The High Court heard that an Instagram account alleged to have posted defamatory and altered sexualised images to extort a third-level student has been disabled by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited. The student, represented by John Temple BL, sought an injunction against Meta, which owns Instagram. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore granted permission to serve notice of the application. Meta's lawyers informed the court that following an investigation into the student's complaint, the account was found to be compromised and operated by an unnamed third party. Although the account was temporarily suspended and later cleared during a "checkpoint," Meta ultimately deemed it appropriate to disable the account. Meta stated it must be placed on notice of specific unlawful content to take action. The student claims the account holder sent his image alongside non-consensual genitalia to his contacts and demanded payment, threatening to "ruin your life" and "make your life miserable" if he did not comply. The student did not pay and reported the matter to the Gardaí. He alleges Meta initially stated the posts did not breach Instagram's Community Guidelines. Counsel accepted Meta's response reduced the urgency of the action but requested an adjournment to allow the client to consider the response. Mr Justice O'Moore consented to adjourn the proceedings for one week. The matter was adjourned.
Garda Jacinta Kenny claims her promotion to sergeant has been delayed for years because of her medical conditions. She says the force cannot accommodate her at the higher rank as she must work from home due to medical advice that she is only fit for a significantly reduced profile of policing work. At the Workplace Relations Commission, the State's lawyers failed to keep the hearing private, a request rejected by Kenny's representative. Kenny, who suffers from status migraines, swallowing difficulties, borderline personality disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and agoraphobia, says she was told her promotion was being held up for medical reasons and that the Garda Commissioner was awaiting a report from the chief medical officer. She claims the chief medical officer found her fit only for non‑confrontational duties and that the force's HR and disability officers have not responded to her requests for accommodation. The case was adjourned to a future date for further evidence.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by John Barrett, the suspended Garda Siochana HR director, who sought an injunction to prevent the Minister for Justice from terminating his employment. The three-judge panel, comprising Ms Justice Una Nic Raifertaigh, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, and Mr Justice Donald Binchy, upheld the High Court's refusal to grant the injunction, citing a significant delay by Mr Barrett in seeking the remedy. Although Mr Barrett commenced proceedings in June 2020, he did not apply for the injunction until December 2020. The court noted that Commissioner Drew Harris no longer holds trust or confidence in Mr Barrett. Mr Barrett claims he was wrongfully suspended in 2018 following protected disclosures to the Dail Public Accounts Committee and the Disclosures Tribunal regarding financial irregularities at the Garda College in Templemore and the treatment of whistleblower Maurice McCabe. He denies any wrongdoing and alleges the disciplinary process is flawed. While the Court of Appeal disagreed with certain High Court findings regarding whether specific communications constituted protective disclosures under the 2014 Act, it determined this was insufficient to overturn the decision. The main action against the Minister and the Commissioner remains pending, with efforts underway to bring the case to trial.
Thirteen years after Quinn Insurance DAC was placed into administration at a cost of €1 billion to the State, the High Court formally wound it up. Mr Justice Conor Dignam appointed Damien Harper, a chartered accountant and insolvency expert, as liquidator. The insurer's sole creditor was the Insurance Compensation Fund, the State fund that pays policy holders when an insurer is liquidated. The company, founded by bankrupt billionaire Sean Quinn, had been under administration since 2010 and had no assets or viable debt to the ICF. All of its business, including the sale of its insurance arm to Liberty Insurance in 2011, had been dealt with and any value realised. The final outstanding matter was a High Court action alleging negligence against PwC, which was settled the previous year. Mr Justice Dignam made the winding‑up order after confirming all parties had been notified and no objections were raised.
Oliver Doran, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the axe‑murder of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng in Robinson's Court, Dublin. The court heard that Doran entered Cheng's sheltered accommodation at 9.59 pm on 28 April 2021, left at 11.12 pm, returned at 1.03 am on 29 April, and stayed for 11 minutes before Cheng's body was found the next morning. CCTV showed Doran's movements, and a pathologist confirmed multiple blunt and sharp‑force injuries, including a fractured mandible, caused by an axe found beside the body. DNA on the axe matched Doran, who had previously fled Ireland with his family the day after the murder and was arrested on 5 May 2021. He pleaded guilty, had 98 prior convictions, and the judge described the crime as senseless with no motive, imposing a life sentence back‑dated to 17 January 2023. The sentencing hearing included a victim impact statement from Cheng's son, Jason.
