In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Jonathan Hawthorn, 45, of Ballintyre Downs, Dublin, was convicted of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after an FBI agent uncovered a Dublin-based plot to purchase a grenade and Semtex on the Dark Web. The court found that Hawthorn received a fake delivery of explosives, photographed on a balcony at Dolphin House, and was later arrested with a dummy grenade and fake Semtex in a sports bag. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, backdated to 16 July when he entered custody. His co-accused, James Geraghty (61) and Donal O'Ceallaigh (33), were found not guilty of IRA membership. The judge noted Hawthorn's prior public order convictions and family circumstances as mitigating factors, but emphasized the seriousness of his deliberate conduct involving explosive materials. The case highlighted the use of undercover FBI operations and Garda surveillance to intercept the illicit purchase and delivery of weapons.
An 86-year-old man from Arva, County Cavan, has received an eight-year suspended sentence at the Central Criminal Court for the sexual abuse of two siblings spanning the period 1958 to 1963. John Joe Kiernan pleaded guilty to eleven sample counts of indecent assault and one count of rape. The offences occurred on or near the victims' family farmland where Kiernan worked as a farm labourer. Mr Justice Michael White imposed sentences totalling eight years for rape and seven years for indecent assaults, suspending all sentences entirely on condition that Kiernan keep the peace. The judge cited Kiernan's advanced age and serious ill-health as factors against imposing custody. The court heard the victims, now in their sixties, came forward in 2017. Kiernan had previously served a five-year sentence in 2005 for separate sexual offences committed between 1963 and 1973.
A 32‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty in July 2018 to six counts of sexual assault against four of his young female cousins, one of whom was four years old at the time. The offences, which occurred between 2000 and 2006 at various Dublin addresses, were brought to light after a sleepover in December 2014 when the cousins reported the abuse to their parents. Gardaí then investigated further allegations from other cousins. The victims, now aged 26, 21 and 20, gave victim impact statements describing how the family was once close but has since been torn apart. The man, who has no prior convictions, was remanded on bail for sentencing on 31 October, with the court noting his psychological vulnerability and willingness to participate in rehabilitation programmes.
In 2018, a 53‑year‑old travelling salesman was jailed for five years after being convicted of raping a 24‑year‑old mother‑of‑one in County Cork on 2 August 2015. The victim had been a former employee of the salesman's business. The man had previously received a two‑year suspended sentence in 2014 for sexually assaulting a 19‑year‑old woman in 2011. At the Central Criminal Court, a jury found him guilty by majority verdict. Judge Paul McDermott set a headline sentence of six years but reduced it to five years, citing the man's lack of remorse and the hardship his imprisonment would cause to his ageing mother. The sentence was back‑dated to 19 July, the day he was taken into custody. Upon completion, he must serve two years of probation, attend counselling for alcohol and sexual offending, and may not contact the victim directly or indirectly.
Michael Farrell, 26, of Montpellier Gardens, Dublin, was convicted after a three‑day trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of four counts of arson during two separate incidents on 11 and 18 January 2017, and of two counts of unauthorised interference with a vehicle during the 11 January incident. He set four cars on fire, causing over €10,000 in damage, and attempted to gain access to two additional cars on the first date. The judge, Karen O'Connor, sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, provided he keep the peace, be of good behaviour and engage with probation services for eighteen months after release. Farrell's lawyers argued that a childhood brain injury sustained when he was hit by a coal truck at age five left him with a mild intellectual disability and an IQ of 60, making him highly suggestible.
Tony Ward, 40, of Castlecurragh Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, dangerous driving, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. On 29 August 2017, he and another man hijacked a taxi at 2:45 am, demanding a ride to Ballymun. Ward, wearing blue rubber gloves, forced the driver to stop, then re‑entered the taxi, unbuckled the seatbelt, and threatened the driver with a four‑inch knife. He ordered the driver out, threatened to stab him, and after the driver escaped, Ward slashed the driver's finger. The taxi then drove off at high speed, pursued by Garda Keith Spackman. At Mellowes Crescent, the taxi rammed two Garda cars and struck a Garda, who was knocked down, sustaining a large laceration to his left arm that required 30 stitches. Ward, who had been drinking and had taken cocaine that evening, is aware the incident could have ended differently.
