In a 2014 murder trial, a jury in the Central Criminal Court saw photographs of the body of Anna Butautiene, a 55‑year‑old Lithuanian mother, who was killed by her daughter, 36‑year‑old nurse Greta Dudko, on Christmas Eve 2010. Detective Sergeant Paul Curran testified that he photographed the remains in the bed, noting the deceased's hands over her chest, redness on her head, blood, and smearing on the wall. He also photographed burnt passport fragments found in a rubbish bin. An exhibits officer showed the charred remains to each juror. Dr Haroon Khan examined Dudko at Blanchardstown Garda Station after 10 pm, noting she was not under the influence of alcohol at that time, though a later blood sample showed a level of 151 mg, equivalent to about six glasses of vodka. Dudko had been taking several medications that could interact with alcohol. Greta Dudko pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Mark Mulligan, 39, was found guilty of producing child pornography after a jury heard that he had engaged in online conversations with an unknown person, using the handle rodub82, in which he discussed raping, torturing and kidnapping children. Mulligan claimed the exchanges were "fantasy" and that he had never intended to act on them. He sent a non‑explicit photograph of a three‑year‑old boy and made statements about wanting to rape the boy's father, kill the boy's parents and kill the boy himself. The jury, after a one‑day trial, returned a unanimous verdict of guilty in 44 minutes. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Mulligan in custody for sentencing in November. The case was presented as a private conversation between two men hiding behind assumed identities, but the court found the content amounted to child pornography. The article does not provide any further details about sentencing or subsequent proceedings. Mark Mulligan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of 22‑year‑old Naoise O'Conarain, a Dublin soldier, was adjourned for the day. He pleaded not guilty to assaulting five gardaí, including an alleged razor attack on Andrew Quinn and Fiachra Molloy at his home on 3 March 2013, and to assaults on Ross Foy, Kevin Keane and Simon Butler on the same date. Judge Patrick McCartan informed the jury that no further evidence would be heard today, with the trial resuming tomorrow.
Darren Weldon, aged 43, was arrested by the Special Detective Unit on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the February 22, 2010 bomb attack on Newry Courthouse. The attack involved a large car bomb that exploded outside the courthouse, damaging its gate while police were evacuating the area. Weldon, who lives at Drinadaly, Trim, Co Meath, was charged this morning before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He appeared in court wearing a grey cardigan and jeans and denied ever being a member of the IRA. The court, presided over by Justice Garrett Sheehan with Justice Deirdre Murphy and Judge Margaret Heneghan, remanded Weldon in custody to appear again on October 21. The case is pending further hearings, with potential applications for bail and legal aid expected.
In a 2014 trial, a jury was shown a bloodstained Irish Knights bottle, a key piece of evidence in the case of 36‑year‑old Greta Dudko, who is charged with murdering her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. Forensic scientist John Hoade presented the bottle, noting blood stains on its label and matching DNA from the blood to the deceased. He also showed blood with the same DNA profile on a sleeveless jacket and mentioned two light‑coloured hairs found on Ms. Butautiene's left hand, though their origin could not be determined. The jury also viewed a blood‑soaked pillow, a bloodstained duvet, and the deceased's passport, which had been cut and burnt. Detective Sergeant Thomas Carey testified about the scene, describing the victim's heavily blood‑stained face and wounds, and the discovery of bank cards in her daughter's name. Greta Dudko pleaded guilty.
The Special Criminal Court is hearing a prosecution application to allow nine National Surveillance Unit gardaí to give evidence anonymously in the trial of Edward McGrath, Dean Evans, and Sharif Kelly. The three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to the 2013 murder of Peter Butterly at the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath, face additional firearm charges. Prosecution counsel argued that the non-jury court's statutory powers permit witness protection to address safety concerns for the officers and their families, citing the court's mandate to control its own procedures. Defence counsel for Evans contended that the court lacks jurisdiction to grant anonymity, describing such a ruling as an extraordinary departure from common law and the right to know one's accuser. He noted that one witness, referred to as Garda A, had already been identified in statements in error. The presiding judge, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, highlighted the significant legal implications of setting aside the right to know the identity of an accuser. The court, consisting of Judges Margaret Heneghan and Cormac Dunne, is scheduled to deliver its ruling on the anonymity application tomorrow.
