Karim Haddouche, aged 49, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for stealing nearly €45,000 from Ulster Bank by lodging cheques that he knew would not clear. He had previously received a three‑year suspended sentence in July 2019 for stealing €15,000 from the same bank in January 2017. The €45,000 theft occurred between November 2016 and January 2017, and Haddouche was arrested on the new charges in October 2018. Judge Martin Nolan, who had imposed the suspended sentence earlier, said he would not have given a suspended sentence had he known about the additional theft. Haddouche pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing cash and three counts of deception. He has 16 prior convictions, all related to Ulster Bank thefts. The court noted that Haddouche had been a gambler who travelled to Ukraine for casinos and that he was a chef from Algeria whose father had recently died.
Ben Murphy, 18 at the time of arrest, was caught by gardaí holding cocaine and MDMA with an estimated street value of nearly €150,000. He claimed he was returning from a party to celebrate his Leaving Cert results. Garda John Griffin reported Murphy appeared nervous, prompting a drugs search that revealed a bag of cocaine in his fist and additional packages hidden in his trousers. A subsequent search of his home uncovered MDMA powder in a glass reptile tank, a plastic container, a spoon, and bagging. Murphy pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply on 16 August 2018. He had no prior convictions and said he was pressured to hold the drugs, fearing repercussions if he named the owners. The court noted his remorse, family devastation, and his previous promise as a footballer. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to six years, suspending the final four and a half years, citing his age and the drug value.
In July 2018, 19‑year‑old Jordan Kennedy swerved to avoid a motorist on Barry Road, Finglas, but collided with the car, throwing both him and his best friend Stephen Moore, also 19, off a motorbike. Moore suffered a serious head injury, requiring emergency surgery for a brain blood clot, an induced coma, and multiple operations before being discharged after two months. He was later readmitted for another operation and spent time at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Kennedy pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious injury, with additional charges of no licence or insurance considered. He has no prior convictions. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 12‑month probation bond, requiring Kennedy to remain under Probation Service supervision, avoid certain peers, continue his apprenticeship, and keep a clean record. Kennedy was remanded on continuing bail until 27 July 2021 for sentencing.
In a series of incidents over ten minutes in Lusk, Co Dublin, 23‑year‑old Declan Turner, who has 33 prior convictions and a drug problem, attempted to rob a 76‑year‑old woman at knifepoint after already robbing a Supervalu and a Gino's takeaway. CCTV showed Turner approaching a Supervalu staff member, brandishing a knife and demanding money, but the staff member pressed a bell and Turner left empty‑handed. He then stole a €20 note from Gino's by jumping the counter. Later, he approached the elderly woman in Orlynn Park, produced the knife, demanded money and threatened to kill her. She showed him her empty hands, he left, and she called her brother‑in‑law who alerted the gardai. Turner was arrested the next day, initially unfit for interview but later admitted the robberies, claimed no recollection of the knife or the elderly woman, and expressed remorse. Declan Turner pleaded guilty.
Eddie Kiely, aged 29, attacked a resident who had let him into a flat complex, punching and kicking the victim before locking himself in the victim's apartment. Gardaí forced entry and found him highly intoxicated on the couch. Kiely pleaded guilty to burglary and assault at Coultry Terrace, Ballymun, on 7 June 2019. He was already serving a two‑year sentence for robbery and a consecutive three‑year sentence for criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a six‑year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended, making it consecutive to the two‑year sentence and concurrent to the three‑year sentence, effectively extending his time in prison by 18 months. The victim, who was asleep at 4 am, was assaulted, suffered bruising and a laceration, and underwent a CT scan. Kiely's defence highlighted his intoxication, past drug misuse, and efforts at rehabilitation, but the judge noted the severity of the assault and his long‑standing alcohol issues.
