Crime World

A Galway criminal who was the first to be charged under Ireland’s gangland legislation has made history again after he pleaded guilty to a string of offences in the north where he was nabbed by his Encrochat phone.

Notorious crook Michael O’Loughlin was one of a huge number of suspected criminals lifted after cops hacked the encrypted phone network in 2020 which was being used to send messages between gangs.

It is expected he would go to trial and that his case would be the first to test the legality of the process before a Northern Irish court. However, he pleaded guilty to more than 40 offences including conspiracy to murder and import heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis and was handed down a 12 year sentence.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about O’Loughlin and his run of bad luck with the law.

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Sentencing for sex offenders has been thrown into debate after a shocking case of the sex assault of a baby resulted in a four year prison sentence.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald and Eimear Rabbitt about sentence guidelines, controversial judges and the public perception of jail terms.

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When news editor Alison Sandy began investigating the sinister disappearance of Marion Barter for a podcast series she did not know where the story would take her.

The mother of two sold her home, quit her job and made plans to move to Europe, but when her family stopped hearing from her it was soon discovered that she had changed her name.

Working with the missing woman’s daughter Sally Leydon and journalist Bryan Seymour, the hit Australian podcast ‘The Lady Vanishes’ led to the mysterious case unravelling in real-time, as a listener found a key piece of information that would blow the case right open.

Clodagh Meaney speaks to Alison Sandy about the podcast and how the team managed to help piece together what really happened to Marion Barter.

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Drug dealer David Waldron's links to some of the country's most notorious criminals were revealed as he finally lost his mammoth legal battle with CAB.

The bureau won their four-year case to have Waldron's assets - including stunning mansion in Wexford - declared the proceeds of crime.

As part of the case, CAB described how Waldron's associates included a number of infamous gangland figures who had been murdered by gunmen.

Niall speaks with Eamon Dillon about David Waldron's drug dealing operation and his criminal partners.

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It’s a year to the day that Gerry The Monk Hutch walked free from the Special Criminal Court after he was found not guilty of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.

So what has it been like a year on from those dramatic events and what has the veteran criminal being doing since he tasted freedom?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about The Monk and the day his chips came in.

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He was the Celtic tiger pin up boy - a solicitor and property speculator who smooth talked customers and lived the high life while all the while stealing from the banks.

And when the tide eventually turned on Michael Lynn he went on the run first to Portugal and later Brazil.

Throughout his epic time as a fugitive and later when he was convicted of theft from the banks he regularly spoke to one dogged investigative reporter who was always on his heels, Michael O’Farrell of the Irish Mail on Sunday.

Nicola talks to Michael about his new book Fugitive The Michael Lynn Story about the hunt to bring one of Ireland’s most notorious fugitives to justice.

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The high spec house of criminal Christopher ‘Git’ Waldron is to go under the hammer later this month after the Criminal Assets Bureau settled their proceeds of crime case with the man they said made his money from selling drugs.

Nicola speaks to Eamon Dillon about the house on Killala Road in Cabra and who might punt on a bargain.

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BBC producer Sue Mitchell literally stumbled upon a story on her doorstep when a homeless former meth addict washed up in a California town and fell in love with her elderly millionaire neighbour.

The love affair between property owner Carolyn and vagrant Dave lasted more than a year and all the while Sue recorded the complexities of their relationship which pitted the 80 year old against her two daughters.

Nicola speaks to Sue about Million Dollar Lover, a 10-part story of an unlikely romance and some very dark secrets.

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Irishman Michael Dwyer was shot dead 15 years ago by special forces in Bolivia who later smeared his good name and claimed he was there to assassinate a President.

However, former State Pathologist Marie Cassidy, exposed the lies that were fed to the media around the world and proved that he could not have been involved in the shootout at the a time of his death.

Still Michael’s mother Caroline is fighting for her son’s memory. Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about her ongoing quest for justice.

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Businessman Nathan McDonnell who has been charged in connection with the discovery of €32.8 million worth of crystal meth at Cork Port is being housed on the A4 wing at Portlaoise jail after being taken off a restricted regime behind bars.

Refused bail by the High Court he is now sharing a wing with notorious neighbours including a man convicted in connection with the Keane Mulready-Woods murder and the notorious Limerick inmate Red Larry McCarthy.

Nicola speaks to Eamon Dillon about the A4 and what sort of prisoners are held there.

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A public auction to be held later this month will see the one time home of Kinahan lieutenant Ross Browning go under the hammer after it was seized by CAB.

The house, a gate lodge, a large outhouse and the land at Garristown in County Dublin will be put up for auction with a reserve of more than half a million.

Nicola speaks to Eamon Dillon as we go behind the hall door of the home where the Cartel’s top dog in Ireland once lived.

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An American con artist made famous by the hit podcast Queen of the Con is facing extradition to Northern Ireland after a fraud victim turned the tables on the woman who tricked him out of tens of thousands of dollars.

Marianne Smyth was arrested in Maine in February on foot of four counts of fraud and four of theft in Northern Ireland more than 15 years ago where she pretended to be a mortgage broker but robbed money instead.

She was outed by Hollywood producer Jonathan Walton who created the podcast after she befriended him and tricked him out of more than $90,000.

