During the Central Criminal Court trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin, a witness, Wayne Casserly, admitted he had lied to the prosecution. He had omitted that Nevin entered the scene with a hatchet. Casserly said Nevin had taken the hatchet to confront the accused about a male chihuahua that had been lent to Nevin for breeding. After Nevin emerged with the hatchet, Cluskey allegedly took an axe from his car and struck Nevin, while Turner allegedly struck Nevin several times after retreating to Casserly's house. Casserly also admitted that Turner had told him to "keep your mouth shut." The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a 2017 court hearing, detectives investigating the 2013 murder of Peter Butterly denied that any offer was made to drop a murder charge against an accused who later became a prosecution witness. The case involves Edward McGrath, Sharif Kelly, and a missing third accused, Dean Evans. McGrath and Kelly have pleaded not guilty to murder and firearms offences. The Special Criminal Court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly after Evans' absence. Lawyers challenge the admissibility of evidence from state witness David Cullen, who was originally accused of the murder. Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Maguire testified that he received a call from Cullen's solicitor on 6 June 2014, who sought immunity, witness protection, and financial assistance for Cullen. No commitment was made, and the detectives reported the matter to authorities. Subsequent meetings with Cullen's solicitor and the DPP were held, but no formal deal was confirmed. The judge requested details of any decision to drop the charge.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick (68) faces 27 charges under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 counts of misleading auditors and five of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. The trial has focused on the destruction of documents by Kevin O'Connell, a lead investigator from the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). O'Connell admitted shredding five pages relevant to the investigation in May 2015, claiming panic and a wrong decision, and disclosed the act to his superior, Ian Drennan, three days later. He acknowledged that the act was a criminal offence and that no Garda investigation or prosecution followed. The defence argued that a letter from the Chief Prosecution Solicitor offered O'Connell "effective immunity" from prosecution, a claim the DPP rejected. Sean Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the court heard that Gardaí were not involved in drafting witness statements that a judge criticised in the prosecution of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick. Lawyers for FitzPatrick, aged 68, had argued that statements from auditors were produced through coaching and cross‑contamination. The jury was shown a June 2015 letter from Detective Superintendent Gerard Walsh stating that the Garda unit seconded to the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) had not drafted the statements. The hearing also covered the admission by lead investigator Kevin O'Connell of his involvement in wrongful practices, including shredding documents relevant to the investigation. O'Connell recounted discovering 16 pages of documents, shredding them, and later admitting the mistake to director Ian Drennan. The court also examined CCTV footage of O'Connell bringing documents to a shredding room and his subsequent regret. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In the Peter Butterly murder trial at the Special Criminal Court, the admissibility of evidence from state witness David Cullen was contested. The trial, now in its second session after the original collapsed, heard cross‑examination of former chief superintendent John Gilligan, who oversaw the Witness Protection Program. Gilligan was questioned about a June 2014 meeting with Detective Superintendent Alf Martin and other Gardaí, during which it was alleged that Cullen might plead guilty to a lesser charge and that the murder charge could be dropped. Gilligan denied any deliberate omission of that possibility, stating he only noted Cullen's desire to provide information. The court considered whether the notes from that meeting, previously privileged, could be used to assess Cullen's evidence. The case continues under Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly still pleading not guilty to the murder and firearms offences. Dean Evans, the third accused, remains missing and was not present at the hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a prosecution barrister presented evidence that two men, Wayne Cluskey, 25, and Josh Turner, 24, from Mooretown, Ratoath, were involved in a joint enterprise that led to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. Nevin, who owned several dogs including three female chihuahuas, had obtained a male chihuahua from Turner to breed with the females. After only one of the chihuahuas became pregnant, a dispute arose over Turner's expected benefit. CCTV footage showed Turner arriving in a silver Honda Civic, knocking on Nevin's door, and a brief conversation. Cluskey then entered and struck Nevin with a hatchet, causing fatal injuries. The men left the scene in a car, later voluntarily turned themselves in at Navan Garda Station. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, will continue with a jury of nine men and three women. The prosecution described the footage as distressing. The men have pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Arnis Labunskis, 57, who is accused of murdering his flatmate Dainius Burba, 39, at their Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick City, flat on 21st or 22nd April 2015, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Labunskis has pleaded not guilty. Witness William Neville testified that he heard an "awful noise" and a verbal argument from the house around 12.30am on the night of the alleged incident. The jury reviewed CCTV footage showing an individual carrying a white item, similar to a bag, which was deposited into a wheelie bin shortly before 5am. Detective Garda Nicholas Jones also presented evidence regarding the movement of an individual and a car earlier that morning. The prosecution highlighted a discrepancy in Labunskis's accounts, noting that while he told gardai he arrived home to find his flatmate injured by potential intruders, he had previously told his daughter that he had fought with the deceased. The trial is presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre McCarthy and a jury of three women and nine men. The matter is ongoing and is expected to continue until the end of next week.
