A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberations in the trial of a man accused of murdering his best friend in County Kildare in 2013. Darren Wynne, aged 21, of Athy, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, though prosecutors rejected the plea. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun in suspicious circumstances. Two co-accused, Quentin Monaghan and James Seery, both aged 21, had their manslaughter pleas accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and will not face trial. The prosecution case centres on the fatal shooting on 6 April 2013. The defence relies on provocation, claiming the victim made threats. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan directed the jury that provocation, if reasonably possible, would reduce murder to manslaughter. The jury comprises eight men and four women.
At the Central Criminal Court, Darren Wynne (21) of Ballyroe, Athy, County Kildare was re-arraigned on charges relating to the death of Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy on April 6, 2013. Wynne pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept the plea. Evidence was heard from the deceased's former partner regarding a prior incident in March 2013, and from a witness who testified that Wynne attended his house after the shooting, stating he had fired a weapon and later mentioning he had shot his friend. Wynne also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Two co-accused, Quentin Monaghan (21) of Tullamoy, Stradbally, County Laois and James Seery (21) of Canal Side, Athy, were re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to manslaughter and to the same firearms offence; those pleas were accepted by the DPP. The trial continues before Justice Garrett Sheehan.
At the Central Criminal Court, the trial of Darren Wynne, Quentin Monaghan, and James Seery for the alleged murder of Jamie Lindsay in Athy, Co. Kildare, continued before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. Wynne, 21, of Ballyroe, Athy, initially pleaded not guilty to murder but changed his plea to guilty for manslaughter. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept this plea. Wynne also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Co-accused Monaghan, 21, of Tullamoy, Stradbally, and Seery, 21, of Canal Side, Athy, were rearraigned and both pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, pleas which were accepted by the DPP. Both men also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. The State alleged the defendants were part of a joint enterprise and that Lindsay was shot in the right eye at point-blank range. Wynne allegedly told gardai he shot Lindsay in the shoulder to kneecap him after Lindsay threatened him over missing drugs and his grandmother. The trial was adjourned and continues on Monday.
Dr Farrukh Naseem, acting as applicant, secured an interim injunction in the High Court preventing the Public Appointments Service (PAS) from conducting interviews for the position of Consultant General Surgeon at Midlands General Hospital in Portlaoise. The applicant, who has served as a Consultant Surgeon at the hospital on an interim basis since 2010, applied for the permanent post. A six-person panel established by the PAS initially shortlisted seven of twelve applicants, excluding Dr Naseem. Following a successful appeal, the PAS ruled that Dr Naseem should be included in the shortlist. However, the applicant alleged that the same panel intended to conduct the upcoming interviews, raising concerns regarding an apprehension of bias and fair procedure. Counsel for the applicant argued that the panel should be reconstituted to ensure the application is properly considered and to protect the applicant's professional reputation. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted the interim injunction on an ex-parte basis, effectively halting the interviews scheduled for that day. The Judge adjourned the matter to a date next week, meaning the proceedings were not concluded or finalised at this stage.
Two men have changed their pleas at the Central Criminal Court in relation to the death of a man in County Kildare in April 2013. Quentin Monaghan, aged 21, and James Seery, aged 21, initially pleaded not guilty to murder but today pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Both men also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances on 6 April 2013. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted both pleas. The charges relate to the death of Jamie Lindsay, aged 20, who was shot at Coneyboro estate in Athy. The State's case alleged that Monaghan and Seery provided material assistance to a third accused. A third man, Darren Wynne, remains on trial for murder. The trial is currently in legal argument, with the jury to return on Friday.
Three men were arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, where all pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy, Co. Kildare, on April 6, 2013. Darren Wynne (21), Quentin Monaghan (21), and James Seery (21) face charges including possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life. While Wynne pleaded guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances, he and the other two defendants maintained not guilty pleas regarding the murder and other firearm offenses. The State alleges Seery and Monaghan were part of a joint enterprise. Prosecution evidence includes garda interview memos in which Monaghan stated Wynne pointed a gun at his head and forced him to drive, claiming he did not know Lindsay was to be shot. Wynne allegedly told gardai he intended only to injure Lindsay, who he described as his best friend, over a dispute involving missing drugs and threats. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the cause of death was a shotgun wound to the head, with the right eye destroyed and extensive skull fractures, indicating the weapon was discharged from a couple of feet away. The matter is currently in legal argument, with evidence continuing on Wednesday.
