Three men—Declan Duffy (43), Daniel Kane (27) and Christopher Maguire (37)—were returned to the Special Criminal Court for trial. They face three counts of false imprisonment for an incident at The Towers, Garters Lane in Saggart on 9 June last year, and Duffy and Kane also face a charge of violent disorder for the same event. The court, presided over by Justice Paul Butler with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, ordered that the men be tried before the three‑judge, non‑jury court. The case is scheduled for mention again on 8 June.
A 52-year-old man from Cork has been served with a book of evidence at the Special Criminal Court following his arrest in December as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity. Martin McHale stands charged with possession of an explosive substance, namely ten sealed bags containing white prills of ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate, allegedly found at Mall Road, Tirkeenan, County Monaghan on November 1st, 2013. He is also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The State Solicitor confirmed the book of evidence had been served on the accused. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded Mr McHale on continuing bail. The case is scheduled for mention on June 10th.
The second Special Criminal Court sat for the first time at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin today. The court, which will be known as Special Criminal Court Number 2, dealt with four cases transferred to it by Special Criminal Court Number 1. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding at Special Criminal Court Number 1, stated that the court had decided on its own motion to transfer the cases for trial to court Number 2 under the provisions of the Offences Against the State Act of 1939. Following the transfer order, the second Special Criminal Court sat at Court 17 with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy of the High Court presiding, along with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain of the Circuit Court and Judge Gerard Haughton of the District Court. Ms Anne Marie Lawlor BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, outlined the court's jurisdiction and presented documents, including the order establishing the second Special Criminal Court of December 14th, 2004, and the coming into existence of the second court on October 28th last year, when seven judges were appointed to the new court. The first case dealt with by court number 2 was that of Séamus McGrane (60), of Little Road, Domiskin, Co Louth, who is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State between December 23 2009 and May 13 2015. He is also charged with directing the activities of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, in respect of which a suppression order had been made, within the State on dates between December 23 2009 and May 13 2015 inclusive. His co-accused Donal O Coisdealbha (23), of Abbeyfield, Killester Dublin 15, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State on May 13 2015. Mr O Coisdealbha is also charged with possession of a component part of an improvised explosive device namely a time and power unit also known as a TPU at 'the personal storage locker under the control of Donal O Coisdealbha at Protector Life Sciences, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare' under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he had not got it in his possession for a lawful purpose on May 13 2015. Mr Bernard Condon, SC for McGrane said he was reserving his position on the proceedings of the court and the jurisdiction of the new court. Ms Anne Rowland BL, for O Coisdealbha, said she was also reserving her position on the proceedings and the jurisdiction of the court. Ms Justice Kennedy, presiding, adjourned the case until next Thursday and made a production order that the two accused, who are in custody, should be brought before court number 2 then. She also adjourned the cases of two other men, Joseph Finnegan and Ryan Glennon, who are on bail until next Thursday.
The second Special Criminal Court, composed of Justice Isobel Kennedy, Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge Gerard Haughton, is set to receive its first cases tomorrow in Dublin. It will convene at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Parkgate Street and will handle cases originally assigned to the first Special Criminal Court, which is currently managing a backlog. The court was created by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald in October to address the backlog of cases linked to Garda investigations into alleged "dissident" republican activity. The earliest trial date available is April 2018. The court operates without a jury, following the model established in 1972, and has its own registrar. It was established to deal with cases involving the Provisional IRA, INLA, and other criminal activities such as those of John Gilligan's gang. The new court's establishment was a political issue, with opposition from Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams.
