Craig Palmer

A man who sexually assaulted a baby and had more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his phone has been jailed for 14 years.

Craig Palmer pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences in December and was sentenced for the crimes at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, West Midlands Police said.

The 33-year-old of Blakesley Grove, Stechford, Birmingham, admitted eight counts of sexual assault, which took place when the baby girl was aged between five and 12 months.

He also pleaded guilty to a further 14 offences including making, possessing and distributing indecent photographs of children.

There was also one count of inciting or causing child prostitution and pornography and all the offences took place between December 2014 and February 2016, West Midlands Police said.

Detective Inspector Jim Foy from the force said it has been a "disturbing" case for the officers to pursue.

"This has been a difficult and protracted investigation that has had at its heart the protection of children," he said.

"Palmer has been found guilty of horrendous offences that have been particularly disturbing for my officers to pursue.

"However, due to their professionalism and determination this offender has been found guilty and will now suffer his punishment."

Police investigating the case discovered Palmer's crimes after a tip-off from the National Crime Agency linked him to indecent images of children posted online.

Officers moved in to arrest him at his then home in Fairfax Road, Sutton Coldfield in February 2016 and seized his mobile phone to gather further evidence.

Full forensic analysis revealed he had a haul of more than 1,000 pornographic images of young children on the phone, including some showing him sexually assaulting the baby.

Mr Foy added: "Anyone who downloads photographs of abuse of children creates a market for those photographs and that leads to other children being abused.

"Please be assured that West Midlands Police is determined to identify such offenders and put them before the courts."

Gilligan outside court on Wendesday

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) has wasted no time in ordering crimelord John Gilligan and his family to get out of the homes they bought with the proceeds of crime.

Only hours after the Gilligans lost their Supreme Court appeal against the seizure of the properties, CAB sent letters to the family's solicitors seeking vacant possession of the homes.

Gilligan's wife, Geraldine, and daughter, Tracey, live in a bungalow beside the already-seized Jessbrook Equestrian Centre in Kildare, while his son, Darren, lives in a house in Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown.

A third property owned by the Gilligans, in Willsbrook View, Lucan, has been in the control of CAB and is rented out on a long-term basis.

The court ruling means CAB can seize all three properties and sell them.

It also means the Gilligans are technically homeless after a battle with CAB that has lasted more than 20 years and been dragged through nearly every court in the land.

John and Geraldine Gilligan bought the Jessbrook property in 1987. In 1996, they bought the Corduff Avenue house for €7,000 from the local authority after renting it since1977.

In 1995, Gilligan bought the Willsbrook View house for €73,000 and registered it in his daughter's name.

"Letters were issued to Gilligan's solicitors within hours of the ruling," a CAB source told the Herald. "The process of getting those properties is now under way and we are looking for vacant possession now."

CAB is now awaiting a response from the Gilligans.

"We can finally see the end of this long drawn-out matter," said the source.

The Herald can also reveal that CAB has received several queries from interested parties in relation to the Jessbrook property.

There was no sign of activity yesterday at the bungalow near Enfield.

The property is hidden at the top of a tree-lined avenue beside the equestrian centre that was seized and sold by CAB.

The bungalow was bought by the Gilligans before they bought the adjoining land and built the centre.

CAB has different options available to it in relation to the three homes.

While the Blanchardstown and Lucan houses will most likely be valued and sold on the open market, the Jessbrook property could be treated diff- erently.

It is unclear what the planning status of the bungalow is because there certain additions were made to the building in the past.

Depending on planning permission, some of these structures may be subject to applications for retention.

If there are difficulties, the Department of Public Enterprise and Reform, which becomes the new owners after the seizures occur, could have to apply for permission to demolish the property if a buyer cannot be found.

In Italy, where many businesses and properties are seized from Mafia gangs, the Italian equivalent of CAB often puts the buildings in trust for use by local communities.

This is seen as a way of giving a benefit back to the public, and if such a move was to be arranged with the bungalow it could become a refuge or a centre for a local charitable cause.

Valdis Gabranovs

The man killed in a two-car collision in north county Dublin on Wednesday night was due to become a father again in three months’ time.

Valdis Gabranovs (35) was on his way to his Rush home when his car crossed on to the other side of the road at a tight bend just yards from his housing estate.

He collided head-on with an Audi coming in the other direction and died at the scene.

Tragically, he was not wearing a seatbelt. Three people in the Audi were injured.

Mr Gabranovs's partner Inita Mezaka (35) has told how their baby boy is due in three months time.

"Life is not fair," she told the Irish Independent.

"Valdis had been out to see a friend and somehow this crash happened. Gardaí do not know why yet.

"Somehow he crossed to the other side of the road and crashed. If he was wearing his seatbelt he would probably still be alive."

The couple had a 21-month-old daughter, and Mr Gabranovs had an older boy from a previous relationship.

"I got a call late at night from a friend asking if Valdis was home. He should have been by then but he wasn't. Then I heard there had been an accident and I went up to see if it was Valdis's car," Ms Mezaka said.

