Jonathan O'Driscoll, aged 33, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for a 14‑minute unprovoked assault on 73‑year‑old Christy O'Callaghan in Macroom on 21 March 2019. O'Driscoll repeatedly stamped on O'Callaghan's head, causing severe injuries including scalp lacerations, facial fractures, rib fractures, a collapsed lung and a subdural haematoma. O'Callaghan later required life‑saving treatment at Cork University Hospital and was moved to a long‑term care facility after release. O'Driscoll pleaded guilty and was given a 15‑year headline sentence by Judge Sean O'Donnabhain, which he appealed as "excessive in all circumstances". His barrister argued mitigating factors such as his psychiatric history, cooperation, and remorse, while the Director of Public Prosecutions acknowledged a marginal discount. The Court of Appeal considered the victim impact statement and the severity of the assault, noting O'Callaghan's life was ruined and that he has since passed away.
The Court of Appeal heard arguments today regarding the lawfulness of the arrest of William Dollard, who is appealing his conviction for the sexual assault and attempted anal rape of a 61-year-old victim in Co Cork on May 30, 2017. Dollard, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. His legal team argued that his arrest under Section 24 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 was unlawful, contending it was a "colourful device" to secure his availability for potential complaints rather than addressing an immediate danger. They further claimed the subsequent seizure of his clothing rendered the evidence inadmissible. The Director of Public Prosecutions countered that the arrest was lawful, citing CCTV footage showing Dollard making thrusting motions against the victim, which informed the garda's decision. The prosecution noted the victim was intoxicated and unclear, making the CCTV crucial evidence. Judgment has been reserved. At the original sentencing, Mr Justice McDermott acknowledged the victim's vulnerability and Dollard's alcohol abuse and social isolation. He set a headline sentence of six years for the attempted anal rape but imposed a final sentence of five years and six months, with the last 18 months suspended for two years.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a mother of 28‑year‑old Jonathan Reid, who stabbed her partner Greg Shiels in the neck during a drug‑induced psychosis, urged the court to grant her son a second chance. Reid, from Newhall, Naas, pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Shiels on 6 March 2020, and also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and cannabis that night. The mother described her son as deserving a second chance and pledged full support for both her and Shiels, who suffered a serious neck injury but made a good recovery. Reid had a prior drink‑driving conviction and had spent time in Lakeview Mental Health Unit. The court adjourned to 25 April to consider post‑release programmes, and a nolle prosequi will be entered on the attempted murder charge later.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a doctor testified that a medical examination of a 17‑year‑old girl, conducted five hours after alleged assaults on 27 December 2016, revealed bruises on her knee and calves, swelling and lacerations of the labia majora, bruising of the labia minora and perineum, and bleeding of the inner vaginal wall. Swabs and clothing were taken for forensic analysis. The doctor concluded that the injuries were consistent with non‑consensual sexual intercourse. The four men, aged 22 to 24, all pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault, and false imprisonment charges. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns with a jury, continues to consider these allegations. The prosecution maintains that the girl was taken in a car with the men and raped "one after another" at a midlands location on the same date. The defendants' legal teams have not disputed the medical findings presented.
A Latvian man, Ainars Grants, aged 43, was jailed for three years after he strangled and beat his partner, Danguole Abukeviciute, with a saucepan and a bottle. The assault occurred on 13 August 2020 in their Dublin apartment. Abukeviciute, who could speak little English, reported the incident at Bridewell Garda Station, describing bruises and a badly bruised face. She claimed Grants had threatened to kill her if she returned home. Grants pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was denied bail, and has been in custody since the attack. He has 40 prior convictions, including 24 for public order offences. Judge Patricia Ryan suspended the final six months of a three‑and‑half‑year sentence on the condition that Grants not contact Abukeviciute. The court noted his anger‑management programme and his intent to remain alcohol‑free after release.
In a High Court hearing on 21 March 2022, Justice Deirdre Murphy refused bail to Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a 53‑year‑old barrister and law lecturer, who is accused of murdering Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, in a fatal shooting on a farm in Tallaght on 22 February. The judge found that Phelan posed a serious flight risk, citing the seriousness of the murder charge, the strength of the evidence, his substantial assets—including a 180‑acre farm in Tallaght and a 45‑acre farm in Wexford held through companies registered in Northern Ireland—and his status as a U.S. citizen. The court noted that Phelan had used multiple addresses in south Dublin and that his assets could be realised without state knowledge. The judge concluded that the balance of probabilities indicated a powerful incentive for Phelan to evade justice, and therefore denied his bail application.