Derek Whelan, aged 22, was jailed for three years after taking part in a violent assault on David Gaynor at the Neilstown shopping centre in Clondalkin, Dublin. Gaynor was knocked to the ground, beaten, kicked and struck with a golf club, causing a broken cheekbone, a broken eye socket and cuts to his mouth that required stitches. Whelan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 30 November 2015. At the time of the offence he was serving a suspended sentence for a theft offence imposed in May 2015 and had no prior convictions for violent crime. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years, suspended the last 18 months on the condition of anger‑management and victim‑awareness programmes, and noted his cocaine abuse, stable relationship and upcoming child. Whelan offered compensation, which the court declined. He expressed remorse and has taken steps to address his addiction.
James Cronin, a 36‑year‑old rapist serving a burglary sentence, was given an additional two‑year term for threatening to burn down a prison officer's house at Arbour Hill Prison. He told the officer he knew where she lived and would set her home alight if she refused to serve him tobacco at the prison tuck shop. The court noted that prisoners have scheduled times to use the tuck shop and that Cronin had lied about being unable to attend his slot a day later. Garda Redmond O'Leary said this was the first time the officer felt compelled to report the threat, despite 17 years of similar incidents. Judge Melanie Greally described the threat as "sufficiently menacing and convincing" and imposed a two‑year sentence with nine months suspended, citing Cronin's history of mental health issues and prior convictions for false imprisonment, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and burglary.".
Colm Carroll, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin for sale or supply at his Inchicore address. He claimed a man approached him in a dole queue at the post office and pressured him to hold over €20,000 worth of heroin. Carroll said he had been approached again a few days later and that the man would come to his apartment to take the drugs, but he received no payment. Gardaí searched his apartment in November, finding a safe containing over 144 g of heroin, a lightbulb with about €1,000 worth of heroin, and a digital scale. They also found €5,950 in his pockets, which he said came from a recent car sale. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Carroll's explanation, noted his past addiction and minor convictions, and imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full. He ordered €3,000 of the cash forfeited and the remainder returned to Carroll.
Two Vietnamese men, Tham Nguyen (59) and Thang Chinh Hoang (58), were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years and six months and two years and nine months in prison, respectively, for possessing and cultivating cannabis in a grow house with a theoretical value of €1.6 million. Gardaí discovered €60,000 of cannabis and 2,065 plants during a raid on a warehouse in Belcamp Lane, Coolock. The men, described as "gardeners" who tended the plants 24 hours a day, pleaded guilty on 24 January 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor noted their vulnerability, limited English and low intelligence, and accepted their early pleas and cooperation, which saved State resources. The sentences were back‑dated to the day of their arrest.
Jason Keating (27), of Rush, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan. Keating had previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, which has been the subject of a trial since October 2. The State Solicitor informed the court that the DPP directed a new charge under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which Keating admitted. Prosecutors requested a nolle prosequi be entered on the original murder count at the sentencing stage. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Sinead Ni Chualachain and Cormac Dunne, remanded Keating in custody until November 22 for sentencing. The judge noted the court would require details on Keating's assistance and state of mind. He referenced the recent sentencing of Martin Aylmer (31) to three years and nine months for a similar offence involving the murder of Michael Barr. Mr Justice Hunt described the new charge as useful for providing sentencing flexibility in cases where defendants do not directly commit the act. The matter was adjourned until November 22.
Dean Creedy, a 28-year-old first-time offender from Ballymun, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the attempted robbery of a post office on Ballymun Road on November 11, 2017. Creedy pleaded guilty to the charge. Prosecution evidence indicated that he held a knife to the throat of an 83-year-old postmaster, demanding money, before fleeing when the victim stated he could not open the safe. The victim, who suffered no injuries, did not file a victim impact report. Creedy surrendered to gardaí nine days after the incident after seeing CCTV footage on RTE's Crimecall. He told officers he committed the crime to repay a €600 drug debt and had previously attempted suicide due to the pressure. Judge Melanie Greally described the act as aberrational behavior driven by desperate circumstances, noting Creedy's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and current drug-free status. She suspended a five-year prison sentence for a period of five years. The judge acknowledged the incident was outrageous given the victim's age but highlighted the victim's fortitude and the absence of lasting consequences. Defense counsel John Moher BL submitted testimonials and a letter of remorse, arguing Creedy was unlikely to reoffend.
In October 2018, a man was sentenced to eight years in prison for attempting to murder his four children. The Central Criminal Court imposed a 12‑year sentence, suspending the final four years on conditions. The judge described the crime as having a narcissistic element, noting the defendant's plan to kill himself after strangling his children and his belief that they would be better off dead. He pleaded guilty to the attempted murders committed at the family home on 3 June 2016. The judge considered victim impact statements, reports from Tusla, a psychotherapist, and the defendant's psychiatric history, including depression, social phobia and substance abuse. The suspended portion required the defendant to have no contact with the children unless requested, attend psychiatric reports, take prescribed medication and remain under probation supervision. The sentence was back‑dated to account for time already spent in custody. The mother attended the hearing but made no further comments.
