In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Shannon Airport fire officer Richard Moloney described Ken Mayers (85) and Tarak Kauff (80) as the most courteous protesters he had met. The men, both U.S. residents, were arrested in March 2019 after allegedly cutting a hole in a perimeter fence and trespassing on airport land. They claimed to be peace protesters checking an American aircraft, holding a banner that read 'US veterans say respect Irish neutrality. American war machine out of Shannon Airport'. The court heard that the airport was shut for 30–40 minutes, delaying two departing planes and a Turkish Airlines cargo aircraft. Both men pleaded not guilty to criminal damage, trespassing and interfering with airport operations. The case remains before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
Two American octogenarians, Ken Mayers (85) and Tarak Kauff (80), have gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accused of criminal damage and trespass at Shannon Airport on March 17, 2019. Both men, residing in New Mexico and New York respectively, pleaded not guilty to three counts each: criminal damage to a perimeter fence valued at €590, trespassing with intent to commit an offence or damage property, and interfering with airport operations by entering a runway area and causing its closure. Prosecuting counsel Tony McGillicuddy BL alleged the pair, wearing 'Veterans for Peace' vests, broke through the fence using bolt cutters and walked onto a taxiway, forcing a runway closure that delayed an incoming flight. He stated the prosecution case is that both men were involved in the damage and unlawful interference. Defending counsel Michael Hourigan BL and Carol Doherty BL noted their clients admitted to making an opening in the fence and entering the airport lands but maintained they were treated respectfully. The trial is ongoing before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a senior counsel and law lecturer, was granted bail by the Court of Appeal after the High Court had rejected his application on the basis of flight risk. The appeal court set strict conditions: Phelan must post a €50,000 bond and secure an independent surety of €50,000, surrender his U.S. passport, obey a curfew, provide a mobile number, and submit a comprehensive financial statement. He must also stay away from Tallaght, his Wexford properties, and any witnesses, and cannot leave the 26 counties or acquire firearms. The court noted that Phelan had never offended and was a person of good standing. The bail decision was made pending his trial for the murder of Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, who was shot on farmland in Tallaght on 22 February. The case remains at the bail stage, with the trial date yet to be fixed.
In a High Court bail hearing, senior counsel Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, 53, accused of murdering Keith Conlon, 36, at Hazelgrove Farm, was denied bail by Justice Deirdre Murphy on grounds of flight risk. The Court of Appeal President, Justice George Birmingham, criticised the High Court judge for leaving him "totally in the dark" about Phelan's finances. Phelan's defence, represented by Karl Monahan, submitted a comprehensive financial statement and proposed a €50,000 surety from his sisters and a €50,000 cash deposit. Justice Birmingham demanded a full disclosure of assets, liabilities, income and property. The case was adjourned to the next term, with the State given time to review the financial documents before a further hearing. The hearing also noted that Phelan had shot Conlon in the back of the head after an altercation, and that he had previously fired at Conlon's dog. The court considered the seriousness of the charge and the evidence presented.
Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, an Associate Professor of Law at Trinity College and barrister, appealed a High Court decision refusing him bail pending his trial for the murder of Keith Conlon. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, adjourned the matter until Thursday. Mr Phelan is accused of fatally shooting Mr Conlon at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght in February last. His defence counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that the High Court judge's refusal was based on an unfair assessment of flight risk and that his client's assets should not be frozen merely due to allegations, comparing the situation to that of Roman Abramovich. The defence proposed a €50,000 independent surety and a €50,000 cash lodgement. Mr Justice Birmingham requested a comprehensive financial statement detailing assets, liabilities, and income. The State's counsel, John Fitzgerald SC, countered that the High Court judge's ruling did not rely on the "red-handed" characterization and that the applicant had drip-fed information. The appeal was not concluded but adjourned to allow for further submissions and financial disclosures.
Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a senior counsel aged 53, is appealing a High Court refusal of bail after being charged with the murder of Keith Conlon, 36, who died two days after a fatal shooting on Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght on 22 February. Phelan, who teaches at Trinity College Dublin, argued that a bail refusal would ruin his life's work, but Justice Deirdre Murphy denied the application, citing a serious flight risk. She noted that Phelan's assets, including a 180‑acre farm in Tallaght and a 45‑acre farm in Wexford, were substantial and could be realised without state knowledge, and that he and his children are U.S. citizens, which could facilitate evasion. The Court of Appeal was informed that Phelan intends to appeal, and a hearing is scheduled for 5 April. The judge emphasised that the bail decision was based on the strength of evidence and the potential for flight.
In a High Court hearing on 21 March 2022, Justice Deirdre Murphy refused bail to Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a 53‑year‑old barrister and law lecturer, who is accused of murdering Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, in a fatal shooting on a farm in Tallaght on 22 February. The judge found that Phelan posed a serious flight risk, citing the seriousness of the murder charge, the strength of the evidence, his substantial assets—including a 180‑acre farm in Tallaght and a 45‑acre farm in Wexford held through companies registered in Northern Ireland—and his status as a U.S. citizen. The court noted that Phelan had used multiple addresses in south Dublin and that his assets could be realised without state knowledge. The judge concluded that the balance of probabilities indicated a powerful incentive for Phelan to evade justice, and therefore denied his bail application.