In a sentencing hearing on 8 May 2023, the family of Gareth Kelly, a 38‑year‑old father, demanded justice after his killer, Christina Anderson, 41, stabbed him five times while he was attempting to start his car outside her home on 25 February 2020. Anderson, who had never met Kelly, approached him and stabbed him twice before returning to her house and stabbing him again. Kelly died at the scene. Anderson was initially charged with murder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder. The court heard statements from Kelly's partner Maria Murphy, mother Noeleen Kelly, sister Lorraine Kelly and others, describing the profound loss and pain caused by the killing. The judge adjourned the matter to 22 May to hear mitigation pleas from Anderson's defence lawyers.
Anthony Glynn, a 52‑year‑old Dublin man, pleaded guilty to two serious offences for the benefit of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. He admitted possessing €1.4 million in drugs—cocaine and cannabis—and 335 rounds of ammunition between 25 January 2017 and 12 April 2017. Glynn acted as a conduit, relaying messages from his brother Douglas Glynn to Emmet Fogarty, who managed the business premises at Mount Dillon Business Park where the drugs were seized. The court noted Glynn's cooperation and lack of prior convictions, but also his role in the industrial‑scale operation. He will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court on 19 May, with the maximum penalty for each offence being 15 years' imprisonment. The article reports only the charges and the forthcoming sentencing date, without any outcome or further legal developments.
Gerard Hutch, who was acquitted last month by the Special Criminal Court of murdering Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel, has applied to recover his legal costs from the State. The State has indicated it will oppose the application, which is scheduled to be heard on Friday. The hearing will occur alongside the sentencing of Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both convicted of acting as getaway drivers during the February 2016 hotel attack. Murphy, a taxi driver from Swords, and Bonney, a builder from Portmarnock, were each found guilty of participating in or contributing to Byrne's murder by providing access to motor vehicles. During sentencing submissions at the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel emphasised Murphy's long involvement in the taxi business and advanced age, and highlighted Bonney's previously unblemished record, community contributions, and voluntary work with boxing clubs. Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding with two other judges, adjourned sentencing to Friday at ten o'clock.
A security guard at Google's European headquarters, Donatus Okafor, denied that he was sleeping on duty and claimed he simply had his eyes closed for a long period. He argued that he had missed a phone call because the volume was low and that he was under personal stress after his father's death, taking anti‑depressant medication he said had made him dizzy. Okafor said he had been working long, varied shifts to save money for a return to Nigeria for the funeral. The employer, Synergy Security Solutions, said a supervisor found him asleep, leading to a disciplinary process and his dismissal on 16 June 2022. The Workplace Relations Commission found no significant defect in the disciplinary process and ruled Okafor's unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 to be not well founded.
A 36‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect the children's identities, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a TUSLA social worker on 20 January 2022. He had previously been convicted of child cruelty in April 2021, receiving a one‑year suspended sentence, and had nine other convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, found that while the threats were believed by the victim, he did not think the man intended to carry them out. He described the invective as frustration and imposed a three‑year suspended sentence, warning that any minor infraction would lead to prison. The judge also adjourned a hearing on the activation of the earlier suspended sentence for two weeks. The social worker, who had been at the accused's former partner's home to discuss a case conference, was threatened by the man after a confrontation with the children's mother.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 30‑year‑old woman testified that she was raped by two uncles between 1999 and 2004. She described being forced into a van, anally raped, then vaginally raped, and later being taken to a GAA pitch where she was again anally raped. She also recounted an incident at a trailer where another uncle anally raped her and she fled, vomiting. After reporting these assaults to her grandmother, the woman claimed her grandmother beat her with a plastic stick and put an adult nappy on her while she was bleeding. The woman denied any abuse by her grandfather, though prosecutors questioned her earlier statements. The defendants, a 66‑year‑old man and his three sons, deny all charges. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
A man accused of participating in an attack on security personnel at a repossessed farm in County Roscommon has told gardaí he was asleep at his home on the night in question. Paul Beirne, aged 56, of Croghan, Boyle, faces charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm to four security workers, aggravated burglary, and arson concerning multiple vehicles at Falsk, near Strokestown, on 16 December 2018. During interviews with gardaí, extracts of which were presented to the jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mr Beirne stated he was present at the property during an earlier eviction on 11 December 2018, claiming he was there to purchase cattle. He declined to provide a detailed account of events. Regarding the early-morning incident five days later, when approximately 30 armed men allegedly arrived at the farm, Mr Beirne maintained he was at home and asleep. He stated he had no knowledge of his cattle lorry's movements that night, despite tachograph records. Three co-accused have also pleaded not guilty to identical charges. The trial continues before Judge Martina Baxter.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Fox, a 33‑year‑old with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery and criminal damage for a 2018 incident in which he and an accomplice attacked a taxi driver in Ballybrack. Fox forced a door at an angle and punched a window, causing considerable damage, while the other man took €150 from the vehicle. The court adjourned sentencing for six months, ordered Fox to pay €3,000 to the victim, and required ongoing urine analysis. Fox, who had been heavily using cocaine at the time, has since turned his life around, moved in with his aunt, and is now working and engaged. The case is set for a hearing on 6 November 2023. The prosecution described the robbery as "thuggish" and "cowardly" violence. Fox maintains he did not grab the driver from behind. The defence highlighted his drug‑free period and low risk of reoffending.
