Seven teenagers, all in State care, attacked a Chinese man, Fen Ling Wang, in Dublin city centre at 3 am. The group, five males and two females, assaulted Wang, delivering numerous kicks—many to the head—until he was knocked unconscious. They then robbed his phone and shoes before abandoning him on the street. The assault was captured live on CCTV, and three attackers were apprehended near the scene. The gang was on acid during the attack, delaying police interviews for six hours. In court, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found the attack extremely vicious. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years on one teen, deferred sentencing for another, and remanded a third on bail pending a probation report. The three accused pleaded guilty to robbery of Wang on Liffey Street on 10 July 2015.
Ian Quinn, 34, of St Aongus Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery of Kilnamanagh Post Office on 6 June 2015 and to possession of a Crossman C11 firearm at his home on 1 October 2015. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him in continuing custody until 8 March, when evidence will be heard.
In February 2016, Shane Smyth, aged 29, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital after a trial found him not guilty of murdering shop worker Mairead Moran by reason of insanity. The case, heard at the Central Criminal Court, involved Smyth's belief that Moran had stolen a "vile of his blood," installed hidden cameras, and placed black widow spiders in his house. Forensic psychiatrists Dr Brenda Wright and Dr Paul O'Connell testified that Smyth suffered from severe paranoid schizophrenia and was not capable of forming a specific intent. Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, reported that Smyth had been admitted to the CMH on 16 May 2014, had received Clozapine and a second psychotic medication, yet continued to exhibit psychosis and delusional beliefs. She recommended his continued inpatient care, which Justice Margaret Heneghan ordered. The decision was based on Smyth's mental disorder and the need for treatment in a designated centre. Mairead Moran was acquitted.
In February 2016, a 44‑year‑old man named Jeffrey Mitchell was sentenced to three years in prison for an unprovoked assault on a woman walking home alone from a night out. The incident occurred on 8 February 2013 at Crossguns Bridge, Phibsboro, where Mitchell dragged the woman backwards from the footpath, threatening to throw her into the canal if she moved. He had consumed up to 30 vodkas that night and had a history of 70 convictions, including assault, robbery, firearm possession and stolen property. The woman, who was later reported to suffer ongoing anxiety and flashbacks, managed to escape and seek help from a taxi driver. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted the seriousness of the offence and Mitchell's extensive criminal record before imposing the sentence. The case was prosecuted by Seamus Clarke BL and investigated by Detective Garda Niamh Coates. The incident lasted only a few seconds but left the victim with lasting psychological effects. Jeffrey Mitchell pleaded guilty.
In February 2016, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced 27‑year‑old Dean Moore to a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for assault causing harm and robbery. The offence occurred on 3 June 2013 on Pearse Street when Moore, claiming a mistaken belief that the victim was threatening a woman, attacked Conor Muldoon. Moore kicked Muldoon in the head, face, leg and chest, forcing him to surrender his phone and wallet, worth €400. Muldoon suffered a fractured jaw and broken nose and was treated at St James' Hospital. Moore pleaded guilty, had previously handed over €900 as a gesture of remorse, and was described by defence as a bright, good‑with‑numbers young man from a difficult background. The judge noted the incident was isolated and out of character, and the sentence was fully suspended on conditions.
Noel Kinsella, 41, a Dublin drug addict with 98 prior convictions, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbing €820 in cash and a €12 bottle of vodka from an Applegreen service station on Stillorgan Road on 24 June 2014. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle at Kilmacud Road the same day. Kinsella and a now-deceased accomplice stole a car earlier that day, used it to flee the robbery, and were apprehended shortly after near a school. The judge, after hearing that Kinsella had been a long‑term drug addict who committed crimes to support his habit, imposed a five‑year term with the final 18 months suspended. This sentence will run consecutively to a reactivated two‑year suspended sentence he is currently serving for another offence. The court noted that Kinsella had had a "far from ideal start in life" and was now free of drugs.
James Dunphy, 21, of Lally Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful use of a car, damaging a second car and causing about €21,553 of damage to gates at Rosebank Apartments, Clondalkin, on 14 December 2013. He had previously been convicted nine times at district court level. Garda Gavin Duffy reported that CCTV showed Dunphy and a co‑accused entering the complex, forcing open a silver Honda Civic and a second car, hot‑wired the Civic, and drove it into the gates. They attempted to exit but could not find a buzzer, tampered with the gate mechanism and ultimately rammed two gates before escaping onto street level. Judge Melanie Greally, after reviewing a positive probation report, suspended Dunphy's two‑year sentence for three years and ordered 12 months of probation supervision.
