In a kidnapping trial, a jury will resume deliberations after a three‑hour session. The accused, Jonathan Gill, 35, faces charges of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby, and of robbing €660,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was one of five who held the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and the infant, and the case is before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faces charges of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old daughter, followed by a €660,000 robbery. The prosecution argues that, though no direct forensic evidence links Gill to the crime scenes, circumstantial evidence—his association with two other men linked to the offence, a car he owned that was in the area on the day of the kidnapping, and CCTV footage of him buying milk at 5.30 am while the kidnapping was underway—collectively proves his guilt. The jury was told the evidence is circumstantial but compelling, likening the combined threads to a rope. Gill pleaded not guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His defence counsel highlighted the lack of evidence of his presence between the start of the kidnapping at 10.30 pm and the milk purchase, arguing no guilt by association. The case will be presented to the jury tomorrow for deliberation.
During the trial, a jury was informed that CCTV footage from a petrol station in the early hours of August 1, 2011, showed Jonathan Gill, aged 35, buying a litre of milk. Gill is accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner, and their ten‑week‑old baby, holding them hostage in their home before moving them to a shed about 90 minutes away. The State alleges that the family was held overnight in the shed, where the baby cried and was given milk. After the kidnapping, authorities recovered an empty milk container from a partially burnt vehicle and other items from the shed, including cigarette butts. A detective testified that he canvassed 24‑hour shops, found a sale of milk at Topaz Garage in Balgriffin, and reviewed the CCTV, identifying Gill in the footage. The case continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
A surveillance garda testified that he saw Jonathan Gill, 35, driving a silver Renault Clio on Rathbeale Road in Swords on 1 August 2011, the day before the alleged kidnapping of a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby. The garda, who cannot be named, also observed a silver Opel Corsa with registration 10D4798 in the same area, which he said stopped briefly before both vehicles left. Gill is charged with false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their baby between 1 and 2 August 2011. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case is before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. The garda's testimony was challenged by Gill's defence counsel, who questioned the accuracy of the witness's observations. The trial continues.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the State presented evidence that Jonathan Gill, 35, was part of a group that kidnapped a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old daughter in August 2011. The family was held hostage in their home before being moved to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment. Gardaí had spotted a car linked to Gill on the N51 north of Drogheda at 6 pm on the day of the kidnapping. The car, a silver Renault Clio registration 06D10959, was recorded by the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system but did not trigger a warning. The ANPR system compares licence plates to databases and flags vehicles of interest. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women.
Dillon Campbell, 31, of Trim Road, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery of cash from Dylan Stagno at the Esso service station on Malahide Road, Artane, on September 12, 2016. Prosecution evidence stated that Campbell entered the shop, initially appearing to joke with the victim before pulling out a black imitation firearm. He then became aggressive, demanding money and coins, and fled with approximately €230 in cash. The weapon was later identified as a 6mm air pistol. Campbell had previous convictions, including for possession of drugs for sale or supply, and was on bail for criminal damage and trespass at the time of the offence. Defence counsel attributed the crime to a chronic drug addiction and a significant debt. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as serious due to the aggression and the realistic appearance of the firearm. While noting Campbell's efforts to address his drug and alcohol abuse and his supportive family, the Judge highlighted a high risk of re-offending if these issues were not resolved. She sentenced Campbell to five years in prison but suspended the final two and a half years on the condition that he complies with Probation Services after his release.
During a kidnap and robbery trial, gardaí discovered a baby hat, duct tape and a cable tie in a hay shed near Swords, Co. Dublin. Jonathan Gill, 35, is accused of kidnapping postal worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Nawn and their ten‑week‑old baby in Drogheda on 1–2 August 2011, then robbing over €600,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was part of a five‑person group that held the family hostage in their home before moving them to the shed about 90 minutes away. The shed, previously used for hay storage, was searched on 18 August after a warrant. Initial search yielded duct tape, a cable tie, a milk carton pull ring, masking tape and two keys. A later search on 24 August recovered the baby hat, duct tape, cable tie and three cigarette butts. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, is ongoing before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby girl in Drogheda between August 1 and August 2, 2011. The State alleges he was part of a group that held the family hostage before forcing Mr Nawn to retrieve over €600,000 from his workplace. Evidence presented includes a 999 call from Ms Nawn, who described being threatened at gunpoint and beaten during a 15-hour ordeal. She testified that she was left tied to a bedpost with her infant, who had not been fed for 17 hours. G4S worker Gerard Whelan, an applicant in the proceedings, testified that he found Ms Nawn distressed and with cable ties on her hands near the IBM factory in Swords. He contacted gardaí despite her fears for her partner's safety. Detective Garda Donal Tully reported that Ms Nawn had severe bruising on her arms and temple. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised; the proceedings continue.
