Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0816Murder · Co. Dublin · 25 Apr 2016

David Hunter's appeal against Kinahan cartel murder conviction of Michael Barr dismissed by Court of Appeal

Michael Barr, a 35-year-old Irish dissident republican, was shot seven times at the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city on the night of 25 April 2016 when two armed men in boiler suits and rubber masks entered the venue. David Hunter, a 47-year-old British man and Liverpool native, was convicted of the murder by the Special Criminal Court in September 2020, with the trial judge finding the circumstantial evidence, including a DNA match from a ski mask recovered from the getaway car, pointed inextricably to his guilt. The killing was carried out as part of the Kinahan cartel. On 15 June 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed Hunter's appeal in its entirety, upholding the conviction despite noting that the phone data legislative regime at the time was in breach of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court15 Jun
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Michael Barr, a 35-year-old Irish dissident republican, was shot seven times: five in the head, once in the leg and once in the shoulder.
  • Two armed men wearing boiler suits and full rubber masks entered the pub.
Where
The murder took place at the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city.
When
The murder occurred on the night of 25 April 2016 at about 9pm.
Other details
  • The murder was carried out as part of the Kinahan cartel.
  • Hunter, a Liverpool native with an address at Du Cane Road, White City, London, claimed the ski mask was his but that he had dropped it during a car-stealing exercise two months before the murder.
  • A witness said the gunman was over 6ft tall while Hunter is 5ft 10in.
Investigation
  • A silver Audi getaway car was abandoned on Walsh Road in Drumcondra and a burner phone was dropped at the site.
  • A DNA profile from a ski mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile.
In court
  • Hunter was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in September 2020, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens.
  • The Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed Hunter's appeal in its entirety on 15 June 2026.
  • The Court of Appeal noted the phone data legislative regime at the relevant time was in breach of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights but held the gardaí acted reasonably under Irish domestic law.
24 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDavid Hunter was convicted of the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMichael Barr was shot seven times: five in the head, once in the leg and once in the shoulder. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatTwo armed men wearing boiler suits and full rubber masks entered the pub at around 9pm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA burner phone was dropped at the site where the getaway car was abandoned. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatDavid Hunter, 47, lost his bid to overturn his murder conviction at the Court of Appeal. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA witness said the gunman was over 6ft tall while Hunter is 5ft 10in. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe murder was carried out as part of the Kinahan cartel. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe murder took place at the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe silver Audi getaway car was abandoned at Walsh Road in Drumcondra. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe getaway car, a silver Audi, was abandoned on Walsh Road in Drumcondra. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder occurred on the night of 25 April 2016. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe murder occurred on the night of 25 April 2016 at about 9pm. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA major part of a DNA profile from a ski mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA DNA profile from a ski mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHunter was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in September 2020. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial was presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens at the non-jury Special Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed Hunter's appeal. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe trial judge found the circumstantial evidence pointed inextricably to Hunter's guilt. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal noted the phone data legislative regime in Ireland at the relevant time was in breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal held the gardaí acted reasonably having regard to Irish domestic law at the relevant time. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe DPP accepted that the phone data legislative regime in Ireland at the relevant time was in breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in its entirety. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHunter is a Liverpool native with an address at Du Cane Road, White City, London. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherHunter claimed the ski mask was his but he had dropped it in a car during a car-stealing exercise two months before the murder. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Jun2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    British gunman loses bid to overturn conviction for Kinahan cartel murder of dissident republican

    Court of Appeal dismissed Hunter's conviction appeal on 15 June 2026, upholding the Special Criminal Court's 2020 murder verdict. The appeal centred on a witness's height description of one gunman and the admissibility of phone data evidence.

    victim, Michael Barr, 35, male, Irish, irishMichael Barrconvicted, David Hunter, 47, male, British, named, non-irishDavid Hunter
  2. 15 Jun2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    British gunman convicted of Kinahan cartel murder fails in bid for freedom

    Court of Appeal dismisses Hunter's appeal against his 2020 Special Criminal Court murder conviction, upholding the trial court's findings on witness testimony, DNA evidence from a ski mask, and mobile phone data.

    victim, Michael Barr, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Barrconvicted, David Hunter, 47, male, British, named, non-irishDavid Hunter