In the murder trial of Paul Wells Senior, the defence cross‑examined Eimear Dunne, the wife of the deceased Kenneth O'Brien, who had been found dismembered in a canal. Dunne admitted that O'Brien was a secretive man who had affairs, recorded conversations, and had a history of making pipe bombs. She testified that she had not known about his bomb‑making or his friendship with the accused, who was described as an IRA man. Dunne described how O'Brien had been working in Limerick and had been involved with a woman in Australia, and that she had received suspicious texts from an unknown number. She also recounted that O'Brien had shown her photographs of the woman and that he had suggested she provoke the woman into assaulting her. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Paschal Kelly, 52, of Cootehill, Co. Cavan, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he has pleaded not guilty to alleged offences committed on September 25, 2014. The defendant is charged with trespass and falsely imprisoning postmistress Susan Lawlor, her daughter Emma Carter, and Italian student Gabriella Saisa at Seabury Drive, Malahide, Dublin. He also faces charges of robbing Ms. Lawlor of cash at Bayside Post Office, Sutton, Dublin, and threatening to kill the three women at an unknown location in the State. Additionally, he denies unlawful possession of a vehicle. During testimony, Ms. Lawlor described a "tiger kidnapping" in which intruders demanded post office keys and cash, threatening violence if she contacted authorities. She stated she was driven to the post office, where the safe was opened, before she activated a panic button. Ms. Carter corroborated the account, describing the intruders as terrifying. Both women testified that gardaí did not request an identification parade, and Ms. Carter stated she could not identify the raiders. The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
The trial of Paul Wells Senior, 50, of Finglas, continued at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Wells is charged with murdering Kenneth O'Brien, 33, at the accused's home on January 15 or 16, 2016. While Wells admitted to shooting and dismembering the deceased, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Evidence presented included testimony from Patrick Holligan, a Virgin Media worker who last saw O'Brien alive in good form on January 15. CCTV footage showed Wells driving toward Ardclough, Co Kildare, hours before O'Brien's remains were found in the Grand Canal. Garda Shona Nolan and Sergeant Gerard Moore detailed the arrest of Wells, who described O'Brien as his friend. Detective Sergeant David Conway presented photographs of bloodstains at Wells' property, while Detective Sergeant Thomas Power identified a .38/.357-inch caliber bullet recovered from O'Brien's head, consistent with a semi-automatic pistol. The firearm has not been recovered. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow morning.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Paul Keating, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his life‑long friend Mark Richardson, aged 47, who died on 16 March 2017 after a single stab wound severed his main pulmonary artery. Keating admitted that the stabbing was the last thing on his mind and that he had no intention to kill. He described a drunken argument that escalated when Richardson lifted him by the neck; Keating then grabbed a knife he claimed to have taken from a kitchen counter and stabbed Richardson in the shoulder. Keating said he had lost control, was taking tablets, and that the incident was a sudden, drunken lapse. He expressed disbelief at what had happened and stated he would never understand why it occurred. The trial continued before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury of twelve.
In a murder trial, Anthony Walsh, 31, admitted killing Dermot Byrne, 54, on 16 July 2017 in Swords, Co Dublin. Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to theft of Byrne's bank card, keys and lighter. Byrne had spent the evening at St Colmcille's GAA club, Estuary Bar, a bookmaker, and Harp Bar, where he was refused entry. At 2.10 am, outside the Harp Bar, Byrne attempted to pull a cigarette from Walsh's mouth; a brief altercation followed. Byrne was later found at 2.50 am, stripped of clothes and surrounded by blood. A pathologist recorded over 100 injuries, including facial fractures, rib fractures and bruising, and declared death from traumatic brain injury, intoxication and blood inhalation. Walsh's defence acknowledged unlawful killing and removal of Byrne's property. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon.
