Two men have been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their roles in a violent robbery at a hotel in Swords in November 2019. Ioan Galben, aged 40, and Samuel Pop, aged 28, both pleaded guilty to robbery and false imprisonment. The court heard that over €6,000 was taken from a sex worker, along with personal items including phones and jewellery. A third man, now deceased, entered the room during the incident and threatened the victim with a blade. Gardaí identified the suspects through CCTV footage relating to a similar incident in Roscommon in October 2019. Judge Martin Nolan noted a pattern of similar crimes and described the victim as left terrified by the incident. He imposed a sentence of five and a half years on Galben and three years on Pop, finding both men equally culpable despite their different roles.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Stuart Martin, aged 50, was found guilty of stealing 11 mobile phones from Three Ireland, valued at €5,399, and attempting to steal an additional 68 phones worth €31,457. Martin had the phones sent to his home and failed to pay for them. He pleaded guilty to three counts of phone theft and one count of attempted theft between March and May 2020. With 30 prior convictions, including theft, robbery and property damage, the judge noted Martin's cooperation with Gardaí and expressed remorse. He was sentenced to a three‑year prison term, fully suspended under strict conditions, and ordered to pay €4,350 in cash to compensate the company. The court heard that Gardaí had recovered two phones from Martin's home, leaving a total loss of €4,359 to Three Ireland.
A 23‑year‑old Clare man was found guilty by a jury of raping a 19‑year‑old university student in Dublin on 23 May 2017. The victim, now 25, said she had lost many university friends and that people told her she was lying or over‑reacting. She described the attack as occurring after she and a male friend had consensual sex in her bedroom; the defendant slipped into her bed while the friend was in the bathroom and forced himself on her. The court heard the defendant now accepts the verdict, has apologized, and has shown remorse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on conditions. The sentencing reflected the defendant's lack of prior convictions, his cooperation with the Probation Service and his acknowledgement of the offence. The judge described the act as a "dreadful breach of trust" and "extremely selfish and opportunistic.".
A man from Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Armagh has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a brutal assault on his musician neighbour in November 2012. Eugene Hanratty Snr, aged 63, was convicted by jury following trial of assault causing harm at Castleblayney, County Monaghan. The court heard the victim was punched, kicked and had his arm stamped on during a sustained attack that left him with multiple broken facial bones, damaged eye sockets and permanent loss of peripheral vision. Judge Melanie Greally noted the assault was premeditated and unprovoked, with aggravating factors including its severity and the targeting of the victim's arm, knowing him to be a musician. The final year of the sentence was suspended for ten years on condition of no contact with the victim or his family. This conviction followed two previous trials, the first resulting in a disagreement and the second being discharged. Hanratty has previous convictions from 1989 and 1997 but no garda attention since the 2012 assault. Eugene Hanratty Snr pleaded not guilty.
Mark Byrne, 50, a former drug dealer, had been jailed for seven years in 2014 after stabbing his ex‑partner's new boyfriend with a kitchen knife, causing a life‑threatening kidney injury. After his release, he sent 12 threatening voice messages to the woman on the evening of 12 February 2021, claiming he would return to prison for the "right reasons" and that he was "stupid enough to make a point". The messages were recorded and used as evidence. Byrne pleaded guilty to harassment and to possession of cannabis for sale. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for each offence, to run concurrently, and ordered Byrne no future contact with the victim. The sentences were back‑dated to the date Byrne entered custody in February 2021. No further details of the case are provided in the article.
James Flynn, 31, of Newry, Northern Ireland, was granted legal aid by the Special Criminal Court despite previously offering over £1 million in bail sureties in the UK. Ms Justice Tara Burns noted the 'odd position' of Flynn claiming to have 'absolutely nothing' after offering £185,000 in cash and a £965,000 surety to Westminster Magistrates' Court. Flynn is accused of robbing Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, in January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady and Brendan Treanor to steal vehicle keys. Flynn was refused bail last week due to flight risk concerns, including evidence that his father told gardai in Boston, 'the boys are gone, you will never get them.' His trial is scheduled for January. Co-accused Brendan Treanor, 34, of Dundalk, is also charged with the robbery and was refused bail in June 2022. Aaron Brady, 31, of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 jury verdict in August 2020. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus 14 years for the robbery, running concurrently. The matter regarding Flynn's legal aid was finalised, but his trial remains pending.
