Courts / Dublin / Report

Seven Dublin men cleared of IRA membership

Summary

Seven men from Dublin were acquitted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court on 30 June 2015. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found that the Department of Public Prosecutions would not present further evidence after a ruling last week that the arrests of six of the men were unlawful. 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)—had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court had earlier ruled that the arrests at a house in Tallaght lacked the necessary objective justification under the Section 30 Offences Against the State Act. The acquittal followed the prosecution's decision not to pursue the case further. The case had involved a search of a house in Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, where police found packages allegedly containing communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Seven Dublin men cleared of IRA membership. Charges or matters: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Procedural stage: finding. Findings: Acquitted

When:

• July 3, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2015-06-30 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Finding

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Read the original CNI report