The Supreme Court has agreed to hear appeals by Gerry "The Monk" Hutch and former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, who seek to stop their murder trials for the 2016 Regency Hotel attack from proceeding before the Special Criminal Court (SCC). Earlier this year, High Court Judge Anthony Barr refused their requests, ruling that the Director of Public Prosecutions may certify that the SCC can try them under the 1939 Offences Against the State Act. The appeals raise questions about the SCC's legal authority, its status as a permanent court, and the interpretation of emergency powers. A three‑judge panel, including Justices Peter Charleton, Seamus Woulfe and Gerard Hogan, found the appeals to involve matters of public importance and granted a "leap‑frog" appeal to the Supreme Court. No hearing date has yet been set. The men, aged 58 and 44, are charged with the murder of David Byne, 33, at the Whitehall hotel on 5 February 2016.
Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor aged 44, and Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, aged 58, have each filed a two‑pronged appeal against the High Court's refusal to overturn the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision to try them for the murder of David Byrne, 33, at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin, on 5 February 2016. Both men are charged with Byrne's murder and are scheduled to stand trial before the Special Criminal Court, a non‑jury court. In separate judicial review proceedings, they argued that a trial before the SCC would be unlawful and a breach of their fundamental rights, claiming the court was a permanent institution despite being established on a temporary basis half a century ago. Judge Anthony Barr dismissed these challenges, ruling that the legislation was neither temporary nor limited in time. The appellants have now sought leave to appeal Judge Barr's decision directly to the Supreme Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Liam Dowds, aged 40, pleaded guilty to stealing razors, lamb and champagne from a Tesco supermarket, assaulting a customer, David Cunningham, and causing criminal damage at Finglas Garda Station. Dowds bit off Cunningham's ear while attempting to stop the theft, swallowed the ear, and claimed he had HIV. He also left a bottle of methadone in his bag and admitted to drug addiction. The court heard Dowds had a history of mental health issues and drug addiction, and that he had previously been arrested for similar offences. Cunningham reported feeling self-conscious and unsafe after the attack. Dowds expressed remorse and wished to apologise. The judge noted psychosis and vindictiveness in the case and adjourned sentencing to July 8.
Patrick Dowdall, 64, of Navan Road, Dublin, is accused of facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016. He is alleged to have made a room available to a criminal organisation on 4 February 2016, thereby contributing to or enabling the murder. Dowdall has been granted bail by the High Court, but the surety of €10,000 was entered at the Special Criminal Court where he is due to stand trial in October. The independent surety's identity is protected by court order. The surety's bank account will be frozen to ensure the bond remains above €10,000; forfeiture is possible if Dowdall fails to meet bail conditions. His son, Jonathan Dowdall, 44, a former Sinn Féin councillor, is also charged with Byrne's murder and has been granted bail with sureties of €20,000 and €10,000. The case remains pending before the Special Criminal Court.
Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor aged 44, was granted bail by the High Court ahead of his trial for the alleged murder of 33‑year‑old David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin, on 5 February 2016. The trial is scheduled for 3 October before the Special Criminal Court, a three‑judge, non‑jury court. Two independent sureties—one €20,000, the other €10,000—were entered on Dowdall's behalf, with conditions that their bank accounts remain above those amounts and that Dowdall appear in court. Dowdall remains in custody awaiting the trial.
Cian White, 21, of Corduff Park, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing a car in Northwood, Dublin 9, on June 26, 2020. He also admitted to dangerous driving and endangerment by ramming train barriers at Ashtown Level Crossing on the Navan Road while a train was imminent. Additionally, White pleaded guilty to allowing himself to be carried in a stolen car and possessing vice grips on August 8, 2021. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling five years. She suspended the final 18 months of the term on strict conditions, requiring White to engage with alcohol and drug treatment for 18 months upon his release from prison. Consequently, he faces three and a half years of effective custody. The judge also disqualified White from driving for six years. The court noted White had 74 previous convictions and was already disqualified at the time of the offences. Judge Greally acknowledged his young age, expressed remorse, and difficult early life in foster care, while describing the driving as prolonged and intensely dangerous. The matter was finalised with this sentencing.
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.
A 16‑year‑old boy with 62 prior convictions was convicted of robbery on a bus in Dublin on 23 March 2021. He dragged a victim off the bus, punched him, threatened him with a knife and stole his phone and ear‑phone. The victim suffered facial swelling and cuts and was a promising footballer. The boy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim's psychological effects and the boy's history of violence, drug use and association with anti‑social peers. She said the boy was making good progress in education and skill development while in detention. The judge sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' detention. The boy had been on bail for assault and theft offences at the time of the robbery. The defence counsel highlighted the client's family difficulties and foster placements, and that no knife was actually produced during the incident. The boy is receiving counselling for addiction while detained.
