EncroChat takedown: gardaí pursue high-level targets after French probe data handed over
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Irish Post
32 minutes ago
- Irish Post
New hopes in identifying Sophie Toscan du Plantier's killer
GARDAÍ investigating the 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier are awaiting new forensic analysis that could, for the first time, point definitively to her killer. The Garda Serious Crime Review Team has been working with Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) and US-based specialists M Vac Systems to re-test key exhibits from the near 30-year-old case. The M-Vac process, first developed in the early 1990s to detect bacteria, has since been adapted for use in criminal investigations. It sprays a sterile solution onto a surface while simultaneously vacuuming it back up, dislodging and collecting DNA material that may be trapped in rough or porous textures — surfaces where standard swabbing often fails. This summer, the technique was applied to items central to the murder scene, including a rock and a concrete block believed to have been used in the killing, as well as Ms Toscan du Plantier's clothing and footwear. Investigators hope that any viable DNA will allow comparisons with samples taken from suspects and other persons of interest during the original inquiry. Ms Toscan du Plantier, 39, was found dead outside her holiday home near Schull, Co Cork, on 23 December 1996. She had been beaten to death. Ian Bailey, an English journalist living locally, was twice arrested but never charged, and consistently denied involvement in the crimes. He died last year. A 2001 review by the Director of Public Prosecutions found no forensic evidence linking Bailey to the crime scene. The Irish Times reports that the gardaí say that all the exhibits have remained in Ireland during the review, despite reports suggesting they had been sent abroad for testing. They have declined to comment on whether the M-Vac process has produced a complete DNA profile, saying it is too early to draw conclusions, according to The Irish Times. The technology has been credited with solving long-unsolved murders in the United States, including cases from the 1970s and 1990s, where DNA was successfully recovered from items such as rocks and fabrics decades after the crimes. Death in West Cork ON DECEMBER 20, 1996, Sophie Toscan du Plantier embarked on a solo trip to her holiday home near Schull in West Cork. Three days later her beaten body was found outside her holiday. After several weeks of investigations without tangible results or leads, and despite no forensic or reliable witness evidence, Manchester-born Ian Bailey, a former journalist, came under suspicion. Bailey, who died in January 2204 of a suspected heart attack, always expressed his innocence, denying any knowledge of the crime. He never stood trial in Ireland. The Director of Public Prosecutions (in Ireland) ruled that insufficient evidence exists to convict. But a French court found him guilty of murder and in his absence — he refused to leave Ireland — sentenced him to 25 years in prison. What is the M-Vac system? THE M-Vac system is a specialist DNA collection tool developed in the early 1990s to detect bacterial contamination in the food industry. It has since been adapted for forensic use, particularly in cases where evidence may be embedded in rough or porous surfaces. The device works by spraying a sterile solution onto the surface while simultaneously vacuuming it back up. This action creates turbulence — loosening microscopic traces of biological material such as skin cells, blood, or saliva — which are then captured in the fluid. The collected solution is filtered and concentrated for DNA analysis. Because it can draw material from deep within textured surfaces, the M-Vac has been used successfully in historic and complex investigations where traditional swabbing techniques produced little or no result. Cases in the United States have seen the technology recover DNA from rocks, fabrics, and other difficult materials decades after crimes were committed. See More: Ian Bailey, Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, West Cork
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Four men injured following violent altercation in Co Clare
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses following a violent altercation in Co Clare that left four men injured. The incident occurred on Main Street in Miltown Malbay at about 7pm on Sunday evening, when a confrontation between two groups of men descended into violence. Emergency services attended the scene and four men were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Two of the men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were taken to University Hospital Limerick for further treatment. READ MORE The scene was preserved for technical examination and gardaí are attempting to establish how the fight started and who inflicted the injuries. 'Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward,' the Garda said in a statement. 'Anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident, including road users with video/dashcam footage from the area at this time, is asked to make contact with investigating gardaí. Gardaí can be contacted at Ennis Garda station on (065) 684 8100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Irish Post
7 hours ago
- Irish Post
New crime figures show a steep rise in arson and fraud in Ireland
FRAUD offences have risen in the first half of the year, with new Garda figures showing a 73% increase compared to last year. The major rise, detailed in provisional crime statistics released by An Garda Síochána, shows a complex picture of criminal activity across Ireland. The sharpest rise among fraud categories was in forgery and the use of false instruments, which rose by 200%. Other major increases included deception-related offences, which are up nearly 180%. Online shopping fraud rose 166%, and money laundering increased by 82%. Lesser but still notable increases included bogus tradesmen scams, up 57%; accommodation fraud, 22%, and account takeover fraud, 18%. Despite the general rise in certain areas of crime, some categories did see dips. Phishing incidents fell by more than a quarter, while reports of counterfeit currency dropped by 88%. Insurance fraud also saw a marked 45% reduction. Surprisingly, arson rates have surged, and it now ranks as the second-fastest-growing crime in Ireland, increasing by 20% compared to the first six months of 2024. However, other criminal damage incidents fell by 14%, suggesting that the rise in arson may reflect more targeted or deliberate actions rather than a broader pattern of property-related crime. Sexual offences continue on an upward trend, with a 4% increase in rape reports and a 7% rise in non-aggravated sexual assault cases. Gardaí reported a 16% decline in child sexual abuse material and related offences, though they acknowledged that overall reports of sexual offences had risen nationally compared to 2024. Meanwhile, Gardaí are intensifying their efforts to dismantle high-level burglary gangs that are believed to be responsible for a significant portion of break-ins across the country. Detective Chief Superintendent Séamus Boland of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) revealed that half a dozen gangs, mainly from Dublin and Kildare, are under active investigation. 'These are not your average opportunistic burglars,' Boland said. 'They are professional, organised, and undeterred by alarms, CCTV or even dogs. They will target high-security homes without hesitation.' He explained that when such gangs are intercepted, local burglary rates often plummet for months. Under Operation Thor , the national initiative targeting burglary networks, residential burglaries have dropped by 13% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with an average of 14 break-ins per day across Ireland. Intelligence-sharing with police in Britain and Ireland has become crucial, as some criminal groups relocate abroad when pressure intensifies in Ireland. Beyond fraud and burglary, road traffic collisions were down 2%, with over 22,000 incidents reported by the end of June. However, driving while intoxicated rose by 8%, reflecting ongoing concerns around road safety enforcement. Between January and June 2025, Gardaí made over 27,000 arrests and filed more than 67,000 criminal charges. Certain crimes such as burglary and insurance fraud are falling due to targeted operations and preventive measures, but the explosion in financial and cyber fraud presents a new and complicated threat to Ireland and its people. See More: An Garda Síochána, Arson, Crime, Fraud, Police