In a Dublin trial, a 36‑year‑old nurse, Greta Dudko, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder for killing her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. The jury heard that Dudko struck her mother twice with a glass bottle after pushing her against a wall in their duplex. Detective Garda Patrick Traynor presented evidence from a rubbish bin, including heavily‑bloodstained latex gloves and the charred remains of a Lithuanian passport in the mother's name. Dudko claimed the passport was her old one and denied intent to destroy it. A post‑mortem revealed more than the four head injuries she admitted. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, continues before a jury of seven men and five women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Greta Dudko, 36, admitted to striking her mother, Anna Butautiene, 55, with an empty glass bottle on Christmas Eve 2010, claiming she feared her mother would ruin her life. Dudko said the altercation began when her mother returned home to find her daughter had allowed her three‑year‑old son to stay with her husband, whom the family had left weeks earlier. Dudko described pushing her mother against a wall, then retrieving a bottle from the kitchen and striking her twice over the head while she lay in bed. She denied intent to kill, stating she only wanted her mother to leave. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Paul Carney with a jury of seven men and five women. Greta Dudko pleaded guilty.
In October 2014, Declan Phelan, a 32‑year‑old from Tallaght, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court after being charged twice with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The first charge dated March 29, 2013, followed a search of a commercial premises in Clondalkin linked to a Garda investigation into dissident republicans. Phelan had previously been granted bail on conditions that he not associate with co‑accused or anyone convicted of a scheduled offence, keep the peace, and be of good behaviour. He was arrested again on July 3, 2013, at an alleged IRA meeting in Tallaght, where seven men were detained for membership of an unlawful organisation. His counsel, Feargal Kavanagh SC, noted he had no prior convictions and had been on remand for fifteen months, offered a job pending release. Judge Garrett Sheehan, joined by Judges Cormac Dunne and Margaret Heneghan, refused bail, citing the seriousness of breaching the first condition.
The Central Criminal Court heard the case of Greta Dudko, a 36‑year‑old nurse, charged with murdering her mother, Anna Butautiene, 55, on Christmas Eve 2010. Dudko admitted striking Anna with a bottle, killing her, but denied the murder at the address. She pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. The court heard that Dudko had an alcohol problem, had been suspended from work, and had left her husband weeks before the killing. She had moved to Station Court Hall with her three‑year‑old son and her mother, who had come to Ireland to help care for the child. Dudko's estranged husband, Vitalij Dudko, testified that his wife's mother was a caring grandmother who would never leave their son with his wife when she was drinking. He said the mother accused them of being bad parents and threatened to take the child back to Lithuania.
A 36‑year‑old Lithuanian nurse, Greta Dudko, went on trial at the Central Criminal Court on 8 October 2014. She is charged with murdering her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010 by striking her over the head with a bottle. Dudko has denied the murder but pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The trial began with testimony from her husband, Vitalij Dudko, who described the shock of learning of the death on Christmas Day and recounted the events of the night, including his wife's drunken state and the alleged altercation with her mother. Prosecutor Pauline Walley SC presented evidence that Dudko had been suspended from her nursing job weeks before the killing and that the family had moved to a duplex near Station Court Hall. The jury, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, will decide Dudko's intent in the killing.
Three men—Gareth Mulley (45) of Ashling Park, Dundalk; David Gallagher (37) of Marley Court, Drogheda; and William Burns (38) of Kerrera Street, Ardoyne, Belfast—were served with a book of evidence in the Special Criminal Court on 8 October 2014. They were arrested in May by the Garda Special Detective Unit during investigations into dissident republican activity. All are charged with possession of explosive substances on 25 May 2014 at Kilcurry, Co. Louth, under the Explosive Substances Act and the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act. Allegations include possession of PETN, RDX, an adapted 50‑litre beer keg, 50 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate, an improvised detonation cord, steel booster tube, and a time‑and‑power unit. Mulley and Gallagher are also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, namely Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA), under the Offences Against the State Act.
