Trevor Byrne, aged 40, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a loaded 9mm Luger‑caliber Radom 35 firearm found in a back‑garden cabin at 35 Woodford Grove, Clondalkin, on 15 November 2019. He also faces three additional charges: possession of ammunition, possession of €3,050 in cash deemed proceeds of crime, and reckless handling of the cash. The Emergency Response Unit raided the house at 11.30 pm, discovered Byrne seated on a couch with another man, and after a confrontation Byrne was taken to Clondalkin Garda Station where he refused to engage with the jailer and exercised his right to silence. A search of the cabin revealed the gun, five bullets in the magazine, one in the chamber, and additional ammunition. DNA evidence linked Byrne to the gun, gloves, hold‑all and balaclava found in the cabin. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 9 December, with the court expected to pass a sentence before Christmas.
Trevor Byrne, 40, of Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, was arrested during a 2019 raid on a Dublin house. Armed gardai found him seated on a couch where a loaded semi‑automatic firearm was later discovered. Garda Sean White, who served as the jailer at Clondalkin Garda Station, reported that Byrne did not engage with him or answer questions about his health or rights while in custody. White was unable to complete required medical forms because Byrne remained silent, though he noted obvious signs of a medical condition when Byrne's clothes were taken for forensic examination. Sergeant Nuala Bruce later observed that Byrne eventually understood the reason for his arrest and requested a solicitor. Byrne has pleaded not guilty to possession of a 9mm Luger‑calibre Radom 35, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, two additional rounds, and €3,050 in cash alleged to be proceeds of criminal conduct.
Four men accused of falsely imprisoning and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 26 November to address an adjournment application. Luke O'Reilly, aged 66, from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan; Darren Redmond, aged 25, from East Wall, Dublin; Alan O'Brien, aged 39, also from East Wall, Dublin; and a fourth man who cannot be named for legal reasons, face charges relating to the alleged abduction and assault of Mr Lunney on 17 September 2019 in County Cavan. Defence counsel cited four grounds for postponing the scheduled January trial, including the volume of disclosure materials, pending High Court judicial review proceedings, ongoing Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission investigation into a fire that destroyed a van allegedly used in the alleged offence, and uncertainty regarding mobile phone data retention law. One defendant's legal team alleged DNA evidence had been planted on the Renault Kangoo van before it was destroyed. The State opposed the application, emphasising the serious nature of the allegations and the importance of proceeding with trial.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Trevor Byrne, aged 40, was charged with possessing a semi‑automatic weapon, ammunition and cash. On 15 November 2019, armed Gardaí from the Emergency Response Unit raided an unlocked back‑garden granny flat at Woodford Grove, Clondalkin. Byrne was found seated on a couch with another male. A detective reported that Byrne pointed a weapon at the officer, shouted "armed gardaí, armed police," and did not respond to repeated warnings. He was eventually handcuffed after the officer removed him from the couch and placed him face‑down. Byrne's weapon, a 9mm Luger‑calibre Radom 35, was found under the couch with five bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber. Gardaí also recovered €3,050 from his pocket. Byrne pleaded not guilty to possession of the firearm, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, two additional rounds, and the cash, all contrary to the Firearms Act.
A Co Down man has pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from a Mayo businessman in Omeath, Co Louth, in December 2017. Anthony Finglas, aged 49, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on charges arising from an incident in which the businessman was attacked by multiple assailants armed with iron bars and a knuckle-duster. The court heard that the victim was forced into a car boot and threatened with death unless he paid £50,000. Following the assault, the businessman reported receiving threatening phone calls and messages demanding payment. A victim impact statement indicated the man suffered severe psychological trauma, including suicidal ideation. Finglas's defence counsel argued his client played a minor role in the attack and showed restraint by urging the assailants to cease the violence. The defendant entered an early guilty plea and cooperated with gardaí. The Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing to December 15th, with the maximum penalty for the offence being fourteen years imprisonment.
