In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Elmer Habibovic, 31, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, following a guilty plea for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. Gardaí seized €25,500 worth of cocaine and €6,000 cash from his home on 19 April 2018. Judge Elma Sheahan noted that Habibovic had sufficient savings to repay a €15,000 gambling debt and that the drug trade was for financial gain. He had eleven prior convictions for public order and road traffic offences, all dealt with in the District Court, and had not offended since July 2009. The judge described the offence as falling in the upper end of the lower range for such cases, citing the amount of drugs and the service provided as keeping "kingpins from justice." The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for 18 months post‑release.
Dillon Harris, 24, a recovering drug addict, was sentenced to a fully suspended prison term after a series of violent incidents in Dublin. On 21 November 2017, he spat blood, phlegm and saliva at Garda Gerard Whelan, Garda Peter Byrne and Dublin Fire Brigade Sub Officer Peter Fitzgerald, claiming he had AIDS. He also pleaded guilty to driving a stolen Volkswagen Estate without the owner's consent and to reckless endangerment. Harris crashed the stolen car into a wall, causing €3,456 in damage to an Opel Corsa and forcing a pedestrian to jump out of the way. He had no prior convictions. The judge imposed concurrent prison terms of 22 months and two years, suspended for five years on the condition of sobriety, participation in a restorative justice programme and victim‑focused work. The sentence was split between the victims and a charity of their choice.
In a 20‑month abusive relationship, a 52‑year‑old woman testified that she did not understand domestic violence until it was inflicted piece by piece, leaving her with tears. She described repeated physical assaults by a 52‑year‑old man, including burning her foot, cutting her with a pizza slicer, head‑butting her after nasal surgery, stamping on her arm causing fractures, and strangling her with finger marks on her throat. The man threatened to send explicit images to her family if she withdrew charges. In November, a jury convicted him of coercive control, intimidation, assault and 12 counts of assault causing harm, with acquittals on one assault‑causing‑harm and one endangerment charge. He pleaded guilty to a separate charge of intending to pervert the course of justice for attempts to get her to withdraw statements. The unnamed 52-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Lorraine Ralston, 47, a former IKEA customer‑service manager, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of €85,214 from the St. Margarets Road store between October 2011 and October 2012. She created fictitious customers and issued refunds that she kept. The prosecution, represented by Garrett McCormack BL, noted that the thefts were uncovered after a security manager flagged suspicious transactions, leading to an internal investigation that identified 56 fraudulent entries. Gardaí recovered €3,000 from Ralston's accommodation, leaving €82,000 outstanding. Ralston had no prior convictions and was described as vulnerable, under family pressure, and exploited by third parties. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing mitigating evidence of her cooperation, admissions, and difficult background, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full, refusing a custodial term. The court recorded that Ralston had spent the stolen money on alcohol and drugs and that she had been living in shared rental accommodation at the time of the offences.
Graham Lynch, 41, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after he stored almost €40,000 worth of heroin in the attic of his home to pay a drug debt. He told Gardaí he would receive a call when a certain person "needed stuff" and would then pass the drugs on. Lynch delivered small quantities locally and stored the rest until instructed. He admitted in a Garda interview that he was storing the drugs on behalf of others. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at his home on 20 August 2019. He had six prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally noted his limited offending history and that his urine analysis was negative for drugs. She sentenced him to four years imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including following all directions of the Probation Service for 12 months after release.
Dylan Farrell, aged 20, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Keeper Road, Drimnagh, on 18 December 2018. He had been a teenager when he agreed to deliver almost €100,000 worth of cocaine to pay a drug debt. The court heard evidence in July 2019 and had adjourned the case, placing Farrell on a six‑month probation bond to allow him to prove rehabilitation. A Probation Services report concluded that Farrell had made significant and impressive strides, engaging in counselling, securing an apprenticeship, remaining drug‑free and avoiding Garda attention. Judge Elma Sheahan therefore suspended a three‑year sentence in full, imposing conditions that Farrell engage with the Probation Service for two years and follow all directions. The judge wished him success as a productive member of society and expressed a desire that he not appear before the courts again.
