter, rubber gloves and a small amount of cocaine. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Frazer between 28 July and 7 August. Defence counsel highlighted the defendants' personal circumstances, including addiction and mental health issues, and pleaded for leniency. The court remanded both men in custody until 30 July when they will be sentenced.
Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentencing of Niall Byrne, Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, and David Byrne until July 16, remanding them in continuing custody. The men were convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury for their roles in the €2.08 million robbery of Paul Richardson and Securicor on March 14, 2005, and the false imprisonment of the Richardson family at their Raheny home on March 13 and 14, 2005. All four defendants had pleaded not guilty. The jury convicted Farrelly, Corcoran, and David Byrne of robbery and false imprisonment. Niall Byrne was convicted of conspiracy to robbery, while the jury failed to reach a majority verdict on a kidnapping charge against him. This was the fifth trial for the case; previous convictions for Farrelly and Corcoran were overturned in 2012 due to unconstitutional search warrants, and subsequent acquittals were reversed by the Court of Appeal. During the hearing, victim Paul Richardson described the crime as "heinous and inhumane" and driven by greed. His wife and sons also submitted impact statements detailing the long-term trauma. The court noted Farrelly had 25 previous convictions, while Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne had prior records for minor offences. The matter was adjourned for sentence.
Mark Carlyle, a former All Ireland junior boxing champion aged 28, was sentenced to three years in custody for unlawfully possessing a sawn‑off shotgun in Pearse Park, Crumlin, on 21 June 2015. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court noted his 108 prior convictions, including assault and obstruction of a garda, threatening behaviour, intoxication in public, dangerous driving and allowing a horse to pose a danger. Judge Martin Nolan highlighted Carlyle's early boxing success and subsequent poor choices, citing his alcohol misuse as a factor in his career decline. Carlyle was found with a 12‑gauge semi‑automatic shotgun wrapped in plastic, which was discovered in undergrowth after a witness heard a bang and called the police. The gun was seized, and forensic tests revealed firearms residue on Carlyle's clothing. The judge back‑dated the custodial sentence to last May.
Brian Rattigan, 37, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, appealed his conviction for directing a €1 million heroin supply from prison. He had pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possession of heroin and two counts of possession for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang and sentenced him to 17 years, back‑dated to June 2008, to run concurrently with a life sentence for the murder of 21‑year‑old Declan Gavin. The Supreme Court quashed the murder conviction in December 2017. Rattigan's counsel argued insufficient evidence of possession and control, citing lack of drug purity testing and questionable expert testimony. He also challenged the validity of warrants used in the case. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment on the appeal.
Gerard Creighton, aged 49, was sentenced again in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to notify Gardaí of his change of address. He had previously been jailed for three years in March 2015 for the same offence, as well as for an attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. In the current case, Creighton pleaded guilty to not informing Gardaí of his address between 5 and 24 June 2016. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year prison term. The judge warned Creighton that he must comply with the Garda regime and that failure to do so could result in further imprisonment. Garda Niall Murray noted that Creighton was due for release in May 2016 and had been warned by a prison officer to notify the Gardaí of any address change. The court heard that Creighton had not returned to a Garda station after being told to do so.
Two foot soldiers, Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), were arrested in August 2017 after Garda detectives intercepted a Fiat doblo van in Dublin. The van contained a loaded 9mm Luger pistol with ten rounds, a can of petrol, tissues, a lighter, rubber gloves and a small amount of cocaine. DNA evidence linked Dunne to a SIM card in a tracking device found on Michael Frazer's van, and to the firearm's handle and trigger. A recorded conversation from 7:19 pm on 7 August revealed Gleeson demanding "head shots" to secure payment, with Dunne agreeing to approach Frazer. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Frazer. At the Special Criminal Court, they pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court remanded them in custody until 13 July for further reports, with no sentencing yet announced.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally recorded a jury disagreement on kidnapping charges against Niall Byrne, Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, and David Byrne. The jury convicted all four men of conspiracy to robbery and five counts of robbery and false imprisonment related to the March 2005 seizure of €2.08 million from Securicor and the Richardson family. All defendants had pleaded not guilty. The State alleged Niall Byrne, a former Securicor employee, acted as the "inside man." This was the fifth trial for the case; previous proceedings resulted in hung juries, acquittals, or overturned convictions due to constitutional issues with search warrants. Farrelly, Corcoran, and Jason Kavanagh were previously jailed in 2009 but released in 2012 after their convictions were quashed. The jury deliberated for nearly 18 hours before reaching its verdict. Judge Greally remanded all four men into custody to appear before the court on June 5th for sentencing. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Three men – Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45) – were found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of kidnapping the Richardson family and robbing a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van of €2.28 million on 13 March 2005. The jury, after nearly 16 hours of deliberation, returned a majority verdict. The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the robbery and the false imprisonment of the Richardson family at their home in Ashcroft, Raheny. The trial, which began in January before a specially enlarged jury of 15, involved testimony that armed men burst into the Richardson home, forced the family to cooperate, and transported them to the Wicklow mountains where they were held overnight. The case also included evidence of mobile‑phone activity linking the defendants to the gang's operations. The jury will continue deliberations on a fourth defendant, Niall Byrne (36).
