In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 50‑year‑old Augustin Ion was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a young woman in his taxi. Ion groped the victim's breast and tried to force her into the back seat after she had taken a taxi home from a pub. He later claimed she was drunk and abusive, but a jury rejected his allegations. The judge described the offence as opportunistic and predatory, noting it breached public trust in taxi services. Ion was also ordered to pay €3,000 to the victim for counselling costs, which she declined. He was registered as a sex offender and will never be granted another taxi licence. Ion's counsel accepted the verdict and expressed remorse, offering the victim financial compensation for her trauma. The case highlighted concerns for young women's safety in public transport. Augustin Ion pleaded not guilty.
In January 2017, a 19‑year‑old kick‑boxing trainee, Jordan Montgomery, was jailed after he kicked an elderly man, Sean Sheehy Snr, in the head, leaving the victim with a brain injury. The incident occurred on Sallynoggin Road when the Sheehys were returning home from a pub. A verbal altercation began after Sheehy Jr. joked about Montgomery's beard, comparing him to Conor McGregor. Montgomery, who was topless and wearing a cast on his arm, struck the victim's head from a standing position. Gardaí found the victim lying in a laneway with blood. Montgomery pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted the victim's mild‑to‑moderate traumatic brain injury, memory and sleep disturbances, and anxiety. Montgomery received a two‑year sentence with the final 15 months suspended, under strict conditions, and was ordered to pay €720 to the victim. The court also acknowledged a letter of apology from Montgomery.
Samba Sow, an asylum‑seeker who arrived from Senegal in 2007, used a false identity, Moussa Sow, to work in Ireland and later claim €50,000 in social welfare payments between 2011 and 2014. He obtained a PPS number under the false name, worked in a Dublin pub, paid income tax and PRSI, and was made redundant during the recession. After losing his job, he claimed job seekers' benefit, job seekers' allowance and rent allowance under the false name, totalling €50,006. In 2015, when he was granted permission to remain, he stopped claiming under the false name and made a legitimate claim in his real name. The Department of Social Protection's facial‑recognition system flagged his deception, leading to his arrest. In court, Sow pleaded guilty to 18 counts of stealing social welfare payments. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a suspended two‑year sentence, noting that Sow never attempted to double‑dip or claim payments under two names.
Augustin Ion, a 49‑year‑old taxi driver, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman while transporting her from a city centre pub to her home on the night of 20 November 2014. During the ride Ion groped the woman's breast, held her head back against the car seat, and asked her to sit in the back seat and to allow him to enter her house with her. He also attempted to kiss her on the side of the face and rubbed the back of her head. The woman, who had been drinking, told Ion she was uncomfortable and tried to leave. A jury, after a single day of evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, returned a guilty verdict in just under three hours. Ion was released on bail pending sentencing on 23 January, with conditions that he not drive a taxi or apply for a new passport until the outcome of the case. Augustin Ion pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Silviu Voivod, 31, to 18 months imprisonment, suspended, for glassing a lounge‑boy, Robert McMickan, at Dandelion Bar & Nightclub on 12 October 2014. Voivod, a first‑time offender with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The victim, a first‑year college student, suffered the loss of two front teeth, facial scarring, and medical costs exceeding €5,000, and missed two weeks of college. Voivod's defence argued his blameless life before and after the incident, while the prosecution highlighted the violent nature of the attack. Judge Greally emphasised the need for deterrence in glassing cases, citing the "horrific glassing culture" that has emerged, and noted Voivod's remorse and role as sole family earner. Voivod shook his head after the sentence was handed down.
Jamie Morris Cox, 19, pleaded guilty to arson of a Mercedes SUV at Rathfarnham Shopping Centre on 18 October 2015. He admitted he had no recollection of lighting the fire, describing himself as "crazy drunk, off my head in a different world." Garda Shane McGrath reported that staff at a nearby pub had thrown Morris Cox and another man out, after which they smashed the vehicle's windows and set it on fire. The fire was extinguished by bar staff, and the men fled toward a housing estate where they were later arrested. The damage to the vehicle was €5,000, and the owner, a carpenter, was unable to work for two weeks. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Morris Cox to a three‑year suspended prison term, noting his admission of responsibility, remorse, and the positive influence of his grandfather. The sentence was suspended in full, with the court emphasising the need for intervention to prevent future criminal behaviour.
