Kevin Braney, 44, of Tallaght, was charged with murdering dissident republican Peter Butterly in March 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the murder and was also charged with possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. The Special Criminal Court, after the prosecution's case closed, refused a defence application for a direction to acquit on the firearm charges. The court directed an acquittal on those counts. Braney's defence argued that State witness David Cullen's evidence was unreliable and that no forensic or DNA links tied Braney to the crime. The court noted the absence of any evidence linking Braney to phones or the weapons. The case remains pending, with a judgment expected early next year. Braney was remanded in custody until 18 January.
David Berney, 37, of Suncroft Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to burglary of a Centra store in Jobstown on 2 March 2018 during Storm Emma. He was already on bail for a 2014 burglary of a private home in Stepaside, for which he had also pleaded guilty. Berney admitted that his offences were driven by a drug habit, citing cocaine use at the time of the shop looting. He has prior convictions for robbery, assault, burglary and threats to kill. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to two years for the 2014 burglary and an additional 18 months for the 2018 looting, suspending the latter on the condition of keeping the peace and engaging in addiction and social reintegration services. The court noted Berney was found hiding in the shop's cash room, and a sledgehammer was used by accomplices to break into the back offices. The case remains under the jurisdiction of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During a two‑week trial in Tralee, dairy farmer Michael Ferris (63) was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of neighbour Anthony O'Mahony (73) on 4 April 2017. Ferris admitted to blocking a small road with a New Holland teleporter and driving it at O'Mahony's car, causing catastrophic injuries that killed him. The victim impact statement, read by O'Mahony's brother Seamus, described the brutal nature of the attack and the emotional toll on the family, who feel their brother's good character was unfairly attacked in court. Seamus expressed fear that Ferris might "snap again" and that the family will live in fear of encountering him on the road. The statement highlighted the family's isolation and the lasting pain of the incident. The court has remanded Ferris in custody until his sentencing on 3 December.
David Browne, 41, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight burglary counts in Celbridge in June 2017. Garda Conor Morris presented CCTV evidence of Browne entering sheds, taking power tools and a laptop from a business premises, and avoiding confrontation with homeowners. Browne has 171 prior convictions, including 36 theft offences, one robbery and 108 traffic offences. He had a four‑year sentence in 2013 for 11 thefts. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year prison term, suspending the last 15 months on condition he engage with the Probation Service after release.
Alan Lynch, 58, a homeless man with no fixed abode, was sentenced to ten years in jail for cultivating cannabis at Keelogues House, Heronford Lane, Shankill, Dublin. Lynch had previously been released from prison after a four‑year sentence for drug possession and had 19 prior traffic convictions. He pleaded guilty to a Section 15A offence for growing cannabis worth an estimated €763,560. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the mandatory minimum of ten years, citing Lynch's history of drug and alcohol dependence and his inability to rehabilitate. Lynch had been in custody since his arrest in January of that year. The court noted that the balance of the sentence could be reviewed after six years, with the possibility of serving or suspending the remaining term. The case stemmed from a police investigation triggered by a blue Mercedes van crash near the grow house, which led to the discovery of 917 cannabis plants and a 1.5 kg haul.
Eoin Morrow, a 38‑year‑old bricklayer from Dundalk, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing €1.38 million worth of cannabis resin and prescription drugs. Gardaí, using confidential information, set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. The truck driver, John Needham, 31, and Morrow removed boxes of cannabis and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park, Finglas. A subsequent search uncovered 96 kg of cannabis, valued at €580,200, and 400,000 Zopiclone pills, valued at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug on 25 July 2015. He had 15 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He had taken a bench warrant, fled to Europe, but returned and surrendered.
Paul Wells Snr, 50, of Barnamore Park, Finglas, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kenneth O'Brien. The defendant pleaded not guilty to murdering the 33-year-old at his home in Barnamore Park on 15th or 16th January 2016, alleging he acted in self-defence after a scuffle over a gun. However, the court found him guilty of murder. The prosecution established that Wells shot O'Brien in the back of the head, dismembered the body using a chainsaw, and dumped the remains in the Grand Canal. Despite Wells's claims that O'Brien had requested he murder O'Brien's partner, forensic evidence, including post-mortem findings indicating the gun was held against the victim's head, contradicted the self-defence plea. The jury rejected his account, leading to a guilty verdict. Wells was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. The case involved extensive evidence, including bank transfers totalling almost €53,000 from O'Brien to Wells, and CCTV footage of the disposal of body parts. The court emphasized the premeditated nature of the cover-up and the brutality of the act, resulting in the maximum penalty for the offence.
