Courts / Dublin / Report

Man who helped murderers is caught with mobile in prison for 8th time

Date
2019-04-03
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Nathan Foley, aged 20, was jailed for a year after a prison officer found a mobile phone in his cell, the eighth time in two years. He was due to appear before the Special Criminal Court on charges of facilitating the murder of David Douglas in July 2016. Foley declined an interview with Gardaí but said through his legal team that he had the phone to call his family before sentencing. He had previously pleaded guilty to having a mobile while a prisoner, with 34 convictions including drug offences and seven phone‑related offences. In January 2019 he was jailed for six years for participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Douglas. Judge Melanie Greally ordered the 12‑month term to run consecutively with the six‑year sentence, citing his history of drug addiction and repeated phone offences. The judge noted that prior sentences had not deterred him.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man who helped murderers is caught with mobile in prison for 8th time. Charges or matters: participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence, namely the murder of Mr Douglas at Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8, between July 1 and July 4, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: Foley later declined an interview with gardaí but claimed today, through his legal team, that he had the phone because it was his intention to ring his family prior to his sentencing. CNI source report

Case subjects

Nathan Foley

Defendant

Charges: participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence, namely the murder of Mr Douglas at Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8, between July 1 and July 4, 2016 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Foley was jailed for six years last January after he pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence, namely the murder of Mr Douglas at Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8, between July 1 and July 4, 2016.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Special Criminal Court
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Residence
Secondary Mention
Incident

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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