Tressa Reeves and her son, Andre Donnelly, also known as Patrick Farrell, have resolved their High Court action against St Patrick's Guild (Incorporated) and the State. The case, heard before Mr Justice Denis McDonald, concerned the alleged illegal adoption of Farrell in 1961. Reeves and Farrell claimed that their son was placed with a couple in Co Carlow without legal safeguards, that false birth and baptism certificates were procured, and that the defendants engaged in deceit and conspiracy to prevent their reunion. They alleged the State failed to vindicate their family rights. The defendants denied all claims, with St Patrick's Guild asserting it did not make false misrepresentations and the State arguing it was not liable for the alleged wrongs. On the fourth day of the hearing, counsel for the applicants, Eanna Mulloy SC, informed the court that the parties had reached a comprehensive agreement. Mr Justice McDonald agreed to strike out the proceedings, granting liberty to apply to have the action re-entered. The terms of the settlement are confidential. The matter was adjourned in the sense that the proceedings were struck out with liberty to apply, rather than concluded with a final judgment on the merits.
David Murphy, 39, was sentenced in October for an attempted robbery of a Centra shop on Camden Street, Dublin, on 28 December 2017. He had been released from a seven‑year prison term in August 2017 and had 64 prior convictions. Murphy planned the robbery to help his 21‑year‑old son, who had a drug debt. He entered the shop at about 6 pm, wearing a scarf and armed with a scissor, and threatened the shop assistant, Marco Moniz, saying he would stab him if he did not give money. Moniz tackled Murphy to the ground; his colleague, Hyeon Seok Kim, called the Gardaí. Officers arrived while Murphy was on the floor. Murphy pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him in custody until 25 October for sentencing and ordered a probation report, noting that no post‑release supervision had been in place after his August 2017 release.
Patrick 'Paddy' Farrell, 57, sued the State and St Patrick's Guild over his illegal adoption. He told Justice Denis McDonald that had he been legally adopted he would not have endured the distress he has suffered. Farrell, born Andre Donnelly in 1961, was placed with a family in Tullow and later reunited with his birth mother, Tressa Reeves, in 2013. He claims he was abused by the man who raised him and that the adoption was illegal, as confirmed by a medical report indicating post‑traumatic stress. Farrell alleges St Patrick's Guild and the State failed to protect his rights, misrepresented his location, and conspired to conceal information. The Guild denied the claims, and the judge dismissed the Guild's motion to strike out the case, allowing the matter to proceed on the High Court Personal Injury List.
In a High Court hearing, Tressa Donnelly Reeves, who had spent over five decades searching for her son, testified that a nun from St Patrick's Guild told her that adopted children, especially boys, "never want anything to do with their birth parents." Reeves, who gave birth to a boy named Andre in 1961, had him adopted by a family in Carlow and named Patrick Farrell. She claimed the adoption was unlawful and that St Patrick's Guild, run by Catholic nuns and the State, made false statements about Patrick's location and failed to provide her with information. The society denies the allegations, and the State says it is not liable. The court has allowed Reeves to continue presenting evidence, with a ruling on the application to strike out the claim pending. The case is set to proceed next week.
A High Court trial has commenced regarding a damages claim by Tressa Donnelly and her son, Patrick Farrell, against St Patrick's Guild (Incorporated) and the Attorney General. The plaintiffs allege Farrell was illegally adopted in 1961 without legal safeguards and that the defendants made false misrepresentations about his whereabouts, delaying their reunion until 2013. Donnelly claims she was brushed off by the agency, while Farrell alleges his constitutional rights were breached and he suffered violence from his adoptive father. The defendants deny all allegations, with the State asserting it is a stranger to the claims. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised; the case continues.
Jason Byrne, a 38-year-old from Clondalkin, Dublin 22, has lost his appeal against his conviction. Byrne had pleaded not guilty at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to a series of offences, including three counts of burglary, one count of aggravated burglary, assault causing harm, and unauthorised use of a vehicle, allegedly committed in the south-east in 2008 and 2009. Following a lengthy trial, a jury found him guilty, and Judge Barry Hickson sentenced him to six years imprisonment on April 15, 2016. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, dismissed the appeal, holding that the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. The prosecution alleged Byrne was part of a gang targeted by An Garda Síochána's Operation Slope. Key evidence came from Des Kavanagh, an accomplice in the Witness Protection Programme, who implicated Byrne in incidents including a burglary at Bunclody and an assault at an Esso filling station. Byrne's lawyers argued Kavanagh's evidence lacked credibility and transparency. However, the Court of Appeal noted the trial judge had issued clear warnings to the jury regarding the dangers of relying on such evidence. The court concluded that the matter was quintessentially for the jury to decide, and they were content to convict based on the evidence presented.
