Patrick Brunell, 35, was jailed for five years after Gardaí seized €2.5 million worth of drugs and a large weapons cache at his father's transport company in Tallaght. He handed over 29 kg of cocaine, 6.4 kg of heroin, a Czech CZ rifle with silencer, a Beretta shotgun, a Yugoslavian AK‑47 style assault rifle and a German Sauer rifle with telescopic sight, plus 105 rounds of ammunition. Brunell, who had held the items for two weeks, claimed he was paid €1,500‑€2,000 and that he had no choice. He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs and weapons. Judge Patrick McCartan, citing the seriousness of the weapons but noting Brunell was not the dealer, imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The article reports no further legal developments.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 13 July 2016, Shane Byrne, aged 28, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in his home between 1 and 7 March 2012. Gardaí, acting on a search warrant, entered a house in Castleknock that Byrne shared with his older brother, Michael. Byrne led officers to his bedroom where a shotgun was found tucked under an armchair. A second shotgun and a quantity of drugs were also seized. Byrne claimed the gun had been left there by his brother and that he had no involvement in the illegal items. The court noted that Byrne had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally ruled that the shotgun was not Byrne's property, attributing responsibility to his brother. She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in its entirety, and highlighted the harm firearms pose to society.
A 29-year-old man from Ballymahon, County Longford, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court, with one year suspended, following his guilty plea to possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device at his home in June 2015. Paul Dodd accommodated the storage of IED materials, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm, in exchange for a financial promise. The court heard Dodd was in dire financial circumstances at the time. His co-accused, Brendan Hope from County Westmeath, had previously received a three-year sentence for possession of a completed device discovered in a van during a search operation. The Special Criminal Court found Dodd's involvement less culpable than Hope's. A separate charge of IRA membership against Dodd was withdrawn by the State.
Dubliner Laura Dempsey, a 25-year-old mother of two, was remanded in custody at the Central Criminal Court for sentencing next Monday. She pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the person she believed was guilty of murdering 33-year-old Kieran Farrelly on October 26, 2014. The offence involved assisting in the concealment of a shotgun used in the killing at Killarney Court, Killarney Street. Although initially charged with murder, that charge was dismissed following an application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999. Detective Garda Gary Moran testified that Dempsey had 59 previous convictions, including for drugs possession and theft, many of which occurred after the shooting. He noted her heroin addiction and that victim impact statements were prepared but not read. Defence counsel Remy Farrell SC submitted a psychiatric report detailing ongoing flashbacks and clinical depression, arguing that a pronounced element of duress constituted a powerful mitigating factor. He highlighted that Dempsey made full voluntary admissions and had only transient possession of the weapon. Prosecuting counsel Dominic McGinn SC stated the maximum sentence for the offence was 10 years. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said she needed time to consider the material handed in and remanded Dempsey in custody for sentencing next Monday.
A 39-year-old man from Killygordan in County Donegal has been charged with unlawful possession of ammunition before the Special Criminal Court. Shane Rowan was charged with possessing 78 rounds of 9mm parabellum ammunition at his Forest Park address on 9 March this year. The charge was brought before the court on 7 July following a caution. Rowan faces three additional charges arising from the same date: possession of three assault rifles and associated magazines at a separate location in County Meath, possession of ammunition of different calibre at that same address, and membership of an unlawful organisation. The book of evidence for all charges was served on the accused today. Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne, remanded Rowan in custody pending his next hearing on 19 July.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal against conviction lodged by Joesph Warren, a 32-year-old man from Ballymun. Warren had pleaded not guilty to conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland at a Tesco supermarket in Cellbridge on November 2, 2007. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition in Ballymun in 2009. A jury at Dublin Circuit Court found him guilty of the conspiracy charge, and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced him to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Warren's legal team argued the trial was unfair because the Director of Public Prosecutions allegedly "cleansed" the jury by excluding potential jurors from Ballymun, Cabra, and Finglas. Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, rejected this contention. The judge noted that Warren was identified as a pall bearer at the funeral of the alleged gang leader, indicating a close relationship inconsistent with claims of involuntary involvement. The Court of Appeal determined that the exclusion of jurors from specific areas was a pragmatic exercise in case management to ensure impartiality, falling within the trial judge's discretion. The judges concluded that the Circuit Court judge acted appropriately and that Warren had been found guilty after a very fair trial.
