Special Criminal Court refuses bail for man accused of conspiring to steal cars with garda killer Aaron Brady
The Special Criminal Court has refused bail for a man accused of conspiring to steal cars with garda killer Aaron Brady due to concerns he might evade justice by leaving the country.
Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said there was a concern James Flynn (43) could be a 'flight risk' if he were allowed to take up bail.
She said Mr Flynn was a citizen of the
United Kingdom
and the
United States
and had started businesses in both locations.
The judge said there was evidence he had the financial means to evade justice, given he had offered a cash lodgement and independent sureties totalling more than £1 million when he was arrested in the UK to be extradited to Ireland in 2021.
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The court did not accept submissions from Bernard Condon SC, for Mr Flynn, that his client had substantial ties that bound him to the Republic of Ireland.
Ms Justice O'Connor, presiding at the three-judge non-jury court, said her concerns were not allayed by conditions proposed by Mr Condon, including that Mr Flynn undertake to live with his mother-in-law in Monaghan rather than return to Northern Ireland.
The court refused to grant bail.
Ms Justice O'Connor listed the matter for trial on February 9th next year.
Mr Flynn, with an address in Ravensglen, Newry, Co Down, was originally charged with conspiracy to steal cars at locations in the northeast. He was further charged with participation in the robbery of the Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25th, 2013, in which Brady shot and killed Det Gda Adrian Donohoe.
The Special Criminal Court acquitted Mr Flynn of the robbery charge, but amended the conspiracy indictment to find him guilty of conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat from a property in Clogherhead, Co Louth, in January 2013. The same Passat was used as the getaway car in the Lordship robbery.
Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal quashed Mr Flynn's conviction and ordered a retrial. That court found the Special Criminal Court's decision to amend the indictment without consulting the prosecution or defence legal teams breached Mr Flynn's right to constitutional natural justice.
Mr Flynn, who is married with two children, has spent three years and nine months in custody since his arrest in the UK and subsequent extradition to Ireland.
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Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'This will all be over soon', crime bosses told men before 2.5 tonne cocaine seizure, court hears
'No need for luck... just relax and this will all be over soon," was a message sent from a suspected crime boss to the men now charged with the State's largest cocaine haul, in the hours before the ship in which they were sailing was stormed. The MV Matthew, owned by a Dubai-based company, was raided at gunpoint by Ireland's elite army ranger wing in September 2023, off the Cork coast. The transnational organised crime group which manned the operation showed "immense" capability, with significant resources and global reach, Detective Superintendent Keith Halley told a sentencing hearing for eight men charged in connection with the seizure at the Special Criminal Court. A cell structure within the group was also evident, so if one cell was compromised, the damage to the organised crime group would be limited, he said. One of these cells was in Dubai Det Spt Halley said, adding that the investigation is "very much ongoing" regarding the cell structure in the criminal organisation. There was also "a major Iranian nexus in this operation," he told the Special Criminal Court. Eight men were charged after 2.25 tonnes of cocaine was seized from the Panamanian registered MV Matthew, a 190-metre-long, 32-metre-wide bulk cargo ship. Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, aged 32, Vitaliy Vlasoi, aged 32, and Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62; Iranians Soheil Jelveh, aged 51, and Saeid Hassani, aged 39; Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, aged 50, Filipino Harold Estoesta, aged 31, and UK national Jamie Harbron, aged 31, have pleaded guilty to some charges and are being sentenced in the Special Criminal Court this week. Defence barrister Brendan Grehan SC said it appeared that those controlling the operation were directing it from thousands of miles away in Dubai. Those people acted like "a coach giving a pep talk" telling the people on board to keep going, no matter what, Mr Grehan said. And in terms of criminal enterprises, the owners tended to be at the top of the pyramid, usually a number of places removed from the people carrying out the operations, Mr Grehan said. He is representing Cumali Ozgen, who despite being of the lowest rank on the ship had the most important cabin, and was the only person other than the captain to have unlimited access to wifi. The court heard that his main task seemed to be communicating with