Garrett Phillips, a former Ros na Rún actor, has been granted legal aid for an appeal against his conviction. Phillips, 47, of Galway, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of raping a 20-year-old woman in November 2015. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and had no previous convictions. The Court of Appeal President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, approved legal aid for two counsel after Phillips' lawyer, Ange Bolly BL, demonstrated the appellant had no income or assets. Phillips is appealing his conviction, which has not yet been dated for hearing. He was originally sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who described the act as a "callous rape" with a "predatory element." The court heard that Phillips offered the victim a lift home after she was upset in a park, but allegedly raped her in his van. Phillips claimed the encounter was consensual, stating it felt "chemical," while the victim reported waking to find him standing over her. She escaped, memorised the vehicle registration, and sought help. Phillips, a father of two who had been acting in London, was not present for this procedural hearing. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the legal aid application now resolved to facilitate the upcoming Court of Appeal proceedings.
Bobby 'Mr Moonlight' Ryan, a part‑time DJ, was found dead in a disused waste water tank on a farm in Fawnagown, Tipperary, in April 2013 after he had gone missing in June 2011. A post‑mortem by former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jaber, conducted shortly after the body was discovered, identified multiple injuries that could have resulted from an accident, traffic collision or serious assault. Dr Jaber was not available to testify at the Central Criminal Court trial of Patrick Quirke, who is charged with Ryan's murder. Superintendent Patrick O'Callaghan, present at the post‑mortem, noted that the body was removed from the tank without a pathologist on site, and that the deceased's arm had detached at some point before or during removal. The trial continues with Quirke pleading not guilty. The prosecution alleges Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with the farm's owner, Mary Lowry.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury of nine men and three women will start deliberations on the case of Paul Crosby, aged 23, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and related charges. The alleged crime occurred on 10 November 2016 at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, when Crosby is accused of stabbing Gerard Boyle, aged 33, 28 times. Boyle claims he survived a car that was pushed into a canal after the stabbings. The judge, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, emphasized that the attempted murder charge requires proof of intent to kill and that the jury must consider each charge separately. She noted that the car incident was addressed in a prior trial and that the main issue is whether Crosby was present and participated in the injuries. The jury will now consider their verdicts.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the accused, Paul Crosby, was alleged to have stabbed Mr Boyle 28 times on 10 November 2016. The jury heard that Crosby, who was under a curfew from 9 pm to 8 am, was not at home when the alleged incident occurred, despite a call to his residence just before 10 pm. Mr Boyle, aged 33, claimed he escaped a car that was pushed into a canal after the stabbing. Crosby, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, false imprisonment and causing serious harm. The prosecution presented evidence that Crosby was not at home and that a radio communication suggested a car heading toward Drogheda from Slane. Crosby's defence argued he was either at home or at his aunt's house that night, a claim the prosecution could not refute. The case was heard by Justice Carmel Stewart with a jury of ten.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Ross Outram, 28, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 90‑year‑old retired farmer Paddy Lyons, who died between 23 and 26 February 2017 at his Loughleagh home. Detective Garda Joe Wyse testified that he visited the scene on 25 February after learning of suspicious circumstances. He described a damaged padlock, skid marks, fingermarks on the front door, and a blood‑like substance around these marks. He also noted a deep laceration on Lyons' head and an elderly man slumped in a chair. Wyse observed a phone and kitchen windows with similar blood‑like residue. He also reported injuries on Outram's hands and thigh, photographed at the Garda station. Other Garda evidence included a fingerprint in blood on the door handle, blood on a plate, and a blue Volkswagen Passat with damage and no number plates. The case continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Ross Outram, 28, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 90‑year‑old Paddy Lyons in Lismore, Waterford, between 23 and 26 February 2017. During the trial, Sandra Walsh, a relative of Outram's nephew, testified that Outram had called her on Facebook Messenger on 26 February, claiming he had hit Lyons because Lyons would not give him money. She confirmed that Outram identified the deceased as Lyons and that he had spoken of travelling to the UK. Walsh also recounted that Outram was arrested the following day when she was driving him back to Ferryland. Sergeant Ger Falvey described the scene at Lyons' house, noting the victim's lack of trousers, a trail of urine, soot, and possible blood marks. The case proceeds before Mr Justice Paul Coffey with a jury of eight men and four women.
