Courts / Dublin / Report

Ex-employee who claims Jim Mansfield Jnr 'set him up' denies liking 'grandiosity'

Date
2020-11-10

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Lucan

County
Dublin

Summary

At the Special Criminal Court, Martin Byrne (53), a former in-house security director of the Citywest Hotel and currently in the Witness Protection Programme, denied allegations that he likes to make himself look important or enjoys 'a bit of grandiosity' during cross-examination by defence counsel Bernard Condon SC. Byrne testified that Jim Mansfield Jnr (53) arranged meetings with the New IRA and INLA to assist in reclaiming parts of his family's former property portfolio. He also stated that €2,500 in protection money was being paid weekly to the Real IRA to protect Mansfield Jnr from Traveller gangs. Byrne claimed that Mansfield Jnr was aware of the dangers involved but was determined to recover his property. Mansfield Jnr is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Byrne between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2015, and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The trial continues. In April 2019, Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare was jailed for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan 'Whacker' Duffy was sentenced to six years in 2018 after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on June 9, 2015.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Ex-employee who claims Jim Mansfield Jnr 'set him up' denies liking 'grandiosity'. Charges or matters: falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on the same date. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 1, 2015 Other
June 30, 2015 Other
June 9, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
June 12, 2015 Other
April 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
June 9th, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
2005 until 2012 Other
2020-11-10 Publication

Why: The former security boss testified that €2,500 in protection money was being paid by Mr Mansfield Jnr and another man per week to the Real IRA in order to protect the accused from two Traveller gangs, who claimed they were owed money from the accused. CNI source report

Case subjects

Former Republican

Accused

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

Outcome: In April 2019, Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare, who was known as "The Border Fox", was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. Former Republican paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to six years imprisonment in 2018 after pleading guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin on June 9, 2015.