The Supreme Court dismissed Petronel Pal's appeal, allowing his extradition to Romania for an alleged murder in Ireland and for organising a crime group. Pal, 36, was arrested in Dublin and faces charges for a 2014 murder at Academy Square, Navan, and for creating an organised crime group. The Court found no legal barrier under the 2003 European Extradition Warrant Act, rejecting Pal's argument that Section 44 precluded his surrender. The Court compared the case to France's request for Ian Bailey, noting that the issue was nationality, not the nature of the offence. The Court upheld the High Court's order, confirming Pal's extradition to Romania for prosecution. The decision was unanimous by five judges, including Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell. The extradition order remains in effect.
Gerry "The Monk" Hutch (58) and former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall (44) lost their High Court actions that sought to stop them from being tried before the Special Criminal Court (SCC) on murder charges linked to the 2016 Regency Hotel attack. Mr Justice Anthony Barr dismissed the men's requests for declarations that an SCC trial would be unlawful, unconstitutional, or outside the powers of the 1939 Offences Against the State Act. The judge held that the SCC's existence is not limited by a sunset clause and that the Director of Public Prosecutions may certify that offences can be tried before the SCC when ordinary courts are deemed inadequate. He rejected the claim that the SCC's temporary legislation had become permanent and that the court's jurisdiction should be limited to subversive offences. The court found no legal basis to refuse the trials or to declare the SCC unlawful.
Stephen Penrose was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Philip Finnegan at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence was backdated to May 17, 2017, when Penrose entered custody. Penrose, who had pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict. He represented himself during the trial after dismissing his legal teams, an action the judge described as a serious abuse of the legal system. In a victim impact statement, Angela Finnegan, the victim's mother, condemned Penrose for cross-examining her in the witness box, stating no mother should be questioned by the man who murdered her son. She described the trauma of finding her son's decapitated remains in Rahin Woods, Co Kildare, three weeks after he went missing. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Finnegan died from multiple stab wounds, including fatal injuries to his liver and aorta. Superintendent Brian O'Keeffe informed the court of Penrose's previous convictions, including the manslaughter of David Sharkey in 2010, for which Sharkey was sentenced to nine years in prison. Penrose's other prior offenses included possession of firearms, a hit-and-run, and assaults on prison officers. The judge noted that Penrose had been continually in custody since May 2017. The court rejected Penrose's defense that he was attacked by others, accepting the prosecution's case that he inflicted a gruesome death on Finnegan.
Mr Kevin Thompson, a company director from Donaghpatrick, Navan, Co Meath, launched a constitutional challenge against the Judicial Council and the 2019 Judicial Council Act. The matter was briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Charles Meenan on Friday, who adjourned the case to a date in January when other proceedings arising from the adoption of new personal injuries guidelines are due to be mentioned. Mr Thompson claims his 2018 road traffic accident injuries were deliberately held up by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) until new guidelines were introduced. He alleges that the Judicial Council's March 2021 vote to adopt these guidelines, which reduce awards, breaches the separation of powers and judicial independence. He seeks declarations that sections of the 2019 Act are incompatible with the Constitution, specifically Article 15.2.1, arguing that assigning judges a legislative role in formulating guidelines is unconstitutional. The State defendants, including the Minister for Justice and Equality, deny the claims, asserting the Act enjoys a presumption of constitutionality. They argue the guidelines promote consistency, transparency, and cost control, and contend the action is premature as Mr Thompson's claim outcome is unknown. Mr Thompson is represented by John Roger SC, Miriam Reilly SC, Frank Callanan SC, Conor Duff BL, and Blaithin Gallagher BL. The State is represented by Eoin McCullough SC, Catherine Donnelly SC, and Francis Kiernan BL.
David Rodgers, a 47-year-old English teacher, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his then home. The court heard that gardaí discovered just under €25,000 worth of cannabis, including a makeshift grow-house, during a search of his Dublin residence following an incident on Henry Street in October 2018. Rodgers admitted to selling cannabis but maintained during his interview that the substance was a natural herb. He has 12 previous convictions, primarily for theft and public order offences dating back to the 1980s. Defence counsel highlighted Rodgers' unusual profile, noting his academic achievements, multilingual abilities, and a severe brain injury sustained in an assault by his brother, which left him with short-term memory difficulties. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that Rodgers has had no further garda attention since the offence and is still recovering from his injury. Determining that incarceration would offer no benefit to society, the Judge fully suspended a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. The suspension is conditional upon Rodgers keeping the peace and engaging with drug addiction treatment.
