Eight men were arrested after a Garda operation on a used‑car lot in west Dublin. The Special Criminal Court heard that the Garda National Surveillance Unit had observed the men at various locations in Finglas and Clondalkin on 29 March 2013. At midday, the Emergency Response Unit entered the yard of the used‑car sales lot and arrested the eight. Subsequent searches of two vans, an office and a kitchen uncovered cable ties, gloves, balaclavas, a baseball bat, a lump hammer, pepper spray and a Glock pistol. The men – Kevin Braney (40), Des Christie (50), Eamon McNamee (34), Hubert Duffy (47), William Jackson (55), Declan Phelan (33), John Brock (42) and Darren Murphy (44) – all pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation styled the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The prosecution case will rely on the surveillance sightings, the items found, the men's responses to Garda questioning and opinion evidence from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan.
The trial of Graham Dwyer, 42, for the murder of 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara, began on the second day of the Central Criminal Court hearing. O'Hara's father, Frank O'Hara, testified that his daughter had been in good health on the day she disappeared, had a history of psychiatric illness, and had been seen by a married Foxrock architect who allegedly refused her request to kill her. He described her routine, her medical conditions, and her relationship with the architect, noting that she had asked him to kill her but he refused. The jury heard that the cause of death could not be determined from skeletal remains found in a forest, and that no evidence of trauma was found. The trial is scheduled to continue for up to eight weeks. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with murdering 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012, is being heard in the Central Criminal Court. The State alleges Dwyer killed O'Hara for sexual gratification, citing an "unusual sexual relationship" that involved stabbing. Evidence presented includes 400 pieces of evidence, eight key exhibits, and text messages between Dwyer's number and O'Hara's phones. The prosecution claims the texts reveal a BDSM relationship, with Dwyer expressing sadistic desires and threatening O'Hara to cooperate. DNA from semen on O'Hara's mattress matched Dwyer, and data extracted from her phones linked her to Dwyer's number. The jury was shown photographs of O'Hara's skeletal remains and her mattress, which had been pierced. The trial is scheduled to continue for six to eight weeks. Graham Dwyer pleaded not guilty. Elaine O'Hara pleaded not guilty.
At the appeal stage, Mark Farrelly (43) and Christopher Corcoran (67), previously convicted in 2009 for their roles in a 2005 tiger raid involving the robbery of €2.28 million from Mr Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd, were found not guilty by direction. The ruling followed a decision by Judge Mary Ellen Ring that mobile phone records could not be used as evidence in the case. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges of falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of March 13 and 14, 2005, and the robbery of €2.28 million in cash. They had been sentenced to 25 years and 12 years respectively in 2009, but their convictions were overturned in 2012 due to a Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutionality of search warrants. A retrial in 2013 ended in a hung jury. The current appeal concluded with the matter being adjourned, as the jury was directed to find the men not guilty, and no retrial will take place. The legal argument centred on the admissibility of mobile phone records, with the defence relying on the 1992 Cochrane ruling. The case has had a lasting impact on the Richardson family, who have not retrieved the stolen cash and continue to be affected by the events ten years later.
A 41‑year‑old man, Graham Dwyer of Foxrock, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 37‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara, who was killed on 22 August 2012 in Kilakee, Rathfarnham. Dwyer was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court and stood in a navy suit, pleading not guilty. Judge Paul Carney warned potential jurors about the case's graphic nature and that anyone connected to the website www.alt.com should not serve. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in to hear the trial, which will begin tomorrow morning.
Edward McDonagh, a 35‑year‑old father of six from Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 15 charges of theft of property from the Health Service Executive and Department of Social Welfare for fraudulently claiming over €44,000 between August 2009 and April 2011. He used the false names Matthew Patterson and John Paul Ward to claim €22,193.80 and €21,789.44 respectively, while also legitimately claiming a disability allowance. The court, after hearing evidence and considering his limited repayment efforts, sentenced him to two and a half years in prison but substituted 240 hours of community service. McDonagh admitted the fraud, stated he had been instructed by an unnamed person, and claimed he had been paying back the money through reductions in his welfare payments, though full reimbursement would take decades. He also disclosed past substance misuse and depression, noting he had ceased drinking and drug use.
