Michael Lynn, 55, of Co. Wicklow, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of 21 counts of theft in Dublin between October 23, 2006, and April 20, 2007. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges, which allege the theft of approximately €27 million from seven financial institutions. The prosecution contends that Mr. Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties while banks were unaware of other financing. Testifying, former INBS senior underwriter Olivia Greene stated that her career "nosedived" after the €4.1 million loan to Mr. Lynn for Glenlion House came under scrutiny. She told the court that INBS chief executive Michael Fingleton refused to take responsibility for the approval, leading to her constructive dismissal. Under cross-examination by Paul Comiskey O'Keefe BL, Ms. Greene agreed that INBS was a beneficiary of the bank insolvency scheme, was fined €5 million which it could not pay, and ultimately cost the state €5.4 billion. The trial is currently at the sentencing stage, though the matter remains ongoing as the trial resumes before Judge Martin Nolan.
Julie Maughan, 38, of Kimmage Manor, Terenure, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a 15‑year‑old boy on 8 October 2022. She had mistaken the boy and his friends for people harassing her daughter and drove her van toward them, then exited with a cricket bat and struck the boy over the head. The boy was taken to hospital and received four stitches. No victim impact statement was given. Maughan was arrested that night after the boys called Gardaí. She denied involvement at the scene, but her mobile phone was seized and video showed her encouraging her daughter to cry in front of Gardaí. She has seven prior convictions, mainly traffic offences and one drug‑related offence from 2013. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to two years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions, after noting the assault was "reasonably bad" but that she did not deserve prison at this point.
Shane Ginty, 30, of St Stephen's Green, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on O'Connell Street on January 31, 2023. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one count of theft. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Ginty had 65 previous convictions and was serving a suspended sentence at the time of the offence. The court heard that Ginty assaulted a victim and Garda Alan Sexton, who was chasing him. Judge Crowe set a headline sentence of four years but reduced it to three years in prison, backdated to his custody date. She suspended the final six months for two years and ordered 12 months of Probation Service supervision post-release. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors including his early guilty plea, remorse, and good behavior in custody. The victim, a non-national, stated in an impact statement that he did not expect such violence in Ireland. Defense counsel highlighted Ginty's history of homelessness, drug addiction, and ADHD. The matter was finalized with the imposition of the custodial sentence and conditions.
Rebecca Yeats, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply at her home on 13 November 2020. She was caught with 952 g of cannabis herb worth €19,040 during a Garda search after a 999 call she herself made. Yeats had no prior convictions and had been cooperating with the Probation Service, though her compliance was not 100 %. Judge Elma Sheahan, after a 12‑month adjournment, imposed a fully suspended two‑year prison sentence under strict conditions, directing Yeats to remain under Probation supervision and engage with other services. The court noted her early guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, addiction and mental‑health issues, training to be a barber, and efforts to distance herself from negative associates. The sentence reflects the judge's concern that she still used cannabis and was involved in the trade that brought her before the court. The Probation report was commended for its detail and engagement.
Dana Maria Popovici, 35, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for using false Italian identification and a false Romanian driving licence to open eight bank accounts that processed €168,148 between 2016 and 2019. The accounts were held at Ulster Bank, Allied Irish Bank and KBC. Gardaí seized equipment used to produce fake documents and discovered that Popovici had been arrested in Finland in November 2018 with a member of an organised crime gang. She pleaded guilty to four charges of using false identification to open bank accounts. The prosecution noted that the fraud involved selling undelivered machinery or vehicles online and a Revenue‑related scam that stole almost €10,000 from three Irish victims. Judge Orla Crowe back‑dated the sentence to June, when Popovici was first remanded, and described the case as an international online fraud of great complexity. The sentence was imposed after Popovici's guilty plea and the judge's assessment of her poor use of her talents.
Paul Olunaike, a 34‑year‑old Dublin professional dancer and father of four, pleaded guilty to possessing €13,738 as proceeds of crime in his bank account on 25 August 2020. The court heard that he had allowed his Ulster Bank account to be used for an invoice‑redirect fraud, transferring €4,000 of the laundered money to his mother. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of two years but adjourned finalisation to 7 March to allow probation services to assess his suitability for community service. If suitable, Olunaike will be ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service instead of an 18‑month custodial sentence. He used the funds to buy a €609 juicer, a €404.99 food processor and an oil extractor machine. The judge noted the offence was an isolated incident, that Olunaike had contributed €2,000 to the prosecution's losses, and that he had not attracted further Garda attention since the incident.