During the 72nd day of the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, the court heard that investigators had used unlawful practices when preparing witness statements. FitzPatrick, aged 68, faces 27 offences under the Companies Act, including 22 counts of misleading auditors and five of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. Lawyers for FitzPatrick argued that statements from audit manager Vincent Bergin were altered through coaching and cross‑contamination by investigators, with changes suggested by ODCE staff such as Kevin O'Connell and Paul Appleby. The jury saw multiple versions of Bergin's draft statement, with insertions, deletions and notes like "drop" or "delete." Defending counsel Bernard Condon likened the process to a "hokey cokey," noting that judges had ruled the practice unlawful because it prevented the jury from hearing unvarnished witness testimony. The trial continues. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court hearing, Mary Walsh, aged 66, claimed she was the sole winner of a €3.38 million Lotto jackpot won on 22 January 2011. She said the winning ticket was hers, not part of a syndicate, and that she had bought two tickets—one for herself and one for her late husband, Peter Walsh. Walsh explained that she discovered her win only after the draw, confirmed it with a National Lottery official, and had several relatives sign the back of the ticket to avoid tax. She denied that the ticket belonged to a seven‑person syndicate and that she held a €560,000 trust for her stepson, David Walsh, who is suing for a one‑sixth share. The case remains pending.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly, who have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Peter Butterly and firearms offences, continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. A third accused, Dean Evans, failed to appear and has not been located, prompting the non-jury court to proceed with the two co-accused. The proceedings currently focus on a voir dire, or trial within a trial, to determine the admissibility of evidence from state witness David Cullen, who was originally accused of the murder. Defence counsel for Mr Kelly challenged Detective Superintendent Alf Martin, the senior investigating officer, suggesting he deliberately withheld information regarding how Cullen became a prosecution witness. The detective denied deliberately concealing facts, stating there was no deal to drop charges, though he acknowledged a phone call where a solicitor's notes referenced a dropped murder charge. Former Witness Protection Program chief superintendent John Gilligan testified that he was informed of Cullen's potential application in June 2014 and arranged his transfer for safety. The court is assessing these testimonies to decide whether Cullen's evidence should be admitted. The trial remains ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence issued.
Ms Joy Imasogie, aged 40, was charged in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court with trafficking a Nigerian woman into Ireland and forcing her into prostitution between March 2006 and April 2008. The accused pleaded not guilty. During the trial, the alleged victim testified that she had been subjected to a "voodoo process" in Nigeria, swore not to report Imasogie, and was told she would have to sleep with men to repay a €50,000 debt. She claimed she stopped working as a prostitute in 2008 after cutting ties with Imasogie, but evidence from a women's health project showed she continued to advertise and work as a prostitute, and a file revealed she was found with Imasogie's husband and €14,000 cash. Judge Patricia Ryan found the evidence contradictory and unsafe for the jury, directing a not‑guilty verdict. Imasogie denied organising prostitution or trafficking, stating she sometimes let the woman do her hair for food.