On the opening day of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Dr Ronan Keogan, aged 50, pleaded guilty to two counts: knowingly distributing child pornography on March 26 2017 and possessing three child pornography images on May 15 2017. Defence counsel indicated no jury would be required. The judge set a sentence date for January 20 next year and remanded Keogan on continuing bail. A prior no‑publicity order from Dublin District Court was lifted when the case moved to the Circuit Court.
James O'Driscoll, aged 51, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for a savage attack on a stranger on O'Connell Street in Dublin in March 2020. O'Driscoll claimed he had mistaken the victim for a man who had entered his niece's bedroom. The victim, who had spent the night at a "crack house" in the inner city, suffered a large stab wound to the leg and head injuries. The assault was captured on CCTV, showing O'Driscoll repeatedly kicking the man in the head as he cowered in a hotel doorway. O'Driscoll pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He has 100 previous convictions, including assault, threats to kill, robbery and theft. Judge Martin Nolan described the attack as "a savage attack" and noted O'Driscoll's criminal record before handing down the sentence. The victim was taken to hospital and treated for his injuries. O'Driscoll was arrested after gardaí recognised him from the footage.
A Longford man has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. Karl Reilly, aged 39, of Inny View, Aghara, Carrickboy, was found guilty by jury of raping a woman in Galway city centre in August 2017. The court heard that Reilly continued sexual contact with the woman after she explicitly asked him to stop when a second man entered the van where the incident occurred. The woman was subsequently sexually assaulted by the other man, whose case was adjourned pending sentencing. Justice Mary Ellen Ring emphasised the importance of consent and stressed that its withdrawal must be respected at any time. She noted Reilly has no previous convictions and was assessed as low risk of reoffending. The victim addressed the court regarding the lasting trauma she has experienced. The second man convicted of sexual assault will be sentenced next month.
Eoin Hannan, 49, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Ciara Hassett, whom he mistakenly believed to be another woman. Hannan had a history of 44 convictions, including assault and criminal damage, and had been warned by Gardaí in 2017 and 2019 that Hassett did not welcome his behaviour. Despite these warnings, he continued to contact her, sending flowers, wine, chocolates, a watch, a bracelet, a teddy bear, a lollipop, and a letter containing a threatening phrase. He also attempted to contact her workplace and her father, who refused to provide her number. During the trial, Hannan denied the charge, but the court found he had never met Hassett and that his mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, were at the root of his offending. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Sandra Kavanagh, 47, was driving on the M50 near Finglas on 19 November 2019 when she moved part‑way into the hard shoulder and collided with Nebojsa Sarcevic, 29, who was riding his motorbike in the same direction. The impact threw Sarcevic from his bike and into the motorway barrier, where he died from his injuries. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death. She had four prior traffic convictions, including speeding and failing to wear a seat belt. Judge Martin Nolan found no aggravating factors such as alcohol, drugs or excessive speed. He imposed a suspended sentence of eight months and disqualified her from driving for four years, citing her inattentive driving as the cause of the fatal accident. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Court on 7 November 2022.
Darragh Dodrill, 27, a former British Army officer, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for possession of drugs for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 25 February 2021 after Gardaí found nearly €250,000 worth of cocaine in a van at Kilwarden Court. Dodrill admitted to selling small quantities of cocaine and transporting larger amounts to other dealers, and that he had been using the drug himself. He had been in debt, first €8,000 and later €50,000, and said he began dealing to pay it off. He also has a gambling addiction that increased his debt. The judge noted his addiction history, family support and fear of reprisals, and suspended the final two years of a seven‑and‑a‑half year term on the condition that he engage with addiction services.
In a north‑south Dublin feud, Jonathon Smith, 41, was jailed for one year after a violent clash between a mob from Sheriff Street and men from the Pearse House complex in November 2020. Smith, part of a gang of about 11 armed men, crossed the Liffey and engaged in fighting that left three people hospitalised. He was stabbed in the back twice, sustaining a punctured lung, a fractured shoulder blade and a broken rib. Smith pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder at Creighton Street. The judge noted his prior convictions for firearms and drugs and that he knowingly joined a violent mob. Smith was sentenced to one year in prison, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the imposed term. The case remains part of a broader court proceeding involving other participants.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former soldier Graham Hayes, aged 33, was given a fully suspended 32‑month prison sentence for possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply. Hayes was caught when Gardaí stopped him beside a silver car whose boot he had just opened, revealing €10,683 worth of drugs and a stun gun. He fled but was chased and apprehended. The judge noted that Hayes' role was limited to holding the drugs and that this was his first offence of this type. He had previously been discharged from the army after a positive random drug test and had built a drug debt of €20,000. The sentence was suspended on the condition that he keep the peace for the period and engage with drug intervention services. The court heard he had four prior convictions for road traffic offences. The case was prosecuted by Sinead McMullan BL and defended by Sarah‑Jane O'Callaghan BL. Graham Hayes pleaded guilty.
