In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 17‑year‑old minor was due to be sentenced for assault after throwing a stone at a fellow youth's head, an act the victim described as homophobic. The victim, a young actor, sustained a facial scar requiring 11 stitches. The teenager pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 17 July 2016 and has 24 prior convictions for assault, theft, burglary, criminal damage and trespass. He has been suspected of involvement in a burglary, a mugging, two assaults and criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentencing to 3 December to review updated reports from the agencies dealing with the teenager, who has a history of missing from his care home 20 times in the last three months and is still addicted to cannabis. The case remains pending.
Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly of the Irish High Court has asked Polish authorities to explain how Artur Celmer, a 31‑year‑old Polish man wanted for drug trafficking, will receive a fair trial after Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Warchol described him in the press as a "dangerous criminal from a drug mafia." Donnelly said such remarks threaten Celmer's presumption of innocence, a principle protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. She noted that the Polish Minister of Justice also serves as public prosecutor and has disciplinary powers over court presidents, raising concerns about judicial independence. Donnelly will send a list of questions to Poland and has invited counsel for Celmer and the Irish Minister for Justice to submit drafts. She has not yet decided whether Celmer's rights have been violated, but she is seeking information to assess the risk of a breach of his right to a fair trial.
In a week‑long spree in November 2016, 21‑year‑old Jordon Boyle, of Sheephill Green, Blanchardstown, used large knives to rob an Esso garage on Navan Road, a petrol station in Castleknock, and attempted to hijack a Bentley in the same garage forecourt. During the first robbery he held a butcher's knife to a cashier's face, demanded money, stole a bottle of vodka and fled. The second robbery involved a woman in her 60s whom he grabbed from behind, held a machete to her face, and forced a cashier to hand over money. The third incident saw him jump onto a Bentley's hood, threaten the driver and try to open the door before the car was driven away. Boyle pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, one of false imprisonment and one of attempted unlawful seizure of a vehicle.
A 28‑year‑old man with paranoid schizophrenia was sentenced to nine years in prison for attempting to murder a 17‑year‑old camper and assaulting two of the victim's friends. The judge suspended the final six years of the sentence on the condition that the offender live with his mother upon release and comply with strict conditions, including medication, abstaining from alcohol and drugs, attending probation and welfare appointments, and engaging with recovery services. He will be released after three years, remain under probation supervision for the remaining six years, and must not leave the family home without court consent. The mother, Margaret Corbett, agreed to manage the situation and to inform authorities if the offender stops taking his medication. The judge emphasised that the offender's severe mental illness significantly diminished his responsibility at the time of the attack. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Michael White. The unnamed 28-year-old pleaded guilty.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for possessing a 9mm Beretta handgun and silencer. Andrew O'Keeffe, aged 29, from Drumcliff Road, Cabra West, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in June to the offence at Kylemore Way in Inchicore on 6 September 2017. The incident occurred during a confrontation with armed gardai in which an officer discharged seven rounds after a jeep drove towards officers restraining O'Keeffe on the ground. Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted a headline sentence of twelve years but reduced it to nine years with one year suspended, taking into account O'Keeffe's early guilty plea and longstanding drug addiction. The judge remarked on O'Keeffe's extensive criminal history spanning seventy-one previous convictions. The sentence was backdated to 6 September 2017 when O'Keeffe entered custody. The court heard O'Keeffe was not the driver of the vehicle from which the weapon was discarded.
A 35‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping and attempting an anal rape of his former partner at their Dublin home. He pleaded guilty to the 2010 rape and 2011 attempted rape. The victim, whose identity is protected, reported panic attacks, flashbacks and nightmares, and said she could not trust people or have a sexual relationship since the offences. The judge noted the victim's vulnerability and past abusive relationships, and that the man committed the crimes under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He was given an eight‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, conditional on probation, a sex‑offender treatment programme, addressing alcohol and addiction issues, and a three‑year post‑release supervision. The man was also ordered to stay away from the victim. The case was prosecuted by Sean Gillane SC.
In a 2018 robbery at Dolphin's Barn, 41‑year‑old Mark Dwyer broke a woman's finger while smashing the window of her car and seized her handbag containing €920. Dwyer pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. The judge noted the victim, Christine Pollard, suffered both physical injury and emotional distress, and that the robbery occurred in full public view. Dwyer's prior convictions included assaults, drug misuse, burglaries and possession of a weapon. He had previously served a three‑year sentence in 2013 for firearm possession. The suspended portion of the sentence was conditioned on his engagement with the Probation Service for two years. The case highlighted the victim's ongoing treatment for a broken ring finger and her feelings of vulnerability after the incident. The stolen goods, valued at €990, were not recovered.
