In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He admitted stabbing her twice in the neck after an argument that began at the Rochestown Inn and continued at her home. Murphy said Dunlea asked, "What about my kids?" before he stabbed her. He claimed he did not intend to kill her, describing the act as a snap. Garda interviews revealed he was aware of the wounds and that a post‑mortem found six stab wounds, which he admitted he must have inflicted. He denied setting the house on fire to destroy evidence and said he only wanted to prevent children from discovering the body. The trial proceeds before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In a murder trial, a 36‑year‑old woman found dead in her burning home may have died from a stab wound to her neck or from inhaling fire fumes. The court heard that the victim, Olivia Dunlea, was discovered face‑down on her bed in Passage West on 17 February 2013. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that she saw two deep stab wounds behind the victim's right ear, one penetrating the upper cervical spinal canal, and four shallow wounds on the front of the neck. She also found soot in the lungs and a high carbon monoxide level, indicating inhalation of toxic smoke. Cassidy concluded the cause of death was a neck stab wound combined with inhalation of fire fumes, noting that the spinal injury could have caused paralysis and rapid collapse. The accused, Darren Murphy, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.
A 27‑year‑old man was jailed for ten years after he entered his neighbour's home, raped her at knife point, threatened to kill her and her family, and forced her to drive to a park where he alternated between threats and suicidal talk. He later drove her to a Garda station, where she reported the assault. The man pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and false imprisonment. The judge described the attack as shocking and violent, noting the victim's severe anxiety and social withdrawal. He imposed a 12‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement highlighted her shattered peace of mind, constant fear, and the lasting effect on her health and sense of safety. The defence argued the offence was out of character and urged consideration of the man's remorse and guilty plea. The court accepted the plea and the psychological evidence presented.
Thomas Kavanagh, a 66‑year‑old former taxi driver, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing three girls over a period from 1979 to 1992. He began molesting a girl aged five to seven, later raping her until she was 17, and similarly abused two other girls from ages eight and seven. The court heard that Kavanagh manipulated and controlled the victims, describing the abuse as "normal" and providing money for abortions. Victims testified that they felt isolated, confused, and feared disbelief. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to 57 counts, and a jury convicted him of 26 rapes, seven indecent assaults and one sexual assault. He has no prior convictions and accepted the verdict, with no intention to appeal. The sentence was back‑dated to February, when he was taken into custody.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 44‑year‑old Kildare man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting and raping his step‑daughter over a period of more than seven years. The victim, a 24‑year‑old woman, testified that the abuse began when she was 12 and escalated to regular rape from age 15. She described the man as a former husband of her mother, who had married her mother after meeting her. The jury found him guilty on 17 counts of sexual assault between 2004 and 2007 and 16 counts of rape between 2008 and 2011. During the trial the defendant denied the allegations, claiming the victim fabricated the claims. Judge Deirdre Murphy imposed concurrent sentences totalling 12 years, suspended the final two years, and noted the profound impact on the victim's life, including severe depression, anxiety, and ongoing nightmares.
In a Dublin murder case, Eric Locke, aged 35, was found guilty of strangling his ex‑girlfriend Sonia Blount, aged 31, at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke lured Blount to the hotel using a fake Facebook profile and, after a confrontation, strangled her with his hands and the cable of her phone charger, forcing her t‑shirt into her mouth and breaking her teeth. He had previously pleaded not guilty but admitted causing her death. The Central Criminal Court jury deliberated for 1 hour 33 minutes before delivering a unanimous guilty verdict. Locke was remanded in custody for sentencing, where a mandatory life sentence will be imposed.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old nurse Greta Dudko was convicted of murder after killing her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. Dudko admitted striking her mother's head against a wall and then hitting her twice with a glass bottle, resulting in blunt‑force trauma. She had an alcohol problem and was on several medications at the time. The trial also revealed that Dudko had been suspended from her nursing job for intoxication and that she and her mother had moved out of the shared home weeks before the murder. Dudko's defence argued lack of intent due to intoxication and a partial defence of provocation. The jury found her guilty of murder by a 11‑1 majority. She will appeal her conviction on 10 November, as set by the Court of Appeal.".