In a Limerick murder trial, 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis is charged with killing his 39‑year‑old flatmate, Dainius Burba, on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty. During the opening speech, the prosecution presented evidence that Labunskis had told his daughter that he had fought with Burba and that she had seen blood on his clothing. The daughter drove him to her brother's house, where the brother also noticed blood on Labunskis's shoes. A man was sent to check the flat, and Labunskis allowed him in, where he saw blood on the wall and on Labunskis's hoodie and was shown Burba's body. Labunskis later told gardai he had returned home to find Burba badly injured, was alarmed by possible intruders, and had taken a table leg to defend himself. The prosecution suggested the table leg could be the murder weapon, a point for the jury to consider.
A 57‑year‑old man, Arnis Labunskis of Wolfe Tone Street, is set to go on trial for the murder of 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, who was killed at that address on 21 or 22 April 2015. He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court today and pleaded not guilty. A jury of three women and nine men was sworn in; the trial began today and is expected to run until the end of next week.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, aged 68, at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has highlighted significant procedural shortcomings in the investigation led by Kevin O'Connell of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). O'Connell admitted that investigators chose not to ask witnesses questions that might have undermined the case, a decision described by FitzPatrick's counsel as "an outrage" and "colossal prejudice." The investigation also failed to probe auditing standards that could have exposed the criminal offence of misleading auditors. O'Connell acknowledged the lack of skilled criminal investigators and the overreliance on civil servants and Gardaí, noting that the ODCE's approach was "very inexperienced." The court heard that the ODCE's witness‑taking procedures were later deemed "sub‑optimal," leading to a shift to Gardaí‑led statements. FitzPatrick remains charged with 27 offences under the Companies Act, including 22 counts of misleading auditors and five of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 27 January 2017, the legality of the detention of two men accused of murdering dissident republican Peter Butterly was contested. The 35‑year‑old victim was shot outside The Huntsman Inn, Gormanstown, Co. Meath, on 6 March 2013. Edward McGrath (35) of Springfield, Tallaght, and Sharif Kelly (46) of Balbriggan pleaded not guilty to the murder charge; McGrath also pleaded not guilty to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24) of Raheny, Dublin, failed to appear and has not been located. The court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly in Evans's absence. Defence counsel argued the men were unlawfully detained by the National Surveillance Unit, citing an unacceptable delay and questioning the invocation of Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. Prosecution counsel countered that Garda evidence and CCTV showed the men understood the reasons for their arrest and that Section 30 was properly invoked.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, the barristers for Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly argued that the two men, accused of murdering 35‑year‑old Peter Butterly outside The Huntsman Inn in 2013, were unlawfully detained on the side of the road. The men were allegedly held by National Surveillance Unit officers before being formally arrested. Mr Kelly's barrister, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha, claimed an unacceptable delay and that the officers failed to take contemporaneous notes, questioning whether Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act was invoked. He argued the prosecution had not proved the delay was justified and that Mr Kelly should have been arrested within minutes of Garda arrival. Paul Greene, representing Mr McGrath, agreed, citing a policy that led to unconstitutional roadside detention. The case is the second trial for both men, following a collapsed first trial in 2015. The court is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges John O'Hagan and Anne Ryan. Edward McGrath pleaded not guilty. Sharif Kelly pleaded not guilty.
In a January 2017 hearing, defence barrister Bernard Condon challenged the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) to admit that its lead investigator, Kevin O'Connell, had failed to conduct a fair investigation into former Anglo chairman Sean FitzPatrick's alleged non‑disclosure of multi‑million euro loans. O'Connell acknowledged moments of "spectacular naivety" and regretted certain aspects of the probe, attributing errors to limited experience and resources. He denied that the investigation was a "crusade" and insisted mistakes stemmed from a lack of experience and a shortage of Gardaí on secondment. O'Connell also admitted that the ODCE had sought cooperation from Ernst & Young auditors, fearing that probing audit adequacy might jeopardise their willingness to assist. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, focused on FitzPatrick's 27 charges under the Companies Act, including 22 counts of misleading auditors and five of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 25 January 2017, evidence was presented regarding the 2013 murder of Peter Butterly, a 35‑year‑old who was shot dead in the carpark of The Huntsman Inn, Gormanston. Two men, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (46), were on trial for his murder and had pleaded not guilty. McGrath also pleaded not guilty to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and was not located. The court proceeded with the two co‑accused in Evans's absence. Detective Sergeant Daniel O'Driscoll of the Special Detective Unit testified that he had been part of a surveillance operation that day. He discovered a silver Toyota Corolla involved in the shooting, stopped it and another car on Flemington Lane, and found a white plastic bag containing a black semiautomatic pistol, which he left in situ.
