The trial of Gerard Hutch, Jonathan Dowdall, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney in relation to the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016 has reached the sentence stage. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Mr Byrne. Gerard Hutch has pleaded guilty to charges of Mr Byrne's murder and participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have both pleaded not guilty to the charge of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on the same date. The matter is ongoing, with no finalisation of the cases for Murphy and Bonney. The court is currently considering the admissibility of evidence provided by Dowdall, who has turned State's witness and is expected to give evidence implicating Hutch in the murder. The trial is part of a voir dire to determine the admissibility of this evidence. The case is being heard by three judges, with the defence challenging the admissibility of Dowdall's evidence due to concerns over the circumstances surrounding the dropping of the murder charge against him and the potential quid pro quo arrangement with the DPP.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the murder of David Byrne. Dowdall pleaded guilty to this lesser offence, having previously been charged with the murder itself. The court report details cross-examination of Detective Sergeant Patrick O'Toole and Detective Garda Cathal Connolly regarding Dowdall's evidence. Defence counsel for co-accused Gerard Hutch argued that the decision to accept Dowdall's plea was a "quid pro quo" for his statement implicating Hutch. However, Detective Superintendent Joseph McLoughlin testified that the Director of Public Prosecutions made the decision to accept the plea in isolation from any potential statement. The defence contended that gardai had no evidence to support Dowdall's allegation that Hutch "effectively confessed" to the murder other than Dowdall's "say so." Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC stated the State's case was that Hutch contacted Dowdall days after the 2016 shooting and told him he was "one of the team" involved in the murder. Other defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney pleaded not guilty. The matter regarding Dowdall was finalised with the sentence, while the trial for the other accused continued.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in a voir dire regarding the admissibility of statements made by former Sinn Fein Councillor Jonathan Dowdall. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, is now a State's witness. He faces co-accused Gerard Hutch, who denies the murder, alongside defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both of whom have pleaded not guilty. Retired Detective Superintendent Paul Scott testified that Dowdall's solicitor proposed conditions for his cooperation, including immunity from prosecution, which An Garda Síochána did not accept. Detective Sergeant Patrick O'Toole, who interviewed Dowdall and his wife Patricia in May 2022, denied soft-pedalling evidence. He stated that Dowdall expressed fear for his family's safety and alleged threats from the Hutch and Kinahan groups. O'Toole confirmed no discussion occurred regarding dropping the murder charge. The court is currently determining whether Dowdall's unrecorded statements, taken without a caution, are admissible. The matter remains at the procedural stage of a trial within a trial to resolve evidentiary issues before the main proceedings continue.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that ten hours of bugged conversations between murder accused Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch and ex-Sinn Fein Councillor Jonathan Dowdall, captured by a garda bugging device, are admissible in the trial, despite being gathered unlawfully while Dowdall's jeep was outside the State. The court found that the National Surveillance Unit (NSU) officers had no power to gather evidence in Northern Ireland and that the breach was of significance. However, the court was satisfied that the NSU officers acted in good faith and that the conversations should be admitted in the interests of justice. The ruling followed legal arguments by both sides, with the court rejecting the defence's challenge to the authorisation of the audio bugging device but accepting their argument that the operation of the surveillance device was illegal. The court also ruled that gardai have no power to investigate or gather evidence in another State. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Gerard Hutch has pleaded not guilty to charges of Mr Byrne's murder and participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The matter was adjourned for further proceedings.
Stephen Penrose, 39, a former garda's son, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Philip Finnegan in 2016. While in Mountjoy Prison, he pleaded guilty to possession of diamorphine for sale and supply. In a supervised visit, Penrose attempted to conceal a package containing a mobile phone, 49.2 g of diamorphine, and 113 zopiclone tablets. Prison officers intervened, and the package was seized. Penrose initially denied receiving the drugs but later admitted he was unaware of the package until the visit and that his partner had instructed him to hand it to another inmate. He has 34 prior convictions, including murder, manslaughter and drug possession. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a concurrent sentence of two and a half years to deter drug smuggling in prison.
In a High Court hearing, Mannix Coyne and his daughter Amy Coyne argue that the planning permission granted to EngineNode Ltd for a data centre near their Bracetown, Clonee home breaches their constitutional rights to a healthy environment and other EU human rights. They claim the centre will consume 180 megawatts annually and produce about 1% of Ireland's carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to the climate crisis. The Coynes seek to invalidate the permission and the board's approval of a substation and grid connection at Bracetown and Gunnock. The State, An Bord Pleanala, and the Attorney General oppose the claims, arguing that the right to a healthy environment is not recognised under the Constitution or the ECHR and that the decision was proportionate. The case is ongoing and expected to last several days.
