In a Court of Appeal hearing, the lawyers for former Army Captain Ross O'Shea argued that his sexual assault of a female non‑commissioned officer was an aberration in a glittering 17‑year career and that his dismissal from the Defence Forces was a disproportionate punishment. O'Shea was convicted in October 2022 by a General Court Martial of sexually assaulting the officer at the Officer's Mess on 25 June 2020, moving his palms up and down her back and saying "come on, come on," and of assaulting her under Section 2 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The court imposed a six‑month custodial sentence suspended for one year and ordered his dismissal. O'Shea's appeal was dismissed in October 2023. The prosecution highlighted the disparity in rank, the victim's inability to defend herself due to military training, and the appellant's use of his rank to intimidate other officers. Ross O'Shea pleaded guilty.
The Minister for Justice announced a protocol to fast‑track rape and murder cases involving children, aiming to resolve them within one year. Seventeen agencies signed up, acknowledging that delays harm child victims and defendants. The protocol activates when a child under 18 reports rape or when a defendant under 18 is named in such an investigation. Courts will notify judges of protocol cases and, where practicable, expedite them. Expert reports, including psychological and psychiatric assessments, will be sought early. The Central Criminal Court will set a trial date within eight weeks of a case's first appearance, though complexity may extend this. The Director of Public Prosecutions must inform the court of pre‑trial applications within seven days, and lawyers must do so within 14 days. If a child is convicted, a sentencing hearing will occur within 28 days of the verdict, where practicable.
In a Dublin petrol station incident on 7 December 2023, 40‑year‑old Brian Cahill, who had no fixed abode, approached a driver filling petrol at Circle K on Usher's Quay and demanded €2. After the driver refused, Cahill and an accomplice began an assault that included punches, kicks and the use of an empty gas canister. The victim was struck on the body and legs, sustaining a broken nose, bruising and swelling. CCTV footage showed Cahill swinging the canister while the victim tried to escape. Cahill pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and possession of an article. He was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment, with credit for time already served. The sentence reflected the unprovoked nature of the attack, the aggravating use of the canister and Cahill's extensive criminal record. The court noted his early guilty plea and personal circumstances as mitigating factors.
Dean Carr, 25, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for defiling a 14‑year‑old girl he met on Instagram and took to a Dublin hotel. He pleaded guilty to meeting a child under 17 for the purpose of a sex act and to sending sexually explicit material to her on Instagram. The court heard that Carr had paid for the girl's train ticket and a hotel room, and that CCTV and Instagram messages confirmed he knew she was underage. He had no prior convictions and had been working in retail. Carr accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty, and the judge noted his remorse and the mitigating factors of his guilty plea and lack of previous offences. The judge also remarked that Carr's actions were pre‑meditated and reprehensible. The sentence was imposed after a hearing that considered Carr's high risk of re‑offending, which could be reduced with therapeutic intervention.
The High Court has placed a stay on the extradition of a 66-year-old man from Arva, Co Cavan, who is wanted in Northern Ireland for the murder of a part-time Ulster Defence Regiment member in 1979. James Donegan faces charges relating to the death of Joseph James Porter at Mountnorris, Co Armagh, in June of that year. He is also charged with firearm and ammunition offences and membership of a proscribed organisation. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath had previously ordered Mr Donegan's surrender to UK authorities, but has now granted a stay to permit an appeal of the extradition decision. Mr Donegan was arrested at Dublin Airport in June following his return from holiday. He has maintained his innocence. The Northern Ireland authorities issued the extradition warrant following a post-mortem examination that established Mr Porter died of gunshot wounds.
Tyler "Tiggy" Jackson, a 27‑year‑old from Ballydaheen West, Mallow, was convicted of murdering 24‑year‑old Conor Quinn on 12 July 2018 and sentenced to a mandatory life term by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon in October 2023. Jackson fled to the UK after the stabbing, was located in Cambridge, and returned to Ireland on a European arrest warrant in February 2022. He appealed in October 2023, arguing that the trial judge erred by admitting a statement from 16‑year‑old witness Christina Kearney, taken three days after Quinn's death, and that a jury should have been discharged after a civilian witness suggested Jackson had assaulted him. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds, holding that the judge had correctly assessed the admissibility of the statement and that no error justified interfering with the jury's findings. Jackson's appeal was rejected, leaving his conviction and life sentence intact.