In October 2018, Alan Kenny, aged 26, was arrested in Islandbridge, Dublin, after Gardaí discovered over €100,000 in cash in his home. He claimed the money was a debt he owed for cannabis use and that he was threatened with murder if he did not hold it, citing the abduction and murder of his cousin, James Kenny McDonagh, in 2011. Kenny pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €106,950 believed to be proceeds of criminal conduct on 12 January 2017. Gardaí found a weighing scale, plastic cut‑offs, bundles of cash in a plastic bag, a small safe, and a taser‑type firearm in his bedroom. Kenny had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 18 December, with a Probation Service report ordered and Kenny remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing.
Johnathon Harding, 46, of Mc Neill Court, Sallins, Kildare, was already serving a 10‑year prison sentence for possession of nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and ammunition magazines. In October 2016 he attempted to obtain a €260,000 mortgage from the Bank of Ireland by submitting false documents: three payslips dated January, February and March 2016, a false bank statement covering August 2015 to March 2016, and additional false payslips and a bank statement covering October 2014 to April 2016. The bank detected the fraud immediately and Harding withdrew the application after a few days. On 16 October 2018, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 18 months in prison for the mortgage fraud, to be served concurrently with his existing term. The court noted no loss to the bank and that Harding had cooperated with the Garda investigation. Harding has eight prior convictions, including a six‑year drug‑possession sentence from 2004. Johnathon Harding pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 15 October 2018, Atilia Kerekes, aged 44, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a domestic incident on 3 July 2017. The court heard that Kerekes had dragged his wife, who had a protection order, upstairs, struck her twice on the head, and forcibly removed her jeans. The wife, who was crying and fighting back, later used a plastic bottle to strike Kerekes. He stopped, apologized, and the wife's victim impact statement described ongoing depression and daily crying. Judge Patricia Ryan, giving credit for the guilty plea, cooperation, employment record and remorse, imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence. The sentence was suspended for a period of two years, with no requirement to engage with Probation Services to avoid jeopardising his employment. The judge noted the couple's 18‑year‑old daughter remained in school and that the defendant was a good father.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White commended two siblings from Arva, County Cavan for their "unbelievable courage" in reporting childhood sexual abuse to gardaí in 2017, more than five decades after the offences occurred. John Joe Kiernan, aged 86 and from Forthill, Arva, pleaded guilty to six sample counts of indecent assault against one victim between 1958 and 1963, five sample counts against his younger sister during 1959 to 1963, and rape of the girl between 1959 and 1964. The offences took place on or near the family farmland where Kiernan worked as a labourer. Both victims, now in their sixties, provided impact statements describing lasting trauma. The judge described certain threats made by Kiernan as "spine chilling" and noted the brutality of the offending. Kiernan had been previously imprisoned in 2005 for similar offences. Sentencing was adjourned pending further consideration.
In a court hearing on 15 October 2018, James Manning, aged 49 and resident of Belclare Avenue, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to possession of 177 kg of cannabis, valued at €3.5 million, found in his van after Gardaí stopped him for driving while using a mobile phone. Garda Thomas Barrett explained that a Garda in Offaly had suspected the van, followed it to Dublin, and upon stopping Manning for mobile‑phone use, searched the vehicle and discovered 15 cardboard boxes of cannabis. Manning, who has 29 prior convictions including false imprisonment, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and a dangerous driving conviction, was arrested and has remained in custody. Judge Francis Comerford sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended for a period of three years, citing Manning's early guilty plea and mitigating circumstances. A forfeiture hearing for the van is scheduled for later in the month.
Tsvetomir Velikov, a 42-year-old Bulgarian national from Navan, Co. Meath, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for defiling a female under the age of 17. He pleaded guilty on his trial date to the charge relating to an incident in Cork on February 28, 2015. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspending the final six months. The sentence was backdated to June 26, the date Velikov pleaded guilty. The court noted that while there was no physical violence, Velikov had doubts about the victim's age but proceeded with the act. He was described as a "model prisoner" who completed various courses while awaiting sentence. In a related matter, Ivan Peev, also of Coolfore Road, previously received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for defiling the victim's 15-year-old friend in a circus caravan on the same date. The prosecution highlighted that the girls had consumed significant amounts of alcohol and appeared intoxicated, with CCTV showing them holding each other up upon leaving. Velikov admitted to being reckless regarding their ages. The judge emphasized that the law protects young people regardless of alcohol consumption. Velikov has no previous convictions in Ireland or Bulgaria.
