Oisin Conroy, 34, is standing trial at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, having pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Natalie McGuinness (23) by reason of insanity. The prosecution alleges that Conroy strangled Ms McGuinness at The Mews, Mail Coach Road, Sligo, on October 28, 2015. During the opening of the case, Ms Tara Burns SC stated that the defence does not contest the prosecution evidence regarding the events of that day. The jury will hear evidence that Conroy admitted to strangling his girlfriend during a 999 call and to Gardaí at the scene. Ms McGuinness was found unresponsive and naked; she was pronounced dead at the hospital. Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy attributed the death to compression of the neck and strangulation, noting no stab wounds or significant bleeding injuries. Conroy sustained a significant head injury, which he indicated he caused himself with a knife. Defence counsel Mr Brendan Grehan SC accepted that Conroy caused the death by strangulation and that the arrest and detention were lawful. The sole issue in the trial is the accused's mental state, with expert evidence from two consultant psychiatrists expected to support the insanity defence. The trial continues.
A Roscommon businessman facing extradition to Britain over a £5 million tax fraud has had his case reserved for judgement in the High Court. Thomas Joseph O'Connor, aged 49, was convicted in his absence at Blackfriars Crown Court in 2007 and sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment for defrauding the British revenue. An extradition warrant issued in 2009 has been upheld through multiple appeal stages, with the Supreme Court dismissing his appeal in March of this year. In reopened proceedings, O'Connor's counsel argued that Brexit rendered the extradition improper, claiming uncertainty about his legal protections post-departure would leave him in legal limbo. The State's counsel contended the Brexit outcome remained unknown and speculation about future UK legislation was premature. Justice Aileen Donnelly reserved judgement to 25 July. O'Connor remains on bail pending that decision.
Oisin Conroy, a 34-year-old man from Boyle, Co Roscommon, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Natalie McGuinness (23) at The Mews, Mail Coach Road, Sligo, on October 28, 2015. The accused was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, where he entered a not guilty plea to the charge of murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity. A jury of six men and six women was sworn in to hear the trial, which is scheduled to begin the following day and is expected to last up to two days. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy addressed the jury, noting that the case centers on the legal concept of insanity and that the factual circumstances would not be significantly in dispute. The report confirms the procedural stage as a trial, with the plea recorded as not guilty to the alleged offense of murder by reason of insanity. No findings, sentences, or final dispositions were recorded at this stage, as the matter proceeded to trial rather than being adjourned or concluded.
A construction company director from Roscommon faces uncertainty over his extradition to the United Kingdom, the High Court heard on 4 July 2017. Thomas Joseph O'Connor, aged 49, was convicted in his absence at Blackfriars Crown Court of involvement in a £5 million tax fraud and sentenced to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment in January 2007. Following extradition proceedings begun in 2009, the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court dismissed his appeals in 2015 and March 2017 respectively. His counsel argued that Brexit creates a "legal limbo" for Mr O'Connor, contending he should have a complete re-hearing due to uncertainty surrounding the protection of his rights after the UK's planned departure from the European Union on 29 March 2019. The State's counsel countered that such concerns were premature speculation, noting no evidence suggested Mr O'Connor would lose fundamental rights. Justice Aileen Donnelly remanded him on continuing bail, with the hearing adjourned to resume the following day.
A construction company director from Roscommon facing extradition to the United Kingdom over a £5 million tax fraud will argue before the Court of Appeal that Brexit prevents his removal from the State. Thomas Joseph O'Connor, aged 49, was sentenced in his absence to four-and-a-half years imprisonment following conviction at Blackfriars Crown Court in 2007. He returned to Ireland without attending his sentencing hearing and was arrested on an extradition warrant in 2009. The High Court ordered his extradition, but O'Connor appealed. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal in October 2015 and the Supreme Court subsequently rejected a further appeal. At hearing today, O'Connor's counsel submitted that the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union rendered extradition impossible and sought leave for a Habeas Corpus application. The bench raised concerns about the legal appropriateness of such proceedings for a person on bail. Re-entered High Court extradition proceedings are scheduled for July 4 and 5.
