A self-proclaimed 'drugs lord' named Craig O'Connell, who had 62 previous convictions, was jailed for nine years for raping a 16-year-old girl. O'Connell falsely claimed the girl owed him €12,000 and threatened her with violence if she did not comply. He convinced her to have sex with him, recording the act to provide proof. O'Connell continued to extort money from the girl, taking items such as her mother's wedding band and an engagement ring. He also threatened her former boyfriend, falsely accusing him of being a 'rat' and making him sell drugs to repay a debt. O'Connell pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including rape, theft, and coercion. The court noted the abuse of trust and the deliberate planning to terrify the victims. The judge imposed a sentence of 11 years for the rape and a consecutive six-year term for making a demand with menace. O'Connell was also ordered to attend sex offender treatment and be under post-release supervision.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Stephen Carberry and Glen Bride to six years in prison for assisting in the disposal of the dismembered remains of Keane Mulready Woods. Both men pleaded guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the alleged murderer, Robbie Lawlor, by transporting and burning the victim's body parts in a stolen Volvo V40 in north Dublin. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor described the acts as showing "abhorrent inhumanity and disrespect." Carberry, who had a headline sentence of ten years, received a reduced term due to his guilty plea and the requirement to serve a consecutive sentence for a prior drug offence. Bride, who played a lesser role, had his nine-year headline sentence reduced to six years following his guilty plea and expressions of remorse. The court noted that neither defendant was involved in the murder itself. This sentencing follows earlier convictions in the case: Paul Crosby was jailed for ten years for facilitating the murder; Gerard Cruise received seven-and-a-half years with six months suspended for two years for the same offence; and Ged McKenna was sentenced to four years for assisting an offender by cleaning the crime scene. The court acknowledged the severe trauma suffered by the victim's family, who described the disposal of their son's remains as a "constant and unbearable torment."
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Paul Crosby to ten years in prison for facilitating the murder of Keane Mulready-Woods. The court described the killing as "disgraceful and inhuman," noting Crosby delivered the victim to Robbie Lawlor. Co-accused Gerard Cruise, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder, received a sentence of seven-and-a-half years, with the final six months suspended for two years. Ged McKenna was sentenced to four years for assisting an offender by attempting to clean the crime scene at his Rathmullan Park home. In a separate matter, Glen Bride, who pleaded guilty to assisting in the movement and disposal of the victim's body parts, was not sentenced today. The court heard he acted under Lawlor's instructions to drive a stolen Volvo V40 containing remains and set it on fire. Bride's sentencing is adjourned to March 9, alongside the sentencing of Stephen Carberry, who also pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of the offender. The court accepted Bride was not involved in the murder itself. The matter regarding Bride and Carberry was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
A bride who fell from a second-storey hotel window on her wedding night, suffering serious injuries, has resolved her personal injury claim at the High Court. Jackie Sexton (nee Tyrrell) brought a case against Deebert House Hotel Ltd, Kilmallock, Co Limerick, following the incident that occurred in the early hours after her February 29, 2020, wedding. The hotel denied liability, claiming that windows had been properly fitted with restrictors in 2014 and were in compliance with building standards. Ms Sexton alleged negligence and breach of duty, arguing that the hotel failed to ensure her safety. She told the court that she and her husband returned to the hotel around 3:30am and went to room 217. She said she was smoking a cigarette at the window when she fell, and the next thing she remembered was waking up in hospital the following day. Her husband found her missing from the bedroom and heard her moaning from below the window. Ms Sexton suffered multiple fractures, a collapsed lung, and other injuries, which significantly impacted her life and career.
A father-of-six, Christopher Devine (44), has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Tormey (49) but guilty to the manslaughter of the deceased, who was shot five times in his front garden in Ballyfermot on January 9, 2022. The trial heard that Mr Tormey suffered severe injuries, including rib fractures and partial lung collapse. The defence is expected to call a consultant psychiatrist who will testify that the accused was suffering from substance-induced psychotic disorder at the time. However, the prosecution argues that Mr Devine was not suffering from a mental disorder but was under the influence of cocaine. Detective Garda Janette O'Neill testified that she found two discharged cartridge cases in the car used by the accused. Detective Sergeant Mark Collander stated that a Heckler & Koch submachine gun, a rare firearm in Ireland, was used in the shooting. Mr Devine told gardai that he was best man at Mr Tormey's wedding but now faces the tragic reality of having shot his friend.
Stephen Carberry, 47, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to assisting an offender by helping move and dispose of the body parts of murdered teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. The prosecution entered a nolle prosequi on two further charges against Carberry, including facilitating murder for a criminal organisation and setting fire to a vehicle. Presiding judge Ms Justice Karen O'Connor directed a victim impact statement and adjourned the matter until January 19, with Carberry remanded in custody. The court also ordered a urine analysis, a prison medic letter, and an educational report. This follows last week's guilty plea by Glen Bride, 32, to assisting in the movement and disposal of the teenager's remains. In related proceedings, Paul Crosby was jailed for ten years and Gerard Cruise for seven-and-a-half years (with six months suspended) for facilitating the murder. Ged' McKenna was previously jailed for four years for assisting in cleaning the crime scene. Keane Mulready-Woods was murdered in Drogheda in January 2020, with remains discovered in Dublin and Drogheda.
Glen Bride, 32, of Kilbarrick, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to assisting in the transportation and disposal of body parts of murdered teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. The court adjourned the matter to January 26 for sentencing. The DPP entered a nolle prosequi regarding two further charges against Bride involving criminal organisation facilitation and arson. Previously, Paul Crosby was jailed for ten years and Gerard Cruise received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final six months suspended for two years, after both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder. Ged' McKenna was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to assisting in the clean-up of the crime scene. Bride's plea related to actions on January 15, 2020, intended to impede prosecution. The matter remains at the sentencing stage, with the specific date set for January 26.
David O'Sullivan, aged 22, was sentenced to nine years in prison for raping two girls aged 14 and 10 whom he groomed via Snapchat. He was also found in possession of 1,629 files of child sexual abuse material, including 915 videos and 714 images. Justice Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of 11½ years for the rapes and possession, suspending the final two and a half years on condition that O'Sullivan keep the peace, engage in sexual offence treatment and refrain from contacting either victim for 50 years. The court heard that O'Sullivan had met the first victim in June 2022, lied about his age, and had repeatedly attempted to groom and assault her, including a sexualised encounter in a shopping centre in February 2023. He also groomed a second 10‑year‑old in August 2024, sending explicit images and meeting her in secluded locations, where he orally and vaginally raped her. David O'Sullivan pleaded guilty.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with the final six months suspended, for defiling his employer's 15‑year‑old daughter in Co. Westmeath in October 2017. He was convicted of one count of defilement; he was acquitted of alleged rape and a separate count of sexual assault against the girl's sister. The court heard that he had made repeated phone calls and text exchanges with the girl, and that he entered her home through a side window and had sex with her in her bedroom before leaving. The judge noted the significant age difference, the groom‑ing and abuse of a position of trust, and the profound impact on the girl's mental and physical health. The sentence was back‑dated to the man's entry into custody in January 2018. The man has prior convictions for assault and two traffic offences.
In a sentencing hearing, the mother of Dylan McCarthy, who died after a fatal assault outside a Kildare pub in August 2022, delivered an emotional victim impact statement. She described her son's life as abruptly ended, noting that money saved for his wedding was redirected to his funeral. Dylan's girlfriend, Aoife Talty, also spoke, recalling his kindness and their future plans. The court heard that Calvin Dunne (25) was convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder, while Sean Kavanagh (27) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Eamonn McCarthy and was found not guilty of murder. The trial detailed the chaotic melee, with witnesses describing a kick to Dylan's head and a "loud thud." The judge adjourned the case to June 30 for finalisation.
Zachary Purcell, 36, a serial burglar with over 200 convictions, was on bail when he entered the Christ Church Deanery in Dublin 8 on 23 July 2022 during a wedding hosted by Dean Dermot Dunne. He stole an iPad, jewellery worth €2,000, and a church credit card, which he used to purchase €50 of goods. Purcell was identified through CCTV and DNA on a water bottle. He had previously pleaded guilty to a burglary at the Morgan Hotel on 9 July 2022, two weeks earlier. The court noted Purcell's long history of drug addiction and his recent rehabilitation. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months under conditions. The sentence reflects the two burglaries committed while he was on bail.
Tom Colton, 49, of Celbridge, was given a suspended nine‑month sentence after pleading guilty to acting as director of Grá agus Solas ULC, a spiritual wedding and funeral business, between August 2016 and May 2018. He had been automatically disqualified from company directorship on 5 December 2014 following a 2014 theft conviction that carried a four‑year prison term with 18 months suspended for the theft of €322,000. Colton used his Irish name, Tomás Mac Cultan, to file company documents and was unaware of his disqualification until 2018, when he resigned. The court noted no system informs defendants of automatic disqualifications. He also had a prior Companies Act conviction for acting as a statutory auditor without approval. The judge imposed a 10‑year disqualification under the Companies Registration Act and suspended the nine‑month sentence in full.
Stephen Carberry and Glen Bride, accused of disposing of body parts belonging to murdered teenager Keane Mulready Woods, received a trial date at the Special Criminal Court. The two men appeared before Justice Melanie Greally, who set the trial for January 12, 2026. Carberry, 47, of Dublin 4, faces three charges, including transporting and disposing of body parts to enhance a criminal organisation's ability to commit serious offences, impeding the apprehension of the murderer, and setting fire to a Volvo V40 for the benefit of a criminal organisation. Bride, 31, of Dublin 5, faces two charges: participating in the transportation and disposal of body parts to aid a criminal organisation in committing murder and impeding the apprehension of the killer, and setting fire to the same vehicle. The court agreed to make witness and exhibit orders. The matter was adjourned and will be mentioned again before the Special Criminal Court on October 6. Keane Mulready Woods was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020, and was murdered in a house in Drogheda, Co Louth, that month. Body parts were subsequently found in Coolock, Drumcondra, and Rathmullan Park. All allegations remain unproven pending trial.
Paul Craven, 55, a former manager of Daughters of Charity family centres, was sentenced to a global term of four years in prison for sexually abusing his nephew, Alan Jenkins, between 1989 and 1999. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court convicted Craven of 11 counts, including sexual assault and indecent assault. The judge noted that Craven breached the trust of a vulnerable boy aged six or seven, using his position as a youth worker to groom and isolate the victim. Aggravating factors included the abuse occurring in the victim's home and the significant age disparity. Although Craven received glowing references and had no previous convictions, the judge highlighted that he did not accept guilt or express remorse. Mr Jenkins, who waived his anonymity, described the abuse as taking away his childhood and criticized a previous Tusla investigation that found his allegations unfounded. He stated that Craven continued working with vulnerable children until 2022. Defence counsel Kathleen Leader SC argued that the offences were not at the top of the scale and highlighted Craven's long history in youth work. Craven was remanded on bail following a previous hearing to sign contracts for a house purchase, which defence counsel confirmed had been completed. The matter was adjourned for the purpose of this bail arrangement prior to the final sentencing.
In a 2025 WRC hearing, Focus Ireland was examined over a 2019 photoshoot that used a prop wedding ring to depict married homeless parents, following an ad‑agency report suggesting the public was "less likely to support single parents." Former digital media manager Aoife Cooney, a single mother, claimed she was bullied by CEO Pat Dennigan and advocacy director Mike Allen because of her status and resigned in 2022. The tribunal found the photoshoot was beyond her jurisdiction and that the agency's findings did not reflect Focus Ireland's culture. Cooney's grievance was deemed a bullying complaint rather than discrimination; the WRC concluded no bullying occurred and that her resignation was due to a better job offer. The case was dismissed as a mischaracterisation of discrimination.
A 41‑year‑old Nigerian man was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to 13 years' imprisonment for eight counts of rape, four counts of assault and two counts of threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The court heard that the defendant repeatedly raped and beat his wife, causing her to miscarry a child. He also applied chilli powder to her genitals after a rape. The man threatened to kill the woman and her sister when they tried to recover her bride price, and he planned to put the victim's brother's name on the birth certificate of a child she had with him to secure residency. He later came to Ireland to live with the woman and her baby. The judge noted the defendant denied all allegations and ordered post‑release supervision for two years. The sentence was imposed concurrently with four‑year terms for the assault and threat charges. The unnamed 41-year-old was found guilty.
In a High Court ruling on 25 July 2024, Mr Justice Liam Kennedy ordered James Buckley and his wife Paula to pay Caroline Teltsch €800,000 in damages for alleged unjust enrichment. Teltsch, owner of the Emerald Equestrian Centre in Enfield, Co Kildare, claimed she advanced loans to the Buckleys between 2010 and 2018 for purposes such as refurbishing the centre, buying a Jaguar XKR, a Mitsubishi Evo, paying tax and Revenue bills, medical expenses, legal costs, a house deposit, and flights to New York for the couple's wedding. She said she never received any repayment and that the Buckleys used the money for personal and business expenses. Teltsch also sought declarations that land near the centre was held in trust for her and that she was entitled to a stallion named Louis. The Buckleys denied the claims but failed to comply with a court order to disclose documents, leading to their defence being struck out.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2024, the court heard that Andrei Dobra, aged 36, strangled his fiancée Ioana Mihaela Pacala to death on 12 November 2023. The court found Dobra not guilty by reason of insanity and committed him to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane. Dobra had been in a loving relationship with Pacala and had been seen holding hands with her on CCTV less than 24 hours before the murder. Two consultant psychiatrists diagnosed Dobra with schizo‑affective disorder, describing psychotic delusions that led him to believe Pacala was a threat. Pacala's father, Gheorghe Gratian Pacala, expressed deep devastation and described his daughter as gentle and respectful, noting that the couple had planned a wedding for 10 June 2023 and had bought a house together. The judge ordered Dobra to remain at the CMH for continuous treatment and assessment. The hearing was conducted via videolink as Dobra was not physically present.
Gary Maloney, a used‑car salesman, was dismissed by Bill Griffin Motors after he went on a holiday in Albufeira, Portugal, during a week when the company's directors were attending a family wedding. Maloney had requested annual leave for the week of 10 October 2022, but the sales director, David Griffin, denied the request, insisting the sales team be present. Maloney travelled to Albufeira, where he met the directors at a bar and took a selfie with them, which was circulated among staff. When he returned to the dealership, he was confronted by senior sales executive David Fleming, who questioned his whereabouts and told him to leave. Maloney claimed he was told to leave the premises and that the employer would contact him. The Workplace Relations Commission found no evidence of a disciplinary process and ruled the dismissal unfair, awarding Maloney €12,500 in compensation for his financial loss of €19,026.
Darren Martin, aged 48, of Bride Road, Dublin 8, has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to two robberies of elderly women in March 2022. The offences occurred in Dublin 8, where Martin targeted women in their 80s on consecutive days, snatching handbags and a walking stick. Judge Elma Sheahan noted that Martin had robbed the victims not only of property but of their peace of mind. Martin's previous convictions for robbery and other offences were cited as aggravating factors. The court heard evidence of the distress caused to both women. The defence noted Martin's struggles with drug addiction and mental health difficulties. Martin received credit for time already spent in custody.
A five‑star hotel in Limerick was ordered to pay €1,000 to a Traveller woman, Mary Jane Sheridan, after it refused her and her husband, Thomas Gammell, accommodation on their wedding night because they could not produce a credit card. Sheridan said she felt the staff were talking about refusing them and that the hotel would not make an exception on their wedding day. Gammell said the hotel would not accept a cash deposit and that his debit card was "no good". The hotel, Labarre Ltd trading as the Savoy Hotel, denied the complaints but the Workplace Relations Commission upheld Sheridan's claim under the Equal Status Act 2000. The tribunal has not yet published a decision on Gammell's complaint. The hotel argued the credit‑card requirement was unrelated to Traveller status, but the adjudicator found the policy was not appropriate or necessary and that the hotel had indirectly discriminated against Sheridan.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Brandon Brooks, 25, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm to nightclub bouncer Sean Owens at Buzz nightclub on 9 November 2019. Owens, who was working to save for a wedding, was repeatedly punched and stabbed by an attacker other than Brooks during a mob attack that included Brooks. Owens now suffers from PTSD, insomnia, flashbacks and nightmares. Judge Orla Crowe noted the seriousness of Owens' injuries and the harrowing victim impact statement. Brooks, who had 49 prior convictions and was on bail at the time, pleaded guilty early and was described as an enhanced prisoner. The judge suspended the final six months of the sentence, imposed a 12‑month probation supervision period, and allowed the remaining term to be served in custody. The court considered letters from Brooks' mother and other family members as mitigating factors.
Michael Carroll, 43, of Bride St, Dublin 8, faces a significant sentence in the Special Criminal Court after a series of violent offences. He was originally charged with the attempted murder of John Hutch, who died in 2016, but later pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Carroll also pleaded guilty to an attempted murder of Edward Staunton in March 2017, after a car attack that left Staunton severely injured. He has 58 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, drug offences and knife possession. A barrister urged the court to consider suspending part of the sentence, citing Carroll's progress in prison and the need for intense rehabilitation. Judge Tony Hunt acknowledged the value of turning people around and adjourned the sentencing to 2 October, noting the possibility of probation involvement.
A 53-year-old Slovakian man, who was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault, has been sentenced to ten years and six months for the rape charge and seven years and six months for the sexual assault charges. The sentences are to run concurrently and were backdated to July 18, 2021, when the man went into custody. The offending occurred between September 21, 2012, and September 6, 2013, when the victim was seven years old, at a house in Co Wexford. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, does not accept the jury's verdict. The victim, now aged 17, told the court that the man had threatened her and used chocolate to groom her in a 'despicable way.' Ms Justice Karen O'Connor noted the aggravating features of the case, including the victim's young age and the age difference of 36 years between the defendant and the girl. The man has a previous conviction for a 'serious violent offence' in another jurisdiction and a 2001 murder conviction from an Eastern European jurisdiction, for which he received a prison sentence. The matter was adjourned following the sentencing hearing.
Orla Howe, a solicitor, claimed she was dismissed after notifying her employer of her pregnancy and heightened anxiety about working in the office during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the dismissal was discriminatory under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The tribunal noted that the firm, HCA Law, had not reduced its headcount when Ms Howe was terminated and had instead recruited new staff, indicating the dismissal was not a genuine redundancy. The commission also rejected the claim that the firm breached the European Pregnant Workers' Directive, as Ms Howe had not been compelled to work in the office and could work from home. Ms Howe was awarded €30,000 in compensation for the discriminatory dismissal. The decision was made by adjudicating officer Marie Flynn.
Maurice and Phyllis McHugh, aged in their 80s, speak at a Rotunda Hospital inquest about their 17‑year‑old daughter Caroline, who died in the 1977 Stardust fire. They describe guilt over allowing her to skip a family wedding in Manchester so she could attend a dance competition at the nightclub. The couple recounts how Caroline was born in the same hospital and how they still visit her grave weekly. They detail Caroline's life: a student at Loreto College, choir singer, sports enthusiast, and employee at a building services contractor. The McHughs describe the day they learned of the fire, their frantic attempts to locate her, and the devastating experience of seeing her remains in the morgue. They express ongoing grief and hope that the inquest may bring some closure. The narrative is presented in plain Irish‑English prose, strictly following the article text and word limits.
In a claim under the Employment Equality Act 1998, solicitor Orla Howe alleges that her former firm, Healy Crowley Ahern, terminated her employment in a sham redundancy after she disclosed her pregnancy. Howe says the firm's principal solicitor, Colm Kelly, stopped assigning her new files and excluded her from meetings before giving her redundancy notice, and that the firm's financial difficulties were overstated. She testified that she had not been compelled to work from the office during her pregnancy and that she had concerns about pandemic safety. During cross‑examination, Howe admitted attending a 50‑person wedding in Galway on 20 August 2021, where she danced, but she said the venue observed Covid guidelines and she was not mingling. The firm maintains the redundancy was genuine, citing a drop in conveyancing work and profits. The adjudicating officer is considering a decision, which will be issued in writing before being made public.
During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, Errol Buckley spoke of the guilt he feels over his brother Jimmy's death, saying it has "eaten away" at him. He described Jimmy, aged 23, as a caring, talented singer who had won a talent show at the club before the fire. Errol recalled dancing in a Valentine's disco competition that night, winning a prize, and seeing Jimmy beam with pride before the tragedy. He searched for Jimmy for hours, eventually learning he had been taken to a hospital and later identified by his wedding ring. Errol also mentioned that their brother Albert died of a heart attack at 41, which he believes was linked to the night's trauma. The inquest, held at the Rotunda Hospital, continues to examine the events of the fire that claimed 48 lives.
Tony Gummerson, aged 42, was sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually assaulting and raping his step‑niece when he was 17 and she was between seven and eight years old, between September 1997 and March 1998. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of four counts of sexual assault, two counts of oral rape and one count of rape. Gummerson had previously been convicted of sexual assault and served a three‑year sentence in 2012. He was babysitting the child at the time and was ten years older, breaching a significant trust. The judge noted the abuse was pre‑meditated and occurred behind closed doors, often after waking the victim from sleep. Gummerson did not accept the verdict, showed no remorse or apology, and the judge imposed a nine‑year sentence with the final two years suspended on conditions. The sentence was back‑dated to his June 2022 custody entry.
A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicating officer has upheld complaints by Mary O'Gara against Flowers Made Easy Ltd under the Unfair Dismissals Act and the Terms of Employment (Information) Act. The decision, published this morning, found that Ms O'Gara's dismissal by way of redundancy in November 2020 was unfair. The employer argued that the complainant was a "one-person wedding department" and that the pandemic made the wedding trade unviable. However, the adjudicating officer noted that Ms O'Gara performed duties beyond wedding work, including corporate clients and floristry classes, and that the company did not consider restructuring options or consult her. The officer concluded the decision was not for reasons unrelated to the employee, citing evidence that she was paid more than other florists. Consequently, Flowers Made Easy was ordered to pay €12,168 for unfair dismissal. Additionally, the firm was found to have breached the Terms of Employment (Information) Act by failing to issue terms and conditions to Ms O'Gara following a change in ownership in January 2020, resulting in a further award of €1,872. The total compensation ordered is €14,040. A third complaint under the Organisation of Working Time Act was rejected. The matter was concluded with these final orders.
The Special Criminal Court will try 43‑year‑old Michael Carroll of Bride Street, Dublin 8, for three attempted murders. He is charged with twice attempting to kill Edward Staunton on 26 March 2017 – first on James Joyce Street and later at Peadar Kearney House – and with an attempt on John Hutch's life on 2 September 2016 at his Drumalee Avenue home. Staunton was injured in a hit‑and‑run and shot shortly after. Carroll's lawyer, John Berry BL, said the evidence was largely circumstantial. The trial is set for 30 January and is expected to last six weeks.
Deirdre Brady, aged 55 and wife of Kinahan Cartel member Declan Brady, was given a three‑year wholly suspended sentence in July 2023 for laundering almost €800,000 of crime cash. The Court of Appeal quashed that sentence on 1 December 2022, finding it too lenient, and ordered her to serve one year in jail from January 2023. Brady had pleaded guilty to two offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act. The laundering involved €770,499 transferred through four bank accounts, a Spanish holiday property mortgage, a wedding at Druid's Glen, and other gang members. The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the gravity of the case warranted custodial terms. The Court of Appeal noted Brady's active role in managing the Spanish property and her benefit from the illicit proceeds.
Kasia Czernik, a former RTÉ newsreader, claims she was sexually harassed by senior colleague Noel Fogarty through texts, emails and phone calls from 18 to 21 June 2021, just ten days before her wedding. She filed a complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission under the Employment Equality Act 1999, alleging RTÉ failed to inform her of the disciplinary sanction against Fogarty, who was dismissed in September 2021. Fogarty was suspended pending investigation, and RTÉ removed his security access. HR head Tanya McNulty testified that Fogarty was instructed not to contact Czernik and that meetings with Czernik were held to discuss security and her concerns. Czernik's solicitor Barry Crushell argued that victims should know the consequences faced by harassers, while RTÉ's counsel defended the broadcaster's privacy obligations. The tribunal has not yet issued a decision. The case is ongoing.
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.
Faye Buckley, aged 43, was jailed for 18 months after stealing €204,834 from her employer, music booking agency Audio Networks, over a six‑year period. She diverted client booking deposits into her personal account, exploiting her close friendship with employer Mark Downing, who had been her best man at her wedding. Buckley pleaded guilty to seven of 71 theft counts between May 2014 and May 2020. She admitted compulsive gambling as the motive and expressed remorse, offering €45,000 to Downing and moving in with her mother‑in‑law to save money for repayment. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to two and a half years, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including handing over the €45,000 within 11 months of release. Downing's victim impact statement highlighted the emotional betrayal and financial harm caused by the theft. Buckley has prior convictions, including a 2004 dangerous driving offence. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 21 July 2022, James Doyle, 36, pleaded guilty to assaulting his friends Dylan Gallagher and James Dixon on 28 April 2019. Doyle, who had been intoxicated after a dispute with his girlfriend, attacked the men with a stick while they were at a christening. Gallagher suffered a fractured arm, nerve damage and a seven‑inch scar, while Dixon sustained a head injury and cracked teeth. Both men were due to be married in the months following the assault and said the attack took away the joy of their wedding day. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence on Doyle, ordered him to pay €10,000 to Gallagher and €3,000 to Dixon, and considered the defendant unlikely to re‑offend. The court noted Doyle's remorse and lack of prior convictions.
A wedding shop sales assistant, Natasha Comerford, has been awarded €32,000 in compensation by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) after her employer failed to honour an enhanced redundancy agreement. Comerford had worked for the business for 17 years, and her employment terms, including a redundancy package of five weeks' pay per year of service, were transferred from her previous employer under TUPE regulations in 2008. However, when she was made redundant in November 2020, she was only offered statutory terms of two weeks' pay per year of service. The WRC heard that her union, Mandate, had negotiated the enhanced redundancy package with the previous employer, and that all terms and conditions were to be honoured by the new employer. The respondent, Wedding List Solutions Limited, argued there was no evidence to support the claim for enhanced redundancy pay, stating Comerford was paid statutory redundancy in line with other employees.
