The sentencing hearing for former Terenure College rugby coach and teacher John McClean, aged 75, began at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 10 February 2021. McClean, who pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990, is remanded on bail. The hearing will span two days, with the possibility of extending into Friday, and will include victim impact statements from some of the adult complainants. The case involves three separate books of evidence.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Dean McAuley to two years' imprisonment for assault causing harm, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. McAuley, 28, pleaded guilty to fracturing the nose of his then-partner, Rachel Williams, at Kingswood LUAS Stop in Tallaght on September 13, 2019. Prosecution evidence alleged that after an argument over a broken wine bottle, McAuley punched Williams in the face, struck her with his knee while she was on the ground, and punched her again, leaving her bleeding heavily. Although McAuley initially denied the assault to gardaí, he later apologized to the victim. Judge Martin Nolan noted McAuley's five previous convictions, including violent behavior in a garda station, and described the incident as a serious offense driven by alcohol. However, the judge acknowledged McAuley's potential for reform and his current homelessness. The effective custody period is six months, as the remaining 18 months are suspended. Judge Nolan stated that a more substantial criminal record would have resulted in a lesser deduction from the sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentencing.
A 21‑year‑old man, Shane Chubb, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse with a 16‑year‑old boy he met on Tinder and to one count of assault. The boy, a virgin, met Chubb at the latter's home, where they had sex. The next day the boy returned, and Chubb assaulted him, biting him and causing pain. The boy later reported the incident to Gardaí and did not attend the sentencing hearing. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting Chubb's background and guilty plea, imposed a two‑year prison term, suspended the second year, and required Chubb to cease using Tinder and engage with Probation Services. The sentence was one year of custody, with conditions aimed at preventing future offences. The case highlights the seriousness of sexual offences involving minors.
Przemyslaw Goska, 33, a Polish national, was sentenced to six years in prison for possession of MDMA worth €506,000 and cocaine worth €68,300. The drugs were found in his rented Kildare home and in a car he was driving. Goska admitted to transporting the drugs from "point A to point B" and claimed he was promised money for holding them. He said he had no intention of bringing the cocaine into the house, only to pick up clothes. Gardaí interviewed him ten times; he cooperated but was too afraid to give further information. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally took into account his cooperation, guilty pleas, and family hardship, and imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour and leaving Ireland within 14 days of release.
Paul Heaney, aged 37, and Gareth Mallon, aged 39, carried out a robbery near the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin on 21 October 2019. Mallon, who held a realistic imitation firearm, approached an Italian student, pointed the gun at his legs, and demanded money. Heaney, unarmed and wearing a tissue over his face, joined the assault. The student handed over €60, after which Mallon pointed the gun at a teacher who screamed. A second teacher intervened and the two robbers fled. Heaney voluntarily presented himself at a Garda station a few days later and pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 51 prior convictions. Mallon was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in December. Heaney's sentencing is scheduled for next month, with the court noting his remorse and desire for rehabilitation. The case was highlighted on the Joe Duffy radio show and the Liveline programme.
Kevin Brosnan, 40, pleaded guilty to a robbery at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on 2 April 2020. He entered the shop armed with a knife, removed his mask and shouted "Coronavirus" at a security guard, using a racial slur and threatening to kill the guard. He demanded the till be opened, claiming to be HIV positive, and repeatedly threatened the guard as the guard tried to block him. A public witness reported the incident, leading to Brosnan's arrest. He was found with €630, which was returned to the shop. Brosnan had 82 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, knife possession and affray. The court ordered a Probation Service report and adjourned the matter for finalisation on 23 March. The judge noted Brosnan's remorse and the contrast between his sober demeanor and his actions during the offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 29‑year‑old Jehovah's Witness admitted to sexually exploiting a 13‑year‑old girl. The court heard that in 2016 the man and the girl exchanged Viber messages, including sexually explicit images of the child. The abuse was discovered when the girl's older sister found the messages on a shared computer and alerted their mother. The man claimed he was "sexually naive in the extreme" because of the strict sexual mores of his religion, which forbids any contact beyond kissing or hugging before marriage. He said he had reported his actions to church elders and was excommunicated. Gardaí noted the man had only met the girl once in a public place and that they had only kissed and hugged. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 18 February. The court emphasized the seriousness of the matter and the significant age disparity.