Mark Nash is to appeal one of his murder convictions in the Court of Appeal. Nash was convicted in 2015 of murdering two women whose bodies were discovered in sheltered accommodation in Dublin in 1997. The 44-year-old had pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Central Criminal Court but was found unanimously guilty and received a mandatory life sentence in April 2015. Nash is already serving a life sentence imposed in October 1998 for a separate double murder committed in Ballintober, County Roscommon, and for seriously injuring a woman in August 1997. The Court of Appeal fixed 7 November as the date for the appeal hearing, which is expected to last three days.
A senior nursing executive with the HSE has successfully appealed against her temporary re-assignment to a non-clinical role. The Court of Appeal found that the HSE breached the employment contract of the Area Director of Nursing for Galway/Roscommon Mental Health Services when it moved her from clinical and managerial duties in July 2015. The re-assignment occurred while a review was underway into allegations concerning mental health facilities in Roscommon, though the executive herself was not under investigation or disciplinary process. The Mental Health Commission had raised serious concerns about service-user welfare and management responses at the facilities. The three-judge court rejected the HSE's argument that an implied contractual term permitted such re-assignment in crisis circumstances. The court noted the review, which commenced in 2015, was expected to conclude imminently. The matter was adjourned to allow both parties to consider the decision.
A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment, with the balance suspended from June, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for criminal damage. The defendant pleaded guilty to throwing a beer keg through the window of a jewellery store on Grafton Street in July 2015, causing over €8,300 in damage. Judge Melanie Greally noted the case was not routine, given the defendant's extensive custodial history. He had previously been convicted of the capital murder of Garda Henry Byrne near Loughglynn, County Roscommon in 1980 and served over 30 years in prison before his release in 2013 following a Supreme Court judgement on remission. The court heard he has twelve prior convictions and was intoxicated at the time of the offence. His barrister submitted that he had experienced mental health difficulties and expressed remorse, offering to compensate the jeweller from his pension.
A construction company director from Roscommon has secured a four-week postponement of his extradition to the United Kingdom on humanitarian grounds. Thomas Joseph O'Connor, aged 49, is wanted in England for his involvement in a £5 million tax fraud. He was sentenced in absentia at Blackfriars Crown Court in London in January 2007 to four and a half years imprisonment. Following conviction, O'Connor failed to attend his sentencing and now faces additional charges of absconding. Arrested on an extradition warrant in 2009, he subsequently lost appeals in both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. At the High Court hearing on Thursday, O'Connor requested postponement to care for his terminally ill brother, who is undergoing palliative care in Roscommon. Medical evidence confirmed O'Connor's involvement in his brother's treatment and hospital visits. Judge Aileen Donnelly granted the application, citing particular closeness between the brothers. O'Connor must reappear on May 5th, with stricter conditions applicable to any further extension request.
The High Court has dismissed an application by a businessman seeking injunctions to regain control of a golf course property in County Wicklow from a court-appointed receiver. Ms Justice Caroline Costello ruled on Wednesday that the applicant had failed to establish a credible case for trial or demonstrate that financial compensation would be inadequate. The judge found that granting the injunctions would undermine the receivership process. The dispute centres on 126 acres at Coolnaskeagh, Delgany, which form the basis of the golf club business. The defendant fund had appointed a receiver following the applicant's failure to meet a demand for €1.65 million on mortgage arrangements originally entered into with a bank in 2003, 2005, and 2008. The loans were later acquired by the fund in 2015. A property in County Roscommon was among the assets secured against the loans. The case has been adjourned to a date following the Easter recess.
A 26-year-old man from Roscommon has pleaded guilty to his role in a violent robbery on Arran Quay in Dublin in June 2014. Patrick Conroy, with 156 previous convictions, was one of four men who approached a pedestrian and subjected him to robbery whilst using a growling Alsatian dog to intimidate the victim. The victim was threatened with physical violence, including being kneed and choked, before being robbed of his mobile phone, wallet and house keys. He sustained injuries to his lower back, neck and throat, and subsequently suffered psychological effects from the incident. CCTV footage placed Conroy in the vicinity at the time. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Conroy had been released on bail only days before the robbery occurred. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on continuing bail pending a probation report and consideration of his admission to a residential drug treatment centre. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8th.