Nicola speaks to Jonathan about her extradition and his journey to justice.

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He was a rogue Republican who was thrown out of the IRA, had a brief dalliance with the INLA and someone who lurched around other dissident groupings as an enforcer and a feared hitman known for a love of violence but who couldn’t be managed or controlled.

This week as killer and terrorist Gerard ‘Hucker’ Moyna was laid to rest in Belfast, Nicola speaks with Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about the life and crimes of a troubles psychopath and her brief encounter with him.

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When Federal Agents with US Homeland Security raided two of rapper Sean Diddy Combs mansions in LA and Miami his career at the top of the hip hop scene began to collapse.

The artist formerly known as Puff Daddy and P Diddy amongst other names is now facing multiple civil lawsuits accusing him of sex trafficking, sexual abuse and rape.

So what is the background of billionaire Combs and could he be the next Harvey Weinstein or Jeffrey Epstein.

Nicola talks to journalist Douglas Century, an author and expert on the hip hop scene, about the story that has gripped America.

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Multiple gun seizures made this week have been linked to the Family organised crime group while a series of drugs and cash raids have meant it’s been a bad week for the bad guys.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald and Eimear Rabbitte about weapons, stash houses and mugshots.

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Hundreds of restaurant and hotel reviews are left by Christy Kinahan Snr on a review system set up by Google.

The reviews purport to geotrack the phone used by the Dapper Don, an expert in counter surveillance and high end security technology.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about Kinahan and what could be behind the Godfather’s so called digital footprint.

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An Aladdin’s Cave of luxury items is seized from a woman allegedly linked to a Chinese drugs gang.

Now the Criminal Assets Bureau are looking for a court order to declare 88 items and cash as the proceeds of crime.

So who is Yan Yan Fan and how did she collect such a treasure trove of designer goods on a €30,000-a-year salary?

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about fur coats, gold jewellery and a handbag deemed one of the most exclusive in the world.

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The boyfriend of an Irish woman stabbed to death in a New York bar has now been charged with her murder.

As friends and family were told of the horrific stabbing of Sarah McNally, just 41, her partner was being treated in hospital. Now he is facing court accused of the fatal attack.

Nicola and Niall speak with Sunday World news editor Eimear Rabbitte about the details we know so far.

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Hutch organisation loyalist James ‘Mago’ Gately has been linked to the gangland assassinations of David Byrne and Eamon The Don Dunne for the first time in a courtroom.

Gately who survived a number of shooting attempts himself was formerly a member of the Kinahan Organisation but remained loyal to the Hutch side after his friend Gary Hutch was murdered.

Nicola speaks with journalist Eamon Dillon about the extraordinary information about Gately’s links to organised crime heard during a Criminal Assets Bureau proceeds of crime case against him.

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Businessman Nathan McDonnell is to appeal a decision to refuse him bail after the High Court heard his father was offering 100,000 of his life savings as an assurance.

The Kerry garden centre boss and his co-accused James Leen are both in custody charged in connection with the country’s biggest ever crystal meth haul.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the details which have emerged from the bail hearings about the States case against them

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He is the son of notorious gangland killer ‘Cotton Eye’ Joe Delaney and was convicted himself as an accessory to murder.

But today Scott Delaney who now goes by the name Scott Knight is urging underworld figures to unite at anti-immigration protests.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about how Delaney is part of a far-right ideology seeking to hijack protests like those held at Coolock.

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The leader of the DUP Jeffrey Donaldson sensationally resigned after being charged with historical sex offences.

Nicola and Niall Donald speak to Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about the unlikely chain of events that made Good Friday an extraordinary news day.

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He is the CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland with a lengthy career behind him in the prison service making him perfectly placed to understand and empathise with the complexities of long term addiction.

Later this year the first injecting rooms will open at the Liffeyside facility and Eddie Mullins hopes the pilot programme will prove that giving addicts back some dignity will help with the public perception of them.

Nicola speaks to Eddie about his career, his experiences with the marginalised of society and his hopes for the future of addiction services.

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Tensions have continued to simmer in the feud between associates of murdered Jason Hennessy and Tristan Sherry with houses burned out and fears attacks could escalate.

The Christmas Eve massacre at a Dublin restaurant which saw Hennessy shot by Sherry who was then overcome and murdered in front of festive crowds is using up huge policing resources as rivals vow to avenge both men’s deaths.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the latest in the ongoing Blanchardstown feud.

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A suspected drug dealer is bundled into a car in Belfast and driven across the border to Dublin amid allegations he owes a senior criminal figure a debt.

A Garda operation saves the man before he can be tortured or killed by his kidnappers but in true gangland style, the victim refuses to make a complaint.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the dramatic scenes that prove that for gangland there is no border.

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Encrochat phone hack evidence has been heard for the first time in an Irish court as Senior Cartel member Peadar Keating fights extradition to the UK on firearms charges.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the messages the Crown say were passed between Keating and criminal kingpin Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh along with Cartel lieutenant Liam Byrne as they plotted a firearms double cross to get the boss a shorter jail term.

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A serial fraudster was employed by a family in Kildare as a live in au pair after being outed on a hit podcast and in a series of newspaper articles as a conwoman.

