The High Court has requested further information from Italian authorities regarding Aisha Ahmed (49), AKA Gloria Anwulika Aro (47), a mother-of-six suspected of being a drug importer in Italy, who faces a 20-year prison sentence imposed in her absence. Ahmed was arrested in Dublin 24 last year under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Italian authorities, which alleges she was the 'promoter, leader and organiser' of an association that imported, sold, distributed and traded 'remarkable quantities' of cocaine in Italy between September 1999 and June 2000. Her separated husband, Yemi Moshood Olatunde (47), AKA Roy Yemmy Andrew Aro, was also arrested in October. Olatunde AKA Aro, a taxi driver until he went into custody last year, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in Italy because he allegedly associated with other persons in order to commit offences concerning the purchase, transfer, distribution, trade and unlawful possession of large quantities of cocaine. Extradition proceedings involving Olatunde are still ongoing. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly sought further information from the Italian judicial authorities concerning Ahmed's awareness of certain judicial procedural matters at certain times. The formal questions could not be agreed between lawyers for Ahmed and for the Minister for Justice and will be formalised before the court tomorrow. Counsel for Ahmed, John Noonan Bl, submitted that his client had not been made aware of an alleged scheduled trial. The question was whether she had actual notice of a scheduled trial, Mr Noonan said, and 'it appeared she did not have notice'. Notice was served on her defence lawyer and that fell short of the requirements for extradition, Mr Noonan said. Ahmed had dealt with lawyers initially while she was in custody for 10 days, Mr Noonan said, but swore she did not give a mandate to lawyers. Once she was released from custody in Italy, she came to Ireland and had no further dealings with the lawyer, Mr Noonan said. Ms Ahmed was 'a fugitive' in the words of the Italians, counsel for the Justice Minister, Anne-Marie Lawlor said. Ahmed had been charged 'with the contents of wiretapping' and was fully aware there were proceedings in being against her. She then 'fled the country'. Ms Lawlor reminded the judge that Ahmed had previously pursued an argument that she was not Ahmed and had 'lied to the court'. She was now asking the court to believe, contrary to everything the Italians were saying, her instructions to lawyers ended in circumstances where she believed she was free to walk away from Italy, Ms Lawlor said. Questions regarding Ahmed's knowledge at certain times during the process will be formalised before the High Court tomorrow.
The Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's findings that Daniel McDonnell's solitary confinement for a year breached his constitutional rights. The High Court had ruled that McDonnell, serving a life sentence for the murder of 16‑year‑old Melanie McCarthy McNamara, was being held in a 22‑to‑23‑hour lock‑up regime that violated his bodily and psychological integrity. The Court of Appeal held that the prison authorities were entitled to impose temporary restrictive conditions for the safety of prisoners, and that McDonnell's detention was justified for his own protection. The Appeal Court found the High Court's orders on how McDonnell was to be treated were overly intrusive and could not be upheld. The case was adjourned to October for final matters, including costs.
Joseph Byrne, 21, who suffers from schizophrenia and was off his medication, attacked an innocent boy by slashing his face with a blade. Byrne approached the boy, who was walking home from school, accusing him of having his X‑Box console. When the boy denied it, Byrne cut a 10‑cm slash down the side of the boy's face. The victim was left with a significant scar and required 36 stitches. Byrne pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, on 4 February 2014. He has 15 prior convictions, including two for possession of knives. Garda Niall Minnock and counsel Michael O'Higgins SC noted that Byrne comes from a respectable family who supported him, but that he was off medication at the time of the attack. Judge Desmond Hogan allowed Byrne to remain on bail pending sentencing, citing a high risk of reoffending and the need for psychiatric support. The case is set for sentencing next November.
In a Tallaght burglary, 18‑year‑old Lewis Smith and a 17‑year‑old boy stole a computer tablet, a mobile phone and a television from a profoundly deaf woman. Smith pleaded guilty to burglary at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 2 September 2014. He had prior convictions for criminal damage and car theft. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing evidence, remanded Smith on continuing bail with conditions: live with his grandmother, observe a curfew, and sign on three times a week at Tallaght Garda Station. Smith later broke his curfew and was charged with public order offences. Judge Nolan ordered Smith to carry out 200 hours of community service within a year in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence, noting he was considered suitable for community service by the Probation Service. The 17‑year‑old co‑accused pleaded guilty and is due for sentencing later. The case remains ongoing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Murphy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sabrina Quinn on 9 December 2012, leaving her with a fractured jaw, a broken tooth and severe injuries. The judge sentenced him to three years, with the last 18 months suspended, and imposed strict conditions. Murphy's previous convictions involved drug and road traffic offences. Ms Quinn described the attack as "everything went black", and she later required hospital treatment, including stitches, tooth removal and a steel brace that forced her to eat only blended foods for months. The brace later snapped, necessitating further surgery. The court accepted evidence of Murphy's remorse, including letters from family, and noted his history of anger issues and counselling at Pieta House. The case highlighted the seriousness of the assault and the court's decision to suspend part of the sentence under strict conditions.
