High Court finds District Court parental access hearing 'fundamentally flawed'
The High Court found a District Court parental access hearing 'fundamentally flawed' and overturned its orders, reinstating a protection order the mother had against the father and ordering a new District Court judge to hear the application afresh. In the same period, Daniel Kinahan, a 49-year-old Irish man, was extradited from the UAE and charged with directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017. He was arrested at Casement Aerodrome on 9 August 2026 and appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin that evening. He was remanded in custody at Portlaoise Prison with a next appearance set for 5 October 2026. In the parental access case, the girl alleged the father put his hands around her throat and claimed a deterioration in her mental health; the father denies both.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court9 Aug
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The High Court found a District Court parental access hearing 'fundamentally flawed' and overturned its orders; Daniel Kinahan was charged with directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017.
- Where
- The Special Criminal Court in Dublin and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin.
- When
- Kinahan was arrested at 6.49pm and appeared in court the same evening on 9 August 2026; the High Court judgment was reported on 10 August 2026.
- Investigation
- Det Sgt Colin Davidson of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau arrested Kinahan at Casement Aerodrome.
- Charges
- Daniel Kinahan was charged with directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017, contrary to section 71a of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
- In court
- The High Court overturned District Court directions for resumption of access visits, reinstated a protection order the mother had against the father, and ordered a new District Court judge to hear the application afresh.
- Kinahan appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Sunday evening and was told he would appear again on 5 October.
- Sentence
- He was remanded in custody at Portlaoise Prison pending trial.
- Other details
- He is the first Irish person extradited from the UAE under a new permanent extradition treaty and had lived in Dubai for 10 years.
- In the parental access case, the girl alleged the father put his hands around her throat and claimed a deterioration in her mental health; the father denies this.
- The mother alleged a history of domestic abuse and coercive control, which the father denies; the father was previously convicted of breaching a safety order involving threatening messages.
21 statements extracted from the articles
- whenThe hearing began just after 8pm (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDet Sgt Colin Davidson of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau arrested Kinahan at 6.49pm at Casement Aerodrome (irishtimes.com)
- chargeDaniel Kinahan was charged with directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017 (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe offence is contrary to section 71a of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Sunday evening (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was told he would appear again on 5 October and was remanded in custody (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court overturned District Court directions for resumption of access visits between the teenager and her father. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court reinstated a protection order the mother had against the father. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court ordered a new District Court judge to hear the parental access application afresh. (irishtimes.com)
- courtCoggans made orders for the father to have access for five hours every alternate weekend. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe was taken to Portlaoise Prison where he is to remain on remand pending trial (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe is the first Irish person extradited from the UAE under a new permanent extradition treaty (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe has lived in Dubai with his wife and children for the last 10 years (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe was arrested in Dubai in April on foot of an extradition request from Ireland (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe had been in isolation in a Dubai prison since the previous Friday (irishtimes.com)
- otherA section of the landing in Portlaoise Prison was cleared for him (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe girl alleged a deterioration in her mental health. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe girl claimed the father put his hands around her throat. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe father denies putting his hands around the girl's throat. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe mother alleged a history of domestic abuse and coercive control, which the father denies. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe father was convicted of breaching a safety order some years ago, involving sending threatening messages. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 10 Aug2026Judge who threatened to remove mother’s custody conducted ‘flawed’ hearing, High Court rules
High Court judgment delivered by Judge Garrett Simons overturning District Court orders made by Judge Stephanie Coggans in a parental access case, finding the hearing fundamentally flawed and denying justice to the child and mother.
victim, femalevictim, femalesuspect, male - 9 Aug2026‘I think we know I won’t be getting bail’: Daniel Kinahan charged with directing organised crime
First court appearance after extradition from UAE; remanded in custody; next appearance scheduled for 5 October 2026; first Irish person extradited from UAE under new permanent treaty.
accused, Daniel Kinahan, 49, male, Irish, named, irishDaniel Kinahan