Career criminal Robert 'Roo' Redmond has lost his appeal against his conviction for the murder of Barry Wolverson. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, dismissed the bid, ruling that there was no risk of contamination to a North Face jacket containing gunshot residue that strongly supported Redmond's position as the shooter. Redmond, of Kilbarrack, Dublin 5, is serving life imprisonment for the 2020 murder of Wolverson, a father-of-eight, at Madigan's Yard, Swords. He had denied the charge. His co-accused, Bernard Fogarty, of Coolock, Dublin 5, was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the same murder. Redmond's legal team argued the jacket evidence should have been excluded due to improper storage by gardaí, claiming potential contamination. However, the court accepted the Director of Public Prosecutions' submission that the contamination argument was speculative. Mr Justice O'Moore noted that forensic evidence indicated the jacket's wearer was the shooter, a finding not directly disputed during cross-examination. The court found no error by the Special Criminal Court and confirmed adequate evidence placed Redmond at the scene. The appeal was dismissed in its entirety.
Conor O'Brien, 29, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, pleaded guilty to all six charges before the Special Criminal Court. He admitted to facilitating a criminal organisation's efforts to import restricted weapons and ammunition from the US to Ireland between February 2023 and July 2024. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing firearm components in suspicious circumstances, including AR-15 and Anderson AM-15 barrels, Sig Sauer pistol frames, and slides, seized in Ardee in July 2024. The court noted the organisation's function was importing and reassembling restricted firearms for distribution to other criminal groups. O'Brien was remanded on continual bail to appear for sentencing on January 12. His co-accused, Mark McCourt, 34, of Edenreive, Newry, Co Down, was previously jailed by the Special Criminal Court after pleading guilty to similar charges of facilitating the importation of restricted weapons and possessing firearms components. McCourt had offered 10 pipe bombs as a free gift to seal a €75,000 deal to supply smuggled guns and ammunition. The gang leader was jailed for 12 years two weeks prior after being caught in a raid where parts for six weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized.
Sean McGovern, 39, previously of Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to address his legal aid application. The accused is charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016, at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin. Additional allegations include directing a criminal organisation in connection with that murder, facilitating a criminal organisation in the conspiracy to murder James Gately, and directing surveillance of Mr. Gately. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, stated the court was not satisfied with the statement of means provided, describing it as containing "at best, scant detail." The judge noted the document offered no information on how McGovern funded his lifestyle in Dubai over the past eight years. Defence counsel Seán Guerin SC stated he could provide no further assistance beyond the instructions received. The prosecution, represented by Maddie Grant BL, indicated the State had no observations. The court adjourned the matter for mention next week to allow the defence to provide further answers regarding the defendant's financial position. McGovern was previously extradited from the United Arab Emirates, where his lawyers had raised concerns about the legality of his return.
Sarah Jane Byrne, 37, and Jamie Moss, 22, were remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court until 1 December after pleading guilty to firearms offences. Byrne admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol, 27 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition, a 12‑gauge sawn‑off Beretta shotgun and a Tokarev submachine gun, all found during a Garda operation on 16 February 2024 at Old Navan Road, Blanchardstown. Moss admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol and a 9mm Makarov Sellier and Bellot round of ammunition, also seized on the same day. Byrne's counsel described her as a vulnerable woman with mental health and addiction problems, who stored firearms to pay a debt to drug dealers and had recently overcome addiction but relapsed after a cancer diagnosis. Moss's counsel highlighted his recent completion of a carpentry apprenticeship and community respect. Both defendants had no prior convictions and were considered low risk of reoffending.
Mark McCourt (34) of Edenreive, Newry, Co Down, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court today. Having pleaded guilty in July to participating in a criminal organisation's efforts to import restricted weapons between February 2023 and July 2024, and possessing firearms, McCourt was jailed for 12 years for arms smuggling. This sentence was based on a 15-year headline term, reduced by 20% for his early guilty plea. He was concurrently sentenced to 10 years on four firearms possession charges, reduced from 12.5 years on the same basis. The remaining 20 counts on the indictment were taken into account. The court noted McCourt was caught red-handed with military-grade weapons, including parts for six assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition seized in a Co Louth raid. Det Insp Shane McCartan stated McCourt controlled the importation of firearms components from the USA for reassembly and distribution. McCourt's jail term has been backdated to his arrest on 19 July 2024. The report also notes a separate conviction for criminal damage, where McCourt was jailed for three years, with 18 months suspended, for ramming an off-duty garda's car. No adjournments were recorded; the matter was finalised with sentencing.
Four men – Miljan Koprivica (45) of Manchester, UK, and three Filipino men, Hanz Pangahin (36), Christopher Ampo (44) and Feljon Lao (62) – pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to conspiring to import drugs worth over €13,000 between 18 December 2024 and 15 January 2025, both inside and outside the State. The offence contravenes section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Two other co‑accused, Conor Costello (31) of Derry and Ryan Watson (32) of Glasgow, had already pleaded guilty to the same charge. All defendants remain in custody awaiting the court hearing on 3 November.
