In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 8 December 2016, the court rejected a defence application to exclude evidence from the arrest and search of Philip McKevitt, a 62‑year‑old accused of possessing explosives. McKevitt had claimed that during the raid on his shed at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, Dundalk, a Garda struck him on the head with the butt of a gun and later kicked him as he fell. Defence counsel Diarmaid McGuinness argued that such alleged assault violated McKevitt's constitutional rights and should render the evidence inadmissible. The court considered testimony from a Special Detective Unit member who said McKevitt had slipped on plastic sheeting, causing his injury. Justice Isobel Kennedy found the injury was not caused by the alleged assault and therefore allowed the evidence to be admitted. The trial continues. Philip McKevitt pleaded not guilty.
Liam Campbell, aged 54, was arrested in Upper Faughart, Dundalk, on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuanian authorities for alleged terrorism and weapons trafficking. The warrant, endorsed by the High Court, accuses him of organising smuggling operations to supply the RIRA between late 2006 and early 2007, including arranging illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives and related substances. Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan presented the warrant and a photograph to Campbell, who confirmed the identity. Campbell was taken to Dundalk Garda station and processed as an arrested person. Counsel for the State, Ronan Kennedy BL, raised an objection to bail. Justice Aileen Donnelly confirmed the identity of the accused, remanded him in custody until Thursday, 8 December, when a bail application is expected, and informed him of his rights to surrender and legal advice. Brian Gageby BL represented Campbell in court.
In a case heard in the Special Criminal Court, Paul Mason, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assaulting Keith Lynch on 16 February 2014 at The Saltings, Annagassan, County Louth. Mason, who had been on bail for a prior theft conviction, claimed to be a member of the INLA and told Lynch that his name was on a list of "Drug Dealers Out" that had been posted around Ardee in December 2013. According to Lynch, Mason and two other men entered his home, where Lynch was with his partner and a 14‑month‑old daughter, and began punching and kicking him. Lynch reported that Mason struck him on the left cheek and that the men were "laying into him," before they left. The court remanded Mason in custody until 2 December, when he will be sentenced. The case was presented by Detective Sergeant Peter Cooney and prosecuting counsel Caroline Cummings BL, with defense counsel Hugh Hartnett SC.
The trial of Philip McKevitt, 63, of Aghaboys, Dundalk, for possessing explosives began with a voir dire to decide whether evidence about the legality of his arrest and the seizure of items at his home could be admitted. McKevitt pleaded not guilty to the May 22, 2010 charge. Prosecutor Paul Greene SC argued that a trailer had been modified to hide an improvised explosive device at the Aghaboys address. The voir dire, expected to last three days, is being heard before Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan presiding.
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.
Conan Murphy, aged 30, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing explosive substances at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, on 22 May 2010. He is the son of Colm Murphy, who was convicted of the 1998 Omagh bombing but later cleared on appeal. Conan's case is his second trial for the offence; he was previously found guilty in 2012 and sentenced to eight‑and‑a‑half years, but that conviction was overturned on appeal. The court has remanded him in custody for sentencing on 25 November, where a further charge of membership in an unlawful organisation will also be considered.
A 55‑year‑old Dundalk man, Joseph Finnegan, pleaded guilty to possession of an 8mm blank‑firing pistol, seven rounds of ammunition, a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun, three shotgun cartridges, and a stolen Ford Focus. He admitted these offences on July 11‑12, 2015, at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address. During a Special Detective Unit investigation into IRA activity, Gardaí stopped the stolen car, found a black backpack containing a semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition, and later discovered more firearms and ammunition in his home. Finnegan claimed he was asked to do a "wee message" and feared for his life. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Robert Eagar, sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for the firearms offences, five years for each ammunition offence, and two years for the stolen car, all to run concurrently and back‑dated to 7 November 2016, with one year suspended on the firearms sentence.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, 67, appealed a conviction for tax evasion related to a cattle farm at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co. Louth. He had pleaded not guilty to nine charges covering 1996/97 to 2004. The Special Criminal Court found him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment. In the appeal, his barrister John Kearney QC argued that Murphy's brother, Patrick, had controlled the farm since before 1991 and that the authorities had targeted Thomas for tax that Patrick had already paid. Kearney cited documents and banking evidence suggesting Patrick operated the farm and the accounts, and that Thomas had no involvement in cattle farming. He presented 48 grounds of appeal, and the Court of Appeal hearing was scheduled to conclude the following day.
