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Extra.ie
22-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Convicted killer who never had a job spent €100k on grandiose family home facelift
A convicted killer who was previously jailed for 'feud-related' offences and has never had a job spent €100,000 carrying out 'grandiose' renovations on his family home in Limerick, a court has heard. A sentencing hearing for Richard Treacy, 36, of Downey Street, Garryowen, Co. Limerick, heard yesterday, that the house where the defendant lived with his partner and two children was purchased by another party in 2014 and various renovation works were carried out over a number of years. Lawyers for Treacy objected to the term 'feud' being used by a prosecuting garda in relation to the defendant's previous convictions. A convicted killer who was previously jailed for 'feud-related' offences and has never had a job spent €100,000 carrying out 'grandiose' renovations on his family home in Limerick, a court has heard. Pic: Ross Mahon/Shutterstock Defence counsel Lorcan Connolly SC suggested a detective garda had gone 'offpiste' and that this was done in an effort to 'colour' the judges' view of his client. He made an application for the three-judge panel to recuse themselves and for another panel to be introduced, but this was rejected by presiding judge Karen O'Connor, who said the judges were 'all very experienced' and that they were not of the view that there was a problem in them continuing on. Treacy previously pleaded guilty that he, between January 1, 2014, and January 12, 2021, knowing or being reckless as to whether renovation work carried out at his home address was the proceeds of criminal conduct, did disguise the true source of the property. Lawyers for Treacy objected to the term 'feud' being used by a prosecuting garda in relation to the defendant's previous convictions. Pic: KarlM Photography/Shutterstock The offence is contrary to section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. Detective Garda Ronan O'Reilly told prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC that on June 17, 2020, gardaí searched the house at Garryowen and found £3,900 of sterling and €4,000 in a sock drawer of the bedroom. Two further quantities of cash were found in a kitchen cupboard. Treacy told gardaí that another person was the registered owner of the house and that renovation works were carried out on the property. He said a family member gave him the €4,000 for an extension on the house. A sentencing hearing for Richard Treacy, 36, of Downey Street, Garryowen, Co. Limerick, heard yesterday, that the house where the defendant lived with his partner and two children was purchased by another party in 2014 and various renovation works were carried out over a number of years. Pic: Mark Gusev/Shutterstock No explanation was given for the sterling, and Treacy stated that the two quantities, amounting to over €1,000, found in the kitchen were from his savings and his dole money. Det Gda O'Reilly said Social Welfare and Revenue were contacted in relation to Treacy's work history and confirmed there was no record of him ever having been employed. He confirmed to counsel that a guilty plea was entered by Treacy on the first day of the trial, which was expected to last two weeks, and it was accepted that €100,000 had been spent on renovating the house. Det Gda O'Reilly said Treacy lives at the property with his partner and children. He told the court Treacy has ten previous convictions, including for manslaughter, dangerous driving causing serious harm and violent disorder. Referencing the violent disorder offence, Det Gda O'Reilly said the defendant and some of his relations got involved in a violent disorder incident 'with a feuding other family in the city'. Regarding the manslaughter conviction, Garda O'Reilly said this was 'another feud-related incident'. He said the deceased was a relation of a high-end criminal in the city. Lorcan Connolly SC, for Treacy, said this 'additional information' was unnecessary. He said Treacy's last conviction was nine years ag,o and this coincided with the arrival of his children. Garda O'Reilly agreed the subject matter on the indictment was in relation to the renovation and the works were done over a number of years. He confirmed no charges were brought in relation to the sums of money found in the house. Treacy is a nephew of Limerick gang leader Christy Keane. Mr Connolly said his client has an active role in his children's upbringing and has been a positive influence in their lives. He asked the court to consider the amount of money involved. He said the house was a 'relatively modest' home in a council estate. Mr Connolly said one of the key factors when it comes to a money-laundering offence is the amount involved. He said this wasn't a 'standard case' where gardaí found €100,000 or €200,000 in a shoebox. Judge O'Connor adjourned the matter to October 20.