Samantha Cooke managed to reinvent herself as child care worker Sadie Harris and lived for six months with the family while her real identity faced the eye of a publicity storm about a series of cons across Ireland.

Nicola speaks to journalist Mark Tighe of the Sunday Independent about the extraordinary story of a woman who keeps changing her name, look and background and who is currently gone dark somewhere in Ireland.

He tells her about her latest scam which terrified a young mother returning to work and about her colourful background as an artist, a writer and even a psychotherapist.

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Two republicans Colin Duffy and Henry Fitzsimons have been acquitted of terrorism charges following a long-running trial at Belfast Crown Court. Earlier their co accused Alex McCrory was also acquitted in the M15 bugging case.

So how did their trial take ten years in the court and what is the fallout from their acquittals? Did the M15 succeed in infiltrating the New IRA while the old order was caught up in the case and on strict bail conditions or was the decade-long case a fiasco for Public Prosecution Service.

Nicola speaks to Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about M15 bugs and the long-running case

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Ten men were brought before courts in Cork yesterday charged with conspiracy to import drugs into Ireland.

Six Spanish nationals, one Serbian, two Dutch and one Irish man from Fermanagh were all granted free legal aid at Middleton, Cork and Bandon District Courts.

Nicola speaks to Sunday World News Editor Eimear Rabbitte about the conspiracy charges directed for the first time in Irish courts.

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Veteran gangster Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley is facing having his house repossessed to pay off a massive Criminal Assets Bureau bill which has grown to over €700,000.

The 73 year old was hit with a tax bill from the CAB more than 20 years ago but he only paid off a small portion and then challenged it through the courts.

By 2020 it had quadrupled to what he currently owes developing an impasse between him and the Bureau.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about a bad year for The Viper.

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IRA killer Pearse McAuley lived a life of violence as an IRA volunteer and later as a prison bully and a brutal domestic abuser.

Found dead aged 59 at his home in Strabane in County Tyrone he leaves behind a legacy of fear and intimidation spanning decades of controversy.

One of a four man team who shot dead Detective Garda Jerry McCabe during a botched post officer robbery in 1996 he was given the full support of Sinn Fein as a political prisoner.

But when he attacked and stabbed his former wife, Sinn Fein Councillor Pauline Tully, he became ostracised from his old supporters.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the life and legacy of McAuley the terrorist who went from hero to villain.

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A suspected drugs gang with possible links to Hezbollah militants remain in custody as Gardaí continue to investigate an alleged drugs plot off the West Cork coast.

Detectives had been secretly monitoring professional divers, logistics operators and two Dutch passport holders with Iranian links before they moved in to make arrests.

But with no cocaine found during the operation and time running out on the arrests what will happen next in the latest international drug investigation centred on the Irish coastline?

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about cocaine and the significance of Ireland as a key landing point for drugs.

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***EPISODE ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN JANUARY 2022***

Detective Anthony Amore hunts stolen art and follows clues all over the world hunting priceless masterpieces which have been snatched by thieves. In this week's episode of Crime World, detective Anthony Amore talks about one time heiress, Rose Dugdale, who gave up a charmed life to become an IRA activist and a thief who picked out the jewels of Russborough House in Wicklow and later inspired the legendary criminal Martin The General Cahill. He also reveals what he thinks about another famous criminal Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley and his tall tales.

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It was an act of kindness during lockdown that ended up nearly costing an honest garda of his career.

In May 2020, an officer took a bike from his station's lost and found and loaned it to a pensioner who had been given doctor's advice to get more exercise. 

But this act of compassion would lead to a three year nightmare and see specialist officers raid the garda's home.

Niall Donald speaks to Sunday Independent Crime Correspondent Ali Bracken about how an officer's life was thrown into chaos over a 50 euro bike.

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Serial child abuser Bill Kenneally sparked outrage when he joked and laughed through testimony at a public inquiry this week.

Kenneally appeared to relish the attention as he described how Gardaí had known about his crime since 1987.

But behind the headlines caused by Kenneally's testimony, the inquiry is seeking to discover how the state failed his victims.

Niall Donald speaks to Saoirse McGarrigle about the work of the Commission of Inquiry.

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Amanda Brown's stepfather David Tweed began sexually abusing her at an early age. For years, she knew the real monster behind the man who presented himself to the public as a star rugby player and pillar of the community.

In 2012 tweed was jailed for 8 years on charges of child sex abuse, but he got out of prison 4 years early when his conviction was overturned. 

It wasn't until after his death that his victims were truly able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Niall Donald speaks to Amanda about her new book 'No Peace Until He's Dead', and her years of harrowing abuse at the hands of a paedophile.

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There is one advantage to working for a newspaper on Dublin's Talbot Street - you don't have to look hard to find crime.

This week, the Sunday World reported on how a pool of blood was left on the ground outside our office after a machete was used during a melee between two groups.

Niall Donald speaks to Sunday World News Editor Eimear Rabbitt about just another day on Dublin's most notorious street.

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A file on the murder of Eddie Hutch has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions with a recommendation that Daniel Kinahan be charged in relation to the killing.

The taxi driver, a brother of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, was shot dead in 2016 amid the height of the hutch-Kinahan fued.

Niall Donald speaks to Irish Independent Crime Correspondent Ken Foy about Daniel Kinahan's alleged involvement in the murder.

