A man who was 18 when he raped a 15-year-old girl during a birthday party has been jailed for seven years. Patrick Faulkner (24) was convicted of rape after a trial in Limerick. The victim, who wished to waive her anonymity, told the court that Faulkner told her to get the morning after pill after the attack. The victim was at the party with friends and had consumed alcohol. Faulkner followed her upstairs and raped her despite her repeated protests. The victim later told a friend she had been raped and sent a message to a Snapchat group. Faulkner denied the charge, claiming the girl consented. He has previous convictions for harassment and public order offences. The judge noted the victim's mental trauma and the lack of mitigation due to Faulkner's denial. The sentence was reduced from eight and a half years to seven and a half years, taking into account his cooperation with the investigation and his young age at the time of the offence.
The High Court has agreed to hear a judicial review brought by Angela Redic, who claims a State "cover up" in the death of her 25‑year‑old daughter, Mary. Redic says the inquest into Mary's death, found in her Cork apartment in September 2024, was not conducted lawfully and that she is entitled to documents withheld by the State. She is suing the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, Cork City Coroner, Cork City Council, Sophia Housing Association and Cantillons Solicitors. Redic argues the coroner's short inquest in May was based on unverified facts and that Gardaí were negligent. The case will be heard over two days, with a hearing set for December 4, 2025.
Tyler "Tiggy" Jackson, a 27‑year‑old from Ballydaheen West, Mallow, was convicted of murdering 24‑year‑old Conor Quinn on 12 July 2018 and sentenced to a mandatory life term by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon in October 2023. Jackson fled to the UK after the stabbing, was located in Cambridge, and returned to Ireland on a European arrest warrant in February 2022. He appealed in October 2023, arguing that the trial judge erred by admitting a statement from 16‑year‑old witness Christina Kearney, taken three days after Quinn's death, and that a jury should have been discharged after a civilian witness suggested Jackson had assaulted him. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds, holding that the judge had correctly assessed the admissibility of the statement and that no error justified interfering with the jury's findings. Jackson's appeal was rejected, leaving his conviction and life sentence intact.
A 27‑year‑old man, Tyler 'Tiggy' Jackson, who was convicted of murdering 24‑year‑old Conor Quinn in Mallow, County Cork, has appealed his life sentence. His counsel, Dean Kelly SC, argues that the trial judge erred by admitting a statement given by 16‑year‑old Christina Kearney three days after the death. The statement, taken by Detective Garda Sean Buckley, was allegedly altered—words such as "running" were crossed out and replaced with "walking"—without Kearney's initial. Kelly contends the court could not have been satisfied that the statement was a true account of what Kearney said on the day it was taken. He also claims the trial judge failed to discharge the jury when a civilian witness, Stephen Quinn, suggested Jackson had assaulted him, thereby creating an unfair trial. The Court of Appeal will decide the appeal at a later date.
The High Court heard that Mr Wojciech Bialek, former chief executive of the Together‑Razem Centre, has complied with an injunction requiring him to vacate the charity's Cork offices. The injunction, obtained by the charity, prohibits Bialek and anyone aware of the order from removing, deleting or copying the charity's documents, transferring or withdrawing its funds, trespassing on its premises, or representing himself as an employee, trustee or chairperson. The court was told that the offices have been vacated and that Bialek denies the allegations. His lawyers requested time to respond fully. The charity claims Bialek resigned after an independent accountant raised questions about its accounting, and that he and others unlawfully attempted to remove board members, hold an invalid extraordinary general meeting, and seize control of the offices by changing the locks. The court set a timetable for document exchange and adjourned further proceedings to later this month. The charity has not yet regained possession of its offices.
In a High Court case on 14 July 2023, Together‑Razem Centre Company Limited secured a temporary injunction against its former CEO, Mr Wojciech Bialek, who allegedly seized the charity's offices after resigning in 2022. The charity, funded by the HSE and based in Cork, claims Bialek unlawfully took control of its premises at Kilnap Business Park, changed the locks, and threatened to alter or erase its records. The court heard that Bialek had been under investigation for financial and governance matters and that an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 11 July, which the charity says was invalid, removed the existing board and appointed new directors. The injunction, granted by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, prohibits Bialek and others from removing, copying or transferring the charity's documents or funds, and bars them from representing themselves as officers of the charity. The order remains until the case returns to court on Monday.
