At the Central Criminal Court, a 29-year-old man has denied allegations that he and a co-accused exchanged sexual activity with a woman during an incident in County Donegal in February 2015. Both men, non-nationals residing in the county, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. The complainant alleges she was too intoxicated to consent. The younger defendant told gardaí he had no sexual contact with the woman, though he acknowledged another person made contact with him. He disputed the complainant's account that the two men "swapped over," characterising her statement as false. When presented with mobile phone video evidence showing the complainant in an intoxicated state within the flat, the accused questioned why the woman's companion did not seek police assistance or leave the premises. He maintained his innocence, stating he would not have driven them home had he committed wrongdoing. The trial continues before Judge Alex Owens and a jury.
A 29-year-old man accused of rape has had his trial at the Central Criminal Court hear evidence that semen matching his profile was discovered on the alleged victim's underwear. The accused, a non-national residing in Donegal, denies the charge alongside a 33-year-old co-accused. Both men have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape alleged to have occurred in a Donegal town in February 2015. Forensic scientist Dr David Casey testified that the probability of the semen originating from another individual was less than one in 1,000 million. The complainant has alleged she was too intoxicated to consent to sexual activity. The accused told gardaí following arrest that he did not engage in any sexual contact with the woman, and that his semen would not be present at the location. His account to gardaí described consensual activity with the woman's companion rather than the complainant herself. The trial before Judge Alex Owens continues.
A 68‑year‑old Polish man was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for raping a non‑national cleaner who lived with him in Galway. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of two counts of rape and four counts of oral rape committed between 2012 and 2016. The victim, who was pregnant after the first rape, described how the accused treated her as a slave, a sex object and a tool for his sexual gratification, forcing her to kneel, obey and be quiet. She said he destroyed her life and that of her partner and family. The judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, noted the absence of mitigating factors and imposed a 15‑year term, taking into account the man's age and health. The accused denied the charges and claimed a consensual relationship. The victim's impact report was read into the record, and she was not present for the sentencing hearing. The unnamed 68-year-old was convicted.
The grandfather of Boy A, convicted of murdering and sexually assaulting Ana Kriegel, testified at the Central Criminal Court that his grandson is "incredibly remorseful" and wishes the tragedy had never happened. He expressed sincere sympathy for the Kriegel family, noting the profound loss of a child and the horrific circumstances of Ana's death. He described Boy A as a loving, caring child who had no history of aggression, who enjoyed practical subjects such as art, science, woodwork and metalwork. The grandfather said he would support his grandson's rehabilitation and development, hoping to maintain a positive involvement in his future. The testimony focused on the grandson's remorse and the grandfather's emotional response, without mentioning any legal outcomes or further proceedings.
During a sentence hearing, Boy A, now 15, admitted choking Ana Kriegel, striking her with a stick and a concrete block, but denied sexually assaulting her. Detective Inspector Mark O'Neill informed Brendan Grehan SC that psychiatric and psychological reports led Boy A to accept responsibility for Ana's death. He described actions such as a headlock, choke hold, kicking, and hitting her with a stick and a block, which he either threw or struck off her head on three occasions. Boy A maintains he did not sexually assault Ana and offered an alternative explanation for forensic evidence. Inspector O'Neill noted that semen was found on Ana's top and that the boys had planned the murder. The hearing continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The two 13‑year‑old boys were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts earlier this year for Ana's murder and, for Boy A, her aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence.
A 68‑year‑old Polish man, previously convicted of rape in Poland and serving a three‑year sentence for a threat to kill in Ireland, was found guilty by a jury on two counts of rape and four counts of oral rape committed between 2012 and 2016. The victim, a non‑national cleaner who lived with the accused in Galway, was raped while she worked for him and became pregnant. She described the abuse as controlling and violent, noting that the accused demanded sex and forced her to perform oral sex on four occasions. The accused has medical problems and does not speak English; his defence argued that a full tariff would mean life imprisonment. The court adjourned sentencing to 30 October, and the victim's impact statement was read into the record. The accused does not accept the verdict.
