Surveillance evidence heard in Liam Brannigan murder conspiracy trial

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

Liam Brannigan was on trial at the Special Criminal Court charged with conspiring to murder Gary Hanley at a location within the State between 15 September and 6 November 2017. He pleaded not guilty. The proceedings were reported on 12 November 2019.

The court previously heard that Brannigan was arrested at Hanover Court, Dublin 8, on 6 November 2017, minutes after a loaded semi-automatic pistol was seized during the arrest of two men a short distance from Hanley’s home.

On 12 November 2019, the court heard evidence from 20 surveillance officers. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC challenged the reliability or testability of identification evidence, citing issues including missing notes and unrecorded observation details. Every officer rejected the claim.

Garda EN said they saw Brannigan in the front passenger seat of a Renault Laguna on 6 October 2017. Under cross-examination, the officer said they had made no notes because it was not possible to do so while mobile. Ó Lideadha pointed to a team report describing the passenger as “similar to Liam Brannigan” and suggested there had been no definite identification. Garda EN maintained the identification and called the suggestion that they were unreliable a “disgusting remark”.

The report said Luke Wilson, Joseph Kelly and Alan Wilson had pleaded guilty to the plot and been jailed. Luke Wilson also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a Beretta handgun with intent to endanger life and received 11 years; Alan Wilson received six years; and Joseph Kelly, who also admitted a weapons charge, received a total of 12 years.