Myles Smith, 22, had his dangerous driving conviction overturned at the District Court Appeals Court after Judge Jonathan Dunphy viewed a Snapchat video allegedly proving Smith was in the passenger seat during a Garda pursuit. Smith, of Clonsilla, Dublin 15, had previously pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, and two counts of failure to produce documents. In the District Court, he was disqualified from driving for two years and fined €450 for dangerous driving, fined €400 for no insurance, and fined €300 for no licence. Defence counsel Aoife McNickle BL presented video evidence showing Smith in the passenger seat while Garda lights were visible. The State, represented by Clare Barry, argued the footage was edited and that Smith was the driver. Judge Dunphy stated that after numerous viewings, he had doubt over who was driving and found no satisfactory evidence Smith was the driver. He allowed the appeal, quashing the conviction. The report does not specify the finalisation status of the other charges or any adjournments for them.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 49‑year‑old man was found guilty of assault causing serious harm to his then partner, assault causing harm, and two counts of producing a knife. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his stepdaughter. The court heard that on 20 October 2022 he left the home, returned, and attacked his partner in their child's bedroom, dragging her by the hair, punching, kicking, and stabbing her twice in the chest and once in the cheek. He also attempted to stab his stepdaughter, who escaped with a scratch to her neck. The victim spent four days in hospital, suffered permanent facial disfigurement and potentially fatal chest wounds. The judge sentenced the defendant to ten years' imprisonment, citing the domestic setting, trust relationship, and psychological harm, and backdated the sentence to 2022.
Shane Mulvey, 26, a former supermarket assistant manager, was arrested after Gardaí discovered over €2.6 million worth of drugs in his apartment and vehicle. Surveillance revealed him handing a kilo of cocaine to a contact at a Swords car park. A concealed unit in his car contained 14 kg of cocaine valued at about €1 million, and further cocaine, amphetamine, cannabis, MDMA, a mixing agent, a counting machine and other paraphernalia were found in his spare bedroom. €66,700 in cash was seized. Mulvey pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale, possession of proceeds of crime and possession of an article in connection with a crime. He received a headline sentence of 11 years, reduced to nine years with the final year suspended, backdated to his November 2024 arrest. The court noted his prior convictions, family background, apology, early guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts.
Trevor Robinson, 34, of Navan Road, Dublin 7, was sentenced to two months in prison after pleading not guilty to two counts of assaulting Gardaí under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The offence occurred at Dundrum Garda Station shortly after 2 am on 21 February 2023, when Robinson was arrested for a public order offence and found in a custody cell in a highly distressed state, lying partially under a mattress. When Garda Fergus Holly and Garda Anthony Browne entered to ensure his safety, Robinson became combative, shouting, abusive and physically aggressive, and spat at both officers. Garda Browne reported hearing the spitting and feeling it land on his back and neck, while Garda Holly was directly spat at. Robinson's defence claimed he was extremely intoxicated and possibly affected by hallucinogenic substances, suggesting the spitting may have been accidental amid shouting and disorientation. The court rejected this defence.
Bewley's Café and a company owned by property developer Johnny Ronan have taken a dispute over the €747,000 per year rent for the Grafton Street outlet to the High Court. RGRE Grafton Limited, which owns the building, claims the rent should be €1 million, while a valuer hired by Bewley's says it should be €518,000. Bewley's had previously paid €1.46 million for the premises before a Circuit Court ruling cut the rent in half to €747 k. Both parties are appealing the Circuit Court decision. The case focuses on valuation methods, with Bewley's expert Fergus Crosse arguing that improvements to the building justify a lower rent, and RGRE's valuer David Potter contesting the zoning approach used by Crosse, claiming it undervalues the restaurant space. The matter is now before Ms Justice Sara Phelan.
A 14‑year‑old boy was caught on CCTV taking part in a robbery of an off‑duty Garda on Camden Road, Dublin 8, on 22 January 2024. He kicked the victim repeatedly to the head while the 29‑year‑old co‑accused punched him to the ground. The pair then stole the Garda's phone, two passports, a Garda ID card and bank cards, and returned to re‑check the victim's pockets, kicking him again. The boy, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. He had been in special care as a baby due to maternal neglect and had been removed from care in recent years because of drug use, missing from care, and exploitation by criminals. Social workers had recommended emergency special care shortly before the attack, but no bed was available. The court heard that the boy was later placed in care and has not gone missing for several months.
