Ali Charaf Damache, a 49‑year‑old Algerian‑born Irish citizen, is wanted in the United States on terrorism charges alleging he conspired to provide support to terrorists. His Irish lawyers, led by Mícheál P O'Higgins SC, argued in the High Court that U.S. sentencing would lack proportionality and violate his constitutional rights to a fair trial and due process. They noted that U.S. federal guidelines for Islamic terrorism offences carry a 97% conviction rate and that a life sentence is effectively imposed, with Damache facing up to 45 years in prison if convicted. The lawyers contended that such sentences would be "a lot more" than could be imposed in Ireland. The extradition hearing, now before Justice Aileen Donnelly after a Supreme Court‑directed review, will continue on Wednesday. The case follows a November Supreme Court appeal that overturned a decision not to prosecute Damache in Ireland. The U.S.
Lawyers for Ali Charaf Damache, a 49‑year‑old Algerian‑born Irish citizen, read an Amnesty International report to the Irish High Court describing the conditions at the US ADX Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. The report, based on information from attorneys and courts, characterises the prison as "inhuman, cruel and degrading," noting that prisoners are kept in solitary confinement and that conditions have become more restrictive, with an example of a man self‑mutilating. The court was told that many Muslim terrorist suspects are sent to ADX and that the US government would not preclude sending a mentally ill person who is not actively psychotic at entry. Damache is wanted in the US on terrorism charges and could face up to 45 years if convicted. He has been in Irish custody since the DPP declined to prosecute him in 2011 and the case is set to resume next Tuesday.
In a High Court hearing on 27 November 2014, lawyers for Ali Charaf Damache, a 49‑year‑old Algerian‑born Irish citizen, argued that they require the Director of Public Prosecutions' reasons for refusing to prosecute him in Ireland in order to contest his extradition to the United States. Damache is wanted in the U.S. on terrorism charges, specifically an alleged conspiracy to provide support to terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate international terrorism. He had previously won a Supreme Court appeal for judicial review of the DPP's March 2011 refusal to prosecute, which also questioned whether the DPP was obliged to give reasons. The court noted that the Extradition Act now blocks extradition only if the DPP decides to bring charges, placing the decision in a third party's hands. Damache has been in custody since the U.S. sought his extradition in 2012, and the case was set to continue the following day.
The High Court heard arguments regarding the extradition of Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian-born Irish citizen wanted in the US on alleged charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate an act of international terrorism. Counsel for the defendant, Mícheál P O'Higgins SC, argued that surrendering Damache would breach his human rights, specifically concerning his ability to practice Islam. Affidavits highlighted significant barriers to religious observance in solitary confinement at the ADX Supermax Prison in Colorado, where Muslim inmates face difficulties performing ablutions and congregational prayers. O'Higgins also contended that US sentencing practices differ fundamentally from Irish law, noting that hearsay material could be used and that Damache faces a potential sentence of up to 45 years, which is significantly higher than Irish penalties. The Attorney General's counsel, Ms Cathleen Noctor BL, presented a diplomatic letter seeking Damache's surrender to stand trial in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. It was alleged that Damache contacted Colleen La Rose, who was convicted last January and sentenced to 10 years in prison for planning to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. Damache is alleged to have arranged for La Rose to travel to the Netherlands and Ireland to avoid US scrutiny. The case is before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly following a Supreme Court direction for a new judge to hear the matter after a previous refusal of leave for judicial review.
The High Court in Dublin has begun hearing the extradition case of Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian-born Irish citizen wanted by the US on international terrorism charges. This is the second hearing following a Supreme Court appeal where Damache successfully challenged the DPP's decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. The Supreme Court directed that the case proceed before a different judge, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, who commenced the proceedings. The US alleges Damache conspired to provide material support to terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate international terrorism. Prosecutors stated he contacted Colleen LaRose, known online as "Jihad Jane," claiming to be a "devoted jihadist." It is alleged he arranged for LaRose to travel to the Netherlands and Ireland to avoid US scrutiny and planned to form a terrorist cell, including seeking military training in Pakistan. LaRose was separately sentenced to 10 years in prison last January after being convicted of planning to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. Damache's defense argued that US sentencing guidelines are fundamentally flawed compared to Irish standards. If convicted in the US, Damache faces up to 45 years in jail. He has been in custody since 2012 pending the extradition outcome. The court remanded Damache in continuing custody, and the matter was adjourned to continue tomorrow.
