In a High Court hearing on 26 June 2018, dentist Mr Michael Maguire alleged that his colleague, Mr James Hiney, had installed secret cameras in their shared dental premises at Market Point, Mullingar, without his consent. Mr Maguire claimed the cameras, along with wiring and a microphone, captured his staff and patients, and that the footage was used to target his patients with marketing messages. He also alleged that Hiney had engaged in vandalism, harassment, and defamation, and that Hiney had withheld information from insurers about the building. Mr Maguire sought orders to prevent Hiney from monitoring his employees, to stop solicitation of his patients, to halt proposed construction works, to return all data including patient lists, and for damages. Justice Costello granted Mr Maguire permission to serve short‑notice proceedings against Hiney on an ex‑parte basis. The case is set to return to court later in the week.
Darren De Lacey, 37, of Cremona Road, Ballyfermot, was found in May 2017 driving a car with a bag of heroin while he was on bail for earlier cocaine offences. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, stopped the vehicle and discovered 744 g of heroin, worth an estimated €104,202, between his feet. De Lacey pleaded guilty to possession of heroin at a location on the M7 motorway on 22 May 2017. He had previously been convicted of possession for sale or supply of large quantities of cocaine, for which he received a seven‑year prison sentence with three years suspended in October 2017. The court imposed an additional four‑year prison term, to run consecutively with the sentence he is already serving, bringing his total custodial period to eight years. The judge noted De Lacey's 65 prior convictions, including 50 for road‑traffic offences and one for theft. The case highlights the continued enforcement of drug‑related offences in Dublin.
Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe gave evidence at the Charleton tribunal, describing the 2011 response to his complaints as "a kick in the teeth." Chief Superintendent Colm Rooney, now retired, admitted his 2011 circular letter congratulating Bailieboro station was inappropriate, stating his vindication of the station's standards was not warranted. McCabe testified that he felt forced out of his position as Sergeant in Charge in March 2008 and described a culture in An Garda Síochána that made it "extremely hard to speak out." He noted that his revelations regarding penalty points "really hit hard in the force." The tribunal also examined a 2006 allegation by Miss D against McCabe, where the DPP recommended against prosecution, finding no basis for an assault or sexual assault. McCabe stated he was exonerated and received support from colleagues. He also referenced a 2009 Facebook comment calling a puppet "Maurice the rat," which the O'Higgins commission later described as "vile and offensive." The proceedings are part of a trial-stage inquiry into whether unjustified grounds were used to discredit McCabe, including serious allegations against former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. The matter remains ongoing as the tribunal continues to hear evidence.
A 25-year-old Latvian man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a Polish construction worker at the Central Criminal Court. Rihards Lavickis of Annaly Court, Longford has denied murder in relation to the death of Akadiusz Czajkowski, 31, at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark on 1 November 2016. The prosecution opened its case this week, outlining that the accused brought a knife to confront the deceased following an overnight incident in which his apartment windows were damaged. CCTV footage showed Mr Lavickis concealing himself before approaching Mr Czajkowski as he crossed the road. The deceased sustained three stab wounds and collapsed inside a nearby shopping centre, dying shortly after. The accused was arrested at Longford Garda Station where he admitted responsibility for the stabbing. The trial continues before Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh. Rihards Lavickis pleaded not guilty.
A civilian witness, Cyril Dunne, testified before the Charleton tribunal that former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan was more concerned with changing the organisation's culture than with operational policing. Dunne, who had a deputy‑commissioner‑level role, said he had a closer working relationship with O'Sullivan than with her predecessor, Martin Callinan, and that their focus was on culture. He recounted a 2015 meeting where O'Sullivan and senior officers discussed Sergeant Maurice McCabe's experience of a "toxic work environment" at Mullingar Garda Station, noting that McCabe's situation was unsustainable and that simply moving him to another post would not resolve the issue. Dunne denied that he had told a colleague that they were "going after" McCabe, and Chief Superintendent McLoughlin said he had no memory of such a conversation in 2015. The tribunal continues to examine whether unjustified grounds were used to discredit McCabe.
