'Mr Flashy' Glen Ward handed 18-month suspended sentence for bicycle saddle melee
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The leader of the 'Gucci Gang' Glen Ward - who was jailed over the possession of an AR-15 rifle - has been given an 18 month suspended prison sentence for violent disorder and possessing a bicycle saddle during a melee in daylight against a gang of males.
Ward's brother Eric O'Driscoll (23) was given a 12 months suspended sentence for the same incident and given a six month sentence for reckless endangerment and dangerous driving on a motorbike in a separate incident. Glen - who has also been named in the High Court as 'Mr Flashy' - and his brother Eric, both of Deanstown Green, in Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and production of articles at Cardiffsbridge Road in Finglas on August 9, 2022.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard neither brothers were the instigators of the violent disorder incident which occurred when O'Driscoll was returning from nearby Dunnes Stores after shopping for his mother. A group of males exchanged words with O'Driscoll and they followed him to his house. Detective Garda Dwayne O'Brien said the incident of violent disorder occurred with 'two gangs against each other in daylight.' Gardai responded to a call that a large group of males had gathered at Cardiffsbridge Road but when gardai arrived the males were dispersing and no incident was taking place.
CCTV from nearby Dunnes Stores was gathered showing the violent disorder incident as well as CCTV footage from the home of Ward and O'Driscoll, which showed them returning to their house armed with the bicycle saddles afterwards. Sean Prendeville, defence counsel for Ward - who has been referred to as 'Mr Flashy' and the leader of the 'Gucci Gang' during a recent High Court case - said the prosecuting garda accepted the incident wasn't started by Ward or O'Driscoll. He said Ward, who has 22 previous convictions, 'apologises to the community and he is happy to stress that.'
'He is 32, the middle of six children and has a long term partner and a nine year old daughter. He worked as a mechanic and hopes to get back to that. He is in the gym daily in prison and is keeping his head down. On the day he behaved hastily,' said Mr Prendivelle. Keith Spencer, defence counsel for O'Driscoll, who has 9 previous convictions, said the 23-year old 'did not go out that day looking for trouble.'
'He was leaving Dunnes Stores and four males approached him and words were exchanged and they followed him to his house,' said Mr Spencer. 'His involvement was holding a bicycle saddle that was thrown at him and it goes back and forth between the group of males.
'He was minding his own business, shopping for his mother and he picked up the saddle that was thrown in his direction. He is not aware if it made contact with anyone,' said Mr Spencer.
O'Driscoll was also given a six month prison sentence for endangerment and dangerous driving on a separate occasion on November 17, 2022 when he drove a motorbike at high speeds, weaving in and out of traffic and mounting a footpath putting pedestrians in danger. The court heard that incident arose because he was 'very emotional' at the passing of his friend Patrick Caslin which Det Gda O'Brien said 'there was an unusual incident that led to Mr Caslin's death.'
Friends of Mr Caslin were gathered for a memorial that day and O'Driscoll was driving a black Honda motorbike which took gardai on a high speed chase through Finglas for around 15 minutes. The Garda Air Support Unit as well as the Armed Support Unit were also involved. The incident ended when O'Driscoll went into the rear of a house and jumped a garden wall and hid in a shed.
Gardai, assisted by the ASU, entered the garden and arrested O'Driscoll at gunpoint. Det Gda O'Brien agreed with defence counsel Mr Spencer that O'Driscoll was co-operative upon arrest. Mr Spencer said O'Driscoll, who lost his father at 16, also left school following his Junior Certificate and worked for a time in insulation.
'He was a good footballer who togged out for Finglas FC but didn't pursue it,' said Mr Spencer. He said O'Driscoll finds 'the prison environment difficult' and is now sharing a cell in Portlaoise prison with his brother Glen Ward.
'He apologises for his offending and wishes to pursue an apprenticeship as an electrician. He was very emotional on the day as he lost his close friend and accepts he was extremely reckless,' said Mr Spencer.
In sentencing the brothers to suspended sentences for the violent disorder incident, Judge Alva Duffy said 'It was a terrifying incident for anyone present.' And in sentencing O'Driscoll to six months in prison for endangerment and dangerous driving, Judge Duffy said 'It was a very serious incident and on the upper end of the scale,' and banned him from driving for ten years.
Both brothers were jailed in the Special Criminal Court last month for possession of a .223 calibre Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle which was fired from the back door of a Finglas home during a house party. They both pleaded guilty to that offence and Ward was sentenced to five and a half years while O'Driscoll was sentenced to five years.
During that sentencing hearing, Ms Justice Melanie Greally said the firearm Ward used was powerful and capable of causing serious injury or death. She noted that gardai found the weapon alongside a "sizable cache" of ammunition.
Video footage retrieved from a phone showed Ward, having already fired the gun, encouraging his younger brother Eric O'Driscoll to take and discharge the firearm, she added. Gardai discovered the rifle alongside a military submachine gun during a search of a house in Finglas in February 2022. Ward was named in the High Court as the leader of the Kinahan-affiliated 'Gucci Gang,' during the €1.7m CAB case against Kinahan Organised Crime Gang's top lieutenant Ross Browning in 2022.
Investigators established Ward's links to Browning as a 'known associate' as well as a number of other associates including Fat Freddie Thompson, who is serving life for the Hutch/Kinahan feud murder of Dathai Douglas. In an affidavit opened during the CAB case against Browning, a top detective gave details of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang describing it as a 'transnational organisation whose activities are not just murders, money laundering and controlled drugs but also involved in the importation of firearms into Ireland, the UK and Europe with a €1 billion worldwide network.'
Glen Ward was then named in an affidavit by another senior detective as 'an active member of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang who directs the 'Gucci Gang' from an address on Ratoath Road in Finglas. 'That gang got this name due to their penchant for designer clothes and jewellery,' the sworn affidavit stated. Details were given before the High Court of that property on Ratoath Road as 'having bullet proof windows, a fortified door and pit bulls in the front garden to protect against garda searches of the property.'
The property underwent a number of attacks, the affidavit continued, with Ward being seen in the company of certain individuals including Caolan Smyth, a gunman for the Kinahan organised crime group. Smyth, 33, from Donore, Co Meath is serving 20 years in prison for shooting rival Hutch gang member James 'Mago' Gately five times on May 10, 2017.
The sworn affidavit by the senior detective also stated that it is the detective's belief that Mr Ward 'is engaged in the distribution of controlled drugs' in Dublin and wider regions.
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