Sous chef Piotr Fraszczyk, who had worked at Shanahan's on the Green in Dublin since November 2010, told the Workplace Relations Commission that he had not received payment for his notice period, outstanding holiday entitlements or his final week of work. He said the restaurant had closed in October 2024 and that he had been placed on layoff before applying for statutory redundancy. Fraszczyk claimed the redundancy process was initiated by an accountant who acted on behalf of all employees, and that the company had sent a letter on 13 October stating the restaurant had "ceased trading temporarily." He also said he had only taken ten days of holiday in the 2024 leave year and that his last week's wages, about €750, were unpaid.
The High Court ordered the extradition of Richard Curtin, 57, who confessed to setting a fire that killed his roommate 20 years after the offence. Curtin, who had been sentenced to ten years in prison in 2018 for manslaughter, had been released on licence and moved to Ireland. He argued that extradition would breach his rights under the European Convention and the European Charter on Fundamental Rights, claiming that returning to the UK would expose him to ill‑treatment and that preventing his move to Ireland violated his right to travel. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath rejected these arguments, stating that Curtin had not shown a generalised risk of ill‑treatment and that the restriction on his travel was a logical consequence of his licence release. The court postponed the surrender order to allow Curtin to serve the remainder of his sentence, which ends on 6 May.
Margaret Doran (36), from Kimmage in Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a false registration certificate for a caravan on 15 October 2019 at the Ranch House in Saggart, Dublin. Gardaí discovered the caravan's Vehicle Identification Number had been partially ground down during a search of the premises where Doran was renting a parking space. She produced a false logbook when questioned. The caravan, valued at €25,000, was seized. Doran stated she had exchanged her own caravan and paid money to a man in Sligo whose identity gardaí could not verify. The court heard she became homeless following seizure of the caravan. Judge Martin Nolan noted her guilty plea, absence of previous convictions, and personal tragedies, including the death of her husband. He determined that imprisonment was inappropriate and found her unlikely to reoffend. Doran received a two-year prison sentence, suspended in full.
Graham Doherty, a barber from St John's Crescent, Clondalkin, was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment on his 34th birthday after pleading guilty to possessing 40.34 kg of cocaine for sale or supply on 9 July 2024. The drugs, worth €2,823,000, were seized following a search warrant issued after a reliable report of suspicious activity. Garda Charles McPartland described Doherty as a well‑respected barber who had fallen on hard times and accrued a drug debt, making him vulnerable. Gardaí found 28 kg of cocaine in a suitcase, seven in a SuperValu bag, one loose, and further bricks in a kitchen oven. During the seizure Doherty admitted responsibility, saying, "I'm going to get a degree inside." Judge Martin Nolan noted Doherty's good work history and the lack of evidence he was the owner or would benefit greatly, but acknowledged his role in a serious drug‑dealing enterprise.
James Ajibola, a migrant security guard in Dublin, claimed that BGS Security Ltd (BGSS) hired him and paid him no wages for work in July, August and September 2024. He said he was forced to borrow and beg to meet basic needs. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found the company had hired him and not paid any wages, describing the situation as "egregious". An adjudicator gave the firm six weeks to pay the outstanding €3,337.47. Ajibola had previously resigned on 10 September 2024 and had not received any payment despite payslips indicating wages had been recorded. The WRC upheld his complaint and ordered the firm to pay the amount "without delay". The case follows a similar finding against BGSS in November 2024 for unpaid wages to another former employee.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 20 February 2025, Raul‑Cosmin Tache, the brother‑in‑law of Daniel Blanaru, gave evidence about statements he made to Gardaí on 12 and 16 August 2022. Tache confirmed that he had recorded Blanaru's claims that the accused had "beat her" and "cut her with a knife" and that he had been "desperate and crying" when he arrived at the house. Tache also stated that Blanaru said he had "beat up his wife" and was unsure whether he had killed her. Tache admitted he could not recall all the words spoken at the time, citing stress and panic, but acknowledged the statements were written down. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, continues with an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Brian McHugh, 40, allegedly tried to sell jewellery linked to Lisa Thompson, 52, to a cashier at an Applegreen service station in Swords on the night of Thompson's murder. The cashier, Staven Kadar, described McHugh as having dove tattoos, a sinister vibe, and offering a gem‑ring and other bands for €800, claiming they were worth €3,000. CCTV showed a Hyundai Tucson driven by a woman and McHugh into the station at 3:04 am on 9 May 2022. Garda searches recovered Thompson's house keys and medication from the wasteland beside the station, and jewellery from McHugh's bedroom. McHugh pleaded not guilty to Thompson's murder. The trial focused on these alleged attempts to sell the jewellery and the recovered items.