Stephen Penrose, aged 38, was found guilty by a jury of murdering his friend Philip Finnegan, aged 24, who was missing for three weeks before his decapitated remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare. The jury rejected Penrose's defence that he had last seen Finnegan being stabbed by a group of men in a forest and that he had attempted to conceal the body's location. Evidence included a DNA match from a bloodied glove found near the remains, a forensic scientist's report linking Penrose's DNA to the glove, and testimony that Finnegan's body had suffered multiple stab wounds, including fatal ones to the liver and aorta. Penrose had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 2010. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, concluded with a unanimous verdict after five hours and 46 minutes of deliberation over two days.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Douglas Glynn (37) until Tuesday for the production of additional photographs, following a disclosure issue. Glynn, of Dublin 1, pleaded not guilty to placing a tracker device on James "Mago" Gately's car in Belfast in April 2017. The prosecution alleges this was part of an ongoing plan by a criminal organisation to target Gately. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Mr Justice Cormac Dunne, refused a Garda application to ban media from court during covert evidence, ruling that media presence was acceptable provided National Surveillance Unit officers were not identified. The judge warned that the failure to disclose all relevant photos "cannot happen again." In related convictions, Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Additionally, Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation's activities relating to the targeting of Gately between December 2016 and April 2017.
Two building firms, Trinity Homes Ltd (THL) and Yeronga Ltd, both mainly funded through the Immigrant Investment Programme, were granted court protection from creditors. The firms, established in 2014, have become insolvent and cannot meet debt repayments. They attribute their difficulties to Covid‑19 site shutdowns, rising material costs, and an inability to meet scheduled loan repayments. An additional issue is a €3 million share purchase from a former THL director, during which over €900,000 of THL's funds were paid to that director, a transaction the court said breached company law and will be investigated. The companies had been profitable from 2015 to 2019 and had borrowed over €11 million through the programme, which allows non‑EEA citizens to invest over €1 million for three years in exchange for residency and eventual citizenship. THL's directors are Stephen Mahon (75 % shareholder), Ecaterina Olaru, and Ben Reid, while Mahon and Olaru also direct Yeronga.
Gerry "The Monk" Hutch has been granted permission to file a High Court challenge to the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) over his murder trial. Hutch, charged with the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne, argues that the SCC's use of temporary emergency legislation from 1972 infringes his rights, including a fair trial and the right to a jury. He claims the 1939 Offences Against the State Act does not authorize the SCC and that the State's failure to enact permanent legislation breaches his constitutional and ECHR rights. Hutch seeks an order to halt his SCC trial, declarations that the trial is unlawful, and a stay pending the High Court decision. The judge, Mr Justice Anthony Barr, granted him permission on an ex‑parte basis, with the matter to be mentioned next month. A similar challenge has been filed by former SF councillor Jonathan Dowdall, also charged with Byrne's murder, and is scheduled for early next year.
Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, 58, was further remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court during a mention hearing where no application was made. Justice Tony Hunt ordered the remand, noting that a further date could be set if the accused wished to make an application. Mr. Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016, is scheduled to go on trial on October 3, 2022, alongside four other co-accused. He was extradited from Spain after his final appeal was rejected. The trial will also involve Jonathan Dowdall, 43, who was charged with the murder of Mr. Byrne. Patrick Hutch, 28, previously pleaded not guilty to the same alleged murder, but charges against him were dropped in 2019. The court proceedings remain at the trial stage, with the current procedural step being a remand in custody rather than a finalised disposal.
At the Special Criminal Court, William Twomey, 58, was sentenced for his role in the 2017 attack on businessman Edward McAndrew in Omeath, Co Louth. Twomey, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty of assault causing harm, demanding £50,000 with menaces, and robbing McAndrew of various items including a passport and mobile phones. He was found not guilty of false imprisonment. The judge described Twomey as the initiator of a joint enterprise, noting that the violent outcome exceeded his contemplation. He received a headline sentence of two years for the assault and four years for the robbery and demanding money with menaces. The last year of the robbery and demanding money sentences was suspended for two years, resulting in two years' imprisonment on each charge to be served concurrently. The sentence was backdated to August 29, 2023. Twomey signed a €100 bond upon release. Co-accused Thomas McGuinness, who also pleaded not guilty, was acquitted of all charges on September 30. Separately, Anthony Finglas, 49, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was jailed for four years and nine months.