Martha McEnery, a Garda sergeant, was convicted of assault in 2011 and received a four‑month suspended sentence. The conviction arose from an arrest in Waterford in January 2010. The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed her appeal. The Garda Commissioner, citing a breach of the 2007 Garda Siochana Discipline Regulations, recommended her dismissal. McEnery challenged the dismissal in judicial review, arguing that a criminal conviction alone could not justify summary dismissal. The High Court, presided over by President Nicholas Kearns, rejected her application. The judge found that the Commissioner had the authority to dismiss without an inquiry, that the breach was sufficiently grave, and that McEnery had not established any factual basis for discrimination or disproportionate treatment. The decision was upheld as rational and procedurally sound.
A Waterford resident, Zilvinas Antanovas, aged 27, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after biting two Gardaí who were attempting to arrest him for drug offences. Antanovas pleaded guilty to possession of heroin on Exchange Street Lower, Dublin, on 18 January 2014, to assaulting two Gardaí, and to possession of the synthetic drug M‑CAT. He claimed he had been lured to Ireland by Eastern European gangsters who seized his passport and forced him into drug dealing. Garda Gerard Reddy described the incident, noting that Antanovas threw away a plastic bag containing €300 worth of M‑CAT, resisted arrest violently, and required pepper spray to subdue him. The judge remanded him in custody until December, when a final sentence will be imposed. The State is considering an application to deport Antanovas.
Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian-born Irish citizen, was further remanded in custody at the High Court until November 25. The US is seeking his extradition on alleged charges of conspiracy to provide support to terrorists and attempted identity theft. If convicted in the US, he could face up to 45 years in jail. Mr Justice Tony Hunt ordered the remand so Damache can appear before the High Court sitting in the Criminal Courts of Justice. Damache has been in custody since 2012, following the DPP's decision in March 2011 not to prosecute him in Ireland. Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Damache was entitled to a judicial review of the DPP's refusal to prosecute and her failure to provide reasons. The Chief Justice directed that all related matters, including constitutional and human rights issues, proceed to hearing in the High Court as soon as possible. The court also granted leave for judicial review and legal aid, noting that if Damache loses the review, the extradition application will be heard immediately. The US alleges Damache conspired with Colleen LaRose, known online as Jihad Jane, to create a terror cell in Europe. LaRose was convicted of planning to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks and was sentenced in January to 10 years in prison.
In October 2013, Shane Cooney, aged 24, attacked Father Diarmuid Byrne, 70, in the priest's Rialto home with an iron bar, leaving him with a fractured skull and numerous facial wounds that required 26 stitches. Gardaí found blood‑stained iron bar and other items near the house after neighbours reported a disturbance. Cooney was arrested in an intoxicated state, pleaded guilty to burglary and assault, and was remanded on bail pending sentence. Judge Mary Ellen Ring set conditions for his bail, including residence at Tiglin, Wicklow, where he is to continue a 16‑month residential drug treatment programme. The case was adjourned to December to monitor his progress. The priest, who had been living alone, was initially confused and covered in blood when gardaí arrived at 1.30 a.m., and the house was ransacked but no items were taken. The court received a victim impact report and a medical report, though they were not read out.
Fred Forsey Jnr, a former Fine Gael councillor aged 45, was convicted in 2012 of receiving €80,000 in corrupt payments while serving as a Dungarvan town councillor. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Judge Gerard Griffin in Waterford Circuit Criminal Court. In October 2014, his counsel, Remy Farrell SC, applied for an extension of time to appeal both the conviction and the sentence. Farrell argued that the prosecution's case was flawed because the planning permission decision was solely the prerogative of Waterford County Council, not Dungarvan Town Council, and that the trial judge and prosecution may have misdirected jurors regarding legal changes. He also raised a second ground concerning the lack of consideration of these issues during the original trial. The court, presided over by Justice Elizabeth Dunne, Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan and Justice Michael Moriarty, granted a seven‑day extension, allowing Mr Forsey to file his notice of appeal.
