In the trial of Dean Byrne, a 30‑year‑old from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, the prosecution is set to finish its evidence tomorrow. Byrne, who was in Mountjoy Prison when arrested on 8 October 2020, is accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Brady's 2020 murder trial. Byrne denied owning a mobile phone found in his cell and denied knowing Brady or Cahill. He claimed the phone belonged to a former inmate and that any video or audio messages on it were not made by him. Byrne also denied that a threat to harm Cahill was an attempt to pervert the course of justice. The prosecution alleges Byrne's actions were intended to influence Cahill's testimony. The case is before a three‑judge court, and the prosecution's evidence will conclude tomorrow. The trial remains ongoing. Dean Byrne pleaded guilty.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing, a Mountjoy prison officer discovered a hidden mobile phone inside a sock in a wall cavity of Dean Byrne's cell. The phone, a black Sony, contained a Facebook account named Dean Byrne that had communicated with a relative of Daniel 'Dano' Cahill, a key witness in Aaron Brady's murder trial. Garda Orla Madden retrieved Facebook conversation records showing Byrne's attempts to prevent Cahill from giving evidence, including voice messages urging Cahill not to share his statements and claims that Cahill's testimony was false. Byrne, aged 30, is charged with conspiring with Aaron Brady to pervert the course of justice by persuading Cahill not to testify. The trial continues before Judges Paul Burns, Elma Sheahan and Marie Keane. The article reports only the discovery of the phone and the related communications, without detailing any trial outcome.
Martin Collins (42) and his brother Michael (33) were sentenced to three years in prison for a series of thefts carried out between March and August 2020. The brothers used modified people‑carrier cars, blackening windows and removing rear seats to conceal stolen tools from building sites. They were found guilty of possessing a vehicle with intent to commit theft at Barclay Court, Blackrock, on 23 March 2020, and of participating in organised crime. Martin admitted possession of plant equipment worth €5,080 stolen from Irish Rail on 19 August 2020, including a leaf‑blower, an Alpha mixer and an Atlas Trench Whacker. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of four and a half years, deducted 18 months, leaving an effective term of three years. The brothers had previously served 16‑month sentences for similar offences. The court noted their family background, mental health issues and efforts to disengage from crime.
The Court of Appeal has re-sentenced Alan Melia, finding his original prison term unduly lenient. Melia, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, had previously pleaded guilty to robbery at the Applegreen filling station in Northern Ireland, along with endangerment, dangerous driving, and criminal damage on the M1 in Louth, all occurring on August 23, 2020. In January 2023, Judge Patrick Quinn at Dundalk Courthouse set a headline sentence of six years, which was reduced to four years with two years suspended. Acting for the State, Simon Matthews BL appealed this decision, arguing the sentence was significantly too low given Melia's 92 previous convictions and the severity of the offences, including reversing into a garda vehicle and driving the wrong way down the motorway. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted mitigation factors, including an early guilty plea and a difficult upbringing. Mr Justice Birmingham agreed the original sentence was unduly lenient to a significant extent. He determined that the headline sentence could not be less than ten years but reduced it to seven and a half years, taking into account Melia's guilty plea and his cooperation in consenting to have the robbery dealt with in this jurisdiction. The final year of the sentence was suspended for 12 months.
Albert Tucker, 67, from Rockford Park, Blackrock, Dublin, was convicted in May 2022 of 30 indecent assaults on his sister‑in‑law, Ms Aileen Ryan Wright, who was 11 when the abuse began. The assaults took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A jury trial at the Central Criminal Court led to a four‑year sentence, but in February 2024 the Court of Appeal quashed three convictions due to insufficient evidence and addressed a procedural mishap involving the jury's verdicts. On appeal, Michael Bowman SC argued that Tucker's age, lack of prior convictions and medical issues—including spinal surgery in 2018—should have been considered. In April 2024, Mr Justice George Birmingham reduced the sentence by suspending the final six months, citing Tucker's colorectal cancer treatment and concern about recurrence. Tucker will remain on the sex offenders register after release.
Aaron Brady, who killed Garda Adrian Donohoe, was an enhanced prisoner in Mountjoy with special privileges, including a laptop for reviewing evidence. He was housed on the D‑wing basement floor, a level reserved for inmates with good behaviour, and had more freedom to move, attend education, and receive extra phone calls and money. Brady, a 33‑year‑old former resident of New Road, Crossmaglen, was convicted in 2020 of Donohoe's murder and later pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice for recording a video of witness Ronan Flynn. Dean Byrne, a 30‑year‑old from Cabra Park, was tried for conspiring with Brady between April and June 2020 to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Brady's trial. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the single charge. The Special Criminal Court heard these facts during the trial.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing on 17 April 2024, Dean Byrne, aged 30, admitted that he had used a mobile phone found in his Mountjoy prison cell to send photographs of Daniel Cahill's statement to a relative of Cahill. Byrne also admitted that he had sent a message to the relative asking him to persuade Cahill not to testify and that he had called Cahill a "rat", "dirtbag" and "filthbag" in an exchange with another man, offering to "do damage" to Cahill. The prosecution alleges that Byrne was part of a campaign of intimidation against witnesses in Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial. Byrne's admissions, made under Section 22 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, are said to be significant and could substantially shorten the trial, which was originally estimated to last 14 weeks. The case concerns Byrne's alleged conspiracy with Brady to pervert the course of justice between 8 April 2020 and 22 June 2020. Dean Byrne pleaded guilty.
