A young Wicklow man has been jailed for his part in two armed robberies of school children. During one robbery, Aaron Doyle punched a schoolboy in the face before taking his smart mobile phone. Doyle (19) of Cois Cairn, Old Connaught Avenue, Bray, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery and attempted robbery at the Dodder Walkway, Irishtown on May 19, 2014. He also admitted robbery at Marlborough Road, Glenageary, Dublin on the same date. Judge Martin Nolan said Doyle had 'picked on young boys'. He suspended the last 15 months of a three year prison sentence on condition he keeps the peace for that period. Doyle's eleven previous convictions include an offence of handling stolen property for which he is already serving a ten month sentence. The matter was adjourned.
In July 2015 the High Court resolved a dispute between Bray Wanderers Ltd and three former associates. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan had granted temporary injunctions against Mr John Deering, Paul Lennon and former goalkeeper Darren Quigley, preventing them from trespassing on the club's Carlisle Grounds, misrepresenting themselves as directors, calling official meetings or publishing official‑looking material. The injunction was withdrawn after the defendants offered undertakings: they would not trespass without prior arrangement, would not publish official‑looking information, would not misrepresent themselves as directors or claim to act in an official capacity, and would not call official meetings. Mr Deering also agreed to delete data he had accessed from the club's email and website systems. The parties agreed to amend the Companies Registration Office filings that had purportedly removed four directors and appointed Mr Deering. The court left open the possibility of future proceedings if necessary.
In the Central Criminal Court, Frank O'Hara's two‑page victim impact statement was read by prosecution barrister Seán Guerin SC. He described his daughter Elaine as intelligent, emotionally vulnerable, and a future teacher who had earned a BA in Montessori Education. He recounted her disappearance in August 2012, initially presumed a suicide, and the subsequent discovery of her remains in September 2013, which shifted the investigation to murder. O'Hara expressed anguish over media coverage that he felt was insulting and over the questioning of his evidence's credibility. He highlighted unanswered questions about the circumstances of Elaine's death, including whether she was restrained or left to die alone. He concluded that the family's experience is a "life sentence" with no parole, emphasizing the ongoing pain and lack of closure.
Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, was acquitted of forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and of using a false instrument. The case concerned an investigation into a priest accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl, a matter highlighted by the Murphy Report. McGowan had pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. After a 14‑day trial, a jury of twelve deliberated for just over three hours and returned unanimous not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts. The State alleged McGowan had forged the letter to conceal her failure to complete the investigation, but the jury found no evidence of wrongdoing. The trial concluded with Judge Mary Ellen Ring thanking the jury for their service.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, who is charged with forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions. McGowan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of forgery relating to an incident on 15 January 2009 at Bray Garda Station, and to two counts of using a false instrument concerning events on 21 and 22 June 2011 at Bray and Harcourt Street Garda Stations. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, purportedly instructed that no prosecution should proceed in a clerical child‑abuse case, citing the complainant's allegation of rape as conjecture. The investigation was triggered by the Murphy Report, which examined the response of church and state authorities to clerical sexual abuse in Dublin. Judge Mary Ellen Ring addressed the jury of six men and six women before sending them out to deliberate, with a return scheduled for the next day.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and to using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, claimed no prosecution would be brought in a clerical child‑abuse case. McGowan's actions were investigated after the Murphy Report examined church and state responses to clerical abuse. The State's counsel argued that McGowan had fabricated the forgery to mislead investigators, citing her repeated lies to solicitors and alleged victims. Defence counsel maintained that McGowan had acted diligently and refused to admit wrongdoing when confronted with evidence of forgery. The trial concluded with the State and defence delivering closing speeches; Judge Mary Ellen Ring will now direct the jury to deliberate.
The trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, was adjourned for a day because a jury member fell ill. McGowan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of forgery for an alleged forged letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions dated 14 January 2009, and to two counts of using a false instrument relating to a clerical abuse case in 2011. The case was prompted by the Murphy Report on clerical sexual abuse. The trial will resume tomorrow before Judge Mary Ellen Ring with a 12‑person jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, denied forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to conceal a clerical sex‑abuse investigation. McGowan pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument, relating to alleged forgery of a DPP letter dated 14 January 2009 that supposedly directed no prosecution in a clerical abuse case. The letter, which McGowan claimed she had forwarded to the DPP for review, was said to have been fabricated by combining parts of other documents. She denied forging the letter, denying any relation to the priest involved and denying that her alleged failure to send a file could have exposed others to abuse. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury of twelve.