Two Dublin men, Michael Finlay, 36, and Dean Byrne, 24, were sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a loaded 9mm semi‑automatic pistol and its magazine, as well as various rounds of 9mm ammunition, at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght on 5 June 2014. The weapons were found in a stolen Renault Kangoo van that the men were in when Detective Sergeant Joseph Finnegan approached. Both men were wearing disguises of fake beards, hats and glasses; Finlay also wore an An Post jacket. The detectives, acting under Sections 18, 19 and 19(a) of the Criminal Justice Act, questioned the men about the firearm, ammunition, van, disguise and jacket, but neither responded. Both pleaded not guilty, yet the judge noted they had not opposed any evidence and that the offences were "completely unexplained." Finlay's sentence was back‑dated to 5 June 2014 and Byrne's to 8 May of the same year.
A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in two violent car-jackings committed on the same night in April 2014. David Thomas, aged 32, of Glenties Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Shankill, Dublin. The court heard that Thomas and another man pulled the driver from his car, assaulted him, and threatened to shoot him after he witnessed their faces. The stolen vehicle was subsequently abandoned on the N11 near Wicklow. Thomas went on to forcibly remove a second driver from a van in the vicinity. Judge John Aylmer imposed a concurrent sentence, stating the Shankill incident was the more serious offence. The victim reported experiencing significant fear and psychological distress following the attack. The defence argued the incidents constituted a chaotic, alcohol-fuelled episode, with no actual firearm involved.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 28 June 2016, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were charged with intent to commit false imprisonment. The charges involve possession of a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun, allegedly used to falsely imprison Alexander Hurley at the Dowdalls' Navan Road address on 15 January 2015. The DPP withdrew earlier possession charges and replaced them with these intent charges. Both men were remanded in custody until 22 July for a subsequent mention.
Daniel Kavanagh, aged 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on 18 February 2016 for possessing a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and three rounds of ammunition. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 13 July 2015. The judge, Martin Nolan, held that Kavanagh must have known the weapons would be used to kill or injure, and that the most innocent explanation was that he was transporting the gun for others to use. Garda Alan Carbery testified that the firearm was found in a silver metal case inside a black bag in the footwell of a car in which Kavanagh was a passenger. Ballistic tests confirmed the gun and silencer were compatible and capable of firing the ammunition. The serial number on the gun had been deliberately erased. Kavanagh had nine prior convictions, including three for drug dealing. The driver of the car, an associate, pleaded guilty to related offences and will be sentenced next month.
A 25‑year‑old woman, Laura Dempsey, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender in the 2014 killing of 33‑year‑old Kieran Farrelly near Portland Row, Dublin. She was charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the suspect and with assisting in concealing a shotgun used in the murder at Killarney Court. The murder charge was dismissed after she applied under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999. Dempsey was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody for sentencing on 11 July. The court directed a psychiatric report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Judge Melanie Greally ruled that an accused's alleged income from criminal activity could not be considered when assessing his eligibility for legal aid. The man, charged with drug dealing and firearm offences, had applied for legal aid, but Gardaí believed he possessed income from crime. The judge agreed with Garda Janice Gray that seized cash and vehicles were suspected to be from illicit sources, but stated that only legal assets could be used to assess the accused's ability to pay for his defence. The accused receives disability benefit and rent supplement payments, and the judge found no significant lawful income. The case remains pending, with the trial scheduled for next year.
Two Dublin men, Michael Finlay (36) and Dean Byrne (24), were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of possessing a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol, a fully‑loaded magazine, and various rounds of 9mm ammunition at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, on 5 June 2014. Both pleaded not guilty to the unlawful possession charges. The court heard evidence from the Special Detective Unit, including a briefing that Detective Superintendent Tom Maguire had received confidential information about IRA activity involving a stolen Renault Kangoo van with false registration plates that day. Detective Sergeant Finnegan observed the van, saw Byrne in the driver's seat and Finlay in the rear, both wearing disguises. Finlay appeared to hold a firearm; he dropped it after the detective's order. A pistol and magazine were found on the van's floor, plus loose ammunition in a black hold‑all bag.
