A 55‑year‑old man, Aivars Sondors, stands trial in the Central Criminal Court for three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the investigation of a homicide. The alleged offence involved the murder of 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus, who died from a violent and bloody assault before his body was dumped on Mornington Beach. Sondors is accused of moving the body from a house on Marsh Road, cleaning the basement, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins at Burke House. He pleaded not guilty, and his defence argues that he acted under duress. The jury, sworn in on 19 June 2017, will decide whether duress applies to the alleged acts. The trial is scheduled to last seven days under Mr Justice Paul Coffey. Audrius Butkus was convicted. Aivars Sondors was convicted.
Mark McCarthy, aged 32, was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in the 2011 tiger kidnapping of An Post employee Warren Nawn, his wife Jean Marie, and their ten‑week‑old baby. McCarthy admitted that he was acting under duress and that he had no financial gain from the crime, claiming he was motivated by a drug debt. The court heard that the family was held hostage in their home and then taken to a rural location where they were kept overnight, threatened repeatedly, and subjected to intimidation, including threats of rape and murder. The kidnappers forced Mr Nawn to deliver €661,125 from the Drogheda Post Office, which he complied with and later handed over to the gang. McCarthy's sentence was back‑dated to November 2013, when he was first taken into custody. Mark McCarthy pleaded guilty.
In a 2017 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gardai reported that they had "struck it lucky" in a €660,000 tiger‑kidnapping case involving Mark McCarthy, a 32‑year‑old heroin addict. McCarthy had left fingerprints on a pizza box and DNA on cigarette butts in a partially burnt car that also contained a Tesco Club Card receipt belonging to one of the victims. He pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of Warren and Jean Marie Nawn and their ten‑week‑old baby between 1 and 2 August 2011. The court heard that the Nawn family were held hostage in their home, then driven to a rural location where they were kept captive overnight, threatened repeatedly, and forced to hand over €661,125 from the Drogheda Post Office. McCarthy was said to have acted under duress, with his life threatened by a drug debt, and received no benefit from the offence.
Ciaran Nally, 32, of Ninch, Laytown, was convicted at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court in April 2015 for possession of cocaine for sale or supply at the Monasterboice Inn car park. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, by Judge Michael O'Shea on 29 January 2016. Nally was one of four co‑accused in a drug handover that involved moving two packs of cocaine from one car to another. Surveillance had targeted the residences of two co‑accused, and a vehicle was later stopped on the motorway where €139,000 worth of cocaine was seized. Nally's home was searched with no evidence found. He admitted the packs likely contained cannabis and that he received no financial benefit. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling the sentence fair and reasonable. The judge noted Nally's role as a conduit in the drug supply chain and his prior cannabis addiction.
The trial of Jonathan Gill, aged 35, collapsed after the jury was discharged by Judge Elma Sheahan on the fifth day of deliberations. Gill was accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their 10‑week‑old baby, then robbing €660,000 from the workplace. The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, had deliberated for just over 14 hours. A juror handed a note to the judge, alleging that jurors were receiving outside information and that strangers had discussed the case on a tram. The judge, citing the seriousness of the allegations, discharged the jury and remanded Gill on continuing bail to appear again on 28 April. The case may be heard by another jury. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their 10‑week‑old baby before robbing €660,000 from the workplace, is set to begin its fifth day of deliberations. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, has already spent 13½ hours deliberating since the trial began last Thursday. Judge Elma Sheahan asked the jury forewoman whether more time would help reach a verdict; the forewoman replied that she could not say yet if more time was needed. Judge Sheahan reminded her that there is no time limit on deliberations and that the jury may continue as long as they are making progress. Gill, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their baby in Drogheda between 1 and 2 August 2011.
A jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has finished its third day of deliberations in the kidnapping trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, who is accused of abducting a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby before stealing €660,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was part of a five‑man group that held the family hostage in their home and later moved them to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and the infant, and the jury will resume tomorrow morning.
