A 22-year-old man from Clonmel, County Tipperary, has been granted bail by the Special Criminal Court ahead of trial scheduled for October. Dylan Cahill faces charges of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, alleged to have occurred on 13 May 2015. He is also charged with possession of a .380 calibre semi-automatic pistol and four rounds of matching ammunition at Sradrine, Glefame, County Leitrim on the same date, in circumstances giving rise to reasonable inference the items were not lawfully held. Additionally, Mr Cahill is charged with possession of two improvised explosive devices at the same location. Detective Garda Mark Benson told the court that Mr Cahill was arrested at Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, on 15 May and made no reply to the charges. An independent surety of €20,000 was frozen in a bank account. Trial is set for 16 October 2015.
High Court proceedings concerning Eric Eoin Marques, an Irishman alleged by the FBI to be the 'largest facilitator of child porn in the world,' will resume in three weeks. Marques, a 30-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, is alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting. US authorities seek his surrender to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing such material. The allegations concern images on over a hundred anonymous websites described as extremely violent, graphic, and depicting the rape and torture of pre-pubescent children. The State is seeking to surrender him to US authorities, while Marques is seeking a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. The matter came before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly for the purpose of fixing a date for the resumed hearing. Ms Justice Donnelly remanded Mr Marques in custody until July 21 next. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013, after being refused bail over concerns he represented a flight risk and that he may abscond or interfere with evidence in the case.
In a High Court hearing on 1 July 2015, state lawyers argued that Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irish‑American alleged to run the 'Freedom Hosting' site, would not provide his computer password to Gardaí. Marques, arrested in August 2013 and held without bail, faces U.S. charges for conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography on over 100 anonymous sites. He seeks a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland, claiming the case is exceptional because he has offered to plead guilty. Counsel for the State, Pat McGrath SC, rejected the claim of exceptional circumstances, noting no evidence of mala fides or procedural breach. He highlighted that the alleged offences were committed in Ireland, the IP addresses were U.S. based, and that Marques holds dual citizenship. The court heard that Marques has Asperger's syndrome and that U.S.
A Laois resident, whose identity is protected, faces trial in June 2016 for two counts of rape committed in Dublin on 9 February. He has been granted bail with conditions requiring him to sign on at Portlaoise Garda Station three times a week. His lawyers argued that the nearest 24‑hour station was over an hour away by public transport, making the requirement impractical. They noted that other stations closer to his home were only open part‑time and that the only other 24‑hour station, in Portarlington, was even farther. The accused, a married man with an Irish wife, claimed he would not leave the area and requested removal of the sign‑on conditions. Justice Carroll Moran agreed to modify the bail, allowing the accused to sign on twice a week at Kevin Street Garda Station in Dublin, where he regularly travels for work.
Two men appeared before an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 26 June 2015, charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and explosives offences. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford, faced charges of IRA membership and possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges and related materials, discovered at his home on 24 June. He was also charged with possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was charged with IRA membership and possession of an improvised explosive device containing shotgun propellant powder, a 12-gauge cartridge, and other materials, found in Ballymahon on 24 June. Both men were arrested by members of the Special Detective Unit as part of investigations into dissident republican activity. Neither made any reply upon arrest. Both defence representatives indicated they would seek bail applications at a subsequent hearing. The court remanded both men in custody to appear on 1 July.
The Special Criminal Court ruled that the arrests of six Dublin men suspected of IRA membership at a house in Tallaght were unlawful. Judge Tony Hunt said each case lacked the modest level of objective justification required under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, citing the Supreme Court's 2003 Walshe v Fennessy decision. The men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan and Desmond Christie—were found to have been arrested without sufficient justification. Peter Burns, the seventh accused, did not challenge the legality of his arrest. Tara Burns SC, representing the State, requested instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and asked the court to adjourn until the following Tuesday. The court had previously accepted evidence that a search warrant for the Tallaght house was valid and that two packages allegedly containing communications from prisoners were found in the house. Brian Nick Mc Bennett pleaded not guilty. Kevin Braney pleaded not guilty. Michael Barr pleaded not guilty. John Brock pleaded not guilty. Declan Phelan pleaded not guilty. Desmond Christie pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court continues the trial of 42‑year‑old Paula Farrell, who is accused of murdering her partner Wayne McQuillan, 30, on 1 January 2014 at her home in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda. Farrell pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, began evidence on Wednesday and is expected to last two and a half weeks.