The trial of Jason Keating, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, continued before the Special Criminal Court. Expert witness Professor David Last testified regarding a 'Gotek 7' electronic tracking device found under Mr Kirwan's Ford Mondeo. The prosecution alleges the tracker was placed under the vehicle to monitor movements leading up to the December 22, 2016, shooting in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Professor Last explained that the device recorded its position 'much more frequently' from 3.13pm on the day of the shooting, indicating the owner was actively commanding location requests. He detailed the device's journey from France to Dublin Port in October 2016, noting it appeared near St Ronan's Drive on December 21 and 22. Under cross-examination, the expert acknowledged that such devices are commonly used to track spouses and that location data can contain errors. The court heard that Mr Kirwan, a 62-year-old with no connection to the criminal factions involved in the alleged feud, was shot six times while sitting in his car with his partner, Bernadette Roe. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chualachain and Cormac Dunne. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
A man with an address in Cootehill, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges arising from an alleged "tiger kidnapping" at a post office in north Dublin four years ago. Paschal Kelly, aged 52, faces counts of trespass, false imprisonment, robbery and making threats to kill in connection with an incident on 25 September 2014. Prosecution counsel told the jury that two men allegedly broke into a home in Malahide, restrained three women, and drove them to Bayside Post Office in Sutton, where one victim provided access to a safe. Approximately €90,000 was taken during the incident, which lasted several hours. The prosecution indicated that gardaí responded quickly after an emergency call was made from the home, though the caller did not speak. One man was arrested near the post office shortly after; two others fled on foot and were later apprehended. The trial before Judge Karen O'Connor continues with a jury present.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Paul Keating, Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Mark Richardson, aged 47, died from a single stab wound to his right upper chest. The wound, 6 cm below the collarbone and 8 cm from the midline, entered the ribcage between the third and fourth ribs, pierced the right lung, and severed the main pulmonary artery, causing rapid blood loss. No other significant injuries were found except a 3.5 cm incised wound on the right side of the neck and three fingernail scratches. Toxicology revealed alcohol consumption and traces of a tranquilliser. Richardson was in cardiac arrest upon arrival at the hospital; despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead at 8:50 pm, an hour after the stabbing. The trial continues before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury. Paul Keating pleaded not guilty.
A jury will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to decide the verdict in the trial of 24‑year‑old Joseph Hillen, who admits stabbing but denies murdering taxi‑driver Martin Mulligan (53). Hillen pleaded not guilty to murder after a dispute over alleged illegal dumping. Justice Eileen Creedon explained the three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty. The jury had spent 3 hours 21 minutes deliberating and had not yet reached a verdict. They were asked to return Thursday.
Paul Wells Senior, aged 50, admitted to the Central Criminal Court that he shot and dismembered Kenneth O'Brien, a 33‑year‑old father, at his own home on 15 or 16 January 2016. Wells claimed that O'Brien had asked him to kill O'Brien's partner, Eimear Dunne, and that he had been in a dispute over a gun when he fired at O'Brien, killing him. Wells said he panicked and dismembered the body, which was later found in the Grand Canal and other locations. The prosecution presented evidence that the torso and limbs were recovered in plastic bags and that DNA matched O'Brien. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is ongoing with a jury of twelve. The case remains at the trial stage. Paul Wells Senior pleaded not guilty.
Anthony Walsh, 31, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of 54‑year‑old Dermot Byrne. Walsh, who has no fixed address, is charged with Byrne's murder on 16 July 2017 at North St, Swords, Co Dublin. He also pleaded guilty to stealing a bank card, keys and a lighter from Byrne on the same date and location. A jury of six men and six women will hear the murder trial tomorrow.
In a Dublin trial, a woman named Aisling Kenny recounted the moment her partner's lifelong friend, Paul Keating, stabbed Mark Richardson in the chest with a kitchen knife. The incident occurred in their kitchen on Harmonstown Road, Artane, after a scuffle over a can of drink that Richardson's father had given him. Kenny described the men's drinking session, the brief quarrel, and the sudden stabbing. Richardson's son, Dean Connors, testified that a 30‑second scuffle over the can had escalated, leading to Richardson's upset and a brief exit to the back garden. Kim Valentine, Richardson's partner, also gave evidence, noting a quick confrontation and the stabbing that followed. The case is being heard by Central Criminal Court, with the trial continuing tomorrow before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury of twelve. Paul Keating pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence that the 62‑year‑old Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan was murdered on 22 December 2016 after trading his BMW X5 for a Ford Mondeo, which was later sold at Merlin Car Auctions. Garda Stephen Hughes identified Jason Keating (27) in CCTV from the auction on 20 December, showing Keating and a woman in a green Renault Megane. Keating, who lives on Lower Main Street, Rush, pleaded not guilty to Kirwan's murder. The court also considered evidence that a 'Gotek 7' tracking device was placed under Kirwan's Ford Mondeo on 23 December, having previously tracked his BMW from 8 November. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues tomorrow.
