Crime World

A phone call from a prison cell, a story of redemption and a journey into the unknown.

Nicola speaks to Crime World Producer Ian Maleney about our new podcast The Gambler which tells the story of Pat Sheedy a successful businessman drawn into crime by an unstoppable gambling addiction.

We discuss our own experience with a man who ended up in a top security prison through an endless series of frauds and deceptions and who now claims to have turned his life around. But has he?

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A man who set a Garda car on fire during the Dublin riots has landed a six and a half year jail term despite pleading guilty to arson and criminal damage.

Declan Donaghey apologised to the Government but a Judge said she didn’t accept that he acted in a moment of madness.

As he was led away the 28 year old shouted scumbags at Gardai and supporters were removed by the public order unit.

Nicola speaks to Eimear Rabbitte about the sentence.

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Gardai have released 99 images of people they want to identify from last years Dublin riots.

In an unprecedented move they have collated the CCTV stills of those caught up in the city centre mayhem in the hope of finding out who they are.

Nicola speaks with Eimear Rabbitte about the appeal and about her memories of the night the capital was brought to a standstill.

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In the second part of our reporting on Day 9 of the case against Conor McGregor and his friend James Lawrence who are accused of rape we hear the closing statements given on behalf of the plaintiff Nikita Hand who says she was raped by both men in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

Both have denied the allegations and said they had consensual sex with her. The jury will be directed today by Justice Alexander Owens who has indicated that they will have two questions to answer by a civil balance of probability and that they will have a number of different compensation options available should they find in her favour.

Nicola speaks with Clodagh Meaney who has been covering the trial.

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The closing statements have been made to the jury in the case of Nikita Hand who is suing UFC star Conor McGregor and his friend James Lawrence claiming both raped her in the Beacon Hotel in Dublin in 2018.

Both deny the allegations and claim they had consensual sex with her. After an almost two-week trial counsel for the pair summed up their cases to the jury.

Clodagh Meaney was there to hear their closing statements. This is part one of today’s proceedings.

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In the final part of our interview with election candidate and veteran criminal Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, we discuss his political ambitions, how he hopes to follow in the footsteps of legendary TD Tony Gregory, and how he wants to shake up business as usual in Leinster House.

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In Part Two of our three-part interview with election candidate and veteran criminal Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, we discuss his childhood in the constituency he now hopes to represent, his first experiences with the criminal justice system, and his transformation from street criminal to the Gardaí's number one target in organised crime.

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In Part One of our three part interview with election candidate and veteran criminal Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, we discuss the roots of the feud, coming face to face with Daniel Kinahan and the moment the gunmen came for him on the island of Lanzarote.

As Hutch formally becomes an election candidate, we talk through the turbulent years leading up to his trial for murder at the Special Criminal Court which ended last year when he was found not guilty.

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The big interview with election candidate and veteran criminal Gerry The Monk Hutch has been causing waves both on line and on the campaign trail.

With the first of three parts to be released on Crime World podcast platforms and Crime World's YouTube channel on Sunday November 17th, Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about their impressions of Hutch, the impact his interview is likely to make with the public and concerns from his political rivals about his run for the Dail.

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In the second part of the seventh day of the trial of Conor McGregor and his friend James Lawrence, accused of the rape of hairdresser Nikita Hand following a Christmas party in December 2018, details were heard of Lawrence's claims of what occurred. McGregor and Lawrence have denied rape and said they had consensual sex with Nikita Hand in the High Court trial, which came to a close today.

Clodagh Meaney, who has covered the trial, continues her reportage of a day in court and describes how both legal teams will sum up for the jury on Tuesday before they retire to consider their verdict

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Two Hungarian pilots have been jailed for their role in flying €8 million worth of heroin into Ireland.

Aradi Ignac a 50 year old father of five and a former Soviet fighter pilot Zoltan Nemeth nicknamed Top Gun in his home country got 10 and 8 years respectively for their parts in a plot orchestrated by the gang known as The Family.

The duo pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to smuggling heroin into Weston Airport last year.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the pilots and the massive 60 kilo heroin deal that went awry.

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Day 7 of the trial of Conor McGregor and his friend James Lawrence accused of the rape hairdresser Nikita Hand following a Christmas Party in December 2018 has heard details of the UFC stars arrest and how he answered No Comment more than 150 times to police who questioned him about events.