Joseph Cole, aged 48, was sentenced to a partially suspended three‑year term for stealing a handbag from a woman walking home with her two‑year‑old daughter on 14 October 2011. The handbag contained €1,100 in cash and other items, none of which was recovered. Cole, who had 42 prior convictions including a seven‑year term for armed robbery in the UK (1994) and an eight‑year term for attempted robbery and false imprisonment in Ireland (2002), pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally back‑dated the sentence to the date of his custody entry and suspended the balance. She noted his apparent desire to leave his criminal past behind and his progress in dealing with drug addiction, citing a positive probation report. The incident was captured on CCTV; Garda David Chapman identified Cole and a partner as suspects, and they were arrested.
Ian Gibbons, 40, of Kilmainham Bank, Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery of a purse and mobile phone from a heavily pregnant woman on 2 July 2015 in Blackpitts, Dublin 8. He snatched the bag, causing the woman, 35 and a half weeks pregnant, to fall but she sustained no injuries. Gibbons, who had 25 prior convictions and had been drug‑free for seven years, was chased and restrained by members of the public before Gardaí arrived. He attempted to escape, once running into a tree. He denied targeting the woman because of her pregnancy and said he needed money for heroin. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five years, with the final 18 months suspended on conditions, noting his attempts to combat addiction since the offence. The stolen items were recovered and the victim was taken to hospital without injury.
Mina Fanous, an Egyptian engineer who claimed he had fled after a bomb attack killed his wife and child, was found guilty of assaulting his flatmate Jiagua Chen with a belt, stealing her Samsung phone and damaging her laptop in Sandyford, Dublin, on 20 April 2015. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Fanous had a prior minor theft conviction. The case had been adjourned twice; he was released on bail to gather evidence of his claim. An email from his defence lawyer proved he was still entitled to live in the apartment at the time of the assault. Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged his legal right to remain there and noted his belief that he was defending his rights, though she found his admissions unclear. She imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspending the balance, taking into account time already spent in custody.
At the Special Criminal Court, Robert Day (44), of Cabra, Dublin 7, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on February 2, 2014. Day pleaded guilty to the charge. His co-accused, Hubert Duffy (49), of Temple Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen BMW motorcycle at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, between November 11, 2013, and February 2, 2014. Duffy received an 18-month suspended sentence. Detective Superintendent Thomas Maguire of the Special Detective Unit told the court that the counterfeit money was allegedly used to "finance the activities of the IRA." The court heard evidence that Richard Molloy, previously jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for selling €20,000 in counterfeit bills, was involved in the transaction at Clarke's pub. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding over the non-jury court, stated that the sentencing ignored allegations that the money was part of an IRA fund-raising operation. Day's sentence was backdated to August 10, 2014. The court noted Day had one prior conviction for assault causing harm, while Duffy had no prior convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Patrick McCartan rejected the State's application to confiscate the "hard‑earned" cash of two Czech prostitutes who had been robbed by Mantas Grazevicius. The judge, after sentencing Grazevicius to three years' imprisonment (back‑dated to his February 2015 arrest), praised the women's courage for confronting the robber and delaying him until Gardaí arrived. The robbery took place on 17 July 2013 at the Clyde Court Hotel, where the women had earned about €5,000 in cash hidden in a wardrobe. Grazevicius, who had €2,675 on him at the time of arrest, was convicted of false imprisonment and robbery. The judge ordered that the €2,675 be forfeited to the State as proceeds of prostitution, but indicated he intended to return it to the women, describing it as "hard earned.". Mantas Grazevicius pleaded not guilty.
Daniel Wall, a 23‑year‑old boxer from Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after attacking Gerard Dempsey with a knife on 10 February 2014. The judge ordered Wall to pay €1,100 to the victim before sentencing. Wall received a four‑year sentence, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted Wall's boxing background and his mother's terminal cancer, taking these into account. Wall claimed the attack was unprovoked, while the victim said it was retaliatory. Wall had 57 prior convictions, including robbery and burglary. After the hearing, Wall announced he would fire his legal team, calling the sentence "bollox.".