Michael Scott, a 60‑year‑old farmer from Gortanumera, Portumna, was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence after he drove an agricultural teleporter over his 76‑year‑old aunt, Chrissie Treacy, on 27 April 2018. The trial judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, imposed a headline sentence of eight years, later reduced to six years after mitigating factors. Scott's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, argued the sentence was too high, citing the defendant's "blemish‑free" life and the circumstances of the incident. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Dean Kelly SC, defended the judge's discretion, noting the jury's finding that Scott's blind reversal for ten seconds across the yard posed a high risk to his aunt. The case was distinguished from dangerous driving causing death, and the judge highlighted Scott's lack of remorse at the time, though recent remorse was acknowledged. The appeal is pending. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
In a hearing at the Central Criminal Court, 70‑year‑old Zbigniew Bednarczyk was found guilty of manslaughter after fatally stabbing his 36‑year‑old son, Rafal Bednarczyk Jacyna, in the leg on 27 February 2023. Bednarczyk had originally been charged with murder but entered a plea to manslaughter, which the State accepted. The court heard that Rafal had serious mental health problems and had been admitted to hospital; Bednarczyk claimed he was trying to ensure his son took his medication, saying that if the son did not take it he would "go crazy". A witness described a physical altercation in which Bednarczyk allegedly pushed and kicked his son, who then struck him with a knife. The wound was a 11‑cm puncture that severed the femoral artery, causing hypovolemic shock. Bednarczyk's mother, Beata Przybylska‑Block, gave a victim impact statement describing the devastating effect on her life.
In a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Romanian man Cristian Topiter, aged 39, was jailed for six years for setting fire to St Michan's Church crypt, destroying two mummified bodies and damaging others, including an 800‑year‑old "Crusader". The court heard that Topiter had been deported from Northern Ireland six years earlier after a prior arson conviction that caused €300,000 of damage. He also has convictions for drug possession, burglary, theft and assault. Archdeacon David Pierpoint described the fire as an act of desecration and sacrilege, noting the loss of irreplaceable relics and the financial impact on the parish. Topiter pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and cited intoxication and mental health difficulties as factors. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the six‑year sentence, back‑dating it to the day of his arrest, and highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the aggravating prior conviction.
In a High Court hearing on 20 February 2025, the case concerning the closure of a historic Franciscan church in Clonmel was struck out after the Abbey House Prayer Group ended its illegal sit‑in. The group had occupied the Friary Church since New Year's Eve 2024, protesting the Franciscan Order's decision to close the 13th‑century building. The prayer group had previously been allowed temporary use of the church under a May 2023 agreement. Mr Justice Brian Cregan had sought an undertaking from Patrick O'Gorman, the group's chairman, that the sit‑in would cease. O'Gorman confirmed the group would vacate the church by midnight 23 January, acknowledging the protest was illegal. After receiving this undertaking, the judge struck out the case without further orders, recognising the church's imminent closure as a "devastating loss" to the prayer group.
The High Court on 20 February 2025 appointed provisional liquidators to New Look Retailers (Ireland) Limited, the Irish arm of the clothing retailer New Look, after the company was found to be heavily insolvent with debts of €17.7 million. The court heard that the Irish branch, which opened in 2003, employs 347 people across 26 stores, 32 of whom are full‑time, and that it had been losing money for the last four years. Mr Justice Brian Cregan was told that the UK parent company had withdrawn financial support and that the Irish branch had a liability of €15.6 million to New Look (UK) Ltd. Barrister John Lavelle explained that the company had sought an examiner in 2020, faced resistance from landlords, and eventually agreed to rent reductions for most stores. The court approved the appointment of Shane McCarthy and Cormac O'Connor of KPMG Ireland as provisional liquidators and adjourned the matter to the next month.
In the Court of Appeal, Dean Byrne, aged 31, claimed he had a "benign" motive for attempting to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence in the trial of garda murderer Aaron Brady. Lawyers for Byrne argued that Byrne honestly believed Cahill would give false evidence and that his actions were not intended to pervert the course of justice. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Lorcan Staines SC, countered that Byrne's conduct was an attempt to pervert the course of justice, citing a recorded exchange in which Byrne insulted Cahill. The Court was asked to decide whether any attempt to persuade a witness not to give evidence constitutes an attempt to pervert the course of justice. Byrne's appeal concerns the conviction and two‑year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring with Brady to dissuade Cahill, a conviction that followed his earlier 18‑year sentence with four years suspended for a 2013 burglary.
