A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, Michael McDonagh, was jailed for one and a half years after acting as a look‑out in a 2014 hijacking of a black Toyota Yaris at Hampton Wood, Finglas. The shop manager, listening to his car radio at 7.10 am, noticed McDonagh and two other men. One of the men broke the car's driver‑side window with a screwdriver, and the victim was pulled out of the car and kicked after slipping. McDonagh, from Carton Road, Poppintree, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to the hijacking but later took a bench warrant. He had 39 prior convictions, including public order offences, thefts and criminal damage. The court noted his peripheral role, lack of routine, drug use, and lack of a fixed abode. Judge Melanie Greally gave him a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, ordering him to engage with addiction services and education or training courses.
Eoin Morrow, a 38‑year‑old bricklayer from Dundalk, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing €1.38 million worth of cannabis resin and prescription drugs. Gardaí, using confidential information, set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. The truck driver, John Needham, 31, and Morrow removed boxes of cannabis and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park, Finglas. A subsequent search uncovered 96 kg of cannabis, valued at €580,200, and 400,000 Zopiclone pills, valued at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug on 25 July 2015. He had 15 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He had taken a bench warrant, fled to Europe, but returned and surrendered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 November 2018, Karl McDermott, aged 21, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for a robbery at Dunnes Stores on 25 May 2018. McDermott used a homemade machete‑type weapon that his brother, a metal fabricator, had constructed for a Halloween costume. The weapon was described as a long silver knife with a padded handle covered in tin foil, and was found in the back of a drawer at the family home. McDermott pleaded guilty to robbery and the production of the homemade machete. He had 45 prior convictions, including robbery, possession of knives, criminal damage, violent disorder and drug offences. The court noted that McDermott had been taking tablets and alcohol, and that he had been struggling mentally. The judge accepted his early guilty plea but emphasised that the weapon was capable of serious injury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 November 2018, Wong Chung Sing, a 28‑year‑old Malaysian national, pleaded guilty to possession of almost €100,000 worth of cannabis. The drugs, valued at €98,530, were found in a black bag he carried across the city to a second man for a fee of about €100. Garda Donal O'Sullivan, on plain‑clothes patrol, observed the transaction at a Tesco store and stopped both men. Sing claimed he was asked to transport the bag and that he had no prior convictions. During his custody, Sing alleged that a cellmate set his mattress on fire, an act he described as an attempt to set him on fire. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin adjourned sentencing to 14 November 2018. The case remains pending as of the hearing date.
Leroy Howard, a 28‑year‑old father of two, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. He was found in possession of €115,000 worth of drugs, including 5 kg of cannabis (valued at €99,868) and 250 g of cocaine (valued at €15,060). Howard had previously pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on St Joseph's Avenue, Drumcondra, on 20 December 2017. He has 65 prior convictions, 49 of which are driving offences, plus convictions for public order, theft and drug offences. The judge noted his history of disregard for the law and his role as a devoted father, accepting that he was remorseful and had a drug addiction at the time of the offence.
In November 2018, a 23‑year‑old homeless woman, Donna Dineen, was sentenced to six years in prison for slashing the stomach of a man who had come to help her in the street. Dineen, who had previously given birth in custody, admitted to stabbing Saurjan Syergaz, a 27‑year‑old man, with a 25‑cm knife wound on 8 May 2017, and to robbing his wallet on the same occasion. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally imposed concurrent terms of six years for robbery and five years for assault, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The sentence reflected Dineen's unstable background, history of abuse, drug and alcohol dependence, and her expressed remorse and desire to keep her newborn son with her for an extended period while in custody.
In November 2015, 24‑year‑old Edward Andrews, already serving a four‑year robbery sentence, harassed pub owner Stephen Rooney in Dublin. Andrews warned Rooney that the area was "his patch" during a 30th birthday celebration at The Farmhouse Inn, Monkstown. The next day he drove close to Rooney's workplace, revved his engine and shouted threats, then fled. A few days later, Andrews blocked Rooney into a cul‑de‑sac in his car, threatened to shoot him, and made a trigger‑pulling gesture. Rooney, who was in his own vehicle, reported the incident to Gardaí. Andrews pleaded guilty to harassing Rooney at several Dublin locations between 21 and 26 November 2015. He was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a three‑year jail term, with the final 12 months suspended, after acknowledging his guilty plea, youth, and efforts to become drug‑free.
