Two men, Paul Reilly (36) and Ray Donnelly (49), were convicted of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm after breaking into Clanna Gael GAA club in Irishtown, Dublin, on the night of the semi‑finals on 2 September 2012. They used a fake gun to threaten the bar manager, Paul Lynch, and a patron, Paul McDonald, tying them with duct tape and leaving them face‑down on the floor. The intruders ransacked the club's safe and stole €7,569, which has not been recovered. Donnelly was also found guilty of handling stolen property for attempting to sell a stolen Volkswagen Golf on DoneDeal. Both men pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment and possession of an imitation firearm. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced them to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment; Donnelly received an additional four months for the stolen‑property charge.
An Irishman, Liam Campbell, aged 54, was arrested in Upper Faughart, Dundalk, County Louth, on 2 December 2016 under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuanian authorities for alleged terrorism offences and weapons trafficking to Ireland. He was brought before the High Court in Dublin the same day and remanded in custody. The court was informed that a director of a County Louth company had agreed to pay a €60,000 bail, and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly remanded Campbell in custody with consent to bail until 30 January. The warrant alleged that between the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 Campbell had organised the preparation for smuggling in support of the "terrorist grouping" the RIRA, arranging for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, explosive devices and substances.
Three men were charged at the Special Criminal Court on 14 December 2016 with membership of the Irish Republican Army, an unlawful organisation. Sean Walsh, aged 50, was arrested at 7.47pm in Cobh under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and brought to Cobh Garda Station. Joseph Walsh, aged 36, was arrested at 7.46pm in Cobh by Detective Garda Oisin Cotter and charged with the same offence. Michael Gilmartin, aged 46, was arrested at 7.41pm in Midleton by Detective Garda Geraldine Daly under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and for possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances. Gilmartin was also charged with possession of a semi‑automatic 9mm Walter pistol, a sawn‑off shotgun, and 22 rounds of ammunition under Section 27a of the Firearms Act. All three men were remanded in custody until the next Wednesday for bail hearings and legal aid applications.
Edward Walshe, 23, was charged after a high‑speed chase in which he drove a black Saab carrying a sawn‑off double‑barrel shotgun. He had agreed to give a lift to a man owing him a €100 drug debt, but the passenger had a firearm. When Garda Stephen Byrne signalled him to stop, Walshe fled, causing a head‑on collision and forcing small children celebrating Halloween to flee the road. Detective Sergeant Declan O'Connell pursued him, injuring his hand when Walshe grabbed and twisted it during a struggle. Walshe pleaded guilty to possession of the shotgun, dangerous driving, and assaulting the sergeant. The court adjourned sentencing to 17 January, citing serious illnesses in his family, and remanded him on bail until that date. The firearm and four unspent cartridges were recovered from the vehicle. The case remains pending.
James Walsh, 30, pleaded guilty to possession of a pistol firearm with intent to endanger life at the Church of the Transfiguration, Clondalkin, on 26 March 2014. The offence arose from a shooting that occurred at the church that evening. Walsh's plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and a nolle prosequi was entered on a count of attempted murder of Michael Frazer, 37, who was shot and later presented to Clondain Garda Station bleeding and distressed. Walsh had a prior firearms offence in 2006, for which he was convicted in 2007. Counsel for the DPP argued that a mandatory minimum of 10 years applies to a second firearms offence under legislation enacted 1 November 2006. Counsel for Walsh contended that the court was not bound to impose the minimum and urged consideration of his guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts. Judge Patrick McCarthy noted the seriousness of firearms offences and the limited discretion in sentencing.
Jamie Shorthall, a 30‑year‑old plumber from Monkstown Farm, Dún Laoghaire, carried out an armed raid on an Applegreen petrol station in Dublin on 17 June 2015 to pay off drug and gambling debts. He wore a white boiler suit and a black balaclava, pointed a realistic replica of a Glock pistol at shop worker Phil Collins, and demanded the cash tills be opened. Collins, frightened, handed over €1,100. Shorthall escaped on a push bike left outside the shop. He pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. The court noted his 20 prior convictions, including burglary, criminal damage and theft, and that he had relapsed into cocaine and gambling problems. His father had previously paid up to €14,000 to menacing individuals demanding money for his son's debts. A psychological report said Shorthall was under duress and threatened with harm to his family. Judge John Aylmer adjourned sentencing to the following Monday.
