Seamus Morgan, 49, of Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Laurence Keane, 56. A jury of three men and nine women returned a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for three hours and six minutes. Mr Justice Robert Eagar imposed the life sentence, backdating it to April 23, 2014, the date Morgan entered custody. Morgan had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court heard that Keane was beaten in a lane-way in Athy on July 18, 2013, suffering severe blunt force trauma to the head, and died the following day. Evidence included witness testimony of a scuffle and forensic analysis of blood stains on the accused's runners, which matched Keane's DNA profile. Morgan has eight previous convictions, including a 2005 manslaughter conviction for the stabbing death of James Hand outside a Dublin pub, for which he received an eight-year sentence. The victim's family read a statement describing Keane as a disabled man and expressing the lasting impact of his death. The judge exempted the jury from service for four years.
In the Central Criminal Court, State lawyers argued that Gary Flynn, 31, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, was a member of a "murder gang" that planned and carried out the killing of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North on 13 March 2009. Prosecutor Alex Owens SC told the jury that the gang met at Moran's Hotel on Naas Road, travelled to Tallaght in three vehicles—a Nissan Primera, a Volkswagen Golf and a Mercedes Van—and left around 7.30 pm. At about 8.15 pm, a gang member shot O'Byrne, was tackled by Sharon Rattigan who was waiting outside, and the shooter fell over a wall, separating from the rest of the gang. Rattigan was wounded in the leg. Owens said the shooter returned alone to Moran's Hotel, and that Flynn's membership and involvement in the common design to murder O'Byrne were central to the State's case. Flynn pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Seamus Morgan (49) pleaded not guilty to the killing of Laurence Keane (56) on 19 July 2013. The prosecution argued that Keane was badly battered in the head with an iron bar in a lane‑way near St John's Lane, Athy, between 11.30 and 11.45 pm on 18 July 2013, and died the next morning at Naas General Hospital. A post‑mortem found blunt‑force trauma and four skull fractures. Witnesses, including young men on bicycles, testified they saw Morgan assault Keane. DNA evidence linked blood on a pair of Adidas runners found at Morgan's home to Keane's post‑mortem sample. CCTV and other evidence showed Morgan and Keane together that night, and a motive of long‑standing ill‑will was presented. Morgan was arrested on 25 July 2013, rearrested in April 2014, and the trial continues.
Michael O'Shea, 70, of Smithstown, Maynooth, had been convicted of careless driving causing the death of Kevin O'Sullivan at Graiguesallagh, Ladychapel, in January 2013. He had pleaded not guilty at Naas Circuit Criminal Court, was disqualified from driving for four years, fined €5,000 and ordered to retake a driver competency test. In December 2014 Judge Gerard Griffin directed the disqualification and fine. On 15 December 2015 the Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal, found that the trial judge had misdirected the jury by classifying the offence as one of strict liability. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and directed a retrial. The appeal was argued by Damien Colgan SC, who contended that the jury had not been properly instructed on the requirement of intention or recklessness for the offence of careless driving causing death.
Adrian Doyle, 35, of Lakelands, Naas, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis herb at a rented property in Church View Lawns, Prosperous, Co Kildare, in May 2014. Garda Eoghan O'Neill stopped Doyle's car at a checkpoint on St Johns Road, Dublin, where a cannabis smell was detected. Cannabis herb worth €4,428 was seized from the vehicle, and a subsequent search of the Prosperous address uncovered 24 early‑stage cannabis plants valued at €19,200, almost 2½ kg of dried herb worth €48,886, books on cultivation, bank slips, Doyle's phone, and €26,000 in cash in a laundry basket. Judge Martin Nolan noted the cash may include redundancy payment residue and profit from cannabis sales, and imposed a three‑year jail sentence. Doyle had no prior convictions, was described as remorseful, and had worked in financial services before losing his job during the downturn.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on Brian Meehan's appeal to have his 1999 conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin declared a miscarriage of justice. Meehan, 47, is serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison after a 31‑day trial by the Special Criminal Court in July 1999. His appeal is based on new evidence that emerged during the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan, who was acquitted of Guerin's murder. The new evidence concerns the identification parade of Russell Warren, the "admitted accomplice" and protected witness, who was not identified by Ms Marion Finnegan, a witness who saw someone on the steps of Naas courthouse on the day of the shooting. Meehan's counsel, Hugh Hartnett SC, argues that this failure to identify Warren was unknown to the defence, the court and the prosecution, and therefore constitutes a new fact.