David Savage, 29, was found guilty of three robberies and two attempted robberies committed in Dublin between December 2019 and January 2020. He first tried to rob Paddy Powers on Manor Street with a toy gun and a Halloween skeleton mask, but fled after a panic alarm was triggered. He then attempted to rob an An Post office and a Lidl store, the latter resulting in a €1,765 theft before he fled. On 14 January 2020 he robbed a Burger King, threatening a cashier with a knife. Savage admitted to daily heroin use and a drug debt that pressured him into the offences. He presented himself at Garda stations, expressed remorse, and sought rehabilitation. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five years, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including 12 months' probation supervision.
Gerard Hutch, 58, appeared before the Special Criminal Court following his extradition from Spain, where he was charged with the alleged murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016. The court, presided over by Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Berkeley and McHugh, fixed a trial date for October 3, 2022, where Hutch will stand trial alongside four other co-accused. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC reserved Hutch's position regarding the lawfulness of his arrest, the charge, and the court's jurisdiction. The court remanded Hutch in custody until October 15, 2022. This proceeding is distinct from the 2019 case of Patrick Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Mr Byrne but was acquitted after charges were dropped. Additionally, Jonathan Dowdall was previously charged with the alleged murder of Mr Byrne and is scheduled to go on trial alongside other co-accused on the same date. The trial date represents a procedural step in the ongoing prosecution, with ancillary matters such as bail and potential applications for separate trials to be addressed in the coming weeks.
Former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, 43, and three co-accused have been fixed for trial at the Special Criminal Court regarding the 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9. In July, gardaí served Books of Evidence on the four men, who are all charged in connection with the killing. Mr. Byrne was shot dead on February 5, 2016, after five men, three disguised as armed gardaí, stormed the building during a boxing weigh-in. Jonathan Dowdall is charged with the murder of David Byrne, contrary to Common Law. His father, Patrick Dowdall, 64, is accused of facilitating a serious offence by making a hotel room available to a criminal organisation on February 4, 2016. Co-accused Paul Murphy, 59, is charged with supplying logistical support to a six-man team and providing access to motor vehicles. Jason Bonney, 50, is also charged with facilitating a serious offence by providing access to motor vehicles. Prosecuting barrister Fiona Murphy SC indicated an objection to Mr. Bonney's free legal aid application, with his case put in for October 7, 2021, for mention. Mr. Justice Tony Hunt fixed October 3, 2022, for a trial that could last up to 12 weeks, and put the matter in for an update on April 25, 2022.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following a money-laundering conviction at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Jonathon O'Connor, aged 38, pleaded guilty to concealing over €870,000 in cash at a rural property in Dromore, Bailieboro, Co Cavan on 28 July 2020. During a garda surveillance operation at the address, officers discovered €870,620 in euro and £14,890 in sterling, distributed across 21 separate cash exhibits found in sheds and outhouses. O'Connor, from Elm Road, Donnycarney, Dublin, immediately disclosed a further €80,000 in his vehicle. When questioned, he declined to identify the money's owner, stating his life would be endangered. He admitted transporting and storing the funds but offered no explanation for an apparent obligation to a third party. Judge Martin Nolan accepted O'Connor's full cooperation and clean criminal record but determined that custodial sentencing was warranted given the serious nature of money laundering.
Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor aged 43, has filed a High Court challenge against the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) over his murder trial. He is charged with the killing of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016. The Director of Public Prosecutions, citing the 1939 Offences Against the State Act, has directed that Dowdall be tried before the non‑jury SCC. Dowdall argues that the SCC's existence is based on temporary emergency legislation from 1972 and that the Oireachtas has not enacted permanent law to justify it. He claims this breaches his constitutional rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, including the presumption of innocence. His lawyers seek an order to prohibit the SCC trial, declare it unlawful, and highlight the State's failure to secure permanent legislation. Judge Anthony Barr granted Dowdall permission to proceed, made the case returnable for November, and stayed the trial pending the High Court's decision.
At the Special Criminal Court, books of evidence were served on four men charged in connection with the 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. The prosecution also provided exhibits, including a CCTV montage. Jonathan Dowdall, 43, is charged with the murder of Mr Byrne, contrary to common law, on February 5, 2016. His father, Patrick Dowdall, 64, is accused of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation by making a hotel room available on February 4, 2016. Co-accused Paul Murphy, 59, faces charges of supplying logistical support to a six-man team and providing access to motor vehicles to facilitate the murder. Jason Bonney, 50, is charged with providing access to motor vehicles to facilitate the offence. All charges are alleged or contested, with no pleas entered or findings made at this stage. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the non-jury court, adjourned the matter until September 31. He requested an indication on whether a trial date is required and the expected duration of the trial. The matter was adjourned and is not concluded.
