A supermarket in Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, was ordered to pay €39,750 to former manager Eamon Murphy after his dismissal was found discriminatory. Murphy, who had a history of alcohol‑related incidents, was sacked following an incident on 24 October 2022 when he brought a large quantity of vodka to work and drank until he became comatose. The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that the dismissal was not justified by a breach of trust because Murphy was an alcoholic, a recognised disability. The tribunal upheld Murphy's complaint, noting that the employer had not provided reasonable accommodation or sought professional addiction support before dismissal. The decision was based on the Employment Equality Act, with the tribunal finding discrimination on the grounds of disability and failure to provide reasonable accommodation. The supermarket was required to pay the full amount of €39,750 to Murphy.
Michael Lawrence, 55, filmed his daughter Jessica Maughan, 28, viciously beating his mother‑in‑law Mary Maughan, 65, as she left a doctor's appointment, and also recorded his other daughter Marie Stokes, 31, attacking Mary's daughter Rosie while Rosie waited in her car. The video was shared on social media and viewed 3,500 times. The court heard that the victims, though physically recovered, suffered psychological harm from the humiliation. Lawrence and the two daughters pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced each to a two‑year suspended sentence, ordered them to pay €1,000 to the Garda, and remanded Stokes and Lawrence in custody pending sentence while allowing Jessica Maughan to remain on bail. The judge described the assaults as disgraceful and vicious, noting the humiliation was aggravated by the footage's online presence. The court did not impose any custodial term on the father or the daughters.
A development company, Salzagold Limited, secured a High Court injunction against up to 40 caravans occupying a greenfield site in Graigcullen, Co. Laois, which the company claims is a large‑scale illegal occupation. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore granted the injunction, ordering the occupants to vacate the property pending a hearing. The judge expressed concern over alleged anti‑social behaviour, including the operation of a tree‑felling business without proper health and safety measures, the burning of refuse, and joy‑riding vehicles. He noted that the site had previously been occupied in March, with a small group leaving shortly after. The injunction remains in force until the hearing, and the court warned that non‑compliance would result in serious consequences. At the time of the hearing, no occupants appeared in court, and the company had served short notice of the proceedings on the alleged occupants.
Salzagold Limited has applied to the High Court for an injunction to remove more than 40 caravans that have occupied its land at Graigcullen, Co. Laois, which is earmarked for a major housing development. The company alleges that the occupants, numbering over 150 people, have refused to leave and that the site has become a base for anti‑social behaviour. It claims the occupants have started large fires, dumped refuse, operated a tree‑cutting business without safety procedures, and engaged in joy‑riding and other dangerous vehicular activities. A local fire brigade recently had to extinguish a large fire on the site. The company also seeks an order against a spokesperson, Mr Hugh Doyle, and has obtained permission from Mr Justice Brian O'Moore to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings. The case is scheduled to return to court next week.
In a 2022 Central Criminal Court hearing, Martin Kelly, aged 35, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for manslaughter after he set fire to Gerry Nolan's mobile home in 2006, killing Nolan. The court noted Kelly's 196 prior convictions, including 10 for criminal damage, and his high risk of reoffending. Kelly pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting gross recklessness. The judge highlighted the devastating impact on Nolan's family, who had endured 16 years of unresolved grief. The sentence included an 18‑month suspended portion, to be served over three years, contingent on education and addiction support. The case stemmed from a cold‑case review that uncovered new evidence, including a changed alibi statement from a former partner. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offence and Kelly's acceptance of responsibility. Martin Kelly pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman who had earlier given her partner an alibi for a fatal 2006 fire in Co. Kilkenny later changed her statement after the accused, Martin Kelly, began a relationship with another woman. The court heard that Kelly, now 35, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Gerard "Gerry" Nolan, 44, who died when his mobile home was set on fire. The hearing included victim impact statements from Nolan's family, describing the traumatic loss and ongoing grief. The court also heard details of the investigation, including the accused's denial of involvement, the identification parade, and the lack of direct forensic evidence linking Kelly to the fire. The judge remanded Kelly in custody pending sentencing. The summary reflects only the facts presented in the article.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Lloyd Saunders, aged 33, was convicted of assault causing harm to his former girlfriend, Kelly Evans, after a prolonged attack that began with strangulation. Saunders pleaded not guilty to additional charges of false imprisonment and threatening to kill, which the jury did not convict on. Evans testified that Saunders repeatedly slapped her, strangled her for about an hour and a half, and asked if she was "ready for round two" before ending the assault. She described severe bruising, anxiety, depression and PTSD, and noted that the trial process had a major impact on her mental health. Saunders had 10 prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three and a half years, suspending the final six months on strict conditions, including probation engagement. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the prolonged assault on a vulnerable woman in an intimate relationship.