James Byrne, 43, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary of Drimnagh Castle Primary School, St Agnes Church, Assumption Church, and St Mark's Junior School between 3 and 13 October 2014, and to criminal damage at St Mark's Junior School. He was already serving a suspended sentence for earlier burglaries when these offences occurred. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a one‑year jail term, suspending the final year of a two‑year sentence on the condition that Byrne keeps the peace and engages with drug‑addiction services. Byrne admitted stealing €56 from St Agnes Church, €200–€300 from Assumption Church, and causing €3,500 of damage at St Mark's Junior School, but claimed he took no items during the burglaries. He apologized for locking an 80‑year‑old man in the church. The court noted his 26 previous convictions, including five burglaries and three aggravated burglaries.
Dean Furlong, 45, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling €12,000 of stolen cash from a cash‑in‑transit robbery on 12 April 2012 and €30,000 from a robbery on 16 August 2012, and to supplying prescription tablets without a prescription and possessing drugs for sale in Tallaght on 13 October 2011. He admitted possession of 178,000 Zopiclone tablets and 19,000 Dalmane tablets, valued at €430,000, found in his van in November 2011. Furlong also admitted taking responsibility for €11,885 of cash found in an orange bag in April 2012, which had been taken during a robbery of a cash‑in‑transit van in Terenure the week before. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after noting his completion of a drug‑addiction treatment programme and enrolment in an addiction studies course, suspended a seven‑year sentence, wishing him good luck.
A Luas tram driver saw 35‑year‑old Darren Canning throw an object through a ground‑floor window of an empty Carrig Court apartment near a tram stop. She called Luas Control, which monitored the apartment on CCTV until Garda Ciaran Kilcoyne arrived. Kilcoyne entered through the broken window, found Canning in the bedroom with a mobile phone, a camera and two zip‑lock bags of jewellery, and arrested him after pepper‑spraying him. Canning, who has no fixed abode and 67 previous convictions including 18 burglaries, pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to commit theft and criminal damage to the window on 1 March 2015. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the judge noting his resistance to arrest as an aggravating factor. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with prosecution by Dara Hayes BL and defence by Luigi Rea BL.
Michael McDonald, 44, was arrested after a burglary at a priest's house in Cherry Orchard, Dublin, where he stole a Yankees baseball cap and a Lourdes purse containing €660. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a suspended prison term of one year, suspended for three years, conditioned on McDonald keeping the peace and continuing drug treatment with Probation Services, and on his participation in victim empathy programmes. The burglary occurred on 15 August 2013; the priest discovered the front door unlocked and a side‑room window shattered, with the house ransacked. McDonald admitted the theft to Gardaí, apologized to the priest, and was wearing the stolen cap and purse when apprehended. He has 27 prior convictions, including a 2002 sentence of three years for robbery and assault offences. His defence lawyer, Keith Spencer BL, cited his upbringing in the Travelling community and his son's success as a professional footballer.
Darren McKevitt, 26, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to arson of a car, dangerous driving, driving under the influence, driving without insurance, three counts of assault, possession of a stolen Toyota Avensis, a stolen PSV certificate, an Irish driving licence and insurance certificate, and unlawful possession of a stun gun. The offences occurred on 31 October 2014 at Durrow Road, Crumlin, and on 24 November 2014 at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght. A blood sample showed he was five times over the legal alcohol limit. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a probation bond, requiring McKevitt to work with probation officers, undergo drug rehabilitation and employment training, and to return to court on 1 July 2016. He was arrested after Garda Michael Creegan and Garda Micheal O'Sullivan chased him following the bonfire incident, during which McKevitt assaulted three gardaí and was later taken to Crumlin Garda Station. The court noted his nine previous convictions, including possession of drugs for sale or supply.