A woman and her partner were involved in a money-laundering scheme linked to an organised crime group, following a raid that uncovered an arsenal of firearms capable of 'arming a small country', the Special Criminal Court has heard. Jonathan Harding (48) of Kerdiff Avenue, Naas, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to five charges of converting, transferring or handling property, to wit money, between 1 January, 2012, and 31 December 2016, at EBS, Bank of Ireland and AIB accounts, the proceeds of criminal conduct. Co-accused Carol Davis (45) of Clonmacnoise Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty to three offences between 1 January, 2014, and 31 December, 2016, relating to accounts held in her own name also at EBS, AIB and Bank of Ireland. The pair had originally been charged with 50 offences but pleaded guilty to a total of eight offences. The charges come under the Criminal Justice Act 2010 (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing). Declan Brady (54), known as 'Mr Nobody', was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of the weapons. Tom Anderson, the defendant, was sentenced to ten years in prison with one year suspended in January 2018 for the possession of firearms. The matter was adjourned to December 15 for sentencing.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, 53, until December 15 after newly disclosed CCTV footage was discovered. Mansfield Jnr is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January and June 2015 and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The prosecution, represented by Shane Costelloe SC, revealed that a significant portion of CCTV footage retained on a hard‑drive seized from the Towers on 7 June 2015 had never been disclosed to the State. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that the undisclosed footage amounted to 12 days of material and that the case should not proceed until he could review it. The court agreed to certify a second junior counsel for four days to examine the footage and adjourned the trial until 15 December, with Mr Justice Alexander Owens presiding alongside Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, armed gardaí discovered a loaded 9mm Luger‑calibre Radom handgun beneath a couch in a back‑garden cabin at Trevor Byrne's Woodford Grove property. Byrne, aged 40, was found with over €3,000 in his pocket and was charged with possession of the firearm, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, two additional rounds, and the cash. The court heard that two Emergency Response Unit teams entered the house on a warrant, locating Byrne in the cabin. Forensic analysis revealed a mixed DNA profile on the gun, with a majority profile believed to match Byrne, and DNA on other items found in the cabin. CCTV footage and a fingerprint on a shoe‑box were also seized. Byrne pleaded not guilty to all four charges, and the case was adjourned to 24 November.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, who is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice, continues before a non-jury court. Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to both counts. During cross-examination, alleged victim Martin Byrne, who is in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that the incident was "all Mansfield business" and that Mansfield Jnr was present when he was taken prisoner by a gang including Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy. Byrne's son, Brandon Byrne, also gave evidence, describing how his parents were held at The Towers while security guard John Roche was assaulted outside. The court heard that Christopher Maguire, who pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin and Lisa Byrne on June 9, 2015, received a three-year suspended sentence. Additionally, Daniel Kane, who pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne, was sentenced in April 2018 to five years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. Background evidence noted that James O'Gorman was previously convicted of defrauding a company director out of €54,000 in 2007. The trial is ongoing, with proceedings continuing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Luke O'Reilly, Darren Redmond, Alan O'Brien, and a fourth unnamed defendant, who are charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC applied for the adjournment, arguing that the law regarding the retention and accessing of mobile phone data is in a state of significant uncertainty. This argument references the appeal by Graham Dwyer, who sought to overturn his murder conviction for the killing of Elaine O'Hara by challenging the use of mobile data under the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act. The European Court of Justice recently ruled in similar cases that member states do not have broad rights to retain such data, and the ECJ hearing for the Dwyer referral is expected to begin in mid-January. The DPP, represented by Sean Guerin SC, requested time to set out the Director's position, noting her desire to proceed with the case. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, listed the matter for hearing next Thursday at 9.30am. The defendants were sent forward for trial last March, and the original trial date of January 11, 2021, was suspended pending this procedural review.
A witness at the Special Criminal Court has testified that property magnate Jim Mansfield Jnr could not have written a note allegedly used during an alleged kidnapping in Dublin. Martin Byrne, a former employee, told the three-judge court that a piece of paper handed to a vehicle driver bore someone else's handwriting. Mr Byrne claims Mr Mansfield Jnr orchestrated his false imprisonment by arranging meetings with paramilitary groups. He described being taken by seven men, including former paramilitaries Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, after a warehouse meeting in 2015. Mr Byrne, now in the Witness Protection Programme, said he was assaulted and later threatened at his home address, known as the Towers in Saggart, County Dublin. Under cross-examination, he rejected suggestions he was fabricating evidence or concealing information when he initially declined to speak with gardaí at the scene. Mr Mansfield Jnr, aged fifty-three, denies conspiracy to falsely imprison Mr Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and two other judges. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, former employee Martin Byrne, aged 53, testified that Jim Mansfield Jnr wanted him to attend the funeral of murdered Real IRA leader Alan Ryan in September 2012 on Mansfield's behalf. Byrne denied being solely employed by convicted fraudster James O'Gorman and claimed he worked mainly for Mansfield, though he also worked for O'Gorman. He said Mansfield had arranged meetings with the New IRA and INLA to help recover family property assets, and that Mansfield had set him up for false imprisonment. Byrne also recounted being taken prisoner by a gang including former INLA man Dessie O'Hare and Declan "Whacker" Duffy, and that he was later robbed of money and documents. The court heard Byrne's evidence about Mansfield's alleged conspiracy to falsely imprison him and attempts to pervert the course of justice. Mansfield pleaded not guilty to both charges.
A 49‑year‑old man named Anthony Finglas pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to demanding €50,000 from businessman Edward McAndrew in a Co Louth farmhouse on or about 2 December 2017. Finglas admitted making the unwarranted demand and was also charged with falsely imprisoning McAndrew, assaulting him, and robbing him of keys, cash, two mobile phones and an Irish passport at the same location and date. The judge remanded Finglas in custody until the matter is listed for mention next Monday.