Ciaran Aspin, 35, of Woodlands, Mulhuddart, was placed on a probation bond after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply at his address on 27 October 2018. Gardaí found over €55,000 worth of drugs in his home and on his person, including cannabis in a bag he carried and cocaine in a bedroom. Aspin attempted to flee on a bicycle, sliding on a garda car's bonnet when he tried to escape. He claimed he was threatened that he would be "whacked" and insisted he was not a dealer but merely holding the drugs. The case was adjourned to 22 October for sentencing, with the judge considering an updated probation report and the probation officer's recommendation for a bond.
A 37‑year‑old man named Mohammed Hamad was found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of ten counts of theft of various social welfare payments between May 2009 and October 2013, and two counts of using a false document. He had claimed more than €65,000 in rent allowance, job seekers allowance and basic supplementary allowance. The court noted that he had taken over a dry‑cleaning business lease in 2013, using a loan and savings, some of which came from the fraud, and that he had ceased claiming the welfare payments after his status changed. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended custodial sentence of three and a half years, suspended in full on the condition that Hamad pays €30,000 to the State within three years. He has no prior convictions and is now employed, having opened eight branches of the shop and repaying €35,000 of the stolen money.
Darren Rowe, 35, of Monkstown, Dublin, was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline McGovern and failing to report being the driver of a vehicle involved in the injury of Audrey Behan on March 10, 2020. He also admitted to having no insurance and driving a dangerous defective vehicle. Judge Martin Nolan noted aggravating factors, including Rowe's reckless speed, use of a defective vehicle, and evidence of prior drinking, alongside his 32 previous convictions and disqualification from driving. In mitigation, the court considered Rowe's remorse and insight. Co-accused Edward Andrews, 26, of Stepaside, received a 39-month sentence in October. The incident occurred when Rowe, fleeing a robbery in Dalkey, lost control of the car, mounted a footpath, and struck the two women. Rowe fled the scene without offering assistance. Victim impact statements highlighted the profound loss and ongoing trauma suffered by the families. The court accepted Rowe's guilty plea and imposed the custodial sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Shaun Groome, 32, to 15 years' imprisonment for a brutal assault on Ciarán Murphy, 32, which involved 16 stab wounds and an arson attack that left Murphy with 96 % burns. Groome pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. The judge described the offence as "exceptional" and noted Groome's "murderous intent" despite his guilty plea, reducing the headline 20‑year sentence to 15 years with no suspended portion. Groome claimed his actions were driven by misinformation that Murphy was a Garda informant and that he was influenced by drugs. The court considered his remorse, prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation, but imposed the full custodial term. Murphy suffered severe injuries, lost his ears, and continues to endure pain. The case also involved co‑accused David Keena, 21, who received a five‑year sentence for his role.
Alan Cox, 31, of Ashwood Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and diamorphine on 22 July 2019. Garda Ciaran O'Neill reported that on 16 July 2019 he visited Cox's home, where the partner answered and claimed only a small amount of weed was present. A search of the property revealed cannabis, drug paraphernalia, and a Henry Hoover vacuum cleaner containing 817.17 g of diamorphine worth €114,478 and 69.984 g of cannabis worth €1,400, totalling €115,878. Additional items included plastic bags, a pink grinder, €900 in cash, a tick list, plastic cut‑offs, weighing scales and latex gloves. Cox's DNA matched the gloves. He has three prior convictions, including two for drug misuse and one for threatening or abusive behaviour. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 March next year to allow a probation report.
A judge warned a 15‑year‑old that breaching his Christmas curfew could lead to a court appearance at short notice if the Gardaí sought to revoke his bail. The teenager appeared before Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the last day of the legal term after the Gardaí applied to revoke his bail. He faces sentencing for an assault at St James Luas stop in Dublin 8 on 30 December 2018, when he was 12. The court heard that he had repeatedly breached bail conditions, including failing to sign on at a local Garda station and associating with certain people. He also breached a curfew that required him to be inside his aunt's home by 9.30 pm each evening. Judge O'Connor said this was the most serious breach and that the curfew was a very important condition for a juvenile. She said it keeps him off the streets and away from the public.