The trial of Ms Joy Imasogie, a mother from Hollystown, Dublin, continues with legal argument. She denies charges of trafficking a Nigerian woman into Ireland, forcing her into prostitution, and directing prostitution for profit between March 2006 and April 2008. The case is set to resume before Judge Patricia Ryan and a ten‑member jury after two jurors withdrew due to holiday commitments.
Norma Phillips, 46, of Phibsboro, Dublin, was found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing her boyfriend, 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu, during a drunken argument on 12 April 2015. The jury, composed of seven women and four men, deliberated for seven hours and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder and guilty of manslaughter. Justice Margaret Heneghan explained that if the jury believed Phillips acted in self‑defence but used more force than reasonably necessary, a manslaughter verdict was appropriate. Phillips had initially called emergency services, claiming a man had stabbed Neanu, but later changed her story, stating Neanu had pulled a knife on her and she pushed it away in self‑defence, turning the blade toward him. The single stab wound to the heart was deemed consistent with her account. Phillips remains on bail until the sentencing hearing on 13 February.
The Special Criminal Court is currently hearing the second trial of Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly, who have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Peter Butterly and, in McGrath's case, firearms offences on the same occasion. The court is proceeding with the two accused in the absence of co-accused Dean Evans, who failed to appear and remains unlocated. Evidence presented during a voir dire, or trial within a trial, includes testimony from Garda Damien Broughall regarding the arrest of Evans and McGrath on Flemington Road following the shooting at The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6, 2013. Broughall described stopping a silver Toyota Corolla, where surveillance officers had detained the occupants. He alleged that Evans was involved in the shooting and was arrested for IRA membership and firearm possession, while McGrath was dealt with by a colleague. Items found in the vehicle included a petrol can, gloves, a wig, and glasses. This evidence will assist the judges in deciding a legal issue. The original trial collapsed after 55 days in January 2015, leading to this retrial. The proceedings continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Anne Ryan.
In a murder trial held at the Central Criminal Court, the jury was asked by Justice Margaret Heneghan whether they could return a majority verdict instead of a unanimous one. The case concerns Norma Phillips, 46, who is accused of stabbing her partner, 36‑year‑old Romanian Stefan Neanu, to death with a kitchen carving knife on 12 April 2015 at her former home on Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7. Phillips has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges that Neanu pointed the knife at her during a drunken argument and that she killed him when she pushed the weapon away in self‑defence. Justice Heneghan explained that the jury has three possible verdicts: guilty of murder if the prosecution proves intent and lack of self‑defence; guilty of manslaughter if she acted in self‑defence but used excessive force; or not guilty if she acted in self‑defence with reasonable force.
Ms Joy Imasogie, 40, of Hollystown, Dublin, pleaded not guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to organising the illegal entry of a Nigerian woman into Ireland, compelling her to work as a prostitute, and controlling prostitution activities between March 2006 and April 2008. In garda interviews, she denied trafficking or any involvement in prostitution. She claimed she had come to Ireland from Nigeria in 2002, was married with five children, and had never met the alleged victim before the victim arrived in Ireland. Imasogie said the victim had been having an affair with her husband for three years and wanted a child with him. She also alleged that the victim's mother used voodoo to try to separate her from her husband, but that the attempt failed. The trial is ongoing before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
In a Special Criminal Court murder trial, a Garda National Surveillance Unit officer recited the Act of Contrition to Peter Butterly, who was found with massive gunshot injuries to his head in a Meath carpark on 6 March 2013. Butterly, a dissident republican, was shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn, Gormanstown. The trial excluded the public while the officer and colleagues gave anonymous evidence. The accused, Edward McGrath (35) of Springfield, Tallaght, and Sharif Kelly (46) of Balbriggan, pleaded not guilty to Butterly's murder and to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24) of Raheny, failed to appear and was not located. The court heard that the gunman's car was monitored by the National Surveillance Unit; an officer, identified only as Member B, described spotting a suspicious black Laguna in the carpark, finding Butterly lying on the ground, and holding his hand while reciting an act of contrition.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberating the case of Norma Phillips, a 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean woman, who is accused of murdering her partner, 36‑year‑old Romanian national Stefan Neanu, with a knife on 12 April 2015. Phillips, who lives on Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan explained that the jury has three possible verdicts: guilty of murder if the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt that Phillips intended to kill or seriously injure Neanu and was not acting in self‑defence; guilty of manslaughter if the jury believes she acted in self‑defence but used more force than reasonably necessary; or not guilty if the jury believes she acted in self‑defence and used reasonable force. Over four days of evidence, the jury heard that Neanu died from a single stab wound that penetrated his lungs and heart.