Brian Meehan, 47, serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison for the 1996 murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, has applied to the Court of Appeal to quash his 1999 conviction on the basis of new evidence. The new evidence concerns facts that emerged during the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan, who was acquitted of Guerin's murder. Meehan's counsel, Hugh Hartnett SC, argued that the Special Criminal Court had relied solely on the testimony of an "admitted accomplice" and protected witness, Russell Warren, whose credibility was later undermined by a failure to identify him on an identification parade involving witness Marian Finnegan. Hartnett contended that this new fact, unknown to the defence and the court at the time of Meehan's trial, should invalidate the conviction. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Thomas O'Connell SC, opposed the application, asserting that the material was already available to Meehan's lawyers and that the appeal should be dismissed.
A 51‑year‑old man was jailed for sexually exploiting a 15‑year‑old special needs student. He had pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child at a known location on 23 December 2010. The original sentence was six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. On appeal the Court of Appeal found the six‑year starting point "simply too high" and re‑sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, again with the final two years suspended. The judge noted that the victim had Asperger's syndrome and a special needs assistant, and that the offender had contacted her through an adult dating website in October 2010, grooming her via phone calls and text messages. They arranged to meet on 23 December 2010 during the victim's lunch break. The offender drove her to a roadside location, forced sexual contact, and later threatened her not to report the incident.
Howard Kelly, aged 41, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 48‑year‑old Margot Seery, who was strangled in her Kenilworth Square flat in Dublin on 7–8 October 1994. Kelly walked into a Garda station in Naas in July 2014 and confessed to the killing, claiming he had been threatened by Seery and had acted in a "completely unprovoked" manner. The court heard that Seery's body was found fully clothed, face‑down on her bed, and that a post‑mortem at the time had indicated death by asphyxiation from vomit after alcohol consumption, a conclusion later challenged by Kelly's confession. The prosecution presented statements from Kelly, Garda evidence, and victim impact statements from Seery's daughter and brother. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, imposed a life sentence back‑dated to 27 March 2015. The case was described as highly unusual by the State prosecutor. Howard Kelly pleaded guilty.
Richard Molloy, a 44‑year‑old printer from Kildare, was convicted of possessing equipment for producing counterfeit banknotes and sentenced to six years in prison. He had been selling €20,000 of fake €50 notes to an IRA associate in exchange for €2,200, and a Special Detective Unit search uncovered over €2 million in counterfeit notes and the machinery used to make them. Molloy admitted he was working with the IRA but denied direct involvement with the organisation. He pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeiting tools after initially being charged with membership of an illegal organisation. The court, after hearing his financial difficulties and family circumstances, imposed the full six‑year term without suspension.
Kenneth Cummins, aged 28, and Sabrina Cummins, aged 37, both from Ringsend Park, Dublin 4, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Horan, 63, at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, on 6 January last year. Dr Alan Byrne, consultant psychiatrist at Lakeview Unit, Naas General Hospital, testified that Kenneth Cummins was voluntarily admitted to a mental health unit from 24 December 2013 to 3 January 2014 because he expressed suicidal thoughts and was agitated. He had previously been homeless and had been admitted for stabilisation. On 3 January 2014, an arrangement was made for him to leave the psychiatric unit to a homeless accommodation. The prosecution's case was concluded by counsel Mr Garret Baker BL. Judge Tony Hunt informed the jury that the trial would continue the following day, noting that Sabrina Cummins would not attend due to illness. The case remains at the stage where the jury will consider the evidence presented.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jenzsoph Ltd was convicted on two counts under the Environmental Protection Act for causing pollution and nuisance odours at a landfill near Naas, Kildare. The first offence involved holding or disposing of waste that produced nuisance odours between 1 February 2007 and 25 November 2008, and the second involved a large mound of waste likely to cause pollution between 22 October 2003 and 25 November 2008. The company, which controls the 30‑hectare site, had granted licences to Neiphin Trading and the Environmental Protection Agency, but no defence was presented. Judge Patrick McCartan fined the company €10 million for each count, directing payment within one month. The trial lasted two weeks, with the jury deliberating for one hour before delivering guilty verdicts.
Richard Molloy, a 44‑year‑old printer from Naas, was found to have run a sophisticated counterfeit banknote operation while allegedly working with the IRA. He sold €20,000 in fake €50 notes to an IRA associate in exchange for €2,200 in genuine cash. A Special Detective Unit search of his printing premises uncovered over €2 million in counterfeit notes, both finished and unfinished, and the equipment used to produce them. Molloy pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeiting tools at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded on continuing bail for sentencing on 7 November 2015. The court heard he began counterfeiting after his printing business suffered from the economic downturn, and that he had no direct involvement with the IRA beyond alleged cooperation. The case highlighted the scale of the operation and the evidence presented by the prosecution. The judge was urged to consider Molloy's financial hardship, his ill partner and child when determining his sentence.