In a 2015 ruling, the Special Criminal Court declared that evidence from a search warrant executed at a Tallaght house could be used in the trial of seven men accused of IRA membership. Judge Tony Hunt confirmed that the warrant was issued and carried out lawfully. Gardaí had found two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners at Portlaoise Prison, on a coffee table in the front room where the accused were gathered. The court held a "voir dire" concerning the warrant and the arrests. Ms Tara Burns SC argued that the prosecution's case was that the men were meeting as IRA members to discuss the communications. Judge Hunt said he would reserve judgment on the arrests' lawfulness until Friday at 11 am. The accused, all pleading not guilty, are Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49).
The High Court refused to surrender Aidan O'Dwyer, a 40‑year‑old from Clonmel, to Bulgarian authorities for alleged attempted murder of a taxi driver. Bulgarian prosecutors claimed O'Dwyer stabbed the driver in the chest with a knife, motivated by hooliganism, and that the driver survived only thanks to emergency services. O'Dwyer, who was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant on 24 June 2014, argued he acted in self‑defence and that the injuries were not severe. The court considered his serious medical condition, including a liver transplant in 2005 and current powerful medication, and his medical evidence sworn before the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. The judge cited substantial risk of inhumane and degrading treatment in Bulgarian prisons, citing CPT findings of fundamental shortcomings. Consequently, the court ordered O'Dwyer's release, returned any bail, and discharged him from the proceedings.
The trial of seven Dublin men accused of IRA membership continues with a voir dire hearing to decide the admissibility of evidence from a search warrant and the arrest of the accused at a house in Tallaght. Gardai found two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison, on a coffee table in the front room where the men were gathered. Ms Tara Burns SC argued that the prosecution case was that the men were holding a meeting as IRA members to discuss those communications. The accused – Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49) – have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation. The charges stem from a search of a house in Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, where Peter Burns lived with his father.
In a Dublin city‑centre assault, 26‑year‑old Romanian Ionut Potop head‑butted and bit Pakistani shop employee Tariq Mohammed at a Londis store on Westmoreland Street on 4 June 2014. Potop, who was drunk and had shouted racial slurs, caused injuries to Mohammed's nose, torso and wrist, leading to hospital treatment. Potop pleaded guilty to assault. Judge Patrick McCartan, noting Potop's lack of prior convictions, ordered him to raise €3,000 for Mohammed within six months as a token of remorse, warning that failure to do so would result in imprisonment. Potop was remanded on continuing bail to allow time to gather the compensation. The case was adjourned to 11 December for sentencing. The court considered Potop's apologies, letters of regret, and his attendance at psychotherapy for anger and alcohol issues. The judge expressed willingness to give Potop a chance if his remorse was genuine. The proceedings remain at the bail stage, with no final sentence yet imposed.
The trial of seven Dublin men accused of IRA membership has continued with a voir dire, a trial within a trial, to determine the admissibility of evidence regarding a search warrant and arrests at a Tallaght house. The accused are Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan, and Desmond Christie. Each has pleaded not guilty to the alleged charge of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on July 3, 2013. The prosecution alleges the men were holding an IRA meeting to discuss communications from Portlaoise Prison, which were found in packages on a coffee table. The case is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne. The trial is scheduled to last six weeks and continues tomorrow.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 10 June 2015, seven men were charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after a 2013 raid on a Tallaght house. The raid, conducted by Special Branch detectives, uncovered two packages on a coffee table in the front room. The packages contained thin paper, tightly folded and wrapped in clingfilm, which were communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution, led by Ms Tara Burns SC, argued that the men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49)—were holding a dissident IRA meeting to discuss these prison messages. All seven pleaded not guilty. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne, is conducting a six‑week voir dire to determine the admissibility of evidence from the search warrant and arrests.
A 51-year-old man has been remanded on continuing bail ahead of trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next month on charges relating to alleged sexual offences against two young girls. The defendant faces 50 counts in total, including 40 counts of child exploitation involving alleged production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of defilement of a child under 17. The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 2007 and 2011 at locations in Dublin and Donegal. At a pre-trial hearing, the defence indicated the case would be ready to proceed as scheduled. Trial commencement is set for 13 July, with proceedings expected to last approximately two weeks.