Brian Manning, a 52‑year‑old Dublin father of four, pleaded guilty on 15 March 2017 to possessing 37 images and one video of child pornography accessed via the Kik Messenger instant‑messaging app. The images mainly showed pre‑teen girls in explicit sexual activity with adults. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to an 18‑month fully suspended term, with the headline sentence being two and a half years, and imposed a probation period under the Probation Service. Judge Cormac Quinn cited Manning's early guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors, noting the case's media coverage had impacted his personal life and marriage. Gardaí were alerted by Canadian authorities, who identified a user "biman4377" distributing child pornography on Kik. Manning's Samsung S5 phone was seized, revealing the offending material. He cooperated fully, expressed regret, and acknowledged that he no longer used Kik or viewed child pornography.
Dary Sharif, aged 24, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, for violent disorder after a knife attack at a Luas stop on 5 April 2015. Sharif was stabbed 14 times by two men, one of whom was Daryl Smith, 26, who later required brain surgery. Security staff pulled Smith to the ground, and Sharif, along with two other co‑accused, kicked Smith while he lay helpless. The court considered Sharif's claim of lawful self‑defence, noting he had been severely provoked and had suffered a frenzied knife attack. Judge Cormac Quinn set a headline sentence of four years but reduced it due to mitigating factors, including Sharif's rehabilitation efforts and good behaviour. The sentence reflects the incident's violent nature and the court's assessment of self‑defence and aggravating circumstances. Dary Sharif pleaded guilty. Daryl Smith pleaded guilty.
The jury in the trial of four men accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and tiger kidnapping will continue deliberations tomorrow. Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70), Niall Byrne (36) and David Byrne (45) all pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home at Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin, on 13 and 14 March 2005. They also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on 14 March 2005. The trial began last January before a specially enlarged jury of 15. Three jurors were discharged due to personal commitments and 12 jurors are now deliberating on the evidence. After six and a half hours of deliberations on Wednesday afternoon, Judge Melanie Greally told the jurors to suspend deliberations and sent them home for the night.
A jury has begun deliberations in a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involving four men—Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70), Niall Byrne (36) and David Byrne (45)—who are accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and tiger kidnapping. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Ashcroft home in Raheny on 13 and 14 March 2005, as well as to the robbery of Richardson and Securicor on 14 March 2005. The trial started last January before a specially enlarged jury of 15, but three jurors were discharged, leaving 12 to deliberate. Judge Melanie Greally spent over two days explaining the law and summarising the evidence before sending the jury out to deliberate for just under three hours, after which they were sent home for the night.
Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39) pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to possessing a 9mm Luger semi‑automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm Sellier and Bellot ammunition with intent to endanger life. The offence occurred at Naas Road, Crumlin on 7 August. Dunne, who lives on Meile an Ri Drive, Lucan, and Gleeson, of Muskerry Road, Ballyfermot, had earlier faced conspiracy to murder charges involving Michael Frazer. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Flann Brennan, remanded them in custody for a sentence hearing on 22 June, allowing time for report preparation.
