Episode 1271: Kinahan mobster Sean McGovern applies for free legal aid to dodge murder and gang charges

74 year old Noel Long went on trial this week accused of the murder of Nora Sheehan in 1981.The then 54 year old was found dead at Shippool Woods in Co Cork six days after she vanished.As the trial gets underway, Nicola is joined by Clodagh Meaney and Niall Donald to discuss the case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Jul 202315min

The man suspected of murdering his girlfriend Kirsty Ward in a Spanish hotel has released a selfie video from his prison denying he had anything to do with her death and claiming the truth will out.But 30 year old Keith Byrne remains under investigation and in custody despite his claims.Nicola is joined by Niall Donald to talk about the unusual video which has spread far and wide on social media, about the tragic victim at the centre of the case and about separate developments in Spain about a bizarre weapons cache linked to the Kinahan mob. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Jul 202337min

Hitman for hire Alan Wilson lashed out at prison officers during a shift change in the Midlands Prison as he said he didn’t recognise the new wardens landing himself a transfer to the top security jail in the country.So how do officers cope and what do they do when dangerous criminals explode and attack them without warning? What are the protocols followed in prisons and how do staff deal with unruly inmates?Nicola speaks Eamon Dillon about troublesome inmates behind bars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Jul 202321min

Killer Aaron Brady is set to appeal his conviction for the capital murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe next October.But in the meantime an online campaign for his freedom is claiming that he is the victim of a stitch up and amongst other inconsistencies he was not tall enough to kill the tragic Garda.But what benefit is such a campaign and whose support has it attracted?Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the conviction of Aaron Brady and the fight to win back his freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Jul 202334min

Former Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy came out fighting for his career today during six gruelling hours before the Oireachtas Committees who quizzed him and agent Noel Kelly about payments from the public purse.As the RTE scandal continues into it’s third week politicians still want to know whether laws were broken and by who.During two sessions, Kelly was forced to repeatedly deny there was fraud involved in invoices raised for payments to Tubridy and constantly said he was following orders from the National Broadcaster.Nicola Tallant speaks with Niall Donald and Features Editor Daragh Keany about the performance of the celebrity at the centre of the scandal and his agent who says he has done nothing wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Jul 202338min

Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley could be facing a short jail term after pleading guilty to engaging in threatening behaviour as he attempted to recover a debt from a Wexford pensioner.The 67 year old who is one of Ireland’s most notorious gangland criminals’ faces a maximum sentence of three months but what is more insightful to where his criminal career is at, is the amount of money he was due to be paid for his current day job.A former enforcer for Martin ‘The General’ Cahill, a violent criminal suspected of armed robbery of fine art and jewels and a man who has survived numerous attempts on his life by the IRA and rival criminals, Foley has had a long and colourful career in the underworld.So who is The Viper and what has made him one of the greatest survivors of gangland? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Jul 20231h 4min

IT'S the diamond capital of Europe and the second city of Belgium, but Antwerp is also on par with Rotterdam as the largest entry point for cocaine into the continent.Last year, 110 tonnes of the powder was seized at the city's sprawling port, where authorities are coming under increasing pressure to do more to take on the drug gangs.However, it's not as simple as beefing up police numbers and investing in new detection equipment. Antwerp is a unique city where smuggling and money laundering are deeply imbedded in its history and culture.Nicola Tallant meets with journalist Joris van der Aa, a colleague from Gazet van Antwerpen, who has spent decades on the crime beat in Belgium. The pair discuss diamonds, drugs and dodgy deals, as they travel the city and visit its enormous port. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Jul 202334min

It's almost two years since famous Dutch journalist Peter R. De Vries was shot dead on an Amsterdam street in an assassination believed to have been ordered by Marengo suspect Ridouan Taghi.For decades, the 65-year-old TV star had been a voice for victims and a tireless campaigner against criminals and their crimes. But when his killers came for him on a sunny July evening on one of the busiest streets in Amsterdam, they didn't care about what he had achieved - they were simply carrying out their bloody orders.But how could such an instance of narco-terrorism take place in a modern European city, and why did Peter De Vries feel safe there despite the numerous threats to his life.Nicola Tallant, in her third despatch from the Marengo trial, meets with journalist Jan Meeus, chief reporter at NRC, and visits the scene of the De Vries death. Jan recalls his shock he felt at the news of his mentor's murder, and he remembers the fear it instilled in a media already under threat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Jul 202339min