Ireland Case No. 0879Robbery · Co. Kildare · 31 Mar 1976
Conviction for 1976 Sallins train robbery declared a miscarriage of justice
On 31 March 1976, the Cork-to-Dublin mail train was diverted near Sallins, Co Kildare, and an estimated £200,000 was stolen. Osgur Breatnach, now aged 75 and a member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, was among those arrested; three men signed alleged confessions during interrogation by the Heavy Gang Garda unit. Breatnach and two others were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1978 and sentenced to 12 years, but his conviction was quashed in May 1980 after the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled his confession had been obtained under oppression. In July 2026, the Court of Appeal declared his wrongful conviction a miscarriage of justice, citing newly discovered alibi evidence, with the State not opposing the application.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court5 Jun
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- An estimated £200,000 was stolen in the mail train robbery.
- Where
- The Cork-to-Dublin train was diverted near Sallins, Co Kildare.
- When
- The robbery took place on 31 March 1976.
- Investigation
- Three men signed alleged confessions during interrogation by the Heavy Gang Garda unit, and all exhibited injuries they claimed were inflicted by gardaí.
- In court
- Breatnach and two others were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1978.
- His conviction was quashed in May 1980 by the Court of Criminal Appeal, which ruled his confession had been obtained under oppression.
- The Court of Appeal declared Breatnach's conviction a miscarriage of justice in July 2026, citing newly discovered alibi evidence.
- Sentence
- Breatnach was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
- Other details
- The IRA claimed responsibility for the theft within the same month as the quashing.
- The State did not oppose the application, and the DPP did not dispute that the alibi evidence was a newly discovered fact.
- Breatnach asserts in his affidavit that he had no hand, act or part in the robbery.
- A group of five human rights organisations welcomed the ruling and called for an independent public investigation.
28 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAn estimated £200,000 was stolen in the robbery (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
- whatBreatnach is now aged 75 (irishtimes.com)
- whatBreatnach was a member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (irishtimes.com)
- whatThree men signed alleged confessions during interrogation (irishtimes.com)
- whatAll three exhibited injuries they claimed were inflicted by gardaí (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Heavy Gang's treatment of prisoners became the subject of an Amnesty International report in 1977 (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe had spent 18 months in jail by the time of his release (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe IRA claimed responsibility for the theft within the same month as the quashing (irishtimes.com)
- whatHis senior counsel is Paul Carroll (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe Cork-to-Dublin train was diverted near Sallins, Co Kildare (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe Cork-to-Dublin train was diverted near the Co Kildare town of Sallins. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe mail train robbery took place on 31 March 1976 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe Sallins mail train robbery took place on 31 March 1976. (thejournal.ie)
- causeBreatnach's conviction was quashed in May 1980 after the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled his confession had been obtained under oppression. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationDuring interrogation, three men signed alleged confessions and all exhibited injuries they claimed were inflicted by gardaí. (thejournal.ie)
- courtBreatnach and two others were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1978 on their statements (irishtimes.com)
- courtHis conviction was quashed in May 1980 by the Court of Criminal Appeal (irishtimes.com)
- courtBreatnach filed an application to the Court of Appeal under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993 (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe miscarriage of justice hearing is scheduled for 21 July 2026 (irishtimes.com)
- courtBreatnach was found guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court in December 1978. (thejournal.ie)
- courtMs Justice Isobel Kennedy said at the Court of Appeal that a newly discovered fact shows a miscarriage of justice occurred. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe court was satisfied that the threshold for granting a miscarriage of justice certificate had been met. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceBreatnach was sentenced to 12 years in prison (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
- otherThe newly discovered fact concerned alibi evidence. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe Director of Public Prosecutions did not dispute that the alibi evidence was a newly discovered fact. (thejournal.ie)
- otherBreatnach asserts in his affidavit that he had no hand, act or part in the robbery. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe IRA claimed responsibility for the theft within the same month as Breatnach's release. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA group of five human rights organisations welcomed the ruling and called for an independent public investigation into the case. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Jul2026Man's wrongful conviction for 1976 Sallins train robbery declared a miscarriage of justice
Court of Appeal ruling that Breatnach's wrongful conviction for the 1976 Sallins train robbery was a miscarriage of justice, citing newly discovered alibi evidence; no existing case matches.
convicted, Osgur Breatnach, 75, male, named, irish (judged from name)Osgur Breatnach - 5 Jun2026State will not oppose bid to have Sallins robbery conviction declared miscarriage of justice, court hears
Reports that the DPP will not oppose Breatnach's section 9 application, with a short hearing set for 21 July 2026. Provides background on the 1976 robbery, the Heavy Gang interrogation, the 1978 conviction and 1980 quashing.
convicted, Osgur Breatnach, 75, male, named, irish (judged from name)Osgur Breatnach