Martin Byrne, a witness in the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, has denied claims by the defence that he cannot keep his story consistent and that he puts people in and out of meetings 'willy nilly'. Byrne, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that he was falsely imprisoned by a gang of seven men, including former INLA member Dessie O'Hare and former Republican paramilitary Declan 'Whacker' Duffy. The trial, which is in the sentence stage, continues before a three-judge court. Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including conspiring to falsely imprison Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice. In April 2019, Dessie O'Hare was jailed for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. In 2018, Declan 'Whacker' Duffy was sentenced to six years imprisonment for assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. The trial continues tomorrow.
At the Special Criminal Court, Martin Byrne (53), a former in-house security director of the Citywest Hotel and currently in the Witness Protection Programme, denied allegations that he likes to make himself look important or enjoys 'a bit of grandiosity' during cross-examination by defence counsel Bernard Condon SC. Byrne testified that Jim Mansfield Jnr (53) arranged meetings with the New IRA and INLA to assist in reclaiming parts of his family's former property portfolio. He also stated that €2,500 in protection money was being paid weekly to the Real IRA to protect Mansfield Jnr from Traveller gangs. Byrne claimed that Mansfield Jnr was aware of the dangers involved but was determined to recover his property. Mansfield Jnr is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Byrne between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2015, and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The trial continues. In April 2019, Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare was jailed for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan 'Whacker' Duffy was sentenced to six years in 2018 after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on June 9, 2015.
On 7 March 2020, Bernard Fogarty, 32, of Hole in the Wall Road, Donaghmede, Dublin 13, pleaded guilty to possessing a RAK PM‑63 submachine gun at his residence. The offence contravenes Section 27A(1) of the Firearms Act. The registrar read the single charge and Fogarty answered "Guilty." Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the case to 14 December to allow a prison governor's report and a urinalysis report to be completed. The case was subsequently brought before the Special Criminal Court under Section 49 of the Offences Against the State Act. The sentencing will take place next month.
Jim Mansfield Jnr is on trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice five years ago. The accused is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015, both dates inclusive. He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin between June 9, 2015 and June 12, 2015. Mr Mansfield has pleaded not guilty to both counts on the indictment. Martin Byrne, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that he arranged meetings with the New IRA and the INLA to assist Mr Mansfield in getting back parts of his family's former property portfolio. He also stated that he believed Mr Mansfield had set him up and tried to confront him but was grabbed from behind and pushed into a waiting car. The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Alexander Owens presiding, sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan. Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to six years imprisonment in 2018 after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin on June 9, 2015.
A trial concerning an alleged attempt to obstruct justice following a shooting in Dublin has concluded at the Special Criminal Court. Gary McAreavey, aged 53, of Castlebellingham, County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to assisting in the burning of a vehicle allegedly used in a failed attack on James Gately on May 10, 2017. The prosecution alleged that Mr McAreavey purchased petrol and aided in destroying the car at Newrath, Dromiskin. Defence counsel argued there was insufficient evidence that Mr McAreavey possessed knowledge of the attempted murder. Separately, Caolan Smyth, aged 28, of County Meath, has pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder Mr Gately and to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger. The prosecution contended Mr Smyth fired the shots. The three-judge court will deliver verdicts on January 8, 2021.
The Special Criminal Court heard closing submissions in the trial of Caolan Smyth and Gary McAreavey, who have both pleaded not guilty to charges related to the attempted murder of James Gately. Mr. Smyth is accused of the attempted murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger at the Topaz filling station in north Dublin on May 10, 2017. Mr. McAreavey is accused of impeding apprehension by assisting in the burning of the vehicle used in the attack at Newrath, Co Louth. Defence counsel John D Fitzgerald SC argued that the prosecution's circumstantial case relies on a "musical chairs" of shifting associations between the accused, a black Lexus, a mobile phone, and a Louth address. He contended that evidence linking Mr. Smyth to the car, phone, or his home on the morning of the shooting was speculative and lacked clear identification. Conversely, the prosecution maintained that Mr. Smyth was identifiable in CCTV footage and had conducted a "rehearsal" the day before the shooting. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is in its fourth week. The matter was adjourned to allow Mr. McAreavey's counsel to deliver his closing speech.