At the trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan (48), who is based at Bray Garda Station, she has pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery on January 15, 2009 at Bray Garda Station and two counts of using a false instrument at Bray Garda Station and at Harcourt Street Garda Station between June 21 and 22, 2011. The alleged false instrument is a letter from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), dated January 14, 2009, directing that there be no prosecution in the clerical abuse case. Retired Chief Supt Thomas Conway testified that it was not unusual for McGowan not to be asked to report on the progress of the clerical abuse investigation for four years. He stated that a lot of things in relation to the case shocked him, but he did not find it shocking that Detective Sergeant Eamonn O'Neill did not ask about the case. Judge Mary Ellen Ring asked Conway if there was a system for auditing cases dealt with by gardai, to which he said there should be a system, but in this case, it was closed off after the original 2005 investigation and the new case was not recorded in PULSE. The trial continues before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of six men and six women.
In March 2015, lawyers for Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, described the investigation into her alleged forgery of a DPP letter as one "nobody seemed to know anything about." McGowan pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument, relating to a January 2009 letter and incidents in June 2011. The case was prompted by the Murphy Report on clerical sexual abuse, which named a priest involved in McGowan's investigation. During cross‑examination, Detective Sergeant Eamonn O'Neill admitted he had assigned the case to McGowan in March 2007 and had brief interactions with her in July 2007, but claimed he had not followed up on the investigation. O'Neill denied recalling any request for an update. The prosecution presented a covering report dated October 2008, which O'Neill said he had never received. The trial is ongoing before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
Remigijus Tuma, a 32‑year‑old Lithuanian national living in Dublin, was convicted in 2011 of possessing €180,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply. He was found guilty by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Yvonne Murphy. In 2015 the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction after hearing that the trial judge had imposed an inappropriate burden of proof, requiring Tuma to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did not know the contents of the suitcase were cannabis. The appellate judges, including Mr Justice John Edwards, agreed that this was a fundamental injustice and ruled that the appeal must be allowed. A formal judgment will be issued on March 23, 2015. Remigijus Tuma pleaded not guilty.
In March 2015, the supervisor of Detective Garda Catherine McGowan denied telling her that she would be "looked after" if she admitted wrongdoing. McGowan, 48, pleaded not guilty to forgery and false instrument charges related to a letter allegedly from the Director of Public Prosecutions dated 14 January 2009. The case arose after the Murphy Report on clerical abuse. McGowan had investigated a priest mentioned in the report, and the letter in question was said to question a rape allegation. The supervisor, Detective Inspector Frank Keenaghan, was questioned about a claim that he offered McGowan protection if she confessed. He denied making such a statement, stating he had not used the phrase and had not initially accused McGowan of forgery. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury of twelve.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument. The alleged false instrument was a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions dated 14 January 2009, which McGowan claimed was a copy she had received and later delivered to the Murphy Tribunal. Detective Inspector Frank Keenaghan, the supervisor, testified that he showed McGowan the letter and asked her to consider its authenticity. McGowan insisted she could not have forged it, and Keenaghan clarified that he was not accusing her of forgery. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring with a jury of twelve, is scheduled to continue for another week.
A forensic expert, Inspector Michael Moore, testified in the trial of Detective Garda Catherine McGowan that the alleged forged letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions was a 'bad quality photocopied document.' Moore, who has 20 years of experience in the forensic field and has completed training with the US Secret Service and London Metropolitan Police, stated that he was asked to determine if the letter, dated January 14, 2009, was genuine or if it was produced using parts of other documents. He found three different fonts used in the letter, misalignments on the left-hand side, and scan lines suggesting at least two other documents were used to produce it. Moore explained that scan lines or shadow lines indicated a cut document was placed on a photocopier to get an image, and that three documents were used to create the letter. Catherine McGowan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, is hearing that computers at her station were not used to create a forged letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions. McGowan pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. The alleged letter, dated 14 January 2009, claimed that a rape allegation was conjecture and could not form the basis of a prosecution. On day four, Detective John Finan of the Computer Crime Unit testified that searches of two hard drives for phrases from the letter yielded no results, and that traces would still be found if the original file had been deleted. Charles Nicholson, who handled filing in 2006, said a note referred to a letter that could not be located in the system.
