Courts / Dublin / Report

Criminal paid 10k to execute friend confessed to murder after taking cocaine

Date
2023-11-02

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

Conor Dolan was sentenced to life imprisonment by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Neil Fitzgerald. Dolan, who has 32 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the charge on July 4 of this year, having originally pleaded not guilty. The court heard that Fitzgerald was shot six times in an execution-style killing on Hills Lane, Crooksling, Tallaght, on June 5, 2016. Prosecution counsel stated that Dolan allegedly lured his friend to the location, where he was paid €10,000 to commit the act. Evidence included CCTV footage, mobile phone data, and a confession Dolan allegedly made to his ex-girlfriend while under the influence of cocaine. The sentence was back-dated to May 15, 2020, when Dolan was arrested at Dublin Airport upon his extradition from the UK. The judge noted that the only sentence open to the court was life imprisonment and extended sympathy to the victim's family. The matter was concluded with this mandatory life sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Criminal paid 10k to execute friend confessed to murder after taking cocaine. Charges or matters: the charge on July 4 of this year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
July 4 Hearing Or Sentence
June 5 Other
June 4, 2016 Incident
June 4 Other
June 6 Incident
February 2017 Other
May 15, 2020 Incident
2023-11-02 Publication

Why: Dolan pleaded guilty two days after a second jury had to be empanelled because a prison officer stood too close to the defendant in view of jurors during his first trial, which his defence team argued could have had a prejudicial effect. Defence account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Conor Dolan

Applicant

Charges: the charge on July 4 of this year (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Conor Dolan, who was jailed by the Central Criminal Court for life. Today at the Central Criminal Court, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced Dolan to the mandatory life sentence for the murder of Mr Fitzgerald.