In January 2018, Paddy Harty, a 44‑year‑old convicted burglar, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for a sexual assault committed on 23 April 2015. Harty met the victim in a pub, they drank together, and he later drove her to a secluded area of The Curragh in County Kildare. While she was still wearing a dress, he forced her down, removed her leggings and underwear, and held her down by her arms. The victim escaped, hid in nearby bushes, and later called the gardai, who could not locate her. She testified that the memory of the attack haunted her daily. Harty pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence is consecutive to a previous four‑year term for theft and fraud offences. He has 168 prior convictions, including 42 thefts, three burglaries and 12 breaches of domestic violence orders, but no prior sexual offences.
Wesley Preston, 40, of Tulla House, Clarehall, Dublin, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for carrying out three robberies and three attempted robberies at The Village Discount Store in Coolock between 3 and 8 December 2016. He stole a total of €450 in cash, using a knife and threatening employees with a steak knife or a Stanley blade. During one incident he fought with a customer and was involved in a scuffle. Preston also attempted to rob Martin's Pub in Clonshaugh, a KFC outlet at the Northside Shopping Centre, and a Spar shop on Tonlegee Road, but fled each time when staff raised the alarm. The judge, Martin Nolan, suspended the final year of the sentence, credited Preston for his efforts to reform, and noted that the robberies were not the most serious offences.
At a hearing_or_decision in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jonathan Goulding (28) and Goulding AKA Farrell pleaded guilty to burglary at Mr Price, Coolock Retail Park, on March 27, 2017. Both defendants admitted the charges and entered pleas of guilty. The matter was adjourned, and no sentence was imposed. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing until October 8, 2018 and requested a report from Tiglin for that date. The court heard that Goulding, who was a chronic drug user at the time of the offence, is now drug free and progressing well in a residential treatment programme at Tiglin. The incident involved Goulding picking up a screwdriver in the shop and asking a staff member if he thought he would stab him. No one was physically injured during the incident. The court was informed that this was the first time Goulding had made an effort to address his issues, and his defence asked the court to allow him to complete the treatment programme prior to sentencing. The court heard that the burglary was committed to feed his drug habit at the time. Garda Kevin Hynes confirmed the details of the incident, and the defence agreed that the incident, while frightening, did not result in any physical harm. The matter was adjourned and not finalised.
In a High Court hearing on 20 December 2017, Clare County Council sought an injunction against Helen and Bernard McDonagh, members of the Irish Traveller Community, who had moved their caravans onto a site on Ashline, Kilrush Road in Ennis. The council claimed the site, earmarked for 40 new social housing units, was a health and safety hazard for the McDonaghs, citing lack of running water and sanitation. The council argued it had no traveller‑specific accommodation to offer and that the site had previously been used for Traveller accommodation but had been vacant after a suspected arson attack. The McDonaghs' lawyer, Niall Buckley, requested time to prepare a sworn statement and noted the council had not terminated a tenancy agreement with one of the McDonaghs. The council had offered the family a private rented four‑bedroom house in Ennis, which the McDonaghs refused, and said it was prepared to offer one of the new social housing units.
A 22‑year‑old Clare man, Robbie Walsh of Island View, Kilrush, is charged with murdering 25‑year‑old Karl Haugh at the Marian Estate in Kilkee on 6 August. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy has set the trial for 22 October 2018 before a Central Criminal Court jury.
David Aminu, a 42‑year‑old Nigerian national, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan after pleading guilty to fraudulently claiming €136,449 in social welfare payments over seven years. Aminu used his cousin's name to obtain a PPS number and claim Family Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, and other benefits from 2006 to 2013. In 2015 he wrote a letter to the Department of Social Welfare revealing his true identity and date of birth, an act that prompted the Gardaí to investigate and ultimately detect the fraud. The court noted that Aminu had no prior convictions, had cooperated fully, and had used the funds to support his family rather than for a lavish lifestyle. The judge emphasised the need for deterrence in such difficult‑to‑detect crimes, while acknowledging Aminu's remorse and good family background. The sentence may have long‑term consequences for Aminu, including potential deportation.
Garry Carroll, a former legal executive who had worked for Connolly Sellors and Geraghty Solicitors from 1978 to 2009, was jailed for three years after admitting to theft, larceny and embezzlement over a ten‑year period. He stole about €260,000 from the firm, and the civil case in 2014 awarded the firm €323,000. In November 2017 the High Court approved an order appointing a receiver over Carroll's pension fund held by Irish Life Assurance, which was due to be paid to him on his 60th birthday in June 2019. The receiver will receive the pension proceeds, less tax and a €25,000 retention for Carroll. Carroll, aged 58, said his actions were driven by a gambling addiction. The court noted that the fraud was uncovered when a property developer complained about a missing mortgage payment, leading to Carroll's confession and subsequent counselling.
A musician found dead in his Sligo home with a knife on his chest and stab wounds to his neck was remembered as a "gentleman who wouldn't hurt a fly" as a murder trial heard evidence at the Central Criminal Court. Martin Kivlehan, aged 59, was discovered at New Apartments on Holborn Street on 3 August 2015. Keith Brady, aged 30, of Cartron Estate, Sligo has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in relation to the death. The prosecution's plea was not accepted and the trial proceeded. Gardaí described the scene as ransacked, with burnt tinfoil indicating heroin use nearby. One sergeant characterised the body's position as appearing "staged". Witnesses described Mr Kivlehan as a regular drinker who was well-liked in the community. The trial, heard before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continued before the court.
A 25‑year‑old Dublin man, Dean Comerford, was sentenced to one year in jail for providing false information in a passport application. The application, which contained his personal details, was submitted with a photograph that had been spliced to include a different person's image. Comerford had attended Tallaght Garda station in January 2015 to obtain a certification for the application, and the photo was stamped normally. The passport office's fraud department later discovered the splicing. Judge Karen O'Connor found the premeditated nature of the offence aggravating and imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision. The case also involved co‑accused Derek Corr, who received a five‑year sentence with four years suspended, and a GP who was prosecuted for endorsing the identity form without meeting Comerford. The court noted Comerford's history of 14 convictions, including public order and road traffic offences. Dean Comerford pleaded guilty.
Two men wanted in Northern Ireland on charges of attempted murder of a PSNI officer and possession of explosives with intent to endanger life have brought High Court applications seeking disclosure of Garda records following their arrest in the Lifford area of County Donegal in June 2015. The applicants claim Gardaí have failed to provide custody records, copies of statements, and details of forensic samples taken during their detention. They argue the withheld information is relevant to extradition proceedings and that its non-disclosure breaches their Constitutional rights and rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. The men contend evidence gathered in custody should not be used in their intended Northern Irish prosecution. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan heard the matter at the High Court and referred the judicial review applications to Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, who is hearing the related extradition requests. Ms Justice Donnelly will determine whether to hear both applications together. The matter was adjourned pending her decision.
Terence Murphy, aged 35, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his role in a shooting at a house in Ballyfermot, Dublin. The final eighteen months of the sentence were suspended. Murphy was present when his co‑accused, Daniel Ennis, fired two shots at the house, and he was clearly visible on CCTV footage captured by Gardai. Murphy was arrested shortly after the incident. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances on 8 May 2015 and has 26 prior convictions. Ennis received a four‑year sentence for his part in the shooting. Murphy's guilty plea, his time in custody, and the fact that he was not the gun‑bearer were cited as mitigating factors by Judge Melanie Greally, who ordered him to meet with a probation supervisor for the 18 months following his release.
The High Court has dismissed an application by a businessman seeking injunctions to regain control of a golf course property in County Wicklow from a court-appointed receiver. Ms Justice Caroline Costello ruled on Wednesday that the applicant had failed to establish a credible case for trial or demonstrate that financial compensation would be inadequate. The judge found that granting the injunctions would undermine the receivership process. The dispute centres on 126 acres at Coolnaskeagh, Delgany, which form the basis of the golf club business. The defendant fund had appointed a receiver following the applicant's failure to meet a demand for €1.65 million on mortgage arrangements originally entered into with a bank in 2003, 2005, and 2008. The loans were later acquired by the fund in 2015. A property in County Roscommon was among the assets secured against the loans. The case has been adjourned to a date following the Easter recess.
Colm Deely, aged 45, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of 43‑year‑old Deirdre McCarthy. The case arose after McCarthy's body washed up on Fanore Beach, Co Clare, after Deely had dumped her in the sea. Deely had earlier been convicted of murder in 2013, but that conviction was quashed because the forensic work of Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar had not been peer‑reviewed. In January 2017 Deely pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at a hearing in the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted that the offence was aggravated by Deely's callous disposal of the body and his return to work with McCarthy's brother shortly after the killing. The sentence was imposed in the absence of evidence that would have supported a murder charge, and the judge emphasised the substantial period of imprisonment required for the killing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 13 March 2017, Helen Geoghegan, sister of Deirdre McCarthy, delivered a victim‑impact statement describing the profound grief and lasting trauma her family endured after McCarthy's strangulation and body was dumped in the sea near Fanore Beach on 31 March 2011. Geoghegan recalled McCarthy as a kind, family‑loving woman who enjoyed Christmas and birthdays, and lamented that her mother died of a broken heart and that sleepless nights have become part of the family's daily life. She noted that the accused, Colm Deely, 45, had worked with McCarthy's brother the day after the murder and had shown no remorse. The court heard that Deely had admitted to Gardaí that he killed McCarthy, who he had known since childhood, and that the cause of death was manual strangulation. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded Deely in custody and adjourned sentencing until 20 March. Colm Deely pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 court hearing, Gardaí captured live CCTV footage of a shooting at a house on Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot. The footage showed Terence Murphy, aged 35, standing near the house while his co‑accused, Daniel Ennis, 22, fired two shots. Murphy was arrested minutes later and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances. He has 20 prior convictions. Ennis received a four‑year sentence for his role. The judge adjourned sentencing to May 22 to allow a probation report. Inspector David Harrington explained that an earlier altercation involving two men and two women had occurred before the shots were fired, and that the women had contacted Gardaí. Murphy was not present during the initial threats. He had been released on bail 13 months earlier and was on a methadone maintenance program.
Monika Matracka, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michal Rejmer, 38, at her home in The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. She claimed self‑defence, stating she stabbed Rejmer. Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to report to work at MacDonald's. Witnesses from the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel testified that Matracka was "very honest and sincere" and had been visibly upset and crying on 7 January, citing stress and the ongoing search for Rejmer. CCTV footage showed Matracka's movements at the hotel and in the area, including a clip of her walking near The Pines with something across her arm or shoulder. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 16 January 2017, Colm Deely, aged 44, admitted to manslaughter in the death of Deirdre McCarthy, 43, whose body was found on Fanore Beach on 31 March 2011. Deely had originally pleaded not guilty to murder and was convicted in June 2013, receiving a life sentence. The conviction was quashed in December 2016 after the Court of Appeal discovered that the state pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar's evidence had not been peer‑reviewed, a procedural flaw highlighted by Deely's defence lawyer Gearoid Geraghty. The court ordered a retrial, and Deely pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The plea was accepted by the State, sentencing was adjourned until 13 March, and Deely was remanded in custody until that date. The case underscores the impact of unreviewed forensic evidence on criminal proceedings.
In a High Court case filed on 19 December 2016, David Mongans, his wife Margaret Lisa Mongans, and their four children—members of the Irish Travelling Community—seek to compel Clare County Council to provide suitable accommodation. The family's former home at Knockaneen was destroyed by fire in 2015, leaving them homeless. Since then they have lived in various temporary locations, including a shed and a caravan on Kilrush Road in Ennis, where they currently reside. The Mongans argue that their present caravan is unsuitable, especially for their young children who have significant health issues, and that the council's failure to provide proper housing breaches their constitutional rights and the Traveller Accommodation Acts. The application was granted ex‑parte by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, with the case scheduled for a hearing in January.
Gediminas Zigmantas, a 35‑year‑old Lithuanian, had his eight‑year prison sentence for robbing a prostitute at Cork's Metropole Hotel reduced to six years on appeal. He pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and robbery in 2015. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan, found the original eight‑year term "somewhat excessive" compared with similar cases from 2003 to 2013. Zigmantas had previously been convicted of a similar robbery in Ennis, receiving a five‑year sentence with 18 months suspended, which he was serving when the new sentence was imposed. The appeal court noted that Zigmantas showed no remorse and that the victim, Sylvia, was freed after 20 minutes with minimal injuries. The court therefore mitigated the sentence to six years imprisonment.
A 34‑year‑old man from Clare, Raymond Kilmartin, voluntarily surrendered himself to British authorities after being sought on a European Arrest Warrant for allegedly defrauding a Bristol school of about £10,000 while employed as a finance officer in 2013. Kilmartin was arrested in Ennis on 31 October 2016, following a warrant issued by a Circuit judge at Bristol Crown Court on 25 July 2016. In the High Court, his counsel, Mr Conor McKenna BL, confirmed that Kilmartin consented to the surrender. The court noted the charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment. Justice Aileen Donnelly ordered that Kilmartin be handed over to the UK, where he will be taken to Cloverhill Prison and then transferred to the UK for prosecution. The case remains at the extradition stage, with no trial or conviction yet reported.
James McLoughlin, 42, of Summer Street South, was given a suspended three‑year sentence for tampering with ESB and Bord Gais meters between July 2013 and February 2014. He admitted to criminally damaging two Bord Gais meters and an ESB meter, possessing a stolen Bord Gais meter, and interfering with meters at Benbulbin Road, Drimnagh. McLoughlin offered a "cheaper" energy service, claiming to allow free gas flow for €100 and advising a woman to top her meter by €10 a week. Engineers from Bord Gais and ESB described his actions as extremely dangerous, risking electrocution, gas leaks and explosions. He has 42 prior convictions, including traffic and theft offences, and has serious mental health and addiction problems. The judge noted his efforts at rehabilitation and imposed a suspended sentence to avoid detrimental incarceration at this time. James McLoughlin pleaded guilty.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year's detention at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a series of offences committed in April 2016. The teenager pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, and criminal damage to a bridge after crashing a stolen Hyundai into the River Liffey at Celbridge while evading gardai from a burglary scene in Lucan. Within 48 hours of his release on bail, he assaulted an elderly man and stole his vehicle. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting that detention should be a last resort for minors. The court heard evidence that the accused was intoxicated during the chase and was abusing prescribed drugs at the time. His legal counsel submitted that he is now drug-free, has expressed remorse, and is willing to engage with rehabilitation services and address anger management issues.
A 34‑year‑old Clare man, Raymond Kilmartin, was brought before the High Court in Dublin after the UK requested his extradition on fraud charges. The UK alleges he defrauded a Bristol school of about £10,000 while working as a finance officer in 2013. Kilmartin was arrested in Ennis under a European Arrest Warrant and accepted the extradition request. Justice Aileen Donnelly, after informing him of his rights, ordered his remand in custody until 14 November.
Andrew Shannon, aged 50, was convicted for damaging Claude Monet's 1874 painting 'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat' at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. CCTV showed him striking the canvas, causing a substantial tear. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with 15 months suspended, on 4 December 2014. Shannon appealed the conviction, arguing the damage was accidental after a coronary episode. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. The court noted the separate incidents at the National Gallery and the Shelbourne Hotel, the latter of which he was acquitted. The appeal was dismissed, and Shannon expressed a desire to appeal to the Supreme Court. The case was heard by Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon. Andrew Shannon pleaded not guilty.
A 23‑year‑old man, Jordan Cunningham, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for a series of robberies committed while on bail. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Event Fuel (July 19 2015), robbery at Tuttys corner shop and South Circular Pharmacy, attempted robbery at Cahills Pharmacy (July 22 2015), and robbery at Ladbrookes (October 22 2015). In each offence he used knives or a broken bottle to threaten staff and demanded money. Cunningham was released on bail for the burglary and later on high‑court bail to attend drug treatment, yet he continued to commit offences to repay drug debts. The judge noted his long‑standing drug addiction and the escalation of violence he was willing to use. Consecutive sentences totalling six and a half years were imposed, with the final year suspended. The court highlighted Cunningham's admissions, apologies and progress in rehabilitation courses while in custody.
In a High Court case, 32‑year‑old singer Rachel Prior, known as 'Rachy P', was awarded €64,300 in damages after slipping and falling at a Dunnes Stores outlet on Henry Street, Limerick, on 6 December 2008. Prior claimed she fell onto her back after stepping onto a white liquid, suffering neck and lower‑back pain. The court found Dunnes Stores negligent, accepting expert evidence that the floor was shiny and a spill would not have been visible. The judge did not find contributory negligence and described Prior as a truthful witness. Medical evidence showed some injuries had resolved but lower‑back pain would continue. The award included legal costs, with a stay applied pending payment of €30,000 and €20,000 toward costs. Dunnes sought a stay on appeal, but Prior's lawyers opposed it as a tactic.
In June 2016 a 16‑year‑old Dublin teenager was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years' detention for a series of robberies in which he threatened four women with a large knife. He pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and four robbery charges in the Tallaght area. The court noted that the teenager had 29 prior convictions but this was his first violent offence. He admitted to using a knife and drugs to feel brave enough to commit the robberies. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final two years of the sentence on the condition that the teenager engage with the Probation Service for two years after release and take every educational opportunity while in custody. The case was prosecuted by Fiona Murphy BL and defended by Cathal McGreal BL, who highlighted the defendant's borderline intellectual disability and history of abuse. The incidents involved threatening victims, demanding cash, and stealing phones and bank cards.
Neil Kelly, 41, pleaded guilty to criminal damage for setting fire to Garda Áine Troy's car at Scarriff Garda Station on 19 March 2013. He received a wholly suspended three‑year sentence from Judge Gerard Keyes on 1 May 2015. The Court of Appeal rejected the Director of Public Prosecutions' appeal that the sentence was "unduly lenient". Judge Garrett Sheehan noted the case was "borderline" but the suspended sentence fell within the margin of appreciation. He described how Kelly intervened to stop his co‑accused from abusing Garda Troy, who had seized a vehicle for lacking insurance. Kelly paid €6,000 compensation and expressed remorse. The court found the offence an attack on the rule of law, yet mitigation factors justified the suspended sentence. The appeal was dismissed.
A 41‑year‑old man, Declan O'Cualain, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for strangling his brother Adrian Folan with a bungee cord on 4 July 2014. In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that O'Cualain was fixated on paedophilia and believed his brother had abused him, but two forensic psychiatrists testified that he was in a delusional state and should not be held responsible. The jury returned a not‑guilty verdict after 21 minutes of deliberation. Judge Margaret Heneghan ordered O'Cualain to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH). Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, reported that O'Cualain had been admitted to the CMH in December 2014, was under her care since February 2015, and had improved insight into his bipolar disorder. She confirmed he was receiving antipsychotic and mood‑stabilising medication and had responded well to treatment. The judge, satisfied with the psychiatric evidence, committed him to the CMH for inpatient care.
A 41‑year‑old Declan O'Cualain was found not guilty by reason of insanity for strangling his brother Adrian Folan with a bungee cord on 4 July 2014. O'Cualain, who lived in An Caoran Beag, An Cheathru Rua, Co Galway, was charged with murder after the body was discovered concealed under rocks near the Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and after 21 minutes of deliberation a jury of nine men and three women returned that verdict. The judge, Justice Margaret Heneghan, exempted the jury from further service for 15 years and ordered O'Cualain to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital. The court heard forensic psychiatrists confirmed he was in an acute manic psychosis state, unable to appreciate the nature of his actions. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court on 22 April 2016.
A 41‑year‑old Galway man, Declan O'Cualain, was charged with murdering his brother Adrian Folan. The prosecution alleged that O'Cualain strangled Folan with a bungee cord, then disposed of the body in a water‑filled pit near the Cliffs of Moher, covering it with rocks. He confessed to the act to a friend and to Gardaí, and was arrested at his home on 7 July 2014. Gardaí found the body, which was later identified at Limerick University Hospital, and evidence of a burnt knife fragment and bungee cords was recovered. O'Cualain pleaded not guilty on the grounds of insanity, claiming he was in an "utterly delusional" state and believed his brother was a paedophile. The trial is ongoing.
A 41‑year‑old man, Declan O'Cualain of An Caoran Beag, An Cheathru Rua, Co Galway, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his brother, Adrian Folan (O'Cualain), at Lislorkin North, Liscannor, Co Clare, on 4 July 2014. The plea was made at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Patrick McCarthy informed a jury of nine men and three women that the case would last no more than a day, but they would be required to serve until the end of the week. He added that the matter would be handled by Ms Justice Heneghan.
Two men, Anthony Callaghan (45) and Paul Zambra (39), were arrested in Coolock after a three‑day surveillance operation by specialist gardaí. They were found with a Ruger revolver and a semi‑automatic pistol, both loaded and ready for use, and a full petrol can. Callaghan, from Millrace Road, Phoenix Park Racecourse, and Zambra, from Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of firearms with intent to endanger life. Judge Melanie Greally described the evidence as overwhelming and noted the men's histories of violent crime. Callaghan was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and Zambra to 10 years. The sentences reflect the court's view that the weapons posed a considerable danger to life. The operation was carried out by the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit over several days, with vehicles seized and CCTV used to identify the suspects. The men were removed from society for the duration of their sentences.
In March 2011, Colm Deely of Ballyvaughan was convicted of murdering 43‑year‑old Deirdre McCarthy. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty of killing her between 11 pm on 27 March and noon the next day. After her body was discovered, Deely stabbed himself in the stomach and was hospitalised. He claimed he had not intended to kill her, saying she had blackmailed him and that she laughed at him. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and is set to appeal the conviction in June 2016.
Anthony Callaghan, 45, and Paul Zambra, 39, were arrested in Coolock on 29 May 2015 after a Garda surveillance operation. They possessed a Ruger revolver and a semi‑automatic pistol, both loaded, with an intent to endanger life. Zambra also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance. Callaghan had a prior firearms conviction, so a mandatory minimum of ten years applies; Zambra's sentence may differ. Both pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court adjourned sentencing to the following Wednesday. The operation involved a white Nissan van and a blue BMW; Gardaí seized a full petrol container, a pistol with a silencer, and a revolver with serial numbers removed. Both men exercised their right to silence during questioning. The case is pending sentencing.
Paul Zambra, 39, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a Ruger revolver and a semi‑automatic pistol with intent to endanger life at Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock on 29 May 2015. He also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance on the same occasion. Judge John Hannon remanded him in custody until his sentence date on 10 March, when full facts will be heard.
Robert Jones, a 26-year-old bank worker from Tallaght, Dublin, received a suspended sentence of 18 months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. Jones pleaded guilty to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of five years, after the Director of Public Prosecutions agreed to withdraw a more serious charge of assault causing serious harm, which carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A nolle prosequi was entered on the withdrawn charge. The incident occurred on July 20, 2014, at Palace night-club, Camden Street, where Jones allegedly struck victim Brian Murphy with a pint glass, leaving the medical student blind in one eye. Judge John Aylmer noted that while he made no determination on provocation, he was legally bound to give Jones the benefit of the doubt regarding witness accounts of provocation. The judge cited Jones' impeccable character, the spontaneous nature of the act, and the fact that a custodial sentence would destroy Jones' career prospects, thereby affecting the victim's ability to seek civil compensation. Jones brought €8,000 to court as a token of remorse. The court heard that Jones had previously faced trial on the more serious offence before pleading guilty to the lesser charge.
In 2015, approximately 350 people were serving life sentences in Irish prisons, with life terms averaging around 18 years. However, a select number of prisoners have served substantially longer. John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans, convicted in 1978 of abducting, raping and murdering two women in 1976 and 1977, received life sentences. Evans died in 2012 after 34 years in custody. Shaw remains imprisoned after nearly 38 years. Jimmy Ennis, now aged 84, is Ireland's longest-serving prisoner, having been incarcerated over five decades for a 1964 murder in County Cork. Noel Callan from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, and Michael McHugh were sentenced to death in 1985 for the killing of Sergeant Patrick Morrissey near Tallanstown, County Louth. Their sentences were commuted to 40 years imprisonment and both were released in 2015 after 30 years. Colm O'Shea and Patrick McCann received death sentences in 1980 for murdering two gardaí during a bank robbery in Ballaghedereen, County Roscommon, later commuted to 40 years. Both were released in 2013 after serving 33 years.
James McLoughlin, 42, of Summer Street South, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to tampering with two Bord Gais gas meters and an ESB electricity meter between July 2013 and February 2014, and to possessing a stolen Bord Gais meter. He also admitted interfering with a Bord Gais meter on Benbulbin Road between March and May 2013. McLoughlin offered householders a "cheaper" energy service by allowing free gas flow, charging €100 for the service and advising a weekly €10 top‑up. Gardaí observed him visiting houses, obtained a search warrant, and found stolen meters and a drilled electricity meter. He exercised his right to silence at arrest. The case was adjourned for a probation and community service report, with the judge noting his mental health and addiction issues.
Joe Heffernan, a 35‑year‑old farmer from Cappagh Beg, Barefield, Ennis, was convicted of murdering 21‑year‑old student Eoin Ryan in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 3 July 2013. The murder was discovered when Ryan's body was found in a barrel on Heffernan's farm on 7 June 2011. During the trial, two 999 calls were played to the jury, with transcripts provided. Heffernan had pleaded not guilty and later appealed, arguing that the prosecution should have proved he was not suffering from a mental disorder and did not have diminished responsibility. Mr Justice John Edwards, sitting with Mr Justice Seán Ryan and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, dismissed the appeal, holding that the burden of proof for the partial defence of diminished responsibility lies with the defence and is the same as for the insanity defence, i.e., proof on the balance of probabilities.
Andrew Shannon, aged 50, was convicted of damaging Claude Monet's painting 'Argentuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat (1874)' at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. He had previously been found not guilty of damaging two paintings at the Shelbourne Hotel on 8 January 2014. In the National Gallery case, a jury found him guilty and Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with the final 15 months suspended, on 4 December 2014. Shannon has now moved to appeal the conviction, arguing that the trial judge erred by failing to sever the indictment and by allowing the prosecution to merge the two separate incidents. His counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contended that the prosecution's strategy of linking the two cases compromised a fair trial. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Kerida Naidoo SC, countered that the jury was instructed to treat the cases separately and that evidence supported the conviction.
Daniel Ennis, aged 20, was sentenced to six years in prison after a series of violent incidents in Ballyfermot, Dublin. In January 2014 he threatened to kill or seriously harm Garda Ryan and Garda Doyle when they searched his back garden for a stolen postbag and bike. He also threatened to kill or seriously harm Linda Carrie and Lena Tims, to damage property, and was found in possession of a firearm on 8 May 2015. Ennis threw a small dog, a paving slab and a bike at four Gardaí, threatened to ram a patrol car, and shouted from an upstairs window that he was armed with a knife. Over a year later, while on bail, he fired shots at a house on Oranmore Road, where a woman was sleeping after being released from hospital, after threatening to blow the occupants' heads off and to burn the house down. Daniel Ennis pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Ennis, aged 20, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Garda Linda Ryan and Garda Michelle Doyle during a search of his back garden for a stolen postbag. He also pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Ms. Carrie and Ms. Tims, threatening to damage property, and possession of a firearm on Oranmore Road. Ennis had previously fired shots at a house on Oranmore Road, where a woman was sleeping, and had threatened the occupants. He had also thrown a small dog and a paving slab at four gardaí who were searching his garden, and had tried to throw a bike and threatened them with a shovel. The judge remanded Ennis in continuing custody until sentencing. No injuries were reported. The case involved no further convictions or outcomes beyond the guilty pleas.
During the trial of Gary Walsh, 32, accused of murdering former Dublin rugby club captain Cathal Sweeney, the jury heard that Walsh initially told Gardaí Sweeney had arrived at a Terenure flat "in an assaulted state" and had "dropped unconscious." Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder but had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State rejected. Prosecution witnesses included Thomas Doolin of the Dolphins Barn Fire Brigade, who reported that when he asked the two men in the flat what had happened to Sweeney, both said Sweeney had arrived thirty minutes earlier with injuries. Bryan Mullen, a general nurse, testified he had tried to resuscitate Sweeney for fifteen minutes and observed severe head injuries and bleeding. Gardaí Stephen Pendred and John Walsh recounted that Walsh, wearing blood‑soaked tracksuit bottoms, was the main speaker while the third man, Colm Campbell, remained quiet. Pendred noted Walsh's agitation and numerous questions about Sweeney.
The Court of Appeal refused to review a fully suspended four‑year prison sentence that had been imposed on a 40‑year‑old woman for the "most serious" neglect of five girls and two boys over a ten‑year period from March 2001 to July 2010. The woman had pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court and was given a sentence suspended in full for seven years by Mr Justice Carroll Moran on 25 February 2013. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a review on the ground that the sentence was "unduly lenient", but Mr Justice Seán Ryan, President of the Court of Appeal, rejected the application. He noted that the case involved a "catalogue of abuse" and "very serious crimes", and that the woman had shown rehabilitative efforts, including attending Alcoholics Anonymous and engaging with the probation service.
In the Commercial Court, an agreement was reached among creditors of businessman Tony O'Reilly concerning a priority charge over €2.7 million worth of shares held in Dromoland Castle Holdings Ltd (DCHL). The court made absolute a conditional order previously granted, giving AIB priority over other creditors in relation to the shares. The order confirms that €15.26 million, plus continuing interest, is charged in favour of AIB on 8,216 shares held by or on behalf of Mr O'Reilly, subject to any prior interest of BNY Mellon. The decision does not prejudice any rights of DCHL or its shareholders under any shareholders agreement or the company's articles. AIB, BNY Mellon, DCHL and representatives of three financial institutions were parties to the action. The court noted that the order may affect Mr O'Reilly's insolvency process in the Bahamas, but AIB rejected that claim.
Patrick Barry, an 81‑year‑old former primary school principal from Kilkee, was convicted of indecent assault on 11 female pupils between 1964 and 1985. He was found guilty on 59 of 67 charges and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment, with five years suspended. On appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to two years, suspending the final three years of the five‑year portion. Barry must post a €1,000 bond and keep the peace during the suspended period. His release date is set for 20 May 2019. The appeal was based on the trial judge's error in setting the initial sentence and on Barry's advanced age, health problems and community contribution. The appeal against conviction was dismissed. The case involved allegations of indecent touching and forced positions in the classroom, with most incidents occurring in front of other pupils. The court noted that the offences were committed in a small community where everyone knew each other. Patrick Barry pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Anderson, a 47‑year‑old former drug addict, received a suspended five‑year jail sentence for a series of robberies committed in 2009. He was first on bail for an armed robbery at a Spar shop when he threatened hairdresser staff, then robbed €1,817 from a hairdressers in Coolock on the last Saturday before Christmas. CCTV identified him and Gardaí questioned him three days later. The next day he hijacked a car, threatening the owner with a screwdriver, drove dangerously and crashed into a tree, leading to his arrest. In 2011 Anderson pleaded guilty to robbery of €300 cash and €399.60 in cigarettes from a Spar shop in Raheny, robbery of the hairdressers, and taking a Nissan car by force from Joe Ennis in Portmarnock. He had prior convictions for robbery and drink driving.
During his final sitting at the Four Courts on 24 April 2015, Mr Justice Paul Carney retired after more than five decades of service as Ireland's most senior criminal judge. He was called to the Bar in 1966 and appointed to the High Court in 1991, presiding over hundreds of civil and criminal cases, including high‑profile rape, murder and manslaughter trials such as those of Wayne O'Donoghue, Michael Bambrick and the Mulhall sisters. Carney also sat on the three‑judge High Court that heard the Marie Fleming assisted‑suicide case and was involved in the 1986 Kenny appeal that introduced the exclusionary rule. He was known for his strict adherence to tradition, wearing a horsehair wig, and for being a "tough but fair" judge who insisted on high standards and the rights of victims.
An 81‑year‑old former primary school principal, Patrick Barry of Kilkee, has appealed his 11‑year prison sentence for indecent assault of 11 female pupils at Moyasta National School between 1964 and 1985. He pleaded not guilty to 67 charges but was found guilty on 59 counts by a jury; the trial judge, Gerald Keyes, directed not guilty on eight counts. Barry's sentence, imposed at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on 19 November 2014, was 11 years with the final five suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction, ruling it could not hold on any of his 12 grounds of appeal. Barry's appeal against sentence was reserved, with a decision expected on 15 May. The case involved allegations of indecent touching and forced positions in the classroom, with victims present. The court noted the seriousness of the offences and Barry's position of trust. The appeal was heard by Justices Garrett Sheehan, Alan Mahon and George Birmingham.