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An interim report into the activities of British Agent Freddie Scappaticci within the Provisional IRA has said that more lives were lost than saved during his tenure as a spy.

Niall Donald speaks to Allison Morris about the man known as 'stakeknife' and what's next for the families of his victims.

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Christopher 'Git' Waldron has had to hand over his home, a second property, cash and designer watches to the Criminal Assests Bureau.

He also claims he's being forced to sell his collection of Michael Jackson memorabilia. 

Clodagh Meaney speaks to Niall Donald about the Finglas mobster.

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Murder victim Richie Carberry wrote his last will and registered it in September 2018 during the height of the Drogheda feud.

Leaving his estate to his wife Eileen, a sister of Robbie Lawlor, he was killed just over a year later.

Nicola speaks to Eamon Dillon about Carberry and his role in the Drogheda feud.

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The former partner of jailed drug lord Barry Young has escaped a prison term after she pleaded guilty to money laundering and facilitating her boyfriend's criminal organisation. 

Katie Banks received a suspended sentence after a court was told she had been manipulated during a toxic relationship with Young and knew nothing about his drug dealing until their home was raided.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Barry Young and his girlfriend who laundered his cash.

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A brutal machete attack at a teenage boxing championship in Roscommon. The father of an U14 champion is targeted and videoed trying to defend himself with a chair. 

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about how an evening of boxing turned into a horror show.

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The daughter of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan has issued High Court proceedings over her dole payments which have been stopped since last year.

In a move straight out of her fathers rule book she claims her social welfare applications were refused after the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) unlawfully intervened.

She says she is not involved in criminal activity and is “at a loss” as to why she is being treated as though she is.

So what is behind Gilligan's daughter and the States refusal to pay her allowances. Is she a chip off the old block or does she have a case to fight.

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The Encrochat phone hack which has resulted in thousands of arrests and convictions across Europe has been described as a pinnacle moment in the fight against modern organised crime.

But how did police use the intel that they received every day over a three month period when they got a window into the business of crime.

Nicola speaks with Mobeen Azhar whose new BBC Gangster presents series Catching the Kingpins is the first behind the scenes look at how law enforcement eavesdropped on the criminals and how they juggled life and death decisions while attempting to keep them in the dark.

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Eight years after the murder of Real IRA man Vinny Ryan on a Dublin street his comrades have taken to social media to honour him as a ‘republican hero.’

But who was Vinny Ryan and why did he follow his brother Alan’s footsteps to a life in a terror outfit and ultimately to an early grave?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the murder of the Ryan brothers and those who still remember them as martyrs.

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Children are now being radicalised by drug gangs according to new reports from Europol which state that kids as young as 12 are being brainwashed to carry out serious crimes on behalf of older mob bosses.

So how does that play out in Ireland and do we have enough systems in place to protect vulnerable children.

Nicola and Niall speak with Criminologist Trina O’Connor about protecting kids from gangs.

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A supergrass trial ends in a not guilty verdict.

The families of innocent victims Eamon Fox and Gary Convie, two innocent catholic workmen murdered almost 30 years ago are left devastated.

A self professed loyalist killer turned witness, Gary Haggarty, is told he is unreliable and a ‘deeply flawed individual.’

And Jimmy ‘Shades’ Smyth, the accused who has already been convicted of murder and proved he was ‘happy to murder catholics for being catholics’ walks free.

Nicola speaks to crime correspondent Allison Morris about the justice fiasco in a Belfast courtroom which will mark the end of the catastrophic supergrass trials. 

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Notorious cocaine boss Ridouan Taghi has been jailed for life after a mammoth four year trial in Amsterdam but he leaves behind a legacy of terror that will not be forgotten into the future.

Nicola speaks with Jan Meeus, an author, podcaster and a crime correspondent with NRC in the Netherlands about the one time street dealer who, just like Pablo Escobar, took on the pillars of a state.

They discuss the criminal who formed a European Super Cartel with his friend, Irish Cartel boss Daniel Kinahan, and who believed he was totally untouchable.

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A convicted killer has vowed to continue to agitate for his freedom twelve years after he brutally killed 25-year-old mum Anna Finnegan.

Vessel Jahiri has lost his appeal against his conviction on what Judges detailed in a damning judgement and inadmissible hearsay, unsupported assertion and irrelevant material.

Yet still, the 43-year-old Kosovan has vowed to fight on layering ever more trauma on her grieving family.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about an evil killer who has shown no remorse and whose cruelty knows no bounds.

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Two Kerry men charged in relation to the biggest ever haul of crystal meth in the country have appeared in court via video link.

Nathan McDonnell, 43, the owner of Ballyseedy Garden Centre is charged with the possession of drugs worth more than 13k at the garden centre between October 27 and February 12.

James Leen, age 41, from Listowel is facing two charges one of importation and sale of crystal meth.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the latest court appearances of the two men.

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The daughter of an innocent man shot dead by the Kinahan Organised Crime Group directed her victim impact statement at the man known as Mr Nobody and told him he had taken her past, present and future.