Thomas Griffin, 26, of Croftwood Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a high‑speed Garda chase that exposed multiple cars and a pedestrian to "very considerable danger." He pleaded guilty to two charges of endangerment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 June 2018. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the driving as "very extreme in nature" and noted that Griffin was intoxicated with drugs and alcohol during the incident. Griffin had 46 prior convictions, including assault, road traffic and public order offences. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term, citing his demonstrated potential and confrontation of his demons while on remand. The chase involved speeding over 140 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, running red lights, driving on the hard shoulder, and forcing other traffic to take evasive action.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Olga Maslakova, 33, was fined €400 for driving without reasonable consideration after her car struck a young woman, Ms Jodie Regazzoli, on the R132, Swords, on 17 April 2018. The collision occurred on a dual carriageway with a hedge median, where pedestrians often cut across the road instead of using the footbridge. Maslakova admitted she should not have been in the bus lane and was travelling about 58 km/h, below the 80 km/h limit. Witnesses said her view was blocked by cars to her right, and the pedestrian was struck by the front right of the car, suffering serious life‑altering injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and an eight‑week coma. The State entered a nolle prosequi on the charge of careless driving causing serious bodily harm. Olga Maslakova pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Limerick resident Pat Sheedy, 51, faced a new fraud charge after admitting he scammed a Westmeath publican, Con Gilsenan, out of €548 by promising four "premium" rugby match tickets that never arrived. Sheedy had previously pleaded guilty to the theft in January 2019 and had a history of 59 fraud convictions, many involving deception. He has a chronic gambling addiction and has engaged in treatment since custody. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing the victim's distress, granted Sheedy a "one last chance" by suspending a two‑year prison term for four years, conditional on maintaining peace and continuing gambling‑addiction treatment. Sheedy remains in custody for other offences, with a release date in January 2023. The court noted he had already repaid the stolen money. The hearing highlighted his ongoing struggle with gambling and the court's willingness to offer a conditional reprieve.
Paul O'Shea, 34, of Owensilla, Ballymun, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on the condition of good behaviour, particularly regarding drugs. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his former partner on 17 May, during which he threw chairs, punched her in the head, kicked her, dragged her to the front garden, and called her names. He also smashed a front door window, an upstairs window, a brick at her bedroom window, and a photo of her children and parents. The victim, who had a protection order against him, described him as "on a mad one" and was terrified, having marks on her left side from kicks and on her face from blows. Gardaí were alerted at 4 am by the partner, and O'Shea fled the scene, later being arrested after attempting to escape from his parents' house.
In December 2017, Christopher Warburton, 26, drove a red quad bike in a dangerous chase through Dublin city traffic, repeatedly ignoring police signals and driving on the wrong side of the road. He accelerated toward Donard Estate, forced an oncoming vehicle to brake, and continued on Nephin Road, overtaking a van and two cars, causing one to brake suddenly. At the Cabra gate of Phoenix Park, the quad bike lost power; Warburton jumped off and struggled with an unmarked Garda car. He then attempted to jump over a wall, kicked a Garda, and entered the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, where a mounted police officer apprehended him. A month later, he punched an elderly, intoxicated man from behind, an act recorded on video. Warburton pleaded guilty to endangerment and assault causing harm, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, with nine months suspended on condition of rehabilitation, and was banned from driving for three years.
In a Dublin city‑centre nightclub incident on 7 July 2019, a masked mob armed with a hatchet and a petrol bomb—made from a Hennessy brandy bottle—attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on Grafton Street. Moses Lulendo, aged 19, joined the group, some members wearing face coverings. The mob sought revenge against those they believed were inside the club and linked to a prior attack on a relative of Lulendo's, following an earlier car attack involving Lulendo and another man. Detective Garda Sarah Barry reported that the mob's intent was retaliation. Lulendo pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to two earlier iPhone robberies. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the disorder charge and 26 months for the robberies, suspending eight months on condition of probation for 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Paddy Lynch, a 36‑year‑old homeless man from Ashlawn Court, Bray, pleaded guilty to one count of trespass and criminal damage after breaking into the General Register Office on Werburgh Street, Dublin, on 9 May. Lynch entered the closed building shortly after midnight, triggered an alarm, broke an electronic gate and damaged an internal security door with a metal object. He claimed he was looking for a place to sleep. Garda Greg Moroney reported that Lynch was intoxicated and a needle was found nearby. The damage amounted to €8,000, with the electronic gate alone costing €7,000 to repair. No documents were harmed. Lynch, who has prior convictions for burglary and theft, has remained in custody. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Services report and adjourned the case to 23 February.
