A forensic psychiatrist has told the Central Criminal Court that Stephen Silver, accused of murdering Garda Horkan in Castlerea, County Roscommon, in June 2020, previously experienced psychotic symptoms at the "extreme end" of bipolar affective disorder. Dr Brenda Wright, interim clinical director at the Central Mental Hospital, gave evidence that Mr Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, was diagnosed with manic psychotic symptoms during a 2003 hospital admission. She outlined multiple psychiatric admissions, voluntary and involuntary, during which Mr Silver exhibited extreme agitation, made threats to staff, and refused medication. A 2006 incident saw him barricaded in his apartment with a sword wearing combat gear. Dr Wright testified that Mr Silver's mental capacity was significantly impaired at the time of the shooting. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to capital murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial before Ms Justice Tara Burns continues, with the jury to determine his state of mind at the material time.
Alan Sallinger, 53, was sentenced to three years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing €396,910 in criminal proceeds. The offence occurred on June 14, 2016, at an Applegreen service station in north county Dublin. Sallinger admitted to the charge on the basis that he was reckless, with defence counsel Garret Baker SC arguing that Sallinger did not know the specific contents of the bag he transferred from his car to another man's vehicle. Gardaí, conducting surveillance, observed the transfer and subsequently arrested the men, finding vacuum-packed cash in the bag. Sallinger, of Brookview Walk, Tallaght, was arrested in 2017 and entered his guilty plea on his trial date. Judge Martin Nolan stated it was clear Sallinger was transporting the money for a third party in exchange for payment, noting he must have known the bag contained illicit items. The judge acknowledged Sallinger's remorse and cooperation with gardaí, as well as mitigating factors including a history of drug abuse and alcohol problems at the time of the offence. Although Sallinger has 18 previous convictions, mostly from the 1980s and 1990s, the judge reduced the headline sentence of six years to three years, taking these mitigating circumstances into account.
Carl Buckley, 38, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for transporting over €1 million in cash for a criminal gang. The conviction followed the discovery of a ledger in his home detailing numerous cash‑transportation transactions and encrypted messages on his phone referencing a gang boss known as 'Mr Brownstone'. Buckley had previously been caught carrying €53,000 in cash in a transaction between two criminal entities. He pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime. His defence argued that he was coerced into the gang after a loan to buy a PlayStation for his child, and that he was the sole carer of his son. The judge noted Buckley's long‑running involvement and, despite mitigation, imposed a custodial sentence with no suspended portion. Buckley reacted with a silent "No" when the sentence was announced.
An appeal against the High Court's dismissal of a test challenge to the 2021 personal injury guidelines has opened before the Supreme Court. The case involves Bridget Delaney of Dungarvan, who claims her 2019 ankle fracture was caused by negligence of Waterford City and Council and that the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) delayed assessment until the new guidelines were introduced, breaching fair procedures. Delaney argues the guidelines, adopted by a Judicial Council vote in March 2021, unfairly reduce awards by up to 40% and violate her constitutional rights. She seeks to quash PIAB's assessment and the Council's decision, and to declare that PIAB breached her rights to natural and constitutional justice. The Supreme Court panel, comprising seven judges, has accepted the appeal, noting the exceptional public importance of the issues, and will consider the constitutional implications of judicial independence and the separation of powers. The hearing continues.
Aaron Gilsenan, 42, with 93 prior convictions, was jailed for four years after a series of offences in Clondalkin. He first attempted to rob a shop while intoxicated, fled without taking anything, and then stole a car that had been left by its owner with the keys in the ignition and two children, aged four and six, sitting in the back. The owner had left the car for a few minutes to buy groceries; when Gilsenan realised the car was missing, he returned to the shop, where the sales assistant called the Gardaí. The car was stopped 2 km away, and the children were unharmed and reunited with their father after about ten minutes. Gilsenan then tried to rob a nail salon, pulling the cash register and causing damage, but left the children in the car and used the vehicle to escape. Aaron Gilsenan pleaded guilty.
A trial date of 24 June 2024 has been set at the Central Criminal Court for Andrei Dobra, 33, accused of murdering 30‑year‑old Ioana Mihaela Pacala on 12 November 2022 at River Walk Court, Ratoath. Dobra, who lives at River Walk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath, is charged with the murder. His defence, represented by Shane Michael Kelly BL, has requested an interpreter. Psychiatric reports are still pending, with updates expected in March. The judge has scheduled case management for 5 July, requiring all disclosure by that date.
