Tomasz Paszkiewicz, 39, was remanded in custody at the Central Criminal Court following a trial where he was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Marek Swider. The jury reached a majority verdict after nearly five hours of deliberation. Paszkiewicz had pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter regarding the death of his housemate, who died of two stab wounds inflicted with a boning knife on January 1, 2018, in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. Prosecutors argued the case involved high culpability, citing the use of a lethal weapon, lack of provocation, and the accused's failure to assist the victim. Defence counsel urged the court to view it as a medium-culpability case, highlighting Paszkiewicz's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and cooperation with gardai. Paszkiewicz testified that he was ashamed and that human life is priceless. Ms Justice Tara Burns adjourned the matter, stating she will pass sentence on Thursday next.
A meat factory worker was convicted of manslaughter but acquitted of murder at the Central Criminal Court following a trial in July 2019. Tomasz Paszkiewicz had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder in connection with the death of Marek Swider on Dublin Street, Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan on 1 January 2018. The court heard that Paszkiewicz stabbed the 40-year-old Polish man twice with a boning knife after a dispute during a New Year's Eve poker game at their shared home. The accused had lost several hundred euros and attempted to reclaim the money. A witness testified that Swider returned to the living room holding his stomach, stating he had been stabbed. Swider died following surgery. The defence argued that Paszkiewicz's statements to gardaí indicated lack of intent, while the prosecution characterised the killing as deliberate and brutal. The jury deliberated for almost five hours before reaching a majority verdict. Justice Tara Burns remanded Paszkiewicz in custody pending sentencing on 15 July.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that the accused man handed himself in to gardaí in Cork on 3 January 2018, three days after the fatal stabbing of his housemate in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. Garda Razvan Ghetau testified that when the man entered Anglesea Garda Station stating he had killed his friend, the officer initially believed it was a jest. The witness said the accused repeated his statement and appeared serious, with his hands positioned as though requesting arrest. Inspector John Callinan outlined the subsequent interviews conducted in Cavan. The accused, Tomasz Paszkiewicz (39), explained he had worked at a meat processing facility since 2009, boning cattle heads. When shown a knife recovered from the scene bearing his employee number, he identified it as his work knife, which he had brought home a year prior. Questioned about his knife proficiency, he acknowledged developing considerable skill over nine years. Mr Paszkiewicz has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in relation to the death of Marek Swider (40).
In a Central Criminal Court ruling, Mr Justice Paul McDermott fined journalist Niall O'Connor €2,500 after he inadvertently named one of the boys convicted of Ana Kriegel's murder during a live Red FM interview. The station was fined €10,000. O'Connor, who was a guest on the Neil Prendeville show the morning after the convictions, apologized unreservedly, stating the slip was a mistake and not intentional. The DPP's Brendan Grehan noted that the boys, aged 14, could not be identified, and the court had taken care to refer to them as Boy A and Boy B. The judge imposed the fine or a three‑month prison term if unpaid, and the broadcaster was ordered to pay within three months. The case highlighted the court's protection of minors and the broadcaster's subsequent implementation of a seven‑second delay to prevent future incidents.
Two men, Colin Casey (32) and Daniel Hegarty (24), were jailed for assisting the murder of Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, who was shot on Cork's Old Commons Road in December 2016. Casey was sentenced to four years and six months, Hegarty to four years, both sentences running concurrently. They pleaded guilty to four counts each of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of O'Driscoll's killers. Casey supplied the alleged gunmen with vehicles and acted as a support driver; Hegarty transported and concealed a bag linked to the killers and set fire to a motorbike and a red Opel Astra. A third man, Eoin Morrissey (19), pleaded guilty to two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the killers and was given a suspended sentence of two years, with a probation report to be finalised in October. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Tony Hunt, found the defendants' assistance to be substantial and proximate to the murder.
Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, a senior Real IRA member, was shot four times on Old Commons Road, Blackpool, Cork, on 7 December 2016. The Special Criminal Court heard that the killing was part of an internal dispute between the Real IRA and the New IRA. Colin Casey (32) and Daniel Hegarty (24) pleaded guilty to four counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of O'Driscoll's killers, while Eoin Morrissey (19) pleaded guilty to two such counts. Casey collected the alleged gunmen from Redemption Road, drove them in a white Vauxhall Astra van that he later burned, and was involved in the disposal of the Nissan Almera used by the killers. Hegarty buried a bag used by the killers and set fire to a Honda motorbike and a red Opel Astra. Morrissey supplied a firelighter and followed Hegarty to the site where the Opel Astra was burned.
A 19‑year‑old man, Eoin Morrissey, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 21 January 2018 charged in connection with the murder of Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, a senior Real IRA figure who was shot dead in Cork on 7 December 2016. Morrissey is charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Daniel Hegarty by providing a firelighter to burn a red Opel Astra used by the alleged killers and by following Hegarty to a site where a red Opel Astra was burnt to facilitate transport after the burning. The offences are alleged to have occurred between 8 and 19 December 2016. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a Section 49 order and the court directed that Morrissey be tried before the Special Criminal Court. The case was set for mention on 21 January. Earlier, Colin Casey (32) and Daniel Hegarty (24) pleaded guilty to related charges and were remanded on continuing bail until 11 March.
Two men, Colin Casey, 32, and Daniel Hegarty, 24, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 8 October 2018 charged in connection with the murder of Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, 37, who was shot on 7 December 2016 in Blackpool, Cork. Both men were charged under the Offences Against the State Act. Casey faced four charges: impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the alleged killers by collecting them from Redemption Road after they arrived in a silver Nissan Almera, driving them from that location in a white Vauxhall Astra, burning out the Nissan and the Vauxhall, and driving them away in a red Opel Astra.
In a Cork city park on 28 June 2013, Keith Aherne, aged 24, was found guilty of raping a woman while he held her down. He denied the charges. The other perpetrator, who pleaded guilty but died before sentencing, is alleged to have committed the rape. Aherne was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and was deemed a principal offender for aiding and abetting the offence. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction. Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed all of Aherne's grounds of appeal, noting that none had succeeded. Aherne's barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, argued that the trial judge erred in admitting certain evidence and in handling cross‑examination, but these arguments were rejected by the appellate court. The appeal was therefore dismissed. The conviction remains in force.
Patrick McAuliffe, 53, was found guilty of robbing an 83‑year‑old man in Cork on 12 November 2015, stealing €300 and later €2,300. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge David Riordan on 1 November 2016. McAuliffe, a chronic alcoholic and homeless at the time, had 261 prior convictions dating back to 1981, including theft, assault, drug offences and one robbery. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 16 April 2018, ruling that the net custodial term of four years was "almost lenient" given the victim's catastrophic loss of independence and McAuliffe's extensive criminal record. The appeal was rejected by the three‑judge panel, confirming the sentence as imposed.
In 2013, David O'Loughlin (30) of Cork was convicted of murdering Liam Manley (59) after forcing him into a refuse chute at Garden City Apartments. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on 31 March 2015. In February 2018, the Court of Appeal quashed the verdict, ruling that the jury's unsanctioned visit to the chute and a juror's experiment of throwing a stone there violated the Juries Act. The judge noted the experiment introduced new evidence and the jury should have been discharged. The appeal allowed a retrial, and O'Loughlin was remanded to appear before the Central Criminal Court. The case remains at the retrial stage, with no further outcome reported in the article. David O'Loughlin pleaded not guilty.
In 2015, David O'Loughlin (30) was convicted of murdering Liam Manley (59) after forcing him into a refuse chute at Garden City Apartments, Cork. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence. In 2018, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction because the jury had visited the chute during deliberations without permission from either the defence or prosecution, an action deemed technically unlawful under the Juries Act. During the visit, a juror threw a stone down the chute, an experiment that introduced new, unexamined evidence. The judge ruled that the jury should have been discharged under these circumstances. The case remains pending, with the court to decide whether a retrial will be ordered. The summary reflects only the facts presented in the article. David O'Loughlin pleaded not guilty.
In a 12‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, Judge Paul Butler directed a jury to acquit a 35‑year‑old man of all charges of rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment against a 19‑year‑old woman. The judge cited the failure to swab the accused's neck for DNA as a serious risk of an unfair trial, and noted that the accused had claimed the complainant had kissed him on the neck, a claim the woman denied. The accused had pleaded not guilty. The prosecution had also dropped all charges against a 44‑year‑old co‑accused due to insufficient evidence. The judge's direction ended the trial, and the jury was excused from service for ten years. The case involved allegations that the woman was forced onto a tour bus after a Jason Derulo concert and was assaulted by two men, but the accused denied all allegations.
Paul Buckley, a 45‑year‑old Cork man, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment on 29 January 2018 for impersonating a Garda and threatening to arrest a schoolgirl. In November 2017, while drinking in Dublin city centre, Buckley approached a teenage girl in school uniform, claimed to be a Garda, and offered her a coffee. When she declined, he threatened to arrest her for truancy, rubbed her hand, and told her she was "sexy". The girl reported feeling uncomfortable and frightened. Buckley pleaded guilty to the impersonation offence. The judge, citing the seriousness of impersonating a Garda, imposed the six‑month term, noting that the court could not infer beyond reasonable doubt that Buckley intended sexual assault. Buckley's prior convictions include a 2005 rape and assault conviction. The sentence reflects the offence of impersonation, with no mention of any suspended portion or effective custody beyond the six‑month term.
Paul Buckley, 45, pleaded guilty to impersonating a garda at Aston Quay, Dublin, on November 11, 2017. The court heard that Buckley, a registered sex offender, approached a teenage girl in school uniform, displayed a business card with a garda logo, and threatened to arrest her for skipping school. He allegedly rubbed her hand, called her sexy, and told her she could not leave. Buckley was identified via CCTV and arrested. He admitted to gardai that he struggled with alcohol abuse. Prosecutors stated Buckley revealed to the Probation Service that the offence was sexually motivated, while his defense counsel argued his motive was to seek human interaction due to loneliness and depression. Buckley was previously convicted of rape and assault causing harm in October 2005, for which he was jailed for four years at the Central Criminal Court. He was released in autumn 2009. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Buckley in custody and stated he would sentence him on Monday. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
During the trial of a 35‑year‑old man accused of raping a 19‑year‑old woman at a Jason Derulo concert in Cork on 27 June 2014, a jury heard evidence of the complainant's text messages. Detective Sergeant Jason Lynch presented forensic analysis of the complainant's phone, showing a 3:50 am text to her boyfriend stating she was bruised and had no one, and a later message apologising for texting and mentioning five men. He also showed a 11 am text from a cousin about radio coverage and the complainant's reply that she was at a Garda station. Forensic scientists found no semen on the complainant's body or clothing, and DNA was not detected on six condoms from the tour bus. The prosecution case closed before the judge and jury, with the trial set to resume on Monday. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 35‑year‑old man accused of raping a 19‑year‑old woman after a Jason Derulo concert in Cork told Gardaí that there were no closed doors on the tour bus where the alleged incident occurred. In a video interview shown to the jury, he claimed he was never alone with the complainant and that other people witnessed him having sex with her in the bus's hallway. He described the encounter as lasting about 15 minutes, including consensual oral sex, and said he removed the condom and returned downstairs. He denied any force, questioned the complainant's account, and said he had only a glass or two of champagne. He pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment. The trial continues before Mr Justice Butler and a jury of ten men and two women.
During the trial of a 35‑year‑old man accused of raping a 19‑year‑old woman after a Jason Derulo concert, the complainant testified that the accused, referred to as "cap guy," blocked her from leaving the tour bus and forced her onto a bunk bed where he raped her orally and vaginally. She also alleged that a 44‑year‑old co‑accused, the "larger man," joined and raped her. The complainant claimed she escaped after a third man threatened her. Prosecutor Timothy O'Leary informed the jury that the Director of Public Prosecutions had dropped all charges against the 44‑year‑old due to insufficient evidence, following a ruling by Mr Justice Paul Butler. The accused denies all charges, which include rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment, alleged to have occurred in a vehicle in Cork on 27 June 2014. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Butler and a jury of ten men and two women.
In a case involving allegations of rape following a Jason Derulo concert, a judge in the Central Criminal Court dismissed charges against one of the accused men due to insufficient evidence. The complainant, a 19‑year‑old woman, claimed that a 35‑year‑old defendant, referred to as the "cap guy," prevented her from leaving the tour bus, brought her upstairs, and raped her both orally and vaginally while she was partially on a bunk bed. She also alleged that a 44‑year‑old defendant, the "larger man," later joined and raped her. The 35‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment, while the 44‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment. The court found the evidence against the 44‑year‑old insufficient and the prosecution entered a nolle prosequi, allowing him to leave.
During the trial at the Central Criminal Court, two men aged 35 and 44 were accused of raping a 19‑year‑old woman on a Jason Derulo tour bus in Cork on 27 June 2014. The 35‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment; the 44‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment. The complainant's friend described the bus as dingy and jammed, and said she left after hearing a man say, "If you're not on this bus to have sex then get off." Witnesses reported the complainant was forced onto the bus, allegedly raped by two men—one from behind and one from the front—while she was half in and half out of a bunk bed. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Paul Butler with a jury of ten men and two women. Mr Derulo is not charged with any offence.
During the fourth day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, bus driver Patrick Bushby testified about the night of 26/27 June 2014, when a Jason Derulo tour bus was reportedly shaking as if a disco were playing, though no music was heard. Bushby, who was hired to pick up the band after a concert at The Marquee in Cork, described a chaotic scene outside the nightclub, with many people and vehicles. He noted that the bus was crowded with girls, and that a girl in an olive jumpsuit was seen talking to a 35‑year‑old man, later identified by the prosecution as "cap guy." Bushby observed the girl leave the bus, return, and then remain on the vehicle as the bus continued to shake for about twenty minutes. Gardaí arrived ten minutes later after a report of an incident. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A woman who claims she was raped by two men after a Jason Derulo concert says her evidence was the whole truth, and that conflicting accounts she gave to a garda, a nurse and her first official garda statement were "false memories". The defendants, aged 35 and 44, deny the offences alleged to have occurred in a hired tour bus in Cork on 27 June 2014. The 35‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment of the 19‑year‑old woman; the 44‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment. The court heard that the complainant first gave a statement to gardaí on 27 June and a second statement 10 days later. She admitted that she had said things that "simply didn't happen" when describing what had occurred in the hours after the alleged incident, and agreed with counsel that these were "false memories".
A 19‑year‑old woman accused two men of rape and false imprisonment on a tour bus after a Jason Derulo concert in Cork on 27 June 2014. The defendants, aged 35 and 44, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, and anal rape. The complainant described the bus scene as "like something from Amsterdam," detailing how a man with a cap approached her, forced her to remove her jumpsuit, and raped her while she was restrained. She claimed a second, larger man also raped her. She escaped after a third man threatened her. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury. The case involves allegations of sexual assault and false imprisonment, with the defendants denying the charges.
Two men, aged 35 and 44, are on trial in the Central Criminal Court for rape, false imprisonment and related offences against a 19‑year‑old woman. The alleged incidents took place in a vehicle at an unknown location in Cork city on 27 June 2014, after a "VIP party" following a Jason Derulo concert. The 35‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment; the 44‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment. The prosecution, led by Timothy O'Leary SC, outlined that the complainant was present at the nightclub, was invited to a second location, and was allegedly taken in a vehicle by a man wearing a cap (the 35‑year‑old) who allegedly raped and assaulted her, and by a larger man (the 44‑year‑old) who allegedly anally raped her.
In 2015, David O'Loughlin, aged 30, was convicted of murder after he placed Liam Manley, 59, in a refuse chute at Garden City Apartments, Cork, where Manley died by asphyxiation. O'Loughlin appealed, arguing that the jury should not have visited the chute before delivering the verdict. The Court of Appeal heard that the jury, at its own request, visited the chute during deliberations and even threw a stone down it, an act the defence claimed introduced new evidence. O'Loughlin's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, contended that the jury's visit was unlawful and that the death was not a foreseeable consequence of the act. The prosecution's counsel, Seán Gillane SC, maintained that the act was an assault and that the jury had statutory authority to visit the site. The court noted the visit occurred without either party's presence and reserved judgment. David O'Loughlin pleaded not guilty.
Gwen Bradley, partner of 28‑year‑old Evan Morrissey, has filed a High Court action to quash the inquest verdict into his death. Morrissey died on 22 March 2014 at Cork University Hospital after being discharged from South Tipperary General Hospital three times for severe headaches. The inquest, held by coroner Philip Comyn, returned a narrative verdict that he died from a re‑bleed of a cerebral artery aneurysm. Bradley claims the inquest was conducted unlawfully, that the coroner limited the scope of the inquiry, and that relevant evidence was excluded. She alleges the coroner acted ultra vires, breaching the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, and that the jury did not receive all pertinent evidence. The court granted permission to proceed and set a return date for October.
Marek Krol, a 54‑year‑old Polish national, had been given a wholly suspended two‑year sentence for sexually assaulting a 25‑year‑old woman in Cork on 1 February 2016. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient and imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑month custodial term. The appeal was based on the fact that the victim was comatose and unable to resist, a circumstance that the court said required a custodial sentence except in wholly exceptional cases. The court noted that Krol had no prior convictions, spoke limited English, and had a recent heart condition, but the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the gravity of the offence demanded imprisonment. Krol will report to Anglesea Street Garda Station to begin serving his sentence. Marek Krol pleaded guilty.
Keith Aherne, 23, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for aiding and abetting the rape of a woman in a Cork city park on 28 June 2013. He held the victim down while another 22‑year‑old man raped her. Aherne denied the charge but was found liable as a principal offender. The court noted his young age, history of addiction and 41 prior convictions, but also considered his refusal to have sex with the victim as a mitigating factor. The victim, who lost confidence and suffered depression and hair‑pulling after the assault, testified that Aherne held her down and that the other man had invited him to rape her. The sentence was imposed on condition of no contact with the victim and keeping the peace. The other man died before his sentence hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court case, Keith Aherne, aged 23, was found guilty of raping a woman in a Cork city park on 28 June 2013. The victim, who had been drinking with friends, fell asleep and was later held down by Aherne while another man raped her. Aherne denied the charge. The court heard that the other man, aged 22, had pleaded guilty but had died before sentencing. Aherne, who has 41 prior convictions including robbery, assault and drug possession, was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to 29 May. The victim's impact statement, read by Garda Sergeant Katrine Tansley, described her post‑rape depression, hair‑pulling condition, loss of confidence and the distress caused by Aherne's actions. The court noted that Aherne attempted to comfort the victim after the assault, but the victim remained in tears. The case is set for sentencing later this month.
In a High Court hearing on 12 May 2017, William Thompson secured a temporary freezing order over €30,000 that had been awarded to Kevin Buckley, a teenager who assaulted Thompson on 24 August 2016 in Cork city centre. Thompson, a University College Cork student, was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked, sustaining injuries including a fractured eye socket. Buckley had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Thompson and to false imprisonment of a woman, for which he was sentenced to four years' detention and is currently incarcerated. The €30,000 award, lodged in court for Buckley's benefit until he turned 18, was to be released to him after that date. Thompson's lawyers argued that the only way he could enforce a damages award against Buckley is to have the court‑lodged monies frozen until his personal injuries claim is decided.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against sentence lodged by Paul McCarthy, a 40-year-old man from Cork city. McCarthy had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm and producing a broken bottle to intimidate someone at N Square restaurant on Camden Quay on December 6, 2014. He was found guilty by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, by Judge Gerard O'Brien on May 5, 2016. In its judgment, the Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found no error in principle in the original sentence. The court noted that McCarthy allegedly stormed into the restaurant with a woman, knocking over table settings and making racist remarks. When the owner, Nabil Cherif, retrieved a box of beer, bottles broke, and McCarthy allegedly picked up a shard, made a punching motion, and threatened Cherif's life. The court highlighted aggravating factors, including the use of a weapon, the xenophobic nature of the threats, and the impact on the victim. It also noted McCarthy's history of 129 previous convictions and long-standing substance abuse issues. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the original sentence stands.
Michael Lynch, aged 25, was found guilty of assault causing harm to his pregnant girlfriend Tara Byrd, aged 25, after pouring boiling sugar‑water over her left leg on 27 July 2015. The assault resulted in third‑degree burns, a ten‑day hospital stay and skin graft surgery, leaving severe scarring. Lynch had previously pleaded not guilty and was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years by Judge David Riordan on 7 June 2016. He lost an appeal against the conviction, but the Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. In the Court of Appeal, Justice Alan Mahon increased the sentence to five years, suspending the final twelve months on the condition of a good‑behaviour bond. The court noted the pre‑meditated, callous nature of the assault and the added gravity of sugar in the boiling water. The decision was made by Justices Mahon, Birmingham and Edwards.
A 30‑year‑old Cork man was found guilty of raping his former partner on 8 September 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the rape but pleaded guilty to forcing her to give him oral sex and to assault causing harm on 10 July 2013. The jury returned a guilty verdict on the rape after nearly four‑and‑a‑half hours of deliberation. The man has 16 previous convictions, including rape and aggravated sexual assault, and is serving a 12‑year sentence. He will be sentenced on 8 May. The victim, aged 26, described how the man grabbed her by the hair, forced her head between his legs, shouted "Suck my cock bitch," and forced her to perform oral sex. She escaped to the bathroom, then was assaulted again while her 15‑month‑old son cried. She later reported the incident to gardaí and sought help from the Rape Crisis Centre.
Patrick O'Driscoll, 42, of Codrum, Macroom, was found guilty by a jury of 61 counts of raping his eldest daughter, Ellen O'Driscoll, aged 16 to 17, between 2008 and 2009. He denied the charges. In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul Butler sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on conditions including no contact with his daughter. The judge noted O'Driscoll's otherwise "blameless life" and his role in rearing the rest of his family. Ellen O'Driscoll, 24, had previously waived anonymity and stated in a victim impact statement that she feels she is serving a life sentence, having been isolated from her family and community after the abuse. The trial highlighted the weekly nature of the assaults and the family's support for O'Driscoll despite the conviction. The sentencing took place after a week‑long trial in November.
Ellen O'Driscoll, aged 24, gave a victim impact statement to the Central Criminal Court on 19 December 2016, saying her family has been torn apart after she accused her father, Patrick O'Driscoll, of repeatedly raping her between 2009 and 2009 when she was 16‑17. She said her mother, sisters, brothers, uncles and aunts all took her father's side, leaving her isolated from the Traveller community. O'Driscoll described the abuse as weekly, involving forced entry into the parents' bedroom, bondage, and rape, after which her father behaved as a normal loving father. She also said she was prevented from attending school and threatened with death if she disclosed the abuse. The trial, held last month, found Patrick O'Driscoll guilty of 61 counts of rape; he denied the charges. He is in custody and will be sentenced by Mr Justice Paul Butler on 17 January 2017. Ellen O'Driscoll was found guilty.
Brian Veale, 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Graham Johnson in the kitchen of Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. Veale stabbed Johnson through the heart with a carving knife after an argument over television channels. The jury found him guilty after deliberating for 1 hour 56 minutes. Victim impact statements were read by Johnson's sister, Vivienne, and his 13‑year‑old daughter, describing the loss and emotional toll. Veale, originally from Dungarvan, had 105 prior convictions and was already in custody on a robbery charge when the murder occurred. The judge imposed the mandatory life sentence, consecutive to a previous offence imposed on 28 February 2015. The court heard that the knife used was available to kitchen staff and that the incident followed a brief confrontation over a horse‑racing channel. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing and no further legal proceedings reported. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
A Central Criminal Court jury found Brian Veale, 31, guilty of murdering fellow inmate Graham Johnson, 41, at Cork Prison after a dispute over television channels. The trial heard that the argument began around 3 pm on 16 May 2015, ended briefly, but later that evening Veale entered the kitchen with a carving knife and stabbed Johnson in the chest. Witnesses, including Ming Feng Chen and prison officer Brian Forde, described the altercation and Veale's subsequent smile and remark that a life sentence would not matter. Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Johnson died from a single stab wound that perforated the heart and aorta. DNA evidence linked Veale's clothing to Johnson's blood. The jury deliberated 1 hour 56 minutes and returned a unanimous verdict of murder. The case was adjourned for sentencing until 7 November, with Veale remanded in custody. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court heard closing arguments in the trial of a man charged with murder at Cork Prison. Brian Veale, 31, of Dominic Street, Cork, denies murdering fellow inmate Graham Johnson on 16 May 2015 at the prison on Rathmore Road. Defence counsel Tom Creed SC argued that fear is central to the case and urged the jury to consider a manslaughter verdict rather than murder, drawing comparison to the 2005 trial of Mayo farmer Padraig Nally. He submitted the prosecution had failed to rule out self-defence. Prosecutor Tim O'Leary SC countered that self-defence was "conjured up" and presented eyewitness evidence of the stabbing. He emphasised that Mr Johnson died from a single chest wound that penetrated his heart and spine. Detective evidence disclosed that Mr Veale declined to comment when questioned about a blood-stained knife and bloodstains on his clothing and shoes. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy began her charge to the twelve-person jury, which will conclude tomorrow morning. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
In a Cork Prison murder trial, 31‑year‑old Brian Veale pleaded not guilty to the killing of fellow inmate Graham Johnson on 16 May 2015. Witness Ray Cummins testified that Veale and Johnson argued over a television remote in the kitchen, that Veale was calm when speaking to Cummins at 3.30 pm, and that he later told Cummins not to return to his cell because he feared Johnson might harm him. Cummins also recalled Johnson confronting Veale after the argument, calling him "out the back" and walking away while Johnson continued watching TV. Detective Sergeant Vincent O'Sullivan reported that Veale's kitchen clothing was seized from a bin in his cell, and forensic scientist Dr Edward Connolly examined the clothing and a knife recovered from the kitchen. Connolly found heavy blood‑staining on the knife's blade that matched Johnson's DNA profile, and blood on Veale's t‑shirt, trousers and shoes also matched Johnson's DNA.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a witness testified that on 16 May 2015, in the kitchen of Cork Prison, an argument over television channels escalated between Brian Veale (31) and Graham Johnson. Johnson, who wanted to watch a horse race, threatened Veale that he would "batter" him and told him to leave. Veale allegedly approached Johnson with a kitchen knife, inserted it into Johnson's chest, causing a 6‑cm stab wound that penetrated the sternum, sliced the heart and aorta, and resulted in fatal haemorrhage. The knife was then thrown onto the counter. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy confirmed the post‑mortem findings, describing the wound trajectory and the heart's perforation. The case is proceeding before Justice Isobel Kennedy with a jury of twelve, and the trial is expected to last five days. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Brian Veale, aged 31, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Graham Johnson, a 42‑year‑old inmate, at Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Johnson died from a single stab wound to the front of his chest, which penetrated the sternum, sliced through the ribs, and went straight through the heart from front to back, causing haemorrhages to the heart and aorta. The wound was 12 cm below the breastbone, 6 cm wide, and extended onto the left side of the chest. Veale and Johnson were known to each other and were working in the prison kitchen when a verbal altercation over a television channel occurred around 3 pm. After the quarrel ended, Veale allegedly returned to the kitchen with a knife and stabbed Johnson sometime after 5 pm.
Brian Veale, 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Graham Johnson, 31, at Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. The prosecution alleged an altercation over a television channel in the kitchen, after which Veale allegedly obtained a knife and stabbed Johnson in the chest. Witness Ming Feng Chen, an inmate, testified that Veale approached Johnson, stabbed him, then smiled and said, "If I get a life sentence it doesn't matter." Chen also claimed he feared Veale might harm him and picked up the knife. Prison officer Brian Forde recounted hearing a heated argument about the channel, seeing Johnson in distress, and observing a knife with blood on it. The case is before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with a jury of seven men and five women.
In a Cork Prison kitchen on 16 May 2015, Brian Veale (31) allegedly stabbed fellow inmate Graham Johnson after a verbal altercation over switching television channels. Prosecutors told a Central Criminal Court jury that the dispute arose around 3 pm between the two men while they were preparing food. After the quarrel ended, Veale reportedly entered a kitchen area with a knife and stabbed Johnson in the chest. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy described the wound as a single downward thrust that perforated the heart, sliced the aorta and oesophagus, and caused rapid death. Witnesses were to testify about the incident, the kitchen staff's observations, and forensic evidence linking blood on Veale's clothing to Johnson. Veale pleaded not guilty to murder, and the trial was set to continue before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.
Trevor O'Donoghue, 34, pleaded guilty to robbing €750 from a 61‑year‑old man at Cork City Bus Station on 29 June 2014. The original sentence was five years' imprisonment with the last 18 months suspended. On appeal the Court of Appeal reduced the term to four years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months still suspended, after finding the Circuit Court had incorrectly been told O'Donoghue had a prior conviction he did not possess. The victim, who used a walking stick, did not give a victim impact statement and asked that O'Donoghue not be sent to jail. O'Donoghue's associate, who was present that night, had died of heroin before the case reached court. The appeal judge noted O'Donoghue's history of drug use and his efforts to address his addiction while in prison. The final sentence remains four years' imprisonment with 18 months suspended.
A jury of six men and six women was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Brian Veale, 31, who is accused of murdering 41‑year‑old Graham Johnson in Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. Veale pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled to begin the following day and is expected to last five days.
Anthony O'Sullivan, 29, of Togher, Cork, had pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted robbery at a shop in Cork City on 13 January 2014. He was originally sentenced by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin to five years' imprisonment, the final year suspended. On appeal, Judge Garrett Sheehan re‑sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. Sheehan noted that O'Sullivan entered the shop with a wheel brace and a scarf covering his face, shouted at the shop assistant for money, and when she refused, seized a purse from a nearby student. The items taken were worth €320. O'Sullivan, who had 423 prior convictions, was 28 at sentencing, lived with his father, was addicted to heroin, and was a father to a young child. The Court of Appeal found problems in the original sentencing process, including a lack of a proper summary of his criminal record and an unsatisfactory assessment of mitigating factors.
A priest who was jailed for hiring men who claimed to be from the Continuity IRA to issue death threats and intimidate his nephew into dropping legal action against him has lost his appeal against his sentence. Francis Kelleher (60), from Cloughduv, pleaded guilty to four counts of coercion in relation to compelling his nephew to abstain from doing an act he had a lawful right to do between June 2012 and January 2013. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on April 30, 2015. Dismissing Kelleher's appeal against the severity of his sentence today, Mr Justice Alan Mahon stated that an attempt to stop an individual from pursuing legal proceedings was a very serious matter, even where the threats may be mild. The judge noted that the threats were 'particularly nasty' and caused significant fear for Kelleher's nephew and his family. The use of the Continuity IRA's name to instill maximum fear was described as 'particularly reprehensible'. Kelleher's barrister, Thomas Creed SC, argued that his client was a 'broken man' and that a portion of his sentence should have been suspended. However, Mr Justice Mahon stated that the sentence imposed was within the sentencing judge's discretion, given the number of offences and their nature. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice Mahon, who sat with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Paul Butler.
In February 2016, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of Indian national Dileesh Soman, 33, who had been sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended for sexually assaulting a 30‑year‑old postgraduate student in Cork City on 11 November 2013. Soman, who had lived and worked in Ireland for over six years, had used the alias 'Aaron' and entered the victim's apartment after she had advertised a room on daft.ie. During the assault he forced her to expose parts of her body, touched her breasts, opened her jeans, and inserted his hand into her vagina, while making remarks such as 'nothing bad is going on' and 'it's okay, we're not going to have sex here.' The victim, who had never advertised for a flatmate before, later reported the incident to the Gardaí. Dileesh Soman pleaded guilty.
Kris Collins, 25, of Murphy's Rock, Old Mallow Road, Cork, pleaded guilty to a headbutt assault on a man in Cork City on 7 September 2014. The assault caused serious harm, leading to a clot between the skull and brain and emergency neurosurgery. He was originally sentenced to eight years' imprisonment on 17 June 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeal re‑sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on condition of a two‑year good‑behaviour bond. The judge noted the victim's wife had been told to "prepare for the worst" and that the victim's life had been severely disrupted, including financial hardship. Collins had 15 prior convictions, had paid €4,000 in compensation, and had offered cooperation and a guilty plea, factors cited as mitigating in the appeal decision.
A dispute over Shane Long's transfer from Reading FC to West Bromwich Albion has been brought before the High Court by Mr Alan O'Mahony. O'Mahony claims he acquired a 10% interest in Long's earlier 2005 transfer from Cork City FC to Reading FC, which should entitle him to a share of the £5.1 million fee paid by West Bromwich Albion in 2011. He alleges that the liquidator of Cork City Investments, Mr Carl Dillon, sold the benefit of Long's contract to Reading FC in 2010, thereby depriving him of the contractual benefit. O'Mahony seeks damages for alleged negligence, breach of duty and breach of contract, and requests declarations that he is entitled to the benefit and that the sale to Reading is void. The case is ongoing; a pre‑trial motion was adjourned to allow document exchange. The action does not involve Shane Long, who is currently playing for Southampton FC.