Eamon Cahill, a 25‑year‑old carpenter from St Samsons Court, Balgriffin, Dublin, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to possession of proceeds of criminal activity after Gardaí discovered €100,000 in cash, an encrypted iPhone and a diary in a suitcase in his master bedroom on 6 November 2020. Cahill claimed he was given the items by someone he met at the back of the airport and that he knew the money was from crime but did not know its source or use. He admitted he had been using drugs during the pandemic lockdown and had accrued a €10,000 drug debt, which he was holding the cash to pay off. Garda Detective Linda Haren noted Cahill's full cooperation and that he had no prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd, considering his early guilty plea, lack of convictions and cooperation, imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, requiring Cahill to remain under probation supervision for four years and maintain good behaviour.
Murad Kandokar, 49, of Gleann Ribh, Lusk, Co. Dublin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 16 months in prison for two sexual assaults. He pleaded guilty to an assault on a Luas train in Dublin on 26 May 2021 and to an assault on a Galway‑to‑Dublin Airport City Link bus on 17 July 2019. The court heard that on the Luas incident a young woman was approached by Kandokar, who pressed his body against her and displayed an erection, causing her to disembark at the Four Courts and seek assistance from Garda Sonya Mooney. In the bus incident, a woman was found with Kandokar's hand in her crotch area; she shouted at him and he moved seats before being arrested. Judge Martin Nolan described the acts as compulsive yet criminal, sentencing Kandokar to two and a half years with fourteen months suspended, leaving a net 16‑month custodial term.
Lisa Smith, a 39‑year‑old former Irish soldier from Dundalk, denies membership in Islamic State. She was arrested at Dublin Airport after flying from Syria, where she had travelled to join the caliphate about four years earlier. In the Special Criminal Court she pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. During the hearing, Smith admitted she had watched a video of men being drowned in a cage by ISIS and posted a WhatsApp message saying she now understood why they were drowned, though she said she did not agree with the killings. She described the killings as "barbaric" and "savage" and said the video made her feel "disgusted." The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Cormac Dunne presiding in the non‑jury court.
Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier aged 39 from Dundalk, denies membership in the Islamic State and denies extremist views. She told Gardaí that a prosecution witness, Carol Karimah Duffy, taught her false information about Islam, including Osama bin Laden and Sharia law, and that Duffy called her a "selfish jihadi." Smith said she was initially taught that Islam was "spread by the sword" and that nationalism was forbidden, but later learned the opposite from an American convert, John Georgelas. Smith also denied a prosecution witness, Tania Joya, who claimed she wanted to become a martyr. She explained that she had received €25,000 in compensation after a car crash and withdrew money for home improvements and a flight to Turkey, and that she had no extremist views now. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt in a non‑jury court. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that Stephen Duffy, 28, should have received custodial time for a single‑punch assault that left Darren Darley, 50, in a coma and with a potentially fatal brain bleed. Duffy had pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after a brief verbal exchange on Belgard Road, Tallaght, on 29 August 2016. Judge Melanie Greally had imposed a wholly suspended four‑year sentence, citing Duffy's return to the scene and subsequent flight as mitigating factors. The DPP appealed, stating the sentence was unduly lenient and that the victim's long‑term injuries, including memory deficits and business closure, warranted a custodial term. The court noted CCTV footage of Duffy striking Darley and that Darley had received life‑saving surgery. The judgment was reserved.
At the Special Criminal Court, Dermot McManus and co-accused Terese Halpin faced trial-stage proceedings regarding alleged money laundering and vehicle offences. McManus is charged with handling €28,550 and £17,240, knowing or being reckless as to whether they were proceeds of criminal conduct on 17 June 2020, and allowing a Limerick and District Credit Union account to be used for such purposes. He is further accused of possessing a stolen blue Ford Transit van and handling a white Mercedes Sprinter. Halpin is charged with possessing the same cash sums and allowing a Permanent TSB account to be used for handling proceeds of crime between January 2019 and June 2020. Prosecution counsel alleged the cash was found in socks and a jacket pocket during a search at Keating Park, Killalee, part of Operation Coronation. Defence counsel argued McManus was not a flight risk, citing family ties and a personal injury payment explanation for bank lodgements. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt granted bail to McManus, contingent on a €10,000 surety from a legitimate person, daily sign-on at a Limerick garda station, and non-association with named persons. The judge remanded McManus in custody with consent to bail and adjourned the matter with liberty to re-enter for surety approval. Halpin, who had previously entered a bond and surrendered her passport, was scheduled to appear again on 18 February.
