In a 2016 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old gang member received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for assault causing harm after a man was stabbed 21 times and pushed into the Royal Canal on 18 May 2015. The court heard that the accused claimed to have helped the victim out of the water, but CCTV footage was too indistinct to identify who stabbed the victim. The boy, who pleaded guilty, had 18 prior convictions, including eight for robbery, and was already serving a sentence for assault causing serious harm. Judge Melanie Greally described the attack as "extremely vicious and violent" and noted the accused's "enormous capacity for violent acts." She emphasised rehabilitation for the minor, balancing the seriousness of the offence with his youth, negative peer group and chaotic lifestyle, and imposed the three‑and‑a‑half‑year detention.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, prosecutors presented DNA evidence linking Darren Weldon, 45, to the February 2010 bomb blast outside Newry courthouse. The prosecution argued that a suspicious vehicle parked outside the courthouse was a stolen Mazda from Dundrum, and that its registration plate, found after the explosion, bore DNA matching a swab taken from Weldon's DNA while in custody on 14 October 2014. Witnesses described phone calls warning of a bomb and the timing of the explosion at 10:55 pm. Weldon, who denied IRA membership, had previously been arrested in September 2012 for suspected IRA membership after attending Alan Ryan's funeral. The court also heard from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan regarding his belief about Weldon's involvement. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne present. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
Ross Glynn, a plumber from Palmerstown, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Dublin Fire Brigade Workshop in Grangegorman Lower on August 28, 2010. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-month sentence, backdated to when Glynn entered custody in July, resulting in him being released as a free man. Glynn had fled to New Zealand after being granted bail, remaining at large because Ireland lacks an extradition treaty with that country. He was arrested in a Palmerstown pub earlier this year. His co-accused, Darren Snee, was sentenced to three years with 28 months suspended for the same offence. The pair allegedly stole €82,512 worth of firefighting equipment, including life-saving rescue tools. Snee gained entry using a key fob from his father, who worked at the workshop. Prosecutors argued Glynn knew the nature of the theft, despite his claim that he believed Snee had permission. Glynn received €300 from the sale of the stolen goods. Judge Nolan noted Glynn had no previous convictions apart from three road traffic offences and accepted he was unlikely to re-offend.
John Paul O'Driscoll, 29, from Fairhill, appealed a 12‑year sentence imposed by Cork Circuit Criminal Court for 17 offences including burglary, unlawful van taking, reckless endangerment and criminal damage. He was driving a stolen van drunk, pursued from one end of Cork to another, and deliberately struck Garda Michael Twomey on a motorbike, throwing him a considerable distance. O'Driscoll had 168 prior convictions, was disqualified from driving, and had been on two sets of bail. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin gave consecutive sentences totalling 12 years, suspending the final two years. O'Driscoll's counsel, Elizabeth O'Connell SC, argued the judge erred in imposing consecutive sentences and that the guilty plea should have earned more credit. The appeal was filed on 15 November 2016. The court expected a decision within a month.
Conor McKee, 26, will be sentenced in February for stealing €7,939.35 from his own Bank of Ireland account. He withdrew the cash in three separate locations on 24 April 2014 after discovering a large sum had been deposited into his account, a deposit made via a forged cheque that he had no involvement with. McKee admitted the money was not his and spent it on food, drink and trips with his partner. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Melanie Greally noted the theft was not pre‑meditated but still dishonest, causing a significant loss to the bank. McKee was remanded on continuing bail until 23 February and the Probation Service was ordered to assess him for community service. He has no further contact with Gardaí since the arrest.
Dylan Brophy, 19, was arrested two hours after a robbery on Reuben Street on 12 March 2015, where he used a metal brush handle to strike two students, Bronte Kavanagh and Ryan Donnelly, and stole a bag and a phone. He pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Brophy claimed he was defending a friend who had called him after being attacked. He has 21 prior convictions for traffic, public order and drug offences. Garda Brendan Lynn said the victims were warned to run, then dragged to the ground, hit, and robbed of a bag containing an iPhone and €40. The victims suffered concussions and bruises. Brophy denied threats and said he knew police were searching for him, so he turned himself in. A psychological report recommended probation assessment before sentencing, which is adjourned to 16 January.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year's detention at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a series of offences committed in April 2016. The teenager pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, and criminal damage to a bridge after crashing a stolen Hyundai into the River Liffey at Celbridge while evading gardai from a burglary scene in Lucan. Within 48 hours of his release on bail, he assaulted an elderly man and stole his vehicle. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting that detention should be a last resort for minors. The court heard evidence that the accused was intoxicated during the chase and was abusing prescribed drugs at the time. His legal counsel submitted that he is now drug-free, has expressed remorse, and is willing to engage with rehabilitation services and address anger management issues.
