Student jailed for conspiracy to assault

6-18-2009 Ireland:

Victim stabbed to death after being set up for a beating

A STUDENT has been jailed for three years for conspiring to harm a teenager, who was later stabbed to death by another teenager, in June 2009, in Killarney, Co Kerry.

Martin Ollo (19), who is originally from Estonia but who has been living in Killarney for 10 years, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan, Dromkerry, Fossa, Killarney, to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm in June 2009.

Mr Lyne’s body was found on a grass margin yards from his home at Ross Road at about 1.30am on June 18th, 2009, by teenagers in a car on their way to Ross Castle.

Mr Lyne’s father Denis also came upon the scene of his son lying dead and ambulance lights flashing. He had been stabbed in the back.

From the outset the trial was told that it was Regan (then 17), who had stabbed Mr Lyne in the belief he had raped girls, including his girlfriend at the time, Jessica Klok, the previous bank holiday weekend in the Demesne.

That false rape allegation was only recanted by Ms Klok during the course of the trial.

Regan, a distant cousin of Mr Lyne, died himself in August 2010 in a fall down a set of stairs in Tralee.

He had never been charged in connection with the killing.

Ollo never knew Regan had a knife, the prosecution accepted, and his role was “to lure” Lyne to be beaten, in revenge for the false rumour, the trial was told.

Three weeks ago, after a trial which lasted two weeks and heard from 66 witnesses, a jury of six men and six women found Ollo guilty of the first conspiracy count but not guilty of the second.

Ollo had no previous convictions. He had left school before completing his Junior Cert but had returned to education. He had managed to gain entry to a third-level course and was studying for a degree in computer science, the court was told.

Ollo, Mr Lyne, Regan and others were part of a large group of teenagers of the same age hanging around together, socialising a lot, smoking cannabis and drinking while under age during the early summer of 2009, the trial was told. In some cases “trading” cannabis was involved, said John O’Sullivan, defending.

There had been disputes and threats and rumours over money owed for drugs among the teenagers, of underage drinking, cannabis being smoked and rumours circulating about alleged rapes, particularly since the previous fine bank holiday weekend in the Demesne area of Killarney.

Judge Carroll Moran had deferred sentencing overnight after an appeal by Mr O’Sullivan.

Handing down sentence yesterday, Judge Moran said: “Legitimately the point is made, the accused is the only person left to face the music in this awful experience in that the killer, Shane Regan, died in 2010.

“He had been willing to testify against Shane Regan had the latter not died and had he been prosecuted for a crime of homicide.”

The judge also noted how Ollo had been subjected to physical attacks by others “as a result of this tragic incident”.

However, he said the gravity of the offence could not be underestimated and dictated a prison sentence, even though he was not responsible directly for Mr Lyne’s death .

“Independent of the level of culpability of the accused,” the judge said it was only right he offered condolences to the Lyne family. “Stephen has lost his life in a needless attack consequent to an allegation of which he was completely innocent – insofar as that was an excuse for what happened.”

At a press conference on the steps of the courthouse yesterday, Lotte Lyne said her son’s name had been vindicated and “to a certain extent”, justice had been done.

“He was a loyal and trusting son, who never believed evil of anyone and the family were setting up a foundation in his memory.

“He was an honest and loyal young man in the prime of his life who saw no evil in anyone and trusted people without judgment.”

Ms Lyne said she had no ill-feeling towards Ollo, who had expressed remorse during the trial although not directly to the family. ..Source.. by ANNE LUCEY in Tralee

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Teen girl: 'I lied that Stephen Lyne raped me'

2-29-2012 Ireland:

KILLARNEY teen Stephen Lyne was stabbed and killed because of a false claim of rape that had been levelled against him by a teenage girl, Tralee Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

On Tuesday the trial of Estonian national Martin Ollo, who is facing charges linked to the death of Mr Lyne in June 2009, heard from witness Jessica Klok who admitted lying about being raped by Stephen Lyne.

The trial has heard that Shane Regan, who has since died, had stabbed and killed Stephen Lyne in retaliation over the rape allegation made by Jessica Klok.