Joseph Finnegan, 54, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to four firearms and ammunition possession charges at Special Criminal Court Number 2. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Judges Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Gerard Haughton, recorded his guilty pleas to possessing an 8mm blank-firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition on July 11, 2015, and a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and three shotgun cartridges on July 12, 2015, all at the same address. Mr Finnegan also faces two further charges: alleged membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA, and possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4, on July 11, 2015. These remaining charges are set for trial on October 4, 2015. The court remanded Mr Finnegan on continuing bail until that date. Sentencing for the admitted firearms offences will be deferred until after the trial for the other charges concludes. This was the first hearing at Special Criminal Court Number 2 since its establishment last year.
Patrick Duff, 49, was arrested after firing a sawn‑off shotgun in a Dublin park. He was wearing white latex gloves and had the gun hidden in his jeans when Gardaí stopped him. Duff was aggressive, struggled with officers and head‑butted one. He claimed to be an IRA member, saying he had fired test shots when no one was around, and that he was suicidal. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm on Ballyfermot Parade. The court noted his history of severe depression and limited prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally suspended a three‑year prison term, requiring Duff to attend an addiction response programme and abstain from alcohol. Duff admitted he was likely intoxicated and had paid €500 for the gun. He had two earlier convictions from 1981 and 1987. The case was adjourned for further investigation into his suicidal claim.
Jonathan Rafferty, 38, was jailed for seven and a half years after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing. He pleaded guilty to a series of offences: robbery of a security cash box containing €19,000 in October 2013, possession of an imitation firearm, possession of cannabis resin and herb, and stolen artwork in October 2013; robbery of a second cash box containing €230 in March 2014 with an imitation firearm; burglary at Sunrise Dry Cleaner in February 2015, along with dangerous driving and criminal damage to a car. The court noted he had been using cocaine daily and was under a €6,000 drug debt at the time of the offences. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed consecutive sentences totalling eleven years, suspending three and a half years, for a net effective custodial term of seven and a half years. Rafferty had 12 prior convictions and had written a letter of apology to the court.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, two Dublin men, Michael Finlay (36) and Dean Byrne (24), were tried for unlawful possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition. Gardaí observed them in disguises inside a stolen Renault Kangoo van in June 2014. Finlay was seen holding the handgun, which he later dropped when ordered by Detective Sergeant Joseph Finnegan. Both men were questioned under Sections 18, 19 and 19(a) of the Criminal Justice Act and failed to explain the handgun, ammunition, van, fake beards or an An Post jacket. Their defence counsel did not contest the evidence. The court remanded Byrne on continuing bail and held Finlay in custody, with judgment expected on 16 June 2016. Michael Finlay pleaded not guilty. Dean Byrne pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 9 June 2016, two Dublin men, Michael Finlay (36) and Dean Byrne (24), were tried for unlawful possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol, a magazine and various rounds of ammunition at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght on 5 June 2014. Both pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented evidence that a Kildare man's Renault Kangoo van had been stolen from his home on 30 April 2014, with its keys missing, and that the van was later recovered by the Gardaí. The van's registration number did not match the tax disc at the time of the alleged offences. Garda Graham Dunne interviewed Byrne on 6 June 2014, questioning him about the firearm, ammunition, the stolen van with false plates, and his presence at Glenshane Crescent the previous morning; Byrne gave no reply. The trial continues.