In a brief sitting at the Special Criminal Court, Owen McCann, 35, admitted possession of firearms and ammunition. He pleaded guilty to holding a .22 calibre rifle, a pistol conversion kit, two ammunition magazines, and one round of .22 calibre ammunition, all found in Jenkinstown, Dundalk, on 17 December last year. McCann was arrested by the Special Detective Unit in December. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, remanded him in custody until 21 December, when sentencing will occur.
During a sentence hearing at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Joseph Finnegan, aged 55, was described as having been caught with a pistol and ammunition while claiming he was carrying out a "wee message" for certain people and that he feared them. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to possession of an 8mm calibre blank‑firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, both at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address, on 11 July 2015. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun and three rounds of shotgun cartridges on 12 July 2015, and to possession of a stolen Ford Focus on 11 July 2015. At the hearing, Detective Inspector Anthony Lenehan recounted that the Special Detective Unit was investigating IRA activity in County Louth and that Finnegan was suspected of storing and moving firearms.
An ex‑soldier aged 42 was convicted by a military court of sexual assault and four charges of conduct contrary to good order and discipline at Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, on 30 October 2013. The military judge, Colonel Michael Campion, imposed fines, a demotion and a discharge. The soldier's counsel, Roderick O'Hanlon SC, appealed the sentence, arguing the punishment was excessive and that the judge had not considered the effect on the soldier's pension. O'Hanlon contended that the sexual assault charge concerned only the incident in the shower, while other charges related to separate incidents in the sauna and gym. The Court of Appeal heard the appeal and reserved judgment, noting that the soldier had been found guilty and that the appeal concerned only the severity of the sentence. The appeal was not yet decided.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has acquitted a 34-year-old Armagh man of assaulting a former Republican prisoner, though the panel could not reach agreement on a charge against his father. Both Eugene Hanratty Jnr of Dundalk Road, Crossmaglen and Eugene Hanratty Snr of Castleblaney Road, Crossmaglen had pleaded not guilty to assaulting Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, County Monaghan on 24 November 2012. The prosecution had argued the younger man was liable under the doctrine of joint enterprise despite not participating in the physical assault itself. After deliberating for two hours and five minutes, jurors found the younger accused not guilty. However, they were unable to reach a verdict regarding the senior accused, who is scheduled to return to court on 7 November. The judge discharged the jury and commended members for their service.
The trial of Eugene Hanratty Snr and Eugune Hanratty Jnr is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Both defendants, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to the alleged assault of Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, on November 24, 2012. The prosecution alleges that the younger accused blocked the victim's car with a jeep, after which his father exited the vehicle and assaulted Mr McAllister. The alleged victim testified that he suffered fractured nose and eye sockets during a sustained attack. Witness Mary McAllister described the senior accused as being in an "absolute mental frenzy," stating he struck her husband repeatedly on the head with fists and feet while she begged him to stop. She claimed the younger accused remained in the vehicle until later intervening to tell his father he had gone too far. Defence counsel characterized the incident as a dispute over shooting rights at a nearby duck sanctuary, suggesting the victim initiated the confrontation. While the defence alleged the victim discharged a pistol, which the accused then destroyed, the witness denied this. Garda witnesses testified that initial reports of a shooting incident were not corroborated by other officers. The matter remains at the trial stage with no verdict or sentence recorded.
A former nursing home manager has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €45,000 from a vulnerable patient. Maeve Bell, formerly of Inniskeen, County Monaghan, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft committed between July 2013 and October 2014 while employed as clinical manager at Elmhurst nursing home in Glasnevin, Dublin. Bell misappropriated funds from the resident's comfort account by making unauthorised withdrawal requests and, on several occasions, using the patient's bank card to withdraw cash. The thefts, ranging from €600 to €1,800 per occasion, totalled €38,000 from the nursing home account and €7,000 from a Bank of Ireland account. The offences came to light when the resident raised concerns about depleted account funds. Judge Martin Nolan noted Bell acted under financial hardship but emphasised the abuse of her position of authority. He expressed concern that the resident remained uncompensated and suggested gardai refer the matter to the relevant Ombudsman.