"Then gardaí came and told me it was, and that he had died.

"Yesterday morning I had to identify his body in hospital. You hope that maybe gardaí had made a mistake, that it will be like in the movies, but no, I saw him there, not breathing," she said.

Ms Mezaka described her partner as an outdoors enthusiast with a passion and talent for fishing.

"He loved to fish, he would release the fish after he caught them. It was the sport of it was his passion," she said.

Mr Gabranovs worked for the Keogh's potato chips company as a line operator.

"We are from Latvia, and have been in Ireland for 10 years. I don't know what we will do now," she said.

"I had to phone Valdis's family and tell them what happened. They are all devastated," she said.

The crash happened on a sharp bend on the Skerries to Rush road at 11.45pm on Wednesday.

The three occupants of the Audi car, a 24-year-old woman and two men aged 45 and 28, were injured and taken to Beaumont and Connolly Memorial hospitals.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses or anyone with any information to contact Balbriggan garda dtation on 01 8020510, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

David Byrne's gave in Mount Jerome Cemetery

Security sweeps will be carried out at the grave of Regency Hotel murder victim David Byrne, over fears of a revenge attack at his graveside.

This Sunday marks the first anniversary of the “spectacular” murder, which saw a five-man hit team armed with handguns and assault rifles storm the north Dublin hotel.

The feud has left 11 people dead, including two innocent men, who were murdered in a case of mistaken identity.

Gardai are fearful that an attack could be planned by either faction involved in the deadly Hutch/Kinahan feud, with a security assessment in south Dublin currently at a “very-high” level.

Gardai will carry out security sweeps involving sniffer dogs over the weekend at Mount Jerome Cemetery to ensure that mourners at the grave will not be targeted.

 “Gardai have received intelligence that the Hutch gang could attempt an attack on the anniversary of David Byrne’s murder,” a senior source told Independent.ie.

“This stems from the fact that his family and close associates will be gathered at the grave for a ceremony this weekend.

“The fear is that the rival mob will use this occasion to carry out an attack.”

The source added that officers are monitoring the issue and that the situation remains “very tense”.

Daniel and Christy Kinahan Jnr are not expected to travel back to Dublin for the anniversary because of fears the Hutch gang may target them.

Gardai will also carry out covert operations over the weekend to prevent any attacks.

It can also be revealed that earlier this week a plaque was placed at the grave of David Byrne (33) ahead of the one-year anniversary.

The plaque was placed on the grave earlier this week.Kinahan cartel associate Byrne was shot dead as he attempted to flee the Regency Hotel during a boxing weigh-in on February 5 last year.

A five-man hit team, including members of the Hutch gang, stormed the premises in a “spectacular” shooting, which left one man dead and two others seriously injured.

Sean McGovern (30) and Aaron Bugler (25) received gunshot wounds.

The main target of the attack was Daniel Kinahan (39), who was present in his role as a boxing manager and promoter for the weigh-in.

However, the gangland criminal left the function room where the event was taking place to take a phone call just moments before the hit team struck.

One eyewitness to the chaotic scenes told Independent.ie: “The three men ran out. I’m standing beside the van. They shouted “he’s not f**king in there, go go, f**king go”.

Other Kinahan cartel members in the hotel at the time included Liam Byrne, Liam Roe and a number of younger associates.

Gardai investigating the Regency Hotel shooting have arrested several people and are looking to question Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch in relation to the killing.

The hotel murder was carried out in retaliation for the fatal shooting of Gary Hutch (34), who was gunned down at an apartment complex inMira de Flores Spain in September 2015.

Since the feud erupted, gardai say they have seized 456 firearms as well as €64m of illicit drugs from organised crime gangs.

Speaking this week, Detective Superintendent Tony Howard, of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said that the feud was between “lifelong friends”, which makes it more difficult to police.

“The feud had become very personalised and it has split down along two families,” he said. “It makes that feud all the more difficult to tackle when you are actually family-on-family. Communities have been torn apart.”

Herald

Bayview estate, Killiney (Image via Herald)

GARDAI investigating the sexual assault of a woman in south Dublin are confident they will apprehend the attacker.

A woman in her 40s was attacked at 5.45pm on Monday at the Bayview housing estate in Killiney.

She managed to fight her attacker off but was understood to be shaken.

Fifty concerned residents turned up at a neighbourhood watch meeting in Shankill last night, with several saying they were afraid to walk around the estate at night.

One resident said her daughters frequently took the same route from the Dart station as the woman who was attacked.

Insp Tom Condon, of Dun Laoghaire Garda Station, told the meeting that gardai are in the early stages of the investigation but have a large amount of CCTV footage to examine.

“We will apprehend this guy, I can tell you that, we’re very confident,” he said.

Residents are calling for CCTV to be mounted at all entrances to the estate.

Gardai are trying to establish if the attacker followed the woman a short distance before the attack or if she was targeted as she walked in his direction.