A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicating officer has dismissed a discrimination and victimisation claim brought by racecourse bookmaker Jim Desmond against the Association of Irish Racecourses CLG (AIR). Mr Desmond alleged that the operator of Mallow Racecourse refused him access to a tent during wet weather on 31 October 2021, a restriction he described as "apartheid Irish style." He claimed this constituted a "man-made discriminatory rule" imposed by AIR, arguing that other betting operators were allowed indoor facilities while on-course bookmakers were not. Mr Desmond, who stated he had attended Mallow meetings for 70 years, sought improved facilities rather than financial recompense and later attempted to progress the claim on the grounds of disability, citing compromised mobility. However, he acknowledged he had not specified a protected characteristic in his initial statutory notification. AIR chairman Paddy Walsh responded that the association had no role in designing betting rings and that Mr Desmond had failed to link his complaint to prescribed grounds. Adjudicating officer Patsy Doyle found that Mr Desmond did not have a protected disability and had not been refused service by AIR, as he paid the racecourse directly for his pitch. She determined there was no less favourable treatment by AIR and that the matter was a commercial dispute. While noting Mr Desmond acted in genuine belief, she concluded he was "mistaken" in his claim for victimisation.
Paul Coen, 47, of Templemany, Buttevant, was sentenced in May 2021 to four years' imprisonment with the last year suspended for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after a head‑on collision at Quartertown Upper, Mallow, where a woman was seriously injured and air‑lifted to hospital. He also received six months' imprisonment for refusing to provide a urine or blood sample to Gardaí. The judge imposed a 10‑year driving ban, describing the crash as "like a bomb exploding." Coen's counsel argued the ban was unduly punitive, citing his mental health issues and rural employment needs. At the Court of Appeal, the ban was reduced by three years to seven, while the sentence remained unchanged. The appeal decision acknowledged the serious injuries sustained by the victim and the impact on her life, but also considered Coen's personal circumstances and the need for rehabilitation. Paul Coen pleaded guilty.
Michael Leonard, aged 63, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering 72‑year‑old Mary O'Keeffe by burning her alive in a car fire at Doneraile, Co Cork, on 4 February last year. Leonard had met O'Keeffe at a wooded area, poured two gallons of petrol into her car and set it on fire shortly after she arrived. A post‑mortem confirmed she was alive when the fire started and that her death was caused by extreme third‑degree burns and inhalation of carbon monoxide. O'Keeffe, a widow and cook, had known Leonard since 2016 and had ended their relationship in 2019. Leonard, who had no prior convictions, was found in the River Awbeg the day after the murder and was arrested the following day. The court described the attack as the most horrific fire‑related murder and expressed condolences to O'Keeffe's family. The sentencing judge imposed the mandatory life term for murder.
Michael Leonard, 63, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering 72‑year‑old Mary O'Keeffe in Doneraile, Co. Cork, on 4 February 2021. His body was found in a burning car. Leonard was denied bail and remains in custody. The court adjourned sentencing to 14 December to allow the family to give an impact statement. No evidence of the murder was heard at the arraignment. Leonard, a former Coillte employee, stated he would not approach any witness or speak to anyone about the case except his solicitor. The post‑mortem, conducted by Assistant State Pathologist Margaret Bolster, was not released. O'Keeffe, a cook from Dromahane, is survived by her three sons. The case is pending sentencing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Laimonas Baltrusis, aged 31, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for unlawfully possessing €280,000 worth of cocaine and a semi‑automatic pistol. Gardaí discovered the drugs and firearm in hidden compartments of two cars, accessed by a button under the steering wheel when the engine ran and lights were on. Baltrusis admitted possession of cocaine at two addresses on 19 and 20 September 2020 and possession of the pistol on 20 September 2020. He cooperated with investigators, pointing to a kitchen shelf where 22 g of cocaine and €3,250 in cash were found. The court noted his prior minor convictions, his completion of a rehabilitation programme, and his apology to the court. Judge Martin Nolan emphasised that Baltrusis had created the problems for himself by becoming involved in the drug trade. Laimonas Baltrusis pleaded guilty.