James Tracey, 32, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for pointing a realistic imitation firearm at a cash‑in‑transit van driver during a robbery on 6 January 2020. The incident occurred near an Aldi branch in Clonee, Co. Meath, where Tracey forced the driver to drop a cash box containing €27,000. Tracey pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery and robbery of a cash box. He fled the scene, was apprehended by Garda Emergency Response Unit members, and the cash was recovered in full. The court noted the victim's severe shock and ongoing anxiety. Tracey's defence cited financial hardship and alleged drug debt, but the judge found no evidence of a drug problem. The judge accepted Tracey's remorse, assessed him as moderately likely to reoffend, and suspended the final two years of a seven‑year sentence on the condition of post‑release supervision for two years.
In February 2020, a mother‑of‑one, Tanya Breen, 30, and a Dublin bus driver, Laurence Keane, 42, were arrested after Gardaí discovered bundles of cash in a Kia Sportage and at Breen's home. The pair were charged with possession of €59,710 in proceeds of crime, linked to drug trafficking. Both pleaded guilty. Breen's lawyer argued she was a single mother struggling with bills and that the money was offered by community members. Keane's counsel highlighted his long employment with Dublin Bus and family responsibilities. Judge Elma Sheahan found no threat or compulsion, deeming the offence a "lifestyle choice" with high culpability. She sentenced Breen to 3½ years, suspending the final six months on a 12‑month good‑behaviour condition, and Keane to 2½ years, similarly suspended. The case was prosecuted under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, 2010.
Dean Masterson, 34, a father of three with a history of serious convictions, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to defraud a bank by submitting false documents in a mortgage application. He sought a €220,000 loan to buy a family home, but bank staff detected the falsities and no money was disbursed. Masterson pleaded guilty to deception and five counts of using false instruments, having provided a fake salary certificate, payslip, P60 and two bank statements. The court noted his prior convictions for robbery, attempted robbery and theft between 2004 and 2012, and that he had not been convicted since 2016. Judge Pauline Codd highlighted the premeditation and deliberation involved, describing the offence as "fairly sophisticated" and imposing a four‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions.
Desmond McGrath, aged 50, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for his role in a violent forced eviction that took place on 9 June 2015 at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. McGrath, who claimed he was attending a job interview for security work, was part of a gang of seven men that included convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare. The gang falsely imprisoned the Byrne family, assaulted security guard John Roche, and inflicted injuries on Martin Byrne, who sustained fractures to his forearm and nasal bone. McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment, and his sentence was suspended for 12 months on strict conditions. The court noted his guilty plea, remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate from drug and alcohol addiction as mitigating factors. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge distinguishing McGrath's conduct from that of the ringleaders. The Byrne family remains in the Witness Protection Programme.
Two Romanian‑origin gang members were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for creating and using fake credit cards. Daniel Almajanu, 35, fabricated 65 counterfeit cards with a card reader/writer machine and supplied them to Albert Gimy Linul, 29, who used the cards to purchase and resell cartons of cigarettes in Dublin shops. The fraud stemmed from a "deep insert skimmer" operation in the UK that captured HSBC customer details. Linul pleaded guilty to 60 fraudulent cards, eight card‑use offences, ten thefts and two attempted thefts, while Almajanu pleaded guilty to 53 cards, 65 card‑making offences and possession of a specialised laptop. Linul received a three‑year term and Almajanu a four‑year, four‑month term, both back‑dated to their custody dates. The judge described the case as an offshoot of a sophisticated international fraud scheme.
Jordan Ward, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of €35,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply. He had 20 prior convictions and faced a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Pauline Codd, after hearing evidence, departed from the minimum and sentenced him to four years in prison, fully suspended on strict conditions. Ward must remain under Probation Service supervision for two years and comply with all terms or face the four‑year custodial sentence. The judge noted Ward was a low‑level drug mule, had not profited, and had shown insight and transformation. He accepted responsibility, wrote an apology letter, and presented evidence of personal change and support from family. The court emphasised the opportunity for rehabilitation and the potential threat if the suspension terms are breached.
