Jordan Lee, 25, of Darndale, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of robbery at Wellington Quay on 29 September 2022. Lee and a co‑accused approached two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, who declined to buy drugs. The men caught up with the teens, struck them on the side of the head and stamped on their heads repeatedly while they lay unconscious. Lee took an iPhone, an ATM card and €10 from the victims' pockets. After the robbery, the men were seen acting suspiciously in a drug‑dealing area and were stopped and searched by Gardaí. The victims suffered concussion, bruising, lacerations and headaches. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced Lee to two years' imprisonment, noting his early guilty plea, remorse and homelessness at the time of the offence. Lee is currently serving a sentence and will be released in June 2023.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach is on trial for 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys, with alleged incidents spanning 1978 to 1993 in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny. One complainant, now 56, described how the coach first approached him around age 12, rubbing his leg and later tying him with twine and handcuffs, touching his genitals and taking naked photographs in the coach's car and home. He also recounted being taken to a wooded area where he was tied to a tree, had his genitals squeezed, and was threatened with a cigarette. The complainant said these weekly abuses continued until he was 15 and that he received money from the coach. The witness denied that the allegations were fabricated and insisted he was not lying. The trial is set to continue before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. The unnamed 72-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Adrian Heller, a worker at Floortech Industries Ltd, claimed he was unfairly dismissed for gross misconduct after throwing a helmet at a colleague. He said the incident occurred on a Thursday in 2021 at a Limerick client site, after a resin mix error forced a floor to be re‑laid. Heller argued the act was a one‑off frustration and not gross misconduct, citing a stressful job and a supervisor's threat to report him. The company, represented by Hallisey & Partners, presented evidence of aggressive, intimidating behaviour, including a hotel incident in Galway and a prior warning in 2019. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal procedurally unfair, noting no written complaint, no right of reply, and an ambush disciplinary meeting. The adjudicating officer awarded Heller €2,500 in compensation, comprising €1,211.20 for lost earnings and €1,360 for two weeks' notice pay. The dismissal was deemed substantively fair but procedurally flawed.
A 44-year-old builder from County Donegal is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of participating in an armed attack on security personnel at a repossessed farm near Strokestown, County Roscommon on 16 December 2018. Patrick Sweeney of Ramelton faces charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, violent disorder and animal cruelty. During interviews with gardaí, he denied being the man depicted in security footage wielding a chainsaw during the incident, which involved approximately 30 armed men. He stated he had never harmed anyone. Detective Sergeant Mark Geraghty gave evidence of five interview sessions conducted over 48 hours. Mr Sweeney has pleaded not guilty to all 17 charges. Three co-accused, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne and David Lawlor, face identical charges and have similarly pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to five counts of indecent and sexual assault against teenage boys in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny between 1978 and 1993. One complainant, now 48, testified that the accused began making sexual innuendos when he was about 12, offering money for the boy to allow the man to touch his penis and later to watch him masturbate. The complainant described being tied to trees and beds, forced to perform acts involving urination and defecation, and the accused wearing women's clothes and demanding the boy "punish" him by squeezing his genitals or kicking him. Alcohol and drugs were also present. Another complainant, aged 52, recounted a 1985 incident where the accused touched his penis in a car and the boy later reported the event to a Garda station, only to be told an adult was required.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Leech, 38, pleaded guilty to extortion after being approached by Bryan Kennedy to murder a couple with whom Kennedy's wife was having an online affair. Leech claimed he was paid €10,000 and that he had arranged for third parties to carry out the murder, but the court found he had not contracted any killers and had merely exploited Kennedy's belief that he had criminal connections. Kennedy, who had paid Leech €8,000 and later failed to pay an outstanding €2,000, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for soliciting the murder. Leech, who has 43 prior convictions, was scheduled for sentencing on May 2, 2024. The case highlighted threats, intimidation and the impact on Kennedy's wife, who reported ongoing fear and PTSD after the incidents.
Stephen Silver, aged 46 and a resident of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan on 17 June 2020 at Castlerea, County Roscommon. Justice Tara Burns imposed the sentence, noting she had no discretion in light of the jury's guilty verdict on the capital murder charge. The court heard that Silver had initially pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. With standard remission for good behaviour, Silver will become eligible for parole consideration after 30 years, when he will be aged 74. Justice Burns emphasised the importance of mental health treatment maintenance, noting evidence that Silver had ceased medication for bipolar affective disorder prior to the shooting. Members of Garda Horkan's family delivered impact statements describing their profound loss and the ongoing trauma caused by his death.