Sean Foster, 21, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at St Joseph's Adolescent Unit on 5 January 2015 and at Oak Ward, Phoenix House Care Centre on 7 April 2017. He struck music teacher Dean McEvoy with a pool cue, breaking the cue and fracturing McEvoy's skull and severing a brain artery, causing PTSD. Foster also punched staff member Michael Kelly, knocking out a tooth and requiring €7,500 in dental work. Foster suffers from treatment‑resistant schizophrenia and was an in‑patient at St Joseph's during the first assault. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the first assault, suspending the final six months on conditions of good behaviour, drug‑free status and medical compliance, and to 12 months' imprisonment for the second assault; the sentences run concurrently.
In a Dublin court, a 52‑year‑old man was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with the final three years suspended, for a series of sexual offences against his daughter, who is now 17. He pleaded guilty to 21 charges, including rape, attempted rape, anal rape and other sexual assaults that spanned from 2006 to 2017. The court heard that the abuse began when the girl was between four and seven years old and continued through multiple moves, involving inappropriate touching, forced sexual acts and repeated rapes almost daily. The father described himself as a "partner by night" and claimed he had viewed his daughter inappropriately. He admitted to giving her alcohol and smoking cannabis during some incidents. The judge noted the profound breach of trust and the father's remorse, ordering him to undergo the Better Lives treatment programme while serving the sentence. The case highlighted the severe impact on the victim's physical and psychological well-being.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard CCTV footage of a dark‑coloured hatchback with one headlight and one taillight out of service, moving through Tallaght on the night Andrew Guerrine was stabbed. The car was first seen at 11.51pm in Killinarden, then tracked along Blessington Road until just before 1am. At about 5am it was captured outside a pharmacy, then moved to a garage where it stalled, after which the driver and passenger pushed it to a petrol pump. The vehicle was later seen on Cushlawn Way, last at 5.28am, and again leaving the same spot at 2.42am the following night. Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37) pleaded not guilty to Guerrine's murder, which involved 20 stab wounds, two penetrating the skull and cervical spine. The trial continues before Justice Michael McDermott with a jury of seven men and five women.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment following his assault on a garda with a glass bottle. Christopher Reilly (28) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Daniel Sweeney, causing him harm, on Ratoath Road, Cabra, on 10 November 2015. During the incident, Reilly swung a glass bottle at the garda, causing a serious leg wound that required thirteen stitches and resulted in permanent sensory loss. The victim, in a statement read to the court, described losing considerable blood and being unable to walk for a month following the attack. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three and a half year sentence with the final twelve months suspended, noting the assault fell within the upper range of seriousness. She ordered Reilly to complete any violent offender programme directed by the Probation Service and to address his drug use. Reilly has sixty-seven previous convictions.
The High Court is set to give a judgment in November on the extradition of Artur Celmer, a 31‑year‑old Polish national, to face drug‑trafficking charges in Poland. Celmer was arrested in Ireland under a European Arrest Warrant. His lawyers argue that recent radical changes to the Polish justice system, which have brought the country into conflict with the EU, create a risk that his fair‑trial rights would be breached. After a referral by Justice Aileen Donnelly to the Court of Justice of the EU, the High Court sought further information from Polish authorities. The court received comments from Polish Deputy Minister for Justice Marcin Warchol, who described Celmer as a "dangerous criminal from a drug mafia." Donnelly said these remarks could undermine the presumption of innocence and questioned whether Poland's judicial independence was compromised.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Carlos Lawrence, aged 27, and his partner Catherine Dempsey, aged 26, were sentenced to a combined 12 years for a burglary and theft that took place on 13 December 2017 at Wainsfort Manor Grove, Terenure. Lawrence pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and theft of over €16,000, using a wedge hammer, and had 51 prior convictions. Dempsey pleaded guilty to stealing €15,000 in cash and burglary at the same time and place, with seven prior convictions. Lawrence received seven years, with 12 months suspended, while Dempsey received five years, with three years suspended. The judge noted Lawrence's remorse, drug addiction, and potential for productivity, and Dempsey's remorse, pressure, and low risk of re‑offending. The case involved a violent intrusion into the home of Alan Greene, who suffered significant distress and financial loss. The court recorded that both defendants had expressed remorse to the victim and to each other.
