Courts / Louth / Report

'Not one iota of evidence' against Lordship accused, lawyers for NI man tell trial

Date
2023-05-18

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Clogherhead

County
Louth

Summary

A barrister for James Flynn has told the Special Criminal Court that the prosecution's case against his client lacks any substantive evidence. Bernard Condon SC argued that there is no proof Mr Flynn was present at Lordship Credit Union during the robbery on 25 January 2013, in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. The prosecution's case instead relies on linking Mr Flynn to the theft of a Volkswagen Passat in Clogherhead, County Louth, allegedly used in the robbery. Mr Condon contended that CCTV footage showing the vehicle's movements contained implausible timings and that a farmer's account of blue headlights at the burn site in Armagh did not match Mr Flynn's BMW. He described the evidence regarding the Passat as threadbare and accused the prosecution of relying on weak associations and speculation rather than concrete proof. Mr Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to robbing €7,000 from the credit union and to conspiracy charges. Aaron Brady, who was convicted of murdering Detective Donohoe, is serving a life sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Not one iota of evidence' against Lordship accused, lawyers for NI man tell trial. Charges or matters: each charge. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

January 25, 2013 Other
September 11, 2012 Other
23 January 2013 Other
2023-05-18 Publication

Why: The court cannot, he said, assume that because Aaron Brady has been convicted in a different court that association with him is evidence of the guilt of the accused in this case. CNI source report

Case subjects

Aaron Brady

Background Person

Charges: each charge (Proven)

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Aaron Brady (31) previously of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum having been found guilty of murdering Det Gda Adrian Donohoe and of the robbery at Lordship.