Martin O'Toole, aged 58, of Stripe, Irishtown, Claremorris, County Mayo, stands trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, violent disorder and robbery relating to an incident at Falsk, County Roscommon on December 16, 2018. The trial heard that on that date, approximately 30 armed men, some masked, attacked security personnel at a repossessed farm near Strokestown. During garda interviews, Mr O'Toole initially denied attending the property, later conceding he was present after being shown body-camera footage. He stated he attended to observe and believed the gathering would be peaceful, claiming events escalated unexpectedly. He expressed views that court proceedings constituted unlawful authority. Three co-accused, Patrick Sweeney of Ramelton, County Donegal, Paul Beirne of Boyle, County Roscommon and David Lawlor of Navan, County Meath, face identical charges. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny between 1978 and 1993. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, presented evidence that the accused tied boys up in woods or at his home, exposed his penis, forced them to urinate in a glass and defecate in his mouth, and engaged in other sexual acts. The first complainant, now 51, testified that the coach, a family friend, offered money for such acts, describing a pattern that began when he was 13 and continued until he was 20. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, remains ongoing with a jury hearing the case.
At the Central Criminal Court in Monaghan, victim impact statements were heard in the case of Richard Burke, who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jasmine McMonagle on 4 January 2019 at Forest Park, Killygordon, County Donegal. The 28-year-old was found dead in her home following a three-hour standoff with gardaí. Burke, aged 32, had initially pleaded not guilty to murder but accepted responsibility for manslaughter. A jury unanimously returned a manslaughter verdict last month after hearing psychiatric evidence that Burke was suffering from a mental disorder substantially diminishing his responsibility. During today's hearing, Ms McMonagle's mother, Jacqueline, described the devastating impact on her family, whilst her daughter spoke of ongoing trauma and separation from her sibling. The court heard Burke has 23 previous convictions. Justice Paul Burns remanded him in custody pending sentencing on 22 May.
The Special Criminal Court acquitted Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. Ms Justice Tara Burns stated the court could not rely on the unsupported evidence of Jonathan Dowdall, whose credibility was severely undermined by his criminal history and inconsistencies. The court found surveillance audio did not corroborate Dowdall's claim that Hutch confessed to being a hitman, noting instead that the recordings suggested Hutch was abroad immediately after the attack. While Hutch was cleared, co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney were found guilty of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. Their sentences are scheduled to be mentioned on May 8. Separately, Patrick Dowdall admitted to falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley and threatening to kill him in 2015. He was initially sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, later reduced to seven years and 11 months following a successful appeal. His father, also named Patrick Dowdall, was sentenced to eight years for the same offences, later reduced to four years. The report confirms the procedural stage for the primary subjects is sentence, with specific dates and durations preserved for the convicted individuals.
Four men accused of participating in an armed attack on security personnel at a rural property near Strokestown have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial, now in its twentieth day, heard evidence of WhatsApp messages and phone records retrieved from an iPhone allegedly found in a vehicle linked to one of the defendants. Garda James McCann told the court that specialist software extracted communications from the handset, including messages from a group titled "Roscommon group". A message sent on December 10, 2018, allegedly sought assistance for the following morning at Strokestown. The attack occurred on December 16, 2018, when approximately 30 armed men descended on the repossessed property at Falsk and assaulted four security guards. The accused men—Patrick Sweeney of County Donegal, Martin O'Toole of County Mayo, Paul Beirne of County Roscommon, and David Lawlor of County Meath—face charges including false imprisonment, assault, aggravated burglary, arson, and violent disorder. Defence counsel submitted that her client denies knowledge of the messages in question.
A 38-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to seven counts of assault causing harm to his younger brother. The offences, committed between March 2001 and March 2006 at a Dublin family home, involved the defendant, then aged 16 to 21, subjecting the victim, then aged 11 to 16, to beatings with a nail-studded baton and other violence. Ms Justice Melanie Greally described the conduct as "sadistic" and involving "particular brutality," noting the profound and lasting damage inflicted on the victim. The court heard the defendant has 138 previous convictions and is currently serving a separate five-year sentence for assaulting another brother. Although oral rape charges were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions during the current trial, the defendant admitted to the seven assault counts. Defence counsel Kathleen Leader SC urged the judge not to extend his custody beyond his current term, citing his history of substance abuse and family instability. Ms Justice Greally handed down a five-year sentence, backdated to February 2020, when the man first entered custody for the other brother's convictions. The judge considered the guilty pleas as a mitigating factor while emphasizing the breach of trust and the vulnerability of the child victim.
During a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court, a nine‑year‑old boy, who has an acquired brain injury and autism, read a victim impact statement about his father, Isaac Horgan, who died from a stab wound to the leg in his Dublin home. The boy, who calls his foster parents Mam and Dad, said he is very sad that he will never see his Daddy again and asked if his Daddy's soul lives in the teddy bear named Blue that his father gave him. The statement, prepared with a social worker, noted the boy's loss will have a lasting impact and that he has never met his birth mother. The hearing also covered the sentencing of Noel Lennon, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and Lisa Lee, who was convicted of discarding the knife used in the stabbing. The court adjourned the matter to June 19 for sentencing.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Gerard "The Monk" Hutch was acquitted of murder in the 2016 Regency Hotel shooting that killed David Byrne. The court found it could not rely on former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall's evidence, noting that audio recordings did not confirm Dowdall's claim that Hutch confessed to being a gunman. Justice Tara Burns said the evidence only raised the possibility that Hutch may have authorised the attack, but did not prove his presence or direct involvement. Hutch, who turned 60, walked free after the verdict. Two co‑accused, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, were found guilty of aiding the murder by providing vehicles. The court's decision was based solely on the lack of reliable evidence linking Hutch to the Regency shooting.
Julie Flood, aged 51 and resident of The Oyle, Oylegate, Co Wexford, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, who was killed on his birthday, 14 April 2019, at their home. A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court on 17 April 2023, and the trial will begin the following day before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The court expects to hear from several factual witnesses and medical experts, and the trial is scheduled to last up to three days with a jury of twelve.
Sergeant Cathal Middleton, a Garda officer since 2002, has launched a High Court action to challenge his proposed dismissal from An Garda Síochána. The 42-year-old sergeant, who was found guilty of sexual assault at Blanchardstown District Court in October last year, claims the Garda Commissioner's decision to dismiss him before his criminal appeal is heard breaches fair procedures and natural justice. Middleton, who denied the charge, was sentenced to five months in prison following his conviction on one count of sexual assault. He alleges that the Commissioner acted outside their powers by recommending dismissal without a disciplinary hearing, despite an outstanding appeal. Represented by Mark Harty SC and Oisin Clarke BL, Middleton seeks orders to quash the dismissal recommendation and prevent further steps toward his removal. The case came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who granted permission for the challenge on an ex-parte basis. The matter was adjourned and will be mentioned before the court later this year.
Bryan Kennedy, 35, was sentenced by Ms Justice Caroline Biggs at the Central Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. Kennedy had hired a man known as 'AL', described as unhinged and with prior convictions, to murder a Canadian couple who were having an online affair with Kennedy's wife. He paid €8,000 to AL and had planned to kill both women, later considering whether to kill only one. Kennedy accessed his wife's Facebook to obtain details of the couple. He pleaded guilty to soliciting the murder of Stephanie Poirier and her partner Clara Houdebrumette. The judge noted Kennedy's cooperation with Gardaí, his role as a good father, and his depression, but found no mitigating effect in his decision to pursue the plan. The sentence was reduced from an initial headline of eight years to five years with a suspended six‑month portion. Kennedy's address is Mount Tallant Avenue, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6W.
Two men have been found guilty at the Special Criminal Court of providing getaway vehicles during the 2016 Regency Hotel attack in Dublin, in which Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne was killed. Paul Murphy, aged 61, of Swords, County Dublin, and Jason Bonney, aged 52, of Portmarnock, Dublin 13, were convicted of participating in or contributing to the murder by making their vehicles available to the Hutch Criminal Organisation on February 5, 2016. Justice Tara Burns delivered judgment, finding that Murphy's Toyota Avensis taxi and Bonney's black BMW X5 were part of a six-vehicle convoy that collected gunmen from St Vincent's GAA club following the shooting. The court rejected defence claims that Bonney's deceased father had driven the jeep, finding he remained at home that afternoon. Both men will be sentenced on May 8.