McGregor and Lawrence have denied rape and said they had consensual sex with Nikita Hand in the High Court trial which is being heard in Dublin.

Clodagh Meaney runs through a day in court with McGregor back in the stand.

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A police ombudsman investigation has found that PSNI inquiries into the death of showjumper Katie Simpson was failed and flawed.

Nicola speaks with journalist Tanya Fowles about those spectacular failures which meant that killer Jonathan Creswell almost got away with the 21-year-old's murder.

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Day 6 of the High Court trial in Dublin where Conor McGregor and his friend James Lawrence are accused of rape took place today.

They both deny the allegations made by hairdresser Nikita Hand and claim they had consensual sex with her instead.

Clodagh Meaney was there to report on the evidence.

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Conor McGregor took the stand in the High Court in Dublin where he is being sued by hairdresser Nikita Hand who claims she was raped by him and his friend James Lawrence in a Dublin Hotel in 2018.

Clodagh Meaney was there to report on his evidence.

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A house belonging to Daniel Kinahan and seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau has gone up for sale.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the mansion which was used to pay off a debt after a mishap with the Cartel’s dirty money.

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A woman who claims she was raped by UFC star Conor McGregor and his friend James Lawrence suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a court has heard.

Clodagh Meaney is covering the civil court trial and today she tells Nicola about evidence relating to Nikita Hand’s medical history.

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A Moldovan couple lived a lavish lifestyle in Ireland over at least a decade purchasing a flash home they called the White House and holidaying to Miami and Iceland to name but a few locations.

But all the while Eddie and Natalia Chiper were living off the proceeds of crime from his organised crime gang which trafficked drugs into Ireland and Moldova.

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about the bling pair whose spend drew the attention of the Criminal Assets Bureau.

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Gardai are searching land for missing Jo Jo Dullard as they have arrested a suspect in connection with her disappearance.

29 years after she was last seen the man was being quizzed by officers and Crime World’s Clodagh Meaney attended a press conference about the case.

Nicola and Niall speak to Clodagh who confirms the arrested man is not Larry Murphy and tells us what she knows about the case.

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Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch arrived at Dublin Airport this morning, and confirmed his intent to run in the upcoming general election. Nicola and Niall discuss his statements to the press at the airport.

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Kinahan Cartel members Dean Howe and Liam Brannigan, who both plotted murder for the mob, have opened a coffee shop together after being released from prison.

The pair who are long term associates of some of the biggest criminal figures in Dublin are selling their wares on a busy city street and vowing they’ve the best coffee in town.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the new venture and about the message it gives about peace in Dublin’s underworld, a city once ground zero in a terrifying mob war.

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The fourth day of the case taken by hairdresser Nikita Hand against UFC star Conor McGregor and another man James Lawrence has drawn to a close in the High Court in Dublin.

Hand claims she was raped by McGregor and Lawrence but both men deny her claims saying they both had consensual sex with her.

Clodagh Meaney was there to record the evidence and she tells me about what happened as Nikita Hand continued to be cross examined.

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'Women Locked Up: Inside the Dochas' is a brand new documentary coming to Virgin Media next week.

The show is set to bring viewers inside the cells of one of Ireland's only female prisons.

Mary Kennedy, the former governor of the prison who appears in the programme, joins Clodagh Meaney to discuss life behind bars, rehabilitation, and the complex issues that women in the prison system face.

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Day three of Civil proceedings taken by hair colourist Nikita Hand against UFC star Conor McGregor and another man James Lawrence have taken place in the High Court in Dublin.

The woman claims she was raped by both men in a penthouse hotel room in Dublin in 2018 while McGregor and Lawrence say they had sex with her but that it was consensual.

Nicola speaks to Crime World’s Clodagh Meaney who has been covering the trial.

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Dissident Republicans have diminished to a small force at Portlaoise Prison where they once ruled the wings with power and numbers.

So who are the five prisoners left with political status at the top security Irish jail, what sentences are they serving and what is the future of the New IRA?

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A female serial killer stalks sleepy Toronto neighbourhoods as police follow her trail.

Nicola speaks with journalist Brad Hunter about murder in his home town.

