At the Special Criminal Court, Martin Byrne (53), a former in-house security director of the Citywest Hotel and currently in the Witness Protection Programme, denied allegations that he likes to make himself look important or enjoys 'a bit of grandiosity' during cross-examination by defence counsel Bernard Condon SC. Byrne testified that Jim Mansfield Jnr (53) arranged meetings with the New IRA and INLA to assist in reclaiming parts of his family's former property portfolio. He also stated that €2,500 in protection money was being paid weekly to the Real IRA to protect Mansfield Jnr from Traveller gangs. Byrne claimed that Mansfield Jnr was aware of the dangers involved but was determined to recover his property. Mansfield Jnr is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Byrne between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2015, and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The trial continues. In April 2019, Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare was jailed for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan 'Whacker' Duffy was sentenced to six years in 2018 after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on June 9, 2015.
Jim Mansfield Jnr is on trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice five years ago. The accused is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015, both dates inclusive. He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin between June 9, 2015 and June 12, 2015. Mr Mansfield has pleaded not guilty to both counts on the indictment. Martin Byrne, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that he arranged meetings with the New IRA and the INLA to assist Mr Mansfield in getting back parts of his family's former property portfolio. He also stated that he believed Mr Mansfield had set him up and tried to confront him but was grabbed from behind and pushed into a waiting car. The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Alexander Owens presiding, sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan. Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to six years imprisonment in 2018 after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin on June 9, 2015.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr is on trial at the Special Criminal Court, charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts. The prosecution alleges that on June 9, 2015, Mansfield effectively delivered his longtime employee, Martin Byrne, into the arms of a group of men who falsely imprisoned Byrne and his family. The State claims Mansfield directed Byrne to a meeting at Keatings Park where he was confronted by Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, after which Byrne was restrained by seven men and taken to The Towers in Saggart. The second count alleges Mansfield instructed Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage from Finnstown House Hotel to pervert justice. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan. In related matters, former INLA member Dessie O'Hare was sentenced in April 2019 to three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years, with three suspended for life, for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan Duffy was sentenced in 2018 to six years imprisonment after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne on the same date.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr, aged 52, pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and perversion of justice charges before the Special Criminal Court. He is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between 1 January and 30 June 2015, and of directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage to pervert justice regarding Byrne's false imprisonment at Finnstown House Hotel from 9 to 12 June 2015. The court heard that Byrne is now in the Witness Protection Programme. Mansfield appeared in a navy suit with family members, while defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that an employee isolated due to Covid‑19 could be a defence witness. The judge ruled the employee was not entitled to attend. The Director of Public Prosecutions noted disclosure issues and protected witnesses, and the case was postponed to Tuesday, with the trial expected to last three weeks. Mansfield remains on bail with conditions including weekly Garda sign‑ons and a €10,000 surety.
Deirdre Morley, 44, of Parson's Court, Newcastle, Co Dublin, faces charges of murdering her three children – sons Conor (9) and Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3). Their bodies were found at the family home on 24 January. The Central Criminal Court heard that the prosecution awaits a psychiatric report. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC indicated the case will likely be an "insanity" trial, expected to last three days. Morley has been treated at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum since the deaths and was not required to attend the hearing.
In a 2019 burglary at a Dublin home, Laurence Connors (28) was caught driving a stolen Audi while four accomplices looted cash and jewellery. Garda Ronan Doyle and Garda Declan Crowley confronted Connors, who drove past the patrol car and then stopped to let the burglars board. Crowley attempted to stop him, but Connors accelerated, dragging Crowley 40 metres and crashing into a parked Fiat Punto. Crowley was injured, requiring stitches, while the Fiat owner was unharmed. Connors was arrested, pleaded guilty to trespass, possession of a stolen car, assaulting a garda and criminal damage, and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, to run consecutively with a 10‑year term for a prior burglary. He has 37 prior convictions and is due for release in 2025. The case highlighted the physical harm to the garda and the financial loss to the homeowner.
