In a decision published on 22 January 2024, the Workplace Relations Commission ordered Ability West to pay care worker Shannon Avril Holland €27,000 after finding the organisation liable for sexual harassment by a line manager. The harassment included lewd texts asking for "toe‑curling orgasmic sex" and demanding a "hand job", and unwanted touching. Holland was one of two workers to raise concerns in December 2019. The tribunal found Ability West's training on sexual harassment was insufficient, noting the former HR director admitted no such training had been recorded. Holland's complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 was upheld, and the commission highlighted that the organisation failed to provide adequate training or a written policy that was effectively implemented. The decision also noted the organisation's failure to give Holland a copy of the final investigative report. The tribunal's ruling imposed the €27,000 compensation, but the outcome of Holland's constructive dismissal claim remains unpublished.
A man from Letterkenny, County Donegal, has been sentenced to twenty-one months in prison following a dangerous driving conviction at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Kevin McMenamin, aged forty-two, pleaded guilty to causing serious bodily harm to a cyclist in Ballsbridge on July twenty-second, twenty twenty-one. The court heard that McMenamin drove through a red light and made a sudden left turn, striking the woman and trapping her beneath his truck for two metres. The cyclist, in her late sixties, sustained a fractured pelvis and severe leg injuries, requiring hospitalisation for nearly five months and placement in an induced coma. McMenamin was disqualified from driving at the time of the incident. Judge Martin Nolan noted McMenamin's thirty-three previous convictions, including road traffic offences, and stated he showed no regard for the law. The judge imposed an additional five-year driving disqualification.
An extradited criminal, Dragos Cirstea, 38, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for laundering money and purchasing luxury goods with €51,000 stolen from Adare Manor. He pleaded guilty to three money‑laundering counts in Dublin on 3 June 2019 and had four prior UK convictions. Cirstea used a bank card to buy items at Brown Thomas, Arnotts and Weir & Sons, spending €51,044, including a Rolex watch and jewellery worth about €44,000. The money had been sent by a Belgium Vintage Automobile Club to a fraudulent bank account, not to the hotel. No luxury items were recovered. The judge noted Cirstea's guilty plea and good work history as mitigating factors but also his role as a vital link in the criminal enterprise. He will receive credit for time served. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with Judge Martin Nolan presiding.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 64‑year‑old man was found guilty of rape and indecent assault by a jury in December. The victim, a deaf woman with a mild intellectual disability who was 24 at the time of the offence, gave a victim impact statement that described feeling "dirty, sad, scared, sick, confused, embarrassed" after the assault, which occurred in a rural area of the west of Ireland between September and November 1985. She was taken in a white vehicle, forced into a mobile home, and had her clothing removed before the perpetrator forced sexual contact. The court heard the victim's sister also read a statement, noting the severe impact on the woman's independence and personal space. The defendant, who had worked as an emergency first responder, had no prior sexual convictions and was arrested in 2017. The case was adjourned to April 8 for sentencing.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Thomas Lorigan, 34, pleaded not guilty to the killing of his 79‑year‑old uncle, John O'Neill, who was found dead on the kitchen floor of his home on St Brendan's Road, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare. The prosecution alleged that Lorigan repeatedly kicked O'Neill to the head while wearing steel‑capped boots, causing severe injuries that left the body unrecognisable. Garda John Costello testified that he discovered a pair of blood‑stained boots and blue jeans behind an armchair in the victim's house on 7 January 2022. Sergeant Joe Fallon later seized the boots, noting a small splatter of blood under them, and collected a swab. Witnesses, including Walter Burke and several pub staff, described Lorigan's visits to the house and his alleged quarrels with O'Neill. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of five men and seven women.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mohamed Axmed, aged 20, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his role in a violent robbery of two UK tourists in Temple Bar on 17 September 2022. The court heard that Axmed, part of a group of young men, manhandled and assaulted the visitors, taking a bag that contained £1,050 sterling, bank cards, passports and a mobile phone. He pleaded guilty before the hearing, and the judge noted his prior convictions and the fact that he is already serving a sentence that will end in June 2025. Judge Martin Nolan extended his current stay in prison, citing his youth and the seriousness of the offence. The sentence was imposed with the intention that it would be a deterrent, though the judge acknowledged that the outcome might change upon his release. The other co‑accused have either taken trial dates, received bench warrants or remain unlocated.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 49‑year‑old woman pleaded guilty to sexual assault and robbery at a Luas stop on 26 January 2023. The court described the assault as "vicious, humiliating and degrading," noting that the victim was forced to strip naked, had her legs held open, and was searched for items. The attacker threatened to kill her and throw her into the canal. The victim was found in a state of undress, upset, and later examined at a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, where she had bruises and cuts but no vaginal injuries. Witnesses, including a man with a golf club, intervened and recovered a stolen mobile phone. The defendant had 49 prior convictions, many for drug offences, and was under the influence at the time. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced her to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, citing her early guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors.