In the murder trial of Paul Wells Senior, the prosecution argued that Kenneth O'Brien was not merely killed but executed in a premeditated act. Wells, aged 50, admitted shooting O'Brien, a 33‑year‑old, and dismembering his body. He claimed O'Brien had brought a gun to his home to force him to murder O'Brien's partner so he could take their child to Australia. Wells said a scuffle over the gun led to him shooting O'Brien in the back of the head, after which he panicked and used a chainsaw to chop the body, placing the torso in a suitcase and dumping it in the Grand Canal. The prosecutor presented evidence of a contact entry wound and other forensic findings to support the claim of premeditation, urging a guilty verdict. The defence questioned the plausibility of the alleged plan and the involvement of Wells's family in the disposal of the remains.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment following his assault on a garda with a glass bottle. Christopher Reilly (28) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Daniel Sweeney, causing him harm, on Ratoath Road, Cabra, on 10 November 2015. During the incident, Reilly swung a glass bottle at the garda, causing a serious leg wound that required thirteen stitches and resulted in permanent sensory loss. The victim, in a statement read to the court, described losing considerable blood and being unable to walk for a month following the attack. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three and a half year sentence with the final twelve months suspended, noting the assault fell within the upper range of seriousness. She ordered Reilly to complete any violent offender programme directed by the Probation Service and to address his drug use. Reilly has sixty-seven previous convictions.
A man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a garda with a glass bottle at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Christopher Reilly, aged 28, of Cabra, Dublin, assaulted Garda Daniel Sweeney on Ratoath Road, Cabra, on 10 November 2015, causing him serious harm. The court heard that during a confrontation, Reilly swung a bottle at the officer, inflicting a leg wound that required 13 stitches. The garda has permanently lost sensation from his calf to his ankle as a result of the injury. Reilly, who has 67 previous convictions, initially disputed the circumstances but subsequently entered a guilty plea. The court was informed that Reilly has begun addressing personal difficulties and secured employment. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail pending sentencing the following week.
A Dublin business owner has been ordered to complete 240 hours of community service for using fraudulent documents to secure a €71,000 mortgage. Kevin Molloy, aged 49, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three offences under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act committed between December 2014 and August 2016. The Donegal native, now resident in Celbridge, Co Kildare, had submitted false salary certificates, altered tax documents, and fabricated wage slips to Ulster Bank during his mortgage application in 2016. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the community service order, to be completed within twelve months, in lieu of an eighteen-month prison sentence. The judge noted the bank sustained no financial loss, that Molloy had cooperated with gardaí, and that he maintained mortgage repayments. The offences were discovered following a Bank of Ireland report to gardaí in July 2016.
Jason Keating (27), of Rush, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan. Keating had previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, which has been the subject of a trial since October 2. The State Solicitor informed the court that the DPP directed a new charge under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which Keating admitted. Prosecutors requested a nolle prosequi be entered on the original murder count at the sentencing stage. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Sinead Ni Chualachain and Cormac Dunne, remanded Keating in custody until November 22 for sentencing. The judge noted the court would require details on Keating's assistance and state of mind. He referenced the recent sentencing of Martin Aylmer (31) to three years and nine months for a similar offence involving the murder of Michael Barr. Mr Justice Hunt described the new charge as useful for providing sentencing flexibility in cases where defendants do not directly commit the act. The matter was adjourned until November 22.
Johnathon Harding, 46, of Mc Neill Court, Sallins, Kildare, was already serving a 10‑year prison sentence for possession of nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and ammunition magazines. In October 2016 he attempted to obtain a €260,000 mortgage from the Bank of Ireland by submitting false documents: three payslips dated January, February and March 2016, a false bank statement covering August 2015 to March 2016, and additional false payslips and a bank statement covering October 2014 to April 2016. The bank detected the fraud immediately and Harding withdrew the application after a few days. On 16 October 2018, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 18 months in prison for the mortgage fraud, to be served concurrently with his existing term. The court noted no loss to the bank and that Harding had cooperated with the Garda investigation. Harding has eight prior convictions, including a six‑year drug‑possession sentence from 2004. Johnathon Harding pleaded guilty.