In a High Court hearing, a barrister argued that Polish Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Warchol's "inappropriate" remarks about 31‑year‑old Artur Celmer should not block his extradition to Poland for alleged drug trafficking. Warchol had called Celmer a "drug mafia criminal," raising concerns about Celmer's right to a fair trial. Counsel for Celmer, Sean Guerin, presented the comments as evidence of potential risk, while State counsel Remy Farrell SC dismissed them as "neither here nor there," noting no evidence that the remarks would affect the trial process. The case had been referred to the European Court of Justice over fears of political interference in Polish courts. The ECJ ruled that extradition could be refused only if a specific risk to Celmer's fair‑trial rights existed, a risk that has not yet been proven. A full hearing is scheduled for 2 October, with the court awaiting further information from Polish authorities before deciding whether to request additional details.
Two organised crime 'foot soldiers', Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), have been sentenced to 12 years each, with one and two years suspended respectively, for their involvement in a 'shambolic' and 'ill-prepared' plot to murder Dublin man Michael Frazer. The sentences were handed down at the Special Criminal Court following guilty pleas in May to possession of a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm calibre ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court heard that during an operation targeting organised crime in Dublin in August 2017, armed detectives intercepted the men's van, which contained a loaded firearm 'ready for use'. The court was told that the men had discussed aiming for 'head shots' or they would not get paid, and that a transcript of their conversation was described as a 'disturbing document' containing a 'graphic description' of their intentions. The judge noted that the men's drug use was clearly audible on secret recordings. Defence counsel for both men highlighted mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas, Gleeson's violent offending history, and Dunne's long-term heroin addiction and mental health issues. The sentences were backdated to August 7, 2017, when the men were arrested. The court also heard that Dunne's DNA was found on a SIM card linked to a tracking device under Mr Frazer's van, and that the men had been contracted and paid to carry out the attack by senior figures in the organised crime group.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, will be sentenced for having sex with a 14‑year‑old neighbour. Garda Campbell Brennan said the man had been in a relationship with the girl and had been affectionate when alone. The girl told the school chaplain, who notified her family and Gardaí, and the offence came to light after she reported it. The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual intercourse with a child under 17 on a date between 1 and 24 July 2014. He has 47 previous convictions for assault, drugs offences, false imprisonment, criminal damage and road traffic matters. The victim's impact statement described depression, suicide attempts, drug and alcohol addiction, school withdrawal and family distress. The man admitted he did not know the girl's age and later admitted having sex with her once in his bedroom.
Ryan McLoughlin, aged 22, was found guilty of assaulting Scott Byrne on the Tallaght bypass on 26 May 2013. McLoughlin followed Byrne after a night out, stabbed him in the buttock and stomach, and during the attack sliced an artery in his own left hand. Byrne was treated at Tallaght Hospital while McLoughlin was later taken to the hospital on a trolley with his injured hand. McLoughlin, who has prior convictions for drug offences and traffic matters, pleaded guilty on his trial date. The prosecution noted delays in the case and presented a victim impact statement and medical report. The court remanded McLoughlin in custody until December, when a sentence will be finalised, and ordered updated psychological and probation reports.
In a Dublin burglary on 28 November 2017, Matthew Fahy (40) and two accomplices, disguised as Gardaí, entered a family home in Castleknock. They presented themselves as police, produced an imitation handgun, and demanded cash from the occupants, who included the homeowner, his wife, their seven‑year‑old son, the homeowner's brother, the brother's partner and a lodger. Fahy escaped through the back door, pursued the child who had run out, and forced him back into the house. The burglary lasted about two minutes and no one was injured. Fahy pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and possession of an imitation firearm. On 25 July 2018, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, to run consecutively with a term he was already serving. The sentence reflected Fahy's guilty plea, cooperation, drug‑addiction history and the trauma inflicted on the family. No other arrests were made.