Miss Klok (18) admitted in court that she had made up the rape allegation against Stephen Lyne and that she had "communicated" that lie to Shane Regan.

"I lied that Stephen Lyne had raped me," Jessica Klok told the court. "It was just a blatant, disgusting lie."

Stephen Lyne's sister Sophia Lyne gave evidence that in the days leading up to the killing Shane Regan had told her about allegations that Stephen Lyne had "dragged a girl into a forest, held a knife to her throat and raped her."

Martin Ollo, of 47 Doirin Alainn, Ballydribeen, Killarney, is being tried at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm on dates between June 15 and 18, 2009. Mr Ollo pleaded not guilty to both charges. KILLARNEY teenager Stephen Lyne was killed because of a false claim of rape that had been made against him Tralee Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Witness Jessica Klok admitted lying about being raped by Stephen Lyne at the trial of Estonian national Martin Ollo, who is facing charges linked to the death of Mr Lyne in June 2009. Mr Ollo, a computing student at IT Tralee, with an address at 47 Doirin Alainn, Ballydribeen, Killarney, is being tried at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm on dates between June 15 and 18, 2009. Mr Ollo has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

On Tuesday the trial heard that Shane Regan, who has since died, had stabbed and killed Stephen Lyne in retaliation over a rape allegation that Jessica Klok had levelled against Mr Lyne.

Stephen Lyne's sister Sophia Lyne gave evidence that in the days leading up to the Killing Shane Regan had told her about allegations that Stephen Lyne had "dragged a girl into a forest, held a knife to her throat and raped her".

Sophia Lyne said that when he made the allegations against her brother Shane Regan was "really mad and angry."

Miss Lyne said Shane Regan had told her that he was "going to get Stephen himself for this" and that he was going to stab him.

Witness Jessica Klok (aged 18) admitted in court that she had made up a rape allegation against Stephen Lyne and that she had "communicated" that lie to Shane Regan.

"I lied that Stephen Lyne had raped me," she told the court. "It was just a blatant disgusting lie," Jessica Klok said.

Jessica Klok also told the court that Shane Regan had told her he would not get caught for the killing of Stephen Lyne as he had burned his clothes and had set someone else up to get caught for the crime.

She also said she had the impression that Martin Ollo "did nothing" to Stephen Lyne.

Another witness Matt Griffin, an acquaintance of Martin Ollo, told the trial that in the days after Mr Lyne's death Mr Ollo had told him the killing was directly linked to the rape allegation.

Matt Griffin said that he had discussed Stephen Lyne's death with Martin Ollo a few days after the killing. "Later on when he was all flustered and panicked he said it had something to do with Jessica Klok claiming a rape or something like that," he said.

Under cross-examination from defence barrister John O'sullivan, Matt Griffin told the court that Martin Ollo told him that Shane Regan had said that the allegation made by Jessica Klok was the motive behind the fatal attack. ..Source.. by SIMON BROUDER

Teen girl: 'I lied that Stephen Lyne raped me'

2-29-2012 Ireland:

KILLARNEY teen Stephen Lyne was stabbed and killed because of a false claim of rape that had been levelled against him by a teenage girl, Tralee Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

On Tuesday the trial of Estonian national Martin Ollo, who is facing charges linked to the death of Mr Lyne in June 2009, heard from witness Jessica Klok who admitted lying about being raped by Stephen Lyne.

The trial has heard that Shane Regan, who has since died, had stabbed and killed Stephen Lyne in retaliation over the rape allegation made by Jessica Klok.

Miss Klok (18) admitted in court that she had made up the rape allegation against Stephen Lyne and that she had "communicated" that lie to Shane Regan.

"I lied that Stephen Lyne had raped me," Jessica Klok told the court. "It was just a blatant, disgusting lie."

Stephen Lyne's sister Sophia Lyne gave evidence that in the days leading up to the killing Shane Regan had told her about allegations that Stephen Lyne had "dragged a girl into a forest, held a knife to her throat and raped her."