In May 2014, a 43‑year‑old man raped and assaulted his wife in their home, threatening to cut her face and to kill her the next day over the phone. He also pleaded guilty to attempting serious harm to her and assaulting her mother during a hammer attack outside the mother's Dublin home on 7 August 2014. A jury of eleven men and one woman convicted him of rape and the threats, but could not reach a verdict on other assault counts. In July 2015, the Central Criminal Court sentenced him to 12 years for rape, suspending the final two years, and imposed lesser concurrent sentences for the other counts. On 22 May 2017, the Court of Appeal set 31 October 2017 as the date for his appeal against conviction, with the defendant absent from the procedural hearing.
The jury has begun deliberating in the Central Criminal Court trial of 35‑year‑old Eric Locke, who is charged with murdering his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, in a room at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke, who lives in St John's Park East, Clondalkin, pleaded not guilty but admitted causing Blount's death. He strangled her with his hands and the cable of her phone charger, and pushed her t‑shirt into the back of her mouth. Locke claims he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time, a defence that could reduce the charge from murder to manslaughter if successful. Judge Michael Moriarty explained that a successful diminished‑responsibility defence would not give a full acquittal but would lower the offence. The judge also noted that Locke had dressed Blount after killing her, a fact that may be relevant to the jury.
A 58‑year‑old man from County Carlow was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for two counts of indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old nephew between October 1985 and March 1986. The nephew, now 40, said the abuse began with unwanted touching and kissing and escalated to mutual masturbation, oral and anal rape while his grandmother was hospitalised. He reported the abuse to the Gardaí after a suicide attempt, and later told his partner and family what had happened. The court noted the severe impact on the victim's life, the 31‑year gap since the offences, and the accused's deteriorating health. The judge imposed concurrent sentences and ordered two years of post‑release supervision. The accused was acquitted of eight further counts of indecent assault. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
Mark Nash is to appeal one of his murder convictions in the Court of Appeal. Nash was convicted in 2015 of murdering two women whose bodies were discovered in sheltered accommodation in Dublin in 1997. The 44-year-old had pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Central Criminal Court but was found unanimously guilty and received a mandatory life sentence in April 2015. Nash is already serving a life sentence imposed in October 1998 for a separate double murder committed in Ballintober, County Roscommon, and for seriously injuring a woman in August 1997. The Court of Appeal fixed 7 November as the date for the appeal hearing, which is expected to last three days.
David Mahon, aged 46, will appeal the seven‑year sentence imposed for the manslaughter of Dean Fitzpatrick, 23, his partner's son. The incident occurred on 26 May 2013 when Mahon stabbed Fitzpatrick in the abdomen outside the apartment shared with Fitzpatrick's mother, Audrey, on Burnell Square, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin. The trial, held over two weeks, found Mahon not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, with the State arguing he was drunk, angry and intent on killing. Mahon claimed the death was accidental or a possible suicide, asserting Fitzpatrick had walked into the knife during an argument. Justice Margaret Heneghan sentenced him on 13 June 2016. In the Court of Appeal, Justice George Birmingham set 23 October as the date for Mahon's appeal against the sentence. Mahon was represented by Tony Collier Solicitors and two trial counsel, and had been granted legal aid for the appeal. David Mahon was found guilty.
A 30‑year‑old Cork man was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping his former partner, a sentence to be served consecutively to a term he is already serving for a separate rape. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of one count of oral rape and assault causing harm after he raped the woman at their home on 8 September 2013. He had pleaded guilty to the offences. The victim, who could not be named, gave a lengthy impact statement describing the fear she lived in for three years after the rape and the ways the man tried to regain control over her while she was under a barring order. She recounted how he moved close to her, called Gardaí falsely, and made her feel trapped. The court noted the profound effect of the offences on her life.