Pat McCann, a 70-year-old convicted garda murderer, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage for criminal damage. He pleaded guilty to throwing a keg against the window of John Brereton Jewellers on Grafton Street on July 23, 2015, causing over €8,300 in damage. McCann was originally sentenced to death in 1980 for the capital murder of Garda Henry Byrne and Detective Garda John Morley during an armed robbery near Loughglynn, Co Roscommon. His sentence was commuted to 40 years, and he was released in 2013. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the matter until April 7 to allow for a probation report, noting McCann's extensive custody history and consistent criminal conduct since release. The prosecution highlighted 12 previous convictions, including arson and burglary, and stated McCann was intoxicated during the offence. Defence counsel Diarmaid McGuinness SC cited McCann's mental health history, his remorse, and his willingness to repay damages using pension funds. The court heard McCann has been in custody since December and hopes to secure accommodation with an adult child upon release. The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the application of an unnamed 77-year-old former professional soccer player to extend the time limit for appealing his convictions. The appellant, who cannot be named to protect his victim, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in May 2011 on 60 counts of sexual abuse and 14 charges of rape. The alleged offences occurred between January 2002 and September 2006 in Galway and Roscommon, when his daughter was aged between nine and fourteen. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan rejected the request for an extension to appeal the convictions, noting the appellant's failure to lodge the appeal within the standard 28-day window. The judge stated that the appellant failed to establish that the interests of justice required an extension, emphasizing the daughter's "right to closure." Although the court considered a psychological report suggesting the appellant suffers from compulsive obsessive personality disorder, Mr Justice Sheehan deemed it of "extremely limited value." However, the court granted a 21-day extension from the date of the ruling for the appellant to lodge an appeal against his sentence. In May 2011, he was sentenced to ten years in prison on each sexual assault count and fifteen years on each rape count, with the final three years of each sentence suspended. The matter regarding the conviction appeal was dismissed, while the sentence appeal timeline was extended.
A man convicted of robbing a 90-year-old pensioner in Castlerea, Co Roscommon has had his prison sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal. Mark Sweeney, aged 33, of Cloonkeen, Castlerea, pleaded guilty at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at The Demesne on 24 August 2015. He received eight years imprisonment with the final two-and-a-half years suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson in June 2016. The Court of Appeal dismissed Sweeney's appeal against sentence today, with the three-judge court finding the sentence appropriate and proportionate. Mr Justice John Edwards outlined that the victim, then aged 90, was approached in the town park where Sweeney demanded money, then assaulted him with an umbrella after seizing it, stealing €450. The victim sustained a fractured lumbar vertebra and ongoing pain. The incident prompted an angry public demonstration in Castlerea. Sweeney admitted the offence immediately. The court noted he has mental health difficulties and a prior manslaughter conviction.
A rape victim's application to freeze a €17,000 award made to her attacker, Darius Savickis, was resolved. Savickis, a Lithuanian national, had orally raped a 23‑year‑old woman on 28 November 2005 while she walked home from work in Galway. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in 2009. While serving that sentence in Castlerea prison he was assaulted by a prison officer. A High Court jury awarded him €225 for that incident, but the Court of Appeal increased the award to €17,225. The victim applied to the High Court for a freezing order on that award, pending her civil action for damages against Savickis. Conor Power SC argued the order was needed to prevent Savickis from dissipating the award and to frustrate his attempts to avoid enforcement of any judgment. Savickis's lawyers opposed the application.
A rape victim has applied to the High Court for a freezing order over a €17,225 award that was granted to her attacker, Darius Savickis, by the Court of Appeal. The award was originally €225, increased by the Court of Appeal after Savickis was found liable for assaulting a prison officer while serving a six‑year sentence in Castlerea Prison. Savickis, 46, is a Lithuanian‑born father of two who pleaded guilty in 2009 to orally raping a 23‑year‑old woman in Galway. The victim, who has initiated a civil action for damages, seeks to prevent the award from being dissipated if she is successful. She alleges post‑traumatic stress disorder and claims the award was obtained under circumstances that may be statute‑barred. The High Court has granted her lawyers permission to serve short notice of the proceedings on Savickis and the matter is set to return next week.
