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'Remember, you could be next': Roscommon eviction trial hears of WhatsApp messages

Summary

Four men accused of participating in an armed attack on security personnel at a rural property near Strokestown have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial, now in its twentieth day, heard evidence of WhatsApp messages and phone records retrieved from an iPhone allegedly found in a vehicle linked to one of the defendants. Garda James McCann told the court that specialist software extracted communications from the handset, including messages from a group titled "Roscommon group". A message sent on December 10, 2018, allegedly sought assistance for the following morning at Strokestown. The attack occurred on December 16, 2018, when approximately 30 armed men descended on the repossessed property at Falsk and assaulted four security guards. The accused men—Patrick Sweeney of County Donegal, Martin O'Toole of County Mayo, Paul Beirne of County Roscommon, and David Lawlor of County Meath—face charges including false imprisonment, assault, aggravated burglary, arson, and violent disorder. Defence counsel submitted that her client denies knowledge of the messages in question.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Remember, you could be next': Roscommon eviction trial hears of WhatsApp messages. Charges or matters: 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• December 16, 2018 Incident
• December 19, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
• October 10, 2018 Other
• December 10, 2018 Other
• December 11 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 12 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 15 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 16 Other
• 2023-04-17 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Burglary Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report