In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 January 2024, Nepalese native Kamal Kumar Nepali, aged 24, was found guilty by a jury of rape, burglary, assault causing harm, sexual assault and four counts of trespass in Cork. The offences occurred on 1 March 2022 during student Rag Week celebrations. Nepali had burglarised four houses in an attempt to find an intoxicated woman to rape; all four houses had male occupants. He then broke into a house at 5:30 am on 28 February 2022, where he raped a woman who had returned from a pub, slept, and was later found with bruises and injuries. The victim, who had been drinking, described the assault and the subsequent panic. Nepali denied the charges, but his statements changed during detention. He has no prior convictions. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 11 March 2024.
In a 2024 inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, Dr Will Hutchinson, a fire investigator and forensic scientist, presented evidence to the jury about potential ignition points. He highlighted a severely damaged hotpress in the main bar near where the blaze was first noticed and an electrical outlet in the West alcove as areas that might have influenced the fire's origin. Hutchinson emphasized the importance of not focusing on a single answer, noting that burn patterns on exit doors suggested some were open early while others were closed or forced open. He also discussed the role of a curtain and carpet tiles that melted, contributing to the spread. The investigation will continue to examine these areas in detail, with the goal of proposing a seat of fire and testing hypotheses before drawing conclusions. The inquest proceeds the following day.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Thomas Lorigan, 34, pleaded not guilty to the killing of his 79‑year‑old uncle, John O'Neill, who was found dead on the kitchen floor of his home on St Brendan's Road, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare. The prosecution alleged that Lorigan repeatedly kicked O'Neill to the head while wearing steel‑capped boots, causing severe injuries that left the body unrecognisable. Garda John Costello testified that he discovered a pair of blood‑stained boots and blue jeans behind an armchair in the victim's house on 7 January 2022. Sergeant Joe Fallon later seized the boots, noting a small splatter of blood under them, and collected a swab. Witnesses, including Walter Burke and several pub staff, described Lorigan's visits to the house and his alleged quarrels with O'Neill. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of five men and seven women.
An inquest jury heard that 48 people died in the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, many of whom were young couples who perished together. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane explained that the identification of victims was distressing, often relying on jewellery or clothing due to fire damage. Pathologists Dr Richard Shepherd, Dr Nat Cary and Dr Benjamin Swift reviewed post‑mortem evidence, concluding that most deaths were caused by rapid incapacitation from inhalation of fire fumes and heat. Specific cases mentioned include Helena Mangan (22) and her boyfriend John Stout (18), Julie McDonnell (20), Caroline McHugh (17), David Morton (19) with girlfriend Martina Keegan (16), Kathleen Muldoon (19) with Gerard McGrath (21), George O'Connor (17), Brendan O'Meara (23) who was removed alive but died from complications, Margaret Thornton (19) with Murtagh Kavanagh (27), and Paul Wade (17) who was identified later by DNA.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced a 25‑year‑old Cork man to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on conditions including a sexual‑consent course. The man, who had no prior convictions, was found guilty of anally raping an 18‑year‑old college student in her apartment on 11 February 2019. The victim, a virgin at the time, had initially consented to sex after a brief encounter in a nightclub, but the man forced anal intercourse against her repeated refusals, causing severe pain. He also filmed her and demanded oral sex afterward. The judge expressed concern over the rise of young men of good character committing sexual offences and questioned whether school programmes on consent and pornography are sufficient. The sentencing followed the jury's guilty verdict, and the defendant has since written an apology letter to the victim.
During the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, Dr Richard Shepherd testified that any delay in escaping the toxic, hot environment would have increased the likelihood of death. He explained that rapid incapacitation from inhaling fire fumes and heat was the cause of death for the 48 victims. Shepherd cited specific cases: Jacqueline Croker, 18, who fell after running across a seat aisle; Liam Dunne, 18, who died 25 days later from bronchial pneumonia and lung abscesses; Michael Farrell, 26, with a high hydrogen cyanide reading; Michael French, 18, identified in 2007 with significant burns and a 24% carbon monoxide level; David Flood, 18, with a 56% carbon monoxide level; Thelma Frazer, 20, with a 25% carbon monoxide level; Josephine Glen, 16, who survived five days after being found near exit five; Brian Hobbs, 21, with 39% carbon monoxide; Eugene Hogan, 24, who was last seen on the dance floor before lights went out; Murtagh Kavanagh, 27, with a 48% carbon monoxide.
