In a 2021 court hearing, Damien Byrne, 44, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm after brandishing an imitation pistol in Finches pub, Clondalkin, on 18 September 2016. Byrne, who was suffering from severe cocaine and alcohol dependence at the time, had pulled the weapon during a violent altercation with an associate and pointed it at security staff before waving it around the pub, causing patrons to flee for cover. He was arrested after leaving the pub with another man. Byrne pleaded guilty and his defence counsel highlighted his ongoing rehabilitation, noting he has been drug and alcohol free since 2020 and has established two successful businesses. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his progress and lack of prior convictions, suspended a four‑year prison term on the condition that he keep the peace for that period, thereby avoiding a custodial sentence. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Alan Wilson, aged 42, denied attempting to murder three men in a 2010 shooting at the Player's Lounge pub in Fairview, Dublin. He claimed before the Special Criminal Court that evidence against him had been "doctored to facilitate a State show‑trial". At the arraignment, Wilson attempted to give a prepared statement but was interrupted by Judge Tara Burns, who asked whether he pleaded guilty or not. Wilson pleaded not guilty to the attempted murders of Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett and Austin Purcell, and to possession of a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver, .38 ammunition, a .32 Auto Zastava pistol and .32 ammunition with intent to endanger life. Defence barrister Padraig Dwyer requested full access to CCTV footage and disclosure, citing an "enormous" amount of material. Judge Burns agreed to provide the defendant with the necessary facilities and scheduled the opening prosecution speech for Thursday, with the trial expected to conclude within five weeks before Christmas.
In a Health and Safety Authority prosecution, Telstar Investments LTD was fined €7,500 for exposing two staff members to asbestos fibres during the removal of unstable ceiling tiles in a courtyard area above its licensed premises. The director, Noel Murray, removed the tiles after a warning sticker was found and the tiles were later confirmed to contain brown asbestos. The company had a guilty plea and cooperated with the HSA, paying costs within four months. The court noted that the director acted without specialised equipment and that the removal was undertaken to prevent potential falls. The fine reflects the company's failure to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees in the removal and cleanup of asbestos‑laden debris. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The High Court has opened a hearing to decide the amount of losses owed to four publicans who won test actions against FBD for failing to pay business‑disruption claims caused by Covid‑19. The plaintiffs are Aberken (Sinnott's Bar), Hyper Trust Ltd (The Leopardstown Inn), Inn on Hibernian Way Ltd (Lemon & Duke) and Leinster Overview Concepts Ltd (Sean's Bar). Mr Justice Denis McDonald earlier ruled that FBD's policy covered losses from closures due to the pandemic and that the term 'closure' includes partial shutdowns. The current hearing, also before Mr Justice McDonald, will last about two weeks and will consider issues such as partial closure, staff costs, late payments, trends, under‑insurance and capital expenses. The court will hear evidence on how each issue applies to each pub, noting that Sean's Bar was closed from March 2020 to June 2021 and that partial closure was not relevant to it. The hearing continues.
The Court of Appeal refused to allow Marian Lingurar Jnr, 26, to appeal his conviction for the manslaughter of John Kenny, 56, who was killed in a burglary at Kenny's pub in Oughterard on 25 September 2011. The court considered the impact of new proceedings on the victim's family, ten years after the killing, and found the appeal had little chance of success. It will, however, allow Lingurar to appeal his nine‑year prison sentence. Lingurar, a Romanian national who had broken bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, was found guilty by a jury in 2019. The judge noted that Lingurar was a juvenile at the time of the offence and that the family's impact would be less if the sentence were appealed rather than the conviction. The appeal of the sentence will be heard after the defence argues that the sentence was overly severe given Lingurar's youth.
Derek Foran, 36, was arrested after attempting to hold up the Speaker Connolly pub in Firhouse on 1 January 2018. He entered wearing a balaclava, armed with a replica Uzi‑style gun, and shouted threats to the patrons. Regular customers recognised him and tackled him, while an off‑duty detective intervened and secured the gun. Foran pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of pub manager Jason Doyle. He had prior convictions for drug dealing and public order offences. The court noted his drug‑addicted state and that he had acted alone. Judge Elma Sheahan, citing his efforts to stay drug‑free and engage in pro‑social activities, sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was imposed after a probation report and a prior 12‑month probation bond. The judge emphasised the need for continued rehabilitation.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, a 41‑year‑old man's five‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term, originally imposed for two sexual assaults on his step‑daughter, was reduced by two years. The first assault occurred in early 2015 when the man, while seated beside the bed, fondled the girl's breasts while her mother slept. The second assault took place in mid‑2016, after a pub visit, when the man again forced his hand under the girl's t‑shirt. The original sentences—five years with 18 months suspended for the first offence and five years with three years suspended for the second—were set to run consecutively. The Court of Appeal, citing the severity of the offences and the victim's severe impact, removed the suspended portions and set concurrent custodial terms of two years for the first offence and three‑and‑a‑half years for the second, back‑dating them to the original sentencing date.