The trial of Donal Billings, aged 65, of St Bridget's Court, Drumlish, County Longford, continues before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. Mr Billings has pleaded not guilty to possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on 16 May 2011, and to four charges under the Criminal Law Act 1976 relating to false reports of bomb threats made to locations including Busáras, Sinn Féin headquarters, Dublin Castle, and Cork Airport. During proceedings, Sergeant Philip Coffey of Roscommon Garda Station described searching a white Seat Ibiza vehicle on 20 May 2011, during which he recovered transparent gloves, a mobile phone SIM card pack, a homemade funnel, and a five-litre water bottle containing a yellowish liquid with a petrol odour. CCTV footage from Longford train station was presented to the court. The trial continues.
A five-judge Supreme Court heard an application by convicted serial killer Mark Nash seeking damages over delays in his prosecution for murders in Dublin. Nash is serving a life sentence following his conviction for the 1997 killings of two women at sheltered housing in Grangegorman, a conviction now under appeal. He had previously been convicted of murders in Ballintober, County Roscommon in 1997. Nash's legal team argued he was treated as a suspect for twelve years before being charged in 2009, ten years after the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that charges be brought. Counsel contended the delay breached Nash's constitutional and human rights to a trial conducted with due expedition. The application also raised concerns regarding forensic evidence handling at the laboratory. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the application, arguing the decision to charge Nash was appropriately timed. The Chief Justice indicated the court would reserve its decision on the matter.
At the Central Criminal Court, Symon Tarkowski, a Polish national aged 28 from Tullamore, County Offaly, received a suspended sentence of five years for his role in the false imprisonment of Patryk Krupa at Bogganall, County Rosemmon, on June 20th and 21st, 2014. Mr Krupa, aged 23, subsequently drowned in the Shannon whilst incapacitated from a head injury sustained during a violent assault. Two other men, Leszek Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz, were convicted of Mr Krupa's murder and received life sentences in June. Mr Justice Tony Hunt distinguished Tarkowski's involvement from that of the convicted murderers, noting he had not planned the assault and remained in his vehicle during the beating. The judge acknowledged Tarkowski's subsequent cooperation with gardaí and his genuine remorse, whilst criticising his decision to clean his car. The suspended sentence reflected the limited nature of his culpability and the mitigating factors present in his case. Symon Tarkowski pleaded guilty.
A man from Clare has appealed an 18-year prison sentence imposed for the sexual abuse of a child over a three-year period. The 26-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sample counts of rape and sexual assault of a girl between 2009 and 2012. The sentence, which included a five-year suspension, was handed down in July 2015. During the appeal hearing at the Court of Appeal, the defendant's counsel referenced a comparable case from Roscommon, arguing that the headline sentence was disproportionate when compared to similar convictions. The counsel submitted that an appropriate sentence range for such offending would be between ten and twelve years, particularly given the guilty plea entered. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel countered that the sentencing judge had correctly placed the case in the highest category, citing the severe and lasting impact on the victim. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement on the appeal.
A 28-year-old Polish national has been remanded on bail pending sentence after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and withholding information in connection with a fatal assault in County Roscommon in June 2014. Szymon Tarkowski of Tullamore admitted to the charges relating to the death of Patryk Krupa, who drowned in the Shannon near Athlone following a violent attack. At the Central Criminal Court, evidence was heard that Tarkowski drove two men to locate the victim and transported them to the scene, though he remained in the vehicle during the assault itself. He subsequently cleaned his car in an attempt to remove forensic evidence and later provided a voluntary statement to gardai that aided the investigation. Two other men, Leszek Sychulec of Ballymahon and Andrzej Gruchacz, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on the same date. The court heard Tarkowski had no previous convictions and was considered out of his depth, lacking premeditation in his involvement. He will be sentenced on 27 June.
A cage fighter and another man have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 23-year-old man who was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the River Shannon near Athlone in June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, with an address at Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, were convicted by jury at the Central Criminal Court following a five-hour deliberation in April 2016. The court heard that Patryk Krupa was assaulted following an encounter in Athlone town before being driven away by the accused men. His body was discovered face down in the water by associates who became concerned for his welfare. A State pathologist concluded that Krupa died from a combination of severe head trauma and drowning while unconscious. Justice Tony Hunt described the offence as shocking and violent, commending the investigative work of gardaí at Athlone. Concurrent sentences for false imprisonment were also imposed on both men. Sychulec has previous convictions for drugs offences, extortion and robbery. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty.