In a sentencing hearing for two 15‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering Anastasia Kriegel, Mr Justice Paul McDermott limited the number of journalists to five. He said the restriction was to protect the boys' rights, physical and mental well‑being, and dignity, citing the United Nations Convention on Human Rights and the need to reduce the "considerable toll" the case has taken on the children and their families. The court will be televised in a separate room where any number of journalists may watch, but the judge rejected an application by RTE and newspapers to increase the number of reporters in the courtroom. The boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, were 13 when the murder occurred in May 2018 and were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts earlier this year. The judge also ordered the media to pay the costs of the boys' legal teams for the hearing.
The Central Criminal Court will hold a sentence hearing for the two 15‑year‑old boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, who were convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel in an abandoned house on Clonee Road, Lucan, on 14 May 2018. The hearing, scheduled for next Tuesday, will include a summary of evidence presented by a Garda detective inspector and a statement from Ana's parents. Mr Justice Paul McDermott received psychological and psychiatric reports on the boys. Boy A was also convicted of Ana's aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence.
A 33-year-old Donegal man accused of rape has denied allegations that gardaí presented video evidence showing him pouring alcohol into a woman's mouth at his apartment in February 2015. The defendant and a 29-year-old co-accused, both from the county, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. During trial at the Central Criminal Court, gardaí played mobile phone footage to the jury allegedly depicting the accused assisting the complainant to drink and later lifting her off the floor while she staggered. The accused maintained during garda interviews that the woman consented to sexual activity and was not intoxicated at that time, though acknowledging she appeared unsteady in the recorded footage. Gardaí suggested to him that the complainant was too intoxicated to consent, which the accused denied. When questioned about the legal definition of rape, the accused stated it involved forcing someone, initially appearing uncertain whether intoxication prevented consent. The trial before Justice Alex Owens continues with jury evidence ongoing.
Michael Malone, aged 50, was convicted of indecent assault and sexual assault of two boys in Wexford between 1989 and 1992. He pleaded guilty to sample counts of sexual assault of each child. The court noted the systematic nature of the abuse, the grooming of the boys, and the breach of trust. Malone's guilty plea, remorse, and the fact that he was a young man at the time were considered mitigating factors. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment on each of the two sample counts, with one year suspended from each sentence. The suspended years are conditional on Malone remaining under Probation Service supervision for two years after release. All sentences run consecutively, giving an operating sentence of eight years imprisonment, with the final four years suspended. The court praised the courage of the two complainants and highlighted the serious impact on the victims. The case also referenced Malone's earlier convictions for indecent assault in the 1980s.
Paul Flaherty, 32, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a woman he met on Tinder at his home in Tallaght on 31 August 2015. The victim had made it clear she was not interested in sexual contact, yet Flaherty forced her to remove her trousers, threatened to kill her and allegedly strangled and touched her genitals. He denied the charges, claiming the encounter was consensual role‑play and that the victim had initiated contact. The trial judge, Mr Justice Michael White, sentenced him to five years imprisonment, describing his behaviour as "disgusting". The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction but reduced the sentence to two‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment, noting the offence could not be described as a minor sexual assault. No prior sexual convictions were recorded for Flaherty. The appeal decision was made by Mr Justice George Birmingham, joined by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 43‑year‑old woman found not guilty by reason of insanity for murdering her three‑year‑old daughter was unable to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) because the facility had reached full capacity for female patients. The court had ordered her committal for a psychiatric assessment, but no bed was available, so the order was vacated and she was released on bail. The HSE's counsel confirmed that every effort was being made to secure a bed, but the CMH had no capacity and a transfer to a third‑party facility was deemed unsuitable. The judge remanded her on continuing bail until the following morning, hoping the matter would be resolved then. The trial had included testimony that the defendant was suffering from severe depression with psychotic features and believed her child was profoundly disabled. The toddler died of cerebral hypoxia caused by suffocation on 13 February 2018.
