In a Court of Appeal decision on 25 January 2022, the court rejected the State's request to jail a 22‑year‑old man who had sexually assaulted a 14‑year‑old girl after befriending her on Snapchat. The man had pleaded guilty to the assault, to asking the girl to touch him, and to contacting a child for sexual exploitation, all offences under Irish law. In February 2021 he received a two‑year suspended sentence from Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient, but the three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, decided not to interfere with the original sentence. The court noted the man had fled to England after the incident, returned to Ireland in July 2020, and had spent a month in custody following his arrest. No further action was taken in this appeal.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 January 2022, the lawyers for Richard O'Mara, aged 33, argued that the 12‑year custodial sentence handed down by Ms Justice Tara Burns for two counts of rape was "very severe". O'Mara had been convicted in April 2019 by a jury at the Central Criminal Court for raping a teenage schoolgirl twice at an 18th birthday party in County Clare. The first assault occurred in a field near the party venue, the second inside the house after guests had left. O'Mara's appeal focuses on the lack of violence or force in the field rape and the absence of mitigating factors, citing his prior good character and lack of previous convictions. The Director of Public Prosecutions maintained that the sentence was appropriate, noting the victim's injuries, the pre‑meditated nature of the first rape, and the violence and humiliation inflicted during both assaults. Richard O'Mara pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, four men—Rabah Rabai (20), Ibrahim Ouadria (21), Ishak Djebbari (22) and Hamen Guernane (21)—were found to have attacked a 16‑year‑old teenager who had witnessed the unlawful killing of their friend in May 2019. The victim was kicked and stamped on the head while on the ground, resulting in unconsciousness and injuries treated in an ambulance. The court noted that the teenager had previously testified as a witness in the 2020 trial of the unlawful killing and that three of the four accused were also witnesses to that death. All four pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sandyford Luas Stop on 22 June 2019. None had prior convictions. The judge remanded them on continuing bail, adjourned the case for finalisation on 28 April, and suggested the accused pay the victim a compensation of around €10,000.
An elderly retired Catholic priest, aged in his late eighties, has filed a High Court action to stop his trial in the Circuit Criminal Court over allegations of sexually assaulting a boy more than 50 years ago. He claims that dementia and other cognitive difficulties prevent him from receiving a fair trial, as he cannot understand proceedings or give evidence. The priest denies the allegations. A treating physician reports that his condition prevents him from instructing his legal team or understanding the trial. He faces over 40 counts of indecent assault against a young male between 1967 and 1972, alleged to have occurred at various sites in south Dublin, including a room in the priest's residence, a nearby shed and wasteland. The complainant first reported the abuse to Gardai two years ago, and the priest was charged last year. The High Court granted permission to bring the challenge ex‑parte, and the matter was adjourned to a March hearing.
In March 2021, Dean McCarthy, 32, shot Sinead Connolly three times in front of her daughter at Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin, leaving her paralysed below the chest. At the Central Criminal Court, McCarthy pleaded guilty to attempted murder and to possession of a Grand Power semi‑automatic handgun with intent to endanger life. His case was adjourned to 8 April for a sentencing hearing, with a victim impact statement and probation report to be prepared. The registrar recorded his plea as "guilty.".
The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding the admissibility of evidence in the case of Richard Dekker, who was convicted in 2017 of murdering Daniel McAnaspie. Dekker, a prisoner at Mountjoy Prison, is appealing his life sentence, arguing that his right to reasonable access to a solicitor was breached during questioning at Cabra Garda Station. His counsel, Sean Gillane SC, contended that Dekker was not properly cautioned and was pressured to answer questions without legal advice, rendering subsequent statements inadmissible. The prosecution, represented by Brendan Grehan SC, countered that Dekker was cautioned twice and understood his rights, noting he had previously been advised by his solicitor not to speak if inference provisions were invoked. The court heard that Dekker had initially been acquitted in 2013 due to a lack of evidence, but the Supreme Court later permitted a retrial under the Criminal Justice Procedure Act 2010. Co-accused Trevor Noone admitted manslaughter and blamed Dekker for the murder. Dekker also received a two-year and six-month sentence in 2010 for unlawful possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The matter remains under appeal consideration.