Pierce Moran, 61, of East Wall, Dublin 3, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to concurrent five-year jail terms for three charges of possession of firearms, magazines, and ammunition. The court previously heard that detectives investigating US firearm imports searched Moran's home on November 15, 2014, finding a shopping bag containing four semi-automatic pistols, a silencer, magazines, and ammunition, as well as a sawn-off shotgun. Moran had pleaded not guilty to all three charges but was convicted last Wednesday. In mitigation, his solicitor highlighted his age, lack of prior convictions, and cooperation by not contesting certain evidence. The judge noted the seriousness of the case due to the volume of weapons but acknowledged Moran's clean record and age as significant mitigating factors. The court distinguished Moran's case from that of co-accused Stephen Hendrick, who had pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to eight years for possession of explosives and firearms committed while on bail, plus three years for ammunition. The judge stated Hendrick's sentence involved aggravating factors not present in Moran's case. Moran's sentence was backdated to his initial arrest date in November 2014.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, was found guilty of possessing a shopping bag full of handguns and ammunition. The court heard that on 15 November 2014, Moran was in possession of several semi‑automatic pistols, a 12‑gauge Beretta shotgun, various firearm magazines, assorted ammunition and a silencer. The Special Detective Unit had been investigating the import of arms from the United States at the time. A search warrant was executed at Moran's home; detectives found the weapons in a Dunnes Stores shopping bag and a sawn‑off shotgun in a plastic bin liner. Moran was arrested, questioned, and remanded in custody until sentencing on 4 May. The court noted that the inferences drawn from his refusal to account for the weapons were corroborative evidence but were not the sole basis for conviction.
The Special Criminal Court formally dropped the case against Michael Barr, who was shot dead in Dublin on Monday night. Barr, 35, had been indicted for handling stolen electrical equipment at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan on 18 July 2014 and had pleaded guilty earlier this month. He had also been charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the IRA, on the same date, but that charge was dropped after his guilty plea. The court ordered the indictment to be marked "accused deceased.".
John Brock, a 43‑year‑old Dublin resident, was charged on 13 April 2016 with possessing 57 kg of homemade explosives—ammonium nitrate fuel mix—and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives found at Naas Road, Dublin 12. He was also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (Oglaigh na hEireann). The Special Criminal Court granted him bail, allowing release on a €1,000 personal bond and a €20,000 independent surety. Conditions of his bail required surrender of his passport, daily reporting at Tallaght Garda Station, a curfew from 11 pm to 7 am, prohibition from leaving the jurisdiction or travelling to Northern Ireland, avoidance of contact with charged or convicted persons, and prohibition of contact with proposed prosecution witnesses. He must also provide a phone number to the Gardaí. His co‑accused, John Roche, 53, was granted temporary bail from 9 am to 7 pm on 22 April.
Two Dublin men, John Brock, 43, and John Roche, 52, were charged at an out‑of‑hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 15 April 2016. They face possession of 150 kg of explosives, including 57 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate fuel mix and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives found at Naas Road, Dublin 12, on 13 April 2016. Both men are also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Brock was arrested by the Special Detective Unit on St Ronan's Avenue, Clondalkin, and Roche on Rossmore Avenue, Ballyfermot. Each was detained at a Garda station before being taken to the Special Criminal Court, where they were shown the charge sheet and made no reply. The court remanded them in custody until 21 April, when bail applications are expected.
During a Special Criminal Court trial, detectives claimed that firearms and ammunition were discovered at a Dublin house on 15 November 2014. The accused, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, faces charges of unlawful possession of several semi‑automatic pistols: an 8mm Knall calibre Valtro model AP29, a 9mm short calibre CZ model 83, a 9mm calibre Makarov PM, and a 9mm short calibre Baikal model IZH79‑8. He is also charged with possession of a silencer for the Makarov pistol and a 12‑gauge Beretta model A.300 semi‑automatic, sawn‑off shotgun. In addition, the prosecution alleges possession of various firearm magazines suitable for the pistols and assorted ammunition, all found at the same address on the same date. Vincent Heneghan, BL, opened the case, noting that Detective Sergeant John Kearney obtained a warrant after receiving confidential information and that the search yielded the items.
Larry McCarthy, 37, of Limerick, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court on 8 April 2016. He faces charges of threatening to kill Noel Moore and threatening to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The State objected to his bail application, citing the seriousness of the offence and the maximum ten‑year sentence. Chief Superintendent David Sheehan argued that Section 2A of the Bail Act required bail to be refused to prevent a serious offence. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, accepted the objection and refused bail under Section 2A. McCarthy also faces separate charges of threatening unlawful violence and assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014. He was remanded in custody until 11 May, when his case was listed for mention again.