In the trial of 24‑year‑old Joseph Hillen, the jury has begun deliberating a verdict for the murder of 53‑year‑old Martin Mulligan, a taxi driver killed on 28 September 2015. Hillen admits stabbing Mulligan but denies murder, claiming he acted in self‑defence after a dispute over alleged illegal dumping. Justice Eileen Creedon explained that the jury may find him guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty. The prosecution, led by Patrick Treacy SC, argues Hillen intended to kill or seriously injure Mulligan and that his self‑defence claim is uncredible, citing Hillen's earlier false statements to gardai. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC contends Hillen's account is the only one supported by evidence, noting the pathologist's observation that the wounds were low on the body and would have caused death quickly. The jury will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to continue deliberations.
A 51‑year‑old Dublin man, Paul Keating, admitted killing his lifelong friend, 47‑year‑old Mark Richardson, by stabbing him in Richardson's kitchen while Richardson's children were elsewhere in the house. Keating pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The incident occurred on 16 March 2017 after the men had bought alcohol and returned to Richardson's home around 1.30 pm. A dispute arose, leading to a scuffle that escalated when Keating suddenly grabbed a kitchen knife and plunged it once into Richardson's right upper chest, then threw the knife into the sink. Richardson collapsed, was taken to hospital, and died about an hour later from a single stab wound that punctured a lung and severed the main pulmonary artery. The trial, opened by Michael Delaney SC before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury, continues tomorrow and is expected to last two weeks.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Raymond Leonard, 35, was acquitted of assaulting Nicholas Devlin on 30 August 2015 at Anna Villa, Ranelagh. Leonard pleaded not guilty and the jury delivered a unanimous not guilty verdict after just under 90 minutes. Leonard, a former manager at An Bhialann restaurant, claimed he had never been in a fight and could not recall the night. Devlin testified that he was ejected from McSorley's pub, then attacked by Leonard, who punched him twice and knee‑dropped him in the groin, causing Devlin severe pain and a ruptured testicle that required surgery. Devlin identified Leonard on CCTV, though he later said he had been uncertain. The trial concluded with Leonard's acquittal.
In the trial of Joseph Hillen, a 24‑year‑old from Forkhill, the jury is asked to decide whether he acted in self‑defence or is guilty of murder after stabbing taxi driver Martin Mulligan, aged 53, to death in Dundalk on 28 September 2015. Hillen denies murder, claiming he stabbed Mulligan to protect himself during a dispute over illegal dumping. Prosecutor Patrick Treacy SC argues Hillen lied to Gardaí and that his self‑defence claim is not credible, citing the depth and nature of the wounds and Hillen's failure to call for help. Defence barrister Brendan Grehan SC maintains Hillen's account is supported by evidence, noting the pathologist's remarks on the injuries and the possibility of a sewer rod causing head lacerations. The jury must weigh whether Hillen intended to kill or merely used excessive force, or if he acted in genuine self‑defence. The case is before Justice Eileen Creedon. The unnamed 24-year-old pleaded not guilty. Joseph Hillen pleaded not guilty.
Two men, Colin Casey, 32, and Daniel Hegarty, 24, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 8 October 2018 charged in connection with the murder of Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, 37, who was shot on 7 December 2016 in Blackpool, Cork. Both men were charged under the Offences Against the State Act. Casey faced four charges: impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the alleged killers by collecting them from Redemption Road after they arrived in a silver Nissan Almera, driving them from that location in a white Vauxhall Astra, burning out the Nissan and the Vauxhall, and driving them away in a red Opel Astra.
Raymond Leonard, a 35‑year‑old former restaurant manager, was accused of assaulting Nicholas Devlin in Ranelagh on 30 August 2015. Six months after the incident, Leonard voluntarily met with gardaí and said he could not recall the night in question. When asked whether he had engaged in a fight or used the phrase "you guys are fucked," he denied it, stating he had never been in a fight. Leonard also denied punching or pushing a male against a wall and claimed he normally walked straight home after the pub. He identified himself in McSorley's CCTV footage but insisted he was not involved in any assault. The case was brought to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Leonard pleaded not guilty. The trial was in its closing stages before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of five women and seven men.
In the Central Criminal Court, the family of the stabbed victim left before a jury saw the taxi driver's heavily blood‑stained jumper and t‑shirt. Prosecutor Patrick Treacy SC warned that the clothing could be distressing. Joseph Hillen, 24, of Forkhill, Co. Armagh, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Martin Mulligan, 53, at Carnmore, Dundalk, on 28 September 2015. Hillen admitted he inflicted the fatal knife wounds but claimed he did so to protect himself. Forensic scientist Sandra McGrath showed the jury the heavy blood staining on the jumper and t‑shirt, a 19.5 cm cut and tear at the V of the jumper's neck, and a glove with Hillen's DNA on its inside and back. She also identified 18 blood drops at the scene, two matching Hillen's DNA and the rest matching Mulligan's. Garda James Doherty reported Hillen was interviewed on 23 May 2016 after his car was seen driving erratically that night.