Dubai. Mr Ozgen's son had suffered a serious brain injury and he was trying to provide care for him, Mr Grehan said. The Captain, Soheil Jelveh, an Iranian, was in fear for his life and the lives of his family, he told gardaí. The group who commissioned the job on the MV Matthew had helped him bring his family to Dubai and knew where they were, he said. He said he was lured to Dubai by the promise of a better education for his son and a better life for his family. His wife has terminal cancer, his barrister, Michael Bowman, SC, told the court. He had largely retired from being a captain to focus on coaching soccer, through which he met the contacts in Dubai, he said. He had been promised help establishing a football foundation and a new life for his family in the Emirate state. But now, after his arrest, he feared his family would be killed in Dubai. He said in interviews: I don't know if they're alive or not. If I tell you they will kill my family. "They will kill me outside." He had been captain of the MV Matthew in name but followed orders like everyone else, Mr Bowman said. And these very clear orders were being given offshore, by one person in Dubai at least, he said. Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk and Vitaliy Vlasoi had fled the war in Odessa and were living in Romania when they were lured to work aboard the MV Matthew, the court heard. They said they were told that the cargo loaded onto the boat was spare parts, but when Mr Gavryk said he became suspicious that this was not the case, he was told he would be paid more money if he "kept his mouth shut." All crew aboard the MV Matthew told gardaí following their arrest that they had flown to Dubai for interviews before travelling on to Curacao to board the vessel. The operation which intercepted the drug operation involved a joint taskforce between gardaí, Revenue, and the defence forces. Communications on encrypted messaging apps Signal and Whatsapp revealed the conversations between the crew on board the MV Matthew as the weather worsened and Irish authorities closed in. Photos of giant white bags being lifted by crane on the boat were shown in the Special Criminal Court at the accused's' sentencing hearing today. Flanked by interpreters, the men looked tense as they waited for the thre- judge Special Criminal Court of Judge Melanie Grealy, Judge Sarah Berkeley, and Judge Grainne Malone, to decide their fate. Military personnel onboard the MV Matthew after a joint sting operation led to the largest cocaine haul in the State. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Det Supt Halley was Senior Investigating Officer for the case and was a detective inspector with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau at the time. He was also involved with MAOC-N, the multi jurisdiction organisation which monitors maritime traffic to dismantle drug trafficking networks. Prior to the boat being intercepted, authorities had been tracking its course. MAOC-N provided intelligence reports containing suspicions about the MV Matthew while gardaí were also corroborating that intelligence with their own reports that the MV Matthew may be involved in drug trafficking, Det Supt Halley said. Authorities tracked how the actual course and the stated course of the MV Matthew had diverged, since it left the waters off Venezuela, through technology called the AIS – Automatic Identification System. While the MV Matthew was tracking across the Atlantic towards Ireland, Gardaí monitored people in this jurisdiction. Gardaí had monitored Mr Lapa and Mr Harbron in Ireland in the weeks before the smuggling operation, travelling to Castletownbere to buy the fishing trawler the Castlemore and sailing it up the coast. This boat was to be the 'daughter' ship to the MV Matthew's 'mother ship' and was arranging to collect the cocaine consignment from the larger vessel off the Irish coast before it ran aground off Wexford, scuppering the operation, the court has heard. Gardaí also monitored these men communicating with other persons of interest in Ireland, including someone from Dubai, gathering CCTV of communications in petrol stations, at a McDonald's and hotels. Two people Mr Lapa and Mr Harbron were communicating with are still subject to garda investigation. A reason the Castlemore fishing trawler was chosen for the operation was because a Starlink satellite internet service was installed which would allow online communications between people on the boat and off the boat through messaging apps Signal and Whatsapp. The contents of these messaging apps would prove central to the State's case. Messages at the beginning showed the operation appearing to go well. But as the weather worsened, communications between the group became increasingly tense and frayed, with the MV Matthew captain, Soheil Jelveh, threatening to leave. An individual named 'Padre' in messages who was directing operations from off the boat instructed the crew to 'slow down mate' and wait for the 'ETA of big boat'. Messages spoke about 'lowering the food' onto the boat. Positions were shared and multiple attempts were made for the 'mother ship' and 'daughter ship' to meet. 'There will be four jumbo bags, it will be a lot but just go like fuck mate to truck away,' one message from Padre said. Another message said the 'parcel' would comprise of "six big jumbo bags tied together […] total weight 2.2T.' Sentence hearings for the eight men will continue tomorrow. Read More Men behind largest seizure of cocaine in Irish history to be sentenced in June
