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BreakingNews.ie
17-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Murderer who shot man in front of infant son did not receive fair trial, barristers argue
Barristers have argued that a murderer who shot dead a man in front of his four-month-old son did not receive a fair trial, as the trial judge effectively 'closed down the defence case' in his charge to the jury. Michael O'Higgins SC told the Court of Appeal that Mr Justice Tony Hunt was 'entirely argumentative' throughout his charge to the jury at the conclusion of the trial of Wayne Cooney (34), adding that the judge argued 'with great vigour' what the jury's position should be. Advertisement Drug dealer Cooney, with an address at Glenshane Drive in Tallaght, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jordan Davis (22) at a laneway beside Our Lady of Immaculate National School in Darndale in Dublin on May 22nd, 2019. He also pleaded not guilty to possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and to possessing ammunition in circumstances that give rise to the reasonable inference that he did not have them for lawful purposes. A jury took just a little over three hours to find him guilty following a trial in July 2022. The prosecution case was that Mr Davis owed €70,000 to a local drug dealer, Robert 'Roo' Redmond, who was the brother of Cooney's then girlfriend, Rachel Redmond (34). When Mr Davis's mobile phone was examined by gardaí they found a message from Robert Redmond (36) warning Mr Davis: "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long," and later telling him: "Soon, very soon, bang bang." Advertisement Rachel Redmond, from Coolock but with an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Antrim was convicted earlier this year on two charges that on or about May 22nd and May 23rd, 2019, she impeded Cooney's apprehension or prosecution by picking him up after the shooting and later checking him into a hotel. Robert Redmond of Streamville Road, Kilbarrack, Dublin 13 pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiring with Cooney to murder Mr Davis and received a seven-year prison sentence. During Cooney's trial, prosecution barrister Bernard Condon SC told the jury that the circumstantial evidence against Cooney was such that he was either the shooter or the "most unlucky person ever". A garda had identified Cooney from CCTV footage as the cyclist circling Mr Davis. Cooney's DNA was found on a glove in an area on Belcamp Lane where the shooter could be seen discarding gloves and a black body warmer minutes after the shooting. Cooney was also identified returning to the same area to retrieve the body warmer about one hour and 20 minutes after the shooting. Advertisement The prosecution also relied on mobile phone evidence that showed Cooney's phone was calling Robert Redmond at moments when the person identified on CCTV as the shooter could be seen holding a phone to his ear. In a lengthy charge to the jury, Mr Justice Hunt said that if they were satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Cooney was the cyclist who came up behind Jordan Davis and shot him, they must find him guilty of murder. Mr Justice Hunt told the jury that if the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Cooney murdered Mr Davis, they could find that he impeded the arrest or prosecution of the murderer by taking away the body warmer. He said that, by his own admission, Cooney was seen on CCTV at Belcamp Lane about one hour and 20 minutes after the murder. He said the shooter disposed of the body warmer during a 40-second period when he was off-camera and when Cooney retrieved the body warmer, he also went off camera for almost exactly 40 seconds. Advertisement He said that the jury should consider that if Cooney wasn't the person who left the body warmer, he must have acquired some knowledge that it had been put there. He added: "If he didn't do the shooting, he acquired the knowledge of where the item was in that hour and 20 minutes. That has to be considered by you." On this view, Mr Justice Hunt said, Mr Cooney wasn't the shooter but might have been "covering up". He further told the jury: "If he didn't do the shooting, he didn't get to the laneway by accident. There had to be some information that brought him there, he had to know something about what he was retrieving and where he was retrieving it from." In launching an appeal against Cooney's conviction on Thursday, Mr O'Higgins said that a judge is at liberty to pass comment on evidence, which is well within his ambit, but he should tread with caution. 'This is entirely argumentative through the whole charge. He's not just summarising evidence, it's strident, relentless, merciless and without any restraint,' said Mr O'Higgins, adding that Mr Justice Hunt had been 'completely arguing with great vigour what the position should be'. Advertisement 'The line beyond a comment has been very well crossed,' he said, going on to argue that the defence was 'squashed' and never got the airing to which it was entitled. Counsel said that in the judge's charge, Mr Justice Hunt had reminded the jury that the defence had raised the possibility of the potential involvement of others in this offence, but he had also said to the jury that whether others were involved or not was not relevant. 'The judge said: 'Who was the man on the bike? That's all you have to decide.' That was effectively closing down the defence case,' said Mr O'Higgins, adding that Mr Justice Hunt 'denigrated all the points' made by the defence. Counsel confirmed to the court he was arguing that the trial against Cooney was unfair. He said that Mr Justice Hunt had told the jury: 'I won't lie to you that I haven't formed my own opinion.' Mr O'Higgins asked how a judge was to charge a jury on the presumption of innocence when he had made a comment such as this. 