The Workplace Relations Commission issued its first rulings under the 1996 Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Act in a dispute involving Verizon Ireland Ltd and four staff representatives: Pavel Macho, Kevin Rodgers, Jean-Phillippe Charpentier, and Jan Fröding. The adjudicating officer found that Verizon was not required to pay hotel bills or conference fees for a training course, rejecting the workers' claims for these expenses. However, the tribunal ordered Verizon to pay Mr. Macho €4,000 in compensation for penalisation after the company accused him of misleading managers and threatened disciplinary action. The adjudicator found these actions unwarranted and ordered the warning expunged from his record. Additionally, Verizon was ordered to pay €5,610, representing 50% of an €11,220 invoice, to Mr. Charpentier for legal expert advice regarding Brexit and the lapsed works council agreement. The tribunal noted that while the workers had standing to claim, their failure to consult before incurring costs breached the spirit of co-operation. The matter was concluded with these specific financial orders and the dismissal of the remaining conference expense claims.
Darren Gilligan, 47, son of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan, was granted bail by the High Court on 2 May 2023 despite objections from the Gardaí and a pending extradition request from Spain for drug‑trafficking matters. The court heard that Detective Sergeant Adrian Murray had arrested Gilligan in west Dublin on 12 April, and that Gilligan had acknowledged the allegations when questioned. Gilligan had previously purchased tickets to Spain, where he was due to appear before a Spanish court on another matter. The bail conditions set by Judge Kerida Naidoo include a €500 surety, daily reporting to a Garda station, surrender of travel documents, prohibition from leaving the jurisdiction, and provision of a mobile phone number. Gilligan was remanded in custody with bail pending his extradition hearing on 21 June 2023. The judge noted the Gardaí's concerns but accepted the bail terms.
A 32‑year‑old drug addict was jailed after terrorising his mother, threatening to stab her dog, petrol‑bombing her home and writing "rats out" on her door. He broke her jaw, forced her to hospital and was convicted of assault, possession of a knife and burglary. The mother, who had obtained a protection order, described the abuse and her fear. The court noted the high risk of reoffending and the offender's remorse. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to three years and two months, suspending the final eight months on conditions including offence and victim focus work with the Probation Service. The mother expressed a desire to reunite her family and accepted his apology, while the defence highlighted his addiction and prospects for rehabilitation. The unnamed 32-year-old pleaded guilty.
Trevor Brown, 40, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on May 7, 2022. Brown pleaded guilty to creating a serious risk of harm by driving dangerously at Meakstown Cottages, Finglas, two charges of assaulting a police officer, and one charge of stealing a car at Fassaugh Avenue, Cabra West. The court heard that Brown reversed a stolen vehicle at speed, pinning Garda David Lewis's leg between the vehicles, before resisting arrest and assaulting Garda Lewis and Garda Louise Moran. Both officers sustained injuries and were certified unfit for duty. Judge Patricia Ryan noted Brown's 165 previous convictions, including 58 for theft and 41 under the Road Traffic Act. While acknowledging mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, time in custody, and engagement in drug treatment, the judge rejected Brown's claim that he was reversing slowly. Judge Ryan sentenced Brown to two and a half years for the unlawful taking of a car and five years for the assault on a police officer. The final year of the assault sentence was suspended under strict conditions. Both sentences run concurrently and are backdated from the date he went into custody.
Emanuel Adrian Marcu, 29, of Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a co‑worker during a night out at Temple Bar on 29 January 2019. The victim, who was on a work night out, was punched twice in the face, sustaining a broken jaw that required surgery and several days in hospital. Marcu, who was intoxicated that night, later claimed he could not remember the incident and that someone had pushed him, but he admitted the attack was unprovoked. He voluntarily appeared at Garda station, offered an apology and brought €2,000 to court. Judge Martina Baxter, noting the seriousness of the injury and Marcu's lack of prior convictions, imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence. The sentence was deemed suitable by the Probation Service.