Aaron Brady, 27, of New Road, Crossmaglen, faces trial for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was killed while on duty at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013. The Central Criminal Court scheduled his trial for 11 November 2019, after pre‑trial hearings delayed the start. Mr Justice Michael White informed Brady that the date is subject to further applications by prosecution or defence. A 15‑person jury will be sworn for the trial, which is expected to continue into January 2020.
During a two‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a mother was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after she smothered her three‑year‑old daughter with a pillow while the child was napping. The mother testified that she held the pillow over the child's face as the child struggled and screamed, and that she had been obsessed with the child's autism diagnosis, believing it to be a severe form called Pathological Demand Avoidance. She had searched online for "suicide" and "mothers killing autistic children" in the days before the killing. Two forensic psychiatrists testified that she suffered from severe depression with psychotic features and did not understand the nature of her act. The jury deliberated 54 minutes and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge ordered her to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital, with a further hearing scheduled for November 5.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a mother admitted suffocating her toddler with a pillow after becoming obsessed with a diagnosis of a severe autism type. The mother, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claimed she was devastated by the child's assessment, which did not confirm the severe autism she feared. She had sought medical help, received sleeping tablets, and was seeing a counsellor. On 10 February 2018 she called emergency services, reporting she had suffocated her daughter. Gardaí found the child unresponsive; she was taken to Crumlin Hospital and pronounced dead on 13 February 2018. The prosecution and defence psychiatrists agreed the mother met criteria for insanity. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, is expected to last up to three days.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Erick Mukoko, aged 32, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for a violent forceful rape that occurred in May 2017 at a flat in Limerick. The victim, a woman who had been socialising with a friend, refused a kiss from Mukoko and was subsequently raped. Mukoko pleaded guilty, citing alcohol consumption and a possible misreading of signals as mitigating factors. The judge, Michael White, described the offence as very serious and noted the victim's devastating impact, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and a suicide attempt. Mukoko's guilty plea was taken into account, and no portion of the sentence was suspended. He was ordered to undergo two years of post‑release supervision if he remains in Ireland. The victim's impact statement detailed her ongoing psychological distress and her determination to regain control of her life. The case was supported by DNA evidence linking Mukoko to the assault.
A man from County Mayo has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of his stepdaughter over an eleven-year period. Thomas Mullarney, aged 61, of Cahir, Louisberg, pleaded guilty to sexual assaults at a Dublin residence between October 2003 and January 2005, and to rape at a Mayo address in November 2011 and September 2014. The abuse began when the victim was approximately six years old and continued into her teenage years. During sentencing, Mr Justice Michael White described the offences as falling at the upper end of serious sexual abuse, noting the victim's trust in Mullarney as a father figure and the systematic grooming involved. The judge acknowledged Mullarney's guilty plea as significant but stated that only the perpetrator bore responsibility for the harm caused. The court heard that Mullarney had experienced institutional abuse during his childhood, though the judge expressed difficulty understanding how such trauma could lead to victimising a child.
Kenneth McDonald, 54, of Wexford, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his girlfriend's younger sister, a schoolgirl, between 1987 and 1994. The victim, who was aged seven at the first offence, described the abuse as having destroyed her childhood and haunted her adulthood, citing terror, shame and a loss of self‑worth. McDonald pleaded not guilty and continues to deny the charges. The court heard that he had a "paedophilic sexual interest" in the child, and that his actions were "depraved" and opportunistic. Despite character witnesses describing him as loving and kind, the judge set a headline sentence of eleven years, reduced to seven, and imposed no suspension, noting McDonald's refusal to engage in therapy. A three‑year post‑release supervision period was ordered, with a requirement to cooperate with Tusla recommendations regarding access to children. Kenneth McDonald was convicted.
A teenager convicted of the manslaughter of a 17-year-old boy in Claremorris, County Mayo in 2015 has had his sentencing further delayed to allow for additional brain surgery. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of killing Dovydas Jenkas on 19 December 2015 following a jury trial at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar in 2017. He had previously undergone surgical procedures to address epileptic seizures, including a left temporal lesionectomy in July 2018. Defence counsel informed the Central Criminal Court that the defendant now requires a cranioplasty, a surgical repair of a skull defect, with no confirmed date yet available. Justice Eileen Creedon acknowledged the distress of the deceased's family, noting two years had passed since conviction without sentencing finalisation. The case was adjourned to 14 February 2020, with the defendant remanded on continuing bail pending further medical evidence or completion of surgery.