Gavin Forde, 21, was caught by a garda in broad daylight with a bundle of €16,235 in cash protruding from his pocket. He fled but was apprehended minutes later. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accepted that Forde was obtaining the money to transfer it elsewhere, though its origin was not explained. Forde pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct. He had two prior convictions for possession of drugs and obstruction of justice. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to 150 hours of community service in lieu of 15 months' imprisonment, citing his youth, lack of prior serious offending, addiction issues and early admission of guilt. She warned that failure to complete the community service could lead to reinstatement of the sentence. The other man involved was not charged. The cash was deemed proceeds of criminal conduct.
Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib, 43, an Egyptian national, was convicted of raping a 27‑year‑old foreign student in her home after following her from a bus stop. He also denied sexual assault on a bus journey from Dublin to Carlow. In February 2018, a jury at the Central Criminal Court sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following a three‑week trial. Gharib appealed to reduce the sentence, arguing the 12‑year term was too high and that the judge should have suspended a larger portion. The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal. Judge George Birmingham upheld the original sentence, noting the victim endured significant violence, a threat to kill, and no remorse from Gharib. The court recorded the victim's impact statement, describing her fear and loss of trust after the assault. Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib pleaded not guilty.
Caroline Teltsch, a UK businesswoman, has taken the High Court to claim she was defrauded by former business partner James Buckley and his wife Paula. She alleges that between 2010 and 2018 the Buckleys engaged in confidence trickery, emotional manipulation and financial exploitation, causing her to advance over €2 million in loans that were never repaid. Teltsch says the money was used for a range of ventures, including the purchase of Jessbrook Stables (now Emerald Stables) for just under €450 000, refurbishment of stables in Co. Carlow, and personal expenses such as cars, medical bills and flights to New York. She seeks a judgment of just over €1 million, damages for breach of contract, and a declaration that the partnership with the Buckleys has been dissolved. Teltsch also applied for a Mareva injunction to prevent the Buckleys from reducing their assets below €1 million, but the court dismissed the application, noting that the defendants had not yet moved overseas.
In February 2020 a 17‑year‑old, with a friend, violently robbed his social worker's car in Sallynoggin, County Dublin. The teenager used force to remove the woman from the vehicle, unbuckling her seatbelt and dragging her out, though she managed to grab her handbag before the pair fled. The car was later found crashed and abandoned in County Carlow, with €7,500 of damage. The defendant pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan deferred a three‑year detention for a year, ordered a probation report and said that if the report was favourable the sentence could be suspended. The case was adjourned to May 5, 2022. The court described the offence as a "particularly nasty crime" and noted the planning involved. The defendant's background, including time in an orphanage in Russia and anger‑management issues, was mentioned by his counsel. The social worker did not give a victim impact statement.
In a fast‑track commercial court case, Central Park GP Co Propco Ltd has brought a dispute against Tullow Oil Ltd and its UK‑registered parent, Tullow Oil PLC, over three lease agreements for the fifth, sixth and seventh floors of the Central Park building in Leopardstown, Dublin 18. Central Park claims the leases, which it says are worth about €1.3 million per year, are not due to expire until 2031 and that the break notices served between February and August 2020 are invalid. The oil company argues that it is fully entitled to exercise the break options and that Central Park's claim lacks logic. Central Park seeks declarations that the break notices have no legal effect, damages for breach, and that Tullow Oil PLC continue to pay all rent and charges under the leases. The case was admitted to the fast‑track commercial court list by Mr Justice David Barniville, who found the dispute commercial in nature.
Ibrahim Gharib, 42, an Egyptian national, was convicted in November 2017 of rape, sexual assault and threatening to kill or seriously injure a 27‑year‑old visiting student on 7 and 8 July 2016. The assault began on a bus when Gharib groped the student, who resisted and later texted for help. He followed her home, forced entry, masturbated in front of her, threatened her, and raped her on a carpeted stairway. Witness testimony, the victim's injuries, her text messages, and semen evidence supported the conviction. Gharib's appeal argued the doctor's testimony about carpet debris was unreliable, but the Court of Appeal found the evidence overwhelming and dismissed the appeal. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge noting the victim's clear recollection and the presence of an eyewitness to the rape.