A domestic‑violence charity was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay its former finance manager nearly €35,000 after he was dismissed for voicing concerns that the charity's accounts might not survive an audit. The manager, a chartered accountant, had joined the charity as an independent contractor in June 2023 and became a staff member on 30 September. He emailed the chief executive on 27 October 2023 requesting extra time to investigate a draft loss of €33,000 and to correct accounting anomalies. The CEO responded the next day, and the manager was terminated on 2 November 2023. The WRC found the dismissal was "wholly or mainly" due to the manager's protected disclosure and awarded him €34,737 in compensation. The charity's identity was kept confidential to protect victims of domestic abuse from negative publicity. The case was heard in a private tribunal.
Andrew Cooney, 44, was sentenced to 13 years in prison with a two‑year suspended portion after pleading guilty to aggravated sexual assault, assault causing harm and threats to kill against two escort women. The first victim, who had recently arrived in Ireland, was attacked on 9 October 2022 while at Cooney's home in Collins Place. He threatened her with a knife, forced sexual contact and struck her repeatedly, causing broken nose, lip cuts and other injuries. The second victim was assaulted on 8 September 2023 after Cooney lured her to his house, again using a knife, striking her, removing her clothes and sexually assaulting her. Both women suffered severe physical injuries and reported ongoing fear and inability to work. Cooney had been on bail for the first offence when the second attack occurred.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a 50‑year‑old man, Jeffrey Jackson, was found dead after sustaining 16 knife injuries, one 17 cm deep, in an apartment in Kilcock. The accused, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney, pleaded not guilty, claiming he had taken a knife from his aunt's partner during a scuffle and stabbed the victim in self‑defence, with no intent to kill. Kearney told detectives he feared for his life. Pathologist Dr Sallyanne Collis testified that Jackson had been heavily intoxicated, with alcohol levels more than eight times the legal limit, and that the fatal wounds were two chest stab injuries that entered the chest cavity, puncturing the right lung and the aorta. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Burns, continues on Monday before a jury of twelve.
Melissa Whelan's appeal against her sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice John Edwards, who ruled the four-year term was proportionate for the May 15, 2023, offences. Whelan, who pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court in April 2024, was convicted of producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury, two counts of Section 2 assault, and two counts of criminal damage. The court found she punched one man and slashed another with a knife while under a partially suspended sentence for a prior 2015 assault. Judge Dermot Sheahan originally sentenced her to four years, with the final two years suspended, and re-activated two years of her previous suspended term to run consecutively, resulting in an effective custody period of four years. The appellate court rejected arguments regarding mental health mitigation, noting the sentencing judge had adequately considered these factors. The appeal was not adjourned; the decision was final, upholding the original disposal and the re-activation of the suspended portion.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has concluded hearings into complaints brought by Joseph Kelly against RTÉ under the Organisation of Working Time Act 2005 and the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994. Mr Kelly alleges he was engaged as a 'freelance' worker from 2012 to 2018 but was effectively an employee, claiming he was denied statutory entitlements to paid annual leave, public holiday pay, and Sunday premium rates. He further alleges he was not provided with a statement of core terms of employment. RTÉ maintains that Mr Kelly was paid all owed premiums and leave, and argues the claims are out of time, asserting that a 2022 Department of Social Protection ruling regarding insurability does not establish employment status for these purposes. A senior RTÉ human resources manager testified that the contract signed was a sole trader agreement and denied allegations that RTÉ procured Mr Kelly to misrepresent his status to the Revenue Commissioners. Mr Kelly's representative argued that the insurability decision confirms he should have been treated as an employee since 2012. Adjudication officer John Harraghy has concluded the hearings and will issue his decision in writing to the parties in due course.
Hundreds of TikTok staff in Ireland were given competency tests in November 2023 without knowing the results would be used to decide redundancy in spring 2024. The Workplace Relations Commission heard that the tests covered 100 pieces of content and were scored against official moderation outcomes. A former content‑moderation team leader, Mohur Saleh, lost his job after scoring 32.25 points, 0.75 below the 33‑point cut‑off. Saleh argued he was unfairly selected because the test, which he failed, was part of the redundancy scoring system, and because his performance ratings were disputed. TikTok's senior manager said the tests were deliberately kept secret to avoid cheating, and that the pass mark was 51 out of 100. Saleh's case is still under adjudication by the WRC.
The prosecution will finish its evidence in the trial of Joseph Lawlor, a 39‑year‑old Dublin man accused of stabbing his friend Michael Ryan, a 51‑year‑old father of three, to death. The case is being heard in the Central Criminal Court. The jury has already seen CCTV footage from neighbouring homes that shows the fatal stab wound to Ryan's neck. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor told the jury that the prosecution intends to complete its evidence by Tuesday of next week and asked the jurors not to discuss the case, conduct independent research or view social media posts about the trial. Lawlor has pleaded not guilty. The stabbing occurred outside his home on Hampton Wood Way, St Margaret's Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, on 20 June 2024, shortly after midnight. Garda Shane Gallagher arrested Lawlor at the scene, seized his clothing, including a black stab‑proof vest, and later released him.