In a Special Criminal Court murder trial, the public was excluded while three Garda National Surveillance Unit members gave anonymous evidence. The case concerns the 2013 shooting of dissident republican Peter Butterly outside The Huntsman Inn, Gormanstown, Co. Meath. The accused, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (46), plead not guilty to the murder and McGrath also pleads not guilty to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and remains missing. The court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly in Evans's absence. The trial is a retrial after the original collapsed in 2015. Evidence from the surveillance unit involved tracking a silver Toyota Corolla and a green Opel Zafira, with witnesses identifying Kelly and describing the pursuit and arrest. The trial continues before Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
Ms Joy Imasogie, a 40‑year‑old Nigerian woman, denies that she fabricated allegations of being trafficked into Ireland and forced into prostitution to secure her stay. She testified before a jury that she underwent a "voodoo process" in Nigeria, swearing not to report her alleged trafficker, and that in Ireland she was compelled to have sex with up to ten men a day to repay a €50,000 debt to Ms Imasogie. Ms Imasogie, of Chapleswood Crescent, Hollystown, Dublin 15, has pleaded not guilty to charges of illegally bringing the woman into the country, compelling her to prostitution, and controlling prostitution activities between March 2006 and April 2008. During cross‑examination, her barrister highlighted that the woman had applied for asylum four times, claimed persecution in Nigeria, and had threatened Ms Imasogie.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Norma Phillips, 46, could not have acted in self‑defence when she stabbed Romanian national Stefan Neanu, 36, at her former home on 12 April 2015. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley SC described Phillips' account as "not believable," citing repeated lies to emergency services and Gardaí, including claims that a balaclava‑wearing intruder had stabbed Neanu. He highlighted that Phillips delayed calling 999 for five to ten minutes, left the knife on a rubbish pile, and later told Gardaí she had pulled the knife out and thrown it away. Buckley urged the jury to use common sense and find Phillips guilty of murder. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC countered that Neanu was awake and able to walk when the emergency crew arrived, that Phillips' statements were made after learning of Neanu's death, and that she had given a voluntary statement. Norma Phillips pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Anglo Irish Bank director Sean FitzPatrick, aged 68, admitted that he first learned of the extent of multi‑million euro loans to himself, his wife and family members in December 2008. The loans grew from about €10 million in 2002 to €103 million in 2007. Prosecutors allege that the bank's auditors were misled by an "artificially reduced" loan figure for two weeks around the year‑end, achieved by short‑term loans from other lenders, including Irish Nationwide Building Society. FitzPatrick faces 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 counts of making misleading statements to auditors and five counts of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Judge John Aylmer, continues with a jury.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence that Peter Butterly, 35, died of multiple gunshot wounds in a Meath car park on 6 March 2013. The post‑mortem report, read by Caroline Cummings BL, described entry wounds to his neck and trunk and exit wounds to his neck and head, a sternal fracture, cardiac tamponade and traumatic brain injuries. Two witnesses, Sean Brennan and Francesco Macari, described seeing a silver vehicle, a chase, a gunshot and a bang from the Huntsman Inn area. The trial concerns two Dubliners, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (46), who pleaded not guilty to murder and firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and has not been located. The court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly in Evans's absence. The case is the second trial for the pair after the original collapsed in 2015. The hearing is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Anne Ryan.
