Gillian O'Donnell, 38, received a four‑year suspended sentence for aggravated burglary at an Artane house on 19 April 2013. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted she was driven to the home by a third person who suggested the burglary would repay a debt. O'Donnell claimed she had no knowledge of the violence that would occur and that her ex‑boyfriend, Alex Harris, had 52 prior convictions and was later sentenced to six years for the same offence. The judge noted O'Donnell's drug addiction and her plans for residential treatment, accepted her lesser role, and suspended the sentence under strict conditions. O'Donnell expressed remorse, described duress and a lack of anticipation of Harris's actions, and stated she would not have participated had she known the extent of the violence.
Christiane Moringa Fortis, a 28‑year‑old Brazilian, was arrested at Dublin Airport after immigration officials discovered she had concealed 79 cocaine pellets in her vagina, bra, and sanitary towels. She had presented forged documents from an Irish college to appear as a student. Fortis admitted she was promised €3,500 for transporting the drugs, which she intended to use for legal fees to regain custody of her child. Judge Patrick McCartan denied a suspended sentence, citing her sophisticated concealment method and limited English. He imposed a four‑year prison term, backdated to her May 2014 arrest. The total drug weight was just under a kilogram, valued at €64,000. Fortis pleaded guilty to importation of drugs at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case highlights the use of forged documentation and the role of a "mule" in drug smuggling operations.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the sentencing appeal of Cathal Murtagh until January 19. Murtagh, a Louth man, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at a warehouse on Malahide Road on April 25, 2011. In March 2012, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years' imprisonment. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed this sentence on grounds of undue leniency. Counsel for the DPP, Mr Ronan Kennedy BL, argued that the sentencing judge failed to adequately consider the offence's maximum penalty of life imprisonment and the presumptive minimum of ten years. He further contended that excessive weight was given to mitigating factors, such as Murtagh's guilty plea and lack of prior convictions, while insufficient regard was paid to the value of the drugs, which included cannabis and ecstasy tablets worth over €3.5 million. Counsel for Murtagh, Ms Mary Rose Gearty SC, highlighted that he has been at liberty since September 30. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Sean Ryan, reserved the decision, meaning the matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 34‑year‑old David Brady was sentenced to three years in prison for assault causing harm to Kevin Duggan, who was left with permanent facial scarring after Brady attacked him with a Stanley knife. The incident occurred on 8 March 2013 at The Belfry, Belamine Estate, Stepaside, when Brady, who had been drinking and taking cocaine, entered the apartment of his partner Caroline Kane and, upon hearing Duggan, shouted "I know what you're at" before brandishing the knife. Brady cut Duggan's face, chest and arm. Brady had a prior 2003 conviction for assaulting his girlfriend. Judge Desmond Hogan suspended the final year of the sentence on the condition that Brady keep the peace and participate in a drug and alcohol treatment programme. The court noted that the two couples had regularly socialised together in a pub before the night of the assault. David Brady pleaded guilty.
Mark Allen, 36, of Mulhuddart, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for falsely imprisoning Ciaran Noonan on October 20, 2011. Allen pleaded guilty to this charge, as well as destroying phone evidence. The court noted that Allen was not charged with the victim's death, though Judge Patrick McCartan stated Allen's actions ultimately led to Mr Noonan's death. Allen received a nine-year prison sentence. Co-accused Daniel Quinn, 24, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing Mr Noonan between October 20 and November 4, 2011, and destroying phone evidence. Lynn Issacson, 34, of East Wall, pleaded guilty to destroying phone evidence on October 20, 2011, and received a three-year suspended sentence. The court heard that Mr Noonan, a father-of-one, was abducted from Russell Avenue, East Wall, after owing Allen drugs money. His body was found near Trim on November 4, 2011. A post-mortem revealed neck compression as the cause of death. Allen had previously skipped bail conditions and was arrested in Holland earlier this year. The judge expressed sympathy for the Noonan family, describing the victim as a young man who was dearly loved and whose departure left his family deeply traumatised.
Edward McDonagh, a 35‑year‑old father of six from Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 15 charges of theft of property from the Health Service Executive and Department of Social Welfare for fraudulently claiming over €44,000 between August 2009 and April 2011. He used the false names Matthew Patterson and John Paul Ward to claim €22,193.80 and €21,789.44 respectively, while also legitimately claiming a disability allowance. The court, after hearing evidence and considering his limited repayment efforts, sentenced him to two and a half years in prison but substituted 240 hours of community service. McDonagh admitted the fraud, stated he had been instructed by an unnamed person, and claimed he had been paying back the money through reductions in his welfare payments, though full reimbursement would take decades. He also disclosed past substance misuse and depression, noting he had ceased drinking and drug use.