Stephen O'Connor, a 19‑year‑old from Castle Manor, Newcastle, Co Wicklow, stole two bags of cash totalling €12,480 while employed by G4S Cash Services Ltd. He pleaded guilty to theft of €4,890 on 31 October 2017 and €7,590 on 2 November 2017 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Connor claimed the money was needed to repay a €6,000 drug debt that had risen from an original €4,000 "taxed" debt. He admitted hiding the bags under his jumper and that he had been on sick leave after the second theft. G4S detected the loss via CCTV analysis and an internal investigation led to his admission. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to an 18‑month prison term, suspended in full on strict conditions, noting his cooperation, lack of prior convictions, and family support. The sentence was imposed with the expectation that he would not return to such conduct.
A Dublin man pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing a 9mm Beretta handgun and silencer following an armed garda operation in September 2017. Andrew O'Keeffe, aged 29, from Drumcliff Road, Cabra West, Dublin 7, was arrested after gardai responded to intelligence regarding a firearm at Ballyfermot. During the incident, officers pursued a white van which fled at speed towards Inchicore. The vehicle came to a stop at bollards on Kylemore Way, and as O'Keeffe and another man ran towards a parked jeep, a garda officer discharged his firearm seven times when the jeep was driven towards gardai. O'Keeffe was detained and the weapon, containing nine rounds, was recovered from a plastic bag discarded during the pursuit. His fingerprints and DNA were found on items connected to the incident. The court heard O'Keeffe has seventy-one previous convictions and a long-standing cocaine addiction. His barrister highlighted his early guilty plea and lengthy period in custody. The three-judge panel remanded him in custody pending sentencing on 31 July.
Ryan Callaghan, 25, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at a rented property in Palmerstown on 31 July 2015. Gardaí were alerted to a burglary at the house and found Callaghan's bedroom the only ransacked room. They seized €6 of prescription medication, €24,103 of heroin, €16 of cannabis resin, €14,746 of cannabis herb and €5,348 of cocaine, along with six mobile phones, weighing scales, surgical gloves and plastic cut‑offs. Text messages on one phone suggested drug dealing. Callaghan was questioned at his girlfriend's home and later allowed to retrieve some property, but nothing was found on him. The court noted a strong cannabis smell and that Callaghan's father had paid €10,000 to alleged debtors. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded Callaghan on continuing bail, adjourned sentencing to 8 October, and ordered an updated probation report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 22‑year‑old Emily Stewart of Coolock pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Shannon Ryan and her mother Sabrina Ryan on a Dublin bus in March 2017. Stewart was found to have pulled clumps of hair from Shannon's head, left her with facial scratches and bleeding, and later bit, punched and scraped Sabrina's face. The judge, Martin Nolan, fully suspended a six‑month sentence, citing pre‑existing tensions between the families. Stewart, who has three prior theft convictions, was also noted to suffer from mental health issues, anger problems, borderline personality disorder, and drug addiction at the time of the assaults. She was ordered to pay €750 to each victim within one calendar year. No jail term was imposed. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
During a 2018 incident, Garda Thomas Gallagher (39) attempted to seize a vehicle driven by Christina Joyce (30), who was under the influence of crack cocaine. Gallagher held onto the Volvo's driver's door to avoid being dragged under the car. He fell, skidded into a parked vehicle, and sustained severe injuries, including a dislocated knee and shoulder damage that required an eight‑week brace and a two‑year sports hiatus. Joyce, a mother of three with no fixed abode, admitted assaulting Gallagher and causing him harm on 9 April 2018, along with charges of trespass, damaging a wall, and damaging a car. She also admitted to driving at speed, crashing into a Dublin City Council van, and breaking into two homes while evading Gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to four and a half years, consecutive to a term she was already serving, and disqualified her from driving for six years.
Brian O'Grady, 32, of Finglas, pleaded guilty to possessing 20 kg of cannabis resin worth €122,000 in February 2016. He had delivered the drugs to pay off his step‑brother's €2,000 debt. The original court gave a wholly suspended five‑year sentence, a decision the Director of Public Prosecutions challenged as unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term, with the remaining two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. O'Grady had 11 prior convictions and had lost his job six months before the offence. He is now in Britain working in construction. The appeal court found his decision to commit the crime was a conscious choice, not merely a product of addiction or family pressure, and therefore the suspended sentence was too lenient. The new sentence will run from the date he first goes into custody.