Gary McMenamin, aged 22 and a former Shamrock Rovers scholarship recipient, was given a two‑year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing a stolen Cartier watch worth €10,000. McMenamin was travelling by boat to the UK to trade the watch when Gardaí stopped him. He first claimed the watch belonged to his girlfriend, then said it had been offered to him by an acquaintance for €1,500. He pleaded guilty to possession of the watch at Stena Line on 9 October 2014. The watch had been stolen in an aggravated burglary in Wicklow in September 2014, though McMenamin was not involved in that burglary. He has six previous road‑traffic convictions and one conviction for failing to comply with Garda direction, all dating back to 2010. Judge Martin Nolan noted that McMenamin had no role in the burglary but must have suspected the watch was stolen before buying it.
The High Court refused to surrender Yemi Moshood Olatunde, a 48‑year‑old taxi driver from Tallaght, who is wanted in Italy on a European Arrest Warrant for alleged offences involving large quantities of cocaine. Olatunde was arrested in October last year by gardai after the warrant was issued. In Italy he had been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for allegedly associating with others to purchase, transfer, distribute, trade and unlawfully possess large amounts of cocaine. Olatunde denied being the person named in the warrant. Justice Aileen Donnelly adjourned the case in June to obtain further information from Italian authorities about trial in absentia, which had not been provided. She ruled that the warrant was incomplete and that surrender was prohibited, noting that Olatunde had not been informed of the trial date or had a lawyer present. The court therefore declined to surrender him to Italy.
Aaron Byrne, aged 22, was sentenced to eight years in prison for stabbing a 15‑year‑old in Naas, County Kildare, after a dispute over a €250 cannabis debt. Byrne had previously demanded the money at the victim's home and had given €100 the day before the stabbing. On 12 April 2014, he met the teenager at a service station and later at a housing estate, where a confrontation escalated. Byrne stabbed the boy under the rib cage, penetrating the chest wall and left lung, causing a major bleed that required immediate surgery. The victim recovered after five days in hospital and returned to school and sport. Byrne pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an eight‑year term, suspended the final three years, and ordered 18 months of probation. The case highlighted the seriousness of the assault and the victim's recovery.
Daniel Martin, aged 21, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of seven years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences committed between August 2013 and June 2014. He received a two‑year term for possession of a weapon, unlawful seizure of a car and assault causing harm, and a consecutive five‑year term for assault causing serious harm on Wayne Donovan. The court described the attack on Donovan as a "savage assault" after Martin struck the victim with a stick, a broken bottle and a stick, cutting Donovan's little finger and inflicting large wounds to his head and face. Martin pleaded guilty to all charges and had no prior convictions. The judge noted Martin's history of violence and his attempts to reform, but imposed the seven‑year sentence with no mention of a suspended portion or separate custody period.
In a Luas incident on 14 August 2012, 37‑year‑old David Larkin and 42‑year‑old Suzanne McGowan attacked and robbed Izabela Portyka. Larkin punched Portyka repeatedly, spat at her, and stole her handbag while McGowan shouted abuse. Passengers did not intervene. Larkin and McGowan pleaded guilty to robbery. Larkin, with 30 prior convictions, received a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. McGowan, with 24 prior convictions, was remanded on bail pending a probation and welfare services report. The court noted the offence was "out of character" for McGowan, a mother of two. Portyka suffered neck and head injuries, later treated for migraines and psychological issues. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a High Court hearing on 9 July 2015, the court considered the case of Alan Murphy and his partner Kelly Gilsenan, a homeless couple who had camped out at South Dublin County Council offices in Tallaght to protest their accommodation situation. The council had obtained an injunction to remove them, which they complied with after two days. The couple had previously refused a temporary emergency accommodation offered by the council, citing its unsuitability, and had been living in a tent after their private rental was sold. They had a six‑year‑old son with asthma. The court heard that the council had moved the couple up the local authorities' housing list, recognising them as a family, but could not say when housing would be available. The council noted that 8,500 people were on the list and urged the couple to seek private accommodation for which they might be entitled to assistance.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the Special Criminal Court had misinterpreted the statute on rearresting IRA suspects. Mr Kevin Braney, 40, had been charged with membership of the IRA in 2013 after a prior 1989 arrest on the same suspicion that never led to charges. The Special Criminal Court held that the two arrests were unlawful because they were for the same offence without a warrant. The Court of Appeal found this interpretation incorrect, noting that a 24‑year gap between arrests differs from the three‑month gap in the Vincent Banks case. It held that membership implies continuity, not permanence, and that the earlier and later arrests may not be the same offence. The decision clarified that the Special Criminal Court's view was not correct under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Mongan, then 15, was found guilty of violent disorder and three counts of assault causing serious harm after a pub brawl at The Castle Inn Pub, Rathfarnham, on 16 October 2012. CCTV captured Mongan picking up a glass or bottle and striking John Mongan, 25, repeatedly, causing deep cuts that required 24 staples. Mongan also threw a bottle at Simon Reilly, 28, which struck Reilly's head and shattered, sending shards toward a nearby Garda. Mongan pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a suspended prison term of two and a half years, conditional on completing 240 hours of community service. The judge, Martin Nolan, rejected a request for anonymity under the Children Act, stating Mongan was not a child in the eyes of the law and that proceedings should be public.