Stephen Geraghty, aged 50, of Clondalkin, had originally received a ten‑year prison sentence for possession of €350,000 worth of cocaine in 2004, to run consecutively with a two‑year sentence for a 2003 cannabis offence. The Court of Appeal quashed the ten‑year term because Geraghty had not been convicted of the 2003 offence at the time he committed the 2004 offence; he was on bail and later absconded. He was convicted of both offences on 2 February 2010 after surrendering to Gardaí in 2009. The Court held that the mandatory ten‑year minimum applies only when a prior conviction exists before the second offence. Consequently, it imposed a new seven‑year sentence with 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 16 April 2011, and a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the 2004 offence, to run consecutively. The decision was made by Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan. Stephen Geraghty pleaded guilty.
Two men have been convicted and sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their involvement in a series of violent offences. Dylan Smith, aged 22, and Daniel Malone, aged 20, pleaded guilty to charges arising from incidents in August and September 2013. In August, they unlawfully seized a taxi on Tubber Lane, Lucan, and subjected the driver to false imprisonment, robbery, and serious assault. The victim sustained a skull fracture and multiple facial injuries. In September, Smith stabbed a bus passenger in the thigh during a robbery at Kylemore Road, Bluebell, and subsequently forced the victim to withdraw €200 from an ATM. Smith was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final eighteen months suspended, to run consecutively with a sentence from Roscommon. Malone received four and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended. Smith has fifty-seven previous convictions; Malone had one prior conviction. Both defendants expressed remorse, with Smith having engaged in rehabilitation since entering custody.
In 2014 the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of 29‑year‑old Shane Millea, who stabbed his cousin Paul Harris to death with a flick knife he had given him as a present. Millea had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and was originally sentenced to ten years with two years suspended. The appeal court found the original sentence too severe and set it aside, imposing an eight‑year term with the last three years suspended on the condition that Millea remain of good behaviour for four years. The court cited Millea's immediate remorse, acceptance of responsibility, and the fact that he had stayed at the scene and provided first aid. The decision was made after considering the gravity of the offence and mitigating factors such as the circumstances of self‑defence and the victim's prior knife possession. The judgment was reserved for a later date.
The Court of Appeal set aside a 12‑year prison sentence imposed on Stephen Geraghty, 50, for possession of €4 million worth of cannabis and €350 000 of cocaine. Geraghty had pleaded guilty to the two offences in 2011, but the Director of Public Prosecution accepted that errors had been made in the sentencing. The appeal centred on whether a second offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act, amended in 2007, could be convicted when the defendant had not yet been convicted of the first offence. The court held that a mandatory minimum sentence for a second offence requires a prior conviction, and that the 2007 amendment could not apply retrospectively to Geraghty's case. The court therefore vacated the sentence and will impose a new one on 15 December. Geraghty was not present at the hearing and is suffering from a terminal illness. The decision will be fully reasoned in a reserved judgment at a later date.
Joseph Cooney, aged 22, pleaded guilty to arson of a shed behind the Salmon Leap pub and a house on Main Street in Leixlip in November 2012, causing almost €400,000 in damage. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years in prison but suspended the sentence in full after Cooney accepted a Garda's view that the arson was a one‑off "act of madness". At the hearing, Nolan ordered Cooney to spend two weeks in jail to reflect on his future if he fell from grace again. Cooney was told to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the five years of his suspended sentence. He had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had many good references, which contributed to the mitigation. The court noted that Cooney and a co‑accused were "basically on drugs for the night and were bored and decided to liven up their lives by setting properties on fire".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, nurse Barbara O'Toole, aged 42, was charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm after an alleged collision with Paul Woodley's motorcycle on 21 October 2010. The trial judge, Desmond Hogan, directed a not‑guilty verdict on the third day, citing a flawed investigation that lacked key evidence such as a scene of crime, point‑of‑impact data, and a proper map. Judge Hogan noted the absence of a clear determination of whether the motorcycle's left indicator was on, and that the PSV inspector had inspected the bike "blindly." He argued that the prosecution had failed to provide the defence with relevant evidence, making a conviction unsafe. The judge emphasized that the case's outcome did not affect Woodley's civil rights. The jury, composed of six men and six women, was instructed to return a not‑guilty verdict. The decision was made without a formal jury verdict, based solely on the judge's direction. Barbara O'Toole pleaded not guilty.