A 66-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for sexual offences against his grand-niece committed between 1992 and 1994. The man was found guilty after jury trial of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape that occurred at locations in Donegal and Dublin when the victim was a child. Justice Margaret Heneghan described the offences as an "enormous and gross breach of trust", noting the defendant had exerted significant control over a young, vulnerable victim. The judge observed he had demonstrated no remorse. The woman's victim impact statement detailed lasting psychological harm including panic attacks, anxiety and depression, with effects extending to her family relationships and ability to work. The defence had submitted testimonials regarding the defendant's previously unblemished character and referenced his wife's health difficulties and dependence upon him. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Eric Locke, 35, who strangled his ex‑girlfriend Sonia Blount in a Tallaght hotel room on 16 February 2014, was fully aware of the wrongness of his actions and could control himself, rejecting any claim of diminished responsibility. The defence presented three psychiatrists, including Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill, who diagnosed Locke with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, asserting a mental disorder underpinned the case. The prosecution dismissed Dr Ó Domhnaill's testimony as unreliable and questioned his competence, while the defence highlighted Locke's history of mental health issues, suicide attempts, and treatment at Pieta House. The jury was instructed to consider whether the alleged disorder substantially reduced Locke's responsibility for the murder. The judge would charge the jury on Monday. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Eric Locke, a psychiatrist testified that Locke, 35, was motivated by retribution and extreme anger when he strangled and suffocated his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, 31, at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. The psychiatrist, Dr Francis Kelly, stated that Locke did not suffer from a mental illness at the time of the offence and that his alleged autism symptoms were described in a textbook‑like manner, which he found unconvincing. He described Locke as having an anankastic personality disorder and a history of depressive symptoms, but argued that these did not impair his capacity to form intent. Dr Kelly concluded that Locke's elaborate planning, purchase of restraint items, and post‑killing actions demonstrated clear consciousness and intent, and that any mental disorder was not severe enough to support a diminished responsibility defence. The case remains at the trial stage.
In the Central Criminal Court, Dr Richard Bunn, a forensic psychiatrist, testified that Eric Locke, 35, had planned the murder of his ex‑girlfriend Sonia Blount, 31, in a Tallaght hotel room on 16 February 2014. Bunn agreed with the State that Locke had engaged in a great degree of planning, that the strangulation was intentional, and that Locke had lied to protect himself. He also noted that Locke's responsibility was diminished by his mental state, citing an adjustment disorder, borderline personality traits, pervasive developmental disorder and ADHD. Locke had been confined in a padded cell wearing a poncho after being moved from solitary to group housing, where he reacted badly to the change. The trial will continue with the jury hearing the prosecution's rebuttal witness tomorrow morning.
In the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, 36, but admitted to killing her. The prosecution, represented by senior counsel Thomas Creed, argued that Murphy was Dunlea's boyfriend and that he wanted to be with her "24 hours a day", describing the relationship as suffocating. Ann Power, Dunlea's sister, testified that she felt Murphy wanted her sister all to himself and that he was "besotted" with her. Power recounted a night‑time call from Dunlea that she could not answer, and that Murphy told her the house was on fire and shouted at her to "fuck off". Witnesses described a tense taxi ride from the Rochestown Inn to Dunlea's home, where Murphy appeared upset. Garda John Forde reported that Dunlea's body lay face down in a double bed, with two separate fires at the house that were unrelated.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, aged 36, but admitted to killing her. The prosecution, represented by senior counsel Thomas Creed, outlined that on 16 February 2013, Murphy and Dunlea had been drinking at the Rochestown Inn before taking a taxi home. Taxi driver Michael Ahern testified that Murphy entered the cab, appeared upset, and that Dunlea was in a cheerful mood. Ahern described Murphy as "boiling up inside" and noted tension in the vehicle. He also mentioned that Dunlea had spoken about another driver supposedly picking them up. The trial proceeded with a jury of seven men and five women under Judge Patrick McCarthy. The Director of Public Prosecutions had not accepted Murphy's guilty plea to manslaughter.