William Kavanagh, 35, was convicted in the District Court for a series of thefts and criminal damage in Dublin between January and March 2024. He stole 15 pairs of socks worth €290, a wallet and €90 in cash, smashed a car window, and wrote his own blood on the walls of a Garda cell. He was found guilty of three counts of theft, three counts of criminal damage and one count of possessing stolen property. The District Court sentenced him to 14 months, with six months for the January 8 theft and eight months for the January 25 theft, consecutive to a term he was already serving. On appeal, Judge Christopher Callan reduced the sentence to seven months, suspended for two years, on the condition that Kavanagh remains peaceful and engages with Merchant's Quay Ireland for rehabilitation upon release.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 29 July 2025, Judge Brian O'Moore upheld a fully suspended sentence for Mohamed Adeagbo, a 24‑year‑old from Highfield, Ballincollig, who pleaded guilty to possessing €114,000 worth of cocaine for sale and to a money‑laundering offence involving €1,530 in cash. Adeagbo had been paid €500 per week for his role in drug supply. The Court found the three‑and‑a‑half‑year drug sentence, fully suspended, and a concurrent one‑year money‑laundering sentence, also fully suspended, to be appropriate. The Director of Public Prosecutions had appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, citing the quantity of drugs, cash, and an iPhone with offending messages. The Court rejected the appeal, noting Adeagbo's compliance with probation, his drug‑free status at sentencing, and his efforts to reform, and stated that the suspended sentence did not represent a substantial departure from an appropriate penalty.".
Leni Shanahan, a former employee of Spilt Milk, secured €5,000 in compensation from LN Ice Cream Ltd following a Workplace Relations Commission hearing. Ms Shanahan alleged sexual harassment by a colleague, identified as Mr A, during her employment at the Drury Street shop in 2024. She claimed Mr A made inappropriate comments about sexual chemistry, commented on her physical appearance, and insisted she stop refusing his advances. The adjudicator found that the employer failed to take reasonable and practical steps to prevent harassment, noting no measures were in place. Although the adjudicator noted it was unhelpful that Ms Shanahan declined to participate in the company's internal investigation, this did not diminish the respondent's liability. Dave Meehan, a company director and applicant in related proceedings, testified that he had since undertaken human resources training and apologized for the situation. He stated he had no prior experience managing a city centre shop and believed he had led with care. Another director, Steven Murphy, noted that the internal investigation found no factual evidence to uphold the complaint, as Mr A refuted the allegations. The WRC adjudicator, Pat Brady, upheld the claim and awarded the compensation, rejecting the statutory defence due to the lack of preventive measures.
Shane Flanagan, 39, a former Garda, was found guilty of impersonating a woman on FetLife.com and Facebook, sharing her personal details and encouraging two men to rape her between November and December 2020. He also pleaded guilty to six counts of endangering the woman and her daughters from 2018 to 2020, and to one count of possessing four images of child sexual abuse material. The court imposed a headline sentence of ten years for the incitement of rape, with a concurrent six‑year term for the endangerment charges and a three‑year term for the child pornography charge. Twelve months of the headline sentence were suspended, and the remaining nine years were to be served under strict conditions, including probation and psychiatric care. The judge noted the offences were calculated, cold, and motivated by Flanagan's sexual interests, and that no actual violence occurred.
Mohamed Abdallatif Hussein, a Somali diplomat accredited to Saudi Arabia and attached to the Somali embassy in Riyadh, was arrested at Dublin Airport on 26 November 2024. Gardaí charged him with eight alleged people‑smuggling offences under the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2001 and 2021, all purportedly occurring at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 of the airport. He has not entered a plea. On 8 January 2025, at Cloverhill District Court, he was further charged with four additional counts. On 28 July 2025, his lawyer, Faisal Sadiq Khan, filed an ex‑parte High Court application seeking his release from Cloverhill Prison on the basis of diplomatic immunity. Mr Ward SC argued that Hussein was travelling under a diplomatic passport and was unlawfully detained. The application challenges the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Governor of Cloverhill Prison, and the case is set to return to the High Court the following day.
