In a County Meath murder case, Daniel Blanaru, 37, pleaded not guilty to the stabbing death of Larisa Serban, 26, on 12 August 2022. During his fourth and final Garda interview, Blanaru admitted to killing Serban, saying, "I am guilty, I killed her. Please lock me up." He denied seeing Serban with another man before her death and claimed he had found her with her brother and a "tall guy." Gardaí presented statements from his sister and her husband, who alleged Blanaru had beaten and cut Serban. Blanaru also described throwing a knife he had found in his car onto the floor, which he could not recall removing. The trial heard video of Blanaru crying while viewing crime‑scene photographs and his refusal to return to the scene or retrieve the knife. The case proceeded to the Central Criminal Court with an enlarged jury.
Liam Howlin, a recruiter at Indeed Ireland Operations Ltd, claimed constructive dismissal after resigning in February 2023, alleging threatening behaviour, defamation and denial of rights. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found he had not shown the resignation was reasonable. The case centred on a series of Slack message incidents, a formal grievance over an October 2022 quarterly review, and a subsequent investigation that upheld his grievance but recommended formal communication training. The WRC noted Howlin's strong sense of grievance and lack of acceptance of any wrongdoing. His appeal largely upheld the original findings. The WRC concluded that Howlin's resignation was not a constructive dismissal, attributing fault to him rather than Indeed. The hearing ran from October 2023 to February 2024. The parties were represented by Cillian McGovern BL for Howlin and Des Ryan BL for Indeed.
Mark McAnaw, 52, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the harassment of Nicola Tallant, Amanda Brunker, and Deirdre Reynolds on various dates in August 2023. The court heard that McAnaw, who has previous convictions including rape and kidnapping, sent explicit and threatening emails to the three women, who are journalists. He also turned up at the Sunday World's office and contacted Ms. Brunker via social media. McAnaw is currently detained in the Central Mental Hospital. The court noted that at the time of the offending, he was not taking his medication. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the case until June 5 to prepare a probation report and obtain an up-to-date psychiatric report. The matter was adjourned and not concluded. McAnaw previously received an eight-year, four-month sentence for an attack in 2018, with the final 16 months suspended for 16 years, and was placed under Probation Services supervision. The victims described living in fear due to the threats.
Colm Bergin, aged 26 and a qualified dog trainer, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for two robberies in Artane on 17 November 2023. In the first incident, he approached a commuter around 8:30 am, demanded his mobile phone and threatened to have his Pit‑bull bite him, then stole €25 and left on a bicycle with the dog on a lead. In the second, he confronted another commuter at a bus stop, demanded all his belongings, and when the man refused, set his dog on him. The dog bit the victim's leg twice or three times, causing bleeding. Bergin also stole the victim's backpack, which contained a laptop and wallet, and used the victim's card to make purchases. The victim suffered lasting physical and psychological harm, reporting difficulty walking for six months, back pain, anxiety and nightmares.
Brian Jackson (63) of Cherrywood Road, Cabinteely, Co Dublin, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of careless driving causing serious bodily harm. The case was at the sentence stage. Jackson initially faced a charge of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, but the jury returned a guilty verdict on the lesser charge, which carries a penalty of two years imprisonment or a fine of up to €10,000. The court heard that Jackson collided with a motorcyclist on Cromwellsfort Road, Walkinstown, on December 9, 2019, leaving the motorcyclist with serious internal injuries and a five-week coma. The victim described the injuries as a 'life sentence' due to their permanent impact on his ability to live. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a fine of €3,000 and a two-year driving disqualification from April 2025. The judge noted the victim's ongoing injuries as an aggravating factor but took into account Jackson's personal circumstances, including his work record, absence of previous convictions, and that he has not come to other negative garda attention. The matter was not adjourned and was finalised at the sentence stage.