A 37‑year‑old convicted killer, Richard Treacy, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to two years and eight months in prison after he spent €100,000 of crime proceeds on extensive renovations to his family home in Limerick. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, noted that the offence, committed between 1 January 2014 and 12 January 2021, involved disguising the source of the money used for the work, contravening the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. Treacy pleaded guilty, which the court considered a mitigating factor, and he cooperated during the investigation. The judge also ordered that money seized by Gardaí from the house be forfeited to the State, including £3,900 sterling and €4,000, while smaller sums identified as welfare payments were not forfeited. Treacy has ten prior convictions, including manslaughter, violent disorder and dangerous driving, and had no employment history.
Sean McGovern, who was extradited from the United Arab Emirates last May to face charges of murder and directing a criminal organisation, has been served with a second book of evidence at the Special Criminal Court. McGovern (39), with a previous address at Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, is charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016 at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin in Dublin. He was served with a book of evidence in relation to this charge earlier this year. Dominic McGinn SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, stated that a second book of evidence was now ready to be served, covering further offences with which McGovern is charged, including directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the same murder between October 20, 2016 and December 22, 2016. He is also charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the surveillance of James Gately in preparation for the commission of an indictable offence between October 17, 2015 and April 6, 2017. Another charge alleges that between October 20 and December 22, 2016 he contributed to or participated in activity intending or being reckless as to whether such activity would facilitate a criminal organisation in the murder of Mr Kirwan. He faces a similar charge of facilitating a criminal organisation in a conspiracy to murder James Gately. Seán Guerin SC, for McGovern, raised an issue with disclosure relating to the lawfulness of McGovern's extradition which has been 'outstanding for a while'. He said the prosecution has now indicated that this would be ready by Friday. Mr McGinn requested that the matter be put back for two weeks. Mr Guerin asked that his client appear by video link on that occasion. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor set a further hearing date of Friday, October 17 and directed that McGovern appear by video link on that date.
In the Special Criminal Court, lawyers for 42‑year‑old James Leen argued that mobile phone evidence supports his innocence. Colm Smyth SC requested an adjournment to allow a mobile‑phone expert to examine devices seized by the gardai. Smyth said the prosecution's case hinges on alleged phone conversations linking Leen to three machines that were imported into Ireland, one of which contained the seized drugs. He contended that further analysis would show Leen was involved with only two of the machines and had no connection to the third. The court agreed to postpone the trial to 19 December to give the defence time to compile its report. Leen faces five charges, including directing a criminal organisation, importing crystal meth, and possession of methamphetamine at Ballyseedy Garden Centre. The State alleges the drugs were imported from Mexico, stored at Ballyseedy, and then moved to Cork for export to Australia.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Mark McCourt, 34, of Edenrieve, Newry, could receive a sentence of up to 14 years for running a gun‑running ring that smuggled weapons from America to criminal organisations. McCourt had previously pleaded guilty to firearms offences and to aiding a criminal organisation in importing restricted weapons. The Director of Public Prosecutions placed him at the higher end of the sentencing scale, which carries ten to fourteen years. He is remanded in custody and the sentencing is scheduled for 3 November. A senior Garda testified that McCourt controlled a criminal organisation that imported firearms components from the USA, reassembled them into assault rifles and pistols, and distributed them to other groups. Evidence included a raid in County Louth where 82 gun parts were assembled into six rifles and a dozen pistols, and phone data showing McCourt's communications with prospective customers and his trips to Las Vegas.
Ryan Watson, 32, of Glasgow, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to conspiring to import controlled drugs worth over €13,000 between 18 December 2024 and 15 January 2025, both inside and outside the State. The case is scheduled for mention on 20 October, when the court will review a probation report, a governor's report, an education report and a urinalysis. Conor Costello, 31, of Derry, also pleaded guilty to the same charge earlier this month. Other defendants include Gary Monks, 40, Miljan Koprivica, 45, and three Filipino men: Hanz Pangahin, 36; Christopher Ampo, 44; and Feljon Lao, 62.
Alan Harte, aged 43, is serving a 30-year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for the kidnapping and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney at a yard in Ballinagh, County Cavan in September 2019. At the Court of Appeal, Harte's legal team argued that his conviction by the non-jury court was unconstitutional on two grounds: whether the Special Criminal Court can deliver a majority verdict, and whether it may withhold disclosure of whether a verdict was unanimous or split. Counsel submitted that transparency regarding verdict unanimity is essential when restricting liberty, and that judges sitting on the Special Criminal Court exercise the same function as jurors. The State's counsel countered that the Special Criminal Court comprises judges rather than a representative cross-section of society, rendering it fundamentally different from a jury trial. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
Mark McCourt, 34, pleaded guilty to firearms offences and participation in a criminal organisation that imported and re‑assembled restricted weapons from the USA. In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a senior Garda testified that McCourt controlled a ring that smuggled gun parts by air, assembling them into assault rifles and pistols. Evidence included seized phone data revealing text messages to prospective buyers, offering a €75,000 cash deal for firearms and a free gift of 10 pipe bombs. McCourt had previously flown to Las Vegas in 2023, where he purchased an AR‑15 rifle and discussed further weapon sales. A raid on a shed in Ardee on 19 July 2024 uncovered 82 gun parts and nearly 900 rounds of ammunition. McCourt has 42 prior convictions and was jailed for three years, 18 months suspended, for a criminal damage incident involving a Garda's vehicle. The court will decide his sentence at a later hearing.