In January 2022, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of Eddie O'Loughlin, a 38‑year‑old former resident of Finbar's Terrace, Bohermore, who had been convicted of aggravated burglary and a violent assault on Jonathan King in June 2016. O'Loughlin entered the family home at 8 am armed with a large kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed King in front of the victim's daughters, aged four, 11 and 17. He also threatened the mother, Adrienne Keary, by placing his finger on his lips. O'Loughlin was arrested hours later, his clothing stained with King's blood. He had originally pleaded not guilty, later changed to guilty after evidence from Keary, and was sentenced to 10 ½ years in January 2020. On appeal, the Court found no error in the conviction but suspended the final 18 months of the term for three years, subject to a bond with probation services. The appeal was heard by Justices Kennedy, Edwards and McCarthy.
Albino Sabino Dos Santos Filho, 30, was sentenced to a fully suspended one‑year imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old boy in Dublin in August 2019. The assault occurred on a public street after the victim asked to borrow the defendant's phone. Dos Santos Filho, who was intoxicated and had limited English, claimed he misunderstood the interaction. Garda Alma McGovern described the victim's fear and the physical struggle that followed. The defendant pleaded guilty, and the judge, citing mitigating factors and the defendant's lack of prior convictions, imposed a suspended sentence with strict conditions, including a €1,000 compensation payment to the victim. The court noted the defendant's remorse, his compliance with the sex offenders register, and his desire to remain in Ireland. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The High Court has lifted a naming ban on Alan Harte, allowing the media to identify him following his sentencing. Harte, 40, pleaded not guilty to charges of false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019. On December 20, Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Harte to 30 years' imprisonment for torturing and falsely imprisoning Mr Lunney. The judge described Harte as the ringleader who inflicted most of the serious injuries, including knife wounds to the face and torso, and rejected mitigation based on Harte's childhood trauma, noting he had previously used the same narrative to mitigate his sentence for helping dispose of Peter Gunn's body. Harte was previously convicted of impeding the garda investigation in the Gunn case, receiving a six-year sentence with the final three years suspended. Kastriot Boza, 48, also pleaded guilty to impeding the garda investigation in that matter. The naming ban had been in place due to Harte's pending trial for the murder of Anthony Rogers, a charge the DPP dropped after the judge ruled key CCTV identification evidence inadmissible. Harte's lawyers had argued the ban should remain to protect his right to a fair trial in other unrelated proceedings, but the court lifted the restriction.
In February 2017, Gavin Sheehan, aged 35, was convicted at Cork Circuit Criminal Court of possession of a firearm and ammunition, unlawful discharge of a firearm, assault causing serious harm, and two counts of criminal damage. The jury found him guilty after a seven‑day trial. Judge Sean O'Donnabhain imposed a headline sentence of 14 years, suspending three years, and noted the victim, 21‑year‑old Ciara Sheehan, survived after life‑saving surgery. Sheehan had previously denied all charges and appealed. On 18 January 2022, the Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, considered whether the suspended portion could be reassessed if Sheehan failed to make suitable progress in rehabilitation. Defence counsel Patrick McGrath SC requested a brief adjournment, after which Sheehan withdrew his appeal. The court granted the withdrawal, noting Sheehan's 72 prior convictions and the legal advice he had received. The case remains at the point of the suspended sentence, with no further appeal pending.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced a Munster family to a combined 24 years for sexual abuse, exploitation and wilful neglect of their children. The 57‑year‑old father received 15 years for 31 offences, including rape of his three eldest children, sexual assault, exploitation and child cruelty. The 34‑year‑old mother was jailed for nine years for 25 offences, including sexual assault, exploitation and neglect. The children's 49‑year‑old uncle was sentenced to 15 years for 10 counts of rape, assault and exploitation. His 35‑year‑old wife received three years for sexually assaulting two children. The 27‑year‑old maternal uncle was jailed for 15 years for eight of nine charges, including rape and exploitation. The judge noted the children suffered enormous pain and that the offenders showed no remorse. The unnamed 49-year-old was found guilty.