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced brothers Erol and Ali Basak for their involvement in a counterfeit clothing operation based in Tallaght, south Dublin. Erol Basak, 43, of Lucan, pleaded not guilty to twelve counts of fraudulent possession of goods bearing trade marks and eleven counts of fraudulent application of trade marks. A jury unanimously convicted him of all charges, which were committed in November 2012. Ali Basak, of Edenderry, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty to similar offences contrary to section 92 of the Trade Marks Act, 1996. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended a sentence of two and a half years imprisonment for both men, conditional on each paying €5,000 by December 2017. The judge specified that €2,000 of this sum should cover State expenses for trademark witnesses. She noted both men had unblemished records and were unlikely to re-offend. The court heard the operation could have caused an estimated €3 million loss to multinational companies if all seized unused labels had been used. Judge Ring directed that seized counterfeit clothing be donated to charities such as Focus Ireland rather than destroyed, noting the items were useful. The prosecution estimated finished items would have caused a €65,000 loss. The men, both Turkish nationals, had previously operated a legitimate clothing importation business before moving to the container premises.
Seven men from Dublin were acquitted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court on 30 June 2015. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found that the Department of Public Prosecutions would not present further evidence after a ruling last week that the arrests of six of the men were unlawful. The men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49)—had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court had earlier ruled that the arrests at a house in Tallaght lacked the necessary objective justification under the Section 30 Offences Against the State Act. The acquittal followed the prosecution's decision not to pursue the case further. The case had involved a search of a house in Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, where police found packages allegedly containing communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison.
A couple, Alan Murphy and Kelly Gilsenan, who had been sleeping in a tent since becoming homeless, agreed to comply with a High Court injunction that ordered them to vacate South Dublin County Council's offices in Tallaght. The injunction was granted after the couple refused a temporary emergency accommodation offer, claiming it was unsuitable. They had previously refused to leave the council's premises, prompting the court to issue a temporary order. The judge warned of serious consequences for non‑compliance and granted the injunction on an ex‑parte basis. The matter was adjourned to mid‑July to allow the couple to reply to the council's claim. The injunction also applies to anyone aware of it, but the judge allowed the couple to attend the offices with advisers to resolve their accommodation issues.
The Special Criminal Court ruled that the arrests of six Dublin men suspected of IRA membership at a house in Tallaght were unlawful. Judge Tony Hunt said each case lacked the modest level of objective justification required under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, citing the Supreme Court's 2003 Walshe v Fennessy decision. The men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan and Desmond Christie—were found to have been arrested without sufficient justification. Peter Burns, the seventh accused, did not challenge the legality of his arrest. Tara Burns SC, representing the State, requested instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and asked the court to adjourn until the following Tuesday. The court had previously accepted evidence that a search warrant for the Tallaght house was valid and that two packages allegedly containing communications from prisoners were found in the house. Brian Nick Mc Bennett pleaded not guilty. Kevin Braney pleaded not guilty. Michael Barr pleaded not guilty. John Brock pleaded not guilty. Declan Phelan pleaded not guilty. Desmond Christie pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 ruling, the Special Criminal Court declared that evidence from a search warrant executed at a Tallaght house could be used in the trial of seven men accused of IRA membership. Judge Tony Hunt confirmed that the warrant was issued and carried out lawfully. Gardaí had found two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners at Portlaoise Prison, on a coffee table in the front room where the accused were gathered. The court held a "voir dire" concerning the warrant and the arrests. Ms Tara Burns SC argued that the prosecution's case was that the men were meeting as IRA members to discuss the communications. Judge Hunt said he would reserve judgment on the arrests' lawfulness until Friday at 11 am. The accused, all pleading not guilty, are Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49).