Donal Fallon, a 31‑year‑old historian from Palmerstown, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the Living Room pub in Dublin on 6 February 2016, after an anti‑racism march against PEGIDA. He claimed his group felt "under siege" when men he believed were shouting Nazi slogans entered the bar. CCTV suggested Fallon's arm moved, and Gardaí considered he may have thrown an item, but no evidence showed he struck anyone. The judge noted Fallon's cooperation, admissions, lack of prior convictions, and that he had not repeated the behaviour in five years. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a €500 fine and conditions, including gathering €2,000 within six months, and a deferred nine‑month sentence if conditions were not met. The court applied section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 to avoid a conviction on Fallon's record. No further charges were brought.
The High Court has ordered the release of a Co Monaghan businessman from Mountjoy Prison after he completed 115 days in custody for contempt of court. Mr Justice Senan Allen ruled that the continued imprisonment of Fergal Deery was no longer necessary to vindicate the court's authority, though he characterised the defendant as "very stubborn" for refusing to purge his contempt during incarceration. Mr Deery had been jailed in December 2020 for breaching orders made in 2015 restraining him from trespassing on two properties in Monaghan Town, a bar and nightclub formerly controlled by his family. Wardglade Limited, which acquired the premises from a receiver, brought the fresh proceedings alleging multiple breaches and a campaign of intimidation against company associates. The judge found evidence that Mr Deery had entered the properties in December 2019 with others. Mr Justice Allen stated that if Mr Deery maintained distance from the premises and ceased interference with Wardglade's directors, his imprisonment was unnecessary. The court awarded Wardglade its legal costs against the defendant.
Ahmad Majeed, 26, was jailed for his role in a violent mob that attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on 7 July 2019. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of weapons intended to cause injury. The mob, about 20 men, carried hatchets, a hammer, a wheel brace, a towing eye, and two petrol bombs made from a beer bottle and a brandy bottle. A doorman was punched and kicked, and the incident caused the victim to leave security work due to flashbacks and panic attacks. Majeed was arrested at his home and denied knowledge of the bombs. The court, after considering his low risk assessment, imposed a three‑year, four‑month prison term, suspending the final year on the condition of good behaviour and peacekeeping.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Harold, 26, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for robbery and assault. The offence occurred on 22 November 2019 at Camden Place, Dublin city centre, when Harold, then on bail, approached an intoxicated man, Cathal Doyle, who had been refused entry to a nightclub. Harold punched Doyle repeatedly, knocked him to the ground, and stamped on him as he was leaving. Doyle's phone and wallet were taken. Harold had no fixed address, previously lived on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, and had 55 prior convictions, including theft, drug possession and public order offences. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was described by the judge as having seized an opportunity to prey on Doyle. The court imposed the sentence accordingly.
Liam Stoneham, a 24‑year‑old master's student, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to recklessly causing serious harm to Adam Ward after punching him in a pub. The assault, described by Judge Martin Nolan as a "one punch assault", left Ward with a fractured skull, traumatic brain injury, loss of smell and ongoing effects. Stoneham was given a four‑year suspended sentence, with the full term suspended on the condition he pays €10,000 to Ward and raises an additional €10,000 within two years if Ward wishes. The court noted Stoneham had no prior convictions, had shown remorse, and was a good student. CCTV evidence showed Stoneham's punch after a dispute in the bar, and the court considered the injury serious but borderline in severity. Stoneham's family supported him, and he had brought the initial €10,000 to court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Galin Genov, a 54‑year‑old nightclub bouncer, was jailed for a second assault on a drunken customer, Sean McEvoy, during a chaotic night at Dicey Reillys bar. The incident followed a previous assault in September 2015, for which Genov had been convicted in 2018. On the night in question, a third doorman was glassed, and Genov, believing McEvoy had pushed the assailant, punched him three times in the head and face. McEvoy sustained a chipped tooth, facial tissue damage and eye cuts, and later received €30,000 in a civil claim. Genov had continued working as a security officer until the March 2020 lockdown. Judge Elma Sheahan, acknowledging the difficult nature of the job, imposed a 20‑month prison term, suspending the final eight months on the condition of good behaviour. The court noted Genov's prior record and the aggravating factor that the assault occurred in the course of his duties. Galin Genov pleaded guilty.
