IMRO, the Irish body that administers performing‑rights copyright, has filed High Court proceedings to obtain an injunction against the organisers of the 'Forest Fest' music and arts festival in County Laois. The organisers, Philip Meagher and Forestfest Limited, are alleged to have failed to secure a licence for a number of musical works that IMRO claims it holds copyright to on behalf of its members. The festival, scheduled for 19‑21 July at Emo, will feature acts such as Ash, The Undertones, The Divine Comedy, EMF, The Cult, The Human League, Something Happens, The Stunning, Stereo MCs, Paul Brady and Tony Hadley. IMRO says that several dozen of its copyrighted works will be performed and that the organisers owe €193,000 in royalties for 2022, 2023 and the pending 2024 events.
The High Court declared that Alan O'Neill and June Finnegan are the legal owners of a disputed garage in Portarlington, Co Laois. Mr Justice David Nolan made the declaration on Thursday with the consent of the parties, including Drumgoan Developments Limited, Noel Martin Senior, and Darren Martin. The declaration confirmed that the plaintiffs were not registered as owners due to a mistake and that Drumgoan did not own the property. The couple alleged that the defendants engaged in a 'land grab,' made payment demands, and damaged the garage. They also claimed Mr Martin Senior sent threatening communications and breached a previous injunction restraining him from contacting them. Mr Martin Senior was made the subject of contempt proceedings for alleged breaches of that order. He subsequently apologized to the court and agreed not to contact the plaintiffs. Counsel for the defendants confirmed consent to the declaration and stated there had been no further breach of the injunction. Mr Justice Nolan praised the legal teams for resolving this aspect of the case but noted that Mr Martin Senior was 'not out of the woods yet.' The judge adjourned the contempt proceedings against Mr Martin Senior to a date in June, stating he will rule on whether contempt occurred and any appropriate sanction when the matter returns. Other aspects of the action, including the couple's claims for damages, remain live before the court.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 May 2024, Justice Úna Ni Raifeartaigh quashed the original four‑year sentence given to Dean Dullaghan (25) for a 2020 machete attack on a 16‑year‑old in his home. The appellate judge set a headline sentence of ten years, then imposed a custodial term of eight and a half years with the final two and a half years suspended, meaning Dullaghan will serve six years in prison. The case involved a violent burglary at Castleross, Dundalk, where Dullaghan caused permanent damage to the victim's right hand. The State had objected that the initial eight‑year headline was too lenient, citing Dullaghan's age and the severity of the offence. The appeal concluded with Dullaghan entering a bond to keep the peace and engage with probation services. Dean Dullaghan was convicted.
Bord na Mona Biomass Ltd (BNM) brought a case to the High Court over alleged unlawful peat harvesting by Mr Liam Gorman at Garrymore Bog, Tinnahinch, Co Laois. BNM claims it acquired the bogland from Gorman's family in October 2023 and that Gorman, who has been milling peat on the site for over 30 years, has built a road from his own lands onto the property and removed peat from 390 acres of a 400‑acre site. BNM says it owns 87 of the 94 plots and is concerned that Gorman's commercial activities damage the bog. Gorman denied trespassing and threatened that if BNM cannot prove ownership he would be owed €1 million in silver and gold. The court granted a temporary injunction restraining Gorman from trespassing, working on the land or removing material, and the matter was adjourned to a next‑week hearing.
A developer, Noel Martin Senior, has apologised in the High Court for breaching an injunction that prohibited him from contacting Alan O'Neill and June Finnegan, who have sued him over ownership of a garage adjacent to their home in Portarlington, Co Laois. The couple, who have kept exotic pets in the garage, secured the injunction last month after alleging that the defendants, including Martin Senior and Drumgoan Developments Limited, threatened and intimidated them. The court heard that Martin Senior had breached the order on two occasions since it was granted, prompting the couple to seek his attachment and possible committal to prison. During the hearing, Mr Justice David Nolan noted that Martin Senior was not in court initially and directed him to attend to answer the breach allegations. When Martin Senior appeared, he apologised, stating that his actions were a 'genuine mistake' and a misunderstanding. He claimed he did not know he was required to attend the Four Courts when the matter was called on. The judge warned Martin Senior that the breach of a court order is a 'very serious matter' and told him, 'You may think you are the Lord God Almighty, but you are not.' Martin Senior's lawyers stated that there had been no repeat of the breach after the second incident and that the parties had been attempting to resolve matters outside of court. Martin Senior denied making complaints to the Irish Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals about the plaintiffs and stated that he had driven over two hours to be present in court. The judge accepted Martin Senior's apology but said he would impose a penalty, which could be a fine or a term of imprisonment, due to the breaches of the court order. The judge also said he would consider submissions from both parties' lawyers on the issue when the case returns. The matter was adjourned for two weeks, with the injunction and undertakings granted by the defendant left in place in case of any future breaches.