Martin Aylmer, 31, of Dublin 3, was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for participating in activity intended to facilitate the murder of Michael Barr. Aylmer pleaded guilty in July to assisting a criminal organisation in the April 2016 shooting of Barr, the manager of the Sunset House pub. The court found that Aylmer purchased mobile phones used in the crime and visited a lock-up premises, though it could not be established that he knew a murder was planned. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and Cormac Dunne, noted Aylmer's assistance was not at the higher end of the scale and applied a 25% discount for his early guilty plea. The final sentence includes one year suspended, with the judge stating it is appropriate for Aylmer to serve the last portion of his sentence in the community. This follows the January sentencing of Eamonn Cumberton, who was jailed for life after being found guilty of Barr's murder. Chief Superintendent Sean Ward stated the investigation remains live, with two individuals yet to be spoken to, while highlighting the significance of prosecuting those who facilitate organised crime.
In a High Court hearing on 12 October 2018, Sophia Housing Association sued Derek Smith and Elena Hinchon, tenants of an apartment complex on Cork Street, Dublin 8, for alleged anti‑social behaviour. The association had obtained an injunction in August 2018 requiring the couple and their four children to vacate the premises and to refrain from intimidating or threatening staff or agents. The couple, who represented themselves, denied the allegations, calling the claims "lies," but agreed to leave the apartment. After the couple returned to the complex, the court found they had no right to remain there and were in breach of the court's orders. The judge allowed the family to retrieve their belongings over the next few days and authorised Sophia to provide financial assistance for storage. The case was adjourned to a later date in the month. The injunction was supported by an adjudication from the Residential Tenancies Board, which the couple did not appeal.
Paul Slevin, 48, of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants worth €23,200 at his former home on 12 April 2015. He claimed he was bullied out of his apartment by a lodger who had been growing the plants, changed the locks and forced him to sleep on the sofa. Gardaí found a black tent with 29 plants, heat lamps and a water butt; the plants were not yet ready for harvest but would be worth €800 each when mature. Judge Jude Patricia Ryan sentenced Slevin to three years imprisonment, suspended in full for two years on the condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The case noted Slevin's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and full cooperation with the investigation.
Two men have been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in relation to an attempted robbery at Greendale Pharmacy, Kilbarrack on January 26, 2018. Brendan Raynor (30) of Tulip Court, Darndale and Dean Slattery (28) of Briarfield Grove, Kilbarrack pleaded guilty to the charge. Both men armed themselves with knives and wore balaclavas before entering the shop and demanding Diazepam. The incident was observed by gardaí conducting surveillance in the area. Detective Sergeant Dave Ennis stated that Slattery attempted to flee and was struck with a baton, while Raynor was caught in a nearby field. Emma Smith, a shop worker who was six months pregnant at the time, provided a victim impact statement. Raynor has 103 previous convictions, including possession of knives, robbery, and burglary. He was previously sentenced to seven years with two suspended for an aggravated burglary in 2015. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence on Raynor, suspending the last two years and nine months. Slattery has 87 previous convictions, including robbery, drug offences, car theft, and assault. Dt Sgt Ennis was previously sentenced to four years with two suspended for a 2014 cash in transit van robbery. Judge Greally sentenced Slattery to four and a half years with the final 18 months suspended. Both men were remanded in custody.
Tracey Deegan, 42, received a suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a 12‑gauge Winchester pump‑action shotgun and a 12‑gauge Reno double‑barrel shotgun. The court noted that Deegan had no prior convictions and had been a good parent to her daughter. She had testified against a former partner in a manslaughter case, after which the partner's associates threatened her with a gun and demanded she hide the firearms in her home. Gardaí found the shotguns, weighing scales and eight cartridges in her bedroom wardrobe. Deegan admitted she had been given the weapons by a drug supplier and that she had used cocaine herself every two weeks. The judge, citing her lack of prior convictions and her role as a caregiver, suspended the sentence and did not wish to see her again in court. The case highlighted the ongoing intimidation Deegan faced from the former partner's associates.
In the trial of Joseph Hillen, a 24‑year‑old from Forkhill, the jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of taxi driver Martin Mulligan, 53, at Carnmore, Dundalk, on 28 September 2015. Hillen admitted to stabbing Mulligan but claimed the driver had pulled a knife on him and that he acted in self‑defence after a confrontation over alleged illegal dumping. Forensic evidence, including blood on the road and DNA on a glove, placed Hillen at the scene. The jury, after five hours and 29 minutes of deliberation, reached a majority verdict of ten to two. Justice Eileen Creedon thanked the jury and scheduled a sentencing hearing for 3 December. The case highlighted conflicting statements about the knife in Mulligan's car and the nature of the wounds, with the pathologist noting the unusual lower‑body stabs that caused rapid death.
Brendan Cummins, a 23‑year‑old former Leinster boxing champion, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for punching a prison officer at Portlaoise Prison on 20 February 2017. Cummins had 97 prior disciplinary sanctions and 11 previous assault convictions, including an earlier assault on a prison officer at Cloverhill Prison on the same date. The attack, described as unprovoked, broke the officer's nose and cut his inner lip, causing the officer to suffer headaches and a loss of smell. Cummins pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final year due to his age, and ordered that he have no contact with the officer or his family for 25 years. The court noted Cummins' plea and the prison punishments already imposed, including a year of solitary confinement.
Adam Pokorny, a 35‑year‑old Czech national, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years' imprisonment for possessing 5.6 kg of cannabis, valued at €112,120, with intent to supply at Dublin Airport on 3 May 2018. He admitted that he had agreed to transport the drugs to pay off a €30,000 credit‑card debt and to help a friend in financial trouble. Pokorny claimed he knew the substance was cannabis, not harder drugs, and that it would be used by "adults and hippies, not people standing outside schools." Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on the condition that he leave Ireland upon release and not return for 10 years. He has no prior convictions and pleaded guilty early, cooperating with the Garda investigation. The judge noted his charitable activities and the support he received from family and friends in the Czech Republic.
Mark Bissett, a 33-year-old defendant with a former address at Loughlinstown Park, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery at Ranelagh Triangle on October 15, 2017, and robbery at Dunville Avenue, Ranelagh, on October 26, 2017. The court heard that Bissett threatened staff with a knife during the first incident and used a fork during the second, from which he took €220. He has 65 previous convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, and assault. Bissett was previously jailed for six years in 2005 for the killing of his uncle, David Sutherland, in Sallynoggin, Dublin, on December 20, 2003. His defense counsel, Karl Monaghan BL, stated that Bissett hoped to begin an addiction rehabilitation programme and a Community Employment scheme. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned sentencing to November 5 and ordered an updated report from The Probation Service to be prepared. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
In a burglary at Wainsfort Manor Grove, Terenure, Dublin, on 13 December 2017, Carlos Lawrence (27) and his partner Catherine Dempsey (26) entered the home of Alan Greene, who was asleep, using a wedge hammer and a black‑clad disguise. They forced Greene to open the front door, demanded money, and threatened him. Lawrence smashed the French doors, took Greene's phone, and made calls claiming a debt of €200,000. The couple stole €15,000 in cash from a bank the next day and withdrew an additional €1,200 from an ATM. They recovered €12,500 from Dempsey's possession, and Greene later received €12,455 of the €16,350 stolen. Both pleaded guilty to theft and aggravated burglary; Lawrence had 51 prior convictions, Dempsey seven. The case was remanded in custody until 31 October, with sentencing scheduled for later that month. The court noted the burglary's impact on Greene, who now blocks his doors and fears returning home.
Paul Kelly, a 42‑year‑old mechanic from Santry, was fined €3,000 and disqualified from driving for four years after he ran over Daniel Ryan, a 60‑year‑old man, as Ryan was pulling out of a driveway near Dublin Airport on 26 October 2016. Ryan suffered multiple fractures to his abdomen and limbs, a pulmonary embolism, and was in an induced coma for two days. He has since lost the ability to play golf, cycle long distances, or walk in the hills, and reports ongoing panic attacks, nightmares and sleep difficulties. Kelly pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, causing serious bodily harm. The court noted the lack of street lighting on Collinstown Lane and accepted that Kelly's momentary lapse of judgment led to the accident, but also acknowledged his cooperation and remorse after the incident. The judge gave him 12 months to pay the fine and imposed the driving disqualification.
