A 49‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty by a jury of 11 counts of sexually assaulting his wife, who had been married to him for 20 years, between January 2005 and September 2014. The assaults involved penetrating her vagina with a range of household objects – a knife, a cheese grater, a bottle, a carrot, a banana, a cucumber, a tulip, a wooden spatula, a decanter stopper, part of a shoe and a bicycle pump – while she was unconscious. The abuse was discovered when the wife found images of the assaults on her husband's computer in March 2019. She had reported the abuse to the Gardaí and asked him to leave the family home. The man, who has no prior convictions, maintained that all acts were consensual. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced him to 12 years, suspending the final year, and imposed conditions including a course on sexuality and consent upon release.
A 65‑year‑old man from Co Cork was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for 71 counts of rape, oral rape, indecent assault and sexual assault of his daughter between 1988 and 1997. The Central Criminal Court found he abused her while she was aged seven to 17, manipulating her and favouring her over his other children, which caused a rift with her siblings. The abuse progressed from touching to rape and oral rape over a two‑to‑three‑year period in her teens, continuing until she turned 18 and left the family home. The judge described the abuse as an egregious breach of trust in a place that should have been safe. The victim, who did not realise the abuse was wrong until later, said her life was significantly affected and that her father had ruined her childhood. The defendant, who has serious health issues, will require medical support while in custody. The unnamed man was found guilty.
A 70‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for raping and repeatedly sexually abusing his two younger sisters in Leinster between 1966 and 1974. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape and 14 counts of indecent assault. The first sister was aged five to nine when first abused, with the abuse pausing during his boarding‑school year and resuming in 1971–72 when she was ten to twelve. The second sister was eight to ten during indecent assault and was raped when aged eleven to thirteen. Victims described lasting fear, depression and anxiety, and the court noted the abuse had profoundly distorted their lives. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 13 years for the rape and 18 months for each indecent assault, but ultimately gave a global nine‑year term with the final 12 months suspended, directing the defendant to have no contact with the sisters.
A 27-year-old man has been jailed at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a woman while she slept at his apartment in County Donegal on 30 June 2019. He pleaded guilty to the offence. The victim, then 18 years old, was known to the accused and they had socialised together that evening before returning to his home. She fell asleep but woke to find him on top of her with his clothing removed. She asked him to stop and he did so. The woman reported the matter to gardaí the following day. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a sentence of three years, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the accused was aware the victim was asleep and had denied her the fundamental right to refuse intimacy. He took into account the man's expressions of remorse, his difficult personal history, and lack of previous convictions. A no-contact order was directed. The victim's statement was read to the court, in which she expressed hope that her reporting would help others.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 38‑year‑old man was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to four counts of rape against his 8‑year‑old cousin between 2002 and 2003. The victim, now 29, described the abuse as repeated anal, oral and vaginal rape while he was babysitting in her Dublin home. The judge noted the defendant's teenage status and the grooming element, reducing a potential headline sentence of 13 years to nine, then to seven years and six months with 18 months suspended. Conditions include probation supervision and no unsupervised contact with children. The victim's impact statement detailed the lasting trauma, loss of innocence and subsequent substance abuse, concluding that the abuse was no longer a secret. The defendant's prior drug conviction was mentioned, and the sentence was back‑dated to his custody entry.
A secondary school teacher from Donegal Town has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment following her conviction for indecently assaulting a male pupil in 1985. Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, aged 63, was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a trial in October 2023. The offences occurred when she was a student teacher and the complainant was 13 years old. Judge Elma Sheahan considered the serious breach of trust, the age disparity between the parties, and the lasting impact on the victim in determining sentence. Mitigating factors included the defendant's previously unblemished record and her cooperation with gardaí. McSherry O'Connor was sentenced to three years on each count to run concurrently, with the final six months suspended. She will be supervised by the Probation Services for six months following release and must register as a sex offender.
In a Circuit Court trial, Gerard O'Brien, a former secondary school teacher and then Circuit Court judge, was found guilty of one count of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault against six male complainants, some of whom were his students. The alleged offences took place between March 1991 and November 1997 in Leinster, when O'Brien was in his 30s and the complainants were aged 17 to 24. Evidence included accounts of O'Brien skipping classes to drink with students, inviting them to his home, and engaging in non‑consensual sexual acts while they were asleep or under the influence of alcohol. The jury deliberated for seven hours and thirty‑four minutes before delivering the verdicts. O'Brien, who has a rare birth defect, was remanded on continuing bail until sentencing on 4 March 2023. The judge thanked the jurors and noted O'Brien would be automatically added to the sex offenders register. Gerard O'Brien pleaded not guilty.
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.
Tony Hudson, 61, of Ballymurray, Enniscorthy, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of 70 charges of sexual offences against four children aged 12 to 17 between 2000 and 2009. The offences included oral rape, sexual assault, buggery, gross indecency and defilement. Hudson had befriended the children, invited them to his house for chores, paid them modest sums and gave them cigarettes and alcohol. He began touching them sexually, forced them to masturbate, and in some cases forced them to have sex with each other. One victim was recorded having anal sex with Hudson and the video was shown to another victim. Hudson denied the allegations. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford sentenced him to 13 years in prison, with the final two years suspended, back‑dated to his custody entry on 27 October. The sentence was imposed on 21 December 2023.
A 42‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for four counts of sexual assault of a girl aged between four and seven, committed between 2016 and 2020 while her mother was away. The assaults included one on the girl's sixth birthday. The judge highlighted the man's position of authority, the large age gap, and the impact on the victim as aggravating factors, while noting his good work history and mental health difficulties as mitigating factors. The sentence was back‑dated to the man's entry into custody on 29 July. The court heard that the man had begun a relationship with the mother in 2015, moved in with her family, and looked after the children when the mother worked. He had taken the victim into the mother's room on several occasions, touched her private parts, and told the child not to inform her mother. The unnamed 42-year-old was found guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 59‑year‑old teacher faces 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. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC urged the jury to consider the historical context of gay discrimination in 1990s Ireland, arguing that the accused's alleged self‑preservation and fear of repercussions may explain his alleged false statements. He highlighted inconsistencies in the complainants' accounts and suggested the accused's emotional immaturity and the age disparity between him and the victims. Prosecutor Anne‑Marie Lawlor SC countered, stressing the need to disregard sympathy, noting the implausibility of multiple similar allegations, and emphasising the lack of consent in five incidents where victims were asleep. The judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, began his charge, with the trial expected to continue tomorrow. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Galway apartment on 1 November 2019, a 25‑year‑old former defence forces member raped, sexually assaulted and repeatedly choked a 20‑year‑old college student. The attacker, who was serving in the military at the time, taunted the victim with remarks such as "You like all this Ted Bundy shit" and used force that included biting, punching and headlocks. The victim, who survived the night, later gave a victim impact statement describing the terror and the physical injuries she sustained. The accused pleaded guilty to one count of rape. Mr Justice David Keane sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The sentence was back‑dated to the day he entered custody on 7 June. The court noted the offender's good character, lack of prior convictions and exemplary military service as mitigating factors, while the extended nature of the assault and repeated choking were aggravating factors.
A 40‑year‑old Galway man was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in Mullingar of sexual assault, attempted vaginal rape, anal and oral rape of his niece between 2007 and 2017. The victim, aged eight to ten and later fifteen to eighteen, described the abuse as relentless and degrading, noting the uncle's threats and grooming. The court imposed a headline sentence of 17½ years for the rape offences and seven years for the assault charges, but the judge set a global sentence of 15 years with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The defendant, who has a prior assault conviction and struggles with mental health and addiction, maintains his innocence. The judge cited the prolonged period of offending, the victim's profound harm, and mitigating factors such as the defendant's cooperation and family support. The sentence was confirmed after a three‑week trial.
A teenager from Sligo pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting his eight-year-old cousin and recording the incident on St Stephen's Day 2021. The boy, who was 14 at the time and cannot be named due to his age, attempted to upload the video to YouTube, which intervention by the platform prevented. The attempt to upload led authorities to identify him. He has been sentenced to 16 months in detention followed by 16 months of probation supervision. Ms Justice Melanie Greally noted aggravating factors including the victim's age, breach of trust, premeditation, and efforts to upload the recording to social media. She accepted mitigating circumstances including the guilty plea and expressions of remorse. The judge set a headline sentence of 12 years had the defendant been an adult, reducing it to four years due to his age, then imposing the 16-month custodial term. The case has been referred to Tusla. The victim and her family provided impact statements describing ongoing distress.
The 59‑year‑old teacher, accused of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault against six students aged 17‑24 between 1991 and 1997, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. He testified that he initially lied to Gardaí during voluntary interviews, denying any sexual contact with the complainants out of panic and shame. He later provided statements clarifying his position, admitting he had lied. During cross‑examination he denied grooming or pressuring the students, claimed some were mistaken or lying, and described his actions as "mutual" or "happened" without intent to assault. He denied attempting anal sex and said he stopped when a student did not want it. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with the jury hearing his direct evidence and the prosecution's case.
A 26‑year‑old man was jailed for six and a half years after a Central Criminal Court jury convicted him in October of 31 counts of sexual assault, oral rape and attempted anal rape of a boy who lived next door. The offences took place between January 2012 and August 2017, when the accused was aged 14 to 19 and the victim 7 to 10. The court heard that the man touched the boy's penis, forced the boy to touch his, and escalated to oral rape and attempted anal rape. The victim said the assaults were repeated many times and described them as a "complete nightmare." The accused denied the charges and did not accept the verdict. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo set a headline sentence of 14 years, reduced to eight years, and suspended 18 months on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court.
In a case described as "difficult", a 17‑year‑old Galway teenager pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault against his nine‑year‑old sister. The court, noting that both the victim and defendant still live in the family home, imposed a fully suspended detention of three years for the rape and one year for each assault. All periods were suspended for two years on strict conditions, including the teenager's continued education and completion of his Leaving Certificate or an equivalent programme. He was placed under Probation Service supervision for 12 months. The judge cited a "positive" report and urged the boy to remain grateful to his sister and family, while acknowledging the family's ongoing trauma and the need to keep the matter behind them. The teenager's mother attended the hearing. The case was handled with sensitivity by the court and involved reports from Tusla, Probation and psychological services.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman whose husband of 20 years repeatedly raped her with household objects while she was unconscious revealed her shock upon discovering "perverse, indecent, hideous images" of the assaults on his home computer. She described the moment as "like a bomb went off in my head" and said the abuse had altered her past, present and future. The 49‑year‑old man was found guilty of 11 counts of sexual assault, including penetration with a knife, cheese grater, bottle, carrot, banana, cucumber, tulip, wooden spatula, decanter stopper, part of a shoe and bicycle pump, between January 2005 and September 2014. The verdict followed a retrial after the first jury returned not‑guilty on four counts and could not agree on the rest. The woman, now 50, was unconscious and unable to consent during the assaults. She had a drinking problem and was on medication for depression.
The 59‑year‑old teacher, accused of sexual assault, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17‑24 between 1991 and 1997. In his testimony, he described a 1997 incident where an 18‑year‑old student stayed at his house and slept in his bed. He claimed the student entered the bed because the house was cold, that he left after the student was dressed, and that he later returned to sleep. He called the student's presence a "major mistake" and denied any sexual contact. He also addressed allegations from other complainants, stating he had no recollection of the incidents and denied sexual interaction, though he later admitted performing oral sex in some cases. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Joe Dunne, 82, a former priest, was given a fully suspended four‑year sentence in March 2023 for five counts of indecent assault on a young woman who was already vulnerable. The victim, who had been abused previously, described the abuse as violent and terrifying, noting that Dunne exploited his chaplaincy role and repeatedly assaulted her in remote locations. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, overturned the suspended sentence, citing the gravity of the offences and the impact on the victim. Edwards imposed a headline six‑year custodial sentence, discounted two years for guilty pleas and personal circumstances, and suspended an additional two years, leaving Dunne with a two‑year jail term. The decision was made after the court considered Dunne's age, health, and the dependency of his 94‑year‑old sister, whom he solely cares for. The case was originally uncovered in 2019 when Gardaí found letters from the victim to her bishop.
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 a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 59‑year‑old former teacher 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. A former colleague testified that he was shocked when a student arrived at the accused's home after a staff night out and that he later walked in on the accused, a woman, and the student in bed together. The colleague described how he avoided speaking to the student and later found the three of them in bed, with the accused in the middle. A former principal recounted receiving a call about a "sexual contact" incident involving a teacher and a student, and that the accused had been called to the student's home after an allegation of sexual assault. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 59‑year‑old former teacher faces 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. A friend of the accused, who worked on school musical productions in the 1990s, testified that she was present at a dinner in 1997 with the accused and a student, after which the three returned to the accused's apartment. She claimed the accused told her he had "made a pass" at the student, who had left the house. The witness also disclosed a brief sexual relationship with a 17‑year‑old student in 1995, which the accused reportedly found displeasing. The accused's employment as a teacher at the school from 1987 to 1997 and his role as musical director were confirmed by the school principal. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 54-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of four siblings over a twelve-year period. The offender, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to eight sample charges relating to one brother, including oral rape, anal rape, and sexual assault committed between 1999 and 2005 when the victim was aged six. He further pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault against the brother's older sibling, and to offences against both sisters occurring in 1993 and 1997. The abuse came to light following a complaint to gardaí by one of the victims, whereupon the other siblings disclosed their experiences. The judge imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reduced to eleven years in light of the guilty pleas and cooperation with gardaí. The final two years were suspended on strict conditions, with a two-year post-release supervision order imposed. The sentencing heard victim impact statements describing the lasting trauma inflicted on all four siblings.
Joseph Mockler, aged 63, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of four counts of indecent assault against two teenage boys aged 14 to 16 between January 1987 and December 1988. The court found that Mockler, a sports coach, had used his position and alcohol to exploit the boys, engaging in repeated inappropriate touching, masturbation and oral sex while they were intoxicated. He was found guilty by a jury of two counts of indecent assault for each boy, though he denied the verdicts. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a sentence of five years for the first boy and five and a half years for the second, to run consecutively, then reduced the second to three years for proportionality, giving a global sentence of eight years. The final 12 months were suspended on strict conditions, and Mockler will be placed under probation supervision for 12 months after release.
A 48‑year‑old man who claims his teacher tried to rape him during a sleepover gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court, saying he has been "waiting for over 30 years" to appear. He said he had a close friendship with the teacher in transition year and stayed overnight in the teacher's spare room. The complainant described waking to the teacher's head on his crotch and receiving a blowjob. He explained that he suppressed the memory, later opening it and seeking therapy. He told the jury he had not reported the incident to Gardaí until recently, after contacting the Garda Confidential Line. The accused faces one count of attempted anal rape and one count of sexual assault relating to this complainant, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Two men from Longford have failed in their conviction appeals at the Court of Appeal following their trial for rape and sexual assault during the Galway Races in August 2017. Karl Reilly of Carrickboy and Patrick McLoughlin of Moydow were convicted and sentenced to seven and five years' imprisonment respectively, with 18 months suspended in each case. The appellants, who had pleaded not guilty, argued that an erroneous time-stamp on phone evidence discovered during trial prejudiced their defence preparation and that their trials should have been separated. Presiding judge Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed both grounds of appeal. The court found that the phone timing discrepancy, whilst unfortunate, did not cause irreparable damage to the trial and could have been addressed through further cross-examination or closing speeches. On the severance issue, the judge noted that the differences between the men's accounts to gardaí were minor and that joint trials routinely proceed where potential defence difficulties are far greater. Both conviction appeals were dismissed in their entirety.
During a trial on 7 December 2023, a 48‑year‑old complainant testified that a teacher he had trusted and befriended attempted to rape him during a sleep‑over at the teacher's home. The teacher, in his 30s at the time, was accused of one count of attempted anal rape and one count of sexual assault relating to this complainant. The witness described how the teacher invited him into the bedroom, where the teacher allegedly performed a forced oral act and then tried to penetrate his anus while the complainant was asleep. The complainant said he was terrified, did not consent, and tried to lie on his stomach to stop the assault. He could not recall the duration of the incident. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with the jury hearing the evidence. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 14‑year‑old who raped a 15‑year‑old after drinking alcohol for the first time was convicted by a majority jury at the Central Criminal Court in May 2024. He was sentenced to 106 days of detention, fully suspended, which the State appealed as too lenient. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient, noting that a comparable adult offence would have attracted a headline sentence of seven years. The appeal court quashed the 106‑day suspended term and re‑sentenced the teenager, applying a discount of three‑and‑a‑half years for his age and maturity and an additional 18‑month discount for mitigating factors such as his admissions and good record. The court suspended the two‑year jail term entirely, requiring compliance with probation services and good behaviour for two years, and ruled that sending him to an adult prison would serve no useful purpose. The unnamed 18-year-old pleaded not guilty.
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.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 68‑year‑old man received a third sentence for sexually assaulting a child who was five years old in 2016. The court heard that the accused filmed himself touching the child's genitals while she lay on a couch, a seven‑second clip that was shown to her mother. The mother, who described her daughter as once joyful and now withdrawn, said the assault had taken away her daughter's innocence and caused nightmares. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two years and three months because of the man's age and ill health, and noted his apology. The sentence runs concurrently with an eight‑year sentence for a 2021 anal rape. The man is also barred from contacting either victim permanently. The court did not discuss any further proceedings or outcomes beyond this sentencing.
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.
A man has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Daniel Maymay, aged 31, of Kilmacrennan Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was found guilty of one count of rape committed on 28 January 2019. He had pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and false imprisonment; the jury acquitted him on the remaining charges. The court heard that Maymay and the woman met online and arranged to meet for coffee. During the encounter at his Letterkenny residence, the woman told him to stop sexual contact, but he continued. Maymay maintained the intercourse was consensual. The complainant did not initially report the incident but later contacted police after confiding in her mother. Justice Paul Burns imposed a six-year sentence with the final year suspended on strict conditions. Maymay has 17 previous convictions, including violent disorder and drug-supply offences, but no prior sexual convictions.
In a trial held on 4 December 2023, a 59‑year‑old accused man pleaded not guilty to a single count of sexual assault. The complainant, who was not named for legal reasons, testified that he had been awakened by the accused performing oral sex on him after drinking eight or nine pints with the teacher. He said he did not block out the incident but kept it at the back of his mind. The defence counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, questioned whether the accused had left a class unattended and whether the complainant had been intoxicated during the alleged events. The complainant confirmed he had been drunk and that he had not remembered a later alleged sexual encounter in Kilkenny. The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
A 51‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison, with a three‑month suspended portion, for a series of sexual and physical abuses against his four daughters. The court heard that the defendant subjected his eldest daughter, now 17, to a "campaign of sexual abuse" from age three to thirteen, including sexual assault, oral rape and child cruelty, and that he also pleaded guilty to child cruelty against each of his other daughters, aged 25, 22 and 15. The abuse took place in the family home in the south‑east of the country. The judge noted the victims' bravery in coming forward and the severe harm inflicted, but also considered mitigating factors such as the defendant's guilty plea, remorse, cooperation with investigators and lack of prior convictions.
Anthony Goodman, a 78‑year‑old sex offender with no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 months after a Garda detective spotted him attempting to board a Luas tram at Smithfield. Goodman had a sex offender order issued in August 2017 that barred him from using public transport without prior Garda notice. The detective, Fergus Grant, approached Goodman, who admitted he had knowingly violated the order and had decided to "take a chance." Goodman had 213 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, breaches of a sex offender order, burglary, arson and threats to kill, and was already serving a sentence for another offence. Judge Dara Hayes noted Goodman's age, frailty and cooperation, but imposed a 12‑month sentence, crediting him for time already served. The order had previously prevented him from riding a bus without informing Gardaí. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Anthony Goodman was found guilty.
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.
In a trial for sexual assault, a 54‑year‑old complainant, the third to give evidence, explained that he did not report the alleged incident to the Gardaí until 2021, citing a lack of courage and a belief that the matter might not warrant police involvement. He recounted that in early 1994 he and the accused, a 59‑year‑old man, were in a double bed after a night of drinking. While asleep, the complainant says the accused licked his face and neck, pressed a hard penis against his lower body, and performed repetitive thrusting. The complainant described feeling frozen and later giving the accused physical resistance. He said the incident was humiliating and that he chose to keep it to himself until making a formal statement in 2021. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 77‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, faces trial next year for historic sexual offences. He is accused of one count of rape and nine counts of indecent assault. The Central Criminal Court, hearing the case, set a trial date of 8 July 2024, expecting it to last about two weeks.
In a trial before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, a 59‑year‑old man accused of sexually assaulting six young men pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault. A second complainant, who turned 18 in 1991 and attended college in Dublin, testified that he was asleep in a shared house when the accused performed oral sex on him. The complainant said he woke to the act, froze for a few seconds, and did not react or speak, fearing a scene. He denied consenting, stating he was asleep. The accused's defence argued the complainant's body language indicated consent, but the complainant rejected this claim. The complainant also stated he had no memory of the next day and never returned to the house. The trial continues with the jury hearing the case.
