The owners of the Four‑Star Johnstown Estate hotel, Lefgem Limited and Wave Prime Limited, have obtained a temporary High Court injunction to stop three neighbours from using a siren or airhorn at night. The defendants – David Godwin, Peter Wilson and Martin Kennedy – each own a luxury holiday lodge near the hotel and have allegedly used a loud industrial‑style siren for up to six hours each night, starting at 10:45 pm. The hotel claims the noise has damaged its business reputation and disrupted two upcoming weddings. The injunction, granted ex‑parte by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, prohibits the defendants or anyone aware of the order from using a siren, airhorn, alarm or power generator to produce loud noise near the hotel. The order is returnable next week. The case arose from a broader dispute over services and property use between the hotel and the lodges.
The cold‑case murder trial of Noel Long, accused of killing 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in 1981, was adjourned to Monday because a juror fell ill. Judge Paul McDermott informed the remaining eleven jurors that the case would continue with a reduced jury. Long, 74, lives in Passage West, Cork, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial has focused on DNA evidence: UK forensic scientist Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker presented a DNA profile from semen recovered from Sheehan's body, matched to material from Long's belongings, with a one‑in‑20,000 chance of a different source. The prosecution highlighted bruising and spermatozoa found in Sheehan's vagina, and the post‑mortem was conducted by Dr Robert Dermot Coakley in 1981. The hearing will resume on Monday with the same jury composition.
Andrew Lacey, 35, of Riverside, Loughlinstown, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of Derek Reddin, 31, on Loughlinstown Drive. The case stemmed from a feud between their associates. Witness David Howard claimed Reddin attacked Lacey with a metal baseball bat, but Lacey said he had a knife in his pocket and used it to defend himself after Reddin lunged again. Howard denied Reddin had a bat and said Lacey produced the knife. The jury heard conflicting accounts and that Lacey had been drinking cider for about five hours. Lacey was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The trial lasted three weeks and the jury reached a unanimous verdict after just over three hours of deliberation. The verdict was announced on 21 July 2023.
A 23‑year‑old man with 41 prior convictions was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his role in a gang attack on a man who was held in his own home for six hours. The victim was stabbed repeatedly, suffered a 10‑15 cm laceration to the scalp, was hit with a vodka bottle, had most of his right ear almost severed and was told he would be killed. The judge noted the severity and sustained nature of the assault, the victim's lifelong injuries and the fact that the attackers took turns cutting the ear. The offence was placed at the upper end of the scale, with a headline sentence of five years. The court imposed a three‑year‑six‑month sentence, suspended the final six months for two years, and required the offender to remain under probation supervision for one year after release. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 21 July 2023, 45‑year‑old Wesley McGill pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply. The offence stemmed from a mistaken search warrant that was actually for a stolen electric bike. McGill opened the door, led Gardaí to two cardboard boxes containing 2,800 g of cannabis valued at €256,000, which he claimed he was holding for someone else, and a small amount of cocaine worth €81. He had borrowed €5,000 from moneylenders to renovate his house and could not repay the debt. McGill, who began using cannabis at 16, expressed remorse and provided character references, including one from his son. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered 12 months' probation supervision post‑release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 21 July 2023, Karl Core, aged 34, was sentenced to two years in prison for an unprovoked knife attack on his friend David Fox on 19 June 2021. Core, who was high on crack cocaine at the time, swung a 15‑inch kitchen knife over a garden gate and stabbed Fox's right cheek, creating a hole that penetrated into Fox's mouth cavity. Fox was treated at hospital and received stitches. Core pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. Judge Orla Crowe described the assault as very serious, noting the severe facial injury and potential lifelong scarring. She imposed a headline sentence of four years, then reduced it to three years with a 12‑month suspended portion, and ordered Core to remain under probation supervision for 12 months after release. Core's guilty plea, family support, adherence to bail conditions, and prior minor convictions were considered mitigating factors.