In the non‑jury trial of Jason Keating for the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, the court heard that Kirwan, a 62‑year‑old former car dealer, was shot six times in his Ford Mondeo on 22 December 2016. The vehicle had been purchased from TBCS Ltd on 10 December, with a deposit paid and the car serviced before Kirwan collected it on 13 December. The prosecution argued that a Gotek 7 tracking device, originally fitted to Kirwan's BMW X5 on 8 November, was moved to the Mondeo and pinged from a Clondalkin address until 20 December, then again from St Ronan's Drive. Evidence was also presented that a Renault Megane owned by mechanic Niall Ducken was sold to Keating, and that a parcel from Gotek in Calais was forwarded to the Spy Shop in Leeds. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sinead Ni Chualachain and Judge Cormac Dunne. Jason Keating pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Raymond Leonard of Sliabh Ban, Ballybane, Galway pleaded not guilty to assaulting Nicholas Devlin at Anna Villa, Ranelagh, on 30 August 2015. Devlin testified that his lasting impression of the attacker was 6ft tall and wearing a dark shirt, but the court noted that CCTV footage showed the accused in a white shirt. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted that Leonard is 5ft 8 and slim. Devlin also described being ejected from McSorley's pub by a bouncer, after which he was punched and kicked in the groin by a group that included Leonard. Leonard's alleged assault involved a claim that he had been "shorter" than described, a point he accepted during cross‑examination. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a Special Criminal Court murder trial, Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, aged 62, was shot six times by a gunman in the driveway of his Dublin home on 22 December 2016. The attacker, Jason Keating, 27, has pleaded not guilty. Kirwan suffered eight gunshot wounds to his head, right arm, chest and abdomen, including a fatal wound to the chest that damaged a major blood vessel. He was seated in his Ford Mondeo with partner Bernadette Roe when the attack occurred. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Kirwan's body was examined on 23 December, confirming the wounds and the absence of alcohol or drugs. The prosecution alleges a 'Gotek 7' tracking device linked Keating to the scene. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In the murder trial of Joseph Hillen, the wife of the stabbed taxi driver, Grainne Mulligan, denied that her husband kept a kitchen knife in his car. She stated that Hillen, a 24‑year‑old coal delivery man turned taxi driver, kept a bar on the floor of the taxi for protection and a small Swiss Army knife. She also admitted that she had previously claimed he kept a kitchen knife in the taxi, but later corrected that the knife was in his coal lorry. Mulligan described Hillen as a formidable man who would not back down in a confrontation. She said he kept the bar as a weapon if needed. The trial continues before a jury and Justice Eileen Creedon. Joseph Hillen pleaded not guilty. Grainne Mulligan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Jason Keating, 27, of Rush, Co Dublin, continued before a three-judge court presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Keating has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, who was shot six times outside his Clondalkin home in December 2016. Prosecution evidence focused on a 'Gotek 7' electronic tracking device found under Mr Kirwan's car the day after the shooting. Sergeant Damien Gannon testified that the device was attached to the undercarriage with strong magnets. James Kennedy, a Garda telecommunications analyst, explained that the device uses GPS to upload location data to a web server and can send movement alerts to saved mobile numbers. Although the device contained a SIM card from Holland, Kennedy stated he could not decode the internal information and did not retrieve location data from the device's memory. He noted that such trackers are also used for legitimate purposes, such as taxi fleets. In his opening address, prosecution counsel Paul Greene SC alleged the murder arose from a feud between criminal factions, though Mr Kirwan had no connection to either side. The matter is ongoing, with the trial continuing before the court.