The Special Criminal Court is hearing Gerard Hutch's murder trial, where the defence has challenged the admissibility of audio surveillance evidence. Senior counsel Brendan Grehan argued that Irish surveillance law does not apply extraterritorially, contending that the Oireachtas would have legislated with "irresistible clearness" if such scope were intended. The prosecution, represented by Sean Gillane SC, countered that the device was lawfully deployed and retrieved within the State, dismissing jurisdictional concerns as a "cloud." The court will rule on Friday regarding the admissibility of recordings captured when the vehicle crossed into Northern Ireland. In related proceedings, Jonathan Dowdall pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing access to motor vehicles and a hotel room ahead of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns, Judge Sarah Berkeley, and Judge Grainne Malone.
Roy Sugaton, aged 19 and a former resident of Ferndale, Navan, was sentenced to three years in prison for raping a 15‑year‑old girl outside her home on 28 November 2019. He pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape. Sugaton was 16 at the time of the offence and had no prior convictions. The court, hearing at the Central Criminal Court, noted the predatory nature of the attack, the threat of recording a video, and the humiliation of ejaculating into the victim's mouth. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor set a headline sentence of four and a half years, suspended the final 18 months for two years on strict conditions, and imposed a five‑year post‑release supervision period. The sentence reflected his minor status, his guilty plea, and mitigating factors such as his lack of convictions and difficulties at school. The victim, now 18, expressed ongoing fear and anxiety following the assault.
The Special Criminal Court is considering the admissibility of evidence from a garda bugging device used to capture conversations between Jonathan Dowdall and Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, which were recorded on March 7, 2016. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC argued that once a surveillance device is placed and retrieved lawfully within the jurisdiction, the evidence is admissible regardless of where the vehicle travelled. He stated that the issue of extraterritoriality does not arise, as the device was deployed, initiated, and retrieved within the State. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC objected to the admissibility of the evidence, claiming that the device was used outside the jurisdiction and that the evidence was obtained unlawfully. The court has viewed CCTV footage showing Gerard Hutch making two journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall in the weeks following the murder of David Byrne. Jonathan Dowdall has pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne and has been jailed for four years. Gerard Hutch has been convicted of Mr Byrne's murder and is awaiting sentencing. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty and the matter is ongoing.
Seven managers and assistant managers at Paddy Power betting shops have lost their pay claims against the company, following a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The workers, represented by trade union Mandate, had lodged complaints under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 against Flutter Entertainment PLC, alleging that they were blocked from working overtime hours after the pandemic lockdown. The staff, who have between 14 and 22 years of service with the company, claimed they had routinely worked overtime before the lockdown and lost out on this when they returned to work in June 2020, being rostered for a 40-hour week. The company continued to pay its staff based on their contracted hours during the lockdown. One of the workers, Marie McKenna, stated that she was initially told to roster her staff for their normal hours, but her district manager later took her off the roster and filled her overtime hours with a more junior staff member.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of making a hotel room available ahead of the February 2016 attack. He is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against his former co-accused, Gerard Hutch. Hutch, along with Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, stands trial for the murder. Murphy and Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The trial is currently at the procedural stage of addressing the admissibility of evidence. Defence counsel argued that a Garda bugging device recording conversations between Hutch and Dowdall was deployed under a "culture of secrecy" and in violation of the Criminal Justice Surveillance Act 2009, as the vehicle was allegedly in Northern Ireland for eight of the ten recorded hours. The prosecution maintains the recording is central to their case. The court will rule on the admissibility of this evidence after the prosecution responds to the defence submissions. The trial continues before a three-judge panel.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years in prison for facilitating the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall pleaded guilty to charges related to the February 5, 2016, Regency Hotel shooting. The court heard evidence that Dowdall facilitated the Hutch gang in this notorious killing. While Dowdall's case has been finalized with a custodial sentence, the trial of co-accused Gerard Hutch remains ongoing. Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles, faces a non-jury trial. The court recently heard ten hours of audio recordings allegedly captured by a garda bugging device during a trip to Northern Ireland. The State's case relies on these conversations, where Hutch allegedly discussed the Kinahan cartel's ambition to become the biggest gang in Europe. However, the defense, led by Brendan Grehan SC, argues that the State acted illegally by using the device outside the jurisdiction, seeking to exclude the evidence as illicit fruit. The court is currently hearing legal arguments on the admissibility of this evidence in a voir dire proceeding. Other defendants, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, also pleaded not guilty to similar charges of contributing to the murder by providing vehicle access. The matter regarding Hutch's admissibility challenge is not yet concluded, with the judges set to rule on the extraterritoriality issue.
