Gardai arrest two teenagers after shots fired at residence in broad daylight
Gardaí made the arrests after reports of an incident involving a firearm being discharged at a residential location in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath at around 1.40pm on Monday. Thankfully, no injuries were reported at the time.
Two male youths, aged in their late teens, were subsequently arrested and are currently detained pursuant to Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda Station in the Co. Westmeath area.
Gardaí confirmed that investigations are ongoing after the incident as they appealed for any witnesses to contact authorities. Two teens were arrested (stock) (Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
A Garda spokesperson said: 'Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward.
'Any persons who were in the Ardleigh Park area of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, between 12.30pm and 2.30pm on Monday 14 July 2025 and who may have witnessed the incident should contact investigating Gardaí.
'Any road users who were travelling in this vicinity at the time, and who may have camera footage including dash cam, are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.
'Gardaí can be contacted at Mullingar Garda Station on (044) 938 4000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.'
Get all the big crime and court stories direct to your phone on our new WhatsApp service. Sign up here.
The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
an hour ago
- Sunday World
Man jailed after claiming five-year-old girl made call that breached safety order
The woman told Tallaght District Court she was getting the children ready for school when her phone rang on July 2, 2024 A repeat offender who breached a safety order by calling his former partner and tried to blame a five-year-old girl for dialling the number has been jailed for three months. The man, who is in his 30s, had pleaded not guilty under Section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 after the court heard the woman was put in fear by the phone call, which came while she was at home with their children. The woman told Tallaght District Court she was getting the children ready for school when her phone rang on July 2, 2024. 'I was afraid. I just left the house with the kids,' she said. 'Usually when he rings, something bad happens. I felt it was unsafe to stay.' She said she didn't answer the call, but that it was enough to put her in fear. Under cross-examination from defence solicitor John O'Leary, she accepted she didn't know what the caller had intended to say, as she hadn't picked up. Garda Shane McCabe told the court that the complainant attended the Garda station on the evening of July 2 to report a possible breach of a safety order. He said she appeared agitated when giving her statement. Garda McCabe also told the court that the accused had six previous convictions, including assault, driving without insurance, and three prior breaches of safety and protection orders. The accused told the court he had been in a car when the call was made. He said he had given the phone to a child in the car and claimed she must have dialled the number. He told the court he had previously deleted the complainant's number but was using a new phone and had inserted a SIM card that still contained the number. He said he hadn't realised it was saved and only discovered the call had been made after checking the dialled numbers on the phone when the child returned it to him. Prosecuting solicitor Tom Conlon, for the DPP, suggested the explanation was too convenient. 'So it just so happened that a five-year-old took your phone and made a call - coincidentally - to the very person you're barred from contacting under a court order?' he asked. Mr Conlon also asked whether the accused had given that explanation to Gardaí at the time. 'I think I did, yeah,' the man replied. Mr O'Leary, in mitigation, said his client had been in an on-and-off relationship with the complainant for many years and 'loves her to bits". Counsel said the man was getting on well in custody, working in the prison kitchen, and wanted to put the matter behind him. Judge Shalom Binchy said there was nothing in the defence's mitigation to suggest the accused was addressing his issues with violence towards women. 'It's clear from his previous convictions that there's a difficulty in relation to violence and his attitude towards women,' she said. 'And not only that - he's now blaming a five-year-old girl for this breach.' She noted that the case had been contested and that the accused had three prior breaches of protection orders. She sentenced him to six months in prison, with the final three months suspended for 18 months. The man must enter a bond of €300 and attend the MOVE (Men Overcoming Violence) programme within three months of his release. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme Tallaght district court. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 16th
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
New ‘isolated' ex-gangland enforcer chief suspect details in dad's chilling murder amid ‘people know what he did' plea
A FORMER gangland enforcer is the chief suspect in the murder of dad-of-two Paul Byrne, the Irish Sun can reveal. Paul was just 20 Advertisement 4 An ex-gangland enforcer is the chief suspect in the murder of dad-of-two Paul Byrne 4 He disappeared just weeks after discovering partner Martina McQuillan was pregnant 4 Paul's mother Ashley Dempsey, with Martina and Abbey Credit: Niall Marshall/News Group Newspapers Ltd His skeletal remains were found in a wooded area near Blessington, He disappeared just weeks after discovering he was to Advertisement Shortly after his disappearance, his family were also subjected to a campaign of intimidation when leaflets about his disappearance were vandalised. At the time, gardai also confirmed that the dad-of-two wasn't involved in organised As the Garda investigation continues, Paul's killer is still being hunted by gardai. The prime suspect Advertisement And just days after he was released, he was caught with a huge stash of drugs. Before his arrest for Paul's murder, he had been regarded as an enforcer operating in the Tallaght area. One source said: 'This individual is a violent criminal who's suspected of killing Paul Byrne. 