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.
Brian Meehan, 47, from Crumlin, is serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison for the 1996 murder of journalist Veronica Guerin. He was convicted in a 31‑day trial before the Special Criminal Court in July 1999 and also jailed on drugs and firearms charges. Meehan has applied to have his 1999 murder conviction quashed on the basis of new evidence that emerged during the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan. The Court of Appeal scheduled his application for hearing on 19 and 20 November. The DPP's counsel, Paul Anthony McDermott, said the State needed two more weeks to prepare submissions, citing the volume of material since the murder. The DPP's motion to dismiss Meehan's application was refused last year, and the Court of Appeal will now consider whether the case should proceed. The hearing will focus on whether the new evidence constitutes a miscarriage of justice.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Dunne, aged 27, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for making a threat to kill Derek Walker in Clondalkin on 15 January 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended the last 18 months of the sentence. Dunne, who has 126 prior convictions, also pleaded guilty to criminal damage to Walker's vehicle, possession of a GPS device for use in a crime, and theft of an Audi A4. His brother Aaron Dunne, aged 21, was previously sentenced to two and a half years with 18 months suspended for criminal damage and possession of a baseball bat during the same incident. The trial noted that Walker and a woman were hostile witnesses, and that witnesses were terrified and reluctant to testify. The court recorded that Walker had claimed the Dunne brothers owed him money for a car he had sold.
Alan Freeman, aged 34, was convicted of theft for his role in a January 2009 robbery at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary, where more than 40 firearms were taken. He pleaded guilty at Naas Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Gerrard Griffin on 1 April 2014. The Court of Appeal noted the robbery's significance to the Gardaí and that Freeman had been assisted by experienced counsel. On appeal, Judge George Birmingham reviewed Freeman's earlier suspended sentence of eight years for a bank robbery, of which six years had been reactivated, making a global sentence of 13 years. Applying the principle of totality and proportionality, Birmingham suspended two years of the seven‑year sentence, leaving Freeman with an overall sentence of 11 years. He agreed to a €100 bond to maintain peace and good behaviour during the suspended period.
Lawyers for the State have requested an additional two weeks to file a response to Brian Meehan's appeal, which seeks to have his 1999 conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin declared a miscarriage of justice. Meehan, aged 47 and serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison, is arguing that new evidence from the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan undermines his conviction. The evidence relates to material that emerged during Gilligan's trial, in which Gilligan was acquitted of Guerin's murder but convicted of cannabis importation. During case‑management proceedings in the Court of Appeal, the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Paul Anthony McDermott, explained that the State needed time to prepare a full set of submissions, citing the volume of material and the need to clarify the meaning of new evidence.
Carmel O'Reilly, a 28-year-old from Belturbet, County Cavan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing almost two kilograms of herbal cannabis for sale or supply on the Naas Road on December 13, 2013. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to a five-year suspended sentence, noting she played "a very small part, at the lowest level" in the operation. The judge described O'Reilly as vulnerable and stated she had "perfect mitigation," citing her guilty plea, cooperation with gardaí, lack of prior record, and strong references. He took the "unusual step" of avoiding imprisonment, viewing the incident as a one-off offence. O'Reilly was the front-seat passenger in a vehicle driven by co-accused Dominick Brady, her former partner and the father of her daughter. Brady, who allegedly held the senior role, disappeared three days before his scheduled court appearance in December, and his whereabouts remain unknown. Prosecution evidence indicated Brady brought O'Reilly along for convenience and cover. Defense counsel highlighted O'Reilly's vulnerability, depression, and history of manipulation by Brady. The court accepted that O'Reilly was led by Brady and acted under his influence, resulting in the suspended disposal rather than immediate custody.
Stephen Lyons, 23, of Newbridge, appealed a four‑year sentence for assaulting a Filipino national on 31 October 2010. The original judge, Michael O'Shea, had rejected evidence that Lyons acted in excessive self‑defence. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, found the sentence unduly severe and imposed a new term of two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 15 months suspended. Lyons had claimed that the victim, after a confrontation, thrust a knife at him and that he fled, only to be pursued and punched, resulting in a scrotal stab. Witnesses testified to kicks to the victim's head. Lyons had no prior convictions, a positive probation report, and had been denied a career in the army because of the conviction. The appeal was granted on the basis that the sentencing judge had not been properly notified of the self‑defence evidence. Stephen Lyons pleaded not guilty.
