The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Naoufal Fassih, a Dutch gang leader, who sought to halt a murder prosecution in the Netherlands. Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding over the three-judge panel, ruled that the appellant's grounds lacked merit. Fassih, a Dutch citizen of Moroccan origin, was previously surrendered to Dutch authorities under a 2016 European Arrest Warrant (EAW). In the Netherlands, he was convicted of attempted murder, assault, possession of false documents, and money laundering, receiving an 18-year prison sentence. In 2020, Dutch authorities requested permission from the Irish High Court to try Fassih for additional charges of murder and incitement to murder. The High Court granted this permission in July of last year. Fassih's legal team argued that the original EAW was issued by a Dutch public prosecutor, which a 2019 CJEU decision suggested might not qualify as a 'judicial authority,' thereby invalidating the basis for further prosecution. However, Mr Justice Edwards rejected this argument, stating that challenging the 2016 warrant constituted a collateral attack on a prior judicial decision. He affirmed that the High Court judge who ordered the surrender had already determined the prosecutor was a competent judicial authority, a finding that is res judicata and cannot be further challenged. The appeal was dismissed, allowing the Dutch prosecution to proceed.
The Special Criminal Court served a Book of Evidence on Graham Whelan, a 38‑year‑old father of four, who faces ten non‑scheduled offences including drug trafficking and money laundering. Whelan was arrested in a penthouse at the South Dublin Intercontinental Hotel, where officers found €1,275 in cash he claimed came from "up his Swiss roll". He is charged with converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using €1,275 and €2,140, a luxury watch, a tick list, a mobile phone, cocaine and cannabis, and with concealing the source of money used to refurbish property at Walkinstown Avenue between August 2018 and May 2019. He appeared on strict bail, wearing a grey suit, and did not speak at the hearing. A curfew was relaxed to 7 am‑9 pm to accommodate his children. The case was adjourned to 10 June, with trial expected by September.
Sandra Kavanagh, aged 40, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended, for receiving €27,079 in rent‑supplement payments from September 2015 to June 2018 after she had vacated the address. She pleaded guilty to four counts of making a gain by deception. The court noted that she had collected 130 payments while no longer residing at the property, and that she had 67 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, knife production, public‑order and traffic offences. The judge highlighted the prolonged duration of the offence and the repeated dishonest acts as aggravating factors, but also considered her difficult personal circumstances, significant medical and mental‑health problems, and the impact of a 2008 accident that left her with serious injuries. The suspended portion of the sentence is subject to strict conditions, including 20 months of supervision by the Probation Service after release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan warned that he would begin jailing young people who facilitate money laundering for criminal gangs. He delivered a suspended two‑year sentence to Reece Radford, a 20‑year‑old from Dromcarra Grove, Jobstown, Dublin, who pleaded guilty on 26 October 2018 to possessing the proceeds of crime. Radford had laundered €58,401 that had been transferred to his bank account after a hacking incident involving a car parts supply company. He had been pressured by a local drug dealer, owing €800, to provide his bank details. Radford did not cooperate with Gardaí and was described by his defence counsel as a vulnerable person who had suffered depression and lost friends and family. Judge Nolan told Radford he was "a lucky man" and ordered him to engage with the Probation Service for one year.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Sean Ruth, a former mid-tier Kinahan Cartel member, to four years and six months for two money laundering offences. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt suspended both sentences for six years and ordered Ruth to repay €9,900 within 12 months. Ruth pleaded guilty to concealing or disguising the source of funds in his Allied Irish Bank account between 2016 and 2017, knowing or being reckless as to whether they were proceeds of criminal conduct. The court noted he had paid over €20,000 to the Criminal Assets Bureau, with his parents assisting with the remaining balance. Judge Hunt reduced a headline six-year sentence by 25% due to Ruth's guilty plea and mitigation, including his reformation and education since his 2019 release from a separate firearms conviction. Ruth was previously jailed for three years for possessing a .38 Special revolver and ammunition. The report also details that Jonathan Harding and James Walsh were previously sentenced to 10 and nine years imprisonment respectively, with the final year of each suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a submachine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition at the Greenogue Unit.