A jury awarded €132,000 in damages to Catherine Houlihan, a 41‑year‑old wheelchair‑bound woman from Carrick on Suir, after finding that two Gardaí trespassed into her home on 2 August 2011 and falsely imprisoned her while questioning her about a missing iPhone. The Gardaí entered her house without a search warrant, searched her handbag and wheelchair without permission, and threatened to take her to Clonmel Garda Station if she did not admit to taking the phone. Houlihan denied taking the phone, which she claimed was stolen from a fast‑food restaurant earlier that day. The High Court judge, Mr Justice Colm MacEochaidh, heard the case over three days and, after deliberation, the jury concluded that her privacy had been breached, that she had been falsely imprisoned and that the Gardaí had trespassed without lawful authority. The jury awarded her €132,000 in damages, a decision that was stayed pending appeal.
Two cousins, Edward Wall (43) and Patrick Wall (36), were jailed after pleading guilty to burglary at The Park, Highlands, Drogheda, Co. Louth, on 31 October 2014, and to attempted burglary at Gainstown, Co. Meath, on the same date. Both were pursued by the Emergency Response Unit after a car, carrying house‑breaking tools and stolen items, fled from a silver Mazda. The car collided with Garda vehicles; Edward escaped but was arrested, while Patrick was taken from the rear by an armed Garda. The court imposed four‑year sentences on each, suspending the final year, and ordered €500 from each to be paid to the burglary victim. The defendants' prior convictions and the details of the burglary, including the €4,600 damage and the missing €349 Armani watch, were noted in the proceedings. The defendants offered €3,000 each as tokens of remorse. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 46‑year‑old man, whose identity is withheld, was convicted in the Central Criminal Court of two counts of assault, harassment and theft against his former partner between November and December 2009. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 19 June 2012. He appealed the conviction and the sentence. The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction but allowed his appeal against the sentence, suspending the unserved portion of the sentence. Mr Justice Alan Mahon explained that the victim was a Mauritian woman who had begun a relationship with the man, also Mauritian, and that the assaults involved beatings, slapping, a hair‑straightener and a lamp, causing superficial injuries. The judge noted the sentence was excessive for a first‑time offender and that the suspended period commenced from the date of the appeal hearing. The unnamed 46-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 43‑year‑old man from Templeogue, Aidan Quigley, was remanded on bail pending sentencing after pleading guilty to two burglary and one attempted burglary offences committed between June 2014 and May 2015. He had 41 prior convictions, 21 of them for burglary, and had been on bail for each offence before the court heard the latest. Gardaí accepted that Quigley only broke into unoccupied houses to fund a heroin addiction, and that all stolen items were returned to their owners while he was still in possession of them. His barrister, Luigi Rea BL, argued that Quigley had become a father of three, lost his job after his youngest daughter's death, and had increased drug use, leading to burglary. Rea said Quigley had stopped using heroin and methadone in July of the previous year and had not committed any further burglaries since May 2015.
Patrick McDonagh, 26, of Balbriggan, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for causing serious harm to Garda Ciaran Murrihy on 29 August 2015. McDonagh pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, assaulting Garda Stephen Hughes and Garda Vincent Turley, unlawful use of a vehicle and criminal damage. The seven‑year term was imposed for the most serious charge, with a concurrent sentence of three and a half years for assaulting Garda Hughes. The sentences run from 31 August 2015, the date McDonagh entered custody. Garda Murrihy, who is now wheelchair‑bound, described the incident in his victim impact statement, saying the attack left him feeling "useless" and that McDonagh had "stole my life". McDonagh has 19 prior convictions, including drunk driving, robbery and aggravated burglary. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Shane O'Connor, 34, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence of producing an article at Mountjoy Prison on 25 September 2013. The incident involved O'Connor attempting to throw a jug of warm water at fellow inmate Keith Hughes while prison officer Leon Maguire was refilling a jug for tea. O'Connor rushed past Maguire, who was restraining him, and struck Maguire on the forehead with the jug. Maguire was treated for a cut and received one stitch. O'Connor was already serving a four‑year robbery sentence and had 29 prior convictions. He was undergoing drug rehabilitation at Tiglin Centre and was reported drug‑free for a year. Judge Patricia Ryan, after hearing the evidence, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions, recognising O'Connor's admissions, family support and drug‑free status. The sentence was suspended, not executed, pending compliance with the conditions. The case remains at the suspended‑sentence stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 29‑year‑old Shane Smyth pleaded not guilty to the murder of 26‑year‑old Mairead Moran on 8 May 2014 at Kilkenny's Market Cross Shopping Centre. The jury was told the facts were undisputed and that two consultant psychiatrists reported Smyth was suffering from psychosis at the time. Witnesses, including his cousin Rosemary Grogan, his partner Christy Fahy, and others, testified that Smyth claimed Moran had stolen a "vile of his blood," installed hidden cameras, and placed black‑widow spiders in his house. He also alleged that he had been bitten by spiders and that he was forced into a gang war. Smyth was arrested at his cousin's home at 10:05 pm that night, and the trial continues. The prosecution presented evidence of a blood sample taken while Smyth was in custody, which showed no detectable substances. The case remains in progress.
Lewis Smith, 19, pleaded guilty to the robbery of Joseph Benson at City West Luas on 17 April 2015. Smith, who has 12 prior convictions, and a friend attacked Benson, shouting "get him" and kicking him. Smith tripped Benson onto the tracks, where his accomplice continued to kick him in the head. The victim's phone was taken. CCTV footage was shown in court. Smith's co‑accused, a cousin of the defendant, was defended by counsel who noted a similar attack in 2014 that killed a man. Benson, who fled Liberia 17 years earlier, suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized for three days. Judge Sarah Berkeley remanded Smith in custody until 4 April for sentencing. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Karl McDermott, a 19‑year‑old from Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, was sentenced by Judge Sarah Berkeley at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison for possession of a stolen car and its keys, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. McDermott pleaded guilty to the offence that occurred on St Helena's Road on 30 June 2015. He had 40 prior convictions, including burglary and interfering with a car. The stolen vehicle was a Toyota Yaris, taken from its owner by two men on 29 June 2015 and later abandoned on Tolka Valley Road. McDermott was found heavily intoxicated, resisted Garda questioning, and had attempted self‑harm in the station. He had recently lost his brother in Mountjoy prison, a factor noted by the defence. The judge described him as a danger to himself and to the public, but acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding his brother's death. The sentence was imposed with the final year suspended.
In 2015, approximately 350 people were serving life sentences in Irish prisons, with life terms averaging around 18 years. However, a select number of prisoners have served substantially longer. John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans, convicted in 1978 of abducting, raping and murdering two women in 1976 and 1977, received life sentences. Evans died in 2012 after 34 years in custody. Shaw remains imprisoned after nearly 38 years. Jimmy Ennis, now aged 84, is Ireland's longest-serving prisoner, having been incarcerated over five decades for a 1964 murder in County Cork. Noel Callan from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, and Michael McHugh were sentenced to death in 1985 for the killing of Sergeant Patrick Morrissey near Tallanstown, County Louth. Their sentences were commuted to 40 years imprisonment and both were released in 2015 after 30 years. Colm O'Shea and Patrick McCann received death sentences in 1980 for murdering two gardaí during a bank robbery in Ballaghedereen, County Roscommon, later commuted to 40 years. Both were released in 2013 after serving 33 years.
Jamie Carroll, 33, of Arklow, Co Wicklow, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to five counts of robbery. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a six-year custodial sentence, suspending the final two years. The offences occurred on November 11, 2014, at Day 2 Day on Military Road and Boyle Sports in Monkstown; on November 22, 2014, at Bus Stop Shop in Enniscorthy; and on April 8, 2015, at Londis on Foxrock Avenue. On each occasion, Carroll allegedly armed with a knife to demand money. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC noted Carroll's history of heroin addiction and presented clean urine analysis reports, arguing he was now drug-free. The judge acknowledged the robberies were committed to feed his addiction and that no physical violence was used, though staff were threatened. She suspended the final two years of the sentence, citing Carroll's remorse and co-operation with the Garda investigation. Carroll had previously been released on bail twice, including a March 30, 2015 release for a residential drug treatment program which he failed to attend due to intoxication, before committing the final robbery. He has 121 previous convictions, primarily for driving and public order offences.