James Doyle, a 37-year-old from Walkinstown, appeared at the Court of Appeal to challenge his three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. In January of last year, Doyle pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to striking pedestrian Emily Doyle on Cromwellsfort Road in Walkinstown on April 23, 2020. The prosecution alleged he was travelling at speeds up to 130km/h in a 50km/h zone, causing spinal and leg fractures. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced Doyle, noting the victim's significant physical and emotional trauma. Doyle's counsel, Paul Carroll SC, argued the sentence was excessive and disproportionate, contending the trial judge placed too much weight on speed and failed to account for the absence of other aggravating factors. Carroll submitted the sentence should have included a suspended element to encourage rehabilitation. The State, represented by Jane McCudden BL, countered that the sentence was appropriate given the grave harm and Doyle's disregard for public safety, noting he had already received a 50% mitigation reduction. Mr Justice George Birmingham described the case as one of real seriousness and reserved his judgment until February 1. Consequently, the matter was adjourned and remains pending final determination.
In a January 2024 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission dismissed a series of discrimination claims lodged by Dr Pierce Parker, an American academic of Asian origin who had pursued a PhD at University College Dublin (UCD). Parker alleged that UCD had discriminated against him on the grounds of race, gender and civil status after he was disciplined for sleeping in campus buildings and after a post‑doctoral fellowship was not awarded to him. He claimed that the university's disciplinary process was racially motivated and that staff had "blindly" ignored his sleeping and cooking in the research institute from 2018 to 2021. The WRC found that Parker's complaints were made in bad faith, that he had a pattern of retaliating with allegations of discrimination, and that the university had acted fairly and transparently in the fellowship selection. Consequently, the WRC ruled the claims frivolous and dismissed them, noting that the allegations caused Parker undue stress and anxiety.
In a landmark Court of Appeal judgement, the court ruled that Section 93 of the Children Act applies only to a child, defined as a person under 18. The decision means that a child who turns 18 during proceedings or before an appeal can no longer be protected by anonymity. The case concerned a 21‑year‑old who was 17 when he pleaded guilty to the murder of Cameron Blair. The court held that reporting restrictions do not extend to those who age out before proceedings conclude. Justice Isobel Kennedy emphasised that the Act's language is clear and that extending anonymity would require rewriting the legislation. Mr Justice George Birmingham announced a stay on lifting reporting restrictions to allow a potential appeal to the Supreme Court. The ruling will affect child defendants who turn 18 before their trial or sentence is completed.
Craig Ryan, 35, of Killarney Court, Dublin, pleaded guilty to five separate burglary offences dating from 2014 to 2023. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Court to five years' imprisonment. The offences involved ransacking offices and stealing expensive equipment from businesses in Dublin, including a florist in Monkstown, a photographer's office on Burgh Quay, a car on Strand Street, a building on Arran Quay, and a convenience store on Cabra Road. Ryan's 235 previous convictions include theft and criminal damage. He cooperated with Gardaí, and no violence was involved. The judge noted his long history of offending and addiction challenges, but also his cooperation and lack of violence. Ryan is currently in custody and has shown remorse and engagement with treatment services.
Stephanie Hoey, 33, told the court that a 23‑year‑old ex‑partner, Conor Murphy, punched her in the eye during an unprovoked attack at her Clondalkin home, causing a blow‑out fracture and permanent vision loss. She described the assault as "foaming at the mouth" and detailed the severe physical injuries, including the need for hip bone graft surgery, ongoing migraines, nerve and muscle damage, and PTSD. Murphy had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, burglary and knife possession. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of ten years, then imposed seven and a half years in prison with the final 18 months suspended, and ordered probation for one year after release. Hoey's victim impact statement highlighted how the attack has torn her life apart, affecting her mental health, daily functioning and her daughter's well‑being. The court noted Murphy's drug use and prior convictions, and that he had been in custody since May 2023.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was violently assaulted by her then‑partner in her own home told the court that she sometimes wished he had killed her that night. The victim, who had a protection order in place, described how the man entered through an unlocked door, threatened to kill her, smashed her car, punched her, and choked her. She sustained a black eye and other injuries. The man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, making threats to kill or cause serious harm, and breaching a protection order. He was intoxicated and had no prior convictions. The judge, noting the severity of the assault and the victim's fear, imposed a custodial sentence of three years, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions.