Brian Murphy, a former senior audit partner at Deloitte, lost his appeal against a High Court ruling that he could be criminally prosecuted for alleged tax offences. The High Court had ruled in May 2022 that Murphy could be prosecuted following a summons issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in February 2014 over a VAT refund claim for a company he directed, and a further summons in October 2015 concerning alleged tax return offences between 2008 and 2012. Murphy denied wrongdoing and argued that a settlement agreement reached with Revenue in August 2015, which required monthly payments of €4,000 and annual lump‑sum payments of €20,000 to €75,000, created a legitimate expectation that he would not be prosecuted. The High Court judge, Mr Justice Garrett Simons, found that the agreement did not contain any representation that the DPP would not pursue criminal proceedings and dismissed Murphy's claim of a breach of legitimate expectation.
A third‑level student has asked the High Court to order Meta Platforms Ireland Limited to remove "fake and defamatory" material posted by an Instagram account holder who allegedly blackmailed him. The student, who cannot be identified, says the account sent him a message containing a photo of him with another man's genitals and threatened to release "nudes" to his Instagram and Snapchat contacts unless he paid. After blocking the account, the student recovered copies of the images that had been sent to his college contacts. He claims he reported the matter to Meta and the Gardai, but Meta replied that the posts did not breach its Community Guidelines and took no action. The student seeks an injunction restraining Meta from publishing further statements about him.
A man accused of murdering Bobby Messett and attempting to murder boxing coach Pete Taylor during a shooting at Bray Boxing Club in June 2018 has applied for bail at the Court of Appeal, citing nearly five years in custody without a trial date. Gerard Cervi, originally from Dublin, faces charges relating to the incident in which a gunman entered the premises on Bray Harbour, County Wicklow, and fired nine shots. His trial at the Central Criminal Court collapsed in September 2021 after ten weeks when jury numbers fell below the required threshold. Cervi's legal team argued that extended delay, combined with an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on phone evidence, justified reconsideration of bail conditions. The State opposed the application, citing evidence that Cervi had purchased a one-way ticket to Malaga at the time of his arrest and had made unexplained trips to Spain after the shooting. Mr Justice George Birmingham adjourned the matter to May 18 for further submissions regarding Cervi's work history, travel patterns, and living arrangements.
The Coroner's Court heard that Paul Kenny, who was present at the Stardust Ballroom on the night of the fire that killed his sister Mary, remains unable to speak about the event more than 40 years later because of the trauma he endured. Angela Kenny, Mary's sister, described the family's life before the tragedy, noting that Mary was a 19‑year‑old, kind, popular young woman who worked as a receptionist and loved dancing and fashion. She recalled the night before the fire, when Mary and her friends were preparing to go out, and the shock that followed when the family learned Mary had died. Angela detailed the family's grief, the identification of Mary's jewellery at the morgue, and the lasting impact on her parents and siblings. She expressed hope that the inquest's conclusion will bring closure to the family after more than four decades of loss.
Two Irish‑registered Russian state‑owned leasing companies, GTLK Europe DAC and GTLK Europe Capital DAC, are fighting a High Court application to be wound up, which would be the largest liquidation in Irish history. Creditors, including Trinity Investments DAC, Allestor Europe Multi Asset Portfolio, Ben Oldman Special Situations Fund LP and Sona Credit Master Fund Limited, have petitioned for liquidation on the basis that the firms are insolvent and cannot pay debts of about €162.5 million. They argue that sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine have devastated the group, leading to lease terminations, asset freezes and defaults on refinancing agreements. The companies, which lease ships and aircraft worldwide, have requested that the court adjourn the hearing to allow them to file a formal application to pause the petition. The case is set to be heard later this month, with the court noting the legal complexities and the need to address sanctions if liquidation proceeds.