Liam Power, 54, was convicted of murder for killing Latvian national Giants Intembergs in Tullow, County Carlow, after a disputed arm‑wrestling match. Power claimed he was provoked when Intembergs slapped him and that he struck him with a "haymaker" to the chin, then kicked him 10 or 11 times before removing his clothes. He was found not guilty of assault on a second man, Aigar Sildars, who was also attacked. The jury, after 14 hours and 38 minutes of deliberation, returned a 10‑2 verdict of murder and Power was sentenced to life imprisonment by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy on 16 November 2016. Power appealed, arguing that evidence of his statements to Gardaí was inadmissible because he was intoxicated. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, rejected the appeal, holding that the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe.
In a High Court hearing on 14 May 2018, Justice Carmel Stewart ruled that €1.2 million in cash found in the boot of a car seized during a Garda Intelligence operation was the proceeds of crime. The money was recovered by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in August 2017 from a vehicle driven by haulier John Fitzgerald, who had been stopped at a Garda checkpoint in Ballyvergal, Carlow. After the seizure, CAB obtained a High Court freezing order and placed the cash in a bank account. Grainne O'Neill Bl, acting for CAB, told the judge that the money was linked to illegal cigarettes and drugs and that Fitzgerald had been transporting it out of the country for an unknown recipient. Fitzgerald admitted to Gardai that he had collected the cash and would receive €7,000 for moving it abroad, claiming he was doing so because his own business was in difficulty.
During sentencing, Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh described the absence of sentencing guidelines for rape cases as "somewhat bizarre". She imposed a five‑year prison term on Christopher Redmond, aged 74, after a jury conviction for four rapes and five sexual assaults of his granddaughter between 2002 and 2004 at the Tolka Valley pitch and putt club. Redmond, who works at the club, denied the charges but was found guilty in February. The judge had originally set a headline sentence of 15 years, reduced to ten years due to no prior offences and his age, and further to five years because of his progressive cognitive impairment, which a forensic psychiatrist confirmed was genuine. The judge noted that the Supreme Court requires an immediate custodial sentence for rape, yet no specific sentencing figures exist, making the practice "highly unregulated". The victim, now 23, had waived anonymity and testified about the abuse, describing severe physical and psychological harm.
A 48‑year‑old Carlow man was sentenced to a net three‑year custodial term for sexually assaulting his seven‑year‑old niece over a four‑year period between 1994 and 1998. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault. Judge Michael O'Shea imposed eight concurrent five‑year sentences, with the last two years of each suspended, resulting in the net three‑year term. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, found the sentence to be a "very lenient outcome" and dismissed the man's appeal. The judge noted the systematic and exploitative nature of the offending, the breach of trust, and the victim's vulnerability. The man had no prior convictions, had suffered a stroke three years earlier, was unemployed, and received a disability allowance. He had accepted the allegations, cooperated with the Gardaí, apologized, and displayed insight. The appeal was rejected.
Anthony Cassidy, 34, was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for raping and seriously assaulting a woman in her 50s in Carlow. The victim was attacked early in the morning, left unconscious on the outskirts of town, and later found with severe injuries including a multifocal brain injury. CCTV footage showed Cassidy dragging the victim to the site where she was discovered 12 hours later. Cassidy pleaded guilty to rape and assault causing serious harm on 25 June 2017. He had 34 prior convictions, including soliciting for sex in the UK and two assaults in Ireland. The judge noted the pre‑meditated nature of the attack, the victim's extreme brain injury, and her ongoing dependence on family care. Cassidy's guilty plea and expression of remorse were considered, leading to the 18‑year sentence rather than a life term. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
The High Court confirmed Michael McAteer as interim examiner for the Sammon Group and its related companies after the collapse of Carillion. The Irish contractors, which employ over 216 people and are involved in major school building projects across Ireland, were owed about €8 million by an entity linked to Carillion. An independent expert report indicated the companies could survive if a scheme of arrangement with creditors is implemented. McAteer has up to 100 days to prepare this scheme, which, if approved, would allow the group to continue trading as a going concern. The group had been hired by a special purpose vehicle that included Carillion to build several schools and an educational campus, contracts worth roughly €87 million. The collapse of Carillion halted payments, preventing the Sammon Group from paying suppliers and subcontractors, and the court heard the group believes a successful examinership will enable it to finish its contracts on time and return to profitability.