Terry Meegan Jr, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an operating sentence of four years and three months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to robbery at a Centra shop in Dalkey on March 10, 2020, as well as trespass, criminal damage, and assault committed in December 2019. Judge Martin Nolan imposed two years and three months for the robbery and two years for the earlier offences, ordered to run consecutively. The robbery involved Edward Andrews, 26, who received a separate sentence of three years and three months in December 2020. The getaway car was driven by Darren Rowe, 35, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for dangerous driving causing death. During the escape, the vehicle struck two pedestrians, resulting in the death of Jacqueline McGovern, 54, and injuries to Audrey Began. Meegan was on bail for the 2019 assault at the time of the robbery. The court acknowledged mitigation including his guilty plea, remorse, and completion of residential drug treatment, but prioritized punishment over rehabilitation given the severity of the crimes.
Leo Fitzpatrick, 21, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for his role as the getaway driver in an attempted armed robbery of Paddocks Pub in Clonee on 11 June 2018. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted driving the vehicle used to flee the scene, though he claimed he was unaware that his accomplice, Robert Cullen, possessed a sawn‑off shotgun. Cullen, 29, had already been sentenced to seven and a half years for the robbery, possession of the firearm and discharging it. Fitzpatrick's sentence was imposed by Judge Pauline Codd, who noted his apparent fright at the shots fired but found it difficult to believe he did not know about the weapon. The sentence was five years, with the final three and a half years suspended on strict conditions.
Kevin Harty, a former national swimmer and lifeguard, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of child pornography. The defendant pleaded guilty to possessing 1,299 video files involving children aged between one and 15 years old at his address in Ballinteer, Dublin, on September 7, 2018. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offence as serious, noting that children were cruelly exploited, though the volume of files was not at the highest level. Harty, who has no previous convictions, has been engaging with therapeutic services since November 2018. Citing concrete evidence that rehabilitation is underway, the Judge sentenced Harty to two years imprisonment but suspended the entirety of the sentence on strict conditions. These conditions require him to continue engaging with therapeutic services. The court heard that Harty was arrested at his workplace after an investigation involving UK authorities identified his laptop as the source of the downloads. Prosecutors noted that while most files were category two, one depicting a baby was category one. Defence counsel highlighted Harty's cooperation, his admission of possession without distribution, and his personal difficulties following the end of a long relationship. Harty has lost his job since his arrest.
Sandra Warren, 45, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended 30‑month imprisonment for robbing a foreign student on O'Curry Avenue, Dublin 8, on 23 May 2016. The student, who had been in Ireland for four days, was led by Warren down a laneway, where Warren seized her bag containing a wallet, bank cards and phone. Warren, who was using drugs and under pressure from a man to obtain money, pleaded guilty. The judge noted Warren's abusive relationship had ended and that she was now in stable accommodation and on methadone. The sentence was suspended for three years on strict conditions, including continued participation in a drug treatment programme. Warren had eight prior convictions for robbery, burglary and theft. The victim was left traumatised, with whiplash injuries, and unable to access funds or contact anyone. The court emphasised the seriousness of the offence against a guest in the country.
In July 2018 a homeless drug addict, Vaidas Pilibaitis, 46, entered the stockroom of a Louis Copeland menswear shop on Pembroke Street, Dublin, and accidentally set fire to a cardboard box of shirts while smoking. The blaze spread, causing nearly €400,000 in damage, and Pilibaitis suffered smoke inhalation and a badly injured arm after breaking a window to escape. He was caught by CCTV, left his rucksack and mobile at the scene, and later claimed no memory of the event. Pilibaitis pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the fire was not intentional but reckless, sentencing him to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting a double sentence would have applied if the damage had been intentional. The case also involved a separate violent disorder charge pending sentencing. The store suffered extensive smoke damage, required repainting and replacement of props, and was closed for about a week.