The State settled a claim by Gerard McCarthy, 55, who alleged that Gardaí in riot gear assaulted him and broke his shoulder while he was cycling to investigate fires near his partner's home on Findlater Street, Dublin, on Halloween night 2008. McCarthy, who was 38 at the time, said he was struck on both shoulders, his back and legs by 10–12 Gardaí in riot gear during a brief attack lasting five to ten seconds. He was taken to Mater Hospital, later had an X‑ray showing a broken shoulder near the collarbone, and reported numbness and shock. The case was brought before Justice Alexander Owens, who struck it out, with no trial costs awarded and no costs imposed on the plaintiff. The settlement was confirmed by counsel for both parties on 27 June 2025.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman testified that her mother repeatedly sexually assaulted her from age three and a half to fifteen, and that her uncle and a third man also raped her. The allegations cover 21 counts of sexual assault and rape, with incidents dated between 2000 and 2014, mainly at the family home. The defendants deny wrongdoing and plead not guilty to all charges. The witness described her mother's violent, alcohol‑driven behaviour, her mother's attempts to normalise the abuse, and her uncle's repeated rapes, including an oral rape. She also recounted an alleged rape by a man in his 50s who was a friend of her mother's partner. The trial is ongoing before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
David Rogers, a 69‑year‑old former car dealer from Dublin, pleaded guilty to deception offences relating to the sale of cars during the 2008‑2009 financial crash. He defrauded three victims: the first sold a car for €9,500, the second sold a deceased father's car for €22,000, and the third bought an SUV that was later traded in. Rogers failed to pay the victims, claiming he was abroad and that the matter was beyond the statute of limitations. He eventually returned €20,000 to the second victim and €24,000 to the third, the latter including a €2,000 token of remorse. The court found Rogers had a prior road‑traffic conviction and that he had lost his home. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain sentenced him to 18 months in prison, but substituted 240 hours of community service, citing his guilty plea, remorse, good character and the long delays victims endured.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 26 June 2025, Keith Walsh, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his 64‑year‑old mother, Maura Walsh, at their Cabra home on 22 August 2024. The court heard that Walsh had repeatedly punched his mother's head, pinned her against a wall, and held his hands around her neck during a "meltdown" over a cigarette. Garda Aaron McGrath reported that Walsh had been intoxicated when arrested and that the mother had withdrawn her statement after the incident. Walsh's defence counsel described a background of alcohol and drug use, mental health struggles, and a history of work for Red Bull and in construction. Judge Martina Baxter noted the aggravating nature of the assault, urged Walsh to address his addiction, and adjourned sentencing to November to allow probation services to assess his risk. The court did not yet impose a sentence.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing, a man in his 30s was denied bail after being charged with breaching a protection order by allegedly making threatening phone calls to his ex‑partner on 23 June. The court heard that the woman, who shares a young child with the accused, received four calls from a private number within three minutes that evening. She answered the fourth call, identified the caller's voice, and reported that he threatened her, saying he would "dance her head into the ground" and that his cousins would "smash it up." She also claimed the man had used private numbers and had access to two phones, though he denied this. The accused denied all allegations, asserting he had never threatened or shouted at her. Judge Patricia McNamara found the woman's evidence more credible, refused bail, and remanded the accused in custody to appear via video link from Cloverhill Prison on 27 June.
Ryan Kearney, 39, of Leixlip, Co Kildare, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Jeffrey Jackson, 50, at The Lamps, School Street, Kilcock, Co Kildare, on February 8, 2024. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury. Witness Emma Farrell, the deceased's partner, testified via video-link from the UK that she lived in a "constant state of fear" of being killed by Jackson, who was an alcoholic and physically abusive when drunk. She described his violence as spontaneous and unprovoked, including incidents of throttling and physical aggression. Farrell stated she separated from Jackson in 2020 after he moved back to Ireland, though they never divorced. In his garda interviews, Kearney alleged he took a knife from Jackson after a scuffle and gave him "a few jabs," claiming self-defence and stating he had no intention to kill. Prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC argued that the 16 knife injuries sustained by Jackson did not align with Kearney's self-defence account. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised.
