Dublin teens accused of ‘savage' machine gun raid freed due to overcrowding
One of the boys – released on Saturday night – failed to attend his next court hearing today, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest
Lack of space at the State's main youth detention centre resulted in two Dublin teenagers accused of being armed with a machine gun during a burglary being freed at the weekend, it has emerged.
One of the boys – released on Saturday night – failed to attend his next court hearing today, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The 17-year-old boys and two men had been refused bail on Saturday after a judge heard a 60-year-old man was "savagely" beaten in front of his terrified family when machine gun-armed intruders forced entry into their home in Shankill, Co Dublin, on June 11.
All four were charged with aggravated burglary and unlawful possession of a Czechoslovakian-made 9mm Skorpian machine pistol.
Following their District Court appearance on Saturday, it transpired that the Oberstown Detention Campus in Dublin had no room to take the two youths despite the judge's decision.
Gardai held them until their lawyers launched habeas corpus, a legal mechanism to challenge unlawful detention, in the High Court on Saturday night. That led to a temporary "workaround" order releasing the pair on bail and subject to "house arrest" until their appearance today at the Children's Court.
The boys, from north Dublin, cannot be named because they are minors.
Today, Judge Brendan Toale ordered gardai to arrest the one who did not turn up.
Noting there were still no remand beds available in the detention centre, he had to grant the co-accused teenager bail pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions·
Judge Brendan Toale highlighted how the lack of room in the detention facility had become a constant problem for the courts.
"This whole situation arises where the lack of place in Oberstown is an ongoing difficulty; it has been going on certainly for the last six months at a high level when, more often than not, there are no beds available, and where there was a refusal of bail," he stated before he was forced to send the boy home.
The teenager, who has yet to enter a plea, was accompanied to court by relatives and ordered to obey a 10 pm – 6 am curfew at his home, stay contactable by phone, remain out of the Shankill area, not contact witnesses, surrender his passport within 48 hours and not apply for alternative travel documents.
He will appear again in four weeks.
Skorpion gun. Stock photo: Getty
News in 90 seconds - 16th June 2025
Adult co-defendants Sean Doran, 26, of Earl Street South and widower Gregory Dunne, 60, from Oliver Bond Flats, both in Dublin 8, were remanded in prison custody on Saturday and are back in court later this week.
Dublin District Court heard on Saturday that the Garda ballistics section stated the gun was "capable of full automatic firing", and the burglary and gun charges can carry possible life sentences.
Mr Doran has an additional charge of assault causing harm to the 60-year-old homeowner, who suffered lacerations from blows to his face and head.
In bail objections, evidence stated that he, his wife, aged 63, and their 35-year-old son were in "grave fear" they would not remain in the house and had since moved to a hotel,
At the bail hearings, garda witnesses stated the four acted in joint enterprise. It was alleged that the two masked teens in puffer jackets travelled to the house on an e-bike while Mr Doran came in a 2007-reg Honda Accord car driven by Mr Dunne.
The teenager who showed up to court yesterday/today was said to have had a black face cover and approached the house. It was claimed that he removed the gun from the front of his trousers and "pointed" it at the family through the window.
The proceedings were informed that the boys allegedly "forced" their way in the front door while Mr Doran came through a rear entrance before the homeowner was "savagely" beaten.
Detective Garda Michael Murphy claimed Mr Doran delivered punches and kicks to the man's head and face, and there were bloodstains on the accused's footwear.
Detective Garda Darragh Phelan said the second teenager used boxer shorts as a balaclava and left with the gun on an e-bike.
A civilian witness was said to have observed him discarding it before he allegedly drove onto the M50, where he crashed between Junction 12 and 13 and was arrested.
That teenager failed to turn up for his hearing today.
The bail hearings were also informed that gardai responded to a call from the couple's son, who was in a state of distress, saying, "A number of males were attacking his parents' home, and one had a gun; the male pointed the gun and directed it them".
Gardai testified that a commotion could be heard over the phone line.
The car was stopped close nearby and armed support officers arrived and arrested three of the defendants.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
3 hours ago
- Sunday World
Ex-garda detective who harassed woman avoids jail for a second time
Eamon Moran harassed a woman by sending her unwanted texts and calls on dates between 2021 and 2023. A retired detective garda who was facing jail time after he contacted a woman despite his conviction for harassing her has had his eight-month custodial sentence suspended on appeal. The District Court Appeals Court heard that Eamon Moran (51) has suffered ill health ever since he was attacked on a 2012 deportation flight and was recently in intensive care. Moran, with an address in Perrystown, Dublin 12, harassed a woman by sending her unwanted texts and calls on dates between 2021 and 2023. He originally pleaded guilty before the District Court and was convicted of harassment under section 10.1 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, amended by the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020. He was sentenced to eight months in custody, which was fully suspended for two years on the condition that Moran would make no contact with the injured party and her family, would continue his medical rehabilitation and would stay one kilometre away from the injured party's home. His jail sentence was reactivated by Judge David McHugh at Blanchardstown District Court in October 2024 after the court heard Moran had contacted the woman by email and phone after his conviction. The victim reported the breaches to gardaí, saying that his actions caused her some anxiety and stress. The court heard that Moran had sent an email and then called the victim on two different days in September 2024, which went unanswered. It was found that Moran had breached the conditions of his suspended sentence and he did not contest this in the District Court. Counsel for the appellant, Niamh Ní Aonghusa BL, told the District Court Appeals Court that Moran 'misinterpreted this non-relationship' and is "very much apologetic" to the victim. She said he has no intention whatsoever to contact the victim again. Ms Ní Aonghusa said that Moran's health has been in decline since an incident in 