Adam Dempsey, aged 23, was sentenced to two years in prison after stabbing Defence Forces member Ross Hayden seven times, including five times in the back, while attempting to protect Hayden's girlfriend. The incident occurred on 16 June 2018 at Ardlee Inn, Artane, when Dempsey, who was not involved in the initial pub altercation, approached the group and repeatedly made comments. Hayden's girlfriend asked him to "cop on," leading to a confrontation. Dempsey stabbed Hayden, left, then returned 20–30 seconds later to stab him again. Dempsey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had 15 prior traffic convictions. He was found intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑year sentence, requiring Dempsey to pay €5,000 in compensation to Hayden or a chosen charity. Dempsey is currently serving in the Defence Forces in Kosovo.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old man was given a fully suspended two‑year sentence for wilful neglect of his seven‑year‑old autistic son. The incident occurred on 2 June 2017 at Customs House Harbour, where the boy was found alone in a buggy about 15 feet from the water, not wearing a coat. The father claimed he had left the party with his son, went to a pub to use the toilet, and, in a "bad state" after taking tablets and alcohol, did not see the child again, mistakenly believing his partner had taken them home. Both children have since been taken into care and separated; the younger is in foster care and the older in residential care. The father, who has 13 prior convictions including theft and drug possession, pleaded guilty and expressed deep remorse.
Cillian Cullen, 24, received a fully suspended five‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to impeding the apprehension of a person in a failed gun‑point robbery that took place on 11 June 2018. Cullen joined his older brother Robert Cullen, 29, after the robbery, was present when the getaway car was set on fire, and then left with his brother in a car he had left nearby the night before. The court heard that Cullen's family had been threatened with violence and that they were under pressure due to Robert Cullen's drug debts. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the entire sentence on the basis of Cullen's lack of prior convictions, the exceptional pressures that led him to assist the perpetrators, and his low risk of reoffending as assessed by the Probation Service. The sentence was suspended on the condition that Cullen keep the peace and be of good behaviour for five years.
Mark Caulfield, 45, of Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and cannabis resin for sale or supply at his home on 13 September 2019. Gardaí, acting on a search warrant, found 41 bars of cannabis resin in the kitchen and further cannabis in a shed, totalling €32,969. Caulfield admitted he was holding the drugs to pay a €2,600 debt and said he had no choice. He had four children from a previous relationship and had been caring for them since their mother's suicide. His record includes 13 prior convictions, the last in 2010. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Caulfield's vulnerability and the old nature of his record, imposed a four‑year imprisonment sentence fully suspended on the condition of good behaviour and keeping the peace for four years.
Veronica O'Connor, 41, of Bunratty Road, Coolock, was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of permitting the sale of controlled drugs from her home on 22 February 2017. The house was raided by gardaí, who discovered heroin worth €2,412 and 48 Diazepam tablets. Two non‑residents and O'Connor's two children were present when the police entered, though O'Connor herself was not in the house; she was found in a car outside speaking with her brother. The court noted that O'Connor had two prior convictions for road traffic offences and was on methadone treatment, having relapsed into heroin use. The judge, Martin Nolan, sentenced her to two years imprisonment, suspending the entire term on the condition that she keep the peace and behave well for two years. The children were removed from her care and placed in state care.
An appeal is ongoing regarding the sentence imposed on Derek Lennon (34) of Neagh Road, Terenure, Dublin 6, who was found guilty of dangerous driving following a District Court trial in March 2016. Lennon was banned from driving for six years and sentenced to 90 hours community service. In 2018, Lennon intimidated Niall Fitzgerald, a State witness in the road traffic case, to such an extent that Fitzgerald was too afraid to go to court. Subsequently, Lennon attacked Fitzgerald at his home, using a plank of wood and punching him. Lennon pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of intimidation, criminal damage to two CCTV cameras at the victim's home, assault causing harm, production of a length of wood, and threatening to kill or cause serious harm. He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is appealing the sentence, arguing that it was unduly lenient and did not reflect the gravity of the offences. Counsel for the DPP, Tony McGillicuddy BL, stated that the trial judge had identified a headline sentence of between six and seven years imprisonment. He argued that the sentence imposed on Lennon failed to reflect the seriousness of the offences and that the trial judge should have imposed separate sentences for the witness intimidation charges. The matter is currently before the Court of Appeal, with the court reserving its judgment.
In a 2019 Westlife concert assault, Jackie Walsh, 26, attacked a fellow attendee by grabbing her hair and splitting her ear lobe. The victim, who suffered visible blood and hair on her shorts, received medical treatment and later reported a severe headache. Walsh pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted her intoxication, lack of memory, and that the act was out of character. Walsh had no prior convictions and was dealing with mental health issues. She was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspended in full on the condition of 12 months' probation supervision. She was ordered to transfer €3,000 to the victim within a week. The victim accepted the payment. The case concluded with the court acknowledging Walsh's remorse and the victim's willingness to accept the restitution.