The man has been described as tall and thin. He was wearing white running shoes.

 It is understood he fled the scene on foot, running off in the direction of the Killiney Hill Road.

A possible link between this week’s attack and a spate of similar incidents in Shankill last year has been ruled out.

THE unprecedented Regency Hotel shooting led to top gardai creating a dedicated ‘gangbuster’ unit to take back control of the city’s streets from the two murderous gangs.

It ensured that they would increase intelligence gathering and direct operations against the Hutch gang and Kinahan cartel.

It has led to over a dozen murder attempts being prevented and hundreds of firearms being seized, while also seriously impeding the drug trafficking network of the city’s biggest crime gangs.

The changes within the Garda began with the launch of the Special Crime Task Force (SCTF) which would increase efforts against organised crime.

Some 44 men and women were chosen for the unit, which also includes six divisional asset profilers, all of whom have received training in investigations of this nature.

They have been involved in a number of significant raids which have seen over €500,000 in cash, drugs and firearms seized.

The next anti-gangland unit to be launched was the Armed Support Unit (ASU), now permanently patrolling the city’s streets.

 The 55-person unit was initially announced last February after two feud murders in quick succession, but was not officially launched until December 14 following an internal row over the selection process.

Gardai on the unit will be armed with Heckler and KochMP7 sub-machine guns as well as non-lethal equipment like pepper spray and tasers.

They have also been issued with high-powered vehicles.

These vehicles were some of the 191 allocated to national garda units as part of €4m to improve the response to organised crime and road policing.

Speaking at the launch, Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan said that the establishment of the unit was “the first step towards allowing us to develop the armed response capability that we need right around the country.”

Both the SCTF and the ASU will work with the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the Criminal Assets Bureau in targeting organised crime.

 In the first 31 days of this year over €40m worth of drugs were seized — more than the amount for 2016.

 Since the Regency Hotel shooting both national and local gardai have seized 456 firearms, almost 40 of which are high-powered weapons, including AK-47s and sub-machine guns..

Greg Lynch

Twelve months and ten killings since the Regency Hotel attack, Robin Schiller and Ken Foy give a rundown on the main players in the Kinahan cartel's Irish operation.

CHRISTY ‘DAPPER DON’ KINAHAN SNR (59) 

CHRISTY Kinahan is the leader of the cartel but has not been seen in Ireland in several years.

Gardai believe he has taken a step back from the ongoing feud and is currently based in the Middle East.

A convicted drug-dealer, Kinahan has served prison sentences in Ireland and Belgium.

He is being investigated by several European police forces, including the Guardia Civil and Gardai.

LIAM BYRNE (36) 

Liam is the brother of Regency Hotel murder victim David, and is one of the cartel’s most senior Irish figures.

He was recently arrested by CAB officers in relation to the seizure of over €1m worth of assets from criminals linked to the cartel.

Before the feud erupted, Byrne would regularly be spotted driving luxurious cars and socialising in Dublin 2 and Dublin 12.

However, he has since kept a much lower profile over fears that he could be targeted by the Hutch gang.

DANIEL KINAHAN (39)

Daniel Kinahan took over from his father’s drug-trafficking operation in recent years and has been spotted staying in south Dublin hotels and a west Dublin property.

He was present at the Regency Hotel shooting and is believed to have been the prime target of that attack.

However, he left the function room where the weigh-in was taking place to take a phone call just minutes before five armed men stormed the property.

GREG LYNCH (32)

Convicted heroin dealer Greg Lynch is considered to be one of the cartel’s key lieutenants.

Lynch, who survived an assassination attempt in October, 2013, which has left him facially disfigured, is one of Ireland’s biggest drug dealers and has multiple death threats against his life.

Lynch was aged just 19 when he was jailed for six years in 2004 after he was caught handing over €400,000 of heroin in the car-park of the Red Cow Inn at Naas Road, Dublin.

PAUL RICE (47)

Paul Rice is an enforcer for the Kinahan cartel and spends his time between his Tallaght base and abroad.

Rice is one of the capital’s most feared criminals, and he has acted as an enforcer and debt collector for the Kinahan cartel for years.

He also has links to a number of dangerous Dublin-based dissident republicans, and was a long-time associate of Gerard ‘Hatchet’ Kavanagh (44) who was shot dead in an Irish bar in Elviria, Spain, in September, 2014.

Rice himself is no stranger to violence and he was jailed for 10 years in July 1995 after pleading guilty to the robbery of a bank in which shots were fired.

KINAHAN CARTEL’S MAIN HITMAN (36) 

Now based abroad, the Finglas thug is suspected of a spate of hits on behalf of the cartel.

Since the Regency Hotel attack, the thug – who is facing serious criminal charges before the courts – has also been warned of an active threat against his life.

His Finglas home has been raided and he has been arrested and questioned about the murder of Eddie Hutch Snr in Dublin’s north inner city on February 8 last.

