In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Juan Sanchez, aged 38, was convicted of possessing child pornography after five videos were found on a hard drive seized from his home in 2013. Sanchez claimed the material was downloaded automatically while he set his computer to download "ordinary pornography" overnight. Gardaí traced the illicit material to his address and seized a MacBook, phone and hard drive, but analysis was delayed until June of the following year. The videos depicted adult men with boys under 17; it was unclear whether Sanchez viewed them. Sanchez denied any sexual interest in children and stated he had no prior convictions. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a six‑month suspended sentence, citing mitigating factors such as his lack of criminal record, guilty plea and cooperation over six years. The conviction will have consequences for him.
A man has been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment following a hammer attack on a shopkeeper in Dublin in March 2017. John McKeon, aged 31 and with an address in Strokestown, County Longford, was convicted by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of robbery, attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm. He and his cousin targeted Tansey's Newsagent on Fitzmaurice Road, Finglas, where McKeon struck the shopkeeper three times to the head with a claw hammer, causing severe traumatic brain injury. The victim, who remains in recovery, was the sole carer for his blind wife and three children. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a sentence of twelve-and-a-half years with the final eighteen months suspended. McKeon's cousin, Daryl McKeon, was previously jailed for seven years in connection with the same incident. Daryl McKeon pleaded guilty.
John Fortune, 43, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for his role in a €1.5 million cannabis trafficking scheme. He agreed to drive a van loaded with nearly 80 kg of cannabis from Carlow to Rathcoole. Fortune had no prior convictions and had built a €50,000 tax debt, defaulted on his mortgage, and was facing repossession of his home. He claimed financial desperation and a foot injury had prevented him from working. Garda surveillance stopped the van, revealing vacuum‑packed cannabis labelled "trip haze", "diesel haze" and "green poison". The drugs were valued at just under €1.5 million. The court noted his limited involvement, financial distress, and mental health issues, and imposed a headline sentence of 13 years, halved to 6.5 years. Fortune received no payment for his role, and he had no prior Garda record. John Fortune pleaded guilty.
Ben O'Reilly, 21, stood trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting and robbing Fernanda de Freitas, a transgender escort, on 20 May 2017. De Freitas, who worked as a sex worker, met O'Reilly through the app Grinder and arranged a meeting at her home. She claimed he offered €500 to stay, then paid €150 and received €30 back. After sex, O'Reilly allegedly behaved erratically, left the bathroom, masturbated, then returned, demanded his money back, and took her phone. He allegedly punched her many times, pressed his hands around her neck, and threatened her. De Freitas said she struck him in the groin to escape, returned the money, and an additional €50 fell to the floor. She was left with cuts to her mouth and swollen eyes. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury. Ben O'Reilly pleaded not guilty.
Dean Shelley, 29, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for careless driving causing the death of 13‑year‑old Lee Henry and failure to stop on the R139, Coolock, on 22 October 2016. The court found Shelley was driving about 80 km/h in a 60 km/h zone and could not see the boy running across the road due to hedging and road layout. Shelley fled the scene, was pursued by Gardaí, abandoned his car and was later found with his wallet and licence. He pleaded guilty and admitted the offence. Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the final ten months of the sentence on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The case was aggravated by the speed, the distress to the family and Shelley's leaving the scene, but mitigated by his guilty plea, remorse and prior work record. The sentencing was carried out at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Garda Sean Lucey, aged 42, was convicted by a jury of assault causing harm after striking RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand in the groin with a baton during anti‑racism protests on Cathedral Street on 6 February 2016. The jury found Lucey guilty of assault after deliberating 2 hours 46 minutes, but found him not guilty of criminal damage to Hand's camera. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the matter for sentencing on 7 February 2020 and remanded Lucey on continuing bail. Hand testified that he was filming with reporter Colman O'Sullivan when Lucey first struck his camera and then hit him in the groin, causing severe pain. Garda Michael Dibley, a fellow public‑order officer, testified that the crowd was hostile and that gardai were under extreme pressure, but that they were entitled to use batons to maintain a six‑foot distance.
