Courts / Dublin / Report
Seven men were holding dissident IRA meeting when detectives raided house, Special Criminal Court hears
Summary
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 10 June 2015, seven men were charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after a 2013 raid on a Tallaght house. The raid, conducted by Special Branch detectives, uncovered two packages on a coffee table in the front room. The packages contained thin paper, tightly folded and wrapped in clingfilm, which were communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution, led by Ms Tara Burns SC, argued that the men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49)—were holding a dissident IRA meeting to discuss these prison messages. All seven pleaded not guilty. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne, is conducting a six‑week voir dire to determine the admissibility of evidence from the search warrant and arrests.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Seven men were holding dissident IRA meeting when detectives raided house, Special Criminal Court hears. Charges or matters: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- July 3, 2013 Other
- July 3rd, 2013 Incident
- 2015-06-10 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- Portlaoise
- Portlaoise Prison
- Glenshane Crescent
- Tallaght
- Poppintree
- Ballymun
- Glenview Park
- Liam Mellows Road
Topics
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