Devon Hennessy, aged 29, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm against Barry Moore at a Dublin 15 house on 12 February 2025. He admitted that the assault was part of a joint enterprise to enhance a criminal organisation's ability to commit serious offences. Hennessy was remanded in custody until 7 October for sentencing. Four co‑accused—Jason Hennessy Jr (28), Brandon Hennessy (22), Kenneth Fitzsimons (45) and Dean Fitzsimons—remain awaiting trial. They face charges of false imprisonment, serious harm, and participation in a criminal organisation, with additional allegations of intimidation, threat of property damage, and use of a steel breaker bar and branding stamp. The court will consider these charges in the upcoming term.
Lee Canavan, 36, has appealed his conviction for the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Canavan, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court on June 3, 2021, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was also jailed for five years for criminal damage to a getaway vehicle. His counsel argued the trial court erred by relying on 'general association' with co-accused to infer guilt, noting the prosecution initially alleged he was the shooter. The State countered that the case was always based on joint enterprise. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgment. Canavan is the fourth person jailed for the killing. Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life in 2018. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received six years in 2019. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in 2020 for acting as a getaway driver.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 July 2025, Mr. Osgur Breatnach, aged 75, sought a declaration that his 1978 conviction for the Sallins train robbery was a miscarriage of justice. The robbery, which occurred on 31 March 1976, involved the theft of an estimated £200,000 from a Cork‑to‑Dublin mail train near Sallins, County Kildare. Breatnach, one of five members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, was initially found guilty and sentenced to 12 years by the Special Criminal Court. His conviction was later quashed in May 1980 after the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that his confession had been obtained under "oppression." During the case‑management session, Mr. Breatnach's solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRW Law, presented an application under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993, asserting that newly discovered facts indicate a miscarriage of justice.
One of seven men charged with conspiring to import controlled drugs into the country pleaded guilty to the offence at the Special Criminal Court. Conor Costello (31) of Earhart Park, Madamsbank Road, Derry in Northern Ireland admitted to conspiring with others between December 18, 2024 and January 15, 2025, within and outside the State, to import controlled drugs worth in excess of €13,000. The charge is contrary to section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The matter was adjourned to October 20, along with the cases of the six co-accused. The other accused include Gary Monks (40) of Amulree Place, Glasgow, Scotland; Ryan Watson (32) of Mailerbeg Gardens, Modiesburn, Glasgow; Miljan Koprivica (45) of Bollin Drive, Manchester; and three Filipino men: Hanz Pangahin (36), Christopher Ampo (44), and Feljon Lao (62). No pleas were entered by the co-accused, and the charges against them remain alleged or contested.
A 34‑year‑old man named Mark McCourt pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to facilitating a criminal organisation in the importation of firearms, ammunition and explosives into the State between 10 February 2023 and 19 July 2024. He admitted that, knowing the organisation existed, he participated in or contributed to activities intended to assist the organisation or its members in committing serious offences, specifically the importation of firearms, ammunition and explosives. McCourt also confessed to unlawfully possessing two .233 Remington calibre barrels from AR‑15 pattern rifles and, on the same date and location, nine 9mm Luger calibre barrels, eight frames for Sig Sauer semi‑automatic pistols, a frame for a Canik semi‑automatic pistol and four slides for a Sig Sauer P320 9mm Luger semi‑automatic pistol, with circumstances indicating he did not have them for lawful purposes.
At the Special Criminal Court, six accused men pleaded guilty to charges related to a foiled drug importation operation off the south coast. Angel Del Rio Sanz, Anuar Rahui Chairi, Aleksandar Milic, Kiumaars Ghabiri, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, and Angel Serran Padilla admitted to conspiring with others to import controlled drugs in excess of €13,000 between February 27 and March 14, 2024. The prosecution alleged the group attempted a sea rendezvous with the vessel Cool Explorer to smuggle 840kg of cocaine, which was later found washed up in Denmark. Evidence presented included the seizure of a rigid inflatable boat, vehicles, and nautical equipment at Tragumna Pier in Cork. The court heard that the RIB's GPS data indicated an attempt to intercept the ship's path. The matter is currently at the pre-trial stage; sentencing for the guilty pleas is ongoing, with the hearing continuing. Separately, co-accused Ali Ghasemi Mazidi, Sean Curran, and Raul Tabares Garcia sought trial dates. The court adjourned the matter for a mention on July 28 to list a trial date, meaning the proceedings for these three defendants have not been concluded.