Jake Breen, aged 20, pleaded guilty to ten offences in Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court for events in Carlow and Kilkenny on 7 November 2016. He used a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser, fitted with false plates, to pick up a hitchhiker who was at the start of a world tour. The vehicle stopped, the hitchhiker got out, and the car drove off with the hitchhiker's property still inside. The hitchhiker was thrown to the ground but suffered only minor injuries. Gardaí pursued the Land Cruiser, which drove aggressively, collided with a Garda car, and then reversed. One co‑occupant was apprehended; Breen fled. Breen was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and banned from driving for ten years. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, confirming the sentence as appropriate for the seriousness of the incident.
In 2016, Liam Power, aged 54 and without a fixed abode, was convicted of murder after killing Latvian national Giants Intembergs in Tullow, County Carlow, on 15–16 September 2014. Power claimed Intembergs had beaten him in an arm‑wrestling match and slapped him, prompting Power to strike him with a "haymaker" to the chin, after which he kicked the victim 10–11 times and removed his clothes. Power also attacked another man, Aigar Sildars, on the same night. The jury, after 14 hours and 38 minutes of deliberation, found Power guilty of murder by a 10‑2 majority and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Power has appealed the conviction; the Court of Appeal has reserved judgment. Liam Power was acquitted.
In March 2018 the Central Criminal Court heard the case of Anthony Cassidy, 34, who raped and severely assaulted a woman in her fifties in Carlow. The victim was found unconscious on the outskirts of town 12 hours after the attack, with her top pulled up to her collarbone and her trousers partially removed. CCTV footage and DNA evidence linked Cassidy to the scene. He pleaded guilty to rape and assault causing serious harm on 25 June 2017. The victim suffered a multifocal brain injury, extensive bruising and was admitted to intensive care for weeks. She is now dependent on family care, experiences ongoing pain, immobility and night terrors. The court noted the offence was of exceptional seriousness and adjourned sentencing to 23 April, with a potential sentence above 12½ years up to life in prison.
Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib, 39, an illegal immigrant, was convicted of raping a 27‑year‑old foreign student in his Carlow home after following her from a shared bus. The victim, who had been sexually assaulted by Gharib on the bus, was taken to his house where he threatened to kill her if she did not remain silent. A jury found him guilty on all charges after a three‑week Central Criminal Court trial. Justice Isobel Kennedy sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, reducing the initial twelve‑year recommendation due to his lack of relevant prior convictions and his non‑national status. Gharib denied all allegations, claiming the sex was consensual, and maintains his innocence. The victim expressed profound fear and loss of trust following the assault. No further legal actions were reported in the article.
A Carlow publican has received a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €8,589 from his former employer at The Porterhouse Central on Nassau Street, Dublin. Brian O'Kane, aged 45 and of Royal Oak, Bagenalstown, admitted to taking between €50 and €60 nightly over a seven-month period from January to July 2015 by voiding till transactions and pocketing customer cash. The court heard O'Kane had experienced three family bereavements and a marriage breakdown preceding his offending. He disclosed he stole to fund alcohol consumption during this difficult period. Garda evidence outlined how stock discrepancies led to an investigation identifying O'Kane as responsible. Judge Gerard Griffin imposed the suspended sentence on three years, crediting O'Kane's early guilty plea, demonstrated remorse, and absence of prior convictions. The defendant has since repaid the full amount and begun working in a public house in Carlow.
A 39‑year‑old Egyptian man, who is an illegal immigrant, was found guilty by a jury of one count of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of threatening to kill a 27‑year‑old foreign student. The victim was travelling from Carlow to Dublin on a bus, where the accused groped her and later followed her home. He entered her house, masturbated in front of her, threatened her, and raped her in the hall. The victim, who was living and working in Ireland in 2016, described the assault as terrifying and said she wished she were dead at the time. She declined to have the perpetrator named to avoid destroying his life. The court has imposed reporting restrictions and will consider sentencing next week. The accused has a prior conviction for public masturbation and is appealing a deportation order. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court.