Gerry O'Brien, 41, was sentenced to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of stealing by deception. He admitted to stealing €107,286 in cash and cheques from a 77-year-old Dublin woman between July 2017 and November 2018, and €27,254 from a 73-year-old Dublin woman between August and November 2018. Judge Pauline Codd described the offences as despicable, noting O'Brien's psychological manipulation of the elderly victims. His wife, Joanne O'Brien, 39, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from the first complainant, totalling €900. She was given a suspended nine-month sentence on conditions. The court heard that Gerry O'Brien used fabricated sob stories and a fake solicitor to convince the women he would repay them from a fictitious insurance payout. He has 68 previous convictions, while Joanne O'Brien has 28, mostly for road traffic offences. Defence counsel for Gerry O'Brien highlighted his remorse, though the judge noted his letter focused on his own woes rather than the victims. Joanne O'Brien's defence noted she had repaid the stolen money. The matter was finalised with these sentences handed down.
Calin Scintei, aged 28, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a €1.5 million money‑laundering scheme run by a Romanian organised‑crime gang. He pleaded guilty to 25 charges covering the period August 2018 to January 2020, including participation in organised crime, fraud, criminal damage, theft and possession of the proceeds of crime. Scintei helped defraud Tesco of €12,400 through a gift‑card scam and caused €18,000 of damage to AIB ATMs while stealing €7,690 in cash. He also set up 27 bank accounts with false documents and five fake companies, laundering about €780,000. The court noted he was paid a modest reward and was not a master criminal, but a busy participant in the gang's operations. The judge, Martin Nolan, considered mitigating factors before imposing the sentence. The case involved 12 prior convictions for theft and fraud.
Noah Abdurahmanov, 25, originally from Chechnya, sold his bank card and details for €200, which he used to purchase flights back to Chechnya. The account was then used to launder €10,000. He pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct on 12 July 2018. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody until the sentencing hearing, where he was given a suspended two‑year sentence. The judge noted that money laundering is not a victimless crime and that Abdurahmanov's actions benefited serious criminals. The €10,000 was transferred to the accused's account and then withdrawn via ATMs and sent to three other accounts; the money has not been recovered. Abdurahmanov admitted he was reckless and that he knew the card would be used in this manner. The case was prosecuted by Noel Devitt BL and defended by Kieran Kelly BL.
Vasile Braileanu, 43, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term for defrauding motor insurance companies of about €13,000. He pleaded guilty to 15 fraud‑related offences, including dishonestly inducing insurers to offer reduced premiums and creating false No Claims Discount and Experienced Driver certificates. Between April 2015 and November 2017, Braileanu brokered 30 policies for friends and acquaintances, receiving €400‑€600 per policy, though only ten were found by investigators. Gardaí seized a "ghost brokering kit" and templates from his home. He admitted being a customer of a ghost broker in 2013 and later ran his own small, amateur operation. Judge Martin Nolan noted the operation was small and ordered the community service, with the case adjourned to July 7 to assess suitability.
Herbert Kilcline, a 60‑year‑old solicitor, was found guilty of fraudulently claiming over €120,000 in social welfare payments between 1996 and 2010. He admitted that he had been excluded from the Thalidomide compensation scheme and believed he was entitled to disability allowance payments, despite having been legally granted the allowance and failing to report changes in his income. Kilcline cooperated with Gardaí, surrendered documentation, and repaid the full amount of €129,293. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the long period of offending, premeditation, and significant loss to the exchequer, imposed a three‑year sentence with one year and three months suspended. The court acknowledged Kilcline's remorse, cooperation, and low risk of reoffending, and highlighted his ongoing physical and psychological difficulties stemming from Thalidomide. The sentencing was deferred by one week to allow Kilcline to settle his affairs.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vlad Pintea, 35, pleaded guilty to money‑laundering offences linked to a Romanian organised crime gang that used his bank account to launder €57,000 of fraud proceeds. Pintea sold the account for €500 in 2016, believing it would help him financially, but the account was also used to obtain loans and credit cards, leaving him with a toxic credit rating. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing evidence, imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending 18 months on condition of good behaviour. The court warned that custodial sentences for similar activity would likely be longer. Garda investigations revealed over 70 accounts used by the gang, with Pintea's account among them. Pintea has since lost financial independence and now works full time, with wages deposited into a friend's account. He submitted an apology letter expressing shame and regret.
Elvis Chiriac, 35, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft after stealing over €8,500 by tampering with 22 ATMs in Dublin between 8 and 10 January 2020. He used a "Transaction Reversal Fraud" technique, inserting a card, withdrawing a small amount, then using a metal or plastic clip to prevent the ATM door from closing, allowing him to remove cash while the machine recorded no withdrawal. AIB identified the cards, including those from Macedonia, Abu Dhabi, and a Revolut card linked to Chiriac's niece. CCTV from a Centra shop and GPS from a rented GoCar traced his movements. The theft caused damage to the machines and the total loss to AIB was €8,520. None of the stolen funds have been recovered. Judge Melanie Greally remanded Chiriac on continuing bail, with a mitigation hearing scheduled for 8 June.