Michael Fulton, 59, of Belmont Park, Raheny, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of €195,347 worth of cannabis and cocaine. He admitted storing cannabis in wheelie bins and cocaine in his kitchen, claiming he had taken cannabis for back pain and stored the drugs to pay off a debt to an unnamed person he feared. The court noted he had transported the drugs and stored more than €11,000 for the same person. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin sentenced him to five years imprisonment, suspending the final two years on the condition of good behaviour, drug‑free status and engagement with the Probation Service. He also received a 12‑month driving ban for driving under the influence. The prosecution sought forfeiture and destruction of the money and drugs found at his home. No prior convictions were recorded.
A man has entered guilty pleas to a series of shop robberies at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, having been driven to multiple crime scenes by a taxi driver unaware of his passenger's intentions. Dean Gray, aged 30 and of Buttercup Drive, Darndale, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery and knife production at XL Flintstones in Baldoyle on 21 May 2017, where he took €350. He also admitted robbing €425 from Petmania at Gulliver's Retail Park using a screwdriver on 17 March 2018, and two robberies from Tan Me salon on New Cabra Road totalling €500 on 12 March and 10 April 2018. Gray further pleaded guilty to robbing €200 from Centz on North Circular Road on 14 March 2018 and an attempted robbery with threats at Spar, Harts Corner, on 10 April 2018. Evidence indicated he made no effort to conceal his identity during any incident. The court heard Gray has 69 previous convictions including 21 robberies, and that his offences were motivated by drug addiction. The case was adjourned to late November for sentencing.
Joseph Anderson, 71, who worked for the 1990s anti‑drugs newsletter "The Shrew", had his 2016 conviction for 12 counts of sexual assault and one count of oral rape of a boy aged 12‑15 between August 1992 and May 1995 upheld by the Court of Appeal on 26 October 2018. Anderson, who had no prior convictions, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Butler. He appealed the conviction and the sentence, arguing that the victim's repeated return to his house contradicted the abuse claim. The Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, dismissed both appeals, stating the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. The court also rejected the Director of Public Prosecutions' request for a review of the sentence on grounds of undue leniency. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In October 2018, a Polish man named Andrezej Pacek, aged 44 and currently serving a ten‑year prison sentence for a drug offence, was denied legal aid to defend a Criminal Assets Bureau claim that a commercial property in Hollyford, Co. Tipperary, where about €1 million of cannabis was found, was purchased with proceeds of crime. Pacek, who lives in Deerpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford, had earlier been convicted in 2017 for possession of a controlled drug worth €13 000 or more, with six years of his sentence suspended. The CAB argued that the Hollyford house was bought with illicit funds, citing unexplained four‑figure deposits into Pacek's bank accounts before the purchase. Pacek claimed the property was bought with savings from selling his Polish transport business in 2006. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart dismissed his legal aid application, noting translation difficulties and a lack of supporting documentation, and adjourned the case to November.
In a High Court hearing on 24 October 2018, Justice Carmel Stewart dismissed a Dublin couple's application for legal aid to challenge the Criminal Asset Bureau's (CAB) claim that a house on Casement Drive, an apartment in Bulgaria and about €72,000 in cash were proceeds of crime. CAB had obtained freezing orders in November 2016 under the Proceeds of Crime Act against Mr Jason Boyle and his parents, Laurence and Rosaleen Boyle, for the said assets. The Boyles denied the claim, asserting the cash was savings from Mr Boyle's business over ten years and that the properties were purchased with proceeds from their former home and family loans. Mr Boyle, aged 58, described the cash as hidden due to mistrust of banks and to protect his son with a drug problem. Mrs Boyle, aged 56, said she was not working.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37) continues before Mr Justice Michael White. Both defendants, from Tallaght, Dublin 24, have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Andrew Guerrine (37) at an unknown location between May 22 and May 23, 2015. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded. Witness Shane Traynor testified that he discovered Mr Guerrine's body in a gateway on Steelstown Lane, Rathcoole, in the early hours of May 23, initially mistaking the scene for a hit-and-run. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster reported that Mr Guerrine died from hemorrhage and shock caused by multiple stab wounds. She identified 20 stab wounds, including injuries to the skull, cervical spine, and a major blood vessel in the chest, indicating substantial force was used. Toxicology revealed cocaine, sedatives, diazepam, and methadone in the deceased's blood. The court heard that all wounds could have been inflicted by a single knife, though a second weapon could not be ruled out. The trial continues tomorrow.