In November 2016, William Beresford, a 45‑year‑old former casino employee, was sentenced to four years in jail for robbing the Station's Sport Club on 20 August 2015. Beresford used a pellet gun to threaten colleagues and forced a staff member to open a safe, taking €4,400 that was never recovered. He had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 1999 for killing his brother and had 28 other minor convictions. Beresford surrendered to Gardaí four days after the robbery and expressed remorse, citing drug addiction as a motive. Judge Melanie Greally noted his progress in overcoming addiction but deemed the offence serious, describing the pellet gun as effectively a firearm. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on conditions including two years of probation. The case highlighted Beresford's troubled personal history, including a prior family tragedy and ongoing drug abuse.
Michael Cawley, 44, of Swords, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with two years suspended, meaning a two‑year custodial term, for attempted theft and criminal damage. The offence occurred on 26 March 2015 when he followed a man, Alan O'Neill, who had just cashed a €2,100 cheque at Bank of Ireland. Cawley entered the bank, joined the queue behind O'Neill, and after the cheque was cashed he followed O'Neill to his car. CCTV and a witness photo showed Cawley smashing the front passenger window and reaching into the vehicle, though he took no money. He pleaded guilty; the judge noted his 153 prior convictions, 120 of which were thefts linked to social welfare fraud, and his serious alcohol problem. He was also the sole provider for his wife, who receives a disability allowance. The court accepted a €100 payment as an expression of remorse for the damage.
Warren Brennan, 25, of Pearse Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Alderwood Park, Tallaght, on October 27, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at a bookmakers on Lombard Street and resisting a police officer on the same occasion. Judge Catherine Murphy described the Tallaght robbery, in which Brennan attacked a 71-year-old victim with a hammer, as "particularly nasty" and involving "gratuitous violence." The judge noted Brennan's 54 previous convictions, including a 2011 three-year jail term for an attempted armed robbery. Although Brennan was on bail for the Lombard Street burglary when he committed the Tallaght robbery, he is currently in custody for other offences. The judge remanded Brennan on continuing bail until January 16 for sentence, stating she needed time to consider various reports. Defense counsel Sean Gillane SC highlighted Brennan's difficult childhood, addiction issues, and a psychiatric report indicating a risk of developing schizophrenia, urging the court not to discard him entirely. Prosecution counsel detailed how Brennan was identified after giving a false name and how he attempted to stab gardai during the Lombard Street incident. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
During a sentence hearing at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Joseph Finnegan, aged 55, was described as having been caught with a pistol and ammunition while claiming he was carrying out a "wee message" for certain people and that he feared them. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to possession of an 8mm calibre blank‑firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, both at his Cullenstown, Readypenny address, on 11 July 2015. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun and three rounds of shotgun cartridges on 12 July 2015, and to possession of a stolen Ford Focus on 11 July 2015. At the hearing, Detective Inspector Anthony Lenehan recounted that the Special Detective Unit was investigating IRA activity in County Louth and that Finnegan was suspected of storing and moving firearms.
Bernadette Warnock, former director of the Hepatitis C charity Positive Action Ltd, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to 71 counts of theft and fraud between 2009 and 2011, stealing €116,226 from the organisation. The charity, founded in 1994 to support women who contracted Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products, had 730 members and received most of its funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Warnock, aged 63, had previously been convicted of forging cheques in 1990. The court awarded €63,500 in compensation to the HSE, directing the money to the HSE's division that supports hepatitis C services. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentence to allow Warnock to attend a medical appointment, and the final sentence was a three‑year term with the last 12 months suspended. The case highlighted the breach of trust and the impact on the charity's reputation.