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A woman who alleges she was raped by UFC star Conor McGregor and another man continued her evidence in the High Court.

Crime World’s Clodagh Meaney was there to report on the proceedings. McGregor and James Lawrence deny rape, claiming sex was consensual between the parties.

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The trial has begun of two teenagers and a 22 year old man accused of the murder of gunman Tristan Sherry who was overcome and killed at a busy Dublin steakhouse last Christmas Eve after he shot dead gangland figure Jason Hennessy.

The Special Criminal Court has heard all three plead not guilty but have made admissions that they were there on the night, witnessed the murder and were caught on CCTV footage of the fatal incident.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the opening of the Browne’s Steakhouse trial.

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Gerry The Monk Hutch was granted bail in Spain after telling the court he wanted to run for election.

As the announcement of election day looms it looks increasingly likely that Hutch will get his name on the ballot.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald and Eamon Dillon about the Monk’s run for the Dail.

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An online community of Incels or involuntary celibates have been infiltrated by a leading Irish documentary maker who says their hatred of women is frightening.

Alan Bradley went deep undercover in the making of his RTE Doc on One 'Invisible Men - Ireland's Incels'

Nicola speaks to the film and audio producer about his findings and the eye opening documentary which lifts the lid on a secret world.

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The Irish High Court has been told that UFC star Conor McGregor raped a woman in a Dublin hotel.

Nikita Ni Laimhin is claiming civil damages against Mr McGregor and another man, James Lawrence alleging she was sexually assaulted in 2018.

Both have denied rape saying they had consensual sex with the woman.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the evidence heard so far.

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A high-profile gym owner and fitness coach has continued to give out wellness advice on social media even after being convicted of sexually assaulting a female client.

Shane Flynn was found guilty of a sex attack on a young woman who came to him for a sports massage to help with severe back pain.

Gardaí later discovered he had secretly recorded 35 topless women at his gym while they received treatment.

Niall speaks to Sunday World news editor Eimear Rabbitt about Flynn’s crimes and his habit of psycho babbling.

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A brother of murdered crime boss 'Fat' Andy Connors has been jailed for eight years after leading Gardai on a high-speed chase following a burglary on a pensioner's home.

William Connors was arrested after he smashed a stolen Audi jeep into a roundabout in Co Kildare flipping the vehicle into a supermarket carpark.

Niall speaks to Eamon Dillon about how the 'Fat' Andy crime network have made a fortune from burglaries in Ireland, the UK and Australia.

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Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch has been granted bail from Spanish jail, and friends say he's more determined than ever to run for election.

The Monk remains before the courts in Spain, where an investigation linking him to money laundering continues.

Nicola speaks with journalist Ali Bracken about the latest twist in the tale of the Monk and his increasing political ambitions.

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Tony Sales and Lennox Rodgers are two men with a lot in common. They're both reformed criminals, they've both written books about their lives, and they're both working to make a change in the world.

Speaking to Clodagh Meaney during a live recording of Crime World at Crime Con in London earlier this year, they discuss their past, their path to redemption and what they've learned along the way.

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Barbie Kardashian has been found not guilty of threatening to kill to a prison officer and a fellow inmate after taking the stand in court.

Kardashian admitted in the witness box to making the threats but said they were said in a fit of rage.

Niall speaks to Sunday World News Editor Eimear Rabbitt about life behind bars for Ireland’s most high profile trans prisoner.

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It’s question time on Crime World. So today we are discussing my impressions of Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh, the chances of Anthony Campbell killers being caught and gangland killer Robbie Lawlor’s secret girlfriend.

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Thomas Bomber Kavanagh cooked up his gun plot while behind bars with a cousin of football legend Steven Gerrard.

Known as Uncle Bobby, Gerrard's first cousin is a cocaine trafficker who was behind bars at Dovegate prison as Bomber faced a hefty sentence for drug dealing and money laundering.

Gerrard advised him to buy, bury and then hand up weapons to police to reduce any time he would serve - but then the plot went wrong.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about Gerrard, Bomber and the innocent football legend caught up with some of the biggest names in organised crime.

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A Garda dig to search for the remains of missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin has come to an end - but the questions remain about how a vulnerable child was allowed slip between the cracks.

