(Pictured: Mr Sean Guerin SC. Photo: Collins)

Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney was subjected to an “ordeal of callous brutality and gratuitous violence” designed to terrify and intimidate him and to leave him with injuries he would never forget, a barrister has told the Special Criminal Court.

Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, began his closing speech to the three-judge, non-jury court this morning.

He said the evidence heard over eight weeks had shown “intricate and detailed connections” between the four accused and Cyril McGuinness, now deceased and alleged by the prosecution to have organised the offences against ….read more

(Pictured: Deirdre Brady. Photo: Collins)

Senior Kinahan Cartel lieutenant Declan Brady has been jailed for laundering cash from a criminal organisation while his wife and former “mistress” have received fully suspended sentences at the Special Criminal Court.

The trio appeared in court this morning, with Declan Brady in the dock as he is already serving a sentence for firearms offences. His wife Deirdre Brady hugged family members after receiving a three-year suspended sentence for her role in laundering €770,499.

Erika Lukacs (37) also received a fully suspended three-year sentence for laundering €196,864.

The court previously heard that Brady and his wife laundered crime cash ….read more

(Pictured: Lisa O’Hara. Photo: Collins)

A mother-of-one has been given a suspended sentence for multiple counts of laundering more than €100,000 that was the proceeds of crime.

The Special Criminal Court found that she did not know where the money came from but was reckless in not asking questions of her then partner and father of her child. She told gardai she thought that he went out to work, as she did.

Lisa O’Hara (32) and her former partner James Walsh (37), both of Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin, in Dublin had pleaded guilty to multiple counts of handling or possessing cash while knowing, believing ….read more

(Pictured: Ms Lisa Smith. Photo: Collins)

The Special Criminal Court has asked lawyers to tell the court “where we’re at” in preparations for the trial of former Irish Defence Forces member Lisa Smith, who is charged with membership of the Islamic State terrorist group and with financing terrorism.

The case was mentioned today at the three-judge, non-jury court but lawyers indicated they had no update for the court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, said, “we want to know where we’re at” and put the case in for mention again in November.

Ms Smith (39), from Dundalk, Co Louth is due to go on ….read more

New charges will be brought in October against two men who are currently charged with attempting to murder a man who has since died, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Robert Redmond (32), of Woodview Close, Donaghmede, Dublin 13, and Bernard Fogarty (33), with an address at Cromcastle Court, Kilmore, Coolock, Dublin 5, are both charged with the attempted murder of Barry Wolverson at Madigans Yard, Kileek Lane, Swords, Co Dublin, on January 17, 2020.

Mr Wolverson died on February 21 following a lengthy period in hospital.

Anne Marie Lawlor SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), today asked the court ….read more

A man who booked flights for an international hitman hired in a Kinahan cartel plot to murder a rival Hutch gang member has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for five years.

Dubliner David Duffy is the latest man to be sentenced for his involvement in a bid by the cartel to murder James ‘Mago’ Gately and was today jailed by the three-judge court for supplying logistical support.

In April, Duffy (33) of Greenfort Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to having knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation and participating in or contributing to activities connected with the ….read more

A father-of-four who told gardai that €1,200 in cash had come from up his “Swiss roll” has pleaded guilty to laundering €3,415 and to possession of cocaine, cannabis and a high-end watch at a south Dublin hotel.

Graham Whelan (38), with an address at Walkinstown Avenue, Walkinstown, Dublin 12 was arraigned at the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court this morning.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering contrary to section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act on January 31, 2019 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

The first count related to a sum of €1,275 in cash ….read more

A man has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing or handling more than €100,000 following an ATM theft two years ago.

Niall Finnegan (39) of Cherry Grove, Cullyhanna, Co Armagh was arraigned at the three-judge, non-jury court this morning.

He pleaded guilty to one count of committing a serious offence to wit possession of stolen cash for the benefit of, or at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organisation at The Yard, Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath on 20 August, 2019.

Fiona Murphy SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt ….read more

(File Picture: Dessie O’Hare. Photo: Collins)

Former INLA terrorist Dessie O’Hare, who was known as “The Border Fox”, has withdrawn his appeal against the severity of his sentence for falsely imprisoning a family.

His barrister had suggested that he was being sentenced for the sins of the past, rather than the present. He was referring to a kidnapping O’Hare carried out in the 1980s, for which he was sentenced to 40 years before being released early under The Good Friday Agreement.

The Court of Appeal today warned him of its powers, which include increasing as well as decreasing sentences. Court President Justice George ….read more

Lifelong criminal Trevor Byrne will serve consecutive jail sentences totalling 17.5 years for firearms offences and for the armed robbery of a bookmakers, after which he hijacked a woman’s car at gunpoint and threatened to kill her.

Byrne, who has 44 previous convictions, had left his phone at the scene of the robbery and was convicted earlier this year by the Special Criminal Court of five charges arising from the armed robbery of Boylesports in Applewood Village in Swords, Co Dublin, on March 19, 2010.

The defendant (41) of Cappagh Road, Finglas West in Dublin had pleaded not guilty to the robbery, ….read more