Lisa Smith, a 39‑year‑old former Defence Forces member from Dundalk, Co. Louth, is set to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court on 11 January 2022. She denies being a member of the Islamic State. The court will hear two charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005: membership of ISIS from 28 October 2015 to 1 December 2019, and financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. The trial is expected to last 12 weeks. Ms Smith is on bail and did not attend the court hearing today.
The family of Barry Griffin Junior, who died in a 2020 road collision, has brought a High Court action to challenge the Garda's decision to refer the driver of the Mercedes involved in the crash to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme. The incident involved two cars racing each other; the VW Passat driven by 19‑year‑old Brogan Kelly lost control and collided with the Mercedes, killing 17‑year‑old Griffin. Kelly was prosecuted and sentenced to five years and six months' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended. The Griffin family argue that the decision to divert the Mercedes driver means he will not face criminal prosecution, a move they say was made without their consultation and is irrational and unlawful under the 2001 Children Act. They seek an order quashing the diversion decision and disclosure of the Garda's reasons. The case is set for a February hearing before Mr Justice Charles Meenan. Brogan Kelly pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Judge Elma Sheahan directed a not guilty verdict for Andrew Finni, 22, accused of sexually assaulting a shop worker in February 2018. The case collapsed after defence counsel Simon Matthews argued that missing CCTV footage, which could have supported Finni's defence, was lost because the shop's system overwrote recordings after eight weeks. The court found that the absence of this evidence denied Finni a fair trial. The judge emphasized that the ruling was not a judgment on the allegations or the complainant's evidence but on the importance of preserving evidence. The decision followed a similar ruling earlier that week where a different case was also dismissed due to lost CCTV footage. The judge noted that investigators had acted honestly and sought to preserve evidence as it became relevant. The complainant denied any prior conversation about gender or an invitation for Finni to "check if he liked.".
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that international witnesses in the trial of Lisa Smith, a former Defence Forces member, may give evidence by video-link. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the prosecution's application, citing the current public health climate and the logistical difficulties of travel from Australia and the US. Ms Smith, 39, from Dundalk, Co Louth, is charged with being a member of the unlawful terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) between October 28, 2015, and December 1, 2019, and with financing terrorism by sending €800 to a named individual in May 2015. The defence, represented by Michael O'Higgins SC, objected to the application, referencing difficulties with video-link evidence in the trial of Aaron Brady, who was convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Mr O'Higgins argued that the prosecution had not met the necessary criteria and that his client had the right to cross-examine witnesses in person. Despite these objections, Mr Justice Hunt was satisfied the conditions for the order were met. The trial is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2022, and is expected to last 12 weeks. Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the case to December 13 for an update on how matters were progressing.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Douglas Glynn (37) until Tuesday for the production of additional photographs, following a disclosure issue. Glynn, of Dublin 1, pleaded not guilty to placing a tracker device on James "Mago" Gately's car in Belfast in April 2017. The prosecution alleges this was part of an ongoing plan by a criminal organisation to target Gately. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Mr Justice Cormac Dunne, refused a Garda application to ban media from court during covert evidence, ruling that media presence was acceptable provided National Surveillance Unit officers were not identified. The judge warned that the failure to disclose all relevant photos "cannot happen again." In related convictions, Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Additionally, Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation's activities relating to the targeting of Gately between December 2016 and April 2017.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, the defence of former Defence Forces member Lisa Smith faced a massive volume of evidence. Ms Smith, 39, is charged under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for membership in ISIS from 28 October 2015 to 1 December 2019 and for financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. Her barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, informed the court that the State had prepared a verbatim transcript of interviews that exceeded 100 pages each, in addition to an "absolutely enormous" amount of disclosure. The defence struggled to download and print the material, with printers frequently crashing. O'Higgins applied for an adjournment to review the documents, which were given to the defence that morning. The court adjourned the matter to 15 November, with the 12‑week trial scheduled to begin in January. Ms Smith was excused from the brief hearing and from the 15 November hearing.
The Special Criminal Court has been informed of an "absolutely gigantic" amount of disclosure for the trial of former Defence Forces member Lisa Smith, charged with membership of the Islamic State and financing terrorism. Ms Smith, 39, from Dundalk, is on bail and was not required to attend the court hearing. Her barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, noted the difficulty of handling the large volume of prosecution material. The case was scheduled for a video‑link hearing on Monday, 1 November, with the trial set for 11 January 2022 and expected to last 12 weeks.