In a robbery on 2 November 2015, John Joyce, aged 25, used an Airsoft pistol to threaten a staff member at a dry‑cleaning shop he had previously visited for alterations. He forced the employee to hand over €436 in cash. Joyce was later apprehended at a halting site where a car containing an Airsoft handgun was found. He pleaded guilty to this robbery, as well as to a robbery on 21 August 2014 and to damaging cars with a screwdriver in mid‑2014. The judge imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the last 18 months. Joyce has 66 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and handling stolen property. The victim reported nightmares and a change of workplace following the incident. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two Dublin men, Conor Hughes, 38, and Darren Fox, 26, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge, sawn‑off, double‑barrel shotgun and two 12‑gauge cartridges. The weapons were found in Kyletaun, Rathkeale, County Limerick on 31 October 2015. Hughes lives in Goatstown Close, Goatstown, and Fox in Coolevin, Ballybrack. They were arrested by the Special Detective Unit during a dissident republican investigation. The court remanded them on continuing bail until 23 January, when sentencing will occur.
Liam Campbell, aged 54, was arrested in Upper Faughart, Dundalk, on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuanian authorities for alleged terrorism and weapons trafficking. The warrant, endorsed by the High Court, accuses him of organising smuggling operations to supply the RIRA between late 2006 and early 2007, including arranging illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives and related substances. Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan presented the warrant and a photograph to Campbell, who confirmed the identity. Campbell was taken to Dundalk Garda station and processed as an arrested person. Counsel for the State, Ronan Kennedy BL, raised an objection to bail. Justice Aileen Donnelly confirmed the identity of the accused, remanded him in custody until Thursday, 8 December, when a bail application is expected, and informed him of his rights to surrender and legal advice. Brian Gageby BL represented Campbell in court.
Derek Mulligan, a 43‑year‑old former estate agent turned DJ from Tallaght, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 5 February 2015. Mulligan had previously been convicted of drug and firearm offences. He admitted that he owed €30,000 and that he had been told he would receive a €500 reduction on that debt if he agreed to transport and deliver cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy, mixing agents and prescription medication. Mulligan claimed he was coerced, saying he was "dancing to their tune" and had no choice. Gardaí had initially caught him with about €20,000 worth of cannabis in his car after a traffic offence, and a subsequent search of his home uncovered €592,471 worth of drugs, including €495,000 of cocaine.
The Central Criminal Court heard that James Walsh, aged 30, pleaded guilty to possession of a pistol with intent to endanger life after a shooting at the Church of the Transfiguration in Clondalkin on 26 March 2014. The prosecution argued that Walsh shot himself in the leg while escaping the scene, an act supported by circumstantial evidence including CCTV, ballistic and DNA findings linking a blue Fiat Stilo to the crime scene and to Walsh. Witnesses described a man in black and a Mini Cooper involved in the incident. Walsh was arrested on 5 December 2014 and remanded in custody pending the remainder of his sentence hearing on 14 December. The court noted his prior convictions, including a Firearms Act offence that could impose a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison. The case also involved a nolle prosequi on a separate attempted murder count against Walsh.
Joseph Hickey, aged 42, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to possessing drugs worth over €13,000 for sale or supply at Tallaght on 28 October 2015. The court found he was a "small fish" in a larger drug operation and had no knowledge of the drugs' full value, which was €2.85 million. Hickey's involvement was motivated by a drug debt, and he had a history of chronic alcohol and cocaine addiction. He had four prior convictions, including one for child cruelty, and had received residential treatment for his addiction. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, resulting in a five‑year custodial term. The case was part of an undercover operation that seized 28 bags of cocaine (27.9 kg) and 13 bags of heroin (6.4 kg) from Hickey's vehicle. The co‑accused was also charged with drug and firearm offences and received a similar suspended sentence.
A 55‑year‑old Dundalk man, Joseph Finnegan, pleaded guilty to possession of an 8mm blank‑firing pistol, seven rounds of ammunition, a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun, three shotgun cartridges, and a stolen Ford Focus. He admitted these offences on July 11‑12, 2015, at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address. During a Special Detective Unit investigation into IRA activity, Gardaí stopped the stolen car, found a black backpack containing a semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition, and later discovered more firearms and ammunition in his home. Finnegan claimed he was asked to do a "wee message" and feared for his life. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Robert Eagar, sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for the firearms offences, five years for each ammunition offence, and two years for the stolen car, all to run concurrently and back‑dated to 7 November 2016, with one year suspended on the firearms sentence.