Dean Quigley, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences. In July 2018 he attacked a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11, punching her, pulling her hair and continuing to strike her while she lay on the ground. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. In July 2019 he broke into a 75‑year‑old neighbour's apartment, causing the victim severe injuries and threatening to kill him if he reported the incident. He pleaded guilty to trespassing and criminal damage. In October 2019 he again entered the neighbour's home, assaulting him and threatening further violence. The court imposed concurrent two‑year sentences for the assault on the woman and the July burglary, and a consecutive six‑year sentence for the October burglary, suspending the final two years on the condition of alcohol‑addiction treatment. The judge noted the seriousness of the attacks and the impact on the victims' safety and mental health.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Robert Traynor, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing 1,938 images and 183 videos of child pornography, and to producing 1,650 computer‑generated images that contravened the 1998 child trafficking pornography act. Traynor claimed the material depicted adults posing as children, a statement rejected by the court. Gardaí linked his home to a peer‑to‑peer network through his internet provider, and seized an external drive containing 65 video files and hundreds of images of girls aged six to twelve, as well as encrypted computer‑generated images of young girls with sex toys or beside naked males. The judge, after hearing Traynor's defence that the images were "skirting the boundaries", found the material to be clearly child pornography. With no prior convictions, the judge ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to March 12 of the following year.
Anthony White, aged 25, received a five‑year custodial sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to possession of a submachine gun, 50 rounds of ammunition, and €100 worth of cocaine. White admitted that a drug debt of €4,500 and a fear of violence forced him to hold the weapon, which he claimed he only discovered the next day. He had four prior traffic convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted the firearm's lethal potential and the substantial ammunition, but also considered White's remorse, cooperation, limited offending history, supportive family, stable relationship, and successful rehabilitation efforts. The court accepted that the incident was a finite episode linked to a severe cocaine addiction. The suspended portion of the sentence is subject to probation supervision and other strict conditions. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Cameron Malcomson, 21, received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for supply. Gardaí found €17,332 worth of cannabis hidden in a washing machine at his Tallaght flat. Malcomson claimed he was holding the drugs for someone else but did not disclose the person, citing fear for his life. He had no prior convictions at the time of the charge, but had since accumulated three convictions for possession of drugs and knives. The court considered his traumatic childhood, including his mother's alcohol addiction and his father's suicide when he was 11. Judge Pauline Codd, noting his young age and early guilty plea, imposed a suspended sentence of four and a half years under strict conditions. The sentence includes a three‑year term for the drug offence and an 18‑month term for an attempted car‑jacking on 27 October 2019, for which he had been out on bail.
A jury found a 36‑year‑old mother and her 38‑year‑old partner guilty of wilful neglect of a 14‑month‑old baby. The child suffered bruising to her head, face and body after the family stayed overnight in a derelict house with no electricity or water. Doctors said the injuries were inconsistent with a fall from a mattress, as the mother claimed. The mother pleaded not guilty to wilful neglect and allowing her child to be harmed; the partner pleaded not guilty to wilful assault, wilful neglect and assault causing harm. Judge Martina Baxter directed not‑guilty verdicts on the assault charges and on the mother's charge of allowing harm, but directed guilty verdicts on the remaining neglect counts. The couple remain on bail pending sentencing in March. The child is now in foster care. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge exempted the jury from duty for three years.
A woman from Kiltoom, County Roscommon, has pleaded guilty to theft and forgery offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Nicola Henry, aged 32, admitted forging colleagues' signatures on 37 cheques while serving as secretary of a Johnson & Johnson social club, obtaining €17,326 which she spent on luxury holidays to Australia, Sri Lanka and Dubai, along with restaurants, shopping and beauty treatments. A further €3,233 was spent using a company credit card after the initial thefts came to light in August 2015. Ten cheques totalling €35,340 were unsuccessful. Henry pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft, along with two counts of making a false instrument. A total of 65 additional counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she failed to appear at several earlier hearings, resulting in her arrest. Judge Pauline Codd ordered psychological and probation reports and remanded Henry in custody pending sentencing on 8 March 2021.