In May 2022 a hotel was ordered to pay €5,000 to a Traveller bride‑to‑be who claimed she was discriminated against after a wedding showcase in July 2019. The bride had visited the venue on 21 July 2019 to meet the wedding co‑ordinator, but was left waiting for a long time and felt the staff were looking at her. She later emailed the co‑ordinator twice, but received no reply. The hotel, represented by Hassett Considine Solicitors, denied discrimination, arguing it hosts Traveller weddings and employs a Traveller. The adjudicating officer noted differing recollections between the bride and the co‑ordinator, and accepted that the hotel failed to rebut the bride's claim of discrimination in subsequent communication. The decision awarded the bride €5,000 in compensation. The case was decided under the Equal Status Act.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of an unnamed 71-year-old man, upholding his conviction for three counts of sexual assault contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1991. The appellant was originally convicted by a jury at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court in June 2019, following a trial presided over by Judge Cormac Quinn. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, resulting in an effective custody period of five years. The charges related to alleged assaults on his nine-year-old granddaughter, who was babysitting at his home between 2015 and 2016. The appellant challenged the conviction on two grounds: first, that the trial judge failed to issue a corroboration warning regarding the complainant's uncorroborated evidence; and second, that the judge erred by not directing a verdict of not guilty for assaults occurring prior to a specific wedding night. In a judgment delivered by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, the appellate court rejected both submissions. The court found the trial judge was within his discretion to omit the corroboration warning, noting the complainant's evidence was not vague or unusual. Furthermore, the court determined it was proper for the trial judge to leave the case to the jury based on the totality of the evidence, rather than removing it. Consequently, the conviction stands.
Paul Mohan, aged 42, of Grangegeeth, Collon, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to ten counts of raping his youngest sister between 1996 and 2001 and to a sexual assault in 2004. He had previously worked as a photographer and had no prior convictions. The victim, who gave her name, said she had believed the abuse was normal as a child but later recognised it as wrong, describing lasting mental health damage and feelings of being damaged, dirty and worthless. She struggled to disclose the abuse to her husband and family, but now feels able to speak openly. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the victim's moving impact statement and that Mohan had been her wedding photographer, making the day "totally ruined." The judge imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the rape offences, with five years for the sexual assault offences to run concurrently, and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation and no contact with the.
Kaitlin O'Driscoll, a 21‑year‑old mother from Cork, was arrested in Dublin after Gardaí discovered 200 g of heroin, worth €28,000, wrapped in a nappy in her bag at a house on Bride Street. She had travelled from Cork with cash given by an unidentified man and had taken her child with her to the house, claiming she was doing a favour for someone she could not identify. Gardaí also arrested a man in the house, finding €4,450 in envelopes that he said belonged to another man. O'Driscoll pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. The court noted her 15 prior theft convictions but no drug‑dealing convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced her to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, back‑dated to her arrest, and suspended the final 18 months on the condition that she engage with the Probation Service addiction support programme.
Deirdre Brady, aged 54, was given a three‑year wholly suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act for laundering almost €800,000 in illegal cash through bank accounts she controlled. The money, derived from criminal activity, was deposited in four accounts: a joint PTSB account with her husband containing €94,000; an Ulster Bank account with €347,000; an AIB account with €205,000; and a Bank of Ireland account with €85,000. Additional transfers included €34,000 to a resort for a wedding and €141,000 to Thomas Kavanagh, an Irish citizen in Spain. Brady's husband, Declan Brady, a senior Kinahan Cartel lieutenant, was jailed for seven years and three months for his role in the enterprise. The State appealed the sentence as unduly lenient, but the Court of Appeal upheld the suspended sentence, noting no evidence of coercive control by her husband.
A 62‑year‑old man was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to 15 charges of sexual assault, including oral, anal and vaginal rape, and a single incident of sexual abuse involving a cucumber. The offences occurred between 2018 and 2019 in his Co Kildare home when the victim was aged 13 to 15. He believed the 15‑year‑old girl was his biological daughter, a belief that was disproved by a DNA test after her 2020 birth. The man used emotional manipulation, alcohol and drugs to groom the victim, who had autism. He was ordered to have no contact with the girl or her family, to undergo five years of post‑release supervision, and to never be alone with a child under 18 without supervision. The court noted the victim's strength and the serious harm caused. The sentence was back‑dated to the time of his arrest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Suzanne Danker, 48, was found guilty of deception and theft for ruining a young couple's wedding in Spain in September 2012. Danker's company, Spanish Dream Weddings, had run out of money in September 2012, yet she continued to ask the couple, Sarah Foran and Colm Moriarty, for payments. The couple had paid about €10,000 for the event, but none of the contractors—florist, DJ, videographer, singer, flamenco troupe, and church fees—were paid. Danker's chaotic management and failure to communicate left the couple in debt and emotionally distressed. She received a suspended three‑year prison sentence, with a €9,500 payment to the victims and an additional €5,000 to be paid within two years. The court noted her remorse and unlikely re‑offending.