A Court of Appeal judge has refused the Garda Ombudsman Commission access to ambient audio recordings made during a court incident at the Four Courts in Dublin. The recordings relate to an investigation into garda conduct during a disruption at the Court of Appeal in March when Simeon Burke, aged 24 and resident in Castlebar, County Mayo, was arrested. Burke was subsequently convicted of a public order offence arising from threatening, insulting and abusive words and behaviour. Mr Justice John Edwards declined GSOC's application, citing concerns that the ambient recording system operated without the awareness of those present, potentially amounting to covert audio recording. The judge identified further issues including data protection rights and questions of jurisdiction over the recordings. He noted that the Courts Service, rather than the court itself, may be the appropriate data controller. While not closing the door to a renewed application, Mr Justice Edwards indicated GSOC would need to produce evidence that the ambient system was actually functioning at the time.
John O'Sullivan, a mobile tyre fitter who had worked for Tysoucha Ltd (trading as Tyresource) since 2000, was dismissed in 2022 after 22 years and nine months of service. The company, which claimed it was not liable for redundancy, argued that O'Sullivan was not made redundant because he found new work almost immediately. The tribunal found that the company had stopped the mobile tyre‑fitting service, effectively removing O'Sullivan's work vehicle, and that the alternative work offered was unsuitable due to transport issues. Consequently, the tribunal ordered the company to pay statutory redundancy based on his long service, amounting to €27,000, and noted that he was not entitled to notice pay because he left without completing his notice period.
In Dublin, a bomb threat prompted evacuations from government offices and the abandonment of a Workplace Relations Commission hearing. The threat, received by a Department of Enterprise telephonist, led to the building's clearance and locking at 2 pm. The hearing, presided over by Michael MacNamee BL, was halted at 1:45 pm when staff announced an evacuation. MacNamee asked parties to take their papers and offered to hear applications downstairs. Gardaí later confirmed the threat was a hoax and declared the area safe. The case was the only matter remaining at Lansdowne House that week. Solicitor Barry Crushell, who was evacuated, noted that such urgent evacuations are not uncommon, whether or not a bomb scare is real. The incident caused no further proceedings to be held at the venue.
Andrew Nash, 43, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the death of John Ustic, 51, on 24 or 25 September 2023 in Skibbereen. Nash, a father of five, had repeatedly dropped a couch on Ustic's head during a "vicious and sustained" assault, causing blunt‑force trauma to the head, chest and neck. The victim was reportedly in a comatose state and heavily intoxicated, which limited his ability to defend himself. Nash apologized to Ustic's family, the court, gardai and ambulance crew, expressing deep shame and remorse. The judge noted Nash's efforts to address alcoholism and his desire to work and be a better family person upon release. The sentence reflects the high culpability and violence of the attack.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 32‑year‑old man named Gareth Sheeran was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his 65‑year‑old father, Harry Sheeran, who was killed on Father's Day, 20 June 2021, with a World War II bayonet. The jury, after 42 minutes of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict. Two psychiatrists testified that Gareth suffered from schizophrenia and did not understand the nature or wrongness of his act. Evidence included a post‑mortem showing multiple stab wounds, including one to the heart, and testimony that police found the father lying in a pool of blood. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for seven years. The case was adjourned to 25 August for further proceedings.
In July 2023 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of a 73‑year‑old Limerick pensioner who had been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in 2022 for indecently assaulting his two nieces in the 1980s. The appeal was based on the admission of rebuttal evidence from the first complainant's husband, which the court held was not properly excluded. The judge ruled that the evidence supported the complainant's credibility and that the original trial had erred in its discretion. The appeal covered all three counts of indecent assault, which had been heard together, and the court therefore quashed the entire conviction. The case had involved allegations of sexual assault in the accused's family home, with the first assault alleged to have occurred between May 1986 and October 1987, and the second and third between May 1987 and May 1989. The pensioner had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Court of Appeal's decision was delivered by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy.