Two men have been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in relation to an attempted robbery at Greendale Pharmacy, Kilbarrack on January 26, 2018. Brendan Raynor (30) of Tulip Court, Darndale and Dean Slattery (28) of Briarfield Grove, Kilbarrack pleaded guilty to the charge. Both men armed themselves with knives and wore balaclavas before entering the shop and demanding Diazepam. The incident was observed by gardaí conducting surveillance in the area. Detective Sergeant Dave Ennis stated that Slattery attempted to flee and was struck with a baton, while Raynor was caught in a nearby field. Emma Smith, a shop worker who was six months pregnant at the time, provided a victim impact statement. Raynor has 103 previous convictions, including possession of knives, robbery, and burglary. He was previously sentenced to seven years with two suspended for an aggravated burglary in 2015. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence on Raynor, suspending the last two years and nine months. Slattery has 87 previous convictions, including robbery, drug offences, car theft, and assault. Dt Sgt Ennis was previously sentenced to four years with two suspended for a 2014 cash in transit van robbery. Judge Greally sentenced Slattery to four and a half years with the final 18 months suspended. Both men were remanded in custody.
Yusuf Ali Abdi, who murdered his infant son Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali in 2001, was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. He appealed in 2004 but lost. In 2018 he sought a miscarriage‑of‑justice declaration, arguing that a 2013 diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, made after his conviction, proved the earlier 2003 diagnosis of non‑psychosis by Dr Damien Mohan was erroneous. Abdi's counsel cited psychiatric reviews showing a progression from depression and PTSD to paranoid schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder. The Director of Public Prosecutions countered that the 2013 diagnosis was an opinion, not a fact, and that reopening the case would set a dangerous precedent. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment, noting the case raised significant legal questions. The proceedings remain at the appeal stage. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Paul Wells Senior, 50, of Finglas, continued at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Wells is charged with murdering Kenneth O'Brien, 33, at the accused's home on January 15 or 16, 2016. While Wells admitted to shooting and dismembering the deceased, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Evidence presented included testimony from Patrick Holligan, a Virgin Media worker who last saw O'Brien alive in good form on January 15. CCTV footage showed Wells driving toward Ardclough, Co Kildare, hours before O'Brien's remains were found in the Grand Canal. Garda Shona Nolan and Sergeant Gerard Moore detailed the arrest of Wells, who described O'Brien as his friend. Detective Sergeant David Conway presented photographs of bloodstains at Wells' property, while Detective Sergeant Thomas Power identified a .38/.357-inch caliber bullet recovered from O'Brien's head, consistent with a semi-automatic pistol. The firearm has not been recovered. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow morning.
The trial of Jason Keating, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, continued before the Special Criminal Court. Expert witness Professor David Last testified regarding a 'Gotek 7' electronic tracking device found under Mr Kirwan's Ford Mondeo. The prosecution alleges the tracker was placed under the vehicle to monitor movements leading up to the December 22, 2016, shooting in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Professor Last explained that the device recorded its position 'much more frequently' from 3.13pm on the day of the shooting, indicating the owner was actively commanding location requests. He detailed the device's journey from France to Dublin Port in October 2016, noting it appeared near St Ronan's Drive on December 21 and 22. Under cross-examination, the expert acknowledged that such devices are commonly used to track spouses and that location data can contain errors. The court heard that Mr Kirwan, a 62-year-old with no connection to the criminal factions involved in the alleged feud, was shot six times while sitting in his car with his partner, Bernadette Roe. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chualachain and Cormac Dunne. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
Paul Wells Senior, aged 50, admitted to the Central Criminal Court that he shot and dismembered Kenneth O'Brien, a 33‑year‑old father, at his own home on 15 or 16 January 2016. Wells claimed that O'Brien had asked him to kill O'Brien's partner, Eimear Dunne, and that he had been in a dispute over a gun when he fired at O'Brien, killing him. Wells said he panicked and dismembered the body, which was later found in the Grand Canal and other locations. The prosecution presented evidence that the torso and limbs were recovered in plastic bags and that DNA matched O'Brien. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is ongoing with a jury of twelve. The case remains at the trial stage. Paul Wells Senior pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence that the 62‑year‑old Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan was murdered on 22 December 2016 after trading his BMW X5 for a Ford Mondeo, which was later sold at Merlin Car Auctions. Garda Stephen Hughes identified Jason Keating (27) in CCTV from the auction on 20 December, showing Keating and a woman in a green Renault Megane. Keating, who lives on Lower Main Street, Rush, pleaded not guilty to Kirwan's murder. The court also considered evidence that a 'Gotek 7' tracking device was placed under Kirwan's Ford Mondeo on 23 December, having previously tracked his BMW from 8 November. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues tomorrow.