The Court of Appeal has refused an application to extend time for an appeal against the sentence of a 53-year-old man convicted of sexual exploitation, sexual assault, and child cruelty. The appellant, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the injured parties, was found guilty by a jury in the north west on May 19, 2022. He was subsequently sentenced by Judge John Aylmer on November 2, 2022, to nine years and six months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended. The offences, which occurred between June 2011 and September 2015, involved the appellant's daughters, who were in their early to mid-teens at the time. Defence counsel Dara Foynes SC submitted an enlargement of time application, arguing the appellant believed his notice of appeal was on record, though his solicitor stated it was never received. Mr Justice John Edwards noted the appellant had made no engagement with the sentencing judge's remarks and raised no error of principle. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the ruling for the three-judge court, stated that victims have a legitimate expectation of closure and that courts must not permit cases to be elongated. He emphasized that reopening the case would cause revictimization to the injured parties. The court found no basis to justify ventilating the case afresh and refused the application to extend time, denying the defence an adjournment to file further affidavits.
Jibola Moses Akanni, 27, of Drogheda, Co Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after being found guilty by a jury of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The offences occurred in a Dublin city centre apartment in February 2018, where the court heard the 17-year-old victim was intoxicated and barely conscious. Mr Justice David Keane noted aggravating factors including the victim's vulnerability and the age disparity. Although Akanni has 28 previous convictions for other matters, the judge stated no credit was given for a guilty plea as none was offered, nor for remorse. The judge determined there was no realistic hope of rehabilitation and refused to suspend any part of the sentence. Akanni was sentenced to eight and a half years on each rape count and three and a half years for sexual assault, all to run concurrently and backdated to November when he entered custody. To protect the public from the risk of sexual reoffending, the judge ordered that Akanni be placed under the supervision of the Probation Services for two years post-release, instructing him to carry out all directions deemed necessary by the service.
Re-Turn Ireland has failed in a bid to have a discrimination case brought by Pat McCarthy thrown out at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The tribunal issued a preliminary ruling rejecting the respondent's application to dismiss the claim as misconceived. Mr McCarthy, a blind man, alleged he is disadvantaged by the deposit return scheme because he cannot read markings indicating whether containers are included. He stated that at an Aldi store in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, he was unable to locate or use a reverse vending machine or identify the Re-Turn logo. Re-Turn Ireland, trading as Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG, denied the statutory complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000. Its lawyers argued the WRC lacked jurisdiction and that Re-Turn was not providing a service to the public, but merely managing the scheme as a government-approved body. Adjudication officer Brian Dalton found it "very clear" that the respondent determines how the scheme works, prescribes logos and bar codes, and approves reverse vending machines. He concluded that Mr McCarthy made out an arguable case that the body is providing a service by prescribing how the scheme is accessed. The complaint was found not to be misconceived and will be set down for a hearing of the substantive matter.
During the trial, a jury heard a recorded conversation in which Joseph Lawlor, aged 39, referred to his friend as a "supergrass" and a "rat" and threatened the deceased, Michael Ryan, 51, saying, "I'll stab you straight into your neck." Lawlor denied the murder charge and claimed he would not stab Ryan, adding, "I love you too fucking much." The recording, taken by a neighbour at 9:38 pm, was part of evidence that also included CCTV footage of two earlier fights and a Ring doorbell clip of the fatal encounter after midnight. The footage captured the moment Ryan suffered a fatal stab wound to the neck. Detective Garda Shane Gallagher spent 14 hours reviewing the audio and produced a transcript identifying both voices. The case is proceeding before Justice Karen O'Connor with a jury of five women and seven men.
In a Belfast murder case, the Central Criminal Court heard that Ahmed Abdirahman, a 31‑year‑old Somalian national, faces a serious mental health issue. He is accused of killing his former partner, Mary Ward, on 25 September 2024 at her Melrose Street home. Abdirahman is still awaiting admission to the Central Mental Hospital, where a diagnostic clarification is required before an external psychiatrist can assess his fitness to plead. The court noted that he has not yet been properly diagnosed and remains on the hospital's waiting list. Defence counsel Oisin Clarke highlighted difficulties in engaging with the accused and raised a jurisdictional issue, as the offence occurred in Northern Ireland, requiring the option of trial there. The matter was adjourned to 23 July 2025.
A woman in her 50s was convicted and fined €500 for three breaches of a protection order her husband had obtained in September 2024. The breaches included shouting abusive language at her husband and their daughter, calling the husband "useless", "gay" and a "f**wit", and calling the daughter "an itinerant", "fat" and a "stupid slut". She also shouted "where are your sluts?" and "I'll mop the floor with you," causing fear but no physical violence. The court noted she had voluntarily left the home as a bail condition and had no prior convictions. Judge Conor Fottrell warned of the long‑term emotional impact on the child and expressed concern about the effect on the child's well‑being. He was not convinced a custodial sentence was appropriate, citing the woman's guilty plea, work history and ongoing treatment at the Rutland Centre. She must pay the fine within six months.
In a June 2025 appeal, a 69‑year‑old man named Gary Healy, who had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after slashing his neighbour with a Stanley knife over a dispute about trespassing dogs, saw his four‑month custodial sentence replaced by a 12‑month peace bond. The incident occurred on 28 June 2023 when Healy, who had lived a "blameless existence" for 40 years as a porter at Temple Street Hospital, reacted to a neighbour's presence at his doorstep, feeling threatened. He produced the knife and inflicted cuts on the victim's neck, forearms and hand. Defence counsel argued Healy's panic and regret, presenting community support letters. Judge Jonathan Dunphy acknowledged the potential for a more serious outcome, accepted the overreaction, and ordered €3,000 compensation to the victim or a chosen charity. The peace bond and compensation replace the custodial term.
A mother, her brother, and another man have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of the sexual abuse of her young daughter. The complainant's mother, her uncle, and another man face a total of 21 counts of sexual assault and rape, which allegedly occurred on dates between 2000 and 2014, mainly at the family home within the State. The three defendants, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the complainant, deny wrongdoing and have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The complainant's mother, who is in her 50s, has pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of sexual assault on dates between 2000 and 2009, and between 2012 and 2014, primarily at the family home. She also pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, in that she facilitated the rape of the complainant by the complainant's uncle. The complainant's maternal uncle, who is in his 40s, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one of oral rape on dates between 2003 and 2012, all at the same family home. A second man, aged in his 50s, has pleaded not guilty to one count of oral rape between 2008 and 2009 at the same address. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Ryan Kearney, aged 39, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jeffrey Jackson, aged 50, at The Lamps, Kilcock, on 8 February 2024. He told Gardaí that after a scuffle with Jackson, he took a small black‑handled kitchen knife from a drawer and used it to jab Jackson, claiming he had no intention to kill and was in fear for his life. Kearney said Jackson had been drinking vodka with his aunt, and that Jackson had repeatedly lunged at him. He described the incident as a self‑defence situation, stating he only struck Jackson to stop the attacks. Forensic evidence included a kitchen knife with a serrated blade, 12 cm long, whose handle bore Kearney's DNA and blood from an open wound. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury, is set to continue tomorrow.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented forensic evidence indicating that Joseph Lawlor, aged 39, was wearing a blood‑stained stab vest when he was arrested. DNA from the vest matched that of the deceased, Michael Ryan, aged 51. Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCarthy described a single stab wound to Ryan's neck, 9.1 cm below the right earlobe, 2.9 cm long and 5.8 cm deep, penetrating the subclavian artery and causing cardiovascular collapse. The wound was consistent with a kitchen knife found in Lawlor's home. McCarthy also noted 57 bruises and abrasions on Ryan's body, some consistent with earlier scuffles. Toxicology revealed cocaine metabolites, benzodiazepines, a sleeping tablet, and a blood alcohol level 1.5 times the legal limit. The trial, presided over by Justice Karen O'Connor, will continue tomorrow before a jury of five women and seven men. Joseph Lawlor pleaded not guilty.
Joseph Thorpe, aged 73, a former Dublin football club coach, pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault for sexually assaulting a boy aged 12‑14 during a club trip to County Kerry between September 1974 and September 1976. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated that the assault occurred in a shared caravan bed while other children were present. Thorpe has five prior convictions, including a 1990 suspended sentence for indecent assault of another teenage boy. Judge Martina Baxter, noting Thorpe's position of trust and the profound impact on the victim, imposed a 20‑month imprisonment sentence suspended in full for 24 months and ordered 18 months of probation supervision. Thorpe was remanded in custody last week and described the conditions as shocking. The court heard that Thorpe is estranged from his children, has a history of postal work, and has complex medical issues.
A worker at Arranmore Island co-operative in County Donegal has failed in a constructive dismissal claim before the Workplace Relations Commission. Fiona Glynn alleged she was forced to resign following a public remark by the then-chairperson concerning "cute hoorism", which she characterised as undermining and divisive. The co-operative, which operates sporting facilities, holiday homes, a café and a cultural centre on the island, denied the complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Adjudicator Conor Stokes rejected the claim, finding that Ms Glynn did not exhaust the organisation's formal grievance procedure before resigning in August 2022. The adjudicator noted that Ms Glynn deleted thousands of emails from the employer's systems prior to departure, which undermined her position. He concluded she was not unfairly dismissed.
