Robert Redmond (35), a convicted murderer currently serving a life sentence for the killing of Barry Wolverson, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to conspiring to murder Jordan Davis. The 22-year-old victim was shot dead in 2019 while pushing his infant son in a pram. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the plea was acceptable to the DPP, and a nolle prosequi will be entered on the original murder charge after sentencing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Redmond in custody until May 13 for a sentence hearing, where a victim impact report is expected. Redmond is the second person dealt with regarding this offence; in 2022, Wayne Cooney (33) was jailed for life for the murder after a jury found he fired eight shots at Davis. Separately, Redmond and co-accused Jamie Gray (27) previously pleaded guilty to possessing a RAK PM-63 submachine gun in 2020. Redmond was jailed for six years in 2023 for that offence. Bernard Fogarty (34) was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Wolverson in December 2022. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
A former Circuit Court judge, Gerard O'Brien, aged 59, was told by the court that he is likely to receive a custodial sentence for attempted rape and sexual assault of six young men between 1991 and 1997. O'Brien, a former teacher and solicitor, was convicted in December 2023 of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault. The victims, aged 17 to 24, were either his students or former students. The judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, said he would impose a custodial sentence when the case is finalised on 29 May 2024 and remanded O'Brien on continuing bail. O'Brien pleaded not guilty to all allegations. The court considered psychological reports, victim impact statements and O'Brien's personal circumstances, including his disability and history of depression, but did not yet decide the final sentence.
Joseph Parker, 32, of Crowfall, Bridge Road, Dublin 18, was convicted of sexual assault of a sleeping woman at a Dublin hotel on 9 September 2020. He pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness, a plea that reduced the maximum ten‑year sentence. While on bail for a rape charge, he assaulted the woman, who had earlier told him she did not want intimacy. After she fell asleep, Parker entered her room, forced himself on her, and later tried to persuade her not to report the incident. The court, hearing the case at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted that Parker had cooperated with investigators and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of four years, but, considering the guilty plea and cooperation, set a final sentence of two years imprisonment to be served consecutively to his existing term. The decision was made on 26 April 2024.
In a Limerick Central Criminal Court trial, a 58‑year‑old man was convicted of 14 offences, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and a threat to kill. He had previously pleaded guilty to four assault‑causing‑harm charges. The victim, his 39‑year‑old niece, was held in his home for a week in late January and early February 2022. During that time she was unable to walk or move for several days, suffered bruising and a broken tooth, and was repeatedly sexually assaulted while she urinated using paper cups. The man also set fire to the bed and curtains, switched off the electricity, and threatened her with a glass‑covered floor. Judge Siobhan Lankford imposed a 13‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 14 February 2022, and directed the defendant to never approach the victim again.
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 59‑year‑old Kilkenny man faced 121 counts of historic sex abuse, including anal and oral rape and sexual assault against eight male complainants aged 10 to 11 between 1995 and 2007. The defendant pleaded not guilty. One complainant, aged 38, testified that the accused raped him anally once, threatened him to "keep his mouth shut" or his family would be killed, and repeatedly touched him and his younger brother in the accused's car. He said the abuse began when he was 11 or 12 and stopped around age 15, though he could not recall the final incident. The complainant also reported that he had spoken to Gardaí and social workers in 2000, but no action was taken. The trial is proceeding before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In 2024, a 46‑year‑old man was convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford for repeatedly raping a girl aged eight to eleven between 2014 and 2017. The offences included eight counts of rape, nine of anal rape, eight of oral rape and nine of sexual assault. The court found him guilty of all but three counts of rape, sentencing him to 13½ years for the vaginal rape, later reduced to 11 years, plus two years of post‑release supervision. He appealed, arguing the judge failed to consider mitigating factors such as his constructive use of prison time, schooling, mental health and drug courses, and his job as a cleaner. He also challenged the trial judge's handling of hearsay, the addition of the victim's mother's complaint evidence, and the lack of a corroboration warning. The Court of Appeal heard the case and noted the judge's decision to reserve all aspects of its ruling. The unnamed 46-year-old was acquitted.
A man has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the rape of a teenager in Roscommon. Nicolas Horvath, aged 28 and formerly of Stonecourt, Roscommon, pleaded guilty to one count of rape on 11 December 2020. The court heard that Horvath and an associate engaged the victim, then aged 16, while she socialised with friends in a park. He plied her with alcohol, made sexual remarks including the phrase "age is just a number," and subsequently brought her to a secluded area where the rape occurred. The victim resisted and a friend intervened. Horvath fled the jurisdiction to Slovakia in 2022 and was extradited to Ireland in December of that year. Ms Justice Melanie Greally imposed a sentence of six and a half years with the final year suspended, subject to conditions including that Horvath depart the jurisdiction within seven days of release and remain absent for fifteen years.