During a two‑week trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dated 14 January 2009. The letter was alleged to be a false instrument used to influence a case involving a priest accused of child abuse. On the third day of the trial, DPP officer Henry Matthews testified that he could not locate any case file for the priest in question, despite a request in July 2011 to check the DPP's filing system. Legal secretary Caroline Halstead confirmed that no records of the priest existed between 2005 and 2009 in either manual or computerised filing systems. The complainant had earlier stated that McGowan claimed to have sent a file to the DPP, which was not pursued.
During a forgery trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, an alleged victim of clerical sexual abuse, a 44‑year‑old woman from Wicklow, testified that she was upset when she learned a file on her case had never been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). She recounted that in the 1980s she was abused by a local curate and that she had met Detective Garda Catherine McGowan in 2005 and again in 2007 to discuss the matter. McGowan had informed her that the DPP had received the file and would not prosecute. The victim said she was shocked, had a breakdown, and considered suicide. In 2011 a special task force discovered the file had not been forwarded to the DPP; it was finally sent in summer 2011, but the DPP directed no prosecution. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury of twelve. Catherine McGowan pleaded not guilty.
In February 2015, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, faced trial on charges of forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) related to a priest's sexual abuse investigation. She pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument, alleged to involve a letter dated 14 January 2009. Prosecutor Alex Owens argued that McGowan forged the document to mislead Gardaí reviewing her handling of the case, which was prompted by the Murphy Report on clerical abuse. Evidence included a copy of the purported DPP letter, claimed to state that prosecution was impossible due to conjecture in the victim's statement. The trial, set for two weeks, was before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of twelve.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal against conviction lodged by Ruth Barry, who was found guilty of cutting the face and causing serious injury to journalist Jennifer Bray on O'Connell Street in 2010. Barry, who denied all charges including robbery and using a blade, was originally sentenced to seven years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in July 2012. Her co-accused, Jonathan O'Brien, was also involved in the incident. Barry's appeal argued that the trial was rendered unfair due to the absence of witness Jacob Gajda, whose statement suggested O'Brien handled a blade only after the injury occurred. However, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice John Edwards, ruled that Gajda's evidence did not address whether Barry possessed a knife. The court found Barry centrally involved in the joint enterprise, noting her actions in robbing Ms Bray and departing the scene proved she never withdrew from the agreement. The judges concluded that the absence of the witness could not render the jury's verdict unsafe or unsatisfactory. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and Barry was returned to prison to serve the remainder of her sentence.
A dispute over the alleged failure by insurers to pay out approximately €1.6m on a policy of a premises in Bray Co Wicklow that went on fire is to be fast tracked by the Commercial Court. The action has been brought by Veema Ltd, The Drive Cypress Downs Dublin 6w, which owns the Everest Centre, Castle Street, Bray Co Wicklow, against Great Lakes Reinsurance UK plc, of Fenchurch London, and insurance broker The Underwriting Exchange Ltd, Tower Street London. Veema says it has suffered a serious loss as a result of the insurances firm's alleged failure to pay out. The case was entered into the fast-track Commercial Court list today by Mr Justice Brian McGovern on the application of lawyers for Veema Ltd. In its action, Veema says it was furnished with a contract of insurance in respect of the Everest Centre by the broker, which was underwritten by Great Lakes Reinsurance. The policy was obtained in 2012. It claims that under the terms of the policy the premises was covered in the event of it suffering damage from fire. On July 15 2014 the Everest Centre, which has a number of tenants, accidentally caught fire. Veema says the fire occurred when a storage unit at the rear of the Everest Centre was being cleared. It says that a third party was allowed enter the property started to remove steel shelving. While using an angle grinder it is believed the third party accidentally set fire to the property. Veema says it believes its policy of insurance covered the damage. In its action it claims the insurers are not paying out because of an alleged change in tenancy, and occupation and use of the property that constituted an alternation of risk. The underwriters say they were never informed of the changes, which amount to breaches of conditions of the policy. In its action, Veema claims Great Lakes Reinsurance UK has breached the insurance policy following its alleged failure and refusal to pay out the sums insured for. It is also claimed Great Lakes has neglected to confirm it is prepared to indemnify Veema in respect of any claims against it by tenants of the property. It further claims the broker had a duty to warn them with of any unusual terms or interpretations that would be applied to the policy by the underwriter. The failure to warn Veema of such unusual terms was negligent, it is claimed. In its action Veema seeks various orders including one directing the underwriters to pay the sum necessary to reimburse the damage suffered by it caused by the fire. That figure has been estimated at €1.6m. Veema also seeks declarations including one it is entitled to an indemnity in respect of claims made against by the tenants of the Everest Centre in respect of the fire that took place last July.
The trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, has heard evidence that items recovered from a Wicklow lake in October 2013 matched O'Hara's personal belongings. Glasses found in the lake were shown to have the same prescription and frames as those prescribed to O'Hara, and a set of keys recovered from the water matched keys to her car and home. The items, which included bondage cuffs, a leather mask, a ball gag, a blindfold, a knife, a rope, a chain, a Nokia mobile phone, a white vibrator, a black anal plug, a red battery‑operated device, a red kidney‑shaped object, a ski mask, a gold bracelet, a Tesco Mobile SIM card, a metal band, a pair of sunglasses, a pair of glasses, a pair of shorts and a Real Madrid dressing gown, were presented to the jury.
Ruth Barry, 36, of Moy Elta Road, Dublin 3, was convicted in 2012 of cutting journalist Jennifer Bray's face, using a blade, robbery, and assaulting two of Bray's companions on O'Connell Street on 25 June 2010. Barry was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended. She and boyfriend Jonathon O'Brien followed Bray, her companion Sarah Furlong, and Neil Callanan to a taxi; Barry punched Bray, head‑butted Furlong, and bit Callanan. Bray testified she felt a cold object and heard a click before slumping. Barry's counsel argued that a witness, Jakub Gajda, who allegedly saw O'Brien take something from behind his back, was unavailable and that the trial judge had accepted his statement as evidence. The Court of Appeal has been asked to grant a retrial, with the appeal pending a decision date.
Jason Breen, 41, a chef, set fire to his sister's home in Dun Laoghaire after she obtained a barring order against him. He poured petrol through an upstairs window while the house was empty, and a neighbour entered to rescue a dog, which was later found unharmed. Breen was arrested with singed hair and burn marks, admitting he wanted to destroy the house because it belonged to his late mother and because he had not slept for nine days while using crack cocaine and "snow blow." He pleaded guilty to arson on 30 July 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended in full on the condition that he keeps the peace for three years. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his drug rehabilitation at Coolmine, and his willingness to offer his culinary skills to help others. The fire caused about €30,000 in damage, paid by the local council.
In a High Court case, Jarlath and Lorraine Sweeney argue that National Assets Management Agency (NAMA) demands for additional security to keep their loan facilities operational would force them to commit a criminal offence under Irish company law. The couple, shareholders in several property‑related companies and owners of hotels such as the Esplanade and Wilton Hotels in Bray, secured loans of about €25 million from Anglo Irish Bank in 2009, later acquired by NAMA. They have provided assets of their companies as security but refuse to offer the unencumbered Summerhill House Hotel in Enniskerry, owned by companies where Mrs Sweeney is principal shareholder, as additional collateral. They claim NAMA's demand is unlawful, disproportionate and unreasonable, and that complying would breach company law because a statutory declaration and independent report are required, which they cannot obtain.
Wesley O'Brien, aged 25, was sentenced to six years in prison for violent disorder and 3½ years for intentionally causing harm after assaulting Michael Connors in his home on 14 March 2009. The Court of Appeal reduced the violent disorder sentence to four years, keeping the 3½‑year term for harm. The appeal was based on the claim that O'Brien's conduct, involving a knife, was distinct from other participants, and that his sentence should match that of a co‑accused who received a similar sentence in Wicklow. The judge noted O'Brien's assault involved sticks, golf clubs and a knife, causing severe injuries to Connors. Emma O'Brien, 32, withdrew her appeal and her six‑year sentence was upheld. The final sentence for O'Brien is four years for violent disorder, with the 3½‑year term for harm remaining. Wesley O'Brien pleaded guilty and was convicted. Emma O'Brien pleaded guilty.
A 35‑year‑old Romanian man, Vladislav Secrii, of Iona, Old Connaught Avenue, Bray, was found guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of transporting 606,500 cigarettes without tax stamps on 26 June 2012. He had agreed to move the cigarettes for €200, which included €50 for diesel. Secrii had no prior convictions. The judge, Mary Ellen Ring, considered that he had very little income and could not pay the maximum fine of €126,970 or a five‑year jail term. She therefore imposed a community service order of 220 hours in lieu of a two‑year prison term, pending a Probation Service report that found him suitable for community work. The case involved customs officers discovering the cigarettes on air‑freight cargo from Greece, and a surveillance team saw Secrii and four men loading the pallets onto a trailer.