Michael Talbot, aged 33, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended after pleading guilty to assaulting two Gardaí on New Year's Eve 2018. He bit Garda Greg Barron's thigh and later smeared blood on his jail cell walls. The court noted his history of violent conduct towards Gardaí, including prior convictions for violence in a Garda station, abusive behaviour and obstruction of Gardaí. Talbot's attack was described as "particularly nasty" and "appalling treatment of members of An Garda Siochana." He was found to have serious anger issues and hostility to authority figures. Talbot apologized, claiming he would not have acted if he had not been drinking and taking drugs that night. The judge accepted his statement that he hoped to rehabilitate after his sentence. The sentence was handed down by Judge Karen O'Connor at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Darren Nolan pleaded guilty to recklessly discharging a firearm, possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply, and making a false statement to gardaí. Nolan had claimed he had been shot by three balaclava‑wearing men, but gardaí found evidence he had shot himself in the face with a blank‑firing handgun he had purchased online. Gardaí discovered over €16,000 of illegal drugs in his bedroom and a handgun in a drawer. Nolan admitted to drinking a bottle of whiskey and a shoulder of vodka before the incident and that he had threatened to shoot himself during an argument with his mother. He was described by counsel as a "patsy" who had no employment history and had been prescribed anti‑psychotic medication. Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned the case for finalisation on 30 October.
Ciaran O'Brien, 37, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for armed robbery and a threat to kill Garda PJ Cummins. He robbed the Applegreen Service Station at Celbridge on 27 November 2019, armed with a hammer and a small machete, and took €360 in cash before fleeing. O'Brien then drove a car straight at Cummins, who was off‑duty and had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over. The judge, Karen O'Connor, noted that O'Brien was homeless at the time and had 27 previous convictions but was not known to be violent. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ciaran O'Brien pleaded guilty.
Sean Rausch, aged 22, pleaded guilty to two robberies and false imprisonment at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had earlier held a 19‑year‑old Latvian student at knifepoint on Wellington Quay, forcing the victim to hand over his wallet and flee. Later that day he robbed another 19‑year‑old man on Aston Quay, who described Rausch approaching him with a knife, then putting the blade away and telling him about his difficult life. The second victim, feeling threatened, offered Rausch a chicken roll and soft drink, which Rausch accepted before leaving the shop. Rausch, who had been homeless in an underground car park for several weeks and had a drug problem, wrote a letter of apology to the court, explaining he had robbed for food and drugs and regretted the fear he caused. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to October 6, 2020 to allow a probation report to be prepared.
In July 2019 a 75‑year‑old man was seriously injured when Dean Quigley, aged 23, twice broke into his apartment. The first incident involved Quigley kicking and hitting the door after being refused entry, then entering the flat, taking a knife, and assaulting the victim. The second assault, in October 2019, saw Quigley punch the man in the head, stomach and back, hold him in a headlock and threaten to kill him if he told anyone. The victim, who remained in fear for five days, was found by his daughter and taken to hospital where he suffered a brain bleed, ligature marks on his neck and severe bruising to his chest. Quigley pleaded guilty to trespassing, criminal damage and assault, was remanded in custody and sentencing was adjourned to October 2020 for a probation report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 33‑year‑old Chunling Chen of Walkinstown pleaded guilty to providing false or misleading documentation in a passport application and to possessing a false Irish nationalisation certificate. She had paid €22,000 to obtain the documents, believing the operation was legitimate. Chen had been in Ireland since about 2008, was illegal in 2015 when she applied for a passport, and had never registered with immigration. Gardaí discovered the false certificate at her address in 2018. The court noted an element of victimisation, citing her desire to see her son in China and her recent childbirth of twins, one of whom died. Judge Pauline Codd described the operation as "somewhat exploitative" but accepted that Chen did not know it was illegal. She was sentenced to two years imprisonment, fully suspended.
Thomas Cassin, aged 49, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assault causing harm at Killbarrack Shopping Centre on 3 July 2016. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 12 months after release. Cassin had attempted to rob an off‑licence in Killbarrack, demanding money while wearing a ski mask and threatening staff. He was pursued by security guards, who restrained him until Gardaí arrived. A ten‑minute struggle ensued; Cassin punched a guard, fracturing the guard's nose, and sustained a cut above his eye. Cassin left on a bicycle. CCTV footage and a DNA sample from the guard's shirt identified him. He had 27 prior convictions and was described as a serious alcoholic and heroin user. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The sentence was passed by Judge Melanie Greally.