Luke Connors, a 29‑year‑old from Fairgreen Upper, Hacketstown, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for deceiving an 89‑year‑old Dublin woman, Mary Doherty, into withdrawing €400 from her bank account. Connors pretended to be a roof‑repairer for Doherty's sister and walked with her to the bank in Tallaght on 25 November 2016, standing across the road while she withdrew the cash. He pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing the withdrawal. Connors had 11 prior convictions, including road traffic offences and two thefts. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as "shameful" and imposed a 16‑month sentence, suspending the final 12 months. The court ordered that the €700 Connors brought to court be transferred to Doherty. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small BL, with Garda Kevin Boland presenting CCTV evidence of Connors walking with the victim to the bank. Connors was later arrested at a shopping centre.
In a 23 January 2018 High Court decision, Justice Carmel Stewart ruled that €875,000 held in Irish bank accounts belonging to Mr Adam Shina Muhammed, a man in his early forties, were proceeds of crime. The accounts, controlled by Mr Muhammed and located at several Irish financial institutions, had been frozen after a Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) application. Mr Muhammed had not formally opposed the application and had previously denied involvement in money laundering, claiming the funds were business loans for his company Eirclean. No evidence supported this claim; CAB presented evidence of large sums deposited between May 2014 and November 2015 from Hong Kong, China, the USA and Nigeria, totaling about €1.5 million, with €875,000 remaining after some dissipation. CAB found no records of Eirclean's trading activity, premises, employees or tax returns. Justice Stewart therefore ordered the accounts under Section 3 of the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act and appointed a receiver over the monies.
Steven Hennessy, 38, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seriously drunk, almost unconscious woman at a Dublin festival in September 2016. The victim, who remains anonymous, only realised what had happened after waking in a medical hut and learning a man had been arrested. Hennessy, who was also severely intoxicated, was observed by a group of friends putting his hand inside the woman's trousers and digitally penetrating her. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted Hennessy's cooperation, admissions, guilty plea and expression of remorse, as well as his good work record and loss of employment. The judge imposed a custodial sentence but suspended the final 14 months on strict conditions, citing mitigation. No compensation or financial penalty was imposed, leaving that matter to civil courts. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Berry, aged 30, was jailed for his part in the theft of an ATM from a Maxol/Mace service station in Enniscorthy on 24 July 2009. The ATM, owned by Ulster Bank, contained €205,100 at the time of removal. Berry had pleaded guilty to theft and related offences and was originally sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Judge Barry Hickson on 28 June 2016. On appeal, the Court of Appeal found that the Circuit Court had not given enough weight to mitigating factors such as Berry's youth, guilty plea and clean record. The Court suspended the final nine months of a new four‑year term, re‑sentencing Berry to four years with the suspended portion, and backdated the sentence to 9 December 2015 to account for time spent in German custody awaiting extradition. The decision was made by Judges Alan Mahon, Michael Peart and George Birmingham. The appeal was granted on 13 November 2017.
A 33‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman in her 50s on the grounds of Pollerton Castle in Carlow was refused bail by the Central Criminal Court. He had previously been denied bail at the District Court. The State argued the seriousness of the rape and assault charge, the potential for a lengthy sentence and a flight risk. Justice Paul Coffey accepted these objections and denied bail.
Karen Middleton and her six‑year‑old son have been living in a tent outside Carlow County Council's offices since 12 June after the council refused to provide further emergency accommodation. The High Court challenge, presented by barrister David Leonard Bl on behalf of Middleton and her son, seeks an order directing the council to consider their application for emergency homeless accommodation through social housing or other means, and to quash the council's decision that they could reasonably use alternative accommodation until Middleton can rent a property. The action is based on claims that the council's refusal is unlawful, irrational, and breaches constitutional rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. The case was heard by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, who adjourned it to Wednesday. The court was told that Middleton had previously been offered short‑term B&B accommodation, had staged sit‑ins at the council's offices, and had been arrested by Gardai during one of these protests.
Keith Chrystal, aged 28, was convicted at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court for robbery, assault causing harm, possession of an imitation firearm, unlawful use of a vehicle and criminal damage following a raid on Leighlinbridge Post Office on 3 March 2016. He pleaded guilty and was originally sentenced to an effective two‑and‑a‑half‑year term by Judge Carmel Doyle on 20 July 2016. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. In the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice John Edwards re‑sentenced Chrystal to an effective four‑year term, with the final six months suspended. The appeal was based on the judge's assessment that the discounts for the guilty plea and mitigating circumstances were excessive. The case involved a robbery that stole €6,856, the use of an imitation firearm, a hammer, a stolen car, and the assault of Postmaster Art O'Connor, who was struck on the head during the incident.
