Courts / Dublin / Report

"Border Fox" O'Hare told gardai he was working for Jim Mansfield Jnr

Date
2019-04-03

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Saggart

County
Dublin

Summary

Former INLA member Dessie O'Hare, known as "The Border Fox", was remanded in custody until April 11 for sentencing by the Special Criminal Court. O'Hare (62), of Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on June 9, 2015. The court was asked to take two further counts of false imprisonment concerning Byrne's wife and son into consideration. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Patricia Ryan and Ann Ryan, stated that despite a "thought-provoking" plea in mitigation, a non-custodial sentence was an "unlikely outcome". O'Hare told gardai he was employed by Jim Mansfield Junior to evict Byrne and his family. He has four previous convictions, including a 40-year sentence in 1988 for false imprisonment and assault causing grievous bodily harm, from which he was released in 2008. In a related matter, former Republican paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy was sentenced to six years imprisonment last year after pleading guilty to the same assault on Roche and false imprisonment of Byrne. Three other men have also been jailed for the attack.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "Border Fox" O'Hare told gardai he was working for Jim Mansfield Jnr. Charges or matters: falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on the same date. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 9th, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
May 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
June 9 Hearing Or Sentence
January 2018 Incident
October 2008 Incident
April 11 Adjournment
June 9, 2015 Incident
2019-04-03 Publication

Case subjects

Dessie O'Hare

Defendant

Charges: falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on the same date (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: In 1988, O'Hare was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for two offences; false imprisonment and assault causing grievous bodily harm. Mr Justice Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded O'Hare in custody until April 11, when he will be sentenced.; Mr Justice Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded O'Hare in custody until April 11, when he will be sentenced.

Former Republican

Convicted Person

Outcome: Former Republican paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to six years imprisonment last year, after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin on June 9, 2015.