Latest news with #EnnisDistrictCourt
The Journal
21-05-2025
- The Journal
Woman charged over Shannon Airport protest refused travel to UK for Arts Council-funded trip
A JUDGE TODAY refused to relax bail conditions to allow a woman charged with the criminal damage of a US aircraft at Shannon airport to travel to the UK for an Arts Council-funded work trip. At Ennis District Court today, Judge Alec Gabbett said that Galway woman, Nell Buckley (29), 'is charged with serious offences' and refused an application to have Ms Buckley's passport returned to allow her travel to Great Yarmouth over three days at the end of this month. Judge Gabbett said that the incident at Shannon airport received wide publicity in the papers and on social media. He said that the great concern to the court is the serious issue about airport safety 'and there could potentially be an international incident'. Ms Buckley of Ard Omra, Ballyburke, Ballymoneen Rd, Galway who has a Masters qualification, is one of three women charged with the criminal damage of the Omni Air International aircraft at Shannon airfield on 17 May. It will be alleged that part of the front of the aircraft was spray painted with red paint. Ms Buckley is also charged with entering a restricted area beside the control tower at Shannon airport with intent to unlawfully interfere with property on the same date. All three first appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court at 9pm on Sunday night and Ms Buckley's co-accused were bailed to re-appear before court on 9 July on strict bail conditions. Ms Buckley also obtained bail and as part of Ms Buckley's own bail conditions, she is barred from entering any aerodrome and must return her passport. Advertisement In court today, solicitor for Ms Buckley, Daragh Hassett asked that Ms Buckley's bail be amended to allow her to travel to the UK for three days for Arts Council-funded work. Hassett said that the flight tickets were booked for Ms Buckley 'by someone in the Arts Council'. He also said that at the initial bail hearing on Sunday it was flagged that a pre-booked work trip that had been arranged for her. 'She has a job. She works in the arts,' the solicitor said. Det Garda Roddy Burke said that the concerns he outlined at the bail hearing on Ms Buckley entering an airport remain. He said: 'There is a possibility there will be further charges in this case.' Mr Hassett said that the charges Ms Buckley faces are 'serious' and she intends to contest those charges when the case comes for trial. Ms Buckley said that has lived overseas for periods and did her Masters in Holland and returned from there in 2020. Mr Hassett said that Ms Buckley's mother has an independent surety of €500 in court to allow her daughter make the journey. Mr Buckley agreed with Mr Hassett that she was travelling to the UK for work and not under the guise of a protester and would be travelling alone. Mr Hassett said that Ms Buckley's flight tickets are to fly out of Dublin on Ryanair. Judge Gabbett refused the application and remanded Ms Buckley on continuing bail to re-appear in court on July 9th. Judge Gabbett later told Mr Hassett that he was not open to an application to allow Ms Buckley travel by ferry to the UK this month.
Irish Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former Ryanair pilot refused bail on €10 million drugs charge
A former Ryanair pilot, charged with possession of more than €10 million worth of drugs, has international criminal connections, gardaí have alleged in court. Brendan O'Meara, 62, of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was refused bail before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday. 'He [Brendan O'Meara] has international criminal connections regarding the supply of controlled drugs,' Garda Sergeant Rob Sheehy, Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, alleged before Judge Marie Keane during a contested bail hearing. Mr O'Meara faces two charges - possessing cannabis for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis, on May 7. Gardaí told the court Mr O'Meara made no reply to the charges, and that 'further, and more serious charges' may be brought against him in respect of the case. The accused did not enter a plea in court. Gardaí alleged that Mr O'Meara had made certain 'admissions' while in custody following his arrest last Wednesday. Mr O'Meara, who was hugged and kissed in the court by his wife, and two female relatives, recently handed in his notice to Ryanair, it was heard. He had been intending to move to the United States to care for his brother who suffers with Parkinson's disease. Sergeant Sheehy said he considered Mr O'Meara a 'flight risk' — and that, if granted bail, the accused would 'attempt to leave the country' and not appear for trial. Gardaí seized pallets of cannabis with a street value of more than €10million euro at Mr O'Meara's home, last Wednesday, May 7. Outlining the alleged facts, Sgt Sheehy said gardaí received 'confidential information' in respect of a pallet delivery at Mr O'Meara's home address. Sergeant Sheehy said gardaí then obtained a search warrant at Ennis District Court, and that, later searching the accused's address, they seized 'an estimated 502kg of cannabis worth in excess of €10 million'. Mr