In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Elliot Hourihane, the only son of Timothy 'Timmy' Hourihane, expressed that he will be forever haunted by the horror of his father's death. He described the event as a brutal assault that left his father, a former chef, with a collapsed lung and severe head trauma, leading to death by inhalation of blood and cardiac arrest. Elliot said he had hoped to help his father escape homelessness, but that hope was lost. He also noted that there were no winners, only losers, after James Brady, who was convicted of manslaughter, admitted to the killing. The court heard victim impact statements from Elliot and his brother Denis, who described the lasting trauma of seeing his brother's battered body. The sentencing was adjourned to April 25. James Brady pleaded not guilty.
A Garda witness denied that investigators were "ballyragging" a suspect held for questioning over an alleged rape of a 17‑year‑old girl by five men. Four of the men are on trial at the Central Criminal Court and have pleaded not guilty to raping the girl on the night of 27 December 2016. The prosecution alleges the girl was taken in a car to a midlands location where the five men raped her "one after another". The four defendants, aged 22 to 24, also face charges of sexual assault and, for three, false imprisonment. The jury heard six Garda interviews of the fourth accused over two days in March 2017. During cross‑examination, the defence counsel claimed the accused admitted a sexual act after 16 minutes of silence in an interview room, alleging the Garda had pressured him.
Erin O'Brien, aged 25, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for a second sexual offence involving a nine‑year‑old boy. The offence, committed on 20 September 2018 when O'Brien was 22, involved showing child pornography, touching the boy's genitals, instructing the boy to touch O'Brien's penis, and offering the child money for anal sex, which the boy refused. O'Brien pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual assault. The 30‑month term will run concurrently with a five‑year sentence he is already serving for a similar offence against another child. The court noted the offer of cash as the most serious aggravating factor and highlighted the victim's changed state and ongoing counselling. O'Brien must comply with post‑release supervision, avoid contact with the victim, and refrain from unsupervised access to children. The sentence is back‑dated to the date of his guilty plea.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, Dylan Maughan, was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for endangerment and dangerous driving after a 40‑minute high‑speed chase on the M50. The court heard that Maughan drove over 200 km/h, turned his headlights on and off, drove in the wrong direction on a dual carriageway, and failed to obey traffic lights and stop signs. Gardaí used air surveillance and stingers to stop his vehicle, finding four other occupants. Maughan was highly intoxicated and pleaded guilty. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his guilty plea, age, and cooperation with probation, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final eighteen months suspended, a six‑year driving disqualification, and conditions of good behaviour and addiction services. The sentence was back‑dated to account for time already served.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, four men aged 22‑24, charged with raping a 17‑year‑old girl in a Midlands car on 27 December 2016, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged the girl was taken to a location where the men raped her one after another. The defendants also face sexual assault and false imprisonment charges. During the trial, the fourth accused, 18 at the time, admitted in a later interview that he had seen the girl on a footpath, offered her a lift, and that she was later taken to a location where she was "grabbed and groped" by all men in the car. He claimed he knew she was not consenting and that he had felt it was wrong, stating he had "knew what he did was wrong." The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
The Central Criminal Court trial of four men accused of raping a then 17-year-old girl in the midlands on December 27, 2016, continued before Justice Tara Burns and a jury. All four accused, who cannot be named, have pleaded not guilty to the primary charge of rape. The first accused (22) also faces charges of two counts of sexual assault and false imprisonment; the second accused (24) faces two counts of sexual assault, oral rape, and false imprisonment; the third accused (24) faces an additional count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and false imprisonment; and the fourth accused (23) faces three counts of sexual assault. The prosecution case alleges the complainant was driven to a location where she was raped by the four accused and a fifth man not before the courts. During the trial, the jury heard memos of gardaí interviews. The first accused stated he deleted messages and blocked the complainant on Facebook because he was scared. He admitted to touching her but claimed he did not have sex with her, stating he did not have the guts. He expressed a desire to ask the complainant to forgive him. The second accused denied having sex with the complainant, claiming she consented to kissing and that he did not complete oral sex because he found it nasty. He stated that letting the complainant into the car was his biggest regret. The matter is currently at the sentence stage of the trial proceedings, with the trial continuing.