The Central Criminal Court trial of four men accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in the midlands on December 27, 2016, heard evidence regarding conflicting statements made to gardaí. All four accused, aged between 17 and 19 at the time, have pleaded not guilty to rape and other charges. The prosecution alleges the complainant was driven to a location where she was raped by the four men and a fifth individual not before the court. Evidence revealed that the third accused initially told gardaí that none of the group had sex with the girl, before later admitting he and the others had intercourse with her. The second accused stated he did not know if others had sex with the complainant, while the first accused denied any sexual contact occurred. The first accused (22) faces additional charges of sexual assault and false imprisonment. The second accused (24) is charged with sexual assault, oral rape, and false imprisonment. The third accused (24) faces an additional rape count, sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The fourth accused (23) is charged with sexual assault. The trial continues before Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
Jonathon Farrelly (33) of Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne and his wife Lisa Byrne, violent disorder, and the assault causing harm of John Roche, all occurring on June 9, 2015, at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the matter to allow time for consideration, remanding Farrelly in continuing custody until April 7 for sentence. The court heard that Farrelly was part of a group of seven men, including convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA member Dessie O'Hare, who forcibly evicted the Byrne family. Five co-accused were convicted in the Special Criminal Court in 2019. Desmond McGrath (50) of Tallaght, Dublin, who pleaded guilty to the same offences, was sentenced in February 2021 to four years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended. Additionally, Jim Mansfield Junior was jailed for 18 months last month after being found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice for ordering the destruction of CCTV footage. Mansfield was acquitted of a separate charge of conspiracy to falsely imprison Byrne. Prosecution evidence detailed the violent nature of the incident, including injuries to Roche and threats made to Byrne, leading the family to enter the Witness Protection Programme. Defense counsel noted Farrelly was not a ringleader and has rehabilitated from drug addiction.
Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a senior counsel and law lecturer aged 53, is accused of murdering Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, in a fatal shooting on farmland in Tallaght on 22 February. The High Court heard that Phelan allegedly shot Conlon in the back of the head after a verbal altercation, following an earlier incident in which he fired at Conlon's dog with a rifle. Phelan claims the shooting was accidental, describing it as an "arc" that left him stunned. He has stated he will not leave the jurisdiction and that his career and reputation depend on clearing the matter. Phelan's defence argues that denying bail would "utterly ruin" him, citing his assets, family ties, and professional standing. The court will decide on bail on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Ivona Shortt, mother of Thomas Farnan, 37, recounted the shock of her son's murder on 25 April 2016. She described calling him when he asked her to "hang on" as a visitor approached the front door of their Kilcronan Close apartment. Minutes later she learned Thomas had been shot dead by a caller. Shortt described the event as a "devastating act of brutality" that will haunt her family forever. The court heard that Lorcan Merriman, 26, pleaded guilty to disposing of the gun used in the shooting, leading the Director of Public Prosecutions to drop the murder charge. Merriman, already serving a five‑year sentence for possession of a sub‑machine gun, was sentenced again on 30 March. The hearing also included statements from Thomas's partner Elaine Heffernan, his son Sean O'Connor, and sister Jenny Farnan, all expressing grief and a desire for justice.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Feri Anghel, who is charged with the alleged murder of Ioan Artene Bob, continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns. Anghel denies the charge. Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster testified that Bob, found beaten in Sean Walsh Park in 2018, died from very severe blunt-force trauma, global brain damage, and bilateral lung collapse. She stated injuries were consistent with kicking and stamping, noting nine separated ribs and extensive bruising. Cross-examination suggested some injuries could result from punches, though Dr Bolster maintained the widespread nature indicated greater force. Witness Pavel Stegarescu, a supervisor, stated Anghel appeared unharmed and quiet during work trips on April 12 and 13, 2018. Another witness, Marzana Jurzak, who found Bob, reported he held up four fingers, which she interpreted as indicating four attackers. The trial is ongoing.
