In November 2025 the Workplace Relations Commission rejected Nico Holloway's complaint that he was penalised for whistleblowing about the condition of Citi Bus Ltd's (trading as Dublin Coach) intercity coaches. The tribunal found that Holloway had made protected disclosures under the 2014 Act, but that the company had legitimate grounds for a negative performance review and that his dismissal was not linked to those disclosures. Holloway, a South African permit worker who joined in 2023, said he raised a range of defects between October 2023 and January 2024, including a cracked windscreen, faulty wipers, and a door that flew open on the M7. He claimed the company dismissed him in January 2024 for "unsatisfactory performance" and for allegedly planning a "mass exodus" of drivers. The WRC concluded that any dispute over what constituted an urgent repair was a difference of opinion and that no whistleblower penalisation had occurred.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Eric Shorthall after he failed to comply with the conditions of his release. Shorthall was convicted in November 2020 as a getaway driver in the gang‑style murder of Alan O'Neill, who was shot dead on 27 May 2015 in the driveway of his home on Kiltalown Road, Tallaght. Shorthall, aged 28, was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, with the final nine months suspended for two years. The suspension was conditional on Shorthall keeping the peace and attending all appointments set by the Probation Service. Mr Justice Paul McDermott, who imposed the sentence, learned that Shorthall had not adhered to these conditions and that his probation officer could not contact him. Consequently, the judge issued an arrest warrant for Shorthall. The warrant follows the earlier conviction of Warren Nolan, who was convicted of O'Neill's murder and is serving a life sentence.
A 26-year-old man from north Dublin has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to attempted murder. Darragh Quigley of Carndonagh Road, Donaghmede, admitted the charge relating to an incident on Chatham Row, Dublin 2 on November 16, 2023. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned proceedings to December 16 for the hearing of evidence and a victim impact statement. The case carries connections to Carndonagh in County Donegal through the defendant's address registration.
Ellysom Ojba, 25, of Fana Glas, Ballybane, Galway, was found guilty of possession of drugs for sale or supply and money laundering after a Garda investigation in Eyre Square and his home. He was discovered with two socks hidden in his underwear, each containing sixteen deal bags of suspected cocaine and ketamine, a weighing scale, and €1,030 in cash. A search of his bedroom revealed additional drugs and €525. Ojba, a first‑time offender with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. Judge Brian O'Callaghan described his conduct as "blatant greed" and, considering mitigating factors such as his signed plea, positive probation report, and lack of prior criminal history, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment suspended in full for three years. He was ordered to pay €1,500 each to Jigsaw and Cluine Mhuire within a month, with €500 to each within four weeks.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the convictions of Jason Bonney, aged 55, and Paul Murphy, aged 64, who were found guilty of acting as getaway drivers during the 2016 Regency Hotel attack in Dublin, in which Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne was killed. Mr Justice John Edwards dismissed all grounds of appeal advanced by both men, finding the evidence presented to the Special Criminal Court was capable of supporting the convictions. The judge rejected contentions that CCTV footage was insufficiently reliable to identify the vehicles involved and that the men lacked knowledge of the Hutch criminal organisation. He also dismissed arguments that pre-arrest interviews should have been ruled inadmissible. Murphy, from Swords, County Dublin, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, while Bonney, from Portmarnock, Dublin, received eight and a half years. Both men indicated they will proceed with separate appeals against their sentences. Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
Sean McGovern, 39, previously of Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to address his legal aid application. The accused is charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016, at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin. Additional allegations include directing a criminal organisation in connection with that murder, facilitating a criminal organisation in the conspiracy to murder James Gately, and directing surveillance of Mr. Gately. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, stated the court was not satisfied with the statement of means provided, describing it as containing "at best, scant detail." The judge noted the document offered no information on how McGovern funded his lifestyle in Dubai over the past eight years. Defence counsel Seán Guerin SC stated he could provide no further assistance beyond the instructions received. The prosecution, represented by Maddie Grant BL, indicated the State had no observations. The court adjourned the matter for mention next week to allow the defence to provide further answers regarding the defendant's financial position. McGovern was previously extradited from the United Arab Emirates, where his lawyers had raised concerns about the legality of his return.
A non‑national defendant, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, had an 11‑month jail sentence for breaching a safety order replaced with a fully suspended term on appeal. The defendant had previously posted an animated Facebook video featuring his ex‑wife's distorted voice and a second video showing cropped images of her family and current partner. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of breaching a safety order under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018. The District Court convicted him of ten months and eleven months in custody, to run concurrently, and he appealed the severity of the sentence. The District Court Appeals Court, after hearing the defendant's counsel, decided to fully suspend the ten‑ and eleven‑month terms for a maximum period of 24 months, ordering the defendant to be supervised by probation services and to comply with all related orders.