Brendan 'Benny' Treanor (34) of Dundalk, Co Louth, appeared at the Special Criminal Court to be charged with two offences relating to the January 23, 2013, robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. Treanor is accused of entering residential premises as trespassers with the intention of stealing vehicle keys, contrary to Common Law, and robbing Pat Bellew of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques, contrary to Section 14 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The court heard that a co-accused male is currently in custody in the UK, with an international warrant issued for his presence in Ireland. Defence counsel indicated a potential application regarding the court's jurisdiction and estimated the trial could last up to four months. The prosecution requested a 2022 trial date due to the volume of material. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt fixed October 3, 2022, as the trial date and December 21, 2021, for a progress mention. Separately, Aaron Brady (30) of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was previously sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Det Gda Donohoe, a case that lasted 122 court days.
Senior Kinahan cartel member Peter Keating has been jailed for 12 years by the Special Criminal Court for directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016 and April 6, 2017, within and outside the State. Keating (40) pleaded guilty in July of this year to directing the activities of the crime group in their failed attempt to murder Hutch gang member James 'Mago' Gately. The judge noted that Keating was a 'senior figure' for the Kinahan Organised Crime Group and a 'repository of trust and confidence' for the cartel. The sentence was backdated to July 1, 2020, and the final year of the 12-year term was suspended for two years. Keating entered into a bond of €100 to keep the peace for two years. The judge gave Keating a 25% discount for his early guilty plea, which saved a costly trial. The court heard that Keating was involved in the commission of a serious offence and played a significant role in the surveillance of Gately and his family regarding the proposed murder. The investigation highlighted the transnational outreach of organised crime, with Estonian hitman Imre Arakas (62) jailed for six years in December 2018 for conspiring with others to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Arakas was arrested before the planned attack on Gately could be carried out. Caolan Smyth (30) was sentenced to 20 years last February for attempted murder in relation to a second attempt on Gately's life in May 2017. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
The High Court adjourned the extradition challenge of Imre Arakas until September 23, pending the outcome of Liam Campbell's Supreme Court appeal. Arakas, 63, is jailed in Ireland for conspiracy to murder James 'Mago' Gately and faces Lithuanian allegations of murder, firearms, and conspiracy charges related to the 2015 shooting of Deimantas Bugavicius. While the Minister for Justice's counsel confirmed Lithuania intends to try Arakas, his legal team argued that a recent Court of Appeal dismissal of Campbell's similar extradition appeal is relevant. Campbell, 58, has applied to the Supreme Court to overturn that ruling. The judge determined it was impractical to proceed with Arakas' hearing while the Supreme Court considers whether to adopt Campbell's case. Arakas, who has been in custody since April 2017, was arrested in Dublin in February 2018 under a European Arrest Warrant. He maintains he was in Spain during the alleged 2015 incident. The court noted that an eyewitness had previously identified Arakas as not being present at the scene. The matter remains unresolved and is strictly adjourned, not concluded, awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on Campbell's application.
The Special Criminal Court asked counsel to update the court on the status of the Lisa Smith trial. Judge Tony Hunt requested a briefing and scheduled a further mention in November. Smith, 39, of Dundalk, faces charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for membership of the Islamic State from 28 October 2015 to 1 December 2019 and for financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named recipient on 6 May 2015. She is on bail and will not attend the November hearing.
Liam Campbell, aged 58, who was found civilly liable for the 1998 Omagh bombing, is to be extradited to Lithuania where he is suspected of international weapons smuggling. The Court of Appeal dismissed Campbell's appeal against the High Court's decision to surrender him. Campbell had fought extradition for over twelve years, having been arrested in 2016 under a second European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuanian authorities. The warrant alleges that between late 2006 and early 2007 he arranged with members of the Real Irish Republican Army to acquire firearms and explosives from Lithuania and smuggle them into Ireland. The High Court had ordered his extradition in June 2020; Campbell's counsel argued that Lithuania had not yet decided to prosecute him, citing an affidavit that the decision to indict was contingent on further evidence. The Court of Appeal found no error in the High Court's ruling and upheld the extradition order.
Peter Keating, 40, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to directing the activities of the Kinahan crime cartel in their failed attempt to murder Hutch gang member James 'Mago' Gately. Detective Sergeant David Carolan stated that Keating was involved in locating Gately's Belfast home and tracking his movements using devices planted on his car and family members' vehicles. It was accepted that Keating was himself receiving directions from others. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding in the three-judge court, adjourned sentencing until September 2. The court heard that Imre Arakas, 62, was brought to Ireland on April 3, 2017, to target Gately. Arakas was arrested before the planned attack could be carried out and was jailed for six years in December 2018 after pleading guilty to conspiring with others to murder Gately. Separately, Caolan Smyth, 30, of Donore, Co Meath, was sentenced to 20 years in February for attempted murder in relation to a separate attack on Gately in May 2017, where Gately survived despite being shot five times while wearing a bulletproof vest. Keating's counsel highlighted his early guilty plea and physical disabilities, while the prosecution noted his ten previous convictions.
