Three men remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison following a High Court ruling that they must stay detained indefinitely until they comply with orders to vacate a farm in Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, Kevin Taylor and Colm Granahan were jailed for contempt of court after refusing to give undertakings to stay away from the property, which was subject to a repossession order by KBC bank and subsequent vacant possession orders. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds found their actions constituted a flagrant, deliberate and contrived breach of existing court orders. The judge noted evidence that all three were present on the farm despite having no entitlement to be there, and referenced an orchestrated social media campaign that undermined court authority and encouraged others to attend the property. The men have been offered opportunities to purge their contempt but have demonstrated unwillingness to do so. Mr Granahan is from Ballina, County Mayo, Mr Taylor is a retired Garda from Longford, and Mr McGann is from Strokestown.
Three men remain imprisoned in Mountjoy following their refusal to comply with High Court orders at a hearing last week. Michael Anthony McGann, Colm Granahan and Kevin Taylor were found in contempt of court for breaching orders to stay away from a property at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. The men, arrested by An Garda Síochána, appeared before the High Court via video-link on Monday. Justice Leonie Reynolds invited each to purge their contempt by undertaking to comply with the orders sought by KBC Bank, but all three refused, instead disputing the validity of the court orders. The judge determined that imprisonment must continue, noting the men could return to court at any time to comply. KBC Bank's counsel indicated the bank does not seek imprisonment but requires the men's undertakings to vacate the property, which the bank has now secured. The matter originates from a €431,000 debt on the farm, with the men having remained on the property in breach of earlier possession orders.
Colm Granahan was committed to Mountjoy Prison on Friday by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds after refusing to provide an undertaking to stay away from a farm in Falsk, Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The judge stated she had no choice but to commit him until he purges his contempt of court orders. This follows the earlier jailing of Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor, both of whom were jailed for failing to give undertakings to comply with orders to vacate the farm. KBC Bank, which holds possession orders arising from a €431,000 debt, argued that an undertaking would satisfy its requirements, though it did not seek incarceration. Mr Granahan, from Ballina, Co Mayo, objected to the court's characterization of the orders as technically flawed and refused to answer the judge's request for an undertaking, stating he was "remaining mute." The judge noted that the matter would be reviewed next week. The farm has been the subject of ongoing proceedings involving the McGann siblings and KBC Bank, including a controversial eviction in 2018 and subsequent incidents involving security personnel. The court emphasized that the refusal to comply with the injunction resulted in the contempt proceedings.
Two men remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison after refusing to give undertakings to vacate a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor of Longford were remanded in continuing custody by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds at the High Court on Thursday. Both men declined to provide sworn undertakings to comply with court orders made in favour of KBC Bank requiring them to leave the premises. The bank obtained an order for possession in 2018 following a substantial debt on the property. Mr McGann disputed the proceedings, claiming perjury and fraud, whilst Mr Taylor stated he would remain in prison rather than comply. Ms Justice Reynolds said her function was solely to ensure compliance with court orders and that she would not engage with conspiracy theories. The matter will be reviewed the following week, with both men entitled to apply to purge their contempt at any time.
Two men have been remanded in custody following their failure to comply with High Court orders to vacate a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor of Dublin Road, Longford were arrested on Wednesday morning and brought before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds at the High Court. The judge heard that both men were in contempt of court orders requiring them to leave the premises. KBC Bank, which holds an injunction granting it vacant possession of the farm, told the court that Mr McGann had breached an undertaking given last month to vacate the property and had made statements on social media indicating he would not leave. Mr Taylor was said to have been present at the farm and part of a coordinated attempt to frustrate the court's orders. Both men were remanded to Mountjoy Prison pending a further hearing on Thursday to address the contempt proceedings.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds of the High Court has ordered the arrest of any person found in occupation of a farm at Falsk, Strokestown in County Roscommon. The order was made against three named individuals: Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner; former Garda Kevin Taylor of Dublin Road, Longford; and Colm Granahan from Ballina, County Mayo. KBC Bank, which previously obtained an injunction for vacant possession of the property, presented evidence to the court that the three remain on the farm in breach of High Court orders. The judge found that the individuals were engaged in a concerted effort to undermine court orders. She directed that the three, along with any other occupants discovered on the property, be brought before the court by An Garda Síochána to answer allegations of contempt. The judge stated that Gardaí may use all reasonable force necessary to enforce the order. The matter will return to court at a later date.
The High Court in Dublin has heard that a farm at Falsk, Strokestown in County Roscommon remains occupied in breach of court orders granted to KBC Bank. The property has been at the centre of protracted legal proceedings involving three siblings—Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann—and the financial institution, which secured a possession order several years ago following a €431,000 debt. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds had issued a deadline of 6pm on Sunday, 1 November for all occupants to vacate, warning that those remaining could face imprisonment for contempt of court. When the matter was mentioned before the court on Tuesday, the judge was informed the farm remained occupied by several individuals, preventing KBC from taking possession. Ms Justice Reynolds indicated her willingness to hear the bank's application to commit those currently on the property for contempt. The matter will be considered by the court on Friday.