During a murder trial, Gardaí recounted a car‑chase involving the accused, 24‑year‑old Joseph Hillen, hours before he stabbed taxi driver Martin Mulligan to death. Hillen, who pleaded not guilty, admitted stabbing Mulligan but claimed he did so to protect himself. The chase began shortly after midnight in Dundalk town centre, when Sergeant Michael Kermath and Garda Damien Fanning spotted a Toyota Avensis spinning its tyres outside Ridley's nightclub. They pursued the vehicle with blue lights, but the Avensis accelerated erratically, broke two traffic lights, and fled toward Marsh's Shopping Centre. The patrol car followed until the pursuit became too dangerous, and the officers believed they would not catch the driver before the border with Northern Ireland. CCTV footage of the chase was shown to the jury, and the trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Raymond Leonard, 35, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Nicholas Devlin on 30 August 2015 at Anna Villa, Ranelagh. Devlin, who had been ejected from McSorley's pub, approached a group outside the pub and was punched twice in the face and kneed in the groin by Leonard. Devlin suffered severe pain, collapsed, and was taken to hospital where doctors found a ruptured testicle, leading to surgery to remove part of it. Devlin testified that he was not overly intoxicated and identified Leonard on CCTV presented in court. Leonard's defence lawyer noted some equivocation in Devlin's language. The prosecution alleged Leonard acted in a vindictive and malicious manner, having removed his shirt before the assault. The case is before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of five women and seven men.
In the murder trial of Jason Keating, a witness described how she held Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan's hand and spoke to him minutes after he was shot outside his Dublin home. Mr Kirwan, 62, was in his car on St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, when a gunman fired six shots from a Makarov handgun that was later recovered. The witness, who was in the passenger seat of Mr Kirwan's Ford Mondeo, said she saw him "slumped" over the gear stick and she stayed with him until an ambulance arrived. She also reported that a white van had driven away from the scene. The prosecution's case links a tracking device found under Mr Kirwan's car to the accused, Jason Keating, 27, who has pleaded not guilty. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In a murder trial, 24‑year‑old Joseph Hillen of Forkhill, Co. Armagh, pleaded not guilty to the stabbing death of 53‑year‑old Martin Mulligan in Dundalk on 28 September 2015. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Mulligan suffered three blunt‑force lacerations to the top of the head, 30 other minor injuries to head, arms, chest and legs, and two fatal knife wounds. One wound cut the abdominal aorta, the other severed the femoral artery in the thigh, both causing rapid blood loss. Dr Curtis explained that a sewer rod could account for the head injuries and that the knife wounds were consistent with Hillen's account of a "backhanded" motion while kneeling. Hillen admitted stabbing Mulligan but claimed he acted to protect himself. The trial continued before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a Special Criminal Court case, three Dubliners—Jonathan Keogh, Thomas Fox, and Regina Keogh—are accused of murdering 36‑year‑old Gareth Hutch on 24 May 2016. Hutch was shot four times as he entered his car outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street. The prosecution alleged that Keogh threatened Hutch the evening before the shooting, while Fox and Keogh planned the murder and that Keogh and another man, Mr AB, carried out the shooting. Fox, Keogh and Keogh have pleaded not guilty and denied unlawful possession of a Makarov handgun on 23 May 2016. The trial closed in July; Judge Tony Hunt postponed the verdicts, now scheduled for 26 October, citing the case's complexity and the need for careful deliberation. The judge promised the judgments would be read in four to five hours. The prosecution's closing remarks described the killing as a premeditated act rather than a spur‑of‑the‑moment attack.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, aged 62, was murdered on 22 December 2016 outside his Clondalkin home after being shot six times by Jason Keating, 27, who pleaded not guilty. Kirwan was driving a Ford Mondeo when the assailant, armed with a Makarov pistol, fired at him. Kirwan's partner, Bernadette Roe, was present but unharmed. The prosecution presented evidence that a tracking device had been attached to Kirwan's car weeks before the killing, showing movements from London to Dublin and eventually to St Ronan's Drive. CCTV footage linked a Renault Megane, owned by Keating, to a car auction and a white Peugeot van used by the gunman. The case was presented as circumstantial, with the court to hear further evidence over a four‑week trial.
A Dublin man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim's identity, is on trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for having unlawful sex with his teenage cousin over a two‑year period. He is charged with engaging in sexual activity with her while she was under the age of consent and with sexually exploiting her by inviting her to perform obscene acts. The defendant pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL presented the State's case, stating that the 22‑year‑old man first attempted to induce his cousin, then fifteen, into sexual contact. She described how they began kissing in the cousin's bedroom, the man grinding his crotch against her, and later asking her to perform oral sex while his zipper was down. The first alleged sexual act occurred in September 2012 at the cousin's grandparents' house, with further incidents reported, the last during the Christmas holidays of 2013.
