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# Forensic Science Ireland

Science Supporting Juctice

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://forensicscience.ie/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [A look at the Administration Office in FSI with Clerical Officer - Tara](https://forensicscience.ie/a-look-at-the-administration-office-in-fsi-with-clerical-officer/) - A look at the Administration Office in FSI with Clerical Officer Tara Please tell us about your role. The Clerical Officer (CO) role in admin is very varied and interesting. We work with the Laboratory Information management system (LIMS) recording all correspondence received by email from our stakeholders which include An Garda Síochána, Customs and
- [Fatal fire at Property in Malin Head, Co. Donegal, 31st October 2014](https://forensicscience.ie/fatal-fire-at-property-in-malin-head-co-donegal-31st-october-2014/) - A Donegal father of three, Jeffrey McLaughlin, who lived with his wife in Derry, suffered an immediate death following an explosion and fire that ripped through a holiday home at Carnmalin, Malin Head, Co. Donegal, on October 31st. 2014 an inquest in Carndonagh heard in June 2016. The deceased, Jeffrey McLoughlin, was found in the garden of the fire damaged property. Petrol was detected on Mr McLaughlin’s clothing. Nine seats of fire were found in the property and petrol was detected in each. In addition, paraffin oil was detected in two of the nine seats of fire. Mr. McLaughlin's Nissan Juke was located 317 metres away from the property, and was found to have had a false Republic of Ireland registration plate over a valid Northern Ireland number plate. The jury at the coroner's court in Carndonagh returned a verdict of accidental death by misadventure into the death of Jeffrey McLoughlin.
- [Shooting of Clifford Power](https://forensicscience.ie/shooting-of-clifford-power/) - Shortly after 2pm on December 23, 2019, Clifford Power was shot a number of times at close range by a perswearing a Hugo Boss-branded tracksuit top. Two bullet casings were recovered from the scene. CCTV footage showed a man wearing a Hugo Boss branded clothing entering the Eight-to-Eight shop where, using a €50 note, he bought a bottle of Innocent Orange Juice, a Muller Corner yoghurt and a packet of cigarettes. Following the shooting, a witness, who was out walking his dog that afternoon, said he observed rubbish thrown over a fence and into an area of rough ground. A navy “Hugo Boss” tracksuit was recovered in a plastic bag. During a search of an apartment that same day, an orange juice bottle and yoghurt pot matching those bougearlier in the Eight-to-Eight were confiscated. Matching DNA profiles were obtained from the spoon in the yoghurt pot and collar and cuffs of the discarded “Hugo Boss” jumper. In addition, blood from the €50 note in the shop and a fingerprint from the orange bottle were all identified as coming from the same source. The DNA profile from the Hugo Boss top, spoon and the €50 note and the fingerprint matched Gavin Ryan’s. Firearm residue was identified on the “Hugo Boss” top and it contained the same range of elements as the residue from the spent bullet casings retrieved from the scene of the shooting. Gavin Ryan was found guilty to the shooting of Clifford Power and sentenced to 13 ½ years imprisonment.
- [Suspicious Death Alan Hall](https://forensicscience.ie/suspicious-death-alan-hall/) - Dublin Fire Brigade were called to a house fire around dawn in 2020 and when entering the house they found the body of Alan Hall inside the front door. Mr Hall had suffered injuries in line with an assault. Attempts had been made to set the house on fire but fire retardant bedding prevented it from catching hold. This occurred during the strictest of the COVID lockdowns when socialising was not permitted and initially no suspects were identified. However, CCTV showed a taxi arriving at the house the previous night delivering takeaway drinks. Among many items recovered from the scene were a bottle of vodka and two bottles of mineral mixers. FSI scientists examined liquids and fire debris from the scene and found one contained a light petroleum distillate matched a commercially available lighter fluid. An Garda Síochána were seeking an investigative lead and met with FSI Fingerprint and DNA scientists to focus the examinations on the drinks bottles and blood stained items. On one of the bottles of a lemon and lime mineral mixer, finger marks were recovered and identified to fingerprints of Conor Curran. This was the initial lead in the case. Blood stained clothing had been recovered, discarded in the locality and DNA analysis established the clothing were worn by Conor Curran and the blood staining matched Alan Hall’s. In 2021, Conor Curran, was charged with the murder of Alan Hall, but in December 2022 he passed away minutes after playing a football match. A co-accused, Mr Derek Coady previously charged with the murder of Alan Hall pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of endangerment as well as arson at the Central Criminal Court.