Joseph Hickey, 42, was found with more than €2.8 million worth of cocaine and heroin in his possession. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs valued over €13,000 for sale or supply at Tallaght on 28 October 2015. Garda Stephen Connor explained that undercover officers were surveilling a carpark on Greenhills Road when Hickey arrived in a grey Fiat. He parked beside a co‑accused, and the two men exchanged bags that were later seized. The seized drugs included 28 bags of cocaine (27.9 kg, €1,957,000) and 13 bags of heroin (6.4 kg, €896,000), totalling €2.85 million. Hickey's co‑accused was charged with drug and firearm offences and received a seven‑year sentence with two years suspended. Hickey had four prior convictions, including one for child cruelty, and was described by his defence as a "small fish" who did not know the drugs' value. He has since undergone residential treatment for addiction.
An unemployed courier from Glenties Road, Finglas, Dublin has been sentenced to six years imprisonment following his conviction for drug and firearms offences. Ken McDermott, aged 47, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms on 27 May 2015. Gardaí arrested McDermott after he collected two rucksacks containing a .32 Colt revolver, a .38 Remington revolver with ammunition, cocaine valued at approximately €219,104, and ecstasy tablets estimated at €256,820. Additional controlled substances were recovered from a vehicle at the Finglas location. The total estimated street value of drugs seized exceeded €483,000. Judge Melanie Greally noted McDermott's guilty plea and family circumstances as mitigating factors but stated he failed to consider the community impact of his actions. The judge recommended Mountjoy Prison for his detention to facilitate family contact.
In November 2016, William Beresford, a 45‑year‑old former casino employee, was sentenced to four years in jail for robbing the Station's Sport Club on 20 August 2015. Beresford used a pellet gun to threaten colleagues and forced a staff member to open a safe, taking €4,400 that was never recovered. He had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 1999 for killing his brother and had 28 other minor convictions. Beresford surrendered to Gardaí four days after the robbery and expressed remorse, citing drug addiction as a motive. Judge Melanie Greally noted his progress in overcoming addiction but deemed the offence serious, describing the pellet gun as effectively a firearm. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on conditions including two years of probation. The case highlighted Beresford's troubled personal history, including a prior family tragedy and ongoing drug abuse.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing in Dublin, former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were denied bail. Both men were charged with falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley on 15 January at Navan Road, Dublin 7, by detaining him without consent. They also face charges of threatening to kill Hurley and assaulting him, causing harm, at the same location and date. Additionally, they are accused of possessing a firearm or imitation firearm – a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun – with intent to facilitate the false imprisonment. Judge Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, refused bail after hearing objections from Gardaí based on the seriousness of the charges and Section 2A of the Bail Act. The Dowdalls remain remanded in custody until 15 May next year, when their trial is expected to commence.
In a brief sitting at the Special Criminal Court, Owen McCann, 35, admitted possession of firearms and ammunition. He pleaded guilty to holding a .22 calibre rifle, a pistol conversion kit, two ammunition magazines, and one round of .22 calibre ammunition, all found in Jenkinstown, Dundalk, on 17 December last year. McCann was arrested by the Special Detective Unit in December. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, remanded him in custody until 21 December, when sentencing will occur.
During a sentence hearing at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Joseph Finnegan, aged 55, was described as having been caught with a pistol and ammunition while claiming he was carrying out a "wee message" for certain people and that he feared them. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to possession of an 8mm calibre blank‑firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, both at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address, on 11 July 2015. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun and three rounds of shotgun cartridges on 12 July 2015, and to possession of a stolen Ford Focus on 11 July 2015. At the hearing, Detective Inspector Anthony Lenehan recounted that the Special Detective Unit was investigating IRA activity in County Louth and that Finnegan was suspected of storing and moving firearms.
An unemployed man from Glenties was remanded for sentencing after pleading guilty to serious drugs and firearms offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ken McDermott, aged 47, admitted possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms following his arrest in Finglas on May 27, 2015. Gardaí intercepted a vehicle at Dublin Port acting on confidential information about a planned firearms importation. McDermott was observed transferring rucksacks from a car to a van, which officers then stopped. A search recovered two revolvers and ammunition, along with cocaine and ecstasy tablets with an estimated street value exceeding €483,000. McDermott told gardaí he had agreed to participate in the importation to support his family following the collapse of his courier business. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to November 16 for consideration of sentence.