During a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 67‑year‑old Marie McNally, a grieving pensioner whose sons were shot dead, accused her 30‑year‑old carer Laura Pennick of stealing €41,935 from her between January 2010 and December 2012. McNally said Pennick, who had become her "unofficial carer" after the deaths of her sons and her own ill health, accessed her ATM cards and bank accounts, including the €42,000 inheritance from her mother's house sale, and withdrew money for personal expenses such as home improvements, fashion, furnishings and holidays. Pennick pleaded guilty to the thefts. McNally's solicitor, Damien Colgan SC, noted Pennick's 29 previous convictions, including five thefts. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case for one year, ordering Pennick to return €1,100 to McNally within 14 days and to save €100 a week for the victim, while keeping a custodial sentence open. The matter will return to court on 4 December next year.
A former solicitor from County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €260,000 from client accounts between 2008 and 2011. Jacqueline Durcan, aged 47, made five withdrawals from mixed deposit accounts while managing Durcan Solicitors in Castlebar, which she had inherited from her father. The court heard she and her husband were indebted to banks for €6.5 million at the time, following property investments during the boom years. While some funds were used for office costs and insurance, €51,500 was applied to her home purchase in 2010. Upon learning an audit was imminent in early 2011, Durcan notified the Law Society of the deficit. She was struck off in 2011 and subsequently relocated to Belgium, where she teaches English. The Law Society paid €206,184 in compensation claims, which Durcan has since repaid. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 21 November 2016.
Brian Veale, 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Graham Johnson in the kitchen of Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. Veale stabbed Johnson through the heart with a carving knife after an argument over television channels. The jury found him guilty after deliberating for 1 hour 56 minutes. Victim impact statements were read by Johnson's sister, Vivienne, and his 13‑year‑old daughter, describing the loss and emotional toll. Veale, originally from Dungarvan, had 105 prior convictions and was already in custody on a robbery charge when the murder occurred. The judge imposed the mandatory life sentence, consecutive to a previous offence imposed on 28 February 2015. The court heard that the knife used was available to kitchen staff and that the incident followed a brief confrontation over a horse‑racing channel. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing and no further legal proceedings reported. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
Gareth Quinn, 33, was sentenced to one year in prison for setting fire to a stolen BMW X5 and two other parked cars, causing €40,000 in damage. The incident occurred on 9 August 2015 when Quinn, under the influence of alcohol, crashed the BMW into a parked Audi TT and then attempted to dislodge it for 10–15 minutes before igniting the vehicle with a cigarette lighter. The fire spread to an Audi A4 and a Fiat Punto. Quinn, who has 71 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of the BMW and arson. The sentence is consecutive to his existing four‑year term for unlawful taking of a car, which began in April 2019. The court noted Quinn's intoxication and frustration as the motive for the arson. The case was heard at the Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court and the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge imposed the additional year of imprisonment, extending Quinn's current custodial period.
Paul Kavanagh, aged 25, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after stealing nearly €54,000 from the Londis shop where he worked. He had awarded himself fake Lotto wins and spent the proceeds on take‑aways, taxis and cannabis. Kavanagh had previously agreed to repay €1,000 a month to the shop owner and to pay €3,600 within three days, but he failed to do so after losing his security job amid publicity. He pleaded guilty to theft from owner Ray Sheehan between 2014 and 2015 and was found with a small amount of cannabis at his home. The judge noted his remorse, lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea and low risk of re‑offending as mitigating factors, but also that the loss was significant for the business. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the theft and the impact on the shop.
Naila Zaffer, 38, a former senior insurance claims official, was found guilty of defrauding her employer, IPB Insurance, of €220,000 over six years. She pleaded guilty to ten counts of using a false instrument, theft and attempted theft between April 2007 and August 2012. In May 2015, Judge Terence O'Sullivan imposed a wholly suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. The Court of Appeal, hearing an application from the Director of Public Prosecutions, ruled that the sentence was "unduly lenient" and ordered a fresh hearing in December. The appeal judge noted that Zaffer had no prior convictions, had lost her job, and that the fraud was pre‑meditated and prolonged. The case was remitted for the probation service to prepare reports before the new sentencing hearing.
Liam Fox, 19, of Rossfield Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in stealing €18,000 worth of computers and electronics from Brookfield Youth and Community Centre on 7 November 2014. The stolen items included five Dell laptops, three Playstations, iPads, Apple Macbooks, a digital camera and memory sticks, and the burglary caused damage to a glass door and filing cabinet. The offence lasted 55 minutes and was captured on CCTV, with Fox identified by Gardaí as one of four teenagers involved. Fox is already serving an eight‑year sentence for a separate aggravated burglary, with three‑and‑a‑half years suspended. The 20‑month term will run concurrently with that sentence. Judge Martin Nolan noted Fox's potential for reform upon release and warned that a future court appearance could result in a longer sentence. Liam Fox pleaded guilty.
Two Romanian nationals, Marius Radu, 38, and Bogdan Plesu, 31, were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years and two-and-a-half years in jail respectively for stealing a Visa card using a rudimentary device from an ATM and spending €17,064.67 in Argos shops. The device, described as a "Lebanese loop" made from a cut measuring tape, was used to trap the card and was later found in Plesu's girlfriend's home in Tallaght. CCTV footage linked the men to multiple Argos stores and a multi-storey car park, where the car they drove was traced to the same address. Gardaí discovered €3,500 in Plesu's room and €2,000 in Radu's room. Both men had previously pleaded guilty to theft of cash and a Visa card in January 2016. Judge Melanie Greally noted their education and employment records but was unconvinced that gambling motivated the offence.
Marie McMahon, 68, a former women's rights campaigner, admitted to fraudulently claiming over €100,000 in social welfare payments by using her sister Katherine's card. After Katherine emigrated in 1992, a friend initially collected the benefits, and McMahon later continued the scheme, splitting the money. The fraud spanned from 2002 to 2014, with a total of €101,538.80 stolen. McMahon was detected in July 2014 through facial recognition technology, which confirmed she was not Katherine. She pleaded guilty to 13 charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five‑year sentence, suspended in full on the condition that McMahon complete 240 hours of community service and pay €15 per week to the Department of Social Protection. No jail time was imposed.
In 2015, Brian Clarke, 31, posed for photographs in Swords Town Park while his accomplices robbed American tourist Ryan Dillon. Clarke was identified from the photos and later pleaded guilty to robbery. During the incident, Dillon was attacked by youths who punched and kicked him; his partner was also assaulted. Dillon suffered a broken scapula and was taken to hospital. The robbery involved cash, a camera bag, wallet, camera and mobile phone. Clarke was described by Garda Mairead Murray as a "distraction" with no evidence of direct violence. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report. Clarke has 55 prior convictions and is scheduled for sentencing in January. The victim impact reports were submitted but not read in open court. The defence argued Clarke's role was limited to distraction and that the offence was "mean‑spirited.".
Gerard Walsh, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Liffey Valley valet service where he had worked. He admitted that a drug dealer had urged him to break into the premises to recover car keys and vehicles to pay a drug debt. Walsh and an accomplice forced entry, breaking three locks to reach the office where six sets of keys and three cars – a Volkswagen Touran, a Volkswagen Passat and an Audi A6 Avant – were taken. Two cars were recovered; the third was found a year later, costing the owner an estimated €3,500. The court heard that Walsh had previous convictions for public order and theft, dealt with 15 years earlier. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Walsh was under personal hardship, allowing an adjournment to April 28 for him to raise compensation.
A former nursing home manager has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €45,000 from a vulnerable patient. Maeve Bell, formerly of Inniskeen, County Monaghan, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft committed between July 2013 and October 2014 while employed as clinical manager at Elmhurst nursing home in Glasnevin, Dublin. Bell misappropriated funds from the resident's comfort account by making unauthorised withdrawal requests and, on several occasions, using the patient's bank card to withdraw cash. The thefts, ranging from €600 to €1,800 per occasion, totalled €38,000 from the nursing home account and €7,000 from a Bank of Ireland account. The offences came to light when the resident raised concerns about depleted account funds. Judge Martin Nolan noted Bell acted under financial hardship but emphasised the abuse of her position of authority. He expressed concern that the resident remained uncompensated and suggested gardai refer the matter to the relevant Ombudsman.
Patrick Brazil, 42, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of shop robberies between August 2014 and January 2016, most while on bail. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of trespassing, criminal damage and possession of a knife. On 29 January 2015 he entered a shop on Oxmantown Road, held an imitation Smith & Wesson gun to a shop assistant's head, and demanded the till be emptied. An off‑duty trainee Garda, Claire Rafferty, intervened, was briefly threatened with the gun, but returned to the shop to protect the assistant. A struggle followed; Brazil was overpowered, the gun knocked to the floor, and he was arrested. Gardaí arrived shortly after. Brazil's defence highlighted his severe alcohol and drug addiction at the time, noting he has since abstained and is seeking treatment.
Jonathon Duffy, aged 33, was convicted of robbing the Blackrock Post Office on 16 April 2013 with a €2 toy gun, possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery, unlawfully seizing a vehicle and attempting to seize another. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 26 May 2014. Duffy appealed the sentence, but Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the appeal on 25 October 2016, stating that Duffy had entered the post office, threatened a woman with the toy gun, stole about €3,000 in €20 notes, and then attempted to stop cars while fleeing. Gardaí pursued him, and he was eventually apprehended after a woman's vehicle was seized. Duffy had 35 prior convictions, including 10 for robbery, and had been temporarily released from prison 11 days before the offence. The court found no error in principle and upheld the seven‑year term. Jonathon Duffy pleaded guilty.
Damian Trojnar, 33, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at a Tallaght address on May 29, 2012. The case originated when Garda Cathal McGeoghan stopped Trojnar for bad parking, leading to the discovery of a European Arrest Warrant. Upon executing the warrant at Trojnar's rented home in Ellensborough Meadows, gardai seized bags of cannabis with an estimated street value of €21,132, along with €2,200 in cash, a suspected drugs tick-list, and weighing scales. Trojnar was initially extradited to Poland, where he served a four-year sentence for theft and burglary offences committed 12 years ago. Following his release, he voluntarily returned to Ireland to face the drugs charges. Judge John Aylmer described Trojnar as a reformed man, noting his exemplary behaviour in Polish prison and his voluntary return. The judge suspended a jail sentence of two years on the condition that Trojnar be of good behaviour. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC highlighted that Trojnar had lived in Ireland for six years, working in construction, and wished to make a life for himself. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
Niall Barron, a 44‑year‑old former Vodafone Ireland executive, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a fraud scheme that deprived the company of about €1.95 million. Between 2003 and 2007, while serving as head of corporate financial services and fraud prevention, Barron used his authority to approve purchase orders and invoices for a company he owned, Tel‑Q Ltd, registered in Vanuatu. He ordered services that were never performed and paid invoices for work that did not occur. The court described the thefts as a sophisticated, pre‑meditated breach of trust. Barron pleaded guilty to sample charges under the Theft and Fraud Act. Co‑accused Elaine and David McGovern received suspended sentences and a nine‑month term, respectively, for lesser roles in the same fraud scheme. The case remains an ongoing civil matter for Vodafone.
Patrick Whelan, aged 20, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year term for robbing and assaulting Sikh shop assistant Navdeep Singh at a newsagent in Blanchardstown on 27 July 2015. Whelan struck Singh over the head with a meat cleaver, forcing him to have his hair cut against his wishes, and stole €600 from the till. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, assault and being a passenger in a stolen car. The court ordered him to pay €4,000 in compensation to Singh. Judge Pauline Codd noted Whelan was a first‑time offender from a "decent, hardworking family", and that the assault was "completely unjustified". The suspended sentence is subject to probation supervision for four years and requires Whelan to attend drug, alcohol, anger awareness and victim awareness courses, as well as to pay the compensation in two instalments. The co‑accused remains before the courts.
A 19‑year‑old named Niall Brooks was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for a "vile, barbaric and cowardly assault" on two St Patrick's Day volunteers at a Luas station in Tallaght. The assault, which took place on 17 March 2015, involved Brooks and another teenager repeatedly kicking the men in the head and body. The victims suffered extensive injuries, including skull fractures, broken eye sockets, broken cheek bones, and long‑term psychological effects. Brooks pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. He has three prior convictions and is currently serving a sentence for a robbery committed in 2014. The judge noted that the victims were innocent and that nothing they did warranted the assault. The court also heard victim impact statements detailing the victims' physical and economic losses. The co‑accused, Dean McKeever, was also jailed for three years for his part in the assault.
Bernadette Warnock, 63, a former director of Positive Action Ltd, a charity that supported women who contracted Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products, was found guilty of 71 counts of theft and fraud between 2009 and 2011, stealing €116,226 from the organisation. The charity, which had 730 members and received most of its funding from the HSE, was closed in 2014 after an audit. Warnock, who herself contracted Hepatitis C at 24, pleaded guilty. The court heard she had previously forged cheques in 1990 and had been removed from the finance committee in 2011 after suspicions arose. She had hidden cheque stubs and forged the second director's signature to write cheques to herself. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 12 months, and left the decision on the allocation of the remaining €52,000 to the next hearing.
