The Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction of Barry Fergal Jennings, a 57-year-old former priest and Irish Times columnist from Cloonkeerin, Frenchpark, County Roscommon. Jennings had been sentenced to four years imprisonment following his conviction in March 2022 on six counts of sexual assault against a schoolboy at locations in Dublin between September 1998 and December 1999. He had denied the charges. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy found that the trial judge failed to provide adequate direction to the jury regarding the limited and proper use of evidence concerning complaints made by the victim. The judge stated that such evidence could only demonstrate consistency of the complainant's account, not corroborate the allegations themselves. Ms Justice Kennedy determined that the absence of this instruction rendered the conviction unsafe, as the jury risked accepting complaint evidence as supporting proof of the facts alleged. She concluded there had been a substantial oversight giving rise to apprehension of real injustice, and accordingly quashed the conviction.
In May 2023 the Court of Appeal increased the sentence of Christopher Rafter, 49, from four‑and‑a‑half years to seven years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended. Rafter had pleaded guilty to raping and sexually assaulting his two younger sisters, Dolores Prendergast and Linda Rafter, between 1989 and 1993 while he was a minor. The sisters, aged between six and eleven at the time, were abused repeatedly, with Rafter's conduct described as systematic and serial. The original concurrent sentences for the two victims had been criticised as too lenient, and the appeal court found the mitigation and suspended portion too generous. The appeal hearing highlighted the severe and prolonged impact on the sisters, who had suffered family ostracism and ongoing psychological harm. The new sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences and the cumulative nature of the abuse.
An 88‑year‑old former Christian Brother was found guilty of indecent assault by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial concerned 30+ charges of assaulting six boys at a Kilkenny primary school between August 1975 and June 1976. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all offences. After about five hours of deliberation, the jury unanimously convicted him of 28 counts involving four complainants, found him guilty by majority of two counts involving a fifth complainant, and returned a not‑guilty verdict on one count involving a sixth complainant. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jury, remanded the defendant on continuing bail pending a sentencing hearing on 30 June, and ordered victim impact statements and medical reports. Prosecutor Patrick McGrath SC presented evidence that the alleged inappropriate contact included touching and fondling, and that the complainants, now men in their 50s, were pupils at the school where the defendant taught.
In a trial held on 18 May 2023, a 63‑year‑old woman was charged with assaulting her nephew and granddaughter and assisting her son in an alleged anal rape of her granddaughter. She also faced charges of concealing the rape. The case involves her 66‑year‑old husband and three sons, aged 38, 40 and 41, who are charged with sexually abusing four children in the family between 1999 and 2005. The indictment contains 126 counts. All five defendants denied the charges. During the hearing, the grandmother told Gardaí that if her daughter had informed her about her husband's alleged abuse, she would have had him "locked up". She said she was unaware of any abuse until a 2016 interview and that DNA evidence revealed her husband had fathered a child with her daughter. The trial continued before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 38‑year‑old man, the third accused, was heard by a jury after he told Gardaí that his father should be punished for having a child with his daughter. He is one of five defendants – his 66‑year‑old father, two brothers aged 40 and 41, and his 63‑year‑old mother – all charged with numerous counts of sexual abuse of four family members who were children at the time. The indictment lists 126 counts, and all five deny the charges. The 38‑year‑old had previously pleaded guilty to 36 charges, including 22 counts of raping his sister, four counts of sexual assault and six counts of oral rape, but he denied two charges of anally raping his niece and two of his male cousin. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, continues with the jury hearing the accused's interviews and the complainants' evidence.
A father of two, who was a teenager when he repeatedly sexually assaulted a young boy, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to six counts of sexual assault that occurred between September 2007 and July 2010 at various locations in County Wicklow. He was 17 when he first assaulted the 14‑year‑old victim, masturbating the child and forcing the child to masturbate him. The abuse escalated when the victim was 15, with the offender forcing the child to perform oral sex. The victim reported that the abuse lasted just under three years and involved about 200 incidents. In his victim impact statement, the survivor said the abuse left him feeling worthless and full of self‑doubt, and he urged the court to prevent the offender from harming others. The defendant expressed shame and remorse, acknowledging the harm he caused.
