Joe McCabe, aged 21, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to one count of sexual assault against a 16‑year‑old friend at his home in Maynooth between 2 and 31 March 2018. He was 17 at the time of the offence. The victim, now 21, gave consent for his name to be disclosed. At the hearing, Justice Karen O'Connor remanded McCabe in custody before sentencing. She imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspended in full on a number of conditions, noting that he must be sentenced as a minor and that detention should be a last resort. The judge highlighted the victim's catastrophic life impact, her disrupted education, ongoing depression, anxiety and flashbacks, and the significant and ongoing effect on her daily life. McCabe's guilty plea and the fact that the victim avoided trial were taken into account as mitigating factors.
A 17‑year‑old boy from Louth pleaded guilty to four counts of anal rape, one count of rape, two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault against his niece and cousin, aged nine to ten, between November 2019 and March 2020. The court heard that the boy, who had been a good student and sportsman, lured the girls to his bedroom under the pretext of playing with his X‑box, forced them to lie face down on the bed and anally raped them in front of each other, and also vaginally raped one girl, causing her to bleed. He sent the other girl photographs of his erect penis and made her watch adult pornography, later demanding screenshots as proof. The abuse was discovered in April 2020 when the girls' sisters saw messages on the victim's phone. The girls did not give victim impact statements and have not received counselling, though their parents will if needed.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for choking and assaulting his 31‑year‑old partner over three separate incidents in 2017 and 2018. The court found him guilty of three counts of assault causing harm, each occurring in their Waterford home. He had previously been acquitted of rape and had earlier convictions for assault and public order offences. The judge noted a pattern of controlling behaviour, including restricting the victim's social life and demanding her work schedule. The final 12 months of the 27‑month sentence were suspended for two years on strict conditions, and the man must be supervised by Probation Services for 12 months after release. The sentence was imposed concurrently for all three counts and backdated to the date he entered custody.
Christina Anderson, aged 41, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of Gareth Kelly, 39, who died from stab wounds on 25 February 2020. Psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright testified that Anderson had an alter‑ego named 'Nicky' and reported a history of childhood bullying, sexual assault at 16, self‑harm, and psychiatric illness. She described her father as psychologically abusive and a narcissist, and mentioned a paternal uncle who committed suicide. Anderson's mental health history included bipolar affective disorder, depression, mania, and hallucinations while smoking cannabis. She had taken antidepressants and lithium, and used alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, speed, ecstasy and magic mushrooms. Dr Wright confirmed Anderson understood her hallucinations were not real. Prosecutor Patrick McGrath described the CCTV evidence of the stabbing and Anderson's movements. The trial continues before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
An 18‑year‑old who received a suspended five‑year prison sentence for orally raping a minor in 2018 is now under investigation for sexual assault of a teenage girl in a West of Ireland town. The court heard that since moving there three months ago he has had 12 interactions with gardai, including incidents involving vulnerable teenage girls. He was found with two girls who had been reported missing – a 16‑year‑old in September and a 13‑year‑old in October – and was again found with a 16‑year‑old who later alleged physical assault. He has also been arrested for public order offences, theft of alcohol and breach of the Sex Offenders Act for failing to notify gardai of a change of address. The judge adjourned the case to 31 January, stating he would require evidence of genuine engagement with probation and therapeutic services before considering the suspended sentence again. The unnamed 18-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, William O'Riordan, a 48‑year‑old farm labourer from Derry, Banteer, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of his niece between September 2001 and March 2006. The judge noted O'Riordan's reduced cognitive function but also that he understood his actions were wrong and showed no remorse. He was sentenced to a three‑year term, with the final two years suspended on conditions of good behaviour and peacekeeping for three years. The sentence will be deferred until early next year to allow his elderly mother, who has postponed surgery, to recover. O'Riordan was remanded on bail until February 7, when he must report to begin serving his sentence. The victim, who was nine to ten at the time, described the abuse as deeply traumatic and expressed fear for her children. The case was brought to court after a formal complaint in July 2018.