Mark Taylor, aged 30, was driving a stolen VW Golf at a fuel pump in Newcastle, Co. Dublin, on 22 February 2019 when Gardaí noticed he had not paid for fuel and was driving at high speed. He overtook two vehicles dangerously, then drove off without Gardaí being able to keep up. The next day he was again seen in the same car and, after a high‑speed chase, he reversed at speed, smashed into another car, mounted a traffic island, crossed the road, drove the wrong way down the carriageway, broke a red light, mounted a footpath and drove away at speed, losing Gardaí in pursuit. Later that day Gardaí in Naas were alerted to a VW Golf driving dangerously on the N7; the car pulled into a service station on the M7 where an armed unit arrived and approached Taylor. He became aggressive and abusive and was arrested. Mark Taylor pleaded guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, to October 5 due to complications with witness availability caused by the Covid-19 crisis. The trial was originally scheduled for April 20 on charges of conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015, both dates inclusive. Additionally, Mansfield Jnr is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin between June 9, 2015 and June 12, 2015. The matter was adjourned following concerns over witness availability during the pandemic. Mansfield Jnr, who is currently on bail, was present in court for the brief mention. In December, he was granted legal aid after the Special Criminal Court heard that he had had a €6 million judgment against him.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr was refused permission to vary his bail to travel to Spain for his mother's 75th birthday. Mr Justice Paul Coffey at the Special Criminal Court denied the application, noting that the celebration could have been held within the jurisdiction and criticizing the timing of the booking changes after Mansfield had surrendered his passport. Mansfield, of Saggart, Co Dublin, is charged with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January 1 and June 30, 2015, and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. His trial is scheduled for April 20. The court noted that Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, who are alleged to have conspired with Mansfield, have already pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault charges related to the same incident. O'Hare was sentenced to ten years in prison, with three years suspended, for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and assaulting John Roche in Saggart on June 9, 2015. Duffy was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and assaulting John Roche at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, on the same date. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offences and the proximity of the trial date in refusing the bail variation.
A man has been sentenced to twenty months' imprisonment following a fatal collision on the Naas Road in Dublin on 31 January 2016. Anthony Corcoran, aged 39, of Lyons Street, Newcastle, County Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failure to remain at the scene with intent to escape civil or criminal liability. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was withdrawn by the State. The court heard that Corcoran struck a pedestrian while returning to County Cavan after an evening out. He subsequently informed gardaí of his involvement the following morning. Judge Martin Nolan noted evidence suggesting the defendant was over the drink-driving limit and concluded he panicked at the scene. The judge acknowledged significant mitigation including an early guilty plea, immediate contact with gardaí, lack of previous convictions, and good work history. Corcoran was disqualified from driving for three years.
Anthony Corcoran, aged 39, of Newcastle, County Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failure to remain at the scene with intent to escape civil or criminal liability following a collision on the Naas Road, Dublin on 31 January 2016. The court heard that Corcoran struck Peter Maunde, who was walking on the motorway in dark clothing during poor weather conditions. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was withdrawn by the State. Corcoran informed gardaí of his involvement the following morning after his father contacted local police in County Cavan. During interview, Corcoran admitted consuming alcohol that evening. Garda evidence indicated multiple witnesses observed a man crossing the motorway barrier near Red Cow Roundabout, while other motorists initially mistook the casualty for an animal. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Corcoran on continuing bail for sentencing, indicating he would consider the case overnight. A victim impact statement from the deceased's family was submitted to the court.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr, 52, of Saggart, Co Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court where Mr Justice Paul Coffey set April 20th, 2020, as the date for his trial to begin. The non-jury trial is expected to last three weeks. Mr Mansfield is charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1st, 2015, and June 30th, 2015. He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the alleged false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, between June 9th, 2015, and June 12th, 2015. These are allegations; no plea or finding has been recorded. Defence counsel Tony McGillicuddy BL stated that Mr Mansfield is a working man, divorced, and subject to a €6 million High Court judgment. He currently lives with his mother and provides money to his ex-wife. Mr Mansfield was granted legal aid last Tuesday. Today, he was remanded on continuing bail to appear before the court again on April 20th. He was previously admitted to bail on July 3rd on an independent surety of €10,000, with conditions including signing on weekly at Lucan Garda station and not leaving the country.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 3 December 2019, businessman Jim Mansfield Junior, aged 52, was granted legal aid on charges of false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. The court heard that Mansfield had a €6 million judgment against him and that he was charged with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2015, and with directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage relating to Byrne's false imprisonment at Finnstown House Hotel between 9 June 2015 and 12 June 2015. Mansfield, who lives with his mother and provides financial support to his ex‑wife, was not placed in the dock but sat at the back of the courtroom. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions noted that Mansfield had applied for legal aid in October and was not opposing it.
Michael Doherty, a 39‑year‑old former wine and school lunch delivery businessman, was sentenced to a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for robbery after a judge noted his efforts to rehabilitate. On 31 March 2017, Doherty entered a Maxol station on Newcastle Road in Lucan, threatened staff with a claw hammer, and when the till would not open he struck it and stole about €400. He fled in a black car that Gardaí linked to him, leading to his arrest. Doherty pleaded guilty to the robbery of Kim Heffernan. He had 24 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic offences, and the prosecution and defence agreed the robbery was out of character. Counsel argued that the breakdown of his marriage had devastated him, leading to drug abuse and business failure, and that he committed the robbery to fund his addiction.