John Gossan, 40, of Castlegrange Hill, Swords, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Wright's Cafe Bar, Malahide Road, Swords, on 22 February 2019. The court found he was in a drunken state when he grabbed a young woman's breasts and nether area over her clothes. Judge Martin Nolan described the act as shameful and frightening, noting it was a short encounter with no aggravating factors. Gossan received a fully suspended sentence of one year imprisonment, with strict conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year. He was ordered to hand over €2,000 to the prosecuting Garda, which may be given to charity if the victim declines. Gossan has a prior 2010 drug‑dealing conviction for which he served four years. The sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ahmad Majeed, 26, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of weapons at a 2019 brawl outside Love Lane nightclub. He admitted bringing a hatchet, hammer, wheel brace, and a towing eye from a Brown Thomas shopping bag, and a rucksack containing two petrol bombs. CCTV showed him gathering with about 20 men on Clarendon Street, passing the bag to another, then retrieving it before heading to the club. He also moved a traffic cone to reveal the rucksack. The mob, about 30 masked men, attempted to force entry, injuring a doorman who was punched and kicked. Majeed denied involvement in the assaults and claimed ignorance of the bombs, stating he would have stayed home if he had known. The court adjourned sentencing to March 12 and remanded him on bail.
In a landmark High Court decision, Mr Justice Denis McDonald ruled that four pub owners are entitled to compensation from insurer FBD for losses caused by Covid‑19 closures. The judge held that the policy's coverage applies when a closure is prompted by outbreaks of contagious disease within a 25‑mile radius, even if the government's nationwide order is the proximate cause. FBD's argument that it never covered pandemics was rejected. The court clarified that losses incurred before the imposed closure are not part of the insured peril and that the pub owners may claim indemnity until losses cease or the indemnity period ends. The judge adjourned the case for further submissions, noting that the quantum of losses will be determined later. The decision affects about 1,000 Irish pubs and restaurants seeking claims under similar policies.
A Monaghan businessman has informed the High Court he will not comply with orders to stay away from two properties in the county and is prepared to remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison. Fergal Deery, of Drumhillock, has spent nearly nine weeks in prison following his committal in early December by Mr Justice Senan Allen for contempt of court orders originally made in 2015. The orders, secured by Wardglade Limited which acquired the premises, then operating as a bar and nightclub, restrain Mr Deery from trespassing on or interfering with the properties located in Monaghan Town. Mr Deery, who denies breaching the orders, has disputed the sale as fraudulent and claims unlawful eviction from the premises in 2013. At a High Court review on Tuesday, Mr Deery appeared via video link from prison and reiterated his refusal to purge his contempt. Mr Justice Allen noted that Mr Deery could secure his release at any time by agreeing to comply with the court orders, but stated he must remain imprisoned until willing to do so.
Leo Fitzpatrick, 21, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for his role as the getaway driver in an attempted armed robbery of Paddocks Pub in Clonee on 11 June 2018. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted driving the vehicle used to flee the scene, though he claimed he was unaware that his accomplice, Robert Cullen, possessed a sawn‑off shotgun. Cullen, 29, had already been sentenced to seven and a half years for the robbery, possession of the firearm and discharging it. Fitzpatrick's sentence was imposed by Judge Pauline Codd, who noted his apparent fright at the shots fired but found it difficult to believe he did not know about the weapon. The sentence was five years, with the final three and a half years suspended on strict conditions.
Adam Dempsey, aged 23, was sentenced to two years in prison after stabbing Defence Forces member Ross Hayden seven times, including five times in the back, while attempting to protect Hayden's girlfriend. The incident occurred on 16 June 2018 at Ardlee Inn, Artane, when Dempsey, who was not involved in the initial pub altercation, approached the group and repeatedly made comments. Hayden's girlfriend asked him to "cop on," leading to a confrontation. Dempsey stabbed Hayden, left, then returned 20–30 seconds later to stab him again. Dempsey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had 15 prior traffic convictions. He was found intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑year sentence, requiring Dempsey to pay €5,000 in compensation to Hayden or a chosen charity. Dempsey is currently serving in the Defence Forces in Kosovo.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old man was given a fully suspended two‑year sentence for wilful neglect of his seven‑year‑old autistic son. The incident occurred on 2 June 2017 at Customs House Harbour, where the boy was found alone in a buggy about 15 feet from the water, not wearing a coat. The father claimed he had left the party with his son, went to a pub to use the toilet, and, in a "bad state" after taking tablets and alcohol, did not see the child again, mistakenly believing his partner had taken them home. Both children have since been taken into care and separated; the younger is in foster care and the older in residential care. The father, who has 13 prior convictions including theft and drug possession, pleaded guilty and expressed deep remorse.
