In a Special Criminal Court hearing, David Hunter, 41, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at a Dublin pub on 25 April 2016. Hunter claimed he first arrived in Ireland on 8 February 2016, had a history of car theft in the UK, and was invited to a botched car robbery where he left a ski‑mask in a car. The mask, recovered from a burning Audi on Walsh Road, was DNA‑matched to Hunter, with 61% of the mixed profile attributed to him. Hunter's voluntary statement, sent to the DPP on 4 June, detailed his travel, drug use, and the events leading up to the robbery. The court heard that the prosecution would finish its evidence on Tuesday, with the trial concluding the following Thursday. The case remains at the trial stage.
A man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm following an incident at a nightclub in Swords, Dublin in December 2017. The victim, then aged 19, sustained serious injury to his left eye when struck with a glass during an altercation in the toilets at Wrights Cafe Bar. Medical treatment included surgery for a severe perforation and prolapse, resulting in permanent corneal scarring, though satisfactory vision was later restored. The accused, aged 22 at the time of the assault, initially denied involvement but subsequently entered a guilty plea in November 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on the more serious charge of assault causing serious harm. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the victim read a statement describing the lasting impact on his life, including abandonment of his ambition to play senior Gaelic football for Dublin and subsequent mental health difficulties. The court adjourned sentencing to July 30, 2020, with the accused remanded on continuing bail.
Conor McCormack, a 30‑year‑old apprentice carpenter, was severely brain‑injured after being punched in the jaw by Raul Pop, 25, during a night out on Dublin's O'Connell Street. Pop, along with Cosmin Sandor, 24, and Vladut Bindea, 21, were involved in a brawl that began after the trio had been drinking vodka at a nightclub. CCTV footage showed the attackers assaulting a homeless man and then following McCormack and his friends. Pop struck McCormack, who was knocked unconscious and hit the ground head‑first. McCormack suffered a life‑threatening brain injury, required surgery, spent 11 days in a coma, and now has lasting hearing loss, speech difficulties and physical weakness. In court, Pop pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm; Sandor and Bindea pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Pop to five years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended, Sandor to two years, and Bindea to a suspended two‑year sentence.
Peter Brazil, 41, was caught on CCTV stealing six kegs of beer from The Great Wood Wetherspoons Pub in Blanchardstown on 7 September 2016. He pleaded guilty to theft of €800 worth of Fosters and Beamish kegs. Brazil, who has 268 previous convictions, was identified by Gardaí and is the driver of a white transit van that transported the stolen kegs. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and sentencing is adjourned to 2 November, with a court order for him to engage with the Probation Service on methadone.
In the Special Criminal Court, David Hunter, 41, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Hunter, who was in Dublin with his ex‑girlfriend Jordanna Kiely and a friend, Stacy Franey, claimed he met the two women at a Travelodge in Swords at 9 pm. Kiely testified that the trio had spent the week drinking and taking drugs, and that on the day of the shooting they went shopping and later went to Temple Bar. Franey said the night was "blurry" and that the group was "hostile" during the shopping trip. The court heard that two men in rubber masks entered the pub around 9 pm and shot Barr seven times. The case is ongoing and is expected to last four to five weeks.
Edwards Wall, 46, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for two burglaries at The Well pub in Dublin. He had 177 prior convictions, including 68 for burglary. On January 8, 2020, CCTV captured him entering a restricted area of the pub and stealing six bottles of Jameson whiskey worth €360. Two days later he returned and stole another six bottles. No items were recovered. Wall pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was arrested on January 11, 2020, and has been in custody since. The judge noted his extensive criminal record, drug addiction, and that the thefts were discovered by "happenstance." He described Wall as "not a very accomplished burglar" and highlighted the seriousness of burglary, imposing the sentence backdated to account for time already spent in custody. The sentence was imposed during the Covid‑19 pandemic, limiting family visits. The court did not mention any future appeals or additional charges.
