Court orders extradition of child abuser Oliver O'Grady to serve prison sentence in Portugal
O'Grady (80) of Rostrevor Court, Mackin Street, Dublin 2 was arrested on 21 January 2025 on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by a court in Faro in Portugal.
The warrant states that O'Grady was tried on a charge of possession of 'pornography of minors', convicted and sentenced to one year in prison in his absence by a Portuguese court after he failed to attend his trial on 7 May 2024.
In opposing his surrender to Portugal, O'Grady complained that his fair trial rights were not adequately protected in the process that led to his conviction. He said that he had been unable to contact a lawyer appointed to defend him in Portugal.
He further complained that his surrender would be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms because of a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the Portuguese prison system.
To bolster his claim, he said he spent time in the Prisional de Setubal in Portugal in October 2019 after he was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant from Ireland.
He maintained that while incarcerated there he was not provided with medication, the facilities were unhygienic and, as a segregated prisoner on remand in respect of sexual offences, he was abused and had apples thrown at him.
However, Justice Patrick McGrath at the High Court in Dublin found O'Grady's evidence relating to the trial process to be 'disingenuous and self-serving'.
The judge found that O'Grady had tried to control the proceedings.
Portuguese authorities, through An Garda Siochána, notified O'Grady of his obligation to attend his trial and the consequences of failure to attend, the judge said.
There was no impediment to him travelling for his trial and, being a man familiar with the court system, he knew his inability to contact a lawyer did not excuse him from attendance, Justice McGrath said.
O'Grady revealed his true mindset in an email he sent to the Portuguese prosecutor on 11 April 2024, the judge said. In the email, O'Grady showed that he knew of the impending hearing date but suggested he might not attend unless he could be assured of being admitted to bail.
Advertisement
Justice McGrath said: 'This is not the mindset of a person who is unaware of a duty to attend at court and of the possible consequences of non-attendance, but rather shows a person who is trying to control the outcome of proceedings.'
Justice McGrath added that O'Grady was 'clearly trying to manipulate the system to try to secure a certain outcome'.
Had he attended his trial, as he was required to do, he would have been given proper legal assistance before entering a plea, the judge said. His failure to obtain effective legal assistance flows from his failure to attend, Justice McGrath added.
In relation to the risk of inhuman or degrading treatment, Justice McGrath said the conditions at the Carreguiera prison in which O'Grady will be housed in Portugal have not been criticised.
He said he is satisfied from assurances given by the Portuguese authorities that no such risk exists.
O'Grady has a long history of sexual offences against children.
Originally from Limerick, O'Grady emigrated to America after joining the priesthood. In 1993 he was convicted in California of lewd acts against children for repeatedly molesting two brothers. He was released after serving seven years in prison before being deported to Ireland in 2001.
His crimes in California were the subject of a 2006 documentary titled 'Deliver us From Evil', in which O'Grady gave an account of his offending.
In January 2012, he was jailed in Ireland for three years for possessing hundreds of thousands of images of child pornography.
The images were discovered after he left his computer on an Aer Lingus flight in February 2010 and a staff member who discovered the files on the device alerted gardaí. 280,000 images showing children in sexual poses and 1,000 video files of child abuse material, known in law as 'child pornography', were discovered on the device.
He moved to Amsterdam where he lived for several years before returning to Ireland. It was on this flight back to his home country that he left his laptop behind.
In 2020, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison at Waterford Circuit Court for possessing child pornography.
He had pleaded not guilty to one charge of possessing a video of an underage girl engaging in a sexual act on a date between December 2015 and March 2016 at St Otteran's Place, South Parade, Waterford city but was convicted by a jury.