Cahir O'Higgins, a 47‑year‑old criminal defence solicitor, pleaded guilty to assaulting former colleague Stephen O'Mahony on 11 February 2023. The incident occurred at Wolfe Tone Quay, Dublin. O'Higgins apologized to O'Mahony, his family, and his own family for the shame and embarrassment caused. The prosecution requested a victim impact report for the upcoming sentence hearing. Judge Melanie Greally set a sentence date for 18 October and remanded O'Higgins on continuing bail. O'Higgins has been a top earner in the legal aid scheme over the past decade.
A 64‑year‑old taxi driver, Tajudeen Balogun, was sentenced to 14 months in jail for careless driving that caused serious harm to a German couple on Trinity Street, Dublin, on 6 September 2018. Balogun failed to look ahead before turning right from Dame Street onto Trinity Street, driving straight into the couple as they crossed. The driver's car struck Verena Schneider, who sustained minor bruising, and her husband Benjamin Schneider, who was thrown onto the road, sustaining multiple skull and spinal fractures and severe brain trauma. The court found no evidence of intoxication or speeding. Balogun pleaded guilty; the judge noted his good character and lack of prior convictions but imposed a custodial sentence. The sentence was 21 months, reduced to 14 months with six months suspended, and Balogun was disqualified from driving for four years.
Philip Cooke, aged 34, was arrested by Gardaí on a mobile patrol in Dublin after displaying nervous and agitated behaviour while walking. Garda Paula Carter observed him holding his jacket in a manner suggesting concealment and noted his hurried demeanor. When questioned, Cooke admitted possession of cocaine and claimed he had "a lot" of drugs. He then opened his jacket to reveal a blue shopping bag containing eight smaller bags of suspected cocaine, later confirmed by analysis to be worth €61,684. Cooke pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the drugs for sale or supply on Greencastle Road, Coolock, on 14 December 2020. He had no prior convictions. The court, considering his cooperation, family circumstances, and engagement with the Probation Service, imposed a headline sentence of five and a half years, reduced to a four‑year custodial term with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
The Central Criminal Court trial of four men accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in the midlands on December 27, 2016, continues before Justice Tara Burns and a jury. All four accused, aged between 22 and 24, have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The first accused (22) faces rape, two counts of sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The second accused (24) is charged with rape, two counts of sexual assault, oral rape, and false imprisonment. The third accused (24) faces an additional count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The fourth accused (23) is charged with three counts of sexual assault. Prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC read interview memos where the first accused stated he believed the complainant might report the incident to gardaí. He alleged she was intoxicated and did not explicitly stop him, though he denied having sex with her, claiming he only touched her leg, belly, and breast. He admitted to deleting messages regarding the complainant's passport due to fear. The prosecution alleges the complainant was driven to a location where she was assaulted by the four accused and a fifth man not before the court. The trial is ongoing.
Jack Cleary, 25, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill Leanne Maher and to harassment. He had no prior convictions. Evidence showed he threatened to throw acid at Maher's face and kill her during a phone call after their relationship ended, and later appeared outside her home, making further threats. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspended for four years, with conditions that he engage with the Probation Service for 12 months and avoid any contact with Maher or her family home within 500 metres. The judge noted Cleary's mental health difficulties and his subsequent re‑engagement with services, granting credit for his early guilty plea and lack of prior convictions. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial term imposed. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The High Court has directed that an application by Alan Harte, who was convicted of kidnapping and torturing Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney, must be served on the Director of Public Prosecutions. Harte, aged 41, was sentenced to thirty years imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court in 2022 for the offence committed in Ballinagh, County Cavan in September 2019. His application seeks to challenge the constitutionality of Section 40 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939, which prevents disclosure of whether a Special Criminal Court verdict is unanimous or by majority decision. Harte's legal team argues this provision breaches constitutional guarantees of equality and the requirement that justice be administered in public. Mr Justice Charles Meenan indicated the application has limited merit but directed that any leave application proceed in the presence of the DPP's legal representatives. The matter has been adjourned to May.
