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. 9069Extortion · Co. Louth

Three men jailed over extortion of Drogheda businessman

Drogheda businessman Neil Kelly, whose business partnership had broken down, was targeted in an extortion campaign in 2023. In August 2023 his partner found a device and bullets at their front door while he was in Spain, and threatening texts and three meetings at the City North Hotel in Gormanstown followed in November and December. Thomas O'Gorman, 63, Francis O'Hanlon, 61, and Darren Cole, 52, were each charged with demanding money with menaces, and O'Hanlon was arrested in February 2024. All three pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Judge Dara Hayes at Dundalk Circuit Court, as reported in June 2026, to jail terms of between three-and-a-half and six-and-a-half years, with the final 12 months of each sentence suspended.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced15 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Businessman Neil Kelly had a pipe bomb and bullets left at his front door, and the sources describe the device as a pipe bomb in one account and as an incendiary device in another; gardaí could not identify who placed it.
  • Mr Kelly received threatening text messages from a Northern Irish phone number and was threatened that he would "end up like Kevin Lunny".
  • O'Hanlon told Mr Kelly that he owed approximately €1.1m to O'Gorman.
  • Cole was introduced to Mr Kelly as 'John', on behalf of people demanding money in Liverpool.
When
  • In August 2023, while Mr Kelly was in Spain, his partner found the device and four bullets at their front door.
  • On 13 October 2023, O'Gorman requested €2.5 million from Mr Kelly at a meeting.
Cause
The extortion followed the breakdown of a business partnership.
Where
Three in-person meetings took place between November and December 2023 at the City North Hotel in Gormanstown.
Investigation
O'Hanlon was arrested in February 2024 and took part in 10 interviews.
Charges
Each of the three men pleaded guilty to one count of demanding money with menaces, but Cole pleaded guilty only in relation to the 5 December meeting, not to the pipe bomb, bullets or messages.
In court
The three men were sentenced by Judge Dara Hayes at Dundalk Circuit Court.
Sentence
O'Gorman was sentenced to seven and a half years, O'Hanlon to five years and three months, and Cole to four and a half years, each with the final 12 months suspended, while the reports also summarise the jail terms as between three-and-a-half and six-and-a-half years.
Other details
Cole has 18 historic previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences, while O'Hanlon, a taxi driver, and O'Gorman have no previous convictions.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatBusinessman Neil Kelly had a pipe bomb and bullets left at his front door. (rte.ie)
  • whatMr Kelly began receiving threatening text messages from a Northern Irish phone number. (rte.ie)
  • whatO'Hanlon told Mr Kelly that he owed approximately €1.1m to O'Gorman. (rte.ie)
  • whatCole was introduced to Mr Kelly as 'John', on behalf of people demanding money in Liverpool. (rte.ie)
  • whereThree in-person meetings took place between November and December 2023 at the City North Hotel in Gormanstown. (rte.ie)
  • whenIn August 2023, while Mr Kelly was in Spain, his partner found an incendiary device and four bullets at their front door. (rte.ie)
  • whenOn 13 October 2023, O'Gorman requested €2.5 million from Mr Kelly at a meeting. (rte.ie)
  • causeThe extortion followed the breakdown of a business partnership. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí could not identify the person who placed the pipe bomb at Mr Kelly's home. (rte.ie)
  • investigationO'Hanlon was arrested in February 2024 and took part in 10 interviews. (rte.ie)
  • chargeEach of the three men pleaded guilty to one count of demanding money with menaces. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe three men were sentenced by Judge Dara Hayes at Dundalk Circuit Court. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThree men were jailed for between three-and-a-half and six-and-a-half years. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThomas O'Gorman was sentenced to seven and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceFrancis O'Hanlon was sentenced to five years and three months, with the final 12 months suspended. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceDarren Cole was sentenced to four and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended. (rte.ie)
  • otherCole pleaded guilty only in relation to the 5 December meeting, not the pipe bomb, bullets or messages. (rte.ie)
  • otherCole has 18 historic previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences. (rte.ie)
  • otherO'Hanlon is a taxi driver with no previous convictions. (rte.ie)
  • otherO'Gorman had no previous convictions. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Jun2026
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Three men jailed over extortion of Drogheda businessman

    Reports the sentences handed to the three men at Dundalk Circuit Court, the pleas, the 2023 pipe bomb and bullets at Mr Kelly's home, the threats, the meetings and the defendants' personal and previous-conviction details.

    convicted, Thomas O'Gorman, 63, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas O'Gormanconvicted, Francis O'Hanlon, 61, male, named, irish (judged from name)Francis O'Hanlonconvicted, Darren Cole, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Colevictim, Neil Kelly, male, irish (judged from name)Neil Kelly