Anthony Smith, 25, of Deanstown Green, Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing two taxi drivers at knifepoint. On 1 April 2018 he robbed Mark Kavanagh, taking his wallet, €200 cash, and a phone system worth up to €600, while a co‑accused held a blade to Kavanagh's neck. Ten days later, on 11 April, Smith robbed James Boylan, pulling an eight‑inch knife and stabbing at Boylan's stomach; Boylan later reported feeling the knife's pressure but was not stabbed, suffering a hip injury instead. Smith had 13 prior convictions, including theft and criminal damage, and claimed the robberies were to obtain money for drugs. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with 12 months suspended for each robbery, and backdated the terms to the date of his arrest. The court noted Smith's cooperation and early guilty plea. The sentence was imposed concurrently for both offences.
A 31‑year‑old, Anthony Walsh, was found guilty of murdering 54‑year‑old Dermot Byrne in Swords on 16 July 2017 after a drunken altercation over a cigarette. The jury, after deliberating 2 hours 41 minutes, returned a unanimous verdict. Shawna Byrne, the victim's daughter, gave an emotional statement describing the loss of her father's life and dignity, noting that the family's world stopped that day. Walsh was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder and an additional seven years for theft of the victim's bank card, Zippo lighter and keys. The court also noted Walsh's prior convictions for public order, burglary, criminal damage and drug misuse. The trial concluded with the judge expressing sympathy for the Byrne family and confirming the life sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Eoin Berkley, 25, admitted to raping an 18‑year‑old Spanish student at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site between 15 and 16 July 2017. The victim, who had come to Ireland to improve her English, was tied up, threatened with death, and raped three times over a 21‑hour period. Berkley used a dog leash to bind her hands, threatened to cut her hands off, and gave her tablets before abusing her. He told her he would not kill her until Monday and threatened to throw a rock at her head if she tried to escape. The victim escaped when Berkley fell asleep on the beach. Medical tests found morphine, codeine and cannabis in her body; she suffered bruising and required medication for months. Berkley's prior convictions include unlawful possession of knives and firearms, threatening and abusive behaviour.
Tony Ward, 40, of Castlecurragh Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, dangerous driving, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. On 29 August 2017, he and another man hijacked a taxi at 2:45 am, demanding a ride to Ballymun. Ward, wearing blue rubber gloves, forced the driver to stop, then re‑entered the taxi, unbuckled the seatbelt, and threatened the driver with a four‑inch knife. He ordered the driver out, threatened to stab him, and after the driver escaped, Ward slashed the driver's finger. The taxi then drove off at high speed, pursued by Garda Keith Spackman. At Mellowes Crescent, the taxi rammed two Garda cars and struck a Garda, who was knocked down, sustaining a large laceration to his left arm that required 30 stitches. Ward, who had been drinking and had taken cocaine that evening, is aware the incident could have ended differently.
Derek Whelan, aged 22, was jailed for three years after taking part in a violent assault on David Gaynor at the Neilstown shopping centre in Clondalkin, Dublin. Gaynor was knocked to the ground, beaten, kicked and struck with a golf club, causing a broken cheekbone, a broken eye socket and cuts to his mouth that required stitches. Whelan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 30 November 2015. At the time of the offence he was serving a suspended sentence for a theft offence imposed in May 2015 and had no prior convictions for violent crime. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years, suspended the last 18 months on the condition of anger‑management and victim‑awareness programmes, and noted his cocaine abuse, stable relationship and upcoming child. Whelan offered compensation, which the court declined. He expressed remorse and has taken steps to address his addiction.
Colm Carroll, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin for sale or supply at his Inchicore address. He claimed a man approached him in a dole queue at the post office and pressured him to hold over €20,000 worth of heroin. Carroll said he had been approached again a few days later and that the man would come to his apartment to take the drugs, but he received no payment. Gardaí searched his apartment in November, finding a safe containing over 144 g of heroin, a lightbulb with about €1,000 worth of heroin, and a digital scale. They also found €5,950 in his pockets, which he said came from a recent car sale. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Carroll's explanation, noted his past addiction and minor convictions, and imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full. He ordered €3,000 of the cash forfeited and the remainder returned to Carroll.