Swiatoslaw Jaroszynski, 34, was jailed for 20 months after a violent attack in Clondalkin, Dublin, on 26 May 2018. He assaulted a woman jogging on the outer ring road, tried to bite her, and then attacked a passerby, Robert Keogh, during the struggle. Jaroszynski forced a woman driving with her 11‑ and 9‑year‑old children to stop, jumped onto her car's bonnet, headbutted the windscreen, smashed the rear passenger window, and tried to bite the woman's throat. He also grabbed the children and struck them. He had previously been involved in a head‑on collision and fled the scene. Jaroszynski pleaded guilty to three assault‑causing‑harm charges and unlawful interference with a car. He had a history of a suspended drug sentence and a robbery conviction. The judge noted his PTSD and drug use, but imposed a 20‑month sentence, citing the case's violent and unusual nature.
Businessman James Mansfield Jnr, 52, of Saggart, Co Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to address charges of conspiring to falsely imprison a man and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The accused is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January 1 and June 30, 2015, in contravention of Section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. He is further accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co Dublin, between June 9 and June 12, 2015. During the hearing, the court noted that Mr Mansfield intends to apply for legal aid. Mr Justice Paul Coffey, presiding alongside Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge James Faughnan, remanded Mr Mansfield on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned, with the case set for mention again on November 4 at 11am. This appearance followed his arrest by arrangement and the service of a book of evidence. The court had previously endorsed a warrant for his arrest after the State dropped earlier charges entered against him.
Businessman James Mansfield Jnr, aged 52, was charged in the Special Criminal Court with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The alleged false imprisonment of Byrne took place between 1 January and 30 June 2015, while the attempt to destroy footage occurred between 9 and 12 June 2015 at Finnstown House Hotel. Mansfield was arrested by Garda Sergeant Eamon O'Neill at Clondalkin Garda Station under a warrant endorsed by the court. He was cautioned, presented with a true copy of the charge sheet, and remanded on bail to appear again on the following Monday. The court heard no reply from Mansfield during the arrest or when the charge sheet was handed to him.
The State has dropped criminal proceedings against businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr for conspiring to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. However, prosecuting lawyers told the Special Criminal Court today that the Director of Public Prosecutions intends to "recommence proceedings" at a later stage. Mr Mansfield (52), of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin had been charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015, both dates inclusive. He had also been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne between June 9, 2015 and June 12, 2015 at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin.
James Mansfield, a 52-year-old businessman from Saggart, Co. Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to face charges of conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1 and June 30, 2015. Additionally, he is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing another man to destroy recorded CCTV footage related to the alleged false imprisonment of Mr. Byrne between June 9 and June 12, 2015, at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co. Dublin. These allegations remain contested. The matter was heard by a three-judge panel comprising Ms. Justice Tara Burns, Judge Gerard Griffin, and Judge Michael Walsh. Mr. Mansfield was admitted to bail on an independent surety of €10,000, subject to conditions requiring him to sign on weekly at Lucan Garda Station and not to leave the country. A book of the evidence was served on the accused. The court remanded Mr. Mansfield until July 29, when he will next appear before the three-judge court. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Michael Doherty, a 39‑year‑old former wine and school‑lunch delivery businessman, was sentenced in October for an armed robbery of a Maxol petrol station in Lucan. On 31 March 2017 he entered the station, threatened staff with a claw hammer, demanded the till be opened, struck it when it did not, and stole about €400. He fled in a black car that Gardaí linked to him, leading to his arrest. Doherty pleaded guilty to the robbery of Kim Heffernan. Prosecutor Diana Stuart noted his 24 prior convictions were mainly traffic offences, while defence counsel Sarah‑Jane O'Callaghan argued the robbery was out of character, citing the collapse of his marriage, drug abuse, and business failure as contributing factors. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Service report, adjourned sentencing to 16 October, and remanded Doherty on continuing bail until that date.