A 25‑year‑old Latvian man, Valerijs Leitons, was sentenced to 13 years in prison with the final year suspended for five years, after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter with substantially diminished responsibility for the stabbing death of 34‑year‑old Latvian translator Valdgeima at the Binary Hub aparthotel in Dublin on 26 June 2019. Leitons, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had stopped taking his medication, told investigators that he and Valdgeima were "playing a sexual game" and that he believed she was an enemy agent. He stabbed her more than 50 times, killing her. The judge noted that the mental disorder could diminish but not eliminate his culpability, and set a headline sentence of 15 years, reduced to 13 years with a suspended year. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with witnesses describing the attack as brutal and pre‑meditated, and the victim's family delivering impact statements. The unnamed 25-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In January 2022, Judge Paul McDermott re‑activated 18 months of the five‑year suspended portion of Jason Paget's 15‑year sentence for aggravated burglary and sexual assault committed in 2003. Paget, 34, had been released in 2018 after serving ten years and had returned to the UK. He had failed to comply with Probation Service requirements, citing lack of a UK system and COVID‑related issues. The judge noted Paget's earlier remorse, good behaviour and limited contact with victims, and decided not to re‑activate the full suspended term. The case remains at the stage of a suspended sentence adjustment, with the court acknowledging Paget's partial compliance and the absence of a UK probation arrangement. No further convictions or outcomes are reported in the article. Probation Service pleaded guilty.
A charity that runs a centre for children with severe behavioural difficulties has taken a High Court action to have a boy in its care moved to a more suitable facility. The charity says its centre cannot provide the type of care the boy needs and that the boy has allegedly been verbally and physically abusive to other children and staff. Staff absences and a resignation after alleged assault are cited. The charity had asked the Child & Family Agency (CFA) to transfer the boy late last year, but claims the agency has delayed excessively. The boy was placed at the centre in 2019 for a two‑year programme that ended last year. The charity seeks an order requiring the CFA to plan a transfer, declarations that the CFA has failed to protect the child's constitutional and European Charter rights, and an indemnity for losses incurred from the end of the programme until the boy leaves.
A man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the death of his uncle in a house fire at Derrylurgan, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan in August 2018 appeared before the Central Criminal Court. Daniel Murray (40) admitted setting fire to sheets with a lighter, causing the blaze that killed Patrick Oliver Murray through smoke inhalation. The court heard Murray had 48 previous convictions, including multiple arson offences. When informed of his uncle's death, Murray reportedly enquired about the family dog rather than expressing concern about the fatality. Murray subsequently told gardai he had intended only to frighten his uncle and sought to take revenge over past grievances, stating the fire "went the wrong way". A victim impact statement described the deceased as a quiet, good-humoured man who had cared for their elderly mother. The defence submitted Murray had acted recklessly but unintentionally, with heavy alcohol consumption contributing to his actions. Justice Paul McDermott adjourned sentencing to January 25.
A 23‑year‑old Stephen Butler was jailed for four years after he killed his 48‑year‑old father John Butler during a fist‑fight that erupted moments after the pair left a pub in Portlaw, Co. Waterford. Butler told gardai he did not intend to kill his father and claimed the fight was simply a row. He pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter. After an eight‑day trial in October 2021, the jury accepted his defence and he was remanded for sentencing. At the hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns noted the lack of premeditation, no weapon, and Butler's remorse. The judge sentenced Butler to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended for five years, citing his lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, cooperation with investigators and genuine remorse. The case highlighted the tragic impact on Butler's sister Katilyn, who lost her father and now struggles to forgive her brother.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Darren Murphy to life in prison for the murder of Eamon Kelly. Mr Justice Owens, sitting with Judges Ní Chúlacháin and Dempsey, imposed the mandatory life sentence, backdating it to November 1, 2021, for time already served. Murphy, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of acting as a "spotter" in the December 4, 2012, shooting of the 65-year-old victim on Furry Park Road, Killester. The court found he participated in the common design of the murder gang, meeting the gunman and getaway driver and facilitating their escape. He was acquitted of possessing a Glock pistol due to insufficient evidence. Co-accused Kenneth Donohoe, who also pleaded not guilty, was found not to have been the getaway driver or possessed a handgun, with the court citing insufficient evidence of his direct role. In 2015, Sean Connolly was jailed for life for the same murder. The judge stated the evidence admitted no other credible explanation for Murphy's activities, noting he was as guilty as the shooter. Murphy has six previous convictions for public order and road traffic matters. The court accepted victim impact statements from Kelly's daughter, Alison, who described the killing as a "cowardly and senseless act."