In a murder trial held in Dundalk, 24‑year‑old Joseph Hillen pleaded not guilty to the killing of taxi driver Martin Mulligan, 53, who was found dead near his taxi on 28 September 2015. Hillen admitted stabbing Mulligan twice, claiming he acted in self‑defence after an altercation that began when Mulligan allegedly punched him and a wrestling match ensued. Hillen also described a struggle over a stainless steel kitchen knife, during which he cut his own hand and stabbed Mulligan. An autopsy revealed two stab wounds and numerous blunt‑force injuries, with the abdominal wound severing an artery and killing Mulligan within 30 seconds. Hillen's statements to Gardaí in July 2018 acknowledged driving a Toyota Avensis that night, and he admitted to chasing Mulligan before the fatal encounter. The jury, hearing the prosecution's case, will decide whether Hillen's actions were self‑defence or murder. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 35‑year‑old man named Jason O'Driscoll is on trial for the murders of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, who were found shot in their heads and fused together inside a stolen car in Co. Louth on 7 March 2012. O'Driscoll, who lives on Richmond Avenue, Fairview, has pleaded not guilty. The State alleges he was involved in the killings, travelling to and from the scene in a stolen silver Mercedes S Class, and that the prosecution can rely on circumstantial evidence to convict him. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, began deliberations on Monday afternoon and had deliberated for just over five hours when the judge informed them that a majority verdict of at least ten could be accepted.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, the judges announced that a verdict in the murder trial of Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, accused of killing David Douglas, will now be delivered on September 3, rather than the earlier date of October 1. Thompson, 37, pleaded not guilty to the murder that occurred on 1 July 2016 when Douglas was shot six times at Shoestown. The prosecution's case relies on DNA found in two alleged 'spotter' cars and CCTV footage identifying Thompson as a driver. Thompson's counsel, Michael O'Higgins, argued that the delay since the trial's conclusion in May had disadvantaged his client and could impair a safe verdict. The court rejected this claim, noting that the delay mainly affects the preparation of reasons for judgment rather than the decision itself. The verdict will be announced on the scheduled date of September 3.
A teenager has walked free from court after receiving a suspended sentence for impeding the investigation into a murder committed by his two older brothers. Ryan Bradley (18) of Liscarne Gardens, Dublin 22, admitted to impeding the investigation of a crime after his brothers, Jason Bradley (20) and Dean Bradley (24), murdered 36-year-old Neill Reilly at Esker Glebe in Lucan, Dublin on January 18, 2017. All three were charged with murder, along with their father, Paul Bradley (54), and the four men went on trial at the Central Criminal Court earlier this year. Ryan Bradley was found not guilty by direction of the trial judge and pleaded guilty to impeding the investigation of a crime. His father was acquitted by the jury, while Jason and Dean Bradley were convicted and are now serving life sentences. Ryan Bradley's sentence hearing took place earlier this month, where it was noted that he had no previous convictions and was not involved in the feud with Neil Reilly. Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed a five-year sentence fully suspended for 10 years, with conditions including keeping the peace, being of good behaviour, and having no contact with the Reilly family or a named associate. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
In a High Court hearing on 30 July 2018, singer Sinead O'Connor was heard to possibly represent herself in legal actions brought by her former manager, Fachtna O'Ceallaigh, and his company, TAL Management. O'Connor denied the breach‑of‑contract and defamation claims. The case was presented to Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, who noted that O'Connor had previously dismissed her legal team and now wished to be unrepresented. John Gordon SC, acting for O'Ceallaigh, said the parties sought to have the defamation and breach‑of‑contract matters heard by the same judge rather than a jury, and that O'Connor had delayed discovery of documents and sent abusive emails. The judge adjourned the matter to October for case management, stating that pre‑trial issues would be heard regardless of O'Connor's representation status. Neither O'Connor nor O'Ceallaigh were present in court.
The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of a 35‑year‑old man charged with murdering two fellow Dubliners, who had planned to sell him a stolen car. Jason O'Driscoll, of Richmond Avenue, Fairview, has been on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the past month. He has pleaded not guilty to murdering 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond in Co Louth on 7 March 2012. Firefighters were called to a burning car in Ravensdale Forest Park shortly before 11 o'clock that night. The bodies of the two men were discovered fused together inside the Volkswagen Golf they had stolen that morning. They had been shot in their heads. The State's case is that Mr O'Driscoll was involved in the murder, travelling to and from the scene in a stolen silver Mercedes S Class. The prosecutor told the jury that it could rely on circumstantial evidence to convict him.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges announced that verdicts for the three Dubliners accused of murdering 36‑year‑old Gareth Hutch will be delivered on 8 October. Hutch was shot dead on 24 May 2016 outside Avondale House flats, suffering four gunshot wounds. The prosecution alleged that Jonathan Keogh (33) threatened Hutch the evening before, while Thomas Fox (31) and Regina Keogh (41) planned the murder and that Keogh and another man, Mr AB, fired the shots. Fox, Keogh and Regina have pleaded not guilty. Fox denied unlawfully possessing a Makarov handgun on 23 May. Mrs McDonnell (45) was initially arrested on suspicion of murder but later charged with withholding information; that charge was withdrawn and she received immunity. The court described the trial as "long" and noted it involved three trials within a trial, with priority given to the case of Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson. The judges will consider evidence against each co‑accused before delivering the verdicts.