The State has told the Special Criminal Court that Caolan Smyth was the man who "pulled the trigger" in the attempted murder of James Gately at a filling station on the Clonshaugh Road in north Dublin on 10 May 2017. Mr Gately was shot five times whilst sitting in his car and sustained injuries to his upper chest and neck. Mr Smyth, aged 28, from Cuileann Court, Donore, County Meath, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. His co-accused, Gary McAreavey, aged 52, from Castlebellingham, County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to obstructing justice by assisting in the destruction of the vehicle used in the shooting. Prosecution counsel submitted that CCTV evidence, mobile phone data, and witness identification linked Mr Smyth to a black Lexus used in a stake-out of Mr Gately's home and the subsequent shooting.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr is on trial at the Special Criminal Court, charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts. The prosecution alleges that on June 9, 2015, Mansfield effectively delivered his longtime employee, Martin Byrne, into the arms of a group of men who falsely imprisoned Byrne and his family. The State claims Mansfield directed Byrne to a meeting at Keatings Park where he was confronted by Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, after which Byrne was restrained by seven men and taken to The Towers in Saggart. The second count alleges Mansfield instructed Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage from Finnstown House Hotel to pervert justice. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan. In related matters, former INLA member Dessie O'Hare was sentenced in April 2019 to three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years, with three suspended for life, for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan Duffy was sentenced in 2018 to six years imprisonment after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne on the same date.
Five men, including a former All-Ireland club footballer, have been charged with a combined 38 new offences at the Special Criminal Court relating to alleged ATM thefts across Cavan and Monaghan. Daniel O'Callaghan, aged 30, a former Crossmaglen player, faces charges concerning an attempted ATM theft in Virginia in August 2019 and a criminal damage and theft matter in Castleblayney in April 2019, both allegedly connected to organised crime. He is also charged with possession of cash and stolen vehicles, including a digger and flatbed trailer. Three brothers—Ciaran Duffy, aged 26, Gerard Duffy, aged 29, and Stephen Duffy, aged 34—alongside Niall Finnegan, aged 38, have been charged with related offences including handling money, possession of stolen property, and facilitating organised crime. All five accused have been released on bail pending further proceedings.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced David Hunter to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin. Presiding Judge Alexander Owens, sitting with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, backdated the sentence to April 2019, when Hunter was arrested in the UK on a European Arrest Warrant. Hunter, a 42-year-old Liverpool native, had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty based on compelling evidence, including DNA from a ski-mask recovered from the getaway car that matched his profile. The court rejected his defence that he was in Dublin for a concert and that the mask was lost during a prior car-stealing trip. Hunter is the second individual convicted for this Kinahan Cartel-linked killing; Eamon Cumberton was convicted in January 2018. During sentencing, Detective Garda Colm Kelly noted Hunter's 15 previous convictions. Prosecution counsel Mr Barr argued Hunter should serve his full sentence in Ireland to avoid transfer to Liverpool. Detective Superintendent Colm Murphy described the murder as cold and callous, confirming the investigation remains ongoing to bring all involved to justice. Victim impact statements from Barr's sister Noeleen and former partner Jade O'Shea highlighted the lasting trauma on Barr's five children and family.
Bernard Fogarty, 32, of Donaghmede, Dublin, faces trial in the Special Criminal Court for unlawful possession of a submachine gun. He is accused of holding an RAK PM‑63 at his Hole in the Wall Road address on 7 March 2020, an offence under Section 27A(1) of the Firearms Act. The state solicitor applied for a non‑jury hearing, which was granted by Justice Tony Hunt. Fogarty and his counsel were not present at the ex‑parte application. The case is scheduled for a hearing on 9 November, under Section 49 of the Offences Against the State Act.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr, aged 52, pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and perversion of justice charges before the Special Criminal Court. He is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between 1 January and 30 June 2015, and of directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage to pervert justice regarding Byrne's false imprisonment at Finnstown House Hotel from 9 to 12 June 2015. The court heard that Byrne is now in the Witness Protection Programme. Mansfield appeared in a navy suit with family members, while defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that an employee isolated due to Covid‑19 could be a defence witness. The judge ruled the employee was not entitled to attend. The Director of Public Prosecutions noted disclosure issues and protected witnesses, and the case was postponed to Tuesday, with the trial expected to last three weeks. Mansfield remains on bail with conditions including weekly Garda sign‑ons and a €10,000 surety.
At the Special Criminal Court, Carol Davis, 45, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering and terrorist financing for the period 2014‑2016. She admitted knowingly converting, using, transferring, taking possession of or handling money that was the proceeds of crime, via an EBS account in her own name. The plea covers the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016. Davis is the second person to plead guilty in this case; the first was Jonathan Harding, 48, who pleaded guilty to five similar counts. Davis was remanded on bail until 9 November, while Harding was remanded in custody until the same date. The case involves 20 offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2010, of which three were accepted by the State for the specified period. The court will hear full facts in the case.