The long‑running dispute between developer JJ Rhatigan and the trade union Unite over the use of subcontractors to replace direct labour has been referred to the Labour Court by the High Court. Rhatigan, who is building a block of apartments on behalf of Nama at St Edmunds, St Lomans Road, Palmerstown, Dublin, sought injunctions after picketing began near the site. He claimed work stopped following "very serious and sinister" incidents involving picketers, alleging threats and intimidation of his workers and that the picketing was "out of control". Unite denied wrongdoing, stating it conducted a lawful and peaceful protest and that any unlawful activity was carried out by individual protesters not members of the union. The union has agreed to lift the picket at St Edmunds until the Labour Court issues a recommendation, while it may continue picketing at three other sites, including a new school at Kishoge, Lucan.
Michael Barr, 34, originally from Tyrone and now living in Dublin, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court after applying to attend a family member's special birthday. Barr faces charges of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and handling stolen electronic equipment worth €77,900, both alleged on 18 July. He had previously been charged with IRA membership on 3 July 2013, was granted bail a month later, and remained on bail until his arrest in Lucan on 18 July. Barr's counsel, Siobhán Ní Chúlacháin, argued for bail on the grounds of a family celebration and a neurological issue that had caused his left eye to collapse, citing a 'Go Slow' protest that prevented access to his medical records. The State, represented by Vincent Heneghan, countered that Barr had breached bail for the first offence.
In a 2014 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda authorities refused to conduct a forensic scene investigation after a road‑traffic collision on Monastery Road, Clondalkin, because the victim, 72‑year‑old Paul Woodley, did not die. The case involved 42‑year‑old nurse Barbara O'Toole, who was charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm. O'Toole allegedly left a housing estate onto a main road and collided with Woodley's motorcycle, resulting in the loss of part of his leg. O'Toole pleaded not guilty. The barrister, Pieter LeVert, argued that the refusal was "appalling" and that the collision was clearly serious. Garda Catherine Gunning had requested a forensic examination of the vehicles within five minutes of arriving, but the request was denied on the basis of no fatality. She later resubmitted the request, which was again refused. An inspector did examine the motorbike, but was unaware of the indicator light issue.
Keith Byrne, 33, of Greenfort Crescent, Clondalkin and Liffey Avenue, Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of heroin for sale or supply at Castlebaggot in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 7 May 2014. The heroin seized was worth about €860,000. Judge Mary Ellen Ring ordered a probation report and set a sentencing date of 11 March next year, when full facts will be heard.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 42‑year‑old nurse Barbara O'Toole pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm to motorcyclist Paul Woodley. The incident occurred on 21 October 2010 on Monastery Road, Clondalkin, when O'Toole allegedly drove a car from the Monastery Estate onto the main road and struck Woodley's motorcycle. Woodley was taken to Tallaght Hospital with an ankle injury and later to St James's Hospital where his leg was amputated below the knee. Witness Keith Gregg, a First Responder, testified that he was 60 feet behind Woodley when a car pulled out of the estate, hit the motorbike, and continued across the road. Gregg described the crash and the motorbike's upside‑down position. The case is before Judge Desmond Hogan and a jury of twelve. The trial remains ongoing.
Wayne Donnelly, 28, from Oakcourt Lawn, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, false imprisonment of a taxi driver, and unlawful seizure of a car. The offences occurred in Palmerstown and Lucan in July and August 2013. Donnelly, who has 26 prior convictions, was part of a group that attacked a taxi driver, tied him up, stole his car, and threw him into a ditch. He also assaulted a man in Palmerstown, threatening him with grenades and physically attacking him. The judge adjourned sentencing to March next year and ordered a probation report. Donnelly's case was presented by Detective Garda Padraig Jennings, with testimony from Garda Caroline Flynn and defence counsel Anne Marie Lawlor. The article reports Donnelly's background, drug use, and claims of remorse, but no sentencing outcome is given.