Andrew O'Toole, 22, was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and reckless endangerment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase on a stolen motorbike. The incident, which took place on May 26, 2013, involved O'Toole driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway, around several roundabouts, and failing to stop at red lights, ultimately crashing into a parked car. Garda Stephen Walsh described how the pursuit forced other motorists to take evasive action, including a bus that had to swerve into road works. O'Toole was arrested after a brief struggle that injured the Garda's hand. He has 12 prior convictions and became a father two days after the offence. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody for over a month, warning that re‑offending would result in further custody. The court noted his recent period of good conduct but emphasised the danger he posed to himself and others.
In the Commercial Court, an agreement was reached among creditors of businessman Tony O'Reilly concerning a priority charge over €2.7 million worth of shares held in Dromoland Castle Holdings Ltd (DCHL). The court made absolute a conditional order previously granted, giving AIB priority over other creditors in relation to the shares. The order confirms that €15.26 million, plus continuing interest, is charged in favour of AIB on 8,216 shares held by or on behalf of Mr O'Reilly, subject to any prior interest of BNY Mellon. The decision does not prejudice any rights of DCHL or its shareholders under any shareholders agreement or the company's articles. AIB, BNY Mellon, DCHL and representatives of three financial institutions were parties to the action. The court noted that the order may affect Mr O'Reilly's insolvency process in the Bahamas, but AIB rejected that claim.
An expectant mother, Shineen Mulhall, 31, was remanded on bail pending sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing €16,885 from Oaklee Housing Trust on 4 February 2013 and €5,564 from the Irish College of General Practitioners on 3 March 2013. Gardaí said she was a pawn in a scheme where two cheques totalling over €21,500 were lodged into her account and later withdrawn under instructions from a man named "Kai". Mulhall had 19 prior road‑traffic convictions. The judge adjourned sentencing to November, noting she is due her fourth child in July, and ordered a probation report for that date. Garda Mark Bennett explained that the €5,564 cheque was originally made out for €500 to a doctor, later altered and cashed. Mulhall admitted lodging the €16,885 cheque after receiving it from "Kai". No other person has been charged.
A trial date has been set for Hazel Waters, 46, of Ridge Hall, Ballybrack, who is charged with murdering her two‑year‑old son, Muhammad Hassan Khan, between 15 and 16 October 2014. The toddler was found dead with stab wounds in the bedroom on 16 October. Waters is currently in the Central Mental Hospital. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy set the trial for 17 October 2016, noting it could last more than a week.
A Northern Ireland man, Samuel Devlin, aged 55, was arrested in Dublin after a massive car bomb was discovered at a hotel in County Dublin. Detectives found detonating cord in his rented apartment at Finnstown House, Lucan, where he had been staying under a false name. Devlin was caught "red‑handed" in possession of explosives, refusing to give his name, address or date of birth to the Gardaí. He had moved to the State in 2002 and had no family ties in the jurisdiction. The Special Criminal Court heard that the Special Detective Unit would allege that Devlin had rented the apartment to carry out an IRA operation at the hotel. He is charged with unlawful possession of PETN and membership of an unlawful organisation, Oglaigh na hEireann (IRA). The judge described him as a definite flight risk and remanded him in custody until his trial in February.
The trial of 26‑year‑old Celtic footballer Anthony Stokes, accused of assaulting 42‑year‑old Anthony Bradley at Buck Whaleys nightclub in June 2013, has been adjourned to 20 January 2016. Judge Patricia Ryan cited a lack of available judges and higher‑priority cases as the reason for the delay. The case was originally expected to last two days.
The High Court has adjourned the extradition hearing of Eric Eoin Marques, an Irishman alleged to be the owner and administrator of the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. Marques, a 28-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, is wanted by US authorities to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing such material. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013 after being refused bail due to flight risk concerns. Counsel for the respondent, Michael P O'Higgins SC, informed the court that Marques had been assessed by psychiatrist Patricia Casey and diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly criticized the failure to file written submissions prior to the hearing, describing the situation as "entirely unsatisfactory" and unfair to the court. She noted that the newly admitted affidavits would require time for review. Consequently, the matter was adjourned. Ms Justice Donnelly remanded Marques in custody until June 29th and scheduled the matter for mention on June 16th. The court also noted that the DPP had previously decided not to prosecute Marques in Ireland, a decision he sought to challenge via judicial review, which was initially refused but later granted leave by the Supreme Court in November 2014.
