Alert, Derek Brockwell, Escape Prisoner

Alert, Derek Brockwell, Escape Prisoner

Two prison officers have suffered stab wounds in what gardaí believe was a well-planned escape by a prisoner on a visit to Tallaght Hospital in Dublin.

The inmate who escaped has been named as Derek Brockwell (53), who has been in jail in Ireland for over two years. He is also one of the UK’s most wanted criminals and was featured on BBC’s Crimewatch programme.

He had been serving a life sentence in the UK for a string of violent robberies, mainly on betting shops, but absconded while on day release for training in the community three years ago.

In June 2012, he was caught by gardaí after he robbed a bank at gunpoint in Blackrock, Co Dublin before trying to escape in a taxi.

The prison officers stabbed today were escorting Brockwell for a medical appointment from Portlaoise Prison to Tallaght Hospital when they were attacked just before 4pm.

Brockwell reportedly stabbed one officer in the abdomen and the other in the hand.

He then ran to a waiting motorbike outside and was driven away at speed.

The injured officers are being treated at Tallaght Hospital. The third officer on the escort, who was not injured in the attack, is said to be “extremely traumatised”.

A Garda investigation is under way into the incident. The inquiry into the escape is focussed on how Brockwell came into possession of the knife he used in the attack.

An armed escort had previously been put in place for him but this was withdrawn last year.

Gardaí have appealed for public assistance in tracing Brockwell. He is described as being 190cm (6’3’’) tall with brown hair and broad build.

He is a prolific criminal who was jailed for life for a series of armed robberies in England and had 22 life sentences to run concurrently imposed on him. He carried out armed robberies on betting shops in London’s Marylebone and Paddington areas during September and October 2009, deliberately selecting target shops with female cashiers. Because he had so many previous convictions, his trial judge imposed life sentences.

He had come to Ireland in early 2012 after he absconded from Kirkham Prison in England by failing to return there after being released to work in the community.

He had served some 13 years when he absconded.

NAMA, Owen O'Callaghan, Property

NAMA, Owen O'Callaghan, Property

NAMA has put a block of loans linked to Cork developer and Mahon Tribunal witness Owen O'Callaghan up for sale.

The loans are linked to Cork commercial and retail units including the Mahon Retail Park in Mallow, a feted retail precinct at Opera Lane in Cork and properties at Half Moon Street.

The loans have an approximate value of €300m, it is understood. They are performing, with 95pc of the underlying properties rented out to tenants.

Nama is speeding up the sale of its remaining loans and assets, insiders say. Most should be sold before the next general election.

Also coming up for sale in the next six months are loans linked to highly valuable Dundrum Town Centre and a group of loans linked to central Dublin office space, thought to be worth around €1.1bn.

Only a portion of loans linked to O'Callaghan Properties entered Nama.

Owen O'Callaghan was one of boom-time Ireland's most prolific retail park developers.

His company, O'Callaghan Properties, built Cork's Merchant's Quay Shopping Centre, Dublin's Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and Athlone's Golden Island development.

It recently lost out on a major regeneration contract for Cork to Heineken Ireland/Bam, which is building a €50m event space at the historic Beamish & Crawford site on Cork's South Main Street.

The developer is well-known for his involvement in the Mahon Tribunal, which found that made large payments to disgraced lobbyist Frank Dunlop in a bid for the support of politicians for the rezoning of land at Quarryvale, now called Liffey Valley.

O'Callaghan rejected the findings but the High Court threw out his application to have them set aside in 2012.

In a statement the developer said he views Nama's decision to put the loan portfolio on the market "very positively."

"These loans have always been and are fully performing and the suite of assets covered by the loans which are now for sale are amongst the best performing retail and commercial assets in the country.

"We had no discretion in this matter because of legislation enacted following the collapse of the Irish banks which meant that all commercial development loans relating to these banks now reside in Nama.

"The reality for businesses like ours and for many other businesses is that we have been effectively operating without Irish banks for several years since their collapse. That has been a huge inhibition on business development.

"The sale of these loans now means that there will be new sources of investment for our companies and we look forward to working with our new investors to maximise the commercial value of the assets in question."

"We expect a lot of interest in this portfolio as the loans relate to premium assets in outstanding locations. O'Callaghan Properties continued to develop many of these assets even during the economic crisis, and successfully brought them to completion.

"The 95pc occupancy rate across the portfolio is a testament to the assets' quality and location. The arrival of new investors will not only be good for our business but will be good for Cork Inc. and the other locations we operate in, and will facilitate further growth in key development projects we have planned."

Love Ulster Parade Dublin 2015, northern ireland, parade, villiars

Love Ulster Parade Dublin 2015

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has said those taking part in the planned "Love Ulster" parade in Dublin next month, should respect the feelings and sensitivities of the people who live in the areas in which they are parading.