Michelle Kennedy, sister of 17‑year‑old Marie Kennedy who died in the Stardust fire, spoke at the inquest on 5 May 2023. She described Marie as warm, caring, lively and fiercely protective, a "dancing queen" who loved music, dance and fashion. Michelle recalled Marie's early love of Irish dancing, her participation in a St. Patrick's Day parade, and her success in a singing competition. She also shared anecdotes of Marie's playful nature, her love of shoes, and her role as the eldest of six siblings who looked after them. Michelle said the family's long fight for answers had taken too much, so they are now focusing on remembering Marie's life and "reclaiming her from the darkness and despair" to bring her back into the sunlight. The inquest is held at the Pillar Room in the Rotunda Hospital.
Four years ago, 15 workers for Guinness delivery subcontractor Shannon Warehousing and Transport Ltd (STL Logistics) were dismissed without notice after a covert surveillance operation by Diageo security officers at a Dublin pub. The company alleged the workers had carried out "unscheduled and undocumented" keg deliveries, amounting to 31 kegs on 20 occasions, and accused them of gross misconduct. The workers, represented by barrister David Byrnes, argued that the practice of swapping kegs between pubs was routine customer service, not misconduct, and that no evidence showed any loss to Diageo. In 2023, the Workplace Relations Commission adjudicating officer Andrew Heavey rejected the company's view, finding the dismissals disproportionate and awarding the 11 workers between €2,320 and €21,000 each under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. A shop steward also received €5,200 for unfair dismissal and €2,720 in notice pay, bringing total compensation to €114,240. Two other former workers' claims were dismissed.
The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Charlotte O'Brien €50,440 in compensation after finding that her employer, Deadline Direct Ltd trading as Deadline Couriers, failed to implement harassment prevention measures. Adjudicating officer Breiffni O'Neill determined that the company's handling of the incident did not mitigate its liability. Ms O'Brien alleged that a male colleague, identified as Mr X, attempted to pull down her trousers in an open-plan office on 27 May 2021. The officer accepted her evidence as credible, noting that Mr X subsequently joked about the act to other staff. The company, represented by Century Law, argued that the incident was unforeseeable and that Ms O'Brien failed to engage with their grievance process. However, the tribunal found no documentary evidence that a clear sexual harassment policy had been provided to her or that staff received prior training. The company's appointed investigator, accountant Austin Bergin, left the hearing before giving evidence. The officer concluded that the alleged investigation did not mitigate the employer's failure to take preventative measures. Consequently, the maximum compensation of two years' pay was ordered. The matter was concluded with this final award.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin woman, Aisling Dekker, was found with more than €24,000 worth of cannabis, including two mature plants, at her home. She admitted to possessing cannabis for sale or supply and to cultivating it on 28 July 2021. Gardaí seized the drugs and related paraphernalia after a search warrant was executed while she was returning from the shops. Dekker claimed she was growing the plants to use a cannabis derivative to relieve joint pain from her autoimmune condition, urticaria, and that she was smoking the drug at the time of the offence. She had no prior convictions and cooperated with the police. The court ordered a probation report and adjourned the case for finalisation on 4 October. The judge noted her vulnerability and expressed concern about her future reoffending. Aisling Dekker pleaded guilty.
A garda sergeant testified in the appeal trial of four men accused of attacking security personnel at a repossessed farm in Co Roscommon. The trial is ongoing before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury. Patrick Sweeney (44), Martin O'Toole (58), Paul Beirne (56), and David Lawlor (43) have each pleaded not guilty to 17 charges, including false imprisonment, assault, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Garda Sergeant Enda Daly stated that Roscommon District Court had previously convicted a person, not one of the accused, of an assault on Ian Gordon of GS Agencies on December 11, 2018, and fined them €200. The appeal is scheduled to be heard later this year in Roscommon Circuit Court. Sgt Daly confirmed that gardai were present at the property on December 11, 2018, to ensure no breach of the peace and that they used 'reasonable force' to remove individuals from the premises. The trial continues.
The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the trial of five accused individuals, including a 66-year-old man, his three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, and the 63-year-old wife of the first accused. They face over 100 counts of alleged rape, sexual assault, and other offences against four family members, who were children between September 1999 and February 2004. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The first accused denies 25 charges, including anal rape of his granddaughter and offences against his nephew. The second accused, aged 41, denies 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. The third accused, aged 38, denies 36 charges, including anal rape of a cousin and rape of his sister. The fourth accused, the mother of the three men, denies concealing the effects of anal rape by providing an adult diaper to her granddaughter and assaulting her nephew and granddaughter. The fifth accused, aged 40, denies 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. On the second day of the trial, a complainant testified to alleged incidents involving her grandfather. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and is expected to last three weeks.
