A US‑based Irish dancing teacher and adjudicator, Vinny O'Connor, obtained a temporary injunction from the High Court in Dublin that allows him to act as an examiner at an Irish dancing event in Boston this weekend. The injunction was sought because the governing body, An Coimisiún Le Rincí Galeacha, is based in Dublin and could prevent his participation. Mr O'Connor had earlier received a written warning from the body for breaching its code of conduct and social media guidelines, which bars him from adjudicating at major events for the sanction period. He argues that the warning does not prohibit him from serving as an examiner, a separate role. The judge, with some reluctance, granted the interim order after noting that exclusion would damage his reputation and that the body had not clarified the sanction's effect on his examiner duties. The order was granted ex‑parte and the case will return next week.
In a High Court hearing, Hitianland Limited, trading as 'Xi'an Street Food', claimed that IR Entertainment Limited's planned restaurant 'Meet Xi'an' would breach its registered trademark. Hitianland operates eight authentic Chinese restaurants in Ireland, including two near the proposed Dublin 7 location. The plaintiff argued that the name 'Meet Xi'an' and a logo featuring similar Chinese characters would cause confusion and damage its goodwill. IR Entertainment denied wrongdoing. Hitianland, represented by Imogen McGrath SC, highlighted its 2017‑established brand, awards, social media presence, and significant investment. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, granted Hitianland permission to serve short‑notice injunction proceedings, with the case set to return next week. The injunction seeks to restrain infringement and damages. The matter remains pending.
John Murphy, a 43‑year‑old married secondary school teacher, was sentenced to one year in prison for sexually exploiting a 16‑year‑old girl via Instagram. He communicated with the victim for a full year while she was preparing for her junior certificate exams, with the content escalating to explicit descriptions of penetration. A probation report noted that Murphy tended to rationalise his behaviour, had a medium risk of reoffending, limited understanding of the harm caused, emotional disconnect, limited insight, and displayed sexually compulsive behaviour over a long period. The sentencing judge had originally set a headline sentence of six years, reduced it to three years, and suspended the final two years, a decision criticised by the Director of Public Prosecutions for placing too much weight on mitigating factors such as Murphy's good career and lack of prior convictions. Murphy also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2008 and 2010. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgement.
Wayne Barnes, a former international rugby referee and barrister, will speak at the Judicial Council meeting on Friday. Barnes, 44, is a partner in the government investigations & white collar practice of Squire Patton Boggs in London and has advised sports organisations, sponsors and rights holders on sports law, governance, ethics and safeguarding. He has refereed major club and international matches, including five World Cups and the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final in Paris. During his rugby career he faced severe abuse and death threats on social media. His appearance at the Irish judiciary's annual conference was confirmed by Courts Service sources. Barnes will address judges on decision‑making, but will not be paid and will not recommend a TMO or VAR system for Irish courts.
A 44‑year‑old social worker who brought a 16‑year‑old boy in State care to her home and sexually defiled him was convicted and jailed for four years, with the final two years suspended, by a jury after an 11‑day trial. She appealed, arguing that Facebook messages exchanged with the boy should not have been admitted because the State's request for the messages was made under the wrong section of a 2008 treaty on mutual legal assistance between Ireland and the United States. The appeal was dismissed by Justice Tara Burns, who held that the treaty required the transmission of the request by the Department of Justice, not the drafting, and that the material, though extending beyond the original timeframe, was still admissible. The conviction remains in force, and the social worker will serve the remaining two years of her sentence. The unnamed 44-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A teenager from Sligo pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting his eight-year-old cousin and recording the incident on St Stephen's Day 2021. The boy, who was 14 at the time and cannot be named due to his age, attempted to upload the video to YouTube, which intervention by the platform prevented. The attempt to upload led authorities to identify him. He has been sentenced to 16 months in detention followed by 16 months of probation supervision. Ms Justice Melanie Greally noted aggravating factors including the victim's age, breach of trust, premeditation, and efforts to upload the recording to social media. She accepted mitigating circumstances including the guilty plea and expressions of remorse. The judge set a headline sentence of 12 years had the defendant been an adult, reducing it to four years due to his age, then imposing the 16-month custodial term. The case has been referred to Tusla. The victim and her family provided impact statements describing ongoing distress.
