The High Court approved a survival scheme for Premier Periclase Ltd, a Co. Louth magnesium‑based heat‑resistant product manufacturer, allowing it to exit examinership. The company, operating since 1977 from Boyne Road, Drogheda, had faced insolvency due to soaring gas and energy costs, owing €2.5 million to Bord Gais and €900,000 to Energia. In December 2021 it sought court protection, claiming Bord Gais threatened to cut supply unless a substantial payment was made, which it could not afford. Judge Brian O'Moore approved the scheme devised by examiner Neil Hughes of Baker Tily, with Gary McCarthy SC supporting it. The plan will bring fresh investment, require a switch from natural gas to renewable energy over 18 months, and temporarily reduce the workforce by half, with hopes of rehiring post‑switch. The company will continue trading as a going concern under the approved survival scheme.
A High Court judicial review action brought by Dominic 'Og' McGlinchey against the Coroner for Co Louth, Ronan McGuire, was adjourned to a date in July. The applicant, son of the late INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey, sought documents preserved by the coroner regarding the 1996 inquest into his father's 1994 murder in Drogheda. Mr. McGlinchey alleged that the coroner failed to furnish these records, including depositions from the late State Pathologist Dr. John Harbison and the applicant himself, despite requests made under the 1962 Coroner's Act. Counsel for the applicant, Ronan Munroe SC, stated that the coroner had indicated in correspondence that he would provide all material in his possession, which may resolve the matter. However, it remained unclear how much of the sought material the coroner actually held. Mr. Justice Charles Meenan stated he was not prepared to grant permission for the judicial review challenge given the coroner's position. Instead, the judge said he was prepared to put the coroner on notice of the application. The proceedings were adjourned to a date in July. The applicant had sought declarations that the coroner failed to comply with statutory obligations to furnish documents and provide reasons for any non-compliance, as well as orders directing the coroner to comply or explain the failure. The underlying murder of Dominic McGlinchey Snr remains unsolved.
The Supreme Court ruled that Liam Campbell, 59, can be extradited to Lithuania where he faces charges of international terrorism, possession of weapons and smuggling. Campbell had opposed the extradition, arguing that no decision had been made in Lithuania to try him. The five‑judge court dismissed his appeal, finding that a decision to charge and try him had indeed been taken in Lithuania under the 2003 European Arrest Warrant Act. The court noted that the Lithuanian authorities had sufficient evidence and that only a procedural step remained before a formal charge. The decision means Campbell is expected to be surrendered to Lithuania in the coming days, where he will be tried for the alleged offences. The ruling confirms that the extradition request meets the legal requirements for EU member states.
A High Court challenge has been initiated against An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant planning permission for 227 apartments in Goatstown, South Dublin. The applicant, Mr Ciaran Mulloy from Woodlands Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin, alleges that the decision breaches domestic and European Union laws, including the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan, urban development requirements, open space guidelines, and building height regulations. He further claims that the board failed to assess public transport capacity and that the decision contravenes proper zoning and a protective corridor for the proposed Dublin Eastern by-pass. Additionally, it is alleged that the board's decision breaches the developer's obligations under the EU directive on Environmental Impact Assessments. Mr Mulloy seeks various reliefs, including an order quashing the board's decision. The action is against An Bord Pleanala, Ireland, the Attorney General, and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council, with Knockrabo Investments Ltd DAC as a notice party. The application for permission to bring the proceedings was heard by Mr Justice David Holland, who granted Mr Mulloy leave to proceed and adjourned the matter to a date in May.
At the Special Criminal Court, the State applied for the forfeiture of a 2018 Mercedes S-Class registered to Thomas Rooney (52), a Betaghstown resident described as a mid-to-high level gang member. Rooney pleaded guilty in July 2023 to possessing €289,770 and £65,000 in crime cash at a Drogheda car park, along with two further charges involving €254,840 and €7,650, all under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Act 2010. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in January 2024. His then-partner, Catherine Dawson (44), received a fully suspended sentence of three years and nine months in May 2023 for her role in moving the gang's money, suspended on condition of good behaviour for five years. The State argued the vehicle, held by Rooney's company EBT Executive Travel Ltd, was integral to the offence, citing texts sent from a phone plugged into the car to coordinate the transfer of cash. Defence counsel John D Fitzgerald SC argued the car was used for legitimate business and that forfeiture would cause undue hardship. Presiding judge Mr Justice Hunt remarked that Rooney would have been better off with a cheaper vehicle. The matter was adjourned to June 2 for a decision on the forfeiture.
