A 17‑year‑old boy, who cannot be named as a juvenile, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing €144 from a shop in Dublin on 5 February 2018 and to an attempted robbery of another shop less than two hours later. He had 43 prior convictions, including robbery, theft and violent disorder. His mother called the Gardaí after he returned home intoxicated with cash and receipts, noting that the clothes he had changed into matched those worn by a suspect in CCTV footage of the first robbery. The boy claimed he had been on his way home after a few days when he met a drug addict and decided to rob the shop with him, taking 16 Xanax tablets. The shop owner reported that the boy used a piece of wood that looked like a chair leg and a six‑inch knife to threaten him, and that the other robber used a screwdriver and a syringe.
Dan Donovan, 49, and his daughter Charlene Donovan, 23, were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on December 12, 2017, at Parslickstown Gardens, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15. Both pleaded guilty to possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life and recklessly discharging a firearm. Dan Donovan additionally pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Michael Collins. The court heard that Charlene Donovan fired a shotgun across the road, injuring a 17-year-old man, his mother, and a six-month-old baby in the legs. Dan Donovan then took the weapon, threatened to "bury" Mr Collins, and accidentally discharged it into the ground. Judge Martin Nolan jailed both defendants for five years. He noted the ongoing dispute between the families and accepted that the Donovans were in fear, but emphasized the child's blamelessness. Charlene Donovan, who has no prior record and significant intellectual difficulties, broke down in tears upon hearing the sentence. Dan Donovan, who has previous minor road traffic convictions, was held by his daughter. The judge acknowledged the intimidating nature of the rival family but stated he was satisfied Charlene Donovan understood the consequences of her actions.
A teenage boy, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder a woman on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 23 November 2018, wearing a navy jumper and blue jeans. The boy is currently detained in Oberstown. Judge Michael White directed the preparation of a Probation Services report and a victim impact statement, and set a sentencing hearing for 25 February 2019.
A man from Cavan has pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to assisting an unlawful organisation in the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly. Michael McDermott, aged 59, of Ballinagh, Co. Cavan, admitted to knowingly rendering assistance to the IRA in furthering the unlawful killing of Mr Butterly at various locations between 3 and 6 March 2013. Mr Butterly was shot outside the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co. Meath, on 6 March 2013 in the presence of schoolchildren awaiting buses. McDermott had initially pleaded not guilty to murder and related firearms charges, with trial proceedings commenced in October. He was recharged under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 this morning and entered a guilty plea to the fresh count. The prosecution entered a nolle prosequi on the three original charges. McDermott has been remanded in custody pending sentencing on 28 January 2019. Two further defendants, Frank Murphy and Kevin Braney, both deny murder and firearms possession charges relating to the incident. The trial continues before the three-judge court.
Patrick Nevin, 37, was convicted in December 2014 of sexually assaulting a Brazilian student he met on Tinder. The student, who was using the app to practice English, believed they were meeting for coffee but was taken to a secluded field on the UCD campus where Nevin forced a kiss, pulled her dress down, restrained her, and punched her on the back of the head. She escaped by releasing her seat belt and getting out of the car. Nevin drove off, leaving her distressed and disoriented. Gardaí identified him via the car's number‑plate recognition system. The victim, now 36, testified that she feared for her life and that the attack forced her to abandon her English studies and work as a cleaner. She expressed ongoing fear of men and a desire to return to Ireland, while acknowledging that most people are good. Nevin's lawyers denied the charge and the case was sent to sentencing.
John Brennan, 44, of Lusk, Dublin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended for assault causing harm to his then‑girlfriend on 31 August 2014. The victim, a former nurse, suffered multiple fractures to her face, a black eye, bruising and hair loss after Brennan struck her head off the steering wheel, dragged her by her hair from the car, and continued punching her in the face. She endured months of pain, dependence on her son's care and ongoing mental health issues such as severe anxiety and flashbacks. Brennan pleaded guilty, citing remorse and a good employment record, and the judge reduced the headline sentence from four to three years. The court refused compensation and ordered him to be of good behaviour for the suspended portion of his sentence.