Gardai have also been investigating if the violent hood was involved in the murder of Noel ‘Kingsize’ Duggan (55), a former business partner of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, who was shot dead outside his home in Ratoath, Co Meath, on March 23.

The hitman was warned about an active threat against his life because of his suspected role in the murders but abused detectives when they issued him with the formal notice. 

Revealed: The five top dogs in The Hutch gang, read it here

Keith Murtagh

A year on from the bloodshed at the Regency Hotel, Ken Foy and Robin Schiller profile the top dogs in the Hutch gang.

GERRY HUTCH (53)

The perceived leader of the Hutch mob, ‘The Monk’ has been moving between several European cities since the murder of his nephew Gareth Hutch (36) in May of last year.

Gardai investigating the Regency shooting want to speak to Hutch in relation to the murder.

He is a primary target of the Kinahan cartel who previously carried out a botched attempt on his life on New Years Eve 2015 in Lanzarote, Spain.

KEITH MURTAGH (34) 

Senior Hutch mob criminal Keith Murtagh was the intended target of the gun attack in which innocent father- of-three Martin O’Rourke (24) was shot dead.

Murtagh is regarded as a key associate of Derek ‘Del Boy’ Hutch, who is the brother of Gary Hutch and nephew of Eddie Hutch, both of whom have been shot dead by the Kinahan gang.

He was part of an armed gang that included Derek Hutch.

The gang conspired to rob a large sum of money from a cash-in transit van in Lucan, Co Dublin, seven years ago. Murtagh was wounded during the incident and one of his accomplices, Garrett Molloy (27), was shot dead by gardai.

YOUNG HUTCH CRIMINAL (23)

This young north Dublin criminal has been linked to a number of murders and attempted murder despite his young age.

A close associate of the Hutch mob, he previously worked for the Kinahan cartel before the murder of Gary Hutch (33).

Gardai believe he was directly involved in the Regency Hotel murder, while the Kinahan cartel believe he was responsible for a botched shooting at the Red Cow complex on November 6, 2015.

During this incident a gunman attempted to shoot at Liam Byrne and Liam Roe but the weapon jammed.

He is under active threat from the cartel but is also being sought by gardai.

PATRICK HUTCH SNR (56)

The father of Gary Hutch, Patrick is under grave threat from the Kinahan cartel and gardai provide him with 24-hour protection.

He has been arrested by gardai investigating the Regency Hotel gun attack but was released without charge.

Checkpoints have also been placed near his Champions Avenue home, but it is not believed that the Kinahan target is living there due to safety concerns.

MAIN HUTCH HITMAN (30)

Gary Hutch’s best pal turned against the cartel after his best friend was murdered by the mob in September, 2015.

In the aftermath, sources revealed that the hitman refused to attend a number of meetings which the cartel attempted to organise with him because he was “disgusted and heartbroken” about what happened to his pal. 

This notorious north inner city criminal is a feared hitman who is suspected of carrying out the murders of Paul Kavanagh in March, 2015, as well as Eamon ‘The Don’ Dunne in 2010, on behalf of the Kinahan cartel.l.

Revealed: The six top players in the Kinahan cartel’s Irish operation, read it here

A French soldier has shot and wounded a 'man armed with a machete' near the Louvre in central Paris.

It is understood the soldier opened fire after the man attacked another soldier with a machete before he was shot and seriously wounded.

Police have confirmed there were no explosives in the man's suitcase which he was carrying.

Paris's police chief said the man shouted "Allahu akhbar" as he wielded the weapon.

A spokewoman for Louvre said the museum was "closed for the moment" but would not confirm reports it had been evacuated.

Something is going down at The #Louvre 30 National Police vehicles with guns drawn pic.twitter.com/kpLTCtVdZN

— VoiceB0xx (@voiceb0xx) February 3, 2017

French police have yet to issue a statement, but the interior ministry said on Twitter the incident was "serious".

The attack occurred in the Carousel du Louvre, a commercial underground shopping centre near the entrance to the museum.

A major security operation is now underway at the museum and at the nearby shopping centre.

Twitter user @voiceb0xx shared a live video of crowds being evacuated from the building and wrote; "The sirens went off and the emergency escape doors lifted from the ground. 4 armed guards then sprinted around the grounds outside [sic]."

France has been hit by a series of militant Islamist attacks over the past two years.

The soldier was patrolling as part of the Operation Sentenelle foot-patrols around French landmarks which were set up after the January 2015 attacks on the Charlie Hebdo magazine offices and a grocery store in Paris.

One year ago the Sunday world was watching as the first shots in Ireland's deadliest gangland feud rang out. We've followed every bloody step and bullet since.

Now for the first time read the full inside story of the feud in a free book written by  investigations editor Nicola Tallant. The double crosses, the money, the murders and how the tide turned against a cartel.

Cu Chulainn

A father who claims his 12-year-old daughter broke her neck while riding the Cu Chulainn rollercoaster in Tayto Park has called for an overhaul of the regulations overseeing theme parks and funfairs.

