Courts / Cavan / Report
Former GAA star guilty of ATM thefts with notorious cross-border gang
Summary
The Special Criminal Court has found Daniel O'Callaghan guilty of all 16 counts relating to ATM thefts in Cavan and Monaghan in 2019. O'Callaghan, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of offences under Sections 72 and 73 of the Criminal Justice Act, including the attempted theft of an ATM in Virginia and the theft of an ATM in Castleblayney. He was also found guilty of possessing €125,930 and €298,000 in cash at Tullypole, Co Meath, intending to facilitate a criminal organisation. Ms Justice Tara Burns stated that circumstantial evidence led to the inevitable conclusion that O'Callaghan was intimately involved in the gang's joint enterprise. He has been remanded in custody for a sentencing hearing scheduled for March 4. In related proceedings, Gerard Duffy and Ciaran Duffy pleaded guilty to various offences, including participating in the movement of cash and attempting to steal an ATM. Stephen Duffy also admitted to possessing cash in association with a criminal organisation. The three brothers are scheduled to be sentenced on March 4. Additionally, Niall Finnegan, who pleaded guilty to possessing €103,000 in proceeds from the thefts, was previously jailed for four-and-a-half years, with the final 18 months suspended.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former GAA star guilty of ATM thefts with notorious cross-border gang. Charges or matters: all 16 counts against him relating to an ATM theft and an attempted ATM theft in Cavan and Monaghan in 2019; offences under Section 72 and 73 of the Criminal Justice Act; two charges of participating or contributing to the possession of cash totalling €125,930 intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath, on August 14 and 20, 2019; various offences; the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Bar & Restaurant, Main Street, Virginia, Co Cavan, on August 14, 2019; three offences connected to the same investigation; participating in criminal activities while in a Toyota Avensis at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath on August 20, 2019 by participating in the movement of cash on behalf of a cri
When:
- August 14, 2019 Incident
- April 3, 2019 Incident
- August 14 Incident
- April 2019 Other
- March 4 Incident
- August 20, 2019 Incident
- August 2019 Incident
- 2022-02-18 Publication
Why: She said the identification by the NSU officer was particularly reliable because he had familiarised himself with O'Callaghan over many years as part of his duties in preventing and detecting cross-border crime. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: three offences connected to the same investigation; participating in criminal activities while in a Toyota Avensis at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath on August 20, 2019 by participating in the movement of cash on behalf of a criminal organisation; attempting to commit an offence under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act by attempting to steal the ATM and its contents at the Riverfront Bar & Restaurant; participating in or contributing to the possession of cash at Tullypole, Moynalty, on August 14, 2019, intending to facilitate the commission of an offence by a criminal organisation (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Convicted Person
Charges: all 16 counts against him relating to an ATM theft and an attempted ATM theft in Cavan and Monaghan in 2019; offences under Section 72 and 73 of the Criminal Justice Act; two charges of participating or contributing to the possession of cash totalling €125,930 intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath, on August 14 and 20, 2019; various offences; the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Bar & Restaurant, Main Street, Virginia, Co Cavan, on August 14, 2019; three offences connected to the same investigation; participating in criminal activities while in a Toyota Avensis at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath on August 20, 2019 by participating in the movement of cash on behalf of a criminal organisation; attempting to commit an offence under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act by attempting to steal the ATM and its contents at the Riverfront Bar & Restaurant; participating in or contributing to the possession of cash at Tullypole, Moynalty, on August 14, 2019, intending to facilitate the commission of an offence by a criminal organisation (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; She said that although his presence at Castleblayney could not be established, the various strands of circumstantial evidence gave rise to the "inevitable conclusion that the accused was intimately involved in the workings of the criminal organisation and was involved in a joint enterprise to effect the theft at Castleblayney." Ms Justice Burns remanded O'Callaghan in custody for a sentencing hear
Accused
Charges: the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Bar & Restaurant, Main Street, Virginia, Co Cavan, on August 14, 2019; three offences connected to the same investigation; participating in criminal activities while in a Toyota Avensis at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath on August 20, 2019 by participating in the movement of cash on behalf of a criminal organisation; attempting to commit an offence under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act by attempting to steal the ATM and its contents at the Riverfront Bar & Restaurant; participating in or contributing to the possession of cash at Tullypole, Moynalty, on August 14, 2019, intending to facilitate the commission of an offence by a criminal organisation (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Convicted Person
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Niall Finnegan (39) was jailed for four-and-a-half years with the final 18 months suspended for possessing cash, which was the proceeds of the ATM thefts carried out by the gang.
Places mentioned
- The Special Criminal Court
- Main Street
Topics
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