Joseph Lawrence, 21, of Gardiner's Hill, Balbriggan, was sentenced to four years in prison for arson at McNeil Hall apartment complex on 9 April 2012. He admitted setting the fire deliberately while drinking alcohol and taking cocaine. Lawrence and friends had entered a vacant apartment by breaking a patio door, and after leaving, he and another man set chairs on fire for "the buzz." The blaze spread to the balcony, causing €115,000 of damage, accelerated by turpentine. He has 35 prior convictions. The court noted he was the only one to admit his role and that he is no criminal mastermind. Judge Martin Nolan backdated the sentence to 12 September 2013, the date of his first custody, and suspended the final 16 months. The sentence reflects the seriousness of setting fire in a built‑up area. Joseph Lawrence pleaded guilty.
A Dublin man has avoided a custodial sentence after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis valued at approximately €12,000 at his home in Kilmore West, Ballyshannon, County Donegal, in February 2013. Jason Lawless, aged 38, received a three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which was suspended in full. Judge Catherine Murphy commended his rehabilitation progress over the preceding eighteen months, noting she had rarely witnessed such substantial advancement. The court heard that Lawless, who had struggled with drug addiction for seventeen years, is now drug-free and engaged in education, counselling and therapeutic services. A search of his residence had also uncovered cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Lawless stated he was holding the drugs to discharge a debt. The suspension is conditional on him remaining substance-free and avoiding further offences for three years.
Stephen Geraghty, aged 50, of Clondalkin, had originally received a ten‑year prison sentence for possession of €350,000 worth of cocaine in 2004, to run consecutively with a two‑year sentence for a 2003 cannabis offence. The Court of Appeal quashed the ten‑year term because Geraghty had not been convicted of the 2003 offence at the time he committed the 2004 offence; he was on bail and later absconded. He was convicted of both offences on 2 February 2010 after surrendering to Gardaí in 2009. The Court held that the mandatory ten‑year minimum applies only when a prior conviction exists before the second offence. Consequently, it imposed a new seven‑year sentence with 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 16 April 2011, and a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the 2004 offence, to run consecutively. The decision was made by Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan. Stephen Geraghty pleaded guilty.
Swords District Court sentenced five defendants in separate matters. Mark Delaney, 24, pleaded guilty to possessing €300 worth of cannabis for sale or supply and unlawful possession. Judge Dermot Dempsey sentenced him to nine months in prison for sale and supply, with a concurrent three-month term for possession, noting he had exhausted all avenues. Gary Daly, 25, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of PVP. He was ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of a four-month prison sentence; the case was remanded until February for a review and updated Probation Report. William O'Brien, 58, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated. He received a six-month suspended sentence and a two-year Peace Bond with a condition of sober habits. Caroline Collins, 32, pleaded guilty to stealing €256.81 worth of children's clothes. She received a six-month suspended sentence and a two-year Peace Bond. Dean Whelan, 27, pleaded guilty to stealing €85 in cash. The matter was adjourned until March for an updated Probation Report to assess suitability for community service.
A former apprentice butcher pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €49,204 from McArdle Meats in Charlestown Shopping Centre, Finglas, on 24 December 2013. James Cahill (22), of Ferrycarrig Park, Coolock, took advantage of his knowledge of the shop's safe codes to remove two days of takings in the early hours of Christmas Eve. He had no previous convictions. Gardaí recovered €17,000 in a bag handed over by Cahill and a further €5,000 hidden in a laneway. The court heard Cahill was struggling with cocaine addiction at the time and had been absent from work due to his condition. The business ultimately suffered a loss of €17,000 after receiving €10,000 in insurance compensation. Judge Desmond Hogan described the offence as falling at the higher end of the middle range of seriousness but acknowledged Cahill's drug-induced state, early guilty plea, remorse and rehabilitation progress. Sentencing was adjourned until March 2015 to assess suitability for community service, though a custodial sentence has not been ruled out.
