Courts / Dublin / Report

Grandfather allowed home to be used by Kinahan assassin

Date
2021-09-16
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Stephen Fowler (62) pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to participating in a criminal organisation with the intention of enhancing its ability to commit the serious offence of the murder of James Gately. The court heard that Fowler offered his home as a safe-house to Estonian hitman Imre Arakas, who was jailed for six years in December 2018 for conspiring in the attempted murder. Fowler, who previously served six years for cannabis possession, was on a two-year suspended sentence at the time of the 2017 offence. The court will review this suspended sentence as part of the finalisation. Sentencing for Fowler, which carries a maximum of 15 years, is scheduled for October 4. Related convictions include Peter Keating, jailed for 11 years for directing a criminal organisation; David Duffy, sentenced to five years with one year suspended for participating in the organisation; and Caolan Smyth, sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder and firearm possession after denying charges. Gary McAreavey, who pleaded not guilty to impeding prosecution by assisting in burning a vehicle, received a four-year term with the final year suspended. These cases stem from a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Grandfather allowed home to be used by Kinahan assassin. Charges or matters: the single charge of having knowledge of a criminal organisation and "with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit a serious offence, namely the murder of James Gately, participated in or contributed to activities with the said offence"; possession of cannabis worth €450k and served six years of an eight-year sentence; directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 4, 2017, inclusive, within and without the State under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act; having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in or contributing to activities connected with the said offence, namely the murder of James Gately, with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said cri

When:

Why: He then brought him to Blakestown Cottages because Fowler had "owed" another unnamed male. CNI source report

Case subjects

Caolan Smyth

Convicted Person

Charges: acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day (Alleged Or Contested)

Outcome: Caolan Smyth (30) of Cuileann Court, Donore, Co Meath, was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Gately and for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

David Duffy

Convicted Person

Charges: having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in or contributing to activities connected with the said offence, namely the murder of James Gately, with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit the serious offence, within the State between December 7, 2016 and April 6, 2017, both dates inclusive; acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Duffy was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with a further year suspended.

Gary McAreavey

Convicted Person

Charges: acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Imre Arakas

Defendant

Charges: the single charge of having knowledge of a criminal organisation and "with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit a serious offence, namely the murder of James Gately, participated in or contributed to activities with the said offence"; possession of cannabis worth €450k and served six years of an eight-year sentence; directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 4, 2017, inclusive, within and without the State under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act; having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in or contributing to activities connected with the said offence, namely the murder of James Gately, with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit the serious offence, within the State between December 7, 2016 and April 6, 2017, both dates inclusive; acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day (Alleged Or Contested)

Outcome: Arakas (63) was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, after he admitted to conspiring with others to the attempted murder of Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017.

Peter Keating

Convicted Person

Charges: directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 4, 2017, inclusive, within and without the State under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act; having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in or contributing to activities connected with the said offence, namely the murder of James Gately, with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit the serious offence, within the State between December 7, 2016 and April 6, 2017, both dates inclusive; acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Peter Keating (40) of Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, was jailed for 11 years having pleaded guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 4, 2017, inclusive, within and without the State under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Stephen Fowler

Defendant

Charges: the single charge of having knowledge of a criminal organisation and "with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit a serious offence, namely the murder of James Gately, participated in or contributed to activities with the said offence"; possession of cannabis worth €450k and served six years of an eight-year sentence; directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 4, 2017, inclusive, within and without the State under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act; having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in or contributing to activities connected with the said offence, namely the murder of James Gately, with the intention of enhancing the ability of the said criminal organisation or any of its members to commit the serious offence, within the State between December 7, 2016 and April 6, 2017, both dates inclusive; acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: In 2012, Fowler pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis worth €450k and served six years of an eight-year sentence. The courts will now review the matter of the 2017 offence, as Fowler was on a two-year suspended sentence at the time from his release of June 7, 2016.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Special Criminal Court
  • The Special Criminal Court
Residence
Address Area
  • Clonshaugh Road

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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