In a 2017 trial, Jean Maire Nawn testified that a group of five men, including Jonathan Gill, threatened her and her ten‑week‑old baby with gunfire and the threat to "blow their heads off" unless her partner complied with demands to steal €600,000. Nawn described being tied to a bedpost in an abandoned house, repeatedly threatened at gunpoint, and beaten over the head with a gun. The raiders moved the family to a shed on a farmyard in Swords, where they were held overnight. Nawn recounted that the men forced her to watch a Liverpool match, threatened to shoot her if anyone called, and told her she and her partner would have to try for another baby. She was later tied to a cast‑iron bed frame, freed after 15 minutes, and then rescued by Gardaí. The case is before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury, with a four‑week trial expected. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
A postal worker gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court describing his ordeal during an alleged kidnapping and robbery in County Louth in August 2011. Warren Nawn told the jury he was tied up and beaten before being forced to collect €600,000 from An Post while his partner and baby were held by armed raiders. Mr Nawn said he feared he would never see his family again, particularly when he spotted a garda car during the journey to work. The State alleges that Jonathan Gill, aged 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, was one of five people involved in holding the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed approximately 90 minutes away. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby in Drogheda between August 1 and 2, 2011. The trial before Judge Elma Sheahan is expected to last four weeks.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faced trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for kidnapping An Post worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Matthews, and their 10‑week‑old baby in August 2011. The State alleged Gill, part of a five‑man gang, held the family hostage in their Drogheda home, threatened them with what appeared to be guns, tied them with cable ties, and moved them to a shed 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and to robbery of €661,125 from An Post. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan presented evidence of the family watching TV when the abduction began, the use of a pizza box to assault Nawn, and the subsequent forced transport of the family to the shed. The trial, presided over by Judge Elma Sheahan, is expected to last four weeks. The case remains ongoing.
Sean Keenan, aged 26, attacked Anthony Kelly, 79, after Kelly had just exited his car to go home. Keenan struck Kelly from behind, demanding the car keys, and then drove the Mercedes Benz over Kelly, nearly reversing the vehicle onto the garden wall. While Kelly was on a stick after a recent stroke, Keenan also assaulted Joseph Cooke, aged in his 70s, who had come to help. Cooke was struck several times in the head and body with what was believed to be the butt of a sawn‑off shotgun; he later received treatment for a head wound. Keenan fled, driving the wrong way down Malahide Road before abandoning the car in Ballymun after a crash. He was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years, with the final two years suspended, for robbery of car keys, hijacking, assault, and other offences. The hijacked vehicle, valued at about €25,000, was later written off by insurance. Sean Keenan pleaded guilty.
Pat Whelan, former director of lending at Anglo Irish Bank, was fined €3,000 for failing to keep a proper record of an €8 million loan he granted to colleague William McAteer on 29 September 2008. The loan was secured against McAteer's shares in the bank and was used to repay a personal loan from Bank of Ireland. Whelan pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; the judge noted the offence was regulatory and imposed the fine, citing the importance of loan registers. McAteer, who is 66 and currently serving a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for other offences, will be sentenced next week and faces up to seven years' imprisonment and a €63,486 fine. The court heard that the loan was part of a scheme to prevent a sudden sale of Anglo shares, which could have damaged confidence in the bank. The case highlights the regulatory breach by Whelan and the broader context of Anglo's collapse.
A 55‑year‑old Dundalk man, Joseph Finnegan, pleaded guilty to possession of an 8mm blank‑firing pistol, seven rounds of ammunition, a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun, three shotgun cartridges, and a stolen Ford Focus. He admitted these offences on July 11‑12, 2015, at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address. During a Special Detective Unit investigation into IRA activity, Gardaí stopped the stolen car, found a black backpack containing a semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition, and later discovered more firearms and ammunition in his home. Finnegan claimed he was asked to do a "wee message" and feared for his life. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Robert Eagar, sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for the firearms offences, five years for each ammunition offence, and two years for the stolen car, all to run concurrently and back‑dated to 7 November 2016, with one year suspended on the firearms sentence.