A man has been jailed for one year at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to indecently assaulting a child in Dublin in the 1980s. Thomas Deegan, aged 55 and with an address in Finglas, Dublin, committed the offence against an eight-year-old boy between May 1982 and October 1985. The victim, now 45, made a formal complaint to gardaí in 2015, leading to Deegan's arrest and charging in 2017. Deegan initially failed to appear for trial in November 2019 and was subsequently located in Donegal. He entered his guilty plea on the first day of trial this month. In sentencing, Judge Elma Sheahan noted the seriousness of the offence and the age disparity, but acknowledged Deegan's lack of previous convictions and clean record since the incident. She suspended the final twelve months of the sentence on strict conditions. The victim provided an impact statement describing lasting effects including low self-esteem and anxiety.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Owen Shannon, 53, was found to have possessed 3,437 images and 56 videos of child sexual abuse, depicting children as young as three. The material, seized from two laptops, a computer and a hard drive, was largely Category 1, indicating severe distress. Shannon, a former security guard who had spent most of his life caring for his ill mother and later his father, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography on 23 June 2016. He admitted to gardaí that the material showed girls as young as five being abused by adult men. The court noted his solitary, isolated life and his remorse, and Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Services report and adjourned the case to 2 March for finalisation.
A 38-year-old Romanian man has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an aggravated burglary targeting two women working as escorts. Ioan Galben of Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to the offence at a premises on Parnell Street, Dublin 1, on 12 November 2019. Judge Pauline Codd found the crime was aggravated by involvement in gang racketeering aimed at exploiting vulnerable women. The court heard Galben facilitated entry for two armed accomplices who brandished a knife and blade, threatening to cut one woman's throat whilst demanding cash, phones and cigarettes. Gardaí established the women were not acting under duress. Galben admitted his involvement during interview and expressed remorse. Judge Codd suspended the final six months of the sentence on condition he leaves the jurisdiction upon release. Galben is currently serving a concurrent five-year sentence for a similar offence in Roscommon.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of Gerard Gunnery Snr, a 60-year-old taxi driver, to January 29 due to medical reasons. Gunnery Snr, of Whitehall, Dublin, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin city on December 23, 2017. The defendant, who was remanded in custody pending sentencing, was not produced to the court by the prison service for his scheduled hearing last Friday. Defence counsel stated they believed he may have had a hospital appointment. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the matter for finalisation, citing previously outlined medical issues. The court heard that since the offence was published, Gunnery Snr's son has faced threats and car vandalism; the Judge requested media distinguish between the father and son. The victim, who suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps, and jaw, told the court she woke to find the driver assaulting her before he threw her from the vehicle. She described enduring guilt and flashbacks. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued the actions were out of character for a hard-working man, while the Judge affirmed to the victim that the incident was not her fault.
A 65‑year‑old woman, Lynda Goldsmith, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with 14 months suspended, after pleading guilty to four counts of stealing cash and one of theft of an ATM card from a 90‑year‑old friend while the victim was in hospital. Goldsmith had taken more than €2,700 from the victim's bank account over three months, using the victim's debit card and a stolen ATM card, and had also taken an unquantified amount from the victim's purse. The judge noted that the thefts were aggravated by the victim's illness and that Goldsmith had memorised the victim's PIN. Goldsmith's guilty plea, admissions, ill health and remorse were considered in mitigation. She will serve 14 months of probation and is prohibited from unsupervised volunteer care work. The victim's son gave a victim impact statement describing the thefts as a profound loss of security and trust. The case was prosecuted by the Gardaí.
Thomas Griffin, 47, a regular patron of BoyleSports in Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on 15 July 2018. He entered the bookmakers after closing, followed a staff member through a staff door, and demanded money from a woman behind the till. Using a toilet brush handle he had taken from a toilet in the premises, he threatened the staff but no one was injured. Griffin was identified on CCTV and received €500 in notes and coins before leaving. He had eight prior convictions, including drug possession. In court, he explained the robbery was a spur‑of‑the‑moment act driven by gambling problems. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting his familiarity with the victims and his efforts to stop gambling, imposed a two‑year prison sentence fully suspended for three years, with strict probation conditions for 18 months.