Dean Byrne, aged 30, is on trial in the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to pervert the course of justice by persuading prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Aaron Brady's murder trial. The trial, originally set for 14 weeks, may be shortened to two or three weeks if Byrne makes a number of admissions tomorrow. Padraig Dwyer SC is considering a "shopping list" of 35 proposals from the Director of Public Prosecutions that the defence may not need to prove formally. Some proposals relate to searches of Byrne's cell in Mountjoy prison and the obtaining of warrants. Mr Dwyer said some issues are already resolved, some cannot be admitted, and others could be admitted if reworded. Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned the trial to allow the parties to work on the outstanding admissions. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the charge. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheahan and Judge Marie Keane.
Matthew O'Connell (20) and Evan Vella (19) pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and violent disorder, respectively, for a mob attack on a 16‑year‑old Italian student in Blackrock Park on 27 November 2021. The attack began after a bottle was mistakenly blamed on the victim's group, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a group assault by up to ten young men. O'Connell was described as a main antagonist and Vella admitted punching the student once. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on O'Connell, ordering him to pay €5,000 and raise an additional €5,000 within a year, and a 16‑month suspended sentence on Vella, ordering him to pay €1,500 to the victim within six months or donate it to charity. Both sentences were suspended, with no custodial terms imposed. The judge highlighted the defendants' young age, lack of prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation.
During Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial, a man named Dean Byrne offered to "do damage" to State witness Daniel Cahill, who later testified that Brady admitted shooting Garda Adrian Donohoe. Byrne, who was sharing a landing with Brady, allegedly sent messages to Cahill and to another acquaintance, urging them not to testify and threatening to harm Cahill. The Director of Public Prosecutions charged Byrne with conspiring to prevent Cahill's evidence, a charge that was opened by prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC. Byrne, aged 30, pleaded not guilty and his trial continues. The court heard that Byrne's messages referred to Cahill as a "rat" and that he claimed to have knowledge of Cahill's scheduled testimony, information not publicly available. The prosecution argues that Byrne acted as Brady's agent to pervert the course of justice. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheehan and Judge Marie Keane. The unnamed accused was acquitted.
Aaron Brady, who was convicted in 2020 of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to perverting the course of justice. He admitted to recording footage of an interview between gardai and witness Ronan Flynn, which was subsequently posted online accusing Flynn of "touting." Brady did not enter a plea to a further count of conspiring with Dean Byrne to persuade a State witness not to testify, though prosecution counsel argued this should be considered at sentencing. Dean Byrne, 30, from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, remains on trial for the conspiracy charge. Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned sentencing to May 29. The court refused an application by Brady's lawyers to ban media reporting of the guilty plea, rejecting arguments that coverage could prejudice a potential retrial if Brady's murder conviction is overturned on appeal. The judge noted that a retrial is merely a possibility and that any prejudice could be remedied by judicial directions to the jury. Brady, 33, formerly of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2013 murder. He appealed his conviction last November and is awaiting a decision from the Court of Appeal.
The trial of Aaron Brady for perverting the course of justice has been postponed for a third day after the Director of Public Prosecutions and Brady's lawyers held discussions. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, said he had received an instruction from Brady that prompted the matter to be presented to the DPP. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC indicated he would consult with the DPP before proceeding and expects to have his instructions by the next day. The trial, originally scheduled for this week, was adjourned to give the defence time to review additional evidence served recently. Brady, aged 33, and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 30, are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in Brady's murder trial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, which took place during a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Jenkinstown, County Louth, on 25 January 2013.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, a witness alleged that senior Unite officials sought to negotiate an exit package with Brendan Ogle to prevent his promotion to regional secretary for the Republic of Ireland. The witness claimed that Peter Hughes, Unite's Welsh secretary, suggested a deal after Ogle applied for the position, and that Ogle was told the role was no longer needed. Ogle had previously complained of being sidelined after returning from cancer treatment in 2022. He also alleged that the union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, was excluded from an interview panel due to a defamatory speech. The case was scheduled to proceed but the dates were vacated, and the witness noted that Ogle's concerns included losing a death-in-service policy worth five times his salary. The hearing focused on the alleged internal negotiations and Ogle's grievances.