In September 2015, Neven Vukovic, a 40‑year‑old Croatian man, attacked his ex‑partner Fionnuala Ní Mhartín at her Dublin home. After the couple had split two days earlier, Vukovic entered the house, attempted to hug her, and when she refused, he slapped her on the head and then repeatedly punched and kicked her. The assault left her with a fractured eye socket and other injuries. Vukovic later sent harassing text and Facebook messages, including threats, for weeks. Gardaí arrested him and he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was charged with assault and harassment, placed on bail with strict conditions, and a sentencing hearing was adjourned to April. He has since attended anger‑management and counselling courses.
In 2016, David Mahon, aged 45, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for manslaughter after killing Dean Fitzpatrick, 23, the older brother of missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick. The incident occurred on 26 May 2013 when Mahon, who had been in a 12‑year relationship with Dean's mother Audrey Fitzpatrick, stabbed Dean in the abdomen outside the apartment they shared on Burnell Square, Northern Cross, Malahide Road. Mahon claimed the death was accidental or a possible suicide, asserting that Dean had walked into the knife during an argument. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. On 13 June 2016, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed the seven‑year sentence. Mahon has now applied for legal aid to appeal the severity of that sentence in the Court of Appeal, where the application was granted without contest. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome reported. David Mahon was found guilty.
Noel Darby, 40, was identified by his mugging victim after the victim recognised him from a documentary about drug rehabilitation in Dublin. Darby, who had not committed a serious offence in 13 years, pleaded guilty to robbery of a mobile phone on Malahide Road in Coolock on 9 February 2015. He had previously been convicted of firearm possession, drug offences and a robbery. During the robbery, Darby demanded a phone from a man at a bus stop, grabbed it, and fled, brandishing a seven‑inch kitchen knife. The victim, who had watched the documentary on YouTube, confirmed Darby's identity. Darby was arrested the next day, admitted the offence, and was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing, which was adjourned to 18 November. The court ordered a probation report and allowed time for a defence witness regarding Darby's drug treatment engagement.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, has been sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for possession of three assault rifles and ammunition discovered in his vehicle in Slane, County Meath on 9 March 2016. He received an additional four-year sentence for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, with both sentences to run concurrently. Rowan pleaded guilty to possessing a Chinese Type 56, Romanian PM63, and Zastava M70 rifle, along with associated magazines and 153 rounds of assorted ammunition. He also admitted to IRA membership. The court heard gardaí had monitored his movements as he collected the firearms in Dublin before travelling through Northern Ireland to Donegal. Mr Justice Paul Butler noted Rowan's early guilty plea to all counts as a mitigating factor, describing such cooperation as unusual. The sentences were backdated to the date of his arrest.
In a brief appearance before the High Court on 11 July 2016, bankrupt developer John McCabe Snr and his wife Mary were processed through the statutory sitting phase of their bankruptcy. Judge Caroline Costello confirmed that the court‑appointed bankruptcy officer, Mr Chris Lehane, now formally owned the couple's assets and would administer their estate. The judge also issued a Section 85 order directing the couple to pay €680 per month to the official assignee until September 2018, with the proceeds going to creditors. The McCabes, who were not represented, consented to the payment order. Their son, John McCabe Junior, was absent but was expected to attend the statutory sitting later that month. The hearing was part of a broader group of 16 individuals, many self‑represented, who made similar brief appearances, with payment orders ranging from €278 to €2,900 per month for 14 to 18 months.
In a murder trial, the 46‑year‑old stepfather, David Mahon, is charged with killing his brother, Dean Fitzpatrick, 23, on 26 May 2013. The prosecution described the death as a 'gutting'. Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Dean Fitzpatrick died from a single stab wound to the abdomen, about 14.5 cm deep, that entered the abdominal aorta, small intestine and ended in the spine, causing massive haemorrhage. He said the wound required moderate or considerable force. When questioned about a possible 'run‑on' – where a person advances onto a knife held by another – he could not distinguish between a run‑on and a deliberate thrust. Dr Curtis also noted old scars on Dean's forearm that might indicate past self‑harm. Forensic scientist Dr Fiona Thornton found a jagged tear in Mahon's shirt and a hole in his jeans, consistent with a knife being placed in his back pocket.