Alan O'Neill and partner June Finnegan have obtained permission to file a motion seeking the attachment and possible committal to prison of Mr. Noel Martin Senior, a defendant in their case against Drumgoan Developments Limited. The couple allege that Mr. Martin breached a High Court injunction that barred him from contacting them regarding the disputed ownership of a garage adjacent to their 20‑year‑old home at Crann Nua, Edenderry Road, Portarlington. They claim the garage, purchased with an extra fee in 2005, was not properly conveyed to them and that the defendants have threatened and intimidated them. The judge, Mr Justice David Nolan, granted the motion on an ex‑parte basis and adjourned the application to a date next week, while maintaining the injunction. The couple also allege that Mr. Martin sent threatening communications and that the defendants have engaged in a "land grab" and demanded money from them and neighbours. The case remains pending.
In a High Court hearing on 24 April 2024, Mr Justice David Nolan warned Drumgoan Developments Limited and its alleged owners, Noel Martin Senior and Darren Martin, that any breach of the court's undertakings or the temporary injunction would bring "serious consequences." The injunction, granted after Alan O'Neill and partner June Finnegan secured a restraining order, prohibits the defendants from contacting the couple or driving past their home on Edenderry Road, Portlaoise. Mr Justice Nolan noted that the defendants had already breached the injunction when Mr Martin Senior sent a WhatsApp message threatening to report the couple to Tusla for "dangerous unlicensed animals" and demanding the removal of Mr O'Neill's car. The judge described the defendants' conduct as "egregious" and urged their lawyers to convey the gravity of any further breaches. He adjourned the case for a week to allow the parties to discuss a potential arrangement regarding the injunction.
Alan O'Neill and his partner June Finnegan have launched High Court proceedings against Drumgoan Developments Limited, Noel Martin Senior, and Darren Martin regarding a dispute over the ownership of a garage in Portarlington, Co Laois. The plaintiffs allege they purchased the garage in 2005 but it was not properly conveyed due to a solicitor's oversight. They claim the defendants, who assert ownership, engaged in a "land grab," made monetary demands, and damaged the property with a JCB on 21 February, despite the garage housing exotic animals including a caiman alligator, chameleons, and scorpions. Mr O'Neill alleged that men directed by Darren Martin smashed the walls with power tools and drove a JCB through the structure, causing substantial damage and disrupting animal breeding. He further claimed Noel Martin Senior sent threatening messages and that the defendants intimidated the family by driving near their home. In response to a cease and desist letter, Mr Martin Senior allegedly dismissed the legal correspondence as "waffle" and threatened to report the plaintiffs to Tusla. Counsel Ruaidhri Giblin BL, instructed by solicitor Paul Kelly, sought an injunction to protect the property and restrain interference. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, hearing the matter on an ex parte basis, granted a temporary injunction restraining the defendants or their agents from contacting or communicating with the plaintiffs. The judge noted the defendants' communications did not put them in a good light and granted permission to serve short notice of the proceedings. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court next week.
The trial of Aaron Brady for perverting the course of justice has been postponed for a third day after the Director of Public Prosecutions and Brady's lawyers held discussions. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, said he had received an instruction from Brady that prompted the matter to be presented to the DPP. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC indicated he would consult with the DPP before proceeding and expects to have his instructions by the next day. The trial, originally scheduled for this week, was adjourned to give the defence time to review additional evidence served recently. Brady, aged 33, and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 30, are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in Brady's murder trial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, which took place during a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Jenkinstown, County Louth, on 25 January 2013.
At the appeal stage of the case, Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor serving a combined 35-year sentence in the Midlands Prison, was found guilty of one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021. Murray had pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was convicted by a jury in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an eight-day trial. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two-year prison sentence to run consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving. The court heard that an anonymous caller phoned the Samaritans claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and said explosives had been planted at the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The call was traced back to Murray's cell in the Midlands Prison. Murray admitted making a call to the Samaritans but denied making the threat. He also stated that he had a 'gripe' with Fine Gael and the Minister for Justice. The matter was adjourned for further proceedings.