Artur Bromirski, 45, pleaded guilty to cultivating 32 cannabis plants in a rented house in Moyville estate, Rathfarnham, worth €25,600. He originally faced a more serious charge of possessing drugs for sale or supply, but that charge was dropped, leaving only the cultivation count. Gardaí found no drug‑dealing paraphernalia, only growing tents, lighting and irrigation equipment. Bromirski claimed the plants were for personal use and that he had been a long‑term user. He had previously lived in Naas, Kildare, and now works as a cleaner at a zoo in Poland. He had no prior convictions and had been subletting the property. The court noted his back injury, his wife's death in 2015, and his receipt of medical marijuana in Poland. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two years, fully suspended, acknowledging his mitigating circumstances and contribution to society.
Jozef Puska, aged 33, was found guilty of murdering 23‑year‑old school teacher Ashling Murphy by stabbing her 11 times in the neck on 12 January 2022. The Central Criminal Court jury delivered a unanimous verdict after two hours of deliberation. Puska, who had pleaded not guilty, was taken to prison by officers as the verdict was announced. He will be sentenced to life imprisonment on 17 November. The jury's decision was praised by the Murphy family, who attended every day of the trial. Evidence presented included CCTV footage of Puska's bicycle near the scene, DNA on the bike and under Murphy's fingernails, and his fingerprints. Puska's defence claimed he was attacked by a masked man, a claim rejected by the jury. No motive was offered. The sentencing date was set for 17 November.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a Kenyan woman who had been a close friend of John Ndungu for almost 20 years defended herself after he violently attacked her in her Balbriggan home on 21 June 2020. Ndungu, 42, had been drinking heavily and, after a verbal altercation, grabbed the woman in a chokehold, punched her, and inflicted severe injuries. She elbowed him in the genitals, threw items, and eventually escaped to call the Gardaí. The assault left her with two lost teeth, a fractured eye socket and cheekbone, and a total medical cost of about €4,000. Ndungu pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a woman. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to 30 months in prison, with the final 18 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with Probation Services. The woman's victim impact statement highlighted the emotional and physical scars left by the attack.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man, Josh Reidy, was found guilty of two counts of possessing over €19,000 as proceeds of crime. The money was moved through a smishing scheme, where victims received text messages with fake bank links that redirected their funds to Reidy's accounts. Bank of Ireland recovered all but €900 of the first €19,421 withdrawal and €18,973 of a second €19,877 withdrawal, leaving victims with losses of €900 and €904 respectively. Gardaí traced the transactions to Reidy, who was living on Sundrive Road and later at Landsdowne Gate, Drimnagh. Reidy admitted he had a €3,000 drug debt and had supplied his passport and mobile details to the fraudsters. He claimed he was threatened and physically assaulted by the group, and that his mother was also threatened. The court noted Reidy's good work history and his intention to resume employment in January after paying the €900 owed.
Peter Lynch, 52, received a suspended 22‑month sentence after a violent neighbourhood row in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to assault, assault causing harm, producing a pen in a dispute and threatening behaviour. The incident began when Lynch, driving his van, clashed with a neighbour who was trying to record his registration number. The neighbour clung to the bonnet, and Lynch drove off with him still attached. Lynch had previously pushed a woman and spat at her, and had used a pen as a weapon. He was arrested that night and the case was captured on CCTV and phone footage. Judge Elma Sheahan noted his 24 prior convictions but also mitigating factors such as a 19‑year period of no offence and his business work. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, with probation supervision for 12 months and a €1,500 offer to each victim within 28 days.
Ross Thompson, 24, of Ballymun, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a violent group attack at Mountjoy Prison in December 2018. The incident, which took place in the recreation area around lunchtime, involved Thompson kicking and stamping on an injured inmate who was also stabbed up to seven times, though Thompson was not involved in the stabbing. The court described Thompson's conduct as "utterly reprehensible and lawless" and noted that the victim was stamped 15 or 16 times on the head. Judge Orla Crowe originally set a headline sentence of seven years but reduced it to four years, backdated to July 7, due to Thompson's young age and guilty plea. Thompson also faces a three‑year driving disqualification for a May 2021 incident involving a scrambler bike and a mobile patrol.
Linda Finnegan, aged 51, of Stamullen, was found guilty of fraud under the Companies Act for withdrawing €35,601 from her family's Waldorf Barbers, a business she owned 25 % of. The fraud occurred in March 2019, shortly after her father Liam Finnegan's death from cancer. The court heard that Liam had owned 75 % of the company and had bequeathed that share to two employees, while Linda had a 25 % share. She had initially denied theft charges but pleaded guilty to a fourth count of fraud. The court set a headline sentence of two and a half years, reduced to one year and nine months, fully suspended. The judgment noted her remorse, cooperation with Gardaí, and that the company was liquidated as a result of the fraud. No prior convictions were recorded.
