Courts / Kildare / Report

"Mercy" asked for man who helped criminals murder Vinnie Ryan

Date
2019-07-26
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Naas
County
Kildare

Summary

At the Central Criminal Court, two men have pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of Vinnie Ryan, whose shooting in Dublin on 19 February 2016 left his five-week-old daughter without a father. Paul O'Beirne of Ballyfermot and Jeffrey Morrow of Coolock admitted providing and destroying a stolen silver Volkswagen Golf used in the fatal attack, which involved at least thirteen shots fired at Mr Ryan's vehicle. Gardaí established the connection through CCTV footage, mobile phone evidence, and forensic analysis linking the men to the vehicle's movements before and after the killing. O'Beirne, with twenty-five previous convictions for road traffic offences, and Morrow, carrying one hundred and twenty prior convictions including conspiracy to rob cash-in-transit vans, both sought leniency from Mr Justice Michael White. The judge commended the gardaí investigation and expressed sympathy for the victim's family and partner. Sentencing is scheduled for 31 July 2019, with a maximum penalty of fifteen years for the offence under the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "Mercy" asked for man who helped criminals murder Vinnie Ryan. Charges or matters: helping the criminal gang by providing and destroying a stolen Volkswagen Golf that gardai say was used in the "drive-by" shooting, in which Mr Ryan suffered multiple gunshot wounds including one to the head; Mr Ryan's murder; facilitating a serious offence contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: " In a message to those involved in the shooting she said: "You have gained nothing because you never knew Vincent and he never knew you. CNI source report

Case subjects

Jeffrey Morrow

Defendant

Charges: helping the criminal gang by providing and destroying a stolen Volkswagen Golf that gardai say was used in the "drive-by" shooting, in which Mr Ryan suffered multiple gunshot wounds including one to the head; Mr Ryan's murder; facilitating a serious offence contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Paul O'Beirne

Defendant

Outcome: Credit: Collins) Two men who helped a criminal gang murder Vinnie Ryan, a brother of slain Real IRA leader Alan Ryan, have asked a judge for mercy and to leave "light at the end of the tunnel" when handing down sentence.

Places mentioned

Residence
  • Colepark Drive
Secondary Mention

Topics

Road Traffic Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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