This week, Tusla are due to publish a report detailing their interactions with the 8-year-old Co Louth boy who Gardai now suspect was murdered.

Niall speaks to Sunday Independent crime correspondent Ali Bracken about one of the most shocking and harrowing cases in modern Irish history.

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Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is set make another attempt to get bail as he hopes to come before a Spanish court in the next few days.

The veteran criminal remains behind bars as Spanish officials continue their investigation into suspected money laundering through property deals.

Niall speaks to to Sunday Independent crime correspondent Ali Bracken about the case against the Monk and how his political ambitions are now likely at an end.

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The following is extracted from the audiobook of "Kinahan Assassins" by Stephen Breen and John Hand, available from Audible, Apple and Spotify.

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The violent Hutch-Kinahan feud was one of the biggest challenges to police in the history of the Garda Siochana.

Relentless, financed by a billion euro cartel, and with hit teams using new means of plotting their kill it left its mark on the fabric of Ireland.

Now, journalists Stephen Breen and John Hand have penned a new book 'Kinahan Assassins'.

They join Nicola to discuss their detailed look at each incident, the killers, their many innocent victims and the Garda response to an unprecedented threat to the security of the state.

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Veteran criminal Peter 'Fatso' Mitchell who was once part of John Gilligan’s was caught up in the 2020 EncroChat hack when he was found to be transporting cocaine into Wales.

But four years on and despite receiving a 10-year sentence in 2022 he has walked free from prison.

Overcrowding, under-resourcing and too many criminals nabbed as part of the hack are partly to blame for the UK’s revolving prison door.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the life and Crimes of Fatso Mitchell and what he is likely to do next.

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Coming face to face with criminals, having coffee with killers and the weird feeling of being around a sex offender.

Nicola and Niall answer your questions.

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From real Peaky Blinders and the modern days criminal gangs. What’s changed and what has stayed the same?

In this episode, Nicola speaks to author Carl Chinn, live from Crime Con London, about the evolvement of organised crime and it’s effects on communities.

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The Criminal Assets Bureau have set their sights on an under-the-radar posh-boy protégé of Christy Kinahan Snr.

Ciaran ‘Sam’ O’Sullivan has been one of Kinahan's most trusted sidekicks for more than two decades - despite coming from a middle class background in South Dublin. 

However, O'Sullivan is now facing a day of reckoning after the Bureau launched a case in the High Court to seize his assets.

Niall speaks to Sunday World reporter Eamon Dillon about the case and how O'Sullivan got mixed up with members of the Kinahan Cartel.

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Gerry Hutch is in custody in Spain after raids targeting the Hutch Organised Crime Gang earlier this week are linked to drug dealing and human trafficking by a spokesman for the Canary Islands’ High Court of Justice.

So what awaits the criminal known as The Monk who was only recently running for the General Election?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald on the latest developments in the Spanish investigation into money laundering and the Hutch gang.

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A bitcoin wallet containing 345 million in crypto currency lies locked away, its secret code still missing while the Criminal Assets Bureau hope that Ireland will one day have another Apple style windfall.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the incredible story of Clifton Collins, the cannabis grow-houses and the paranoia that caused him to lock away a fortune and lose the key.

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A Garda and Spanish police crackdown on the Hutch Organised Crime gang, The Monk’s’ Dublin home searched with the help of armed police, and a political career on the rocks.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the extraordinary developments days after it was reported that the veteran criminal was thinking of running for the Dail.

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Burglary gang member Michael Stokes was left furious after a high-end BMW was seized by CAB in a court case last week

Stokes could be heard mutter 'wan*ker' under his breath after a judge ruled against him after hearing how he had more than €200,000 'churning' around his bank accounts despite the fact he had no job.

Niall speaks to Sunday World reporter Eamon Dillon about Stokes' nightmare day in court and how he landed himself in hot water for recording the proceedings.

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Belfast Influencer Daryl Mahood has been the subject of repeated threats in recent years with the latest seeing her Mercedes car petrol bombed and her home attacked.

So why is the young mum, whose father is a former LVF terrorist, being intimidated out of her home?

Nicola speaks to journalist Stephen Moore about Mahood and intimidation in Northern Ireland.