In the assault trial of Garda Sean Lucey, the jury was instructed to set aside any personal feelings toward the police. Lucey, 42, faced charges of assault causing harm and damaging a camera after a confrontation with RTE cameraman Colm Hand on Cathedral Street in February 2016. The prosecution argued that footage showed Lucey striking Hand's groin after the cameraman had retreated, while the defense emphasized Lucey's two‑decade clean record and the lawful use of force in a volatile situation. The trial, presided over by Judge Melanie Greally, continued with the jury hearing both sides' arguments before a verdict was reached. The case highlighted the tension between police conduct and media presence during street protests. Sean Lucey pleaded not guilty.
Carl McGuinness, 24, was jailed for six years after a high‑speed pursuit in a stolen taxi that ended with a collision with a lamp post. While driving the van at dangerous speeds, he knocked a cyclist, James Byrne, onto the bonnet and threw him into the air, breaking Byrne's leg in two places. The incident also injured a woman, Carol Lacey, who was struck by the van. McGuinness pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, four counts of property damage, car theft, and driving without insurance or a licence. He admitted an addiction to heroin and crack cocaine and a difficult upbringing. The court disqualified him from driving for six years and imposed the prison term back‑dated to last July. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
An 84‑year‑old taxi driver, John Walker, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his adopted daughter, Jennifer Kelly, over a ten‑year period from 1990 to 2000. The jury found him guilty on 40 counts of indecent assault and sexual assault, with the abuse occurring at his home in The Cova, Whitehall Road, Perrystown, Dublin, and at a former address in Kilmasogue Grove, Greenpark. Walker denied the allegations and claimed no prior convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the pre‑meditated, planned nature of the abuse, the victim's age and vulnerability, and Walker's lack of remorse. The court considered his age, health conditions and past community contributions before imposing the sentence. The abuse involved repeated kissing and fondling, verbal threats, and control tactics, culminating when Kelly disclosed the abuse to Gardaí in 2018. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The unnamed 84-year-old pleaded not guilty.
During a 2016 protest on Cathedral Street, Garda Sean Lucey (42) was accused of striking RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand with a baton and then striking Hand in the groin. The incident occurred while RTÉ reporters Colman O'Sullivan and Hand were moving across a Garda line to avoid confrontation between anti‑racism protesters and a far‑right group. O'Sullivan testified that a Garda advanced from the line and hit Hand's camera before striking him. Hand reported being hurt and the pair left the area. Garda Michael Dibley, David Laird and others from the public order unit described the situation as hostile, with Gardaí outnumbered and under pressure from protestors. The trial heard that the Garda unit was tasked with preventing protesters from reaching supporters of the far‑right group and that batons were used only after other means failed. The case is pending in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Sean Lucey pleaded not guilty.
Ian Quinn, 38, of St Aongus Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer in Mountjoy Prison on 30 January 2019. Officer Colin Ryan, who knew Quinn from earlier that morning, was walking across a landing when Quinn approached with a bucket. Quinn threw the bucket's contents—excrement—over Ryan's face and uniform. Ryan initially thought it might be boiling water but soon realised it was feces, which entered his mouth, eyes, boots and radio. The incident left Ryan traumatised and unfit for work for four weeks. Quinn, already serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a separate offence, was sentenced to an additional two months' imprisonment, to run consecutively with his existing term. The court noted that Quinn had produced a knife in prison and that the assault was described as a "pretty low assault" that was nasty and ridiculing. The judge emphasised that the incident had led to Quinn's six‑month solitary confinement.
Margaret Kavanagh, 67, of Kilnamanagh, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession and distribution of counterfeit handbags, sunglasses, scarves and other items bearing the emblems of brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Michael Kors and Ted Baker. Gardaí received confidential information that the goods were to be delivered to her home address on 9 December 2016, observed a truck arrive, and seized a number of boxes. A search warrant was executed, during which Kavanagh admitted to selling the counterfeit items at Christmas fairs over the previous 12 to 18 months. The seized goods were valued at €18,753, with cash of £1,295 and €12,760 also found. She had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to two years' imprisonment, suspended in full, and ordered the destruction of the items bearing brand emblems, while allowing the unbranded items to be returned.
During a 2016 anti‑racism protest on Cathedral Street, RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand was struck in the groin by Garda Sean Lucey, who used a baton. Hand, who was filming with reporter Colman O'Sullivan, had positioned himself near a garda line after being pushed into a shop. He claimed he chose to stay with the gardaí because he believed it was safer. While filming, Hand was hit by a baton from behind, causing bruising and pain, and his camera was also struck. He later testified that he had complied with orders to move back and that he had shouted at the garda to stop hitting cameras. The trial, presided over by Judge Melanie Greally, is ongoing before a jury. The garda has pleaded not guilty to assault and camera damage charges.
