In a cold‑case murder trial, John Joseph Malone, 53, is charged with strangling 69‑year‑old Ann (Nancy) Smyth on 11 September 1987 at her Wolfe Tone Street home in Kilkenny. The prosecution, led by Sean Gillane SC, argues that after a night at a local pub, Malone entered Smyth's house, strangled her, and set it on fire. Evidence includes a neighbour's account of a shouting altercation, a witness who heard a man with a speech impediment ask for a cigarette, and testimony from a bible‑study group member who claims Malone admitted the crime. The case notes that Smyth's death was caused by asphyxia from neck compression, not the fire. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of five women and seven men, expected to last over three weeks. John Joseph Malone pleaded not guilty.
Nathan Foley, 18, lives on Rosary Road, Dublin 8. He was charged at Dublin District Court with the murder of David Douglas, 55, who was shot dead on 1 July 2016 at Bridgefoot Street. Foley is also charged with damaging a car on 4 July 2016 at Strand Road, Dublin 4. State solicitor Michael O'Donovan informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions was applying for Foley to be tried in the Special Criminal Court. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan, granted the order.
The jury at the Roy Webster murder trial has reheard the statement of Carmel Phibbs, a friend of the accused's wife, after she was present at the Webster home on the afternoon Anne Shortall was killed. Mr Webster, 40, from Ashbree, Ashford, Co Wicklow, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Shortall, 47, at The Murrough on 3 April 2015. The State did not accept his plea. The jury, after a 3½‑hour deliberation, will return tomorrow with the hammer alleged to have been used in the killing.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 31‑year‑old Latvian named Andresj Krauze was accused of murdering 30‑year‑old Juris Buls in Galway on 7 or 8 July 2011. Buls, also Latvian, had not shown up for work at midnight and was later found dead in a drain near Glenamaddy. Krauze admitted the killing during an interview in a Latvian prison, where he demonstrated to Gardaí how he had killed Buls. He described a confrontation in which he claimed to have forced Buls' neck, found Buls dead, and then hid the body in a drain. The jury heard testimony from Garda Kevin Brennan, who had taken Buls' complaint, and from detectives Michael Kelly and Michael O'Driscoll, who interviewed Krauze in Riga. The trial is ongoing before Justice Margaret Heneghan. Andresj Krauze pleaded not guilty.
During the fourth week of the 35‑year‑old Vesel Jahiri's trial at the Central Criminal Court, he told the gardai that he did not stab his former partner, Anna Finnegan, and that he was not carrying a weapon when he forced his way into her house on 21 September 2012. Jahiri, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Finnegan and to assaulting her brother Karl, said he had been told by social services that he would never see his children, which caused him to become angry and enter the house. He claimed he only wanted to see his children for ten minutes and that he had no weapon on him. Jahiri described a fight with Karl, who allegedly had knives, and said he stabbed Karl once after Karl had tried to stab him. He said Anna was in the middle of the fight and that she was hurt when she fell at a neighbour's door.
Roy Webster, 40, of Ashbree, Ashford, Co Wicklow, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of Anne Shortall, 47, on Good Friday 3 April 2015 at The Murrough, Co Wicklow. His defence barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, told the jury that Webster had not planned the attack and had no attempt to conceal it. Grehan described Webster's actions as a loss of self‑control rather than a premeditated crime, noting that Webster had tied Shortall's wrists with duct tape and wrapped tape around her head after she was already dead, an act he could not explain. Webster had driven Shortall to The Murrough in his van, then brought her body home to his workshop, where he kept it for four days before admitting the crime to his wife and the Gardaí. The jury was instructed to decide whether Webster was guilty of murder or manslaughter, with deliberations to continue the next day.
In a 2017 murder trial, Roy Webster, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Anne Shortall, aged 47, who died on 3 April 2015 after Webster struck her nine times with a hammer. Prosecutor Paul Greene SC argued that Webster's statements to Gardaí after confessing to the killing displayed a "degree of self‑pity," noting that Webster had delayed revealing his involvement until 7 April, lying to Shortall's daughters and to Gardaí over several days. Greene highlighted Shortall's financial difficulties and alleged threats she made to Webster's wife. He described Webster's post‑attack conduct—returning home, drinking, watching television, and later moving the body to his workshop—as evidence of a clear intention to kill. Greene urged the jury to disregard sympathy and find that Webster intended to kill or cause serious injury, thereby supporting a murder conviction. The case was set for trial at the Central Criminal Court.