A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for assaulting his partner at their Co Leitrim home on 5 July 2020. The man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He was acquitted of two counts of rape following trial. During sentencing, the court heard that after the assault, the man told his ten-year-old son "Mammy fell on daddy's fist many times" when the child asked about his mother's injuries. The investigating garda described this comment as deeply disturbing. The woman sustained serious injuries including a fractured nose, head injury, and facial bruising. She told gardaí she was repeatedly choked during the assault and feared for her life. The man has 29 previous convictions. Justice Karen O'Connor noted the violation occurred in what should have been a safe home environment, with aggravating factors including the child's presence in the house and the false explanation given to him. The sentence has been backdated to July 2020 when the man entered custody.
Two 17‑year‑old boys were sentenced to three years' detention suspended on strict conditions for attempting to force a 14‑year‑old girl to perform oral sex, stealing her phone and assaulting her. Both pleaded guilty to attempted oral rape, four counts of sexual assault and, for the first boy, an additional count of assault causing harm. The judge, Mr Justice McDermott, described the offences as very serious, noting the boys' attempts to trap the victim, threaten her phone and use violence when her refusal was not accepted. He highlighted the boys' guilty pleas, expressions of remorse and young age as mitigating factors. The suspended sentence requires each boy to engage with the Probation Service, cooperate with suitable programmes and have no contact with the victim. The court emphasised that custody is a last resort and that the boys must comply with the conditions to avoid future custodial sentences.
Michael John Cummins, 22, of Dreenane, Carbury, was sentenced to five years in prison for the anal rape of a teenage friend who was asleep after a house party in County Kildare on 25 November 2018. Cummins pleaded guilty in June 2022. The victim, who chose to remain unnamed, gave permission for Cummins to be named and provided a victim impact statement in which she questioned why he had not pleaded guilty earlier and expressed relief at his eventual admission. The judge noted the profound effect on her life, her fear, and her resilience. Cummins was found to have genuine remorse, and the court imposed a custodial sentence of six years and three months, with the final 15 months suspended on strict conditions, including no contact with the victim and engagement with the Probation Service. The case highlighted the victim's struggle to regain safety and confidence after the assault.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 December 2022, a 22‑year‑old rape victim recounted that after her rapist, a 40‑year‑old Meath man, was arrested, his defence solicitor began following her on social media. She described the assault that occurred on 11 February 2007 while she slept in a friend's house, the years of anxiety and depression that followed, and her eventual decision to seek counselling and report the crime in 2017. The victim said the trial process intensified her distress, noting that defence counsel had suggested she was seeking money after the man's inheritance. She asked for an acknowledgement, explanation and apology from the accused, who denied the allegations and claimed she was lying. The judge adjourned the case for a further sentence hearing on 17 February, where mitigation will be considered. The unnamed woman was found guilty.
A 45-year-old Cork woman with extremely low intellectual ability was sentenced by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor after being found guilty by a jury of wilful neglect, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation of her child between 2010 and 2015. The defendant, who does not accept the verdicts, was convicted last June. The court heard she has high intervention needs, including heroin addiction now managed with methadone, and significant childhood trauma. The victim, now in State care, provided a statement detailing ongoing nightmares and fear. The child's father, who was charged with more serious offences, died in custody before trial, retaining his presumption of innocence. Defence counsel Ronan Munro SC highlighted the defendant's post-natal depression and lack of prior loving relationships. Forensic psychologist Dr Patrick Randall assessed her risk of sexual reoffending as low. Justice O'Connor noted the devastating impact on the victim but determined that further incarceration would not benefit society given the defendant's cognitive limitations. The court backdated a three-year prison sentence and suspended the remainder. Conditions require the woman to engage with Tusla regarding child safeguarding measures and to participate in drug and alcohol interventions as advised.
Stephen 'Rossi' Walsh, aged 75, had his 2010 conviction for indecent assault of a seven‑year‑old girl overturned by the Court of Appeal. Walsh had previously been sentenced to 10 years for raping a nine‑year‑old in the early 1990s, and in 2010 received a three‑year sentence for the 1988 assaults, followed by a 12‑year sentence in 2011 for further sexual offences. The appeal centred on pre‑trial media coverage, notably Sunday World and News of the World articles published the day before his trial, which portrayed Walsh as a convicted pervert and gang member. Walsh argued that this coverage prejudiced the jury and that the trial judge failed to give adequate warnings. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction, noting the coverage was "highly egregious" and that the judge's instructions were insufficient. The court left it to the State to decide whether a retrial is required.
