A man from Strokestown, County Roscommon, has been sentenced to eleven and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on twenty-six counts of sexually abusing his daughter between 2011 and 2016. Cyril Mullane, aged 51, was found guilty of eleven counts of oral rape, fourteen counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted rape committed at properties in County Sligo and Norfolk in the United Kingdom. The victim, who waived her anonymity, was between six and twelve years old during the offences. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo imposed a thirteen-year sentence with the final eighteen months suspended. The judge noted that the complainant's childhood had been "poisoned" by sustained abuse constituting a serious breach of paternal trust over a five-year period. Mullane had denied all charges and was not afforded mitigation for guilty pleas.
Matthew O'Connell (20) and Evan Vella (19) pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and violent disorder, respectively, for a mob attack on a 16‑year‑old Italian student in Blackrock Park on 27 November 2021. The attack began after a bottle was mistakenly blamed on the victim's group, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a group assault by up to ten young men. O'Connell was described as a main antagonist and Vella admitted punching the student once. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on O'Connell, ordering him to pay €5,000 and raise an additional €5,000 within a year, and a 16‑month suspended sentence on Vella, ordering him to pay €1,500 to the victim within six months or donate it to charity. Both sentences were suspended, with no custodial terms imposed. The judge highlighted the defendants' young age, lack of prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation.
In the Central Criminal Court, Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, aged 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Cian Gallagher, 26, who died from a brain bleed after an alleged altercation on Barrack Street, Tallow, on 10 November 2022. Boland told arresting gardai that Gallagher had struck him first, that he had "ducked" and then hit Gallagher back, and that Gallagher had made comments about Russians. He described the incident as a "pure accident" and said the fight resembled a "Conor McGregor knockout". Boland's partner, Marian O'Brien, testified that she had left him with their children on 1 November, that he had called her from Lismore saying he was going for drinks, and that she had seen him and Gallagher run out in front of her car. She also said she had taken his mobile phone at the scene to contact his relatives.
Adrian Stralynski, 22, pleaded guilty to laundering €13,100 in a smishing scam that cost a victim €16,000. He has 13 prior convictions for drug possession, assault, public order and road traffic offences. The court heard that the victim, Aidan Hall, received a fraudulent text claiming a Bank of Ireland login and was tricked into entering a verification code, after which €13,100 was transferred through accounts linked to Stralynski. Stralynski admitted he was high and was persuaded by a friend to facilitate the fraud, but denied sending the text. Judge Orla Crowe noted his early guilty plea, lack of recent Garda attention, and remorse, and sentenced him to 18 months in prison suspended in full for two years. The co‑accused has taken a trial date. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The jury for the Stardust inquest, consisting of seven women and five men, has taken a break for the weekend after eight days of deliberation on the causes of death of the 48 victims of the fire. Since beginning on 3 April, they have spent over 30 hours discussing their verdicts. Earlier today, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane provided legal guidance, clarifying that answers to the general questionnaire are meant to establish facts and do not automatically imply blame. She explained that a verdict of unlawful killing requires a high standard of proof, with a failure by a person or persons being a substantial cause of death, and must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Other possible verdicts—accidental death, death by misadventure, an open verdict, or a narrative verdict—are decided on the balance of probabilities. The jury will reconvene next Monday for a third week of deliberations.
John Joseph Devaney, aged 65, was convicted of rape and indecent assault against a 24‑year‑old deaf woman in 1985. The offence occurred in a rural caravan between September and November 1985. Devaney, a paramedic, denies the verdict and maintains his innocence. The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, described feeling scared, sick, dirty, confused, embarrassed and sad. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, imposed a sentence of eight years and six months for rape and six years for indecent assault, with both sentences running concurrently and back‑dated to his entry into custody in January. Devaney's work history and lack of prior sexual convictions were noted as mitigating factors, but no guilty plea was entered. The victim's impact statement highlighted the severe impact on her independence and psychological well‑being. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in December 2023 and the sentence was announced on 12 April 2024.
A 32‑year‑old man was remanded in custody after sitting opposite his younger half‑sister on the train to court. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of raping his younger sister and three counts of anally and orally raping his little brother between 2001 and 2010. The court heard the offences occurred when the siblings were aged between six and fourteen, with the brother aged between seven and twelve. The man was on bail awaiting a psychology report, but the judge found it "disturbing" that he had sat opposite his victim on the train. He was remanded and the sentence hearing was adjourned to 22 July for a plea of mitigation. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court. The man has a prior drink‑driving conviction and has children with his partner. The victim impact statements described lasting trauma for both siblings.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 12 April 2024, former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, was granted a change of legal representation to John P O'Donohoe but the court reserved its decision on legal aid pending a statement of his financial means to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Lynn, who is serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for stealing just over €18 million from six financial institutions during the Celtic Tiger era, must provide this statement before legal aid for his appeal can be granted. The court noted that if any issue arises, it should be notified. Lynn was found guilty of 10 of 21 counts of theft in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial last year; the remaining 11 counts were dropped after the jury could not agree. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a case brought before the Workplace Relations Commission, Margaret Fitzpatrick, a gym member for about fourteen years, claimed age‑based discrimination after being denied a student discount at West Wood Club CLG. Fitzpatrick, who became a full‑time student in April 2023, presented her student card in May 2023 but was told she was ineligible because she was "more than 25 years old." She served statutory notice in June, but the gym's solicitors denied any unlawful discrimination, arguing that the discount was limited to students under 25. The WRC adjudicator, Jim Dolan, applied a hypothetical comparator approach, comparing Fitzpatrick's situation with that of a full‑time student under 25 who would receive the discount. Finding the claim well‑founded, he ordered West Wood to pay Fitzpatrick €3,000 in compensation for the age‑based discrimination. The decision was made in April 2024.
The Court of Appeal has granted the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) access to audio recordings of a disturbance during a March 7, 2023, hearing involving Enoch Burke. Mr Justice John Edwards, delivering the judgment, stated that disruptive conduct by attendees constituted part of the court proceedings and that the recordings serve as a contemporaneous record. The court rejected Enoch Burke's arguments that releasing the files would breach his privacy rights or constitute covert surveillance, noting he provided no evidence of private conversations. GSOC is investigating alleged assault causing harm by gardai, following complaints from Simeon Burke and Ammi Burke regarding their treatment during the incident. Simeon Burke was previously convicted of a Public Order Act offence for threatening and abusive behavior near the Four Courts. The court emphasized that the expectation of respectful conduct extends to the environs of the building before and after judges arrive. Mr Justice Edwards dismissed Burke's claims as emotive, asserting that those who disrupt proceedings have no expectation of privacy. The court also granted Mr Burke access to the ambient recordings released to GSOC. The decision underscores the court's power to control its processes and ensure decorum, describing the administration of justice as a solemn process fundamental to the rule of law.
Dylan Reddington, 28, of Cherry Orchard Grove, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences that included high‑speed pursuits on December 15, 2020 and October 7, 2021. He drove at high speed, failed to stop for Gardaí, overtook cars dangerously, ran red lights, drove the wrong way around roundabouts, and drove on the wrong side of the road. The first pursuit ended when he collided with a concrete marker in a residential estate; he was arrested on foot. The second pursuit began on October 7, 2021, when he drove a red Ford Focus at speed up Cloverhill Road, again driving the wrong way and overtaking oncoming traffic, before being arrested in a house in Cherry Orchard. Reddington had 65 prior convictions, including dangerous driving and endangerment. He had completed 16 months of residential treatment before sentencing.
Patrick Maughan, 39, was sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd to two years in prison, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, for stealing €9,250 worth of tools from a construction worker's van at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Maughan broke a van window, used a false registration plate, and fled with the equipment. He had 75 previous convictions, including theft and possession of stolen property. The tools were recovered after Gardaí spotted a silver van with a different plate. Maughan pleaded guilty to the theft charge. The court noted the offence's deterrence value for workers in the building trade and considered Maughan's guilty plea and personal circumstances in sentencing. No victim impact statements were submitted by the injured parties. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sinead Byrne, 46, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply and to knowingly permitting her home to be used for the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug, as well as possession of cocaine, all on 19 December 2021. A Garda search found 1.5 kg of cannabis in an ensuite, 10 kg in the attic, a metal safe with €248 of cocaine, a digital scale and €1,200 cash. Byrne was not present during the search; she later contacted Gardaí, was arrested by appointment, and admitted knowledge of the cannabis in the ensuite but denied knowledge of the attic stash. She claimed the money was to pay rent and was under pressure from a drug debt. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑year prison sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, including 18 months of probation supervision.
Two young men, injured when a drink‑driving driver crashed into them on a Dublin footpath, told the court that the incident has left a "trail of devastation" in their lives. One victim, unable to work for five months, now struggles with mortgage, childcare and medical bills, and suffers chronic back pain, nightmares and panic attacks. The other, suffering multiple fractures and ongoing excruciating pain, reports severe mood swings and existential dread. The driver, Sean Creighton, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment and a four‑year driving disqualification. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm, dangerous driving at speed and drink‑driving. Creighton, a public servant and community volunteer, expressed remorse and offered €3,000 to the victims. The court noted the victims' long‑term physical and emotional sequelae. The sentencing judge highlighted Creighton's good character and community work as mitigating factors.
A 61‑year‑old Libyan man, Tareq Elkudir, was arrested after disembarking from a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Dublin. He was highly intoxicated, drinking from a litre bottle of whiskey during the 45‑minute flight, and was accused of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old girl. The victim described being repeatedly grabbed, hit on the arm, kissed, and having his hand rubbed near her breast area. She also reported being punched twice on the shoulder. Elkudir pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, imposed a fully suspended 18‑month sentence, noting the victim had not filed an impact statement and was ready to move on. The judge also allowed the victim to accept or redirect a €3,000 apology payment. Elkudir has no further criminal record since the offence and is married with three children. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Maurice 'Mossy' Boland, 36, of Tallow, Waterford, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Cian Gallagher, 26, a Dublin construction worker, who died from a brain bleed eight days after being punched and knocked to the ground on 2 November 2022. Witness Patrick Fennessy, 17 at the time, described seeing Boland on his feet and Gallagher on the ground outside Clancy's Bar. Fennessy said Boland claimed Gallagher had struck him first and that he was merely defending himself. Boland allegedly boasted that he had knocked Gallagher out "like Conor McGregor" and that Gallagher should have been in the UFC, expressing pride in the act. Boland also told witnesses he did not want an ambulance for Gallagher, insisting he would be fine. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues tomorrow with a jury of eight men and four women.
Sandra Kavanagh, 48, avoided jail after colliding with motorcyclist Nebojsa Sarcevic, 29, on the M50 in November 2019, which caused his death. She had previously been convicted of road traffic offences. The trial judge initially imposed a one‑year driving disqualification, but the defence and prosecution mistakenly informed the judge that a mandatory four‑year ban applied. The Court of Appeal quashed the four‑year ban and replaced it with a two‑year ban, while an eight‑month fully suspended sentence remained on her record. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death, was not speeding, had no drugs or alcohol, and was not using her mobile phone. The judge noted her remorse and the tragic nature of the incident. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in July 2022.
In a 2024 appeal, a 41‑year‑old woman and her 53‑year‑old partner, jailed for a combined 33 years for raping and sexually abusing their five‑year‑old daughter and three‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old son, argued that video interviews of the children should not have been admitted to the jury. The couple had denied multiple offences, including rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, reckless endangerment and false imprisonment, committed at two locations in Connacht between October 2012 and September 2014. Both were found guilty at the Central Criminal Court in November 2022. The appeal, presented by Michael Lynn SC for the man and Dominic McGinn SC for the woman, focused on alleged unfairness due to the eight‑year delay between the children's 2016 specialist Gardaí interviews and the 2022 trial, the use of leading or suggestive questions, and the lack of opportunity to assess the children's competence as witnesses.
During Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial, a man named Dean Byrne offered to "do damage" to State witness Daniel Cahill, who later testified that Brady admitted shooting Garda Adrian Donohoe. Byrne, who was sharing a landing with Brady, allegedly sent messages to Cahill and to another acquaintance, urging them not to testify and threatening to harm Cahill. The Director of Public Prosecutions charged Byrne with conspiring to prevent Cahill's evidence, a charge that was opened by prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC. Byrne, aged 30, pleaded not guilty and his trial continues. The court heard that Byrne's messages referred to Cahill as a "rat" and that he claimed to have knowledge of Cahill's scheduled testimony, information not publicly available. The prosecution argues that Byrne acted as Brady's agent to pervert the course of justice. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheehan and Judge Marie Keane. The unnamed accused was acquitted.
Tina Mary Lukose, a nurse who had been pregnant since January 2022, claimed that Riada Care Ltd, trading as Glenashling Nursing Home, discriminated against her by refusing to offer a permanent contract after her fixed‑term contract ended in August 2022. She had requested annual leave for September and was told the firm would not provide a permanent contract. She was offered a new fixed‑term contract until October 2022, which she accepted because of her advanced pregnancy and difficulty finding alternative employment. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) held a hearing on 30 November 2023. The company's lawyer argued the complaint was invalid because the complaint form listed the firm's trading name rather than its legal entity, but the WRC judge, Breiffni O'Neill, proceeded with the hearing and found no evidence from the employer to rebut the claim of gender discrimination.
During the seventh day of deliberations in the Stardust inquests, the jury asked the coroner for clarification on the questionnaire they received at the start of the proceedings. They wanted to know whether a particular answer could imply a failure on someone's part, despite being told they could not assign blame to any individual. Dr Myra Cullinane said she would address the question when the court reconvened on the eighth day. Earlier, the jury was reminded that they could not attribute wrongdoing to any identified person. They also asked how to interpret "standards" at the time of the 1981 fire, and Dr Cullinane explained that standards meant the laws, byelaws and regulations in force then, and that if no standards existed, norms and behaviours could be considered but only if they were the approved practice or carried obvious risks.
In a High Court case, a provisional liquidator has been appointed for Clonmannon House Retirement Village Limited, a Dublin‑registered company that acquired a property in Ashford, Co Wicklow, for a care facility. Beijing‑based Ms Yi Yuan, who invested €1 million in 2020 under Ireland's Immigrant Investor Programme, claims the company owes her €1.17 million, which has not been repaid. She alleges that the company's director, Candance La Fleur, made false statements in an affidavit, including that €100 000 had been paid to an investor and that the company had agreed to sell its asset, write down debt, and delay repayment—claims Ms Yuan says she never consented to. Ms Yuan also contends the property was purchased for €1.9 million instead of the €2.15 million contract price and was not transferred to the company. The company has failed to file annual returns, maintain a company secretary, and keep a director resident in the EEA.
A Leaving Certificate supervisor has brought a complaint before the Workplace Relations Commission against the State Examinations Commission over mileage allowance deductions spanning three years. Daniel Murphy, from Monaghan, supervised exams at a school in Kells, County Meath, and claims he was underpaid by over €1,600 in total across 2021, 2022 and 2023 for mileage expenses. Mr Murphy stated he used the N2 route to ensure timely arrival for exam supervision, rather than minor back roads he considered impractical and subject to traffic delays. The SEC disputed the claims fell within the scope of the Payment of Wages Act 1991 and argued mileage should reflect the shortest available distance. Adjudicator Christina Ryan adjourned the hearing to consider whether the complaints were statute-barred and whether mileage allowances constitute wages under the relevant legislation before addressing the substantive complaint. A decision will be issued in writing to both parties.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, adjudicator David James Murphy ruled that a complaint by nurse Vanessa Rodrigues-Linhan against Carechoice Swords 2 Ltd was well founded, ordering the employer to pay €30,000 in compensation. The adjudicator found the employer failed to establish adequate risk management for two patients. Regarding Patient A, the adjudicator noted the employer failed to prove efforts were in place to manage the risk he presented prior to incidents where he allegedly racially abused the complainant and pushed a decoration into her chest. Although action was taken after reports, the adjudicator found no prior process to manage his aggressive behavior. Regarding Patient B, a dementia patient, the adjudicator found that despite known issues with sexual behavior, there was no process to ensure information cascaded to night-shift carers. The adjudicator determined the complainant was subjected to serious racial and sexual harassment, making her legitimately fear for her safety. He criticized the employer for relying on senior staff support after the fact rather than having immediate supervisors on hand to react to risks. The adjudicator noted the director and assistant director of nursing appeared professional but failed in their immediate supervisory duties. The employer's defense was rejected, resulting in the compensation award.
Aaron Brady, who was convicted in 2020 of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to perverting the course of justice. He admitted to recording footage of an interview between gardai and witness Ronan Flynn, which was subsequently posted online accusing Flynn of "touting." Brady did not enter a plea to a further count of conspiring with Dean Byrne to persuade a State witness not to testify, though prosecution counsel argued this should be considered at sentencing. Dean Byrne, 30, from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, remains on trial for the conspiracy charge. Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned sentencing to May 29. The court refused an application by Brady's lawyers to ban media reporting of the guilty plea, rejecting arguments that coverage could prejudice a potential retrial if Brady's murder conviction is overturned on appeal. The judge noted that a retrial is merely a possibility and that any prejudice could be remedied by judicial directions to the jury. Brady, 33, formerly of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2013 murder. He appealed his conviction last November and is awaiting a decision from the Court of Appeal.
The trial of Aaron Brady for perverting the course of justice has been postponed for a third day after the Director of Public Prosecutions and Brady's lawyers held discussions. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, said he had received an instruction from Brady that prompted the matter to be presented to the DPP. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC indicated he would consult with the DPP before proceeding and expects to have his instructions by the next day. The trial, originally scheduled for this week, was adjourned to give the defence time to review additional evidence served recently. Brady, aged 33, and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 30, are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in Brady's murder trial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, which took place during a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Jenkinstown, County Louth, on 25 January 2013.
Ayasha Littlejohn, 22, was jailed for three and a half years after transporting 22.6 kg of cannabis worth €453,640 from New York to Dublin, destined for the UK. She was stopped at Dublin Airport in October 2023 when customs officers noticed her luggage. Littlejohn pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan described her as naive and said she had been pressured by third parties. She had no prior convictions and was pregnant, expected to give birth in June at the Dóchas Centre. Littlejohn cooperated with Gardaí, claimed she was manipulated by a man she met in London, and expressed remorse, hoping to become a good mother. The sentence was back‑dated to her October 26, 2023 arrest.
Shannon Haddock, 28, of Redgap, Rathcoole, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a 12‑month suspended term for assisting her partner in a burglary at a house in South Dublin. She pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and dangerous driving. The burglary occurred on 1 March 2023 when the co‑accused, previously jailed for 27 months for a burglary in Sallynoggin, drove a red Audi away from the scene, then switched places with Haddock. Both fled on foot, but Haddock was arrested shortly after. The court noted her lack of prior convictions, her efforts at rehabilitation, and her difficulties with addiction and mental health. She was disqualified from driving for two years and the suspended sentence will be enforced on strict conditions for two years. The judge highlighted her active participation and driving as aggravating factors, while recognising her mitigating circumstances.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Dunne, aged 48, testified that he was abused by 74‑year‑old Bernard Swaine between 1983 and 1986. Dunne, who was between seven and ten at the time, described Swaine's repeated indecent assaults, including a first incident where Swaine penetrated him while they shared a bed. Over the next three years, Swaine allegedly touched Dunne's genitals while he masturbated, a pattern that continued for about three years. Dunne's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological damage, citing depression, anxiety and self‑loathing. Judge Orla Crowe, acknowledging the severity of the abuse, sentenced Swaine to six years' imprisonment, with concurrent terms for the remaining counts. The sentence reflected Swaine's mitigating circumstances, including his age and health, and the court's assessment of the long‑term harm to Dunne. The case underscored the profound effect of childhood sexual abuse on a survivor's life. Bernard Swaine pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
During a murder trial, a barman testified that on the night of the killing he had conversations with the deceased about Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. The jury heard that the accused, Maurice Boland, 36, had replied to a Garda's caution that he was "onto" the deceased about Russians. Boland pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Cian Gallagher, 26, who died from a brain bleed eight days after being punched by Boland in early November 2022. Prosecutor Roisin Lacey SC described how Boland boasted of knocking Gallagher out and compared himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor. Witnesses, including the pub owner Ann O'Brien and barmaid Maggie O'Leary, confirmed that the deceased had been drinking and that Boland was highly intoxicated when he entered the pub. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
On its sixth day of deliberations, the 12‑person jury in the Stardust inquest asked Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane for further legal guidance. The questions focused on the meaning of "standards" at the time of the 1981 fire that killed 48 people at the Stardust nightclub in Artane. The jury sought clarification on whether standards referred to normal behaviour or to codified laws, regulations or byelaws. Dr Cullinane said she would answer the questions the following day, after which the jury would resume its deliberations in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
Activist Gemma O'Doherty appeared before the High Court on Wednesday regarding an application for alleged contempt of court. The matter was adjourned to later this week to allow O'Doherty to obtain legal instructions and review relevant documents. She was released from Garda custody following the hearing. The application stems from an injunction granted to Edel Campbell, which restrains O'Doherty from harassing Campbell or publishing confidential information about her and her late son, Diego Gilsenan. Campbell alleges O'Doherty breached these orders through video posts and statements. O'Doherty, appearing without legal representation, rejected the allegations, stating she never harassed Campbell and that any attempt to jail her would be outrageous. She claimed the injunction was unlawful and that Campbell's actions violated champerty laws. Counsel for Campbell, David Kennedy SC, stated his client sought only compliance with the injunction and that O'Doherty's refusal left them no option but to bring the contempt motion. The court did not reach a final determination on the merits, as the hearing was suspended to facilitate proper legal representation.
Two men from County Cavan have pleaded guilty to assisting the IRA at the Special Criminal Court. Desmond Smith, aged 64, of Kilnavara Crescent, and Stephen Hamill, aged 51, of Willow Ridge, Gortnakesh, each admitted to knowingly rendering assistance to an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army in furtherance of an unlawful object. Smith's offence occurred on 18 May 2021, while Hamill's took place on 13 March 2021. Both men were arrested in February last year by members of the Special Detective Unit. The charges arise under section 21a of the Offences against the State Act 1939. Justice Caroline Biggs, presiding, adjourned sentencing to 15 May. Both defendants remain on bail pending their sentencing hearing.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, a witness alleged that senior Unite officials sought to negotiate an exit package with Brendan Ogle to prevent his promotion to regional secretary for the Republic of Ireland. The witness claimed that Peter Hughes, Unite's Welsh secretary, suggested a deal after Ogle applied for the position, and that Ogle was told the role was no longer needed. Ogle had previously complained of being sidelined after returning from cancer treatment in 2022. He also alleged that the union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, was excluded from an interview panel due to a defamatory speech. The case was scheduled to proceed but the dates were vacated, and the witness noted that Ogle's concerns included losing a death-in-service policy worth five times his salary. The hearing focused on the alleged internal negotiations and Ogle's grievances.
In a 2024 industrial dispute, a psychological therapist, Ms AB, was demoted after a patient, Ms SU, alleged that she had deliberately allowed the patient to see up her skirt during a counselling session and told her to "take a good look." Ms SU, a survivor of child sexual abuse, claimed the therapist's position made her uncomfortable and that the therapist had not adjusted her posture. The therapist maintained the incident was an innocent accident, stating the long skirt would have made it difficult for the patient to see. The WRC adjudicator found the employer's investigation flawed and criticized the three‑year delay in reaching a decision. Ms AB was demoted to clerical officer in April 2021, and the tribunal recommended €177,618 in compensation for the loss of her position, career and reputation. The award was intended to compensate Ms AB and deter similar future disputes.
Jason Owens, a 34‑year‑old former Irish taekwondo international, pleaded guilty in June 2023 to assaulting Conor Kelly in a pub toilet on New Year's Day 2020, causing life‑threatening injuries. The trial judge sentenced him to 2½ years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, after a pre‑mitigation headline of seven years. The State appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient, citing a 50 % global reduction and the late guilty plea. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case in April 2024, dismissed the appeal. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh upheld the 2½‑year term, noting mitigating factors such as Owens' first‑time offender status, late plea, apology, compensation and psychological issues. The court also recorded that Owens had paid €10 000 to Kelly, which was donated to Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. No further sentence adjustments were made.
Two men, uncles of the victims, were jailed for 15 years each in the Munster abuse trial for raping, abusing and exploiting their niece and two nephews. Their convictions were appealed on the basis of a letter sent by a juror to the trial judge. The Court of Appeal heard the two‑day appeal and reserved its ruling on both cases. The appeal argued that the juror's letter could have tainted the verdicts and that the men should have been tried separately due to prejudicial evidence. The State maintained that the jury deliberated in privacy and that the letter did not raise any doubt about the validity of the verdicts. The Court of Appeal has not yet decided the appeals, which will continue at the three‑judge court. The trial was held at Croke Park in summer 2021, and the men were found guilty on most of the 78 counts against them.
Leon Byrne, 27, was convicted of robbing an empty cash‑in‑transit box at a Brinks‑guarded Maxol garage in Dublin on 17 February 2022. He brandished a kitchen knife, forced the guard to hand over the box, and fled to his mother's flat across the road. Gardaí followed a trail of green dye from the scene to the flat, where the dye was found on clothing and in the apartment. Byrne had previously been jailed for hijacking a taxi with a sawn‑off shotgun. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, which was valued at €3,000, and was sentenced to four years, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He will serve an additional 18 months on top of the sentence he is already serving, having been in custody since March 2022. The court noted Byrne's difficult upbringing and urged him to seek psychological support while in custody.
The High Court refused to grant Duddy Hospitality Ireland Holdings Limited, along with Brendan Duddy and Lawrence Duddy, injunctions restraining receivers from selling the IBIS Red Cow Hotel in Clondalkin, Dublin. Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy also declined orders preventing the UK-based Propiteer Group from appointing or removing directors of firms associated with the hotel. The judge determined that while the plaintiffs raised a serious issue, damages would be an adequate remedy, and the risk of injustice was not sufficient to warrant interim relief. The dispute centers on an alleged breach of 2020 settlement agreements regarding the division of jointly owned assets, including the hotel. The Duddy group claims the defendants, including Propiteer Ireland Holdings Limited, DADAC Ltd, Propiteer Ltd, Colin Sandy, and David Marshall, obstructed their acquisition of the hotel and wrongfully appointed insolvency practitioners Ken Fennell and Andrew O'Leary. The defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing, breach, or obstruction, asserting that the settlement was superseded by a call option agreement due to the plaintiffs' failure to secure refinancing. The judge noted that both sides made allegations of misappropriation of funds, which were denied, and declined to draw conclusions on 'clean hands' or delay at this stage. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this month for an early hearing.
The jury at the Stardust inquest will continue deliberating into the causes of death of the 48 victims of the 1981 fire for a sixth day tomorrow. The 12 jurors resumed considering their verdicts shortly after 11 am this morning. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told the panel she would be available throughout the day should they have any questions. The jury returned to the Pillar Room at the Rotunda Hospital at 4 pm, where they were discharged for the day having completed a fifth day of deliberations. The inquest, which has been sitting for almost a year, has heard 95 days of evidence from 373 witnesses. Dr Cullinane has previously told the jury that they must determine the identity, date and place of death and the circumstances surrounding the death of each of the 48 young people who lost their lives when a fire swept through the Artane venue in the early hours of Valentine's Day, 1981.
During the opening of Maurice Boland's trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Boland, 36, admitted to causing the death of construction worker Cian Gallagher, 26, but denied murder. CCTV footage showed Boland punching Gallagher, who had his hands up and was backing away, leading to a fall and a brain bleed that caused death eight days later. Boland claimed the incident was a "pure accident" and that Gallagher had tried to hit him first. Witnesses, including three young men and Gardaí, testified about Boland's intoxication, his statements comparing himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor, and his attempts to lift Gallagher after the punch. The prosecution emphasized the focus on Boland's intent that night, distinguishing between murder and manslaughter. The trial is set to continue for two weeks before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Maurice Boland pleaded not guilty.
A 32‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to false imprisonment, threat to kill, assault causing harm, sexual assault and false imprisonment for an incident on 1 August 2021. He had previously been convicted of an assault offence. The court heard that the man and his girlfriend had broken up in November 2020 but rekindled their relationship the following summer. On 1 August the man confronted the woman at his home, threatened her with a knife, held it to her throat, and later sexually assaulted her after removing her shorts. He repeatedly restrained her, blocked the door, and dragged her by the arm and shoulder. The woman escaped several times before being taken home and the man was arrested a few days later. The judge imposed a four‑year concurrent sentence, suspended the final two years on condition of probation and treatment programmes, and noted the man's medium risk of re‑offending.
In April 2024, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that James Foley, aged 53, had carried out two robberies in Dublin City Centre in April 2023. The first robbery occurred on 15 April at Eurogiant on Abbey Street, where Foley, wearing a facemask, threatened a cashier with a knife and stole €250. The second robbery took place on 20 April at Blackhall Pharmacy on Ellis Quay, where Foley again threatened staff with a knife and stole €200. Gardaí used CCTV footage from both businesses and surrounding areas to track Foley's movements until he removed his facemask, allowing them to identify him. Foley was arrested from a hostel, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. The court noted Foley's long history of drug addiction and his participation in a residential treatment programme, but deemed the offences too serious to avoid custodial time.
A 61‑year‑old man with a long history of child‑sex offences pleaded guilty to nine counts out of 69 charges covering March 2021 to November 2022. He admitted five counts of sexually exploiting a child, three of producing child pornography and one of possessing child pornography. The victim was a girl aged between three and a half and five years at the time of the abuse. The defendant had been the child's caretaker when her father was away for short periods. He admitted pulling down her underwear, touching her, licking her vagina, and videotaping the acts on his phone. Gardaí seized his Samsung phone and tablet, finding 113 images of the girl and 755 other child‑exploitation images, plus three videos involving the girl. The court imposed a nine‑year sentence, with concurrent four‑and‑a‑half‑year terms for the remaining offences, after noting the defendant's guilty pleas and mitigating factors. The unnamed 61-year-old was convicted.