In a case heard at the Court of Appeal, a 31‑year‑old Dublin man, David Murphy, had his original prison term increased after the State appealed a suspended sentence. Murphy had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm for striking a taxi driver with a beer bottle on Slade Road, Saggart, on 21 March 2015. The original sentence, handed down by Judge Pauline Codd, was three and a half years, with the final two years and nine months suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the suspended portion was excessive, noting that Murphy would serve only six months and three weeks if remission applied. The Court of Appeal agreed, quashing the original sentence and re‑sentencing Murphy to three and a half years, suspending only the final two years. The case remains at the criminal sentencing stage, with no further outcome reported.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vasile Plesca, aged 41, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after he beat his wife with a rolling pin in what he described as a jealous rage. The incident, which lasted seven hours, involved Plesca and another man preventing the woman from leaving their flat. He struck her over the head, forced her to remove blood‑stained clothing and shower, and inflicted bruising on her arm, elbow and neck. Video evidence, recorded by the victim on a mobile phone, showed her screaming and pleading for help. Plesca denied strangling her and claimed he avoided hospital care to prevent the authorities from taking his children. The judge, citing the severity of the offence, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended, and required Plesca to pay €5,000 to his wife as a token of remorse. Vasile Plesca pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Grogan, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to unauthorised use of a motor‑propelled vehicle. The assault occurred on 25 October 2019 at Applewood Square, Swords, when Grogan, who later admitted he recognised the victim as a former schoolmate, attacked delivery driver Nikita Olijniks. Olijniks was on a delivery, had just stepped out of a car with his girlfriend, when Grogan, seated in the driver's seat, punched him twice or three times in the face after a confrontation. Olijniks was also struck in the back of the head by another individual and fell to the ground. The court also heard that on 4 November 2019 Grogan was driving a stolen car belonging to Jennifer Kilbride, which had been reported missing.
Atilla Tasgin, 41, of Leixlip, Co Kildare, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering offences. The defendant pleaded guilty to four counts of removing proceeds of criminal conduct from the State at various north Dublin addresses between June 17, 2013, and April 5, 2018. He also admitted to two counts of transferring such proceeds at unknown locations in the State on December 3, 2018, and January 21, 2019. Prosecution evidence indicated Tasgin transferred just under €10,000 to Turkey on behalf of an individual referred to as "the provider." While Tasgin acknowledged knowing the funds were proceeds of criminal conduct, the court accepted he was not involved in the underlying fraud and received no cash, only favours such as rent-free accommodation. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Tasgin to two years and three months in prison. However, she suspended the final nine months of the sentence, resulting in an effective custody period of 18 months. The judge cited his cooperation with the garda investigation and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
Mark Skelly, a 19‑year‑old father from Dublin, pleaded guilty to possessing a Mac‑10 machine gun, ammunition and a silencer at his father's home in Ballyfermot on 21 May 2019. The weapon, capable of firing 1,140 rounds per minute, was found in a wheelie bin and was described as rare and no longer manufactured. Skelly had no prior convictions. He admitted to having knowledge of firearms from playing the computer game "Call of Duty" and claimed he had not discharged the gun. He was sentenced to five and a half years, with the final two years suspended on the condition of a bond to keep the peace, good behaviour for two years, 12 months of probation supervision and engagement with any recommended treatment. The judge noted his youth, drug‑free status, family support and previous good character.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his six‑year‑old niece for two years while babysitting her. The abuse ceased when the girl, then nine, told him, "I don't like this and it has to stop." The victim, now 12, described feeling blamed and used, and expressed lasting discomfort around men, including family members. She said the uncle's actions left her feeling unsafe and that she hides her body with clothing. The court heard that the man's own grandfather had touched him, a fact he admitted to Gardaí in May 2018 after the victim disclosed the abuse to her parents. The defendant expressed remorse, noting he would take it all back if possible. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to 20 October and ordered a Probation Service report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Gerry Wall pleaded guilty to burglary at a Walkinstown house on 1 February 2016. The victim, an elderly woman, had a son who returned to find the home in a chaotic state, with clothes piled and belongings knocked over. CCTV footage showed Wall leaving the house with a suitcase and two bags. Items taken included jewellery, saris, coins and flags, totalling €32,450, many of which were irreplaceable family heirlooms. None of the items have been recovered. Wall, who has 26 prior convictions, had been granted bail on stringent conditions but failed to appear on his sentence date. A warrant was issued and he was arrested by arrangement. The court adjourned sentencing to 15 October 2020. The prosecution and defence noted the burglary was unplanned, with no confrontation, and Wall expressed remorse and requested an apology. The case remains pending sentencing.
