A woman whose husband died after being shot in a Dublin steakhouse has been accused of setting an XL Bully on gardaí at her home during a drugs and money laundering inquiry.
Veronica Maher (54) faces four charges of threatening and endangering the lives of officers and possessing proceeds of crime.
Her husband, Jason Hennessy Snr, was fatally wounded in Browne’s of Blanchardstown during a gathering on Christmas Eve 2023.
She appeared before Judge David McHugh at Blanchardstown District Court on Friday. Bail was granted on condition that she not own a restricted dog breed or engage in drug dealing.
A Gaeltacht tragedy: ‘I never would have sent her if I thought anything was wrong’
Trump’s vanity takes a hit as modest crowd for military parade overshadowed by ‘No Kings’ protests across country
The Hollywood billionaire who smuggled a stray dog from Ireland and cloned her five times
Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten: ‘Romance took a lot out of us. It was like a bomb went off, and then that silence’
Ms Maher is accused of endangerment of life last Friday at her home on Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown.
It is alleged she deliberately let “a large restricted breed XL Bully pit bull dog” from her garden as members of An Garda Síochána were conducting beat patrols in the area causing them to flee from this dog that put them in fear.
That charge, contrary to section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, states the incident created a “substantial risk of death or serious harm to another”.
It was alleged that she made a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a garda and his colleagues, intending the officer to believe she would it would be carried out.
The final two charges come under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act for alleged offences on Thursday when she was arrested.
It was alleged that she engaged in possessing proceeds of criminal conduct, a €10 marked note, that was used as part of an undercover operation to purchase illegal drugs from the rear of her address.
In the final charge, Ms Maher is accused of possessing €1,350, proceeds of criminal conduct, in various denominations while knowing, believing or being reckless as to whether or not the said property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Sgt Michael Harkin told Judge McHugh that Ms Maher was initially arrested at her home at 12.06pm on Thursday and taken to Blanchardstown Garda station and charged.
Defence solicitor Simon Fleming told the judge there was consent to bail and agreement to the conditions sought. The accused has yet to indicate a plea. Mr Fleming said his client was on disability and legal aid was granted by the judge.
Sgt Harkin asked that Ms Maher “not have restricted breed dogs in her home and the back door of her property be used for emergency reasons only and not facilitate the sale and supply of drugs”.
Judge McHugh added those terms to her bail bond and, noting that gardaí are awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), ordered Ms Maher to appear in court again on July 22nd.
About two hours later, gardaí brought two more women before Judge McHugh on connected charges.
They were Ms Maher’s daughter, Jade Hennessy (32), also of Sheephill Avenue, and Kayleigh McEntee (26), of Waterville Row, Blanchardstown.
Ms Hennessy is accused of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at the family home and €1,575 in crime proceeds on April 3rd.
Kayleigh McEntee is charged with possessing €6,875 in crime earnings at her co-defendants’ home on the same date.
Gardaí said they “made no reply” when charged at Finglas station and there were no objections to bail.
Judge McHugh granted legal aid.
Neither addressed the court or stated how they would plead.
Their case returns on July 22nd for directions from the DPP.