The trial of Eugene Hanratty Snr and Eugune Hanratty Jnr is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Both defendants, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to the alleged assault of Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, on November 24, 2012. The prosecution alleges that the younger accused blocked the victim's car with a jeep, after which his father exited the vehicle and assaulted Mr McAllister. The alleged victim testified that he suffered fractured nose and eye sockets during a sustained attack. Witness Mary McAllister described the senior accused as being in an "absolute mental frenzy," stating he struck her husband repeatedly on the head with fists and feet while she begged him to stop. She claimed the younger accused remained in the vehicle until later intervening to tell his father he had gone too far. Defence counsel characterized the incident as a dispute over shooting rights at a nearby duck sanctuary, suggesting the victim initiated the confrontation. While the defence alleged the victim discharged a pistol, which the accused then destroyed, the witness denied this. Garda witnesses testified that initial reports of a shooting incident were not corroborated by other officers. The matter remains at the trial stage with no verdict or sentence recorded.
A 44‑year‑old man, James Lammon, was found guilty by unanimous verdict of a "brutal and pre‑meditated" murder of Jason Doogue on 21 August 2015 in Green Hills, Athy. The jury, after just over two hours and thirty minutes, concluded that Lammon, masked and hooded, rode a bike to Doogue's garden, fired a Makarov pistol with a silver silencer three times, and then cycled away. The State's evidence was circumstantial, relying on witnesses who heard Lammon threaten to kill Doogue, forensic DNA and gun‑residue on cloths in a black toolbox, and the discovery of the gun, a bike and gloves in the River Barrow area. Lammon had 20 prior convictions, including a four‑year drug sentence in 2011. Justice Butler handed down a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 21 August 2015, and exempted the jury from duty for ten years. The verdict was met with tears and gratitude from Doogue's family.
Eugene Hanratty Senior and Eugene Hanratty Jnr are standing trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accused of assaulting Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan on November 24, 2012. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, with the matter not yet finalised. Mr. McAllister alleged that the younger accused blocked his vehicle with a jeep, after which the senior accused exited and subjected him to a sustained assault, resulting in fractured nose and eye sockets. He denied striking the first blow or producing a pistol, as suggested by defence counsel Garnet Orange SC. Mr. McAllister stated that commenting on the legitimacy of the senior accused's oil business would be "very dangerous." He also referenced his past, noting he was sentenced to ten years in 1974 for firearms offences, which he described as ancient history. The defence suggested the incident stemmed from a dispute over shooting rights in a duck sanctuary. The trial continues.
Jonathon Duffy, aged 33, was convicted of robbing the Blackrock Post Office on 16 April 2013 with a €2 toy gun, possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery, unlawfully seizing a vehicle and attempting to seize another. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 26 May 2014. Duffy appealed the sentence, but Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the appeal on 25 October 2016, stating that Duffy had entered the post office, threatened a woman with the toy gun, stole about €3,000 in €20 notes, and then attempted to stop cars while fleeing. Gardaí pursued him, and he was eventually apprehended after a woman's vehicle was seized. Duffy had 35 prior convictions, including 10 for robbery, and had been temporarily released from prison 11 days before the offence. The court found no error in principle and upheld the seven‑year term. Jonathon Duffy pleaded guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, forensic expert Dr Thomas Hannigan presented evidence that a sports top and gloves found near the home of James 'Jimmy' Lammon (44) contained firearms residue. Lammon, accused of the fatal shooting of Jason Doogue (22) on 15 August 2015, pleaded not guilty. The gloves were recovered from a ditch and the top from another location; both showed positive traces of gunpowder particles. Dr Hannigan explained that such particles cling to the hands, gloves, and clothing of a shooter when a gun is fired, indicating that the wearer was present during a discharge. He agreed with defence counsel that the residue only proves presence, not the specific firearm used. Additional residue was found on cloths in a black toolbox at a house on Dooley Terrace, linked to a neighbour's account of the toolbox's movement. The trial proceeds with a jury hearing tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Butler.