The Court of Appeal has issued a ruling in the case of Patrick Dowdall, the appellant in the Regency Hotel shooting trial. Dowdall had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of facilitating the shooting of David Byrne. The specific allegation was that he participated in activity intending to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation, namely the murder of Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra, Dublin 9, on February 4, 2016. Following his initial conviction, Dowdall was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. However, after successful appeals, he was re-sentenced to seven years and 11 months. The current appeal resulted in a further reduction, with Dowdall now sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The procedural stage is an appeal, and the matter has been finalised with this revised sentence. Co-accused Jason Bonney was also involved in the proceedings, though specific details of his plea or sentence are not detailed in this summary. The court emphasized that the allegations against Dowdall were based on his admission of guilt to facilitating the crime, rather than direct participation in the shooting itself. The decision reflects the appellate court's review of the sentencing and charges, resulting in a reduced term of custody for the appellant.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court failed to reach a verdict in the trial of three men accused of raping a teenage girl in a car in December 2017. The complainant, then 17, alleged she was raped in turn by the defendants at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, also 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. After a three-week trial and over nine hours of deliberation, the jury returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts. Ms Justice Greally adjourned the case for mention to April 28 next. Prosecutors argued the complainant explicitly said no, while defence counsel contended the interactions were consensual or that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Under the 1981 Rape Act, the defendants retain anonymity until conviction, and the complainant remains entitled to anonymity.
The Court of Appeal has heard arguments regarding the conviction of Philip Dunbar, who was found guilty by a unanimous jury at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott for the murder of Adam Muldoon. Dunbar, who was 17 at the time, was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing Mr Muldoon 183 times at Butler Park, Tallaght, on June 22 or 23, 2018. Defence counsel argued that a Garda interview admission should be excluded because Dunbar was a 'child under pressure' and the conditions were unfair. They also contended that his responsibility was diminished due to a mental disorder caused by chronic drug abuse and that CCTV evidence breached privacy rights. The State rejected these submissions, noting that expert psychiatric evidence at trial found no mental disorder and that the interview was conducted responsibly with legal representation present. The judges questioned whether the interview duration constituted oppression or unfairness, with one judge noting that Dunbar's impatience did not amount to his will being overborne. The court has reserved its judgement in this appeal, meaning the matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
The jury in the trial of three defendants accused of raping a then-teenage girl in a hotel car park has begun deliberations. The State alleges that on December 20, 2017, in the Leinster area, the complainant went for a drive with her friend, the three accused, and another man. While the vehicle was stopped, the prosecution claims each defendant raped the woman. All three defendants deny wrongdoing. The first defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. Ms Justice Melanie Greally sent the jury home for the weekend after approximately 90 minutes of deliberation. During her charge, she noted the complainant's friend was unavailable due to circumstances beyond anyone's control and attributed trial delays to the pandemic. Defense counsel for the third defendant argued the issue was consent, stating his client admitted sexual activity but claimed it was consensual. He suggested the complainant's evidence lacked plausibility, citing her failure to see a security van and her positive messages to a friend later that night. He urged the jury to consider if the incident was a regretted 'misguided adventure' rather than a crime. The jury is due to continue deliberations on Monday.
In March 2023 the Court of Appeal dismissed Mark Crawford's appeal against his murder conviction for stabbing Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor to death in a Limerick bar. Crawford, 45, had been drinking and taking cocaine with O'Connor, 24, when he stabbed him six times, striking the heart and neck. He pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence, but the jury rejected this defence and he was convicted in October 2020, receiving a mandatory life sentence. Crawford's lawyers argued that the trial judge had failed to give the jury proper instructions on self‑defence, particularly on the subjective belief of threat and the objective reasonableness of force. The Court of Appeal found the judge's charge was detailed and appropriate, and that the evidence did not support a claim of a serious deficiency. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed and the murder conviction upheld.
A 33-year-old man has been acquitted of murder at the Central Criminal Court following a trial concerning a stabbing at a housing estate in Swinford, County Mayo. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, returned a majority verdict after deliberating for nine hours and 54 minutes over three days. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the murder of a 24-year-old man on 16 November 2020. The defence case centred on self-defence, with the accused maintaining throughout that he feared for his life during the incident. Expert psychiatric evidence was presented indicating the accused has paranoid schizophrenia, which was likely active at the time of the stabbing. A pathologist confirmed the fatal wound was a single stab to the abdomen. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring thanked the jury for their service in what she described as a difficult trial and excused them from jury duty for ten years.