In March 2022, a 33‑year‑old man from Clare was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for raping his partner with a deodorant can on 26 October 2014. He was convicted by a jury in his absence after failing to attend the closing stages of his Central Criminal Court trial in November 2017. The court found him guilty of one count of rape and acquitted him of one count of criminal damage. Two months after the assault, he sent the victim harassing texts calling her a "dirty tramp" and "dirty slut" and stating he would do it again. The judge noted the attack was sudden, shocking and involved humiliation and degradation. The sentence was back‑dated to 22 July 2021, the date he first entered custody. The man had fled to the UK, was arrested in July 2021, and had previously been convicted of assault and breaching a barring order.
Michael McGuinness, 61, a former army driver who served 21 years, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for indecent assault on three boys aged seven to thirteen between 1979 and 1990. The offences, committed while he was a trusted local figure, involved sexual abuse in his car and home, including forcing the boys to masturbate. McGuinness pleaded guilty to five counts; four carried a maximum of two years each, and a final count carried a maximum of ten years. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling three years, suspended the final twelve months, and back‑dated the sentence to his first custodial period in November. McGuinness admitted the abuse to Gardaí in 2019, described it as a "dark dirty secret", and expressed remorse. He has no prior convictions and has engaged in therapeutic interventions. The court noted the lasting impact on the victims and the low risk of re‑offending.
In March 2022, a 28‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for forcibly entering a flat, raping a 16‑year‑old girl and threatening to kill her if she reported the assault. The Central Criminal Court heard that the defendant had previously called the victim's older sister's home in Waterford in January 2019, found the teenager alone, and forced his way into the flat. He carried her into a bedroom, raped her, and ignored her pleas to stop. He threatened her with death if she told anyone. The victim later called her sister, who alerted Gardaí, who arrested the man. He denied any contact, claiming the victim had "come on to him." Forensic evidence found his semen on the victim's clothing. The defendant pleaded guilty to rape on 12 January 2019. He was sentenced to ten years, reduced by six months and a year suspended, after a guilty plea and apology.
Michael Corbett, aged 32, was sentenced to an additional 30‑month term for assaulting a prison officer with a homemade shiv on 19 October 2020. The shiv was made from a toothbrush and a blade. Corbett had previously been convicted of attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club in 2016, for which he was serving a nine‑year sentence with six years suspended. The new sentence is to run consecutively with the six years he is currently serving. Judge Greally suspended the final 12 months of the 30‑month term for five years, imposing conditions including 15‑year post‑release supervision, weekly Garda station sign‑ins, medication compliance and mental‑health support. Corbett has seven prior convictions and is considered at high risk of reoffending. The officer sustained a head injury but was not seriously harmed. Corbett's defence highlighted his paranoid schizophrenia and medication non‑adherence. Michael Corbett pleaded guilty.
A getaway driver, Matthew Bell, 25, was jailed for eight years for using his mother's car to help gangland murderers escape after the killing of 28‑year‑old John Gibson in a Dublin carpark. Bell pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder on 18 September 2017. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, sentenced Bell to nine years and three months, with the final 15 months suspended, citing Bell's role in driving the getaway vehicle and his lack of suitability to his assigned role in the gang. Bell's early guilty plea and his struggle with drug addiction were mitigating factors. The sentence was reduced from the headline term of 12 years and six months. The court heard the victim's mother, Tara Gibson, express sorrow and hope for further convictions, and the police described the vehicle movements and Bell's involvement in the escape.
Martin Aylmer, 35, of Casino Park, Marino, Dublin 3, pleaded guilty to taking part in a Kinahan cartel plot to murder James 'Mago' Gately, an associate of the Hutch gang, while Gately was in Northern Ireland from 7 September 2016 to 6 April 2017. The offence is charged under Section 72(1)(A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Aylmer admitted that he participated with knowledge of the criminal organisation and with the intention of helping the cartel carry out the murder. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing to 27 April and ordered a governor's report from Mountjoy prison. The plot involved tracking devices and an Estonian hitman, Imre Arakas, who was later jailed for six years. Gately had previously survived a shooting attempt in May 2017. The case remains pending sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 35‑year‑old man named Martin Kelly pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 44‑year‑old Gerry Nolan, who died in a fire in Kelly's caravan in Deerpark, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, on 24 July 2006. Kelly, who had previously been charged with murder in 2020, was represented by Sean Gillane SC for the DPP. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC requested five weeks for psychological and psychiatric reports. Judge Paul McDermott adjourned the case to 20 June for a sentence hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found Trevor Rowe, 30, guilty of murdering 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. The jury deliberated for 1 hour 19 minutes, rejecting Rowe's intoxication defence. Evidence included three anonymous 999 calls from 25 March 2020 in which Rowe admitted the murder and identified the body's location on Maudlin Street, Kilkenny. Gardaí discovered Rowe at his Abbey Street apartment, where he confessed to killing Butler, slitting her throat and stabbing her head. Forensic evidence linked a Linden Village cider can and a wooden crucifix fragment to Rowe, and a large piece of cardboard was found in Butler's mouth. The judge will impose a mandatory life sentence on 1 April and remand Rowe until then. The Butler family will be allowed to address the court on the impact of the death. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Philip Byrne (41) pleaded guilty to assault, threatening to kill or cause serious harm, production of a kitchen knife and false imprisonment after a knife attack on his wife on 2 December 2020. Byrne stabbed his wife in the abdomen, then again in the breast and hand, causing permanent nerve damage and requiring surgery. The wife, who later withdrew her statement and claimed the incident was accidental, had previously reconciled with Byrne. Byrne, with 39 prior convictions mainly for traffic offences, was remanded in custody and the sentencing was adjourned to June. The judge ordered a spousal assault risk assessment by the Probation Service. Byrne's defence highlighted his remorse, reconciliation with his partner, and the impact of his 15‑month custody during Covid, including the loss of his mother.
A 20‑year‑old man named Benjamin Morrissey, who had 78 prior convictions, was sentenced to six years in prison for two violent street attacks. In February 2021 he used scissors to attack a woman on O'Connell Street, attempting to seize her electric scooter, and in a separate incident he stabbed a man, Daniel Shortt, in the neck, causing a four‑inch wound and nerve damage. Morrissey pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Shortt and to attempted robbery of a woman on February 5, 2021. He had been on bail at the time of the robbery. The court considered his difficult childhood and cooperation, and imposed a six‑year sentence, with the last two years suspended and the sentence back‑dated for time already served. The proceedings were held in Dublin, with the judge noting the serious nature of the offences and the victims' physical and emotional suffering.
In March 2022 the Special Criminal Court accepted jurisdiction to hear the cases of Bernard Fogarty, 34, and Robert Redmond, 33, who were originally charged with attempted murder of Barry Wolverston. Wolverston died in hospital on 21 February 2021 after a long illness. The State solicitor applied for the charges to be upgraded to murder under Section 49 of the Offences Against the State Act, and the court agreed. The attempted murder charges were withdrawn and replaced by murder charges. Both men were also charged with assault causing harm to Gerard Wildman, and with possession of a .38/.357 calibre firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury. The original trial date of 15 June 2022 was retained. Both defendants confirmed their names in court and were served with the Book of Evidence. The case is now set to proceed under the new murder charges.
Boy B, now 17, seeks to introduce fresh evidence and amend grounds of appeal in his murder case. The Court of Appeal heard that the State, represented by Brendan Grehan SC, expects to oppose the application to enlarge grounds and present new evidence. Boy B was convicted with Boy A, both 13 at the time, of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel in May 2018. He received a 15‑year sentence, reviewable after eight years, and is currently detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus. The appeal focuses solely on the conviction, not the sentence. The motion to add new grounds and evidence will be scheduled for hearing, with the case listed for June 17. Boy A has not lodged an appeal. The court will decide whether to address the motion separately or together with the substantive hearing. Boy B's appeal will not challenge the severity of his sentence.
Evan Keogh, aged 26, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for three assaults on his partner between April 2017 and January 2018. In April 2017 he pulled her down the stairs, causing her to fall and injure her arm. In December 2017 he bent her ankle, inflicting pain and leaving her limping for days. In January 2018 he struck her face, splitting her lip and biting her finger, which had been broken three years earlier. Keogh pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm at various locations in Dublin. The court described the attacks as "reprehensible" and imposed a 15‑month sentence for the first assault and a consecutive 18‑month term for the subsequent assaults, backdated to March 2021 when he entered custody.