The Special Criminal Court has fixed a trial date for Jonathan Dowdall, 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, 59, both of Navan Road, Dublin 7. The former Sinn Fein councillor and his father are charged with possessing a firearm or imitation firearm, described as a sawn-off shotgun and a handgun, with the intent to falsely imprison Alexander Hurley at the same address on January 15, 2015. The court set the trial for May 15 next year, with proceedings expected to last two weeks. This procedural step follows the validation of the sentence stage, though the specific finalisation for the accused remains an adjournment to the fixed trial date. The report attributes these allegations to the defendants, who have not yet been found guilty. No plea, finding, or immediate sentence was recorded in this specific procedural update, which solely establishes the timeline for the upcoming trial. The matter is therefore adjourned to the specified date for full trial proceedings, rather than being concluded or finalised at this stage.
Two men, Conor Hughes (38) and Darren Fox (26), are set to be tried at the Special Criminal Court on firearms offences on 11 January next year. They are charged with unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge sawn‑off double‑barrel shotgun and two 12‑gauge cartridges at Kyletaun, Rathkeale, County Limerick on 31 October 2015. The trial is expected to last two weeks. A third man, Jamie Smithers (36), will be tried on charges of IRA membership on 25 January, also expected to last two weeks.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 20 October 2016, the court heard that a Makarov 9mm pistol, buried in Shaw's Wood 750 metres from the home of 44‑year‑old James 'Jimmy' Lammon, was matched to the bullets that killed 22‑year‑old Jason Doogue on 21 August 2015. Detective Garda Shane Curran, a ballistics expert, fired the pistol and compared the recovered bullets with two taken from Doogue's body, concluding that the same gun had fired them. Curran explained that the unique grooves left on a bullet by the barrel matched those of the pistol. Garda Mairead Lacey had found the gun, a silver silencer and ammunition after following a foot‑worn trail from Lammon's house to the wood, where she also discovered a small hole in the ground. The pistol, of Russian origin, was in good condition but its serial number had been removed. Jimmy' Lammon pleaded not guilty.
During a murder trial, a jury was shown photographs taken by Detective Garda Caroline Hughes of a semi‑automatic pistol with a silencer, a striped bag, and an ammunition magazine with three rounds removed. The images were taken at Shaw's Wood in Athy, Co Kildare, where a 22‑year‑old man was shot dead. The photographs were part of the evidence presented against James 'Jimmy' Lammon, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jason Doogue. The judge informed the jury of pending legal matters and sent them home, with a return scheduled for the next day.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 4 October 2016, Joseph Finnegan, aged 54 and resident of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen car. The car in question was a Ford Focus, which he had possessed last year. The court noted that a second stolen vehicle, an Audi A4, would be considered at sentencing. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to four charges of possession of firearms and ammunition. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel indicated that the only other outstanding charge was an IRA membership allegation, which could be dropped on the sentencing date. Finnegan was remanded on continuing bail until 24 October, with the State accepting the same bail terms. The case was heard by Mr Justice Bobby Eagar, Judge Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Judge James Faughnan.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan applied the Probation Act to Richard Lowndes (51), of Inniskeen, Co Monaghan. Lowndes pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of unlawful possession of a shotgun without a firearms certificate at Kilsallaghan on April 12, 2012. The original charge of reckless discharge was dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court heard that Lowndes, a long-distance haulage driver and father of five, used his elderly father's legally held shotgun to pursue a burglar. Judge Nolan noted his sympathy for rural dwellers at risk of burglary but warned Lowndes against acting while upset. Separately, the report details the prior sentencing of Matthew Fahey (36), previously of Finglas. Last year, Fahey received a six-year sentence with four years suspended after pleading guilty to the burglary at Kilsallaghan and another at Milrace, Rolestown, Swords, on the same date. He also admitted to a spate of burglaries and car thefts between January 2010 and April 2012, with 61 previous convictions mainly for theft, burglary, and stealing cars.
Michael Collins, aged 34, was convicted of murdering Packie Hogan, aged 42, on 10 February 2011. Collins pleaded not guilty and denied owning a rifle or ammunition. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on all counts and he received a mandatory life sentence on 29 November 2012. Collins appealed, arguing the shooting was accidental and that he intended only to frighten Hogan. His defence cited a defective firearm with a hair trigger and no safety mechanism, and claimed he had no intent to kill. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, dismissed the appeal, stating that any trial unfairness had been rectified and that the defence did not raise manslaughter. The appeal was rejected, leaving Collins' conviction and life sentence intact. The court noted no unusual circumstances required a different jury instruction. The case remains at the conviction stage.