Meta Platforms Ireland issued a formal apology to Wissam Al Mana, the former husband of Janet Jackson, over the publication of false advertisements that used his name and image without consent. The ads, posted by unknown third parties via Facebook's Ads Tool in 2019, were later removed. Mr Al Mana had sued Meta in Dublin in February 2020 for defamation and malicious falsehood, claiming the ads linked him to a cryptocurrency program he had no involvement with. In court, Meta's counsel read a statement acknowledging the harmful impact of the fake ads on Mr Al Mana's reputation, expressing sincere regret, and confirming that such advertisements have ceased. The settlement, approved by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, included Meta's commitment to implement robust measures to prevent future misuse of personal data. No further settlement details were disclosed in open court. Mr Al Mana, an executive director of the Al Mana Group, remains concerned about potential future misuse of his image.
Audrey McKeever, 38, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of making threats to kill or cause serious harm and criminal damage at an apartment complex in Crumlin on December 20, 2022. The court heard that McKeever allegedly threatened the victim, a former partner's current girlfriend, shouting that she would kill her and "dance all over her daughter's head." She also kicked the complex's outer door, causing over €1,000 in damage, and posted threatening messages on Facebook. Judge Martin Nolan described the behavior as "nasty" and "frightening." Considering the guilty plea, remorse, and mitigating factors including health issues and detoxification, the judge determined a prison sentence was not warranted. He imposed a sentence of 18 months suspended on strict conditions. McKeever was ordered to pay a further €500 within 15 months to defray repair costs, with her initial €230 token of remorse directed toward the door repair. The judge directed McKeever to have no contact with the victim and explicitly warned her "not to go near" the apartment building.
In a High Court case, Garvagh Homes Limited claims ownership of several Dublin 7 properties, including a former carpet showroom and a garage, and alleges they have been unlawfully occupied by trespassers for months. The company says the occupants are using the sites for raves, gigs, Irish language classes, herbal workshops, fitness classes and selling alcohol, all advertised on social media. Garvagh also cites a recent fire safety notice from Dublin City Council that will take effect on 8 December. The company seeks injunctions to force occupants to vacate, stop trespassing and hand over possession. Named defendants, including Shane O'Brien, Jem Cleaver, Emily Martin and others, deny the allegations, claim valid agreements to reside, and contest the safety and alcohol claims. Judge Rory Mulchay granted a temporary limited injunction restraining the named defendants from activities on the properties but did not order immediate eviction, noting the fire safety notice and awaiting the full injunction application before Christmas.
Leeanda Farrelly, aged 49, admitted on 29 November 2023 that she posted a Facebook photo on 19 June 2019 of 'Boy A', one of the two 13‑year‑old boys who murdered 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel in May 2018. The photo was likely to lead to his identification, contravening the Children Act's prohibition on publishing images that could identify child offenders. Farrelly will be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 22 February next year. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further judicial outcome reported in the article. Leeanda Farrelly pleaded guilty.
A 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Eoin Prizeman, was sentenced to a fully suspended 12‑month term for possessing child pornography after a Facebook account he managed posted a video of an adult raping a boy aged nine or ten. Gardaí discovered 276 videos of child abuse on his Samsung phone, including a disturbing clip of a six‑ to 12‑month‑old infant tied to a makeshift bed and bound. Prizeman pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, noting he had not deleted the videos because he wanted to keep contact with the sender. He had no prior convictions and was found to be at low risk of reoffending. Judge Orla Crowe accepted the mitigating factors and imposed a 12‑month sentence suspended for three years, subject to strict conditions such as keeping the peace, good behaviour and engaging with the Probation Service. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Craig O'Brien, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to social media influencer Charleen Murphy on 10 February at the Grafton Capital Hotel. O'Brien, who has ten prior convictions including two for assault, struck Murphy from behind, delivering a blow to the back of her head that caused facial injuries and a forehead wound. CCTV footage was described by Judge Orla Crowe as "absolutely shocking". The judge noted no prior animosity between the parties and highlighted the unprovoked nature of the attack. O'Brien was sentenced to two years and three months, with nine months suspended for 18 months, and ordered to remain under probation supervision for 18 months. He must also refrain from any contact with Murphy and keep a 50‑metre distance for five years after release. The court recorded Murphy's victim impact statement, detailing ongoing nightmares, panic attacks and a sense of being "a shell of herself.".