Mervyn Tanner, a 47‑year‑old former financial advisor from Mallow, was found guilty of defrauding five people of €209,900 between November 2010 and March 2016. He pleaded guilty to seven charges of using a false instrument under Section 26 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act and theft under Section 4 of the same act. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal before Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, dismissed Tanner's appeal. Mr Justice Edwards noted that the breach of trust was aggravated by the vulnerability of some victims, including a woman who had recently lost her brother, and by Tanner's continued fraudulent activity after his licence was revoked in 2014. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the five‑year sentence imposed by the Cork Circuit Court.
In February 2020, Martin Feehan, 42, was convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after a reckless overtaking manoeuvre on the Mallow‑to‑Cork road in Granagh, Co Cork, on 16 February 2015. The incident left 40‑year‑old Brid Hallihan with a broken pelvis and months of hospital treatment. Feehan was sentenced by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin to a three‑year suspended sentence and a 20‑year driving ban. In March 2022, Feehan appealed the conviction and sought to reduce the ban. The Court of Appeal, after hearing arguments, quashed the 20‑year ban and substituted a 10‑year ban, back‑dated to the original sentencing date of 6 February 2020. The conviction itself remained upheld. The case highlighted the severity of the offence and the court's stance on public safety.
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.
Martin Feehan, 42, was convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after his Citroen Berlingo collided with on‑coming traffic during an overtaking manoeuvre on the Mallow‑to‑Cork road at Granagh on 16 February 2015. The crash left his passenger, 40‑year‑old Brid Hallihan, with a broken pelvis and months of hospital treatment. Prosecutors alleged Feehan was driving too fast and lost control when the overtaking lane merged with a slower lane, causing his vehicle to cross the carriageway. A jury found him guilty and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin imposed a three‑year suspended sentence and a 20‑year driving ban. Feehan appealed, arguing the judge erred in law and fact, but the appeal was dismissed. The appellate court noted the judge's explanations were "plainly attempting to further explain the level of fault required to prove the charge" and rejected the claim that the judge had erred in summarising facts.
The Workplace Relations Commission has ordered Atlantic Troy Ltd, trading as the Charleville Park Hotel, to pay €22,000 in compensation to Bridget O'Reilly, her partner Phillip O'Neill, and their two sons. The adjudicator found that the hotel, owned by Supermac's founder Pat McDonagh and his wife Una McDonagh, discriminated against the family under the Equal Status Act by refusing emergency accommodation on 28 September 2020. The complainants alleged they were denied a three-night stay because the hotel insisted on a credit card in the guest's name, a policy the adjudicator determined was a device to exclude those receiving housing assistance. The adjudicator found that membership of the Travelling Community was a material factor in the refusal, noting the hotel's stance fell below the threshold of decency. The hotel strenuously denied discrimination, arguing the family sought a home rather than hotel accommodation and citing previous damage caused by other Traveller groups. However, the adjudicator found the hotel's evidence inconsistent and upheld the complaints on grounds of housing assistance and Traveller status. The compensation breakdown includes €8,000 for Ms. O'Reilly, €8,000 for Mr. O'Neill, and €3,000 for each son. This ruling marks the second time this year the hotel has been ordered to compensate members of the Travelling community for similar discriminatory practices.
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.
Receiver Mr Declan Taite, of Duff and Phelps, applied to the High Court for an injunction against businesswoman Mairead Barry, alleging she engaged in intimidation and made threats against him, his family, and employees. Mr Taite claims Ms Barry threatened to drive her vehicle through the firm's front window and seeks orders preventing her from attending or entering their Stephen's Green offices. The matter was heard before Mr Justice Allen, where Ms Barry, representing herself, denied the allegations and stated she wished to bring a counterclaim to clear her name. She offered undertakings to stay away from the offices and communicate only via solicitors. While she opposed a general adjournment, Ms Barry requested a six-month adjournment on medical grounds. Mr Justice Allen agreed to adjourn the matter to a date in late October. The application stems from Mr Taite's appointment as receiver over properties belonging to Ms Barry's husband and a company where she is a director. Mr Taite alleges that following contentious dealings, Ms Barry became abusive and threatening, leading him to cease direct contact and report the credible threats to the Gardaí. The court has not yet issued a final decision on the injunction, with the proceedings currently suspended pending the future hearing date.