Eoin Morrow, 38, a Louth bricklayer, will be sentenced for possessing cannabis and prescription drugs worth €1.38 million. Gardaí set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. They observed Morrow and truck driver John Needham, 31, removing boxes from the truck onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park. A subsequent search uncovered four large cardboard boxes of cannabis resin and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets. The 96 kg of cannabis was valued at €580,200 and the 400,000 Zopiclone pills at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug. He has 15 previous convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He fled to Europe after a bench warrant was issued but returned and surrendered. Needham also pleaded guilty to the same drug offences and was sentenced to eight years earlier this month.
Gareth Prior, 36, of Ramblers Court, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for his role in a heroin transaction worth an estimated €560,000. He had pleaded guilty in December 2015 to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against the severity of the sentence, citing the need to protect society from drug trafficking. Prior was observed by Gardaí travelling to an Aldi supermarket on Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, where he was seen placing a rucksack in a car. Gardaí seized four packages containing four kilograms of heroin, and a search of his Newbridge address uncovered 2.5 kg of cocaine, 487 g of cannabis and 56 g of ketamine. He had 17 prior convictions, including seven for drug offences, and was found in possession of drug paraphernalia.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Lydia Simpson, 35, pleaded guilty to robbery at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre car park on 21 January. The victim, a mother, was seated in her car with a five‑year‑old son. Simpson attempted to take a purse from the front seat; the owner resisted, and during the struggle the purse ended up in the back of the car. Simpson reached over the front seats to retrieve it and unintentionally struck the child, who sustained no injuries. Paul Carroll SC described the incident as frightening for the children. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Simpson to two years' imprisonment, to run from next January, noting her history of drug addiction and prior convictions for shoplifting and trespassing. Simpson admitted the robbery was motivated by a need for money to buy drugs and expressed remorse, saying she was ashamed and "at the bottom.".
In November 2016 a burglary at a mosque in Milltown Bridge, Dundrum, saw 30‑year‑old Stefan Boyle, who has 110 prior convictions, including 63 burglaries, stab him with a knife and steal his phone. Boyle, who has a history of drug and alcohol addiction, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Earlier this year Judge Karen O'Connor granted him bail to attend a drug‑treatment residential programme, but he later used cocaine and the judge offered one more chance. At a hearing in June Boyle asked to be remanded into custody because he was struggling on bail. The judge adjourned the case to 20 July, told Boyle he looked healthier than before, and Boyle thanked her for "saving" his life by sending him back into custody. The court noted Boyle had previously admitted to stealing two phones from the mosque's caretaker, Ali Yassine, and had returned them after a chance encounter. The case remains pending.
Two Dublin men, Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), who were contracted by senior figures in an organised crime group to murder Michael Frazer, will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court. They pleaded guilty in May to possession of a 9mm Luger pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life, offences committed on Naas Road, Crumlin on 7 August 2017. The court heard that the men were intercepted by Garda detectives in a Fiat Doblo that contained a loaded firearm, a can of petrol, a lighter, rubber gloves and a small amount of cocaine. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Frazer between 28 July and 7 August. Defence counsel highlighted the defendants' personal circumstances, including addiction and mental health issues, and pleaded for leniency. The court remanded both men in custody until 30 July when they will be sentenced.
Anthony Ward, 27, was sentenced to five years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended on condition of compliance with the Probation Service, after pleading guilty to two robberies in Santry in April 2018. Ward, who had 125 previous convictions, robbed a Spar shop on Shanowen Road at 12:40 pm, taking €250 and threatening the shop assistant with a knife. The next morning he entered a Maxol Service Station on Swords Road, demanding money and taking the assistant's wallet; a struggle left the assistant with two cut fingers. Gardaí identified Ward via CCTV and arrested him after a vehicle stop. Ward's lawyer noted his long‑standing drug problems, early guilty plea, remorse, and supportive pregnant partner, while the judge highlighted his difficult prison experience and respectable background in structuring a rehabilitative sentence.
Brian O'Grady, 32, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis resin for sale, valued at €122,000, after agreeing to deliver 20 kg to help pay his step‑brother's €2,000 drug debt. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a wholly suspended five‑year sentence, departing from the mandatory 10‑year term, citing O'Grady's low moral culpability and his intent to protect family. The Director of Public Prosecutions seeks a review, arguing the sentence is unduly lenient and that the judge erred in suspending the whole term. Counsel for O'Grady highlighted his upbringing, employment history, and family dynamics as mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment. Gardaí surveillance linked O'Grady to two men from Cork who were later arrested; O'Grady admitted the delivery but refused to name the men. O'Grady has six prior convictions and is a qualified electronic technician. The other two men received seven‑year and two‑year sentences.
