Brothers named in court as alleged leaders of Drogheda crime group
Two brothers have for the first time been named in court as the alleged leaders of one faction of the Drogheda feud.
Keith Boylan, aged 30 and of Moneymore in Drogheda, was named as the leader of the Boylan organised crime group.
His 26-year-old brother, Josh, was also named by a garda witness in court today as the group's second-in-command.
The Drogheda feud, which erupted in 2018, claimed the lives of four people, including that of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods.
Garda John Walsh of Drogheda Garda Station named both brothers during a sentence hearing for three women who have pleaded guilty to money laundering offences for the organised crime group.
Marlena Aleksandrowicz, 29, from Bridgefield in Northwood, Santry, Dublin; Jade Heeney, 27, from the Hill of Rath in Drogheda; and Annie Smith, 28, of The Alders, Avourwen in Drogheda have all pleaded guilty to money laundering charges.
Garda Walsh told Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court today that the Boylan organised crime group was involved in the large-scale importation of drugs for sale or sale.
He said the women had allowed their bank accounts or Revolut accounts or both to be used to facilitate payments to or from the organised crime group.
All of the offences took place between 2020 and 2021.
The court was told that each of the women had connections to the Boylans.
Ms Heeney was in a relationship with Keith Boylan for four years while Ms Smith is a former partner of Josh. Ms Aleksandrowicz was a friend of Keith's girlfriend.
In mitigation, each of the defence barristers said their clients had fully co-operated with the garda investigation and entered early guilty pleas.
Ronan O'Carroll BL for Ms Heeney told the court that Keith Boylan was "not someone you could say no to" and the relationship his client had with him was abusive and controlling.
The barristers said while their clients accepted responsibility for their actions, they had been placed under a certain amount of duress to allow their bank accounts be used to facilitate the proceeds of crime.
Judge Dara Hayes said these were very serious charges before the court and there was a strong possibility that each of the women could be spending time in prison.
However, the judge said he would need time to consider the matter as it was "finely balanced".
Judge Hayes then adjourned sentencing to 30 July.
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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Three women admit money laundering for Louth Organised Crime Group
Annie Julia Smith (28), Jade Heeney (27) and Marlena Aleksandrowicz (29) appeared before Dundalk Circuit Court and were remanded on continuing bail to July 30 for finalisation of the case with a warning from Judge Dara Hayes that there is 'a strong possibility of custodial sentences'. The defendants were described as at the lower scale of a money laundering enterprise for the Boylan Organised Crime Group. None of them profited from it. They had no previous convictions. Keith Boylan was named in court as the alleged head of the Boylan OCG and his brother Josh as the alleged second in command. Jade Heeney is the former partner of Keith Boylan, while Annie Julia Smith is the former partner of Josh Boylan. Gda John Walsh testified that Keith Boylan is 'identified as the head' of the crime group and Josh Boylan 'classed as second in command'. Ms Heeney, Castlemanor, Ballymakenny, Drogheda; Ms Smith, Candy Lodge, Stamullen Road, Gormanston and Marlena Aleksandrowicz, Bridgefield Northwood, Santry, Dublin 9 Cedar Place, Swords; each admitted one count of money laundering through their respective Revolut accounts which they allowed the gang to use. Gda Walsh gave evidence that the Boylan OCG was one of two factions in the 'so-called Drogheda Feud'. As part of an investigation into this gang's activities a large amount of bank and other accounts were probed and each of the three accused were identified as money laundering the proceeds on behalf of the OCG. Between July 10, 2020 and February 27, 2021, €16,348 went into Marlena Aleksandrowicz's Revolut account from associates of the OCG and €14,950 was withdrawn. She was a friend of Hannah O'Connor, Keith Boylan's partner, and did this as a favour to her. Following her arrest by arrangement on September 25, 2023, she told Gardaí that she was afraid to say 'no'. "Hannah asked me. I didn't know her boyfriend.' Gda Walsh agreed with defence counsel that Ms Aleksandrowicz was 'out of her depth'. Barrister Donough McDonough, instructed by solicitor James Allen, said that she accepted her actions were reckless. She