Andrew Shannon, 51, was found guilty of possessing 67 stolen antique books, including a 1660 edition of the King James Bible, after a five‑day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The books had disappeared from the library of Carton House in Kildare during its restoration and were later discovered in Shannon's house during a Garda search. Shannon claimed he bought the books at a fair for about Irl£300 and used them to decorate his home, stating they were of no real value. He pleaded not guilty but the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict after just under four hours of deliberation. Shannon is currently on bail and remanded under the same conditions; he is in custody at Shelton Abbey prison serving a term for a prior conviction of criminal damage to a Monet painting. The case is subject to a victim impact report under the new EU directive on victims.
Kenneth Wilson, 46, of Deansrath Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, faces sentencing for the robbery of Bawnogue Post Office in November 2012. Wilson, who was armed with an axe, entered the post office with two other men who had a crowbar and an imitation handgun. They broke the security glass, took over €7,000 from the registers, and fled in a blue BMW. Wilson was apprehended near Deansrath Lawns, where he was seen running from the vehicle. He was later arrested, interviewed ten times, and pleaded guilty to the robbery. Wilson has 18 prior convictions, including manslaughter and armed robbery, and was sentenced to ten years for possession of firearms in 2009. In court, his defence counsel stated that he views this robbery as the last of his offending behaviour, that he is seeking work, and that he poses a low risk of re‑offending. The judge ordered a probation report and remanded Wilson in custody until 15 April 2016.
The jury in the trial of Andrew Shannon, 51, accused of illegally handling 67 alleged stolen antique books including a 1660 King James Bible, will resume deliberations tomorrow. The books, originally from Carton House library, were reportedly found in Shannon's home after a Garda search. Shannon claimed he bought them for about Irl£300 at a fair and used them for decoration. He pleaded not guilty to possession of the books while knowing or being reckless about their stolen status. The jury had previously deliberated for two and a half hours before returning home.
The evidence phase of the trial of Andrew Shannon, aged 51, accused of illegally possessing 67 antique books including a rare 1660 King James Bible, has concluded. The books, originally from Carton House's library, were allegedly missing after storage during a restoration and later found in Shannon's Dublin home. Shannon claimed he bought them at a fair for about Irl£300 and used them as ornaments. He pleaded not guilty to possession of stolen books at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the jury set to deliberate next Monday.
James McLoughlin, 42, of Summer Street South, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to tampering with two Bord Gais gas meters and an ESB electricity meter between July 2013 and February 2014, and to possessing a stolen Bord Gais meter. He also admitted interfering with a Bord Gais meter on Benbulbin Road between March and May 2013. McLoughlin offered householders a "cheaper" energy service by allowing free gas flow, charging €100 for the service and advising a weekly €10 top‑up. Gardaí observed him visiting houses, obtained a search warrant, and found stolen meters and a drilled electricity meter. He exercised his right to silence at arrest. The case was adjourned for a probation and community service report, with the judge noting his mental health and addiction issues.
Michael Murray, 44, formerly of Killiney, Dublin, is appealing an unsuccessful High Court action against the Irish Prison Service and the Minister for Justice regarding the recording of his privileged solicitor calls. Murray was found guilty by a unanimous jury in 2013 and sentenced to 15 years for rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill, false imprisonment, and theft. In the High Court, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan dismissed Murray's application for injunctions and damages, finding the recording inappropriate but inadvertent, with no evidence of access or prejudice. The Court of Appeal heard today that Murray is now legally represented and appealing that dismissal, with the hearing listed for March 1. Concurrently, the Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of Murray's 15-year sentence as unduly lenient. Mr Justice Edwards adjourned both the appeal and the DPP's sentence review proceedings to March 4 to allow for progress indications. The matter remains at the appeal stage and has not been finalised.
Andrew Shannon, 51, was accused of illegally handling 67 antique books that had disappeared from Carton House's library during a restoration. The books, including a rare 1660 King James Bible, were found in his home during a March 2007 search. Shannon pleaded not guilty to possession of stolen property, claiming he had bought the books for decoration at a market fair for €300 and that they were of no real value. He told Gardaí he "can't read too well" when asked to identify his signature on a list of seized books. The court heard that the books were valued at about €6,000 in 2006, with a defence expert estimating £3,000. The case is pending before Judge Petria O'Donnell and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 29 October 2013, Brendan Byrne, a 58‑year‑old taxi driver from Millrace Avenue, Saggart, pleaded guilty to dishonestly appropriating household furniture and assorted items from an apartment in Hazelgrove Court, Tallaght. Byrne, together with three others, removed a range of items including two televisions, two couches, a washing machine, a microwave, mirrors, paintings, tables and light fittings. The landlord had changed the locks after a Garda raid a few days earlier, and the tenancy agreement between the landlord and Byrne's stepson had not yet expired. Byrne had previously been convicted of attempted robbery (1984) and forgery (1998). Judge Melanie Greally accepted Byrne's recklessness regarding ownership, noted that some items were recovered while light fittings and small pieces were not, and that Byrne had pushed the door open.