Two men have been given a provisional trial date of January 23, 2023 at the Special Criminal Court in connection with the death of a Drogheda teenager. Paul Crosby, aged 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, County Louth, and Gerard Cruise, aged 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, face charges relating to an alleged murder at a house in Rathmullan Park on January 12 or 13, 2020. The trial had been scheduled to commence on April 25, but the court heard that substantial additional disclosure to the defence would be necessary before proceedings could advance. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions informed the three-judge court of this requirement, and legal representatives for both defendants did not oppose the adjournment. Presiding Justice Tony Hunt fixed the new provisional date during proceedings at the non-jury court.
In a 2022 decision, a motor dealer, Colm Quinn Ltd, was ordered to pay an employee, Ara Azady, nearly €4,000 in compensation for unlawful wage deductions and for failing to provide a written employment contract. Azady, who worked full‑time from July 2020 to March 2021, earned €10.50 an hour for a 38‑hour week. He claimed that after an accident at the company's Drogheda garage on 8 October 2020, the repair cost was estimated at €1,595.83. From December 2020 to February 2021, the company docked €400 a month from his wages, and in March 2021 an additional €395.83 was deducted. Azady's solicitor argued the deductions were not agreed or communicated, violating Section 5 of the Terms of Employment Act, and were excessive, amounting to about a quarter of his net pay.
Thomas Larkin, a 70‑year‑old pensioner from Ardee, Co. Louth, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for sexually abusing a 15‑year‑old boy between January 1999 and June 2000. Larkin, who was 47 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to four counts of gross indecency. The victim, whose name is withheld for anonymity, came forward after the Jimmy Savile case prompted him to recall the abuse. Larkin had groomed the boy, giving him cigarettes and sweets, and performed acts of sexual abuse including masturbation and one instance of oral sex. He had instructed the boy not to disclose the abuse. The judge noted the victim's life, relationships and work had been severely affected, and imposed the custodial sentence to reflect the seriousness of the exploitative conduct. The sentence was handed down by Judge Melanie Greally.
In April 2022 the High Court heard a proposal for Premier Periclase Ltd, a world‑leading magnesium products manufacturer, to switch from natural gas to renewable energy. The switch would require 18 months of work and would make most of the company's 94 employees redundant, though the court noted that after completion the firm might employ more people. Premier Periclase, which had been granted court protection in December 2021, owes €2.5 million to Bord Gais and €900,000 to electricity supplier Energia. Mr Neil Hughes, appointed examiner, was granted additional time to formulate a scheme that could save the business. The court also heard that a potential investor had withdrawn, but other investors remained interested in a renewable‑energy plan. The matter will return to the court later this month.
In a complaint lodged under Section 77 of the Employment Equality Act, Glen Weir, a British Protestant worker at Anord Mardix (Ireland) Ltd in Dundalk, alleged sectarian harassment after two female colleagues repeatedly played anti‑British songs, including one with the lyric "go home you British bastards," and a colleague shouted "up the RA." Weir claimed the music made him uncomfortable and that the comment was threatening, leading him to leave work and feel intimidated. The employer denied the claim, stating Weir had an "agenda" and had not accepted the outcome of an internal appeals process. Anord Mardix's solicitor reported that Weir had failed to attend work on 3 July, requested a meeting, and later invoked the grievance procedure after a mediation meeting on 15 July. The company implemented a new policy prohibiting personal music on the assembly line.
Two men charged with the murder of Keane Mulready Woods will not stand trial next month as gardaí continue their investigation into the teenager's death and dismemberment. The Special Criminal Court heard on Thursday that the prosecution has already disclosed some information to the defence but substantial additional disclosure would be necessary before the trial could proceed. The hearing was originally scheduled for 25 April this year. Paul Crosby, aged 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, County Louth, and Gerard Cruise, aged 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, face charges relating to a death alleged to have occurred at a house in Rathmullan Park on 12 or 13 January 2020. Neither man's legal representatives objected to the trial delay. The court will hear further submissions regarding timing on the originally scheduled trial date.
Keith Lennon, aged 23, was convicted of manslaughter after his 3‑litre Audi, driven at 225 km/h, collided with a Peugeot 108 on the N1, killing Mary (82) and Kevin (58) Faxton and Bryan Magill (24). Lennon had been filming Snapchat videos while driving at 105 km/h above the limit. He pleaded guilty in February 2021 and was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, a 20‑year driving ban, and a 14‑year custodial term, with the judge describing his car as a "weapon". Lennon appealed the severity of the sentence, arguing the judge had over‑penalised him. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, stating the custodial sentence was inevitable and that the Snapchat videos and high speeds made the case particularly reckless. The court upheld the original nine‑year term and the 20‑year driving ban. The decision was delivered on 1 April 2022.