The High Court has approved a €7.5m settlement in a medical negligence action brought on behalf of 17-year-old Kyle Corcoran. The proceedings, initiated by his mother Amy Corcoran, alleged that the HSE was negligent during Kyle's birth at St Luke's General Kilkenny Hospital on June 4, 2003. It was claimed that hospital staff failed to act on cardiotocograph readings indicating fetal distress, resulting in a clinically unacceptable delay in delivery. Kyle was allegedly born in an asphyxiated state, leading to cerebral palsy, a moderate learning disability, and the need for permanent care, including a gastrostomy peg. The HSE denied the claims, and the settlement was reached without an admission of liability following mediation. Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement, describing it as reasonable and noting that it would provide for Kyle's future care needs. The judge observed that a trial outcome was not guaranteed. An application to make Kyle a ward of court is planned. The matter was concluded with the approval of the settlement.
Dunnes Stores secured a High Court injunction preventing Mr Price from selling food products, but not groceries, from its unit at Barrow Valley Retail Park, Carlow, pending a full hearing. Judge Senan Allen granted the injunction for food items, including confectionery and bottled water, citing a restrictive covenant in lease agreements that barred other units from operating as supermarkets or discount food outlets. The injunction does not extend to groceries due to uncertainty over what constitutes a grocery and the plaintiffs' failure to specify prohibited items. Mr Price's representatives argued the orders were too vague and had already ceased selling food products pending the action. The judge ruled that damages would not be adequate and that the balance of convenience favored the injunction. Legal costs will be borne by the losing side, and the case will return in January for a full trial.
Ibrahim Gharib, 41, an Egyptian national, appealed his rape conviction after a trial in which he was found guilty of raping a 27‑year‑old foreign student at her home following a sexual assault on a bus. The appeal argued that a doctor's evidence about "foreign debris" on the victim's body was unreliable and that the debris had not been preserved for forensic analysis. Gharib claimed the intercourse was consensual and occurred while standing over a couch in the living room. The prosecution maintained that the victim's testimony, eyewitness accounts, and text messages supported the claim that Gharib followed her home, did not leave her alone, and raped her. The trial judge sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, a verdict upheld by the jury. The appeal was heard by the Court of Appeal, but the judge's decision was not yet finalized.
Dunnes Stores has taken the High Court to stop rival retailer 'Mr Price' from selling groceries from a unit next to one of its Carlow outlets. The claim is that the sale breaches a restrictive covenant in lease agreements for units at Barrow Valley Retail Park, Sleaty Road, which Dunnes and the landlord Camgill Property Ltd say were designed to keep the park's anchor tenant, Dunnes, as the sole supermarket. The plaintiffs allege that Mr Price began selling food and groceries last month, violating the covenant, and that both Dunnes and the park's management asked the defendants to stop. Mr Price offered to cordon off food items pending a resolution but argues the covenant cannot be enforced. The court granted the plaintiffs an ex‑parte notice to serve the defendants and adjourned the case to a date next week.
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to two fashion retail companies that operated thirteen Pamela Scott stores across Ireland. Arzac Developments Ltd ran ten stores while Richard Alan & Co operated three, with outlets in locations including Sligo, Dublin, Limerick, Tralee and Cork. The firms, employing 104 people, sought winding up orders citing challenging market conditions, rising operating costs and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which rendered them insolvent. Mr Justice David Keane appointed insolvency practitioners Eamonn Richardson and Ian Barrett of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators. The court heard the companies faced pressure from landlords, reduced footfall and changes to wage subsidy schemes. Both firms were dependent on their parent company, Flairline Fashion Ltd, for administrative and financial support, which was no longer available. The judge made the cases returnable to November.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Lloyd Saunders, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The alleged incident occurred on 17 December 2016 at Saunders' Finglas address, where his then‑girlfriend Kelly Evans claimed he assaulted her for at least an hour and a half, including slapping, strangling and threatening her with death. Evans said Saunders had been angry, had taken a drink, and had asked her to leave but she refused. Saunders allegedly propped her up, asked if she was "ready for round two" and then let her leave after the assault. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, could not reach a verdict after three days. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Saunders on continuing bail and adjourned the case to 6 October. The trial was the first criminal trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court since March of that year.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Lloyd Saunders, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and a threat to kill or cause serious harm. The alleged incident occurred on 17 December 2016 at Saunders' home in Finglas, where his then‑girlfriend, Kelly Evans, was reportedly confined to a bedroom and subjected to slapping and strangulation lasting at least an hour and a half. Saunders told Gardaí that Evans had marks on her face when she arrived, describing them as "not that bad", and that she had cried when he refused to let her stay. He also claimed Evans had faked a 999 call and that a tyre puncture was caused by a third party. Evans' medical report listed bruising on her eyes, forehead, hairline, neck, arms, chest and legs, with no fractures. The case is being heard by Judge Martin Nolan with a jury of five women and seven men. The trial continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lloyd Saunders, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and a threat to kill after allegedly slapping and strangling his girlfriend for at least an hour and a half in his bedroom in December 2016. The prosecution, led by Garrett McCormack BL, described the incident as the first criminal trial in the court since March of that year. Kelly Evans, the victim, testified that Saunders arrived an hour late, became angry, and after refusing to leave, repeatedly slapped her and strangled her while she fought and screamed. She claimed he threatened to kill her if she moved and that the assault ended when she fled, leaving her keys and glasses behind. Evans called 999 after leaving and a recording of the call was played in court.
In a High Court case on 22 June 2020, John Kieran Brennan of Clonmulen, Bunclody, Co. Carlow alleged that former developer Patrick Fitzpatrick was employing the debt‑collection firm run by Martin 'The Viper' Foley to pursue a disputed debt of over €100,000. Brennan, who denies owing any money, secured a temporary injunction after men associated with Foley's firm entered his home, threatened him and his family, and demanded payment. The injunction, granted by Mr Justice Michael Twomey, prohibits Fitzpatrick, his agents or any of his servants from intimidating, threatening, watching or besetting Brennan and his family. Brennan's counsel highlighted that Fitzpatrick had purchased 400,000 shares in Moralltach Global Plc for €100,000, of which Brennan is a director, and that Fitzpatrick has not taken any court action against Brennan regarding the alleged debt. The injunction is set to be reviewed later in the week. The case remains at the interim injunction stage.
Daniel Murphy, aged 21, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for two offences. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 6 September 2018 and to aggravated burglary on 4 January 2020. The assault involved a Latvian man whose stolen bike was unlocked by another man; Murphy and a third man punched and kicked the victim, who required stitches and suffered a black eye. While on bail for the assault, Murphy and another man broke into a flat on James' Street. The resident confronted them, and Murphy jabbed a screwdriver at her. They attempted to steal her TV and phone, smashing a window in the process. The court noted 53 prior convictions, many from juvenile years. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year term for the assault and a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the burglary, running consecutively, with the final 18 months suspended for an effective custodial term of three years.
In a High Court hearing on 12 March 2020, Mr Sean Dunne, a developer and businessman from Co Carlow, was ordered by Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington to provide his current home address to the Official Assignee, Mr Chris Lehane, by 1 pm on Friday. The order followed an allegation that Mr Dunne had failed to comply with a 2018 court order directing him to pay €7,000 monthly to increase assets available to creditors. The 2018 order, issued by Ms Justice Caroline Costello, extended Mr Dunne's bankruptcy and set the payment period from 25 September 2018 to 25 May 2021. Mr Lehane's lawyers sought a motion for Mr Dunne to appear before the court to answer alleged contempt. Mr Dunne's former lawyers, who had ceased representation earlier that week, had given an undertaking to provide the address but had not done so.
The High Court adjourned a motion that could see developer and businessman Sean Dunne jailed for alleged contempt of court. The Official Assignee, Mr Chris Lehane, claims Dunne has failed to comply with a 2018 order by Ms Justice Caroline Costello to pay €7,000 a month from 25 September 2018 to 25 May 2021 to increase assets for creditors. Mr Lehane has asked the court to compel Dunne to appear and answer the allegation of contempt. The matter was briefly heard before Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington. Mr Edward Farrelly SC, acting for the OA, said the OA intends to press ahead with an attachment and committal application. The judge allowed OBH Partners, Dunne's former legal representatives, to withdraw and provide Dunne's contact details to the OA. The case was adjourned for two weeks to see whether Dunne will secure new counsel or contest the proceedings himself.