Dublin Live
a day ago
- Dublin Live
Spanish cops launch manhunt for hit team that murdered Kinahan allies in Costa del Sol
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Spanish cops have launched a manhunt for a hit team that murdered two Scottish allies of mob boss Daniel Kinahan outside an Irish pub on the Costa del Sol. And underworld sources last night said Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - shot dead on Saturday night - were key members of the gang that worked with Kinahan, 47, on a massive cocaine shipment that was seized by the Army Ranger Wing off the south coast almost two years ago. They claimed the gang for which the men worked teamed up with the Kinahan cartel to organise the huge, 2.5-tonne shipment of cocaine - worth up to €450 million on the streets - seized by the ARW on the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023. Eight men have pleaded guilty over the MV Matthew plot - and are due to be sentenced at the non jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin later this week. Sources say gardai are satisfied the killing of the two Scottish criminals outside a bar in Fuengirola was not connected to the MV Matthew haul - or the Kinahan cartel itself. Instead, they are believed to have been targeted as part of an ongoing feud between Scottish gangs. Underworld sources claim crime kingpins Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were shot dead after watching the Champions League final at Monaghan's Pub in Fuengirola. According to local reports, a masked gunman jumped out of a vehicle at 11.30pm, fired several rounds at the entrance of the bar, striking one of the men in the chest and the other in the chest and abdomen. The gunman then fled in the same vehicle which was driven by an accomplice - leaving tourists and expats in the bar terrified. Sources say the shootings are linked to Scotland's ongoing gangland war which has seen attacks on homes and properties linked to Glasgow's Daniel crime clan. Monaghan, who fled Scotland in 2017, is listed as the proprietor of the bar in an online business directory. Spanish authorities confirmed the two men killed were Scottish. Harrowing images from the scene show a man lying lifeless on his back in shorts and a T-shirt, next to a chalkboard on a terrace outside the Irish bar. In other disturbing images, police and paramedics can be seen surrounding the body of one of the victims, thought to be the same man, after he was covered under a blanket as shocked locals and holidaymakers looked on. The police set up roadblocks after the shooting to try to catch those responsible. A spokesman for the Spanish National Police in Malaga said: "Around midnight an incident with firearms occurred in Fuengirola, specifically at an entertainment venue along the seafront. "Two males died as a result from gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made so far." Monaghan was previously cleared of the murder of notorious Glasgow hood Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll, who was shot dead in a gangland assassination in the Asda Robroyston carpark in 2010. He was tried for the killing, but was acquitted in May 2012. He was also cleared of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two guns used in the shooting and torching the getaway car. In August 2017, Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were both cleared of being involved in a brutal street attack on three men outside the Campsie bar in Bishopbriggs. The brutal ambush left one of the victim's ears hanging off. However, the case collapsed after prosecutors withdrew the charges against them following two days of evidence. Monaghan had also survived a previous murder attempt. In 2017 he was shot by a gunman disguised as a pram pushing dad outside St George's Primary School in Glasgow. Eddie Lyons jnr was a key figure in his family's crime clan with his brother Steven Lyons now living in Dubai - where he is said to be close to Daniel Kinahan, who is holed up there with hisfarther Christy, 67, and brother Christopher, 44. "Steve Lyons is very close with Daniel," a source said last night. "They worked together on the (MV Matthew) and after it was busted, Steve fled Britain to Dubai. "He linked up with Daniel over there. They are close." The shock Costa Del Sol killings come amidst a violent gang war that has been raging in Scotland since March. The feud first erupted following a fallout between rival gangsters after a €600k stash of cocaine was reportedly swiped from under the nose of Dubai-based Mr Big, Ross McGill. The drugs were reportedly taken by caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson's foot soldiers sparking a series of violent attacks on homes and businesses. McGill has waged war on Richardson and his associates, including the Daniel crime clan in Glasgow. Mr Big's enforcers, a faceless and frightening group going by the name of Tamo Junto (TMJ), have carried out a series of fire bombings and other vicious attacks on homes, businesses and cars associated with Richardson and the Daniel clan. Last week it emerged that McGill had agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai. However gangland enforcers Tamo Junto (TMJ) quickly quashed any talk of peace as they vowed to continue to carry out the turf war. A video released by the TMJ crime gang on Friday last week stated that anyone linked to the Daniel Clan or Mark Richardson remains a target for their group. They said: "TMJ will continue to target anyone associated with the Daniel family or Mark Richardson. There will never be a truce between TMJ and the Gremlins. "We have terrorised you since March and will continue to do so." The Lyons crime gang was said to have pulled out of the feud over concerns about the police crack down. The clan were allegedly feeding McGill information about their rivals, the Daniel family, but boss Steven Lyons, 44, made the call to concentrate on his own interests. A source said he issued the order over fears his enforcers could be arrested and jailed and his family would lose their grip on power in the north of Glasgow. Meanwhile, witnesses relived their horror after being caught up in the shooting of the two Scottish gangsters outside the Irish bar in Fuengirola. A local living near the scene told local paper Malaga Hoy: "I thought they were going to me kill me too. "I thought I was hearing fireworks at first but then saw the noise was coming from someone firing a gun." A Chinese expat who owns a shop next to the bar said: "It was about 11.30pm when I heard a noise coming from next door. "I looked out and saw a man pointing at something and shooting." Saying he saw other customers run for their lives as the attack occurred and a family walking by took refuge in his shop, he added: "I didn't look at the gunman's face or whether he left on a motorbike or in a car, I just remember I saw the weapon. "I was in shock, I didn't how to react." Workers at a nearby beach bar and restaurant also told how how families with children took refuge inside after the shooting started. One said: "I didn't see anything because we focused on crouching down and staying safe, but it was a very frightening experience. Obviously all the customers we had left as soon as it was safe to do so." There are now fears that the Lyons gang will seek bloody retribution for the double slaying - either in Spain or Scotland. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Manhunt underway for hit team that murdered Kinahan allies in Costa del Sol
Spanish cops have launched a manhunt for a hit team that murdered two Scottish allies of mob boss Daniel Kinahan outside an Irish pub on the Costa del Sol. And underworld sources last night said Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - shot dead on Saturday night - were key members of the gang that worked with Kinahan, 47, on a massive cocaine shipment that was seized by the Army Ranger Wing off the south coast almost two years ago. They claimed the gang for which the men worked teamed up with the Kinahan cartel to organise the huge, 2.5-tonne shipment of cocaine - worth up to €450 million on the streets - seized by the ARW on the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023. Eight men have pleaded guilty over the MV Matthew plot - and are due to be sentenced at the non jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin later this week. Sources say gardai are satisfied the killing of the two Scottish criminals outside a bar in Fuengirola was not connected to the MV Matthew haul - or the Kinahan cartel itself. Instead, they are believed to have been targeted as part of an ongoing feud between Scottish gangs. Underworld sources claim crime kingpins Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were shot dead after watching the Champions League final at Monaghan's Pub in Fuengirola. According to local reports, a masked gunman jumped out of a vehicle at 11.30pm, fired several rounds at the entrance of the bar, striking one of the men in the chest and the other in the chest and abdomen. The gunman then fled in the same vehicle which was driven by an accomplice - leaving tourists and expats in the bar terrified. Sources say the shootings are linked to Scotland's ongoing gangland war which has seen attacks on homes and properties linked to Glasgow's Daniel crime clan. Monaghan, who fled Scotland in 2017, is listed as the proprietor of the bar in an online business directory. Spanish authorities confirmed the two men killed were Scottish. Harrowing images from the scene show a man lying lifeless on his back in shorts and a T-shirt, next to a chalkboard on a terrace outside the Irish bar. In other disturbing images, police and paramedics can be seen surrounding the body of one of the victims, thought to be the same man, after he was covered under a blanket as shocked locals and holidaymakers looked on. The police set up roadblocks after the shooting to try to catch those responsible. A spokesman for the Spanish National Police in Malaga said: 'Around midnight an incident with firearms occurred in Fuengirola, specifically at an entertainment venue along the seafront. 