In a case heard by a three‑judge Court of Appeal, a 27‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for aggravated sexual assault of his estranged wife in Co. Kildare on 19 November 2020. The final 20 months of the sentence were suspended. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the assault took place in the victim's home, where she had a right to feel safe, and that she had repeatedly pleaded for the man to leave. The man recorded on camera declared, "I'm your husband and I have every right to touch you." He pleaded guilty to the assault. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued the sentence was too lenient, citing violence, breach of trust and the man's refusal to leave despite pleas. The court considered mitigating factors, including a traumatic brain injury sustained in 2017, and a prior conviction for violence.
Richard O'Brien, aged 61, was convicted by a jury of 63 counts of rape, sexual assault and indecent assault against five victims, including his sisters, niece and two daughters, with offences spanning 1975 to 2011. The Central Criminal Court heard that the abuse began in his family home on O'Moore Road, Ballyfermot, and continued until the three women fled as teenagers. He also strangled a puppy and a kitten during their childhood. O'Brien denied all allegations. The court imposed a life sentence for the rape of his daughters and concurrent sentences totalling 11 years for the other offences, with the sentences commencing from his March 2024 custody. The judge noted O'Brien's lack of remorse and the severe impact on the victims, who had waived anonymity to name him.
A 66‑year‑old man and his three sons, aged 38, 40 and 41, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court for a total of 126 counts of sexual abuse against four members of their extended Traveller family. The complainant, now 36, says she was sexually assaulted by her father and brothers from about age seven or eight, with repeated rapes from age 11 until she left home at 18. She claims her father is the father of her oldest child, a claim supported by DNA. She alleges the abuse occurred in a caravan and in cars in Connacht and Leinster, involving oral and vaginal rape. All five defendants deny the charges. The trial is proceeding before Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
In a family sexual‑abuse trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 30‑year‑old complainant denied that he had made rape allegations against his 38‑year‑old cousin to deflect attention after being accused of raping another family member. He testified that he was anally raped twice by his cousin when he was a child, between the ages of ten and twelve, in 1999‑2005. He described the first incident as occurring while he slept in a car, and the second while the car was parked opposite a graveyard. He said he screamed and shouted for the cousin to stop, who then told him he was "only messing." The court heard that the complainant had not reported the abuse to social workers and that he had approached the police in 2018 with allegations against his cousin, which he claimed were made partly to deflect attention from his own behaviour.
A family sexual abuse trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury. Five defendants, comprising a 66-year-old man, his 63-year-old wife, and their three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, face 126 counts of alleged offences against four family members who were children at the time. The alleged incidents occurred between 1999 and 2005. All five defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The first accused is charged with 25 counts, including anal and oral rape of his nephew and granddaughter. The second accused faces 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. The third accused is charged with 36 counts, including anal rape of his niece and cousin. The fourth accused, the mother, is charged with concealing the effects of anal rape and assaulting her nephew and granddaughter. The fifth accused faces 31 charges of rape, sexual assault, and oral rape against his sister. During testimony, a 33-year-old male complainant alleged that his uncle anally raped him when he was approximately nine or ten years old. He stated that the abuse continued until he was 16 or 17. The trial continues.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 30‑year‑old woman testified that she was raped by two uncles between 1999 and 2004. She described being forced into a van, anally raped, then vaginally raped, and later being taken to a GAA pitch where she was again anally raped. She also recounted an incident at a trailer where another uncle anally raped her and she fled, vomiting. After reporting these assaults to her grandmother, the woman claimed her grandmother beat her with a plastic stick and put an adult nappy on her while she was bleeding. The woman denied any abuse by her grandfather, though prosecutors questioned her earlier statements. The defendants, a 66‑year‑old man and his three sons, deny all charges. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the trial of five accused individuals, including a 66-year-old man, his three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, and the 63-year-old wife of the first accused. They face over 100 counts of alleged rape, sexual assault, and other offences against four family members, who were children between September 1999 and February 2004. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The first accused denies 25 charges, including anal rape of his granddaughter and offences against his nephew. The second accused, aged 41, denies 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. The third accused, aged 38, denies 36 charges, including anal rape of a cousin and rape of his sister. The fourth accused, the mother of the three men, denies concealing the effects of anal rape by providing an adult diaper to her granddaughter and assaulting her nephew and granddaughter. The fifth accused, aged 40, denies 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. On the second day of the trial, a complainant testified to alleged incidents involving her grandfather. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and is expected to last three weeks.