In a case heard at Trim Circuit Court, James 'Jake' Boles, aged 24, received a wholly suspended two‑year sentence for one count of coercive control and five counts of assault causing harm to his partner, Jody Duggan, aged 22, between 1 January and 5 April 2019. The assaults included dragging her by the hair, slamming her head, and pushing his fist into her face, and were described as "appalling" coercive control. After a successful appeal by the State, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, re‑sentenced Boles to one year in jail, citing the frequency and severity of the violence and the psychological harm inflicted. The court found the original fully suspended sentence to be too lenient and noted that the trial judge had erred in fully suspending the sentence. The appeal decision was based solely on the allegations and evidence presented in the original trial, without reference to any later developments or outcomes.
Two British men pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing approximately €2.3 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply on 22 December 2022. Daniel Bowker, aged 40, of Bolton, United Kingdom, and Ibrar Sharif, aged 47, also from Bolton, were arrested in Dublin after gardaí conducted a surveillance operation at an industrial estate in Chapelizod. Officers observed the men unloading cardboard boxes from a van at a residential address in Kilmainham, where 119 kilos of vacuum-packed cannabis was later seized, concealed beneath frozen chicken. The court heard both men occupied a minor role within an organised crime operation and were vulnerable to exploitation owing to financial hardship and alcohol dependency. Defence counsel submitted character references and noted neither man had displayed signs of material benefit from the crime. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing to 9 October pending educational and prison governor reports.
In a Circuit Court hearing on 21 July 2023, a 52‑year‑old man, David Mullen, pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm after brandishing a 6mm green gas‑operated air pistol that resembled a Glock in a residential estate on a summer evening. Gardaí responded at 9 pm, evacuated the surrounding houses, and requested armed assistance. Mullen, intoxicated with whiskey and Valium, was arrested within ten minutes of the gardaí's arrival. The air pistol was seized and sent to the Ballistic Technical Bureau. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced Mullen to 15 months in prison, suspended in full for 15 months under strict conditions, and ordered him to remain under probation supervision for one year, with random urine analysis and addiction counselling. The judge highlighted Mullen's remorse, his role as his mother's carer, and the aggravating factors of the weapon's appearance and the public setting. The court commended the gardaí for their swift and careful action.
Gigi Birsan, 33, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty to 103 thefts and 33 attempted thefts between late 2016 and late 2017, stealing over €3,000 from colleagues and housemates to fund online poker. He returned the full amount, €3,164, and has addressed his gambling addiction. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of three years but imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, ordering Birsan to keep the peace and behave well for that period. The case arose after staff at the Drury Buildings restaurant noticed small deductions from bank accounts, leading to an investigation that traced a PokerStars account linked to Birsan. He was arrested in Romania under a European Arrest Warrant and admitted all transactions. Birsan has no prior convictions and has shown remorse, writing a letter to the judge and claiming rehabilitation. The court noted his low risk of reoffending and stable relationship with his wife.
In a High Court hearing, the ESB seeks a declaration that an employee has breached his contract by refusing to answer questions about alleged corrupt payments from builders. The employee, an electrician who has worked for the ESB since 2017, denies wrongdoing and claims a right of silence because the matter is under Garda investigation. The ESB argues that the right of silence applies only to state inquiries, not to private disputes, and that the employee's refusal to answer constitutes a breach of contract, potentially ending his employment. The employee's counsel counters that the ESB has not initiated any disciplinary process and that dismissing him would be premature. The court is to decide whether the employee is entitled to a right of silence and whether the ESB can lawfully terminate his employment. The case also involves separate proceedings where the ESB seeks Norwich‑Pharmacal‑type orders against two construction firms to obtain information about alleged cash payments.
Mairead Latimer, a 35‑year‑old financial controller from Howth, pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing over €82,000 from Chopped Limited between December 2016 and July 2018. She authorised fictitious payments to "ghost" employees, sending more than €43,000 to her father's account, and inflated her own wages by over €12,000 without director approval. She also took more than €22,000 from Chopped stores on Grafton Street and Lucan and authorised over €3,000 in increased pension payments to her own plan. At the time of the hearing, she had repaid €73,546, leaving €7,852 outstanding. The court noted that she was dismissed from Chopped on 1 August 2018 after the fraud was discovered, and that she had been cooperative during her arrest and subsequent garda interview. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on 13 October.