In the non‑jury trial of Jason Keating for the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, the court heard that Kirwan, a 62‑year‑old former car dealer, was shot six times in his Ford Mondeo on 22 December 2016. The vehicle had been purchased from TBCS Ltd on 10 December, with a deposit paid and the car serviced before Kirwan collected it on 13 December. The prosecution argued that a Gotek 7 tracking device, originally fitted to Kirwan's BMW X5 on 8 November, was moved to the Mondeo and pinged from a Clondalkin address until 20 December, then again from St Ronan's Drive. Evidence was also presented that a Renault Megane owned by mechanic Niall Ducken was sold to Keating, and that a parcel from Gotek in Calais was forwarded to the Spy Shop in Leeds. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sinead Ni Chualachain and Judge Cormac Dunne. Jason Keating pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, aged 62, was murdered on 22 December 2016 outside his Clondalkin home after being shot six times by Jason Keating, 27, who pleaded not guilty. Kirwan was driving a Ford Mondeo when the assailant, armed with a Makarov pistol, fired at him. Kirwan's partner, Bernadette Roe, was present but unharmed. The prosecution presented evidence that a tracking device had been attached to Kirwan's car weeks before the killing, showing movements from London to Dublin and eventually to St Ronan's Drive. CCTV footage linked a Renault Megane, owned by Keating, to a car auction and a white Peugeot van used by the gunman. The case was presented as circumstantial, with the court to hear further evidence over a four‑week trial.
The Court of Appeal upheld a joint trial for Seán Davy (24), Matthew Cummins (24) and James Davy (27) who were convicted of murdering 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley in his Edenderry home on 12 February 2014. The men broke into the house and beat Dooley with a baseball bat, delivering eight blows to his head. Each defendant gave conflicting accounts: Cummins claimed Davy struck first and then continued the assault; Davy said James Davy delivered most blows and he struck once with less force; James Davy denied striking and said Davy beat him while Cummins kicked. All were found guilty by jury and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by Justice Margaret Heneghan on 10 October 2016. Davy's appeal to separate his trial was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which ruled the case was "compelling" for a joint trial and the judge's refusal to sever the indictment was proper.
Two organised crime 'foot soldiers', Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), have been sentenced to 12 years each, with one and two years suspended respectively, for their involvement in a 'shambolic' and 'ill-prepared' plot to murder Dublin man Michael Frazer. The sentences were handed down at the Special Criminal Court following guilty pleas in May to possession of a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm calibre ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court heard that during an operation targeting organised crime in Dublin in August 2017, armed detectives intercepted the men's van, which contained a loaded firearm 'ready for use'. The court was told that the men had discussed aiming for 'head shots' or they would not get paid, and that a transcript of their conversation was described as a 'disturbing document' containing a 'graphic description' of their intentions. The judge noted that the men's drug use was clearly audible on secret recordings. Defence counsel for both men highlighted mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas, Gleeson's violent offending history, and Dunne's long-term heroin addiction and mental health issues. The sentences were backdated to August 7, 2017, when the men were arrested. The court also heard that Dunne's DNA was found on a SIM card linked to a tracking device under Mr Frazer's van, and that the men had been contracted and paid to carry out the attack by senior figures in the organised crime group.
Zoltan Almasi, a 46‑year‑old Hungarian national living in Harbour View, Naas, was convicted of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat on 16 May 2014. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty after 11 hours of deliberation and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 16 March 2016. Almasi, who worked for a courier company, had previously lived alone and had moved to Ireland after becoming a Hungarian national in 2007. He appealed the conviction, arguing that the partial defence of provocation should have been left to the jury. His barrister, Dominic McGinn SC, claimed that drunken youths had damaged his van, provoking Almasi. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeal, holding that the trial judge had not applied an overly rigorous standard and that the evidence did not conclusively show a total loss of self‑control.
John Stokes, aged 30, was found guilty of 343 counts of theft related to a sophisticated social welfare fraud that spanned from April 2008 to December 2013. He had originally received a wholly suspended four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence from Judge Michael O'Shea on 30 June 2017. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the sentence was unduly lenient, and the Court of Appeal agreed. Judge Patrick McCarthy, sitting with Judges George Birmingham and John Hedigan, imposed an 18‑month custodial term, with the remainder of the four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence suspended. The fraud involved €55,000 in Jobseekers Allowance and €47,000 in Rent Allowance, and Stokes had rented a house in Sallins, Co. Kildare, to facilitate the scheme. He had also provided €4,000 in restitution and an additional €2,000 through withheld child allowance, and was paying €28 a week in restitution from social welfare payments.