In November 2014, developers JJ Rhatigan and Co filed new High Court proceedings against the trade union Unite, alleging misconduct by picketers at a West Dublin apartment complex site. Rhatigan's lawyers claimed that around ten picketers, wearing Union‑branded bibs and flags, blocked vehicle access and that a senior employee was pursued by a van driven at speed. They also alleged that a protester called three female workers "Polish whores." The court granted Rhatigan temporary injunctions, allowing the Union time to respond, and made the case returnable to Monday. The action follows a long‑standing dispute over subcontractor use, with Unite arguing that such practices disadvantage workers. Rhatigan denied wrongdoing, and earlier injunctions had limited picketing at other Rhatigan sites, citing intimidation and vehicle blockages. Unite maintains its protests are lawful.
Stephen Geraghty, aged 50, was sentenced in 2011 to 12 years' imprisonment for possession of over €4 million worth of cannabis and €350 000 worth of cocaine. In 2014 the Court of Appeal reserved judgment on an issue concerning the Misuse of Drugs Act as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2007. The question was whether a person could be convicted of a second offence under the Act when no prior conviction under the Act existed. Geraghty had not been convicted of the first offence and was on bail when the second offence was committed. He had absented himself from jurisdiction in September 2004, turned himself in in 2009, and was arraigned on both charges on 2 February 2010, pleading guilty.
Joseph Cooney, 22, pleaded guilty to setting fire to a shed behind the Salmon Leap pub and a house on Main Street in Leixlip on 25 November 2012, causing almost €400,000 in damage. He was remanded in custody for sentencing on 24 November. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accepted a Garda's view that the arson was a one‑off "act of madness" and noted Cooney's near‑perfect mitigation due to his guilty plea, remorse, lack of prior convictions and strong references. The judge warned that "half of Leixlip" could have been destroyed and innocent people could have died because of Cooney's "gross error of judgement". Cooney was jailed for two weeks while the judge decided on his final sentence. The case involved three fires: a shed behind the pub, the pub's lounge, and a vacant terraced house on Main Street, with the latter causing an estimated €160,000 in damage.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 5 November 2014, Michael Barr, aged 34 and resident of Premier Square, Finglas, was charged with handling stolen electronic equipment valued at €77,900. The property, belonging to Pauline Turner of DSG Retail Ireland Ltd, was found at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin on 18 July 2014. Barr had previously been charged on 18 July with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), an unlawful organisation. The court, presided over by Justice Deirdre Murphy, received a new non‑scheduled offence charge from State Solicitor Ms Irene Daly. Barr appeared in court wearing blue jeans, a Dublin GAA jersey and a navy hoody, and was remanded in custody to appear again on 19 November for mention. The case was brought before the Special Criminal Court because the Director of Public Prosecutions had certified that ordinary courts were inadequate to secure effective administration of justice and preserve public peace and order.
A dispute between construction workers and the developers of a new school in Lucan, Co Dublin, has returned before the High Court. Last month, the trade union Unite and several of its members undertook not to engage in harassment or block entrances as part of their dispute with JJ Rhatigan & Co over the use of subcontractors to replace direct labour which workers say leaves them with less favourable terms and not being properly paid. This is denied by Rhatigans. Following the undertakings, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted injunctions restricting picketing at the site of a new community school at Kishoge, Lucan, as well as at sites in Lucan and Drumcondra where Rhatigans also operate. The order limited the number of picketers at each of the sites to between four and eight.
Edward McDonagh, a 35‑year‑old father of six from Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 15 charges of theft of property from the Health Service Executive and the Department of Social Welfare for the period August 2008 to April 2011. He used the false names Matthew Patterson and John Paul Ward to claim €22,193.80 and €21,789.44 respectively, while also claiming legitimate disability allowance. McDonagh admitted to using the same photograph on identification cards and to having been instructed by an unnamed person on how to obtain birth certificates and PPS numbers. He also confessed to excessive drinking, cocaine use and a heart attack at a young age. Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned sentencing to December, taking into account his attempts to repay the fraudulently claimed money and ordering a Probation Service report to assess suitability for community service. The case remains pending, with McDonagh remanded on bail awaiting sentencing.