During the restoration of Carton House, 67 valuable antique books, including a rare 1660 edition of the King James Bible, went missing after being stored. Andrew Shannon, 51, stands trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for unlawfully possessing the books, having them in his home when found during a March 2007 search. He pleaded not guilty, claiming ignorance or recklessness regarding their stolen status. The prosecution, represented by Monika Leech BL, argued that the State's case was not that Shannon stole the books but that he possessed them. Conor Mallon, who has overseen the house's restoration since 1994, testified that the books were photographed before storage and identified by the Fitzgerald family crest on their spines. He noted the books dated from the mid‑17th century onward and that no family member had sold or lent them. The trial continues before Judge Petria McDonnell.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal, James Spellman Junior (40) and Trevor Matthews (41) pleaded guilty to theft of "priceless" 300‑year‑old gates from Convent Cottage, Firhouse Road, on 4 April 2015. Gardaí had observed the men loading the gates into a van at 9.30 pm, refusing to answer questions and leaving a pickaxe behind. The gates, dating from 1710, were listed and considered invaluable. Both men had minor prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing counsel, sentenced each to a two‑year prison term suspended in full on strict conditions, including one year of engagement with the Probation Service. The judge noted the men were not the ringleaders and had limited previous convictions, and accepted their cooperation with authorities. The case concluded with the suspended sentences and conditions imposed.
Richard Mansfield, 21, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two endangerment charges, taking a vehicle and dangerous driving after stealing a BMW. He admitted smoking cannabis before driving. Mansfield performed a handbrake turn into oncoming rush‑hour traffic on the Tallaght Bypass on 7 January 2015, accelerating at high speed across three lanes and narrowly missing a patrol car and pedestrians. Garda Alan Young arrested him after a chase. Mansfield had 60 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary and drug possession. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years, suspending the last 18 months, and disqualified him from driving for four years. The suspended portion is conditional on probation for two years after release. The sentence reflects the serious risk posed to many people, including Gardaí, during the incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dylan Murphy, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assaulting Jonathan Cooley on 24 May 2015, when he glassed Cooley in the face after witnessing an altercation involving his sister. Murphy admitted he had "snapped" and overreacted "out of pure rage." Cooley, who sustained facial cuts and now has scars and flashbacks, forgave Murphy but expressed concern about future assaults. Murphy also pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen iPod taken from a bag belonging to another man at Dame Court on the same date. He has 24 prior convictions, including four assaults. Garda Elaine Murtagh described Murphy as a "feral youth" with a difficult upbringing and periods of teenage homelessness. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing until March pending a probation report. The case highlights the court's focus on anger management and supervision for Murphy.
Brian Cox, a 38‑year‑old father from Boot Road, Clondalkin, was caught by Garda Steve Kelly showing a stolen car that had been advertised on DoneDeal.ie. The vehicle, reported stolen almost a month earlier, was found to have a false NCT disc. Cox pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the stolen car and using a false NCT disc on Chapelizod Road, Chapelizod, on 1 April 2015. He has 39 prior convictions, including thefts and drug offences. During the hearing, defence counsel Fiona Pekaar argued that Cox had faced intimidation from an old drug debt and had not been in trouble with Gardaí since 2009. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to obtain a probation report and assess Cox's suitability for community service, rather than imposing a custodial sentence.