Lawyers for Aaron Brady, who shot Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in 2013, warned that the upcoming trial for perverting the course of justice could generate damaging publicity. Michael O'Higgins SC told the Special Criminal Court that Brady is still awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his murder conviction. If the appeal succeeds, a retrial at the Central Criminal Court, which would involve a jury, may follow. O'Higgins expressed concern that media coverage could influence jurors and plans to apply to the court, citing the Irish Times v Murphy judgment on media reporting. The perverting the course of justice trial was adjourned to allow the defence to consider new evidence. Brady (33) and co‑accused Dean Byrne (30) are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify between April and June 2020, and with recording a video of a witness interview between February and May 2020.
Iollan Tynan Kelleher, aged 22, was sentenced to six years in prison for raping a 15‑year‑old friend and sexually assaulting a second victim. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault before trial. The rape occurred in July 2017 when he was 16, and the assault on the second victim happened in August 2017. The court noted the victim's trauma, including depression, suicidal thoughts, flashbacks and anxiety. Kelleher was found guilty of one rape and two sexual assault charges. He received three years and nine months for the rape, 11 months for the assault of the first victim (concurrent), and two years and three months for the assault of the second victim (consecutive). The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended for one year, and he will be supervised by probation for three years and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
Eugene Hanratty Snr, 65, of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, will remain in custody after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeals against conviction and sentence. He was convicted by a jury in October 2022 of assault causing harm to neighbour Martin McAllister in November 2012, an incident that left Mr McAllister with multiple broken facial bones and permanent loss of peripheral vision. Hanratty Snr, who pleaded not guilty, had been sentenced to three years' imprisonment, comprising a headline sentence of five years reduced by one year in mitigation and a further year suspended. Mr Justice Birmingham, presiding over the appeal, stated the headline sentence was "entirely understandable" and the mitigation "generous," finding no basis to deem the sentence unduly severe. The court also rejected the defence argument that the trial judge erred by treating the lack of a guilty plea as an aggravating factor, noting this is deeply embedded in jurisprudence. Additionally, the court deprecated the "developing practice" of defence applications to withdraw cases from juries as a matter of course, affirming the trial judge was correct to refuse such an application. The appeals were dismissed, leaving the original conviction and sentence intact.
Trade unionist Brendan Ogle claims his role at Unite's Irish office was "decimated" after surviving cancer, alleging discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. He says he was told by the union's general secretary that he would be written out of plans for Ireland, and that a directive was issued preventing him from being involved in his former duties. Ogle's lawyer, Mary‑Paula Guinness, argues that his responsibilities were drastically reduced and that the union failed to accommodate him. The Workplace Relations Commission is hearing Ogle's statutory complaint, which has been reduced to a single claim of discrimination after he withdrew three complaints of penalisation under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. Unite's counsel, Mark Harty, maintains that Ogle has not established a comparator and that the union took all possible steps to accommodate him. The case will run for up to eight days, with a potential witness summons for the union's general secretary.
Michael Delaney, a 50‑year‑old transport manager for Rehab Group, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €6,000 from the charity by secretly selling three company trucks he claimed were scrapped. The theft, uncovered during an internal audit in 2021, occurred between 11 April 2019 and 29 December 2021. Delaney resigned in December 2021 and agreed to repay the money, having paid €600 to date and presenting €5,400 in cash at the hearing. He has one minor prior conviction for a road traffic offence. Defending counsel Colm Hennessy noted Delaney's cooperation and early guilty plea. Judge Martin Nolan, recognising Delaney's candid admissions and good work history, imposed a nine‑month suspended sentence and ordered the €5,400 to be handed over to the charity.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the sentencing hearing for Nathan Kinsella until June 17 to allow gardai to complete an investigation into newly filed tax returns. Kinsella, 44, of Richmond, Blackrock, Co Dublin, previously pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to deliver full and true Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) returns for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020. The charges alleged he failed without reasonable excuse to comply with section 46(2) of the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Act 2003 while residing at addresses in Saggart, Dublin, and Blackrock. During the hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions stated that Kinsella had recently filed income tax returns for the same period, which the State described as "not in keeping with the evidence" regarding funds on which CAT should have been paid. Defense counsel explained the returns were filed on accountant advice to encompass all money received. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, presiding on behalf of the three-judge court, ordered the adjournment to permit gardai to investigate the basis of these new returns and any overlap with the funds in question. Kinsella was previously sentenced to two years in prison in 2012 after pleading guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), an unlawful organisation, following an investigation into paramilitary activity at the funeral of Alan Ryan.