Kevin Cradden, 33, of Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a Dublin house on 31 May 2021. He was described as "dumb drunk" after consuming a large amount of alcohol at a barbecue. The victim, a tenant, woke to find Cradden in her bed, kissing her and touching her vagina. She recognised him as "Kevin" and was confused. Her housemate confronted him, and he left the house naked from the waist down. Cradden has no prior convictions and has not been in contact with Gardaí since the assault. He has expressed remorse, has no memory of the night, and has engaged in counselling. The case was adjourned for a probation report to assess his risk to society, with sentencing scheduled for 23 May next year. The victim's impact statement was read in silence by Judge Orla Crowe.
Patrick McLoughlin, aged 35, of Torboy, Moydow, County Longford, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, following his conviction for sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, County Mayo. A jury found him guilty in March 2022 of sexually assaulting a woman in Galway city centre in August 2017. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed strict conditions on the suspension, including engagement with the Probation Service. The judge remarked during sentencing that young men must understand that refusal of consent is unambiguous, criticising what she described as a widespread lack of understanding of the word "no" in sexual offence cases. McLoughlin maintains his innocence despite the jury verdict. His associate, Karl Reilly, was separately convicted of rape and sentenced to seven years with eighteen months suspended. The victim provided a statement describing ongoing trauma from the incident. Patrick McLoughlin pleaded not guilty.
In December 2022, a 50‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11½ years in prison for a series of violent assaults and two counts of rape against his former partner. The Central Criminal Court heard that between August and September 2016 he subjected her to repeated physical abuse, including kicking, dragging by the hair, strangulation attempts, urination, bleach burns, and forced sexual acts. He also threatened to brand her with an iron. He pleaded guilty to 32 assault‑related charges and was convicted of 15 additional assault counts, two rapes and a threat to kill. The judge set a headline sentence of 14 years, reduced to 12 years due to the absence of prior convictions, and noted limited remorse. The victim, who fled with her children to a women's refuge, described severe fear and psychological trauma. The case involved three prior convictions, one in the UK and one for breaching a barring order. The unnamed 50-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Defrocked priest Denis Nolan, aged 70, had his 13‑year prison term extended by 18 months after the Central Criminal Court found he had repeatedly raped two boys between 2001 and 2005. Nolan pleaded guilty to three counts of anal rape, one of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault of a third boy. The court noted the abuse was described as violent, aggressive and prolonged, and that Nolan had groomed the victim by offering money for gardening work, alcohol and sexual acts. He had previously been jailed for seven years in 2014 and for six years in 2017 for similar offences. Justice Karen O'Connor imposed a nine‑year sentence, suspended seven and a half years, and ordered Nolan to remain under probation supervision for five years after release. The victim reported severe physical and mental harm, and Nolan has engaged in a sex‑offender treatment programme while in custody. The court emphasised the massive breach of trust involved.
Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor, lost a High Court challenge to a disciplinary sanction imposed by the Governor of the Midlands Prison after he threw a bible at Judge Karen O'Connor during a sentencing hearing in July 2021. The sanction, which removes ordinary privileges for 40 days, was applied following a complaint by prison officers who had attended the court. Murray had been sentenced to 16 years for threatening barristers and harassing others involved in his trial, and had previously been convicted of rape and child abduction. In his appeal, Murray argued that the Governor had no authority to impose the sanction while he was in court custody, but Mr Justice Charles Meenan ruled that the Governor was lawfully entitled to discipline him under the 2007 Prison Rules Act. The case will return for final orders later this month.
A technical training company, Socrates Workforce Solutions Ltd, was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay former lecturer Kathleen Ryan nearly €90,000 after she was sexually harassed by a colleague, Mr A, in a classroom on 27 April 2021. The commission found the company vicariously liable for the harassment and sexual assault, noting a flawed investigation that left Ms Ryan confused and Mr A feeling vindicated. Ms Ryan's complaints alleged discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and penalisation under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The tribunal recorded that Mr A had entered the classroom uninvited, leered at Ms Ryan, and sexually assaulted her while she assisted a student. Mr A later harassed her via WhatsApp and LinkedIn. The company's internal investigation issued a written warning to Mr A, but the commission deemed the response inadequate.