Ian Moore, 31, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the unlawful killing of Jason Kearney, 25, who had broken into Moore's home on 12 September 2020. Moore claimed he had heard noises, entered the house, and punched Kearney once after a brief confrontation. Kearney fell, hit his head, and died ten days later in a coma after the ventilator was turned off. Moore said he had no intention to use a knife he had been given by his pregnant partner and that he had returned to the scene to call emergency services and assist Kearney until an ambulance arrived. The court noted Moore's lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, remorse, and cooperation with investigators as mitigating factors. The judge emphasised that Moore had taken the law into his own hands and that the act was impulsive, emotional and violent, but not pre‑meditated.
The Special Criminal Court heard the closing speech of Lisa Smith's defence barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, on 30 March 2022. O'Higgins argued that the prosecution's evidence was insufficient to prove Smith's membership in the Islamic State. He criticised Dr Florence Gaub's expert report, claiming it relied on flawed methodology and made unsupported claims that all travellers to ISIS territory were members and that westerners received preferential treatment. O'Higgins highlighted that Smith had travelled to Syria in 2015 after the call for Muslims to join the caliphate, but she pleaded not guilty to membership and to financing terrorism for €800 sent in 2015. He contended that the €800 was intended for personal use, not for a terrorist organisation, and that Smith had no intent to assist ISIS. The judges had not yet delivered a verdict, and the case would be revisited next Thursday. The defence maintained that Smith's actions did not meet the legal threshold for membership or financing terrorism.
In a three‑judge, non‑jury court, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sean Gillane SC, argued that Lisa Smith, a former soldier aged 40 from Dundalk, travelled to Syria in 2015 to join the Islamic State, a terrorist organisation under Irish law. He described her journey as an "ultimate act of allegiance" and cited her viewing of violent ISIS videos, her online contact with a named fighter, and her pledge of loyalty to the caliphate. Smith's defence, led by Michael O'Higgins SC, contended that she was a vulnerable, depressed convert who did not intend to fight, and that she had not been a combatant or supporter of ISIS. The prosecution focused on her membership charge and a separate charge of financing terrorism by sending €800 to a named individual in May 2015. The court heard evidence of Smith's social media activity, her travel to Turkey and Syria, and her marriage to a Tunisian fighter. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Professor Hugh Kennedy, a medieval historian, testified at Lisa Smith's trial, arguing that belief in a caliphate can exist independently of belief in ISIS ideology. He explained that ISIS, led by Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi, presented itself as a legitimate Islamic state, citing selective historical references to justify its actions. Kennedy noted that while many scholars denounced al‑Baghdadi, some respected voices considered his caliphate legitimate, using the Quran and Hadiths as foundations. He highlighted the ambiguity of caliphate criteria, differences between Shia and Sunni views, and the historical variability of caliphates, including Ottoman and 20th‑century examples. Kennedy emphasized that ISIS's propaganda, such as the magazine Dabiq, distorted early texts to appeal to those seeking simple answers, and that the caliphate concept remains contested within Islam. The testimony was delivered to a three‑judge non‑jury court presided over by Justice Tony Hunt. Professor Hugh Kennedy pleaded not guilty.
Keith Lennon is appealing the severity of his nine-year prison sentence for three counts of manslaughter at the Court of Appeal. Lennon, of Forest Park, Dromintee, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court after his vehicle collided with another car on the N1 in Dundalk, Co Louth, on February 29, 2020, killing Mary and Kevin Faxton and Bryan Magill. Judge Marina Baxter sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment in February 2021, stating he had turned his car into a "weapon," and imposed a 20-year driving ban. Lennon's counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, argued the sentence was too severe, noting a lack of comparable cases and that the offense was not one of intention. He also conveyed Lennon's public apology. Conversely, Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, maintained the sentence was fair and within the judge's discretion. She highlighted that Lennon was driving at excessive speeds, was uninsured, and had made two Snapchat videos of the speedometer while driving, which she described as a pivotal factor in his culpability. The court has reserved judgment on the appeal.
A man from Ballyshannon, County Donegal, has been remanded in custody following a Court of Appeal decision to quash his suspended sentence. Ciaran Lawn (43) had received a three-year wholly suspended sentence in July 2021 after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance for sale or supply. The offence occurred on December 15, 2019, when gardaí observed him moving approximately €840,000 worth of cannabis and €59,000 of cocaine near Ardee, County Louth. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the sentence as unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal found that wholly suspended sentences required exceptional circumstances, which the court deemed absent in this case. Lawn's defence had submitted he was a courier living on social welfare with significant mental health issues at the time of the offence. His case will return before the court on May 12.