Sam Power, 31, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to three years in prison for possessing a sawn‑off shotgun, with the final 18 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on 30 April 2015 at his parents‑in‑law's home. The gun, belonging to his missing brother‑in‑law William Maughan, was found wrapped on a radiator in the parents‑in‑law bedroom. Power had shown the weapon to a group of men in a "joking" manner, according to Detective Sergeant Gregory Sheehan, who had been in the area for a separate matter. Power has 82 prior convictions, including knives, assault and public order offences, and was on bail for possession of stolen property at the time of the offence. The court considered his personal circumstances, including the death of his mother when he was 15, his wife's heart condition, and the threat to his family, before imposing the sentence.
James Redmond, 60, of Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24, was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering Mary Dargan and attempting to murder Karina Dargan at their home on March 15, 2014. Redmond pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to both charges at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned majority verdicts of not guilty on both counts after four hours and five minutes of deliberation. The court heard that Redmond allegedly jumped over a back wall with a shotgun, shooting Mary Dargan dead and Karina Dargan in the head. Two consultant forensic psychiatrists testified that Redmond was suffering from severe depressive episodes with psychotic symptoms, rendering him unable to refrain from his actions. Justice Robert Eagar committed Redmond to the Central Mental Hospital and ordered him to be brought back before the court at 9am the following day for a psychiatric assessment. The matter was adjourned for this purpose. Redmond expressed his sorrow for his actions and the devastating consequences for the Dargan family. Victim impact statements were read on behalf of the Dargan children and Karina Dargan, who described her ongoing fear and trauma. The judge exempted the jury from further service for five years.
Noel Darby, 40, was identified by his mugging victim after the victim recognised him from a documentary about drug rehabilitation in Dublin. Darby, who had not committed a serious offence in 13 years, pleaded guilty to robbery of a mobile phone on Malahide Road in Coolock on 9 February 2015. He had previously been convicted of firearm possession, drug offences and a robbery. During the robbery, Darby demanded a phone from a man at a bus stop, grabbed it, and fled, brandishing a seven‑inch kitchen knife. The victim, who had watched the documentary on YouTube, confirmed Darby's identity. Darby was arrested the next day, admitted the offence, and was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing, which was adjourned to 18 November. The court ordered a probation report and allowed time for a defence witness regarding Darby's drug treatment engagement.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, has been sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for possession of three assault rifles and ammunition discovered in his vehicle in Slane, County Meath on 9 March 2016. He received an additional four-year sentence for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, with both sentences to run concurrently. Rowan pleaded guilty to possessing a Chinese Type 56, Romanian PM63, and Zastava M70 rifle, along with associated magazines and 153 rounds of assorted ammunition. He also admitted to IRA membership. The court heard gardaí had monitored his movements as he collected the firearms in Dublin before travelling through Northern Ireland to Donegal. Mr Justice Paul Butler noted Rowan's early guilty plea to all counts as a mitigating factor, describing such cooperation as unusual. The sentences were backdated to the date of his arrest.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 27 July 2016, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were charged with three offences each: falsely imprisoning, assaulting and threatening to kill Alexander Hurley. The alleged incidents occurred on 15 January at Navan Road, Dublin 7, where the Dowdalls are said to have detained Hurley without consent, assaulted him causing harm, and threatened him with death. Earlier, they faced charges for possessing a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun with intent to falsely imprison Hurley at the same location and date. The court read the charge sheets to the accused; both made no reply. Counsel for the State applied for remand, and the judges remanded both men in custody until 7 October, when the case will be mentioned again.
Ross Allen, 26, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for manslaughter after he acted as a lookout during the killing of Christy Daly, 47, on 29 December 2013. The Central Criminal Court found Allen not guilty of murder but guilty of assault‑manslaughter. The jury was not convinced that he was part of a common purpose to kill. Allen had previously hidden €30,000 worth of cannabis near Daly's caravan on Bog Lane, and when the stash disappeared he feared the drug dealer might blame Daly. He was told to drive a Volvo to a location outside Clara, where two Dublin gang members and a driver planned the attack. Allen collected a sawn‑off shotgun and a semi‑automatic pistol, stood at the gate as a lookout, and the men shot Daly eight times.