Roy Sugaton, aged 19 and a former resident of Ferndale, Navan, was sentenced to three years in prison for raping a 15‑year‑old girl outside her home on 28 November 2019. He pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape. Sugaton was 16 at the time of the offence and had no prior convictions. The court, hearing at the Central Criminal Court, noted the predatory nature of the attack, the threat of recording a video, and the humiliation of ejaculating into the victim's mouth. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor set a headline sentence of four and a half years, suspended the final 18 months for two years on strict conditions, and imposed a five‑year post‑release supervision period. The sentence reflected his minor status, his guilty plea, and mitigating factors such as his lack of convictions and difficulties at school. The victim, now 18, expressed ongoing fear and anxiety following the assault.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of Christopher Ashmore, a 76-year-old man convicted of sexually assaulting his partner's daughter in the late 1990s. Ashmore, of Co Roscommon, had pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault, including two charges of oral rape, committed in Dublin between January 1998 and December 1999. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on four counts in June 2021. Originally, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment for the two oral rape charges, with the final 12 months suspended, and three years for the two sexual assault charges, to run concurrently. In this appeal, Mr Justice John Edwards dismissed the challenge to the conviction but quashed the original sentence for the rape convictions, citing Ashmore's age and the prospect he might die in prison. In re-sentencing, Mr Justice Edwards fixed a headline sentence of 12 years but discounted three years in mitigation and suspended the final two years. Consequently, Ashmore is to serve nine years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended. The victim, who waived anonymity, described Ashmore as a "sick sexual abuser" who left her a "broken child." The court noted the offending was heinous and persistent, but adjusted the effective custody period based on mitigating factors.
A 22‑year‑old man, assessed as having the intellectual capacity of a 14‑year‑old, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to raping a 16‑year‑old girl in January 2017. The victim, who was also 16 at the time, described the assault as having permanently altered her life, leaving her with PTSD, insomnia, night terrors and panic attacks. She said the accused had taken her innocence and treated her like a rag doll, dehumanising her and causing her shame. The court considered the victim's testimony, the defendant's cognitive difficulties, his guilty plea and lack of prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a sentence of three and a half years, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation supervision, no contact with the victim and engagement with appropriate services. The sentence reflected the mitigating factors of the defendant's age, maturity and intellectual capacity.
Sergio Arriaga, 44, of Lucan, was found guilty of possessing child pornography after a search of his home in April 2013 revealed over 2,700 images and 234 videos of child sexual abuse. The material, downloaded from a peer‑to‑peer network, included images of children as young as two years old. Arriaga pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 20‑month sentence, with the final eight months suspended on strict conditions and requiring Arriaga to be supervised by Probation Services for eight months. He has no prior convictions and is employed full‑time. The judge noted the grotesque nature of the material and the seriousness of the offence, but also considered his early guilty plea and expressions of remorse as mitigating factors. The case had been pending since 2013 due to delays in repairing the hard drives.
Three men—Francis Murphy (61), Declan Murphy (54) and Francis Boland (56)—were convicted of indecent assault on a child aged 11‑15 during the early 1980s. Each pleaded not guilty and had no prior convictions. The victim waived anonymity and described the abuse, which included forced masturbation and attempts to insert the men's penises into his mouth. The court noted that Murphy was an adult at the time, while Murphy and Boland were juveniles. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Murphy to 36 months' imprisonment, Declan Murphy to 30 months, and Boland to 22 months, deferred one month. All three will be placed on the sex offenders register. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting psychological harm and ongoing difficulties with alcohol and drugs. The defendants' counsel highlighted their long work histories and lack of prior Garda attention. The judge emphasized the men's law‑abiding conduct since the offences and offered legal aid for any appeal.
Paul Morris, aged 55, was sentenced to eight years in prison after a jury found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted anal rape against a teenage boy aged 13–14. The offences occurred between 1 May 2010 and 1 April 2011 at Morris's trailer in Chianti Park, Tallaght. Morris, who had previously worked as a youth worker but not since 2002, had persuaded the boy's mother to allow the boy to stay overnight by claiming he was a youth worker. He then sexually assaulted the boy, groping his genitals and masturbating in front of him, and on a second occasion attempted an anal rape, which the boy resisted. Morris maintains his innocence and has no prior convictions. He was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath to a headline term of ten years, reduced to eight years, with mitigating factors including his lack of prior convictions and medical history.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Fionn Daly, who had been sexually abused by his mother, Suzanna Hassett, waived anonymity to name her. Hassett, aged 66, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault between 1984 and 1987, when Daly was up to three years old, and to four counts of sexual assault between 1992 and 1995, when he was between seven and 11. She had no prior convictions. Daly described the abuse as occurring while he was in nappies, with his mother masturbating him and using his arm to masturbate herself, and said it happened two or three times a week over 18 months. He had complained to Gardaí in 2017, after which Hassett entered counselling and admitted the offences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a total sentence of eight years, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision.
A 50‑year‑old convicted sex offender, whose identity is withheld to protect his victim, had his sentence increased at the Court of Appeal after the State appealed his original 5½‑year term. The man broke into his ex‑partner's home in the middle of the night, armed with a hook‑like gardening implement, and sexually assaulted her after striking her with the tool. He also assaulted her in the living room during a struggle. The original judge had sentenced him to 5½ years for aggravated burglary (final year suspended) and 5 years for sexual assault (final six months suspended), plus additional terms for assault causing harm, criminal damage and making threats to kill. The appeal argued the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence, set a headline sentence of nine years, suspended two and a half years, and ordered probation and a safety order after the 5½‑year custodial term. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 26‑year‑old Kildare woman was sentenced to five years for the violent sexual assault of her estranged husband, who pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault. The court heard a 999 call made by the victim during the attack, in which she repeatedly screamed for help. The defendant, who suffered an acquired brain injury in 2017, was given a suspended 15‑month period on the condition of rehabilitation and was ordered to keep the peace for three years after release. The judge noted the victim's fear and the impact of the assault, including her ongoing nightmares and the need for CCTV and locks at her home. The defendant's parents were present at the hearing, and the victim chose to remain anonymous. The sentence was reduced from a headline of seven and a half years to five years due to mitigating factors.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the defrocked priest Denis Nolan, aged 70, pleaded guilty to multiple sexual offences against a schoolboy between 2001 and 2005. Nolan, who served as curate in Rathnew from 1998 to 2012, had been on the school's management board. He lured the 12‑year‑old boy to do gardening work, offering €15‑€100, then began asking about sex and molesting him. Nolan raped the boy on several occasions, including face‑down on a bed, in a car, and at the presbytery, sometimes after giving him beer. He also performed oral sex on the boy more than 15 times between 2005 and 2006. The victim's impact report described the abuse as "horrendous" and said it had caused lasting mental health problems. Nolan had previously been jailed for seven years in 2014 for a similar abuse in Wicklow and for six years in 2017 for another case.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 39‑year‑old man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his younger sister when he was 12 to 14 years old, between November 1995 and January 1998. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and placed on the sex‑offender register. The man appealed the rape conviction, arguing that the trial judge erred by including details of other withdrawn counts in the jury's charge. He also contested whether there was sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption of incapacity to commit a crime (doli incapax). The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, considered three strands of evidence: the victim's distress, the private setting of the alleged assault, and the defendant's reaction to his older sister's arrival. The court found the evidence sufficient to allow the jury to infer that the defendant knew his conduct was gravely wrong, and it dismissed the appeal, affirming the conviction.
In a case heard in the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old boy was found guilty by a jury of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault against his 7‑year‑old cousin. The offences occurred in the victim's home in 2018 when the boy was 13. The victim reported that the boy inserted a finger into her vagina on four occasions and also orally raped her, threatening her not to tell anyone. She told her mother in July 2019, who then contacted the gardai. The boy's mother and sister were also involved in the investigation. The boy's defence team did not allow cross‑examination of the victim and did not give a closing speech. The boy accepted the jury verdict but did not appeal. The case was adjourned to 6 December for finalisation.
A 45‑year‑old Cork security guard, Andrew Healy, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting his younger sister over a 17‑year period. He pleaded guilty to 16 counts of sexual assault between 1992 and 2009, including an attempted rape. The abuse began when the sister was about four or five and Healy was 15, occurring mainly in their family home in Ballingcollig, with some incidents at a second Cork location and at Healy's flat in Wilton. The victim, who chose to waive anonymity, reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2017 after years of daily molestation. Healy's guilty plea and the victim's testimony led to a sentence of seven and a half years, with the final year suspended and conditions such as probation supervision, no unsupervised contact with minors, and no contact with the victim without permission. The court noted Healy's remorse and the mitigating effect of his early plea.