In February 2015, John Barrett, the Garda's civilian head of human resources, testified that Sergeant Maurice McCabe had described a hostile working environment in Mullingar, where he had served since 2008. Barrett said McCabe had felt that the actions of former Commissioner Martin Callinan, who in January 2014 described McCabe's whistleblowing as "disgusting", had created an "open season" against him. McCabe reported feeling nervous driving to work and sleeping only about four hours a day. Barrett noted that McCabe had worked in Mullingar from 2008 to January 2014 without such difficulties, and that the situation changed after Callinan's remarks. Barrett also described a meeting with McCabe in which he tried to reassure him that the new Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, was committed to organisational change, but McCabe felt the commissioner had "thrown him back to the wolves.".
During the second day of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Paul Richardson, a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van driver, recounted how he collapsed on the road after learning that an armed gang had released his wife and sons. Richardson said the gang had burst into his home on the evening of 13 March 2005, taken his family, and instructed him to continue his work the next day while they monitored him by phone. He described receiving aggressive calls, being told to drive to the Anglers Rest pub to deposit €2.28 million, and being pressured to keep moving. After the gang announced the family's release, Richardson felt severe chest pains and fainted, falling from the van onto the road. He was later taken to Mullingar hospital by ambulance. The trial involves four men—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne—who pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and robbery charges.
Former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan testified at the Charleton Tribunal that she had done nothing to threaten Sergeant Maurice McCabe's role as sergeant‑in‑charge of the Mullingar traffic division. She explained that McCabe had resigned on 18 May 2015 after the commissioner's legal team instructed the O'Higgins Commission to question his credibility and motivation. O'Sullivan denied any knowledge of "bad blood" between Sergeant McCabe and Superintendent Noel Cunningham, and said she had not spoken to Cunningham about McCabe. She stated that she had no conflict of interest and that any conflict would have been addressed. O'Sullivan also said she had confirmed her instructions to her legal counsel before speaking to Department of Justice officials on 15 May, and that she was always available for consultation with her legal team. She maintained that she had not given any instructions to withdraw allegations of bad faith against McCabe.
In a hearing before the Charleton tribunal, former Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan denied accusations of hypocrisy regarding her conduct toward whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe during the O'Higgins Commission of Investigation. O'Sullivan testified that she had invested significant time and effort in supporting McCabe in Mullingar throughout 2014, and that she had not instructed her legal team to challenge his integrity. She explained that as commissioner she had to balance the allegations made by McCabe with the rights of those accused to respond, and that she had not been present at the O'Higgins Commission hearings. O'Sullivan acknowledged factual inaccuracies in a letter prepared by her legal team but said the issue was clarified by Justice O'Higgins. She also disputed claims that former commissioner Martin Callinan retired because of McCabe, calling such allegations a "dark lie." The tribunal was set to resume the following day.
Former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan told the Charleton tribunal today that she faced an "almost impossible dilemma" in supporting whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe while simultaneously having his evidence tested at the O'Higgins Commission of Investigation in 2015. The tribunal is examining whether unjustified grounds were inappropriately used to discredit Sergeant McCabe during proceedings into his complaints of garda malpractice in the Cavan-Monaghan Division. Ms O'Sullivan said she never believed Sergeant McCabe acted in bad faith and was "absolutely committed" to supporting him on workplace issues. She described having recognised that his evidence required testing as a witness before the Commission, and acknowledged this may have altered his perception of her intentions. Ms O'Sullivan said she reconfirmed instructions to her legal team on 15 May 2015 after a legal dispute arose, stressing she had not instructed counsel to challenge Sergeant McCabe's integrity. Her evidence continues tomorrow.
O'Reilly Commercials Limited, a vehicle testing firm, appealed a conviction for breaching health and safety laws after a school bus test in 2005 led to a fatal crash in 2006 that killed 15‑year‑old Michael White. The firm had pleaded not guilty to four charges under the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989. A jury found the company guilty on one count for failing to note the bus's modified rear suspension system, but acquitted it on the other three counts. The company was fined €25,000 in 2013. In the appeal, counsel Seán Gillane argued that the test actually occurred on 1 September 2005, after the Act had been repealed, and that no offence existed. The prosecution countered that the test took place on 6 August 2005, a fact the jury had considered. The court reserved judgment.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 13 October 2017, Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, Brigid Maguire, who was 43 and the mother of their two teenage children. Keena had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claiming provocation after Maguire accused him of being a bad father to their 12‑year‑old son. A jury convicted him of murder on 14 November 2015, the day of the killing. During the sentencing, Jade Maguire, Maguire's daughter, delivered a victim impact statement describing the loss, anger, and grief endured by the family. Judge Patrick McCarthy imposed a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 17 November 2015, when Keena entered custody. Keena remained emotionless as he was escorted to prison. Jade Maguire thanked the Gardaí and urged domestic‑abuse victims to seek help promptly.
Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, was found guilty of murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court after he strangled his former partner, 43‑year‑old Brigid Maguire, on 14 November 2015. Maguire and their two children had left Keena in September 2015. Keena pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claiming provocation after Maguire accused him of being a bad father. The court heard that Keena had previously strangled Maguire to the point of dizziness, but the jury did not hear the witness statement that described a prior strangulation that stopped her breathing. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of murder, 11 to 1, after 4 hours and 55 minutes of deliberation. Keena will receive a mandatory life sentence, with remand pending sentencing.
Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, Westmeath, is on trial for the murder of 43‑year‑old Brigid Maguire, the mother of his two children. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. During the trial, Keena demonstrated to Gardaí how he strangled Maguire after a dispute at her new home. He described following her to her bedroom, arguing, and then choking her for a few minutes until she fell and her tongue turned blue. He claimed he did not intend to kill her, stating he panicked when she was dying. Keena also admitted having attempted suicide twice and that he had threatened to kill himself. The court heard a post‑mortem report indicating extensive neck injury and asphyxiation as the cause of death. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In a 2017 appeal, a 58‑year‑old carer from Mullingar was found guilty of indecent assault on a 24‑year‑old vulnerable male resident at a residential care centre. The resident, who had a mild intellectual disability and various physical ailments, alleged that the carer, while the resident was bathing at about 8 pm, had put his hand in the bath and attempted to touch him. The resident had previously complained to a nurse in December, leading to an internal investigation and the carer's suspension with pay, after which he was allowed to resume work. Gardaí later opened a criminal investigation, resulting in the 2014 conviction of a single count of indecent assault, for which the court imposed a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, ruling that the offence covers both the apprehension of and actual uninvited, unwelcome physical contact. The appeal was dismissed on all grounds. The unnamed 58-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A garda inspector testified at the Charleton tribunal that she received no instruction to inform the Office of the Garda Commissioner that an allegation of serious sexual abuse against Sergeant Maurice McCabe was false. Inspector Karen Duffy, then holding sergeant rank in the office of assistant commissioner Kieran Kenny, confirmed she forwarded correspondence reporting the allegation to the commissioner's office in May 2014 as directed. However, she stated she was never instructed to send subsequent correspondence clarifying that the allegation contained administrative errors and that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed no prosecution in 2007. A HSE manager told the tribunal the error, which involved disclosure of a surname from an unrelated case, did not constitute a data protection breach. An interim director with Tusla acknowledged significant failures in oversight and governance across multiple levels of the process, including non-compliance with Children First guidelines and record-keeping regulations. The tribunal, examining claims that Sergeant McCabe was subjected to a smear campaign, continues.
In 2017 the Charleton tribunal heard that a false rape allegation had remained on Sergeant Maurice McCabe's file until that year. The allegation was forwarded to the Garda Commissioner in May 2014 by Assistant Commissioner Kieran Kenny after receiving a report from Chief Superintendent James Sheridan. The DPP had directed in 2007 that no prosecution should be made against McCabe following an allegation of inappropriate touching by Ms D. A Tusla file opened in 2013 after Ms D sought counselling mistakenly added unrelated allegations. The tribunal is investigating whether McCabe was the target of a smear campaign. A subsequent Tusla report, sent to Kenny after the error was discovered, was not forwarded to Garda HQ. Kenny wrote to the Commissioner on 16 May 2014, enclosing Sheridan's correspondence. Sheridan later wrote on 23 May 2014 that Tusla had realised the error and no further Garda investigation was needed.