During the Special Criminal Court trial, evidence was presented that Michael Finlay (36) and Dean Byrne (24) were accused of unlawfully possessing a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, on 5 June 2014. The prosecution alleged that in June 2014 Gardaí investigating suspected IRA activity observed the pair in a stolen Renault Kangoo van, both wearing disguises, and that Finlay was seen dropping a handgun. Both men pleaded not guilty to the possession charges. In a Garda interview on 6 June 2014, Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce questioned Finlay about the firearm, ammunition, the van, false number plates, an An Post jacket, a false beard, gloves and a black bag containing two rounds of 9mm ammunition. Finlay made no comment. Forensic evidence included diesel oil found in a bottle seized from the van, a Russian‑made pistol with its serial number obliterated, and no fingerprints on the firearm or magazine. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Christopher Dunne, aged 22, was given a three‑year suspended sentence for assaulting Scott Chapman at a house party on 24 January 2013. Dunne threw a wooden chair at Chapman and then chased him with a kitchen knife, demanding his car keys. Chapman was struck on the face, suffered a cut on his forehead that required six stitches, incurred €300 in medical costs, lost three weeks of wages and bears a permanent scar. Dunne later contacted Chapman via Facebook, apologising and claiming he could not recall the attack due to alcohol and tablets. He offered €1,000 to Chapman as a token of remorse. Judge Melanie Greally accepted Dunne's remorse and insight, suspended the sentence on the condition of 18 months probation and 180 hours community service within 12 months. Dunne has ten prior convictions, including possession of knives and an imitation firearm. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 7 June 2016, Michael Finlay, 36, and Dean Byrne, 24, pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol and magazine, and to possession of 9mm ammunition, alleged to have occurred at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, on 5 June 2014. Detective Superintendent Tom Maguire, of the Special Detective Unit, informed the court that he had confidential intelligence about IRA activity involving a white Renault Kangoo van with false registration plates that day. He briefed Detective Sergeant Joseph Finnegan, who then drove to the location, approached the van with his firearm drawn, and ordered the men inside to show their hands. Finnegan observed a firearm in the rear seat, which was dropped after he commanded it to be released. The men were wearing disguises of fake beards, hats and glasses; Finlay was in the rear seat and Byrne in the driver's seat, wearing a green An Post jacket.
In a County Limerick case, a book of evidence was served on three men—Conor Hughes (38), Darren Fox (26), and Jamie Smithers (36)—accused of IRA membership and firearms offences. The men were arrested on Halloween 2015 by the Special Detective Unit. They face charges of membership in the Irish Republican Army and unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge shotgun and cartridges. A three‑judge, non‑jury court heard the evidence, and the men were remanded on continuing bail until a further mention on 28 June.
Trevor Cooke, aged 40, pleaded guilty to robbing a cash transit van at Bawnogue Post Office in Clondalkin on 3 October 2013. He entered the post office while two G4S security guards were dropping off cash, approached one guard and held an imitation firearm to his face, ordering him to hand over the cash box. Cooke seized the box, which contained €50,000, and fled in a car that had been reported stolen two weeks earlier. Gardaí pursued him, and after a traffic chase he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. He was arrested in the rear garden of a house, hiding behind a wheelie bin, and was sprayed with pepper spray before being taken into custody. A fake gun was recovered from the car, and the cash box was opened, releasing a dye that destroyed all the money. Cooke has 48 prior convictions and was already in custody for a previous burglary.
Jonathan Dowdall (39) and his father Patrick Dowdall (59) were denied bail by the Special Criminal Court on 27 May 2016. Both were charged with intent to commit false imprisonment, allegedly using a sawn‑off shotgun and a .44 calibre revolver to detain Alexander Hurley at their Navan Road home on 15 January 2015. The court, hearing objections from Detective Inspector William Hanrahan and Chief Superintendent John McMahon under Section 2A of the Bail Act, cited serious offence concerns. The men were remanded until 28 June for a further hearing.
In an out‑of‑hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 24 May 2016, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 37, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were charged with firearms offences. Both men were arrested by the Special Detective Unit and accused of possessing a sawn‑off shotgun and a .44 calibre magnum revolver, allegedly intended to facilitate the false imprisonment of Alexander Hurley at their home on 15 January 2015. Jonathan Dowdall was arrested in Clontarf, Dublin 3, while Patrick Dowdall was taken into custody outside Swords Garda Station, Co. Dublin. Neither man applied for bail at the time of arrest. Their barristers, Mr Derek Cooney BL for Jonathan and Ms Annemarie Lawlor BL for Patrick, noted that the DPP had no objection to legal aid and requested that the warrant reflect the men's prescribed medication.
Wayne Ellis, 34, of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a firearm at Knocklyon Shopping Centre on 5 July 2012. He was given a wholly suspended five‑year sentence by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring on 26 May 2014. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient" because Ellis had two prior firearms convictions, making a mandatory minimum of five years imprisonment required. DPP counsel Gerardine Small said the judge had been advised of the mandatory minimum and that the sentence was a fundamental error. Ellis's counsel, Caroline Biggs, noted that Ellis had challenged aspects of the law in the High Court and that the prosecution accepted that his offences were linked to a drug habit, but that by sentencing he had "completely rehabilitated" himself. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved judgment on the appeal.