At the Special Criminal Court, former Sinn Fein Councillor Jonathan Dowdall was jailed for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall pleaded guilty to the charge of Mr Byrne's murder. Gerard Hutch, co-accused in the case, also pleaded guilty to Mr Byrne's murder and received the same sentence as Dowdall. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both defendants, were charged with participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016, and pleaded not guilty to these charges. The trial has heard various conversations captured by a garda bugging device, including discussions between Dowdall and Hutch about a range of topics, including the death of Supreme Court judge Adrian Hardiman, journalist Paul Williams, and the use of AK-47 assault rifles in the murder of David Byrne. The matter is at the sentence stage, with no adjournments or suspended portions mentioned. No conditions or effective custody details were provided for the accused or defendants.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Laimonas Baltrusis, aged 31, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for unlawfully possessing €280,000 worth of cocaine and a semi‑automatic pistol. Gardaí discovered the drugs and firearm in hidden compartments of two cars, accessed by a button under the steering wheel when the engine ran and lights were on. Baltrusis admitted possession of cocaine at two addresses on 19 and 20 September 2020 and possession of the pistol on 20 September 2020. He cooperated with investigators, pointing to a kitchen shelf where 22 g of cocaine and €3,250 in cash were found. The court noted his prior minor convictions, his completion of a rehabilitation programme, and his apology to the court. Judge Martin Nolan emphasised that Baltrusis had created the problems for himself by becoming involved in the drug trade. Laimonas Baltrusis pleaded guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of making a hotel room available ahead of the attack, which occurred during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. He is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against his co-accused. Meanwhile, the trial of Gerard Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to Mr Byrne's murder, continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns and two other judges. The court is hearing audio recordings of conversations between Hutch and Dowdall, which the prosecution alleges reference the use of AK-47 assault rifles. Hutch's defence argues that much of the evidence was gathered illicitly outside the State's jurisdiction. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both charged with providing access to motor vehicles, have also pleaded not guilty. The trial will proceed with a voir dire to determine the admissibility of the disputed recordings.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, pleaded guilty to the charge. The court also heard evidence in the ongoing trial of co-accused Gerard Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to the same murder. The trial featured audio recordings of conversations between Hutch and Dowdall, allegedly captured while travelling to the North. In these recordings, Hutch stated that Daniel Kinahan looked "in a fuckin heap" following the Regency Hotel attack and claimed police were "going around like headless chickens." The prosecution presented these tapes as core evidence, while the defence argued for their exclusion, claiming the vehicle was outside the State's jurisdiction for most of the recording. Other defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney also pleaded not guilty. The court proceedings focused on the admissibility of the bugged conversations, with the defence contending the evidence was illicit. The sentencing of Dowdall marks a significant development in the case, while the trial for Hutch and others continues.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence regarding the recovery of tracker data from a vehicle driven by Jonathan Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. Co-accused Gerard Hutch, who also pleaded guilty to the same charge, and defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty, remain part of the ongoing proceedings. The court learned that Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau recovered a working copy of destroyed tracker records from a computer slated for disposal. Assistant Commissioner Orla McPartlin testified she would not have authorised the destruction had she known the data was required for the trial and has since initiated a review of retention policies. Retired Detective Inspector Ciaran Hoey, who authorised the destruction, stated he did not believe the records were pertinent to the prosecution. The defence, representing Hutch, argued that the destruction of evidence was a significant issue. Additionally, the court heard that tracker records confirm Dowdall's vehicle was in Northern Ireland for eight hours on March 7, 2016, during the period of audio recordings. The defence intends to argue for the exclusion of this evidence based on extraterritoriality. The matter was adjourned to allow the court to listen to the ten hours of recorded conversations and to continue cross-examination of witnesses.