An unnamed man, who pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape of his younger sister and one count of sexual assault of his younger brother on unknown dates between 1994 and 1997, was handed a suspended prison sentence at the Central Criminal Court. The matter reached this stage after the Director of Public Prosecutions' initial decision against prosecution was overturned on appeal. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor suspended a three-and-a-half-year sentence in full, citing the "wholly exceptional" circumstances, including the accused's remorse and the victims' request not to imprison him. She noted the accused was 13 at the time of the offending and sentenced him as a child. The headline sentence for the rape count was reduced from seven years to three-and-a-half years, while a two-year sentence for the sexual assault count was imposed to run concurrently. The judge highlighted the accused's lack of previous convictions and his self-employment as mitigating factors. Although the victims described the incidents as a breach of trust, they stated in impact statements that they did not want a custodial sentence. The accused read a letter apologising to his siblings, acknowledging his failure as an older brother. The court concluded the sentencing phase with the full suspension of the effective custody term.
Two 17‑year‑old boys were found guilty of attempted oral rape, four counts of sexual assault and assault causing harm. The first, 15 at the time, had taken a 14‑year‑old girl's phone, threatened to smash it unless she performed oral sex, and used violence when she refused. The second, 14 then, also demanded oral sex and pushed her. Both boys admitted the acts, expressed remorse and were found to have no prior convictions. The court, noting the seriousness of the offences and the boys' youth, set a headline sentence of six years' detention, with a final sentence of three years' detention, 16 months to be served in custody and the remainder suspended. The case was adjourned to 9 December for finalisation, and the Probation Service was instructed to outline a possible engagement structure for the boys.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 November 2022, Karen Sutherland, aged 59, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment for sending over 2,000 menacing phone messages to her former computer teacher and another victim between 1 December 2011 and 31 July 2012. The messages included threats, false accusations of rape, and hateful language, some allegedly from a former pupil. Sutherland also sent abusive messages to her own phone to appear as a victim. The court noted her lack of explanation to Gardaí and her ill health, including osteoporosis and use of a walking frame. Judge Martin Nolan described her actions as having a "malign purpose" and causing traumatic effects. She was sentenced to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term fully suspended, with a permanent prohibition on any intentional contact with the victims. No prior convictions were recorded.
Darren Thompson, aged 29, had his 2017 gang‑rape conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal after his lawyers discovered that the complainant had made allegations against other men that were either unfounded or not followed up. The conviction had been based on the claim that Thompson and two others raped a woman who had been celebrating her 21st birthday in a nightclub. Thompson was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and had already served his term by the time the appeal was heard. In November 2022 Thompson applied for a certificate declaring a miscarriage of justice, arguing that key information—specifically Tusla documents showing the complainant's other complaints—had not been disclosed to the defence. The Court of Appeal, hearing the application, noted that the omission prevented the defence from cross‑examining the complainant on those matters. The judge reserved judgment on the application. Darren Thompson pleaded not guilty.
A 23‑year‑old Clare man was found guilty by a jury of raping a 19‑year‑old university student in Dublin on 23 May 2017. The victim, now 25, said she had lost many university friends and that people told her she was lying or over‑reacting. She described the attack as occurring after she and a male friend had consensual sex in her bedroom; the defendant slipped into her bed while the friend was in the bathroom and forced himself on her. The court heard the defendant now accepts the verdict, has apologized, and has shown remorse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on conditions. The sentencing reflected the defendant's lack of prior convictions, his cooperation with the Probation Service and his acknowledgement of the offence. The judge described the act as a "dreadful breach of trust" and "extremely selfish and opportunistic.".
A Longford man has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. Karl Reilly, aged 39, of Inny View, Aghara, Carrickboy, was found guilty by jury of raping a woman in Galway city centre in August 2017. The court heard that Reilly continued sexual contact with the woman after she explicitly asked him to stop when a second man entered the van where the incident occurred. The woman was subsequently sexually assaulted by the other man, whose case was adjourned pending sentencing. Justice Mary Ellen Ring emphasised the importance of consent and stressed that its withdrawal must be respected at any time. She noted Reilly has no previous convictions and was assessed as low risk of reoffending. The victim addressed the court regarding the lasting trauma she has experienced. The second man convicted of sexual assault will be sentenced next month.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment in February for seven counts of raping his younger brother between January 1998 and December 2002, mainly at the family home in Co. Limerick. The younger brother, who was 10 at the time of the first offence, testified that he had once admired his older sibling but that the abuse left him deeply scarred. In the sentencing hearing Judge Karen O'Connor described the defendant as "a big brother who should have protected his younger brother". The conviction was reached by a unanimous verdict in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin in December 2021. The defendant has now appealed, arguing that a line of questioning about the older brother's "outing" of the victim to their parents was unfairly excluded, potentially affecting the jury's assessment of the victim's credibility. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal.