Eoin Moran told RTÉ Prime Time programme that his daughter initially believed she had suffered whiplash after a ride on the rollercoaster last August.

However after four weeks in pain she had an x-ray which revealed that her neck was broken.

Tayto Park says it was notified of the extent of the alleged incident four weeks after it occurred, and they carried out a full investigation. They confirmed that this is now the subject of legal proceedings which they will be rigorously defending.

Eoin Moran told RTÉ Prime Time that he "counts his blessings" that his daughter is alive.

"When she was x-rayed in Crumlin the medical team reacted immediately that this was an emergency situation and she was in surgery twice over the next couple of days.

"The medical team has made it clear to us that this is a very serious injury that she is very lucky to be breathing, that she is very lucky not to be paralysed she is lucky to be alive.

"So while what she has gone through is very serious and has been very difficult for her and us we do count our blessings that that child is alive and will recover for the most part."

Mr Moran spoke on the show to highlight a gap in legislation which means that no statutory body has the responsibility or authority to investigate health and safety incidents in theme parks and funfairs.

"We were shocked when we realised our child has a broken neck but we are shocked again to find that no statutory body is responsible, that no one is looking after the health of our children, that there is no oversight."

Fairground rides and equipment have been subject to strict annual inspections by independent engineers since 2003.

Tayto Park said that its health and safety standards are subject to constant review to meet the highest standards. However no state body has the power to investigate reports of accidents or injuries on such sites.

RTÉ Prime Time programme revealed that no state authority has investigated the stairs collapse in the House of Horrors attraction in Tayto Park last October when nine people were taken to hospital.

Tayto Park told RTÉ Prime Time a Health and Safety Authority official had visited the site and told them to have a replacement stairs evaluated by two engineering companies which they did.

"We considered that we had co-operated with a HSA investigation but they may have another descriptor for this interaction with the incident."

The HSA said the legislation it operates under does not stretch to the investigation of such incidents.

"We have to be able to make the link between the place of work and a work activity. In that circumstance we determined that it wasn’t a matter for the authority. We did not investigate that."

HSA Assistant Chief Executive Brian Higgisson told the programme: "To my knowledge there is no other statutory body that would have a role to investigate in relation to a public safety incident in a fairground or funfair."

Housing, Planning and Local Government Minister Simon Coveney told the family that his Department is currently reviewing issues in relation to safety at funfairs, theme parks and community events.

"The issues of legislative change and updated guidance will be considered in light of this review," Mr Coveney said.

A similar review was ordered by then Minister Mary Harney 18 years ago had never been acted on.

Tayto Park management said in a statement that it is aware of an allegation of an injury on the Cu Chulainn Coaster. "We have carried out a full investigation utilising CCTV footage, staff interviews etc and as a result of this Tayto Park will be defending this action rigorously.

"Tayto Park is very proud of its Health and Safety standards. Tayto Park has not received any other complaints from over 850,000 customers who have enjoyed the Cú Chulainn Coaster."

Eoin Moran said his family have been on an "emotional journey".

"We have been on quite an emotional journey over the last few months. We were shocked that our child, a happy go lucky healthy 12-year-old kid could go to her local theme park for a day out and come back with her neck broken, that shocked us and that has made us angry...but when we raised the issue and our concerns that this could happen to someone else and find that no one is responsible, that no one is looking after the health of our children, that there is no oversight, to find that neither the Health and Safety Authority or no other body is overseeing the health and safety, protecting our children.

"That has been quite a shock to us and this is something that needs to be dealt with."

Via Independent

Sandie Bowen

Human remains found in a reservoir could be those of a murder victim whose body has never been found nearly 20 years after she disappeared.

Gwent Police said the remains were discovered in Wentwood Reservoir, near Newport, South Wales, and a "line of inquiry" was that they could be those of 53-year-old Sandie Bowen.

Her husband, Mike, served 15 years of a life sentence after murdering her in 1997 but has never revealed where he hid her body.

The forestry worker was jailed for life in 1998 after his wife's blood and false teeth were found at their home in Llandogo, Monmouthshire.

Police believe he attacked his wife in a fit of temper at their home after he discovered she was having an affair and then hid her body.

Throughout his murder trial, he denied any involvement in her disappearance and claimed he had dropped her off in the centre of Newport to catch a bus or train to Folkestone, Kent.

While Bowen finally admitted the killing in 2003, he refused to tell police where the body of the catering worker was, with police believing it had been buried in Wentwood Forest.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said: "Following the discovery of human remains in Wentwood Reservoir, we can now confirm that the body has been identified as female.

"Specialist teams are now working with officers to identify the body.

"We can confirm that the disappearance of Sandie Bowen is one of our many lines of inquiry."

A flying Dutchman is facing years in jail after being caught with his trousers down smuggling cocaine worth more than £2.4 million into the UK.