Sandra Kavanagh, aged 40, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of making a gain by deception for receiving €27,079 in rent supplement payments between 24 September 2015 and 7 June 2018. She had vacated the address at Kildonan Road, Finglas West, in August 2015 but continued to collect payments for that property. Detective Garda Jason Weir reported that Kavanagh had received 130 payments during the period. She has 67 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, knife production, public order and road traffic offences. The defence noted that a 2008 accident left her with significant physical injuries and that she has lived with friends and in hostels since leaving the address. Judge Pauline Codd ordered a probation report and adjourned the case for finalisation on 12 October.
Darragh Corbally, aged 20, received a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply worth €48,236. The 17‑year‑old schoolboy had been excluded from school and had accrued a drug debt before a Garda raid found 2,411 g of cannabis in his bedroom. Corbally admitted the offence, expressed remorse, and has since engaged intensively with the Probation Service and a drug counsellor. He has worked part‑time, returned to education, and been offered a place in third‑level social care. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting his youth, early guilty plea, and progress, departed from the mandatory 10‑year minimum and imposed a suspended term, confident he would not reoffend. Corbally has no prior convictions and has ceased drug use.
Kevin Brazil, 50, of Terenure, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven counts of sexually assaulting a child in the city on unknown dates between April 1, 2002, and June 30, 2002. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Brazil to three years' imprisonment but suspended the entirety of the sentence for a period of three years. The judge cited the State's "unconscionable delay" in prosecuting the case, noting that Brazil had admitted his guilt to gardaí in 2002, yet no file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. She stated that without this delay, a custodial sentence would have been inevitable. Brazil has 16 previous convictions for sexually assaulting a child, for which he was sentenced in 2004 to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. Superintendent Barry Walsh, the applicant, testified that he was unaware of these specific offences at the time of the 2004 prosecution and could not explain why the 2002 file was not forwarded. The court heard that Brazil had not offended since his release from custody in 2006. The judge acknowledged the victim's anxiety due to the lack of closure but emphasized that the delay was not Brazil's fault. Mitigating factors included his early guilty plea, admissions, employment history, and remorse.
Sandro Teixeira, aged 30, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a violent, unprovoked attack on Ismail Mustafa on Parkgate Street on 22 January 2018. Teixeira, who lives on North Circular Road, Phibsborough, used a knife to slash Mustafa's face, creating a 10‑centimetre wound that required plastic surgery, and partially severed his ear lobe. The assault occurred after the pair had chatted on the Luas and walked together to the Aisling Hotel. Teixeira had previously been charged with assault causing serious harm but pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on the first day of his trial. He has six prior convictions in the UK, including a 2009 four‑year sentence for grievous bodily harm. The court, hearing that Mustafa suffered lasting pain, sleeplessness and permanent disfigurement, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final six months suspended under conditions. The judge noted the maximum penalty for assault causing harm is five years.
Wayne Lynch, a 37‑year‑old bread delivery man from Drogheda, was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years in prison for transporting firearms and storing cannabis during an ongoing crime feud. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a pistol and ammunition in suspicious circumstances at a Lidl car park in Tallaght and possession of cannabis herb at his home on 19 July 2019. Lynch had a prior conviction in 2004 for drug possession. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, followed Lynch's bread van on 19 July 2019, seized two black handguns and ammunition from the van and recovered cannabis herb worth €35,606 from his home. Judge Elma Sheahan accepted that Lynch was not a "significant player" and would not have used the guns, but noted he was moving the equipment during an ongoing feud that had claimed many lives. The judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence.
Albert Redmond, 44, with 341 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to 20 burglaries, two counts of criminal damage, three counts of possession of stolen credit cards, theft of a handbag and four counts of deception by using stolen credit cards. He said he had planned to avoid relapse after his last release in June 2019 but did not anticipate falling in love. The relationship began soon after release, initially positive, but the partner's crack cocaine use became a feature of the relationship, leading Redmond to commit further offences. He was arrested in January 2020, released, then re‑arrested in March 2020 after a burglary at a café in Harolds Cross. He admitted all offences and stated he had not expected to return to court. Judge Elma Sheehan adjourned sentencing to 23 October 2020 to prepare a probation report. The burglaries mainly targeted cafés, restaurants, offices and shops, with some occurring in private houses.