Alan Harte, aged 43, is serving a 30-year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for the kidnapping and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney at a yard in Ballinagh, County Cavan in September 2019. At the Court of Appeal, Harte's legal team argued that his conviction by the non-jury court was unconstitutional on two grounds: whether the Special Criminal Court can deliver a majority verdict, and whether it may withhold disclosure of whether a verdict was unanimous or split. Counsel submitted that transparency regarding verdict unanimity is essential when restricting liberty, and that judges sitting on the Special Criminal Court exercise the same function as jurors. The State's counsel countered that the Special Criminal Court comprises judges rather than a representative cross-section of society, rendering it fundamentally different from a jury trial. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
Mark McCourt, 34, pleaded guilty to firearms offences and participation in a criminal organisation that imported and re‑assembled restricted weapons from the USA. In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a senior Garda testified that McCourt controlled a ring that smuggled gun parts by air, assembling them into assault rifles and pistols. Evidence included seized phone data revealing text messages to prospective buyers, offering a €75,000 cash deal for firearms and a free gift of 10 pipe bombs. McCourt had previously flown to Las Vegas in 2023, where he purchased an AR‑15 rifle and discussed further weapon sales. A raid on a shed in Ardee on 19 July 2024 uncovered 82 gun parts and nearly 900 rounds of ammunition. McCourt has 42 prior convictions and was jailed for three years, 18 months suspended, for a criminal damage incident involving a Garda's vehicle. The court will decide his sentence at a later hearing.
John Merrick, 78, a former Christian Brother and headmaster, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of indecent assault on a 10‑year‑old boy at St Vincent's Primary School between September 1979 and June 1980. The victim came forward after reading a 2024 newspaper report about Merrick's earlier 12‑month sentence for two other indecent assault convictions between 1977 and 1978. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Merrick to nine months' imprisonment, with the final five months suspended. Merrick joined the Christian Brothers at 14, left in 1982, taught until 1986, and later worked as a tour guide. He has 21 prior convictions for similar offences. The court noted the breach of trust and age disparity as aggravating factors, while acknowledging his guilty plea and prior counselling as mitigating. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting flashbacks and emotional distress. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the conduct and the court's consideration of both aggravating and mitigating circumstances.
Kym Dunleavy, 50, was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to multiple charges of using a false instrument. The charges related to medical prescriptions she knew to be false, used on various dates between November 2018 and April 2019. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Dunleavy has a considerable history of offending, including 71 previous convictions, and a probation report places her at high risk of re-offending. Although the judge acknowledged mitigation factors, including that Dunleavy has no convictions since 2021 and no longer abuses prescribed medication, she highlighted that Dunleavy failed to engage with psychiatric services or the Probation Service. Judge Crowe had previously adjourned the case to allow Dunleavy the opportunity to "put her best foot forward." In determining the sentence, the judge considered the maximum penalty of 10 years and deemed a headline sentence of two and a half years appropriate given the time elapsed. Taking all mitigation into account, Judge Crowe imposed the final sentence of 18 months in prison. Dunleavy described the term as "disgraceful" and "ridiculous" as she was escorted from the court.
A 45‑year‑old man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assaulting his former partner with a hoover pole in February 2022. The Central Criminal Court heard that the woman suffered extensive bruising, cuts to her face, neck, arm, hands, shoulder and legs, and carpet burns from being dragged across the floor. The defendant pleaded guilty to assault and the use of a hoover pole, and the judge noted his early guilty plea and expressions of remorse. He had previously served a four‑month sentence for an earlier assault. A separate rape charge was dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court back‑dated the sentence to account for time already spent in custody. The woman did not give a victim impact statement. The judge emphasised the seriousness of the violence involved. The sentence was set at two years' imprisonment, reflecting the offence and the defendant's prior conviction. The case was heard by Mr Justice Patrick McGrath. The unnamed 45-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A man convicted of raping a guest at his bed-and-breakfast in County Sligo has failed in an appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Thomas Wymbs, aged 68, was proprietor of Atlantic Haven B&B near Mount Temple when the offence occurred between 22 and 23 February 2020. He maintained the encounter was consensual. A jury found him guilty following trial at the Central Criminal Court in February 2024. Justice Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to seven and a half years imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, in July 2024. Wymbs' legal team argued the trial judge erred in refusing two defence requests regarding prosecution closing remarks and expert evidence on alcohol's effects. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the Court of Appeal's judgment, found no deficiency in the trial charge and rejected both grounds of appeal, stating the jury faithfully applied the law.
A 41‑year‑old man, Andrew Leigh, was convicted of historic sexual assaults on three girls and sentenced to four years in prison by Mr Justice David Keane on 18 December 2023. Leigh now appeals to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the trial should have separated the charges. His counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contended that two of the counts were only linked by occurring in a car, one involving touching a girl's genital area and the other involving self‑touch and inserting fingers into a girl's mouth. Bowman also challenged the prosecution's claim that Leigh knew his actions were "gravely wrong", noting no evidence of deliberate creation of an environment or isolation of the girls. Mr Justice John Edwards instructed the court to reserve judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Jason Hughes, aged 21, pleaded guilty to one count of arson at Pairc Na Greine, Tallaght, on 9 December 2022, for which the offence carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The court found the offence to be of the utmost seriousness and to have posed a substantial risk to life to the three occupants of the targeted apartment and other residents of the block. The damage was estimated at €80‑90,000 and the victims, including Hughes's father, were left with nothing. Hughes was sentenced to eight and a half years' imprisonment, with a headline of 12 years reduced by three and a half years by the sentencing judge. He appealed against the severity of the sentence, arguing that the headline was too high and that a portion should have been suspended.