In a 2017 trial, 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean Norma Phillips pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu, who died on 12 April 2015 from a knife wound during an altercation at Phillips' former home on Phibsboro Road. During a police interview on the day of the incident, Phillips told detectives that Neanu had waved a knife at her and that she had pushed the knife away, after which he was stabbed. She described the knife as a 19‑cm kitchen carving knife and claimed she had not held it. Phillips said Neanu's death would haunt her for the rest of her life and expressed shock at his passing. The state pathologist presented a video of Phillips demonstrating the knife's use and described the fatal wound as requiring moderate force. The prosecution's evidence concluded, and the jury was instructed to return the next day.
In January 2009, former Anglo Irish Bank secretary Natasha Mercer received a letter from Kevin O'Connell of the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement demanding documentation from the bank. Mercer described the letter's tone as "quite threatening" and felt compelled to inform the bank's chairman, Donal O'Connor, immediately. She replied within days, noting that auditors had extensive access to the bank's working files. The letter warned that failure to provide assistance could result in offences. The case involves Seán FitzPatrick, aged 68, who is on trial for 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 charges of misleading auditors and five charges of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. FitzPatrick's alleged loans rose from about €10 million in 2002 to roughly €100 million in 2007, with accusations that the amounts were artificially reduced for two weeks around the bank's financial year‑end. The trial continues. Seán FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 hearing, the Special Criminal Court heard the second trial of Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (46) for the murder of Peter Butterly (35) on 6 March 2013 at The Huntsman Inn car park, Gormanstown, Co. Meath. Both pleaded not guilty to the murder and to firearm offences at the same address. The trial proceeded after the third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and was not located by the gardai. The court considered prosecution claims of privilege over information relating to a protected witness. A secondary school student, Sean Brennan, testified that he saw a man raise his arm and shoot another man while waiting for a bus opposite the Inn, and that he later called 999. The hearing continued under Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges John O'Hagan and Anne Ryan.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a Nigerian woman alleged she was trafficked into Ireland and forced into prostitution by Joy Imasogie, 40, of Chapleswood Crescent, Hollystown. The woman claimed she was made to have sex with up to ten men a day for no payment, with visits occurring at night or lunchtime. Imasogie allegedly arranged the clients, advertised the service on an English‑based website, and set prices of €150 for half an hour and €250 for an hour. The woman said she was promised up to €2,000 a day, but Imasogie took half for arranging clients and half to pay a €50,000 debt she claimed the woman owed. She reported receiving no allowance, having to demand money for personal items, and being given a false passport. After a Gardaí call, she escaped by jumping out of a window, breaking her leg. She returned to prostitution after healing, travelling for overnight visits. Joy Imasogie pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean Norma Phillips pleaded not guilty to the murder of her Romanian partner, Stefan Neanu, 36, on 12 April 2015. Phillips, who lived on Phibsboro Road, claimed she acted in self‑defence after Neanu allegedly waved a knife at her. She described their relationship as "on and off" and said they had been together for about four months, sharing meals and drinks but not living together. On the day of the incident, after a party at Neanu's aunt's house, the couple returned to Phillips's home where an argument escalated. Phillips said Neanu went to the kitchen upstairs, returned with a knife, and she pushed it away, inadvertently striking him. She called 999, and a recorded emergency call was read in court. The jury, reduced to eleven, will continue the trial the following day before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, James Smithers, 38, of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, pleaded not guilty to an indictment of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The prosecution alleged that Smithers supplied a stolen Volkswagen Golf for an IRA operation in County Limerick. On 30 October 2015, Detective Garda Liam O'Neill, on duty, and two colleagues travelled to County Limerick. They encountered Smithers in the black Golf at Five Cross Roads outside Rathkeale at 1:35 am. O'Neill's colleague, Detective Garda Joe Higgins, later reported finding a sawn‑off shotgun in another stolen car. Smithers had previously been seen driving the Golf to County Limerick. During questioning under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act, Smithers gave no comment to inquiries about IRA activities. The court also heard that the detective invoked Sections 18, 19 and 19(a) of the Criminal Justice Act, allowing inferences from Smithers' silence regarding the stolen vehicle and firearm.