Mahissat Anastacia Correia Djaura, a 24‑year‑old UK care worker, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 18 months in prison for evading excise duty on €40,000 worth of cigarettes found in her luggage at Dublin Airport. The court noted she was not the mastermind of the offence and had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the sentence with the final 15 months suspended on strict conditions, crediting time already served. Djaura pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, citing financial pressure and a difficult prison experience. She had travelled from Lagos, where she purchased the cigarettes for cash, and arranged for a person to collect them for £1,000. The prosecution highlighted her cooperation during the interview, while the defence emphasised her lack of addiction and previous clean record. Djaura must leave the country upon release.
Two men who arrived in Ireland on fake passports and are now seeking asylum were held in a Dublin hotel after being released from prison. They claim they were unlawfully detained there, while the State says they were placed in quarantine due to Covid‑19 and that the stay exceeded five days because of a lack of space at asylum accommodation centres. The men, aged in their thirties, were detained at Dublin airport in September after attempting to enter the country on fake Israeli passports. They were remanded in custody, then applied for asylum, fearing persecution if returned to their native country. On 30 November they pleaded guilty to charges related to the fake passports and received one‑month prison sentences suspended on conditions, including engagement with the State's International Protection Offices.
The Court of Appeal has heard an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding the sentencing of a 22-year-old man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The appellant admitted to the offence, contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amended) Act 1990, at the District Court, Midleton, Co Cork, in December 2020. He also admitted to asking the victim to touch him and contacting a child for sexual exploitation. In February this year, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court imposed a two-year suspended sentence. The DPP argues this entirely suspended sentence was unduly lenient and not in accordance with principle, citing the appellant's prior flight to England to evade prosecution and his knowledge of the victim's age as aggravating factors. Defence counsel Elizabeth O'Connell SC contended that the appellant, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, spent a month in custody, and is now in full-time employment. She argued the onus was on the DPP to demonstrate a substantial departure from sentencing norms. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement on the appeal.
Adrian Shanley, acting as solicitor for a male applicant, brought a civil action against the State following his release from prison after a rape charge was dropped. The applicant, an EU national, was imprisoned for over a year after being charged with raping a woman in 2009. He was remanded in custody after being refused bail in the District Court due to flight risk concerns. Although granted High Court bail with conditions including a €10,000 surety and daily Garda sign-ons, he remained in custody until June 2011 as he could not meet the terms. Shortly before his trial, the applicant's legal team discovered that the complainant had previously admitted to fabricating a similar rape allegation against another man in 2007. Following this disclosure, the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, ending the prosecution and releasing the applicant. The applicant now seeks damages for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, negligence, and breach of constitutional rights, alleging that his relationship broke down and he lost his job. The defendants, including the Garda Commissioner and DPP, deny the claims, stating they acted within their public duties. The matter came before Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who was asked to rule on a preliminary issue regarding the applicant's request for formal replies to interrogatories from the State. The State opposed the application, arguing it would prejudice adjudication. In her judgment, Ms Justice Hyland adjourned the plaintiff's motion. The matter was not concluded; the judge noted the motion could be re-entered if the plaintiff wishes to proceed, provided his lawyers submit a sworn statement identifying the persons to whom each interrogatory is directed.
Youcef Madani, a 53-year-old Algerian national, was granted bail by the High Court before Mr Justice Paul Burns, despite objections from the respondent, Detective Garda Robert Comerford of the Extradition Unit. Madani is wanted by French authorities following a 2001 conviction in his absence for making false documents to facilitate terrorism involving weapons trafficking. During the hearing, Comerford alleged that Madani, who resided in Tallaght, Dublin 24, was an expert in false paperwork and specialized in fake passports. He stated that Madani had fled France during the investigation or court process and posed a flight risk, noting that Madani had been sentenced to six years in 2001. Madani's counsel, Maria Brosnan BL, argued that Madani was entitled to a retrial, had significant family ties in Ireland, and was receiving medical disability for partial blindness. She noted that Madani had surrendered his passport and that his son would act as an independent surety. Mr Justice Burns granted bail with reluctance, citing Madani's health and family circumstances. Conditions include signing on daily at Tallaght Garda Station, surrendering his passport, providing a €2,000 personal bond, and keeping the peace. Madani's son provided a €10,000 surety. The matter was adjourned, with Madani remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear before the court again on October 11.
Craig O'Donoghue, 20, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for contempt of court after failing to attend the trial of a teenager charged with violent disorder at the Cameron Blair murder scene. O'Donoghue, a witness who had been served with a witness order, booked a holiday to Ayia Napa, Cyprus, and refused to return despite police contact. He was arrested at Dublin airport upon his return. Justice David Keane described the conduct as "premeditated, flagrant and persistent," noting O'Donoghue's high culpability and disdain for the law. The judge imposed a headline sentence of three months in prison, reduced by one month to an effective two-month term, citing mitigation including O'Donoghue's remorse and previous good character. He was also fined €1,000, payable within nine months. O'Donoghue has been in custody since his arrest. His co-accused, Darragh O'Connor, 20, was sentenced for a similar contempt last week. The underlying trial involved a teenager who pleaded guilty to Mr Blair's murder and received a life sentence, while another teenager's trial ended after the defence accepted possession of a butter knife, leading the DPP to discontinue the knife possession charge.