O'Meara was arrested at his home and conveyed to Henry Street Garda Station where he was detained under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act. Sergeant Sheehy said he was objecting to bail because of the 'strength and nature of the evidence' as well as the high value of the drugs. He alleged that gardaí had obtained evidence to support their case, including 'CCTV footage' of Mr O'Meara at a 'courier depot' on May 6, a day before gardaí allege the cannabis haul was delivered to his home; as well as phone records showing alleged 'conversations in respect of the supply of drugs through Europe'. Sergeant Sheehy alleged Mr O'Meara had been 'caught red-handed on his property'. He told the court that the Garda investigation was in its 'infancy', but he said gardai believed that 'it stretches to a number of countries and there are a number of persons that need to be established'. 'We believe granting [Mr O'Meara] bail would hinder the progress of our investigation,' Sergeant Sheehy told the court. He claimed Mr O'Meara was also a flight risk due to his 'aeronautical knowledge', that he has a number of pilots licenses, and has links to the USA. 'He has a Green Card and he is in the process of moving his life to the USA, Columbus Ohio, and he has handed in his notice to his job,' Sgt Sheehy said. Applying for bail, Mr O'Meara's solicitor, Tara Godfrey, said the accused had 'three pilots licences including a helicopter licence, a UK pilot licence, and a EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) licence', and he would 'hand over' his licences to the State and not leave the country. 'His Ryanair crew card is being returned to his former employers,' Ms Godfrey said. The solicitor said Mr O'Meara had obtained a Green Card to live and work in the US, and that he was planning on 'going to America to his brother who has Parkinson's'. Ms Godfrey said Mr O'Meara was also in receipt of an 'Italian residency card' and he would also 'hand over' this, along with his US Green Card, to the State. Ms Godfrey said a sister of Mr O'Meara was in the court and had pledged to act as an independent bail surety for the accused for up to €177,000. Appealing for the court not to hold the accused in custody, Ms Godfrey said Mr O'Meara 'has offered up all the means he could to leave this country'. 'He has significant ties here, his wife is in court, his wife's sister is in court, his sister is in court, and his [other] sister passed away six weeks ago. 'He enjoys the presumption of innocence and I would ask the court not to remand him in custody,' Ms Godfrey concluded. Judge Keane agreed that Mr O'Meara 'maintains his presumption of innocence'. The judge said she was satisfied that gardaí had 'a credible case' in respect of their concerns about the accused being a 'flight risk'. In refusing bail, the judge said she had also considered that the accused 'has ties to another jurisdiction'. Judge Keane described the amount of drugs seized as 'enormous'. 'The seriousness of the alleged offence override's everything else. There is also the nature and strength of the evidence and his [alleged] admissions while in custody,' said Judge Keane. She remanded Mr O'Meara in custody to appear before Ennis District Court via video-link, for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, on May 14.
Sunday World
10-05-2025
- Sunday World
Ex-Ryanair pilot appears in court charged over €10m drugs seizure
The court heard Mr O'Meara, who was hugged and kissed in the court by his wife, and two relatives, recently handed in his notice to Ryanair. A former Ryanair pilot, charged today with possession in excess of €10million euro worth of drugs, has international criminal connections, Gardaí alleged in court. Brendan O'Meara, (62), of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was refused bail before a special sitting of Ennis District Court today, Saturday. The court heard Mr O'Meara, who was hugged and kissed in the court by his wife, and two relatives, recently handed in his notice to Ryanair. He had been intending on moving himself and his family to the United States to care for his brother who suffers with Parkinson's disease, it was heard. However, after hearing Garda objections to bail, Judge Marie Keane remanded Mr O'Meara in custody to Limerick Prison. Gardaí alleged during the bail hearing that it was their belief that Mr O'Meara was a 'flight risk', that if granted bail he would 'attempt to leave' Ireland and fail to appear in court for trial. Gardaí seized two large pallets of cannabis with a street value of more than €10million euro, at Mr O'Meara's home, last Wednesday, May 7th. Mr O'Meara was charged with one count of possessing cannabis for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and with one count of possessing cannabis, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Keane said the amount of drugs involved was 'enormous' and that Mr O'Meara was facing a lengthy sentence if convicted on the indictment. Gardaí told the court the maximum penalty for conviction on the indictment was life in prison. However, Judge Keane said Mr O'Meara was entitled to the 'presumption of innocence'. The judge remanded Mr O'Meara to appear before Ennis District Court again next Wednesday, May 14th.