In a High Court hearing on 13 July 2021, Mr. Ryan Moran, a Dundalk resident, sought information about a forcible search of his home by over a dozen Gardaí accompanied by sniffer dogs on 21 April. He was not questioned or charged, and the search, lasting about 25 minutes, damaged his property and led to the theft of €5,500 worth of items, including a laptop, TV and guitar. Moran claims the raid may have been a case of mistaken identity and that the search left him distraught, feeling unsafe and damaging his reputation. He has repeatedly requested a copy of the warrant and the grounds for the search, but has received no response. In judicial review proceedings against the Garda Commissioner and the Attorney General, he seeks an order to obtain the warrant, declarations that the refusal breaches his constitutional and ECHR rights, and damages for the breach.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has initiated High Court proceedings to challenge a Special Criminal Court determination that a man's conviction for IRA membership constituted a miscarriage of justice. Michael Connolly, aged 47, from County Louth, was originally convicted in 2017 and sentenced to three years imprisonment following his observation by gardaí in convoy near Convoy, County Donegal, in December 2014 alongside another man found carrying two improvised explosive devices. The Court of Appeal overturned his conviction in 2018, and he was subsequently acquitted following retrial in 2019. The Special Criminal Court found in June that the original conviction resulted from a grave defect in the administration of justice, determining that an Assistant Commissioner's belief evidence breached the "double-counting" rule by relying on material also contained in the book of evidence. The DPP contends the miscarriage finding is flawed and unsustainable, arguing evidence properly established Mr Connolly's involvement in transporting the devices. Mr Justice Meenan granted a stay on the decision, with the matter to return before the High Court in October.
A building contractor, Sepam Solutions Limited, secured High Court orders against subcontractors MDLR Ltd and Titin Ltd, claiming their actions delayed a new vaccine plant at the IDA Science and Technology Park in Dundalk. Sepam, contracted to provide plumbing, mechanical and electrical works, alleges MDLR has retained essential equipment and Titin has withheld a six‑figure down‑payment. The court granted injunctions requiring the defendants to return the equipment and the down‑payment, and to prevent them from reducing assets below €500,000 or dealing with the payment. The orders were issued by Mr Justice Senan Allen after the defendants failed to appear. Sepam says the delays of 12 to 16 weeks damage its reputation and threaten its contract to build the plant for WuXi Vaccines Ireland Ltd, which will employ about 200 people and produce Dengue vaccines for Merck, Sharp and Dohme. The plant is part of a biopharmaceutical facility in Mullagharlin, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and had mental health issues, walked into a Garda station on 14 June 2021 to inform officers that he had just attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. He admitted that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a side area, but she fought him off and escaped. Kane pleaded guilty to attempted rape at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Coffey sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge required Kane to engage with local mental health services for three years upon release and to register as a sex offender. The sentence reflected the judge's view that Kane's actions were opportunistic and that the victim suffered ongoing mental‑health effects. The court noted Kane's single prior public‑order conviction and his minor intellectual disability.
In a High Court hearing on 11 June 2021, Sepam Solutions Limited, contracted to supply plumbing, mechanical and electrical works for a vaccine plant at the IDA Science and Technology Park in Dundalk, claimed that its subcontractors MDLR Ltd and Titin Ltd had breached their agreements. Sepam alleged that MDLR had retained essential equipment supplied by the plaintiff, while Titin had refused to return an €830,000 down payment made for specialised materials. The dispute has caused a delay of 12 to 16 weeks in the plant's construction, which is intended to produce Dengue fever vaccines for Merck, Sharp & Dohme. Sepam seeks an injunction ordering the defendants to return the equipment and the down payment, and to prevent them from reducing the value of their assets below €830,000. Mr Justice Senan Allen granted Sepam permission to serve a short notice of the injunction application, with the case set to return later in the month.