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Eric Locke, Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill testified that it was "entirely possible" that Locke had intentionally killed Sonia Blount, a 31‑year‑old mother‑of‑one who was found strangled and suffocated in a Plaza Hotel room in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. The psychiatrist, who had diagnosed Locke with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, ADHD, autism and Asperger's Syndrome, argued that Locke's mental state gave him "diminished responsibility" for the killing. He also described Locke as a compulsive liar and noted that Locke had used a fake Facebook profile to arrange a meeting with Blount. Dr Ó Domhnaill agreed that Locke's messages to Blount about leaving a keycard at reception showed an element of planning, but he maintained that Locke had not intended to kill her, only to silence her. The prosecution cross‑examined him on these points, and the trial continues before a jury. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, aged 36, but admitted killing her. The prosecution, represented by senior counsel Thomas Creed, outlined that on 16 February 2013, Murphy and Dunlea had been drinking at the Rochestown Inn, then returned to her home where a fight reportedly occurred. Murphy allegedly left Dunlea at her front door and later returned, claiming he had "snapped." He allegedly grabbed a knife from a bed and stabbed Dunlea multiple times. Firefighters found a body with six stab wounds; the State Pathologist concluded Dunlea died from a neck wound or inhalation of toxic fumes. Murphy's clothing at the scene did not match his statement, and he was arrested on suspicion of murder. The trial continues before a jury of 12.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Eric Locke, Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill, a psychiatrist, confirmed that Locke had used a fake Facebook profile to arrange a meeting with his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght. He agreed that Locke sent several messages to Blount asking her to leave a keycard for the room at reception, an action he said was intended to prevent her from seeing through the peephole. Dr Ó Domhnaill testified that this constituted an element of planning. He also diagnosed Locke with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, noting signs of ADHD, autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and argued that Locke's mental state gave him diminished responsibility for the killing. Locke, 35, is charged with Blount's murder, which occurred on 16 February 2014, and has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution's cross‑examination focused on the significance of the keycard messages and the planning they implied.
In a 2017 trial, Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill testified that Eric Locke, a 35‑year‑old from Clondalkin, had a chronic pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified, including ADHD, autism and Asperger's syndrome. He described Locke's early autistic behaviours, his many short‑lived jobs, and his tendency to attribute human qualities to action figures. Dr Ó Domhnaill also noted a childhood urethral condition that had been surgically attempted but left a deformity, which had led to female taunts and a mistrust of women. He concluded that Locke's mental state meant he had diminished responsibility for the killing of 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount, whom he strangled and suffocated in a hotel room in Tallaght on 16 February 2014 after meeting her via a fake Facebook profile. The psychiatrist said Locke had not intended to kill her, only to tie her to a chair and force her to listen to his suffering, and that he had panicked when she screamed.
Denis Nolan, a former priest aged 64, was sentenced to eight years in prison for six counts of oral rape, defilement and sexual assault of a boy aged 10‑11 between 2005 and 2006. He had previously been convicted of sexually abusing another child in 2006 and was defrocked. The court found Nolan had groomed the victim by offering garden work and paying him €10‑€15, later increasing the amount after abuse began. He made inappropriate remarks about puberty, encouraged online sexual content, and progressed to fondling, oral rape and assault in his home, the presbytery and a car. The final rape in the presbytery caused injury requiring surgery. The victim, now 24, suffered PTSD, anxiety, depression and ongoing health problems. Nolan will serve his sentence concurrently with a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The case was prosecuted by Conor Devally SC and defended by Conor McKenna BL. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.
In a Central Criminal Court case, Keith Aherne, aged 23, was found guilty of raping a woman in a Cork city park on 28 June 2013. The victim, who had been drinking with friends, fell asleep and was later held down by Aherne while another man raped her. Aherne denied the charge. The court heard that the other man, aged 22, had pleaded guilty but had died before sentencing. Aherne, who has 41 prior convictions including robbery, assault and drug possession, was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to 29 May. The victim's impact statement, read by Garda Sergeant Katrine Tansley, described her post‑rape depression, hair‑pulling condition, loss of confidence and the distress caused by Aherne's actions. The court noted that Aherne attempted to comfort the victim after the assault, but the victim remained in tears. The case is set for sentencing later this month.