The High Court has set a three‑day extradition hearing in July for Gary Davis, a 26‑year‑old Wicklow man, who is wanted in the United States for alleged links to the Silk Road drug‑distribution website. Davis faces US charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is contesting the extradition, arguing he should not be surrendered. The US claims Silk Road, shut down by the FBI in 2013, was an underground marketplace for drugs, firearms and counterfeit money, and that Davis acted as an administrator under the name 'Libertas'. He was first arrested on a warrant issued by the High Court in 2014. The court will hear the case on July 14, 15 and 16, with the possibility of an additional day if needed. Davis remains on bail pending the hearing.
Stephen Hendrick, 47, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle and its components, as well as parts for Glock pistols, at his home on 15 November 2014. He also admitted unlawful possession of a flexible PETN explosive tube at the same address. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to holding 59 rounds of ammunition of various calibres and brands at Furry Park, Turnapin Great, Old Airport Road, Cloghran on 3 July 2013. The court remanded him in custody for sentencing on 15 May of the following year.
During the trial of Gail O'Rorke, a 43‑year‑old taxi driver, the court heard that she was named as a major beneficiary in the will of her friend, Bernadette Forde, who died by suicide in June 2011. Forde, aged 51, left 30 % of the residue of her estate to O'Rorke, a non‑family member, after she had instructed solicitor Maurice O'Callaghan that she wanted to do so because "Gail makes her life better." O'Rorke pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting Forde's suicide, claiming she did not procure or administer the toxic substance, arrange travel to Zurich, or make funeral arrangements. O'Callaghan testified that he met Forde in February 2011, confirmed her mental capacity and that she had no undue influence from O'Rorke. The court heard that Forde had multiple sclerosis and that O'Rorke had helped her with personal care after a severe car crash in 2008.
In the Central Criminal Court, Frank O'Hara's two‑page victim impact statement was read by prosecution barrister Seán Guerin SC. He described his daughter Elaine as intelligent, emotionally vulnerable, and a future teacher who had earned a BA in Montessori Education. He recounted her disappearance in August 2012, initially presumed a suicide, and the subsequent discovery of her remains in September 2013, which shifted the investigation to murder. O'Hara expressed anguish over media coverage that he felt was insulting and over the questioning of his evidence's credibility. He highlighted unanswered questions about the circumstances of Elaine's death, including whether she was restrained or left to die alone. He concluded that the family's experience is a "life sentence" with no parole, emphasizing the ongoing pain and lack of closure.
In a High Court ruling, Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley found that an EU Directive on human‑trafficking victims had not been properly transposed into Irish law. The case involved a Vietnamese woman who was discovered locked in a cannabis grow‑house in Dublin and is due to be tried for unlawful possession of cannabis. She claimed she was a trafficking victim and that the State had breached her rights by refusing a declaration of victim status. The judge held that Ireland's mechanism for recognising suspected trafficking victims was inadequate, particularly in how it interacts with criminal investigations. She noted the need for clear rules or protocols when a person claims victim status while also being suspected of criminal activity. Following the judgment, the woman's solicitor intends to ask the Director of Public Prosecutions not to proceed with the prosecution, citing the woman's two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term. The matter will be heard again later this month.
Independent TD Michael Lowry, aged 60, is scheduled to be arraigned on 31 July for four alleged tax offences. The charges claim he filed incorrect tax returns in 2003 and 2007. The case is currently stayed, but a judicial review at the High Court on 28 July will decide whether the stay is lifted. If the review concludes by 31 July, Lowry must appear in court and plead guilty or not guilty; if not, his appearance is not required and the case will be listed for mention. Lowry was first charged in Thurles District Court last year with three counts of knowingly filing incorrect returns in 2003 and one count in 2007. In April, Judge Elizabeth MacGrath sent him to Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court on a €500 bail bond, and the trial was later transferred to Dublin on the DPP's application.
In 2015 a masseur accused of sexually assaulting a customer during a massage in August 2011 sought to halt his prosecution, arguing he could not receive a fair trial. He claimed prejudice because the complainant had not identified two other men she said had sexually assaulted and raped her many years earlier. The accused denied the assault and said his lawyers needed the names of the alleged perpetrators to test the complainant's credibility. The lawyers argued that without those names they could not pursue a potential line of inquiry, especially since the allegation was uncorroborated. The accused filed judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecution, seeking an order to stop his trial. The DPP opposed the application, stating that the undisclosed names were irrelevant and that all prosecution material had been shared with the defence. The case remains pending.
