A woman denied that any consensual sexual contact occurred with the three men accused of raping and sexually assaulting her. The men, aged 34 to 42, have pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault at an unknown location in a car and in a Dublin house on 31 August 2019. In her direct evidence, the woman said she was out socialising with a friend when she met the men at a Dublin nightclub, that she believed she had been drugged, and that she was raped twice in a vehicle she thought was a taxi and once in a bed in a house with a man on top of her. She woke the next morning in bed with a man sleeping beside her before leaving the house. She stated she had no recollection of any consensual sexual activity with any of the accused and that she did not remember any conversation with them.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Morrison, 45, pleaded guilty to possessing a realistic imitation firearm after he appeared unannounced at Geoffrey Keating's home, threatening to shoot him. Morrison demanded €30,000 for an alleged drug debt, though Keating had never been involved in drugs. Gardaí found the imitation firearm in Morrison's trouser leg and a small black handgun on the ground. Keating, who had been handcuffed, used his son's weapon to subdue Morrison. Morrison, who has 67 prior convictions mainly for traffic offences and a 12‑year sentence in 2009 for drug possession, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended for two years. The court noted Keating's increased security measures, new driving licence, and purchase of a car for family safety. Morrison's defence highlighted his PTSD and rehabilitation efforts. The judge emphasised that the offence was not drug‑related.
Abraham Adeniyi, aged 22, received a nine‑month suspended sentence for acting as a money mule. He pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to money‑laundering charges relating to an incident that occurred on 15 September 2021. The victim, who had no knowledge of the transaction, received a message that appeared to come from her bank, prompting her to click a link. The next day she was informed that €9,517 had been transferred from her account to Adeniyi's account. The bank later recalled the money and returned it to the victim. Garda Paul Kelly explained that the victim had no prior contact with Adeniyi and that the bank had been able to recover the full amount. During Garda interviews Adeniyi admitted that he had allowed his account to be used by a third party and that he had been used as a money mule. He was arrested after a court order was obtained for his bank account.
James Flynn, aged 32, was acquitted of taking part in the 2013 robbery of Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co. Louth, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. However, the Special Criminal Court later convicted him of conspiring with Aaron Brady to steal a Volkswagen Passat that was used in the robbery. The conviction was based on an amendment to the indictment made after the trial, which narrowed the period and location of the alleged conspiracy and changed the accused person. Flynn's barrister argued that the amendment was made without giving Flynn an opportunity to challenge it, violating fundamental fairness. The Court of Appeal heard arguments about the admissibility of witness Andy Wooller's forensic vehicle identification evidence, which was described as lacking scientific basis. The court adjourned the matter, reserving its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome reported.
In a Central Criminal Court case, two men, Sean Kavanagh (26) and Calvin Dunne (24), charged with the murder of Dylan McCarthy (29) in Monasterevin on 22 August 2022, claim they acted in self‑defence. The prosecution contends McCarthy died after receiving punches from Kavanagh and a kick to the head from Dunne while he was on the ground. McCarthy was taken to hospital the next day and pronounced dead. The State presented CCTV footage and testimony that Kavanagh and Dunne were present at the pub, that McCarthy was involved in a fight, and that Dunne delivered a "running kick" to McCarthy's exposed head. The jury heard that McCarthy suffered a subdural haemorrhage, and the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused intended to kill or cause serious injury. The trial continues before Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of ten men and two women. Sean Kavanagh pleaded not guilty. Calvin Dunne pleaded not guilty.
In the High Court, Mr Justice Alexander Owens addressed post-trial applications in the civil case involving defendant Conor McGregor and applicant Nikita Hand. Following a jury finding that Mr McGregor was liable for the assault of Ms Hand in December 2018, while co-accused James Lawrence was found not liable, the judge issued orders regarding trial materials and damages. Mr Justice Owens ordered Mr McGregor to destroy or return all case materials, including CCTV footage, to his solicitor, citing a real risk of dissemination. He warned Mr McGregor that he does not get another run at the case by throwing out allegations on social media or using surrogates. The judge refused to find Mr McGregor in contempt for his social media posts, stating it would be a distraction. Regarding financial obligations, the court ordered an interim payment of €100,000 in damages and €200,000 towards Ms Hand's costs, with the remainder stayed pending a potential appeal. The matter was adjourned to February 12.