Hamid Zatout, aged 26, had been sentenced to six and a half years for a series of robberies in which he snatched designer watches from vulnerable victims, some worth up to €47,000. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the evidence of multiple robberies and an attempted robbery, warned his lawyers that an appeal could result in a higher sentence. Following a discussion with the court's president, Mr Justice George Birmingham, Zatout's lawyers withdrew the appeal, citing the court's willingness to increase the sentence if an error was found. The court noted that the offence was very serious and that the sentencing judge had considered a "double figures" sentence. Zatout had pleaded guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm, and one attempted robbery, and had been living in a hotel in Dundalk at the time of his arrest. The case involved extensive CCTV evidence and the involvement of accomplices who followed victims before the robberies.
A 27‑year‑old former rugby player, Buti Sashi, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years imprisonment, to run consecutively to his existing ten‑year sentence. The new sentence follows Sashi's guilty pleas to assault causing harm, two counts of aggravated burglary, robbery, false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm on two separate occasions in 2017. In one incident he stabbed a male sex worker seven times, stealing a mobile phone and €200, and in another he stabbed a female sex worker seven times, inflicting potentially life‑threatening wounds and a fractured eye socket. The court noted Sashi's pattern of contacting victims for sex before attacking them, and described the offences as "very serious crimes". The judge reduced the new term from an earlier proposed ten years, citing the totality principle.
Joseph Hillen, 29, was taken back into custody following an appeal regarding the activation of his suspended sentence. Hillen was originally convicted by a ten-to-two majority jury of the manslaughter of Martin Mulligan in 2018. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The State appealed this sentence as unduly lenient, and in November 2019, the Court of Appeal increased the term to nine years, with the final 12 months suspended. Hillen was released from Mountjoy prison on March 30, 2022, after serving five years and 11 months. Two weeks later, on April 14, 2023, he allegedly drove a car at his mother, assaulted her, and committed other offences. He pleaded guilty at Lisburn Magistrates Court to assaulting his mother, criminal damage, dangerous driving, assaulting a police officer, possession of cocaine, driving while unfit, aggravated theft, and driving without a licence or insurance. In July 2023, he received an eight-month fully suspended sentence. The State subsequently applied to activate the suspended portion of his manslaughter sentence under Section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act. On January 29, 2024, Ms Justice Creedon activated nine months of the 12-month suspended sentence, resulting in Hillen being taken back into custody.
McSorley Investments Limited, holding about 20% of Walls Construction Holding Limited (WCHL), has applied to the High Court for an injunction to stop WCHL and several board members from approving a proposed Growth Share Scheme at the next board meeting. The claim argues that the scheme would dilute and oppress McSorley's interests and that it contravenes the 2015 Subscription and Shareholders Agreement, which requires all parties' consent for new share issues. McSorley also seeks an order preventing any other share‑issuing scheme without its approval and, if necessary, the cancellation of any scheme implemented without consent. The court, hearing the case ex‑parte, granted McSorley permission to serve short notice of the injunctions and adjourned the matter for a week. The dispute centres on the proposed allocation of a large volume of shares to new management, raising concerns about fairness, tax implications and potential dilution of existing shareholders' stakes.
Eugene Hanratty Snr (65), of Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is appealing his conviction for assault causing harm at Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on November 24, 2012. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury following a trial in October 2022 and sentenced to three years in prison. The matter was adjourned at the Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice George Birmingham reserving his decision. Defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued the conviction should be overturned due to prosecution failings, including lost forensic evidence, a broken chain of custody regarding a jacket, and the failure to interview Hanratty Snr or his son, Eugene Jnr. The State, represented by Garret McCormack BL, countered that these issues did not warrant removing the case from the jury, noting the trial judge had properly considered the evidence. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally described the attack as unprovoked and premeditated, noting Hanratty Snr stamped on the victim's arm knowing he was a musician. The judge set a headline sentence of five years, reduced it by one year, and suspended the final year for 12 months, resulting in an effective custody period of two years. Hanratty Snr was also ordered to have no contact with the victims for 10 years. In a separate 2016 trial, Eugene Hanratty Jnr was acquitted of joint enterprise charges related to the same incident.