2012 in which he was on a flight that was deporting people in his duty as a garda when he was attacked by a man with a razor blade. She presented several letters from medical professionals which said that Moran suffered a stroke, had a hole in his heart and had a liver condition. Former garda sergeant Eamon Moran speaking to Sunday World reporter Alan Sherry News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd She said that he was recently in intensive care in St James's Hospital and that the muscles in his legs have depreciated. Judge Sinéad McMullan said that this is 'obviously a very serious matter' and that no one should have to deal with harassment. She said there was a clear court order that Moran 'clearly breached', but she also took into account that he was recently very unhealthy. Judge McMullan decided to fully suspend the sentence of eight months for a period of two years on the condition that Moran in no way attempt to contact the injured party ever again, stay one kilometre away from her house, continue to receive medical attention and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘Drugs ruined my life' – Man tells court he bought heroin in bulk to avoid having to steal to feed his habit
"Drugs ruined my life," the defendant, Norman Purfield (45), told Tallaght District Court. Purfield, of The Grange, Dún Laoghaire, had initially faced a charge of possession of heroin for sale or supply. However, Judge Patricia McNamara dismissed the charge at Tallaght District Court after ruling it had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt. Purfield had pleaded guilty instead to simple possession under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The court heard that on May 1, 2022, Mr Purfield was the front-seat passenger in a car stopped by Garda Jack Lynch on Old Bawn Road, Tallaght. The court heard that both occupants appeared nervous and two small bags of suspected heroin were seen being discarded beside the vehicle. Purfield initially refused to accompany gardaí and was arrested under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act before being brought to Tallaght Garda Station. He was found with 6.8 grams of heroin, worth an estimated €952. When questioned, he told gardaí the drugs were for personal use and said he had been using heavily at the time. 'I bought it in bigger packets,' he told the court. 'The only way I could sustain the habit without going out stealing was to buy in bulk - it's cheaper if you can do that.' He claimed he had paid just €300 for the heroin, despite its estimated street value of almost €1,000, and said the money came from his social welfare payments. Purfield added: 'Drugs ruined my life. I'm fighting every day. I'm on 20mls of methadone now and hoping to come off it. I could go cold turkey if I got the chance to go to treatment.' ADVERTISEMENT Defence solicitor Eddie O'Connor said his client had a long-standing heroin addiction but was now trying to turn his life around. Judge McNamara noted that while gardaí recovered a significant quantity of heroin, there were no weighing scales, no drug paraphernalia, and no observations of Mr Purfield supplying drugs. Gardaí had also said the defendant had been fully co-operative and now accepted that the drugs were likely for personal use. 'That's still quite a lot,' the judge remarked, before convicting him of simple possession. 'But I accept your explanation and your willingness to engage with treatment.' She imposed a three-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, on condition that Purfield attend a drug treatment programme in Deonach, Tallaght. The court heard that Purfield has 42 previous convictions, including three for drug-related offences. 'You'll have to sign the bond and stay out of trouble,' Judge McNamara warned. 'If you don't attend, the gardaí can bring you back in and the sentence will be imposed.' Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
Sunday World
10 hours ago
- Sunday World
One of Ireland's most notorious rapists is back on the streets after prison release
John Connors served eight months for failure to provide gardai with address John Connors broke into a woman's house in 2006 and raped her while her son was in an adjacent room. Connors was freed from prison for that offence in 2019 — but he was jailed for 10 months in November of last year after the court heard he'd been residing at an address in Bray, Co. Wicklow but hadn't notified gardai. He appeared before Bray District Court on November 7 where the sentence was imposed after he was convicted of failing to notify gardai of an address he was staying at for a qualifying period, between September 14th And October 10th, as required under the terms of the Sex Offenders Act. John Connors News in 90 Seconds - June 21st Connors, originally from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, was released from the Midlands Prison on Thursday morning. 42-year-old Connors and his former pal Patrick Moorehouse (38) served 14-year jail sentences for the horrific rape of the young woman in 2006. The two Wexford men forced their way into her house on August 31 that year and raped her while her young child was in an adjacent room. Read more At their trial in December 2008, their victim recounted how the two men forced their way into her home. They had called at her door asking if she wanted to buy a camcorder. Her young child was in the living room when she was pushed into a bedroom and Moorehouse punched her. She was pushed on to the bed and a piece of rope that was on the floor was wrapped around her neck. Connors held the rope while Moorehouse raped her and then the men swapped places. The court heard the mother dared not make much noise as she was conscious of her child in the living room, who was unaware of what was happening. The two rapists dressed and left after threatening her not to tell anybody what had happened. Both Connors and Moorehouse both later denied the rapes in court. They were both unanimously convicted of rape by a jury in the Central Criminal Court in 2008. After he was released from custody for that offence in 2019, Connors continued to offend. In April 2023, Connors was jailed for 10 months at Wexford Circuit Court over a spree of thefts he committed the previous June. On June 29, 2022, Connors broke into a building at Ballydawmore, Tinnacross, Enniscorthy, Wexford for the purposes of theft. That same day, or the following day, at Ballybeg Great, Screen, Co Wexford, Connors stole an Ifor Williams Trailer valued at €5,000. And, on June 30, 2022, at Drumgoold Villas, Enniscorthy, he handled a stolen yellow strimmer knowing that the property was stolen or was reckless as to whether it was stolen. On July 6 2023, at Gorey District Court, he had an additional five months added to his 10 month sentence when he was convicted of stealing an MCM single axle trailer to the value of €1,750 at Coonogue Ballymurphy Carlow on June 24, 2022. It's understood that following his release from prison on Thursday, Connors returned to his native Wexford.