An application by Fred Forsey for an enlargement of time to lodge an appeal against his conviction and sentence was adjourned to October 20. The matter was heard at the Court of Criminal Appeal case management list, where the court fixed the date for the subsequent hearing. Forsey, 45, is seeking additional time to file a notice of appeal, as defendants typically have 21 days from sentencing to do so. The application arises from conflicting accounts regarding whether Forsey instructed his former solicitor, John Devane, to appeal his case. Affidavits from the accused and his solicitor have been received, and the Director of Public Prosecutions intends to cross-examine both parties at the upcoming hearing. Counsel for Forsey, Remy Farrell SC, estimated the hearing would last one hour. In June 2012, Forsey was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with two years suspended, by Judge Gerard Griffin. He was found guilty by a Waterford Circuit Criminal Court jury of six counts of receiving corrupt payments between August and December 2006. Forsey, formerly of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, had denied taking €80,000 while serving as a town councillor. His ex-wife, Jenny Forsey, provided evidence against him during the trial. The current procedural stage is an appeal application, and the matter remains pending until the October 20 hearing.
In September 2014 the High Court in Dublin opened extradition proceedings against Ali Charaf Damache, a 49‑year‑old Algerian‑born Irish citizen. The United States seeks to charge him with conspiracy to provide material support for terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate an act of international terrorism. US prosecutors allege that Damache, who used the username "Theblackflag," conspired with American woman Colleen LaRose (online name "Jihad Jane") and others to create a terror cell in Europe capable of targeting US and western European citizens. They also claim he participated in a conspiracy to transfer a passport stolen from a US citizen to a person in Pakistan believed to be a member of Al Qaeda. LaRose was jailed in the US for ten years for a plot to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, and another alleged conspirator, Jamie Paulin Ramirez, was sentenced to eight years for providing material support to terrorists. Ali Charaf Damache pleaded guilty.
In 2010, a jury found freelance photographer Niall Williamson, aged 53, guilty of 85 tax‑offence charges covering 1998‑2004. He was originally sentenced in April 2012 to 240 hours of community service by Judge Olive Buttimer, who deemed imprisonment unnecessary and wanted him to teach photography. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. On 24 July 2014 the Criminal Court of the Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman, sentenced Williamson to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with 21 months suspended, after learning he still owed €272,936 in unpaid taxes and interest. The appeal court cited the lack of mitigating factors, the systematic nature of the fraud, and Williamson's failure to cooperate as reasons for the harsher custodial term. The new sentence replaced the original community‑service order.
In a 2014 Central Criminal Court hearing, Maurice Power, aged 31, was found guilty of murdering his childhood friend Shane Rossiter, 30, in October 2012. Power denied the murder but admitted to a long‑standing feud, including a stabbing seven years earlier. He claimed fear for his family and himself. The trial, lasting four weeks, included Power's full confession after his arrest on 11 December 2012. Pathologist Marie Cassidy described shotgun entry wounds to Rossiter's chest and abdomen, with no exit wounds, causing fatal internal injuries. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, deliberated over two days and returned a guilty verdict by 11 to 1. Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced Power to life imprisonment. The impact statement by Rossiter's sister, Jenna, highlighted the sudden loss of a brother and the profound grief felt by the family.