Enoch Burke arrived late to the High Court this morning where his dispute with Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath was mentioned before Mr Justice Brian O'Moore. The Co Mayo teacher's case was called at 10am, but he was absent. The judge adjourned briefly before proceeding at 10:08am without him. Mr Justice O'Moore directed the school to file a sworn statement detailing each occasion on which it alleges Mr Burke has breached a High Court injunction since the matter was last heard. The court also requested written submissions on costs concerning two motions related to Mr Burke's contempt findings following his release from prison and his unsuccessful appeal for a stay. Mr Burke arrived approximately fifteen minutes after the judge had risen. The injunction, granted in September, requires him to remain away from the school premises. Mr Burke denies breaching it and has appealed the orders. The full hearing is scheduled for later this year.
In a 2023 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission awarded €7,500 to taxi driver Daniel Asari for discrimination after he was denied diesel and called the n‑word by an attendant at Sweeney Oil on Galway's Headford Road. The tribunal found a pattern of humiliating treatment over two nights in March and April, and that the company's failure to investigate or respond to Asari's complaints reflected an "attitude of inherent racism." The attendant, identified only as Mr P, allegedly refused to unlock the pump, filmed Asari, and used racial slurs. The company's manager, Liam Killeen, claimed no altercation over a sandwich order, but the tribunal noted Asari's active dispute. The ruling required the company to amend policies, establish a complaints procedure, and train staff on discrimination. The decision was made under the Equal Status Act 2000.
Dawood Aziz, 37, of Cabinteely, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €300,360 worth of ketamine and possession of a mobile phone used in a drug‑trafficking offence. Gardaí, following confidential information, set up surveillance and observed Aziz moving items from a premises to his van. A search of the van revealed just over €300,000 worth of ketamine. Aziz claimed the drugs were handed to him and that he had taken them to clear debt from a failed business venture. He admitted he was in debt and had become involved to pay it off. Judge Melanie Greally noted his prior cannabis conviction, his guilty plea, good employment history and pro‑social family. She imposed a five‑year sentence, suspended the final 18 months on conditions including engagement with addiction services and 12 months under Probation Service supervision.
John Kelly, 36, of Cherrywood Villas, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis at a derelict farmyard in Johnstown Kennedy, Rathcoole, on 26 November 2018. He was found supervising a grow house that contained three tents with 140 cannabis plants and saplings, valued at €60,000 for sentencing purposes. Kelly has 89 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and previously served a seven‑year sentence for drug possession and a term for endangerment. Garda Donal Donoghue reported that Kelly's suspicious electricity bill led to a search warrant and the discovery of the grow operation. The court, noting mitigating factors such as his guilty plea and his legitimate stud‑farm business, sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final six months of a three‑year term on condition of continued engagement with the Probation Service to address his addiction. The sentence was back‑dated to 17 May of the previous year.
The jury in the trial of former financial services manager Ciara Kelleher, aged 51, will continue deliberating for a fourth day. Kelleher has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud investors, clients and customers of Custom House Capital Ltd by misleading them about the location or status of their assets between October 2008 and July 2011. Judge Orla Crowe sent the jurors home after about six hours of discussion today, and they will return on Tuesday morning. The trial continues.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 33‑year‑old Daragh Houlihan pleaded guilty to robbery after assaulting his pregnant girlfriend at her home. The incident began while she was cooking; Houlihan entered the kitchen, demanded a knife she was holding, and a one‑minute struggle ensued. He then seized her phone, demanding the unlock code, and pushed her onto the ground. He left the apartment, later pursued her to retrieve the phone, during which he struck her with his leg and threw her phone over a wall before fleeing. The victim, distressed, reported the assault to Gardaí and was later taken to Mater Hospital. Houlihan admitted stealing the phone but denied violent conduct, citing a belief the victim might stab him. He is scheduled for sentencing later this year, with a probation report and urine analysis ordered for the next court date on 19 June.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 71‑year‑old man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for raping and sexually abusing his younger sister from childhood until a final assault when she was heavily pregnant. The court heard that the man began raping his sister when she was 14, fearing pregnancy, and continued indecent assault until she met her future husband. He stopped raping her at that point but assaulted her again in 1983, when she was pregnant. The jury convicted him of 69 counts of indecent assault and rape between 1964 and 1973. The judge noted the victim's repeated attempts to report abuse were dismissed and she was beaten. The defendant, who has no prior convictions, accepted the verdicts but denied rape, and the court found little remorse or insight into his offending. The sentence was imposed with a suspended final year under strict conditions.