Rodel Padilla, a former nurse manager at Beacon Hospital, has received a three-year, fully suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan handed down the sentence after Padilla pleaded guilty to deception committed between July 2021 and August 2023. The court heard that Padilla exploited a system glitch to overstate his overtime, resulting in approximately €56,000 in payments. He resigned immediately after an internal investigation flagged the irregularities in 2023 and made full admissions to gardai. Judge Nolan noted that the matter was initially adjourned overnight to consider the appropriate disposal. In sentencing, the judge cited Padilla's guilty plea, cooperation, lack of previous convictions, and good work history as key mitigating factors. The judge stated that Padilla did not deserve imprisonment for his offending. Defence counsel highlighted that Padilla had lost his career and was in irrecoverable financial difficulty, having taken out loans to send money to family in the Philippines. The judge accepted that Padilla was unlikely to reoffend and that his remorse was genuine. The sentence is fully suspended, meaning Padilla will not serve time in custody, provided he meets any associated conditions.
Lee Zhu Xuan, a 21‑year‑old Malaysian from Pereak, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cannabis worth just over €360,000 into Ireland via Terminal 2, Dublin Airport on 5 June 2024. Garda Alex Murphy reported that a Revenue officer observed Xuan acting suspiciously, searched his bag and found 36 vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis. Xuan claimed he had no knowledge of the contents, saying a friend had given him the bag and booked the flight. He was promised €2,800 for his role and said he was studying music and had high educational fees. During the garda interview he expressed deep regret for his actions. The court heard that Xuan had no prior convictions, cooperated with customs and the gardai, and made admissions.
A jury of five men and seven women has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to hear the trial of Alan Vial and Nikita Burns, who are charged with the murder of Robert Wilkin on 25 June 2023 in County Donegal. Ms Burns, from Carrick, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another person for an arrestable offence. Mr Vial, from Drumanoo Head in Killybegs, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court heard that it is alleged Mr Wilkin's body was disposed of by being thrown over the cliff edge at Sliabh Liag. Mr Justice David Keane instructed the jury that the case has attracted publicity and invited any person with knowledge of the matter or familiarity with those involved to declare this, as such individuals may be ineligible to serve. The trial is expected to last approximately three weeks.
In a 2025 Court of Appeal decision, the court declared it unlawful and unfair to tie the suspended portion of a convicted rapist's sentence to his participation in a sex‑offender rehabilitation programme that required him to acknowledge guilt, despite his maintained innocence. The 58‑year‑old man had been convicted in 2018 of five counts of raping his cousin in 1985 and 1986 and one attempted rape in 1984. He received a headline sentence of six years for the attempted rape and nine years for the four rape counts. The original sentencing judge had suspended the final year of the nine‑year term if the defendant completed the "Building Better Lives" programme.
Jason Smith, 31, of Beechdale Lawn, Ballycullen, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis, cocaine and cannabis jellies in the Dundrum area on 1 June 2023. Garda Kevin Keogh reported that Smith had been seen pulling up beside a parked van, removing an item and placing it in his car. Gardaí later seized a hidden compartment in the van containing vacuum‑packed bags of cocaine. The total value of the drugs seized was €143,697, including €21,612 of cocaine and €119,219 of cannabis. Smith claimed he was unaware the items were drugs, stating he was addicted to Xanax and had accrued a drug debt. He admitted responsibility, expressed remorse, and had cooperated with the investigation. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the mitigating circumstances and sentenced Smith to three years' imprisonment, reducing the headline sentence of six years.