Noel Bailey, a 60‑year‑old farmer and agricultural machinery contractor operating an 80‑acre farm in Grantstown Ballacolla, Co. Laois, obtained a temporary High Court injunction to stop his son Darren from selling or disposing of farm machinery valued between €185,000 and €200,000. The machinery includes a combine harvester, a JCB mechanical loader and an Amazone One Pass sowing machine. Noel Bailey claimed that Darren had removed the equipment from the farm in February without permission and had offered one piece for sale on the Donedeal website and others on motor sales sites in Waterford and Kilkenny. Noel, who is in ill health, said the machinery is essential for his businesses and that damages would not be adequate. The injunction was granted ex‑parte by Mr Justice Brian McGovern and is returnable later that week.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Maurice Power, a 31‑year‑old Tipperary man charged with the murder of Shane Rossiter, the sister of the 29‑year‑old victim testified that Power had told her he was planning to sort out differences with her brother shortly before the shooting. Power was said to have approached the Rossiter family after the victim's return from Australia, apologising for past conflicts. Witnesses described a brief encounter between Power and the victim the evening before the killing, with no apparent tension. Liam O'Sullivan, a neighbour, heard two gunshots at 6.30 am on 17 October 2012 and saw a man in a grey hoodie leave the house. Paul McCarthy, who called emergency services, reported seeing a gun barrel exit a car window and hearing a shot. The prosecution noted that a black Audi A4, later burnt out in a Waterford bog, was linked to Power's partner. The trial continues.
In the trial of Maurice Power, 31, accused of murdering 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2012, a witness, Paul McCarthy, testified that he felt he was being set up by Rossiter. McCarthy, who is now in custody, said he was in the house on Church Lane, Golden, when Rossiter asked him to go outside. He claimed to have seen a gun barrel from a car, ran, and called emergency services after hearing one shot. McCarthy admitted taking drugs that night and that he could not recall details, including Rossiter's name. He also denied calling for weed delivery and said he had told Gardaí he was being set up. The prosecution alleged Power fired two shots, causing Rossiter's death. The trial is set to continue before a jury presided by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Maurice Power, aged 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter, who died on 17 October 2012 after being shot at a house party in Church Lane, Golden, Co. Tipperary. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified that a post‑mortem at Waterford Regional Hospital revealed two shotgun entry wounds to Rossiter's chest and abdomen, with no exit wounds, causing catastrophic internal injuries and massive blood loss. The wounds damaged the right lung, heart, liver, spleen, bowel, aorta and inferior vena cava, leading to death by blood loss. Cassidy noted Rossiter had taken cocaine, heroin, amphetamine and benzodiazepam, but these substances were not the cause of death. The trial continued on Tuesday before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 31‑year‑old Maurice Power of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter, who died on 17 October 2012 after being shot twice at a house party in Church Lane, Golden, Co. Tipperary. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC presented evidence that Power fired the shots, citing a black Audi A4 registered to Power's partner that was later burned in a bog in Co. Waterford. Power was arrested on 11 December 2012 for murder with a firearm. During a lengthy detention he allegedly made a full confession to the Gardaí, stating a long‑standing feud with Rossiter that began seven years earlier and involved a stabbing. The trial is proceeding before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy. The case remains at the trial stage.
An application by Fred Forsey for an enlargement of time to lodge an appeal against his conviction has been adjourned. Forsey, 45, is seeking additional time to file a notice of appeal, as defendants typically have 21 days from sentencing to do so. His counsel, Mr Remy Farrell SC, applied to adjourn the enlargement request, citing an affidavit regarding conflicting accounts over whether Forsey instructed his former solicitor, Mr John Devane, to appeal. Presiding Judge Adrian Hardiman ordered that Mr Devane be made a notice party to the application. The matter was listed on the Court of Criminal Appeal case management list for May 21, with a production order issued for that date. The judge noted that notice should be given if the matter is to be resolved by cross-examination. In June 2012, Forsey was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with two years suspended, by Judge Gerard Griffin. He had been found guilty by a Waterford Circuit Criminal Court jury of six counts of receiving corrupt payments between August and December 2006. Forsey, formerly of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, had denied taking €80,000 while serving as a town councillor. His ex-wife, Jenny Forsey, gave evidence against him at trial. The current procedural stage is an appeal, and the matter remains adjourned.