Donna Kirwan was making her comments at Declan Brady’s sentence hearing. He has pleaded to facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Noel Duck Egg Kirwan in December 2016. He is already servicing sentences relating to Kinahan weapons and money laundering.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the senseless murder of Kirwan and the man who claims he has hit the reset button on his life in prison.

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The fate of Limericks mobsters are being left more and more in the hands of the court as police crackdowns on money launderers, hit teams and even debt collectors continue.

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about the jailing of two Larrys, the dramatic plea changes, and one senior drug dealer who had a lucky day in the Court of Criminal Appeal.

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Former Republic of Ireland footballer Anthony Stokes is doing porridge in a Scottish jail after handing himself up to police after failing to appear in court to be sentenced for abusing his ex-partner by text.

Stokes father John owned the Players Lounge Pub when an attempt was made on the life of Real IRA boss Alan Ryan there.

The 35-year-old, once tipped as Ireland’s greatest footballing hope, has had a chequered career and only recently got off a cocaine charge in Dublin after the substance he was caught with wasn’t certified as the Class A drug by Forensic Science Ireland.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the highs and lows in the life of Stokes who was tipped for stardom but who has ended up on football's scrap heap.

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Murdered Hutch associate Jason ‘Buda’ Molyneaux died from gunshot wounds as his mother Liz begged him to be strong.

Harrowing evidence was heard at a Coroners Court hearing of the last moments of his life while an investigation into his murder is ongoing.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the murder of ‘Buda’ and the complex double crosses and gangland games of lies and treachery that led to his death.

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The sister of gang boss Christy Keane has admitted to money laundering after a court heard that €124,000 in cash was found in her home.

Sandra Hehir will face sentencing but says she is now predominately estranged from her siblings and works as a hairdresser.

Nicola speaks with with Niall Donald about a sophisticated crime outfit which emerged from the warring gangs of Limerick and the risks of storing cash in the attic.

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An extraordinary drug seizure of more than €30 million in meth at Cork port has resulted in a number of searches around premises in Kerry, Cork and Waterford and a focus on the Irish links with the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Mexico’s biggest drug mob and its Irish connections.

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A Taliban ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan along with ambitious Mexican Cartels now based in Europe mean experts are forecasting a perfect storm.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the next deadly threat from a potent factory-produced drug which has become the biggest killer of young users in the US.

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A network of seemingly legitimate businessmen are under investigation by the Gardai in a massive crackdown on the laundering of dirty money.

This week a businessman, Wesley Williams, was jailed for his part in a laundering scam involving euro 1.4 million in cash.

The married father of four was also recently named in CAB proceedings against Marcus Sweeney’s Evergreen Wealth Management Property Holdings.

So who are the likes of Williams and what is their role in the wider criminal underworld.

Nicola talks to Eamon Dillon about dirty money and those who wash it clean.

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A gangster named in court as being involved in the murder of gang boss Martin ‘Marlo’ Hyland and innocent plumber Anthony Campbell is set for release from prison more than a decade after being jailed.

So who is John Mangan? And how was he linked to the 2006 murder of 20-year-old Campbell, a totally innocent young man caught up in a deadly underworld takeover?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Mangan and the murder that shocked Ireland but which remains unsolved.

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A stunning mansion in the County Louth countryside called The White House has been identified by the Criminal Assets Bureau in a Proceeds of Crime case against a Moldovan couple.

Natalie and Edward Chiper were arrested in 2019 after almost €1 million worth of drugs were found on the premises.

But despite spending time in custody the charges against them were dropped. Now the glamorous couple will find themselves explaining where they got the money to buy the 3,400-square-foot mansion they live in.

Nicola speaks to Eamon Dillon who visited the vast property listed in a proceeds of crime case.

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Secret files relating to the operations of a County Kerry wing of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel show how they shipped 6 tonnes of cocaine into Europe over the course of one year.

Headed by former Kilorglan schoolboy Morris O’Shea Salazar, whose Mexican mother has family ties to Joachim El Chapo Guzman’s sons, the Sinaloa cell was uncovered by both the DEA and later during the Encrochat hack.

Nicola talks with reporter Neill Feiririter whose special investigation into the Kerry Sinaloans was published this week. He talks about coke shipments, corrupted port workers and a slick drug machine run by a man who called Kerry his home.

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Northern Ireland’s much anticipated Kenova Report is set to be released next month after confirmation that no prosecutions are to be pursued.

The report centres around the activities of the notorious Freddie Scapattici, the British Army’s top agent in the north during the troubles.

Nicola talks with Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about the incredible story of Stakeknife and the allegations that his handlers turned a blind eye to murder and torture by the infamous ‘nutting squad’

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Two notorious Limerick brothers were found not guilty of assaulting a sulky driver and causing him harm after he dramatically changed his statement and said he’d ’identified the wrong men.’

Vincent and Jonathan Collopy members of the notorious Keane Collopy faction walked free after they were found not guilty.

So what was behind the extraordinary circumstances of the case and what organised crime in Limerick is still controlled by the Collopy gang.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about a gang of brothers with blood loyalties and their influence in Ireland’s gangland.

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Eight years since the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel his family laid floral tributes at the spot where he died.

But what has happened to the key players who were there that day and what future lies in store for many who then felt untouchable?

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about an anniversary, an ongoing police operation and a victim whose death was a seismic moment in the history of organised crime.