- [Serious assault in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon in 2018](https://forensicscience.ie/serious-assault-in-strokestown-co-roscommon-in-2018/) - In the early hours of the 16th December 2018 a group of over 20 men went to a property in Falsk, Strokestown. This property had been the subject of an eviction earlier in the month and was being guarded by a number of security personnel, employed by the possessing bank.
- [Physical fit of crucifix and DNA evidence link suspect to Murder Victim](https://forensicscience.ie/physical-fit-of-crucifix-and-dna-evidence-link-suspect-to-murder-victim-2/) - The body of pensioner, Ann Butler was discovered in a mutilated state five days after she had been beaten, stabbed and had her throat slit, while a large piece of cardboard was also found in the back of her mouth.
- [Murder of Nora Sheehan in 1981](https://forensicscience.ie/murder-of-nora-sheehan-in-1981/) - As part of the Serious Crime review process, the death of Nora Sheehan in 1981 in Cork was re-examined to assist in bringing a suspect to court, forty years after the event.
- [Multiple Evidence Types Hit](https://forensicscience.ie/multiple-evidence-types-hit/) - Multiple evidence types help secure conviction of a suspect in Fatal hit and run of a Deliveroo employee. Thiago Osorio Ferreira Cortes, a Deliveroo employee was cycling along Northwall Quay when he was hit by a vehicle and fatally injured. The vehicle fled the scene. A Ford Focus car was found abandoned with damage to the windscreen, roof and bodywork. It was technically examined to recover trace evidence to help determine if it was the offending vehicle. Thiago Cortes’ clothing was examined for damage, paint and glass. His clothing also provided source fibres that could be looked for in any recovered vehicle.
- [Ashling Murphy Murder](https://forensicscience.ie/ashling-murphy-murder/) - Ashling Murphy was fatally stabbed on the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore on the 12th of January 2022. A large number of FSI staff contributed to efforts to assist this murder investigation. Their contribution included urgent and out of hours work to perform forensic DNA and Fingerprint analyses on a large number of exhibits. These analyses provided significant findings including a male specific DNA profile (Y-DNA profile) match between Jozef Puska and samples from Ashling Murphy’s fingernails. In addition, DNA and fingerprint matches were obtained between Jozef Puska and a bicycle left at the scene. On the 9th of November 2023, following a three-week trial at the Central Criminal Court, Jozef Puska was found guilty of the murder of Ashling Murphy. Two current FSI scientists, a seconded Garda Member and a retired FSI scientist presented significant forensic findings at this murder trial.
- [Bloodstain Pattern And Footwear Mark](https://forensicscience.ie/bloodstain-pattern-and-footwear-mark/) - Edward O’Sullivan was fatally assaulted in his apartment at High Hayes Terrace, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny on the 6th of February 2020. Garrett Smith was accused of carrying out the fatal assault.
- [Discovery of a Dismembered Body](https://forensicscience.ie/discovery-of-a-dismembered-body/) - The head and clothing of the deceased were discarded in separate plastic bags. A roll of black plastic bags was found in the bathroom of a property the suspect was living in and a second roll was recovered from the suspect’s work place. These bags were examined to establish whether or not the bag containing the head and clothing came from the same roll as the bags recovered from the bathroom of the suspect’s house or workplace. A comparison of the bags from the body and the clothes with those from the bathroom of the suspect found that they corresponded in relation to their physical appearance and their overall construction, including the heat seals, “extrusion” pattern and some small pigment flaws. These findings offered very strong support for the proposition that the bags came from the same roll found in the bathroom, rather than they did not come from this roll. The bags from the suspect’s workplace were compared to the bags from the suspects bathroom and although there was some correspondence in the construction and physical appearance, the findings offered very strong support that the roll of bags from the bathroom of the suspect’s house did not come from the same manufacturing batch as the roll of bags from the workplace rather than they did. A fingerprint matching the suspects’ was obtained from the plastic bag containing the clothing of the deceased. A pair of bloodstained shoes discarded by the suspect were retrieved from a bin. The DNA profile of the bloodstaining matched that of the deceased. The suspect who fled the jurisdiction was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.