The High Court case brought by Waterford Mayor John Cummins against Twitter over alleged defamatory tweets has been resolved, allowing the action to be struck out. However, an order under Section 33 of the 2009 Defamation Act preventing the publication of the disputed statements remains in force for at least another week. Cummins had previously secured temporary injunctions requiring Twitter to remove the tweets and to refrain from publishing further defamatory content. The court, hearing the matter before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, noted that the proceedings against Twitter were settled but considered whether the Section 33 order could stay. Twitter's legal representative said the platform was not at fault, only the individual posters. The judge adjourned the case to the following Friday, maintaining the publication ban while the injunctions were in place.
The High Court has extradited 22‑year‑old Martina Frances McGrath of Waterford to the United Kingdom for an alleged hammer attack on a 28‑year‑old man in Essex on St Valentine's Day three years ago. UK prosecutors seek charges including wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, a offence punishable by up to 12 months' imprisonment. McGrath was arrested on 6 January 2014 under a European Arrest Warrant, and the court ordered her surrender to UK authorities, remanding her to Dóchas Centre for 15 days while arrangements are made for her transfer.
A 47‑year‑old Waterford man, Gerald Vollrath, will be sentenced next week for attempting to murder his 83‑year‑old mother, Vera Vollrath, while she lay in a nursing home. The mother died on 9 January 2012 at Killure Bridge Nursing Home, an outcome that had been expected after a severe stroke and Alzheimer's. Gerald admitted placing a pillow over her face for up to two minutes on the night of 8 January, an act that was later pleaded guilty as attempted murder after the murder charge was dropped. He claimed he acted out of compassion, believing his mother would not want to be a burden and that her death was imminent. The court will consider his admission and the circumstances of his mother's frail state before sentencing. The hearing was adjourned for a week. Gerald Vollrath pleaded not guilty.
In Waterford, Johanna Kelly (40) and Michelle Hynes (41), both without fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Joe O'Brien, a 60‑year‑old friend of the apartment's occupant. The killing occurred on 23 April 2012 when Patrick Keating struck O'Brien with a dumbbell, after which Kelly and Hynes joined, kicking him while he lay on the floor. Detective Garda David Butler described the assault as involving repeated kicks to the body, not the head, and noted that the victim had made a crude reference to oral sex, which may have provoked the attack. Both women had extensive criminal histories: Kelly 15 convictions, Hynes 24. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced them to six years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, and imposed two years of post‑release supervision. The judge expressed deep sensitivity to the family's suffering, citing a sad victim impact report.
Joanna Kelly, 40, and Michelle Hynes, 41, both without fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Joe O'Brien, a 60‑year‑old Waterford resident, at a party in April 2012. The killing occurred in an apartment on William Street where Patrick Keating, who is serving a life sentence for the murder, struck O'Brien with a dumbbell. Kelly and Hynes joined in, kicking the victim while he was defenseless. Detective Garda David Butler testified that five people were drinking that night and that the assault was partly triggered by O'Brien's remarks about oral sex and childhood anecdotes. Both defendants had numerous prior convictions for assault, theft and other offences. Kelly wrote a letter to the judge expressing shame, refusing to drink again, and acknowledging the lasting impact of her actions. The court heard that she had a history of depression, attempted suicide and had been in care for alcohol addiction.
A 47‑year‑old Gerald Vollrath of Tramore Heights pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his 83‑year‑old mother, Veronica Vollrath, in a Waterford nursing home on 9 January 2012. The original murder charge was dropped and replaced with the attempted murder charge. He was re‑arraigned on a substituted indictment. The judge ordered a victim impact report and relaxed his bail conditions, allowing him to sign in at a Garda station once a week and no longer surrender his passport when in Austria. He remains on continuing bail pending sentencing on 17 February. The unnamed 47-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In Waterford, Joanna Kelly (40) and Michelle Hynes (41), both without fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Joe O'Brien, a 60‑year‑old grandfather, at a party in an apartment on William Street on 23 April 2012. Patrick Keating, who used a dumbbell to strike O'Brien's head, is serving a life sentence for the murder. Detective Garda David Butler testified that five people were drinking in the apartment that night and that O'Brien was found lying on the floor after Keating struck him. Kelly and Hynes joined the assault, kicking the victim while he was defenseless. The detective noted that the assault may have been triggered by O'Brien's reference to oral sex and comments about Hynes's childhood. Both defendants have extensive criminal records and have been in custody since their arrest. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy adjourned the hearing of Kelly's submissions until Friday and will impose sentences before Christmas.