In a High Court application, property developer Greg Kavanagh seeks orders to prevent the sale of Wynnstay House, a derelict Dublin property valued at over €2m. Kavanagh, director of Greg Kavanagh Dev Co Ltd, claims an agreement from a settlement of a prior dispute entitles his company to purchase the house from its registered owner, Ballycrag Developments Limited, which is in receivership, and from Ms Anne O'Neill, who holds a charge. He alleges the agreement to buy is being reneged on and that the property has been listed for €2.25m. Kavanagh argues that a €200,000 deposit was paid in March, with a further €1.8m due within eight months, but disputes claims that the payment was late or that he was evading obligations. The court granted permission to serve notice of the injunction application and will consider the matter at a next‑week sitting.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury heard that a journalist who filmed burning vehicles during an alleged attack on a repossessed farm near Strokestown, County Roscommon, declined to disclose his source to gardaí. Emmet Corcoran, former editor of The Democrat, gave evidence that he attended the property at Falsk in the early hours of 16 December 2018 and recorded footage later provided to gardaí. Mr Corcoran stated he refused to identify his source, citing constitutional and European legal protections for journalistic privilege. He declined to surrender his phone password despite gardaí obtaining a search warrant, though ultimately handed the device over. The High Court subsequently granted a restraining order preventing phone access, and the Court of Appeal quashed the search warrant after noting the District Court judge had not been informed of the journalist's privilege claim. The Garda Commissioner has appealed to the Supreme Court. Four men, Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor, have each pleaded not guilty to seventeen charges relating to the incident.
A 51‑year‑old GP, Ronan Keogan of Terenure, pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing child pornography and to possessing three child pornography images. The offences were committed in March and May 2017. A woman he met on the affairs website Ashley Madison complained to Gardaí after he sent her images of a girl he claimed was 15, later stating she was 17. Gardaí obtained search warrants for Keogan's medical centre and home; the centre search yielded over 10,000 images, three of which were child pornography. Keogan was cooperative during the searches and denied intent to exploit underage girls. He has no prior convictions. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 3 May 2023. Keogan has been removed from the Medical Council, his practice closed, and he has lost all income as a result of the offences.
In a 2023 appeal, the Court of Appeal upheld a High Court judge's refusal to order the return of a young daughter to the UK, citing a grave risk of physical and psychological harm from her father. The mother, who had moved to Ireland with her pre‑school child in 2022 after alleging domestic violence, argued that English restraining orders would not prevent the father from taking the child. The father, who denied all allegations, sought a Hague Convention order to return the child. The Court, satisfied that the mother had proven a real and grave risk, dismissed the father's appeal and maintained the High Court's decision. The case highlighted the exceptional nature of the situation and the court's willingness to protect the child from potential harm.
In a decision on 28 April 2023, Mr Justice Paul Burns dismissed former Sunday Independent columnist Eoghan Harris's appeal against the Circuit Court's transfer of his defamation action against journalist Aoife Moore to the High Court. Harris had alleged that Moore's May 2021 tweet wrongly accused him of sending her sexualised messages on Twitter. Moore, along with journalist Allison Morris, had filed separate High Court claims that they were defamed by tweets from a Twitter account called "Barbara J. Pym," which Harris and others allegedly operated between 2020 and 2021. She claimed the tweets questioned her journalistic objectivity, accused her of partisan reporting for Sinn Féin, and used sexualised language. Harris denied these allegations. The judge ruled that both Harris's claim and Moore's counter‑claim should be tried together in the High Court, citing significant overlap and complexity, and ordered costs in favour of Moore while staying execution pending the cases' outcomes.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in the appeal by 'Fat' Freddie Thompson against his 2018 life sentence for the 2016 murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas. Thompson, who pleaded not guilty, argued that his conviction should be overturned due to procedural failures in how gardaí identified him from CCTV footage. His counsel contended that no records were kept of the identification process, preventing effective cross-examination, and cited UK protocols as a standard for such procedures. The State argued that the UK code did not apply in Ireland and that the conviction remained safe even without the CCTV evidence, noting that the footage was of sufficient quality for the trier of fact. The court heard that Thompson was driving a Ford Fiesta involved in the plot, while other vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz, Suzuki Swift, and Mitsubishi Mirage, were part of the convoy. Thompson is one of four men jailed for the murder. Lee Canavan was sentenced to life in 2021 for his role in the joint enterprise, though the court did not find he fired the shots. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received a six-year sentence, while Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years as the getaway driver.
The Stardust inquest heard testimony about 26‑year‑old Michael Farrell, whose sister Monica D'Arcy described him as the heart of the family. After the fire, Michael was identified only by a watch and later by dental records. Monica recounted the night of the tragedy, noting that Michael and his girlfriend Thelma Frazer were at the disco supporting their brother Pat, who searched for them until the early morning. She described Michael's interests—music, Bruce Lee, dancing, pitch‑and‑putt—and his love for family, especially his mother. The inquest also included remarks from Michael's niece Angela Shepard, who spoke of the pain of never seeing Michael again and the need for validation and justice for the 48 young victims. The testimony highlighted the lasting grief and the family's desire for dignity and closure.