In the Central Criminal Court, 46‑year‑old David Mahon stands trial for the murder of Dean Fitzpatrick, who was stabbed on 26 May 2013. The prosecution presented text messages exchanged between Mahon, Fitzpatrick and Sarah O'Rourke in the days before the killing. O'Rourke testified that Mahon had threatened to stab her and urged her to contact Fitzpatrick, who had earlier claimed he had taken a bicycle part from Mahon. Mahon allegedly returned with a knife, and Fitzpatrick was stabbed in the abdomen outside Mahon's apartment on Burnell Square. Witness Karl O'Toole described Mahon's agitation and the presence of a whiskey bottle and tablet packets in the flat. The jury heard that Mahon claimed he had stabbed Fitzpatrick after a confrontation over the bicycle part. The case is before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a twelve‑person jury.
During the second day of the trial of 46‑year‑old David Mahon, the Central Criminal Court heard testimony from Sarah O'Rourke, the girlfriend of Dean Fitzpatrick. O'Rourke said that on 25 May 2013, hours before the alleged murder, Mahon called her and threatened to stab her in the neck if she did not arrange for Fitzpatrick to call Mahon. She described the call as aggressive and said Mahon demanded she go to a shop, buy credit, and call Fitzpatrick, threatening to drive to Lusk and stab her if she refused. O'Rourke then hung up, called her sister, and texted Fitzpatrick to explain the situation. The court has also heard that Fitzpatrick was the older brother of Amy Fitzpatrick, who disappeared in Spain in 2008. The trial continues. David Mahon pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin court on 25 April 2016, 46‑year‑old David Mahon stood trial for the murder of his stepson, Dean Fitzpatrick, who was stabbed in the abdomen on 26 May 2013. Mahon pleaded not guilty and was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The prosecution, led by Remy Farrell SC, presented a case that Mahon, annoyed by Fitzpatrick's interference with his bicycle outside the Northwood Gym in Santry on 24 May, confronted him at his apartment. After a heated exchange, Mahon allegedly returned with a carving knife and stabbed Fitzpatrick, who collapsed and died the next day. CCTV footage and witness testimony were shown to the jury, which included six men and six women, and the trial was scheduled to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan. The case was expected to last a week.
In a 2016 High Court decision, Mr Justice Max Barrett ruled that AIB Mortgage Bank could not obtain summary judgment against Dr Samuel Van Eeden and his wife Zelda over the balance of a €1.65 million loan. The bank had sought summary judgment after the couple allegedly failed to repay a loan used to purchase a property in Malahide in 2007, which was secured by a mortgage. AIB claimed the couple defaulted in August 2008, and after the bank obtained possession in 2010 and sold the property for €305 k in 2012, it issued a summary summons in May 2015 for the remaining balance. The Van Eedens argued the matter should be heard in full, citing a six‑year limitation period that had expired in 2014 and a structural defect that reduced the property's value by 83 %.
Hugh McWeeney, 43, of Malahide Road, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a 2015 armed robbery. He pleaded guilty to robbing €50,730 and possessing a firearm with intent to commit robbery at The Gate Hotel, Parnell Street, on May 11, 2015. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence, suspending the final year, resulting in an effective custody period of four years. McWeeney's co-accused, Stephen Clinch, 49, of Kilbarrack, Dublin, received a four-and-a-half-year sentence last month for the same offence. Prosecution evidence stated that Clinch held a semi-automatic pistol to the head of security worker Michel Cieslik during the incident, while McWeeney was not armed. The court heard that McWeeney had previously overcome drug addiction but was drawn back into offending due to debts. Clinch told gardaí he committed the crime because of debts arising from a drug consignment discovered by police. All stolen cash was recovered at the scene, and the pistol found contained ammunition unsuitable for the weapon. The matter was finalised with the imposition of these custodial sentences.