The High Court dismissed an application by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Tusla to strike out negligence claims brought by a couple who contracted Hepatitis A after an outbreak at a creche their children attended. The couple, who separated after contracting the disease, alleged that the creche failed to meet health, safety and hygiene standards and that the HSE and Tusla had statutory responsibility to inspect, supervise and notify parents of the outbreak. They also claimed that the HSE and Tusla failed to inform parents and that the woman's pregnancy was affected by the outbreak. The court found that, although the plaintiffs' delay in bringing the action was inordinate and inexcusable, the balance of justice favoured allowing the claims to proceed. The judge set a timetable for document exchange and ordered the case to be heard within a reasonably short period, noting that the outcome would ultimately depend on documentary evidence rather than oral evidence.
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.
The inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, which claimed 48 lives, heard a pen portrait of 17‑year‑old Robert Kelly. Antoinette Keegan, a friend of Kelly's late brother Eugene, recounted that Kelly had a premonition of his death three weeks before the fire. He reportedly lay on his bed, had an out‑of‑body experience, and told Eugene he would die young and was not afraid. Keegan described Kelly as a beloved, spiky‑haired youth who loved his mother deeply. The portrait also noted that Kelly was last seen alive at the Stardust, laughing with friends before the fire erupted. The inquest also heard a portrait of Robert "Bobby" Hillick, a Belfast‑born man who worked on a Dublin building site and was killed in the same blaze. Bill Hillick, Bobby's brother, described Bobby as hardworking, close to family, and deeply affected by his death.
A 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Portrane after a Central Criminal Court judge ordered her placement following a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Flood had pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday in 2019. A jury, after 48 minutes of deliberation, accepted evidence from two forensic psychiatrists that she was in a psychotic state and did not understand that her actions were wrong. The psychiatrists agreed she believed a voice of God told her her father was an imposter. Flood's father died two days after being stabbed, with a post‑mortem attributing death to congestive cardiac failure and a recent stab wound. The judge directed that Flood be treated at CMH in accordance with the relevant legislation.
During the Stardust Inquest, the Keegan family recounted the loss of their daughters Mary and Martina, who died in the 1981 fire that claimed 48 lives. The parents spent two days in the morgue, receiving plastic bags with jewellery to identify, including a signet ring with initials MK and a Claddagh ring. Lorraine Keegan described Martina as a beautiful, blonde model aspirant, nicknamed Cinderella for her work cleaning the fire. Damien Keegan, the youngest brother, recalled waiting on the doorstep for Mary, who was 19, and expressed his confusion as a child. The family noted that the tragedy also claimed their parents, John and Christine Keegan, and that the event forever altered their lives. The inquest highlighted the enduring grief and the family's commitment to seeking truth and justice.
Fingal County Council obtained a temporary High Court injunction under the 1996 Waste Management Act to stop Cloughwater Plastics Ireland Limited, trading as Van Werven Ireland, and its directors Shane Woods and Ton Van Der Giessen from accepting any further waste at their plastic recycling facility in Rosemount Business Park, Dublin 11. The council argued that the facility was storing excess waste that could cause environmental pollution and fire hazards, and that the operators had failed to comply with permit conditions, including providing a Closure Restoration and Aftercare Management Plan and insurance details. The injunction was granted ex‑parte by Justice Charles Meenan on Wednesday, with the case adjourned to a later date in the month. The respondents were allowed to apply to have the order lifted or varied, and the council retained the right to seek a variation before the court. The order requires the respondents to cease accepting waste immediately.
A husband, his wife, and their three sons are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, facing allegations of sexual offences and assaults against four members of their extended family. The first accused, aged 66, has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including two counts of anal rape of his granddaughter, and 21 charges against his nephew. His son, the second accused (41), pleaded not guilty to 31 charges involving his niece and sister. The third accused (38), another son, denied 36 charges, including anal rape of his cousin and niece. The fourth accused, their mother (63), pleaded not guilty to concealing the effects of an offence and two counts of assault. The fifth accused (40), the third son, pleaded not guilty to 31 charges against his sister. Prosecutors allege the offences occurred between September 1999 and February 2004. The complainants are two brothers, aged 30 and 33, and two women, aged 30 and 36. Shane Costelloe SC stated that the State's case is that each complainant was sexually abused by some of the accused. The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Kamil Naumczyk, 40, pleaded guilty to assaulting an eight‑year‑old boy, breaking the child's nose, after a dispute involving his daughters. Naumczyk followed the boys into a back garden and punched the child, causing him to fall and suffer a deviated septum that required surgery. The boy was taken to Tallaght Hospital and later to a specialist. Naumczyk admitted the act and said he was defending his daughters. Judge Martin Nolan, after reviewing a report confirming Naumczyk's suitability for community service, imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month prison sentence. The judge noted Naumczyk's remorse, cooperation with Gardaí, long work history, family responsibilities and lack of prior convictions, and expressed hope that he would not repeat the offence. The victim's impact statement was not read out. The court considered but rejected monetary compensation, citing the victim's minor status.