The jury in the trial of Paul Bradley (54) and his sons Jason (20) and Dean (24) will return to court after two days of deliberation. They have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Neil Reilly (36) at Esker Glebe, Lucan, on 18 January 2017. The foreman asked Justice Paul Coffey to clarify the charges and possible verdicts for each defendant and to reiterate the definition of provocation. Mr Coffey agreed to address these matters the following day. The prosecution alleges that Paul and Jason pursued Reilly and that Jason killed him with a sharp implement, while Paul was involved in a joint enterprise. Dean's defence argued that his BMW's collision with Reilly was accidental. An 18‑year‑old brother, Ryan Bradley, was acquitted of murder by the judge's direction. The trial has lasted six weeks and the jury has heard that Jason Bradley owed Reilly over €9,000 for drugs. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
David Murphy, 39, was sentenced in October for an attempted robbery of a Centra shop on Camden Street, Dublin, on 28 December 2017. He had been released from a seven‑year prison term in August 2017 and had 64 prior convictions. Murphy planned the robbery to help his 21‑year‑old son, who had a drug debt. He entered the shop at about 6 pm, wearing a scarf and armed with a scissor, and threatened the shop assistant, Marco Moniz, saying he would stab him if he did not give money. Moniz tackled Murphy to the ground; his colleague, Hyeon Seok Kim, called the Gardaí. Officers arrived while Murphy was on the floor. Murphy pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him in custody until 25 October for sentencing and ordered a probation report, noting that no post‑release supervision had been in place after his August 2017 release.
Declan Harris, 59, pleaded guilty to possessing €2,830 worth of heroin at the Dunkettle Interchange on 2 February 2016. He was sentenced by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to five years imprisonment on 23 July 2017. Harris appealed the severity of the sentence, but the Court of Appeal, in a decision delivered by President Mr Justice Birmingham with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice John Hedigan, held that there was "no question" of a reduction. The court considered whether the sentence should be increased but ultimately declined to intervene. The judges noted Harris's significant prior record, including an eight‑year sentence for a previous offence, and described him as a "professional" drug dealer with a calculated operation. Harris remains in Loughan House open prison, and the Circuit Court sentence was left in place.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Daryl Coyle, 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Brian Griffin on 16 October 2015. Coyle admitted striking Griffin with a "sucker punch" after a friend of the victim threw a drink at him. The prosecution highlighted Coyle's 34 prior convictions, including assault, violent behaviour in a police station and drug possession, describing a chaotic lifestyle of drug use and anger management issues. Defence counsel argued that a hormonal imbalance and self‑medication with steroids may have contributed to his aggression, citing the phenomenon of "roid rage." Judge Martin Nolan suspended a one‑year prison sentence, conditioning it on Coyle's good behaviour and engagement with the Probation Service, and warned that any further aggression would trigger the full sentence. The court also heard that Coyle's earlier drug use had ceased and that he was working two jobs.
In 2006, Niall Healy, 42, was sentenced to 20 years for aggravated sexual assault and false imprisonment, with the final 10 years suspended. He had a prior 12‑year rape conviction in 1993, the last six years of which were suspended. After his release in January 2014, Healy was jailed for two years for robbery. He was released again in January 2018 and subsequently relapsed into drug use, attacked a woman's car at traffic lights, and broke into an unoccupied house. On 6 June 2015, six years of the suspended term were re‑activated and back‑dated, leaving four years suspended on strict conditions. Mr Justice McCarthy ordered drug treatment, anger management, and educational courses, noting that Healy had failed to fulfil the obligations imposed by the courts. The judge emphasised that the community's protection required Healy to remain under a suspended term upon release.
On 17 December 2017, Andrew Peel of Coultry Drive, Ballymun, Dublin, after a "three‑day bender", attacked neighbours in their homes. He struck Kim Hutchinson with a golf club, breaking a bone in her arm, and hit David Tyson with a cue ball, rendering him unconscious and hospitalised. Peel's behaviour was described as "out of character" and "not the person they knew". He pleaded guilty to criminal damage, burglary and assault causing harm. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing victim impact statements, found Peel intoxicated that night. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 33‑month sentence, back‑dated to the arrest, noting Peel's history of drug possession, assault, knife possession and car theft. Peel has since worked as a courier, assisted homeless soup runs and is training for social care. The court highlighted his mother's testimony of his long‑standing mental health and drug problems. Peel was sentenced to 33 months in custody.