In the Special Criminal Court, three men—Edward McGrath (32), Dean Evans (22), and Sharif Kelly (43)—remain not guilty on charges of murdering Peter Butterly (35) and related firearm offences. The court heard that a former co‑accused, now a prosecution witness, supplied Gardaí with information about a prior fatal shooting, events in Portlaoise Prison, and IRA structure. Witness protection liaison officer reported that David Cullen (30) offered testimony on 25 June, with a security discussion the next day. The Garda liaison explained that witnesses must commit to a new lifestyle and receive retraining. Senior Garda Thomas Maguire confirmed Cullen's willingness to give evidence on the Butterly shooting, other murders, prison happenings, and IRA structure. The court has yet to rule on privilege and screening applications. The case proceeds tomorrow before Judges Cormac Dunne and Margaret Heneghan, with Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy presiding.
A 36‑year‑old Lithuanian woman, Greta Dudko, admitted killing her mother, Anna Butautiene, 55, on Christmas Eve 2010 at Station Court Hall, Clonsilla. She pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. Mr Justice Paul Carney has sworn in a jury of seven men and five women. Her trial will start tomorrow and is expected to last up to three weeks.
A 55‑year‑old man named Samuel Devlin, originally from Northern Ireland but residing in Dublin, was charged in May 2014 with unlawful possession of the explosive substance Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, Co. Dublin. He was also charged with membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Devlin was arrested by the Special Detective Unit and charged before the Special Criminal Court. On 7 October 2014, the court was told that Devlin had been served with a book of evidence and was seeking a trial date. The presiding judge, Ms Deirdre Murphy, fixed the trial for 2 February 2016, expected to last four weeks. She instructed Devlin that if he intended to rely on an alibi he must notify the prosecution within 14 days and provide relevant names and addresses, and that he may not call witnesses without court leave and 21 days' notice.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 1 October 2014, the court considered an application by the Director of Public Prosecution to claim legal privilege over three documents relating to the surveillance of three men charged with the murder of Peter Butterly. The accused – Edward McGrath (32), Dean Evans (22) and Sharif Kelly (43) – had pleaded not guilty to the murder and to firearm offences. The court heard that a Toyota Corolla entered the Huntsman Inn car park shortly after Butterly was lured there, and shots were fired, causing Butterly to fall. The prosecution's case relied on forensic, firearm residue, DNA evidence and testimony from David Cullen, who was described as part of the murder plan. During cross‑examination, a senior Garda admitted that one of the documents sought for privilege was relevant to the defence.
The Central Criminal Court jury is deliberating the case of Alan Wilson, a 35‑year‑old Dublin man charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas. The trial, which has lasted five weeks, recounts that Rostas was last seen begging at a Dublin City junction on 6 January 2008, after which her younger brother saw her enter a car that was driven away. Her body was discovered four years later in a shallow grave in the Dublin mountains, with four bullet wounds to the head. Wilson and his friend Fergus O'Hanlon were arrested in October 2008, but progress stalled until late 2011 when O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal with immunity, offered to help locate the body. He claimed to have found Rostas dead in his house on 8 January 2008, with Wilson holding a gun, and that he assisted in burying her and cleaning the scene. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court jury will start deliberations on Thursday morning in the trial of Alan Wilson, 35, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas. Wilson pleaded not guilty. The case covers the period between January 7 and 8, 2008, when Rostas was last seen begging at a Dublin City junction and later found dead with four bullet wounds to the head in a shallow grave in the Dublin mountains. Wilson and his friend Fergus O'Hanlon were arrested in October 2008, but progress stalled until late 2011 when O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal with immunity, offered information. He claimed to have found Rostas dead in his house on January 8, helped Wilson bury her, and later cleaned the scene. O'Hanlon's testimony was described by the defence as a "master class in perjury," while the prosecution argued it was unreliable.