A 47‑year‑old Gerald Vollrath of Tramore Heights, Tramore, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Veronica Vollrath, 83, at Killure Bridge Nursing Home, Killure, on or about 9 January 2012. The case is set to be heard at the Central Criminal Court, where a jury of seven men and five women will be sworn in. The trial is scheduled to begin on Thursday and is expected to last five days.
Swords District Court heard four matters. Adrian Vaduva, 41, pleaded guilty to stealing a purse containing €848 and bank cards from Balbriggan Post Office. Judge Dempsey sentenced him to six months in prison, noting he failed to assist Gardaí with enquiries regarding an alleged accomplice. Luke Purcell, 18, pleaded guilty to stealing €70 worth of petrol. He was convicted and fined €200 after failing to provide a charitable donation. Clive Barry, 36, pleaded guilty to drink driving with a blood alcohol level of 209mg/100ml. He was disqualified for three years, with the mandatory disqualification postponed until January 1st. Mark Power, 33, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, lacking a licence, and leaving the scene of a collision. The matter was adjourned until next May for a Probation & Welfare report, with Power remanded on continuing bail.
David Rockett, 31, of Grawn Lower, Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford, pleaded guilty to possessing three mortar launch tubes manufactured for a dissident republican engineering network. The tubes were seized during a 2011 investigation; Rockett admitted he knew their purpose but claimed he was motivated by financial need. He told Gardaí the tubes were gateposts. The Special Criminal Court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with the last three‑and‑a‑half years suspended. Rockett was one of three men arrested in September 2011; the trial began in March 2014 but was adjourned after a "trial within a trial" on his detention. The State did not pursue charges against his co‑accused. The court noted Rockett's guilty plea, his otherwise good character, and his role as primary carer for his ill mother. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the court's view that Rockett had not appreciated its gravity.
The murder trial of Michael Furlong, 36, of Enniscorthy, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Barry White. Furlong has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Patrick Connors, 37, which is said to have occurred between April 28 and April 29, 2011, at Carraig Túr apartments. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar testified that the cause of death was sharp and blunt force trauma, with acute alcohol intoxication as a contributing factor. He identified defensive injuries on the deceased's upper extremities, stating they were neither self-inflicted nor accidental. Dr Jabbar noted that two knives examined matched the serrations of specific head wounds. He also reported bilateral jaw fractures, a detached molar, and a blood alcohol level of 161mg per cent. Defence counsel Mr Michael Delaney SC presented psychiatric records indicating a history of self-harm, including attempted suicide and hearing voices, but Dr Jabbar maintained these did not alter his view on the cause of injury. The defence noted that another pathologist, Dr Declan Gilsenan, would disagree with the cause of death and wound infliction. The cross-examination of Dr Jabbar was adjourned to continue the following day.
A 50‑year‑old British national, William Joseph O'Connor, was extradited to France where he had been convicted in absentia of murdering Jean Jacques Berteloot on Halloween night 2002. The High Court in Ireland sentenced O'Connor to 30 years' imprisonment for the killing, a sentence that was imposed while he was serving a sentence in the UK. He was arrested in March 2013 under a European Arrest Warrant issued by French authorities. The court noted that if he is returned to France he will be guaranteed a retrial and may be granted bail. O'Connor maintains his innocence, claiming he was set up by his co‑accused, Barry Finch. The case involves allegations that O'Connor stabbed Berteloot multiple times while attempting to steal his car and phone, after which both men fled to Amsterdam. The High Court ordered his surrender to France, where he will face a new trial. The proceedings are ongoing and no final verdict has yet been reached.