In a case heard on 7 November 2023, Judge Martina Baxter directed the Probation Service to assess Amy Bergin, 29, for suitability for community service following her guilty plea to one count of assault at the Cock and Bull Pub, Coolock, on 3 February 2019. Bergin, a former friend of the victim, claimed she and the victim were "reefing the head off each other" during a brief altercation that lasted less than ten seconds. The victim reported a flicking or scraping action, a thrown drink, and a push against her face, resulting in a cut and bruised head. No CCTV or witnesses were available. Bergin has 21 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and no recent Garda attention. The court noted mitigation, including family support, a letter of apology, and a medical report, and adjourned the case to 12 February 2024 for finalisation, while ordering a restorative justice assessment.
Alex Almajanu, 23, received a fully suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to endangerment, two breaches of Covid regulations, dangerous driving, not holding a driver's license, and criminal damage on the basis of recklessness committed on April 25, 2020. The offences involved fleeing a checkpoint in County Clare and subsequently leading gardaí on a high-speed chase across the midlands, which included driving at 200 km/hr and causing over €13,000 in damage to a patrol car. Judge Orla Crowe described the conduct as "deplorable" and noted that public resources were expended during a national crisis. While acknowledging the defendant's mitigation, including his recovery from drug addiction and role as a father, the judge stated the offences warranted a headline sentence of three years. She imposed a sentence of two years and three months, suspending the entire term for three years on the condition that Almajanu engage with the Probation Service for 12 months. Additionally, he was disqualified from driving for five years. Defence counsel highlighted that the defendant was under the influence of drugs at the time but is now drug-free and caring for his infant daughter.
Jennifer Dunne, 38, of Richmond, Blackrock, Co Dublin, was discharged from proceedings at the Special Criminal Court after the State dropped all nine charges against her. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi application, citing the receipt of certain documents, which resulted in the withdrawal of six money-laundering counts and three counts of failing to furnish tax returns. Dunne had been accused of money-laundering offences relating to AIB accounts between 2018 and 2019, and failing to deliver capital acquisitions tax returns between October 2018 and October 2020. Following the order, she was free to leave the court. This development occurred five days after her partner, Nathan Kinsella, 44, also of Richmond, Blackrock, pleaded guilty to three similar counts of failing to furnish tax returns for the same period. Kinsella's case was adjourned to January 22 for sentencing, while six money-laundering charges against him were not pursued by the State. Kinsella was previously jailed by the Special Criminal Court ten years ago after pleading guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army on September 13, 2012, for which he was sentenced to two years.
A 26‑year‑old man from Finglas, Conor McNally, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to possession of a sawn‑off shotgun and ammunition found in a backpack he discarded on Glasnevin Avenue on 8 November 2022. Garda Craig Shields and a colleague intercepted McNally on a bicycle, seized the firearm and eight cartridges, and arrested him at Finglas Garda Station. McNally had no admissions during interviews, but a subsequent examination indicated recent handling of a firearm. His defence counsel argued that McNally possessed the weapon to clear a drug debt and to protect himself, citing a handwritten letter that described a traumatic childhood involving his mother's suicide and his father's death. The court noted McNally's 44 prior convictions, including weapons, theft, and drug offences. Judge Pauline Codd, after considering aggravating and mitigating factors, sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with counselling.
A 25‑year‑old man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping and assaulting his 24‑year‑old partner in their shared home in the West of Ireland on 6 October 2021. The court heard that during the attack the man held the woman in a headlock, beat, kicked and kneeled on her, retrieved knives from the kitchen, spat on her after raping her, and forced her to pull down her underwear to "check if she had sex". The woman, who gave a victim impact statement, described the assault as a savage attack that left her with facial injuries and missing hair. She feared for her life and the safety of her young daughter. The judge noted the man's guilty plea and remorse, and imposed a 10‑year sentence, citing the severity of the domestic assault and its impact on the victim's life.
A former civilian employee of An Garda Siochana, Holly Hayden, aged 27, was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final six months suspended, for disclosing confidential information from the Pulse system in exchange for cocaine and cash. Hayden admitted to providing details of a named individual, 'SN', and a person referred to as 'WD', as well as images of Garda Covid‑19 checkpoint locations, to drug dealers. She pleaded guilty to one count of disclosing confidential information and two counts of accessing confidential information for corrupt purposes. The court noted her addiction to alcohol and drugs, her lack of prior convictions, and her remorse. The suspended period is subject to strict conditions, including drug rehabilitation with the Probation Service for two years upon release. The sentence reflects the seriousness of her breach of trust as a Garda employee.