In a High Court hearing on 26 April 2024, Mr Justice Michael Twomey dismissed the latest claim by brothers Brian and Maurice McDonagh against Fane Investments Ltd, Quanta Capital Investments Ltd and director Mel Sutcliffe over an 82‑acre site at Mount Kennedy, Kilpedder, Co Wicklow. The brothers alleged a 2017 agreement to form a 50‑50 partnership with Quanta to develop a data centre, but the judge held that the agreement was conditional and never became legally binding, having been terminated in March 2018. The McDonaghs had bought the land in 2007, failed to repay a mortgage to Ulster Bank, and the bank appointed a receiver in 2014. Fane purchased the land from the receiver in 2021 for €3 million plus a deferred 25 % profit share. The brothers also sued Ulster Bank for an alleged inadequate sale price, but the judge found no expert evidence and upheld the bank's Isaac Wunder orders.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that a fully suspended sentence imposed on Dylan Clements for drug possession was unduly lenient. Clements, a 29-year-old man from Finglas, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2023, to one count of possession of drugs for sale or supply under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court the following day to three and a half years, which was fully suspended. The remaining four counts on the indictment were taken into consideration. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentencing judge failed to adequately weigh the gravity of the offence, the presumptive mandatory minimum sentence, and the combined market value of the seized cocaine and cannabis, which exceeded €28,000. The DPP contended that no wholly exceptional circumstances existed to justify full suspension. Defence counsel argued there was no error in law and that the judge was entitled to consider Clements' lack of prior convictions and cooperation. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found that the trial judge erred by failing to apply recent case law and that the sentence was unduly lenient without evidence of extraordinary special circumstances. The court ordered that a probation report be prepared and adjourned the matter to July 23, when it will proceed to quash the original sentence and resentence the respondent.
Patrick Honan, 69, was sentenced to 13 years' custody with 18 months suspended for 48 counts of rape and indecent assault against his daughter Noreen Honan, aged 3½ to 16, between 1977 and 1989 at their family home in Doonbeg, Co Clare. The judge, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford, praised Ms Honan's dignified conduct and bravery, noting the prolonged abuse, breach of trust and age disparity. Honan had previously applied to keep his identity confidential, citing potential harm to his wider family, but the court rejected this. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his custody entry. The judge also directed that Honan must not approach Ms Honan now or in the future. The unnamed accused was found guilty.
In April 2024 the Court of Appeal reimposed a penalty on Dutch skipper Klass Dirk Meijvogel after quashing a previous order that had confiscated his catch and fishing gear worth almost €400,000. Meijvogel, 43, had been convicted in 2015 of a single technical fishing offence while captaining the Wiron 5 in Irish waters. The original confiscation, which seized €344,960 of catch and €55,000 of gear, was deemed potentially disproportionate by the appeal court. The court found that the offence was a moderate‑level breach of Irish maritime law, that the harm was minor but the potential for great harm existed, and that the penalty needed to be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Consequently, the Court of Appeal reinstated a fine of €500 and the same confiscation order for the catch and gear, stating the sanction was appropriate and not disproportionate to Meijvogel's role as master of a fishing vessel. Klass Dirk Meijvogel pleaded not guilty.
The WRC ruled that Avia Capital Leasing Ltd, the Irish arm of a Russian aircraft leasing firm, must pay former staff over €30,000 for breaches of employment rights after the company shut down in April 2022 due to EU sanctions linked to the Ukraine invasion. The tribunal awarded Sofija Krascuka €6,188 and Alexandra Skavronskaja €22,558 for illegal wage deductions in March and April 2022, and a week's pay each for failure to provide written employment terms. Technical manager Anton Gremin received €11,970.80 for statutory notice entitlements. The tribunal found the company was unable to pay redundancy sums because its bank accounts were frozen, but granted the workers the right to claim redundancy from the social insurance fund. The decision was made in a remote hearing in April 2023 and published on 26 April 2024.
Martin Collins (42) and his brother Michael (33) were sentenced to three years in prison for a series of thefts carried out between March and August 2020. The brothers used modified people‑carrier cars, blackening windows and removing rear seats to conceal stolen tools from building sites. They were found guilty of possessing a vehicle with intent to commit theft at Barclay Court, Blackrock, on 23 March 2020, and of participating in organised crime. Martin admitted possession of plant equipment worth €5,080 stolen from Irish Rail on 19 August 2020, including a leaf‑blower, an Alpha mixer and an Atlas Trench Whacker. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of four and a half years, deducted 18 months, leaving an effective term of three years. The brothers had previously served 16‑month sentences for similar offences. The court noted their family background, mental health issues and efforts to disengage from crime.