regretted this which had a toll on her and was a constant source of worry. Born in Poland and an only child, the defendant grew up in Swords. References and a letter of apology were available. Ms Aleksandrowicz and her partner were looking forward to the birth of their child in October. Gda Walsh said that between December 20, 2020 and January 31, 2021, €13,033 was transferred by members of the OCG to Jade Heeney's Revolut account and €12,551.37 withdrawn. For approximately four years she had been the partner of Keith Boylan. The relationship had ended by the time of this offending. She had been given €1,000 to put into the account after being directed to download the app and to hand over the card to a person unknown to her. "I just did it. I wasn't thinking. I didn't see the transactions in or out. I shouldn't have given the card. I was told to,' she told investigators following her arrest on May 26, 2023. Barrister Ronan O'Carroll, instructed by solicitor James Allen, said that Ms Heeney was still suffering from the effects of the relationship which she ended. She was under pressure and duress to do this offending. A fully qualified hair stylist working in Dundalk, she too wrote a letter of apology and had references. The court heard that between June 17, 2020 and June 3, 2021, associates of the OCG put €8,967.50 into Annie Julia Smith's Revolut account and withdrew €5,080. She was the former partner of Josh Boylan between 2018 and December 2020. The relationship ended on bad terms. Ms Smith was arrested on September 6, 2023 by arrangement. Barrister Stephen Faulkner, instructed by solicitor Eleanor Kelly, said that she outlined in a letter her shame and embarrassment. Her offending couldn't be excused but she was afraid to refuse. Judge Hayes said that the three defendants were at the 'lowest rung' but it was to the benefit of a serious criminal organisation which required the assistance of people to launder their unlawful gains. There was a strong possibility of custodial sentences, the judge continued. He was not saying that will be the outcome. He would consider the submissions. It was a 'finely balanced case'. The matter was adjourned to July 30.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- RTÉ News
Brothers named in court as alleged leaders of Drogheda crime group
Two brothers have for the first time been named in court as the alleged leaders of one faction of the Drogheda feud. Keith Boylan, aged 30 and of Moneymore in Drogheda, was named as the leader of the Boylan organised crime group. His 26-year-old brother, Josh, was also named by a garda witness in court today as the group's second-in-command. The Drogheda feud, which erupted in 2018, claimed the lives of four people, including that of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. Garda John Walsh of Drogheda Garda Station named both brothers during a sentence hearing for three women who have pleaded guilty to money laundering offences for the organised crime group. Marlena Aleksandrowicz, 29, from Bridgefield in Northwood, Santry, Dublin; Jade Heeney, 27, from the Hill of Rath in Drogheda; and Annie Smith, 28, of The Alders, Avourwen in Drogheda have all pleaded guilty to money laundering charges. Garda Walsh told Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court today that the Boylan organised crime group was involved in the large-scale importation of drugs for sale or sale. He said the women had allowed their bank accounts or Revolut accounts or both to be used to facilitate payments to or from the organised crime group. All of the offences took place between 2020 and 2021. The court was told that each of the women had connections to the Boylans. Ms Heeney was in a relationship with Keith Boylan for four years while Ms Smith is a former partner of Josh. Ms Aleksandrowicz was a friend of Keith's girlfriend. In mitigation, each of the defence barristers said their clients had fully co-operated with the garda investigation and entered early guilty pleas. Ronan O'Carroll BL for Ms Heeney told the court that Keith Boylan was "not someone you could say no to" and the relationship his client had with him was abusive and controlling. The barristers said while their clients accepted responsibility for their actions, they had been placed under a certain amount of duress to allow their bank accounts be used to facilitate the proceeds of crime. Judge Dara Hayes said these were very serious charges before the court and there was a strong possibility that each of the women could be spending time in prison. However, the judge said he would need time to consider the matter as it was "finely balanced". Judge Hayes then adjourned sentencing to 30 July.