A 61‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years in prison, with the last six months suspended, for raping and sexually assaulting his younger cousin over four years from 1991 to 1997. The victim, aged ten when the abuse began, was subjected to repeated oral and anal rapes, with an estimated 50 anally rapes per year. The man denied the charges. He is already serving a seven‑year term for earlier assaults on four girls. The court noted the abuse was a severe breach of trust, citing the victim's young age, the familial relationship, and the prolonged, relentless nature of the attacks. The sentence includes a five‑year post‑release supervision period during which the offender must engage in sex‑offender treatment programmes. The judge considered the defendant's history of abuse and domestic violence as mitigating factors. The victim, now in his 40s, remains reluctant to discuss the abuse. The unnamed 61-year-old was convicted.
Imre Arakas, 63, a former Estonian Defence League member, is to be extradited to Lithuania to face a murder charge for the 2015 shooting of Deimantas Bugavicius, the lover of Lithuanian pop star Vita Jakutiene. The High Court ruled that the Lithuanian warrant was clear and that the alleged offences – murder, possession of firearms and criminal damage – were not inconsistent with Irish law. Arakas, who has previously served a six‑year sentence in Ireland for conspiracy to murder James 'Mago' Gately, denied any role in the Bugavicius shooting, claiming he was in Spain at the time. He has been remanded pending extradition and may appeal the surrender order, which will take effect 15 days after the judgment. The court noted that the Lithuanian authorities had not changed the legal basis of the charges, only the narrative of his alleged involvement. The extradition will allow Lithuania to try Arakas for the alleged murder and related offences. Imre Arakas pleaded guilty.
Ana Gomes De Limeira, a 30‑year‑old Brazilian woman with no fixed abode, was sentenced to three years in prison after customs officials found over €139,000 worth of cocaine in her suitcase at Dublin Airport. The court heard that a jacket and a small pillow contained blue packages of white powder, which were identified as cocaine and weighed just over 2 kg. De Limeira admitted that the drugs were given to her by a friend in São Paulo, who also paid for her flights and accommodation. She had known the friend for only a few months and had no links to Ireland. The judge, noting her limited English and the fact that she was at the lowest level of the criminal enterprise, imposed a three‑year sentence backdated to the date of her plea on March 28, 2022. The sentence was given under an enhanced prisoner regime at the Dochas centre. Ana Gomes De Limeira pleaded guilty.
A 23‑year‑old former civilian call‑taker for An Garda Siochana, Lauryn McCann, was jailed for two and a half years after pleading guilty to corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement to access Garda intelligence and to obtaining and disclosing Garda intelligence files to a third party. McCann, who had no prior convictions, used her access to the Pulse system to take about 70 photos of sensitive information over a week in May 2020 and sent them via WhatsApp and Snapchat to an individual known to Gardaí, referred to as "R". She claimed she was offered €500 for information about R's brother and later €3,000, which she never received. Gardaí discovered the photos and messages, searched McCann's workstation and other locations, and found over 400 photos on her phone. McCann was suspended and resigned; she cooperated fully with investigators and pleaded guilty, and the court noted her psychological vulnerability and remorse.
A man accused of murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan became severely mentally unwell the day before the shooting and his sister planned to have him admitted to a psychiatric hospital, the Central Criminal Court heard on Friday. Marian Bruen, a schoolteacher, told the trial of her brother Stephen Silver that during a phone call she noticed he was hyper-stressed, speaking rapidly, and displaying signs of paranoia. She recognised these as indicators that he required hospital admission. Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard near Foxford in County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The offence occurred at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. A prosecution consultant psychiatrist, Professor Harry Kennedy, told the court he did not believe Silver qualified for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. He stated the accused showed no remorse during gardaí interviews and maintained heightened emotional states without evidence of fixed delusions. The trial continues.