The High Court granted bail to Trevor Noone, a Dublin man charged with murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie in 2010. Noone, who lives on Whitestown Avenue, Blanchardstown, faces a murder charge. His lawyer, Michael O'Higgins SC, presented six bail terms to the Central Criminal Court. These include a €5,000 bond, weekly Garda sign‑ins, residence at Briarwood Avenue, Mulhuddart, surrendering any passport, no contact with witnesses, and providing a contact number. Mr Justice Paul Carney approved the bail on these conditions, with a trial date to be set later.
Lawyers for Saverio Bellante, a 35‑year‑old Italian accused of murdering journalist Tom O'Gorman on 11 or 12 January last year at their shared house in Castleknock, have told the Central Criminal Court that insanity will be an issue in the case. The defence, represented by Seán Guerin SC, said the trial would be short. Mr Justice Paul Carney granted a request for an earlier trial date and allowed the transfer of Bellante's legal aid to another firm of solicitors.
Former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean Fitzpatrick, 66, of Greystones, Co. Wicklow, is scheduled to stand trial on April 13 on 12 counts of failing to disclose loans. He is charged under Section 197 of the Companies Act 1990 with allegedly failing to disclose to auditors Ernst & Young the true value of loans worth at least €139 million. These loans were reportedly provided by Irish Nationwide Building Society to him or connected parties between 2002 and 2007 while he served as an officer of Anglo Irish Bank. At a recent pre-trial hearing before Judge Mary Ellen Ring, counsel indicated that preparations are still ongoing. The judge set the trial date for April 13, aiming to resolve any outstanding issues during the upcoming two-week Easter vacation. Judge Ring stated that the court would remain available to hear any issues arising during this period. Consequently, the matter was adjourned to the trial date, and Mr Fitzpatrick was remanded on continuing bail. The trial is expected to last approximately eight weeks.
On 25 March 2015, a Dublin man, David Murray, aged 54, was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at a late‑night sitting of the Special Criminal Court. Detective Garda Colin Finnerty, acting under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, arrested Murray around 7 pm on Liam Mellows Road, Finglas, and transported him to Finglas Garda Station before transferring him to the court. In the courtroom, Finnerty presented the original charge sheet to Murray, who made no reply. Murray produced his official ID and was informed of the arrest. Barrister Lorcan Staines BL, representing Murray, noted that the defendant was preserving his position regarding jurisdiction and intended to apply for bail on the following Tuesday. Judge Paul Butler, together with Judges Martin Nolan and Anthony Hamill, remanded Murray in custody until that Tuesday, allowing him to apply for bail.
The extradition proceedings of Eric Eoin Marques, a 28-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, were scheduled to proceed before the High Court on May 11. Marques is alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting and is wanted by US authorities to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing child pornography. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013, having been refused bail due to concerns he represented a flight risk and might interfere with evidence. During the pretrial stage, counsel Mark Lynam BL informed the court that Doctor Patricia Casey visited Marques in the midlands in March but could not finalize a neurological report without consulting a neurologist. A report was due at the end of April. Counsel for the State urged Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly to consider the importance of the case. The court determined that the extradition hearing would go ahead on May 11, following the furnishing of the required neurological report. The matter was not concluded or finalised at this stage, with the hearing set for the specified date.
The trial of Mark Nash, 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Shields, 60, and Mary Callanan, 61, in a sheltered accommodation attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman, Dublin, continues in legal argument. Nash pleaded not guilty. The trial will resume in evidence tomorrow morning. The murders occurred between March 6 and March 7, 1997.
A trial date has been set for Dr Bernadette Scully, a 57‑year‑old GP from Emvale, Tullamore, Co Offaly, who is accused of murdering her 11‑year‑old daughter Emily Barut at their family home on 15 September 2012. Mr Justice Paul Carney scheduled the trial for 21 November 2016 at the Central Criminal Court.