Caroline Tiernan, sister of Michael Ffrench, a Stardust victim, spoke at the inquest, describing the "crushing grief" of waiting 25 years for her brother's formal identification. Michael, one of five victims whose bodies were too badly burned to identify, was finally identified in 2007 through DNA testing. He was the eldest of seven children, a gentle giant, electrician, and music lover, who was loved and respected in his community. Caroline recalled his caring nature, his support for his mother, and his role as a protector and role model. She described the emotional turmoil of the night of the fire, the repeated visits to the morgue, and her mother's breakdown. The family endured a long wait, and the second time they saw Michael's coffin, the grief was again overwhelming, leaving a void that will never be filled.
A Lidl worker, Kamil Goljanak, who suffered from depression, was disciplined in absentia and dismissed after missing emails that claimed he had failed to submit sick notes. The supermarket argued it had no contact with him during a two‑month unexplained absence and that it had followed its absence notification process. However, the Workplace Relations Commission found that Lidl Ireland had a medical note on file that was not mentioned in the investigation report that led to the dismissal. Goljanak had provided sealed envelopes with his medical certificates to a former colleague, who was instructed not to send them to HR. The tribunal concluded that the dismissal was unfair, noting the presence of a sick note in the employee's file, and awarded €16,000 in compensation.
A garda superintendent has firmly rejected suggestions that policing failures contributed to a violent incident at a repossessed house near Strokestown, County Roscommon, in December 2018. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Superintendent Seamus Boyle disputed a defence assertion that gardaí failed to intervene timeously and properly before armed men attacked security personnel. Four men—Patrick Sweeney of Ramelton, County Donegal; Martin O'Toole of Claremorris, County Mayo; Paul Beirne of Boyle, County Roscommon; and David Lawlor of Navan, County Meath—have each pleaded not guilty to seventeen charges. These include false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, violent disorder, and animal cruelty, arising from the early-morning incident on 16 December 2018. The superintendent confirmed he prepared a policing plan and visited the property but maintained An Garda Síochána's role was limited to preventing breaches of the peace. The trial before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury continues. Patrick Sweeney was convicted. Martin O'Toole was convicted. Paul Beirne was convicted. David Lawlor was convicted.
In a High Court hearing, Canadian businessman Louis Trudel, CEO of TTMG International SARL, alleged that Waterford‑based Carray Homes Unlimited and its director Darren Carroll committed fraud by misrepresenting progress on a €1.2 million loan used to build 25 houses and 6 apartments at Adamstown Kilmeaden. Trudel claimed the loans, repayable in 11 months at 30 % interest, were advanced in two tranches: €300,000 to demonstrate cash flow to Waterford County Council and €900,000 to purchase land. He said aerial photographs supplied by the defendants were falsified, and that a colleague's drone images proved the reports were misleading. Trudel has not seen any agreement with the council and seeks repayment of the loans. After partial payment of €50,000, the remaining €250,000 of the first tranche remains unpaid.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Roy Reilly, 53, was sentenced to seven years in prison after authorities seized €560,166 worth of heroin, cannabis and cocaine from a modified Opal Insignia car and a Dublin 8 apartment described as a "small drugs factory." Gardaí found £42,960 in laundered money, 19 g of cocaine, 2 kg of heroin, 11 kg of cannabis, 560 g of cocaine, a hydraulic press, a blender, bagging material, scales, ten mobile phones, 1.3 kg of benzocaine, 2 kg of caffeine and paracetamol. Documents including Reilly's driving licence, passport and vehicle registration were recovered. Reilly pleaded guilty to possession of the money and drugs, admitting possession of heroin, cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply. The judge described him as a trusted participant in a large enterprise, noting his high level of culpability and that he had pleaded early. The sentence was back‑dated to the day he was taken into custody.
Ioan Lingurar, 36, who posed as a taxi driver, was convicted of raping two women in Dublin three years apart and of false imprisonment. The first victim was attacked in February 2016 after she had hailed what she thought was a taxi; she escaped after a struggle and later reported the assault. The second victim was assaulted in February 2019 after she had entered a vehicle she believed to be a taxi; she fought back and escaped. DNA evidence linked both attacks to Lingurar, who had previously been convicted of a sexual assault in France. At the Central Criminal Court, the judge imposed a total of seventeen‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the 2016 and 2019 sentences running consecutively. Lingurar appealed, arguing the headline sentences were too high, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing. Ioan Lingurar pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 39‑year‑old Ashley Cooper of Raheny admitted allowing her home to be used for the sale and supply of controlled drugs after a financial crisis. Cooper had borrowed €3,000 from an unnamed man to support her three children during Christmas. When she could not meet the weekly €100 interest, the lender demanded she accept two bags of drugs worth about €297,000. Cooper pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of permitting a premises to be used for drug supply. Gardaí seized 9.8 kg of cannabis (valued €196,780) and 1.4 kg of cocaine (worth €100,240) from her house, and the driver of the van that delivered the drugs was charged. Cooper, with no prior convictions, cooperated with investigators and expressed fear of the lender. She has a history of depression and financial hardship, and has performed voluntary work for a homeless charity.
Paul O'Brien, a 38‑year‑old computer technician from Tallaght, pleaded guilty to three counts of copyright infringement for selling Android boxes that enabled cheap access to thousands of TV channels. Between June 2016 and December 2017 he sold about 150 boxes, charging customers €12 a month for activation codes that unlocked roughly 4,000 channels. Gardaí traced the scheme after a Sky investigator purchased a box in October 2017, leading to warrants and a raid in December 2017 that seized computers, flyers, business cards and a black tower PC containing data on activation codes. O'Brien's bank account held €34,017, about 60 % of which came from the illegal sales. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 240 hours of community service, ordered the forfeiture of €20,410 and the destruction of the seized equipment, and noted that a custodial sentence was considered but ultimately not imposed.
A 42‑year‑old taxi driver was given a suspended six‑month sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting his 11‑year‑old son 20 times with a metal umbrella. The incident occurred on 16 February 2020 when the son was locked out of the father's house after an access visit. The son, who had been told by his father that he would be "thrown in the hell fire by God" if he told his mother, was left outside for over an hour, cold and wet, before being brought back to the father's home. There, the father beat him in the sitting room, repeatedly asking "Will you run away again?" The son suffered bruises and a cut to his knee. The father denied ever physically punishing his children and has no prior convictions. He has since taken parenting and conflict‑resolution courses. The judge noted the seriousness of the breach of trust and the boy's continued fear and distress.
Families who lost loved ones in the Stardust nightclub blaze gathered at the Garden of Rememberance before the inquest. The third day of the inquest took place in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital, where pen portraits of the 48 people who died were read. Susan Behan spoke of her brother Johnny Colgan, who was 21 when he died. She described him as a charismatic, upbeat young man who loved football and socialising. She recalled that he had gone to the Stardust and never returned, and that she had seen him the day before the fire. Siobhan Kearney, sister of Liam Dunne, who was 18 when he died, described the week he spent in hospital and his eventual death on 11 March 1981. Alison Keane, sister of Jacqueline Croker, who was 19 when she died, recalled the shock of the news and the impact on her family. The inquest will continue tomorrow with further pen portraits.
A factory worker who is a recovering alcoholic brought a discrimination claim to the Workplace Relations Commission, alleging that colleagues had taunted him by leaving beer bottles and pint glasses around the workplace. He said he was suspended for allegedly smelling of drink after a spillage incident on 17 September 2019, and that he was later transferred to other duties. The employer argued the bottles were litter from a nearby nightclub and that the worker was sent home without pay for health and safety reasons under the company's alcohol and drugs policy, not suspended. The tribunal found the worker's evidence inconsistent and concluded that he had not been discriminated against or harassed on the grounds of disability, dismissing the complaint. The decision was fully anonymised. The case involved a dispute over a spillage, verbal abuse, and allegations of taunting by colleagues. The tribunal noted the worker had resigned in December 2019.
Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of sixteen-and-a-half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for facilitating a criminal organisation in the fatal shooting of Thomas McCarthy. Charles McClean, aged thirty-four, of Clondalkin in Dublin, received ten years, to run consecutively after an eight-year sentence for conspiracy to murder. Mark Lee, aged thirty-two, from Lucan in Dublin, received nine years with the final twelve months suspended. Mr McCarthy, a fifty-five-year-old father of five from England, was shot dead at his mother's home in Ballyfermot on twenty-seventh July two thousand twenty after answering the door. He had no involvement in criminality and was shot nine times with no established motive for the killing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that McClean played a prominent role in the carefully planned murder, monitoring the victim's movements and signalling the shooter. Lee demonstrated loyalty to the criminal organisation involved whilst showing little empathy for the victim's family. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges.