Tadhg Keely, 19, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing a Toyota Aqua from Belview Court, Blackrock, Co Dublin, and endangerment on the N81 Tallaght bypass. He pleaded guilty to these charges and further admitted to dangerous driving on the N7 in Naas, Co Kildare. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as extremely dangerous, noting Keely's "disgraceful behaviour" when he drove through traffic cones, forcing a workman to "jump for his life." The court heard Keely led ten garda patrol cars on a 40-minute chase at speeds exceeding 160km/h, blowing two tyres and driving on the wrong side of the road. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final year suspended due to his young age, guilty plea, and difficult background. Judge Nolan disqualified Keely from driving for three years and ordered one year of probation supervision upon release. Keely, who has 36 previous convictions, was in State care at the time. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
James Flynn, aged 32, was sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat that was used as the getaway vehicle in the 2013 Lordship Credit Union robbery in Bellurgan, Co. Louth. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found that Flynn knew the full purpose of the conspiracy and that the theft of the Passat was an integral part of the robbery plan. Although Flynn was acquitted of direct participation in the robbery itself, the court convicted him of conspiracy to steal the Passat. The judge set a headline sentence of nine years, reduced to eight after considering mitigating factors such as family testimonials, and backdated the sentence to 15 July 2021 when Flynn entered custody in the UK pending extradition. Flynn had previously fled Ireland and was extradited from the UK in April 2022.
Abdisalan Abdulkadir Yusuf, a 25‑year‑old Somali‑Swedish national, was denied bail by the High Court after he fled Sweden to avoid serving a three‑year prison sentence for violent offences committed during a riot over the burning of the Quran. Yusuf was arrested in Dundalk, Co. Louth, on a European Arrest Warrant issued in April 2022 for gross sabotage of emergency services and attempted gross violence against police. He had travelled to Ireland in August 2023 without a passport, allegedly using a Swedish national identity card, and was found at a petrol station speaking to a sibling. The judge cited his flight risk, the seriousness of the offences, and the length of the sentence left to be served as reasons for refusal. Yusuf remains in custody until a full hearing on his surrender to Sweden on 7 February 2024.
The High Court has ordered the extradition of James Meehan, aged 54, to Northern Ireland following his refusal to stay proceedings on the matter. Meehan, with addresses in Derry City and Kells, County Meath, was convicted in 2009 of murdering Jim McFadden in Donegal in May 2007 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 14 years. He was released on temporary release in 2022 subject to strict conditions, including a curfew and residency requirements in Limavady. In October 2022, he breached these conditions by absconding. Ms Justice Melanie Greally found clear evidence of breach and rejected arguments that Meehan had served the punitive element of his sentence or was on licence rather than temporary release. The judge expressed concern about frequent bail applications following surrender orders, stating such applications would henceforth be granted only in exceptional circumstances. Meehan remains on bail for a maximum of 25 days pending surrender.
In December 2023 the Court of Appeal upheld a decision that Pearse O'Connor, a 41‑year‑old contractor from Dundalk, would not serve jail time for a second time after a fully suspended five‑year sentence was deemed too lenient. O'Connor had pleaded guilty in April 2021 to six charges of invoice fraud and fraudulent trading, having used false invoices to secure €369,000 from Keys Commercial Finance to keep his company afloat during financial hardship in 2015. The original trial court had suspended the entire sentence and banned him from directing a company for life. The appeal court noted that the offence involved large sums over several months and that the custodial threshold had been crossed, but it also recognised O'Connor's ongoing efforts to reform, including addressing an alcohol problem and maintaining family responsibilities.
Elizabeth Theresa Mansfield, a retired nurse and full‑time carer, brought a High Court action against Pepper Finance Corporation (Ireland) DAC, its receiver Sharon Barrett of Kroll Advisory, and auctioneer Ger Carmody Auctioneers, claiming that the receiver was attempting to sell her fully paid apartment at Kings Court Apartments, Manor West, Tralee, Co Kerry. Mansfield said she had repaid the €82,000 mortgage in full in early November after retiring, yet the receiver had not withdrawn the property from sale and had failed to engage with her. She also alleged she was owed €13,000 from rental income and that the management company had not communicated with her. The case was resolved after settlement: the property would no longer be sold, the receiver discharged, and Pepper would receive rental income. The High Court struck out the proceedings, praising the parties' efforts for a sensible resolution.
A man convicted of murder has sought a stay on extradition proceedings pending the outcome of his application to transfer his prison sentence from Northern Ireland to the Republic. James Meehan (54), with addresses in Derry City and Kells, Co Meath, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 for the murder of Jim McFadden in May 2007 following an incident in Donegal. Meehan left Northern Ireland in October 2022 whilst on release conditions and later moved to Kells. He was arrested by arrangement in May this year on foot of extradition warrants. At the High Court hearing, his counsel argued that the punitive element of his sentence had been served and that determination of his sentence-transfer application, pending since 2017, should precede any extradition decision. The State's counsel contended he was unlawfully at large from temporary release and that court could not delay proceedings whilst a live prosecution existed in the North. Ms Justice Melanie Greally adjourned judgment to Friday, 8 December.