At a sentence hearing in the appeal stage, Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor serving a combined 35-year sentence in the Midlands Prison, stated he does not accept the jury's verdict of guilt on a charge of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021. Murray had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was found guilty by a jury in a trial earlier this month. The charge relates to a bomb threat made against the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The case was adjourned for finalisation until March 19. Murray was excluded from his July 2021 sentence hearing and moved to another courtroom after he threw a bible, narrowly missing Judge Karen O'Connor. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
At the appeal stage, Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor, was found guilty by a jury of making a bomb threat against the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. Murray, who is serving a 19-year sentence in the Midlands Prison, had pleaded not guilty to one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021. The jury returned the verdict after deliberating for five hours and 10 minutes. Murray made no reaction as the verdict was handed down in court. Judge Patricia Ryan thanked the jurors for their service and adjourned the matter for sentencing next Friday. She remanded Murray in continuing custody. During the trial, it was established that the call to the Samaritans was traced back to Murray's cell, and his unique identification number was used. Murray had previously been jailed in 2013 for 15 years for falsely imprisoning, raping, and sexually assaulting a woman, with his sentence later increased to 19 years by the Court of Appeal. He has 34 previous convictions, including for common assault, carrying firearms, robbery, and aggravated burglary. Murray was excluded from his July 2021 sentence hearing and moved to another courtroom after he threw a bible, narrowly missing Judge Karen O'Connor. She described his actions as 'a fundamental attack on our system of justice.' The matter was adjourned for sentencing next Friday.
In a trial held on 7 March 2024, Michael Murray, 52, pleaded not guilty to a single charge of knowingly making a false report that caused a bomb threat against Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The alleged call was traced to the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, where Murray was imprisoned. The call was made from an extension in his cell, using his unique identification number, and was directed to the Samaritans. Murray denied making the call but admitted to having links with the Irish National Liberation Army and to having a grievance with McEntee. He also acknowledged that a group called the 'Criminal Revenge Group' had made threats to the Taoiseach and other civil servants. The prosecution argued that only Murray could have made the call, while the defence highlighted inconsistencies in the evidence, such as a 18‑second timing discrepancy and differences in accent and speech patterns. The jury was instructed to deliberate and return the next day.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, pleaded not guilty to a single count of knowingly making a false report that caused a safety apprehension while he was imprisoned at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on 7 March 2021. The allegation was that an anonymous caller, claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army, had called the Samaritans to report that explosives were planted at the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. No explosives were found and the call was traced to the prison. Murray, who was alone in his cell with a telephone that night, denied making the call but admitted having links with the paramilitary group. He said the threat was ludicrous, arguing that it made no sense for him to isolate himself at 8.30 p.m. and threaten the Minister. He claimed his grievance was with the policies of the Director of Public Prosecutions office, not with McEntee herself.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, is on trial for making a false bomb threat to the Minister of Justice's home. While imprisoned in Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, he allegedly phoned the Samaritans claiming explosives were planted at Helen McEntee's residence. The call was traced to a unique identification number registered to Murray, who was alone in his cell with telephone access that night. Murray denied making the call but admitted having links to a paramilitary group. He claimed to have been part of a "Criminal Revenge Group" that threatened Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Minister of Justice, stating "Leo is to get it this week." The court heard video footage of Murray's interview after his arrest, where he discussed the group's threats and his frustration. He also said he regretted the call. The trial is ongoing before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
Niall Sheehy, a 59‑year‑old car‑sales owner from Ballinteskin, Stradbally, pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching the Data Protection Act for disclosing personal information obtained from the Garda Pulse system between June 2019 and February 2020. He had no money exchanged for the data and did not request it, but the information was sent to him by a serving Garda who had a "cosy relationship" with him. The Garda's phone was seized in March 2020, revealing ten screenshots of Pulse data sent to Sheehy. Sheehy's home was searched and he fully cooperated. Judge Martin Nolan, noting his long‑standing community standing and lack of criminal intent, sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions, and found no malice in his receipt of the data. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Killiney, Dublin, is on trial before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury for one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleges he phoned in a bomb threat to the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee while imprisoned in Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, on March 7, 2021. The jury heard that an anonymous caller claiming to be from the INLA reported explosives at the Minister's home; no explosives were found, but the call was traced to a unique identification number registered to Mr. Murray. Video footage of a garda interview played to the jury showed Mr. Murray admitting to having "well-known" links to the INLA. He denied making the threat, stating he regularly called the Samaritans. The court also heard details of his criminal history, including convictions for armed robberies and a 2010 conviction for kidnapping and rape, for which he was initially sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, later increased to 19 years on appeal. The trial continues.