Gerard Lennon, aged 76, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for indecent assault on a 12‑year‑old boy at St Patrick's National School, Drumcondra, in 1978. Lennon had previously been convicted of indecent assault on four boys between 1969 and 1980 and had served a four‑year sentence in 1999. In the 1978 incident, the victim was lured into a storage room, had his trousers removed, and Lennon masturbated while repeatedly asking the boy if it felt good. The victim's impact statement, read by Garda Anita Brannigan, described the assault as having derailed his life and left him feeling as though he had let himself and his family down. Judge Melanie Greally noted the breach of trust, the victim's youth and innocence, and the profound effect on the boy, and imposed a 15‑month term, the maximum for the offence at the time.
A man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm following an incident at a nightclub in Swords, Dublin in December 2017. The victim, then aged 19, sustained serious injury to his left eye when struck with a glass during an altercation in the toilets at Wrights Cafe Bar. Medical treatment included surgery for a severe perforation and prolapse, resulting in permanent corneal scarring, though satisfactory vision was later restored. The accused, aged 22 at the time of the assault, initially denied involvement but subsequently entered a guilty plea in November 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on the more serious charge of assault causing serious harm. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the victim read a statement describing the lasting impact on his life, including abandonment of his ambition to play senior Gaelic football for Dublin and subsequent mental health difficulties. The court adjourned sentencing to July 30, 2020, with the accused remanded on continuing bail.
Michael Power, aged 25, was serving an eight‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a serious assault when he escaped from St James's Hospital on 20 March 2019. While escorted by three prison officers for treatment of an abscess on his jaw, he slipped his handcuffs, ran, and jumped a wall of a nearby housing estate. He was not located until the following July. Power pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, his barrister argued that morphine given for pain had impaired his judgment, but Judge Martin Nolan noted that Power had shown "admirable speed, dexterity and agility" while on morphine and had taken advantage of the officers' kind behaviour. The judge sentenced him to an additional six months in prison, consecutive to his existing term.
Corrie Grimes, 24, received a fully suspended 18‑month prison sentence for threatening to slit a Garda's throat and smash her face at Ferrymans Crossing on 28 February 2017. He initially denied the threat, calling it "a load of bollox", but later pleaded guilty and apologized to the Garda. Judge Melanie Greally noted the serious impact on the victim and considered Grimes's two young children. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. Grimes has 11 prior convictions, nine for drug offences, and is in recovery from drug addiction. He has been employed and is in a residential drug treatment programme, though he did not complete it. No contact has occurred between Grimes and the Garda since the incident. The court ordered a probation report to assess his rehabilitation efforts.
Michael Reilly, aged 50, was sentenced to two years in prison for a road‑rage incident at the Pavilion Shopping Centre Roundabout on Malahide Road, Swords, on 11 November 2017. Reilly stopped his van in front of another driver after the victim shouted at him for pulling across traffic. He exited his van, struck the windscreen with a lump hammer (causing no damage), then grabbed the victim as he tried to exit the car and repeatedly punched him in the head, shouting that he would kill him. Witnesses reported Reilly holding the victim in a headlock and punching him up to four times. After driving the victim off, Reilly was identified by Gardaí and arrested 18 months later. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2020, Sandro Teixeira, aged 30, was found guilty of assault causing harm after he slashed the face of Ismail Mustafa on the Luas on 22 January 2018. Teixeira, who lives on North Circular Road, was initially charged with assault causing serious harm but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge. The attack left Mustafa with a 10‑centimetre wound and a severed ear lobe, requiring plastic surgery and three days in hospital. Mustafa's victim impact statement described ongoing pain, sleeplessness and permanent disfigurement, and his fear of showing his face to family in Sudan. Gardaí identified Teixeira from Luas CCTV footage and he was arrested. Teixeira has six prior convictions in the UK, including a 2009 four‑year sentence for grievous bodily harm. He has no convictions in Ireland. The judge adjourned the case to Friday for sentencing and to determine whether Mustafa would accept a monetary settlement offered by Teixeira.