Alan Bohan, 53, of Santry, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing 375 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition found in a shed during an unrelated search. He claimed he had forgotten the bullets after handing over his rifles when his licence expired. The court noted he had no prior convictions and used the rifles for shooting vermin. Judge Orla Crowe accepted the exceptional circumstances and set a headline sentence of three years but imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence. Bohan was not living at the family home where the search was executed; he had access only to a shed used for car repairs. He had previously surrendered his firearms voluntarily. The court heard he intends to recover his guns and that he is a mechanic on disability. No further legal actions were described.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 32‑year‑old man named Gareth Sheeran was charged with murdering his 65‑year‑old father, Harry Sheeran, on Father's Day 2021 by stabbing him with a World War II bayonet. The defendant pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming a relapse of schizophrenia. Dr Patrick McLaughlin, a forensic psychiatrist, testified that Sheeran had a long history of persecutory delusions, disorganised thinking and untreated schizophrenia for three years before the killing. He described Sheeran's incoherent account of being told to kill his father at Phoenix Park and noted that the defendant did not understand the nature or wrongness of his act. The prosecution and defence both agreed the defendant was entitled to raise the insanity defence. The case was set to continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury the following day.
A man's conviction for rape and sexual assault has been quashed by the Court of Appeal following concerns about jury impartiality and the handling of evidence at trial. Stephen Lynch, with an address in Offaly, was convicted in May 2021 at the Central Criminal Court of raping his then partner's sister, aged 15, at a property in Athlone, County Roscommon, in October 2015. He was also convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm relating to incidents in December 2015. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The appeal court heard that jurors reported concerns they had been photographed in the car park outside court, though a phone retrieved by gardaí contained no images. The trial judge declined to discharge the jury after they indicated the matter had been resolved. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy stated the court harboured disquiet that no proper inquiry was conducted into what had occurred or how it was resolved.
An analyst, Aniko Kopp, who left Emex Software in December 2022 after three and a half months without pay, secured a €20,107 order against the firm. Kopp's complaints under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 and the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 were heard by the Workplace Relations Commission. She claimed unpaid gross salary, unpaid expenses, health‑insurance allowances and pension contributions, as well as contractual and statutory leave entitlements. The tribunal found Emex owed her €578 for two days' pay in December 2022 and €15,625 for the preceding two and a half months of unpaid wages. It also ordered the company to pay €2,750 for five months of a €500 monthly health‑insurance payment, €289 for a contractual holiday entitlement, and €865 for outstanding annual leave. The adjudicator ruled that pension contributions and other expenses were outside her jurisdiction. The final order totaled €20,107.
A jury will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to begin deliberations in the trial of Andrew Lacey (35) of Riverside, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Derek Reddin (31) at Loughlinstown Drive on a date between 14 and 15 October 2019. Justice Mary Ellen Ring is presenting the evidence to a jury of six men and four women, explaining that there are three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty. The trial has established that a feud existed between associates of the deceased and the accused. On the night in question, Reddin and his cousin David Howard were waiting for Lacey as he returned home from a pub. Lacey produced a knife, claiming it was a work tool he had inadvertently brought, and used it after Reddin attacked him with a baseball bat.
In a cold‑case murder trial, the prosecution explained that DNA material recovered from the body of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who was killed in 1981, had to be sent to the UK in 2008 because Ireland lacked the technology to interpret low amounts of DNA at that time. The material, a vaginal swab taken from Sheehan's body, was sent to Dr Jonathan Whitaker of Forensic Science Services in the UK, who generated a DNA profile. The profile was later matched to DNA recovered from the accused, Noel Long (74), who has pleaded not guilty. The trial, held before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of seven men and four women, and the State's case is expected to conclude tomorrow. The proceedings remain at the evidential stage, with no verdict yet announced.