A High Court judge, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, has ordered that a judicial review challenge by Mr Thomas S White against An Bord Pleanala's permission for 42 assisted living and medical support units at Hardman's Gardens, Drogheda, be heard promptly. White, a retired auctioneer and landowner adjacent to the proposed site, argues the board's decision is flawed because it would effectively sterilise his property by denying vehicular access and providing only inadequate pedestrian access. He claims the board's inspector misrepresented vehicular access in its report and failed to assess the impact on surrounding landowners. White also alleges the planning application was not evaluated under EU directives on habitats and environmental impact assessments. The judge has set a timetable for document exchange and requires the matter to return to court within two weeks for a hearing. The case remains an ongoing judicial review.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 17 November 2023, the State argued that the fully suspended five‑year sentence imposed on Pearse O'Connor, a 41‑year‑old contractor from Dundalk, was too lenient for the €369,000 invoice fraud he committed against Keys Commercial Finance. O'Connor had pleaded guilty in April 2021 to six charges, including five for using false invoices and one for fraudulent trading under the Companies Act. The Court of Appeal noted that the fraud occurred over a short period but was carefully planned, resulting in a loss that grew from €186,000 to €622,000, with only €253,000 repaid. The State claimed the suspended sentence failed to reflect the seriousness of the offence and called for a custodial term. The appeal court will decide on 1 December 2023.
In a Special Criminal Court sentencing hearing on 13 November 2023, Judge Tony Hunt declined to exclude Aaron Brady's father, Tony Brady, from the public gallery. The decision followed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued that an exclusion order would not prevent Brady from "propagating nonsense." Brady had previously been excluded during the trial of James Flynn, who was convicted of conspiracy to steal a car used in the Lordship Credit Union robbery that resulted in the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe by Aaron Brady. Brady had published an online video accusing a Garda of perjury and contempt of court. The judge noted that such remarks do not affect the court's proceedings and allowed Brady to remain present. The hearing also covered the sentencing of James Flynn, who was acquitted of participation in the robbery but convicted of conspiracy to steal a Volkswagen Passat.
William Duffy, 40, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in July to discharging a firearm recklessly at 11pm on 28 May 2019 in Marian Park, Dundalk, where he fired twice at Keith Shields, who was walking home. Duffy was seen on CCTV leaving a hospital four hours earlier and later arriving at the park. The Central Criminal Court judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, sentenced Duffy to three years and six months' imprisonment, with nine months suspended, for causing "abject terror" to Mr Shields. The judge noted Duffy's 42 prior convictions, including affray, burglary and assault, and his history of substance abuse, but also his remorse, boxing coaching and positive prison governor's report. The sentence was based on a pre‑mitigation term of four years and eight months, reduced by a 25% mitigating discount. The attempted murder charge was withdrawn by the State.
The Commercial Court heard that several legal actions over the collapse of German property firm Dolphin Trust have been resolved. No settlement details were disclosed. Dolphin, founded by Charles Smethurst, had raised €650m‑€1bn from investors in the UK, Russia, South Korea, France and Ireland, investing in listed German buildings. Dolphin MUT 116 and MUT 103 were the Irish investment vehicles for pension and individual investors. Liquidators Shane McCarthy, Ian Barrett (MUT 116) and Myles Kirby (MUT 103) had alleged misrepresentations and breaches by parties linked to Dolphin. John Lavelle BL informed the court that his clients had settled actions against several defendants. Proceedings against the estate of the late Paul Dunne were struck out; cases against Wealth Options Trust, Wealth Options Capital, Brian Flynn and Eanna McCloskey were adjourned with a possibility of re‑entry. Actions against Charles Smethurst remain live and will be addressed later this year.
Jennifer Dunne, 38, of Richmond, Blackrock, Co Dublin, was discharged from proceedings at the Special Criminal Court after the State dropped all nine charges against her. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi application, citing the receipt of certain documents, which resulted in the withdrawal of six money-laundering counts and three counts of failing to furnish tax returns. Dunne had been accused of money-laundering offences relating to AIB accounts between 2018 and 2019, and failing to deliver capital acquisitions tax returns between October 2018 and October 2020. Following the order, she was free to leave the court. This development occurred five days after her partner, Nathan Kinsella, 44, also of Richmond, Blackrock, pleaded guilty to three similar counts of failing to furnish tax returns for the same period. Kinsella's case was adjourned to January 22 for sentencing, while six money-laundering charges against him were not pursued by the State. Kinsella was previously jailed by the Special Criminal Court ten years ago after pleading guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army on September 13, 2012, for which he was sentenced to two years.