Chad Redmond, 27, of Belclare Park, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault and criminal damage for an incident on 24 February 2019 at an apartment in Finglas, north Dublin. He entered the apartment of his ex‑girlfriend, shouted, kicked the door down and grabbed her by the throat. Redmond dragged her to the bedroom, threatened to kill her and burn the place down, and attempted to take their three‑year‑old daughter from her mother. He twisted the victim's right hand and fled, later trying to re‑enter. Redmond was on bail at the time and was arrested the following day. He had been under the influence of cocaine. The court noted his prior convictions for burglary, criminal damage, public order and road traffic offences. Judge Elma Sheahan described the case as "disturbing" and sentenced Redmond to three and a half years, suspending the final nine months.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd praised Garda Fergus Holly's bravery after he was dragged and run over by a car driven by Clive Sweeney, 37, who was attempting to flee from Dundrum Town Centre. Sweeney, who had 85 prior convictions and was on bail, pleaded guilty to endangerment and failing to stop. Holly sustained bruising and a permanent finger injury. The judge noted Sweeney's reckless driving, his guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances, including drug addiction. She imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final year on the condition of one year of probation supervision, and a ten‑year driving ban. The incident involved a blue Fiat Bravo that had been used in a theft at Snow and Rock earlier that month. The judge commended Holly for his courage and acknowledged the aggravating factor that Sweeney knew Holly was a garda.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 28‑year‑old man was found guilty of sexual assault on an 11‑year‑old girl who was staying at his sister's house. The victim was trying to retrieve a spare key when the accused grabbed her and forced her onto a couch, then touched her chest and groin. She screamed and shouted a boy's name, who ran downstairs and jumped on the man's back, allowing her to escape. The court noted the man's prior conviction for a 2007 sexual assault on a 15‑year‑old boy and his current sentence for a 2011 offence. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑year prison term, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation supervision for 18 months after release. The case highlighted the seriousness of the offence, the victim's youth, and the man's remorse and isolation from family and community.
Michael Geoghegan, 36, a former Crufts best dog handler, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three knife‑point muggings on Rathbeale Road, Swords, on 18 August last year. He also admitted producing a large kitchen knife to intimidate victims and an iron drill bit and knife while resisting arrest. The court heard he threatened a garda who chased him, and that he had a history of drug addiction and 52 prior convictions, including robbery with an imitation firearm in 2005. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including six months of probation after release. Geoghegan had handed €2,500 to the victims as a gesture of remorse. The case involved three random women who were robbed at knife‑point in the morning, with Geoghegan demanding cash and threatening to stab them. The garda was disarmed with a baton after Geoghegan lunged at him.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 10 December 2020, Tomasz Surowiak, a 27‑year‑old Polish national, pleaded guilty to possessing an airgun without a certificate. The court heard that Surowiak was not involved in an earlier incident in which a handgun was allegedly pointed out of a car window. Garda Matthew Kennedy described how police intercepted a VW Golf in Tyrone Place, Inchicore, and arrested Surowiak, who was driving the vehicle. A firearm, described as a gas‑powered training gun used for indoor target practice, was found on the passenger seat and confiscated. Surowiak claimed he bought the gun in Drogheda the previous May, had no knowledge that a licence was required in Ireland, and had not loaded the weapon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man, Dean Quigley, pleaded guilty to assaulting a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11 in July 2018, where he punched her face, pulled her hair and continued striking her while she lay on the ground. He also pleaded guilty to trespassing and assaulting a 75‑year‑old neighbour in July and October 2019, threatening to kill him if he reported the incidents. The elderly victim's daughter found Quigley five days after the second assault, and he was hospitalized for a brain bleed, neck ligature marks and severe chest bruising. Quigley's court record includes 12 prior convictions and two recent convictions for knife possession and a threat to kill. The judge adjourned sentencing to 17 December 2020, while the court heard the victim's impact statements and Quigley's expressions of remorse and progress in custody.
A 24‑year‑old man from Cork, Michael Mullen, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges of possessing child pornography under Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. His defence lawyer, Luige Rea BL, applied for senior counsel, which the judge granted. The case was set for a five‑day trial scheduled for 28 June 2022.