The High Court has reserved its decision in a challenge brought by an unnamed convicted rapist against the constitutionality of the 2001 Sex Offenders Act. The man, who was 13 when he raped his nephew and later convicted after turning 18, was placed on a special course for young sex offenders but failed to complete it. He was charged in 2012 under Section 12 of the Act for allegedly failing to notify the Gardaí of a change of address within seven days. He argues that Section 12 is vague, that the concept of a reasonable excuse is undefined, and that other provisions of the Act are disproportionate and breach his constitutional rights. The State, the DPP and the Irish Human Rights Commission oppose the application. After the third day of hearing, Mr Justice Donald Binchy reserved his decision.
The High Court ordered the surrender of Patrick Lee, 41, of Newtown, Co. Kildare, who is wanted by U.S. authorities on 51 charges including 29 counts of wire fraud, six counts of unlawful monetary transaction and 16 counts of aggravated identity theft. Lee is alleged to have participated in a scheme that defrauded U.S. banks and mortgage lenders by purchasing properties in Boston between 2006 and 2007, using forged appraisals and "straw buyers" to obtain mortgages that were never repaid. He claims the allegations are false and denies wrongdoing. The judge remanded Lee on continuing bail until a detailed judgment is delivered. Counsel for Lee argued that many of the alleged offences occurred outside the U.S. and should not be subject to extradition under Irish law, and that he would face cruel treatment if surrendered. The case remains pending in the High Court.
The High Court ruled that Irish‑held investment bonds worth US$6.5 million (€6.13 million) linked to the family of the late Nigerian dictator General Sani Abacha are proceeds of crime. Mr Justice Raymond Fullam made the finding in respect of bonds held at HSBC Life Europe for the benefit of Abacha's eldest surviving son, Mohammed Sani Abacha. The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) argued the bonds were bought with money illegally taken from Nigeria, laundered through Swiss, London and New York institutions, and that they breach Irish tax‑evasion laws. CAB said the funds were obtained in two ways: directly from the Nigerian Central Bank and through foreign corporations that were forced to pay a percentage of contract values to the regime. The judge accepted CAB's evidence, ordered the bonds under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act, and appointed a receiver. He noted that Mohammed Sani Abacha had been served with notice of the proceedings.
Enda Farrell, a former National Asset Management Agency official, is set to stand trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 13 charges of disclosing confidential information in May, June and July 2012, contrary to the 2009 NAMA Act. The case was forwarded from the District Court where Farrell appeared last year. His defence, led by Michael Bowman SC, requested a trial date, noting that the disclosure was largely completed. Judge Martin Nolan scheduled the trial for January 18, 2016, and the prosecution, represented by Kerida Naidoo BL, sought witness and exhibit orders for that date.
Patrick Browne, 26, of Berryfield Road, Finglas, was remanded in custody for two months pending sentencing after a series of violent offences. On 15 March 2013, he stabbed Constantine Consier seven times over a cigarette lighter at Hickey's Pharmacy, Phibsboro Shopping Centre, leaving Consier with a punctured lung and multiple stab wounds. Browne had earlier robbed the shop twice on 24 December 2013, taking €1,050 in cash. He also robbed Daybreak on New Cabra Road on the same day, first taking €150 and later €900, using a knife and a white Hallowe'en ghost mask, then a white skull mask. Browne pleaded guilty to assault and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He admitted the crimes, citing alcohol consumption and mental health issues, and was remanded pending sentencing. The judge ordered a report on his prison adaptation due to medical problems.
Linda Nugent, 43, was remanded in custody after stabbing her 77‑year‑old friend Desmond Garland three times in the neck and chest on 14 September 2013. The attack followed an alleged request from Garland for a romantic relationship. Garland suffered a heart attack immediately after the stabbing, required emergency surgery, and spent 28 days in intensive care before a further six months in a ward. He was later transferred to a nursing home where he died of cancer in December 2015. Nugent pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm. She has a mild learning disability, takes medication for epilepsy, and has two prior convictions for public order offences. The court adjourned sentencing to 12 March to allow her medical treatment. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the Director of Public Prosecutions describing it as a high‑level case.
During the 31st day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, analyst Sarah Skedd testified that there was no evidence contradicting the suggestion that the same person used both Dwyer's work phone and the 'Master' phone found in Vartry Reservoir. Skedd compared usage patterns of the two Nokia mobiles, noting that each phone only had the other's number saved. She observed that when both phones were active simultaneously, they used cell sites in the same area, though on different networks. For example, on 21 December 2011, both phones used a Fitzwilliam Street cell site, and later that day they both used sites near Howth Harbour and Dwyer's workplace. The court had already heard that Dwyer was charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012, and that the prosecution alleged he stabbed her for sexual gratification.