A High Court judge has warned that any person occupying a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, Co Roscommon after 6pm on Sunday is likely to face imprisonment for contempt of court. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds made the remarks after being informed that whilst the three McGann siblings have complied with orders to vacate the property, which is subject to a repossession order by KBC bank, other individuals are preventing the bank from taking possession. The court heard that a retired garda and possibly others remain on the farm. Counsel for KBC stated that the retired garda has acted in a threatening manner towards the bank's agents and that social media posts have encouraged defiance of court orders. Ms Justice Reynolds expressed concern at what she described as a deliberate breach of the court's order and indicated she would hear applications for committal if the property was not vacated by the deadline. The case will return to court the following week.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds has directed gardai to arrest three siblings at the centre of a protracted property dispute in Co Roscommon and bring them before the High Court. Michael Anthony, David and Geraldine McGann face allegations of contempt of court arising from their alleged failure to vacate their family home at Falsk, near Strokestown, following a KBC bank possession order. The judge indicated she was satisfied the McGanns were fully aware of the bank's application and the potential consequences of non-compliance. An injunction granted last October required the family to leave by noon on 12 November, an order the judge noted had not been obeyed. The McGanns, absent from proceedings and unrepresented, had previously been advised of the bank's application. Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned the matter to April. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction that attracted national attention when the property was retaken by masked individuals. The McGanns have remained on the property since.
The High Court has granted KBC Bank permission to pursue proceedings that could result in the imprisonment of three siblings for alleged non-compliance with a court order to vacate their family home near Strokestown, County Roscommon. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds made directions on a motion seeking the attachment and committal to prison of Michael Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann. The bank claims the siblings have breached an October injunction requiring them to leave the property at Falsk by November 12th. The court ordered that any personal service of documents on the McGanns be carried out with gardaí present, with the motion to return next month. In a related application, the judge allowed the McGanns' former solicitors to cease representation after losing contact with the clients, though she directed them to inform their former clients of the court's decision and explain the gravity of their situation. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction following a possession order secured by KBC years earlier.
KBC bank has moved to seek committal orders against three siblings from near Strokestown, County Roscommon, over alleged non-compliance with a High Court direction to vacate their family farm. The High Court heard on Friday that Michael Anthony, David and Geraldine McGann have not left the property at Falsk despite an injunction granted in October requiring them to vacate by November 12th. Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned the matter to early the following week after being informed that related proceedings concerning the removal of legal representation for David and Geraldine McGann are pending. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction executed following a possession order obtained by KBC years earlier. The borrower had fallen into arrears on a loan of approximately €431,000, with the last repayment recorded in February 2014. The McGanns have remained on the property since returning after that eviction.
A man has been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment following a hammer attack on a shopkeeper in Dublin in March 2017. John McKeon, aged 31 and with an address in Strokestown, County Longford, was convicted by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of robbery, attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm. He and his cousin targeted Tansey's Newsagent on Fitzmaurice Road, Finglas, where McKeon struck the shopkeeper three times to the head with a claw hammer, causing severe traumatic brain injury. The victim, who remains in recovery, was the sole carer for his blind wife and three children. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a sentence of twelve-and-a-half years with the final eighteen months suspended. McKeon's cousin, Daryl McKeon, was previously jailed for seven years in connection with the same incident. Daryl McKeon pleaded guilty.
A family in Co Roscommon has been ordered by the High Court to vacate their home near Strokestown within one month. Mr Justice Senan Allen ruled on Friday that KBC bank is entitled to an injunction requiring siblings Michael Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann to leave their property at Falsk. The judge found the defendants have no legal entitlement to remain and are trespassers, having lost a possession order obtained by the bank in 2012. The family must vacate by noon on 12 November. The case stems from a controversial eviction attempt in December last year when the property was repossessed following loan arrears exceeding €431,000. The McGanns subsequently re-entered and occupied the property. Their legal representatives indicated an intention to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal and requested a stay on the vacation order, which the judge partially granted to allow time for alternative accommodation.
