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BreakingNews.ie
21-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
'Mr Flashy' and his brother sentenced over altercation outside shopping centre
Two brothers serving jail terms from the Special Criminal Court have been sentenced in relation to an altercation outside a Dublin shopping centre in daylight hours. Glen Ward (32) and Eric O'Driscoll (23), both of Deanstown Green, Finglas, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Cardiffsbridge Road, Finglas West, on August 9th, 2022. Advertisement Both also pleaded guilty to production of a bicycle saddle in the course of a dispute, on the same date after O'Driscoll went to Dunnes Stores in Finglas when the court heard there were 'verbals' between two groups of people. Ward, known as 'Mr Flashy', has previously been named in the High Court as the leader of the north Dublin organised crime group known as 'The Gucci Gang', so-called due to members having a liking for designer goods. Both men are serving Special Criminal Court sentences for firearms offences imposed last month. Ward was given six years and three months with the final nine months suspended. O'Driscoll, who is eight years younger than his brother, is serving a six-year sentence with the final year suspended. Advertisement Ward has 22 previous convictions and O'Driscoll has nine, the court heard. The court heard a co-accused received an 18-month suspended sentence arising out of the same incident. Ward was given an 18-month suspended sentence and O'Driscoll was given a two-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. Judge Elva Duffy said she was not interfering with the suspended portion of the Special Criminal Court sentences they were serving but they were mandatory consecutive terms. Advertisement 'They do require to be marked – they are serious offences,' said the judge. Detective Garda Dwayne O'Brien gave evidence on Wednesday of both incidents at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Det Gda O'Brien agreed with Sean Prendiville BL, defending Ward that the dispute 'wasn't instigated by them'. Mr Prendiville said Ward was the third of six siblings and trained as a mechanic. He has a long-term partner and a child. Advertisement O'Driscoll was also sentenced after he pleaded to endangerment and dangerous driving offences arising out of a motorcycle incident in November 17th, 2022. The court heard he was 'emotional' having attended a memorial service for his friend. He was on bail at the time of the offence. The court heard gardaí responded to reports of a motorcycle driving dangerously and doing U-turns on the Cappagh Road. Ireland 'Mr Flashy' jailed for firing gunshots at Finglas... Read More Gardaí were assisted by the Armed Support Unit, the court heard. No victim impact statements were made as no victims were identifiable. A helicopter was in pursuit of O'Driscoll on the day and footage of it was shown the court where he was seen almost knocking people down who were collecting children from school and mounting a kerb to evade gardai. He ultimately arrived at a house where he dismounted his motorcycle and fled through the back gardens of an estate before being apprehended by armed gardaí. Judge Duffy also banned O'Driscoll from driving for a period of 10 years.
Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Irish Times
Finglas attack: Bomb-drop drones were pioneered by Mexican crime cartel
The botched attempt to launch a pipe bomb from a drone in north Dublin at the weekend may be a first for Irish organised crime. Gangs have long used pipe bombs against each other, however, especially in Dublin. Those involved in the drugs trade have also been very quick to embrace drone technology to deliver contraband into jails. It was perhaps only a matter of time before somebody in the Irish underworld decided to combine a drone with a pipe bomb to see what level of havoc and fear they could cause. Bomb-dropping drones have been used in Mexico, with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel deploying them over the last five years to attack their rivals and the security services. Nobody would, however, have expected Mexican-style narcoterrorism in Glenties housing estate in Finglas last weekend. The north Dublin suburb has seen a number of noted incidents of gang-related crime in recent years. READ MORE The week before last, one gang leader from the area, Glen Ward (32), was sentenced to 5½ years in prison for firing a semi-automatic during a house party. Ward had been dubbed 'Mr Flashy' by sections of the media and was leader of the Gucci Gang, so-called because of their love for designer clothes and accessories. Ward was linked to a number of feuds in Finglas and Coolock, both in north Dublin, and previously had the support of the Kinahan cartel. He effectively ran a drug-dealing network in Finglas - also with a presence in other north Dublin suburbs - that proved very lucrative. Ward has been a feared, powerful figure for years, and now that he is out of circulation for the foreseeable future, Garda sources said his absence had created 'a degree of flux' or 'movement' on the local scene. This dynamic has fed into a feud between two drug-dealing criminal factions in the area. One of the factions involved in the worsening feud was previously in dispute with Ward, and its activities included trying to murder him. In recent weeks there has been a number of serious incidents as the temperature of the feud has dialled up, including shooting and arson attacks. The effort to use a drone to launch a pipe bomb at a house in the early hours of Monday forms part of the feud. 