In a kidnapping trial, a jury will resume deliberations after a three‑hour session. The accused, Jonathan Gill, 35, faces charges of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby, and of robbing €660,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was one of five who held the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and the infant, and the case is before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faces charges of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old daughter, followed by a €660,000 robbery. The prosecution argues that, though no direct forensic evidence links Gill to the crime scenes, circumstantial evidence—his association with two other men linked to the offence, a car he owned that was in the area on the day of the kidnapping, and CCTV footage of him buying milk at 5.30 am while the kidnapping was underway—collectively proves his guilt. The jury was told the evidence is circumstantial but compelling, likening the combined threads to a rope. Gill pleaded not guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His defence counsel highlighted the lack of evidence of his presence between the start of the kidnapping at 10.30 pm and the milk purchase, arguing no guilt by association. The case will be presented to the jury tomorrow for deliberation.
During the trial, a jury was informed that CCTV footage from a petrol station in the early hours of August 1, 2011, showed Jonathan Gill, aged 35, buying a litre of milk. Gill is accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner, and their ten‑week‑old baby, holding them hostage in their home before moving them to a shed about 90 minutes away. The State alleges that the family was held overnight in the shed, where the baby cried and was given milk. After the kidnapping, authorities recovered an empty milk container from a partially burnt vehicle and other items from the shed, including cigarette butts. A detective testified that he canvassed 24‑hour shops, found a sale of milk at Topaz Garage in Balgriffin, and reviewed the CCTV, identifying Gill in the footage. The case continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
A surveillance garda testified that he saw Jonathan Gill, 35, driving a silver Renault Clio on Rathbeale Road in Swords on 1 August 2011, the day before the alleged kidnapping of a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby. The garda, who cannot be named, also observed a silver Opel Corsa with registration 10D4798 in the same area, which he said stopped briefly before both vehicles left. Gill is charged with false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their baby between 1 and 2 August 2011. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case is before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. The garda's testimony was challenged by Gill's defence counsel, who questioned the accuracy of the witness's observations. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Brennan, aged 39, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for possessing €80,000 worth of cannabis herb and cocaine. Gardaí seized the drugs from Brennan's flat after a drug search, discovering €17,339 of cocaine and €63,600 of cannabis herb. Brennan claimed he held the drugs to repay an estimated €23,000 debt to third parties, stating he could not provide information about those parties. He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis herb at his former Ranelagh Road address and possession for sale or supply of cocaine at Grand Parade, Dublin 6, on 25 March 2016. Brennan, who now resides in Drogheda, has one prior conviction. Judge Martin Nolan noted Brennan's addiction and the influence of "dangerous individuals," describing him as the "author of his own misfortune," and imposed the three‑year sentence. The court did not consider any subsequent rehabilitation or community work in determining the sentence.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the State presented evidence that Jonathan Gill, 35, was part of a group that kidnapped a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old daughter in August 2011. The family was held hostage in their home before being moved to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment. Gardaí had spotted a car linked to Gill on the N51 north of Drogheda at 6 pm on the day of the kidnapping. The car, a silver Renault Clio registration 06D10959, was recorded by the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system but did not trigger a warning. The ANPR system compares licence plates to databases and flags vehicles of interest. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women.
The Special Criminal Court's trial of 33‑year‑old Lithuanian Eimantas Valteris collapsed after a taped conversation between Valteris and two Gardaí was played. In the recording, the Gardaí, including Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, warned Valteris that if he did not accept responsibility for three firearms and four silencers, his wife would be arrested and their child would go into care. They also threatened to arrest his partner if he refused to cooperate. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi before the tape was fully played, and the court discharged Valteris. The case had originally involved Valteris's alleged unlawful possession of a .32‑inch semi‑automatic pistol, with evidence of the weapon being found in a VW Passat that had been stopped by Gardaí in Castlebellingham. The trial was the first at the Special Criminal Court involving a Lithuanian defendant. Eimantas Valteris pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court ordered that the public be excluded from the hearing of evidence given by members of the Garda National Surveillance Unit in the trial of Lithuanian man Eimantas Valteris, aged 33, who was arrested in 2013 as part of an operation to counter dissident republican activity in the border area. Valteris, the first Lithuanian charged before the Special Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a .32‑inch semi‑automatic pistol (IZH 79‑8 model Baikal, serial TPB358706) found at his car sales depot in Balmoral Industrial Estate, Navan, Co. Meath. The court heard that Valteris operated the depot and that on 10 June 2013 he was observed moving a red Fiat Ducato van and a black VW Passat, the latter of which was stopped by Gardaí in Castlebellingham, Co. Louth, where the pistol was recovered in the boot. A later search of Valteris's yard yielded €2,000 in another car.