Brandon Cunningham, 25, of Amiens Street, Dublin 1, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault and violent disorder arising from a February 15, 2021, incident on the Luas. Cunningham pleaded guilty to the charges. The court heard that he bit part of a man's ear off during a brawl between George's Dock and Busáras stops, an altercation that forced the tram out of service. Judge Martin Nolan jailed Cunningham for three years, with the sentence backdated to when he first entered custody. The judge noted that while Cunningham did not start the attack, biting off part of an ear was a "pretty savage thing to do." Defense counsel Carol Doherty BL highlighted Cunningham's personal history, including being a "heroin baby," and his remorse. Anthony McDonald, 26, of Cromcastle Court, Dublin 5, was also sentenced for violent disorder for his involvement in the same incident. Judge Nolan stated that McDonald's culpability was lesser than Cunningham's but noted he had participated in the event. McDonald was jailed for 18 months. Defense counsel Derek Cooney BL argued that McDonald did not inflict the injury and was unable to leave the tram until it stopped. Both sentences were handed down following the presentation of CCTV footage and evidence regarding the dispute between the parties' families.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a woman accused three men of rape and sexual assault. She testified that she believed she was drugged after leaving a pub with a housemate on 30 August 2019, and that she was subsequently raped in a vehicle and again in a house. She described feeling "faded and hazy" and that a "bag of white powder" was nearby. The men, aged 34 to 42 and residing in Dublin and Wicklow, pleaded not guilty to seven counts including rape, oral rape and sexual assault in a car and a house. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury, with the trial ongoing. The woman made a complaint at a Garda station and was examined at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. The trial continues.
Nathan McCarthy, 25, of Lower Kimmage Road, was jailed for 18 months after a drunken assault on two men eating takeaway and a garda. On 1 November 2023, McCarthy entered Hillbillies Takeaway, shouted at the manager, punched the counter, stole the card machine, smashed a lampshade, and damaged the premises. He then attacked two men in a parked car, choking one, damaging the car, and kicking the other. He also punched a garda three times, bit another garda's forearm, and was observed foaming at the mouth. McCarthy pleaded guilty to six charges, including three assaults causing harm, one ordinary assault, one criminal damage, and one unauthorised taking of a car. The court imposed a three‑year sentence, with 18 months suspended on strict conditions, after considering his intoxication and personal circumstances.
Paul Costello, 54, of Cois Cairn, Bray, was jailed for four years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 30 January 2024. Gardaí seized 10 kg of cannabis worth €200,180 in his van and €52 of cocaine in the front. Costello admitted responsibility for the drugs, saying the cocaine was for personal use and that he had been instructed by a group of men to place the drugs in the van. He claimed he was a courier, not an owner, and that he would receive €100 per kilo. He also stated he would rather take the blame than a "bullet in the head". The judge noted his 16 prior convictions, none drug‑related, his health issues, early guilty plea and cooperation, and considered him unlikely to reoffend to the same degree.
A 54‑year‑old man from Hazelmere, Naas, Co. Kildare, with no prior convictions, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for transporting over €3.2 million worth of cannabis. He admitted to possessing 161.5 kg of the drug on the M50 motorway on 20 March 2024, after being paid €100 to drive a van that had been seized by Gardaí. The van, stopped on the M50, contained boxes of suspected cannabis; a mobile phone and a lottery ticket were also found. Cox claimed he was unaware of the contents, stating he only knew he was to meet a person. He had been suffering financial hardship following a heart bypass, a motorbike accident, a marital break‑up and homelessness. The court noted his guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, lack of prior convictions and financial difficulties, and imposed a six‑year sentence, a decision made after considering the mandatory minimum of ten years and mitigating circumstances.
At the Workplace Relations Commission, Wayne Murphy, 47, alleged that the ESB had blacklisted him after a labour dispute nearly twenty years ago, claiming age discrimination in a recent job application. Murphy said a line manager had recommended him for a position, but he was not accepted. He questioned HR about the ages of successful candidates, which were not disclosed. He claimed the ESB had falsified ages, citing a whistleblower who said one candidate was 27, while the ESB's records listed ages 34‑40. Murphy also referenced Facebook posts he said were meant for family, which the ESB's legal team had raised. The ESB's solicitor denied any blacklist and said no prior complaint was known. The adjudicator, Penelope McGrath, closed the hearing with a decision to be emailed.