Sean Johnston, 22, and an unnamed 20‑year‑old were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to a combined 13½ years for a pre‑meditated stabbing that left a 16‑year‑old victim with 14 wounds. Johnston pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and to six threats to kill another teenager; his co‑accused pleaded guilty to causing serious harm and to a threat to kill or seriously injure a teenager. Both were initially charged with attempted murder but the State dropped those charges. The judge, Mr Justice Hunt, imposed a headline sentence of 16 years for Johnston and 13 years for the second youth, then reduced each by a quarter for guilty pleas. Johnston's 12‑year term had four years suspended for eight years; the second youth's 8‑year term had two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for five‑and‑a‑half years. The sentences were back‑dated to 30 September 2021 and 28 January 2022 respectively.
Three brothers aged 39, 40 and 41 were sentenced to 11, 15 and 16½ years for raping and sexually abusing their sister, niece and male cousin between 1999 and 2005. The 41‑year‑old received 15 years for 19 rapes of his sister, four sexual assaults and three oral rapes, plus two anally rapes of his niece and one rape of her. The 39‑year‑old was jailed for 16½ years for 20 rapes of his sister, four sexual assaults, six oral rapes, two anally rapes of his niece and two anally rapes of his male cousin. The 40‑year‑old received 11 years for 20 rapes of his sister, five sexual assaults and three oral rapes. A 64‑year‑old mother was jailed for two years for assisting her son in an anally rape of her granddaughter and for assaulting the same child. The unnamed 41-year-old was found guilty.
Lesley Dyer, 40, of Constitution Hill, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to two thefts of €1,050 from an elderly, vulnerable woman she was caring for in Bray, Co Wicklow, on 18 June 2022 and 13 August 2022. The victim, suffering from dementia, had left the money in a handbag and later discovered it missing. CCTV footage and the victim's grandchildren's testimony confirmed Dyer's admission of taking the money. Dyer had previously been convicted of drug possession and a traffic offence. Judge Orla Crowe, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, described the offence as "reprehensible" and a "gross breach of trust", and set a headline sentence of two years' imprisonment. Considering mitigating factors such as her early guilty plea, cooperation, apology letter and the use of the money for children's needs, the judge imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month prison term.
A 43‑year‑old man, Neilus Cooney, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for repeatedly punching a woman in her own home and threatening to slice and kill her. He also threatened to kill two Gardaí who came to the woman's aid after she fled and called for help. Cooney, who was armed with scissors, threatened a Sergeant from the Emergency Response Unit and claimed to have a firearm. He pleaded guilty to assault, causing harm, and threatening to kill the woman and a Garda. The judge imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years with six months suspended, and ordered him to keep the peace, undergo probation supervision for one year, and attend addiction services. The court noted his significant medical issues, remorse, and early plea as mitigating factors. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ex-IRA man Nathan Kinsella has pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to furnish tax returns, as well as two additional counts of the same offence on or before October 31, 2019, and October 31, 2020. Kinsella, who was previously jailed for two years in 2012 for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, was sentenced to two years for that offence. The matter was adjourned to January 22, 2024, for sentencing. Kinsella was jailed by the same court 10 years ago after a garda investigation into paramilitary activity at the funeral of Dissident Republican Alan Ryan. Jennifer Dunne, Kinsella's partner, is charged with the same tax and money laundering offences. Paul Greene SC, counsel for Ms Dunne, stated that his client has three documents of interest that involve returns to the Revenue, and these are available in hard copy at the accused's home. He said the documents will be furnished to the prosecution before the weekend, and Ms Dunne's case was adjourned to next Monday. Kinsella and Ms Dunne were previously charged with money laundering offences under Section 7 of Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010. The couple were charged with converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using property, namely funds lodged to an AIB account on dates between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019, within the State, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct. Dominic McGinn SC, for the State, said that the State would now be entering a nolle prosequi on these charges in relation to Kinsella.
Conor Dolan was sentenced to life imprisonment by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Neil Fitzgerald. Dolan, who has 32 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the charge on July 4 of this year, having originally pleaded not guilty. The court heard that Fitzgerald was shot six times in an execution-style killing on Hills Lane, Crooksling, Tallaght, on June 5, 2016. Prosecution counsel stated that Dolan allegedly lured his friend to the location, where he was paid €10,000 to commit the act. Evidence included CCTV footage, mobile phone data, and a confession Dolan allegedly made to his ex-girlfriend while under the influence of cocaine. The sentence was back-dated to May 15, 2020, when Dolan was arrested at Dublin Airport upon his extradition from the UK. The judge noted that the only sentence open to the court was life imprisonment and extended sympathy to the victim's family. The matter was concluded with this mandatory life sentence.