A nurse has described a female student as appearing upset and in a state of shock following alleged rapes by two men in Co Donegal in February 2015. Giving evidence on day seven of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the witness said she was approached by two extremely distressed young women who were crying. She noted the complainant spoke more than her companion, who remained very quiet and seemed in complete shock. The nurse observed the complainant appeared intoxicated and contacted gardaí, who arrived promptly. A second witness, a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit examiner, identified five areas of bruising in the genital region but stated under cross-examination that bruising cannot be aged to determine when it occurred. The two defendants, aged 29 and 33 and both resident in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. The trial continues with legal argument, with the jury to resume hearing evidence on Monday.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning allegations of rape against two men from County Donegal in February 2015. The complainant, a college student at the time, has alleged she was raped by the defendants following a night out. Both men, now aged 29 and 33, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. During the trial, a friend of the complainant gave evidence describing events in an apartment after the group accepted a lift from the defendants. The witness told the jury she recalled the complainant making certain utterances during sexual activity and described her own experience of unwanted physical contact from one of the men. The complainant previously testified she was too intoxicated to consent. Defence counsel questioned the complainant's account of her level of intoxication, citing her detailed recollection of her route home and suggesting inconsistencies in her statements to gardaí regarding her awareness of events. Garda witnesses also gave evidence during the proceedings.
A woman has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court in a rape trial concerning an incident in County Donegal in February 2015. The complainant told the jury she was severely intoxicated when she alleges two men had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. She described drinking multiple alcoholic beverages during a student night at a local pub and nightclub before being driven to an apartment she did not recognise. The woman stated she was so intoxicated she could barely walk and explicitly told the court she did not consent to any sexual contact. Video evidence taken by her friend was presented to the jury. The two defendants, now aged 29 and 33 and resident in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. The defence maintains any sexual activity was consensual. The trial before Mr Justice Alex Owens continues with the jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 19‑year‑old woman confronted her 41‑year‑old foster father, who had raped her on 16 July 2016 after giving her alcohol. She told the court she had seen him as a father figure and that his abuse had taken her family, her sense of self and her future. The court heard that the victim was alone with him that night, was forced to give oral sex, then raped. She had attempted suicide, suffered anxiety and PTSD, and could not sit her Leaving Cert. The jury had found him guilty of rape, oral rape and sexual assault, but not of anal rape. He will be sentenced on 13 November. The woman said facing him made her feel empowered and urged him to make a positive impact on others. The unnamed 41-year-old was acquitted.
A man was sentenced to eight years in prison for repeatedly raping his niece between 1 November 2018 and 15 January 2019. He pleaded guilty to counts of rape, oral rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, described the case as a "huge tragedy" and noted the aggravating factors of grooming, exploitation and breach of trust. He imposed a ten‑year term for each count of rape and oral rape, to run concurrently, and considered the sexual assault and exploitation counts. Two years of the sentence were suspended on the condition that the defendant engage with the Probation Service and therapeutic services. The victim, an eight‑year‑old, was the niece of the accused and the abuse largely occurred in the accused's home while he and his wife cared for her and her siblings. The defendant had no prior convictions and expressed remorse, apologising unreservedly in court.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the sentencing of Blake Sweeney until November 11 at the Central Criminal Court. Sweeney, 21, was convicted in July of the manslaughter of Robert Elston, 33, who was stabbed to death in May 2018. The judge noted that Sweeney should have listened to his mother's advice to stay home after Elston set fire to a car in the Sweeney driveway. Evidence indicated Sweeney pursued Elston with a knife, while the jury found it reasonably possible Elston was armed with an axe, a factor that distinguished the charge from murder. Sweeney's counsel highlighted his early offer to plead guilty to manslaughter and his genuine remorse, noting his 22 previous District Court convictions were not aggravating. The judge stated he would consider the David Mahon case, where Mahon received a seven-year sentence for the 2013 manslaughter of Dean Fitzpatrick, as a comparable precedent. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, of Drimnagh, Dublin, has a partially suspended 22.5‑year prison term for random attacks on women in Clondalkin between 2015 and 2011. He is appealing those convictions and the severity of the sentence. In May 2018 he was convicted of sexual assault, attempted rape and assault causing harm for a 2010 attack in the city centre. At a July hearing, Judge Micheal White noted that the appeal was still pending and that any sentence for the 2010 attack would be consecutive to the term he is currently serving, subject to the principle of totality. The court adjourned finalising the 2010 sentence to March 2 next year, pending the outcome of the appeal. The 2010 case involved a woman who was assaulted and attempted to be raped in the courtyard of her apartment block at 3 am. DNA evidence linked Gierlowski to the attack.