John Buwalda brought bags containing 48lb (22kg) of high purity cocaine in a light aircraft from the Netherlands to Rochester Airport in Kent on the afternoon of June 30 last year.

Buwalda, 53, and "professional courier" Jan Polak, 61, were found guilty of plotting to smuggle the class A drugs following a trial at the Old Bailey in December.

The pilot was caught on CCTV landing his light aircraft at Rochester then going to and from the plane with a suitcase, before checking into a nearby Holiday Inn hotel.

Officers then watched as Polish national Polak got two sports bags from his van and went up to Buwalda's hotel room for the handover.

As he walked away carrying two full sports bags, Polak was arrested by officers from the joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service Organised Crime Partnership (OCP).

Hotel staff told officers that Buwalda had arrived earlier that day with two suitcases but checked in for the day only, as he had done several times before.

NCA officer Jim McMorrow told the trial how he arrested Buwalda while he was sitting on the toilet.

He said: "Mr Buwalda was sitting on the toilet. He had a white top on and his trousers were by his legs.

"I informed him we had arrested a man ... and he had given us the room as the one he had been in."

The Old Bailey was told that the drugs, which were found to have an 80% purity level, were worth £2,408,040 on the street.

Prosecutor Ailsa Williamson said that Buwalda, from Hilversum, told officers he worked for the Chinese Europe Medical Post Grad Academy, which provided European-standard training to Chinese-taught dentists.

He was said to have told them he had flown to the UK using the academy's Piper Alpha to network at the University of Greenwich.

But he admitted he had spoken to no one at the university or set up any meetings before leaving the Netherlands.

Polak, of Borehamwood, Herts, told officers he worked for a cosmetics company and was paid £300 to collect a package for a business contact called Timmy.

He denied ever looking into the bag or knowing what was inside when questioned.

But officers searching his van found a purpose-built concealment behind the front seats, hidden behind a false bulk head and operated electronically.

Recorder Oliver Sells QC has warned the pair they face a "very long" jail stretch. He will hand down his sentences at the Old Bailey later.

Paul Bradley

A JUDGE has directed medical attention for a 52-year-old man in custody on remand charged with the murder of Neil Reilly in Dublin.

Father-of-two Neil Reilly, 36, sustained serious injuries during a row in the early hours of Jan. 18 after his car came to a halt and he was attacked and stabbed in the Esker Glebe area in Lucan, not far from his home at St Finian’s Close.

Neil Reilly

He was rushed to James Connolly Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Gardai seized a number of cars for technical examination and on Monday four males ranging in ages from late teens to fifties were arrested. They were all charged with the murder of Mr Reilly at The Glebe, Esker, Lucan, on Jan. 18 last and they were remanded in custody on Tuesday.

Jason Bradley

Paul Bradley, 52, and his sons Jason Bradley, 18, and Dean Bradley, 22,  of Liscarne Gardens, Ronanstown, west Dublin appeared at Cloverhill District Court on Friday. There was consent to them being further remanded in custody until their next hearing on March 3.

Defence solicitor Tracy Horan asked for medical attention to be granted to Paul Bradley. She said he suffered from a serious heart condition. Judge Victor Blake directed that he must get the attention he needs and that the prison consultant should liaise with Mr Bradley's GP.

Dean Bradley

A book of evidence has yet to be completed.

The fourth co-defendant, a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, will face his next hearing at Blanchardstown Children's Court on Monday. 

The defendants, because they are charged with murder, will have to make an application in the High Court to get released on bail.

Charles Cleary

A STUDENT accused of the murder of his friend Leo Carolan, who was stabbed at his flat in Dublin, has been further charged with attempted murder of another man and robbing him of €14,000.

Gardai launched a murder investigation after the budding 25-year-old DJ from Dun Laoghaire was stabbed to death on Oct. 4 at his home on the South Circular Road.

Mr Carolan was a second-year student at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology where he had been studying creative music technology. He was living in his apartment at South Circular Road for some time after returning from France where he he had studied Anthropology at Universite Lumiere in Lyon.

A second man, Swiss national Ludovic Thomas, was found injured on the road outside and was rushed to hospital with serious knife wounds.

Student Charles Cleary, 23, who is currently of no fixed abode but from the Rathfarnham area in south Dublin, was arrested on Oct. 8 and held at Kevin Street Garda Station.

He was then charged with murdering Mr Carolan and with assault causing harm to Mr Thomas. He was remanded in custody following a court appearance on Oct. 10 last.

Leo Carolan

His sixth hearing was held at Cloverhill District Court on Friday. He appeared via video-link and Judge Victor Blake heard that two additional charges were brought against Mr Cleary: attempted murder of Mr Thomas and theft of €14,000 from him on Oct. 4 last.

Det Sergeant Adrian Whitelaw told Judge Blake that the accused had no response when the fresh charges were put to him on Friday morning. The court also heard the DPP has directed that Mr Cleary is to face trial on indictment.

The State has not yet completed the book of evidence which needs to be served on the defendant before he is returned for trial.