The trial of Darren Wynne, Quentin Monaghan, and James Seery continues before the Central Criminal Court, with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan presiding. All three defendants, aged 21, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy, Co. Kildare, on April 6, 2013. Mr Wynne also pleaded not guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, though he pleaded guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Mr Monaghan and Mr Seery pleaded not guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges with intent to endanger life, as well as possessing such items in suspicious circumstances. Prosecution evidence includes garda interview memos where Mr Wynne alleged Mr Lindsay threatened to rape his grandmother and burn his house. Mr Wynne stated he intended only to injure Mr Lindsay over a dispute regarding missing cannabis. The court heard that Mr Lindsay was shot in the right eye at point-blank range. The State alleges Mr Seery and Mr Monaghan were part of a joint enterprise. The matter is ongoing before a jury of eight men and four women.
Three men faced murder charges at the Central Criminal Court following the death of a twenty-year-old in County Kildare in April 2013. Darren Wynne, Quentin Monaghan, and James Seery all pleaded not guilty to murdering Jamie Lindsay at Coneyboro, Athy. Wynne additionally pleaded not guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun with intent to endanger life, though he admitted possession of the weapon in suspicious circumstances. Monaghan and Seery pleaded not guilty to related firearms charges. During proceedings, the prosecution presented garda interview notes in which Wynne told officers the deceased had threatened him over missing money and made threats toward his grandmother's home. Wynne stated he obtained a sawn-off shotgun from a graveyard and claimed he only intended to shoot Lindsay in the kneecap. He told gardai he fired a single shot believing it struck the shoulder, and that he did not mean to kill him. The State contends Monaghan and Seery were part of a joint enterprise in the incident. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, continues before a jury.
In a 2014 High Court ruling, Mr Justice George Birmingham held that €136,000 in savings accounts belonging to 27‑year‑old Charles Darren McInerney of Portlaoise were proceeds of crime. The accounts, held at Mountrath Credit Union, Bank of Ireland Mountrath and Portlaoise Post Office, had been frozen earlier. McInerney denied that the money came from illegal activity, but the judge found his explanations unconvincing. Evidence from the Criminal Assets Bureau and senior Gardai showed McInerney's involvement in the illegal drugs trade, including possession of cannabis, weighing scales and a knife, and a total of €525,000 had been deposited between 2006 and 2012. McInerney's only legal income during that period was social welfare. The judge accepted the evidence, ordered the accounts as proceeds of crime under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act, and appointed a receiver over the funds.
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.
Three men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of a twenty-year-old man in County Kildare in April 2013. James Seery, Quentin Monaghan, and Darren Wynne appeared before the Central Criminal Court charged with the killing of Jamie Lindsay at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy. Wynne also faces a charge of possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, though he has pleaded guilty to possession of a shotgun in suspicious circumstances on the same date. Seery and Monaghan have pleaded not guilty to further counts of weapons possession. During the trial, a witness testified that she observed one of the accused discharge a firearm at close range. She described the events leading to the shooting and stated that the accused subsequently disposed of the weapon and clothing. The trial continues before a jury at the Central Criminal Court with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan presiding.
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.
Three men appeared before the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of a 20-year-old man in County Kildare in April 2013. James Seery, aged 21, of Athy, Quentin Monaghan, aged 21, of Stradbally in County Laois, and Darren Wynne, aged 21, also of Athy, all pleaded not guilty to murdering Jamie Lindsay at Coney Green, Coneyboro. Mr Wynne additionally faced a charge of possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, to which he pleaded not guilty. However, he entered a guilty plea to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances on the same date. The trial was adjourned after Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan noted that a juror had become unwell. The jury was directed to reconvene on Monday, with proceedings expected to continue for three to four weeks.