During a kidnap and robbery trial, gardaí discovered a baby hat, duct tape and a cable tie in a hay shed near Swords, Co. Dublin. Jonathan Gill, 35, is accused of kidnapping postal worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Nawn and their ten‑week‑old baby in Drogheda on 1–2 August 2011, then robbing over €600,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was part of a five‑person group that held the family hostage in their home before moving them to the shed about 90 minutes away. The shed, previously used for hay storage, was searched on 18 August after a warrant. Initial search yielded duct tape, a cable tie, a milk carton pull ring, masking tape and two keys. A later search on 24 August recovered the baby hat, duct tape, cable tie and three cigarette butts. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court in Dublin opened a trial on 14 March 2017 for Eimantas Valteris, a 33‑year‑old Lithuanian, who is the first Lithuanian charged with terrorism‑related offences in Ireland. Valteris was arrested by the Gardaí in 2013 during an operation targeting dissident republican activity in the border area. He pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a .32 inch (7.65 mm) calibre IZH 79‑8 semi‑automatic pistol, serial number TPB358706, found at his car‑sales depot in Balmoral Industrial Estate, Navan, County Meath, on 10 June 2013. The prosecution, presented by Tony Mc Gillicuddy, claimed Valteris operated the depot and stored the firearm on his premises, acting in a storage and transfer role.
The trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, is ongoing before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby girl in Drogheda between August 1 and August 2, 2011. The State alleges he was part of a group that held the family hostage before forcing Mr Nawn to retrieve over €600,000 from his workplace. Evidence presented includes a 999 call from Ms Nawn, who described being threatened at gunpoint and beaten during a 15-hour ordeal. She testified that she was left tied to a bedpost with her infant, who had not been fed for 17 hours. G4S worker Gerard Whelan, an applicant in the proceedings, testified that he found Ms Nawn distressed and with cable ties on her hands near the IBM factory in Swords. He contacted gardaí despite her fears for her partner's safety. Detective Garda Donal Tully reported that Ms Nawn had severe bruising on her arms and temple. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised; the proceedings continue.
In a 2017 trial, Jean Maire Nawn testified that a group of five men, including Jonathan Gill, threatened her and her ten‑week‑old baby with gunfire and the threat to "blow their heads off" unless her partner complied with demands to steal €600,000. Nawn described being tied to a bedpost in an abandoned house, repeatedly threatened at gunpoint, and beaten over the head with a gun. The raiders moved the family to a shed on a farmyard in Swords, where they were held overnight. Nawn recounted that the men forced her to watch a Liverpool match, threatened to shoot her if anyone called, and told her she and her partner would have to try for another baby. She was later tied to a cast‑iron bed frame, freed after 15 minutes, and then rescued by Gardaí. The case is before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury, with a four‑week trial expected. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
A postal worker gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court describing his ordeal during an alleged kidnapping and robbery in County Louth in August 2011. Warren Nawn told the jury he was tied up and beaten before being forced to collect €600,000 from An Post while his partner and baby were held by armed raiders. Mr Nawn said he feared he would never see his family again, particularly when he spotted a garda car during the journey to work. The State alleges that Jonathan Gill, aged 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, was one of five people involved in holding the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed approximately 90 minutes away. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby in Drogheda between August 1 and 2, 2011. The trial before Judge Elma Sheahan is expected to last four weeks.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faced trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for kidnapping An Post worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Matthews, and their 10‑week‑old baby in August 2011. The State alleged Gill, part of a five‑man gang, held the family hostage in their Drogheda home, threatened them with what appeared to be guns, tied them with cable ties, and moved them to a shed 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and to robbery of €661,125 from An Post. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan presented evidence of the family watching TV when the abduction began, the use of a pizza box to assault Nawn, and the subsequent forced transport of the family to the shed. The trial, presided over by Judge Elma Sheahan, is expected to last four weeks. The case remains ongoing.
