Courts / Dublin / Report

A Walk into Hades: Diarmuid Phelan Long Read

Summary

At the Central Criminal Court trial of Diarmuid Phelan, the jury heard extensive background evidence regarding repeated trespassing and criminal damage at his Hazelgrove farm in West Dublin. The defence argued that understanding the defendant's history was essential to contextualizing the events of February 24, 2022. Testimony detailed numerous incidents, including arson, vehicle theft, and assaults, which Phelan reported to gardai. Specific attention was given to a 2017 District Court case involving three young men, including Kallum Coleman and Robin Duggan, who were accused of trespassing. Although the source text notes that three individuals were previously convicted of trespassing and criminal damage in that earlier matter, the current trial focused on the subsequent murder charge against Phelan. The defence highlighted that Phelan had been threatened by these individuals in court, leading to his fear of returning. The trial also examined the context of badger baiting, an illegal activity, which Phelan allegedly encountered when he shot a dog he believed was threatening his livestock. The jury was presented with Phelan's account of the confrontation that followed, where he claimed the men emerged from the bushes and screamed at him. The proceedings emphasized the long-standing conflict between Phelan and local trespassers, with the defence urging jurors to consider the cumulative impact of these alleged crimes on the defendant's state of mind.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: A Walk into Hades: Diarmuid Phelan Long Read. Charges or matters: trespassing. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 13, 2016 Incident
• July 2016 Incident
• June 1, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 2017 Incident
• February 24, 2022 Incident
• February 24 Other
• February 25, 2022 Incident
• October 2022 Incident
• January 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 22 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 26 2010 Incident
• July 1, 2018 Other
• August 26, 2018 Other
• October 30 Incident
• November 5 Incident
• 2011 and 2013 Other
• New Year's Other
• 2025-01-03 Publication

Why: This was necessary, Senior Counsel Sean Guerin said, because in order to understand what had happened and why, the jurors needed to consider the defendant's history and what led him to act and think in the way he did. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Theft Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report