'He said things pumping up the prosecution case. The judge highlighted in a very granular level all points that were in favour of the prosecution,' said Mr O'Higgins. 'The judge has an obligation to deal with a case fairly. They must not, when giving a summation, end up with an imbalance between the parties.' Further grounds of appeal submitted included the identification evidence given by a garda, which Mr O'Higgins said was too vague to be admissible; and attempts by the defence to adduce background evidence of other people who had a motive in the case, which were shut down by the trial judge, meaning 'an important part of the defence case was cut off'. In response, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Bernard Condon SC said that a lot of points were made by the defence during the trial which were 'weak points advanced with gusto'. He said the trial judge was correct to advise the jury 'not to be directed into rabbit warrens'. Ireland Rapist (37) jailed for taking advantage of 'sleepi... Read More 'Arguments were made to direct the jury into evidential wastelands,' said Mr Condon. He said there were probably ten people involved in this murder and maybe other people wanted to kill the deceased, but that did not change the fact that it was Cooney who actually killed him. 'Some judges are naturally people who speak a lot, so it can't be correct that because someone speaks a lot that they ought to be criticised,' said counsel, adding that the jury knew that the judge's commenting was not the last word. Mr Condon also said that Mr Justice Hunt gave the jury an excellent summation on the principles of the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof. Mr Justice John Edwards said the court would deliver its judgement on the appeal at a later date.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Irish Times
Woman jailed for helping ‘extremely dangerous' killer avoid capture after Dublin murder
A woman who helped her then partner, described in court as 'an extremely dangerous' killer, to 'lie low' after he shot a young drug dealer in Dublin has been jailed for four years. A jury in March convicted Rachel Redmond (35) – the younger sister of career criminal Robert 'Roo' Redmond – of attempting to impede Wayne Cooney's apprehension or prosecution while knowing or believing him to have committed murder. The trial heard that after he got into the car on May 22nd, 2019, Redmond remarked to Cooney that there had been a shooting in Darndale, to which he replied: 'It's a mad place.' Cooney had minutes earlier killed Jordan Davis in an execution-style shooting on a laneway beside Our Lady Immaculate Junior National School in Darndale. Mr Davis was pushing his son in a pram when Cooney cycled up behind him and fired eight shots, three of which struck him. READ MORE He fled the scene on his bicycle and went to a bus stop near the Clarehall Shopping Centre, where Redmond arranged to pick him up in her friend's car. She paid for Cooney to stay at the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport that night. At a sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court on Monday, Mr Justice Paul Burns said that rather than being 'revulsed' after learning about the murder, Redmond 'chose to assist' her then-partner and helped him to 'lie low'. He said there was no evidence that Redmond was reluctant to help Cooney and she aided him to avoid capture when important forensic evidence could have been gathered. [ Wayne Cooney found guilty of murdering Jordan Davis as victim pushed his child in pram Opens in new window ] The judge said the maximum sentence for such crimes is 10 years and that Redmond's actions fell in the 'upper end of middle range'. He said her assistance in the crime was 'not spur of the moment' and that she must have given considerable thought to what she was doing. Dominic McGinn SC, for Redmond, previously said despite his client's not guilty plea, she accepts the jury's verdict. The judge said that he had considered the mitigating circumstances in the case, including Redmond's lack of previous relevant convictions and her good work record. He set a headline sentence of six years on each count but reduced that to five years with both counts running concurrently. He suspended the final year of the sentence for a period of three years. Redmond, originally from Coolock but with an address at Clifdenville Road, Belfast, reacted by saying: 'Thank you judge'. She told those who came to support her: 'I'll be home soon, don't worry.' Redmond took the stand during her trial, claiming she did not know what Cooney had done, that she was in love with him and was unable to see the bad in him. The prosecution described Redmond's testimony as 'absolutely risible'. 'The accused is saying 'I didn't know'. If you said that to a horse you would get a kick,' said Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, for the State. Following Redmond's trial, the jury took seven hours and 33 minutes over three days to unanimously accept the State's case. After she was convicted, she shouted from the dock: 'I didn't do it though, I didn't do anything.' It was the State's case that drug dealer Robert Redmond was engaged 'in some acrimony' with Mr Davis. A detective testified that 'tick lists' found at two addresses linked to Robert Redmond contained the name 'Jordo' – the same handle Jordan Davis was known by – with amounts of up to €153,000 recorded as owing. Evidence was given that Mr Davis was warned by Robert Redmond 'I'm on your case mate, it won't be long' and 'soon, very soon bang bang'. Cooney was convicted of the murder in 2022, while Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiring together with Cooney to murder Mr Davis.