The Special Criminal Court will decide next week whether evidence from a search warrant and the arrest of seven Dublin men can be admitted. The men, accused of IRA membership, were found in a Tallaght house where police discovered two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners at Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution argued that the men were holding an IRA meeting to discuss these communications. The seven accused—Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan and Desmond Christie—have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation. The court is conducting a voir dire to determine the admissibility of the search warrant evidence and the arrests, with a ruling expected next Tuesday at 2 pm before a full six‑week hearing begins.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 21‑year‑old Zoe Thompson of Tallaght pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm after striking Aidan and Colm Brown with the heel of her stiletto shoe at the Abberley Hotel on 15 April 2013. Judge Desmond Hogan sentenced Thompson to three years for each count, suspending the sentences in their entirety. The judge noted Thompson's cooperation, the presence of a doctor's letter citing pregnancy complications, and her payment of €2,000 as a gesture of remorse, which was ordered to be divided between the two victims. Thompson's previous convictions include four road‑traffic offences, one for drunk driving. The court heard that Aidan Brown, a barman, suffered seven surgical staples to his head and lost €1,000 in wages, while Colm Brown received five staples and lost €690 in wages.
A Tipperary man, Michael Smith, aged 53, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against a girl who was 11 when the first abuse began. Gardaí interviewed him in 2004 after a search uncovered a video of him raping the victim. Smith was released without charge, travelled to the UK and committed further abuse against a teenage girl he had groomed online. He was jailed in the UK in 2008 for that offence and for possession of nearly 20,000 images of child pornography. After his release from a UK prison in 2014 he was extradited to Ireland and has been in custody since. The victim, Michelle Smith, 29, waived anonymity and gave a victim impact statement. Michael Smith pleaded guilty.
Kenneth O'Farrell, 33, received a suspended two‑year sentence for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to cyclist Marcin Maciejewski on the N81 Tallaght Bypass. O'Farrell broke a filter light, turned right and struck Maciejewski, who was thrown onto his windscreen. Maciejewski sustained severe head injuries requiring 60 stitches and surgery, along with broken hands, a dislocated elbow, and cuts to his back and elbow. An eyewitness, who helped the victim at the scene, contradicted O'Farrell's claim that the cyclist "came out of nowhere" and that he had seen the cyclist. CCTV supported the witness's account. O'Farrell pleaded guilty; the judge found no evidence of speeding or drunkenness, citing inattention and failure to concentrate. He was disqualified from driving for four years and the sentence was suspended on strict conditions. The victim impact report was not read out. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Eoin Daly, aged 29, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for a series of burglaries committed between July and September 2013 across Dublin suburbs and Leixlip. He pleaded guilty to five counts of burglary, one of trespass and attempted theft. The judge noted that Daly had been granted bail repeatedly after each arrest, questioning why he was not remanded earlier. Daly's lawyer described him as a "one‑man crime wave" linked to chronic heroin addiction. The judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on the condition that Daly cooperate with the Probation Service upon release. Daly had 30 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery, firearm possession and threats of killing. The sentence reflects the judge's concern that, if he does not change, he will spend his thirties in court and prison.
In a 2015 appeal, the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the Special Criminal Court had wrongly ruled the second arrest of Kevin Braney, aged 40, unlawful. Braney had been arrested in 1989 on suspicion of IRA membership but was never charged. He was rearrested in March 2013 for the same alleged offence. The court had held the second arrest unlawful because it considered membership offences to be continuing, but the DPP contended that each arrest arises from a distinct offence tied to time, place and circumstance. Braney's counsel, Bernard Condon, countered that a membership offence is not a single event and that the statute does not prohibit repeated arrests. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Seán Ryan, would reserve judgment until 26 June 2015.
Robert Murphy, 32, was convicted of possessing a knife, discharging a firearm, and arson. He had previously pleaded guilty to these offences in 2012 and 2013. Judge Desmond Hogan originally sentenced him to nine years with five suspended, effective eight years. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the case, found the sentence unduly lenient and imposed a new sentence of 11 years with three suspended, effective eight years. The appeal highlighted that Murphy, a known heroin addict and "career criminal" with 60 prior convictions, had set fire to a house occupied by a mother and child, forcing them to escape through a bedroom window. The court noted that the arson was the most serious offence and that the new sentence was intended to reflect the severity of the crime. The final effective term remains eight years imprisonment.
The trial of seven Dublin men accused of IRA membership continues with a voir dire hearing to decide the admissibility of evidence from a search warrant and the arrest of the accused at a house in Tallaght. Gardai found two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison, on a coffee table in the front room where the men were gathered. Ms Tara Burns SC argued that the prosecution case was that the men were holding a meeting as IRA members to discuss those communications. The accused – Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49) – have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation. The charges stem from a search of a house in Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, where Peter Burns lived with his father.