An inquest jury in Dublin has begun hearing evidence on the deaths of the 48 victims of the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane explained that the jury's role is to determine each victim's date, place and cause of death. Pathologists Dr Richard Shepherd, Dr Nat Carey and Dr Benjamin Swift presented post‑mortem, toxicology and photographic evidence. They confirmed that high levels of carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and heat were present in many victims, and that inhalation of fire fumes and heat caused rapid incapacitation and death. The evidence was presented alphabetically, starting with 17‑year‑old Michael Barrett, who had 50% carbon monoxide in his blood, and included other victims such as 17‑year‑old Richard Bennett, 18‑year‑old Carol Bissett, 23‑year‑old Jimmy Buckley, 19‑year‑old Paula Byrne, 17‑year‑old Caroline Carey and 21‑year‑old John Colgan.
The jury in the trial of a 59‑year‑old teacher accused of sexually assaulting six young men, including students, has retired for the evening after a day of deliberation. The teacher, who was in his 30s at the time of the alleged offences, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault. The State alleges that five complainants were assaulted in shared beds and one in a pub toilet, while the accused denies wrongdoing. The jury will resume tomorrow.
Alan Ecock, a banking professional who had worked as a barman at Kavanagh's pub for nearly 30 years, was dismissed by the pub's owners in April for cost‑cutting. He claimed the dismissal was heartless and unlawful. Ecock had been employed full‑time by AIB since 1994 and worked two nights a week at the pub, a fact unknown to his bank colleagues. The pub's owners, the Peacock family, argued that Ecock was self‑employed and therefore not entitled to employment rights. The tribunal found Ecock was an employee under the Revenue code, and that the owners had breached the Unfair Dismissals Act by failing to consult or offer alternatives. Ecock was awarded €22,750 for unfair dismissal, €2,000 for lack of notice, and €1,000 for no written statement, totalling €25,750. The case was heard under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and related statutes.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 59‑year‑old man pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17 to 24 between March 1991 and November 1997 in County Dublin. A former girlfriend of the fourth complainant testified that the accused, a former teacher, had told her in 1998 that he had been abused by the accused, describing the alleged incident as "touching and oral sex." A 45‑year‑old complainant recounted that he and the accused had gone to a pub, drank heavily, and that the accused performed oral sex on him after the accused had pulled down his boxer shorts. A second witness described a similar incident in late 1995, where the accused performed oral sex on him while he slept on the floor. A third witness denied any sexual intimacy with the accused.
In the Dublin District Coroner's Court, a jury was shown extremely graphic footage of the night the Stardust nightclub fire killed 48 people. The court explained that the material, already heard in evidence, would help the jury understand the case. Dr Myra Cullinane warned that the footage was graphic and requested that those not directly involved leave the courtroom. The clips included television recordings, an interview with manager Eamon Butterly who claimed all doors were open, and testimony from witnesses who said doors were chained and locked. Pauline Murray, a survivor, recounted seeing smoke, being pulled by Niall Campbell, and the chaos as the fire spread. She described being burnt, the thick smoke, and the last moments before Josephine Glen died. The inquest will resume on 9 January 2024.
During the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, survivor James Feery described flames advancing along walls and ceilings like a flamethrower, causing smoke to fill the hallway to an exit. He recalled hearing a shout of "Fire" and seeing people panic toward the main door while bouncers fought the blaze with extinguishers. Feery reported that exit doors three, four, five and six were chained and locked, as told by former doorman Noel Quigley, and that furniture was stacked against some doors. He described the front door being shut, the hall filling with fumes, and people collapsing. When the doors finally opened, a surge of smoke was sucked out, and Feery was pushed out into the street, where he saw others with burnt clothing and cars passing by. The inquest heard additional witness statements describing the fire's spread and the chaos inside the club. The hearing continues tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital.
The inquest heard that Illingsworth and Company Limited supplied Stateroom carpet tiles used on the Stardust nightclub walls, but the company never advertised or recommended them for wall use. The tiles were sold as a "job lot" because they were being discontinued, with the price reduced from £1.28 to 75p. Mr Graham Whitehead, the company secretary, confirmed that the tiles were intended for floor use and that the company had no fire certificate authority. He stated that the tiles were not suitable for walls and that any display of them on walls was purely for show. The tribunal also noted that the tiles were Class 4 in flammability tests, not Class 1 as required, and were a major contributor to the fire's spread. The inquest continues tomorrow.
Kevin Kelleher, 50, manager of a Dublin pub, pleaded guilty to possession of just under three kilograms of amphetamines, valued at €43,000, found in concealed compartments in the ladies' bathroom and a roof area of a store room. Garda Jamie Greville described a surveillance operation triggered by a tip, with Kelleher identified and arrested after CCTV footage showed him moving the drugs. Kelleher claimed duress and that he was forced to store the drugs. He had no prior convictions and no material wealth. The prosecution argued no evidence of payment, addiction, debt repayment or gang involvement. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years, and suspended the entire term on strict conditions, including keeping the peace and good behaviour for five years.
An inquest jury heard harrowing accounts from former firefighters who described finding bodies in the Stardust nightclub so badly burnt they could not determine their gender, with some corpses discovered in pieces within the 'completely gutted' building. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane acknowledged these were 'difficult details' for the families of the 48 victims of the 1981 fire. Noel Keegan testified about finding multiple bodies in the toilets, some still on fire, and described one body with exposed intestines. John Lehan noted the presence of 16 bodies near exit doors and suggested the fire spread rapidly. Garda Matthew Quinn described the severe burns on victims, with some having burst blisters. Other firefighters, including Frank Matthews and James Rowan, recounted finding unrecognisable bodies, some in pieces, and described the extensive damage to the building. The inquest continues tomorrow.
In a trial in Dublin, a 59‑year‑old man accused of sexually assaulting a student in 1995 pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The fifth complainant, now 47, testified that he was 18 when the alleged assault occurred in a pub toilet. He described the accused as masturbating into his hand, then pinning him against a wall and possibly kissing his neck or cheek. The complainant said he told a friend that night about the incident, after drinking whiskey with two other teenagers. He added that he had never met the accused again and that he had not reported the assault to Gardaí at the time, citing embarrassment and a sense of being in the wrong place. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
During the 2023 inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, retired Dublin Fire Brigade senior firefighter William McQuaid described the blaze as an "accelerated fire" that spread rapidly due to an unknown combustible material in the building. He recounted receiving a call that a major accident plan was in force and that the entire state's resources were mobilised. McQuaid reported that the roof collapsed and the fire's temperature was unusually high, causing the fire to spread faster than normal. He supported the view that the fire's speed made it impossible for hoses to be laid effectively. McQuaid also noted that the fire brigade's assessment of a fire's extent is based on experience and visual judgement upon arrival. The inquest heard additional testimony from former firefighters and ambulance staff, but the focus remained on the fire's rapid spread and the lack of prior similar incidents. The hearing continues tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital.
The trial of an unnamed 59-year-old accused of sexual offences against six young men continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault, alleged to have occurred between March 1991 and November 1997 in Co Dublin. He also faces one count of sexual assault regarding the fifth complainant, to which he has also pleaded not guilty. The fifth complainant, now 47, testified that in 1995, while in a pub toilet, the accused allegedly pinned him against a wall and engaged in non-consensual sexual contact. The witness stated he did not consent and was in shock. Earlier, the fourth complainant, who faces one count of sexual assault, was cross-examined regarding alleged consensual encounters and drug use. He admitted to receiving a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply and cultivation of cannabis plants. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC suggested the complainant had boasted about drug use and that the accused reported this to the school principal. The complainant disagreed with suggestions that the sexual interactions were consensual. The trial is ongoing.
Sharon Hickey, 45, of Kilmainham, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9kg of heroin for sale or supply outside the Lamplighter pub in Dublin 8 on April 12, 2022. She appeared before Judge Elma Sheahan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where she admitted to the charge. Gardaí reported that Hickey was intercepted after receiving a bag containing the drugs and €500 in cash from co-accused Gregory Dunne. During interview, Hickey stated she was instructed to find a hiding place for the drugs to settle a drug debt, for which she was to be paid €500 and have her debt reduced. Her defence counsel highlighted her difficult childhood, addiction struggles, and a certificate in addiction studies, urging leniency. Hickey has one previous conviction for larceny from the 1990s. Judge Sheahan adjourned the case for finalisation on January 12, 2024. Co-accused Gregory Dunne, 39, of Dublin 7, had previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. In October, Judge Sheahan sentenced Dunne to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
The first emergency responder, Dermot Dowdall, described arriving at the Stardust nightclub at about 1.49 am, after a call from John Fitzsimons warned of a potential loss of up to 200 people. He found a circle of victims huddled together on the dancefloor, their heads down, and noted the fire had already been intense, venting through the roof and largely extinguished by the time he and a colleague reached the scene. Dowdall and his team focused on rescuing those in the toilets, transporting eight severely burned girls and a boy to St James Hospital. He later assisted in searching for bodies, describing the scene as gruesome and noting that many victims were already deceased when he arrived. The fire's rapid spread and high heat were highlighted as key factors in the tragedy.
During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, a patron named Stephen Keogh testified that he saw about six male youths scuffling near the area where the blaze began. He described a small flame appearing a few minutes later, followed by the ceiling engulfing in flames. Keogh recounted seeing a girl running toward exit two in a ball of flame, and his attempt to open an exit door that failed. He later heard a youth, described as about 16‑17 years old, 5‑3 inches tall, well‑built with reddish blond hair, say, "It's alright, I know who started it." Keogh also noted that the youths and two others moved toward the main entrance searching for the person who had started the fire. The testimony was read into the record at the Dublin District Coroner's Court as part of the inquest into the fatal blaze that killed 48 people.
In November 2023 the Court of Appeal ruled that the quashing of Darren Thompson's gang‑rape conviction was not a miscarriage of justice. Thompson, 30, had been jailed for six years with two years suspended after a 2017 jury conviction for raping a 21‑year‑old nightclub patron. In 2020 the conviction was overturned when the Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose his application, but no retrial was ordered. Thompson's lawyers sought a miscarriage‑of‑justice certificate under Section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act, arguing that undisclosed Garda and Tusla documents – relating to unfounded child‑sexual‑abuse complaints made by the complainant – were a newly discovered fact. The three‑judge panel found the failure to disclose was a "human error", not bad faith, and that the material would not have been decisive. Consequently the court denied the certificate, stating the error did not amount to a fundamental defect in the administration of justice. Darren Thompson pleaded not guilty.
Marie Hogan, a survivor of the Stardust nightclub fire, testified at an inquest about the moment she realised her husband Eugene 'Hughie' Hogan (24) was dead. She described the fire's rapid spread, the smell of burning, and the collapse of the roof where they had been seated. Hogan recounted being pushed through blocked exits, the smoke filling the room, and a young man pulling her out while others were trapped. She noted that the roof collapsed over the spot where Hughie had been, confirming his death. Hogan also mentioned finding Eugene's brother Bernard in hospital with burns. The inquest heard additional accounts from Doreen Desmond and Joan Melia, detailing the fire's speed, the blocked exits, and the chaotic escape. The hearing continues tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital.
Dermott Brett, 56, was found guilty of raping a 20‑year‑old university student in a Dublin hotel on 11 January 2019. The victim, described as vulnerable and intoxicated, was taken from a pub to Brett's hotel room where she was raped and offered cocaine. CCTV footage showed Brett's arrival, the victim's drunken state, and the taxi incidents. Brett pleaded not guilty but was convicted in May 2023 and maintains his innocence. He has one prior traffic conviction. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including probation and a sex‑offender treatment programme. He was placed on the sex‑offender register. The victim suffered PTSD and academic disruption, and her impact statement highlighted profound loss of independence and trust.
Charlie Darcy (35), of John's Lane West, Dublin 8, appeared before Judge Orla Crowe in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage. He pleaded guilty to counts of taking a vehicle without consent and possession of stolen property on separate occasions between December 14 and 16, 2021. The court heard that Darcy was on bail for the burglary of the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh, for which he previously pleaded guilty, as well as for possession of a firearm at Longs Place, Dublin 8, on December 18, 2021. Darcy and his accomplice in the pub break-in, Jason Paget (35), were both jailed for four and a half years for those earlier offences. For the current charges, Judge Crowe imposed a consecutive two-year sentence. The court noted that Darcy is currently in custody serving the sentence for the Marble Arch burglary and will begin the new two-year term upon its conclusion early next year. Defense counsel Keith Spencer BL stated that Darcy was under pressure to repay a debt and struggling with addiction, but noted he has tried to better himself in custody. The judge acknowledged Darcy's good conduct and academic achievements while imposing the sentence.
During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire that killed 48 people, the jury heard that an insurance company's fire surveyor, Richard Williams, had deemed the building a "pretty horrendous" fire risk. Williams, who had worked for Hibernian Insurance from 1961 to 1997, declined to quote for fire insurance in 1979 after reading a fire survey. In 1981 he was appointed a fire surveyor and reported that the nightclub's new cold room, built with aluminium and polystyrene foam insulation, was highly combustible. He also noted that a push bar exit was chained and that walls were covered with polystyrene tiles and a false ceiling of polystyrene. Williams' testimony, read into the record, was to be continued the following day. The inquest also heard witness accounts of the fire's rapid spread, the difficulty of opening chained exits, and the chaotic crowd conditions a few weeks before the blaze.
A 59‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault committed between March 1991 and November 1997 in County Dublin. The prosecution, led by Anne‑Marie Lawlor SC, presented six complainants who claim they were each separately victimised by the accused. Four of the complainants were students of the accused's secondary school at the time, while the other two were acquaintances from his hometown. The alleged offences involved inappropriate touching, licking and oral sex, with five complainants stating they woke to find the accused performing oral sex on them and one claiming the accused attempted an anal rape after a prior oral act. The alleged incidents occurred at the accused's home, with one alleged assault taking place in a pub. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
During the inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire, Yvonne Blackwell, aged 18 at the time, testified that she and four friends from Derry were trapped in a panic when flames erupted at the end of the hall. She described the scene as "raining flames," with ashtrays igniting on tables, and that she was pushed and shoved by the crowd, unable to locate exits. Blackwell could not recall seeing her friend Susan Morgan inside the club, and she later reflected on the trauma and subsequent drinking. Ann and Finola Horner also gave evidence, describing the intense heat, orange glow, and the difficulty of escaping locked exits. They recounted seeing a man named Larry outside, who was severely burned. Valerie Walsh reported that after the fire started, exit doors were closed behind her, preventing people from re‑entering the burning building. The inquest will continue tomorrow.
During the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, witnesses described a rapidly spreading blaze that resembled the film 'Backdraft'. Bernard Tully, 16 at the time, recalled a ball of flames racing across the ceiling, "drops of molten lead" falling onto the crowd, and the panic that followed. He attempted to open a window that only opened a few inches, then smashed a glass panel to escape. Thomas Dempsey, 19, testified that a fire extinguisher seemed to fuel the flames, which spread along walls and carpet tiles, creating orange‑black smoke and a "backdraft" effect. Anthony Preston, present that night, described a packed hallway, a locked exit with a Chubb lock, and the difficulty of moving through smoke and fumes. Anthony Kavanagh, also 19, recounted seeing a curtain open, causing flames to shoot across the floor and a substance that appeared like acid dropping from the ceiling. The inquest continues tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital's Pillar Room.
In the 2023 inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, witnesses recounted being trapped in toilets as smoke filled the building. Deirdre Dames, aged 18, described crawling on hands and knees, hearing people outside screaming for help, and feeling the heat and smoke close to the windows. She said she prayed the Lord's Prayer and was rescued when a fireman entered. Louise Murray, also 18, was trapped in a stage‑rear toilet, inhaled hot debris, and later prayed the Our Father before firemen broke in. Breda Walsh, 19, ran into a gents toilet by mistake, fainted from smoke, and was rescued by the brigade. Helen Henby, 18, was trapped under a table, suffered third‑degree burns, and spent four months in hospital. The testimony highlighted the chaotic escape attempts and the desperate attempts to breathe and pray for survival.
During the inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire, 19‑year‑old Deborah Osbourne described the blaze as a "living thing" that chased her and her friends. She recounted how she and three companions tried to reach exits five and six, holding hands in a desperate attempt to escape. Thick black smoke and intense heat made visibility impossible, and she described the sensation of her hand sticking to a seat as she tried to stand. Osbourne suffered burns to her head, face, arms and hands, and inhaled smoke that damaged the lining of her lungs. She also recalled finding Sandra Lawless, one of the victims, and hugging her before falling to the floor. Osbourne expressed regret for not taking Lawless with her and described the fire as a "monster" that forced her to fight for survival. The inquest heard additional witness statements about blocked exits, attempts to pull people out, and the chaotic conditions inside the club.
