Courts / Dublin / Report
'Haunted' Kinahan cartel associate gets 11 years for murder conspiracy
Summary
Jason 'Jay' O'Connor, 46, of Whitestown Grove, Dublin, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 11 years' imprisonment for conspiracy to murder Charlie Cooper, a victim of a revenge attack linked to the death of O'Connor's friend Keith Walker. O'Connor pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of conspiracy to murder and to a facilitation offence involving the Kinahan crime group. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, set a headline sentence of 15 years for the facilitation charge, suspended the final four years, and imposed a concurrent seven‑year sentence for the conspiracy charge, resulting in an overall 11‑year term. O'Connor had 70 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and road‑traffic offences, and had pleaded guilty to the facilitation charge. The court noted his guilty plea and earlier steps toward rehabilitation in determining the sentence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Haunted' Kinahan cartel associate gets 11 years for murder conspiracy. Charges or matters: the charge that he did between August 2, 2016, and December 7, 2016, both dates inclusive, within the State and with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, participate in, or contribute to, activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could, facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation or any of its member, to wit: murder. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 2, 2016 Other
- December 7, 2016 Other
- December 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 12, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 31, 2023 Incident
- 2024-10-14 Publication
Why: Sentencing O'Connor at the non-jury court today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the defendant was a "fortunate man" because he could have been facing a life sentence had Mr Cooper not survived the shooting. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: the charge that he did between August 2, 2016, and December 7, 2016, both dates inclusive, within the State and with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, participate in, or contribute to, activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could, facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation or any of its member, to wit: murder (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He suspended the final four years of the sentence having regard to mitigating factors in the case, including O'Connor's guilty plea. He said the court would suspend the final four years of the sentence and would impose a concurrent seven year sentence on the conspiracy charge, backdated to August 31, 2023 when O'Connor went into custody.
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- Central Criminal Court
- Shelerin Road
Topics
Burglary Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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