Sheng Dong Pan, 31, a Chinese father of two, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years in prison, with the final four years suspended. He pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis after being apprehended by Gardaí at a Clondalkin Industrial Estate unit that contained €725,828 worth of cannabis. Pan had been working as a gardener at the growhouse, initially hired as a chef, and claimed he did not realise the plants were cannabis. Gardaí found over 16,000 g of cannabis material and 496 plants. Pan, who has no fixed abode and had a skin condition, was noted to have no prior convictions and had endured hardship as a foreign national in custody. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence, suspended the last four years, and ordered Pan to keep the peace for three years upon release, back‑dating the sentence to 23 July 2013.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced three men for cultivating cannabis at a grow-house on Commons Road, Clondalkin. Mark Clooney, 40, pleaded guilty to the charge. His brothers, Wayne Burgess, 32, and Jason Burgess, 33, also pleaded guilty to the same offence. The court heard gardaí discovered 77 cannabis plants with a potential value of €61,600, along with cultivation equipment in a sealed tent. Judge O'Connor accepted that the defendants' roles were at the lower end of the scale of criminality, noting they had been offered work watering the plants. She sentenced Clooney and Jason Burgess to two years in prison, suspended in full on the condition that they keep the peace for two years. Wayne Burgess was sentenced to 20 months in prison, also fully suspended, with an order to keep the peace for the duration of the sentence. The judge noted Wayne Burgess had been threatened and that Jason Burgess had lost his plumbing business during the downturn. Clooney, a taxi driver, admitted financial difficulties. The judge stated all three were at low risk of re-offending and had pleaded guilty early, describing the operation as professional but acknowledging the defendants' limited involvement.
At Balbriggan District Court, Judge Dermot Dempsey struck out cases against Thomas and Alan Larkin after they paid €500 to St Vincent de Paul. Thomas Larkin (36) pleaded guilty to assaulting a youth causing harm, while Alan Larkin (33) pleaded guilty to producing a wheel brace. The court heard the brothers reacted to youths throwing rocks at their car, which contained a baby. Judge Dempsey warned them they cannot take the law into their own hands. Keith Daly (21) pleaded guilty to handling stolen property, specifically a red Carrera mountain bike. He was placed on a 12-month Probation Bond, ordered to comply with Probation Services recommendations, engage in Offence Focus work, and be assessed for training and employment. Julian Donnelly (28) pleaded guilty to possession of €20 of cannabis resin. He was convicted and fined €300. Judge Dempsey noted he had no evidence Donnelly had stopped using drugs since March and warned he was sailing close to a prison sentence. Damien Costello (35) pleaded guilty to stealing €20 of petrol from two service stations. He paid €100 in compensation and was placed on a 12-month Probation Bond. Meanwhile, cases for John Scott (36), charged with dangerous driving and having excessively worn tyres, and Grainne Kealy (56), charged with driving without due caution and attention, were adjourned until January 8th for a plea or to fix a hearing date, as solicitors awaited outstanding statements and photographs.
Paul Geraghty, 26, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for his role in an attack on a man linked to a feud over a former partner of a serious criminal. Geraghty and two others, armed with a claw hammer and bottles, chased the victim into a Chinese restaurant on Rathmines Road Lower on 26 April 2011. He pleaded guilty to possession of a claw hammer during the fight and to possession of €2,000 worth of heroin for sale on 23 October 2012. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted his absence of further trouble since 2012 and his progress in a drug treatment programme, and imposed the community service in lieu of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term.
Zilvinas Antanovas, a 27‑year‑old Lithuanian, was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession of heroin, assaulting two gardai, and possession of M‑CAT in Dublin. He was arrested in Dublin's city centre after Garda officers found €305 worth of heroin and a bag of M‑CAT on him. During the arrest he bit two officers and resisted, prompting the use of pepper spray. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended the remainder on the condition that Antanovas be flown back to Lithuania from Mountjoy Prison on Sunday. He is barred from returning to Ireland for five years. Antanovas has prior convictions for handling stolen property and for dealing heroin, and his defence claimed he was coerced into drug dealing by a gang that took his passport in Lithuania.
Darren Byrne, 44, was jailed for three years after a stand‑off with armed gardaí in which he waved a toy handgun from his front bedroom window and threatened to shoot anyone who approached. The officers, all armed, took cover and called in the Emergency Response Unit, which entered the house and arrested Byrne. His elderly parents were downstairs during the incident. Byrne, who had been drinking and taking drugs, later told an interview that he wanted to die and hoped the officers would shoot him. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the last year of a four‑year sentence, describing Byrne's actions as "deeply reprehensible" and praising the gardaí for their restraint. Byrne pleaded guilty to making threats to kill or cause serious harm to three gardaí on 1 August 2013. The case also considered a charge of making a false report. The gardaí were commended for their bravery and self‑restraint during the encounter.