In a January 2025 hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott highlighted that limited psychiatric services in Ireland are causing additional trauma to families, citing the case of Ruth Purcell Healy, 37, who is charged with the murder of her six‑year‑old son Matthew. The judge noted that Healy's lawyers have spent months attempting to secure a psychiatrist's assessment, but have been unsuccessful due to shortages and delays. He described the case as "very sensitive" and stressed that prolonged waiting for psychiatric reports exacerbates trauma. McDermott pointed out that psychiatrists at the Central Mental Hospital are often unavailable because of their workload, and that low fees offered by the Department of Justice deter them from taking on cases. Consequently, lawyers sometimes seek psychiatrists abroad, such as in the UK, to obtain the necessary reports. The judge's remarks underscore the systemic limitations in the state's psychiatric services for complex criminal cases.
A Palestinian man in his 40s, who fled war and has been sleeping rough for ten months, has been granted a judicial review hearing by the High Court. He seeks placement in international protection accommodation and a vulnerability assessment, claiming PTSD and worsening mental health due to homelessness amid rising criminality and anti‑immigrant sentiment in Dublin. The applicant, represented by barrister Keivon Sotoodeh of Patrick J Sweeney Solicitors, argues that the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration and Youth and the state have failed to fulfil EU‑mandated duties under the EU Regulations and Reception Conditions Directive. He requests an order compelling the Minister to provide material reception conditions, including accommodation and a timely vulnerability assessment, and a declaration that the Minister's alleged failure is unlawful and breaches his rights to dignity, humane treatment and family life. The High Court adjourned the case to the following day.
Two men have been convicted and jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for demanding €41,000 from a father by threatening him over debts allegedly incurred by his son. Alan Fitzsimons, aged 47, with addresses in Sutton, Dublin and Lisduff, Castleblayney, County Monaghan, received a sentence of four years and ten months. Dominic Dynes, aged 53, also of Castleblayney, was sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment. Both men pleaded guilty to demanding money with menace in November 2021. The victim was told his son owed money to dangerous individuals and subsequently received multiple calls pressuring payment. After raising €41,000 through a loan and family borrowings, he handed the sum to the defendants. Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as sinister, noting it represents a concerning trend whereby criminals impose debts incurred by individuals onto their families. The judge acknowledged neither defendant employed physical violence, yet the victim clearly understood the serious threats implied. Gardaí intervened after the victim alerted them, observing a final collection attempt where €3,000 was seized.
Three men aged 34 to 42, living in Dublin and Wicklow, have pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault against a woman they met in a Dublin nightclub. The alleged assaults took place on 31 August 2019 at an unknown location in a car and in a Dublin house. The first defendant, 39, is accused of raping the woman in his home, orally raping her and assaulting her in a car. The second, 42, is accused of raping her in the car and in the house. The third, 34, is accused of orally raping her in the house and assaulting her in the car. The prosecution says the woman's recollection is fragmented and that she was highly intoxicated. CCTV from the nightclub shows the woman entering a car with the three men, and the car is registered to the 42‑year‑old.
Dean O'Brien, 39, of Blakestown Cottages, Clonsilla, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 9.5 kg of cannabis worth €194,940 found in a vehicle parked in Whitestown Park, Blanchardstown on 5 August 2023. Garda Conor Finnegan noticed a smashed back window and suspected the car had been stolen; the registered owner was O'Brien's partner. The car was searched, revealing 1,000 tablets worth €2,000 in the front seat and cannabis in the boot. O'Brien admitted he had taken full responsibility for the drugs, explaining he had stored them to pay a €10,000 debt to violent criminals owing to his cocaine habit. He claimed his partner was unaware of the drugs. O'Brien has since undergone drug rehabilitation. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment, citing his cooperation, guilty plea, and steps taken to address his addiction. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the circumstances presented.