A 44-year-old painter decorator, Gary Newman of St James Road, Walkinstown, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to drug-driving on Kimmage Road West on 11 February, 2022. The charge was admitted, and the plea was guilty. Garda Dylan O'Malley informed the court that Newman was stopped by gardai after his car, which had no relevant discs displayed, was observed driving in the Crumlin area. Newman was on a learner permit and failed a roadside drug test. A blood sample later confirmed the presence of cocaine in his system. The court heard that Newman had relapsed following personal traumas, including the death of his grandmother and the loss of a child. Since the incident, Newman has completed treatment at St John of God's, is attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and has been drug-free for the past year. His solicitor stated that Newman is working full-time, is single but in a relationship, and needs to drive for his job. Judge Karen Dowling acknowledged Newman's progress and directed him to continue engagement with support services and complete a driving awareness course. She ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 6 February, 2026, for finalisation.
In a 2025 Supreme Court ruling, Justice Iseult O'Malley held that a life sentence for a child convicted of murder may only be imposed in exceptional cases where the child's intent and actions mirror those of an adult, and that sentencing courts lack jurisdiction to review detention terms for child offenders. Following this decision, the Court of Appeal granted Boy A, a 14‑year‑old convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel and of aggravated sexual assault, an extension to appeal his life sentence with a 12‑year review and a separate 12‑year sexual assault sentence. The extension was granted because the Director of Public Prosecutions did not object. Boy A and Boy B were convicted in 2019 for the 2018 murder at a derelict house in Lucan. The Court also heard a similar request from another former juvenile offender now an adult, and scheduled a further hearing for December 5.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 November 2025, Eugene Tolan, aged 47, pleaded guilty to three burglaries committed on 10 October 2024 and 15 December 2024. He admitted stealing a laptop that contained a draft thesis, preventing the victim from completing her master's degree. Tolan, who has 23 prior burglary convictions, claimed he had a baby on the way and needed a pram. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Tolan's remorse and that he fled when encountering a resident, sentenced him to a cumulative term of three and a half years, backdated to his custody entry. The judge highlighted the victim's loss of peace of mind and the significant trauma caused by the loss of her thesis. No further sentences or appeals were mentioned in the article.
Shane Cowzer, 31, of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge, which relates to an incident on January 28, 2023. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 15-month custodial sentence. The judge noted that Cowzer threw a phone at the victim, grabbed her by the neck twice, and bit her on the face. Prosecution evidence indicated Cowzer had threatened the victim and later threatened to visit her workplace via Instagram after she ended their relationship. The victim stated she felt unsafe and required counselling and medication. Defence counsel Luke O'Higgins BL submitted that Cowzer had been homeless and abusing substances at the time but has since become employed, engaged in drug treatment, and entered a committed relationship. He offered a €1,000 compensation payment, contingent on a non-custodial outcome, which was not accepted. The court rejected the mitigation, finding that a custodial term was appropriate for the misbehaviour. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the 15-month sentence.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 7 November 2025, the appeal of retired Defence Forces member Richard Muldarry was dismissed. Muldarry had been convicted in a Court Martial in April 2024 of multiple sexual assault offences committed at a military base on 13 November 2021, including assaulting a female colleague by placing his hand on her leg and a male colleague by hugging and moving his face towards him. He also faced charges of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline, such as lying on his back, raising his legs and presenting his buttocks area, and simulating oral sex. Muldarry argued that the trial judge erred by admitting forensic psychiatric evidence and by refusing photographs of his injuries. The Court of Appeal found no error in those decisions and upheld the conviction. The case remains at the conviction stage, with no further outcome announced.
The High Court has ruled that the fast-tracked process used to establish an International Protection Accommodation Service centre in Athlone was flawed, but a four-month stay has been placed on the final order. The court has ordered that, following the stay, the site will be considered 'unauthorised development'. Aoife Carroll SC, representing the State, informed Ms Justice Emily Farrell that the proposed centre, which was intended to house up to 1,000 asylum seekers, is currently vacant and that a stay is being sought to allow time for remedial legislation. The legal challenge was brought by Westmeath Independent Ireland councillor Paul Hogan and four other local representatives, who argued that the minister failed to adequately screen the project for environmental impacts and lacked the necessary expertise to conduct such assessments in an expedited manner. The State conceded the legal challenge and requested a stay on the order quashing the use of the statutory instrument used to fast-track the facility. Ms Justice Farrell awarded costs to Cllr Hogan's side up until July 25 last. A bill is expected to be presented to cabinet in the coming weeks to address the error in the statutory instrument. The matter remains under consideration, with the stay in place for four months.