Two Louth businessmen, Anthony Roddy (64) and Raymond Fee (34), are on trial for allegedly stealing €250,000 from Kevin Brady between September 2006 and August 2007. They claimed Brady would invest in a €35 million land deal, promising a deposit of €1 million to buy land north of Drogheda. Brady provided a €250,000 bank draft, and later a €100,000 draft for a supposed share portfolio. He sought refunds, receiving €15,000 twice and €47,000, but was told the deal would finish by Christmas 2008 or take two years. Brady visited solicitors, then received a call about selling a farm for €250,000. In May 2009 he reported the matter to the gardai, prompting the investigation and charges. The trial, before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury, continues next week. Anthony Roddy pleaded not guilty. Raymond Fee pleaded not guilty.
Giovanni Lanelli, 39, sold a Ford Focus he had bought on hire purchase for €17,000 to a buyer who paid €13,800 at a Dublin hotel. Lanelli did not disclose that the car was still financed and that monthly payments were due. He later claimed he intended to continue paying but could not keep up. A year later the finance company warned the buyer that the car would be repossessed if the balance was not paid. Lanelli promised to obtain a loan to clear the balance but failed to raise the funds. The buyer settled with the finance company, paying over €12,800 to keep the car. Lanelli pleaded guilty to theft and fraud at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 22 August 2014. He has no prior convictions.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Philip McKevitt, 63, of Aghaboys, Dundalk, was accused of possessing an improvised explosive device (IED) at his home on 22 May 2010. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, presented evidence that Garda National Surveillance Unit and Louth Garda Síochána had conducted a surveillance operation in mid‑May 2010, suspecting the manufacture of a vehicle‑mounted IED at the property. Gardaí entered the premises after 6 pm on 22 May, arrested McKevitt and a second man, and seized items used for constructing an IED. These included a trailer adapted to conceal two gas cylinders, 377 m of command wire, green spray paint to mask the wire, and 52 bags of glucose in a Vauxhall Vectra. DNA evidence was also presented. The trial continues before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan presiding. Philip McKevitt pleaded not guilty.
Edward Wall (44) and Patrick Wall (36) were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary at a house in Drogheda and an attempted burglary in Gainstown on 31 October 2014. Patrick had four prior burglary convictions, including one aggravated burglary, with two suspended sentences, one six‑month term and a community service order. Edward had eight prior burglary convictions, receiving various sentences from suspensions to a three‑year term. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a review on the grounds of "unduly lenient" sentences, but the Court of Appeal found no clear divergence from the norm. The judge noted the Walls' prior convictions, the planning and sophistication of the burglary, and the fact that they were on bail for other matters at the time of sentencing. The review was rejected. Edward Wall pleaded guilty. Patrick Wall pleaded guilty.