A Westmeath man has received a three-year prison sentence at the Special Criminal Court for possession of an improvised explosive device. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, pleaded guilty to the charge relating to an IED discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford on 24 June 2015. Detective Sergeant William Hanrahan told the court that Hope was observed leaving a house under surveillance as part of an investigation into IRA activity in the Longford area. The device, containing shotgun propellant powder, a cartridge, cardboard tubing, and other components, was found in a van in which Hope was travelling. During interview, Hope initially claimed he had constructed the device out of curiosity before later stating he had found it. The court noted the crude nature of the device and accepted mitigating factors including Hope's guilty plea and time spent in custody. The sentence was backdated to 31 July 2015.
In the Central Criminal Court, 22‑year‑old Ross Allen was accused of murdering 47‑year‑old Christy Daly on 29 December 2013 at Bog Lane, Clara, Offaly. Prosecutor Patrick Marrinan argued that Allen, who had recently been released from prison and lived alone in a caravan, had hidden drugs and, after failing to retrieve them, set in motion a plan that involved a gang of armed men. Allen allegedly travelled with a Volvo, met with Dublin gang members, purchased tracksuits and a semi‑automatic machine gun, and later retrieved a hammer and a shotgun. The prosecution claimed Allen knew a serious assault would occur and that the use of a hammer and gun constituted intent to cause serious injury, sufficient for murder. Defence counsel Blaise O'Carroll counter‑argued that Allen's statements to Gardaí were made under duress, that he was not a hardened criminal, and that he had no intention to kill. Ross Allen pleaded not guilty.
Pierce Moran, 61, of East Wall, Dublin 3, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to concurrent five-year jail terms for three charges of possession of firearms, magazines, and ammunition. The court previously heard that detectives investigating US firearm imports searched Moran's home on November 15, 2014, finding a shopping bag containing four semi-automatic pistols, a silencer, magazines, and ammunition, as well as a sawn-off shotgun. Moran had pleaded not guilty to all three charges but was convicted last Wednesday. In mitigation, his solicitor highlighted his age, lack of prior convictions, and cooperation by not contesting certain evidence. The judge noted the seriousness of the case due to the volume of weapons but acknowledged Moran's clean record and age as significant mitigating factors. The court distinguished Moran's case from that of co-accused Stephen Hendrick, who had pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to eight years for possession of explosives and firearms committed while on bail, plus three years for ammunition. The judge stated Hendrick's sentence involved aggravating factors not present in Moran's case. Moran's sentence was backdated to his initial arrest date in November 2014.
Patrick Duff, 49, was stopped by gardaí after firing a sawn‑off shotgun in a local park. He claimed he had taken the gun because he was suicidal, saying he had been depressed and wanted to commit suicide. Duff, wearing white latex gloves and wearing a hood, had the gun hidden in his jeans. He was aggressive towards officers, struggled with them and head‑butted one officer. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm on Ballyfermot Parade on 5 February 2015. The case was adjourned to 31 May after evidence was heard. Duff said he had been notified of a threat to his life in August 2014 but could not recall it. He admitted he was probably drunk at the time. The court noted the circumstances were not consistent with a credible suicide attempt and adjourned to allow further evidence and an updated probation report.
Patrick Ryan, 38, was tried for robbing a tourist office in Dublin's city centre. He claimed the gun he used was a toy wrapped in black tape and that he was "laughed out of the place" by the workers. Ryan had a large drug debt owed to criminals for his crystal‑meth addiction. The debt holders drove him around the city and forced him to commit robberies to repay it. He pleaded guilty to robbery of Londis and attempted robbery of the Tourist Information Office on College Green on 21 September 2012, and to possession of an imitation firearm. He is already serving an eight‑year sentence for 16 robberies committed in a 12‑month period. Judge Melanie Greally added a five‑year sentence with two years suspended, to run concurrently with his existing term. Ryan's history includes 135 prior convictions, including false imprisonment, burglary and aggravated burglary.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, was found guilty of possessing a shopping bag full of handguns and ammunition. The court heard that on 15 November 2014, Moran was in possession of several semi‑automatic pistols, a 12‑gauge Beretta shotgun, various firearm magazines, assorted ammunition and a silencer. The Special Detective Unit had been investigating the import of arms from the United States at the time. A search warrant was executed at Moran's home; detectives found the weapons in a Dunnes Stores shopping bag and a sawn‑off shotgun in a plastic bin liner. Moran was arrested, questioned, and remanded in custody until sentencing on 4 May. The court noted that the inferences drawn from his refusal to account for the weapons were corroborative evidence but were not the sole basis for conviction.