A 67‑year‑old Carlow man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing four nephews aged between six and 16 between 1983 and 1996. He was convicted of oral rape, indecent assault and sexual assault of the eldest nephew, and pleaded guilty to seven indecent assaults on a second nephew, five indecent assaults and six sexual assaults on a third nephew, and one sexual assault on a fourth nephew. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, found no prior convictions. Justice Isobel Kennedy noted the defendant's lack of remorse regarding the eldest victim and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence reflects the severity of the repeated abuse, which the victims described as having devastating, lifelong impacts. The defendant's residence near the nephews' grandparents' home was mentioned by Gardaí as a factor in the case.
A 58‑year‑old man from County Carlow was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for two counts of indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old nephew between October 1985 and March 1986. The nephew, now 40, said the abuse began with unwanted touching and kissing and escalated to mutual masturbation, oral and anal rape while his grandmother was hospitalised. He reported the abuse to the Gardaí after a suicide attempt, and later told his partner and family what had happened. The court noted the severe impact on the victim's life, the 31‑year gap since the offences, and the accused's deteriorating health. The judge imposed concurrent sentences and ordered two years of post‑release supervision. The accused was acquitted of eight further counts of indecent assault. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
Anthony Ward, 26, was found guilty of dangerous driving after a high‑speed chase that ended with his stolen car crashing into traffic lights and sending them into a parked vehicle. Ward drove at up to 160 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, broke red lights, and drove over speed bumps at about 120 km/h before losing control. The car spun twice, struck two sets of traffic lights, and one set was lifted from its base, flew over a fence, and lodged in the dashboard of a nearby car. Ward also admitted driving a stolen car, driving while drunk, and driving without insurance on the same occasion. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with one year suspended, imposed a six‑year driving disqualification, and required him to engage with Probation Services. Ward's prior record includes 49 convictions, including seven for dangerous driving, two for drunk driving, and one for car theft.
A 58‑year‑old man from Co. Carlow was convicted by a jury of two counts of indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old nephew between October 1985 and March 1986. The nephew, now 40, told the court that the abuse began with inappropriate touching and unwanted kissing when they were alone, and escalated after the uncle appeared to comfort him during his grandmother's illness. The nephew later lived with another relative and did not report the abuse for years. The accused denied the allegations when interviewed by Gardaí. He was acquitted of eight further counts of indecent assault. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 May. The nephew described the abuse as a source of pain that led him to drink, use drugs, and attempt suicide, but he has since sought counselling and is working to heal. The accused, now a grandfather, was described as in relatively poor health and having left school early.
Thomas Berry, aged 43 and resident of Bunclody, Co. Wexford, was convicted of theft and related offences for his part in a 2009 ATM robbery at a Maxol service station on Bellefield Road, Enniscorthy. The robbery involved a JCB digger that was hot‑wired by Berry and other gang members to move the ATM, which contained €205,100, into a trailer for escape. Berry was found guilty by a jury at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final three months suspended. He appealed the conviction, but the Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision, dismissed his appeal on all grounds. The court upheld the original conviction, confirming the jury's finding that Berry was one of the raiders. The appeal was rejected by Judges George Birmingham, Alan Mahon and John Edwards. The case remains at the conviction stage. Thomas Berry pleaded not guilty.
Margaret McDonnell, a 23‑year‑old single mother from Rathvilly Park, Finglas, was given a suspended 18‑month jail sentence after she spent €51,000 that had been mistakenly deposited into her account by Bank of Ireland. Between March 7 and 16, 2013, she withdrew and spent €24,946 on items for her two children and personal purchases, including crystal vases, a crystal mushroom lamp, and various clothing and food items. She pleaded guilty to 13 counts of theft of cash. The judge, citing the accidental nature of the deposit, suspended the sentence on the condition that McDonnell repay €1,000 to the bank within 18 months and complete 150 hours of community service. The Probation Service assessed her as low risk of re‑offending, and the court noted that the offences were not pre‑planned and the money was spent on mundane items.