A former housemate reported O'Grady to gardaí after discovering a sexually explicit video on the computer.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Sunday World
8 hours ago
- Sunday World
Gang boss's nephew named as ‘pivotal player' in crime gang was chief suspect in gun attack
Cab target Richard Treacy was undone by quantity surveyor's €315,713 estimate Richard Treacy is involved in the day-today running of the gang A nephew of Limerick crime boss Christy Keane, described as 'a pivotal player' in the notorious crime clan after pleading guilty to money laundering, was the chief suspect in a gun attack on hitman Nathan Killeen's brother. Richard Treacy admitted €100,000 from unknown sources had been spent on the house where he lives in Garryowen, Limerick. But a quantity surveyor who accompanied gardaí when a search warrant was executed at the house estimated the cost of the renovations was three times higher. The higher figure from the surveyor's report was referred to in High Court evidence last month in a case against his cousin Kieran Keane Jnr. Crime boss Christy Keane The Special Criminal Court heard this week that Treacy pleaded guilty on the basis that €100,000 had been spent on the house ,which was accepted by the State. Richard Treacy is a nephew of gang boss Christy Keane and a younger brother of Owen Treacy Snr. Owen Treacy Snr survived being abducted and stabbed multiple times by members of the Dundon-McCarthy gang in one of the most infamous incidents in Limerick's gangland feud. Kieran Keane Snr died in the same incident in 2003 for which five men were jailed for life. Richard Treacy is involved in the day-today running of the gang Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 27th Last month his first cousin Kieran Keane Jnr lost a case brought by the Criminal Assets Bureau to have properties and cash in Limerick declared the proceeds of crime. As part of that case there was evidence given to the High Court which gave an account of Richard Treacy's alleged criminal activity. An officer stated: 'He currently operates at the highest level within the Keane OCG and is a pivotal player in the day-to-day running of the criminal organisation.' The house in Garryowen 'He is very close with his cousin Kieran Keane and both are regularly observed in each other's company.' The same witness also stated how a surveyor carried out a detailed review of Treacy's home which included 'refurbishment, extension and redecoration.' The final estimate from the review carried out in 2021 came to €315,713. It was also stated that in the early stages of the feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang that 'Richard was an active participant. 'He was a target of an attack by Frank 'Fat Frankie' Ryan (deceased) and Christopher McCarthy in June 2006 where he was attacked with weapons. He fled uninjured.' It also mentioned the killing of Daren Coughlan in November 2005 for which Treacy along with his cousin Joe Keane and Shane Kelly were convicted of manslaughter. It was stated this was 'a feud related attacked' as the victim had been a relation of David 'Frog Eyes' Stanners. Stanners, who has since died in prison, was serving a life sentence for the murder of Kieran Keane Snr and the attempted murder of Owen Treacy, Richard's brother. His brother Daniel Treacy, who was not involved in organised crime, was shot dead in 2010 by John Coughlan, Darren's brother. Treacy was also stated as being 'the principal suspect in the shooting of Gavin Killeen at O'Malley Park, Southill Limerick on 20 July 2006'. Gavin Killeen was a brother of McCarthy-Dundon gunman Nathan Killeen who is currently serving a life sentence for his role in the murder of businessman Roy Collins. Their sister Ciara was in a long-term relationship with gang boss John Dundon. Also cited were two incidents of violent disorder in in 2006 and 2015 in which Treacy was involved when members of the rival factions clashed in public. During this week's Special Criminal Court hearing, counsel for Treacy objected to garda evidence at the hearing that his manslaughter conviction was 'feud-related'. Counsel said it was an attempt to 'colour' the minds of the three-judge panel and made an application they recuse themselves. The application was denied. The case has now been adjourned for sentencing on October 20.