Ross Glynn, a plumber from Palmerstown, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Dublin Fire Brigade Workshop in Grangegorman Lower on August 28, 2010. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-month sentence, backdated to when Glynn entered custody in July, resulting in him being released as a free man. Glynn had fled to New Zealand after being granted bail, remaining at large because Ireland lacks an extradition treaty with that country. He was arrested in a Palmerstown pub earlier this year. His co-accused, Darren Snee, was sentenced to three years with 28 months suspended for the same offence. The pair allegedly stole €82,512 worth of firefighting equipment, including life-saving rescue tools. Snee gained entry using a key fob from his father, who worked at the workshop. Prosecutors argued Glynn knew the nature of the theft, despite his claim that he believed Snee had permission. Glynn received €300 from the sale of the stolen goods. Judge Nolan noted Glynn had no previous convictions apart from three road traffic offences and accepted he was unlikely to re-offend.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 November 2016, Adam McCarthy, a 24‑year‑old college student, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Niall McHale outside Tamango's Nightclub in Portmarnock on 27 December 2014. McCarthy had joined a group that cut in line for a taxi, and when McHale protested that the taxi was not theirs, McCarthy punched him above the right eye, causing McHale to fall and lose consciousness. McHale was then kicked in the head, sustaining bruising, lacerations and seven stitches. McCarthy was restrained by nightclub bouncers before Gardaí arrived. McHale, who had been housebound for most of the Christmas holidays, was taken to Beaumont Hospital. McCarthy, who has no prior convictions, apologized in a letter and offered €5,000 to McHale's family, to be donated to a charity of their choice. Judge Melanie Greally noted the seriousness of a head kick, considered the possibility of community service, and adjourned sentencing to 8 February 2017.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Kelvin Lynch, aged 24, received a suspended sentence after assaulting Barry Fitzgerald in Copperface Jack's nightclub on Harcourt Street. Lynch had ordered drinks and, believing Fitzgerald had taken his change, grabbed him by the hand and head‑butted him, causing a broken nose and front tooth. The incident occurred on 19 April 2015, when Fitzgerald was in the city centre watching a Dublin match and had visited two pubs before arriving at the nightclub around 2 a.m. Lynch pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted the violence was "characteristic of a culture of people feeling they can engage in very significant violence for very little reason." She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended for three years, and ordered Lynch to pay €5,000 to Fitzgerald as a token of remorse. Lynch has no prior convictions and works in human resources.
In the Central Criminal Court, Donal Colgan, aged 65, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 39‑year‑old David Sheridan outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Prosecutor Paul Burns SC presented evidence that Colgan had left the chip shop after an altercation, returned minutes later armed with a knife, and stabbed Sheridan multiple times, leading to Sheridan's death the following day. CCTV footage from the Sunset House pub, Luigi's chip shop and a nearby Centra was shown to the jury. The footage showed Colgan drinking heavily at the pub, arriving at the chip shop, engaging with other customers, leaving the shop, walking back to his home, and then returning to the shop with a knife. He was seen walking away from the scene carrying the knife, without attempting to conceal it. The trial continued the next day before Justice Carmel Stewart and the jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Irish international footballer Anthony Stokes pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Anthony Bradley at Buck Whaleys nightclub on Leeson Street on 8 June 2013. The case, originally scheduled for trial on 22 November, was postponed at the prosecutor's request. Judge Melanie Greally set a sentencing date for 20 December and remanded Stokes on continuing bail.
Rafael Tiso, 31, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for raping and assaulting a 23‑year‑old woman in Dublin. The victim, who was heavily intoxicated after taking an ecstasy tablet, was left in a lane with severe injuries, including a deep tear to her rectum that required surgery. CCTV footage showed Tiso escorting her from a nightclub, leaving her in the lane, then returning to the bar for over an hour. He pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault and assault causing harm. The judge, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, noted the violent and callous nature of the crime and the lasting impact on the victim. A final year of a 14‑year sentence was suspended on the condition that Tiso leave the State for ten years upon release. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
In a Dublin rape case, a 29‑year‑old man claimed he was acting in his sleep, suffering from sexsomnia, when he allegedly raped a friend. He admitted the possibility of sex but maintained the condition. After eight hours and fifteen minutes of deliberation over three days, the jury foreman announced a deadlock, unable to reach a verdict. Justice Patrick McCarthy thanked the jurors and excused them for ten years. The case was adjourned to 28 November, when the prosecution will decide whether to seek another trial. The accused had previously pleaded not guilty to one count of rape at an apartment in Dublin on 28 September 2008. The trial, which lasted four weeks, involved testimony that the accused and victim were childhood friends who attended a career fair, later went to a nightclub, drank, and returned to a friend's house to sleep.
In a Dublin squat, Andrzej Wawrzyniak, 38, stabbed 44‑year‑old Jacek Kozakiewicz 22 times during a drunken argument on 26 February 2014, killing him. Wawrzyniak, a Polish man without a fixed address, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years' imprisonment, one year suspended, at the Central Criminal Court. The judge noted the squat's alcohol‑driven environment and that Wawrzyniak fled the scene, informing a Luas driver of the killing and requesting police assistance, which mitigated his sentence. He also received a concurrent three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for assaulting Filip Talaj on the same night. The case involved multiple Polish residents living in the abandoned Vallance & McGrath pub, with the judge describing the setting as "dark and unpleasant" and highlighting the violent history among the occupants. The sentencing reflected the judge's view that the normal sentence for such a violent killing would be nine years. Andrzej Wawrzyniak pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin nightclub, Silviu Voivod (31) was charged with assault causing harm after he tried to stop a woman from being grabbed by a first‑year college student, Robert McMickan, at Dandelion Bar & Nightclub on 12 October 2014. Voivod was glassed in the face, losing two front teeth, and then punched in the back, side and head. McMickan was taken to Tallaght hospital, suffered severe facial injuries and had to miss two weeks of college. Voivod pleaded guilty, offered €500 to McMickan as an expression of remorse, and did not seek a trial date. The court heard that Voivod had no prior convictions and was in a relationship with a young son. Judge Melanie Greally noted the need for a custodial sentence to send a strong message against such "glassing incidents" and announced a custodial sentence would be imposed on 6 December.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, 38‑year‑old Andrzej Wawrzyniak, who had no fixed address, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of 44‑year‑old Jacek Kozakiewicz in an abandoned pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Filip Talaj, another occupant of the squat. The court heard that the pub was a daily drinking spot and that on the night of the killing a Luas driver noticed blood on Wawrzyniak's hands and prevented him from boarding a tram. Wawrzyniak told the driver he had killed a man and led Gardaí to the squat, where they found three people, one of whom was injured. Jacek's body was discovered on the floor of a makeshift kitchen with more than twenty stab wounds, mainly to the neck and face.
Mark Carlyle, 27, of Derry Park, Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty to violent disorder outside a Harcourt Street nightclub on 23 September 2014 after being refused entry. He was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, on 15 December 2015. Carlyle's appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 10 October 2016. Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice John Edwards, upheld the sentence as a "substantial sentence" justified by the circumstances. The Court noted that Carlyle had initiated a violent altercation with security staff, pulling one member away from colleagues and punching him eight or nine times, and had thrown a security barrier in a crowded area.
Eamonn Cumberton, 29, of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, was charged with the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub on 25 April. The Special Criminal Court, hearing the State's application, ordered that Cumberton be tried before the three‑judge, non‑jury court. The order was made by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne presiding.
In a Dublin pub fight on 7 May 2015, 45‑year‑old Graham Quigley struck French teacher Thomas Gohin with a pint glass, causing severe facial injuries. Gohin described his nose as "cut in two" and reported lasting psychological effects, though he could not afford counselling or surgery. Quigley, who had started the fight after his sister was insulted, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted Gohin's attempt to end the fight and the resulting scar on his face and arm. Quigley was sentenced to three and a half years, with the final year suspended. He has since stayed out of trouble, expressed remorse, and is now living with his mother and working in a bakery. Gohin has left Ireland and returned to France.
In a three‑week trial at Sr Senan Court, Edenderry, the jury found Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25) guilty of murdering 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley. The men were convicted of beating Dooley to death with a baseball bat in his home. The trial recounted how the trio met at Mangan's Pub, drank, used cocaine, and later attended a house party at April Murray's home where they caused extensive damage. After the party, they entered Dooley's house, where Cummins claimed Sean Davy struck Dooley with the bat, while Davy accounts varied. The prosecution described the attack as a joint enterprise. The men face mandatory life sentences; sentencing is postponed to 10 October, with reports ordered and all three remanded in custody. Matthew Cummins pleaded not guilty. James Davy pleaded not guilty. Sean Davy pleaded not guilty.
A 38‑year‑old Polish man, Andrzej Wawrzyniak, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for stabbing fellow Polish national Jacek Kozakiewicz to death in an abandoned pub squat on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to another occupant, Filip Talaj. The jury, after a little over four hours, delivered a unanimous verdict. Wawrzyniak was remanded in custody until 10 October for a sentencing hearing. The trial revealed that the squat was a makeshift living space where the occupants, including Kozakiewicz who was described as "the boss", were required to stay indoors during daylight to avoid attention. On the night of the incident, an argument erupted; Wawrzyniak stabbed Talaj several times and later fled the squat, boarding a tram.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2016, the defence of 38‑year‑old Polish man Andrzej Wawrzyniak argued that he killed his housemate Jacek Kozakiewicz (44) in a "life and death struggle". Wawrzyniak, who has no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to the murder and had pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj (31) at the same derelict pub on 26 February 2014. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC described the squat where five homeless Poles lived as "dark and unpleasant" and said Wawrzyniak was attacked first, feeling he might die. He cited Kozakiewicz's violent past and alleged that Wawrzyniak was panicking and terrified. Prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC countered that the evidence showed Kozakiewicz was drunk and asleep, that Wawrzyniak stabbed him 22 times in cold blood, and that the motive may have been bitterness or drunken rage.
Padraig Murphy, 30, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for assault causing harm to Tracey Pavone, 39, in the Cottage Inn pub, Bluebell Avenue, Dublin. The offence occurred on 8 June 2014 when Murphy, who was out on bail for a separate assault, grabbed Pavone by the neck, dragged her out of the pub, and called her a "whore". A woman with Murphy punched and kicked Pavone. CCTV captured the incident. Pavone suffered bleeding, bruising and tenderness, and later reported panic attacks, recurring nightmares and confidence difficulties. Murphy had previously been jailed for 18 months for another assault and was released in May of the same year. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted his history of violent convictions and the seriousness of the offence, sentencing him to three years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended.
The murder trial of Andrzej Wawrzyniak (38) is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Wawrzyniak, who has no fixed address, has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz (44) at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on February 26, 2014. He also pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj (31) at the same location and date. The prosecution presented evidence that Kozakiewicz, who was found dead with more than 20 stab wounds, had a history of drink-related and public order offences, including a suspended sentence for carrying knives and a prison term for possessing a crowbar. Detective Sergeant John Brady testified that Kozakiewicz lived a chaotic lifestyle in a squat occupied by five Polish men, where he was described as the "boss" and a "gentleman." Gardaí were aware of the squat but faced ownership disputes that prevented official eviction. The prosecution concluded its case today, and the closing speech to the jury of nine men and three women is scheduled for tomorrow morning. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence yet delivered.
During a murder trial, witness Ms. April Murray testified that on 11 February 2014 she and her daughter were at Mangan's pub in Edenderry, where they met James Davy, Sean Davy and Jade Mooney. After the pub, they returned to Murray's house, where the men drank beer and used cocaine from a key. Murray described a chaotic scene the next morning, with damage to the living room and kitchen, and noted a light‑brown wooden baseball bat on the kitchen table. She claimed the bat had been used and was later left in a taxi. Courtleigh Maloney, an 18‑year‑old, confirmed that James Davy had brought the bat to the pub and left it in the taxi. Jade Mooney also stated that Davy had shown her the bat and said it was to "protect himself." The accused men, Matthew Cummins, Sean Davy and James Davy, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Dooley.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 12 July 2016, Andrzej Wawrzyniak, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz, aged 44, who was stabbed at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak also pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj, aged 31, at the same location and date. Garda interviews revealed that Wawrzyniak described a fight with Kozakiewicz, who he said was aggressive and often threatened to kill him when drunk. Wawrzyniak claimed he was terrified and stabbed Kozakiewicz four times in self‑defence, though post‑mortem results later showed 22 stab wounds. He expressed remorse and said he would live with the incident for the rest of his life. The trial was set to continue the following day before Justice Robert Eagar and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a murder trial on 8 July 2016, the court heard that 38‑year‑old Andrzej Wawrzyniak, a homeless Polish man with no fixed address, was accused of stabbing 44‑year‑old Jacek Kozakiewicz to death at an abandoned pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj, who was also present. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy identified 23 stab wounds on Kozakiewicz, including 20 to the head and neck, one of which severed his spinal cord, leaving him paralysed on the left side and unable to feel his right side. Two major neck vessels were also severed, causing fatal bleeding. The trial, presided over by Justice Robert Eagar, continues with a jury of nine men and three women. The case also involves a separate assault on Talaj, who sustained multiple knife wounds but survived.
In a murder trial on 7 July 2016, Andrzej Wawrzyniak, 38, a former Polish paratrooper, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz, 44, at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak admitted to stabbing Kozakiewicz after a fight, claiming he had killed a man. He also pleaded guilty to a second charge of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj at the same location and date. Garda Seamus Kelly, responding to a Luas driver's call about a blood‑stained tram passenger, met Wawrzyniak who led the officers to a manhole that opened into the abandoned pub, where the body was found. The trial, presided over by Justice Robert Eagar with a jury of nine men and three women, was set to continue the following day.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Andrzej Wawrzyniak, 38, who has no fixed address, was involved in a fatal stabbing at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz, 44, but pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj at the same location and date. The case was opened by Dominic McGinn SC, who described the setting: five Polish residents, including Wawrzyniak, were drinking in a squat that had formerly been a pub. An argument erupted between Talaj and Wawrzyniak, leading Talaj to claim that Wawrzyniak had grabbed a knife and attacked him. Talaj fled, hiding in a dark corner, while Wawrzyniak remained concealed. After some time, Talaj emerged, armed with a knife for protection, and returned to his hiding place.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced 43‑year‑old Robert Kealy to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on probation, after Kealy pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply. Kealy was arrested following a Garda stop outside The Barge Pub, where he was found with heroin worth €7,598. A subsequent search of his home uncovered weighing scales and drug‑dealing "tick lists". The judge said the sentence was intended to remove one more dealer from the streets, noting Kealy was selling drugs to support his own habit despite medical warnings of possible amputations. Kealy's record includes 42 prior convictions for drug dealing, assault, theft, burglary and criminal damage. His defence counsel, Sarah‑Jane Callaghan, described him as a chronic drug user who was deeply sorry for the harm he caused. Garda Paddy Farrell confirmed Kealy's role as a trusted distributor within the local drug‑using community.
Brian McDonagh, aged 25, was convicted in Galway Circuit Criminal Court of dangerous driving causing the death of Thomas McDonagh, aged 19, in a single‑vehicle crash near Kylemore on 2 February 2014. He pleaded guilty and was also found guilty of driving without insurance. Judge Rory McCabe sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and imposed a 20‑year driving disqualification. McDonagh's counsel, Vincent Heneghan, appealed, arguing the judge erred by imposing the maximum sentence and had not considered a psychiatrist's report indicating genuine remorse or McDonagh's background and alcohol abuse. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sinead Gleeson, highlighted aggravating factors: McDonagh was on a pub crawl, two‑and‑a‑half times over the limit, disqualified, uninsured, driving an unroadworthy, overloaded vehicle, and was uncooperative at the scene. The appeal will be heard next Friday.
In a Cork case, Jaroslaw Kupper, a 39‑year‑old Polish carpenter, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman on 28 September 2013. The assault began with kissing outside a pub after midnight, then moved to a laneway where Kupper became pushy, grabbed the victim's arm, pushed her to the ground, and pulled down her jeans and underwear. The victim screamed for help, a neighbour heard and called the gardai. The incident lasted a considerable time before police arrived. Kupper, who had been working in Ireland for ten years and was fluent in English, was sentenced by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy to three and a half years in prison. The victim, who was intoxicated, described the assault as frightening and said it had severely impacted her social life and mental well‑being. The court noted her victim impact report and Kupper's lack of prior convictions. The sentence was imposed with no mention of a suspended portion.
A 69‑year‑old man, a trusted figure in his Cork community, was remanded pending sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of two boys between January and May 1991. The younger victim, now 30, was five at the time and was abused in a camper van where the accused lured him with treats and performed oral sex. The older victim, now 40, was 14 when the accused asked him to drive a van home from a pub; while the boy sat on his lap, the accused ripped his trousers and molested him, causing the boy to lose control of the van. Both victims described the accused as a trusted community member. The court noted the accused's 48 prior convictions, including a four‑month sentence in England, and he remains in custody until a sentencing hearing on 2 July 2024.
A 39‑year‑old Polish man, Jaroslaw Kupper, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting a woman on 28 September 2013. The assault took place after the pair had met briefly a few weeks earlier in a Cork pub. On the night of the offence, Kupper and the woman kissed before moving to a nearby laneway where he became pushy and aggressive, grabbing her arm and pushing her to the ground. While she was on the ground he pulled down her jeans and underwear, and she screamed for help. A neighbour heard her cries and called the gardai. The victim described seeing Kupper's erect penis rubbing against her vagina for a few seconds before she managed to push it away. Kupper, a carpenter from Millbrook, Middleton, Cork, had no prior convictions and is married. The court heard that both he and the victim had been drinking.
Larry McCarthy, 37, of Limerick, was charged with threatening to kill Noel Moore and threatening to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The State had objected to his temporary bail application, arguing that bail could prevent further serious offences. McCarthy's sister, Laura, told the court that Moore, her father‑in‑law, would not attend the confirmation. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, weighed the danger to life and well‑being against McCarthy's liberty. He found McCarthy's application to be bona fide and that McCarthy intended to attend the confirmation. Bail was granted for 28 May from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with the condition that McCarthy not attend a licensed premises. McCarthy remained remanded in custody until 2 June, when his case was listed for mention again.
Jordan O'Donovan, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after striking a man with a glass in the Savoy nightclub on 27 December 2013. He was sentenced by Cork Circuit Criminal Court to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, but the Court of Appeal rejected the application, finding the balance of the sentence was not so wrong as to be unduly lenient. Judge George Birmingham noted the assault resulted in a very serious eye injury to the victim, who had not fully recovered sight at sentencing. O'Donovan, an 18‑year‑old first‑time offender with no prior convictions, had shown genuine remorse and had engaged with Gardaí. The court upheld the original sentence, refusing the DPP's request for a review. The case highlighted the serious impact of glass‑assaults on victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, taxi driver Lookman Kareem was accused of biting off part of Darren O'Connor's thumb after passengers laughed at his name. O'Connor and his girlfriend Noelle Donohue were in a taxi to Rathmines with Donohue's sisters Stacey and Helena. Stacey giggled when she saw Kareem's first name on his taxi plate, prompting other passengers to join. Kareem allegedly shouted abusive remarks, punched Donohue in the nose, and struck her twice after the group left the vehicle. O'Connor claimed Kareem grabbed his leg, causing him to feel excruciating pain and lose the top of his thumb. O'Connor ran to a pub for ice, collapsed, and was taken to St James's Hospital for surgery. Defence barrister Conor McKenna denied the assault allegations, asserting the passengers were not laughing at Kareem's name. The case remains before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on whether to return Jordan O'Donovan, 21, to jail for a nightclub glass assault. O'Donovan pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to another man in a Cork nightclub on 27 December 2013. He was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to three years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on 28 October 2014. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient". DPP counsel Donal O'Sullivan BL said O'Donovan struck a young man with a glass, causing severe facial injuries that required surgery, and that the Circuit Court judge erred in not stating the offence's severity on the scale. He claimed the custodial element was "significantly out of kilter" and that a starting point of four to seven years is required for mid‑range serious assaults.
Paul Rice, 25, of Tallaght, was jailed for two years after taking part in a violent assault on a bouncer at Copper Face Jacks nightclub on 23 September 2014. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The incident began when a group of six men, including Rice, were refused entry to the club. They returned with four other men and, after being denied entry again, Rice and another man dragged a bouncer across the street and punched him 17 times, delivering nine punches. The bouncer suffered a cut ear and facial bruising. Rice was identified on CCTV footage and arrested. He had 11 prior convictions, including public order offences. The judge, Terence O'Sullivan, noted the attack was pre‑meditated and extremely violent, and sentenced Rice to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The sentence effectively amounts to a two‑year custodial term.
Niall McGlynn, a 30‑year‑old Trinity Law School graduate, was sentenced to two years in prison with the final six months suspended. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one count of assault causing harm for attacking a bouncer at the Czech Inn in Temple Bar after being denied entry, and for punching Garda Brian Cleary in the mouth at North King Street. He also pleaded guilty to robbery at Paddy Power in Swords. The judge credited him for three months already spent in custody and suspended the last six months of the sentence. McGlynn was described as very drunk during the nightclub incident, and the court noted his serious gambling addiction. He had not practised law after graduating from Trinity College. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a jury acquitted a man of raping a woman in the back office of a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The woman testified that she had been on a date with another man when the accused brought her into the back office to show her the CCTV system, which she described as "fascinating." She alleged that she was "brutally, brutally raped" there, and she held up her wrist to show bruises from being held against a wall. During cross‑examination she suggested the accused might have destroyed CCTV footage and said her children were now afraid to go to certain places because of the incident. The jury deliberated for 36 minutes on day five and returned a verdict of not guilty. The judge thanked the jurors and allowed the accused to leave with his family.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a man accused of raping a woman in a Limerick pub's back office has entered its closing stages. The woman, who was on a date with another man, says the accused brought her into the office to show her CCTV, where she was "brutally brutally raped." She pleaded not guilty. Evidence has finished; the jury will deliberate tomorrow after counsel's closing speeches.