In a Circuit Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan criticised young people for using their bank accounts to launder stolen money, citing the case of 19‑year‑old Zach Phelan. Phelan had received just over €36,000 of stolen funds in his account and spent nearly €9,000 on luxury goods, including a €5,000 spree at Brown Thomas and €4,000 at electronic stores. He had only a few cents in his account when the transfer occurred, and attempts to move further amounts to offshore accounts failed. Garda Fionnuala Lawlor explained that the money was mistakenly sent to Phelan's account after a hacked email between a business and its client. Phelan pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering on 15 November 2019, when he was 18, and had no prior convictions. The court recovered €14,775 of the stolen money and adjourned sentencing to 30 April.
Declan Brady, Deirdre Brady, and Erika Lukacs appeared before the Special Criminal Court, where Brady pleaded guilty to concealing €268,940 in cash in the attic of a Naas property on January 24, 2017. Prosecutors indicated that additional pleas from all three accused are required. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, remanded Brady in custody for a sentence hearing scheduled for June 14. The matter was adjourned to that date. Previously, in July 2019, Brady was sentenced to 11.5 years for possessing an arsenal of firearms and ammunition at a Dublin business park. Deirdre Brady and Erika Lukacs, who were originally charged with 52 money laundering offences, each pleaded guilty to one count on April 13. Deirdre Brady admitted to concealing the source of funds in a Permanent TSB account between 2014, while Erika Lukacs admitted to similar offences regarding an Allied Irish Bank account in 2012. Both women were remanded in custody for the June 14 sentence hearing. The court proceedings remain at the sentencing stage, with final disposals pending the upcoming hearing.
Wenzi Wang, 38, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges including providing a false birth certificate for a passport application in Co Donegal in May 2009, six counts of deception in Co Dublin and Co Meath between 2010 and 2017, two counts of giving false information to a registrar in Co Dublin, and possession of an air rifle, ammunition, and Garda Síochána-resembling apparel at his address in November 2017. Prosecution evidence alleged Wang lived under the false name Sau Kee Lee for eight years after purchasing another person's Northern Irish birth certificate to obtain an Irish passport and other documents. Defence counsel submitted that Wang was a model citizen who paid taxes and committed no other offences while using the alias. The court heard that an investigation began after Wang registered his second child's birth under his real name, leading to a search of his home where false documentation and the disputed items were found. Wang admitted to gardaí that he bought the apparel for a Halloween costume and the air rifle from a friend, never using it. Judge Pauline Codd ordered a report from the Probation Service and adjourned the matter for finalisation to July 5. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
John Corr, 55, owner of five pharmacies, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven counts of dishonestly inducing the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service to make duplicate reimbursements at his pharmacies in County Dublin and County Louth between 15 and 30 July 2016. Duplicate claims were identified at five locations, including Clonskeagh, Clarehall, Clogherhead, Blackbull and Mell. Ninety‑four patients were affected, and the total duplicate reimbursement was €8,075.37, with Corr charged with obtaining €3,988.79 by deception. Detective Garda Darren Hughes noted that the investigation began after above‑average payments were observed at Mell. Full restitution was made, and Corr lost his community pharmacy contract with the HSE, effectively ending his business. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Corr's 31‑year pharmacy career, ordered that Corr complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, with the matter adjourned to 23 June for Probation Service assessment.
Edward McCann, a 66‑year‑old cleaner, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for defrauding the State of €224,731 over a 24‑year period. He worked for a cleaning company under two aliases, claiming social welfare and unemployment assistance from 1991 to 2015. McCann also pleaded guilty to possessing a false Irish driving licence. The fraud was uncovered when his employer noticed a contact number in his phone that matched an employee's number, leading to an investigation that revealed the false identities, PPS numbers and a €32,000 credit‑union account. McCann had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, citing McCann's cooperation, full admissions and the prolonged nature of the fraud, imposed a custodial sentence without suspension, deeming re‑offending unlikely. The court considered McCann's age, lack of wealth and the impact of COVID‑19 restrictions on his family. The case was prosecuted by Diana Stuart BL and defended by Seoirse O Dunlaing BL.
Simon Gold, a 54-year-old man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, received an additional one-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today following guilty pleas to possession of false instruments. Gold admitted having three fraudulent UK driving licences at an address in Delvin, County Westmeath, in October 2012, and four sheets containing 360 counterfeit AIB holograms at the same location in February 2014. He is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence imposed in 2019 after conviction on money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments charges. Judge Martin Nolan determined the offences were connected to the earlier convictions and declined to extend Gold's imprisonment, instead imposing the sentence to run concurrently from today. Gold, who has 46 previous convictions, is due for release in 2024.