In the Central Criminal Court, Michael O'Higgins SC criticised the State's main witness, claiming the jury received a "master class in perjury." He argued that Fergus O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal with immunity, only offered information about the 2008 murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas after being questioned about another crime. O'Higgins said O'Hanlon had lied to Gardaí and in court, and that he had benefited from the Witness Protection Programme. He described O'Hanlon as domineering, violent, and uncontainable, and questioned whether he was involved in the murder or merely a conspirator. O'Higgins also noted that O'Hanlon had refused a formal identification parade, claiming fear of Alan Wilson, the accused. Judge Patrick McCarthy has now charged the jury of 10 men and 2 women before deliberations begin. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas was a precise, pre‑planned execution rather than a crime of passion. Seán Gillane SC presented evidence that the victim had been taken by a car driver on January 6, 2008, and that the accused, 35‑year‑old Alan Wilson, owned the vehicle. He cited forensic findings of bullets matching the victim's head, the discovery of the body in a pre‑prepared grave on Brabazon Street, and the destruction of personal effects. The prosecution also highlighted testimony from Fergus O'Hanlon, who had assisted in burying the body and had been granted immunity. The defense, led by Michael O'Higgins SC, challenged the reliability of O'Hanlon's statements and the sole reliance on a single witness. The judge instructed the jury to consider the evidence presented before deciding on Wilson's guilt. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Michael Barr, 34, of Premier Square, Finglas, was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 18 July. His counsel, Ms Siobhán Ní Chúlacháin BL, informed the court that no bail application had been made and consented to a remand in custody for the service of the book of evidence. State Solicitor Ms Irene Daly requested the matter be postponed until 10 October for that service. Judge Paul Butler remanded Barr in custody until that date.
During the murder trial of Alan Wilson, the solicitor Bridget Rouse testified that a man who claimed to have helped dispose of the body of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas had offered to give a statement against Wilson, even though he could be charged. Rouse explained that she was approached by Gardaí on 3 January 2012 and advised that any immunity would only be considered after a formal statement. She confirmed that she had no memory of details beyond the memo. She also clarified that Gardaí had destroyed notes of meetings with Fergus O'Hanlon, who had requested information about his post‑trial status. The defence concluded its evidence, and the judge instructed the jury to return on Monday. The trial remains at the evidence‑gathering stage. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
During the trial of a Dublin man charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas, a Garda involved in the Witness Protection Programme testified that notes of meetings with the main witness were destroyed. The accused, Alan Wilson, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder that occurred at O'Hanlon's house on Brabazon Street in January 2008. Wilson's former friend, Fergus O'Hanlon, 37, testified that he found Rostas with a hole in her forehead and Wilson holding a gun. O'Hanlon, who was granted immunity, helped bury the body. A detective sergeant, not named due to his WPP role, said he had taken keyword notes of meetings with O'Hanlon in June 2013 and that these notes were destroyed after transcription, replaced by more comprehensive documents. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of ten men and two women.
During the trial of Alan Wilson, charged with the 2008 murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Maria Rostas, Detective Superintendent JJ Keane denied that the State's main witness, Fergus O'Hanlon, received preferential treatment or immunity in exchange for his statement. Keane testified that O'Hanlon had not been offered any deals and that no immunity was mentioned at any stage. He also confirmed that O'Hanlon had received a suspended sentence for earlier District Court offences after a superintendent informed the judge of his assistance in the murder investigation. Keane's cross‑examination was conducted by Michael O'Higgins SC, and the trial proceeded before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of ten men and two women. The case remains at the trial stage. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Former Rehab CEO Angela Kerins launched High Court proceedings against the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after she claimed her job loss and health decline were caused by unfair questioning during a PAC hearing on February 27, 2014. Kerins alleges the PAC acted unlawfully, biased, and outside its remit, and that members engaged in a "witch hunt." She seeks orders restraining the PAC from further examining her employment with Rehab, from publishing reports linking her remuneration to Rehab, and from compelling her to attend future hearings. Kerins also requests damages for personal injury and reputational harm, and declarations that the PAC lacks jurisdiction over Rehab's expenditures. The case was granted ex‑parte permission by Justice John Hedigan, with a return date of November 4. Kerins' statement emphasizes her distress and the need for legal protection of her rights as a private citizen.