Jason Paget (35) and Charles Darcy (34) pleaded guilty to charges arising from a high-speed car chase in Dublin 8. Paget admitted to taking possession of a vehicle without consent, assaulting Garda Dara Higgins causing him harm, and dangerous driving. Darcy admitted to possession of a firearm found in the car after it crashed at Longs Place. The court heard that Paget, who has previous convictions including aggravated sexual assault, resisted arrest, resulting in Garda Higgins suffering a fractured hand. Judge Orla Crowe refused Darcy's application for naming restrictions. The matter was adjourned for sentencing next week, and Paget was remanded in custody. Darcy is due for sentence next month.
Seamus Marley, an alleged IRA member, has failed in a second bid to obtain an extension of time to lodge an appeal against his convictions. At the Court of Appeal, Marley's legal team argued that a newly discovered fact—specifically an alleged undisclosed agreement between the prosecution and defence regarding the trial's conduct—demonstrated a miscarriage of justice. However, Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the application, stating there was no evidential basis for these submissions and that Marley provided no affidavit or hard evidence to support the claim of a secret deal. Marley, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced in May 2019 by the Central Criminal Court to seven years' imprisonment for the sexual assault and anal rape of two teenage boys in County Louth in the early 1990s. The jury had returned unanimous guilty verdicts on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape. The court noted that Marley had previously been refused an extension in July 2020, as the judges found no modest degree of optimism that his appeal grounds would succeed. The judge emphasized that the court's time was being wasted without evidence, particularly regarding Marley's contention that his extradition from Spain was based on different charges. The application was dismissed, leaving Marley's original sentence intact.
Zara McCabe, 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking a homeless man she mistakenly believed had raped a woman she knew. The incident occurred on Fleet Street, Dublin 2, on 4 November 2020. McCabe, a mother of five with 21 prior convictions and a history of alcohol and mental health problems, was highly intoxicated that night. She attacked the victim for 30 minutes, later searching his pockets for a phone to photograph him. The victim was taken to hospital but discharged the next day and died by suicide a week later. No medical report was available. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced McCabe to 150 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term, noting the seriousness of her actions and the victim's unfortunate life. The court highlighted McCabe's remorse and her recent employment, while acknowledging her ongoing family and health challenges.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 48‑year‑old man was found not guilty on four counts of raping his wife with household objects, while the jury could not reach a verdict on the remaining 11 counts. The prosecution alleged that between 2005 and 2014 the husband sexually assaulted his wife by penetrating her vagina with items such as 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, a bicycle pump, a deodorant bottle and his finger, and also committed anal rape with his thumb. The jury returned four not guilty verdicts after nearly eight hours of deliberation, but was unable to agree on the other charges. The judge thanked the jury, noted the difficulty of the case, and adjourned the matter for mention on 7 November.
The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of a Dublin man accused of repeatedly raping his wife using household objects. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 15 counts of raping the woman on unknown dates between January 1, 2005 and September 5, 2014. The charges allege that the accused sexually assaulted the woman by penetrating her vagina with various different objects including 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, a bicycle pump, a deodorant bottle and his finger. The charges also include an allegation of anal rape and one of penetration of the woman's anus with his thumb. All 15 offences are contrary to section 4 of the 1990 Rape Amendment Act.
In a 2002 case, Jim Fitzsimons, a former shop manager, lured a 12‑year‑old boy to a flat in Dublin where he and convicted sex offender Kevin Brazil sexually assaulted the child. Fitzsimons used promises of employment and cash gifts of €150 and €50 to groom the boy, while Brazil offered alcohol. The boy reported the abuse to his father, who took him to a Garda station, but the investigating officer failed to forward the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, a mistake the judge described as regrettable. Fitzsimons pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and was convicted on 10 October 2022. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 40 months, reduced to 30 months after considering mitigating factors. Brazil, aged 52, had previously been jailed for a similar offence and had pleaded guilty to assaulting a 12‑year‑old child.