The High Court has awarded approximately €700,000 in damages to Mary Molloy, the former owner of Bartragh Island in Killala Bay, County Mayo. Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan ruled on Friday that Ms Molloy was entitled to the damages arising from a 1996 option agreement with Sean Simon of Deerpark, Loughrea, County Roscommon, which was never completed. The island was subsequently sold to a company controlled by golfer Nick Faldo in 1997 for €1.5 million. Ms Molloy had sought to exercise her right to repurchase the property but was unable to do so after the mortgagee, Irish Nationwide Building Society, agreed to its sale. The High Court had previously found in 2003 that Ms Molloy's attempts to exercise her option had been frustrated. The assessment of damages proceeded following the withdrawal of a Supreme Court appeal and re-entry of the case in 2014. A smaller adjoining island is also to be transferred to Ms Molloy.
A long-running dispute over Bartragh Island in Killala Bay, County Mayo, returned before the High Court on Tuesday. The case concerns a 1996 agreement between former island owner Mary Molloy and Sean Simon regarding a purchase option. Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan dismissed Mr Simon's preliminary application to strike out proceedings on grounds of inordinate and inexcusable delay. The judge acknowledged a delay of over ten years had occurred but determined it was in the interests of justice to proceed with assessing damages. The case will now advance to a damages assessment hearing. In 2003, the High Court previously ruled that Ms Molloy's attempts to exercise her option to repurchase the island had been frustrated when a mortgagee lender agreed to sell the property to an international golf company.
The State withdrew a murder charge against a 22-year-old man at the Central Criminal Court following several days of legal argument. Matthew Gralton, from Mt Prospect, County Roscommon, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly, aged 47, on a bog lane in Kilbride, Clara, County Offaly between 29 December 2013 and 7 January 2014. Prosecution counsel Patrick Marrinan SC entered a nolle prosequi, indicating the decision not to proceed with the case. Justice Patrick McCarthy discharged Mr Gralton from the charge. The trial of Ross Allen, aged 25, with addresses in Carrickmines, County Dublin and Clara, County Offaly, continues. Mr Allen has pleaded not guilty to Mr Daly's murder. The prosecution presented evidence from witnesses during proceedings before the jury, comprising five women and six men. The trial is due to resume before Justice McCarthy on Friday morning.
Ross Allen (25) has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly, aged 47, at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, County Offaly between 29 December 2013 and 7 January 2014. His co-accused Matthew Gralton (22) of Mount Prospect, County Roscommon has also pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the Central Criminal Court, Detective Sergeant Jer Glavin gave evidence that Mr Allen told gardaí during interview that he attended a meeting in Clara where the use of violence against the deceased was discussed. Mr Allen stated he was instructed to obtain a hammer and torch, and that a sawn-off shotgun was collected during the journey to Bog Lane. He said he acted as lookout while others proceeded to the caravan, after which he heard two shots. Mr Allen told gardaí he believed these were warning shots and did not anticipate lethal force would be used. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
At the Central Criminal Court, a cage fighter and a second man have been convicted of murdering a 23-year-old Polish national in June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34 and resident at Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35 from Warsaw, Poland, were found guilty of killing Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. The trial heard that Mr Krupa was assaulted and rendered unconscious before being left to drown in the River Shannon. Evidence presented included witness testimony, DNA findings on Sychulec's belongings, photographic documentation of drag marks leading to the water, and CCTV footage placing both men together at the scene. The jury deliberated for five hours before delivering unanimous guilty verdicts. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13th, when both defendants will receive mandatory life sentences. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty. Cage Fighter pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old man at the Central Criminal Court will resume deliberations on Friday morning. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon, on 20 June 2014. The court heard that Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon River following a violent assault that left him unconscious. The prosecution alleges both men transported the deceased to the riverbank, assaulted him, and threw him into the water. The defence has contended that alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault may be appropriate depending on the evidence of intent. Mr Justice Tony Hunt instructed the jury that they could return alternative verdicts on these lesser charges. The twelve-member jury deliberated for one hour and forty-nine minutes before adjourning for the night.