Sunday World
19-05-2025
- Sunday World
Beautician who helped gunman ex evade arrest says ‘I'll be home soon' as she's jailed
A jury convicted Rachel Redmond (35) - the younger sister of career criminal Robert "Roo" Redmond - of attempting to impede Wayne Cooney's apprehension A woman who helped her then partner - "an extremely dangerous" killer - to "lie low" after he gunned down a young drug dealer on Dublin's northside told her supporters today 'I'll be home soon, don't worry' after she was jailed for four years. In March a jury convicted Rachel Redmond (35) - the younger sister of career criminal Robert "Roo" Redmond - of attempting to impede Wayne Cooney's apprehension or prosecution while knowing or believing him to have committed murder by driving him from the scene and paying for a hotel room in her name. The trial heard evidence that, after he got into the car, Redmond remarked to Cooney that there had been a shooting in Darndale and he replied: "It's a mad place." Rachel Redmond (File photo: Collins Courts) Cooney had minutes earlier shot dead young father Jordan Davis in an execution-style killing on May 22, 2019 at a laneway beside Our Lady Immaculate Junior National School in Darndale. Mr Davis was pushing his four-month-old son in a pram when Cooney cycled up behind him and fired eight shots, three of which struck him, causing his immediate death. Cooney fled the scene on his bicycle and went to a bus stop near the Clarehall Shopping Centre, where Rachel Redmond arranged to pick him up in her friend's car. That night, she paid for Cooney to stay at the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport. Rachel Redmond News in 90 Seconds - May 19th At today's sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul Burns said that rather than being 'revulsed' after learning about the murder, Redmond 'chose to assist' her then-partner and allowed him to "lie low" He said that there was no evidence that Redmond was reluctant to help Cooney and she aided him to avoid capture when important forensic evidence could have been gathered. The judge said that the maximum sentence for this type of crime is ten years and that Redmond's actions fell in the 'upper end of middle range' for offending. He said that her assistance in the crime was 'not spur of the moment' and that Redmond must have given considerable thought to what she was doing over the course of the day. Dominic McGinn SC, defence counsel for Redmond, said last Monday that despite his client's plea of not guilty, she now accepts the jury's verdict and understands why they convicted her. Mr Justice Burns said he had 'reservations' about Mr McGinn's statement that Redmond was 'blinded by the relationship and turned a blind eye rather than deliberately setting out to commit a crime." Wayne Cooney, Jordan Davis and Rachel Redmond The judge said that he had considered the mitigating circumstances in the case, including Redmond's lack of previous relevant convictions and her good work record. The court was told last week that Redmond has worked as a beautician, including for the IFSC and Aer Lingus. She has also worked in security for the Saudi Arabian embassy and for the psychiatric unit at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. He set a headline sentence of six years on each count but reduced that to five years with both counts to run concurrently. He suspended the final year of the sentence for a period of three years. Redmond's only reaction to the sentencing being passed was to say: 'Thank you judge'. She told those who had come to support her: 'I'll be home soon, don't worry.' Redmond had taken the stand at her trial, claiming that she did not know what Cooney had done, that she was in love with him and was unable to see the bad in him. Last week, Redmond's counsel submitted that his client was "perhaps naive" and had "turned a blind eye rather than deliberately setting out to commit a crime". The court heard that Redmond had also written a letter of apology to the family of Jordan Davis. At trial, the prosecution described Redmond's testimony that she didn't know Wayne Cooney had committed "any crime at all" as "absolutely risible". Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, for the State, added: "The accused is saying 'I didn't know'; If you said that to a horse you would get a kick". Following Redmond's trial, the jury took seven hours and 33 minutes over three days to unanimously accept the State's case. After she was convicted, she shouted from the dock: "I didn't do it though, I didn't do anything." The trial heard Ms Redmond was in phone contact with Cooney just five minutes after the shooting and remained talking to him for over three minutes. She later went to the Clayton Hotel that night, where she used her own bank card to pay for a room for Cooney while he remained out of sight. It was the State's case that drug dealer Robert Redmond was engaged "in some acrimony" with Mr Davis. A detective testified that "tick lists" found at two addresses linked to Robert Redmond had contained the name "Jordo" - the same nickname Jordan Davis was known by - with amounts up to €153,000 recorded as owing. Some €70,000 was written beside one entry with the words "not yet" in capital letters. Evidence was given that Mr Davis was warned by Robert Redmond - "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang" - 19 days before he was shot to death. Cooney was convicted of the murder in 2022, while Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiring together with Cooney to murder Mr Davis on or about May 22, 2019 and was sentenced to seven years in prison. A career criminal, Robert Redmond has 99 previous convictions which include those for the possession of firearms and ammunition with intention to endanger life and the possession of heroin, while he is currently serving a life sentence for murder. He also has convictions for blackmail and extortion, threats to kill and assault causing harm. Rachel Redmond, who is from Coolock but has an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Antrim was charged on two counts that on or about May 22 and May 23 2019, in the county of the City of Dublin, did knowingly or believing that another person, namely Wayne Cooney, committed an arrestable offence, to wit murder, without reasonable excuse did an act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution. Ms Redmond had pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