A husband, his wife, and their three sons are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, facing allegations of sexual offences and assaults against four members of their extended family. The first accused, aged 66, has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including two counts of anal rape of his granddaughter, and 21 charges against his nephew. His son, the second accused (41), pleaded not guilty to 31 charges involving his niece and sister. The third accused (38), another son, denied 36 charges, including anal rape of his cousin and niece. The fourth accused, their mother (63), pleaded not guilty to concealing the effects of an offence and two counts of assault. The fifth accused (40), the third son, pleaded not guilty to 31 charges against his sister. Prosecutors allege the offences occurred between September 1999 and February 2004. The complainants are two brothers, aged 30 and 33, and two women, aged 30 and 36. Shane Costelloe SC stated that the State's case is that each complainant was sexually abused by some of the accused. The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 2 May 2023, 29‑year‑old Michael O'Reilly pleaded guilty to raping a 13‑year‑old girl in Dublin on 11 April 2021. He claimed in a letter to the victim that he "honestly did not know" her age and expressed shame and disgust. The court heard that the victim had been sexually assaulted after a teenage boy had finished consensual sex with her. O'Reilly allegedly forced the girl to the ground, removed her clothing and raped her. CCTV footage of the victim's upset reaction was shown to O'Reilly, who denied any involvement. He was remanded in custody until 10 July for finalisation of the case. The teenage boy was charged with engaging in a sexual act with a child but the charge was later withdrawn. No prior sexual convictions were recorded for O'Reilly, though he had convictions for assault, theft and burglary.
Ioan Lingurar, 36, who posed as a taxi driver, was convicted of raping two women in Dublin three years apart and of false imprisonment. The first victim was attacked in February 2016 after she had hailed what she thought was a taxi; she escaped after a struggle and later reported the assault. The second victim was assaulted in February 2019 after she had entered a vehicle she believed to be a taxi; she fought back and escaped. DNA evidence linked both attacks to Lingurar, who had previously been convicted of a sexual assault in France. At the Central Criminal Court, the judge imposed a total of seventeen‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the 2016 and 2019 sentences running consecutively. Lingurar appealed, arguing the headline sentences were too high, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing. Ioan Lingurar pleaded not guilty.
Joao Silva Pinto, 25, of Mabbot Lane, Dublin 1, downloaded 78 videos of child sexual abuse material to his Google Drive, which Google reported to the Gardaí. The online child exploitation unit was alerted to the content on an account in Silva Pinto's name, and a mobile number linked to him was used to upload 784 CGI anime images classified as category four material. Gardaí obtained a warrant in February 2022 and searched Silva Pinto's home on 18 June 2022, seizing his phone and identification documents. Analysis of the phone revealed 78 videos, 43 of which were category one and 35 category two. Silva Pinto pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on a phone at his home. He has no prior convictions and has not attracted Garda attention since the incident. The case was adjourned to 18 July for finalisation.
Eoin Considine, a 24‑year‑old Limerick law graduate, was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a woman after they had engaged in consensual sex. The incident occurred on 11 August 2019 when the couple, who had met in a pub that evening, went to the woman's home. She reported that Considine began pulling her hair, striking her head, and later choking and pinning her down. She withdrew consent and begged him to stop, but he continued sexual penetration for about 90 seconds. Considine pleaded not guilty and denied rape, but was convicted in January. The judge noted the lack of a guilty plea or remorse, set a headline sentence of four and a half years, and imposed a four‑year custodial term with 18 months of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement described bruising, bleeding, loss of safety in her own bedroom, and suicidal thoughts. No contact with the victim is allowed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach admitted to 13 counts of indecent assault on five teenage boys between December 1979 and March 1990. The admissions followed Judge Martin Nolan's ruling that incidents involving complainants aged 15 or older should not be considered by the jury, as the law at the time allowed consensual activity post‑15. The defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to 266 counts covering 1978‑1993. He denied wrongdoing, claiming some allegations were fabricated or that he only acted after the boys turned 15. The judge remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing to 22 May, noting the conduct was "grossly immoral" but not criminally illegal under the 1980s law. The case remains pending sentencing.