Eoin Morrow, 38, a Louth bricklayer, will be sentenced for possessing cannabis and prescription drugs worth €1.38 million. Gardaí set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. They observed Morrow and truck driver John Needham, 31, removing boxes from the truck onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park. A subsequent search uncovered four large cardboard boxes of cannabis resin and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets. The 96 kg of cannabis was valued at €580,200 and the 400,000 Zopiclone pills at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug. He has 15 previous convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He fled to Europe after a bench warrant was issued but returned and surrendered. Needham also pleaded guilty to the same drug offences and was sentenced to eight years earlier this month.
Two brothers, Jason Bradley (20) and Dean Bradley (24), were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Neil Reilly, a 36‑year‑old mechanic, on 18 January 2017. The murder occurred after Reilly had previously broken into the Bradley home and shot at their house. Jason inflicted seven chop wounds on Reilly with a sharp weapon before Dean drove over the deceased, causing fatal crush injuries. A third brother, Ryan Bradley, pleaded guilty to impeding the investigation and will be sentenced later. The brothers' father, Paul Bradley, was found not guilty of murder. The sentencing hearing took place in the Central Criminal Court, where Justice Paul Coffey imposed a life sentence on Jason and Dean, noting their remorse and the impact on Reilly's family. The case highlighted the violent confrontation that led to Reilly's death and the subsequent legal proceedings against the Bradley brothers.
Gareth Prior, 36, of Ramblers Court, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for his role in a heroin transaction worth an estimated €560,000. He had pleaded guilty in December 2015 to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against the severity of the sentence, citing the need to protect society from drug trafficking. Prior was observed by Gardaí travelling to an Aldi supermarket on Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, where he was seen placing a rucksack in a car. Gardaí seized four packages containing four kilograms of heroin, and a search of his Newbridge address uncovered 2.5 kg of cocaine, 487 g of cannabis and 56 g of ketamine. He had 17 prior convictions, including seven for drug offences, and was found in possession of drug paraphernalia.
A 64-year-old man, Seán Davy, has appealed his conviction for the murder of Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley, who was brutally beaten to death in his home in Edenderry on February 12, 2014. Seán Davy, along with Matthew Cummins and James Davy, was found guilty by a jury of the murder of Mr Dooley, who suffered eight blows to the head with a baseball bat. All three men had denied the charges. They were each given a mandatory life sentence by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan in October 2016, who described the attack as 'brutal, motiveless' and targeted a 'defenceless elderly man'. Seán Davy's barrister, Ronan Munro SC, argued that his client's conviction was unsafe due to a pre-trial decision not to sever the indictment and order separate trials. He claimed that the garda statements of James Davy and Matthew Cummins gave the jury a 'peculiarly vivid' picture that it was 'all Seán Davy's fault', which overwhelmed any judicial direction. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Patrick Treacy SC, stated that the case was presented as one of joint enterprise or common design, with Seán Davy being the only accused who admitted striking the deceased with a baseball bat. The court has reserved its judgement on the appeal.
A man from County Kildare has lost an appeal against his refusal to withdraw a guilty plea to theft and criminal damage charges at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court. Conor Judge, aged 31, was sentenced to three years imprisonment in December 2016 for stealing equipment from a windfarm construction site near Arigna in north Roscommon in October 2010. The Court of Appeal upheld the Circuit Court judge's rejection of Judge's application to change his plea, with Mr Justice John Edwards stating the accused had given "blatant lies" and was an "unreliable witness". The court found Judge had failed to demonstrate good and substantial grounds for setting aside his guilty plea. Judge had also alleged coercion by his former legal representatives, claims which were rejected. A psychiatric assessment confirmed he was fit to plead. The Court of Appeal additionally upheld the three-year sentence as correct and proportionate.
Two Dublin men, Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), who were contracted by senior figures in an organised crime group to murder Michael Frazer, will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court. They pleaded guilty in May to possession of a 9mm Luger pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life, offences committed on Naas Road, Crumlin on 7 August 2017. The court heard that the men were intercepted by Garda detectives in a Fiat Doblo that contained a loaded firearm, a can of petrol, a lighter, rubber gloves and a small amount of cocaine. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Frazer between 28 July and 7 August. Defence counsel highlighted the defendants' personal circumstances, including addiction and mental health issues, and pleaded for leniency. The court remanded both men in custody until 30 July when they will be sentenced.