A 40-year-old man from Keshcarrigan in County Leitrim has received a fully suspended three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for mortgage fraud. Aidan McGovern pleaded guilty to submitting false documents to a bank in Swords in 2018 whilst applying for a €120,000 mortgage. The documents included fabricated wage slips from a non-existent company, a false P60 form, and a credit union statement belonging to another person. Bank staff became suspicious after noticing discrepancies including an incorrect account balance. McGovern admitted to editing the documents himself and emailing them knowingly to the financial institution. He attributed his actions to marital breakdown and a desire to secure housing. Judge Pauline Codd acknowledged his full co-operation with gardaí and low re-offending risk but emphasised the need to protect the integrity of loan applications. The sentence was suspended in full on condition he keeps the peace.
In a case heard in Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Thomas O'Driscoll (40) and Patrick O'Driscoll (39) pleaded guilty to deception for targeting an elderly woman in her 70s. The brothers approached her in a jewellery shop in Skibbereen on 11 November 2018, persuaded her to give them her phone number after showing a machinery brochure, and later called her in Goleen. They aggressively urged her to purchase machinery and tools, resulting in her writing cheques totaling almost €25,000. The woman later cancelled the cheques, but €6,500 had already been cashed. The brothers paid €6,000 in compensation and each offered €4,000 of their bail money. They were sentenced to two years' imprisonment each. Their lawyers had planned to appeal to the Court of Appeal, but the brothers withdrew the appeal after the court's judges noted the possibility of increasing the sentence. The withdrawal was deemed a wise decision by the presiding judge.
Sean Ruth, 32, of Portlaoise, Co Laois, was remanded on continuing bail until May 17 for sentencing after pleading guilty to two money laundering offences at the Special Criminal Court. Prosecutors alleged that Ruth, described as a mid-tier Kinahan Cartel member, allowed his bank accounts to be used to launder over €50,000 in crime proceeds between 2016 and 2017 while claiming State benefits and paying no tax. He has paid the Criminal Assets Bureau over €20,000, with his mother assisting to discharge the remaining €9,000 liability. Defending counsel argued that Ruth has reformed since his 2019 release from a previous three-year firearms sentence and requested the court consider whether imprisonment was necessary. The court heard that Ruth was previously linked via DNA evidence to a revolver found at a Greenogue business park, an arsenal that also contained weapons seized from James Walsh and Jonathan Harding. Walsh, 36, and Harding, 48, were previously sentenced to 10 years and nine years imprisonment respectively, with the final year of each sentence suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machinegun, an assault rifle, and ammunition at the same location. Ruth's current matter remains adjourned for final sentencing.
Prince Joseph Ncube, aged 24, worked for a financial services firm when he discovered a glitch in Bank of Ireland's online banking system in April 2017. He opened four deposit accounts and used a sequencing and timing anomaly to create notional credits, transferring €48 between accounts to generate a credit that did not exist. Repeating the process, he built a notional balance exceeding €24,500, withdrawing €14,500 in cash before the bank froze the account. A senior fraud investigator recovered €10,000, and the bank provided documentation that led to Ncube's arrest. He pleaded guilty to theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years, suspended in full, with a condition to pay €14,500 to the Gardaí for onward transmission to the bank within six months. Ncube's defence highlighted his youth, family background, and ongoing studies, while the prosecution noted the sophisticated nature of the fraud.
Gareth White, 33, was jailed for three years after a series of fraud offences. He advertised on Gumtree for a €5,500 loan, claiming he would repay €8,000 in four months, and posed as a Tusla social worker. He provided forged documents and a phone bill to a victim who had saved for his daughter's college fund. White also set up a fake taxi company account, claiming to be a homeless charity contact, and sent invoices for rides that were never paid, costing the company €11,221. In February 2020 he created a bogus mobile phone company account, ordering 115 phones and broadband devices worth €36,729, which were delivered but never paid for. White pleaded guilty to theft and deception offences between March 2017 and April 2020, had 13 prior convictions, and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a four‑year consecutive term with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
A 32‑year‑old man, Sean Ruth of Anamcara, Warrington Lane, Co Kilkenny, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to two counts of crime cash laundering under the Criminal Justice Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing Act 2010. He admitted, on various dates in 2016, to concealing or disguising the true nature or source of money credited to an Allied Irish Bank account in his name, and to converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using that money, knowing or believing it was the proceeds of criminal conduct. Ruth had originally faced eight offences but pleaded guilty to these two. The court remanded him on continuing bail until March 26 for a sentence hearing.
