Court archive
Court reports mentioning Fermoy, Cork
2025-06-04 · Cork
Richard Satchwell, a 59‑year‑old British national, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, who was found buried under the stairs of their Youghal home. The jury, after nine hours and 28 minutes of deliberation over four days, unanimously rejected Satchwell's defence that he acted in self‑defence during a struggle with a chisel. Witnesses, including Tina's sister Lorraine Howard and niece Sarah Howard, testified that Satchwell had hidden Tina's body in a chest freezer before burying her, and that he had offered the freezer to Sarah. Satchwell's 14 prior convictions include larceny and theft. He intends to appeal the conviction. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 October 2023, the day he entered custody. Tina Satchwell pleaded not guilty.
2025-05-30 · Cork
This report details the appeal proceedings involving Richard Satchwell, the appellant, and the Casual Inquiry, the defendant. The validated procedural stage is an appeal, though the source text primarily recounts the underlying trial evidence regarding the murder of Tina Satchwell. Richard Satchwell was found guilty of murdering his wife, Tina, who was entombed under the stairs of their Youghal home. The trial heard that Satchwell initially reported Tina missing in 2017, describing the investigation as a 'casual inquiry' before it was upgraded to a formal missing person case. He claimed Tina had left him and taken €26,000, while also alleging she had assaulted him on multiple occasions. However, forensic evidence and witness testimony contradicted his narrative. Satchwell admitted to digging a grave under the stairs and placing Tina's body in it, wrapped in black plastic, before covering it with cement. He stated he wanted to make her burial 'special' by adding tulips. The jury heard that Tina was a kind-hearted woman who adored her dogs, and that Satchwell was 'obsessed' with her. Despite his claims of victimhood, the court found that Satchwell had murdered Tina and concealed her body. The appeal process is ongoing, with no final sentence or disposal recorded in the provided text. The matter remains under judicial review, and no adjournment or final conclusion has been validated in this summary.
2025-05-23 · Cork
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Richard Satchwell fabricated a story about his wife Tina's death, claiming he held her by the belt of her bathrobe and that she had flown at him with a chisel. The defence maintained that Satchwell was guilty of causing her death but disputed the intent and the circumstances, noting that the body's skeletal remains made the cause of death indeterminate. The prosecution highlighted Satchwell's repeated lies, his concealment of the body under the stairs, and his attempts to create a digital footprint to mislead investigators. The defence emphasised the lack of evidence for intent to kill, the delays in the investigation, and the possibility of self‑defence. The trial, set to continue, will determine whether Satchwell is found guilty of murder, manslaughter or another charge.
2025-05-21 · Cork
In the Central Criminal Court, Sarah Howard, cousin of Tina Satchwell, testified that Richard Satchwell offered her a freezer that he later claimed held his wife's body before burying it under their home. Howard, visibly emotional, described the offer as "very unusual and very strange" and recounted that she had never seen Tina violent or aggressive. She also confirmed that Richard had sent her a birthday card signed "Tina and Richard" in August 2017, five months after Tina's disappearance. Howard noted that Tina had been missing since March 2017, with her body discovered in October 2023 beneath the stairs. The prosecution's case was deemed complete, and the trial will continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The accused, 58, has pleaded not guilty to Tina's murder.
2025-05-15 · Cork
Richard Satchwell, who pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of his 45-year-old wife, Tina Satchwell, between March 19 and 20, 2017, is currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court. The matter is at the trial stage, with evidence presented regarding the defendant's statements and forensic findings. GP Patrick Burke testified that Satchwell claimed his wife assaulted him on multiple occasions, a history never mentioned in their 18 years of medical consultations. Burke noted the couple typically attended appointments together, making Satchwell's solo visit on March 30, 2017, unusual. In a fourth interview with gardai, Satchwell stated he would not view photographs of his wife's body, saying he wanted to remember her "the way she was, not the way I made her." Detectives challenged his account, stating his "second story" had "come apart" and did not match the evidence. Witness Sarah Dobson described Satchwell selling Tina's belongings, including a handbag, while claiming she was ill in England. Forensic expert Dr. Brian Gorey testified that 15 glass fragments found on Tina's scalp and torso likely originated from a single source and transferred to the remains shortly before burial. The trial continues with further evidence to be presented.