Speaking in Dublin ahead of a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, Theresa Villiers said any such march needed to be peaceful and lawful.

Ms Villiers is in Dublin to discuss the Stormont House Agreement, which she described as a big step forward.

She said it has resolved some very important budget questions, while making real progress in relation to flags, parades and the past.

She acknowledged that there is a lot to do to fully implement it but said the British government were working faithfully to do that.

Ms Villiers also said that she would be engaging with any new owners of Aer Lingus about the importance of the Heathrow slots.

She said she would make the case for retention of flights from Belfast to Heathrow, Dublin to Heathrow and other regional connections because of they are strategically very important.

Asked about the consequences for Northern Ireland if her party is re-elected and proceeds with plans to hold a referendum on EU membership, Ms Villiers said she would not speculate on the outcome of that ballot.

But she said she was confident that British Prime Minister David Cameron would get a revised deal that would bring reform.

Keywords: Love Ulster Parade Dublin 2015, northern ireland, parade, villiars

National Asset Management Agency Act, 2009

National Asset Management Agency Act, 2009

A decision allowing a businessman to challenge the constitutionality of sections of the National Asset Management Agency Act, 2009 has been set aside by the High Court.

Thomas McEvaddy snr claimed Nama’s actions displayed an intention to “pluck each and every income stream” from him and leave him “destitute”.

McEvaddy and his company, Thomas McEvaddy Developments Ltd, last year secured permission to bring judicial review proceedings against Nama, Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), the State and receivers appointed over various assets.

They sought various declarations that certain sections of the Nama Act are unconstitutional and incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

It was alleged that Nama was not entitled to recover any loans advanced by Anglo Irish Bank, IBRC’s predecessor in title, on public policy grounds and that Anglo had engaged in unlawful actions, including failing to report impaired loans.

It was also alleged Anglo was not entitled to place a legal charge over one property because that arose from a loan facility provided for monies “never drawn down”.

Mr McEvaddy also claimed a signature on a purported guarantee for a development in Co Mayo was not his signature.

Alleged wrongs

Nama and IBRC brought pre-trial applications to set aside the High Court’s February 2014 decision grating permission for the judicial review. They argued the Nama Act prevents claims against the agency based on alleged wrongs by a participating institution and Anglo was such an entity. It was also argued there were no substantial issues to be tried.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Michael Peart set aside the permission because some of the grounds were out of time while others were insubstantial and “not firmly based in fact”.

Under the Nama Act, no liability can attach and no proceedings can be brought against Nama for alleged wrongdoings by a participating institution and Anglo is such an institution, he said.

A claim against IBRC concerned alleged overcharging of interest on the loans must also be set aside as that could not be advanced via judicial review.

Mr McEvaddy was successful in business, bought several properties with loans from Anglo between 1993 and 2008 and was not in default with those loans until 2011.

He could not understand why Nama chose to wait until January 2014 to move against him, having held back during the worst years of the recession, Mr Justice Peart said. His anger towards Nama/IBRC was “subjectively understandable” viewed against this background.

The claims against the State respondents have been adjourned generally with liberty to re-enter, the judge said.

Pyrite Dublin Homes

Pyrite Dublin Homes

Pyrite, a mineral which can cause severe structural damage to buildings, has been discovered in homes in Dún Laoghaire and south Dublin.

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Minister of State for the Environment Paudie Coffey said details had emerged of “significant pyritic damage” arising from the presence of the mineral in the foundation materials of homes in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Council areas. The presence of pyrite can result in severe subsidence and cracks in buildings.

Pyrite remediation scheme

The areas will now be included in the pyrite remediation scheme, the €10 million State-funded redress scheme set up to fund the repair of damaged homes. The scheme had been restricted to homes in Dublin City, Fingal, and Co Kildare, Meath and Offaly.

“The inclusion of these areas into the scheme will now provide access to reasonable and sustainable solutions for those homeowners who have no other practicable options for redress,” Mr Coffey said.

Cowboy Builders

Since it became operational last February, 630 applications have been made to the scheme, 485 applications have been assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria and 300 have been approved for inclusion in the scheme.

Just five houses have so far been remediated, under a pilot project in the Fingal County Council area. €1.1 million has so far been spent from the fund, but not exclusively on the five Fingal homes.

So far fewer than 20 homeowners have come forward from the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Council areas for inclusion in the scheme, but chairman of the Pyrite Resolution Board John O’Connor said more applications could be made.

“These are just the numbers so far. The problem doesn’t manifest itself as soon as something is built, it arises over time, so we can’t say how many applications will be made.”

However, Mr O’Connor said previous estimates that some 10,000 homes would come under the scheme had been wide of the mark.

“Wild figures were thrown around . . . We have had 630 applications made to us, I don’t think this is a problem that’s going to run wild.”

The board will appear before an Oireachtas environment committee next week.