Eddie McEvoy, 34, a chronic drug addict, pleaded guilty to eight thefts and one trespass with intent between October 2017 and January 2018. He stole goods worth over €10,000, including €6,000 of scratch cards, 20 bottles of Armani Code perfume (€2,000), 200 packets of cigarettes, 25 vodka bottles, a rum bottle, and other cosmetics and alcohol. McEvoy's offences were opportunistic, targeting soft targets and often entering shops through open doors. He was captured on CCTV in several incidents, such as the Cath Kidston shop, Hickey's Pharmacy, Boots on Grafton Street, and Boots on Baggot Street. He admitted to stealing items from a staff room at Londis, taking €6,000 of scratch cards and other stock. McEvoy has 135 prior convictions, including 59 thefts, 17 drug offences and two robberies. He is currently clean of all drugs except methadone.
An 81‑year‑old Dublin woman was robbed on her way home from Eurospar in Bayside on 10 September 2016. The robber, Vasile Marin, 24, followed her, seized her purse containing about €300, and fled. The woman, who had recently had a pacemaker implanted, was so shocked that she could not open her front door for six months and had to rely on help. She later decided not to let the robbery dominate her life and now avoids cash, using home help for shopping. Marin, who has two prior theft convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He admitted the crime, expressed remorse, and claimed he was motivated by a gambling debt and was somewhat intoxicated. The court adjourned sentencing to 27 February, ordered a probation report, and warned of possible custody.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Donna Kirwan, daughter of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, said her father was only guilty of "showing respect" at a childhood friend's funeral. She described him as a hard‑working "grafter" who chose legitimate work over drug sales. The court heard that both her son and daughter contemplated suicide after their father's murder. The victim impact statement was read by a woman from victim support on behalf of Donna. The court also heard that Jason Keating, 27, was present at the scene and facilitated the shooting. Keating had a tracking device on Kirwan's car and was linked to the assailant. Keating pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder, and the State withdrew the murder charge, leaving only the facilitation charge pending. The hearing took place before the sentencing of Keating, who was remanded in custody until December 12.
In a non‑jury Special Criminal Court hearing on 22 November 2018, Nathan Foley, aged 20, pleaded guilty to aiding a criminal organisation in the murder of David Douglas, 55, who was shot six times on 1 July 2016 at the counter of his partner's shop on Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8. Foley admitted that between 1 and 4 July 2016 he participated in or contributed to activities intended to facilitate the commission of the murder, an offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. He was also charged with damaging a car on 4 July 2016 at Strand Road, Dublin 4. The court, presided over by Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Sinead Ni Chualachain and Cormac Dunne, remanded Foley in custody until 5 December 2018 for sentencing. The case also noted that Frederick "Freddie" Thompson, 37, had been found guilty of Douglas's murder in August 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a commuter on a Luas tram on 11 November 2016. Lee Murray, formerly of Blanchardstown, admitted attacking the victim and producing a screwdriver during the incident. The court heard the victim was travelling to work in the early hours when Murray and others boarded the tram near Rialto. During the assault, Murray used the screwdriver to cause injury to the victim's hand, causing significant bleeding. The victim reported feeling very fearful following the attack. Following his arrest, Murray expressed remorse and indicated his wish to apologise to the victim. The court was informed of his 34 previous convictions, including a 20-month sentence imposed in February for a firearms offence. Judge Cormac Quinn adjourned sentencing to 15 February pending a Probation Service report.
David Murphy, 39, of Carlow, was jailed for four years after he held up a Centra shop in Dublin to pay his 21‑year‑old son's drug debt. He had been released from a seven‑year sentence in 2012, with five years suspended on a good‑behaviour condition. Judge Melanie Greally reactivated three of those suspended years and imposed a new five‑year sentence, suspending the final four years, for the attempted robbery on 28 December 2017. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The robbery involved him threatening a shop employee, Marco Moniz, with a pair of scissors. Moniz tackled Murphy, and police arrived shortly after. Murphy admitted the offence was stupid, expressed remorse, and said he had no intention to injure anyone. The sentence is consecutive to the reactivated years. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL. The article reports no further legal developments.
Ciaran Neally, a 24-year-old man from Cork, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 512 grammes of cannabis worth €10,300 for sale or supply. The offence occurred on December 18, 2014, at Station Road, Clondalkin, Dublin. Detective Sergeant Kerrie O'Connor testified that Neally was stopped at a routine garda checkpoint, where officers detected a strong smell of cannabis and found the drugs in a shopping bag. Neally's speech was slurred, and his eyes were glassy. He admitted to collecting the drugs for friends who had driven him to Dublin. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Neally was the only occupant of the vehicle to accept full responsibility for the drugs. The court considered his early guilty plea, good employment history, and lack of re-offending in the four years since the incident. The judge also acknowledged that Neally's DNA was not found on the drugs or their wrapping. Taking into account that the crime was at the lower end of the mid-range for such offences, Judge Greally suspended the sentence for two years. Neally has minor previous convictions for road traffic matters.