Ian Church, an electrician at HPL Engineering Services, claimed constructive dismissal after his hourly rate of €33.03 was cut by €7 to €25.72. He said he had repeatedly asked for the pay issue to be resolved and that a supervisor had told him he could be replaced by an apprentice. Church walked off the National Children's Hospital site on 31 March 2023, stating he would not work for the reduced rate. He had not formally resigned but had communicated his intent to leave. The Workplace Relations Commission found that Church had made numerous enquiries about the pay issue and that HPL had taken weeks to address it. The tribunal awarded him €5,750 under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and dismissed further wage claims. The case remains at the constructive dismissal stage.
Christopher Byrne, 29, was on bail when he pushed an undercover journalist at an anti‑immigration protest at the former Crown Paints site in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to affray on 6 April 2024, assault on a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison in March 2023, criminal damage and unlawful use of a car in January 2023. Byrne has 75 prior convictions. The court sentenced him to a total of four years and nine months: 21 months for the affray, three years for the January 2023 offences, and a concurrent two‑year sentence for the prison‑officer assault. He was given credit for time already served. Byrne's defence highlighted his addiction issues, family support and work offers upon release. The judge noted his "terrible history of offending" but acknowledged his guilty pleas and cooperation. No victim impact statements were presented. The sentences are to run consecutively, with the affray sentence following the three‑year term.
The trial of Brian McHugh, aged 40, for the murder of Lisa Thompson, aged 52, continues. McHugh pleaded not guilty to the May 9, 2022 killing at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun. The jury heard that a gold Samsung Galaxy phone seized from McHugh's Cairn Court address on June 23, 2022 contained a deleted text thread from a named woman to McHugh's phone between June 18 and 19, 2022. The recovered messages, retrieved with Cellebrite, include statements such as "Murder Lisa n al", "I could of been like Lisa today strangle n stab", and "Move the knife did u". A second Apple iPhone was seized from the woman's home on May 13, 2022, holding a contact named "Brian". The jury also saw Facebook Messenger exchanges between accounts titled "Brian McHugh" and "Lisa Thompson" from April 14–15, 2022, and a WhatsApp message from Thompson's phone to a named man on May 9, 2022.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Daniel Blanaru, 37, accused of murdering his partner Larisa Serban, 26, his sister Simona Terezia Ciurar gave evidence. She stated that she does not remember her brother saying "I killed her" or "I put a knife in" the victim, despite earlier statements to Gardaí on 12 and 16 August 2022. Ciurar explained that she was crying and stressed when she made those statements and could not recall all the words. She confirmed that she had signed the statements and that she had called her brother Leon to check Serban's house after an argument. The jury heard that Ciurar's memory of the brother's words was uncertain, and the trial will continue tomorrow before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Harty, 51, was sentenced to five years in prison, with the final year suspended, for a seven‑month crime spree in which he stole about €20,000 worth of property from weddings and other social settings. He pleaded guilty to five counts, including four thefts and one unlawful use of a car, and was found to have committed the offences between 31 May 2023 and 1 January 2024 in various locations across Leinster, such as a hotel in Co Kildare, Brittas Bay in Co Wicklow and Dublin City Centre. The court heard that no property was recovered and that Harty's offences caused "great inconvenience" to his victims. He has a history of theft, burglary and traffic offences, and the judge noted his personal circumstances, including a brain injury and a background of neglect. Harty was directed to undergo one year of post‑release supervision by the Probation Services.
In a High Court hearing on 19 February 2025, Judge Alexander Owens confronted Celtic Tiger restaurateur Marcus Sweeney, 47, over his attempts to re‑enter a settled Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) case concerning EWM Property Holdings Ltd's acquisition of Co Meath land. Owens described Sweeney as "up to his oxters" for associating with organised crime figures and reiterated that the CAB had already settled the case. Sweeney insisted it was not settled, but the judge dismissed his submissions, stating he had no "hint nor hair" of what Sweeney sought. Owens warned that a duty guard would remove Sweeney for being a nuisance and that any new application would require proper affidavits and a notice of motion. Sweeney left the courtroom after the judge's refusal to entertain his claims. The judge had previously issued interlocutory orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 regarding the property.
Leona Erangey, a secretary who worked for David Gaffney of Gaffney Solicitors for about two and a half years, won orders from the Workplace Relations Commission for unpaid wages and statutory redundancy after Gaffney's firm became insolvent. Erangey had been told in April 2024 that her role would transfer to another solicitor's firm, but the transfer never occurred. She claimed she was owed a statutory redundancy lump sum and back wages for the first month of her employment. The WRC found that Gaffney had not disputed the redundancy claim and confirmed his insolvency. The commission ordered €2,500 in arrears for the month in hand, €729.05 for five days' wages in her final week, and €1,458.10 for accrued annual leave, totaling €4,687. Erangey is also entitled to a statutory redundancy payment, which will be calculated based on her service from October 2021 to May 2024 and her social insurance record.
