Five men accused of producing axe, steel bar and ‘branding stamp’ during assault

Eoin Reynolds

The Special Criminal Court has agreed to hear the trials of five men on charges including the production of a "branding stamp", an axe and a steel bar while assaulting and falsely imprisoning a man in a Dublin house.

All five are charged with assaulting the alleged victim to enhance the ability of a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence.

The accused are Jason Hennessy Jr (28) and Brandon Hennessy (22), of Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown and their brother Devon Hennessy (29) of Edgewood Lawns, Corduff, Dublin 15.

Kenneth Fitzsimons (45) and his 26-year-old son, Dean Fitzsimons, of Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 are also charged in relation to the alleged assault.

All five are charged with false imprisonment, intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm and with participating in or contributing to the activity of a criminal organisation by assaulting the alleged victim, causing him serious harm. The offences are alleged to have happened on February 12th, 2025 at a house in Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown in Dublin 15.

Jason Hennessy Jr is further charged with threatening to damage property and producing a branding stamp to intimidate another person during a dispute or a fight on the same date and at the same location.

Brandon Hennessy is charged with producing a "steel breaker bar" in a manner likely to intimidate another person while committing or appearing to be about to commit an assault.

Devon Hennessy is charged with producing a metal branding stamp.

Dean Fitzsimons is charged with making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to the alleged victim and producing a metal branding stamp and a steel breaker bar.

Kenneth Fitzsimons is charged with producing a steel breaker bar and an axe during the course of a dispute or fight.

A solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecutions today (WED) applied to have the five men tried before the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court.

Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding, agreed to make the order and adjourned the matter to next Monday, July 28th.