Three men—Francis Murphy (61), Declan Murphy (54) and Francis Boland (56)—were convicted of indecent assault on a child aged 11‑15 during the early 1980s. Each pleaded not guilty and had no prior convictions. The victim waived anonymity and described the abuse, which included forced masturbation and attempts to insert the men's penises into his mouth. The court noted that Murphy was an adult at the time, while Murphy and Boland were juveniles. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Murphy to 36 months' imprisonment, Declan Murphy to 30 months, and Boland to 22 months, deferred one month. All three will be placed on the sex offenders register. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting psychological harm and ongoing difficulties with alcohol and drugs. The defendants' counsel highlighted their long work histories and lack of prior Garda attention. The judge emphasized the men's law‑abiding conduct since the offences and offered legal aid for any appeal.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the murder of David Byrne. Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of providing access to motor vehicles and a hotel room to the accused group on February 5, 2016. He is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after agreeing to testify against co-accused Gerard Hutch. Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Byrne, remains on trial alongside Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both of whom also pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to vehicles. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns and two other judges, was adjourned until 2pm this afternoon. Prosecutors informed the court that the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau had recovered destroyed tracker records from a desktop computer, which had been listed for destruction. Defense counsel for Hutch requested time to consider how to proceed following this development. The court heard that these records, related to a tracker device on Dowdall's vehicle, were previously believed to be permanently lost. The trial continues with the examination of evidence regarding the movements of the accused in the days surrounding the shooting at the Regency Hotel.
Boguslaw Sajor, 34, of Timahoe, Co Kildare, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven and a half years in prison for transporting more than €1.5 million worth of cannabis from Malaga, Spain, to Ireland. The goods were intercepted at a Duleek Business Park address that did not correspond to any company, and the pallets were seized. Gardaí followed Sajor's Mercedes Sprinter van, stopped it on the N7, and obtained three search warrants for his residential and business addresses. A small amount of cannabis, weighing scales, a tracking device, and an encrypted mobile app were found at his home; the app contained messages about "35 greens" and instructions for dividing the drugs. In the van, three mobile phones were recovered, one with the encrypted app. Gardaí searched the pallets and found €692,000 of cannabis herb and €900,000 of cannabis resin, totalling €1,592,000. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
The High Court has ruled that 14 luxury watches valued at €152,000, €22,000 in cash, and a mobile home are proceeds of crime. Mr Justice Alexander Owens made the order under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act regarding assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau from Jason Reed, Thomas Rooney, and Catherine Dawson. The applications were unopposed. The assets were seized following a Garda investigation into an international gang involved in illegal drugs and firearms trafficking. The three individuals were previously convicted of laundering over €400,000 for a criminal organisation after being observed exchanging large sums of cash in Drogheda in May 2020. Last year, Jason Reed, from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for money laundering offences. Thomas Rooney, of Bettystown, Co Meath, received a six-year sentence for the same offences. Catherine Dawson, a former partner of Rooney's, received a fully suspended sentence of three years and nine months after pleading guilty to money laundering offences. The court appointed a receiver to sell the non-cash assets, noting that the respondents' financial profiles did not account for the legitimate acquisition of the property.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled to hear ten hours of audio recordings between murder accused Gerard Hutch and Jonathan Dowdall, despite defence arguments that the vehicle was outside State jurisdiction for eight hours. Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC described the recordings as central to the State's case regarding the murder of David Byrne. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC argued the evidence should be excluded as 'illicit fruit' because gardai knew the vehicle was in Northern Ireland, violating the Criminal Justice Surveillance Act 2009. The court will rule on admissibility after listening to the full recording. Jonathan Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing a hotel room, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. He is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty, remain defendants in the case. The court is currently at the sentencing stage for Dowdall, while the trial for Hutch continues with procedural rulings on evidence admissibility.
The High Court has appointed an interim examiner to Blacklough Construction Limited following an application on grounds of cash-flow insolvency. The company, which has 48 employees and engages subcontractors, is currently constructing over 360 social housing units across five sites for Respond Housing Association, including developments in Charlestown, County Mayo, and locations in Dublin, Meath, Westmeath and Louth. An independent expert's report indicated the company has reasonable prospects of survival if certain steps are taken. Counsel attributed the firm's difficulties primarily to a 33 per cent rise in building material costs since 2020, alongside a potential planning permission issue at the Carrickmines site in Dublin. Trade creditors are owed over €3 million. Chartered accountant Joe Walsh was appointed as interim examiner by Mr Justice Michael Quinn on Thursday. The court was satisfied that creditors would fare better under an examinership than in liquidation. Proceedings were adjourned to later in the month, with creditors to be notified of the application.
The Special Criminal Court heard that all records from a tracking device placed on former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall's vehicle by gardai were destroyed before the Regency Hotel murder trial began. The court was informed that the tracking device was deployed on Dowdall's Toyota Land Cruiser in February 2016 as part of the investigation into the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The authorisation for the deployment of the tracker was granted by retired Detective Superintendent William Johnston on February 17, 2016, for a period of two months. However, the records of the tracker and logger devices were reportedly destroyed, raising concerns about the destruction of evidence. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Gerard Hutch, who is accused of the murder, has pleaded guilty and received the same sentence. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty and the matter remains ongoing.