Lee McDonnell, 23, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery at Sarsfield Service Station on 21 January 2012, and to robbery of cigarettes, a sunglass case and a shop assistant. He was originally sentenced to six years imprisonment, three of which were suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal set a new effective sentence of six years imprisonment with the final year suspended, and a concurrent four‑year sentence for the robbery charge. The new sentences run concurrently with a five‑year sentence for a burglary committed in 2011, and McDonnell is already serving a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended for aggravated burglary. The appeal was heard by a three‑judge panel, and the court noted McDonnell's 111 prior convictions at the time of sentencing.
Two Polish brothers, Slawomir (37) and Marcin (29) Syzmala, were jailed for ten years after a Garda operation uncovered almost €3.5 million worth of cannabis and cannabis resin in Meath. The brothers had rented a farmhouse, Knock House, as a storage hub and were found to have packed a large amount of drugs for distribution. They pleaded guilty to three charges of having drugs for sale or supply at two different locations on 17 April 2014. The operation involved surveillance that led officers to the farmhouse, a people carrier, and an apartment complex in Blanchardstown. DNA on gloves linked both men to the house, and a key to a Mercedes van was found there. The brothers had no admissions in interviews, and the case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted their Polish nationality would pose extra difficulties in serving time.
Anthony Piercy, a 33‑year‑old father of four from Naas, was sentenced to three years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for making demands with menace and for two separate threats to damage property. He claimed that Martin Gallagher, owner of Glenshane Stores in Tallaght, was responsible for €30,000 worth of damage to his home and threatened to use pipe bombs to burn the shop. Piercy called Gallagher's partner, Lisa Plunkett, demanding money and threatening to burn the shop if Gallagher refused to meet him. He returned to the shop the next day, again threatening to use pipe bombs and to close the shop at 3 pm. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Piercy had a "wrong and irrational belief" about Gallagher's involvement, suspended the final 18 months of the sentence, and noted that Piercy had been a good family man and had no prior convictions for similar offences. Anthony Piercy pleaded guilty.
Sashi Buti, a 19‑year‑old former Blackrock college rugby player, was sentenced in June for robbing a taxi driver on 23 August 2014. He and another man forced the driver to take them to St Michael's Estate, where Buti assaulted the driver, robbed his iPhone, SatNav and €220, and left his passport, mobile phone and a necklace in the taxi. After the assault he reported the passport as lost at a Garda station. The driver suffered tenderness and swelling, and the stolen items were never recovered. Buti pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge described his reporting of the passport as a "clever ploy" and noted that he had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 13 June, with a report from Probation Services required.
Alan Freeman, aged 34, pleaded guilty to theft in a 2009 robbery of over 40 firearms at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Gerrard Griffin on 1 April 2014. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 April 2015, Freeman's counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, applied to appeal the conviction on the single ground that the prosecution bore the burden of proving Freeman was not induced into pleading guilty. McGinn argued that Freeman had extensive contact with a senior investigating Garda, a detective superintendent, up to the evening before the plea, including phone calls and face‑to‑face meetings, and that this contact was not disclosed to Freeman's legal team. He claimed Freeman effectively told his counsel he would plead guilty regardless of advice. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Patrick McCarthy SC, countered that Freeman's plea was freely made and that no illegal conduct had occurred.
Declan Phelan, 32, of Tallaght, Dublin, was granted bail by the Special Criminal Court on charges of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The court imposed strict conditions, including surrendering his passport, signing daily at Naas Garda Station between 2 pm and 11 pm, observing a curfew from midnight to 6:30 am, and refraining from leaving the jurisdiction or associating with persons charged or convicted of scheduled offences. He must also maintain a single mobile phone with the Gardaí. Bail was set on an independent surety of €10,000 and his own bond of €100. Phelan is scheduled to appear again on June 9, 2015. This case stems from a special sitting in July 2013, where Phelan and six other men were charged with the same offence on July 3, 2013. The co-accused are Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, Brian Nick McBennett, John Brock, and Desmond Christie. All seven men face allegations of IRA membership, but no pleas, findings, or sentences have been recorded for the group at this procedural stage. The report confirms only Phelan's bail grant and upcoming court date, while the status of the other accused remains pending further proceedings.