The Special Criminal Court has decided to consider verdicts in the case of former soldier Lisa Smith, who is charged with membership of the Islamic State and financing terrorism. The court found that there is sufficient evidence to assess whether Ms Smith was a member of Isis and whether she funded the organisation. Her lawyers had requested not‑guilty verdicts on the basis that the prosecution case lacked evidence and that a verdict would be unfair. Mr Justice Tony Hunt rejected this request, stating that the prosecution case could support a conviction without a miscarriage of justice and that the evidence should be weighed during deliberations. He also noted that withdrawing the case at this stage would be an exceptional measure. Regarding the financing charge, the court found enough evidence to consider Ms Smith's intent or knowledge when she sent €800 to a man alleged to be an Isis member. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, Lisa Smith, a 40-year-old former soldier from Dundalk, Co Louth, is on trial for alleged membership of the Islamic State (IS) between October 28, 2015, and December 1, 2019, and financing terrorism. She has pleaded not guilty to both charges. The financing allegation involves sending €800 via Western Union to John Georgelas on May 6, 2015. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC applied to dismiss the charges, arguing there is no evidence Smith knowingly joined IS or intended the funds to benefit the group. He contended that Irish law requires awareness of committing an offence and noted Georgelas was not in IS-controlled territory at the time of the transfer. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC countered that Smith answered IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's specific call to travel, thereby becoming an integral part of the organisation and serving as propaganda. He argued she knew Georgelas was an IS member and sent the money to help him recover from injuries sustained fighting for the group. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the non-jury court, will rule on the defence application to dismiss the charges on Thursday. If the application fails, the defence indicated it will call one witness before closing speeches.
In March 2022 the Special Criminal Court heard that former Irish soldier Lisa Smith, aged 40, had warned her family to become Muslims before it was too late. Smith, who denies membership of ISIS, sent Facebook Messenger messages to her sister Lorna in December 2015 while she was in the Islamic State in Syria. She told Lorna that she would never return home and that she would meet her family in heaven if they converted. Smith has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 to a named man on 6 May 2015. The court considered thousands of messages exchanged via Telegram and Facebook Messenger between 2013 and late 2015, and the prosecution presented evidence of Smith's contact with jihadists and her view of ISIS atrocities. The prosecution was expected to finish its evidence the following day.
A man from Ballyshannon, County Donegal, will face arrest if he fails to attend the Court of Appeal this week following the quashing of his suspended sentence for drug trafficking. Ciaran Lawn, aged 43, of Derrykillew, had received a three-year wholly suspended sentence from Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court in July 2021 after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance for sale or supply. He was apprehended on 15 December 2019 near Ardee, County Louth, while transporting approximately €840,000 worth of cannabis and €59,000 of cocaine. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the sentence as unduly lenient. A three-judge panel, led by Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham, agreed and quashed the original sentence. The court found that wholly suspended terms require exceptional circumstances, which were absent in this case. A bench warrant has been issued for Lawn's arrest should he fail to attend court for re-sentencing.
In March 2022, the Workplace Relations Commission ordered Gecko Governance to pay nearly €8,000 to former chief technical officer Mark McHugh, who claimed his redundancy was a sham. McHugh had joined the start‑up in 2017 as chief technical officer of a reg‑tech software package for hedge funds. He said the company shifted focus to blockchain and crypto‑currency, a move he described as "extremely volatile and legally unsound." He alleged that management sidelined him, ignored his requests for staff, and ultimately dismissed him under a redundancy procedure after a major client cancelled its contract. McHugh's solicitor argued the redundancy was a cover for dismissal over interpersonal issues and that procedures were flawed. The adjudicating officer found the redundancy was procedurally and substantively unfair, noting the hiring of a new chief technical officer proved the role was not redundant.