Robert O'Leary, an 'Arthur Daley' type car dealer, has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment at the non-jury Special Criminal Court for membership of an unlawful organisation, contrary to Section 21 of the Offences against the State Act 1939, as amended by section 48 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005. O'Leary pleaded not guilty to the charge but was found guilty by the court. He had supplied a vehicle used in a dissident operation to plant a bomb under a PSNI officer's jeep in Belfast. Mr Justice Hunt initially read out a sentence of three years and six months but suspended the final six months for two years after considering O'Leary's letter to the court. O'Leary had written to the court, undertaking not to associate with militant or violent Republicanism upon release and not to come to the attention of gardaí. The court accepted the letter as a major factor in the sentencing. The judge noted that the Skoda Octavia was used to survey the area around the PSNI officer's home and was involved in planting the device. O'Leary had invented a purchaser for the car to break the link between him and the IRA operation. The court was satisfied that O'Leary sourced and purchased the car for a specific purpose and disposed of it using dubious personal details. The final sentence of three years' imprisonment was backdated to September 29, 2020, when O'Leary was found guilty. The matter was not adjourned and is now finalised at the sentence stage.
Trevor Byrne, 41, of Finglas West, was present in the Special Criminal Court on 9 October 2020 after the High Court transferred his trial from the Circuit Criminal Court. The transfer followed an order to send him for trial before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court, which he refused to accept. Byrne faces several charges stemming from incidents in 2010 and 2011, including armed robbery at a bookmaker in Swords, robbery of €1,490 at Boyle Sports, possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery, seizure of a vehicle by threat of force, false imprisonment of a woman, and a threat to kill her between Thornleigh Avenue and Kilshane Cross. Solicitor Michael O'Donovan requested a month to gather witnesses and reported that a Garda had attempted to serve the order, but Byrne declined to accept it. The case was adjourned to 9 November, when Byrne is scheduled to appear in the Special Criminal Court on an unrelated matter.
Jonathan Harding, 48, of Naas, pleaded guilty to five money‑laundering charges before the Special Criminal Court. He admitted to concealing the true nature of money in his own bank accounts at EBS and AIB, knowing it was criminal proceeds, and to doing the same in another person's accounts at AIB, Bank of Ireland and EBS. The offences cover 30 laundering incidents between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016. Harding will be sentenced on 9 November, while the other defendant is due before the court next Friday.
In a Special Criminal Court sentence hearing, Robert O'Leary, 42, of Finglas, was found guilty of membership of an unlawful organisation styled as the Irish Republican Army. The court considered evidence that a Skoda Octavia, supplied by O'Leary's used‑car dealership, had been used to plant an improvised explosive device under a PSNI officer's jeep in Belfast. O'Leary denied any knowledge of the bomb operation and claimed he had merely sold the car. Defence counsel argued there was no evidence of his involvement, citing his family life and lack of prior convictions. The judge accepted belief evidence and CCTV linking O'Leary to the vehicle, concluding that the car had been in IRA hands by the night of 31 May 2019. O'Leary was remanded in custody until sentencing on 16 October. The conviction was for a single count of IRA membership.
An application to set aside alleged asset transfers involving Michael Colm Murphy, a discharged bankrupt, has been admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court list. The court heard that the transfers were made by Murphy to his former wife Anne Murphy and sister-in-law Rita Hoey. The Deputy Official Assignee Denis Ryan claims the transfers were an attempt to frustrate Murphy's creditors, including 12 family members of the victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing. The Official Assignee, represented by Edward Farrelly SC, alleges that five asset transfers, including property, were made when civil and criminal proceedings were pending against Murphy for his alleged role in the atrocity carried out by the Real IRA. Murphy was cleared of all criminal charges in connection with the bombing, having been previously convicted in 2002, which was later overturned on appeal. In 2013, Murphy was found civilly liable for the bombing along with three other men, and ordered to pay £1.6m in damages to the victims' families. Bankruptcy proceedings were taken against Murphy, Michael McKevitt, and Liam Campbell, who were all adjudicated as bankrupt last year. The transfers, which include Murphy's family home, shares in companies, and land, were made between April 1999 and October 2001. It is also alleged that Murphy transferred £340,000 in cash to a trust for his children, which was used to buy a property in Dundalk. The Official Assignee seeks various orders and declarations, including that the assets be held in trust for the bankruptcy estate. The case was adjourned to a date in November.
Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court, where they were served with Books of Evidence in connection with the alleged attempted murder of Christy Keane. The prosecution alleges that the Limerick-based McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation shot Mr Keane multiple times as he parked his car on the University of Limerick grounds at approximately 6.35am on June 29, 2015. Noel Price, 42, of Kileely Road, Limerick City, is charged with having knowledge of the existence of the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation and assisting in making a vehicle available to that organisation with the intention of facilitating the attempted murder, or being reckless as to the same, between June 27 and 29, 2015. Co-accused John Costello, 39, of Hennessy Avenue, Kileely, is charged with knowledge of the existence of the criminal organisation and providing transport to persons with the intention of facilitating the commission of the attempted murder on June 29, 2015. Larry McCarthy, 42, of Tower Lodge, Old Cork Road, Limerick City, is charged with making a vehicle available to the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation in the attempted murder between June 27 and 29, 2015. The alleged offences fall under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded all three men in custody to appear again before the non-jury court on November 2.