In the Special Criminal Court, Wayne Dundon (36) and Nathan Killeen (24) pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Roy Collins, who was shot in the chest at Coin Castle Amusements on 9 April 2009. The prosecution alleges Dundon directed the killing from prison, Killeen was the getaway driver, and James Dillon fired the shot. The main witness, 31‑year‑old Gareth Collins, claims Dundon offered him €20,000 to participate, but Collins repeatedly refused. Detective Garda John Farmer, cross‑examined by Dundon's barrister, said he had taken Collins' statement in 2011 but did not know the content of the conversation. Farmer also admitted he was unaware that Dundon was in custody on 29 November 2002, the date of the earlier Brian Fitzgerald murder, and that Collins had not yet given a statement on that case. The trial continues on 16 June before three judges.
In May 2014 a man from Portlaoise, Robert Corbet, aged 25, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 30‑year‑old nanny Aoife Phelan. Corbet pleaded not guilty but admitted to strangling Phelan in his garage between 25 October and 7 November 2012. He claimed he had doubts about her pregnancy, that she threatened him, and that these threats caused him to lose control. He strangled her, covered her head with a plastic bag, tied her neck with cable ties, and placed her body in a barrel. He later buried the barrel in a pit on his property. Gardaí found the body and Corbet was convicted of murder. The jury found no provocation and the State described his actions as deliberate and calculated. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan imposed a mandatory life sentence. The Phelan family left the courthouse without comment.
The jury has begun deliberating the trial of Robert Corbet, 25, of Capoley, who is charged with murdering 30‑year‑old Nanny Aoife Phelan in his garage. Corbet pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter between 25 October and 7 November, when Phelan's body was found in a barrel buried 10 feet below ground. He claimed they had met a few months earlier and that Phelan had told him she was pregnant with his child, a claim disproved by an autopsy. Corbet testified that he lost self‑control, strangled her, put her body in a barrel, buried it behind his house the next day, and then flew to New York. His barrister urged the jury to ignore the desecration of the body and focus on the moment of death, suggesting a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds of provocation.
The 25‑year‑old accused, Robert Corbet, told detectives that he killed Laois nanny Aoife Phelan because she was pregnant and he feared the pregnancy would ruin his relationship with his ex‑girlfriend. Corbet admitted to killing Phelan between 25 October and 7 November, when her body was found in a barrel buried about ten feet deep on his property. He said he had strangled her after an argument about their relationship, describing how he put a black bag over her head and sealed the barrel before leaving it in a shed. Corbet also admitted that he had flown to New York to visit his ex‑girlfriend the following evening, and that he had wanted to "sort everything out" with Phelan before that trip. The trial is proceeding before a jury and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. The court heard that Corbet had denied involvement in Phelan's disappearance but admitted to killing her after phone records were presented to him. The unnamed 25-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Robert Corbet, 25, accused of murdering Aoife Phelan, heard evidence that the defendant led gardai on a 'wild goose chase' to locations he falsely claimed were the scene of the crime. Corbet, from Sheffield Cross, Laois, has pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted to manslaughter. Detective Sergeant Brian Hanley of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation testified that Corbet directed officers to a hard shoulder where he alleged the incident occurred, a journey the defence described as a 'voyage of fiction' intended to divert attention from the Corbet family property. The jury reviewed CCTV footage showing a truck dumping filling gravel at the site where Phelan's body was later discovered eight to ten feet underground. Garda Paul Wilson explained the footage depicted Corbet's jeep movements around the time of Phelan's disappearance and subsequent activity at the Capoley yard. Garda Eamon O'Connell detailed the excavation process, describing how he uncovered rubble, tyres, and eventually a metal drum containing Phelan's remains. The trial continues before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.
In a 2014 Central Criminal Court hearing, Robert Corbet, a 25‑year‑old from Sheffield Cross, Laois, was charged with the murder of 30‑year‑old nanny Aoife Phelan. Corbet pleaded not guilty but admitted manslaughter. He told Gardaí that he had snapped after Phelan threatened to ruin him if he walked away from her and her pregnancy. He claimed he had met her in his jeep on 25 October, that she had been "pushy" about not being in a relationship, and that he struck her on the head several times. Corbet said he then drove to Dublin, left her body on a bridge, and tried to dispose of it. He denied any recent phone contact about a pregnancy, but phone records and deleted WhatsApp messages were presented. The case was heard before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.
A trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court regarding the murder of Aoife Phelan (30), whose body was discovered buried in a barrel in Capoley Portlaoise between 25 October and 7 November 2012. Robert Corbet of Sheffield Cross County Laois is accused of the murder but pleaded not guilty, though he admitted to manslaughter earlier this week. The plea of manslaughter was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Sergeant Liam Mulhall testified that gardai found evidence of a disturbance near Corbet's home on 6 November 2012, leading to an excavation where a barrel containing Phelan's remains was discovered. The discovery was described as 'the saddest and most gruesome discovery made' by Conor Devally SC defending. Betty Phelan, the mother of the deceased, stated that concerns arose when her daughter did not answer her phone on 26 October 2012, which was out of character for her. It was confirmed that Phelan had made a complaint to gardai in 2005 following an incident of non-consensual sex, which had deeply upset her. The trial continues before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and a jury of three women and nine men.
In the Special Criminal Court, the cross‑examination of Gareth Collins, 31, concluded on 14 May 2014. Collins, a convicted Limerick criminal, had earlier claimed he was offered €20,000 to help kill publican Steve Collins, the father of the murder victim Roy Collins. He testified that on the day of the murder, Nathan Killeen and James Dillon had called his sister's house, and that Killeen had contacted Wayne Dundon, who allegedly told Collins to drive Killeen to the Steering Wheel pub to kill Steve Collins. Collins admitted giving Gardaí an incorrect account of his whereabouts on 9 April 2009, citing fear of people and what they had asked him to do. He also acknowledged that his earlier statement was "just spoofing" and that he had no memory of the details. During cross‑examination, Collins denied that he had lied, said he had not been offered money, and claimed he was owed a few pounds by Christopher McCarthy. Roy Collins pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Robert Corbet (25) of Sheffield Cross County Laois, charged with the murder of Aoife Phelan (30) between 25 October and 7 November 2012, commenced at the Central Criminal Court. Corbet pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but admitted to manslaughter, a plea not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The prosecution alleges that Corbet met Phelan at a nightclub, engaged in sexual contact without intercourse, and later repeatedly struck her before disposing of her body in an oil barrel at Capoley, Portlaoise. The cause of death is stated as asphyxia with blunt force trauma to the head and chest. The prosecution claims Corbet brought Phelan to his garage, restrained her, and disposed of her body. Garda Louise Young detailed that Phelan's father, Michael Phelan, reported her missing on 26 October 2012. Her mobile phone and handbag were later found in Corbet's vehicle. Corbet's statement to gardai indicated he had no sexual intercourse with Phelan and denied being the father of her unborn child. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, continues with a jury of three women and nine men, with CCTV footage to be presented.
The Special Criminal Court heard cross-examination of Gareth Collins, a convicted criminal serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for demanding money with menaces, at the ongoing trial of Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 35-year-old Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro Road Shopping Centre, on April 9, 2009. Collins, who admitted to previously giving gardai an incorrect account of his whereabouts due to fear, denied asking for time off his sentence or extorting money from witnesses. He stated he was unaware that Anthony McCarthy, Christopher McCarthy, or April Collins intended to make statements. During questioning by Mr Remy Farrell SC, Collins acknowledged flirting via text messages on the day of the alleged killing but denied coordinating false alibis with his then-girlfriend. He also denied shaking anyone down, though he admitted being owed money by Christopher McCarthy, who described him as a "crooked snaky cunt." The court noted Collins had previously admitted to being arrested for rape involving two 15-year-old girls. The cross-examination of Mr Collins is scheduled to continue tomorrow before Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Wayne Dundon, Nathan Killeen, and Gareth Collins, who have all pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 35-year-old Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements in April 2009, continued before a non-jury court presided over by Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley. Gareth Collins, also known as Gareth Keogh, testified that he was offered €20,000 to drive Nathan Killeen to the Steering Wheel pub to shoot Roy Collins's father, Steve Collins. Collins stated he repeatedly refused the request, which he said was coordinated by Dundon via mobile phone from a prison cell. He described an incident where Killeen and James Dillon visited his sister's house, with Killeen allegedly retrieving petrol and a rag before leaving. Collins admitted to prior convictions, including a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for demanding money with menaces. Steve Collins, the victim's father, testified that he found his son shot in the arcade. Garda Steven Kelleher and Garda Deirdre Foley provided accounts of the scene and the victim's subsequent death at the hospital. The trial was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
A man from Portlaoise, Robert Corbet, aged 25, was arraigned at Dublin Central Criminal Court on 12 May 2014. He faces a murder charge for the death of 30‑year‑old Aoife Phelan, who worked at Hermitage in Portlaoise. Corbet pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Isobel Kennedy SC. The alleged killing occurred between 25 October and 7 November 2012 at Capoley, Portlaoise. The trial, presided over by Justice Garrett Sheehan, is expected to last two weeks with a jury of twelve.
