TRIAL OVER

Man ends trial by admitting to helping Kinahan Cartel by buying mobile top-up

Michael Crotty has admitted to a new charge, ending a Special Criminal Court trial that began three weeks ago

• Published: 16:09, 6 Feb 2024
• Updated: 16:16, 6 Feb 2024

A MAN has admitted facilitating the Kinahan Cartel in carrying out a serious offence by buying a mobile top-up for a leading member of the international crime gang.

Michael Crotty had initially pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan in 2016 but today admitted to a new charge based on recklessness, with his counsel telling the court it had never been Crotty’s intention for the top-up to be used in the endangerment of any person.

Crotty had been accused of buying a mobile phone top-up for Sean McGovern, who was described in evidence before the non-jury court as a leading figure in the Kinahan Cartel.

Mr Kirwan, an innocent man who had no involvement in criminality, was shot dead because members of the Kinahan organisation mistakenly thought that he was connected to the Hutch crime organisation, the court heard.

The Hutch crime gang carried out the Regency Hotel attack in 2016 in which another senior member of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne, was shot dead.

In his opening speech last month, Dominic McGinn SC, for the prosecution, alleged that Crotty purchased the mobile phone credit at a Spar shop in Naas, Co Kildare, on December 21, 2016, on behalf of Mr McGovern.

Mr McGinn had said the prosecution would call evidence to show that Mr Crotty had known Mr McGovern for a number of years and that he made the purchase knowing that it would be used, or being reckless as to whether it would be used, “in the commission of a serious crime, to wit the murder of Christopher (aka Noel) Kirwan”.

Crotty, 41, of Slí Aonghusa, Aras na Rí, Cashel, Co Tipperary had pleaded not guilty to that single charge but today pleaded guilty to a new charge under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Crotty then pleaded guilty that he, between October 20, 2016 and December 22, 2016, both dates inclusive and within the State with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation did participate in, or contribute to, activity intending to, or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation or any of its members.

Crotty spoke only to answer “guilty” to the registrar when the new charge was read out.

Padraig Dwyer SC, for Crotty, said his client had pleaded guilty to recklessness in buying the phone credit because it had “never been his [Crotty’s] intention for it to be used in the endangerment of any person”.

Presiding judge Ms Justice Caroline Biggs extended Crotty’s bail and adjourned the brief hearing to April 22 for sentencing. Crotty’s trial had been scheduled for up to five weeks.

SWORN TESTIMONY

The three-judge court heard sworn testimony on the command structure and activities of the Kinahan cartel, as well as evidence that 33 people linked to the organisation who were “going to be involved in violence and murder” have been arrested by investigating gardai.

During the trial, Detective Superintendent David Gallagher agreed that Sean McGovern is connected to the Kinahan organised crime group and added: “He is a significant figure within the organisation in a leadership role and is currently based in Dubai.”

Mr McGinn had told the court that Mr Kirwan was shot dead as he sat in his Ford Mondeo car outside his Dublin home just after 5pm on December 22, 2016.

Mr McGinn said the prosecution had intended to call evidence that Mr Kirwan’s movements were being monitored by a tracking device that was attached to his car.

The background to the shooting, counsel said, is the attack at the Regency Hotel when David Byrne was shot dead and a number of others were injured after gunmen opened fire during a boxing weigh-in in 2016.

Mr McGinn said that attack led to a number of reprisals and “it appears, perhaps mistakenly, Noel Kirwan was thought to beconnected to those who carried out the Regency [attack].”