Lee O'Brien, 31, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving and one count of driving without insurance on 9 January 2018. At 1.30 a.m. a garda patrol unit noticed a red Nissan Micra that hesitated when the driver spotted the gardaí. The car sped off, pursued, and drove down the wrong direction of several one‑way streets, through red lights, and on North King Street where it stalled. O'Brien reversed toward the halted patrol car, colliding with it while two gardaí were still inside. A second patrol car pursued until O'Brien collided with a taxi on Queen's Street, causing the taxi to spin and hit a pole. The driver, his passenger and the taxi driver were removed and treated for minor injuries. O'Brien admitted he was banned from driving at the time and was intoxicated.
Patrick Dignam, 45, was tracked by Gardaí from the robbery scene to his home using CCTV footage. He threatened a staff member at a Centra convenience store on Harold's Cross Road with a rusty knife and stole €170. The footage showed him wearing distinctive tracksuit bottoms, which were later found at his home in Eagle Lodge, Leinster Road West, Dublin. Dignam pleaded guilty to the robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 47 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences, and was previously jailed for robbery in 1992. Garda Stephen Pendred reviewed shop footage, then canvassed local shops for additional footage, enabling the tracking of Dignam's movements to his residence. A warrant was obtained, and clothing matching the suspect was found. Dignam was arrested, but no cash was recovered. A victim impact statement noted the staff member was not injured but feels more nervous.
James Jordan, a 51‑year‑old property developer from Castleknock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly submitting 16 incorrect VAT returns, six incorrect income‑tax returns, four incorrect invoices and three false claims of income‑tax relief. He owes more than €1 million in unpaid taxes and penalties, including €162,945 in VAT, €297,974 in capital‑gains tax and €775,962 in interest and penalties, totalling €1,236,881. The case was scheduled for sentencing on 20 November but Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin adjourned it to 18 January to allow Revenue to assess a settlement offer. The judge warned that failure to reach an agreement could result in a custodial sentence, noting a potential headline term of two and a half years, subject to a 20 % reduction for mitigating factors. She also ordered a report on Jordan's suitability for community service.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 68‑year‑old man was convicted of four counts of sexual assault against the daughter of his partner, who was 14 at the time. The offences occurred between January and December 1991, both in the man's shop and at his home. The judge, Pauline Codd, imposed a three‑year prison sentence, suspending the final year for one year on the condition that the defendant remains law‑abiding, behaves well, and engages with the Probation Service after release. The court noted that the victim and her mother lived above the shop, and that the defendant had taken on a step‑father role. The judge cited the breach of trust, the victim's age, and the traumatic impact as aggravating factors, while the defendant's lack of prior convictions, advanced age, and serious health issues were mitigating. The victim delivered a victim impact statement describing the abuse as having an enormous effect on her life.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Silver Drescan (32) and Margherita Lupu (37) pleaded guilty to possessing 52 cloned credit cards and to making false payments, including a €3,400 purchase of a ring for Lupu and attempts to buy two mobile phones and two watches. The pair had used the cloned cards at Dom Marmion car park on 25 June 2018. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Lupu to two years' imprisonment, suspended, with the condition that she leave the State within seven days and not return for at least ten years. Drescan received a two‑year sentence with the final 15 months suspended, taking into account his good work record and custody of two dependent children. Both defendants now live in the United Kingdom. The court noted that the offence was serious, but Lupu's guilty plea, remorse, lack of prior convictions and motherhood were mitigating factors. The couple's relationship ended after the arrest.
A man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl at a Dublin mosque. Abdur Rashid, aged 50, was found guilty by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of a single count of sexual assault occurring in December 2015. The accused, a former resident of Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim who later lived in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, with the final four months suspended for one year on condition he complies with Probation Services directions and maintains good behaviour. The child's mother discovered the assault when collecting her daughter from the school. Evidence revealed the accused displayed an "unhealthy interest" in the child prior to the incident. The victim subsequently experienced anxiety, nightmares and school avoidance. The judge described the offence as a "gross exploitation of the innocence of a very young child" and noted aggravating factors including the victim's age and breach of the teacher-student relationship. The sentence was backdated to January 2018.
Karl Zambra, 31, of St Teresa's Gardens, Donore Avenue, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with the final six months suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply. The offence involved selling €40 of cocaine to undercover Gardaí who had posed in plain clothes to test whether he would offer drugs. Zambra and another man approached the officers, spoke briefly, and then Zambra signalled to the other man and said, "Them boys are okay, sort them out?" After the officers purchased the cocaine, Zambra gave them his brother's mobile number and suggested they call it to sort themselves out in the future. He was not arrested until almost a year later to avoid blowing the undercover operation. Zambra has 77 previous convictions, including drug misuse, burglary, dangerous driving, drunk driving and a violent disorder offence in a Garda station.
Leona O'Callaghan, 37, addressed the court and said that Patrick O'Dea, 51, who is also known as "Whacker", raped her when she was 13 in 1994 and 1995. O'Dea pleaded guilty to sexual assault and rape. O'Dea isolated O'Callaghan from friends, manipulated her, and told her that the bleeding was a sign of virginity being broken. O'Callaghan described the physical pain, the use of a basin of ice, and the long‑term mental anguish, including self‑harm and suicidal attempts. She said the abuse affected her later relationships and her children. Judge Deirdre Murphy sentenced O'Dea to 18½ years, suspended the last 18 months on condition of treatment, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. O'Callaghan concluded that O'Dea did not win.
Patrick Nevin, aged 37, is set to be sentenced for two rape offences committed after meeting victims on Tinder in July 2014. He pleaded guilty to raping a woman in Bellewstown and sexually assaulting another in County Meath. Both victims testified that Nevin had convinced them to meet for a drive, then raped them in secluded locations. The first victim described feeling "tainted, dirty and stupid" and said the attack altered her life. The second victim recounted being forced into sexual acts and later experiencing severe anxiety. Nevin's prior convictions include assault on a former partner in 2001 and a firearms offence in 2012. He remains in custody awaiting sentencing on 17 December, with the court considering his guilty pleas and expressions of remorse. The court heard that Nevin had completed education while in custody and had worked as a software engineer.
Patrick O'Dea, aged 52, was sentenced to 18½ years in prison for raping and repeatedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl, Leona O'Callaghan, who was aged 12 to 14 at the time of the offences. O'Dea pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and rape committed in 1994 and 1995. He had 42 prior convictions, including a sexual assault of a girl under ten, and had previously received a 15‑year sentence for multiple rapes and assaults of a single girl between 1998 and 2004. The judge suspended the last 18 months of the sentence, recognising his guilty plea and willingness to undertake a psychological assessment, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. O'Dea was required to participate in the "Building Better Lives" sex‑offender treatment programme. The court noted the severe psychological damage inflicted on Ms O'Callaghan, who had made three suicide attempts, and highlighted O'Dea's pattern of offences against young girls.
Tony Rochford, 50, of Trim, was sentenced to six months in prison for damaging an M50 toll gantry with an angle‑grinder on 30 May and threatening Gardaí. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and possession of an angle‑grinder. The judge set a headline sentence of four years, suspended the final two years, and imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for a prior offence, making the sentences consecutive. Rochford had previously damaged the gantry in June 2017, causing over €500,000 in damage and a 26‑hour outage. He posted videos on social media explaining his motives and was described by a security guard as "hyper." The court noted his history of PTSD, prior convictions, and a claim of political motivation for the earlier offence. The damage to the gantry was estimated at €500‑€1,000.
Brian Boyle, a 30‑year‑old former drug addict, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after he punched and kicked an innocent bystander at Longmeadows Apartments on 31 May 2016. Boyle admitted he was very drunk and had little memory of the incident, apologising to the victim who was hospitalised with head and body injuries. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Boyle's history of drug addiction and homelessness, accepted that he was now on the road to recovery and had taken important steps to address his addiction. She imposed a headline sentence of three and a half years, suspended on the condition that he keep the peace for that period, citing his guilty plea, cooperation with the investigation and expressions of remorse. The victim did not complete a victim impact statement. Boyle's 59 previous convictions include theft, robbery and car theft. The court emphasised that imprisoning him now would pose a risk to his rehabilitation process.
Laura Byrne, 40, of Ardglass, Baltinglass, was found guilty of eight counts of theft and two counts of deception by using false HSE receipts between 16 April 2015 and 21 October 2016. She admitted stealing €30,413 from the daily‑care wards at Clonskeagh Hospital, where patients paid €5 a day for meals and transport. The money was collected by Byrne, who was expected to lodge receipts to the HSE and keep an electronic record. Unofficial receipts and missing weeks raised concerns, and the hospital later reported the theft. Byrne gave a prepared statement admitting the theft, apologising, and explaining that her husband had been out of work for two years and then suffered a heart attack, leaving her to manage finances under extreme stress. She has no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case for 12 months to allow a probation report and for Byrne to continue restitution. She is due to be sentenced on 18 November next year.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Alan Curtis, aged 34, was convicted of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a 16‑year‑old boy on 28 March 2014. Curtis, who had previously served a partially suspended six‑year sentence for a 2004 assault, used a hurley to fracture the teen's skull after an antisocial incident involving about 20 youths outside his mother's house. The teen suffered a depressed skull fracture, required emergency surgery, and was later treated at the National Rehabilitation Hospital for speech and cognitive difficulties. Curtis was sentenced to four years, with the final two years suspended, following a unanimous jury verdict. The judge noted that Curtis's prior conviction and the circumstances of the offence influenced the decision to suspend part of the sentence.
Aidan Conroy, a 40‑year‑old truck driver from Ashbrook, Clonaslee, was jailed for eight and a half years after a court found him a facilitator in the importation of nearly €300,000 worth of cocaine. The drugs were seized at Dublin Port on 20 August 2015 when officers stopped his freight truck after it disembarked from a ferry. They discovered 4.2 kilos of cocaine hidden in a fire extinguisher in the truck cab and an additional 6.9 kilos in a bag on pallets in the trailer. A jury acquitted Conroy of charges relating to the trailer drugs but convicted him of possession of the cab drugs. He pleaded not guilty to possession for sale or supply of cocaine with a market value over €13,000 and denied importation.
David Browne, 41, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight burglary counts in Celbridge in June 2017. Garda Conor Morris presented CCTV evidence of Browne entering sheds, taking power tools and a laptop from a business premises, and avoiding confrontation with homeowners. Browne has 171 prior convictions, including 36 theft offences, one robbery and 108 traffic offences. He had a four‑year sentence in 2013 for 11 thefts. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year prison term, suspending the last 15 months on condition he engage with the Probation Service after release.
Alan Lynch, 58, a homeless man with no fixed abode, was sentenced to ten years in jail for cultivating cannabis at Keelogues House, Heronford Lane, Shankill, Dublin. Lynch had previously been released from prison after a four‑year sentence for drug possession and had 19 prior traffic convictions. He pleaded guilty to a Section 15A offence for growing cannabis worth an estimated €763,560. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the mandatory minimum of ten years, citing Lynch's history of drug and alcohol dependence and his inability to rehabilitate. Lynch had been in custody since his arrest in January of that year. The court noted that the balance of the sentence could be reviewed after six years, with the possibility of serving or suspending the remaining term. The case stemmed from a police investigation triggered by a blue Mercedes van crash near the grow house, which led to the discovery of 917 cannabis plants and a 1.5 kg haul.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for defilement and a concurrent one-year term for child sexual exploitation. The unnamed defendant, who was 23 at the time of the offences, was convicted by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on four charges of defilement and one charge of sexual exploitation of a child. The offences occurred between September 2012 and February 2014, when the victim, now 21, was aged 15. The court heard that the victim was living with her grandmother due to her parents' inability to care for her, and that the pair had sexual relations on multiple occasions. Evidence included text messages in which the victim expressed that the relationship was wrong because he was her cousin. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the significant age disparity and the breach of trust, stating the defendant was in a stable position and should have known better. Although the man accepted the jury's verdict, he offered no apology or remorse. The judge declined to suspend any portion of the sentence, citing his lack of insight into the harm caused. The victim's impact statement described a loss of stability and peace of mind, while an investigating garda stated the case had ripped the family apart.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 61‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for raping a 39‑year‑old woman, the younger sister of a victim he had previously raped. The court noted that the victim was a vulnerable woman who had endured abuse from multiple family members, including her father, uncle, and grandfather. She had been raped by the defendant in her bedroom when she was either 10 or 12 years old, an act that left her physically injured and emotionally scarred. The defendant had moved into the family home in 1988 and had been in a relationship with the victim's mother for eight years. He pleaded guilty to the charge, and the sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest in March 2017. The court highlighted the defendant's guilty plea, age, and expressed remorse as mitigating factors.
Gary Kelly, a 40‑year‑old Dublin City Council plumber, was arrested at his family home after threatening to shoot two colleagues, Brian Fitzpatrick and John Maher, on 23 and 24 January. He had severe mental health problems, including a psychotic episode, and believed he was being followed by "drones, ISIS and other organisations." Kelly denied the offences and was considered paranoid by the arresting Garda. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded in custody until 27 November pending sentencing. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case for two weeks to consider a psychiatric report, which recommended an independent forensic psychological assessment. The judge expressed concern that Kelly's risk of re‑offending would be high if he continued to drink and that he would only be released under a proper regime. No previous convictions were recorded. The case remains pending sentencing.
Olga Leschen, aged 50, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing over €10,000 in rental deposits from eight prospective lodgers between September and October 2015. She advertised her house on Daft.ie, collected deposits ranging from €200 to €2,600, and then prevented the lodgers from moving in, citing health issues. None of the deposits were returned. Leschen was arrested on 25 October 2015 and initially denied the allegations, claiming she always returns what she takes. She later expressed remorse, wrote apology letters, and cooperated with the investigation. Judge Terence O'Sullivan sentenced her to six months imprisonment, fully suspended for 12 months on the condition of good behaviour. She has repaid all but one deposit, with the remaining €1,100 held by her solicitor and earmarked for donation if the injured party does not come forward within three years. No prior convictions were recorded.
Derek Thompson, a 58‑year‑old former An Post postman from Wicklow, was sentenced to a six‑month suspended term after he was found guilty of four counts of preventing the delivery of postal items without the addressee's consent. Thompson had discarded mainly marketing material, including two letters about medical appointments, from his delivery route in order to shorten his round so he could care for his sick mother. The court heard that no addressee missed any appointments and that the discarded mail consisted largely of brochures and charity solicitations. Thompson had no prior convictions and had served 34 years with An Post. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that the offence was at the lower end of the scale, noted that no harm was done, and imposed a suspended six‑month sentence, citing the loss of his long‑standing job as a significant consequence.
A bus driver from Dublin has been convicted of careless driving causing death following a collision with a cyclist on Burlington Road in November 2014. Osborn Irabor, aged fifty-eight, had pleaded not guilty to the charge but was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incident occurred when his double-decker bus struck Mary White as she cycled towards a T-junction. Ms White sustained traumatic head injuries and died two days later in hospital. Judge Francis Comerford emphasised that drivers must exercise particular regard for cyclists' vulnerability on roads. The court found that the bus cut the corner at the junction, placing the cyclist in a blind spot created by the wing mirror. The judge noted Irabor's previously unblemished safety record since joining Dublin Bus in two thousand and seven, and determined that imprisonment was not warranted. However, Irabor received a mandatory four-year driving disqualification, effective from January first, which will likely result in job loss.
Joseph O'Connor, a 58‑year‑old Garda from west Dublin, was convicted on five counts of possessing child pornography. The charges stem from a laptop seized on 2 August 2011 during an investigation of other allegations. Analysis of the laptop revealed videos and images depicting boys under ten and under 17 in sexual acts, as well as 16 different images of children sexually exposed. A jury found him guilty on four counts, acquitting him on one count involving 56 duplicate images. He was convicted of possessing two original images in a folder named "Spanked Boys," 15 explicit videos, 56 images and 42 videos of sexual acts, and 41 images of sexual exposure. The files were largely located in the hard drive's unallocated cluster space. O'Connor, who has been suspended since the matters arose, denied downloading the material and claimed it was placed on his computer by others. He was remanded on continuing bail until 14 January. Joseph O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
An Estonian man, Imre Arakas, 59, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to conspiring to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between 3 and 4 April last year. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Cormac Dunne, accepted his plea and vacated a previously scheduled trial date. Arakas was remanded in custody until 30 November, when sentencing will occur. A governor's report was ordered, and a European Arrest Warrant from Lithuania was endorsed for charges pending there.