James O'Donovan, 29, of Athy, County Kildare, was convicted of dangerous driving that caused the deaths of his girlfriend Rosanna Potts, 22, and Teresa Kiely, 49, at Youngstown, Athy on 27 December 2012. The crash occurred when O'Donovan's Pajero SUV appeared to drive into a ditch on its own side of the road before swerving into the middle of the road at high speed and striking Teresa Kiely's Toyota Prius. Teresa died at the scene; Rosanna was taken to Naas Hospital and later to The Mater Hospital, where she died three weeks later. O'Donovan pleaded not guilty, claiming that Potts was pulling on his hoodie and arguing with him, causing him to lose control. A Garda forensic investigator found no evidence of braking and said the crash was caused by O'Donovan attempting to manoeuvre at too high a speed. He had been previously convicted for dangerous driving that caused spinal injuries to another driver two months earlier.
In February 2015, lawyers for the State were instructed to prepare a substantive response to Brian Meehan's appeal, which seeks to have his 1999 conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin declared a miscarriage of justice. Meehan, 47, is serving a life sentence in Portlaoise Prison after a 31‑day trial before the Special Criminal Court. He also faces convictions for drugs and firearms. Meehan's appeal is based on new evidence that emerged during the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Tom O'Connell, noted that the evidence was already known before the original appeal and that the DPP had previously moved to dismiss the application, a motion that was refused by the Court of Criminal Appeal. The Court of Appeal has ordered the State to submit a comprehensive response, with case management to be considered on 19 June.
Raymond Quinn, 46, a Kildare businessman, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing his elderly mother's credit card and using it to make unauthorised purchases, including hotel stays and flights, totalling €14,153. He pleaded guilty to six charges of theft at AIB and Ulster Bank branches and one charge at Brittas. Quinn had no prior convictions. The judge noted the breach of trust and the fact that his mother, now in a nursing home with dementia, had been defrauded. A three‑year suspended sentence was imposed, and Quinn was ordered to pay €8 a week for three years to repay the debt. He receives a weekly social welfare payment of €188 and has been urged to begin repaying the money to his mother. The case highlighted his financial difficulties and the impact of his actions on his family.
Michael Jones, aged 30, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended for assaulting security guard James Bowe at Powerscourt Shopping Centre in Dublin on 26 June 2010. Jones, who was intoxicated, fractured Bowe's C7 vertebra, bit his finger and palm, and caused serious injuries that Bowe had a pre‑existing spinal condition. The judge, Desmond Hogan, noted the assault was on the lower end of the medium range of seriousness and that Jones had not intended the severe injuries. Jones had previously pleaded not guilty to assault in Dublin and was convicted by a jury in July. He had earlier convictions in Northern Ireland, including a suspended sentence for indecent assault in 2007, and a two‑year prison term for robbery in 2010. The court ordered Jones to attend alcohol treatment and remain under probation supervision for 12 months after release. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the injuries and Jones' prior record.
Aaron Dunne, aged 21, of Grangeview Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, has been sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following convictions for document fraud and criminal damage. Dunne pleaded guilty to ten counts of possessing and using a forged learner permit licence between June and November 2012, having arranged for another person to sit his theory test and then altering the resulting licence with his own photograph. When gardaí seized the false document, Dunne reported it lost and obtained a replacement through a local garda station without the seizure being checked on the database. He was sentenced to two and a half years for the fraud offences. Dunne also pleaded guilty to criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during an incident at a restaurant near Rathcoole in January 2013, receiving an additional consecutive sentence of two and a half years with eighteen months suspended. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted the extended period of false document use posed a danger to the public.
In November 2014, Mark Mahony, aged 34, and Jason Brennan, aged 33, were convicted of possessing €3.5 million worth of cocaine and heroin. Both were sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with a three‑year portion suspended, by Judge Martin Nolan at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The pair had met in the car park of a service station in Naas on 17 January 2013, where they transferred boxes of drugs to Mahony's car. They were arrested as they tried to leave the car park. The drugs were valued at €488,761 of cocaine and just over €3.1 million of heroin. Both men appealed, arguing the sentence was excessive and that mitigating factors had not been adequately considered. Judge Garrett Sheehan rejected the appeal, noting that neither had prior convictions, that Mahony had worked from age 15 and had been drug‑free at sentencing, and that Brennan had worked steadily from 2003 to 2012 and had a family. Mark Mahony pleaded guilty. Jason Brennan pleaded guilty.