A jury of ten men and two women has been sworn in to hear the trial of Sean Kavanagh, 26, and Calvin Dunne, 24, both from Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, accused of murdering Dylan McCarthy, 29, on or about 22 August 2022. The trial, to be held before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs at the Central Criminal Court, is expected to last just over two weeks and will involve 97 witnesses. Kavanagh will be represented by Michael Lynn SC and Carol Doherty BL, while Dunne will be represented by John Fitzgerald SC and Aoife O'Leary. The Director of Public Prosecution's Senior Counsel, Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing, will appear with Jane Horgan Jones BL. The jury was instructed that any research or external information would be "totally improper" and that verdicts must be based solely on evidence presented in court. The trial is scheduled to begin tomorrow and is expected to conclude by 4 February. Sean Kavanagh pleaded not guilty. Calvin Dunne pleaded not guilty.
Gerard Harrington of Marian Road, Boyle, Co Roscommon, has been unsuccessful in his application to the Supreme Court seeking to appeal his conviction for making a false report to gardaí. Harrington was convicted in July 2021 at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court of making a false statement to gardaí regarding missing cattle and was fined €6,500 in October 2021. The cattle were subsequently discovered in a neighbour's shed at Breedogue, Co Roscommon, with six animals bearing tag numbers matching those he had reported as missing in October 2015. Harrington's appeal to the Court of Appeal last May, which raised 34 grounds including claims the trial judge erred in admitting a Garda interview, was dismissed. The Supreme Court last week rejected his application to hear a further appeal, finding he had not met the constitutional threshold required. The court noted Harrington had not made admissions during his voluntary interview at the garda station and had been informed he was not under arrest and not obliged to answer questions.
A key prosecution witness, Kallum Coleman, 23, who was due to testify in the trial of barrister Diarmuid Phelan, 56, was arrested on a warrant issued during Phelan's trial. Coleman had left Ireland for Spain after the trial began and later agreed to return, but the jury heard he had a "change of heart" and fled when gardai stopped for refreshments en route to a Spanish airport. Coleman was involved in a trespassing incident on Phelan's Hazelgrove Farm on 24 February 2022, during which Phelan shot Coleman's dog and then fired three shots from a handgun, killing Keith Conlon. Phelan was acquitted of murder after a 10‑week trial that ended on 3 January. Coleman failed to appear on 30 October, leading to a warrant and his arrest last week. The Director of Public Prosecutions has informed the court that Coleman faces contempt proceedings before Ms Justice Lankford, who is currently conducting a trial in Cork.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sharon Hickey, 45, pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9 kg of heroin for sale or supply outside the Lamplighter pub on 12 April 2022. The heroin, worth €417,480, was found in a green Aldi bag given to her by co‑accused Gregory Dunne, who also handed her €500 in cash. Hickey had been told to hide the drugs to reduce a debt from bills, credit cards and drugs, and was promised the cash in exchange. She admitted the offence, expressed regret and remorse, and has since become drug‑free, is fully employed and her risk of reoffending has fallen from moderate to low. Judge Elma Sheahan, after a year's adjournment, imposed a headline sentence of five years, but suspended a three‑year term in full for four years, citing her progress and rehabilitation. The case remains adjourned for finalisation.
Christopher Connaughton, a 45‑year‑old painter and decorator from Enniscorthy, was sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role as the 'warehouse man' in a €726,000 cannabis shipment. He pleaded guilty on 18 July 2023 to possession of cannabis herb and resin after Customs and Gardaí seized two pallets at a Greenhills Industrial Estate warehouse. Connaughton signed for the delivery under a false name, unloaded the drugs, and took the pallets to a Tallaght warehouse where further searches uncovered the full value of the drugs. He admitted his involvement, claiming he acted to pay a drug debt, and stated he had no financial interest in the shipment. His only prior conviction was for drink driving. The judge noted his low‑to‑middle level involvement and imposed the four‑year sentence, citing mitigation but also the substantial drug amount.