A 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Michael Barr of Premier Square, Finglas, was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 18 July 2014. Detective Sergeant Pádraig Boyce, of the Special Detective Unit, testified that he had arrested Barr on Saturday evening at Lucan Garda Station. When the charge was read to him, Barr denied being a member of the IRA or any other illegal organisation. He was identified for the three‑judge court. Under cross‑examination by Siobhán Ní Chúlacháin BL, Barr confirmed that he had been arrested earlier that Friday morning in the presence of several Gardaí and released shortly before the re‑arrest. Solicitor for the State, Deirdre Byrne, confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the charge. Mr Justice Paul Butler, with Judges John O'Hagan and William Hamill, agreed to hear the case.
Fergus O'Hanlon, a former friend of Alan Wilson, gave evidence in the trial of Wilson for the murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas. O'Hanlon, who has immunity, described how Wilson allegedly "danced" on Rostas' body after dumping it in a hole in the Dublin Mountains. He recounted that Wilson, armed with a rifle, had taken the body from a bedroom, wrapped it in plastic, and transported it in a Ford Mondeo. O'Hanlon said Wilson began digging a hole, placed the body inside, and stood on it several times. He also claimed Wilson had removed the body from a green bag and pushed it into the hole. O'Hanlon's testimony was cross‑examined by Michael O'Higgins SC, who questioned his past convictions, violent conduct, and alleged threats. The trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of ten men and two women.
A man accused of murdering an elderly patient at Cavan General Hospital has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. Ian Harman, aged fifty, of Carrickallen, Mountain Lodge, Cootehill, changed his plea during trial proceedings regarding the death of Michael Treanor, an eighty-two-year-old man, on June 27th, 2011 at the hospital's psychiatric unit in Lisdarn. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the manslaughter plea under Section 6 of the Criminal Law Insanity Act, which permits a finding of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan discharged the jury and remanded Harman in custody pending sentencing scheduled for October 6th. The defence had argued Harman was suffering from a mental illness following the abrupt withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication after his admission as a voluntary patient. Medical evidence was presented regarding whether this withdrawal caused a psychiatric condition affecting his culpability for the killing. Ian Harman pleaded not guilty.
Closing speeches are scheduled to take place in the trial of a man accused of murdering a pensioner at a psychiatric unit in Co. Cavan. Ian Harman, aged 50, of Carrickallen, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Michael Treanor, aged 81, at the Psychiatric Unit of Cavan General Hospital on 27 June 2011. The defence has submitted that the accused accepts he caused the death but argues his responsibility was severely diminished due to akathisia, a condition allegedly resulting from the abrupt withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication while he was an inpatient. Expert witnesses for the defence have testified that this inner restlessness affected his mental state and behaviour. The prosecution's consultant psychiatrist disputed this assertion, stating there is no evidence that the medication's withdrawal causes akathisia. The court heard the trial is now in its final stages, with both legal teams due to present closing arguments.
Balbriggan District Court heard multiple matters before Judge Dermot Dempsey. Eoin Maguire, Cornelius Price, and Edward Price, accused of serious assaults and endangering a garda, were remanded on continuing bail with strict conditions to reappear on September 4th after an extension was granted for the Book of Evidence. John Butterly, Lorraine Butterly, and Peter Thompson, charged with assaults involving a baseball bat and rolling pin, were remanded on continuing bail to reappear on September 25th due to the prosecuting garda's injury. Sebestian Knecht was convicted of driving without insurance and possessing a forged insurance disc, receiving a total fine of €850 and a two-year disqualification. Alan Bowe, charged with drink driving, was remanded on continuing bail to reappear on September 26th. Thomas Gaffney, accused of theft and car theft, was remanded on continuing bail until September 11th. Kieran White, who pleaded guilty to stealing wine, was remanded on continuing bail to reappear on July 31st, with the possibility of avoiding a conviction if he pays €75. Mark Donnelly, charged with cannabis possession, was remanded on continuing bail to reappear on September 25th. Stephen Teeling, who pleaded guilty to cannabis possession, was convicted and fined after failing to bring €250 to court, with recognisance fixed for appeal.