Thomas McGuinness, 34, a chronic drug addict with 127 prior convictions, was sentenced to ten years in prison with 18 months suspended for a robbery and two attempted robberies committed earlier in 2014. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Lloyds pharmacy on 21 January, attempted robbery at Hardwicke Place on 22 January, and attempted robbery at Supervalue on 10 February. The court noted no injuries occurred, though victims were distressed. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed consecutive sentences totaling ten years, suspending the final 18 months, citing McGuinness's history of partially suspended sentences. Defending counsel Dean Kelly highlighted McGuinness's early heroin use at age 14, subsequent crack cocaine use, and his engagement with addiction services, including a methadone program, while noting family support. The sentence reflects the court's view that rehabilitation steps were insufficient given his past record.
Richard Devane, a 42‑year‑old homeless man with mental health and drug problems, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully seizing his adoptive mother Hester Devane's car at Heuston Station on 29 June 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after hearing evidence earlier in the year, imposed a three‑year suspended prison sentence, conditioned on Devane remaining at Priorswood House treatment centre, engaging fully with staff, staying on medication, and not taking illegal drugs. He must also stay under Probation Service supervision for 12 months and continue his mental health treatment. A Protection of Person's Order barred Devane from any direct or indirect contact with his parents and brother for five years, with breach leading to separate prosecution. The judge noted Devane's cooperation with Priorswood and the Probation Service and his participation in an employment programme, hoping for future independent living.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 28‑year‑old James Gallagher was sentenced to two and a half years for stealing a €26,200 Rolex from Weir's Jewellers in Dundrum and for dangerous driving on the M50. Gallagher snatched the watch from a customer, fled in a Volkswagen Golf, and was pursued by Gardaí. During the high‑speed chase he allegedly threw the watch out of a car window near Wesley College, Ballinteer, but a subsequent search failed to recover it. The judge noted Gallagher's actions endangered the public by forcing Gardaí to chase him at speeds over 120 kph on a 50 kph road, breaking red lights and driving the wrong way. Gallagher admitted the theft was to support his crack cocaine habit and is now addressing his drug addiction. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. James Gallagher pleaded guilty.
In a stand‑off lasting about an hour and a half, 44‑year‑old Darren Byrne of Tallaght waved a toy handgun from his front bedroom window, threatening to shoot anyone who approached. Byrne, who had been drinking a two‑litre bottle of vodka and taking drugs, called 999 and claimed he had a gun and would have a shoot‑out with gardaí. The officers, all armed, took cover and called in the Emergency Response Unit, which entered the house and arrested Byrne after he dropped the toy gun. Byrne's elderly parents were downstairs during the incident. He pleaded guilty to making threats to kill or cause serious harm to three gardaí and to making a false report. The court noted Byrne's remorse and personal circumstances, but Judge Martin Nolan remanded him on bail, stating he would consider a prison sentence the following day. The case carries a maximum term of ten years in prison.
Craig Ryan, a 22‑year‑old from Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty on 25 January 2013 to possessing more than €33,000 worth of drugs for sale or supply in his bedroom and to possessing two shotgun cartridges. He admitted immediately to Gardaí when they searched his home, pointing to a wash bag that contained cocaine, mixing material and 710 tablets of a diazepam substitute. The total street value of the drugs was €31,618, with the tablets valued at €1,420. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court but suspended the sentence in full, citing "exceptional circumstances." She noted the seriousness of the offence, Ryan's lack of prior convictions, his immediate admissions, and his steps toward rehabilitation, including regular attendance at Narcotics Anonymous. The judge ordered him to keep the peace and maintain good behaviour for five years.
Swords District Court heard three matters. Mark O'Toole, 26, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He was sentenced to six months in prison. The judge refused to suspend any portion of the sentence, noting O'Toole had been afforded every opportunity. O'Toole immediately appealed the sentence after recognisance was fixed. Alexandra Mursean, 28, pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving without insurance. He was disqualified from driving for two years, fined €500 for drink driving, and fined a further €300 for driving without insurance. Keith McNamara, 22, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of €1,100 worth of cannabis herb. The case was adjourned until February 2nd for an updated Probation Report and urine analysis. The judge noted McNamara had complied with the Restorative Justice Programme but required further reports before finalising the sentence.
In December 2014 the Court of Appeal ruled that the 10‑year suspended sentences handed to Edward Rooney, 65, and Des Ryan, 55, for possessing €1.2 million worth of heroin and cocaine were too lenient. The men had pleaded guilty in October 2013 to possession for sale or supply after transporting a bag of drugs from the UK to Ireland. The appeal court noted the financial pressure that led them to act as couriers, the high value of the drugs, and the fact that neither was driven by addiction. It also highlighted that the men were not compelled by compulsion but chose to participate for financial gain. The court reserved its judgment, to be delivered on 19 January 2015, and indicated that the sentences would be revised to reflect the seriousness of the offence. The original judge had imposed a wholly suspended 10‑year term, which the appeal court found to be an error in principle.