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Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh and Liam Byrne have been jailed in the UK for stockpiling a 'fearsome' collection of firearms - including seven machine guns, three automatic handguns and an assault rifle

Kavanagh was handed a six-year sentence - which will be added to his existing 21-year term for drug trafficking offences.

While Liam Byrne also received his first serious criminal conviction for nearly two decades after he was jailed for five years.

Niall speaks to Nicola who was in the Old Bailey courthouse about today's hearing and what comes next for the two Kinahan Cartel leaders.

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A murder in Belfast of gangland’s most wanted man, Robbie Lawlor, uncovers a web of betrayal that spans out across the Irish underworld and beyond.

Follow a bloody trail that leads all the way into the heart of one of the worst gang feuds Ireland has ever seen which culminates in the Narco-style dismemberment of a teenage boy, Keane Mulready Woods.

And as the curtain is pulled back on the inner workings of the world of organised crime, a cast of ruthless characters take centre stage for their place in a double cross plot that reads like a fast-paced thriller.

Nicola Tallant's brand new book 'Web of Betrayal' is available now from all good book stores.

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Armed police blocked off roads as part of a major security operation as Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh and Liam Byrne were escorted to the Old Bailey courthouse in London today.

The Dublin gangland figures were in the dock for their role in a bizarre plot to use a cache of weapons as a bargaining tool to get a reduced jail term for Kavanagh.

Niall speaks to Nicola who was in the Old Bailey about how the Kinahan Cartel duo pleaded for mercy from the judge.

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The murder of Robbie Lawlor in the garden of a small terraced home in Ardoyne in Belfast has been one of the most intriguing and significant gangland killings in recent times.

Months after he brutally murdered and dismembered teenager Keane Mulready Woods at the height of the Drogheda feud who wanted Lawlor dead and who pulled the trigger.

In Nicola's new book Web of Betrayal, she pieces together the information around his death and details the chaotic and violent path he took in life.

Niall Donald interviews her about Web of Betrayal as they delve into the dark heart of gangland.

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Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is considering running for election as a TD in the constituency of Dublin Central.

One year after he walked free from the Special Criminal Court after he was found not guilty of murder what would that impact be in the hotly contested area where Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald has topped the poll?

What are the chances of the veteran criminal who is hugely popular in the north inner city getting elected and what would that mean for him?

Ali Bracken and Niall Donald join Nicola as they discuss the life and times of Ireland’s most talked about criminal.

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An extradition agreement between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates will be signed into law next week when Justice Minister Helen McEntee flies to Abu Dhabi in a move that is sure to send a chill through the Kinahan Organisation.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the latest developments and the ever-bleaker prospects for those seeking shelter in Dubai.

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Footballer Anthony Stokes was once Ireland’s most promising player but now he is fighting a 15-month jail sentence for cocaine and a high-speed car chase.

So how did the 36-year-old go from a glittering career on the pitch to a courtroom.

Nicola speaks with Eimear Rabbitte about Stokes and his brushes with the law.

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A murder investigation is launched as an eight-year-old boy Kyran Durnin is reported missing.

Gardai believe he may be dead for some time and are seeking information on any last sightings of him.

Nicola speaks to Eimear Rabbitte about the case that has shocked the nation.

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Kinahan Cartel associate Jason ‘Jay’ O’Connor took part in a revenge murder plot after he thought he escaped death himself.

Details of the conspiracy for which O’Connor has been jailed for 11 years played out in the Special Criminal Court where messages from encrypted phones were read out.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about murder and revenge in gangland.

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Eight people have been brought before the District Court on charges related to drugs and money laundering in the Drogheda feud.

Almost five years since the worst atrocity of the feud, the murder and dismemberment of Keane Mulready Woods, Gardai are continuing to investigate activities around two gangs who went to war.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the charges and those still under investigation.

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Kinahan Cartel lieutenant Sean McGovern awaits his faith at a notorious Dubai prison where up to 20 inmates share a cell and brutal gangs rule with fear.

So what is next for McGovern? And how did he go from a lowly drug gang member to the number two in the Kinahan mob and Daniel Kinahan’s top advisor?

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about a secret Twitter account and the making of a murderous friendship.