A man has been sentenced to twenty months' imprisonment following a fatal collision on the Naas Road in Dublin on 31 January 2016. Anthony Corcoran, aged 39, of Lyons Street, Newcastle, County Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failure to remain at the scene with intent to escape civil or criminal liability. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was withdrawn by the State. The court heard that Corcoran struck a pedestrian while returning to County Cavan after an evening out. He subsequently informed gardaí of his involvement the following morning. Judge Martin Nolan noted evidence suggesting the defendant was over the drink-driving limit and concluded he panicked at the scene. The judge acknowledged significant mitigation including an early guilty plea, immediate contact with gardaí, lack of previous convictions, and good work history. Corcoran was disqualified from driving for three years.
The trial of Garda Sergeant Sean Lucey began in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 9 December 2019. Lucey pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand and to damaging a camera on 6 February 2016. The prosecution, led by Fiona McGowan, explained that Gardaí were aware of a Pegida rally and a counter‑rally by anti‑racism groups on Cathedral Street. They were tasked with preventing confrontation. Sergeant Derek Fleming testified that the situation escalated into violence, with protesters wearing balaclavas and face masks, some attempting to attack Gardaí with fists and to seize batons. Fleming described the deployment of soft‑cap units and later fully kitted units, the use of batons as a last resort, and the eventual dispersal of the crowd after about 30 minutes. The case is expected to last five days before Judge Melanie Greally.
Derek Keane, 40, was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused the death of 27‑year‑old Callum Grimes on 27 December 2016. Keane, who had drunk between 12 and 15 pints of Guinness and possibly a gin and tonic before driving, collided with Grimes on a rural road near Loughshinny, Skerries, where no footpath existed. Grimes suffered catastrophic brain injuries and died seven months later at Beaumont Hospital. Keane also pleaded guilty to failing to provide assistance at the scene. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, disqualified Keane from driving for six years. Keane had no memory of the night in question and had reported his van's damage the next day after learning of the hit‑and‑run. The court noted that Grimes was described by his family as a shy boy who loved life. The disqualification was imposed following the sentencing.
Anthony Corcoran, aged 39, of Newcastle, County Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failure to remain at the scene with intent to escape civil or criminal liability following a collision on the Naas Road, Dublin on 31 January 2016. The court heard that Corcoran struck Peter Maunde, who was walking on the motorway in dark clothing during poor weather conditions. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was withdrawn by the State. Corcoran informed gardaí of his involvement the following morning after his father contacted local police in County Cavan. During interview, Corcoran admitted consuming alcohol that evening. Garda evidence indicated multiple witnesses observed a man crossing the motorway barrier near Red Cow Roundabout, while other motorists initially mistook the casualty for an animal. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Corcoran on continuing bail for sentencing, indicating he would consider the case overnight. A victim impact statement from the deceased's family was submitted to the court.
Derek Keane, a 40‑year‑old part‑time firefighter, was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years in prison for dangerous driving causing the death of 27‑year‑old Callum Grimes on 27 December 2016. Keane, who had consumed up to 15 pints of Guinness that day, had no memory of driving home or the collision. Grimes was walking home from St Stephen's Day celebrations when he was struck on a rural road between Skerries and Rush. He suffered catastrophic brain injuries, underwent multiple surgeries, and died on 14 July 2017 after life support was withdrawn. Keane also pleaded guilty to failing to provide assistance at the scene. The court noted his previous speeding conviction and his role as a qualified electrician and volunteer first‑aid provider. The sentencing judge described the case as "lamentable and tragic" and highlighted the severe impact on Grimes' family.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has acquitted Patrick Carroll on all charges relating to a €90,000 post office robbery in September 2014. The 54-year-old from Swords had pleaded not guilty to charges of trespass, false imprisonment, robbery and threats to kill in connection with an incident at a property in Malahide and Bayside Post Office in Sutton. During the eight-week trial, the prosecution alleged that DNA evidence linked Carroll to the crime, but his legal team submitted there was an innocent explanation for its presence. Following deliberations lasting over eleven hours, a jury of four men and eight women returned not guilty verdicts on all counts. Paschal Kelly, a 54-year-old with addresses in Cootehill and Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, was previously convicted of the robbery and kidnapping and received an eighteen-year sentence in late 2018.