Four men were served with a Book of Evidence at the Special Criminal Court on 14 September 2020. The case concerns the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, who was shot multiple times in his car at a filling station on Clonshaugh Road, Dublin 17, on 10 May 2017. Peter 'Peadar' Keating (39) of Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, and Stephen Fowler (61) of Blakestown Cottages, Clonsilla, appeared at the non‑jury court charged under Section 72(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The charge alleges that between 7 December 2016 and 6 April 2017, they, knowing of a criminal organisation, acted to enhance that organisation's ability to commit the murder of Gately. David Duffy (33) of Greenfort Lawns, Clondalkin, and Douglas Glynn (35) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, were also charged with the same offence under Section 72(1).
Ms Lisa Smith, a 38‑year‑old former Irish Defence Forces member from County Louth, has been scheduled to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court on 11 January 2022. The trial, expected to last 12 weeks, will be presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Sarah Berkeley and James Faughnan. Smith faces charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and for financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named recipient on 6 May 2015. She denies the allegations. The case was previously heard at Dublin District Court in December 2020, where a Section 49 order was made on 31 August 2021 to transfer the matter to the non‑jury court. Smith remains on continuing bail awaiting the trial.
David Hunter, a 41‑year‑old car thief from Liverpool, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of murdering 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin, on 25 April 2016. The court found Hunter to be one of two gunmen who entered the pub, shot Barr seven times, and fled in an Audi A6 that was later set on fire. DNA evidence from a ski‑mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile, and the court rejected his explanations for his presence in Dublin and the mask's whereabouts as implausible. Hunter denied the murder, claiming he had been in Dublin for a concert and had no involvement. The judge ruled that Hunter could not have been the getaway driver and that he was seated in the rear passenger seat while the other accused, Eamonn Cumberton, was the driver. Hunter will receive a mandatory life sentence and remain in custody until sentencing.
A man with three All Ireland Club Championship medals with Crossmaglen Rangers has been granted bail by the Special Criminal Court on charges relating to ATM thefts in the border region. Daniel O'Callaghan, aged 30, faces five offences including the theft of an ATM in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, in April 2019 and the attempted theft of an ATM at The Riverfront Hotel in Virginia, Co Cavan, in August 2019. He is also charged with offences under the Criminal Justice Act alleging involvement with a criminal organisation. Bail was set at €1,000 cash and independent sureties totalling €40,000. Mr O'Callaghan must reside in Castleblayney, surrender his passport, sign on daily at the local garda station, observe a nightly curfew, and comply with restrictions on travel and association. He has been remanded in custody with consent to bail until November 2. Three other men have previously been granted bail in connection with the same investigations.
Daniel O'Callaghan (30) appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with five offences relating to the theft of an ATM in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, in April and the attempted theft of an ATM in Virginia, Co Cavan, in August. He is alleged to have committed these offences for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation. O'Callaghan is also charged with offences under Sections 72 and 73 of the Criminal Justice Act. Presiding judge Ms Justice Tara Burns remanded O'Callaghan in custody until Monday, to allow for gardaí to carry out inquiries regarding the surety. Michael O'Donovan is also charged with the attempted theft of the ATM at The Riverfront Hotel, Main Street, Virginia Co Cavan, on August 14, 2019, for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
Four men have been granted bail by the Special Criminal Court following their appearance on charges relating to alleged ATM theft attempts across the border region. Gerard Duffy, aged 29, Ciaran Duffy, aged 26, and Stephen Duffy, aged 34, all from County Monaghan, along with Niall Finnegan, aged 38, from County Armagh, face charges under the Offences Against the State Act alleging involvement in a criminal organisation. The charges arise from investigations into attempted ATM thefts at Virginia, County Cavan, in August 2019 and Castleblayney, County Monaghan, in April 2019. Bail conditions imposed include residence at named addresses, passport surrender, daily reporting to Castleblayney Garda Station, curfew compliance, and prohibition on mutual contact except for legal purposes. The accused are also barred from contacting prospective witnesses. Justice Tony Hunt adjourned proceedings to November 2nd to allow preparation of the Book of Evidence.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Patrick Curtis and Mohammed Smew for their roles in a Kinahan Cartel plot to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. Curtis, 38, who admitted directing the criminal organisation, received a final sentence of 12 years imprisonment, with the last two years suspended. The suspension is conditional on a €100 bond, good behaviour, and one year of probation supervision following release. Smew, 27, who pleaded guilty to participating in the organisation by providing vehicles and assisting in planning, was sentenced to eight years and three months, with the final nine months suspended. Both sentences were backdated to December 2019. The court noted that the murder plan was postponed due to Storm Emma, after which Smew was arrested for a separate matter. Earlier in the case, co-accused Michael Burns, 43, who admitted a graver offence, was jailed for nine years. Stephen Curtis, 32, and Ciaran O'Driscoll, 25, were each sentenced to five years. Additionally, Mark Capper, 31, Gary Thompson, 35, Glen Thompson, 25, and Robert Browne, 36, received sentences of seven-and-a-half years, 12 years and six months, 12 years and six months, and 11 years and six months respectively for their involvement in the plot.