Palesa Ntsulumbana, 24, a South African medical student, was jailed for two years after importing about three kilograms of methamphetamine worth €183,060 into Ireland. She travelled from South Africa via Dubai, was stopped at Dublin Airport on 13 December 2020, and was given a suitcase she believed contained clothing. Garda John Perillo reported that she had been offered roughly €2,000 to bring the suitcase and that she had no prior convictions. Ntsulumbana pleaded guilty to importing illegal drugs. Judge Melanie Greally described the case as an unusual set of circumstances, noting that Ntsulumbana was likely manipulated and perhaps unwittingly acted as a mule. She was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, including leaving the country within 14 days of release and not returning for 20 years.
Kelle Elaine Do Rosario Oliveira, a 30‑year‑old Brazilian mother of three, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. She had swallowed 112 capsules of cocaine before boarding a flight to Dublin on 11 October 2020. The drugs, valued at about €72,000, were seized at Dublin Airport after customs and excise officers noticed irregularities in her documentation. Oliveira admitted she had swallowed 90 capsules in Brazil the day before the flight and claimed she was instructed to go to a hotel to remove them, but never received further instructions. She cooperated with Gardaí during questioning and stated she had been promised just under €1,150 to transport the drugs. The judge, recognising her cooperation and foreign status, suspended the final 18 months of a three‑year sentence on the condition that she leave Ireland within seven days of release and not return for 20 years. Elaine Do Rosario Oliveira pleaded guilty.
Craig O'Donoghue, 20, was remanded in custody until July 12 at 10.30am by Mr Justice David Keane in the High Court following an out-of-hours sitting. O'Donoghue faces a trial for contempt of court after allegedly travelling to Ayia Napa, Cyprus, to avoid giving evidence in the trial of a 16-year-old accused. The State believes O'Donoghue and a co-accused left the jurisdiction to evade their witness orders. O'Donoghue was arrested at Dublin Airport on a bench warrant. The underlying trial involved a 16-year-old accused of producing a knife at a house party on Bandon Road, Cork city, where college student Cameron Blair was murdered. The juvenile pleaded not guilty to producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury, a charge the DPP discontinued via nolle prosequi. However, the juvenile pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder with two other persons present, using or threatening unlawful violence, causing fear for safety. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. O'Donoghue was granted legal aid for senior and junior counsel for the July 12 hearing, where he is expected to attend electronically after a seven-day isolation period. The defence did not pursue a bail application. The alleged contempt offence is punishable by imprisonment, fine, or both.
Paul Murphy, 59, appeared before the Special Criminal Court where he is accused of supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder of David Byrne on February 15, 2016. He is charged with participating in activity intending to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The State objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged crime and witness intimidation risks. Justice Tony Hunt noted that a sentence north of eight years could apply in a worst-case scenario, identifying flight risk as a concern. The judge ruled that the €1,000 offered was insufficient and that bail would be granted in principle only if an independent surety could be attached. Murphy stated he had no such acquaintances. The matter was adjourned to Monday, when Murphy, along with co-accused Jason Bonney and Patrick Dowdall, will appear before the three-judge court to bring their bail applications. Bonney is accused of providing vehicle access, while Dowdall is accused of making a room available at the Regency Hotel for the alleged criminal organisation on February 4, 2016. All charges are contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.
The High Court concluded an inquiry into the detention of a woman who returned from Dubai to assist her family. She had been held in mandatory quarantine at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel in Dublin since April 3, after her father underwent cancer surgery. A Covid‑19 test taken on Tuesday morning was negative, and she was released that evening. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore terminated the application for an inquiry into her detention after hearing that she had been allowed leave quarantine. Her counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that the detention was unlawful and that the bar for release on humanitarian grounds was too high. The court also scheduled hearings for two other similar applications, involving a healthcare worker and a South African‑Irish resident, both of whom had tested negative and were fully vaccinated. The cases were brought against Tifco Ltd, Tifco Management Services (Ireland) Ltd and the Minister for Health.