Marius Mihai Popa, 41, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of Darren Brodigan, 35, on Poppintree Park Lane, Ballymun, on 27 November 2022. Popa was driving at 62 km/h on a 50 km/h road that was dark due to overhanging trees. He called emergency services and flagged an ambulance, but Brodigan died from massive brain injuries. The court heard no CCTV footage; investigators confirmed the speed. Popa cooperated fully, tested negative for alcohol and drugs, and was not distracted. He expressed remorse, apologised to the Brodigan family, and noted he had no previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an eight‑month suspended sentence, disqualified Popa from driving for one year, and extended sympathies to the Brodigan family. The case highlighted the darkness of the road and the subsequent upgrade of street lighting. The sentencing was conducted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Christopher Oshodin, 48, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft and dishonestly inducing a Department of Social Protection employee to act for a gain. He had claimed over €145,000 in social welfare payments while pretending for 21 years to be Zimbabwean, using the alias "Christopher Umar." The offence spanned from 2001 to 2022. Oshodin, the sole carer of three children, admitted the fraud and sought to regularise his status. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the seriousness of the theft and the impact on the children, imposed a four‑year sentence fully suspended. He acknowledged Oshodin's cooperation, admissions, lack of prior convictions and the fact that he was paying back small amounts weekly. The court considered the effect on the children and the need to avoid depriving them of their guardian, leading to the non‑custodial outcome. The case was heard on 7 November 2025.
The 51‑year‑old Offaly man was jailed for 12 years after a Central Criminal Court trial found him guilty of raping his daughter on five occasions between 2012 and 2020. The victim, now 19, was aged between five and 13 when the offences occurred. The court heard that the man abused her physically and sexually during visits when he was drunk, often slapping her face and repeatedly telling her she was "just like her mother." He threatened to kill her and abuse her younger sister if she told anyone. The man denied wrongdoing, and his partner gave evidence on his behalf. The judge set a headline sentence of 13 years, reduced to 12, and imposed a three‑year probation period with no contact with the daughters or their mother. The victim's impact statement described lifelong pain, suicidal thoughts, and fear stemming from the abuse.
Oliver Berry, aged 68, failed to reduce his seven‑year sentence on appeal for indecent assault of his daughter Sharon between 1980 and 1986. He had pleaded not guilty to 25 counts but was convicted in June 2023 and sentenced by Ms Justice Patricia Ryan on 25 July 2023 to run consecutively to a prison term he was already serving for the sexual abuse of his other daughter, Jennifer. The court found Berry abused Sharon up to three times a week, subjected her to physical violence, and she ran away at age 12. Berry had previously been jailed for ten years in 2018 for 104 counts of rape and sexual assault of Jennifer, aged 7 to 19, between 1982 and 1994; that sentence was increased by three years after a State appeal. Berry maintained his innocence, and his mother, who has since separated, gave evidence in his defence.
The Workplace Relations Commission upheld the dismissal of Michael Walsh, a Galway County Council employee, after an internal inquiry found he had made unauthorised diesel purchases using council funds. Walsh, employed since 2013, was accused of theft, fraud and falsification of records. He had used a council‑supplied low‑value payment card to buy fuel on three occasions in December 2022, claiming the purchases were for a Transit van hired for his work. The inquiry determined he had made over 12 unauthorised fuel purchases totalling €1,217, with additional inappropriate purchases amounting to €652.25, later reduced to €395.25 after further findings. Walsh admitted the use of council cards for personal use but denied any wrongdoing. The WRC found no unfair dismissal and rejected his claim for statutory notice pay, confirming the council's decision to terminate his employment in February 2024.