In the Dublin District Coroner's Court, Tina Brazil, aged 17 at the time, recounted her attempt to escape the Stardust nightclub fire with friend Carol Bissett. Brazil described the scene as a "big ball of smoke" and the crowd's force pulling them apart. She said she held Bissett's hand until it broke, then they were carried in opposite directions. Brazil later learned Bissett had died in hospital. Catherine Moore, also present, described the darkness, screaming, and the doors being locked, noting she was dragged out and cut her hands and legs on glass. Pauline Jenkins testified about a chain‑locked exit and a white van outside. Noeleen Kearney described the fire reaching the ceiling and the chaotic crowd pushing toward exit five. Patrick Coates, 18, recounted thick black smoke, his girlfriend's safety, and their escape through a locked exit. The inquest continues tomorrow.
In a case heard on 7 November 2023, Judge Martina Baxter directed the Probation Service to assess Amy Bergin, 29, for suitability for community service following her guilty plea to one count of assault at the Cock and Bull Pub, Coolock, on 3 February 2019. Bergin, a former friend of the victim, claimed she and the victim were "reefing the head off each other" during a brief altercation that lasted less than ten seconds. The victim reported a flicking or scraping action, a thrown drink, and a push against her face, resulting in a cut and bruised head. No CCTV or witnesses were available. Bergin has 21 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and no recent Garda attention. The court noted mitigation, including family support, a letter of apology, and a medical report, and adjourned the case to 12 February 2024 for finalisation, while ordering a restorative justice assessment.
During the Stardust nightclub inquest, Benny Murphy, who was 18 when the fire on 14 February 1981 killed 48 people, recounted that for 42 years he has been haunted by the image of a girl burning in exit four. He described seeing the roof ignite, lights go out, thick black smoke, and a crowd jammed at the exit door that suddenly opened. Murphy said he could see a girl burning and that no one could help her because the exit door was on fire. He added that the fire caused white tiles to melt and drip onto people and tables, and that he heard screams from inside the toilets as people sought cover. He concluded that the tragedy has left lasting trauma for survivors and families, and he called for counselling support.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Brandon Brooks, 25, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm to nightclub bouncer Sean Owens at Buzz nightclub on 9 November 2019. Owens, who was working to save for a wedding, was repeatedly punched and stabbed by an attacker other than Brooks during a mob attack that included Brooks. Owens now suffers from PTSD, insomnia, flashbacks and nightmares. Judge Orla Crowe noted the seriousness of Owens' injuries and the harrowing victim impact statement. Brooks, who had 49 prior convictions and was on bail at the time, pleaded guilty early and was described as an enhanced prisoner. The judge suspended the final six months of the sentence, imposed a 12‑month probation supervision period, and allowed the remaining term to be served in custody. The court considered letters from Brooks' mother and other family members as mitigating factors.
During the 1981 Stardust fire, a survivor, Mark Swaine, testified that he tried to use his hands to extinguish flames on people escaping the nightclub. He described being trapped against a van at exit three, pushing his girlfriend off a wall, and attempting to break windows to allow people to escape. Swaine said he saw people's hands pressed against the windows and that he was trying to put out the fire. He confirmed that a chain on the main door was preventing people from exiting. Other witnesses described a van obstructing the exit and a brass padlock on the door. The inquest heard that the chain and lock were indeed in place, and that Swaine's actions were an attempt to help those on fire. The hearing continues next Tuesday.
At the ongoing inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire of February 1981, witnesses have testified that emergency exit doors were secured with chains and padlocks on the night of the blaze. A former employee stated that this practice of locking exits had been in place for up to two years prior to the fire, which occurred in the early hours of 14 February. He recalled hearing patrons cry out that doors were locked as the fire spread, and described how the crowd forced one door open to escape. Inside the premises, he heard sounds of people attempting to break through locked toilet windows without success. Another witness confirmed seeing a chain and lock wrapped around panic bars on an exit door that night. A third witness described the chaotic evacuation, recounting how she heard shouts that exits were locked as flames and thick smoke filled the venue. The inquest, taking place in Dublin District Coroner's Court, continues to examine the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
A banking professional who worked at a Dublin pub for nearly three decades has alleged he was unfairly dismissed and denied a redundancy package because the pub owners did not want to pay him. Alan Ecock, who has worked for AIB since 1994, told the Workplace Relations Commission that his co-workers at the bank were unaware of his second job as a bar manager at Kavanaghs in Stoneybatter, where he started as a lounge boy in the late 1980s. His solicitor, Setanta Landers, claimed the pub owners' assertion that Ecock was self-employed was a 'parade of fiction.' Ecock stated he worked at the pub four nights a week throughout his college years after losing his father as a teenager and felt obliged to support his mother. He continued working there even after signing a full-time contract with AIB in 1994, reducing his hours to two nights a week when he married in 2013.