Judge Victor Blake remanded Mr Cleary in custody to appear again in one week. He acceded to a request from defence solicitor Tracy Horan to grant legal aid.

The defendant has not yet entered a plea to the charges.

The district court cannot grant bail in murder cases meaning he will have to make an application to the High Court to get released pending trial.

At his first hearing in October, Det Sergeant Whitelaw had said. “I cautioned him and in reply he he had nothing to say.” Psychiatric assessments of him were also ordered.

The youth pulled the garda's bicycle helmet over his face and punched him in the head

A YOUTH is facing sentence for attacking a Garda sergeant on Dublin's Henry Street.

The 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to assault causing harm to the officer on June 18 last.

Garda Sergeant Adrian Kinsella said there were difficulties among a crowd watching a street performance. 

He said his colleague spoke to the busker and asked to see his permit when the boy and another youth attempted to intervene. They were not connected to the busker and were directed by the garda sergeant to move on at which the boy turned but on leaving he said “fuck yourself” to the sergeant.

The youth pulled the garda's bicycle helmet over his face and punched him in the head. Both fell to the ground and the boy got on top of the sergeant and continued to punch him in the face and head area.

The garda then restrained the teenager. A medical report was furnished to the court and Judge John O'Connor noted that the sergeant recovered from his injuries.

Defence counsel Damian McKeone put it to the witness that the attacked garda said in his statement that he had been punched just twice. However, Gda Sgt Kinsella disagreed and said that he had seen CCTV footage which showed his colleague was punched a number of times.

He did not agree that the youth had complied with the direction to leave the area because he did do so in a peaceful manner. The teenager had one prior criminal conviction for violent disorder for which he was placed on probation for 12 months in February last year.

The court heard he is attending a youth drug and alcohol treatment service.

Judge O'Connor said an attack like this was very serious and he adjourned sentencing for four weeks to allow time for a probation report on the youth to be furnished to the court.

The teen, who did not address the court, was accompanied to court by his mother and remains on bail.

His co-defendant, another 16-year-old boy, is due back in court later this month to indicate how he will plead.

dublin-circuit-criminal-court.jpg

A memorabilia collector who bought a stolen shotgun at a market in a “serious error of judgement” has been given a two-year suspended sentence

Anthony Kearney (65), who ran a “bric a brac” shop on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin in the 1980s, described himself as “a bit of a magpie” who collected wartime memorabilia, fake guns and swords.

Gardai accepted that Kearney made a “silly mistake” and was not involved in criminality.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Kearney had no role in the earlier burglary in which the firearm was taken.

Kearney, of Saggart Court Lodge, Saggart, Co Dublin pleaded guilty at to possession of the Baikal double barrel under and over shotgun at Swiftwood, Saggart Court Lodge, Saggart, on January 13, 2015. He has no previous convictions.

This offence under Section 27 (a) of the Firearms Act normally carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years imprisonment. This does not apply where the court is satisfied there are “exceptional and specific circumstances.”

Judge Patricia Ryan said the case was a “serious error of judgement” on the part of the long-time collector. She noted his plea, lack of previous convictions and the circumstances around the offence.

Judge Ryan imposed a two year sentence which she suspended in full and ordered restitution in respect of the firearm.

Det Gda Griffin told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that gardaí acting on information about the movement of the firearm stopped Kearney in his van as he drove through Saggart. On searching his van they found the weapon inside broken into three parts.

Kearney told gardaí he had bought the weapon for €440 at the Sunday market in Balbriggan where he regularly picked up memorabilia for his collection. He said he had not found it suspicious and described himself as “a bit of a magpie.” He answered all questions put to him by gardaí.

Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, said it was a “silly mistake” and something that Kearney had done to add to a house “bursting” with memorabilia including other weapons of various descriptions. Gardaí did not find anything of a criminal nature within the house.

Counsel handed in pictures of Kearney's home showing memorabilia in the living room and on the walls.

Mr Dwyer said Kearney collected items such as coins, paintings, swords, fake guns and wartime memorabilia around the country. He handed in testimonials from two antique dealers saying Kearney was a good and honest man who had made a “momentous lapse in judgement”.

He submitted Kearney's level of moral culpability was at the low end of the scale and asked the court to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of five years applicable to this offence.

The burglar stuck in the window

The burglar stuck in the window

Bungling burglar Sean Crawshaw has been branded Britain's worst crook after getting stuck in the bathroom window of a house he was trying to raid.

Crawshaw was in the frame when police arrived on the scene to read him rights - as he hung in mid-air from the window sill.

It took a call to the fire service to release him into the arms of waiting laughing policemen before charging him with burglary, not before they took photos of the hapless criminal as evidence.

Crawshaw was this week jailed for two years and four months at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, for the attempted break-in at Radcliffe, Greater Manchester on December 19.

The 47-year-old from Radcliffe tried to burgle the property of a pensioner who was out shopping when he got stuck in the upstairs window of the house.