Eugene Hanratty Senior and Eugene Hanratty Jnr are standing trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accused of assaulting Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan on November 24, 2012. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, with the matter not yet finalised. Mr. McAllister alleged that the younger accused blocked his vehicle with a jeep, after which the senior accused exited and subjected him to a sustained assault, resulting in fractured nose and eye sockets. He denied striking the first blow or producing a pistol, as suggested by defence counsel Garnet Orange SC. Mr. McAllister stated that commenting on the legitimacy of the senior accused's oil business would be "very dangerous." He also referenced his past, noting he was sentenced to ten years in 1974 for firearms offences, which he described as ancient history. The defence suggested the incident stemmed from a dispute over shooting rights in a duck sanctuary. The trial continues.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 4 October 2016, Joseph Finnegan, aged 54 and resident of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen car. The car in question was a Ford Focus, which he had possessed last year. The court noted that a second stolen vehicle, an Audi A4, would be considered at sentencing. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to four charges of possession of firearms and ammunition. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel indicated that the only other outstanding charge was an IRA membership allegation, which could be dropped on the sentencing date. Finnegan was remanded on continuing bail until 24 October, with the State accepting the same bail terms. The case was heard by Mr Justice Bobby Eagar, Judge Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Judge James Faughnan.
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.
A book of evidence was served on Owen McCann, a 36‑year‑old from Annaloughan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, who appeared at a brief sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 20 July 2016. McCann was arrested in December 2015 by the Special Detective Unit as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. He faces three charges: membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) on 18 December 2015; possession of firearms, including a .22 calibre rifle, a pistol conversion kit and two ammunition magazines on 17 December 2015; and possession of one round of .22 calibre ammunition on the same date. State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan informed the three‑judge, non‑jury court that the book of evidence was ready to be served. Detective Garda Enda Gannon handed the book to McCann. McCann's counsel, Conan Fegan BL, requested an extension of the legal aid certificate to include a second counsel, citing the seriousness of the charges.
Paul Smith, 49, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, and Stephen Smith, 41, of Dundalk, Co. Louth, were acquitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assaulting Jenny Lynch causing her harm on March 7, 2015. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The jury, comprising four women and eight men, returned its verdict after 25 minutes of deliberation on the third day of the trial. Judge Martin Nolan discharged both defendants from the indictment. During the proceedings, the accused testified that their brother, Andrew Smith, was solely responsible for the attack. Andrew Smith, who had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms. Lynch and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, gave evidence that he struck the victim twice in the head while his brothers did not. He stated that Stephen Smith was on crutches at the time due to a recent shooting. Ms. Lynch, who alleged all three brothers assaulted her, described injuries including a busted nose and stitches to her lip. Defence counsel suggested to the jury that Ms. Lynch's accusations were motivated by a belief that the Smiths were responsible for the death of her son, Eddie Lynch, although neither Paul nor Stephen Smith has ever been charged with that killing. Paul Smith testified that he attempted to restrain Andrew Smith, while Stephen Smith stated he would never harm the mother of his best friend. The court concluded the matter with the acquittal of the two defendants.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2016, an elderly woman, Jenny Lynch, denied that she had wrongly accused her neighbours, Paul Smith (49) and Stephen Smith (41), of assaulting her. Lynch, who is in her eighties, claimed that both men had attacked her and that she had believed they were responsible for the death of her son, Eddie, who died of a ruptured spleen after being struck by a car. She rejected the defence's suggestion that she had misinterpreted Andrew Smith's assault as an opportunity to target Paul and Stephen. Lynch also denied that she had sent a mass card to the Smiths or that she had asked Paul to intervene for her son. The Smiths pleaded not guilty to the assault charge. The hearing focused on Lynch's allegations and the defendants' denials, with no verdict reached in the article.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 13 July 2016, two men, Paul Smith (49) of Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot, and Stephen Smith (41) of Gate Lodge, Dundalk, Co. Louth, pleaded not guilty to assaulting an elderly woman, Jenny Lynch, on 7 March 2015 in Ballyfermot. Lynch testified that she was attacked while walking home from mass, describing severe injuries: blood from her nose and mouth, a busted nose, two black eyes, a lump on the side of her head, a sore shoulder, and the need for stitches to her lip. She claimed the attackers pushed, thumped, and dug her, and identified the Smiths as the assailants. Lynch also mentioned that Andrew Smith, the accused's brother, had previously pleaded guilty to assault in another court. The trial focused on Lynch's account of the assault and the defendants' denial of guilt. No verdict or sentencing was reported in the article.