A married Ukrainian couple, living under temporary protection in an Irish hotel since April 2022, have applied for a High Court judicial review after the Department of Social Protection denied them additional social welfare payments. Their disability allowance (€208 per week for the wife) and carer's allowance (€224 per week for the husband) were withdrawn on 9 September 2024 when the State reclassified their accommodation as "designated" because they were in a State hotel. The couple claims the withdrawal was unjustified as there was no material change in their circumstances, and that the Department failed to consider their severe medical conditions – the wife's neurological condition and wheelchair use, and the husband's high blood pressure, diabetes and weight issues – in breach of Section 201 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Kristian Doyle, general manager of Mid West Healthcare Ltd (trading as Kare Plus Mid West), denied allegations that he mocked a colleague, Tara O'Flaherty, who has rheumatoid arthritis. Doyle denied contorting his fingers, shouting at O'Flaherty, and throwing mannequin limbs at her while saying "You could do with a bit of that." He also denied mimicking her arthritis and said he had never raised his voice. Doyle stated he had never been formally notified of O'Flaherty's disability and that the company had not provided any accommodations. O'Flaherty's lawyers claimed a hostile environment and bullying, but Doyle and company representatives denied discrimination. The adjudicator closed the hearing, with a decision to be issued later.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, lawyers for Eric O'Driscoll, aged 22, requested maximum leniency in sentencing for a firearms offence. O'Driscoll was filmed on a phone video taking a .223 calibre Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifle from another man and firing it from the rear of a Dublin home in Finglas. The rifle, seized in February 2022, was in good condition and had been successfully fired by a garda ballistics examiner. O'Driscoll pleaded guilty in January 2022 to possession of the rifle at that address, with circumstances suggesting unlawful possession. He also faces charges of reckless discharge of a firearm and possession of a .380 ACP calibre Ingram M11 sub‑machine gun. The court will consider a probation and governor's report before deciding the sentence. The maximum penalty for the offence is 14 years, but the counsel argued for a lower, rehabilitative sentence.
Jonathan Cummins, 38, of Henrietta Place, Dublin 1, was sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a November 2023 series of unprovoked knife attacks. On 2 November, Cummins slashed the face of a homeless woman from mouth to ear, then later that day attacked a male victim in Wolfe Tone Square, slashing his face from mouth to ear, and assaulted another woman. He was found guilty of intentionally causing serious harm to a man, assault causing harm to a woman, producing a knife in the course of an assault, and possessing a scissors. Cummins had 18 prior convictions, including assault offences. The court noted the attacks were entirely unprovoked and the injuries were appalling. Cummins has been in custody since the offences.
In the Special Criminal Court, six of seven men accused in connection with the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on the MV Matthew are set to apply for dismissal of charges under the Criminal Procedure Act. The hearings, expected to last three to four days, will determine if the cases proceed to trial. The seized drugs, valued at over €157 million, were recovered in September 2023 during an Army Rangers operation. The six applicants include Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, and Vitaliy Lapa; Iranians Soheil Jelveh and Saeid Hassani; Dutch national Cumali Ozgen; and Filipino Harold Estoesta. However, Vitaliy Lapa is not making an application and remains accused of offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The other six face similar charges, with five additionally charged under the Criminal Justice (Illicit Traffic by Sea) Act 2003. Separately, UK national Jamie Harbron, 31, has already pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between September 21 and 25, 2023. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for later this year. The court noted that details of the dismissal applications cannot be reported. The matter regarding the six applicants is currently at the pre-trial application stage, with the trial itself not yet concluded.
A veteran Irish Rail station master with 43 years of experience, Mick O'Grady (64), has told a tribunal that he felt forced to retire due to a 'false' allegation that he assaulted a senior manager during a 2019 staff meeting. O'Grady, former manager of Pearse Street DART station in Dublin, is claiming constructive dismissal over the company's handling of the incident. His complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 followed failed attempts to resolve the dispute through internal processes and mediation. The tribunal heard that during a meeting on 27 June 2019, there was a disagreement between O'Grady and his district manager regarding work at Tara Street DART station. The district manager reportedly told staff that the situation was not acceptable and demanded the return of car park fobs. O'Grady claimed that the staff refused to give up the fobs as they were needed for late shifts.