Ramin Badalov, of Oakdale Park, pleaded guilty in January to producing a large kitchen knife during a dispute in south Dublin on 12 March 2019. He was remanded on continuing bail but failed to attend his sentencing. His lawyers claimed he was unaware of the date and that he was detoxing in Azerbaijan, where treatment is cheaper. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the case again to 6 October 2020, after a bench warrant had been issued at a previous Dublin District Court sitting.
Graham Lynch, a 41‑year‑old roofer from Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, was remanded on bail pending sentence after police found almost €40,000 worth of heroin in his home. Gardaí discovered a small amount in the sitting room and bedroom and, upon searching the attic, uncovered more heroin hidden behind insulation. Lynch admitted in a Garda interview that he was storing the drugs for others, describing himself as a "cog in the machine of supply." He had been abusing cocaine and had built up a drug debt, which he said had pressured him into storing the heroin for two or three weeks. Lynch pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 August 2019 to possession of heroin for sale or supply at his home. He has six prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. The judge adjourned the case to 6 November, ordering a probation report and urine analysis.
Gary Simpson, aged 32, pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin's Jury's Inn on 25 March 2020. The hotel was closed due to the Covid‑19 epidemic and contained no money in its tills. Simpson entered the hotel, walked behind the reception counter holding a broken glass bottle, demanded the tills be opened and took a phone from a desk, returning it when asked. He left the premises voluntarily. Gardaí identified him quickly, aided by a description from hotel staff and the low footfall in the city at the time. Simpson had 155 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and theft. The court described the offence as a "particularly pointless attempt at robbery" and noted the lack of violence and material gain. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 21 months' imprisonment.
Patrick Carter, of Coombe Court, Dublin city, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his part in a violent 2009 knife attack on Patrick Fowler. Carter pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but had previously failed to appear on his sentence date, fleeing to the UK where he was later imprisoned for aggravated burglary before being extradited to Ireland. The court heard that on April 19, 2009, Carter and Gerard Howe assaulted Fowler in a restaurant on Dame Street. Fowler alleged that Howe slashed his face with a blade, causing severe injuries including exposed facial muscles and a permanent scar. Carter admitted his role in the assault, stating he intervened to help a friend. Judge Martin Nolan rejected defense arguments that Carter had changed, noting he should not benefit from evading justice. Carter received a two-year prison sentence, with the final nine months suspended on conditions of good behaviour and payment of €2,000 to the victim. The sentence was backdated to June 19 of the previous year. Gerard Howe, who was jailed in 2013 for the same offence, was not present for this sentencing.
A 45-year-old man was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexual assault committed at a boy's home in May 2013. The defendant, who met the victim's mother through a dating website, initially denied the charge but pleaded guilty the day before his trial. Judge Melanie Greally, who had previously adjourned the case in February 2019 while placing the man on a 12-month probation bond, imposed a 12-month prison sentence today. This sentence was suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months. Additionally, the judge imposed a 10-year condition prohibiting unsupervised contact with children and barring him from the immediate vicinity of creches, schools, playgrounds, or other areas where children congregate. The judge warned that breaching either condition would result in the man being jailed for a year. The court heard that the man had two previous convictions for theft and had attended 44 psychotherapy sessions. While acknowledging the offence was in the lower range of sexual offending, the judge noted the serious impact on the victim, who is now 16, and his mother. The defence highlighted the defendant's remorse, history of depression and anxiety, and low risk of re-offending.
Conor McCormack, a 30‑year‑old apprentice carpenter, was severely brain‑injured after being punched in the jaw by Raul Pop, 25, during a night out on Dublin's O'Connell Street. Pop, along with Cosmin Sandor, 24, and Vladut Bindea, 21, were involved in a brawl that began after the trio had been drinking vodka at a nightclub. CCTV footage showed the attackers assaulting a homeless man and then following McCormack and his friends. Pop struck McCormack, who was knocked unconscious and hit the ground head‑first. McCormack suffered a life‑threatening brain injury, required surgery, spent 11 days in a coma, and now has lasting hearing loss, speech difficulties and physical weakness. In court, Pop pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm; Sandor and Bindea pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Pop to five years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended, Sandor to two years, and Bindea to a suspended two‑year sentence.