The Irish Sun
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- The Irish Sun
Inside ‘hedonistic' downfall of plumber whose £11m lottery jackpot cost him his life after blowing fortune in 3 years
LOTTERY winner Joshua Winslet was found dead in his home after his £11million prize caused his life to spiral out of control. The Australian plumber was just 22 years old when he landed the fortune in 2017, but he blew it all in just three years after he was crippled by addiction. 8 Josh Winslet spent the last £9 in his bank account to buy the winning lottery ticket Credit: Facebook 8 A plate of mysterious white powder was found in his fridge Credit: Courts SA His parents tried to help him manage the eyewatering sum of cash by stashing it in a trust fund, but tragically, that wasn't enough to save him. In 2022, he died at home from health complications caused by excessive drug use. His death was not reported by New Zealand or Australian press at the time. His tragic end came shortly after he was arrested and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for supplying drugs and possessing a firearm. read more on lottery winners A friend of Josh spoke of his death and told the MailOnline: "It was such a shock and absolutely devastating, but sadly a lot of us were so worried this is what it was coming to." Looking back at his lottery win, she said: "When I found out he won through the grapevine, I thought, 'Oh, wow, that's extraordinary.' "I was so happy for him. Out of everyone from our school, and after all the bullying he copped, he deserved it more than anyone," she added. Another said how he called her and her boyfriend to break the news of his Powerball winnings. Most read in The Sun She said that she initially thought he was joking, but after he sent her a screenshot of his Lotto app, she realised he was being serious. But how did the hardworking tradie's life take such a drastic turn? Lottery player 'illegally' banned from taking $83.5m win over loophole even though she played by the rules, lawyer says Josh was living on New Zealand's South Island at the time and had suffered severe bullying over his 'physical deformities' that were caused by Duane syndrome and Goldenhar syndrome. Duane syndrome stops the eye muscles from developing properly, which affects eye movement. Goldenhar syndrome causes abnormalities in the formation of the bones in the face and head. It can also cause spinal issues and benign cysts to form on the eye, as well as impacting internal organs. He'd had a string of surgeries as a child to treat the syndromes. Josh was also born with a singular horseshoe-shaped kidney and an irregular heartbeat, stopping him from playing contact sports. The torment inflicted on him by his peers was so severe that when he was in Year 10 he left school and studied at Adelaide University Senior College in South Australia. He studied for around six months before leaving to do a plumbing apprenticeship. When he was 20, he moved to New Zealand's South Island to look for work. Around this time, he used the last £9 ($19) in his bank account to buy a last-minute ticket for the Powerball draw and won £11million ($22milion). But the cash began to burn a hole in his pocket, and he soon started splashing it on a-class drugs. In 2020, cops raided the "party house" and found an unlicensed firearm Mauser handgun and ammunition hidden in his bathroom. A horde of illegal substances, including 28.3 grams of MDMA and 2.27g of cocaine, was also seized. Investigators received a tip-off the lottery winner was allegedly manufacturing drugs at the property. Josh, who was 27 at the time, pleaded guilty to supplying MDMA and possessing a firearm without a licence. He was sentenced to three years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 18 months. The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision. Shocking images released by South Australia's District Court showed the inside of his trashed New Port mansion at the time. Empty bottles of booze, bongs, bags of MDMA, cocaine and marijuana appeared to be littered around the bachelor pad. Nitrous oxide canisters, cigarettes and half-drunk glasses of wine were also seen strewn across a marble table. Another snap showed a large bowl filled with a mystery white powder inside his fridge, alongside a pack of Red Bull cans and beer boxes. Chaotic jumbles of rubbish and clothes were left dumped on the floor in an "appalling" state. Judge Heath Barklay said that Josh had "lost motivation" for life and had adopted a "hedonistic lifestyle". He said: "Because of the money that you had won, there was no motivation on your part to work or do anything other than enjoy yourself. "You had lots of money so you could afford to buy large amounts of drugs, which you would use yourself and supply to your so-called friends from time to time." 8 His house was littered with bongs, empty bottles of booze and MDMA Credit: Courts SA 8 A Mauser handgun and ammunition was hidden in his bathroom Credit: Courts SA 8 A horde of illegal substances, including 28.3 grams of MDMA and 2.27g of cocaine, was also seized Credit: Courts SA 8 He was just 22 years old when he won the huge cash prize in 2017 Credit: Courts SA 8 He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison Credit: Courts SA 8 Josh was horrendously bullied at school and left to do an apprenticeship Credit: Courts SA If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