Gerry O'Brien and Joanne O'Brien appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where both pleaded guilty to theft charges. Gerry O'Brien admitted to one count of stealing €107,286 in cash and cheques by deception from Beryl Tilson, then aged 77, at a Sandyford address between July 2017 and November 2018. He also pleaded guilty to one count of stealing €27,254 in cash and cheques by deception from Rosemary Fitzgerald, then aged 73, at a Blackrock address between August and November 2018. Joanne O'Brien pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from Ms Tilson on December 23, 2017, and July 12, 2018. The prosecution alleged the defendants used fabricated sob stories and a fake solicitor to deceive the victims. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the matter to May 17 for sentencing. The court noted Gerry O'Brien has 68 previous convictions, while Joanne O'Brien has 28, mostly for road traffic offences. Defence counsel stated Gerry O'Brien was remorseful, though the judge noted his letter focused on his own woes rather than the victims. It was also noted that Joanne O'Brien had repaid the €900 stolen from Ms Tilson. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Bernard Norton, 49, from Newrath View, Kells, Co Meath, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment for fraudulently claiming €15,854.70 in Jobseekers Allowance in his own name and in his brother Robert's name between 2013 and 2015. He also pleaded guilty to six counts of theft at Killinard Post Office and deception at the same address. The fraud was uncovered when a photograph taken during a Public Services Card application matched a photo of Robert Norton, who had been working in the UK the whole time. Norton had previously been convicted of stealing over €200,000 from a financial institution in 2001‑2002 and of stealing about €35,000 from another employer in 2016, for which he received a two‑year custodial sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Adetola Jimoh, aged 53, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service over 18 months instead of prison for his role in a €362,810 invoice redirect scam. Jimoh admitted to accepting €10,000 that had been transferred to his account as part of the fraud, claiming he believed the money was for buying a car for a friend. He pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering on 25 August 2015 and had no prior convictions. The court noted that the €10,000 was withdrawn through ATMs and point‑of‑sale transactions. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his plea as based on recklessness, acknowledged the Garda evidence, and ordered the community service sentence. The case involved a fraudulent payment to a construction firm, Rhatigans, by Maynooth University, which was never received. The university was the victim of an invoice redirect fraud originating from a server in America.
Carlos Mason, a 32‑year‑old UK national, was surrendered to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant for alleged leadership of an organised crime group that sold internet users' bank details on the dark web. The warrant accuses him of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between March 2017 and June 2019 and possession of criminal property. Mason had previously been jailed for one year in Dublin in May 2020 after pleading guilty to two counts of dishonestly inducing two luxury Dublin hotels to accept fraudulent credit card payments between 29 December 2019 and 19 January 2020. He used a stolen American Express card to check into the Shelbourne hotel on 29 December 2019, accruing a €3,735 bill, and later stayed at the Westbury Hotel until 19 January, accruing a €4,700 bill. In total, he spent €8,435 in both hotels, enjoying "wining and dining" without paying.
John Corr, 55, owner of a pharmacy chain, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 20 counts of deception under the Theft and Fraud Act 2001 for fraudulently obtaining payments from the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service. He admitted to inducing the scheme to reimburse €769.14 for services at Corr's pharmacy in Mell, Drogheda, on 28 July 2016. The offence involved various sums ranging from €7 to €220 at his Dublin and Drogheda locations. The DPP had previously directed trial on indictment, and Corr was remanded on continuing bail until 19 April for sentencing.
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.
Craig Courtney and Kane Duffy, both of Tallaght, were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on April 6, 2017, at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre. Courtney pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Roberta Rodriguez Brasil and violent disorder, while Duffy pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Both defendants admitted to committing these offences after being released from custody. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that in a "perfect world," Courtney would have been sentenced for this offence concurrently with his money laundering conviction. The court heard that Courtney accidentally struck Ms Brasil with a hurley stick while she was used as a human shield during an incident described as "extreme lawlessness." Courtney later returned to the shop with flowers, chocolates, and an apology. Judge Ryan sentenced both men to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended both sentences in their entirety on strict conditions. The judge ordered that €4,000 in compensation, comprising €3,000 from Courtney and €1,000 from Duffy, be handed over to the garda to be forwarded to the injured party.