A 69‑year‑old man was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of indecently assaulting and raping his grandson from 2004 to 2015, when the boy was aged between four and fifteen. He also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting three of his daughters, attempting to rape one and raping another between 1981 and 1987, when the girls were aged nine to fourteen. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to a total of 20 years in prison, with some consecutive sentences, describing the offences as a "grim catalogue" of abuse across two generations. The man has moved to appeal the sentence in the Court of Appeal, where judgment is reserved.
Anthony Cassidy, 34, was convicted of raping and seriously assaulting a woman in her 50s in Carlow on 25 June 2017. CCTV captured his movements to and from the site where the victim was found unconscious 12 hours later, but did not record the assault itself, which is said to have lasted about 30 minutes. Cassidy pleaded guilty to rape and assault causing serious harm, and had 34 prior convictions, including soliciting sex in the UK and two assaults in Ireland. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to 18 years' imprisonment, noting that a life sentence would have been imposed had Cassidy not pleaded guilty and shown "genuine remorse". The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, with Mr Justice Michael Peart affirming that the offence was of the most serious type and that the judge's decision to reduce a potential life sentence to 18 years was correct. The appeal was dismissed.
During a sentencing hearing on 7 October 2019, the mother of a 17‑year‑old boy who attempted to murder 25‑year‑old Stephanie Ng spoke to Mr Justice Michael White. She said her son is remorseful and takes full responsibility. The boy met Ng on the Whisper app, pretending to be 19, and tried to kill her on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. He grabbed her, choked her, and slashed her neck. The mother explained that the boy had been hearing voices since secondary school, had attempted suicide at 14, and had been denied a bed at Linn Dara and Pieta House. He later hanged himself at home but was saved by his father. He has since been prescribed anti‑psychotic medication and has completed his Junior Certificate and written over 30 short stories. The defence requested a period of detention followed by supervision after he turns 18, citing uncertain diagnosis. The unnamed teenager pleaded guilty.