In a cold‑case trial, forensic scientists presented evidence that Nora Sheehan, who vanished in 1981 and was later found dead in Shippool Woods, had been in a car driven by Noel Long. Fibres from Sheehan's clothing matched those from the carpet of a blue Opel Kadett linked to Long, and paint fragments from her garments corresponded to paint on the vehicle. Dr Maureen Smith, Dr Sheila Willis, and Dr Amanda Lennon all confirmed the strong support for the view that Sheehan was in the Kadett. The trial also heard that Long, aged 74, has pleaded not guilty to her murder. The proceedings are ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The case remains at the evidence‑presentation stage.
A 52‑year‑old man was jailed for two years after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape against a seven‑year‑old girl he was babysitting in 1985. The victim, now 45, reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2018 and gave a victim impact statement in court, describing the lasting psychological harm. The defendant, who was 14 at the time, denied the allegations and has no convictions for the 1985 offences. The judge, Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, noted the passage of 38 years and the defendant's subsequent law‑abiding life, but also the enduring impact on the victim. She imposed a sentence of two years for each indecent assault charge, suspended the final two years, and set all sentences to run concurrently, back‑dated to the date of his custody.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to threatening to kill his former partner in June 2019. He sent dozens of abusive messages, including the threat "I am going to f**king murder you." The judge described his conduct as "reprehensible and vulgar" and ordered him to have no contact with the victim for ten years, stay away from her home, and remain under probation supervision for 12 months after release. He received an 18‑month sentence with the final six months suspended. The victim, who suffered post‑traumatic stress and panic attacks, said the threats caused her great suffering and forced her to leave her job. The defendant, who has 71 prior convictions, was also ordered to engage in offence‑focused programmes. The judge noted his behaviour had harmed both the victim and her child.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stacey Harcourt, 41, pleaded guilty to unlawful cultivation of cannabis at her home. The court found that she had grown the plant from seed, clipped the leaves, and used about five grams each evening for pain relief after her skin cancer diagnosis in 2010 and subsequent chemotherapy failure. Gardaí seized 448 grams of cannabis herb, valued at €8,966. Harcourt, who had eight neck operations and 15 malignant melanoma operations, claimed she never sold the plant. Judge Martina Baxter, after a Probation Service assessment, imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison term, citing Harcourt's remorse, rehabilitation efforts, and cancer‑free status. The sentence also noted her prior convictions for traffic offences and a 2005 incident involving a post officer raider. Harcourt expressed gratitude to the judge and stated she would try to reduce her use but could not stop entirely.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2023, the jury heard that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, sent a WhatsApp message on 14 November 2019 in which he claimed he was "after opening Mulvey's face up" after a confrontation with Michael Mulvey, aged 55, near a Dublin public house. Connaghan alleged that Mulvey had almost struck him with his car while he was crossing the road, that Mulvey had screamed at him, and that later that day Mulvey "came running at me from behind." Connaghan said he dropped his bag, "caught him a dig," and "opened up his face." He also claimed Mulvey had spat on his leg in the pub and that Mulvey "had it coming." Daniel Connaghan, aged 43, sent a separate message claiming Mulvey had "tried to knock down Iano" and that the brothers left Mulvey in an awful state. Ian Connaghan pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, Judge Mary Ellen Ring instructed a jury that Andrew Lacey, 35, could be found not guilty if he used reasonable force in self‑defence after being attacked by Derek Reddin, 31, with a baseball bat. The judge explained that if Lacey used more force than necessary, the jury must decide whether he honestly believed it was required; if so, manslaughter could result, otherwise murder. Lacey claimed he stabbed Reddin in a scuffle, unaware of the fatal wound, while the prosecution alleged excessive force. The judge noted that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lacey's force was unnecessary and that he did not honestly believe it was needed. The jury was also told to consider Lacey's intoxication, the threat's imminence, and the possibility of retreat. The judge's charge was to be delivered the following day.