A 41‑year‑old man was ordered to serve a full three‑year, four‑month prison term after the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal against the severity of the sentence for sexually assaulting his nine‑year‑old daughter. The Court of Appeal found that the trial judge had not erred in sentencing. The offence occurred between 1 January 2017 and 30 April 2017 at the family home, when the father touched the girl's private parts while she was asleep. The appellant pleaded not guilty. He was first convicted in May 2021 after a second trial, had that conviction quashed in May 2022, and was convicted again in November 2022, receiving the three‑year, four‑month sentence. The appeal argued the sentence was too harsh, citing a comparable case with a four‑year headline. The Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence, noting the breach of trust and the lack of a guilty plea.
A Garda witness described to the Central Criminal Court jury the moment she discovered the body of a 79‑year‑old widower, John O'Neill, who had been severely beaten to the point of being unrecognisable. The body was found on the morning of 7 January 2024 at O'Neill's bed and breakfast on St Brendan's Road, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare. Garda Louise Keogh, on duty at 8.06 am, received a call about an altercation the previous night and, after failing to open the front door, entered the house through a broken window. She saw the victim lying on the ground with blood around his head, a broken vase beside him, and scattered cards including a PPS card. Paramedic Melissa Power confirmed the death at 9.15 am. The accused, Thomas Lorigan, 34, of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to the murder.
Joshua Daly, a construction worker, claims that Lynch Gilligan Plumbing & Heating Ltd treated him as a first‑year apprentice plumber without registering his apprenticeship, thereby paying him below the statutory rate and failing to provide required pension and holiday pay. He says the company paid him at the apprentice rate of 33.3% of €22.73 per hour, amounting to a loss of €5,108.53 over three months, and that his final payment was marked "Unite the Union" on his bank statement after he mentioned joining the union. Daly alleges the firm was "busted" and that he was dismissed on 28 May, but the company later clarified it was not dissolved. The Workplace Relations Commission is set to issue a decision in the coming weeks. The complaint was lodged under the Payment of Wages Act 1991.
Cameron Curtis, aged 20, received an 18‑month jail term for a series of violent assaults, false imprisonment and threats against his partner, Alannah Corrigan. The Court of Appeal found the sentence unduly lenient, noting that the original headline sentence was 3 years 4 months, reduced to 2 years 6 months after mitigation, with the last year suspended for two years. Curtis's attacks spanned four dates, involving punches, kicks, strangulation, a chokehold, and threats with a knife and scissors. He repeatedly locked Corrigan in a bathroom for 45 minutes and prevented her from leaving a kitchen. The Court highlighted the aggravating factor of their intimate relationship and the prolonged nature of the assaults. Curtis has now served his sentence, having spent about 14 months in prison, and the Court has called for an updated probation report before finalising matters. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A 44‑year‑old social worker who brought a 16‑year‑old boy in State care to her home and sexually defiled him was convicted and jailed for four years, with the final two years suspended, by a jury after an 11‑day trial. She appealed, arguing that Facebook messages exchanged with the boy should not have been admitted because the State's request for the messages was made under the wrong section of a 2008 treaty on mutual legal assistance between Ireland and the United States. The appeal was dismissed by Justice Tara Burns, who held that the treaty required the transmission of the request by the Department of Justice, not the drafting, and that the material, though extending beyond the original timeframe, was still admissible. The conviction remains in force, and the social worker will serve the remaining two years of her sentence. The unnamed 44-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 33‑year‑old mother of three, Aisling Dekker, was given a suspended three‑year sentence after pleading guilty to possessing and cultivating cannabis at her home. The police seized over €24,000 worth of cannabis, including two mature plants, when they searched her house following a warrant. Dekker claimed she was growing the plants to relieve joint pain from an autoimmune condition and that she had no drug debt. She cooperated with the Gardaí, took responsibility for the drugs, and expressed remorse. The court noted her lack of prior convictions and her role as a stay‑at‑home mother, but also considered the quantity of drugs and the potential societal harm. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a suspended sentence on strict conditions, citing mitigating factors such as early guilty plea and cooperation. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time to be served.
John Murphy, 47, pleaded guilty to three counts of making false bomb reports in August and October 2022, with a fourth considered. He had previously made 100 hoax calls in one night claiming a bomb at Garda Headquarters in Phoenix Park. The judge noted his long period of homelessness and recent stable accommodation at Reuben Square. Defence counsel urged leniency to preserve his home. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence, ordering Murphy to exhibit good behaviour. The court highlighted the inconvenience and stress caused to emergency services and the public, and urged Murphy to stay away from phones. No victim impact statements were presented. Murphy's prior convictions included 30 offences, including three for false reports. The sentence reflects the judge's view that his current stability should not be disrupted by imprisonment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 January 2024, a 23‑year‑old man named David Mbaya was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison for possessing €189,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at his home. The cannabis, weighing 9.4 kg, had been delivered to his Balbriggan address by gardaí after a sniffer dog detected it at Foyne's Logistics, Dublin Airport. Mbaya pleaded guilty on 3 October 2022. Judge Martin Nolan noted that had Mbaya been older he might have faced a longer sentence, but he considered his youth and described him as intelligent and capable of reform. Mbaya had previously been convicted of nine minor road‑traffic offences and was living with his sister, hoping to return to landscaping work and regain contact with his two children. The delivery had a strong smell, and Mbaya signed for it before being arrested. The drugs were analysed by Forensic Science Ireland.
In a High Court hearing on 17 January 2024, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey appointed Kieran Wallace and Andrew O'Leary of Interpath Advisory Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for PCSIL, a prepaid card firm owned by the Australian fintech group EML. The court was told that PCSIL, which holds €516 million of segregated customer funds and issues 2.4 million prepaid cards, is currently solvent but loss‑making, having lost €7.3 million in 2022 and expecting further losses in 2023 and the current year. The firm's business model was deemed no longer commercially viable, and its parent had decided that further investment was not justified. PCSIL had faced compliance issues with the Central Bank of Ireland, including anti‑money‑laundering concerns, leading to regulatory restrictions. The court noted that appointing liquidators would allow professional communication with customers and employees, and that the Central Bank was not objecting to the application. The matter was adjourned to a date next month.
An inquest jury heard that 48 people died in the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, many of whom were young couples who perished together. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane explained that the identification of victims was distressing, often relying on jewellery or clothing due to fire damage. Pathologists Dr Richard Shepherd, Dr Nat Cary and Dr Benjamin Swift reviewed post‑mortem evidence, concluding that most deaths were caused by rapid incapacitation from inhalation of fire fumes and heat. Specific cases mentioned include Helena Mangan (22) and her boyfriend John Stout (18), Julie McDonnell (20), Caroline McHugh (17), David Morton (19) with girlfriend Martina Keegan (16), Kathleen Muldoon (19) with Gerard McGrath (21), George O'Connor (17), Brendan O'Meara (23) who was removed alive but died from complications, Margaret Thornton (19) with Murtagh Kavanagh (27), and Paul Wade (17) who was identified later by DNA.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former doorman Ellison Silva dos Santos denied that he pushed a transgender woman down the stairs of Dublin's George bar during Pride month. He said the woman, who was heavily intoxicated, slapped him and then tried to escape, after which he grabbed her to prevent her falling. Silva dos Santos claimed he was fired two days later, but the venue's general manager denied dismissal, stating Silva dos Santos had been offered work at other group venues and only failed to attend. The manager also said Silva dos Santos was warned for not attending scheduled shifts and was ultimately terminated for abandonment of employment. Silva dos Santos maintains he was not dismissed and that the warning letter was issued without hearing his side. The case remains under review by the WRC.
Wayne Gilligan, 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a three‑year driving disqualification after pleading guilty to endangerment, criminal damage and dangerous driving. The offence occurred on 10 February 2020 in Tallaght when Gilligan drove recklessly, narrowly avoiding collisions with several vehicles and forcing school children to run off the road to escape being struck. Garda Vincent Jaffray described how Gilligan's car, lacking a front bumper, was driven at high speed, over speed bumps, through red lights and in the wrong direction around a roundabout, causing damage to a patrol car and another vehicle. Gilligan's 89 prior convictions, many for road traffic offences, were noted by Judge Martin Nolan, who accepted his remorse and progress in prison while on remand. The judge emphasised that the custodial term was imposed before the driving disqualification. The case was prosecuted by Diana Stuart BL.
Jemima Tambo Bebi, a 19‑year‑old British teenager, was arrested at Dublin Airport after a suitcase she had picked up in Amsterdam was x‑rayed and found to contain about seven kilos of ketamine, a horse tranquilliser, valued at €445,452. The ketamine was intended for sale or supply at Terminal 2, Dublin Airport on 2 September. Bebi pleaded guilty and cooperated fully with the investigation. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as a "particularly stupid escapade" and, citing her young age and lack of prior convictions, departed from the mandatory ten‑year minimum, sentencing her to three years in prison. The sentence was back‑dated to the day she was remanded in custody on 2 September. Bebi had been planning to start training as a prison officer and had applied for third‑level courses at the time of the offence.
A 40‑year‑old man with no prior convictions, Michael Crotty, is on trial before the Special Criminal Court for allegedly topping up a prepaid mobile phone that was used in the murder of Christopher 'Noel' Kirwan, who was mistakenly linked to the Regency Hotel shooting. Crotty pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges he purchased a top‑up for the third phone at a Spar shop in Naas on 21 December 2016, the day before Kirwan's murder. They claim he knew or was reckless about the phone's potential use in a serious crime. Crotty was arrested in March 2021 and questioned by Gardaí. He is charged under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act for participating or contributing to the murder of Kirwan. The court will consider a media application regarding a party named only as AB in evidence. The trial is ongoing.
In a murder trial, the State presented evidence that 79‑year‑old widower John O'Neill was killed by his nephew Thomas Lorigan, 34, who allegedly repeatedly kicked him to the head with steel‑capped boots. The prosecution described O'Neill as a fit, healthy man who had lived alone after his wife's death and had recently run a bed and breakfast. On the night of 6 January 2022, O'Neill returned home after drinking and was attacked by Lorigan, who was described as "Mossy" and living in a derelict house. Witness Walter Burke testified that Lorigan left his house after an argument with O'Neill, and emergency services found O'Neill dead in the kitchen the next morning. The State's pathologist reported severe blunt‑force trauma to O'Neill's face, consistent with multiple kicks. CCTV footage showed a man assaulting another outside the B&B, with the attacker later seen heading toward Burke's house. Thomas Lorigan pleaded not guilty.
On the last day of her Employment Equality Act complaint before the Workplace Relations Commission, Tracey McGann's solicitor said the complaint was the "genesis point" for events that led to her constructive dismissal in January 2023. McGann alleged she received only a 5.6% pay rise, compared with a 12.8% rise for the lowest‑paid male colleague, and that she was treated "like a waitress" when CEO Eric Rhodes asked her to get wine for a company dinner in October 2022. She also claimed the company sought to replace her after she requested part‑time hours in May 2022. Rhodes denied the allegations, stating he was "the voice‑piece for the board" and that the decision to hire a vice‑president was a business choice. The company denies all statutory complaints and says McGann resigned for a better job. The adjudicator is reviewing the case.
The liquidator of Edenmore Meats Limited has applied to the High Court seeking orders to hold three former directors personally liable for company debts of approximately €2.7m. The application was heard before Mr Justice Oisin Quinn in the High Court on Tuesday. Official liquidator John Healy claims that directors Donal Gallagher and Richard Burke, along with Robert Daly who departed in 2017 but remained as company secretary, operated the meat processing facility in Lifford, County Donegal recklessly whilst it was insolvent. Email correspondence presented to the court referenced the firm's financial difficulties. The company ceased trading in 2016. Over one hundred farmers and businesses, owed approximately €1.5m collectively, are among creditors. The defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing, contending they acted responsibly and honourably throughout, and claim the business was already troubled upon their involvement. They also allege the facility's unlawful occupation in October 2016 prevented rescue efforts. The hearing is expected to continue for several weeks.
The inquest into the 1981 Stardust fire, which claimed 48 lives, focused on the tragic loss of three McDermott siblings—Marcella (16), George (18) and William (22). The jury heard that all three died from rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes and heat. Marcella and George were identified by dental records and clothing, with Marcella's coffin carried by friends in Ska attire as a tribute. William was identified by dental records and had the highest carboxyhemoglobin level (61%) among victims, yet his death was also attributed to inhalation of fumes. The proceedings highlighted the profound impact on the McDermott family, particularly mother Bridget, and underscored the difficulty of fully grasping the scale and enormity of the tragedy. The inquest was set to continue the following day.
In a 2024 Court of Appeal hearing, the court considered the appropriate penalty for Dutch skipper Klass Dirk Meijvogel, aged 43, who was convicted in 2015 of a single technical fishing offence for operating the factory trawler Wiron 5 in Irish waters. The offence involved the use of equipment capable of grading fish and returning low‑grade pelagic fish to the sea, contrary to EU regulations effective 1 January 2015. The original 2015 judgment had confiscated the vessel's entire catch (€344,960) and gear (€55,000), a penalty later deemed potentially disproportionate. Meijvogel's counsel argued that the confiscation was mandatory and that no evidence showed fish were returned to the sea, and that the penalty had no monetary benefit to the skipper. State counsel countered that the forfeiture was justified by the presence of illegal grading facilities and that the penalty should remain dissuasive. Klass Dirk Meijvogel pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Ivan Kelly, 23, was found guilty of raping a woman in a secluded lane after a drug transaction. The victim, who had initially approached Kelly to buy drugs, was led to a consensual encounter that turned violent when Kelly removed her iPod and became forceful. He pushed her, causing a head injury, then raped her from behind. Medical evidence confirmed bruises and scratches consistent with assault. Kelly, who had previously denied the rape, now accepts the verdict and expressed remorse, stating he is prepared to accept any punishment. He has 27 prior convictions and has been in custody since June 2022. The case was adjourned to February 13 for sentencing. The victim's impact statement described profound emotional trauma and the lasting effect on her life. Ivan Kelly pleaded not guilty.
A 17‑year‑old was warned that detention is the only option after pleading guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and a count of production of an article. The first assault occurred on 5 December 2022 on the Luas red line, where the teenager and others attacked a passenger, striking him with a vice grip and causing a tooth injury. The second assault took place on 17 January 2023, when the teenager and four others attacked a man on the street, kicking and punching him until he fell and sustained a head wound requiring staples. CCTV footage of both incidents was shown to the court. The judge, citing the Children Act, adjourned the case to 22 January and directed that the teenager be placed in detention until that date. The defendant accepted responsibility, showed remorse, and has a supportive family and psychological reports indicating vulnerability and a history of autism and ADHD.
A High Court judge has granted permission for an anonymous abuse survivor to challenge his exclusion from the State's compensation scheme for historical child sexual abuse. The applicant, represented by James O'Reilly SC, was sexually abused by Christian Brother James Tracey, a teacher at a primary school in the 1970s. Tracey was convicted by juries at the Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 2017. The applicant sued the Christian Brothers order for damages but did not sue the State, citing Irish court rulings in the case of Louise O'Keeffe, who was abused by teacher Leo Hickey. Although O'Keeffe lost in the High and Supreme Courts, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in her favour in 2014, leading to the establishment of the compensation scheme. The applicant's 2023 application was refused because he had not brought civil proceedings against the State prior to July 2021, a requirement introduced in the scheme's 2021 revision. He argues this condition is discriminatory, unconstitutional, and breaches the European Convention on Human Rights. Ms Justice Niamh Hyland granted the ex-parte application for judicial review against the Minister for Education and the State. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this year.
The High Court has appointed Mr Dessie Morrow and Mr Diarmaid Guthrie of Azets Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for Glenbeigh Construction Limited, a building company with 33 direct employees and many subcontractors. The firm is currently working on projects at Dublin Airport, two prisons, and a 100‑plus apartment development in South Dublin. It has six active projects, including a €36m contract at Dundrum Town Centre and works at Arbour Hill and Mountjoy Prisons, Terminal One at Dublin Airport, Northbank House, and Clarehaven & Seanchara Nursing Home. Glenbeigh has become insolvent after significant losses caused by Covid‑19‑related delays and rising labour and material costs, making several fixed‑price contracts loss‑making. The company had planned a €13m project in Killiney, expecting a €1m profit, but now anticipates a €1.2m loss. The liquidators are tasked with securing assets and ensuring an orderly winding up for creditors and employees. The case was adjourned to February.
Nicole Donohue, 32, of Harolds Cross, Dublin, was driving an uninsured car that contained more than €130,000 worth of pills when gardaí stopped the vehicle on Armagh Road in Crumlin on 5 December 2019. The car, not owned by Donohue, had no insurance disc and its NCT had expired. Gardaí found a black bag with over 65,500 Alprazolam tablets, valued at €131,108, after a smell of cannabis prompted a search. Donohue pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of an offender and driving without insurance. She claimed she was unaware of the drugs. The man in the car fled and was later arrested but not charged. Donohue received a suspended three‑year sentence, with a two‑year driving disqualification and other conditions, as the judge believed she was unlikely to reoffend. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Gavin Smith, 33, was sentenced to two years in prison after stealing money from four clients for landscaping work that was never carried out. Between May and October 2022, he took payments of €4,400, €3,150, €2,500 and €5,000 from a woman, a man, another woman and an 87‑year‑old woman whose garden he had only worked on for half a day. Smith had previously received a suspended 21‑month sentence in January 2022 for a similar offence. He pleaded guilty to four counts of theft. The court noted that each victim spent weeks and months trying to recover their money, which was never repaid. Smith admitted to a cocaine addiction and to taking on too many jobs. Judge Martin Nolan said a custodial sentence was unavoidable given the prior suspended sentence and the victims' hardship. The sentence was imposed today.
Derek Guildea, 61, of Balbriggan, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for making 4,819 nuisance 999 calls between January 2021 and October 2022. He pleaded guilty to three counts of persistently calling emergency services to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. The calls were directed at the Garda emergency control room, the National Ambulance Centre and the 999 answering service, and included threats to a paramedic and to a call taker, saying he would kill the paramedic's children. The judge noted the sheer volume of calls disrupted ambulance and fire brigade responses and caused fear among emergency personnel. Guildea's sentence was suspended for 18 months on conditions that he desist from contacting emergency services unless a genuine need arises, and the sentence was back‑dated to his October 2023 arrest. He has 18 prior convictions and was diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2008. The court highlighted that alcohol was a core issue in his conduct.
Broadcaster Dave Fanning has begun defamation proceedings against Microsoft's news service and a Hong Kong website after his picture appeared in an article that wrongly claimed he faced trial for alleged sexual misconduct with a child under 12. The article, titled "Prominent Irish Broadcaster faces trial over alleged sexual misconduct," was published by BNN on 11 October and also appeared on Microsoft's News Service MSN. Fanning, who was not involved in the trial— which concerned another broadcaster later acquitted— argues the piece made false and damaging statements, portraying him as a criminal and paedophile. The article was removed the day after publication. Fanning seeks damages and has obtained High Court permission to serve the action on BNN, Microsoft Operations Ireland Ltd, and Microsoft Corporation. The court has adjourned part of the application to clarify whether the article was published outside Ireland or in jurisdictions controlled by Microsoft's U.S. parent. The case is currently at the High Court hearing stage.
Peter Guerin, 65, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with six months suspended, for engaging in a sexual act with a highly vulnerable learning‑disabled woman. The woman, travelling from sheltered accommodation to Limerick, was taken by Guerin from a bus station to his home, where he offered her money and attempted sexual contact. She later reported the assault and was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit. Guerin pleaded guilty to the offence of engaging in a sexual act with a protected person on 30 April 2018. The judge accepted the plea on the basis of recklessness, noting the woman's low cognitive function and vulnerability. Conditions of the suspended portion include staying away from the complainant, maintaining peace and good behaviour for three years, and engaging with the Probation Service for twelve months after release.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Eric Rhodes, chief executive of ERS Genomics Ltd, denied that he asked former finance manager Tracey McGann for extra wine because she was a woman. Rhodes said he would have made the same request to a male employee if the company card had been in their possession. McGann, who claims she was treated like a waitress, alleges she was dismissed constructively after raising a grievance and seeking a part‑time role and assistant. She says the company replaced her and that Rhodes told her she would be doing "shit" work if she stayed. Rhodes admitted he had told her she could look for another job. McGann resigned on 16 January 2023, claiming constructive dismissal after a formal grievance was not addressed. The WRC has ordered the company to produce board minutes and an un‑redacted email regarding her replacement. The case is set for cross‑examination tomorrow.
Aaron Rodericks, a senior X employee and co‑lead of Threat Disruption, has filed defamation proceedings in the Irish High Court against Elon Musk and X's Irish subsidiary. He alleges Musk's tweet on 27 September, responding to a media story about X cutting half of its Election Integrity team, defamed him by implying he was undermining election integrity, acting unlawfully, and being incompetent. Rodericks claims the tweet, seen by 2.3 million users, damaged his reputation and good name. He seeks exemplary and aggravated damages. The court granted permission for the summons to be served on Musk at X Corp's San Francisco office, as Musk resides outside the jurisdiction. Rodericks also wrote to Musk and the subsidiary asking for the tweet's removal and an offer of amends, but received no response. He is also pursuing a separate case over a disciplinary process he says was a sham, following a temporary injunction that halted further disciplinary steps.
Trevor Ardis, 52, of Grange Road Kilmore, Co Armagh, was sentenced to four years in prison after a court found €367,000 in cash hidden in a compartment of his truck's trailer. Ardis, who runs a legitimate business, admitted to receiving the money from a man he met on the side of a road, citing financial pressure due to reduced demand for transporting goods from Ireland. He had transported money twice before in the previous two years, receiving €900 and €500 in earlier operations. Garda Sergeant Paddy Martin reported that customs officials became suspicious when Ardis drove an empty trailer with plans to return full, leading to a stop, search, and detection of cash by a cash‑detection dog. Ardis pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct on 19 October 2022. The judge noted the seriousness of the offence, Ardis's financial pressure, and his cooperation, and imposed a four‑year custodial sentence.