Kia O'Connor, 34, pleaded guilty to robbery on 8 June 2024 in Dublin City Centre and was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment. O'Connor, who has 67 prior convictions and was previously jailed for violent disorder, participated in a robbery of two New Zealand tourists on a footpath outside the Belvedere Hotel. The tourists were approached by O'Connor and Joseph Boyle, 42, who demanded €20. When the victims refused, Boyle produced a knife and pointed it at the male tourist. O'Connor removed an iPhone, a Kindle e‑reader and a wallet from the female victim's bag before leaving. Gardaí recovered the stolen items, except the wallet, which contained no cash. O'Connor admitted the robbery but insisted no knife was involved. The court noted her early guilty plea, drug‑free status in custody and mitigating circumstances, and imposed the sentence. Boyle received a separate three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for his role.
Jack Myers, a 30‑year‑old from Devon, was arrested at Dublin Airport on 5 September 2024 after X‑ray revealed 40 packages of cannabis weighing almost 20 kg, with an estimated street value of €398,000. He was held in custody and later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Myers had been induced by an acquaintance to travel to Thailand to acquire the drugs and intended to bring them back to the UK, with a planned ferry to England. The judge acknowledged Myers' vulnerabilities and that he had probably been taken advantage of, but held that he should have known he was transporting drugs. A headline sentence of six or seven years was considered, but the judge imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term, back‑dated to the date of his initial arrest. The sentence reflected Myers' lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea and admissions of impulsive decision‑making.
John Mooney, a 71‑year‑old former maintenance worker at Dublin's Hairy Lemon pub, won €30,000 after a court found his dismissal in 2024 was age‑discriminatory. Mooney had been rehired in 2014 following a 20‑year barman career and was told in November 2023 that he would be dismissed at Christmas because the pub's insurance had risen due to his age. He was also warned of a mandatory retirement age of 66, despite having worked beyond that. Mooney attempted to contact the pub owner, Peter Hanahoe, who directed him to Niall Duff. In January 2024, Hanahoe handed Mooney a dismissal letter in an envelope. Witness Niall Duff testified that the company feared physical risks associated with Mooney's role, claiming the position was redundant. The adjudicator, Breiffni O'Neill, found the employer failed to provide evidence that insurance costs justified the dismissal and concluded the presumption of discrimination could not be rebutted, awarding the compensation.
A preliminary hearing before the Workplace Relations Commission concerning an Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 complaint by Phillip Beattie against Protestant Aid was adjourned to a future date. Mr Beattie alleged that his redundancy in 2024 was fundamentally linked to his auditing of a nursing home and questioning the recipients of two cheques, which he claimed triggered systematic bullying. The respondent, represented by the Brabazon Trust, argued that Mr Beattie had named the incorrect respondent, as he was a contractor for Protestant Aid and an administrative support officer for the Trust, not an employee of the former. The respondent further contended that the complaint was lodged a fortnight late, depriving the Commission of jurisdiction, and that most alleged bullying incidents were statute-barred. Mr Beattie countered that the entities operated under the same umbrella and that his complaint of 21 November 2024 was within the statutory limit, citing technical website issues. Adjudicator Donal Moore stated that the central issue was whether Mr Beattie had been unfairly dismissed, dismissing arguments regarding bullying as irrelevant to the jurisdictional points. He directed the parties to focus on these preliminary matters and adjourned the case for further legal submissions.
A 51‑year‑old man named Richard Hayes of Ledwill Park, Kilcock, Co. Kildare, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possessing child pornography. The court found 33 videos and 84 images on two phones belonging to Hayes, including a toddler being raped, a boy with a disability forced to perform oral sex, and a boy being masturbated by a male adult. Twenty‑six of the videos and 57 images were classified as category one, the most serious category for child sexual abuse material. Gardaí also discovered hundreds of images of pre‑teen girls in swimwear and some hardcore pornography. Hayes had no prior convictions. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a two‑year sentence, fully suspended, and placed Hayes on the sex offenders' register, stating he was unlikely to re‑offend and no Probation Service involvement was required. The sentence was handed down on 18 February 2025.