In a High Court hearing, a woman aged in her late 70s who claims she was a long‑term partner of a deceased man sought proper provision from his estate. She argued that she lacked mental capacity to instruct her lawyers, but the judge ruled she had the capacity to continue the proceedings. The court noted medical evidence of cognitive difficulties but found no proof that she could not understand the nature of the case. The woman, who was named a co‑executor but renounced that role to bring her action, claims entitlement under the 2010 Civil Partnership Act. She also pursued related actions to prevent her removal as a director of a company run by the deceased and to secure a right of residence. The judge adjourned the case, stating it would likely take many more days to resolve. The court declined to allow her lawyers to come off record in any of the three actions.
A security guard gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of a violent attack at a repossessed property in Strokestown, County Roscommon, on 16 December 2018. The witness described being struck with a nail-studded bat and cut with a blade during an incident involving approximately thirty armed men. Four defendants—Patrick Sweeney of Ramelton, County Donegal; Martin O'Toole of Claremorris, County Mayo; Paul Beirne of Boyle, County Roscommon; and David Lawlor of Navan, County Meath—have pleaded not guilty to seventeen charges each. These include false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and animal cruelty. The trial before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joao Silva Pinto, 25, of Mabbot Lane, Dublin 1, downloaded 78 videos of child sexual abuse material to his Google Drive, which Google reported to the Gardaí. The online child exploitation unit was alerted to the content on an account in Silva Pinto's name, and a mobile number linked to him was used to upload 784 CGI anime images classified as category four material. Gardaí obtained a warrant in February 2022 and searched Silva Pinto's home on 18 June 2022, seizing his phone and identification documents. Analysis of the phone revealed 78 videos, 43 of which were category one and 35 category two. Silva Pinto pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on a phone at his home. He has no prior convictions and has not attracted Garda attention since the incident. The case was adjourned to 18 July for finalisation.
Eoin Considine, a 24‑year‑old Limerick law graduate, was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a woman after they had engaged in consensual sex. The incident occurred on 11 August 2019 when the couple, who had met in a pub that evening, went to the woman's home. She reported that Considine began pulling her hair, striking her head, and later choking and pinning her down. She withdrew consent and begged him to stop, but he continued sexual penetration for about 90 seconds. Considine pleaded not guilty and denied rape, but was convicted in January. The judge noted the lack of a guilty plea or remorse, set a headline sentence of four and a half years, and imposed a four‑year custodial term with 18 months of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement described bruising, bleeding, loss of safety in her own bedroom, and suicidal thoughts. No contact with the victim is allowed.
At the Coroner's Court inquest into the 1981 Stardust Ballroom fire, Maria Carey, sister of 17‑year‑old victim Caroline, delivered a moving tribute. She described Caroline as a beautiful, witty, bubbly girl with a heart of gold, a talented Irish dancer who had switched to disco dancing. Maria recalled that Caroline left home on the night of February 13, 1981, to dance at the club, and that she was the only friend who did not return. The next morning, a knock on the door brought news of the fire; a Garda later confirmed Caroline's death. Maria said Caroline died from toxic fumes, not from a direct burn, and that she was still alive when a fireman tried to resuscitate her. She reflected on the lasting grief, the black cloud that settled over the family, and how Caroline's name lives on in nieces and nephews. The inquest highlighted the tragedy's impact on the Carey family and the broader community.
A 22-year-old man charged with two murders and an attempted murder in Sligo has received a psychiatric assessment, the Central Criminal Court heard this week. Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights, Sligo, faces charges relating to incidents in April 2022. He is accused of murdering Aidan Moffitt on April 10 and Michael Snee on April 12, and of attempting to murder another man on April 9. Palani, who is remanded in custody at Castlerea Prison in Roscommon, is due to stand trial on November 13, with proceedings expected to last approximately four weeks. Defence counsel informed Mr Justice Paul McDermott that the assessment had only recently been received and that outstanding evidentiary matters and records from the Central Mental Hospital require attention before trial. The case was adjourned to June 13 for further mention.
At the opening of the inquest into the 1981 Stardust Ballroom fire, Maria Byrne, sister of 19‑year‑old Paula Byrne who perished in the blaze, spoke about the last words her family said to Paula before she left for a dance competition that night. She recalled the family's farewell: "Goodbye, have a good night in the Stardust, enjoy the dancing." Maria described Paula as a peacemaker, people‑loving, loyal, kind and beautiful, and noted that Paula had been named after a boy the family expected, but the birth of a girl changed the name. She recounted the frantic search for Paula after the fire, the media coverage, and the eventual realization that Paula was gone. Maria expressed that the tragedy's pain cannot be erased and welcomed the inquest as a step toward preventing a repeat of the disaster, hoping justice will prevail.".