A blind homeless woman, aged 39 and known as Rosemarie Fearsaor or Maria Rosita Apacha Marchega, pleaded guilty last year to five counts of stealing about €40,000 in welfare benefits between 2011 and 2015. She later claimed a wish to change her plea to not guilty, but the DPP was not notified. In court she represented herself, refusing a solicitor or barrister. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting the case had been adjourned 14 times and the accused's uncooperative behaviour, imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence on strict conditions, including a bond to keep the peace. The judge warned that refusal to accept the bond would lead to custody. The woman interrupted the judge during sentencing, initially refusing the bond but later agreeing to abide by it. The State alleged she also claimed over £50,000 in UK benefits under false identities, and that she had used multiple names and false documents.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Declan McGowan, aged 33, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a series of offences committed on 18 September 2021. He was found guilty of attempted coercion, impersonating a Garda, assault and assault causing harm after he approached a woman, Andra Calauz, on Kimmage Road Lower, claiming to be a Garda and urging her to get into his car. He also threatened her husband, Daniel Ion, and physically assaulted him. McGowan had previously pleaded not guilty but later accepted the jury's verdicts. The judge cited his 31 prior convictions, including impersonation and assault, as aggravating factors, while mitigating factors included personal circumstances. The sentence was back‑dated to the day he entered custody. The court heard victim impact statements from both Calauz and Ion, detailing fear, injury and disruption to their family life. The case was concluded with McGowan's acceptance of the verdict and the judge's remarks on his repeated impersonation of Gardaí.
Carl Finnegan, 34, of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, was charged with endangerment, production of a knife and driving without insurance after he deliberately crashed his mother's car into a vehicle carrying a man and his son in Fitzwilliam Square North on 4 April 2020. Finnegan claimed he was looking for a person who had insulted his daughter about her disability and mistakenly believed the occupants were that person. He admitted to holding a knife, described as a large butcher knife or machete, and to driving at high speed before ramming the other car. No injuries were reported. The court noted Finnegan's 13 prior convictions, mainly for road offences, and the premeditated nature of the act. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his guilty plea, remorse and anger‑management steps, and imposed a 20‑month sentence, fully suspended, warning that a future weapons or violence charge would be treated more harshly. The incident was described as a case of mistaken identity by the prosecution.
Mr Justice David Keane sentenced Dion Genockey (24), Troy Ryan (24), and Daryl Rooney (25) to nine years, nine and a half years, and 10 years respectively for raping a vulnerable teenager at Dollymount Strand in January 2016. The men were convicted following a second trial at the Central Criminal Court after a jury in the first trial failed to reach a verdict. All three maintain their innocence and have not accepted responsibility. Mr Keane noted the offence involved a high degree of degradation and that the victim, who had recently left State care, was subjected to further assault by two other men not before the court. Rooney, who has 225 previous convictions, received the longest sentence due to aggravating factors. Ryan has 24 previous offences, while Genockey has no prior convictions. The judge declined to suspend any portion of the sentences given the lack of remorse but placed all three under Probation Service supervision for two years post-release. Leave to extend legal aid for potential appeals was granted. The men have been in custody since the guilty verdicts in April. Supporters of the accused were removed from the court after shouting that the men were innocent.
Jason Paget (35) and Charles Darcy (34) pleaded guilty to charges arising from a high-speed car chase in Dublin 8. Paget admitted to taking possession of a vehicle without consent, assaulting Garda Dara Higgins causing him harm, and dangerous driving. Darcy admitted to possession of a firearm found in the car after it crashed at Longs Place. The court heard that Paget, who has previous convictions including aggravated sexual assault, resisted arrest, resulting in Garda Higgins suffering a fractured hand. Judge Orla Crowe refused Darcy's application for naming restrictions. The matter was adjourned for sentencing next week, and Paget was remanded in custody. Darcy is due for sentence next month.
A Dublin man, Ashley Medina, 33, was given a suspended two‑year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing over €10,000 from his stepfather to fund a cocaine habit. Medina pleaded guilty to 54 theft charges covering the period from December 2020 to February 2021. He withdrew about €250 at a time from various ATMs using his stepfather's bank card while in the throes of addiction. The stepfather has since died, but Medina had made amends before his death and expressed remorse. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as a "huge betrayal of trust" and noted the stepfather's character. Medina's sentence was suspended on the condition of good behaviour for two years and payment of €5,000 to his step‑sister as compensation. The case was brought to light when the step‑sister attempted to pay a hospital bill and discovered the account was empty. CCTV footage and bank statements confirmed the withdrawals.