The High Court in Dublin ordered the forfeiture of €1,000 of the €3,000 bail paid by Edward Brunell for his son, Kenneth Brunell, a 27‑year‑old from Palmerstown. Kenneth was wanted by Dutch authorities for the 2009 murder of Keith Ennis, whose dismembered body was found in an Amsterdam canal. He had been arrested on extradition warrants issued in 2011 and was due to appear in court last week on a mutual assistance matter. Despite a mobile‑phone contact requirement, Kenneth failed to comply with bail conditions, having been found at an address in Finglas and having his phone powered off. The court, after hearing from Sergeant Seán Fallon, sanctioned the father for non‑compliance and remanded Kenneth in further custody. The case also involved other suspects, Barry McArdle and Philip County, who were sought by Dutch authorities.
In October 2014 the High Court heard a case involving the trade union Unite and several of its members who had mounted a picket at a construction site in Lucan where JJ Rhatigan was building a new school. Rhatigan sought injunctions against Unite, two of its officials and other members, alleging that the picket had caused vehicles to be blocked, a lorry to be damaged, a senior employee to be assaulted and a bus driver to be racially abused. Two Unite members had also scaled a 200‑ft crane on the site, leading to its closure by Gardaí. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan accepted undertakings from the defendants not to trespass, intimidate, assault or damage property at Rhatigan sites, and to limit the number of picketers at each site. He also granted an injunction restraining anyone with knowledge of the orders from interfering with access to the sites.
In a High Court hearing on 8 October 2014, lawyers for builders JJ Rhatigan & Co argued that protests at a new school site in Lucan had been "appalling" and should be restrained. They claimed that Unite members had blocked vehicles, damaged a lorry, assaulted a senior employee, racially abused a bus driver, and had two protesters climb a crane at the site. The site was closed, and the builders sought injunctions against Unite, Patrick Molloy, Stephen Gleeson, and others to prevent interference with access and to vacate the crane. The court granted Rhatigan's permission to serve short service proceedings. Unite's counsel said any order prohibiting picketing would be "too far" and offered an undertaking not to intimidate or block entrances. The judge expressed concern about Unite's control over its members and noted the two men on the crane were not helping anyone. The hearing was set to resume the following day.
Builders JJ Rhatigan & Co have taken High Court action against the trade union Unite over a dispute at a new school site in Lucan. The builders seek injunctions to stop Unite members from blocking vehicles and interfering with access to the site, citing incidents where protesters allegedly damaged a crane and caused the Gardai to shut the site for health and safety reasons. JJ Rhatigan denies Unite's claim that subcontracted workers were paid less than €5 per hour and says the subcontractor was paid €25,000. The court granted the builders permission to serve short service proceedings on Unite, its members and the subcontractor Gleeson & Molloy Bricklaying Services. The injunctions also cover other Rhatigan sites, including Griffeen Valley, St Patrick's College Drumcondra, the Radisson Blu Hotel and Golden Lane. The case is set to return to the court on Wednesday.
A 55‑year‑old man named Samuel Devlin, originally from Northern Ireland but residing in Dublin, was charged in May 2014 with unlawful possession of the explosive substance Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, Co. Dublin. He was also charged with membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Devlin was arrested by the Special Detective Unit and charged before the Special Criminal Court. On 7 October 2014, the court was told that Devlin had been served with a book of evidence and was seeking a trial date. The presiding judge, Ms Deirdre Murphy, fixed the trial for 2 February 2016, expected to last four weeks. She instructed Devlin that if he intended to rely on an alibi he must notify the prosecution within 14 days and provide relevant names and addresses, and that he may not call witnesses without court leave and 21 days' notice.
A 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Michael Barr of Premier Square, Finglas, was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 18 July 2014. Detective Sergeant Pádraig Boyce, of the Special Detective Unit, testified that he had arrested Barr on Saturday evening at Lucan Garda Station. When the charge was read to him, Barr denied being a member of the IRA or any other illegal organisation. He was identified for the three‑judge court. Under cross‑examination by Siobhán Ní Chúlacháin BL, Barr confirmed that he had been arrested earlier that Friday morning in the presence of several Gardaí and released shortly before the re‑arrest. Solicitor for the State, Deirdre Byrne, confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the charge. Mr Justice Paul Butler, with Judges John O'Hagan and William Hamill, agreed to hear the case.
