Zara McCabe, 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking a homeless man she mistakenly believed had raped a woman she knew. The incident occurred on Fleet Street, Dublin 2, on 4 November 2020. McCabe, a mother of five with 21 prior convictions and a history of alcohol and mental health problems, was highly intoxicated that night. She attacked the victim for 30 minutes, later searching his pockets for a phone to photograph him. The victim was taken to hospital but discharged the next day and died by suicide a week later. No medical report was available. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced McCabe to 150 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term, noting the seriousness of her actions and the victim's unfortunate life. The court highlighted McCabe's remorse and her recent employment, while acknowledging her ongoing family and health challenges.
Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, is standing trial in the Special Criminal Court, where he denies the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne on February 5, 2016. The defence team, led by Brendan Grehan SC, has raised significant concerns regarding the legality of state surveillance, specifically alleging that gardai may have illegally deployed a tracker device on a vehicle belonging to Jonathan Dowdall while it was in Northern Ireland. Mr Grehan argued that such use would breach the law and sought clarification on how specific CCTV enquiries were initiated. Prosecution witness Sean Gillane SC contended that the defence was conflating issues, while the presiding judge acknowledged the emerging legal arguments. Meanwhile, co-accused Jonathan Dowdall, 44, of Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing access to motor vehicles. He was sentenced to four years in prison for this offence. Dowdall is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Other defendants, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who also face charges of participating in the murder by providing vehicles, have pleaded not guilty and remain on trial. The court continues to hear evidence from National Surveillance Unit members, whose identities are withheld by order.
Eugene Hanratty Senior, aged 63, of Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Armagh, was convicted by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following trial of assault causing harm committed at Castleblayney, County Monaghan on 24 November 2012. The victim, a musician, delivered a detailed impact statement describing severe and ongoing injuries sustained during the assault, including multiple facial fractures, permanent vision loss, and facial nerve damage requiring surgical intervention. He outlined how these injuries have fundamentally impaired his ability to read musical notation and continue causing chronic pain and sensory complications. The victim's wife, who witnessed the incident, has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Detective Garda evidence described a sustained attack occurring both within and outside a vehicle. Hanratty had claimed self-defence, which the jury rejected. Sentencing was adjourned to 8 November pending further garda cross-examination and mitigation submissions from the defence. The case reached verdict following two previous trials, the first resulting in disagreement and the second being discharged.
A consultant psychiatrist told the Central Criminal Court that Stephen Silver's behaviour following the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020 displayed possible signs of abnormal or manic mental state. Dr Brenda Wright, giving evidence at the trial of the 46-year-old mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, described his conduct during garda interviews as bizarre and inappropriate, including grandiose claims about military rank and hostile outbursts. She noted his failure to grasp the gravity of his circumstances contrasted sharply with the professional demeanour of investigating gardaí. Dr Wright referenced Mr Silver's psychiatric history, including bipolar disorder and seventeen prior admissions since 1997. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Dr Wright's evidence continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and jury.
In a Dublin court, a 16‑year‑old boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, is on trial for the murder of Mongolian national Urantsetseg Tserendorj, who was 49 when she died. The boy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and to producing a knife and attempting to rob Ms Tserendorj on 20 January 2021. The prosecution, led by Sean Guerin SC, argued that the teenager "went for the jugular", taking a knife and stabbing her in the neck, an act that caused a fatal carotid artery injury. CCTV footage and the boy's admission to Gardaí were presented. The case focuses on the boy's state of mind at the time of the attack, with the jury instructed to decide whether the prosecution proved a guilty mind for murder or manslaughter. The trial continues tomorrow.
A 19‑year‑old man, Joel Omokhudu, was jailed for six months after driving his car at pedestrians in a Dublin shopping centre on 8 December 2020. He had been ejected from the centre and, in a temper, drove erratically in the car park and onto the pedestrian area, narrowly missing a woman with her daughters and several security guards. He then reversed into a flower bed, almost hitting a guard. No injuries were reported. Omokhudu pleaded guilty to endangerment, two counts of dangerous driving, driving without insurance and criminal damage. The court heard he had previous assault convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 18 months, suspended the final year, and disqualified him from driving for four years.