Balbriggan District Court heard several matters, including the sentencing of Karl Robinson. Robinson pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and while disqualified at Station Road in Lusk on June 29, 2013. Judge Dermot Dempsey ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of a three-month prison sentence, following a Probation Services consultation. He was also disqualified from driving for four years. In separate proceedings, Patricia Ferris, alleged to have refused or failed a breath sample at Balbriggan Garda Station on April 21, was remanded on continuing bail for a hearing at Swords District Court on June 9. Emma Nevin, charged with selling counterfeit cigarettes at Balbriggan Sunday Market on April 27, was also remanded on continuing bail for a plea hearing on June 9. Debbie Whelan, alleged to have produced a wheel brace during an argument on Chieftain's Road on July 8, 2013, was remanded on continuing bail for a hearing on May 16. Finally, Bridget O'Leary pleaded guilty to the theft of €54.81 worth of groceries from Tesco in Balbriggan on October 8, 2013. She was remanded on continuing bail to reappear on June 12 for the facts of the case to be heard.
Nathan Kinsella, 35, was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for two years after pleading guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 13 September 2012. He was arrested in February 2014 after failing to appear for trial, and the court heard evidence of paramilitary activity at the funeral of dissident republican Alan Ryan, who was shot dead in September 2012. Garda investigations uncovered documents in Kinsella's apartment referencing financial transactions, firearms, and a Glock, and a fingerprint from another person was found on a document. Kinsella denied firing a weapon but admitted to being a friend of Ryan for six years and attending the funeral. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his plea of guilty, and his undertaking not to associate with unlawful organisations upon release, and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended, back‑dated to 1 February 2014, after accounting for 11 weeks already served.
In April 2014, the appeal of two Laois brothers, Eamonn Flanagan (42) and Seamus Flanagan (35), who had been convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for raping a woman in a Red Cow Hotel room in March 2008, was adjourned to the next court term. The brothers had pleaded not guilty to vaginal and anal rape respectively. The appeal court had previously considered that a key prosecution witness, Daniel Lynch, claimed he was pressured by Gardaí to state that the brothers were at the hotel room door when he left. No DNA from the brothers was found on the victim and CCTV showed the rapes occurred within a two‑minute window. Counsel for Seamus requested the adjournment to allow an affidavit concerning Lynch's testimony. Judge John MacMenamin noted that the case could not proceed today and would be listed for the first day of the next term, beginning 28 April. The appeal remains pending.
The Court of Criminal Appeal announced that several appeals may require re-hearings due to the serious illness of Mr Justice Michael Hanna. Chief Justice Susan Denham stated that cases where judgement was reserved and no final decision determined will be reconstituted. This includes the appeal by former priest Tony Walsh (59), who is challenging separate sentences of 16 years and 15 months for rape and sexual abuse. It also affects the case of businessman Anthony Lyons (52), where the court previously found his six-month sentence for violent sexual assault "unduly lenient" but reserved reasons and the replacement sentence. Counsel for the DPP requested time to take instructions on the appropriate course. Additionally, the appeal by Brian Rattigan (32), serving a life sentence for the 2001 stabbing death of Declan Gavin, may need re-hearing as he seeks leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. The court fixed February 14 for the re-hearing of the conviction appeal by brothers Warren and Jeffrey Dumbrell, who were jailed for life for the murder of Christopher Cawley. In contrast, the case of Kevin McCardle (31), who caused three deaths in a head-on collision while over the alcohol limit, will not be reheard. Although the court found his four-year sentence (one suspended) "unduly lenient," judgement has been returned, and only the sentencing portion of his case has been adjourned.