Aaron Black, aged 23, was part of a four‑man gang that robbed a Balbriggan jeweller's shop on 10 May 2013. The gang threatened staff with a claw hammer, smashed display cases and stole €15,370 worth of jewellery. Black was arrested shortly after the robbery when he was seen in a taxi on the M1, changing clothes. He identified himself on CCTV, apologised to the shop owners, the taxi driver and the Balbriggan community, and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace for three years. He is now employed, claims to be drug‑free, and has cooperated with probation services. The court noted his moderate risk of re‑offending but that he has not attracted further Garda attention since the robbery. The jeweller's estimated economic loss was €2,800, including loss of business.
Jason Breen, 41, a chef, set fire to his sister's home in Dun Laoghaire after she obtained a barring order against him. He poured petrol through an upstairs window while the house was empty, and a neighbour entered to rescue a dog, which was later found unharmed. Breen was arrested with singed hair and burn marks, admitting he wanted to destroy the house because it belonged to his late mother and because he had not slept for nine days while using crack cocaine and "snow blow." He pleaded guilty to arson on 30 July 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended in full on the condition that he keeps the peace for three years. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his drug rehabilitation at Coolmine, and his willingness to offer his culinary skills to help others. The fire caused about €30,000 in damage, paid by the local council.
The Court of Appeal has overturned the dismissal of a €1 million heroin possession charge against Stephen Reddington, a 31‑year‑old Dublin man. Reddington, who lives on Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin, was charged on 11 November 2011 with possession for sale or supply of heroin worth more than €1 million at his home. The charges were dismissed last year by Judge Mary Ellen Ring because the search warrant for Reddington's home was deemed illegal. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, and the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the warrant. Judge Ryan noted that the investigating Garda had obtained information from a source about heroin in the home and had observed drug users frequenting the premises. He concluded that suspicion, not proof, was required and that the warrant was reasonable.
Sunny Idah, a 39‑year‑old former CIE bus driver of Nigerian origin, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for soliciting two undercover Gardaí to import a kilogram of cocaine from Brazil. The case stemmed from an international police operation involving Swiss and Irish undercover officers. Idah secretly recorded offers of €5,000 each to the undercover officers to swallow 1 kg of cocaine, worth €140,000, and bring it back to Ireland. He had provided the officers with €400 for a hotel room and $1,000 for flight tickets, but the officers never travelled. The court back‑dated the sentence to September 2010, when Idah was first taken into custody. Idah had previously received a 13‑year sentence for a related drug trafficking offence, which was overturned on appeal. The judge described the operation as sophisticated and noted the potential impact on users and addicts if the drugs had reached the market. Sunny Idah pleaded guilty.
Two Vietnamese nationals, Ba Nguyen (44) and Ha Nguyen (49), were found guilty of cultivating cannabis at a commercial premises in County Meath on 20 November 2012. They had been trafficked into Ireland and lived in rudimentary conditions on site. The original sentences of six years each, with the final two years suspended, were imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea on 14 November 2013. On 5 December 2014 the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan, imposed new three‑year sentences and unconditionally suspended the balance of those sentences from that day. The court cited the defendants' impoverished circumstances, lack of prior convictions, and the fact that they were not free agents in determining the reduced, suspended sentences. The decision was upheld by President Justice Seán Ryan. The defendants had no significant financial gain from the operation and were not involved in its financing or logistics.
Aisha Ahmed, 49, a mother of six, was denied bail by the High Court after being arrested in Tallaght on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Italian authorities. The warrant accuses her of being a promoter, leader and organiser of an association that imported, sold, distributed and traded large quantities of cocaine in Italy between September 1999 and June 2000. Ahmed was convicted in absentia in 2005 and sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Court of Naples. She initially denied being the person named on the warrant, claiming mistaken identity, but later admitted she was the woman in the photograph and the name on the warrant. The court found her a significant flight risk, citing her history of using false documents and her willingness to lie. Consequently, the judge denied bail and noted that she would be scheduled for a future hearing after her objections and affidavits are filed.