- [Double killing and the disposal of the bodies](https://forensicscience.ie/double-killing-and-the-disposal-of-the-bodies/) - John Forrester, a father of four, was killed following a jealous row with Ciprian Grozavu and Catherine O’Connor over his former girlfriend. John Forrester’s body was recovered from the River Bandon strangled, battered and bound. A cardigan belt was found wrapped around his feet. It was similar to the one missing from Catherine O’Connor’s cardigan.
- [Two murders and a serious assault in Sligo in April 2022](https://forensicscience.ie/two-murders-and-a-serious-assault-in-sligo-in-april-2022/) - In October 2023, Yousef Palani pleaded guilty to murdering Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee and to causing serious harm to Anthony Burke. These incidents occurred in Sligo during a four day period in April 2022. FSI played an important role in providing evidence linking Mr Palani to these incidents. This included blood on footwear, recovered from Mr Palani’s residence, that gave a DNA profile matching that of Aidan Moffitt. In addition, blood found on a tracksuit bottoms matched the profile of Michael Snee. Wearer DNA recovered from the tracksuit bottoms matched the DNA profile of Yousef Palani. A blue blanket, recovered from a scene, was stained with semen matching Yousef Pelani’s DNA. DNA recovered from a condom also contained the elements of Yousef Pelani’s DNA profile.
- [Sexual Assault Investigation with multiple suspects](https://forensicscience.ie/sexual-assault-investigation-with-multiple-suspects/) - A seventeen year old female got into a car with five males unknown to her to get a lift home. She said that all of the males had non-consensual vaginal sex with her. She also said that non- consensual oral sex and digital penetration occurred. Five males were nominated as suspects in this case and each said they had engaged in various sexual acts with the female. Each male said that the sexual contact was consensual. The purpose of FSI’s work was to examine the female’s sexual offences examination kit and clothing for the presence of semen, and carry out DNA profiling. Underwear from four of the males and jeans from the fifth male were examined for semen other than their own, that may have been transferred during the alleged incident. Car seat covers from the car in which the incident occurred were examined for semen. Semen was found on the female’s genital swabs, panties and skirt. DNA profiling was carried out on the swabs and full male DNA profiles matching each other and matching the reference DNA profile of male 1 was obtained from the semen on the swabs, panties and skirt. A trace of semen was found on the female’s top. DNA profiling was carried out and a mixed DNA profile (DNA from more than 1 person) was obtained. There was a major male contribution that matched male 3’s reference DNA profile. Semen was found on the inside front of male 2’s underpants. DNA profiling was carried out on the semen. A mixed DNA profile (DNA from more than 1 person) was obtained from the semen stained area on the inside front. There was a major contribution and a minor contribution to this mixture. The major contribution matched male 2’s own reference DNA profile. The minor profile matched the reference DNA profile of male 1, which was also obtained from the semen on the female’s internal vaginal swabs. Semen was found on the front passenger seat and the rear passenger seat of the car. DNA profiling was carried out and a full male DNA profile matching male 1’s reference DNA profile was obtained from both areas. This case went to trial in March 2022 and 4 of the men pled not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault. They maintained that any sexual contact was consensual. The fifth male pled guilty to rape. The forensic scientist in the case presented their evidence during the trial. In April 2022 all 5 of the men were found guilty of a range of sexual assaults and rape, and in June 2022 were sentenced to a total of 66 years in prison.
- [Sexual assault case involving breaking and entering into a house](https://forensicscience.ie/sexual-assault-case-involving-breaking-and-entering-into-a-house/) - In Cork in March 2022 CCTV showed a male trying to gain entry to numerous houses. He entered one house and a female occupant woke to find him in bed with her. She said he kissed her and was unsure whether further sexual contact occurred while she was asleep. The female went to a sexual assault treatment unit and intimate swabs were taken. Semen was found on the swabs and a DNA profile was generated which matched the DNA reference profile of the male. This case went to court and the FSI case scientist gave evidence. The defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison.