In a Dublin murder trial, paramedics testified that Romanian man Ioan Artene Bob, aged 49, was severely beaten in Sean Walsh Park on 13 April 2018, suffering "racoon eyes" and extensive bruising. He was taken to Tallaght Hospital where he died at 4.37 pm after respiratory and cardiac arrest. Witnesses described Bob's swollen face, blood from his mouth and nose, and a cracked jaw, fractured ribs, and punctured lungs. The prosecution alleges that after the attack, Bob's phone and bank card were used in Dublin and Meath, implicating Feri Anghel, 42, who denies the murder. Bob had recently won €2‑3,000 at a Dublin casino and had sent much of it to Romania. The case is heard before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury.
In March 2022 the Court of Appeal upheld a trial judge's decision to direct a jury to acquit a 72‑year‑old man of four historic child sex‑abuse charges. The accused had pleaded not guilty to indecent assault allegations dated between April 1968 and December 1970, involving a complainant aged seven to nine at the time. The complainant first reported the allegations to Gardaí in January 2015. The case was returned to the Bray Circuit Criminal Court in November 2016 and the trial began in March 2019. After a single day, the judge refused the Director of Public Prosecutions an adjournment and, because the chief witness could not attend, directed the jury to acquit the accused of all charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a judicial review, arguing the judge had exceeded his jurisdiction, but the High Court dismissed that claim.
Murad Kandokar, 49, of Gleann Ribh, Lusk, Co. Dublin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 16 months in prison for two sexual assaults. He pleaded guilty to an assault on a Luas train in Dublin on 26 May 2021 and to an assault on a Galway‑to‑Dublin Airport City Link bus on 17 July 2019. The court heard that on the Luas incident a young woman was approached by Kandokar, who pressed his body against her and displayed an erection, causing her to disembark at the Four Courts and seek assistance from Garda Sonya Mooney. In the bus incident, a woman was found with Kandokar's hand in her crotch area; she shouted at him and he moved seats before being arrested. Judge Martin Nolan described the acts as compulsive yet criminal, sentencing Kandokar to two and a half years with fourteen months suspended, leaving a net 16‑month custodial term.
The murder trial of Trevor Rowe, 30, of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, continued before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. Rowe, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of 71-year-old Ann Butler at her Maudlin Street home on March 20, 2020, is alleged to have beaten, stabbed, and mutilated the victim. Chief State Pathologist Linda Mulligan testified that Butler's cause of death was asphyxia associated with blunt force trauma to the head, a fatal incised wound to the neck, and stab wounds to the trunk. She noted a 25cm piece of cardboard obstructing the airways and an incised wound to the ear. Forensic evidence presented included a male DNA profile from a cider can matching Rowe and female DNA from Butler found on blood-stained gloves in Rowe's apartment. Rowe allegedly admitted to gardai that he killed Butler, stating he slit her throat. The court heard that Rowe was arrested on March 26, 2020, following 999 calls. The trial is ongoing, with closing speeches expected next, and the matter has not been finalised.
An appeal by Jason Bradley and Dean Bradley against their murder convictions has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The brothers were originally sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2018 for the murder of Neil Reilly in Lucan, Dublin, on January 18, 2017. The appeal focused on alleged errors in the trial judge's charge to the jury and the admissibility of witness Danielle Cusack's evidence. Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding at the three-judge Court of Appeal, dismissed all grounds of appeal, stating that the trial was conducted fairly and that the jury's verdicts were safe. Jason Bradley was found guilty of murder and Dean Bradley was acquitted of murder but was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for the same offence. Ryan Bradley was acquitted of murder by the trial judge but pleaded guilty to an offence of impeding the murder investigation and received a fully suspended five-year prison sentence. The court rejected claims that the trial judge improperly charged the jury and that the use of Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI) with Ms Cusack was unfair. The appeal was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Louise Heaney, aged 49, received a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for publishing photographs of the two boys convicted of murdering Ana Kriégel. Heaney posted a picture on Facebook that identified the boys as "Boy A" and "Boy B" and later removed it. She admitted that the post was made in a "momentary lapse of judgement" and that she was "probably overcome with emotion" after the murder trial, which reminded her of a friend's son who had also been murdered. Heaney had no prior convictions and had been aware of the court order prohibiting the publication of any identifying material. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that the offence was at the lower end of the scale and that very few people had seen the photograph. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, and Heaney expressed regret and apologized to the Gardaí. Louise Heaney pleaded guilty.