Seán FitzPatrick, former chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, will exit bankruptcy in June after the High Court adjudicated him bankrupt in 2010 with debts of €147m and assets under €47m. The new insolvency laws cut the maximum bankruptcy period from 12 to three years, allowing automatic discharge once the official assignee confirms full cooperation. Mr FitzPatrick, aged 65 and residing in Greystones, Co Wicklow, was not present when the court granted an order to pay €1.6 million to the Revenue Commissioners, a preferential creditor, on an interim basis. The payment was directed by the official assignee, Mr Chris Lehane. FitzPatrick's 2010 statement of affairs listed debts mainly to financial institutions, assets in Ireland, Spain, the UK, France, Hungary, South Africa and the US, and interests in Nigerian oil and gas and the Quinlan Property group. Revenue also claimed over €3 million owed, part of which was appealed.
In a 2014 trial, Vesel Jahiri, a 33‑year‑old man originally from Kosovo, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner Anna Finnegan and to assaulting her brother Karl on 21 September 2012. The jury heard that the couple's relationship had deteriorated sharply before Finnegan's death and that they had two children together. Social worker Karen Byrne testified that Jahiri had threatened to stab Finnegan during a meeting at the Wellmount Centre, but she claimed he would not act on the threat because he loved her. The defence plans to play an audio recording of the conversation. Witnesses described Finnegan's move to a women's refuge and the high‑risk assessment she received. The trial continued with a jury of 11, after one juror was excused.
Eugene Cullen, 30, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Seamus O'Byrne, 27, in south Dublin. The Central Criminal Court heard that O'Byrne was shot dead at Tymon Park North, Tallaght, on 13 March 2009, in front of his girlfriend Sharon Rattigan and their baby. Rattigan tackled the assassin and was shot in the leg while disarming him. The prosecution alleged that Cullen was not the gunman but a participant in the planning and execution of the murder, acting by common design. He was the second person convicted for the crime; Garrett O'Brien was the gunman, sentenced to life in 2012. The jury, after 3 hours 41 minutes, returned a unanimous guilty verdict. Mr Justice Barry White imposed a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 8 May 2012 for time spent in custody. Eugene Cullen pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, forensic scientist Liam Fleury testified that no firearms residue was found on Eugene Cullen, who is 30 and accused of murdering Seamus O'Byrne, 27, in 2009. Cullen pleaded not guilty. The prosecution maintains that Cullen was not the gunman but one of four men involved in planning the murder. Fleury explained that residue appears on a gun, the hands, clothing, and face of the shooter, and can remain on hands for three to four hours and on clothing for 20 hours. He tested Cullen's clothing on 14 March 2009 and a residue kit on his hands and face, finding no residue. The jury also heard technical evidence about mobile phones linked to the case. The trial is before Justice Barry White and a jury of five men and seven women.
In the murder trial of Eugene Cullen, a 30‑year‑old from Derry Road, Crumlin, the jury has heard evidence from a radio frequency engineer, Eamon O' Gairbhith, who worked for Meteor. O' Gairbhith testified that on 16 February 2011 he visited several mobile cell sites with Gardaí, producing maps that show cell site locations, coverage directions and the best server coverage. He explained that when a cell is full of traffic the handset is assigned to a different server, and that signal strength weakens the further one moves from a site, causing hand‑over to other cells. The prosecution, represented by Alex Owens SC, maintains that Cullen was not the gunman but one of four men involved in planning the murder of Seamus O' Byrne, who was shot dead on 13 March 2009 in Tymon Park North, Tallaght. The trial is proceeding before Justice Barry White and a jury of five men and seven women. The case remains ongoing. Eugene Cullen pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the trial of Eugene Cullen, a 30-year-old man from Derry Road, Crumlin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Seamus O' Byrne (27). The prosecution alleges that Mr. O'Byrne was shot dead by a hooded gunman in the driveway of his home at Tymon Park North, Tallaght, on March 13, 2009, in front of his girlfriend and child. While the accused is not alleged to have been the gunman, the state contends he was one of four men involved in plotting, planning, and executing the killing. The prosecution asserts that Garret O'Brien, a man from Bray who has since been convicted, was recruited to carry out the shooting. During the ongoing proceedings, the jury has been presented with technical evidence regarding mobile phone calls connected to the incident. In his opening address, Mr. Alex Owens SC clarified that the case against Mr. Cullen centers on his role in the conspiracy rather than the act of firing the weapon. The trial is presided over by Mr. Justice Barry White and a jury of five men and seven women. The matter is at the trial stage, with the defendant's plea remaining not guilty. No findings, sentences, or final dispositions have been recorded at this procedural stage. The trial continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin murder trial, a jury watched CCTV footage of suspects and vehicles. Eugene Cullen of Derry Road, Crumlin pleaded not guilty to the murder of Seamus O'Byrne, 27, at Tymon Park North, Tallaght, on 13 March 2009. The prosecution said Cullen was not the gunman but one of four men who plotted and executed the killing. The gunman was identified as Garret O'Brien from Bray, who had been convicted. The court heard that on 12 March 2009 Cullen entered a service station, filled a green canister with petrol, and placed it in a silver Ford Transit van. Witnesses described two men on the green the day before the shooting. Forensic evidence included DNA from a mobile phone and swabs from O'Brien and Cullen. The deceased had five gunshot wounds, with the chest wounds causing death, and head and leg wounds contributing. The trial continues before Justice Barry White and a jury of five men and seven women.