During a trial on March 7 2021, Michael Murray (52) of Seafield Road, Killiney, was accused of making a false bomb threat against Minister Helen McEntee's home. The call was traced to a unique identification number registered to Murray, used on a prison telephone at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise. Jury evidence showed Murray was alone in his cell at the time, with all cells master‑locked and no other prisoners able to access the phone. The assistant chief officer, Patrick McCabe, confirmed that the cell would not have been opened until the next day. Detective Garda Shane Curran identified the call's source as the prison, and IT staff Noel Reilly admitted he had not reported a phone‑system issue that allowed prisoners to call solicitors. No other calls to the Samaritans were made from Murray's number until March 20, and the trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
During a trial, Michael Murray, 52, pleaded not guilty to a single count of knowingly making a false report that caused apprehension for the safety of another. The false report was a bomb threat to the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, allegedly made from the Samaritans. The State argued that the call was traced to the prisoner number of Murray, who was imprisoned at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, on 7 March 2021. Evidence included a report from Noel Reilly, an IT officer at the Irish Prison Service, who showed that an outgoing call from the prison matched the duration and time of the bomb threat and used Murray's unique prisoner number. Reilly explained that prisoners must enter a number to access the phone system and that calls to the Samaritans are logged but not recorded.
During a trial, Garda Superintendent Dermot Dray explained that a bomb threat call to the Samaritans hotline, claiming explosives were planted at Minister for Justice Helen McEntee's home, was treated as a serious criminal offence that could threaten the state's security. The call, made on 7 March 2021 from Midlands Prison while Michael Murray was incarcerated, was investigated to identify the caller's number and location. Dray noted that the call's origin was traced to the prison two days later, and that the Samaritans volunteer who received the call had not recorded the exact time or duration. Garda Sergeant Paul McGarry recounted that officers from Navan and Dublin were dispatched to McEntee's residence and the Justice Department to search for suspicious devices, finding none. The threat was ultimately deemed a hoax, but the investigation remained thorough. The case is before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
On 7 March 2021, a Samaritans volunteer received a phone call claiming that explosives had been planted at the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The caller, identifying himself as the Irish National Liberation Organisation, said the password was "Red October" and that the threat related to a court case in Dublin the following day. The volunteer, who was on duty at the time, was shaken by the call and later reported it to her supervisor before contacting emergency services. She made a statement to Gardaí the next day. The call was traced to Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, where Michael Murray, a 52‑year‑old former resident of Seafield Road, Killiney, was imprisoned. Murray pleaded not guilty to a single count of knowingly making a false report that caused apprehension for the safety of another. His trial, opened on 27 February 2024 before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury, is expected to last one week.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Ivan Kelly, aged 17 at the time of the offence, was sentenced to four years and nine months' imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the rape involved force, the victim's distress from Kelly's extradition, and his 27 prior convictions. Mitigating factors included his youth, personal circumstances and fatherhood. The court imposed a prohibition on any contact with the victim. The victim, who was 23 when she was raped, described the offender's apology letter as "disingenuous" and said he showed no remorse during the trial. She detailed the assault, her subsequent physical injuries, emotional trauma, drug use and the lasting impact on her life. The sentencing hearing was conducted by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. The sentence was back‑dated to Kelly's entry into custody on 29 June 2022. Ivan Kelly pleaded not guilty.
Charles McClean, aged 35, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to a global term of 20 years for his role in three gangland shootings. He already serves a 16.5‑year sentence for facilitating a criminal organisation and an eight‑year sentence for conspiracy to murder Wayne Whelan. The new sentence adds three and a half years for impeding the apprehension of the person who murdered Mark 'Guinea Pig' Desmond in December 2016. McClean pleaded guilty to the offence and showed no remorse. The judge noted that the three offences were separate, each with its own victim and family, and that McClean's involvement was "very unusual." The three‑and‑a‑half‑year term is to run consecutively to his existing sentences, bringing the total to 20 years in custody. The sentence reflects the seriousness of McClean's escalating criminal conduct.
Three senior officials in the Irish Prison Service have failed in equality claims at the Workplace Relations Commission, alleging they faced age discrimination through unequal pay. The claimants—operations director Don Culliton, ICT and governance director Donna Creaven, and former acting director of HR Trevor Jordan—each sought salary increases of between €32,000 and €36,000 to match the €142,892 pay of former director of care and rehabilitation Fergal Black. Ms Creaven also claimed gender discrimination. The Prison Service maintained that Mr Black's higher salary reflected "red-circling"—retention of original contractual terms—dating from his 1993 appointment and preserved during the agency's 2007 decentralisation to Longford, when medical qualifications ceased to be mandatory. Adjudicator Breiffni O'Neill accepted the respondent's historical account and found the pay disparity objectively justified, rejecting all three complaints.