The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Hutch gangster James ‘Mago' Gately lying low on ‘best behaviour' in Dublin after CAB Coolock home seizure & driving ban
HUTCH gangster James 'Mago' Gately is on his 'best behaviour' and lying low — after returning to his old haunt following the seizure of his home. The 38-year-old is back in 6 James Gately is back in Dublin's north inner city Credit: Padraig O'Reilly Freelance 6 Gately is currently banned from driving as he was convicted of Drug Driving in Donegal last year, so is seen zooming around on a bike Credit: Padraig O'Reilly Freelance 6 CAB took over his home in April Credit: cab The former top target for the Locals who have spotted him say he has been living out in the open as he appears to be enjoying life back where he grew up. Sources explained that he has not come on the radar of However, he and his associates are always kept under watch. One told us: 'Obviously James Gately is well known to gardai but he has been keeping a low profile. 'He has been on his best behaviour in public, and he has not come to the attention in the area. 'But clearly he is someone who has been associated with Gately recently found himself in hot water once more following the seizure of his They found that its stairs, kitchen, internal doors, architraves and other fittings were stripped. In an affidavit, Gately told the DAMAGE TO THE PROPERTY But Judge Alexander Owens said the home should now be sold as soon as possible. Once that is done, it should be assessed what the damage had caused to the value of the home and the judge would then make a decision on what should be done. However, his partner Charlene Lam — who the High Court had heard claims that Mago had split with her — will get €11,000 back for legitimate The couple were tackled by the bureau in a long running case, with Mr Justice Owens declaring that they had spent their 'exotic lifestyle' in airport terminals and on luxury cruises in trips funded by criminal He said that their house was 'overwhelmingly' the proceeds of crime, while they were also stripped of a 132 VW Globetrotting thug Gately first bought the house in 2013 for €125,000. It was then upgraded and renovated for a cost of up to €440,000 with a large two-story extension at the back — with the judge describing it as a 'very high standard' renovation. ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS In submissions to the High Court, CAB said that Gately is a leading member of the They said the gang was involved in armed robberies and the importation of Gately was the subject of two assassination attempts by mob boss CAB also submitted to the High Court he was involved in a number of armed robberies himself. It alleged that he was linked to a number of murders, including that of Aidan Byrne and Eamon 'The Don' Dunne in 2010 along with the killing of David Byrne at the Gately was never convicted of any of these offences. 6 Gately's partner Charlene Lamb will get €11,000 back for legitimate mortgage payments on the family home Credit: Padraig O'Reilly Freelance 6 The Criminal Assets Bureau also stripped them of a 132 VW Golf and a plush €4,400 Rolex watch 6 Gately was the subject of two assassination attempts by mob boss Daniel Kinahan's organisation


The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Sick moment Brit tourist is kicked in head ‘by gang trying to steal his phone' as cops arrest five 17-year-old boys
THIS is the sick moment a Brit tourist was kicked in the head by a gang of teenagers during a horror robbery in Portugal. The Brit, 18, was left bloodied and unconscious during the assault after the yobs allegedly tried to steal his phone and cash before fleeing the scene. Advertisement 4 The Brit, 18, was left bloodied and unconscious during the assault Credit: Solarpix 4 The victim was seen lying defenceless on the ground after being attacked Credit: Solarpix 4 One of the suspected attackers who filmed the clip; five of them have been arrested Credit: Solarpix Footage filmed by the violent attackers shows the victim lying defenceless on the ground after being attacked. Portuguese police revealed today that the 18-year-old Brit had been robbed and hospitalised. The group is said to have stolen the victim's phone, worth around €600 (£525) Cops said five of the attackers - all aged 17 - have been arrested. Advertisement read more world news Another four were identified by police . The violent crime occurred at the party resort of Albufeira. Two of the teenage suspects were filmed kicking their victim in the footage posted online. CCTV footage in the area where the assault took place is understood to have been key to the identification of those responsible. Advertisement Most read in The Sun The unnamed victim is now back in the UK. Confirming the arrests, a spokesman for the GNR police force said: "The Faro Territorial Command arrested five 17-year-old men for robbery in the municipality of Albufeira. Shocking moment Brit influencer HSTikkyTokky batters reveller as massive brawl erupts in Magaluf "Following an investigation into a robbery involving violent assaults on an 18-year-old man, which took place on 17 July in the town of Albufeira. "The military police carried out police investigations that enabled them to identify and locate the suspects. Advertisement 'During the police investigation , the GNR intercepted the five suspects and arrested them, also seizing five mobile phones. 'The detainees were due to appear on July 24 at the Portimao Judicial Court .' The teenagers , who live in Quarteira near Albufeira, are suspected of a number of other violent assaults on other young tourists. An active police investigation is ongoing. Advertisement Local reports said they filmed the attacks and posted the footage on social media to brag about what they had done. Albufeira has come under the spotlight in recent weeks following the deaths of two British tourists in quick succession . On June 4, tragic Scots tourist Greg Monks was found dead near Albufeira after going missing a week earlier in the resort. The 38-year-old plant mechanic from Glasgow is believed to have lost his life after jumping over a wall and falling down a steep hillside during a night out with his stag do friends. Advertisement Around four hours before Greg's body was found by police, another young The 21-year-old is said to have gone out drinking with pals and is thought to have become disoriented as he tried to get back to his hotel. News of his death only emerged three days after Greg was found dead. 4 Local reports said they filmed the attacks and posted the footage on social media to brag about what they had done Credit: Solarpix Advertisement