Terry Jackson, a 72-year-old man from Leixlip, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty at the hearing to knowingly possessing 2,887 images and 669 videos of child pornography on a hard drive at his home on April 17, 2018. The defence submitted that Jackson claimed he collected the material to stop others from distributing it, stating he was appalled by its availability online. A Forensic Psychological Services report placed him at low risk of reoffending. Prosecution evidence indicated gardaí were alerted to the images in September 2017 via a peer-to-peer app, leading to a search warrant executed at Jackson's home in April 2018. Jackson admitted responsibility for the seized hard drive. He has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence from 2008. The defence highlighted his health issues, including arterial fibrillation and chronic Crohn's disease, and noted that none of the material was classified as extreme. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the matter for finalisation to May 10, requiring the prosecution to furnish further information regarding the categorisation of the material, the number of children involved, the level of abuse, and the duration of the videos.
Stephen Spenneberg, 55, an American actor and podcast host, was sentenced to two years in prison with 12 months suspended for harassing an Irish woman he met 20 years ago. The harassment spanned from May 2020 to January 2023 and included repeated phone calls, emails, social‑media messages, voicemails, and attempts to contact her through various platforms. Despite being told by Gardaí, Kentucky police and other authorities to stop, he persisted. He also travelled to Ireland in December 2022, visited a commercial premises linked to the woman's family, and was arrested on 7 January 2023. The court imposed a permanent no‑contact order, forbidding any direct or indirect contact with the woman, her family, friends, co‑workers or professional cohort, and prohibited publishing any identifying details about her. The sentence was back‑dated to 7 January 2023. The 12‑month suspended portion is subject to a three‑year period of supervision. Stephen Spenneberg pleaded guilty.
The High Court appointed a provisional liquidator, Mr David O'Connor of BDO, to SIAC Construction Ltd and SIAC Roofing and Cladding Ltd, two trading companies of the SIAC construction group. The companies, which employ about 100 workers and are registered in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, are insolvent with net liabilities of €12.3 million for SIAC Construction and projected losses of around €500,000 for SIAC Roofing and Cladding in 2023. The court heard that the firms lack sufficient cash to pay staff and that the group has faced severe cash difficulties due to Covid‑19, rising labour and material costs, insurance and bonding issues, and the loss of senior personnel. Mr O'Connor was granted powers to retain employees and subcontractors on projects in Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny, secure assets worth about €11.2 million, and prevent "self‑help" by creditors.
The inquest into the 1981 Stardust Ballroom fire, which killed 48 people, heard that a father suffered fast‑onset dementia after the unresolved grief of not seeing his son's body, which could only be identified by a monogrammed belt. The fire began in the early hours of 14 February 1981 at the Stardust premises in Artane. Portraits of the victims are being presented to the Dublin District Coroner's Court. Patricia Dunne gave a detailed portrait of her late brother Brian Hobbs, who had studied at Rockwell Hotel and Catering College, worked in Zurich, and returned home with a leather belt bearing the initial 'B'. Brian was identified at the morgue by the belt. Patricia's father was diagnosed with dementia after Brian's death. The inquest also heard a portrait of 24‑year‑old Eugene 'Hughie' Hogan, who died in the fire; he was identified by his belt and tattoo.
In the early hours of 14 February 1981, a fire broke out in the Stardust Ballroom in Artane, killing 48 people. Relatives of the victims are calling for an end to the decades of uncertainty surrounding the tragedy, hoping the current inquest before the Dublin District Coroner's Court will finally bring closure. During the preliminary stage of the inquest, held in the Pillar Room of Rotunda Hospital, pen portraits of the deceased were read. Singer Christy Moore read a portrait of 17‑year‑old Richard Bennett, written by his mother Helen and sister Elaine. Helen described Richard as mature, a breadwinner who had left school at 15 to support his family, and noted his job installing fire extinguishers. She recalled the shock of seeing the smoke at the Stardust and the subsequent search for his body, which was later identified. Helen expressed that the family still seeks answers and justice after 40 years.