The trial of seven Dublin men accused of IRA membership has continued with a voir dire, a trial within a trial, to determine the admissibility of evidence regarding a search warrant and arrests at a Tallaght house. The accused are Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan, and Desmond Christie. Each has pleaded not guilty to the alleged charge of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on July 3, 2013. The prosecution alleges the men were holding an IRA meeting to discuss communications from Portlaoise Prison, which were found in packages on a coffee table. The case is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne. The trial is scheduled to last six weeks and continues tomorrow.
In a 2013 robbery of a Tallaght post office, former chef and drug counsellor Keith McCarthy (38) participated after relapsing into drug use. He and an accomplice stole €10,351, escaping on a bicycle with one rider on the crossbar. The accomplice, armed with a lump hammer, was never charged and died shortly after. McCarthy, who had been drug‑free for ten years, pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended a four‑year jail term, noting he had not offended since and was engaged in drug treatment and victim awareness work. The stolen money was never recovered. McCarthy's fingerprints on the getaway bike led to his arrest two weeks after the raid. The case highlighted his prior 15 convictions and his recent relapse after family difficulties. The court emphasized his commitment to remain drug‑free and comply with the suspended sentence conditions.
The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the trustees of Victory Christian Fellowship (VCF) against a High Court ruling that Bank of Scotland (BOS) could appoint joint receivers over three of VCF's Dublin properties. The High Court had found BOS entitled to a judgment of €18.76 million against the trustees and to permanent injunctions preventing the trustees from obstructing the receivers. The trustees argued the receivers' appointment in May 2013 was invalid because BOS had received unauthorised confidential information about VCF's charitable status being withdrawn. They claimed a debt‑reduction plan had been agreed in March 2013, which would have avoided receivership. The Court of Appeal, however, upheld BOS's contractual right to appoint receivers, noting that the disclosure of the confidential information did not prove it caused the decision. The trustees accepted the debt but did not appeal the €18.76 million judgment. The appeal was dismissed by Justices Peart, Hogan and Mahon.
Nathan O'Rowe, 20, of Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to a taxi driver on New Year's Day 2015. The court heard that O'Rowe and a friend mistakenly believed they had been picked up by their Hailo-ordered taxi. When the driver insisted he was booked for another passenger, the men became aggressive, accusing him of drink driving after spotting a beer can left by a previous passenger. After the driver attempted to leave to meet his actual passenger, O'Rowe allegedly punched him twice in the face. The men then allegedly threw stones and bottles at the vehicle before tackling the driver to the ground, punching and kicking him to the head. The victim, who suffered a fractured nose in two places and permanent disfigurement, blacked out during the second phase of the attack and used a wheel brace to defend himself. Judge Desmond Hogan adjourned sentencing to next October, indicating he may impose a suspended sentence. He cited O'Rowe's lack of previous convictions, guilty plea, and contrition as mitigating factors. The judge ordered a Probation Service assessment for community work suitability and remanded O'Rowe on continuing bail. O'Rowe's counsel stated his client offered €500 as a concrete measure of remorse.
Lewis Smith, 18, previously of Glenshane Grove, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary in Tallaght on September 2, 2014. He is accused of breaking into the home of a profoundly deaf woman with a 17-year-old co-accused, who also pleaded guilty to the same charge. The teenagers allegedly stole a computer tablet, a mobile phone, and a television. Garda Jennifer Grogan stated that the homeowner later discovered a message written on the sitting room wall. Smith has previous convictions for criminal damage and stealing a car. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case to July 30 next to allow for the preparation of a probation report to assess Smith's suitability for community service. The judge remanded Smith on continuing bail until then, imposing conditions that he live with his grandmother in Saggart, adhere to a curfew from midnight to 8am, and sign on three times a week at Tallaght Garda Station. Judge Nolan noted that while the woman's peace of mind was greatly affected, it was highly unlikely the teenagers knew she was deaf. Defense counsel George Burns BL stated that Smith had written letters of apology to the victim and the court and expressed remorse.