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Kerry businessman Nathan McDonnell has pleaded guilty to charges of drug importation and facilitating an organised crime gang in relation to Ireland’s biggest-ever seizure of crystal meth.

The 43-year-old former CEO of Ballyseedy Garden Centre was remanded in custody for sentence by the Special Criminal Court this week.

So how did a pillar of the community and a leading light in Kerry business find himself linked with the Sinaloa Cartel and what will the future hold for the former millionaire?

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about McDonnell and his co-accused James Leen.

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How do cult leaders control their followers? Why did Charles Manson do what he did? And would his followers' claim of brain washing stand up in a court of law today? They're just some of the questions Clodagh was left with after recording this week's episode of the Crime World Book Club with Red Room host Jenny Claffey.

She sat down with Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Sohom Das Crime Con in London to get all the answers she was looking for.

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In the fifth episode of the Crime World Book Club, Clodagh Meaney is joined by Jenny Claffey, host of Red Room, a podcast exploring the weird, wonderful, creepy and mysterious.

The pair discuss Jenny's favourite true crime book 'Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties' by Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring which examines the story of the Tate-LaBianca murders and how everything we know about them may not be true. 

This episode of Crime World was edited by Jason Maleney, with audio and video recording by Neasa Cumiskey and it was produced by Clodagh Meaney.

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A cocaine kingpin jailed for 18 years for running a massive drug empire is back in his Kildare family home.

Philip Baron was known as '4 by' because of his love of expensive cars but when journalist Eamon Dillon spotted him he was behind the wheel of an old VW Golf.

Nicola speaks with Eamon Dillon about tracking down the Baron of Straffan and the cocaine empire he once headed up.

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The family of a little girl injured in a horrendous stabbing incident at Parnell Square last year have detailed her progress and thanked the public for all their financial help with her on going care.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the year long recovery for the six-year-old child and her future needs.

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Garda commissioner Drew Harris has urged members of the Kinahan Organisation to speak with police and go witness protection against their bosses.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the comments and about future McGovern faces in prison.

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A local investigation team responsible for the inquiry into the murder of innocent plumber Anthony Campbell have met with senior management at the Garda’s Serious Crime Review Team.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the cold case of Anthony Campbell, his mother Christine’s quest for justice and her hopes that she may finally see her son’s killers in the dock.

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Kinahan Cartel second in command Sean McGovern has been lifted by police in an early morning raid in Dubai.

McGovern wanted here for the murder of Noel Duck Egg Kirwan is Daniel Kinahan’s number two and closest confident.

So what does this development mean in the global takedown of the Kinahan Cartel, is it a step closer to Kinahan’s own arrest and when will McGovern be back on Irish soil. Today I’m talking with Niall Donald about politics, crime and a Cartel under pressure.

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***This episode was originally published in January 2024***

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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The incredible story around the downfall of billionaire celebrity P Diddy has mirrored the tsunami of allegations made against famous men like Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein.

Jailed in Brooklyn, refused bail and facing a wave of lawsuits and three felony charges the one-time rapper, who had the Midas touch, is now in the spotlight for allegations of rape, coercion and running a criminal enterprise revolving around sex trafficking, forced drugging and recording his own personal pornography in a debauched theatre built on power and wealth.

Nicola speaks to author and journalist Douglas Century about the rise and fall of Sean Combs.

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The son of Thomas Bomber Kavanagh has been extradited from Spain to face course for his role in a firearms plot caught on EncroChat messages.

Jack Kavanagh is just 24 years old and will appear in the Old Bailey on November one just week after his father and uncle Liam Byrne will be sentenced for their parts in the complex plot.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the extradition and the weeks ahead for the Bomb Squad.

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Gardai are investigating the murder of an inmate at Cloverhill Prison last weekend after horse and carriage driver Martin Salinger was stabbed to death with a makeshift shiv in his cell.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about murder behind bars and the Garda focus on a chief suspect.

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An 18-year-old has pleaded guilty to his role in the murder of gunman Tristan Sherry who was killed after he shot a man on Christmas Eve last in a crowded steakhouse.

Juares Kumbu was due to go on trial with six others at the Special Criminal Court but admitted to removing the submachine gun Sherry had used to murder gang boss Jason Hennessy instead.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the Browne’s Steakhouse case and the other trials expected to go ahead before the end of this year.