In a sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court, 35‑year‑old Charles McClean admitted that he had called his "associate" Mark 'Guinea Pig' Desmond to a drugs meeting in Griffeen Valley Park, Lucan, where Desmond was shot dead. McClean said he later removed Desmond's mobile phone at the request of gangster Wayne Whelan. He had previously pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Desmond on 2 December 2016, knowing or believing Desmond to be guilty of an arrestable offence. McClean is already serving a 16.5‑year sentence for facilitating a criminal organisation and for conspiring to murder Whelan. The hearing also noted that McClean had a motor business linked to Whelan and that he had travelled to Northern Ireland and Tenerife shortly after the shooting. The court remanded him in custody until his sentencing.
Charles McClean, aged 35, already serving 16.5 years for facilitating a criminal organisation and conspiracy to murder Wayne Whelan, pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of the person who murdered gangland figure Mark 'Guinea Pig' Desmond in Lucan on 2 December 2016. McClean admitted he knew or believed the murderer was guilty of an arrestable offence, namely Desmond's murder, and that he had impeded the investigation. He was originally charged with Desmond's murder on the same day. The case was heard before the Central Criminal Court, where Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded McClean in custody until 6 February for a sentence hearing and directed the preparation of a victim impact report. The hearing was scheduled to last 40 minutes. McClean's earlier convictions include an eight‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for facilitating the fatal shooting of Thomas McCarthy in 2020 and an eight‑year sentence for conspiracy to murder Whelan in 2021.
Michelle Spellissy, a solicitor with the Legal Aid Board, brought a whistleblower penalisation claim after her manager docked her a day's pay and opened a disciplinary process when she complained about headaches and electrical shocks caused by a noisy ventilation fan in her office. She also alleged that her absence from work while attending a State‑sponsored Irish exam was treated as unauthorised. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the Board had not properly determined whether her absence was unauthorised, noting that Spellissy had not been told how the Board wanted her to treat exams or study time. The WRC awarded her €123.50 in back pay and dismissed her other complaints, concluding that the Board's actions did not amount to penalisation. The case remains at the employment‑tribunal stage, with no further outcome reported.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Ivan Kelly, 23, was found guilty of raping a woman in a secluded lane after a drug transaction. The victim, who had initially approached Kelly to buy drugs, was led to a consensual encounter that turned violent when Kelly removed her iPod and became forceful. He pushed her, causing a head injury, then raped her from behind. Medical evidence confirmed bruises and scratches consistent with assault. Kelly, who had previously denied the rape, now accepts the verdict and expressed remorse, stating he is prepared to accept any punishment. He has 27 prior convictions and has been in custody since June 2022. The case was adjourned to February 13 for sentencing. The victim's impact statement described profound emotional trauma and the lasting effect on her life. Ivan Kelly pleaded not guilty.
The former acting campus governor of the Midlands Prison complex, Ethel Gavin, has failed in a sexist discrimination complaint after claiming she was demoted at the behest of male prison officers under her command. The Workplace Relations Commission found that her claim was out of time, as she lodged proceedings under the Employment Equality Act 1998 too late. Ms Gavin alleged that she was removed from her acting-up position following a walkout by 14 male officers in May 2018, which she claimed led to her being placed in a less prestigious role. She argued that the male officers involved were not reprimanded and that she faced a continuum of discrimination. However, the tribunal rejected her claims, stating there were no acts of discrimination within the six months prior to her complaint. The adjudicator noted that the bullying complaint against Ms Gavin was not substantiated, and the Prison Service denied any misleading press statements regarding her retirement party.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) for 60‑year‑old Patrick Reilly, a company director, allowing him to write off more than €3 million of debt owed to financial institutions and retain his family home in Dublin for a payment of just over €8 000. Under the 24‑month scheme, Reilly will sell two Dublin properties and one in Mountrath, Co. Laois, and will restructure and extend the mortgage on his family home at Clanree Road, Donnycarney. He will also pay a total of just over €8 000 toward his unsecured debts. The PIA will give unsecured creditors a dividend of 0.07 % of what they are owed. No objections were raised, and Mr Justice Alexander Owens deemed the arrangement just and equitable, noting that it will return Reilly to solvency upon completion.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 13 October 2023, the appeal of Edmundas Dauksa, aged 53, was dismissed. Dauksa had been convicted in May 2021 by a Central Criminal Court jury of murdering his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, after she refused to bring their six‑year‑old daughter to his home. The jury found no provocation and rejected Dauksa's claim that he was "fuelled with murderous intent" or that he had been "wronged" by the court's custody decision. The appeal argued that Maciokaite's decision not to bring the child constituted provocation, but the Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh, held that the decision was a matter for the custody court and that Dauksa's 20‑minute walk to the courtyard did not indicate a loss of self‑control. Alcohol intoxication was deemed irrelevant to the intent to kill. Both grounds of appeal failed, and the murder conviction was upheld. Edmundas Dauksa pleaded not guilty.