John Downes, 58, of Cabinteely, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for defrauding the Revenue Commissioners of €160,000 in VAT between 2007 and 2011. He made false invoices and claimed VAT refunds that his company, Premier Print and Label Ltd, was not entitled to, and also charged customers VAT that he did not remit. Downes pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and the judge noted the interest added by Revenue, totalling another €160,000, but based the sentence on the original amount defrauded. The judge cited Downes' guilty plea, cooperation, work history and community contributions as mitigating factors, yet stressed the seriousness of the offences. Downes had prior convictions for theft from Marks & Spencer and had previously received a suspended sentence in 2018. The court did not order restitution of the money, leaving that matter to Downes and the Revenue.
Clive Mason, 43, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm after a violent, racially abusive attack on taxi driver Samuel Banjoko Johnson on Malahide Road, Donnycarney, on 21 April. Mason, who claimed to be a Garda and shouted racial slurs, punched Johnson and attempted to force him out of the vehicle. Video of the assault circulated online, prompting Mason to surrender to Gardaí the following weekend. He pleaded guilty, apologized, and cited intoxication as a factor. The court noted Mason's three prior convictions and his willingness to cooperate. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 20‑month prison sentence, fully suspended on the condition that Mason remain law‑abiding for 20 months and comply with Probation Service directions for six months. The court also ordered a €5,000 payment to be transferred to the Garda, to be given to Johnson or a charity if he declined it.
Three Portuguese men – Miguel Lopez Lima (28), Perdor Barbosa (34) and Hugo De Silva (23) – were sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison after pleading guilty to cultivating cannabis at a sophisticated grow house on Frederick Lane North, Dublin 1, on 2 March. Gardaí obtained a search warrant and found 1,439 cannabis plants, the largest 63 inches tall. Barbosa had nine prior convictions in Portugal, three for drugs offences; Lopez Lima and De Silva each had three prior convictions, including one drug offence each. Defence counsel argued that De Silva was not a profit taker and that all three had been coerced into the operation, with De Silva claiming he was driven to the grow house daily from a farm near Wellington Bridge. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the coercion argument and imposed the sentence on all three defendants.
Macica Firea, 58, a father of six with no fixed abode, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting four women in a series of incidents that took place on July 10 near Connolly Station and on Commons Street in Dublin. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the assault of three women on Amiens Street and a fourth on Commons Street. Garda Aisling Gralton recounted that on the morning of the offences a woman was walking to work when Firea grabbed her vagina; she pushed him away. A second woman on Commons Street felt a hand behind her, and Firea laughed, gestured at digital penetration, and grabbed her buttocks. A third woman at a bus stop near Connolly Station was also assaulted, and a fourth woman on the station escalator was approached with an attempt to put a hand under her skirt.
A 33‑year‑old convicted sex offender was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for assaulting Garda Barry Purcell, who was assisting social workers in removing the offender's baby from his care. The offender, who has 23 prior convictions, was found guilty by a jury of assault causing harm on 16 June 2016 and does not accept the verdict. Judge Karen O'Connor cited aggravating factors, including the psychological damage to the Garda, and noted the offender's pattern of disregard for the law. The sentence was back‑dated to account for five months the offender had already spent in custody for a separate sexual assault conviction. Garda Purcell suffered swelling and bruising to his hand and forearm, and the incident affected his future interactions with the public. The offender claimed he was provoked by racial abuse during the confrontation. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Whelan, 36, was jailed after admitting to robbing a man in Rathmines while cycling through a red light. Garda Joseph Heaphy had stopped Whelan for reckless cycling and observed him throw a phone under a car. When questioned, Whelan confessed that he had robbed the victim, who handed over his phone and wallet, to satisfy a drug debt. He had 68 prior convictions and pleaded guilty to robbery and knife possession. Judge Martin Nolan noted Whelan's open admission and remorse, but also his need for quick money. He imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year custodial sentence, suspending the final 14 months. The court considered Whelan's desire to reform and the fact that the crime was discovered because of the Garda's intervention. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 5 December 2019.
