In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Andrew Shannon, aged 50, pleaded not guilty to allegations of damaging two Felim Egan paintings, 'Morning Strand' and 'Evening Strand', at the Shelbourne hotel on 8 January 2014. The jury heard that the paintings, which were exhibited in the trial, appeared to have been slashed or torn with an object. Shannon also faced a separate not‑guilty plea for damaging a Claude Monet painting, 'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat' (1874), at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. The court noted that the Monet had undergone an exhaustive repair and was back on display. Loss‑prevention manager Eamon Kelly reported that CCTV footage, burned to a disk, was handed to Gardaí the day after his return from holiday. Kelly confirmed the paintings were to be destroyed. Garda Eugene McCarthy explained that he had arrested Shannon on 31 January 2014 after reviewing the footage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Andrew Shannon, 50, pleaded not guilty to damaging two Felim Egan paintings – 'Morning Strand' and 'Evening Strand' – at the Shelbourne hotel on 8 January 2014. The paintings were presented as exhibits on the fourth day of the trial. Shannon also pleaded not guilty to damaging a Claude Monet painting, 'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat (1874)', at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. Jury members viewed CCTV footage showing Shannon entering the Shelbourne with a second man, walking through various suites, and later noticing white threads hanging from the blue painting. He photographed the damage on his phone and informed a colleague, who alerted his supervisor. The supervisor promised to address the issue the following morning. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan with a jury of seven women and five men.
Two New Zealand tourists recounted seeing a man's fist penetrate a Monet painting worth €10 million at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. The accused, Andrew Shannon, 50, pleaded not guilty to damaging Claude Monet's *Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat* (1874) and to damaging two Felim Egan paintings at the Shelbourne Hotel. Witnesses, including a paramedic and security staff, described Shannon as fainting, complaining of chest pain and falling against the painting. He later claimed a heart condition and that he had a tin of paint stripper. The case is before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, with no verdict yet announced. The incident remains a criminal matter under investigation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Andrew Shannon, 50, of Willians Way, Ongar, Dublin 15, pleaded not guilty to allegations of damaging Claude Monet's 1874 painting *Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat* at the National Art Gallery on Clare Street. The judge, Martin Nolan, indicated technical and legal arguments would be presented and adjourned the case until the following morning. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
Michael Maughan, 40, was found guilty of murder and assault in Ennis, County Clare, after stabbing Piotr Nowakowski, 31, twice and striking him again in the head. The jury, after a two‑hour and 23‑minute trial, returned a unanimous verdict. Mr. Maughan had pleaded not guilty to both charges, but the prosecution rejected his manslaughter plea. Mr. Maughan, who had a history of alcohol‑related offences, claimed he was out of control and had no memory of the motive. Mr. Nowakowski was a Polish immigrant who had come to Ireland for a better life. Mr. Maughan was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder, concurrent with a four‑year sentence for the assault, both back‑dated to 24 July 2013 for time already spent in custody. The court heard that Mr. Maughan had 68 prior convictions dating back to 1991, including public order, burglary and theft.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul Carney instructed the jury that alcohol does not excuse criminal responsibility. The accused, Michael Maughan, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, who was stabbed twice on 23 July 2013 and died en route to a hospital. Maughan and his brother had been drinking with Nowakowski and two others earlier that day and returned to the apartment later that night. Maughan also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address. The judge emphasized that intent can arise instantly and that pre‑planning is not required. The prosecution argued that ample evidence supported a murder conviction, while the defence highlighted Maughan's alcoholism and recent release from an addiction centre. The jury was sworn in for a week‑long trial.
Michael Maughan, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, at Sandfield Mews, Ennis, on 23 July 2013. He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address. In Garda interviews, Maughan admitted stabbing Nowakowski twice, kicking him in the head after paramedics arrived, and claimed he had no control, saying he "just went berserk" after seeing a knife. He denied intent to kill, stating he thought Nowakowski was drunk. Cross‑examination of Maughan by Garda Stephen Hession echoed this, describing the incident as "total madness" with no excuse. Margaret Nihill, Maughan's former girlfriend, testified about their relationship and his alcohol consumption that night. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis reported that Nowakowski died from stab wounds to the chest, lung and liver, plus blunt force trauma to the head, with a blood alcohol level of 415 mg per cent.
During a murder trial, a paramedic testified that he saw the deceased, Piotr Nowakowski, being kicked in the head. The accused, Michael Maughan, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The paramedic, Ralph O'Neill, arrived at 1:05 am after a call about a stabbing at Sandfield Mews. He described a scene where several men were present, the victim lying on the floor with multiple wounds, and a third man repeatedly kicking him. Maughan's brother, Darren, and the third man were also present. The paramedics left the scene at 1:57 am, hoping to transport the patient by helicopter, but he died at Shannon Airport. The trial continues with a jury hearing the case.
In February 2012, Larry Connors, aged 21, was sentenced to three years in prison for child cruelty after pleading guilty to assaulting a 10‑month‑old baby between 15 December 2010 and 3 January 2011. The baby suffered fractures to both arms, a dislocated right elbow, bruising, a burn on the right calf and brain bleeding, and was taken to Midwestern Regional Hospital in Limerick. Connors, who lived in Shannon, Co Clare, was not the child's father. The mother described Connors slapping, pinching, punching and throwing the baby for three weeks. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Justice Nial Fennelly, increased the sentence to the maximum of seven years, suspending the final two years. The appeal was based on the claim that the guilty plea did not save witnesses from giving evidence and that the original discount of over 50 % was an error.