In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 November 2018, Karl McDermott, aged 21, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for a robbery at Dunnes Stores on 25 May 2018. McDermott used a homemade machete‑type weapon that his brother, a metal fabricator, had constructed for a Halloween costume. The weapon was described as a long silver knife with a padded handle covered in tin foil, and was found in the back of a drawer at the family home. McDermott pleaded guilty to robbery and the production of the homemade machete. He had 45 prior convictions, including robbery, possession of knives, criminal damage, violent disorder and drug offences. The court noted that McDermott had been taking tablets and alcohol, and that he had been struggling mentally. The judge accepted his early guilty plea but emphasised that the weapon was capable of serious injury.
Paddy McCarthy, 35, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a stranger, Glen Verdun, at a Subway store on Wexford Street, Dublin, on 30 July 2016. McCarthy, who was intoxicated, entered the store early in the morning, shouted at Verdun when he was asked to give his girlfriend space, and was escorted out by staff. He returned, told Verdun he would wait outside, and then punched him on the right side of the face. Verdun fell, suffered a broken eye socket, underwent surgery with a titanium plate, and was out of work for eight months, losing €9,000. McCarthy claimed he was tired of being abused by his father, a disciplinarian who had assaulted him many times. He was a carer for his father, who had Alzheimer's, at the time. McCarthy did not remember the incident, cried when viewing CCTV footage, and identified himself to Gardaí.
Joseph O'Connor, a 58‑year‑old Garda from west Dublin, was found guilty by a jury of possessing child pornography. He had pleaded not guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The charges related to images and videos seized from his home on 2 August 2011, when Gardaí investigating other allegations seized a laptop. Analysis of the laptop revealed videos in the recycle bin of boys under ten and under 17 being subjected to sexual acts, as well as 16 different images of children sexually exposed or involved in sexual acts. The jury returned unanimous verdicts of guilty on four counts and acquitted him of one count involving 56 duplicates of two images. He was convicted of possessing the two originals of those images, 15 explicit videos, 56 images and 42 videos of children being subjected to explicit sexual acts, and 41 images of children being sexually exposed.
James Jordan, a 51-year-old property developer from Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly and wilfully submitting 16 incorrect VAT returns, six incorrect income tax returns, four incorrect invoices, and three false claims of income tax relief. Prosecuting counsel Gerardine Small stated that Jordan failed to pay capital gains tax on the sale of five properties worth €1,960,500 between 2004 and 2010. The total amount owed, including interest and penalties, was alleged to be €1,236,885. Jordan has one previous conviction from 2017 for failing to file an income tax return. Séamus Clarke SC, defending, argued that Jordan ran a carpet business and that a custodial sentence would result in job losses and eliminate any hope of repayment. He submitted character references describing Jordan as "very honest." Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin remarked on the description, questioning whether the author was aware of the admitted offences. The matter was adjourned until November 20 next for finalisation.
Neil Dolan, a 26‑year‑old finance worker, was found guilty of forging documents and using them to apply for three loans between 30 June and 7 July 2017. He altered identity papers with Microsoft Paint and presented them to KBC and Permanent TSB under the alias "Neil Nolan." All applications were rejected after the banks detected the alterations, and Gardaí confirmed Dolan's involvement. He admitted 14 counts of forging documents and 14 counts of using forged documents in the loan applications. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed an 18‑month prison sentence, suspended on the condition that Dolan complete a computer training course. No loss of income to the banks was reported, and the case involved no violence. Dolan had a prior conviction for forging a death certificate and had previously received a fine in 2013. The court noted his stress and anxiety at the time of the offences.
Leroy Howard, a 28‑year‑old father of two, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. He was found in possession of €115,000 worth of drugs, including 5 kg of cannabis (valued at €99,868) and 250 g of cocaine (valued at €15,060). Howard had previously pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on St Joseph's Avenue, Drumcondra, on 20 December 2017. He has 65 prior convictions, 49 of which are driving offences, plus convictions for public order, theft and drug offences. The judge noted his history of disregard for the law and his role as a devoted father, accepting that he was remorseful and had a drug addiction at the time of the offence.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 6 November 2018, the family of the late Kenneth O'Brien delivered victim impact statements. They described O'Brien as a devoted family man, a hardworking son who began working at 15, and a loving partner to Eimear Dunne. The statements expressed profound grief over his murder, noting the traumatic discovery that his body was found as a torso in a suitcase. The family highlighted the loss of their son and the impact on their four‑year‑old child, who had never seen his father again. The court imposed a life sentence on the accused, Paul Wells, back‑dating it to 6 February 2016, the date of Wells's arrest. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, acknowledged the family's dignity and the shocking nature of the crime. The statements were delivered by the family members and by Detective Gda Aine O'Sullivan on behalf of Dunne.
Conor Metcalfe, 28, of Clondalkin, Dublin 22, is standing trial in the Special Criminal Court on a charge of membership of the IRA on November 24, 2015. As the accused made no reply when the charge was put, the court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard, head of the Special Detective Unit, gave belief evidence that Metcalfe was an IRA member on that date, claiming privilege over the underlying material to protect state security. He stated he relied on no material regarding Metcalfe's arrest or detention. Fingerprint evidence linked Metcalfe to a document found in the home of David Murray, who was convicted of IRA membership in 2017 and jailed for four and a half years. Metcalfe denied IRA membership, surveillance activities, and knowledge of convicted IRA member Kenneth Donohue during interviews where he invoked Section 2 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act, 1998. The prosecution will formally close its case on Thursday morning before closing speeches commence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge Cormac Dunne.
In November 2018, a 23‑year‑old homeless woman, Donna Dineen, was sentenced to six years in prison for slashing the stomach of a man who had come to help her in the street. Dineen, who had previously given birth in custody, admitted to stabbing Saurjan Syergaz, a 27‑year‑old man, with a 25‑cm knife wound on 8 May 2017, and to robbing his wallet on the same occasion. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally imposed concurrent terms of six years for robbery and five years for assault, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The sentence reflected Dineen's unstable background, history of abuse, drug and alcohol dependence, and her expressed remorse and desire to keep her newborn son with her for an extended period while in custody.
Paul Wells Snr, 50, of Barnamore Park, Finglas, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kenneth O'Brien. The defendant pleaded not guilty to murdering the 33-year-old at his home in Barnamore Park on 15th or 16th January 2016, alleging he acted in self-defence after a scuffle over a gun. However, the court found him guilty of murder. The prosecution established that Wells shot O'Brien in the back of the head, dismembered the body using a chainsaw, and dumped the remains in the Grand Canal. Despite Wells's claims that O'Brien had requested he murder O'Brien's partner, forensic evidence, including post-mortem findings indicating the gun was held against the victim's head, contradicted the self-defence plea. The jury rejected his account, leading to a guilty verdict. Wells was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. The case involved extensive evidence, including bank transfers totalling almost €53,000 from O'Brien to Wells, and CCTV footage of the disposal of body parts. The court emphasized the premeditated nature of the cover-up and the brutality of the act, resulting in the maximum penalty for the offence.
Joseph O'Connor, 58, pleaded not guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Gardaí seized a Dell laptop from his west Dublin home during an August 2011 search. The laptop contained 12 videos depicting boys under ten and between ten and seventeen in explicit sexual acts, including with a male adult. O'Connor denied downloading or viewing the material, claiming it was uploaded by someone else and that his laptop was unsecured and used by visitors. He alleged a man who had visited his home the night before the seizure had corrupted the computer. O'Connor also recounted a separate incident involving a man who stole his Garda ID and €20, which led to a confrontation and a subsequent complaint to the Garda Ombudsman. The court heard that an Inspector Fox investigation found no evidence of rape or sexual assault, attributing alleged injuries to consensual acts. The case remains at the trial stage.
Brian Willoughby, a 40‑year‑old Dublin murderer convicted of murder in 2003, received a two and a half year sentence for assaulting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 31 December 2017. The officer, supervising inmates during lunchtime, was punched in the back of the head by Willoughby, who was later restrained. The officer sustained soft tissue damage to his neck, shoulder and head and was off work for two months. Willoughby, who has been on psychiatric medication since his incarceration 18 years ago, pleaded guilty to the assault. He has four prior convictions, including the 2003 murder, two assaults in 2000 and another assault in a courtroom in 2017. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his history of extreme violence and psychiatric treatment, imposed the sentence concurrent with his life sentence, giving credit for his early guilty plea and cooperation.
In November 2015, 24‑year‑old Edward Andrews, already serving a four‑year robbery sentence, harassed pub owner Stephen Rooney in Dublin. Andrews warned Rooney that the area was "his patch" during a 30th birthday celebration at The Farmhouse Inn, Monkstown. The next day he drove close to Rooney's workplace, revved his engine and shouted threats, then fled. A few days later, Andrews blocked Rooney into a cul‑de‑sac in his car, threatened to shoot him, and made a trigger‑pulling gesture. Rooney, who was in his own vehicle, reported the incident to Gardaí. Andrews pleaded guilty to harassing Rooney at several Dublin locations between 21 and 26 November 2015. He was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a three‑year jail term, with the final 12 months suspended, after acknowledging his guilty plea, youth, and efforts to become drug‑free.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Conor Metcalfe, 28, of Clondalkin, Dublin 22, who is charged with membership of the IRA on November 24, 2015. As the accused made no reply to the charge, the court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Detective Garda Colm Finnerty testified that he was present when Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce forced entry into Metcalfe's home with a search warrant. Metcalfe was arrested after failing to comply with directions to show his hands. During the search, Gardaí found items including books with an IRA connection, an IRA keyring, a signed proclamation, and an Alan Ryan memorial society invitation. The prosecution also referenced confidential information regarding a document found in the bedroom of David Murray, who was convicted of IRA membership in 2017 and jailed for four and a half years. Additionally, Det Sgt Boyce observed Patrick Brennan, who was jailed for four years for IRA membership in 2005, leaving the property. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge Cormac Dunne.
A 41‑year‑old woman who had taken a summer job looking after animals on local farms to prepare for a future as a vet was raped by John Phelan, 54, between 1992 and 1993 when she was aged 14 to 16. Phelan pleaded guilty to four sexual assault charges and two rapes at his home and other locations in Laois. He had previously served seven years for raping a girl aged nine to 11 in 1989 and 1990. At sentencing, the judge noted Phelan's false claim of no sexual preference for minors and described the abuse as calculated and exploitative. Phelan was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, and ordered to serve three years of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement highlighted how the abuse ended her dreams of becoming a vet and left her with lasting trauma.
Oliver Berry, aged 61, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of 104 counts of raping and sexually assaulting his daughter Jennifer Berry, aged 7 to 19, between December 1982 and December 1994. The offences included repeated rape during her pregnancy and a final rape two weeks after she gave birth, when her infant son was present. Berry pleaded not guilty but was found guilty. He received a ten‑year prison sentence. Berry maintains his innocence and intends to appeal. Jennifer Berry, who waived anonymity, gave evidence in the trial and described the abuse as ongoing, physically and psychologically damaging. The judge noted Berry's age and health in sentencing and highlighted the impact on family bonds. No further legal outcomes are reported in the article.
Alan Tuite, 28, of Ennel Park, Artane, was sentenced to five years in prison with the final 18 months suspended after pleading guilty to assault causing harm and production of a knife at the Rialto Luas stop on 3 July 2017. He slashed a passenger's face with a flick knife during a "moment of madness" over a prior alleged altercation between their children. The victim suffered facial injuries requiring six stitches, incurred €8,000–€10,000 in medical costs, and now experiences anxiety when using the Luas. The attack occurred in front of the victim's wife, two children, and a two‑year‑old girl who woke to see blood. CCTV showed Tuite and a co‑accused watching the victim, then Tuite disembarking, receiving the knife, and fleeing after the assault. Tuite admitted the harm, expressed regret, and claimed he had no control at the time. He has seven prior minor convictions and a psychological report indicating borderline personality disorder.
A man convicted in February of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against his daughter has opened an appeal against his conviction in the Court of Appeal. The 47-year-old was sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, following trial at the Central Criminal Court. The offences, which occurred between 2006 and 2010 in County Mayo and abroad, involved the complainant when she was between seven and eleven years old. The accused maintains his innocence and had pleaded not guilty to all charges. His counsel is seeking to adduce new evidence concerning an alleged recantation by the complainant. The appeal also raises grounds including claims of procedural unfairness during trial, cross-examination length, and challenges to certain evidentiary rulings. The Director of Public Prosecutions will respond to these submissions. The hearing continues before three Court of Appeal judges.
Sean Foster, 21, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at St Joseph's Adolescent Unit on 5 January 2015 and at Oak Ward, Phoenix House Care Centre on 7 April 2017. He struck music teacher Dean McEvoy with a pool cue, breaking the cue and fracturing McEvoy's skull and severing a brain artery, causing PTSD. Foster also punched staff member Michael Kelly, knocking out a tooth and requiring €7,500 in dental work. Foster suffers from treatment‑resistant schizophrenia and was an in‑patient at St Joseph's during the first assault. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the first assault, suspending the final six months on conditions of good behaviour, drug‑free status and medical compliance, and to 12 months' imprisonment for the second assault; the sentences run concurrently.
Craig O'Connor and Chelsea Curtis, both of Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder in Temple Bar on September 10, 2015. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced O'Connor to two and a half years' imprisonment and Curtis to 12 months' imprisonment. The judge suspended the entirety of both sentences on the condition that they keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the duration. Prosecution evidence alleged that O'Connor punched and kicked Alan Delve, who had previously punched O'Connor's uncle, Gareth O'Connor. Gareth O'Connor subsequently fell unconscious and never regained consciousness. James O'Connor, who also pleaded guilty to violent disorder, received a fully suspended two and a half-year sentence on June 8, 2018. CCTV footage reportedly showed O'Connor and Curtis struggling with a second man, with Curtis kicking a third male. Mr. Delve, who suffered a fractured cheekbone and head injuries, stated in a victim impact statement that he did not want anyone to go to prison. Defence counsel noted O'Connor was not the instigator and that the couple has two children. The judge cited the seriousness of the offence and effect on the victim as aggravating factors, while considering the guilty pleas, the defendants' ages, and the victim's wishes as mitigating factors.
A 54‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a partially suspended 18‑month prison term for five counts of indecent assault committed between 1979 and 1981 when the victim was a child aged six to eight. The judge, Cormac Quinn, imposed 18 months for each count, to run concurrently, and suspended the final nine months of each sentence on the condition that the offender remain law‑abiding, exhibit good behaviour for 12 months after release, and be supervised by the Probation Service. The court heard that the offender, aged 15 to 17 at the time, dragged the victim by her hair into his bedroom, forced her to undress, licked her legs up to her genitals, and on occasions attempted to insert his penis into her vagina or mouth. He also threw darts at her, sometimes striking her. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Jonathan Keogh, 33, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the deliberate and callous murder of Gareth Hutch, 35, who was shot dead outside Avondale House flats on 24 May 2016. Keogh was found to have fired the fatal shots in a cold‑blooded manner and to have been involved in almost every aspect of the planning. Thomas Fox, 31, was also convicted of murder and sentenced to life, found to have contributed to the planning and acted under Keogh's direction. Regina Keogh, 41, mother of five, was convicted of murder for colluding with her brother to facilitate the killing and received a mandatory life sentence. The court noted Keogh's 22 prior convictions, Fox's 106 prior convictions, and the evidence of Keogh's involvement in the planning and execution of the murder. The sentencing followed a nine‑week trial that ended in July.
In a Dublin court, a 52‑year‑old man was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with the final three years suspended, for a series of sexual offences against his daughter, who is now 17. He pleaded guilty to 21 charges, including rape, attempted rape, anal rape and other sexual assaults that spanned from 2006 to 2017. The court heard that the abuse began when the girl was between four and seven years old and continued through multiple moves, involving inappropriate touching, forced sexual acts and repeated rapes almost daily. The father described himself as a "partner by night" and claimed he had viewed his daughter inappropriately. He admitted to giving her alcohol and smoking cannabis during some incidents. The judge noted the profound breach of trust and the father's remorse, ordering him to undergo the Better Lives treatment programme while serving the sentence. The case highlighted the severe impact on the victim's physical and psychological well-being.
A 26-year-old man from Walkinstown, Dublin has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stabbing another man in the neck during a prearranged fight. Mohammed Adan Ali pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Mountjoy Square on 22 June 2017. The court heard that Ali contacted the injured party, a Somalian acquaintance, demanding money and subsequently arranged to meet him for a fight. During the confrontation, Ali produced a knife from his jeans and inflicted a neck wound on the victim. Judge Melanie Greally noted it was fortuitous that the blade did not strike major blood vessels. The injured party required stitches for treatment. In mitigation, the court acknowledged Ali's traumatic background, including witnessing his father's murder in childhood, and his efforts to address alcohol-related issues. However, Judge Greally determined that stabbing someone in the neck warranted a custodial sentence despite Ali's low re-offending risk assessment.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 1 November 2018, the court ruled that members of the National Surveillance Unit (NSU) must give evidence in secret and be identified only by initials to protect their safety. The case involved Conor Metcalfe, 28, charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Metcalfe was arraigned but remained silent, and the court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The prosecution presented evidence from NSU detectives who had observed Metcalfe rummaging under a stolen white Renault Kangoo van on 3 June 2014, retrieving a key, and driving away. The hearing also covered related surveillance of a blue BMW driven by Kenneth Donohue, a convicted IRA member, and the involvement of other individuals in the van's theft and modification. The trial was scheduled to continue on Monday before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment following his assault on a garda with a glass bottle. Christopher Reilly (28) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Daniel Sweeney, causing him harm, on Ratoath Road, Cabra, on 10 November 2015. During the incident, Reilly swung a glass bottle at the garda, causing a serious leg wound that required thirteen stitches and resulted in permanent sensory loss. The victim, in a statement read to the court, described losing considerable blood and being unable to walk for a month following the attack. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three and a half year sentence with the final twelve months suspended, noting the assault fell within the upper range of seriousness. She ordered Reilly to complete any violent offender programme directed by the Probation Service and to address his drug use. Reilly has sixty-seven previous convictions.
Eoin Berkley, 25, was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment for abducting a teenage Spanish student from Dublin city centre and raping her repeatedly over a 21‑hour period. The offences, committed between 15 and 16 July 2017 at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site, involved three separate rapes, false imprisonment, threats to kill and 19 incidents of violence or intimidation. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, imposed concurrent 14‑year sentences for each rape, back‑dated to 31 July 2017, and added a three‑year post‑release supervision period. Berkley's history of mental health difficulties and prior convictions was noted, but the court emphasised the premeditated nature of the crimes and the severe degradation inflicted on the victim. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the assaults and the threat posed to the victim's life and safety.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Carlos Lawrence, aged 27, and his partner Catherine Dempsey, aged 26, were sentenced to a combined 12 years for a burglary and theft that took place on 13 December 2017 at Wainsfort Manor Grove, Terenure. Lawrence pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and theft of over €16,000, using a wedge hammer, and had 51 prior convictions. Dempsey pleaded guilty to stealing €15,000 in cash and burglary at the same time and place, with seven prior convictions. Lawrence received seven years, with 12 months suspended, while Dempsey received five years, with three years suspended. The judge noted Lawrence's remorse, drug addiction, and potential for productivity, and Dempsey's remorse, pressure, and low risk of re‑offending. The case involved a violent intrusion into the home of Alan Greene, who suffered significant distress and financial loss. The court recorded that both defendants had expressed remorse to the victim and to each other.
Michael Fulton, 59, of Belmont Park, Raheny, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of €195,347 worth of cannabis and cocaine. He admitted storing cannabis in wheelie bins and cocaine in his kitchen, claiming he had taken cannabis for back pain and stored the drugs to pay off a debt to an unnamed person he feared. The court noted he had transported the drugs and stored more than €11,000 for the same person. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin sentenced him to five years imprisonment, suspending the final two years on the condition of good behaviour, drug‑free status and engagement with the Probation Service. He also received a 12‑month driving ban for driving under the influence. The prosecution sought forfeiture and destruction of the money and drugs found at his home. No prior convictions were recorded.
A 61-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, pleaded guilty to one charge of rape at a family home in Co Galway on an unknown date between 1989 and 1991. The defendant is currently serving a sentence for raping the victim's older sister, for which he was sentenced in 2015 to 12 years in prison with the final two years suspended. The Central Criminal Court heard that the now 39-year-old victim, who is described as vulnerable and living in England, was abused by four men, including her uncle, grandfather, and father. The court was told the victim felt unable to attend or provide a victim impact statement due to severe depression and anxiety. The defendant, who is originally from Dublin, made full admissions when arrested in prison in March 2017. A psychological report indicated he was below average intelligence and emotionally detached. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned sentencing to November 13 to allow time to consider the case. The matter was adjourned and has not been concluded.
In October 2018, a Moldovan national, Andrei Negura, aged 36, was charged with assault and criminal damage after an incident at a neighbour's home in Drogheda. Negura allegedly attacked Bohuslav Kalias, who was working on a car with his brother, using a claw hammer. The assault left Kalias with a broken right arm that required a rod, screw, and 38 stitches, and caused him long‑term functional impairment. Negura also smashed the car, inflicting €1,900 worth of damage. He denied the assault but later pleaded guilty to the use of a claw hammer while assaulting Kalias and to criminal damage. The court dropped the assault charge after the guilty plea, and a trial date was set for January 2020, with Negura remanded on continuing bail pending a probation report on his alcohol use. The case highlighted the severity of the injuries and the property damage caused.
A man has entered guilty pleas to a series of shop robberies at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, having been driven to multiple crime scenes by a taxi driver unaware of his passenger's intentions. Dean Gray, aged 30 and of Buttercup Drive, Darndale, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery and knife production at XL Flintstones in Baldoyle on 21 May 2017, where he took €350. He also admitted robbing €425 from Petmania at Gulliver's Retail Park using a screwdriver on 17 March 2018, and two robberies from Tan Me salon on New Cabra Road totalling €500 on 12 March and 10 April 2018. Gray further pleaded guilty to robbing €200 from Centz on North Circular Road on 14 March 2018 and an attempted robbery with threats at Spar, Harts Corner, on 10 April 2018. Evidence indicated he made no effort to conceal his identity during any incident. The court heard Gray has 69 previous convictions including 21 robberies, and that his offences were motivated by drug addiction. The case was adjourned to late November for sentencing.
A 64‑year‑old former soldier was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the last year suspended, for repeatedly raping his niece and grand‑nephew. He pleaded guilty to four counts of oral rape of his niece between January 1991 and September 1992, and to four counts of oral rape of his grand‑nephew between February 2002 and December 2004. The victims were as young as eight when the assaults began. The judge noted the offender's voluntary surrender to Gardaí, early guilty plea, and attempts at sex‑offending intervention, and considered his prior good military record as mitigating factors. The sentence was reduced from an initial nine‑year recommendation. The offender was ordered to continue counselling and to keep the peace for three years. The victims' impact statements described lasting emotional distress, panic attacks, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. The court did not find the offences to be in the most serious range.
In October 2018, a Polish man named Andrezej Pacek, aged 44 and currently serving a ten‑year prison sentence for a drug offence, was denied legal aid to defend a Criminal Assets Bureau claim that a commercial property in Hollyford, Co. Tipperary, where about €1 million of cannabis was found, was purchased with proceeds of crime. Pacek, who lives in Deerpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford, had earlier been convicted in 2017 for possession of a controlled drug worth €13 000 or more, with six years of his sentence suspended. The CAB argued that the Hollyford house was bought with illicit funds, citing unexplained four‑figure deposits into Pacek's bank accounts before the purchase. Pacek claimed the property was bought with savings from selling his Polish transport business in 2006. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart dismissed his legal aid application, noting translation difficulties and a lack of supporting documentation, and adjourned the case to November.
A man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a garda with a glass bottle at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Christopher Reilly, aged 28, of Cabra, Dublin, assaulted Garda Daniel Sweeney on Ratoath Road, Cabra, on 10 November 2015, causing him serious harm. The court heard that during a confrontation, Reilly swung a bottle at the officer, inflicting a leg wound that required 13 stitches. The garda has permanently lost sensation from his calf to his ankle as a result of the injury. Reilly, who has 67 previous convictions, initially disputed the circumstances but subsequently entered a guilty plea. The court was informed that Reilly has begun addressing personal difficulties and secured employment. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail pending sentencing the following week.
A Dublin business owner has been ordered to complete 240 hours of community service for using fraudulent documents to secure a €71,000 mortgage. Kevin Molloy, aged 49, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three offences under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act committed between December 2014 and August 2016. The Donegal native, now resident in Celbridge, Co Kildare, had submitted false salary certificates, altered tax documents, and fabricated wage slips to Ulster Bank during his mortgage application in 2016. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the community service order, to be completed within twelve months, in lieu of an eighteen-month prison sentence. The judge noted the bank sustained no financial loss, that Molloy had cooperated with gardaí, and that he maintained mortgage repayments. The offences were discovered following a Bank of Ireland report to gardaí in July 2016.
Ronald Lawlor, 36, who had been disqualified from driving for 15 years, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase. He had 164 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic offences, and was found guilty of endangerment, dangerous driving, damage to a Garda patrol car and refusing a breath test. During the chase, he drove at speeds up to 140 km/h, drove the wrong way around a roundabout, collided with a Garda car causing about €3,000 in damage, and threw a beer can out the window. He was arrested after refusing an alcohol test. The judge imposed a ten‑year driving ban and ordered him to work with the Probation Service on alcohol misuse and, if suitable, a road safety programme. Lawlor claimed he had stopped drinking four months earlier and suffers from depression.
Patrick Byrnes, 78, of Castletroy, Limerick, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after being convicted by a jury last July of 58 charges of indecent assault and two counts of rape. The offences, which occurred between 1975 and 1985, involved the sexual abuse of his two daughters when they were approximately seven years old. Byrnes denied all charges and maintains his innocence. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the victims lived in abject fear and were left broken by the decade-long abuse, which included instances where Byrnes encouraged a family dog to participate in sexual acts. The judge acknowledged Byrnes' health conditions, including heart disease and osteoarthritis, but stated these could be managed in prison. Citing a lack of remorse and refusal to admit responsibility, the judge identified Byrnes' age as the only mitigating factor. He set a headline sentence of nine years for rape and six years for sexual assault, reducing both by one year due to age. All sentences run concurrently. The judge suspended the final two years of the sentence on the condition that Byrnes is not in the company of any woman under the age of 18 unless accompanied by another adult. The complainants waived anonymity to ensure Byrnes was named, stating they will never forgive him.
In a Circuit Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced 29‑year‑old Peter McDonagh to two and a half years' imprisonment for possessing nearly 1,000 images of child pornography, including more than 500 Category 1 images depicting children as young as two years old in explicit sexual activity. McDonagh, who pleaded guilty, had obtained the material via his Samsung phone after Canadian authorities alerted Gardaí. The judge highlighted the increasing extremity and accessibility of such images and stressed the need for deterrence. He was also ordered to serve a two and a half year post‑release supervision order under the Probation Service, with mandatory participation in sex‑offender and victim‑awareness programmes and strict compliance with social‑media restrictions. Failure to comply could result in an additional 12‑month jail term. The sentence reflected McDonagh's high risk of re‑offending and limited insight into the harm caused to children.
In an assault case, Judge Karen O'Connor recused herself from the sentencing hearing after stating that the proceedings had become an attempt to undermine the defendant's guilty plea. John Brennan, 44, had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his then‑girlfriend on 31 August 2014. The court heard that Brennan had shouted anti‑British slogans, threatened to shoot the victim's son, and physically assaulted her, including slapping, punching, pulling her by the hair and dragging her back into his house. The victim sustained a black eye, bruises, nail marks on her neck, a broken nose and a broken cheekbone that required a plate. Brennan had a prior drink‑driving conviction. The defense argued that Brennan had acted to prevent the victim from driving off intoxicated, but Judge O'Connor halted that line of questioning, citing the guilty plea. She warned the defense counsel that questioning the victim's impact statement would be unfair.
A 22‑year‑old Dublin man, Ben Mooney, used the alias "Nicole Heffernon" to catfish teenage boys on Facebook, sending them explicit images and videos of themselves in underwear or naked. He admitted to contacting up to 15 boys over two years. Mooney pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly possessing child pornography, including 4,000 images and 300 videos on a Samsung phone. Garda Daniel Tracey noted that the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children had alerted authorities to two email addresses linked to child porn; one was the "Nicole Heffernon" address traced to Mooney's home. During a search, officers seized two mobile phones and a computer hard drive, finding 6,000 images, 70 % of which were child pornographic. Mooney's parents were present at the search, and he admitted his actions before forensic analysis. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Service report and adjourned sentencing to January, where a plea in mitigation will be heard.
Anthony Smith, 25, of Deanstown Green, Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing two taxi drivers at knifepoint. On 1 April 2018 he robbed Mark Kavanagh, taking his wallet, €200 cash, and a phone system worth up to €600, while a co‑accused held a blade to Kavanagh's neck. Ten days later, on 11 April, Smith robbed James Boylan, pulling an eight‑inch knife and stabbing at Boylan's stomach; Boylan later reported feeling the knife's pressure but was not stabbed, suffering a hip injury instead. Smith had 13 prior convictions, including theft and criminal damage, and claimed the robberies were to obtain money for drugs. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with 12 months suspended for each robbery, and backdated the terms to the date of his arrest. The court noted Smith's cooperation and early guilty plea. The sentence was imposed concurrently for both offences.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, James Jack, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Markus Thomas during an incident on 6 February 2016 at Custom House Quay. The assault occurred when three men, attending a beer festival, tried to stop young men from vandalising public rental bikes. Jack, who had been 17 at the time, joined the assault after receiving a phone call that his friends were being attacked. CCTV footage shows Jack throwing punches and kicks. Thomas suffered a fractured left eye socket and a tear to his right shoulder, resulting in a €700 loss. Jack had no prior convictions and was not the main aggressor. He was given a sentence that was adjourned to 21 December to allow him to raise additional compensation beyond the €500 he had in court.
A 31‑year‑old, Anthony Walsh, was found guilty of murdering 54‑year‑old Dermot Byrne in Swords on 16 July 2017 after a drunken altercation over a cigarette. The jury, after deliberating 2 hours 41 minutes, returned a unanimous verdict. Shawna Byrne, the victim's daughter, gave an emotional statement describing the loss of her father's life and dignity, noting that the family's world stopped that day. Walsh was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder and an additional seven years for theft of the victim's bank card, Zippo lighter and keys. The court also noted Walsh's prior convictions for public order, burglary, criminal damage and drug misuse. The trial concluded with the judge expressing sympathy for the Byrne family and confirming the life sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Eoin Berkley, 25, admitted to raping an 18‑year‑old Spanish student at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site between 15 and 16 July 2017. The victim, who had come to Ireland to improve her English, was tied up, threatened with death, and raped three times over a 21‑hour period. Berkley used a dog leash to bind her hands, threatened to cut her hands off, and gave her tablets before abusing her. He told her he would not kill her until Monday and threatened to throw a rock at her head if she tried to escape. The victim escaped when Berkley fell asleep on the beach. Medical tests found morphine, codeine and cannabis in her body; she suffered bruising and required medication for months. Berkley's prior convictions include unlawful possession of knives and firearms, threatening and abusive behaviour.
A man from Edgeworthstown in Longford has received a partially suspended sentence after pleading guilty to trespassing with intent to commit an offence at a Dublin residence. James Smith (35) of Mostrim Oaks, Ballymahon Road, entered a house on Bloomfield Avenue on October 4, 2015, where he told the occupants that someone was pursuing him. When the homeowners informed him that gardaí were en route, he replied "good". At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Smith to three and a half years imprisonment, crediting 17 months already served in custody and suspending the remainder. The court heard Smith had broken a kitchen window and admitted seeking to steal items to sell, stating he needed money urgently and was unaware anyone was home. Nothing was taken from the property. Smith carries 116 previous convictions, including 17 for burglary. The judge cited his guilty plea, difficult personal circumstances including brain damage, and addiction history as mitigating factors, while noting the window damage and impact on the family as aggravating elements.
A 24‑year‑old construction worker, Lukasz Drozdziel, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting his former partner in an "episode of extreme rage" that left her with serious injuries. The incident occurred on 5 August 2017 at her home in Marino, Dublin, when Drozdziel, intoxicated, beat her in the hall, broke through the front door, and inflicted cuts to her abdomen and head. He also damaged the front door. Drozdziel pleaded guilty to assault and property damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had four prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally described the assault as extreme, noting the physical and psychological harm, and imposed a three‑year sentence with nine months suspended, ordering 18 months of post‑release supervision and completion of a domestic violence perpetrator programme. Drozdziel has been alcohol‑free for five months and has expressed remorse. The victim's impact statement was not read in court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, William Deans, 57, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, with 18 months suspended, for a violent break‑in at the home of a 73‑year‑old retired fire officer, Michael Hempenstall, on 8 January 2016. Deans, who has 111 prior convictions, entered the house, threatened to infect Hempenstall with AIDS, and assaulted him and a neighbour, causing physical injury and a six‑week hospital stay for Hempenstall. Deans pleaded guilty to trespass, theft, assault, and damaging a door. The court noted the severity of the assault, the victim's vulnerability, and Deans' attempts at rehabilitation while in custody. The sentence was back‑dated to May of the same year to credit the five months he had already served. The case highlighted the impact of the offence on Hempenstall, who had to relocate from his 21‑year home to be closer to his daughter.
Craig Bergin, aged 32, pleaded guilty to theft offences at Boots and Holland & Barrett on Grafton Street in 2015, stealing about €6,883 worth of perfume, cosmetics, health supplements and aftershave. He was captured on CCTV, did not disguise himself, and apologized to staff while committing the thefts. Garda Bernard Maguire reported that the stolen items were taken on six occasions between 7 October and 17 November 2015. Bergin admitted having alcohol and gambling debts and mental health issues, including anxiety, and was described as respectful to Gardaí. He has 52 prior convictions but had not been in Garda attention recently. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to two and a half years imprisonment, suspended for the same period on conditions of good behaviour, engagement with probation and psychiatric services, and keeping the peace. The sentence was imposed after confirming he had secured stable accommodation following a period of homelessness.
Michael Moloney, aged 40, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to ten years' imprisonment for the rape of his stepdaughter, with the final two and a half years suspended. He also received a concurrent seven‑year term for eight counts of sexual abuse, with the final three and a half years suspended. Moloney pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse charges, which covered incidents from 2009 to 2015, and admitted to more than 15 abuses between the victim's ages of 10 and 17. He had previously pleaded not guilty to the rape charge, but later accepted responsibility. The victim, who had waived anonymity, described the abuse as persistent and damaging to her trust in family and her sense of safety. Moloney's sentencing was delivered by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, who noted his remorse and good employment history. The case concluded with Moloney's conviction and imprisonment, with no further legal actions reported in the article.