An appeal is ongoing in the Special Criminal Court regarding the case of Jonathan Dowdall, who was previously sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and Patrick Dowdall eight years imprisonment for physically and mentally torturing a man they suspected of trying to defraud them. The sentences were later appealed and reduced, with Jonathan Dowdall receiving 10 years imprisonment, 25 months of which were suspended, and Patrick Dowdall receiving seven years, three of which were suspended. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney are co-accused in the case, but they have not been charged and have pleaded not guilty. Gerard Hutch, who is also a co-accused, denies the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The court heard that a search warrant was obtained for Jonathan Dowdall's home based on the belief that firearms and explosives were being stored there on behalf of the IRA. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
A member of a cross-border organised crime gang has failed in his appeal against a custodial sentence imposed for attempted ATM theft. Gerard Duffy, 32, of County Monaghan, was convicted at the Special Criminal Court in 2021 following a guilty plea to attempting to steal an ATM from the Riverfront Bar Restaurant in Virginia, County Cavan, in August 2019. He received eight years and nine months' imprisonment with the final year suspended. His legal team argued the headline sentence of eleven years was excessive and that a greater reduction for his guilty plea was warranted, given he had no serious prior convictions. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge, with Mr Justice George Birmingham finding the original sentence appropriate and the trial court had correctly assessed the offending as being in the lower range of the highest tier of criminality. The gang stole an estimated €790,000 from multiple ATM locations across Cavan, Meath and Monaghan between 2018 and 2019 using stolen plant machinery and vehicles.
Odinas Dziugas, 22, was sentenced to one year in jail at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for 11 counts of fuel theft from petrol stations on the M1 motorway between 6 and 21 August last year. He drove a grey Toyota Corolla, changing its registration number on several occasions, to fill up at Circle K in Dunshaughlin, Applegreen in Balbriggan and Applegreen in Castlebellingham, Co Louth, and also removed containers from his boot. The total value of the stolen diesel was €1,636. Dziugas pleaded guilty and had six prior minor theft convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, citing the defendant's desire for a "free journey", backdated the sentence to 9 May, when Dziugas entered custody. His defence lawyer noted an apology letter and family support, hoping the jail term will change his behaviour.
Sandra Kavanagh, 47, was driving on the M50 near Finglas on 19 November 2019 when she moved part‑way into the hard shoulder and collided with Nebojsa Sarcevic, 29, who was riding his motorbike in the same direction. The impact threw Sarcevic from his bike and into the motorway barrier, where he died from his injuries. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death. She had four prior traffic convictions, including speeding and failing to wear a seat belt. Judge Martin Nolan found no aggravating factors such as alcohol, drugs or excessive speed. He imposed a suspended sentence of eight months and disqualified her from driving for four years, citing her inattentive driving as the cause of the fatal accident. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Court on 7 November 2022.
A man convicted of perverting the course of justice in connection with a 2013 dissident Republican murder has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Raymond Kennedy was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment in May 2022 after the Special Criminal Court found him guilty of destroying a mobile phone SIM card on the day Peter Butterly was shot dead at Gormanston, County Meath. Kennedy's legal team argued he was unlawfully detained when gardaí instructed him to remain at the scene and that he should have been cautioned before making admissions about the device. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel contended Kennedy approached gardaí voluntarily and was afforded procedural fairness, including the option of a formal interview at a station. Justice John Edwards reserved judgment on the appeal. Four men have previously received life sentences for Mr Butterly's murder. Raymond Kennedy pleaded not guilty.
Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, is standing trial in the Special Criminal Court, where he denies the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne on February 5, 2016. The defence team, led by Brendan Grehan SC, has raised significant concerns regarding the legality of state surveillance, specifically alleging that gardai may have illegally deployed a tracker device on a vehicle belonging to Jonathan Dowdall while it was in Northern Ireland. Mr Grehan argued that such use would breach the law and sought clarification on how specific CCTV enquiries were initiated. Prosecution witness Sean Gillane SC contended that the defence was conflating issues, while the presiding judge acknowledged the emerging legal arguments. Meanwhile, co-accused Jonathan Dowdall, 44, of Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing access to motor vehicles. He was sentenced to four years in prison for this offence. Dowdall is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Other defendants, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who also face charges of participating in the murder by providing vehicles, have pleaded not guilty and remain on trial. The court continues to hear evidence from National Surveillance Unit members, whose identities are withheld by order.