Thomas Murray, 34, a father of two, will be sentenced in December for a series of robberies in Dublin between December 2015 and February 2016. He pleaded guilty to eight robberies, one attempted robbery and one threat to kill. CCTV showed him using women's bank cards for small "tap purchases" where PIN codes are not required, and cutting the straps of handbags with a knife he described as a tool. Murray had 37 prior convictions and committed several offences while on bail. He was apprehended after a bus driver "rugby tackled" him and after a car stopped him at a bus stop. He cooperated with Gardaí, admitted the offences, apologized for frightening victims and said he committed the crimes to feed his addiction and buy things for his children. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to allow for updated reports and noted the need for a regime to provide help upon release.
Jason Whelan, 26, of Coolock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of stealing €13,000 from Europcar between May and July 2013. The thefts were discovered when a colleague attempted a refund and Whelan admitted the offences. He claimed the money was used to fund a gambling addiction, which he said had ended. Judge Melanie Greally noted the serious breach of trust, the company's significant loss, and Whelan's remorse and cooperation. She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full, and acknowledged his limited financial circumstances preventing repayment. Whelan has 10 prior convictions, including three for theft, and had been dismissed from Europcar before the Gardaí arrived. He has since been working in sales, is certified sick due to depression, and has a letter of apology outlining deep regret and remorse. The court considered his gambling addiction and mental health background in its decision.
The trial of seven Dubliners accused of murdering 20-year-old Dale Creighton is ongoing before the Central Criminal Court. Creighton died on January 2, 2014, following an incident at the footbridge over the Tallaght bypass on New Year's Day. While all seven defendants initially pleaded not guilty to murder and violent disorder, Jason Beresford (23) pleaded guilty to violent disorder on January 1, 2014, during the trial. The remaining six accused—Aisling Burke, David Burke, Graham Palmer, Ross Callery, James Reid, and Gerard Stevens—maintain their not guilty pleas to both murder and violent disorder. The matter was not adjourned; the trial proceeded as normal. Witness Carl O'Leary testified that he saw Creighton holding a knife on the footbridge after hearing a commotion about a phone robbery. His girlfriend, Shannon Downes, identified a white jacket belonging to a woman who claimed she was assaulted and robbed. Another witness, Sophie Percy, described seeing men at the bottom of the bridge, with footage showing one passenger punching a man not before the court. The trial continues with the jury hearing further evidence.
Gerard Hughes, 19, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for a series of drug‑induced offences including assault, property damage, unlawful car taking and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a hotel manager at The Maldron Hotel in Tallaght on 20 November 2015, damaging property, unlawfully taking a Nissan Qashqai on 13 December 2015 and two counts of dangerous driving on the same day. The assault involved Hughes entering the manager's office with a fire extinguisher, demanding money, grabbing her around the mouth, shoving her to the ground and fleeing. The victim suffered a split lip, facial bruising and leg injury. Hughes was identified by CCTV, had no memory of the incident due to drug use, and was arrested after a chase that involved driving the stolen car the wrong way around a roundabout. He has 47 prior convictions and was banned from driving for 10 years.
Owen Travers, a former assistant bank manager at AIB, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft from seven vulnerable customers, stealing over €127,000 between 2006 and 2012. He admitted the thefts, which ranged from €200 to €25,000, and apologized to those affected. The court noted that all money had been repaid to the bank and that Travers had sought help for gambling addiction and alcoholism. Judge Sinead Ní Chulachain accepted his early admission and psychiatric care, deeming him low risk if he abstains from alcohol and gambling. He received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, conditional on good behaviour for five years, and was deemed suitable for community service. The sentence reflected the serious breach of trust involved.
A bench warrant was issued after James Maughan, 38, failed to appear for sentencing. Maughan had previously been caught using facial‑recognition software in July 2015 when he applied for Jobseeker's Allowance under the false name "Terence Maughan." He had already been claiming disability benefit in his own name and had stolen €438 in Jobseeker's Allowance. He had 11 prior convictions for social welfare fraud dating back to 2013, the most recent of which carried a six‑month sentence. Maughan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitting he induced another to submit a false application and stole the allowance. Sentencing had been adjourned to allow him to attend rehabilitation at Cuan Mhuire, where he attended in August but left in September. The court noted no communication had been received from Cuan Mhuire and issued the bench warrant, requesting a representative from the centre to explain why the notification requirements were not met.