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in the trial of two men charged with murdering a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon has been instructed that it may return alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both deny a further charge of false imprisonment on the same date. The trial heard that Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon following a violent assault that rendered him unconscious. Mr Justice Tony Hunt advised the jury it could return a manslaughter conviction if it found there was no intention to kill or cause serious injury, or alternatively convict of assault causing harm. DNA evidence linked Mr Sychulec to the deceased. The jury commenced deliberations before lunchtime.
The jury in the trial of two men charged with the murder of a 23-year-old in Athlone is expected to begin deliberating on Thursday. The Central Criminal Court heard that Patryk Krupa drowned following a violent assault on 20 June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murder at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. Both also deny charges of false imprisonment on the same date. Mr Justice Tony Hunt began his charge to the jury on Wednesday, completing it on Thursday before the 12-member panel retire to consider their verdicts on four counts. The prosecution contended that the accused men assaulted the deceased and left him to drown in the River Shannon. The defence disputed identification evidence relating to one accused and suggested alternative liability for assault or manslaughter rather than murder.
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in a murder trial heard closing arguments concerning the death of a 23-year-old man in June 2014. Prosecutors alleged that the two accused men violently assaulted the victim and left him to drown in the River Shannon near Athlone, County Roscommon. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, a resident of Warsaw, Poland, have each pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment charges relating to the incident. The State's closing submission contended that DNA evidence recovered from Mr Sychulec's clothing linked him to the deceased. The defence challenged the identification evidence against Mr Gruchacz, questioning the reliability of CCTV footage and passport photographs. A witness testified that he was present during the incident. The judge will deliver his charge to the jury on Wednesday.
The State has completed its case at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old man in Athlone. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. The court heard that Mr Krupa drowned after sustaining a head injury during a violent assault. Both defendants also deny charges of falsely imprisoning Mr Krupa on the same date and location. Evidence presented included CCTV footage and a statement from a witness who spoke to Mr Sychulec on the night in question. The jury, comprising four women and eight men, was adjourned to allow legal matters to be discussed in their absence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
The Central Criminal Court has heard DNA evidence linking a deceased man to items seized from one of two men on trial for his murder. Patryk Krupa, aged 23, drowned in the River Shannon on 20 June 2014 following an alleged violent assault in Athlone, County Roscommon. DNA profiler Dr Stephen Clifford testified that genetic material matching the deceased was recovered from a bloodstained watch and sock belonging to Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford. The scientist stated the probability of the DNA originating from another person was less than one in a billion for the watch sample and less than one in 11 million for the sock. DNA matching Mr Krupa was also found on a black BMW, the court heard. Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have each pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges both men forcibly removed Mr Krupa and left him incapacitated in the river. The trial continues.
Evidence has been heard at the Central Criminal Court in relation to a driving licence found in the name of a witness in a murder trial. Tomas Strugacz testified that his Polish driving licence went missing in Dublin in June 2013, which he reported to gardaí in Lucan before obtaining a replacement. An identification card bearing his name and address but a different photograph was produced in court during proceedings. The trial concerns Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa, aged 23, at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. They also deny falsely imprisoning the deceased on the same date. The court has heard that Mr Krupa drowned following a violent assault. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
The Central Criminal Court trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old at Bogganfin, Athlone has continued with legal argument in the absence of the jury. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, face charges of murdering Patryk Krupa on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a separate charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused removed Mr Krupa from Athlone, travelled to the Shannon riverbank, and assaulted him before he drowned while incapacitated. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt began last week and entered its seventh day. Procedural matters were addressed before the jury this morning, with further evidence anticipated this afternoon.