Robert Cummins, 35, a father of three from Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €143,000 worth of cocaine, amphetamines and PVP. Cummins had been addicted to cocaine, spending €300 a week since 2009, and owed €1,200 to third parties. On 11 November 2013, Gardaí searched his home, finding a key to a locked shed, a blue plastic box with two black refuge sacks, four vacuumed packs of drugs, three smaller bags, digital weighing scales and €4,900. Cummins admitted he had held the drugs for unscrupulous people for six to eight weeks, fearing for his and his family's safety. Defence counsel Kieran Kelly noted Cummins had given up gambling and drugs, and Judge Martin Nolan described the case as tragic for the family and a significant misjudgement by Cummins.
Brendan Fitzpatrick, aged 34, was sentenced to five years in prison with the final three years suspended after pleading guilty to possession of PVP and cannabis worth more than €13,000. He was arrested at Store Street Garda Station where a sports bag he carried was inspected, revealing three large brown blocks of suspected cannabis and several golf‑ball‑type packages of a cocaine‑like drug. Analysis identified the drug as PVP (Pyrrolidinovalerophenone) with a street value of €32,900, while the cannabis was valued at €14,431. Fitzpatrick, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, had 21 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences. He admitted taking the bag while intoxicated and claimed gambling debts of €10,000. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted his early guilty plea and the substantial quantity of drugs, suspending the last three years of the sentence on strict conditions.
Stephen Cummins, aged 23, was sentenced to three years in prison after being caught with €70,000 of stolen cash from two separate cash‑in‑transit robberies. He was found in a park with blue dye on his trousers and runners, and earlier a man was seen running along garden walls with money falling from his pockets. In the first incident, an empty cash box was discovered at the back of Crumlin Children's Hospital; a follow‑up search of a nearby home revealed the stolen cash stained with blue/purple dye. Cummins later admitted responsibility for the cash. He pleaded guilty to possession of €40,000 at Curlew Road in Drimnagh on 16 July 2012 and €30,000 at Landen Road in Ballyfermot on 16 August 2012. He has 28 prior convictions for road traffic offences and one for unlawful possession of drugs.
The Court of Appeal refused the Director of Public Prosecutions' appeal against Seán Graham's suspended seven‑year sentence for possession of €243,000 worth of heroin and €25,000 worth of cocaine. Graham, aged 26, pleaded guilty in March 2011 and was sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt on 30 March 2012. The DPP argued the sentence was too lenient, citing the ten‑year minimum for drug offences over €13,000. Mr Justice Seán Ryan, President of the Court of Appeal, described the sentence as "very lenient" and noted Graham's admission of responsibility, his drug debt of €100,000, and his participation in a rehabilitation programme. The Court of Appeal upheld the suspended sentence, stating that a harsher penalty would be unjust, and expressed hope that Graham would respect the opportunity granted by the judge. The decision was announced on 2 December 2014.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentences of Michael O'Loughlin and Edward O'Loughlin, the first two men jailed under 2009 anti-gang legislation. The Galway brothers were originally charged with directing a criminal organisation but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of membership after a decision not to prosecute was entered on the more serious offence. Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced them to nine years imprisonment on June 11, 2012, for participating in the activities of a criminal organisation. In this appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham found an error in principle, noting that Judge Nolan lacked sentencing guidelines as the first to apply the act. The Court of Appeal determined the original sentence was too severe given the organisation operated at mid-level criminality. Consequently, the nine-year terms were substituted with new sentences of six-and-a-half years imprisonment. The case arose from Operation Foolscap, a Garda Síochána investigation targeting a Galway-based gang. Audio surveillance revealed the brothers' involvement in three drug offences and four burglaries, though the latter were pre-empted by police. The court noted the brothers had extensive prior convictions, with most dealt with in the District Court.
In a Dublin flat raid, 28‑year‑old David Doherty was found with 6 g of heroin and was remanded on bail pending sentencing in February. He claimed he was there to buy €325 worth of heroin, some of which he would use and the rest to sell to friends in Tuam. Doherty pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply on North Circular Road on 27 June 2013 and has 49 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences. His co‑accused, 36‑year‑old Stephen Lunders, also pleaded guilty to the same charge and had 28 prior convictions, including drug offences. Lunders admitted responsibility for most of the drugs found in the flat, valued at €14,383, and said he was dealing to pay off a drug debt left by his deceased brother. Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned the case to 20 February to allow Probation Service assessment of the men's commitment to drug rehabilitation before sentencing.
