Crime World

Gardaí investigating the disappearance and murders of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob have begun a new search in Co Wicklow.It comes several months after gardaí carried out a search of a disused quarry in Co Wicklow in relation to the two women who disappeared in the Leinster area in the 1990s. Nicola speaks to Eimear Rabbitt.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has now been cross-examined by the prosecution in Newry Crown Court where he is on trial over 18 alleged offences. He has plead not guilty to charges including rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. Both complainants alleged they were abused as children. His wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road in Dromore, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending. She is facing a trial of the facts on mental health grounds. Allison Morris is covering the trial for the Belfast Telegraph.

A rugby ace behaving badly, the Belfast riots draw sick comments from a US rapper, and glamour model Katie Price says Daniel Kinahan and her hubby are sharing porridge in a Dubai prison.This is a wrap up of the top stories on crimeworld.com this week.

The brother of an Irish soccer star has been reported missing and feared dead in Spain. The victim in his 30s had been living in Spain for a number of years and associating with members of the Kinahan organization. Nicola speaks to Niall Donald on this breaking news story.

Crime World’s Ken Foy goes in search of a statement from Daniel Kinahan about the Panorama programme. Much to his surprise, he ends up in a 35-minute-long phone conversation with the man himself. Ken gets his statement, and the reaction to the BBC documentary is fierce, prompting yet another release from Daniel denying any involvement in the drugs trade. It’s just a ‘witch-hunt’ he claims. But his attempts to ‘sportswash’ his reputation are truly scuppered when in April 2022 when an extraordinary press conference at Dublin City Hall is jointly held by the Irish, American and British law enforcement agencies. Are the Kinahans finally KO’d?

Jeffrey Donaldson has denied raping a seven-year-old child, under cross-examination, saying “it simply didn’t happen”. The former MP spent Thursday on the witness stand in Newry Crown Court. During the questioning, he admitted having an affair. Mr Donaldson is accused of rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault. The sixty-three-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the 18 alleged offences.

Eleanor Donaldson “met with a blank wall” when asking her husband Jeffrey about an incident with an alleged abuse – a jury has heard.  Eleanor Donaldson also accused her husband of infidelity during police interviews.  And Jeffrey Donaldson told police a letter sent to one of his alleged victims had nothing “to do with any allegation or any action involving sexual abuse”.  His trial over alleged sexual offences is continuing in Newry Crown Court.  The 63-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges, including one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency.  His wife Eleanor Donaldson faces five related charges including aiding and abetting – she is facing a trial of the facts due to her mental health issues.  Allison Morris is covering the trial. 

MTK Global gets a major boost when US boxing promoter legend Bob Yalen is announced as their new president. Nothing is going to stop Daniel Kinahan’s attempt to break America. A bizarre book, rap song and film about the Regency Hotel attack are released that paint the event in a very different light. For a while it seems to work, MTK sign tournament contracts with Sky Sports and ESPN. However, Daniel’s connection to the company proves troublesome again. And then begin whispers about a new BBC documentary in the works, charting Daniel’s ongoing rise in the boxing world and his links to criminality.