In the trial of Alan Wilson, 35, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas, the judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, apologised to the jury for a delay that had pushed proceedings beyond the expected four‑week period. The jury had been absent for more than a fortnight while complex legal matters were addressed. Mr Wilson, who pleaded not guilty, was accused of killing Rostas at a house on Brabazon Street, The Coombe, between 7 and 8 January 2008. The teenager had vanished from Dublin city centre on 6 January, and her body was discovered in a shallow grave on the Wicklow border four years later, with four bullet wounds to the head. Mr Justice McCarthy explained that the delay was due to legal issues that required discussion in the jury's absence and that a bill was being considered to prevent such delays in future trials.
At the Central Criminal Court, a defence psychiatrist has testified that a man charged with murdering an elderly patient at Cavan General Hospital was unable to refrain from killing due to the withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication. Ian Harman, aged fifty, from Carrigallen in County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor at the psychiatric unit on 27 June 2011. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Bob Johnson told the court that Mr Harman's olanzapine medication was discontinued upon admission, causing akathisia, a distressing condition characterised by severe restlessness. Dr Johnson stated that Mr Harman's responsibility for the killing was not merely diminished but destroyed. A clinical pharmacologist also gave evidence for the defence, asserting that Mr Harman should not have been prescribed the medication in the first place. The prosecution challenged these assertions during cross-examination. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.
At the Central Criminal Court, a psychiatric nurse testified that Ian Harman (50), from Carrickallen, Co Cavan, appeared calm and composed following an incident at Cavan General Hospital's psychiatric unit. Harman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor on June 27, 2011. Nurse Ciaran Boyle told the court that when he encountered Harman in the smoking room after discovering the elderly patient deceased, Harman stated he had killed Treanor "because he was an easy target". Boyle described Harman's demeanour as "quite nonchalant and relaxed". A second nurse, Laura Owens, testified that Treanor, who suffered from Alzheimer's dementia, was found in his room with a pillow removed from his head, and that CPR proved unsuccessful. The defence has indicated Harman accepts responsibility for Treanor's death but contests his state of mind at the time. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.
The case against a 55‑year‑old man, Samuel Devlin, charged with possession of explosives at Finnstown House Hotel, has been adjourned until the next court term. Devlin, originally from Co Tyrone and now residing in Dublin, was arrested by the Special Detective Unit and charged before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court. He faces charges of unlawful possession of the explosive Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) and membership in the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA). The presiding judge, Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley, remanded him in custody until 7 October, when the court resumes from its summer recess.
A psychiatric registrar at Cavan General Hospital told the Central Criminal Court that he had worked 77 hours when he was alerted to a death on the psychiatric unit on 27 June 2011. Dr Akindele Serinmade said his shift, which began on 24 June, was nearing completion when he was informed of the incident. He gave evidence that he had prescribed sleeping medication to the accused over the telephone after nursing staff reported concerns about the patient's distress and insomnia. Dr Serinmade described a brief consultation with the accused at 10.35pm on 26 June, noting that the patient's previously prescribed anti-psychotic medication had been recently discontinued. The doctor said he prescribed an alternative sleeping tablet before returning to rest. He was contacted at 6.44am the following morning to inform him of the alleged killing. Ian Harman, aged 50, of Carrickallen in County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to murder at the Central Criminal Court.
A man charged with a sexual act with an underage girl has filed a High Court application to halt his trial. He argues that essential materials from the original investigation file—original witness statements, handwritten interview memos, and video tapes of his Garda interview—are missing and cannot be located. Without these documents, his lawyers claim the case has fundamental flaws that a judge cannot correct. The man maintains he honestly believed the girl was 17 or older and did not know her age. He was arrested and interviewed by Gardaí in February 2011, formally charged, and is awaiting trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The High Court granted leave to bring the action ex‑parte, and the case is set to be returned in October. The parties remain unnamed for legal reasons.