The Special Criminal Court will deliver judgement tomorrow morning at the trial of Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, accused of unlawful possession of various semi‑automatic pistols, a silencer, a sawn‑off shotgun and associated magazines and ammunition. The indictment lists an 8mm Knall Valtro AP29, a 9mm CZ 83, a 9mm Makarov PM, a 9mm Baikal IZH79‑8, a 12‑gauge Beretta A.300 shotgun, a silencer for the Makarov pistol, and magazines for the pistols. The prosecution alleges that Special Detective Unit officers searched Moran's flat on 15 November 2014, while he was present, and found a shopping bag with pistols and ammunition in one bedroom and a sawn‑off shotgun in an adjoining room. The court heard closing speeches from the State and defence. Vincent Heneghan BL noted that Moran admitted the gardai into the flat and that 320 Euro found in the bedroom was returned to him.
Ross Allen (25) has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly, aged 47, at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, County Offaly between 29 December 2013 and 7 January 2014. His co-accused Matthew Gralton (22) of Mount Prospect, County Roscommon has also pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the Central Criminal Court, Detective Sergeant Jer Glavin gave evidence that Mr Allen told gardaí during interview that he attended a meeting in Clara where the use of violence against the deceased was discussed. Mr Allen stated he was instructed to obtain a hammer and torch, and that a sawn-off shotgun was collected during the journey to Bog Lane. He said he acted as lookout while others proceeded to the caravan, after which he heard two shots. Mr Allen told gardaí he believed these were warning shots and did not anticipate lethal force would be used. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Eamon McNamee, a 34-year-old man from Lucan, County Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with possession of a firearm with the intent to commit an indictable offence, namely assault causing harm. The alleged incident occurred at Fairgreen, Saggart, Co Dublin, on January 19th, 2013. These charges are alleged and remain contested. During the hearing, Mr McNamee sought a trial date. Mr Justice Paul Butler noted that the second incarnation of the Special Criminal Court is technically ready to run, having become operational after the Acting Justice Minister signed the rules of court. The judge indicated a prospect that cases awaiting trial, including Mr McNamee's, could be transferred to the new court early next month. However, Mr McNamee's case was listed for mention again on Friday, May 6th. The judge stated that the court would include Mr McNamee's case, particularly those involving individuals in custody, to return to the first Special Criminal Court on that date. Consequently, the matter was adjourned until May 6th. Mr McNamee was remanded on continuing bail until that date.
During the child sex‑abuse trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 12‑year‑old Waterford boy gave evidence on the eighth day. He alleged that his father threatened to throw his partner out of the family home if she refused to have sex with their son. The boy also claimed that his father owned a rocket launcher, machine guns, an AK‑47, an Uzi, a sniper rifle, a silencer‑compatible gun, a Beretta similar to one in a James Bond film, an 18th‑century ceremonial sword and several knives. He said the father had filmed some of the alleged abuse and shown the footage to others, held a gun to his head, and locked him in a box. The parents face 82 abuse charges from 2007 to 2011; both pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge each. The trial continues before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dublin resident Pierce Moran, 59, faced charges of unlawful possession of multiple semi‑automatic pistols, a silencer, a sawn‑off shotgun, various magazines and assorted ammunition, all allegedly found during a Special Detective Unit search of his East Wall flat on 15 November 2014. During a garda interview on 17 November 2014, Moran refused to explain the presence of the firearms and ammunition, citing his solicitor's advice. The court ruled the interview evidence admissible. Moran entered not‑guilty pleas for each of the three charges. The prosecution argued that the search proved Moran's knowledge and control of the items, citing lack of evidence of a second bedroom and absence of fingerprints. The defence contended that no evidence linked Moran to the firearms. The trial was set to resume on 27 April 2016.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, faced charges of unlawful possession of several semi‑automatic pistols, a silencer, a sawn‑off shotgun, firearm magazines and assorted ammunition, all allegedly found during a search of his home on 15 November 2014. Gardaí, acting under a search warrant, conducted the operation as part of an investigation into the importation of firearms and ammunition from the USA. Detective Sergeant John Kearney and Garda Jude Ainsworth reported finding four pistols, a silencer, magazines and ammunition in a Dunnes Stores bag in Moran's bedroom, while Garda Francis Crowley discovered a sawn‑off shotgun in a workshop room. The court accepted the admissibility of the search evidence, rejecting defence counsel's objections, and the trial continues with legal arguments.