Irish Examiner
10-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Former Ryanair pilot remanded over €10m cannabis seizure in Clare
A former Ryanair pilot, charged today with possession of over €10m worth of cannabis, has international criminal connections, gardaí alleged in court. Brendan O'Meara, 62, of An Tulach, Summerhill, Meelick, Co Clare, was refused bail before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday. The court heard Mr O'Meara, who was hugged and kissed in the court by his wife and two relatives, recently handed in his notice to Ryanair. He had been intending to move himself and his family to the United States to care for his brother, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, it was heard. However, after hearing Garda objections to bail, Judge Marie Keane remanded Mr O'Meara in custody. Gardaí alleged during the bail hearing that it was their belief that Mr O'Meara was a 'flight risk', and that if granted bail he would 'attempt to leave' Ireland and fail to appear in court for trial. Gardaí seized two large pallets of cannabis with a street value of more than €10m at Mr O'Meara's home on Wednesday, May 7. Mr O'Meara was charged with one count of possessing cannabis for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and with one count of possessing cannabis, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The judge remanded Mr O'Meara to appear before Ennis District Court again next Wednesday, May 14.
BreakingNews.ie
24-04-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Teen tried to board flight to US using passport of friend 'he looked a bit like', court hears
A "naive" Cork teenager tried to get through border controls at Shannon Airport to board a US-bound flight using a friend's passport who "he looked a bit like', a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett imposed 80 hours community service in lieu of four months in prison on Aaron O'Brien (19), of Innishannon Road, Fair Hill, Cork. Advertisement This was after O'Brien pleaded guilty to having in his possession an Irish passport in the name of Jordan White, which he knew to be a false instrument on November 5th at Shannon Airport with the intention to inducing another person to believe that it was genuine, contrary to Section 29 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The judge said O'Brien was not a candidate for custody "notwithstanding the seriousness of the offence." Solicitor for O'Brien, John Casey, told the court that the incident was not like "the Hutches or the Kinahans going in and out of Iraq and Iran". Mr Casey said O'Brien 'did not have a hope in hell' in getting past US border controls at Shannon with his friend's passport. Advertisement Judge Gabbett said O'Brien was fortunate that there is a US border control at Shannon Airport and was not allowed to get on the departing flight as he could have faced a few nights in custody at JFK or Logan airport if the US border controls were based on the other side. Mr Casey explained that O'Brien's wife was on holidays with her family in the US and was pregnant and fell sick. Mr Casey said that O'Brien got a short-term visa to go to America and he went to Dublin Airport and when he got there for whatever reason, as he has no previous convictions, he was told that he was not travelling. Mr Casey said O'Brien went back to Cork and got his friend's passport, then travelled to Shannon Airport where he was stopped by staff. Advertisement Gardaí got involved when O'Brien tried to get through US border controls, Mr Casey told the court. On his friend's passport, Mr Casey said O'Brien "looked a bit like him alright". Mr Casey said O'Brien never thought it out and he just wanted to be with his wife – she is heavily pregnant now and did get back home. Ireland Irish passport named the strongest in the world in... Read More Mr Casey said it would have been O'Brien's first trip to the US. Judge Gabbett said O'Brien was obviously naive in trying this "as anyone who has been through US immigration knows that your face is scanned, your hand is scanned and fingerprints are taken". "I get why he did it because of his wife falling ill and his own passport not going to work," the judge said. Judge Gabbett said he had to convict O'Brien of the offence as the Irish passport is sacrosanct and allows travel to 120 countries without a visa.
