48-year-old admits to facilitating criminal gang

A 48-year-old man from the Glenties area of Donegal has admitted to facilitating a criminal organisation at the Central Criminal Court. Patrick Fitzgerald, who also has a Dublin address in Finglas, pleaded guilty to participating in activities intended to facilitate serious offences by a criminal group during an eight-day period in November 2021. The prosecution indicated it would not proceed with an initial charge of attempted murder relating to an incident in Ballyfermot on November 17th, 2021. The court heard that Fitzgerald purchased and provided getaway vehicles used in connection with an attempted shooting. The victim of that attack subsequently sustained serious injuries and died from wounds received in a separate incident months later. Fitzgerald was arrested in December 2021 and exercised his right to silence during police interviews. Justice Paul McDermott remanded Fitzgerald in custody pending sentencing, which was scheduled for May 26th. The prosecution requested that a victim impact statement be prepared ahead of the sentencing hearing. Fitzgerald has an extensive criminal history, with 72 previous convictions recorded. While on bail for an aggravated burglary charge, he was separately convicted and jailed for aggravated burglary offences involving a serious home invasion. Following his guilty plea on the facilitating charge, Justice Eileen Creedon subsequently imposed a seven-year custodial sentence to run consecutively with his existing sentence for the burglary conviction, resulting in a total sentence of 15.5 years imprisonment. The case involves alleged links to organised crime activity in Dublin during late 2021 and reflects the court's treatment of persons accused of supporting criminal organisations through provision of material assistance to facilitate serious violent offences.