A key prosecution witness in a Central Criminal Court murder trial conceded during cross-examination that he disclosed nothing to gardaí about the alleged killing until after his own arrest on suspicion of murder. Kuba Zmuda testified that he witnessed the assault on Patryk Krupa, aged 23, on the banks of the River Shannon near Athlone on 20 June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, of Warsaw, Poland, are charged with Mr Krupa's murder. Both men deny the allegations and also deny a separate charge of false imprisonment. The trial heard that Mr Krupa died from a head injury sustained during an assault. Under cross-examination by the defence barrister, Mr Zmuda acknowledged that he had made no statement to gardaí prior to his arrest, despite meeting Mr Krupa's sister and receiving a phone call from his girlfriend. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and jury. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A witness has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he observed two men remove a 23-year-old from a vehicle, assault him for approximately 15 minutes, and subsequently drag him towards the River Shannon. Kuba Zmuda was providing evidence in the trial of Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland. Both men are charged with the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Each defendant has entered a not guilty plea to the murder charge and to a separate count of false imprisonment. Mr Zmuda described being present when the accused men located Mr Krupa on Church Street in Athlone town centre and brought him to a location near the N6 bridge crossing the Shannon. He stated the men beat and kicked Mr Krupa, who was subsequently found drowned. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence that a 23-year-old man drowned in the Shannon River following a violent assault that left him incapacitated. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy described severe blunt force trauma to the deceased's head, including a fractured nose, facial swelling, and injuries consistent with kicks and punching. She found blood-tinged froth in the airways and river debris in the lungs, indicating drowning while unconscious. The brain trauma was sufficient to cause concussion or unconsciousness, rendering the victim unable to resist being pulled into the water, the pathologist concluded. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon, on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning the death of a 23-year-old man recovered from the Shannon in June 2014. The deceased's mother described viewing her son's body at Roscommon mortuary, noting severe bruising and swelling to his face and head. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused subjected the victim to a severe beating before placing him in the river. A witness testified to observing two men wearing blood-stained clothing at a fuel station later that evening. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues with a jury of twelve.
A woman described finding her boyfriend's body in the Shannon River while pregnant, giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men charged with his murder. Malwina Kurowski testified that she had been unable to contact Patryk Krupa after he finished work in Athlone on 20 June 2014. She said her brother told her Mr Krupa had been taken by unknown men. Ms Kurowski collected her brother and a friend, and they drove to Bogganfin near the N6 bridge where they discovered Mr Krupa's belongings and found him in the water. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are each charged with murdering the 23-year-old man by beating him unconscious and leaving him to drown. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt is expected to last over three weeks.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Matthew Gralton and Ross Allen, who are accused of the murder of Christy Daly. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charge. State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Mr Daly, whose body was found in a drain at Bog Lane, Clara, Co Offaly, likely suffered significant blunt force trauma before being shot. She detailed injuries including knocked-out teeth, a fractured nose, and facial lacerations, concluding that these impacts occurred prior to the gunshot wounds which finally incapacitated him. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, with hypothermia and coronary artery disease as contributing factors. Detective Sergeant Pat Cleary testified that he received an anonymous text message on December 30, 2013, alerting him to someone badly hurt on Curragh Road, Clara. This tip-off was linked to Mr Daly, who had been missing since December 29 and whose caravan had been burnt out. The body was located on January 7, 2014. The trial is proceeding before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. One juror was discharged after informing the court she was overwhelmed by the proceedings following a recent bereavement. The matter was adjourned to continue tomorrow.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from CCTV footage during the trial of two men charged with murder in County Roscommon. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan in Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are accused of murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. The prosecution alleges the victim was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the Shannon. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to a second charge each of false imprisonment on the same date and location. A jury of twelve was empanelled to hear the case. Video footage captured at Collins Service Station in Athlone on the evening in question was presented to the jury, along with still photographs extracted from the footage. The jury was subsequently excused pending discussion of legal matters.
At the Central Criminal Court, the son of a deceased man gave evidence regarding his final hours with his father on December 29, 2013. Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Mt Prospect in County Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, with addresses in Carrickmines, County Dublin and Clara, County Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara. The prosecution alleges that Mr Daly discovered drugs valued at €30,000 concealed on the remote laneway where he resided, and that individuals connected to the drugs subsequently arranged his killing. The State contends that whilst neither accused was the gunman, both had a role in the death. The witness testified that he spent the day with his father and planned to meet him later that evening, but received no response when he attempted to contact him approximately 90 minutes after they parted. Mr Daly's body was discovered in a drain on January 7, 2014.
Two men appeared before the Central Criminal Court in April 2016 charged with the murder of a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon nearly two years earlier. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both men also denied a charge of false imprisonment on the same date and location. The prosecution outlined that the victim had been subjected to severe violence and subsequently drowned in the Shannon River. Evidence was expected to show that witnesses identified the accused men leaving a black BMW vehicle at the riverside location. A pathologist was anticipated to give evidence regarding injuries consistent with footwear marks and that the victim was unconscious when entering the water. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, was expected to continue for more than three weeks.