Ex-IRA man Nathan Kinsella has pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to furnish tax returns, as well as two additional counts of the same offence on or before October 31, 2019, and October 31, 2020. Kinsella, who was previously jailed for two years in 2012 for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, was sentenced to two years for that offence. The matter was adjourned to January 22, 2024, for sentencing. Kinsella was jailed by the same court 10 years ago after a garda investigation into paramilitary activity at the funeral of Dissident Republican Alan Ryan. Jennifer Dunne, Kinsella's partner, is charged with the same tax and money laundering offences. Paul Greene SC, counsel for Ms Dunne, stated that his client has three documents of interest that involve returns to the Revenue, and these are available in hard copy at the accused's home. He said the documents will be furnished to the prosecution before the weekend, and Ms Dunne's case was adjourned to next Monday. Kinsella and Ms Dunne were previously charged with money laundering offences under Section 7 of Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010. The couple were charged with converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using property, namely funds lodged to an AIB account on dates between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019, within the State, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct. Dominic McGinn SC, for the State, said that the State would now be entering a nolle prosequi on these charges in relation to Kinsella.
Nathan Kinsella (44) and his partner Jennifer Dunne (38) of Richmond, Blackrock, Co Dublin, are due to go to trial at the Special Criminal Court over alleged money laundering offences. They have been re‑charged with the six original money‑laundering offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. In addition, they face three new counts under the Finance Act 2008 for failing to file tax returns. The charges relate to converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using property—specifically funds deposited into an AIB account between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2019—while knowing or recklessly believing the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct. They are also charged with failing to submit full and true capital acquisitions tax returns for the periods ending 31 October 2018, 31 October 2019 and 31 October 2020, with addresses at Tasaggart House, Alpine Heights and Richmond, Newtownpark respectively.
Michael Connolly (55), of no fixed abode, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility of Mark Lawlor (38), who was found dead in Cloverhill Prison on the night of Friday, November 22, 2019. Connolly was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in August. The fatal attack occurred in a three-prisoner cell where both men had mental health issues and had been remanded to the prison on unconnected matters. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Lawlor by reason of insanity. During the sentencing hearing, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford stated that a headline sentence of 15 years was appropriate but reduced that to 12 years' imprisonment when taking into account Connolly's mental health history, his admissions to gardaí that he killed Mr Lawlor and his expressions of remorse. She then suspended a further two years of the sentence for five years to grant Connolly an opportunity to reintegrate into society upon his release. Ms Justice Lankford also suspended the final two years of the sentence for five years during which Connolly is to attend psychiatric treatment, not use illicit drugs and be of good behaviour for that time. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
William Duffy, 40, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty last July to discharging a firearm recklessly at Marian Park on 28 May 2019, an act originally charged as attempted murder. The incident involved a confrontation with Keith Shields, who fled after hearing two shots and later called 999. CCTV showed Duffy leaving a hospital four hours before the shooting, arriving at the park, and positioning himself near Shields. DNA from Duffy's home matched shell casings found at the scene, though Duffy denied shooting and claimed possible accidental contact with casings. He has 42 prior convictions, including theft, hit‑and‑run, affray, threatening behaviour and burglary. At the Central Criminal Court, Duffy expressed remorse, pledged never to appear before the courts again if given a chance, and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 13 November. The judge adjourned the matter for sentencing.
The High Court appointed Dessie Morrow and Dairmaid Guthrie of Azets Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for Climote Limited, a heating‑control firm with 20 employees. The appointment followed a failed Small Companies Administrative Rescue Process (SCARP) and an inability to agree on a rescue plan. Climote had been profitable until 2019 but became loss‑making due to Covid‑19 impacts, the removal of its 'Single Measure Solution' from the Energy Efficiency Obligations Scheme, and a €1.1 million loss in 2022. The company also owes significant debt to Revenue. The liquidators will preserve assets, maintain service for up to 100,000 remote heating controllers, and seek to sell the company's goodwill and assets, potentially to an identified investor, while ensuring continued maintenance until the assets are sold. The matter was adjourned to November.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 13 October 2023, the appeal of Edmundas Dauksa, aged 53, was dismissed. Dauksa had been convicted in May 2021 by a Central Criminal Court jury of murdering his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, after she refused to bring their six‑year‑old daughter to his home. The jury found no provocation and rejected Dauksa's claim that he was "fuelled with murderous intent" or that he had been "wronged" by the court's custody decision. The appeal argued that Maciokaite's decision not to bring the child constituted provocation, but the Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh, held that the decision was a matter for the custody court and that Dauksa's 20‑minute walk to the courtyard did not indicate a loss of self‑control. Alcohol intoxication was deemed irrelevant to the intent to kill. Both grounds of appeal failed, and the murder conviction was upheld. Edmundas Dauksa pleaded not guilty.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 12 October 2023, Aaron Brady's defence argued that two jurors in his 2020 murder trial may have visited Crossmaglen after the verdict, a claim that required clarification. Brady, aged 32, was convicted of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe and sentenced to life imprisonment with a 40‑year minimum, plus a concurrent 14‑year robbery term. The defence sought leave to raise this as a new ground of appeal, citing a meeting between a juror and the jury minder on 3 March 2021 and a subsequent encounter on 16 June 2022. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, maintained that the law clearly prohibits questioning jurors about deliberations after a verdict, citing the long‑established rule that such inquiries undermine finality.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 11 October 2023, Aaron Brady's defence lawyers argued that the State had failed to disclose a police report about steroids found in the home of key prosecution witness Daniel Cahill until after his cross‑examination. The defence claimed this omission undermined Cahill's credibility and made the trial unfair. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, counter‑argued that the late disclosure was a privileged police‑to‑police report and that the defence had chosen not to recall Cahill. He also highlighted that the defence had sought to show a picture of Cahill's penis to the jury, describing it as an attempt to humiliate the witness. The appeal concerns Brady's 2020 conviction for the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe, for which he is serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum. The hearing will continue the following day before a three‑judge panel.