Farhan Abdirizak, a 40-year-old Swedish citizen of Somali origin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to facilitating the entry into the State of a person he knew or had reasonable cause to believe was an illegal immigrant or intended to seek asylum. He also admitted to possessing a false instrument, specifically a Ryanair boarding pass in a false name. The court heard that gardaí identified a young man at Dublin Airport in November 2020 travelling under false documentation. Abdirizak alleged he was assisting his "nephew" to travel from Somalia via Greece to Ireland, denying any financial motive or trafficking intent. Prosecution evidence indicated no suspicious money transfers or links to terrorism or sexual exploitation. Defence counsel noted Abdirizak had sought asylum in Sweden in 2007 and worked as a teacher helping refugees. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a prison term of two and a half years. She suspended the final year of the sentence and backdated the effective custody period to November, when Abdirizak was taken into custody.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Graham Whelan, a 38‑year‑old father of four, was charged with ten non‑scheduled offences, including drug trafficking and money‑laundering. Gardaí alleged that he had received €1,275 in cash from "up his Swiss roll" and €2,140 for a hotel stay, both allegedly proceeds of criminal conduct. They also seized an Audemers Piguet watch valued at €28,000, a tick list with drug code names, several mobile phones, and cocaine and cannabis. Whelan was arrested on a warrant in Walkinstown and later released without charge. The court granted bail with conditions: an independent surety of €20,000, surrender of his passport, curfew, daily reporting, and a requirement to remain at his family home. The judge noted his flight risk but cited the recent death of his partner and his responsibility for four children as mitigating factors. The case is scheduled for trial by September.
In March 2021 the High Court concluded proceedings initiated by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) concerning Traveller families residing in the exclusion zone around the airport's new North runway. The DAA had sought orders and injunctions to obtain vacant possession of land in Collinstown, previously leased to Fingal County Council for Traveller accommodation. The DAA claimed the McAleer family occupied the land without entitlement and required its vacating urgently for runway work. The families, represented by Quinn & Reynolds Solicitors and the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), denied wrongdoing and opposed the action, citing up to 30 years of residence. The injunction application had been adjourned for out‑of‑court discussions; the court was informed that the dispute had been resolved and could be adjourned until after Easter. The terms of the settlement remain confidential. The resolution was welcomed by FLAC, who said it prevented serious consequences for their client.
John Power, 55, an Irish engineer living in the Netherlands, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to providing false information to the passport office twice, in February 2015 and between January and February 2016. He had obtained a fake Irish passport in 2006 by using the birth certificate of a Tipperary man named John Power, and later tried to secure another fake passport in his brother's name. Power claimed he sought the passports to avoid a 1998 drink‑driving conviction that might surface while he travelled across Europe. He was arrested at Dublin Airport while travelling to the US on a legitimate passport. Judge Pauline Codd, noting medical evidence of a past stroke and memory loss, imposed a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the high level of planning and the fact that the fake passports were used to circumvent the law regarding the drink‑driving offence. The sentence was suspended on a number of conditions.
Ricardo Da Silva, a 28‑year‑old Brazilian from Teresina Piazia, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He was caught with over €80,000 worth of cocaine, which he had hidden in his underwear after being lured into a non‑existent job offer that created a debt. Da Silva was instructed to ingest the drugs but instead taped 120 pellets to his underwear. He pleaded guilty on 20 September 2020 at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport. The court noted he had no prior convictions and that he was a "desperate man" who believed carrying drugs was his only way to clear the debt. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence without a suspended portion, citing Da Silva's good behaviour in custody and low likelihood of reoffending. The case also involved co‑accused Raynessa De Sousa, who received a two‑year sentence for a similar offence.
The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has begun new injunction proceedings against a Traveller family over land at Collinstown, needed for the airport's new north runway. The DAA seeks orders to remove several Traveller families from the site, which lies within an exclusion zone around the runway. The runway's completion date was moved from December to June, and the DAA fears further delays if the families remain. On Friday, the DAA obtained permission from Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds to bring an injunction application against Tracey and Martin McAleer, who moved onto the disputed site last week. The DAA claims the land, previously used by Fingal County Council for Traveller accommodation, was acquired and the licence expired in 2017. The DAA served a notice to quit, but four families, including the McAleers, have refused to leave. The DAA says the McAleers have no legal right to occupy the land and seeks orders to vacate and stop trespassing.
The Bunratty Castle Hotel, near Shannon Airport, has lodged a High Court judicial review to overturn a WRC finding that it discriminated against Ms Nora Ward, a Traveller, and was ordered to pay €15,000. The hotel argues the WRC heard the complaint without its representatives present, citing misdirected emails and a failure to notify the hotel of an adjourned hearing. It claims it was denied a first‑instance hearing and that correspondence was sent to an incorrect email address. The WRC's decision, based on Ms Ward's complaint under the Equal Status Act, alleged the hotel was dismissive and failed to engage appropriately. The hotel seeks to quash the decision and have the complaint determined in accordance with law. The case is set to return to court in May.