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A convicted dog fighting boss on the run from UK authorities is now facing a prison stretch in Ireland after being caught with €1.9 million worth of cocaine.

John Knibbs was banned from breeding dogs and disqualified from owning an animal in the UK. But the father of four changed his name by deed pole and moved to Ireland where he set up new premises in County Kildare.

In recent weeks journalist Eamon Dillon watched as he pleaded guilty to the drug offence and heard details about his murky past.

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Noel Long was charged with killing Nora Sheehan in 1981, but he walked free. He was charged again in 2022. As his trial for murder gets underway, Nicola and the Crime World team meet Julieanna Moore Watkins, Long's sister, who tells us about her brother's long history of violence.

All episodes of Beast: The Murder of Nora Sheehan are available to listen to now wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Nicola Tallant and produced by Ian Maleney and Clodagh Meaney.

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A detailed structure of the Kinahan Organisation has been read into a court for the first time during the trial of a man accused of buying a mobile phone top-up for mob lieutenant Sean McGovern.

Evidence given by Superintendent David Gallagher on the command and structure of the Cartel gives an interesting insight into their paramilitary style set up with sub-cells and command structures in Ireland, Spain and Dubai.

During the trial of Michael Crotty who has pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder of Noel Duck Egg Kirwan in December 2016, Superintendent Gallagher said he was involved in investigations involving 33 different people who were plotting to kill for the Kinahan mob in the aftermath of the Regency hotel.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the business of crime.

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Five murders carried out in a tiny area of Belfast and just a few streets apart bare chillingly similar hallmarks when it comes to the up close and personal style of the assassinations, the escape routes taken on foot through the Lenadoon estate and the activities of the victims.

Today we visit the crime scenes with Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris who believes the wave of gangland murder in Northern Ireland is chillingly linked and may have been carried out by a tight group of hitmen.

We look at the crime scenes outside a school, at a sports club bar and in the estate itself where the latest gun victim Kevin Conway was murdered this month.

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A criminal serving two sentences for involvement in an attempted gangland murder and a shooting of an innocent man has now pleaded guilty to his role in the murder of notiorious mobster Mark’ Guinea Pig’ Desmond eight years ago.

Charles McClean from Clondalkin is serving 16 and a half years for facilitating the botched murder of criminal Wayne Whelan who was later shot dead and the doorstep killing of dad of five Thomas McCarthy while he holidayed at his mothers Ballyfermot home.

So who is McClean and what was his role in a brutal feud between violent drug dealers and former friends?

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Court sketch artist Mike O’Donnell attended the trial of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch at the Special Criminal court and was there the day he walked free.

But inspired by his craggy face and interesting expressions the Kerry artist decided to go another step and his exhibition entitled ‘Released’ is set to open this week in Tralee.

The artist sat with Hutch in the weeks after he was released and was allowed sketch him further and today he tells Nicola why he believes his upcoming exhibition will move minds and spirits.

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High flying big spending John Coone and his wife Pamela lorded it up in their small community splashing their cash on holidays, fast cars and flash jewellery.

But the couple who were also claiming social welfare have fallen foul of the Criminal Assets Bureau and he has been named as the leader of a West Cork drugs gang.

The pair from Bandon in County Cork tried to hide their dirty money through a Botox clinic, tanning saloons and pubs.

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about the regional kingpin and the ongoing efforts to dismantle his drugs operation.

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Sixty eight year old William Finlay was sentenced this week for a minimum of 20 years for murdering his former partner at her County Antrim home in the first case using new domestic abuse legislation.

But is the sentence long enough for the life of retired nurse and grandmother Alyson Nelson who at 64 underwent a ‘vicious, unrelenting’ attack motivated by jealousy.

Nicola speaks with Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about the new sentence tariffs and the tragic sequence of events that led to the terrible murder.

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Corrupt cop John ‘Spud’ Murphy intervened in a property dispute between a financier and a suspected criminal and allegedly asked for £5,000 for himself and £5,000 for a serving officer, police investigating him for corruption have been told.

The disgraced former Superintendent who is currently serving a jail term after he was caught with over a quarter of a million euro worth of cannabis will be asked about that and a number of other allegations involving dirty money.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the intimidation of an innocent businessman, a long running property dispute and how the Spud Murphy investigation is the biggest probe of corruption in the history of An Garda Siochana.

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The death of Ian Bailey brings to an end his role as a celebrity suspect in the tragic murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier.

Convicted in a French court of her brutal killing yet still an innocent man under Irish law the life and death of Bailey has been as complex as the murder inquiry that put the West Cork village of Schull on the international map.

Today Niall Donald asks Nicola about her own interaction with Bailey over the years, about his creepy personality and about a moment of drama involving the 6 foot 6 suspect and a flock of angry geese.

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Fears are growing of a bloody revenge attack after the funeral of Christmas Eve gun victim Jason Hennessy.

The father of six was buried last weekend in an ‘Incredible Hulk’ themed funeral which was attended by hundreds of friends and family as well as the criminal fraternity.

Three busloads of public order Gardaí were brought in along with Armed Support units to patrol the area during the service which featured a green coffin inscribed with the words ‘The Boss Man’ and a green recovery truck.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the ongoing fallout from the murder of Hennessy and the killing of gunman Tristan Sherry in a crowded steakhouse.