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The whereabouts of the illusive criminal John ‘The Colonel’ Cunningham, the rivalries between crime journalists and the peculiar collection of curiosities in the newsroom.

These are just some of the topics Nicola and Niall discuss in their latest Q and A session.

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Liverpool gangster Sam Walker became a Tik Tok star after clocking up more than 140 convictions for crime but now he’s visiting Dublin where he claims he has been relieved of 50 diamonds by Irish Gardai.

Walker who live streams videos of his adventures from Sierra Leone to the streets of the capital was arrested during his visit and brought to court on driving offences. Now he claims his personal diamond collection is in the custody of the Gardai.

So who is Walker and how does he represent the increasingly blurred lines between celebrity and gangster? Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the social media star.

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A Sinn Fein press officer under investigation for child sex offences, job references written for a new job in a charity despite the police probe, and a political scandal that has now punched into the heart of the close-knit and secretive party.

Nicola speaks to journalist Ciaran O’Neill who broke the extraordinary story around sex offender Michael McMonagle and his two former colleagues who wrote references for his new job.

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Two women have been charged with money laundering offences involving gold bullion and cash.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the incredible pictures of the two Russian women clinging to one another as they appear in court in Ireland.

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Criminal investigations around corporate sabotage on companies once owned by Sean Quinn are five years underway with no sign that anyone will be charged in relation to offences around arson, property crime or intimidation.

And the probe into the so called paymaster of the late criminal Cyril McGuinness - aka Dublin Jimmy - who Gardai believe directed the kidnap and torture of one time Quinn employ Kevin Lunney may have also reached the end of the road sources say.

So what has five years of high level Garda investigation found and what if any ramifications are there for Quinn, the former billionaire who has admitted that much criminal activity was done in his name but without his consent.

Nicola speaks to Sunday Independent journalist Maeve Sheehan about the rise and fall of the mighty Quinn and about her interactions with one of the most sensational business stories of the century.

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An inquest held this week in to the death of Jason Hennessy Snr at Browns Steakhouse on Christmas Eve this year heard he was identified by his daughter and died from gunshot wounds to the neck and upper torso.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about tensions at Dublin’s Coroners Court where the inquest was adjourned pending trials related to the incident which also led to the death of gunman Tristan Sherry.

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The man who police believe created the encrypted 'Ghost' network taken down in a recent global action by law enforcement, and one which has ensnared members of The Family gang Ireland, has seen a crypto account containing more than 5 million in currency frozen.

The so called ‘computer geek’ who went breaking bad to develop and sell the top secret communication network collected the money over just a few years and is now before the courts in his native Australia.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about Ghost, its creator and the on going investigation into the heads of the Family network in Ireland.

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Drug dealer David Waldron’s country mansion has sold at auction for more than 500,000 euro with one lucky buyer landing a bargain.

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the recent auction that saw Waldron stripped of his proceeds of crime as his properties went under the hammer.

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He’s served almost two decades behind bars but this week criminal Martin Wanden who was plucked from the seas of Dunlough Bay 17 years ago clinging to bales of cocaine finally walked free from Portlaoise Prison

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the story of the misfortunate rib driver who was cast adrift off the Cork coast when a cocaine plot went catastrophically wrong.

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Eight men are now in custody facing charges relating to the alleged abduction and torture of a woman in Dublin who remains in hospital after what she told Gardai was a terrifying ordeal.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about a series of events that played out in a flat where the men were arrested and where the woman claims she was slashed, burned and threatened.

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In episode four of the Crime World Book Club, Clodagh Meaney is joined by Criminologist Trina O'Connor.

They discuss her favourite true crime book 'You Might Go To Prison Even Though You're Innocent' by Justin Brooks, founder of the Innocence Project.

This episode of Crime World was edited by Jason Maleney, with audio and video recording by Neasa Cumiskey and it was produced by Clodagh Meaney.

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High-end drones have become the vehicle of choice for smugglers bringing drugs into Ireland's prisons.

Tech-savvy dealers are using drones to burn holes in the prison nets before attempting to deliver drugs directly to inmate's windows.

Niall Donald speaks to Eamon Dillon about how technology has changed the contraband trade behind bars.