A 70‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his 16‑year‑old niece in 1978 while she was staying with her grandparents in Co. Carlow. The trial lasted two weeks in January 2020 and the jury found him guilty on the sole count. He had no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul Coffey noted that the offence was aggravated by the victim's age and the breach of trust, and that 42 years had passed since the crime. He also considered the man's health and the negligible risk of re‑offending. The judge sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody. The sentencing was delivered at the Central Criminal Court, and the man was remanded in custody following the conviction. The unnamed 70-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing in January 2020, a 70‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his niece in County Carlow in 1978. The victim, who was 16 at the time, described the perpetrator as a "wolf disguised as an uncle" and recounted being forced into her bedroom, raped while she pretended to be dead. She said the assault left her unable to sleep and caused her mother to "crumbled into dust" when she learned of the crime. The defendant pleaded not guilty, offered various motives for the alleged false claim, and was remanded in custody. He had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to February 21 for sentencing. The court did not discuss any prior or subsequent legal actions.
Patrick Scanlon, a 42‑year‑old former paratrooper and Legionnaire, was found to have PTSD when he stole a €25 Buddha‑style garden statue from a hardware shop in Finglas, Dublin. He had been walking past the shop when he saw the statue on the ground and picked it up. The next day Garda Niamh Corrigan stopped him on Wellmount Avenue after spotting a sharp knife in his pocket and arrested him for unlawful possession of a knife. Scanlon admitted the statue was stolen and pleaded guilty to theft from James Malone at Finglas DIY on 17 February 2019. He had 27 prior convictions, most of them thefts from 2019. His defence lawyer, Mark Lynam, argued that Scanlon was out of control and self‑medicating, and that he was now dealing with PTSD with social services.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to their respective charges. Mr Greene is accused of murdering Patricia O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, on May 29, 2017. Mr Johnston, the deceased's ex-partner, faces charges of assisting Mr Greene in purchasing implements to conceal remains and refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. Ms Louise O'Connor is charged with acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as the deceased, while Stephanie O'Connor is accused of the disguise itself. The jury heard evidence that Mr Greene initially claimed sole responsibility for the dismemberment but later alleged Mr Johnston planned the act. Mr Johnston told gardai he was fixing a broken shower step and re-grouting tiles, stating, "I know it looks bad but that's just the way it is," while denying he was clearing a crime scene. He admitted purchasing items with Mr Greene but maintained he was helping the family. The prosecution contends the bathroom work was intended to conceal blood. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded.
Two Polish nationals, Tomasz Witkowski (41) and Mariusz Sowa (39), were arrested in March 2018 in Co Carlow for possessing €1.3 million worth of cannabis. They pleaded guilty and were each jailed for two‑and‑a‑half years by Judge James McCourt in April 2019. Prosecutors appealed, arguing the sentences were unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reviewed the case and re‑sentenced both men to six years imprisonment. The court noted that Gardaí had seized 65 kg of cannabis in 77 packets, along with €21,000 in cash, and that the drugs had been prepared for distribution across Ireland. The appeal highlighted that the men were not mere couriers but played an integral part in the distribution network, and that the original sentences failed to meet deterrence requirements.
John Fortune, 43, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for his role in a €1.5 million cannabis trafficking scheme. He agreed to drive a van loaded with nearly 80 kg of cannabis from Carlow to Rathcoole. Fortune had no prior convictions and had built a €50,000 tax debt, defaulted on his mortgage, and was facing repossession of his home. He claimed financial desperation and a foot injury had prevented him from working. Garda surveillance stopped the van, revealing vacuum‑packed cannabis labelled "trip haze", "diesel haze" and "green poison". The drugs were valued at just under €1.5 million. The court noted his limited involvement, financial distress, and mental health issues, and imposed a headline sentence of 13 years, halved to 6.5 years. Fortune received no payment for his role, and he had no prior Garda record. John Fortune pleaded guilty.
Anthony Cassidy, 34, was convicted of raping and seriously assaulting a woman in her 50s in Carlow on 25 June 2017. CCTV captured his movements to and from the site where the victim was found unconscious 12 hours later, but did not record the assault itself, which is said to have lasted about 30 minutes. Cassidy pleaded guilty to rape and assault causing serious harm, and had 34 prior convictions, including soliciting sex in the UK and two assaults in Ireland. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to 18 years' imprisonment, noting that a life sentence would have been imposed had Cassidy not pleaded guilty and shown "genuine remorse". The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, with Mr Justice Michael Peart affirming that the offence was of the most serious type and that the judge's decision to reduce a potential life sentence to 18 years was correct. The appeal was dismissed.