Brian Rattigan, 37, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, appealed his conviction for directing a €1 million heroin supply from prison. He had pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possession of heroin and two counts of possession for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang and sentenced him to 17 years, back‑dated to June 2008, to run concurrently with a life sentence for the murder of 21‑year‑old Declan Gavin. The Supreme Court quashed the murder conviction in December 2017. Rattigan's counsel argued insufficient evidence of possession and control, citing lack of drug purity testing and questionable expert testimony. He also challenged the validity of warrants used in the case. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment on the appeal.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Jason Bradley, aged 20, was found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder for the death of Neil Reilly, aged 36, at Esker Glebe, Lucan, on 18 January 2017. Bradley's defence argued that he lost all self‑control after being threatened by Reilly, who owed him €9,000 for drugs, and that the killings were a result of a chaotic confrontation. The prosecution maintained that Bradley intentionally inflicted multiple chop injuries and that the death was premeditated. The court considered Bradley's claim of provocation and the context of the night's events, including shots fired at the Bradley home and a subsequent car chase. The jury was instructed to weigh Bradley's state of mind and the lack of intent to kill, leading to the manslaughter verdict. The case also involved the Bradley family's defence of Paul Bradley, Dean Bradley, and Ryan Bradley, each facing separate charges related to the incident. Paul Bradley pleaded not guilty.
Lorcan Merriman, a 21‑year‑old Dubliner, was sentenced to five years in prison for unlawful possession of a semi‑automatic machine gun and ammunition that he had hidden in his parents' attic. He admitted that he had agreed to hide the weapon to pay off a drug debt. The gun was found to be functioning and had been altered for criminal use, and it was accompanied by working ammunition. Judge Melanie Greally initially imposed a headline sentence of ten years but reduced it to five years, citing Merriman's age, chronic drug addiction, early guilty plea, and the support of his parents who attended the hearing. The case was assessed by the Director of Public Prosecutions as falling in the higher range of firearms offences, with a presumptive mandatory minimum of five years, which the court upheld. The judge noted that the weapon's purpose was for the commission of criminal offences and potentially serious harm or death.
A 24‑year‑old Latvian man, Evalds Markos, was jailed for two and a half years after swallowing 52 cocaine pellets, worth just under €36,000, before being caught by customs at Dublin Airport. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply in the customs hall of Terminal One on 28 October. After his arrest he was taken to Beaumont Hospital where he passed the pellets and was later discharged. Markos admitted he had been told to swallow the pellets by an associate in Amsterdam and that he expected payment of €1,500, though he claimed he had not been paid. He had no prior convictions in Ireland but had a history of theft, fraud and robbery in Latvia and shoplifting and criminal damage in France.
In a sting operation, a Garda officer disguised as a postman used an An Post van to deliver a parcel containing 36,000 ecstasy tablets to Philip Noonan, who signed for it and was immediately arrested. Customs had flagged the package as suspicious after it arrived from Germany to Portlaoise Mail Centre in June 2015. The parcel, addressed to Noonan, was found to contain MDMA tablets worth €288,000. Noonan, aged 49, had previously been convicted of 20 offences, including a robbery in 1992, and was charged with possessing drugs for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty at his trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment. The judge noted he was not the owner of the drugs but had knowingly received the package for onward delivery. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the drug‑dealing activity, despite mitigating circumstances.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Jason Bradley, aged 20, admitted that he inflicted chop wounds on the head, body and arms of Neil Reilly, 36, who died at Esker Glebe in Lucan on 18 January 2017. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis had previously explained that the chop injuries caused lacerations to Reilly's brain and severe damage to his back, shoulder and arms. Bradley's defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, acknowledged Bradley's responsibility for the chop injuries. The trial also involved Paul Bradley, 54, and his sons Dean, 24, and Ryan, 18, all of whom pleaded not guilty to the murder. The prosecution, represented by Paul Murray SC, argued that the Bradleys had a joint agreement to murder Reilly, citing motives such as debt for drugs and a prior break‑in. The case remains at the trial stage, with the judge, Paul Coffey, presiding.
