Latest news with #JasonHennessy
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Judge orders ‘destruction' of XL Bully dogs owned by widow of steakhouse murder victim
A judge has ordered the destruction of four XL Bully pitbulls owned by murder victim Jason Hennessy Sr's widow after one escaped their garden and terrorised gardaí in Dublin. Veronica Maher (54) pleaded that her four beloved restricted breed pets were all she had to remember her late husband, who was shot dead in a Blanchardstown steakhouse on Christmas Eve, 2023. Advertisement Ms Maher, of Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown, came before Dublin District Court to challenge a Garda application under the Control of Dogs Act for an order to destroy Oddie, Reggie, their mother Medusa, and the fourth dog, Joe. Judge Anthony Halpin noted evidence of six gardaí at the scene on March 28th when four officers fled from Oddie. He accepted they had to take 'evasive action to save themselves from being savaged by an XL Bully dog.' He believed they were terrified, adding, 'I can only imagine the utmost horror which they experienced.' 'That dog which left the premises and pursued the gardaí was dangerous and could easily have fatally wounded one or all those gardaí,' he remarked. Advertisement Visibily upset, Ms Maher's denied opening a gate to unleash the unmuzzled dog on gardaí who were on beat in her cul-de-sac. She said the dogs were part of her family, like their children, and Oddie slept in her king-sized bed. The judge also noted evidence that she had these dogs to protect the property. The grandmother testified that three-year-old Oddie jumped the front garden wall when the officer put his hand in and she refuted the accusation that she set the dog on the garda. She also claimed Medusa had also been in the yard at the time. The court heard the other two were in cages in the back garden, and Oddie had already damaged a rear garden exit. Advertisement Garda Sean McLoughlin alleged that when he got near her house, she told him, 'Get the fuck away from my house yous murderers'. He was in absolute fear for his life that he would be viciously attacked by the dog, which chased and tried to bite him. He alleged she let the dog out through the front garden gate. He and three other gardaí fled to different gardens, with one standing on a wall until backup arrived a few minutes later. He believed that Oddie was a credible threat and he would be set on them again. Advertisement Ms Maher brought the dog back into the house, and she denied telling gardaí, 'If yous don't f**k off now, I'll get him back out here.' Witness Kayleigh McEntee (26), of Waterville Row, Blanchardstown, was at the house and contradicted the evidence that Ms Maher opened the gate. She also said the dogs were safe and often around children. Three more gardaí said they also had had to flee to gardens in the cul de sac, with one telling Judge Halpin that he feared he would be killed. Photographs were handed in showing some of the dogs with family and children. Advertisement Ireland Widow of Jason Hennessy accused of setting XL Bull... Read More In his ruling, Judge Halpin described one image of an infant surrounded by two enormous XL Bully dogs as upsetting 'given the potential ferocity of these animals'. He noted the Oddie had already 'rammed the back door' in the rear garden to such an extent as to remove it from its hinges. He found that the dogs were dangerous and not under proper control. Furthermore, he acceded to an application by Garda Sergeant Michael Harkin to grant a destruction order for all four. Oisin Clarke BL, instructed by solicitor Simon Fleming, was granted a two-week stay on the order to lodge an appeal. The court has adjourned ruling on the costs of keeping the animals in a dog pound since they were taken from Ms Maher on April 4th.
BreakingNews.ie
7 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Two teenagers jailed for murder of Tristan Sherry
Two teenagers have been jailed for nine years each for the "brutal" murder of gunman Tristan Sherry, who was beaten to death after he shot and fatally wounded gangland figure Jason Hennessy snr in a busy restaurant on Christmas Eve two years ago. Before their trial commenced last year, the High Court found that a law requiring that the pair face a mandatory term of life imprisonment should they be convicted and reach the age of 18 before their sentencing hearing was unconstitutional. Advertisement They are also the first two defendants to be sentenced after a landmark Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that a life sentence is not mandatory in the case of child murderers and should only be used in exceptional cases. Three others, including Hennesy snr's son, Brandon Hennessy (22), were jailed for a combined eight years and four months for violent disorder during the attack on Sherry. David Amah (19) of Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate was convicted of murder following a trial at the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo today sentenced Amah to 12 years with the final three years suspended. He noted that Amah was 17 at the time of the offence and therefore is not subject to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder. Advertisement Mr Justice Naidoo said the offence did not involve any pre-planning, and a probation report put Amah at a low risk of reoffending. The judge imposed a similar sentence on an 18-year-old also convicted of murder but who cannot be named because he was a minor when he first came before the court. Both Amah and the unnamed accomplice stamped on Tristan Sherry and stabbed him repeatedly. Their actions were deliberate, Mr Justice Naidoo said, and took place during a "sustained and brutal attack on an unarmed, defenceless man lying on the ground." Mr Justice Naidoo on Monday sentenced Brandon Hennessy of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15 to four-and-a-half years with the last six months suspended for one year. The judge accepted that the killing of his father was a mitigating factor in Hennessy's favour. Jonas Kabangu (19) of Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, received a sentence of four years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years. Mr Justice Naidoo sentenced the third violent disorder defendant, an 18-year-old who can't be named because he was a child when he came before the courts, to two years and four months, with the final year suspended for two years.
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Irish Times
Two teenagers sentenced to nine years for the murder of Tristan Sherry
Two teenagers have been jailed for nine years each for the 'brutal' murder of gunman Tristan Sherry, who was beaten to death after he shot and fatally wounded gangland figure Jason Hennessy Snr in a busy restaurant on Christmas Eve two years ago. Before their trial commenced last year, the High Court found that a law requiring that the pair face a mandatory term of life imprisonment should they be convicted and reach the age of 18 before their sentencing hearing was unconstitutional. They are also the first two defendants to be sentenced after a landmark Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that a life sentence is not mandatory in the case of child murderers and should only be used in exceptional cases. Three others, including Hennesy Snr's son, Brandon Hennessy (22), were jailed for a combined eight years and four months for violent disorder during the attack on Sherry. READ MORE David Amah (19) of Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate was convicted of murder following a trial at the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo today sentenced Amah to 12 years with the final three years suspended. He noted that Amah was 17 at the time of the offence and therefore is not subject to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder. Mr Justice Naidoo said the offence did not involve any pre-planning and a probation report put Amah at a low risk of reoffending. The judge imposed a similar sentence on an 18-year-old also convicted of murder but who cannot be named because he was a minor when he first came before the court. Both Amah and the unnamed accomplice stamped on Tristan Sherry and stabbed him repeatedly. Their actions were deliberate, Mr Justice Naidoo said, and took place during a 'sustained and brutal attack on an unarmed, defenceless man lying on the ground'. On Monday, Mr Justice Naidoo sentenced Brandon Hennessy of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15 to four-and-a-half years with the last six months suspended for one year. The judge accepted that the killing of his father was a mitigating factor in Hennessy's favour. Jonas Kabangu (19) of Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, received a sentence of four years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years. Mr Justice Naidoo sentenced the third violent disorder defendant, an 18-year-old who can't be named because he was a child when he came before the courts, to two years and four months, with the final year suspended for two years.