In March 2016 the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Alice Warnock, a 54‑year‑old former Bank of Ireland employee, had taken €144,089 from the bank between November 2004 and March 2012. She transferred amounts ranging from €600 to €5,000 from the bank's internal administration account into her own accounts and those of family members, and she had fabricated narratives to make the transactions appear legitimate. The bank discovered the fraud in May 2012 while Warnock was on sick leave. She pleaded guilty to nine counts of stealing from bank branches on Talbot Street and Malahide Road, Coolock. Warnock, who had no prior convictions, expressed remorse and said she felt like a fool. She had lost her job and was a full‑time carer for her sick, elderly parents.
The trial of four senior bankers accused of manipulating Anglo Irish Bank's balance sheets continued in legal argument at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The accused are William McAteer, Denis Casey, Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe. They are alleged to have conspired together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions, specifically using interbank loans to make the bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between March 1st and September 30th, 2008. All four men have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The defendants include former Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) CEO Denis Casey, Anglo Irish Bank's former Head of Finance Willie McAteer, former ILP director of finance Peter Fitzpatrick, and former Anglo head of capital markets John Bowe. The matter is currently at the trial stage before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. No findings, sentences, or finalisations have been recorded. The trial was adjourned and will resume in evidence the following day.
The trial of four senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Willie McAteer, John Bowe, Peter Fitzpatrick, and Denis Casey have all pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they conspired to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1 and September 30, 2008. The prosecution alleges the defendants used interbank loans to make Anglo Irish Bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was, specifically by transferring funds to Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) and depositing them back as corporate deposits to inflate year-end figures. Prosecution witness Ciaran McArdle, a former Anglo dealer, testified that the bank could not rely on State pillar banks for aid during the liquidity crisis. He stated that Anglo could not depend on domestic institutions like Bank of Ireland or AIB, nor international banks, to increase its balance sheet. Mr. McArdle described the high stress within the bank, including concerns about potential 'rent-a-crowd' tactics by hedge funds. During cross-examination, counsel for Mr. Fitzpatrick highlighted the 'green jersey agenda' preference for domestic support. The witness also acknowledged using uncharitable language regarding Bank of Ireland in a phone call. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded.
The trial of four senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick, and Denis Casey have all pleaded not guilty to allegations that they used interbank loans to make Anglo Irish Bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between March 1 and September 30, 2008. The prosecution alleges funds were transferred to Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) and returned as corporate deposits to inflate year-end figures. On day 23, the jury heard testimony from Anglo dealer Ciaran McArdle regarding a call to Financial Regulator Claire Taylor. McArdle stated the bank was "trying to manipulate our balance sheet" and that the boosted customer funding number was "not a real number." He clarified he meant the bank was managing its balance sheet to look its best. McArdle described six transfers of €1 billion to ILP on September 29 and 30, noting the round figure was chosen for operational convenience. He admitted using the phrase "six yards of the funny stuff" in a call to an ILP dealer, describing it as flippant. The jury learned that by the close of business on September 30, Anglo forecast it lacked sufficient funds for next-day payments, prompting a call to the Central Bank. Emergency funding was subsequently received. The matter remains at the trial stage with no finalisation or sentence recorded.
The trial of four senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1st and September 30th, 2008, continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Peter Fitzpatrick, Denis Casey, William McAteer, and John Bowe have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. Evidence presented to the jury included a transcript of a September 2008 phone call in which Anglo Irish Bank's senior portfolio manager, Peter Geissel, proposed a "back to back" transaction to Credit Suisse to enhance the bank's year-end corporate deposit figures. Geissel suggested Anglo would place funds with a Credit Suisse entity and receive a deposit from a non-bank entity, such as Credit Suisse Asset Management, potentially involving a broader set-off arrangement. He indicated the deposit term would be very short, ideally a couple of days or overnight. The trial heard that Credit Suisse's representative, Jerome Henry, raised concerns about net risk and later stated that the bank was not prepared to proceed with the deal. Geissel testified that the conversation was exploratory and that he did not believe there was anything inherently wrong with the type of transaction. The matter remains ongoing, with the trial continuing.