In a Dublin murder case, Vesel Jahiri, 35, originally from Kosovo, was formally charged with the killing of his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla. He also faced a charge of assaulting Karl Finnegan, who was injured at the same time and place. Jahiri pleaded not guilty to both offences and has chosen to represent himself after dismissing his legal team. On 22 September, Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan arrested Jahiri at Cabra Garda Station on suspicion of the murder, and Karl Finnegan identified him as the attacker. Jahiri was taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station, where Sergeant Joseph McLoughlin read the murder charge to him. In response, Jahiri said, "That is not true." He was then brought before Blanchardstown District Court, where the trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of nine men and three women.
The Special Criminal Court's trial of 33‑year‑old Lithuanian Eimantas Valteris collapsed after a taped conversation between Valteris and two Gardaí was played. In the recording, the Gardaí, including Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, warned Valteris that if he did not accept responsibility for three firearms and four silencers, his wife would be arrested and their child would go into care. They also threatened to arrest his partner if he refused to cooperate. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi before the tape was fully played, and the court discharged Valteris. The case had originally involved Valteris's alleged unlawful possession of a .32‑inch semi‑automatic pistol, with evidence of the weapon being found in a VW Passat that had been stopped by Gardaí in Castlebellingham. The trial was the first at the Special Criminal Court involving a Lithuanian defendant. Eimantas Valteris pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a 53‑year‑old man named Dan Quilligan claimed he was assaulted and had his left foot nailed to the kitchen floor of a Limerick house. Mark Heffernan, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault and false imprisonment charges. The prosecution alleged a joint enterprise involving three men, with Quilligan being struck in the face and his foot nailed. Detective Garda Alan Curry presented forensic evidence of strike‑marks on the floor, two of which matched nail strikes. The trial is ongoing before Justice Tony Hunt, Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan.
A 53‑year‑old man, John Joseph Malone of Newpark, Kilkenny City, is set to stand trial on Wednesday for the 1987 murder of Ann (Nancy) Smyth, who was killed on 11 September 1987 at a Wolfe Tone Street address. Malone pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. A jury of five women and seven men has been sworn in, and the trial is expected to last more than three weeks.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Andresj Krauze, 31, of Glenamaddy, Co Galway, continues before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. Krauze has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Juris Buls at an unknown time on July 7 or 8, 2011, in County Galway. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that he was asked by gardai to examine the body, which was found largely submerged in a bog drain near Glenamaddy on July 24, 2011. Dr Curtis noted the body was in a state of putrefaction, with discoloured tissues and green foliage covering it. He reported bruising to the right side of the neck and a fracture to the left extension of the Adam's apple, while confirming no skull fractures, brain injury, or other body fractures were present. Dr Curtis attributed the cause of death to neck compression, stating this was more consistent with an armlock or headlock than a ligature. He added that while putrefaction may have obscured some bruising, any cuts or wounds would still have been apparent. The trial is ongoing, with no verdict, sentence, or finalisation recorded at this procedural stage.