Martin Ollo, of 47 Doirin Alainn, Ballydribeen, Killarney, is being tried at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm on dates between June 15 and 18, 2009. Mr Ollo pleaded not guilty to both charges. KILLARNEY teenager Stephen Lyne was killed because of a false claim of rape that had been made against him Tralee Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Witness Jessica Klok admitted lying about being raped by Stephen Lyne at the trial of Estonian national Martin Ollo, who is facing charges linked to the death of Mr Lyne in June 2009. Mr Ollo, a computing student at IT Tralee, with an address at 47 Doirin Alainn, Ballydribeen, Killarney, is being tried at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm on dates between June 15 and 18, 2009. Mr Ollo has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

On Tuesday the trial heard that Shane Regan, who has since died, had stabbed and killed Stephen Lyne in retaliation over a rape allegation that Jessica Klok had levelled against Mr Lyne.

Stephen Lyne's sister Sophia Lyne gave evidence that in the days leading up to the Killing Shane Regan had told her about allegations that Stephen Lyne had "dragged a girl into a forest, held a knife to her throat and raped her".

Sophia Lyne said that when he made the allegations against her brother Shane Regan was "really mad and angry."

Miss Lyne said Shane Regan had told her that he was "going to get Stephen himself for this" and that he was going to stab him.

Witness Jessica Klok (aged 18) admitted in court that she had made up a rape allegation against Stephen Lyne and that she had "communicated" that lie to Shane Regan.

"I lied that Stephen Lyne had raped me," she told the court. "It was just a blatant disgusting lie," Jessica Klok said.

Jessica Klok also told the court that Shane Regan had told her he would not get caught for the killing of Stephen Lyne as he had burned his clothes and had set someone else up to get caught for the crime.

She also said she had the impression that Martin Ollo "did nothing" to Stephen Lyne.

Another witness Matt Griffin, an acquaintance of Martin Ollo, told the trial that in the days after Mr Lyne's death Mr Ollo had told him the killing was directly linked to the rape allegation.

Matt Griffin said that he had discussed Stephen Lyne's death with Martin Ollo a few days after the killing. "Later on when he was all flustered and panicked he said it had something to do with Jessica Klok claiming a rape or something like that," he said.

Under cross-examination from defence barrister John O'sullivan, Matt Griffin told the court that Martin Ollo told him that Shane Regan had said that the allegation made by Jessica Klok was the motive behind the fatal attack. ..Source.. by SIMON BROUDER

Arm found on beach belongs to missing rapist

3-31-2011 Ireland:

Police in the Republic of Ireland have identified a human arm, found on Dollymount Strand last November, as belonging to a convicted rapist.

The man was named last night as 46-year-old James Nolan, of Fairlawn Road, Finglas, in west Dublin. He has not been seen since he was released from Portlaoise jail last November after serving a three-year sentence for a burglary in Booterstown, south Dublin, in 2005.

Nolan was arrested for the burglary as a result of fingerprints taken 19 years earlier when he was detained for the rape. He was jailed for 14 years in 1988 for the rape and false imprisonment of a woman.

Gardai said last night that his disappearance after his release from jail had not been notified to them and he had not been listed as a missing person.

Last night, officers were trying to contact members of his family to inform them of the find.

The limb was found on the beach on February 8 last. As part of their inquiries, gardai sought international co-operation from other police forces through the Interpol network.

As a result of assistance from British police, a DNA match was made recently which confirmed that it was Mr Nolan's arm.

Investigators acknowledged last night that they had no information yet on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, when exactly he went missing and whether he had been killed.

One officer said their inquiries could now become more focused as a result of the positive identification through the DNA tests on the arm.

During Nolan's trial for burglary, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that it was a fingerprint taken from him when he first went into custody in the 1980s that led to his arrest for the later offence.

The court was also told that he had other previous convictions for larceny and road-traffic offences.

Judge Katherine Delahunt noted that a probation report had shown a high risk of re-offending due to Nolan's use of alcohol and drugs.

She said that she had taken into account his "significant previous convictions" and the fact that he had twice opted for trial before pleading guilty.

But she said he would be given limited credit for not putting the victim of the burglary through the ordeal of a trial.

The judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence and imposed 12 months' probation. She also ordered him to undergo alcohol and drug treatment. ..Source.. by Belfast Telegraph

Killeshandra pensioner dies after horrific attack at home

10-19-2010 Ireland:

Funeral of attempted castration victim Johnny Golden delayed for tests on body

The funeral of a pensioner who died from what’s believed were injuries sustained in a vicious assault a month ago has been postponed so that the State Pathologist can carry out further tests.

John Golden (73) was attacked in his home at Nedd, Doogary, Killeshandra, on Tuesday, September 7, and was found in an unconscious state the following morning by a neighbour.

His funeral was due to be held on Sunday last at Killegar Parish Church but Dr. Marie Cassidy made the request for a further examination of the body in a bid to determine precisely the nature of his injuries and the exact cause of his death.

It’s understood that Mr. Golden was the victim of an attempted castration and that pliers and a poker may have been used in the assault. It’s believed that he suffered head and internal injuries.

Rumours have been circulating that Mr. Golden was gay or a paedophile but these have been strongly denied by neighbours who claim that John’s name was being blackened by others.

Superintendent Tom Maguire from Ballyconnell Garda Station, who is leading the investigation into the attack, confirmed to The Anglo-Celt this week a young male was arrested on Saturday, September 11, and detained under the provision of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. He was later released without charge.

Mr. Golden’s body was discovered in an unconscious state by his neighbour Seamus Galligan, who lives quite close, at about 9.40am on Tuesday, September 7. Mr. Galligan alerted the gardaí and ambulance services.

Mr. Golden was taken to Cavan General Hospital, where he remained in an unconscious state until he was pronounced dead at 7.50pm last Wednesday, October 6.

A post mortem was carried out on his body at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, last Thursday by assistant State Pathologist Dr. Khalid Jabbar.

Mr. Golden was an orphan and had lived in the Doogary area for the past 35 years. He was raised in Sunbeam House in County Wicklow and it’s believed he never knew his parents. In Leitrim he worked as a farm labourer and a mechanic.

Lily Galligan, wife of Seamus, said: “We are devastated at the death of John who was a good neighbour and a lovely gentleman.”

His death came as a shock to the whole community and he was well liked. He lived in Killegar before moving to Doogary.

When Seamus discovered John in his home, he thought he had suffered a turn. “He saw the door open and went into the bedroom and found John on the floor.”

The Galligan family are annoyed that rumours have been circulating since Mr. Golden’s death that John was gay or was a paedophile.

They claim he was neither. “John was never the subject of any complaint of a sexual nature to the gardaí.” He was a private individual who kept himself to himself. He was most happy when repairing vintage tractors and machinery.

Mrs. Galligan said he would visit them regularly, as well as other neighbours, and he was not a heavy drinker though he did take the odd bottle of stout. He was a good living man who also liked music.

Rumours that he screened pornographic films at his house 10 years ago have been vehemently denied by local sources.

It is understood that an investigation was launched at the time but no charges were ever brought due to the lack of evidence.

Superintendent Maguire has appealed to the public for their assistance.

He would not confirm if Mr. Golden had been sexually assaulted.

Gardaí are particularly interested in hearing from any witnesses that may have been in the vicinity of Nedd, Doogary between 8pm on Monday, September 6, and 11am on Tuesday, September 7.

They are asked to contact Ballyconnell Garda Station on 049-9525580. People are also asked to ring the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800-666-111 or contact any garda station. Mr. Golden’s body has not been released yet and his funeral will not take place until Thursday or Friday. ..Source.. by Anglo Celt

Man denies Mountjoy Prison murder

4-28-2009 Ireland:

A 25-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to the murder of fellow prisoner Gary Douche in Mountjoy Prison.

Stephen Egan of Belcamp Crescent, Coolock, Dublin, denied the murder of Mr Douche in a holding cell on 1 August 2006.

The jury will have to decide whether he is guilty of murder, or guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Mr Egan told gardaí he attacked Mr Douche in a ten-minute frenzy.

He punched him three times in the jaw, kicked him three times in the head area and stamped on him.

Mr Douche and five other men were held overnight in the cell with Mr Egan.

The next morning, prison officers discovered Mr Douche's badly beaten body. His face had been smeared with excrement.