Two brothers, Dean Bradley (24) and Jason Bradley (20), were found guilty of murdering Neil Reilly (36) after a shooting at their home. A jury reached a unanimous verdict after more than nine hours of deliberation. Both were convicted of murder and face mandatory life sentences. Their father, Paul Bradley (54), was acquitted of the murder charge. Dean and Jason were found guilty of the murder, while their brother Ryan (18) was acquitted of murder but pleaded guilty to impeding the investigation. The trial described how Reilly, who had a debt to the family, fired shots at the Bradley home, leading to a confrontation in which Jason struck Reilly with a sharp weapon, causing fatal blows. Dean's BMW later ran over Reilly, an act he claimed was accidental. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court, with sentencing scheduled for the following Wednesday. The Bradley family was present throughout the proceedings and reacted emotionally to the verdicts.
Michael Kaiser, a 24‑year‑old Polish national, was found guilty of burglary and assault causing harm to an off‑duty Garda in Naas on 1 July 2016. He was originally sentenced to two years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal agreed and increased his term to two‑and‑a‑half years, crediting time already served. The judge noted that Kaiser and a co‑offender had been drinking at the Ivy Inn, entered the kitchen without permission, attacked the head chef with a mop, and then assaulted Garda James Keating, who had come to the pub for lunch. The assault on the Garda was aggravated by the fact it was committed on an off‑duty officer. The court emphasised that Kaiser had no prior convictions, had been a good employee, and had returned to Ireland in breach of a deportation order. Michael Kaiser pleaded not guilty.
A Dublin businessman has admitted to submitting fraudulent documents to obtain a €71,000 mortgage from Ulster Bank in April 2016. Kevin Molloy, aged 49, of Dublin Road, Celbridge, County Kildare, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three offences under the Theft and Fraud Acts committed between December 2014 and August 2016. The owner of a debt recovery business had initially applied to Bank of Ireland in late 2014, but that application was declined after officials questioned the authenticity of his documentation. When Molloy subsequently approached Ulster Bank, he provided altered bank statements, a falsified P60 tax document, and wage slips from companies in liquidation. The offences came to light in July 2016 following a Bank of Ireland report to gardaí. Molloy continues to reside in the property with his family and maintains mortgage repayments. Ulster Bank has not pursued charges. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to October 2018 and ordered a community service assessment. Molloy was remanded on continuing bail.
The prosecution finished presenting evidence in the trial of Paul Bradley (54) and his sons Jason (20), Dean (24) and Ryan (18), who deny murdering Neil Reilly (36) after he fired shots at their home. The prosecution alleged that Reilly fired two shots at the Bradley residence before 4 a.m., prompting a chase that ended with Reilly being beaten to death and run over by a car. A pathologist described chop wounds to Reilly's head, torso and limbs and crush injuries consistent with being run over. On the final day of evidence, the jury heard a text message from Bradley sent at 1:32 a.m. on 19 January 2017, stating, "I ran after him with his gun, I got him with no gun." The prosecution also presented testimony that Bradley had sought advice about a son's drug dealing, and that police found no knife or implement that could have caused Reilly's injuries. Paul Bradley pleaded not guilty.
Jason Byrne, a 38-year-old from Clondalkin, Dublin 22, has lost his appeal against his conviction. Byrne had pleaded not guilty at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to a series of offences, including three counts of burglary, one count of aggravated burglary, assault causing harm, and unauthorised use of a vehicle, allegedly committed in the south-east in 2008 and 2009. Following a lengthy trial, a jury found him guilty, and Judge Barry Hickson sentenced him to six years imprisonment on April 15, 2016. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, dismissed the appeal, holding that the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. The prosecution alleged Byrne was part of a gang targeted by An Garda Síochána's Operation Slope. Key evidence came from Des Kavanagh, an accomplice in the Witness Protection Programme, who implicated Byrne in incidents including a burglary at Bunclody and an assault at an Esso filling station. Byrne's lawyers argued Kavanagh's evidence lacked credibility and transparency. However, the Court of Appeal noted the trial judge had issued clear warnings to the jury regarding the dangers of relying on such evidence. The court concluded that the matter was quintessentially for the jury to decide, and they were content to convict based on the evidence presented.
Two foot soldiers, Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), were arrested in August 2017 after Garda detectives intercepted a Fiat doblo van in Dublin. The van contained a loaded 9mm Luger pistol with ten rounds, a can of petrol, tissues, a lighter, rubber gloves and a small amount of cocaine. DNA evidence linked Dunne to a SIM card in a tracking device found on Michael Frazer's van, and to the firearm's handle and trigger. A recorded conversation from 7:19 pm on 7 August revealed Gleeson demanding "head shots" to secure payment, with Dunne agreeing to approach Frazer. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Frazer. At the Special Criminal Court, they pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court remanded them in custody until 13 July for further reports, with no sentencing yet announced.