A 41‑year‑old Pakistani man, Muhammad Aslam, was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment for using a fraudulently obtained passport card to travel from Ireland to the UK for work. Aslam, who had fled Pakistan with his wife after their marriage did not meet their parents' wishes, had lived in the UK until his visa was about to expire. He applied for a passport card in another man's name, using his own photograph, and used the card to travel to Britain and Poland between 2017 and 2019. He pleaded guilty to using or attempting to use a false passport and to using a passport not issued to him. The judge, taking into account his guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, family circumstances and good work history, imposed a 14‑month sentence back‑dated to April 2019 when he entered custody.
In March 2019 a robbery at Fernwood Avenue, Tallaght, involved Alan McHugh (39) and two accomplices who targeted Wojciech Gajoch, who was selling a 14‑carat gold necklace. The men approached Gajoch, one holding a knife, and surrounded him. Gajoch was struck on the head, and the men fled after taking the keys. McHugh pursued, brandishing the knife and threatening Gajoch, who managed to seize the knife and bring McHugh to the ground. The accomplices then drove a car at the two men, running over McHugh's foot. The car left without McHugh, and the necklace was never recovered. McHugh pleaded guilty to robbery, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended, and was released on strict conditions. The case highlighted the violent nature of the robbery and the failure to recover the stolen necklace.
Patrick Spollen, 36, was found guilty of inducing the Bank of Ireland by deception in August 2016 to secure a €270,000 mortgage for a house in Walkinstown. He used forged employment, income, bank and credit union statements to apply. The mortgage was approved and disbursed in October 2016, but a later investigation revealed the documents were not legitimate and the bank had no record of his employment since 2010. Gardaí arrested Spollen in early 2017, and he admitted the documents were not legit. He pleaded guilty, claiming he was misguided and sought to provide a stable home for his partner and young daughter. The court noted the mortgage repayments remain ongoing and regular, and the bank is "quite happy" to allow him to continue living there. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a fully suspended two‑year prison sentence, contingent on Spollen keeping the peace and behaving well, and credited him for his guilty plea, repayment record and family circumstances.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, martial‑arts instructor Jonathan Dargan (49) was found guilty of unlawful killing after a late‑night domestic dispute on Harold's Cross Road on 6 March 2016. Dargan was arguing with his partner when Patrick Mullally (56) and Jason Cunningham approached. A cyclist testified that Dargan threw powerful punches at Mullally, who suffered a subdural haemorrhage and died the next day. Dargan admitted striking Mullally but claimed he was surrounded and feared for his safety, arguing self‑defence. The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on manslaughter after four hours of deliberation, and a majority verdict on assaulting Cunningham after an additional hour. The assault charge against Mullally's niece was withdrawn. Judge Pauline Codd set a sentencing date for 27 January, directed victim‑impact and probation reports, and remanded Dargan on continuing bail.
In a 2019 incident at Rutland Grove, Crumlin, two brothers, Peter Collins (26) and Jason Collins (18), attacked a 60‑year‑old taxi driver, Mark Henshaw, and attempted to hijack his vehicle. Peter strangled Henshaw with a phone charger cable, while Jason punched the driver and searched his pockets. The pair failed to start the car and stole a €50 note and an iPhone. Henshaw suffered a small brain bleed, a nasal bone fracture and a swollen right eye. Both pleaded guilty to robbery, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a car. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Peter to four and a half years' imprisonment and Jason to three and a half years, suspending the final 12 months of Jason's term on strict conditions. The court noted the attempt was "a pretty incompetent effort" and the attack "reprehensible.".
Lewis Larkin (33) was sentenced to seven years with the final 18 months suspended for his role in robbing, falsely imprisoning, and attacking three 15-year-old boys at Fairview Park on June 27, 2018. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as 'terrifying' for the victims and noted Larkin's 111 previous convictions and intoxication at the time. Craig Douglas (18) was sentenced to three years with the final 20 months suspended. Judge Nolan called the case 'lamentable' and expressed regret over the custodial sentence for Douglas, citing his youth, but noted the 'particularly vicious' nature of the attacks. Both Larkin and Douglas pleaded guilty to three charges of robbery, three charges of false imprisonment, and two charges of assault causing harm to the teenagers. Larkin also admitted to the theft of eight bicycles valued at €6,285. Garda Kevin Murphy stated that the boys were threatened, forced to walk with the accused, and subjected to intimidation and physical violence. The victims were walked around the area to withdraw cash from their bank accounts and were later attacked in a laneway. Victim impact reports were submitted but not read out. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Robert Hedderman was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for the 2016 burglary of a single mother's home in Kinsealy. Hedderman broke into the house on Christmas Day, ripped furniture, placed an Xbox and a DVD player in a sink full of water, urinated throughout the premises and scattered ash. He also left the house covered in urine and caused significant damage, amounting to many thousands of euros. The victim, who was renting the house with her children, was left homeless for a month and lost numerous personal items. Hedderman pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He has 47 prior convictions, including burglaries, theft and knife possession. The judge described his actions as gratuitous and without any earthly reason. The case was prosecuted by Garda Elva Duffy BL and defended by Emer Ni Chuagain BL.