The Central Criminal Court trial of Gerard Cervi, 36, has reached the jury deliberation stage. Cervi, from Dublin 3, pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Robert 'Bobby' Messett and the alleged attempted murders of Pete Taylor and Ian Britton at Bray Boxing Club on June 5, 2018. The prosecution alleged that Cervi was the gunman who fired nine shots, citing CCTV footage of his movements and his DNA and fingerprints found in a Volkswagen Caddy van allegedly used in the attack. Defence counsel argued that a garda's retracted statements indicated investigative irregularities and asserted that there was no evidence linking Cervi to the shooting. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor charged the jury last Friday, instructing them to consider each count separately and reach unanimous verdicts. The jury, comprising six men and six women, began deliberations on Wednesday afternoon. After spending five hours and 51 minutes in discussion, the judge adjourned the proceedings for the evening. The jury was instructed to resume deliberations at the Central Criminal Court at 10.30am the following day. They were reminded not to discuss the case, conduct online research, or engage with social media regarding the trial. The matter remains ongoing as the jury continues to consider their verdicts.
A jury of twelve, split evenly between men and women, is deliberating on the verdicts for Gerard Cervi, a 36‑year‑old from Dublin, who is accused of murdering Robert 'Bobby' Messett and attempting to murder coach Pete Taylor and Ian Britton at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. The jury has spent 1 hour 47 minutes on the first day of deliberations, having been called out at 2.13 pm. Justice Karen O'Connor addressed the jurors at 4 pm, urging them to pause for the evening and return tomorrow at 10.30 am to resume, and warned them not to discuss the case or use social media. She reminded them that they must consider each charge separately and that a unanimous verdict is required. The trial has heard CCTV evidence, DNA and fingerprints linking Cervi to a van used in the shooting, and the defence has alleged possible investigative misconduct. Cervi has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The Workplace Relations Commission dismissed a claim by Mark J Savage, who alleged that Facebook's ban of his account on 21 October 2021 was religious discrimination. Savage, an evangelical Christian, had used his Facebook page to accuse employees of a north Dublin retailer of child sexual offences and to claim that a politician was a sexual offender. He argued that the ban was a violation of the Equal Status Act and that Meta had treated a hypothetical gay comparator differently. The WRC found Savage's complaints frivolous and vexatious, noting that he had previously made 42 discrimination complaints and had admitted to being "addicted to litigation." The adjudicator ruled the claim was misconceived and dismissed it without a hearing. The decision was made by Roger McGrath.
Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd, the Irish subsidiary of the US social‑media giant, has filed a High Court challenge against a proposed immediate ban that would stop its Facebook and Instagram platforms from processing personal data for behavioural advertising. The challenge follows an enforcement notice issued by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) on 14 November, giving Meta seven days to cease such processing. The DPC warned that non‑compliance would be a criminal offence and could lead to fines. Meta argues that the notice is vague, unclear about compliance requirements, and breaches its legitimate expectation of a fair hearing. It also contends that the notice renders parts of the 2018 Data Protection Act unconstitutional. The court, after granting permission for the judicial review, has offered a short interim stay on the enforcement notice pending further proceedings. The case will return to the court later in the week.
The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that had reversed a District Court judge's refusal to hear the cases of three people accused of publishing online information that identified the teenage boys who murdered Ana Kriegel in 2018. The Court of Appeal held that the District Court judge had not acted unfairly and that a subsequent judge could reconsider jurisdiction. The three accused – Edel Doherty, 48, Kyle Rooney, 26, and Declan Corcoran, 30 – had been charged with posting photos and naming the boys on social media. They had been initially told by Judge Brian O'Shea that the District Court could hear their matters, but Judge John Hughes later ruled the offences were too serious for the District Court and sent them to the Circuit Court. The High Court had quashed Judge Hughes' decision, but the Court of Appeal vacated that order and remitted the matters back to the District Court for further consideration.
Keith Redmond, 45, of Finglas, pleaded guilty to attempting to send sexually explicit material to a child between 30 August and 3 December 2022. He used the social media platform Kick, presenting himself as a 44‑year‑old Irishman, and was contacted by a UK‑based predator‑exposure group's decoy, 'Amber', a 14‑year‑old girl. Over three months, Redmond and the decoy exchanged 83 typed messages, initially ordinary but later sexually explicit. He sent four photographs of his penis and discussed meeting 'Amber' for sexual activity, offering to buy her a phone and to live together. The UK group located him in Dublin, and he was taken into Garda protection. Redmond, a married barman with one child, had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned for a final hearing on 26 February next year, with a request for a probation report.