Two men have pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges of falsely imprisoning a Mayo businessman at a location in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness, aged 34, of Chestnut Court, Johnstown, Navan, County Meath, and William Twomey, aged 57, of Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, County Down, are accused of detaining the businessman without consent and demanding £50,000 with menaces. The prosecution alleges the victim was lured to Cornamucklagh under false pretences and attacked by a group of men. In closing submissions, defence counsel for Mr McGuinness argued the victim's identification evidence was unreliable, citing memory difficulties following the alleged assault and inadequate viewing conditions during the identification parade. A separate defendant, Anthony Finglas, aged 50, was previously jailed for four years and nine months after pleading guilty to demanding money with menaces in the same incident. Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the trial to 31 August and remanded both accused on bail.
Edmundas Dauksa, 51, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Ingrida Maciokaite at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence was backdated to September 18, 2018, when he entered custody. Dauksa had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; however, a jury unanimously convicted him of murder. The court heard a victim impact statement from the foster carer of the couple's two children, who described the scene as "unspeakably horrific" for the six-year-old daughter who witnessed the attack. The statement noted the child's ongoing trauma and that the son would never remember his mother. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC stated that Dauksa expressed remorse and deep regret. Mr Justice Paul McDermott delivered the sentence following the conviction. The trial established that Dauksa stabbed Maciokaite 19 times in front of their daughter days after a District Court order placed the child in the mother's custody. The jury rejected the defence that Dauksa lacked murderous intent, accepting the State's case that he intended serious harm or death. No adjournments or suspended portions were recorded in the finalisation.
Paul Crosby, a 25‑year‑old from Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, with 40 prior convictions, had his original five‑year arson sentence reduced to three years and six months, with the final six months suspended, by the Court of Appeal. The offence involved the 2019 arson of a stolen Volkswagen Polo, which was jump‑started by Crosby and two others, driven to a field, and set on fire. He pleaded guilty and was initially sentenced by a Dundalk Circuit judge to five years, the last six months suspended. The appeal argued the original seven‑year headline was excessive, citing the remote location of the fire and Crosby's early guilty plea. The Court of Appeal agreed, quashing the original sentence and imposing the reduced term, while requiring Crosby to bond for good behaviour for 12 months and remain under probation supervision for six months. The decision was based solely on the facts presented in the case.
In May 2021, Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and suffering from mental health issues, voluntarily appeared at a Garda station to confess that he had attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. Kane explained that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a secluded area, but she resisted and escaped. He admitted the assault and expressed regret. The victim, who has suffered ongoing mental health problems, stated that the incident had caused nightmares, sleep difficulties, and depression, and that she had taken time off work and begun counselling. Kane has a prior conviction for a public order offence. At the Central Criminal Court, the case was adjourned to 14 June to allow for a psychiatric assessment, and Kane was remanded in continuing custody. The prosecution noted that the victim's anonymity was maintained, while the defence highlighted Kane's untreated depression and psychosis. Oliver Kane pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found Edmundas Dauksa, a married Lithuanian man, guilty of murdering his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, by stabbing her 19 times in front of their six‑year‑old daughter. The killing occurred on 18 September 2018 at Bridgewater Mews, Dundalk, after a court had placed the child in Maciokaite's custody. Dauksa had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury rejected his defence that he was not "fuelled with murderous intent" and that he had been wronged by the court system. They accepted the State's case that he intended serious harm or death when he repeatedly plunged a 15‑cm blade into Maciokaite's body. The verdict was unanimous, with the jury deliberating for 3 hours 51 minutes over two days. The judge will impose a mandatory life sentence on 24 May and remand Dauksa in custody until then.
Fishmonger Edmundas Dauksa (51) is on trial in Dundalk, Co Louth, having pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing of Ingrida Maciokaite (31) on September 18, 2018. The prosecution, led by Conor Devally SC, argued that Dauksa possessed the necessary intent for murder, stating that repeatedly plunging a 15cm blade into the victim's body could only lead to serious harm or death. Devally contended that the accused's actions, which resulted in multiple stab wounds to the chest, back, face, and neck, demonstrated a clear intention to kill, despite the defence's claims of emotional turmoil. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, submitted that Dauksa did not have murderous intent, attributing his state of mind to distress over a recent District Court order that placed his daughter in the custody of her mother. Bowman argued that while the accused felt wronged by the legal system, he was not consumed by vengeance and had not premeditated the attack. The jury, comprising seven men and five women, is set to begin deliberations after Justice Paul McDermott charges them. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Asta Dauksiene, wife of Edmundas Dauksa, testified that her husband was deeply devoted to his daughter, describing him as "completely destroyed" after the court placed the child in the deceased's custody. Dauksiene recounted that the child had been in the family's care since infancy, with the mother, Ingrida Maciokaite, returning to work and allowing the child to stay with the family. She detailed the court's abnormal and accelerated decision to transfer custody days before the September 18, 2018, murder. Dauksiene also described Dauksa's emotional state, noting he was upset, crying, and later appeared to have a knife in his hand. The trial, with Dauksa pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that a mother‑of‑two, who was later stabbed to death by her former partner in front of their six‑year‑old daughter, had been granted custody of the child in an "abnormal and accelerated" District Court hearing days before the killing. The court order, issued on 14 September, was said to contain errors and irregularities, and the accused, Edmundas Dauksa, was unrepresented during the proceedings. Dauksa, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the 2018 killing of Ingrida Maciokaite, who died from multiple stab wounds. The trial also covered the mother's attempts to secure custody, the solicitor's advice, and the Gardaí's involvement in the court order and child's transport to Drogheda Courthouse. The case continues before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury.