David Farrelly, aged 31, was jailed for seven years after admitting possession of €360,000 in proceeds of crime and €25,500 in cash, and for possession of more than €84,000 worth of cocaine and €26,000 cash in a portakabin at his garden. He was caught in 2017 when Gardaí found €364,000 in cash and a pistol in a box in his stepfather's home, and again in 2018 when a raid uncovered cocaine and cash at his residence. Farrelly denied involvement the day after the first discovery, claiming his stepfather had removed the plastic wrapping the cash. His fingerprints were later found on the plastic. He has 45 prior convictions, including drug offences and traffic offences. His stepfather, described as a father figure, had previously served four years for money laundering and firearm possession. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, noting the seriousness of money laundering.
Iain Macnab, 27, was sentenced by Judge Martina Baxter in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for assault causing harm to his then‑girlfriend and a suspended 12‑month term for criminal damage at Poolbeg Quay. The judge described the assault as "menacing and terrifying" and noted it occurred over a prolonged period within the family home. Macnab pleaded guilty to both charges and admitted abusing cannabis at the time. He has no prior convictions, has ceased drug use, and is employed as an HR manager. The court imposed conditions including attendance at a domestic‑abuse perpetrators' programme. Macnab was described as remorseful, having engaged in counselling and shown a willingness to manage his emotions without violence. The probation report indicated he was unlikely to re‑offend.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Brendan Treacy, 36, was sentenced to a suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for making a false emergency call about a gangland shooting at Peadar Kearney House, Railway Street. Treacy claimed a gangland member had been shot and a black Toyota Avensis had fled the scene, prompting eleven Garda units, a fire brigade truck and an ambulance to respond for 24 minutes before the operation was called off. He later admitted the call was a "moment of madness" while he was "completely wasted" on tablets and vodka. Treacy, who has been clean of heroin for two years and now helps others recover from addiction, pleaded guilty to the false report. The judge noted the diversion of Garda resources and commended his rehabilitation efforts, suspending the sentence on a number of conditions. Treacy has 40 prior convictions, including theft, road traffic and drug offences.
Mark Boyle, a 50‑year‑old lending agent for Provident Personal Credit Limit, left €4,500 of company cash in his car, which was stolen. He did not inform his employer and instead secured loans in the names of family and friends to repay the company, promising to repay the loans himself. Boyle's repayments became difficult, leading him to borrow further. Provident, suspicious of the loans, confronted Boyle, who confessed. Boyle pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and one of fraud, covering 20 incidents between August 2015 and January 2016. He repaid over €8,000, leaving a balance of €10,600, which he handed to his solicitor for Provident. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Boyle's full repayment and lack of prior convictions, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition that the €10,600 be handed over to Provident.
Adrzej Toszewski, a 36‑year‑old metal and glass installer from Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin for sale or supply after a police search of his car revealed a package containing €91,000 worth of heroin. He claimed he did not know what was in the package and denied being a dealer. The court heard he had been pulled over while using his phone, had a strong smell of cannabis in the vehicle, and was abusing cannabis at the time. He had no prior convictions and had not attracted Garda attention in the five years since the offence. Judge Pauline Codd, hearing the case in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended in full on conditions including engagement with probation services and attendance of any directed courses. The judge cited Toszewski's lack of criminal record, his depression, his low position in the drug hierarchy, and his skilled employment as mitigating factors.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Oliver Callely (27) of Clontarf, Dublin, pleaded guilty to igniting fireworks at Copper Face Jacks nightclub on Harcourt Street on July 6, 2015. A firework lit on a balcony overlooking a crowded smoking area became lodged against a man, causing burn injuries requiring multiple attendances at a burns unit. The victim reported ongoing discomfort but did not seek a custodial sentence. Callely's legal team described the act as "moronically stupid and dangerous," attributing it to excessive alcohol consumption following a Dublin-Mayo football replay. He had previously received the Probation Act for assault at the same venue and was on bail when this incident occurred. Callely had fled to the United States before being charged, subsequently arrested under an extradition warrant. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to February 7, requesting a Probation Service report assessing suitability for community service. The maximum penalty is five years imprisonment.