A forensic psychiatrist has told the Central Criminal Court that Stephen Silver's mental capacity was significantly impaired at the time Garda Colm Horkan was shot dead at Castlerea, County Roscommon on June 17, 2020. Dr Brenda Wright, interim clinical director at the Central Mental Hospital, gave evidence during Mr Silver's trial that she interviewed the accused on three occasions between August and September 2020. She outlined his extensive psychiatric history, including multiple hospital admissions since 1998 and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. Dr Wright stated that when Mr Silver became unwell, he displayed severe psychotic symptoms. A character witness from Castlebar confirmed he had known Mr Silver for 28 years and had observed concerning changes in his behaviour prior to his hospitalisation. Mr Silver, aged 46 of Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial before Ms Justice Tara Burns continues.
In a February 2023 hearing, Mr. Gavin Guerrine, aged 31, was warned by Mr. Justice Paul McDermott that any further breaches of his probation could lead to the activation of a five‑year suspended sentence. Guerrine had previously been sentenced in 2011 to ten years, with the last five years suspended, for deliberately running over Christopher O'Rourke in 2009. O'Rourke, who was 17 at the time, suffered severe brain injury, fractures and a serious knee injury, and later died in 2010 from a drug overdose. Guerrine's failure to attend probation appointments, attributed to illness, was cited as a breach. The court emphasized the need for Guerrine to engage with probation services, provide required urinalysis, and participate in training and employment programs, or risk re‑activation of the suspended sentence.
Douglas Purcell, aged 40, pleaded guilty to a single count of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm after threatening to shoot a garda's wife and children. The incident occurred on 20 August 2017 at Ballyfermot Garda Station, where Purcell, who had been arrested on a separate charge, approached the injured party, threatened to follow him home and shoot his family, and performed push‑ups on the ground. He was arrested on 11 September 2017, interviewed once, and made no admissions. A victim impact statement was read, describing the victim's paranoia, installation of CCTV, and poor sleep. Purcell apologized for calling names but denied making threats, and his defence counsel highlighted his mental health issues, drug addiction, and previous convictions for theft and criminal damage. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to April, ordered Purcell to engage with the Probation Service, and directed the prosecution to contact the victim regarding the expression of remorse.
The Revenue Commissioners, represented by Sally O'Neill BL, announced on 27 February 2023 that it intends to take over a High Court petition to wind up Cloughwater Plastics Ireland Limited, a Dublin‑based plastics recycling firm. The petition, originally filed by two creditors within the Van Werven Group, sought provisional liquidators for the company, which recycles mixed rigid plastics into raw materials for re‑use. The creditors withdrew the petition after entering discussions with the company's Northern Irish partner, but Revenue remains concerned about the firm's operations and has a significant debt owed by Cloughwater. The court, presided over by Justice Miriam O'Regan, agreed to adjourn the matter for a week to allow Revenue to submit a formal application to assume the petition. The case involves other parties, including Repak, Fingal County Council, and the landlord of the company's premises, and the company is currently undergoing due diligence as part of the liquidation process.
In a High Court hearing on 27 February 2023, the court ordered that Stewart Alexander and Bill Henry, directors of the insolvent Boxer Logistics Ltd, be personally liable for the company's €12.4 million debt. The judgment was granted on a joint and severable basis after liquidators Tom Murray and Tom Musiol presented evidence that the directors deliberately under‑reported the firm's income and under‑paid taxes, including corporation tax, PRSI and VAT. The company had transferred large sums out of its main account, including €1 million to Alexander's personal accounts, €250 000 to a former employee and Ms Paula Loredana Hutu (Alexander's alleged lover), and smaller amounts to a Paddy Power account. Boxer Logistics also unlawfully received €1.9 million in Covid‑support schemes. The liquidators claimed that Alexander and Henry owe the company over €6 million, but received no payment.
Colin Kevitt, 29, of Moneymore, Drogheda, was sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of a 9mm Glock semi‑automatic pistol found at a home in Drogheda on 8 February 2020. The gun, wrapped in black plastic beneath a flower pot, was discovered by a homeowner who called the gardaí. Forensic testing showed the pistol was in fair condition and contained five loaded bullets and additional ammunition. Kevitt's DNA matched samples taken from the gun, though he denied any admission. His defence argued that a friend had taken the gun to a party and that Kevitt had handled it there, but the court found this explanation unconvincing. The judge noted Kevitt's prior minor convictions and described the offence as a marked escalation. He pleaded guilty, and the judge imposed a headline sentence of six years, reduced to four years and eight months, with a one‑year suspension on conditions including engagement with addiction services.