Kenneth Maher, a 41‑year‑old international lorry driver from La Chapelle‑Launay, France, was convicted at Swords District Court for careless driving and interfering with his vehicle's tachograph. On 11 January he was stopped on the M1 near Dublin Airport after travelling at 120 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. Garda Michael Lavelle noted Maher admitted using a magnet on his gearbox that interferes with the tachograph's electronic control unit, affecting the recordings, brakes and steering. Maher claimed he had only recently started using the magnet due to financial difficulties and to earn extra hours. The judge, Dermot Dempsey, was surprised by the claim that the magnet could have endangered a family. Maher pleaded guilty, expressed genuine regret and was fined €400 for careless driving and €150 for tachograph interference, but was not disqualified from driving under special circumstances. The court highlighted the importance of the tachograph for safety.
Kevin Braney, 39, of Tallaght, was granted temporary bail by the Special Criminal Court for the Christmas period, effectively placing him under house arrest. He is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, namely the IRA, a charge he shares with seven co-accused: Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock, and Darren Murphy. All eight men are alleged to have been involved in membership of the IRA. Mr. Braney had previously been granted bail on April 11, 2013, but gardai objected to his current application, alleging he breached prior conditions by associating with co-accused. Detective Inspector Michael Gibbons stated that gardai believed Mr. Braney would continue to commit offences. Mr. Justice Paul Butler accepted the objection but noted Mr. Braney was not deemed a flight risk. The court offered a compromise, changing his place of detention from Portlaoise Prison to his home address. Bail was granted from 9:00 am on December 23 to 4:00 pm on December 28, subject to a 24-hour curfew, an independent surety of €7,000, and a prohibition on associating with co-accused or anyone charged with a scheduled offence. The curfew was lifted between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm on Christmas Day to allow Mr. Braney to visit his mother's grave. The court acknowledged that granting bail imposed additional monitoring work on gardai.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing in Dublin, James Brennan (45) and Joseph Kirwan (39) pleaded guilty to possession of explosive substances linked to a Continuity IRA pipe bomb factory. Brennan admitted manufacturing pipe bomb casings at his Newbridge home, while Kirwan was found welding components in a shed. Gardaí discovered six completed casings, a welder, grinder, welding masks, steel lengths, and other materials. Brennan, with 20 years in security, claimed he had distanced himself from republican activity and was placed in a non‑aligned cell at Portlaoise Prison. Kirwan, holding a mechanical engineering degree, expressed regret and pledged not to engage in future criminal acts. The court sentenced Brennan to seven years' imprisonment, suspending four years, and Kirwan to six years, suspending four years, with both sentences back‑dated to the arrest on 28 February 2013. The sentences reflect the court's view that the suspensions were appropriate given the defendants' undertakings.
Michael Kiely, 43, of Limerick, is currently on trial at the Special Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA. The prosecution alleges that on January 6, 2013, Kiely read a Continuity IRA statement at a graveside oration in Limerick, identifying Irish enlistees in the British Army as "legitimate targets." The statement, signed by "Continuity IRA prisoners, Portlaoise gaol," was recorded by a radio reporter after the event's PA system failed. Prosecution counsel Shane Costelloe BL presented the recording to the court, which also heard evidence from Chief Superintendent Dave Sheehan regarding Kiely's alleged membership. During a search of Kiely's home, gardai found undelivered Christmas cards addressed to prisoners in Portlaoise jail, including one addressed to Rose Lynch, who was jailed for life last April for murder and IRA membership. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul Butler with Judges Margaret Heneghan and Flannan Brennan, is expected to last five days. The court will also consider evidence that gardai invoked Section 2 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 during interviews, allowing inferences to be drawn from Kiely's refusal to answer certain questions.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Kirwan, aged 39, pleaded guilty to possessing pipe‑bomb materials and other explosives. He admitted owning six complete casings for a plate‑type pipe‑bomb, a Parva welder, a grinder with blades, welding masks, steel lengths and other related items. The items were found at the home of co‑accused James Brennan, 44, on 28 February 2013. Kirwan's case was scheduled for sentencing on 17 December, the same date as Brennan's related matter.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Kirwan, aged 39 from Closelands, Ballybrittas, pleaded guilty to possessing pipe‑bomb materials and other explosives. He admitted to holding six complete casings for a plate‑type pipe‑bomb, a Parva welder, a grinder with blades, welding masks, steel lengths and related items at the home of co‑accused James Brennan on 28 February 2013. Brennan, 44, had earlier pleaded guilty to the same offence. The court set a sentencing date of 17 December, with the presiding judge noting the case would be listed then.