John Fearon, 55, of Ballymun, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after entering signed guilty pleas to charges of having cannabis valued at €159,438 for sale or supply in a vehicle on March 15, 2021. Fearon alleged he transported the drugs to settle a €6,000 drug debt incurred by his son, claiming he was threatened that his son would be harmed if the debt was not paid. He admitted to Gardaí that he collected the drugs for delivery to a chipper and acknowledged a small amount of cannabis found in his home, which he stated was for personal use. Prosecution evidence indicated he was stopped following a tip-off and had €1,020 in cash, which Gardaí accepted was not proceeds of crime. Defense counsel highlighted Fearon's 20-year record of no further convictions, his remorse, and his rehabilitation from previous substance abuse. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of six years, reducing it based on his early guilty pleas and favorable probation report. The court imposed a sentence of three years, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including engaging with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release from prison.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a doctor testified that a medical examination of a 17‑year‑old girl, conducted five hours after alleged assaults on 27 December 2016, revealed bruises on her knee and calves, swelling and lacerations of the labia majora, bruising of the labia minora and perineum, and bleeding of the inner vaginal wall. Swabs and clothing were taken for forensic analysis. The doctor concluded that the injuries were consistent with non‑consensual sexual intercourse. The four men, aged 22 to 24, all pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault, and false imprisonment charges. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns with a jury, continues to consider these allegations. The prosecution maintains that the girl was taken in a car with the men and raped "one after another" at a midlands location on the same date. The defendants' legal teams have not disputed the medical findings presented.
A Latvian man, Ainars Grants, aged 43, was jailed for three years after he strangled and beat his partner, Danguole Abukeviciute, with a saucepan and a bottle. The assault occurred on 13 August 2020 in their Dublin apartment. Abukeviciute, who could speak little English, reported the incident at Bridewell Garda Station, describing bruises and a badly bruised face. She claimed Grants had threatened to kill her if she returned home. Grants pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was denied bail, and has been in custody since the attack. He has 40 prior convictions, including 24 for public order offences. Judge Patricia Ryan suspended the final six months of a three‑and‑half‑year sentence on the condition that Grants not contact Abukeviciute. The court noted his anger‑management programme and his intent to remain alcohol‑free after release.
In a High Court hearing on 21 March 2022, Justice Deirdre Murphy refused bail to Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a 53‑year‑old barrister and law lecturer, who is accused of murdering Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, in a fatal shooting on a farm in Tallaght on 22 February. The judge found that Phelan posed a serious flight risk, citing the seriousness of the murder charge, the strength of the evidence, his substantial assets—including a 180‑acre farm in Tallaght and a 45‑acre farm in Wexford held through companies registered in Northern Ireland—and his status as a U.S. citizen. The court noted that Phelan had used multiple addresses in south Dublin and that his assets could be realised without state knowledge. The judge concluded that the balance of probabilities indicated a powerful incentive for Phelan to evade justice, and therefore denied his bail application.
The Central Criminal Court trial of four men accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in the midlands on December 27, 2016, heard evidence regarding conflicting statements made to gardaí. All four accused, aged between 17 and 19 at the time, have pleaded not guilty to rape and other charges. The prosecution alleges the complainant was driven to a location where she was raped by the four men and a fifth individual not before the court. Evidence revealed that the third accused initially told gardaí that none of the group had sex with the girl, before later admitting he and the others had intercourse with her. The second accused stated he did not know if others had sex with the complainant, while the first accused denied any sexual contact occurred. The first accused (22) faces additional charges of sexual assault and false imprisonment. The second accused (24) is charged with sexual assault, oral rape, and false imprisonment. The third accused (24) faces an additional rape count, sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The fourth accused (23) is charged with sexual assault. The trial continues before Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
Jonathon Farrelly (33) of Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne and his wife Lisa Byrne, violent disorder, and the assault causing harm of John Roche, all occurring on June 9, 2015, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the matter to allow time for consideration, remanding Farrelly in continuing custody until April 7 for sentence. The court heard that Farrelly was part of a group of seven men, including convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA member Dessie O'Hare, who forcibly evicted the Byrne family. Five co-accused were convicted in the Special Criminal Court in 2019. Desmond McGrath (50) of Tallaght, Dublin, who pleaded guilty to the same offences, was sentenced in February 2021 to four years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended. Additionally, Jim Mansfield Junior was jailed for 18 months last month after being found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice for ordering the destruction of CCTV footage. Mansfield was acquitted of a separate charge of conspiracy to falsely imprison Byrne. Prosecution evidence detailed the violent nature of the incident, including injuries to Roche and threats made to Byrne, leading the family to enter the Witness Protection Programme. Defense counsel noted Farrelly was not a ringleader and has rehabilitated from drug addiction.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Ivona Shortt, mother of Thomas Farnan, 37, recounted the shock of her son's murder on 25 April 2016. She described calling him when he asked her to "hang on" as a visitor approached the front door of their Kilcronan Close apartment. Minutes later she learned Thomas had been shot dead by a caller. Shortt described the event as a "devastating act of brutality" that will haunt her family forever. The court heard that Lorcan Merriman, 26, pleaded guilty to disposing of the gun used in the shooting, leading the Director of Public Prosecutions to drop the murder charge. Merriman, already serving a five‑year sentence for possession of a sub‑machine gun, was sentenced again on 30 March. The hearing also included statements from Thomas's partner Elaine Heffernan, his son Sean O'Connor, and sister Jenny Farnan, all expressing grief and a desire for justice.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 15 March 2022, Marko Lovric, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography after showing a video of a child and an adult simulating sex to a colleague at the National Lottery Headquarters. The incident, which occurred on 1 September 2019, led to a Garda investigation that seized four videos depicting child abuse, including rape and exposure of genital areas. Lovric, who had no prior convictions, cooperated fully with the investigation and expressed remorse. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a nine‑month sentence, suspended in full on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service for 18 months. He was also required to participate in "safer lives" and "harmful sexual behaviour in the community" programmes while under supervision. Lovric was suspended from work and is registered as a sex offender. He hopes to return to Croatia after the matter is resolved.
A man from Ballymahon in County Longford has received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing stolen power tools at a market in Dublin. Brian Nevin, aged 30, admitted to 13 counts of possession of stolen goods found at Balbriggan Sunday market on 21 January 2018. The tools, valued at approximately €3,000, included drills, a screw gun, laser level, and other equipment. A tradesman from Tullamore recognised one of his stolen drills at the market and alerted gardaí. Following investigation, gardaí recovered the items and arrested Nevin, also seizing cash and the van used. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the judge imposed a 12-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months on strict conditions, noting that Nevin had no further convictions since 2015 and remained engaged in his community. Nevin has 29 previous convictions.
Philip Yeboah, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Gardaí discovered 210 videos and 110 images of child abuse material linked to Yeboah's email, phone, and screen address, with 80 videos and 45 images deemed explicit involving children aged 7 to 15. Yeboah admitted receiving images via two websites and participating in chats and groups that shared links. He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2014 and cooperated fully with Gardaí. The Probation Service recommended continued engagement, and Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged Yeboah's cooperation and vulnerability. Consequently, she imposed a 16‑month suspended sentence, requiring Yeboah to remain under Probation Service supervision for the full period, with no custodial term imposed. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In March 2022, a 33‑year‑old man from Clare was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for raping his partner with a deodorant can on 26 October 2014. He was convicted by a jury in his absence after failing to attend the closing stages of his Central Criminal Court trial in November 2017. The court found him guilty of one count of rape and acquitted him of one count of criminal damage. Two months after the assault, he sent the victim harassing texts calling her a "dirty tramp" and "dirty slut" and stating he would do it again. The judge noted the attack was sudden, shocking and involved humiliation and degradation. The sentence was back‑dated to 22 July 2021, the date he first entered custody. The man had fled to the UK, was arrested in July 2021, and had previously been convicted of assault and breaching a barring order.
Michael McGuinness, 61, a former army driver who served 21 years, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for indecent assault on three boys aged seven to thirteen between 1979 and 1990. The offences, committed while he was a trusted local figure, involved sexual abuse in his car and home, including forcing the boys to masturbate. McGuinness pleaded guilty to five counts; four carried a maximum of two years each, and a final count carried a maximum of ten years. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling three years, suspended the final twelve months, and back‑dated the sentence to his first custodial period in November. McGuinness admitted the abuse to Gardaí in 2019, described it as a "dark dirty secret", and expressed remorse. He has no prior convictions and has engaged in therapeutic interventions. The court noted the lasting impact on the victims and the low risk of re‑offending.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, mother Attracta Kearney accused the media of demonising her son, Ian Moore, after his death following an altercation with Jason Kearney. Moore, 30, pleaded guilty to unlawful killing of Kearney on 12 September 2020. He claimed he had entered Kearney's home after a perceived intrusion, pushed the homeowner out, and later followed him in a car to retrieve a bag he believed was stolen. During a confrontation at Seville Place, Moore punched Kearney once, causing a fatal head injury. Moore stated he had no intention to use a knife he carried and that he called emergency services after the incident. The court adjourned sentencing to 30 March 2022. Kearney's family expressed profound grief and questioned Moore's actions, while Moore expressed remorse and acknowledged responsibility.