Trevor Rowe, aged 71, was accused of murdering 71‑year‑old Ann Butler in her Kilkenny home on 20 March 2020. In a Central Criminal Court interview, Rowe admitted to killing Butler but refused to explain why, saying it was "disgusting" to discuss. He claimed he had called Gardaí anonymously to help locate the body, stating he intended to dismember her but ultimately did not. Rowe also alleged he had committed five other murders and was linked to the Kinahan Cartel, receiving €5,500 for a murder. Forensic evidence included a timber cross and a "Jesus figure" found in Rowe's apartment, which were linked to a crucifix unit recovered from Butler's house. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Romanian man Ioan Artene Bob, aged 49, was found beaten in a "very, very bad state" in Tallaght's Sean Walsh Memorial Park on 13 April 2018. A Polish woman, Marzana Jurzak, discovered him early in the morning, noting bruises, swelling and blood on his face, and that he could not stand. She reported that Bob had shown her four fingers, which she interpreted as indicating four attackers. The prosecution alleged that Bob had recently won €2‑3 000 at a Dublin casino, sent much of it to Romania, and that he and accused Feri Anghel, 42 and homeless, had travelled together from the city centre to Tallaght on Luas. CCTV and mobile phone evidence were said to link Anghel to the attack and subsequent use of Bob's phone and bank card. Bob died of cardiac arrest at Tallaght Hospital later that day.
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a friend of a woman who claims she was raped by five men in a car in the midlands gave evidence. The witness described the woman as distraught, crying, and traumatised when she returned to her friends on the early hours of 27 December 2016. She was said to have been in shock, with her skirt torn and her clothes not fully on. The friend reported that she repeatedly said there were six men and that she could do nothing. The witness also recounted that the woman had not been drunk and that she was reluctant to go to the Garda station initially, but was eventually taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Mullingar. The trial continues before a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Duffy, aged 28, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with three years suspended after the Court of Appeal quashed a wholly suspended sentence handed by Judge Melanie Greally. The original sentence had been imposed for assault causing serious harm to Darren Darley, 50, who was left comatose after a one‑punch attack on 29 August 2016. Duffy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the judge erred by not imposing a custodial term and that the penalty was unduly lenient. In the appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy re‑sentenced Duffy to four years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Duffy was taken into custody after entering a good behaviour bond. The case involved a single blow struck between strangers, with the victim sustaining a traumatic brain injury and long‑term deficits.
Denise Cribbin, 45, of Stepaside, Co Wicklow, was sentenced to a two‑year wholly suspended term for making a false statement under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, quashed the original sentence and imposed a one‑year custodial term. Cribbin, who had pleaded guilty in July 2020, was told she would be taken into custody to begin her sentence. The offence stemmed from a false allegation of sexual assault made after a single‑car crash on 12 July 2016, involving Cribbin and the injured party. The court noted the statement was false after witness interviews contradicted it. Cribbin will report to Stepaside Garda Station before 5 pm on Friday to be taken into custody.
In March 2022 the Court of Appeal heard that the two‑year custodial sentence imposed on 20‑year‑old Scott O'Connor for brandishing a knife outside a Cork house party was unduly lenient. O'Connor had pleaded guilty in January 2021 to violent disorder and to producing a knife capable of serious injury in a manner likely unlawful to intimidate another. The Central Criminal Court had originally imposed a five‑year term with the final three years suspended; the DPP appealed, arguing the suspension was too lenient given the grave circumstances. The case involved a pre‑drinks party for UCC Freshers' Week, a drunk homeless man, and the death of 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair, who was stabbed moments after O'Connor had brandished a large knife on the doorstep.
Trevor Rowe, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 71‑year‑old Ann Butler in her Kilkenny home on 20 March 2020. In Central Criminal Court, he told officers he could not explain what happened, saying the truth would not help her family and that he could not even close his eyes. Rowe admitted making anonymous calls to Gardaí, claiming he wanted the woman found and was ashamed. He also claimed to have committed five other murders, worked for the Kinahan Cartel, and received €5,500 for a murder. Gardaí presented CCTV showing him walking to Maudlin Street that night. Rowe described taking large amounts of drugs and alcohol before the incident. The trial continues before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Tobin of Corran Ard, Athy, was found guilty of assault causing harm after he kicked in the door of a man's home and carried out a prolonged attack. Tobin claimed he had been misinformed that the victim had harmed a woman, the victim's partner, and that his actions were a misguided attempt to help. He admitted his wrongdoing. The victim, who wished to remain unnamed, suffered cuts, a punctured lung and other injuries but no serious consequences. Tobin, who has prior convictions for assault and public order offences and a history of alcohol and cocaine abuse, was given €1,000 as an expression of remorse, which the victim accepted. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a 30‑month prison sentence, suspended the final 15 months, and required Tobin to keep the peace and engage with Probation Services for 15 months after release.