The Central Criminal Court in Dublin is hearing the trial of William Moran, 20, who is charged with the murder of Martin Brophy, 22, at the old Waterford Institute of Technology between 19 and 21 May 2012. Moran has pleaded not guilty. The court is currently addressing legal issues and will resume with evidence tomorrow.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 4 March 2015, Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan of Garda Security and Intelligence presented confidential information, claiming privilege, to support his belief that seven men arrested in a 2013 Garda swoop on a used‑car lot in west Dublin were members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Kirwan said the evidence came from human sources and telephone intercepts. The seven men—Kevin Braney (40), Des Christie (50), Hubert Duffy (47), William Jackson (55), Declan Phelan (33), John Brock (42) and Darren Murphy (44)—had been arrested on 29 March 2013 and had pleaded not guilty to IRA membership. Garda searches of the car lot and subsequent vehicle, office and kitchen searches yielded cable ties, balaclavas, a Glock pistol, a baseball bat, a lump hammer, pepper spray and gloves. The prosecution's case relies on surveillance sightings, seized items, the accused's responses to Garda questioning and Kirwan's opinion evidence. The trial remains ongoing.
The Central Criminal Court in Dublin is hearing the trial of William Moran, aged 20, who is charged with the murder of Martin Brophy, aged 22, at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building between 19 and 21 May 2012. Moran has pleaded not guilty and the court is currently addressing legal arguments, with evidence to resume on Thursday.
A former National Asset Management Agency official, Enda Farrell, aged 38, was charged with 13 offences for disclosing confidential information in 2012. He failed to appear in court to enter a plea. Farrell, now residing in France, had been granted a three‑week adjournment by the prosecution, citing his wife's two‑week commitment in Germany and his need to care for two young children. Judge Martin Nolan set a new hearing for 16 March 2015 and warned that a bench warrant would be issued if Farrell did not attend.
The Director of Public Prosecutions will challenge a stay on criminal proceedings against former minister Michael Lowry, who faces four tax‑offence charges for allegedly filing incorrect returns in 2003 and 2007. Lowry, 60, was initially heard at Thurles District Court and later transferred to Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court on a €500 bail bond. The case was moved to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the DPP intends to lift the stay. The High Court will hear the challenge, with the case adjourned to 14 April and Lowry excused from that hearing.
A 45‑year‑old British man surrendered to UK authorities after an extradition warrant issued in October 2014. He faces 24 offences of sexual exploitation and child pornography, alleged to have occurred in a family home in Limerick. Irish courts accepted the European Arrest Warrant and confirmed the man's voluntary surrender. The judge noted the man had acknowledged the nature of the alleged offences and had been given legal advice. One alleged offence, voyeurism involving a 14‑year‑old girl filmed naked in a shower, was excluded because it does not correspond to Irish law. The judge ordered the man's surrender to the UK for the remaining offences and allowed a maximum 20‑day detention in prison pending the execution of the surrender order. The case remains at the extradition stage.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 25 February 2015, Eamon McNamee, one of eight Dublin men accused of IRA membership, was released after the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi. Prosecutor Tara Burns explained that the DPP would not pursue the charge. The court had earlier ruled that McNamee and three others—Kevin Braney, William Jackson, and Darren Murphy—had not been lawfully arrested during a Garda operation at a car lot in west Dublin. Judge Paul Butler noted that these men had previously been arrested for IRA membership and should not have been rearrested for the same offence without a warrant. The remaining seven accused continue to face trial. The case involved surveillance evidence, seized weapons and equipment, and testimony from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan. The eight men, all pleading not guilty, were charged on 29 March 2013 with membership of an illegal organisation styled the Irish Republican Army.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Thomas Callery, aged 42, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Danielle Byrne, aged 22, after a melee at a pub during Callery's child's christening. Callery threw a pint glass that struck Byrne in the face, causing her to black out and fall. The glass hit her right eye, resulting in nerve damage, scarring to her eyebrow and cheek, and ongoing anxiety. Byrne reported daily eye drops and anxiety attacks. Callery, who has 14 prior convictions including a 2006 common assault, was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The judge noted Byrne's intoxication and the altercation but emphasized Callery's responsibility for the injury. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no final sentence announced yet.