In a Dublin court siege on 20 December 2018, 47‑year‑old Edmond Dunican held a judge, a barrister and his estranged wife hostage with a fake pistol and a hoax pipe bomb. He threatened the barrister, Lisa Daly, with the imitation firearm and wore a device that looked like a bomb around his neck, which he claimed was a pipe bomb he had made at home. The judge, Judge Patricia Ryan, repeatedly urged him to drop the gun and attempted to defuse the situation. A Garda negotiator persuaded Dunican to surrender the gun after a 17‑minute siege that saw the court building evacuated and surrounded by armed Garda units. Dunican pleaded guilty to carrying an imitation firearm with criminal intent. Judge Ryan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspended the final two years on the condition of good behaviour and no contact with the victims, and back‑dated the sentence to the day of the offence.
In a robbery at the Kilbarrack post office, Keith Deegan (33) was left behind by his two accomplices when they fled. Deegan had armed himself with a tow bar wrapped in a towel and entered the shop with two others. The masked men smashed the security glass and separated staff from customers to access the cash. Witnesses described the chaos, with staff scrambling across broken glass to escape. Deegan was found holding €6,463, while the other men took just under €6,000, which remains unrecovered. He pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment, criminal damage to the security glass, and allowing himself to be carried in the stolen car used to reach the post office. With 42 prior convictions, including robbery and drug offences, Deegan was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on the condition of residential drug treatment. The case remains under investigation by the DPP.
A 48‑year‑old Limerick truck driver, Alyvydus Simkus, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading guilty to unlawfully importing €1.6 million worth of ketamine, MDMA and cocaine into Ireland on 31 March 2018. Gardaí said he was paid £50 to transport the drugs, which were found in three white boxes in the cab of his truck at Dublin Port. Simkus, who had no serious convictions before, denied the offence initially but later admitted he was the only person with the key to the cab unit. He claimed he did not know the contents of the boxes and that he expected more payment. The judge accepted his remorse, noted his otherwise decent life, and suspended the final 18 months of a five‑year sentence on the condition of good behaviour.
Llyod Pennant, a 60‑year‑old man from Dundalk diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cannabis and to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 4 June 2019. He had been stopped by customs after disembarking from a ferry, where the cannabis was found in his hand luggage in two bags, valued at €19,800. Pennant claimed he had collected the drugs in the UK for his own use to relieve pain, as he cannot take MS injections when his blood pressure falls. He has 16 prior convictions, including deception and possession of stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan, describing the case as "exceptional", imposed a four‑year prison sentence but suspended the entire term on strict conditions, citing Pennant's medical needs and the difficulty of imprisonment for someone with MS. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time imposed.
During an appeal hearing, Edmund Dunican (47) admitted to one count of carrying an imitation firearm with criminal intent at Smithfield on December 20, 2018. The charges relate to an incident where Dunican held up a judge, a barrister, and his estranged wife with a fake pistol and a hoax pipe bomb during a 'terrifying' siege in a Dublin court. Dunican, a fitter by trade, made the fake bomb at home. The judge in the courtroom refused to leave when Dunican told her she could go, instead repeatedly appealing to him to drop the gun and helping the other two women. The 17-minute siege ended after an armed garda negotiator persuaded Dunican to surrender the gun and let the women go. Dunican pleaded guilty to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. Dunican has no previous convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the matter to next Tuesday, January 26, for sentencing.
Darren Nolan, 28, was called to his home by gardaí after he claimed he had been shot by three balaclava‑wearing men. His mother told officers that he had actually shot himself. A search of Nolan's bedroom revealed a handgun purchased online, over €16,000 of heroin and cocaine, and blood on the floor. Nolan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to recklessly discharging a firearm, possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply, and making a false statement to gardaí. He also had four prior convictions for drink driving. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing twice, first to allow reports to be prepared and then again to direct an updated probation report. The next hearing was set for 11 June 2021. The judge expressed concern about Nolan's perception of a bleak future but also offered encouragement that light exists at the end of a tunnel. The case remains pending.