Gary Herbert, 42, a serial offender with 157 prior convictions, was sentenced by Tallaght District Court to an additional nine‑month custodial term for theft and possession of stolen property. He pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of a grey Aovo Pro e‑scooter, which he admitted was not his, and was convicted on all counts after a hearing before Judge Patricia McNamara. Herbert denied the other three charges – theft of cash from two parked cars and possession of stolen AirPods and an iPod – but was found guilty on those as well. The court relied on CCTV footage and witness testimony to confirm his identity in both theft incidents. He is currently serving an eight‑month sentence imposed on 16 June 2025, with a release date in April 2026. Judge McNamara suspended six months of the new nine‑month term for two years, meaning Herbert will serve an additional three months unless he reoffends.
In a Dublin case, a man who entered an arranged marriage with a woman was found guilty of assault and coercive control. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm on 27 January 2020 and one count of coercive control. The court noted that the maximum sentence for each count was five years. The judge, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, imposed a headline sentence of nine months for the assault and a concurrent 18‑month sentence for coercive control, but suspended the 12‑month term in full on strict conditions for two years. The man was required to engage with the Probation Service during that period. The case involved the man restricting the woman's food and heating, isolating her, and monitoring her through a security system. The woman, aged 27, described the assault and the emotional impact in a victim impact statement.
A 43‑year‑old man, Jineesh John, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for an attempted murder of a former colleague. He was ordered by a judge to continue treatment at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH). Dr Dearbhla Duffy, a consultant psychiatrist at CMH, described John as having a treatment‑resistant delusional disorder, believing he had HIV despite repeated negative tests. She noted he lacks insight into his illness and cannot make informed decisions about his treatment. The judge, in accordance with the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, directed that John return to CMH where his treatment will be reviewed regularly by the mental health review board. John's address is The Crescent Building, Park West, Dublin 12. The case involved multiple charges of attempted murder, false imprisonment and threat of violence, all of which were dismissed on the basis of insanity.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 37‑year‑old Pedro Cifali, a Brazilian, was charged with attempting to murder his former partner, Lucia Nezbalova, 43. After their breakup in April 2024, Cifali placed an electronic tag on Nezbalova's car, enabling him to track her movements. On the day of the attack, CCTV captured him arriving at a Blanchardstown garage, disguising himself with a baseball cap, blonde wig, and lighter beard, and then following Nezbalova to a McDonald's. He approached her at her home in Garnish Square, claiming to "just want to talk," before pulling a knife and stabbing her in the neck, back of the head, abdomen, and arms. The abdominal wound exposed organs; doctors at the scene and in hospital saved her life. Nezbalova suffered life‑threatening injuries, ongoing treatment, and permanent scars. Cifali surrendered the next day and admitted the assault. Pedro Cifali pleaded guilty.
Devon Hennessy, aged 29, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm against Barry Moore at a Dublin 15 house on 12 February 2025. He admitted that the assault was part of a joint enterprise to enhance a criminal organisation's ability to commit serious offences. Hennessy was remanded in custody until 7 October for sentencing. Four co‑accused—Jason Hennessy Jr (28), Brandon Hennessy (22), Kenneth Fitzsimons (45) and Dean Fitzsimons—remain awaiting trial. They face charges of false imprisonment, serious harm, and participation in a criminal organisation, with additional allegations of intimidation, threat of property damage, and use of a steel breaker bar and branding stamp. The court will consider these charges in the upcoming term.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the brother of cancer‑survivor Jeffrey Jackson said the defendant, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney, showed no respect or remorse for the family when the verdict was read. Kearney, who had 152 prior convictions, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after a jury rejected the prosecution's claim that he had intentionally stabbed Jackson from head to toe. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence during a "frenzied knife" attack that left Jackson with 16 stab wounds, two fatal chest wounds, and a death caused by alcohol‑related impairment. The court heard that Kearney had previously been convicted of drug possession, theft, and other offences, and that he had been on bail for several matters at the time of the incident. The sentencing hearing was scheduled for Thursday, with Kearney remanded in custody. The victim impact statements highlighted the family's grief and the brutality of the attack.
Denis Cupcea, 21, pleaded guilty in the District Court to using threatening and abusive language and failing to comply with a Garda's direction under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He was convicted and sentenced to two months' custody for the section 8 charge, with the other charge considered. Cupcea appealed the severity of the sentence. The appeal court heard that on 18 May 2024, Garda Robert Ruddy was on mobile patrol when Cupcea shouted at him and the people he was dealing with, calling the Garda a "rat" and threatening to file a claim for a false arrest. Ruddy cautioned Cupcea, who was later arrested and cautioned. Cupcea's defence counsel said he entered a guilty plea, was remorseful, and had drug dependence. Judge Dara Hayes ordered a report to assess whether Cupcea could complete community service.