Wayne Lynch, 37, a bread delivery man from Newtown Meadows, Drogheda, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a pistol and ammunition in suspicious circumstances at the Lidl Car Park, Tallaght, and possession of cannabis herb at his home on 19 July 2019. He had a previous conviction in 2004 for possession of drugs. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, followed Lynch in his bread van on 19 July 2019, approached the van at the Lidl car park, and searched it, recovering two black handguns and rounds of ammunition under the passenger seat. Lynch was arrested and taken to Crumlin Garda Station. A search of his home yielded cannabis herb valued at €35,606. Lynch claimed he was afraid for his life, had a cocaine habit that worsened after his father's death, and was told to drop off the package for a €1,000 discount.
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following a series of attempted car thefts in a Dublin housing estate while under the influence of crack cocaine. Thomas Cahill Donohue, aged 35, pleaded guilty to twelve charges including burglary, attempted robbery, criminal damage, unlawful use of a vehicle, threatening behaviour and assault on gardaí at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 25 October 2019, Donohue approached multiple residents in the Whitethorn Walk estate in Lusk, making threats and attempting to take their vehicles while holding his pet chihuahua. Residents reported that he made violent threats towards them. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence on Thursday, noting that whilst Donohue expressed a desire to reform and seek drug treatment, the seriousness of his conduct and the trauma caused to civilians and gardaí necessitated custodial punishment. The judge stated that substance abuse was no defence. The sentence was backdated to 1 January last.
Patrick Harte, aged 78, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 11 counts of indecent assault on seven pupils at Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school between September 1968 and September 1970. The trial heard that Harte repeatedly molested boys while subjecting them to severe corporal punishment and verbal abuse. Victims testified that he would call them to his desk for praise or correction, warn the class to keep their heads down, and fondle their genital areas. Harte denied the allegations, claiming the State had validated his teaching and that the prosecution was sectarian. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a total of three years' imprisonment: two years for the first count, one year for the second, and one year for each of the remaining nine counts, all running concurrently. The sentence was imposed after Harte's repeated failure to attend earlier hearings and his subsequent hospitalization. Patrick Harte pleaded not guilty.
Jamie O'Rourke, aged 26, was sentenced to four years in prison for two offences: an attempted robbery of a Centra store in Swords and a robbery of a tanning salon in the same town on 26 August 2019. The Centra incident involved O'Rourke, armed with a knife, attempting to rob the shop while the owner chased him out with a step ladder. Gardaí were called to the salon after O'Rourke fled the Centra store and demanded money from the salon assistant, taking €156 in cash. He was apprehended shortly after by the Armed Response Unit, who tasered him and followed the taser wire to a bush where he was hiding. O'Rourke pleaded guilty to both counts and has 36 prior convictions, including robbery and attempted robbery.
Patrick Harte, 78, former principal of Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school, was convicted in March 2020 of 11 counts of indecent assault on seven boys between 1968 and 1970. At his sentencing hearing, Harte denied the allegations, claiming the victims had a "vendetta" against him and that the state had "validated" his teaching. He said he would appeal to the High Court if the sentence was sectarian. The court heard that Harte repeatedly molested pupils in a class environment marked by severe corporal punishment and verbal abuse. Victims testified that he would call them to his desk for praise or correction, warn the class to look at their books, and fondle their genital areas. Harte's lawyers argued that the prosecution had not brought charges of child cruelty or physical abuse. The judge remanded Harte in custody and adjourned sentencing to the next day. Patrick Harte pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a judge praised a survivor of child sexual abuse for her courage in coming forward. Ms Jennifer Lydon McElwaine, who was aged six to eleven when abused, waived anonymity to name her father, Raymond McElwaine, who pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and sexual assault between 1988 and 1994. She described the lasting impact of the abuse, noting how her father's control and manipulation affected her and her mother, and how she felt unheard as a child. Ms Lydon McElwaine highlighted her father's lack of remorse and his attempts to manipulate her into silence. The judge acknowledged her early bravery and her ongoing concern for other children, and adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report while remanding her in custody until October 8, 2020. The hearing also covered the father's admissions during Garda interviews and the court's assessment of his low risk of re‑offending.