The prosecution finished presenting evidence in the trial of Paul Bradley (54) and his sons Jason (20), Dean (24) and Ryan (18), who deny murdering Neil Reilly (36) after he fired shots at their home. The prosecution alleged that Reilly fired two shots at the Bradley residence before 4 a.m., prompting a chase that ended with Reilly being beaten to death and run over by a car. A pathologist described chop wounds to Reilly's head, torso and limbs and crush injuries consistent with being run over. On the final day of evidence, the jury heard a text message from Bradley sent at 1:32 a.m. on 19 January 2017, stating, "I ran after him with his gun, I got him with no gun." The prosecution also presented testimony that Bradley had sought advice about a son's drug dealing, and that police found no knife or implement that could have caused Reilly's injuries. Paul Bradley pleaded not guilty.
Niamh Fitzpatrick, 39, was sentenced to five years in prison with the final two years suspended, following a guilty plea at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing a Smith & Wesson revolver in an air vent at her home on 23 February 2017. The judge, Melanie Greally, found her explanation for how she acquired the gun uncredible and noted her 21 prior convictions, mainly minor traffic offences, and her history of heroin addiction and mental health issues. Fitzpatrick claimed the firearm was for self‑protection after a threat on her life, a claim the judge said did not stand up to scrutiny. She was ordered to remain under 18 months of probation supervision upon release. The case involved a search that seized the gun, heroin, mobile phones and €4,200 in drugs, with Fitzpatrick admitting possession of heroin and the gun during the interview.
A homeless man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to demanding money with menaces following an incident at a store in Clontarf on 16 July 2017. Brendan Glynn, aged 31 and originally from Sligo, handed a threatening note to the proprietor demanding €20,000 initially, followed by €2,000 weekly, with threats to burn down the premises. The note instructed the owner not to contact gardaí and stated he was being watched. The proprietor alerted gardaí and Glynn was arrested two days later after being identified on CCTV footage. Garda evidence indicated Glynn had no connection to serious criminality and lacked means to carry out the threats. His defence counsel described the offence as impulsive and bizarre, unlikely to succeed. Glynn, with 46 previous convictions, was dealing with longstanding drug dependency at the time. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to December pending completion of a probation report.
Craig O'Donnell, aged 21, was convicted in 2014 of aggravated burglary, burglary, possession of a knife, robbery, possession of a firearm and escape from lawful custody in Limerick. He received a ten‑year sentence, with 18 months suspended, imposed by Judge Tom O'Donnell on 5 May 2017. In a Court of Appeal hearing, Mr Justice George Birmingham asked whether the sentence should be increased in light of recent guidance on burglary sentencing. The three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, upheld the original eight‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term. Edwards noted that O'Donnell's first offences were committed at age 17 and 18, that he had a history of drug problems and four prior convictions, and that the Court of Appeal found no error in principle. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the sentence unchanged. Craig O'Donnell pleaded guilty.
Ian Browne, aged 44, was jailed for two years after he hid in a Supervalu shop under renovation and stole alcohol, cigarettes and food worth €2,031 when the store was closed. He concealed himself behind building materials, damaged fire doors and attempted to open cash registers, as captured on CCTV. The store manager alerted Gardaí, who found missing spirit bottles and five damaged tills. Browne pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 August 2017. He has 94 previous convictions and is already serving a sentence of two years and nine months for another burglary. The court noted his long history of homelessness and heroin addiction, his recent drug‑free period, and his efforts to stabilise himself in custody. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months to motivate him.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Glen Byrne, aged 40, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for possessing €350,000 in criminal proceeds. The money was found in seven bales, each about €50,000, wrapped in masking tape and stored in a box inside a van driven by Byrne. The court described the operation as "planned and very well executed" and noted that Byrne had no financial duress, no declared drug addiction or debts, and had a strong work history. Judge Martina Baxter suspended the final six months of the sentence, citing Byrne's lack of prior convictions, his early guilty plea, and supportive letters. The case involved co‑accused Paul Carew, who had earlier been jailed for eight years for related money‑laundering offences. The possession of the cash was discovered during a surveillance operation targeting large organised crime. Byrne's sentence was back‑dated to 19 June 2017, the date he entered custody.