Dr Edwin Fitzgibbon, also known as Joe Fitzgibbon, has launched High Court proceedings seeking an injunction to prevent a receiver from repossessing a medical suite at the Hermitage Clinic in Lucan, Dublin 20. The applicant, represented by Miriam Reilly SC and Conor Duff BL, alleges that receiver James Anderson and Everyday Finance intend to take possession on April 27 over a dispute regarding the repayment of loans. Dr Fitzgibbon claims the threatened repossession is heavy-handed and disproportionate, noting the suite is also used by two other practitioners. The dispute stems from loan facilities of just over €1m taken out with AIB in 2013. The applicant asserts he entered a settlement agreement in 2017 to sell the suite by June 2022 and has complied with its terms, despite the loan being sold to Everyday Finance DAC. He rejects claims of non-compliance, attributing delays to the actions of Everyday's agents, and has lodged an outstanding complaint with the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. Dr Fitzgibbon states he was informed last month that the settlement agreement was formally withdrawn and that the receiver, appointed in late 2023, planned to take possession. Before Mr Justice David Nolan, the court granted the applicant permission on an ex-parte basis to serve short notice of his injunction application on the defendants. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court next week.
Alan O'Neill and partner June Finnegan have obtained permission to file a motion seeking the attachment and possible committal to prison of Mr. Noel Martin Senior, a defendant in their case against Drumgoan Developments Limited. The couple allege that Mr. Martin breached a High Court injunction that barred him from contacting them regarding the disputed ownership of a garage adjacent to their 20‑year‑old home at Crann Nua, Edenderry Road, Portarlington. They claim the garage, purchased with an extra fee in 2005, was not properly conveyed to them and that the defendants have threatened and intimidated them. The judge, Mr Justice David Nolan, granted the motion on an ex‑parte basis and adjourned the application to a date next week, while maintaining the injunction. The couple also allege that Mr. Martin sent threatening communications and that the defendants have engaged in a "land grab" and demanded money from them and neighbours. The case remains pending.
The Irish High Court has been asked to recognise a €15.41 bn judgment against the Argentine State, awarded by a New York court last year for the re‑nationalisation of YPF. Two minority shareholders – the Spanish‑registered Petersen Energia Inversora SAU and Peterson Energia SAU, and the US‑registered Eton Park Capital Management LP, Eton Park Fund LP and Cayman‑registered Eton Park Master Fund Ltd – sued Argentina and YPF after the 2012 nationalisation. They claim the State failed to make a public offer for the remaining 49 % of YPF shares, breaching contract and causing significant losses. The New York court awarded the Petersen group US$14.38 bn and the Eton group US$1.71 bn. The applicants seek Irish recognition to enforce the ruling, arguing Ireland's reputation for predictability, speed, and its status as a major fund‑administration and debt‑securities hub will aid asset location and enforcement.
Jonathan Cummins, 37, of Tubberclaire Meadows, Navan, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to producing two knives during a November 2021 attack on a new mother who had just returned from the hospital with her premature baby. The incident occurred at a West Dublin location where Cummins, dressed in black and wearing gloves, stood in the garden and pulled the knives from his trousers as the victim was being assaulted by Miranda McCabe, who also received a two‑year sentence with 15 months suspended. Cummins, who had 156 prior convictions including 16 for knife possession, was found with a cannabis joint and two kitchen knives in his car. He was already serving a 15‑month sentence for a separate offence and was released in January.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 25 April 2024, Jose Bejarano, aged 43, was handed a suspended 18‑month prison sentence for acting as a money mule in a scam that defrauded the Trinity College hardship fund of €6,800. The fund, which supports students in financial distress, had reported the fraud to the gardai in November 2021, and an investigation was ongoing. Bejarano provided his bank account details to a third party, and four payments totalling €6,800 were transferred to his account between April and May 2021. He withdrew the money and gave it to a third party, receiving €300–€400 in return. He had no prior convictions, cooperated with investigators, and claimed he acted in good faith, believing the security guard who requested the transfer was trustworthy. The judge noted the fund's loss and imposed the suspended sentence, taking his personal circumstances into account.
Adam Winters, aged 32, met a 14‑year‑old girl on an online dating site in 2012 and groomed her by sending her brutal and extreme pornography. He instructed her to watch the material and then asked her to carry out acts such as bondage, pain, urination and blood‑letting. The relationship lasted until 2018, during which Winters met her twice in person and forced her to give him oral sex. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually defiling her, one in Cork between April 2013 and April 2014 and another in Waterford. The first count involved a child under 15, the second a child under 17. Mr Justice David Keane sentenced him to six years for the first count and two years for the second, both to run concurrently, and suspended the final two years, placing him under probation supervision for two years.
The Court of Appeal has re-sentenced Alan Melia, finding his original prison term unduly lenient. Melia, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, had previously pleaded guilty to robbery at the Applegreen filling station in Northern Ireland, along with endangerment, dangerous driving, and criminal damage on the M1 in Louth, all occurring on August 23, 2020. In January 2023, Judge Patrick Quinn at Dundalk Courthouse set a headline sentence of six years, which was reduced to four years with two years suspended. Acting for the State, Simon Matthews BL appealed this decision, arguing the sentence was significantly too low given Melia's 92 previous convictions and the severity of the offences, including reversing into a garda vehicle and driving the wrong way down the motorway. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted mitigation factors, including an early guilty plea and a difficult upbringing. Mr Justice Birmingham agreed the original sentence was unduly lenient to a significant extent. He determined that the headline sentence could not be less than ten years but reduced it to seven and a half years, taking into account Melia's guilty plea and his cooperation in consenting to have the robbery dealt with in this jurisdiction. The final year of the sentence was suspended for 12 months.
Albert Tucker, 67, from Rockford Park, Blackrock, Dublin, was convicted in May 2022 of 30 indecent assaults on his sister‑in‑law, Ms Aileen Ryan Wright, who was 11 when the abuse began. The assaults took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A jury trial at the Central Criminal Court led to a four‑year sentence, but in February 2024 the Court of Appeal quashed three convictions due to insufficient evidence and addressed a procedural mishap involving the jury's verdicts. On appeal, Michael Bowman SC argued that Tucker's age, lack of prior convictions and medical issues—including spinal surgery in 2018—should have been considered. In April 2024, Mr Justice George Birmingham reduced the sentence by suspending the final six months, citing Tucker's colorectal cancer treatment and concern about recurrence. Tucker will remain on the sex offenders register after release.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, Dara Deasy's claim that a hotel general manager racially harassed him by asking if he "knew Kung Fu" after learning of his Chinese heritage was rejected. Deasy, who worked part‑time at the Brandon Hotel from 31 March to 5 August 2023, alleged that manager Stephen Quinn used a "racial slur" and mocked him after Deasy tasted spring rolls on 8 June 2023. Quinn testified that he had simply asked Deasy about his knowledge of the cuisine and denied any discriminatory intent, describing the remarks as a compliment. The adjudicating officer found no evidence that Deasy was met by a racial slur during his employment, citing Deasy's vague recollections and the manager's denial. The tribunal therefore dismissed the complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The decision noted that Deasy had been dismissed for performance issues and had not appealed the dismissal. The case was closed with no further action.
Brian Wildman, 41, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €293,313 in cocaine and cannabis for sale and €19,130 in cash proceeds, after gardaí raided his Clonsilla home on 1 August 2020. He was caught attempting to flush a bag of cocaine down the toilet; authorities seized drugs worth €158,047 and cannabis resin worth €135,266. Wildman's co‑accused, Keith Banks, 45, had been jailed for five years in June 2022 for the same offences. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Wildman to three years' imprisonment, a lesser term than Banks, after hearing extensive evidence of Wildman's medical difficulties. He has neurosarcoidosis, chronic seizures, and requires chemotherapy and immunosuppressants; medical reports described him as "fragile" and not medically fit for prison. The court ordered all medical reports to be forwarded to the prison service and urged Wildman to inform prison authorities of his condition.
Jailed teacher Enoch Burke has filed a High Court defamation claim against Mediahuis Ireland, the publisher of the Sunday Independent, over a 2022 article that was published while he was imprisoned for contempt of court. Burke, who was dismissed from Wilson's Hospital School for alleged gross misconduct, argues that the school's injunction to stay away from the school conflicted with his Christian beliefs, specifically a directive to refer to a student by a different name and use the pronoun 'they'. He has also appealed his dismissal, a separate matter that remains pending. The defamation action will be heard by a single judge, Mr Justice David Nolan, who has set a hearing date for next week. Burke's pre‑trial application sought to exclude certain material he deemed prejudicial; the judge agreed that some of that material should not be presented until the day of the hearing.
A fast food worker, Martin Gerard Murphy, was found to have been unfairly dismissed by the Workplace Relations Commission after being sacked on the spot during an altercation with his manager. The commission awarded him €500 in compensation for the lack of fair procedures. The manager claimed Murphy had pointed a knife at him and was aggressive, leading to his immediate dismissal. However, the commission found that while there was some conflict in the evidence, the nature of the altercation did not justify instant dismissal. Murphy denied pointing a knife and stated he was dismissed without notice or explanation. The adjudicator noted that the business should have followed a disciplinary process rather than dismissing him on the spot.
Jennifer Clancy, a former part‑time Spanish teacher at Templeogue College, has given evidence to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) alleging that principal Niamh Quinn retaliated against her after she and 10 colleagues lodged a collective grievance in spring 2022. Clancy claims she was penalised through timetable changes that forced her to teach afternoons, disrupting childcare arrangements she had made with the former principal. She also says the school altered her reappointment form to make her a fixed‑term employee again. The school denies the allegations, stating the changes were administrative errors and that Clancy was not granted a permanent contract. Clancy's testimony, delivered on the third day of her WRC hearing, describes the principal as "a corridor angel and an office devil," and recounts a heated meeting on 26 August 2022 where Clancy felt victimised. The WRC has scheduled further cross‑examination and additional hearings to resolve the dispute.
Thomas Cullen, 60, of Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of making a gain by deception. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it, noting Cullen was unlikely to reoffend and was likely the "face" of a larger scheme rather than the organiser. Cullen agreed leasing arrangements with Capital Flow Finance and Finance Ireland in March 2017, using false documents including a forged driving licence to secure over €160,000 for Hitachi excavators that were never located. Both companies remain at a loss. Cullen admitted the documents were false and stated he was paid €5,000 for his role. He has 35 previous convictions. This follows the sentencing of Charles Mavitty, 66, of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, who was jailed for two and a half years last month for defrauding financing companies of over €240,000 to buy two Hitachi excavators. Both cases are part of a major cross-border probe into scams involving the leasing of heavy plant machinery.
Saira Mooneeswamy, 53, of Blessington Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to stealing €13,360 from Hyde and Seek Childcare, Shaw Street, Dublin 2, between 1 April 2018 and 15 July 2019. The money was handed to her by parents who wanted to stop paying monthly fees by direct debit while applying for a mortgage. Mooneeswamy, who was the crèche manager at the time, never transferred the funds to the crèche's bank account. She has since repaid the full amount and cooperated with Gardaí. At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, she was given a fully‑suspended sentence of one year. The court noted her lack of prior convictions, her long employment history, and her quick repayment of the money. The judge described her as unlikely to reoffend and having "succumbed to temptation" over a persistent pattern of behaviour. The case arose after an RTÉ Prime Time investigation into breaches of regulations at several Dublin childcare facilities.
Stephen Leech, 40, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing over €680,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Kincade, Sutton, on 5 May 2023. He also admitted to possessing €3,500 in cash as proceeds of crime. Gardaí and customs officers intercepted a consignment of almonds from Bilbao that contained more than 31 kg of cannabis, valued at €682,400, along with over €4,000 worth of heroin, small amounts of cocaine and 30 alprazolam tablets. Leech was caught attempting to flee the premises and was found with 50 deals of heroin on his person. The court noted his early plea, cooperation, work history and family background as mitigating factors, and highlighted his past drug addiction and current clean status. Judge Martin Nolan described Leech as a "holder, receiver and transporter" but said his culpability was low, as he was imposed upon by third parties.
In a High Court hearing on 24 April 2024, Mr Justice David Nolan warned Drumgoan Developments Limited and its alleged owners, Noel Martin Senior and Darren Martin, that any breach of the court's undertakings or the temporary injunction would bring "serious consequences." The injunction, granted after Alan O'Neill and partner June Finnegan secured a restraining order, prohibits the defendants from contacting the couple or driving past their home on Edenderry Road, Portlaoise. Mr Justice Nolan noted that the defendants had already breached the injunction when Mr Martin Senior sent a WhatsApp message threatening to report the couple to Tusla for "dangerous unlicensed animals" and demanding the removal of Mr O'Neill's car. The judge described the defendants' conduct as "egregious" and urged their lawyers to convey the gravity of any further breaches. He adjourned the case for a week to allow the parties to discuss a potential arrangement regarding the injunction.
Aaron Brady, who killed Garda Adrian Donohoe, was an enhanced prisoner in Mountjoy with special privileges, including a laptop for reviewing evidence. He was housed on the D‑wing basement floor, a level reserved for inmates with good behaviour, and had more freedom to move, attend education, and receive extra phone calls and money. Brady, a 33‑year‑old former resident of New Road, Crossmaglen, was convicted in 2020 of Donohoe's murder and later pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice for recording a video of witness Ronan Flynn. Dean Byrne, a 30‑year‑old from Cabra Park, was tried for conspiring with Brady between April and June 2020 to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Brady's trial. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the single charge. The Special Criminal Court heard these facts during the trial.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 24 April 2024, the appeal of Samy Taib, aged 22, was dismissed. Taib had been sentenced to five years' imprisonment with 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to assault, coercive control, endangerment and dangerous driving. The Court upheld the four‑year sentence for the coercive control offence and the three‑year sentence for the driving offence, after the judge had reduced the headline sentences from five to four years and from four to three years respectively, citing Taib's undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. The judge noted that Taib's mental disorder was likely present for some time but that the seriousness of the violence—choking, punching, biting and driving over his former partner's leg—required a substantial sentence. The Court found the reductions within the judge's discretion and rejected the appeal. The final sentence remained five years' imprisonment with one year suspended.
A man has been brought before the Central Criminal Court on 121 charges of sexual abuse against eight boys, alleged to have occurred between 1995 and 2007. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Dominic McGinn SC, presented evidence that the victims, all aged ten to eleven at the time of the alleged abuse, were subjected to sexual assault, anal rape and oral rape over a period of twelve years. The accused is said to have lured the boys with cigarettes and then taken them into his home, where he allegedly preyed on their innocence. Testimony is expected from two families of three brothers each, who claim daily or frequent abuse, with some victims reporting the incidents to their mother in 2000 and the Gardaí being alerted without further action. The trial is proceeding before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
The 71‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld, was convicted of raping his niece twice – once when she was a child and again when she was in her 20s – and of indecently assaulting her and three other children, two of whom were also his nieces. He had six prior convictions, including indecent exposure and larceny. He appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred by refusing to sever the indictment so each of the four complainants would have a separate trial. He also sought to add a new ground of appeal concerning the differing contexts of the two rape offences, which took place nine years apart. The court found no error: the complainants were members of the same extended family, their communications were largely supportive, and the judge had not been asked to consider severance. The appeal was dismissed. The unnamed 71-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Two men, David Amah (18) and Michael Andrecut (22), and a 17‑year‑old minor were charged with the murder of gunman Tristan Sherry (26) in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve. Sherry shot and fatally injured Jason Hennessy Senior at Browne's Steakhouse on 24 December 2023; Hennessy died 11 days later. The three appellants appealed a High Court refusal of bail. At the Court of Appeal, Seamus Clarke SC for Andrecut argued that the judge's Section 2 bail objections were based on conjecture about future offences and a "feud" that was not supported by hard evidence. Michael O'Higgins SC for Amah highlighted the chaotic circumstances of the night and the lack of evidence that Amah might flee. Michael Bowman SC for the minor contended that the judge erred by treating the youth as a "lightening rod" for danger, ignoring the presumption in favour of bail.
A pensioner in his early seventies was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for indecent assault and sexual assault against his daughter and niece in the early 1990s. The court found him guilty of four counts of indecent assault and 21 counts of sexual assault against his daughter, and four counts of indecent assault and eight counts of sexual assault against his niece. The abuse occurred in a Leinster house when the daughter was aged six to twelve and the niece aged eleven to twelve. The defendant maintains his innocence and had no prior convictions. Victim impact statements described lasting psychological harm, loss of self‑worth, anxiety, depression, nightmares and flashbacks. The judge imposed consecutive sentences of three and a half years for each victim, back‑dating the first to February 28, and noted the defendant's age, health and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The total custodial term is seven years.
Cameron Curtis, aged 20, was sentenced to 18 months for assaulting his girlfriend Alannah Corrigan, but the Court of Appeal quashed that sentence and imposed a four‑year term, back‑dated to September 2022. The court found the original sentence too lenient for the seriousness of the offences, which included false imprisonment, repeated physical assaults, threats of death, and the use of a knife. Curtis had pleaded guilty to seven counts of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment. He was released after six months and has engaged positively with probation services, remains in a relationship with Corrigan, and has shown commitment to rehabilitation. The court therefore suspended the additional portion of the sentence, which will be in effect until September 2026, while Curtis remains under supervision and has not committed further incidents.
Laura Rice, daughter of Alan Rice, who died after being struck by a car in Skerries, Co Dublin, has called on drivers to be more cautious on the roads, stating that 'accidents don't happen, they are caused'. Alan Rice died on April 13, 2021, after Terry Gaff (56) veered onto the wrong side of the road while navigating a bend on the R127. Gaff pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death and was handed a six-month suspended sentence, along with a €1,000 fine. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Gaff had no previous convictions and that there were no aggravating factors, such as speeding, alcohol, or drug use. The judge acknowledged the devastating impact of the collision on Mr Rice's family and expressed condolences. Victim impact statements from Mr Rice's family highlighted the profound loss they have experienced, describing Alan Rice as a loving, supportive, and adventurous father, husband, and friend.
A 57‑year‑old Dublin mother was given a suspended sentence of two and a half years for child neglect after her 15‑year‑old daughter was hospitalised twice for a severe head lice infestation. The court heard the girl's hair was "rock solid" with lice and eggs, with a head lice expert finding between 900 and 1,000 lice. The mother had left the daughter alone in the summer of 2018, taking €100 for food and travelling to the UK, while the daughter was left without shower facilities and with a matted, lice‑laden head. The mother pleaded guilty to one count of child neglect covering 2013‑2018. Judge Martin Nolan described the neglect as "cruelty by omission" and suspended the sentence in full, noting the daughter's condition had improved since the incident.
Richard Green, former operations manager at Tramline Taverns Limited, won €35,645 after a tribunal found his dismissal was not a genuine redundancy but a guise to remove him following a triple heart bypass. Green, who earned €1,000 a week, had informed the director of his upcoming surgery in early 2022. He claimed the director's behaviour changed abruptly, using his illness as a pretext to keep him out of work. Green's evidence included text messages and a lack of a promised review report. In December 2022, he was told his role would be made redundant and was escorted off the premises. The tribunal, hearing only Green's uncontested evidence, concluded that he was still fit to work and that the dismissal was unlawful. Mr McGrath awarded €27,645 for unfair dismissal and €8,000 for disability discrimination, totaling €35,645.
A 43‑year‑old former GAA coach was resentenced by the Court of Appeal to 14 years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after the original nine‑year term was deemed too lenient. The judge cited the "global seriousness" of the offender's repeated sexual offences, physical abuse and a three‑year harassment campaign. The case involved the coach's sexual assault of a boy who was 12 when the abuse began, including oral rape, attempted anal rape, false imprisonment and assault. The coach had also abused the victim physically, beat him, and continued to harass him after the abuse stopped in 2006, sending threatening messages. The new sentence is to run concurrently with the earlier 10.5‑year term imposed by the Central Criminal Court, with the suspended portion conditional on probation. The judge described the conduct as "unusual, shocking and extremely disturbing.". The unnamed boy pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Thomas Lawrence, 62, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his niece after a nightmare. The incident occurred on 29 August 2020 when Lawrence entered his niece's house, shouted abuse, then chased her to a café, grabbed her by the hair, punched her head and repeatedly struck her against a metal counter. The assault left her with superficial injuries. Lawrence also pleaded guilty to an attempted theft of three wine bottles from Spar in 2014, a case delayed by Covid. He was arrested shortly after the assault. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Lawrence's health problems—pancreatitis, epilepsy, chronic depression, alcoholism—sentenced him to 20 months, suspended in full, rather than imprisonment. No further court actions were described in the article.
Peter Gill, aged 64, served as secretary for Drumcondra Football Club and was found to have stolen €7,500 in cash between 2012 and 2015. The theft was discovered when the club's chairman, preparing to leave his role, closed the club's bank account and noticed an ATM card issued to Gill had been used for several transactions. Gardaí investigation revealed that some transactions were legitimate, but the total amount stolen was €7,500. Gill admitted the theft and pleaded guilty to one count of theft. He had no prior convictions. The court noted his gambling addiction at the time of the offence and his health issues. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 20 months, which was suspended in full, thereby avoiding imprisonment.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for Thomas and Valerie Johnson, a couple from Co Meath, allowing them to write off over €2.65 million in debt mainly owed to financial funds. The arrangement, lasting 12 months, lets the couple keep their family home at Liscannor Lodge, Drumree Road, Dunshaughlin. Their mortgage will be restructured with a €200,000 lump‑sum payment, and they will pay €1,500 toward unsecured debts. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, approved the application submitted by Keith Farry BL on behalf of the couple's insolvency practitioner.