Dubliner William Morrison (56) appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sentence after pleading guilty to the robbery of An Post on St Andrew Street, Dublin, on April 16. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a sentence of five and a half years on Morrison, of Kilmartin Drive, Fettercairn, Tallaght. The court heard that a 64-year-old post office worker discovered Morrison behind the counter stuffing cash into his pockets. During a struggle, Morrison allegedly grabbed a large pair of scissors, but the worker disarmed him and forced him to the floor. Defending counsel Stephen Montgomery BL told the court that Morrison, a recovering drug addict, turned to hard drugs at 35 after suffering systematic sexual and emotional abuse at a reformatory school in the 1970s. He described the incident as an opportunistic crime committed to feed a drug habit, noting Morrison's 286 previous convictions, including 64 for theft. Judge Greally acknowledged Morrison's difficult childhood and his current engagement with psychiatric services through the National Drugs Treatment Centre. She suspended the final 18 months of the sentence to motivate Morrison to continue addressing his addiction issues. The matter was finalised with this custodial order.
Elmir Habibovic, 31, of Woodvale Avenue, Hartstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €25,500 worth of cocaine for sale or supply on 19 April 2018. He admitted holding the drugs for about five days to clear a €15,000 gambling debt, claiming he was "messing with money" and trying to make money from gambling. The cocaine was found in a drawer on a dining table, along with almost €6,000 in three envelopes in his bedroom. Habibovic and a second man were arrested, but he took full responsibility for the drugs. He has 11 prior convictions for public order and road traffic offences, all dealt with in the District Court, and has not offended since July 2009. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded him on continuing bail pending sentence, adjourned the case to January, and noted he is a self‑employed personal trainer who will need time to get his affairs in order.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the Doyle Shipping Group Unlimited was fined €850,000 for failing to manage the dismantling of a steel hopper at the McKearns Yard, which led to the instant death of welder James Byrne on 6 June 2018. Byrne, who had been using a blow torch to separate a six‑metre column from a larger metal structure, was killed when the column fell on him. The Health and Safety Authority investigation found that the company had not planned the task, had not used appropriate equipment, and had relied on a single employee to assess risks. Judge Pauline Codd noted the fatality, the obvious and significant risk, and the lack of mitigation, but accepted mitigating factors such as the guilty plea, cooperation, good safety record, and remedial spending. The fine was set at €850,000, with the company continuing to pay Byrne's salary and overtime to his partner.
Patrick O'Grady, 37, of Carrickmount Drive, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a knife‑point robbery at Daybreak, Beaumont Avenue, Churchtown, on 20 June 2020. He had 29 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and drug possession. Garda Declan O'Connor described how O'Grady entered the shop with a hood and black scarf, walked behind the counter, drew a knife and demanded both tills be opened. The shopkeepers complied and he stole about €750 before leaving. CCTV footage identified him and showed him waiting outside before the robbery. O'Grady, who began using drugs at 12 and is now clean while in custody, was on temporary release during the offence. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions and ordering the sentence to run consecutively with the one he is currently serving. The sentence is set to run until March 2021.
David Canning, a homeless 28‑year‑old, set fire to a bag of clothes outside a St Vincent de Paul charity shop in Coolock Village Centre on 4 September 2017. The blaze spread to four commercial premises, causing €159,590 in damage and €318,000 in economic loss, and forced the evacuation of nearby apartments, though no injuries were reported. Canning admitted guilt to arson, citing family difficulties and the influence of benzodiazepines he referred to as "Up Johns." He had previous convictions but none for arson. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to six and a half years, suspending the final 18 months. The sentence reflected the significant risk and economic impact on the businesses, including the loss of jobs at The Discount Store and the prolonged closure of the charity shop. The case was prosecuted by John Byrne BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL. The incident was captured on CCTV, and Canning was arrested the same day. David Canning pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 December 2020, 18‑year‑old Josh Henney was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the last six months suspended, for a violent disorder offence committed on 11 November 2018. Henney, who was 16 at the time, was the ringleader of a group of teenagers who attacked 20‑year‑old Christopher Palmer after Palmer tried to steal a greeting card from a newsagent. CCTV footage showed Henney pushing Palmer into the shop with the front wheel of his bike, repeatedly punching him, dragging him outside and kicking him while he lay on the ground. The court noted Palmer was helpless and unprovoked, and that Henney returned to the scene to inflict further assaults. Palmer died five days later from a drug overdose, a death not linked to the assault. Josh Henney pleaded guilty.