Paul Hendrick, aged 75, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against a male at the Christian Brothers' School in Westland Row between May 1980 and July 1981. He appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patricia Ryan set a sentence hearing for 24 May and remanded him on bail until that date.
Stephen Rabbitte, 36, was sentenced to 16 years in prison with the final year suspended for the attempted murder of his partner, Audrey Reddin, on 10 April 2021. The court heard that Rabbitte strangled Reddin in bed, then stabbed her in the neck with a knife, leaving the tip embedded in her spine. He also used a slash hook to strike her, causing a broken arm and other injuries. Reddin suffered a broken nose, broken teeth, a stab wound to her left hand, and ongoing pain and PTSD. Rabbitte had pleaded guilty and had a letter of apology. He had 51 prior convictions, including assault and knife possession, and was on a suspended drug sentence at the time of the attack. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 April 2021 and he will appear in Galway Circuit Court on 7 March for reactivation of his suspended sentence.
David Stone, 65, owner of Ashton Dog Pound in Dublin, was fined €30,000 after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found he unlawfully stored and incorrectly administered the euthanasia drug Pentobarbital to two dogs on 24 July 2020. Garda Áine McQuillan reported that the drug was found in an unlocked tin box at the pound's reception, with over 350 ml in total, and that the dogs had been given the drug orally rather than intravenously by a registered veterinary practitioner as required. Stone pleaded guilty to using a premises for the supply of an animal remedy contrary to European regulations, possession of a veterinary‑only drug, and permitting its improper administration. The court noted the drug's lethal potential for both animals and humans, Stone's breach of a €277,000 contract with Dublin City Council, and his lack of prior convictions, and imposed the fine without custodial sentence.
Killian Kinsella, a former footballer, was sentenced to nine months in jail for stealing mobile phones from a post office where he worked, three months after receiving a suspended two‑year prison sentence for possessing €10,000 worth of cannabis. In July 2021, Judge Melanie Greally had imposed the suspended sentence following a guilty plea. Kinsella, who had no prior convictions, was found by Gardaí in a taxi with a cardboard box containing cannabis. He later pleaded guilty to eight counts of interfering with the post and one count of possession of stolen property. The court noted his loss of employment at An Post and his potential for reform, but concluded that his criminal conduct within the suspension period warranted imprisonment. The nine‑month term is part of the suspended two‑year sentence.
The Workplace Relations Commission rejected a statutory pay claim by Predrag Grubisa, who said a withdrawn job offer from Brodericks confectionary forced his family to separate. Grubisa had prepared to move to Ireland, cancelling his lease and taking his son out of school, after signing a provisional contract with the company. The company argued that a change in ownership and a request from the Broderick family to halt new hires meant the contract was terminated to streamline the business. Grubisa claimed a three‑month notice period under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 entitled him to wages in lieu of notice, but the tribunal found he was not an employee and therefore the claim was not recoverable. The decision was issued on 27 February 2023.
The jury for the trial of former financial services manager Ciara Kelleher, accused of conspiring to defraud investors in Custom House Capital, was sent home for the weekend after four hours of deliberation. Judge Orla Crowe ordered the jurors to return on Monday morning. Kelleher, 51, denies wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud investors, clients and customers by misleading them about the location of their assets between October 2008 and July 2011. The trial continues.
Franklin Olukoya, 18 at the time of the incident, was jailed for eight months after driving without a licence and insurance, causing serious harm to his 17‑year‑old passenger. On 24 June 2019, while driving along Portmarnock, he lost control of the car, which hit a low wall, spun and landed on its side. The passenger suffered a broken back in two places, a fractured thumb and a head contusion, and has undergone surgery and ongoing physiotherapy. Olukoya pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious harm and driving without insurance. The judge noted the aggravating factors of no licence or insurance, reduced the charge from dangerous driving, and imposed an eight‑month custodial term back‑dated to November, along with a four‑year driving disqualification. He had four prior convictions and admitted he had epilepsy and a history of seizures. The court accepted his guilty plea and remorse.