A 36‑year‑old man, on bail for a prior assault, broke into his former partner's home on 5 January 2021 and attacked her in front of her child. He claimed the victim was at fault because she had changed her phone password, which he said made him paranoid. The man pleaded guilty to criminal damage, endangerment, assault and trespass. He had previously been convicted of assault causing harm and two counts of criminal damage, for which he received a three‑year prison sentence with six months suspended. The victim's impact statement described ongoing PTSD, panic attacks and a sense that the house was no longer safe. The court adjourned the case to 6 February 2024 for finalisation of the sentence. The man was described by counsel as a model prisoner who has attended anger‑management classes while in custody.
Patrick Challoner, a former AIB bank manager aged 54, was found by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to have carried out a €2.7 million fraud over 16 years by creating bogus loan and investment schemes. He did not personally profit from the scheme, which involved taking money from customers who believed they were authorising investment accounts that were never established, and then using those funds to create fake loans for other customers. The scheme included 44 fictitious loans, 22 customers whose funds were misappropriated, and €900,000 given to 33 customers without paperwork. The bank suffered a total loss of €3.2 million, including reimbursements and audit costs. Challoner pleaded guilty to five theft charges and one deception charge, and was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing on 27 November. He has since left the bank and is now working as a pizza delivery person.
In a Mountjoy Prison group attack on 18 December 2018, Ross Thompson, 24, was found by the court to have kicked and stamped on an inmate in the recreation area, while the victim was stabbed up to seven times by around six individuals, including Thompson. CCTV footage showed Thompson's kicking and stamping; he was not involved in the stabbing and investigators found no evidence he knew a weapon would be used. Thompson pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to separate charges of dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance on 18 May 2021. He has 61 prior convictions, including assault, threats to kill, drug possession and road‑traffic offences, and is currently serving a three‑year, three‑month sentence for reckless firearm discharge. The court noted that Thompson accepted his role in the prison disciplinary process, lost privileges, and that the case was delayed until this year.
Katarzyna Wsiubiak, 34, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after she threw a cup of acid at workers in One Asian Kitchen, Tallaght, on 13 December 2020. The attack left three women with burns covering 16 per cent of one victim's body, severe burns to the face, neck, chest and left arm, and second‑degree burns to a second victim's neck, arm and fingers. A third victim suffered first‑degree burns to the ankle. Wsiubiak, who had known the main target for months, claimed she was paranoid and delusional and believed the victim was part of a conspiracy against her. She was arrested, had a seizure in custody, and has since been in the care of the Central Mental Hospital, where her mental state has improved. Judge Patricia Ryan confirmed the order for her continued care. The court heard that Wsiubiak was suffering from schizophrenia and severe mental illness at the time of the incident.
Two Limerick brothers, aged 29 and 28, were convicted in November 2021 of raping a 14‑year‑old girl and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment. The younger brother also received an eight‑year sentence for sexual assault, to run concurrently. Both denied the rape, claiming the girl was 16 and that they were victims. The trial took place at the Central Criminal Court. The appeal, heard by Mr Justice John Edwards, was dismissed. The judge upheld the original convictions, noting that the jury had been properly instructed that questions asked of the accused were not evidence. The appeal argued that a re‑charge was too late and insufficiently specific, but the court found no procedural error. The case remains at the conviction stage, with no change to the sentences or the status of the charges. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 45‑year‑old man, David Bolger, was sentenced to nine years in prison for the manslaughter of his friend Przemyslaw Klimczuk, who was 43, in a house on Greenville Lane, Enniscorthy, on 1 May 2020. The incident occurred during a Covid lockdown when the defendants were drinking heavily. Bolger denied a murder charge but was found guilty of manslaughter, with the judge noting that his intoxication removed the intent required for murder. The judge reduced the headline sentence of 14 years to ten years and six months, suspending the final 18 months on the condition of good behaviour and peace‑keeping. Bolger will serve 12 months under probation supervision after release and must comply with probation conditions or serve the suspended portion. The sentence was back‑dated to 6 July to account for time already served. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, where victim impact statements from Klimczuk's children were read.