Raynessa De Sousa, a 27-year-old Brazilian woman, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to having drugs for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on September 20, 2020. The court accepted that she swallowed 88 pellets of cocaine, weighing 792 grammes with an estimated street value of €55,447, while travelling from Sao Paulo to Dublin. Prosecution evidence indicated that De Sousa was refused entry due to a lack of a visa and subsequently identified the drugs in her stomach. She stated she was promised €1,200 for the transport but claimed she was threatened into ingesting the pellets after attempting to back out. Defence counsel highlighted her lack of prior convictions, her mental health struggles, and the threats faced by her family in Brazil. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged that De Sousa was desperate for money and accepted that she wanted to withdraw from the scheme but was prevented by threats. The judge noted it was unlikely she would re-offend. De Sousa was jailed for two years.
A 39-year-old man facing trial on charges of deception and theft had a bail surety of €100,000 incorrectly refunded in full instead of the reduced amount of €50,000, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday. The defendant, from Limerick, had the money distributed amongst family members who had contributed to the surety. His legal team told the court he is currently reliant on Covid-19 welfare payments following redundancy. During an application to vary bail conditions, Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about evidence that the accused had been travelling in a newly acquired van with power tools, questioning how this aligned with his stated financial circumstances. A detective garda objected to any variation, citing flight risk concerns and the seriousness of potential penalties if convicted. The matter was adjourned to March 5th to allow gardaí to establish whether the defendant's stated need to travel to Wexford for care duties was necessary. The accused faces 18 theft counts involving over €85,000 in County Mayo.
The High Court extended Norwegian Air's examinership protection by 50 days, from 100 to 150 days, after Justice Michael Quinn accepted that Covid‑19's devastating impact justified the extension. The airline's examiner, Mr Kieran Wallace of KPMG, requested the extra time to negotiate a scheme of arrangement with creditors that would allow the company to continue trading. Paul Sreenan SC argued that the pandemic's ongoing uncertainty, new Covid variants, vaccine delivery issues, and disputes over aircraft leases and service contracts hindered the examiner's ability to secure a scheme and fresh investment. The court noted that the examinership of Norwegian Air's Norwegian parent and three Irish subsidiaries is one of the largest and most complex in Irish history. No opposition was raised to the extension, and the court scheduled a hearing for April 16 to approve any scheme of arrangement approved by the creditors.
The High Court issued freezing orders that prevent a Moldovan Air Airbus A319 from leaving Dublin Airport, leaving more than 20 passengers and crew stranded. The aircraft, which arrived late Tuesday night, was due to return to Chisinau International Airport. The orders were issued in relation to a €4.2 million arbitration award in favour of Just‑US Air Srl, a Romanian aircraft leasing company, against Air Moldova Srl. The award arose from an arbitration over the lease of the aircraft, and the airline has had assets seized by Moldova's Agency for the Recovery of Criminal Assets in 2019 amid investigations into alleged money‑laundering activity. Just‑US Air Srl sought to enforce the award in Ireland because it feared the aircraft might be removed from the country. The court granted the orders on an ex‑parte basis, and the judge later lifted a reporting ban while maintaining the orders.
In a High Court hearing, Norwegian's Irish subsidiaries, currently in examinership, sought to exit aircraft leases as part of a survival plan that will drop transatlantic services and focus on European and Nordic routes. Lawyers for the airline explained that it intends to return the aircraft to lessors in a state that satisfies them, but several lessors have expressed dissatisfaction with the information received and may formally oppose the repudiation applications. The court adjourned the applications to a later date and indicated a willingness to grant repudiation orders for other leases unrelated to aircraft, such as software, inflight entertainment, fuel services, a VIP lounge at Gatwick, and premises at Logan Airport. The airline's parent company and three Irish subsidiaries have been granted court protection, and the examiner is preparing a scheme of arrangement to keep the airline as a going concern.
The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has sought to add Fingal County Council to proceedings it has brought against Traveller families occupying land in Collinstown, north Dublin, which the DAA claims is needed for a new North Runway. The DAA alleges the land, previously leased to the council for Traveller accommodation, is now occupied by members of the McAleer family who have no entitlement to be there. The families, represented by Quinn & Reynolds Solicitors and the Free Legal Advice Centres, deny wrongdoing and oppose the DAA's action. The DAA says it has no option but to involve the council because the council failed to hand over vacant possession after a notice to quit in 2017. The High Court, hearing the case, has allowed the DAA to seek permission to join the council to the action, with the matter adjourned to a later date.
The Norwegian Airline group has applied to the High Court for orders repudiating over 30 leasing agreements for aircraft. The group's application was mentioned before Mr Justice Michael Quinn on Thursday. The group's parent company and three Irish subsidiaries have been granted court protection and the examiner Mr Kieran Wallace is currently putting together a scheme of arrangement, which if approved by the court will allow the airline continue as a going concern. The airline, which has announced that it is to end long‑haul flights and reduce to number of routes it had previously flown, is seeking to have lease agreements for some 36 aircraft repudiated by the court. Brian Kennedy SC, for the airline, told the court that the repudiation of these lease agreements needed to be done as a matter of urgency.