In a drunken brawl on 24 April 2018, Natalie Mulligan (33), Mark Connolly (25) and Stephen McNamee (25) pleaded guilty to three assault‑causing‑harm charges after a derogatory remark about Mulligan's weight triggered a fight. The incident began when Paul O'Kelly, a graphic designer, was denied entry to a pub in Rathmines. O'Kelly approached Mulligan, who was eating a kebab, and made a comment about her weight. A confrontation ensued, involving members of a local GAA club. The trio then attacked O'Kelly in the car park of Rathmines Garda Station, punching and kicking him while he lay on the ground. CCTV footage showed the assault, leading to the defendants' remorse and acceptance of responsibility. O'Kelly suffered nerve damage to his thumb, required surgery, and has undergone counselling. Sentencing was adjourned to October, with the court awaiting the victim's wishes regarding restitution. The defendants had no prior convictions and expressed genuine remorse. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The Special Criminal Court heard on 19 June 2020 that five bullets were lodged in the head of Michael Barr, 36, who was shot to death at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Liverpool native David Hunter, 41, is pleading not guilty to the murder. Former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, appearing by video‑link, described the post‑mortem findings: seven gunshot injuries, including three entry wounds above the jaw, one behind the right ear, one behind the temple, one through the right shoulder blade, and one on the left thigh. He noted extensive skull damage and that the injuries were incompatible with life. Retired Detective Superintendent Eunan Dolan confirmed the pub was declared a crime scene and that CCTV footage had been seized by the Special Detective Unit. The defence questioned the seizure and the court adjourned the case to 23 June for further proceedings. The trial is expected to last four weeks.
The Special Criminal Court heard testimony in the trial of David Hunter, a 41-year-old Liverpool native accused of the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city on 25 April 2016. An unnamed witness described crawling on the floor to bless Mr Barr's body after two masked men entered the bar and shot him seven times. She recounted that a mirror smashed during the incident and that she saw the shooters wearing Halloween-style masks. Defending barrister Ms Roisín Lacey SC questioned the witness regarding whether it was common knowledge that Mr Barr was scheduled for sentencing that week, to which the witness replied Mr Barr had mentioned going on holiday. Another witness, Stephen Clifford, stated he heard three shots and saw Mr Barr fall with blood from his neck. Nepalese barman Keshav Paudel testified that he hid behind the bar and called 999. Detective Garda David Kildea informed the court that the pub's CCTV hard drive had been seized days earlier for a separate matter. The trial, presided over by Justice Alexander Owens, is expected to last four weeks.
A fundraiser for the wives of IRA prisoners was held in an inner‑city Dublin pub when the bar manager, Michael Barr, 35, was shot dead. Two men wearing full rubber Hallowe'en masks entered the Sunset House pub after 9 pm and fired seven shots at Barr, killing him at the scene. The Special Criminal Court heard the case after former judge Paul Coffey recused himself; it is now before Justice Alexander Owens. Liverpool native David Hunter, 41, is accused of the murder. Hunter pleaded not guilty and his barrister formally objected to the court's jurisdiction. The trial, with 168 witnesses, is expected to last four to five weeks. The hearing included testimony about the shooting, the discovery of weapons in a silver Audi A6, and the extradition of Hunter from the UK. The case remains at the trial stage.
The Special Criminal Court heard that DNA was extracted from items used by David Hunter, a 41‑year‑old UK man extradited from the UK, during his flight back to Ireland. Hunter is accused of murdering Michael Barr, 35, the bar manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin, on 25 April 2016. Hunter pleaded not guilty and his barrister formally objected to the court's jurisdiction. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn described the shooting: two armed men in rubber masks entered the pub around 9 pm, shot Barr seven times, and fled. Evidence included a silver Audi A6 that was set on fire, a Ford Mondeo, and weapons and masks found in the vehicles. A phone found near a bullet had no fingerprints. DNA from an apple, ear‑plugs, a cigarette butt, and clothing seized at Bridewell matched a mixed profile from a rubber mask and a ski mask. The trial is expected to last four to five weeks.
Alan Wilson, aged 40, has been set a trial date of 4 October 2021 at the Special Criminal Court for three counts of attempted murder linked to a shooting at The Players Lounge pub in Fairview, Dublin. He is accused of attempting to kill Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett and Austin Purcell on 26 July 2010. Wilson also faces charges of possessing a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver, a .32 Auto Zastava semi‑automatic pistol, and corresponding ammunition, all with intent to endanger life. He denied the allegations during a brief hearing and was joined by video‑link.
