Thursday 29 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. 0879Robbery · Co. Kildare · 31 Mar 1976

State will not oppose Sallins robbery conviction miscarriage of justice bid

On 31 March 1976, an estimated £200,000 was stolen when the Cork-to-Dublin mail train was diverted near Sallins, Co Kildare. Osgur Breatnach, a man 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, and all exhibited injuries they claimed were inflicted by gardaí. Breatnach and two others were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1978 and he was sentenced to 12 years, having spent 18 months in jail before his conviction was quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in May 1980, the same month the IRA claimed responsibility for the theft. In 2026, Breatnach filed a section 9 application to the Court of Appeal to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice, and the State has said it will not oppose the bid, with a hearing set for 21 July 2026.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court5 Jun
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
An estimated £200,000 was stolen in a 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, including Osgur Breatnach, signed alleged confessions during interrogation by the Heavy Gang Garda unit, and all exhibited injuries they claimed were inflicted by gardaí.
Other details
  • The Heavy Gang's treatment of prisoners in custody became the subject of an Amnesty International report in 1977.
  • The IRA claimed responsibility for the theft within the same month as the quashing.
In court
  • Breatnach and two others were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1978 on their statements.
  • His conviction was quashed in May 1980 by the Court of Criminal Appeal.
  • Breatnach filed an application to the Court of Appeal under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993, and the State will not oppose it.
  • The miscarriage of justice hearing is scheduled for 21 July 2026.
Sentence
Breatnach was sentenced to 12 years in prison and had spent 18 months in jail by the time of his release.
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAn estimated £200,000 was stolen in the robbery (irishtimes.com)
  • 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)
  • whenThe mail train robbery took place on 31 March 1976 (irishtimes.com)
  • 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)
  • sentenceBreatnach was sentenced to 12 years in prison (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Jun2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    State 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