A surveillance garda testified in the Special Criminal Court that he saw Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, accused of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne, riding a motorcycle out of former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall's home on February 12, 2016. Gerard Hutch (59), last of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Jonathan Dowdall (44), a married father of four with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in advance of the trial to a lesser charge of facilitating the Hutch gang by making a hotel room available ahead of the murder. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The former Dublin councillor is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after agreeing to testify against former co-accused Gerard Hutch, who is charged with Mr Byrne's murder. The Special Criminal Court has already viewed CCTV footage of what the State says is Gerard Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall on February 20 and March 7, 2016. A garda known as Member BZ testified that he observed Jonathan Dowdall's grey Toyota Land Cruiser parked opposite Forest Park in Killygordon in Co Donegal at 11am on February 20 2016 and that it was beside a silver Renault Megane Scenic. The Megane left the area at 2.35pm with two males in the vehicle. Another officer called Member BU told Ms Murphy that at 3.51pm on March 9 2016, Shane Rowan was observed carrying a long cardboard box as he walked down the escalator of Clarehall Shopping Centre before entering Carphone Warehouse. In July 2016, Rowan from Forest Park, Killygordan, in County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition. He was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of four years in prison for IRA membership, backdated to March 9 2016. Evidence has also been given that bullet cases found at the Regency Hotel murder scene were fired by the three AK-47 assault rifles. Gerard Hutch's two co-accused – Paul Murphy (59), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin and Jason Bonney (50), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The evidence of the NSU members continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Bryan Kennedy pleaded guilty to soliciting a man, referred to as 'AL', to murder Canadian couple Stephanie Poirier and her partner Clara Houdebrummette. Kennedy claimed he was motivated by a sense of betrayal after discovering intimate Facebook messages between his then‑wife and the couple. He allegedly paid AL €8,000 and later demanded additional money, threatening his wife and children. Kennedy admitted to hacking his wife's messages to portray the couple as "to be killed" and to have them "painted". He also claimed he had backed out of the plan and intended to kill the couple himself. Kennedy faces a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment on both charges and is awaiting sentencing for possession of child pornography. The court ordered a probation report and care provisions for his three children. The matter was adjourned to 16 January 2023.
A 26‑year‑old Dublin man, Stephen Rabbitte, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to attempting to murder Audrey Reddin on 10 April 2021 at his apartment block on Marlborough Road. He appeared briefly before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, who adjourned sentencing to 12 December. Rabbitte, who is in Cloverhill prison, has a long psychiatric history and his barrister, Sean Gillane SC, requested updated psychiatric reports.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 28 October 2022, Declan McGowan, aged 33, admitted acceptance of a jury verdict after being found guilty in March 2023 of attempted coercion, impersonating a Garda, assault and assault causing harm. The offences stemmed from an incident on 18 September 2021 at Kimmage Road Lower, where McGowan approached a woman, Andra Calauz, claiming to be a Garda, showed her what he said was official ID, and pressured her to get into his car. He also threatened to involve Tusla to remove her children. McGowan's husband, Daniel Ion, testified that McGowan choked him and threatened to call Tusla if the couple did not comply. McGowan had previously been convicted of impersonating a Garda in July 2019 and had 31 other convictions, including threats to kill and assault causing harm. The court heard that the incident lasted about 15 minutes on a public road near housing. Declan McGowan pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Silver, a 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The Central Criminal Court has heard evidence that Silver assaulted psychiatric staff nine months before fatally shooting the detective eleven times. Psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright testified that Silver had been admitted to psychiatric units seventeen times since 1997, with diagnoses including bipolar affective disorder and schizoaffective disorder. She stated that Silver stopped taking medication following his release from hospital in September 2019. Dr Wright noted that by April 2021, after ten months on antipsychotic medication whilst in custody, Silver had returned to his normal state. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Mark Doyle, 45, of Barnaville Park, Ballyfermot, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment for three counts of assault causing harm. The court heard that Doyle repeatedly attacked his former partner with a wrench, cable wire and other weapons, knocking out two of her remaining three teeth and causing severe facial injuries. He also threatened to pour boiling water and sugar over her face. The victim, who declined to give evidence, reported being struck with a cable wire, a pen, a brush and a wooden stick, and being left with blood‑stained wounds and broken teeth. Doyle denied the assaults and was on bail at the time of the incidents. The judge described the attacks as "pretty harrowing" and noted Doyle's habit of violent behaviour. The sentence was imposed on 27 July 2021 and runs consecutively.