A 19-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of oral rape committed at an address in the Leinster area on November 28, 2019. The defendant, who was aged 16 at the time of the offending, admitted to the charge. The victim, who was 15 years old during the incident, provided a victim impact statement detailing the trauma she has experienced since the attack. In mitigation, defense counsel Mr Reynolds highlighted that the accused has no previous convictions, has expressed remorse, and is currently attending a programme managed by Tusla. He noted that a psychological report indicated the defendant has a mild learning disability and requested that the court consider imposing a period of probation supervision to ensure his continued engagement with relevant services. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor acknowledged the victim's bravery in seeing the process through. The sentencing hearing was adjourned to November 16 for finalisation.
A 30‑year‑old farm labourer was jailed for eight and a half years after sexually defiling his employer's 14‑year‑old daughter hundreds of times. The judge, Justice Karen O'Connor, described how the man groomed the child into believing they were in a romantic relationship, controlling and degrading her through coercion, forcing her to take intimate photographs and send them, and pressuring her to text him while at school. The victim, who began self‑harm and attempted overdose, admitted to kissing and later having sex with the man, who was aged 28 when first initiated contact. He pleaded guilty to three counts of defilement of a child under 15 and three counts of defilement of a child under 17, covering an eleven‑month period from August 2020 to July 2021.
In a rape trial at the Central Criminal Court, a man accused of repeatedly raping his wife with household objects claimed the relationship was consensual and described it as a dominant‑submissive dynamic. He denied that he had taken advantage of her when she was unconscious, stating he had full consent. The prosecution alleged 15 counts of rape between 2005 and 2014, involving penetration with items such as a knife, cheese grater, bottle, carrot, banana, cucumber, tulip, wooden spatula, decanter stopper, part of a shoe, bicycle pump, deodorant bottle and his finger, plus anal rape and thumb penetration. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, said he took photographs of the acts, claiming they were consensual and part of a fetish. He also claimed to have destroyed a hard drive containing evidence, but said it was stolen. The trial is in its closing stages before a jury and Mr Justice Paul Burns.
Charles Dwan, 66, of Coach House Square, Ballinteer, Dublin 16, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material. The court heard that gardaí searched Dwan's home after an IP address was linked to accessing such images. Two devices were seized, containing a total of 28,342 images and 58 videos. Prosecution stated that Dwan admitted to downloading and viewing the material between September 4, 2014, and February 2, 2018. It was noted that a significant portion of the images were animations, and there was no suggestion of contact offending or payment for the material. Dwan has no prior convictions. Defence counsel submitted references from his family and a psychological report indicating low re-offending risk, alongside evidence of his mental health history and cardiac issues. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the volume of images and the duration of the downloads as aggravating factors but considered Dwan's cooperation, admissions, and lack of previous record as mitigating. The judge sentenced Dwan to 15 months in prison.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, an unnamed man pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of raping his wife between 2005 and 2014. The charges allege that he used household objects—knife, cheese grater, bottle, carrot, banana, cucumber, tulip, wooden spatula, decanter stopper, shoe part, bicycle pump, deodorant bottle, and his finger—to penetrate her vagina, and also that he performed anal rape with his thumb. The State's case is that the 49‑year‑old wife was unconscious or otherwise unable to consent during the assaults. The accused claimed he believed his wife consented to all sexual activity, citing weekly "date nights" and the use of a camera or phone during sex. He denied taking advantage of her, stating that any alcohol involved was not enough to impair her judgment. The trial continues before a jury and Mr Justice Paul Burns.
Michael O'Donoghue, aged 43, received a ten‑year prison sentence with the final six months suspended for five years after the Court of Appeal quashed his original five‑year term. The appeal was prompted by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the sentence was too lenient for the gravity of the offences. O'Donoghue pleaded guilty to 31 counts of sexual assault, one count of rape and one count of producing child pornography against his daughter, Aimee Foley, aged 12 to 17 during the period 2012‑2018. The Court of Appeal found his conduct egregious, noting he gave her alcohol and drugs, showed her pornography, filmed the abuse and threatened her. The judge set a headline sentence of twelve years for the rape, reduced to seven with two years suspended, and imposed concurrent sentences of three and four years for the other assault counts. The final sentence was back‑dated to 14 April 2021.