A mother of six, Aisha Ahmed (49), AKA Gloria Anwulika Aro (47), has been granted bail by the High Court following her arrest at Sundale Parade, Tallaght, Dublin 24, last October on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Italian authorities. She is wanted in Italy to serve a 20-year prison sentence imposed in her absence for alleged involvement in importing, selling, distributing, and trading large quantities of cocaine between September 1999 and June 2000. Her separated husband, Yemi Moshood Olatunde (47), AKA Roy Yemmy Andrew Aro, was also arrested in October and may be released on bail tomorrow. Olatunde AKA Aro, a taxi driver until his arrest, was sentenced to 20 years in Italy for allegedly associating with others to commit offences related to the purchase, transfer, distribution, trade, and unlawful possession of large quantities of cocaine. Both have denied being the persons sought on the European Arrest Warrants. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly adjourned proceedings against the pair today, as the High Court had sought further information from Italian judicial authorities three months ago concerning the issue of trial in absentia, which the Italians did not appear to have answered. The matter was adjourned on condition that the pair be granted bail and the Italian authorities' response must be provided to the State prior to June 30, when the case would come before the court again. Ms Ahmed was remanded in custody on her own bond of €1,000 with consent to bail to June 30 next on condition she keep the peace, be of good behaviour, undertake to not apply for a passport and sign on daily at Clondalkin Garda Station. Ms Justice Donnelly said she would adjourn granting bail to Olatunde until tomorrow so that a number of matters could be sorted out.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 10 June 2015, seven men were charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after a 2013 raid on a Tallaght house. The raid, conducted by Special Branch detectives, uncovered two packages on a coffee table in the front room. The packages contained thin paper, tightly folded and wrapped in clingfilm, which were communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution, led by Ms Tara Burns SC, argued that the men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49)—were holding a dissident IRA meeting to discuss these prison messages. All seven pleaded not guilty. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne, is conducting a six‑week voir dire to determine the admissibility of evidence from the search warrant and arrests.
A 43‑year‑old Nigerian man, Dayo Akinsuyi, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for burglary and assault causing harm after he and an accomplice broke into an apartment on 20 August 2013. They entered the flat shortly after 9 a.m. and attacked the resident, George Cristo, with a scalpel and a fake gun. Cristo suffered cuts to his forearms, head and defensive wounds on his hands. Akinsuyi pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted that the men had apparently been searching for money, but the offence was deemed very serious. Akinsuyi had minor prior convictions for road traffic offences and had shown remorse. He was described as a good father and partner, and his good work history was taken into account. The sentence was imposed after the court accepted his guilty plea and the evidence of the assault. The case was prosecuted by James Dwyer BL and investigated by Garda Shane Moriarty.
Seven men from Dublin – Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49) – pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges that they were members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 3 July 2013. The prosecution, represented by Tara Burns SC, announced that the case would be opened the following day, and the court adjourned the trial until then.
Barry Fowler, 30, was jailed for seven and a half years after pleading guilty to possessing over €370,000 of drugs for sale or supply. Gardaí traced him to a basement where a transit van contained €250,727 of cannabis, €103,404 of cocaine, €8,827 of heroin, €5,672 of amphetamines, €1,522 of cannabis resin and €2,000 of cannabis under his BMW's bonnet. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a sawn‑off shotgun and 9mm bullets. Fowler, a father of one, had prior convictions for road traffic matters, common assault and a three‑year sentence for dangerous driving causing death in 2005. He claimed he held the drugs, weapons and €118,000 cash to offset a €60,000 drug debt. He had been in custody since April for breaching bail conditions after being arrested at Shannon Airport.
James O'Brien, 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to 20‑year‑old Dale Creighton, who died two days later in hospital after the incident on New Year's Day at Saint Dominic's Road footbridge in Tallaght. O'Brien, a Tallaght native, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, where Justice Patrick McCarthy noted he had no prior convictions and was already in contact with probation services. He was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing on 12 October. Seven other Dubliners in their 20s, also from Tallaght, are charged in connection with Creighton's death and will go on trial in October 2016.
Peter Byrne, 44, pleaded guilty to two robberies committed on 29 and 30 November 2014 at the School Supply Centre in Village Green, Tallaght, and the Abberley Hotel on Belgard Road, Tallaght. He used a scalpel to threaten an employee at the shop and a hotel front‑desk staff member, demanding cash. Byrne admitted the offences, apologized, and claimed he was homeless and needed money for a deposit. He had 91 prior convictions, including four robberies, burglary, theft and assault. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accepted Byrne's expressed desire to reform but questioned his capacity to comply. Nolan imposed a four‑year jail term, suspended the final 18 months, and ordered Byrne to serve the remaining two and a half years in custody. The court noted Byrne's age, his long prison history, and the impact on the hotel staff, who had begun self‑defence courses after the incident.