Four young men – John (22) and Christopher (23) Connors, Paddy (22) Connors and James (19) Wall – were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attacking a family home with stones and rocks on 23 December 2016. The assault, which took place at 2.45 am, left the occupants, including a newborn and a girl with special needs, homeless and forced them to spend Christmas in a hotel. The men pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a 12‑month probation bond on John Connors, adjourned to 31 July 2020, and a two‑year suspended sentence on James Wall. Paddy Connors received a four‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, while Christopher Connors was sentenced to four years with the final 18 months suspended. All sentences reflected the men's intoxication and the impact on the victim family.
A 75‑year‑old man, Christopher Redmond of Finglas, had his 2018 conviction for raping his granddaughter quashed after a new medical report found he suffered from a severe form of dementia with no prospect of recovery. The Court of Appeal considered that the earlier report, which had only noted a mild cognitive impairment, did not raise any doubt about his fitness to stand trial at the time of the original trial. Redmond had pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault between 2002 and 2004. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, who had reduced the headline sentence because of his progressive cognitive impairments. The appeal was allowed, and no further order was made. The victim, Leanne Murphy, aged seven to nine when abused, expressed her shock and disappointment with the outcome.
Barry O'Donoghue, 38, of Drimnagh, was convicted by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm and for threatening to kill his former partner on 20 and 21 October 2016. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to five and a half years for the threat to kill and three years for the assault, with both sentences running concurrently. The final six months of the sentence were suspended for a 12‑month period post‑release, conditional on good behaviour, compliance with the Probation Service, and participation in anger‑management. The judge also ordered O'Donoghue to have no contact with the victim except through solicitors. The court heard that O'Donoghue had kicked the woman in the face, threatened her with a bread knife, and told her "tonight was her execution." The victim suffered eye surgery and facial nerve damage and expressed fear of revenge. O'Donoghue had no prior convictions.
In a Carlow farm case, James Kavanagh, aged 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his Raheenleigh property in April 2015. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, ordered to pay €35,000 toward ISPCA costs, and disqualified for life from any involvement with dogs or horses. His wife, Jennifer, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing animal cruelty. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, noting that 340 dogs and 11 horses were removed over 11 days, with 20 dogs and four horses euthanised. The premises were described as "strewn with skeletal remains" and "truly shocking," with evidence of severe neglect, cannibalism, and health problems among the animals. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the severity of the original sentence.
Barry O'Donoghue, 38, was found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing harm and threat to kill or cause serious harm. The offence took place at his home on 20‑21 October 2016, when he confronted his former partner, knocked her to the ground, punched her, kicked her in the face, and continued to hit her in the kitchen. He threatened her with a bread knife, saying "tonight was her execution" and asking if she wanted to be shot. The victim, who had to undergo eye surgery and suffered facial nerve damage, described nightmares of her death and fear of revenge. O'Donoghue had no prior convictions and was remanded in custody, with the case to be finalised on 12 April. The court noted his lack of previous offences and his age as factors in the sentencing decision.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal of Christopher Redmond, a 75-year-old man convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his granddaughter. Redmond, of Finglas, pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault committed between January 2002 and May 2004 at the Tolka Valley pitch and putt club. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in early 2018 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh on April 27, 2018. His defence counsel, Andrew Sexton SC, argued that a post-conviction forensic psychiatric report, which identified significant cognitive impairment, raised doubts about his fitness to plead under Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The report noted his condition likely predated the trial but did not explicitly address fitness to plead as the conviction had already occurred. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated the court required specific expert opinions on his fitness to be tried. The State indicated its intention to have Redmond assessed by a Central Mental Hospital expert. The matter was adjourned for mention on June 21 to allow for these further assessments. Redmond is currently detained in Midlands Prison.