During a three‑week Special Criminal Court trial in February, Samuel Devlin, a 58‑year‑old Northern Ireland man, was found guilty of unlawful possession of PETN, a high‑grade explosive, at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Dublin. The court heard that detectives, acting on information about IRA activity, searched the hotel on 11 May 2014 and discovered three rolls of detonator cord, 26 metres in total, wrapped in a towel inside a laptop bag. Forensic analysis confirmed the presence of PETN. Devlin was present during the search and was arrested; while in detention he denied possession or knowledge of the explosive. He had no prior convictions. Judge Paul Butler, after noting the seriousness of the offence and the potential for a car bomb, sentenced Devlin to six years' imprisonment, back‑dated to his arrest on 11 May 2014. The sentence was imposed without reference to any later evidence of a car bomb.
Two men have pleaded guilty to explosives offences at the Special Criminal Court. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford, admitted possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm at his home. He also pleaded guilty to possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, pleaded guilty to possession of a complete improvised explosive device containing similar materials, discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler alongside Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded Hope in custody until 11 May and released Dodd on bail until 13 July, both pending sentencing.
In 2012 the Special Criminal Court convicted Wayne Dundon (37) of threatening to kill Alice Collins' sons and of intimidating potential witnesses, sentencing him to six years' imprisonment. His brother John (33) was convicted of threatening to kill April Collins and received five‑and‑a‑half years. Both appealed. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment but rejected preliminary motions to add evidence and to broaden Wayne's grounds of appeal. The court said the threshold for materiality had not been met. Wayne's counsel argued the prosecution failed to disclose material from a later murder trial, including telephone calls with Alice Collins and evidence of April Collins' driving offences. The appeal also addressed alleged inconsistencies in witness statements and the court's handling of evidence. The Court of Appeal will give reasons later. No outcome of the appeals is reported in the article.
Michael Barr, 34, originally from Tyrone, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to handling stolen electrical equipment at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, on 18 July 2014. He was charged in November 2014 with the same offence and also with membership of the IRA. After his guilty plea, the State dropped the IRA membership charge. The three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice Paul Butler with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, remanded Barr on continuing bail until 28 April, when he will be sentenced.
Samuel Devlin, 55, was convicted by a three‑judge Special Criminal Court of unlawful possession of PETN at his Golf Suite, Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, Co Dublin, on 11 May 2014. During the trial the court heard that he was a bomb maker for the IRA. He applied for compassionate bail to travel to Northern Ireland to visit a terminally‑ill family member from 18 to 23 March. The SDU's Detective Inspector William Hanrahan informed counsel that the Gardaí objected to the bail because of Devlin's conviction, raising flight risk. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and William Hamill, agreed with the detective and refused the bail, stating it would be "too risky" to grant bail to someone pending sentence for a serious offence. Devlin will be sentenced on 6 April.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, was charged at an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court with possession of three assault rifles and associated ammunition discovered at Tuiterath, Balrath, Slane, County Meath on March 9th, 2016. The charges include possession of a Chinese Type 56, a Romanian PM63 and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with nine magazines and 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre ammunition. Mr Rowan was additionally charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce of the Special Detective Unit said Mr Rowan was arrested in Drogheda under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and made no reply when cautioned or shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge William Hamill, remanded Mr Rowan in custody pending mention on March 16th.
The Special Criminal Court dismissed a case alleging that a Cork man, Kevin Power, was a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The court was informed that the State would not proceed with the charge and that no further evidence would be presented. Power, aged 39 and residing in Railway Street, Passage West, had previously pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 19 December 2011. He had been arrested on 19 January 2011 on suspicion of IRA membership and released without charge, and again on 19 December 2011 for the same suspicion. Judge Paul Butler ruled the second arrest unlawful, citing Section 30(A) of the Offences Against the State Act, which prohibits re‑arresting a person for the same offence without a warrant after release. Consequently, the charge was dismissed.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 8 March 2016, the arrest of Kevin Power, 38, of Railway Street, Passage West, County Cork, was declared unlawful. Power had been arrested twice on suspicion of IRA membership: first on 19 January 2011 and again on 19 December 2011, the latter without a warrant. The court considered Section 30(A) of the Offences Against the State Act, which requires a warrant for a second arrest after release without charge. Evidence from Detective Sergeant Patrick Murphy confirmed both arrests. The judge noted no evidence linking Power to the hoax bomb threats that had been reported to Garda stations and to the UCC campus. Consequently, the court ruled the December arrest unlawful. The case remains pending, with further proceedings scheduled for the following day. Kevin Power pleaded not guilty.