In a High Court extradition case, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo ruled that possession of images depicting sexual acts between an adult woman and a dog is not an offence under Irish law. The 72‑year‑old defendant, whose name is protected by court order, was to be extradited to the UK to face charges of possessing two photographs of bestiality and 15 charges of alleged indecent images of children. The judge agreed to surrender the man for the child‑image allegations but found no Irish offence corresponding to possession of extreme pornography. He rejected the State's argument that the images constituted offensive sexual conduct, noting that possession alone is not inherently sexual or offensive. The defendant remains in custody awaiting surrender to UK authorities, where he may be tried only for the child‑image allegations, not for the bestiality images. The case highlights the distinction between possession and other forms of sexual offence under Irish law.
The State has argued at the Court of Appeal that the four-and-a-half-year jail sentence imposed on Christopher Rafter for the rape and sexual assault of his two younger sisters was too lenient. Rafter, of Portlaoise, Co Laois, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to offences committed between 1989 and 1993. Ms Fiona Murphy SC, representing the State, contended that the concurrent structure of the sentences resulted in a single punishment for two victims, with Rafter receiving only two years for ten indecent assaults. She noted that Mr Justice McDermott had identified a headline sentence of nine years for the rape of Linda Rafter, reduced to six years before suspending 18 months, and a headline of seven years for the rape of Dolores Prendergast, reduced to four-and-a-half years. The State alleged that too much credit was given to Rafter's age during the majority of the offending. In response, Mr John D Fitzgerald SC for Rafter cited his client's borderline intellectual disability and schizoid personality, arguing the sentence was not radically out of line with similar cases. The court heard that the abuse was continuous and involved a significant breach of trust. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement in this appeal.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach pleaded not guilty to 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys. The court heard that the complainants, now men in their 40s and 50s, had been in contact with the accused as boys or teenagers through sports and family friendship. The State alleged that the accused exposed himself, fondled, masturbated, handcuffed, urinated and defecated with the boys, and that he offered money for sexual acts. The accused denied suggesting that a second complainant could pay off a loan by letting him watch the complainant's wife and him have sex. He claimed the relationship with the second complainant became sexual only after he turned 18 and that any acts were consensual. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
A 62‑year‑old man who sexually abused his two sisters over a seven‑year period more than 40 years ago lost an appeal against his conviction and five‑year prison sentence. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, rejected the appellant's legal team's arguments that the trial was unfair because the offences occurred more than four decades earlier, that separate trials should have been held for each complainant, and that the indictment had been amended after all evidence was heard. The appellant was originally convicted in September 2021 by a Central Criminal Court jury in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, of one count of rape and 12 counts of indecent assault between 1974 and 1981, and was sentenced to five years in prison by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart. The appeal was dismissed, with the court finding no merit in the criticisms raised.
A 58‑year‑old man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after a Central Criminal Court trial in November convicted him of 11 offences, including rape, oral rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, threat to kill and forcing a child to watch sexual activity. The crimes were committed against his nine‑year‑old daughter in the family home in the Midlands between December 2019 and April 2020. He used religious arguments, telling the child that the bible required obedience to a father, and threatened to kill her and other family members if she disclosed the abuse, showing her a knife. The daughter, now 11, described lasting trauma, nightmares, vomiting and fear of being ostracised by peers. Her mother also gave a victim impact statement. The judge imposed concurrent 15‑year terms for the rape offences, suspended the final year on condition of good behaviour, and ordered probation supervision for one year.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, 51‑year‑old Julie Flood was found not guilty of murdering her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, by reason of insanity. The trial, which lasted 48 minutes of deliberation, focused on Flood's paranoid schizophrenia and psychotic state at the time of the stabbing. She claimed a voice of God told her her father was an imposter, and she had a history of persecutory delusions, including a belief that U2's voices accused her of rape. The jury accepted psychiatric evidence that she met the criteria for a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict. Judge Paul McDermott remanded Flood to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane, with a new court appearance scheduled for 4 May. The court thanked counsel and nursing staff for their assistance during the proceedings. Julie Flood was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach is on trial for 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys, with alleged incidents spanning 1978 to 1993 in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny. One complainant, now 56, described how the coach first approached him around age 12, rubbing his leg and later tying him with twine and handcuffs, touching his genitals and taking naked photographs in the coach's car and home. He also recounted being taken to a wooded area where he was tied to a tree, had his genitals squeezed, and was threatened with a cigarette. The complainant said these weekly abuses continued until he was 15 and that he received money from the coach. The witness denied that the allegations were fabricated and insisted he was not lying. The trial is set to continue before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. The unnamed 72-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to five counts of indecent and sexual assault against teenage boys in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny between 1978 and 1993. One complainant, now 48, testified that the accused began making sexual innuendos when he was about 12, offering money for the boy to allow the man to touch his penis and later to watch him masturbate. The complainant described being tied to trees and beds, forced to perform acts involving urination and defecation, and the accused wearing women's clothes and demanding the boy "punish" him by squeezing his genitals or kicking him. Alcohol and drugs were also present. Another complainant, aged 52, recounted a 1985 incident where the accused touched his penis in a car and the boy later reported the event to a Garda station, only to be told an adult was required.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny between 1978 and 1993. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, presented evidence that the accused tied boys up in woods or at his home, exposed his penis, forced them to urinate in a glass and defecate in his mouth, and engaged in other sexual acts. The first complainant, now 51, testified that the coach, a family friend, offered money for such acts, describing a pattern that began when he was 13 and continued until he was 20. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, remains ongoing with a jury hearing the case.
A 38-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to seven counts of assault causing harm to his younger brother. The offences, committed between March 2001 and March 2006 at a Dublin family home, involved the defendant, then aged 16 to 21, subjecting the victim, then aged 11 to 16, to beatings with a nail-studded baton and other violence. Ms Justice Melanie Greally described the conduct as "sadistic" and involving "particular brutality," noting the profound and lasting damage inflicted on the victim. The court heard the defendant has 138 previous convictions and is currently serving a separate five-year sentence for assaulting another brother. Although oral rape charges were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions during the current trial, the defendant admitted to the seven assault counts. Defence counsel Kathleen Leader SC urged the judge not to extend his custody beyond his current term, citing his history of substance abuse and family instability. Ms Justice Greally handed down a five-year sentence, backdated to February 2020, when the man first entered custody for the other brother's convictions. The judge considered the guilty pleas as a mitigating factor while emphasizing the breach of trust and the vulnerability of the child victim.
Sergeant Cathal Middleton, a Garda officer since 2002, has launched a High Court action to challenge his proposed dismissal from An Garda Síochána. The 42-year-old sergeant, who was found guilty of sexual assault at Blanchardstown District Court in October last year, claims the Garda Commissioner's decision to dismiss him before his criminal appeal is heard breaches fair procedures and natural justice. Middleton, who denied the charge, was sentenced to five months in prison following his conviction on one count of sexual assault. He alleges that the Commissioner acted outside their powers by recommending dismissal without a disciplinary hearing, despite an outstanding appeal. Represented by Mark Harty SC and Oisin Clarke BL, Middleton seeks orders to quash the dismissal recommendation and prevent further steps toward his removal. The case came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who granted permission for the challenge on an ex-parte basis. The matter was adjourned and will be mentioned before the court later this year.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court failed to reach a verdict in the trial of three men accused of raping a teenage girl in a car in December 2017. The complainant, then 17, alleged she was raped in turn by the defendants at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, also 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. After a three-week trial and over nine hours of deliberation, the jury returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts. Ms Justice Greally adjourned the case for mention to April 28 next. Prosecutors argued the complainant explicitly said no, while defence counsel contended the interactions were consensual or that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Under the 1981 Rape Act, the defendants retain anonymity until conviction, and the complainant remains entitled to anonymity.