At the Central Criminal Court, the wife of Ian Harman (50), from Carrickallen, Co Cavan, testified that her husband had been in a "dark place" and drinking heavily before his admission to a psychiatric unit. Harman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor (82), from Co Monaghan, at the Psychiatric Unit of Cavan General Hospital on 27 June 2011. Mary Harman described her husband as "loveable" and well-liked in the community, though he had previously received treatment for depression and alcohol misuse. The court heard that on the day before the alleged killing, Harman complained of insomnia and paced his ward for twelve hours. CCTV footage showed him continuously walking around the secure unit. State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy concluded the cause of death was asphyxia by smothering or suffocation. The defence has acknowledged that Harman caused Treanor's death. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume the trial of Alan Wilson, 35, who is charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas. The jury, consisting of ten men and two women, is expected to return to court on Monday after being excused last week. Wilson pleaded not guilty to the killing that took place at a house on Brabazon Street, The Coombe, between 7 and 8 January 2008. The prosecution has presented evidence that Rostas disappeared from Dublin city centre on 6 January, and her body was later found in a shallow grave on the Wicklow border, having died from four bullet wounds to the head. Testimony from Alexandru Rostas, Marioara's brother, and from Fergus O'Hanlon, who claimed Wilson showed him the corpse and assisted in burying it, has been heard. The trial will continue before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy next week.
A man charged with murder at Cavan General Hospital has been tried at the Central Criminal Court following allegations that he killed a fellow psychiatric patient in June 2011. Ian Harman, aged 50, of Carrickallen, Co Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor at the hospital's psychiatric unit. During the trial, the court heard evidence from detective gardaí who interviewed the accused following his arrest. Notes from the interviews were read aloud, in which the accused allegedly described prior fantasies about imprisonment and harm to others before his hospital admission. The accused was further reported to have told gardaí that he had contemplated the killing for several days beforehand and that he had chosen the victim deliberately. The defence has indicated acceptance that the accused caused the death, with focus instead directed toward the question of his mental state at the time. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues before a jury.
Brian Nick McBennett, 54, of Ard Collum Avenue, Artane, was charged on 3 July 2013 with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) before the Special Criminal Court. He was one of seven men charged on the same date, including Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan and Desmond Christie. The court considered objections from the Gardaí, who argued that McBennett was a senior IRA member who might continue his alleged activities if released and that a €5,000 surety was insufficient. McBennett's counsel sought temporary bail to allow him to attend his grandchild's christening. Judge Paul Butler granted temporary bail from 9 am on 1 August to 4 pm on 4 August, with an independent surety of €8,000 and a 24‑hour curfew on all days except 3 August. The decision was made despite Garda objections and the seriousness of the charge.
A psychiatric patient has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of a fellow patient at Cavan General Hospital's psychiatric unit on 27 June 2011. Ian Harman, aged 50, of Cootehill, Co Cavan, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Michael Treanor, an 82-year-old man suffering from dementia. The prosecution told the jury that Harman approached a nurse that morning and stated he had smothered the deceased with a pillow. The nurse subsequently found Treanor without a pulse, and resuscitation attempts proved unsuccessful. The defence indicated that Harman accepts responsibility for causing Treanor's death and does not dispute the identity of the deceased, but submitted that the focus should remain on the accused's state of mind at the time. Evidence from gardaí and a forensic psychiatrist confirmed Harman's admissions and his fitness for interview. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and a jury, is expected to last approximately one week.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberations in the trial of a man accused of murdering his best friend in County Kildare in 2013. Darren Wynne, aged 21, of Athy, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, though prosecutors rejected the plea. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun in suspicious circumstances. Two co-accused, Quentin Monaghan and James Seery, both aged 21, had their manslaughter pleas accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and will not face trial. The prosecution case centres on the fatal shooting on 6 April 2013. The defence relies on provocation, claiming the victim made threats. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan directed the jury that provocation, if reasonably possible, would reduce murder to manslaughter. The jury comprises eight men and four women.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume the trial of Alan Wilson, 35, who is charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas. Wilson pleaded not guilty at a house on Brabazon Street, The Coombe, between 7 and 8 January 2008. The jury, which had been excused from attending the previous week, is expected to return on Thursday. The case recounts that Rostas disappeared from Dublin city centre on 6 January, and her body was later found in a shallow grave on the Wicklow border, having died from four bullet wounds to the head. Testimony includes Rostas's brother, Alexandru, who described a phone call to her brother in Romania after her disappearance, and Fergus O'Hanlon, who claimed Wilson showed him the corpse and assisted in burying it. The trial will continue before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of ten men and two women.