BreakingNews.ie
19-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Beautician (35) jailed for helping her killer ex-boyfriend 'lie low' after murder
A woman who helped her then-partner – "an extremely dangerous" killer – "lie low" after he gunned down a young drug dealer on Dublin's northside, told her supporters 'I'll be home soon, don't worry' after she was jailed for four years. In March, a jury convicted Rachel Redmond (35) – the younger sister of career criminal Robert "Roo" Redmond – of attempting to impede Wayne Cooney's apprehension or prosecution while knowing or believing him to have committed murder by driving him from the scene and paying for a hotel room in her name. Advertisement The trial heard evidence that, after he got into the car, Redmond remarked to Cooney that there had been a shooting in Darndale and he replied: "It's a mad place." Cooney had, minutes earlier, shot dead young father Jordan Davis in an execution-style killing on May 22nd, 2019, at a laneway beside Our Lady Immaculate Junior National School in Darndale. Mr Davis was pushing his four-month-old son in a pram when Cooney cycled up behind him and fired eight shots, three of which struck him, causing his immediate death. Cooney fled the scene on his bicycle and went to a bus stop near the Clarehall Shopping Centre, where Rachel Redmond arranged to pick him up in her friend's car. That night, she paid for Cooney to stay at the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport. At Monday's sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul Burns said that rather than being 'revulsed' after learning about the murder, Redmond 'chose to assist' her then-partner and allowed him to "lie low". Advertisement He said that there was no evidence that Redmond was reluctant to help Cooney, and she aided him to avoid capture when important forensic evidence could have been gathered. The judge said that the maximum sentence for this type of crime is ten years and that Redmond's actions fell in the 'upper end of middle range' for offending. He said that her assistance in the crime was 'not spur of the moment' and that Redmond must have given considerable thought to what she was doing over the course of the day. Dominic McGinn SC, defence counsel for Redmond, said last Monday that despite his client's plea of not guilty, she now accepts the jury's verdict and understands why they convicted her. Advertisement Mr Justice Burns said he had 'reservations' about Mr McGinn's statement that Redmond was 'blinded by the relationship and turned a blind eye rather than deliberately setting out to commit a crime." The judge said that he had considered the mitigating circumstances in the case, including Redmond's lack of previous relevant convictions and her good work record. The court was told last week that Redmond has worked as a beautician, including for the IFSC and Aer Lingus. She has also worked in security for the Saudi Arabian embassy and for the psychiatric unit at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. He set a headline sentence of six years on each count, but reduced that to five years with both counts to run concurrently. He suspended the final year of the sentence for a period of three years. Advertisement Redmond's only reaction to the sentencing being passed was to say: 'Thank you, judge'. She told those who had come to support her: 'I'll be home soon, don't worry.' Redmond had taken the stand at her trial, claiming that she did not know what Cooney had done, that she was in love with him and was unable to see the bad in him. Last week, Redmond's counsel submitted that his client was "perhaps naive" and had "turned a blind eye rather than deliberately setting out to commit a crime". The court heard that Redmond had also written a letter of apology to the family of Jordan Davis. At trial, the prosecution described Redmond's testimony that she didn't know Wayne Cooney had committed "any crime at all" as "absolutely risible". Advertisement Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, for the State, added: "The accused is saying 'I didn't know'; If you said that to a horse you would get a kick". Following Redmond's trial, the jury took seven hours and 33 minutes over three days to unanimously accept the State's case. After she was convicted, she shouted from the dock: "I didn't do it though, I didn't do anything." The trial heard Ms Redmond was in phone contact with Cooney just five minutes after the shooting and remained talking to him for over three minutes. She later went to the Clayton Hotel that night, where she used her own bank card to pay for a room for Cooney while he remained out of sight. It was the State's case that drug dealer Robert Redmond was engaged "in some acrimony" with Mr Davis. A detective testified that "tick lists" found at two addresses linked to Robert Redmond had contained the name "Jordo" – the same nickname Jordan Davis was known by – with amounts up to €153,000 