During a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Peter Fitzpatrick, a former director of finance at Irish Life and Permanent, denied that the Anglo Irish Bank covered bonds issued in 2008 were worthless. Fitzpatrick, along with former ILP CEO Denis Casey, former Anglo Head of Finance Willie McAteer, and former Anglo head of capital markets John Bowe, were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to inflate the bank's value by €7.2 billion between 1 March and 30 September 2008. All four pleaded not guilty. Senior portfolio manager Peter Geissel, who managed Anglo's €5 billion covered bonds programme in 2007, testified that the bonds were fully paid and rated 'AAA'. He insisted that Anglo itself paid off the bonds and that they were not the reason for the government bailout. The case is still before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
During a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Anglo Irish Bank executive Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, testified that he does not recall any "jubilation" within the bank after March 30, 2008, when Anglo increased its customer deposits. Fitzpatrick, who had been the director of finance at Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), was questioned by his lawyer Michael Bowman SC about the bank's actions. The case involves allegations that Anglo, ILP, and other senior bankers conspired to mislead investors by using interbank loans to inflate Anglo's value by €7.2 billion between March 1 and September 30, 2008. The alleged scheme involved back‑to‑back deposits of €750 million and €1 billion between Anglo and ILP, with money transferred by Anglo to ILP and then deposited back into Anglo through ILP's life insurance division, Irish Life Assurance. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
The trial of four former bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors continues into its fourth week of evidence. Former Irish Life and Permanent CEO Denis Casey (56), Anglo's former Head of Finance Willie McAteer (65), former ILP director of finance Peter Fitzpatrick (63) and former Anglo head of capital markets John Bowe (52) are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to make Anglo appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between 1 March and 30 September 2008. On day 18, defence counsel Michael Bowman SC questioned former Anglo market risk analyst Steven Hiles about a September 26, 2008 phone call with colleague Ciaran McArdle, in which Hiles discussed classifying transactions between ILP and Anglo as customer or bank deposits. The trial is before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In a 2016 trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, four former Anglo Irish Bank executives—Peter Fitzpatrick, John Bowe, Denis Casey, and Willie McAteer—were charged with conspiring to mislead investors by orchestrating a €7.2 billion "circular" cash transaction between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) during 2008. Witness Brian Lynch testified that while banks often manage balance sheets to appear strong at year‑end, the 2008 deal was atypical, matching the same amount, period, and rate, and was significantly larger than normal. Lynch described the transaction as a reciprocal loan that treated ILA as a corporate deposit to inflate deposit figures. He claimed no instruction to conceal the deal and that the meetings focused on balance‑sheet appearance amid global financial panic. The defendants pleaded not guilty; the trial continued under Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
During a 2016 trial in Dublin, former Anglo Irish Bank director Matt Cullen testified that Irish banks, including Anglo and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), had coordinated a "green jersey agenda" to support each other during the 2008 financial crisis. Cullen described an email from former Anglo CEO David Drumm to Anglo executives on 16 March 2008, in which the Governor of the Central Bank suggested Irish banks help one another. He claimed this was a case of "pulling on the green jersey" and that the aim was to protect the Irish banking system. The four men on trial—Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe—were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to make Anglo appear €7.2 billion more valuable between 1 March and 30 September 2008. All pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues before a jury.
During the trial of four former senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors, former Anglo director Matt Cullen testified that he acted under the direction of former Anglo CEO David Drumm when he approached Irish Life about an interbank loan of €7bn. Cullen said Drumm asked him to approach Irish Life to request €6‑7bn in September 2008, specifically to approach David Gantley, Irish Life's counterpart. Cullen confirmed he was acting under Drumm's direction. He explained that the scheme involved transferring money from Anglo to Irish Life Assurance (ILA), a non‑banking entity owned by Irish Life, which would then deposit it back into Anglo's accounts as a corporate deposit. This would make Anglo appear €7.2bn more valuable. The four men—Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe—have pleaded not guilty. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, resumed in evidence after six days of legal argument, with the judge being Martin Nolan.
The trial of four senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors has heard that former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm authorised €7.2 billion in allegedly dishonest transactions. The accused include former Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) CEO Denis Casey, Anglo's former group finance director Willie McAteer, ILP's then group finance director Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe, who had been Anglo's head of capital markets. All four have pleaded not guilty to four charges, which allege that they conspired together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions to make the bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable between March 1st and September 30th, 2008 in Dublin. The trial, which is scheduled to run for up to five months, continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a specially enlarged jury of eight men and seven women.