In the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Quirke (50) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan, a part‑time DJ who vanished on 3 June 2011. Ryan's body was discovered in an underground run‑off tank on Quirke's farm at Fawnagown, Tipperary, in April 2013. Garda Gerry Canty, a crime scene examiner, testified that he visited the site the day after the body was found and photographed items removed from the tank, including bone fragments, a lady's hair clip, cable ties, tubing, buttons and pipe covers. He placed these items in a tamper‑evident bag and marked them as exhibits. Canty admitted he had not mentioned the hair clip in his initial statement or notes, and that the exhibit chart for the defence listed only cable ties and pipe covers. He also confirmed he had no role in retrieving, bagging, marking or charting the bag's contents.
In the trial of Paul Crosby, 23, the emergency consultant Dr Asim Rafeeque described the treatment of Gerard Boyle, who suffered 28 stab wounds after escaping from a car that was pushed into a canal. Dr Rafeeque explained that Boyle was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, where he had chest, neck, back and shoulder wounds. He had to drain air from Boyle's chest cavity to prevent pressure on the heart, which could have caused cardiac arrest. The forensic scientist Crystal O'Connor examined swabs from a knife, its handle and a vehicle, finding Boyle's DNA but no blood on a pair of runners belonging to Crosby. She found no evidence linking Crosby to the items she tested. Detective Garda Shane Curran reported taking a statement from Boyle at the hospital and later searching for a Ford Fiesta, but found no forensic evidence such as fingerprints. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. Paul Crosby pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Ross Outram (28) is accused of killing 90‑year‑old Paddy Lyons in Waterford. Cathleen Kiely, a witness who has sold second‑hand clothes for over 30 years, testified that she visited Lyons' home on 24 February 2017, arriving with her husband around 4 p.m. She found the gate closed but without a bolt, entered the house, and saw Lyons sitting in his chair, looking at the door. Kiely claimed she thought Lyons was unconscious and swollen, and that there was black on the ground, but she did not realise he was dead. She left after a few seconds, told her husband, and later reported the situation to neighbours. The prosecution alleges Outram told Gardaí that he struck Lyons, who had only one arm, in self‑defence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of eight men and four women. Ross Outram pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial of 50‑year‑old farmer Patrick Quirke, forensic entomologist Dr John Manlove testified that the tank containing the remains of DJ Bobby Ryan was opened weeks before Quirke claimed to have found the body on 30 April 2013. Dr Manlove identified common blow fly larvae in Ryan's chest cavity and on his back, all at the same developmental stage, indicating infestation at least 11 days before discovery. He noted that the small number of larvae and absence of other insects suggested the body was not exposed for long. An engineer's report, shown to him, stated the tank would be sealed by two concrete slabs, and that muck and cow waste placed over the slabs would prevent flies from entering or exiting. Dr Manlove concluded that the tank was opened earlier than Quirke's stated date, contradicting the accused's account. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 31-year-old man from County Sligo has been sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to three years imprisonment, with the final year suspended for twelve months, following his guilty plea to the defilement of a child under 15. The offence occurred at an apartment in September 2012. The court heard that the girl, aged 14 at the time, was met by the man by chance and subsequently assaulted sexually against her will. She had informed him of her age and falsely claimed pregnancy in an attempt to discourage him. The man denied knowledge of her age, claiming he believed her to be approximately 18. Justice Tara Burns identified the significant age disparity and the victim's vulnerability as aggravating factors, whilst acknowledging the defendant's guilty plea and admissions to gardaí as mitigation. The suspended portion is conditional on the man maintaining the peace, remaining substance-free, and avoiding contact with minors. He is currently serving a separate sentence for assault causing harm.
In the Central Criminal Court, Superintendent Patrick O'Callaghan testified that upon inspecting the underground run‑off tank at Fawnagown, Tipperary, he believed the body found there was that of Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. He described how he first saw the outline of a body, then knelt and used a torch to confirm it was Ryan, concluding the man had been murdered or severely assaulted before being placed in the tank. O'Callaghan stated he had visited the site on 30 April 2013 after reports of a body and declared the area a crime scene. The accused, 50‑year‑old farmer Patrick Quirke, has pleaded not guilty to Ryan's murder, alleged to have been committed to rekindle an affair with Ryan's girlfriend, Mary Lowry. The trial proceeds before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.
In a Dublin trial, Gary Watson, aged 35, was acquitted of murdering former soldier Warren O'Connor, aged 24, who died from a single stab wound to the neck on 16 January 2010. The jury, after four hours and eleven minutes, found Watson not guilty of the murder charge. However, they convicted him of assaulting Philip Woodcock, aged 34, and of producing a knife on the same occasion. Watson denied these charges. The case involved a fight between two groups of men at a noisy house party on Hole in the Wall Road, with witnesses describing a white‑hoodie wearer stabbing O'Connor. No forensic evidence linked Watson to the knife or to O'Connor's body. The trial concluded with Watson remanded in custody pending sentencing for the assault and knife charges, scheduled for 7 March. The judge thanked the jury and expressed condolences to O'Connor's family.