A 33‑year‑old Moldovan man, Alerian Burcovsehi, was sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment for a savage assault on 26 April 2019 that left victim Jason Brophy with fractures to his skull, nose, ribs and spine. Burcovsehi, who had no prior convictions, approached Brophy on Price's Lane, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly struck him, including kicking his head and striking his face with his heel. Garda Christopher Fitzgerald reported that Burcovsehi had been seen outside a nightclub the previous evening, behaving erratically and doing press‑ups on the pavement. In a CCTV interview he admitted the assault and said, "I do deserve to be locked up." Brophy, barely conscious when police arrived, suffered severe injuries and now lives with balance problems, difficulty dressing, and a reliance on liquefied foods. Burcovsehi denied drug use but admitted alcohol consumption and was described by the defence as operating under a personality disorder. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Several pub owners have brought test actions against FBD Insurance, arguing that their policies cover losses from Covid‑19 closures. They claim the policy contains a clause indemnifying them if premises are closed by order due to outbreaks of contagious diseases within 25 miles. FBD disputes this, stating a pandemic does not fall within the clause and that closures were due to national measures, not local outbreaks. The four cases involve Dublin bars Aberken (Sinnotts Bar), Hyper Trust Ltd (The Leopardstown Inn), Inn on Hibernian Way Ltd (Lemon & Duke), and Leinster Overview Concepts Ltd (Sean's Bar). The owners seek orders directing FBD to indemnify them for weekly losses ranging from €30,000 to €56,000, and declarations that they are entitled to indemnity under the policy. Mr Justice Barniville admitted all four cases to the fast‑track Commercial Court, setting a hearing in early October for three actions and adjourned the Lemon & Duke case for mediation.
Lawrence Mubango, 31, was already serving a 10‑year prison term for a 2018 knife attack that left a victim severely injured. In 2017 he pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit‑card machine at Mary's Pub in Dublin. The court heard that on the day of the offence he had the machine for less than ten minutes, activated the refund function and entered €7,500, but the transaction was cancelled before any money was transferred, so the pub suffered no loss. CCTV captured him taking the machine from behind the bar. Judge Martin Nolan described the attempt to steal €7,500 as "absolutely asinine" and, considering it a minor matter compared with the earlier violent offence, sentenced Mubango to three months' imprisonment, to run consecutively with his existing sentence. The court noted that without his current sentence the penalty would have been considerably longer.
Christopher Maguire, 42, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of violent and threatening offences. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his sister Nicola Byrne and to making threats to kill or seriously harm her and her husband David Byrne on 10 May 2019 at Killester Avenue. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidating a witness at Harry Byrne's pub on 6 September 2019. Earlier, he had been convicted of false imprisonment and drug possession. During the May incident, Gardaí found him holding a kitchen knife and he threatened David Byrne with a "sawn‑off shotgun" and later claimed to have a gun. In September he threatened to shoot both Byrne and his sister after purchasing a gun. The judge, Martin Nolan, found the threats credible and imposed consecutive sentences of six months for the earlier offences and 15 months for the later ones, totaling 21 months of imprisonment.
Eamonn Cumberton, 32, was given a life sentence for the 2016 murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub. Barr was shot seven times by two men in "Freddy Kruger" masks. The Special Criminal Court found Cumberton one of three culprits who dumped items linked to the killing into a getaway car, later found partially burnt on Walsh Road. DNA on a baseball cap and a rubber mask matched Cumberton, and circumstantial evidence included his unusual trip to Thailand and failure to answer Garda questions. Cumberton appealed on 28 grounds, but the Court of Appeal dismissed all, affirming the trial's safety and the court's findings. He remains jailed for life, with no part of the sentence suspended. The appeal was rejected on 19 May 2020.
Gerard O'Toole, 23, pleaded guilty to a violent robbery on December 3, 2018, at Fownes Street Upper, Dublin 2. In the early morning, he attacked a man who was walking home from a pub, grabbing him, pushing him to the ground, and punching him in the face. While the victim was on the ground, O'Toole told a woman to take his money and phone; she removed his wallet and phone, but only the victim's student card was recovered. The victim, a foreign national studying computer science in Ireland, left the country after the incident and has no plans to return. O'Toole, who has 36 prior convictions including robbery and drug offences, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years' imprisonment. He has been receiving addiction counselling while in custody and has expressed willingness to return stolen items if their location is known. The sentence reflects the aggravated nature of the violence and the prolonged attack.