In the Special Criminal Court, former Irish soldier Lisa Smith, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to membership of the Islamic State and to financing terrorism. The court heard private Facebook messages exchanged by Smith with other Muslims before her 2015 travel to Syria. The messages included discussions on Islam, marriage, the role of women, and the mass executions of Iraqi soldiers by ISIS. Smith's interlocutor claimed it was acceptable to execute enemies and that Shia victims deserved punishment. Smith also referenced a YouTube video depicting ISIS killings and a news article condemning Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi's caliphate. The court also considered exchanges with an American jihadist, John Georgelas, and Smith's husband, a Tunisian. The proceedings will continue with further review of the Facebook exchanges.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, mother Attracta Kearney accused the media of demonising her son, Ian Moore, after his death following an altercation with Jason Kearney. Moore, 30, pleaded guilty to unlawful killing of Kearney on 12 September 2020. He claimed he had entered Kearney's home after a perceived intrusion, pushed the homeowner out, and later followed him in a car to retrieve a bag he believed was stolen. During a confrontation at Seville Place, Moore punched Kearney once, causing a fatal head injury. Moore stated he had no intention to use a knife he carried and that he called emergency services after the incident. The court adjourned sentencing to 30 March 2022. Kearney's family expressed profound grief and questioned Moore's actions, while Moore expressed remorse and acknowledged responsibility.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dr Florence Gaub, a social scientist and director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies, testified about the treatment of women in the Islamic State (IS). She explained that women who attempted to leave IS-controlled territory were deemed traitors, spies or cowards and faced imprisonment, torture or death. Gaub cited a case in which an Austrian woman was beaten to death with a hammer after expressing a desire to return home. She also confirmed that IS restricted women's movements, requiring husband's permission for travel, and that husbands could lightly chastise wives to enforce compliance. Gaub noted that IS's morality police enforced strict gender norms and that female propagandists often presented a false image of life inside the group. The testimony was part of the trial of Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier who denies membership in IS. The court will decide whether Smith joined the terrorist organisation. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, Mr Justice Tony Hunt decided to admit the evidence of Dr Florence Gaub, a social scientist and director at the European Union Institute for Security Studies, regarding Lisa Smith's alleged membership in the Islamic State. Dr Gaub argued that anyone who travelled to Syria in support of the Islamic State, including those who sent money, joined its territory, or carried out attacks, became a member of the terrorist group. She also claimed that such travellers received preferential treatment such as better housing, food, and internet access. Mr Justice Hunt noted that while the court would consider Dr Gaub's testimony, it would weigh it against the claim that her sources were limited. Lisa Smith, aged 40, from Dundalk, has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 in May 2015.
Jason Davis, aged 28, had originally been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with 18 months suspended for aggravated burglary at a Drogheda address in May 2020. The Court of Appeal quashed that sentence, citing the judge's failure to balance aggravating and mitigating factors and the disparity with co‑accused Dean McKenna's three‑and‑a‑half year sentence for the same offence. The appellate court, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, re‑sentenced Davis to six years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended. The decision was made after noting the damage caused during the break‑in, the use of weapons, and the cost of repairs estimated at €1,589. The court emphasised that the new sentence, while still substantial, was intended to reduce the disparity between the two co‑accused sentences.
The Special Criminal Court will decide tomorrow whether to admit the opinion evidence of Dr Florence Gaub, a political scientist, in the trial of Lisa Smith. Ms Smith, 40, from Dundalk, has pleaded not guilty to membership in the Islamic State between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 to a named man on 6 May 2015. Dr Gaub, a director at the European Union Institute for Security Studies, told the court that the Islamic State or caliphate announced by Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi was the same as the terrorist organisation Isis, and that a person became a member of Isis when they joined the state "actively with any type of act of support". Such support could be a tweet, sending money, joining Isis‑controlled territory or carrying out a terrorist attack.
John Hamill, an atheist campaigner, filed a complaint under the Employment Equality Act alleging that the Department of Defence discriminated against him by refusing to consider him for a military chaplaincy role. He argued that the policy allowing bishops to select chaplains favours Christians and excludes non‑religious candidates. Hamill presented evidence of repeated correspondence with the Minister for Defence, noting a lack of substantive response until July 2020. He highlighted that the Defence Forces' chaplaincy is described as "working on religious foundations" yet claims to respect all faiths. During the remote adjudication hearing, the Department's counsel presented data showing a high proportion of Catholic personnel and challenged Hamill's comparison to prison chaplaincy. Hamill maintained that the role's requirement for a monotheistic belief is unfounded and that the policy constitutes discrimination. The hearing concluded with the adjudicator to decide on the matter.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt ruled that Facebook messages exchanged between Lisa Smith and known jihadists in Syria and Australia could be admitted as evidence in her trial for membership of the Islamic State and financing terrorism. Smith's lawyers had sought to exclude the messages, arguing that their use violated her privacy rights and that the material was obtained without proper protocols. The judge rejected these arguments, stating that the right to privacy must be balanced against society's right to investigate and prosecute serious crime. He noted that Smith's use of Facebook implied consent to data retention and that the warrants used by the gardai were valid. The decision also addressed the admissibility of expert testimony from Dr Florence Gaub regarding ISIS's operations and recruitment tactics. The case remains ongoing. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
A man has been sentenced to four years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for cleaning up and removing blood-stained evidence from his Drogheda home where teenager Kean Mulready Woods was murdered in January 2020. Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, pleaded guilty to obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of persons guilty of the murder, contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of seven years before mitigation, reduced to five years and three months with the final fifteen months suspended. The sentence was backdated to May 2020. The judge acknowledged McKenna was not present during the killing but emphasised the seriousness of disposing of material evidence. Evidence revealed extensive blood-staining throughout the property despite attempts to clean and redecorate. The court heard McKenna had acted under threat from a dangerous criminal figure. The judge noted McKenna's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances as mitigating factors.