A businessman from Monaghan remains in custody at Mountjoy Prison after declining to purge contempt of court. Fergal Deery has spent nearly eight weeks in prison since early December following a High Court finding that he breached orders made in March 2020. The orders, originally issued in 2015, required him to stay away from two properties in Monaghan Town formerly operated as a bar and nightclub. The properties were acquired by Wardglade Limited from a receiver in 2015. Wardglade brought fresh proceedings last year alleging multiple breaches, including unauthorised entry to the premises and a campaign of intimidation against company figures. At a High Court review on Tuesday, Mr Deery, appearing via video-link, denied breaching the orders and refused to give undertakings to comply. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned the matter to early February. Mr Deery denies the allegations and has claimed the original property sale was fraudulent.
The High Court has postponed delivering its judgment in four cases brought by pub owners who challenge FBD Insurance Plc's refusal to pay business disruption claims arising from the Covid‑19 pandemic. Mr Justice Denis McDonald agreed to delay the decision to allow the parties to submit further arguments based on a forthcoming UK Supreme Court ruling that may affect the interpretation of "non‑damage" clauses in business interruption policies. The four pubs—Aberken (Sinnotts Bar), Hyper Trust Ltd (The Leopardstown Inn), Inn on Hibernian Way Ltd (Lemon & Duke) and Leinster Overview Concepts Ltd (Sean's Bar, Athlone)—argue that their policies cover losses when premises are closed by government order due to an outbreak within 25 miles. FBD contends the closures were not caused by an outbreak at the premises and that its policies do not cover pandemics, a risk not normally insured in Ireland.
In a serious assault case, the Court of Appeal ruled that a judge erred by excluding a medical certificate from a non‑examining doctor. The case involved a pub incident where a man was assaulted with a bar stool, leading to two charges of assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm. A consultant in emergency medicine had issued a certificate stating the victim suffered facial fractures and was transferred to a specialist setting; this certificate was not challenged. A second consultant, who had not examined the victim but based his opinion on others' notes, issued a certificate alleging likely permanent long‑term damage. The accused's counsel sought to exclude this certificate as hearsay, arguing it was speculative. The trial judge agreed, preventing the jury from considering serious harm and resulting in a conviction on the lesser charge.
In a Dublin city‑centre nightclub incident on 7 July 2019, a masked mob armed with a hatchet and a petrol bomb—made from a Hennessy brandy bottle—attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on Grafton Street. Moses Lulendo, aged 19, joined the group, some members wearing face coverings. The mob sought revenge against those they believed were inside the club and linked to a prior attack on a relative of Lulendo's, following an earlier car attack involving Lulendo and another man. Detective Garda Sarah Barry reported that the mob's intent was retaliation. Lulendo pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to two earlier iPhone robberies. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the disorder charge and 26 months for the robberies, suspending eight months on condition of probation for 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ian Morton, 31, was sentenced to a suspended three‑year term for setting fire to a doorway on Harold's Cross Road, Dublin, on 6 October 2019. He had been drinking heavily in a pub in Harold's Cross the previous night, was asked to leave for intoxication, then drove to a nearby garage where he bought €5 of petrol. He returned and lit the fire, which was quickly extinguished by barmen. CCTV captured the purchase and his car registration led to his arrest the next day. Morton suffered burns on his arms, hands and face and was treated in hospital. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson, has two prior drink‑driving convictions, and suffers from bipolar disorder. The judge noted his alcohol abuse and drug use contributed to the offence, and that he is now drug‑ and alcohol‑free, receiving counselling and medication. The suspended sentence is conditional on support measures.
A businessman must remain in Mountjoy Prison after a High Court judge found him in contempt of court orders relating to two properties in County Monaghan. Fergal Deery of Drumhillock was committed to prison this week following his arrest by Gardaí. The High Court had issued orders in 2015 restraining him from trespassing on premises in Monaghan Town, formerly operated as a bar and nightclub, which were acquired by Wardglade Limited from a receiver. Mr Justice Allen heard evidence on Thursday that Mr Deery had breached those orders on multiple occasions in 2019. Mr Deery denied the allegations and disputed CCTV evidence placing him at the properties. The judge ruled he should remain imprisoned unless he purges his contempt or obtains legal advice to challenge the March finding against him. Wardglade's counsel confirmed his client sought compliance with court orders rather than Mr Deery's continued incarceration.
A Monaghan businessman has been remanded in custody to Mountjoy Prison by the High Court following his arrest by gardaí on allegations of repeatedly breaching court orders relating to two properties in Monaghan Town. Fergal Deery of Drumhillock was brought before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds on Wednesday evening and is accused of trespassing on and interfering with premises formerly used as a bar and nightclub, contrary to High Court orders issued in 2015. The application was brought by Wardglade Limited, which acquired the properties from a receiver in 2015. The company alleges Mr Deery breached the orders on multiple occasions in 2019 and engaged in a campaign of intimidation against associated parties. Mr Deery, who appeared unrepresented, indicated his wish to purge his contempt. Ms Justice Reynolds remanded him in custody and ordered the matter returnable before Mr Justice Senan Allen on Thursday, noting that a punitive sentence for contempt may be imposed given Mr Deery's previous breaches and prior incarceration in 2018 for similar violations.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stefan Sorici, aged 40, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a domestic‑violence victim on 14 July 2016. Sorici had held the woman captive in her home, kicking and choking her, and threatened to "do extra time" for her life. The victim, who was walking her young son to school when she saw Sorici hiding behind a wall, escaped by jumping from the first‑floor window and running barefoot to a pub where a customer helped her call Gardaí. The assault left her with bruises on her face, neck and wrists. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the final year of Sorici's three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence on the condition that he keep the peace and enrol in a domestic‑violence programme, and ordered no contact with the victim. The victim, who had been relocated by Women's Aid to escape "extreme danger", expressed ongoing fear of further harm.
David Saunders, 29, was jailed for three years after a 70‑minute incident on the roof of his Fassaugh Avenue home in Cabra, Dublin, where he was naked and threw slates at armed Gardaí. The event followed an earlier pub altercation involving Saunders. He pleaded guilty to creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to others and to damaging two cars on 23 September 2018. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years, suspending the final three years on strict conditions. Saunders admitted drinking seven bottles of wine and taking a few grams of cocaine, and claimed he could not recall the night. He had prior convictions for hijacking a car and intimidation of a witness, and was serving a six‑month suspended sentence for property damage at the time of the roof incident.
In a High Court decision dated 3 November 2020, Mr Oliver Bennett, aged 64, was awarded €231,000 in damages for life‑changing injuries sustained in an unprovoked assault at the Tir Na nOg Public House, Wellington Bridge, Wexford, on 15 April 2009. The assault was carried out by John Codd, who later pleaded guilty and received an 18‑month sentence. Mr Bennett sued both Codd and Wallace Taverns Limited, the pub's operator, for negligence. The court found no contest to liability, and the claim was assessed solely for damages. Mr Bennett, a former building‑trade entrepreneur who managed 300 workers, suffered severe head injuries, a coma, a stroke, memory loss, and limited physical and communicative abilities, now living in sheltered accommodation. The award also covered Mr Bennett's legal costs. The judge praised the legal representation of both parties and highlighted the lasting impact of the injuries on Mr Bennett's life.
Peter Brazil, 41, was convicted of stealing six kegs of beer from The Great Wood Wetherspoons Pub in Blanchardstown on 7 September 2016. The stolen goods, valued at €800, were not recovered. Brazil, who has 268 prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Pauline Codd, after hearing evidence in July, sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended in full for two years on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service. The judge noted Brazil's long‑term drug addiction and its impact on his health, stating that continued thieving must stop. Garda Terrance Nevin had identified Brazil from CCTV footage showing him driving a white transit van that carried the kegs. Keith Spencer BL defended Brazil, noting his client's efforts to address his drug addiction. The case was adjourned to allow Brazil time to work with the Probation Service.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced David Hunter to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin. Presiding Judge Alexander Owens, sitting with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, backdated the sentence to April 2019, when Hunter was arrested in the UK on a European Arrest Warrant. Hunter, a 42-year-old Liverpool native, had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty based on compelling evidence, including DNA from a ski-mask recovered from the getaway car that matched his profile. The court rejected his defence that he was in Dublin for a concert and that the mask was lost during a prior car-stealing trip. Hunter is the second individual convicted for this Kinahan Cartel-linked killing; Eamon Cumberton was convicted in January 2018. During sentencing, Detective Garda Colm Kelly noted Hunter's 15 previous convictions. Prosecution counsel Mr Barr argued Hunter should serve his full sentence in Ireland to avoid transfer to Liverpool. Detective Superintendent Colm Murphy described the murder as cold and callous, confirming the investigation remains ongoing to bring all involved to justice. Victim impact statements from Barr's sister Noeleen and former partner Jade O'Shea highlighted the lasting trauma on Barr's five children and family.
Judgement will be given early in the New Year on four important test cases brought by pub owners over the refusal of insurer FBD to pay out on business disruption losses over the Covid-19 pandemic. The four publicans have challenged FBD Insurance Plc's refusal to indemnify them and its stance that its policies do not cover the disruption caused by the pandemic. The test cases were brought by Dublin bars Aberken (trading as 'Sinnotts Bar'), Hyper Trust Ltd (trading as 'The Leopardstown Inn'), Inn on Hibernian Way Ltd (trading as 'Lemon & Duke'), and Leinster Overview Concepts Ltd (owner of 'Sean's Bar' in Athlone, Co Westmeath). Each pub owner claims that their policies with FBD cover consequential losses due to an 'outbreak of contagious or infectious diseases' within 25 miles of their premises. FBD disputes this, arguing that closures were not due to an outbreak at the premises or nearby areas and that the general insurance market in Ireland does not cover pandemics. The matter was adjourned following a three-week hearing, with Mr Justice Denis McDonald stating he hopes to deliver his decision in mid-January. The court proceedings were conducted using TrialView, a remote court system praised for its functionality during the hearing.
A senior FBD executive, Kate Tobin, admitted it was "somewhat unfair" that the insurer had told Noel Anderson, owner of the Dublin bar/restaurant Lemon and Duke, that his business disruption policy would cover losses caused by Covid‑19, only to withdraw that cover weeks later. Anderson, whose partners include rugby players Sean O'Brien, Dave and Rob Kearney, and Jamie Heaslip, had switched to FBD believing its policies covered coronavirus. He was outraged when FBD informed him after the March shutdown that the policy did not cover pandemic‑related losses. Tobin, speaking by video link, acknowledged the withdrawal was unfair and explained that the email sent in early March was vague. She said that if she had known at the time, she would have advised that the policy did not cover a general quarantine or government‑mandated lockdown.
In a High Court hearing on 13 October 2020, Noel Anderson, Managing Director of the Dublin bar Lemon and Duke, testified that he had been assured by FBD that its insurance policy covered business disruption losses caused by Covid‑19. Anderson switched insurers in early March after learning the previous policy did not cover pandemic‑related losses. He claimed FBD had assured him of coverage for wages, losses and rent during lockdowns, and that the policy covered up to €3.2 million. In April, FBD informed Anderson it would not provide coverage, which he described as disingenuous. Anderson, who has partners including rugby players, argued that the policy's plain‑English wording indicated coverage for Covid‑19 closures. The case is part of a group of four pubs suing FBD for breach of contract over pandemic‑related business interruption claims. The hearing continues.
In October 2019, 31‑year‑old Ian Morton, after being asked to leave a pub in Harold's Cross for drunkenness, drove to a nearby garage, bought €5 of petrol, and set fire to the doorway of a house on Harold's Cross Road. Witnesses at the pub saw the fire and extinguished it with a fire extinguisher, but the building, which housed several apartments, was evacuated and suffered smoke damage. Morton, who had burns on his arms, hands and face, was arrested the next day at his aunt's house. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson. The court noted he had two prior drink‑driving convictions, had no memory of the incident, and was deeply remorseful. He has stopped drinking, is seeking rehabilitation, and has €2,000 available as a token of remorse. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on 7 December.
Denis Ward, 39, was given a two‑year suspended sentence after he head‑butted Daragh Comerford at D Two Nightclub on Halloween 2017. Ward, who had been dressed as Superman, took a fake bible from Comerford and then lunged at him, leaving Comerford with a broken nose and a deviated septum that required surgery. Gardaí were alerted to the assault and security staff identified Ward as the Superman costume wearer. CCTV footage showed Ward removing the pretend bible before the attack. Ward pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He had four prior convictions, including three road traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing a victim impact statement that Comerford lost €1,100 in medical bills and time off work, suspended the two‑year sentence in full. The judge noted that alcohol was a significant factor and that Ward's behaviour was out of character.
The High Court heard evidence on the fourth day of a test case brought by four pubs against Insurers FBD regarding pandemic-related losses. Stephen Cooney, a director of the Loyola Group which includes the Leopardstown Inn, testified that the hospitality trade has become much tougher since March. He stated that his business suffered immense losses and described FBD's response as a 'wall of silence,' noting that litigation was pursued as a last resort. Cooney denied claims that his business had declined prior to the closure, attributing a pre-closure drop to St Patrick's Day falling on a Tuesday. He argued the FBD policy covered business interruption from disease outbreaks, citing examples like Foot and Mouth. The applicants, including Sinnotts Bar, The Leopardstown Inn, Lemon & Duke, and Sean's Bar, claim FBD breached contract by refusing to indemnify them for closures ordered by the government due to contagious disease outbreaks within 25 miles. FBD disputes this, arguing a pandemic does not fit the policy clause. Counsel for FBD, Remy Farrell SC, noted a media-related issue had been resolved. The hearing was adjourned and continues next week.
In a High Court hearing on 8 October 2020, FBD Insurance's counsel, Declan McGrath SC, argued that the company's business interruption policies cover only localised disease outbreaks and do not extend to pandemics such as Covid‑19. McGrath rejected the claim that FBD was obliged to indemnify four Irish pub owners for losses incurred during the pandemic, stating that the policies do not cover pandemics and that the relevant peril is the period of government‑ordered closures, not the virus itself. He noted that the policies' clause covering closures due to outbreaks within 25 miles does not apply to a pandemic. McGrath also indicated that evidence would be presented showing that the bar and restaurant sector had already suffered losses from fear of Covid‑19 before the March closures, and that similar losses occurred in countries without enforced closures.
In a Commercial Court hearing, insurer FBD denied providing pandemic coverage, stating no policy for Covid‑19 had ever been requested. Four Dublin bars and a Westmeath pub sued FBD, claiming their policies covered losses from closures due to outbreaks within 25 miles. FBD argued the pandemic was outside the clause, citing specialist overseas brokers for such coverage. Counsel cited an English High Court ruling favouring the FCA, but argued the UK decision should not bind the Irish court. The parties discussed a potential breach of an implied undertaking regarding media release of pre‑trial documents. Judge Denis McDonald called the matter serious and urged investigation. The case remains ongoing, with parties agreeing to liaise on the undertaking issue. The hearing continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Gerard Dempsey pleaded guilty to robbery after stealing a woman's phone to fund his drug habit. Dempsey, who has no fixed abode and sleeps rough in Dublin 1, said he had not been receiving money from charity due to Covid‑19, which had disrupted his usual source of revenue. On 18 May 2020, while the victim was walking home from a pub, Dempsey followed her, grabbed her shoulder, pulled her to the ground, and attempted to take her phone. He also made an unintentional contact with her privates, which the victim did not consider a sexual offence. Dempsey admitted the offence, claimed withdrawal symptoms, and had 57 prior convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan ordered a probation report, recommended psychiatric assessment, and adjourned the case to 13 November for finalisation.
The Court of Appeal in Dublin has quashed a fully suspended sentence imposed on a man convicted of assault causing serious harm to a Defence Forces member. Cian Cox, aged 26 and originally from Breaffy, County Mayo, pleaded guilty to the attack on David McCormack outside the Electric Garden nightclub on Abbeygate Street, Galway on 5 May 2017. Mr McCormack sustained life-threatening injuries including a twelve-day coma and required four operations. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the original four-year suspended sentence on grounds of undue leniency. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, retained the four-year term but suspended only the final two and a half years, meaning Cox must serve eighteen months in custody. The court found that the seriousness of the offence and the victim's permanent physical and psychological injuries warranted a custodial element, notwithstanding Cox's guilty plea, remorse, compensation payment of €13,000, and clean record.
David Hunter, a 41‑year‑old car thief from Liverpool, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of murdering 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin, on 25 April 2016. The court found Hunter to be one of two gunmen who entered the pub, shot Barr seven times, and fled in an Audi A6 that was later set on fire. DNA evidence from a ski‑mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile, and the court rejected his explanations for his presence in Dublin and the mask's whereabouts as implausible. Hunter denied the murder, claiming he had been in Dublin for a concert and had no involvement. The judge ruled that Hunter could not have been the getaway driver and that he was seated in the rear passenger seat while the other accused, Eamonn Cumberton, was the driver. Hunter will receive a mandatory life sentence and remain in custody until sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor, a 24‑year‑old, died from six stab wounds, two of which were fatal to his heart's right ventricle and left jugular vein. The wounds were found on his thorax, neck, left upper arm, left forearm, and left upper arm again, with depths ranging from 2.1 cm to 10 cm. Dr Bolster noted cocaine in O'Connor's system. Mark Crawford, 43, charged with O'Connor's murder, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged a dispute over €100 for cocaine led to the fatal attack at Fitzgerald's Bar, Limerick, between 7 and 8 July 2018. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, continues with a jury of 11 men and one woman. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Crawford (43) faces a murder charge for stabbing Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) to death at Fitzgerald's Bar, Limerick, on 7 July 2018. His wife, Karen Crawford, testified that the night after the incident he called her from the pub, asking her to pick him up. She described him as staggered, blood‑dripping, crying, and saying he needed to "get his head straight." She drove him to her sister's house, then to the Abbey Court Hotel, and finally to the garda station where he handed himself in. Karen also recounted that the next day he told her, "what am I after doing to that boy as he was my friend?" The prosecution alleged a dispute over €100 for cocaine, while the defence claimed self‑defence. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, is expected to last two weeks. Mark Crawford pleaded not guilty.