'Two males died as a result from gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made so far.' Monaghan was previously cleared of the murder of notorious Glasgow hood Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll, who was shot dead in a gangland assassination in the Asda Robroyston carpark in 2010. He was tried for the killing, but was acquitted in May 2012. He was also cleared of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two guns used in the shooting and torching the getaway car. In August 2017, Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr were both cleared of being involved in a brutal street attack on three men outside the Campsie bar in Bishopbriggs. The brutal ambush left one of the victim's ears hanging off. However, the case collapsed after prosecutors withdrew the charges against them following two days of evidence. Monaghan had also survived a previous murder attempt. In 2017 he was shot by a gunman disguised as a pram pushing dad outside St George's Primary School in Glasgow. Eddie Lyons jnr was a key figure in his family's crime clan with his brother Steven Lyons now living in Dubai - where he is said to be close to Daniel Kinahan, who is holed up there with hisfarther Christy, 67, and brother Christopher, 44. 'Steve Lyons is very close with Daniel,' a source told The Mirror?Star last night. 'They worked together on the (MV Matthew) and after it was busted, Steve fled Britain to Dubai. 'He linked up with Daniel over there. They are close.' The shock Costa Del Sol killings come amidst a violent gang war that has been raging in Scotland since March. The feud first erupted following a fallout between rival gangsters after a €600k stash of cocaine was reportedly swiped from under the nose of Dubai-based Mr Big, Ross McGill. The drugs were reportedly taken by caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson's foot soldiers sparking a series of violent attacks on homes and businesses. McGill has waged war on Richardson and his associates, including the Daniel crime clan in Glasgow. Mr Big's enforcers, a faceless and frightening group going by the name of Tamo Junto (TMJ), have carried out a series of fire bombings and other vicious attacks on homes, businesses and cars associated with Richardson and the Daniel clan. Last week it emerged that McGill had agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai. However gangland enforcers Tamo Junto (TMJ) quickly quashed any talk of peace as they vowed to continue to carry out the turf war. A video released by the TMJ crime gang on Friday last week stated that anyone linked to the Daniel Clan or Mark Richardson remains a target for their group. They said: 'TMJ will continue to target anyone associated with the Daniel family or Mark Richardson. There will never be a truce between TMJ and the Gremlins. 'We have terrorised you since March and will continue to do so.' The Lyons crime gang was said to have pulled out of the feud over concerns about the police crack down. The clan were allegedly feeding McGill information about their rivals, the Daniel family, but boss Steven Lyons, 44, made the call to concentrate on his own interests. A source said he issued the order over fears his enforcers could be arrested and jailed and his family would lose their grip on power in the north of Glasgow. Meanwhile, witnesses relived their horror after being caught up in the shooting of the two Scottish gangsters outside the Irish bar in Fuengirola. A local living near the scene told local paper Malaga Hoy: 'I thought they were going to me kill me too. 'I thought I was hearing fireworks at first but then saw the noise was coming from someone firing a gun.' A Chinese expat who owns a shop next to the bar said: 'It was about 11.30pm when I heard a noise coming from next door. 'I looked out and saw a man pointing at something and shooting.' Saying he saw other customers run for their lives as the attack occurred and a family walking by took refuge in his shop, he added: 'I didn't look at the gunman's face or whether he left on a motorbike or in a car, I just remember I saw the weapon. 'I was in shock, I didn't how to react.' Workers at a nearby beach bar and restaurant also told how how families with children took refuge inside after the shooting started. One said: 'I didn't see anything because we focused on crouching down and staying safe, but it was a very frightening experience. 'Obviously all the customers we had left as soon as it was safe to do so.' There are now fears that the Lyons gang will seek bloody retribution for the double slaying - either in Spain or Scotland.