Yasmin Stephens, aged 24, was convicted by a jury of robbing a woman on Lower Drumcondra Road on 12 October 2017. The robbery involved a knife threat and the victim was forced to hand over €100. Stephens, who has 13 prior convictions including robbery, does not accept the verdict. The court ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to 17 January 2020. Garda evidence included CCTV footage identifying Stephens and testimony that the victim was not physically harmed. Stephens claimed the money was given to her and that the victim had hugged her, but CCTV did not show this. The victim reported psychological distress and changes in her routine following the incident. The case highlights the court's focus on the robbery and the defendant's background of drug addiction and trauma.
A robbery of a handbag from a woman's convertible car on a summer day was identified by a cyclist who captured photographs of the suspect, Mark Dwyer, 42, using his camera's zoom. Dwyer, who had 112 prior convictions and had just been released from prison, pleaded guilty to the robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan noted Dwyer had spotted an opportunity when the car's roof was down and that a "good Samaritan" had witnessed the crime. The judge imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence, taking into account Dwyer's guilty plea but also his extensive criminal record. The woman was left shaken, and the cyclist's images helped identify Dwyer, who admitted he could not remember the incident and expressed remorse. The defence highlighted his long history of custody and efforts to address drug addiction. The court was asked to be lenient.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 29 November 2019, a 35‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seven‑year‑old boy, a victim whose identity was protected. The defendant, who denied the assault, had written a letter to the court containing disparaging remarks about the victim's mother. He was found guilty on one count of assaulting the older boy, but acquitted on charges relating to the younger brother. The judge, citing the defendant's lack of remorse and the letter's content, imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years after considering mitigating factors such as his prior good character and employment. The sentence was back‑dated to 18 October 2019. The victim's 14‑year‑old brother, in his impact statement, described ongoing sleep disturbances and fear, while the mother characterised the family as victims of the defendant's cruel actions.
A 17‑year‑old, Darragh Corbally, was found asleep in his bedroom when Gardaí raided his home searching for drugs. The raid uncovered 2,411 g of cannabis, valued at €48,236, which Corbally admitted to possessing for sale or supply at his address on 22 December 2017. He pleaded guilty to one count, carrying a mandatory minimum jail term of 10 years. Corbally, who had been excluded from school two weeks earlier, explained that he had started using cannabis the previous summer, accrued a debt, and was ordered to hold the drugs. He told Gardaí he was "sorry to my ma." His defence lawyer described his responses as "childish" and highlighted his youth, immaturity, lack of prior convictions, and recent efforts to return to education and work. The court will sentence him on 18 December, with the judge urging him to continue his progress.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 33‑year‑old African man, who cannot be named to protect his child's identity, was convicted of assaulting Garda Barry Purcell on 16 June 2016. The assault occurred after social workers visited the man's home to remove his son from his care; the visit became heated and the man threw glasses and punched the garda, causing swelling and bruising to the garda's hand and forearm. The garda, who has served 12 years, said the injuries had cleared but the incident left him hesitant and fearful in certain situations. The accused, who has 23 previous convictions and a five‑month sentence for a prior sexual assault, does not accept the jury verdict. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing to 6 December. The garda also reported that the accused tried to "blacken his reputation" by calling him a racist during the trial. The case remains pending.
Jason Russell, 37, was jailed for two years after submitting fraudulent monthly time sheets to Cheeverstown House between 2014 and 2017, receiving about €80,000. Gardai discovered the fraud in 2017 while Russell worked as a delivery driver, finding 12 undelivered boxes of clothes worth €5,000. Russell pleaded guilty to theft and submitting false time sheets, and to stealing clothing in October–November 2017. Judge Martin Nolan noted Russell's guilty plea, cooperation and lack of likelihood of re‑offending, but also his brazen defrauding with malice, forethought and planning. He was sentenced to three years, with the final year suspended, and ordered to surrender €10,000 to the garda for transmission to Cheeverstown House. Russell had one prior road‑traffic conviction and had been attending counselling for gambling issues. The court heard that Russell's family was under financial strain at the time of the offences.