The Charleton tribunal heard that Sergeant Maurice McCabe was forced to retreat into his garda station following a confrontation with family members of the woman who alleged he sexually assaulted her. In 2007, the DPP recommended against bringing charges, stating there was no evidence an offence had been committed. The tribunal is examining claims of a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe. In 2008, Sgt McCabe wrote to Superintendent Michael Clancy regarding incidents involving the accuser's father, a garda colleague. Inspector Noel Cunningham, who had previously investigated the 2007 allegations, was instructed to investigate the 2008 claims despite knowing both parties. Sgt McCabe subsequently went on sick leave and was transferred to Mullingar. Supt Cunningham denied taking part in a smear campaign or ignoring a 2013 letter from HSE social worker Keara McGlone, who is the applicant in this matter. Retired Chief Superintendent James Sheridan stated he believed the sexual assault allegation against Sgt McCabe could not be right. In May 2014, a Tusla notification containing an inaccurate allegation was sent to Bailieboro Garda Station. Superintendent Leo McGinn recommended a review by officers outside the Cavan-Monaghan division, noting the DPP's non-prosecution direction. He stated he had no animus toward Sgt McCabe and did not meet him. A July 2014 meeting in Mullingar discussed the confusion over different allegations and cut-and-paste errors, with minutes sent to the garda commissioner's office.
A Luth man has been sentenced to three years in prison following his conviction for membership of an unlawful organisation. Michael Connolly, aged 45, of Dundalk, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership of the IRA. The three-judge, non-jury court heard evidence that Connolly had travelled in convoy with another individual in the Ardee area on December 16th, 2014. The second man was subsequently stopped and found in possession of two improvised explosive devices. Telephone contact between the two men was also established. During sentencing, the presiding judge described the operation as "very well-planned" and noted the sophisticated nature of the devices recovered. The court considered Connolly's employment history and family circumstances as mitigating factors, whilst treating the apparent purpose behind his involvement as an aggravating consideration. Connolly had previously denied the charge.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 16 June 2017, Elaine Newman, aged 32, was awarded €200,000 in damages after losing an eye in a 2007 accident at the home of Marie and Patrick Cogan in Delganstown, Delvin, Co. Westmeath. Newman had sued the Cogan parents under the Occupiers Liability Act 1995, claiming they failed to take reasonable care as occupiers. The High Court had dismissed her case in 2012, ruling that the Cogan parents could not be held liable for choosing non‑shatterproof glass for the door. The Appeal Court, in a unanimous judgment by Justices Mary Finlay Geoghegan, Mary Irvine and Gerard Hogan, overturned that decision. The court held that the Cogan parents were liable because the glass installed in 2000/01 did not meet the standard of safety glass expected of a competent tradesman, and that the accident caused by Emmett Cogan's fall and the resulting glass shards led to Newman's loss of an eye.
A 44-year-old man from Dundalk in County Louth has been convicted of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army by the Special Criminal Court. Michael Connolly, of Grange Drive, was found guilty following a trial before three judges. The court heard evidence that Connolly was observed driving in convoy with another man in the Ardee area on December 16th, 2014. Both vehicles travelled together to Mullingar, where the other man was found in possession of two improvised explosive devices. The judges accepted belief evidence from a Garda assistant commissioner regarding Connolly's membership and found he was a willing and knowing participant in the enterprise. The court drew inferences from Connolly's silence when questioned on specific matters, finding this corroborated other evidence. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on July 10th.
Mei Hui Chen, 37, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of assaulting his brother, Michael Chen, on 8 June 2016. Chen stabbed his brother five times in the back and thighs after a brief encounter outside a pub on Westmoreland Street. The jury found him guilty of assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, and the sentence backdated to the date of the offence. Chen was arrested shortly after the attack and has remained in custody. The court noted that Michael Chen suffered a punctured kidney, spent 14 days in hospital, and had to sell his restaurant and faced marital difficulties as a result of the incident. Chen had no fixed address at the time of the assault and had recently come to Dublin to seek work. The judge ordered him to stay away from his brother and his family upon release. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
A 44-year-old man from County Louth has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation, a charge he denies relates to the Irish Republican Army. Michael Connolly of Dundalk faced trial at the Special Criminal Court, where the prosecution alleged he was observed driving in convoy with another man who was later found in possession of improvised explosive devices. The prosecution's case relied significantly on evidence from a Garda Assistant Commissioner regarding his belief in Mr Connolly's membership status, along with interviews conducted under statutory powers. The defence argued that this evidence lacked independent corroboration and fell short of legal requirements, contending the case should fail. The three-judge court rejected an earlier defence application for a directed acquittal. Judgment is scheduled for delivery on 1 June 2017.