The High Court has adjourned an injunction application brought by receiver Mr Declan Taite against businesswoman Mairead Barry. Mr Taite, of Duff and Phelps, alleged that Ms Barry engaged in acts of intimidation and made threats against him, his family, and company employees. He claimed she threatened to drive her vehicle through the front window of the firm's offices in Dublin 2. The applicant sought an injunction preventing Ms Barry and her agents from behaving in a threatening, abusive, or intimidating manner, as well as orders barring her from attending or entering the company offices. Additionally, he sought damages for harassment and the intentional infliction of emotional suffering. Mr Taite stated he was appointed receiver over properties belonging to Ms Barry's husband, Tim Sheahan, and that disputes arose regarding a transaction involving apartments in Limerick and an unsigned B10 form. He alleged Ms Barry used abusive language and made specific threats during conversations. Following a complaint to the Gardaí, who indicated the threats were credible, Mr Taite initiated proceedings. The application came before Mr Justice Senan Allen on an ex-parte basis. The judge granted Mr Taite permission to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings against Ms Barry. The matter was adjourned for a week.
The High Court refused to approve a Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) for Mr Keith Cremin, a 49‑year‑old car sales executive from Subulter, Mallow, who owed about €190,000 to several creditors, including Pepper Finance Corporation DAC, Bank of Ireland, Everyday Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. The PIA, proposed by a Personal Insolvency Practitioner, would have required Cremin to make monthly contributions of €690 to €866 over 24 months, with a net payment of roughly €18,000 to creditors, and to continue interest‑only payments on his mortgage until the end of the period. Pepper opposed the arrangement, arguing that it would result in a substantial write‑off of a loan that had not defaulted. Judge Mark Sanfey held that approving the PIA would be unfair to Pepper, noted that Cremin had no pressing insolvency issues beyond the motor business collapse of 2008, and deemed the application premature.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Jason Warrington, a 47‑year‑old father of nine from Mallow, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for an unprovoked knife attack on 27‑year‑old Tadhg O'Shea. Warrington stabbed O'Shea 11 times in the back and chest while the victim was leaving a gathering at Warrington's home. O'Shea, who had been living with his grandmother, had met Warrington the previous day and had attended two gatherings where alcohol was consumed. Warrington admitted no prior threats and claimed he had intended to kill O'Shea, stating he was "disgusted" that the victim survived. He pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and was given a seven‑year sentence, with the last year suspended on the condition of sobriety and probation. A charge of attempted murder was dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The victim's impact statement highlighted his ongoing depression and fear of seeing his family again.
In the Central Criminal Court, Jason Warrington, 47, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after stabbing Tadhg O'Shea, 27, 11 times in the back and chest during a gathering at Warrington's home in Mallow. The attack occurred on 23 December 2018, when O'Shea was visiting after a Christmas event. Garda Anthony Daly testified that O'Shea had reported no prior threats and that the assault began with Warrington's knife. O'Shea was rescued by a guest, taken to hospital, and later gave a victim impact statement expressing ongoing depression and loss of family life. Warrington apologized in court, stating he was disgusted that O'Shea survived and had intended to kill him. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In a 2020 Court of Appeal decision, a Cork farmer, Mr George Ross, was cleared from a second prosecution over the death of 14‑year‑old Micheál Murphy, who fell from a tractor in 2013. The appeal overturned a prior ruling that the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) could pursue a new charge under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. Mr Ross had already been convicted in 2014 for a Road Traffic Act offence related to the same incident and fined €700. The judge, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, criticised the seven‑year delay between the death and the appeal, noting it reflected poorly on the State. She found no special circumstances to justify sequential prosecutions and rejected the HSA's claim that additional evidence had only emerged after the tractor was seized. Consequently, Mr Ross will not face the HSA charge, which carries a maximum fine of €3 million and a two‑year prison term.
A Cork farmer, George Ross, has appealed a High Court ruling that allowed a second prosecution for the death of a 14‑year‑old boy, Micheál 'Haulie' Murphy, who fell from Ross's defective tractor on 23 August 2013. The High Court had previously ruled that the Health and Safety Authority could pursue a prosecution under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. Ross, 68, had already been convicted under the Road Traffic Act and fined €700 in 2014 for allowing the tractor to be driven when it posed a danger to the public. Ross argues that the second prosecution is essentially the same offence and seeks a prohibition order to prevent it. The Court of Appeal, with Justices John Edwards, Patrick McCarthy and Aileen Donnelly, has reserved judgment on the appeal. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Gráinne O'Neill BL, maintains that the two charges are distinct in law and fact. The case remains pending.
A 47‑year‑old man, Jason Warrington, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Tadgh O'Shea at Warrington's home on 23 December 2018. He was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing on 9 November. Warrington's counsel, Mr Ronan Munro SC, noted that the defendant was in a radically different situation at the time of the offence and has addressed his drug issues.
Diarmuid Keane, a Garda based in County Cork, has filed a High Court challenge against the Garda Commissioner's decision to dismiss him from the force over alleged "discreditable conduct". The conduct in question relates to events that allegedly occurred at Mallow on 15 April 2017. After an internal disciplinary process, Keane admitted to four counts of discreditable conduct contrary to Garda Disciplinary Regulations. A three‑person board of inquiry recommended a fine of a week's wages, but the Commissioner chose to impose a dismissal instead, citing the need to maintain public confidence and protect the Gardaí's reputation. Keane's counsel, Kieran Kelly SC, argued that the Commissioner's decision was not in line with the appeal board's recommendation of a reprimand and a nine‑week pay deduction, and that the dismissal violated natural and constitutional justice.
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.
The State has dropped the sexual assault charges against Cork GP Kevin Mulcahy, 61, after a jury failed to reach a verdict in a trial earlier this month. Mulcahy had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of sexual assault – one alleged in his Mallow surgery in February 1995 and a second between 8 May and 31 December 1996. Prosecutor Maddie Grant BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the State would not pursue a third trial and requested a nolle prosequi. The judge granted the request, discharging Mulcahy from the indictment.
A jury could not reach a verdict in the trial of Dr Kevin Mulcahy, 61, of Creggane, Lombardstown, Mallow, Co Cork, who was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage patient in his surgery in Mallow in February 1995 and again in 1996. Mulcahy pleaded not guilty to both counts. The complainant's brother had taken her to the doctor in early 1995, where the doctor allegedly touched her breasts and the incident "didn't feel right". In the summer of 1996 the complainant returned to the doctor, who allegedly exposed his penis and placed her hand on it. The jury deliberated for over five hours but failed to reach a verdict. Judge Pauline Codd thanked the jurors for their care and attention and adjourned the case for mention on 26 February.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of Dr Kevin Mulcahy, 61, of Creggane, Lombardstown, Mallow, Co Cork, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault. The first alleged assault occurred in February 1995 when the complainant's brother brought her to Mulcahy's surgery; the complainant says Mulcahy touched her breasts and it "didn't feel right." The second alleged assault took place between 8 May 1996 and 31 December 1996, when the complainant says Mulcahy exposed his penis and placed her hand on it. Judge Pauline Codd sent the jury home at 4 pm to resume deliberations the next day. In closing speeches, the prosecution's counsel, Maddie Grant BL, urged jurors to assess the complainant's truthfulness and reliability, noting her bipolar disorder and that she has never relented from her allegations since 2005.
The trial of Dr Kevin Mulcahy, 61, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involves his plea of not guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a teenage patient in Mallow, Co Cork, in 1995 and 1996. On the third day of the hearing, Dr Bobby Burns, an adult psychiatrist at St Stephen's Hospital, testified that he first met the complainant in August 2005 when she was transferred from the UK with acute delusional psychotic disorder. Burns said the woman later alleged assault by Mulcahy and that he advised her to discuss the allegations with another team member. Burns continued to treat her, diagnosing bipolar disorder and noting that her condition is now managed with medication. Burns stated that her illness did not influence her allegations, and under cross‑examination, the defendant acknowledged that the complainant once had delusions of being the mother of the baby Jesus, which disappeared when she became well.