Wesley Williams, 46, of Foxlodge Manor, Ratoath, was already serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for receiving €1.4 million from European investors in a money‑laundering scheme. On 9 April 2024 a judge declined to extend his sentence after Williams pleaded guilty to stealing a watch worth over €15 000. He received a 20‑month concurrent sentence for the theft, which occurred between February and June 2012. Gardaí searched his property in 2013, finding a safe that could not be opened; a locksmith later opened it and discovered the watch. Williams claimed he was unaware the watch was in the safe and was embarrassed that he could not open it. The court noted he had no prior convictions and, after considering mitigating factors, imposed the 20‑month term. The earlier money‑laundering conviction remains unchanged. The case also involved co‑accused Silvio Rabbitte, who received a two‑year suspended sentence for impeding Williams' apprehension.
Dean Smith, 30, of Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 19 kg of cannabis herb, worth €359,000, found in his home on 11 November 2021. The drugs were discovered under his child's bed and in a drawer in the same room during a Garda search. Smith confirmed he had placed the drugs there and that his son slept in the room. He had a prior conviction for a separate drug offence. Smith cooperated fully with the investigation and had no evidence of benefiting from drug sales. His defence argued that his drug debt stemmed from cocaine addiction and that he had no control over the quantity supplied. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the mitigating factors, including Smith's cooperation, early guilty plea, family responsibilities and rehabilitation efforts, and imposed the sentence.
Lisa Lee, 41, was convicted in 2022 of discarding a knife used by Noel Lennon to stab Isaac Horgan, who died from a leg wound. Lee, who has no fixed abode and a history of 17 convictions, was sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with probation services. After her release in December, she was charged with offences under the Public Order Act and Misuse of Drugs Act, including possession of stolen mobile phones. Mr Justice Hunt offered her a choice: enter a detox programme followed by intensive residential care or return to prison. Lee declined the treatment programme, citing panic at the prospect of residential care, and opted to have the suspended portion of her sentence reactivated. She was remanded in custody and will appear again on April 19.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott criticised the lack of a legislative power to suspend sentences for juvenile offenders while sentencing a 17‑year‑old boy who pleaded guilty to the oral and anal rape of a younger boy aged six to nine between July 2019 and October 2021. He noted that the law requires detention to be a last resort for those under 18 and that offenders should be allowed to continue education and family relationships, but in this case that was not possible. The judge said the appropriate sentence was three years' detention, but without the power to suspend the final 20 months he imposed 16 months for the first count and adjourned sentencing on the second count until the defendant turned 18, after which a further 20‑month sentence would be suspended for three years on strict conditions, including continued schooling and compliance with the Probation Service.
In a 2024 Supreme Court ruling, the court declared a section of the 2019 Judicial Council Act that allows judges to set personal injury award guidelines unconstitutional, citing conflict with judicial independence. However, the court held that the guidelines adopted in 2021 were independently ratified by the Oireachtas under the 2021 Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act and therefore remain legally enforceable. The decision dismissed most of Bridget Delaney's appeal against the High Court's rejection of her judicial review, while granting her a declaration that the contested Act section is unconstitutional. The court also affirmed that the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) acted lawfully in applying the 2021 guidelines to Delaney's claim. Delaney's legal costs were to be paid by Ireland and the Attorney General, with PIAB covering its own costs. The ruling clarified that any future changes to the guidelines would require new legislation by the Oireachtas.
A senior manager at One Complete Solutions Ltd, a security firm accused by Siptu of fostering a "culture of racism," denied a former colleague's claim that he told a subordinate, "Shut the fuck up you foreign c***." The allegation was part of an Employment Equality Act complaint by former contract manager Sayed Baqur‑Hussein, who said he and an Indian security guard were sanctioned after an incident involving a shoplifter, while a Polish colleague was not. The company argues Baqur‑Hussein failed to follow procedures and de‑escalate the situation, whereas the complainant insists he feared a "life threat" and acted in self‑defence. The tribunal heard evidence of racial abuse during the incident, the company's denial of such remarks, and the differing disciplinary outcomes for the three staff involved. The case is adjourned for further hearings.