In a Dundalk murder trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage of Edmundas Dauksa, 51, meeting his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, moments before he stabbed her to death in front of their six‑year‑old daughter. The footage captured Dauksa walking onto Linenhall Street at 2.45 pm on 18 September 2018, entering an alleyway from Bridgewater Mews, and later being seen sitting on a wall with a knife on the ground. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with a child distressed and a black Audi arriving. Dauksa pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with 12 jurors hearing the evidence.
The jury in the trial of Edmundas Dauksa, a 51‑year‑old fishmonger from Dundalk, was discharged after a legal application was made in their absence. Dauksa was charged with the murder of Ingrida Maciokaite, a 31‑year‑old Lithuanian national, who was killed on 18 September 2018 at Bridgewater Mews, Linenhall Street, Dundalk. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, thanked the jurors and exempted them from duty for five years, and a new jury will be sworn in for the case at the Central Criminal Court later that day. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Fishmonger Edmundas Dauksa (51), of Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, is on trial for the alleged murder of Ingrida Maciokaite (31) at Bridgewater Mews, Linenhall Street, Dundalk, on September 18, 2018. The accused has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Prosecution barrister Conor Devally SC outlined that Dauksa and Maciokaite, both Lithuanian nationals, had a relationship and shared parenthood, with their six-year-old daughter present at the scene. The prosecution alleges Dauksa stabbed Maciokaite multiple times in an arch passage, with witnesses describing hearing screams and seeing the accused make striking motions before discarding a knife across the street. Garda David O'Leary identified the alleged weapon, described as a boning knife, found near the scene. Witnesses Yetunde Awosanya, Paul Ruane, and Cyril Loughran testified to seeing the incident, with Loughran describing five or six striking motions and blood on the accused's hands. The trial is currently ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, with proceedings continuing on Tuesday.
A jury of seven women and five men was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Edmundas Dauksa, a 51‑year‑old Lithuanian fishmonger from Dundalk, who is accused of murdering his partner, 31‑year‑old Ingrida Maciokaite, in September 2018. Dauksa pleaded not guilty. The court noted that both he and Maciokaite were Lithuanian nationals and that they had a six‑year‑old daughter together. Mr Justice Michael White mentioned a prior custody issue before the death. The trial is set to begin this Thursday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
The Special Criminal Court has declared the 2017 conviction of Michael Connolly a miscarriage of justice. Connolly, of Dundalk, County Louth, had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on December 16, 2014. He spent 14 months and 22 days in custody following his initial conviction. The court found a "grave defect" in the administration of justice caused by Garda Assistant Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan had asserted during the original trial that none of the material forming the basis of his belief was in the Book of Evidence. The court described this assertion as "seriously incomplete and misleading" and "careless," noting it prevented the issue of "double counting" from being properly examined. Although the court found beyond reasonable doubt that O'Sullivan genuinely believed Connolly was an IRA member and that evidence implicated Connolly in transporting two improvised explosive devices, it could not rely on the belief evidence as independent. The court concluded that if the double counting issue had been properly considered, the original court would likely have been compelled to acquit. This decision follows a 2018 Court of Appeal ruling that set aside the conviction and ordered a retrial, and a 2019 retrial in which Connolly was acquitted. The court approved the certificate for the Miscarriage of Justice application.