David Savage, 29, attempted to rob three premises in Dublin in late 2019 and early 2020. He first tried to rob Paddy Powers on Manor Street while wearing a skeleton mask and holding a toy gun, but fled after staff triggered a panic alarm. Fifteen minutes later he tried to extort money from an An Post cashier on Ushers Quay, again without success. On January 14, 2020, he robbed a Lidl shop in Rathmines, pointing the toy gun at a cashier's rib cage, demanding €1,765, and then fled. Later that day he also robbed a Burger King, threatening a cashier with a knife and taking money. Savage presented himself at a Garda station, pleaded guilty to the attempted robberies and the robbery, admitted heroin use and a drug debt, and was remanded in custody with sentencing postponed to October 11, 2021.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, the appeal of Romanian national Petronel Pal, aged 36, was dismissed, allowing his extradition to Romania. Pal, arrested in Dublin, faces charges of aggravated murder and organised crime for an alleged 2014 incident at Academy Square, Navan, where Romanian national Virgil Busa was assaulted and later died. Pal's lawyers argued that the extradition should be barred under Section 44 of the European Arrest Warrant Act, citing the Ian Bailey case to claim reciprocity was not established. The Minister for Justice countered that Ireland and Romania exercised extraterritorial jurisdiction on the same basis. Justice Aileen Donnelly, with Justices Úna Ní Raifeartaigh and Maurice Collins, ruled that the High Court had correctly considered the Romanian authorities' reliance on Pal's nationality and that the surrender was not prohibited. A 14‑day stay was imposed on the extradition order to allow a possible Supreme Court appeal.
Two men have pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges of falsely imprisoning a Mayo businessman at a location in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness, aged 34, of Chestnut Court, Johnstown, Navan, County Meath, and William Twomey, aged 57, of Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, County Down, are accused of detaining the businessman without consent and demanding £50,000 with menaces. The prosecution alleges the victim was lured to Cornamucklagh under false pretences and attacked by a group of men. In closing submissions, defence counsel for Mr McGuinness argued the victim's identification evidence was unreliable, citing memory difficulties following the alleged assault and inadequate viewing conditions during the identification parade. A separate defendant, Anthony Finglas, aged 50, was previously jailed for four years and nine months after pleading guilty to demanding money with menaces in the same incident. Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the trial to 31 August and remanded both accused on bail.
At the Special Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of two men charged with offences arising from an assault on a Mayo businessman in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness and William Twomey deny falsely imprisoning, assaulting, and robbing the victim, as well as demanding money with menaces. The prosecution alleged the businessman was lured to a remote location under false pretences and attacked with iron bars by men demanding £50,000. The defence submitted that Mr McGuinness should be acquitted, arguing the prosecution lacked core evidence and that Mr Twomey had withdrawn from the scheme before the assault occurred. The defence contended Mr Twomey had expressed concerns about the plan's escalation and warned gardaí of potential danger to the victim. A third man, Anthony Finglas, was previously convicted and sentenced to four years and nine months for demanding money with menaces. Closing arguments for the second defendant are to follow.
Jonathan Dowdall, 43, a former Sinn Fein councillor, was charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. The Special Criminal Court heard that Mr Byrne was shot dead after five men, three disguised as armed gardaí, stormed the building. The Director of Public Prosecutions instructed that Dowdall be tried in the non-jury court. Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Justices Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, remanded Dowdall in custody until June 14 for the service of the Book of Evidence. He is represented by solicitor Jenny McGeever. Dowdall's father, Patrick Dowdall, 64, is already before the court, accused of facilitating a serious offence by making a hotel room available to a criminal organisation on February 4, 2016. Co-accused Paul Murphy, 59, is charged with supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder on February 15, 2016, and providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Jason Bonney, 50, is also charged with providing access to motor vehicles to facilitate the murder on February 5, 2016. All four defendants are due to appear before the three-judge court on June 14 for the service of their respective Books of Evidence.
A Dublin man accused of facilitating the 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel has been granted bail by the Special Criminal Court. Jason Bonney, aged fifty, of Portmarnock, faces charges of participating in activity that could facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation. The court accepted a bail proposal comprising a personal bond of one hundred euro, fifteen thousand euro from his own account, thirty thousand euro from his wife's account, and a further two thousand euro from an independent surety. Standard bail conditions were imposed and the case was adjourned to June. A second accused, Paul Murphy, aged fifty-nine, of Cabra, Dublin, remains in custody with consent to bail pending identification of an independent surety. He is similarly charged with providing logistical support to those involved in the killing. A third defendant, Patrick Dowdall, also of Cabra, did not apply for bail at this hearing. All three cases were adjourned to June for service of the Books of Evidence before the non-jury court.