Law professor Diarmuid Phelan, aged 56, was acquitted of murder after a ten‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court. The jury, after six hours and 51 minutes of deliberation over two days, found that Phelan acted in self‑defence when he fired three warning shots at trespassers on his farm. The prosecution had argued that the third shot, fired with the gun pointed toward Keith Conlon, intended to kill or seriously injure him. Phelan maintained that he had no intention to kill and that the fatal shot was accidental, caused by stress‑related misalignment and Conlon's movement uphill. The jury rejected the State's case, concluding that Phelan's belief in an imminent attack and the force used were reasonable under the circumstances. Phelan left the courtroom free, while Conlon's family expressed hurt and disappointment at the verdict. The judge thanked the jurors and exempted them from further service for life. Diarmuid Phelan pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court trial of Diarmuid Phelan, the jury heard extensive background evidence regarding repeated trespassing and criminal damage at his Hazelgrove farm in West Dublin. The defence argued that understanding the defendant's history was essential to contextualizing the events of February 24, 2022. Testimony detailed numerous incidents, including arson, vehicle theft, and assaults, which Phelan reported to gardai. Specific attention was given to a 2017 District Court case involving three young men, including Kallum Coleman and Robin Duggan, who were accused of trespassing. Although the source text notes that three individuals were previously convicted of trespassing and criminal damage in that earlier matter, the current trial focused on the subsequent murder charge against Phelan. The defence highlighted that Phelan had been threatened by these individuals in court, leading to his fear of returning. The trial also examined the context of badger baiting, an illegal activity, which Phelan allegedly encountered when he shot a dog he believed was threatening his livestock. The jury was presented with Phelan's account of the confrontation that followed, where he claimed the men emerged from the bushes and screamed at him. The proceedings emphasized the long-standing conflict between Phelan and local trespassers, with the defence urging jurors to consider the cumulative impact of these alleged crimes on the defendant's state of mind.
Diarmuid Phelan, a law professor and farmer, was accused of murdering Keith Conlon by shooting him in the back of the head on his farm. During a March 2022 High Court bail hearing, the State opposed release, citing flight risk. Phelan, appearing via video-link from Cloverhill Prison, denied any intention to evade justice. The court heard he held significant assets, including farms in Wexford and Tallaght, and was a US citizen. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy refused bail, finding him a serious flight risk with a powerful incentive to evade justice. Phelan subsequently appealed to the Court of Appeal. Mr Justice George Birmingham noted Phelan had left the High Court judge "totally in the dark" regarding his finances. The Court of Appeal granted bail, requiring a personal bond of €50,000 and an independent surety of €50,000. Phelan's murder trial later opened before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford. He did not take the stand to give evidence in his defence. The prosecution suggested he was a skilled shooter, while his defence included a US firearms expert. The report details his professional background, financial arrangements, and the procedural history of his bail application and subsequent trial proceedings.
During a week‑long pre‑trial hearing in October, Diarmuid Phelan's defence objected to court artist Mike O'Donnell's sketching of the defendant, arguing that the defendant should not feel watched because of past threats. Sean Guerin SC requested that the court deny permission for a sketch, citing severe threats linked to organised crime. Prosecutor Roisin Lacey SC countered that the objection lacked legal basis and that the defendant's image was already public. O'Donnell said he had never been refused to draw a defendant since 2010 and claimed a constitutional right to earn a living. Justice Siobhan Lankford ruled that visual representations could be made and that a sketch would not increase risk. The judge noted that the jury already observes the defendant's every move, so an artist would not add burden. The hearing focused solely on the admissibility of a courtroom sketch and the defendant's right to privacy during trial.