A man has been sentenced to four years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for cleaning up and removing blood-stained evidence from his Drogheda home where teenager Kean Mulready Woods was murdered in January 2020. Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, pleaded guilty to obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of persons guilty of the murder, contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of seven years before mitigation, reduced to five years and three months with the final fifteen months suspended. The sentence was backdated to May 2020. The judge acknowledged McKenna was not present during the killing but emphasised the seriousness of disposing of material evidence. Evidence revealed extensive blood-staining throughout the property despite attempts to clean and redecorate. The court heard McKenna had acted under threat from a dangerous criminal figure. The judge noted McKenna's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances as mitigating factors.
The Central Criminal Court trial of four men, who have pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of sexual assault, rape, and false imprisonment of a woman on December 27, 2016, continued before Ms Justice Tara Burns. The fifth accused is not before the court. Both the complainant and defendants are entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act. During cross-examination, the complainant denied that the sexual activity alleged to have occurred in a car and at a remote location was consensual. She rejected suggestions by Colman Cody SC and Hugh Hartnett SC that the atmosphere was jovial or her behavior playful. The complainant alleged she was forced to give and receive oral sex and was raped by each of the five men. She stated that any sexual acts were non-consensual, contradicting assertions by Seamus Clarke SC that his client believed the acts were consensual. The complainant also denied placing herself on a defendant's lap or kissing the driver upon leaving. The trial continues tomorrow.
A 41‑year‑old man from Co Offaly was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of four counts of oral rape of a child between May 1995 and December 1998, when the victim was aged 11 to 14. He was also found guilty of eight counts of sexual assault of the same child and four counts of sexual assault of the victim's older brother, who was aged 12 to 13 in 1995 and 1996. The two boys were placed in foster care with the defendant's family in 1995. The defendant claimed he felt resentful about sharing his home, was bullied at school and identified with the younger boy, grooming him and turning what began as wrestling into sexual acts. The victim reported that the abuse started with kissing and escalated to repeated oral sex, which he described as "consensual" at the time.
A 19‑year‑old named Nathan Kelly was sentenced to five years in prison for a series of violent offences committed over a 20‑month period, including the theft of a nurse's wallet. The court heard that Kelly had a troubled background, was diagnosed with post‑traumatic stress disorder, and had a history of addiction. He pleaded guilty to three assaults, three robberies and trespassing likely to cause fear, with offences dated between 28 February 2019 and 28 October 2020. The judge noted his early exposure to domestic violence, his ADHD and PTSD diagnoses, and his high risk of reoffending. Kelly has expressed remorse, is engaging with his addictions, and is in a stable relationship. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling 78 months, suspended the final 18 months for 12 months on strict conditions, and ordered a five‑year custodial term.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old man and a 37‑year‑old woman were jailed for 14 years each for the savage abuse of their then nine‑year‑old daughter, who suffered a catastrophic brain injury. The parents claimed the child was possessed by an evil spirit and inflicted "wanton cruelty" by punching, beating with a belt and stick, choking, biting and burning her. Evidence showed the father performed a ritual to expel the "devil" from her body. A jury convicted them of two counts of assault causing serious harm and three counts of child cruelty. Judge Martin Nolan noted the parents' belief in possession offered no defence. The girl now lives in a care centre, unable to walk, talk or sit independently, and will require 24/7 care for the rest of her life.
In March 2022, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced a 39‑year‑old father and a 37‑year‑old mother to 14 years' imprisonment for the savage abuse of their nine‑year‑old daughter. The parents, originally from North Africa, claimed the child was possessed by an evil spirit, but the court found no defence. The girl was repeatedly punched, beaten with a belt and a stick, choked, bitten and burned, resulting in catastrophic brain injury that left her unable to walk, talk or sit independently. The couple were convicted of two counts of assault causing serious harm and three counts of child cruelty. They had been in custody since August 2019, and their children were taken into care. The judge described the conduct as "grossly reprehensible" and noted the child would remain dependent on carers for life. The sentence reflects the sustained, extreme nature of the abuse.