Paul Murphy, 59, appeared before the Special Criminal Court where he is accused of supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder of David Byrne on February 15, 2016. He is charged with participating in activity intending to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The State objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged crime and witness intimidation risks. Justice Tony Hunt noted that a sentence north of eight years could apply in a worst-case scenario, identifying flight risk as a concern. The judge ruled that the €1,000 offered was insufficient and that bail would be granted in principle only if an independent surety could be attached. Murphy stated he had no such acquaintances. The matter was adjourned to Monday, when Murphy, along with co-accused Jason Bonney and Patrick Dowdall, will appear before the three-judge court to bring their bail applications. Bonney is accused of providing vehicle access, while Dowdall is accused of making a room available at the Regency Hotel for the alleged criminal organisation on February 4, 2016. All charges are contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.
Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court at an out-of-hours sitting charged in connection with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in February 2016. Patrick Dowdall, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all from the Dublin area, faced charges under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act relating to alleged participation in activity intended to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Dowdall is accused of making a room available at the hotel, whilst Murphy and Bonney are alleged to have provided access to motor vehicles. Gardaí objected to bail for Bonney, indicating he was part of a well-organised crime gang, citing strong evidence including CCTV tracking and mobile phone data. The court granted Bonney bail pending further financial inquiries. Murphy and Dowdall were remanded in custody with bail applications to follow.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, William Twomey (56) and Thomas McGuinness (33) were charged with four non‑scheduled offences against Edward McAndrew. The prosecution alleged that on 2 December 2017, Twomey and McGuinness lured McAndrew to a remote site at One Ferry Hill, Cornamucklagh, Louth, where they beat him with iron bars, threatened him, and placed him in a car boot. They demanded €50,000 and robbed him of keys, money, a travel bag, a wallet, a briefcase, two mobile phones and an Irish passport. McAndrew was also alleged to have been falsely imprisoned. The court heard evidence that Twomey sent fraudulent emails to McAndrew, that McGuinness drove him to the attack, and that items taken from McAndrew were found in Twomey's possession. McAndrew was to give evidence of the assault, injuries and medical treatment he received. The trial was set to resume with three judges presiding. William Twomey pleaded not guilty. Thomas McGuinness pleaded not guilty.
Brian Reilly, a 24-year-old disqualified driver with 126 previous convictions, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on January 29, 2020. Reilly pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Ellen Armstrong, one count of refusing to provide a blood or urine sample, and one count of driving without insurance. The court heard that Reilly, who had been released from jail six weeks prior, attempted to evade gardaí by driving the wrong way on the M50 and N2. His actions resulted in a collision with the vehicle of John and Ellen Armstrong, who were stopped at a red light in Finglas. Ellen Armstrong suffered significant injuries, including multiple rib fractures and the amputation of the tip of her right thumb, leaving her dependent on others for care. Judge Melanie Greally stated that Reilly exposed four separate drivers to risk and ruined the lives of the elderly couple. She imposed a sentence of seven-and-a-half years, suspending the final 18 months on conditions that include engaging with drug addiction services. Reilly was also disqualified from driving for life. The judge noted Reilly's genuine remorse and difficult background but emphasized the seriousness of his offending and the lifelong pain inflicted on the victims.
Petronel Pal, 36, was arrested in Dublin last year and is wanted by Romania for an alleged aggravated murder in Navan in April 2014 and for creating an organised crime group. The alleged victim, Virgil Busa, 37, was assaulted at his apartment on 10 April and died three days later. Pal and others are said to have broken into Busa's home, used extreme violence, and that the group was headed by a relative of Pal. Justice Paul McDermott had considered surrendering Pal but withheld a formal High Court order, granting a certificate to appeal on grounds of exceptional public importance. Pal's barrister Remy Farrell SC argued that the Ian Bailey extradition case required proof that Ireland could prosecute in an equivalent circumstance, citing reciprocity and sovereignty. Robert Barron SC, for the Minister, countered that Ireland and Romania exercise extraterritorial jurisdiction on the same basis and that there was no bar to surrender.