Des Kavanagh, 39, a former youth worker, was found guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography after he pretended to be a 15‑year‑old boy in an online chat group. Gardaí, acting on Interpol information, seized his laptops and recovered 240 images and two short clips, all classified as child posing or sexual activity between children, with no material in the most serious categories. Kavanagh had no prior convictions and had cooperated fully with the police, admitting his actions and expressing remorse. The court, noting his long‑suppressed sexuality, low risk of re‑offending, and lack of profit motive, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, requiring good behaviour and no probation service involvement. The judge highlighted that the offence was serious but deemed a custodial sentence unfair given the circumstances. The case ended with Kavanagh's guilty plea and the suspended sentence.
The High Court has granted a Mareva injunction freezing assets valued at €2.37 million belonging to a County Galway man, following allegations that he provided false evidence during examination before the Master of the High Court. AIB Mortgage Bank obtained the order against Joe McCaul of Roveagh Kilcolgan and two others. The bank claims Mr McCaul denied involvement in collecting rental income of approximately one million euros from properties between January 2012 and July 2015, stating instead that agents of a private trust handled such matters. However, AIB contends this contradicts documentary evidence, including rent receipts signed by Mr McCaul and records of agreed rent reductions. Mr McCaul owns a shopping centre in Clarinbridge and properties across Galway and County Cavan. A receiver was appointed over the properties following a judgment of €2.37 million obtained in 2015. Similar asset-freezing orders were also granted against Mr McCaul's wife and another individual. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan adjourned the matter for one week.
Christopher Zinck, aged 33, and Rory Kilkenny, also 33, pleaded guilty in Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at a site in Kidalton, Piltown, Co Kilkenny, on 2 May 2013. Kilkenny was sentenced to four years imprisonment, later increased to 12 years with four years suspended on appeal. Zinck received a wholly suspended nine‑year sentence, later increased to a fully suspended ten‑year sentence. The Court of Appeal upheld the suspended nature of Zinck's sentence, citing his rehabilitation and employment. The case involved a large cannabis grow operation with 2,504 plants and 43.54 kg of herb, valued at €2,874,174. Three Asian gardeners were sentenced to seven years with six years suspended. Zinck admitted involvement, receiving a €5,000 fee for delivering supplies to the growers. The court noted his 18‑month drug‑free period and praised his inspirational recovery.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 23‑year‑old Margaret McDonnell pleaded guilty to 13 counts of theft of cash from Bank of Ireland after a bank error deposited €51,808 into her account on 6 March 2013. She withdrew €5,000 the next day and spent €24,946 over nine days at various shops and restaurants, including Dunnes Stores, Tesco, and New Look. The bank recovered €26,862 of the original deposit and requested repayment, which McDonnell ignored. She admitted responsibility, claiming she believed the money was hers because it appeared in her account. The judge adjourned the case to April, ordered a Probation Services report to assess her suitability for community service, and noted her lack of prior convictions. The case highlights the financial impact of the accidental deposit and her subsequent spending spree.
James Smithers, 38, of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, Co. Carlow, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of IRA membership. He had denied membership of the Irish Republican Army on 31 October 2015. Smithers was arrested early that morning in Rathkeale, County Limerick, at an isolated rural location. Two other men were also arrested in a Volkswagen Golf, where Gardaí discovered a sawn‑off shotgun, a can of petrol and matches. The court heard that the three men were engaged in an IRA operation and that Smithers' role was to provide the stolen Volkswagen Golf. Justice Isobel Kennedy, after hearing evidence from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan and the application of Sections 2, 18 and 19 of the Offences Against the State Act and the Criminal Justice Act, concluded that the evidence cumulatively indicated Smithers was involved in a criminal endeavour on the date in question. He was remanded in custody until 8 February, when he will be sentenced.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, James Smithers, 38, of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, Co. Carlow, pleaded not guilty to an indictment of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The prosecution, represented by Anne‑Marie Lawlor BL, argued that Smithers supplied a stolen car for an IRA operation in County Limerick on 31 October 2015. Central to the case was the belief evidence of Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan, who claimed to be "absolutely satisfied" that the information supporting his belief was reliable and accurate. Kirwan's testimony was supplemented by the fact that Smithers failed to answer material questions after Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act was invoked, which the prosecution said provided sufficient supporting evidence of guilt. Smithers' defence, led by Mark Nicholas SC, challenged the depth of Kirwan's file and the inference that the suspicious activity on the night in question proved membership.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, James Smithers, 38, of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, pleaded not guilty to an indictment of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The prosecution alleged that Smithers supplied a stolen Volkswagen Golf for an IRA operation in County Limerick. On 30 October 2015, Detective Garda Liam O'Neill, on duty, and two colleagues travelled to County Limerick. They encountered Smithers in the black Golf at Five Cross Roads outside Rathkeale at 1:35 am. O'Neill's colleague, Detective Garda Joe Higgins, later reported finding a sawn‑off shotgun in another stolen car. Smithers had previously been seen driving the Golf to County Limerick. During questioning under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act, Smithers gave no comment to inquiries about IRA activities. The court also heard that the detective invoked Sections 18, 19 and 19(a) of the Criminal Justice Act, allowing inferences from Smithers' silence regarding the stolen vehicle and firearm.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Garda chief superintendent testified that he believed James Smithers, 38, of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, was a member of the Irish Republican Army. Smithers had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 31 October 2015. The superintendent, citing confidential information, stated his belief during cross‑examination. He also mentioned that on 30 October 2015 he travelled with other detectives to County Limerick, where a stolen Volkswagen Golf was found outside Rathkeale, containing two men, a sawn‑off shotgun and petrol. The trial is ongoing.
A Carlow man, James Smithers, 36, was accused in the Special Criminal Court of providing a stolen car for an IRA operation. He pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation, claiming the IRA. The prosecution, led by Anne‑Marie Lawlor BL, relied on Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan's belief that Smithers was an IRA member on the relevant date. Evidence included Smithers' alleged activities that night, Garda interviews, and the discovery of a sawn‑off shotgun, petrol, and matches near the arrest site in Rathkeale. The trial continues.
A 33‑year‑old Latvian man, Dzintars Sacklausks, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for assaulting his ill friend, Aigar Sildars, during a drinking party in Graigowen, Tullow, Co. Carlow. The assault occurred on the morning of 16 September 2014, the same day a third man, Gints Intembergs, was murdered. Sacklausks had pleaded not guilty to both the assault and murder charges, but the murder charge was dropped early in the trial and he later pleaded guilty to assault. The court noted that Sildars was drunk and injured, with facial bruising, and that Sacklausks had admitted the assault and left a blood spot on his shoe. Sildars, who has a reduced mobility illness, declined a victim impact statement but sent a letter to the judge expressing forgiveness and no ill will toward Sacklausks. The unnamed 33-year-old was found guilty.
The High Court is hearing an appeal by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) against a Circuit Court ruling that awarded €40,000 in damages to hillwalker Teresa Wall, who fell on a wooden boardwalk on the Wicklow Way. Wall, aged 60, claims the boardwalk was unsafe because the timber had rotted and was poorly maintained, causing her to trip and suffer a knee injury requiring seven stitches. She sued the NPWS for negligence and breach of duty of care. The Circuit Court judge, Jacqueline Linnane, found that reasonable care had not been taken to maintain the boardwalk, and the failure was responsible for Wall's injuries. The NPWS argues that Wall contributed to her injuries by not looking where she was walking. The appeal will resume in two weeks.
A 53‑year‑old Wexford man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, who was found dead on the floor of a kitchen in Co Carlow on 16 September 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim had beaten the accused in an arm‑wrestling match and that the accused, Liam Power, had stamped on the victim's head and testicles, kicked him repeatedly, and attempted to set fire to his hair and privates with a lighter. Power claimed he was intoxicated, having drunk about 16 cans of cider and smoked crack cocaine before the killing. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to the head and neck, with blood patterns matching the accused's shoes. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty and given a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 18 September 2014.
Liam Power, a 53-year-old Wexford man, was found not guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of assault causing harm to Aigar Sildars. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, heard allegations that Power assaulted Sildars and Gints Intembergs at a home in Graigowen, Tullow, Co Carlow, in September 2014. Power, who is of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Intembergs and the assault on Sildars. His co-accused, Dzintars Sacklausks, initially pleaded not guilty to both murder and assault but had the murder charge dropped by the State two weeks into the trial. Sacklausks subsequently pleaded guilty to the assault charge and is awaiting sentencing. The jury, comprising five men and seven women, deliberated for two days before unanimously acquitting Power of the assault count. The court noted the absence of corroboration for the assault and the unreliability of admissions. The jury will resume deliberations on the murder charge on Wednesday morning. The matter regarding the murder charge remains ongoing and has not been finalised.