Jamie Moss, 22, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to two offences of possessing a 9mm Makarov semi-automatic pistol and one round of ammunition without lawful purpose. The charges relate to an incident on February 16, 2024, at Old Navan Road, Blanchardstown. Moss's co-accused, Sarah Jane Byrne, 27, previously pleaded guilty in June to five offences. These included possession of the same 9mm Makarov pistol and ammunition, as well as 27 rounds of Luger 9mm ammunition, a 12-gauge sawn-off Beretta shotgun, and a Tokarev submachine gun, all allegedly held without lawful purpose at the same location on February 16, 2024. The State requested that the cases be joined, noting Byrne's sentencing hearing is listed for October 20. Defence counsel Carol Doherty BL requested a probation report for Moss, highlighting his recent completion of education. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor directed the preparation of the probation report and remanded Moss on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned to October 20 for sentencing, with the court indicating the proceedings for both accused would be joined at that stage.
Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, a 56-year-old Spanish national, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to conspiring to import controlled drugs worth over €13,000 into Ireland between February 27 and March 14, 2024. Presiding Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the matter to July 21 for sentencing. On that date, co-accused Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, Anuar Rahui Chairi, and Aleksandar Milic are also listed for sentencing after pleading guilty to similar charges of conspiring to import drugs. Six other men remain charged in connection with the case: Kiumaars Ghabiri, Ali Ghasemi Mazidi, Sean Curran, Raul Tabares Garcia, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, and Angel Serran Padilla. The group was arrested by gardai in March 2024 during operations in Tragumna and Leap, near Skibbereen, County Cork. Authorities seized a jeep, camper van, articulated truck, and rigid inflatable boat during the suspected smuggling operation. The court proceedings are currently at the trial stage, with final sentencing pending for the four defendants who admitted their guilt.
An 18‑year‑old Dubliner, who was a minor when he first appeared before the courts, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to an additional three years and eight months in prison for burying a sawn‑off shotgun, ammunition and drugs worth more than €55,000 for the Hennessy crime gang. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a side‑by‑side shotgun, cannabis, diamorphine and Phenacetin, and to possession of 15 rounds of 9 × 18 mm Makarov ammunition and ten 12‑Gauge ELEY cartridges. The judge imposed a headline sentence of seven and a half years for the shotgun offence, but, after suspending one year and four months, the final term was three years and eight months, to run consecutively with his existing 28‑month sentence for violent disorder at Browne's Steakhouse. Additional concurrent sentences of 20 months for Phenacetin, 18 months for cannabis and three years and four months for diamorphine were also imposed.
Six men from Iran, Ukraine, the Philippines and the UK were jailed for a combined 129 years after a 2.2‑tonne cocaine seizure on the bulk carrier MV Matthew. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Ms Justice Melanie Greally, sentenced each defendant to a term ranging from 13.5 to 20 years, with the longest term imposed on Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (50) at 20 years. Ozgen was described as the crew member most closely connected to the Dubai‑based criminal organisation that planned and funded the operation. Other defendants received 18 years for Filipino Harold Estoesta, 17.5 for Iranian Soheil Jelveh, 16.5 for Ukrainian Vitaliy Vlasoi, 15 for Iranian Saeid Hassani, 14 for Ukrainian Mykhailo Gavryk, 14.5 for Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa and 13.5 for British Jamie Harbron. The court noted that the defendants had pleaded guilty and that most had no prior convictions.
A bilingual barrister assisted proceedings at the Special Criminal Court today after an interpreter experienced difficulty during his first court appearance. The Spanish-language interpreter, who has worked in hospital settings but not previously in a courtroom, became anxious while translating for defendants charged in connection with an alleged drug importation conspiracy. Defence counsel Cathal McGreal BL, noting the translation issues, offered support, and the interpreter subsequently continued with the day's business of scheduling matters. Six men require trial dates in the case, including Sean Curran, aged 37, with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. Ten men in total, from Ireland, Spain, Serbia, and the Netherlands, are charged with conspiracy to import controlled drugs valued in excess of €13,000 between late February and mid-March 2024. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned matters to July 21 for trial date setting, with further mentions scheduled for July 7.
An 18-year-old defendant, previously convicted of violent disorder during the fatal assault on Tristan Sherry at Browne's Steakhouse, pleaded guilty to multiple offences at the Special Criminal Court. The charges relate to incidents at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown, on May 7/8, 2024, including the possession of a side-by-side shotgun, 15 rounds of 9mm Makarov ammunition, and ten 12 Gauge shotgun cartridges. He also faced charges for possessing controlled drugs, including cannabis, diamorphine, cocaine, ketamine, and Phenacetin, allegedly for supply. Garda evidence indicated the defendant was burying these items for the Hennessy criminal gang. The court heard that the defendant is currently serving a sentence of two years and four months for the earlier violent disorder conviction, with the final year suspended. Defence counsel argued the defendant acted under the direction of others and cited his difficult background. Judge Karen O'Connor, presiding, adjourned the matter to July 7 for sentencing. The defendant was 17 at the time of the park offences but has since turned 18. The court noted the separate conviction for violent disorder arising from the Christmas Eve 2023 incident where Sherry was beaten to death.