Gerard Kelly, of Ballybough Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury on March 27, 2015. The court heard that Kelly allegedly held a large kitchen knife to the throat of a man drinking at Lowry's pub on Summerhill Parade. Although another patron was reportedly stabbed in the leg, no assault charges were before the court. Kelly was arrested nearby while in a state of alcohol delirium. His defence counsel, Luigi Rea BL, stated that Kelly did not know the victims and has since taken steps to address his alcoholism. Detective Garda Michael O'Brien described Kelly's rehabilitation as a "remarkable turnaround," noting he is a different person than when first met in 2015. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the seriousness of the offence, rejecting intoxication as an excuse. However, noting Kelly's remorse and efforts to reform, the judge suspended a sentence of two and a half years. Judge Nolan warned that if Kelly re-offends, he will go to prison. The record noted that Kelly has 48 previous convictions, all for District Court offences including theft and possession of knives.
Two Vietnamese men, Tham Nguyen (59) and Thang Chinh Hoang (58), were arrested and pleaded guilty to possessing and cultivating cannabis in a grow house in Coolock, Dublin. Gardaí discovered €60,000 worth of cannabis and 2,065 plants, with a theoretical maximum value of €1.6 million if fully mature. The grow house, located at Belcamp Lane, featured a false wall and a roof where the men were found. Nguyen had a prior cannabis conviction; Hoang had none. Both men had lived in the house since late 2017, with Nguyen arriving in December and Hoang in September/October. They were remanded in custody, and the sentence was adjourned to the following week. The court noted their low intelligence, limited English, and vulnerable backgrounds. The case remains at the pleading stage.
Patrick Sherry, 32, of Ventry Park, Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempting to secure a mortgage of €171,000 by submitting a false mortgage application between 8 June and 8 August 2015. He also faced charges for possessing and using false documents to support the application. Gardaí were alerted to the fraud in March 2016 after Sherry had applied for a mortgage the previous June. The documents he submitted, including bank statements, financial accounts and Revenue notices of assessment, were found to be bogus. The bank statements claimed a balance of €10,623 when his actual balance was €195; his 2013 accounts overstated earnings by €35,000 and his 2014 accounts by €33,000. Revenue officials were also contacted and the tax documentation was found false. Sherry was arrested at his home in July 2015 but exercised his right to silence during the interview.
A County Roscommon farmer has been jailed for three weeks for contempt of a High Court order at the High Court in Dublin. Mr Justice Michael Twomey imposed the sentence on Eugene Costello for failing to remove livestock from 90 acres of farmland at Coolfree, Taughmaconnell, Ballinasloe. Carlisle Mortgages Ltd brought the proceedings, claiming Mr Costello obstructed the sale of the property by keeping cattle on it. The lender sought to sell the land after Mr Costello allegedly failed to repay borrowings from 2004, with approximately €1.4 million outstanding. Mr Costello had undertaken to remove the animals by August 25th but failed to do so. He accepted non-compliance with previous undertakings, though his solicitor disputed whether the livestock in photographs belonged to his client. The judge declined to continue a previously imposed stay on the committal order. This marks Mr Costello's third jailing for contempt in connection with the matter.
Ryan Callaghan, aged 25, was found with drugs worth over €44,000 after his landlady reported a burglary at her Palmerstown home. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply at a rented property on 31 July 2015. Callaghan had two prior convictions for minor traffic offences. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, provided he remains peaceful and well‑behaved upon release. Garda Owen Sheehan explained that officers discovered €24,103 of heroin, €14,746 of cannabis, and €5,348 of cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia, six mobile phones, weighing scales, surgical gloves and plastic cut‑offs. Text messages suggesting drug dealing were found on one phone. Callaghan's father had paid €10,000 to alleged debtors, and the judge noted the aggravating value of the drugs and the mitigating factors of his early plea, addiction history, child, and decent family background.
Brian Walton, a 31‑year‑old musician from Portobello Harbour, Dublin 8, was arrested for possessing €21,423 worth of cannabis and cannabis resin. Garda Peter Lyons described Walton as forthcoming and compliant during the arrest and noted that Walton had admitted to selling cannabis to clear debts. During a search of Walton's home, three phones were seized, containing unguarded text messages that advertised drug dealing, including 18 messages sent to regular clients advertising a product to alleviate hangover after St Patrick's Day. Walton pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 24 April 2017. He has no prior convictions. The court adjourned his sentencing to 10 December, ordered an updated probation report, and remanded him on continuing bail. The case highlights the Garda's focus on drug‑related offences and the court's procedural handling of the matter.
