Judgment reserved in appeals over Tristan Sherry attack

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

Michael Andrecut and Brandon Hennessy have appealed their convictions for their roles in the attack on gunman Tristan Sherry at Browne’s Steakhouse in Blanchardstown. Judge John Edwards said judgment would be reserved. The proceedings were reported on 31 July 2026.

On 24 December 2023, Sherry shot and fatally wounded Jason Hennessy Senior at the restaurant before Sherry was attacked and killed. Following a 2024 trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court, Andrecut, David Amah and another defendant were convicted of murder. All three had pleaded not guilty.

Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo sentenced Andrecut to the mandatory life term. On 26 May 2025, he sentenced Amah and the other murder defendant each to 12 years, with the final three years suspended.

Brandon Hennessy, Jonas Kabangu and a third defendant were convicted of violent disorder. On 26 May 2025, the judge sentenced Hennessy to four-and-a-half years, with the final six months suspended for one year; Kabangu to four years, with the final 12 months suspended for two years; and the third defendant to two years and four months, with the final year suspended for two years.

Andrecut’s defence of provocation was rejected at trial. His appeal counsel, Dominic McGinn, argued that the trial court had misdirected itself on the provocation test after Andrecut witnessed the shooting of someone close to him. Hennessy had claimed self-defence, which the trial court rejected. His appeal counsel, Hugh Hartnett, challenged the way he was identified on CCTV.