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 49‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his younger sister from 1984 to 1991. The abuse, which began when the sister was about seven or eight and continued until she was 14, included indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, oral rape and anal rape, often occurring in the family home when parents were absent. The victim, now 45, described her brother as a "monster" who threatened to destroy the family if she disclosed the abuse. She said the abuse caused profound loss of confidence, dignity and autonomy, and led to depression, anxiety and PTSD. The judge noted the offender's age at the time of the offences (13‑19) and imposed a nine‑year sentence without suspension, citing his lack of rehabilitation efforts. The victim's husband supported her throughout the proceedings. The offender had no prior convictions and was employed as a painter, decorator and bus driver. The unnamed 49-year-old pleaded guilty.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, was re-arraigned on November 17 and pleaded guilty to participating in activities of a criminal organisation, contrary to Section 72 (1) (A) of the Criminal Justice Act. The charge relates to his involvement between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, in activities connected with the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty at his first arraignment on November 9. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the non-jury court, remanded Glynn in custody until February 11, when he will be sentenced. In a related case, Caolan Smyth (30) of Cuileann Court, Donore, Co Meath, was sentenced to 20 years at the Special Criminal Court for the attempted murder of Gately and for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Smyth had denied both charges. Gary McAreavey (53) of Gort Nua, Station Road, Castlebellingham, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day. He received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended. Estonian hitman Imre Arakas (63) was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, after he admitted to conspiring with others to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62), of Blakestown Cottages in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, has already been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot to murder Gately. The court heard that Gately had been warned by gardaí of a threat to his life from criminals who believed him to be involved in the Regency Hotel murder of Kinahan Cartel associate David Byrne in February 2016. The court has heard in previous related cases that there was 'ongoing targeting' of Gately in the context of a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Wayne Whelan, a 42‑year‑old gangster, was shot at least three times in the head and found in a burning car on 18 November 2019. His sister Hazel Grainger testified that Whelan trusted Anthony Casserly, who lured him to his death under the pretense of watching a soccer match. Casserly, 25, pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder, while Christopher Moran, 52, pleaded guilty as the getaway driver. The court heard that Whelan's body was in the passenger seat of a Toyota Corolla that was set on fire, and DNA analysis was required to identify him. The hearing focused on the relationship between Whelan and Casserly, the events leading to the murder, and the evidence presented by the prosecution and defence. Casserly is scheduled for sentencing on 31 January. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no verdict yet.
In 2014, a Central Criminal Court jury found Andrzej Benko, 50, guilty of attempting to murder his wife Joanna Benko by striking her with a lump hammer while she slept. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy. Benko appealed, arguing that his cooperation with Gardaí after arrest warranted a shorter term. The Court of Appeal, in a written judgment delivered on 13 January 2022, rejected the appeal, affirming the 15‑year sentence. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, noted the case's "alarming features" and the severe, lifelong injuries inflicted on Mrs Benko, who now requires full‑time care and cannot care for her son. The court also recorded that Benko had admitted striking his wife's head at least three times and that he had intended to kill her that morning. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the original sentence intact. Andrzej Benko pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a father was found guilty of sexually assaulting his nine‑year‑old daughter between January and April 2017, and was sentenced to three years and four months' imprisonment. He has not accepted the verdict and has appealed, arguing that the prosecution's evidence indicated he was asleep when the alleged conduct occurred and that a conversation with his daughter took place the following morning. His lawyers claim that Judge Elma Sheahan failed to direct the jury to consider this evidence, which would have led to a not‑guilty verdict. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment. The victim, now 13, testified that her father should have protected her and that the assault took away part of her childhood. Judge Sheahan noted the father's regret but said he would not accept a suspended sentence unless he enrolled in a rehabilitation programme, which he declined to do. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In February 2020, a man was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault against his girlfriend's nephews, aged four to nine, who were abused between 1985 and 1989 at their grandparents' home. The man, who was in his late teens when the abuse began, denied all charges. During the trial, the victims' father described the man as a "big uncle" who would play with the boys in their bedroom, often playing table football. A jury found him guilty and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended. The man's lawyers appealed, arguing procedural errors and that the trial judge had erred by allowing alternative counts for the same alleged offence over three years. Judge Patrick McCarthy acknowledged procedural errors but found they did not undermine overall fairness.
In January 2022, a 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for defiling his 16‑year‑old cousin on a church grounds in Galway in May 2018. He pleaded guilty to a sexual act with a child under 17, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of five years. At the time of the offence he was 29. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to keep her eyes open, described how the man kissed and groped her after she refused to go to the bushes. He denied any wrongdoing during questioning. The court noted his 140 prior convictions, including assault, robbery, burglary, knife possession, theft, public order offences and four Covid‑related convictions. The judge, citing the victim's vulnerability and the lack of grooming or violence, set a headline sentence of three and a half years, reduced by one year for mitigating factors, and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision period.