Shane Flanagan, 39, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to impersonating a woman online, inciting two men to rape her, and possessing child abuse material. He admitted to two counts of inciting rape between November and December 2020, six counts of endangerment for impersonating the woman on Facebook and fetlife.com and inviting violence between 2018 and 2020, and one count of possession of four images of child sexual abuse material on 7 January 2021. The victim wishes to remain anonymous. The judge ordered Flanagan to remain on bail until June pending sentencing.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns were convicted of the murder of Robin Wilkin, 66, at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday following a two-month trial. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed the mandatory life sentence on each defendant yesterday. Vial, aged 39, from Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, County Donegal, had both pleaded not guilty to the charge. A jury returned guilty verdicts by majority, ten to two. The court heard that Mr Wilkin suffered severe head injuries after being struck multiple times with a rock near Killybegs on June 25, 2023. His body was subsequently disposed of from Sliabh Liag cliffs. At sentencing, Mr Wilkin's sister Irene McAleer delivered a victim-impact statement, stating the family was overwhelmed by the defendants' absence of remorse and distressed by the manner in which the body was discarded. Vial's sentence was backdated to July 14, 2023, and Burns' to August 29, 2023.
Former Dundalk FC chief operations officer Martin Connolly now works shifts in a factory after his dismissal from the club last year. Connolly alleged that former owner Brian Ainscough did not conduct due diligence before taking over the club in November 2023, a deal that lasted only two weeks. He claims the dismissal was unfair, citing a brief conversation on 26 February 2024 where he was told to leave and that he was not given a notice period. Connolly was paid until May 2024 under a clause for three months' pay in lieu of notice, but he says he was not informed in writing. He applied for several jobs before taking a temporary factory role at Amgen in September 2024, earning just under €43,000 a year. The Workplace Relations Commission heard evidence of his loss of earnings and the dispute over the club's liability for those losses. The tribunal will decide in due course.
David O'Callaghan, 41, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ramming a rear gate of Leinster House on 2 August. Judge Martin Nolan set a sentence date of 10 April and remanded O'Callaghan on continuing bail until that date. The court noted that he may be required to enter pleas to further counts on the sentencing date.
Rachel Redmond, 34, from Coolock, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for two counts of knowingly or believing that Wayne Cooney committed murder and then acting to impede his apprehension or prosecution. The prosecution alleges that on 22 May 2019, after Jordan Davis was shot dead in a cold‑blooded execution while pushing his infant son in a pram, Redmond drove a vehicle with witness Stacey Hayes, picked up Cooney, and later checked him into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport using her name and credit card. The prosecution claims these actions were intended to help Cooney evade prosecution. Redmond pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury, with an expected duration of three weeks.
Oisin Peavoy, 39, of Granby Row, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of production of a weapon at Parnell Square and Gardiner Street Upper on 28 May 2024. He was found to have wielded a knife in front of two separate busloads of school children, one near a creche and the other en route to Dublin Zoo. Peavoy, who has no prior convictions and is diagnosed with schizophrenia, was arrested at 10:00 am and remanded before being transferred to the Central Mental Hospital. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years for two years, and imposed 18 months of post‑release supervision by Probation Services. The sentence was back‑dated to 28 May 2024. The court noted Peavoy's mental health difficulties and his non‑compliance with medication at the time of the incidents. The victim impact statement from the creche worker was not read out.
A Moldovan national has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison following his conviction for drug trafficking at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Stefan Copiimulti, aged 42 and residing in Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine worth €1.12 million with intent to supply on 19 June 2023. Gardaí stopped a Hyundai vehicle at The Ward, Finglas, after conducting surveillance based on confidential information. Officers discovered the cocaine concealed within a hidden compartment located near the vehicle's radio console, operated by electronic fobs. Copiimulti provided false accounts regarding how he came to be driving the car, which CCTV footage and subsequent investigation contradicted. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged mitigating factors including the defendant's early guilty plea, full cooperation with gardaí, absence of prior convictions, and work history. The judge departed from the mandatory ten-year minimum sentence on these grounds. The sentence was backdated to June 2023.
In a murder trial, a 37‑year‑old man from Rathmore, Athboy, Co. Meath, pleaded not guilty to the killing of his 26‑year‑old partner, Larisa Serban, on or about 12 August 2022. He told Gardaí that he might have stabbed her with a very sharp kitchen knife, but he could not say how deep the wound was. Gardaí reported that the stab wound to Serban's chest was 12 cm deep, penetrating the rib and left lung, and that defensive wounds were present on her hands, forearms, arms and legs. The State argued that the victim could not have inflicted the wound herself. The jury heard the accused's statements, the pathologist's report, and the Garda interview footage, and the trial will continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury.