In a Dublin 2 street on 26 September 2017, 32‑year‑old Bolivian national Jose Lacerna Pena orally raped a woman while she was walking to meet friends after a nightclub. CCTV showed Pena approaching, linking his arm around her, pushing her head down and inserting his penis into her mouth twice. Two men intervened, the victim fled, and Pena was arrested. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court, but a jury convicted him on 13 December 2019. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, noting the offence was "brazenly in the most public and humiliating manner" and that Pena had no prior convictions. The victim's impact statement described lasting fear, sadness, anger and loneliness, and she thanked the men who intervened. Pena's defence argued the act was out of character and requested leniency. The judge acknowledged the difficulty of serving the sentence far from his family and considered deportation upon release.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the Special Criminal Court, stated that there is no reason to halt non‑jury trials amid the Covid‑19 crisis. He referred to the upcoming trial of David Hunter, a 41‑year‑old UK national charged with the murder of Michael Barr, which is scheduled for 10 June and expected to last four weeks. Mr Barr, a father of five from County Tyrone, was shot seven times while managing the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city. The defence received legal aid for an additional junior counsel following a disclosure of voluminous evidence.
Two men, Nathan Benson (22) and Harry Walsh (19), were sentenced to four years each in prison for a violent robbery that took place on Wellington Quay on 22 October 2017. The robbery involved the victim's Rolex watch, valued at €7,500, which the men seized after spotting the watch in a Dublin nightclub. During the assault, the victim was kicked, punched and left with physical injuries and lasting psychological impact. Judge Melanie Greally described the robbery as "extremely violent and vicious" and noted the defendants' histories of violent offending and drug addiction. Benson's case was influenced by his upbringing and mental health struggles, while Walsh's record included numerous prior convictions for extreme violence. Both men pleaded guilty and were given sentences with the final 12 months suspended. The court also considered their behaviour in custody and potential for rehabilitation. The sentencing highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the defendants' personal circumstances.
Two men were jailed for nine years at the Central Criminal Court following their conviction for rape. Boakye Osei, aged 30, of Tooban, Burnfoot, and Kelvin Opoku, aged 33, of Letterkenny, County Donegal, had pleaded not guilty but were found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in late 2019 after a five-week trial. The offence occurred in February 2015 when the men invited a woman back to an apartment after encountering her while she was walking home from a nightclub. The court heard the woman was severely intoxicated and incapacitated. Evidence including video footage and forensic analysis demonstrated that both men engaged in sexual activity with her without consent. Justice Alex Owens noted that whilst he accepted the men had not predetermined the assault, they were fully aware of her incapacity and exploited it. He recommended Opoku's deportation upon sentence completion and ordered both men undergo four years post-release supervision. Opoku's defence argued his client held an incorrect understanding of consent, whilst Osei's defence emphasised his family circumstances.
Martin Aylmer, aged 33, bought six prepaid mobile phones in the run‑up to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. One phone was found beside a burned‑out getaway car used in the killing. Aylmer was captured on CCTV buying the phone in Dublin's Ilac Shopping Centre two days before the shooting. He claimed the phones were for drug trafficking. He pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation in a serious offence. The Special Criminal Court sentenced him to three years and nine months, with the final year suspended, but the Court of Appeal re‑sentenced him to six years with the final 15 months suspended, citing his assistance to a gang that committed murder as an aggravating factor. Aylmer was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The case remains under appeal for the murder conviction of Eamonn Cumberton.
Romeo Stanescu, a 30‑year‑old Romanian, pleaded guilty to burglary at The Playwright pub in Kilkenny on 11 June 2018, stealing €3,500 in banknotes. He was originally sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 29 October 2019. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reduced his term to two years. Edwards noted that Stanescu entered the pub shortly after opening, claimed he was looking for coffee, and later sought a toilet, leaving the premises after taking money from a cupboard. CCTV captured him removing bundles of cash and attempting to access a safe. Edwards described the offence as an opportunistic theft with limited premeditation, and the loss did not threaten the business. The final sentence was two years' imprisonment, with the last 18 months suspended.
In a Halloween nightclub assault, 39‑year‑old Denis Ward, who was dressed as Superman, head‑butted victim Daragh Comerford after taking a pretend bible from him. CCTV showed Ward removing the bible and then lunging. Comerford suffered a broken nose and required surgery for a deviated septum. Ward pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has four prior convictions, including three traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to 12 October to allow Ward time to raise €1,100 to compensate Comerford for medical bills and lost wages. A victim impact statement described Comerford's physical and mental distress and the financial loss. Ward, who has not consumed alcohol since the incident, is unemployed and relies on social welfare but is willing to raise the compensation if given time.
Eamonn Cumberton, a 32-year-old man from Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, has had his appeal against a life sentence for the 2016 murder of Michael Barr adjourned. Cumberton was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of the deliberate and planned execution of Mr Barr at the Sunset House pub, where he was shot seven times by a masked gunman. The court found Cumberton's DNA on a baseball cap and rubber mask recovered from a getaway car, and relied on circumstantial evidence regarding his unusual travel attempts to Thailand and his failure to answer police questions. Although Cumberton denied the murder, he was jailed for life on January 29, 2018. In his current appeal, his counsel argued that the trial court erred in drawing inferences from his silence and mishandled DNA evidence, suggesting cross-contamination. The prosecution countered that the evidence strongly linked Cumberton to the crime scene and that his travel behavior indicated an intent to flee. The Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved its judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Cumberton must wait to hear the outcome of his appeal against his conviction.
Michael Dineen, aged 28, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for the manslaughter of Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell, aged 36, who died after a pub fight on 1 June 2018. Dineen had consumed 20 pints that day and repeatedly punched O'Donnell in the head and face for about a minute, delivering kicks to his body. He had previously been on bail for breaking another man's jaw. The judge noted the attack was one‑sided and unequal, with O'Donnell suffering severe injuries including loss of teeth, fractured nose and internal bleeding. Dineen pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from a headline of 12 years to nine years due to mitigating factors such as remorse, apology and psychiatric history. The suspended year will be lifted if Dineen abstains from alcohol and remains under probation supervision.
Brian O'Connor, 25, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for burglary at McGrath's Pub in Drumcondra on February 28, 2019. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. Prosecution evidence indicated O'Connor entered the premises by kicking through ceiling boards after climbing in through the roof. He was discovered hiding in the attic by gardaí, who had been alerted by a carpenter who saw him looking out a window. O'Connor was arrested but was too intoxicated to be interviewed initially and made no admissions when later questioned. Judge Melanie Greally noted that O'Connor caused substantial damage to the roof and ceiling and intended to steal alcohol and cash. She also acknowledged his history of 103 previous convictions. In mitigation, defense counsel highlighted O'Connor's chaotic childhood, a suicide attempt as a teenager, and his cooperation during arrest despite intoxication. The court sentenced O'Connor to three years in prison, suspending the final nine months on strict conditions.
Oliver Callely, 28, of Clontarf, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for igniting fireworks at Copper Face Jacks nightclub on Harcourt Street on July 6, 2015. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Karen O'Connor, who heard evidence in December, ordered Callely to perform 240 hours of community service over a 12-month period in lieu of a two-year prison sentence. The maximum penalty for the offence was five years. The court heard that the firework struck a victim in the smoking area, causing burns that required eight visits to a burns unit over two months. The victim stated the injuries impacted his sports career but did not wish for Callely to be imprisoned. Defence counsel Dean Kelly BL described the act as reckless rather than intentional, noting Callely had paid €6,500 to the victim. Judge O'Connor acknowledged the difficult family circumstances and high-profile father but stated that drinking was no defence. She emphasized that Callely had opportunities most people lacked and warned him that this was his last chance. The matter was concluded with the imposition of the community service order.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Sherry, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a 17‑year‑old boy outside the Wright Venue in Swords on 17 March 2017. Sherry, together with another teenager and a third man, attacked the victim after he was denied re‑entry to the nightclub. The victim was kicked to the shoulder and chest by Sherry and repeatedly kicked in the head by the other teenager. The attackers then took the confused victim to a nearby McDonald's, claiming to help him. The boy suffered multiple jaw fractures, required surgery with two metal plates, and incurred about €8,000 in dental damage. The court heard CCTV footage of the pursuit and the assault. The teen attacker was dealt with through the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme. Sherry has no prior convictions and will be sentenced on 20 March.