In February 2019, Dr. Kevin Mulcahy, 61, stood trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged sexual assault of a teenage patient in Mallow, County Cork, in 1995. He pleaded not guilty to the first charge and denied a second charge of assault between May and December 1996. The complainant, now 41, testified that she was 17 when she visited Dr. Mulcahy after a family death. She described being asked to undress, feeling uncomfortable as the doctor examined her breasts and pressed on them. She claimed he later sat with his legs apart, rocked her, and attempted to kiss her, saying he was "what a loving dad does to a child." The final alleged assault occurred in summer 1996 when the doctor exposed himself and touched her hand, offering to "teach" her. The case was heard by Judge Pauline Codd with a jury of twelve. The trial was scheduled to last a week.
John Kelly, 51, was found guilty of arson for setting fire to his family home in Bruhenny, Churchtown, Mallow, Co Cork, on 18 December 2016. At the time, four children aged 11, eight, six and two were inside. He was sentenced by Cork Circuit Criminal Court to seven years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The Court of Appeal upheld this sentence. The judge noted that Kelly had returned home for Christmas holidays, an argument with his wife had escalated, and he felt "a fool was being made of him" on her Facebook page. He set two fires upstairs, removed the children, locked the door, and set a third fire downstairs. The house was destroyed, and the family relied on HSE accommodation. Kelly pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and was described as a good supporter for his family.
In a High Court case, Grant Thornton sued Gerardine Scanlan for allegedly keeping confidential data it had mistakenly sent to her in 2015. The firm had previously obtained an order preventing her from releasing the information and required her to return or destroy it. Scanlan had agreed to hand over the material in December 2015, but Grant Thornton claims she has not complied and still holds the data. The firm seeks orders to compel her to return the material and to disclose any third parties to whom she may have disclosed it. Scanlan, representing herself, denies breaching the order or retaining the data. Grant Thornton asked the court to strike out her defence and counterclaim, arguing they lacked legal basis. Judge Paul Gilligan struck out portions of her defence that did not deny Grant Thornton's allegations and were irrelevant, and dismissed her counterclaim except for a claim for damages under the Data Protection Acts.
Eugene O'Toole, a Leading Sick Berth Attendant in the Irish Naval Service, has filed a High Court claim against the Minister for Defence, the Attorney General and Lt Commander Niall Manning. The suit arises from an incident on 22 September when O'Toole brought a quantity of duty‑free cigarettes aboard the LE James Joyce, which had just rescued 2,500 migrants. O'Toole says he had obtained permission from a superior officer to bring the cigarettes, but the commanding officer demanded they be unloaded within 15 minutes or charges would be brought. Three charges were considered by Lt Commander Manning in April; two were dismissed, but one—concerning conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline under section 168 of the 1954 Defence Act—was found proven, resulting in a reprimand. O'Toole alleges that Manning's prior involvement in the matter deprived him of fair procedures and that his constitutional rights were breached.
In a High Court hearing on 23 May 2017, Gerardine Scanlon, a resident of Bruhenny, Churchtown, Mallow, Co Cork, denied allegations by Grant Thornton that she had retained confidential material from a computer disk mistakenly sent to her in September 2015. Scanlon claimed the firm had made "fairly scandalous" remarks about her, including accusations that she demanded €1m to drop a case or had breached prior court orders. She presented herself as a whistleblower, asserting that Grant Thornton had breached data‑protection duties and that she possessed evidence of another breach in 2013. Grant Thornton, represented by Maurice Collins SC and Joe Jeffers BL, argued that the firm had notified the Data Protection Commissioner and complied with its directives. The firm sought to strike out Scanlon's defence and counter‑claim on the basis that they were legally unfounded. Scanlon opposed the motion, stating her defence might need amendment but should remain.