Two Vietnamese men, Tham Nguyen (59) and Thang Chinh Hoang (58), were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years and six months and two years and nine months in prison, respectively, for possessing and cultivating cannabis in a grow house with a theoretical value of €1.6 million. Gardaí discovered €60,000 of cannabis and 2,065 plants during a raid on a warehouse in Belcamp Lane, Coolock. The men, described as "gardeners" who tended the plants 24 hours a day, pleaded guilty on 24 January 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor noted their vulnerability, limited English and low intelligence, and accepted their early pleas and cooperation, which saved State resources. The sentences were back‑dated to the day of their arrest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Ellis, aged 38, admitted to threatening a shop security guard, Patrick Collins, that he would return to kill him after finishing a pizza. Ellis claimed he knew the guard's shift end time and would come back once he had eaten. He had previously threatened the guard earlier that day and returned around 9 pm holding five bullets between his teeth, which he displayed to the guard. He called the guard a "garda informer" and shouted, "You finish at ten o'clock. I own Inchicore. I'm gonna kill you." Gardaí were called, stopped Ellis, and the bullets fell from him. Ellis pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. He has been in custody since the incident and has 71 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, possession of knives, drug dealing and robbery.
Dean Creedy, a 28-year-old first-time offender from Ballymun, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the attempted robbery of a post office on Ballymun Road on November 11, 2017. Creedy pleaded guilty to the charge. Prosecution evidence indicated that he held a knife to the throat of an 83-year-old postmaster, demanding money, before fleeing when the victim stated he could not open the safe. The victim, who suffered no injuries, did not file a victim impact report. Creedy surrendered to gardaí nine days after the incident after seeing CCTV footage on RTE's Crimecall. He told officers he committed the crime to repay a €600 drug debt and had previously attempted suicide due to the pressure. Judge Melanie Greally described the act as aberrational behavior driven by desperate circumstances, noting Creedy's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and current drug-free status. She suspended a five-year prison sentence for a period of five years. The judge acknowledged the incident was outrageous given the victim's age but highlighted the victim's fortitude and the absence of lasting consequences. Defense counsel John Moher BL submitted testimonials and a letter of remorse, arguing Creedy was unlikely to reoffend.
John Paul Byrne, aged 32, was found in possession of €42,000 worth of cannabis, which he admitted to having for sale or supply. Garda Joseph McBride explained that Byrne was a back‑seat passenger in a vehicle stopped at a north Dublin checkpoint set up to address local feud issues. The officers detected a cannabis odor, searched the car, and discovered the drugs in a hold‑all bag in the rear. Byrne claimed he owed €15,000 for a drug debt and said he had little choice in moving the drugs because of real threats. He had no recent convictions, with his last offence in 2010, and his prior convictions were mainly traffic and public‑order related. The court described him as a "gillie," a low‑level participant in the drug trade. Sentencing was adjourned to 21 January. John Paul Byrne pleaded guilty.
In October 2018, Alan Kenny, aged 26, was arrested in Islandbridge, Dublin, after Gardaí discovered over €100,000 in cash in his home. He claimed the money was a debt he owed for cannabis use and that he was threatened with murder if he did not hold it, citing the abduction and murder of his cousin, James Kenny McDonagh, in 2011. Kenny pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €106,950 believed to be proceeds of criminal conduct on 12 January 2017. Gardaí found a weighing scale, plastic cut‑offs, bundles of cash in a plastic bag, a small safe, and a taser‑type firearm in his bedroom. Kenny had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 18 December, with a Probation Service report ordered and Kenny remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing.
Johnathon Harding, 46, of Mc Neill Court, Sallins, Kildare, was already serving a 10‑year prison sentence for possession of nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and ammunition magazines. In October 2016 he attempted to obtain a €260,000 mortgage from the Bank of Ireland by submitting false documents: three payslips dated January, February and March 2016, a false bank statement covering August 2015 to March 2016, and additional false payslips and a bank statement covering October 2014 to April 2016. The bank detected the fraud immediately and Harding withdrew the application after a few days. On 16 October 2018, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 18 months in prison for the mortgage fraud, to be served concurrently with his existing term. The court noted no loss to the bank and that Harding had cooperated with the Garda investigation. Harding has eight prior convictions, including a six‑year drug‑possession sentence from 2004. Johnathon Harding pleaded guilty.
In a court hearing on 15 October 2018, James Manning, aged 49 and resident of Belclare Avenue, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to possession of 177 kg of cannabis, valued at €3.5 million, found in his van after Gardaí stopped him for driving while using a mobile phone. Garda Thomas Barrett explained that a Garda in Offaly had suspected the van, followed it to Dublin, and upon stopping Manning for mobile‑phone use, searched the vehicle and discovered 15 cardboard boxes of cannabis. Manning, who has 29 prior convictions including false imprisonment, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and a dangerous driving conviction, was arrested and has remained in custody. Judge Francis Comerford sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended for a period of three years, citing Manning's early guilty plea and mitigating circumstances. A forfeiture hearing for the van is scheduled for later in the month.