The trial of four men accused of the 2005 tiger kidnap and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family in Raheny, Dublin, is ongoing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Niall Byrne, Christopher Corcoran, Mark Farrelly, and David Byrne have all pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Mr. Richardson and his family on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the robbery of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. This is the fifth time the matter has come to trial. In his closing address, defence counsel Feargal Kavanagh SC argued that Niall Byrne is an innocent family man with no previous convictions, rather than a hardened criminal. He contended that phone evidence linking Byrne to previously convicted accomplice Jason Kavanagh does not prove involvement, suggesting the calls were unrelated or that Byrne was unaware of the crime. The defence asserted that Byrne had no need to be an "inside man" given Securicor's large workforce and established security procedures. Judge Melanie Greally is scheduled to charge the jury in the law tomorrow. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no verdict or sentence yet delivered.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Anthony Sammon SC defended 45‑year‑old David Byrne, arguing that the prosecution's case hinged on a single, unreliable witness, Alan Drumgoole. Sammon highlighted Drumgoole's admissions of lying to Gardaí and his contradictory statements about phone contacts, including a "Mousey" number that he claimed belonged to Byrne. He urged the jury to disregard Drumgoole's testimony, asserting that without trust in the witness, the prosecution's case collapsed. Byrne, along with Christopher Corcoran (70), Mark Farrelly (47), and Niall Byrne (36), had pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family on 13–14 March 2005, a case that had reached trial for the fifth time. The defence also challenged circumstantial evidence linking Corcoran to the operation, noting discrepancies in phone data and travel routes. The trial proceeded with closing arguments before Judge Melanie Greally and a 14‑member jury.
The trial of Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, Niall Byrne, and David Byrne is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The four defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty, are accused of the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Raheny home on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the subsequent robbery of €2.28 million from Mr Richardson and Securicor on March 14, 2005. Prosecutors allege the gang operated with an organised command structure, with Mr Farrelly identified as the alleged mastermind. During closing speeches, defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC challenged the prosecution's theory that a fluorescent jacket found in Mr Farrelly's wardrobe was a souvenir from the crime, describing the suggestion as "daft" and an insult to the jury's intelligence. He further criticised the investigation's reliance on phone network analysis, specifically regarding a number referred to as 'the grey phone', arguing that the evidence was shoehorned into a pre-determined prejudice. The defence contended that the investigation was not thorough and that there is no evidence linking Mr Farrelly to all members of the alleged gang. The trial, which began last January, will resume on Tuesday with continuing speeches.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a jury heard all evidence in the trial of four men—Niall Byrne (36), Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45)—who are accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Ashcroft, Raheny, home on 13 and 14 March 2005. All four pleaded not guilty to both the robbery and the false imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally instructed the enlarged jury of fourteen members to consider the evidence before delivering their speeches and cautioned them against drawing conclusions prematurely. The case, now in its fifth trial, had previously involved a telecommunications expert who confirmed that calls from a third number to the Byrne couple's phones in the week before the robbery did not match their usual pattern.
During the trial of a €2.28 million Securicor robbery, Dr Kevin John O'Flynn testified that the accused, Niall Byrne (36), appeared stressed when he visited the doctor's practice on the day of the incident, complaining of back pain. The doctor noted Byrne's stress and referred him for a chest x‑ray due to concerns about a collapsed lung. Byrne was prescribed anti‑inflammatory medication and later returned with persistent back pain, attributing it to lifting heavy boxes at work. Byrne, along with Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45), pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor cash‑in‑transit driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home in Ashcroft, Raheny, on 13–14 March 2005. The trial is proceeding before Judge Melanie Greally with an enlarged jury of fourteen.
Brian Rattigan, aged 37, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, faces a retrial for the murder of Declan Gavin, aged 21, outside an Abrakebabra fast‑food shop in Crumlin Shopping Centre on 25 August 2001. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy of the Central Criminal Court set the retrial for 14 January 2019, with the trial expected to last up to six weeks.
During the trial of the men accused of a €2.28 million Securicor robbery, a witness, Graham Coleman, testified that he bought a Peugeot from the accused, Niall Byrne, for €6 000 in cash in September 2004. Coleman said he had obtained a loan and paid Byrne, who is 36, in cash. He also mentioned that he could not recall Byrne purchasing a motorcycle for €7 000 or a BMW about six months later, but acknowledged that a BMW had been taken from Byrne in connection with the case. Byrne, along with Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran and David Byrne, all pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family on 13–14 March 2005. The trial is proceeding before Judge Melanie Greally with an enlarged jury.
The trial of Niall Byrne, Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, and David Byrne continues before Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of four members of the Richardson family at their home in Raheny, Dublin, on March 13 and 14, 2005, and to robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. During proceedings, forensic video analyst Feargal O Lideadha testified that he could not rule out that a Securicor CCTV recording was paused for three minutes between 5.26am and 5.29am on the day of the alleged robbery. The expert stated he had no explanation for the gap and noted that best practice guidelines for preserving digital evidence were not followed, as there was no audit trail or written explanation for the interruption. He declined to confirm whether the gap resulted from a system malfunction or manual intervention. The trial, which began in January, is currently ongoing before an enlarged jury of seven women and seven men. One juror was discharged earlier in the day due to pre-booked holiday plans. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded.