James Butler, 33, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 1.3 kg of cannabis herb, valued at €27,424, which he had stored in two sport bags at his home. The drugs were discovered after Gardaí forced entry on 3 April 2013. Butler, who has 27 prior convictions mainly for traffic and criminal damage offences, explained that he had abandoned heroin use just before Christmas that year but still owed a debt for his addiction. He admitted he did not know the value of the cannabis when it was dropped at his door. The case was adjourned by Judge Mary Ellen Ring to March 6 to allow a Probation Service assessment of Butler's commitment to addressing his addiction. He remains remanded on bail pending sentencing.
The Court of Appeal set aside a 12‑year prison sentence imposed on Stephen Geraghty, 50, for possession of €4 million worth of cannabis and €350 000 of cocaine. Geraghty had pleaded guilty to the two offences in 2011, but the Director of Public Prosecution accepted that errors had been made in the sentencing. The appeal centred on whether a second offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act, amended in 2007, could be convicted when the defendant had not yet been convicted of the first offence. The court held that a mandatory minimum sentence for a second offence requires a prior conviction, and that the 2007 amendment could not apply retrospectively to Geraghty's case. The court therefore vacated the sentence and will impose a new one on 15 December. Geraghty was not present at the hearing and is suffering from a terminal illness. The decision will be fully reasoned in a reserved judgment at a later date.
Paul Mooney, 27, was returned to jail for ten years after being found with €27,900 of cannabis, cocaine and heroin in his home and car while on temporary release from a five‑year sentence for a previous drug offence. He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs and to possession of €2,000 cash near his car. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to ten years, back‑dated to 15 February 2013, and ordered a review in February 2019. The judge noted his temporary‑release offence, the relatively low value of the drugs, his young age and the fact that he had already served a substantial period in custody. Mooney accepted responsibility, claimed to be drug‑free in prison, and expressed gratitude to his family for their support. The sentence was not suspended.
Two men, Jason Keogh (50) of Laytown, Co Meath, and Niall O'Leary (42) of Castledermot, Co Kildare, each pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Bettystown, Co Meath, on 20 July 2011. They were each sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, by Judge Michael O'Shea at Trim Circuit Criminal Court in 2012. The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals against the sentence. The case stemmed from a Garda National Drugs Unit surveillance operation in Swords, Co Dublin, where Keogh was seen collecting seven blue barrels of cannabis from an industrial estate and transporting them to a rented house in Bettystown. A search warrant led to the discovery of about 100 kg of vacuum‑packed cannabis, estimated at €1.2 million street value. Keogh and O'Leary were paid €5,000 and €2,500 respectively for their roles.
A Sligo man has received a five-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of heroin worth over €100,000 with intent to supply. Anthony Fitzpatrick, aged 22 and resident in Tubbercurry, pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred at various locations in Dublin 8 on 5 March 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended the sentence in full, imposing strict conditions requiring engagement with the Probation Service for one year. The judge warned that any breach would result in the full custodial term being activated. Fitzpatrick, who has no previous convictions, was noted to have relocated from Dublin to Sligo eighteen months prior and has settled into a stable environment, including college attendance. A co-accused, then aged 17, was also charged in connection with the seizure. The court heard that Fitzpatrick's involvement stemmed from pressure to settle a cannabis-related debt and that he is currently receiving treatment for addiction.
Ming Liu, a Chinese national serving a four‑year sentence for a drugs offence at Portlaoise Prison, has taken his case to the High Court after his solicitor, Ms Eileen McCabe, was repeatedly denied entry to the prison because she set off the metal detector. Ms McCabe had travelled to Portlaoise to meet Liu to discuss whether he could qualify for remission of his sentence. Prior to the meeting she passed through the detector multiple times, each time the alarm triggered, despite her having no metal objects. Security staff informed her she could not enter, citing a strict policy that prohibits anyone who triggers the detector from entering the prison. Ms McCabe offered to undergo a body search or use a handheld detector, but was told the policy could not be altered.
An Albanian chef, Emil Duro, 28, was caught by Gardai in Dublin city centre carrying a white bag containing €67,000 of cocaine and later found to have €20,000 of cannabis at his home. He pleaded guilty to possession of the cocaine on Gardner Street Lower and the cannabis on Francis Street. Duro claimed he owed €6,000 from a drug debt and offered €3,000 from savings, which was rejected. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a six‑year suspended sentence, requiring Duro to keep the peace.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Karl Boyne, aged 31, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for stabbing Polish architect Mr. Jerzy Stacharski with a butcher's knife after a tennis match at Cambridge Park, Ringsend. The knife punctured Stacharski's shoulder, causing two wounds and a long‑term impact that forced him to quit his job as an architect. Stacharski, now 65, remains fearful of open areas and requires social care. Boyne also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife on Thorncastle Street and burglary of a petrol station on Beech Road, receiving six months' imprisonment for the latter. The sentences are to run consecutively. Boyne's history includes 41 prior convictions, including a five‑year robbery sentence, and he is advised to undergo drug rehabilitation while in custody. The court noted Boyne's admission of drug and alcohol use at the time of the attack.