A Longford woman has received a suspended sentence for her role in an assault on a fellow inmate at the Dochas Centre women's prison in Dublin. Marian Leddy, aged 31, of Barrack Street, Granard, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to another prisoner on 26 May 2015. The court heard that Leddy held the victim's legs while a co-accused inflicted facial injuries using a broken cup. Judge Petria McDonnell imposed a three-month sentence, suspended in full for twelve months, taking into account Leddy's progress in addressing her heroin addiction and engagement with local support services. The judge noted that Leddy had played a lesser role than her co-accused and caused no direct injuries. The victim sustained minor cuts to her face with no permanent scarring. Leddy, who has 77 previous convictions predominantly for theft, told the court she was committed to turning her life around.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 22‑year‑old Gerry Wall pleaded guilty to burglary at Hyde Road, Dalkey, after breaking into a house and stealing jewellery worth €4,030 and a jar of coins valued at €58. CCTV captured Wall and an accomplice climbing over a fence, entering the house, and later exchanging the stolen coins for notes at a neighbouring petrol station. The burglary caused €2,315 in damage and none of the stolen property was recovered. Wall, who has nine prior convictions, was given a suspended sentence of two and a half years on strict conditions. The judge, citing a probation report that showed a "turnaround in attitude" and Wall's recent fatherhood, accepted that no further charges were pending and allowed him a chance to demonstrate his commitment to leaving criminality behind him.
Mark Kenna, 32, was arrested after CCTV captured him robbing a Japanese tourist's purse at the revolving door of Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel on 2 February 2015. Kenna, who had 54 prior convictions but none for violence, told Gardaí he could not remember the incident and was "strung out" at the time. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as "nasty and frightening" but noted Kenna's crack cocaine habit and that he had taken tablets that day. She was impressed by a favourable probation report showing insight, remorse and steps taken to address his drug addiction. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full, with strict conditions: 12 months probation supervision and one‑to‑one drug‑addiction counselling. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Rebecca Smith BL.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 4 October 2016, Joseph Finnegan, aged 54 and resident of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen car. The car in question was a Ford Focus, which he had possessed last year. The court noted that a second stolen vehicle, an Audi A4, would be considered at sentencing. Finnegan had previously pleaded guilty in June to four charges of possession of firearms and ammunition. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel indicated that the only other outstanding charge was an IRA membership allegation, which could be dropped on the sentencing date. Finnegan was remanded on continuing bail until 24 October, with the State accepting the same bail terms. The case was heard by Mr Justice Bobby Eagar, Judge Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Judge James Faughnan.
Kieran Cox, 32, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to endangerment after a high‑speed chase that ended with his Volkswagen Passat crashing into a Toyota Yaris at a junction in Clonee on 2 February 2012. The Passat lost control, collided with the Yaris, spun into a pole, and a fire broke out, requiring Gardaí to drag Cox out of the vehicle. He was arrested but made no admissions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, which she suspended in full, citing his significant positive turnaround, cessation of alcohol abuse, and responsible fatherhood. Cox had no Garda attention since 2012 and had previously been convicted of road traffic, drug and theft offences. The case was brought back to court after a 2012 warrant was not executed until 2015.
Mark Mosley, 24, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for a series of offences including the robbery of a €7,000 gold‑plated monstrance from St Bridget's Church in Killester, a mobile‑phone robbery at Harmonstown Dart Station, a house burglary in Edenmore, and a threat to Sergeant Basil Grimes. Mosley pleaded guilty to each charge at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He admitted abusing alcohol, tablets and heroin at the time of the offences. The monstrance, containing the Holy Sacrament, was never recovered. Mosley's criminal history includes 71 prior convictions and 88 disciplinary incidents while in prison. The sentence reflects his drug‑free status at sentencing but acknowledges his extensive disciplinary record.
Paul Casey, a 46‑year‑old former bricklayer from Ballymun, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a two‑year suspended sentence and a €3,000 fine for handling €53,453 worth of stolen electrical equipment. The property had been hijacked from a truck delivering goods from the UK to Dixons PC World in June 2014 and was later moved from a freight container into a van. Casey pleaded guilty on 18 July 2014 at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan. He was arrested while attempting to escape by the side of the container. The court noted that all stolen goods were returned to Dixons, that Casey had nine prior convictions, and that he was on disability benefit and a father of two. The suspended sentence was imposed, with the fine payable. The case also involved co‑accused Daniel McMahon, who was fined €5,000, and Michael Barr, who was sent to the Special Criminal Court for related charges.