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Stephen Little (47) and Edward McDonnell (56) for unlawful possession of a semi-automatic weapon. Little, of Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to possessing a Grand Power G9 pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, on September 14, 2019. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, backdated to December 21, 2019. The judge noted Little's motivation was the murder of his son, Sean Little, and accepted he was not the intended triggerman. McDonnell, of New Ross, Co Wexford, also pleaded guilty to possessing the weapon at the same location and date. He received a nine-year sentence, backdated to September 16, 2019. The court highlighted McDonnell's 47 previous convictions and his guilty plea entered on the fifth day of trial. Both men were originally charged with having the weapon with intent to endanger life but convicted under Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act. Gardaí recovered the loaded handgun under the passenger seat of an Audi, along with balaclavas, gloves, and a petrol can. Little, who drove McDonnell to the scene, made statements to gardaí expressing intent to kill the person responsible for his son's death. The judge described the case as one of "intended lethality" avoided by Garda intervention. Both defendants were remanded in custody prior to sentencing.
Lisa Smith, a former Irish Defence Forces member aged 38 from County Louth, has been ordered to be tried in the non‑jury Special Criminal Court. She faces charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of ten years. A second charge, also under the same Act, alleges that she financed terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named recipient on 6 May 2015. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a Section 49 order, arguing that ordinary courts were inadequate to secure justice. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Declan Dempsey, granted the application. Smith, who denies the allegations, was not present at the hearing. The case is scheduled for mention before the three‑judge court on 14 September, at which time she must attend.
Four men appeared before the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday charged with involvement in attempted ATM thefts across Cavan and Monaghan during 2019. Gerard Duffy, aged 29, Ciaran Duffy, aged 26, both of Greagh, Loughnamore, County Monaghan, Stephen Duffy, aged 34, of Castleblayney, and Niall Finnegan, aged 38, of County Armagh, face charges under the Offences Against the State Act. The accused are alleged to have participated in a criminal organisation linked to attempted thefts at Virginia and Castleblayney, and the unlawful movement and possession of cash. The charges carry dates spanning April 2019 and August 2019. Legal representatives indicated that bail would be sought for all defendants, with applications for free legal aid also filed. The court heard that gardaí required verification of proposed bail sureties. Justice Tony Hunt adjourned proceedings to 31 August to allow inspection of the sureties and confirmed that legal aid, if granted, would be backdated to the hearing date.
A man named David Duffy, aged 33 and from Greenfort Lawns, Clondalkin, was charged by the Special Criminal Court with involvement in the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, a target of the Kinahan cartel. The alleged offence, under Section 72(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, states that between 7 December 2016 and 6 April 2017, Duffy, knowing of a criminal organisation and intending to aid its members, participated in or contributed to activities connected with the murder of Gately. Gately was shot multiple times while seated in his car at the Topaz filling station on Clonshaugh Road, Dublin 17, on 10 May 2017. Duffy was granted bail on 31 July, subject to a €20,000 independent surety, which the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed was acceptable. He was remanded in custody with consent to bail and must appear again on 14 September.
A UK man accused of murdering Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin is described by his defence as a 'two-bit car thief' and 'no James Bond', according to the Special Criminal Court. David Hunter, a Liverpool native with an address in London, is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Barr (35) at the pub in Summerhill on the night of April 25, 2016. The defence closed its case by asserting that the defendant could not 'logically' have been the killer. Mixed DNA profiles were found on a ski-mask and rubber mask recovered from a car allegedly used in the killing, with the major contributor matching Mr Hunter's DNA. However, Mr Hunter stated to gardaí that he had left the ski-mask in a car in Dublin two months before the shooting and had not seen it again. Defence barrister Ms Roisín Lacey SC argued that the prosecution cannot prove Mr Hunter wore the ski-mask underneath the rubber mask at the shooting and that there is a reasonable doubt. She also highlighted that Mr Hunter's admission to gardaí of stealing cars 'painted him in a bad light' and that he was in a 'narcotic and alcoholic haze' at the time of the shooting. Ms Lacey submitted that Mr Hunter could not have been the driver of the getaway vehicle or the convicted male in the back of the vehicle, and that he had to be the front passenger who emerged without any head covering. She concluded that Mr Hunter 'is not a murderer and he cannot logically be the murderer on the evidence in the case.' Mr Justice Owens adjourned the case to September 11 for judgement and remanded Mr Hunter in custody.