Patrick Maughan, 21, of Kimmage, was sentenced to three years in prison for a knife‑point robbery of a Domino's pizza delivery driver on 13 February 2018. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the incident as a "frightening threat" and noted that Maughan had claimed it was "just a joke" in an interview with Gardaí. He had previously been convicted of four road traffic offences. The judge suspended the final two years of a five‑year sentence on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and a domestic violence programme. Maughan's family were described as "disgusted" by his actions. The delivery driver was not harmed and the pizza was eventually paid for by a woman who entered the house. The case was prosecuted by Derek Cooney BL.
Daniel Kane, 52, was sentenced to ten‑and‑a‑half years in prison for coercive control, intimidation, assault and 12 counts of assault causing harm. The offences occurred between May 2018 and January 2020 in Dublin and included repeated physical attacks such as burning the victim's foot, cutting her with a pizza slicer, head‑butting her after nasal surgery, stamping on her arm and strangling her. Kane also threatened to send explicit images to the victim's family if she withdrew charges and attempted to pervert the course of justice by pressuring her to change her statements. He pleaded guilty to the perverting the course of justice charge. The judge imposed a twelve‑and‑a‑half year sentence, suspended the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered that Kane follow all directions of the Probation Service for two years after release.
In November 2017, Laura Lambe, a 35‑year‑old mother of three from Basin Street, Dublin, was found to have smuggled heroin and Valium‑type tablets into Mountjoy prison. She concealed the drugs in her bra while visiting her then‑partner. According to her defence solicitor, Simon Matthews, a man had warned her the night before that he knew she would be entering the prison the next day, threatened her and her children, and gave her the drugs, instructing her to smuggle them in. Lambe appeared nervous during the security check, and when searched she voluntarily admitted the drugs were hidden in her bra. The court estimated the heroin's street value at €1,933 and the 24 Alprazone tablets at €2 each. Lambe pleaded guilty to the offence. Judge Melanie Greally described her as not a serious criminal, noted she had no prior convictions, and suspended a two‑year prison term on the condition of good behaviour.
Anthony McDonald, 22, was arrested after customs officials intercepted a €24,000 package of cannabis that he had ordered online from the United States under the alias "Mr Smith." The package was delivered to his former address in Kilmore, where a Garda posed as a delivery man and set up a controlled delivery. McDonald signed for the package, was arrested, and later pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He had no prior convictions. During the court hearing, McDonald admitted he intended to break down the cannabis to sell it, hoping to earn €7,000. His mother expelled him from their home following the offence, leaving him homeless and now living in hostel-type accommodation. The judge remanded him on continuing bail, with the matter to be finalized on May 4. The case was prosecuted by Maurice Coffey SC, with defence counsel Dean Kelly SC.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gerard Carey, aged 43, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing stolen North Face clothing and a Mini Cooper. The case stemmed from a break‑in at the North Face Ireland storage depot on 30 May 2019, during which €45,000 of merchandise was stolen. Gardaí searched Carey's Tallaght home on 3 June 2019 and found €12,000 worth of North Face items, some removed from packing boxes and others still on the bed with tags. The court noted that none of the remaining merchandise had been recovered. Carey pleaded guilty to knowingly or recklessly being in possession of stolen property. He had 70 prior convictions, including a partially suspended eight‑year term for armed robbery in 2013. The judge, citing the value of the stolen goods and Carey's addiction history, imposed a three‑year term, suspended the final year on condition of engagement with Probation Services.
An Afghani man, Abdullah Shinwari, aged 31, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a young woman on a Luas tram on 26 September 2019. Shinwari stood behind the victim, rubbed his penis against her lower back and ejaculated on her clothes. The victim described feeling "frozen" and later cleaning her clothes in a toilet, experiencing physical illness and vomiting. She reported the incident to Gardaí the next day and later identified Shinwari on a platform, leading to his arrest. DNA evidence linked Shinwari to the victim's stained clothing. Shinwari pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final 15 months on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 15 months post‑release. The sentence was reduced due to Shinwari's status as an Afghani national and the challenges of custody during Covid times.