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.
In April 2023, a veterinary surgery receptionist who had reported suspected theft by a colleague was dismissed and later awarded €15,600 in compensation by the Workplace Relations Commission. The receptionist first noticed cash missing from the clinic's till in September 2021 and reported it to her employer, who dismissed her concerns as unnecessary. She later observed the vet selling medication and pocketing cash, which she reported again. The vet allegedly became hostile, and the employer threatened her with job loss. The tribunal found she had made a protected disclosure and that dismissal was likely due to that disclosure. The decision awarded her 1.5 years' wages for a part‑time role, plus additional amounts for breaches of working time and contract provisions, totaling €16,980. The case highlights alleged retaliation for whistleblowing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach admitted to 13 counts of indecent assault on five teenage boys between December 1979 and March 1990. The admissions followed Judge Martin Nolan's ruling that incidents involving complainants aged 15 or older should not be considered by the jury, as the law at the time allowed consensual activity post‑15. The defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to 266 counts covering 1978‑1993. He denied wrongdoing, claiming some allegations were fabricated or that he only acted after the boys turned 15. The judge remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing to 22 May, noting the conduct was "grossly immoral" but not criminally illegal under the 1980s law. The case remains pending sentencing.
In 2021 Simon Quilligan was jailed for six years for possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life at a halting site where he threatened to kill people. He had earlier been found not guilty of attempted murder and of endangerment from a reckless discharge of a firearm. The Court of Appeal heard that the conviction for the firearm offence was "perverse" because the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to prove possession of a live weapon. Quilligan's lawyers argued that witnesses could not see or hear a gun, that no firearm residue or silencer was found, and that the evidence was inconsistent with the acquittals of the other charges. The appeal was heard by a three‑judge panel, with the judge noting that the case would be decided at a later hearing. The article reports only the arguments and the pending decision, not a verdict.
Michael Noonan, 61, pleaded guilty to stealing €22,400 from Hyde Court Property Management Company Ltd in August 2016 and to creating false invoices and accounting entries in 2015 and 2018. He admitted writing cheques to himself for money he claimed was owed due to unpaid fees by property owners, and that he used his own money to cover day‑to‑day bills while the company's bank account was "cleaned out". The court noted his long work history and previous good reputation, but found the thefts pre‑meditated and planned. Judge Martina Baxter imposed a four‑year prison sentence, fully suspended for five years on the condition that Noonan keep the peace. Civil proceedings have concluded and the money has been returned. Noonan has no intention of sitting on a management company again and is legally disqualified for five years.
Wayne Cooney, 32, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to demanding money from a mother in Raheny on 21 April 2019, claiming her son owed €11,000. He threatened her, saying they would return to collect. The woman, frightened, photographed him and reported him. Cooney had 26 prior convictions, including murder, firearm and ammunition offences. Judge Orla Crowe, hearing the case, noted the aggravating factors of his criminal history and the daylight setting, but also considered his guilty plea, apology and remorse as mitigating. She sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, adding to his existing life term. The court heard that the victim did not wish to give an impact statement, and that Cooney expressed shame and a desire to apologise. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A High Court judicial review challenge against a proposed waste transfer station in East County Galway has been withdrawn because the planning permission for the development expired in January. The proceedings were brought by a group of local residents, including Fine Gael Senator Aisling Dolan, against Galway County Council's decision to grant a permit to Bruscar Bhearna Teoranta, trading as Barna Recycling. The applicants alleged that the council failed to carry out a screening for an Appropriate Assessment or determine if an Environmental Impact Assessment was required. They claimed the development, located at Poolboy in Ballinasloe, posed risks to the River Suck Callows, a designated Special Protection Area, and that the council did not properly consider EU Habitats directives regarding emissions. Counsel for the residents, Evan O'Donnell BL, informed the court that the case was now moot due to the permission's expiration. The presiding judge agreed to strike out the proceedings. The developers were a notice party to the action. This follows a history where a 2019 permit was quashed by the High Court and remitted for reconsideration; the council subsequently refused permission in 2020 before granting a new permit in March 2022, which was the subject of this withdrawn challenge.