A 41‑year‑old Cork man was convicted by a jury of 26 counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempted rape and 64 counts of raping his step‑daughter between May 2008 and November 2015. The offences, almost all committed in the family home while the girl was aged nine to fifteen, included forced masturbation, an attempted rape during a holiday and repeated rapes at the house. The abuse ended when the girl left the home after a November 2015 rape, disclosed the events to her aunt, and a semen swab taken from her body tested positive for the man's DNA. The court adjourned finalisation until 29 May to allow the judge to consider an appropriate sentence. The victim's impact statement described the abuse as devastating, profoundly affecting her confidence, self‑esteem and daily life. The defendant denied the allegations and claimed his semen could have come from a bed where he had sex with the victim's mother.
An 83‑year‑old father from Clare was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of indecent assault on his son at the family home between 1977 and 1979. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim's identity, had previously been convicted of sexual abuse of other family members, including a seven‑year sentence for rape and indecent assault of a niece and a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for indecent assault of his daughters. In his victim impact statement he accused his father of stealing his childhood, education and life, saying he had never felt truly safe. Justice Deirdre Murphy, after reflecting on the case, imposed consecutive sentences totalling four years, noting that the maximum penalty available at the time of the offences was only two years and was not commensurate with the crime.
In the Central Criminal Court, the trial of 35‑year‑old Eric Locke, charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount, has revealed that Locke had a history of ADHD, autism and Asperger's Syndrome. He also suffered a birth defect involving his urethra, which had been unsuccessfully corrected surgically and led to scarring. According to psychiatrist Dr Sean O'Domhnaill, Locke's early life was marked by autistic behaviours such as hand‑flapping and high‑pitched shrieks, and he had held more than 20 jobs in a decade, a pattern typical of ADHD. O'Domhnaill also noted that Locke had developed a mistrust of women after being taunted by several females about his birth defect. The prosecution's case was closed, while Locke pleaded not guilty and admitted to strangling Blount after meeting her via a fake Facebook profile at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of Darren Murphy, 40, of Passage West, who is charged with murdering Olivia Dunlea, 36, at her home in Pembroke Crescent, Passage West, on 17 February 2013. Murphy was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Tom Creed SC, rejected the plea. Judge Patrick McCarthy directed the jury to return to the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for a two‑week trial expected to begin tomorrow.
A Dublin man, Gary Walsh, 32, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of former rugby club captain Cathal Sweeney, who died after a row at a Terenure flat on 8 February 2014. Walsh had previously faced two jury trials that ended in hung juries. At a brief hearing, he pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He has spent 22 months in custody, is now on bail, and has complied with all bail conditions. The court adjourned sentencing to 3 July to allow Walsh to complete a bus‑driving course and to hear the victim's family statement.
