Court archive
Court reports mentioning Macroom, Cork
2024-03-13 · Cork
Ian Horgan, a convicted rapist and killer, had his jail term increased from eight and a half years to 11 years and three months by the Court of Appeal for the assault causing serious harm on Hassan Baker. The appeal considered video evidence of the hammer attack on March 26, 2022, at McCurtain Villas, Cork, where Horgan used a claw‑hammer to strike Baker, choke him, and then continue striking him, causing severe injuries. Horgan also attacked Baker's mother, Mary O'Callaghan, breaking her wrist. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence too lenient, citing Horgan's history of violence and the extreme nature of the attack, and imposed the increased term with no portion suspended. The assault causing harm sentence for O'Callaghan was not altered. The decision was based on the evidence presented in the appeal hearing. Ian Horgan pleaded guilty.
2024-02-06 · Dublin
In the High Court, Ryanair unreservedly apologised to Eoin Michael Cahill, a quantity surveyor, after incorrectly banning him from flying and writing to his employer identifying him as a disruptive passenger. Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy was informed that the airline accepted Mr Cahill was mistakenly identified as a passenger involved in an altercation with staff on January 2nd. Ryanair, represented by Martin Hayden SC, stated the ban has been withdrawn and offered to correct the record with Mr Cahill's employer, the Jones Engineering Group. The airline proposed paying €10,000 in compensation plus legal costs. Mr Cahill, represented by Paul O'Higgins SC and solicitor CW Ashe, had sought an injunction to lift the ban and correct the defamation, along with damages. He claimed the false allegations threatened his professional reputation, particularly as he travels between Ireland and Denmark for work. Ryanair had previously argued Mr Cahill did not allow sufficient time for an investigation, but the court found the airline had known of the complaint for some time. Mr Justice Mulcahy ordered Ryanair to pay Mr Cahill's legal costs for the injunction proceedings. The matter was effectively resolved through the airline's apology and offer of amends, with the court addressing the costs of the pretrial application.
2024-01-30 · Dublin
Eoin Michael Cahill, a quantity surveyor, has filed a High Court claim against Ryanair, alleging defamation and an unjust travel ban. Cahill asserts that Ryanair accused him of disruptive behaviour on a flight he did not take and that an email sent to his employer on January 3, 2024, falsely claimed he was disruptive on a Dublin Airport journey. He says the airline's ban prevents him from travelling to Denmark for work and threatens his professional reputation. Cahill has requested details of the alleged behaviour, a correction to the employer, and lifting of the ban. Ryanair initially considered reversing the ban but later asked for time to investigate. Cahill's lawyers seek damages, injunctions against further defamation, and an order preventing Ryanair from maintaining the ban during the trial. The case is set to return to court in early February.
2023-07-19 · Cork
In a cold‑case trial, forensic scientists presented evidence that Nora Sheehan, who vanished in 1981 and was later found dead in Shippool Woods, had been in a car driven by Noel Long. Fibres from Sheehan's clothing matched those from the carpet of a blue Opel Kadett linked to Long, and paint fragments from her garments corresponded to paint on the vehicle. Dr Maureen Smith, Dr Sheila Willis, and Dr Amanda Lennon all confirmed the strong support for the view that Sheehan was in the Kadett. The trial also heard that Long, aged 74, has pleaded not guilty to her murder. The proceedings are ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The case remains at the evidence‑presentation stage.
2022-10-17 · Cork
Jonathan O'Driscoll, aged 33, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for a 14‑minute assault on 73‑year‑old Christy O'Callaghan in Macroom on 21 March 2019. The attack, captured on CCTV, involved O'Driscoll repeatedly stamping on O'Callaghan's head, kicking and stealing his watch, jacket and wallet. O'Callaghan suffered severe injuries, including a scalp laceration, facial fractures, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a subdural haematoma, and later required life‑saving treatment at Cork University Hospital. He was subsequently moved to a long‑term care facility where he died. O'Driscoll appealed the 15‑year headline sentence as "excessive"; the Court of Appeal upheld the 13‑year post‑mitigation term but suspended the final two years for two years, requiring engagement with probation and addiction services. The court noted the assault was "prolonged, vicious and unprovoked" and that O'Callaghan's life had been ruined by the attack. Jonathan O'Driscoll pleaded guilty.
2022-03-22 · Cork
Jonathan O'Driscoll, aged 33, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for a 14‑minute unprovoked assault on 73‑year‑old Christy O'Callaghan in Macroom on 21 March 2019. O'Driscoll repeatedly stamped on O'Callaghan's head, causing severe injuries including scalp lacerations, facial fractures, rib fractures, a collapsed lung and a subdural haematoma. O'Callaghan later required life‑saving treatment at Cork University Hospital and was moved to a long‑term care facility after release. O'Driscoll pleaded guilty and was given a 15‑year headline sentence by Judge Sean O'Donnabhain, which he appealed as "excessive in all circumstances". His barrister argued mitigating factors such as his psychiatric history, cooperation, and remorse, while the Director of Public Prosecutions acknowledged a marginal discount. The Court of Appeal considered the victim impact statement and the severity of the assault, noting O'Callaghan's life was ruined and that he has since passed away.
2021-11-12 · Cork
In November 2021 the Court of Appeal heard an appeal by Rita O'Driscoll, aged 49, who had been convicted of murdering her former husband, Timothy 'Timmy' Foley, in October 2018. O'Driscoll's appeal argues that the trial judge erred by allowing the prosecution's chief witness, Jason Foley, to give evidence via video‑link and an intermediary. Jason Foley, who suffered an acquired brain injury in 2010, was introduced to the jury as a GP rather than an expert. O'Driscoll's counsel contended that the jury was misled into seeing Foley as a vulnerable witness, while the State's counsel maintained that Foley's intellectual disability was known to the jury and that the remote testimony did not distort the witness's appearance. The court reserved judgment on the matter. The appeal does not address the conviction itself, which remains a mandatory life sentence.
2021-06-28 · Dublin
Darren McDonnell, aged 38, was jailed for three years after a series of offences. He had been staying at a rehabilitation centre for two days when he disappeared from the grounds and later burglarised a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee discovered he was carrying a concealed shotgun in his trousers when he returned to the centre. McDonnell was arrested a few days later in Dublin after a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 and was caught by Gardaí. He pleaded guilty to burglary, robbery and possession of a knife. The judge noted his extensive criminal history, drug addiction and attempts at detox, and sentenced him to five years in prison, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including three years of probation. The burglary damaged the victims' peace of mind and the centre's reputation.
2021-06-17 · Monaghan
Two men have received fully suspended sentences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assisting another man's escape from gardaí. Derek Mitchell, aged 27, and Patrick Macken, aged 34, pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of an offender on Rosemount Avenue, Artane, Dublin, on March 13, 2015. During a garda operation, the men failed to stop a van in which a third man was attempting to evade arrest. Items recovered from the vehicle included an imitation firearm and cable ties. The third man was subsequently convicted and received a four-year prison sentence in 2017. Judge Melanie Greally noted that considerable time had elapsed since the incident and both defendants had distanced themselves from negative associations. She sentenced each man to twelve months imprisonment, fully suspended, placing the offence in the mid-range of seriousness due to its connection with a more serious underlying criminal enterprise.
2021-05-17 · Dublin
Darren McDonnell, 38, was caught at a rehabilitation centre after attempting to bring a stolen shotgun concealed in his trousers. He had been at the centre for two days before disappearing from the grounds and burglarising a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee noticed the shotgun when he returned, and McDonnell admitted the burglary and surrendered the weapon, its cartridges and a stolen tablet. He was later arrested in Dublin for a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 before being apprehended. McDonnell has over 40 prior convictions, including robbery and unauthorised vehicle taking. He was remanded in continuing custody, with the case scheduled for finalisation on 14 June. The court heard that he was declared unfit for interview due to drug use and that his rehabilitation stay had been largely unsuccessful. The matter remains pending. Darren McDonnell pleaded guilty.
2020-11-19 · Clare
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Jordan Ennis, Lucy Ennis, and Aaron Flanagan for violent disorder and assault causing harm at Edenmore Park, Raheny, on September 19, 2015. All three defendants pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Jordan Ennis to two and a half years' imprisonment, having stated his actions initially merited four years. He suspended the final year of the sentence on conditions that Ennis keep the peace and hand over €14,249 to the victim as a token of remorse. Lucy Ennis received a suspended prison term of 18 months. The judge noted she had likely misinformed her brother but accepted her mental health background and lack of prior convictions. Co-accused Aaron Flanagan was sentenced to a suspended prison term of two years, with a condition of good behaviour for that period. The judge cited Flanagan's age at the time as the primary mitigating factor. The court heard that the attack followed a dispute involving teenage girls, during which Jordan Ennis stabbed the victim multiple times while others assaulted him with crutches. The victim was hospitalised for ten days. The judge described the attack as savage and noted that Ennis acted on his sister's accusations, despite the victim denying any prior aggression.
2020-11-18 · Clare
An appeal has been heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding the case of Aaron Flanagan, Jordan Ennis, and Lucy Ennis, who admitted to charges of violent disorder and assault causing harm at Edenmore Park, Raheny on September 19, 2015. The three appellants pleaded guilty to the charges. During the hearing, Judge Martin Nolan remanded the three in continuing custody for sentence tomorrow. The incident involved a 15-year-old victim who was repeatedly stabbed, punched, and kicked by a group of teenagers after he intervened to protect a friend. The victim, now an adult, cannot be identified due to a recent Court of Appeal decision on the identification of juvenile victims of crime. The court heard that the victim was in the park when he saw a group of four teenage girls shouting at another girl, accusing her of making comments on Facebook. The victim attempted to assist the girl, leading to an altercation. The court also heard that Lucy Ennis was the instigator, and her brother Jordan Ennis was involved in the attack. The victim was later assaulted again by Jordan Ennis and others. The court heard that Jordan Ennis had a previous record of being a law-abiding young man and that the attack was out of character for him. The matter was adjourned for sentence.
2020-02-25 · Cork
Valentine Kelleher, acting as applicant for his children Laura, David, and Jack, reached a €225,000 settlement with Green Energy Supply Ltd and director Michael Murnane regarding High Court damages claims. The siblings alleged that noise, vibrations, and shadow flicker from the Knockduff Wind Farm in Co Cork caused illnesses, forcing the family to abandon their home in Donoughmore in late 2016. The defendants denied all allegations of negligence or nuisance, maintaining the wind farm was operated lawfully. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds approved the settlement, which was reached via mediation without admission of liability. The medical evidence supporting the claim was fully contested. Laura received €125,000, while David and Jack each received €50,000. The judge described the offer as good given the disputed medical reports. Other separate but related claims brought by family members for alleged nuisance remain outstanding. Those cases were adjourned to a date in March.
2019-02-28 · Dublin
Eddie McEvoy, 34, was sentenced to two years in prison for a series of thefts in Dublin's city centre that totalled over €10,000 in goods, including perfume, cosmetics, alcohol and scratch cards. He pleaded guilty to eight thefts and one trespass with intent between 13 October 2017 and 26 January 2018. McEvoy's counsel described the offences as opportunistic and driven by a chronic addiction to crack cocaine, heroin, tablets and benzos, noting he was now drug‑free except for methadone. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, citing the accumulation of 204 prior convictions, up from 145 a year earlier. The court heard that McEvoy had lost a lung in 2016 due to an overdose and that he had been captured on CCTV during several of the thefts, including a €6,000 haul of scratch cards from a Londis staff room.
2018-12-20 · Dublin
In a 2016 incident at Concord Pub, three men—Joseph Crabbe (33), Dean McDonnell (29), and Thomas Smith (36)—were charged with violent disorder after a bar fight that involved throwing stools, snooker balls, and glasses. All pleaded guilty. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced each to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the full terms on the condition that they keep the peace and behave well for two years. Crabbe had 26 prior convictions, McDonnell nine, and Smith five. Garda Kevin Farrell presented CCTV footage showing each man's involvement: Crabbe lifting a table and throwing objects, McDonnell throwing a pint glass and a stool before using a pool cue, and Smith striking someone with a stool and tossing a snooker ball. The judge praised the bar manager for preventing the situation from worsening. No further police action has been taken against the men since the incident.
2018-11-22 · Dublin
Eddie McEvoy, 34, a chronic drug addict, pleaded guilty to eight thefts and one trespass with intent between October 2017 and January 2018. He stole goods worth over €10,000, including €6,000 of scratch cards, 20 bottles of Armani Code perfume (€2,000), 200 packets of cigarettes, 25 vodka bottles, a rum bottle, and other cosmetics and alcohol. McEvoy's offences were opportunistic, targeting soft targets and often entering shops through open doors. He was captured on CCTV in several incidents, such as the Cath Kidston shop, Hickey's Pharmacy, Boots on Grafton Street, and Boots on Baggot Street. He admitted to stealing items from a staff room at Londis, taking €6,000 of scratch cards and other stock. McEvoy has 135 prior convictions, including 59 thefts, 17 drug offences and two robberies. He is currently clean of all drugs except methadone.
2018-05-17 · Cork
Patrick O'Driscoll, a 42‑year‑old father from Codrum, Macroom, was convicted by a jury of 61 counts of raping his eldest daughter, aged 16 to 17, between 2008 and 2009. He had denied the charges. The jury's unanimous verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeal, which found the trial satisfactory and the conviction safe. Mr Justice Paul Butler sentenced O'Driscoll to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on conditions including no contact with his daughter. The appeal was dismissed after the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, considered the evidence presented by the complainant and the defence. The court concluded that the jury had the authority to assess the credibility of the complainant's testimony and that the verdict was not perverse. The case remains at the conviction stage.
2018-05-15 · Cork
Patrick O'Driscoll, 42, of Codrum, Macroom, was found guilty by a jury of 61 counts of raping his eldest daughter, Ellen, aged 16 to 17, between 2008 and 2009. He denied the charges. Mr Justice Paul Butler sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on conditions including no contact with his daughter. The judge noted that O'Driscoll had otherwise led a "blameless life" and was rearing the rest of his family properly. Ellen, 24, had waived anonymity. O'Driscoll has moved to appeal the conviction in the Court of Appeal, where the judge has reserved judgment. His barrister, Ronan Munro SC, argued that the jury's verdict was perverse due to infirmities in the complainant's evidence, citing inconsistencies about the address of abuse, school attendance and other matters. The Court of Appeal will decide on Thursday.
2018-02-07 · Cork
Jack Kelleher, a 23‑year‑old university student, has brought proceedings in the High Court after being evicted from his family home in Bridgewater, Carrigrohane, Co Cork by the Cork County Sheriff on the basis of a 2016 Circuit Court order obtained by KBC Bank against his parents. The order, which did not name Kelleher, was used to repossess the house, and he was told to leave within 28 days or his possessions would be destroyed. Kelleher claims the order cannot be used to evict him, as he was not a party to the original action and his constitutional right to a home was not considered. He seeks a temporary injunction, declarations that only named individuals may be affected, and damages for breaches of Articles 40.5 and 8. Judge Carmel Stewart declined the injunction but ordered short notice to be served on KBC and the Sheriff. The case will return next week.
2017-01-17 · Cork
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.
2016-12-19 · Cork
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.
2016-10-10 · Cork
Anthony Kelleher, 42, was given an eight‑year sentence for seriously assaulting his wife, Siobhán, in Macroom on 12 June 2014. He pleaded not guilty, but a jury found him guilty of assault causing serious harm. Kelleher was released after a successful appeal, but the Court of Appeal ruled he did not receive a fair trial and ordered a retrial. The appeal focused on the admission of two statements made by Siobhán while she was a patient in hospital, which were allowed under an exceptional provision of the Criminal Justice Act. The Court found that the trial judge failed to intervene when Siobhán refused to answer questions, preventing effective cross‑examination, and that the presentation of Prof. Cusack's evidence was unfair. Kelleher remains on bail and is due to appear again on 25 October at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
2016-07-29 · Cork
Anthony Kelleher, 42, of Macroom, was convicted in May 2015 of assault causing serious harm to his wife Siobhán and sentenced to eight years. He had pleaded not guilty and his wife refused to testify, though her earlier statements to Gardaí were admitted under section 16. Kelleher's appeal, heard by the Court of Appeal, was allowed by Justice Garrett Sheehan, who noted that the appeal was largely based on the handling of the section 16 statements and the judge's directions to the jury. The appeal decision will be formalised in a forthcoming judgment, and the court will decide whether a retrial is required. Kelleher will be released from prison following the successful appeal.
2016-06-07 · Cork
Anthony Kelleher, 42, of Macroom, Cork, was found guilty of assault causing serious harm to his wife Siobhán on 12 June 2014 and sentenced to eight years in prison by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin in May 2016. He pleaded not guilty and his wife refused to testify against him. Kelleher applied for bail pending an appeal, but the Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, declined to grant bail because the State had not provided any grounds for it. The court set a hearing for 29 July and ordered the expedited preparation of trial transcripts. Kelleher's appeal will focus on the use of section 16 statements and the judge's directions to the jury. The State will have two weeks to respond after Kelleher files his submissions. His sister, who travelled from Bantry, offered surety for a potential bail.
2016-04-19 · Cork
Jerzy Broszczack, a 25‑year‑old Polish drug dealer, lost an appeal against a condition imposed by the Cork Circuit Criminal Court that he must depart Ireland upon release from a seven‑year sentence, of which three years were suspended. He pleaded guilty to possession of €18,000 worth of cannabis in Crookstown, Co Cork, and was sentenced on 4 November 2014. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, rejected the appeal, citing evidence that Broszczack had no meaningful ties to Ireland, spoke mainly Polish, had no family in the country, and had been present for only eight months. The judge noted that the condition was reasonable and proportionate, and that Broszczack had voluntarily entered the bond. The appeal was dismissed on all grounds.
2014-03-11 · Cork
Darren Fagan, a former sheet‑metal worker aged 24, was sentenced by Judge Dermot Dempsey at Swords District Court to five months' imprisonment and a ten‑year driving disqualification after pleading guilty to driving without insurance on 2 October 2013 at Barryscourt Road, Coolock. Fagan had 18 prior convictions, including five for no insurance, and was also found to be driving without a licence. Garda Janice Gray reported that Fagan had stopped in Coolock for the offence, apologised, and claimed he had bought the car for his partner to take their child to school. Fagan's solicitor noted that he had been dismissed from his metal‑sheet job in 2008, was hoping to become a gym instructor, and wanted to move to Germany where his sister lives. Judge Dempsey deemed community service unsuitable given Fagan's record, fined him €200 for the licence offence, and fixed recognisance pending appeal.