Brian Meehan, aged 47 and serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison for the 1996 murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, has applied to quash his 1999 conviction on the grounds of a miscarriage of justice. The appeal is based on new evidence that emerged during the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan, who was acquitted of Guerin's murder but convicted of cannabis importation. Meehan's case, brought under Section 2 of the Criminal Procedures Act, argues that the new facts disclosed in Gilligan's trial demonstrate that his conviction was wrongful. The Director of Public Prosecutions had previously sought to dismiss the application, but the Court of Criminal Appeal refused that motion earlier this year. Submissions for Meehan's appeal are nearly complete, and the Court of Appeal has listed the case for mention again on December 15, with a hearing date to be fixed thereafter. The appeal remains pending, and no further outcome has been announced.
Michael Jones, a 30‑year‑old Belfast sex offender, was sentenced in Dublin for assaulting a security guard, James Bowe, at the Powerscourt Shopping Centre on 26 June 2010. Jones, who was intoxicated, entered the closed centre through an open goods delivery entrance, confronted Bowe, and pulled him to the ground. He struck Bowe's head, kicked and pummelled him, bit Bowe's index finger bone and palm, causing a fractured neck bone and bleeding. A jury convicted Jones in July 2010. Judge Desmond Hogan heard the case and remanded Jones in custody for sentencing next month. Garda Shane Moriarty noted Jones's prior 2007 conviction for indecent assault, a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, and a suspended sentence that was breached in 2010 when he left Northern Ireland for Kildare. Jones has further convictions for theft, assault and traffic offences, and was recently sentenced to two years in prison for a robbery in June 2010. Michael Jones pleaded not guilty.
Lawyers for three men charged with the murder of Peter Butterly, a 35‑year‑old dissident republican, have applied to the Special Criminal Court for disclosure of documents relating to former co‑accused David Cullen, who turned a state witness. The accused—Edward McGrath (32), Dean Evans (22) and Sharif Kelly (43)—have pleaded not guilty to the murder and to firearm offences committed on 6 March 2013 at the Huntsman Inn car park. Cullen, who had pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol and was jailed for three‑and‑a‑half years, was later found not to be charged with murder. His medical records, psychiatric treatment history and notes with his lawyers are sought to assess his credibility. The court will decide on the disclosure applications tomorrow, with the case continuing before Judges Cormac Dunne, Margaret Heneghan and Justice Deirdre Murphy.
Two men have received sentences totaling 15 years for their part in the killing of a man in Co. Kildare last year. Last week, Darren Wynne (21) was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his best friend Jamie Lindsay (20) who he shot in the face. Wynne of Ballyroe, Athy, Co. Kildare had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Mr Lindsay at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy on April 6, 2013. Quentin Monaghan (21) of Tullamoy, Stradbally, Co. Laois and James Seery (21) of Canal Side, Athy who were also charged with the murder and were tried alongside Wynne but pleaded guilty to manslaughter during the trial. Today Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan sentenced Monaghan to eight years imprisonment with two suspended for the manslaughter. Mr Justice Sheehan sentenced Seery to seven years imprisonment with three suspended for the killing. Monaghan was sentenced to four years for firearms offences to run concurrently with the manslaughter sentence. Seery was sentenced to three years to run concurrently for firearm offences. Last week Mr Justice Sheehan sentenced Wynne to life in prison for the murder and adjourned sentencing for the firearms offences until November next when probation and psychological reports will be before the court. Although Wynne pleaded guilty to manslaughter during his trial the plea was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Darren Wynne (21) of Ballyroe, Athy, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Athy, on April 6, 2013. Wynne, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a unanimous jury after a trial at the Central Criminal Court. He was also convicted of possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan adjourned sentencing for these firearms offences until November, pending probation and psychological reports. Although Wynne pleaded guilty to manslaughter during the trial, the plea was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Quentin Monaghan (21) of Stradbally and James Seery (21) of Canal Side, Athy, were tried alongside Wynne. Both men pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Their pleas were accepted by the DPP. Mr Justice Sheehan remanded Monaghan and Seery in custody, and their sentencing is scheduled for July 31. The court heard evidence that Wynne shot Mr Lindsay in the face with a sawn-off shotgun. Monaghan and Seery were alleged to have been part of a joint enterprise, with Seery texting the victim to approach the scene. A victim impact statement from the deceased's sister described the family's heartbreak.
In a High Court hearing on 2 July 2014, Goffs Bloodstock Sales Ltd sought payment from horse trainer Eugene McDermott and his wife Ashley Scanlon following the sale of the racehorse "Investmentsuccess". Goffs claimed the horse's transfer to Ms Scanlon breached a 2012 mortgage agreement and was conducted without notice or consent. The horse was sold for approximately €178,000, with proceeds deposited into Ms Scanlon's Ulster Bank account. Goffs had obtained an injunction preventing Ms Scanlon from accessing funds above €202,000. During the hearing, Mr McDermott, representing himself, acknowledged that the monies were owed to Goffs and that payment was his intention, though he disputed the alleged clandestine transfer. The court agreed to order the transfer of up to €178,000 from Ms Scanlon's account to Goffs, noting that €94,000 was currently held there. The case was adjourned with liberty to re‑enter.