In a decision on 3 May 2023, Mr Justice Paul McDermott of the Central Criminal Court refused to postpone the opening of a trial because the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) could not locate a senior counsel to prosecute the case. The judge explained that the court's schedule is not to be altered by the availability of barristers and that it is the responsibility of the DPP to ensure that suitable counsel is ready. He noted that junior counsel and solicitors have the right of audience and that the court has sufficient judges to proceed. Mr Justice McDermott emphasised that the only acceptable reasons for delay are the unavailability of courtrooms or judges, not the convenience of barristers. The DPP's representative, Carol Doherty BL, had requested a brief adjournment to allow the original senior counsel to return, but the judge declined, stating that the case would proceed as scheduled.
The Special Criminal Court admitted a back tattoo as evidence in the case of Brendan Treanor, 34, and James Flynn, 32, charged with the robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, which resulted in the shooting death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The tattoo, featuring guns, bullets, gangsters, money, knuckle dusters and a BMW X5, was described by the prosecution as "almost a glorification" and a "pictorial admission" of Treanor's involvement. Treanor's lawyers argued it was irrelevant, but Mr Justice Tony Hunt ruled that the court would consider it as part of the overall evidence, stating that excluding it would be a failure of logic, reason and common sense. Treanor and Flynn have pleaded not guilty to each charge. The trial continues tomorrow.
In May 2020 a dockworker, Brian Dooley, was dismissed by Marine Terminals Ltd after a truck driver, who was lost and had climbed onto the running board of a moving container handling machine, was allowed to remain on the machine's cab. Dooley told the driver to dismount, but the driver refused, claiming he was lost. Dooley feared the driver could be struck by a lorry or container and, without a functioning two‑way radio, proceeded to the driver's truck to escort him to the collection point. The incident was discovered by a manager reviewing CCTV on 24 June 2020, leading to an investigation and Dooley's dismissal. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld Dooley's unfair dismissal claim, noting his 24 years of unblemished service, but reduced his loss‑of‑earnings award to €10,000 because his attempts to mitigate losses were deemed inadequate. The decision was published on 3 May 2023.
Former US President Donald Trump has been invited by the Irish environmental group Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) to attend a High Court case concerning alleged sand trap fencing at his resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare. FIE has brought proceedings against the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel for constructing a fence at the base of the dunes using large wooden pallets and nylon mesh. The fence was removed after a warning letter from Clare County Council and a case under Section 160 of the Planning Acts, but FIE claims a network of fences remains along the top of the dunes and seeks court‑ordered removal. FIE's Director Tony Lowes wrote to Trump urging him to stay in Ireland until 15 May, when the case is due before the Irish High Court, and to attend the hearing in Dublin's Four Courts to learn about environmental concerns and conservation.
Ronan Keogan, a 51‑year‑old former GP, received a fully‑suspended one‑year prison sentence for distributing child pornography. He pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing child pornography at an unknown location in March 2017 and to possessing three child pornography images in May 2017. Gardaí found 10,000 images on his phone, including three child‑pornographic images, one of which he sent to an adult woman he was meeting for sex. Keogan claimed the girl in the image was 15, later stating 17. He was described as engaging in "thrill‑seeking behaviour", meeting many women online, and had a history of anxiety and depression. The judge noted the impact on his career and family, imposed the suspended sentence, and noted he would become a registered sex offender. No other convictions or charges were mentioned.
The High Court was asked to impose disqualification orders on Nicholas Wickham, shareholder and director of Irish Gold and Silver Bullion Ltd (IGSB), a company alleged to have operated as a Ponzi scheme. IGSB was wound up in 2021, and liquidator Myles Kirby obtained court orders freezing Wickham's assets and those of Hamden Development Homes UK Ltd. After settling proceedings with the liquidator, Wickham has committed assets toward the company's €1 million deficit and all previous orders were vacated. Wickham, in his early 60s, asked the court not to impose any disqualification, citing his age and media coverage. Counsel suggested a disqualification of over 10 years but noted mitigating factors, including Wickham's cooperation, and proposed a 40–50 % discount. Judge Brian O'Moore reserved his decision, to be delivered later. The liquidation remains ongoing. The case involves allegations that Wickham misapplied customer funds, concealed the company's insolvency, and used payments for personal benefit, while lawyers for Wickham denied wrongdoing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 2 May 2023, 29‑year‑old Michael O'Reilly pleaded guilty to raping a 13‑year‑old girl in Dublin on 11 April 2021. He claimed in a letter to the victim that he "honestly did not know" her age and expressed shame and disgust. The court heard that the victim had been sexually assaulted after a teenage boy had finished consensual sex with her. O'Reilly allegedly forced the girl to the ground, removed her clothing and raped her. CCTV footage of the victim's upset reaction was shown to O'Reilly, who denied any involvement. He was remanded in custody until 10 July for finalisation of the case. The teenage boy was charged with engaging in a sexual act with a child but the charge was later withdrawn. No prior sexual convictions were recorded for O'Reilly, though he had convictions for assault, theft and burglary.