2025-05-08 · Cork
Richard Satchwell, aged 58, is on trial for the murder of his wife Tina Satchwell, aged 45, who disappeared on 24 March 2017. He told Gardaí that Tina had left the house four days earlier, had taken €26 000 from their savings, and was in the UK with her sister. He claimed to have kept her body in a freezer before burying it under their home. In October 2023 Gardaí found her decomposed remains in a grave beneath the stairs. Witnesses said Satchwell was selling Tina's clothes at car‑boot sales weeks after her disappearance, including a "flogging" of her items. He also posted a Done Deal advert for a free chest freezer days after the alleged murder. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of five men and seven women. He has pleaded not guilty.
2025-05-08 · Cork
During the trial of Richard Satchwell, it was revealed that a phone linked to him posted an ad on Done Deal offering a large chest freezer for free, stating it was "working perfect just needs a clean." The ad appeared on March 31, 2017, a few days after the alleged murder of his wife, Tina. A forensic accountant testified that there was no evidence the couple had received a significant cash windfall, contradicting Satchwell's claim that Tina had taken €26,000 from their savings. The accountant also noted that Tina had a credit line with Littlewoods Ireland that was largely used and eventually fully breached, with significant arrears. Sergeant Ciaran Crowley confirmed that Done Deal had responded to inquiries about the ad, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The case remains at the stage of hearing evidence regarding the alleged murder and financial allegations.
2025-04-30 · Cork
The appeal of Richard Satchwell, who is accused of murdering his wife Tina Satchwell – nee Dingivan – at their home in Youghal, Co Cork, between March 19 and March 20, 2017, has been ongoing. Tina Satchwell is also an appellant, having pleaded not guilty to the same charge. The trial has heard that gardai were suspicious 'something untoward' had happened to Tina over six years before her body was discovered. Evidence was presented that gardai conducted a thorough search of the Satchwell home in June 2017, during which they found signs of recent renovations, including new plasterboard on the stairs and a new red bricked wall underneath the stairway. The body of Tina Satchwell was discovered in a grave dug beneath the stairs of the home. The trial has also heard that Mr Satchwell made media appeals for his wife's return, including a statement to RTE in June 2017. The matter is currently before the Central Criminal Court, with the trial continuing tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.
2025-04-29 · Cork
Richard Satchwell, 58, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife Tina Satchwell, who disappeared on 20 March 2017. In the Central Criminal Court opening, the State counsel presented evidence that Satchwell told Gardaí he had kept Tina's body in a freezer in the shed for two days before burying her beneath the stairs of their Youghal home. He claimed that during an alleged attack, he had used a belt around her neck to protect himself as she fell limp and died. Gardaí had earlier recorded Satchwell's statements about Tina's alleged violent outbursts and her refusal to take antidepressants. A search of the house on 10 October 2023 uncovered decomposed remains wrapped in black sheeting in a three‑foot grave, later identified as Tina. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is expected to last six weeks.
2025-03-10 · Cork
Charles Colthrust, owner of Blarney Castle, has been granted leave by the High Court to challenge two convictions—drink driving on the M8 in October 2024 and dangerous driving on the M8 in September 2023—on the basis that crucial CCTV footage was lost. The convictions were handed down by Fermoy District Court after the court found the requested CCTV relevant. Colthrust's lawyers had requested preservation of the footage in November 2023, but the footage was overwritten after 28 days and could not be recovered from the public office channel. Defence technicians later retrieved footage from 16 other channels, but not the relevant one. The High Court has ordered a stay of the convictions pending the judicial review, with the case adjourned to April 2026. The review will consider whether the loss of the footage affected the fairness of the proceedings. The case remains at the High Court stage.
2024-12-16 · Cork
Richard Satchwell, 57, will be tried in Dublin on 28 April 2025 after his lawyers successfully moved the case from Cork. Mr Justice Paul McDermott approved the application. Satchwell, a truck driver originally from Leicester, is charged with murdering his wife, Tina Satchwell, 45, at their Grattan Street home in Youghal on 20 March 2017. Tina was reported missing on 24 March 2017, and her skeletal remains were discovered in October 2023 during an excavation beneath the stairwell of the house.
2024-11-15 · Cork
A judge will decide on 16 December whether Richard Satchwell, 57, accused of murdering his wife Tina, can have his trial moved from Cork to Dublin or Limerick. The trial is scheduled for April next year. Brendan Grehan SC applied for the transfer, while the Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Gerardine Small SC, opposed it. Mr Satchwell is charged with the murder of Tina Satchwell, 45, who was reported missing on 24 March 2017 and whose skeletal remains were found in October 2023 at their shared home on Grattan Street, Youghal.
2024-10-30 · Cork
A 41‑year‑old man, Mihail Ciorici, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to rape and oral rape of a college student in Fermoy, Co. Cork. The victim, who was intoxicated and attempting to hail a taxi, was taken from a car, raped, and left to survive in freezing conditions. She was found the next morning in an abandoned house, critically hypothermic and covered in cuts and bruises. Ciorici had previously been convicted of drunk driving, theft and a Moldovan conviction for assault and false imprisonment. The court noted the victim's lack of a victim impact statement and her desire not to engage further with the case. The sentencing considered his guilty plea and family support, and he was ordered to undergo five years of post‑release supervision. The case was prosecuted by Anne Rowland SC.
2024-10-11 · Cork
Lawyers for Richard Satchwell, aged 57 and resident of Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork, have requested that his murder trial be transferred from Cork to either Dublin or Limerick. The request was made to Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring at the Central Criminal Court, where the defence, represented by Senan Crawford BL, stated that the trial, scheduled for April next year, should be moved. The prosecution, represented by Maria Brosnan BL, was not notified of the application. Justice Ring said the application must be made in the ordinary way and that the prosecution should be put on notice, and adjourned the matter to 15 November. Mr Satchwell is charged with the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, aged 45, who was found buried beneath the stairwell of their shared home on Grattan Street in Youghal. The body, discovered by Gardaí in October 2023, was skeletal remains of a woman reported missing on 24 March 2017.
2024-05-01 · Cork
Richard Satchwell, aged 57, faces trial for the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, aged 45, who was found buried beneath the stairwell of their shared home on Grattan Street, Youghal, Cork. The body was discovered in October 2023, more than six years after Tina was reported missing on 24 March 2017. Satchwell, a former British truck driver now resident in Cork for over 20 years, was charged with the murder on 20 March 2017. His defence, led by Brendan Grehan SC, plans to present extensive evidence, including witness interviews and media statements. The case, originating in Cork, is scheduled for a six‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court, with a trial date set for 28 April 2025. The case was listed for case management on 11 October 2023, and Satchwell was forwarded to the Central Criminal Court on 26 March 2024 after receiving the book of evidence.
2024-02-21 · Cork
In a High Court hearing on 21 February 2024, Michael Flatley, the 65‑year‑old dancer, claimed that Hiscox Societe Anonyme's Irish branch had refused to pay his monthly relocation expenses of up to €80,000 and intended to cancel the insurance policy covering his Castlehyde Manor property from 8 March. Flatley, represented by Ronnie Hudson BL and solicitor Max Mooney, obtained an ex‑parte order to restrain Hiscox from cancelling the policy and to prevent denial of coverage for the Fermoy property until the proceedings concluded. He argued that the insurer had been aware of the property's unsafe chemical residue and had renewed the policy in November, yet now sought cancellation on the basis of changed occupancy. Flatley said the insurer had not compensated him for vacating the home, and he feared difficulty in securing alternative coverage if the policy were cancelled. The case will return to court later that week.
2023-06-12 · Cork
Vadim Veste, a 28-year-old dual Moldovan-Romanian national from Fermoy, Co Cork, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for aggravated sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to the November 7, 2021, attack on a woman in her 50s at St Colman's Park. Mr Justice Paul McDermott described the incident as shocking, brutal, and cowardly, noting the victim sustained injuries and that Veste used a hat as a gag. The judge highlighted Veste's history, including a previous three-year prison sentence for the rape of a 14-year-old in Eastern Europe in July 2016, from which he was released just 18 days before the current offence. Although a headline sentence of nine years was set, the judge reduced the term due to Veste's expression of remorse, despite a Probation Service report indicating a lack of insight. Veste was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with the final six months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including attending treatment deemed appropriate by the Probation Service. The court also ordered that Veste not approach the victim or her family, prohibited unsupervised access to children, and imposed a six-year post-release supervision order to protect society and prevent future offending.
2022-12-19 · Cork
The High Court on 19 December 2022 appointed insolvency expert Shane McCarthy as interim examiner for Silverpail Dairy Ireland Unlimited Company and its related entity, Havana Company Unlimited. The appointment was made in respect of the Siverpail Dairy group, which employs 82 full‑time staff and several contract workers in Fermoy, Co Cork. The court heard that the group, a major manufacturer of ice‑cream and Irish Cream Liqueur, has become insolvent and is unable to pay its debts. It owes €4.16 million to trade creditors and €2.46 million to Revenue, with other creditors including AIB Bank, Arrabawn Co‑Op, IPL Protech Performance Plastics and Carbery Food Ingredients. The court noted that the business has traded successfully for many years but has experienced financial difficulties due to reduced sales during the Covid‑19 pandemic and increased costs such as energy and commodity prices.
2022-07-29 · Cork
Michael Flatley brought a High Court damages claim against several parties for alleged negligence in works carried out at his Castle Hyde property in Co Cork. The claim arose after a fire on 18 June 2015 damaged the historic house, which Flatley had been renovating since 1999. He alleged that the fire started in an electrical panel and spread, causing extensive damage, and that the plumbing system was incorrectly designed, leading to basement flooding. Flatley sued architect and interior designer Mr Peter Inston, consultant engineer Sean R. McCarthy, and engineering firm Malachy Walsh & Partners, claiming breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence. All defendants denied the allegations and argued the claim was statute‑barred. On 29 July 2022 the parties settled the claim, the proceedings were struck out, and the settlement terms remain confidential. No further details were disclosed to the court.
2022-07-22 · Cork
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, concluded oral hearings today at Dublin Castle regarding the claims of retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry. Mr Barry alleges he was targeted by superiors after making a protected disclosure in October 2012 concerning the handling of an alleged child sexual assault in Co Cork. He claims Superintendent Michael Comyns prevented a proper investigation and subsequently bullied and harassed him. Supt Comyns denies these allegations, describing the complaints as unfounded and vexatious. The tribunal also heard that the DPP directed no prosecution for the original child abuse allegation in 2015, citing a lack of evidence, and similarly directed no prosecution for Mr Barry's claim that Supt Comyns perverted the course of justice. Counsel for Mr Barry, Shane Costelloe SC, argued that senior gardaí showed flagrant disregard for his medical certification and victimised him through attempted transfers. Conversely, John Fitzgerald SC for the Commissioner stated that superiors engaged highly with Mr Barry and that belief alone is not evidence of targeting. Mark Harty SC for Supt Comyns argued that the alleged detriment began before the disclosure, undermining the protected disclosure claim. Mr Justice Ryan praised the professional conduct of all parties and stated he hopes to issue the tribunal's report before the end of the year. The matter is adjourned pending the written decision.
2022-06-21 · Cork
A doctor, Dr Margaret‑Anne Kiely, told the Disclosures Tribunal that a Garda inspector's visit to her surgery over a medical certificate she issued to retired Sergeant Paul Barry was "unnerved" and "inappropriate". The certificate, issued on 4 April 2013 and back‑dated to 28 March 2013, stated that Barry could return to work only if he avoided contact with Superintendent Michael Comyns and did not attend the Co Cork station where Comyns was based. Barry, who had been declared unfit for duty in August 2012 due to work‑related stress, was forced to return to work in March 2013 for financial reasons. The inspector, Anthony O'Sullivan, claimed he was asked by Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane to verify the conditions of the certificate, but Barry alleged the visit targeted him. Dr Kiely said she had never had a medical certificate questioned before and that any queries should come from occupational health, not a Garda inspector.
2022-06-16 · Cork
In a Disclosures Tribunal hearing, Inspector Anthony O'Sullivan denied that he visited GP Dr. Margaret Kiely's surgery to investigate a medical certificate issued to retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry. O'Sullivan said he had never seen a certificate stating a person was fit to return to work but should not attend their workplace, and that he was asked by Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane to check the certificate's validity. Barry, who claimed he was bullied and harassed by senior Gardaí, said the visit was targeted and made him upset and intimidated. Dr. Kiely reported that Barry was unfit for duty in August 2012 due to work‑related stress and issued a certificate allowing him to return to work on March 29, 2013 with conditions that he not work at Fermoy Garda Station. The certificate was back‑dated to March 28, 2013. Barry said he had never had a medical certificate questioned in his service.
2022-06-03 · Cork
In a Disclosures Tribunal hearing on 3 June 2022, retired Garda Superintendent John Quilter testified that he could not have conspired with other senior officers to place former Sergeant Paul Barry in a room with Superintendent Michael Comyns during the 2014 Irish Open. Quilter said he had booked a family holiday in December 2013, a month before the tournament location was announced, and therefore could not have planned the arrangement. Barry, who had been physically ill during the event, claimed that the presence of Comyns at a pre‑event briefing caused his sickness and that he was targeted by both Quilter and Comyns. Quilter acknowledged taking Barry's concerns into account but stated he had organised cover at the superintendent level from December 2013, noting that a garden festival in Mallow left Comyns as the only available superintendent. The tribunal will resume its hearings on 14 June.
2022-06-02 · Cork
In a Disclosures Tribunal hearing, Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane described a medical certificate issued to Sergeant Paul Barry as "taken aback" and "frustrating." The certificate, written by Dr Margaret‑Anne Kiely in April 2013, declared Barry fit to return to work but prohibited him from attending Fermoy Garda Station, citing work‑related stress and an unsafe environment. Dillane said he had never seen such a certificate in his 34‑year career and feared it could set a trend. He explained that the certificate's conditions were "neither reasonable nor practicable," and that he offered Barry a transfer to Glanmire or another station, which Barry refused. Barry had been absent for 239 days from August 2012 and returned to work on 29 March 2013 after financial pressure. The tribunal continues to examine the allegations of bullying and harassment involving Barry, Supt Michael Comyns, and senior Gardaí.
2022-05-31 · Cork
At the Disclosures Tribunal in Dublin Castle, retired Garda Sgt Paul Barry and Supt Michael Comyns provided evidence regarding a 2012 complaint by Mr Barry alleging that Supt Comyns prevented the proper investigation of a child sexual assault allegation and bullied him. The DPP directed no prosecution for the child abuse allegation and, in November 2015, directed no prosecution for Supt Comyns's alleged perversion of the course of justice due to a lack of evidence. Supt Comyns, who denies the allegations as unfounded and vexatious, testified that a medical certificate issued to Mr Barry, which prohibited contact between them, made his role as district officer unworkable. He stated this prevented him from supervising investigations and created a serious precedent in An Garda Síochána. Supt Comyns also denied targeting Mr Barry regarding annual leave or a Regulation 10 warning for lateness, noting another garda was disciplined on the same day. He further clarified that he did not see Mr Barry during the Irish Open policing operation and that Mr Barry did not attend a February 2015 case conference on rape allegations. In September 2015, before being cleared of the allegations, Supt Comyns urged investigating gardaí to complete their disciplinary inquiries without delay. The matter is currently at the charge or pretrial stage, with Supt Comyns's evidence continuing.
2022-05-27 · Cork
Paul Barry, a retired Garda sergeant from Mitchelstown, claims that in 2012 he was instructed by Superintendent Michael Comyns to conceal an alleged child sexual abuse case involving a suspect linked to senior Gardaí. Barry says Comyns also bullied and harassed him, leading Barry to file a complaint in October 2012. The Director of Public Prosecutions later decided not to prosecute the child abuse allegation, and in November 2015 the DPP also declined to prosecute Barry's claim that Comyns had perverted the course of justice due to insufficient evidence. Barry alleges that Comyns directed him to cover up the abuse and that he was subsequently targeted, refusing to attend briefings and phone calls from Comyns. Barry maintains that the allegations are unfounded, while Comyns denies any wrongdoing. The Disclosures Tribunal is hearing the case in Dublin Castle, with Barry presenting his evidence and the opposing counsel arguing against the allegations. The tribunal will resume its hearings next week.
2022-05-24 · Cork
Paul Barry, a retired Garda sergeant from Mitchelstown, claims he was bullied and harassed by senior Gardaí, including Superintendent Michael Comyns and Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane. He says a 2012 complaint about a child sexual assault investigation was suppressed, and the DPP later decided no prosecution would occur. Barry alleges he was forced to return to work in 2013 without a medical certificate, despite GP advice that he should not. He reports that he was unfit for duty for 239 days due to work‑related stress and bullying. Barry says he was pressured to apply for a transfer, which he refused because it would have financial consequences. He also claims he was forced to attend a golf duty in 2014 that made him physically sick, leading him to submit a retirement application immediately afterwards. The tribunal is hearing his evidence in Dublin Castle.
2022-05-19 · Cork
Retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry testified at the Disclosures Tribunal in Dublin Castle regarding allegations of bullying and harassment by Superintendent Michael Comyns and targeting by Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane. The tribunal is currently hearing evidence at the trial stage. Sgt Barry, formerly of Mitchelstown Garda Station, claimed he was forced to return to work in 2013 without a medical certificate due to financial pressure, as his absence was recorded as an 'ordinary injury' rather than a work-related illness, resulting in reduced wages. He stated he 'hated' returning to work and felt deliberately targeted to be punished financially. Sgt Barry alleged that Supt Comyns prevented the proper investigation of a child sexual assault allegation, which the DPP later directed not to prosecute in November 2015 due to lack of evidence. He further claimed that one alleged suspect was connected to senior gardaí, including Superintendent John Quilter and Chief Superintendent Anthony Quilter. Sgt Barry reported being unfit for duty from August 2012 to March 2013 due to work-related stress. His GP advised against his return without conditions, specifically avoiding contact with Supt Comyns. The tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, is examining these nine allegations, including claims of perverting the course of justice and compromised investigations.
2021-05-06 · Cork
Michael Leonard, 63, of Hillcrest, Glenosheen, Kilmallock, Co Limerick, was denied bail by the High Court after being accused of murdering 72‑year‑old Mary O'Keeffe in Doneraile, Co Cork, on 4 February 2021. Leonard appeared at the hearing by video‑link. Detective Sergeant James O'Shea, of Fermoy Garda Station, argued that the evidence was strong, the charge serious, and that Leonard might interfere with witnesses. He described the scene where a burning vehicle was found at 2.20 pm on 4 February, containing Ms O'Keeffe's body. Leonard's defence, led by Mr Marc Thompson Grolimund BL, highlighted his client's 41‑year work record with Coillte and his recent retirement, and offered a €10,000 bond and a vacant property address for bail if granted. Mr Leonard pledged not to approach witnesses. Judge Robert Eager cited the "appalling" death and the seriousness of the murder charge in denying bail.
2020-03-02 · Cork
Michael Dineen, aged 28, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for the manslaughter of Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell, aged 36, who died after a pub fight on 1 June 2018. Dineen had consumed 20 pints that day and repeatedly punched O'Donnell in the head and face for about a minute, delivering kicks to his body. He had previously been on bail for breaking another man's jaw. The judge noted the attack was one‑sided and unequal, with O'Donnell suffering severe injuries including loss of teeth, fractured nose and internal bleeding. Dineen pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from a headline of 12 years to nine years due to mitigating factors such as remorse, apology and psychiatric history. The suspended year will be lifted if Dineen abstains from alcohol and remains under probation supervision.
2018-03-09 · Cork
Patrick Farrelly, 26, of Stag Park, Mitchelstown, Cork, was found with about €70,000 worth of cannabis over five months. He pleaded guilty to possessing €66,000 of drugs for sale or supply on 26 November 2016 and to possessing €3,692 of cannabis five months earlier. The Cork Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to three‑and‑a‑half years, with 18 months suspended, and a concurrent 12‑month sentence for the lesser offence, leaving a net two‑year term. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. In the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon increased the sentence for the more serious charge to five years, with 18 months suspended, while the 12‑month sentence remained unchanged. The new five‑year term runs concurrently with the 12‑month term, which was likely already served.
2014-05-21 · Tipperary
In the trial of Maurice Power, 31, of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir, the accused pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2013. Power admitted to the Gardaí that he had "let a shot" at Rossiter at 6.45 am that morning. He claimed the shooting was a "kill or be killed" situation, citing a seven‑year history of conflict and a belief that he was being set up. Power said he fired a sawn‑off shotgun twice – once from the passenger seat of his car and again from inside Rossiter's house – killing him in the chest and on the right side. He also stated that he had burned his car and disposed of the weapon. The case is proceeding before a jury presided by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.