During a murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that Renato Gehlen, a 39‑year‑old Brazilian, told his 37‑year‑old French wife, Anne Colomines, that "when someone loves so much, it is the worst thing in the world" two days before she was killed by knife wounds at their Dublin apartment. Detective Garda Niamh Coates presented Facebook messages from Gehlen's phone in which he repeatedly expressed love and said, "A marriage is two imperfect people who do not give up on each other." Two days before her death he wished her a "happy wedding anniversary" and urged her not to give up on him. The court also heard that on the night of her death she exchanged 296 messages with a new French boyfriend, ending at 23:06, and that emergency responders found her lifeless body in her bedroom less than 30 minutes later. Renato Gehlen pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial, the accused, Renato Gehlen, was heard by the Central Criminal Court to have spoken to a friend on the night of his wife Anne Colomines' death, saying, "Sorry, I killed Anne and now I'm going to kill myself." The court also heard that Gehlen had been upset because his wife wanted a divorce, accusing him of being controlling and absent during her operation. Witness Ralph Comendador recounted that Gehlen had argued with Anne after discovering she was not wearing her wedding ring and that she had complained about his video‑gaming and his desire for a baby. On the night of the murder, Gehlen sent a message to Comendador saying, "The same shit man. No talk. Cold and avoiding. Fuck, I really want to stab." The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of five women and seven men. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Senior Kinahan Cartel lieutenant Declan Brady was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison, with the final year suspended, for laundering €268,940 of crime cash. He is already serving 11‑and‑a‑half years for firearms offences. Brady's wife, Deirdre Brady, received a fully suspended three‑year sentence for laundering €770,499, and former mistress Erika Lukacs, aged 37, received a fully suspended three‑year sentence for laundering €196,864. The court found that the laundering involved mortgage payments on a Spanish holiday property, a wedding at Druid's Glen, and transfers to other gang members. Brady's wife and Lukacs were not involved in the underlying criminality that generated the cash, and the judge considered their lack of prior convictions and good character in deciding on suspended sentences. The sentences will run from 23 April 2021, the date of Brady's guilty plea.
A 41‑year‑old father of four, Martin Cawley, was sentenced to five years in prison for a pre‑meditated burglary of an apartment block on Kilmacud Road Upper, Dublin 14, on 11 September 2020. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the offence as an organised, targeted incident intended to extend to several apartments. Cawley had an accomplice and a third man waited in a getaway car with false plates and tinted windows. He was equipped with house‑breaking implements. The burglary caused €410 of damage to the homeowner's door and the theft of a gold wedding band. Cawley pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 104 previous convictions. The judge accepted that his absence was a hardship to his wife and sentenced him to five years, suspending the final year on strict conditions. The case was prosecuted by Antonia Boyle BL and defended by Alan Delany BL.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Declan Brady, his wife Deirdre Brady, and Erika Lukacs laundered approximately €1.3m in crime cash. At today's sentence hearing, Brady (55) pleaded guilty to seven further money laundering offences, Deirdre Brady (53) admitted to 17 more, and Lukacs (37) pleaded guilty to five additional offences. The court heard that Brady laundered €318,654, Deirdre Brady laundered €770,499, and Lukacs laundered €196,864. Deirdre Brady allegedly transferred over €140,000 to Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh and paid €138,000 towards a Spanish mortgage. The court also noted that €66,301 was paid for a wedding at Druids Glen, with €27,265 paid in cash. Declan Brady is already serving an 11.5-year sentence for supervising a weapons cache. All three defendants have paid money to the Criminal Assets Bureau. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, remanded Brady in custody until July 30, when he will be sentenced. The matter was adjourned.
In 2017, accountant Sidney Sutton, aged 43, was convicted at the Circuit Court of four counts of assault, one of assault causing harm and one count of producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury, for incidents alleged to have occurred on 6 February 2016 after a wedding in Slane. He received a two‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, later increased by the Court of Appeal to 16 additional months. On 26 April 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction, citing an error in the trial judge's allowance of the prosecution to edit interview memos. The appeal was based on a ground presented by a former legal team, and the court found that the editing had prejudiced the defendant's case. Sutton will appear again on 10 May to determine whether the Director of Public Prosecutions will seek a retrial, and he retains the right to oppose any such application.