Amadea McDermott, 27, was found dead from a stab wound at her home in Coolock on 20 July 2017. A week before her death she had a black eye and a make‑up artist, Jade Deacon, who had worked with her, testified that McDermott described her relationship with the accused, Martin Hayes, as "toxic". Deacon also said McDermott had told her she loved Hayes but wished he would leave her. A forensic scientist, Dr Ciara Kelly, matched McDermott's DNA to a swab taken from the murder weapon, but found no DNA from Hayes. Hayes, 34, pleaded not guilty to the murder. He was arrested on 8 October 2020 and charged on 4 April 2022. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains an ongoing murder trial.
Jake Emmet, aged 21, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended term of two and a half years, suspended for three years on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to making unwarranted demands with menace. The offence involved Emmet threatening to burn down a family home in Glen Hostel, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, over an alleged €500 drug debt. He had visited the victim's house twice that day, telling her he would return to torch the house, and had recorded the incident on a doorbell camera. Emmet had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty, and expressed remorse. The judge, Martina Baxter, noted his young age, lack of previous convictions, and positive changes in his life, and warned that his anti‑social behaviour must stop. The sentence was imposed as a single, fully suspended term, with no custodial period.
A 27‑year‑old Cork man was jailed for eight years after being convicted of raping his nine‑year‑old cousin twice, once in 2010 and again in 2016, in their grandmother's home. He pleaded not guilty to both counts and continues to deny the offences. The victim, now 23, gave a victim impact statement describing lifelong trauma, loss of friends, and ongoing psychiatric issues. Judge Paul McDermott set a headline sentence of five years for the first rape and 11 years for the second, but imposed a four‑year sentence for the first and a concurrent eight‑year sentence for the second, with no suspended portion and three years of post‑release supervision. The court noted the defendant's age, lack of prior convictions, and multiple neurological diagnoses, including autism spectrum disorder, which may affect his custodial experience. The judge described the damage as "considerable and enduring.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan told arsonist Jason Hughes that a "significant chance of fatalities" could have occurred if the apartment's occupants had been asleep. Hughes, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of arson at Pairc Na Greine, Tallaght, on 9 December 2022, an offence punishable by life imprisonment. The court heard that the fire caused €80‑90 000 of damage and left the occupants, including Hughes' father, with nothing. Judge Nolan noted no physical injuries but described the event as traumatic. He considered Hughes' guilty plea, remorse, mental health and addiction issues, and imposed a sentence of eight and a half years, back‑dated to his custody entry. The case involved severe property damage, no established motive, and Hughes' history of arson and mental health problems. The judge emphasised the seriousness of arson and the unpredictable spread of fire.
Mark Keogh, 51, was jailed for two and a half years after a search of his Finglas home uncovered over €180,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine. He admitted selling cocaine, holding cannabis at his address and transporting drugs for others. The court heard that Keogh began dealing drugs following his wife's death from cancer in 2017, which led to a chaotic lifestyle. Keogh, who has no prior convictions, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale on 25 May 2019. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his remorse, lack of prior offences, drug‑free status, cooperation and poor health, imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on conditions. Family members present at the hearing sobbed as he was taken into custody. The drugs found included cannabis, cocaine, heroin and ecstasy, with a total value of €185,385. Keogh had begun residential drug treatment immediately after the offence.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 32‑year‑old Christopher Coakley pleaded guilty to an attempted knife robbery of a woman's €500 e‑scooter on O'Connell Street on 4 February 2021. Coakley held a knife to the victim's throat and demanded the scooter, but was shoved to the ground, lost the knife and fled. He was arrested and detained by gardai. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that Coakley committed the offence to obtain drugs and warned that without rehabilitation he would return to court repeatedly. She cited aggravating factors such as the robbery being part of a spree and the lasting psychological harm to the victim, and mitigating factors including his guilty plea. The judge imposed a five‑year sentence, back‑dated to his March 2023 custody, while he remains serving an eight‑year term for assault causing serious harm and a separate four‑year term for another robbery on the same day.
A 41‑year‑old Dominican Republic national was sentenced to ten and a half years' imprisonment, with an 18‑month suspended portion, for violently sexually assaulting his former sister‑in‑law in her Dublin home on 16 July 2021. The court found that he entered her bedroom at about 2 a.m., subjected her to a five‑hour assault in which he repeatedly penetrated her, threatened to stab her 50 times with a metal turkey baster, and physically choked, pulled, and pushed her. He also took her phone when she tried to call for help. The victim, who was found with bruising and abrasions, later escaped at 7:30 a.m. and was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit. She described lasting panic attacks and a "perpetual state of fear and anxiety." The judge noted the prolonged nature of the offence, the multiplicity of sexual violations, and the threats to kill as aggravating factors. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded guilty.