Naoufal Fassih, a Dutch gang leader with alleged links to the Kinahan cartel, has appealed a High Court decision permitting his trial in the Netherlands for murder and incitement to murder. Fassih, a 40-year-old Dutch citizen of Moroccan origin, was surrendered to Dutch authorities in 2017 under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for alleged attempted murder, assault, possession of false documents, and money laundering. He was subsequently convicted in the Netherlands of all these charges and sentenced to 18 years in prison. In 2020, Dutch authorities sought Irish permission to prosecute him for further murder-related offences. The High Court granted this permission in July last year. However, counsel for Fassih argued before the Court of Appeal that the original EAW was issued by a Dutch public prosecutor, which the Court of Justice of the European Union later ruled is not a recognised "judicial authority." Consequently, they contended the High Court lacked the legal basis to allow further prosecution. Counsel for the Minister for Justice countered that if this argument succeeded, it would cast doubt on all surrenders to the Netherlands between 2003 and 2019. The three-judge Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved its judgment, noting it had "quite an amount to consider." The matter remains adjourned pending the court's decision.
Sean Everitt, a 20‑year‑old from Hill View, Drogheda, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a one‑year suspended term for laundering €10,000 in criminal proceeds. He pleaded guilty to allowing his bank account to be used by criminals to hold money he knew or was reckless about being illicit, an offence under section seven of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Everitt had previously been convicted of drug dealing and aggravated burglary, and was on bail for a drug offence when the laundering occurred. He was offered €100 for using his account but never received it. The €10,000 was later reimbursed to the victim, who declined to prepare a victim impact report. The suspended sentence is to run consecutively with his existing prison term.
During a sentencing hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally addressed the case of Daniel Flanagan, a 21‑year‑old who allowed his bank account to be used to hold proceeds of crime. Flanagan had just sat his applied Leaving Cert exam in 2018 when he gave his bank card and details to a man he owed a "drug debt" to. Garda Stephen Hughes explained that the account was used in a "Done Deal" scam where a woman paid €650 for car parts that were never received, and the seller became uncontactable. Four other victims were also given the same account, and the total money found was €2,120. Flanagan pleaded guilty to recklessly holding the proceeds of crime in September 2018 under the Money Laundering Act 2010. The judge noted that while an awareness campaign exists, schools, colleges and banks should do more to highlight the serious consequences of acting as a money mule.
Michael Small, a 54‑year‑old former solicitor from Renville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, faces a trial set for 9 January 2023 in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He is charged with multiple counts of theft, deception, failure to keep accounting records and the use of false accounting documents, alleged to have occurred over a two‑year period while he was practising in Limerick. Earlier, in 2008 and 2009, he appeared before the Dublin District Court on similar charges. The case involves allegations of €1.2 million in fraud, and free legal aid was granted for the circuit court proceedings.
Ciaran Long, 37, of Barntown, Co. Wexford, pleaded guilty to possessing €201,000 in proceeds of criminal conduct under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. He was found to have acted as a "drugs mule," collecting money for a gang and handing it to an unnamed recipient. The original sentence was a four‑year headline with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year fully suspended term, reduced by 18 months for mitigating factors such as no prior convictions and an apology. The Court of Appeal deemed the sentence too lenient, re‑sentencing Long to a six‑year headline and a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended term. He must report to Wexford Garda station on 18 February to begin his jail term. The decision reflects the seriousness of the offence and the role Long played in the gang's cash handling.
In February 2020, a mother‑of‑one, Tanya Breen, 30, and a Dublin bus driver, Laurence Keane, 42, were arrested after Gardaí discovered bundles of cash in a Kia Sportage and at Breen's home. The pair were charged with possession of €59,710 in proceeds of crime, linked to drug trafficking. Both pleaded guilty. Breen's lawyer argued she was a single mother struggling with bills and that the money was offered by community members. Keane's counsel highlighted his long employment with Dublin Bus and family responsibilities. Judge Elma Sheahan found no threat or compulsion, deeming the offence a "lifestyle choice" with high culpability. She sentenced Breen to 3½ years, suspending the final six months on a 12‑month good‑behaviour condition, and Keane to 2½ years, similarly suspended. The case was prosecuted under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, 2010.
Dean Masterson, 34, a father of three with a history of serious convictions, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to defraud a bank by submitting false documents in a mortgage application. He sought a €220,000 loan to buy a family home, but bank staff detected the falsities and no money was disbursed. Masterson pleaded guilty to deception and five counts of using false instruments, having provided a fake salary certificate, payslip, P60 and two bank statements. The court noted his prior convictions for robbery, attempted robbery and theft between 2004 and 2012, and that he had not been convicted since 2016. Judge Pauline Codd highlighted the premeditation and deliberation involved, describing the offence as "fairly sophisticated" and imposing a four‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions.