Lisa Lee, 41, of Annalivia Apartments, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Caoimhe O'Reilly on 9 January 2022 during a domestic incident. Lee pulled clumps of the Garda's hair, struck her, and feared she would be stabbed. The assault occurred after Gardaí intervened at Lee's home at 3 am. Lee was arrested, later expressed remorse, and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to 20 months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months' probation. The sentence was back‑dated to 24 November, when Lee entered custody. Garda O'Reilly suffered soft‑tissue injuries and is undergoing physiotherapy. Lee has three prior convictions for breach of bail and drug possession, cares for her mother, and has addressed addiction while in custody. The judge noted Lee's remorse, early guilty plea, and rehabilitation efforts as mitigating factors. The sentence reflects the seriousness of assaulting a Garda.
The Roscommon eviction assault trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been adjourned until Monday, April 17, following the Easter break. Defendants Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor have each pleaded not guilty to 17 charges. These include false imprisonment, assault causing harm to four security personnel, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The alleged incident occurred on December 16, 2018, at Falsk, where a group of armed men attacked security guards at a repossessed property. On Day 19 of the trial, evidence was presented regarding a search warrant executed at Mr. Beirne's home in Co Roscommon on December 19, 2018. Gardaí seized electronic devices and keys to a Volvo lorry, which was later impounded. Mr. Beirne was arrested under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act and detained at Castlerea Garda Station. Testimony detailed his refusal of food and medical attention, leading to a doctor's visit for indigestion. The matter remains ongoing and was adjourned, not concluded.
Maurice Fitzgerald, 29, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and assaulting a 26‑year‑old woman with chronic schizophrenia on 27 August. The court heard he travelled from Cork to Dublin, bought duct tape and a claw hammer, and planned to abduct the victim. Gardaí were called when residents heard tape being wrapped and the victim screaming. Fitzgerald dragged her, bound her with tape, and gagged her in an alleyway. He was restrained, cuffed, and a knife was used to free tape from her mouth. The victim was taken to Mater Hospital, then transferred to a Midlands hospital under the Mental Health Act. Fitzgerald's prior convictions and guilty plea were noted, and he was ordered to comply with probation for five years post‑release. The sentence was back‑dated to the day of the offence.
The Court of Appeal has heard arguments in the appeal of Philip Dunbar, who was found guilty of murder by a unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Dunbar was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Adam Muldoon at Butler Park, Jobstown Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24, on June 22 or 23, 2018. Counsel for Dunbar argued that the use of CCTV footage breached his privacy rights, alleging that gardaí failed to comply with legal requirements regarding the harvesting of such data. The defence contended that the footage, which showed Dunbar returning home with Muldoon's Zimmer frame, was gathered in violation of established privacy standards. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, questioned the validity of these claims, noting that Dunbar was a legitimate suspect and that police have a duty to seek available evidence. The appeal also addressed the admissibility of evidence regarding Dunbar's state of mind, with previous submissions regarding diminished responsibility due to chronic drug abuse having been rejected by the trial judge. The matter was adjourned and continues before the court.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, it was reported that convicted drug dealer Christy Keane was shot 13 times on 29 June 2015 while parked at the University of Limerick gym. Two gunmen from the McCarthy‑Ryan gang fired eight shots from a Glock and five from a Luger semi‑automatic pistol. A nurse who was running nearby witnessed the attack and provided immediate medical assistance, treating four non‑life‑threatening wounds, including a lung puncture. The attackers fled in a red Ford Focus, later found burned out, and a white Volvo and black BMW were involved in transporting them. John Costello, aged 41, was charged with providing transport to the shooters and pleaded guilty to aiding an assault causing serious harm. The case was delayed over five years due to a separate Garda prosecution. Costello was remanded in custody pending sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Wexford man was convicted of five sexual assault and two oral rape offences against a 36‑year‑old victim, with incidents spanning 1991 to 2005. His defence argued that the prolific nature of his attacks indicated an underlying compulsion that could be a mitigating personal characteristic, but Judge David Keane dismissed the claim as unattractive and lacking medical evidence. The judge imposed a 14‑year prison term for the rape offences and sentences of three and seven years for the sexual assaults, all concurrent and back‑dated to the date of custody. He did not suspend any portion of the sentence and ordered the offender to be supervised by the Probation Service for two years after release. The victim gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse and her resilience, while the defendant continued to deny the charges.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has sought clarification from Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring on self-defence and intent in the murder trial of Matusz Batiuk (33), formerly of Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, County Mayo. Mr Batiuk has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael McDonagh, who died following a stabbing at the housing estate on November 16, 2020. The jury asked whether self-defence and lack of intent to commit murder or cause serious harm were mutually exclusive. In response, the judge explained that if the jury were not satisfied the accused intended to kill or cause serious harm, manslaughter would be the appropriate verdict. Ms Justice Ring noted Mr Batiuk's longstanding mental health difficulties, instructing the jury to consider him as a person with that illness. The prosecution contends he deliberately stabbed Mr McDonagh with intent to kill, whilst the defence argues he acted in self-defence, believing his life was in danger. The jury is continuing deliberations.