William Burns, a 40-year-old Belfast man, was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to seven years in prison, with three years suspended, after pleading guilty to the unlawful possession of explosive devices. The charges related to an incident at Kilcurry Church, Co Louth, on May 25, 2014, where police recovered PETN, RDX, an adapted 50-litre beer keg, 50kg of ammonium nitrate, and improvised detonation components. Burns admitted to the offence, and the court accepted he played a comparatively minor role in the enterprise. In related proceedings, David Gallagher pleaded guilty to the same offence and was sentenced to eight years in prison, with two years suspended. Gareth Mulley was tried, convicted, and sentenced to ten years in prison. During the sentencing hearing, Chief Superintendent Tom Maguire detailed how Mulley and Gallagher drove a white Peugeot van to a carpark off the N1, where Burns arrived in a red Volkswagen Passat. An improvised explosive device was moved from the van into Burns' vehicle before Emergency Response Unit members intercepted the group. Judge Alison Lindsay, presiding with Mr Justice Paul Butler and Judge Cormac Dunne, noted Burns' guilty plea and status as a good family man as mitigating factors. The sentence was backdated to July 17th.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, has been sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for possession of three assault rifles and ammunition discovered in his vehicle in Slane, County Meath on 9 March 2016. He received an additional four-year sentence for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, with both sentences to run concurrently. Rowan pleaded guilty to possessing a Chinese Type 56, Romanian PM63, and Zastava M70 rifle, along with associated magazines and 153 rounds of assorted ammunition. He also admitted to IRA membership. The court heard gardaí had monitored his movements as he collected the firearms in Dublin before travelling through Northern Ireland to Donegal. Mr Justice Paul Butler noted Rowan's early guilty plea to all counts as a mitigating factor, describing such cooperation as unusual. The sentences were backdated to the date of his arrest.
A man from Cabra West in Dublin has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for involvement in a cocaine importation scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Michael Moore (62) of Killala Road pleaded guilty to possession of one kilogramme of cocaine discovered at Finglas on 4 September 2009. Gardaí intercepted thirteen packages addressed to a bogus engineering company at Dublin Airport; Moore and a co-accused were arrested while examining one such package at a UPS depot. During detention, Moore received threatening text messages demanding he answer his phone and warning he was "playing a dangerous game". He initially denied involvement but later admitted arranging for the package's collection, claiming he believed it contained cash rather than drugs. Moore told officers he had been provided a phone by associates in Spain and feared for his family's safety. He was released on High Court bail but subsequently absconded for six years before his arrest last May following his return to Ireland.
A jury could not agree on a verdict in the trial of 54‑year‑old Aivars Sondors, who was charged with three counts of assisting an offender in the murder of 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus. Sondors admitted moving the body from a house on Marsh Road, Drogheda, and dumping it in the sea at Mornington Beach, cleaning the scene, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins from a derelict house on Mathew's Lane. He pleaded not guilty to all counts, claiming duress. The Central Criminal Court heard that the killer, Marius Gaizutis, had already been convicted of the murder. The jury deliberated for almost six hours but could not reach a verdict, and the judge recorded "Disagreed" for all three counts. Sondors remains on continuing bail until the next hearing on 27 June.
In a trial held at the Central Criminal Court, a jury will resume deliberations on a case involving Aivars Sondors, a 54‑year‑old Latvian, who faces three counts of assisting an offender without reasonable excuse. Sondors is accused of helping Marius Gaizutis evade capture and prosecution after Gaizutis murdered 44‑year‑old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus on 9 or 10 September 2013. The alleged assistance includes moving Butkus's body from the shared house on Marsh Road in Drogheda to the sea at Mornington Beach, cleaning the scene, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins from the Burke House on Mathew's Lane. Gaizutis has already been convicted of the murder, which involved him striking Butkus with the blunt end of an axe. Sondors has pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming duress and that he acted under the killer's orders.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of Aivars Sondors, a 54‑year‑old Latvian, charged with three counts of assisting an offender without reasonable excuse. The charges relate to the disposal of the body of 44‑year‑old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus, who was murdered by Marius Gaizutis. Sondors is accused of moving the body from the house he shared with Gaizutis on Marsh Road in Drogheda to the sea at Mornington Beach, cleaning up the scene at Marsh Road, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, bin bag, bottles and tins from the scene at the Burke House on Mathew's Lane. He has pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming duress and that he acted under the killer's orders. The Central Criminal Court has heard that Gaizutis has already been convicted of the murder. The jury, consisting of nine men and three women, began deliberating in the afternoon and will resume on Tuesday.