A witness told the Central Criminal Court that Christy Daly, aged 47, expressed concern about men in dark clothing loitering near his home on the day he went missing. Gary Gonoude gave evidence at the trial of Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, from Co Dublin and Offaly, who have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly between December 29, 2013 and January 7, 2014. Mr Gonoude told prosecuting counsel that when towing a car to Mr Daly's residence on December 29, 2013, they encountered several hooded figures in the laneway. Mr Daly questioned their presence. Defence counsel for Mr Gralton challenged inconsistencies in Mr Gonoude's accounts to gardaí and in court testimony regarding the number and appearance of those present. Mr Daly's brother confirmed they last met that day. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, a prosecution barrister opened the trial of two men accused of murdering a 47-year-old man in Co Offaly in late 2013. The court heard that the alleged killing occurred at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, between late December 2013 and early January 2014. Matthew Gralton, aged 22 and from Mt Prospect, Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25 with addresses in Dublin and Offaly, have each pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution alleges both men admitted involvement in the killing during interviews with gardaí in February 2014, though neither claims to have fired the fatal shots. The court was told the victim discovered a €30,000 drugs stash on the laneway where he lived. The prosecution contends this triggered his death at the hands of individuals sent from Dublin. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, and his remains were discovered in a drain in January 2014. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Paul Henry, 29, of Roscommon, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. He was charged with murdering his mother, Ann Henry, at Abbeystown, Ballyphesan, in Roscommon town on September 17, 2011. Mr Henry pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder by reason of insanity. During the trial, defence counsel called Professor Tom Fahey, who diagnosed a delusional disorder, while the prosecution called Dr Brenda Wright, who diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after one hour and 36 minutes of deliberation. At the sentencing stage, Dr Damian Mohan, an approved medical officer at the Central Mental Hospital, testified that Mr Henry continues to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia and requires inpatient care to prevent deterioration and risk to others. Mr Justice Tony Hunt accepted the evidence, stating that Mr Henry must be treated as an unwell person rather than a criminal. The judge ordered that Mr Henry be committed to the Central Mental Hospital under the supervision of Dr Mohan and his staff, noting that this inpatient care is necessary until he is no longer a danger to himself or others.
A 29-year-old man from Roscommon has been found not guilty of murdering his mother by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court. Paul Henry was charged with killing Ann Henry at Abbeystown, Ballyphesan on 17 September 2011. The defence conceded that Henry killed his mother but argued he was legally insane at the time. Two psychiatrists gave evidence: the defence called a consultant psychiatrist who diagnosed a delusional disorder, whilst the prosecution's forensic psychiatrist diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. Both experts testified that Henry lacked capacity to form criminal intent due to his mental condition. The jury deliberated for one hour and 36 minutes before returning a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge ordered Henry's detention at the Central Mental Hospital and praised the jury for their careful consideration of the evidence.
A man from Roscommon has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his mother by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court. Paul Henry, aged 29, is charged with stabbing Ann Henry to death at Abbeystown, Ballyphesan in Roscommon town on 17 September 2011. During the trial, forensic psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright gave evidence that she had diagnosed Mr Henry with paranoid schizophrenia, characterised by delusions that his mother and others were conspiring to harm him. Dr Wright told the court that Mr Henry believed his mother intended to have him killed and that he would be killed if he did not kill her first. Both prosecution and defence counsels submitted to the jury that the evidence supported a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecution noted that medical staff at the Central Mental Hospital supported this assessment. The jury commenced deliberations following the judge's charge.
A forensic psychiatrist has told the Central Criminal Court that a 29-year-old Roscommon man lacked the capacity to form intent when he stabbed his mother to death due to mental disorder. Paul Henry, of Ardsallagh, Athlone Road, Roscommon, pleaded not guilty to murdering Ann Henry at Abbeystown, Ballyphesan on 17 September 2011 by reason of insanity. Dr Brenda Wright, a prosecution psychiatrist, testified that Mr Henry suffered from paranoid schizophrenia characterised by delusions concerning his mother. The court heard Mr Henry believed his mother intended to have him killed and that he would himself be killed if he did not act. Dr Wright stated that Mr Henry did not understand the nature of his actions and was unable to refrain from them. The trial at the Central Criminal Court continues.