Latest news with #EuropeanArrestWarrant
Sunday World
10 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man who knocked out 14-year-old with hurley in street attack spared jail
Defendant assaulted one of the boys by striking him with a hurley on the head which knocked him out A chef who pleaded guilty to hitting a 14-year-old boy with a hurley and also assaulting his 16-year-old brother has been given a suspended 18 month jail sentence at Sligo Circuit Court Daniel Walsh, (31) of Mullauns, Ballina pleaded guilty to assaulted Adam and Josh Conroy causing them harm on June 7, 2021 at Main Street, Easkey. And he pleaded guilty to a charge of production of an article, namely a hurley, to intimidate or cause serious injury, while attacking Adam Conroy. The court heard the defendant had been the subject of a European Arrest Warrant after he had re-located to France in August 2021, a couple of months after the incident. Sergeant Kieran Whelan, led by Mr Leo Mulrooney, ,BL (Prosecuting) instructed by State Solicitor Ms Elisa McHugh told the court that Adam Conroy was 14 at the time of the assault and Josh was 16 and the defendant was 27. In a statement Adam Conroy said he and his family who were from Westmeath, were at a holiday home in Easkey on the date in question. He, his brother and a few other teenagers had ordered some takeaways at 4pm when one of the group waved to a passing car, thinking he knew them. The car stopped, and a passenger, who was not before the court walked towards the group and started pushing them and they told him they wanted no trouble. Walsh, who was the driver, also got out of the car and he and another man were holding hurleys and a woman was trying to stop them. Adam Conroy's statement added that Walsh came from behind him and hit him on the head with the hurley. The blow knocked him out and he was brought by ambulance to hospital. Josh Conroy stated that one of the men began throwing punches and one of them kicked him on the ground and gave him a 'smack' on the side of the head. The then 16-year-old said he could not be certain of who assaulted him. He was also brought to hospital. Daniel Walsh pictured outside Sligo Courthouse The court was told that one eyewitness said Josh Conroy's face was covered in blood and another eyewitness said Walsh had brought down the hurley on Adam Conroy's head like a sledge and he fell to the ground. In his own statement, Sergeant Whelan said Garda Orla Greevy spoke with members of the public who had witnessed the incident and got the number of the car which had a Dublin registration. Walsh was identified from CCTV footage obtained by Garda Sean Campbell, the court heard. A medical report on Adam Conroy showed he had a cut over his right ear, had headaches with cuts to his ear. The cuts had to be cleaned and injected with a local anaesthetic, the top of his ear was stitched, and he was prescribed antibiotics. Josh Conroy had nasal and lip swelling, a chipped tooth, nose blee, pain to his left elbow and right hand and swelling to his face. He was given pain relief, there was no fracture, but was given head injury advice. Walsh was arrested on June 28 2021 and confirmed he was the owner of the car and admitted he had taken part in the incident. He also confirmed that he had used the hurley but said: 'I poked the hurley at him, I didn't swing it.' The defendant then discarded the hurley because he panicked. He said he wanted to pay compensation to the Conroys. The defendant had previous convictions for having no insurance, making off without paying and obtaining goods by deception. He was arrested on October 31 last year as he had been in France and was extradited back to Ireland. Neither of the Conroys were in court but in a Victim Impact Statement Adam Conroy said he would never forget what had happened to him in Easkey and it 'was forever embedded in memory.' It was an attack that made him angry and frustrated and it happened when he was only 14. He had been in shock and in pain and he felt sick. And he had stopped playing hurling and it had affected him socially and it had a big effect on his well-being. In his Victim Impact Statement, Josh Conroy said it was an unprovoked attack, and he had recurring nightmare, was feeling anxious all the time and thought his brother had died. His confidence was low, and had been prescribed medication. Mr Des Dockery SC with Keith O'Grady BL, instructed by McGovern Walsh Soliciors said there had been no metal band on the hurley. The defendant co-operated fully with gardai and took responsibility for the assaults on both brothers even though there was some ambivalence about who gave Josh Conroy the smack. A passenger had punched Josh Conroy in the face but there were no charges. The defendant was sorry, and it was totally out of character. After the incident he had gone to work as a chef in County Monaghan and then to work in France and he wanted to compensate the brothers for his actions. Walsh, led by Mr Dockery agreed that he had carried out an appalling act of gratuitous violence on children half his age. 