Ross Outram, 28, of Clonmel, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 90‑year‑old Paddy Lyons at Lismore, Waterford, between 23 and 26 February 2017. The trial began at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of eight men and four women, and is expected to last two weeks. Prosecutor John O'Kelly SC presented evidence that Lyons was found dead in his home with blunt‑force injuries, a traumatic brain injury, haemorrhage and shock, and that his hip joint and ribs were fractured. A blood‑stained hoodie found in Outram's bedroom contained Lyons's DNA. Outram told investigators he had been in Lyons's house, had asked for money, and that Lyons attacked him with a stick. Outram claimed he struck Lyons repeatedly in self‑defence, and that Lyons was still alive when he left the house, after which Lyons was locked out.
Paul Crosby, 23, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for the attempted murder of Gerard Boyle, 33, at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, on 10 November 2016. He was charged with attempting to murder, false imprisonment and causing serious harm. Crosby pleaded not guilty to all counts. Prosecutor Patrick Gageby SC presented evidence that Crosby stabbed Boyle 28 times while seated in the back of a Volkswagen Passat, after which Boyle was left on the ground and later placed in the boot of the car, which was pushed into a canal near the Battle of the Boyne site. Boyle was later taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. During cross‑examination, Brendan Grehan SC questioned Boyle about inconsistencies in his statements regarding threats and phone notes, noting that phone records showed a threat on the day of the attack, contrary to Boyle's earlier claim to Gardaí.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Patrick Quirke, aged 50, told Garda Conor Ryan that his farm at Fawnagowan had only two slurry tanks. Ryan, who visited the farm in June 2011, observed Quirke emptying a slatted‑floor cattle shed tank and an open tank containing a small quantity of slurry. Quirke confirmed there were no other tanks. The court heard that Quirke is charged with the murder of DJ Bobby 'Mr Moonlight' Ryan, who was found in an underground run‑off tank on the farm in April 2013. Quirke pleaded not guilty. Garda Ryan described the scene on the day the body was discovered, noting a vacuum tanker with a neutral handle and a heavily crusted slurry tank. He also recounted moving the tanker and emptying about 100 litres of soiled water onto the ground. The trial continued with Justice Eileen Creedon presiding and a jury of twelve.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court returned on Monday to consider a verdict in the trial of Gary Watson, 35, who is accused of murdering former soldier Warren O'Connor, 24, on 16 January 2010. Watson pleaded not guilty to the murder, to assaulting Philip Woodcock, 34, on the same occasion, and to producing a knife to intimidate another person. The two‑week trial included evidence that a fight broke out after Woodcock cut power to a neighbour's apartment to end a noisy house party. The jury asked to view CCTV footage again in the courtroom, and the judge allowed it. They also asked whether fingerprints were found on the knives; the judge confirmed that no fingerprints belonging to Watson were found on the blade removed from O'Connor's body or on other knives recovered by Garda Damien Carroll. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before deciding to suspend deliberations for the day and return on Monday morning.
Paul Crosby, 23, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, stands trial for the attempted murder of Gerard Boyle, 33, at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co Meath, on 10 November 2016. The prosecution alleges that on that day Crosby, initially driving a Ford, later switched to a Volkswagen Passat with Boyle and a third person. Boyle claims Crosby stabbed him 28 times, including in the neck, shoulder, back of the neck and head, while he was in the car. Boyle was then forced into the boot, where he was held for about 15 minutes, unable to breathe, before escaping and swimming to the bank of the River Boyne. He sustained 28 stab wounds, two punctured lungs and nerve damage to his left leg and foot. Crosby pleaded not guilty to all counts, including attempted murder, false imprisonment and serious harm. The case is before a Central Criminal Court jury presided by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Gary Watson, 35, was charged with murdering former soldier Warren O'Connor, 24, in 2010. O'Connor died from a single stab wound to the neck, with the knife blade partially impaled in his body. Watson also faced charges of assault causing harm to Philip Woodcock, 34, and of producing a knife to intimidate another person. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, instructed the jury to treat each charge separately and warned that a verdict of guilty on the assault or intimidation charges would not automatically imply guilt for murder. He emphasized the need for caution regarding identification evidence, noting that the sole witness, Gary Foy, saw a man in a white hoodie make a stabbing motion. The judge also cautioned that the nine‑year delay could affect witness memory, urging the jury to give the accused the benefit of doubt. Gary Watson pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, the prosecution, led by James Dwyer SC, argued that all evidence points to Gary Watson (35) as the murderer of Warren O'Connor (24) in 2010. Watson, who lives in Dublin 13, pleaded not guilty to the murder, an assault on Philip Woodcock (34), and intimidation with a knife. The prosecution presented a narrative of a fight at a Dublin apartment where Watson was one of four men. Witnesses, including Gary Foy, claimed to have seen a man in a white hoodie stab O'Connor, and other testimony linked Watson to that hoodie. Watson denied the allegations. The case was set for jury deliberation, with no forensic or CCTV evidence presented. The judge would continue charging the jury the following day.