Daniel Munteanu, a 32-year-old Romanian national from Navan, Co Meath, has failed in his appeal against a custodial sentence imposed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court. Munteanu pleaded guilty to 10 charges of stealing €121,800 from 52 Bank of Ireland accounts between September 9, 2018, and March 4, 2019. He also admitted possessing 51 cloned bank cards, card-making equipment, and false identity documents. Judge Martina Baxter originally sentenced him to seven years, with the final six months suspended, after applying a discount to an 11-year headline sentence. Munteanu appealed on the grounds that the judge placed insufficient weight on mitigation, arguing he was merely a 'foot-soldier' in an international skimming gang who received a 10-15% cut of the proceeds. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal. The Court President noted that the original judge had applied a 'significant and generous' discount and that the final six-and-a-half-year term clearly fell within the available range. The court accepted the prosecution's submission that Munteanu was part of a complex criminal organisation operating across multiple jurisdictions, including Ireland, the UK, Belgium, Romania, and Italy, which justified the severity of the sentence.
A 32-year-old Romanian national is appealing a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence imposed for his role in an international bank card skimming operation. Daniel Munteanu pleaded guilty at Trim Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of theft totalling €121,800 from 52 Bank of Ireland accounts between September 2018 and March 2019. Over 300 withdrawals were made from ATMs across multiple counties including Cavan and Monaghan. Gardaí recovered cloned bank cards, a card-cloning machine, and forged identity documents from his home. At the Court of Appeal, his legal team contended the original sentence was disproportionate, characterising Munteanu as a foot-soldier in the gang who received approximately ten per cent of proceeds. The Director of Public Prosecutions countered that Munteanu was an integral member of an established international criminal network operating across multiple jurisdictions with significant resources. The court reserved judgment.
In the Special Criminal Court, counsel for the State, Sean Gillane SC, defended the use of Facebook messages as admissible evidence in the trial of Lisa Smith, a 40‑year‑old from Dundalk charged with membership in the Islamic State and financing terrorism. Gillane argued that the Data Protection Act does not render privacy rights absolute and that Gardaí acted lawfully when they obtained a warrant to seize Facebook messages exchanged between Smith and known Islamist terrorists in Australia and Syria. He noted that the messages were initially provided by U.S. authorities investigating John Georgelas, a Smith associate, and later seized from Facebook's Dublin headquarters under an Irish warrant. Gillane maintained that the evidence was gathered on a police‑to‑police basis, that Facebook's retention of data was not directed by the State, and that the right to privacy must be weighed against the context of the investigation. The court will decide the application on Tuesday. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, lawyers for Lisa Smith, aged 40 from Dundalk, argue that Facebook's indefinite storage of private messages constitutes a wholesale breach of privacy rights. Michael O'Higgins SC objects to the admissibility of messages exchanged between Smith and known Islamist terrorists in Australia and Syria dating back to 2012. He contends that the court must protect individuals' rights against a corporation that records every utterance. The case involves messages initially seized by Gardaí from American authorities investigating John Georgelas, a known associate of Smith who was wanted in the US for terrorism charges and is presumed dead in Syria. Gardaí later obtained a warrant to access the same messages from Facebook's Dublin head office. Smith has pleaded not guilty to membership in the Islamic State between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union on 6 May 2015.