In March 2022, a 28‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for forcibly entering a flat, raping a 16‑year‑old girl and threatening to kill her if she reported the assault. The Central Criminal Court heard that the defendant had previously called the victim's older sister's home in Waterford in January 2019, found the teenager alone, and forced his way into the flat. He carried her into a bedroom, raped her, and ignored her pleas to stop. He threatened her with death if she told anyone. The victim later called her sister, who alerted Gardaí, who arrested the man. He denied any contact, claiming the victim had "come on to him." Forensic evidence found his semen on the victim's clothing. The defendant pleaded guilty to rape on 12 January 2019. He was sentenced to ten years, reduced by six months and a year suspended, after a guilty plea and apology.
Michael Corbett, aged 32, was sentenced to an additional 30‑month term for assaulting a prison officer with a homemade shiv on 19 October 2020. The shiv was made from a toothbrush and a blade. Corbett had previously been convicted of attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club in 2016, for which he was serving a nine‑year sentence with six years suspended. The new sentence is to run consecutively with the six years he is currently serving. Judge Greally suspended the final 12 months of the 30‑month term for five years, imposing conditions including 15‑year post‑release supervision, weekly Garda station sign‑ins, medication compliance and mental‑health support. Corbett has seven prior convictions and is considered at high risk of reoffending. The officer sustained a head injury but was not seriously harmed. Corbett's defence highlighted his paranoid schizophrenia and medication non‑adherence. Michael Corbett pleaded guilty.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dr Florence Gaub, a social scientist and director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies, testified about the treatment of women in the Islamic State (IS). She explained that women who attempted to leave IS-controlled territory were deemed traitors, spies or cowards and faced imprisonment, torture or death. Gaub cited a case in which an Austrian woman was beaten to death with a hammer after expressing a desire to return home. She also confirmed that IS restricted women's movements, requiring husband's permission for travel, and that husbands could lightly chastise wives to enforce compliance. Gaub noted that IS's morality police enforced strict gender norms and that female propagandists often presented a false image of life inside the group. The testimony was part of the trial of Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier who denies membership in IS. The court will decide whether Smith joined the terrorist organisation. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
A getaway driver, Matthew Bell, 25, was jailed for eight years for using his mother's car to help gangland murderers escape after the killing of 28‑year‑old John Gibson in a Dublin carpark. Bell pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder on 18 September 2017. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, sentenced Bell to nine years and three months, with the final 15 months suspended, citing Bell's role in driving the getaway vehicle and his lack of suitability to his assigned role in the gang. Bell's early guilty plea and his struggle with drug addiction were mitigating factors. The sentence was reduced from the headline term of 12 years and six months. The court heard the victim's mother, Tara Gibson, express sorrow and hope for further convictions, and the police described the vehicle movements and Bell's involvement in the escape.
Martin Aylmer, 35, of Casino Park, Marino, Dublin 3, pleaded guilty to taking part in a Kinahan cartel plot to murder James 'Mago' Gately, an associate of the Hutch gang, while Gately was in Northern Ireland from 7 September 2016 to 6 April 2017. The offence is charged under Section 72(1)(A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Aylmer admitted that he participated with knowledge of the criminal organisation and with the intention of helping the cartel carry out the murder. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing to 27 April and ordered a governor's report from Mountjoy prison. The plot involved tracking devices and an Estonian hitman, Imre Arakas, who was later jailed for six years. Gately had previously survived a shooting attempt in May 2017. The case remains pending sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 35‑year‑old man named Martin Kelly pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 44‑year‑old Gerry Nolan, who died in a fire in Kelly's caravan in Deerpark, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, on 24 July 2006. Kelly, who had previously been charged with murder in 2020, was represented by Sean Gillane SC for the DPP. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC requested five weeks for psychological and psychiatric reports. Judge Paul McDermott adjourned the case to 20 June for a sentence hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found Trevor Rowe, 30, guilty of murdering 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. The jury deliberated for 1 hour 19 minutes, rejecting Rowe's intoxication defence. Evidence included three anonymous 999 calls from 25 March 2020 in which Rowe admitted the murder and identified the body's location on Maudlin Street, Kilkenny. Gardaí discovered Rowe at his Abbey Street apartment, where he confessed to killing Butler, slitting her throat and stabbing her head. Forensic evidence linked a Linden Village cider can and a wooden crucifix fragment to Rowe, and a large piece of cardboard was found in Butler's mouth. The judge will impose a mandatory life sentence on 1 April and remand Rowe until then. The Butler family will be allowed to address the court on the impact of the death. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Philip Byrne (41) pleaded guilty to assault, threatening to kill or cause serious harm, production of a kitchen knife and false imprisonment after a knife attack on his wife on 2 December 2020. Byrne stabbed his wife in the abdomen, then again in the breast and hand, causing permanent nerve damage and requiring surgery. The wife, who later withdrew her statement and claimed the incident was accidental, had previously reconciled with Byrne. Byrne, with 39 prior convictions mainly for traffic offences, was remanded in custody and the sentencing was adjourned to June. The judge ordered a spousal assault risk assessment by the Probation Service. Byrne's defence highlighted his remorse, reconciliation with his partner, and the impact of his 15‑month custody during Covid, including the loss of his mother.
Eamon Cahill, a 25‑year‑old carpenter from St Samsons Court, Balgriffin, Dublin, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to possession of proceeds of criminal activity after Gardaí discovered €100,000 in cash, an encrypted iPhone and a diary in a suitcase in his master bedroom on 6 November 2020. Cahill claimed he was given the items by someone he met at the back of the airport and that he knew the money was from crime but did not know its source or use. He admitted he had been using drugs during the pandemic lockdown and had accrued a €10,000 drug debt, which he was holding the cash to pay off. Garda Detective Linda Haren noted Cahill's full cooperation and that he had no prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd, considering his early guilty plea, lack of convictions and cooperation, imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, requiring Cahill to remain under probation supervision for four years and maintain good behaviour.
A 20‑year‑old man named Benjamin Morrissey, who had 78 prior convictions, was sentenced to six years in prison for two violent street attacks. In February 2021 he used scissors to attack a woman on O'Connell Street, attempting to seize her electric scooter, and in a separate incident he stabbed a man, Daniel Shortt, in the neck, causing a four‑inch wound and nerve damage. Morrissey pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Shortt and to attempted robbery of a woman on February 5, 2021. He had been on bail at the time of the robbery. The court considered his difficult childhood and cooperation, and imposed a six‑year sentence, with the last two years suspended and the sentence back‑dated for time already served. The proceedings were held in Dublin, with the judge noting the serious nature of the offences and the victims' physical and emotional suffering.
Mark Hyde, 42, of Kippure Park, Finglas, was sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment for possession for sale or supply of cannabis. He pleaded guilty after Gardaí found 15 seed trays, plants in two tents, and four large Tupperware tubs of cannabis leaf at his home on 4 February 2020. The leaf was valued at just under €7,000. Hyde admitted he intended to harvest and sell the plants to three friends to pay his bills, claiming financial hardship. He had a prior conviction for cultivation in 2012, for which he received a suspended three‑year sentence and community service for forgery. The judge noted his moderate risk of reoffending and imposed a suspended 16‑month portion, with one year of probation supervision and a requirement to engage with the Probation Service to learn skills to avoid future drug cultivation.
David Keegan, 43, known locally as the "Del Boy of Cabra," was found in possession of over 229,000 untaxed cigarettes and €135,000 worth of counterfeit luxury goods during a joint Gardaí and Revenue raid on his rented lock‑ups. He also had 19 stolen televisions. Keegan pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to evasion of excise duty on cigarettes, offering for sale goods resembling trademarked items without authorisation, and handling stolen property, all at The Rise, Glasnevin, on 2 August 2017. He had seven prior convictions, including drink driving. In December 2019 Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the cigarette offence. At the 2022 hearing, Nolan, after hearing evidence on the counterfeit goods and stolen TVs, suspended the 18‑month sentence in its entirety on strict conditions, deciding not to impose further custodial time.