A 26-year-old man from Cavan has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to sexually abusing two young children in their home during summer 2014. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victims' anonymity, was their uncle and had been left in their care while babysitting. He pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a four-year-old girl and the rape of her older brother. The abuse came to light in 2014 when the younger child disclosed the assault to her mother, but prosecution was delayed after the defendant relocated to the United Kingdom. He returned to Ireland in March 2020 and was subsequently arrested. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the breach of trust and imposed conditions including a suspended final year, a prohibition on unsupervised contact with children, and mandatory engagement with sex offender treatment programmes. The children's mother described the abuse as "a parent's worst nightmare.
Stephen Duffy, 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Darren Darley, 50, after a one‑punch attack on 29 August 2016. Judge Melanie Greally had imposed a wholly suspended four‑year sentence in July, citing Darley's survival and the lack of intent. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient and should include custodial time. In the appeal hearing, Darley's text messages to Duffy, expressing forgiveness and a desire for closure, were read. The court reserved judgment a second time, noting the victim's charitable stance but stating it was not a decisive factor. The appeal remains pending, with the court to decide whether to re‑sentence Duffy. The case highlights the appellate process and the role of victim statements in sentencing decisions.
A man has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo on 31 counts of sexual assault and rape offences against a teenage boy in County Donegal between 1995 and 2000. The 59-year-old, with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, was found guilty by jury after a trial that represented the fourth legal proceeding in the case. Earlier trials had been discharged for legal reasons or resulted in hung juries. The complainant, now aged 39, described enduring six years of "complete torture" through the protracted court process since first reporting the matter to gardaí in October 2015. He testified four times during proceedings. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reduced to ten years to account for mitigating factors including the defendant's lack of prior convictions. A three-year post-release supervision order was also imposed. The defendant intends to appeal his conviction, and has been registered as a sex offender.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that Stephen Duffy, 28, should have received custodial time for a single‑punch assault that left Darren Darley, 50, in a coma and with a potentially fatal brain bleed. Duffy had pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after a brief verbal exchange on Belgard Road, Tallaght, on 29 August 2016. Judge Melanie Greally had imposed a wholly suspended four‑year sentence, citing Duffy's return to the scene and subsequent flight as mitigating factors. The DPP appealed, stating the sentence was unduly lenient and that the victim's long‑term injuries, including memory deficits and business closure, warranted a custodial term. The court noted CCTV footage of Duffy striking Darley and that Darley had received life‑saving surgery. The judgment was reserved.
A 15‑year‑old boy was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stabbing his friend twice during an arranged fight called a "straightener" after a dispute over their girlfriends. The boy, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, had no prior convictions. He had lit toilet paper on fire and placed it on the victim's car to lure him outside, then used a knife in a two‑minute fight. Facebook messages showed they had agreed no weapons would be used, but the boy still stabbed the victim. He claimed he was "stoned" and that the fire was not intentional. The judge, noting his remorse, the support of his family, and his progress while remanded, set a two‑year, three‑month detention period, deferred to July 29, on strict conditions to keep the peace and comply with the Probation Service.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gheorghe Morar, aged 36, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 15 May 2020, for sexual assault of an 18‑year‑old woman he met in a nightclub. Morar admitted that he and the woman were touching each other's genitals and kissing, and that he believed she was consenting, though he acknowledged it was a possibility she was not. He claimed he was not more sober than her and that she was heavily intoxicated. The court noted that the woman could not give full consent due to her drunken state. Morar had previously denied the offence but pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness. He had no prior convictions in Ireland except a minor public order matter in Spain. The judge reduced the headline sentence to two years, citing sincere remorse and lack of prior offending.
In a 2016 murder trial, James Lammon, aged 48, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of the brutal, pre‑meditated killing of Jason Doogue in Athy, Co. Kildare, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Lammon appealed, arguing that his counsel failed to challenge a disputed Garda Daniel O'Shea memo that he had allegedly recorded a conversation in an exercise yard after his arrest. The memo, which Lammon denied ever occurred, was admitted in edited form. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, concluding that Lammon had been informed of the prosecution's proposal regarding the memo, had understood it, and had instructed his legal team to accept it. The court found no evidence that his counsel acted contrary to his instructions and dismissed the appeal, leaving the life sentence in place.