Robert Lawlor, 31, of Donaghmede, was jailed for possessing €3,420 that had been dyed blue after a cash‑box robbery at McDonald's Donaghmede on 23 March 2013. He pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property at Belcamp Gardens on 26 March 2013. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to 32 months in prison on 27 July 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeal set aside that sentence and imposed a new 36‑month term, with the final 12 months suspended. Lawlor was required to post a €100 bond and remain of good behaviour for 12 months after release. The appeal considered that his earlier 16‑month sentence for a separate offence was too divergent from the 32‑month sentence for possession, and that his co‑accused received a comparable sentence. The court noted Lawlor's willingness to rehabilitate and accepted his statement that he would be bound by the bond.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Sofiane Benchouat (44) of Sunbury Gardens, Dartry, Dublin, pleaded guilty to theft of €778 and €643 and one count of possession of a stolen ATM card at various locations between October 17th and November 23rd, 2014. He also admitted to theft of €40 and €456 and two counts of possession of a stolen ATM card during the same time period. Benchouat, who was homeless at the time of the offences, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to a two-year term, which was suspended in full. He was ordered to pay €900 in compensation to the financial institutions affected. Benchouat has four previous road traffic convictions and had previously married an Irish woman he met in Germany, but the marriage ended, leading to his homelessness. Co-accused Algerian Mohammed Fanit (41), formerly of Auburn Villas, Rathgar, Dublin, but now living in emergency accommodation, pleaded guilty to theft of €40 and €456 and two counts of possession of a stolen ATM card. His case was adjourned until March to allow him to gather compensation. Fanit has one previous conviction and previously worked as a taxi driver. Both men were identified on CCTV footage from Argos and Harvey Norman in the Nutgrove Retail Park, where they used the stolen cards to purchase goods. The financial institutions involved suffered a loss of just under €2,000. The cards were reportedly obtained by a third party, who gave the men a fee for making the purchases.
Patrick Healy, 31, of Buttercup Park, Darndale, was sentenced to 15 years in jail, with the final five years suspended, for a series of violent and dangerous driving offences committed between 2011 and 2013. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a man on the North Circular Road, where the victim's arm was almost severed by a meat cleaver, burglary and theft at Upper Kilmacud Road, unlawful vehicle taking and dangerous driving on the M50, and to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm on Oscar Traynor Road, unlawful vehicle taking and driving under the influence. The judge, Pat McCartan, imposed consecutive terms of three years for the assault, four years for the burglary and theft, and eight years for the dangerous driving, suspending the last five years. Healy's appeal to reduce the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, where Justice Alan Mahon upheld the sentence as appropriate given the repeated and severe nature of the offences.
Stefan Onofrei, a 35‑year‑old Romanian, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for stealing €85,000 from the State by claiming social welfare under a false name 463 times between 2009 and 2015. He pleaded guilty to six sample counts of theft of job seeker's benefit, job seeker's allowance, supplementary welfare allowance, emergency means payment, rent property supplement allowance and family income supplement. The Court of Appeal rejected his appeal against the severity of the sentence. The judge noted that Onofrei had originally been charged with 436 counts, each claim constituting a separate offence. He had used a false ID and PPS number, obtained a Lithuanian passport and driving licence, and claimed benefits while his wife was employed. The appeal was dismissed, and the debt to the State remains to be recovered. The case was heard by Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon.
Leon Murphy, 20, was due to be sentenced for being a passenger in a stolen car. While Judge Patrick McCartan was questioning Murphy's future prospects, the judge mentioned Murphy's mother, a re‑formed heroin addict, and asked counsel to confirm she no longer used drugs. Murphy became angry, shouted abuse at the judge, and his mother protested that the judge implied she had used drugs. Murphy then jumped out of the dock, grabbed a glass of water on a bench, and attempted to throw it at the judge. Court staff and prison officers prevented the act, and Murphy was escorted out while continuing to shout. The judge adjourned the case to another court for sentencing, citing Murphy's attitude. No sentence was given in this article. Leon Murphy pleaded guilty.
A 20‑year‑old man named Dale Byrne, who was part of a group that broke into an apartment on Herberton Street, Rialto, Dublin, on 17 March 2015, was charged with burglary. The group stole €25,000 worth of photography equipment and personal belongings, including a €900 guitar and an expensive bicycle. Byrne left the guitar in a flower bed to avoid being seen carrying it, but CCTV later captured him riding the bicycle in the area. He was arrested after Garda Kevin Lawless spotted him wearing the same clothes as during the burglary. Byrne pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had no prior convictions. The judge imposed a two and a half year sentence, which was suspended in full on strict conditions, including 18 months of probation supervision. The stolen items have never been recovered and the homeowners had no insurance for them.