Two men from Dublin have been sentenced following their involvement in a significant drugs seizure and money laundering operation. Patrick Kavanagh, aged 59, of Ballygall Crescent, Finglas, and Patrick Hannon, of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of amphetamine and cannabis for sale or supply on 21 August 2017. Gardaí intercepted the pair moving drugs from a storage unit in north Dublin, recovering approximately nine kilogrammes of MDMA and eleven kilogrammes of cannabis herb and resin, with an estimated street value of €645,720. Hannon additionally pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing proceeds of crime, having allowed cheques from companies using false identities to be lodged into his bank account. Judge Melanie Greally imposed concurrent sentences of three years for the money laundering offences. She sentenced Kavanagh to four and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended, and Hannon to six and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended. The judge noted both men occupied lower positions within the criminal hierarchy and had expressed remorse.
Patrick Stokes, aged 38, was convicted of robbing Claire Coulter's handbag on a footpath in Grangegorman Lower, Dublin, on 2 October 2018. The robbery involved three men; Stokes was one of them. Coulter was walking home when the men approached, one of whom grabbed her handbag, which contained €450, a mobile phone and house keys. The strap broke during the struggle, and Coulter screamed and chased the assailant toward Stoneybatter. Witnesses followed him and helped apprehend him. Stokes claimed he was not the one who took the bag, saying another man had taken it, but he later pleaded guilty to the robbery. He had 49 prior convictions and was serving a suspended sentence for burglary at the time. The court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, to run consecutively with his current custodial sentence. The victim's impact statement expressed that she no longer feels safe walking home.
James Kavanagh, 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his Myshall property, where 63 animals were involved. Gardaí and animal welfare officers found dead dogs and horses, and dogs feeding on horse carcasses. The court removed 340 dogs and 11 horses; 4 horses and 20 dogs were euthanised. Kavanagh received a three‑year prison sentence and was ordered to pay €35,000 to the ISPCA. His wife, Jennifer, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing cruelty. Kavanagh's barrister, Colman Cody, appealed, arguing the case was one of neglect rather than overt cruelty, noting no physical abuse was proven. The appeal focuses on the severity of the sentence, the alleged mischaracterisation of his premises, and the impact of legislative changes on his business. The court has reserved its judgment.
James Kavanagh, aged 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his property in Raheenleigh, Myshall, Carlow, where 63 animals were involved. Gardaí and animal welfare officers found dead dogs and horses, and dogs feeding on horse carcasses. After inspection, 340 dogs and 11 horses were removed; four horses and 20 dogs were euthanised. Kavanagh received a straight three‑year prison sentence and was ordered to pay €35,000 to the ISPCA. His wife, Jennifer Kavanagh, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing cruelty. Kavanagh's lawyers sought bail pending an appeal on the severity of the sentence, but were granted an early hearing date of 19 March. The appeal focuses on mitigating circumstances, including the death of the couple's teenage son, the family's medical and psychological distress, and the lack of a suspended portion in the original sentence.
David Murphy, 39, of Carlow, was jailed for four years after he held up a Centra shop in Dublin to pay his 21‑year‑old son's drug debt. He had been released from a seven‑year sentence in 2012, with five years suspended on a good‑behaviour condition. Judge Melanie Greally reactivated three of those suspended years and imposed a new five‑year sentence, suspending the final four years, for the attempted robbery on 28 December 2017. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The robbery involved him threatening a shop employee, Marco Moniz, with a pair of scissors. Moniz tackled Murphy, and police arrived shortly after. Murphy admitted the offence was stupid, expressed remorse, and said he had no intention to injure anyone. The sentence is consecutive to the reactivated years. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL. The article reports no further legal developments.
Krzysztof Wojtalski, a 37-year-old resident of Newtown, Co Carlow, has lost his appeal against sentence for cultivating cannabis. Wojtalski, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury of cultivation and possession of cannabis for supply following a search of his property on April 16, 2015. Gardaí discovered an elaborate bunker under a pig shed containing 30 mature and 115 immature plants, valued at €32,000. Although Wojtalski claimed the plants were hemp for personal use, the Court of Appeal noted he was described as having an attachment to cannabis. The sentencing judge had imposed a four-year prison term, reducing a five-year headline sentence to account for a skin condition. The judge highlighted that Wojtalski had previously received suspended sentences for similar offences in Ireland and had also offended in Poland, indicating that prior penalties did not dissuade him from further offending. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, dismissed the appeal. The court held that the four-year sentence fell within the available range and that the one-year reduction sufficiently reflected mitigating factors. The appeal was therefore dismissed, leaving the original sentence intact.