A 25-year-old man has received a fully suspended sentence for his involvement in an armed robbery at a pizzeria in Tallaght in September 2015. Craig Dempsey, now resident in Achill, County Mayo, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing Apache Pizza in Oldbawn Shopping Centre, where approximately €2,535 was taken. He also admitted robbing a Spar store in Ballycullen in July 2015 while producing a broken bottle. The court heard that Dempsey and an accomplice, who carried an electric chainsaw, entered the pizzeria in the early hours demanding money. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling six years, fully suspended for three years. The judge noted that Dempsey's principal risk factors, including cocaine use and association with antisocial peers, had been addressed. The court was informed that Dempsey had relocated to Mayo to distance himself from negative influences and was now caring for his unwell mother.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Sameer Summun pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply on 4 September 2015. The judge, Martina Baxter, noted that Summun continues to abuse cannabis and has nine prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for dealing cannabis issued four months earlier. Summun's defence, represented by Olan Callanan BL, presented a letter from a local imam describing him as kind and gentle, and a letter from his wife praising his parenting. Judge Baxter questioned the relevance of these letters and criticised Summun for not addressing his drug addiction, stating he "has to face reality." She remanded him to custody for one month, adjourned sentencing to 20 July, ordered a urine test, and directed him to engage with the Probation Service while in prison. The case involved the recovery of 122.5 g of cannabis, valued at €2,450, from a bag thrown under a parked car.
A 37‑year‑old man was jailed for 18 years after breaking into his ex‑partner's home on 10 September 2016 and repeatedly raping her and her 16‑year‑old foster daughter. The judge described the case as a "night of horror" and noted the man's repeated sexual assaults, threats with a knife, and attempts to rape both victims while intoxicated with whiskey and cocaine. The ex‑partner testified that she was threatened with a knife and forced to bring the child upstairs, where the man raped both women. The court heard that the man had pleaded guilty to six counts of rape. He was found to have been in full command of his senses, but the judge imposed a severe sentence reflecting the prolonged abuse and the victims' suffering. The sentence was 18 years, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the imposed term.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Creedy, aged 28, pleaded guilty to attempting to rob a post office on Ballymun Road on 11 November 2017. He admitted that, driven by a €600 debt to drug dealers and a desire to self‑medicate with cannabis after stopping anti‑depressants, he had approached the post office with a knife. While the postmaster was collecting his pension, Creedy held the knife to the throat of an 83‑year‑old pensioner, threatening to cut him if money was not handed over. The victim suffered no injuries and did not file a victim impact report. Creedy had no prior convictions, expressed remorse, and had previously attempted suicide due to drug‑related pressure. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail, adjourned the case to 17 October for sentencing, and required a urine test to confirm he was drug‑free.
The Supreme Court of Ireland has dismissed Gary Davis's appeal and cleared the way for his extradition to the United States. Davis, who lives in Wicklow, is alleged to have been an administrator of the Silk Road website, which sold illegal drugs and hacking software. He faces US charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and could receive a life sentence if convicted. Davis argued that his Asperger's Syndrome and mental health would be at risk if extradited, but the court found no real risk of degrading treatment and held that the state must protect all persons in extradition cases. The High Court had ordered his extradition in 2016, and his 2017 appeal was dismissed. The Supreme Court granted a 48‑hour stay to allow his lawyers to advise him and consider a referral to the European Court of Human Rights.
A 35‑year‑old Waterford man was found guilty of raping his younger cousin at his home on 27 February 2013. The Central Criminal Court jury convicted him and he was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Mr Justice Robert Eagar on 18 April 2016. The man appealed against the severity of the sentence. The Court of Appeal, sitting with Mr Justice John Hedigan, Mr Justice Michael Peart and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, upheld the seven‑year jail term. Mr Justice Hedigan noted that the man and the victim had attended a pub gathering to mark the first anniversary of the man's mother's death, moved between pubs, and were intoxicated. The victim woke to find the man on top of her, undressed, and she told him to stop and leave. The man, a separated father of one, had seven prior convictions, including theft and drug supply. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 37‑year‑old Limerick man was jailed for 18 years after breaking into his ex‑partner's home on 10 September 2016 and repeatedly raping her and her 16‑year‑old foster daughter. The man, who was heavily intoxicated with whiskey and cocaine, threatened the foster mother with a knife and forced both victims to submit to repeated sexual assaults. He held the ex‑partner's mouth shut, pressed a knife to her throat, and attempted to rape her before ultimately raping her while threatening to stab her. He then forced her to bring the foster daughter upstairs, threatened her with the knife, and together they were repeatedly raped. The ordeal lasted several hours, during which the man drank whiskey, struck the ex‑partner, smashed her mobile, and prevented her from using the bathroom. The unnamed 37 year old pleaded guilty.