A Clare man, Robbie Walsh, 23, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing Karl "Gobbo" Haugh, 25, at Marian Estate, Kilkee, on 6 August 2017. The jury, after more than three hours, returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder and guilty of manslaughter. Judge Carmel Stewart explained that a guilty verdict requires proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accused intended to kill or cause serious harm, and that if the intention was primarily self‑defence, the killing would be manslaughter. Walsh admitted to stabbing Haugh in the back, claiming he had no intention to kill and that he had only wanted to smash a few windows. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The trial included testimony from Walsh's Garda interviews, witness accounts of the fight, and medical evidence that Haugh died from a single stab wound puncturing his lung and causing massive bleeding.
During the trial of Patrick Quirke for the murder of DJ Bobby Ryan, Garda Tom Finnane testified that he had become "unhappy" with his earlier belief about where Ryan's body was found after watching a television news broadcast. Finnane, who had participated in the 2011 search at Fawnagowan farm, had originally thought the body was located in an open slurry pit behind a shed. The broadcast showed the body had been recovered from an underground waste‑water tank in a different area. Finnane confirmed that he had seen an aerial photograph of the farm that clarified the correct location, noting the presence of ten to fifteen round hay bales covered in black plastic. He stated he had not discussed his evidence with anyone else and that the photograph had helped him reassess his recollection. The trial, presided over by Justice Eileen Creedon, continues with a jury of twelve. Patrick Quirke pleaded not guilty. Tom Finnane pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of Robbie Walsh, a 23‑year‑old Clare man, the jury was instructed by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart to consider the case from Walsh's perspective, assessing whether he believed he was under threat and whether his use of force was justified. The judge reminded jurors that a person in self‑defence may act impulsively and that excessive force would not be reasonable. Walsh, who pleaded not guilty, admitted in a garda interview that he had killed Karl "Gobbo" Haugh, a 25‑year‑old, after a confrontation at Marian Estate. He described picking up a dropped knife and stabbing Haugh in the back, which caused a fatal lung puncture. The jury was sent home for the night and was to resume deliberations the following day. The trial is ongoing.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Gary Watson (35), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of former soldier Warren O'Connor (24) in north Dublin, heard evidence from former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jaber. Dr Jaber stated that a stainless steel kitchen knife was found partially impaled in Mr O'Connor's neck during the post-mortem examination conducted on January 17, 2010. The blade, measuring 22.5cms, had penetrated 13cms into the body, perforating the left ventricle artery and left internal jugular vein. Dr Jaber concluded that the cause of death was a single stab wound to the lower anterior of the left neck, noting the blade was bent toward the anterior midline. He indicated the perpetrator likely held a height advantage and that the victim was probably taken by surprise. No defence-type wounds were found on Mr O'Connor's hands. Prosecution counsel James Dwyer SC confirmed Dr Jaber was the final witness, closing the State's case. Earlier, Garda Damien Carroll testified to recovering a black-handled knife near Grattan Wood apartments and three knives from a Honda Civic, though no fingerprints belonging to Mr Watson were found on them. Mr Watson also denies assaulting Philip Woodcock and producing a knife to intimidate another person. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
In February 2019, the Central Criminal Court heard that farmer Patrick Quirke, aged 50, pleaded not guilty to the murder of DJ Bobby Ryan, known as Mr Moonlight, who disappeared in June 2011 and whose body was found in April 2013 in a disused wastewater tank on a farm at Fawnagowan. The trial recounted that days after Ryan's disappearance, Gardaí searched the farmland where he would later be found, but found no evidence of what happened to him. Sergeant Cathal Godfrey, who led the search, explained that the investigation covered a quarry, fields, tanks, ditches, hedges, farm buildings and sheds, and that nothing of evidential value was discovered. The search also included a slurry tank and a Toyota Corolla found in a shed, but no body or relevant material was located. The trial continued before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.