Jonathan Reid, 27, of Newhall, Naas, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Greg Shiels on 6 March 2020 at New Hall, contrary to Section 4 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The State will later enter a nolle prosequi on the attempted murder charge. Mr Justice Paul McDermott fixed a sentence hearing for 21 March 2022, remanded Reid to remain in custody until that date, and ordered the preparation of a victim impact statement, a governor's report and a probation report.
A man from Coventry, England, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Kevin Sheehy, a five-times Irish boxing champion, at the Central Criminal Court. Logan Jackson, aged 31, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of murdering the 20-year-old at Hyde Road in Limerick city on 1 July 2019. Jackson had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury rejected his defence of provocation. Evidence presented at trial established that Jackson repeatedly ran over Mr Sheehy with a Mitsubishi Shogun jeep following a brief altercation outside a house party. A concurrent sentence of seven years was imposed on a second conviction for endangerment involving dangerous driving. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon backdated the sentence to 1 July 2019, when Jackson entered custody. Victim impact statements were read to the court by Mr Sheehy's family members.
A delivery driver has been jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction for a violent assault on another van driver. Aiman Khalel, aged 40, of Rathmines, Dublin, was found guilty after trial of assault causing harm and production of a wheel lock during an incident on Clanbrassil Street Upper on 12 September 2018. The assault arose from a dispute over overtaking between the two drivers. Khalel struck the victim three times around the head and hand with a steering wheel lock he had removed from the victim's vehicle. The victim, who was hospitalised for approximately four days and subsequently required multiple surgeries, was bleeding from head and chin wounds. Judge Sarah Berkeley described the broad daylight attack as "shocking and vicious" and noted the victim's ongoing medical needs. Khalel, who has lived in Ireland for 17 years and has no previous convictions for violence, received a three-year custodial sentence with the final year suspended, conditional on engagement with the Probation Service. Aiman Khalel pleaded not guilty.
Ioan Lingurar, 35, was sentenced to 17½ years' imprisonment for two separate rape and false‑imprisonment offences that occurred three years apart. In 2016 he raped a woman who woke up in his car, was locked inside and could not escape until later that night. In 2019 he again assaulted a woman in a car, who managed to escape after grabbing the wheel and punching him. DNA from both incidents matched Lingurar's pre‑existing profile from Austria. He had previously been convicted of sexual assault in France (2011) and had other convictions in Ireland. The judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, noted the offences were aggravated by the victims' isolation, the taking of their phones, and Lingurar's prior convictions. The sentences run consecutively, giving an effective custodial term of 17½ years. The victims' impact statements described lasting psychological harm and fear of strangers. The court did not consider any future outcomes beyond the sentencing. The unnamed woman pleaded guilty.
Christopher Feeney (58) was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of rape and sexual assault following a trial last September. The offences occurred at his home in Millbrook, Riverside, Sligo on 26 April 2015. The victim, then aged 54, met Feeney through a dating application and accompanied him to his apartment. During an assault lasting approximately one hour, the woman was pinned down and raped. She managed to contact gardaí, who instructed her to hang a towel from the balcony to identify his location. Officers arrived shortly thereafter and arrested Feeney. He was convicted on four counts, including rape and sexual assault, though the jury could not agree on a false imprisonment charge. Mr Justice David Keane indicated an intention to impose a nine-year sentence, with a portion potentially suspended pending a Probation Services report. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on 28 March 2022. Feeney, who had fled Ireland and was subsequently arrested in the UK in 2019, has remained in custody since his return. Christopher Feeney pleaded not guilty.
A 41‑year‑old former GAA coach was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for a series of sexual and physical offences against a boy he mentored at a local club. The victim, now 30, was abused over six years, from 2004 to 2010, including rape, anal rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm and harassment. The court imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten and a half years, with a headline sentence of 13.5 years, reduced by three years for the defendant's guilty plea, remorse and lack of prior convictions. Two and a half years were set for the sexual assault offences, two years for the assault‑causing‑harm offences and three years for the harassment offence. The final 18 months were suspended on strict conditions, including post‑release supervision for two years and a 10‑year prohibition on contact with the victim.
