Fintan O’Farrell, Declan Rafferty and Michael McDonald awarded €2,500 for false imprisonment

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

Fintan O’Farrell, Declan Rafferty and Michael McDonald were each awarded €2,500 by the High Court for false imprisonment. The proceedings were reported on 13 January 2023.

The men had been jailed after pleading guilty in London in 2002 to conspiracy to cause explosions and offences under the UK’s 2000 Terrorism Act. Their claims concerned detention in Portlaoise Prison.

The High Court had ruled in 2014 that their continued detention was unlawful and ordered their release. The damages award related to the period the Irish courts found unlawful.

Mr Justice Cian Ferriter said their English sentences had not been invalidated and that they had no lawful entitlement to serve less than 18 years and eight months. He rejected the argument that their conduct meant they should receive no damages.

The judge said the award reflected that just under four years of the eight-year period under an invalid Irish detention order was actionable. Each man received €2,500.