Aaron Gilsenan, 38, a crack cocaine addict, was jailed for four years after a spree of robberies and attempted robberies in Dublin between December 2017 and March 2018. He used a knife to threaten staff at five convenience stores and filling stations, robbed a taxi driver of €40, and stole a total of €760. Gilsenan was identified on CCTV and used his own car to escape each time. He pleaded guilty to four robberies and two attempted robberies, admitting the crimes were driven by his addiction and the death of his daughter. He had 87 prior convictions, including 51 for road traffic offences. The court noted he was drug‑free at sentencing and had expressed genuine regret. The sentence was imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with a suspended portion of 18 months, and he was also due for sentencing in Trim and Naas Circuit Courts for other pending cases.
Barry Keating, 33, of Coolock, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for drug offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at Harmonstown Road, Dublin 5, on June 29, 2016, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Shonvalley Apartments, Lucan, on August 8, 2016. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended. The court noted Keating's 53 previous convictions, drug addiction, and difficult youth circumstances. Prosecution and defence agreed he was effectively "passed from pillar to post" after being abandoned as an infant and acted as a courier under the influence of others. Separately, Gerard Gerard Cleary, 34, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply. He was sentenced to three years, with the final 18 months suspended, by Judge Karen O'Connor on December 1, 2017. Cleary cooperated with gardaí and made full admissions during interview. The cocaine involved in the Lucan incident had a street value of €138,837, while the heroin in the Harmonstown incident was valued at €16,190. Both defendants were arrested at the scene of the respective incidents.
Barry Keating (33) of Ferrycarrig Drive, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of heroin for sale or supply on Harmonstown Road, Dublin 5, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Shonvalley Apartments, The Grange, Lucan on August 8, 2016. He has 53 previous convictions, including some for drug offences. Gerard Gerard Cleary (34), who lived at Shonvalley Apartments, was also arrested at the scene and pleaded guilty to possessing the cocaine for sale or supply. Cleary was sentenced to three years with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Karen O'Connor on December 1, 2017. Keating's case was adjourned to February 27 next, and Judge Melanie Greally ordered a report from the Probation Service to assist in structuring a sentence that will help Keating deal with his drug habit. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
Alice Connors, 46, of Kiltalown Path, Tallaght, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for burglary after she tricked her way into the home of an 84‑year‑old dementia sufferer in Newcastle, Co. Dublin, on 14 March 2017. Connors pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She had 98 prior convictions, including 20 for burglary. The victim was visited by her 75‑year‑old sister when the two women, accompanied by a child, knocked on the door. Connors and co‑accused Margaret Cawley, 27, entered the house, brushed past the homeowner into the sitting room, and stole handbags. The stolen items were recovered from a maroon car that fled the scene. Connors was found remorseful; the judge noted no violence and described the offence as a "crime of stealth." She was given credit for time already spent in custody on this charge alone.
In a Dublin burglary case, 27‑year‑old Margaret Cawley, with a co‑accused and a child, entered the home of an 84‑year‑old dementia sufferer by pretending to be an acquaintance. The elderly woman's 75‑year‑old sister opened the door after a visit. Cawley and her accomplice entered the sitting room, spoke to the resident as if they knew her, and offered tea. While in the kitchen, Cawley stole the resident's handbag from her rollator walker; the co‑accused took the sister's bag. They fled in a Nissan Almera, later found by Garda Stephen Broderick, who recovered the bags, a walking stick, disabled parking discs, prescriptions, bank, social welfare and medical cards, and €100 cash. Cawley pleaded guilty to trespass and theft at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was already serving a 22‑month district court sentence for a previous burglary, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
In a fitness‑to‑practice hearing at the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, Nora Bernadette Regan Territt, a former nurse at Peamount Healthcare, was found guilty of professional misconduct and non‑compliance with the nurses' professional code of conduct. The hearing focused on an incident on 8 August 2014 in which Territt pushed an elderly, intellectually disabled resident (Resident A, 94) twice – once toward his bedroom and again into the bathroom after he had soiled his bed. Witnesses reported that Territt roughly shoved him onto the toilet, pulled his shirt over his head so that faeces fell onto his head, and then showered him while he was still wearing his trousers. She also allegedly told Resident A, "I am sick of this," after he complained of stomach pain. Territt, who qualified as a nurse in 1979, had been suspended immediately after the incident and had not been present at the hearing.
Paul Casey, a 46‑year‑old former bricklayer from Ballymun, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a two‑year suspended sentence and a €3,000 fine for handling €53,453 worth of stolen electrical equipment. The property had been hijacked from a truck delivering goods from the UK to Dixons PC World in June 2014 and was later moved from a freight container into a van. Casey pleaded guilty on 18 July 2014 at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan. He was arrested while attempting to escape by the side of the container. The court noted that all stolen goods were returned to Dixons, that Casey had nine prior convictions, and that he was on disability benefit and a father of two. The suspended sentence was imposed, with the fine payable. The case also involved co‑accused Daniel McMahon, who was fined €5,000, and Michael Barr, who was sent to the Special Criminal Court for related charges.
