PracticeKieran specialises in criminal defence work and has gained vast experience in serious crime in the Crown Court, Court of Appeal and Courts Martial. Over the years he has represented defendants in many of the country's highest profile and serious cases. Kieran defended Michael McKevitt in the Omagh civil action in Belfast High Court. The case lasted for 12 months and finished in June 2009. During his career Kieran has gained vast experience in dealing with terrorist cases, both in England and Northern Ireland, including the following: The Omagh Bombing Trial (Sean Hoey was acquitted of 29 murders and a number of other offences of causing explosions), IRA conspiracy to cause explosions in England (R v Murphy and R v Crawley), Real IRA causing explosions (R v O'Connor), The Gatwick Grenade case (R v Rahaman-Allan), and a plot by Muslims to kidnap and behead a British soldier (R v Iqbal). In June 2010 Kieran represented Desmond Kearns. This case involved MI5 mounting a sting operation in eastern Europe against the Real IRA who were attempting to procure an arsenal of weapons. This was the first case in Northern Ireland in which MI5 gave evidence. Mr Kearns was acquitted following a successful abuse of process application on the grounds of entrapment. Kieran has represented defendants in many serious organised crime cases involving murder, armed robbery, sex trafficking, money laundering, fraud and drugs importations. The following are a selection of those: R v Adams (money laundering and fraud case involving the Adams family), R v Green and R v O'Dell (underworld assassinations), R v I ("honour" killing), R v Edwards (when it occurred the largest ever cash armed robbery in the UK), R v Fox (armed robbery of gold bullion in Johnson Matthey), firearm cases, R v Fillingham (at the time it was the largest ever single importation of cocaine into the UK), R v Hikmet (super grass case involving the importation of hundreds of kilograms of heroin) and multi-million pound VAT frauds (operation Fajita - a £40m fraud). Due to the experience he has gained, Kieran has led the defence of individuals on very serious and complex matters from murder, attempted murder and terrorist offences to multi-million pound drug conspiracies and armed robberies investigated by the Flying Squad. In addition, he has developed an expertise dealing in LCN DNA cases following his success in the Omagh Bombing case. RecommendationsKieran is recommended for Crime in Chambers UK 2010. Professional Memberships- Criminal Bar Association
- Critical Lawyers' Group
Profile updated August 2010
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