Andy Donohue, 19, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of arson at St John's House, High Street, Tallaght, on May 24 last year. The defendant admitted to petrol-bombing the building, which had been earmarked for asylum seekers, causing €28,000 in damage. Judge Martin Nolan stated that Donohue was "inspired by racism and some political motive" when committing the offence. Although the offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, the judge set a headline sentence of 10 years, reduced to six years following mitigation. The final year of the sentence was suspended on a number of conditions, and the sentence was backdated to when Donohue entered custody. Defence counsel argued that the teenager had been led astray by racist influences following a challenging childhood, noting that Donohue has since expressed shame and is studying for his Leaving Certificate while in custody. A female security guard inside the building at the time fled safely, and no injuries were reported. Donohue, who has no previous convictions, was identified via CCTV footage and arrested shortly after the incident.
In a Dublin Central Criminal Court trial, a 33‑year‑old man, whose identity is protected for the duration of the proceeding, pleaded not guilty to a single count of rape committed on 1 January 2019. The alleged victim, a Spanish tourist, was in Dublin to celebrate New Year's Eve and, after a fireworks display, became separated from a companion. She later recalled being in a shop, feeling ill, and being approached by the defendant. She claimed the man held her tightly, kissed and touched her, and that she did not consent to sexual activity, which she said occurred around 2 a.m. The prosecution presented CCTV footage of the encounter and the subsequent walk to Dublin Castle, where the alleged rape took place. The jury was informed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had only charged the defendant, with no charges yet brought against a second man who was also alleged to have been involved.
A 34‑year‑old mother of seven was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for the very serious neglect of six of her children, who were left in a filthy, rubbish‑strewn and freezing cold house for four years. The children, aged between eight years and 10 months at the time of removal, were taken into State care in January 2020 after repeated Garda visits from July 2019. The court heard that the house was in the worst condition the investigating Garda had ever seen, with rubbish on floors, a mouse in the kitchen, a dirty mattress and a cold environment. The mother pleaded guilty to child neglect for the period 2016 to January 2020. She had no prior convictions and was arrested in late 2021, but no evidence was obtained from her Garda interviews. The sentence was imposed as a custodial term, with no suspended portion, to punish the neglect and provide general deterrence.
The trial heard that the accused, Brian McHugh, 40, was identified on CCTV footage near Lisa Thompson's home by two Gardaí who noted his large stature, protruding ears and distinctive gait. A Detective Inspector denied that the identification process lacked impartiality. The jury was told that McHugh and Thompson had a brief relationship the year before her death. Gardaí found thousands of prescription tablets worth nearly €50,000 in Thompson's attic. McHugh, who lives at Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thompson, 52, at Sandyhill Gardens on 9 May 2022. Evidence described Thompson's body with multiple stab wounds and a cord strangulation, and a mixed DNA profile on the cord. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In the Rathmore murder trial, Narcisa Serban, sister of the victim Larisa Serban, denied that her husband Marcus Cranus had any sexual or violent involvement with Larisa. She called the defence's suggestion that she was "covering up" for her husband "nonsense" and described the claim of a prior sexual relationship as "disgraceful." Marcus Cranus, through a Romanian interpreter, denied any sexual relationship with Larisa and denied having performed chest compressions on her, stating he had only attempted cardiac massage because he was trained in first aid. He also denied any physical or violent struggle with Larisa. Witness Simona Terezia Ciurar confirmed that Daniel Blanaru had come to her house on the morning of the murder, claimed an argument with Larisa, and later tried to jump out of the car, an action stopped by her husband Raul. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to a threat to kill and assault causing harm. The court heard he repeatedly threatened to kill the mother of his child and her family, and that he had kicked her to the head during a taxi ride and later forced his way into her home, assaulting her and threatening to burn her house. He had 84 prior convictions, mainly for assault. Garda Darragh Cullen reported that the woman had alerted police and the man was arrested after a second assault. Judge Martin Nolan described the defendant as intemperate and noted his history of serious violence, giving full credit for time already spent in custody.
In February 2024, a pallet of flat‑pack furniture was seized by Customs after a sniffer dog signalled the presence of drugs. Gardaí conducted a controlled delivery and, upon breaking into the wooden shelves, discovered €830,000 worth of cannabis herb hidden inside. The suspect, Arnoldas Paleckis, 33, of Mariners View, Castletownbere, was apprehended when he arrived in a rental van to collect the pallet. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply in Newcastle, Co Dublin, and to possessing an encrypted phone for the commission of an offence. Paleckis had a prior conviction for drug production in the UK, for which he received a two‑year sentence. At sentencing, Judge Martin Nolan accepted his guilty plea and remorse, noting the pressure he faced, and imposed a jail term of six years and nine months.
David Roe, 41, was jailed for one year after assaulting two gardai at his parents' home on Ribh Avenue, Artane, Dublin. On 7 February 2021, his mother called the gardai because he had been taking drugs all night and was abusive. When the officers arrived, Roe, described as "out of it on tablets," refused to leave and became aggressive. He pushed a female garda, causing her to fall and hit her head, then grabbed a male garda by the legs and punched him twice, cutting his lip and pulling at his cheek. The male garda was treated for swelling and cuts. Roe claimed he did not remember the incident due to drug use. The court noted his 55 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and sentenced him to one year imprisonment for assault causing harm to the male garda, taking the assault of the female garda into consideration. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
The High Court has adjourned an application by Dublin City Council for a court-ordered inspection of a Georgian building at 55 Amiens Street, formerly the home of 1916 Rising leader Tom Clarke. The matter, heard before Mr Justice Brian Cregan, was delayed for one week to allow the twelve occupants to discuss the terms of the proposed inspection and to avoid a potential "stand-off" with council staff. Jem Cleaver, the only named defendant among the occupants, told the court that while some residents had no objection to the inspection, others were uncertain, noting that the group deals with matters by consensus. The council seeks to inspect the 1790s property for damages caused by Storm Éowyn or the occupants. Although the occupants have accepted a requirement to vacate the heritage site by May 12, they opposed the inspection, citing privacy concerns and fears of prejudice on housing lists. Counsel for the council, Gavin Mooney SC, stated that no such prejudice would occur. Mr Justice Cregan indicated he was inclined to make an order allowing an engineer and architect to visually inspect common areas, three bedrooms, the roof, and the garden. He criticized the situation where Ms Cleaver had to face the proceedings alone, stating, "There is no reason you alone should be sent out before the fire." The judge invited the other occupants to attend the next hearing to discuss the terms, emphasizing that the proposed order was reasonable.
In a decision published on 18 February 2025, the Workplace Relations Commission upheld the dismissal of Alan Ecock, a lending manager at Allied Irish Banks PLC, after he had also been terminated from his long‑time role as a barman at Kavanagh's Pub in Stoneybatter. The bank had served notice of termination a week after Ecock had won nearly €25,000 in a separate unfair dismissal case against the pub. Ecock had denied, during a disciplinary process, that he was still working at the bar, but evidence presented in September 2024 showed he had accessed the bank's internal systems to view his debt profile on 11 occasions and had provided false information about his bar work. The tribunal found the bank's belief that Ecock had misrepresented his employment and accessed internal data was based on more than reasonable grounds, and that the dismissal was proportionate. Ecock's complaints against the bank were dismissed.
Saeid Hassani and Harold Estoesta pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Matthew, a Panamanian-registered vessel carrying 2.2 tonnes of the drug worth an estimated €157 million. The prosecution alleged the pair played an essential part in a sophisticated international drug trafficking operation, specifically directing the transfer of drugs to a fishing boat and concealing the vessel's position. Their pleas were accepted on a full facts basis. They are the last of eight defendants to plead guilty in this case, which resulted in the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history. Earlier, four other men pleaded guilty to similar offences, while Vitaliy Lapa and Jamie Harbron pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between September 21 and September 25, 2023. The MV Matthew was seized by Irish Army Rangers after being pursued by the navy patrol vessel LE William Butler Yeats. Ms Justice Melanie Greally remanded Hassani and Estoesta in custody until February 24, when the court intends to fix a date for their sentencing hearing. The matter was adjourned for this purpose and is not yet concluded.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Blanaru (37) was described as sounding "desperate" and "panicked" when he spoke to his brother on a phone call, telling him to "go quick" to his home because he believed he had stabbed his partner, Larissa Serban (26). The court heard that the accused had also mentioned catching Larissa in bed with someone else. Narcisa Serban, Larissa's sister, testified that she arrived at the scene with her partner at about 5:30 am, finding Larissa in a "pool of blood" with "foam" at her mouth and a stiff body. She reported that Gardaí initially denied entry and later searched the house. The evidence will continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 February 2025, a 49‑year‑old man was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for assault causing harm to his partner on Christmas Day 2019 and a subsequent assault the following year. The victim, a woman with a six‑year‑old daughter, described a violent attack in which the defendant, who had recently undergone dental implant surgery in Hungary, became irate, dragged her into their daughter's room, struck her in the eye, and later held a kitchen knife to her throat. The daughter witnessed the assault and pleaded with her father not to kill her mother. The court heard that the victim had been subjected to further controlling behaviour, including forced phone‑off rules, a cigarette‑fire incident, and a choke‑hold that left her unconscious. She had received a medical order against the defendant and had been attending counselling and a women's support group. The unnamed 49-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 20‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to defilement after engaging in sexual activity with a 15‑year‑old girl in Co. Westmeath on 25 September 2021. The girl repeatedly said "No" but later gave "OK", and the defendant continued to have sex against her will. She reported the incident to Gardaí in October, after the defendant was arrested in May 2022 and denied the allegations. The court heard the victim's impact statement, detailing ongoing physical, emotional and educational harm. Mr Justice Paul McDermot noted the defendant's persistent refusal to accept responsibility and imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending 20 months on strict conditions, including probation, treatment programmes and no contact with the victim or her family. The defendant's letter of remorse was considered late in the process. The case was adjourned for updated reports. The defendant had no prior convictions.