Extra.ie
14-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Three killed on roads in weekend of carnage
Three men were killed and two others seriously injured in collisions on the country's roads over the past three days. On Saturday, father-of-one and award-winning photojournalist Michael 'Mick' O'Neill, died when the motorcycle he was driving was involved in a collision with a tractor/trailer at 10.50am along the Old Airport Road, known as Collistown Lane, in Co. Dublin. The 62-year-old was rushed to the Mater Hospital where he was pronounced dead. No one else was injured in the collision Mr O'Neill is survived by his wife Lorraine, son Karl and grandchildren Mya and Kai, as well as a wide circle of family members and friends. The Mater Hospital. Pic: KarlM Photography/Shutterstock Neil Leslie, editor of the Irish Daily Star and Irish Daily Mirror, said all of Mr O'Neill's colleagues at the two papers he worked as a photographer for, and also the wider group of Reach Ireland, are devastated at his untimely loss. Mr Leslie said: 'On behalf of Reach, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies and offer our support to his family and all his many friends and colleagues. 'Mick was a truly outstanding journalist and photographer. Pic: Damien Storan/Shutterstock Moreover, he was a great friend and a wise mentor to the other journalists who worked alongside him over many years.' Mr O'Neill had worked for the Irish Daily Star for 25 years. Also, on Friday, a pedestrian in his 30s died after he was struck by a truck on Ballyboden Way, Dublin 16, at around 8.30am. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. No one else was injured in the incident. On the same day, father-of-four Michael O'Sullivan, 55, from Cullencastle, Tramore, Co. Waterford, died at University Hospital Waterford as a result of injuries he sustained when the motorbike he was travelling on collided with a jeep last Wednesday. Road closed by Gardai. Pic: Shutterstock The collision occurred at 7.35pm in the Cullencastle area of Tramore. Mr O'Sullivan is survived by his wife Lillian, son Nicholas and daughters Fiona, Heather and Rebecca. A 67-year-old man has been remanded on bail charged with alleged dangerous driving causing death in relation to last Wednesday's crash. John Fitzgibbon, with an address in New York City, appeared before a special sitting of Waterford District Court on Friday night. Judge John Cheatle set bail at €10,000 cash to be presented to the court tomorrow. Bail was granted on the guarantee that Mr Fitzgibbon's Irish and American passports be handed into the court. Mr Fitzgibbon was also ordered to reside in Co. Waterford until the conclusion of court proceedings. Tallaght University Hospital. Sasko Lazarov / Elsewhere, a man in his 20s was seriously injured in a collision involving the electric motorbike he was driving and a car in Tallaght, Dublin. The collision took place at Brookfield Road at around 8.15pm last Friday. He was taken to Tallaght University Hospital and subsequently transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where his condition is described as critical. Meanwhile, in Co. Armagh, a man is in a critical condition following an incident involving a vehicle on Saturday. Inspector Cherith Adair said of incident on the Coolmillish Road, Markethil: 'A male passenger sustained serious injuries following an incident involving a vehicle shortly after 4.30pm.' Inspector Adair said one man had been cautioned. news@daily
Extra.ie
29-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Man held after web threat to kill children sparks school lockdown
A National school was put in lockdown yesterday morning after it emerged a 'disturbed' man who threatened to kill children was in the area. The man, arrested yesterday afternoon, had made graphic threats to Irish children, saying he was going to target them because Irish people had 'p*ssed me off'. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin The video, which was circulated online earlier this week, showed a man lying on a bed addressing the camera. He said: 'Irish, I'm coming on top of you now. I'm gonna be slicing your babies, kids and you, good for everybody. Get ready, because you p*ssed me off.' Pic: Karl M Photography/Shutterstock The video had been flagged multiple times on several social media websites but had not been removed. A search conducted yesterday evening revealed that the video was still easily accessible online. Scoil Mhuire, on the Ballyroan Road in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, closed its doors as a precaution yesterday morning when it emerged that the man may be in the area. An official Garda spokesman said officers investigating 'alleged threats shared online have arrested one male in Abbeyleix', adding that the man was 'detained at a Garda station in the Eastern Region'.