The High Court appointed liquidators to Torskef Jorden Leasing Ltd (TLL), an Irish subsidiary of Norwegian Air, after the airline announced it would cease long‑haul services. The court, hearing on Friday, adjourned proceedings to allow creditors to comment and then ordered TLL's winding up. Mr Kieran Wallace and Mr Andrew O'Leary of KPMG were named joint liquidators. Lawyers for most creditors were neutral or supportive of the liquidation, citing TLL's loss of commercial viability after the airline's shift to Nordic routes. TLL had operated as a lessor of 24 wide‑body Boeing jets, earning income only from sub‑leasing to other group companies. The liquidation follows Norwegian's broader examinership and restructuring efforts, which aim to keep the airline as a going concern while addressing its significant debt and operational changes caused by the pandemic and aircraft grounding issues.
Barry McArdle, 34, was formally surrendered to Dutch authorities at the High Court following the lifting of a postponement order. The surrender relates to his conviction for the stabbing and dismemberment of Keith Ennis in 2009. Although McArdle was initially acquitted of the stabbing in 2017, the Dutch public prosecutor successfully appealed that verdict. In 2020, after a Supreme Court ruling upheld the appeal, McArdle was found guilty of the stabbing and sentenced to 13 years. The High Court heard that the balance of his sentence left to serve is 4,514 days. McArdle had previously been convicted of removing or disposing of Mr Ennis' body to conceal the cause of death, a charge for which he had already served his sentence. He was arrested in Galway on July 1 under a European Arrest Warrant issued in April and endorsed by the High Court in June. His legal representative, Ms Leanora Frawley BL, stated that McArdle was no longer seeking a postponement for a medical procedure, having previously requested time for a colostomy consultation. The Minister for Justice's counsel, Ms Caroline Cummings SC, confirmed the warrant details. Detective Garda Eoin Kane noted that McArdle is considered a flight risk with 19 previous convictions, including drug supply offenses. The court proceedings concluded with the formal surrender to the Netherlands.
Martin Jude Wall, 45, appeared by video-link at the High Court where Mr Justice Paul Burns granted him bail with strict conditions, fixing an extradition hearing for January 20, 2021. Wall, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes in Georgia, is wanted by US authorities for breaching his 15-year probation by fleeing to Ireland. If found guilty of the breach in America, he faces a possible 15 years imprisonment. The court noted he was an "undoubted flight risk" and "determined not to make himself amenable," yet "reluctantly" granted bail due to self-harm risks. Conditions include two independent cash sureties of €5,000 each, a €1,000 cash bond, residing at a Clontarf address, obeying a curfew, surrendering his passport, being of good behaviour, and signing daily at a garda station. Wall was remanded in custody with consent to bail. Detective Garda Robert Comerford objected to bail, citing Wall's history of absconding and homelessness in the US. Mr Remy SC argued the conviction was a state matter and Wall had lived openly in Crossmolina, Co Mayo, since 2015. Gardaí arrested Wall on December 8, 2020, executing a US arrest warrant from November 2019.
Mihai Adrian Hofman, a Romanian chef who has lived in Ireland since 2010, has filed a High Court challenge against the State's decision to stop his Covid‑19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) after he temporarily left the country for a family emergency in late June. Hofman began receiving PUP payments in late March, but when he returned to Romania in June, the Minister for Social Protection unilaterally ceased his payments. He returned to Ireland on 21 July, having been prevented from returning earlier by a flight cancellation. Hofman argues that the cessation was unreasonable, unlawful, and that he was denied notice and an opportunity to address the Minister's concerns. He seeks an order quashing the Minister's decision, back payments, and declarations that the Minister erred in law and failed to provide notice. The case was granted ex‑parte permission by Mr Justice Charles Meenan and is set for a January hearing.
The High Court confirmed the appointment of Mr Kieran Wallace as examiner for Norwegian Air and related companies, giving him up to 100 days to devise a scheme of arrangement for creditors owed about US$5 bn. The judge also placed Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, the parent company, under examinership, noting its close connection to the Irish entities and that the process could be recognised by a Norwegian court. The examiner's role includes implementing a restructuring plan and securing additional financing, with an Independent Expert's Report indicating a reasonable prospect of survival. Creditors, including aircraft leasing firms and financial lenders, largely accepted the appointment, with only Rolls Royce expressing support. The court adjourned the matter to a later date, allowing the examiner to work with the group and its creditors to pursue a viable survival strategy.
The High Court appointed Mr Kieran Wallace as interim examiner to several Irish‑registered companies of the Norwegian Air group, including Arctic Aviation Assets DAC, Norwegian Air International Ltd, Drammensf Jorden Leasing Ltd, Torskef Jorden Leasing Ltd and Lysakerf Jorden Leasing Ltd, as well as the parent Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. The firms sought examinership because of financial difficulties largely caused by the Covid‑19 pandemic. Mr Justice Michael Quinn noted that an Independent Expert's Report indicated the companies had a reasonable prospect of survival if an examiner was appointed and a restructuring plan fully implemented, including additional financing. The court was satisfied that creditors, such as aircraft leasing companies and financial lenders, would benefit from a successful examinership rather than liquidation. The board of directors petitioned for the appointment, hoping Mr Wallace would devise a scheme of arrangement to allow the companies to continue as going concerns. The matter was adjourned to December.