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in the appeal by Joseph Warren, a Ballymun man convicted of conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland at a Tesco supermarket in Cellbridge on November 2, 2007. Warren, who pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charge, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in 2012, with the final three years suspended. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition in Ballymun in 2009. His legal team argued the trial was unfair because the Director of Public Prosecutions allegedly "cleansed" the jury by excluding potential jurors from Cabra, Ballymun, and Finglas. Counsel Michael Bowman SC contended this was an unlawful, blanket ban that denied Warren a fair cross-section of peers, particularly given his defense of acting under duress. The DPP's counsel, Seán Guerin SC, countered that the exclusions were based on specific reasons or causes related to the gang's origins and the notoriety of a related shooting in Cabra, asserting that the remaining pool still provided a representative jury. The court, comprising Justices Birmingham, Sheehan, and Mahon, heard these submissions and indicated it would reserve judgment on the appeal.
Michael Collins, aged 34, has lodged an appeal against his conviction for the murder of Packie Hogan, aged 42, which occurred on 10 February 2011. Collins, who lives in Upper Kilmona, Grenagh, Co Cork, had pleaded not guilty to the murder, to possession of a rifle and to possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney on 29 November 2012. Collins now argues that the trial judge's directions to the jury on manslaughter were defective. He maintains that the shooting was accidental, that the firearm was defective and that he had no intention to kill, only to scare the deceased. The appeal is pending, with the court reserving judgment. The article does not report any further developments.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, faces charges of unlawful possession of several semi‑automatic pistols—including an 8mm Knall Valtro AP29, a 9mm CZ 83, a 9mm Makarov PM, and a 9mm Baikal IZH79‑8—along with a silencer for the Makarov pistol and a 12‑gauge Beretta A.300 sawn‑off shotgun. He is also charged with possession of magazines for those pistols and assorted ammunition, all allegedly found at his residence on 15 November 2014. The trial is set to resume tomorrow afternoon.
During a Special Criminal Court trial, detectives claimed that firearms and ammunition were discovered at a Dublin house on 15 November 2014. The accused, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, faces charges of unlawful possession of several semi‑automatic pistols: an 8mm Knall calibre Valtro model AP29, a 9mm short calibre CZ model 83, a 9mm calibre Makarov PM, and a 9mm short calibre Baikal model IZH79‑8. He is also charged with possession of a silencer for the Makarov pistol and a 12‑gauge Beretta model A.300 semi‑automatic, sawn‑off shotgun. In addition, the prosecution alleges possession of various firearm magazines suitable for the pistols and assorted ammunition, all found at the same address on the same date. Vincent Heneghan, BL, opened the case, noting that Detective Sergeant John Kearney obtained a warrant after receiving confidential information and that the search yielded the items.
Aaron McDermott, aged 23, was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing a rusty rifle he claimed to have found while cycling in a field. He admitted bringing the weapon home and placing it between the partition walls of his and his neighbour's houses. McDermott pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm at his home on 26 January 2015. He had 73 prior convictions and a history of drug and alcohol misuse. The judge reactivated a one‑year suspended portion of a previous three‑year sentence for attempted robbery and imposed a consecutive two‑year term for the firearms offence, with the final year suspended. A search of his home uncovered a small bag of cannabis and the rifle, which had a shortened stock and barrel, was capable of firing but had no ammunition. The prosecution considered the offence low‑level for sentencing purposes.
Two men have pleaded guilty to explosives offences at the Special Criminal Court. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford, admitted possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm at his home. He also pleaded guilty to possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, pleaded guilty to possession of a complete improvised explosive device containing similar materials, discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler alongside Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded Hope in custody until 11 May and released Dodd on bail until 13 July, both pending sentencing.