Two Romanian‑origin gang members were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for creating and using fake credit cards. Daniel Almajanu, 35, fabricated 65 counterfeit cards with a card reader/writer machine and supplied them to Albert Gimy Linul, 29, who used the cards to purchase and resell cartons of cigarettes in Dublin shops. The fraud stemmed from a "deep insert skimmer" operation in the UK that captured HSBC customer details. Linul pleaded guilty to 60 fraudulent cards, eight card‑use offences, ten thefts and two attempted thefts, while Almajanu pleaded guilty to 53 cards, 65 card‑making offences and possession of a specialised laptop. Linul received a three‑year term and Almajanu a four‑year, four‑month term, both back‑dated to their custody dates. The judge described the case as an offshoot of a sophisticated international fraud scheme.
Llyod Pennant, a 60‑year‑old man from Dundalk diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cannabis and to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 4 June 2019. He had been stopped by customs after disembarking from a ferry, where the cannabis was found in his hand luggage in two bags, valued at €19,800. Pennant claimed he had collected the drugs in the UK for his own use to relieve pain, as he cannot take MS injections when his blood pressure falls. He has 16 prior convictions, including deception and possession of stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan, describing the case as "exceptional", imposed a four‑year prison sentence but suspended the entire term on strict conditions, citing Pennant's medical needs and the difficulty of imprisonment for someone with MS. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time imposed.
The High Court heard that the United States has formally withdrawn its extradition request for Conor Freeman, a 21-year-old from Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Freeman, who appeared by video-link from Mountjoy Prison, is no longer facing a maximum potential sentence of 108 years in the US. The Attorney General's counsel informed Mr Justice Paul Burns that the US diplomatic note confirmed the withdrawal because Freeman had already been convicted and sentenced in Ireland for the same offences, with no appeals lodged. Freeman had previously pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the proceeds of crime, specifically 142.75682712 Bitcoin. He also admitted to stealing cryptocurrency from Darran Marble, Seth Sharpiro, and Micheal Templeman between May 15 and May 18, 2018, and to three counts of dishonestly operating a computer to make a gain. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Freeman to three years' imprisonment, reduced to two years and 11 months to account for time already served. The judge noted the crime involved guile and deception but acknowledged almost perfect mitigation, including Freeman's guilty plea, cooperation, youth, and lack of prior convictions. US authorities had alleged Freeman participated in attacks by a group called 'The Community' using SIM swapping techniques to steal over $2 million in cryptocurrency.
A 37‑year‑old man named Mohammed Hamad was found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of ten counts of theft of various social welfare payments between May 2009 and October 2013, and two counts of using a false document. He had claimed more than €65,000 in rent allowance, job seekers allowance and basic supplementary allowance. The court noted that he had taken over a dry‑cleaning business lease in 2013, using a loan and savings, some of which came from the fraud, and that he had ceased claiming the welfare payments after his status changed. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended custodial sentence of three and a half years, suspended in full on the condition that Hamad pays €30,000 to the State within three years. He has no prior convictions and is now employed, having opened eight branches of the shop and repaying €35,000 of the stolen money.
A Special Criminal Court hearing set a trial date for Jason Reed, 39, of Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, on 23 June 2021. Reed faces a money‑laundering charge tied to €32,330 and £390 (≈€441) allegedly found at his home. The court also scheduled arraignment for two co‑accused, Thomas Rooney, 41, and Catherine Dawson, 44, on 20 January. Rooney and Dawson were arrested on suspicion of aiding an organised crime gang and are charged with money laundering and possession of the proceeds of crime. They allegedly possessed €289,770 in euros and £62,025 (≈€70,207) in cash in a blue Nike bag, and separately had €245,840 in cash in a bag on the same date. All three were present at the brief hearing. The trial is expected to last two to three weeks.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Limerick resident Pat Sheedy, 51, faced a new fraud charge after admitting he scammed a Westmeath publican, Con Gilsenan, out of €548 by promising four "premium" rugby match tickets that never arrived. Sheedy had previously pleaded guilty to the theft in January 2019 and had a history of 59 fraud convictions, many involving deception. He has a chronic gambling addiction and has engaged in treatment since custody. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing the victim's distress, granted Sheedy a "one last chance" by suspending a two‑year prison term for four years, conditional on maintaining peace and continuing gambling‑addiction treatment. Sheedy remains in custody for other offences, with a release date in January 2023. The court noted he had already repaid the stolen money. The hearing highlighted his ongoing struggle with gambling and the court's willingness to offer a conditional reprieve.