After a day of evidence, the jury in Norma Phillips' murder trial was reduced to eleven members when one juror withdrew, citing a personal matter she preferred to keep private. Justice Margaret Heneghan discharged the juror. Phillips, a 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean, remains not guilty of the April 12, 2015 murder of 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu at her former Phibsboro home. The trial will resume with the remaining eleven jurors.
Michael Gilmartin, 46, of Cobh, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court after being charged with possession of a semi‑automatic 9mm Walter pistol, a sawn‑off shotgun and 22 rounds of ammunition, and with membership of the Irish Republican Army. The State argued that bail would risk a serious offence, and the court agreed, remanding him in custody until a further hearing on 25 January. The judge noted Gilmartin's claim of wanting to provide for his partner and child, but the court refused his application.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick, aged 68, heard that he borrowed millions from 2002 to 2007 to invest in hotels, property syndicates and oil refinery projects. The State alleged that the loans taken by FitzPatrick, his wife Triona and family members rose from about €10 million in 2002 to roughly €100 million in 2007, and that the amounts were artificially reduced for two weeks around the bank's year‑end statement by short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society. FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty to 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 charges of misleading auditors and five charges of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007.
A woman has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges relating to the alleged trafficking of a young Nigerian woman into Ireland for the purposes of prostitution. Joy Imasogie, aged 40, with an address in Hollystown, Dublin 15, has pleaded not guilty to organising illegal entry, compelling prostitution, and controlling prostitution-related activities between March 2006 and April 2008. During opening submissions, the prosecution outlined allegations that the then 20-year-old complainant was trafficked to Ireland following a "voodoo process" conducted in Nigeria, during which she swore an oath before a traditional practitioner not to report the accused or others involved. The woman told the court she was promised work in a hair salon but was instead coerced into sex work to repay a purported €50,000 debt. The court heard she was brought to locations including Finglas and subsequently to Sligo, where she was forced to engage in sexual activity. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan.
In the Central Criminal Court, Norma Phillips, 46, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu on 12 April 2015. She first told Gardaí that a man had run into her Phibsboro flat, stabbed Neanu, and fled, later claiming self‑defence. Garda Niall Cadden described her as hyper and anxious; she could not identify the assailant, only that he was Irish. Garda Stephen Rooney noted she repeatedly asked if Neanu was OK, and Garda Cadden agreed her statements about a man running in were untrue. Dublin Fire Brigade officer Ciaran Wilson found Neanu with a bleeding chin wound and a small chest wound, but no extensive blood. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified Neanu died from a stab wound that pierced his heart. Detective Garda Seamus O'Donnell identified a carving knife, 200 mm blade, as the alleged murder weapon. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of twelve.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Garda chief superintendent testified that he believed James Smithers, 38, of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, was a member of the Irish Republican Army. Smithers had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 31 October 2015. The superintendent, citing confidential information, stated his belief during cross‑examination. He also mentioned that on 30 October 2015 he travelled with other detectives to County Limerick, where a stolen Volkswagen Golf was found outside Rathkeale, containing two men, a sawn‑off shotgun and petrol. The trial is ongoing.
Norma Phillips, 46, a Zimbabwean national, is on trial for the murder of Stefan Neanu, 36, who was stabbed on 12 April 2015 at her former home on Phibsboro Road. She pleaded not guilty and claimed she acted in self‑defence. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley said that when Gardaí and paramedics arrived, they found Neanu injured but conscious, and that Phillips initially reported an Irish man in a balaclava had stabbed him. In later interviews she said she had defended herself. The trial is proceeding before Justice Margaret Heneghan with a jury of four men and eight women.
