A 38‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after being convicted of raping his younger sister when she was aged between eight and ten and of sexually assaulting her again when she was 16. The offences took place in the family home, the first between 25 November 1995 and 17 January 1998, the second between 19 March 2004 and 23 November 2004. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. The victim, who was asleep on a couch when the second assault occurred, testified that her brother removed her clothes and assaulted her, and that her older sister intervened and took her to another house. In her impact statement she described the trauma and shame she felt, and how coming forward has relieved her of the burden. The court noted the breach of trust and the victim's youth as aggravating factors, and the defendant's age at the time of the offences as mitigating.
The Court of Appeal will re‑sentence Emma Fehily, a 37‑year‑old fraudster, after the Circuit Criminal Court imposed a one‑year fully suspended sentence that the Director of Public Prosecutions argued was unduly lenient. Jane Hyland BL presented evidence that Judge Sean O'Donnabhain had expressed displeasure with Fehily's early releases, describing them as a "complete and utter joke" and suggesting the governor of Limerick Prison had not taken white‑collar crime seriously. Fehily had pleaded guilty in 2020 to forging character references and had prior convictions for multiple thefts totalling over €25,000 and €34,000. Mr Justice John Edwards said the sentence was outside the norm but could not re‑sentence today because the defence had failed to provide evidence for claims of depression, self‑harm and suicide attempts. He ordered that medical evidence be supplied before a new hearing on 26 July, noting that the court would not allow Fehily to remain at liberty until then.
A 56-year-old travelling salesman has appealed his conviction for rape at the Court of Appeal. The appellant, who maintains his innocence, was sentenced to five years in prison in October 2018 by Mr Justice Paul McDermott after a jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty by a majority verdict of raping a 24-year-old mother of one in a camper van in Co Cork on August 2, 2015. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a separate rape charge from the same date. At the time of the offence, the man was serving a suspended two-year sentence for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in 2011. Counsel for the appellant, Michael Bowman SC, argued that text messages of a sexual nature between the appellant, the victim, and another employee should not have been admitted as evidence. He contended the texts were irrelevant or inadmissible hearsay and that the conviction was perverse given the jury's failure to convict on the other count. Bowman also claimed the trial judge's charge to the jury was inadequate and imbalanced. Opposing the appeal, DPP counsel Alice Fawsitt SC stated the texts were necessary to provide context and noted the appellant had effectively admitted initiating sex while the victim was asleep. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved their ruling. The matter was adjourned.
A building contractor, Sepam Solutions Limited, secured High Court orders against subcontractors MDLR Ltd and Titin Ltd, claiming their actions delayed a new vaccine plant at the IDA Science and Technology Park in Dundalk. Sepam, contracted to provide plumbing, mechanical and electrical works, alleges MDLR has retained essential equipment and Titin has withheld a six‑figure down‑payment. The court granted injunctions requiring the defendants to return the equipment and the down‑payment, and to prevent them from reducing assets below €500,000 or dealing with the payment. The orders were issued by Mr Justice Senan Allen after the defendants failed to appear. Sepam says the delays of 12 to 16 weeks damage its reputation and threaten its contract to build the plant for WuXi Vaccines Ireland Ltd, which will employ about 200 people and produce Dengue vaccines for Merck, Sharp and Dohme. The plant is part of a biopharmaceutical facility in Mullagharlin, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
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.
In a High Court case, Curzon Livestock Limited, a Cork‑registered company that exports livestock to Libya and other North African countries, challenged a government ban on all live animal exports during July and August 2021. The company argued the ban had no legal basis, was irrational, unreasonable, unlawful and beyond the Minister's powers, and that it ignored the safeguards it normally applies. It sought orders to quash the ban and declarations of its illegality. The court had earlier required the application to be made on notice to the respondents. In March, the court heard that the Minister had issued a hot‑weather notification banning all live animal exports to North Africa for the two months, a ban also confirmed in other communications. The case was adjourned to October after the parties reached a confidential compromise, with the court noting the action had been settled on confidential terms. The company's legal team was David Holland SC of Cantillon solicitors.
The Director of Public Prosecutions announced that the charge of producing a knife at the Bandon Road house party where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered would be withdrawn. The 16‑year‑old accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, had pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury. He had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others. The trial at the Central Criminal Court had been proceeding for almost three weeks before the DPP entered a nolle prosequi. The judge, Mr Justice Keane, declared the trial ended and directed a probation report within 28 days, remanding the juvenile on bail until 12 July. The case was closed without proceeding with the knife‑production charge.
The trial of a 16‑year‑old boy accused of producing a knife at a house party on Bandon Road in Cork, where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered, has been paused for a second day. The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of serious injury and to unlawfully intimidating another person. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others, using or threatening unlawful violence, and to conduct that would cause a reasonable person present to fear for their safety. Judge David Keane informed the jury that legal issues needed to be addressed and asked them to return to Croke Park at midday. The trial, which began on 28 May, is scheduled to last three weeks. The judge said the trial would still finish within the original time estimate.