Alan Brody, 52, of Clondalkin, was arrested in June 2020 after Garda Brendan Murphy spotted him cycling with a bag of cocaine. The police found 249 g of cocaine in his jacket, worth €17,430, and later discovered an additional €1,907 of cocaine in his home, along with scales and a press. Brody pleaded guilty to possession and claimed he was paid to deliver the drugs, citing a debt of about €20,000. He has four prior convictions, the latest in 1995 for robbery. The court noted his addiction, a 2013 assault that left him with facial scars and anxiety, and his clean record for the last six months. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full, on the condition of good behaviour for three years.
Father‑of‑two Richard Kearney, 40, of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to possessing €188,285 that was found in a safe in his children's bedroom. The money, discovered on 11 May 2021, was held for unknown third parties and Kearney claimed he was not benefiting from it. The court noted Kearney's clean record, long employment as a locksmith, and strong community references. He had been the sole carer for a child with special needs. Garda Mark O'Neill described Kearney as a "pure lackey" at the lowest rung of the laundering operation. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the mitigating factors, set a headline sentence of six years, and reduced it to two years, back‑dating the term to 23 May when Kearney entered custody.
Karl Brown, 45, of Belgard Heights, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to stealing more than €6,000 worth of DJ equipment from a van parked outside DjBox in Coolock Industrial Estate on 22 February 2018. CCTV showed him opening the van's rear doors before 6 a.m., using a trolley to unload cases, and carrying the items out of sight. The stolen items included 24 sets of lights (€3,600), 15 laptop stands, and two amplifiers, with a total value of €6,675. Brown was arrested months later and admitted the theft. All equipment was recovered except the two amps worth €1,700. He has 22 prior convictions. In court, his counsel noted his long heroin addiction and recent progress in recovery, as well as his caregiving responsibilities for his mother and father. Brown brought €500 in compensation. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years, suspended in full.
Zara McCabe, 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking a homeless man she mistakenly believed had raped a woman she knew. The incident occurred on Fleet Street, Dublin 2, on 4 November 2020. McCabe, a mother of five with 21 prior convictions and a history of alcohol and mental health problems, was highly intoxicated that night. She attacked the victim for 30 minutes, later searching his pockets for a phone to photograph him. The victim was taken to hospital but discharged the next day and died by suicide a week later. No medical report was available. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced McCabe to 150 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term, noting the seriousness of her actions and the victim's unfortunate life. The court highlighted McCabe's remorse and her recent employment, while acknowledging her ongoing family and health challenges.
Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, is standing trial in the Special Criminal Court, where he denies the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne on February 5, 2016. The defence team, led by Brendan Grehan SC, has raised significant concerns regarding the legality of state surveillance, specifically alleging that gardai may have illegally deployed a tracker device on a vehicle belonging to Jonathan Dowdall while it was in Northern Ireland. Mr Grehan argued that such use would breach the law and sought clarification on how specific CCTV enquiries were initiated. Prosecution witness Sean Gillane SC contended that the defence was conflating issues, while the presiding judge acknowledged the emerging legal arguments. Meanwhile, co-accused Jonathan Dowdall, 44, of Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing access to motor vehicles. He was sentenced to four years in prison for this offence. Dowdall is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Other defendants, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who also face charges of participating in the murder by providing vehicles, have pleaded not guilty and remain on trial. The court continues to hear evidence from National Surveillance Unit members, whose identities are withheld by order.
Brian Kelly, aged 60 and a survivor of the Stardust fire, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to transporting €159,922 worth of cannabis in his van on 12 March 2020. He claimed he was acting to help his nephew, who owed €30,000 in drug debt, and believed the nephew was in personal danger. Gardaí had surveillance of Kelly's van at Vernon Loughran's house, where they seized a large brown box containing eight vacuum‑packed packages and two mobile phones, one a burner phone. Loughran, aged 59, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and cocaine worth €840,000 after a search of his home. He was sentenced to six years in prison, with the final twelve months suspended. Both defendants had no prior convictions and showed remorse, factors considered by Judge Melanie Greally in determining their sentences. The court noted Kelly's family circumstances, his role in animal welfare, and his recovery from drug addiction.
A man who allowed his vehicle to be used to transport nearly €60,000 worth of cannabis has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. David Murray, aged 33, of Ballyshannon Road, Kilmore, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the sale or supply of cannabis in his van at the Malahide Road Roundabout in Swords on 29 October 2020. During a surveillance operation, Murray parked his vehicle at a carpark on the Swords Road. While he was in a nearby shop, another individual placed almost three kilograms of cannabis into the back of his van. Murray was stopped shortly after leaving the carpark and the drugs were recovered. The court heard that gardaí were satisfied the drugs did not belong to Murray and that his role was limited to transporting them. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Murray's guilty plea was of significant value to the prosecution while noting he was unlikely to reoffend. Murray has 26 previous convictions, including drug and firearms offences.