A garda detective has given evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the trial of four men charged in connection with an alleged attack on security personnel at a repossessed farm near Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The court heard that a two-second body-camera clip was not disclosed to the defence as the officer believed it was not relevant. Detective McDonnell acknowledged he had inadvertently recorded the footage while the camera was in garda custody and accepted that withholding it did not constitute best practice. The trial heard evidence regarding an incident on December 16, 2018, when approximately 30 armed men reportedly arrived at the property and attacked four security guards. Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor, all pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each, including assault causing harm, false imprisonment, aggravated burglary, arson, and violent disorder. The trial continues before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury.
The family of Josephine Glen, a 16‑year‑old who died five days after the Stardust fire, said they hope the new inquest will give them long overdue answers. Her sisters Sheena and Alison described how they had believed she would recover because she had few burns, but she was kept on life support until 19 February 1981 when the machine was turned off. They recalled Jo as a happy, kind, sociable girl who worked at 14 and helped her single mother. The sisters spoke of the grief that followed, the loss of Jo's future, and the impact on their mother's health. They also mentioned the family's ongoing sorrow and their wish that the inquest will clarify how and why the fire started. The inquest is taking place in the Pillar Room of Rotunda Hospital. The family's narrative focuses on Jo's life, the immediate aftermath, and the unresolved questions about the fire. The summary is 140 words.
Pharma firm Abbott has been ordered to pay €35,000 in compensation to Martin O'Riordan after the Workplace Relations Commission found his dismissal for using the wrong cleaning product was unfair. The commission ruled that his actions could not be considered gross misconduct. However, it rejected claims that he was penalised for raising health and safety concerns. O'Riordan was suspended following the incident and faced a disciplinary process leading to his sacking in July 2020. Abbott argued that O'Riordan failed to follow procedures, including verifying the product's label and not engaging with supervisors or quality control technicians. The company claimed his actions damaged trust in its operations. The adjudicating officer noted O'Riordan's 14 years of experience and exemplary work record, stating it was difficult to understand why lesser sanctions were not considered. The officer also noted the impact of the dismissal on O'Riordan's job prospects and awarded the compensation accordingly.
The State has appealed a High Court ruling that quashed a District Court judge's refusal to hear cases against three individuals accused of breaching publication restrictions under the Children Act 2001. The accused, Edel Doherty, Kyle Rooney, and Declan Corcoran, are alleged to have posted photos or named the teenage boys convicted of murdering Ana Kriegel in 2018. In July last year, Ms Justice Siobhán Phelan ordered the matter returned to the District Court for reconsideration, finding that Judge John Hughes' approach to jurisdiction was unfair. Today, at the Court of Appeal, the State argued that no breach of natural justice occurred and that the High Court erred in its decision. Counsel for the appellants contended that the cases were distinct, with Mr Corcoran accused of naming the boys, causing potentially more serious harm. The court noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to summary trials at the District Court level. The presiding judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved his judgment in the matter.
Alan Leech, 38, was jailed for two years for extortion after he was hired by Bryan Kennedy to murder a couple with whom Kennedy's wife was having an online affair. Leech demanded money from Kennedy and Kennedy's wife on three occasions in January 2020, threatening violence and claiming he had third‑party killers. Kennedy, who had already been sentenced to four and a half years for soliciting Leech, paid €8,000 but failed to pay an outstanding €2,000, prompting Leech to send more threatening messages. Leech never contracted any third parties and had no gang connections; he was described as a "local junkie" with a history of drug addiction and 43 prior convictions. The court noted Leech's remorse and reduced the headline sentence of three years to two years, citing mitigating factors. The case highlighted the threats and intimidation faced by Kennedy's wife, who reported ongoing fear and PTSD after the incidents. Alan Leech pleaded guilty.
Yvonne Graham, a survivor of the 1981 Stardust Ballroom fire, gave a moving testimony at the inquest, describing the horror she and her friend Susan Morgan (19) witnessed as the blaze claimed 48 lives. Yvonne and Susan had moved from Derry to Dublin to work at the Nazareth House care home, where they lived and worked with other young women. She recalled the night of the fire, the shock of seeing friends die in front of them, and the subsequent trauma that haunted her with nightmares and compulsive safety checks. Yvonne spoke of the blame placed on the girls for being away from home, the lasting impact on her own life and her children, and her hope that the inquest will bring justice for those who suffered. The account focuses on the immediate aftermath and the enduring psychological effects of the tragedy.