He was taken to the Mater Hospital but died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

At the Central Criminal Court today, Prosecution counsel Anthony Sammon told the jury that Mr Egan had a long history of psychiatric problems.

He said the jury would have little to decide in this case and their main focus would be the state of mind of the accused at the time of the attack.

Seven admissions were read to the court by defence counsel John Aylmar. In these, Mr Egan admitted the unlawful killing.

In statements to gardaí, the accused said he had 'heard things in his head' and attacked Gary Douche because in his mind he was a rapist and had done things to his mother and sister.

Defence counsel John Aylmar said the accused admitted that his claims that the deceased man was a sexual offender were illusionary and borne out of psychotic illness.

It is the State's case that Mr Egan was suffering from a mental disorder that diminished his responsibility for the attack on Mr Douche.

Evidence about his mental state will be given by a forensic psychiatrist tomorrow. ..News Source.. by RTE News

Man killed because he was 'alleged child molester'

June 2004 Ireland:

THE man whose body was found in a shed behind Dublin Airport was killed in a bid to "teach him a lesson" for allegedly molesting children, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

One of two men denying the manslaughter of Noel Heffernan (35) of Ballyfermot Road, told gardai a third man had planned to give the victim "a few slaps because he was a child molester" and added: "I didn't know he was going to be killed."

Kevin McCarron (51) of Doyle's Lane, Arklow, Co Wicklow, who, with Joseph Zambra (28), of Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, has denied the manslaughter of Mr Heffernan, said the third man planned the assault as "a favour for a mate" whose child the deceased man had allegedly abused.

The two men have also denied charges of false imprisonment and assault of Mr Heffernan on a date unknown between August 5 and 15, 1999 at Kingstown, St Margaret's, Dublin.

Mr McCarron has also pleaded not guilty to stealing the van which Mr Heffernan used to make deliveries for his employer, Spring Fresh Company Limited; and Mr Zambra further pleaded not guilty to allowing himself to be carried in the stolen van.

The body of Mr Heffernan (35) of Ballyfermot Road was found in an abandoned shed behind Dublin Airport by a man walking his dog on August 15, 1999, 10 days after he was last seen alive.

The "third man" mentioned has been named in court as Tony Dempsey who was described in evidence as "a hardened criminal" with a conviction for armed robbery. Det Sgt Thomas McCarrack said Mr McCarron told gardai he had only known "a man was going to be taught a lesson". Mr McCarron said Mr Dempsey had asked him to drive him to the abandoned farm house behind the airport. They were hiding behind the bushes when he saw a blue Toyota Hiace van being driven into the region.

He identified Mr Heffernan as driving and Mr Zambra as the passenger. As the van pulled over, Mr Dempsey went over to it, and with Mr Zambra, pulled Mr Heffernan out of the van and as Mr Dempsey proceeded to beat the victim, Mr McCarron and Mr Zambra were told to leave the scene and drive the van away.Mr McCarron told gardai he realised something had gone very wrong when he saw a news bulletin on television a few weeks later reporting the body found at the back of the airport.

The court heard the State was not alleging the two accused had murdered the victim but had assisted a "third man" in doing so.

The hearing continues before Judge Joseph Matthews and a jury of 11. ..News Source.. by Azra Naseem

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Main charge against Arklow resident and Dublin man is withdrawn

7-8-2004 Ireland:

An Arklow resident who was accused of the manslaughter of a Dublin man has had the charge against him dropped, following several days of legal argument at his trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.Kevin McCarron (51), of Doyle's Lane, Arklow, along with Joseph Zambra (28), of Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, had been charged with the manslaughter of Mr. Noel Heffernan in August 1999.

Manslaughter charge dropped

An Arklow resident who was accused of the manslaughter of a Dublin man has had the charge against him dropped, following several days of legal argument at his trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Kevin McCarron (51), of Doyle's Lane, Arklow, along with Joseph Zambra (28), of Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, had been charged with the manslaughter of Mr. Noel Heffernan in August 1999.

Early on in the trial, the court had heard that McCarron and Zambra had been asked by a third man to 'help him sort out' Mr Heffernan after he had allegedly molested children.