Sean FitzPatrick, 68, of Greystones, Co Wicklow, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he has pleaded not guilty to 27 alleged offences under the 1990 Companies Act. The State alleges he failed to disclose the extent of multi-million euro loans linked to him between 2002 and 2007, including 22 charges of making misleading statements to auditors and five charges of furnishing false information. Testimony from former Anglo Irish Bank financial controller Cyril Boyd stated he was surprised external auditors never queried the annual refinancing of FitzPatrick's loans using funds from Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS). Boyd described the practice as common knowledge, noting that quarterly reports to the Central Bank disclosed total director loans, which would show a drop in the final quarter when refinancing occurred. The prosecution contends the loan amounts were artificially reduced for two weeks around the financial year-end. Witness Alan Dukes testified that FitzPatrick told the board in December 2008 he was resigning principally over the loan refinancing issue, claiming the loans were on commercial terms. Former INBS chairman Michael Walsh stated the refinancing was good business and that INBS reported the loans to the financial regulator. The trial is ongoing.
A Carlow man, James Smithers, 36, was accused in the Special Criminal Court of providing a stolen car for an IRA operation. He pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation, claiming the IRA. The prosecution, led by Anne‑Marie Lawlor BL, relied on Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan's belief that Smithers was an IRA member on the relevant date. Evidence included Smithers' alleged activities that night, Garda interviews, and the discovery of a sawn‑off shotgun, petrol, and matches near the arrest site in Rathkeale. The trial continues.
A 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean woman, Norma Phillips, will be tried at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu, a Romanian man, on 12 April 2015 in a flat on Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7. Phillips pleaded not guilty. Justice Patrick McCarthy has sworn a jury of seven women and five men, who will begin the two‑week trial tomorrow.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, aged 68, is hearing evidence that the multi‑million euro loans he took out between 2002 and 2007 were paid by another bank before the end of Anglo Irish Bank's financial year. FitzPatrick is charged with 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 counts of misleading auditors and five counts of furnishing false information. Evidence from Joe McWilliams, who became lending director in 2006, shows he co‑signed several loans for FitzPatrick and family members from 2006 to 2007. The court reviewed ten credit committee application forms approving loans up to just over €100 million, and noted that by November 2007 FitzPatrick had drawn down €103 million with a limit raised to €120 million. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a court hearing on 12 January 2017, Kevin O'Connell, a former legal advisor with the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement, denied that political or public pressure had influenced the investigation into former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick. O'Connell, who had a "very significant involvement" in the case, explained that while the investigation attracted public and media interest, he had never experienced any suggestion of political pressure or felt that colleagues were under such pressure. He noted that Paul Appleby, the director of corporate enforcement, had sent confidential details of the investigation to senior officials in February 2009, and that O'Connell had been delegated statutory powers to request documents from banks. He maintained that he remained subordinate to Appleby and that the investigation was conducted methodically and without undue influence. The trial was scheduled to continue the following day. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
The High Court ordered the extradition of Oliver Hurley, a 63‑year‑old former Garda living in the UK, to face a manslaughter charge in England. The case stems from the death of Manolito Chando on 9 April 2016 after an assault at a Salvation Army hostel in London. CCTV footage allegedly shows Hurley pushing Chando with considerable force, causing a head injury and a brain bleed that led to a coma and death. Hurley, who was homeless at the time, claimed he was defending himself and that Chando was intoxicated. He voluntarily presented himself to Gardaí in Ireland after seeing his image on RTE's Crimecall programme. The court granted the State's extradition application, noting the seriousness of the alleged offence and the lack of justification for the force used. The order directs Hurley's surrender to the UK for trial.
During the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, a jury heard that warrants used by Gardaí to search banking premises in 2009 and 2010 were unlawful and unconstitutional. Detective Sergeant Brian Mahon testified that he had obtained the warrants under Section 20 of the Companies Act and that Gardaí carried out searches of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society offices, seizing documents and computer hard drives. Cross‑examination confirmed that the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court had ruled the warrants unlawful and unconstitutional, yet the seized evidence was still to be presented to the jury. Judge John Aylmer informed the jury that the trial would now likely finish by mid‑March, and warned against seeking external information. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.