Colin Brady, a 35-year-old man from Kilcloon, Co Meath, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of exposure in a public area, and recording videos of another without their knowledge or consent. The offences occurred between May 2021 and September 2022 at various locations in Dublin, including pubs, shopping centres, petrol stations, and his workplace. Detective Garda Kevin Bold stated that Brady was detained after being observed suspiciously in a Tallaght pub toilet, leading to the seizure of two mobile phones and other digital media. Analysis revealed 1,355 videos on SD cards, including footage of men using urinals and 25 videos depicting children. The court heard that seven men were identified in the recordings, one of whom was an off-duty garda. Defence counsel Geraldine Small SC highlighted Brady's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, and engagement with counselling. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as unusual and noted the prolonged and repeated nature of the behaviour. While the judge inferred the intent was to video men and children were recorded by accident, he noted Brady did not delete the footage. Having considered the mitigation and Brady's personal circumstances, the judge imposed a two-year prison sentence.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Wilkin at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned majority verdicts of ten to two against each accused. Wilkin's body was discovered in the sea below Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal on June 25, 2023, eight days after his death. The trial heard that Wilkin suffered at least two depressed fractures to the head before being thrown from the cliff. DNA evidence linked blood and hair found on a rock at the cliff top to the victim. Both accused blamed the other for the assault, but the prosecution argued they acted in joint enterprise to cause serious harm. Vial, aged 39 from Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23 from Carrick, had pleaded not guilty. Both will receive the mandatory life sentence at a sentencing hearing, where the victim's family will make statements to the court.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court found Christopher O'Grady, 33, guilty of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist on New Year's Eve 2019 in Dublin's Castle area. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to consent, was led by O'Grady to a car‑park area where the assault occurred. She described the assault as forceful and non‑consensual, noting a lack of memory and physical pain. O'Grady was homeless at the time and remains in custody. The trial also considered a separate sexual encounter the victim had with another man that night, but the jury's verdict focused solely on the charge against O'Grady. The case is scheduled for sentencing on 19 June. The court heard CCTV footage of the assault and the victim's subsequent medical examination. The prosecution highlighted the victim's honest account and urged a guilty verdict. The defense questioned the similarity of the two encounters and the victim's capacity to consent.
A civil servant, Declan Cosgrave, has lost his challenge to his dismissal from the Department of Foreign Affairs following a data breach and the discovery of an unauthorised computer in the basement of the Passport Office in Dublin in 2022. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld the Department's decision to sack him, citing sustained unauthorized access to the restricted passport database. Cosgrave, who had worked for the State for 37 years, denied deliberately breaching the secure access system. The State argued that his explanations for the logins were not credible and that he had accessed the database over a prolonged period, violating IT policies. The tribunal found that the Department had followed fair procedures and that dismissal was a reasonable response. The data breach was uncovered after an unauthorized computer was found in the basement, leading to an investigation that revealed the use of compromised credentials to access the database.
In a High Court hearing on 6 March 2025, Mr Justice Alex Owens awarded legal costs to Ms Nikita Hand's counsel after Conor McGregor was found civilly liable for her rape. Owens described McGregor as "the author of his own misfortune" for reposting online comments that suggested the CCTV footage used at the trial might be shared. The judge noted McGregor had sworn he had not disseminated the footage, had deleted it, and had complied with court orders to destroy or return all case materials. Owens ordered McGregor to destroy or return all materials in his possession and to swear an affidavit confirming the deletion of all copies. The costs order was deemed inevitable, and a stay was placed pending McGregor's appeal of the jury's verdict. The jury had awarded €248,000 in damages to Ms Hand.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns were convicted of murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. The court found that the pair killed 66-year-old Robert Wilkin and disposed of his body by throwing it off Sliabh Liag, Ireland's tallest cliffs. Following their convictions, Vial and Burns face the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder. The prosecution alleged that the defendants struck Wilkin with a rock, stole his cash and personal items, and fabricated a story claiming he had sexually assaulted Burns. Vial testified in his own defence, alleging Wilkin attacked him first, but the jury rejected his account. The State Pathologist testified that the blows to Wilkin's head would not have caused instant death, contradicting Vial's claims. The court noted Vial's history of offending and his attempts to destroy evidence, including washing blood from his hands at Teelin Pier. The matter was finalised with the mandatory life sentences imposed on both defendants.