Bruno Farias, 31, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing 12 kg of cocaine, worth €840 000, at Dublin Airport on 11 July 2022. He had taken the drugs from a toilet cubicle to bypass customs, after Lucas Farias, 27, had brought a suitcase containing just under 15 kg of cocaine from Brazil. Lucas was jailed for seven years, and Jocelino De Silva, 44, received six years for holding the remaining 3 kg. All three were employees of a contractor at the airport, which allowed them to use staff entrances and an employee bus. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that Farias acted as a courier with no proprietary interest and imposed the sentence back‑dated to the date he entered custody. The case was investigated by Gardaí following alerts about the suitcase's route from São Paulo to Dublin via Frankfurt. Bruno Farias pleaded guilty.
Vincent Brady, 34, was sentenced to five years in prison for two unprovoked assaults on homeless men in Rathmines, Dublin, on 19 May 2021. Brady, who admitted to smoking crystal meth that day, used a Stanley blade to slash a Romanian homeless man across the face in church grounds, leaving a six‑centimetre wound that required five stitches. Within about 45 minutes he attacked a second victim near the canal, pushing him into the water and later slicing him across the back of the neck and head, causing blood to drip down his neck. Brady was arrested shortly after the second attack, identified by CCTV and the victim, and had 21 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Brady's violent history and intoxicated state, imposed the five‑year sentence, back‑dated to his earlier custody, and highlighted the lasting impact of the victims' scars. Vincent Brady pleaded guilty.
Anna Byrne and Coleman Byrne, neighbours in Dublin 6, accused Arjita Chawla (54) of repeated harassment and abuse from 2011 to 2021. Chawla, who lived next door, repeatedly called the Byrnes derogatory names, blocked their cars, sent over 600 complaint emails, recorded them on video, and left dog faeces at their doorstep. She also called Gardaí on them more than 100 times, including on Christmas Eve. Chawla pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening or abusive words or behaviour. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to one month in prison on each count, to run concurrently, and imposed a 15‑year restriction preventing her from approaching the Byrnes' address within 100 metres. The court noted her guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors. The case was described as an unusual escalation from neighbourly dispute to sustained harassment.
Ciaran Dolan, 32, of Lucan, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of barrister Edward O'Hara on Peamount Road, Newcastle, on 29 January 2022. He was driving a silver Volkswagen Golf at high speed, filmed on his phone at 160 km/h, and collided with O'Hara from behind. O'Hara, walking in the direction of Newcastle, was struck, carried 118 m, and later died at Tallaght Hospital. Dolan fled the scene, later turning the car around and pulling into a lay‑by before being apprehended. He was found to be under the influence of cannabis, had admitted smoking two joints that day, and had signed pleas. The court noted his previous five convictions for road offences, his remorse, and his signed pleas, but also his grossly reprehensible conduct and failure to assist the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, deeming a custodial sentence inevitable.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that questions whether people who occupy a property after a court order for possession can claim constitutional protection. The case involves about 20 residents who refused to leave two Dublin properties on Richmond Avenue, Fairview, and Little Mary Street for 15 years. They were found in contempt of court by the High Court in 2021, but the Court of Appeal set aside the orders in 2022 because the residents were not properly served with the legal documents. Pepper Finance, which had recovered the properties after the original mortgagor defaulted, appealed the Court of Appeal's decision. The Supreme Court panel will consider issues such as the method of service, the jurisdiction over unknown persons, and whether trespassers can invoke constitutional rights regarding the dwelling. The case also raises questions about the company's standing to appeal and the sale of the underlying loans.
Karl Dalton, 32, was one of three men who violently robbed a businessman of high‑value phones outside the victim's home in Lucan, Dublin, in February 2019. The robbery involved a stabbing attempt and a wheel‑brace strike, and the victim was shouted "kill him" at the scene. Dalton's fingerprints were found on the victim's car, linking him to the crime. He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended and a 12‑month probation order. The phones, worth €11,000–€12,000, were not covered by insurance. Dalton appealed the sentence, arguing for greater mitigation, but Judge George Birmingham dismissed the appeal, upholding the original six‑year term and noting Dalton's extensive criminal history and the seriousness of the robbery.
An unnamed 49-year-old father has failed in his appeal against a conviction for sexually assaulting his young daughter. The appellant, who pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of sexual assault alleged to have occurred in Co Leitrim between 2006 and 2012, was convicted by a jury on a single count of forcing the girl to touch his penis. He was sentenced to four years and 10 months by Judge Francis Comerford at Carrick-on-Shannon Circuit Criminal Court in September 2021. The jury could not reach a verdict on the other 14 charges. In his appeal, the appellant argued that the conviction was unsafe due to inconsistencies in the victim's evidence regarding her age and the timeline of the abuse, as well as an inadequate judicial warning on the lack of corroborative evidence. The three-judge court, led by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, dismissed the appeal. The court found that while inconsistencies existed, they were not exceptional enough to prevent the matter from going to the jury, noting that the jury's inability to agree on the other 14 counts demonstrated they were aware of contradictory evidence. The court also rejected the argument regarding the corroboration warning, stating it was unusually strong and had not been objected to at trial. The conviction and sentence stand.