In a 2002 case, Jim Fitzsimons, a former shop manager, lured a 12‑year‑old boy to a flat in Dublin where he and convicted sex offender Kevin Brazil sexually assaulted the child. Fitzsimons used promises of employment and cash gifts of €150 and €50 to groom the boy, while Brazil offered alcohol. The boy reported the abuse to his father, who took him to a Garda station, but the investigating officer failed to forward the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, a mistake the judge described as regrettable. Fitzsimons pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and was convicted on 10 October 2022. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 40 months, reduced to 30 months after considering mitigating factors. Brazil, aged 52, had previously been jailed for a similar offence and had pleaded guilty to assaulting a 12‑year‑old child.
A jury of twelve was sworn in on 27 October 2022 to hear the murder trial of a 16‑year‑old teenage boy accused of killing Urantsetseg Tserendorj, a mother of two, on 29 January 2021. The alleged offence occurred on a walkway between George's Dock and Custom House Quay in Dublin 1, where Ms Tserendorj was walking home from work. The defendant, who cannot be named because he is a minor, pleaded not guilty. Judge Karen O'Connor informed the jury that the case involves a juvenile who was 14 at the time of the alleged offence and is now 16, turning 17 soon. She warned the jury to avoid discussing the case over the weekend, to refrain from researching the accused or the case, and to stay away from internet or social media. The trial will commence next Tuesday, 1 November, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and is expected to last about a week.
Elaine Sadlier, 55, appeared before the High Court to object to her extradition to the UK, where she is accused of assisting Michael Foran after the 2018 murder of Katie 'June' Jones in West Bromwich. Foran pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years. Keith O'Dwyer also pleaded guilty to assisting Foran and received a 16-month jail sentence. Sadlier, of Co Limerick, is accused of helping Foran leave the scene and arranging his stay in a Liverpool hostel. Her legal team argued that surrendering her would violate Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as she is the sole carer for a fully dependent disabled person. The Minister for Justice's counsel noted that the maximum UK penalty for assisting an offender is 10 years. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo described the case as "very sad" and noted a recent bereavement in Sadlier's family. The court was told that if surrender is ordered, an application for postponement will be made. Mr Justice Naidoo adjourned the case to November 9, when he will rule on the matter of Ms Sadlier's possible surrender.
Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court regarding the death of Detective Garda Colm Horkan on 17 June 2020 at Castlerea, County Roscommon. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. During his testimony, he described a struggle with the detective during which he obtained the garda's firearm and discharged it eleven times as Garda Horkan fell to the ground. Mr Silver stated he was experiencing confused thoughts and acted in self-defence, believing he faced danger. Under cross-examination, counsel highlighted that Mr Silver had been admitted to psychiatric units seventeen times since 2003 and had discontinued prescribed medication despite medical advice, preferring how he felt without treatment. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues.
A 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he was living in a shed without running water and had discontinued psychiatric medication in the weeks preceding the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020. Stephen Silver, who has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, told the court he experienced escalating mental distress characterised by delusional thinking, including beliefs that an acquaintance was an MI6 agent and that the SAS had planted explosives. He stated he had considered voluntary psychiatric admission the day before the incident but felt "hyper" and "elated" on the morning in question. Silver, diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder and bipolar disorder, disclosed he had abandoned prescribed medication believing it impaired his functioning, though he has resumed treatment since his arrest and reports feeling stable. His testimony before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and jury continues.
The Special Criminal Court is set to rule tomorrow on whether 27 National Surveillance Unit officers can give evidence anonymously in the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne. Prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC argued that anonymity is necessary to protect covert operations and officer safety, citing concerns raised by Detective Superintendent Eugene Lynch. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC objected, asserting the court lacks jurisdiction to grant such a blanket order and warning that it would place a 'cloak of secrecy' over the proceedings, potentially infringing on the right to a public trial. The court will decide if the names of the officers, including six who have retired, should be withheld from the defence and public. Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, denies the murder of Byrne, 33, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Jason Bonney, 50, of Portmarnock, and Paul Murphy, 59, of Swords, have also pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The presiding judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone, will deliver the decision on the anonymity application tomorrow afternoon.