William Twomey, with an address in Warrenpoint, County Down, has failed in his appeal against conviction at the Court of Appeal in relation to an attack on a Mayo businessman in County Louth in December 2017. Twomey was found guilty at the Special Criminal Court in September 2021 of robbery, assault causing harm, and demanding money with menaces. He received concurrent sentences totalling three years, with the final year suspended, dating from August 2021. The trial heard that Twomey orchestrated a plan to lure the businessman to Omeath under false pretences, resulting in a violent robbery. On appeal, Twomey's counsel argued he had withdrawn from the joint enterprise by notifying gardaí and the PSNI. However, the Court of Appeal found the trial court had properly assessed the evidence and determined his steps were insufficient to constitute effective withdrawal. Mr Justice Edwards stated the Special Criminal Court's findings were thorough, rigorous, and open to them on the evidence presented. The appeal was dismissed.
The Irish arm of a Russian aircraft leasing firm, Avia Capital Leasing Ltd, faced a series of employment rights cases after staff refused to be paid in roubles following sanctions. At the Workplace Relations Commission, the company secured adjournments in two cases brought by former staff, arguing it was not properly on notice. The adjournments also allow an Irish legal professional to seek a waiver from the sanctions regime to represent the complainants. Alexandra Skavronskaja and Sofija Krascuka alleged breaches of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973, the Payment of Wages Act 1991, and Skavronskaja also alleged a breach of the Organisation of Working Time Act 2004 over holiday entitlements. They claimed they received late pay for March 2022 and no pay for April, and that management said the company could not complete payments due to blocked bank accounts, a claim the complainants said was unconfirmed by bank representatives.
In the opening day of the Stardust inquest, Gertrude Barrett, mother of 17‑year‑old Michael Barrett, recounted the devastation of losing her son in the February 1981 nightclub fire. She described the four days she spent waiting at the Dublin city morgue for Michael's body to be identified, the callousness she felt, and the shock of learning he was the last of the 40 victims to be identified. Barrett spoke of Michael's cheerful personality, his ambitions as a plumber‑DJ apprentice, and his love of music and family. She reflected on the lasting grief that has followed her family, the impact on her other children, and the 40‑year fight for justice. The inquest began with pen portraits, a tradition that allows families to publicly commemorate those who died, before formal evidence is heard. The hearing also included testimony from other bereaved families, such as Betty Bissett, whose daughter Carol died in hospital three days after the blaze.
In a High Court extradition case, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo ruled that possession of images depicting sexual acts between an adult woman and a dog is not an offence under Irish law. The 72‑year‑old defendant, whose name is protected by court order, was to be extradited to the UK to face charges of possessing two photographs of bestiality and 15 charges of alleged indecent images of children. The judge agreed to surrender the man for the child‑image allegations but found no Irish offence corresponding to possession of extreme pornography. He rejected the State's argument that the images constituted offensive sexual conduct, noting that possession alone is not inherently sexual or offensive. The defendant remains in custody awaiting surrender to UK authorities, where he may be tried only for the child‑image allegations, not for the bestiality images. The case highlights the distinction between possession and other forms of sexual offence under Irish law.
The Central Criminal Court will hear a case involving ten individuals and three companies accused of anti‑competition offences in the provision of school bus services in the State. The prosecution alleges that between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2016 the accused entered into or authorised agreements that prevented, restricted or distorted competition in the trade of school bus services. The charges are under sections 4, 6, 8 and 8(6) of the Competition Act 2002 and were brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission following a 2016 investigation. Ms Tessa White BL presented the case to Mr Justice Paul McDermott, who adjourned the matter to 9 June to review progress and consider pre‑trial applications. The trial is expected to last 12 weeks and will be heard as a single trial with all parties together.
In a High Court hearing, Chartered Accountant Ken Fennell, acting as receiver for the financial fund Promontoria (Aran) Limited, obtained orders to compel unknown occupants of four caravans to vacate Knocklofty House, a protected 18th‑century building outside Clonmel. The receiver claimed that the occupants had established an unsightly makeshift camp, grazing up to 20 ponies and leaving significant debris, including bricks, wooden planks, racing traps and children's toys, which he said posed danger to humans and animals. The court noted that the occupants had been served with legal documents and were fully aware of the proceedings, yet no representation was made on their behalf. With no opposition, the judge granted the injunction, allowing the receiver to pursue sale of the property. Fennell also alleged extensive interior damage to the house, though he could not identify the perpetrators or timing of the damage.