A former solicitor from Maynooth, County Kildare, has been granted bail on appeal at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following approval of a €100,000 independent surety. Michael Lynn, aged 49, faces allegations of stealing approximately €30 million from seven financial institutions. A family member provided the surety, which will remain frozen in her bank account throughout the trial, with the judge cautioning that the funds would be forfeited if bail conditions were breached. Mr Lynn's passports, along with those of his wife and four children, have been surrendered to gardaí. His bail conditions include daily sign-on at Leixlip Garda Station, residence at his Maynooth address, a 9pm to 6am curfew, prohibition from Irish ports and airports, and the requirement to carry a mobile phone accessible to gardaí. He was extradited from Brazil in March 2018, having been taken into custody there in August 2013. The trial is scheduled to commence in January 2020 and is expected to last six to eight weeks.
During a Central Criminal Court trial, Detective Garda Ronan Lawlor presented plastic fragments recovered from the road near the alleged murder site of Neil Reilly, showing a match to the broken headlight of a Mercedes jeep seized at Paul Bradley's home. Bradley (54) and his sons Jason (20), Dean (24), and Ryan (18) all pleaded not guilty to Reilly's murder. The prosecution argued that Reilly fired shots at the Bradley residence, prompting a car chase that ended with Reilly suffering severe crush injuries and multiple chop wounds. Garda Lawlor also examined a black BMW seized from the Bradley property, noting blood‑like stains and swipe marks, but found no relevant evidence. The trial focused on whether the Bradleys acted in a joint enterprise to murder Reilly, with the jury hearing forensic evidence and the prosecution's case before a judge's instructions were given.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Rafferty, aged 38, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for a cocaine‑fuelled rampage that lasted eight hours and covered 45 km. Rafferty seized multiple vehicles at gunpoint, pursued Gardaí in a high‑speed chase, and committed false imprisonment, aggravated burglary, threats with a sub‑machine gun and reckless endangerment. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Watergate Estate, assault of a homeowner, criminal damage, two carjacking counts, three counts of possessing a sub‑machine gun, unlawful possession of 9 mm Luger ammunition and reckless endangerment. He also admitted stealing a vehicle from Carroll and Roche Subaru. The judge noted his 34 prior convictions and reduced a potential 14‑year sentence to nine years, citing guilty pleas and remorse. No serious injuries were reported, though a man sustained a head laceration during a break‑in. The case highlighted the extensive police response, including 50 Gardaí, air support and the Garda Dog Unit.
Dary Sharif, aged 24, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, for violent disorder after a knife attack at a Luas stop on 5 April 2015. Sharif was stabbed 14 times by two men, one of whom was Daryl Smith, 26, who later required brain surgery. Security staff pulled Smith to the ground, and Sharif, along with two other co‑accused, kicked Smith while he lay helpless. The court considered Sharif's claim of lawful self‑defence, noting he had been severely provoked and had suffered a frenzied knife attack. Judge Cormac Quinn set a headline sentence of four years but reduced it due to mitigating factors, including Sharif's rehabilitation efforts and good behaviour. The sentence reflects the incident's violent nature and the court's assessment of self‑defence and aggravating circumstances. Dary Sharif pleaded guilty. Daryl Smith pleaded guilty.
A 67-year-old man from Drumlish, County Longford, has sought to have his appeal heard in Irish at the Court of Appeal. Donall Billings was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park in May 2011, and of making false bomb reports during Queen Elizabeth's State visit to Ireland that same month. He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment. The charges included placing a device on a Dublin-bound bus and making hoax threats targeting Busáras, Sinn Féin headquarters, Dublin Castle, and Cork airport. Mr Justice George Birmingham indicated the case would return to a management list to facilitate proceedings conducted in Irish. Billings was not present at the hearing to fix dates for his appeal.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old postman David Byrne was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne. Byrne, who suffers from Type 2 Usher Syndrome, had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and to related offences of dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service to issue a licence and making a false statement on an insurance application. The jury found him guilty on all three counts. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, reducing the headline figure of eight years to five on the basis of mitigating factors such as his cooperation, good record and remorse. Byrne was ordered to attend his son's First Holy Communion before reporting to Mountjoy Prison. The sentence includes treatment for his medical condition while incarcerated.
Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39) pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to possessing a 9mm Luger semi‑automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm Sellier and Bellot ammunition with intent to endanger life. The offence occurred at Naas Road, Crumlin on 7 August. Dunne, who lives on Meile an Ri Drive, Lucan, and Gleeson, of Muskerry Road, Ballyfermot, had earlier faced conspiracy to murder charges involving Michael Frazer. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Flann Brennan, remanded them in custody for a sentence hearing on 22 June, allowing time for report preparation.