A nursing home operator, Bartra Opco (Northwood NH) Limited, has initiated a High Court challenge against the State over what it describes as an insufficient funding increase under the 'Fair Deal scheme'. The applicant operates the Northwood Residential Home on Old Ballymun Road Santry, Dublin 9, and claims that the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has not provided a fair or reasonable offer for the funding increase. The nursing home sought a 10% increase, amounting to an additional €127 per week per resident, but the NTPF's final offer was €1,320 per resident from January 1, 2024, to April 30, 2024, and €1,365 from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. The applicant alleges that the offer is not fair, lacks proper reasoning, and is inconsistent with how the NTPF has handled similar requests from other nursing homes. The case was heard by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted the applicant permission to proceed on an ex-parte basis. The matter is adjourned and will return before the court next month.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on an application by John Dundon to adduce fresh evidence in his appeal against his conviction for the murder of Shane Geoghegan. Dundon, 41, formerly of Hyde Road in Limerick, was convicted at the Special Criminal Court in 2013 of ordering the hit that resulted in Geoghegan's death in 2008. He is serving a mandatory life sentence. Counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued that a recorded phone conversation between witnesses Lisa Collins and Christopher McCarthy, which discussed ensuring Dundon received a sentence for an offence carrying a greater penalty such as murder, was omitted from the trial record. McGinn contended this evidence raised concerns about the witnesses' credibility and the fairness of the trial. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Sean Guerin SC, countered that Dundon was not entitled to rely on a disadvantage caused by his decision to sack his lawyers on the first day of the trial. Guerin noted that Ms Collins had previously been threatened by Dundon, resulting in him receiving a prison sentence, and that the phone call actually supported the prosecution case by demonstrating the witnesses' fear. The court, comprising Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved judgment on the application. Separately, Barry Doyle, 38, last of Portland Row in Dublin 1, was found guilty of murdering Mr Geoghegan by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and was given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on February 16, 2012.
At the Special Criminal Court, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs adjourned the sentence hearing for Michael Crotty to May 13. Crotty, 42, of Co Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan before entering a guilty plea in February to participating in a criminal organisation's activity. The State alleged Crotty facilitated the killing by purchasing €20 in mobile credit for Sean McGovern, described in evidence as a leading Kinahan cartel figure. Detective Sergeant Sean Cosgrove presented evidence linking a tracking device on Mr Kirwan's car to unregistered numbers used by Crotty and others, suggesting awareness of the unlawful purpose. Victim impact statements were read, including from Donna Kirwan, who expressed hope that the facilitator would "never see the light of day again." Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC noted Crotty's early guilty plea and submitted references. Separately, the report notes that Jason Keating, 32, was previously jailed for 10 years for his role in the "execution-style murder" of Mr Kirwan, having admitted to facilitating the offence. The matter regarding Crotty remains adjourned and is not concluded.
A Dutch economics professor, Dr Wim Naude, was dismissed by University College Cork (UCC) in August 2023 after failing to relocate to Cork within the time frame set by the university. Naude had been appointed in January 2021 and taught online until he arrived in Ireland in June–July 2021, during which he struggled to secure housing amid Ireland's housing crisis. He cited his wife's diabetes and his son's autism as additional challenges. UCC's HR head, Barry O'Brien, claimed Naude had not moved by the second half of the previous academic year and deemed his contract null, citing a lack of "physical presence" required for his duties. Naude argued the university's decision was unfair and that relocation issues could have been resolved through discussion. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld his complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and awarded him €300,000, the third‑highest award ever made to an individual employee.
Ryan Kelly, 25, was sentenced to six years in prison by the Special Criminal Court for his role in a sophisticated enterprise involving a loaded .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and stolen cars. Kelly, who was 22 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to possession of the revolver and five rounds of ammunition, with evidence that the weapon was found in a taxi and in a Volvo car where he was a passenger. He was seen handing the gun to a taxi driver and later dropping it into the vehicle's window. The court noted that Kelly acted in concert with others, including Anthony Walker, and that the weapon was fully loaded, indicating it was not for lawful use. The judge set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to seven years with the last year suspended for three years on condition of probation. Kelly had nine prior convictions, mainly for public order and traffic offences.
A Central Criminal Court jury could not reach a verdict in the murder trial of Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, who was accused of "flooring" 26‑year‑old Cian Gallagher in a rural town. The State alleged Boland intended to kill or seriously injure Gallagher, who fell and hit the back of his head after a punch. Both men had been drinking. The prosecution presented CCTV footage of a punch and claimed the victim's hand injuries were caused by the blow. Defence counsel argued that the pathologist's evidence showed the fall, not the punch, caused the fatal injury, and that intent could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. After 13 hours of deliberation over four days, the jury declared disagreement and the case was scheduled for retrial on 25 November. The judge exempted the jury from service for five years. The trial remains at the murder‑versus‑manslaughter stage. Mossie' Boland pleaded not guilty.