Sean McGovern, 39, previously of Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, appeared via video link at the Special Criminal Court to change his legal representation. His solicitors, Michael Staines, applied to withdraw from the case, with the accused to be represented by Wayne Kenny solicitors. McGovern confirmed his consent to the application. The matter was adjourned for mention to July 28, when the accused is to be produced in court. McGovern, who was extradited from the United Arab Emirates, faces multiple charges. He is alleged to have murdered Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016, at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin. He is also charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with that murder between October 20 and December 22, 2016. Additional charges allege he directed a criminal organisation in surveilling James Gately between October 17, 2015, and April 6, 2017, in preparation for an indictable offence. He further faces charges of facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Kirwan and in a conspiracy to murder Gately. In June, his lawyers raised concerns regarding the legality and propriety of his extradition process to Ireland. No plea was entered, and no findings or sentences were recorded at this pretrial stage.
Three Spanish men—Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega (36), Raul Tabares Garcia (48) and Angel Serran Padilla (40)—were denied a bid to have their charges dismissed in the Special Criminal Court. Their lawyers had applied under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 to prevent disclosure of evidence and arguments. Justice Karen O'Connor, with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Marie Keane, rejected the applications. The men face conspiracy charges for importing controlled drugs worth over €13,000 between 27 February and 14 March 2024, and the case was adjourned to 18 June.
Sarah Jane Byrne, a 27‑year‑old mother from Drimnagh, appeared before the Special Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to five offences involving firearms. She admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol and ammunition, 27 rounds of Luger 9mm ammo, a sawn‑off Beretta shotgun, and a Tokarev submachine gun, with the items located at Old Navan Road and her home. Byrne, who has been attending a rehabilitation programme for addiction, was released on continuing bail. The court set a sentencing hearing for 20 October and ordered a probation report.
Sean McGovern (39), who is charged with murder and directing a criminal organisation, has raised concerns about the legality of his extradition to Ireland from the United Arab Emirates. His legal representatives, including Olan Callanan BL, have informed the court that a letter will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) regarding an application. The court was asked to set a date for a hearing, with Mr Callanan expressing concerns about the legality and process of McGovern's arrival in Dublin. Sean Gillane SC, for the DPP, stated that a first book of evidence will be ready by the end of July, with updates on a second book of evidence to follow. McGovern appeared via video-link from prison and confirmed he could hear the proceedings. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor agreed to set a hearing date for Wednesday, June 18th, with McGovern again appearing by video-link. The court also set a date in late July for the service of the book of evidence. McGovern, with a previous address at Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, is charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016, and directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the murder and the surveillance of James Gately between October 17, 2015, and April 6, 2017. He is also charged with contributing to or participating in activity intending to facilitate a criminal organisation in the murder of Mr Kirwan and facilitating a criminal organisation in a conspiracy to murder James Gately. The matter is currently at trial.
The Special Criminal Court heard mitigation submissions for eight defendants who pleaded guilty to offences arising from the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on the MV Matthew. The court heard that the Dubai-based organisers considered crew members Jamie Harbron and Vitaliy Lapa "completely expendable" after their vessel, the Castlemore, ran aground. Harbron and Lapa pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply. Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, Saeid Hassani, Harold Estoesta, and Cumali Ozgen pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply. Defence counsel argued that the defendants were hired for specific roles, were not the leaders of the enterprise, and relied on their guilty pleas and foreign imprisonment as mitigation. Harbron, the only defendant with prior convictions, was described as being on the "lowest rung" of the operation. Counsel for others highlighted their good character and financial vulnerabilities. The court, comprising Ms Justice Melanie Greally, Judge Sarah Berkeley, and Judge Grainne Malone, will deliver sentences on July 4.
The Special Criminal Court heard a sentencing hearing for eight defendants who pleaded guilty to offences arising from the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on the MV Matthew. Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, Saeid Hassani, Harold Estoesta, and Cumali Ozgen pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply between September 24 and 26, 2023. Vitaliy Lapa pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for supply within the State between September 21 and 25, 2023. Jamie Harbron pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply during the same period. Detective Superintendent Keith Halley testified that an organised crime group in Dubai instructed the crew to evade capture, with one individual allegedly ordering the drugs be destroyed by fire. Army Rangers boarded the vessel in treacherous weather, risking their lives to prevent the destruction of the cocaine. The investigation into the wider criminal network remains ongoing. The matter was adjourned to Wednesday for the continuation of the sentencing hearing before Ms Justice Melanie Greally, Judge Sarah Berkeley, and Judge Grainne Malone.