She returned to find him still stuck and called police.

Greater Manchester Police's Bury South division posted the photos on their Facebook page, with a message: "Radcliffe burglar Sean Crawshaw (47 years) pleaded guilty to Burglary at Minshull Street Crown Court.

"He got wedged in the bathroom window and 'hung around' for the Police to arrive. Sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. Here is 'exhibit a'."

Michael Dunn

An English priest who molested a 12-year-old boy after bringing the child and his brother on holiday to Ireland over 40 years ago has been jailed for nine months.

Michael Dunn (67), who pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault, intends to appeal the sentence, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.

Dunn knew the boy and his family as the child served as an alter boy. The victim was bullied at school and Dunn became his “trusted confidant”, the court heard.

The victim told the court that Dunn groomed him to comply and that said he felt helpless to escape. “I was imprisoned in what was supposed to be a holiday and 100 miles from home,” he said.

Garda Karen Doherty told John Fitzgerald BL, prosecuting, that the victim told gardaí that while in Dublin, Dunn got him to share his bed every night. The abuse started with Dunn touching him while he pretended to be asleep and progressed to the man forcing him to masturbate him and open mouth kissing.

The now 53-year-old victim said in his garda statement that he felt he loved Dunn as he was a father figure and friend. He was the only person who showed him physical affection and he later “felt bad for letting it happen”.

Dunn, with an address in Lawrence Street, York, England, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault in August 1975 when he was 26 years old. He was jailed for 18 months in England in March 2005 after he was convicted of sexual assaulting another young boy in the seventies.

Judge Melanie Greally said Dunn's offending had deeply affected his victim in all aspects of his life. “The actions of the accused had a profoundly negative effect on a young male in the vital, formative years of his life,” she said.

She noted Dunn entered the priesthood at a very young age, when he was “ill-prepared for the challenges of priesthood, both sexually and socially”. She took into account mitigating factors including his plea of guilty and the fact he had lived an “irreproachable” life ever since.

Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC indicated Dunn would be appealing the sentence and asked that he be granted bail pending the outcome. Judge Greally denied the bail application.

The man read his victim impact statement in court which was later described by counsel, “as a powerful, deeply moving, testimony”.

He said he was at an early stage of his sexual and emotional development a the time. “I cannot say the abuse made me gay but it normalised in my psyche an attraction to men,” he continued.

He said as a married man and father, he led a dual existence describing a “secret life of alcohol and infidelity with other men”.

The man said his long term suppression of the truth caused him “internal turmoil” and he carried the memories for 40 years. He said for much of that time, he kept the abuse a secret “to protect those that I love from suffering”.

He said his “greatest sadness” was the pain this process had caused his wife and children, who he said suffered seeing him unable to cope with life. He described life with him as “intolerable”, two of his older children left home and his marriage had broken down.

He said he had completed 60 hours of therapy and had finally started a process of coming to terms with what happened to him as a child. “I hope to live a normal, honest and fulfilled life from now,” he concluded in his statement.

Mr Condon said his client apologised and regretted his behaviour. He said he recognised the impact the abuse had on the man and “is full of remorse, horror and shame”,

He asked Judge Greally to take into account the fact that his client had not committed any further crimes in the last 40 years.

Dunn entered the priesthood at 16, when Mr Condon said he was immature and had not identified his own sexuality. He said this did not justify his client's behaviour towards the victim.

Counsel said Dunn continued to live a life of prayer and reflection but did not “practice publicly”.

He accepted he had abused a position of trust.

The family of murder victim Neil Reilly declared a special thanks at his funeral today for the "compassionate help of the Garda Siochana".

The funeral mass for Reilly, who was handed a seven-year jail sentence for drug-dealing offences in 2009, took place at Saint Patrick's Church in Esker, Lucan.

Reilly (36) was found lying on a roadway at Esker Glebe Estate in Lucan at 4am on January 18, not far from his home at Saint Finian's Close.

He had been beaten, stabbed and run over by a car.

Neil Reilly's mother Marian praised her son for his "heart of gold" in the eulogy.

"He has shown nothing but determination, dedication, respect and love," she said, naming his four children and his fiancée Gina.

"Neil was very happy and content in himself. Neil and Gina got engaged on Christmas Day and we were all so happy for both of them."

She said Neil and his son were "buddies and best friends" who had a lot of fun together and he had "a super relationship" with his daughters who were "his princesses."

She will always treasure her memories of him,  she said.

Neil Reilly

"His senseless, brutal murder makes no sense to any of us at all," she said.

She asked the congregation to remember "the Neil who was full of life, the Neil who always had a brilliant sense of humour, the Neil who loved life and had great determination and strength."

He was so looking forward to his new life with Gina and his children and the new garage business he had just opened, she said.

She declared "We loved you Neil, so much, and that love will not be taken from us.

And Neil's motto was "thumbs up, a big hearty laugh, thumbs up, and we'll get sorted, forward, not back."