In a Dublin court, 42‑year‑old David Byrne, who has Type 2 Usher Syndrome, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne on 16 October 2015. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the charge and to related offences of dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service to issue a licence and making a false statement on insurance. The jury convicted him on all three charges. The court heard that Mrs Dunne was walking home with a shopping trolley when Byrne's car struck her, flinging her into the air before stopping. Byrne has no prior convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded him on bail pending sentencing. The Dunne family, led by son John, expressed that they will never forgive Byrne for killing their mother, citing the lack of remorse and apology. Byrne's counsel requested leniency, noting his rehabilitation and the single accident in 20 years of driving with the disease.
In a Dublin nightclub incident, 36‑year‑old British stag tourist Mark Wragg punched a 20‑year‑old Maynooth University student on the dance floor at D2 nightclub on Harcourt Street on the night of 18 November. Wragg, who was part of a 25‑strong stag party, claimed the victim was dancing too close and had pushed him, prompting Wragg to strike him in the face, fracturing the victim's jaw and damaging his teeth. Wragg pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, was arrested after being ejected, and later paid €2,000 to the victim as a token of remorse. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the victim's initial push as provocation but not justification, imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, finding it unjust to imprison Wragg. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The Court of Appeal has increased the prison sentences of cousins Michael Casey and David Casey, who pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including an incident at the home of John O'Donoghue in Doon on August 27, 2015, where Mr. O'Donoghue collapsed and died. The original sentence of four-and-a-half years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, imposed by Judge Tom O'Donnell at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court in December 2016, was found to be unduly lenient following a review by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, re-sentenced both men to seven years imprisonment, with the final eight months suspended. This decision was based on aggravating factors, including the pre-planned nature of the burglary spree, the ransacking of a dwelling, and the serious harm caused to the victim. The court also established new sentencing guidelines for burglary, categorizing offenses into mid-range and highest categories based on factors such as planning, violence, and previous convictions. The Caseys received concurrent terms for other related offenses, and the court emphasized the need for general deterrence in cases involving residential burglaries in rural areas.
The High Court confirmed Michael McAteer as interim examiner for the Sammon Group and its related companies after the collapse of Carillion. The Irish contractors, which employ over 216 people and are involved in major school building projects across Ireland, were owed about €8 million by an entity linked to Carillion. An independent expert report indicated the companies could survive if a scheme of arrangement with creditors is implemented. McAteer has up to 100 days to prepare this scheme, which, if approved, would allow the group to continue trading as a going concern. The group had been hired by a special purpose vehicle that included Carillion to build several schools and an educational campus, contracts worth roughly €87 million. The collapse of Carillion halted payments, preventing the Sammon Group from paying suppliers and subcontractors, and the court heard the group believes a successful examinership will enable it to finish its contracts on time and return to profitability.
A dispute between a financial fund and a court-appointed receiver against the owners of residential properties across multiple counties has been admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court list at the High Court. Seaconview DAC and receiver Anne O'Dwyer have brought proceedings against Chevas Securities Ltd and James and Conor Fagan concerning 28 apartments at Royston Village, Kimmage, and additional properties in Sligo, Dundalk and Galway. Ms O'Dwyer, appointed receiver in December, seeks injunctions to prevent the defendants from interfering with the receivership or accessing the properties. The fund claims it is owed €9.2 million in respect of loans originally advanced by Ulster Bank between 2002 and 2007, which the fund acquired in 2015. Ms O'Dwyer claims she has been obstructed in collecting rental income from the properties. Mr Justice Brian McGovern approved admission to the fast-track list. The defendants' solicitor opposed the application, indicating ongoing negotiations. The matter is scheduled to return to court later in April.
Peter Kernan, 57, a former Aer Lingus ground staff member, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Court for his role in a people‑trafficking operation at Dublin Airport between December 2016 and January 2017. He pleaded guilty to four counts of facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants and to three counts of handling proceeds of crime, amounting to €40,366. Kernan was paid €2,000–€3,000 per person trafficked and used Aer Lingus staff swipe cards to bypass passport control, escorting foreign nationals from the air bridge to the immigration hall via a catering truck and a staff turnstile gate. He had no prior convictions except a traffic offence. Kernan had undergone quadruple heart bypass surgery four months earlier and had other health issues, including a cancer gene. His co‑accused, Frederick Cham, also received a four‑year sentence.