Michael Connolly (55), of no fixed abode, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility of Mark Lawlor (38), who was found dead in Cloverhill Prison on the night of Friday, November 22, 2019. Connolly was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in August. The fatal attack occurred in a three-prisoner cell where both men had mental health issues and had been remanded to the prison on unconnected matters. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Lawlor by reason of insanity. During the sentencing hearing, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford stated that a headline sentence of 15 years was appropriate but reduced that to 12 years' imprisonment when taking into account Connolly's mental health history, his admissions to gardaí that he killed Mr Lawlor and his expressions of remorse. She then suspended a further two years of the sentence for five years to grant Connolly an opportunity to reintegrate into society upon his release. Ms Justice Lankford also suspended the final two years of the sentence for five years during which Connolly is to attend psychiatric treatment, not use illicit drugs and be of good behaviour for that time. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
On New Year's Day 2023, two homeless men, Jordan Maguire (24) and Shane McGrane (38), attacked a man at the corner of Aston Quay and Price's Lane in Dublin city centre. The victim was kicked in the head, left unconscious and bleeding, and later required a craniotomy to remove part of his skull. He lost three pints of blood, received 96 staples, and now suffers a significant skull depression, memory problems, slurred speech and difficulty sleeping. Gardaí found the victim at 12:30 pm and transported him to St James' Hospital and then Beaumont Hospital for emergency neurosurgery. CCTV footage showed the attackers changing clothes after the assault. Both men pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge adjourned the matter for finalisation on 9 November. The court heard that the victim's long‑term injuries have affected his employment and personal life.
Annemarie Ruth, a 50‑year‑old woman from Summerhill Parade, Dublin, pleaded guilty on 24 February 2021 to possessing €50,928 worth of cannabis in her home. She has four prior convictions dating back to 2009. In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Sarah Berkeley noted Ruth's full admissions, cooperation with authorities, and her status as a vulnerable person. The judge highlighted that Gardaí had focused on Ruth's then partner at the time of the offence. Ruth entered an early guilty plea, showed remorse, and had previously attempted rehabilitation. Judge Berkeley sentenced her to five years' imprisonment, suspended in full for five years, and imposed 18 months of probation supervision with directions to follow all probation services' instructions. The court did not impose any custodial term, citing that it would serve no service to society to incarcerate a vulnerable woman. The case was prosecuted by John Quirke BL, with Garda Cillian Meyler reporting the search and arrest details.
In a Dublin inner‑city flat complex, 18‑year‑old Brandon Kelly fired a handgun during a dispute between two groups. Gardaí described the rapid access to the firearm as a "big shock." Kelly, who had received an 18‑month suspended sentence for a robbery just 13 days earlier, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition for an unlawful purpose on 15 November 2022. His co‑accused, 26‑year‑old Jamie Byrne, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the reckless discharge of a firearm. CCTV showed Kelly and Byrne present at 4.36 pm, with Byrne later taking a motorbike to escort Kelly away after the shots were fired at 4.58 pm. The incident was initially treated as attempted murder. The court, noting the guilty pleas, ages and mitigating factors, imposed a seven‑year sentence on Kelly and a 27‑month sentence on Byrne, both back‑dated to 22 November 2023.
Monday Augustine, 52, a devoted member of the Christ Life Church in Dublin, pleaded guilty to using false documents to obtain asylum and later Irish citizenship. He originally arrived in Ireland in 2002 as a Nigerian, claiming to be a Liberian named John Augustine Sawyeer, and used a falsified Liberian birth certificate to marry an Irish citizen in 2004, apply for citizenship in 2007, and obtain a passport in 2009. After a religious experience in 2018, he wrote to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services in October 2019 confessing the fraud and revealing his true name, Monday Augustine. The court, noting his long community involvement and low risk of reoffending, ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service within two years in lieu of an 18‑month prison term. He has no prior convictions and has worked steadily in Ireland for over 20 years, earning €482 per week after tax.
A woman has brought a High Court challenge against her exclusion from the State compensation scheme for victims of crime. The applicant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was raped and sexually abused by her father between 1995 and 2002. Her father pleaded guilty to 32 offences at the Central Criminal Court, including rape and sexual assault, and was jailed for eight years in 2018. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal denied her claim under a legacy provision that barred compensation where the offender and victim lived in the same household. Although this section was removed in 2021, the Tribunal applied it to her claim lodged under the older scheme. An appeal panel upheld the refusal earlier this year. The woman argues the decision breaches her rights and fails to transpose EU law regarding victim entitlements. She seeks orders quashing the determination and declarations that the scheme is incompatible with EU directives, unconstitutional, and contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights. The matter was heard by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted permission to bring the challenge on an ex-parte basis. The case is adjourned and will return before the courts in December.