- [Prüm Power across Europe](https://forensicscience.ie/prum-power-across-europe/) - In 2003 a burglary was committed in Co. Wexford. While it remained unknown on the National DNA Database System, upon sharing with other European countries through the Prüm Treaty, it matched to a person on the German DNA Database. Additionally it matched to a person on the Austrian Database, and it matched to other crimestains on the Dutch and French Databases. This is an example of the effective power of Database sharing across Europe, which can track international movement of repeat offenders. On a separate occasion, the National DNA Database linked a cluster of crimestains from 5 burglaries which occurred at the end of 2022. These cases were subsequently solved by a match to a person on the UK Database.
- [Physical fit of crucifix and DNA evidence link suspect to Murder Victim](https://forensicscience.ie/physical-fit-of-crucifix-and-dna-evidence-link-suspect-to-murder-victim/) - The body of pensioner, Ann Butler was discovered in a mutilated state five days after she had been beaten, stabbed and had her throat slit, while a large piece of cardboard was also found in the back of her mouth. The body was identified by DNA profiling using a sample donated by the putative daughter of the deceased. The suspect Trevor Rowe, identified himself to An Garda Síochána through trace back of three anonymous 999 calls. Although Trevor Rowe made some admissions that he had killed a woman at an address in Kilkenny, he refused to say why. By his own admission it was a brutal attack. A DNA profile matching Trevor Rowe’s was recovered from a drinking vessel at the home of the pensioner along with a wooden cross. Following a technical examination of the home of Trevor Rowe, a pair of bloodstained gloves and a Jesus statue were recovered. The DNA profile from the bloodstaining matched that of Ann Butler’s. The Jesus figure from Trevor Rowe’s residence and the wooden cross from Ann Butler’s residence were examined to determine if they were originally from the same Crucifix unit. Staining on the Jesus figure and wooden cross was examined and it matched with regard to colour, appearance, microscopic characteristics and chemical composition. Holes on the wooden cross aligned with holes in the Jesus figure, and this finding, in addition to the correlating locations of the matching staining on both, provided extremely strong support that the wooden cross and Jesus figure were originally from the same crucifix unit rather than not. A jury took just one hour and 19 minutes to unanimously reject a defence of intoxication put forward by Trevor Rowe, who said that the amount of drink and drugs consumed by him that day had prevented him from forming an intent to kill or cause serious injury to Ms Butler. Trevor Rowe was found guilty of the murder of Ann Butler in her own home.
- [Operation Thor](https://forensicscience.ie/operation-thor/) - As part of Garda Operation Thor which targets organised crime gangs involved in burglaries, exhibits were submitted to the laboratory following a burglary carried out at an industrial premises in Tralee. A hole had been drilled through the wall of the premises causing thousands of euro worth of damage and a safe containing €30,000 euro was removed from the wall and stolen. Items including a torch, a chisel, a drill bit and a packet of cigarette papers were submitted to the laboratory for DNA analysis. Matching DNA profiles were obtained from the torch and cigarette papers and this DNA profile matched the DNA reference sample from one of the suspects. DNA elements matching this suspect were also obtained from the chisel. In March 2022, a jury at the Circuit Court, Limerick, heard expert witness testimony from the FSI scientist in this case.
- [Old case solved by new Database sample](https://forensicscience.ie/old-case-solved-by-new-database-sample/) - In 2013 an unknown man entered a house in Co. Tipperary to commit a burglary. During the offence he bled at the scene. The DNA profile of the crimestain had been kept on file and was then uploaded to the DNA Database when it was enacted. Even though a suspect had been nominated in 2013 no DNA reference sample was available; it wasn’t until 2023 that a DNA reference sample was taken from him in relation to another matter. Following a search of the DNA Database, a match was found to the 10 year-old burglary.