Dermot Whelan, 67, of The Crescent, Belgard Heights, Tallaght, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography on two computer devices and to knowingly distributing child pornography between October 2012 and July 2014. He was found to have hundreds of child abuse images, including 53 explicit images, 182 exposure images, and three explicit videos, on a laptop seized by Gardaí following an undercover FBI operation that had placed an advertisement to attract users of child pornography. Whelan admitted viewing and emailing the material, claiming he was sexually aroused by it and that he had not bought or contributed to it. The judge noted the seriousness of creating a market for child abuse and imposed strict conditions for the suspended term, including compliance with the Probation Service for two years. No prior convictions were recorded.
James Doran, aged 29, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for an aggravated burglary that took place on 12 January 2013. He broke into the home of a taxi driver in Dublin 16, armed with a knife, and demanded €400. The victim's wife and five‑year‑old son were locked in a bedroom while Gardaí arrived. Doran threatened the victim with the knife, who sustained a cut on his thumb while defending himself. Doran was arrested at his own home after a warrant was issued in February 2014 when he failed to attend a sentence hearing. He had fled to the UK, was extradited back to Ireland in August 2023, and has been in custody since. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five‑year sentence, suspending all but 28 months on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Doran pleaded guilty.
Chun Cheng, a 36‑year‑old Chinese national living in Rutland Place, Dublin 1, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine worth €79,000, cannabis worth €22,000, €176,015 in proceeds of criminal conduct, and seven rounds of 9mm ammunition, all found at his apartment on 6 October 2019. He had no prior convictions and had cooperated with Gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan noted Cheng's deepening involvement in the drug operation, his receipt of rent for the apartment and a bank balance of just over €19,000, and described him as an intelligent man likely to reform. The judge suspended the final four years of a nine‑year sentence, ordered forfeiture of the cash and bank balance to the State, and highlighted Cheng's remorse and desire to help others with addiction.
John Cullen, aged 61, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a gain for himself by deception by lodging €155,724.68 into his own Bank of Ireland account on 1 December 2014. The money had been stolen from University College Cork and was described by the court as "undoubtedly fraudulently obtained." Cullen's role was to provide a bank account for the funds to be channeled, and he was said to have been "used by others" for a very small reward. Judge Melanie Greally characterised the offence as a "very serious lapse in judgement" and noted that the full restitution to UCC and the lack of actual loss were mitigating factors. She sentenced Cullen to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years.
Patrick Harte, 78, a former school teacher convicted of fondling boys at Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school between 1968 and 1970, failed to attend his sentencing hearing after being admitted to Tallaght Hospital with cardiac issues. His lawyers argued that he should not be compelled to attend court due to Covid‑19 guidelines for people over 70 and his medical condition, and requested a two‑month adjournment. Judge Martin Nolan refused the application, citing concerns about Harte's behaviour and the need for finality, and scheduled the hearing for 4 pm out of hours on Thursday. The prosecution, led by Anne Rowland SC, opposed the adjournment, noting that five of the seven victims had already attended court and were willing to read their impact statements. Judge Nolan emphasized that Harte's health is stable but vulnerable to coronavirus and that sentencing must proceed. The case remains in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Patrick Harte pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Daryl Coyle, aged 30, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for an unprovoked assault on Magdi Mustafa Rashid on South Richmond Street on 5 May 2015. Coyle, who had been intoxicated, used a broken pint glass to head‑butt Rashid, causing a broken nose and subsequent nasal problems. Rashid, aged 54, had been visiting a friend and was approached by Coyle and two other men who shouted at him before the attack. The court noted Rashid's ability to identify the attackers from a distance and the delayed Garda arrival. Coyle pleaded guilty after a trial date; he had 37 prior convictions, including two for assault. The judge emphasised that the sentence reflected Coyle's conduct, not his housing situation. The suspended portion is conditional on good behaviour for two years.
David Johnston, 38, of Golden Lane, BrideStreet, Dublin 8, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to burglary at a flat on Cooke Street on 14 November 2019. He had previously been convicted 28 times. Johnston broke into the flat by kicking in a glass panel of the front door while the occupants were watching television. He forced his way in, threatened the victim with a Stanley knife held to the victim's neck, and demanded €20 that the victim owed him. The victim received a small cut to his throat that did not require medical attention. After the victim paid the €20, Johnston left the flat, elbowing a kitchen window as he exited. He was later arrested and has been on remand in prison since his arrest. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement.