Paul Dundon, 39, received a fully suspended sentence of three years and three months for biting part of Dean Kelly's ear off during a vicious fight outside a Waterford nightclub on 27 June 2018. The Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision to suspend the entire sentence, noting Dundon's nine prior convictions and a later fully suspended sentence for a separate incident. The appeal argued the sentence was unduly lenient, citing the permanent disfigurement of Kelly's ear and Dundon's late guilty plea. The court found the judge had correctly weighed mitigation factors such as Dundon's remorse, apology letter, fatherhood, good work history, low reoffending risk and counselling attendance. The appeal was dismissed, with the court affirming the suspended sentence was not unduly lenient despite the brutal nature of the assault.
Daniel James Johnson, a 34‑year‑old UK national with no fixed abode in Lancashire, was found at Dublin Airport on 28 September 2023 carrying more than 16 kilos of cocaine in his luggage. The drugs, valued at €1.1 million, were intended for the UK market. Johnson had flown from Washington DC to Ireland to collect the drugs and then planned to travel onward to London Gatwick. He pleaded guilty to one count of importing cocaine. Johnson claimed he did not pack the bag or book the flights and said he was to be paid for the operation, though the amount was not specified. He also expressed fear for his family's safety. He has nine prior convictions in the UK for minor offences. On 13 May 2024, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to six and a half years' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to the time he entered custody in September 2023.
The High Court approved a debt settlement arrangement (DSA) for 63‑year‑old Mark Quinn, allowing him to write off €8.9 million owed to Everyday Finance DAC in exchange for a lump‑sum payment of just over €50 000. The DSA will run for 12 months, during which Quinn will continue to live with his partner at Laurence Grove, Clontarf, Dublin 3, and work for an advertising company. The arrangement was drafted by Personal Insolvency Practitioner Eugene McDarby and presented to the court by Keith Farry BL, who argued that the DSA would be more favourable to the creditor than a bankruptcy proceeding. The court found no objections and approved the DSA, which is intended to restore Quinn to solvency.
Michael Lynn, a former solicitor now serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for €17.9 million fraud, has filed a High Court judicial review against the Department of Justice. The department refused to pay for his lawyers' review of the thousands of pages of documents disclosed during his retrial, arguing that, as a qualified solicitor, Lynn could review the material himself. Lynn's counsel, Mark Lynam SC, argues that the refusal breaches his constitutional right to a fair trial and the European Convention on Human Rights. He seeks an order quashing the refusal, a remittance for fresh consideration, and declarations that the department acted irrationally and in error. The case was granted ex‑parte permission by Justice Niamh Hyland and will return next month. The review involved roughly 150,000 hours of work and included over 9,000 additional pages not seen in the first trial. Michael Lynn was found guilty.
John O'Donoghue, a 54‑year‑old Rathkeale resident, was convicted in November 2021 of assault causing serious harm to a 74‑year‑old pensioner and of violent disorder. He received a 10‑year sentence for the assault and a concurrent eight‑year term for the disorder. O'Donoghue appealed, arguing that Gardaí failed to obtain vital CCTV footage and that a Garda notebook was withheld until the trial. In February 2024, Justice Tara Burns upheld his complaint, stating that the investigation's shortcomings deprived him of a reasonable prospect of defence. At the Court of Appeal, counsel for O'Donoghue argued he should recover costs from both the trial and the appeal, claiming the prosecution's flaws made the appeal necessary. Counsel for the State countered that the appeal was justified and that costs were discretionary. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment on the costs issue. John O'Donoghue pleaded not guilty.
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Jeroon Proos, co‑founder and former general manager of Human + Kind Ltd, was unfairly dismissed in November 2022 and was owed unpaid wages. Proos had been employed as general manager with responsibility for sales and marketing since 2013. In 2021 the company's board cut his salary from €126,000 a year to €10,500 a month, then to €6,250 in January 2022 and to €1,500 in April 2022, without following proper procedures or obtaining his consent. Proos claimed the cuts were unlawful and that the company had no process for termination, describing it as a summary dismissal. The tribunal found no evidence of misconduct, no statutory redundancy payment, and no company appearance. It awarded Proos €101,000 for lost earnings from unfair dismissal, €53,623 for wage shortfalls between January and October 2022, and ordered payment of the sums subject to statutory deductions. The total awarded exceeded €156,000.
Gearoid Coughlan, diagnosed with schizophrenia, beat and repeatedly stabbed his mother Mary Coughlan, leaving her with catastrophic, life‑long injuries. He pleaded guilty to attempted murder on 4 June 2021 and was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to ten years' imprisonment, followed by six years of supervision by probation and psychiatric services. The judge noted Gearoid's high risk of reoffending, lack of insight into his illness, and history of aggression. Mary Coughlan, aged 32, criticised Ireland's community mental‑health services as inadequate for complex mental illness, arguing that better care might have prevented the assault. She expressed hope that families in similar situations receive timely help before it becomes too late. The case highlighted the challenges of managing severe schizophrenia in the community. The unnamed woman was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
A 25‑year‑old Cork woman testified in the Central Criminal Court that she woke to a friend raping her in her family home. She described the assault as occurring after a local celebration where both parties drank heavily. The accused, a 25‑year‑old man with no prior convictions, was convicted by jury of rape and sexual assault on 27 January 2020. Judge Eileen Creedon set headline sentences of eight years for rape and five years for assault, then imposed concurrent seven‑year sentences with the final year suspended. The woman's victim impact statement detailed lasting mental, emotional and physical harm, loss of self‑worth, self‑harm attempts, and her subsequent recovery through therapy and returning to sport. She thanked police, counsellors and family for support, and expressed that she no longer lives in the shadows of the incident.
Petru Budai, 43, of Finnslawn, Lucan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after biting part of a restaurateur's ear on 28 October 2021 at Whitehall Terrace, Swords. The victim was preparing to open his restaurant when Budai, intoxicated and accompanied by two others, demanded food and drink. When told the premises were not yet open, Budai wrapped his hands around the restaurateur, bit his ear and uttered a phrase that sounded like "I eat you." The victim was taken to hospital; the bitten ear fragment was recovered but could not be re‑attached. Judge Martina Baxter described the attack as devastating and noted the victim was sober and attempting to explain the restaurant's status. Budai, with no prior convictions, expressed remorse, wrote an apology letter, and paid €5,000. The judge ordered 240 hours of community service in lieu of a three‑year prison term. Budai thanked the court after sentencing.
Former 2FM presenter Nikki Hayes, aged 44 and real name Eimear Black O'Keeffe, has asked a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to defer sentencing so she may avoid a conviction under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act. Hayes admitted possession of €15,000 as proceeds of crime in a Permanent TSB account on 5 and 6 November 2020, comprising €10,000, €2,600 and €2,400. The money was withdrawn from the victim's account and deposited into Hayes' account, then moved to Revolut and withdrawn via ATMs in Liffey Valley. The court heard that the remaining €2,000 was blocked and returned to the victim, leaving the bank with a loss of about €2,000. Hayes has six prior convictions for minor traffic offences, has been diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality disorder, and has been in alcohol‑free treatment.
In a case heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Abdul Rahman Mohammed, a 35‑year‑old security guard at Penneys in Dundrum, was found guilty of sexual assault, false imprisonment and demanding money with menace. The victim, a 15‑year‑old girl, was lured back into the store after shoplifting a makeup brush and a peel‑off mask. Mohammed forced her to strip, sexually assaulted her, and then demanded €250 from her, claiming it was the price for the items. He also interfered with the CCTV camera a week before the incident to blur any footage. The jury convicted him on all counts on 12 February 2024, and Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, back‑dated to February, after he was already in custody. The victim's impact statement described lasting fear and depression following the assault. The case highlights the severity of the offences and the court's decision to impose a substantial custodial term.
Lisa Smith, a 42‑year‑old former soldier from Dundalk, Co. Louth, is preparing to file appeal submissions against her conviction for membership of the terrorist group Islamic State. The appeal will be heard on the Court of Appeal list scheduled for July 22. Smith was first convicted in 2022 by the Special Criminal Court for travelling to Syria in 2015 and joining ISIS, and was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. She pleaded not guilty to the offence of membership of an unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019. The Court of Appeal rejected her earlier bid to overturn the sentence, finding the trial judges had acted fairly and with appropriate regard to the evidence. Smith's lawyers now seek to appeal the conviction itself. The court noted that her travel to Syria was an overt expression of support for ISIS, a group that challenges democratic values and commits crimes against humanity.
Gerard Lawless, a 61‑year‑old retired Irish Defence Forces member, pleaded guilty to four counts of oral rape and seven counts of sexual assault against his adopted daughter, Danielle Lawless, between 1991 and 1998. The abuse began when Danielle was about five, with the most intense period occurring between October 1995 and April 1997 when she was around ten. The final two assaults took place between November 1997 and August 1998, when she was about twelve. Danielle, who waived anonymity, described how her father exploited her trust, manipulated her sense of love, and inflicted lasting shame and guilt. Lawless had no prior convictions and was in custody since his plea. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to a global prison term of ten years, imposed three years of post‑release supervision, and ordered no contact with the victim. The court noted the abuse's escalation, the breach of paternal trust, and Lawless's ill health and lack of remorse.
A 60‑year‑old Italian woman, Antonia Giuliana Pintus, was arrested for smuggling 19,920 cigarettes into Dublin Airport without Irish tax stamps. She was caught on a flight from Dubai, spent 12 days in custody, and was granted bail. Pintus, a dual Canadian‑Italian citizen with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to evasion of duty on 19,920 cigarettes valued at €16,280, resulting in a duty loss of €8,954. She claimed she had been offered a €1,000 payment to bring the cigarettes to Ireland, citing financial hardship after a home‑help employer's death. Her defence highlighted her economic difficulties and her family's support. Judge Orla Crowe described the case as unusual, noting Pintus's clean record and the hardships she endured. The judge imposed a six‑month sentence, suspended in full, and ordered 18 months of good behaviour.
A 16‑year‑old boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, was sentenced to two years' detention in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of high‑speed pursuits in suburban Dublin. He stole a Toyota from Tesco in Maynooth on 31 July 2023 and drove erratically, entering oncoming traffic and a shopping‑centre car park, forcing gardaí to leap over a barrier to avoid being hit. He was later arrested after abandoning the vehicle. Three months later, he stole an Audi, drove at over 160 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, broke a red light and was pursued again; he fled on foot. He pleaded guilty to multiple counts of endangerment, dangerous driving, taking a car without consent, driving without a licence or insurance, and possession of items used to steal a car. He has 13 prior convictions and has been detained in Oberstown juvenile centre since October.
A High Court action brought by the liquidator of Edenmore Meats seeking to hold the company's directors personally liable for approximately €2.7m in debts has been settled. The resolution followed confidential out-of-court discussions and was approved by Mr Justice Oisin Quinn this week after four weeks of hearings that commenced in January. The liquidator had pursued orders against Donal Gallagher, Richard Burke, and Robert Daly, arguing they should be disqualified from directorship for at least five years and made personally liable for company debts, including €1.5m owed to over one hundred farmers and businesses across the north-west. The meat processing facility operated in Lifford, County Donegal, ceased trading in 2016. The directors, represented by Gary McCarthy SC, denied wrongdoing and claimed they acted responsibly and honourably throughout. The terms of settlement remain confidential.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 10 May 2024, Akuac Mawien, 26, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for importing 12.5 kg of cannabis worth €250,000 into Ireland. Mawien, who had no fixed abode in Toronto at the time of the offence, had flown to Dublin on 15 September 2023 with the cannabis in her suitcase, which was x‑rayed by customs. She pleaded guilty to charges of importing cannabis and possessing cannabis for sale or supply at Dublin Airport. Mawien told the court she was homeless and needed money for her six‑year‑old son, and that she had agreed to bring the suitcase in exchange for about €3,000. She admitted she knew the suitcase contained something "dodgy" but did not know its extent.
Logistics firm DHL faced a tribunal case after long‑serving warehouseman Oscar Solano Fernandez claimed the company tried to avoid paying him a redundancy lump sum by relocating him to a site four hours from his home. Solano, a stock picker from Madrid who had worked at DHL since 2008, said the new site near Donabate would require a two‑hour commute each way, compared with a 15‑minute trip to his former Oak Road site in Clondalkin. He alleged that DHL's transfer process was opaque and that the company discriminated against him as a father by not considering the impact on his family. His lawyer argued he was entitled to a statutory redundancy package of €18,300, lost earnings due to a pay cut, and compensation for discrimination.
Christopher Shane Frane, an on‑the‑run convict, will challenge his extradition to Northern Ireland on the basis that he was subjected to an "unlawful" sentencing regime. He was sentenced in 2013 to a minimum of six years for the manslaughter of Constable Philippa Reynolds, a 27‑year‑old police officer killed when a stolen Toyota Landcruiser driven by Frane struck a patrol car in Derry. In addition to the minimum term, he received an indefinite custodial sentence, a Northern Irish equivalent of an "imprisonment for public protection" (IPP) sentence. IPPs were declared unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights in 2012 and abolished in most of the UK, but judges in Northern Ireland can still impose them. Frane has served his six‑year term but remains subject to the indeterminate portion until he can prove he is no longer a danger to the public.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 May 2024, the court considered a sophisticated fraud that defrauded €461,275 from the Trinity College hardship fund through over 200 transactions. Jonathan McMahon (27) of Dublin 13 was arrested and admitted that the accounts used belonged to him, but he claimed the money was not his and that he had spent it. Garda investigators said the money was quickly moved to third‑party accounts and that McMahon had no connection to the university or the hardship fund. McMahon had no prior convictions and was not under duress. The defence counsel argued for a non‑conviction outcome, citing his mild intellectual disability and personal circumstances. Judge Pauline Codd rejected this, noting the scale of the scheme and the four‑month period of the offences.
Elliot Toale, 18, was jailed for two years after hijacking a mobility scooter and pushing an older man off it for 'fun', fracturing the man's hand and snapping his dentures. The incident occurred outside a Centra shop in Dublin city centre on Capel Street. Toale, who had 23 prior convictions, also stole a kitchen knife from the shop and brandished it at a Scottish tourist. He pleaded guilty to assault and theft. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 16 months of the sentence because of Toale's age. The victim, in his sixties, suffered serious injuries, including a broken left hand and damaged fingers. Toale admitted he had taken cocaine and alcohol that night and expressed remorse, noting he would be upset if a family member had been harmed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Criminal Alan Hutch, 41, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for attempting to rob €100 from a woman in Dublin city centre while on bail. The offence occurred outside Tesco on Talbot Street on 3 March last year when Hutch approached a woman who had just withdrawn €100 from an ATM and tried, unsuccessfully, to take the money from her. CCTV footage captured the incident and identified Hutch, who has 80 previous convictions, including 34 Circuit Court offences. Hutch pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. He has a history of mental health difficulties, including schizophrenia, psychosis and auditory hallucinations, and has been on methadone and antipsychotic medication. The court noted his family's traumatic circumstances, including the murder of his father Eddie Hutch in 2016, and his own multiple hospitalisations. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Hutch had not intended to harm the woman and sentenced him to 21 months in prison. The sentence was imposed on 9 May 2024.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 May 2024, Diane Travers, 31, pleaded guilty to producing a syringe at Dealz on Lower Liffey Street on 22 October 2018. Travers, who has 114 prior convictions, had been barred from the shop but returned and became abusive toward a male shop worker. She threatened the employee, spat on him, and then produced a syringe, claiming she had "full‑blown AIDS" and threatening to use it. The shop worker reported the incident as "very traumatic" and had to wait weeks for test results. Garda John Tansey identified Travers via CCTV, and she was arrested and interviewed. Travers admitted to drug addiction and homelessness. Judge Elva Duffy, noting her guilty plea and progress since 2019, sentenced her to two years and three months in prison, suspending the final 15 months, and ordered her to remain under probation supervision upon release. The sentence was back‑dated to the date she entered custody.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 May 2024, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Lee McDonnell, 32, to two‑and‑a‑half years for affray after he left a bus and joined a mob that attacked two gardaí on Kylemore Road on 20 February 2023. The officers were surrounded, threatened and had objects thrown at them by a large group that had left a funeral. McDonnell, who had 133 prior convictions, was not present when the trouble began but became part of the assault, lunging at the officers and attempting to punch them. He pleaded guilty, apologised and offered no explanation for his involvement. The judge noted the officers' frightening situation, urged McDonnell to take responsibility, and gave credit for time already served in custody.
Seán Mulhall, 26, a homeless drug addict, was sentenced to five years in prison for a series of armed robberies over ten days last year. He targeted an off‑licence, a pharmacy and a bike shed at St James' Hospital, using a firearm that appeared to be a fake Colt or Beretta. Mulhall stole nearly €9,000 from charity collection boxes and a safe, and threatened a security guard with the phrase "I'll f**king pistol you." He had 34 prior convictions, including theft and drug offences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an eight‑year headline sentence, reduced to five years on mitigation, citing Mulhall's terrorising of staff and desperation for drugs. Mulhall is now engaged in rehabilitation, having cut his methadone dose and awaiting treatment at Coolmine, and will receive full credit for time served.
Gavin Ryan, convicted of shooting Clifford Power twice in the chest in Gracedieu, Waterford, in December 2019, has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Ryan, who pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, assault causing serious harm, possession of ammunition, and possession of amphetamines with intent to sell or supply, was found guilty on all four counts by a jury. On November 25, 2021, Judge Eugene O'Kelly sentenced him to 13.5 years in prison, with the final two years suspended. Ryan's legal team argues that a garda entered his residence without a warrant, breaching his constitutional rights, and that evidence obtained from this entry was inadmissible. They contend the garda had no bona fide belief that anyone was at risk. The State's counsel countered that the entry was lawful and proportionate, as gardaí were conducting door-to-door inquiries for a fleeing armed shooter and found the apartment open. The search later conducted under a warrant revealed a bullet matching the scene, documents, and amphetamines. Justice Patrick McCarthy reserved his judgment, meaning the matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 May 2024, Justice Úna Ni Raifeartaigh quashed the original four‑year sentence given to Dean Dullaghan (25) for a 2020 machete attack on a 16‑year‑old in his home. The appellate judge set a headline sentence of ten years, then imposed a custodial term of eight and a half years with the final two and a half years suspended, meaning Dullaghan will serve six years in prison. The case involved a violent burglary at Castleross, Dundalk, where Dullaghan caused permanent damage to the victim's right hand. The State had objected that the initial eight‑year headline was too lenient, citing Dullaghan's age and the severity of the offence. The appeal concluded with Dullaghan entering a bond to keep the peace and engage with probation services. Dean Dullaghan was convicted.
A 58‑year‑old Corkman was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in March 2022 of 61 counts, including two rapes of his then partner and 52 sexual assaults of her, plus four assaults and one rape of her son aged nine to eleven, and two cruelty charges against the children. He was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and ordered 12 months of post‑release supervision. In August 2022 he appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred by admitting a photograph of the victim's bruises, by refusing to discharge the jury after a witness's testimony, and by allowing a re‑examination of a witness. In March 2024 the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, rejected all existing grounds of appeal and refused to add new ones, finding the photographic evidence properly admitted, the jury properly instructed to disregard inadmissible evidence, and the re‑examination appropriate. The unnamed 58-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 20‑year‑old defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, one of anal rape and one of oral rape committed between April 2017 and March 2018 against his 14‑year‑old cousin, who was aged eight to nine at the time. The victim, now 14, said the abuse has devastated her parents, grandparents and wider family, who no longer gather for special occasions. She described the defendant as a "big brother" who now appears as a monster. The defendant admitted watching pornography, including Pornhub, at the time of the offences and expressed remorse, shame and disgust. He has no prior convictions and was allowed to remain on bail while the Probation Service conducts a risk assessment and he completes a college work placement. The case was adjourned to 1 July for these matters.
Jonathan Mafolo, a 26‑year‑old British citizen from Manchester, was arrested at Dublin Airport on 9 October after customs officials intercepted a passenger travelling from JFK to Birmingham. He was found carrying two padlocked suitcases containing over 32 kilos of cannabis worth more than €650,000. Mafolo pleaded guilty to the importation charge, claiming he did not know what was in the luggage and had no code to open it. He said he had discovered the bags outside his hotel in New York and could not have known their contents. He denied personally taking the drugs and stated he was acting to help his brother, who was in debt. The court heard that Mafolo had a clean record, a good work history, and strong community support. Judge Martin Nolan accepted his cooperation and mitigating circumstances, and imposed a headline sentence of seven years, reduced to a five‑year custodial term backdated to the arrest date.
Sean Boland (41) of Dundalk, Co Louth, and co-accused Jeffrey Reynolds (34) of Bray, Co Wicklow, were sentenced at the procedural stage of sentence following their convictions for possessing cannabis. Boland admitted possessing approximately 12kg of cannabis valued at €240,000 across three locations on October 17, 2022, and was sentenced to five years in prison. Reynolds pleaded guilty to possessing about €88,000 worth of cannabis herb on the same day and was sentenced to three years in prison. Prosecution evidence indicated gardaí acted on confidential information regarding a suspected transaction, leading to the search of a van driven by Reynolds, which contained 4.4kg of cannabis. Further searches of Boland's apartment in Dundalk and another unit in the same complex revealed over 7kg of cannabis, along with a vacuum sealer, scales, and a tick list. Boland made full admissions upon arrest, stating he had handed a box of cannabis to Reynolds to settle a debt. Reynolds' defense counsel noted his client operated at street level and worked on a farm to become drug-free. Judge Nolan accepted both men had good work histories and mitigation, finding them unlikely to reoffend, before imposing the respective custodial sentences.
Paul Burgess, aged 43, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for assisting a 16‑year‑old boy in an assault that left Kean Doherty, 19, with a catastrophic brain injury. The assault took place on 28 December 2018 at Ballyvaughan Lane, Lucan, when the boy struck Doherty after Burgess had driven him to the area, pushed him against railings and forced him to the ground. Doherty had recently been released from the National Rehabilitation Hospital after a road‑traffic accident and was highly vulnerable. The court heard medical reports showing the assault exacerbated Doherty's injuries. Burgess claimed he had no knowledge of Doherty's vulnerability and had not intended the violence, but the judge found his assistance created a dangerous situation and imposed the custodial term. The teenager received a formal caution and was dealt with under the youth diversion scheme. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Paul Burgess pleaded guilty.
During his 2020 trial for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, Aaron Brady, aged 33, is alleged to have orchestrated a witness‑intimidation campaign. Prosecuting counsel Lorcan Staines SC presented evidence that Brady, while imprisoned in Mountjoy, conspired with Dean Byrne, aged 30, to persuade prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence. Byrne is accused of sharing Cahill's statement with relatives and other associates, an act the court deemed unlawful. Byrne's defence, represented by Padraig Dwyer SC, argued that no evidence shows Byrne met Brady or was aware of the campaign, and that the alleged sharing of the statement was not intended to coerce Cahill. The case remains pending, with the court adjourned to 29 May for a verdict on Brady's alleged perverting of the course of justice.
Victor Titov, 48, of Bray, pleaded guilty to 14 fraud charges linked to false insurance policies sold by the jailed 'ghost broker' Egidijus Aleliunas. Titov acted as an intermediary, referring seven Moldovan community members to Aleliunas and earning €50 per referral. The court found Titov responsible for losses of almost €7,000 to those policy holders. He received a two‑year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted Titov's community standing, work history and family responsibilities, but held that he should have known Aleliunas was engaged in fraud. Titov had been in Ireland for nearly 20 years and had a long career as a car mechanic. The scheme, valued at €4 million, had previously seen three relatives of Aleliunas receive suspended sentences. The court emphasised that Titov did not act as a broker himself but facilitated the fraud by referring customers. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the fraud while recognising Titov's personal circumstances.
Families of five special‑needs children sued the school board and the Minister for Education after a former staff member alleged that children in the school's autism unit were repeatedly pulled, dragged, and physically abused by a teacher and a Special Needs Assistant. The allegations included shouting, grabbing children by the neck, forcing them into sensory rooms, and using soap on a child's mouth. The families claimed the board failed to investigate and placed the staff on leave. The High Court heard the case before Mr Justice Barry O'Donnell, but the parties reached an out‑of‑court arrangement. The children will be placed in an educational setting without the two staff members pending a Tusla investigation. The court did not order costs, noting the parties had compromised, and awarded a modest cost award to the first applicant. The claims were ultimately denied.
The Workplace Relations Commission awarded €10,000 to Wexford County Council employee Patrick O'Connor, finding he continued to suffer penalisation and ostracisation for making a safety complaint. This follows a previous €20,000 award for similar treatment, which is currently under appeal to the Labour Court. In this second complaint under the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005, O'Connor alleged ongoing ostracisation, denial of overtime, and an incident where a foreman allegedly shoved him from a pickup truck in October 2022. The council disputed the assault allegation but admitted its investigator fell ill, preventing the conclusion of the investigation. Adjudicator Roger McGrath ruled that the council's failure to conclude the investigation and produce the foreman as a witness amounted to penalisation, noting there was nothing to contradict O'Connor's testimony. The adjudicator described the council's inaction as "unacceptable" and found that O'Connor continued to suffer ostracisation, with colleagues dispersing when he entered the yard. While acknowledging the overtime issue was addressed to some degree, the tribunal noted the council failed to provide documentation proving O'Connor was not out of pocket. Consequently, the tribunal upheld the finding of penalisation and awarded the additional €10,000 compensation. The original decision remains subject to appeal, while this new award addresses the continuing nature of the alleged misconduct.
In a tribunal hearing, the complaint that a Bank of Ireland teller refused service to Janson Kelebeng on race grounds was rejected. Kelebeng alleged that the teller said the bank "didn't serve black people" after he explained that he spoke loudly because he was African. He also claimed the teller told him he could not use a debit card on his savings account and that he was "ordered from the building" by the branch security guard. The teller denied making any reference to Kelebeng's race or refusing him service, and a colleague corroborated that Kelebeng was "very rude" to both the teller and the guard. The guard said Kelebeng was "aggressive" and called him an "old man". The adjudicator found the bank's evidence more credible, concluded no prohibited conduct occurred, and dismissed the complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000. The case was represented by Beibhinn Murphy BL for Kelebeng and Barry Walsh of Fieldfisher LLP for the bank.
Karl Ronan, aged 55, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for raping and indecently assaulting his younger sister Lynn Ronan, aged 51, over a four‑year period from 1982 to 1986. The abuse, which began in their Dublin home and continued in Laois and Galway, involved forced sexual acts and physical bullying. Lynn reported the abuse as an adult in 2018, after it had been discovered by their mother in 1986 and the siblings had seen a child psychologist. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the prolonged silence and the pressure on the victim to keep the secret. He sentenced Ronan to six years for rape and a concurrent three‑year term for indecent assault, suspending the final six months on strict conditions, including probation and no contact with Lynn. The judge praised Lynn's courage and highlighted the devastating impact of the abuse on her life. Karl Ronan pleaded guilty.
Maurice O'Carroll, a 63‑year‑old former Garda from Co. Wexford, was sentenced to two years in prison for harassing and threatening to kill an ex‑wife's solicitor and his wife between December 2019 and September 2020. He sent the solicitor five letters, one to the solicitor's wife accusing her husband of gambling, cheating, genocide, gun‑running and arms dealing, and another demanding she choose a child to die. The final letter contained a live and a spent bullet. O'Carroll also threatened the solicitor's children, saying they would be targeted and suffer great pain. He represented himself at trial, pleaded guilty, and offered a letter of apology and €20,000, which the victims declined. Judge Sarah Berkeley noted his low risk of re‑offending, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final year suspended, and ordered him to refrain from contacting the victims for five years. The unnamed accused was found guilty.
Matthew Grogan, 26, of Applewood Village, Swords, was jailed for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property, trespassing, criminal damage, driving without insurance and two counts of dangerous driving. The offences occurred between 22 and 23 September 2021 in County Louth and County Dublin. Grogan had stolen a taxi, reported it to the gardai, and then drove the vehicle at speeds up to 170 km/h, running red lights, weaving through lanes, passing a toll plaza and nearly colliding with an unmarked garda car. The pursuit involved armed gardai from the Armed Support Unit, Louth and Dublin. He was arrested in the Swords area, was intoxicated at the time of arrest, and later described the night as a "blur". Grogan has 64 prior convictions, including burglary and assault, and will be released in June 2026. The court noted his addiction issues and that he has two children.
Dwayne Stacey, 36, was sentenced to 32 months in prison for attempting to rob a cash‑in‑transit guard while riding an e‑scooter on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. On 18 November 2023, Stacey approached a Brinks van and threatened the guard, shouting, "Stop or I'll blow your fucking head off." The guard locked himself inside the van and triggered the panic alarm. Stacey struck the van with a hammer and was later found to have used a hammer that was seized from two addresses. CCTV confirmed his identity. The guard suffered no physical injuries and no victim impact statement was filed. Stacey has 17 prior convictions, including assault, robbery and burglary, and has been in custody since his arrest on 28 November. The judge noted his "terrible history" but also that no actual violence was used, and the sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody.
In May 2022, 64‑year‑old Victor Akinlade was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of violent disorder, assault causing harm and production of a baseball bat. He received five years for violent disorder, four years for assault and four years for the bat, all concurrent. Akinlade pleaded not guilty and claimed he never struck Garda Jonathan Ryan, alleging his injuries were self‑inflicted. He argued he acted in defence under Section 18 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. In the Court of Appeal, his lawyer argued the sentence was excessive and that mitigating factors had been overlooked. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham, who said the judge had considered all circumstances and the sentence lay within the available range. No changes to the five‑year term were made.
In a tribunal hearing, the Department of Agriculture was found to have no evidence supporting a whistleblower's claim that a former harbourmaster at Rossaveal accepted a large cash envelope to allow a vessel to be scrapped there without paying substantial fees. The Harbourmaster, identified only as "Captain B," was cleared of all but one minor allegation, which involved using a state vehicle to transport a relative to school. The Workplace Relations Commission determined that the harbourmaster retaliated against the whistleblower, Padraic O'Toole, by attempting to bill him for berthing a personal vessel at the harbour, despite the fact that staff had been allowed to tie up boats there free of charge for years. O'Toole had previously reported concerns about alleged inappropriate financial arrangements, including the sale of scrap metal at below‑value prices and incorrect rates charged to fishing vessels.