'It's definitely a serious escalation and we've never seen something like this before,' said one Garda source. 'With this [feud] you've got young fellas involved and older guys in their 40s. A lot of these people have already been through the mill in other feuds, so it wouldn't be a big step for them to really ramp this up now.' Other Garda sources said it was impossible to predict whether there would be more drone attacks or whether the weekend incident would prove a once-off. They were, however, concerned the Garda had no ability to control a drone midflight, even if officers suspected it was carrying an explosive device or delivering a gun to be used in an attack. That is a worry for the force, especially given the rate at which drones are being used by some organised crime elements. Just last week, the Prison Officers' Association said drugs, mobile phones, knives and other contraband were being stuffed into footballs and flown by drone onto prison campuses. They said there had been 110 such flights in the first three months of this year and believe each batch of contraband was valued at between €50,000 and €60,000. There is no question that, having become adept at delivering large parcels of drugs into jails, organised crime gangs could very easily switch that skill to Mexican-style bomb-dropping via drones. There has always been a ready availability of pipe bombs in gangland. Some are constructed and sold to gangs by former paramilitaries, while others are fashioned, DIY-style, from instructions available online.
Dublin Live
06-05-2025
- Dublin Live
Footage emerges of drone used to carry bomb in Dublin attack
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 Video has emerged of a drone used to carry a bomb in an attack in Dublin - as tensions rise between gangland factions. The Irish Mirror today revealed that used a drone to launch a flying bomb attack against a rival in Dublin overnight. We revealed that the Defence Forces' EOD unit had to be called to be make the pipe bomb safe following the incident in Finglas, north Dublin early this morning. It's believed to be the first time criminals have ever used to a drone to launch a flying bomb – and comes as tensions between two gangs in the area have been simmering for the past fortnight. Sources have told us that the drone was flying near Glenties Park when it crashed away from its target at a house that has no connection to the feud or crime. The target of the attack was a low level criminal in the Finglas area who is part of a gang that has been rowing with another outfit for the past few weeks - and shots have been fired several times. We have learned that an ally of the criminal targeted with the drone bomb was also in the rival gang's sights overnight. It is understood that criminal left his own home a few hundred yards away from the failed drone attack when he heard what happened. Gardai who rushed to the scene discovered the drone and found that it contained a suspected pipe bomb. They quickly called in the Defence Forces' Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit – or bomb squad – who made the device safe. It's understood it was a sophisticated and viable device – and the experts had to carry out a controlled explosion on it. A number of houses were evacuated during the alert, which lasted several hours. The device has now been removed for technical examination by experts. Gardai confirmed it called in the Defence Forces during the alert. A spokesman told us: "Gardaí attended a domestic residence following reports of a suspicious device in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11 in the early hours of this morning, Monday 5th May 2025. "The Irish Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal team attended the scene and conducted a controlled explosion on the viable suspect device. Investigations are ongoing." We have asked the Defence Forces for comment. Sources tell us the outfit behind the drone attack is led by a thug who was once a key ally of Glen Ward, the criminal who ran the infamous Gucci Gang in the area. But they fell out a few years ago and are now bitter rivals. He is a suspect for a murder bid on Flashy and his brother Eric O'Driscoll in Finglas in June 2022. Ward's enemy is now involved in a feud with another gang. And the criminal, who himself was shot several years ago, is also a suspect for the horror attack on Browne's Steakhouse in nearby Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve, 2023. Gunman Tristan Sherry was murdered moments after he shot and fatally wounded Jason Hennessy, 48, in the attack. Sherry, 26, had another gunman with him - and detectives believe it was the man behind the flying drone attack. Ward, 32, was last week jailed for five and a half years for firearms offences. (Image: REX/Shutterstock) He was jailed for firing a semi-automatic rifle AR-15 