The trial of four senior bankers – Denis Casey, former CEO of Irish Life and Permanent; Willie McAteer, former Head of Finance at Anglo Irish Bank; Peter Fitzpatrick, former ILP director of finance; and John Bowe, former Anglo head of capital markets – continues in legal argument until next week. They are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to inflate Anglo Irish Bank's value by €7.2 billion between 1 March and 30 September 2008. All four pleaded not guilty. The court has paused the jury for a legal dispute and will resume on Monday.
The trial of five senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors by making Anglo Irish Bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between March 1st and September 30th, 2008, has entered legal argument and will continue until Thursday. The accused include William McAteer, Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe, who have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiring together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions. The trial is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On day nine of the trial, the State's first witness, Matt Cullen, a former director of treasury at Anglo, completed his direct evidence and was cross-examined by Diarmaid McGuinness SC, defending John Bowe. Legal disputes regarding the admissibility of certain evidence arose, prompting Judge Martin Nolan to ask the jury to leave the courtroom temporarily. The jury was instructed to return on Thursday. The trial is in the validated procedural stage of trial, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations yet determined.
During a trial in Dublin, former executives of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by disguising €750 million in short‑term interbank loans as legitimate deposits. The defendants, including former ILP CEO Denis Casey, former Anglo finance head Willie McAteer, former ILP finance director Peter Fitzpatrick and former Anglo capital markets head John Bowe, pleaded not guilty. Testimony revealed that Anglo transferred money to ILP, which was then returned to Anglo via Irish Life Assurance, creating the appearance of large corporate deposits for the 30 September 2008 year‑end report. Calls between executives in March 2008 discussed keeping the transactions "tight as a duck's arse" and breaking the €750 million into smaller amounts to disguise the scheme. Additional evidence included internal emails showing daily outflows of deposits in September 2008, with the collapse of Lehman Brothers exacerbating the bank's liquidity crisis.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the trial of four senior bankers, including former Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) CEO Denis Casey and Anglo's former group finance director William McAteer, continued. The accused, who include Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe, have all pleaded not guilty to four charges of conspiring to mislead investors between March 1st and September 30th, 2008. The charges allege that they engaged in transactions between Anglo, ILP, and Irish Life Assurance (ILA) to make Anglo appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was. Anglo Irish Bank applied for €1 billion in emergency funding from the Central Bank at the same time as these alleged transactions. Testimony from Anglo's former head of treasury, Matt Cullen, indicated that the executive directors were aware of the purpose of the transactions and assumed the board was also aware. The scheme involved transferring money from Anglo to ILP, which would then be deposited back by ILA to appear as corporate deposits in Anglo's accounts. The matter was adjourned after a legal issue arose, with the jury sent home until Monday at the earliest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, four former Anglo Irish Bank executives—Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe—were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by creating an artificial €7.2 billion increase in the bank's customer deposits between March and September 2008. Prosecutor Paul O'Higgins described a scheme involving repeated interbank transfers, including a €1 billion move from Anglo to Irish Life and back, and a €978 million transfer from an Isle of Man subsidiary that was later reversed. The alleged transactions had no commercial substance and were intended solely to inflate Anglo's financial position. All four pleaded not guilty. The case, heard by Judge Martin Nolan, included testimony from Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and former Anglo employees. The trial focused on the alleged deceptive financial manoeuvres and the executives' alleged intent to deceive investors.
The Circuit Criminal Court began a trial on 20 January 2016 involving four former executives from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent. The defendants – William McAteer (65), Denis Casey (56), Peter Fitzpatrick (63) and John Bowe (52) – are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to make Anglo appear €7.2 billion more valuable between 1 March and 30 September 2008. They pleaded not guilty. The case will hear from dozens of witnesses, including 14 Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and former employees of Anglo, ILP, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland and RBC Capital Bank. The trial is expected to last about five months before a jury of fifteen, sworn two weeks earlier, will decide the matter. The prosecution, represented by Paul O'Higgins SC, will open the proceedings before Judge Martin Nolan.