Robert Day, 54, of Cabra, Dublin, was released on bail by the Special Criminal Court after being charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The court accepted his application and set a €100 personal bond and a €10,000 independent surety. Conditions include surrendering his passport, daily reporting to Mountjoy Garda Station, a curfew from 11 am to 7 am, staying within the jurisdiction, avoiding contact with other charged persons, and providing a phone number. He remains on bail until April 5, when his case will be mentioned again.
A Northern Irish man, Samuel Devlin, 55, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of possessing an explosive substance (PETN). The court heard evidence from the Special Detective Unit that Devlin was an engineer for the IRA and a bomb‑maker. He was alleged to have been at the Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Dublin, where a car‑bomb had been found on the hotel grounds. During a search of a chalet adjacent to the hotel, detectives discovered 21 metres of detonator cord wrapped in a towel inside a laptop case, a laptop, a plug, an Irish passport, a Social Welfare Card and receipt, all bearing Devlin's name. Fingerprint evidence matched Devlin to the laptop and plug. The court rejected evidence from Devlin's interviews and a plastic bag incident, and accepted that Devlin possessed the PETN. He was remanded in custody until his sentencing on 6 April.
Larry McCarthy, 37, appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Limerick on 26 February 2016. He is charged with threatening to kill Noel Moore at Windsor House, Donoughmore, on 28 July 2015, and with threatening to damage Moore's house on the same day. McCarthy also faces separate charges of threatening to use unlawful violence with two others, and of assaulting David Foran at Cornmarket Villas on 25 November 2014. Judge Paul Butler remanded him in custody until 6 April, noting he may apply for bail.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, a prominent republican farmer and cattle dealer, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 18 months' imprisonment for nine tax‑evasion charges covering 1996‑2004. The court found he failed to file returns for farming income, profits or gains, and that he owed Revenue approximately €190,000. The judge noted the case was tried as a farmer and cattle dealer, that publicity did not influence the decision, and that mitigating factors included Murphy's age, lack of prior convictions, and his current employment as a yards man. Murphy, through his solicitor, maintains his innocence and has instructed his legal team to appeal. No fine or suspended sentence was imposed, and the nine concurrent sentences run from the hearing date. The court considered the case's evidence, including seized documents, cash, and un‑cashed cheques, and the fact that Murphy had no assets. The decision was made after a 32‑day trial. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court out‑of‑hours sitting, John Costello, 59, of Glenashrone, Abbeyfeale, was charged with possession of more than 700 rounds of ammunition. Gardaí arrested him in Abbeyfeale on 21 February after finding 450 rounds of .38 special calibre and 329 rounds of 9mm calibre ammunition on Main Street, and an additional three rounds of 9mm calibre at his home on 22 February. Detective Garda Michael Herlihy formally arrested Costello, explained the reasons for his arrest, and warned him that he would be brought before the Special Criminal Court. Costello was transported to the court, given a copy of the charge sheet, and read the charges while wearing a purple jumper. His counsel, Mr Dean Kelly BL, requested a mention and possible bail application for 1 March at 11 a.m. The presiding judge, Mr Justice Paul Butler, with Judges Flann Brennan and William Hamill, remanded Costello in custody until Tuesday morning.