A 44-year-old man from Dundalk, County Louth, will have the Special Criminal Court determine tomorrow whether his trial for alleged IRA membership can proceed. Michael Connolly has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 16 December 2014. The prosecution alleges he was observed by gardaí driving in convoy along the N52 with another man who was later found with two improvised explosive devices. The defence applied today for a direction that the evidence was insufficient, arguing there were defects in the assistant commissioner's opinion underpinning the case and that Mr Connolly's presence at commemorations and demonstrations, or his association with previously convicted individuals, did not necessarily indicate IRA membership. The defence also contended there was no evidence Mr Connolly possessed or knew of the explosive devices. The three-judge court noted the application raised matters of sufficient substance and indicated closing speeches would be heard tomorrow.
A trial at the Special Criminal Court has heard surveillance evidence relating to the movements of two vehicles through counties Westmeath and Louth on 16 December 2014. Michael Connolly, aged 44 and of Grange Drive in Dundalk, County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The prosecution alleges that officers from the National Surveillance Unit observed Mr Connolly driving in convoy with another man, who was subsequently found in possession of two improvised explosive devices. During proceedings before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges, several NSU officers provided evidence regarding the movements of a blue Fiat Punto and a black Vauxhall Vectra. Witnesses described observations of the vehicles parting and reuniting at locations in Mullingar and Delvin. The trial continues before the court.
Michael Connolly, aged 44 and resident of Grange Drive in Dundalk, County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army on 16 December 2014. The Special Criminal Court heard opening arguments from the prosecution that Mr Connolly was observed driving in convoy with another man, Brian Fitzpatrick, following observations by members of the National Surveillance Unit. The court was told the men left the same house together in separate vehicles in the Ardee area before travelling in convoy towards Mullingar. It was further stated that two improvised explosive devices were discovered in Fitzpatrick's vehicle when both cars were stopped on the N52. The prosecution case will rely on evidence from Garda Assistant Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan regarding his belief of Mr Connolly's membership, along with garda interviews conducted under the Offences Against the State Act. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt presiding with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Flann Brennan, continues before the three-judge, non-jury court.
Patrick Joyce, a 23‑year‑old from Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, was charged with violent disorder and assault against Michael and Annemarie Nevin on 13 October 2016. The High Court heard his bail application on 29 March 2017. The State objected to bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act, which allows refusal if the court believes the person may commit a serious offence while on bail. Garda Bobby Feery, representing the State, agreed with the objection. During cross‑examination, Joyce's counsel suggested that offering an alternative address might reduce concerns. Judge Tony Hunt noted that the evidence might be "a bit short of it" for a serious offence. Consequently, the court granted bail on Joyce's own bond of €300 and an independent surety of €4,000, with €2,000 to be lodged in court.
A 66-year-old man from Drumlish, County Longford has been convicted at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of possessing an explosive substance and making bomb threats during a state visit in May 2011. Donal Billings was found guilty of unlawfully possessing an explosive device at Longford railway station car park on May 16th, 2011, and of four counts under the Criminal Law Act of 1976 relating to false bomb reports. He was convicted of making false reports claiming bombs had been placed at Busáras and Sinn Féin headquarters in Dublin, at Dublin Castle, and at Cork airport. The court heard that an improvised explosive device was discovered on a passenger bus following one of the telephoned threats. Evidence established that phone calls making the threats were made using a SIM card purchased by Billings in Longford and traced to his mobile phone's unique identifier. The three judges rejected his claims of coincidence and found him an unreliable witness. Billings was remanded in custody pending sentencing on November 30th.
A 66-year-old man from Drumlish, County Longford has told the Special Criminal Court that he was visiting his brother in hospital on the night an improvised explosive device was discovered on a Dublin-bound passenger bus on the eve of a royal state visit in May 2011. Donal Billings denies unlawful possession of an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park and four charges under the Criminal Law Act of 1976 relating to false bomb reports made to gardaí, including threats involving Busáras, Sinn Féin headquarters, Dublin Castle and Cork airport. The prosecution alleges Mr Billings placed the device on the bus and made threatening calls during the Queen's visit. Giving evidence through an interpreter, the accused stated there was no forensic evidence, witnesses or fingerprints linking him to the charges and characterised the case against him as entirely circumstantial. He told the court he found a SIM card in a carpark and picked it up. The trial continues.