The jury in the trial of three defendants accused of raping a then-teenage girl in a hotel car park has begun deliberations. The State alleges that on December 20, 2017, in the Leinster area, the complainant went for a drive with her friend, the three accused, and another man. While the vehicle was stopped, the prosecution claims each defendant raped the woman. All three defendants deny wrongdoing. The first defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. Ms Justice Melanie Greally sent the jury home for the weekend after approximately 90 minutes of deliberation. During her charge, she noted the complainant's friend was unavailable due to circumstances beyond anyone's control and attributed trial delays to the pandemic. Defense counsel for the third defendant argued the issue was consent, stating his client admitted sexual activity but claimed it was consensual. He suggested the complainant's evidence lacked plausibility, citing her failure to see a security van and her positive messages to a friend later that night. He urged the jury to consider if the incident was a regretted 'misguided adventure' rather than a crime. The jury is due to continue deliberations on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Wexford man was convicted of five sexual assault and two oral rape offences against a 36‑year‑old victim, with incidents spanning 1991 to 2005. His defence argued that the prolific nature of his attacks indicated an underlying compulsion that could be a mitigating personal characteristic, but Judge David Keane dismissed the claim as unattractive and lacking medical evidence. The judge imposed a 14‑year prison term for the rape offences and sentences of three and seven years for the sexual assaults, all concurrent and back‑dated to the date of custody. He did not suspend any portion of the sentence and ordered the offender to be supervised by the Probation Service for two years after release. The victim gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse and her resilience, while the defendant continued to deny the charges.
Closing speeches were delivered at the Central Criminal Court for two of three men accused of raping a then-teenage girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, aged 23, who pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape, is scheduled to deliver his closing speech tomorrow. Defence counsel argued that the complainant's evidence contained inconsistencies and suggested she may have manipulated information to distance herself from her actions. Counsel for the second defendant questioned the plausibility of the complainant not raising an alarm after being allegedly raped in succession by three men. Counsel for the first defendant highlighted the absence of DNA evidence linking his client to the complainant and suggested an alternative verdict of sexual assault might be open to the jury. Both defence teams urged the jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that their clients knew or were reckless about the lack of consent. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
Thomas Cunningham, 55, of Dublin 8, was convicted of attempting to communicate with a child for sexual exploitation between July and August 2019. He had been under an eight‑year post‑release supervision order after a 2017 release from a 10‑year sentence for 41 sexual offences. In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four years, suspending the final year, and imposed a five‑year good‑behaviour period with Probation Service engagement. Cunningham pleaded guilty to three charges and admitted sending 1,660 messages to a decoy profile set up by a child‑protection group, believing the recipient to be a 14‑year‑old. He also sent 185 messages to an unidentified number and 211 to a third number, claiming the child was 15. He denied any sexual content but admitted intent to meet the children. The judge noted no contact had occurred and highlighted Cunningham's prior serious sexual assault conviction.
Closing submissions have begun in the Central Criminal Court trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, also 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. Prosecuting counsel Alice Fawsitt SC argued that the complainant's entry into the vehicle did not constitute consent to sexual activity, countering defence claims that the interaction was consensual. She highlighted that the complainant stated she said no to requests for sex and became frightened, while the defendants alleged she showed no distress. The third defendant testified that he believed the complainant offered him oral sex and that the second car was collected for comfort, denying any forcing. The prosecution suggested the defendants were reckless regarding consent. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
The trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued at the Central Criminal Court. The first defendant (22), second defendant (23), and third defendant (23) have all pleaded not guilty. The first defendant is charged with rape and sexual assault; the second with rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault; and the third with rape and oral rape. Giving evidence on the ninth day, the first defendant told the jury that interactions were consensual, stating, "no rape was screamed." He alleged the complainant initiated sexual contact and that he refused her offer of oral sex. He denied pulling her toward the vehicle, claiming she walked willingly. Under cross-examination, he acknowledged the complainant's friend refused sex with the third defendant, contradicting his earlier claim that she offered sex to all four men. He stated he was not in the car when the second defendant was with the complainant. Witnesses described the complainant getting into the car first. The matter remains at trial stage; no verdict or sentence has been delivered.