In 2013, a 30‑year‑old man raped his former partner in their Cork home. He was found guilty in February 2014 and later jailed for raping another woman. The victim, who remains unnamed, described living in fear for three years after the assault, during which the man tried to regain control without breaching a barring order. She recounted moving to a new apartment, the man working nearby, and repeatedly crossing a bridge at the same time as her for six weeks. He also called Gardaí with false claims, causing alarm at her family home. The victim endured physical injury, emotional trauma, and a sense of imprisonment in her own home. She sought counselling and support after the incident. The court considered whether to impose a consecutive sentence to his existing term, with counsel arguing for or against it based on his prior convictions and background.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, 35‑year‑old Eric Locke is charged with murdering 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount, who was found strangled and suffocated in a room at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke, who lives in Clondalkin, pleaded not guilty but admitted causing Blount's death. He told Gardaí that he had set up a fake Facebook account to meet her, purchased a pellet gun, a Stanley knife and cable ties, and used a keycard left at reception to enter the room. Locke claimed he only intended to frighten her, not kill her, and that he had used his hands and briefly a phone charger cable during the strangulation. He denied rape, said he had attempted suicide before surrendering, and expressed remorse for the impact on Blount's three‑year‑old son. The case is before Mr Justice Michael Moriarty and a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Ger Hogan (34) and Dylan Hayes (22) stabbed Shane Murphy (26) 23 times at his girlfriend's house in Pallasgreen on 30 April 2015. Witnesses, including Sharon Kelly, the deceased's partner, testified that both men attacked Murphy, with Hogan striking him with an ash tray and the pair later stabbing him again while Kelly tried to protect her boyfriend. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan described 23 stab wounds and numerous bruises, indicating a frenzied assault. Prosecutor Paul Burns argued the evidence proved guilt, while defense counsel for Hayes, Mark Nicholas, claimed he admitted the killing but should be found guilty of manslaughter due to loss of self‑control, citing provocation and Hayes's background. Defense counsel for Hogan, Michael Bowman, challenged the reliability of Kelly's testimony and the scientific evidence linking Hogan to the wounds, urging an acquittal. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, 35‑year‑old Eric Locke is charged with killing 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount in a Plaza Hotel room on 16 February 2014. The court heard that Locke had tried to hack Blount's Facebook and email accounts a week before the murder, and that she had described him as a "whack job" to a friend. Locke pleaded not guilty but admitted causing Blount's death, which was found strangled and suffocated. He had threatened suicide when their relationship ended in January 2014 and exchanged messages with Blount about his health. The jury heard that Locke had created a fake identity to meet Blount, arranged a meeting for sex, and that he left the hotel around 5.40 am before her body was discovered. The trial is before Mr Justice Michael Moriarty with a jury of eight men and four women.
In a 2017 Court of Appeal decision, a 40‑year‑old rapist lost an appeal against his conviction for two rapes, two anal rapes and assault. The Central Criminal Court had sentenced him to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The appeal centred on the defendant's attempt to introduce sexually explicit images from the victim's phone as evidence. The trial judge had ruled the images irrelevant and refused to admit them. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found no basis for the images to meet the statutory relevance requirement, reaffirming the victim's right to privacy. The court dismissed all grounds of appeal and upheld the conviction and sentence. No further procedural steps were indicated in the article. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 49-year-old man from Longford has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to seven charges of sexual abuse against four of his nieces. The charges included three counts of anal rape and one of sexual assault committed between 2001 and 2010, when the victims were aged seven, nine and 16 years old. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed consecutive sentences and ordered five years post-release supervision. The court heard that the earliest abuse occurred around the time of one victim's First Holy Communion, which the judge described as particularly poignant given its associations with innocence. The judge noted the offences represented a grave breach of trust by the accused as their uncle. Victim impact statements detailed lasting trauma, including panic attacks, sleep disturbance and psychological damage. The defence outlined the accused man's significant cognitive limitations and poor educational background.
In the Limerick murder trial, a jury will hear closing speeches tomorrow after Justice Patrick McCarthy announced a legal matter to be considered overnight. He explained that the evidence phase for Ger Hogan (34) and Dylan Hayes (22) is complete, and the next step is the defence and prosecution to present their closing arguments. The men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Shane Murphy, who was stabbed 23 times, including a heart wound, at The Grove, Pallasgreen, on 30 April 2015. The trial is held at the Central Criminal Court.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of 35‑year‑old Eric Locke, the jury heard that DNA matching Locke was found under the fingernails of his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, who was strangled and suffocated in a room at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with her murder. The prosecution presented evidence that a man matching Locke's description left the scene with facial scrapes and that Locke had sent text messages to Blount after their breakup, pleading for a second chance while she asked to be left alone. Forensic scientist Marce Lee Gorman confirmed a DNA profile matching Blount on Locke's bloodstained jeans and on her fingernails. The trial, which continues on Thursday, remains at the jury stage with eight men and four women.