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A fascinating study of the Bugsy Malones, the gang of children led by a young Gerry The Monk Hutch in Dublin in the 1970s has found that the State let down the north inner city youngsters over and over again.

Criminology lecturer Dr Ciara Molloy conducted research into the phenomenon of the youth subculture labelled by the media and treated like hardened criminals.

Nicola speaks with Ciara who is based at the University of Sheffield about the Bugsy Malones and what we can learn from the mistakes of our past.

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Veteran criminal Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley has spent countless hours in courtrooms over the course of his 73 year career.

He has appeared both as an accused, during the numerous criminal cases against him, but also as a victim in a rake of civil actions he has taken against others.

Recently he agreed that his privacy claims against the State, the Attorney General, the Garda Siochana, the Justice Minister and the Sherriff be struck out years after he first made his complaint.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Foley and his litigious actions that have often cost him more than he bargained for.

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When journalist Hugh Jordan saw a familiar face pop up speaking at an anti immigration protest in a south Belfast housing estate he had to investigate further.

And to his surprise the woman interviewed on the BBC saying she wanted no outsiders moving into her area had a very sinister past.

Nicola speaks to Hugh about an extraordinary tale that brought him from a short news report into one of the darkest murders of Northern Ireland’s black hearted sectarian past.

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The clock is ticking on murder accused Sean McGovern’s freedom in the United Arab Emirates as the Irish Government and Gardai move in for the next step in the takedown of the Kinahan Cartel.

McGovern was named during sanctions in April 2022 but has remained at large in Dubai despite a warrant for his arrest.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about McGovern and his significance as the chief advisor to Daniel Kinahan and a man who took on a role to decide who lived and who died during the brutal Hutch Kinahan feud.

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Criminal Jonathan Harding AKA Rocketman has been released from prison after serving his time for his role in Bomber Kavanagh’s weapons HQ busted in 2017.

Harding a trusted member of the Cartel’s Dublin outfit cut a lonely figure as he walked his dog near his Crumlin home in recent weeks with most of his associates locked up and many facing lengthy sentences both here and abroad.

So what is next for Harding? Will he return to a life of crime or will he finally be forced to make an honest living?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Harding, about his overlords and their grim positions on heavy charges and about the coming months as pressure builds on the most senior figures in the Cartel.

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High end designer watches costing tens of thousands of euro are often used as a currency in the underworld where fakes and real timepieces change hands every day.

But legitimate buyers too collect the desirable pieces and increasingly their value has left their owners vulnerable to being targeted by ruthless criminals with ever more discerning eyes.

So how is the watch market protecting itself from criminals and how important is the serial number on each designer piece as they make they make their way through legitimate society and often into the criminal underworld.

Nicola speaks with Catherine Alexander from the Watch Registry about how buyers and owners can protect themselves from a ruthless underworld where diamond studded watch has become a badge of honour.

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The funeral has taken place of Christmas Eve steakhouse shooter Tristan Sherry who was overcome after murdering rival Jason Hennessy Snr and stabbed to death in the packed restaurant.

A large police presences monitored the event in Dublin while tensions remain high in the run up to the funeral of Hennessy Snr this weekend.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the funeral and about the on-going security concerns in the Blanchardstown area.

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A man on the run since 2006 has been landed a hefty jail term after he was discovered on an Encrochat investigation transporting drugs for underworld drug gangs including the notorious McCarthy mob in Limerick.

Anthony Terry escaped a jail term at Limerick Prison after claiming he was terrified by drugs mobs into moving narcotics because of threats to his family at the height of the Limerick feuds.

However UK police discovered him running a transport operation moving cocaine and cannabis across Europe and into Ireland from his midlands base after they hacked his phones and found his links to Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh.

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about Terry the career criminal locked up for a massive 25 years.

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The murder of notorious crime gang member Kevin Conway in West Belfast this week has sinister similarities to a number of other assassinations in the North with suggestions that one hitman may now be responsible for seven deaths.

Conway, a member of the feared Firm outfit, was shot dead at the doorway of his bail address where he was living as he awaited trial for the murder of Shane Whitla in Lurgan last year.

Nicola speaks with Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about Conway, his background and links to The Firm and her fascinating take on a hitman who disappears like a ghost leaving no trace.

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The Gangster known as ‘Mr Flashy’ is under pressure from police over firearms discovered during a raid on his headquarters a number of years ago.

His arrest could bring to the end the reign of the young gun who has led a dangerous grouping through a series of feuds over the past 10 years.

Despite being just 30 years of age ‘Flashy’ has blazed a trail through gangland as much on social media as on the ground in his native Finglas.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about Flashy, his background and the reasons we don’t unveil his true identity.

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A Wicklow man who was known as ‘Libertas’ on line is set for release from a notorious US federal prison after serving a sentence for his role in the Silk Road marketplace.

Gary Davis is expected to return to his native Kilpedder in County Wicklow when he tastes freedom for the first time in six years as he is released from Hazelton correctional facility.

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about the Silk Road, the role Davis played as an administrator and the fate of others behind the dark net drugs supermarket which was busted by the FBI.