A 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Eoin Prizeman, was sentenced to a fully suspended 12‑month term for possessing child pornography after a Facebook account he managed posted a video of an adult raping a boy aged nine or ten. Gardaí discovered 276 videos of child abuse on his Samsung phone, including a disturbing clip of a six‑ to 12‑month‑old infant tied to a makeshift bed and bound. Prizeman pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, noting he had not deleted the videos because he wanted to keep contact with the sender. He had no prior convictions and was found to be at low risk of reoffending. Judge Orla Crowe accepted the mitigating factors and imposed a 12‑month sentence suspended for three years, subject to strict conditions such as keeping the peace, good behaviour and engaging with the Probation Service. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Court.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 71‑year‑old man was found guilty of 28 counts of rape, oral rape, anal rape and 19 counts of sexual assault against his granddaughter between 2008 and 2012. The abuse began shortly before the girl's First Holy Communion when the man, while renovating a shed, forced her to perform oral sex on him; she was aged seven or eight. Over the next four years he repeatedly took her to a shed, a car and a mobile home to force her to masturbate, orally rape and attempt penetrative sex. He gave her money after each incident. The abuse ended when a friend informed her mother on New Year's Eve 2012, and the case was reported to the gardai in January 2013. The victim, now grown, gave a victim impact statement describing the daily abuse and the lasting trauma. The court adjourned the case for finalisation on 5 December 2023.
A 57‑year‑old man from Cork pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to indecently and sexually assaulting his step‑sister over three months in 1991, when he was 14 and she was 12. The court heard that he fondled her breasts and vagina while 'wrestling' with her and, on one occasion, digitally penetrated her vagina. He had no blood relation to her. The victim described feeling repulsed, disgusted, low self‑esteem and burdened by the secret knowledge of the assaults, noting a terrible impact on her life. She said she could forgive the accused but not his actions. The judge acknowledged her bravery and, noting the defendant's rehabilitation and lack of prior convictions, sentenced him to four months' imprisonment for indecent assault and 16 months for each of the four sexual assault counts, all to run concurrently. The sentence was suspended for two years on strict conditions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, counsel for a 59‑year‑old man accused of attempted rape and eight sexual assaults between 1991 and 1997 argued that no assault occurred against the first complainant, who was 18 in November 1997. The complainant testified that he slept in the accused's bed and that the accused's mouth made contact with his penis. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC cross‑examined the witness, asserting that any wrongdoing was denied by the accused and that if anything happened it was "something someone was doing while asleep." The complainant disputed this, stating he had run home after the incident and later told his mother he had been raped, though he now acknowledges that his memory of the event was altered over time. The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a young woman after a Dublin party in June 2022. The woman, who was heavily intoxicated, was carried into a room where she awoke with the accused in bed and realized she had been raped. She described being shamed by her community, with people blaming her and claiming she was at fault. The accused denied taking advantage of her, insisting she was in a state to consent, but the garda and defence agreed she had no recollection and could not consent. The accused expressed remorse, acknowledging responsibility and promising to carry the shame of his actions. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned sentencing to February to allow further consideration of the case. The court heard CCTV footage and testimonies supporting the victim's account. The accused has no prior convictions and is assessed as low risk of reoffending.
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.
A 59‑year‑old man, who cannot be named, 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 County Dublin. He testified that in November 1997 he stayed at his teacher's home, was told to sleep on the bedroom floor, and later woke to find the teacher touching him. He described feeling "like an out‑of‑body experience" and freezing, then attempting to flee and physically confronting the teacher. He claimed he had not consented. He reported the incident to his mother, who contacted the school principal, who later asked him to write a statement. He did not give a police statement until 2019, saying he was not mature enough earlier. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury, expected to last about four weeks.
A 45‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for orally raping his partner's 17‑year‑old daughter on 17 July 2019. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court a week before the trial. The offence occurred at the girl's home while she was returning from work; the man watched from the window, removed her top, kissed her breasts, touched her vagina, and forced her to give him oral sex. The victim, shocked and confused, later told her mother and the man was made to leave. He had a history of mental health difficulties and had not been in contact with Gardaí since. The judge noted the lack of a victim impact statement but confirmed the girl was harmed. The sentence was reduced from a headline of seven years to five years and six months, with the suspended portion conditional on probation and treatment engagement.
The jury in the trial of a 59‑year‑old man accused of attempted rape and sexual assault of six young men, offences dating from March 1991 to November 1997 in County Dublin, was discharged after a juror said he could not continue. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty, is still named only as a 59‑year‑old. Mr Justice Alexander Owens discharged the jurors, and the trial is expected to restart with a new jury later today.
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.