Keith Farrell, a 50‑year‑old former DJ from Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material. He was found with 2,868 images in deleted files on a MacBook, including 1,300 sexual images and 458 depicting child exposure. The court noted no aggravating factors such as prior convictions or distribution. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence on strict conditions, following higher court advice that non‑custodial options are appropriate when no aggravating factors exist. Farrell cooperated during the search, provided passwords, and admitted the offences. He has no previous convictions, is not currently employed due to health issues, and is receiving social welfare. The case was investigated after a referral to Gardaí and involved Google's infrastructure in May 2021. The court considered his personal circumstances, including a difficult upbringing, substance use, and caregiving responsibilities. The sentence is suspended, with no custodial term imposed.
In a High Court decision on 5 March 2025, Bank of Ireland was ordered to pay a €350,000 settlement to a woman and her partner after the bank's data was allegedly released to the woman's estranged father. The father used the confidential transaction data to locate the couple abroad and stalk them, causing psychological trauma. The woman claimed a breach of duty, privacy and confidence, while the bank denied any breach and made no admission of how the data reached the father. The settlement, reached without admission of liability, allocates €275,000 to the woman and €75,000 to her partner. The court also awarded the plaintiffs costs up to 9 October 2023, and noted that cases against the father and his firm could be struck out without costs. The settlement reflects the bank's acknowledgment of falling short of expected standards.
In a High Court hearing on 5 March 2025, Mark Keane, a former Limerick hurler aged 43, presented a personal injury claim against Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Ireland) for an incident at their Plassey plant in September 2018. Keane, who was working as a technician making contact lenses, alleges the company was negligent and breached its duty of care, failing to provide a safe place and system of work. He claims the incident caused nerve damage and injury to his right hand, and seeks damages for sustained, continuous and severe personal injury, loss, damage, inconvenience and expense. Johnson & Johnson accepted responsibility for the hand injury but not for a shoulder injury. Keane's wife, Karen, testified that the accident has profoundly altered his mental and physical state, affecting their marriage, family life and his mental health.
An electrical engineering company, John Fletcher Ltd, was fined €400,000 after a father of four, Alan Mulhall, died when a 760‑kg low‑voltage switchgear fell on his head during a manual move at St Patrick's Hospital. The company pleaded guilty to failing to discharge employer duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, and to failing to take organisational measures to avoid manual handling. The incident occurred on 23 November 2017 when the switchgear was transported from a trailer to the hospital plant room over uneven ground and manually lifted into a 2‑m high door. The switchgear tipped and struck Mulhall, causing fatal head injuries. The court found the plan to move the equipment "totally misconceived" and imposed the fine on the company and a €5,000 fine on director David Fletcher. The company had no prior convictions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 37‑year‑old man named Daniel Blanaru, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 26‑year‑old partner Larisa Serban, told Gardaí that it was possible he had put a knife into her body during a pushing and shoving argument. Blanaru, from Rathmore, Athboy, claimed that after an argument in their Co Meath home, Larisa had a knife in her hand and that he had taken it from her. He said the knife was already in his hand when he turned with her and that it was "possible" he had put it into her body, indicating the left side near the heart. He said he struck her once when trying to take the knife away. Gardaí questioned him about his reaction to her being stabbed and his subsequent taking of cocaine, to which he replied that he had taken the cocaine before the knife was in her chest.
Philip Crowley, 33, of Lein Park, Raheny, was sentenced to three years in prison with the final 16 months suspended on strict conditions after pleading guilty to assault causing harm for stabbing a man twice in the back of his head. The incident occurred on 22 October 2021 when the victim was walking his seven‑month‑old baby and encountered Crowley, who had just exited a taxi. A tussle ensued, and after the victim left the house, Crowley pursued him, striking him with a knife. The victim required stitches for two wounds and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Crowley had previously been convicted 12 times for drug possession and traffic offences. He offered apologies to the victim and the Gardaí, wrote a letter of apology, and paid €5,000 to the victim. The court accepted his remorse and noted his supportive family and former sporting background.