Donal Billings, aged 65, of St Bridget's Court, Drumlish, County Longford, has pleaded not guilty to five charges before the Special Criminal Court. He is accused of unlawful possession of an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16th, 2011, and of making four false reports under the Criminal Law Act 1976 alleging bombs at multiple locations during the state visit of Queen Elizabeth in May 2011. An improvised explosive device was discovered on a Dublin-bound passenger bus during the visit. Sergeant Adrian O'Neill told the court that during gardai interviews, Mr Billings denied being at the railway station that evening, stating he had driven to Mullingar to meet his brother. He also disputed allegations regarding a SIM card found after his arrest in a Longford supermarket car park on May 20th, claiming he had found a purse containing it. The court heard Mr Billings expressed political objections to the British monarch's association with Northern Ireland security forces, though he denied involvement in any disruption. He characterised the allegations as "nonsense".
A 29-year-old man from Ballymahon, County Longford, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court, with one year suspended, following his guilty plea to possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device at his home in June 2015. Paul Dodd accommodated the storage of IED materials, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm, in exchange for a financial promise. The court heard Dodd was in dire financial circumstances at the time. His co-accused, Brendan Hope from County Westmeath, had previously received a three-year sentence for possession of a completed device discovered in a van during a search operation. The Special Criminal Court found Dodd's involvement less culpable than Hope's. A separate charge of IRA membership against Dodd was withdrawn by the State.
A Westmeath man has received a three-year prison sentence at the Special Criminal Court for possession of an improvised explosive device. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, pleaded guilty to the charge relating to an IED discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford on 24 June 2015. Detective Sergeant William Hanrahan told the court that Hope was observed leaving a house under surveillance as part of an investigation into IRA activity in the Longford area. The device, containing shotgun propellant powder, a cartridge, cardboard tubing, and other components, was found in a van in which Hope was travelling. During interview, Hope initially claimed he had constructed the device out of curiosity before later stating he had found it. The court noted the crude nature of the device and accepted mitigating factors including Hope's guilty plea and time spent in custody. The sentence was backdated to 31 July 2015.
A 53‑year‑old man, Danny Keena of Empor, Ballynacargy, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, has been charged with murdering Brigid Maguire on 14 November 2015 at Main Street, Ballynacargy. Justice Patrick McCarthy of the Central Criminal Court set his trial for 23 January 2017.
Two men have pleaded guilty to explosives offences at the Special Criminal Court. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford, admitted possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm at his home. He also pleaded guilty to possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, pleaded guilty to possession of a complete improvised explosive device containing similar materials, discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler alongside Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded Hope in custody until 11 May and released Dodd on bail until 13 July, both pending sentencing.
A book of evidence has been served on two men following their arrest in County Longford in June 2015 as part of investigations into dissident republican activity. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, faces charges of membership of an unlawful organisation, possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, and possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and possession of an improvised explosive device. Both men appeared before the three-judge Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Mr Hope in custody and granted Mr Dodd bail. Both cases have been adjourned to 15 March, when a trial date is expected to be set.
Brian Gavin, 28, was driving from Mullingar to Lucan at speeds up to 160 km/h when he clipped a car's wing mirror and later collided with a Skoda, causing Gerard Nolan to suffer a broken hip, broken leg, facial fractures and permanent scarring. Gavin then struck another vehicle before stopping. He told Gardaí he was trying to kill himself, citing suicidal thoughts and a desire to leave his family home. He has bipolar disorder, had stopped his medication, and had a prior suicide attempt. Gavin pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and failing to stop, and to a second dangerous driving offence. He passed a roadside breath test. Judge Sarah Berkeley adjourned the case to monitor his medication compliance and imposed a mandatory four‑year driving ban.
The trial of Jimmy Devaney, a 66‑year‑old retired army private, is concluding after the prosecution finished presenting evidence. Devaney, who pleaded not guilty, is accused of murdering Marie Greene, a prostitute, on 13 February 2011. The court heard that Greene was last seen alive that evening and her body was found in Anagorta Bog nine days later. Devaney claimed he was blackmailed by Greene for up to €40,000 and that she threatened to expose him and his family. He denied bringing a knife but admitted he stabbed her after losing control. The prosecution presented interviews, video footage, and financial records suggesting a blackmail motive. The defence highlighted Devaney's family background and alleged prior client interactions. Closing speeches will be delivered before the judge gives directions to the jury.
