Sean McGovern charged with murder and gangland offences after Dubai extradition
Sean McGovern made no reply when he was formally charged with murder and four gangland offences in a Dublin court on Thursday night.
Mr McGovern, 39, spoke only once to confirm his identity during a 15-minute hearing at the non-jury Special Criminal Court.
'Yes,' he replied when he was asked if he was Sean McGovern.
Wearing a grey T-shirt, grey sweatpants, white socks and black sliders, Mr McGovern stood as the charges were read out to him.
He then sat back down in the dock without comment after the charges were put to him.
He is charged with the murder of Christoper, aka Noel, Kirwan at St Ronan's Drive in Clondalkin in west Dublin on December 22, 2016.
Mr Kirwan, 62, was shot dead in the driveway of his home. He was targeted by the Kinahan cartel after he was spotted with Gerry 'the Monk' Hutch at the funeral of his brother Eddie Hutch in Dublin in February 2016.
Mr McGovern, who appears to have shaved his head, is also charged with four gangland offences.
It is alleged that between October 20, 2016 and December 22, 2016, he directed the activities of the criminal gang that murdered Mr Kirwan. It is also alleged that between the same dates he facilitated the crime gang's murder of Mr Kirwan.
He faces a further two charges in relation to a murder attempt on James 'Maggo' Gately, 36, a leading figure in the Hutch organised crime gang.
It is alleged that between October 17, 2015 and April 6, 2017, he directed a criminal organisation in relation to the monitoring of the activity of Mr Gately.
It is further alleged that between the same dates, he facilitated a conspiracy to murder Mr Gately.
Earlier, Detective Sergeant Donal O'Daly of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau told the three judges - Karen O'Connor, Elma Sheahan and Grainne Malone – that he arrested Mr McGovern at 6.38pm at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, south Dublin, the HQ of the Air Corps.
Mr McGovern had moments earlier landed there in an Air Corps Casa C295 plane that brought him from Dubai on Wednesday evening.
McGovern, alleged to be the right-hand man of mob boss Daniel Kinahan, 48, had been in custody in the desert city since October last year. His extradition followed a request by Irish authorities.
Detective Sergeant O'Daly said he charged McGovern with all five offences in the precincts of Criminal Courts of Justice complex, where the Special Criminal Court is based, at 7.27pm.
He also said he handed Mr McGovern a true copy of the charges and that he read over the charges to him in ordinary language.
McGovern had arrived at the CCJ at 7.11pm – under tight Garda security. He entered the court at 7.40pm, 13 minutes after he was charged.
The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the case be heard at the Special Criminal Court, which has no jury.
Defence barrister Olan Callanan BL told the court that he was reserving his position on the lawfulness of the arrest of Mr McGovern and the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court.
There was no bail application.
Mr Callanan requested that the case be remanded to June 5, via video link from Portlaoise Prison. McGovern was then remanded in custody to Portlaoise Prison to June 5.
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