A 15‑person jury will be sworn to hear the trial of Aaron Brady, 27, of New Road, Crossmaglen, charged with the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was killed in the line of duty at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co. Louth, on 25 January 2013. Mr Justice Michael White scheduled the trial to begin on 21 October, agreeing to a 15‑person jury after the prosecution suggested the case could extend into January 2020.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, an unnamed man pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child, offences committed between 1 November 2018 and 15 January 2019. The victim, an eight‑year‑old niece, was abused mainly at the accused's home while his wife and she were present. Gardaí reports detail the child's testimony that the uncle performed sexual acts on her, describing them as "gross" and "sore," and that he claimed she had "nice white skin." The accused admitted to having sexual feelings toward her and stated he "only likes children with white skin." He apologized in court, placing himself "at the mercy of this court" and praying for forgiveness. The victim's father declined a victim impact statement, citing the family's desire not to relive the events. Mr Justice Michael White remanded the accused in custody and adjourned sentencing to 14 October 2020.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a Slovakian woman, aged 68, testified via video link that she was raped by a Polish man she had met while struggling financially in Galway. The man, introduced as a "good guy" who could help her, offered her accommodation and her two daughters, with the understanding she would work as a cleaner. He demanded sex, raped her after a New Year's Eve party, and later raped her again in an abandoned farmhouse. He also forced her to perform oral sex on him on four occasions while she worked for him. The woman's partner, who was also threatened by the man, reported the abuse to Gardaí. The man was convicted on two counts of rape and four counts of oral rape between 2012 and 2016, and was remanded in custody until 25 October.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 August 2019, lawyers for a man acquitted of rape last year argued that Google search results for his name breach his right to anonymity. Micheal O'Higgins SC told Justice Micheal White that when his client's name is entered into Google, the results display links to court reports of the client's 2018 trial and to two other rape trials in which he is not named. He claimed this juxtaposition violates the 1981 (Rape) Act, which prohibits publishing material that could identify an accused unless convicted. The client seeks a temporary block on all Google searches of his name, citing employment difficulties. Rossa Fanning SC for Google Ireland Ltd said the company had removed most offending links and offered to delete any that appear alongside the name. Justice White ordered the applicant to file a summons and statement of claim by the next day and set a deadline of 12 August for Google's affidavit.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, already serving a long prison term for random attacks on women, has had his sentencing for an attempted rape adjourned to October 11. The case concerns an assault on a woman who was returning home at about 3 a.m. after a night out; Gierlowski attacked her in the courtyard of her apartment block and attempted to rape her. DNA evidence linked semen found on the victim's skirt to Gierlowski, matching profiles from earlier investigations in Clondalkin and the city centre. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim declined to give a victim impact statement. Prosecutor Ann Rowland SC said the Director of Public Prosecutions seeks an adjournment until Gierlowski's other convictions are heard on appeal. Defending counsel Orla Crowe SC maintained his client's innocence and noted that his other convictions and sentences are under appeal. The hearing was adjourned by Mr Justice Micheal White to allow the application for the adjournment to be considered.
In August 2019 the Central Criminal Court sentenced a 49‑year‑old man to eight years' imprisonment for raping and repeatedly sexually assaulting his daughter. He pleaded guilty to oral rape and nine counts of sexual assault that occurred at his mother's home between 1 September 2014 and 2 March 2015. He also admitted exploiting the child by showing her pornographic DVDs. The offences took place in a county in Munster, a detail the court restricted from publication. The mother testified that the father had unsupervised access to the child at his mother's home, where he showed her pornographic film before orally raping her, grabbed her hair, forced her to masturbate with moisturiser and used digital penetration on several occasions. She described the impact on her family, noting that her 12‑year‑old daughter sometimes appeared angry or crying. The defendant, who had addiction problems, entered a guilty plea in April 2019.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Inga Ozolina, aged 48, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with one year suspended, back‑dated to 29 May 2019, for the manslaughter of her boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, 40. Ozolina had previously obtained two safety orders against Pukas, which had lapsed before his death. She claimed that during a violent altercation she was assaulted, pulled her hair, pushed her to the floor and was bitten, and that she used a kitchen knife to defend herself. The judge noted that the killing was in self‑defence but that the defence was excessive, and that Ozolina had not accepted responsibility for Pukas's death. The sentence reflected mitigating factors such as her good character and the history of domestic violence, while the judge emphasised that the killing was not purely defensive. The case remained at the manslaughter level, with no murder conviction. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
Gheorghe Goidan, a 46‑year‑old Romanian, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for raping two Czech women who were working as prostitutes in Ireland. The judge described the offences as "vicious and shocking" and noted that Goidan had targeted the women because he believed they would not be believed. He met each woman separately in hotel rooms, threatened them with a knife, and repeatedly assaulted and raped them. Goidan had pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a hotel in Portlaoise on 7 September 2017 and had also denied rape, oral rape and anal rape of a second woman at the Maldron Hotel in Galway on the same day. A jury found him guilty on all counts. The judge imposed ten‑year terms for each sexual offence and seven‑year terms for each robbery, with the sexual terms to run consecutively, resulting in a 20‑year jail term.