Darren Thompson, 25, was convicted of rape in 2017 and sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. In January 2020 the Director of Public Prosecutions announced an investigation into alleged "new evidence" that could affect the outcome of the case. Thompson, who maintains his innocence, was released on bail pending the hearing of the application to present this evidence. The bail was granted by Mr Justice John Edwards, with a condition that Thompson appear again on 24 March. The case involved a woman in her 20s who claimed she had consensual sex with a man she met in a nightclub, but later alleged that Thompson and another man attempted to have sex with her while she was under the influence of drugs. No further details were disclosed in court. The Central Criminal Court noted that Thompson's family and girlfriend remain supportive. The application to present new evidence is scheduled for the Court of Appeal.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced 49‑year‑old Jonathan Dargan to six years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for the manslaughter of 56‑year‑old Patrick Mullally. The incident occurred on 6 March 2016 at Harold's Cross Road when Dargan, a Taekwondo instructor and former nightclub doorman, attacked Mullally and his friend Shane Cunningham after a drunken altercation. Dargan struck Mullally with a punch that shattered his jaw and caused a subdural haemorrhage; Mullally died the following day. Dargan denied unlawful killing and claimed self‑defence, but the court found his martial‑arts training and intoxication made the assault an aggravating factor. The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on manslaughter and a majority verdict on assaulting Cunningham; the assault charge against Mullally's niece was withdrawn. Dargan's remorse and previous clean record were noted in mitigation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Jonathan Dargan, 49, was found guilty of manslaughter after he struck Patrick Mullally, 56, with a punch during an altercation on Harold's Cross Road on 6 March 2016. Mullally, who was celebrating his retirement from Guinness, was knocked to the ground, sustaining a shattered jaw and cheekbone that caused a subdural haemorrhage and brain trauma, leading to his death the following day. Dargan, a Taekwondo instructor and former nightclub doorman, claimed he acted in self‑defence after being surrounded by Mullally, Shane Cunningham and others. He denied unlawful killing and assault on Cunningham and on Mullally's niece. The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on manslaughter and a majority verdict on assaulting Cunningham. The case was adjourned for sentencing. The trial highlighted the profound impact on Mullally's family, who described the death as "brutal" and expressed deep grief and anger.
The trial of a 29‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman he met at Copper Face Jacks nightclub ended after his death. He had pleaded not guilty to raping and sexually assaulting a woman at his Dublin home on 23 December 2016. On the sixth day of the trial, Mr Justice Alex Owens informed the jury that the defendant had not appeared in court the previous day and that enquiries had been made. He announced the accused was deceased and that the jury need not continue or reach a verdict. The complainant, a woman in her 20s, testified that after leaving the nightclub she and the accused went to his home, where they began consensual sex that turned violent. She described being choked, forced to continue, spitting on her, and being kicked. She reported the incident to Gardaí on 29 December 2016, and the accused denied the offences during police interview. The identities of the parties remain undisclosed.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC argued that 48‑year‑old Mark Tims was provoked by his 74‑year‑old father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, and should be convicted of manslaughter rather than murder. Heneghan cited a history of the father's controlling, domineering behaviour, including verbal abuse and threats to call the guards, and described an incident on 13 July 2018 when the father returned from a pub, insulted Mark, and threatened him. Mark allegedly responded by striking his father with a teacup, then kicking him, causing fatal injuries. Heneghan maintained that Mark's loss of self‑control was sudden and that the father's conduct provoked him. The prosecution, represented by Michael Delaney SC, countered that Mark's actions were deliberate and that the father's behaviour did not justify a manslaughter verdict. The jury was instructed to consider the evidence and decide whether provocation applies. The case remains at the jury deliberation stage.
In the murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution has finished presenting its evidence against Mark Tims, 48, who admitted to killing his father but denies murder. Mr Justice Tony Hunt informed the jury that the next phase would involve closing speeches from both sides. Tims pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder of his father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, 74, who died on 13 July 2018 at their home in Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin. The State rejected his plea. Witnesses described a heated argument after Anthony returned from the pub on his birthday, during which Tims allegedly put his father in a headlock, struck him twice in the head and kicked him. Tims claimed he "lost it" after his father "kept at" him for drinking. The jury also heard a 999 call made by Tims's then‑girlfriend, Elizabeth 'Lil' McDonagh, immediately after the assault that caused the death.
