What is Ireland’s Special Criminal Court?published at 19:39 BST
Hayley Halpin
BBC News NI
A Special Criminal Court sits with three judges and no jury.
This makes it different from other criminal courts dealing with serious crimes, which have a judge and a jury.
Special Criminal Courts deal only with certain criminal cases, such as those involving paramilitary and organised crime.
Cases involving terrorism and organised crime are automatically brought before these courts for trial. Other offences are brought before, or sent for trial by, the courts when the director of public prosecutions decides the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure the effective administration of justice and preserve public peace and order.
There have been two courts dealing with cases referred to the Special Criminal Court since 2016.
Someone convicted or sentenced by a Special Criminal Court can appeal to the Court of Appeal.