A surveillance garda testified in the Special Criminal Court that he saw Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, accused of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne, riding a motorcycle out of former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall's home on February 12, 2016. Gerard Hutch (59), last of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Jonathan Dowdall (44), a married father of four with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in advance of the trial to a lesser charge of facilitating the Hutch gang by making a hotel room available ahead of the murder. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The former Dublin councillor is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after agreeing to testify against former co-accused Gerard Hutch, who is charged with Mr Byrne's murder. The Special Criminal Court has already viewed CCTV footage of what the State says is Gerard Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall on February 20 and March 7, 2016. A garda known as Member BZ testified that he observed Jonathan Dowdall's grey Toyota Land Cruiser parked opposite Forest Park in Killygordon in Co Donegal at 11am on February 20 2016 and that it was beside a silver Renault Megane Scenic. The Megane left the area at 2.35pm with two males in the vehicle. Another officer called Member BU told Ms Murphy that at 3.51pm on March 9 2016, Shane Rowan was observed carrying a long cardboard box as he walked down the escalator of Clarehall Shopping Centre before entering Carphone Warehouse. In July 2016, Rowan from Forest Park, Killygordan, in County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition. He was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of four years in prison for IRA membership, backdated to March 9 2016. Evidence has also been given that bullet cases found at the Regency Hotel murder scene were fired by the three AK-47 assault rifles. Gerard Hutch's two co-accused – Paul Murphy (59), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin and Jason Bonney (50), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The evidence of the NSU members continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
Gary Foy, 21, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm, driving without insurance and driving under the influence of cannabis after a scrambler collided with a stationary quad bike in a Dublin park on 17 September 2020. The collision left a two‑year‑old toddler with a traumatic brain injury. Foy, who had ridden scramblers for ten years, claimed he could not remember the incident. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of two years for the careless driving count and five months for each of the other two counts. She imposed a 16‑month prison sentence for the careless driving offence, suspended on strict conditions, and 180 hours of community service for the remaining counts. Foy was also disqualified from driving for five years and placed under probation supervision for 12 months. The court noted the child's serious injuries and Foy's remorse and steps to address his addiction.
The Special Criminal Court has viewed CCTV footage presented by the State, which allegedly shows Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall shortly after the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel. The footage also shows Patrick Hutch Senior in the same area of north Dublin as convicted IRA member Shane Rowan a month after the attack. Rowan was stopped with three assault rifles used in the Regency Hotel shooting. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Gerard Hutch has pleaded guilty to charges related to the murder of David Byrne, but the matter is still ongoing. County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition and received a concurrent sentence of four years for IRA membership, backdated to March 9, 2016. The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
Ion Nostas, 42, pleaded guilty to money‑laundering for moving €408,820 in cash for an organised crime group. He was arrested after Gardaí observed him and two others transporting large bags of cash between a BMW and a Toyota in Rosemount Business Park, where the money was recovered. Nostas claimed he was paid €1,000 for the job, kept €800, paid €200 to a co‑accused, and had no role beyond moving the cash. He admitted the mistake and apologized. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing the case on 25 October 2022, imposed a four‑year prison sentence, back‑dated to 13 January 2022, after considering mitigating factors such as his lack of prior convictions and cooperation with Gardaí. The sentence reflects the seriousness of assisting in the relocation of criminal proceeds.
A former League of Ireland footballer, Edward Fitzpatrick, 39, and two other men, Jonathon Barton, 42, and Gary O'Neill, 40, pleaded guilty to money‑laundering offences involving almost €200,000 in criminal cash. The case was adjourned to February 23, 2023 for finalisation. Garda surveillance showed Barton driving a van to Fitzpatrick's home, where the men entered and later left with a heavy blue shopping bag. Barton then took the bag to a Circle K service station, handing it to O'Neill, who was arrested and found with the bag containing €199,505 in three packages and an additional €2,250. Searches recovered a vacuum packing machine, a mobile phone, and a phone from Barton. The three men admitted their roles; Fitzpatrick admitted packaging the cash, Barton said he moved the money to repay a drug debt, and O'Neill acted as a courier.
The Special Criminal Court heard ballistics evidence in the ongoing trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne. Detective Garda David O'Leary testified that seven cartridge cases recovered from the Regency Hotel scene were discharged from three AK-47 variants seized from Shane Rowan in March 2016. Rowan was previously sentenced to seven and a half years for possession of the weapons and a concurrent four years for IRA membership. The court also examined CCTV footage regarding the movements of a taxi and a black BMW X5. The prosecution case alleges that co-accused Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, both of whom have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016, facilitated the escape of the assailants. Bonney is specifically alleged to have driven the BMW X5. Defence counsel for Bonney indicated that the identification evidence would be challenged as a legal issue. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone.