The prosecution case in the trial of four men accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery that took place on 13 and 14 March 2005 will close next Monday, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. The defendants – Niall Byrne (36), Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45) – have all pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of four members of the Richardson family at their home in Ashcroft, Raheny, and to the robbery of Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million. Judge Melanie Greally told the jury that the prosecution case would close and the trial, which began in January, would move on to its next phase. Earlier, Detective Superintendent Paul Scott revealed that 102 "persons of interest" were investigated, some arrested and some not, and that all Securicor staff were eliminated from the investigation apart from ex‑employee Niall Byrne.
A 52‑year‑old Dublin man, Brian Manning, pleaded guilty on 15 March 2017 to possessing 37 images and one video of child pornography accessed via the Kik Messenger instant‑messaging app. The images mainly showed pre‑teen girls in explicit sexual activity with adults. Canadian authorities alerted Irish Gardaí in February 2017 that the username "biman4377" was distributing child pornography on Kik. Garda Ronan Swan confirmed that two images were sent from an IP address registered to Manning. Manning voluntarily appeared at Crumlin Garda Station, admitted the offence, and cooperated fully. His Samsung S5 phone was seized and a forensic examination found the 37 photos and video. Manning claimed he had used Kik for less than a year, no longer used it, and had not intentionally downloaded or stored the material. He expressed remorse, stating he was in a "bad place" and that he had no sexual attraction to children.
Stephen McCullagh, aged 38, fell through a skylight at a vehicle glass repair shop, sustaining arm injuries that nearly caused him to bleed to death. Blood trails led from the skylight to various offices and drawers he had rummaged through. Gardaí were alerted by Dublin Fire Brigade members, and medical staff forced shutters open and unlocked the building to reach him. McCullagh, who had previously been told he might have bled to death but survived due to air bubbles in his heart, pleaded guilty to criminal damage on 4 June 2017. He has 69 prior convictions, including burglaries, thefts, drug possession and traffic offences. In court, he showed scars and described numb fingers; counsel noted his physical punishment. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the near‑fatal incident, described McCullagh as a "sad case", and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence.
A 26‑year‑old man from North Strand Road, Dublin, was sentenced to one year in prison for his part in a taxi hijacking that took place on 28 August 2017 in Cabra. Daniel Barry pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was not considered the "prime mover" of the offence, having been cooperative after arrest and making admissions. Barry was involved in the hijacking after a co‑accused threatened the taxi driver with a knife and forced the driver to drive away. Barry entered the hijacked taxi as the accomplice drove off and tried to evade Gardaí. He was arrested after being chased to Aylward Green. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final two years, and noted Barry's good behaviour and steps toward reform while in custody. The taxi driver did not give a victim impact statement.
Hamza Ali, a 22‑year‑old Pakistani asylum seeker, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to one woman on 14 June 2017, and sexual assault and false imprisonment of a second woman on 15 June 2017. The incidents occurred in Dublin early in the morning. In the first case, Ali approached a woman cycling home, used a tow hook to threaten her, and attempted to force her into his car, ultimately allowing her to escape after she threw the bar out of the vehicle. In the second case, he approached a woman cycling from work, threatened her with a knife, demanded sex, and attempted to slash her, but she fled and alerted Gardaí. Gardaí later recovered a car linked to Ali and evidence of unauthorized transactions on the victims' credit cards.
The trial of Niall Byrne, Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, and David Byrne continues before Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of four Richardson family members at Ashcroft, Raheny, on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the alleged robbery of Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. Retired Garda Chief Superintendent Nicholas Kenneally testified that he issued 66 search warrants during what was then the largest Garda investigation in history. He confirmed issuing warrants for specific Dublin addresses where investigators believed evidence, including weapons and phones, might be found. Kenneally denied that the extensive warranting constituted a "fishing expedition," stating he was satisfied evidence related to the robbery existed at each location. He acknowledged that one resident of a searched home was never prosecuted. Defense counsel noted that legal provisions in the warrants are now deemed unconstitutional. Kenneally denied issuing a specific warrant for the Richardson home but agreed investigators would have processed the premises as a crime scene. The matter is currently at the sentencing stage, though the trial continues with an enlarged jury.