Two men have been acquitted of robbery in connection with the 2013 Lordship Credit Union heist in Bellurgan, County Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. Following a three-month trial at the Special Criminal Court, judges found insufficient evidence to convict Brendan Treanor of carrying out the robbery itself, though the court noted his association with the criminal gang involved. James Flynn, from South Armagh, was cleared of direct participation in the robbery but convicted of conspiracy to steal the getaway vehicle used in the raid. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, determined that while evidence established both men's involvement with the crime's planning and execution, the prosecution had not proven beyond reasonable doubt that either was among the four men who entered the credit union car park. Flynn will be sentenced on November 13th. Aaron Brady, separately convicted of Detective Donohoe's murder, is serving a life sentence and pursuing an appeal. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has convicted James Flynn, an Armagh man, of conspiring with garda killer Aaron Brady to steal a Volkswagen Passat on 22 and 23 January 2013 at locations in County Louth. The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the robbery of Lordship Credit Union near Dundalk two days later, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Alan Mitchell, found the prosecution case consistent with the conspiracy charge, citing CCTV evidence and communication timings as circumstantial support. Flynn's co-accused, Brendan Treanor, was acquitted of conspiracy to commit burglary, the court determining insufficient evidence for conviction. The judges continue to deliver verdicts on the separate robbery charge against both men, who deny all allegations. Both defendants face charges relating to the €7,000 Lordship robbery and the wider conspiracy involving car thefts between September 2012 and January 2013. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
A Limerick man has been sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by the Special Criminal Court for assisting the McCarthy-Dundon organised crime group in the attempted murder of drug dealer Christy Keane in June 2015. Noel Price, aged 45, of Kileely Road, Limerick, pleaded guilty to making a vehicle available to the criminal organisation with knowledge of its intended use. The court heard that Price travelled to Dublin with a senior member of the gang, collected a white Volvo, and drove it back to Limerick in convoy. The vehicle was later used as a getaway car following the shooting of Keane at the University of Limerick, where he sustained three gunshot wounds but survived. Presiding Judge Alexander Owens noted Price's extensive criminal history and applied a 25 per cent reduction to the headline ten-year sentence to account for his guilty plea and addiction issues. Price has been in custody since his charging in June 2020.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 3 July 2023, John D Fitzgerald SC argued that Edmundas Dauksa, 53, was provoked when his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, decided not to bring their six‑year‑old daughter to his home on the day of the murder. Dauksa had been convicted in May 2021 of murdering Maciokaite by stabbing her 19 times in a darkened archway in front of the child. The defence claimed the decision to withhold the child, made after a District Court granted her sole custody, caused Dauksa to become "very distraught" and "destroyed as a human being." Fitzgerald said the phone call from Maciokaite at about 2 pm was the trigger and could amount to provocation, even though it was not a face‑to‑face confrontation. The judge, Mr Justice John Edwards, noted Dauksa was in a self‑induced state of intoxication and that the court would reserve judgment on the provocation claim. Edmundas Dauksa pleaded not guilty.
Verdicts for Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, accused of a robbery that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, will be delivered on 19 September. The Special Criminal Court trial lasted 55 days, with evidence, legal arguments and closing speeches. Both men, aged 34 and 32, deny all charges. They are also charged with conspiring with convicted Garda killer Aaron Brady and others to burgle houses in 2012 and 2013, specifically to steal car keys. The prosecution alleges they were part of a group that broke into houses to steal keys and then quietly leave with the cars. Aaron Brady, 31, is serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for Donohoe's murder and the Lordship robbery, and he denies involvement in the robbery. The judges will provide reasons for their verdicts and have been given the summer break to prepare. The trial concluded today, with the court noting the need for detailed reasoning in its judgments. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty. James Flynn pleaded not guilty.
In May 2023 the Court of Appeal increased the sentence of Christopher Rafter, 49, from four‑and‑a‑half years to seven years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended. Rafter had pleaded guilty to raping and sexually assaulting his two younger sisters, Dolores Prendergast and Linda Rafter, between 1989 and 1993 while he was a minor. The sisters, aged between six and eleven at the time, were abused repeatedly, with Rafter's conduct described as systematic and serial. The original concurrent sentences for the two victims had been criticised as too lenient, and the appeal court found the mitigation and suspended portion too generous. The appeal hearing highlighted the severe and prolonged impact on the sisters, who had suffered family ostracism and ongoing psychological harm. The new sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences and the cumulative nature of the abuse.