'It sickens me to the stomach.' he said. The other man, who had never been charged, 'had been a good friend at the time.' Asked for an explanation for his actions, he said: 'My life was spiralling out of control with alcohol and drug use.' He re-located to Monaghan. He had been working but he had separated from his partner of seven year and he turned to alcohol. The defendant had a daughter who was six years of age then and was now eleven. He went to Monaghan to work and later got a job in Nice as a chef and had learned the language. He was now in a new relationship with an Irish woman, and they were to be married shortly. They had two small children. The defendant told the court that while in France he went to AA as he had lost everything. 'I got help and I am now 29 months sober.' He said he was also supporting others in recovery as a sponsor. The defendant had got work as a chef in Blessington, County Wicklow and had a three bed-roomed house for him and his family. He had also been offered promotion to take over the restaurant and he intended to become an addiction counsellor. The defendant had been to the gym and had run a half marathon for charity as he wanted to give something back to charity. He had worked hard to gather €10,000 for each of the victims. One sum had come from an inheritance and the other was borrowed from the Credit Union. The defendant had been drug tested in Naas on June 30 and had come up negative for drugs and drink in urine samples. He was asking the court for a chance Mr Dockery asked the court to give credit for an early plea. It was an act of stupidity, impulsive and irrational and the defendant was not the primary instigator but crossed the road to get involved. The Probation report showed he had deep remorse and was at a medium risk of re-offending. The defendant had made a big gesture of compensation, but he knew it was not definitive. He had been deemed suitable for a community service order with certain conditions. If he was jailed, he would lose his home. Copies of references were handed into court. Daniel Walsh pictured outside Sligo Courthouse News in 90 Seconds - August 12th Mr Dockery asked the court to make the defendant's rehabilitation as a matter of importance and he wondered if an immediate custodial sentence would be of any benefit to society. Judge Ronan Munro noted the two brothers had done nothing wrong. It was a shocking incident and Josh Conroy's face was covered in blood. It was clear from their Victim Impact Statements that the incident had significant long term effects on both of them. It was an unprovoked attack on two children and the defendant went out of his way, and he had sent them to hospital. The custody threshold had been crossed the judge added. The defendant had an early guilty plea and had shown remorse and had offered €20,000 compensation but money does not help in getting him off. But it was a penal sum. The Judge imposed an 18 month sentence, suspended for five years on payment of €20,000. Walsh was ordered to comply with all requirements of the probation service, attend AA meetings, address anti-social behaviour and anger management and engage with the probation service.
Irish Independent
21-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Man accused of sexually assaulting three women at Louth hospital to stand trial in circuit court
The defendant appeared in custody at the district court on Monday having been the subject of a European Arrest Warrant. He is charged with sexually assaulting one woman on March 5, 2022 and with sexually assaulting two other females on the following day. A book of evidence was served on the accused who had the assistance of an interpreter. During an in camera hearing Judge Nicola Andrews gave the alibi warning and made a Section 56 disclosure order before remanding the man in custody to Dundalk Circuit Court on October 7. Legal aid was granted for a solicitor, barrister and senior counsel.