During an arrest on July 30 2022 in Tallaght, 46‑year‑old Jason Osbourne spat in the face of Garda Joe Glennon and obstructed Garda Peter Collins. Osbourne was placed in the back of a patrol car, removed his seatbelt, and spat on Glennon's forehead. He was later restrained, handcuffed, and moved to a second vehicle where he attempted to spit again. Glennon described the act as "degrading, upsetting and deeply disrespectful." Osbourne pleaded guilty to assault under Section 2 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act and obstruction under Section 19 of the Public Order Act. The court, considering Glennon's victim impact statement, Osbourne's early guilty plea, apology, and engagement with probation services, sentenced him to 120 hours of community service in lieu of a five‑month custodial term, subject to a suitability report. He will return on September 26 for final sentencing, where a fine will also be imposed.
An unnamed man, who pleaded guilty to breaching a safety order, had his conviction removed on appeal. In March 2025, he received a one-month suspended sentence for sending a woman videos of a Bruce Springsteen concert and a YouTube link between February and June 2024, contrary to section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018. The appellant lodged an appeal against the severity of that term. Judge Christopher Callan, presiding over the District Court Appeals Court, noted that Springsteen "would not be too happy" to see his music used in this manner. While acknowledging the victim impact statement detailed the fear caused by the communications, the judge accepted defence counsel Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh's submission that the man showed sincere remorse and that a conviction would have life-altering effects on his employment and travel. The judge decided to remove the criminal conviction on the condition that the man pays a donation of €1,000 to Women's Aid. The existing safety order, which has been extended with the client's consent, remains in place until 2030.
In a High Court hearing, estate agent John Stokes testified about a disputed purchase of the Barne Estate, a 751‑acre Tipperary property. John Magnier, a bloodstock billionaire, claims he secured a €15 million handshake agreement with Richard Thomson‑Moore on 22 August 2023, and is suing Thomson‑Moore and Barne Estate Ltd for the deal's collapse. Stokes denies that he informed trustees of the estate about the offer, stating he had no contact details for them and that any agreement was subject to trustee approval. He also says he received a €50 000 payment in September 2023 intended for the Thomson‑Moore beneficiaries, which was later returned. Stokes describes the negotiations as "head‑wrecking" and notes that an exclusivity period ended when a rival offer of €20 million, later €22.25 million, was made by construction magnate Maurice Regan. The case remains before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
In a Carlow Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 48‑year‑old Charles Dunne of Ace Fencing Ltd pleaded not guilty to two alternative charges: handling a large assortment of stolen power tools and possessing stolen property, both alleged to have occurred on 13 January 2019. He also pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of providing false invoices to Gardaí between January and February 2019, and to attempting to pervert the course of justice by submitting false documents to obstruct a Garda criminal investigation. Gardaí had seized a large quantity of tools from Dunne's yard in Tullow, photographed them, and compiled an inventory. Dunne later supplied about 60 invoices to Gardaí, claiming ownership of the seized tools. Testimony from the auctioneers Ganly Craigie 2000 Ltd and Hennessy Auctioneers highlighted discrepancies between the invoices Dunne provided and the company records, with several invoices containing altered or illegible details. The trial continues before Judge Sinéad McMullan and a jury.
A 49‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for raping a 12‑year‑old boy, who had been lured to the man's home by a third party who had also sexually abused him. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault committed between 1994 and 1995 at an address in County Dublin. He had five prior convictions, including for child pornography offences. The victim, whose name is withheld, described the emotional and psychological damage, noting he was terrified to speak, lost contact with family and friends, and later sought therapy and addiction treatment. The judge, Justice David Keane, noted the defendant's early guilty plea, cooperation and mitigating circumstances, and imposed a global sentence of seven and a half years, suspending the final 12 months for two years and ordering two years of post‑release supervision.
Marius Lacatus, 32, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman on her way to work early on 19 August 2024. He followed her, attacked her from behind, dragged her to a park, threatened her with death, and sexually assaulted her. Gardaí found him hiding under a bridge; he was intoxicated and initially could not be interviewed. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and making threats to kill or cause serious harm. The court noted the sudden, violent nature of the attack and the victim's right to fear. The judge considered mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, remorse, and background, and imposed a sentence of five and a half years, citing intoxication as no excuse. The incident lasted about two minutes, and the victim received medical treatment. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 63-year-old former Defence Forces member has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for five counts of sexual assault committed against a child in Cavan between September 2007 and June 2010. Mr Justice David Keane remarked that the defendant was "extremely fortunate" the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted guilty pleas to sexual assault, as the offences could have been prosecuted as rape, which carries a maximum life sentence. The judge noted significant aggravating factors including the substantial age disparity and severe impact on the victim. Evidence detailed a pattern of calculated abuse involving grooming and isolation. The victim, aged eleven to fourteen at the time, experienced lasting psychological harm, including damaged relationships and suicidal ideation. The defendant denied responsibility during interview and demonstrated no empathy during probation assessment. A two-year post-release supervision order was imposed. The sentence was backdated to October of the previous year.
A woman who was tortured and falsely imprisoned in a Dublin flat over a false accusation about missing drugs has told a court she will never forgive the 'sick human beings' for what they did to her. During a three-hour period in September 2024, the woman was subjected to unimaginable trauma, including being beaten with metal poles, burned with a makeshift blow torch, cut with a knife, and threatened with rape. The assault ended when gardaí entered the flat with a search warrant. Mark Keogh (33), Mark McMahon (55), Braxton Rice (21), Sean Conroy (21), and Kian Walshe (22) all pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to the woman at Henrietta House on September 26, 2024. Each of the men has a number of previous convictions. The case was adjourned by Judge Codd to next Wednesday, when defence counsel will give their pleas of mitigation. The woman, who suffered multiple injuries including a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, and burns, described the men as 'animals' and said she was 'completely helpless' and outnumbered by the eight men present. The court heard that the men had taken running jumps at her during the assault and threatened to make her drink ammonia and rape her teenage daughter. The woman's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological effects of the incident, including flashbacks and constant headaches. The maximum sentences for false imprisonment and assault causing harm are life and 10 years respectively.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Francis Joseph Woods, a 75‑year‑old accountant and property developer, was found guilty of defrauding a farmer by securing a €54,000 mortgage on the farmer's behalf in 2007. Woods, acting as director of a property development company, persuaded the farmer to pay a €14,000 deposit and sign a loan agreement after a meeting with a mortgage broker. The farmer later received his deposit back in 2008, but was informed by Ulster Bank in 2009 that he owed the full mortgage amount plus interest. Gardaí uncovered a forged mortgage drawdown letter during their 2015 investigation. Woods pleaded guilty to one count of defrauding the farmer, admitted financial difficulty, and had no prior convictions except minor traffic offences. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to an 18‑month prison term suspended on strict conditions, citing the breach of trust and the farmer's significant financial loss.
During a preliminary hearing on 25 July 2025, lawyers for St Dominic's College in Dublin denied allegations that the school had misled the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) by submitting false versions of a guidance counsellor's employment contracts. The complaint, brought by Mary Lynch, 56, who has worked part‑time on fixed‑term contracts since 2021, claims the school treated her less favourably than a permanently employed comparator and suppressed her hours to avoid offering a permanent contract. The school argues Lynch's qualifications as a third‑level guidance counsellor mean she is not appropriately qualified for secondary school work and that it follows Department of Education policy to favour qualified teachers. Lynch's legal representative, Des Kavanagh, questioned the authenticity of the contracts presented by the school, describing them as "false" and "misleading" and demanding the signed contracts.
A Camile Thai franchisee, Santry Food Services Ltd, was found liable for repeated breaches of working time and wage laws and ordered to pay a migrant worker, Sujeer Thayyil, nearly €39,000 in compensation. Thayyil, hired in 2019 as a chef de partie under a work permit, claimed he was denied breaks, rest periods, statutory sick pay, and worked an average of over 58 hours per week. He also alleged a sudden transfer to Dublin without explanation, a pay cut, and threats of disciplinary action and Gardaí involvement when he refused a position change. The Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator, Breiffni O'Neill, rejected the company's dismissal claim, found multiple sustained breaches of the Organisation of Working Time Act, and awarded €12,742 for excessive hours and the same amount for lack of breaks, totaling €38,811.57 including unpaid wages. The decision highlighted the company's failure to provide Sunday premiums, public holiday pay, annual leave, and adequate rest breaks.
Lee Canavan, 36, has appealed his conviction for the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Canavan, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court on June 3, 2021, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was also jailed for five years for criminal damage to a getaway vehicle. His counsel argued the trial court erred by relying on 'general association' with co-accused to infer guilt, noting the prosecution initially alleged he was the shooter. The State countered that the case was always based on joint enterprise. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgment. Canavan is the fourth person jailed for the killing. Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life in 2018. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received six years in 2019. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in 2020 for acting as a getaway driver.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 July 2025, Mr. Osgur Breatnach, aged 75, sought a declaration that his 1978 conviction for the Sallins train robbery was a miscarriage of justice. The robbery, which occurred on 31 March 1976, involved the theft of an estimated £200,000 from a Cork‑to‑Dublin mail train near Sallins, County Kildare. Breatnach, one of five members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, was initially found guilty and sentenced to 12 years by the Special Criminal Court. His conviction was later quashed in May 1980 after the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that his confession had been obtained under "oppression." During the case‑management session, Mr. Breatnach's solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRW Law, presented an application under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993, asserting that newly discovered facts indicate a miscarriage of justice.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 24 July 2025, Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced tattoo artist Henrique Pereira, 34, to a headline term of three years and six months for sexual assault committed on 19 October 2016. The judge noted that Pereira had no prior convictions and was a small‑business owner with family responsibilities, and therefore imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with full suspension for that period. He was also placed under Probation Services supervision for 18 months and ordered to comply with all probation officer directions. The victim, who suffered vivid flashbacks and described the assault as making her feel unsafe, was told the judge hoped the outcome would bring her closure. Pereira apologized, acknowledged the impact of his actions, and expressed willingness to undertake any required courses. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge emphasising that a woman is entitled to change her mind. Henrique Pereira was found guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 24 July 2025, the court considered a deleted text message sent by Alexandra McCullough, sister of Richard Thomson‑Moore, which criticised American tycoon Maurice Regan and praised John Magnier as "savvy" and "decent". The message, sent to auctioneer John Stokes on 10 September 2023, described the competition for the 751‑acre Barne estate in Tipperary as a "full on war" and alleged Regan had "thrown a tantrum" over the sale. McCullough said she deleted the message because she feared the disparaging remarks about Regan would become public if the trustees accepted Regan's higher offer. The court heard that McCullough had also received a €50,000 cash gift from Magnier, which she later returned, and that she felt uncomfortable with the cash offer. The case involves Magnier's claim that he had a €15 million hand‑shake agreement with Thomson‑Moore for the estate, a claim the Barne defendants deny.
Ronaldo Otto, a 63‑year‑old who is transitioning to female and identifies as Samantha Otto, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an additional six months in custody for breaching the terms of a three‑year suspended sentence. The suspended sentence originally applied to an assault in which Otto threw a cup of boiling water over a casino customer's face in 2019. Otto had previously been convicted of a sexual assault on an 18‑year‑old male student in October 2022, while the suspended portion of the casino assault sentence was still active. A jury found Otto guilty of the sexual assault in May. Judge Pauline Codd reactivated six months of the suspended sentence, suspended the remaining two and a half years, and directed that the new term run consecutively with the three‑year sentence for the sexual assault.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on July 24, 2025, the court considered whether restorative justice could be applied to Christopher O'Grady, 33, who was convicted of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist in 2019. The Probation Service's updated report, presented by prosecutor Tony McGillicuddy SC, concluded that restorative justice was "not feasible" because O'Grady does not accept full responsibility. The victim's impact statement, read by McGillicuddy, expressed a desire to confront O'Grady and to see him acknowledge his wrongdoing. O'Grady, who had been homeless at the time of the offence, had previously accepted the jury's verdict and expressed remorse, but the probation officer noted he may still be in early stages of contemplation. Justice Caroline Biggs noted that the door to restorative justice was closed, that the probation report would not be treated as an aggravating or mitigating factor, and that O'Grady's acceptance of the verdict was acknowledged.
Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old Garda of Pearse Street Station, was found guilty of two counts of assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Act after assaulting a 17‑year‑old on 1 June 2021. The attacks occurred on Essex Street and at Pearse Street Station. The victim, who suffered a fractured skull, testified that he was intoxicated, had no memory of the incident, and was later treated at Mater, Beaumont and James' Hospitals. CCTV footage showed Murphy approaching the victim, placing handcuffs, and performing a leg sweep that caused the victim's head to strike the ground. The jury, after 4 hours 20 minutes of deliberation, returned unanimous guilty verdicts. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to 3 November, remanded Murphy on continuing bail, and ordered a probation report and victim impact statement. No sentencing details were provided in the article. Lorcan Murphy pleaded not guilty.
An appeal has been launched by two men, Dion Genockey (26) and Daryl Rooney (27), who were convicted of the gang rape of a vulnerable teenager who had recently left State care. The appeal, heard at the Court of Appeal, argues that issues of consent were relevant during their trial. Counsel for Genockey argued that the trial judge should have advised the jury that the appellant may have had reasons for not mentioning to gardaí that he believed the victim had given her consent. Counsel for Rooney argued that the appellant was not aware that the woman had not given her consent. Genockey, of Clarion Quay Apartments, and Rooney, of Railway Street, Dublin City Centre, were convicted of raping the woman at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on January 5, 2016, following a second trial at the Central Criminal Court in March 2022. The jury in the first trial, held in 2020, was unable to reach a verdict. Genockey was sentenced to nine years by Mr Justice David Keane while Rooney was sentenced to ten years. A third accused, Troy Ryan of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin City Centre, was also convicted and sentenced to nine and a half years. The appeal is ongoing, with the court reserving judgment.
The Workplace Relations Commission has ruled that Beta Bajgart, a former photographer for RTÉ's Fair City, was an employee rather than a freelance contractor, allowing her employment claims to proceed to a full hearing. Adjudication officer Catherine Byrne determined that the day-to-day reality of Bajgart's work, including a fixed weekly rate, lack of discretion over attendance, and personal performance of duties, was inconsistent with her contractual status as an independent contractor. The tribunal noted that Bajgart worked part-time for 12 years, with her role contributing to the show's promotion. Although RTÉ argued the tribunal lacked jurisdiction because Bajgart was a supplier of services, Byrne concluded that the sustained nature of the job and RTÉ's sole reliance on Bajgart meant the legal basis evolved into an employment relationship. This decision follows scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee regarding RTÉ's payment of €60,000 annually for promotional images. Bajgart claims her work was terminated without notice on 15 December 2023. Her case, brought under several employment acts, will now advance to a full hearing. This ruling marks the first application of a 2023 Supreme Court distinction between employees and contractors to an RTÉ worker, amidst broader reviews of media worker classifications by the Department of Social Protection.
Ms Justice Tara Burns reduced the prison sentences of brothers Colin Murphy (36) and Glen Murphy (33) from ten years to eight years each following an appeal against their convictions for a Christmas Day crime spree in Co. Carlow. The original sentencing judge, Judge Cormac Quinn, had imposed consecutive sentences for offences including criminal damage to an MPV and Eir poles, assault causing harm, and a serious assault leaving a man unconscious. Ms Justice Burns ruled that consecutive sentencing was inappropriate given the closely connected nature of the offending within the same criminal transaction. She quashed the original sentences and resentenced both appellants. For Glen Murphy, who was convicted of criminal damage to an MPV, criminal damage to Eir poles, assault causing harm, and assault on a man left unconscious, the total sentence was set at nine and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months. Similarly, Colin Murphy received a total sentence of nine and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months. The court acknowledged the extreme seriousness of the assault, which caused traumatic brain injury, but determined that the aggregate sentence must reflect the single criminal transaction rather than cumulative consecutive terms.
A seventeen‑year‑old, who was fifteen when the offences occurred, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, theft of a €1,300 iPhone, and threatening to kill the victim's family dog. The court heard that the teenager followed a nineteen‑year‑old bus passenger in Clonsilla, forced him to withdraw €50, and later took his phone and driver's licence. He then brought the victim to an apartment, produced knives, threatened to slice him, and demanded the victim remove his clothes. The teenager later entered the victim's home, stole a Nike tracksuit, an Under Armour top, Nike runners, a PlayStation, and a jacket worth €1,751, and forced the victim to transfer €500 from his Revolut account. No money or items were recovered. The defendant was on bail at the time of the offence and had ten prior convictions, including seven for theft. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
A Galway farmer, Paul Neilan, has been granted permission to challenge a compulsory purchase order (CPO) issued by An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) for the Connemara Greenway Project, which he claims would run across his land and 'split' his farm, making it 'unmanageable and landlocked'. At the High Court, lawyers for Oliver Joyce, from Clifden, Co Galway, successfully applied to Ms Justice Emily Farrell to challenge the decision of ACP to grant the CPO to Galway County Council relating to lands he owns in Doireliagh and Doireclunlaigh. The project aims to install a cycle and walkway from Galway city to Clifden over 76 kilometres, which would pass through 'the backbone' of Mr Joyce's property along the old Galway-to-Clifden railway line. Mr Oliver claims the project, as approved, differs from the original proposal, which was to be carried out on a permissive basis. He argues that the CPO decision was 'taken without cause or justification' and that environmental assessments related to the original scheme were not considered for the new elements in the CPO. Ms Justice Farrell granted leave for the judicial review to Michael O'Donnell BL, instructed by Harrington & Co solicitors – for Mr Oliver – and adjourned the matter to September.
Stelian Ciuciu, 32, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for organising prostitution across Dublin by leasing eight properties as brothels. He posed as part of a couple with an escort, rented properties from unsuspecting landlords using false documents, and advertised them to escorts via a WhatsApp group of about 450 members. Ciuciu laundered roughly €320,000, which was used to pay rent and was held in cash. He pleaded guilty to 20 counts, including enhancing the ability of a criminal organisation, organising prostitution, brothel‑keeping, using false instruments and money laundering. The court noted he had no prior convictions, had family responsibilities, and had been well‑behaved in custody. The eight‑year sentence was back‑dated to his first custody in November 2023, and he forfeited seized cash to the State. No further charges were made against those who provided fake references.
One of seven men charged with conspiring to import controlled drugs into the country pleaded guilty to the offence at the Special Criminal Court. Conor Costello (31) of Earhart Park, Madamsbank Road, Derry in Northern Ireland admitted to conspiring with others between December 18, 2024 and January 15, 2025, within and outside the State, to import controlled drugs worth in excess of €13,000. The charge is contrary to section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The matter was adjourned to October 20, along with the cases of the six co-accused. The other accused include Gary Monks (40) of Amulree Place, Glasgow, Scotland; Ryan Watson (32) of Mailerbeg Gardens, Modiesburn, Glasgow; Miljan Koprivica (45) of Bollin Drive, Manchester; and three Filipino men: Hanz Pangahin (36), Christopher Ampo (44), and Feljon Lao (62). No pleas were entered by the co-accused, and the charges against them remain alleged or contested.
In a July 2025 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator Michael McEntee ordered BGS Security Ltd, trading as BGSS, to pay security officer Kipkorir Francis Kiptoo €32,713.96. The award comprised €4,213.96 in unpaid wages, €26,500 in compensation for non‑compliance with the Employment Regulation Order (ERO) under the Industrial Relations Act 1946, and €2,000 for a breach of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994. The adjudicator described the company's conduct as "blatant flouting" of national pay regulations for the security sector, noting that BGSS had failed to provide a satisfactory contract of employment and had ignored the ERO requirements. The decision added to a total of €140,560.71 awarded to former BGSS staff for employment rights breaches since May 2024, reflecting a broader pattern of unpaid wages and regulatory violations by the firm.
The Special Criminal Court will hear the trials of five men charged with false imprisonment, assault and the production of weapons used in the assault of a man in Dublin on 12 February 2025. The accused are Jason Hennessy Jr (28), Brandon Hennessy (22) and Devon Hennessy (29) from Blanchardstown, and Kenneth Fitzsimons (45) and his 26‑year‑old son Dean Fitzsimons from Mulhuddart. All five are charged with assaulting the victim to aid a criminal organisation, causing serious harm, and false imprisonment. Jason Hennessy Jr is additionally charged with threatening property damage and producing a branding stamp to intimidate. Brandon Hennessy is charged with producing a steel breaker bar. Devon Hennessy is charged with producing a metal branding stamp. Dean Fitzsimons is charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm, producing a metal branding stamp and a steel breaker bar. Kenneth Fitzsimons is charged with producing a steel breaker bar and an axe.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 23 July 2025, Mr Justice Paul McDermott criticised the delay in preparing a psychiatric assessment for Ahmed Abdirahman, a 31‑year‑old Somalian national accused of murdering his former partner Mary Ward in Belfast on 25 September 2024. The judge urged both the prosecution and defence to set a timeframe for resolving the issue, noting that the Central Mental Hospital's resource constraints could not justify the continued impasse. Counsel for the State, Antonia Boyle BL, explained that the book of evidence had not yet been served on the accused because of mental health concerns. The defence team reported that Mr Abdirahman is awaiting admission to the Central Mental Hospital and has not engaged with a psychiatrist who attempted to see him. They also raised a jurisdictional issue, arguing that the alleged offence occurred in Northern Ireland and therefore the accused should be given the option to be tried there.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 23 July 2025, Mr Justice Paul McDermott urged that additional resources be allocated to the case of Riad Bouchaker, 51, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square. The prosecution noted that the defence had supplied a psychiatric report on Bouchaker, while the prosecution is preparing its own report due by mid‑October. The judge highlighted "serious difficulties" caused by delays, including the need for further neuropsychological work, delays in accessing the defendant in prison, and interpreter availability. He set the next hearing for 22 October and called on all parties—lawyers, psychiatrists, and other professionals—to expedite the case once the psychiatric issues are resolved. The court reiterated its commitment to fast‑track trials involving children, aiming to complete the process within one year where possible.
James Lynch, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply in Galway on 29 August 2022. He had 86 prior convictions, including traffic offences, theft, fraud, drug possession, public order, criminal damage, assault, and weapons. The court noted that Lynch was dealing heroin, an aggressive approach to arrest, and threw the drugs into the River Corrib to evade capture. Judge Brian O'Callaghan set a headline sentence of six years, then imposed a custodial term of four years, suspending the final two years. Lynch was ordered to serve the sentence from the date he entered custody, and to be supervised by the Probation Service for one year after release. He was found with €614 on his person and a package of heroin worth about €6,500, which was recovered from the river. The court considered his addiction and lack of financial benefit from the offence, and noted his need for rehabilitation.