A jury of eleven men and one woman was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Mark Crawford, 43, of Quarry Road, Thomondgate, Co Limerick. Crawford, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with the murder of Patrick O'Connor at Fitzgerald's Bar, Sexton Street, Limerick City, between 7 and 8 July 2018. He is scheduled to appear before Ms Justice Tara Burns tomorrow morning, and the trial is expected to last two weeks.
A UK man accused of murdering Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin is described by his defence as a 'two-bit car thief' and 'no James Bond', according to the Special Criminal Court. David Hunter, a Liverpool native with an address in London, is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Barr (35) at the pub in Summerhill on the night of April 25, 2016. The defence closed its case by asserting that the defendant could not 'logically' have been the killer. Mixed DNA profiles were found on a ski-mask and rubber mask recovered from a car allegedly used in the killing, with the major contributor matching Mr Hunter's DNA. However, Mr Hunter stated to gardaí that he had left the ski-mask in a car in Dublin two months before the shooting and had not seen it again. Defence barrister Ms Roisín Lacey SC argued that the prosecution cannot prove Mr Hunter wore the ski-mask underneath the rubber mask at the shooting and that there is a reasonable doubt. She also highlighted that Mr Hunter's admission to gardaí of stealing cars 'painted him in a bad light' and that he was in a 'narcotic and alcoholic haze' at the time of the shooting. Ms Lacey submitted that Mr Hunter could not have been the driver of the getaway vehicle or the convicted male in the back of the vehicle, and that he had to be the front passenger who emerged without any head covering. She concluded that Mr Hunter 'is not a murderer and he cannot logically be the murderer on the evidence in the case.' Mr Justice Owens adjourned the case to September 11 for judgement and remanded Mr Hunter in custody.
Robert Cullen, aged 28, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for attempting to rob Paddocks Pub in Clonee on 11 June 2018. He entered the pub with a sawn‑off shotgun, threatened two workers with the gun, and fired four shots while they were hiding in an office. Cullen also threw a heater through a window to "draw attention to their plight." He fled in a car that was later found burnt out. Cullen pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, possession of a double‑barrelled sawn‑off shotgun and discharging a firearm. He has 44 prior convictions, including robbery and obstruction, and was already serving sentences for other offences with a release date of 30 November 2023. The judge described the weapon as "vile" and the act of threatening the workers as "very heinous.".
In the Special Criminal Court, Liverpool native David Hunter pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn closed the case by arguing that Hunter's involvement was the only reasonable explanation for a series of coincidences. He cited DNA evidence linking a ski mask and cigarette butt to Hunter, ballistics matching guns found in an Audi A6 on Walsh Road, and CCTV timing of the vehicle's movements. McGinn also referenced cell‑site data showing four phones used on the night of the murder, one of which connected to Hunter's new phone shortly after the killing. He highlighted Hunter's travel plans, the sale of his car, and his girlfriend's call at 10.22 pm as further evidence of his presence at the scene. The court will hear Hunter's defence tomorrow.
Jake Kearney, 25, of Coolock Drive, Dublin 17, pleaded guilty on 5 May 2020 to unlawful possession of a Luger‑calibre Grand Power semi‑automatic pistol at Oscar Traynor Road, Santry, Dublin 9, on 30 October 2019. He was arrested after Gardaí observed him with a loaded handgun in a taxi and at a pub, where a black handgun and eight 9 mm bullets were seized. The firearm was intended for use in an imminent attack on a rival north Dublin gang, though it is not known whether Kearney himself would have fired it. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted Kearney's early guilty plea and limited prior convictions, and imposed a headline jail term of eight years, reduced by 25 % for the plea, and suspended the final year. Kearney was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the last year suspended, back‑dated to 2 November 2019.