Court archive
Court reports mentioning Castlepollard, Westmeath
2026-07-28 · Westmeath
Two Westmeath brothers who sexually assaulted teenage girls in the mid-nineties have now been identified for the first time. John Owens (72) was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to nine counts of sexual assault against three teenage girls. His brother, Martin Owens (66), was also found guilty of sexually assaulting two of the victims. The victims, aged 14 to 17, were babysitting for Owens' children. During the trial, it was revealed that Owens groomed the victims and used alcohol to manipulate them. Martin Owens was sentenced to five years and six months, with the final six months suspended. The victims described the lasting trauma and emotional impact of the abuse. John Owens was sentenced to eight years, with a total headline sentence of 15 years reduced due to guilty pleas. The victims expressed relief in finally having their abusers identified and acknowledged their suffering.
2023-10-31 · Dublin
Paschal Kelly, aged 57, has failed in his appeal against conviction for a €92,000 post office robbery committed in September 2014. The Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge on all grounds, upholding his 18-year sentence imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 2018. Kelly, with last addresses in Cootehill, County Cavan, and Castlepollard, County Westmeath, was convicted of offences including false imprisonment, robbery, burglary and threatening to kill three women during the crime. The gang entered the home of postmistress Susan Lawlor in Malahide, bound her, her daughter and a student guest with cable ties, and transported them to Bayside Post Office in Sutton where the robbery occurred. Mr Justice John Edwards upheld the trial judge's admission of CCTV evidence and garda identification testimony, finding the evidence reliable and the conviction safe. Kelly's legal team indicated a sentence appeal remains pending. He has 60 previous convictions including robbery and assault.
2022-12-19 · Dublin
A man from County Cavan is appealing his conviction for a post office robbery in Dublin during which three women were tied up and abducted. Paschal Kelly, aged 56, was convicted in 2018 of robbery, false imprisonment, threatening to kill, and other offences relating to a €92,000 theft from Bayside Post Office in Sutton in September 2014. He was sentenced to 18 years. The Court of Appeal heard arguments on the strength of evidence against him. The State's counsel cited DNA evidence recovered from discarded clothing found at the scene and a bottle in the getaway vehicle, alongside CCTV footage and garda identifications of the driver. The defence challenged the quality of CCTV footage, arguing the jury should have been instructed not to make visual identifications themselves and questioned the reliability of mixed DNA profiles as evidence of guilt. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
2022-10-13 · Dublin
Paschal Kelly, a convicted criminal with 60 previous convictions, opened an appeal at the Court of Appeal against his 2018 conviction and 18-year sentence for a 2014 post office robbery in Sutton, Dublin. Kelly was convicted of trespass, false imprisonment, robbery, threatening to kill, and possession of a stolen vehicle. The charges relate to the abduction of postmistress Susan Lawlor, her daughter Emma Carter, and student Gabriella Saisa, who were bound and held overnight before being taken to the Bayside Post Office. Kelly denied all charges. His counsel, Martin O'Rourke KC, submitted ten grounds challenging the conviction and four against the sentence, arguing the trial judge erred in admitting CCTV identification evidence. O'Rourke contended the footage did not positively identify Kelly and that Garda witnesses failed to provide a specific description of the driver during initial interviews. The appeal, heard by Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, was adjourned to December 19. On that date, State counsel Roisin Lacey SC is scheduled to reply to the appellant's submissions. The matter remains pending and has not been concluded.
2022-06-28 · Westmeath
Abuse Survivor Aoife Farrelly has waived her anonymity to allow her brother, Cian Farrelly (30), to be named in connection with the rape and sexual assault of his sister at the family home in Castlepollard, Co Westmeath, between 2007 and 2009. Farrelly pleaded guilty to the charges at the Central Criminal Court. The victim, who was aged between seven and eight and a half at the time of the abuse, while Farrelly was aged between 15 and a half and 17 years old, described the impact of the abuse on her life, including self-harm, disordered eating, anxiety, stress, and OCD. She stated that she had undergone counselling, psychotherapy, and inpatient treatment for PTSD. During the sentencing hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that Ms Farrelly's childhood was destroyed and she was deeply affected by the abuse. He handed down a four-and-a-half year sentence and suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions, including that Farrelly have no contact of any kind with his sister. Speaking outside court, Ms Farrelly said she was pleased with the sentence that was handed down, saying that the headline sentence the judge mentioned was 'enough' for her. The matter was adjourned for the submission of reports, including a probation report and a report from forensic psychological services. Cian Farrelly took the stand at the end of the hearing to apologise to his sister.
2020-07-31 · Westmeath
An Albanian man, Emri Bardhoshi, fraudulently obtained Irish citizenship by pretending to be a Kosovan refugee, using a false identity that was five years younger than his actual age. He was granted Leave to Remain in 2007 and later naturalised under this false identity, also obtaining passports for himself and three of his four children. In 2017 he developed liver problems and feared that his understated age would affect treatment, prompting him to consult a solicitor and bring his case to authorities. He pleaded guilty to four offences related to passport fraud and a false declaration in his 2012 citizenship application. The Court of Appeal reduced his original 18‑month suspended sentence, imposing a total of three years in prison with nine months suspended, and required him to comply with conditions including a bond for good behaviour and a Garda visit on 1 September.
2018-05-30 · Westmeath
Two peat extraction companies have sought permission to appeal High Court decisions rejecting their challenges to An Bord Pleanála determinations that their operations are no longer exempt development. Bulrush Horticulture Ltd and Westland Horticulture Ltd, alongside Westmeath Peat Ltd and Cavan Peat Ltd, were rejected by Mr Justice Charles Meenan in February after the Board found their activities required planning permission from September 2012 onwards. The companies argue the cases raise points of exceptional public importance with significant implications for the peat industry. Key issues centre on whether environmental impact assessments apply to peat extraction and whether EU directives on environmental and habitat protection apply to operations that lawfully commenced as exempt development before 2012. An Bord Pleanála opposes the applications. Mr Justice Meenan reserved his decision on permitting appeals to the Court of Appeal following submissions from all parties.
2014-10-16 · Cavan
A 49-year-old man from Ballyjamesduff, Cavan was remanded in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his arrest on two outstanding warrants. Paschal Kelly, originally from Dublin, was apprehended in Castlepollard, Westmeath on charges including failing to make a valid tax return and threatening to kill a member of An Garda Síochána. Detective Sergeant Daniel O'Driscoll gave evidence of the arrest. Mr Kelly also faced 13 road traffic offences, for which he appeared in the District Court. His defence counsel consented to a three-week custodial remand. He is due to return before the circuit court on 6 November.