In July 2018, a 35‑year‑old man, Jason O'Driscoll, stood trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murders of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, who had planned to sell him a stolen car. The prosecution alleged that the men were shot in their heads inside a Volkswagen Golf that was later set on fire in Ravensdale Forest Park on 7 March 2012. O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC argued that the prosecution's theory was implausible, likening it to a James Bond film, and questioned the feasibility of two shots being fired within two minutes inside a cramped car. He highlighted alleged gaps in Garda evidence, the lack of forensic links between O'Driscoll and the silver Mercedes cited by the State, and the absence of proof that the victims were shot inside the vehicle.
In the Special Criminal Court, the defence for Regina Keogh (41) argued that key prosecution witness Mary McDonnell (45) was a "willing participant" in the alleged murder of Gareth Hutch. Defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC submitted that McDonnell, who was granted immunity after a charge of withholding information was withdrawn, downplayed her role to secure a "great bargain." He contended she told untruths to gardai and the court, pointing the finger at Keogh, her "stalwart" friend. The prosecution alleges Keogh and Thomas Fox (31) planned the shooting, while Jonathan Keogh (32) and an accomplice were the shooters. All three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to murdering Hutch, were remanded in custody by Mr Justice Tony Hunt until Monday for legal submissions. Fox has also denied unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9 mm handgun. The defence highlighted inconsistencies in McDonnell's testimony regarding her coercion and the provision of rubber gloves, suggesting she fabricated evidence to minimize her liability. The court is currently hearing closing submissions in this non-jury trial concerning the May 2016 shooting outside Avondale House flats in Dublin.
During a rape trial at the Central Criminal Court, a black juror requested to be excused after claiming discomfort with fellow jurors, citing remarks about his clothing and manner of walking. He submitted a note citing "personal reasons" and later explained to Judge Eileen Creedon that he felt "slagged" daily. The judge agreed and discharged him. The accused, a Pakistani national, had pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a Dublin beach. The trial was adjourned to the following Monday for a new date. The prosecution, led by Roisín Lacey SC, presented the complainant's testimony, describing consensual meetings, a subsequent incident where the accused attempted to undo her bra, and ultimately a forced sexual act. The complainant detailed her distress and attempts to seek help during the aftermath. The case remains pending.
In a Louth double‑murder trial, the prosecution argued that a collection of circumstantial evidence—mobile‑phone records, CCTV footage, witness statements and vehicle details—when combined, proved that Jason O'Driscoll was involved in the killings of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012. The accused, 35, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution highlighted the timing of the victims' movements, the presence of a silver Mercedes linked to O'Driscoll, and the absence of motive. O'Driscoll's defence counsel, Vincent Heneghan, counter‑argued that the case lacked motive, criticised police work as sloppy, and questioned the evidence's reliability. The trial was ongoing, with the jury instructed to consider the evidence as a jigsaw that might conclusively prove guilt if assembled together. The case remained at the closing‑speech stage before Mr Justice Michael White.
In the Special Criminal Court, Jonathan Keogh, aged 32, was defended by Sean Guerin SC, who likened the prosecution's case to a "Jackson Pollock" painting, arguing it was a chaotic collection of evidence lacking analysis. Guerin highlighted that Keogh had been involved in a public row with Gareth Hutch the day before Hutch's murder on 24 May 2016, and that Keogh had received threats from Gardaí. He contested the reliability of Mary McDonnell's testimony, which placed Keogh at Avondale House on the morning of the shooting, and questioned her identification of Keogh from CCTV footage. Guerin also noted that McDonnell had been granted immunity and that her evidence was "unreliable." The prosecution alleged Keogh threatened Hutch, that Thomas Fox and Regina Keogh planned the murder, and that Keogh and another man, Mr AB, were the shooters. All three pleaded not guilty.