The High Court trial of a civil action brought by John Bowe against Supt Rory Sheriff, the Garda Commissioner, the Attorney General, and Ireland continues before Mr Justice Micheál Ó Higgins. Sgt Mick Dee, an applicant in the proceedings, testified regarding an incident outside Bunclody, Co Wexford, on December 5, 2014, following a high-speed pursuit. Sgt Dee stated he believed Mr Bowe was carrying a knife and behaving in a threatening manner, prompting him to alert Supt Sheriff. Supt Sheriff subsequently struck Mr Bowe on the head with a baton. Under cross-examination, Sgt Dee accepted that Mr Bowe did not have a knife, attributing his initial belief to a gut reaction. Mr Bowe claims wrongful and violent assault, alleging he was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, claims which are denied by the defendants. Witness Det Sgt Noel McSweeney testified that he observed the officers and Mr Bowe walking together without dragging, and noted a cut on Mr Bowe's head. Mr Bowe was previously convicted of dangerous driving arising from the chase but acquitted of a cannabis possession charge. The matter is at the trial stage and has not been finalised; the proceedings continue.
The jury in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, accused of shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor and working with her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen to murder him and Anthony Keegan, has paused deliberations for the weekend and will resume on Monday. The trial, which began five weeks ago, has heard that Lawrence, 46, was extradited from South Africa and pleaded not guilty to the two murder charges. Two protected witnesses, Jason and Stacey Symes, testified that Lawrence told Stacey she had shot O'Connor but that Neville finished the killing, and that they were asked to move the bodies. The judge explained that the jury can return three verdicts for each murder: guilty, not guilty but guilty of assisting an offender, or not guilty. He emphasized that a conviction requires proof beyond reasonable doubt that Lawrence was part of a joint enterprise to kill the men.
Two men have been sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following a serious assault arising from a feud between Traveller families in Mullingar, Co Westmeath. Michael Nevin, aged 41, of Grange Heights, Mullingar, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the final two years suspended. Christopher Nevin, aged 31, of Grange Crescent, Mullingar, received five-and-a-half years with the final eighteen months suspended. The assault occurred on 2 August 2024 on Austin Friars Street during a busy Friday afternoon. The victim sustained multiple stab wounds, including a perforated liver requiring emergency surgery and blood transfusions. Michael Nevin pleaded guilty to causing serious harm whilst Christopher Nevin pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Mr Justice David Keane described the attack as particularly severe and vicious. He noted the assault was deliberately planned rather than impulsive and occurred against a background of ongoing incidents between the families. Both men's sentences included credit for early guilty pleas. The families have since engaged the Traveller Mediation Service to resolve their differences.
An 85‑year‑old former Dublin school teacher was convicted by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 28 counts of indecent assault against eight boys, with the alleged offences occurring between 1978 and 1989. The jury delivered majority verdicts after more than seven hours of deliberation. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty, made no reaction when the verdicts were read. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jury, remanded the defendant on continuing bail, adjourned the case to next month, and directed the preparation of victim impact statements.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury of 12 deliberated for 1 hour 22 minutes on the second day of the trial of Ruth Lawrence, aged 46, accused of murdering drug dealer Eoin O'Connor (32) and drug dealer Anthony Keegan (33) between 22 April and 26 May 2014. Lawrence, extradited from South Africa in 2023, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged that Lawrence and her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen acted as a "unit" and "tag team", luring O'Connor to their home and shooting him, and that van der Westhuizen also shot Keegan. Two protected witnesses, Jason and Stacey Symes, testified that Lawrence told Stacey she had shot O'Connor but that Neville "took over", and that they were asked to move the bodies.
Leighton Morrison, 49, of Woodfield, Galway Road, Tuam, Co Galway, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, with the final year suspended. He pleaded guilty to six sample charges from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024. The charges include sexual assault against two girls, aged eight and nine, exploitation of a child, and possession and production of child pornography. Judge Eoin Garavan stated that Morrison remains a paedophile at high risk of recidivism and a grave danger to children. The court noted that Morrison videoed the assaults for his own gratification and can never have unsupervised access to children again. His sentence was backdated to July 2, 2024, when he entered custody. Upon release, he is ordered to undergo one year of probation supervision, during which he must complete counselling and a sex offenders' programme. The judge ordered the destruction of seized videos. Morrison's defence counsel noted his public apology and difficult childhood, while the judge described him as a talented dancer who caused significant destruction. The parents of the victims, who retained their children's anonymity, delivered victim impact statements detailing the severe trauma suffered by their daughters.