A barrister for James Flynn has told the Special Criminal Court that the prosecution's case against his client lacks any substantive evidence. Bernard Condon SC argued that there is no proof Mr Flynn was present at Lordship Credit Union during the robbery on 25 January 2013, in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. The prosecution's case instead relies on linking Mr Flynn to the theft of a Volkswagen Passat in Clogherhead, County Louth, allegedly used in the robbery. Mr Condon contended that CCTV footage showing the vehicle's movements contained implausible timings and that a farmer's account of blue headlights at the burn site in Armagh did not match Mr Flynn's BMW. He described the evidence regarding the Passat as threadbare and accused the prosecution of relying on weak associations and speculation rather than concrete proof. Mr Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to robbing €7,000 from the credit union and to conspiracy charges. Aaron Brady, who was convicted of murdering Detective Donohoe, is serving a life sentence.
Before the Special Criminal Court on May 17th, 2023, a barrister for Brendan Treanor argued there is insufficient evidence to sustain charges against his client in connection with a 2013 credit union robbery in Bellurgan, County Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. Sean Guerin SC submitted that prosecution claims relied on speculation rather than direct evidence, and that no proof existed that Treanor left his home the evening of the robbery. Counsel highlighted inconsistencies in the State's case, including witness testimony that the getaway driver was female, and challenged the feasibility of the timings alleged. Both Treanor and James Flynn (32), from South Armagh, deny charges of robbery and conspiracy to burgle. Aaron Brady is serving a life sentence for the detective's murder and the robbery itself. Closing arguments continue, with the three-judge court to determine the case. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard closing submissions yesterday in the trial of two men accused of involvement in the fatal robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth in January 2013. Prosecution counsel told the three-judge court that a tattoo allegedly obtained by one of the accused in 2018 constituted an "extraordinary act of hubris". The tattoo, which counsel submitted contains images strikingly coincidental to elements of the Lordship robbery, features a BMW car, armed figures, and a person wearing a balaclava. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, aged 32, of South Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the robbery and to conspiracy to commit residential burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013. Prosecution counsel presented evidence linking phone records and movements of the accused to burglaries in Cavan, Monaghan, and Westmeath prior to the robbery. Defence closing speeches are scheduled to follow.
The Special Criminal Court excluded Aaron Brady's father, Tony Brady, from the trial of James Flynn and Brendan Treanor after he posted an online video accusing a Garda of perjury and contempt of court. The video was deemed "tendentious and offensive" and unrelated to the evidence presented. Judge Tony Hunt ruled that while people may hold opinions, they cannot use their presence in court to publish such allegations. Brady apologized for his remarks and was not found in contempt. The trial, which has been ongoing for over 50 days, involves Flynn (32) and Treanor (34) who are charged with a €7,000 robbery at Lordship Credit Union and conspiracy to break into homes to steal car keys. Both pleaded not guilty. Aaron Brady, 31, remains in custody on a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe and the robbery. The case is expected to conclude this week.
A Special Criminal Court has heard that an organised criminal gang comprising at least five members with local knowledge deliberately targeted Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, in the robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. The State's closing address, delivered by barrister Lorcan Staines SC on 15 May 2023, relied on circumstantial evidence including CCTV footage and mobile phone data to link the accused men to the attack and a series of related burglaries. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn deny charges of conspiracy to commit creeper burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and of robbing €7,000 from the credit union on 25 January 2013. The prosecution contends the gang possessed detailed local knowledge of the area and prior intelligence about the credit union's operations. Counsel noted coordination indicators such as synchronised phone deactivations before the robbery and evidence of reconnaissance visits. Aaron Brady, already serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum for Detective Donohoe's murder, was named as a co-conspirator. The trial continues at the Special Criminal Court. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, the trial of Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, charged with conspiracy to commit burglaries and a robbery that killed Garda Adrian Donohoe, is set to conclude next week. After the prosecution's case, the defence argued that the common‑law offence of conspiracy no longer exists, citing the Criminal Justice Act 2006, and claimed the charges were vague and unsubstantiated. The court rejected these arguments, holding that the indictment provided sufficient "reasonable information" and that the common‑law offence still stands. The trial, which has lasted 39 days, involves the January 2013 robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union and a separate conspiracy with Aaron Brady to steal car keys from residential premises. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Brady, already serving a life sentence for Donohoe's murder and the robbery, denies any role in the latter and is appealing his conviction.
The Special Criminal Court admitted a back tattoo as evidence in the case of Brendan Treanor, 34, and James Flynn, 32, charged with the robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, which resulted in the shooting death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The tattoo, featuring guns, bullets, gangsters, money, knuckle dusters and a BMW X5, was described by the prosecution as "almost a glorification" and a "pictorial admission" of Treanor's involvement. Treanor's lawyers argued it was irrelevant, but Mr Justice Tony Hunt ruled that the court would consider it as part of the overall evidence, stating that excluding it would be a failure of logic, reason and common sense. Treanor and Flynn have pleaded not guilty to each charge. The trial continues tomorrow.