In a tribunal decision dated 19 July 2023, the Workplace Relations Commission found that Bus Éireann's refusal to allow Galway man Robert Cantwell to travel with his support dog, Osho, was discriminatory under the Equal Status Act 2000. Cantwell, who suffers partial paralysis from a childhood brain injury and relies on the dog for mental health support, had repeatedly sought permission from a local manager, Peter Melia, who cited the company's policy that only fully trained guide or assistance dogs may travel free of charge. Cantwell's attempts to comply, including offering to train the dog or purchase a certified service dog, were rejected. The adjudicator, Louise Boyle, ruled that the company's failure to provide reasonable accommodation constituted a prohibited act, awarding Cantwell €1,500 in compensation and ordering Bus Éireann to urgently review its disability access policies. The decision emphasised that the policy's restrictions on dogs, cats, or other animals were not justified by the circumstances presented.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the jury was instructed not to let the adage "live by the sword, die by the sword" influence their judgment. Prosecutor Roisin Lacey SC explained that Derek Reddin had waited for Andrew Lacey and attacked him after Lacey returned from a pub. She argued that Lacey's use of a knife, his awareness of Reddin's presence, and the manner in which he stabbed Reddin proved intent for murder and negated self‑defence. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC challenged the reliability of the prosecution's key witness, David Howard, and presented alternative witness accounts suggesting a baseball bat was involved, not a knife. He urged the jury to consider whether Lacey's actions were reasonable or whether a self‑defence claim could be sustained. The prosecution maintained that Lacey's knife was deliberate and that the depth and multiplicity of cuts proved murder beyond reasonable doubt. Andrew Lacey pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Noel Long, aged 74, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who disappeared between 6 and 12 June 1981. Sheehan's body was found six days later at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods, Cork. Dr Timothy Creedon, a former forensic scientist, testified that he was on holiday in Inishannon, Co Cork, when the body was discovered. He later met a detective and received swabs from the body, including a vaginal swab that contained semen. Creedon created a microscopic slide from the swab, which was later archived. The slide's preservation became crucial when a 2008 review of cold cases examined the evidence with modern DNA techniques. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of seven men and four women. The case remains at the trial stage.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 18 July 2023, a witness testified that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, admitted to punching and kicking Michael Mulvey, aged 55, after a confrontation near the Halfway House Pub on 14 November 2019. The witness, Stephen Kelly, who had been in a relationship with Mulvey's daughter, said Connaghan told him he had "lost it" and that the assault occurred while crossing the traffic lights on Navan Road. Connaghan also claimed he was alone at the time. The prosecution, represented by Ms Anne Rowland SC, argued that the brothers had a history of "bad blood" with Mulvey and that the severe beating left Mulvey in a "bad way" with black and blue marks on his right side. The jury viewed CCTV footage from the pub and surrounding areas to corroborate the timeline of the alleged assault. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
The Department of Justice was ordered to pay a senior immigration official, Martin Switzer, more than €33,000 in back pay for an on‑call allowance that was promised to him when he accepted a transfer to the Border Management Unit at Dublin Airport. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the state was bound by verbal assurances that Switzer would receive an annual allowance of €18,023 for extra hours and weekend work. Switzer's application for the allowance was delayed by the department's HR section, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform ultimately sanctioned only €2,874 per year, with a pro‑rata payment of €1,197 for six months. The adjudicator confirmed that Switzer's salary from May 2018 to March 2020 should have included the full allowance, amounting to €34,544.41, and directed the department to pay €33,346.91 to Switzer.
Garda Emma Brady, who was assaulted while trying to arrest Aiden McKevitt, a 40‑year‑old with 168 prior convictions, said the attack has left her with physical injuries and a loss of enthusiasm for her job. Brady suffered a fractured elbow and wrist, soft‑tissue injuries to her shoulder, neck and chest, a finger injury and a broken tooth. She described ongoing sleep difficulties, fear of further assault and a sense that her life has changed forever. Brady's victim impact statement, read during McKevitt's sentencing, highlighted her emotional distress and the impact on her sporting ambitions. McKevitt pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer and obstruction of a peace officer on 9 November 2022 and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, a sentence back‑dated to his initial custody in February. The court noted Brady's injuries and the effect on her career. The judge imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years after mitigating factors.