Stephen Silver, a forty-six-year-old motorbike mechanic from Aughavard in Foxford, County Mayo, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of the capital murder of Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to capital murder while knowing or being reckless as to whether the garda was acting in accordance with his duty, and has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. During cross-examination, prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC questioned Mr Silver's assertion that a woman he was with prior to the shooting was connected to MI6, suggesting the claim had been invented to strengthen his defence. Mr Silver denied this, stating he had genuinely experienced such thoughts. The court heard evidence regarding Mr Silver's psychiatric history, previous incidents involving gardaí, and his pattern of non-compliance with medication following hospital discharge. Mr Silver maintained he did not know the deceased was a garda and stated he had been defending himself. The trial, before Ms Justice Tara Burns, continues.
Senator Gerard Craughwell, represented by Richard Bowman of Bowman McCabe solicitors, has brought High Court proceedings against the Government of Ireland, Ireland, and the Attorney General. The applicant alleges that a purported secret agreement, established over 20 years ago following the 2001 terrorist attacks, unlawfully permits the Royal Air Force to intercept aircraft in Irish airspace. Senator Craughwell claims this arrangement is unconstitutional and was never approved by the Dáil or the Irish people via referendum. He asserts that the agreement constitutes an unlawful abdication of the Government's constitutional duties and a breach of Articles 1, 5, 6, 13, 15, and 28 of the Constitution. The Government has filed a defence, raising preliminary issues including whether the Senator has the legal standing to bring the challenge. The case is currently at the hearing or decision stage, with the matter listed before the High Court on Monday. At this procedural stage, the court is expected to consider further legal directions and a potential hearing date for the action, which the Senator seeks to be heard as soon as possible. The applicant seeks declarations that the agreement is impermissible and an order restraining the government from legislating to give it effect without a referendum. The matter remains ongoing, with no final judgment or sentence issued at this stage.
Dr Bruno Seigle-Murandi, a former Roche drug safety manager, is currently undergoing cross-examination at the Workplace Relations Commission regarding statutory complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Roche's counsel, Mark Connaughton SC, accused the applicant of making false allegations against former colleagues, specifically former general manager Pierre-Alain Delley, claiming Dr Seigle-Murandi was pressured to sign off on an alternative storyline regarding a marketing literature recall. The applicant denied these accusations, maintaining that he allowed a notification letter to go to the HPRA without realizing his recommendation for a recall was omitted. Roche also challenged the applicant's claim of a second HPRA notification in July 2020, asserting the regulator had closed its file. During the hearing, Dr Seigle-Murandi stated he struggled with the complexity of questions as a non-native English speaker. Adjudicating officer David James Murphy noted the applicant could request an interpreter. The matter was adjourned, with the applicant indicating he would seek to have the case set down for three more days of hearing. Dr Seigle-Murandi must continue to attend in person until cross-examination concludes, after which he may participate via video-link.
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his aunt, Ms. Treacy, outside her home on 27 April 2018. The trial heard that Scott had perfect vision in his left eye but a severely weakened right eye, which his brain had largely ignored, a fact established by optometrist Trina Staunton. Staunton explained that a single good eye can suffice for a driving licence and that the brain's neglect of the weaker eye limits peripheral vision when reversing. Scott allegedly deliberately ran over Ms. Treacy while reversing an agricultural tractor, an act the prosecution claims stemmed from a long‑running land dispute. Witnesses described prior damage to electric fences, a strained rental relationship, and a history of conflict over land ownership between Scott and Ms. Treacy. The case is before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs with a jury of fifteen.
Inita Romanovska, a 36‑year‑old single mother from Latvia living in Ennis, was charged with attempting to murder Stephen O'Flaherty after an incident at an apartment complex on Henry Street, Limerick, on 11 March 2020. The original indictment included a charge of attempted murder, but at the court's mention she pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of intentionally trying to cause serious harm. The case had been delayed for over two years due to a pandemic‑related backlog. Her defence barrister, Mr Michael Bowman SC, informed Judge Paul McDermott that Romanovska could be arraigned on the second count of the indictment. The judge accepted a request for a pre‑sentence report and directed a victim impact report. Romanovska remains on bail, with her trial date vacated and a sentencing hearing scheduled for 23 May. The incident involved a man she had met on Tinder, and they had gone on several dates but were not in a relationship.
John McClean, a former Terenure College rugby coach, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to four years' imprisonment, to run consecutively to an existing eight‑year term for abusing 23 pupils. The new sentence covers 23 additional counts of indecent assault and sexual assault against 20 boys between 1971 and 1992, bringing the total to 22 complainants. McClean, aged 78, has 96 prior convictions for indecent assault of boys under 18. The judge noted that no one intervened to stop the abuse, which occurred over a 20‑year period in the school's office, physiotherapy room and a private "smoking room." McClean's guilty pleas and expression of remorse were considered mitigating factors, but the judge emphasised the prolonged nature of the abuse and the trust he abused. The sentence will begin in February 2027, after his current term is served, and he will be 84 upon release.
A publican in Arigna, County Roscommon, has been ordered to pay €3,000 compensation to Bernard Ward following a determination by the Workplace Relations Commission that he unlawfully cancelled a memorial party booking on grounds of the complainant's membership of the Travelling Community. Mr Ward initially contacted the proprietor of the Miner's Bar with his surname misspelled due to autocorrect, receiving provisional acceptance. After clarifying his correct surname, Ward, in a subsequent text, the booking was cancelled, with the publican citing concerns about Covid-19 public health restrictions. The bar owner denied discrimination, asserting he was unaware of the surname's connection to the Travelling Community and that uncertainties regarding vaccination certificates prompted the cancellation. Adjudicating officer Emer O'Shea found no material change in regulations or government announcements between acceptance and cancellation, and determined the only substantive difference was disclosure of Mr Ward's surname. She upheld the complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000, finding the publican had failed to convincingly rebut an inference of discrimination.
Paul Kennedy, a former Terenure College student, delivered a victim impact statement in which he described how he was groomed by John 'Doc' McClean, a senior teacher, after his father's terminal cancer diagnosis. Kennedy said McClean promised to help him and then began sexual predation, which he claims eroded his innocence and led to a lifelong distrust of authority. He recounted being warned by older boys to avoid McClean and the daily bullying and sexual sleaze he endured. Kennedy reflected on how the abuse shaped his defiant personality and his survival strategies, noting that he only confronted the trauma after the birth of his son in 2019. He concluded that acknowledging the abuse was a form of strength, and he expressed gratitude for the resilience he found within himself to move forward.
A security guard has given evidence to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding an alleged assault at a rural property in Roscommon on 16 December 2018. The witness, who owns a security company, described the moment a dog in his care was struck with a baseball bat during the incident. He told the court that a group of approximately 30 to 40 men arrived at the farmhouse in the early morning, some wearing balaclavas and high-visibility clothing, and that he feared for his life as the assault unfolded. Four men have pleaded not guilty to 53 charges in relation to the incident, including aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson, violent disorder, robbery and animal cruelty. The defendants are Patrick Sweeney from Ramelton, County Donegal; Martin O'Toole from Claremorris, County Mayo; Paul Beirne from Boyle, County Roscommon; and David Lawlor from County Meath. The trial before Judge Martin Baxter continues.
In a 2023 Court of Appeal decision, a 24‑year‑old teacher, Norma Kiely, had her four‑year driving ban for a head‑on collision in Limerick in 2018 reduced to two years. Kiely, a qualified secondary school teacher from Coolaboy, Dromcollogher, had originally been charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm but pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious harm. She received a one‑year suspended sentence, a €5,000 fine, and a four‑year ban in October 2021. The Court of Appeal found that a mandatory ban was not required for first‑time offenders and that the sentencing judge had erred. The appeal did not alter the suspended sentence or fine; only the ban was halved to two years, with the judge noting the offence's significant lack of attentiveness and the grave consequences for the victim.
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy, who was run over by his vehicle outside her home in Derryhiney on 27 April 2018. The Central Criminal Court heard that a witness, Robin Deasy, described Scott as having an "almost childlike" obsession with land and cattle, and that he was motivated only by land. Deasy recalled that Scott had told him he could not "handle that woman at all" and that he had been upset about the land dispute. The prosecution alleged that Scott deliberately ran over his aunt following a long‑running dispute over land. Scott's lawyers said the death was a tragic accident. The trial is before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs with a jury of seven men and eight women. The case remains at the trial stage.