Olga Pegasoua, a 46-year-old woman from Lucan, was convicted at Tallaght District Court of refusing to provide a specimen under the Road Traffic Act. The case concerned an incident on 27 March 2021, where Garda Shauna Higgins observed Pegasoua driving a swerving silver Nissan with a dented bumper. After arresting her for suspected intoxication, Pegasoua arrived at Tallaght Garda Station. Although she initially opted to provide a urine sample, she poured it down the toilet and subsequently refused to provide a blood sample. Judge Karen Dowling rejected the defence argument that the prosecution could not rely on interpreter testimony, finding a case to answer based on the garda's observations and Pegasoua's conduct. Pegasoua, who did not appear in court, was found guilty. The judge stated she had no choice but to impose the mandatory four-year driving disqualification. Pegasoua was fined €500, with five months granted to pay, and a €200 recognisance was set. The judge agreed to defer the start of the driving ban by four weeks to allow Pegasoua to make necessary arrangements. The court noted Pegasoua is a single mother with no previous convictions, who works as a cleaner and suffers from anxiety and kidney issues.
Daniel O'Neill, 30, of Dublin 17, was already serving a 3‑year‑9‑month sentence for drug offences since October 2023. He pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to money laundering and obtaining insurance by deception between 8 January 2021 and 4 January 2023. A Garda investigation, triggered by his drug‑dealing conviction, analysed several bank accounts and found €290,000 in cash lodgements in his name and a second person's name, plus further cash through a Revolut account. The money was used to buy cars, take holidays and shop online. O'Neill also secured three insurance policies for the cars using a false date of birth while he was disqualified from driving. The court imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, back‑dated to his initial custody in October 2023.
A 22-year-old UK national has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for importing cannabis from Thailand destined for Donegal. Jamie Kearns of Coventry entered signed pleas to possession of drugs and drug importation following his arrest at Dublin Airport on 12 February 2025. Gardaí recovered 24.472 kilograms of cannabis, valued at €489,440, from vacuum-packed bags in his luggage. The court heard Kearns had been approached whilst backpacking in Thailand and asked to transport the drugs to settle a personal drug debt of €4,551.46. Judge Martin Nolan noted the defendant's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, and youth at the time of the offence as mitigating factors, departing from the mandatory ten-year minimum sentence. The sentence was backdated to his date of custody.
On 9 February a 50‑year‑old man named Shane Berkeley, of Knockmore Crescent, Tallaght, caused a drunken outburst at the Plaza Hotel, Tallaght. He was seen pacing the corridor, topless and barefoot, smelling strongly of alcohol and described as a danger to himself and others. He attempted to re‑enter his locked room, then struck a staff member twice in the face and grabbed him by the shirt before being restrained. Gardaí arrested him and he was taken to Tallaght Garda Station, where officers noted he was extremely intoxicated. A chair worth €200 was broken in his room. Berkeley pleaded guilty to criminal damage, threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and being intoxicated in a public place. He repaid the €200, withdrew assault charges, and apologised to the staff member. Judge Patricia McNamara directed him to a restorative justice programme and adjourned the case to 16 January 2026 for finalisation.
Anthony Finnegan, 46, of Portmarnock, had pleaded guilty to assault for spitting on a neighbour from a second‑floor window and was fined €300. He appealed, arguing the sentence was too severe. The District Court Appeals Court heard that the victim, who had asthma, reported the incident to Garda Jordan Metcalfe, who noted the spit struck her leg and shoe. Defence counsel Lydia Daly BL highlighted ongoing neighbour disputes and a restraining order against the victim. The victim's impact statement described the act as violent, causing stress‑related asthma attacks and flashbacks. Judge Deirdre Browne acknowledged the wrongdoing but focused on the conviction's impact on Finnegan, who had already paid €500 as an expression of remorse. The judge struck the conviction from his record, allowing the appeal to succeed.
Patrick Lynch, 45, from Naas, Co Kildare, appealed the severity of a five‑month jail sentence imposed for driving without a licence, insurance or tax and for failing to produce a licence, offences under the Road Traffic Act 1961. Lynch had previously received three driving disqualifications in 2018, lasting six, ten and twenty years, and had 194 prior convictions, about 100 of which were road‑traffic matters. The appeal was heard by Judge Deirdre Browne in the District Court Appeals Court. Lynch's defence counsel, Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh BL, argued that Lynch had an early guilty plea, had been born into poverty, had struggled with alcohol and drug misuse, and was now seeking community rehabilitation rather than custody. Judge Browne noted that the offence was "particularly egregious" and that no evidence linked the offence to Lynch's addiction issues; she adjourned the case to 13 November, pending further evidence from the defence. The appeal remains pending.