Jason Hunt, 31, of Woodlands, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to importing over €160,000 worth of cannabis into Ireland. On 4 April 2023, a truck he drove was searched at Dublin Port by a drugs detection dog, which reacted to cannabis. Hunt admitted the presence of the drugs, stating he was under financial pressure and had been offered €3,000 for the shipment. Two shopping bags containing 8.1 kg of cannabis were seized. Hunt has seven prior convictions for minor offences, including drug possession. He has remained in custody since April 2023 and has been sober while in custody, participating in an enhanced prisoner regime. The court considered his financial hardship, depression, anxiety, good work history and family support before sentencing him to three years' imprisonment, back‑dated to his entry into custody. The judge noted Hunt's "terrible misjudgement" and "succumbed to temptation.".
Kartikey Gupta, 22, an Indian visitor, received a fully suspended 21‑month prison sentence for a single count of sexual assault at a Marlay Park concert. The judge directed him to leave Ireland within two weeks and not return for ten years. The victim, in her early twenties, described feeling a hand repeatedly touch her under her skirt for about seven minutes, causing lasting distress. Gupta admitted a single accidental touch but denied further contact. He was cooperative after arrest, had no prior convictions, and had only one beer at the event. The court noted the assault was "not too insidious" yet "very distressing." A €2,500 token of remorse was offered but declined; it will be given to charity if she refuses again. The judge emphasised the full suspension and strict conditions of the sentence. Kartikey Gupta pleaded guilty.
Thomas Lorigan, 34, of no fixed abode, is set to stand trial for the murder of 79‑year‑old John O'Neill in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, between 6 and 7 January 2022. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution is led by senior counsel Eilis Brennan; the defence is headed by Michael Bowman SC. Judge Paul McDermott noted Lorigan's former residence in Lucan, Dublin, and that O'Neill ran a bed and breakfast on St Brendan's Road until 2021. The jury, five men and seven women, will hear the case, which is expected to last up to four weeks.
A privacy claim by Martin Foley and Sonya Foley, alongside applicant Sonya Doyle, has been struck out by the High Court. The applicants, who initiated proceedings in 2015, alleged that the defendants breached their privacy rights during a Criminal Assets Bureau search of their home in Crumlin on October 15, 2014. They claimed that the then-Dublin City Sheriff, James Barry, the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Ireland, and the Attorney General disclosed confidential operational details to media personnel present at the scene. The applicants sought damages for alleged breaches of constitutional privacy, data protection, and European Convention on Human Rights rights, as well as negligence. The claims were fully denied by the respondents. Mr Barry, who retired in 2018, brought a pre-trial motion to dismiss the action on grounds of inordinate and inexcusable delay, arguing he was prejudiced by the lack of progress over several years. When the matter came before Mr Justice David Nolan, counsel for the applicants indicated they were not contesting the application. The court agreed with the motion, ordering that the actions against all respondents be struck out due to the delay.
Bill Irish, aged 30, was jailed for five and a half years at the Central Criminal Court after a jury convicted him of sexual assault and oral rape of his young cousin Hannah Irish, aged 25, between 2004 and 2010. The offences occurred when Bill was a minor, aged 12 to 17, and Hannah was between seven and 12. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo commended Hannah for coming forward and for waiving her anonymity so her abuser could be named. He noted the importance of victims speaking up for themselves and others. The judge acknowledged the profound impact of the abuse on Hannah's life, her struggle to move forward, and her desire to help other abuse survivors. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the crime, Bill's youth, and mitigating circumstances, with an 18‑month suspended portion. The court did not alter the final imposed term or effective custody beyond the stated suspension.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 30‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted of one count of rape on 9 February 2018. The victim, who remains unnamed, described how the defendant, who claimed to suffer from a sleep disorder called sexsomnia, had carried out the assault while supposedly asleep. The incident occurred after a night out on 8 February, when the couple had been socialising in a group. The man invited the group back to his apartment, where the victim was invited into his bedroom to sleep. She woke to find him having sex with her. DNA evidence linked his semen to her clothing. The victim's impact statement expressed feelings of weakness and humiliation, questioning the belittling nature of the defendant's claim. The court heard that the defendant had made sexual comments to the victim before the assault. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 25 January.