James Redmond, aged 60, was charged with murdering Mary Dargan and attempting to murder her daughter Karina Dargan at their Killinarden Estate home on 15 March 2014. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court. The prosecution presented three interviews from Tallaght Garda Station on 16 March 2014. In the first interview Redmond claimed that Karina had been "chanting" he was a paedophile for nearly three months before the incident, describing it as a game and mind‑games that drove him to shoot. He said he had been sleepless, had taken cartridges from a shotgun he owned for 20 years, and fired at the house. In the second interview he said he felt "rotten" and that the chanting had made his head "fit to burst," prompting him to go to the Dargan house. The trial continues.
A man's sentence for attempted robbery of a cash-in-transit van has been reduced by the Court of Appeal. Joseph Warren, aged 32, was convicted by jury at Dublin Circuit Court in 2012 of conspiracy to steal cash from a Chubb Ireland van at a Cellbridge supermarket in November 2007. He had also pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition. The original sentence was 14 years with the final three suspended. On appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon found the sentencing judge had erred in principle by not adequately reflecting Warren's limited role in the attempted robbery. The court heard that Warren's involvement related primarily to his skill with cutting equipment rather than planning or leadership. Considering prison reports describing him as a model prisoner with strong rehabilitation prospects and family support, the court reduced his sentence to six-and-a-half years for the conspiracy conviction, with his other sentence remaining consecutive. Joseph Warren pleaded not guilty.
In a 2016 murder trial, 60‑year‑old James Redmond pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for killing Mary Dargan and attempting to kill her daughter Karina in their Killinarden Estate home on 15 March 2014. Redmond, who owned and licensed a shotgun, shot Dargan in the kitchen while she was drinking tea, severing an artery and killing her. He then fired at Karina's head as she fled, but she survived after a neighbour took her to hospital. Redmond claimed he was being called a paedophile by the Dargans and that he had been depressed and had sought medical help in January 2014. The prosecution presented evidence that the families had lived peacefully together for years and that Redmond had been under psychiatric care since the incident. The case was set to continue before Mr Justice Robert Eagar.
Jonathan Fitzgerald, 26, of Limerick, was convicted of murdering Noel Crawford, a father of six, on December 18, 2006, in a case of mistaken identity. A jury found him guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on February 9, 2011. Fitzgerald appealed the conviction, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The court cited the testimony of Laura Kelly, a prosecution witness who described Fitzgerald and another youth arriving at her home, wearing bullet‑proof vests, and leaving with a shotgun. Kelly heard gunshots and later returned with the youths. She stated that Fitzgerald said, "I got him, I got Paul Crawford." The appeal was rejected because the court found the trial judge had adequately addressed the defence's challenges to Kelly's evidence and had not misled the jury. The appeal was dismissed by Justice George Birmingham, with Justices Garrett Sheehan and Alan Mahon in attendance. Jonathan Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty.
Warren Nolan, 20, of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances and three drug‑possession‑for‑sale charges on 8 June 2015. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, reckless endangerment and driving without a licence on 4 June 2015. The court heard that Nolan drove at high speed through Clondalkin, forcing two pedestrians to jump over a gate and a wall to escape his car, and that he later drove on footpaths, on the wrong side of the road and through red lights during a garda pursuit. In a separate incident, a taxi containing several men was pursued; when the car stopped, Nolan was found looking at a garda with a sawn‑off shotgun pointed at the officer's face. The gun was unloaded and no ammunition was found. Nolan was also found to have cannabis, cocaine and heroin.
Wayne Ellis, 34, of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, had received a wholly suspended sentence for a third firearms offence in 2014. The sentence was upheld as unduly lenient by the Court of Appeal, which ordered him to serve a five‑year term of imprisonment. The appeal was based on Ellis's previous convictions under the Firearm Act, which require a mandatory minimum of five years for a second offence. The High Court had earlier upheld the constitutionality of that minimum. Ellis had pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances and to other firearms‑related offences at Knocklyon Shopping Centre on 5 July 2012. The Court of Appeal noted that Ellis had been drug‑free for two years and had made significant progress in overcoming his addiction, but the mandatory minimum could not be suspended. The decision was delivered by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards.