Karl Vogelaar, a 29-year-old from Oulster Lane, Drogheda, Co Louth, has had his appeal against his conviction dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Vogelaar was found guilty by a jury at Dundalk Circuit Court of two counts of robbery contrary to section 14 of the Criminal Justice Act 2001. The allegations state that on November 4, 2016, three men robbed Tully's bookmakers in Wheaton Hall, Drogheda, at 8:45 pm, where one held a gun to the employee's face, a shot was fired, and €1,600 was taken. Ten minutes later, the group allegedly robbed Tully's bookmakers in Ballsgrove, taking €1,735. Gardai recovered the getaway car shortly after, finding black leggings inside that contained a DNA profile matching Vogelaar's. He was convicted on July 9, 2019, and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. At the appeal stage, Vogelaar's lawyers argued the DNA evidence did not directly link him to the crimes and that the trial judge should have withdrawn the case from the jury. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the judgment of the three-judge court, dismissed the appeal. She stated that the DNA match on the leggings, alongside other items linked to the robbery, significantly strengthened the connection between Vogelaar and the offences. The court concluded there was sufficient evidence that, if accepted by the jury, could lead to a conviction.
A man acquitted of IRA membership in the Special Criminal Court has had his case examined for miscarriage of justice findings. Michael Connolly, aged 47 from County Louth, was convicted in 2017 of membership of an unlawful organisation following his arrest in Convoy, Donegal. He spent over fourteen months in custody before the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction in 2018, citing the trial court's refusal to examine intelligence files underlying the Assistant Commissioner's belief evidence. A retrial in 2019 resulted in acquittal. At a recent hearing, Connolly's legal representatives argued the original conviction constituted a classic miscarriage of justice, contending that belief evidence had been formed using case materials in breach of the rule against double counting. They highlighted that disclosure of intelligence file extracts during the retrial directly contradicted the Assistant Commissioner's previous testimony. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the miscarriage of justice application, arguing acquittal did not automatically warrant such certification. The three-judge panel reserved judgement. Michael Connolly pleaded not guilty.
A 35‑year‑old Polish‑born man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 in Ardee, Louth. The court heard that Piotrowski had decapitated his mother, leaving her body in the hallway of her home, and that an axe and several Stanley knives were found near the scene. He had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial but was considered fit after psychiatric assessment. The judge noted the case was the second in a short period where drug‑induced psychosis had led to a "horrific tragedy". Piotrowski had also lied to psychiatrists to obtain a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a lesser sentence. The sentencing was described as the "most tragic of cases" and the judge ordered monitoring of his psychiatric condition in prison. The judge also expressed sympathy for the victim's husband, daughter and grandmother.
Paul Crosby, 25, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced a five‑year prison sentence with six months suspended for arson after he and two others jump‑started a stolen Volkswagen Polo, drove it to a field in the Yellowbatter area, and set it on fire. The car, stolen from Dublin and fitted with stolen plates, tax and insurance discs, was valued at €10,000 and was a write‑off. A judge at the Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court reduced the headline seven‑year sentence to five years after taking into account Crosby's early guilty plea. Crosby has 40 prior convictions, including 31 for road traffic offences, four for theft, three for drug‑related offences and two for criminal damage. He was acquitted of an attempted murder charge in February 2019. The Court of Appeal heard that the arson was described as "mysterious" and that the fire was set in a field away from houses and people.
Llyod Pennant, a 60‑year‑old man from Dundalk diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cannabis and to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 4 June 2019. He had been stopped by customs after disembarking from a ferry, where the cannabis was found in his hand luggage in two bags, valued at €19,800. Pennant claimed he had collected the drugs in the UK for his own use to relieve pain, as he cannot take MS injections when his blood pressure falls. He has 16 prior convictions, including deception and possession of stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan, describing the case as "exceptional", imposed a four‑year prison sentence but suspended the entire term on strict conditions, citing Pennant's medical needs and the difficulty of imprisonment for someone with MS. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time imposed.
Liam Campbell, aged 58, who was found civilly liable for the 1998 Omagh bombing, is fighting extradition to Lithuania where he is suspected of international weapons trafficking for the Real IRA between late 2006 and early 2007. His lawyers argue that the High Court should not surrender him because Lithuanian authorities have not yet decided to charge or try him, citing section 21A of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 and an affidavit indicating pending evidence. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, has reserved judgment. The Lithuanian EAW alleges Campbell prepared a crime, illegally possessed firearms, and engaged in terrorism, with a maximum 20‑year sentence. Campbell previously spent four years in custody in Northern Ireland during a prior extradition attempt but was released after a rights‑breach objection. The case remains at the appellate stage.
Aaron Brady was convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth on 25 January 2013. An investigation spanning several years culminated in Brady's trial, where the prosecution presented extensive circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime. This included CCTV footage connecting Brady to a stolen Volkswagen Passat used in the raid, phone records showing his movements, and witness testimony placing him in the vicinity. Brady's own statements to gardaí contained multiple falsehoods about his whereabouts that night. The investigation also revealed Brady had later made incriminating admissions whilst living abroad, boasting about shooting a police officer. The jury found Brady guilty of the murder. The case was handled by Dundalk District Court and involved cooperation between Irish and Northern Irish police services.