Sean McGovern, 39, appeared before the Special Criminal Court at a late sitting following his extradition from the United Arab Emirates. The accused, with a previous address at Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, was charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016, at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin. He also faces charges of directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with that murder and the surveillance of James Gately between October 17, 2015, and April 6, 2017. Additional allegations include facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Mr Kirwan and in a conspiracy to murder Mr Gately. All charges are alleged or contested, with no plea entered. Defence counsel Olan Callanan BL reserved the defence's position on the lawfulness of the arrest and the court's jurisdiction. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for McGovern to be tried before a three-judge, non-jury court. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, sitting with Judges Elma Sheahan and Grainne Malone, agreed to the application. The matter was adjourned to a later date, and McGovern was remanded in custody.
David Hunter, a Liverpool native convicted of murdering dissident Republican Michael Barr in 2016, appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the Special Criminal Court erred in dismissing witness evidence regarding the height of the gunman and breached his privacy rights by admitting mobile phone data. Hunter, who was found guilty in September 2020, contended that a witness identified the assailant as six feet one or two, whereas Hunter is five feet ten, and that the DNA match on a ski mask was coincidental. The State countered that Hunter and co-accused Eamonn Cumberton were of the same height, and that DNA profiles from latex masks linked Hunter, Cumberton, and Christopher Slator to the getaway car. The State further argued that the phone evidence was lawfully obtained under legislation applicable at the time. The court noted that Hunter's involvement was fully proved by circumstantial evidence, including the DNA match and the abandoned vehicle. The matter was adjourned, with the judges reserving their judgment. Hunter remains one of three men convicted of the murder; Eamonn Cumberton was convicted in January 2018, and Christopher Slator was convicted in July 2022.
Two men, Mark McCourt, 34, of Edencrieve, Newry, and Conor O'Brien, 28, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, are set to be tried before the Special Criminal Court on firearms charges. McCourt faces 24 counts for possessing parts for .223 calibre Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifles and various pistol parts, including Lugers and Sig Sauers, along with pistol magazines and ammunition, all at John St, Blackstick, Ardee, on 19 July 2024. O'Brien is charged with 24 similar offences on the same date and location, plus an additional count for aiding a criminal organisation in importing firearms and ammunition between 10 February 2023 and 19 July 2024. He is also charged under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act for handling €7,450 and $20 Canadian, and for possessing €9,980 in criminal proceeds at Hazelbrook Square, Dublin. The court will hear the case in June.
Richard Treacy, 36, of Downey St, Garryowen, Limerick, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to a money‑laundering offence under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. He admitted that between 1 January 2014 and 12 January 2021 he concealed the true source of funds used for renovation work at his home, knowing or being reckless that the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct. The case, originally scheduled for a two‑week trial, was adjourned to 21 July for sentencing by Justice Karen O'Connor.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 May 2025, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argued that former soldier Lisa Smith's 2022 conviction for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) was sound and should be upheld. DPP counsel Tony McGillicuddy cited evidence from Smith's own text messages, social media, and testimony from witnesses such as Carol Karimah Duffy and Tania Joya Choudhury, who described Smith's expressions of jihad, desire to fight, and intent to travel to Syria. He also referenced Smith's garda interviews about her divorce and expert testimony from Dr Florence Gaub on the misuse of a one‑finger salute by ISIS. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins countered that no evidence showed Smith recruited, funded, or actively participated in ISIS activities, and that her travel to Syria alone did not prove membership. The court was instructed to reserve judgment on the appeal. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty. Islamic State pleaded not guilty.
An 18‑year‑old Dubliner, who was a minor when he appeared before the courts, was convicted of violent disorder in the melee that led to the death of steakhouse assassin Tristan Sherry. He has now pleaded guilty to a drugs offence, admitting possession of diamorphine for sale or supply on 8 May 2024 at Tolka Valley Park, Dublin 15. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a side‑by‑side shotgun, cannabis and 630 g of phenacetin, offences that were linked to drug trafficking on 7 May 2024. Fiona Murphy SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said one of the 15 charges would be dropped at a later hearing and asked the court to consider the remainder when sentencing. Justice Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned the sentencing to 18 June. The teenager remains awaiting sentence for the violent disorder offence that occurred at Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve 2023.
At the Special Criminal Court, Det Inspector Mark Phillips raised concerns about potential witness intimidation if James Flynn (34) is released on bail. He detailed incidents during Aaron Brady's trial for the murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe in 2020, including alleged attempts by James Flynn's father, Eugene Flynn Snr, to intimidate witnesses and jurors. Det Insp Phillips also highlighted alleged intimidation by Tony Brady, Aaron Brady's father, and an associate who sent a Snapchat message to a witness. Aaron Brady has pleaded guilty to conspiring with another man to dissuade a vital prosecution witness from giving evidence at his trial. The court heard that James Flynn was extradited from the UK in 2022 and has access to significant funds. He was originally charged with conspiracy to steal cars and participation in the robbery of the Lordship Credit Union, where Aaron Brady killed Det Gda Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court acquitted Flynn of the robbery charge but found him guilty of conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat used as a getaway car. The Court of Appeal previously ruled that the amendment of the indictment against Flynn was a breach of his right to natural justice. Defence counsel Bernard Condon argued that there is no evidence linking Flynn to witness interference or flight risk and that Flynn has no connection to Tony Brady. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the decision to tomorrow morning.