The trial of five school bus operators accused of anti-competition practices is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Andrew Walsh, Raymond Heney, Noel Browne, Larry Hickey, and Anthony Flynn, all from County Tipperary, have pleaded not guilty to a single charge under the Competition Act 2002. The prosecution alleges that between November 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016, the defendants engaged in a concerted practice to prevent, restrict, or distort competition in school transport services across Limerick, Tipperary, Clare, South Galway, and Waterford. Prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn told the jury that the accused allegedly coordinated their bidding behavior, including holding meetings to discuss route allocation and pricing, and submitting non-genuine bids to elevate tender prices. He stated that this alleged collusion removed true competitiveness from the process, which affects the public. The case is being brought by the Competition Authority, with evidence including documents, text messages, and expert testimony expected. The jury must determine if a concerted practice occurred and if each defendant was involved. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice David Keane and is expected to last up to six weeks. The matter continues before the court.
Kieran Fogarty, aged 21, was resentenced by the Court of Appeal to a total of 14 years in prison, with the final year suspended, after the original eight‑year sentence was deemed unduly lenient. The appeal concerned his role in the fatal hit‑and‑run that killed 21‑year‑old student Joe Drennan on Dublin Road, Limerick, on 13 October 2023. CCTV showed Fogarty driving at 100–122 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, colliding with Drennan's car, then wiping the steering wheel for 14 seconds before fleeing. The Court of Appeal also addressed his other offences: a drive‑by shooting and a drugs‑for‑sale charge. Sentences for the firearms offence and the drugs charge were reduced to eight and four years respectively, while the dangerous‑driving‑causing‑death sentence was set at eight years, to run concurrently with the firearms sentence. Fogarty was disqualified from driving for 20 years. Kieran Fogarty pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 6 November 2025, doctors described the injuries of a four‑year‑old boy alleged to have been murdered by his stepmother. Consultant paediatrician Dr Stephen O'Riordan testified that the boy had 17 bruises or injuries, including black eyes, bruises around both ears, and extensive bruising on the back of the head, all consistent with physical abuse or non‑accidental injury. He noted that the pattern of bruises, including different colours and ages, raised significant concern for intentional harm. A consultant intensive‑care doctor said the injuries would normally be associated with a severe crash or a fall from a very high height. The stepmother, a woman in her 30s, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of four women and eight men.
Terry Ward, 36, of Castle Meadows, Trim, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglaries on 20 July 2024 and 12 February 2025. On 20 July he broke into a business on Baggot Street, stole two laptops worth €3,000, and was arrested the next night while attempting to sell one to a rickshaw driver. On 12 February he carried out a series of burglaries in Dublin 2, breaking into a business, an elderly woman's unoccupied home (stealing earrings and medication), and smashing windows at the Hyde pub on Lennon Street with a beer keg and at the Duke pub with street fencing, causing €2,000 in damage. He also stole €50 from a tip jar. Ward has 176 prior convictions, including 22 burglaries in Ireland and 17 in the UK, plus assault and knife possession.
In a tragic incident at Kildare Chilling Company on 14 May 2020, 54‑year‑old Binak Cokaj, an Albanian national, was inspecting a vacuum‑packing machine when it crushed his head, causing fatal skull fractures and brain injuries. His wife, Shkurte Cokaj, filed a personal injury claim under the Civil Liability Act on behalf of herself and their two 11‑year‑old twin children. The claim alleged negligence, breach of duty and breach of contract by Kildare Chilling Company, Momentum Capital Projects Ltd and Sealed Air Limited, the machine supplier. After mediation, the parties agreed to a €700 000 settlement, including €17.5 k earmarked for each child. The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Coffey, approved the settlement without admitting liability and approved costs incurred by the plaintiff. The judge described the case as "very tragic.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, two defendants, David O'Brien (22) and Elisabeth Bello (50), received suspended sentences for acting as money mules in a romance fraud that defrauded an 85‑year‑old pensioner of €27,000. The victim was deceived by a woman posing as a divorced American mother on Match.com, who persuaded him to purchase iTunes gift cards, transfer €2,800 to a solicitor for an "anti‑money laundering certificate," and pay €24,516.13 in storage fees. The victim's funds were moved into O'Brien's AIB account and later into Bello's account. Both defendants pleaded guilty to handling or processing proceeds of crime. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced O'Brien to one year and Bello to two years, suspending both on the condition of good behaviour and peacekeeping. No further convictions or outcomes are mentioned in the article.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 6 November 2025, the court found that a judge had erred by attributing the suicide of a man who had been threatened over a €1,000 drug debt to the actions of Kenneth Kelly, a 54‑year‑old convicted armed robber. Kelly, who had pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was sentenced to six years in prison in June 2025, had been accused of a prolonged campaign of threats. Defence counsel argued that the judge over‑extended the causal link between Kelly's conduct and the victim's death, noting the victim's mental health difficulties. The appeal focused on the severity of the sentence, with counsel suggesting a seven‑year term would have been more appropriate. The court, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, upheld the original sentence but reserved further judgment, with a decision scheduled for 20 November 2025.