Martin Sherlock, a 31-year-old man from Navan, Co Meath, has lost his appeal against a rape conviction. The Court of Appeal dismissed his argument that judges are mandatorily required to warn juries about an accused's 'previous good character.' Sherlock had pleaded not guilty to raping a woman at her Dublin home on August 14, 2015, claiming the sex was consensual, though he admitted hearing 'no.' He pleaded guilty to stealing her mobile phone. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of rape, and he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy in July 2018. In the appeal, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated there is no empirical evidence that a person without previous convictions is more likely to tell the truth. He noted that while defence counsel can argue enhanced credibility or lack of propensity to offend, this does not necessitate a mandatory judicial warning. The court highlighted that Sherlock admitted lying to the victim and stealing her phone, actions inconsistent with 'good character.' The panel, including Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, concluded that adopting such a mandatory requirement would create difficulties and is not supported by Irish legal authority. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the original conviction and sentence stand.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Paul Flaherty, upholding his conviction for sexually assaulting a woman he met via Tinder. Flaherty, 31, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting the complainant at his home in Tallaght, Dublin, on August 31, 2015. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White, who described Flaherty's behaviour as "disgusting" and noted that he ignored the victim's clear lack of interest in sexual contact. Flaherty, who denied the charge, alleged the encounter was consensual and that he was engaging in role-play at the victim's suggestion. His counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued the trial should have been halted due to investigative delays and issues regarding the complainant's credibility, and that the jury's verdict was perverse. However, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, rejected these submissions. The court held that the trial judge was correct in refusing to stop the proceedings and that credibility assessments were matters for the jury. The panel found no evidence that the verdict was unsafe or that the trial was unsatisfactory, noting that differing outcomes on various counts did not indicate jury confusion. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed and the original conviction stands.
A 17‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexual exploitation of two cousins and the anal rape of one in 2015‑2016. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, deferred a five‑year custodial sentence for one year, keeping the boy under Probation Services supervision. He noted the boy's behaviour was "disgraceful" and "shocked" him, and that the boy had blackmailed his cousin with pornographic material to continue sexual contact. The boy had been exposed to pornography from a very young age and had engaged in non‑penetrative sexual contact with his cousin from about age nine until 2016. He also admitted to anal rape of a male cousin, who was four months younger, claiming it was consensual. The court adjourned the next hearing to July 27 next year. The boy's smartphone will be monitored but not banned. The case was described as a serious concern involving young offenders exposed to porn on smart phones.
In a 2019 hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White granted Michael Corbett, 29, permission to leave his mother's home after a 2016 incident at the Hellfire Club where he attempted to murder a 17‑year‑old and later assaulted a psychiatric nurse. Corbett had been released from a nine‑year sentence after serving less than three years, with the final six years suspended due to his paranoid schizophrenia. He had pleaded guilty to attempted murder and to assaulting nurse Declan Curtin, for which Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five‑year sentence with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for 15 years under strict conditions, including supervision by the Probation Service and residence at an approved address. Mr Justice White removed the requirement that Corbett live with his mother, provided he continues his medication and resides at a probation‑approved accommodation.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, was tried in the Central Criminal Court for a 2010 sexual assault on a fourth victim. The court heard that the victim was walking home at about 3 a.m. when Gierlowski attacked her in the courtyard of her apartment block, attempted to rape her, and ejaculated on her skirt. DNA from the semen matched a profile taken from Gierlowski in 2016, which had previously linked him to other attacks in 2015 and 2011. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and assault causing harm after just under three hours of deliberation. Gierlowski maintains his innocence on all offences, and his earlier convictions and sentences are currently under appeal. The victim declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
A 40-year-old man from County Mayo has had his conviction for rape upheld following an appeal to the Court of Appeal. He was originally sentenced to nine years imprisonment after being convicted on two counts of anal rape against his wife at their home on 18 December 2015. The jury had acquitted him on four other counts relating to earlier dates in 2015. During the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the woman gave evidence describing how her husband arrived home intoxicated and subsequently assaulted her twice that night. The man had maintained all sexual contact was consensual. On appeal, the defence challenged the trial's conduct and the safety of the conviction, particularly regarding corroboration warnings given to the jury. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found the jury's verdicts well-justified and determined the trial was conducted fairly. The court dismissed the appeal, finding no grounds to consider the conviction unsafe.