A 36‑year‑old Meath man, Dermot Molloy, was given a suspended sentence after a judge heard he is the sole carer for a child with a serious birth defect. Molloy had previously pleaded guilty to robbery in 2014 and was serving a suspended portion of a six‑year sentence for earlier robberies. He had threatened a syringe during the 2014 robbery but claimed he was only armed with a pen and that he robbed to buy food for his family. The judge noted that Molloy had complied with bail conditions since 2013, had no recent offences, and was drug‑free. He also cares for his partner's child who had suffered self‑harm. The judge, citing extraordinary circumstances, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence and suspended it entirely, allowing Molloy to continue his daily reporting at Bridewell Garda Station for the next year.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan applied the Probation Act to Richard Lowndes (51), of Inniskeen, Co Monaghan. Lowndes pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of unlawful possession of a shotgun without a firearms certificate at Kilsallaghan on April 12, 2012. The original charge of reckless discharge was dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court heard that Lowndes, a long-distance haulage driver and father of five, used his elderly father's legally held shotgun to pursue a burglar. Judge Nolan noted his sympathy for rural dwellers at risk of burglary but warned Lowndes against acting while upset. Separately, the report details the prior sentencing of Matthew Fahey (36), previously of Finglas. Last year, Fahey received a six-year sentence with four years suspended after pleading guilty to the burglary at Kilsallaghan and another at Milrace, Rolestown, Swords, on the same date. He also admitted to a spate of burglaries and car thefts between January 2010 and April 2012, with 61 previous convictions mainly for theft, burglary, and stealing cars.
Eamon Shield, 45, of Lucan, was found guilty by a jury of 25 counts of theft and deception after a two‑week trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He ran a pyramid scheme from June 2011 to February 2012, promising investors a 100 per cent profit within 60 days by buying repossessed cars and flipping them. Shield advertised in national newspapers and received between €3,000 and €70,000 from 12 investors. He returned €32,000 to the investor who paid €70,000, but all 12 investors were left out of pocket. Shield had a prior deception conviction in 2005 and 23 road traffic and two public order convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, ordering €20,000 in his account to be divided among the victims.
Lewis Smith, 19, of Tallaght, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for robbing a mobile phone from an unconscious man at the Fortunestown City West Luas stop on 17 April 2015. Smith, who had 13 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery. The victim, who was attacked while returning home from work, was tripped, fell onto the Luas tracks, and was then kicked and punched until unconscious. His €400 phone was taken while he lay on the ground. The victim spent three days in hospital with concussion and still suffers nerve pain. Smith's sentence includes a six‑month suspended portion and a 12‑month probation period with requirements for education, employment and drug treatment. The judge noted Smith had written an apology letter and that his cousin had died in a similar assault. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Leonard Dumbrell, 28, of Clonattin Village, Gorey, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a five‑year driving disqualification for car theft and two counts of dangerous driving in Dublin City Centre. The sentence was imposed by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 30 July 2015. Dumbrell's appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice Alan Mahon on 28 July 2016. Mahon noted that Dumbrell had entered a car with the engine running, left the owner, and then drove away. A Garda chased him, and Dumbrell broke a red light, made illegal turns, weaved through traffic, mounted a pedestrian median on O'Connell Bridge, and crashed in Temple Bar. He had 108 previous convictions and was arrested a short distance away. Mahon found the three‑year term not "lenient" given his record and that the sentencing judge had considered rehabilitation. The appeal was therefore dismissed. Leonard Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
Sam Power, 31, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to three years in prison for possessing a sawn‑off shotgun, with the final 18 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on 30 April 2015 at his parents‑in‑law's home. The gun, belonging to his missing brother‑in‑law William Maughan, was found wrapped on a radiator in the parents‑in‑law bedroom. Power had shown the weapon to a group of men in a "joking" manner, according to Detective Sergeant Gregory Sheehan, who had been in the area for a separate matter. Power has 82 prior convictions, including knives, assault and public order offences, and was on bail for possession of stolen property at the time of the offence. The court considered his personal circumstances, including the death of his mother when he was 15, his wife's heart condition, and the threat to his family, before imposing the sentence.