- [Murder of John Lowe in Portlaw, Co. Waterford on the 13th of December 2018](https://forensicscience.ie/murder-of-john-lowe-in-portlaw-co-waterford/) - On the 15th of December 2018, a scientist attended the scene of the murder of John Lowe in a house in Portlaw, Co. Waterford to assist with Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) and in the selection of samples for subsequent examination and DNA analysis in the Laboratory. Mr. Lowe had received multiple blows to the head and died from his injuries. During the scene examination, significant bloodstain patterns were observed and their source subsequently identified by DNA profiling. This allowed the scientist to provide an expert opinion as to the activities that occurred in the house to create these bloodstain patterns. Items of clothing taken from the Person of Interest, Stephen Keane, in the case were also examined and blood found was identified by DNA profiling. In May 2021, the forensic scientist gave evidence in the trial of Stephen Keane at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford. Stephen Kean was found guilty of Murder.
- [FSI evidence helps secure a conviction in the Santina Cawley murder trial in May 2022](https://forensicscience.ie/fsi-evidence-helps-secure-a-conviction-in-the-santina-cawley-murder-trial-in-may-2022/) - Santina Cawley, a two-year old child, was found in an apartment at Boreenmanna Road, Cork on the 5th of July 2019, with multiple injuries to her body and head. She received medical assistance at the scene and was transferred to hospital where she later died. Karen Harrington was accused of carrying out the fatal assault. Scientists from the DNA and Biological Analysis section of FSI carried out Bloodstain Pattern Analysis at the scene and laboratory based forensic examinations on items including clothing and clumps of hair recovered at the scene. Bloodstaining was identified on a pair of adult leggings, from Ms Harrington’s bedroom, with DNA profiles matching those of Santina Cawley and Karen Harrington. A DNA profile, matching that of Santina Cawley, was obtained from clumps of hair found at the scene. These clumps had features characteristic of forceful removal. In May 2022, a jury at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, heard expert witness testimony from two FSI Scientists in this case. Karen Harrington was subsequently convicted of the murder of Santina Cawley
- [False Imprisonment and Assault of Kevin Lunneyat Drumbrade Co. Cavan in September 2019](https://forensicscience.ie/false-imprisonment-and-assault-of-kevin-lunneyat-drumbrade-co-cavan-in-september-2019/) - Kevin Lunney was abducted from his home in Co. Fermanagh. He was falsely imprisoned, assaulted and then released in Co. Cavan. A Scientist attended a scene at Drumbrade in Co. Cavan to conduct a forensic examination. Following an examination of a horse box at the scene, blood matching Kevin Lunney was found. A Renault Kangoo van found at a different location, was also examined and blood was found in the interior of the van which matched Mr. Lunney. These significant findings allowed the investigators to link the van and horse box to the assault of Kevin Lunney. Items were also seized from a number of properties in Cavan and Dublin 3 for examination and DNA profiling. In June 2021, Darren Redmond, Alan O’Brien, Alan Harte and Luke O’Reilly went on trial at the Special Criminal Court in relation to this case. Two Forensic Scientists gave evidence during the trial. Darren Redmond, Alan O’Brien and Alan Harte were found guilty of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr. Lunney at Drumbrade, Co. Cavan. Luke O’Reilly was found not guilty in connection with the kidnap and assault of Kevin Lunney.
- [DNA Database Hits](https://forensicscience.ie/dna-database-hits/) - Hit 1: In November 2011, a woman was walking home after a night out through a park and two men approached her. One of the men had sex with her without her consent. Semen was found following her medical examination. At the time of the investigation four men were nominated suspects but all were excluded by DNA. No matches were obtained on the National DNA Database. However in June 2022, when the Unknown profile was shared through the Prüm Council agreement, a match was obtained with UK and communicated to Garda Interpol. Hit 2: A cluster of crimes were solved using the investigative tools of the DNA Database. This involved five cases that occurred in Spring 2021 - one burglary and 4 criminal damage cases. Four of the incidents occurred on the one night, and the fifth had happened two weeks previously in the same area of Dublin. These cases had been linked through DNA as stain to stain matches but in the Summer of 2022 a DNA reference sample was submitted for a suspected offender for inclusion on the National DNA Database, and it matched all five cases.
- [White Powder Russian Roulette](https://forensicscience.ie/white-powder-russian-roulette/) - The drug marketplace is a complex, rapidly evolving, unregulated and deceptive space. FSI analyses thousands of samples of white powder each year and an array of different chemical compounds are detected in these powders.