The case against a 55‑year‑old man, Samuel Devlin, charged with possession of explosives at Finnstown House Hotel, has been adjourned until the next court term. Devlin, originally from Co Tyrone and now residing in Dublin, was arrested by the Special Detective Unit and charged before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court. He faces charges of unlawful possession of the explosive Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) and membership in the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA). The presiding judge, Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley, remanded him in custody until 7 October, when the court resumes from its summer recess.
Swords District Court heard several matters before Judge Dermot Dempsey. Jerry Flynn pleaded guilty to theft of petrol and dangerous driving. He received a three-month suspended sentence, a €200 fine, and a two-year driving disqualification. He was remanded on a one-year peace bond, conditional on paying €58.94 to Great Gas and €140 compensation to the attendant. Damien Krywult pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving. He was convicted and fined €300 for each offence, with a total two-year driving disqualification. Jeffrey Carter pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and without a licence. He was sentenced to five months in prison, fined €200, and disqualified from driving for two years. Gary Fitzgerald was convicted in his absence of driving without insurance and without an NCT. He was fined €500 for the insurance offence and €250 for the NCT offence, and disqualified from driving for two years. Gabriel Akinsanya pleaded guilty to theft. The judge indicated he would consider 240 hours of community service in lieu of a four-month prison sentence only if Akinsanya completes 40 outstanding hours from 2003. He was remanded on continuing bail to reappear on September 15. Kim Howard, charged with theft, was remanded on continuing bail until October 6 for a mention.
In a case heard by the Special Criminal Court, a 55‑year‑old man named Samuel Devlin, originally from County Tyrone and residing at the Golf Suite of Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, was charged with unlawful possession of the explosive PETN and membership of the Irish Republican Army. Following his arrest by the Special Detective Unit, the State Solicitor applied for a six‑week remand to allow the prosecution to prepare evidence. The presiding judge remanded Devlin in custody for six weeks and ordered that his next court appearance be conducted via video link.
A 55‑year‑old man, Samuel Devlin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 13 May 2014 charged with unlawful possession of an explosive substance, Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN), at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, Co. Dublin, on 11 May 2014. He was also charged with membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the Irish Republican Army). Devlin was arrested on 11 May by the Special Detective Unit and was brought to court wearing a grey zip‑up top and jeans. He declined to give his address or date of birth when asked, but the State Solicitor, Mr. Michael O'Donovan, noted that his passport had revealed his date of birth. Devlin pleaded not guilty to both charges. The court, presided over by Justice Iseult O'Malley with Judges Margaret Heneghan and Ann Ryan, remanded him in custody for three weeks to appear again on 3 June. No bail was granted and legal aid was approved.
Kenneth Brunell, 27, of Palmerstown, and Barry McArdle, 27, of Drimnagh, were arrested in Ireland on extradition warrants issued in 2011 for the murder of Keith Ennis, 29, whose dismembered body was found in an Amsterdam canal in 2009. Brunell had been granted bail in October 2011 but failed to appear at a High Court hearing on 8 November 2012, leading to a bench warrant and his arrest ten days later. He was readmitted to bail on 7 May 2014 after a High Court judge considered his claims of fear and the length of time he would remain in custody before his case was heard. The judge set a €3,000 surety and a €100 personal bond, with conditions that he reside at a specified address, sign daily at a Garda Station, keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The case remains pending in the Supreme Court.
The Special Criminal Court has granted bail variations to two men accused of IRA membership. Darren Murphy, 42, of Dublin, sought a reduction in his bail surety to fund kitchen renovations. Although gardai objected, citing a strong danger of reoffending, the court compromised by reducing his independent surety from €20,000 to €15,000. Murphy remains subject to existing bail conditions. Co-accused John Brock, 40, of Tallaght, was granted temporary bail for the Easter period, from April 17 to 21. Despite gardai objections regarding his residence at multiple addresses and a previous bail breach, the court granted bail on the condition that he reside at a single address in Tallaght. He must observe a 24-hour curfew, with the court refusing an exception for DIY work. Murphy and seven co-accused, including Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, and Declan Phelan, are charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, namely the IRA. They are scheduled to stand trial on January 13, 2015. Brock and four others, including Braney, Phelan, and Christie, face separate IRA membership charges arising from a July 2013 arrest, with their trial set for June 9, 2015. All charges are alleged or contested, and no pleas, findings, or sentences have been recorded.