recorded as owing. €70,000 was written beside one entry with the words "not yet" in capital letters. Evidence was given that Mr Davis was warned by Robert Redmond – "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang" – 19 days before he was shot to death. Ireland Michael Gaine case: What we know so far as human r... Read More Cooney was convicted of the murder in 2022, while Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiring together with Cooney to murder Mr Davis on or about May 22nd, 2019, and was sentenced to seven years in prison. A career criminal, Robert Redmond has 99 previous convictions, which include those for the possession of firearms and ammunition with intention to endanger life and the possession of heroin, while he is currently serving a life sentence for murder. He also has convictions for blackmail and extortion, threats to kill and assault causing harm. Rachel Redmond, who is from Coolock but has an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast, Co Antrim, was charged on two counts that on or about May 22nd and May 23rd, 2019, in the county of the City of Dublin, did knowingly or believing that another person, namely Wayne Cooney, committed an arrestable offence, to wit murder, without reasonable excuse did an act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution. Ms Redmond had pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
BreakingNews.ie
12-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Beautician was 'naive' when she tried to help partner evade murder arrest, court told
A beautician was "naive" when she tried to help her then partner – "an extremely dangerous" killer – evade arrest after he shot dead a young drug dealer on Dublin's northside, her lawyer has told the Central Criminal Court. Dominic McGinn SC, for Rachel Redmond (35), said on Monday that despite his client's plea of not guilty, she now accepts the jury's verdict and understands why they convicted her. The barrister asked for leniency for Redmond, the younger sister of career criminal Robert "Roo" Redmond, with the court hearing she once worked in security for the Saudi Arabian embassy. Advertisement Mr McGinn said the relationship with Cooney "fed into her behaviour" and prevented her from "realising what would have been abundantly obvious to everyone else". Redmond wrote a letter of apology to the family of Jordan Davis, who Wayne Cooney shot dead in an execution-style killing on May 22nd, 2019, at a laneway beside Our Lady Immaculate Junior National School in Darndale on Dublin's northside. Mr Davis was pushing his four-month-old son in a pram when Cooney cycled up behind him and fired eight shots, three of which struck him, causing immediate death. A child who happened to be cycling through the laneway was just metres away when Cooney started firing. Cooney fled the scene on his bicycle and went to a bus stop near the Clarehall Shopping Centre, where Rachel Redmond arranged to pick him up in her friend's car. That night, she arranged for Cooney to stay at the Clayton Hotel. Advertisement A jury convicted Redmond, from Coolock but with an address at Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Co Antrim, of attempting to impede Cooney's apprehension or prosecution while knowing or believing him to have committed murder. Following her conviction, she shouted from the dock: "I didn't do it though, I didn't do anything." She had taken the stand at her trial, saying that she did not know what Cooney had done, that she was in love with him and was unable to see the bad in him. Mr McGinn on Monday told the court that Redmond now accepts the jury verdict. He asked Mr Justice Paul Burns to consider that, despite his client's efforts to impede the investigation, gardaí did arrest Wayne Cooney and he was convicted of murder. Redmond was, counsel said, "perhaps naive, blinded by the relationship and turned a blind eye rather than deliberately setting out to commit a crime." Asking for leniency, Mr McGinn pointed out his client's "solid work record" over her adult life. She has worked as a beautician, including for the IFSC and Aer Lingus. She has also worked in security for the Saudi Arabian embassy and for the psychiatric unit at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Advertisement Mr McGinn handed in testimonies from Redmond's mother, father and a former employer. The testimonials refer to her as a "hard-working, kind, loving young lady" for whom these offences are "very much out of character", Mr McGinn said. Mr Justice Burns adjourned the matter to next Monday to deliver sentence. In April, 2024 Rachel Redmond's brother, Robert 'Roo' Redmond, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Jordan Davis. Text exchanges showed that Robert Redmond was demanding Mr Davis repay him a drug debt of €70,000. Advertisement Ireland Convicted killer Robert Redmond pleads guilty to m... Read More In one exchange, 19 days before Cooney carried out the murder, Robert Redmond warned Mr Davis: "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang". A career criminal, Robert Redmond had 99 previous convictions, including two counts for possession of firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. In 2022, Robert Redmond received the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murdering father-of-eight Barry Wolverson (40) at Madigan's Yard, Kileek Lane, Swords, Co Dublin on January 17th, 2020. Following Rachel Redmond's trial, the jury took seven hours and 33 minutes over three days to unanimously accept the State's case that she drove Cooney away from the scene and later checked him into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport on the night of the murder.