Three men pleaded guilty at the non‑jury Special Criminal Court to conspiring to import controlled drugs worth over €13,000 into Ireland between 17 February and 14 March 2024. The defendants are Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, 45, of no fixed abode in Spain; Anuar Rahui Chairi, 42, of Malaga, Spain; and Aleksander Milic, 27, of Svetorgorska, Belgrade, Serbia. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo imposed probation and required governor's reports for each. The defendants are scheduled to appear again on 18 June.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing for three men convicted of the murder of Tristan Sherry, who was fatally beaten after shooting Jason Hennessy Senior at Browne's Steakhouse on Christmas Eve 2023. Michael Andrecut (23) was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. David Amah (19) and an unnamed 18-year-old, both 17 at the time of the offence, were also convicted of murder but are not subject to the mandatory life sentence; their sentencing was adjourned to May. Brandon Hennessy (21) and Jonas Kabangu (19) were convicted of violent disorder arising from the incident, with their sentencing also adjourned. Separately, Jaures Kumbu (19) pleaded guilty to a firearms offence for removing the sub-machine gun used in the shooting. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years. The court noted Kumbu had no prior convictions and acted under exceptional circumstances, though the weapon was never retrieved. The hearing included victim impact statements from Sherry's mother and sister, who described their ongoing fear and trauma. Counsel for the defendants highlighted their youth, lack of weapons, and brief involvement in the disorder. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a major drug‑seizure case, eight men have been convicted for their roles in a 2.25‑tonne cocaine haul that was seized from the MV Matthew, a Panamanian‑registered bulk carrier. The shipment, valued at over €157 million, was intercepted by Army Rangers in September 2023. The defendants—Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk (32), Vitaliy Vlasoi (32) and Vitaliy Lapa (61); Iranians Soheil Jelveh (51) and Saeid Hassani (39); Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (49); Filipino Harold Estoesta (31); and Jamie Harbron (31)—were charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Six pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on the MV Matthew between 24 and 26 September 2023, with a market value exceeding €13 000. Lapa and Harbron pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between 21 and 25 September 2023. The Special Criminal Court will sentence the men on 3 and 4 June.
Eight defendants have been scheduled for sentencing before the Special Criminal Court on June 3 and 4, following their guilty pleas in connection with the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine aboard the MV Matthew. The vessel, a Panamanian-registered bulk carrier, was boarded by Army Rangers in September 2023, resulting in what is described as the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history, with an estimated value exceeding €157 million. Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, Saeid Hassani, Harold Estoesta, and Cumali Ozgen pleaded guilty to possessing controlled drugs for the purpose of sale or supply between September 24 and 26, 2023, while on board the vessel outside the State. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply at a location within the State between September 21 and 25, 2023. Jamie Harbron, of the UK, also pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply during the same period. The court heard evidence that the ship, owned by a Dubai-based company, used its Automatic Identification System to simulate a false position while sailing from Curacao. It was intended to meet a fishing boat named The Castlemore for the physical transfer of the drugs. The matter is now at the sentencing stage, with specific dates set for the disposal of these cases.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 7 April 2025, Eric O'Driscoll, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing a .223 calibre Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifle in Finglas on 1 January 2022. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended, and the court imposed a one‑year restriction on O'Driscoll's association with six named individuals. The judge noted O'Driscoll's youth, lack of prior convictions, and his willingness to cooperate with probation. The case stemmed from video evidence on O'Driscoll's phone showing him and his brother Glen Ward, aged 32, firing the rifle from the back door of a house in Finglas. Ward pleaded guilty to the same offence and faces sentencing later in 2025. Ward has 20 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and one for assault and criminal damage. The court described the videos as a "display of strength" intended to intimidate. The hearing was presided over by Ms Justice Melanie Greally.
Christopher Slator, aged 40, was convicted of the 2016 murder of Michael Barr at Dublin's Sunset House pub and is appealing that conviction. He argues that DNA evidence from a mask and runners found in the car used by the murderers should not have been admitted because the items were not fully examined and the defence was disadvantaged. Slator's counsel claims the DNA was taken from the tongue of a shoe and from a contaminated mask, and that further swabs could have been taken. The prosecution maintains that a DNA profile matching Slator was found on the shoes and mask, giving the evidence significant probative value. The appeal is heard at the Court of Appeal, where the defence seeks to exclude the DNA evidence and challenge the weight given to it by the Special Criminal Court. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no new outcome announced. Christopher Slator pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Carberry and Glen Bride, accused of disposing of body parts belonging to murdered teenager Keane Mulready Woods, received a trial date at the Special Criminal Court. The two men appeared before Justice Melanie Greally, who set the trial for January 12, 2026. Carberry, 47, of Dublin 4, faces three charges, including transporting and disposing of body parts to enhance a criminal organisation's ability to commit serious offences, impeding the apprehension of the murderer, and setting fire to a Volvo V40 for the benefit of a criminal organisation. Bride, 31, of Dublin 5, faces two charges: participating in the transportation and disposal of body parts to aid a criminal organisation in committing murder and impeding the apprehension of the killer, and setting fire to the same vehicle. The court agreed to make witness and exhibit orders. The matter was adjourned and will be mentioned again before the Special Criminal Court on October 6. Keane Mulready Woods was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020, and was murdered in a house in Drogheda, Co Louth, that month. Body parts were subsequently found in Coolock, Drumcondra, and Rathmullan Park. All allegations remain unproven pending trial.