During the murder trial of Vesel Jahiri, security officer Korill Allen testified that on the night of 21 September 2012, he and colleague Svetlana Akopova saw a white Ford Focus stop near the entrance of the James Connolly Memorial Hospital Emergency Department. Allen described how a woman, later identified as Anna Finnegan, was pulled from the car and placed on a trolley. While lifting her, Finnegan allegedly pointed at the driver and said, "He did it." Allen confirmed that the driver was a bald man in his mid‑thirties with blood on his head. In cross‑examination, Allen admitted he could not recall other witnesses saying Finnegan pointed at him, and he denied that Gardaí had instructed him to make the allegation. Akopova, Maypother, and Leech also gave evidence, none of whom heard Finnegan say the phrase or see her point at Jahiri. The trial continues before Mr Justice Coffey and a jury. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 31‑year‑old Latvian man, Andresj Krauze, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 30‑year‑old Juris Buls, who was found dead in a drain near Glenamaddy on 7 or 8 July 2011. The jury heard that Buls had not appeared for work at midnight on 7 July and was reported missing by his girlfriend on 9 July. Garda Alan Sheerin examined Buls's clothing—jacket, sweatshirt and jeans—and testified that the pockets were normal‑sized and could not conceal a large knife. A forensic scientist, Dr Hilary Clarke, confirmed that a stain on Buls's bedroom floor contained his DNA, matching the blood found on the body. She also obtained a partial DNA profile from a cable tie near the body, which was accepted by the defence. The trial will resume on Monday with testimony from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 21‑year‑old Jeffrey Crowley was found to have acted recklessly when he threw a battery at the observation window of his cell at Wheatfield prison, shattering the glass and sending shards into the eye of prison officer Lorraine McCarthy. Prosecutor Fergal Foley noted that Crowley did not intend to damage the officer's eye, citing the small size of the window and the lack of intent. Defending counsel Keith Spencer argued that hitting the window would have required extraordinary skill, which Crowley lacked. Crowley pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms McCarthy, who suffered no permanent eye injury but experienced post‑traumatic stress. The court adjourned sentencing to May, with Judge Pauline Codd noting Crowley's history of theft, robbery, criminal damage, drug dealing, and early‑age offending. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Roy Webster, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of Anne Shortall, aged 47, on Good Friday 3 April 2015 at The Murrough, Co Wicklow. The Central Criminal Court heard that Webster beat Shortall to death with a hammer after she threatened to inform his wife of a prior affair. Shortall's body was found tied with tape in Webster's van. A statement by Carmel Phibbs, a friend of Webster's wife, described Webster as "acting completely normal" that evening, noting he had shown his wife a cut from tiling work and later claimed a woman was missing while helping Gardaí. Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien noted Webster's cooperation after his admission. Text and call records between Webster and Shortall from 25 March to 3 April were presented, showing Shortall demanded £6,500 for an abortion and threatened to expose their affair if the money was not paid.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a forensic scientist presented evidence that blood matching the deceased Latvian man, Juris Buls, was found in the bedroom of the accused, Andresj Krauze, a 31‑year‑old from Dudley Heights, Glenamaddy. Buls had been reported missing by his girlfriend on the morning of July 9, 2011, after failing to appear for work at midnight on July 7. Gardaí discovered his body in a drain outside the town a few weeks later. On July 9, investigators noted a stain on the floor of Buls's bedroom. Dr Hilary Clarke confirmed that DNA testing of the stain matched Buls's profile. She also tested a cable tie found near the body, obtaining a partial DNA profile that also matched Buls. The defense accepted the presence of Buls's DNA on the cable tie. The trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan. Andresj Krauze pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Latvian man Andresj Krauze, aged 31, at the Central Criminal Court heard evidence that he was accused of murdering Juris Buls, also from Latvia, on 7 or 8 July 2011 in Galway. Gardaí searching for a missing 30‑year‑old man found his body in a murky drain in Funshin Wood a few weeks after he failed to turn up for work on 7 July. The accused's brother, Sergejs Krauze, accompanied the search. Sergeant Shane Birmingham testified that he discovered the body by noticing a boot heel in the drain and that the remains were likely in that area. Sergeant Michael Kelly reported finding a full lunch in a lunchbox at Buls's home and other domestic details. The case remains before Justice Margaret Heneghan. Andresj Krauze pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dan Quilligan, a Limerick resident, alleged that on 14 September 2015 he was beaten and had his left foot nailed to the kitchen floor of a house at 6 Larch Court, Limerick. Quilligan, who was drinking with a friend at the train station that day, was taken to the house by his friend in a van. He reported being struck on the jaw and head, having a belt used against him, and that a nail gun was fired into his right foot while his left foot was nailed to the floor. He said he did not know the assailants' names, though two men were at the door. Three men—Gerard Mackin (33), Mark Heffernan (32), and Patrick Hayes (52)—are on trial for assault and false imprisonment, all pleading not guilty. The prosecution claims the call that directed Quilligan and his friend to the house came from Hayes' phone.