In a landmark case, Daniel Kane, aged 54, was convicted by a jury of coercive control, intimidation, assault and 12 counts of assault causing harm after a 20‑month abusive relationship in which he repeatedly attacked his partner, burned her foot, cut her face with a pizza slicer, head‑butted her after nasal surgery, punched her and stamped on her arm causing fractures, and strangled her. He also threatened to send explicit images to her family if she withdrew the case. Kane was sentenced to 10.5 years in January 2021. On 30 March 2023 the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, finding no error in the trial judge's sentencing. The court noted the prolonged, oppressive, domineering and violent conduct, the significant physical and emotional harm inflicted, and that the sentence was within the mid‑to‑upper range of penalties available. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the 10.5‑year sentence in place. Daniel Kane pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Bernard Fogarty, 35, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Mark Ivers on 6 September 2019. Witnesses, including a taxi driver and a woman, reported seeing Fogarty in a balaclava with a large black gun approach Ivers' house on Streamville Road. The woman warned others before shots were fired. Ivers was shot twice in the femur and lower abdomen, sustaining a liver laceration, and was taken to hospital. CCTV and forensic evidence linked Fogarty to the scene, including a Nissan Almera that was later set alight. Fogarty was arrested on 22 October 2020 and has 54 prior convictions, including a life sentence for murder. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 19 May.
Gerard Mackin, 40, pleaded guilty to laundering €4,780 as proceeds of criminal conduct at Rhebogue Road, Limerick, on April 17, 2019, contrary to Section 7 of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. The Special Criminal Court heard that Mackin, who was extradited from Spain in December 2022, admitted to handling the cash, which prosecution counsel stated was not a legitimate deposit but crime proceeds. Defence counsel Ronan Kennedy SC submitted that Mackin accepted he had made poor choices, has never met his infant son due to his custody, and intends to return to Spain to rebuild his life. The court noted his previous conviction in March 2016, where he was jailed for three years for a 'depraved and barbaric' assault involving a nail-gun. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Alan Mitchell, remanded Mackin in custody until May 19, when he will be sentenced. The matter was adjourned for sentencing and is not yet concluded.
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of murder after a jury heard that he ran over his 76‑year‑old aunt, Chrissie Treacy, while reversing an agricultural teleporter across a yard outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The jury, after nearly 15 hours, concluded that Scott's death of his aunt was caused by gross negligence rather than intent to kill. The prosecution had argued that Scott deliberately reversed over Treacy amid a long‑running land dispute, but his lawyers maintained it was a tragic accident. The trial detailed that Scott had been reversing the machine when he felt a "thump," thought he might have struck a trailer, and only later discovered Treacy lying on the ground. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
Closing speeches were delivered at the Central Criminal Court for two of three men accused of raping a then-teenage girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, aged 23, who pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape, is scheduled to deliver his closing speech tomorrow. Defence counsel argued that the complainant's evidence contained inconsistencies and suggested she may have manipulated information to distance herself from her actions. Counsel for the second defendant questioned the plausibility of the complainant not raising an alarm after being allegedly raped in succession by three men. Counsel for the first defendant highlighted the absence of DNA evidence linking his client to the complainant and suggested an alternative verdict of sexual assault might be open to the jury. Both defence teams urged the jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that their clients knew or were reckless about the lack of consent. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
Ross Hutch, 31, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for two separate assaults in August 2021. On 22 August he slashed the face of a man outside a pub on Sheriff Street, leaving serious disfiguring scars. The next day he violently attacked his ex‑girlfriend at Holyhead Hostel on Gardiner Street, punching, kicking, and stomping her down two flights of stairs. Video evidence showed the brutal attacks. Judge Martin Nolan imposed seven and a half years for the slashing and two and a half years for the assault on the woman, sentences to run consecutively. Hutch pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm in both cases. He has 75 prior convictions, including assault, firearms, and robbery. The sentence was back‑dated to 25 August 2021 when he entered custody. The court noted his history of drug and alcohol use but found no recognised psychological problem. The judge said Hutch could change his life if he wanted to.
Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The defendants are alleged to have participated in an attack on four security guards at a repossessed property in Falsk, Strokestown, on December 16, 2018. The charges include false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. On day 17 of the trial, Detective Garda Enda Jennings testified that he identified Sweeney in body-camera footage based on prior acquaintance in Ramelton. Defense counsel challenged the reliability of this identification, noting that protocols governing such recognitions were not implemented in 2019. The court heard that the identification process lacked a second witness and contemporaneous notes, which are now required under 2023 guidelines. The trial continues.
Philip Dunbar, aged 22, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 23‑year‑old Adam 'Floater' Muldoon, who was stabbed 183 times in an unprovoked attack when Dunbar was 17. His lawyers argued at the Court of Appeal that Dunbar should have been allowed to present a defence of diminished responsibility based on a mental disorder caused by chronic drug abuse. They cited expert psychiatric witnesses who said drug dependence could constitute a mental disorder distinct from intoxication. The trial judge had refused to allow the defence, and the appeal judge noted that a mental disorder must be established by a consultant psychiatrist under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The appeal will continue before the Court of Appeal tomorrow. Philip Dunbar was found guilty.
Thomas Cunningham, 55, of Dublin 8, was convicted of attempting to communicate with a child for sexual exploitation between July and August 2019. He had been under an eight‑year post‑release supervision order after a 2017 release from a 10‑year sentence for 41 sexual offences. In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four years, suspending the final year, and imposed a five‑year good‑behaviour period with Probation Service engagement. Cunningham pleaded guilty to three charges and admitted sending 1,660 messages to a decoy profile set up by a child‑protection group, believing the recipient to be a 14‑year‑old. He also sent 185 messages to an unidentified number and 211 to a third number, claiming the child was 15. He denied any sexual content but admitted intent to meet the children. The judge noted no contact had occurred and highlighted Cunningham's prior serious sexual assault conviction.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Brendan Treanor, 34, and James Flynn, 32, until after Easter. The men are accused of robbing €7,000 from Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, an incident that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. They are also charged with conspiring, between 11 September 2012 and 23 January 2013, with convicted Garda‑killer Aaron Brady and others to break into houses to steal car keys. Treanor and Flynn plead not guilty to all charges. Brady, 31, serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for Donohoe's murder and the credit union robbery, denies involvement and awaits appeal. After evidence on CCTV‑identified cars, the court noted about 15 days of prosecution material remained. The trial will resume on 18 April before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Alan Mitchell.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberations in the case of a man charged with murdering a 24-year-old from County Mayo. Matusz Batiuk, formerly of Carrabeg Estate in Swinford, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael McDonagh, who died from a single stab wound on November 16, 2020. Justice Mary Ellen Ring outlined five possible verdicts available to the jury, ranging from murder to manslaughter verdicts on grounds of self-defence, excessive force, lack of intent to kill, or diminished responsibility. The accused has maintained he acted in self-defence, telling gardaí at the scene that he stabbed Mr McDonagh because he believed his life was in danger. Evidence heard during the trial included testimony from a pathologist regarding the fatal wound and psychiatric assessments of the accused. The judge reminded the jury of conflicting accounts given by a witness present at the property. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, will continue their deliberations on the following day.
In the trial of Michael Scott, who denies murdering his aunt by running over her in an agricultural teleporter, the jury was deliberating for 11 hours and 18 minutes when the court registrar asked if they had reached a unanimous verdict. The judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, offered the option of a majority verdict if ten of the twelve jurors agreed, while encouraging them to continue striving for unanimity. The jury has gone home for the evening and will return tomorrow for the fifth day of deliberations. Mr Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co Galway, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Treacy outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The prosecution alleges that he deliberately reversed over Ms Treacy following a long-running land dispute. Mr Scott's lawyers have stated that her death was a tragic accident.
