Courts / Dublin / Report

Hooded man faced "life threatening" conditions in prison

Date
2020-02-14

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In February 2020, the Court of Appeal upheld the sentences of five men and one woman convicted of assisting IRA interrogations in Dublin. Kevin Hannaway, aged 71, received three years and nine months; Eva Shannon, 61, four years; Seán Hannaway, 48, five years and six months; David Nooney, 53, three years and nine months; and Edward O'Brien, 42, 16 months. All were found guilty of membership in the Irish Republican Army at a Special Criminal Court trial in June 2018. Hannaway's appeal argued that his 1971 detention, involving hooding, white noise and sleep deprivation, had left him with PTSD and that prison conditions were "life threatening." The court rejected the appeal, noting no error in principle and that the sentences reflected the gravity of the offences. The DPP's request to reduce Nooney's and O'Brien's sentences was also denied. The Court of Appeal confirmed the original sentences for all six defendants.