The murder trial of Ger Hogan and Dylan Hayes, who are accused of killing Shane Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen, Co Limerick on April 30, 2015, continues at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charge. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Murphy died from a knife wound to the heart during a "violent and frenzied" attack, which also caused 22 other stab wounds and injuries to his lungs, throat, and liver. She noted that 22 wounds were caused by a single-edged knife, while one was likely caused by a knife or screwdriver tip. The court heard that gardai found a blood-stained screwdriver at the scene containing the blood of both the deceased and Hogan. In interviews, Hayes allegedly admitted to stabbing Murphy after a dispute, while Hogan claimed he tried to break up a fight and received a cut on his hand while pulling a knife from someone. The trial is ongoing before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
The trial of Dylan Hayes and Ger Hogan, who are accused of the murder of Shane Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, on April 30, 2015, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants, aged 22 and 34 respectively, have pleaded not guilty to the charge. Detective Garda John O'Connell testified that Mr Hayes was interviewed eight times at Henry Street Garda Station. During the seventh interview, Mr Hayes allegedly stated that he stabbed Mr Murphy in the chest and stomach after a dispute in which Mr Murphy allegedly called him a "junkie" and accused him of "goofing off." Mr Hayes indicated to gardai where he claimed to have stabbed the deceased, stating, "I stabbed him there and there," while later asserting, "I didn't kill him." The court heard these allegations as part of the ongoing proceedings. The matter is currently before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of five women and seven men. The trial continues this afternoon.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 May 2017, Dylan Hayes, aged 22, admitted to stabbing Shane Murphy but denied killing him. Hayes, from The Crescent, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick, and co‑accused Ger Hogan, 34, of Raheen Square, Ballinacurra Weston, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen, on 30 April 2015. Hayes first denied any role in the fight that led to Murphy's death, but in a third interview he said, "I stabbed him lads. I'm sorry. Everything I told you is lies." He claimed to have stabbed Murphy three times—twice in the arm and once in the upper leg—before being stopped by Jodie Byrnes. Hayes said Murphy was still alive when he left, that Murphy had hit him back, and that he feared a life sentence for an act he did not commit.
A 60‑year‑old Laois man was convicted of anal rape of a 34‑year‑old woman at her home on 10 October 2010. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty after a five‑day trial and Judge Deirdre Murphy sentenced him to seven‑and‑a‑half years on 29 February 2016. He appealed the conviction but lost. He successfully appealed the sentence, arguing that the judge had not stated the discount for mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice John Edwards, reduced the sentence by 18 months, citing the man's good behaviour in prison, first‑time offender status and positive character. The final imposed term was six years imprisonment, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody. The appeal also addressed a brief incident where the accused spoke to a juror at a Luas stop, which the court found did not warrant discharging the jury.
During a 2017 trial, evidence was presented that a violent struggle occurred in a Dublin hotel room where 35‑year‑old Eric Locke allegedly strangled and suffocated 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount. The jury saw CCTV footage of Locke leaving the hotel hours before Blount's body was found on the floor, with an imitation firearm, cable ties, duct tape, and a blood‑stained top stuffed into her mouth. Garda testimony described ligature marks around her neck, a gag that damaged her teeth, and a black duct tape and phone charger near the body. The State Pathologist testified that death was caused by asphyxia from neck compression and suffocation due to the gag, noting bruising and scratches indicating a struggle. Locke pleaded not guilty, and the trial continued with a jury of eight men and four women.
A 58‑year‑old man from Co. Carlow was convicted by a jury of two counts of indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old nephew between October 1985 and March 1986. The nephew, now 40, told the court that the abuse began with inappropriate touching and unwanted kissing when they were alone, and escalated after the uncle appeared to comfort him during his grandmother's illness. The nephew later lived with another relative and did not report the abuse for years. The accused denied the allegations when interviewed by Gardaí. He was acquitted of eight further counts of indecent assault. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 May. The nephew described the abuse as a source of pain that led him to drink, use drugs, and attempt suicide, but he has since sought counselling and is working to heal. The accused, now a grandfather, was described as in relatively poor health and having left school early.