Silver Drescan (32) and Margherita Lupu (37), both from the United Kingdom, were arrested on 25 June 2018 in Dublin for possessing 52 cloned credit cards and for making false payments. They used the cards to buy a €3,400 ring, two mobile phones and two watches. Lupu pleaded guilty to each count and was sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan to two years' imprisonment per count, suspended on the condition that she leave the State within seven days and not return for at least ten years. Drescan's sentencing was adjourned to 19 November 2018. Garda Karl O'Neill described how the pair were stopped at a shopping centre, followed to a car park, and searched, revealing the cards. The couple had arrived from the UK the day before to visit friends and family, but their relationship ended after the arrest.
Tony Walsh, a former "singing" priest aged 64, will be sentenced in December for indecently assaulting a teenage boy in 1983. He has already been serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for raping another boy three times in the 1980s, with a crucifix used in one of those assaults. Walsh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the 1983 charge. Garda John Barrett described the incident: the boy, who had been drunk, woke up naked and in pain with Walsh on top of him in a single bed; Walsh allegedly inserted his penis into the boy's anus for a "split second". The victim reported a "stabbing pain" and later turned to drinking. A victim impact report was filed but not read. Walsh's defence argued that his guilty plea spared the victim from testifying and highlighted a long delay in the case.
Marian Minarik, a 40‑year‑old Slovakian national living in Ireland for 12 years, was given an 18‑month suspended sentence for possession of child pornography. Gardaí, alerted by Luxembourg authorities, searched his Dublin home and seized a laptop and hard drive containing 39,792 images and 404 videos of child pornography. Minarik admitted downloading the material, claiming he began at age 15, and denied any compulsion to have sex with children, though he acknowledged sexual gratification from the images. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography between March 2009 and July 2010. The judge considered his early guilty plea, cooperation, remorse and admissions, and ordered him to undertake a sex offender treatment programme and offence‑focused work under the Probation Service. No prior convictions were recorded. The case involved extensive evidence of sexual content, but Minarik denied any role in production or distribution. He is on medication for depression.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, two men have been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman while she lay asleep in a private room at a nightclub in Swords, Dublin in July 2017. Joshua Sykes, of Ardlo Manor, Mullagh, County Cavan, and Adam McCabe, of Clusker Park, Navan, County Meath, both pleaded guilty to the offence. Each received a three-year sentence, with the final eighteen months suspended. Judge Cormac Quinn described the case as shocking, noting the woman was vulnerable at the time and had been preyed upon. CCTV footage showed the assault occurring over five minutes while the woman remained unresponsive. Both men, who were attending a birthday party, claimed memory loss but were identified on camera. In a victim impact statement, the woman detailed ongoing psychological harm, including self-harm, panic attacks, and anxiety. The judge considered the men's early guilty pleas, youth, cooperation with probation services, and expressions of remorse when imposing sentence.
Luke Wilson, aged 23, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 11 years' imprisonment for conspiring to murder Gary Hanley between 15 September and 6 November last year. Wilson admitted in July that he had planned the murder and had also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a Beretta handgun with intent to endanger life on 6 November. The firearm offence carried a headline sentence of 16 years, but Wilson received 12 years with the final year suspended for three years. He also received a six‑year concurrent sentence for the conspiracy charge. The judge noted Wilson's history of drug use, a traumatic childhood, and his early guilty plea as mitigating factors. Wilson's sentence was back‑dated to his arrest on 6 November 2017. The case involved other defendants charged with the same conspiracy and firearm offences. The court highlighted the Garda investigation and the interception of a vehicle used in the plot.
Kenneth Locke, 29, of Ballyfermot, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final two and a half years suspended, for burglary with a plank at Cloverhill Road on 1 April. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Locke was extremely intoxicated, having taken thirty‑forty Xanax tablets that day, and had 127 prior convictions. The burglary occurred a little over a month after his release from an eight‑year sentence for aggravated burglary, of which two years were suspended. The court heard that a pregnant woman, her partner and two young children were awakened by an intruder screaming and banging on their bed with a plank, an event described as "profoundly frightening." Judge Melanie Greally noted the lasting loss of security for the family and the presence of a pregnant woman and children, and gave the headline sentence of ten years, while acknowledging Locke's early guilty plea, his young age and attempts to address his drug addiction.