Randi Gladstone, a 41‑year‑old Guyanese sex offender, was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to six months' imprisonment for failing to register as a sex offender within seven days of arriving in Ireland, a separate offence from the rape and false imprisonment for which he had already been convicted and sentenced to ten years by Mr Justice Patrick McGrath. Gladstone, who had been in Ireland for only a few days before raping an 18‑year‑old in a holiday complex in County Dublin on 25 August 2023, had not notified An Garda Síochána of his status as a convicted sex offender, a breach punishable by up to five years' imprisonment. The judge imposed the six‑month term consecutively to the existing ten‑year sentence, meaning Gladstone will serve the additional six months on top of the original custodial period. He will serve the sentence at Midlands Prison. Randi Gladstone pleaded guilty.
A High Court judge has deferred judgment on the State's application to overturn a December order quashing a statutory instrument used to fast-track emergency accommodation development at Lissywollen in Athlone, County Westmeath. Ms Justice Emily Farrell said she would await draft legislation from the Oireachtas aimed at remedying a procedural breach concerning environmental assessments. The judge acknowledged the vulnerability of residents at the facility and stated the Minister has an obligation to provide alternative accommodation or demonstrate efforts to do so. She imposed restrictions on the centre, permitting only essential maintenance and prohibiting new admissions beyond those accommodated in February. The State submitted that closure risks homelessness among asylum seekers currently residing there. The judicial review was brought by Independent Ireland councillor Paul Hogan, who successfully argued the expedited development process was unlawful. The matter was adjourned to 21 July, with the judge directing that resident numbers be substantially reduced by that date.
Former solicitor Herbert Kilcline, aged 64, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for his role in a €266,000 property fraud scheme that involved falsifying deeds to change ownership of two Dublin properties on Phibsborough Road and St Mary's Road. Kilcline was convicted of two counts of using a false instrument, two counts of failing to keep records, two counts of fraudulent procurement of an entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry and two counts of failing to apply required measures as a designated person. The court noted that Kilcline had previously acted as a covert human intelligence source for Gardaí and that the scheme had caused losses to the injured parties and threatened the integrity of the land registry system. Kilcline's sentence was imposed with consideration of his medical and mental health issues. The case also involved former businessman Philip Marley, who received a three‑year sentence for related offences. Philip Marley pleaded guilty.
A psychiatric report on Riad Bouchaker, 51, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square, has now been completed, the court heard. Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, faces charges of attempted murder of two girls and one boy, assault causing serious harm to a care worker, and possession or production of a knife. The incident occurred on the afternoon of 23 November 2023. The Central Criminal Court heard that a psychiatrist had requested further work by a neuropsychologist and that the treating doctor had faced delays in accessing the defendant and in securing an interpreter. The report was made available in April, but the psychiatrist asked for an additional four weeks to review it. The court noted that the case must be given priority once the psychiatric issue is resolved and that the trial process should be completed within one year if a child is involved.
A 21‑year‑old driver, Richard McSweeney, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after a car he was driving on the R341 became airborne and crashed into a field, striking an ESB pole. The crash left the vehicle "barely recognisable" and caused severe injuries to the driver and two passengers, including an open fracture to the ulna and radius of Harry Toomey, who required multiple surgeries and long‑term rehabilitation. McSweeney's blood alcohol level was above the legal limit. He had no prior convictions and was a novice driver. The court imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to two and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended. A one‑year custodial sentence was deferred pending a suitability assessment for a 240‑hour community service order and a detailed injury report. The sentence will be finalised on 25 July.
James Walsh, 54, of Liskeavy, Tuam, pleaded guilty to engaging in electronic communication to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child between May and November 2020. He had previously been convicted of road traffic offences, criminal damage and a public order offence. The court heard that Walsh believed he was speaking to a 12‑year‑old girl named Eve, who was actually a decoy. He sent sexual images, asked for nude pictures, and tried to delete messages to hide them from the girl's mother. Gardaí seized two phones and found no evidence of a broader interest in children. Judge Brian O'Callaghan set a headline sentence of five years, reduced it to two and a half years and suspended it in full for the same period, subject to strict conditions. Walsh will be placed on the sex offenders register. The judge declined a request for reporting restrictions on his address.
Brian Reilly, a 29‑year‑old banned driver with 126 prior convictions, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally in 2021 to seven and a half years' imprisonment for crashing into the Armstrongs' car in January 2020, an act that left Ellen Armstrong with a thumb amputation and lifelong pain. The sentence included an 18‑month suspended period and a lifetime driving disqualification. Reilly was released from jail six weeks before the 2024 incident, when he again caused a serious collision in Meath, injuring a grandmother's wrist and endangering a family of five. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of dangerous driving, four of endangerment and several damage offences. Judge Orla Crowe reactivated the suspended sentence, ordering an additional 18 months of imprisonment and two years of Probation Service supervision, after Reilly refused to enter a bond in court. The court noted the severity of his repeated endangerment offences shortly after release.
Patrick O'Connor, a 75‑year‑old Peace Commissioner, pleaded guilty to providing false information under the Companies Act for forging the signatures of two co‑directors when forming JP&P Property Limited, a shepherd hut glamping business. He claimed he had no time to obtain the signatures in person and forged them with their consent. The forged signatures were discovered by Corporate Enforcement Authority officers investigating a separate breach of the Companies Act. One of the forged signatories had been disqualified from acting as a company director. O'Connor's company never commenced trading. He has a small number of prior road traffic convictions. The case was initially before the District Court, but the judge declined jurisdiction and adjourned the matter for finalisation on 9 July. The court noted O'Connor's roles as a Peace Commissioner, architectural engineer, and local GAA and charity worker. The proceedings remain at the pleading stage.
Alanna Quinn Idris testified in court about prior harassment by Jack Cummins, who procured a gang attack on her, resulting in her being blinded in one eye. Jack Cummins (21) of Rossmore Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to procuring the commission of assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris on Ballyfermot Road on December 30, 2021, and to violent disorder and assault causing harm. He admitted to making two phone calls to his cousin Josh Cummins (20) to orchestrate the attack. Ms Quinn Idris, who was 17 at the time, suffered serious injuries, including a shattered tooth, a broken cheekbone, and a ruptured eyeball, leading to permanent vision loss in her right eye. Her friend Louis O'Sullivan was also assaulted. Josh Cummins pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, violent disorder, and assault causing harm to Mr O'Sullivan. He received a five-year sentence, with the final two years suspended in November 2023. Darragh Lyons (21) of Weir View, Glenaulin, Chapelizod, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, assault causing harm to Mr O'Sullivan, and violent disorder. He was sentenced to four and a half years in March 2023. The court adjourned the case to July 29 for finalisation and remanded Jack Cummins on continuing bail.
Beatriz Carvalho, 23, a Brazilian national with no fixed abode, was stopped at Dublin Airport on 17 November 2024 after travelling via Paris. Immigration officers suspected her because she travelled alone. When questioned, she admitted swallowing about 50–60 cocaine pellets and storing more in her body. She had €1,345 in cash and claimed she was paid the Brazilian equivalent of €2,000 to bring the drugs to Ireland. While at the airport, she passed seven pellets in a bathroom and later retrieved 30 from her body. A total of 110 pellets, worth €86,763, were recovered. Carvalho pleaded guilty to one count of importing drugs. She has no prior convictions in Brazil and was in custody since her arrest. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, reduced from an initial six‑year sentence, taking mitigating factors such as her early admission and cooperation into account. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of her arrest.
Gerard McCarthy, 55, has sworn in a jury at the High Court to pursue a claim against the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, the Minister for Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General. He alleges that on Halloween night 2008, while cycling to investigate two fires near his partner's home on Findlater Street, he was assaulted by gardaí in riot gear. McCarthy, who was 38 at the time, says he was struck on both shoulders, his back and legs by a group of 10 to 12 riot police while still on his bicycle. He reports that the attack lasted between five and ten seconds and that up to five officers with shields and helmets used batons. He was taken to Mater Hospital that night, later had an X‑ray that showed a broken shoulder near the collarbone, and claims he was left numb and in shock.
In June 2025 the Workplace Relations Commission awarded Kieran O'Leary €5,289.08 after he was dismissed by Bord Gáis in January 2024. O'Leary, a €60,000‑a‑year service engineer, claimed he had been unfairly sacked for allegedly offering to do side work for customers. He said he had never accepted cash from any customer and that the complaints were based on misunderstandings about his contract's competition clause. O'Leary presented evidence that he had only offered services outside work hours and that any parts he used were his own. The adjudicator found no logical reason to believe the customers fabricated complaints, noted that the 2022 complaint had not led to any action, and upheld O'Leary's claim for compensation under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The decision was made in a hearing that considered the procedural history of the complaints and the company's investigation.
Aaron Connolly, aged 25, has appealed his 2022 conviction for the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly, who was found dead in a field near Dunleer. Connolly argues that Judge Tony Hunt's charge was "disparaging" and "denigrating" of the defence, claiming the judge engaged in "advocacy for the prosecution". He also contends that the judge's handling of Section 22 admissions—statements Connolly made through counsel during the trial—was improper, as the judge accepted them as conclusive evidence without challenge. Connolly's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, cited the Supreme Court's Rattigan decision to argue that the judge's remarks may have crossed a line, undermining the defence's closing. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel defended the judge's approach, stating it was a direct, accessible charge of the evidence. The Court of Appeal will decide the appeal at a later date. Aaron Connolly pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, Catarina Cardoso, a live‑in carer for a Galway resident with advanced dementia, claimed that her employer, Ross Jenkins, unlawfully withheld her final wages. Cardoso had resigned on 23 August 2024, citing anxiety and carer burnout, and had given the family four days' notice. Jenkins argued that Cardoso's abrupt departure left the vulnerable patient alone for nearly 24 hours, jeopardised medication administration, and caused the family to scramble for emergency assistance. The commission found no contractual provision allowing wage deductions and no written notice of any alleged misconduct. Consequently, the adjudicating officer ordered Jenkins to pay Cardoso €1,650.78 within six weeks, ruling the withholding unlawful. The decision focused solely on the wage issue, with no reference to the patient's care or any other matters.
Aidan Clohessy, aged 85, was sentenced yesterday to four years for indecently assaulting two boys in the 1980s. He had previously been convicted of 19 counts of indecent assault involving six boys, with five counts from a second trial for assaulting four boys between 1969 and 1986. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the totality principle and Clohessy's age, imposed an additional 16‑month sentence to run consecutively with the earlier four‑year term, giving a global sentence of five years and four months. The offences involved inappropriate touching and physical chastisement of boys aged 10 to 13 who were pupils, and some boarders, at St Augustine's School in Blackrock, Dublin, where Clohessy served as principal from the early 1970s until 1993. The court noted that Clohessy was in a position of trust and that the victims were vulnerable. The 16‑month term is to be served after the four‑year sentence already imposed. Aidan Clohessy pleaded not guilty.
Sean Carroll, 31, of Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, had his custodial sentence overturned on appeal in the District Court Appeals Court. Carroll, who pleaded guilty to theft under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, was originally sentenced to six months in prison. The court heard that on July 26, 2019, Carroll allegedly arranged a meeting on Henry Street, Dublin, where he received €550 from an injured party for Electric Picnic tickets that were subsequently found to be fake. The stolen money was never recovered. Carroll has 28 previous convictions, including for theft and attempted robbery. Defence counsel Róisín Burnside BL submitted that Carroll has undertaken treatment for drug addiction and is now free of drugs and alcohol. Judge Jonathan Dunphy noted the prevalence of ticket scams on Henry Street and questioned the impact on the victim. The judge increased the original sentence from six months to ten months but fully suspended it for two years. The suspension is conditional on Carroll keeping the peace and continuing his treatment. Judge Dunphy warned that if Carroll returns before the court, every second of the ten-month term will be activated.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney pleaded not guilty to the murder of 50‑year‑old Jeffrey Jackson. Kearney told Gardaí that he had stabbed Jackson in the neck but did not kill him, claiming the victim was a friend. He was arrested on suspicion of murder on 8 February 2024 after arriving at The Lamps in Kilcock. Garda Detective Sergeant Gerard Moore testified that Kearney had tried to stop a neck wound and was unaware of a severe abdominal stab. Kearney was found intoxicated, with slurred speech and an alcohol odor, and was deemed unfit for questioning for six hours. The prosecution presented evidence of 16 knife wounds, describing the attack as ferocious, which contradicted Kearney's self‑defence claim. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury.
Stuart Murphy, 46, of Tallaght, was jailed for five years after admitting he had stored €360,000 worth of cannabis resin in a van outside his home. Gardaí said he was under duress, having been shown photographs of his father, fiancé and a younger family member to pressure him into holding the drugs. Murphy had a drug debt of €8,000 and had relapsed into addiction during the Covid pandemic. He had previously been clean for over 20 years but lost his job during Covid, leading to depression and a relapse. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, offered an unreserved apology, and was found to have held the drugs for a short time without intent to sell. The judge accepted his duress claim, set a headline sentence of 12 years, but imposed a final sentence of six years, suspending the last 12 months for 12 months on condition of probation engagement.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a jury reviewed CCTV footage showing the fatal stabbing of Michael Ryan (51) outside Joseph Lawlor's (39) home in Finglas on 20 June 2024. The footage captured three drunken altercations, the last of which ended with Lawlor holding a knife and stabbing Ryan in the neck. After the act, Lawlor called 999, describing Ryan as bleeding. Detectives found blood on the ground, clothing, money, a wallet, and a black sports bag containing €3,155 and tablets. A Royal Swiss bread knife was recovered from Lawlor's couch and DNA testing linked it to the stab wound; a sword was also found in the living room. Lawlor denies the murder. The jury was asked to return the next day to consider his intent. The case remains at the evidence‑review stage.