AIB has applied for a summary judgment of €6 million against Mrs Siobhan Smith, who, together with her late husband Frank Smith, is alleged to have acted as co‑guarantor for loans used to purchase the Ashleaf Shopping Centre and 33 acres of land at Callighstown, Rathcoole. The bank claims that the loans, amounting to €50 million, were secured by legal charges over the shopping centre, the adjoining Submarine Bar, the Rathcoole lands, and a 20‑year lease of 120 car‑parking spaces. In 2013 receivers were appointed over Gary Smith's assets, and AIB secured a €51 million judgment against him. AIB alleges that Frank Smith entered a settlement with the bank in 2015, which was not complied with, and that Mrs Smith, as executrix, has failed to propose a reasonable repayment plan or to administer her husband's estate.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old David McDermott pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to his 22‑year‑old adult stepson, Daniel Conlon, after a row over the garden. McDermott, who has a history of alcoholism, entered Conlon's late grandmother's house after several drinks, punched him in the eye, repeatedly struck him in the head, kicked him in the torso and threatened to slit his throat. Conlon recorded the assault on his phone and later provided the audio to Gardaí. McDermott initially denied the assault and threatened to kill Conlon, claiming he loved him as a son. He admitted to drinking a naggin of vodka and several pints before the incident. The court noted the assault was serious and that McDermott had no prior convictions. Sentencing was adjourned to 30 July.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for his role in an aggravated burglary at a home in Crumlin on 7 December 2013. Declan Maxwell, then aged 16, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence. The court heard that Maxwell and another man, now deceased, forced entry to the property and tied up the occupants with rope before threatening them with an imitation firearm whilst demanding money and bank details. A third person used stolen cards to withdraw €440 from an ATM. Electronics and other items valued at approximately €1,000 were taken from the home. Maxwell, originally from Achill in County Mayo, was apprehended the following day and confessed to gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as reprehensible. The court imposed a five-year sentence with three years suspended, and ordered 18 months post-release probation supervision.
The trial of Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne is ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of four members of the Richardson family at their home in Raheny, Dublin, on March 13 and 14, 2005, and to robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. Witness testimony revealed that Niall Byrne, then a Securicor employee, reported an injured back on the day of the alleged raid. A colleague stated Byrne later inquired about the robbery, while a Securicor assistant manager described Byrne as jovial after he saw a doctor. The manager also testified that he discovered the Richardson family were being held hostage around 9am on March 14, 2005, noting that the van's GPS indicated it was in County Westmeath despite crew member Sean Kelleher claiming it was in Tallaght. Another witness, Tony Coffey, stated his commercial jeep was stolen while unlocked and later found, with some items recovered at Dollymount Strand. The trial, expected to last three months, continues with an enlarged jury.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, CCTV footage showed two men entering a service station on the night of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit van robbery. Kevin Richardson, aged 13 at the time, testified that the men wore clothing similar to the raiders who later abducted the Richardson family. The accused—Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36)—have pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Paul Richardson, his wife Marie and their sons Ian (17) and Kevin (13) at their Ashcroft home on 13–14 March 2005, and to robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor. The trial, the fifth time the matter has been heard, includes testimony from the Richardson family, a former Securicor control‑room supervisor, and cross‑examination by defence counsel. The case is set to continue for three months before Judge Melanie Greally and an enlarged jury.
Stephen Kinch, 29, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for an assault committed in 2004. Kinch, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assaulting Gary Byrne on March 17, 2004. The court heard that Kinch, who was 16 at the time, admitted to head-butting the victim but denied striking him with an iron bar, an allegation attributed to Mr. Byrne. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced Kinch to two and a half years in prison but suspended the sentence in full. She ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service. The judge noted that Kinch was a different man today, citing his full-time employment and voluntary work. Mr. Byrne, who was not present, expressed a wish for a non-custodial sentence and accepted €6,000 in compensation handed over in court. The judge described Mr. Byrne as generous and compassionate. Kinch had previously failed to appear for sentencing in 2006, resulting in a bench warrant. He has no previous convictions. The matter was concluded with the imposition of the suspended sentence and community service order.