Paul Slevin, 48, of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants worth €23,200 at his former home on 12 April 2015. He claimed he was bullied out of his apartment by a lodger who had been growing the plants, changed the locks and forced him to sleep on the sofa. Gardaí found a black tent with 29 plants, heat lamps and a water butt; the plants were not yet ready for harvest but would be worth €800 each when mature. Judge Jude Patricia Ryan sentenced Slevin to three years imprisonment, suspended in full for two years on the condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The case noted Slevin's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and full cooperation with the investigation.
Two men have been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in relation to an attempted robbery at Greendale Pharmacy, Kilbarrack on January 26, 2018. Brendan Raynor (30) of Tulip Court, Darndale and Dean Slattery (28) of Briarfield Grove, Kilbarrack pleaded guilty to the charge. Both men armed themselves with knives and wore balaclavas before entering the shop and demanding Diazepam. The incident was observed by gardaí conducting surveillance in the area. Detective Sergeant Dave Ennis stated that Slattery attempted to flee and was struck with a baton, while Raynor was caught in a nearby field. Emma Smith, a shop worker who was six months pregnant at the time, provided a victim impact statement. Raynor has 103 previous convictions, including possession of knives, robbery, and burglary. He was previously sentenced to seven years with two suspended for an aggravated burglary in 2015. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence on Raynor, suspending the last two years and nine months. Slattery has 87 previous convictions, including robbery, drug offences, car theft, and assault. Dt Sgt Ennis was previously sentenced to four years with two suspended for a 2014 cash in transit van robbery. Judge Greally sentenced Slattery to four and a half years with the final 18 months suspended. Both men were remanded in custody.
Tracey Deegan, 42, received a suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a 12‑gauge Winchester pump‑action shotgun and a 12‑gauge Reno double‑barrel shotgun. The court noted that Deegan had no prior convictions and had been a good parent to her daughter. She had testified against a former partner in a manslaughter case, after which the partner's associates threatened her with a gun and demanded she hide the firearms in her home. Gardaí found the shotguns, weighing scales and eight cartridges in her bedroom wardrobe. Deegan admitted she had been given the weapons by a drug supplier and that she had used cocaine herself every two weeks. The judge, citing her lack of prior convictions and her role as a caregiver, suspended the sentence and did not wish to see her again in court. The case highlighted the ongoing intimidation Deegan faced from the former partner's associates.
Adam Pokorny, a 35‑year‑old Czech national, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years' imprisonment for possessing 5.6 kg of cannabis, valued at €112,120, with intent to supply at Dublin Airport on 3 May 2018. He admitted that he had agreed to transport the drugs to pay off a €30,000 credit‑card debt and to help a friend in financial trouble. Pokorny claimed he knew the substance was cannabis, not harder drugs, and that it would be used by "adults and hippies, not people standing outside schools." Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on the condition that he leave Ireland upon release and not return for 10 years. He has no prior convictions and pleaded guilty early, cooperating with the Garda investigation. The judge noted his charitable activities and the support he received from family and friends in the Czech Republic.
Brian Rattigan, aged 37, remains in custody after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against a conviction for directing the supply of drugs from prison. He had pleaded not guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possession of heroin and two counts of possession of the drug for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang that conducted a €1 million heroin deal and sentenced him to 17 years in prison, backdated to June 2008. Rattigan appealed on eight grounds, including alleged errors in search warrants, admission of evidence and the value and purity of the drugs. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge panel, who upheld the trial court's findings and the conviction as safe. The decision was delivered by Mr Justice John Edwards, with Mr Justice John Hedigan and Mr Justice Brian McGovern.
Two Vietnamese men, Tham Nguyen (59) and Thang Chinh Hoang (58), were arrested and pleaded guilty to possessing and cultivating cannabis in a grow house in Coolock, Dublin. Gardaí discovered €60,000 worth of cannabis and 2,065 plants, with a theoretical maximum value of €1.6 million if fully mature. The grow house, located at Belcamp Lane, featured a false wall and a roof where the men were found. Nguyen had a prior cannabis conviction; Hoang had none. Both men had lived in the house since late 2017, with Nguyen arriving in December and Hoang in September/October. They were remanded in custody, and the sentence was adjourned to the following week. The court noted their low intelligence, limited English, and vulnerable backgrounds. The case remains at the pleading stage.