A 19‑year‑old man, Joel Omokhudu, was jailed for six months after driving his car at pedestrians in a Dublin shopping centre on 8 December 2020. He had been ejected from the centre and, in a temper, drove erratically in the car park and onto the pedestrian area, narrowly missing a woman with her daughters and several security guards. He then reversed into a flower bed, almost hitting a guard. No injuries were reported. Omokhudu pleaded guilty to endangerment, two counts of dangerous driving, driving without insurance and criminal damage. The court heard he had previous assault convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 18 months, suspended the final year, and disqualified him from driving for four years.
Alan Yip, 47, of Parnell Street, Dublin, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of providing registrars with false or misleading birth information between August 2012 and July 2015. Judge Martin Nolan stated Yip deserved a custodial sentence for his role in a scheme that facilitated Irish passports for children. Five co-accused parents—Ning Zhang, Wei Qin Xie, Jie Chen, Honghui Dong, and Peng Lin—each pleaded guilty to one charge of providing false birth particulars regarding their own children. Although the judge initially considered harsh sentences for deterrence, he ultimately decided against imprisonment, citing their desperation and mitigation. Each of these five defendants received a two-year term suspended in full. The court noted that Yip, a British citizen, falsely registered himself as the father of six children to allow their mothers to secure Irish citizenship and leave to remain. Defence counsel argued that custody would be overly severe for the parents, who had no permanent status. The judge acknowledged the parents' difficult circumstances but emphasized they had breached the law. The matter was finalized with Yip jailed and the others receiving suspended sentences.
A surveillance garda testified in the Special Criminal Court that he saw Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, accused of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne, riding a motorcycle out of former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall's home on February 12, 2016. Gerard Hutch (59), last of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Jonathan Dowdall (44), a married father of four with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in advance of the trial to a lesser charge of facilitating the Hutch gang by making a hotel room available ahead of the murder. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The former Dublin councillor is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after agreeing to testify against former co-accused Gerard Hutch, who is charged with Mr Byrne's murder. The Special Criminal Court has already viewed CCTV footage of what the State says is Gerard Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall on February 20 and March 7, 2016. A garda known as Member BZ testified that he observed Jonathan Dowdall's grey Toyota Land Cruiser parked opposite Forest Park in Killygordon in Co Donegal at 11am on February 20 2016 and that it was beside a silver Renault Megane Scenic. The Megane left the area at 2.35pm with two males in the vehicle. Another officer called Member BU told Ms Murphy that at 3.51pm on March 9 2016, Shane Rowan was observed carrying a long cardboard box as he walked down the escalator of Clarehall Shopping Centre before entering Carphone Warehouse. In July 2016, Rowan from Forest Park, Killygordan, in County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition. He was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of four years in prison for IRA membership, backdated to March 9 2016. Evidence has also been given that bullet cases found at the Regency Hotel murder scene were fired by the three AK-47 assault rifles. Gerard Hutch's two co-accused – Paul Murphy (59), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin and Jason Bonney (50), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The evidence of the NSU members continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Bryan Kennedy pleaded guilty to soliciting a man, referred to as 'AL', to murder Canadian couple Stephanie Poirier and her partner Clara Houdebrummette. Kennedy claimed he was motivated by a sense of betrayal after discovering intimate Facebook messages between his then‑wife and the couple. He allegedly paid AL €8,000 and later demanded additional money, threatening his wife and children. Kennedy admitted to hacking his wife's messages to portray the couple as "to be killed" and to have them "painted". He also claimed he had backed out of the plan and intended to kill the couple himself. Kennedy faces a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment on both charges and is awaiting sentencing for possession of child pornography. The court ordered a probation report and care provisions for his three children. The matter was adjourned to 16 January 2023.
Iancu Nicola, 31, was jailed for three years after he followed a 73‑year‑old woman from a city centre casino to her home and stole €23,000 she had just won. Nicola, who had previously lived in The Boulevard, Mount Garret, Tyrrelstown, pleaded guilty to robbery outside her home in Templeogue on 7 October 2016. He had six prior convictions for road traffic offences and absconded the day after the attack, only being arrested in Romania five years later and returned to Ireland under a European Arrest Warrant in October 2021. He was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally, who suspended the final 18 months of a four‑and‑a‑half‑year term on the condition that he keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service. Nicola's accomplices, Declan Connolly (41) and Brian English (32), received five‑year and three‑year suspended sentences respectively. Connolly pleaded guilty to the robbery and had 11 prior minor convictions.