- [Novel synthetic cannabinoids detected in Ireland in 2021](https://forensicscience.ie/novel-synthetic-cannabinoids-detected-in-ireland-in-2021/) - Synthetic cannabinoids are a class of designer drug molecules that bind to the same receptors to which cannabinoids (THC and CBD) in cannabis plants attach. Typically synthetic cannabinoids are sprayed onto plant matter and are usually smoked. Reported user negative effects include palpitations, paranoia, intense anxiety, nausea, vomiting, confusion, poor coordination, and seizures. There have also been reports of a strong compulsion to re-dose, withdrawal symptoms and persistent cravings. There have been several deaths linked to synthetic cannabinoids worldwide. In 2021 Forensic Science Ireland detected five new synthetic cannabinoids in exhibits seized by An Garda Siochana. Each of these synthetic cannabinoids was present on plant material in an attempt to appear as if they were cannabis. The synthetic cannabinoids are ADB-BUTINACA, MDMB-4en-PINACA, 5F-EDMB-PICA, CUMYL-5F-P7AICA and 5F-MDMB-PICA. Forensic Science Ireland reports all new compound detections via the National and European Early Warning networks (EWET and EMCDDA).
- [Jellies & Edibles – not so sweetly innocent](https://forensicscience.ie/jellies-edibles-not-so-sweetly-innocent/) - In 2019 FSI encountered the first submission of jelly sweets in plastic sachets, which on analysis were found to contain controlled drugs. At the time we couldn’t have anticipated the significance of these innocent looking bags of sweets. In three short years the popularity of these sweets has grown so rapidly that in 2022 work practices and long standing procedures in the drugs section have been amended to better accommodate this growing area of casework.
- [Cannabis the Wild West](https://forensicscience.ie/cannabis-the-wild-west/) - Cannabis and related cannabinoid products accounted for 42% of all cases analysed by FSI in 2023. The traditional cannabis market is no longer a homogenous arena and is now a dynamically evolving space with ongoing rapid emergence of a dizzying array of synthetic cannabinoid products – it is truly the Wild West of the drug marketplace.
- [Waterford school teacher jailed for harassment against members of An Garda Síochána](https://forensicscience.ie/waterford-school-teacher-jailed-for-harassment-against-members-of-an-garda-siochana/) - Between May and September 2018, Lee Hutchinson, a former secondary school teacher sent handwritten anonymous letters containing spurious allegations about officers to their families, colleague and superiors including the then Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan. The claims in the letters were forwarded to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission whom deemed them “unfounded”. A number of the letters and the envelopes were submitted to Forensic Science Ireland for DNA and handwriting analysis. A DNA profile matching Mr.Hutchinson’s DNA profile was obtained from one of the letters. The handwriting present in this letter, along with that of a number of the other anonymous letters and their envelopes, were compared to a specimen of handwriting from Lee Hutchinson by the Handwriting experts of FSI. Their findings offered “strong handwriting evidence” that Lee Hutchinson wrote these envelopes and letters. In November 2023 Mr. Hutchinson was sentenced to six years in prison, with one year suspended. He was also ordered not to contact any of the victims for 10 years.
- [Tachograph Analysis assists with Guilty Plea entered in Fatal Traffic Accident](https://forensicscience.ie/tachograph-analysis-assists-with-guilty-plea-entered-in-fatal-traffic-accident/) - A 25-year-old young man was fatally injured following a road traffic collision between a car and a truck on the 27th of March 2024 near Newtown, Roscommon on the N61. Following a Garda appeal and investigation a Scania articulated truck was suspected of being involved in the incident. The tachograph data from the truck was downloaded and examined by the Chemistry team in Forensic Science Ireland. The data from the tachograph correlated with a journey described by the truck driver through Donegal, Antrim, Louth, Limerick and Clonmel. However, the forensic analysis of the tachograph data showed that two cards had been used during this journey. In addition, the scientist was able to demonstrate that the card of the truck driver was not in use at the time of the incident and had been changed shortly after the collision occurred. On foot of this evidence in February 2025, the driver of the Scania Lorry entered a guilty plea before the court, having been charged with the offence of Dangerous Driving causing death. This plea in essence prevented a prolonged agony of a court case for the injured party’s family.