The trial of Aivars Sondors, 54, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. He faces three counts of assisting an offender without reasonable excuse by allegedly impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who has already been convicted of unlawfully killing 44-year-old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus. Sondors, of Sycamore Close, Termon Abbey, Drogheda, pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming he acted under duress. The charges relate to incidents on September 9th or 10th, 2013, including moving Butkus's body from Marsh Road to Mornington Beach and cleaning the scene. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC argued the core issue was why Sondors acted, emphasizing duress and reasonable excuse, noting that threats need not be expressed. Prosecution counsel Patrick Gageby SC countered that obedience to orders is not a defence and highlighted that Sondors had the opportunity to contact gardai. The jury is expected to begin deliberations after being charged by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
The trial of Aivars Sondors, 54, at the Central Criminal Court has concluded its evidentiary phase. Sondors is charged with three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who has already been convicted of unlawfully killing 44-year-old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus. The allegations, dated September 9th or 10th, 2013, include moving Butkus's body from Marsh Road, Drogheda, to Mornington Beach; cleaning the scene; and disposing of items from Burke House, Mathew's Lane. Although Sondors admitted the underlying acts, he pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming he acted under duress. During cross-examination, he stated his basement was "red with blood" when his flatmate ordered him to help move the body. He explained omissions in his garda interviews as fatigue and attributed sand in his car to frequent family visits to the beach. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart informed the jury that evidence has finished. The matter is not adjourned; the trial proceeds to closing speeches, expected to begin this afternoon.
The trial of Aivars Sondors, 54, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. He faces three counts of assisting an offender by allegedly impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who has already been convicted of unlawfully killing 44-year-old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus. Sondors, of Sycamore Close, Termon Abbey, Drogheda, pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming he acted under duress. The allegations include moving Butkus's body from a shared residence on Marsh Road to Mornington Beach, cleaning the scene, and disposing of items from Burke House, Mathew's Lane. In his defence evidence on the fifth day of the trial, Sondors testified that Gaizutis, whom he had known for 40 years, woke him in the night and demanded his car keys. He stated he was threatened with violence and subsequently helped move a body from a blood-covered basement, describing the scene as resembling a slaughter house. Sondors claimed he believed Gaizutis would kill him if he refused. Cross-examination by Patrick Gageby SC began this afternoon and is scheduled to continue tomorrow morning before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. The matter remains at the trial stage with no finalisation or sentence recorded.
The Central Criminal Court heard that 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus was 'battered to death' in a Louth house before his body was dumped at Mornington Beach. Aivars Sondors, 54, is charged with three counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who had unlawfully killed Butkus. The charges include moving the body from the house on Marsh Road, placing it in the sea, cleaning the scene, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, bin bag, bottles and tins from the Burke House. Sondors admitted the three allegations but pleaded not guilty, claiming duress. He denied involvement when interviewed by gardai but could not explain how his fingerprint was found in blood at the scene. Detective Sergeant Liam Archbold testified that Sondors was told to seek legal advice and return to Garda Station. The trial continues before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus was found 'battered to death' in a Louth house before his body was dumped at Mornington Beach. 54‑year‑old Aivars Sondors is charged with three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who is alleged to have unlawfully killed Mr Butkus. Sondors admitted the allegations but pleaded not guilty, arguing possible duress. He gave four Garda interviews starting 13 September 2013, describing a tense night on 9 September when Gaizutis allegedly threatened him after a dispute over money. Sondors claimed he slept in the house that night, was awakened by Gaizutis asking for car keys, and later returned to bed. He stated he had never met Mr Butkus and offered no explanation for a fingerprint found on a handrail. The trial is set to continue tomorrow before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Aivars Sondors and Professor Marie Cassidy, both accused of three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, allegedly knowing he had unlawfully killed Audrius Butkus. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. State Pathologist Dr. Cassidy testified that Butkus died from blunt force trauma to the head, likely caused by the blunt end of an axe, with injuries clustered to the back of his head. She noted he was intoxicated and showed no signs of drowning despite being found on Mornington Beach. Detective Sergeant Fergal O'Toole stated an axe was found at the Marsh Road house, while forensic expert Brian Barry indicated bloodstains suggested a serious assault and cleanup occurred. DNA from the axe, car boot, and a carpet matched Butkus. Sondors' counsel indicated the jury must decide if duress was present. The matter was adjourned and continues before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