Jim Duffy, a 45‑year‑old father of three from Dundalk, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a stolen John Deere tractor between June and September 2013. The tractor, valued at €50,000, had been taken from a farm in Portlaoise during a burglary on 29 May 2013 and later found on Duffy's farm in Hollywood Little, Ballyboughal, with several identifying features altered or removed and a false UK registration plate. Duffy claimed the tractor was left on his farm by a man who owed him money and insisted he had never taken anything. He had three prior minor convictions for road traffic offences. The judge, citing his lack of serious convictions, suspended a four‑year custodial sentence and ordered 240 hours of community service, avoiding immediate imprisonment.
An ex‑soldier aged 42, whose lawyers argued that indecent proposals or behaviour did not amount to sexual assault, had his appeal against a court‑martial dismissed by the Court of Appeal. He had been convicted on a charge of sexual assault and four charges of conduct contrary to good order and discipline at Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, on 30 October 2013. The Defence Force board imposed penalties ranging from fines to detention and discharge. In the appeal, the barrister contended that indecent proposals or behaviour do not constitute a sexual assault. Justice Alan Mahon rejected this, describing the victim's account of the soldier's repeated unwanted advances, including entering a female changing area and shower cubicle while undressed, exposing himself, and the victim's feelings of fear, discomfort and violation. The Court of Appeal found the evidence sufficient to uphold the original conviction and dismissed the appeal. The former soldier remains on continuing bail pending his sentence hearing.
Joseph Finnegan, 54, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to four firearms and ammunition possession charges at Special Criminal Court Number 2. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Judges Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Gerard Haughton, recorded his guilty pleas to possessing an 8mm blank-firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition on July 11, 2015, and a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and three shotgun cartridges on July 12, 2015, all at the same address. Mr Finnegan also faces two further charges: alleged membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA, and possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4, on July 11, 2015. These remaining charges are set for trial on October 4, 2015. The court remanded Mr Finnegan on continuing bail until that date. Sentencing for the admitted firearms offences will be deferred until after the trial for the other charges concludes. This was the first hearing at Special Criminal Court Number 2 since its establishment last year.
An ex‑soldier aged 42 was found guilty by a military court of sexual assault and four counts of conduct contrary to good order and discipline at Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, on 30 October 2013. The conviction was delivered by a board of Defence Force members and a Military Judge, Colonel Michael Campion, who imposed penalties ranging from fines to detention and discharge. The case arose after a Military Police member entered the gym sauna and was told by the soldier that advance notice was required. She later claimed he followed her into the women's shower and that she felt threatened. She had made handwritten notes of the incident, which were allegedly shredded and not presented to the defence. The soldier's barrister, Roderick O'Hanlon SC, argued that the notes were destroyed, depriving the defence of evidence. The soldier has now opened an appeal, and the court has reserved judgment on the matter.
John Joyce, 24, of Donaghmede, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin's Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill Garda Adrian Cahill on 27 November 2013. The threat was made while the pair were on patrol following a call about a suspicious man in Donabate. Joyce refused to be searched, was arrested, and then became physically aggressive toward Cahill, shouting that he would attack Cahill's wife and "shoot him like his mate in Dundalk." The threat referenced the death of former colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was gunned down in January 2013. Joyce had 78 previous convictions. His defence lawyer, Ms Fiona Murphy, described him as angry and frustrated, and said he accepted he was in the wrong and wished to apologise. Judge Patrick McCartan noted Joyce's conduct was an "utter disregard" for the Garda and that the threat was made in a nasty manner, referencing a fallen colleague.
John Griffin, a 45‑year‑old from Dundalk, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of sexual assault committed at a Dublin homeless shelter between 23 March and 1 April 2015. Griffin admitted that he had forced his male room‑mate, who was not gay, to perform oral sex and then, after the victim refused, threatened him and forced him to bend over a bath and be anally penetrated without consent. Griffin later expressed remorse, stating he felt horrible about the act. He had previously received a five‑year sentence in 1991 for buggery and sexual assault. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as odious and noted the victim's vulnerability and neurological issues. Griffin had cooperated with Gardaí, admitted the offences and expressed remorse before sentencing. John Griffin pleaded guilty.