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Three men have now been charged in relation to the death of gunman Tristan Sherry on Christmas Eve during shocking scenes at a Dublin restaurant.

One man has been released without charge while the investigation continues.

Neither Sherry nor his victim Jason Hennessy Snr’s remains have been returned to their families yet despite 17 days passing since the incident.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about developments in the investigation into the steakhouse killings.

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Kinahan Cartel associate and CAB target Dean Masterson enjoyed a lavish wedding ceremony in recent weeks and has now jetted off to Mexico for his honeymoon.

The recently released mortgage fraudster who was working as a milkman in Dublin picked up a hefty tab at the exclusive Ballymagarvey Village venue and entertained friends and family in style.

Masterson was suspected of running the Kinahan payroll in Ireland and once worked as a driver for the Cartel top brass.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the convicted criminal and the spectacular nuptials that have focused attention back on his finances.

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Cocaine cowboy Liam Byrne appeared in the Old Bailey Court this week via video link from the notorious Belmarsh Prison where he will be kept until his trial for firearms later this year.

Byrne and his brother in law Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh along with four others are facing charges emanating from the Encrochat phone hack which the prosecution alleges involves a plot to hand over firearms to the UK police in order to get Bomber a lenient sentence on drug trafficking offences.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the background to the case, about he conditions in Belmarsh and what to expect from the upcoming trial.

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Gangland heavy Bernard Fogarty died in his cell in Portlaoise Prison last week after a chaotic life that saw him openly threaten his rivals on his social media sites.

The notorious hitman who was serving life for the murder of Barry Wolverson was considered one of Dublin’s most feared assassins before his own actions saw him eventually taken off the streets.

Nicola and Niall Donald discuss the life and the legacy of a killer who believed he was untouchable.

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A Christmas Eve nightmare in a popular Dublin restaurant. Two men dead and fears that reprisals will follow. So why did gunman Tristan Sherry decide to walk into a crowded steakhouse and shoot at victim Jason Hennessy Snr with a semi automatic weapon?

What horrors did diners see as he was then overcome and killed in cold blood?

Who is Hennessy Snr? A veteran gangster or a latecomer to the gangland scene?

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about a shocking night and what is expected to follow as tensions reach boiling point in the Garda district known as the K.

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SEVEN years ago ournalist Alan Sherry was sent on a news assignment like no other - and on an otherwise ordinary Friday, he found himself in the middle of the Regency Hotel gun attack. Today, Alan gives Nicola Tallant and Niall Donald an eyewitness account of the infamous incident at the centre of the trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch. The panel also discuss the conviction of a member of a Cornelius Price kidnap gang for conspiracy to blackmail two businessmen and the plot which links the mob boss with the murder of Robbie Lawlor.

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Nurse Lucy Letby lived an unremarkable, ordinary life before becoming a suspect in one of the most barbaric and heinous crime imaginable – killing seven newborn babies. While working in a UK hospital, the 33-year-old carried went on a killing spree where she attacked and poisoned innocent children as they lay defenceless in hospital. But as she begins her life sentence for murder, Letby’s motive for her shocking and calculated crimes remain a mystery. Nothing in her past or family background appears to explain how Letby would go on to become a serial killer. Niall Donald is joined by psychologist and true crime expert Emma Kenny to talk about female serial killers and what could have driven Lucy Letby to kill.

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HE is the consultant psychiatrist with his finger on the pulse when it comes to alcohol abuse, cocaine use and gambling addictions. With an expertise in the use of medicine to help those trying to quit acute and dangerous habits, Professor Colin O’Gara says absolutely anyone is open to developing problematic addictions which could destroy their lives. Today, the head of addiction services at St John of God talks about how modern life, our traumatic past and our historic relationship with alcohol have all fed into an addicted Ireland. And he warns how with the use of cocaine, now normalised in every town across the country, a looming threat of a crack cocaine epidemic is never far away.

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Cold case killer Noel Long was found guilty today of the murder Nora Sheehan in Cork 42 years ago. Crime World's Clodagh Meaney attended the trial and heard the in camera evidence and arguments as he tried repeatedly to have the charges withdrawn. She was also there for the emotional moment when he was finally found guilty and when a family ended their four year wait for justice for a loving mother.

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His name still strikes fear across Ireland - a hunter who stalked his prey in the heart of the area known as the vanishing triangle. But where is Larry Murphy now and why is he a suspect in the murder of teenager Deirdre Jacob and the mystery disappearance of Jo Jo Dullard and Annie McCarrick? Now, in a Crime World mini-series, we present 'Predator: Larry Murphy and Ireland's missing women', a chilling true crime special.

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Gunman Tristan Sherry opened fire in the packed restaurant, hitting a 47 year old man before being overpowered and stabbed to death.

Niall speaks to Irish independent crime correspondent Ken Foy about the botched hit attempt and how gardai are braced for reprisal attacks

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His name still strikes fear across Ireland - a hunter who stalked his prey in the heart of the area known as the vanishing triangle. But where is Larry Murphy now and why is he a suspect in the murder of teenager Deirdre Jacob and the mystery disappearance of Jo Jo Dullard and Annie McCarrick? Now, in a Crime World mini-series, we present 'Predator: Larry Murphy and Ireland's missing women', a chilling true crime special.

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