Sunday World
14-07-2025
- Sunday World
Former priest and serial child sex beast Oliver O'Grady is let out on bail
Oliver O'Grady faces extradition to a prison in Portugal O'Grady (80), who tried to dodge a photographer by hiding behind a lamppost outside the Courts of Criminal Justice, had arrived at court with his bags packed. He is due to serve a one-year sentence in Portugal for having 9,000 images and 29 videos of child sexual abuse. Ironically, he was extradited from Portugal to face the same type of charge in Ireland in 2019. His claim in the High Court this week that apples had been thrown at him while in prison there makes prison unsafe for him was thrown out. In the meantime, O'Grady, who has an address in Dublin city, remains on bail after his extradition was ordered by the High Court. History Last year, he was convicted in a Portuguese court and sentenced to what will be his fifth stint behind bars since being convicted in 1993 of repeatedly molesting two brothers in the United States. Our reporter confronts O'Grady in 2014 In November 2014, after being freed from a second spell in prison, O'Grady told the Sunday World that he was no longer a danger to children. 'Why would you want to talk to me?' he asked when approached near the property in Waterford city where he was living at the time. When told that it was because of his history of child abuse, he replied: 'That's a long time ago now.' O'Grady denied that he is still a danger to children, saying: 'No, not at all.' His answer to whether he was in contact with the probation services was: 'That would be the normal procedure, yes.' And asked if people had anything to fear from him he replied, 'No, they haven't. OK?' before walking off into a post office. Just a year later he was arrested again when a housemate tipped off Gardaí, who found a child sexual abuse video on his laptop. He was given a 22-month sentence in that case, for which he was brought back from Portugal in October 2019 under a European Arrest Warrant. O'Grady was previously found guilty of possessing 280,000 sexual images of children and 1,000 videos. They had been found on a laptop he left on an Aer Lingus flight from Amsterdam in January 2012. He also got nine months' prison in 2020 for failure to keep the rules of the sex offenders register by not notifying a change in his details to the authorities. Documentary In 1993, O'Grady was convicted in California of lewd acts against children for repeatedly molesting two brothers. He was released after serving seven years in prison before being deported to Ireland in 2001. His crimes in California were the subject of a 2006 documentary titled Deliver us From Evil, in which O'Grady gave an account of his offending. The High Court this week found O'Grady's evidence relating to the trial process to be 'disingenuous and self-serving'. The judge found that O'Grady, who claimed he had been denied the right to a fair trial in Portugal, had tried to control the proceedings. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath added that O'Grady was 'clearly trying to manipulate the system to try to secure a certain outcome'. Oliver O'Grady News in 90 Seconds - Monday July 14th
Extra.ie
09-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Paedophile ex-priest to be extradited to Portugal after court ruling
Former priest and prolific child abuser Oliver O'Grady will be extradited to serve a one-year prison sentence in Portugal, the High Court has ruled. O'Grady – who was featured in an Oscar-nominated documentary – will be jailed for having more than 9,000 images and 29 videos of child sexual abuse. The 80-year-old, of Rostrevor Court, Macken Street, Dublin 2, was arrested on January 21 on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by a court in Faro, Portugal. Former priest and prolific child abuser Oliver O'Grady will be extradited to serve a one-year prison sentence in Portugal, the High Court has ruled. Pic: Collins Courts The warrant states O'Grady was tried on a charge of possession of 'pornography of minors', convicted and sentenced to one year in prison in his absence by a Portuguese court after he failed to attend his trial on May 7 last year. In opposing his surrender to Portugal, O'Grady complained his fair trial rights were not adequately protected in the process that led to his conviction. He said he had been unable to contact a lawyer appointed to defend him in Portugal. He complained his surrender would be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms because of a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the Portuguese prison system. Judge Patrick McGrath at the High Court in Dublin found O'Grady's evidence to be 'disingenuous and self-serving' and said the former priest had tried to control proceedings. Pic: Getty Images He said he spent time in the Prisional de Setubal in Portugal in October 2019 after he was arrested on foot with a European arrest warrant from Ireland. He said that while incarcerated there, he was not provided with medication, facilities were unhygienic, and, as a segregated prisoner on remand in respect of sexual offences, he was abused and had apples thrown at him. Judge Patrick McGrath at the High Court in Dublin found O'Grady's evidence to be 'disingenuous and self-serving' and said O'Grady had tried to control proceedings. Portuguese authorities, through An Garda Síochána, notified O'Grady of his obligation to attend his trial and the consequences of failure to attend, the judge said. He knew his inability to contact a lawyer did not excuse him from attendance, Judge McGrath said. O'Grady, from Limerick, has a long history of sexual offences against children. In 1993 he was first convicted in California of lewd acts against children for repeatedly molesting two brothers.