Mark Tims, 48, admitted striking his father Anthony 'Tony' Tims with a cup and kicking him after a heated argument over drinking. He claimed he was enraged and had a history of conflict with his father, describing him as harsh and often blaming him. Tims said he had previously harmed himself when his father was abusive. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The incident occurred on 13 July 2018 at their home in Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Tims told Gardaí he loved his father, who he compared to Kenny Rogers, and that he would carry the guilt for life. He left the house after the assault and spent the next 24 hours in a park before being arrested. The trial has heard that the father returned home from the pub on his 74th birthday and the dispute escalated. The case is still pending.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Tims (48) pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder in the death of his father Anthony 'Tony' Tims (74) on 13 July 2018. The trial heard that a row erupted when Anthony returned from the pub on his birthday and Mark told him he had "cremated" his breakfast. Mark then put his father in a headlock, punched him twice in the head and kicked him when he fell. Sandra O'Donnell, Anthony's younger sister, described their relationship as a love/hate one, noting that they had lived together for most of Mark's life and had frequent arguments. She said Mark was not a bad person and that he was in shock after the incident. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
A 41‑year‑old UK national, David Hunter, is accused of murdering Michael Barr, a 35‑year‑old manager from Co Tyrone, who was shot seven times at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. Mr Justice Tony Hunt set the trial for the non‑jury Special Criminal Court to begin on 10 June 2020, with an expected duration of four weeks. The court also scheduled a mention on 3 April 2020 to ensure all matters are in order, and ruled that Mr Hunter need not appear on that date.
David Hunter, a 41‑year‑old UK national, faces trial in the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Michael Barr, a 35‑year‑old Dublin bar manager. Barr, a father of five from County Tyrone, was shot seven times at the Sunset House pub on Summerhill Parade on 25 April 2016. Hunter was arrested at Baldonnel Aerodrome, charged at Dublin District Court, and appeared before Judge John Hughes. On 16 October, State solicitor Ciara Vibien requested that he be tried in the Special Criminal Court, a request that Judge Paul Coffey granted.
A man convicted of raping two women at his Sligo apartment has failed in his appeal against conviction at the Court of Appeal. Clement Limen, aged 47, of North Court, Quayside, Sligo town, was found guilty by jury at the Central Criminal Court of the offences committed on 2 June 2014. The trial heard that Limen had invited the women, lifelong friends in their 30s, to his flat following a chance meeting at a nightclub during a bank holiday weekend. Evidence indicated that after consuming drinks prepared by Limen, both women lost consciousness and were subsequently assaulted. Limen denied the charges, claiming consensual contact with one woman and denying contact with the other. Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed a sentence of seven-and-a-half years in December 2017. Limen's appeal centred on claims regarding the trial judge's rulings on evidence and detention procedures. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found no grounds for intervention and dismissed the appeal.
Peter Kane, 49, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment after a Gardaí search of his Dublin bedsit revealed over €200,000 worth of drugs. The drugs, including cocaine, cannabis resin and heroin, were found under his bed with weighing scales. Kane had previously been clean from heroin and on methadone, and had not had any Gardaí trouble for seven years. He claimed he was offered free cocaine in a local pub and was then pressured to store drugs for others, owing money for them. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, cannabis resin and heroin at his Decies Road home on 13 May 2019. The court noted his 16 prior convictions, including robbery, forgery, road traffic and begging, and his explanation that he was holding the drugs for others. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged his difficult life and children in England before imposing the five‑year term. The Gardaí had obtained confidential information that led to the search.
A jury has begun deliberating the trial of Jonathan Dargan, a 49‑year‑old martial arts teacher from Dublin, who is accused of manslaughter in the death of 56‑year‑old Patrick Mullally on March 6, 2016. Dargan denies unlawfully killing Mullally and denies assaulting Lauren Mullally and Shane Cunningham during the same incident. The jury heard that Dargan, a former doorman at Lillie's Bordello, had an argument with his girlfriend after Mullally and Cunningham left a pub before 4 a.m. Dargan claimed he threw the first punch, striking Mullally, who later died from a subdural haemorrhage and brain trauma. Judge Pauline Codd charged the jury that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that Dargan intentionally struck Mullally without justification, that the death resulted from the assault, and that Dargan was not acting in self‑defence. The defence argues Dargan struck in a pre‑emptive manner because he believed he was under attack.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Oliver Callely (27) of Clontarf, Dublin, pleaded guilty to igniting fireworks at Copper Face Jacks nightclub on Harcourt Street on July 6, 2015. A firework lit on a balcony overlooking a crowded smoking area became lodged against a man, causing burn injuries requiring multiple attendances at a burns unit. The victim reported ongoing discomfort but did not seek a custodial sentence. Callely's legal team described the act as "moronically stupid and dangerous," attributing it to excessive alcohol consumption following a Dublin-Mayo football replay. He had previously received the Probation Act for assault at the same venue and was on bail when this incident occurred. Callely had fled to the United States before being charged, subsequently arrested under an extradition warrant. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to February 7, requesting a Probation Service report assessing suitability for community service. The maximum penalty is five years imprisonment.