Monday Augustine, 52, admitted to using false documents to secure asylum and citizenship in Ireland. He first arrived in 2002 as a Nigerian, claiming to be Liberian and using the name John Augustine Sawyeer. He married an Irish citizen in 2004, obtained citizenship in 2008, and later used a falsified Liberian birth certificate to acquire an Irish passport in 2009 and again in 2019. In October 2019 he wrote to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services confessing the fraud and revealing his true name, Monday Augustine. He was arrested after a meeting with Gardaí and pleaded guilty. The court noted his long-term community involvement, employment, and religious devotion, and directed the Probation Service to assess him for a community service order in lieu of an 18‑month prison sentence, with a hearing scheduled for 25 October. No prior convictions were recorded.
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.
In a hearing on 18 July 2023, a senior Department of Health official, Paddy Barrett, described the claim that 900 consultant doctor posts were vacant as an "extreme view". Lawyers for a group of senior doctors, represented by the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association, argued that new entrants to the health service are paid 30% less than those hired before October 2012, a difference they say is ageist pay discrimination. The doctors, including Solomon Asgedom, David Bradley, Gabrielle Colleran, and others, have filed complaints under the Employment Equality Act 1998 against the Minister for Health, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the Health Service Executive and a group of voluntary hospitals. The case, which has been adjourned to the autumn, focuses on the alleged pay cut for new entrants and the number of vacant consultant posts, with the State maintaining that there are several hundred vacancies but not as many as 900.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to the oral rape of his sister, who was aged 9‑12 at the time of the offences. The boy, who has a low IQ and learning difficulties and no prior convictions, was sentenced to six years' detention, with the sentence deferred for one year and a suspended portion. The judge noted the boy's early guilty plea, remorse and family support as mitigating factors, while also highlighting his lack of appreciation of the harm caused. The court imposed conditions of probation, addiction counselling, safety supervision and employment. The victim, who has no counselling or psychiatric assessment, was praised for her bravery in reporting the abuse and was described as deeply affected and living in constant fear. The judge emphasised the need for professional support for the victim, which had been lacking.
David Thomas, 33, has sued his mother Breda Thomas over a Co Kilkenny property that includes a guesthouse and 85 acres of land at Ballyduff, Thomastown. He alleges that he is the rightful owner, having inherited the property from his late grandmother and that it was held in trust for him and his sister. Thomas claims that the property was legally transferred to him in 2010 but that his mother concealed this fact, leading to a breakdown in their relationship. He seeks possession of the dwelling house and farm, registration of his legal interest, damages for trespass, breach of duty and unjust enrichment, and an injunction against his mother's alleged trespassing and harassment. Breda Thomas denies all allegations, stating she loves and cherishes her son, has never abused him, and that the property was willed to him and his sister by their grandmother in 1993.
In a victim impact statement read to the Central Criminal Court, Gaffar Giwa, father of 25‑year‑old Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, expressed profound grief after his son was stabbed to death by John Titiloye, a former friend, during a dispute over a stolen scooter. Giwa said the loss of his son is indescribable and that the killer's attempts to tarnish his son's name were futile. Titiloye, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in May. He admitted responsibility, expressed remorse, and said he would never forgive himself. The court heard that Titiloye had 23 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and that the altercation escalated over a small debt. The case was remanded for sentencing on July 24. The hearing focused on the facts of the killing and the defendant's admission of guilt, without any mention of future outcomes. John Titiloye was acquitted.