Sean Nolan, aged 36, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his partner Amanda Carroll, aged 33, who was strangled in her own apartment on 21 October 2018. The judge, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, imposed the mandatory life term, back‑dated to the date of the offence, and directed that Nolan serve the full custodial period. During sentencing, Carroll's sisters Sandra and Antoinette delivered victim impact statements, expressing grief and demanding that Nolan be punished. Nolan, who had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, interjected from the dock, saying "I am sorry". The court noted that the jury had rejected the defence's claim that Nolan was too intoxicated to form intent, concluding that the death was a deliberate act. No further legal outcome was mentioned in the article. Sean Nolan was convicted.
A banned repeat driving offender, Brian Reilly, 24, with 126 prior convictions, drove on the wrong side of the M50 to evade Gardaí before crashing into the car of an elderly couple, John and Ellen Armstrong, who were stopped at a red light at Kilshane Cross, Finglas, in January. The collision caused significant injuries to Ellen, including multiple rib fractures and the amputation of the tip of her right thumb, leaving her dependent on others for basic care. John suffered a head wound and a seizure. Reilly, who was disqualified from driving, fled the scene but was later found by Gardaí. He has pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving causing serious harm, refusing a blood or urine sample, and driving without insurance. He remains in custody and will be sentenced in December, with a Probation Services report ordered and the matter adjourned for finalisation on December 21.
A Central Criminal Court jury found electrician Sean Nolan, 36, guilty of murdering his partner Amanda Carroll, 33, after a binge‑drinking session. The jury rejected the defence's claim that Nolan was too intoxicated to form intent, concluding he had intended to kill or seriously injure her when he strangled her for about 20 seconds in her bedroom. The trial included evidence of a prior road‑traffic collision, the couple's drinking at multiple locations, and Nolan's admission that he knew she was dead the next morning. The jury deliberated for eight hours and eight minutes over five days, returning a majority verdict of 10‑2. Mr Justice MacGrath will impose a mandatory life sentence on 4 November and remand Nolan in custody until then. The case remains at the murder‑trial stage. Sean Nolan pleaded not guilty. Amanda Carroll pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Sean Nolan, accused of murdering his partner Amanda Carroll, the jury has been deliberating for a fifth day. The case centers on a binge‑drinking session that began early in the day and continued into the night, during which Nolan allegedly strangled Carroll in her bedroom. Defence counsel argued that Nolan was too intoxicated to form intent, seeking a manslaughter verdict. The prosecution maintained that a drunken intent still constitutes intent to kill. The jury, composed of six men and six women, has spent over seven hours across four days considering the verdict. The judge instructed the jurors to remain silent about the case and to return tomorrow morning for a final decision. The trial is still ongoing, with no verdict yet reached. Sean Nolan pleaded not guilty. Amanda Carroll pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard a jury deliberating the murder trial of Sean Nolan, 36, accused of strangling his partner Amanda Carroll, 33, in her Dublin apartment after a binge‑drinking session. The jury, composed of six men and six women, had spent six hours and 22 minutes over three days considering their verdict. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins argued that Nolan was too intoxicated to form the intent to kill, seeking a manslaughter verdict on the basis of lack of intent. The prosecution, led by Shane Costelloe, maintained that Nolan's 20‑second strangulation constituted intent to kill or cause serious injury. The case involved evidence of alcohol, sedatives, and other drugs in Carroll's system, and testimony that Nolan had put his hand on her neck and over her mouth. The jury was instructed to return a unanimous verdict of either guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
In the trial of Sean Nolan, 36, for the murder of his partner Amanda Carroll, 33, a jury asked the judge whether intoxication could negate intent. Defence counsel argued Nolan was too drunk to form intent, seeking a manslaughter verdict. The judge explained that voluntary intoxication can reduce murder to manslaughter if the prosecution fails to prove intent to kill or cause serious injury. He also clarified that "serious injury" is a matter of judgement. Nolan had been involved in a road collision earlier that day, fled the scene, and was later arrested after the body was found. The jury will return to decide between a murder or manslaughter verdict. The case is heard at Homestead Court, Quarry Road, Cabra. The judge emphasized that the jury must remain unanimous. The prosecution maintains that Nolan intended to kill when he strangled Carroll for 20 seconds. The trial continues. Sean Nolan pleaded not guilty.