Paul Casey, 46, of Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling €53,453 worth of stolen property at the Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co Dublin, on July 18, 2014. The prosecution alleged that Casey was arrested while moving the stolen electrical equipment, which had been hijacked from a truck in June 2014, from a freight container into a van. His co-accused, Daniel McMahon of Belfast, was previously fined €5,000, as community service was deemed difficult due to his residency outside the jurisdiction. The third co-accused, Michael Barr, who was shot dead in April, had pleaded guilty to handling stolen property; the State entered a nolle prosequi on the associated IRA membership charge, dropping it. Barr was due to be sentenced at the end of April before his death. In mitigation, defense counsel noted Casey's alcohol abstinence for 18 months and his intention to offer a financial gesture of remorse from his disability benefit. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the case until Friday next for sentencing. The matter was adjourned and is not concluded.
The Special Criminal Court formally dropped the case against Michael Barr, who was shot dead in Dublin on Monday night. Barr, 35, had been indicted for handling stolen electrical equipment at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan on 18 July 2014 and had pleaded guilty earlier this month. He had also been charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the IRA, on the same date, but that charge was dropped after his guilty plea. The court ordered the indictment to be marked "accused deceased.".
Michael Barr, 34, originally from Tyrone, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to handling stolen electrical equipment at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, on 18 July 2014. He was charged in November 2014 with the same offence and also with membership of the IRA. After his guilty plea, the State dropped the IRA membership charge. The three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice Paul Butler with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, remanded Barr on continuing bail until 28 April, when he will be sentenced.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin father of two, Keith Byrne, was sentenced to five years in prison after authorities discovered approximately €860,000 worth of heroin in the back of a rental Toyota Corolla. Byrne pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the drug for sale or supply at Castlebaggot in Newcastle, Co. Dublin, on 7 May 2014. Gardaí had received confidential information and monitored Byrne's home in Lucan, where they observed him placing a black hold‑all bag in the vehicle and driving toward Newcastle. The car was stopped near Baldonnell, and the drugs were seized. Byrne admitted responsibility, claiming he did not know the substance was heroin or its value. He stated he had to transport the drugs "from A to B." Prosecutor Noel Devitt BL noted that Byrne's cooperation and full admissions helped the investigation.
Alan Boggans, 39, of Newcastle, was convicted of possessing over €1.9 million worth of cannabis resin for sale or supply at Celtic Truck Wash and Park, Rathcoole, on 1 September 2009. A jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced him to 13 years' imprisonment on 24 June 2013. Boggans appealed the conviction, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. Judge Garrett Sheehan confirmed that Boggans had received a fair trial. The case centred on a Garda surveillance operation that led to a search warrant issued under section 26 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Evidence included drugs found in a white Mercedes van, fingerprints matching Boggans, and mobile phones linked to him. Boggans' counsel argued the warrant was issued too hastily and that the Superintendent was not independent, but the court rejected these arguments and upheld the conviction. The appeal was dismissed on all grounds. Alan Boggans pleaded not guilty.
In the second day of Mr Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the jury was warned about graphic evidence. Mr Justice Tony Hunt cautioned them before a document titled "Jenny's First Rape" was read. The document, found on a hard drive seized from Dwyer's home, described a planned rape in Newcastle and included a video clip. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. He pleaded not guilty. Detective Garda Brid Wallace testified that she found a folder with a five‑second video and a five‑page document, E.doc, created on 31 May 2005 by Dwyer's firm A&D Wejchert Architects. The prosecution read the document, which detailed the author's intent to rape a young woman, describing the use of a knife, chloroform and a hunting knife. The trial continues before a jury of five women and seven men. The article does not state any verdict or outcome.
In a High Court ruling on 20 January 2015, Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that the exclusion order issued by the Minister for Justice to remove Latvian national Deniss Kovalenko from Ireland in June 2013 was fundamentally flawed. Kovalenko, aged 34, had been convicted in 2004 of raping an American student in Galway and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, after which he was placed on the sex offenders register. He claimed that the Minister failed to provide fair procedures, denying him the opportunity to submit explanations or challenge the use of material from the Irish Prison Service regarding his conduct in custody. The judge also noted that a civil servant involved in the original decision had participated in the appeal process, further breaching fair procedures. Consequently, the exclusion order was quashed, allowing Kovalenko to remain in Ireland.
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.
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 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.