The jury has begun deliberations in the Central Criminal Court trial of 53‑year‑old Liam Power, who is charged with murdering a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, found dead on the kitchen floor of his home on 16 September 2014. Power has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Intembergs' home in Graigowen, Tullow, Co. Carlow. He also pleaded not guilty to an assault‑causing‑harm charge against another man, Aigar Sildars, on the same occasion. Power told Gardaí that he punched Intembergs and stamped on him many times, and that he tried to set fire to the victim; he claimed he did about half as much to Sildars.
The Central Criminal Court has reached the sentencing stage for Dzintars Sackalausks, a 33-year-old man from Graiguecullen, Co Carlow. Sackalausks, who initially pleaded not guilty to murdering Gints Intembergs and assaulting Aigar Sildars, had the murder charge dropped by the State. He subsequently entered a guilty plea to the charge of assault causing harm against Mr Sildars on the same occasion. The court report indicates that Sackalausks will be sentenced at a later date, meaning the matter regarding his disposal is not yet finalised. This sentencing follows the concurrent trial of Liam Power, a 53-year-old Wexford man, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of Mr Intembergs in Tullow, Co Carlow. Power also pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm against Mr Sildars. During the trial, the jury was charged by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy to deliberate on Power's verdicts. While the source text details the closing arguments and the jury's retirement to consider Power's case, the specific validated procedural stage for Sackalausks is sentencing. No effective custody, suspended portions, or specific conditions have been recorded for Sackalausks in this report, as his sentence is pending. The report attributes the allegations of murder and assault to the defendants, noting that Sackalausks has admitted to the assault charge while the murder charge was withdrawn.
At the Central Criminal Court, Liam Power, a 53-year-old Wexford man, is on trial for the murder of Gints Intembergs in Co Carlow. Power has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He also faces a charge of assault causing harm against Aigar Sildars, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC urged the jury to keep feelings of revulsion in check, arguing Power lacked the intent for murder and was provoked. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, countered that Power's actions were sadistic and self-serving, urging a murder conviction. In a related development, co-accused Dzintars Sackalausks, of Co Carlow, had initially pleaded not guilty to both the murder of Mr Intembergs and the assault on Mr Sildars. The State dropped the murder charge against Sackalausks. He subsequently entered a guilty plea to the charge of assaulting Mr Sildars, causing him harm on the same occasion. Sackalausks will be sentenced at a later date. The trial for Power continues, with the judge set to charge the jury.
The State has dropped the murder charge against a 33‑year‑old man, who told Gardaí that his co‑accused had stamped on the deceased man's head and testicles numerous times. Both men have been on trial at the Central Criminal Court for almost two weeks. The court heard that Latvian man Gints Intembergs was found dead on his kitchen floor in Co Carlow on the morning of 16 September 2014. Liam Power (53) of no fixed abode and Dzintars Sackalausks (33) of Barrowvale, Graiguecullen, Co Carlow were charged with murdering him on that or the previous day. Mr Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Each accused also pleaded not guilty to assaulting another man, Aigar Sildars, causing him harm on the same occasion. The prosecution, represented by Paul Greene SC, addressed Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy after the jury arrived in court.
In a 2016 Central Criminal Court hearing, 52‑year‑old Liam Power, a man of no fixed abode, told Gardaí that he had repeatedly kicked a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, before removing his clothes and attempting to burn him. Power claimed he had been "frightened" and "like an animal" during the incident, which took place on the night of 15 September 2014, with Intembergs found dead on the kitchen floor the next morning. Power admitted drinking about 16 cans of beer and smoking crack cocaine in the hours before the alleged murder. He also said he had used a lighter to try to set fire to the victim's privates, with co‑accused Dzintars Sackalausks (33) assisting. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder. The trial continued on Monday before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court trial in Carlow, two men, Liam Power (52) and Dzintars Sackalausks (33), are charged with murdering a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, who was found dead on 16 September 2014. The prosecution alleges that Intembergs suffered a violent and sustained assault, dying from blunt force trauma to his head and neck, with a subdural haemorrhage causing death. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that the victim's injuries included patterned bruises suggesting impact with a shoe sole, a fractured rib, broken tooth, and severe facial trauma. She also reported evidence of attempts to burn his t‑shirt and other parts of his body, which appeared peri‑ or post‑mortem. Both accused pleaded not guilty to murder, with Power also pleading guilty to manslaughter, and both pleaded not guilty to assaulting a third man. The case is before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.