Dean Flynn, 25, a repeat offender with 55 convictions, had pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Stephen Noonan and Garda Mark O'Dwyer after breaching a court order that barred him from his mother's house. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Eugene O'Kelly, was five years for the assault on Noonan and five months for the assault on O'Dwyer, both to run concurrently. Flynn's lawyers appealed, arguing the headline sentence was too high and the one‑year discount insufficient. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence and imposed a new term of three years and three months. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with Judges George Birmingham and Aileen Donnelly, re‑sentenced Flynn to four years imprisonment with nine months suspended, citing the early guilty plea and Flynn's suitability for rehabilitation. Flynn, after being asked to enter a good‑behaviour bond, wished the judges a 'Happy Christmas' before being led away.
Alan Ward, aged 54, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of murdering his wife Catherine Ward, aged 41, by stabbing her to death in their Dublin home on 1 March 2019. Ward had claimed that a stroke he suffered in 2017 had substantially diminished his responsibility, but the jury rejected this defence after a little over seven hours of deliberation. The prosecution argued that Ward's behaviour was better explained by intoxication, noting he had drunk a large quantity of vodka before assaulting his wife, and cited his history of violence, including a 2000 conviction for assaulting his wife. Ward was also found guilty by a 10‑to‑1 majority of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to his son Adam Ward and of attempting to stab Adam on the same date. Alan Ward pleaded not guilty.
Kevin Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, gave evidence at the Special Criminal Court detailing his abduction and assault in County Fermanagh in September 2019. Mr Lunney described being forced into a vehicle, transported to a remote farmyard near Ballina, County Mayo, where he was beaten, slashed with a knife, and doused with bleach. He was later discovered on a roadside with a fractured shin, knife wounds, and hypothermia. The trial established that the attack was connected to Mr Lunney's directorship and litigation involvement. Three men were convicted: the court identified one as YZ, aged 40, Alan O'Brien, aged 40, and Darren Redmond, aged 27. Evidence included CCTV footage, mobile phone data, and DNA recovered from a vehicle used in the crime. Luke O'Reilly, aged 68, was acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence he knew the specific nature of the offences, despite ruling he likely provided local assistance. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Mr Lunney as a decent man subjected to brutal violence intended to prevent him conducting lawful business.
Brandon Power, aged 23, avoided a custodial sentence for the second time after the Court of Appeal quashed his original one‑year suspended sentence for biting a Garda's finger, which broke the bone. The appellate court, deeming the original non‑custodial term unduly lenient, ordered a re‑sentencing that would give Power a chance to engage with probation services. Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham announced that Power would now receive a three‑year imprisonment term, suspended in full for two years, and warned that failure to cooperate with probation could lead to a jail sentence. The judge described the offence as a "vicious assault" against a Garda performing duties and noted that positive background reports from the Probation Service indicated Power was making a genuine effort to change. Power had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Trevor Devereux in March 2018 and was sentenced in April 2019.
Three men have been sentenced following their conviction for the abduction and assault of Kevin Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. At the Special Criminal Court, a man identified as YZ received 30 years imprisonment, Alan O'Brien of East Wall, Dublin 3 was sentenced to 25 years, and Darren Redmond, also of East Wall, Dublin 3, received 18 years with the final three years suspended. Mr Justice Tony Hunt delivered the sentences, stating that life imprisonment was not imposed because the most severe penalties should be reserved for those who finance or benefit from such crimes. The judge noted Mr Lunney's composed testimony and described the assault as premeditated and casual brutality. Evidence showed Mr Lunney was forced into a vehicle, taken to a container where he was threatened, tortured with bleach, beaten, and had letters carved into his chest before being abandoned on a country road.
Matthew Bell, 25, of Ambervale, Cookstown, pleaded guilty to participating in the gangland murder of John Gibson, who was shot dead at Citywest Shopping Centre, Saggart, Dublin on 18 September 2017. Bell admitted he contributed to the murder to facilitate a criminal organisation's activities. No evidence was presented, and the case was adjourned to a sentencing hearing on 4 March 2022.
A jury will resume deliberations on Monday in the trial of Alan Ward, 54, who stabbed his wife Catherine Ward, 41, to death on 1 March 2019 at their Clondalkin home. Ward has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to an offence of threatening to kill or seriously harm his son Adam Ward, as well as to an attempt to stab Adam on the same date. The jury, composed of eight men and three women, has spent about five hours considering their verdicts and will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday. Mr Justice Tony Hunt explained that the jury has two logical verdicts: guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. He instructed them to first assess whether the prosecution has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ward intended to cause death or serious injury when he stabbed his wife.