A 22‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to six counts of assault causing harm and one count of assault, plus theft of the victim's car, bank cards, tablet and mobile phone. He also committed criminal damage to the victim's mother's home, threatened to burn it, and threatened to kill the victim and their unborn child between December 2017 and July 2019. The court noted seven separate assaults, including headbutting, strangulation attempts, biting, punching the pregnant victim in the stomach, dragging her down stairs, putting her head in a toilet, kicking her face, and threatening to cut the baby out of her. The judge imposed a total of eight years, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including good behaviour for three years, cooperation with treatment programmes and attendance at a domestic violence intervention assessment.
Dean Kerrie, aged 21, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for the manslaughter of Jack Power, who had intruded into Kerrie's home in Dunmore East on 26 July 2018. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, found that Kerrie was entitled to use force in defence of himself, his family and his home, but that the force used was "grossly" excessive because Power was unarmed. Kerrie was 17 at the time of the offence, showed genuine remorse, and did not instigate the violence. The sentence, back‑dated to 30 June, includes a final year suspended for two years. Kerrie has already spent time in custody and will be required to work with probation services and engage in anger and violence management after release.
The Special Criminal Court has viewed CCTV footage presented by the State, which allegedly shows Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall shortly after the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel. The footage also shows Patrick Hutch Senior in the same area of north Dublin as convicted IRA member Shane Rowan a month after the attack. Rowan was stopped with three assault rifles used in the Regency Hotel shooting. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Gerard Hutch has pleaded guilty to charges related to the murder of David Byrne, but the matter is still ongoing. County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition and received a concurrent sentence of four years for IRA membership, backdated to March 9, 2016. The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who was fatally shot two years prior, had assisted in admitting the man accused of his murder to a psychiatric unit in 2003, the Central Criminal Court heard on 25 October 2022. A retired garda sergeant gave evidence that he attended the family home of Stephen Silver near Castlerea, County Roscommon, following an incident that year, alongside Garda Horkan and others. Mr Silver was subsequently admitted to the local psychiatric unit due to his behaviour at that time. The accused, aged 46 and from Foxford, County Mayo, denies murdering Garda Horkan but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. During interview footage viewed by the jury, a garda inspector questioned Mr Silver about the circumstances of the shooting at Castlerea Garda Station. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continues before the Central Criminal Court. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 25 October 2022, two teenagers, Clayton Mulhall (23) and Daryl Donnery (21), were found guilty of violent disorder and assault after a 2018 attack on a patrol garda. The incident involved the youths blocking a patrol garda's path, punching him, and using pepper spray. Mulhall struck the garda's face, while Donnery was later found in possession of MDMA. Both pleaded guilty to violent disorder; Donnery was acquitted of assault. Mulhall also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, and Donnery pleaded not guilty to that charge. The court imposed fully suspended prison sentences: Mulhall received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term suspended on conditions including probation, drug‑free status, and payment of €800 to the passerby whose bike he stole; Donnery received a four‑year term suspended on two years of probation. The judge noted the seriousness of the attack, the garda's injuries, and the defendants' remorse and prior convictions.
A psychiatrist assessed Stephen Silver, the accused in Detective Garda Colm Horkan's murder, hours after the shooting at Castlerea Garda Station in County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Dr Will Monteiro, a consultant psychiatrist with three decades' experience, found no evidence of acute mental illness during his evaluation. The doctor noted that Mr Silver's speech and behaviour appeared within normal limits, though he was reluctant to engage in conversation and demanded his family's presence. Dr Monteiro concluded Mr Silver was fit to be interviewed. Under cross-examination, the defence highlighted that the assessment was incomplete, as Mr Silver had refused full evaluation, and that Dr Monteiro had recommended a formal forensic assessment. Mr Silver, aged 46 and from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The Central Criminal Court trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Gavin Murphy, 31, is serving a life sentence for the murder of his former partner, Jennie Poole, and will not receive additional jail time for an earlier assault on two men. In January 2021, at a Clondalkin address, Murphy pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and two counts of assault. The incident involved Dwayne Jones and his father David, who answered a knock from a relative of Murphy. Murphy demanded €200, and during the confrontation he slashed Dwayne Jones's face with a blade, leaving permanent scarring, while David suffered a broken thumb. The court noted Murphy's remorse and imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, which cannot run consecutively to his life term. The sentence is to run from the date of the hearing.
The Special Criminal Court heard ballistics evidence in the ongoing trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne. Detective Garda David O'Leary testified that seven cartridge cases recovered from the Regency Hotel scene were discharged from three AK-47 variants seized from Shane Rowan in March 2016. Rowan was previously sentenced to seven and a half years for possession of the weapons and a concurrent four years for IRA membership. The court also examined CCTV footage regarding the movements of a taxi and a black BMW X5. The prosecution case alleges that co-accused Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, both of whom have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016, facilitated the escape of the assailants. Bonney is specifically alleged to have driven the BMW X5. Defence counsel for Bonney indicated that the identification evidence would be challenged as a legal issue. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone.
Daniel Goulding, aged 39, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the attempted murder of two detective gardaí during a siege and shoot‑out at his family home on 25 May 2021. The incident, which lasted up to two hours, left the detectives with non‑fatal limb injuries: one to the foot, one to the hand, and another to the foot. Goulding's defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, noted that a psychiatric report had only been received on Friday and requested a governor's report from Cloverhill Prison. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the case to 21 November. Earlier, the court heard that Goulding had been receiving psychiatric treatment for several years. The incident began when gardaí were alerted to gunshots at Whitechapel Grove; the detectives were shot from an upstairs bedroom, took cover behind an unmarked patrol car, and after two hours of negotiations surrendered firearms.
The trial of Gerry Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016, continued before a three-judge court. All three defendants, who are alleged to have participated in or contributed to the killing, have pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented CCTV evidence depicting the escape of the assailants, including a black BMW X5. Garda Michelle Purcell detailed footage showing the vehicle's movements from Portmarnock to St Vincent's GAA grounds, where six individuals, including a man in a wig and a man in a flat cap, were seen fleeing. The prosecution alleges the man in the flat cap was the deceased Kevin Murray, who cooperated with the tactical team. Counsel stated that the escape route is central to the cases of Murphy and Bonney, who are accused of providing access to motor vehicles. The defense for Bonney indicated the identification evidence would be challenged. The trial is ongoing and was adjourned to continue on Monday before Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone.
Michael O'Donoghue, aged 43, received a ten‑year prison sentence with the final six months suspended for five years after the Court of Appeal quashed his original five‑year term. The appeal was prompted by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the sentence was too lenient for the gravity of the offences. O'Donoghue pleaded guilty to 31 counts of sexual assault, one count of rape and one count of producing child pornography against his daughter, Aimee Foley, aged 12 to 17 during the period 2012‑2018. The Court of Appeal found his conduct egregious, noting he gave her alcohol and drugs, showed her pornography, filmed the abuse and threatened her. The judge set a headline sentence of twelve years for the rape, reduced to seven with two years suspended, and imposed concurrent sentences of three and four years for the other assault counts. The final sentence was back‑dated to 14 April 2021.
In a case heard in Dublin, three men aged 24—Dion Genockey, Troy Ryan and Daryl Rooney—were convicted of gang‑raping an 18‑year‑old woman at Dollymount Strand in 2016. The men were 17 and 18 at the time of the offence. Rooney had 225 prior convictions, including violent disorder and drug offences, while Genockey and Ryan had no convictions at the time of the rape. The court heard that after the initial assault, the victim was taken to a second car where two other men raped her before she was left on the beach. Defence counsel argued the men should be treated as minors, citing their ages, Rooney's ADHD and mild intellectual disability, and the men's claims of lack of intent. The judge was urged to consider the defendants' youth in sentencing, with the court scheduled to deliver a sentence on 4 November.
Patrick Dunne, a 28‑year‑old autistic man from Ballingeragh, Lixnaw, was found not guilty of murdering his mother Susan Dunne, aged 62, by reason of insanity. The Central Criminal Court heard that Dunne admitted killing his mother but denied it was murder, claiming he was unable to understand or control his actions on the night of 26–27 November 2013. Psychiatric evidence presented by both prosecution and defence psychiatrists agreed that Dunne was mentally disordered and incapable of appreciating the nature or consequences of his act. He had argued with his mother over an expensive iPhone, lost control, and struck her with a hatchet, causing six wounds to her head. The jury returned a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, and Dunne was remanded to the Central Mental Hospital for a medical update and victim impact statement preparation. The case was described as difficult by the judge.
Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavim, Foxford, County Mayo, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. The incident occurred on 17 June 2020 in Castlerea, County Roscommon. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. During interviews conducted at Castlerea Garda Station on 18 June 2020, Mr Silver claimed he acted in self-defence after being attacked by an armed man he did not initially recognize as a garda. He contended that Detective Garda Horkan was fumbling with his firearm and that he only discharged the weapon in defence. The jury viewed DVD recordings of these interviews with detectives. Mr Silver denied shooting the detective whilst on the ground and maintained he threw the gun away after obtaining possession of it. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A 40‑year‑old man was convicted of 48 counts of rape and sexual assault of his younger sister between 1999 and 2005. The offences included penetration with a screwdriver and a vibrator. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, reduced from an initial 14‑year headline. The man appealed, arguing the judge had misapplied sentencing principles, misjudged the gravity of the offences and failed to suspend part of the sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, noting that the majority of the offences were committed after the appellant reached majority and that the judge's assessment of gravity was correct. The court also found no evidence of remorse or acceptance of responsibility, and therefore no basis for reducing the sentence or suspending any portion. The appeal was dismissed, upholding the 11‑year term.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 20 October 2022, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 26‑year‑old Martin Collins to a 21‑month prison term suspended on strict conditions after Collins pleaded guilty to assault causing harm for punching a Tesco security guard in Santry on 5 July 2019. Collins entered the store with his partner, bought groceries and cigarettes but did not pay for the groceries. When a security guard asked him to pay, Collins, who identified himself as a boxer, punched the guard in the face. The guard fell, sustained a swollen right eye and thumb injury, and was later assisted by other guards. CCTV showed Collins raised his fist and threw three punches, two of which connected. Collins attempted a third blow but was blocked.
A Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard evidence on 20 October 2022 regarding three AK-47 assault rifles recovered in County Meath approximately one month after David Byrne was fatally shot at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on 5 February 2016. Inspector Padraig Boyce testified that a vehicle was intercepted near Slane on 9 March 2016 and the weapons were discovered in its boot, wrapped in a rug and white shirts. Ballistics evidence later matched cartridge cases recovered from the Regency Hotel to the seized rifles. The trial concerns Gerard Hutch, aged 59, from Clontarf, Dublin, who denies murdering Mr Byrne during a boxing weigh-in. Two co-accused, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, deny participating in or contributing to the murder by providing vehicle access. Detective gardaí provided CCTV evidence tracing movements of vehicles on the day of the incident. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns with two other judges, is expected to continue for approximately 12 weeks. Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty. Jason Bonney pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Silver, a 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Aughavain, Foxford, County Mayo, appeared before the Central Criminal Court where a video recording of his first garda interview was presented. Mr Silver denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020 by shooting him. During his interview at Castlerea Garda Station, Mr Silver told gardaí that Detective Garda Horkan initiated a struggle after approaching him on Patrick Street in Castlerea, and that during the confrontation, Detective Garda Horkan attempted to draw his firearm. Mr Silver claimed he acted in self-defence when the gun discharged during their struggle. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility but maintains his not guilty plea to murder. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of twelve, continues before the Central Criminal Court.
Ruth Ennis, 46, of Clondalkin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after she attacked her neighbour Daniel Casey with a screwdriver during a dispute over a borrowed Dyson vacuum cleaner. The incident occurred on 19 September 2021 when Ennis, who had charged the vacuum's battery and wanted to use it, confronted Casey at his home. Ennis swiped at him with a screwdriver, inflicted wounds on his arm and elbow, and later struck him with a steel trim from the kitchen floor. She was intoxicated during the attack. Ennis pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, property damage and possession of a screwdriver in a dispute. She had 11 prior convictions, including theft and robbery, and had completed an "alternatives to violence" course while in custody. The judge, citing her guilty pleas and apology, backdated the sentence to the day of the assault.