Terence Gavin, 27, was given a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to stealing €320 from taxi driver Imram Shahzad on 4 August 2016. Gavin was driven home by Shahzad that night and was asked to pay his fare before a group of teenage boys attacked the driver. While the assault was underway, Gavin took the driver's wallet and fled. CCTV footage identified him at the pub where Shahzad had been picked up. The teenagers were never identified. Gavin, a flooring contractor, paid €5,620 to Shahzad as a token of remorse and to cover the stolen money and windscreen damage. He has 12 prior convictions, including theft, traffic offences and threatening to cause serious harm. The judge, Martin Nolan, sentenced Gavin on the theft charge, not the assault, and suspended the sentence on conditions including restitution to Shahzad.
In November 2019, Brian Johnston, a 32‑year‑old with 205 prior convictions, was jailed for 15 months after making a hoax 999 call claiming a shooting at a pub on Cappagh Road, Finglas. The call diverted Gardaí, an armed support unit, two fire brigade vehicles and an ambulance from an attempt to remove him from his ex‑partner's home. Johnston had been released from prison shortly before the incident and was homeless, living in a car that was seized. He pleaded guilty to the false report, to stealing a car battery, to producing a hammer while appearing to commit an offence, and to driving without a licence or insurance. Judge Martin Nolan described the act as a "reprehensible crime of desperation" and imposed concurrent sentences totalling 15 months. The case involved the Gardaí's attempt to breach the property, the diversion caused by the hoax call, and the subsequent arrest of Johnston at 4 a.m.
A man convicted of raping two women in Sligo town has launched an appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Clement Limen, aged 47, of North Court, Quayside, Sligo, was found guilty by jury at the Central Criminal Court of raping two women at his apartment on June 2, 2014, following their meeting at a nightclub during a bank holiday weekend. He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment in December 2017. The defence contends that prosecuting counsel inadvertently introduced the concept of "system evidence" during closing arguments to the jury, potentially creating prejudicial inferences about corroboration between the complainants' accounts. The prosecution disputes this characterisation, maintaining that the counsel's language carried only ordinary meaning and that matters of corroboration were properly left to the jury's determination. The Court of Appeal, presided over by President Mr Justice George Birmingham, sat with two fellow justices and has reserved judgement on the appeal.
Oliver Callely, 27, of St Lawrences Road, Clontarf, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to setting off fireworks at Copper Face Jacks nightclub on 6 July 2015. Prosecutor Maurice Coffey BL requested a victim impact statement for sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan set a sentencing hearing for 2 December and remanded Callely on continuing bail until that date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old substitute teacher pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement after having sex with a 16‑year‑old pupil. The teacher, who had been working at the school when the boy was in his fifth year of secondary school, met him in an over‑18s nightclub and began communicating via Snapchat. In early 2018, on the boy's 16th birthday, she drove him to Gormanston Beach where they kissed and had sexual intercourse. A month later, she took him to a hotel room she had booked, where they again kissed and had sex. The boy later told his parents he had stayed at a friend's house, and the teacher's contract was terminated after the school discovered her identity. The teacher claimed she believed 16 was the legal age of consent and had no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case for a verdict.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, truck driver Oleksandr Hrudovyy, aged 47, was found not guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of 80‑year‑old William Carrick on 22 May 2015. The jury, after about an hour and a half of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict. Hrudovyy, a professional driver from Clonee, claimed he was not driving dangerously; he had no alcohol or drugs, was not tired, and had not been speeding. He argued that Carrick, who had left a pub and was attempting to cross a pedestrian crossing partially blocked by the truck's rear, may have been in a blind spot. Dashcam footage showed Carrick crossing in front of the truck before Hrudovyy moved forward, but the footage did not capture the driver's view. Hrudovyy stopped the truck immediately, was shocked, and cooperated with Gardaí. The prosecution alleged Hrudovyy was inattentive and did not check mirrors.