The trial of James Seery, Quentin Monaghan, and Darren Wynne, all 21, continues before the Central Criminal Court under Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. The three men are accused of murdering Jamie Lindsay at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy, Co. Kildare, on April 6, 2013. All three pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Mr. Wynne also pleaded not guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun with intent to endanger life but pleaded guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Mr. Seery and Mr. Monaghan pleaded not guilty to both possession charges. Deputy State Pathologist Dr. Michael Curtis testified that Mr. Lindsay died from a shotgun wound to the head, specifically a discharge to the right eye at point-blank range. He noted extensive skull fractures and blunt force injuries, while confirming the deceased had a blood alcohol level of 128mg per cent and cannabis in his system. The prosecution alleges Mr. Wynne fired the weapon after luring the victim into the open, with Mr. Seery and Mr. Monaghan participating in a joint enterprise. The trial is ongoing before a jury of eight men and four women.
The trial of three men accused of murdering a 20-year-old in County Kildare opened at the Central Criminal Court this week. James Seery and Quentin Monaghan, both aged 21, pleaded not guilty to murder, whilst Darren Wynne, also 21, pleaded not guilty to the same charge. Wynne additionally pleaded not guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun with intent to endanger life, though he admitted possession of the firearm in suspicious circumstances. Seery and Monaghan denied further counts of possessing a sawn-off shotgun with intent to endanger life. The prosecution alleges that Jamie Lindsay was fatally shot at Coney Green, Athy on 6 April 2013. Opening the State's case, counsel contended that Wynne discharged the weapon, whilst Seery and Monaghan provided material assistance through driving and luring the victim to the scene. Witnesses testified that Lindsay had been shouting on the phone shortly before the fatal shooting occurred. The trial continues before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.
In a High Court action, Goffs Bloodstock Sales Ltd has sued trainer Eugene McDermott and his wife Ashley Scanlon, alleging that the racehorse "Investmentsuccess" was transferred by McDermott to Scanlon without Goffs' consent and subsequently sold. The sale, reportedly for €178,000, was deposited into Scanlon's Ulster Bank account. Goffs claims the transfer breached a 2012 chattel mortgage agreement that required notice of any sale and payment of proceeds within seven days. A temporary injunction was granted by Mr Justice Brian McGovern, preventing Scanlon from accessing the funds. The case stems from earlier litigation in 2011–2012 where Goffs sought repayment of money owed by McDermott, resulting in a €282,000 judgment and subsequent mortgage agreements for nine horses. Goffs now seeks to enforce the mortgage terms and recover the proceeds of the disputed sale.
A civil engineer from Kingscourt, County Cavan, has been sentenced to three years in prison by the Court of Criminal Appeal for dangerous driving causing death. Ronan Cunningham, aged 30, had pleaded guilty to causing the death of Emanuel Mendez on the N7 Naas dual carriageway in October 2010 whilst driving whilst under the influence of alcohol. The original five-year suspended sentence imposed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 2012 was deemed unduly lenient and was overturned on appeal. Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman, presiding, described Cunningham's driving—travelling seven kilometres in the wrong direction after consuming approximately eight pints—as "hideous". The court also imposed a 15-year driving ban. Cunningham was afforded one week to arrange his personal affairs before commencing his sentence.
Political activist Ben Gilroy was sentenced to a four-week suspended prison term after being found in contempt of court orders regarding the receivership of a Co Kildare stud farm. The proceedings were brought by joint receivers Mark Reynolds and Glenn Crann, who alleged Gilroy was centrally involved in events on August 28 and 31 last year when protesters forced security staff off the property. Gilroy, representing himself, denied the allegations, arguing he was merely an observer invited by Charles Allen and that the court orders were invalid. Mr Justice Seán Ryan rejected these arguments, ruling that Gilroy committed a flagrant and serious breach of injunctions against trespassing. The judge found Gilroy instrumental in creating a tense and dangerous situation, though he acknowledged other parties, including landowner Eugene McDermott and Mr Allen, had also played leading roles. Considering the land had been sold and the actions of Gardaí and security personnel, the judge determined a suspended sentence was appropriate, noting that actual imprisonment was not required. Gilroy was also ordered to pay the receivers' legal costs. He stated he would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court. The judge dismissed Gilroy's request to recuse himself, noting his separate impeachment motions were unrelated to the court's proceedings.