In a murder case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Robbie Walsh, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Karl 'Gobble' Haugh, aged 25, who died after being stabbed on August 6, 2017, at the Marian Estate in Kilkee. The prosecution, led by Patrick Gageby SC, argued that the Walsh men, including Robbie's cousins Mitchell and Clinton, had intended to vandalise Haugh's car and that the stabbing was not justified. They cited evidence of a prior altercation, video of Robbie claiming he was dragged and then stabbed Haugh in self‑defence, and witness statements suggesting a hostile environment. The defence, represented by Brendan Grehan SC, contended that Robbie was not an aggressor but was pulled into the confrontation, acting in a life‑or‑death situation. The jury was instructed on the case by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, with the trial to resume the following day.
Robbie Walsh, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Karl 'Gobble' Haugh, aged 25, in Kilkee on 6 August 2017. In his fourth Garda interview, Walsh admitted killing Haugh after a confrontation that began with vandalising Haugh's car. He described using a metal bar to smash the car's windows, then being grabbed by Haugh, dropping the bar but retaining a knife, and stabbing Haugh in the back. Walsh claimed he had no intention to kill and that the incident escalated unexpectedly. He also recounted that his house was attacked hours later and that he had sent a Facebook message to a friend saying Haugh had been stabbed in the lung. The case is before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart with a jury of seven men and four women. The trial is ongoing.
A 21‑year‑old man who endured repeated rape and sexual assault by his half‑brother, who was ten years older, was praised by Mr Justice Michael White at a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing. The victim was first abused at age seven or eight and was assaulted weekly for seven years until he moved at age eleven. The half‑brother, aged 31, pleaded guilty to 18 counts covering 63 offences of rape and sexual assault between September 2005 and September 2012, and to one count of possessing child pornography. The judge imposed a nine‑year sentence, suspending the last two years, and ordered the defendant to attend sex‑offender treatment programmes. The judge expressed hope that the court's words would comfort the victim, who had only recently attended his first counselling session at the Rape Crisis Centre. The case was brought to light when a work colleague reported the defendant's viewing of child pornography on a work computer.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman, who remains unnamed to protect her anonymity, stated that she had forgiven her former partner, a 59‑year‑old Wicklow man, for raping her while she slept. The man, convicted by a jury in December of a single rape charge that occurred on 5 November 2015, had denied the allegation and had no prior convictions. Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a seven‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months. The court noted the woman's "heartfelt" victim impact statement and her brave admission of forgiveness. The judge wished her well and a full recovery. The case involved a brief relationship that ended in 2015, a subsequent new relationship, and an alleged assault that the man claimed was consensual. The woman described the assault, the medical examination, and her ongoing mental‑health struggles. The defense highlighted the man's good character and parenting record.
During a 2010 altercation on Hole in the Wall Road, a man named Warren O'Connor was stabbed. A nurse, Alison Boyd, who lived in Newgrove Estate and worked nearby, heard a loud bang and saw a Ford Focus and a dark car involved. She observed about ten people gathered and heard shouting, including the name 'Warren' and a phrase that sounded like 'get it into him.' Boyd ran outside, found O'Connor lying on his back with a knife embedded in his chest, the handle snapped off. She attempted to check his pulse and called an ambulance. Another witness, Rachel Foy, also heard the commotion and saw a gang of people on the footpath. The incident is part of a murder trial against Gary Watson, who denies the charges. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Michael White.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Gary Watson (35), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of former soldier Warren O'Connor (24) in January 2010, continued with witness testimony. Gary Foy (32) testified that he observed a man in a white hoodie make a stabbing motion toward another man's chest while saying, "get that into you." Foy stated the incident occurred on Hole in the Wall Road, Donaghmede, Dublin 13. Under cross-examination, Foy maintained his recollection of the initial incident was accurate despite acknowledging some haziness regarding the aftermath. Emma Cooney, a witness at a nearby house party, reported hearing a bang and someone shout, "Smiley I think you killed him," though she agreed this specific phrase was not in her previous statements. Susan Ford, who was walking home from a party, described seeing a man in a black leather jacket grab railings, claim he had been stabbed, and fall forward with a rusty object protruding from his chest. The court previously heard that the fatal altercation followed a dispute over a noisy house party. Watson also denies assaulting Philip Woodcock and producing a knife to intimidate. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
Farmer Patrick Quirke, 50, of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the murder of DJ Bobby Ryan, known as Mr Moonlight. The prosecution alleges Quirke killed Ryan between June 3, 2011, and April 2013, to reunite with Ryan's girlfriend, Mary Lowry, with whom Quirke had previously had an affair. Ryan's body was found in a run-off tank on a farm leased by the accused in April 2013. During the trial, witness Siobhán Kinnane testified she was "80 per cent sure" a man she saw walking near her home on the morning of Ryan's disappearance matched a photo of the deceased. Another witness, bus driver Jim Cully, stated he was "almost certain" he saw Ryan's van driving away from the area where it was later found. Other witnesses reported seeing a van similar to Ryan's at Kilshane Woods car park. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a murder trial in Kilkee, Kilkee, County Clare, Robbie Walsh, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Karl Haugh, aged 25, on 6 August 2017. Witness Sam Lucey, Haugh's cousin, testified that he and Haugh confronted Walsh and two cousins near Haugh's house after a heated phone argument. Lucey claimed he had taken a golf club each and a knife from his kitchen, which fell out of his pocket when a Walsh approached with a metal bar. He denied that Haugh had a knife or that the knife came from the same set of knives seized by Gardaí. Under cross‑examination, Lucey admitted the fatal knife was from his kitchen and that he did not know who stabbed Haugh. Conor Murphy, a member of the group, said he saw the Walshs approaching "roaring and shouting" and that he did not see Walsh with a knife.