Sven Spollen Behrens, 54, a former lobbyist, pleaded guilty to stealing €10,250 from Dun Laoghaire Business Improvement District on 16 June 2017 and another €10,250 from Sandyford Business Improvement District in August 2017. The court, hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, struck out the remaining counts and will consider sentencing on a full facts basis. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the sentencing to 16 January next year, when the evidence will be heard.
Kyle Walsh, 30, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary and making a threat at his former partner's home on 30 December 2019. In a "spasm of jealousy," he threw a brick at the door, entered the house, and threatened to kill her before leaving. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as frightening and serious, noting Walsh's lack of prior convictions and that the incident had not recurred. He acknowledged mitigation through Walsh's plea, cooperation and good work history, but considered the seriousness of the conduct. Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, suspended in full, and ordered Walsh to avoid unnecessary contact with the victim. The court warned that any further harassment would result in imprisonment. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Daniel Kerins, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply in St Ronan's Crescent, Clondalkin, on 25 November 2019. He had previously been convicted three times for drug possession. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, set up a surveillance operation in Donomore, Tallaght, on the day of the offence. Kerins was seen entering a taxi, travelling to St Ronan's Crescent, exiting with a package, and then entering another vehicle with a co‑accused. Both were arrested and the package contained €69,993 of cocaine. Kerins' role was to transport the drugs to pay a €7,500 drug debt; the co‑accused was to break down and sell them. The court heard Kerins was in the throes of drug addiction, had attended residential treatment, and had not reoffended since the offence. Judge Melanie Greally, satisfied that Kerins had been pressured to act as a courier, imposed a suspended three‑year sentence.
Stephen Butler, aged 30, was jailed for burglary and criminal damage after breaking into a Canada Goose shop on Grafton Street while it was closed for Covid‑19. CCTV showed him smashing the front door and stealing ten jackets and jumpers worth €7,100, causing €5,600 in damage. Butler had a history of 54 convictions and was serving a suspended sentence of two and a half years at the time of the theft. He suffered a brain injury from a 2016 car accident, which left him with a learning disability, and had a drug addiction. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Butler's vulnerability and drug issues, imposed a sentence of two years and nine months, recognising his lesser culpability compared to his co‑accused and not reactivating the previous suspended sentence. Butler pleaded guilty, admitted his role, and expressed remorse. The court considered his medical background and early admission of guilt.
Patrick Cawley, aged 30, was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing six bottles of gin and several Yankee Candles from Marks & Spencer and Dealz. On 16 January, he entered the Dealz shop through a fire exit, began filling his bag with candles, and when confronted by staff he became verbally aggressive, threatening to stab them and to burn their cars. He pulled a knife from his jacket and made further threats, causing staff to flee. Gardaí later arrested him and found the stolen gin in his bag. Cawley admitted the thefts and has 97 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and drug offences. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Cawley's cooperation in custody and his reduced methadone intake, and suspended the final 15 months of the sentence, backdating it to 16 January. Patrick Cawley pleaded guilty.
Mark Doyle, 45, of Barnaville Park, Ballyfermot, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment for three counts of assault causing harm. The court heard that Doyle repeatedly attacked his former partner with a wrench, cable wire and other weapons, knocking out two of her remaining three teeth and causing severe facial injuries. He also threatened to pour boiling water and sugar over her face. The victim, who declined to give evidence, reported being struck with a cable wire, a pen, a brush and a wooden stick, and being left with blood‑stained wounds and broken teeth. Doyle denied the assaults and was on bail at the time of the incidents. The judge described the attacks as "pretty harrowing" and noted Doyle's habit of violent behaviour. The sentence was imposed on 27 July 2021 and runs consecutively.
In a 2002 case, Jim Fitzsimons, a former shop manager, lured a 12‑year‑old boy to a flat in Dublin where he and convicted sex offender Kevin Brazil sexually assaulted the child. Fitzsimons used promises of employment and cash gifts of €150 and €50 to groom the boy, while Brazil offered alcohol. The boy reported the abuse to his father, who took him to a Garda station, but the investigating officer failed to forward the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, a mistake the judge described as regrettable. Fitzsimons pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and was convicted on 10 October 2022. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 40 months, reduced to 30 months after considering mitigating factors. Brazil, aged 52, had previously been jailed for a similar offence and had pleaded guilty to assaulting a 12‑year‑old child.