The Court of Appeal has substantially increased prison sentences imposed on two men convicted of setting fire to a vehicle containing a bound and gagged prisoner in the boot. Polish nationals Kamil Lacki and Krzysztof Niepogoda, with addresses in Co Carlow, had pleaded guilty at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to arson, false imprisonment, assault, criminal damage and cannabis cultivation at various locations in late December 2015. The Circuit Court imposed six years imprisonment with the final year suspended. On appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the three-judge court described the offence as akin to attempted murder and "unbelievable". The appellate judges found the original headline sentences significantly too low. Lacki was resentenced to nine years imprisonment, while Niepogoda received ten years, with an additional consecutive twelve-month term for a subsequent assault on the same victim. The court noted the victim's escape was possible only because duct tape had been removed to allow questioning.
Ryan Callaghan, aged 25, was found with drugs worth over €44,000 after his landlady reported a burglary at her Palmerstown home. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply at a rented property on 31 July 2015. Callaghan had two prior convictions for minor traffic offences. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, provided he remains peaceful and well‑behaved upon release. Garda Owen Sheehan explained that officers discovered €24,103 of heroin, €14,746 of cannabis, and €5,348 of cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia, six mobile phones, weighing scales, surgical gloves and plastic cut‑offs. Text messages suggesting drug dealing were found on one phone. Callaghan's father had paid €10,000 to alleged debtors, and the judge noted the aggravating value of the drugs and the mitigating factors of his early plea, addiction history, child, and decent family background.
A court heard that Jonathan Goulding (28), also known as Goulding Aka Farrell, pleaded guilty to burglary at Mr Price, Coolock Retail Park, on March 27, 2017, and dangerous driving around the Malahide area, Dublin, on October 2, 2014. The charges were admitted, and the case was at the charge_or_pretrial stage. Goulding has 48 previous convictions, including burglary, theft, and a seven-year sentence for a past drugs offence. The court heard that during the burglary, Goulding held a screwdriver in a menacing way towards the shop staff. In the dangerous driving incident, he was involved in a high-speed chase, drove the wrong way on a dual carriageway, and caused multiple vehicles to take evasive action. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Goulding had been in the throes of drug addiction at the time of the offences. She commended his successful rehabilitation, including completing a drug treatment programme and taking up full-time employment in construction. The judge imposed a fully suspended three and a half year prison term and a two-year driving ban. Conditions included remaining sober and substance free and continuing to attend AA meetings. The matter was adjourned.
Brian Walton, a 31‑year‑old musician from Portobello Harbour, Dublin 8, was arrested for possessing €21,423 worth of cannabis and cannabis resin. Garda Peter Lyons described Walton as forthcoming and compliant during the arrest and noted that Walton had admitted to selling cannabis to clear debts. During a search of Walton's home, three phones were seized, containing unguarded text messages that advertised drug dealing, including 18 messages sent to regular clients advertising a product to alleviate hangover after St Patrick's Day. Walton pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 24 April 2017. He has no prior convictions. The court adjourned his sentencing to 10 December, ordered an updated probation report, and remanded him on continuing bail. The case highlights the Garda's focus on drug‑related offences and the court's procedural handling of the matter.
In a court hearing on 5 October 2018, Danny Whelan, a 30‑year‑old from Thurles, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Samantha Walsh, a 31‑year‑old mother of four. Walsh had recently returned home from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and had no alcohol in her system when Whelan, who was high on drugs, beat her to death in an apartment in Waterford City. Whelan pleaded guilty to the murder, which occurred on or about 28 April 2017. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to Walsh's head and face, with bloodstains indicating a swinging weapon. Whelan had a history of 73 convictions, including burglary and possession of a knife, and had previously served an eight‑year sentence with part suspended. The court imposed the mandatory life sentence, and Whelan was taken to prison to begin his custodial term.