In April 2011, Melvin McNamara (36), Michael Fogarty (45) and Noel Markham (41) attempted to rob Tadgh O'Flynn Jewellers in Nenagh. McNamara and Markham entered the shop in hoodies and balaclavas, while Fogarty stayed in a stolen VW Passat with false plates. McNamara brandished a firearm and Markham approached the window display. During a struggle, Markham shouted to McNamara to "shoot him"; McNamara fired a shot that lodged in the wall above the shopkeeper's head, though the gun was real. The shopkeeper pressed the panic button and pushed the gun down. The men fled in the getaway car, which Fogarty drove at high speed, leading to a 61‑km pursuit at 180‑200 km/h. The vehicle was eventually stopped in a farm yard. McNamara received a 10‑year sentence, Markham nine years and Fogarty eight years, all of which were upheld on appeal. The Court of Appeal confirmed the sentences were within the appropriate range and found no error. Melvin McNamara pleaded guilty. Michael Fogarty pleaded guilty. Noel Markham pleaded guilty.
A book of evidence was served on Owen McCann, a 36‑year‑old from Annaloughan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, who appeared at a brief sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 20 July 2016. McCann was arrested in December 2015 by the Special Detective Unit as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. He faces three charges: membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) on 18 December 2015; possession of firearms, including a .22 calibre rifle, a pistol conversion kit and two ammunition magazines on 17 December 2015; and possession of one round of .22 calibre ammunition on the same date. State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan informed the three‑judge, non‑jury court that the book of evidence was ready to be served. Detective Garda Enda Gannon handed the book to McCann. McCann's counsel, Conan Fegan BL, requested an extension of the legal aid certificate to include a second counsel, citing the seriousness of the charges.
Michael Hanney, 23, was sentenced to five years in prison for transporting a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and three rounds of ammunition. He was caught in July 2015 after Gardaí noticed him driving out of a gated residential area in Ballymun. The pistol was found in the passenger footwell of his vehicle. Hanney pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Hanney was transporting the weapon and noted that he "obviously knew it was going to be used to kill, injure or at least threaten someone." The judge also acknowledged good references showing Hanney's willingness to work and his contribution to his family and community, and suspended the final two years of the sentence on strict conditions. Daniel Kavanagh, 25, was also jailed for five years for possession of the weapon, ammunition and silencer. The case was prosecuted by Martina Baxter BL.
A 39-year-old man from Killygordan in County Donegal has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin to multiple charges including possession of three assault rifles and ammunition. Shane Rowan admitted to possessing a Chinese Type 56 rifle, a Romanian PM63 rifle, and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with associated magazines, discovered at a location in County Meath on 9 March 2016. He further pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing ammunition: 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre rounds and 78 rounds of 9mm parabellum calibre rounds. Rowan also admitted to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The three-judge panel remanded him in custody pending sentencing on 27 July 2016.
Ross Allen, 26, from Clara, Co Offaly, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for his role in the killing of Christy Daly at Bog Lane in Clara. The Central Criminal Court heard that Allen, who had been taken from his drug‑addicted mother as a baby and had lost both foster parents as a child, was involved in retrieving a shotgun he believed would be used to scare Daly. He acted as a lookout while two other men beat and shot Daly eight times. Allen claimed he did not know Daly would be killed. His defence counsel, Blaise O'Carroll SC, described Allen's unsettled background, his early life in care, the deaths of his foster parents, and his attempts to lead a productive life, including work in carpentry and landscaping. Allen had 25 previous convictions but no custodial sentences. He will be sentenced on Wednesday, 27 July.
Dubliner Laura Dempsey, a 25-year-old mother of two, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for assisting an offender in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Kieran Farrelly on October 26, 2014. Dempsey pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the person she believed was guilty of the killing, which involved concealing a shotgun used at Killarney Court, Killarney Street, Dublin 1. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted that Dempsey admitted being present at the shooting and placing the firearm in a wheelie bin after being given it by another accused. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors, including Dempsey's early guilty plea, her attempt to discourage the attack, and her heroin addiction, while recognizing the serious nature of the offence. Dempsey was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final two years suspended for a period of three years. She must comply with a probation officer and attend the Merchant's Quay Project or a suitable alternative. The sentence commences from the date of sentencing, with credit given for time already served. A separate murder charge against Dempsey was previously dismissed following an application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999.