In March 2023 the Court of Appeal sentenced a 39‑year‑old man to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his partner's 12‑year‑old daughter. The assault occurred on 5–6 October 2019 during a family gathering when the girl was asleep on a couch. The man woke her twice, touched her vagina and chest under her pyjamas, and then attempted to buy her silence, offering €20, then €600, which she refused. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and had originally received a four‑year sentence suspended in full by Judge Patrick Quinn in February 2022. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the non‑custodial sanction was too lenient. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient, quashed it, and imposed the 18‑month custodial term. The judge noted the assault had a profound effect on the girl and that the man had shown no immediate remorse.
Stephen Gregan, 42, was found in possession of 64 images and 57 movies of child sexual abuse material when Gardaí searched his Rathmines home in June 2017, following a complaint that he had sexually assaulted an 11‑year‑old girl in a Penneys shop. He pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and received a nine‑month suspended sentence in October 2019 for the sexual assault. In March 2023 Judge Melanie Greally imposed an 18‑month prison sentence for the child‑abuse‑material charge, but suspended it for two years on strict conditions, including probation supervision. The judge cited the time elapsed since the offence, Gregan's rehabilitation efforts, lack of further Garda attention, and the absence of distribution of the material as mitigating factors. The sentence was fully suspended, so no custodial time is to be served.
The trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued at the Central Criminal Court. The first defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. A security guard testified that he observed two people appearing to engage in sexual activity in a car, with one man responding to his presence with a sneer and a comment about "doing a bit of riding." The complainant's mother stated her daughter returned home with a "vacant" look and disclosed the incident two days later. A friend confirmed the complainant told her she had been raped by three men. Forensic evidence presented included DNA matches for the second and third defendants on the complainant's clothing and in the car's passenger seats. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 16‑year‑old victim of rape by two older boys disclosed that the assaults led her to develop an eating disorder as a means of self‑harm. The older defendant, 17 at the time of the offence, was convicted of one count of rape, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault; the younger, 15, was convicted of one count of oral rape and one of sexual assault. The attacks occurred over two‑and‑a‑half hours on the night of 26 July 2020 in a remote lane near a Co Kerry town, while the victim was intoxicated. Justice Michael McGrath sentenced the older offender, now 19, to five years and five months' imprisonment, suspending the final year on condition of good behaviour and probation. The younger offender, now 17, received a three‑year detention order, back‑dated to 31 July.
The Central Criminal Court trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued on its sixth day. The first defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. All charges are alleged or contested, with no findings or sentences recorded at this procedural stage. During cross-examination via videolink, the complainant disputed the third defendant's counsel's suggestion that the encounter was consensual. She stated she said no and did not participate. Defence counsel Mark Nicholas SC argued it was improbable the complainant did not notice a security guard arriving, noting the guard is expected to testify to seeing sexual activity. The complainant maintained she saw no one else. She explained she did not seek help due to fear and was in "fight or flight" mode. She admitted to using a sibling's phone to message a friend, which counsel suggested was an attempt to deceive. The complainant stated she told her mother two days later, leading to a Rape Crisis Centre referral. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
The Central Criminal Court trial of three men accused of raping a 17-year-old in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued on its sixth day. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. During cross-examination, the complainant testified that she did not consent to the alleged acts, stating she was scared and that the men became aggressive. She told counsel for the second defendant that she did not think she would have to shout no. Defense counsel for the first defendant suggested she had lied about the timing of her awareness and that she agreed to go for a walk, allegations she denied. The complainant stated she removed her trousers because the first defendant was going to do it anyway. She also denied suggestions that she lied to gardaí about the time before entering the vehicle or that she deleted apps to cover her tracks. The complainant confirmed she was sober and had not met the defendants before that evening. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