Kieran O'Leary, a Bord Gáis service engineer earning over €60,000 a year, was dismissed in January 2024 after the company alleged he offered side‑work to customers, breaching a competition clause. He claims no cash was ever received from a complainant and that all work was performed under company procedures. O'Leary presented evidence of a grommet he installed in February 2023 and a circuit board part he fitted in March 2023, arguing these were legitimate repairs. He says the complaints were handled informally by his line manager and that the investigation was paused while he was on sick leave. The WRC hearing ended with cross‑examination of O'Leary and the HR manager, and a decision is pending. O'Leary has filed an unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has sought clarification on the legal definition of joint enterprise whilst deliberating in the trial of two Donegal residents accused of murder. Alan Vial, aged 39, from Drumanoo Head, and Nikita Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, are charged with murdering a 66-year-old man whose body was disposed of at Sliabh Liag in June 2023. Both defendants deny the charge and have each accused the other of committing the fatal act. The prosecution contends that both participated in a joint enterprise to cause serious injury. Mr Justice Paul McDermott instructed the jury that mere presence at a crime scene does not constitute participation, and that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that each accused assisted in the killing with intent to kill or cause serious harm. The jury also examined bloodstained clothing belonging to Ms Burns, with defence counsel suggesting an alternative explanation for the presence of DNA evidence. Deliberations are ongoing.
A 38‑year‑old man named Lucky Enogheghase, who lives at Frenchville Lane, Galway, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for conspiracy to commit human trafficking. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and the court considered two additional counts when determining the sentence. Enogheghase helped three Nigerian women travel from Nigeria to Ireland, where they were forced into prostitution by third parties already dealt with by the courts. He assisted with travel, accommodation and onward movement, but the investigation could not establish his exact role within the trafficking organisation or any reward he might have received. Enogheghase was arrested in November 2022, had no prior convictions, and was found to be cooperative during the investigation. The judge, citing recklessness for not knowing the women's fate, imposed the sentence and backdated it to his arrest.
A 45‑year‑old man, who was 40 when he first began sexual activity with a 16‑year‑old girl, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. The court heard that the offences took place between April and June 2020, during the Covid‑19 lockdown, and that the man had repeatedly defiled the girl, who believed they were in a genuine relationship. He pleaded guilty to three counts of defilement. The court noted the man had no prior convictions and that the pandemic created unusual circumstances. The judge described the repeated nature of the offending as aggravating and imposed a custodial term, concluding the man deserved imprisonment. The sentence was not suspended, and no further custodial period was specified beyond the two‑year term. The case ended with the man's guilty plea and acceptance of wrongdoing.
In a Dublin rape trial, the State presented a 33‑year‑old Louth defendant who is accused of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish student on New Year's Eve. The prosecution argued that the defendant led the woman into a quiet area in a menacing and predatory manner, that she was heavily intoxicated and unable to consent, and that CCTV footage showed the pair meeting at a shop after she had vomited and then walking to a car park where the alleged rape occurred. The defence counsel highlighted "bizarre" elements, noting similarities between the woman's encounters with two men that night, and argued she was in full control of her faculties and capable of consenting. The jury was instructed to consider whether the woman could consent between 1.40 am and 2.17 am. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A former Limerick hurler, Mark Keane, aged 43, is pursuing a personal injuries claim against Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Ireland) for a workplace accident that occurred on 10 September 2018 at the company's plant in the National Technological Park, Plassey, County Limerick. Keane alleges the company was negligent and breached its duty of care while he was working as a technician making contact lenses, resulting in a frozen shoulder and damage to his hand. He has undergone surgery and has been in pain, describing the injuries as "emasculated and mentally destroyed." The High Court heard that the case has already seen three days of evidence. Mr. Keane's lawyers, HOMS Assist, argue the incident caused sustained, continuous and severe personal injury, loss, damage, inconvenience and expense. Johnson & Johnson's counsel, Murray Johnson SC, accepted responsibility for the nerve damage and hand injury but denied liability for the shoulder injury.