Danny Keena, 54, of Empor, Ballynacargy, Westmeath, faces trial for the murder of Brigid Maguire, who was found dead on Main Street, Ballynacargy, on 14 November 2015. Keena had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the Director of Public Prosecutions rejected the plea, stating it was not acceptable. Consequently, a jury trial has been scheduled for 2 October, and the case is expected to last one week.
The jury was discharged in the trial of Ciprian Grozavu, a 42‑year‑old Romanian accused of murdering 27‑year‑old Jonathan Duke in Cork. Grozavu had dismissed his legal team on the sixth day of his trial at the Central Criminal Court. The court heard that Catherine O'Connor, Grozavu's acquaintance, had been found guilty of murdering Duke. The eight men and four women of the jury were informed that Grozavu had a new legal team, which the judge said could not prepare for the case by the next Monday deadline. Judge Paul Butler therefore discharged the jury, citing potential unfairness, and thanked them for their service. The case has been rescheduled for a new trial, with a new date to be set. The jury will be exempt from service for ten years.
Vesel Jahiri, 35, of Kosovo origin and no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan, 25, and to assaulting Karl Finnegan on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla. He had dismissed his legal team last week and was representing himself at the trial. Mr Justice Paul Coffey informed the jury that Jahiri now wishes to engage a new legal team, a process that will take time. The judge instructed the jury to postpone further deliberations until the next morning.
Anne Shortall, aged 47, died on Good Friday 3 April 2015 after being struck nine times on the head and having her airways blocked with duct tape. The State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, examined her body on 7 April 2015 and found no skull fractures but a fractured jaw and swollen brain. She concluded the cause of death was blunt‑force trauma to the head and airway obstruction. The accused, Roy Webster, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He was alleged to have beaten Shortall after she threatened to expose his affair unless he paid her £6,500 for an abortion. Dr Geraldine O'Kelly, Shortall's GP, testified that she was not pregnant, a fact confirmed by a gynaecological test. The trial is proceeding before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of seven men and four women.
In the Central Criminal Court, Vesel Jahiri, 35, accused of murdering Anna Finnegan, 25, and assaulting Karl Finnegan on 21 September 2012, claimed the trial was illegal and refused to cross‑examine witness Paul Callan. Jahiri, who had recently dismissed his legal team and was representing himself, argued he needed documents to continue. He alleged that a previous trial had used a fake jury to convict him. Judge Paul Coffey rebuked Jahiri for abusing his role as his own advocate and informed him he had access to all prosecution documents. The judge ordered the jury to leave, and the trial resumed with the prosecution calling Garda witnesses who had preserved the scene at Allendale Glen. The case remains in progress. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
During a kidnap and robbery trial, gardaí discovered a baby hat, duct tape and a cable tie in a hay shed near Swords, Co. Dublin. Jonathan Gill, 35, is accused of kidnapping postal worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Nawn and their ten‑week‑old baby in Drogheda on 1–2 August 2011, then robbing over €600,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was part of a five‑person group that held the family hostage in their home before moving them to the shed about 90 minutes away. The shed, previously used for hay storage, was searched on 18 August after a warrant. Initial search yielded duct tape, a cable tie, a milk carton pull ring, masking tape and two keys. A later search on 24 August recovered the baby hat, duct tape, cable tie and three cigarette butts. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, 40‑year‑old Roy Webster of Ashbree, Wicklow, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Anne Shortall, 47, who died on Good Friday, 3 April 2015, at The Murrough. Webster admitted striking Shortall on the head with a hammer three or four times after she threatened to inform his wife about a prior affair. He claimed he had no intention to kill her, describing the act as a panic‑driven response to her threats. After the assault, he drove to a Centra shop, called his wife, returned home, ate dinner, and fell asleep in front of the television, claiming life returned to normal. He later discovered Shortall's body in his van, taped her, and moved her to his workshop. A pathologist's report later confirmed she was not pregnant and had been struck nine times on the head. The case proceeds before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, Vesel Jahiri, 35, accused of murdering his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, and assaulting her brother Karl, pleaded not guilty and is now representing himself. On September 7, 2012, Jahiri and his two children stayed with witness Helga Duffy in Dundalk while Finnegan was hospitalized after an overdose. On the night of the alleged murder, Jahiri appeared at Duffy's home, telling her that "something bad had happened" and that Finnegan's brother had attacked him with a chair and a knife. Duffy reported that Jahiri had taken Finnegan to the hospital and wanted to take her brother but was refused. She also said Jahiri had not explained how he entered Finnegan's house. During cross‑examination, Jahiri questioned Duffy about alleged Garda discussions and claimed he had forced Finnegan to a refuge centre. He denied any argument with Finnegan except over cars.
The trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, is ongoing before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby girl in Drogheda between August 1 and August 2, 2011. The State alleges he was part of a group that held the family hostage before forcing Mr Nawn to retrieve over €600,000 from his workplace. Evidence presented includes a 999 call from Ms Nawn, who described being threatened at gunpoint and beaten during a 15-hour ordeal. She testified that she was left tied to a bedpost with her infant, who had not been fed for 17 hours. G4S worker Gerard Whelan, an applicant in the proceedings, testified that he found Ms Nawn distressed and with cable ties on her hands near the IBM factory in Swords. He contacted gardaí despite her fears for her partner's safety. Detective Garda Donal Tully reported that Ms Nawn had severe bruising on her arms and temple. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised; the proceedings continue.
The jury in the trial of 42‑year‑old Ciprian Grozavu, charged with murdering his friend Jonathan Duke in County Cork, was informed that Grozavu had discharged his legal team. The trial was in its sixth day at the Central Criminal Court. Grozavu, a Romanian father of one, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 27‑year‑old on 13 November 2011. The court had heard that Catherine O'Connor, Grozavu's acquaintance, had been found guilty of murdering Duke, whose body was discovered in the River Bandon. The jury listened to the content of Grozavu's Garda interviews, which described O'Connor stabbing and poking Duke in his flat before dragging him down the stairs. After lunch the jury was told Grozavu had fired his counsel and was sent home, to return the next day. The case remains before Mr Justice Paul Butler.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, Ciprian Grozavu, aged 42, was charged with the killing of 27‑year‑old Jonathan Duke on 13 November 2011. The court heard that Grozavu claimed he only recalled witnessing a strangulation in his flat after a Garda officer mentioned it to him. The trial also involved testimony about Grozavu's acquaintance, Catherine O'Connor, who had been found guilty of murdering Duke, whose body was discovered in the River Bandon. Jury members listened to interviews with Grozavu in which he described O'Connor stabbing and poking Duke in the flat before dragging him, unconscious, down the stairs. Detective Sergeant Ann Murphy had left an interview and later returned with information that Duke likely died of strangulation. The court continued before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of eight men and four women.
A book of evidence has been served on a man accused of membership of an unlawful organisation before the Special Criminal Court. James Joseph Cassidy, aged 53, of Tullycollive, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, is charged with membership of an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army on 21 September 2016. The State solicitor confirmed to the three-judge court that the book of evidence was ready for service on the accused. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded Mr Cassidy on continuing bail. The case is listed for mention again on 24 April.
During the trial of Vesel Jahiri, accused of murdering Anna Finnegan, Lisa Finnegan, Anna's sister, testified that the accused told her he was coming for her and her children next. Lisa recalled receiving a call from a woman on her brother's phone that night, who said the accused was in a bad way but an ambulance was on its way. She said the accused later called her, claiming he had taken Anna to hospital, and warned that if anything happened to her or her children, jail would not save them. Lisa said the conversation was on speaker so the accused heard it, and she shouted profanities at him. In cross‑examination, Jahiri denied saying he was coming for her and her children, accusing Lisa of threatening him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty. Anna Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
A Dublin taxi driver, Lookman Kareem, aged 48, was acquitted by a jury of assault causing harm after a passenger, Darren O'Connor, claimed Kareem bit off part of his thumb. The incident occurred on 22 December 2013 at Richmond Hill, Rathmines. O'Connor said he and three friends had flagged down Kareem's taxi at about 1.15 a.m., laughed at the driver's name on the taxi ID, and tried to take the ID. A verbal dispute escalated into a physical struggle, during which O'Connor alleged Kareem bit off part of his thumb. Kareem testified that he was attacked by a group of passengers and that a passer‑by dressed as Santa tried to intervene. The jury deliberated for about 40 minutes and found Kareem not guilty. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial did not result in any conviction or sentencing. The incident was reported in March 2017.
In a 2017 trial, Jean Maire Nawn testified that a group of five men, including Jonathan Gill, threatened her and her ten‑week‑old baby with gunfire and the threat to "blow their heads off" unless her partner complied with demands to steal €600,000. Nawn described being tied to a bedpost in an abandoned house, repeatedly threatened at gunpoint, and beaten over the head with a gun. The raiders moved the family to a shed on a farmyard in Swords, where they were held overnight. Nawn recounted that the men forced her to watch a Liverpool match, threatened to shoot her if anyone called, and told her she and her partner would have to try for another baby. She was later tied to a cast‑iron bed frame, freed after 15 minutes, and then rescued by Gardaí. The case is before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury, with a four‑week trial expected. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial held in the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Jonathan Duke, aged 27, died from ligature strangulation after his body was found in the River Bandon. The prosecution presented a black electrical cable wrapped in three loops around Duke's neck, and a white cable tied to the plug, both shown by Inspector Fergal Foley. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that a complex ligature with crossing over was present, and that Duke suffered multiple blunt‑force and sharp‑weapon injuries, including bruises, abrasions, a short skull fracture, an incised wound to the lower back, a laceration to the cheek, and a possible injury to the right forearm. She concluded the cause of death was asphyxia due to ligature strangulation, with associated trauma causing bleeding and blood loss. The defendant, Ciprian Grozavu, 42, charged with Duke's murder, pleaded not guilty.
A jury heard that Mr Vesel Jahiri, 35, has dismissed his legal team and will represent himself in the murder trial of Anna Finnegan, 25, who was found dead at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 on 21 September 2012. Jahiri, originally from Kosovo and without a fixed address, pleaded not guilty to both the murder of Finnegan and the assault of her brother Karl, who was harmed at the same location and date. Mr Justice Paul Coffey informed the jury of nine men and three women that Jahiri had exercised his right to self‑representation. Prosecution counsel Mr Patrick Marrinan SC called Garda Ryan Breen, who answered a 999 call at 9.22 pm on the day of the incident, and Brian Conlon, a first cousin of the deceased, who identified Finnegan's body at Tallaght Hospital's mortuary on 22 September.
A man accused of murdering a woman told gardaí he struck her with a hammer and concealed her body in a workshop after his wife confronted him about his connection to the missing person, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Roy Webster, aged 40, from Co Wicklow has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in relation to Anne Shortall, who went missing on 3 April 2015 in Co Wicklow. The State did not accept his manslaughter plea. Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien gave evidence that when Mrs Webster questioned her husband at their home on 7 April about the missing woman, he became emotional and admitted striking Ms Shortall with a hammer. He subsequently revealed that the body was located in their workshop. Mr Webster was arrested on suspicion of murder following gardaí's discovery of human remains at the premises. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
A postal worker gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court describing his ordeal during an alleged kidnapping and robbery in County Louth in August 2011. Warren Nawn told the jury he was tied up and beaten before being forced to collect €600,000 from An Post while his partner and baby were held by armed raiders. Mr Nawn said he feared he would never see his family again, particularly when he spotted a garda car during the journey to work. The State alleges that Jonathan Gill, aged 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, was one of five people involved in holding the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed approximately 90 minutes away. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby in Drogheda between August 1 and 2, 2011. The trial before Judge Elma Sheahan is expected to last four weeks.
A woman sought €5,000 from the man now accused of her murder for an abortion, the Central Criminal Court heard today. The prosecution alleges that Anne Shortall was killed by Roy Webster following a dispute over a pregnancy and a prior sexual encounter. Webster, aged 40 from Ashbree, Ashford, Co Wicklow, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on April 3, 2015 at The Murrough, Co Wicklow. His plea was not accepted by the State. During evidence, a witness testified that he received a message in late March 2015 requesting €5,000 for an abortion, intended for another man named Steven Armstrong who knew both Ms Shortall and the accused. Ms Shortall's daughters told the court she left her home without her phone or cigarettes on Good Friday, which they found unusual. Text messages indicated she was to meet someone associated with Ashwood Kitchens at a local pub, but she did not return.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Vesel Jahiri, 35, has heard that Anna Finnegan died from a single stab wound to the chest. Mr Jahiri, originally from Kosovo and of no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Finnegan (25) at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, on September 21, 2012. He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Karl Finnegan, causing him harm, at the same location and date. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the wound, located eight inches below the left armpit, caused massive haemorrhage and pierced the abdominal aorta. He stated that a single-edged knife could have inflicted the injury, which was non-survivable. No drugs or alcohol were detected in Ms Finnegan's body, and there were no defensive injuries. Under cross-examination, Dr Curtis agreed that the victim might not have been aware of the injury due to its severity. Witness Valdas Marma described seeing a dark-haired woman collapse in a driveway after hearing noises. The prosecution alleges Mr Jahiri battered down the door and attacked Ms Finnegan and her brother. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury, with an expected duration of four to five weeks.
In a 2017 trial, the State presented evidence that Andresj Krauze, 31, of Dudley Heights, Glenamaddy, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 30‑year‑old Juris Buls, a Latvian car enthusiast and former Titan Plastics employee. The prosecution alleged Buls was last seen by his girlfriend at 22:45 on 7 July 2011 and never returned to work. An hour later, a maroon Honda Accord owned by Krauze's brother arrived, and a man left the vehicle heading toward Buls' house. The State claimed Krauze killed Buls at his home shortly after the Accord's arrival, then transported the body to a wooded area 7 km outside Glenamaddy where it was dumped. The prosecution also noted that a black Audi appeared at Krauze's Portadown residence, suggesting a possible link. The jury heard CCTV footage of Buls driving a black Audi on 7 July and the case was heard by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. The trial continues.
During a 2017 Cork murder trial, evidence was presented that the defendant's bare footprint was found in the victim's blood at the crime scene. The jury heard that the accused, Ciprian Grozavu, had told Gardaí that his girlfriend, Catherine O'Connor, had "beaten, bottled and poked" the 27‑year‑old Jonathan Duke to death. The trial concerned the murder of Duke, whose body was discovered in the River Bandon in 2011. Grozavu, aged 42, was charged with the murder and pleaded not guilty. Fingerprint and forensic evidence, including blood spatter and DNA matching Duke's profile, was examined by Garda technical experts. The court also heard Grozavu's first interview with Gardaí, in which he described a confrontation with O'Connor and claimed he could not stop her. The case was heard by Mr Justice Paul Butler with a jury of eight men and four women.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Ciprian Grozavu, aged 42, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jonathan Duke, aged 27, at Bridge House, Bandon, on 13 November 2011. Jury witnesses, including Aaron Nolan and Shane O'Driscoll, testified that on the night of the murder they heard loud music and saw Grozavu and Ms Catherine O'Connor carrying and dumping Duke's body into the river Bandon, describing the act as "like it was nothing." Garda Aine O'Regan reported a large pool of blood in Grozavu's apartment and later found a male body face‑up in the river. Garda Kieran Murphy arrested Grozavu at about 1 a.m. on 14 November, citing assault causing harm to Duke. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler, is set to continue for two weeks.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faced trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for kidnapping An Post worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Matthews, and their 10‑week‑old baby in August 2011. The State alleged Gill, part of a five‑man gang, held the family hostage in their Drogheda home, threatened them with what appeared to be guns, tied them with cable ties, and moved them to a shed 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and to robbery of €661,125 from An Post. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan presented evidence of the family watching TV when the abduction began, the use of a pizza box to assault Nawn, and the subsequent forced transport of the family to the shed. The trial, presided over by Judge Elma Sheahan, is expected to last four weeks. The case remains ongoing.