A 48‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping his partner's seven‑year‑old son in the shower between 1 May and 30 September 2016. The court found him guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The boy was showering when the man entered, claiming his mother had told him to shower with him, and then sexually assaulted and raped him. The man had been in a relationship with the boy's mother and sometimes stayed overnight. The offence was discovered when the boy, then ten, told his teacher he had been abused; the teacher and school leadership were praised for listening. The judge noted the man's position of trust and the boy's vulnerability, and imposed the eight‑year sentence for rape and a concurrent three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for assault. The judge also ordered two years of post‑release supervision and prohibited contact with the victim.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Loretta Power, mother of the 25‑year‑old victim, expressed that her son Jack Power's death has left her "tortured" and that the family endures a "life sentence" daily. Jack was stabbed to death on 26 July 2018 after breaking into Dean Kerrie's home in Dunmore East, Waterford. Kerrie, 21, was tried twice for the murder; the first trial ended with a jury verdict of manslaughter, the second with a conviction for manslaughter. The prosecution described a scuffle in the bedroom, with Kerrie allegedly stabbing Jack once in the chest after Jack had attacked Kerrie's mother. Kerrie's defence argued the act was a single defensive movement. The court has adjourned sentencing to 26 October 2022, with the possibility of a suspended portion of the sentence pending probation conditions. The maximum sentence for manslaughter is life imprisonment.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, 59, who denies the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Co-accused Paul Murphy, 59, and Jason Bonney, 50, also pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. Witness Colin O'Riordan testified that he feared for his life when gunmen dressed as Emergency Response Unit members walked past him. He reported hearing approximately 12 shots and seeing individuals with weapons. Another witness, Ernie Leslie, described seeing a machine gun in a van. James McGettigan, the hotel director, stated masked individuals entered the bar aggressively. Retired Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis confirmed Byrne died from six high-velocity gunshots. CCTV footage showed the shooting and the suspects' escape. Patrick Dowdall, 65, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the gang by making a hotel room available, was sentenced to two years imprisonment. The trial continues with further evidence expected.
In a court hearing on 18 October 2022, the judge considered the case of Myles Howe, aged 49, who on 22 August 2020 broke into the Garda roads policing office at Dublin Castle through an emergency exit. Howe stole handcuffs, a radio, pepper spray and items of Garda uniform. CCTV footage later showed him attempting to conceal the stolen items in grass and a bin, after which the radio and handcuffs were recovered by Gardaí. The stolen uniform items were found at Howe's home in Dublin 8. Howe pleaded guilty to trespass and theft at Dublin Castle and also pleaded guilty to a burglary of a flat on Dawson Street in October 2021. He had previously been convicted of burglary, theft, assault and criminal damage. The case was initially before Dublin District Court, where the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to summary disposal, but Judge Brian O'Shea refused jurisdiction and referred it to the Circuit Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 18 October 2022, Christopher Carthy, aged 25, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a young woman who was unconscious near a LUAS stop on 1 April 2021. The victim, a vulnerable person in her 20s, had been drinking since about 10 am and was taken home by friends. She later told Gardaí she remembered nothing between sitting at the LUAS stop and speaking to a female Garda. A witness saw Carthy approaching her, speaking to her, and later returning to find him on top of her, touching her groin. Gardaí dragged Carthy away. Carthy claimed he was so drunk he was oblivious to his behaviour. The court found his actions "gravely reprehensible" and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, noting he had no prior convictions for sexual violence and was unlikely to reoffend. The victim's impact statement described feeling down and struggling to sleep, blaming herself for the assault.
Patrick Dunne, 28, admitted to killing his mother Susan Dunne, 62, on 26–27 November 2013, claiming he had no lawful justification. He said he had argued with her over an iPhone's price, became "out of control" and "lost it". He described striking her with a hatchet, stating it was accidental and not intended to harm. Forensic evidence found six hatchet wounds to her head, blood and hair matching Dunne, and a majority DNA profile for him. A pathology report confirmed multiple blows to the skull, brain swelling and laceration as the cause of death. Dunne was arrested in Listowel after leaving the family home, locking his mother's bedroom door and taking her social protection card. The case is before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring with a jury of five men and seven women.
The Special Criminal Court heard the opening of the trial of Gerry Hutch, 59, Paul Murphy, 59, and Jason Bonney, 50, who were arraigned today. Hutch pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Kinahan gang member David Byrne, 33, during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. Murphy and Bonney also pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating a serious offence by providing access to motor vehicles to a criminal organisation. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC alleged that Hutch told former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall he was "one of the team" responsible for the killing. The state contends the attack was "performative, targeted," and "macabre," involving men disguised as gardaí. Evidence includes a recorded conversation where Hutch discussed the incident and the Kinahan feud. While Patrick Dowdall and Jonathan Dowdall are not defendants in this specific trial, the report notes that both Dowdalls admitted to making a room available at the Regency Hotel on February 4, 2016, to facilitate the offence. The trial is underway before a non-jury court, with significant security presence at the Criminal Courts of Justice.
