Ireland Crime

Named as

Victim

Offences

Aggravated burglary; violent disorder; criminal damage; false imprisonment; assault causing harm; arson; animal cruelty

Where

Co. Roscommon

Reporting

25 reports, 22 Feb 2023 to 10 Apr 2025

Outlets

donegallive.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, leitrimobserver.ie, thejournal.ie, longfordleader.ie

• Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed Aggravated burglary; violent disorder; criminal damage; false imprisonment; assault causing harm; arson; animal cruelty · Co. Roscommon

  On 16 December 2018, a group of approximately 30 armed men attacked four security guards—Ian Gordon, Mark Rissen, John Graham and Gary McCourtney—who were guarding a repossessed farmhouse at Falsk, just outside Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The security guards were beaten, forced to the ground and had their hands tied with cable ties, a Shepherd dog was beaten unconscious and later put down, and three vans and a car were set alight. Four men, Patrick Sweeney (59), Martin O'Toole (60), Paul Beirne (58) and David Lawlor (43), were charged with 17 offences each including aggravated burglary, violent disorder, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson and animal cruelty. After a three-month trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Sweeney, O'Toole and Beirne were convicted of 15 charges in June 2023 while Lawlor was acquitted, and each of the three was sentenced to 15 years in prison in July 2023. The Court of Appeal dismissed the three men's appeals against their convictions in July 2024 and dismissed Sweeney's appeal against his sentence in April 2025.

  Sentenced, 28 Jul 2023Victim · 25 reports

Each entry shows how that report described them.

1. 10 Apr2025
   Otherdonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Donegal man fails in appeal against 15-year sentence for Roscommon 'mob' attack

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
2. 31 Jul2024
   In courtdonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Ramelton man fails in bid to overturn conviction for Roscommon 'mob' attack

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
3. 18 Jul2024
   In courtirishtimes.com, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Strokestown eviction vigilantes appeal convictions for roles in ‘mob’ attack

   victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
4. 18 Jul2024
   In courtdonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Donegal man appeals conviction for Roscommon 'mob' attack

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
5. 12 Oct2023
   Sentencedirishtimes.com, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Court rejects inquiry into detention of man convicted of offences at Roscommon farmhouse

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
6. 28 Jul2023
   Sentencedirishmirror.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Heckling in court as three men jailed for 15 years over Strokestown eviction

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
7. 28 Jul2023
   Sentenceddonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Donegal man gets 15 years in prison for Roscommon attack

   victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
8. 28 Jul2023
   Sentencedirishtimes.com, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Strokestown repossession case: Three men sentenced to 15 years each for involvement in ‘mob’ attack

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
9. 9 Jul2023
   In courtleitrimobserver.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

   Man convicted of attack on security guards describes case as “a farce”

   victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
10. 30 Jun2023
    Convictedirishtimes.com, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Man convicted for offences during attack on security guards at repossessed Roscommon farmhouse labels case a ‘farce’

    victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
11. 2 Jun2023
    Convicteddonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Ramelton man convicted over Roscommon vigilante attack

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
12. 2 Jun2023
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Three men convicted over infamous Roscommon eviction clashes

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
13. 2 Jun2023
    Convictedthejournal.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Three men guilty of multiple charges over 2018 attack on security guards at Roscommon farmhouse

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
14. 2 Jun2023
    Convictedleitrimobserver.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Three men convicted of multiple charges at repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
15. 2 Jun2023
    Convictedirishtimes.com, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Three men convicted over vigilante attack in Strokestown

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
16. 18 May2023
    In courtdonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Prosecution of Donegal builder 'flawed, contaminated and devoid of fair procedures', trial told

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
17. 16 May2023
    In courtdonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Roscommon eviction trial reaches closing stages

    victim, Mark RissenMark Rissen
18. 15 Mar2023
    In courtthejournal.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Garda witness denies error compromised preservation of scene after alleged Roscommon farm attack

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
19. 15 Mar2023
    In courtleitrimobserver.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Garda witness has denied that an error made by a garda investigator cast a question over the credibility of the preservation of the scene

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
20. 1 Mar2023
    In courtleitrimobserver.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Roscommon eviction trial - security guard tells jury he was forced to eat the faeces from a guard dog after the animal had been severely injured

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
21. 23 Feb2023
    In courtlongfordleader.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    'I thought I was going to die', security guard tells Roscommon assault trial

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
22. 23 Feb2023
    In courtlongfordleader.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Four men on trial for alleged roles in brutal attack on security personnel at repossessed Roscommon house

    victim, Mark Rissen, maleMark Rissen♂
23. 23 Feb2023
    In courtleitrimobserver.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Four men on trial for attack on security personnel guarding a repossessed house in Roscommon

    victim, Mark Rissen, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mark Rissen♂
24. 22 Feb2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Four men go on trial for ‘sustained and brutal’ attack on security guards at Strokestown property

    victim, Mark Rissen, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mark Rissen♂
25. 22 Feb2023
    In courtdonegallive.ie, in Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary at Roscommon farmhouse dismissed

    Ramelton man on trial for brutal attack on security staff guarding repossessed house

    victim, Mark Rissen, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mark Rissen♂

Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.