During a murder trial, bus driver Jim Cully testified that he almost certainly saw the van of the missing DJ known as Mr Moonlight driving away from the site where it was later found on the morning of June 3, 2011, the day Bobby Ryan went missing. Cully, who had given a Garda statement on June 5, described seeing the van moving at a normal speed from the direction of Annacarty toward Dundrum Village around 8.40 a.m. He could not identify the driver but noted a salute exchange that he believed was from Ryan. The van bore the Mr Moonlight sticker on its windscreen. Patrick Quirke, aged 50, is on trial for Ryan's murder, alleged to have been committed to regain Ryan's girlfriend. The case is before Justice Eileen Creedon with a 12‑person jury. The trial continues. Patrick Quirke pleaded not guilty.
A man accused of murdering a disc jockey known as Mr Moonlight knew of the existence of a tank where the victim's remains were discovered, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Patrick Quirke, aged 50, of Breanshamore in County Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bobby Ryan, aged 52, between June 2011 and April 2013. Mr Ryan disappeared in June 2011 and his body was found in a run-off tank on a farm at Fawnagowan, Tipperary, in April 2013. Prosecution evidence suggests Mr Quirke killed Mr Ryan to resume a relationship with the deceased's girlfriend. Witness testimony established that Mr Quirke was familiar with the tank's location, built in the late 1970s on the farm. A neighbour recalled seeing an unusual silver van—matching the type driven by Mr Ryan—parked on a nearby laneway the morning he went missing. The trial before Justice Eileen Creedon and jury continues at the Central Criminal Court.
During the murder trial of Robbie Walsh, a 23‑year‑old, the court heard that Karl Haugh, 25, had been admitted to Limerick University Hospital with a chest stab wound and was initially stable, sitting up and reassuring his family that he would be fine. An "unexpected chain of events" led to his condition deteriorating; he became unstable, required surgery, and was pronounced dead at 5.20 am after about an hour of resuscitation. The surgeon explained that Haugh had a leak of air into his left chest cavity and was in shock; a blood clot may have formed, causing a sudden bleed that could not be controlled. Witnesses described a brief fight at the Walsh estate, during which Haugh was stabbed, and the accused's cousins were present. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. Robbie Walsh pleaded not guilty. Karl Haugh pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial of Gary Watson, a witness, Emma Cooney, testified that she heard a shout of "Smiley I think you killed him" the night a former soldier, Warren O'Connor, was stabbed to death on Hole in the Wall Road, Donaghmede. Cooney, who was at a restaurant in Swords on the evening of January 15, 2010, later drove to Louise Kinsella's apartment on the same street. She described a gathering that was not chaotic and had no loud music. Cooney observed that Mr. Woodcock, his partner Suzanne Martin, and their son entered the apartment with a take‑away. She reported a scuffle between two groups of men, knives being waved, and a "bang" heard a few minutes later. The witness stated she had spoken to the Gardaí before returning home that night. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, continues on Wednesday. Gary Watson pleaded not guilty.