Three Dublin men—Jason Comerford (42), Don Brennan (38) and Dermot Griffin (54)—had their convictions quashed on appeal after being jailed in July 2011 for possession of €52,000 worth of heroin. The original sentences were 14 years for Griffin and ten years with two years suspended for each of the other two. The appeal court found that evidence presented at trial, including a large heroin cache discovered in Waterstown Park, was inadmissible and prejudicial, as it was unrelated to the charges of possession of the smaller quantity. Judge Patrick McCartan had admitted this evidence, but the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled it had been used inconsistently and for different purposes by the prosecution and the trial judge. Consequently, the convictions were overturned, and the case was referred for further consideration by the State. Jason Comerford pleaded not guilty. Don Brennan pleaded not guilty. Dermot Griffin pleaded not guilty.
Two Dublin men, Kenneth Brunell and Barry McArdle, aged 27, are wanted in Holland for the murder of Keith Ennis, 29, whose dismembered body was found in an Amsterdam canal in 2009. They were arrested in Ireland on extradition warrants issued in 2011. A third man, Philip County, 31, had already been extradited to Holland in April 2011. Irish Judge John Edwards ordered their surrender to Holland but the men's lawyers argued that Dutch authorities abused process by drafting a prosecution instead of an investigation to secure extradition. Edwards acknowledged a potential problem in Irish law regarding judicial oversight of European Arrest Warrants and sent a question to the Supreme Court. He remanded Brunell to Cloverhill prison pending surrender, while McArdle, serving a domestic sentence, was remanded until 9 November 2017 with a postponed release order pending appeal. The case remains pending before the Supreme Court.
The High Court has ordered the surrender of two Dublin men, Kenneth Brunell (27) of Palmerstown and Barry McArdle (27) of Drimnagh, to Dutch authorities. They are wanted in connection with the 2009 death of Keith Ennis (29) of Walkinstown, whose dismembered body was found in an Amsterdam canal. Ennis was on the run from Gardaí at the time of his death, and his body parts were dumped in a suitcase in a canal on the northern outskirts of Amsterdam after he was stabbed. A third man, Philip County (31) of Lucan, had already been extradited to Holland in April 2011. Mr Justice John Edwards announced the decision to surrender the pair, noting that a detailed judgment would be issued on Friday, February 21. He also remarked that the judgment would be extensive and that he would simply hand it down, while the men remained in custody until that date.
In February 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal reserved judgement on an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecution concerning a wholly suspended seven‑year sentence given to Keith Jervis (36) and Therese Doyle (35) for possession with intent to supply. The couple had pleaded guilty in October 2011 to storing 45 kilograms of cannabis, valued between €320,000 and €550,000, in 15 silver bags in their home at Rosewood Grove, Lucan. Gardaí discovered the drugs in March 2010. The appeal argued that the original sentence was unduly lenient. The DPP's counsel highlighted the early guilty plea, the couple's instructions to each other, and the fact that they were caught red‑handed while knowingly storing drugs for financial gain. The defence counsel argued that mitigating factors – fear of the drug suppliers, lack of knowledge of the drugs' value, and the couple's non‑criminal background – justified the suspended sentence.
At Balbriggan District Court, James Ward, 43, faced seven charges alleging he induced individuals to make lodgements totaling €2,270 into his AIB account for goods such as Electric Picnic tickets, a Samsung Galaxy phone, and an iPhone. Ward's solicitor informed Judge Dermot Dempsey that the defendant suffered a stroke and could not attend. The Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment, and the matter was adjourned until April 10th. Jackie Gallagher, 53, was charged with the theft of €50 from a house in Lusk. Sergeant Tony Tighe provided evidence of arrest and charge. Judge Dempsey granted a disclosure order and remanded Gallagher on continuing bail to appear on March 6th for a plea or hearing date. Wojtek Jedrej, 19, was charged with possessing a sharply pointed knife in Balbriggan. His solicitor requested an adjournment as further charges may be put to him. Judge Dempsey agreed to adjourn the case until April 3rd. Jerry Flynn, 25, was charged with theft of fuel, violent behaviour, and dangerous driving. His case was adjourned until May 12th to be heard at Swords District Court.