O'Reilly Commercials Limited, a vehicle testing firm, was found guilty of breaching health and safety laws during an official test of a school bus on 5–6 August 2005. The test, conducted under the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, allegedly exposed persons to risk because the company failed to ensure safety, notably by not noting the bus's modified rear suspension system. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after a 23‑day trial and nearly eight hours of jury deliberation, convicted the firm on the first count. The company was fined €25,000 on 29 July 2013. Mr John Deegan, a director, has applied to represent the company in an appeal, arguing that no other lawyer had represented the firm in such proceedings and that legal aid may be available. The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for 23 October to decide the appeal and any legal‑aid application.
In the Central Criminal Court, 66‑year‑old Jimmy Devaney pleaded not guilty to the murder of Marie Greene, a prostitute, on 13 February 2011. Devaney told Gardaí he had been blackmailed by Greene for up to €40,000, claiming she threatened to inform his wife. He admitted to stabbing Greene after a confrontation in a bog near Ballykieran, stating he had previously given her €20,000–€40,000 over six months and had not repaid it. Devaney denied bringing a knife that night, but described wrestling with Greene, grabbing a knife from her, and stabbing her before burying the body. He recalled meeting Greene a decade earlier, developing a relationship that involved sexual favors for money. The trial continues with a jury of twelve, presided over by Justice Margaret Heneghan.
Two men appeared before an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 26 June 2015, charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and explosives offences. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford, faced charges of IRA membership and possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges and related materials, discovered at his home on 24 June. He was also charged with possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was charged with IRA membership and possession of an improvised explosive device containing shotgun propellant powder, a 12-gauge cartridge, and other materials, found in Ballymahon on 24 June. Both men were arrested by members of the Special Detective Unit as part of investigations into dissident republican activity. Neither made any reply upon arrest. Both defence representatives indicated they would seek bail applications at a subsequent hearing. The court remanded both men in custody to appear on 1 July.
Samir Mansour, a 49‑year‑old Tunisian chef, was convicted of raping a woman who had been invited back to his apartment after he claimed he was gay. The conviction was reached at the Central Criminal Court on 14 July 2014, following a fourth trial after earlier convictions were quashed or acquitted. Mansour was found guilty of rape and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling that there was no unfairness or prejudice in the trial. The appeal focused on whether the jury had been improperly exposed to evidence of a threat to kill or cause serious harm, which Mansour had been acquitted of in a prior trial. The Court held that the evidence was relevant to the rape charge and that the jury's decision was valid. The appeal was therefore rejected. Samir Mansour pleaded not guilty.
Eugene Byrne, 21, pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery of Clonsilla Post Office on 16 December 2013. He and accomplice Ian Mansfield fled on a motorbike, leading Gardaí on a chase from Dublin to Mullingar, Westmeath. Byrne was arrested in Trinidad and Tobago the previous year for attempting to export cocaine, receiving a two‑year hard‑labour sentence and a fine of about €4,000, of which he paid after six months in jail. He returned to Ireland in January. In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Byrne was sentenced to five years, four of which were suspended. The court noted his prior dangerous‑driving conviction and his claim of being "out of kilter" after his father's death. The sentence credited the six months he served abroad. Mansfield received a suspended five‑year sentence. The case ended with Byrne's conviction and the specified custodial term.
Ian Mansfield, 24, and his accomplice Eugene Byrne, 21, were arrested after a "terrifying" armed raid on Clonsilla Post Office on 16 December 2013. Mansfield fled the scene on a motorbike, leading Gardaí on a chase from Dublin to Mullingar, Westmeath. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended five‑year sentence, conditioned on Mansfield's good behaviour for that period, noting his lack of prior convictions and good family background. The post mistress suffered nightmares and remains cautious. Witnesses reported Mansfield brandishing a hammer and Byrne holding a silver gun; both wore motorcycle helmets. The raid lasted about a minute, ended without cash, and the men escaped on a motorcycle. Byrne also pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing in March.
A 32-year-old carpenter from Longford has avoided a custodial sentence following his admission to permitting the supply of heroin within his vehicle. Robert Nevin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an offence relating to a controlled substance found in a van he was driving on August 15, 2012. Gardaí stopped the white Ford Transit after observing a red light breach and discovered approximately 120 grammes of heroin, valued at over €18,000, concealed within the vehicle. Nevin had travelled from Mullingar to Dublin with another man to collect the drugs. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a three-and-a-half-year sentence. The defence outlined that Nevin, who had previously operated a carpentry business serving Donegal and Sligo, developed a heroin addiction following personal difficulties and his mother's death in 2007. His co-accused received a similar sentence with a portion suspended.