Cathal Gartland, 42, of Dundalk, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for assaulting and threatening to kill his daughter while in possession of a Magnum hand‑gun. The Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Michael O'Shea, imposed the sentence on 20 May 2015, with lesser sentences running concurrently. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient", but the Court of Appeal dismissed the application, stating the sentence lay within the margin available to the sentencing judge. Judge Garrett Sheehan explained that Gartland had assaulted his youngest daughter after learning she was intoxicated and behaving inappropriately. He slapped her, used a .357 calibre Magnum Smith and Wesson, threatened to drown, kill and kneecap her, and forced her into a taxi. The daughter sustained multiple injuries, required crutches for four months, and later was taken to hospital. Gartland had prior convictions for firearms possession and assault. Cathal Gartland pleaded guilty.
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.
Jim Duffy, 45, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a stolen John Deere tractor between June and September 2013. The tractor, worth €50,000, was stolen from a Portlaoise farm on 29 May 2013 and later found on Duffy's farm in Hollywood Little, Ballyboughal North Dublin, with altered identifying features and a false UK registration plate. Duffy claimed the tractor had been left on his farm by a man who owed him money and denied ever taking it. He admitted the tractor was stolen but said he could not believe it. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Duffy's lack of serious convictions, adjourned the case to 14 June and ordered a community service report to be prepared by the Probation Service. The case remains pending.
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.
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.
In 2016, Gibson Brothers (Ireland) Limited, a construction firm, was fined €30,000 for health and safety breaches after a 73‑year‑old man, Michael Reynolds, fell over a kerb at a Dundalk footpath in 2007, fractured his neck and later died. The company had pleaded guilty to failing to protect non‑employees from risk and to not including specific safety measures for work involving particular risks. Judge Michael O'Shea imposed the fine on 19 October 2011. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of the sentence, claiming it was "unduly lenient". Gibson Brothers' lawyers objected, arguing the DPP's application was not served correctly. Judge John Edwards upheld the objection, noting that service to a corporate defendant must be through a solicitor, not a legal secretary, and ruled that the review could not proceed. The court declined to order costs, stating the penalties were not "far from an indication" of undue leniency.
Eugene Hanratty Senior, aged 57, of Castleblaney Road, Crossmaglen, and Eugene Hanratty Junior, aged 34, of Dundalk Road, Armagh, face charges of assault causing harm to a man in Castleblaney, County Monaghan on 24 November 2012. The trial of the father and son was scheduled to commence this week at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court but could not proceed. Defence counsel cited particular reasons for the adjournment. Judge Sarah Berkeley rescheduled the trial to commence on 25 October, with a pre-trial hearing set for June. Both men were charged following the alleged assault in the Monaghan locality.
The family of Shane Rogers, a 32‑year‑old man charged with the murder of GAA player James Hughes, settled a High Court damages action for €50,000. Rogers was found unconscious in a holding cell beneath Cloverhill Courthouse on 20 December 2011, after being transferred from Cloverhill Prison for a scheduled hearing. He was taken to hospital and died shortly thereafter. The family alleged that the Governor of Cloverhill Prison, the Minister for Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General were negligent and breached duty and the European Convention of Human Rights. They claimed the prison failed to search Rogers for a ligature, did not provide adequate psychological assessment or treatment, and failed to monitor him in solitary confinement or holding cells. The judge, Ms Justice Deidre Murphy, approved the settlement and acknowledged a report by Judge Michael Reily that identified failures in record‑keeping, communication and governance within the prison system.
The family of Seamus Ludlow, a 47‑year‑old forester from Co. Louth who was shot dead on 1 May 1976, has filed a High Court action demanding that the State set up a commission of investigation into his murder. Ludlow's body was found near his home in Culfore, Dundalk, and no one has ever been charged. The family says the Gardaí investigation was suspended after three weeks, that the police failed to follow up on information from the RUC about loyalist suspects, and that the Gardaí allegedly spread a smear campaign blaming the IRA. They allege possible involvement of British Army or UK state agents, citing the kidnapping of Ludlow's brother‑in‑law and questioning by a SAS officer. An Oireachtas committee in 2006 recommended a formal inquiry; the family argues the State's refusal to establish a commission breaches their constitutional rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Special Criminal Court in Dublin adjourned a case involving two Dundalk men, Conan Murphy, aged 29, and Philip McKevitt, aged 62, charged with possessing explosive substances at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, on 22 May 2010. Murphy's counsel, Kerida Naidoo SC, requested a trial date and the court agreed to postpone the case for four weeks. Paul Greene SC, representing the prosecution, consented. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and John Hamill, set the adjournment until 12 February, when a trial date is expected to be fixed.