rifle from the back door of a Finglas home during a house party in January 2022. Ms Justice Melanie Greally told the Special Criminal Court the firearm Ward used was powerful and capable of causing serious injury or death. She noted that gardai found the weapon alongside a "sizeable cache" of ammunition. Video footage retrieved from a phone showed Ward, having already fired the gun, encouraging his younger brother Eric O'Driscoll to take and discharge the firearm, she added. (Image: Collins Courts) Ward previously pleaded guilty to a charge that on January 1, 2022 at an address in Finglas he possessed or had control of a .223 calibre Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose. O'Driscoll, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of the same gun. He was jailed for five years. Gardai discovered the rifle alongside a military sub-machine gun during a search of a house in Finglas in February 2022. Ward's gang was one of the most dangerous in Dublin and was heavily involved in drug dealing, violence and intimidation. 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.
Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Sunday World
Drone drops pipe bomb into innocent Dublin man's garden as gang war fears grow
At the same time that the drone pipe-bomb incident occurred, a property connected to an associate of the target was subject to an arson attack Army bomb-disposal robot on a street near the scene where the pipe bomb was discovered An innocent man used guttering to remove a viable pipe bomb from his front garden after it was delivered by a drone to his property by mistake. The incident happened at around 9pm on Sunday evening when the bomb was sent to target a teenage gang member who is at the centre of a new gangland feud in Finglas. At roughly the same time that the drone pipe-bomb incident occurred, a property connected to an associate of the target was subject to an arson attack. It led to around 10 houses being evacuated in the Glenties Park area of the suburb as Army bomb-disposal experts dealt with the device. Army bomb-disposal robot on a street near the scene where the pipe bomb was discovered The target of the drone pipe-bomb attack is also suspected of being involved in a shooting incident over the weekend in Finglas in which shots were discharged but no one was injured. The army bomb disposal unit arrived at 2am. It took around three hours for the situation to be resolved. The Army carried out a controlled explosion on the viable bomb and the innocent families were then allowed return to their homes at around 5am. The intended target is a very young man who has been running amok 'The bomb landed in the wrong garden and the occupants of that home have absolutely nothing to do with crime,' a source said. 'The intended target is a very young man who has been running amok – he has aligned himself with a criminal who is linked with the Hutch gang. These individuals are involved in shooting incidents, which included letting a shot off near shops in the area on Saturday evening. 'He is completely out of control and is attempting to become the main man in the area in terms of street-level crack-cocaine dealing. 'While the issue of drones delivering contraband including weapons and drugs into the prisons has been well highlighted, this is the first time that gardaí have come across a situation like this – it is beyond concerning.' He cannot be named here for legal reasons, but a close older associate of the young man is due to be tried on attempted murder charges in the coming weeks. The teenager was mentored by this veteran criminal, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence in relation to an aggravated burglary on the capital's southside in which a family were terrorised. It is the first time gardaí have seen a drone used for such as purpose. Stock image. Photo: Getty The young man is a sworn enemy of the 'Mr Flashy' drugs gang but gardaí do not believe this dispute has anything to do with jailed Glen Ward or his associates. Instead, the feud the teenager is involved in, is with the criminal who has taken over the gang that was led by Glen Ward, known as 'Mr Flashy'. The pipe-bomb target has had run-ins with the high-profile but now almost-defunct drugs gang, including when he was attacked with a wheel brace, hammer and golf club in 2022. After the assault, the then teenager was rushed to Children's Health Ireland Hospital at Temple Street but was discharged after a number of days. He suffered a fractured eye socket and broken nose, along with other injuries. Army bomb-disposal robot on a street near the scene where the pipe bomb was discovered Today's News in 90 Seconds - May 5th The background to this vicious assault – which led to a spate of gun attacks and other tit-for-tat violence in 2022 and 2023 – was when the teenager stole a high-end watch from Mr Flashy's brother, Eric O'Driscoll, and then goaded the gangster by displaying photos of it on social media. O'Driscoll and Ward are currently serving significant sentences for firearms offences following high-profile sentencing hearings at the Special Criminal Court. There are now fears of yet more revenge attacks and the target of the drone pipe-bomb attack is now understood to be in hiding.