A Galway man has been sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, following a violent assault at a petrol station in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo in January 2023. Tommy Sweeney, aged 23, of Castlepark, Ballybane, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a weapon at Corrib Oil service station on Neale Road. At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Eoin Garavan heard that the victim, who was sitting in his car, suffered serious head injuries including skull fractures and blood loss after being attacked by two men armed with a machete and slash hook. The assailants had waited approximately 45 minutes at the garage before striking. CCTV footage showed Sweeney holding the machete during the coordinated attack. The judge described the incident as part of an ongoing feud involving families from the travelling community across Galway and Mayo. Upon release, Sweeney must complete a year of probation supervision and remain substance-free.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sebastian Czajka, aged 27, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for possession of drugs for sale and possession of proceeds of criminal conduct. Gardaí seized €850,020 worth of cannabis, cocaine and ketamine, plus €226,160 in cash, from his Tallaght home. Czajka pleaded guilty to three counts of drug possession for sale or supply and one count of possession of proceeds. The judge, Martin Nolan, had originally considered a 15‑year headline sentence but, after noting Czajka's early guilty plea, his age and the possibility of rehabilitation, imposed 11 years, backdated to his arrest. Defence counsel requested a suspended portion, but the judge declined. The case was heard as a criminal trial, with no prior convictions for Czajka. The drugs were seized following a search warrant issued after a Gardaí raid. The sentence was delivered on 18 February 2024.
Luke Taaffe, aged 34, pleaded guilty before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using €1,500 of the proceeds of criminal conduct from Trinity College Dublin's Student Hardship Fund, knowing the money was illicit on 8 October 2020. He will be sentenced on 17 December. Helen Richardson, aged 46, was arraigned for a separate case involving the alleged defrauding of just under €500,000 from the same fund between 2021 and 2022, with her arraignment set for 28 January 2026.
An appeal has been heard in the Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court regarding Leighton Morrison (49) of Woodfield, Galway Road, Tuam, Co Galway, who pleaded guilty to six sample charges from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024. The charges include two separate counts of sexual assault against an eight-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, exploitation of a child, and possession and production of child pornography. Judge Eoin Garavan stated that Morrison remains a paedophile and a grave danger to children, regardless of the length of his incarceration. His sentence was backdated to July 2, 2024, and Morrison was ordered to undergo probation supervision for a year post-release, during which time he must get counselling and undertake a sexual offenders' programme. The court heard that Morrison is at high risk of recidivism and can never have unsupervised access to children again. The matter was adjourned.
Three lifelong friends were sentenced for assaulting two foreign nationals in Dublin. Shane Kinsella (27) and Ross Law (29) received suspended sentences after pleading guilty to assaulting a Romanian carpenter in a Spar shop on 18 May 2024; Kinsella also verbally abused the victim and later punched him twice. Law claimed his sister had identified the victim as someone who had previously grabbed her arm, but no complaint had been reported. Jordan Dean Roddick (28) was jailed for his role in the same attack and for a separate assault on an Algerian man three weeks later, where he stamped on the victim's head. Roddick pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on both occasions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 20‑month suspended sentence on Law, a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence on Kinsella, and a three‑year jail term on Roddick, with a concurrent one‑year term for the first attack.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, 46, accused of shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor and killing drug dealer Anthony Keegan with her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen. The case, heard at the Central Criminal Court after a five‑week trial, relies on statements from protected witnesses Jason and Stacey Symes, who claim Lawrence told them she shot O'Connor but that Neville finished the act, and that they were asked to move the bodies. The judge explained that Lawrence could be found guilty of murder on the basis of joint enterprise only if she assisted in a concrete way and had a purpose to help the killings. The jury may return a verdict of guilty of murder, guilty of assisting an offender, or not guilty for each murder charge, and must decide unanimously.
Jamie Moonen, aged 30, was sentenced to 13 months in prison after threatening to kill Dublin city councillor Malachy Steenson on 15 May 2024. Moonen first approached a Garda patrol car on North Circular Road, verbally abusing a Garda and declaring he would kill Steenson, who was campaigning for local and European elections. He then went to Steenson's offices, where he again threatened the 62‑year‑old councillor and became aggressive when Steenson's relatives appeared. Gardaí arrested him; he admitted the threats, apologized, and claimed he was depressed. Moonen pleaded guilty to a threat to a Garda to kill or cause serious harm. The court, noting his 12 prior public order convictions and one assault, imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to 13 months due to mitigating factors such as his cooperation and personal difficulties.