Dublin man Glen Ward, aged 32, pleaded guilty before a three‑judge Special Criminal Court to possessing a .223 calibre Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifle at a Finglas house on 1 January 2022. Video from a phone seized by gardai showed the weapon fired. Ward's brother, Eric O'Driscoll, 23, had earlier pleaded guilty to possession of the same rifle. In February 2022, gardai searched a Finglas home and recovered the AR‑15, a military‑grade sub‑machine gun and ammunition, all in good condition and successfully fired by a ballistics examiner. A later unrelated search of a taxi on Tolka Valley Road yielded a bank card in O'Driscoll's name and a phone linked to the defendant. Analysts found a clip on the phone showing O'Driscoll taking the AR‑15 from another man and firing it from the rear of the Finglas house, and another clip showing the seized firearms laid out on a table at the same address.
Nathan McDonnell, former chief executive of Ballyseedy Garden Centre, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 12 years imprisonment for facilitating an organised crime group and 6 years concurrently for drug importation, backdated to his custody. The judge found McDonnell, aged 44, had been "committed to and invested in" a €32 million crystal‑meth operation linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. He stored a machine containing the drugs at his premises, paid shipping charges, and arranged export to Australia, receiving no payment. McDonnell admitted to Gardaí that he was unaware of the machine's contents. The court noted his financial hardship, family responsibilities, and the impact on his three sons. The sentence reflected the international reach of the criminal organisation and the large quantity of drugs involved. The judge also considered McDonnell's cooperation, good character and lack of prior convictions in mitigation.
Saeid Hassani and Harold Estoesta pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Matthew, a Panamanian-registered vessel carrying 2.2 tonnes of the drug worth an estimated €157 million. The prosecution alleged the pair played an essential part in a sophisticated international drug trafficking operation, specifically directing the transfer of drugs to a fishing boat and concealing the vessel's position. Their pleas were accepted on a full facts basis. They are the last of eight defendants to plead guilty in this case, which resulted in the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history. Earlier, four other men pleaded guilty to similar offences, while Vitaliy Lapa and Jamie Harbron pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between September 21 and September 25, 2023. The MV Matthew was seized by Irish Army Rangers after being pursued by the navy patrol vessel LE William Butler Yeats. Ms Justice Melanie Greally remanded Hassani and Estoesta in custody until February 24, when the court intends to fix a date for their sentencing hearing. The matter was adjourned for this purpose and is not yet concluded.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Saeid Hassani and Harold Estoesta, who are alleged to have possessed 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on the MV Matthew, continued with evidence regarding the vessel's navigation systems. Both defendants, who pleaded not guilty to three charges including possession for supply and participation in a criminal organisation, are accused of disguising the ship's true position. Expert witness Gary Delaney testified that the vessel's Automatic Identification System (AIS) broadcasts were manipulated, including a period where the ship reported a simulated position off Guyana while actually being off Venezuela. Delaney noted that messages in a WhatsApp group indicated awareness of these efforts to conceal the vessel's route. The prosecution alleges the defendants directed the transfer of drugs to a fishing boat. While Hassani and Estoesta face trial before Justice Melanie Greally, four co-accused—Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, and Cumali Ozgen—previously pleaded guilty to similar offences connected to the seizure. The trial was adjourned and is scheduled to continue next Tuesday.
The trial of Filipino Harold Estoesta (31) and Iranian Saeid Hassani (39) continues in the Special Criminal Court, where both defendants have pleaded not guilty to three charges including possession of cocaine for sale or supply and participation in a criminal organisation. The prosecution alleges the pair were involved in the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine, valued at €157 million, from the MV Matthew. Counsel for the State outlined evidence of messages sent to the vessel's bridge instructing the crew to set a course for Africa at full speed and to burn the drugs if intercepted by a helicopter. The State contends that Estoesta was alone on the bridge during the pursuit, placing him in control of the cargo, and that he actively suggested methods to evade law enforcement, including preparing gasoline to burn the contraband. Evidence also highlighted discrepancies in the ship's navigation data and the failed rendezvous with the fishing vessel The Castlemore. While the trial for Estoesta and Hassani is ongoing, four co-accused—Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk and Vitaliy Vlasoi, Iranian Soheil Jelveh, and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen—previously pleaded guilty to similar offences connected to the seizure. The matter remains at the trial stage, with proceedings expected to last approximately six weeks under the presiding judge.