John Murphy, aged 44 and homeless at the time, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a false report to emergency services on 16 May 2019. He called emergency services three times, claiming bombs were planted at four locations in Phoenix Park – the big pillar, the cross, the chapel and St Mary's Hospital – and threatened to "blow up all devices". Gardaí investigated for about 40 minutes but found nothing. When officers arrived at his address, Murphy invited them into his bedroom, placed a mobile phone on his bed, and when the phone rang he reacted with shock. The court noted his history of 21 convictions, his homelessness for 11 years, and his recent stable accommodation. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to one year imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean Fitzpatrick, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching David Curran on Grafton Street on 15 February 2017. Curran suffered a broken nose, three jaw fractures and a fracture above his eye, requiring surgery and extensive stitches. The assault left him with lasting nerve damage, forced him to drop out of college and lose his degree, and caused a significant increase in his anxiety and depression. Fitzpatrick was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and addiction treatment for 12 months. The judge also noted Fitzpatrick's 70 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. The case highlighted the severe physical and psychological impact of the assault on the victim.
Noel Purcell, a 45‑year‑old truck driver from Tullyvoheen, Clifden, was sentenced to two years in prison after transporting €1.287 million in criminal cash. He admitted to gardaí that he had agreed to move the money to Holland after meeting a man on a boat, who offered him €4 000 to do so. Purcell, who was struggling with mortgage and credit‑card debt, claimed he was vulnerable and easily led. Gardaí had pulled him over on Naas Road, where they found two large bags of cash wrapped in duct tape. He pleaded guilty to possessing proceeds of crime. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a seven‑year term, suspending five years on the condition of good behaviour, and noted the need for general deterrence. Purcell had no prior convictions and was described as extremely remorseful.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 26 July 2017, Ian Kidd, aged 54, pleaded guilty to criminal damage after pouring diesel on the altar of St Agnes' Church in Crumlin. Kidd had received a letter from Catholic Church solicitors offering €30,000 for abuse he claimed to have suffered from a priest. He found the offer "derisory" and, upset, filled a can with €5 of diesel and set it on the altar, damaging the Carrara marble surface, a monstrance, a crucifix and a Paschal candle. He shouted at parishioners to leave. The court noted he had a cigarette and may have had the means to ignite the diesel but did not. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a fully suspended two‑year prison term, conditional on Kidd continuing treatment for alcohol addiction, and acknowledged his remorse and mental fragility at the time. The case was part of a broader High Court settlement in 2018 involving multiple abuse complaints.
Wayne Fitzgerald, 47, was given a suspended sentence after using his ill father to withdraw more than €9,000 from a deceased man's bank account. Fitzgerald learned of the account when the deceased's bank statements were mistakenly sent to his father, who shared the same name as the account holder. The account holder had lived in the same building a decade earlier, and their names differed only by the initial of their middle name. Sergeant Brian Hunt explained that Fitzgerald's father, suffering from dementia, brought him to the bank to withdraw the funds, which Fitzgerald then transferred to his own account. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to eight charges of handling stolen property, totalling €9,250, for transactions in Dublin between June and November 2016. He had no prior convictions. The bank refunded the withdrawn amount. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Fitzgerald had seen an opportunity and, "to his shame," took it.
Raymond Kelly, 52, a resident of Clondalkin, was arrested on 27 September 2019 after Gardaí stopped his car on Parkwest Road, Ballyfermot. He was found moving drugs worth an estimated €2.1 million, including cocaine and heroin, and had previously been involved in a separate interception that uncovered about 20 kg of the same substances. A search of his garage at Kylemore Industrial Estate revealed cannabis resin valued at roughly €10 000. Kelly pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court, noting the large quantity of drugs, sentenced him to seven and a half years' imprisonment. The case was handled by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and relied on confidential information. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the aggravating factor of the drug quantity. The sentence was imposed from the date of the hearing.
In a 2018 incident at Rathmines, Stephen McNamee (26), his partner Natalie Mulligan (34) and her cousin Mark Connolly (26) chased and assaulted Paul O'Kelly after he made a derogatory remark about Mulligan's weight. The trio, all intoxicated, punched and kicked O'Kelly as he lay on the ground in a car park. CCTV footage showed the violence, prompting the court to describe it as "very disturbing". All three pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and were placed on bond to keep the peace until January 15, 2021. Judge Karen O'Connor discharged them under section 11 of the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, noting their remorse, lack of prior convictions, and young age. Each defendant paid €1,500 to O'Kelly as a practical expression of remorse. O'Kelly suffered nerve damage, dental surgery and ongoing anxiety as a result of the attack. The court recorded the defendants' expressions of regret and the impact of the assault on the victim.