James Kelly, 32, of Rochford Green, Blackrock, pleaded guilty to six charges of knowingly making false 999 calls between February 2021 and March 2023. He made over 30 bogus calls in two years, causing Gardaí to conduct house‑to‑house enquiries and review hours of CCTV footage, including five LUAS cameras. One call claimed an attempted armed robbery; the investigation found no suspect. Another call on 13 January 2022 reported a pub fight that did not occur. Kelly's voluntary statement in March 2023 acknowledged the waste of resources but he did not explain his motives. He has two prior convictions for possession of articles and one for a public order offence. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, fully suspended, with strict conditions: engagement with the Probation Service for one year and addiction support services.
In a non-jury trial, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo found Noah Musueni (18), David Amah (19), and Michael Andrecut (23) guilty of the murder of Tristan Sherry. The court rejected defence arguments of provocation and loss of self-control, citing CCTV evidence of deliberate, composed violence inflicted after Sherry was disarmed. Sherry died from traumatic brain injuries and 27 sharp force wounds. The judge noted Andrecut's actions were considered, while Amah and Musueni displayed control despite their ages. Musueni, previously on bail, was ordered into custody. Separately, Brandon Hennessy (21), Jonas Kabangu (19), and Diarmuid O'Brien (18) were convicted of violent disorder. The court found their claims of self-defence unreasonable, noting Hennessy struck Sherry with a dustpan and brush, while O'Brien and Kabangu attacked a defenceless victim. The judge ordered reports for the violent disorder defendants. The matter was adjourned, with the court to mention the case on March 10th and a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 7th.
Craig Coyle, 37, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for three years, after pleading guilty to threatening to publish intimate images of a woman without consent, to harassment from September to December 2023, and to two trespasses at her home. The offences fall under Coco's Law. Judge Pauline Codd read several abusive emails, describing them as "debasing to all women" and "pornographic in nature." Coyle had previously been captured on security cameras outside the woman's home and had prowled around her residence. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim permanently and to engage with probation services and mental‑health programmes. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the conduct and the impact on the victim, who suffered severe distress and loss of security. The judge noted Coyle's lack of prior convictions and expressions of remorse.
Damian Szatkowski, 38, of Peachville, Kilshane, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty in October to the manslaughter of Marcel Kusenda, 48, in Newbridge, Co Kildare, on 8 March 2023. Szatkowski had moved into Kusenda's house shortly before the fatal incident and had previously assaulted the victim twice. He prevented a witness, Marytn Najder, from calling an ambulance and threatened her not to do so. The court heard that Szatkowski struck Kusenda twice in the nose and then kicked him three more times, leaving him unconscious in the bedroom for hours. Kusenda was later found with a large subdural hematoma and died on 10 March. The judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to six and a half years after mitigation, including Szatkowski's guilty plea and apology. The sentence was backdated to his first custody in April 2023. The hearing included victim impact statements from Kusenda's son and sisters.
Ignac Aradi, 51, a Hungarian national, was sentenced to a concurrent 21‑month term for possessing child sexual abuse material after he was caught flying €8.4 million worth of heroin into Ireland on a light aircraft. While being arrested by Gardaí, 1,480 child sexual abuse images were found on his phone, including 820 category‑one images depicting sexual activity involving children and 57 category‑one videos. The remaining images were category‑two, involving child exposure. Aradi pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. He had previously been convicted of embezzlement, theft, counterfeiting, fraud and drug importation. He has five children, one of whom died in a car crash at age 21. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the 21‑month sentence without extending his existing 10‑year term for the heroin importation offence. The sentence is to run concurrently with his current custodial term.