In a 2018 trial, a mother and her two teenage sons recounted being kidnapped near the Wicklow Mountains during a €2.28 million robbery that occurred almost 15 years earlier. Marie Richardson described how she and her sons were bundled into a jeep, taken to a secluded area, kept for hours, and bound with cable ties before being released. She recalled her husband, Paul Richardson, a cash‑in‑transit driver, being forced to deliver the money at a Dublin pub car park. The defendants—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne and Niall Byrne—pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery. The jury heard the kidnapping, the captors' orders, and the family's eventual escape, with the trial continuing before Judge Melanie Greally and an enlarged jury.
Two homeless men, Stephen Talbot (42) and Trevor Murphy (38), were found guilty of a series of office burglaries in Dublin 2's business district. Over a month, they posed as maintenance workers, gaining entry with a simple "glide" device and stealing €1,167 in cash, mobile phones, and corporate tickets. Murphy pleaded guilty to 11 counts of trespass and theft between March 21 and April 19, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final year and a half suspended. Talbot admitted to five theft offences and received a three‑year sentence, back‑dated to April 21. Both men were identified through CCTV and apprehended on April 19 after being seen in Fitzwilliam Square South. The court noted their homelessness and drug difficulties, and highlighted Talbot's extensive criminal record of 67 prior convictions. The judge described the offences as "mannerly burglaries" but acknowledged the disruption caused to the businesses involved.
During the second day of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Paul Richardson, a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van driver, recounted how he collapsed on the road after learning that an armed gang had released his wife and sons. Richardson said the gang had burst into his home on the evening of 13 March 2005, taken his family, and instructed him to continue his work the next day while they monitored him by phone. He described receiving aggressive calls, being told to drive to the Anglers Rest pub to deposit €2.28 million, and being pressured to keep moving. After the gang announced the family's release, Richardson felt severe chest pains and fainted, falling from the van onto the road. He was later taken to Mullingar hospital by ambulance. The trial involves four men—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne—who pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and robbery charges.
Paul Richardson, a cash‑in‑transit van driver for Securicor, gave evidence at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the first day of a retrial for four men accused of kidnapping his family and robbing €2.28 million in March 2005. The accused – Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36) – pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery. Richardson described how armed men in navy boiler suits and balaclavas entered his home on 13 March, forced him and his family into the living room, and threatened his 17‑year‑old son with a handgun while the son suffered a panic attack. The men demanded Richardson collect cash from his van and deliver it to a pub, threatening the family's release. The trial, expected to continue until mid‑April, focuses on proving the four men's involvement in the kidnapping and robbery.
Four men—Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36)—were tried in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a tiger kidnapping that took place on 13–14 March 2005. They were accused of abducting the Richardson family, the family of cash‑in‑transit van driver Paul Richardson, and of robbing €2.28 million from Securicor. The men allegedly burst into the Richardson home in March 2015, armed and wearing balaclavas, and forced the family to cooperate. They transported the family to the Wicklow mountains, held them overnight, and released them after the ransom was paid. The prosecution presented mobile‑phone evidence linking the accused to the robbery. All four pleaded not guilty. The trial was scheduled to continue until mid‑April 2018.
A 62‑year‑old man named Owen McKeever pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to fraudulently claiming over €40,000 of Jobseeker's Allowance in his brother Brendan McKeever's name between 2009 and 2013. He was charged with 50 counts of social welfare fraud, resulting in a total loss to the Exchequer of €41,871. McKeever was also making a legitimate claim in his own name at the time. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned his sentence for six months to assess his eligibility for community service. She indicated a potential suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence if he can repay €3,000 to the State every six months, as he has proposed. The case was aided by facial imaging technology introduced in 2013, which matched a genuine photograph of McKeever with one purporting to be his brother. McKeever admitted full responsibility, has begun repaying €50 per week, and has repaid €2,350 to date. The sentence is adjourned until July.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, four men—Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36)—are accused of falsely imprisoning four members of the Richardson family at their Raheny home on 13–14 March 2005 and of robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on 14 March 2005. The defendants pleaded not guilty to both the false imprisonment and robbery charges. The judge, Melanie Greally, warned jurors that the case had been tried before and that they must not consult any prior media coverage or internet material. A larger than usual jury of 15 members is being empanelled due to the case's length, which is expected to last over three months, with evidence set to begin on Tuesday. The trial is scheduled to continue until mid‑April.