- [Lone Wolf Right-Wing Extremist plotting acts of terrorism](https://forensicscience.ie/lone-wolf-right-wing-extremist-plotting-acts-of-terrorism/) - In June 2021 Counter Terrorism International were contacted by Police in the UK seeking information on an individual, Mark Peppard/Nolan, who had been charged with terrorist offences, child grooming and assaulting a police officer. Peppard/Nolan had changed his name to Mark Wolf via Deed Poll and acquired an Irish passport under the same name. Whilst on bail for these offences it was suggested that Wolf had fled England to the Republic of Ireland and was making efforts to obtain firearms. Gardaí arrested Mark Wolf at the address he was staying at on foot of an Extradition Warrant. Following a search a tactical weapons kit featuring multiple firearm components, barrels and scopes, several passports with different aliases, a 3d printer and accessories, several mobile devices with evidence of right wing violent extremist ideology and flags relating to right wing violent extremist ideology were recovered and submitted to FSI for examination for fingerprint analysis. The majority of the items recovered were firearms components contained in a bag with no other identifier and so it was crucial for the investigation to link the paraphernalia to the suspect. A total of 43 finger marks were developed and captured from these items, 19 of which were identified to the suspect. Crucially, the suspect was identified 14 times on various plastic packaging containing the internal mechanical components for building semi-automatic firearms. Investigators believed Wolf was in the advanced stages of planning a Right-Wing Lone Wolf Terrorist attack. Mark Wolf was sentenced to 10 years in prison in March 2023 following a guilty plea.
- [Fatal Shooting and Arson of a Motor Vehicle in Tallaght on 27th of May 2015](https://forensicscience.ie/fatal-shooting-and-arson-of-a-motor-vehicle-in-tallaght-on-27th-of-may-2015/) - Alan O’Neill was shot dead in the driveway of his home on Kiltalown Road in Tallaght. A burnt out motor vehicle was later recovered. Warren Nolan was the suspect for Alan O’Neill’s murder and for burning out the motor vehicle. Fire arm residue and petrol were found on Warren Nolan’s gloves. Petrol was found on Warren Nolan’s t-shirt, tracksuit bottoms and runners Warren Nolan, 22, was found guilty of Mr O'Neill's murder by a majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in December 2018. Mr Nolan was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder and six years for setting the motor vehicle on fire. Eric Shorthall, an accomplice of Warren Nolan, who had used his own car as the getaway car was jailed for 6 years.
- [Documents fraudulently produced in the course of a sale of development site in 2014](https://forensicscience.ie/documents-fraudulently-produced-in-the-course-of-a-sale-of-development-site-in-2014/) - In 2020, Jean Duggan made claims that documents bearing signatures in her name had been fraudulently produced during the course of a land sale between a property developer and Conor Clarkson, the accused. The documents were necessary to approve the expansion of a right of access into a development site along a laneway close to Mrs. Duggan’s home and the right of access was considered to be necessary for the site be developed for housing. In 2014, the development site at the end of the laneway was sold by Conor Clarkson to a property developer, one month after the questioned documents were produced, in October 2014. Uncertainties on the right of access only arose following a chance discussion between Mrs. Duggan’s son and a neighbour regarding the responsibility for clearing a tree which fell on the laneway during a storm. The documents bearing the question signatures were submitted to Forensic Science Ireland for examination and comparison to specimens/genuine samples of Jean Duggan’s signature. In total, 9 specimen/genuine samples of Jean Duggan’s signature across a number of years were submitted for comparison. Following a comparison of the questioned signatures to the genuine signature samples from Jean Duggan, it was concluded that the findings provided “limited handwriting evidence” that Jean Duggan was not the author of the signatures on the questioned documents. This limited strength of evidence was as a result of a number of limitations with the genuine specimen signature samples including but not limited to a lack of specimen signatures contemporaneous with the questioned signatures from 2014. In February 2024, Conor Clarkson was found guilty on four charges of creating and using forged documents in the course of a sale of a development site and he was sentenced to two years in prison with the last 9 months suspended.