TikTok secured High Court permission to challenge the Data Protection Commission's €345 million fine, which the platform claims is disproportionate and unlawful. The fine followed a 2021 investigation into TikTok's handling of personal data of users under 18, including age‑verification measures for those under 13. TikTok's Irish subsidiary, TikTok Technologies Limited, has launched judicial review proceedings seeking orders and declarations against the DPC, the state, and the Attorney General. The company argues that the DPC's findings are flawed, breach its rights to a fair hearing, and are unconstitutional. It also seeks declarations that sections of the 2018 Data Protection Act and the 2016 GDPR Regulation are incompatible with the Constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights. The court granted TikTok leave to proceed and allowed a potential stay of the fine if necessary. The case is set for a December hearing.
A 44‑year‑old social worker, whose name is withheld to protect the victim, was jailed for four years, with the final two years suspended, for sexually defiling a 16‑year‑old boy in her care at a midlands school. The offence occurred between 1 April and 15 May 2016 when the boy was at her home. She pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury after an 11‑day trial. She has appealed the conviction, arguing that Facebook messages exchanged with the boy, which were used as evidence, were obtained under the wrong section of the 2008 Ireland/US Mutual Assistance Treaty. The appeal contends that the request for the messages was made by the Director of Public Prosecutions rather than the Central Authority, and that the certificate of authenticity for the material was flawed. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment on the matter.
The trial of four Dublin men accused of raping and sexually assaulting a woman at her home in December 2018 has collapsed at the Central Criminal Court. All charges against the accused were dropped via a nolle prosequi after the complainant, who is undergoing psychiatric treatment, was deemed unable to continue giving evidence. The State's application to allow her to testify via video link was unsuccessful. Mr Justice David Keane addressed the jury, noting the trial did not reach a natural conclusion after three weeks, and exempted them from jury service for 15 years. Reporting restrictions apply to all participants. The first accused, aged 25, had pleaded not guilty to oral rape and sexual assault. The second accused, also 25, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The third accused, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one oral rape, and a sexual assault. The fourth accused, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and sexual assault. The complainant alleged the men entered her home uninvited, forced her into sexual acts, and that one accused recorded the incidents on social media. She stated she was bleeding and sore when the men left. The matter was adjourned and concluded with the dropping of charges, not a conviction.
A 33‑year‑old man, Jozef Puska, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23‑year‑old school teacher Ashling Murphy, who was allegedly killed near the Grand Canal in Tullamore on 12 January 2022. The trial will be held at the Central Criminal Court and is expected to last up to five weeks. A jury of twelve, sworn this afternoon, will hear the case. Judge Tony Hunt warned potential jurors that they must not have engaged in commentary about the case online or on social media and that any prior knowledge of Puska's hospital stay at St James's Hospital in Dublin should be disclosed. The prosecution will present witnesses from the Tullamore area, the midlands, various Dublin Garda stations and forensic science laboratories, with medical personnel possibly called to give evidence. The defence will be represented by Michael Bowman SC. The trial is scheduled to open tomorrow.
Irene Glynn, a dental assistant at the Carlow Dental Centre, was dismissed after her employer claimed a Facebook post she had made was "hate speech" against Ukrainian refugees. Glynn said she was never given a chance to defend herself and that her account might have been hacked. The Workplace Relations Commission found the centre failed to investigate the allegation properly and that dismissal was not justified, ruling it could have been a warning instead. The tribunal upheld her unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, awarding her statutory notice pay under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973. The total compensation awarded was €10,564.62, including €8,552.31 for 17 weeks' pay and €2,012.31 for four weeks' notice pay. The case highlighted the employer's lack of a social media policy and the need for a proper investigation before dismissal.
Thomas Phoenix, 61, of Saint Anne's Square, Blackrock, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of harassing and threatening offences. He pleaded guilty to harassing a woman at a pub in Blackrock in June 2019, to harassing a neighbour between 18 and 26 March 2022, and to making threats to kill or cause serious harm. Phoenix also threatened a shop manager on 26 March 2022. The court heard that he had sent about 60 threatening WhatsApp messages to a neighbour, had thrown eggs at a family, and had threatened to kill a partner. He had previously served 13 convictions, including threats to kill. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year term, with the final 18 months suspended for the shopkeeper case, and an additional consecutive 18‑month term for the harassment of the woman, for a total effective custodial period of four years under strict probation conditions.
Angela Manning, 59, of Ballinteer, pleaded guilty to seven charges of stealing over €122,000 from the joint account of an elderly couple, Ms Laetitia Lynam and her husband Enda O'Regan, during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She had been hired as a carer, given an ATM card and pin by Ms Lynam, and withdrew the money after falling for a Facebook romance fraud involving a fictitious US soldier named Sam. The court heard that Manning believed the money was a loan to be repaid and that she had no personal benefit from the theft. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced her to a fully suspended three‑year prison term, suspended for four years, and ordered her to undergo two years of therapy and to make efforts to repay the victims. The couple's home deeds were transferred to them, and Manning's husband had to return to work after her taking his retirement savings.
In a High Court case, Nigerian politician Oluseye Oladejo and his psychiatrist wife, Dr Oluwatoyin Oladejo, settled a defamation action against Kudirat Adunni Alowonle, an Irish resident. The couple had alleged that Alowonle posted videos on Facebook containing false and highly defamatory statements about them following their marriage in Lagos in June. They sought an injunction to remove the videos, an order preventing further defamatory publications, a correction, and disclosure of who received the videos. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore had previously allowed short notice of the injunction proceedings. However, when the case returned to court, the plaintiffs' counsel reported that Alowonle had removed the videos and issued an apology, leading to the striking out of the injunction proceedings. No representation was made by Alowonle in court. The case was resolved without further court action.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2023, the jury heard that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, sent a WhatsApp message on 14 November 2019 in which he claimed he was "after opening Mulvey's face up" after a confrontation with Michael Mulvey, aged 55, near a Dublin public house. Connaghan alleged that Mulvey had almost struck him with his car while he was crossing the road, that Mulvey had screamed at him, and that later that day Mulvey "came running at me from behind." Connaghan said he dropped his bag, "caught him a dig," and "opened up his face." He also claimed Mulvey had spat on his leg in the pub and that Mulvey "had it coming." Daniel Connaghan, aged 43, sent a separate message claiming Mulvey had "tried to knock down Iano" and that the brothers left Mulvey in an awful state. Ian Connaghan pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man was sentenced to three and a half years for sexually assaulting his six‑year‑old cousin between 2013 and 2018. The accused, who was 13 at the time of the offences, had taken intimate videos and photographs of the child and threatened to post them on social media to coerce her compliance. He pleaded guilty on the trial date and had no prior convictions. The assaults involved sexual touching and were carried out at both the accused's and the complainant's homes over a five‑year period. The judge noted the abuse violated the child's bodily integrity and left her feeling helpless, powerless and alone. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, with the accused cooperating with Gardaí and meeting bail conditions. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the breach of trust and the impact on the victim and her family.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Angela Manning, 59, admitted stealing €122,000 from the elderly couple Laetitia Lynam and Enda O'Regan during the pandemic. Manning, initially hired as a carer, used an ATM card and PIN given by Lynam to withdraw cash between April 2019 and September 2021. She claimed the money was a loan to a fictitious U.S. soldier named Sam, whom she met on Facebook. Manning converted the cash into cryptocurrency and sent it to a fake account. The couple's home deeds were transferred to them, and Manning also took her husband's retirement savings. The court noted that the couple's assets were now in their possession and that Manning had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 27 July. Angela Manning pleaded guilty.
A former civilian employee of An Garda Siochana, Holly Hayden, 27, pleaded guilty to disclosing confidential information from the Garda Pulse database in exchange for cocaine. Hayden admitted to providing details of a named individual on 29 October 2019, and to sending Pulse data to a person she knew on 9 September 2019 and again between 28 April and 11 May 2020. She also sent images of Covid‑19 checkpoint locations via WhatsApp and Telegram, receiving cocaine in return. Hayden's addiction to alcohol and drugs was highlighted by her admissions and her mother's testimony. She expressed remorse and acknowledged her actions as a gross disloyalty to her employer. The court considered a urine analysis before proceeding with sentencing, with a potential adjournment to 6 November to facilitate the test.
Enoch Burke, a former teacher at Wilson's Hospital secondary school, secured a temporary High Court injunction halting the hearing of his dismissal appeal. The matter was adjourned until the following Tuesday. Burke, who represented himself, argued that ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie, a member of the three-person appeal panel, should recuse himself due to alleged bias regarding transgender issues. He also claimed the panel failed to obtain a WhatsApp video clip from the school board, which he argued was crucial evidence. The other panel members are Sean Ó Longáin, the chair, and Jack Cleary, the Management Body representative. Justice Eileen Roberts granted the ex-parte application, ruling that Burke had raised fair issues but making no findings of fact on his claims. Burke had previously been jailed for 108 days in Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court after refusing to comply with an order restraining him from attending the school. He was later fined €700 daily for continued breaches. The school board had dismissed Burke for gross misconduct, a decision he denies, claiming his dismissal stems from his objection to using specific pronouns for a student.
A 29‑year‑old man awaiting trial on sexual assault charges threatened to kill his estranged wife's family members, including the alleged victim, and to throw acid at her sister in a series of WhatsApp voice notes. The court heard that the defendant also threatened to damage two properties and intimidate witnesses, including his wife's brother, whom he is accused of sexually abusing. He pleaded guilty to seven counts, all occurring on 19 January 2022, and has nine prior convictions including arson and robbery. The defendant is also before the Central Criminal Court on a separate sexual assault allegation involving his brother‑in‑law. Garda Patrick Browne presented the voice messages, which described violent threats and a desire to "go to the UK" after "ripping out one of their throats." The defendant was on bail at the time and has been in custody since the incident. Judge Martina Baxter ordered a Probation Services report and adjourned sentencing to 9 October.
The High Court has quashed a condition imposed on Fiona O'Leary, a campaigner against pseudoscience, following the resolution of her judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions. In January, at Bandon District Court, Judge James McNulty sentenced Mrs O'Leary to 60 days imprisonment, suspended for two years, after she pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 13 of the 1994 Criminal Justice Act (Public Order) Act. She was charged with trespassing on a property at the Priory, Maulatanvally, Reenscreena Rosscarbery, Cork, in a manner likely to cause fear. The prosecution case relied on a statement from Fr Giacomo Ballini and alleged that Mrs O'Leary uploaded video footage of the premises to social media. As part of the sentence, the judge imposed conditions requiring her to keep the peace and refrain from engaging in abusive or offensive behaviour in any public place or forum, including social media, for the two-year suspension period. Mrs O'Leary, represented by Bernard Condon SC and Conor McKenna BL, challenged this condition in the High Court, arguing it breached her right to freedom of expression. On Tuesday, Mr Justice Charles Meenan was informed that the action had resolved and the DPP consented to an order quashing the specific condition. Mrs O'Leary stated that she requires social media access for her activism against misinformation, while maintaining she does not intend to be abusive.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping his 16‑year‑old girlfriend in April 2019 while she was napping at her Dublin home. The victim was taking Prozac, which caused her to go in and out of consciousness, and she later reported that her boyfriend knew about the medication. She had told friends and a counsellor about the assault and eventually reported it to gardaí in April 2020. The accused admitted the rape on Instagram after the victim posted her name and called him a rapist. He was 18 at the time of the offence and had no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to four years and six months, suspending the final two years on conditions including cooperation with probation and therapeutic assessment. The court noted the defendant's remorse, mental health difficulties, and the victim's forgiving attitude.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Brendan Doolin, aged 41, was found to have breached bail conditions by continuing to harass six female journalists while awaiting trial. Doolin, previously jailed in 2019 for five years with two years suspended, had admitted sending hundreds of abusive online messages to Sarah Griffin, Kate McEvoy, Sinead O'Carroll, Christine Bohan, Roe McDermott and Aoife Barry between May 2012 and February 2018. While on bail, he posted harassing content from email addresses mimicking the victims' names, accessed their social media accounts, and sent threatening messages. Gardaí discovered a laptop and a concealed smartphone containing photos of the victims. The victims, who were not present, submitted impact statements expressing a wish for Doolin to receive help. The judge noted Doolin's guilty plea, cooperation and remorse, but also highlighted the severity and persistence of his harassment. The decision was adjourned for a later hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 12 May 2023, a 27‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to threatening to kill his former partner, burn her house, and "dance" on her face over access to their baby daughter. The offences, committed between June and July 2022, included threatening to kill the woman, damaging her home, harassing her, and violating a Family Court order by repeatedly contacting her. The man had been in a relationship with the woman for about a year and they share a child. A care order gave the mother full custody and the right to decide the father's access. The man sent harassing emails and WhatsApp messages, calling the woman a "selfish c***" and threatening violence. He remains under supervised access to his daughter, is barred from contacting the woman except for child‑access matters, and is required to pay maintenance. He has two prior assault convictions from 2017.
The High Court heard that an Instagram account alleged to have posted defamatory and altered sexualised images to extort a third-level student has been disabled by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited. The student, represented by John Temple BL, sought an injunction against Meta, which owns Instagram. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore granted permission to serve notice of the application. Meta's lawyers informed the court that following an investigation into the student's complaint, the account was found to be compromised and operated by an unnamed third party. Although the account was temporarily suspended and later cleared during a "checkpoint," Meta ultimately deemed it appropriate to disable the account. Meta stated it must be placed on notice of specific unlawful content to take action. The student claims the account holder sent his image alongside non-consensual genitalia to his contacts and demanded payment, threatening to "ruin your life" and "make your life miserable" if he did not comply. The student did not pay and reported the matter to the Gardaí. He alleges Meta initially stated the posts did not breach Instagram's Community Guidelines. Counsel accepted Meta's response reduced the urgency of the action but requested an adjournment to allow the client to consider the response. Mr Justice O'Moore consented to adjourn the proceedings for one week. The matter was adjourned.
A third‑level student has asked the High Court to order Meta Platforms Ireland Limited to remove "fake and defamatory" material posted by an Instagram account holder who allegedly blackmailed him. The student, who cannot be identified, says the account sent him a message containing a photo of him with another man's genitals and threatened to release "nudes" to his Instagram and Snapchat contacts unless he paid. After blocking the account, the student recovered copies of the images that had been sent to his college contacts. He claims he reported the matter to Meta and the Gardai, but Meta replied that the posts did not breach its Community Guidelines and took no action. The student seeks an injunction restraining Meta from publishing further statements about him.
Four men accused of participating in an armed attack on security personnel at a rural property near Strokestown have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial, now in its twentieth day, heard evidence of WhatsApp messages and phone records retrieved from an iPhone allegedly found in a vehicle linked to one of the defendants. Garda James McCann told the court that specialist software extracted communications from the handset, including messages from a group titled "Roscommon group". A message sent on December 10, 2018, allegedly sought assistance for the following morning at Strokestown. The attack occurred on December 16, 2018, when approximately 30 armed men descended on the repossessed property at Falsk and assaulted four security guards. The accused men—Patrick Sweeney of County Donegal, Martin O'Toole of County Mayo, Paul Beirne of County Roscommon, and David Lawlor of County Meath—face charges including false imprisonment, assault, aggravated burglary, arson, and violent disorder. Defence counsel submitted that her client denies knowledge of the messages in question.
Bryan Kennedy, 35, was sentenced by Ms Justice Caroline Biggs at the Central Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. Kennedy had hired a man known as 'AL', described as unhinged and with prior convictions, to murder a Canadian couple who were having an online affair with Kennedy's wife. He paid €8,000 to AL and had planned to kill both women, later considering whether to kill only one. Kennedy accessed his wife's Facebook to obtain details of the couple. He pleaded guilty to soliciting the murder of Stephanie Poirier and her partner Clara Houdebrumette. The judge noted Kennedy's cooperation with Gardaí, his role as a good father, and his depression, but found no mitigating effect in his decision to pursue the plan. The sentence was reduced from an initial headline of eight years to five years with a suspended six‑month portion. Kennedy's address is Mount Tallant Avenue, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6W.
Paul O'Carroll, aged 45, was found guilty of possessing 3,910 images and 376 videos of child pornography, all of which were seized from his home in Knocklyon, Dublin 16. The material included sexual acts involving children aged three to 15, with the court noting that any images of children younger than ten were inadvertently downloaded. O'Carroll had no prior convictions and was cooperative during the Garda investigation, which began after a U.S. child‑protection organisation flagged a Facebook account linked to the material. He pleaded guilty on 4 August 2017. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a fully suspended three‑year term, citing strong mitigating factors such as his remorse, lack of prior offences, and a forensic psychologist's report describing him as psychologically vulnerable with untreated depression and anxiety. The court noted his low risk of reoffending and his willingness to seek help. The sentence was suspended in full, with no custodial time imposed.
Gavin Begley, 23, of Ballybough Road, Dublin 3, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to communication with a child using Instagram to facilitate sexual exploitation on November 27, 2019, and possession of child pornography on September 7, 2020. The court heard that Begley befriended a 12-year-old German boy, whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, through an online game. Begley requested explicit images from the child, who reported the incident to German police. A subsequent search of Begley's home recovered 57 videos and 362 images of child abuse material, most of which were classified as category one. Judge Dara Hayes noted Begley's lack of prior convictions, mental health issues, and remorse, but described the conduct as an insidious offence targeting a child. Begley was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including no unsupervised access to children. He has been registered as a sex offender.
John Buckley AKA Maughan, 28, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to sample counts from 94 charges, including four counts of harassment and the remainder of making demands with menaces against four named victims. Judge Martin Nolan imposed concurrent sentences totalling five years and ordered Maughan to have no contact with any of the injured parties for 20 years. The court heard that Maughan extorted over €14,000 from his victims, all of which was transferred to his Boyle Sports gambling account. Prosecution evidence alleged that Maughan threatened one man in his 60s that he would falsely accuse him of being a paedophile and share these untrue allegations on social media. In a separate series of offences, Maughan allegedly threatened a woman with whom he had a relationship that he would send intimate photos of her to her boyfriend, and he harassed and extorted €2,000 from her. Judge Nolan described the false paedophile allegation as "hugely insidious and damaging" and "morally reprehensible," noting that Maughan had caused huge trauma and distress to his victims. In mitigation, the judge noted Maughan's remorse, his guilty plea, his co-operation, and that he had engaged in this behaviour as a way to deal with his gambling debts. Defence counsel highlighted Maughan's gambling and drug addictions, his stable relationship, and his two children, one of whom suffers from severe autism, arguing that a custodial term would be felt keenly by his family.
Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The defendants are accused of false imprisonment, assault, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at a property in Falsk, Roscommon, on December 16, 2018. The trial heard that a video circulated on social media two days prior to the alleged attack, depicting security personnel at the repossessed residence and describing them as "mercenaries." Sergeant Bernard Kilroy testified that after viewing the footage, a garda presence was maintained at the property, though staffing levels prevented coverage past 3am. The court also heard evidence from court messenger Padraig Gilligan regarding the repossession order. The trial continues before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury.
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.
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.
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that a van driver's coughing incident during the Covid‑19 pandemic was not alone sufficient for dismissal, but his subsequent defamatory Facebook post was. Piotr Prezbiela was accused of an act of physical assault when he allegedly coughed or spat in the face of a colleague on 8 October 2020 at Bedroom Elegance Sales Ltd. Prezbiela claimed he only coughed into his hand as a joke and did not cough into the colleague's face. The company's disciplinary and appeals officers accepted his account of the coughing. Prezbiela was also investigated for refusing to wear a mask and for a negative post on social media. He denied coughing at the colleague, later admitted pretending to cough as a joke, apologized, and said he understood the dangers. The investigation found gross misconduct, and the dismissal was upheld on appeal.
The High Court heard that Twitter, Facebook (Meta) and other social media platforms have cooperated with Munster Technological University (MTU) to prevent the publication of 6 GB of confidential data that was released by a suspected Russian‑based hacking group after MTU refused to pay a ransom. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore granted an extension of an injunction that bars anyone who knows of the order from publishing, making available or sharing MTU's data. The order also requires any holder of the data to return it to MTU. MTU's President Margaret Cusack testified that the court's order was "great assistance" and that platforms such as Reddit, Pinterest and Meta had worked with the university to keep the data off their sites. MTU's advisors at KPMG monitor the internet for references to the breach, and the university remains in contact with the Data Protection Commission, Gardai and the National Cyber Security Centre.
A 48‑year‑old former Romanian soldier, Constantin Maxim, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in Dublin for possessing 1,458 images of child pornography and distributing hand‑drawn images and videos of child sex abuse. He admitted to posing as a 15‑year‑old girl named Christina on Facebook and Snapchat, sending explicit messages to three children aged 10 to 12 and requesting sexualised images. When Snapchat closed his accounts, he created new ones. Gardaí found his phone contained about a thousand images of child sexual activity, 450 images of children exposing genitalia, and 12,000 adult and bestiality images of uncertain age. Maxim denied sexual attraction to children and claimed he had no real‑life intent. He had no prior convictions in Ireland but had four Romanian convictions for sexual corruption and abduction of a minor. Constantin Maxim pleaded guilty.
Daniel Lynch, aged 25, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for coercive control of his pregnant partner between 19 September 2020 and 15 January 2022. He had full access to her phone and social media, took her money every Monday, and verbally abused her, telling her no one loved her and hoping she would miscarry. He threatened to kill her in a WhatsApp voice message on 15 January 2022, breaching a protection order. He also left a voicemail saying he would murder her the first chance he got. The judge noted his lack of remorse and imposed a concurrent sentence of three and a half years, suspending the final six months, with strict conditions including victim‑focused work and substance‑abuse treatment. The offence of coercive control carries a maximum penalty of five years. The court heard the victim's impact statement describing physical abuse, isolation, and drug use. The sentence reflects the seriousness of Lynch's conduct.