The High Court application by KBC Bank to evict a family from their home near Strokestown in County Roscommon will be heard on 10 October. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds rejected a request by David McGann to consolidate separate proceedings he has initiated with the bank's injunction application. Mr McGann seeks to challenge the validity of the possession order executed by the Roscommon County Registrar and to prevent any party from taking possession of the property. The judge found that consolidating the cases, which involve different parties and distinct issues, would unnecessarily increase legal costs. The McGann siblings were evicted from the farm property in December 2018 following a repossession order obtained by KBC several years earlier. The registered owner, Michael Anthony McGann, fell into arrears on a loan and owed approximately €431,000 to the bank. The family subsequently returned to the property.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned a High Court application by KBC Bank for an injunction requiring the McGann family to vacate their home at Falsk, near Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The matter was not concluded and will be heard next term due to judicial availability difficulties. KBC seeks an order requiring siblings Michael Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann to leave the property, which is subject to a loan agreement where Michael Anthony McGann is the registered owner and owes approximately €431,000. The application is opposed. Counsel for the applicants, David Browne BL, instructed by solicitor Donnacha Anhold, argued the hearing would take longer than KBC estimated and requested that related proceedings brought by David McGann be consolidated. David McGann's separate action challenges the validity of the possession order obtained by KBC and seeks orders preventing interference with the property. Ms Justice Reynolds granted permission to seek consolidation of the two cases. Michael Anthony McGann was absent, and no representations were made on his behalf. The family was previously evicted in December following the execution of a 2012 possession order, an incident that drew national attention after security personnel were attacked. KBC commenced these injunction proceedings in May, noting that Gardaí have cleared the bank to proceed.
KBC bank has sought an expedited hearing of its High Court application for an injunction requiring three siblings to vacate their home near Strokestown, County Roscommon. The bank seeks an order for Michael Anthony, David and Geraldine McGann to leave the property at Falsk, which was subject to a possession order obtained in 2012. Michael Anthony McGann is alleged to have fallen into arrears on a loan totalling approximately €431,000, with the last repayment recorded in February 2014. The eviction was executed in 2018 and subsequently gained national attention following a security incident. David and Geraldine McGann have opposed the application through their legal representatives. David McGann has separately commenced related proceedings challenging the validity of the possession order's execution. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned KBC's injunction application for two weeks, indicating that no hearing date would be fixed until relevant documents were exchanged and the case was ready to proceed.
A 19-year-old man from Strokestown, County Longford, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent offences committed during an escape from Oberstown Children's Detention Campus in Lusk, County Dublin, on 29 May 2017. Michael Ward pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault causing harm, and assault while attempting to commit theft. During the incident, Ward struck the campus director with a metal bar, causing bleeding, and caused extensive damage to the facility estimated at €17,135. He and other detainees barricaded themselves in an office, armed themselves with metal fixtures, and used an angle grinder to breach the campus perimeter fence. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed concurrent sentences of four years for assault and five years for criminal damage, suspending the final 12 months of both terms. She considered Ward's early guilty plea, efforts at rehabilitation, youth, and apology. Ward is currently serving an earlier four-year sentence, with 12 months suspended, for separate criminal damage offences at Oberstown.
A farmer from near Strokestown in County Roscommon has initiated High Court proceedings against KBC Bank and several related parties following an attempted eviction of his family home in December 2018. David McGann, represented by solicitor and counsel, is seeking various declarations and orders, including preventing any party from taking possession of the property. The eviction attempt attracted significant national attention after security operatives were forced from the property by masked individuals. That incident, which resulted in alleged assault on security personnel, vehicle fires, and the death of a dog, remains under Garda investigation. The McGanns subsequently regained access to their home. Mr McGann's action names KBC Bank, Trinity Asset Managerial Services Ltd, GS Agencies Ltd, Local Authority Services Ltd, and Aidan Devlin, whom he alleges are bank agents, alongside the County Registrar of Roscommon. He seeks declarations that the defendants acted unlawfully and breached his constitutional rights and European Convention protections during the December execution attempt, and claims damages for trespass and defamation.
Michael Ward, 19, of Co Longford, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage, assault causing harm, and assault while attempting to commit theft at Oberstown Children's Detention Campus in Lusk, Co Dublin, on May 29, 2017. The court heard that Ward is currently serving a four-year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended, for prior criminal damage offences at the same facility. Prosecution evidence alleged that Ward assaulted a staff member, barricaded himself in an office with other youths, and struck Campus Director Pat Bergin in the head with a metal bar. Ward and two others allegedly used an angle grinder to cut through the campus fence to escape, causing €17,135 in damage. Ward has 56 previous convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that Ward minimised his actions and ordered a governor's report and a probation report to be prepared. The matter was adjourned for sentencing to March 22 of this year.
A man from Strokestown, County Longford, has been sentenced to four years in prison for causing over €50,000 in damage to Oberstown Children Detention Campus during four separate incidents in 2016. The 18-year-old, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal damage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incidents involved stand-offs with staff spanning between three and four hours each. One incident included a fire being set in a multi-purpose room. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence with the final year suspended, and ordered two years' probation supervision upon release. The court acknowledged Ward's efforts at rehabilitation while in detention and his expressions of remorse, but noted the incidents were violent and aggressive, causing significant anxiety to staff and residents. Two further counts of assault and theft were taken into account.
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.