In a 2016 rape trial, a witness testified that he was in "extreme shock" after a woman he had arranged to meet in a bar told him his friend of twenty years had "forced himself on her" that evening. The alleged victim said she was on a date with another man when the accused brought her to the back office to show her the CCTV system, where she claimed she was "brutally raped." The accused pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman in a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The witness described meeting the complainant in the bar's smoking area a week before the alleged rape, arranging a meeting, and spending most of the night together. He said they kissed "on and off," later went to a disabled toilet where they kissed passionately for about 15 minutes, and then returned to the bar.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a woman accused of rape by a man in a Limerick pub's back office on 10 November 2012 presented her testimony. She claimed she was on a date with another man that night, that the accused had shown her the CCTV system, and that she was then raped. She alleged the accused may have destroyed CCTV footage and that her children now fear certain places. During cross‑examination, she said she had been told by the other man not to go to Gardaí. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC criticised her conduct, calling it "pouring poison and prejudice into the case." The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, was set to continue on Friday. The accused pleaded not guilty. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a 2016 Limerick rape trial, the complainant testified that she had been celibate for 18 years and had no interest in sex. She described being violently attacked in a pub office on 10 November 2012, held against a wall, bruised, and threatened with violence. She said the accused, who had been drunk after a match, later apologized to her and her daughter. The complainant reported the incident to Gardaí two days later but did not file a formal complaint. She returned in December, stating the accused had locked the door and raped her. She denied any flirtation with the accused, insisted she was older and uninterested in sex, and rejected a defence claim that another man was present. The case proceeded before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
A 22‑year‑old asylum seeker from Nigeria, Kenneth Udeh, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for raping a woman in Waterford on 14 September 2014. The victim was out for a night in the city when Udeh offered her a lift after she had left a pub. He raped her in his car, and a passer‑by shouted at them, causing Udeh to flee. The victim's victim impact statement described the assault as a "complete violation" that left her feeling she had nothing to live for and that it severely damaged her relationship with her partner. Udeh pleaded guilty on the day of his trial at the Central Criminal Court, where Judge Patrick McCarthy imposed a five‑year sentence back‑dated to reflect time already spent in custody. He is appealing his asylum status to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal.
James Flanagan, 56, applied for weekend work advertised on Jobs.ie by a fake garage. He was tasked with picking up and dropping off cars for the garage, earning €50 to €200 per job. Flanagan pleaded guilty to producing a false instrument at Athlone train station on 27 September 2013. He met Emmet Lyons, who offered a car for sale, and handed over a forged bank draft of €13,800. The garage then advertised the car again, and Flanagan later met a woman at Jack White's Pub who paid €9,000 for the car. The woman was allowed to keep the car as she bought it in good faith. Lyons suffered a loss of €13,800 and could not recover it through insurance. Flanagan will be sentenced later; the case was adjourned to 25 July for sentencing. The prosecution said Flanagan acted recklessly rather than intentionally. The court noted Flanagan's financial difficulties and recent family losses.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence from a woman who alleges she was raped in an alleyway in Donegal Town in July 2012 when she was eighteen years old. The complainant told the jury that the medical examination conducted afterwards was deeply distressing. She described meeting the accused, a man she knew, at a nightclub. She said that when they went outside, he led her to an unlit alley where he subjected her to a serious sexual assault against her will, causing her severe injuries requiring hospital treatment. The accused has pleaded not guilty to rape. The woman said she disclosed what had occurred to friends, who brought her to hospital and alerted gardaí. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury, continues.
In 1974, the IRA carried out the worst terrorist attack in Britain, detonating two bombs in Birmingham pubs, killing 21 and injuring 180. The bombs were planted in rucksacks and exploded without warning on the night of 21 November. The attacks prompted the UK government to introduce the Prevention of Terrorism Act, granting police extended detention powers. The bombings also triggered backlash against the Irish community in Birmingham. The article recounts the author's experience as a brewery worker in Coventry, describing the tense atmosphere and the presence of a former British Army paratrooper who helped keep the author safe. It also notes that six Irishmen were wrongfully convicted of the bombings, spending 17 years in prison before their names were cleared in 1991. The perpetrators of the IRA attack returned to Ireland without consequence. The article ends with a call to reopen the inquest into the victims' deaths.
At the Special Criminal Court, Robert Day (44), of Cabra, Dublin 7, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on February 2, 2014. Day pleaded guilty to the charge. His co-accused, Hubert Duffy (49), of Temple Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen BMW motorcycle at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, between November 11, 2013, and February 2, 2014. Duffy received an 18-month suspended sentence. Detective Superintendent Thomas Maguire of the Special Detective Unit told the court that the counterfeit money was allegedly used to "finance the activities of the IRA." The court heard evidence that Richard Molloy, previously jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for selling €20,000 in counterfeit bills, was involved in the transaction at Clarke's pub. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding over the non-jury court, stated that the sentencing ignored allegations that the money was part of an IRA fund-raising operation. Day's sentence was backdated to August 10, 2014. The court noted Day had one prior conviction for assault causing harm, while Duffy had no prior convictions.