A High Court challenge has been filed by engineer and architect Paul Leech against Meath County Council's plans to renovate the derelict St Patrick's Classical School in Navan. Leech argues that the council failed to conduct a second bat survey during the summer months, as required by the EU Habitats Directive, and therefore lacked the necessary information to determine whether the proposed works would comply with the directive. He also claims the council erred in law by not considering the impact on two nearby special areas of conservation. Leech, a former pupil of the school, seeks orders to quash the council's development consent and declarations that the council's assessment was unlawful. The case was adjourned by Mr Justice Charles Meenan to a December hearing. The court will consider whether the council's failure to obtain adequate bat survey data and assess environmental impacts constitutes a legal error. The proceedings are ongoing and no final decision has yet been made.
A Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard evidence on 20 October 2022 regarding three AK-47 assault rifles recovered in County Meath approximately one month after David Byrne was fatally shot at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on 5 February 2016. Inspector Padraig Boyce testified that a vehicle was intercepted near Slane on 9 March 2016 and the weapons were discovered in its boot, wrapped in a rug and white shirts. Ballistics evidence later matched cartridge cases recovered from the Regency Hotel to the seized rifles. The trial concerns Gerard Hutch, aged 59, from Clontarf, Dublin, who denies murdering Mr Byrne during a boxing weigh-in. Two co-accused, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, deny participating in or contributing to the murder by providing vehicle access. Detective gardaí provided CCTV evidence tracing movements of vehicles on the day of the incident. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns with two other judges, is expected to continue for approximately 12 weeks. Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty. Jason Bonney pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard the opening of the trial of Gerry Hutch, 59, Paul Murphy, 59, and Jason Bonney, 50, who were arraigned today. Hutch pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Kinahan gang member David Byrne, 33, during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. Murphy and Bonney also pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating a serious offence by providing access to motor vehicles to a criminal organisation. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC alleged that Hutch told former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall he was "one of the team" responsible for the killing. The state contends the attack was "performative, targeted," and "macabre," involving men disguised as gardaí. Evidence includes a recorded conversation where Hutch discussed the incident and the Kinahan feud. While Patrick Dowdall and Jonathan Dowdall are not defendants in this specific trial, the report notes that both Dowdalls admitted to making a room available at the Regency Hotel on February 4, 2016, to facilitate the offence. The trial is underway before a non-jury court, with significant security presence at the Criminal Courts of Justice.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Patrick Lawlor (56) and Ross Hanway (32) for their roles in an organised crime gang's money laundering operation. Both pleaded guilty to possessing €412,000 in proceeds of crime on May 26, 2020. Lawlor, of Collins Avenue West, also pleaded guilty to possessing €477,370 in cash, foreign currency, and an encrypted mobile phone. Hanway, of Ashbourne, Co Meath, was found to have acted as a courier. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a sentence of eight years on Lawlor, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Hanway received a four-year sentence, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The court noted the gang had an income of nearly €12 million in 2019. Ian Lawlor (24), also of Collins Avenue West, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, and €12,000 in cash found in his bedroom. Judge Greally stated his offending was a separate enterprise. He was sentenced to three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. All three defendants had no previous convictions and entered early guilty pleas.
Michael Lawrence, 55, filmed his daughter Jessica Maughan, 28, viciously beating his mother‑in‑law Mary Maughan, 65, as she left a doctor's appointment, and also recorded his other daughter Marie Stokes, 31, attacking Mary's daughter Rosie while Rosie waited in her car. The video was shared on social media and viewed 3,500 times. The court heard that the victims, though physically recovered, suffered psychological harm from the humiliation. Lawrence and the two daughters pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced each to a two‑year suspended sentence, ordered them to pay €1,000 to the Garda, and remanded Stokes and Lawrence in custody pending sentence while allowing Jessica Maughan to remain on bail. The judge described the assaults as disgraceful and vicious, noting the humiliation was aggravated by the footage's online presence. The court did not impose any custodial term on the father or the daughters.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016, until next Tuesday at 11am. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC stated that the trial is ready to proceed, noting that new evidence will be presented later in the proceedings. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, agreed to the new date after considering the availability of the three-judge panel. In related developments, Jonathan Dowdall (44) and his father Patrick Dowdall (65) have pleaded guilty to charges of facilitating the murder of Byrne. Jonathan Dowdall admitted to a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting, while Patrick Dowdall admitted to facilitating the murder and participating in criminal organisation activity by making a hotel room available. The State indicated it may enter a nolle prosequi against Jonathan Dowdall on the murder count. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, charged with facilitating the offence by providing vehicles, remain on trial. The court noted that if the trial extends past Christmas, arrangements may be made for early January.