Evan Keogh, aged 26, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for three assaults on his partner between April 2017 and January 2018. In April 2017 he pulled her down the stairs, causing her to fall and injure her arm. In December 2017 he bent her ankle, inflicting pain and leaving her limping for days. In January 2018 he struck her face, splitting her lip and biting her finger, which had been broken three years earlier. Keogh pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm at various locations in Dublin. The court described the attacks as "reprehensible" and imposed a 15‑month sentence for the first assault and a consecutive 18‑month term for the subsequent assaults, backdated to March 2021 when he entered custody.
Mary Aderonke Adeola, 41, of Mac Uilliam Green, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of money laundering for allowing over €20,000 obtained from an email redirect fraud to be transferred into her account and withdrawn. The fraud involved emails purporting to be from an Irish brewing company that claimed the company's bank details had changed, leading to €15,718 being transferred into her account in November 2019 and withdrawn, and a further €6,862 in December 2019, of which she partially withdrew before the account was frozen. Adeola repaid the unrecovered amount from the second transfer. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced her to 12 months imprisonment, suspended in its entirety on strict conditions, including payment of over €500 to the Red Cross for Ukrainian nationals. She has no prior convictions and was described as a good mother of five with an excellent employment history in the caring sector.
Murad Kandokar, 49, of Gleann Ribh, Lusk, Co. Dublin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 16 months in prison for two sexual assaults. He pleaded guilty to an assault on a Luas train in Dublin on 26 May 2021 and to an assault on a Galway‑to‑Dublin Airport City Link bus on 17 July 2019. The court heard that on the Luas incident a young woman was approached by Kandokar, who pressed his body against her and displayed an erection, causing her to disembark at the Four Courts and seek assistance from Garda Sonya Mooney. In the bus incident, a woman was found with Kandokar's hand in her crotch area; she shouted at him and he moved seats before being arrested. Judge Martin Nolan described the acts as compulsive yet criminal, sentencing Kandokar to two and a half years with fourteen months suspended, leaving a net 16‑month custodial term.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Louise Heaney, aged 49, received a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for publishing photographs of the two boys convicted of murdering Ana Kriégel. Heaney posted a picture on Facebook that identified the boys as "Boy A" and "Boy B" and later removed it. She admitted that the post was made in a "momentary lapse of judgement" and that she was "probably overcome with emotion" after the murder trial, which reminded her of a friend's son who had also been murdered. Heaney had no prior convictions and had been aware of the court order prohibiting the publication of any identifying material. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that the offence was at the lower end of the scale and that very few people had seen the photograph. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, and Heaney expressed regret and apologized to the Gardaí. Louise Heaney pleaded guilty.
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a friend of a woman who claims she was raped by five men in a car in the midlands gave evidence. The witness described the woman as distraught, crying, and traumatised when she returned to her friends on the early hours of 27 December 2016. She was said to have been in shock, with her skirt torn and her clothes not fully on. The friend reported that she repeatedly said there were six men and that she could do nothing. The witness also recounted that the woman had not been drunk and that she was reluctant to go to the Garda station initially, but was eventually taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Mullingar. The trial continues before a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
A man has been sentenced to four years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for cleaning up and removing blood-stained evidence from his Drogheda home where teenager Kean Mulready Woods was murdered in January 2020. Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, pleaded guilty to obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of persons guilty of the murder, contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of seven years before mitigation, reduced to five years and three months with the final fifteen months suspended. The sentence was backdated to May 2020. The judge acknowledged McKenna was not present during the killing but emphasised the seriousness of disposing of material evidence. Evidence revealed extensive blood-staining throughout the property despite attempts to clean and redecorate. The court heard McKenna had acted under threat from a dangerous criminal figure. The judge noted McKenna's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances as mitigating factors.
Imran Ali, an applicant with Portuguese citizenship, secured High Court permission to challenge a €2,000 fixed penalty notice issued for travelling to Portugal during 2021 public health restrictions. Mr Justice Garrett Simons ruled that Ali met the legal threshold for a full judicial review hearing, noting the case raises significant issues regarding EU citizens' rights to exit Ireland and free movement under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Ali claims the regulations were insufficiently clear and that the potential penalties—including a fine up to €4,000 or one month's imprisonment—are disproportionate and breach the Constitution and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. He alleges he travelled to assist his wife and sons in extending their immigration permissions, a purpose he argues constituted a reasonable excuse. The State opposed the application for leave. The court did not finally determine the merits of the judicial review but found an adequate factual matrix existed to adjudicate the legal questions. A stay on Ali's prosecution was continued pending the outcome of his action. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this month.