A 34‑year‑old Limerick man, Jonathan Collopy, is wanted in Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for a drink‑driving offence that was convicted in his absence. He was previously jailed in the early 2000s for serious drugs offences. Collopy is a father of five, expecting a sixth child, and has started a car sales business in Limerick. The High Court granted him bail pending an extradition hearing. The judge accepted that Collopy poses a flight risk but imposed conditions: he must live at St Mary's Park, deposit €2,000 in cash, provide an independent surety of €2,000, sign daily at Henry Street Garda Station, obey a curfew from 10 pm to 7 am, and keep his mobile phone charged for Garda contact. Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan objected to bail, citing Collopy's 17 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic matters, and his substantial sentence in Bulgaria.
Steven Smith, a 44-year-old former resident of Dundalk, Louth, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on appeal regarding his conviction for possession and unlawful importation of cocaine. Smith pleaded guilty to concealing 49 pellets of cocaine, valued at €42,920, internally while arriving at Dublin Airport from Brazil via Amsterdam on November 21, 2013. He had previously left Ireland on High Court bail in 2014 but was returned from the United Kingdom in June following a Crime Watch appeal. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Smith, a drug user at the time, acted for reward or debt alleviation and was likely at the lowest level of the trafficking operation. The judge acknowledged Smith's cooperation and admissions. Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of three years and three months, backdated to June to reflect time already spent in custody. Defense counsel Dominick McGinn SC highlighted Smith's history of moving to Canada, his subsequent downward spiral, and his recent efforts to reform, including ending drug use and gaining employment in the UK. The court accepted that the method of importation indicated desperation rather than high-level criminal enterprise. Smith has prior convictions in Canada, the UK, and Ireland for various offences, including assault and theft.
Mark Adams, a 41‑year‑old former airport policeman and male model, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for laundering over €1 million. He pleaded guilty to handling €582,045 of criminal proceeds at Dublin Airport on 11 September 2015 and to laundering €227,130 at Bank of Ireland, €298,280 at PTSB, Malahide and €78,990 at Bank of Ireland Credit Card Centre between January 2012 and March 2017. Customs officials intercepted him at the airport with a concealed sum of cash, and a subsequent investigation uncovered €604,400 deposited into three accounts linked to Adams. He had no prior convictions, was a father, and was on a waiting list for treatment for drug and gambling dependencies. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the five‑year term without suspension, citing the seriousness of money laundering and Adams' capacity for reform. The court noted he had not used his former policing role to facilitate the offences.
Two peace activists, Colm Roddy (78) and Dave Donnellan (60), were charged with unlawful criminal damage after allegedly cutting through the perimeter fence of Shannon Airport, walking onto the runway for about 45 minutes, and spray‑painting red crucifixes on the runway. They claimed their actions were a protest against the use of the airport by US military aircraft, arguing that such presence violated Irish neutrality and made the airport a legitimate target under international law. Both men pleaded not guilty. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court over nine days. A jury of eleven men and one woman returned unanimous not‑guilty verdicts on the two charges. Judge Karen O'Connor thanked the jurors, the defendants, and their lay legal advisors for their conduct during the trial. The trial focused on whether the defendants' belief that their actions were justified could constitute a lawful excuse for the alleged damage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 5 May 2016, 78‑year‑old Colm Roddy and 60‑year‑old Dave Donnellan were charged with criminal damage for cutting a perimeter fence and painting crucifixes on a runway at Shannon Airport. The judge, Karen O'Connor, explained that a defendant's belief that their actions were lawful does not need to be justified if it is honestly held. She told the jury that the defendants claimed their protest was to oppose the use of the airport by US military, arguing that such presence made the airfield a legitimate target under international law. The judge instructed jurors to decide whether the defendants' belief was honestly held and whether their actions were reasonable in the circumstances they perceived. The prosecution was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants' excuse was not lawful. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
During the eighth day of a trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Colm Roddy (78) and Dave Donnellan (60) defended their actions of cutting a perimeter fence and painting crucifixes on a runway at Shannon Airport on 5 May 2016. They pleaded not guilty to criminal damage without lawful excuse. Roddy argued that the US military's use of the airport as a forward operating base for 17 years, with 2.5 million troops transiting, made him complicit in "destruction and torture" and that his protest was a lawful excuse to raise awareness. Donnellan claimed that the breach of neutrality and the transformation of the airport into a legitimate military target were not measurable in millimetres, and that his actions aimed to protect human life. Judge Karen O'Connor reminded the jury that the prosecution must negate any defence of lawful excuse. The trial continues at Kings Inns.