During the trial of Aivars Sondors, charged with three counts of impeding a homicide investigation, the court heard that the killer's partner and children sought refuge in a neighbour's house before the killing, fearing the killer. Sondors, 54, claimed he was under duress when he helped move the body of 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus from a house on Marsh Road in Drogheda to Mornington Beach and cleaned the scene. He admitted the allegations but pleaded not guilty to all three counts. The jury was asked to decide whether duress applied. Carmen Canales testified that the partner knocked on her door on the evening of 9 September, claiming her husband would beat her, and that she let the woman and her five children stay overnight. The trial was set to continue on Monday before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
A 54‑year‑old man, Aivars Sondors of Termon Abbey, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 26 May 2016. He faced three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the investigation of a homicide that occurred on 9 or 10 September 2013. The alleged victim was 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus, who was reportedly beaten to death in the basement of a house on Marsh Road, Drogheda, and whose body was moved to Mornington Beach. Sondors is accused of moving the body, cleaning the scene, and disposing of evidence such as carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. His barrister admitted the allegations but argued that the jury should decide whether duress was involved. The trial was set to continue on Friday morning before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
Waldemar Solowiow, a 49‑year‑old Polish national, was convicted of murdering his 37‑year‑old girlfriend, Mary Ryan, in his Dublin bedsit on 18–19 May 2012. Ryan died from neck compression and head trauma after a physical altercation. Solowiow admitted killing her but denied murder, claiming provocation. He received a mandatory life sentence in October 2013. In 2015 he appealed, arguing the trial judge misdirected the jury on provocation. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the conviction. The judges found the judge's instructions on provocation adequate and noted that Solowiow had admitted the killing. They also rejected other grounds, including alleged false statements to Gardaí and the handling of expert evidence. Solowiow remains in custody to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Muhammad Arif, 32, whom he believed was having an affair with his wife. Hussain had previously been jailed for life for the murder of his wife's cousin and for a life sentence for the murder of a distant relative. He also received a seven‑year sentence for serious injury to his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and a two‑year sentence for assaulting her in January 2011. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction, citing a "very real risk of injustice" in the jury's understanding of provocation. A retrial was ordered, and at the retrial Hussain pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.
Shahzad Hussain, 35, of Woodland Avenue, Mosney, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to killing a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife. He had previously been jailed for life for murdering his wife's cousin and a distant relative, Muhammad Arif, 32, and had received sentences of seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and two years for assaulting her. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction and ordered a retrial, after a three‑judge panel found a "very real risk of injustice" in the trial judge's explanation of provocation to the jury. The retrial led to a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Mr Arif. Hussain remains in custody awaiting sentencing, which will be set on Friday morning at 11 am.
In a High Court judicial review, eight of the 33 indecent assault charges against retired consultant surgeon Dr Michael Shine (83) were dropped. The charges, originally filed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, span from 1964 to 1990 and involve 22 alleged victims. Prosecutor Kathleen Noctor BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the Director of Public Prosecutions was withdrawing these eight counts, with the intention to re‑enter them later. Dr Shine remains scheduled to stand trial next year on the remaining 25 charges. The court discharged him from the indictment for the eight counts as counsel indicated.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, was charged at an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court with possession of three assault rifles and associated ammunition discovered at Tuiterath, Balrath, Slane, County Meath on March 9th, 2016. The charges include possession of a Chinese Type 56, a Romanian PM63 and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with nine magazines and 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre ammunition. Mr Rowan was additionally charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce of the Special Detective Unit said Mr Rowan was arrested in Drogheda under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and made no reply when cautioned or shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge William Hamill, remanded Mr Rowan in custody pending mention on March 16th.