Premier Tickets Limited, a Dublin‑registered ticket‑selling company, has brought a claim in the High Court alleging that €318,000 was taken without authorisation from its PayPal account between 12 and 17 November. The company says the money it holds in its account is kept on trust for ticket holders until the event is redeemed. It alleges that €311,000 was transferred to a Citibank account in the UK on 12 November, that £3,200 was paid to its account a few days later, and that over $7,500 was transferred to a Bulgarian entity on the same day. Premier Tickets says none of these transfers were sanctioned by the company and that PayPal failed to refund the money or provide reasons for the transfers. The company seeks an injunction directing PayPal's European branch to lodge the €318,000 into its account and to disclose the results of its investigation.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Jonathan Harding to five years and three months' imprisonment for laundering over €342,000 for a serious criminal organisation. Harding, 48, pleaded guilty to five offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of six years and nine months, suspending the final 18 months on all charges, with all sentences running concurrently. Harding signed a bond to be of good behaviour for three years post-release. The judge noted Harding's prior conviction for possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition, for which he received a ten-year sentence in January 2018. Co-accused Carol Davis, 45, pleaded guilty to three offences under the same Act, admitting she was reckless in allowing Harding access to her accounts but denying involvement in underlying criminality. She received a three-year suspended sentence on all offences, signing a bond to be of good behaviour for that duration. The court found that accounts linked to both were used as a travel service for the organisation. Separately, Declan Brady, 54, was previously sentenced to 11-and-a-half years' imprisonment in July 2019 after pleading guilty to possessing the same weapons cache, having been tasked by senior criminal figures to supervise it.
The Special Criminal Court will hear the trials of Jason Reed (39), Thomas Rooney (41) and Catherine Dawson (44) following the seizure of €550,000 in cash during searches of cars and a house in Drogheda and elsewhere in the north‑east. The DPP applied under Section 40 of the Criminal Justice Act for a non‑jury trial, and Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Michael Walsh granted the application. None of the accused were present at the hearing, but they are required to appear on 21 December when a trial date will be set. All three are charged with money laundering and possession of the proceeds of crime. Reed is accused of laundering €32,330 and £390 (≈€441) found at his home; Rooney and Dawson are charged with possession of €245,840 in cash in a bag on the same date; all three were previously granted bail by a District Court.
Two men remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison after refusing to give undertakings to vacate a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor of Longford were remanded in continuing custody by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds at the High Court on Thursday. Both men declined to provide sworn undertakings to comply with court orders made in favour of KBC Bank requiring them to leave the premises. The bank obtained an order for possession in 2018 following a substantial debt on the property. Mr McGann disputed the proceedings, claiming perjury and fraud, whilst Mr Taylor stated he would remain in prison rather than comply. Ms Justice Reynolds said her function was solely to ensure compliance with court orders and that she would not engage with conspiracy theories. The matter will be reviewed the following week, with both men entitled to apply to purge their contempt at any time.
A woman and her partner were involved in a money-laundering scheme linked to an organised crime group, following a raid that uncovered an arsenal of firearms capable of 'arming a small country', the Special Criminal Court has heard. Jonathan Harding (48) of Kerdiff Avenue, Naas, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to five charges of converting, transferring or handling property, to wit money, between 1 January, 2012, and 31 December 2016, at EBS, Bank of Ireland and AIB accounts, the proceeds of criminal conduct. Co-accused Carol Davis (45) of Clonmacnoise Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty to three offences between 1 January, 2014, and 31 December, 2016, relating to accounts held in her own name also at EBS, AIB and Bank of Ireland. The pair had originally been charged with 50 offences but pleaded guilty to a total of eight offences. The charges come under the Criminal Justice Act 2010 (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing). Declan Brady (54), known as 'Mr Nobody', was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of the weapons. Tom Anderson, the defendant, was sentenced to ten years in prison with one year suspended in January 2018 for the possession of firearms. The matter was adjourned to December 15 for sentencing.
Conor Freeman, 21, of Glenageary Court, Dun Laoghaire, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to just under three years for knowingly possessing the proceeds of crime – 142.75682712 Bitcoin – and for stealing cryptocurrency from three victims in May 2018. He pleaded guilty to the thefts, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, to aiding and abetting wire fraud, and to aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. The High Court heard that the US is seeking his extradition on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and four counts of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft, with a potential sentence of up to 108 years if convicted. Freeman's plea and cooperation were cited as mitigating factors, and his custodial sentence was reduced to two years and 11 months to credit time already spent in custody. The extradition request may be affected by his Irish conviction.