Owen McCann, a 35‑year‑old from Annaloughan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth, was arrested on 18 December 2015 on charges of membership in the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) and possession of firearms, including a rifle, a pistol conversion kit and ammunition. He was taken into custody by the Special Detective Unit last Friday. On 22 December 2015 the Special Criminal Court in Dublin released him on bail. The court, presided over by Justice Paul Butler with Judges John O'Hagan and Anne Ryan, accepted the Department of Public Prosecutions' lack of objection to the bail application. Mr McCann agreed to the conditions set by State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan: he must remain in Dundalk, sign daily at the Dundalk Garda Station, observe a curfew from 11 pm to 7 am, provide a mobile phone number, surrender his passport and all travel documents, stay within the jurisdiction, avoid Northern Ireland, refrain from associating with anyone charged with a scheduled offence.
A 35‑year‑old Louth man, Owen McCann, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on a Sunday hearing. He was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army, an unlawful organisation, and with two counts of possessing firearms, including a rifle, a pistol conversion kit and ammunition. McCann was arrested on 18 December 2015 by the Special Detective Unit in Dundalk as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. He was taken to Dundalk Garda Station, given his rights and then brought to the court. Wearing a navy jumper, he stood when the charge was read. Counsel Conan Fegan applied for legal aid and a bail application was scheduled for the following Tuesday at 10 a.m. The presiding judge remanded McCann in custody until that hearing. The case is still pending at the time of the report.
Joseph Finnegan, 54, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, was charged before the Special Criminal Court on 11 July 2015 with membership of the Irish Republican Army and possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4. He was also charged that same month with possession of an 8mm blank‑firing pistol and seven rounds, a double‑barrel shotgun and three cartridges. The court was informed of the charges by Detective Garda Graham Dunne, who handed Finnegan a copy of the charge sheet. He was remanded on bail until 26 January next year.
Conan Murphy, 29, son of former Real IRA bomber Colm Murphy, had his 2012 conviction for possession of explosives at Aghaboys, Dundalk, quashed by the Court of Appeal. The Special Criminal Court had sentenced him to eight‑and‑a‑half years after finding him guilty on 22 May 2010. The appeal was based on the Supreme Court's declaration that a section of the Offences Against the State Act was unconstitutional, which the Special Criminal Court had not allowed to be considered. The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial and remanded both Murphy and co‑accused Philip McKevitt, 62, back to the Special Criminal Court. The appeal highlighted that the legal landscape had changed fundamentally and that the case required a new trial to address the altered circumstances. The decision was made on 6 November 2015.
Conan Murphy, aged 28 and son of Colm Murphy, who was convicted of the 1998 Omagh bombing but later cleared, has filed an appeal against his own conviction for explosives offences. In March 2012, the Special Criminal Court sentenced him to eight and a half years' imprisonment after finding him guilty of possessing explosive substances at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, on 22 May 2010. His co‑accused, Philip McKevitt, 60, received the same sentence for the same offence committed at his home on the same date. The trial, which began in December 2011, revealed that Gardaí raided McKevitt's home and discovered an "adaptive" advertising trailer built to conceal two gas containers that had been modified to explode. The device, advertising "FlogTheLot.ie", was said to contain about 500 lb of explosive mix, capable of causing death and destruction comparable to the 1998 bombing.
Brian Fitzpatrick, 50, of Castleross, Dundalk, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, after pleading guilty to possession of an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances. The offence was committed on 16 December at Mitchelstown Cross, Castletown, Navan, Co. Meath. Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to one of the two counts shortly after the incident and has shown remorse. The court heard that he suffered severe psychiatric problems following a brutal assault 18 years earlier, which left him unable to work and depressed, and that he had received ongoing mental‑health treatment. He is described as a family man; his wife said she would be "lost without him" and that he had helped her after a fall. Fitzpatrick had raised funds for foreign missions and had worked with underage groups in his local GAA club. He had previously worked on boats and in factories in the UK to support his family.
A trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin has heard evidence concerning banking transactions linked to a man named Thomas Murphy with an address in County Louth. The accused, aged 66 and from Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, has pleaded not guilty to nine charges of failing to furnish tax returns to revenue authorities for the years 1996 to 2004. The prosecution alleges he conducted substantial cattle and land dealings whilst receiving farming grants but made no income declarations. Evidence was presented regarding cheques drawn from an account at Permanent TSB in Dundalk, with payments made to livestock marts in Elphin, Ballyjamesduff and Kingscourt. The defence contends the accused did not control the account and that his brother Patrick Murphy was responsible for its operation. The case, brought following a Criminal Assets Bureau investigation, continues.
The trial of a man charged with tax evasion has heard evidence at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin concerning significant cattle trading and agricultural grants. A former manager of Roscommon Livestock Mart testified that between 1999 and 2004, a man named Thomas Murphy traded cattle valued at over €150,000. A retired Department of Agriculture official gave evidence of farming grants totalling over €100,000 paid to an individual of that name at an address in Hackballscross, County Louth, between 1996 and 2004. The prosecution alleges the accused failed to declare income or file tax returns relating to these dealings across multiple years. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of failing to furnish returns of income and profits to tax authorities for the period 1996 to 2004. The case, investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau, continues before a three-judge panel.
Two men found liable in civil proceedings relating to the 1998 Omagh bombing appeared before the Master of the High Court in Dublin on Wednesday to answer questions regarding their assets. Liam Campbell of Upper Faughart, Dundalk, and Michael Colm Murphy of Lower Faughart, Dundalk, County Louth, were ordered to provide details of their financial holdings as part of enforcement of a judgment requiring them to pay families of the 29 people killed in the attack. Both men denied possessing significant assets. Mr Campbell stated he owns only a half share in the family home and adjoining land. Mr Murphy claimed to hold no assets following his divorce. Lawyers acting for the victim's families sought comprehensive disclosure of property, savings, shares and company interests. Following examination, both men undertook to provide sworn statements detailing assets valued above €5,000 by 23 October.
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.
Prominent republican Thomas Murphy, 66, of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to nine alleged tax offences at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The charges, stemming from a Criminal Assets Bureau investigation, allege that Murphy failed to furnish returns of his income, profits, or gains to the Collector General or Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996/97 to 2004. Murphy was originally returned for trial from Dundalk District Court in 2008, a decision he challenged at the High Court, which ruled his rights had been breached but allowed the trial to proceed. During the thirty-minute hearing, defence counsel Mr John Kearney QC applied for an adjournment, citing "rolling disclosure" that prevented the defence from accessing thousands of pages of material. Kearney argued the delay would allow both sides to assess admissibility, potentially excluding significant evidence. Prosecuting counsel Mr Paul Burns SC agreed to the adjournment, noting recent disclosure volume, while expressing hope that the trial could conclude within the allocated three weeks. Presiding with Judges O'Hagan and Ryan, Mr Justice Paul Butler adjourned the trial until Thursday. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Brian Fitzpatrick, 49, of Castleross, Dundalk, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing two complete Improvised Explosive Devices in County Meath. The devices were allegedly in his possession on 16 December 2014 at Mitchelstown Cross, Castletown, Navan. The judge remanded him on continuing bail to return on 29 October for sentencing.
Gareth Mulley, 45, of Aisling Park, Dundalk, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for possession of a large car bomb. The device, seized near the border last year, was intended for Northern Ireland and comprised a 50‑litre beer keg, 50 kg of ammonium nitrate, a steel booster tube, and a time‑and‑power unit with a 30‑minute delay. Gardaí arrested Mulley during a raid on Kilcurry Church grounds, where he transferred the bomb components from a van to a Volkswagen Passat. The prosecution argued the bomb was a vehicle‑borne improvised explosive device capable of 280 metre detonation range. Mulley pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of explosives. The judge noted his lack of prior convictions and family commitments but deemed the offence too serious for any sentence suspension, imposing a 10‑year term back‑dated to 1 June 2014.