Stephen Hendrick, 49, of Ballymun, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to eleven years' imprisonment for possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives. In July 2013 he pleaded guilty to holding 59 rounds of ammunition at Furry Park. In November 2014 he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov rifle, components for Glock pistols, 125 rounds of rifle ammunition, five shotgun cartridges and a flexible PETN explosive tube, all found at his Ballymun home. The court noted that these offences were committed while he was on bail for the earlier charge. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Butler, described the items as an "arsenal" and imposed a sentence of eight years for each of the three counts, with each term running concurrently and consecutive to the first prison term. The total sentence was eleven years' imprisonment.
In a Special Criminal Court case, 55‑year‑old Samuel Devlin of Dublin pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of PETN, an explosive substance, allegedly found in a laptop bag at a Finnstown House Hotel room he booked under a false name. The prosecution presented forensic evidence linking Devlin's fingerprints and DNA to the laptop and to a detonating cord marked 'explosives'. They also cited a National Surveillance Unit officer who claimed to have seen Devlin near the hotel and a bin containing detonating cord and gloves. Devlin's counsel argued that the prosecution had not proven his knowledge or control of the substance, noting the absence of DNA on the cord and questioning the reliability of the surveillance testimony. The court remanded Devlin in custody until the judgment, scheduled for March 1, will be delivered.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 17 February 2016, applications to exclude evidence in the case of Samuel Devlin, a 55‑year‑old Northern Irishman accused of unlawfully possessing PETN, were dismissed. Devlin, who had stayed at Finnstown House Hotel under a false name, pleaded not guilty to the charge. His counsel, Bernard Condon SC, sought to exclude DNA samples taken while Devlin was in custody, arguing the garda had not properly informed him of potential use in evidence, and to exclude testimony from Detective Garda Brian Barry, who had compared detonating cord found in the hotel room with plastic tubing from a bin outside the hotel. The court ruled that the DNA samples and Barry's testimony were admissible, noting that the DNA collection complied with requirements and that only part of the cord had been destroyed, with samples retained for defence use.
The Special Criminal Court is hearing a case against Samuel Devlin, 55, who is accused of unlawfully possessing the explosive substance PETN at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, Co. Dublin. Devlin pleaded not guilty to the charge. Prosecutors argue that he booked the hotel under the false name Joe Murphy and that an explosive substance was found in the chalet he occupied. Detective Garda Ronan Judge presented a key card signed by J Murphy, showing the stay from 31 March to 30 April 2014. The prosecution is expected to close its case tomorrow, after the trial was adjourned to that day.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the sentencing of Thomas Murphy until February 26th, General Election day. Murphy was found guilty of nine charges of failing to furnish tax returns for the years 1996/97 to 2004. During the hearing, the court heard that Murphy owes Revenue approximately €190,000 in unpaid taxes related to his farming business on the border with Northern Ireland. Prosecuting counsel Paul Burns presented a representative sample of sentences for similar offences, noting that Murphy has made no restitution. Defence counsel John Kearney QC argued that the case involved blurred lines regarding the family unit and that the estimated tax loss figures were based on general estimates rather than specific facts. Kearney also highlighted that Murphy is currently employed as a yards man in Crossmaglen, earning €1,055 per month. Presiding Judge Paul Butler, sitting with Judges John O'Hagan and Anne Ryan, remanded Murphy on continuing bail until the adjourned date. The matter was not concluded at this stage.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a 55‑year‑old Northern Irish man, Samuel Devlin, pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a high‑order explosive (PETN) at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, on 11 May 2014. The court heard that Devlin had booked the hotel room under a false name and that a detonating cord containing PETN was found in the room. Three rolls of cord, 26 metres long, were wrapped in towels inside a laptop case. Forensic analysis confirmed PETN and revealed plastic tubing and fibres that matched the cord. A plastic bag containing these remnants was discarded in a public bin outside the hotel, where a National Surveillance Unit member observed Devlin deposit it on 9 May 2014. DNA from latex gloves and a laptop plug in the bin matched Devlin, as did DNA lifted from the laptop itself. The trial resumed on Tuesday.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, fingerprints lifted from a Lucan hotel room were found to match those of Samuel Devlin, a 55‑year‑old Northern Irish man accused of unlawful possession of an explosive substance (PETN). The court had previously reported that a detonator cord containing PETN was discovered in the same hotel room. Devlin, who had booked the chalet at Finnstown House Hotel under a false name, pleaded not guilty to the charge on 11 May 2014. Detective Garda Niall Lannon examined fingerprints on a Dell laptop seized during the search of the chalet and confirmed a match with Devlin's prints. Detective Garda Ernie Fraser lifted fingerprints from a door in the chalet, also matching Devlin's left little finger. The trial continues.