Hugh McWeeney, 43, of Malahide Road, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a 2015 armed robbery. He pleaded guilty to robbing €50,730 and possessing a firearm with intent to commit robbery at The Gate Hotel, Parnell Street, on May 11, 2015. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence, suspending the final year, resulting in an effective custody period of four years. McWeeney's co-accused, Stephen Clinch, 49, of Kilbarrack, Dublin, received a four-and-a-half-year sentence last month for the same offence. Prosecution evidence stated that Clinch held a semi-automatic pistol to the head of security worker Michel Cieslik during the incident, while McWeeney was not armed. The court heard that McWeeney had previously overcome drug addiction but was drawn back into offending due to debts. Clinch told gardaí he committed the crime because of debts arising from a drug consignment discovered by police. All stolen cash was recovered at the scene, and the pistol found contained ammunition unsuitable for the weapon. The matter was finalised with the imposition of these custodial sentences.
Two men, Anthony Callaghan (45) and Paul Zambra (39), were arrested in Coolock after a three‑day surveillance operation by specialist gardaí. They were found with a Ruger revolver and a semi‑automatic pistol, both loaded and ready for use, and a full petrol can. Callaghan, from Millrace Road, Phoenix Park Racecourse, and Zambra, from Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of firearms with intent to endanger life. Judge Melanie Greally described the evidence as overwhelming and noted the men's histories of violent crime. Callaghan was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and Zambra to 10 years. The sentences reflect the court's view that the weapons posed a considerable danger to life. The operation was carried out by the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit over several days, with vehicles seized and CCTV used to identify the suspects. The men were removed from society for the duration of their sentences.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, was charged at an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court with possession of three assault rifles and associated ammunition discovered at Tuiterath, Balrath, Slane, County Meath on March 9th, 2016. The charges include possession of a Chinese Type 56, a Romanian PM63 and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with nine magazines and 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre ammunition. Mr Rowan was additionally charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce of the Special Detective Unit said Mr Rowan was arrested in Drogheda under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and made no reply when cautioned or shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge William Hamill, remanded Mr Rowan in custody pending mention on March 16th.
Anthony Callaghan, 45, and Paul Zambra, 39, were arrested in Coolock on 29 May 2015 after a Garda surveillance operation. They possessed a Ruger revolver and a semi‑automatic pistol, both loaded, with an intent to endanger life. Zambra also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance. Callaghan had a prior firearms conviction, so a mandatory minimum of ten years applies; Zambra's sentence may differ. Both pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court adjourned sentencing to the following Wednesday. The operation involved a white Nissan van and a blue BMW; Gardaí seized a full petrol container, a pistol with a silencer, and a revolver with serial numbers removed. Both men exercised their right to silence during questioning. The case is pending sentencing.
Joseph Magee, a former INLA member, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing 55 pairs of stolen "Maui Jim" sunglasses found at his Clongriffin home on April 2, 2015. Magee pleaded guilty to the charge, which he admitted, claiming he found the items in a park and intended to give them away or sell them for a small amount. Gardaí alleged he was holding the goods for a third party, though he was not charged with the underlying theft. The court heard that Magee was convicted of murder in 2004 for the 1992 killing of Sergeant Michael Newman in Derby, England, and was released under the Good Friday Agreement after serving two years. Defence counsel Dean Kelly argued that Magee's previous convictions, including earlier firearm offences, should be viewed in the context of the peace process, requesting a non-custodial disposal to allow him to retain his social housing. Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged that Magee's convictions "speak for themselves" but noted they were committed in a specific context. She determined that imprisonment would cause him to lose his home, hindering his reform efforts. Consequently, the judge imposed a two-year suspended sentence, accepting that Magee was not the final beneficiary of the stolen property.
A book of evidence has been served on Eamon McNamee, a 34-year-old man from Larkfield Square, Lucan, County Dublin, who is charged with possession of a firearm with the intent to commit an indictable offence, namely assault causing harm. The alleged incident occurred at Fairgreen, Saggart, Co Dublin, on January 19th, 2013. State Solicitor Liam Mulholland informed the non-jury court that the prosecution was in a position to serve the book of evidence on the accused. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Mr McNamee on continuing bail until April 24th, when the case will be listed for mention. The matter remains at the trial stage, with the charges alleged or contested, and no plea, finding, sentence, or finalisation has been recorded. The court did not conclude the case but adjourned it for a future mention date.