In a 2019 murder at Castlecurragh Heath, Mark Whelan, aged 48, stabbed Noel "Noelie" Whelan, aged 22, 18 times while under the influence of a cocktail of drugs. The wounds included eight stab and seven incised injuries to the head and neck, and three to the upper trunk, one severing the carotid artery and another penetrating the lung. A jury found Whelan guilty of murder. In December 2021, Justice Tara Burns sentenced him to the mandatory life term, backdated to the date of arrest. The judge highlighted that Whelan's drug‑induced psychosis was the sole cause of the crime, noting that the case demonstrated the danger of drugs turning a "gentle giant" into a "demonic hulk." The sentence was imposed without hesitation, and the judge expressed sympathy for the bereaved family. The case remains a murder conviction with a life sentence.
Kieran Creaven, a 59‑year‑old former RTÉ producer, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a total of ten years in prison for four counts of child exploitation, two counts of sexual assault of a child and four counts of child pornography. The offences occurred in Ireland, the UK and the Philippines between 2014 and 2017. After his release, Creaven will be supervised for three years, must attend all appointments directed by a Probation Service officer, provide his address and any changes, engage in offence‑focused work and be available for a sex offender treatment programme. He will remain on the sex offender register for life. Judge Greally warned that failure to comply with these conditions would be an offence in its own right. Creaven pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and has undergone psychotherapy and rehabilitation work for the last two years. He has lost his job, future employment prospects and his marriage.
During a trial that had lasted just over a week, Judge Tony Hunt instructed a jury of eight men and three women on how to decide the case of Alan Ward, 54, who was charged with murdering his wife, Catherine Ward, 41, on 1 March 2019. He explained that the jury could only find Ward guilty of murder, not guilty of murder, or guilty of manslaughter. The judge said the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Ward intended to kill or seriously injure his wife. If that intent is not proven, the jury must return a manslaughter verdict. If intent is proven but Ward's responsibility is "substantially diminished" by a mental disorder caused by a 2017 stroke, the jury should also find him guilty of manslaughter. Ward had pleaded not guilty to the murder, to a threat to kill his son Adam, and to an attempt to stab Adam.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution's barrister Bernard Condon SC delivered a closing speech urging the jury to convict Alan Ward, 54, for the murder of his wife Catherine Ward, 41, on 1 March 2019. Condon argued that Ward's intent to kill or cause serious injury was clear from the nature of the stab wounds, the history of violence dating back to 2002, and the circumstances of the attack. He highlighted that Ward had previously threatened and attempted to stab his son Adam, and that Ward's post‑incident statements to Gardaí, including a "I'm fucked" remark, indicated awareness of his wrongdoing. Condon dismissed the defence of diminished responsibility on the grounds of a 2017 stroke, noting that intoxication, not a mental disorder, better explained Ward's behaviour. He urged the jury to consider whether Ward was an honest narrator, concluding that the evidence supported a conviction beyond reasonable doubt. The judge's charge was to be delivered the following day. Alan Ward pleaded not guilty.
Alan Wilson, aged 42, was sentenced to ten years in prison by Ms Justice Tara Burns of the Special Criminal Court for his role in a 2010 murder conspiracy that led to a shooting outside the Player's Lounge pub. Wilson admitted to conspiracy to murder persons unknown on 26 July 2010, and to possession of a .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and a .32 calibre Zastava pistol between 24 and 26 July 2010, with the inference that he possessed them for an unlawful purpose. He had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murders of Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett and Austin Purcell, charges that were later dropped. Wilson had previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to murder in 2019 and had a six‑year sentence for an earlier conspiracy. He was found not guilty of the 2008 murder of teenager Marioara Rostas.
Michelle O'Leary, aged 31, broke into the home of a 90‑year‑old neighbour in St Peter's Court, Phibsborough, by pretending to be a police officer and demanding money. She produced a knife, took €60 from the victim's pocket, dropped the weapon and fled. The victim identified her and she was arrested at her mother's apartment, where she was not supposed to be staying. O'Leary pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, production of a knife and making a false statement to Gardaí on 15 April 2021. She has 30 prior convictions for robbery, assault and theft. She has been remanded in custody since the arrest and is scheduled for sentencing in February 2022. The case was adjourned by Judge Melanie Greally to allow time for reports and she remains in custody until the hearing. The victim's family is seeking a nursing home placement for the neighbour. The incident was described as swift and frightening by Garda Kelly Mannion.