An Egyptian engineer, Mina Fanous, 35, who says he came to Ireland after his wife and child were killed in a bomb attack in Alexandria, has pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex‑flatmate, Jiagua Chen, on 20 April 2015. Fanous struck Chen with a belt, stole her Samsung phone and caused damage to her laptop. He also had a prior minor theft conviction. The incident occurred at a rented apartment on Time Place, Corrig Road, Sandyford, Dublin, where Chen had expected a friend to call over. After the assault, Chen fled but returned with a friend to find Fanous on the sofa; she later discovered her phone missing and her laptop had been thrown out the window. Garda Paul Newport reported that Fanous had lost his job at Dell months before the incident and had moved out of the flat due to rent problems. He claimed the assault was self‑defence.
Two Dublin men, Robert Day, 44, and Hubert Duffy, 47, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court. Day admitted unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes found at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on 2 February 2014. Duffy admitted handling a stolen BMW motorcycle discovered at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, on 12 November 2013. Both were previously charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court remanded Day in custody and kept Duffy on bail pending sentencing on 10 February.
Desmond Dunne, 39, a former chef from Clondalkin now living in a hostel on Manor Street, was sentenced to five years in prison for a series of robberies and an attempted raid carried out between 26 November and 18 December 2014. He used a syringe and a blade to threaten staff at five Dublin pharmacies, stealing prescription drugs and cash. Dunne admitted the offences and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 23 prior convictions, including four for robbery. The judge, Melaine Greally, noted his long‑term drug addiction and the role it played in the crimes. The last 18 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, requiring cooperation with the Probation Service and drug treatment. The court emphasised that the robberies were motivated by his desire to support his addiction. The case was investigated by Detective Garda Eoin Colbert, who identified Dunne through CCTV and seized clothing matching the robber's attire.
Eoghan McGarry, a 30‑year‑old serial burglar, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a twelfth burglary and possession of stolen jewellery. He pleaded guilty to breaking into St Killian's National School in Tallaght on 1 September 2014 and to possessing nine pieces of stolen jewellery found in his jacket the next day. The court heard he used a rock to smash a window, stole €218 and bank documents, and that a woman in Walkinstown discovered jewellery taken from her home. McGarry admitted the break‑in and said he needed money for a "fix." Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence, extending his existing term by four months, and ordered him to swear an oath to undergo two years of probation supervision upon release, to take medication and engage with mental health services. The sentence was delivered while five prison officers in riot gear stood with riot shields and an officer held a video camera.
Gavin Walsh, 26, a father of one, was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen Ford Focus in County Dublin. The car, stolen from a tow truck in Santry on 15 January 2014, had been advertised for sale on Done Deal and was recovered by undercover Gardaí. Walsh attempted to sell the vehicle to the Gardaí, who discovered the plates and discs had been cloned. He was also linked to a second stolen Audi A4, which had been bought with a fake bank draft and similarly advertised for sale; that vehicle was also returned to its owners. Walsh had six prior convictions for minor road traffic and public order offences. His defence argued that he had recently become a father, was employed, and intended to become a registered carer for his parents.
Breifne O'Brien, 54, lost an appeal against a seven‑year jail sentence for a €8.5 million Ponzi scheme. He had pleaded guilty to 14 counts of deception and theft between 2003 and 2008 and was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan on 8 October 2014. O'Brien argued that the judge failed to consider mitigating factors such as his lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, remorse, cooperation, loss of social standing and restitution efforts. Judge Garrett Sheehan dismissed the appeal, stating that adequate consideration had been given to these factors and that the seven‑year term was appropriate. The appeal was heard by Sheehan, George Birmingham and John Edwards. O'Brien made no reaction to the judgment. The case was noted as distinct from most other appeals before the Court of Appeal.
In a Dublin city robbery on 29 September 2014, 35‑year‑old Derek McCann, who has 31 prior convictions, held a knife and forced two boys to hand over their phones and €6 each. The older boy, 14, kept his younger brother calm. McCann returned the money and told the boys not to speak of the incident. A Garda praised the older boy's maturity and noted that the children had become less fearful over time. McCann pleaded guilty to the robbery. The case is set for sentencing on 26 February 2015, pending a probation report. The article reports no further legal outcomes beyond the pending sentencing.