A 39‑year‑old man from North Circular Road, Dublin, was sentenced to seven years in prison after being caught handing over €417,000 worth of heroin outside the Lamplighter pub in Dublin 8 on 12 April 2022. Gregory Dunne pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9 kg of heroin. Judge Elma Sheahan noted his previous serious drug conviction as an aggravating factor and imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final year suspended on a number of conditions. Gardaí had surveillance footage of Dunne placing a green Aldi bag into a beach bag belonging to a woman, Sharon Hickey (45), who later took a taxi and was intercepted on Tyrconnell Road. The court also heard that Dunne had 19 prior convictions, including a 2012 conviction for a kilo of heroin that resulted in a three‑year sentence.
Mr Sean Ambrose, who suffered severe head injuries after an unprovoked attack outside a pub in August 2015, has brought a judicial review against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. He argues the Tribunal wrongly held that it could not assess his claim, citing that it failed to allow him to provide necessary documentation and denied him an appeal. Mr Ambrose claims the Tribunal breached his rights to fair and constitutional procedures and legitimate expectation, and that he was a vulnerable person who needed assistance to submit paperwork. He also contends the Tribunal ignored medical evidence of his difficulties. He seeks orders to quash the Tribunal's determinations, to allow an appeal, and to remit his claim for fresh consideration. The case was granted permission by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland and will return in November.
In October 2023, Sebastian Betlejewski, 37, was extradited from Poland to face charges for an assault that occurred in 2008 at the Zanzibar nightclub in Dublin. The incident involved Betlejewski punching a stag party-goer, who suffered a fractured skull and cheekbone after falling onto the dancefloor. Betlejewski pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had no prior convictions in either Ireland or Poland. The court heard the victim, a Northern Irishman, had returned home after the incident and had since moved on with his life. Betlejewski claimed mistaken identity, stating another man had assaulted him. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months, suspended on conditions, and he was released on bail after brief custody in both countries. He paid €5,000 to the victim and expressed remorse. The case concluded with a suspended custodial sentence and no further custodial term imposed.
During the inquest into the February 14, 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, witnesses testified that the main exit doors were locked and blocked. Peter Redmond, a patron, described seeing the doors locked ten minutes before the blaze, the carpet tiles on the walls catching fire, and a crowd trapped inside as lights failed and black smoke filled the hall. He recounted trying to re-enter for a friend but being stopped by a bouncer. Liam "Leo" Hennessy, aged 31, recounted seeing smoke and a fireball, being pushed through an exit, and learning the next day that his friend Dave Flood had died. Kathleen Deeney described being knocked to the floor, forced through a crowded corridor, and finding the main doors closed while other exits opened. David Bell confirmed that a Chubb lock was in place on the main door ten minutes before the fire began. The jury heard these accounts as part of the ongoing inquest held at the Rotunda Hospital.
During the inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire, a 17‑year‑old patron, Paula Toner, gave a highly emotional testimony describing the chaos that unfolded as people tried to escape. She recounted how the lights went out, people were crushed in the hallway, and the main doors were initially closed. Toner described how some patrons broke the toilet windows and shouted at those inside, urging them to put their heads down. She noted that the left side of the main entrance was initially open, then the other door was kicked out, allowing people to flee. The testimony ended with a sudden quiet as the shouting stopped and the "hands disappeared," indicating the situation inside had become fatal. The inquest will continue tomorrow in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
During a hearing in the Dublin District Coroner's Court on 4 October 2023, Stardust manager Eamon Butterly denied that the fire on 14 February 1981 killed half of the victims because three exit doors were locked. He said the nightclub was "one of the best wired premises around" and that no fire had started at the premises. Butterly also denied that any fire could have started at the club, describing it as safe. He was questioned by Des Fahy KC, who represented ten families of the 48 people who died. Fahy presented a body map showing 24 bodies found near exits three, four and five, and suggested those locked doors caused the deaths. Butterly replied that the doors were locked only on disco nights, that the lights went out, and that the smoke and panic prevented escape. He admitted the policy was unsafe but said the doorman Tom Kennan controlled the doors.
During the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly, 78, testified that if he had acted differently, he would never have converted the factory into a nightclub. He denied lying about the exit‑door policy, though he admitted his statements to the 1981 tribunal were contradictory to those given to the coroner's court. Butterly said the policy of draping chains over exit doors was initiated by head doorman Tom Kennan and that he could not claim full ownership. He maintained that the doors were open at the time of the fire, citing Kennan's confirmation, and that he had no role in post‑fire insurance claims. Butterly also explained that carpet tiles on the walls were approved by Dublin Corporation, and that he had consulted an expert, Harold Gardner, regarding their use. The inquest heard evidence that the tiles were Class 4, contributing to the fire's spread. The jury noted the conflicting accounts and the lack of a written policy.
During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, manager Eamon Butterly testified that three of the club's exits could be considered failures. He explained that chains had been wrapped around panic bars on exit doors to give the impression they were locked, a practice he said was initiated by the doormen and only in place for two to three weeks before the blaze. Butterly admitted that the doors were not effectively opened during the fire, citing witnesses who described doors that would not open without force, were blocked by chains or padlocks, and that some exits were locked or only partially opened. He agreed with the coroner that exits two, three, four and five exhibited chaotic or obstructed conditions, while he did not consider exit five a failure.
During the first day of evidence at the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly testified that the nightclub's staff received no fire‑safety training. He said that responsibility for training lay with head doorman Tom Kennan, who would hire experienced doormen, and that general manager Brian Peel was ultimately responsible for staff training. Butterly denied having a role in hiring and claimed he was unaware of any policy requiring fire‑safety instruction. He recounted that on the night of the February 14, 1981 fire, the doormen were told the exits were unlocked and that they had men stationed at each exit. Butterly also stated that he had no recollection of any exit doors being locked or of any obstructions to exits, and that he had not been told of any incidents involving sparks or smoke prior to the fire. His testimony was read into the record and will continue tomorrow in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, brothers Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan were found not guilty of murder after a jury deliberated 14 hours. The jury, however, convicted Ian of manslaughter and Daniel of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey, who died 13 days after the November 14, 2019 assault. The brothers had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to the serious harm charges. The State's case alleged that Ian attacked Mulvey near The Halfway House Pub, leaving him on the ground, and that Daniel joined him in a subsequent beating on a traffic island. The jury accepted that the brothers' actions substantially contributed to Mulvey's death but did not find the intent required for murder. No verdicts were recorded for the two assault‑causing‑harm charges, and Daniel was granted bail pending a probation report.
Jason Owens, 34, of Oak Grove, Royal Oak, Santry, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty to assaulting Conor Kelly at the Cock and Bull pub in Coolock on 1 January 2020. Owens, a former Taekwon‑Do international, struck Kelly with a savage, powerful punch in the pub toilets, causing life‑threatening injuries. CCTV showed the punch was extraordinarily effective, and Owens also kicked Kelly once in the head before leaving. Kelly suffered haemorrhaging to the brain, a fracture, and required 18 days in intensive care and four surgeries. Owens was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted Owens' lack of intent to cause such injuries but highlighted the reckless nature of the attack. No prior convictions were recorded for Owens.
In a Dublin murder trial, brothers Ian Connaghan (34) and Daniel Connaghan (43) plead not guilty to the killing of 55‑year‑old builder Michael 'Mick' Mulvey, who died 13 days after a November 2019 assault near The Halfway House Pub. The State alleges the brothers beat Mulvey at a roundabout, causing injuries that contributed to his death, though not the sole cause. The brothers also face charges of serious harm and assault. Judge Paul Burns instructed the jury to determine the dominant cause of death and the accused's intent, noting that intent to cause serious injury suffices for murder. Prosecutor Anne Rowland argued the beatings were severe enough to imply intent to cause serious harm. Defence counsel Garnet Orange contended no serious injury occurred and the death was likely natural. Post‑mortem findings identified blunt‑force chest trauma and underlying ischemic heart disease as contributory. The jury will resume deliberations tomorrow.