The trial then lapsed into a number of days of legal argument in the absence of the jury, and when the jury was finally recalled, Judge Joseph Matthews told them they could be discharged as the manslaughter charge against the defendants had been dropped.

Following the withdrawal of the main charge, Zambra pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of falsely imprisoning Mr Heffernan and allowing himself to be carried in a stolen van. McCarron pleaded guilty to stealing the vehicle in which Zambra was a passenger.

The vehicle was a van driven at the time by Mr Heffernan, who was a vegetable delivery man with Spring Fresh Ltd.

Judge Joseph Matthews remanded both on bail, with signing on conditions at their local garda stations, for sentence on October 8, 2004.

During the four-week trial, of which two weeks were spent in legal argument in the absence of the jury, the court had heard that it was not the State's case that Zambra and McCarron had murdered the victim but had assisted a 'third man' in doing so.

The jury was also told that the third man was a known Dublin criminal called Anthony Dempsey who had falsely told both Mr Zambra and Mr McCarron that Mr Heffernan was a child molester and he needed their assistance in teaching him a lesson.

Zambra, for whom Mr Heffernan had babysat when he was a child, had taken Mr Heffernan to the shed behind the airport where his body was found. He had asked Mr Heffernan to give him a lift to the location and the now deceased man agreed.

Dempsey and McCarron were at the scene when they arrived, and shortly after that Zambra and McCarron left in Mr Heffernan's van, leaving him alone with Dempsey, a convicted armed robber. His body was found on August 15, 1999 by a man out walking his dog.

Mr Michael O'Higgins SC for McCarron, and Mr Niall Durnin SC, for Zambra, both told Judge Matthews that neither man knew that Demspey's intention was to kill Mr Heffernan.

Counsel said they thought he was going to be 'given a hiding' and be 'taught a lesson' for child molesting, an allegation which investigating gardai told the court had no foundation in truth. ..News Source.. by

Victim killed own dad after teacher abuse, court told

1-19-2008 Ireland:

THE sentencing of a former Marist Brother heard evidence yesterday from a man who killed his own father in the belief that he had gained financially from his sexual abuse.

Paul Gordon (43) says he was sexually abused by three brothers at St John's Primary School in Sligo in the 1970s.

Yesterday, waiving his right to anonymity, he was the sole witness in the sentencing hearing of former Marist Brother Martin Meaney (65), who has pleaded guilty to five sample charges of indecently assaulting Mr Gordon when he was eight. He will be sentenced next week.

It emerged in evidence that Mr Gordon believed his alcoholic father was being paid money by another Marist Brother to get his son to present himself to be sexually abused.

In 1983, Mr Gordon was jailed for eight years for the manslaughter of his father -- and only after his release did the truth emerge.

His claims eventually spearheaded a garda investigation which has led to hundreds of past pupils being interviewed and of charges being brought against five former teachers.

Gda Det Sgt Dermot Flannery told the court that Mr Gordon had shown "courage and determination in exposing a dark chapter in the history of the school".

Formerly known as Brother Gregory, Meaney taught in St John's from 1970 to 1972. In December 1991 he pleaded guilty to eight sample charges out of a total of 109 charges of buggery, indecent assault, sexual assault and rape of six boys at a primary school in Castlerea where he subsequently taught and he was sentenced to 18 years in jail. This was later reduced to 12 years on appeal.

He now lives alone in a bedsit in Dublin. He was questioned by Sligo gardai while still in Arbour Hill and he admitted he had selected Mr Gordon for abuse. "He was a pasty-faced, weak little lad, pale and sickly and I felt sorry for him. I did feel for boys who were deprived. I did pick the weakest lad in Paul Gordon," he said.

The abuse took place in the classroom after school and when he took the child for music classes.

Mr Gordon made his initial complaint in 1995 but the DPP recommended no prosecution. However in 1999, the garda investigation team was set up.

Indecent

In 1999 and again in 2001, retired teacher Michael Cunnane received suspended sentences for indecently assaulting eight boys.

In June 2005, Peter White (74), formerly Brother Agnellus, of Celbridge Abbey, Celbridge, Co Kildare, was sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to eight sample charges of indecent assault on two boys at the school.