Catherine Gaffney, 53, is in custody at Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Prison, after convictions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She is wanted in Northern Ireland for alleged theft of six designer handbags and an obstruction offence. Gaffney applied for bail in the High Court, arguing that the European Arrest Warrant should not preclude bail. The High Court refused, citing section 27 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003, which states that a person in her situation "shall not be remanded on bail or otherwise released from custody." Gaffney appealed to the Court of Appeal, but the three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeal. The Court confirmed that she must be surrendered to UK authorities upon release. The alleged offences involve Mulberry handbags stolen in July, August, November and December 2016, and an attempt to steal a seventh handbag and a purse on 10 December 2016, as well as obstructing a constable on that day.
James Preston, a 40‑year‑old father of four, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He had transported more than €190,000 of cannabis, which Gardaí found in a white VW van he owned, after being stopped on 1 May 2020. The drugs were discovered under a blanket in the van's back, comprising ten vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis resin. Preston admitted he had agreed to move the drugs as a favour for a friend and was not paid. He had 92 prior convictions, including robbery offences, and had been released from custody in May 2018. Garda Margaret Reilly and the prosecution noted that building sites had closed during the Covid pandemic, leading Preston to relapse into drug use and become a courier. The judge described the offence as an isolated incident and noted Preston's efforts to support his family after release. The sentence was four years' imprisonment.
Brian Reilly, a 24-year-old disqualified driver with 126 previous convictions, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on January 29, 2020. Reilly pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Ellen Armstrong, one count of refusing to provide a blood or urine sample, and one count of driving without insurance. The court heard that Reilly, who had been released from jail six weeks prior, attempted to evade gardaí by driving the wrong way on the M50 and N2. His actions resulted in a collision with the vehicle of John and Ellen Armstrong, who were stopped at a red light in Finglas. Ellen Armstrong suffered significant injuries, including multiple rib fractures and the amputation of the tip of her right thumb, leaving her dependent on others for care. Judge Melanie Greally stated that Reilly exposed four separate drivers to risk and ruined the lives of the elderly couple. She imposed a sentence of seven-and-a-half years, suspending the final 18 months on conditions that include engaging with drug addiction services. Reilly was also disqualified from driving for life. The judge noted Reilly's genuine remorse and difficult background but emphasized the seriousness of his offending and the lifelong pain inflicted on the victims.
A 44‑year‑old Polish national, Remigivsu Piotrowski, was arrested after returning home drunk from a work function and attacking his partner, Beata Iwaska, and her friend, Monika Wilt, on 5 October 2019. Piotrowski, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to two women and to resisting a peace officer at two locations on the same date. He was also charged with assault causing harm to a third person. During the assault he pushed Iwaska onto a couch, punched her, and pulled her hair; Wilt was punched in the head and knocked to the ground. After the attack, Piotrowski became aggressive towards Gardaí, head‑butting a van door while being transported to a station. He was remanded on bail pending a final hearing scheduled for 22 March, with a probation report ordered and the possibility of a custodial sentence not ruled out.
Desmond McGrath, 50, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to John Roche and false imprisonment of Martin and Lisa Byrne on 9 June 2015. McGrath was part of a gang of seven, including convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare, who were ringleaders of the forced eviction. McGrath claimed he had been told he was attending a job interview for security work and was dressed "almost as a bouncer". He admitted to punching and kicking Roche but not to physical violence against the Byrne family. The Byrne family has been in the Witness Protection Programme since the incident. McGrath was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to 3 February. The court noted McGrath's heroin addiction and his claim of remorse.
Two members of a Romanian organised crime gang, Daniel Almajanu (35) and Albert Gimy Linul (29), were found to have made and used fake credit cards in Dublin following a "deep" skimming operation in the UK. Almajanu used a card reader/writer machine to create 65 fake cards, which he handed to Linul. Linul used these cards to purchase cartons of cigarettes from several newsagents in Dublin, which were then sold for profit. Garda Ciaran Ronan reported that Linul stole £1,185 from the UK bank. Linul pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing 60 fraudulent bank cards, eight counts of using a fake HSBC card, ten counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft from HSBC between November 2019 and February 2020. Almajanu pleaded guilty to two counts of custody of 53 fake cards and one count of making 65 fake cards, plus possession of a laptop designed for card fabrication.