Aaron Brady, convicted of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe, has taken his appeal to the Court of Appeal. His lawyers argue that the prosecution failed to investigate an interruption of key witness Molly Staunton's testimony, which occurred via video link from New York during the Covid‑19 lockdown. An unseen man interrupted Staunton while she was testifying, and the court later read the jury a transcript of that exchange. Brady's counsel claims this was unlawful and prejudicial, and that the court erred by not ordering an investigation into the circumstances. The Director of Public Prosecutions contends the judge acted within his jurisdiction, that the interruption did not affect the evidence, and that the jury should not be discharged. The appeal hearing will continue tomorrow before a three‑judge panel. The case remains a landmark Irish murder trial, with Brady serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum.
Aaron Brady, convicted of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, is appealing his conviction in a six-day hearing before the Court of Appeal. On the fourth day, senior counsel Fiona Murphy argued that the trial's integrity was "well and truly breached" when key witness Molly Staunton, testifying via video link from New York, was interrupted by an unseen man who told her to "stop it right now" before the connection was cut. Murphy submitted that the trial court erred in refusing to discharge the jury, claiming the disruption rendered the trial "fundamentally flawed" and that the State failed to implement adequate safeguards for the witness. She contended that the jury might perceive the interference as prejudicial to Brady, despite no evidence linking the man to the appellant. In reply, Lorcan Staines SC for the DPP stated that declaring Staunton a hostile witness was a discretionary matter for the trial judge. Brady, who was found guilty by an 11-to-1 majority jury at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020, is serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum term for the murder, which occurred during a robbery in 2013. He was also sentenced to 14 years for the robbery, running concurrently. The appeal continues before Mr Justice John Edwards, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, and Ms Justice Tara Burns.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the family of Michael Connolly (55), who was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in the death of Mark Lawlor (37), had previously attempted to have him committed to a mental health institution due to concerns about his deteriorating mental health. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Lawlor by reason of insanity. The jury was informed that Connolly believed Mr Lawlor had 'some kind of exalted identity like a king' and was 'a kingpin of Dublin'. The case hinged on the disagreement between two psychiatrists regarding whether Connolly was sufficiently mentally ill to be found not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecution submitted that the offence committed by Connolly fell into the higher bracket for sentencing, which would result in a sentence between 10 and 15 years. Defence counsel highlighted that Connolly had received a fully-suspended sentence in 2013 for attacking what he believed to be 'blasphemous' artworks in a Louth church gallery with an axe and was then admitted to a mental health institution in Ardee, Co Louth. The matter was adjourned to October 27 for sentence.
During a six‑day appeal hearing, Aaron Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that a secret tape recording of a US Special Agent, Matt Katske, coercing a suspect to implicate Brady in the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe should have been admitted as evidence. The recording, described as "liquid gold," shows Katske offering assistance and threatening a suspect's brother in exchange for information that would place Brady in the frame. O'Higgins claimed the trial judge erred by refusing to allow the tape before the jury and by denying cross‑examination of Katske. The appeal also contends that the deportation of Brady to Ireland was effectively an extradition, undermining his trial rights. Brady, 32, is serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for the 2013 murder and a concurrent 14‑year robbery sentence. The appeal will continue before the Court of Appeal on Monday. Aaron Brady was found guilty.
In a six‑day appeal hearing, Aaron Brady's counsel argued that the Court of Appeal erred by not ordering an oral hearing on the disclosure of US Homeland Security documents that limited the evidence two US special agents could give. Brady, convicted in 2020 of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe and sentenced to life with a 40‑year minimum, is seeking to overturn his conviction. The appeal also contends that the prosecution failed to disclose letters of scope in a timely manner, which restricted the testimony of Special Agents Mary Anne Wade and Matt Katske. The letters, said to have prevented the agents from revealing the immigration status of witnesses, were allegedly not disclosed until May 2020. The hearing continues with the defence expected to raise further complaints about a video‑link witness. The case remains an ongoing appeal before the Court of Appeal.