Courts / Dublin / Report
IRA accused had picture of slain dissident boss on his phone
Summary
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Darren Weldon, 47, from Kilbarrack, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation called the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Prosecuting counsel Paul Greene was presented with evidence that Weldon's mobile phone contained three images, including two pictures of the late Real IRA leader Alan Ryan with the caption "heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done regardless of the consequences." Detective Sergeant Eileen Keogh, who extracted the images, acknowledged that they could have been sent to Weldon by someone else and that deleted WhatsApp conversations can leave saved images on a phone. Witnesses including Detective Inspector William Hanrahan, Garda Jude Ainsworth and Garda James Flaherty recounted encounters with Alan Ryan and Weldon in 2011 and 2012, but did not provide further evidence of wrongdoing. The trial is set to continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Coffey, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Michael Walsh.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: IRA accused had picture of slain dissident boss on his phone. Charges or matters: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on October 14, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 14, 2014 Other
- October 14 Other
- May 2011 Other
- April 2, 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-07-03 Publication
Case subjects
Background Person
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on October 14, 2014 (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: Detective Inspector William Hanrahan, of the SDU, gave evidence that he was present at the Special Criminal Court in 2001 when Alan Ryan was sentenced to four years in prison for "training in the use of firearms" at Stamullen, Co Meath in 1999.
Defendant
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on October 14, 2014 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
Topics
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