In November 2014, Mark Mahony, aged 34, and Jason Brennan, aged 33, were convicted of possessing €3.5 million worth of cocaine and heroin. Both were sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with a three‑year portion suspended, by Judge Martin Nolan at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The pair had met in the car park of a service station in Naas on 17 January 2013, where they transferred boxes of drugs to Mahony's car. They were arrested as they tried to leave the car park. The drugs were valued at €488,761 of cocaine and just over €3.1 million of heroin. Both men appealed, arguing the sentence was excessive and that mitigating factors had not been adequately considered. Judge Garrett Sheehan rejected the appeal, noting that neither had prior convictions, that Mahony had worked from age 15 and had been drug‑free at sentencing, and that Brennan had worked steadily from 2003 to 2012 and had a family. Mark Mahony pleaded guilty. Jason Brennan pleaded guilty.
Adiodan Kamoru Kareem, 36, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for possessing €1.4 million worth of cocaine with intent to sell or supply. He pleaded guilty in May 2011 and was convicted by Judge Michael O'Shea at Trim Circuit Court on 17 February 2012. The appeal against the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice Seán Ryan on 24 November 2014. Ryan described Kareem as a "devoutly religious" man who had no history of drinking or smoking. He was "caught red-handed" when Gardaí seized a false diplomatic package that had been delivered to a car park in Navan, from which Kareem collected a car and drove to an apartment where a search uncovered the cocaine, €100,000 in cash, mixing agents, a pharmaceutical drug, plastic bags and other paraphernalia. The Court of Appeal confirmed that the mandatory minimum of ten years was justified and that the circumstances did not render the sentence unjust.".
Joseph Cooney, aged 22, pleaded guilty to arson of a shed behind the Salmon Leap pub and a house on Main Street in Leixlip in November 2012, causing almost €400,000 in damage. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years in prison but suspended the sentence in full after Cooney accepted a Garda's view that the arson was a one‑off "act of madness". At the hearing, Nolan ordered Cooney to spend two weeks in jail to reflect on his future if he fell from grace again. Cooney was told to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the five years of his suspended sentence. He had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had many good references, which contributed to the mitigation. The court noted that Cooney and a co‑accused were "basically on drugs for the night and were bored and decided to liven up their lives by setting properties on fire".
In November 2014, Thomas Hogg, a 49‑year‑old prison officer from West Dublin, stood trial for assaulting Bernard Cawley, a 46‑year‑old convicted sex offender, in the holding cells of the Criminal Courts of Justice. The incident occurred on 20 April 2012, when Cawley, who had recently received a four‑month sentence for burglary, was awaiting transfer to Mountjoy Prison. Hogg claimed he struck Cawley in self‑defence after the prisoner, who had repeatedly pressed the cell buzzer and knocked on the door, raised his fist as Hogg opened the hatch. Cawley testified that he was agitated, had no cigarettes, and that Hogg had used keys as a weapon, striking him on the head and face and causing him to fall. Cawley was handcuffed and later moved to a hall for Gardaí. He denied being a violent man, citing his 16‑year‑old daughter, and rejected allegations of heroin use that day. Thomas Hogg pleaded not guilty.
Balbriggan District Court heard five matters before Judge Dermot Dempsey. Jennifer Jordan pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and an NCT. She was fined €500 and €100 respectively, with disqualification waived under special circumstances. Liam Daly pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and intoxication, receiving fines of €300 and €100. Kirian Onyeme pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis; he was convicted, fined €250, and the drugs were ordered destroyed. Jonathan Kendellan pleaded guilty to drink driving. He was convicted, fined €750, and disqualified for six years. Stephen Nyantaki pleaded guilty to intoxication and non-payment of a taxi fare. The matter was adjourned until December 4th for facts to be heard, with continuing bail granted. All defendants were represented by counsel, and recognisances were fixed where applicable.
Keith Byrne, 33, of Greenfort Crescent, Clondalkin and Liffey Avenue, Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of heroin for sale or supply at Castlebaggot in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 7 May 2014. The heroin seized was worth about €860,000. Judge Mary Ellen Ring ordered a probation report and set a sentencing date of 11 March next year, when full facts will be heard.