Ian Morton, 31, was sentenced to a suspended three‑year term for setting fire to a doorway on Harold's Cross Road, Dublin, on 6 October 2019. He had been drinking heavily in a pub in Harold's Cross the previous night, was asked to leave for intoxication, then drove to a nearby garage where he bought €5 of petrol. He returned and lit the fire, which was quickly extinguished by barmen. CCTV captured the purchase and his car registration led to his arrest the next day. Morton suffered burns on his arms, hands and face and was treated in hospital. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson, has two prior drink‑driving convictions, and suffers from bipolar disorder. The judge noted his alcohol abuse and drug use contributed to the offence, and that he is now drug‑ and alcohol‑free, receiving counselling and medication. The suspended sentence is conditional on support measures.
Jonathan Grimes, aged 33, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for burglary offences. He pleaded guilty to stealing a €300 tablet from the Irish Whiskey Museum on 8 February 2019, and to two burglaries at Bewley's café on 23 February and 6 March 2019. In the first café burglary he entered a women's changing room and stole a cash belt; in the second, with a companion, he stole a bottle of gin and a laptop valued at about €1,500. He had 161 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery and theft. The court noted he was on bail for the first burglary when the later offences occurred. He was sentenced to four years for the museum burglary and three and four years for the café burglaries, to run consecutively, giving an eight‑year term with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. No stolen property was recovered.
James Maughan, 35, was arrested after a 30‑minute high‑speed pursuit in Dublin during which he drove while disqualified, intoxicated, and dangerously. He was found to have 13 stolen power tools worth €6,500 in his vehicle and tested positive for cannabis and cocaine. Maughan claimed he was heading to his child's birthday party. He pleaded guilty to possessing stolen goods, driving while intoxicated, driving without insurance, and two counts of dangerous driving. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment and a 15‑year driving disqualification. The judge cited his 160‑previous convictions, including dangerous driving, as an aggravating factor. Maughan's defence noted his severe psychotic disorder and ongoing treatment with the HSE. The stolen tools were largely returned to their owners.
In a laneway near St Stephen's Green, Dublin, on 4 June 2020, 25‑year‑old Keith Devine, who has no fixed abode, assaulted an unconscious homeless man. Devine first exchanged words with the victim, then attempted a head‑butt and punched him eight times. The victim was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground. Devine stamped on the victim's head five times, dislodging the victim's false teeth. He then moved the victim off the road and searched his pockets, but did not steal anything. Witnesses called the Gardaí, who arrested Devine. The victim was taken to hospital for a head wound and later discharged. Devine pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case is set for finalisation on 17 February 2024, with a report from the Probation Service ordered by Judge Melanie Greally.
Stephen Berrigan, 43, of St Mark's Crescent, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and heroin for sale or supply with a value in excess of €13,000 at his address on 25 August 2018. He agreed to hold over €178,000 of heroin and cannabis in two vans parked in his driveway after his father's funeral bill of €7,000 left him in financial distress. Garda Dominic Downing obtained a search warrant and found plastic bags containing two bricks of heroin and three packs of herbal cannabis in the vans; no drugs were found inside Berrigan's home. Berrigan had previously refused to hold drugs but agreed after his father's illness and subsequent death in July 2019. He had no prior convictions and was working as a delivery man for a small bakery. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a report from the Probation Service and adjourned the matter for finalisation on 23 February.
A 20‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, faces trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for allegedly causing €17,135 of damage to a youth detention centre in 2017. He was denied bail after it was revealed he had been in custody under a false name and false date of birth. Garda Robert Jordan reported that the man failed to appear for his July 14 trial, prompting a bench warrant that was executed on Monday. Jordan found evidence of the false identity, including a temporary release notice. The court noted the accused had a history of bench warrants and missing court dates. His barrister argued he should not be punished for missing the July appearance because he was in custody at the time. Judge Melanie Greally refused bail, remanding him for a December 16 appearance.