At the High Court, Gerardine Scanlon denied allegations that she attempted to blackmail accountancy firm Grant Thornton into paying €1 million to resolve actions over an alleged data protection breach. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan heard that Grant Thornton mistakenly sent confidential data to Ms Scanlon in September 2015. The firm obtained orders preventing her from releasing this information, which she agreed to return in December 2015. Grant Thornton's counsel, Maurice Collins SC, alleged Ms Scanlon failed to comply with the order, retained confidential data, and demanded €1 million to make related cases disappear, characterizing this as extortion. Ms Scanlon, representing herself, denied breaching the court order or retaining information. She stated the meeting with Grant Thornton was on a non-prejudice basis and rejected the blackmail claim as an attempt to smear her name. She also asserted she did not have the power to drop cases brought by the Data Protection Commissioner. The court considered pre-trial motions where Grant Thornton sought to strike out Ms Scanlon's defence and counterclaim, arguing they have no legal basis. Ms Scanlon opposed this and sought to join Danske Bank, the Data Protection Commissioner, and the Attorney General to the action. Those parties opposed being joined. The hearing was adjourned and resumes next week.
A man convicted of sexually exploiting a child online has had his sentence reduced on appeal at the Court of Appeal. The defendant, aged 23, with an address in County Cork, had pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of child exploitation occurring in April 2012. He was originally sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, in February 2016. Following his appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon reduced the sentence to five-and-a-half years, with the final two years suspended. The court heard the defendant was nearly 19 when he engaged in online sexual contact with a 12-year-old victim via video conversation. He accepted continuing contact after learning the victim's true age and requiring her to remove clothing and engage in sexual acts. The judge noted the defendant had previous convictions for sexual assault of an adult woman, describing him as "a significant threat to women" at a young age.
Angelique Arundel, 31, of Shannon Lawn, Mayfield, Co Cork, and John O'Donnell were convicted of aggravated burglary at a home in Churchtown, Mallow, on 28 and 29 August 2015. Arundel pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on 2 February 2016. She appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal today, holding that a five‑year term was appropriate for an aggravated burglary involving an armed intrusion into a family bedroom. The Court noted that the victim, a man in his 70s, his partner and a two‑year‑old son, awoke to glass breaking; a man with a sledgehammer and Arundel with an iron bar entered the bedroom. The co‑accused demanded €3,000 the next day and threatened the victim with violence and a gun. Arundel had 63 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences.
John Paul O'Driscoll, 29, of Fairhill, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of offences committed in April 2013, including burglary, unlawful vehicle taking, reckless endangerment and criminal damage. He was driving a stolen van while intoxicated, pursued by Gardaí from one end of Cork to the other, and collided with Garda Michael Twomey, throwing him from his motorbike and causing serious injuries. O'Driscoll's blood alcohol level was 244mg per 100ml. At the time of sentencing he was unemployed and living in a Simon Community hostel. He had 168 prior convictions and was disqualified from driving. On appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to seven years and nine months, suspending the final 12 months on condition, and upheld a 35‑year driving disqualification. The appeal was based on the court's determination that the offence was reckless rather than intentional endangerment, and on procedural errors in the original sentencing. John Paul O'Driscoll pleaded guilty.
Kevin Mulcahy, a former GP aged 57 from Cork, was convicted of indecently assaulting a 15‑year‑old patient in 1989. After a retrial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, he was found guilty following 39 minutes of deliberation and sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on 25 November 2015. His appeal against conviction was dismissed in October, and he was re‑sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment following a sentence appeal. During case‑management procedures in the Court of Appeal, Justice George Birmingham directed that a legal‑aid certificate be issued to cover the hearing of a Supreme Court appeal. Justice John Edwards, who had previously ruled on Mulcahy's unsuccessful appeal, noted that Mulcahy had regularly visited the complainant's home to treat her mother, and that during one visit he allegedly touched the patient's vagina. Mulcahy was arrested and interviewed in 2011 on the complaint of indecent assault. Kevin Mulcahy pleaded not guilty.
Kevin Mulcahy, a 57‑year‑old GP from Cork, was found guilty of indecently assaulting a 15‑year‑old female patient in 1989. He had pleaded not guilty but was convicted after a retrial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, where a jury deliberated for 39 minutes. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him to two years' imprisonment on 25 November 2015. Mulcahy was released on bail pending appeal, and the conviction aspect of his appeal was dismissed earlier in the month. On 24 October 2016, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reduced his sentence to 12 months, citing mitigating factors such as his first‑time offender status, good character, and the impact on his family. He was placed on the sex offenders register and ordered not to practice medicine. He was taken to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Kevin Mulcahy, a 57‑year‑old GP from Creggan, Lombardstown, Mallow, Co Cork, was found guilty of indecently assaulting a 15‑year‑old female patient on 23 December 1989. He pleaded not guilty to the single charge, but a jury convicted him after 39 minutes of deliberation at the Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him to two years' imprisonment on 25 November 2015. Mulcahy had been granted bail in December 2015 pending an appeal against conviction, which was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 13 October 2016. Justice John Edwards ruled that Mulcahy had regularly visited the patient's home to treat her mother, who had terminal cancer, and that during one visit he touched the patient's vagina on the outside of her clothing. He was arrested and interviewed in 2011 following a complaint of indecent assault.