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Gardai alleged that Samuel Devlin, 55, a Northern Ireland man, was a bomb maker for the IRA and possessed PETN at his address in Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan. The prosecution claimed Devlin used a false name to book a Golf Suite chalet at the hotel, where an explosive substance was found. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce reported that on the morning of the alleged offence a car bomb had been abandoned outside the hotel. He entered the chalet with the Emergency Response Unit, saw items he believed were for improvised explosive devices, and arrested Devlin, who was then taken to Lucan Garda station. Devlin denied possession or control of explosives during Garda interviews. The trial continues. Samuel Devlin pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Samuel Devlin, aged 55, pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of an explosive substance (PETN) at his address in the Golf Suite of Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, on 11 May 2014. The prosecution alleged that Devlin booked the chalet under a false name and that an explosive was found there while he was staying. Forensic evidence from Dr Thomas Hannigan showed that three samples of white plastic cord seized from the chalet contained PETN. Earlier testimony from hotel staff confirmed that a man named Joe Murphy had booked a long‑stay in the Golf Suite in late March 2014. Detective Garda Patrick Casey reported that Special Detective Unit members forced entry into the chalet on the morning of the alleged offence, where they saw a man who is now known to be Devlin.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Gardaí seized detonator cords and a remote‑controlled quad‑copter from a hotel room in Lucan, where Samuel Devlin, 55, was accused of unlawfully possessing PETN. The search also uncovered an Irish passport, a Social Welfare Card, a Social Welfare payment receipt, a bank card and an HSE medical card, all bearing Devlin's name. The prosecution alleges that Devlin booked the Finnstown House Hotel chalet under a false name and was residing there at the time of the alleged offence. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC objected to all evidence and requested a voir‑dire to determine its admissibility, noting that the evidence might be reported. The trial continues with the court considering the admissibility of the evidence presented. Samuel Devlin pleaded not guilty.
A book of evidence has been served on two men following their arrest in County Longford in June 2015 as part of investigations into dissident republican activity. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, faces charges of membership of an unlawful organisation, possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, and possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and possession of an improvised explosive device. Both men appeared before the three-judge Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Mr Hope in custody and granted Mr Dodd bail. Both cases have been adjourned to 15 March, when a trial date is expected to be set.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 3 February 2016, Samuel Devlin, aged 55, was tried for unlawful possession of an explosive substance (PETN) and membership of an unlawful organisation, Oglaigh na hEireann (IRA). The prosecution alleged that Devlin was residing in a chalet at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, from 31 March 2014, using a fictitious booking name, Joe Murphy. On 9 May 2014, surveillance officers observed Devlin leave the hotel on a bicycle, deposit a bag in a bin on Adamstown Avenue, and the Gardaí recovered the bag containing plastic tubing, fibres, a J‑cloth, gloves and a newspaper. Forensic analysis linked the tubing to the bag and the detonator cord found in the chalet on 11 May 2014 to Devlin. Devlin pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing explosives. The trial, expected to last two weeks, continued with mapping evidence and legal arguments.
A trial date of January 11, 2018, has been set for Séamus McGrane (60), of Little Road, Domiskin, Co Louth, and Donal O Coisdealbha (23), of Abbeyfield, Killester Dublin 15, who were arrested last year on IRA and explosives charges. Séamus McGrane is alleged to have been a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (IRA) between December 23, 2009, and May 13, 2015. He is also alleged to have directed the activities of the IRA during the same period. Donal O Coisdealbha is alleged to have been a member of the IRA on May 13, 2015, and to have possessed a component part of an improvised explosive device, namely a time and power unit (TPU), at a personal storage locker under his control at Protector Life Sciences, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare, on the same date. The case is currently at the trial stage, with no pleas, findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded. The matter was adjourned to a trial date in January 2018.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Samuel Devlin, 55, charged with unlawful possession of PETN explosives and membership of the IRA, to tomorrow morning. Devlin, who lives at Golf Suite, Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, was accused of holding the explosive on 11 May 2014. Prosecuting counsel Tara Burns SC requested the adjournment after Gardaí obtained new evidence over the weekend that had previously been unavailable. The case remains pending at the three‑judge, non‑jury court.