In a High Court challenge, 32‑year‑old South Korean tattoo artist Haeseo Yoon argues that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment erred by classifying the occupation of 'Tattoo Artist' as equivalent to 'Beauticians and related occupations', thereby excluding her from obtaining a work permit. Yoon, who has lived in Ireland since 2019 on a student visa and later a working holiday visa, has worked part‑time for Wildcat Ink Limited in Dublin and seeks a full‑time role. She applied for a general employment permit last year, but the Minister refused on the basis that tattoo artists are ineligible categories. Yoon claims the refusal was irrational, unreasonable and a legal error, and that the Minister failed to consider her submissions or explain the rejection. She requests the court to quash the refusal and remand the decision for reconsideration by another officer. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted her permission to proceed, with the case scheduled to return in May.
The State has argued at the Court of Appeal that the four-and-a-half-year jail sentence imposed on Christopher Rafter for the rape and sexual assault of his two younger sisters was too lenient. Rafter, of Portlaoise, Co Laois, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to offences committed between 1989 and 1993. Ms Fiona Murphy SC, representing the State, contended that the concurrent structure of the sentences resulted in a single punishment for two victims, with Rafter receiving only two years for ten indecent assaults. She noted that Mr Justice McDermott had identified a headline sentence of nine years for the rape of Linda Rafter, reduced to six years before suspending 18 months, and a headline of seven years for the rape of Dolores Prendergast, reduced to four-and-a-half years. The State alleged that too much credit was given to Rafter's age during the majority of the offending. In response, Mr John D Fitzgerald SC for Rafter cited his client's borderline intellectual disability and schizoid personality, arguing the sentence was not radically out of line with similar cases. The court heard that the abuse was continuous and involved a significant breach of trust. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement in this appeal.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach pleaded not guilty to 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys. The court heard that the complainants, now men in their 40s and 50s, had been in contact with the accused as boys or teenagers through sports and family friendship. The State alleged that the accused exposed himself, fondled, masturbated, handcuffed, urinated and defecated with the boys, and that he offered money for sexual acts. The accused denied suggesting that a second complainant could pay off a loan by letting him watch the complainant's wife and him have sex. He claimed the relationship with the second complainant became sexual only after he turned 18 and that any acts were consensual. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Aidan Horan, 39, of East Wall, Dublin, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading not guilty to two counts of assaulting his wife on January 1, 2019, and February 22, 2019. Following a trial, he was convicted of both charges. Prosecution evidence detailed that during the first incident, Horan struck the woman in the head and face, while the second involved her finger being hyper-extended, requiring surgery. Mr Justice Paul Burns acknowledged claims that violence was mutual but noted that only Horan was convicted. He described the relationship as tempestuous but stated there is no excuse for violence. The court imposed a 12-month custodial sentence. The final three months of this sentence were suspended on strict conditions, requiring Horan to engage with the Probation Service for three months upon his ultimate release from prison. The judge emphasized the specific impact of domestic violence under the Domestic Violence Act. Horan had no previous convictions, and his defense counsel offered €4,500 as a token of remorse, which the victim declined.
A former League of Ireland footballer, Edward Fitzpatrick, 39, and two other men were jailed for moving almost €200,000 in crime cash. Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, while Jonathon Barton, 42, and Gary O'Neill, 40, pleaded guilty to counts of money laundering. Garda surveillance showed Barton driving a van to Fitzpatrick's home, where they entered the property together. Barton later left with a heavy blue shopping bag, which was found in O'Neill's car containing €199,505 in cash and an additional €2,250. The court noted the men's remorse, guilty pleas, and family responsibilities. Justice Melanie Greally imposed four‑year, 42‑month and 30‑month sentences on Barton, Fitzpatrick and O'Neill respectively, suspending the final year of each sentence. The men had no prior convictions for serious offences, and the court considered their rehabilitation efforts. The case highlighted the role of drug debt and addiction in the operation.
A 62‑year‑old man who sexually abused his two sisters over a seven‑year period more than 40 years ago lost an appeal against his conviction and five‑year prison sentence. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, rejected the appellant's legal team's arguments that the trial was unfair because the offences occurred more than four decades earlier, that separate trials should have been held for each complainant, and that the indictment had been amended after all evidence was heard. The appellant was originally convicted in September 2021 by a Central Criminal Court jury in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, of one count of rape and 12 counts of indecent assault between 1974 and 1981, and was sentenced to five years in prison by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart. The appeal was dismissed, with the court finding no merit in the criticisms raised.