Vasile Manole, 46, and Daniella Voroneanu, 42, were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a savage knife attack on an innocent man sleeping in a tent on Tara Street, Dublin, in April 2024. Manole, a convicted rapist with prior violent offences, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm. Judge Martin Nolan described the unprovoked attack as "extremely savage" and "reprehensible," noting the victim lost sight in one eye and required 190 stitches. Manole was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. Voroneanu, who initially faced a charge of assault causing serious harm, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault causing harm after discussions between her defence and the prosecution. The court accepted she likely did not expect the viciousness of the assault but had encouraged Manole to act. She was sentenced to three years. Both defendants were intoxicated at arrest, suspending their detention periods for six hours. The judge backdated both sentences to the date they went into custody. The matter was finalised with these sentences imposed.
Dylan Deegan (26) and Evan Campbell (26) were jailed for 33 months after pleading guilty to importing €80,000 worth of cannabis into Ireland at Dublin Port on 26 November 2022. Deegan, from Oldtown Avenue, Santry, had 65 prior convictions, mainly minor offences and a previous drug offence, and said he transported the drugs to reduce a €7,000–€12,000 debt caused by his addiction. Campbell, from Beauvale Park, Artane, had 35 prior convictions, including drug‑dealing, and claimed a €5,000 debt would be cleared by the transport. Judge Martin Nolan noted that both men were "authors of their own misfortune" and had been exploited by third parties who took advantage of their vulnerable situations. The men were caught "red‑handed" at Dublin Port after disembarking from a ferry from Holyhead, where eight vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis were found hidden in the car doors.
In a Rathmore murder case, Daniel Blanaru, 37, denied killing his partner Larisa Serban, 26, who died from stab wounds. During an August 2022 interview at Ashbourne Garda Station, Blanaru claimed that Serban had a knife in her bag to protect herself and that she had approached him with it during an argument. He said the knife accidentally struck her as he turned, and that she had been upset. Blanaru also admitted to pushing and hitting Serban, and to being drunk and smoking that night. He stated he could not remember the exact time he left the house and that he had called his brother to check on a party. The Central Criminal Court heard this testimony and video footage, and the trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon.
A jury has begun deliberations in the Central Criminal Court in the murder trial of two Co Donegal residents. Alan Vial, aged 39, from Drumanoo Head in Killybegs, and Nikita Burns, aged 23, from Carrick, have each pleaded not guilty to the murder of Robert Robin Wilkin on 25 June 2023. The 66-year-old's body was discovered at Sliabh Liag. The prosecution alleges both accused engaged in a joint enterprise to cause serious harm to Mr Wilkin. However, each has accused the other of striking the fatal blow with a rock. Mr Justice Paul McDermott charged the jury that if they find either accused not guilty of murder, they may consider an alternative verdict of impeding the prosecution of their co-accused. The jury of seven women and five men spent approximately two hours deliberating before adjourning. They will resume consideration of their verdict tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a woman and her husband were forced to sell their house and relocate after a drugs offender, Graham Potts, harassed them for a supposed cocaine debt owed by their son. Potts, who had a drug debt himself, repeatedly called the couple's home, demanded €3,000, then €6,000, and later €7,000, threatening property damage and claiming the debt was for cocaine. He visited the house, demanded payment, and threatened to call the son's workplace if the son did not comply. The woman reported the harassment to Gardaí, who confirmed no money was extracted and that Potts had no concealed identity or gang links. Potts, with 41 prior convictions, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with no backdating of the sentence. The victim impact report noted the family's sale of their home and move away from South Dublin.
The Central Criminal Court saw the trial of a woman, her brother and another man accused of sexually assaulting and raping the woman's daughter collapse. Justice Melanie Greally announced that developments during the proceedings led her to conclude that the case should be concluded immediately and heard by a different jury on a new date. She explained that this decision was not taken lightly, citing the impact on the complainant and the court's duty to ensure a fair trial. The three accused, all residing in the west of Ireland, are entitled to anonymity. The complainant's mother had pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of sexual assault and one count of rape, alleging repeated assaults on her daughter between 2000 and 2009, again between 2012 and 2014, and during a family holiday in 2001. The mother's testimony also described an incident where the daughter was taken to her uncle's bedroom, where the uncle raped her while the mother watched.