Albert Redmond, 46, a crack addict with 401 prior convictions, was sentenced to two years in prison for a series of thefts in Dublin City Centre. He pleaded guilty to two separate counts of theft: one at Frame Experts in Ranelagh on 8 October 2019, and another at the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook on 6 February 2020. The court noted that Redmond has 401 previous convictions, including 144 for burglary and 120 for theft, and is already serving a nine‑year custodial sentence for another offence. Garda Detective Gerard Hickey presented evidence that Redmond stole a woman's wallet at Frame Experts, used her bank card for €28.40 supermarket purchases, and later stole a bank card at the Marco Pierre White restaurant, spending €29.40 on cigarettes.
Patrick Dowdall (65) pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne by booking room 2104 at the Regency Hotel using his credit card on February 4, 2016, and subsequently passing key cards to a known member of the Hutch criminal organisation. He and his family are in protective garda custody.
Jonathan Dowdall, 44, had his murder charge dismissed after indicating his willingness to become a state witness in the trial of Gerry Hutch and others related to the 2016 death of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.
Richard McAleer, aged 22, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for stealing a bicycle from a woman who was waiting outside a shop with her sleeping children. The theft occurred on Lower Liffey Street, Dublin, on 10 November 2019. McAleer pleaded guilty to the theft. The victim, who was waiting with her children, saw McAleer mount her bike and claimed it was hers, but he insisted it was his. When she tried to take the handlebars, he pulled back his arm, made a closed fist, and fled after dropping the bike. He was arrested shortly thereafter while highly intoxicated. McAleer expressed remorse and apologized to the victim. He has prior convictions for theft and criminal damage and is currently serving a separate three‑month sentence. The judge noted his long history of offending, his difficult family background, mental health and addiction issues, and imposed a 20‑month sentence, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC stated that the team was forced to carry out a 'fundamental reappraisal' of their strategy after being served with significant new evidence late last week. The court, presided over by Justice Tara Burns, granted a one-week adjournment, noting that the trial is unlikely to commence next Monday due to the court's full calendar. Mr. Hutch, who has been in custody since his extradition from Spain, was remanded until next Monday. He has not yet been arraigned. In related developments, the DPP indicated that a nolle prosequi could be entered against Jonathan Dowdall on the murder count, as he pleaded guilty last Wednesday to a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting. Jonathan Dowdall and his father, Patrick Dowdall, both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a room available at the hotel for a criminal organisation. Their sentencing was adjourned. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, charged with facilitating the offence by providing access to vehicles, were also due to stand trial but the matter was postponed to allow for further disclosure.
In early 2021, a welder at Gaelform Ltd in Ballivor, Co. Meath, claimed he had acted in self‑defence after a forklift driver allegedly tried to head‑butt him. The incident, which occurred on 14 January 2021, involved a disagreement between two colleagues. The welder, who said he had momentarily blacked out after being punched in the face and side of the head, pushed the forklift driver in response to the head‑butt. The forklift driver then struck him again. Both men were dismissed on the basis of gross misconduct. The Workplace Relations Commission, after hearing witness statements and the parties' accounts, found that the welder's actions constituted gross misconduct and that the dismissals were justified. The unfair dismissal claim was rejected, with the Commission ruling that the complaint was not well founded. The decision was published on 3 October 2022.
Former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall is being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after providing a statement to gardai that implicates others in the murder of David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel in 2016 as part of the Hutch/Kinahan gang feud. Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne by making a hotel room available for the Hutch gang ahead of the murder. They admitted to participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016. The three-judge Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall after hearing submissions from their respective counsel. The court heard that room 2104 in the Regency Hotel was booked using Patrick Dowdall's credit card on February 4, 2016, one day before Mr Byrne's murder. CCTV footage showed Patrick Dowdall arriving at the hotel, receiving key cards, and later handing them over to a known member of the Hutch criminal organisation. The matter is currently in the appeal stage.
At the non-jury court, former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall (44) and his father, Patrick (65), both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016. They admitted to charges including facilitating the murder of Mr Byrne by making a room available at the hotel on February 4, 2016, and participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Both are on bail. Patrick Hutch (58) of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, is charged with the murder of Mr Byrne and supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder on February 15, 2016. He pleaded not guilty. Co-accused Paul Murphy (59) of Cabra Road is charged with supplying logistical support to the team and providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Jason Bonney (50) of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, is charged with providing access to motor vehicles on the same date. The matter is at the trial stage, with no sentences or findings yet determined.