At the Central Criminal Court, a general practitioner testified that Stephen Silver appeared disconnected from reality in the hours following the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Dr Greg Kelly described observing the accused, aged 46 and from Foxford, County Mayo, exhibiting restless and agitated behaviour at Castlerea Garda Station, including paranoid ideation and speech patterns suggestive of acute psychiatric disturbance. The doctor administered an anti-psychotic medication and recommended psychiatric assessment, believing Silver was experiencing a manic episode consistent with bipolar disorder. Later that day, Dr Kelly noted the accused appeared unnaturally detached from the gravity of events. The State Pathologist detailed that Detective Garda Horkan sustained eleven gunshot wounds, including injuries to vital organs, with forensic evidence indicating some shots were fired from close range. Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The defence argues mental illness substantially reduced his culpability at the time of the shooting.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the second appeal by an unnamed 59-year-old Tipperary man against his 11-year prison sentence. The appellant was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of five sexual offences, including rape and sexual assault, committed against his special needs daughter between 2003 and 2011. He had initially pleaded not guilty to 32 counts, with the jury acquitting him on 27 counts after the judge directed not-guilty verdicts on 17. In February 2020, he was sentenced to 12 years, with the final year suspended, resulting in an effective 11-year term. Counsel for the appellant, Colman Coady SC, argued the sentence was excessive and unduly severe for the higher sentencing category. The State, represented by Fiona Murphy SC, contended the sentence was correct given the aggravating factors, including the offences occurring in the family home and coercive efforts to withdraw charges. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the judgment, noted the victim's acute intellectual disability and the betrayal of trust as significant aggravating factors. She affirmed that the sentencing judge's decision to impose a headline sentence on the outer scale was within her discretion and that the appellant had already received a generous deduction. The court rejected the argument that the sentence lacked features common to more serious cases, upholding the original disposal.
A former schools rugby player, Buti Sashi, aged 26, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for a series of violent attacks on transgender sex workers in Dublin. On 26 May 2017 he entered the victim's city‑centre apartment armed with a large knife, struck her face and body, cut her, demanded sex, sexually assaulted her and stole her mobile phone and laptop. The victim suffered a fractured jaw and an eye socket injury. A month later, on 28 June, Sashi and another man broke into the flat of a second transgender sex worker, beat her, stole two mobile phones and attacked a house‑mate, breaking his jaw and cutting him twice, taking his phone, laptop and €300. Sashi pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two of assault causing harm, one of sexual assault and one of weapon production. He was found to have a history of violent offences, including a 2014 robbery of a taxi driver.
Dominik Biber, a 25‑year‑old Polish national, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to attempting to murder Tomasz Grosser and to false imprisonment and burglary at Ormston House, Ellen St, Limerick, on 11 April 2020. Biber admitted using two knives during the burglary. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea and noted other counts on the indictment for sentencing. Biber's lawyer highlighted the client's drug use as a significant factor and requested a probation report. The judge adjourned the case to 5 December and ordered a probation and governor's report.
Jonathan O'Driscoll, aged 33, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for a 14‑minute assault on 73‑year‑old Christy O'Callaghan in Macroom on 21 March 2019. The attack, captured on CCTV, involved O'Driscoll repeatedly stamping on O'Callaghan's head, kicking and stealing his watch, jacket and wallet. O'Callaghan suffered severe injuries, including a scalp laceration, facial fractures, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a subdural haematoma, and later required life‑saving treatment at Cork University Hospital. He was subsequently moved to a long‑term care facility where he died. O'Driscoll appealed the 15‑year headline sentence as "excessive"; the Court of Appeal upheld the 13‑year post‑mitigation term but suspended the final two years for two years, requiring engagement with probation and addiction services. The court noted the assault was "prolonged, vicious and unprovoked" and that O'Callaghan's life had been ruined by the attack. Jonathan O'Driscoll pleaded guilty.
A 30-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for the rape and sexual abuse of his niece when he was a teenager. The man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to two counts of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault of a child between January 2005 and January 2009. He was aged between 12 and 16 when committing the offences. Justice Karen O'Connor found the abuse had a considerable and continuous impact on the victim and noted the defendant's attempts to normalise the conduct by describing it as a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. In mitigation, the judge considered that he was a minor at the time, had fully accepted the victim's account, and demonstrated remorse. The suspended portion is conditional on supervision by the Probation Service for two years post-release and participation in sex offender programmes. The victim, now in her twenties and living abroad, did not attend sentencing.