During the trial, a family friend of the accused woman, who described herself as an "honorary aunt" to the complainant, testified that she was surprised when the complainant told a counsellor that she and her sister were "brainwashing" and exerting "coercive control" over the complainant. The witness said she had spent time in the accused's home as a teenager, describing a household with no boundaries, many rules, and heavy alcohol consumption. She confirmed that the complainant had lived with her and her sister as an older teenager and that the environment was "toxic" and "unbearable." The witness also stated that she had encouraged the complainant to seek counselling and that she and her sister had no knowledge of any allegations against the complainant's mother at that time. The trial is proceeding before Justice Melanie Greally and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 41‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for coercive control and assault against his partner. He had forced her to keep a doorbell camera on her at all times, monitored her movements, isolated her from family, and restricted her access to a phone and welfare payments. He also installed a house alarm but withheld the code, locked doors, and used a Ring doorbell to demand she answer instantly and show her hands. The victim's impact statement described daily beatings, injuries sustained in Dublin, Co Clare, Scotland, and Spain, and a fractured finger when she tried to protect herself. She had two children with him, a miscarriage, and a fourth pregnancy during which he assaulted her. The court noted the man's drug use and that he was now drug‑free. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to five years, citing repeated physical and verbal violence, control, and humiliation. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded guilty.
Cian Smullen, 30, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, at the Central Criminal Court for coercive control, false imprisonment, burglary, criminal damage and threats to cause criminal damage. He had repeatedly attacked his former partner, threatened to plant drugs in her home to have Tusla take her child, and tried to break into her house with an axe and screwdriver. The victim described ongoing abuse, bruises, a black eye, and fear of losing her daughter. Smullen pleaded guilty in November and admitted to a long history of cocaine and alcohol use. The judge noted his high risk of re‑offending, limited remorse, and the need for post‑release intervention, while acknowledging his claim of turning his life around. The sentence was back‑dated to November for time already spent in custody.
A Jordanian man, Saif Waleed Al Hindawi, was jailed for three and a half years after a violent sexual assault on a woman in South Dublin. The victim was bitten on the mouth and forced to the ground, suffering injuries that required hospital treatment and ongoing medical care. Al Hindawi, who had no fixed abode, falsely claimed to be a Syrian asylum seeker and denied any sexual conduct. He also refused a disease test, delaying the victim's knowledge of potential infection. The court heard the victim's impact statement, detailing PTSD, loss of confidence, and ongoing medication. Al Hindawi pleaded guilty to sexual assault on 23 May 2024. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years, noting possible deportation after release. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
A man accused of murdering his partner at their County Meath home in August 2022 told gardaí during interview that he pushed and hit her following a dispute over a gathering at their residence, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Daniel Blanaru, aged 37, from Rathboy, Athboy, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Larisa Serban, aged 26, on or about 12 August 2022. During his first interview at Ashbourne Garda Station on 12 August 2022, Mr Blanaru stated through an interpreter that he discovered his partner hosting a party with her brother and another man when he returned home from Navan. He described an altercation in which physical contact occurred, claiming the other man intervened. Mr Blanaru told detectives he subsequently travelled to Drogheda and contacted gardaí, learning thereafter that Ms Serban had died. The trial, before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of fifteen, continues.
A solicitor for Fadeside Ltd, a subsidiary of the Connacht Hospitality Group, told the Workplace Relations Commission that it was a substantial stretch for a manager who was dismissed 11 days after a miscarriage to claim protection under maternity law. The company's lawyer, Pat Mullins, argued that at the time of dismissal the employee was not pregnant and that the law's 12‑month service requirement could not be waived for a miscarriage. He said the dismissal was performance‑related and that the employee's pregnancy had not been disclosed. The employee's counsel, Ian FitzHarris, contended that the manager had not realized she was pregnant, had returned to work after a brief sick leave, and was dismissed within five days. The tribunal heard legal submissions but did not proceed to evidence, and the matter was adjourned for further submissions by 18 March.