Extra.ie
13-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Exclusive: Arms Unit 'spent €2,000 on pistol for Garda's child'
The Garda Firearms Stores bought a €2,000 Olympic-standard air pistol for the child of a member of the force, according to bombshell protected disclosures seen by Corroborating protected disclosures from two gardaí to their superiors and the Department of Justice allege that the 'Walther LP500 Olympic standard air pistol was purchased by the [store] despite the organisation having no specific requirement for such an item'. An internal Garda investigation into the matter uncovered possible criminal activity, but no action was taken, the latest disclosures reveal. Pic: KarlM Photography/Shutterstock And, in a bizarre twist, senior gardaí, struggling to explain the irregular purchase, allegedly claimed the gun was bought for 'firearms training' for gardaí 'fearful of firearms'. This is the latest revelation on of gross malpractice around the handling of firearms and gun hardware in the force. We have previously disclosed the chaotic storage and tracking of hundreds of firearms and the illegal sale of guns for profit by members of An Garda Síochána. The allegations about the air pistol were originally made by an officer working at the Garda Firearms Stores in protected disclosure a number of years ago. But the claim has again been made by a far more senior, serving officer in recent weeks, in another protected disclosure. The new whistleblower – who headed up the Garda National Technical Bureau – said in his disclosure: 'The air pistol in question had been specifically purchased by a member of the Garda Firearms Stores Section due to their child having a particular interest in air pistols, and given their child's participation in a hunt and pony club. Pic: File 'While it is understood this allegation is categorically denied by the Garda officer concerned, a realistic explanation as to why an Olympic-standard air pistol was purchased by the Garda organisation at a cost of almost €2,000 is still not forthcoming The claim was first made in 2019, prompting a response that the pistol was used for 'firearms training' for gardaí 'fearful of firearms'. However, the claim by the new whistleblower, a renowned expert in firearms, that no 'realistic explanation' has been offered casts doubt on the efforts to explain the purchase. The disclosure reveals: 'An investigation undertaken by [name of senior officer redacted] into the significant disclosures made by a confidential reporter in 2019 and 2020 have already established a clear link between the Garda officer who then held responsibility for Firearms Stores Section and a hunt and pony club. 'It is understood that the investigation team have identified activities concerning the Garda officer and other supervisory staff, which may be classified as criminal in nature. 'However, it is also understood that the Garda Commissioner has taken no action against the individuals concerned, but rather he chose to pursue those who made confidential disclosures in regard to these matters.' Pic: Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Shutterstock The disclosure added that 'in defending the purchase of the firearm in question, supervisory staff attaching to the Garda Firearms Stores Section have claimed the Olympic-standard air pistol was purchased for the purpose of firearms training, and it was to be utilised by personnel attending the standard or basic firearms training course who were fearful of firearms'. However, the senior serving Garda whistleblower has said: 'No such accommodations have ever been offered to a participant on a firearms training course.' In the disclosure, the garda says: 'Anyone with such a fear of firearms has no place on a firearms training course and they merely pose a risk to themselves and other participants. Firearms instructors would actually encourage members to leave the basic or standard firearm training courses if they are not comfortable carrying and using the firearm they are being trained in. 'In qualifying a person to carry and use an official Garda firearm, firearms instructors have a key role in ensuring the future safety of the participant and all those with whom that participant may later engage with in the performance of their duties, and that, as such, instructors would not want those who fear the firearm to remain on the course.' The emergence of the second whistleblower, who has an unimpeachable record, is a blow to Commissioner Drew Harris, who will leave his post later this year. The emergence of the new whistleblower means many of the initial claims made by the unconnected member of the force in 2019 are now independently corroborated. On Labour TD Alan Kelly called for an inquiry into the revelations made by our newspapers. Last month, revealed documents that said a garda took possession of valuable firearms, earmarked for destruction at the force's HQ, to sell for profit. The documents are part of a number of protected disclosures that also allege automatic firearms, ammunition and explosives were kept in a shipping container at HQ without any proper documentation, tracing or security. The garda called the storage facility an 'arms dump' and said it was secured only by a combination padlock, the code of which was known to numerous individuals. Previously, our sources revealed details of defective firearms holsters that contributed to the June 2020 murder of Detective Colm Horkan. The latest revelation, according to extracts from the disclosure published here, shows a senior officer backing the claims. A Garda spokeswoman said: 'An Garda Síochána does not comment on remarks made by any third parties. An Garda Síochána is precluded by law from commenting on any matters that are the subject of protected disclosures. 'An Garda Síochána cannot comment on ongoing investigations being carried out by An Garda Síochána or Fiosrú (formerly GSOC). 'In general, certain matters raised by you have been attended to and discussed by An Garda Síochána with the relevant oversight bodies.' The Department of Justice was contacted for comment.