John Shaw, a 73-year-old English national serving a life sentence for murders committed in 1976, has been granted an extension of time to appeal a High Court decision at the Court of Appeal. Shaw has been in Irish custody since September 1976, when he and Geoffrey Evans were arrested for the abduction, rape, torture and murder of two women in Wicklow and Mayo. Both men received life sentences in February 1978. In 2016, the Parole Board recommended Shaw be granted two days of escorted temporary release annually, a recommendation the Minister for Justice declined to support. Shaw's legal challenge to that decision was dismissed by the High Court in March, though the presiding judge noted the Minister's reasoning was inadequate. At today's hearing, President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham approved the late filing of Shaw's appeal, accepting that he had formed clear intention to appeal within the required timeframe.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 28‑year‑old Robbie Walsh of Island View, Kilrush, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 25‑year‑old Karl Haugh, nicknamed Gobble, who was killed on 6 August 2017 at the Marian Estate in Kilkee. Prosecutor Patrick Gageby SC presented a narrative that on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday, Walsh and his cousins Mitchell and Clinton were socialising in Kilkee. Phone calls recorded between the cousins and Haugh suggested a hostile encounter. Gageby alleged that after a brief altercation involving a vandalised Passat, Walsh stabbed Haugh in the back with a knife, causing a single penetrating wound that sliced a rib and lung, leading to Haugh's death at University Hospital Limerick. Walsh was arrested the next day, freely admitted the stabbing and expressed remorse. The trial, before Justice Carmel Stewart, continues with a jury of five women and seven men.
At the Central Criminal Court, the son of Bobby Ryan told how he encountered Mary Lowry at her farm on the morning his father vanished in June 2011. Robert Ryan Junior said Ms Lowry appeared visibly shaken and upset, and he sensed immediately that something was wrong. He noted her behaviour seemed designed to hurry him away from the property. Patrick Quirke, aged 50 from Breanshamore, County Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan between June 2011 and April 2013. Mr Ryan's body was discovered in a waste tank on a farm at Fawnagown that Ms Lowry owned and Mr Quirke leased. The deceased's daughter, Michelle Ryan, a DJ herself, described finding her father's Citroen van in Breansha Wood after he failed to appear for work. She noted the vehicle's condition suggested her father had not been the last person to drive it. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues before a jury.
In the murder trial of Gary Watson, Richard Grant, a witness, testified that he and his friend Warren O'Connor were at a party on 15 January 2010 when they entered Philip Woodcock's apartment. Grant described seeing knives and a red‑haired man, and he says he grabbed knives in a reflexive act, later giving one to a friend. He recounts a chaotic scene involving a Honda Civic and a Ford Focus, a fight with Woodcock, and a black‑haired driver. Grant claims he saw O'Connor lying on his left side with a snapped knife between neck and collarbone, and that he wrapped his top around the knife to stop the bleeding. He says he tried to keep O'Connor awake by reassuring him and holding his hand, but O'Connor had no pulse. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Gary Watson pleaded not guilty. Warren O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
During the fourth day of her testimony at the Central Criminal Court, Mary Lowry, aged 52, explained that she felt accused of involvement in the disappearance of her boyfriend, Bobby Ryan, a DJ known as Mr Moonlight. Lowry said she had complained in June 2012 to the Gardaí about missing‑person posters placed around her home, which she found intimidating and upsetting to her children. She insisted she wanted to find Ryan "as much as anybody else" and had put up posters elsewhere. Lowry confirmed spending a night in a Killiney hotel with the accused after Ryan's disappearance, but could not recall staying at the Cliff Hotel in Waterford in September 2011, despite a bank receipt. She denied any intimacy with Patrick Quirke after Ryan's disappearance and said she had called him from Austria in 2012 to avoid his anger. The trial, with Patrick Quirke, 50, remains ongoing before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve. Mary Lowry pleaded not guilty. Patrick Quirke pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, 35‑year‑old Gary Watson is accused of killing 24‑year‑old Warren O'Connor on 16 January 2010. Watson, who lives on Millbrook Avenue, Kilbarrack, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He also denies assaulting 34‑year‑old Philip Woodcock and using a knife to intimidate another person. Woodcock, an apprentice electrician and former soldier, gave evidence describing the events on the night of 15 January. He said he heard shouting and music from a neighbour's apartment, cut the building's power, and later met with friends who were allegedly waiting for him. Woodcock claimed that a man in a Russell Athletic hoodie struck him, and that he and his friends were attacked by men in a Honda Civic who tried to run him over. Woodcock testified that Warren O'Connor was stabbed, bleeding from the chest, and died after failing to respond to attempts to make him blink.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Gary Watson, aged 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Warren O'Connor, 24, which occurred on 16 January 2010 at Hole in the Wall Road, Donaghmede. Prosecutor James Dwyer SC presented evidence that a noise dispute at a neighbouring apartment led to an altercation involving Watson, the Coyles, and O'Connor. The confrontation escalated in the car park, where Watson allegedly brandished a knife. Witnesses, including a neighbour named Mr Foy, testified that Watson shouted "get that into you" as he stabbed O'Connor. Pathology confirmed a fatal stab wound to the neck. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, is expected to continue for over two weeks with a jury of twelve. The prosecution seeks to prove Watson's guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The case remains in the early trial stage.