Maria Redmond, a 61‑year‑old mother of four, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for fraudulently claiming about €100,000 in social welfare payments. She had been receiving an invalidity pension for 13 years while working part‑time as a cleaner at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. Redmond pleaded guilty to 14 counts of stealing property from the Department of Social Protection between November 2002 and September 2015. The court found she had used the money to pay her mortgage, keep a roof over her head and look after her children. She was caught after officials discovered she held two PPS numbers under different names and that she had not informed the department of her change in circumstances when she began working. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Redmond was not wealthy, had no prior convictions, and was unlikely to re‑offend, but she had taken the criminal route and must serve her sentence.
Aaron Byrne, aged 24, was sentenced to an additional twelve months in prison for his role in a four‑way altercation that took place on Crumlin Road, Dublin 12, on 3 February 2014. He pleaded guilty to affray at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Byrne, who was already serving an eight‑year sentence for assault causing serious harm, was charged with violent disorder but the charge was later reduced to affray. According to Garda Paul Keville, Byrne and two other men chased an injured party off a Dublin Bus number 122 and pursued him into the forecourt of a Maxol petrol station. The injured party produced a knife to defend himself. Byrne threw a bag of fire logs at the injured party. In cross‑examination, Byrne admitted he had a minimal role and was not actively engaged in the four‑way altercation.
The Central Criminal Court heard the case of Graham McEvoy, aged 19, who was found guilty of murdering 23‑year‑old Paul Curran at Seagull House, Dublin, on 16 July 2016. McEvoy pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the plea was rejected and he faced a week‑long trial. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to life imprisonment. Curran's mother, Elizabeth Curran, was not present but her statement was read by prosecution counsel. She described her son as a soft‑natured, kind boy who loved Christmas and giving presents, and said she suffered mental health issues after his death. She also said McEvoy was a bully and that Curran had tried to slash him with a knife. Defence counsel Barry White SC noted McEvoy's chaotic lifestyle, drug problems and lack of prior violent convictions, and indicated an intention to appeal the verdict.
Brian Rattigan, 38, was convicted in a Special Criminal Court of directing a €1 million heroin supply from prison. He pleaded not guilty to possession of heroin and two counts of possession for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang and sentenced him to 17 years, back‑dated to June 2008, to run concurrently with a life sentence for the murder of 21‑year‑old Declan Gavin. The murder conviction was later quashed by the Supreme Court. Rattigan's appeal against the drug conviction is scheduled for 5 June 2025. The appeal is solely against conviction; counsel expects it to finish in under a day. Rattigan was not present at the hearing. The trial relied on evidence of a €1 million heroin haul, mobile phone texts detailing drug distribution, and a diary found in his prison cell.
A 19‑year‑old, Graham McEvoy, was found guilty of murder by a Central Criminal Court jury after admitting he stabbed his 23‑year‑old best friend, Paul "Paulie" Curran, to death on 16 July 2016 at Seagull House, Crumlin Road, Dublin. McEvoy had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the plea was rejected and he faced a week‑long trial. The jury reached an 11‑to‑one verdict after more than eight hours of deliberation. McEvoy will receive a mandatory life sentence. The trial heard that Curran was stabbed at least six times, with a fatal wound entering under the left armpit and penetrating the upper lobe of the left lung, causing respiratory collapse and death. McEvoy claimed he acted in self‑defence after Curran tried to slash him during a drug‑deal dispute, but the prosecution argued the force used was excessive.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court will return to deliberate on the case of 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy, who stabbed his best friend Paul "Paulie" Curran to death. McEvoy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He claimed he met Curran to sell cocaine, and when Curran demanded money, Curran pulled a knife and tried to slash him. McEvoy's lawyer argued self‑defence, while the prosecution contended that McEvoy stabbed Curran six times while he was trying to escape. Justice Patrick McCarthy has asked the jury to reconvene on Monday.
A jury returned to the Central Criminal Court after a little less than four hours of deliberation to decide the verdict in the trial of 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy, accused of murdering his best friend. McEvoy, of Captain's Road in Crumlin, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Paul "Paulie" Curran (23) at Seagull House on Crumlin Road in Dublin on 16 July 2016. He claimed he met Curran to sell half an ounce of cocaine, but when Curran demanded money, Curran pulled a knife and tried to slash McEvoy. McEvoy said he defended himself and that Curran suffered fatal injuries in the struggle. Justice Patrick McCarthy explained that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that McEvoy knew the force he used was excessive. If they fail, the jury should find him not guilty of murder and guilty of manslaughter; if they succeed, they should find him guilty of murder.