The jury in the Custom House Capital trial has begun deliberations on Ms Ciara Kelleher, a 51‑year‑old former financial services manager from Dublin 7, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud investors, clients and customers of Custom House Capital Ltd. The alleged offences took place between October 2008 and July 2011, when Kelleher, a salaried employee but not a shareholder, is accused of misleading clients about the location of their assets. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC described her as an integral part of a scheme that deprived clients of information and had real consequences. Kelleher's defence, led by Michael Bowman SC, argued that her statements, such as "good as gold", were taken out of context and that the emails could reflect client concerns rather than conspiratorial intent.
Stephen Silver (46) of Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon, on 17 June 2020. At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Silver gave evidence describing how he discharged the garda's weapon repeatedly during a struggle, stating he believed the officer was an assailant attempting to harm him. He told the jury he continued firing until ammunition was exhausted. The prosecution challenged his account, suggesting he was aware Garda Horkan was a member of An Garda Síochána and arguing that his conduct that evening, including remarks made in the Knockroe estate, indicated an intention to provoke police intervention. The central issue for the jury concerns Mr Silver's state of mind at the time of the incident. Evidence regarding his mental health history, including a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, has been presented. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns and a jury of twelve.
Anthony Glynn, 51, of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to two charges. He admitted that between 25 January 2017 and 12 April 2017 he possessed controlled drugs—cocaine and cannabis—for the purpose of selling or supplying them to an organised crime gang. He also admitted that during the same period he possessed 335 rounds of ammunition, including 199 .44 Remington Magnum, 76 .357 Magnum, 38 .45 ACP and 22 .22 LR rounds, in circumstances that reasonably suggested the ammunition was not for a lawful purpose. The charges are under Section 73 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, amended by the 2009 Act. Glynn had originally faced similar charges under Section 71 but was re‑charged after an application by State solicitor Ciara Vibien. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the case to 8 May for sentencing, when the two original charges are expected to be withdrawn.
At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 60‑year‑old former Terenure College pupil described the school as "a very safe place for paedophiles" and recounted the daily bullying, humiliation and sexual abuse he endured at the hands of former rugby coach and teacher John McClean. McClean, aged 78, admitted to sexually assaulting 20 boys between 1971 and 1992 and is currently serving an 11‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended, for abusing 23 pupils. Victims testified that McClean used his positions as form master, rugby coach, French and English teacher, and his private office or physiotherapy room to prey on children, often under the pretext of treating sports injuries. Several survivors spoke of lasting mental health problems, substance misuse, relationship breakdowns and job loss caused by the abuse. McClean's guilty pleas included 23 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault. The court adjourned the case for sentencing to the following day.
Bernard Fogarty, 35, of Coolock, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Mark Ivers at a Special Criminal Court hearing. The incident occurred on September 6, 2019, at Streamville Road, Donaghmede, where Mr Ivers sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and abdomen. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the sentencing hearing to March 30 to allow time for a victim-impact statement to be prepared. Fogarty had previously been convicted of the murder of Barry Wolverson and assault causing harm to Gerard Wildman. In December 2021, the Special Criminal Court found both Fogarty and Robert Redmond, 35, of Kilbarrack, Dublin 5, guilty of the murder of Mr Wolverson, who died in February 2021 after a 13-month coma following a shooting in Swords, Co Dublin. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, which was upgraded from attempted murder after Mr Wolverson's death. They were also found guilty of assault causing harm to Mr Wildman, who was shot in the lower back during the same incident. Both convicted men received mandatory life sentences for the murder. The court heard a victim impact statement from Lindsay Wolverson, who stated the family's lives had changed forever and that Mr Wolverson's children now live without their father.
A 35-year-old man from Baldoyle who was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity has been assessed as not requiring inpatient care at the Central Mental Hospital. The Central Criminal Court heard on Wednesday that the man, charged with stabbing his former employer at The Elphin Pub on the Baldoyle Road in Sutton in January 2021, currently displays no symptoms of mental disorder. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Servaise Winkel told the court that inpatient treatment is not presently necessary, a view supported by Dr Stephen Monks, a consultant forensic psychiatrist engaged by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court made no further order. The accused had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the attempted murder charge and faced additional charges of assault causing harm and production of knives. The jury's verdict was delivered following evidence that the man had been experiencing paranoid delusions in the weeks prior to the incident.