Courts / Louth / Report

Lordship Credit Union accused gets legal aid despite €1m bail surety offer

Summary

James Flynn, 31, of Newry, Northern Ireland, was granted legal aid by the Special Criminal Court despite previously offering over £1 million in bail sureties in the UK. Ms Justice Tara Burns noted the 'odd position' of Flynn claiming to have 'absolutely nothing' after offering £185,000 in cash and a £965,000 surety to Westminster Magistrates' Court. Flynn is accused of robbing Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, in January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady and Brendan Treanor to steal vehicle keys. Flynn was refused bail last week due to flight risk concerns, including evidence that his father told gardai in Boston, 'the boys are gone, you will never get them.' His trial is scheduled for January. Co-accused Brendan Treanor, 34, of Dundalk, is also charged with the robbery and was refused bail in June 2022. Aaron Brady, 31, of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 jury verdict in August 2020. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus 14 years for the robbery, running concurrently. The matter regarding Flynn's legal aid was finalised, but his trial remains pending.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Lordship Credit Union accused gets legal aid despite €1m bail surety offer. Charges or matters: murdering Det Gda Donohoe in August 2020; the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

• January 25, 2013 Other
• September 11, 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 23, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• August 2020 Incident
• June 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2022-11-08 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• Legal first sees miscarriage of justice certificate for IRA membership conviction quashed
• Garda murderer Brady's 'contempt' for trial with secret recording lands him with increased sentence
• Lorry driver who imported €1m in cannabis jailed for five years
• Lithuanian man admits engaging in terrorist plot to attack mosque
• Aaron Connolly gets date for retrial on Cameron Reilly murder

Read the original CNI report