In January 2014, Thomas Greene McDonagh, a 22‑year‑old drug addict from Mullingar with no fixed address, robbed Darragh Losty, a 22‑year‑old man with Freidreichs Ataxia who has a mental age of about 12. McDonagh approached Losty on O'Connell Street while he was heading to the Central Remedial Clinic, offered drugs, and lured him into a secluded area. He then threatened Losty, seized his coat, hat, mobile phone and bus pass, and forced him to stay put. Losty later managed to escape and called his mother for help. Garda John Saunderson presented evidence that the robbery occurred on the first day Losty was attempting independent travel to the clinic. McDonagh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, back‑dated to the date of his arrest. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted that Losty's special needs were obvious to anyone.
Eoin Maughan, 37, a Westmeath member of the Travelling Community, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage after a high‑speed chase that began in Dublin and ended in Wicklow. The chase started when Maughan's grey Renault Laguna failed to stop at a roundabout in Tallaght, then drove the wrong way around a roundabout, overtook cars on a blind bend and on the wrong side of the road, and entered Brittas village where he attempted to ram a garda patrol car. He drove through the village, was pursued by a garda helicopter, and tried to escape by crashing through a stone wall near the waterworks at Bohernabreena. The pursuit ended when gardai arrested him. During questioning he became aggressive, was pepper‑sprayed, broke an interview table, and punched a garda. The court found the damage to garda vehicles cost €10,874, and that gardai suffered whiplash, facial injuries and one required surgery.
The family of a 48-year-old man from Creenagh, County Longford, who died in a wall collapse at a DIY store has been awarded €750,000 in damages following a High Court settlement. Sean Mulleady sustained fatal injuries when an internal wall, measuring 6.5 metres high and 8.4 metres wide, collapsed on him and several others at Connacht Gold Co-Op Society's premises on Athlone Road, Longford on 29 January 2013. His widow, Teresa Mulleady, brought proceedings on her own behalf and that of their three children against the store operator, the building owners, the construction company, and the project manager. She alleged the defendants had failed to maintain a safe premises and had breached their duty of care. All defendants denied liability. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan approved the settlement, describing it as a good award in the circumstances. The judge commended Mrs Mulleady for her resilience throughout the case.
James Anthony Tighe, 64, of Pettiswood, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, is alleged to have been involved in a £100 million money‑laundering conspiracy. British authorities seek his extradition to face charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, one charge of cheating the public revenue, and one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering covering 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2005. He was arrested in July 2012 under a European Arrest Warrant issued in September 2011. The High Court has heard that construction companies under Tighe's control were allegedly used to systematically defraud Her Majesty's Revenue. Judge John Edwards ruled that Tighe would be surrendered to the UK for all offences covered by the warrant, but he would remain on bail pending the outcome of an appeal. If the appeal fails, Tighe will return to the High Court; if the Supreme Court upholds the appeal, the matter will end.
The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, struck off solicitor David Walsh, formerly of David Walsh and Co in Mullingar and Bagenalstown, following findings by the Law Society Disciplinary Tribunal of multiple counts of professional misconduct between 2004 and 2010. Walsh, who retired in 2012 and is seriously ill, had not practised since and opposed the strike‑off, seeking a lesser sanction. The Tribunal found he failed to keep proper books, honour client undertakings to financial institutions, refund a fee deducted from a client's estate, handle client monies properly, charge for unperformed work, and provide inaccurate information to the Law Society's accountant. The Law Society's Solicitors Disciplinary Committee ordered restitution of €67,000 plus VAT. Mr Kearns, sympathetic to Walsh's medical condition, ruled that no lesser sanction was viable and ordered the solicitor be struck off the Roll of Solicitors.
James Anthony Tighe, aged 64, is sought by British authorities for extradition to face charges of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, one charge of cheating the public revenue, and conspiracy to commit money laundering between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2005. The alleged offences involve a £100 million money‑laundering conspiracy linked to construction companies under Tighe's control, which were used to defraud the UK public revenue. The High Court will order his extradition on 28 May, after a previous ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court in December 2010 due to inadequacies in the European Arrest Warrant. Tighe was arrested in July 2012 under a warrant issued in September 2011. He remains remanded on continuing bail until the extradition order is made. The case highlights the UK's pursuit of alleged large‑scale fraud against public revenue.