A jury of twelve, consisting of six men and six women, is deliberating a verdict in the trial of Sean Nolan, 36, who is accused of murdering his partner, Amanda Carroll, 33, by strangulation in her Dublin apartment on 21 October 2018. Nolan pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The judge, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, instructed the jurors to focus on Nolan's statements about his actions and the role of intoxication, noting that voluntary intoxication may be a defence to murder. He warned that if doubt exists regarding Nolan's intent due to intoxication, the jury must acquit him of murder. The jury may return either a guilty verdict for murder or a not‑guilty‑of‑murder but guilty‑of‑manslaughter verdict. The trial is ongoing, and no final judgment has been reached.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Sean Nolan, 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of his partner Amanda Carroll, 33, who died on 21 October 2018. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins argued that Nolan was too intoxicated to form intent, describing the death as accidental and citing witnesses who saw Nolan caring for Carroll. The prosecution, led by Shane Costelloe, maintained that Nolan intentionally strangled Carroll for 20 seconds, arguing that intoxication does not negate intent. Evidence included Carroll's blood containing alcohol, sedatives, and cocaine, and a pathologist's testimony that asphyxiation caused her death. The jury was instructed to decide whether Nolan intended to kill or cause serious injury, with the case centred on the question of intent under severe intoxication. The trial was set to continue the following day.
Sean Nolan, 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of 33‑year‑old Ms Carroll in Dublin. He told detectives he had put one hand on her neck and the other over her mouth after she called him by her ex‑boyfriend's name and said she never loved him. Nolan said he had no intention to kill and that the death was accidental. He claimed he had been angry, wanted her to sleep, and panicked when he realised she was dead. He described the incident as a brief struggle lasting about 20 seconds. The court heard that Carroll's body was found in her apartment, her death caused by compression of neck and mouth, with drugs in her system. The trial continues with the jury hearing closing arguments.
Sean Nolan, a 36‑year‑old electrician, was arrested after Garda detectives found him on Navan Road following the discovery of Amanda Carroll's body in her Dublin apartment. Nolan denied murdering Carroll but admitted to choking her, saying he had "freaked" and spent the day walking around. He claimed he had put a hand over her mouth and another around her neck while they were lying in bed, and that he tried to wake her the next morning. The body, found by her 16‑year‑old son, showed bruising on the neck, blood on the nose and scrapes on the forehead. Nolan pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial, held at Homestead Court, focused on the circumstances of the alleged choking and the presence of sedative drugs in Carroll's system. The case is still pending before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury.
Sean Nolan, 36, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, charged with murdering his partner, Amanda Carroll, 33, in her Dublin apartment on October 21, 2018. Nolan has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, heard evidence from Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster. She testified that Ms Carroll's cause of death was complex, resulting from compression of her neck and mouth, complicated by the ingestion of sedative-type drugs. Dr Bolster noted that while the death could not have occurred without asphyxia, the drugs had an added effect. She identified injuries consistent with manual strangulation and blunt force trauma to the mouth, alongside bruising on the neck and jaw. Although abrasions on the face were consistent with a prior road traffic accident, the pathologist stated that a significant amount of force was not required to cause strangulation. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged it was possible that the force used would have resulted in non-fatal injuries had drugs and alcohol not been present. Prosecution counsel Shane Costelloe SC argued that Nolan intended to kill or cause serious injury. The jury also heard from Ms Carroll's son, Denis, who discovered her body. The trial continues on Friday.
Sean Nolan, 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of his partner Amanda Carroll, 33, who was found dead in her apartment on 21 October 2018. The trial heard that Nolan and Carroll had been involved in a road‑traffic collision earlier that day, fled the scene, and were later intercepted by Gardaí. Nolan was under the influence of an intoxicant; his blood was taken for drink‑driving or drug‑driving concerns. Carroll was arrested under the Public Order Act, struck out at Gardaí, and was handcuffed with her hands behind her back. A taxi driver, Andrew Farrell, testified that Nolan told him he loved Carroll and that she was a "great girl" hours before the killing. The prosecution argued that Nolan's act of putting his hands on Carroll's throat and mouth intended to kill, making him guilty of murder rather than manslaughter. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, teenage son Denis Carroll, aged 18, broke down while testifying about his mother Amanda Carroll's death. He described finding her unresponsive in her bedroom on 21 October 2020, noting her puffy cheek, coldness, and lack of breathing. Carroll had been in a long‑term relationship with Sean Nolan, 36, who was accused of murdering her. Denis recalled earlier incidents of the couple's volatile, alcohol‑driven arguments, including a confrontation over Nolan's ex‑partner. He also mentioned that Nolan had threatened to leave the apartment and that Carroll had tried to retrieve keys from him. Denis's testimony highlighted the suddenness of the death and his emotional distress, as he smashed his iPhone and cried during the hearing. The trial, presided over by Justice Michael MacGrath, continues with a jury hearing the case of Nolan's murder plea. The proceedings are expected to last up to three weeks. Sean Nolan pleaded not guilty.