Daniel O'Neill, 27, of Dublin 8, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possession of cocaine for sale or supply on June 18, 2020, at Malachi Road, Dublin 7. Prosecution evidence indicated that Garda Deirdre McDonald observed O'Neill and another male behaving suspiciously near a car. After the men fled, gardai seized the vehicle, where they recovered 400g of cocaine valued at over €29,600, €300 in cash, O'Neill's passport, and a gym bag containing clothes with his name. O'Neill was arrested in October 2021. Defence counsel Garnet Orange SC acknowledged O'Neill's 31 previous convictions, including 16 drug-related offences and a five-year suspended sentence imposed in 2014 for possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply. While noting O'Neill's difficult background and addiction issues, the judge rejected the defence application for a probation report. Judge Martin Nolan stated that the aggravating features balanced out the mitigating factors, noting O'Neill's involvement in the lower levels of drug transport and dealing. The court imposed a sentence of three years and nine months, backdated to January 23, when O'Neill entered custody.
Sean Cole, aged 52, of Donnycarney, Dublin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for indecent assault and sexual assault of a girl who was a child at the time. The offences occurred between January 1987 and December 1991 when Cole was aged 16 to 20 and the victim was seven years younger. The girl was described as being in a vulnerable situation, with siblings suffering serious illness and parents often in hospital. Cole's conduct involved digitally penetrating the girl and forcing her to masturbate him. The court noted the victim's difficult childhood and the impact of the abuse. Cole had previously been convicted of sexual assault and had left school without exams. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to five years, and suspended the final year on conditions. Sean Cole pleaded guilty.
Ruth Lawrence, a 42-year-old Dublin woman extradited from South Africa, will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court on October 7, 2024, on charges of murdering Anthony Keegan and Eoin O'Connor. The bodies of both men were discovered wrapped in plastic on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin, which borders Meath and Cavan, in May 2014. Mr Justice David Keane scheduled the trial, which is expected to last three weeks, following a hearing at the Central Criminal Court. The case has been adjourned to January 12, 2024, for case management. Ms Lawrence was arrested at Dublin Airport in May 2023 following her extradition from Bloemfontein and charged with two counts of murder. A South African national also faces extradition proceedings in connection with the deaths, though he is currently serving a prison sentence in South Africa.
A 77‑year‑old former school caretaker was sentenced to eight and a half years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his daughter over a seven‑year period from 1991 to 1997. He pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape and three counts of sexual assault, with the victim aged between six and thirteen during the offences. The court described the abuse as the ultimate betrayal of trust and noted the daughter's decision to break her silence as a courageous act. The judge set a headline sentence of 14 years but reduced it to eight and a half years, citing the defendant's guilty plea, remorse, advanced age and medical issues. The defendant had no prior convictions and was married to the victim's mother, who supported him in court. The sentencing took into account the severe impact on the victim's life and her relationship with her mother.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Chang Teng Wang, 58, admitted to the manslaughter of his 10‑month‑old grandson, Séan, who died on 15 August 2019. Wang told Gardaí he had shaken the baby vigorously in an attempt to calm him, an action that caused head and neck trauma leading to death. The child had been in Wang's care before being taken to Temple Street Children's Hospital, where he was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Despite initial thoughts of choking, CT scans revealed severe injuries. The parents, who had been out with friends, rushed Séan to the hospital after finding him pale. Gardaí found no evidence of punishment or other causes for the injuries. Judge Martina Baxter adjourned sentencing to 6 November pending the Director of Public Prosecution's view, with a plea of mitigation to be heard then. Chang Teng Wang pleaded guilty.
In a case heard in the Central Criminal Court, a 41‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his then‑partner in County Galway on 17 November 2019. The assault occurred while the woman's eight‑month‑old baby slept beside her in the bed. The victim, who suffered significant mental health issues, reported the crime to emergency services after the defendant, who had been drinking vodka, entered the bed and forced himself upon her. Three audio recordings of the incident were presented to the jury. The defendant denied the offence and continued to deny it after conviction. Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, noting the victim's vulnerability and the presence of a child as aggravating factors. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small, SC, and the defendant's defence counsel highlighted his religious background and language difficulties. The victim's impact statement described the lasting emotional trauma of the night.