'VERY ISOLATED' 'He has been ostracised by many in the criminal world and is now very isolated. 'There are people who know what he did but he's longer in a position to terrorise people.' Advertisement Meanwhile, Paul's mother Ashley Dempsey told of her family's ongoing pain. She said: 'We have been through hell and no family should have to experience such a living nightmare. 'BRUTALLY TAKEN' 'Paul was a precious son and we all just miss him so much. 'He was brutally taken from us and it's awful to think that we had to wait such a long time before we were able to give him a Christian burial. 'We will never forget Paul and he will always keep his memory alive.' Advertisement The grieving mum also said: 'This terrible murder has had a horrendous effect on my family - the pain will never go away. 'DESERVES TO HAVE JUSTICE' 'He deserves to have justice and that means those responsible for his murder being brought to justice. 'My son was killed without ever getting to meet his daughter.' Although five people have been arrested over the murder, no one has ever been charged. Following Paul's disappearance, the local gang suspected of killing him imploded. Advertisement 'MURDER DIVIDED THE GANG' Since then, the suspects have been involved in criminality but aren't part of any major crime gang. One local resident told us: 'Any hold these individuals may have had in the Tallaght area is now gone. 'They were a local gang and they went their own way after Paul's murder. 'The murder divided the gang and when new groups came to the fore they no longer posed the same type of threat. 'SLEEPLESS NIGHTS' 'The chief suspect was an enforcer and used violence in the past and he has gone on to lead a very isolated and chaotic life. Advertisement 'Paul's murder must have caused many sleepless nights to those involved and his family deserve justice.' 'He was brutally taken from us and it's awful to think that we had to wait such a long time before we were able to give him a Christian burial." Ashley Dempsey Paul's mother They also said: 'Paul would have known some of these people but he was keeping his distance from them in the weeks before he went missing.' At present, the ongoing case is being run by Det Insp Seamus Ryan and the team at Blessington Garda station. FAMILY 'DEEPLY AFFECTED' The senior officer said: 'Paul's family have been deeply affected by his murder. 'They are anxious that he's not forgotten and our investigation is active and ongoing. Advertisement 'I have no doubt that there are people in the Tallaght community who have information on this callous murder but have yet to come forward. 'There are people who know what he did but he's longer in a position to terrorise people.' Irish Sun source 'I want to reassure anyone who has information that they will be treated in a sensitive and confidential manner. 'Relationships and allegiances may have changed over the years so it's never too late for people to come forward with the slightest bit of information, no matter how insignificant they think it might be. 'Paul's family are anxious for the investigation to progress so that it can bring them some closure.' 4 Paul's family and friends 'are anxious that he's not forgotten' Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire Advertisement
Irish Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Teen born in prison learns fate after stealing €360 worth of clothes
A youth described as 'failed by the State' – born in prison, predisposed to addiction from infancy, and having spent his life in care – has been spared a custodial sentence for theft. The harrowing background was revealed when the now 18-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing €360 worth of clothes from a sportswear outlet in Tallaght, Dublin, on November 24 last. He cannot be named because he was 17 at the time of the offence and a juvenile when charged. At the Dublin Children's Court sentence hearing, Martin Dwan BL, defending, referred to the contents of a pre-sentence probation report and another from his guardian ad litem (GAL), a specialist appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child in legal proceedings. Counsel detailed the teen's background, telling Judge Brendan Toale that the youth had been born in prison because his mother had been in custody and had serious addiction issues. He was also born with foetal alcoholism, and Mr Dwan emphasised the youth's "tragic start in life", likening it to a "heavy millstone around his neck". From infancy, he was in care, but at the age of six, he was placed in a foster home with a family, remaining there for a decade, where he had "stability and a good nurturing life". However, the youth was "taken out" of that placement and later relocated to care homes around the country, lacking parental guidance. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Mr Dwan quoted another judge, who dealt with one of the youth's earlier cases, that he was "absolutely failed by the State in that regard". An eleventh-hour GAL report was drafted when he turned 18 and reached adulthood, as Tusla implemented an aftercare plan. The youth listened intently but did not address the proceedings. The court heard that due to his mother's drinking problems, the teen was predisposed to addiction. Mr Dwan elaborated about how the teen went on to attend child and adolescent mental health services with issues including PTSD. The court heard that some problems coincided with the ending of his long-term foster placement; the teenager connected with his family and started to come to garda attention, while abusing alcohol and drugs, which he had a predisposition to from birth. At one stage, the substance abuse induced psychosis, resulting in the teen being hospitalised. Judge Toale noted the pre-sentence report assessed the young man as being at moderate risk of reoffending. He also noted the contents of the GAL report and what he termed the "extraordinary background" to the case, and placed the teenager on supervised probation for six months. During that time, he must not reoffend and must comply with the directions of his probation officer to divert him from further offending; otherwise, the case could be reopened and a harsher penalty considered. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