In a Louth double‑murder trial, the jury heard that Gardaí had confidential information that the two deceased car thieves were to meet another man in Dundalk on the night of their deaths. The case is a retrial at the Central Criminal Court after the first jury reached a verdict disagreement. The defendant, 35‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll of Richmond Avenue, Fairview, pleaded not guilty to the murders of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, who were found with gunshot wounds to the head inside a burning silver Mercedes at Ravensdale Forest Park on 7 March 2012. Detective Sergeant Michael Sheridan testified that Gardaí reconstructed traffic from CCTV and identified the car as a good match for the one seen that night. He also confirmed that the confidential information about the planned meeting was received from a man originally arrested as a suspect.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 34‑year‑old severely autistic man, Sean Winters, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after assaulting Judge Miriam Walsh on 11 December 2015. During the two‑day trial, forensic psychiatrists Dr Anthony Kearns and Dr Ronan Mullaney testified that Winters' autism spectrum disorder and associated mental disorder made it impossible for him to control his actions, describing him as emotionally dysregulated and triggered into unpremeditated aggression. The jury of nine men and three women returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge Walsh reported that Winters punched and kicked her repeatedly, causing her to seek hospital care, though X‑rays showed no broken ribs. Following the verdict, Judge Cormac Quinn ordered Winters to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum until the next Monday pending an updated psychiatric report.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, three men—Jonathan Hawthorn, James Geraghty, and Donal O'Ceallaigh—were charged with membership in the Irish Republican Army. Prosecutor Paul Greene presented evidence that an undercover FBI agent monitored a dark‑web transaction where a user named Meat Cleaver ordered weapons to be disguised as Play Doh and delivered to Geraghty's address. Gardai intercepted the delivery on 14 September 2016, photographing Hawthorn receiving the package and finding fake explosives in his socks. Geraghty claimed his granddaughter found the parcel and that it contained toys, while his defence argued no evidence linked him to the order and that the address was used without his knowledge. Hawthorn's counsel contended he was unaware of the contents and that the prosecution failed to test the Play Doh or socks for fingerprints or DNA. O'Ceallaigh's defence highlighted his denial of IRA membership and lack of evidence against him. The court was set to deliver verdicts on 31 July. Jonathan Hawthorn pleaded not guilty. James Geraghty pleaded not guilty. Donal O'Ceallaigh pleaded not guilty.
Lawyers for Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, accused of murdering David Douglas, expressed concern to the Special Criminal Court about the delay in delivering a verdict. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Patricia Ryan and Michael Walsh, had earlier indicated that the court would not be able to issue a judgment until 1 October, despite the trial concluding at the end of May. The case, involving complex legal issues and a "heavy trial," required a detailed, reasoned verdict. Thompson, 37, pleaded not guilty on 1 July 2016 after being shot six times at his partner's shop on Bridgefoot Street. The prosecution did not allege Thompson fired the shots but presented DNA evidence linking him to two "spotter" cars and CCTV footage identifying him as a driver. The court heard that four vehicles, including a Mercedes, a Ford Fiesta, a Mitsubishi Mirage and a Suzuki Swift, operated in concert on the day of the murder.
In the Special Criminal Court, the prosecution closed its case in the trial of three Dubliners accused of murdering 36‑year‑old Gareth Hutch. The court also ruled that mobile phone records could be admitted as evidence. Hutch was shot dead on 24 May 2016 outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street, suffering four gunshot wounds. The prosecution alleged that Jonathan Keogh (32) threatened Hutch the evening before the shooting, that Thomas Fox (31) and Regina Keogh (41) planned the murder, and that Keogh and another man, "Mr AB", were the shooters. Fox, Keogh and the unnamed man pleaded not guilty. The court heard that the State sought to use mobile phone data linked to the accused, while defence lawyers argued it breached privacy rights. The trial will resume with closing speeches from both sides.
The prosecution is close to closing its case in the Special Criminal Court trial of three Dubliners accused of murdering 36‑year‑old Gareth Hutch, nephew of Gerry "the monk" Hutch, who was shot dead on 24 May 2016 outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street. The prosecution alleges that Jonathan Keogh (32) threatened to kill Hutch the evening before the shooting, that Thomas Fox (31) and Regina Keogh (41) were instrumental in planning the murder, and that Keogh and another man, Mr AB, were the shooters. Fox, Keogh and Ms Keogh have pleaded not guilty. The court has heard CCTV footage from Belfast, evidence that Keogh travelled to Belfast after the killing, and mobile‑phone records that the State seeks to admit. Defence lawyers argue the mobile‑phone evidence breaches privacy rights. The trial continues before Judges Tony Hunt, Patricia Ryan and Michael Walsh.