A senior Trinity College manager, Brendan Leahy, who was sacked after pleading guilty to sexual assault, has been informed by the Workplace Relations Commission that the Probation Act does not provide employment protection. Leahy's dismissal was upheld by the employment tribunal, which rejected his claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The tribunal heard that Leahy's District Court conviction on 24 March 2021, which resulted in a three-month suspended prison sentence and a €1,000 fine, was widely reported in the media. This was followed by a further allegation of sexual harassment against him by a former employee, identified as Ms X. Leahy admitted to the sexual assault charge and was given the Probation Act in July 2021. However, the tribunal found that his failure to inform his employer of the charge before the hearing left the college with only the information of his guilty plea and the Probation Act. The tribunal ruled that Trinity College was entitled to consider the sequence of events as serious misconduct and upheld the finding of sexual harassment in respect of the second allegation. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
A 40‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to four years in prison in June 2021 for raping his younger sister when she was between five and nine and for sexually assaulting her again when she was 16 and he was 21. He denied both offences and had no prior convictions. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 March 2023, his counsel argued that the time elapsed between the offences should have been considered for mitigation, claiming the sexual‑assault sentence was disproportionate. The appeal was dismissed. The judges noted the victim's age, the breach of trust, and the fact that she had to fight off her brother during the assault. They said the sentence was proper and just, and that no part of it had been suspended. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original four‑year custodial term in place.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 17‑year‑old woman alleged she was raped by three men in a hotel car park on 20 December 2017. She said she had been invited by a friend to "go for a drive" and that the friend had shown her photos on Facebook. The woman confirmed she had not previously travelled with boys she did not know and that she believed the night was a drive, not sex. She stated she was shocked when the defendants approached her in the car and that she had not consented to any sexual activity. She told a friend she had been forced to have sex with the men and that she had been raped. The defendants, aged 22, 23 and 22, have pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.
A 71‑year‑old Christian Brother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six and a half years' imprisonment for nine counts of indecent assault on four boys between 1976 and 1978, when he was their fourth‑class teacher at a CBS school in Leinster. He had previously served a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term for indecently assaulting five other boys in the late 1970s and had about 45 prior convictions for indecent assault. The jury found him guilty after he denied the charges and refused to accept the verdicts. Victim impact statements were read at the sentencing hearing, describing physical abuse, sexual assault, and lasting psychological harm.
Martin Joyce, 42, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a nurse on 29 October 2020 while he was a voluntary inpatient at a Dublin psychiatric hospital. He was heavily medicated for a misdiagnosed schizophrenia, later re‑diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder. The assault occurred around 11 pm after Joyce had been transferred to the main ward. The nurse described Joyce staring at her, grabbing her breasts, sliding his hands down to her bottom, and then lunging at her. She activated her alarm and escaped along the corridor. Joyce later admitted the offence, expressed remorse and was found guilty. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, imposed a fully suspended sentence, ordered Joyce to be of good behaviour for one year and to comply with Probation Services supervision. He also noted Joyce's previous seven convictions, including assault, malicious damage and failure to comply with Garda directions.
The trial of three men accused of raping a 17-year-old woman in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued at the Central Criminal Court. The complainant testified that she was in shock after the alleged attack and could not believe what had happened. She described being driven to petrol stations where the defendants purchased cigarettes, noting she was unsure if she exited the vehicle at the first stop. After being dropped off, she walked to a friend's house, where she checked for bleeding but found only fluid. She later took the morning-after pill and contacted her boss, claiming a stomach bug, before spending the day at a friend's home. Her mother subsequently arranged an appointment at a sexual assault treatment unit. The complainant stated she delayed reporting to gardaí until December 27 due to fear, providing her clothes and names obtained from Facebook searches. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of oral rape. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
Three men, aged 22, 23 and 22, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court for alleged rape and sexual assault of a 17‑year‑old girl in a hotel car park in Leinster on 20 December 2017. The first defendant pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault; the second pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault; the third pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of oral rape. The complainant, who left home around 6 pm after a friend texted her to go for a drive, was taken to the car park by four male passengers. She alleges the defendants forced her into the car, attempted to undress her, and engaged in non‑consensual sexual acts, including rape, oral rape and forced intercourse.