A Co Down man has pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from a Mayo businessman in Omeath, Co Louth, in December 2017. Anthony Finglas, aged 49, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on charges arising from an incident in which the businessman was attacked by multiple assailants armed with iron bars and a knuckle-duster. The court heard that the victim was forced into a car boot and threatened with death unless he paid £50,000. Following the assault, the businessman reported receiving threatening phone calls and messages demanding payment. A victim impact statement indicated the man suffered severe psychological trauma, including suicidal ideation. Finglas's defence counsel argued his client played a minor role in the attack and showed restraint by urging the assailants to cease the violence. The defendant entered an early guilty plea and cooperated with gardaí. The Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing to December 15th, with the maximum penalty for the offence being fourteen years imprisonment.
Martin Byrne, a witness in the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, has denied claims by the defence that he cannot keep his story consistent and that he puts people in and out of meetings 'willy nilly'. Byrne, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that he was falsely imprisoned by a gang of seven men, including former INLA member Dessie O'Hare and former Republican paramilitary Declan 'Whacker' Duffy. The trial, which is in the sentence stage, continues before a three-judge court. Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including conspiring to falsely imprison Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice. In April 2019, Dessie O'Hare was jailed for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. In 2018, Declan 'Whacker' Duffy was sentenced to six years imprisonment for assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. The trial continues tomorrow.
Steven Smith, a 44-year-old former resident of Dundalk, Louth, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on appeal regarding his conviction for possession and unlawful importation of cocaine. Smith pleaded guilty to concealing 49 pellets of cocaine, valued at €42,920, internally while arriving at Dublin Airport from Brazil via Amsterdam on November 21, 2013. He had previously left Ireland on High Court bail in 2014 but was returned from the United Kingdom in June following a Crime Watch appeal. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Smith, a drug user at the time, acted for reward or debt alleviation and was likely at the lowest level of the trafficking operation. The judge acknowledged Smith's cooperation and admissions. Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of three years and three months, backdated to June to reflect time already spent in custody. Defense counsel Dominick McGinn SC highlighted Smith's history of moving to Canada, his subsequent downward spiral, and his recent efforts to reform, including ending drug use and gaining employment in the UK. The court accepted that the method of importation indicated desperation rather than high-level criminal enterprise. Smith has prior convictions in Canada, the UK, and Ireland for various offences, including assault and theft.
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to two fashion retail companies that operated thirteen Pamela Scott stores across Ireland. Arzac Developments Ltd ran ten stores while Richard Alan & Co operated three, with outlets in locations including Sligo, Dublin, Limerick, Tralee and Cork. The firms, employing 104 people, sought winding up orders citing challenging market conditions, rising operating costs and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which rendered them insolvent. Mr Justice David Keane appointed insolvency practitioners Eamonn Richardson and Ian Barrett of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators. The court heard the companies faced pressure from landlords, reduced footfall and changes to wage subsidy schemes. Both firms were dependent on their parent company, Flairline Fashion Ltd, for administrative and financial support, which was no longer available. The judge made the cases returnable to November.
Aaron Brady has been sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. Brady, aged twenty-nine and from New Road in Crossmaglen, County Armagh, was convicted in August following a trial lasting more than six months. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1990, he must serve a minimum of forty years before becoming eligible for parole. Justice Michael White imposed an additional concurrent sentence of fourteen years for robbery in connection with the credit union raid in County Louth, during which seven thousand euros was stolen in fifty-eight seconds. The court heard victim impact statements from Detective Donohoe's family and colleagues. Brady has maintained his innocence despite conviction, with supporters gathering outside the Courts of Criminal Justice to protest the outcome.
Aaron Brady, aged 29 and last resident of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was found guilty of the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe by an 11‑to‑one jury verdict on 11 August. He is expected to receive the mandatory life sentence for capital murder, with a minimum term of 40 years to be served. Brady also pleaded guilty to a separate robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgen, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, and will be sentenced for that offence separately. On 13 October, special arrangements were made for the sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court. Lorcan Staines SC, on behalf of the DPP, applied for an overflow court; the judge, Mr Justice Michael White, granted the request and scheduled the hearing in Court 17 with a live feed to a second court in the Criminal Courts of Justice.
