Donal Connaughton jailed after appeal over false imprisonment

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Donal Connaughton was jailed after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against convictions for false imprisonment, threatening to cause serious harm, assault causing harm and criminal damage on 12 May 2017. The court was presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards.

Connaughton had pleaded not guilty to two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of threatening to cause serious harm, assault causing harm and two counts of criminal damage. The offences arose at his piggery in Co Longford on 29 April 2010, involving repossession employees Patrick Mulvey and Justin Tighe.

The report said Connaughton had been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by Mr Justice Tony Hunt on 11 November 2013, reduced from the 16 months the judge had in mind after Connaughton expressed remorse. He was granted bail that month pending his appeal, and was sent to prison after it was dismissed.

The appeal argued that the conviction was unsafe because of alleged jury impropriety. Connaughton claimed he had been approached about a juror, but the judgment noted that the recording of a related meeting had been edited. The Court of Appeal found the verdict safe and proper, citing audio evidence which corroborated the repossession men’s account.

The proceedings were reported on 12 May 2017.