The Special Criminal Court in Dublin adjourned a case involving two Dundalk men, Conan Murphy, aged 29, and Philip McKevitt, aged 62, charged with possessing explosive substances at Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, on 22 May 2010. Murphy's counsel, Kerida Naidoo SC, requested a trial date and the court agreed to postpone the case for four weeks. Paul Greene SC, representing the prosecution, consented. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and John Hamill, set the adjournment until 12 February, when a trial date is expected to be fixed.
Two Dublin men, Robert Day, 44, and Hubert Duffy, 47, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court. Day admitted unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes found at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on 2 February 2014. Duffy admitted handling a stolen BMW motorcycle discovered at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, on 12 November 2013. Both were previously charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court remanded Day in custody and kept Duffy on bail pending sentencing on 10 February.
The Special Criminal Court in Dublin will open a ten‑day trial tomorrow for Hubert Duffy, 47, of George's Place, Temple Street, and Robert Day, 44, of St Attracta Road, Cabra. Both men are charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA), on 2 February 2014. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan BL informed the court that supplementary disclosure and additional evidence had been submitted to the defendants' counsel, who require time to review it. Judge Paul Butler, presiding over the three‑judge, non‑jury court, criticised the late disclosure, stating it should not occur.
Owen McCann, a 35‑year‑old from Annaloughan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth, was arrested on 18 December 2015 on charges of membership in the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) and possession of firearms, including a rifle, a pistol conversion kit and ammunition. He was taken into custody by the Special Detective Unit last Friday. On 22 December 2015 the Special Criminal Court in Dublin released him on bail. The court, presided over by Justice Paul Butler with Judges John O'Hagan and Anne Ryan, accepted the Department of Public Prosecutions' lack of objection to the bail application. Mr McCann agreed to the conditions set by State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan: he must remain in Dundalk, sign daily at the Dundalk Garda Station, observe a curfew from 11 pm to 7 am, provide a mobile phone number, surrender his passport and all travel documents, stay within the jurisdiction, avoid Northern Ireland, refrain from associating with anyone charged with a scheduled offence.
A 35‑year‑old Louth man, Owen McCann, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on a Sunday hearing. He was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army, an unlawful organisation, and with two counts of possessing firearms, including a rifle, a pistol conversion kit and ammunition. McCann was arrested on 18 December 2015 by the Special Detective Unit in Dundalk as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. He was taken to Dundalk Garda Station, given his rights and then brought to the court. Wearing a navy jumper, he stood when the charge was read. Counsel Conan Fegan applied for legal aid and a bail application was scheduled for the following Tuesday at 10 a.m. The presiding judge remanded McCann in custody until that hearing. The case is still pending at the time of the report.
A 52-year-old man from Cork has been granted bail at the Special Criminal Court following charges relating to IRA membership and explosives offences. Martin McHale of Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, was charged on November 1st, 2013, with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, and with possession of an explosive substance consisting of ten sealed bags of white prills containing ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate discovered at Mall Road, Tirkeenan, Monaghan. The State consented to the bail application. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, imposed strict conditions including a daily curfew from 12pm to 7am, three weekly sign-ons at Togher Garda Station, and surrender of his passport. Mr McHale was also prohibited from associating with individuals charged or convicted of scheduled offences and from contacting proposed prosecution witnesses.