Colin Hoey, a key witness in the capital murder trial of Aaron Brady, was arrested for contempt of court after failing to attend proceedings. Brady, 29, was found guilty by an 11-to-1 majority jury at the Central Criminal Court on August 11 of the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. He is expected to be sentenced on October 14 to the mandatory term of life imprisonment with a minimum of 40 years. Brady was also convicted of involvement in a €7,000 robbery at Lordship Credit Union in 2013. Hoey, who had previously provided and then withdrawn an alibi for Brady, was issued a bench warrant by Mr Justice Michael White for his non-attendance. Hoey presented himself at the Criminal Courts of Justice, where the warrant was executed. The DPP stated the contempt is punishable by imprisonment, a fine, or both. Mr Justice White granted Hoey bail and legal aid for the duration of the contempt proceedings. Bail conditions include a €2,000 bond, surrender of his Irish passport within 24 hours, residing at his partner's parents' home in Dundalk, daily sign-on at Dundalk Garda Station, and maintaining a mobile phone for Garda contact. The judge warned of grave consequences for breaching these conditions. The matter was adjourned to November 24 for submissions regarding the High Court's jurisdiction.
An application to set aside alleged asset transfers involving Michael Colm Murphy, a discharged bankrupt, has been admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court list. The court heard that the transfers were made by Murphy to his former wife Anne Murphy and sister-in-law Rita Hoey. The Deputy Official Assignee Denis Ryan claims the transfers were an attempt to frustrate Murphy's creditors, including 12 family members of the victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing. The Official Assignee, represented by Edward Farrelly SC, alleges that five asset transfers, including property, were made when civil and criminal proceedings were pending against Murphy for his alleged role in the atrocity carried out by the Real IRA. Murphy was cleared of all criminal charges in connection with the bombing, having been previously convicted in 2002, which was later overturned on appeal. In 2013, Murphy was found civilly liable for the bombing along with three other men, and ordered to pay £1.6m in damages to the victims' families. Bankruptcy proceedings were taken against Murphy, Michael McKevitt, and Liam Campbell, who were all adjudicated as bankrupt last year. The transfers, which include Murphy's family home, shares in companies, and land, were made between April 1999 and October 2001. It is also alleged that Murphy transferred £340,000 in cash to a trust for his children, which was used to buy a property in Dundalk. The Official Assignee seeks various orders and declarations, including that the assets be held in trust for the bankruptcy estate. The case was adjourned to a date in November.
Ms Lisa Smith, a 38‑year‑old former Irish Defence Forces member from County Louth, has been scheduled to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court on 11 January 2022. The trial, expected to last 12 weeks, will be presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Sarah Berkeley and James Faughnan. Smith faces charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and for financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named recipient on 6 May 2015. She denies the allegations. The case was previously heard at Dublin District Court in December 2020, where a Section 49 order was made on 31 August 2021 to transfer the matter to the non‑jury court. Smith remains on continuing bail awaiting the trial.
Lisa Smith, a former Irish Defence Forces member aged 38 from County Louth, has been ordered to be tried in the non‑jury Special Criminal Court. She faces charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of ten years. A second charge, also under the same Act, alleges that she financed terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named recipient on 6 May 2015. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a Section 49 order, arguing that ordinary courts were inadequate to secure justice. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Declan Dempsey, granted the application. Smith, who denies the allegations, was not present at the hearing. The case is scheduled for mention before the three‑judge court on 14 September, at which time she must attend.
The article reports that after the conviction of Aaron Brady for the robbery and capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, Deputy Commissioner John Twomey warned Brady's accomplices that Gardaí would pursue them. The Donohoe family expressed gratitude to the jury, prosecution, and investigators, noting the lengthy and complex trial. They thanked the presiding judge, witnesses, and international law‑enforcement partners, especially U.S. Homeland Security. The family reiterated that justice had been served but that nothing could restore Adrian to his loved ones. Chief Superintendent Christopher Mangan highlighted the significance of the verdict and the extensive, transnational investigation that led to the conviction. The article emphasizes the ongoing pursuit of all involved parties and the appreciation for the media's responsible reporting.
Aaron Brady, 29, was found guilty of capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe by an 11‑to‑1 jury at the Central Criminal Court. The judge will impose a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years. Brady denied the murder and claimed no involvement in the robbery that led to Donohoe's death. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including the theft of a Volkswagen Passat used as a getaway car and Brady's alleged statements to Gardaí. Brady's defence argued he was loading diesel waste and had no role in the robbery. The trial, the longest murder case in Irish history, involved 139 witnesses over 28 weeks. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 14 October, where the judge will also consider Brady's robbery conviction. The maximum sentence for robbery is life, with a minimum of 40 years for capital murder.