Paul Slevin, a 48-year-old father from Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants valued at €23,200. The offence occurred at Ballygall Road East on April 12, 2015. Prosecution evidence stated that Slevin walked into a garda station while intoxicated, claiming he had been bullied out of his home by a lodger who was growing the plants. However, Detective Garda David Sheffield suggested Slevin invented this story because his tenancy was ending and he had no place to store the plants. A search of the apartment revealed 29 cannabis plants, heat lamps, and a water butt. Although the plants were not ready for harvest, they were estimated to be worth €800 each when mature. Slevin, a qualified stone mason with no previous convictions, admitted to the charge. His defence counsel, Seamus Clarke SC, argued that Slevin should receive credit for his guilty plea, for handing the plants to gardaí, and for taking steps to address his addiction. The court noted that the maximum term of imprisonment for this offence is 14 years. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing until October 12. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Shane Bradley, aged 33, was sentenced by Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to a series of robberies in May and June 2015. He stole €750 from a Maxol garage, €500 from Chapter and Verse convenience store, and attempted to rob a Centra supermarket. Bradley threatened staff with a scissors and a blood‑filled syringe, claiming he had HIV while wielding a needle, which the judge considered an aggravating factor. He was arrested after the incidents, initially denied the offences, but pleaded guilty weeks before trial. Bradley has 79 prior convictions, mainly from the District Court, and has lived on the streets with a significant drug addiction. He is now drug‑free and has been offered a place on Fr Peter McVerry's residential drug treatment programme. The sentence was back‑dated to 10 April 2017.
Michelle Ruth, 40, of Spring Garden Street, North Strand, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting a female shop worker at Londis on 8 November 2015. She had previously been barred from the shop and, when the staff member asked her and a male companion to leave, Ruth grabbed the woman by the hair, filled a paper cup with boiling water and flung it at her face, also throwing a jar of powdered chocolate. The victim suffered a sore, swollen, red face and was taken to hospital; she later reported mental distress but no physical scarring. Ruth, who has 158 prior convictions mainly for shoplifting and public order offences, was arrested after CCTV footage identified her. She apologized in court, claiming she was not drug‑free and had been under stress. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to allow further urine analysis, with the case to be finalised on 14 November.
Joseph Anderson, a former contributor to the anti‑drugs newsletter The Shrew, is awaiting the result of an appeal against his conviction and sentence for sexual offences committed between August 1992 and May 1995. He was 71 at the time of the appeal, lives in Powers Court, Mount St. Lower, Dublin, and had pleaded not guilty to twelve counts of sexual assault and one count of oral rape involving a boy aged 12 to 15. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty and he was sentenced to six years' imprisonment on 28 July 2016. Anderson's barrister, Patrick Gageby SC, argued that the boy's repeated visits to Anderson's home were not a legal consent and that the trial judge had misdirected the jury. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Bernard Condon SC, contended the sentence was unduly lenient and should have been higher.
In a Special Criminal Court murder trial, Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, aged 62, was shot six times by a gunman in the driveway of his Dublin home on 22 December 2016. The attacker, Jason Keating, 27, has pleaded not guilty. Kirwan suffered eight gunshot wounds to his head, right arm, chest and abdomen, including a fatal wound to the chest that damaged a major blood vessel. He was seated in his Ford Mondeo with partner Bernadette Roe when the attack occurred. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Kirwan's body was examined on 23 December, confirming the wounds and the absence of alcohol or drugs. The prosecution alleges a 'Gotek 7' tracking device linked Keating to the scene. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
Blaine Coakley, a 31‑year‑old chronic heroin addict with 100 prior convictions, pleaded with Judge Karen O'Connor in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to be readmitted to the Coolmine drug rehabilitation centre after robbing a Gala shop in August 2017. He claimed he had changed since the robbery and that prison had not helped him, describing how he had been with another drug user upon release and struggled to cope. Judge O'Connor noted that Coakley had absconded from Coolmine, which limited her options, but she accepted his remorse and desire to address his drug problems. She imposed a four‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision, and required him to complete a Coolmine residential treatment programme when a bed becomes available. The robbery involved €780 taken with a bread knife while he was on a suspended sentence for theft. Blaine Coakley pleaded guilty.
Michael McDonald Agu, 56, of Avondale Park, Mulhuddart, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his home on 31 January 2018. He had received a "Hello Kitty" stuffed toy from Thailand that contained nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis. Agu also admitted possession of cocaine for sale or supply at the same location and dangerous driving. Garda Alan Barry testified that after receiving the package Agu made a phone call, then drove off with it, breaking stop signs and driving on the wrong side of the road in a residential area. During his arrest, gardaí found €5,000 worth of cocaine on Agu when it fell from a beanie hat he was wearing, along with a drugs tick list, bagging and weighing scales. Customs officers had intercepted the soft toy at customs, where a sniffer dog had detected cannabis.