A 64‑year‑old former priest, who has been defrocked, is set to be sentenced for raping and sexually assaulting a boy he paid to work in his garden in County Wicklow between January 2005 and September 2006. The boy, who was about 13 at the time, was paid €10–€15 for gardening work, a sum that rose after the abuse began. The priest first made inappropriate remarks about the boy's puberty, then fondled him, and later carried out oral rape and sexual assault in the priest's bedroom, a presbytery, and a car. The final rape in a presbytery caused injury that required surgery and left the boy with ongoing health problems. The boy, now 24, has suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and panic, and has expressed feeling "almost impossible" to live. He reports difficulty holding a job, avoiding social events, and feeling he does not fit in. The unnamed 64-year-old was found guilty.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, forensic scientist Sandra McGrath presented DNA evidence linking the deceased, Shane Murphy, and one of the accused, Ger Hogan, to a screwdriver found at the murder scene. The screwdriver, a standard Phillips head with a black and yellow handle, bore blood stains on its tip, along its length, and on the handle. McGrath's DNA profiles matched both Hogan and Murphy, with a one‑in‑a‑billion chance of the samples originating from an unknown person. Additional blood stains from a serrated steak knife and from Dylan Hayes's coat and trousers also matched Murphy's DNA. CCTV footage showed Hogan visiting a local Centra on the day before the murder, purchasing alcohol, and returning the next day. The trial, with a jury of five women and seven men, continued under Justice Patrick McCarthy. Ger Hogan pleaded not guilty. Dylan Hayes pleaded not guilty.
A woman who endured sexual abuse as a child has described feeling imprisoned by the trauma throughout her life. The victim gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court following the conviction of a 66-year-old man on five offences committed in county Donegal and Dublin between 1992 and 1994. The man was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape after a jury trial. In her victim impact statement, the woman outlined how the abuse began when she was approximately ten years old and escalated to rape when she was twelve. She told the court of enduring panic attacks, anxiety, depression and flashbacks in adulthood, which have affected her relationships and employment. The woman also described becoming hypervigilant regarding her own children's safety. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan adjourned the case to 19 May for sentencing. The defence presented character references and highlighted the defendant's lack of previous convictions and his wife's health dependence on him. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 murder trial, a 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Eric Locke, was accused of strangling 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount in a Plaza Hotel room in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke had assumed a false identity, presenting himself as Shane Cully, to meet Blount after their brief relationship ended. He brought cable ties, masking tape and a realistic‑looking airgun to the room, items he claimed were intended to overpower her. Blount was found lying on the floor with a garment in her mouth, having died of asphyxiation and strangulation. Locke pleaded not guilty but his defence admitted he caused her death. The prosecution argued he strangled her after panicking when she saw the items, while the defence sought to establish diminished responsibility. The jury was instructed to consider Locke's mental state and the evidence of their communications. The trial was scheduled to last about two weeks.
Tadhg Butler, 36, of Seafield, Tramore, was convicted of murdering Michael O'Dwyer, 25, at Butler's home on 10 January 2014. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty after a 2‑hour 26‑minute trial and sentenced him to mandatory life imprisonment on 15 May 2015. During the trial, Butler dismissed his legal team on day six and cross‑examined his cousin, Patrick O'Grady, a key prosecution witness, in what the judge called an "exceptional situation." Butler later claimed he had changed his defence, suggesting the stabbing was accidental, but the witness rejected this proposition and no evidence was presented to support it. Butler has now filed an appeal on several grounds, with the Court of Appeal reserving judgment. The appeal is pending, and no further procedural developments are reported in the article. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin court, Vesel Jahiri, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Anna Finnegan, 25, who had fled to a women's refuge after enduring abuse. Jahiri also received a four‑year sentence for assaulting Anna's brother Karl. The trial highlighted Jahiri's violent conduct, including an assault on the prosecution lawyer, and his refusal to listen to the victim impact statement. Lisa Finnegan, Anna's sister, delivered a powerful statement about the terror her family endured and called for stronger legal protection for women in abusive relationships. The judge, Paul Coffey, noted the severity of the crime and the need for safety measures for victims. The sentencing underscored the court's commitment to holding perpetrators accountable for violent domestic abuse. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.