At the Central Criminal Court, Darren Wynne (21) of Ballyroe, Athy, County Kildare was re-arraigned on charges relating to the death of Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy on April 6, 2013. Wynne pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept the plea. Evidence was heard from the deceased's former partner regarding a prior incident in March 2013, and from a witness who testified that Wynne attended his house after the shooting, stating he had fired a weapon and later mentioning he had shot his friend. Wynne also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Two co-accused, Quentin Monaghan (21) of Tullamoy, Stradbally, County Laois and James Seery (21) of Canal Side, Athy, were re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to manslaughter and to the same firearms offence; those pleas were accepted by the DPP. The trial continues before Justice Garrett Sheehan.
A jury of ten members failed to reach a verdict in the trial of Vesel Jahiri, aged 33, who was accused of stabbing his former partner, Anna Finnegan, aged 25, in Dublin on 21 September 2012. The jury deliberated for more than ten hours over three days before the foreman informed Judge Paul McDermott that further time would not lead to an agreement. Jahiri pleaded not guilty to both the murder of Finnegan and to assault causing harm to her brother Karl on the same date. The judge thanked the jury for their entitlement to disagree.
At the Central Criminal Court, the trial of Darren Wynne, Quentin Monaghan, and James Seery for the alleged murder of Jamie Lindsay in Athy, Co. Kildare, continued before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. Wynne, 21, of Ballyroe, Athy, initially pleaded not guilty to murder but changed his plea to guilty for manslaughter. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept this plea. Wynne also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Co-accused Monaghan, 21, of Tullamoy, Stradbally, and Seery, 21, of Canal Side, Athy, were rearraigned and both pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, pleas which were accepted by the DPP. Both men also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. The State alleged the defendants were part of a joint enterprise and that Lindsay was shot in the right eye at point-blank range. Wynne allegedly told gardai he shot Lindsay in the shoulder to kneecap him after Lindsay threatened him over missing drugs and his grandmother. The trial was adjourned and continues on Monday.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Alan Wilson, 35, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas, is paused until the jury returns next week. The jury was expected to come back on Tuesday but is delayed by a legal issue. The case concerns the disappearance of Rostas on 6 January 2008 and the discovery of her body in a shallow grave on the Wicklow border four years later, with four bullet wounds to her head. Testimony included a phone call from Rostas to her brother in Romania, where she asked for her father to come get her. Prosecutor Fergus O'Hanlon testified that Wilson had shown him the corpse and assisted in burying it. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, will resume next week with a jury of ten men and two women. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
The jury is still deliberating on the trial of Vesel Jahiri, 33, who has pleaded not guilty to the stabbing murder of Anna Finnegan, 25, at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, on 21 September 2012. He also faces a not‑guilty plea for assault causing harm to Finnegan's brother Karl on the same day. The jury, composed of six men and four women, has been considering its verdict since Wednesday and will resume deliberations tomorrow.
Two men have changed their pleas at the Central Criminal Court in relation to the death of a man in County Kildare in April 2013. Quentin Monaghan, aged 21, and James Seery, aged 21, initially pleaded not guilty to murder but today pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Both men also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances on 6 April 2013. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted both pleas. The charges relate to the death of Jamie Lindsay, aged 20, who was shot at Coneyboro estate in Athy. The State's case alleged that Monaghan and Seery provided material assistance to a third accused. A third man, Darren Wynne, remains on trial for murder. The trial is currently in legal argument, with the jury to return on Friday.
In a murder trial in Dublin, Vesel Jahiri, a Kosovo-born man from Louth Village, Dundalk, is accused of stabbing his former partner, Anna Finnegan, on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla. He pleaded not guilty to both the murder of Finnegan and the assault causing harm to her brother, Karl. The Central Criminal Court had earlier noted that Jahiri and Finnegan had a ten‑year relationship that deteriorated dramatically, with two children and access issues. Mr Justice Paul McDermott instructed the jury that Jahiri's absence should not influence their decision and that verdicts must be based solely on the evidence presented. Prosecutor Patrick Marrinan urged the jury to focus on the events of that day, the physical evidence of Karl's injuries, and the fact that Finnegan was stabbed by Jahiri.