Kevin Braney, 39, of Tallaght, was granted temporary bail by the Special Criminal Court for the Christmas period, effectively placing him under house arrest. He is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, namely the IRA, a charge he shares with seven co-accused: Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock, and Darren Murphy. All eight men are alleged to have been involved in membership of the IRA. Mr. Braney had previously been granted bail on April 11, 2013, but gardai objected to his current application, alleging he breached prior conditions by associating with co-accused. Detective Inspector Michael Gibbons stated that gardai believed Mr. Braney would continue to commit offences. Mr. Justice Paul Butler accepted the objection but noted Mr. Braney was not deemed a flight risk. The court offered a compromise, changing his place of detention from Portlaoise Prison to his home address. Bail was granted from 9:00 am on December 23 to 4:00 pm on December 28, subject to a 24-hour curfew, an independent surety of €7,000, and a prohibition on associating with co-accused or anyone charged with a scheduled offence. The curfew was lifted between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm on Christmas Day to allow Mr. Braney to visit his mother's grave. The court acknowledged that granting bail imposed additional monitoring work on gardai.
A judge will decide after Christmas whether to extradite Kenneth Brunell (27) of Palmerstown and Barry McArdle (27) of Drimnagh to the Netherlands for the death of Keith Ennis (29) of Walkinstown, whose body parts were found in a suitcase in an Amsterdam canal. The men were arrested on extradition warrants issued in 2011. Philip County (31) of Lucan had already been extradited in 2011. Mr Patrick McGrath SC argued that Dutch prosecutors abused process by drafting a prosecution instead of an investigation to secure extradition, claiming no remedy protects the respondents. Ms Siobhan Stack SC for the State countered that the Dutch prosecutor had indeed decided to charge and try the men. Mr Justice John Edwards noted the lack of a decision to charge and said the case would be mentioned again on 14 January, remanding the men in custody until then.
In a Dublin case, Keith Jervis (36) and Therese Doyle (35) received a wholly suspended seven‑year sentence for storing 45 kg of cannabis valued between €320,000 and €550,000 in their home. The Court of Criminal Appeal has reserved judgment on an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argues the suspension was unduly lenient. The DPP contends Judge Martin Nolan failed to consider the offence's seriousness and the mandatory minimum of 10 years, and that the judge gave excessive weight to mitigating factors such as the couple's 19‑year relationship and two young sons. Counsel for Jervis maintains the judge acted within his discretion, citing the complexity of the case and the couple's immediate admissions. Doyle's counsel argues she is unlikely to reappear in court and that imposing custodial time now would be an error. The appeal court will decide soon. Keith Jervis pleaded guilty. Therese Doyle pleaded guilty.
Eight men from Dublin were arrested on Good Friday after a Garda search of a commercial premises in Clondalkin, part of an investigation into dissident republicans. They were charged on March 29, 2013, before the Special Criminal Court with membership of an unlawful organisation, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The accused – Kevin Braney (38), Des Christie (49), Eamon McNamee (32), Hubert Duffy (45), William Jackson (53), Declan Phelan (31), John Brock (40) and Darren Murphy (42) – were all brought before the court on Easter Sunday. Counsel for the State, Vincent Heneghan, said evidence had been served and the trial was expected to take about six weeks. Judge Paul Butler set the trial for January 13, 2015, and instructed the men that any alibi defence must be notified within 14 days, with witnesses only allowed to appear with 21 days' notice. The court would adjust its schedule to accommodate the case.
The High Court heard arguments about extraditing Dublin men Kenneth Brunell (27) and Barry McArdle (27) to the Netherlands to face charges linked to the death of Keith Ennis (29), whose body parts were found in a suitcase in an Amsterdam canal. Brunell and McArdle were arrested on extradition warrants issued in 2011. Brunell's counsel, Robert Barron SC, argued that extradition would violate his constitutional right to an independent, objective assessment because the Dutch prosecutor's decision to charge him was allegedly biased. The court noted that a third man, Philip County (31), had already been extradited in 2011. Judge John Edwards, troubled by the legal bias claim, adjourned the hearing to 18 November, remanded McArdle in custody until then, and issued a warrant for Brunell, who did not attend the hearing. Brunell's counsel said he feared for his life and had gone into hiding. The case remains pending.