In July 2005, a teacher at St John's National School, Sligo, Patrick Curran, was found guilty of indecently assaulting nine boys. He was sentenced to 12 years, since reduced to nine. ..more.. by Anita Guidera

Blaze attack victim was a child abuser

TRAGIC AFTERMATH: The scene at the house in Foley

11-8-2006 Ireland:
THE man who died from burns on Friday, following the horrific incident in which a gang burst into his home in south Armagh last week, was a convicted sex offender who was suspected locally of abusing an eight-year-old boy.

Thomas O'Hare, 33, was in the bungalow in Keady on Monday night with his girlfriend, 21-year-old Lisa McClatchey, when four men burst in and doused the couple and their living room with petrol.

McClatchey, who knew nothing of O'Hare's past, was described by local people as a complete innocent caught up in the apparent revenge attack. She is critically ill in hospital suffering from 80 per cent burns.

She and O'Hare were at home in his house near the village of Keady on Monday night when the four men burst in.

A struggle ensued in which the petrol was ignited, and all six were engulfed in flames. Neighbours said they heard an explosion, then saw Miss McClatchey running from the house with her clothes and hair on fire. One witness said she was like a fireball.

Four men were then driven off towards the border by two others.

Some hours later, four men, all brothers, were admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Two of them, aged 24 and 34, were transferred to St James's Hospital in Dublin where their conditions yesterday remained serious. All four are from Newtownhamilton in south Armagh, but two have been living in Dublin.

Gardai are investigating the case in co-operation with the PSNI, but have yet to make any arrests. They are awaiting the recovery of the two less-critically injured brothers before they are questioned.

According to some sources, their injuries were sustained at a site about a mile and a half away from the house, and the two incidents were a terrible coincidence.

On Friday, the PSNI arrested a 43-year-old man. A spokesman said the man was arrested in Co Armagh and was being questioned about murder, attempted murder and arson.

Thomas O'Hare had been placed on the PSNI's sex offenders list following a conviction in 1999 relating to the sexual assault of a young boy from south Armagh. He served a three-year jail-term, and had been living in the Craigavon area until recently. It is understood that while in Craigavon he struck up a relationship with Lisa McClatchey. Miss McClatchey's uncle, Harold Gracie, was the local senior Orangeman who led the Drumcree protest for several years until his death last year.

Local people said yesterday that O'Hare and McClatchey had only moved into the house at Foley, outside Keady, in recent months. It is understood that O'Hare inherited the bungalow from a relative who died earlier this year. Locals said the couple only stayed at the house a few days a week, and that O'Hare was believed to be refurbishing the house with the intention of selling it.

A local SDLP councillor, Sharon Haughey, said she believed that Mr O'Hare was the target of a vigilante attack, and it is understood that he may recently have had a "confrontation" in the area. ..more by JIM CUSACK


Four men to be quizzed over Armagh attack
11-15-2006 Ireland:
The PSNI is seeking to interview four men, currently undergoing treatment in St James's Hospital, in connection with the death of a couple in an attack in Co Armagh last week.

Thomas O Hare, 33, and 21-year-old Lisa Mc Clatchy, died as a result of burns they received when a group of masked men doused her house in petrol and set it alight.

The gang beat the couple with a sledge hammer and doused them with petrol before setting them on fire.

Mr O'Hare died three days after the attack, and Ms McClatchy succumbed to her injuries in the Royal Victoria Hospital this morning.

Four men, who are believed to be brothers from the same area in Co Armagh, presented themselves at a hospital in Dundalk with serious injuries an hour after the attack.

They were transferred to St James's Hospital in Dublin where they are described a being 'seriously ill'.

The four suffered burns ranging from 35% to 55%, and it is expected that they will require treatment for some time.

The PSNI also confirmed it is still looking for at least two other individuals in connection with the double murder.

It is seeking information on a dark coloured Vauxhall Vectra car, a Rover 200 series car and a BMW 3-series car seen in the in the Foley Road area of Ballymacnab on the evening of 6 November. ..more.. by RTE News