The High Court will give judgment later this month on a contempt of court claim against political activist Ben Gilroy, founder of Direct Democracy Ireland, following a protest at a 120‑acre stud farm in Kildare in August. Mr Gilroy challenges allegations that he was in contempt of court orders that restricted interference with the receivership of the farm, arguing the action was politically motivated and that witnesses had lied. He claims he was invited onto the property by Charles Allen of the Rodolphus Allen private trust and was merely an observer, not an organizer. The receivers, represented by Michael Howard SC, maintain that Mr Gilroy knowingly breached the orders and that the necessary elements for contempt have been proven. Mr Gilroy also requests the matter be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The judge has reserved his decision and will rule after the Easter vacation on April 29th.
A man's indecent assault conviction has been quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in the first case decided under a recent Supreme Court ruling on suspect interrogation rights. The man, now aged 45, had been sentenced to two years imprisonment in April 2012 after conviction on two counts by jury at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The alleged offences dated to December 1986 and 1987 in County Kildare. The applicant's counsel argued that a garda interview conducted before the man received legal advice breached his constitutional rights, citing the Supreme Court's March 2014 decision in DPP v Gormley, which established that suspects requesting a solicitor cannot be questioned until receiving legal advice. Presiding judge Mr Justice John MacMenamin found the case fell squarely within Gormley's principles. He noted the applicant's solicitor was en route to the station when questioning proceeded, and determined the interview material was inadmissible. The court allowed the appeal and declined to order a retrial, given the applicant had already served his sentence. The unnamed 45-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 4 April 2014, Ben Gilroy, founder of Direct Democracy Ireland, denied allegations that he assaulted a security guard during protests at a stud farm in County Kildare. Joint receivers Mr Mark Reynolds and others claimed Gilroy was a leader of the protest group that forced receivership security off the property on 28 and 31 August. Gilroy said he was invited onto the land by Charles Allen of the Rodolphus Allen private trust and was merely an observer, not an organizer. He argued he had not been properly served with notice of the contempt application and that court orders preventing interference with the receivers were invalid. Mr Reynolds maintained that a sworn statement had alleged Gilroy's assault, but he insisted the statement should have named a member of Gilroy's group instead.
Ben Gilroy, a political activist and founder of Direct Democracy Ireland, appears before the High Court to challenge allegations that he was in contempt of court for interfering with the receivership of a 120‑acre stud farm in Kildare. The receivers, appointed by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, claim that Gilroy was a ringleader of protests on 28 and 31 August that forced them off the property. Gilroy, representing himself, denies any role beyond that of an observer, stating he was invited onto the land by Charles Allen of the Rodolphus Allen private trust and that he was not properly served with a notice of contempt. Video evidence presented by the receivers shows Gilroy speaking to a crowd and an audio clip from an internet radio interview in which he claims credit for the protest. Gilroy disputes these claims, arguing the footage shows him merely observing.
In the murder trial of 30‑year‑old Eugene Cullen, the State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified that the deceased, Seamus O'Byrne, suffered five gunshot wounds, including one to the head, three to the back and one in the hip. She noted injuries to the brain, heart and lungs and stated the cause of death was the chest wounds, with head and leg wounds contributing. The prosecution alleged Cullen was not the gunman but part of a four‑man plot. Witnesses described a silver car and a Volkswagen Passat seen near the scene, and a silver Nissan Primera with a flat tyre. Garda investigations involved house‑to‑house enquiries, CCTV footage from an Applegreen station, and the discovery of a left‑handed black glove in a drain. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Barry White with a jury of five men and seven women. Eugene Cullen pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Criminal Appeal ruled on Tuesday that a five-year wholly suspended sentence imposed for dangerous driving causing death was unduly lenient. Ronan Cunningham, aged 31, of Enniskeen, Kingscourt, had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in December 2011 to causing the death of Emmanuel Mendes, aged 24, on the N7 Naas dual carriageway on 10 October 2010. Cunningham also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol. He had driven seven kilometres in the wrong direction down the dual carriageway after consuming seven or eight pints. His car collided with a vehicle carrying Mr Mendes and his fiancée; Mr Mendes was fatally injured. Presiding Judge Adrian Hardiman stated that the "extraordinary nature" of the driving had not been adequately considered at sentencing. The court directed preparation of a probation report and adjourned the case to 6 November for submissions on an appropriate sentence.