- [Series of aggravated burglaries carried out on the elderly](https://forensicscience.ie/series-of-aggravated-burglaries-carried-out-on-the-elderly/) - A series of violent burglaries were carried out on multiple elderly victims between June and September 2023. In total 5 separate incidents were carried out. A common factor between all five incidents was the injured parties were elderly, infirm and service users of the same care agency. In one incident in September 2023 two suspects called to the house of an elderly person who was home at the time with a live-in home help, who was also elderly.
- [Lone Wolf Right-Wing Extremist plotting acts of terrorism](https://forensicscience.ie/lone-wolf-right-wing-extremist-plotting-acts-of-terrorism-2/) - In June 2021 Counter Terrorism International were contacted by Police in the UK seeking information on an individual, Mark Peppard/Nolan, who had been charged with terrorist offences, child grooming and assaulting a police officer.
- [Drug Concealments detected in Ireland in 2021](https://forensicscience.ie/drug-concealments-detected-in-ireland-in-2021/) - Drug concealments are not a new phenomenon in the drug trafficking world. There are standard concealments that Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) encounter on a regular basis, the most common of these is called ‘body packing’, which is the internal concealment of illegal substances inside the alimentary tract. We have also previously seen concealments within common household items, tools, toiletries and even embedded into clothing. As law enforcement become better at gathering intelligence and detecting drug smuggling activities, so too do methods in which to conceal drugs. In 2021, FSI saw an array of methods of drug concealment that were more inventive and sophisticated in nature than previously seen. For example, in October 2021, 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine powder was detected which had been found embedded within ten plastic sheeting panels. Also in October, 5.2 kilograms of MDMA powder was detected, which had been hidden under an internal plastic layer of two tool boxes. In August 2021, Revenue Officers at Rosslare Europort seized approximately 88 kilograms of a product which was discovered concealed in machinery being carried on a low-loader, using X-ray scanners and detector dogs. The product which was in 88 packages was submitted to FSI for analysis and later confirmed as being powder containing diamorphine with an estimated street value of €12.3 million. The most sophisticated concealment by far in 2021 was the high profile shipment of coal that arrived in to Dublin port in July. This was a concealment that was more complex in nature than anything witnessed before. The shipment comprised of two containers which held over 1000 bags of coal in total. Within these bags the cocaine was not visible to the naked eye, or simply encased in a shell of charcoal, but incorporated into a chemical matrix of charcoal. This cocaine/charcoal mixture was previously prepared by drug traffickers by a lengthy chemical process and moulded into shapes that would make it visually impossible to distinguish from the unaltered product. This masked cocaine cannot be detected using the standard field tests employed by customs officials. However, on this occasion X-Ray scanning was successfully used as an indicative result for the presence of cocaine, samples of which were then sent to FSI for confirmatory analysis. FSI did not have to deviate from the standard operating procedures that are in place for the qualitative analysis of this seizure. Remarkably, cocaine was easily detectable using standard sample prep methodologies and the routine accredited GCMS methods that are used in FSI for analysing drugs in seized materials. It is clear from our own reports that concealments have become more complex in nature. According to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reporting, at least three different masking methods are known to drug trafficking organisations throughout Columbia, including concealments in plastic, coffee grounds and ink cartridges. Therefore more seizures of this nature can be expected in the future for the drug section in FSI.
- [Assistant Principal Officer Health and Safety](https://forensicscience.ie/assistant-principal-officer-health-and-safety/) - want to see more
- [Body Fluids](https://forensicscience.ie/body-fluids/) - Casey D.G., Domijan K., MacNeill S., Rizet D., O'Connell D., Ryan J., The Persistence of Sperm and the Development of Time Since Intercourse (TSI) Guidelines in Sexual Assault Cases at Forensic Science Ireland, Dublin, Ireland, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 62(3) (2017) 585-92. Casey D.G. and Price J., The sensitivity and specificity of the RSID-saliva kit
- [Damage](https://forensicscience.ie/damage/) - Daly D.J., Lee-Gorman M. and Ryan, J, Distinguishing between damage to clothing as a result of normal wear and tear or as a result of deliberate damage: A sexual assault case study, J. Forensic Sci., 54 (2) (2009) 400-403. O’Sullivan C. and O’Donnell G., Damage and DNA go hand in hand, 5th European Academy of

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