Dublin Live
05-05-2025
- Dublin Live
Drone delivering flying pipe bomb used by gangsters in Dublin attack
Gangsters used a drone to launch a flying bomb attack against a rival in Dublin overnight, it has emerged. The Irish Mirror has learned that the Defence Forces' EOD unit had to be called to be make the pipe bomb safe following the incident in Finglas, north Dublin early this morning. It's believed to be the first time criminals have ever used to a drone to launch a flying bomb – and comes as tensions between two gangs in the area have been simmering for the past fortnight. Sources have told us that the drone was flying near Glenties Park when it crashed. The target of the attack was a low level criminal in the Finglas area who is part of a gang that has been rowing with another outfit for the past few weeks - and shots have been fired several times. We have learned that an ally of the criminal targeted with the drone bomb was also in the rival gang's sights overnight. It is understood that criminal left his own home a few hundred yards away from the failed drone attack when he heard what happened. Gardai who rushed to the scene discovered the drone and found that it contained a suspected pipe bomb. They quickly called in the Defence Forces' Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit – or bomb squad – who made the device safe. It's understood it was a sophisticated and viable device – and the experts had to carry out a controlled explosion on it. A number of houses were evacuated during the alert, which lasted several hours. The device has now been removed for technical examination by experts. Gardai confirmed it called in the Defence Forces during the alert. A spokesman told us: "Gardaí attended a domestic residence following reports of a suspicious device in Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin 11 in the early hours of this morning, Monday 5th May 2025. "The Irish Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal team attended the scene and conducted a controlled explosion on the viable suspect device. Investigations are ongoing." We have asked the Defence Forces for comment. Sources tell us the outfit behind the drone attack is led by a thug who was once a key ally of Glen Ward, the criminal who ran the infamous Gucci Gang in the area. But they fell out a few years ago and are now bitter rivals. He is a suspect for a murder bid on Flashy and his brother Eric O'Driscoll in Finglas in June 2022. Ward's enemy is now involved in a feud with another gang. And the criminal, who himself was shot several years ago, is also a suspect for the horror attack on Browne's Steakhouse in nearby Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve, 2023. Gunman Tristan Sherry was murdered moments after he shot and fatally wounded Jason Hennessy, 48, in the attack. Sherry, 26, had another gunman with him - and detectives believe it was the man behind the flying drone attack. Ward, 32, was last week jailed for five and a half years for firearms offences. (Image: REX/Shutterstock) He was jailed for firing a semi-automatic rifle AR-15 rifle from the back door of a Finglas home during a house party in January 2022. Ms Justice Melanie Greally told the Special Criminal Court the firearm Ward used was powerful and capable of causing serious injury or death. She noted that gardai found the weapon alongside a "sizeable cache" of ammunition. Video footage retrieved from a phone showed Ward, having already fired the gun, encouraging his younger brother Eric O'Driscoll to take and discharge the firearm, she added. Ward previously pleaded guilty to a charge that on January 1, 2022 at an address in Finglas he possessed or had control of a .223 calibre Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose. O'Driscoll, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of the same gun. He was jailed for five years. Gardai discovered the rifle alongside a military sub-machine gun during a search of a house in Finglas in February 2022. Ward's gang was one of the most dangerous in Dublin and was heavily involved in drug dealing, violence and intimidation. 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.