In a court hearing on 5 October 2018, Danny Whelan, a 30‑year‑old from Thurles, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Samantha Walsh, a 31‑year‑old mother of four. Walsh had recently returned home from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and had no alcohol in her system when Whelan, who was high on drugs, beat her to death in an apartment in Waterford City. Whelan pleaded guilty to the murder, which occurred on or about 28 April 2017. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to Walsh's head and face, with bloodstains indicating a swinging weapon. Whelan had a history of 73 convictions, including burglary and possession of a knife, and had previously served an eight‑year sentence with part suspended. The court imposed the mandatory life sentence, and Whelan was taken to prison to begin his custodial term.
Stefan Condurovici, a 32‑year‑old former professional footballer from Romania, was jailed for five months after using six cloned payment cards to buy a pair of runners and toiletries. He was arrested in Dublin on 25 June after Gardaí discovered him and three others in possession of 52 cloned cards at a car park near Dundrum Town Centre. Condurovici pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing cloned cards. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 18 months in prison, with 13 months suspended, backdated to the day of his arrest. She ordered him to leave Ireland within seven days of release and not to return for ten years. Condurovici had made modest purchases totalling about €200 and had cooperated fully with Gardaí. The judge noted his lack of prior convictions and his sporting background. The case highlighted the seriousness of cloned card offences.
Paul Slevin, a 48-year-old father from Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants valued at €23,200. The offence occurred at Ballygall Road East on April 12, 2015. Prosecution evidence stated that Slevin walked into a garda station while intoxicated, claiming he had been bullied out of his home by a lodger who was growing the plants. However, Detective Garda David Sheffield suggested Slevin invented this story because his tenancy was ending and he had no place to store the plants. A search of the apartment revealed 29 cannabis plants, heat lamps, and a water butt. Although the plants were not ready for harvest, they were estimated to be worth €800 each when mature. Slevin, a qualified stone mason with no previous convictions, admitted to the charge. His defence counsel, Seamus Clarke SC, argued that Slevin should receive credit for his guilty plea, for handing the plants to gardaí, and for taking steps to address his addiction. The court noted that the maximum term of imprisonment for this offence is 14 years. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing until October 12. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
A 16‑year‑old youth, now 17, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a stolen phone after attacking a delivery man on Deerhaven Avenue, Clonee, Dublin. The victim, a pensioner, was repeatedly kicked and beaten, sustaining a broken nose, concussion and chipped teeth, and suffered ongoing headaches and fear of further attacks. The court heard the youth had no prior convictions, a good educational record, supportive family and a favourable probation report, and had pleaded guilty early. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of six years but imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, to be suspended in full if the youth keeps the peace for four years and undergoes 12 months' supervision by the probation services. The start of the sentence was deferred until 31 July 2019 in accordance with the Children Act. The case involved two other youths who fled the scene, and the victim's impact statement highlighted financial loss and ongoing trauma.
Shane Bradley, aged 33, was sentenced by Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to a series of robberies in May and June 2015. He stole €750 from a Maxol garage, €500 from Chapter and Verse convenience store, and attempted to rob a Centra supermarket. Bradley threatened staff with a scissors and a blood‑filled syringe, claiming he had HIV while wielding a needle, which the judge considered an aggravating factor. He was arrested after the incidents, initially denied the offences, but pleaded guilty weeks before trial. Bradley has 79 prior convictions, mainly from the District Court, and has lived on the streets with a significant drug addiction. He is now drug‑free and has been offered a place on Fr Peter McVerry's residential drug treatment programme. The sentence was back‑dated to 10 April 2017.
Three men have been arraigned at the Special Criminal Court on charges of murdering a dissident republican shot dead outside a public house in Meath over five years ago. Michael McDermott, aged 58, of Ballinagh, County Cavan; Kevin Braney, aged 43, from Dublin; and Frank Murphy, aged 58, of Bettystown, County Meath, have all pleaded not guilty to murder. McDermott and Braney also deny possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition in March 2013, while Murphy denies possession of the same firearm and rounds on the date of the killing itself. The prosecution opened its case before three judges, outlining that the victim was shot multiple times in a carpark whilst in his vehicle, with witnesses present. The court heard that a stolen vehicle was used in the attack and subsequently recovered. The prosecution indicated that accomplice evidence will feature prominently, noting that a protected witness will testify regarding the planning and execution of the murder. The trial is expected to last approximately ten weeks.
Michelle Ruth, 40, of Spring Garden Street, North Strand, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting a female shop worker at Londis on 8 November 2015. She had previously been barred from the shop and, when the staff member asked her and a male companion to leave, Ruth grabbed the woman by the hair, filled a paper cup with boiling water and flung it at her face, also throwing a jar of powdered chocolate. The victim suffered a sore, swollen, red face and was taken to hospital; she later reported mental distress but no physical scarring. Ruth, who has 158 prior convictions mainly for shoplifting and public order offences, was arrested after CCTV footage identified her. She apologized in court, claiming she was not drug‑free and had been under stress. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to allow further urine analysis, with the case to be finalised on 14 November.