In a Dublin murder trial, a 30‑year‑old man from Crumlin, Eugene Cullen, pleaded not guilty to the 2009 killing of Seamus O'Byrne, a 27‑year‑old father of two. The court heard that O'Byrne was shot in front of his girlfriend and child at Tymon Park North, Tallaght, at 8:15 pm. Prosecutor Alex Owens SC stated that Cullen was not the gunman but one of four conspirators. Garret O'Brien, a Bray man now convicted, was identified as the shooter. Detective Garda Mary Moore testified she arrested Cullen at 11 pm after spotting a silver Nissan Primera with three occupants, one being Cullen, and brought him to Tallaght Garda Station. Garda Alan Young reported seizing a silver Ford Transit van on Derry Road, taking fingerprint lifts. Detective Sergeant John Schley described the van's chassis and licence plates, noting it was stolen in 2008 with false tax and insurance discs.
In 2014 the Central Criminal Court heard that Eugene Cullen, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the 2009 murder of Seamus O'Byrne, 27, in Tymon Park North, Tallaght. The prosecution said Cullen was not the gunman but one of four men who plotted and executed the killing. A man from Bray, Garret O'Brien, was identified as the shooter. Garda Kevin O'Shaughnessy testified that three years earlier he had stopped a Volkswagen with no tax, seized it, and that Cullen was the driver while O'Brien was the passenger. Garda Clifford Cullen described CCTV footage from the Leisureplex in Coolock showing three men entering at 8:50 pm, with movements until 9:47 pm. Detective Garda Camon Ryan recounted driving routes to establish timings, noting a 26‑minute trip from the shooting scene to the Leisureplex. Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that O'Byrne died from five gunshot wounds, including chest, head and left leg injuries.
In a Tallaght murder trial, Sharon Rattigan gave evidence about a shooting that occurred on 13 March 2009. She lived with her partner and two children in Tymon Park North and had planned to leave her son at her mother's house that night. Rattigan said she saw a hooded man in dark clothes with a gun approaching the garden, and that he shot at Seamus O'Byrne, who was then killed. She claimed she ran to stop him, was shot in the leg, and then grabbed the gun, struggling with the attacker who repeatedly struck her. Rattigan said she threw the gun into her car and the man fled. She also attempted to help O'Byrne, who was lying on the ground, before being taken to hospital. The trial is before Mr Justice Barry White and a jury, with Eugene Cullen, 30, pleading not guilty to the murder.
A 54‑year‑old former head of treasury at Anglo Irish Bank, Tiernan O'Mahoney, is to stand trial on indictment in Dublin District Court for four charges under the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The offences relate to the period from 25 March 2003 to 17 November 2003 and include allegations that he knowingly concealed a bank account, conspired to obstruct a Revenue officer, concealed an account from inspection, and produced incorrect documents. O'Mahoney made no reply to the charges after being cautioned and was given a true copy of the indictment. He was arrested by the Garda Fraud Squad at Bridewell Garda station. Bail was granted on a €100 bond with conditions requiring him to remain at his home in Wicklow, sign on Fridays at Bray Garda station, and give 48‑hour notice of any address change or travel outside Ireland or the UK.