The Journal
08-07-2025
- The Journal
Court orders extradition of child abuser Oliver O'Grady to serve prison sentence in Portugal
THE HIGH COURT has ordered the extradition of former priest and prolific child abuser Oliver O'Grady – who was featured in an Oscar-nominated documentary – to serve a one-year prison sentence in Portugal for having more than 9,000 images and 29 videos of child sexual abuse. O'Grady (80) of Rostrevor Court, Mackin Street, Dublin 2 was arrested on 21 January 2025 on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by a court in Faro in Portugal. The warrant states that O'Grady was tried on a charge of possession of 'pornography of minors', convicted and sentenced to one year in prison in his absence by a Portuguese court after he failed to attend his trial on 7 May 2024. In opposing his surrender to Portugal, O'Grady complained that his fair trial rights were not adequately protected in the process that led to his conviction. He said that he had been unable to contact a lawyer appointed to defend him in Portugal. He further complained that his surrender would be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms because of a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the Portuguese prison system. To bolster his claim, he said he spent time in the Prisional de Setubal in Portugal in October 2019 after he was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant from Ireland. He maintained that while incarcerated there he was not provided with medication, the facilities were unhygienic and, as a segregated prisoner on remand in respect of sexual offences, he was abused and had apples thrown at him. However, Justice Patrick McGrath at the High Court in Dublin found O'Grady's evidence relating to the trial process to be 'disingenuous and self-serving'. The judge found that O'Grady had tried to control the proceedings. Portuguese authorities, through An Garda Siochána, notified O'Grady of his obligation to attend his trial and the consequences of failure to attend, the judge said. There was no impediment to him travelling for his trial and, being a man familiar with the court system, he knew his inability to contact a lawyer did not excuse him from attendance, Justice McGrath said. O'Grady revealed his true mindset in an email he sent to the Portuguese prosecutor on 11 April 2024, the judge said. In the email, O'Grady showed that he knew of the impending hearing date but suggested he might not attend unless he could be assured of being admitted to bail. Advertisement Justice McGrath said: 'This is not the mindset of a person who is unaware of a duty to attend at court and of the possible consequences of non-attendance, but rather shows a person who is trying to control the outcome of proceedings.' Justice McGrath added that O'Grady was 'clearly trying to manipulate the system to try to secure a certain outcome'. Had he attended his trial, as he was required to do, he would have been given proper legal assistance before entering a plea, the judge said. His failure to obtain effective legal assistance flows from his failure to attend, Justice McGrath added. In relation to the risk of inhuman or degrading treatment, Justice McGrath said the conditions at the Carreguiera prison in which O'Grady will be housed in Portugal have not been criticised. He said he is satisfied from assurances given by the Portuguese authorities that no such risk exists. O'Grady has a long history of sexual offences against children. Originally from Limerick, O'Grady emigrated to America after joining the priesthood. In 1993 he was convicted in California of lewd acts against children for repeatedly molesting two brothers. He was released after serving seven years in prison before being deported to Ireland in 2001. His crimes in California were the subject of a 2006 documentary titled 'Deliver us From Evil', in which O'Grady gave an account of his offending. In January 2012, he was jailed in Ireland for three years for possessing hundreds of thousands of images of child pornography. The images were discovered after he left his computer on an Aer Lingus flight in February 2010 and a staff member who discovered the files on the device alerted gardaí. 280,000 images showing children in sexual poses and 1,000 video files of child abuse material, known in law as 'child pornography', were discovered on the device. He moved to Amsterdam where he lived for several years before returning to Ireland. It was on this flight back to his home country that he left his laptop behind. In 2020, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison at Waterford Circuit Court for possessing child pornography. He had pleaded not guilty to one charge of possessing a video of an underage girl engaging in a sexual act on a date between December 2015 and March 2016 at St Otteran's Place, South Parade, Waterford city but was convicted by a jury. A former housemate reported O'Grady to gardaí after discovering a sexually explicit video on the computer.