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The nomination of Kyle Hayes for hurler of the year after two high-profile court cases has sparked a million social media comments.

Limerick hurler Hayes was recently convicted of dangerous driving just months after being sentenced for violent disorder following a nightclub row.

Niall Donald speaks to Sunday World News Editor Eimear Rabbitt about how sport star's off-pitch bad behaviour is treated by the media.

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A gang linked to convicted heroin dealer Greg Lynch have emerged as a target for Gardai investigating the hacked encrypted phone network, Ghost.

Lynch was once a key player in the Kinahan Cartel’s drug distribution network in Dublin’s south inner city.

However, he cut ties with the cartel after narrowly surviving being shot in the face outside a pub in Cabra.

Niall Donald is joined by Eamon Dillon to discuss how Lynch’s gang have been left exposed by the phone hack.

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Irish mum Mandy Kelly hasn’t seen her young children in nearly three years since they were abducted by their Egyptian father during a family holiday.

Today the Dundalk woman who has fought for their return tells Nicola her story and her hopes that she will be reunited soon with her beloved sons.

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In episode three of the Crime World Book Club, Clodagh is joined by singer Janet Grogan who you will know from the X Factor, Last Singer Standing and Euro Song.

They discuss her favourite true crime book, I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara which follows the author's investigation into uncovering the identity of the Golden State Killer.

This episode of Crime World was edited by Jason Maleney, with audio and video recording by Neasa Cumiskey and it was produced by Clodagh Meaney.

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The mother and uncle of Kerry Sinaloa Cartel man Morris O’Shea Salazar have lost appeals against their drug trafficking convictions in Chile where they are jailed on lengthy sentences.

Yolanda Salazar who moved to Kilorglin with her young son after her Irish husband died will now have to serve 18 years in a Chilean prison after she was refused leniency by the courts there.

So where is her son Morris and what are the family connections to the notorious Joachim El Chapo Guzman and his terrifying Mexican drug cartel.

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A secretive Kinahan lieutenant is linked to the French underworld in an investigation probing who sold the doomed Encrochat phones to criminals.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about CIaran ‘Sam’ O’Sullivan and his sidekick Robert Noctor and their hideaway high in the French alps.

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The inquest into the death of murder accused Keith Lee has heard that he died by suicide in a cell in Mountjoy Jail as he faced charges for killing his wife Joanne Ball whose body lay wrapped in a sleeping bag in the wardrobe of his bedsit for up to six days after she’d been killed.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about a controlling relationship that ended in tragedy.

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Former Superintendent John ‘Spud’ Murphy has been moved to the open prison Shelton Abbey where he will now have to mix with killers and rapists for the first time.

The crooked cop who was caught stashing drugs in his Dublin home is serving a prison term while still under investigation for allegations that he worked with criminal gangs during a high-powered and decorated career.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Shelton Abbey and it’s newest guest

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Kinahan Cartel leader Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh and his brother-in-law Liam Byrne made a shock U-turn earlier today when they changed their plea to guilty in the Old Bailey as their trial for a gun plot was about to get underway.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the pleas and the code of Omertà and about the fate of their co-accused

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Seizures of €16 million of drugs, 11 high-value targets arrested and four organised crime groups targeted after an encrypted phone network called Ghost is taken down.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the global law enforcement operation which targeted Australian and Irish gangs.

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Drug raids across Ireland target the organised crime group known as The Family. Almost €7 million worth of cocaine is seized and 100 Gardaí are part of the offensive. But in the background, another significant blow to criminal groupings is coming in the form of a Europol announcement due to take place tomorrow about the latest action against an encrypted phone network.

So has The Family fallen foul to a new sophisticated hack just like the one that toppled the Encrochat network?

Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about raids, phones and a new approach by An Garda Siochana.

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In episode two of the Crime World Book Club, Clodagh is joined by Oisin Feeney, host of The Troubles Podcast. They discuss 'Killing Thatcher' by Rory Carroll which details the IRA’s attempt to assassinate Margaret Thatcher and the investigation that followed. 

You can find Oisin on Instagram @thetroublespodcast and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode of Crime World was edited by Jason Maleney, with audio and video recording by Neasa Cumiskey and it was produced by Clodagh Meaney.

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