In a Central Criminal Court case, 40‑year‑old Roy Webster of Ashbree, Ashford, Co Wicklow pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Anne Shortall, 47, on 3 April 2015. Prosecutor Paul Greene SC argued that Webster and Shortall had a sexual encounter after meeting at a pub on 20 December 2014. Shortall later contacted Webster, claiming she was pregnant and demanding money for an abortion. When she threatened to expose their prior encounter, Webster struck her on the head with a hammer, then transported her body to his workshop, securing her hands with duct tape. He was found to have hidden the body behind wood panels until 7 April, when he informed the Gardaí. Webster admitted to assault, binding, and lying to police, and his defence acknowledged his responsibility for Shortall's death. The jury was instructed to decide whether the offence was murder or manslaughter.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Vesel Jahiri, a witness named Joan Broe testified that she was 100 per cent certain of seeing Jahiri chase his former partner Anna Finnegan, bring her to the ground and punch her on the right side. Broe, who was walking her dog at 8.30pm on 21 September 2012, heard Finnegan screaming for help and later described Jahiri's pursuit and violent actions. She stated that she had not been able to intervene and expressed remorse for not doing more. Broe also provided a typed statement to the court and a separate statement to Detective Garda Brendan O'Hora, adding that Jahiri landed at least four blows to Finnegan's right side. The defence counsel challenged the accuracy of this detail, but Broe maintained her certainty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
Ciprian Grozavu, aged 42, was arrested on 13 November 2011 for the murder of Jonathan Duke, aged 27, at Bridge House, Sean Hales Place, Bandon, Co Cork. During his arrest, Grozavu told Gardaí that he had been attacked and that a woman named Catherine O'Connor had intervened, striking Duke with a glass bottle and saving Grozavu's life. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Mr. Tim O'Leary SC, presented evidence that Duke was seen alive on the evening of 13 November and later found dead in the River Bandon, strangled and tied up. Garda Ciaran Ryan recounted that Grozavu was arrested at about 1 a.m. in his apartment and that the arrest was for assault causing harm to Duke. The trial, presided over by Mr. Justice Paul Butler, is scheduled to last two weeks. The case also references Ms. O'Connor's prior conviction for Duke's murder. The proceedings are ongoing.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, witness Joan Broe testified that on 21 September 2012, Anna Finnegan (26) was dragged by the neck and stabbed by her former partner Vesel Jahiri (35), who was originally from Kosovo and had no fixed abode. Broe, who was walking her dog at 8.30 pm that evening, heard a loud crash and a girl screaming for help. She saw Finnegan standing in her doorway, panicked and frightened, and later saw Jahiri and Karl Finnegan (Anna's brother) in the driveway. Broe described how Jahiri ran after Finnegan, jumped onto her back, and dragged her by the neck toward the house. She also reported seeing Finnegan's brother punched in the stomach and later lying on the ground. The prosecution had argued that Jahiri and Finnegan had been in a relationship for about ten years, had two children together, and had separated before the incident. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Ciprian Grozavu (42) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jonathan Duke (27) on 13 November 2011 at Bridge House, Bandon. The prosecution presented evidence that Duke was seen alive that evening and later found dead in the River Bandon. Retired Garda Pat Dolan testified that the body was recovered face‑up with black flex around the neck, a black lace tied to the left ankle, a grey lace around the neck, a white flex over the right knee and purple marks on both arms. Denis Boyle, a resident of Bandon, described seeing Duke on the steps of Bridge House with a woman and a man he called the "Romanian chippy." The jury was told that Grozavu, his girlfriend Catherine O'Connor, and the "Romanian chippy" were present that night, had been drinking, and that Grozavu and O'Connor were involved in the assault and disposal of Duke into the river.
In a 2017 trial in Greystones, Thomas O'Connor, aged 29, faced a murder charge for killing John O'Brien, aged 22, on 4 June 2010. O'Connor pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He admitted striking O'Brien on the head with a rock, an act that caused catastrophic blunt‑force injuries leading to death. Defence counsel Fergal Kavanagh argued that O'Connor acted in self‑defence, claiming O'Brien had first struck him and that a tussle ensued. The defence portrayed the incident as a tragic, drunken altercation, noting O'Brien's prior aggression toward others. The jury was instructed to consider the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt before deciding on a murder conviction. The case remained pending after a 56‑minute deliberation.