Lois West, a former deputy head of the Garda Siochana Analysis Service, has testified before a tribunal that she believes no lessons were learned from her whistleblowing on Garda homicide data errors. West and analyst Laura Galligan publicly raised concerns in 2018 about misclassification of homicides in the Garda PULSE database, citing 16 cases that should have been reclassified and other data quality issues. They reported that investigations into some cases were inadequate, with some deaths recorded as sudden deaths for years despite extensive homicide investigations. West described internal review meetings in 2017 as "extremely challenging" and claimed she and Galligan were belittled and pressured to sign off on a report that excluded their input. She escalated concerns to Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan and the Policing Authority, which she says lacked authority. West maintains that families remain in distress because they cannot learn what happened to their loved ones.
In the trial of Ruth Lawrence, Mr Justice Tony Hunt explained that the jury may return an alternative verdict of assisting an offender if they are not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that she participated in a joint enterprise to murder drug dealer Anthony Keegan and his friend Eoin O'Connor between 22 April and 26 May 2014. He clarified that for a murder conviction on joint enterprise, the accused must have assisted in a concrete way and had a purpose to deliberately assist in the killings. The judge noted that the two murder counts must be considered separately and that a conviction on one does not automatically imply a conviction on the other. He warned the jury to assess the reliability of the Symes witnesses, who are in the Witness Protection Programme, and to consider the impact of any benefits they receive on their testimony. Ruth Lawrence pleaded not guilty.
Lisa Clarke, 51, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court for driving with excess alcohol after her white Nissan Juke overturned near a childcare centre on Ballymount Road on 11 April. Gardaí found her beside the car, smelling strongly of alcohol, with a blood alcohol concentration of 155 mg per 100 ml, more than three times the legal limit. She is a healthcare assistant and carer, with no prior convictions, who said she had been coping with a marital breakdown and mental health struggles. Judge Patricia McNamara told Clarke she was "very fortunate" to have avoided serious injury or death, questioned whether she had an alcohol problem, and directed her to obtain a medical report and urine analysis to prove she no longer drinks. The judge noted a minimum three‑year disqualification and adjourned the case to 12 December for finalisation.
On 21 June 2024, 31‑year‑old Dek Abdi Hassan of Basin View, Dublin 8, pushed a 66‑year‑old man onto the footpath in Dublin city centre, causing the victim to fall backwards and break his hip. The injury forced the victim, who was working full time, to retire early and has since suffered ongoing pain, stiffness and reduced independence, as detailed in his victim impact report read by Judge Martin Nolan. Hassan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court described his conduct as a "wanton act of arrogance" and noted that while he did not intend the injuries, his actions were intentional and reckless. Hassan was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment. The judge acknowledged Hassan's difficult background, including trauma from civil violence in Somalia, but stressed that such behaviour is unacceptable on the street.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has been granted permission by the High Court to pursue a judicial review of a May 2025 decision by Killarney District Court Judge David Waters, who made no order in a case involving three men accused of injuring or disturbing spawning grounds by removing gravel from the bed of the Gaddagh River in Whitefield, Beaufort, Killarney. IFI contends that the summonses issued against the men were properly authorised, arguing that the agency or an authorised representative may apply for summonses on behalf of the Attorney General, the DPP, Garda Síochána or any statutory authorised person. The district judge had ruled that the solicitor who made the applications was not authorised to do so, leading to the dismissal of the prosecutions and costs awarded to IFI. IFI's legal team, led by Remy Farrell SC, maintains that the summonses were valid and that the judge exceeded his jurisdiction by questioning their validity.
A senior veterinarian, Annie Baltz, has been awarded €43,500 by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) after being unfairly dismissed from her clinical director position with CVS (Ireland) Veterinary Service No. 2 Ltd in March 2024. The tribunal found that her dismissal was procedurally flawed under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, but the company argued it should not be required to compensate her fully for her losses. Ms Baltz, who had 12 years of experience, was dismissed following an internal investigation into a bullying complaint. She claimed the investigation was an attempt to remove her from the company and that she faced stress and a two-week absence from work in July 2023. After being suspended in September 2023, she was eventually awarded three-quarters of her assessed losses of €58,000.