Leon Murphy, 20, was due to be sentenced for being a passenger in a stolen car. While Judge Patrick McCartan was questioning Murphy's future prospects, the judge mentioned Murphy's mother, a re‑formed heroin addict, and asked counsel to confirm she no longer used drugs. Murphy became angry, shouted abuse at the judge, and his mother protested that the judge implied she had used drugs. Murphy then jumped out of the dock, grabbed a glass of water on a bench, and attempted to throw it at the judge. Court staff and prison officers prevented the act, and Murphy was escorted out while continuing to shout. The judge adjourned the case to another court for sentencing, citing Murphy's attitude. No sentence was given in this article. Leon Murphy pleaded guilty.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent executives, including Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe, has been postponed to the following Wednesday. The defendants are charged with conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to inflate Anglo's value by €7.2 billion between 1 March and 30 September 2008. They have all pleaded not guilty. An expanded jury of 15 was sworn in at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and the case is expected to last about five months. The hearing will feature testimony from 14 Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation officers, former Anglo staff and employees of Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland and RBC Capital Bank London. The trial will proceed after the jury's rescheduled return.
Jury selection was completed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the trial of four former financial executives accused of conspiring to mislead investors. William McAteer, John Bowe, Denis Casey, and Peter Fitzpatrick have all pleaded not guilty to allegations that they conspired to make Anglo Irish Bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between March 1 and September 30, 2008. Judge Martin Nolan described the proceedings as a complex financial fraud trial expected to last 20 weeks. The empanelling process concluded after a potential juror suffered a panic attack, resulting in a 15-member jury of eight men and seven women. Several individuals were excused from service due to conflicts of interest, including employment in financial services, shareholding in Anglo, or holding strong views on the bank. Judge Nolan instructed the sworn jury not to investigate the case online or discuss it with others, emphasizing the need for an open mind. He listed potential witnesses, including Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and employees from Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland, and RBC Capital Bank. The judge stated that evidence is unlikely to begin until the week after next, with jurors instructed to return to court the following Monday unless contacted by Courts Services regarding any changes.
Laura Clarke, a 23‑year‑old tennis club employee from Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 372 grams of cocaine for sale or supply. She admitted that she had been addicted to cocaine and that drug dealers had exploded a pipe bomb outside her home two years earlier to intimidate her. Clarke claimed she was forced to hold the cocaine to repay a €3,000 drug debt and that her dealers threatened to take her four‑year‑old son if she did not comply. Gardaí raided her family home after a confidential tip‑off, finding the cocaine and weighing scales in her bedroom. The judge, citing the seriousness of drug‑dealing offences, imposed a five‑year suspended sentence, taking into account her young son and voluntary community work. Clarke has no prior convictions and has since claimed to be drug‑free and involved in community training schemes.
In a hearing before the Central Criminal Court, grieving mother Audrey Mahon, aged 44, pleaded with Justice Margaret Heneghan for her husband David Mahon's permission to travel to Portugal with her for two weeks. David Mahon, also 44, is charged with the murder of his 23‑year‑old son, Dean Fitzpatrick, who was killed on 26 May 2013 at Northern Cross on Dublin's Malahide Road. The trial is scheduled to begin in April 2016. Mahon's wife, who has suffered mental health problems since her daughter Amy disappeared in Spain eight years ago, said a psychiatrist had recommended a trip to Portugal to rest and relax. She explained that she has been drinking heavily and self‑harming while searching for Amy, and that she is on anti‑depressants, Xanax, and sleeping tablets. She also has chronic liver disease.
David Mahon, 44, charged with murdering 23‑year‑old Dean Fitzpatrick on 26 May 2013, was denied a bail variation that would have let him travel to Spain for two weeks. He had previously been allowed to travel in September, but the court refused the new request. The judge cited concerns from Detective Sergeant Eddie Carroll that Mahon is a flight risk, especially as his trial is set to begin in April 2016. Mahon may apply again for bail.
In 2015, 19‑year‑old Martin Joyce was jailed for one year and banned from driving for four years after he ran a red light at a pedestrian crossing on Malahide Road, Dublin, and struck six‑year‑old Jennifer Casey. Joyce's van threw Casey into the air, fracturing her femur and causing abdominal injuries. Casey was initially in a wheelchair for weeks and later recovered physically, though she and her family reported ongoing nightmares and fear of roads. Joyce had previously been convicted for leaving the scene of an earlier accident. The court cited his failure to remain at the scene as a gravely aggravating factor, imposing a two‑year custodial sentence with the final year suspended. He was also disqualified from driving for four years. The case highlighted the serious impact of dangerous driving on a child victim and her family.