Veronica Guerin killer Brian Meehan granted Christmas Day release

Veronica Guerin’s killer Brian Meehan has been granted release from prison- just for Christmas Day.

The Irish Mirror has learned that Meehan (57) is among some 138 prisoners who have been approved for temporary release over the Christmas period this year.

Sources have confirmed that the infamous criminal, who is housed in Shelton Abbey open prison in Arklow, has been granted a full day out of prison on Christmas Day this year.

READ MORE - Veronica Guerin killer Brian Meehan gets unescorted days out on 'temporary release' as her brother slams decision

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Contacted about the development last night, Veronica Guerin's brother Jimmy said: "The only thing I want to say is that I'm totally unaware of it."

It comes after he had already been approved for monthly days out of prison unescorted - which began in October.

While Meehan is getting out for Christmas Day, other prisoners - most of whom are not serving serious sentences - are being granted up to a full week out of prison over the festive period.

In a statement on Thursday evening, the Irish Prison Service announced that 138 prisoners have this year been granted varying periods of temporary release this Christmas under the Criminal Justice Act 1960.

"Many of the prisoners being released are nearing the end of their sentences and the overriding concern when considering the applications is the safety of the public," the Irish Prison Service said.

"In addition to compassionate and humane considerations, other criteria taken into account include the nature and gravity of the offence, length of sentence served to date, prior record on temporary release, behaviour while in custody and previous criminal history.

"The periods of release vary from a few hours up to 7 nights. All releases are subject to stringent conditions and any offender who breaks these conditions may be arrested and returned immediately to prison by the Gardaí.

"The sensitivities of victims are an issue that has also been taken into account. Additional specific conditions will also apply in relation to victim cases.

"Furthermore all registered victims with the Irish Prison Service Victim Liaison Service will be informed in the cases where prisoners are receiving Christmas Temporary Release."

Jimmy Guerin

Reacting to the news about Meehan’s monthly releases previously, Veronica’s brother Jimmy told us it was "very disappointing," and said he would be fearful for members of his family.

"I mean it's disappointing having gone through the parole hearing.

"I’d even say it's discourteous that family members weren’t told. But look what can we do about it other than accept it and move on.

"I think it's predetermining anyway for the next parole decision because they’re obviously preparing him for it."

Jimmy added that he felt that those making the decisions were removed from the reality of the horror of what Meehan did to the Guerin family.

"I think it's discourteous and it also shows a lot of people making the decisions on these things, that deals with it for them whereas it doesn't for a family and it doesn't seem to have the same sense of horror with the authorities that it would have had 26-27 years ago."

First picture of Brian Meehan on the pitch and putt course in Shelton Abbey an open prison in Arkolw Co Wicklow. Date: 14.09.2021 Photo: Mick O Neill.

Meehan, who was part of the John Gilligan-led mob that carried out the murder of Ms Guerin at Dublin’s Naas Road on June 26, 1996, was rejected full release by the parole board only last year.

He has been housed in Shelton Abbey open prison since 2021 - where he has enjoyed much more freedom than a closed facility - and certain luxuries such as being able to play golf on the jail grounds.

The Irish Mirror previously revealed the first pictures of Meehan in over 20 years - showing him playing a game of pitch-and-putt on the grounds of Shelton Abbey.

The game is just one of many freedoms the killer now enjoys at the facility - where prisoners who are deemed to be of low risk are able to finish out their sentence.

Meehan spent most of his time in the maximum security Portlaoise Prison before being moved to Wheatfield in 2019.

Tragic Veronica was shot dead on June 26, 1996, as she sat in traffic lights on the Naas dual carriageway in Dublin - in a shocking crime carried out on the orders of crime boss John Gilligan.

A two-man hit team on a motorbike opened fire.

Meehan was driving and the late Patrick 'Dutchy' Holland was the shooter who fired six shots at the journalist.

Holland was never charged with her murder due to lack of evidence but gardai named him in a subsequent drugs court case as the trigger man.

John Gilligan - The Gilligan Tapes

The career criminal denied it up until his death in an English prison at 70 years of age in 2009. Meehan was convicted on the evidence of Russell Warren, a member of John Gilligan’s drugs gang who turned State evidence.

In 2017, Meehan lost a final appeal to overturn his conviction.

He sought a challenge against the Court of Appeal’s April 2016 judgment refusing to certify his conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

Meehan tried to argue that "new or newly discovered facts" emerged during the trial of John Gilligan, who was cleared of Ms Guerin’s murder in 2001.

But judges described his bid as an "abuse of process" and dismissed the application.

He then asked the Supreme Court to hear a challenge on that decision but it was ruled he had not shown the proposed appeal was necessary.

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