Eoghan McGarry, aged 30, appeared in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court escorted by five security officers in riot gear. He had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and possession of cannabis, both at Sundrive Road Garda Station on 2 September 2014. McGarry denied the two additional charges of possessing and handling stolen jewellery at his home. The Director of Public Prosecutions had required pleas to the additional charges and set a trial date in April 2016, pending the court's sentencing decision.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, software used by the Department of Social Protection to analyse profile pictures and signatures helped uncover the theft of €16,000 in welfare benefits by a Ukrainian man. Dmytro Kedrych, 40, of Santry, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at the social welfare office in The Square, Tallaght, and was jailed for 18 months. Kedrych had entered Ireland in 2006 on a fake Latvian passport bought in Poland, worked under a false name, and after losing his job in 2011 began claiming jobseeker's benefit and rent allowance, which he was not entitled to as a Ukrainian citizen. In 2013 he married an Irish citizen, became eligible for welfare benefits, and then claimed more benefits under his own name, providing a photograph and digital signature.
An expectant mother, Shineen Mulhall, 31, was remanded on bail pending sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing €16,885 from Oaklee Housing Trust on 4 February 2013 and €5,564 from the Irish College of General Practitioners on 3 March 2013. Gardaí said she was a pawn in a scheme where two cheques totalling over €21,500 were lodged into her account and later withdrawn under instructions from a man named "Kai". Mulhall had 19 prior road‑traffic convictions. The judge adjourned sentencing to November, noting she is due her fourth child in July, and ordered a probation report for that date. Garda Mark Bennett explained that the €5,564 cheque was originally made out for €500 to a doctor, later altered and cashed. Mulhall admitted lodging the €16,885 cheque after receiving it from "Kai". No other person has been charged.
Ciaran Moran, 29, was sentenced to life in prison by the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Gerard Donnelly. Moran, who had pleaded not guilty, changed his plea to guilty on the ninth day of his trial after the judge ruled that his descriptive confession should be heard by the jury. The court heard that Moran beat Mr Donnelly over the head with a lump hammer, amputated his toe, and set his body on fire in Phoenix Park during November 28th or 29th, 2013. Mr Donnelly, a 36-year-old father of one who lived homeless in the park, was identified via DNA match due to the severity of his injuries. Moran, who had 23 previous convictions including a recent manslaughter conviction resulting in a seven-year sentence with two suspended, was found to have acted alone. His barrister requested that his sentence be backdated to December 3rd, 2013, the date he was remanded in custody. Justice Margaret Heneghan agreed to this request and imposed the mandatory life sentence. Moran stood while the sentence was imposed before being led away to custody.
James Byrne, 34, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty to four burglaries committed while on bail for other offences. Between 3 and 13 October 2014 he broke into Drimnagh Castle Primary School, St Agnes Church, Assumption Church in Walkinstown, and St Mark's Junior School in Tallaght. He also pleaded guilty to criminal damage at St Mark's. In St Agnes he entered after asking to see a priest, was told to wait, then fled; a witness heard coins rattling in his jacket and he later claimed to have taken €56. At Assumption he was seen by an 80‑year‑old man counting coins, who tried to stop him; Byrne locked the door and escaped with an estimated €200‑€300. At St Mark's he caused €3,500 of damage to doors and windows but claimed he took nothing, borrowing €10 from his ex‑wife.
Kevin Braney, 40, of Tallaght, Dublin, was granted temporary bail by the Special Criminal Court in a trial concerning alleged membership of an unlawful organisation. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler alongside Judges Cormac Dunne and Flann Brennan, allowed Braney bail on consent from May 26 until June 3. He was required to enter a €100 bond, surrender his passport, reside at specified addresses, sign on twice daily at a garda station, observe a curfew between 7am and 7pm, and provide a mobile number. Additionally, he must not contact prosecution witnesses or associate with co-accused or persons charged with scheduled offences, except in the presence of his legal team. His independent surety of €3,250 was present in court. Braney's trial is currently listed for June 9. He is one of seven men charged with membership of the IRA on July 3, 2013. His co-accused are Peter Burns, Brian Nick McBennet, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan, and Desmond Christie. All six co-accused face the same alleged charge. The matter remains at the trial stage, with Braney's temporary bail period set to expire before his scheduled trial date.
Daryl Bolger, aged 23, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for endangerment, five counts of dangerous driving and driving without insurance after a high‑speed pursuit in January 2015. He had taken 20 tranquiliser tablets and, while a passenger, moved to the driver's seat and fled the Garda's questioning. The chase, lasting 20 minutes around Tallaght, saw the toddler in the back seat unrestrained, causing school children to flee the road and motorists to swerve. Bolger's vehicle broke red lights, lifted off the road and, at one point, performed a handbrake turn that nearly collided with a patrol car. He was arrested at his home after hiding under a bed, with the child still in the car. The court noted his 91 prior convictions, including hijacking, theft and burglary, and his unlawful release from Mountjoy Prison for drug treatment. Daryl Bolger pleaded guilty.