In the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Quirke, aged 50, denies murdering Bobby Ryan, a DJ known as Mr Moonlight, who was found dead in a run‑off tank on Fawnagowan farm in April 2013. Witness Mary Lowry, 52, testified that Quirke wrote a letter to an agony aunt, published in the Sunday Independent in 2011, admitting he had fallen in love with a woman who later cheated on him. Lowry also claimed Quirke stole underwear from her clothes line and that CCTV footage from December 2012 showed him on her property. She said she confronted him, he admitted writing the letter, and that he had no one else to turn to. Lowry's testimony also covered her relationship with Quirke, her feelings of being manipulated, and her statements to Gardaí in 2011. The trial continues with cross‑examination scheduled for the next day.
A 16‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to five counts of oral rape and 44 counts of sexual assault against his eight‑year‑old half‑sister between 1 September 2016 and 31 January 2017. He admitted to removing her clothes, masturbating while looking at her, penetrating her vagina with his fingers, placing his penis in her mouth, and rubbing his penis on her vagina and anus, but denied penetrating either. He said he was copying what he had seen on the pornographic website PornHub. The mother discovered the abuse on 30 January 2017 when she entered the living room and found her son inappropriately touching her daughter. She filed a complaint, and the boy was arrested. In court, she described the shock and horror of discovering her daughter's innocence had been violated, and she expressed grief for both her daughter and her son.
Liam O'Dwyer, 45, of Capparoe, Adare, Co. Limerick, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for eight counts of sexual assault, four counts of rape and one count of oral rape after a retrial. The offences occurred in his then partner's bedroom between October 1996 and December 2001, when the victim was aged 12 to 17. O'Dwyer denied the charges. Witnesses described him as obsessed with the girl, calling the house repeatedly and insisting on knowing her whereabouts. The victim, who later struggled with drug addiction and PTSD, gave a victim impact statement describing ongoing fear and trauma. The judge noted O'Dwyer was groomed into submission and, despite his denial, imposed the sentence and ordered three years of post‑release supervision. The court heard he had six prior convictions, including assault and false imprisonment. The victim's partner remains supportive of O'Dwyer's innocence.
Patrick Quirke, 50, of Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, is on trial for the murder of 52‑year‑old Bobby Ryan, who was found dead in a disused waste tank on a farm at Fawnagowan between June 2011 and April 2013. Quirke has pleaded not guilty. The Central Criminal Court will hear evidence tomorrow, after a day of no evidence, following a jury visit to the farm last Friday. The trial is expected to last up to eight weeks.
Joseph Hillen was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court today for the manslaughter of 53-year-old Martin Mulligan, who was killed at Carnmore, Balriggan, Dundalk, Co Louth, on September 28, 2015. A jury previously found Hillen not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon stated the killing fell in the upper-mid range of such offences, setting a headline sentence of ten years. Considering mitigating factors, including Hillen's offer to plead guilty, his stable employment, lack of previous violent convictions, and expressed remorse, she reduced the sentence to seven years. The final year was suspended on conditions of good behaviour, keeping the peace, and engaging with probation services. Hillen, of Glendasha Road, Forkhill, Co Armagh, was assessed as a moderate risk of re-offending. The court noted the jury accepted his claim of self-defence but found he used excessive force. Outside court, Martin Mulligan's daughter Shauna Mulligan stated the justice system had failed the family, calling the outcome unfair. His wife Grainne described the family as devastated, while his other daughter Sharon noted the family's grief. The family expressed that they felt the legal process did not adequately reflect the severity of the loss.
Ger Hehir, 58, of Drumcavan, Ruan, Co. Clare, was convicted after a seven‑day retrial in November of four sexual assaults and one rape of a teenage girl between 2010 and 2013. The offences occurred at his home and at horse events across the country. Hehir pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Robert Eagar sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment for the rape, suspending the final 18 months on condition of participation in a sexual offender programme and good behaviour for three years after release. He also received five years' imprisonment for each sexual assault, all concurrent and back‑dated to 21 November when Hehir entered custody. The court heard the victim was 16 at the time of the first assault and that she endured repeated sexual contact, including rape, over the period. Hehir had no prior convictions.