Closing statements made in dissident gun-running trial

22 June 2010
The Irish News

A lawyer yesterday declared that it was "perfectly clear" that an alleged dissident republican was guilty of plotting to buy and smuggle guns and explosives.

The claim came from Gordon Kerr QC, prosecuting, as he made final submissions in the Belfast Crown Court trial of Co Armagh men Paul McCaugherty and Dermot Gregory, also known as Michael Dermot.

McCaugherty (43) from Beech Court in Lurgan faces a total of six charges including conspiring to get arms and explosives, IRA membership and three charges of using money for the purposes of terrorism.

Continue Reading... Labels: Ali, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Omagh, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Judgment reserved in MI5 arms sting case

22 June 2010
Belfast Telegraph

It is "perfectly clear" that an alleged dissident republican was guilty of plotting to buy and smuggle guns and explosives, a prosecutor has told Belfast Crown Court.

The claim was made by Gordon Kerr QC as he made final submissions in the trial of Co Armagh men Paul McCaugherty and Declan Gregory, also known as Michael Dermot.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Verdict in IRA case due soon

22 June 2010
Mirror
Paul Higgins

A lawyer yesterday declared it was "perfectly clear" that an alleged dissident republican was guilty of plotting to buy and smuggle guns and explosives.

The claim came from prosecuting QC Gordon Kerr as he made final submissions in the Belfast Crown Court trial of Co Armagh men Paul McCaugherty and Declan Gregory, also known as Michael Dermot.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Gun smuggling accused walks free

18 June 2010
 UTV News
A Co. Armagh man who had been accused of a gun smuggling plot walked free from court on Friday after the prosecution decided not to appeal a judge's decision to stop the case.

Prosecution lawyer David McDowell told Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Hart "we do not intend to appeal your Lordship's ruling ...so the defendant can be discharged".

Following an abuse of process application from defence QC Orlando Pownall on behalf of 44-year-old Desmond Kearns, Diplock, no jury judge Mr Justice Hart ruled that a secret service MI5 agent known only as 'Amir' had over-stepped the mark and gone into the area of entrapment.

In his ruling the judge said that having reviewed the evidence "the edifice of the prosecution case now rests on inadequate foundations and therefore that edifice cannot stand".

Continue Reading... Labels: Ali, Alvor, Amir, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, Entrapment, MI5, Orlando Pownall, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy

IRA said they'd kill me, woman tells court

4 June 2010 
Belfast Telegraph
Paul Higgins

A woman has told a court how she believed the IRA would kill her unless she handed over deeds to a Portuguese restaurant.

Theresa Murphy told Belfast Crown Court she and her former partner Owen McNamee had been running the Panda restaurant after it was bought by Crossmaglen man Dermot Declan Gregory (41), also known as Michael Dermot.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Owen McNamee, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Restaurateur tells court about threat

4 June 2010
The Irish News

Two men claiming to be from the IRA ordered a woman to hand over deeds to a Portuguese restaurant or she would "get it," a gun-smuggling trial has heard.

Giving evidence at the Belfast Crown Court trial of three Co Armagh men accused of a gun-smuggling plot, Theresa Murphy said she and her former partner Owen McNamee had been running the Panda restaurant after it was bought by one of the defendants, 41-year-old Dermot Declan Gregory aka Michael Dermot from Concession Road in Crossmaglen.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Owen McNamee, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Restaurant owner was threatened by 'IRA men'

4 June 2010
Mirror
Paul Higgins
Three accused of weapons plot

Two men claiming to be IRA members ordered a woman to hand over deeds to a restaurant in Portugal or she'd "get it," a court heard yesterday.

Therese Murphy was giving evidence at the Belfast Crown Court trial of three men accused of a gun smuggling plot The witness said she and her ex partner Owen McNamee had run the restaurant after it was bought by defendant, 41-year-old Dermot Declan Gregory, aka Michael Dermot, from Crossmaglen, Co Tyrone.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Owen McNamee, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Omagh accused breaks his silence

1 June 2010
The Irish News
Allison Morris

The only man ever convicted in relation to the Omagh bombing has broken his silence over the Real IRA atrocity.

Leading dissident republican Colm Murphy said the attack in which 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died "should never have happened".

Describing events in Omagh on August 15 1998 as "awful, tragic" he said: "No-one in their right mind would say any different."

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Colm Murphy, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, Entrapment, Informer, MI5, Michael Dermot, Omagh, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy

Colm Murphy Interview - MI5 agent in plot to frame me: dissident

1 June 2010
The Irish News
Allison Morris

Leading dissident republican Colm Murphy has alleged that a suspected British agent on trial in a MI5 case was engaged in an elaborate plot to frame him.

Dermot Declan Gregory (41), also known as Michael Dermot, is standing trial at Belfast Crown Court in a gun-running case in which MI5 witnesses are giving evidence in an Irish court for the first time in decades.

Along with John McCaugherty and Desmond Kearns, Mr Gregory is charged with raising funds for paramilitaries and trying to procure weapons for the Real IRA.

Murphy alleges that Mr Gregory gave a full account of his spying activities and agreed to give a press conference outlining the details.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alvor, Colm Murphy, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, Entrapment, MI5, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy

MI5 agent first to testify in north in more than 20 years

6 May 2010
The Irish News

An MI5 agent will today become the first to give evidence in a Northern Ireland court in more than 20 years when he testifies against three Co Armagh men implicated in a Real IRA gun-smuggling plot.

Paul McCaugherty (43), of Beech Court, and Desmond Kearns (44), of Tannaghmore Green, both Lurgan, and Dermot Gregory (41) - also known as Michael Dermot - of Concession Road in Crossmaglen, went on trial yesterday charged with involvement in a plot to smuggle explosives and dozens of weapons into Northern Ireland in 2006.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Amir, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Owen McNamee, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy

Accused 'wanted AK 47s, pistols'

5 May 2010
BBC NEWS:

A man charged after an MI5 sting told an undercover operative he needed "explosives, pistols, AK 47s, armour-piercing stuff", a court has heard. Paul McCaugherty of Beech Court, Lurgan was one of three County Armagh men arrested after the two-year operation.

The others are Desmond Kearns from Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, and Dermot Gregory, also known as Michael Dermot, from Concession Road, Crossmaglen. A judge at an earlier hearing was told the sting targeted the Real IRA.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alison Kearns, Alvor, Dermot Declan Gregory, Dermot Gregory, Desmond Kearns, Desmond Paul Kearns, MI5, Michael Dermot, Omagh, Owen McNamee, Panda Restaurant, Paul Anthony John McCaugherty, Paul McCaugherty, Portugal, Real IRA, Teresa Murphy, Therese Murphy