A man named Douglas Glynn, aged 36, was granted bail by the Special Criminal Court for his alleged involvement in the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, a target of the Kinahan cartel. The charge, under Section 72(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, alleges that between 7 December 2016 and 6 April 2017, Glynn, knowing of a criminal organisation, participated in activities that would facilitate the murder of Gately, specifically the fixing of a tracking device on Gately's car. Despite objections from Gardaí, who cited Glynn's risk to public safety, the seriousness of the offence, and his flight risk, the judge granted bail. Conditions include daily reporting to Mountjoy Garda Station, residence at a family home, provision of a mobile number, surrender of travel documents, prohibition from leaving the jurisdiction, and no contact with case‑related individuals.
Sean Ruth, 31, of Rathangan, Co Kildare, appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with eight offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Finance Act. The alleged offences occurred in the State between 1 January and 31 December 2016. The Book of Evidence was served in the court, and the case was adjourned to 5 October. The State did not object to a free legal aid application, which was granted, and Mr Ruth was remanded on continuing bail. In June, Detective Garda Paul Kane informed State Solicitor Ciara Vibien that a warrant had been executed for Mr Ruth, who is accused of making four lodgements into an AIB account and four into an account at St Canice's Credit Union, Kilkenny, with the accounts allegedly held in his name. The amounts of the lodgements were not disclosed in court.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Patrick Curtis and Mohammed Smew for their roles in a Kinahan Cartel plot to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. Curtis, 38, pleaded guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation between February and March 2018. Smew, 27, pleaded guilty to participating in the organisation's activities, including providing vehicles and planning an attempted shooting. The court heard that Curtis suffers from claustrophobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder, while Smew was remanded in custody after a separate arrest, which ended his involvement. This sentencing concludes the case against the last two men involved in the plot. Previously, Michael Burns was jailed for nine years, while Stephen Curtis and Ciaran O'Driscoll received five-year sentences. Mark Capper, who withdrew from the plan, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years. In a related 2019 case, Gary Thompson, Glen Thompson, and Robert Browne were sentenced to 12.5 years and 11.5 years respectively for planning the murder. The court noted the gang's hierarchical structure, with leadership operating from the Middle East coordinating sub-cells. The planned attack involved a staging post, a ruse to lure the victim, and a getaway route, though the operation was intercepted by the Emergency Response Unit before execution.
In the Special Criminal Court, Liverpool native David Hunter pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn closed the case by arguing that Hunter's involvement was the only reasonable explanation for a series of coincidences. He cited DNA evidence linking a ski mask and cigarette butt to Hunter, ballistics matching guns found in an Audi A6 on Walsh Road, and CCTV timing of the vehicle's movements. McGinn also referenced cell‑site data showing four phones used on the night of the murder, one of which connected to Hunter's new phone shortly after the killing. He highlighted Hunter's travel plans, the sale of his car, and his girlfriend's call at 10.22 pm as further evidence of his presence at the scene. The court will hear Hunter's defence tomorrow.
Jake Kearney, 25, of Coolock Drive, Dublin 17, pleaded guilty on 5 May 2020 to unlawful possession of a Luger‑calibre Grand Power semi‑automatic pistol at Oscar Traynor Road, Santry, Dublin 9, on 30 October 2019. He was arrested after Gardaí observed him with a loaded handgun in a taxi and at a pub, where a black handgun and eight 9 mm bullets were seized. The firearm was intended for use in an imminent attack on a rival north Dublin gang, though it is not known whether Kearney himself would have fired it. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted Kearney's early guilty plea and limited prior convictions, and imposed a headline jail term of eight years, reduced by 25 % for the plea, and suspended the final year. Kearney was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the last year suspended, back‑dated to 2 November 2019.
In the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued that Daniel Cahill, the key witness in Aaron Brady's murder trial, may have had motives to fabricate his testimony. O'Higgins highlighted Cahill's claims of hearing Brady admit to killing Garda Adrian Donohoe, Cahill's alleged encounters with Homeland Security, and the lack of any subsequent police action against Cahill despite drug findings. He questioned the credibility of Cahill's statements, noting inconsistencies and the absence of corroborating evidence from Garda investigations. O'Higgins also criticized the Garda investigation for allegedly overlooking evidence of diesel laundering linked to Brady, citing text messages and phone contacts. The counsel urged the jury to scrutinise Cahill's testimony and the prosecution's evidence before drawing conclusions. The trial remains ongoing. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty.