Fabio De Oliveira Monteiro, a 28-year-old man from Carlow, has pleaded guilty to allowing his bank account to be used to launder €9,650 stolen from a woman through a phishing scam. The victim was tricked into deleting her banking app by a caller posing as her bank, resulting in €19,300 being stolen from her account. Monteiro admitted to providing his account details in exchange for €400, as he was in financial difficulty due to his mother's medical bills and a small drug debt. The court heard that Monteiro has nine previous convictions for road traffic offences and is considered to be at the bottom of the criminal chain in the operation. His defense argued that Monteiro was a victim of others who preyed on his desperation for cash. The judge remanded Monteiro on bail for sentencing next November, noting that he has since secured new employment and is unlikely to come to further garda attention.
Andrew Delaney, a violent criminal who fired an improvised 'slam bang' gun at another man, had his sentence increased but the balance suspended by the Court of Appeal. Delaney, who wore a balaclava and shouted 'I will kill you' before firing the gun, was initially sentenced to five years with two suspended. The State appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal ruled the sentence had a frailty in principle and increased it to six years and six months, with the remainder suspended. Delaney had pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition, and was also sentenced for possessing benzocaine and being a passenger in a stolen vehicle. The court noted the premeditated nature of the attack and the lack of cooperation with gardaí. Delaney's previous convictions for assault and criminal damage were also considered. The court emphasized the seriousness of the offense and the need for a higher sentence. However, as Delaney secured a place in a residential treatment center, the court suspended the remaining portion of the sentence to allow him to complete the program.
A Dublin teenager who was the driver of a car involved in a spate of burglaries in Carlow almost two years ago has been jailed for two years. The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at a housing estate in Killerig, Tullow, and other incidents. He has a number of previous convictions, including many related to stealing and driving stolen cars. The court heard that the teenager had a difficult upbringing, with his father dying when he was a toddler and his mother being abusive. Judge Mary Morrissey acknowledged his difficult background and noted that he had pleaded guilty, which saved the victims from having to give evidence. She set concurrent sentences totalling 36 months and suspended the final 12 months on strict conditions, including engaging with the Probation Service and mental health services. The judge wished him the best of luck and acknowledged his potential.
A Brazilian brothel-keeper, Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro, has had his appeal to reduce his prison sentence dismissed by the court. Ribeiro, who operated a brothel network across rural Ireland and laundered €800,000, was arrested at Dublin Airport in 2023 with child abuse material on his phone. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including brothel-keeping, money laundering, and possession of child pornography. The child abuse material, which included images and videos of pre-pubescent children, was described as the most serious category. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a 10-and-a-half-year sentence in 2025, which included consecutive terms. Ribeiro's lawyers argued that the court should have suspended the sentence for the child abuse material due to his lack of prior convictions. However, Mr Justice Paul Burns ruled that the child pornography charge was of a different nature and required a separate sentence. He stated that the court could not ignore the severity of the offence. The investigation into Ribeiro began after two women came forward with trafficking allegations, leading to the identification of multiple properties used as brothels across Ireland.
A man from Tullow has been jailed for 21 months after €5,000 worth of cannabis was found hidden behind a couch in his home. Michal Plecha (50) of Shroughaun Close, Tullow, pleaded guilty at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis valued at €5,100 and amphetamine valued at €525 on November 27, 2024. He also admitted to possessing a stolen chainsaw and bicycle. The court heard that a warrant was secured to search his home, where the drugs were found in a sportsbag behind the couch. A digital weighing scale, plastic bags, and €900 in cash were also discovered. Plecha claimed the cash was for buying a car, but gardaí suspect it is from drug trafficking. The stolen items were found in his home, and Plecha said he had bought the chainsaw second-hand and that a friend had left the bike behind. His defence accepted that his engagement with The Probation Service had been inconsistent.
An 18-year-old who was a juvenile at the time pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage after acting as the driver in a series of incidents in Carlow. Judge Mary Morrissey adjourned the case to next July for sentence.
Joe Curtin was jailed for 26 months after pleading guilty to one robbery and two attempted robberies in Hanover Park, Carlow. The court heard that three incidents occurred within ten minutes and that Curtin had 75 previous convictions. Judge Mary Morrissey treated the early guilty plea, cooperation and remorse as mitigation while describing his moral culpability as high.
A serial offender, Joe Curtin, has been remanded in custody pending sentencing for a mugging and two attempted robberies in Carlow town. Curtin, who has 75 previous convictions, admitted to the crimes in court. The incidents occurred within ten minutes of each other in Hanover Park at 8:30 pm. The first victim was punched and had his belongings taken. A second victim was approached by Curtin, who became aggressive when refused. A third man intervened, and Curtin attempted to take his phone but was unsuccessful. The gardaí were alerted and Curtin was arrested. The court heard that Curtin's addiction to alcohol and drugs, as well as his mental health issues, were central to his offending. His defense argued for structured recovery programs. The judge adjourned the case for sentencing. The prosecution emphasized the need for Curtin to receive help, while the defense highlighted his willingness to remain drug-free. Joe Curtin pleaded guilty.
Ross O'Rourke, aged 31, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after stabbing his father, Stefan Nivelle Posschier, 65, 18 times during a psychotic episode in October 2022. A jury of five men and seven women returned a unanimous verdict. O'Rourke claimed he believed his father was linked to criminals and the IRA and that he had received coded messages urging him to kill. Psychiatrists for both sides agreed he suffered from a schizophrenic disorder at the time of the killing. Dr Dearbhla Duffy, at a hearing, stated he continues to lack capacity for informed decisions and needs ongoing inpatient care at the Central Mental Hospital. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered his commitment for treatment, with reviews every six months. The family of the deceased remains in grief. The case highlights the application of the special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006.
A man who stabbed his 'friendly and soft-hearted' father 18 times during a psychotic episode has been found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. Ross O'Rourke, who had a previous address in Tullow, Carlow, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering his father, Stefan Nivelle Posschier, in Kinnegad, Co Westmeath in 2022. The jury returned a unanimous verdict in just 29 minutes, with the judge describing the trial as 'extremely difficult, especially for those who have lost a loved one.' Psychiatrists agreed that O'Rourke was suffering from a schizophrenic mental disorder at the time of the killing and met the criteria for the special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The trial heard that O'Rourke developed a delusion that his father was mixed up with criminals and the IRA and that he posed a threat to his life. He stabbed his father to death and then drove to a hospital, where he told his grandmother he had killed her son.
A fire drill delayed jury deliberations in the trial of a man who stabbed his father to death during a psychotic episode. Ross O'Rourke, 31, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering his father. Psychiatrists agreed he was suffering from a mental disorder and met the criteria for the special verdict. O'Rourke believed his father was involved with criminals and the IRA and heard voices telling him to kill him. He stabbed his father 18 times. His defense described his father as a kind and warm-hearted man. The prosecution argued O'Rourke intended to kill his father but the psychiatrists concluded he was unable to understand the wrongfulness of his actions due to his mental state. The jury was told to return on Monday after the fire drill.
A 31-year-old man who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father by reason of insanity told his grandmother that he had killed her son when she was lying in her bed in a hospital ward. Ross O'Rourke (31) of Tullow, Carlow, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his father, Stefan Nivelles Posschier (65). During the opening of the trial, Shane Costelloe SC said that expert psychiatrists for both the prosecution and defence are in agreement about the accused's mental state at the time of the murder. The court heard that Ms Kingston, the grandmother of the accused, was in her bed in the hospital ward on October 25, 2022, when O'Rourke told her that he had killed her son. Gardai found the body of the deceased under plastic tarpaulin held down with bricks. The prosecution's case is that the accused caused the death of his father, and the court will hear evidence from expert consultant psychiatrists about the accused's mental state at the time.
A jury has been sworn in to hear the trial of a 31-year-old man who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father by reason of insanity. Ross O'Rourke, from Tullow, Carlow, is accused of murdering Stefan Nivelles Posschier at The Stables in Rattin, Kinnegad, Westmeath, between October 24 and 25, 2022. The accused entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial will be presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott and will involve a jury of five men and seven women. The trial is expected to last up to four days. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions is Shane Costello SC, while Michael Bowman SC represents the defence. Evidence will be presented by Dr Ronan Mullaney for the defence and Dr Anthony Kearns for the prosecution. The trial will commence tomorrow.
Charles Dunne, 48, of Ace Fencing Ltd, was found guilty at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court of possessing stolen power tools and of providing five false invoices to Gardaí to prove ownership. He also pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. The jury, after almost six hours of deliberation, returned guilty verdicts on the possession charge, five counts of using a false instrument and the charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, while acquitting him on all other charges. Judge Sinéad McMullan remanded Dunne on continuing bail until a sentencing hearing in November. He was directed to surrender his passport upon return from a family holiday and to sign in once a week at Carlow Garda Station. The case involved a large quantity of tools seized from Dunne's yard in Tullow in January 2019, with Gardaí presenting evidence of the tools' stolen status and the fraudulent invoices supplied by Dunne.
In a Carlow Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 48‑year‑old Charles Dunne of Ace Fencing Ltd pleaded not guilty to two alternative charges: handling a large assortment of stolen power tools and possessing stolen property, both alleged to have occurred on 13 January 2019. He also pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of providing false invoices to Gardaí between January and February 2019, and to attempting to pervert the course of justice by submitting false documents to obstruct a Garda criminal investigation. Gardaí had seized a large quantity of tools from Dunne's yard in Tullow, photographed them, and compiled an inventory. Dunne later supplied about 60 invoices to Gardaí, claiming ownership of the seized tools. Testimony from the auctioneers Ganly Craigie 2000 Ltd and Hennessy Auctioneers highlighted discrepancies between the invoices Dunne provided and the company records, with several invoices containing altered or illegible details. The trial continues before Judge Sinéad McMullan and a jury.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 17 July 2025, three men were found to have received sentences that were too lenient for a "targeted and pre‑meditated" arson that took place on 17 May 2022. The incident involved a stolen Toyota Avensis being rammed into the ground floor of the Tip Top Tanning Studio on Tullow Street, Carlow, and set alight with an accelerant. The blaze spread to the building's upper residential apartments, where families were sleeping. Keith McCormack Smith (24), Jason Ryle (26) and PJ Lyons (21) had all pleaded guilty to arson and related offences. Their original sentences—four, three‑and‑a‑half and three‑and‑a‑half years respectively—were increased to seven, six and four‑and‑a‑half years. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentences and imposed new headline sentences of ten, nine‑and‑a‑half and nine years, each with a suspended portion, to reflect the seriousness of the offence.
Barry Grey, a 23‑year‑old rugby player from Corballis, Castledermot, Kildare, pleaded guilty to assaulting a couple at The Barracks pub, Tullow Street, Carlow, on 25 June 2023. The attack was unprovoked; Grey struck the boyfriend, knocking him down, and then punched the woman in the face, leaving her with severe injuries including a laceration over her eye, a burst lip, swollen tongue, and extensive bruising. The woman was treated at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. Grey had no prior convictions. Judge Eugene O'Kelly, after reviewing CCTV evidence and a probation report, found the assault unjustified, noting Grey had misread the situation while intoxicated. He sentenced Grey to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions, and required a €6,500 restitution payment. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the violent attacks and the impact on the victims.
The DPP has appealed against the sentences imposed on Keith McCormack Smith, Jason Ryle, and PJ Lyons following their guilty pleas for arson and other offences in May 2022. The prosecution argues the sentences were unduly lenient for a targeted, pre-meditated attack where a stolen Toyota was rammed into Tip Top Tanning Studio in Carlow, causing over €250,000 in damage while residents slept above. McCormack Smith, who had 24 previous convictions, was sentenced to six years with the final two suspended. Ryle and Lyons, who had 29 and 17 previous convictions respectively, each received five and a half years with the final two suspended. The DPP contends the headline sentence of eight years was too low, citing aggravating factors including the use of accelerant and the defendants being on bail. Defence counsel argued the sentences were appropriate, noting the men were acting on instructions to clear a drug debt and had made full admissions. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, viewed video footage of the incident and reserved its judgment to be delivered at a later date.
A 54-year-old Brazilian man has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction on multiple charges related to operating a brothel network across rural Ireland. Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro pleaded guilty to 19 sample counts, including brothel-keeping, using false instruments, and possession of proceeds of crime totalling €788,982 across multiple bank accounts. He also admitted possessing child sexual abuse material on his mobile phone when arrested at Dublin Airport in November 2023. The investigation, led by the Garda Human Trafficking and Co-ordination Unit, identified ten rental properties used as brothels in locations including Longford town, Ballyconnell, Ballymahon, Carrick-on-Shannon, and Ballaghadereen. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the offences involved elaborate planning and premeditation. She imposed a global sentence of ten and a half years, suspending the final eighteen months on strict conditions, with the term backdated to his arrest date.
A Brazilian man has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to operating a network of brothels across rural Ireland using falsified documents and landlord deception. Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro, aged 54, rented ten properties under a false Italian identity, with two located in Roscommon Town and others in Longford, Cavan, Leitrim, Carlow, Wexford and Kildare between 2018 and 2023. When arrested at Dublin Airport in November 2023, gardaí from the Human Trafficking and Co-ordination Unit recovered approximately €788,000 in proceeds of crime across multiple bank accounts. He also pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material on his phone comprising nine images and sixteen videos. Ribeiro entered guilty pleas to nineteen sample counts including fraud, inducing landlords to rent properties under false pretences, and possession of criminal proceeds. The investigation began following trafficking allegations from two women who identified properties being misused as brothels. Ribeiro has remained in custody since his arrest. Sentencing proceedings are scheduled for 21 March.
Adam Roche, aged 27, was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison, with an 18‑month suspended portion, for a series of sexual offences committed between August 2015 and January 2018. He used 125,000 messages to pose as victims of online blackmail, threatening a young woman with harm to her pet or the release of intimate images unless she performed non‑consensual sexual acts with him. Roche also threatened to disseminate her photographs and coerced her into sending video proof of sexual acts. He pleaded guilty to rape, anal rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault and possession of child pornography. The judge noted the manipulation, the victim's trust in Roche, and the profound impact on her life, and imposed a sentence that reflected the seriousness and repetition of the offences while taking into account his guilty plea and remorse. The woman was ordered to be kept away from Roche and his associates permanently.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
In a 2016 trial, Liam Power, 52, and Dzintars Sackalausks, 33, were charged with murdering Latvian national Gints Intembergs, 41, in Tullow, Co Carlow, between 15 and 16 September 2014. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the State, and not guilty to assaulting Aigar Sildars. Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to both murder and assault. Forensic evidence presented by Dr Brian Gibson showed blood on Power's white Adidas runners that matched Intembergs' DNA, with a probability of less than one in a thousand million of a coincidence. Blood on Sackalausks' black Nike runners matched Sildars' DNA. Annette Ford analysed bruises on Intembergs' body, finding patterns consistent with Power's footwear but not Sackalausks'. Detective Donal Lawlor testified that Power was present at the scene, had a strong smell of alcohol, and claimed he had kicked Intembergs' head. The case proceeded before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury of five men and seven women.
In a 2016 trial, 52‑year‑old Liam Power, who had no fixed abode, was charged with murdering 41‑year‑old Gints Intembergs at Graigowen, Tullow, between 15 and 16 September 2014. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the State, and also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Aigar Sildars. Dzintars Sackalausks, 33, was charged with the same murder and assault, pleading not guilty to both. Garda evidence described the scene: the deceased lay on the kitchen floor, partially covered, with a partially burned blue and white top and no ignition source. DNA and other items were collected from the house and a Suzuki car. Witnesses, including Dolores Kenny, recounted Power's admission of a fight, an arm‑wrestling match, a slap, and his claim of having killed a man. The case proceeded before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.
A witness testified that Liam Power, aged 52, and Dzintars Sackalausks, aged 33, were present at Gints Intembergs' house on 15–16 September 2014. The witness, who was intoxicated, saw Intembergs' badly beaten body lying on the kitchen floor the morning after. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the State, and was also charged with assaulting Aigar Sildars. Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder and assault. The witness described seeing blood, a bruised eye, a lacerated forehead, and a missing wallet, keys and passport. Neighbour Gunita Lace and friend Monika Metla also gave evidence of the house's condition and the presence of the accused. Dr Eithne Bolger pronounced Intembergs dead at 9.40 am on 16 September. The case is before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury, expected to last three weeks.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Liam Power (52) and Dzintars Sackalausks (33) are charged with murdering Gints Intembergs (41) in Tullow, Co Carlow, between 15 and 16 September 2014. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the State, while Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to both murder and assault. The prosecution alleges that after an arm‑wrestling game and heavy drinking, Power and Sackalausks violently assaulted Intembergs, striking his head and causing a subdural haemorrhage. Witnesses report attempts to burn Intembergs' body while he may have still been alive, and that he was found covered by a duvet with bruises and blood. Both men also allegedly assaulted Aigar Sildars at the same address. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, is expected to last three weeks.
A 54‑year‑old man has admitted killing a Latvian national in Co Carlow over two years ago. The man, who is charged with the 41‑year‑old's murder, is one of two men who will go on trial today charged in connection with the death. Liam Power, of no fixed abode, is charged with murdering Gints Intembergs at Graigowen, Tullow, Co Carlow between the 15th and 16th of September, 2014. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter when arraigned before the Central Criminal Court this morning. This plea was not accepted by the State and a jury was sworn in to try him and his co‑accused. Mr Power also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Aigar Sildars, causing him harm, at the same address and on the same dates. Dzintars Sackalausks (33) of Barrowvale, Graiguecullen, Co Carlow is also charged with murdering Gints Intembergs at the same address and on the same dates.