The State has argued at the Court of Appeal that the four-and-a-half-year jail sentence imposed on Christopher Rafter for the rape and sexual assault of his two younger sisters was too lenient. Rafter, of Portlaoise, Co Laois, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to offences committed between 1989 and 1993. Ms Fiona Murphy SC, representing the State, contended that the concurrent structure of the sentences resulted in a single punishment for two victims, with Rafter receiving only two years for ten indecent assaults. She noted that Mr Justice McDermott had identified a headline sentence of nine years for the rape of Linda Rafter, reduced to six years before suspending 18 months, and a headline of seven years for the rape of Dolores Prendergast, reduced to four-and-a-half years. The State alleged that too much credit was given to Rafter's age during the majority of the offending. In response, Mr John D Fitzgerald SC for Rafter cited his client's borderline intellectual disability and schizoid personality, arguing the sentence was not radically out of line with similar cases. The court heard that the abuse was continuous and involved a significant breach of trust. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement in this appeal.
The former governor of Portlaoise Prison, Ethel Gavin, has accused the Irish Prison Service of a sexist demotion, claiming it was at the behest of 14 male prison officers who staged a walkout in 2018. The incidents leading to the walkout included a senior gangland criminal being allowed a phone call before transfer and the withdrawal of barrier control of a prisoner, who later seriously assaulted an officer. The Workplace Relations Commission heard that the Prison Service denied allegations that a senior civil servant gave the officers Gavin's head 'on a plate', insisting that urgent action was taken to expedite management restructuring following a series of incidents. Gavin alleges she was demoted from an acting-up position as governor of the Portlaoise and Midlands Prisons to only oversee the Midlands Prison, losing two grades of seniority. The Prison Service maintains her acting-up role was temporary and that restructuring was necessary due to incidents at Portlaoise.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Brendan Treanor, 34, and James Flynn, 32, until after Easter. The men are accused of robbing €7,000 from Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, an incident that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. They are also charged with conspiring, between 11 September 2012 and 23 January 2013, with convicted Garda‑killer Aaron Brady and others to break into houses to steal car keys. Treanor and Flynn plead not guilty to all charges. Brady, 31, serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for Donohoe's murder and the credit union robbery, denies involvement and awaits appeal. After evidence on CCTV‑identified cars, the court noted about 15 days of prosecution material remained. The trial will resume on 18 April before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Alan Mitchell.
A witness at the Special Criminal Court was treated as hostile after giving conflicting evidence in the trial of two men charged with a credit union robbery in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Colin Hoey told the court he did not see Aaron Brady or accused James Flynn on the night of the Lordship Credit Union raid in Bellurgan, County Louth on 25 January 2013. However, his 2017 statement to gardaí at Carrickmacross stated that both men were present in his house between 9.15pm and 10.45pm that evening. Mr Hoey claimed he had been pressured to change his account and alleged a garda had threatened him with imprisonment. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn are charged with robbing €7,000 from the credit union and conspiracy to burgle homes for car keys. Both deny the charges. Brady is serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum for the garda's murder and the robbery. The trial continues. James Flynn pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 14 March 2023, Charlene O'Callaghan, the former girlfriend of Brendan Treanor, testified that she and Treanor were at home in Tullydonnell, Co. Armagh, on the night of the January 25, 2013 robbery at Lordship Credit Union. She said she arrived home at about 9:15 pm after work, watched television, showered, and then left to order food at a Crossmaglen takeaway at 10:05 pm, returning around 10:17 pm. O'Callaghan confirmed that Treanor was present in the house before she left and that he had dropped his phone into the bath while washing their dogs. She also noted that Treanor's friends included Aaron Brady and James Flynn. The testimony was given while Treanor and Flynn remain charged with the robbery and related conspiracy, having pleaded not guilty. The case continues before the Special Criminal Court.
A man has pleaded guilty to money laundering before the Special Criminal Court following his extradition from Spain. Gerard Mackin (40), originally from west Belfast, admitted to handling €4,780 in proceeds of criminal conduct at Rhebogue Road, Limerick, on April 17, 2019. He was arrested at Dublin Airport in December last year under a European Arrest Warrant. Mackin pleaded guilty to one charge under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Alan Mitchell, adjourned sentencing to March 30. The defendant's legal team requested a governor's report from Portlaoise Prison, which was granted. Mackin has previous convictions including a 2017 sentence for assault causing harm in Limerick.