Joseph Finnegan, 54, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, was charged before the Special Criminal Court on 11 July 2015 with membership of the Irish Republican Army and possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4. He was also charged that same month with possession of an 8mm blank‑firing pistol and seven rounds, a double‑barrel shotgun and three cartridges. The court was informed of the charges by Detective Garda Graham Dunne, who handed Finnegan a copy of the charge sheet. He was remanded on bail until 26 January next year.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 17 December 2015, a Dublin man, Donal O'Coisdealbha, aged 23, was denied bail for the third time after being arrested in May on charges of membership in the Irish Republican Army and possession of a component of an improvised explosive device. The court heard that seven independent sureties had been proposed, including three TDs – Mick Wallace, Clare Daly and Maureen O'Sullivan – each willing to offer €5,000. O'Coisdealbha, who has been in custody for seven months, claimed the TDs were "friends of the family". The State objected to the bail application on grounds of the seriousness of the charge, citing Section 2 of the Bail Act, and the court refused the application with great reluctance. The case remains pending in the Special Criminal Court.
Thomas Murphy, aged 66, from Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, County Louth, has been found guilty of nine counts of tax evasion at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The three-judge court determined that Murphy failed to furnish returns of income to the Collector General or Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996 to 2004, despite conducting substantial farming operations. Evidence presented during the 32-day trial included testimony from Department of Agriculture staff, managers at cattle marts in Roscommon, Ballyjamesduff, Kingscourt and Elphin, meat factory representatives, and Criminal Assets Bureau investigators. The court heard that Murphy received over €100,000 in farming grants and conducted cattle transactions exceeding €500,000 across various livestock marts. Murphy's defence, that his brother Patrick controlled the farming activities, was rejected by the judges. Forensic analysis of a bank account operated in Murphy's name revealed significant financial activity. Murphy was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing on 12 February 2016.
The Court of Appeal adjourned all matters concerning the appeals of Wayne and John Dundon against their convictions for threats and witness intimidation. Prosecutors, represented by Shane Costelloe SC, argued that the DPP was being "drip fed" information by the defendants and their lawyers regarding applications to add additional grounds of appeal. Mr Costelloe described the situation as "grossly unsatisfactory," noting that while appeals were lodged within time, proceedings had stalled due to the applicants' desire to introduce further grounds. The court had set a deadline of December 1 for Wayne Dundon to file a notice of motion, which he met, but his lawyers subsequently indicated that further submissions were forthcoming. The three-judge panel, including Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, removed the appeals from the list for the scheduled hearing on December 17. The court also adjourned the matter of providing reasons for its June decision to uphold Wayne Dundon's six-year sentence, despite prosecutors' arguments that it was "unduly lenient." Wayne Dundon is currently serving a mandatory life sentence for the 2009 murder of Roy Collins, a charge to which he and co-accused Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty before being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court. The court noted that difficulties were compounded by an intervening trial relevant to the appeal.
Three TDs, Mick Wallace, Clare Daly, and Maureen O'Sullivan, attended the Special Criminal Court today for a hearing related to the case of Donal O'Coisdealbha, a 23-year-old Dublin man charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on May 13th, 2015. O'Coisdealbha is also alleged to have possessed a component part of an improvised explosive device, a time and power unit (TPU), at a personal storage locker under his control at Protector Life Sciences, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare, on the same date. The court was informed that O'Coisdealbha, who has been in custody since May, intends to make a renewed bail application this week. A previous bail application in May was refused, and the decision was upheld by the High Court. The bail application is listed for Thursday, December 17th. The case is currently at the trial stage, with no pleas, findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded for the accused, Donal O'Coisdealbha, or the other accused, Mick Wallace TD, who faces similar charges of IRA membership and explosives offences.
A 52-year-old man from Cork has been charged at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin with membership of an unlawful organisation and possession of an explosive substance. Martin McHale, of Blackwater Grove, Togher, was charged with IRA membership on November 1st, 2013. He was additionally charged with possessing ten sealed bags containing ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate at Mall Road, Tirkeenan, Monaghan on the same date. Detective Sergeant Gabriel Bell told the three-judge court that Mr McHale was arrested this morning under the Offences Against the State Act. The defendant made no reply when cautioned or when shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded Mr McHale in custody pending a bail application hearing scheduled for Thursday.