Gerard Mackin, with a previous address at Rhebogue Road in Limerick, has failed in his appeal against a three-and-a-half year sentence for money laundering. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge on May 7th, 2024. Mackin had pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing €4,780 as proceeds of criminal conduct, found wrapped in bubble wrap alongside two mobile phones, one capable of data encryption. His counsel argued the sentence was excessive and that insufficient credit had been given for his guilty plea, work history, and personal circumstances. However, Mr Justice John Edwards found the Special Criminal Court was entitled to consider Mackin's involvement in crime as significant rather than peripheral. The judge noted Mackin had provided false explanations regarding the money's source and rejected arguments that the 25 per cent reduction afforded was inadequate. The appeal against the severity of sentence was accordingly dismissed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 May 2024, two men, Gavin Mangan (47) of Bracken Close, Balbriggan, and Owen Kelly (37) of Seville Place, Dublin 1, were sentenced for a burglary that took place on 20 August 2022. The pair entered an elderly man's home armed with an imitation firearm and a meat cleaver, demanding money and taking €850 in cash. The victim was described as profoundly affected and fearing for his life during the incident. Mangan, who has 93 prior convictions, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. Kelly, with 87 prior convictions, received a sentence of eight years, with the final year suspended under a number of conditions. Both men have long‑standing drug addictions and were in custody before sentencing. The court noted their difficult childhoods and the presence of CCTV footage of the robbery. The combined jail term for the two offenders totals fourteen‑and‑a‑half years. Gavin Mangan pleaded guilty. Owen Kelly pleaded guilty.
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey of the High Court ruled that up to a dozen persons alleged to be unlawfully occupying a four-storey building on James Street, Dublin 8, must vacate the property by May 29. Developer Sumberry Limited, which purchased the former music shop in 2021 for €800,000, brought proceedings against the occupants, claiming they had no valid tenancies or leases and were trespassing. The plaintiff sought injunctions to restrain occupation and prevent access obstruction, citing health and safety concerns. Ms Jem Cleaver, representing herself, disputed some claims regarding the building's condition and service of documents but accepted she had no entitlement to reside there. She requested time to find alternative accommodation due to the housing crisis. The judge granted a stay on the mandatory vacate orders until May 29 to allow residents to make arrangements. Mr Stephen Bedford, a named defendant alleged to have been seen at the property, was not present in court. Ms Cleaver stated Mr Bedford did not reside at the building. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this month.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Garda Commissioner's appeal against a lower court's refusal to allow a video clip, alleged to contain pornographic material, to be used in a disciplinary investigation against Garda Patrick Hyland. The Court of Appeal had ruled that material obtained under a lawful search warrant could not be used in disciplinary proceedings, reversing an earlier High Court decision that had allowed it. Hyland, who denies wrongdoing, claims he forwarded the clip to a WhatsApp group without viewing it, later realizing it was a clip of a fully clothed male teenager and a female in a potentially suggestive position. The investigation led to a search of Hyland's home, seizure of devices, and a suspension that was later lifted. Hyland sought to prevent further disciplinary action, arguing the use of the material breached his privacy and the 2018 Data Protection Act.
Niall Colgan, 39, a former senior civil servant at the Department of Justice, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, including two indecent videos and two indecent images of children. The videos, one 1 minute 32 seconds long of a pre‑teen girl and another 1 minute 9 seconds long of a boy under ten, were category one material; the images were category two. Colgan admitted ownership of an iPhone from which the material was found after a Garda search on 1 February 2022. He was suspended from his role, resigned, and later faced a court hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year prison sentence fully suspended on strict conditions, with Colgan to be on the sex offenders register for five years. The court noted his good character, family support, and low risk of re‑offending, while also acknowledging the harassment he endured following the case.
The Special Criminal Court rejected arguments that the charge against Dean Byrne should be dismissed. Byrne, 30, from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, is accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady, the convicted garda killer, to persuade prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence at Brady's murder trial. The court found that, at its highest, the prosecution case could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Byrne conspired with Brady between April 8, 2020 and June 22, 2020 while both were in Mountjoy Prison's D‑wing. Byrne allegedly used a smartphone to disseminate Cahill's garda statement and recruited members of Cahill's family to discourage him from testifying. The court will hear closing arguments tomorrow before delivering a verdict. The case remains ongoing.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, 53‑year‑old Anthony Walker, a taxi driver, admitted possessing a loaded .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on 23 November 2021. He claimed he was unaware the item was a gun, saying he had only realised during the trip that it was a firearm. Walker said he had been instructed by 25‑year‑old Ryan Kelly, who had been jailed for a sophisticated enterprise, to deliver the weapon. Walker's contact with Kelly had lasted 18 months, and he had exchanged texts such as "I'll be there" and "send me the number, nearly there." Walker has eight prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and is described by counsel as a vulnerable individual with Tourette's, ADHD and OCD. The court adjourned sentencing to 29 May and remanded Walker in custody. The prosecution will decide whether to charge him with participation in a criminal organisation. Ryan Kelly pleaded guilty.