Sean O'Neill, a 72‑year‑old liquidator from Wicklow, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €28,530 that had been transferred into his bank account by the Department of Social Protection under the insolvency payment scheme. The money was owed to a former employee of a Galway restaurant that had gone into liquidation. O'Neill had transferred €15,000 to the employee but never passed on the remaining balance. He was charged in July and, after a guilty plea and cooperation, brought €18,000 to court. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the breach of trust and O'Neill's lack of prior convictions, imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, suspending all but the final five months. He ordered the €18,000 to be paid to the relevant party. The case highlights the duty of liquidators to act honestly and the consequences of failing to do so.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found a married couple guilty of female genital mutilation (FGM) and child cruelty for an act carried out on their one‑year‑old daughter on 16 September 2016. The 37‑year‑old man and 27‑year‑old woman, both of African origin, pleaded not guilty to both counts. The jury delivered unanimous guilty verdicts after almost three hours of deliberation. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded the accused in custody pending sentencing on 20 December. Detective Inspector Danny Kelly opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the charge and a potential flight risk; a deportation order for the man is under appeal, while the woman is an Irish citizen. The couple's three children, including the victim, are currently under the care of the woman's sister, with arrangements to remain with the aunt if Tusla is satisfied.
Emer Roche, aged 46, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five fraud and forgery offences committed between July and December 2014. She forged approval letters for the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) and used a computer to facilitate the fraud, stealing €500 and forging documents on multiple dates. Roche had three prior theft convictions. The judge, citing the seriousness of the offences and Roche's prior record, imposed a three‑year imprisonment sentence, fully suspended for three years under strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. Roche had repaid €9,000 in full and had shown remorse, early cooperation, sobriety and repayment of the loss. The case involved a potential public health risk as forged letters enabled unqualified physiotherapists to practice. The ISCP had refunded applicants' fees, and Roche's actions caused a €9,000 loss to the society. The court noted her previous short‑term contract with the ISCP and her admission of the fraud to Gardaí.
A judge in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Pakistani man Adil Muhammad, aged 32, to a suspended four‑year custodial term and a community service order for his role in a human‑trafficking scheme. Muhammad admitted to possessing six false Indian passports used to bring six Afghan Sikh family members into Ireland. The passports were obtained through false documentation, and the individuals had been trafficked from Afghanistan to Europe, with the final leg to Ireland. Gardaí traced the movement of the six people, who entered on flights from Malaga and later attempted to board flights to the UK. Muhammad pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of false passports dated 15 January 2018. The judge noted no evidence of profit and cited Muhammad's loyalty to a family friend as his motivation. The case was adjourned to 10 February for Probation Service assessment.
Jonathan Dargan, 49, pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of Patrick Mullally, 56, on 6 March 2016, and to two assault charges involving Lauren Mullally and Shane Cunningham on 5 March 2016. During the trial, Dargan told Gardaí that he and his girlfriend had been at a concert and were involved in a "fist fight" when three men joined the altercation. He claimed he threw punches, was hit, and that one man grabbed his neck. He said he left the scene in his car, thinking it was a simple fight. Gardaí later located his silver Mercedes at a Texaco forecourt, where he admitted involvement. Lauren Mullally testified that she had been celebrating with her uncle, the deceased, and that she struck Dargan with a shoe after seeing him near the deceased. The trial is proceeding before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury of five women and seven men.
Rose Mulenga, a 47‑year‑old former Turkish Airlines employee, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €16,702 from the airline's compensation system between 5 June and 5 September 2017. She accessed the company's database to locate unclaimed compensation vouchers, then transferred the money to her mother in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was battling cancer. Mulenga resigned shortly after the theft and admitted that she believed the refunds were unlikely to be claimed. She also claimed that she was in arrears with Dublin City Council because her ex‑husband had failed to pay rent, and that her brother had refused to help her. The prosecution noted that she had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, which was fully suspended, and noted that Mulenga had repaid some of the stolen funds. The sentence was therefore suspended in its entirety, with no custodial term imposed.