Lawyers for Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier aged 40 from Dundalk, Co. Louth, are contesting evidence of Facebook messages that prosecutors claim link her to Islamic State and a convicted terrorist. Smith denies membership in the unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019 and denies financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. During a hearing before a three‑judge Special Criminal Court, Detective Sergeant Carrie O'Connor informed counsel that a warrant issued in December 2019 allowed access to Facebook messages dating back to 2013. The messages allegedly show contact with John Georgelas, an American convert to Islam wanted in the United States for supporting a terrorist organisation, and with Robert Edward Cerantonio, an Australian who pleaded guilty in 2016 to preparing an incursion into the Philippines. Mr. Michael O'Higgins SC will file objections to the Facebook evidence tomorrow, while Mr. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Paul Mohan, aged 42, of Grangegeeth, Collon, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to ten counts of raping his youngest sister between 1996 and 2001 and to a sexual assault in 2004. He had previously worked as a photographer and had no prior convictions. The victim, who gave her name, said she had believed the abuse was normal as a child but later recognised it as wrong, describing lasting mental health damage and feelings of being damaged, dirty and worthless. She struggled to disclose the abuse to her husband and family, but now feels able to speak openly. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the victim's moving impact statement and that Mohan had been her wedding photographer, making the day "totally ruined." The judge imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the rape offences, with five years for the sexual assault offences to run concurrently, and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation and no contact with the.
Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, County Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea in November to obstructing the investigation into the murder of 17-year-old Kean Mulready Woods. The court heard that McKenna cleaned and painted his house and removed evidence after the teenager was killed there between 12 and 14 January 2020. Blood-stained items recovered from the scene and a nearby burn site included a ballistic vest, an axe, rubber gloves and part of a sofa, all bearing the victim's DNA. The Defence submitted that McKenna had surrendered his house under duress from an organised criminal group and had no prior knowledge of the murder. The prosecution outlined that despite extensive cleaning efforts, forensic evidence remained throughout the property. McKenna was not present during the killing and has seven children with his wife and one from a subsequent relationship.
Lisa Smith, a former Defence Forces member from Dundalk, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to three charges at the Special Criminal Court. She is accused of membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015, and December 1st, 2019; financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on May 6th, 2015; and taking part in preparations for an incursion into the Philippines to promote hostile activities. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, heard testimony from Pat Reilly, a former Irish Air Corps member, who stated that Smith made anti-western remarks and promoted Islam during a 2011 guard duty. Reilly also noted that Smith was described by a superior officer as "industrious, hard-working and reliable." The court further heard from Australian Federal Police agents regarding a counter-terrorism investigation into Robert Edward Cerantonio. Cerantonio, who is not the defendant in this Irish case, pleaded guilty to taking part in preparations for an incursion into the Philippines to promote hostile activities. He was sentenced in May 2019 at the Supreme Court of Victoria to seven years imprisonment with a minimum time to be served of five years and three months. Legal argument regarding the admissibility of the Australian officers' evidence is scheduled for the following day. The trial continues.
The Special Criminal Court resumed Lisa Smith's trial after a seven‑day break caused by a medical issue that kept the three judges away. The court, which had previously heard transcripts of Smith's Garda interviews, now focuses on legal arguments about mutual assistance requests to American and Australian authorities. Smith, 39, denies membership in the Islamic State from 28 October 2015 to 1 December 2019 and denies financing terrorism by sending €800 in 2015. The case is before Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Cormac Dunne. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned Lisa Smith's non‑jury trial to next Friday after medical difficulties prevented the three judges from attending. Smith, 39, from Dundalk, Co. Louth, denies membership of the Islamic State between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019 and denies financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. She was not required to attend the adjourned hearing and will resume the trial on Friday. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Paul Mohan, 42, of Grangegeeth, Collon, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to ten counts of raping his youngest sister between 1996 and 2001 and to a sexual assault in 2004. He had previously worked as a photographer and had no prior convictions. The sister, who gave her name, explained that she had initially believed the abuse was normal but later recognised it as wrong, describing severe mental health effects and loss of childhood. She estimated she was abused hundreds of times, beginning in 1990 when she was about six and continuing until she was 15, with a final assault when both were adults. Mohan admitted to the assaults, expressed remorse, and apologized in a letter. He was remanded in custody and sentencing was adjourned to March 1. The court considered his early onset of behaviour and his current maturity level. The sister's family has been supportive, and she is now able to speak openly about the abuse.
In February 2022 the Special Criminal Court heard that Garda James Kilgannon had concerns for Lisa Smith's safety after comments on local media suggested she should not return to Ireland. Kilgannon explained that part of his duty was to ensure her safety when she began living with her mother in Dundalk. He noted that Smith had reintegrated reasonably well, was accepted by the community, and had complied with all bail conditions, including a curfew and daily sign‑ins at a Garda station. Smith's family were described as decent people who had cooperated with Gardaí. Kilgannon also revealed that Smith's family had alerted him to three voice messages and texts she had sent while in the Ain Issa camp in Syria, indicating she was in "tough and dangerous conditions" and that her husband had likely been killed. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier aged 39 from Dundalk, denies membership in Islamic State. She claims she saw a single atrocity – a dead man hanging on a cross with his eyes gouged out – while living in Syria, but says she did not witness public executions or other atrocities. Smith says she was there to "build the Islamic State" and that she had no involvement in terrorist activities. She denies funding terrorism, stating she sent €800 to a man named John Georgelas in 2015 for personal use, not to support the organisation. Smith says her husband kept her confined and prevented her from leaving until after Raqqa fell in 2017. The Special Criminal Court is hearing her not‑guilty pleas for membership of an unlawful terrorist group and for financing terrorism. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Cormac Dunne. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Brendan Treanor, 33, of Dundalk, faces charges for a 2013 robbery at Lordship Credit Union where Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also charged with conspiracy to burgle but not murder. Treanor has been denied bail and is remanded in Portlaoise Prison. He has filed a judicial review against the DPP, the Minister for Justice, and the Attorney General, challenging the decision to try him before the Special Criminal Court (SCC). His lawyers argue the DPP failed to give detailed reasons for the SCC trial, citing that the murder suspect, Aaron Brady, was tried in a jury court. Treanor claims the SCC's permanent status breaches constitutional rights and seeks an order preventing prosecution before the SCC, declarations of breach of equality, and a requirement for detailed reasons. The case was heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, with a hearing scheduled for March.
Daniel Leonard, 32, of Barton Park, Dundalk, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to theft, assault and burglary at a residential premises on Chapel St, Dundalk, on 28 June 2020. He was caught by the homeowner moments after stealing a bicycle, a car key and a power drill, and then began to throw punches at the homeowner before being restrained and arrested. Leonard, who has five previous burglary convictions, appealed the severity of his sentence at Trim Circuit Criminal Court. In his appeal, his lawyers conceded that he had been detained in the street by the homeowner and that he had been drug‑addicted for several years at the time of the offence. The Court of Appeal, hearing submissions from both sides, found no error in principle in the original sentencing and dismissed the appeal. Leonard's sentence of three years remains in force, with no reduction or suspension granted.
A Kinahan-linked man convicted of attempted murder is challenging his conviction on appeal, arguing that mobile phone records used to secure his conviction breached his right to privacy under Irish and European Union law. Caolan Smyth, now imprisoned at Cork Prison, was found guilty at the Special Criminal Court in January 2021 of the attempted murder of James Gately in north Dublin on 10 May 2017. Smyth was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment. His co-accused, Gary McAreavey, received three years for assisting in the destruction of the vehicle used in the shooting. At the Court of Appeal, counsel for Smyth submitted that phone location data gathered under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 should not have been admitted as evidence, citing a 2018 judgment that found the legislation incompatible with EU law. The Director of Public Prosecutions contended that the phone records were recovered lawfully and that the legislation remains valid. McAreavey separately appeals his conviction, challenging whether evidence proved his knowledge that a serious offence had been committed. Caolan Smyth pleaded not guilty. Gary McAreavey pleaded not guilty.
The Supreme Court has refused to order the extradition of Slawomir Wiktur Palonka, a 41-year-old Polish national residing in Ireland, to serve a prison sentence for drug offences committed in 1999 and 2003. The five-judge panel, including Mr Justice Peter Charleton and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, rejected the appeal against the High Court's decision, citing exceptional delays and procedural confusion by Polish authorities. Mr Palonka was convicted of importing cannabis and received suspended sentences, which a Polish appeal court lifted in 2006, resulting in a ten-month custodial sentence. The court found that the 23-year delay between the offences and the extradition request was inordinate and oppressive to his family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Mr Justice Hogan noted that Poland lacks a central authority for European Arrest Warrant matters, leading to disjointed requests and human errors. The court concluded that the delay prejudiced justice and that surrender must be refused, as the Polish authorities failed to provide adequate explanations for the inordinate lapse in time.
Lisa Smith, a 39‑year‑old former Irish soldier from Dundalk, denies membership in Islamic State. She was arrested at Dublin Airport after flying from Syria, where she had travelled to join the caliphate about four years earlier. In the Special Criminal Court she pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. During the hearing, Smith admitted she had watched a video of men being drowned in a cage by ISIS and posted a WhatsApp message saying she now understood why they were drowned, though she said she did not agree with the killings. She described the killings as "barbaric" and "savage" and said the video made her feel "disgusted." The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Cormac Dunne presiding in the non‑jury court.