Michael Farrell, 26, of Montpellier Gardens, Dublin, was convicted after a three‑day trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of four counts of arson during two separate incidents on 11 and 18 January 2017, and of two counts of unauthorised interference with a vehicle during the 11 January incident. He set four cars on fire, causing over €10,000 in damage, and attempted to gain access to two additional cars on the first date. The judge, Karen O'Connor, sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, provided he keep the peace, be of good behaviour and engage with probation services for eighteen months after release. Farrell's lawyers argued that a childhood brain injury sustained when he was hit by a coal truck at age five left him with a mild intellectual disability and an IQ of 60, making him highly suggestible.
Paul Slevin, 48, of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants worth €23,200 at his former home on 12 April 2015. He claimed he was bullied out of his apartment by a lodger who had been growing the plants, changed the locks and forced him to sleep on the sofa. Gardaí found a black tent with 29 plants, heat lamps and a water butt; the plants were not yet ready for harvest but would be worth €800 each when mature. Judge Jude Patricia Ryan sentenced Slevin to three years imprisonment, suspended in full for two years on the condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The case noted Slevin's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and full cooperation with the investigation.
The Court of Appeal has substantially increased prison sentences imposed on two men convicted of setting fire to a vehicle containing a bound and gagged prisoner in the boot. Polish nationals Kamil Lacki and Krzysztof Niepogoda, with addresses in Co Carlow, had pleaded guilty at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to arson, false imprisonment, assault, criminal damage and cannabis cultivation at various locations in late December 2015. The Circuit Court imposed six years imprisonment with the final year suspended. On appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the three-judge court described the offence as akin to attempted murder and "unbelievable". The appellate judges found the original headline sentences significantly too low. Lacki was resentenced to nine years imprisonment, while Niepogoda received ten years, with an additional consecutive twelve-month term for a subsequent assault on the same victim. The court noted the victim's escape was possible only because duct tape had been removed to allow questioning.
Paul Slevin, a 48-year-old father from Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants valued at €23,200. The offence occurred at Ballygall Road East on April 12, 2015. Prosecution evidence stated that Slevin walked into a garda station while intoxicated, claiming he had been bullied out of his home by a lodger who was growing the plants. However, Detective Garda David Sheffield suggested Slevin invented this story because his tenancy was ending and he had no place to store the plants. A search of the apartment revealed 29 cannabis plants, heat lamps, and a water butt. Although the plants were not ready for harvest, they were estimated to be worth €800 each when mature. Slevin, a qualified stone mason with no previous convictions, admitted to the charge. His defence counsel, Seamus Clarke SC, argued that Slevin should receive credit for his guilty plea, for handing the plants to gardaí, and for taking steps to address his addiction. The court noted that the maximum term of imprisonment for this offence is 14 years. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing until October 12. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a High Court case, Mr Justice Tony O'Connor referred the matter to the Law Society of Ireland after a bank‑appointed receiver obtained orders for vacant possession of a house at Kildawn Lower, Redshire Road, Murrintown, Co. Wexford. The orders were granted against David Lawlor, Charlee Somers and their two‑year‑old child, who had been living there since July, and the property's owner, Mr Peter Doyle. The judge was troubled by affidavits from Doyle and Somers that contained irrelevant legal points and described the couple as "vulnerable people" who had been "sold a pup". He found that Start Mortgages DAC and receiver John Coulston were entitled to injunctions, noting that the couple had no right to occupy the premises and were trespassers. The judge also noted that Doyle had consulted solicitor Charles Allen for advice, prompting the referral for investigation. The injunction gave the couple 14 days to vacate the property.
In a High Court hearing on 18 July 2018, Inspiredspaces Bundle 5 (Ireland) Ltd, a joint venture with Carillion and the Dutch Infrastructure Fund, obtained a temporary injunction to stop subcontractors from blockading the construction sites of five new schools and an Institute of Further Education. The injunction was granted after subcontractors claimed unpaid work following the collapse of Carillion and the liquidation of Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd, the original contractor. Inspiredspaces, represented by Brian Conroy BL, argued that the blockade threatened the completion of schools in Wexford and Bray, where works were almost finished, and that the protestors had no legitimate claim against the joint venture. Ms Justice Caroline Costello issued the order, preventing any blocking, interference, or removal of items from the sites, and requiring any claims to be dealt with by Inspiredspaces. The injunction was made ex parte and is returnable later that week.