Gary Foy, 21, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm, driving without insurance and driving under the influence of cannabis after a scrambler collided with a stationary quad bike in a Dublin park on 17 September 2020. The collision left a two‑year‑old toddler with a traumatic brain injury. Foy, who had ridden scramblers for ten years, claimed he could not remember the incident. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of two years for the careless driving count and five months for each of the other two counts. She imposed a 16‑month prison sentence for the careless driving offence, suspended on strict conditions, and 180 hours of community service for the remaining counts. Foy was also disqualified from driving for five years and placed under probation supervision for 12 months. The court noted the child's serious injuries and Foy's remorse and steps to address his addiction.
The liquidator of Arden Forestry Management Ltd, a company accused of operating as a Ponzi scheme, seeks to hold two former directors, David Peile and Garret Hevey, personally liable for the firm's €3.8 million debt. Mr Declan De Lacy, appointed liquidator in 2016, argues that the directors deceived mainly older foreign investors by promising that their money would buy forest land and later yield returns. In reality, the company spent only €133 000 on land and returned €393 000 to investors, while the bulk of the €6.4 million raised was misappropriated. Hevey was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after an appeal, and Peile to three years. De Lacy's application, presented to Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, requests High Court orders declaring the directors' intent to defraud creditors and making them personally liable for the debt. The case will return next week.
Kerrie O'Byrne, 46, of Monalea Grove, Firhouse, Dublin, was found guilty of over 30 counts of theft between 2013 and 2019, having taken €34,250 from her former engineering company. She used a company credit card to purchase petrol, clothes, flowers and gifts for others. O'Byrne pleaded guilty, admitted the thefts, and apologised. She had no prior convictions. The court noted that she had been able to repay the full amount, as her husband had sold property, and that she had taken steps to address the root causes of her offending. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence, suspended on strict conditions, and ordered O'Byrne to repay the company within a month. The sentence was given in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 27 October 2022.
Elaine Sadlier, 55, appeared before the High Court to object to her extradition to the UK, where she is accused of assisting Michael Foran after the 2018 murder of Katie 'June' Jones in West Bromwich. Foran pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years. Keith O'Dwyer also pleaded guilty to assisting Foran and received a 16-month jail sentence. Sadlier, of Co Limerick, is accused of helping Foran leave the scene and arranging his stay in a Liverpool hostel. Her legal team argued that surrendering her would violate Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as she is the sole carer for a fully dependent disabled person. The Minister for Justice's counsel noted that the maximum UK penalty for assisting an offender is 10 years. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo described the case as "very sad" and noted a recent bereavement in Sadlier's family. The court was told that if surrender is ordered, an application for postponement will be made. Mr Justice Naidoo adjourned the case to November 9, when he will rule on the matter of Ms Sadlier's possible surrender.
A 19-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of oral rape committed at an address in the Leinster area on November 28, 2019. The defendant, who was aged 16 at the time of the offending, admitted to the charge. The victim, who was 15 years old during the incident, provided a victim impact statement detailing the trauma she has experienced since the attack. In mitigation, defense counsel Mr Reynolds highlighted that the accused has no previous convictions, has expressed remorse, and is currently attending a programme managed by Tusla. He noted that a psychological report indicated the defendant has a mild learning disability and requested that the court consider imposing a period of probation supervision to ensure his continued engagement with relevant services. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor acknowledged the victim's bravery in seeing the process through. The sentencing hearing was adjourned to November 16 for finalisation.
The Special Criminal Court is set to rule tomorrow on whether 27 National Surveillance Unit officers can give evidence anonymously in the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne. Prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC argued that anonymity is necessary to protect covert operations and officer safety, citing concerns raised by Detective Superintendent Eugene Lynch. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC objected, asserting the court lacks jurisdiction to grant such a blanket order and warning that it would place a 'cloak of secrecy' over the proceedings, potentially infringing on the right to a public trial. The court will decide if the names of the officers, including six who have retired, should be withheld from the defence and public. Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, denies the murder of Byrne, 33, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Jason Bonney, 50, of Portmarnock, and Paul Murphy, 59, of Swords, have also pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The presiding judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone, will deliver the decision on the anonymity application tomorrow afternoon.