Donal Ryan, 49, of Kingsfort Avenue, Mallow, pleaded guilty in 2014 to possessing almost €100,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Annakissa, Co Cork. He was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Ryan appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling that the eight‑year term was within the available range. The court noted that Gardaí had conducted a surveillance operation targeting Ryan, who was observed at an isolated church and later arrested when cannabis worth €96,000 was seized from a van. Ryan claimed he was a "collector and store man," a role the judge deemed higher than mere storage. His barrister argued that the Criminal Assets Bureau had returned his Q7 jeep and that his partner was working, but the court found no error in the sentencing decision. The appeal was dismissed by Justices Birmingham, Sheehan and Edwards.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgement on the appeal of Kevin Mulcahy, a 57‑year‑old former Cork GP, who was convicted of indecently assaulting a 15‑year‑old girl in 1989. Mulcahy pleaded not guilty to the single charge and was found guilty after a retrial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, where the jury deliberated for 39 minutes. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on 25 November 2015. In December 2015 he was granted bail pending appeal. Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC argued that Mulcahy's trial was unfair because the judge failed to give a corroboration warning and because Mulcahy's right to silence was infringed when he declined to answer further questions after his initial statement to the Gardai. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, has reserved judgement and Mulcahy remains on continuing bail.
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.
Kevin Mulcahy, a 57‑year‑old GP from Creggan, was jailed for two years after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a 15‑year‑old girl in 1989. He pleaded not guilty to the single charge. The conviction was reached after 39 minutes of jury deliberation in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court. On 25 November, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him. On 17 December, the Court of Appeal granted him bail pending an appeal, with conditions including signing in at a Cork Garda station three times a week. The appeal is scheduled for 9 February next year.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with eight years of service and no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery at Hodges Figgis on 23 March 2014. He tied up the day manager, Ciara Flanagan, in the cloak room with tape, took €22,145 from the shop's safes, and spent the money on alcohol and betting while living rough for a month. Ryan later turned himself in. The court considered a false imprisonment charge. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a four‑year prison sentence back‑dated to 24 April 2014, but suspended the remaining term on the condition that Ryan keep the peace and address his gambling and alcohol addictions through Probation Services. The sentence was not read out in full, and the victim impact report was not presented. Ryan has been described as a model prisoner during custody.
Samantha Corbett, 30, was sentenced to three years in prison for punching a nurse at Mercy University Hospital's A&E on 26 July 2014. The judge suspended the final twelve months of the sentence. On appeal, Mr Justice John Edwards reduced her net jail term to fifteen months. The reduction was based on Corbett's intoxication at the time, her lack of recollection, her young child in care, and her substance‑abuse history. The Court of Appeal also required her to pay a €100 bond, to keep the peace, and to remain of good behaviour for the suspended portion of her sentence and for two years after release. The nurse, who had worked in the emergency department for 22 years, said the assault caused her daily neck pain and disrupted her family life. Corbett accepted the conditions imposed by the court. The unnamed woman pleaded guilty.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing Hodges Figgis Book Shop on 23 March 2014. He took €22,145 from the shop's safes after deciding to "take a notion" to rob the place. Ryan bound manager Ciara Flanagan in the cloakroom with tape, preventing her from raising an alarm. He later left Dublin, slept rough, spent the stolen money on drink and betting, and returned to hand himself in at Pearse Street Station. The court heard that Ryan was stressed by family life and had been drinking at the time of the offence. He was also charged with false imprisonment, which will be considered at sentencing. Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned sentencing to July, noting the incomplete Probation Report and the fact that this is his first conviction at age 50.