A 32‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 11 months' imprisonment for sexual assault after he put a hand under a woman's skirt and groped her while she slept at a house party in Blanchardstown on 21 June 2015. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim, pleaded not guilty but was unanimously convicted by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had no prior convictions. The victim, aged 29, had fallen asleep after failing to secure a taxi and later recalled waking to a hand rubbing her vagina on the outside of her skirt. She reported stress and work absence in her victim impact statement. The judge noted the offender's family status but found the offence to be of a mid‑range severity, and the defendant could not accept responsibility for the act. The sentence was imposed with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the 11‑month term.
Blaine Coakley, a 31‑year‑old chronic heroin addict with 100 prior convictions, pleaded with Judge Karen O'Connor in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to be readmitted to the Coolmine drug rehabilitation centre after robbing a Gala shop in August 2017. He claimed he had changed since the robbery and that prison had not helped him, describing how he had been with another drug user upon release and struggled to cope. Judge O'Connor noted that Coakley had absconded from Coolmine, which limited her options, but she accepted his remorse and desire to address his drug problems. She imposed a four‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision, and required him to complete a Coolmine residential treatment programme when a bed becomes available. The robbery involved €780 taken with a bread knife while he was on a suspended sentence for theft. Blaine Coakley pleaded guilty.
Michael McDonald Agu, 56, of Avondale Park, Mulhuddart, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his home on 31 January 2018. He had received a "Hello Kitty" stuffed toy from Thailand that contained nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis. Agu also admitted possession of cocaine for sale or supply at the same location and dangerous driving. Garda Alan Barry testified that after receiving the package Agu made a phone call, then drove off with it, breaking stop signs and driving on the wrong side of the road in a residential area. During his arrest, gardaí found €5,000 worth of cocaine on Agu when it fell from a beanie hat he was wearing, along with a drugs tick list, bagging and weighing scales. Customs officers had intercepted the soft toy at customs, where a sniffer dog had detected cannabis.
Joseph Fraser, a 42‑year‑old Dublin businessman, was remanded in custody pending a November sentencing after he violently attacked a mother‑of‑two. Fraser had been dating the woman for a few months when he drove to her home drunk. The victim hid Fraser's car keys to prevent him from driving again, which angered him. He then punched her in the ribs, face and head, and kicked her in the head with a steel‑toe shoe. The assault continued through the hallway, kitchen and back garden, and the victim tried to escape by locking herself in a dog cage. Fraser's previous convictions for drunk driving were noted. Judge Melanie Greally stated that a custodial sentence was "absolutely unavoidable" and remanded Fraser pending the final sentence. The victim's injuries included bruising, black eyes and lasting pain, and she reported flashbacks and social withdrawal following the attack. The case is still pending sentencing. The unnamed woman pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 2 October 2018, 36‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond. The jury had convicted him on circumstantial evidence after a trial that lasted more than seven hours. O'Driscoll, who had been arrested in June 2016, told the judge that the jury had "got it wrong" and insisted he was innocent. The judge, Michael White, imposed the mandatory life sentence on each count, back‑dated to the date of O'Driscoll's arrest. Victim impact statements were read by the prosecution, describing the loss and devastation felt by the families of Burnett and Redmond. The judge refused a certificate of leave to appeal and the court ended the hearing without further commentary. The case was closed with O'Driscoll being led away to begin his life sentence.
A 30‑year‑old man, Danny Whelan, pleaded guilty to the murder of Samantha Walsh, a 31‑year‑old mother of four, in Waterford. The offence occurred on or about 28 April 2017 at an apartment on Thomas Street. Whelan, who has no fixed abode, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court without a jury. The judge directed a victim impact statement and remanded him in custody pending sentencing. He will receive a mandatory life sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 17‑year‑old minor was due to be sentenced for assault after throwing a stone at a fellow youth's head, an act the victim described as homophobic. The victim, a young actor, sustained a facial scar requiring 11 stitches. The teenager pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 17 July 2016 and has 24 prior convictions for assault, theft, burglary, criminal damage and trespass. He has been suspected of involvement in a burglary, a mugging, two assaults and criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentencing to 3 December to review updated reports from the agencies dealing with the teenager, who has a history of missing from his care home 20 times in the last three months and is still addicted to cannabis. The case remains pending.