Martin McDonagh, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder and assault causing harm arising from an incident on November 19, 2016, at Old Castle Drive, Clondalkin. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for violent disorder and two and a half years for assault causing harm, with both sentences fully suspended for three years. The court heard that McDonagh struck Patrick Reilly with a baseball bat, breaking his nose. Judge Greally noted McDonagh acted in an unjustifiable manner but was no worse than others involved. She credited his lack of prior or subsequent violence and efforts to stabilize his family life. Previously, Martin McDonagh Snr, Ellen McDonagh, Nora McDonagh, Helen McDonagh, and Shannon Sherlock pleaded guilty to violent disorder in the same incident. McDonagh Snr received a four-year sentence fully suspended, while the other four received two-year sentences fully suspended. The prosecution alleged the group arrived at the Reilly home armed with weapons, including a sickle, hurleys, and a baton. The defense stated McDonagh had no substance issues and had moved his family from the area following the incident.
The belief evidence of Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard that Conor Metcalfe (28) was a member of the IRA on November 24, 2015, forms the central point of the case against him, the Special Criminal Court has heard. Metcalfe, who is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, has not entered a plea and a not guilty plea has been entered on his behalf. Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, closing the prosecution case, stated that Howard's belief evidence is supported by inferences drawn from Metcalfe's failure to answer material questions during interviews, following the invocation of Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act. Lawlor highlighted the nexus between Metcalfe and Patrick Brennan, who was jailed for four years for IRA membership in 2005, and David Nooney, who was jailed for three years and nine months for IRA membership earlier this year. She also referenced Metcalfe's fingerprint being found on a document at David Murray's home, where Murray was jailed for four and a half years for IRA membership in 2017. Paul Greene SC, defending Metcalfe, argued that the case has unusual aspects and that the appropriate verdict is not guilty. He contended that the questions put to Metcalfe failed to meet standards and that Howard's belief evidence should be weighed carefully. The matter was adjourned, with Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge Cormac Dunne, remanding Metcalfe on continuing bail until December 19, when the court will deliver judgement on the case.
A man with previous convictions for manslaughter has been imprisoned after carrying out armed raids whilst serving a suspended sentence. Mark Bissett, aged 33, of Swords Road, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to burn down the house of a charity worker in May 2016. The threat was made at Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street, during a soup run for homeless people in Dublin city centre. Judge Karen O'Connor had suspended a two-year sentence for this offence in June 2017, cautioning Bissett that he faced imprisonment if he reoffended. Within four months, Bissett carried out armed robberies on two shops in Ranelagh. On 15 October 2017 he wielded a knife during one raid, and on 26 October he used a fork during a pharmacy robbery. Judge O'Connor activated the suspended sentence, imposing the full two-year term. Bissett has sixty previous convictions including manslaughter, assault and public order offences.
A 66-year-old man from Donegal has been granted bail by the High Court pending an extradition hearing to face charges in Northern Ireland. The man was arrested at his home in Creeslough on a European Arrest Warrant relating to the deaths of two UDR soldiers killed in an explosion in Enniskillen in 1972, and charges connected to the 1982 Hyde Park bombing in London. He was released on bail comprising his own bond of €5,000 and an independent surety of €30,000. The High Court judge found bail appropriate despite serious allegations, noting residential ties and family connections reduced flight risk. Bail conditions require him to sign on daily at Letterkenny Garda Station, reside at his registered address, maintain contact with gardaí, and remain within the State. His defence counsel has indicated objections to extradition will be raised, including arguments regarding immunity under the Good Friday Agreement and abuse of process. A full extradition hearing is scheduled for 23 November.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, Michael McDonagh, was jailed for one and a half years after acting as a look‑out in a 2014 hijacking of a black Toyota Yaris at Hampton Wood, Finglas. The shop manager, listening to his car radio at 7.10 am, noticed McDonagh and two other men. One of the men broke the car's driver‑side window with a screwdriver, and the victim was pulled out of the car and kicked after slipping. McDonagh, from Carton Road, Poppintree, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to the hijacking but later took a bench warrant. He had 39 prior convictions, including public order offences, thefts and criminal damage. The court noted his peripheral role, lack of routine, drug use, and lack of a fixed abode. Judge Melanie Greally gave him a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, ordering him to engage with addiction services and education or training courses.
Eoin Morrow, a 38‑year‑old bricklayer from Dundalk, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing €1.38 million worth of cannabis resin and prescription drugs. Gardaí, using confidential information, set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. The truck driver, John Needham, 31, and Morrow removed boxes of cannabis and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park, Finglas. A subsequent search uncovered 96 kg of cannabis, valued at €580,200, and 400,000 Zopiclone pills, valued at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug on 25 July 2015. He had 15 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He had taken a bench warrant, fled to Europe, but returned and surrendered.