The Central Criminal Court trial of four men, who have pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of sexual assault, rape, and false imprisonment of a woman on December 27, 2016, continued before Ms Justice Tara Burns. The fifth accused is not before the court. Both the complainant and defendants are entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act. During cross-examination, the complainant denied that the sexual activity alleged to have occurred in a car and at a remote location was consensual. She rejected suggestions by Colman Cody SC and Hugh Hartnett SC that the atmosphere was jovial or her behavior playful. The complainant alleged she was forced to give and receive oral sex and was raped by each of the five men. She stated that any sexual acts were non-consensual, contradicting assertions by Seamus Clarke SC that his client believed the acts were consensual. The complainant also denied placing herself on a defendant's lap or kissing the driver upon leaving. The trial continues tomorrow.
A 19‑year‑old named Nathan Kelly was sentenced to five years in prison for a series of violent offences committed over a 20‑month period, including the theft of a nurse's wallet. The court heard that Kelly had a troubled background, was diagnosed with post‑traumatic stress disorder, and had a history of addiction. He pleaded guilty to three assaults, three robberies and trespassing likely to cause fear, with offences dated between 28 February 2019 and 28 October 2020. The judge noted his early exposure to domestic violence, his ADHD and PTSD diagnoses, and his high risk of reoffending. Kelly has expressed remorse, is engaging with his addictions, and is in a stable relationship. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling 78 months, suspended the final 18 months for 12 months on strict conditions, and ordered a five‑year custodial term.
Karl Cummins, 29, a serial driving offender with 65 convictions including 15 for dangerous driving, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a dangerous driving offence on 21 July 2017. Cummins had been banned from driving for 16 years since 2015. At the sentencing hearing, he offered €500 as a token of remorse, which the judge directed to be paid to the Irish Red Cross Crisis Appeal to aid Ukrainian refugees. The case was adjourned to 16 June for a community service report. Cummins, who lives on Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght, has claimed to have turned his life around, describing himself as a committed father and community volunteer. The prosecution noted the incident involved a high‑speed pursuit by Gardaí that was halted to avoid endangering other road users. The judge accepted the charity nomination and ordered the payment to the Red Cross campaign. Karl Cummins pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old man and a 37‑year‑old woman were jailed for 14 years each for the savage abuse of their then nine‑year‑old daughter, who suffered a catastrophic brain injury. The parents claimed the child was possessed by an evil spirit and inflicted "wanton cruelty" by punching, beating with a belt and stick, choking, biting and burning her. Evidence showed the father performed a ritual to expel the "devil" from her body. A jury convicted them of two counts of assault causing serious harm and three counts of child cruelty. Judge Martin Nolan noted the parents' belief in possession offered no defence. The girl now lives in a care centre, unable to walk, talk or sit independently, and will require 24/7 care for the rest of her life.
In March 2022, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced a 39‑year‑old father and a 37‑year‑old mother to 14 years' imprisonment for the savage abuse of their nine‑year‑old daughter. The parents, originally from North Africa, claimed the child was possessed by an evil spirit, but the court found no defence. The girl was repeatedly punched, beaten with a belt and a stick, choked, bitten and burned, resulting in catastrophic brain injury that left her unable to walk, talk or sit independently. The couple were convicted of two counts of assault causing serious harm and three counts of child cruelty. They had been in custody since August 2019, and their children were taken into care. The judge described the conduct as "grossly reprehensible" and noted the child would remain dependent on carers for life. The sentence reflects the sustained, extreme nature of the abuse.
A jury convicted Declan McGowan, 33, of assaulting Andra Calauz and attempting to coerce her into his car on the night of 18 September. McGowan claimed he had pulled alongside Calauz on Kimmage Road Lower, believing she was in danger, and told her he was a Garda with a gun. He kissed and hugged her, then repeatedly urged her to get into his vehicle. Calauz said she felt frightened and pressured. Her husband, Daniel Ion, testified that McGowan choked him and threatened to call Tusla, demanding Calauz enter the car. Ion called Gardaí, who arrested McGowan. The four‑day trial ended with guilty verdicts on all four counts: attempted coercion, assault on Calauz, impersonation of a Garda, and assault on Ion. McGowan was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 17 June. The judge thanked the jury for their time. The case remains at the sentencing stage. Declan McGowan pleaded not guilty.