A jury convicted Declan McGowan, 33, of assaulting Andra Calauz and attempting to coerce her into his car on the night of 18 September. McGowan claimed he had pulled alongside Calauz on Kimmage Road Lower, believing she was in danger, and told her he was a Garda with a gun. He kissed and hugged her, then repeatedly urged her to get into his vehicle. Calauz said she felt frightened and pressured. Her husband, Daniel Ion, testified that McGowan choked him and threatened to call Tusla, demanding Calauz enter the car. Ion called Gardaí, who arrested McGowan. The four‑day trial ended with guilty verdicts on all four counts: attempted coercion, assault on Calauz, impersonation of a Garda, and assault on Ion. McGowan was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 17 June. The judge thanked the jury for their time. The case remains at the sentencing stage. Declan McGowan pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Fitchett, 34, of Skibbereen, was sentenced by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court for impeding a murder investigation. He pleaded guilty to a Section 7(2) charge under the Criminal Law Act 1997, knowing that Jonathan Ustic, 51, had been murdered and intentionally hindering the apprehension of the perpetrator. Fitchett had driven a man away from Ustic's house on 24 September 2017, believing Ustic was still alive after a violent assault. He was later involved in a serious head‑on collision near Dunmanway, where he was injured and the passenger fled. Gardaí later confirmed Ustic was dead. Fitchett's sentence was a headline term of three years, with a two‑year suspended portion, and a condition of good behaviour. He had no prior convictions and expressed regret. The judge noted his intoxication and the collision as mitigating factors. The probation report indicated a moderate risk of reoffending within 12 months.
A young woman, whose identity is protected under the 1981 Rape Act, testified that five men sexually assaulted and raped her in a car in the midlands. She said she had accepted a lift after a night out, but once inside, two men in the rear began assaulting her. She pushed them away and later sat in the front passenger seat, where she claimed a man raped her while others in the back also touched her again. The woman stated she did not consent and that no one asked if it was acceptable. Four of the five men are before the court, pleading not guilty to 18 counts of sexual assault, rape and false imprisonment, with the fifth not yet in court. The trial is ongoing before Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
Lee O'Brien, 35, was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment after a jury convicted him of attempted robbery at Centra, Drimnagh Road, Crumlin, and robbery at Spar, Walkinstown Roundabout, Crumlin on 23 April 2018. During the first incident he threatened staff with a butter knife, which was removed by the staff, and he failed to steal the till. In the second incident he entered Spar with a small knife, threatened a staff member, jumped over the counter, stole the till containing €260–€300, and fled in a car that was later traced to his girlfriend's house. O'Brien had 175 previous convictions, including robbery, theft, drug possession, and criminal damage. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Judge Martin Nolan noted no actual violence but the threat of violence in both offences, and gave credit for his cooperation in the trial process. The judge also considered his desire to rehabilitate and his drug treatment history.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 4 March 2022, Tara Gibson, mother of 28‑year‑old John Gibson, wept as she recounted the loss of her son, who was shot five times by rival drug gang members at Citywest Shopping Centre. John Gibson, a father of two, was killed on 18 September 2017. Matthew Bell, 25, pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder, admitting he had driven a Volkswagen Caddy to the scene and later used a black Opel Corsa, which was traced to Bell's mother. Bell claimed his involvement was due to stupidity and drug use, and expressed remorse. The court adjourned the hearing to 14 March, with no sentencing or further proceedings reported in the article. The mother described her son as a kind, loving man and expressed that his death was a living nightmare, a part of her dying that day. The article does not mention any sentencing or further legal outcomes.
In a Kilkenny murder trial, 29‑year‑old Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty to killing 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. A Garda witness presented CCTV footage showing Rowe walking toward Butler's home on Maudlin Street at 9:30 pm, then moving away from the house later that night. The footage also captured Rowe leaving Abbey Street, walking along Parliament Street, passing a library on John's Quay with a bag, and later walking down Market Yard car park. Butler's sister, Margo Neary, testified that she last saw her sister on the evening of 20 March and had no contact with her until 25 March, when she attempted to call Butler's house without success. A detective described Butler's body as having neck lacerations, a head injury and a missing left ear. Rowe admitted to having committed "five other murders" and claimed he was paid €5,500 for a murder.