Schoolteacher Enoch Burke, dismissed from Wilson's Hospital School for alleged gross misconduct, was ordered by Mr Justice Alexander Owens to pay the school legal costs in a High Court action. Burke, who denied wrongdoing, argued that his suspension stemmed from his opposition to transgenderism and a school directive to refer to a student wishing to transition with a different name and pronoun. He claimed the disciplinary process breached his constitutional rights, including freedom of expression of religious beliefs. The court found Burke had been lawfully suspended and awarded the school costs, while restraining him from trespassing on the school premises. Burke appealed the dismissal, but a temporary injunction was granted to halt the appeal hearing, a move he contested. The case remains at the disciplinary appeal stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jack Quirke, aged 24, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for leading a gang that held a man in his own home for six hours, stabbed him multiple times, severed most of his right ear, and forced a phone charger cord down his throat. The court noted Quirke's 27 prior convictions, his guilty plea, and mitigating factors such as remorse and a recent serious road traffic accident. The judge highlighted the severity of the violence, the victim's disfigurement, and Quirke's youth at the time of the offence. Quirke was the ringleader, with another co‑accused receiving seven and a half years. The victim's impact statement was submitted but not read aloud. The case involved a mixed group of men and women who entered the victim's house after a call from his daughter.
A teacher has received €20,000 in compensation after alleging that her bosses at Farnham National School displayed 'subconscious bias' against her during a deputy principal application following a dispute over parental leave. Paulette Leonard, a primary school teacher with 28 years of service, secured the compensation through a complaint under the Parental Leave Act 1998. Ms Leonard requested six periods of parental leave in September and October 2020, but her application was denied by the school, citing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children's education. However, six periods of leave were later approved between November 2020 and May 2021, but only if Ms Leonard surrendered her statutory leave entitlement for that academic year. The Irish National Teachers' Association (INTO) raised concerns with the school in July 2020, leading to a notice in the staff room requiring parental leave longer than three weeks to be taken as a single block.
The High Court heard that Mr Wojciech Bialek, former chief executive of the Together‑Razem Centre, has complied with an injunction requiring him to vacate the charity's Cork offices. The injunction, obtained by the charity, prohibits Bialek and anyone aware of the order from removing, deleting or copying the charity's documents, transferring or withdrawing its funds, trespassing on its premises, or representing himself as an employee, trustee or chairperson. The court was told that the offices have been vacated and that Bialek denies the allegations. His lawyers requested time to respond fully. The charity claims Bialek resigned after an independent accountant raised questions about its accounting, and that he and others unlawfully attempted to remove board members, hold an invalid extraordinary general meeting, and seize control of the offices by changing the locks. The court set a timetable for document exchange and adjourned further proceedings to later this month. The charity has not yet regained possession of its offices.
A 53‑year‑old Galway farmer was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for indecent assault, sexual assault and oral rape of his nephew between 1989 and 1996. The nephew, now 39, was aged five to 13 during the offences and described the abuse as a "horrendous childhood" that left him with lasting pain, flashbacks and sleepless nights. He said the farmer, whom he trusted, took advantage of him while he helped on the farm, and that the abuse began with unwanted touching during "games" and progressed to masturbation and oral rape. The abuse stopped when the nephew entered secondary school. The farmer pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and was described by the court as a single man with health issues. The judge noted the plea as a mitigating factor and imposed a nine‑year sentence with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
In a cold‑case murder trial, the accused, Noel Long, 74, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, whose body was found in Shippool Woods, Cork, in 1981. The pathologist, Dr Robert Dermot Coakley, who performed the post‑mortem, died on 5 August 1981, weeks after the examination. Coakley testified that he visited the woods on 12 June 1981, saw the body, and began the post‑mortem that evening. He described the body's condition, including bruising, scratches, and the presence of spermatozoa. Witnesses, including Joan Holland and retired Garda officers, gave testimony about Sheehan's movements and the alleged involvement of Long. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains at the trial stage.
A 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court for attempting to murder his mother in Co Meath four years ago. Camden Konopka, of Castleview Court, Delvin, was arraigned on a single count of attempting to murder Fiona Konopka at Coille Dios, Athboy on 19 September 2019. Mr Justice Tony Hunt set a sentencing hearing for 6 November this year.
A 31‑year‑old man, Gareth Sheeran, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his father, Harry Sheeran, at Carriglea View on Father's Day, 20 June 2021. The trial, set to last two days, will be heard by a jury of seven men and five women. Judge Tony Hunt noted little factual dispute but emphasized the need for a jury verdict and instructed the jury not to discuss the case.