A father and son from Drogheda have had their appeals against prison sentences dismissed by the Court of Appeal following their conviction for cannabis possession. Michael Devlin Snr and Michael Devlin Jnr pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis worth €1.3 million with intent to supply at Cartown, Termonfeckin in September 2013. The discovery arose after an off-duty garda became suspicious of a lorry driver seeking a non-existent address and alerted colleagues. Gardaí subsequently found 262 packages containing 65.5 kilograms of cannabis during a coordinated operation. Devlin Snr, aged 61, received 12 years imprisonment with four years suspended, while Devlin Jnr, aged 40, received 12 years with two years suspended. The Court of Appeal found the sentences fell within the appropriate range for the offence's sophistication and dismissed both appeals.
Two cousins, Edward Wall (43) and Patrick Wall (36), were jailed after pleading guilty to burglary at The Park, Highlands, Drogheda, Co. Louth, on 31 October 2014, and to attempted burglary at Gainstown, Co. Meath, on the same date. Both were pursued by the Emergency Response Unit after a car, carrying house‑breaking tools and stolen items, fled from a silver Mazda. The car collided with Garda vehicles; Edward escaped but was arrested, while Patrick was taken from the rear by an armed Garda. The court imposed four‑year sentences on each, suspending the final year, and ordered €500 from each to be paid to the burglary victim. The defendants' prior convictions and the details of the burglary, including the €4,600 damage and the missing €349 Armani watch, were noted in the proceedings. The defendants offered €3,000 each as tokens of remorse. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a retrial was ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal in July 2014. The appeal had quashed his earlier murder conviction for killing his wife's cousin, Muhammad Arif, due to a "very real risk of injustice" in how provocation was explained to the jury. Hussain had previously been sentenced to life for murdering his wife's cousin and to seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, and two years for assaulting her. In the current proceedings, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Arif. The court noted that Hussain remains in custody for the other two convictions, which were not overturned, and that he has spent the last five years in four different prisons. The case was prosecuted by Mr Shane Costelloe SC and defended by Mr Dominic McGinn SC.
David Gallagher, 38, of Marley Court, Drogheda, pleaded guilty on 25 May 2014 to possession of explosive substances and devices, including PETN, RDX, a 50‑litre beer keg adapted as a bomb, 50 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate, an improvised detonation cord, steel booster tube and time‑and‑power unit. He was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to eight years' imprisonment, with two years suspended, back‑dated to 20 August last year. The court noted that the bomb was armed, completed and ready to be moved, and that Gallagher had no prior convictions of significance. He was observed by detectives transferring the bomb from his van to a red Volkswagen Passat, where it was found. Gallagher gave evidence that he had no intention of future involvement in republican military activity and applied for transfer from Portlaise to Castlerea Prison. The judges considered his lesser role compared with Gareth Mulley, who received ten years' imprisonment.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, David Gallagher, aged 38, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of explosives, including PETN, RDX, a 50‑litre beer keg, 50 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate, an improvised detonation cord, steel booster tube, and a time‑and‑power unit found at Kilcurry Church on 25 May 2014. The court remanded him in custody to return on 13 October for sentencing. His co‑accused, Gareth Mulley, 45, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for the same offence.
A 42‑year‑old woman from Louth, Paula Farrell, was sentenced to life imprisonment after a jury found her guilty of murdering her partner, Wayne McQuillan, 30, on 1 January 2014. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, lasted three hours and 27 minutes. Farrell pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury of four men and seven women. The prosecution presented evidence that Farrell stabbed McQuillan four times with a large kitchen knife during an argument at her home in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda. Witnesses, including Garda Tomas Leonard and Deputy State Pathologist Michael Curtis, confirmed the stabbing and the fatal wound. Farrell's defence cited a history of sexual abuse and schizophrenia, but the jury accepted the prosecution's case and imposed a life sentence. The judge exempted the jury from service for ten years. The verdict was announced on 17 July 2015.