A 55‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of sexually assaulting his heavily‑pregnant partner in November 2014. The jury could not reach a verdict on two additional rape allegations from December 2014, but he was later found guilty of those charges at a retrial. He was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for the sexual assaults. The judge described his conduct as "sneaky, underhand and clandestine" and noted the victim, a 40‑year‑old mother of their child, was eight months pregnant and felt "humiliated, embarrassed and degraded" when the assault videos were played in court. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and dismissed the appeal, finding the trial judge's interventions fair and justified. The appeal concerning the two rape counts remains pending.
In 2019, a 58‑year‑old man who had been released from prison in January after serving the non‑suspended part of a ten‑year sentence was jailed for 18 months for breaching the conditions of his suspended sentence. The man had originally been convicted of raping his ex‑partner on 9 August 2013, an offence that involved a hatchet, threats of death and cutting the victim's hair. He had been required to participate in the "Better Lives" sex‑offender treatment programme while in custody, but his assessors found he had not achieved the necessary level of participation or insight into his crime. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Paul McDermott, revoked part of the three‑year suspended sentence and imposed a substitute 18‑month term, with the final 18 months suspended on the offender's own bond to keep the peace. The judge noted the man's high degree of violence and the need for a proportionate response. The unnamed 58-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 36‑year‑old Cork man was convicted of raping his neighbour on 17 April 2017 after she asked him to leave her home. The jury found him guilty of the single rape charge. Judge Tony Hunt noted that the victim's hospitality was abused and that the man claimed a relationship that the victim denied. He highlighted that the offence was aggravated by the location and the use of force beyond what would be required for non‑consensual activity. The sentence was eight and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for 12 months after release. The man had 43 prior convictions, including assault, theft and traffic offences. The victim's impact statement described lasting fear and distress following the assault. The court did not consider any subsequent actions or appeals.
In a Central Criminal Court case, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was tried for the murder of her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, who was killed on 1 January 2014. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitting she stabbed McQuillan four times. She claimed the deceased had tried to rape and strangle her, and that her childhood sexual abuse influenced her actions. The prosecution argued she fabricated the rape claim, while the defence denied this. A forensic psychiatrist diagnosed Farrell with post‑traumatic stress disorder from child abuse. The trial noted delays in ambulance response and that McQuillan was transported in a Garda car. After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict, and the judge remanded Farrell in custody until 21 October for further court dates.
In a Dublin case, a 38‑year‑old man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his wife at their home on 30 August 2015. He denied the charges but accepted the jury's verdict and apologized to his wife in court. The wife, who had lived in fear of her husband's violence, later wrote a letter to the sentencing judge forgiving him and expressing regret for bringing the case against him. Judge Paul Coffey sentenced the man to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on account of the wife's plea for clemency. The Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of the three‑year jail term, arguing it is unduly lenient, and the man is appealing the severity of his sentence on the basis that the case is exceptional. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement on both proceedings.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the murder trial of Paula Farrell, a 46‑year‑old from Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, who is charged with killing her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, on New Year's morning 2014. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitting she stabbed McQuillan four times. She claims she was sexually abused as a child and that McQuillan had sexually assaulted and attempted to strangle her, provoking her. The prosecution argues she fabricated a rape claim to justify the killing, while the defence maintains no such excuse. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Farrell suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder from alleged child abuse, influencing her actions. The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, retired to deliberate and will resume on Monday morning. The case remains at the jury deliberation stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 67‑year‑old man from Mervue pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing of 38‑year‑old Christopher McGrath in Galway city. The body was discovered at the defendant's home on 12 March 2017, with a neck wound. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea. Judge Michael White adjourned sentencing to November and remanded the defendant on continuing bail.