A 28‑year‑old man, Robert Broughan of St Patrick's Park, Rathangan, Co Kildare, has been charged with the murder of Roy Hopkins, 34, who died on 31 July 2020 after an assault with a blunt instrument believed to be a baseball bat. Broughan was charged at Naas District Court on 2 August 2020. The trial, originally scheduled for last July, was postponed pending a report. Justice Mary Ellen Ring set a new trial date for 5 February 2024, with a case‑management adjournment to 21 July, and the trial is expected to last no more than two weeks.
Closing submissions have begun in the Central Criminal Court trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, also 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. Prosecuting counsel Alice Fawsitt SC argued that the complainant's entry into the vehicle did not constitute consent to sexual activity, countering defence claims that the interaction was consensual. She highlighted that the complainant stated she said no to requests for sex and became frightened, while the defendants alleged she showed no distress. The third defendant testified that he believed the complainant offered him oral sex and that the second car was collected for comfort, denying any forcing. The prosecution suggested the defendants were reckless regarding consent. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
Gerard McQuillan, 35, was sentenced to three years in prison for strangling his former partner, an act he denied, claiming she had attacked him. Judge Martina Baxter noted his misogynistic tendencies and the aggravating context of an intimate relationship under the 2018 Domestic Violence Act. McQuillan was convicted in December 2022 of assault causing harm and two counts of criminal damage after he lifted the woman by the neck, damaged her necklace, and punched a wall. He has 76 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and was assessed as a high risk of repeat spousal abuse. The judge suspended the final six months of a 3½‑year term on the condition he engages with the Probation Service for a year, has no contact with the victim, and discloses any new partner. The sentence reflects the jury's rejection of his lies and the court's view of the assault as unprovoked and horrific.
Four men have pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges arising from an assault at a repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown, County Roscommon on December 16, 2018. Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne and David Lawlor each face 17 charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and arson. On day 16 of the trial, Detective Sergeant Shane Killeen testified that he seized two mobile phones from O'Toole's home in Claremorris during a search warrant execution in January 2019. Defence counsel for O'Toole challenged the evidence, questioning whether the phones were recovered from the house or taken from the accused's person, and noting that mobile phones were not mentioned in the information sworn to obtain the search warrant. Detective Sergeant Killeen denied the challenge and disputed that contemporaneous records contradicted his account. The trial continues.
At the Central Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of Matusz Batiuk, who denies murdering Michael McDonagh at a housing estate in Swinford, County Mayo, on 16 November 2020. The defence contended that Mr Batiuk, aged 33, acted lawfully in self-defence when he inflicted a fatal knife wound in his own home. Defence counsel emphasised that the accused's initial statement to emergency services was that he acted in self-defence, a position maintained throughout garda interviews. The prosecution argued that the accused deliberately used lethal force with intent to kill or cause serious injury. Justice Ellen Ring instructed the jury to consider whether Mr Batiuk honestly believed self-defence was necessary and whether any force used was objectively reasonable. The jury was also directed to consider evidence from two psychiatrists regarding the accused's mental health. The trial continues with further direction to the jury of nine men and three women. Matusz Batiuk pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
Daniel Kane, the first man convicted by a jury of coercive control in Ireland, is appealing his 10.5-year sentence at the Court of Appeal. Kane, 54, pleaded not guilty to charges of coercive control, intimidation, assault, and 12 counts of assault causing harm arising from a 20-month relationship between May 2018 and January 2020. He separately pleaded guilty to intending to pervert the course of justice between March and July 2020, allegedly by threatening to send intimate images to the victim's family to force her to withdraw her statements. At the appeal hearing, Kane's counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, argued the cumulative sentence was excessive and disproportionate for a first-time offender with no relevant prior convictions, citing his alcohol issues and current remorse. The State, represented by Anne Marie Lawlor SC, countered that the sentence was proportionate given the severity of the violence, including burning, cutting, and strangulation, and the continued coercive control exercised via 250 prison phone calls. The trial judge had noted Kane's lack of remorse and the brutal nature of the attacks. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, has adjourned the matter, with a judgment expected on Thursday of this week.