Christopher Doyle, a 34‑year‑old aircraft technician at Dublin Aerospace Ltd, was suspended from his airport identity card after a failed security intelligence check in November 2024. He claims the check was linked to a video he recorded in December 2023, in which another employee praised Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch during the 2024 General Election. Doyle says he shared the clip privately via WhatsApp but did not post it publicly; the video later appeared on Instagram, X and TikTok. He has no criminal convictions and asserts no family or associates have links to criminality. Doyle appealed the suspension on December 5, 2024, but received no reasons for the failure and was placed on unpaid leave. He is seeking a judicial review and a mandamus order to compel the Dublin Airport Authority, the Minister for Justice and Garda Síochána to complete his appeal. The High Court has adjourned the case to April 1, 2025, after refusing an ex‑parte hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Peter Doyle, aged 68, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for indecent assault and rape of two girls aged six to nine between 1977 and 1991. The victims, who wish to remain anonymous, recounted how they were ignored when they tried to alert adults, with one told the abuser was "just experimenting." Doyle pleaded guilty to all charges. The judge, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, set a headline sentence of 15 years but, citing mitigating factors such as Doyle's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, good work history and remorse, imposed consecutive sentences totalling eight years. The court noted the deep and lasting harm suffered by the victims and the breach of trust involved. The case was classified as "more serious" by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Joseph Collins, 27, of Avila Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty to robbery at Boyles Sports on 27 November 2023. He held a Stanley blade near the cashier's face, demanded €280, and left before closing. CCTV identified him; he was arrested and charged. Collins has ten prior convictions and a history of alcohol and drug abuse, having completed residential rehabilitation at Coolmine Treatment Centre. He expressed deep shame and a willingness to work, supported by family and Probation Services. Judge Orla Crowe acknowledged the seriousness of the offence and the victim's frightening experience, but noted Collins' rehabilitation efforts. She imposed a custodial sentence of three years, suspended the final 18 months, and ordered structured release with strict conditions, including two years of Probation Service engagement. The court considered Collins' lack of violence history and his commitment to rehabilitation.
Diarmuid Phelan, a law lecturer and barrister, was acquitted of murder after a 10‑week trial that concluded on 3 January 2025. The case involved a shooting at Hazelgrove Farm, Tallaght, where Phelan fired three shots at trespassers on his land. The third shot struck Keith Conlon in the head, killing him. Phelan claimed the fatal shot was accidental and that he acted in self‑defence. A jury found him not guilty. Following the trial, Michael Bowman SC, one of Phelan's senior counsel, requested that the court decide whether the State should pay Phelan's legal costs. The matter will be heard by Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford on 10 March. Phelan, who has assets in the millions, was represented by two senior and two junior counsel and did not receive legal aid. The case also involved expert witnesses who testified after the prosecution's case closed.
A 50-year-old woman, November Phelan, was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final year suspended for a period of three years, on the condition that she remain under the supervision of the probation services and engage with counselling and addiction services. The sentence was passed by Mr Justice Paul Burns at the Central Criminal Court following a validated procedural stage of sentence. Phelan had pleaded guilty to manslaughter when she was arraigned before the court. The court heard that Phelan had been in a relationship with the deceased, David Ennis, and that both had significant problems involving long-term substance abuse. Mr Justice Burns noted that Phelan had acted in self-defence in response to an anticipated attack from Ennis. The judge acknowledged Phelan's guilty plea, her expression of remorse, and her long-term struggle with drug addiction and depression. The matter was not adjourned and was finalised with the sentence being backdated to October 27, 2023, when Phelan went into custody.
Gardai hacked into the phone of Stephen Mooney (52), who had been accused of stabbing his wife, Anna Mooney (46), to death on 15 June 2023 at their home on Kilbarrack Road, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5. The Central Criminal Court heard that the phone, seized at the crime scene, was initially inaccessible due to a missing pin code or password. However, an update to the Cellebrite software used by Gardai allowed the phone to be unlocked without a password. Once unlocked, the phone contained video and audio footage of the minutes leading up to the fatal incident and the incident itself. The new evidence prompted the prosecution to inform the court of a "significant development." Mooney pleaded guilty to the single charge of murder, faces a mandatory life sentence, and remains in custody while a sentencing date is set for 18 June. The court adjourned sentencing to allow the victim's family to make statements.
In a trial in the West of Ireland, a rape complainant testified that she has a clear recollection of her mother and uncle having sex when she was a child. She said she was 11 years old when the uncle allegedly had sexual intercourse with her, and she also recalled an incident with another man who was a friend of her former partner. The complainant's mother and uncle face a total of 21 counts of sexual assault and rape, alleged to have occurred between 2000 and 2014, mainly at a family home in the west. The uncle pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one of oral rape; the other man pleaded not guilty to one count of oral rape; the mother pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. The case is before Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.