In a High Court hearing on 11 June 2021, Sepam Solutions Limited, contracted to supply plumbing, mechanical and electrical works for a vaccine plant at the IDA Science and Technology Park in Dundalk, claimed that its subcontractors MDLR Ltd and Titin Ltd had breached their agreements. Sepam alleged that MDLR had retained essential equipment supplied by the plaintiff, while Titin had refused to return an €830,000 down payment made for specialised materials. The dispute has caused a delay of 12 to 16 weeks in the plant's construction, which is intended to produce Dengue fever vaccines for Merck, Sharp & Dohme. Sepam seeks an injunction ordering the defendants to return the equipment and the down payment, and to prevent them from reducing the value of their assets below €830,000. Mr Justice Senan Allen granted Sepam permission to serve a short notice of the injunction application, with the case set to return later in the month.
In June 2017, Jabulani Haltshwayo, aged 23, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct for receiving €29,945 that had been transferred to his Cork bank account from a UK broker who had mistakenly believed he was acting on a client's instructions. The broker had transferred €696,466 to the account, but only a small portion was used by Haltshwayo. He had previously been convicted of false imprisonment and robbery and was serving a three‑year sentence. The court noted his early guilty plea, cooperation, and his desire to serve his time and become a productive member of society. Judge Melanie Greally imposed an 18‑month sentence, which she suspended in full on strict conditions.
In a Cork city house‑party murder trial, a 20‑year‑old chemical engineering student, Cameron Blair, was stabbed in the neck and later died at Cork University Hospital. Witness testimony before the Central Criminal Court described two teenage boys, aged 14 and 16, who were present outside the house with knives. The 16‑year‑old, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, is charged with producing a knife at the Bandon Road house on 16 January 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury. Two other boys in the group have pleaded guilty to murder and violent disorder, and the State alleges all three had knives that night. The trial, presided over by Justice David Keane, continues tomorrow with a jury of eight men and four women. The case focuses on whether the accused produced a knife capable of serious injury during the dispute that led to Blair's death.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, aged 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children—Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3)—in January 2023. A Central Criminal Court judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, ordered her commitment to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for further inpatient care under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The order follows a jury verdict that accepted psychiatric evidence showing Morley was unable to appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions and could not refrain from them. The CMH will conduct a psychiatric assessment, and her condition will be reviewed every six months by the Mental Health Review Board. The case was adjourned to allow time for the psychiatric report, which was then considered by the court. The order effectively disposes of the case.
The High Court has struck down a 15-year prison sentence imposed on Sean McManus, finding that Section 27(3F) of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act is unconstitutional. Mr Justice Michael Twomey ruled that the provision, which mandates minimum sentences for repeat drug trafficking offenders, impermissibly interferes with the judiciary's constitutional power to determine individual sentences. McManus, 39, from Baldoyle, Dublin, pleaded guilty in 2018 to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Seascape, Dromleigh, Bantry, Co Cork, where the street value exceeded €13,000. He was previously convicted of drug trafficking in 2009. While his 2018 conviction stands, the judge ordered the sentence to be remitted to the Circuit Criminal Court for reconsideration. McManus's co-accused, Molly Sloyan, 28, from Kinsale, Co Cork, was jailed for ten years with the final three suspended. William Gilsenan and Dean Gilsenan received sentences of seven years with two suspended and ten years with three suspended, respectively. The court noted the defendants were involved in running a "cocaine factory" using solvents to extract cocaine from fabric. The State respondents opposed the action, arguing McManus lacked standing, but the High Court was bound by the Supreme Court's 2019 decision in the Wayne Ellis case, which declared similar mandatory sentencing provisions in the 1964 Firearms Act unconstitutional. The matter will be mentioned before the court at a later date for final orders.
During the second day of the Central Criminal Court trial, Darren O'Leary, the host of a pre‑drinks party on Bandon Road, testified that he saw the 16‑year‑old accused brandishing and waving a knife outside the house where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered. O'Leary insisted he saw the knife "with my own eyes" and that the accused was the only boy in the group who held a knife. He described the accused as standing in shock at the front door after the incident and said he had identified the boy in a photograph. The defence argued that two other boys in the group had knives, but O'Leary maintained that only the accused was seen with a knife. The jury was told that the accused is charged with producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury in a dispute. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane. The unnamed 16-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A witness, Darren O'Leary, testified that he held his friend Cameron Blair as Blair bled from a fatal neck stab. O'Leary described applying pressure to the neck and calling for an ambulance, but the paramedics arrived only after ten minutes. He said Blair was intoxicated and unaware of the wound. O'Leary also recounted that Blair had invited three teenagers to a house party on Bandon Road, one of whom later stabbed Blair. The witness claimed Blair told him the teens were "sound or tome" and that he was unaware of the knife. O'Leary's testimony was given in the trial of a 16‑year‑old accused of producing a knife capable of serious injury. The accused, 14 at the time, pleaded not guilty to that charge. The case is before the Central Criminal Court. The witness also described the party's escalation and the presence of other weapons. The trial continues.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Lee Canavan to life imprisonment for his role in the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Canavan, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty of murder based on his active participation in a shared intention to kill, though the court did not find sufficient evidence to conclude he was the triggerman. He was concurrently sentenced to five years for criminal damage to a stolen Suzuki Swift used as a getaway vehicle. Both sentences were backdated to May 2020, when Canavan was taken into custody following a European Arrest Warrant. The court noted that Canavan's prior drug possession convictions were not aggravating factors. This conviction marks the fourth individual jailed in connection with the killing. Previously, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life in 2018; Nathan Foley pleaded guilty and received six years in 2019; and Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in 2020 for acting as a getaway driver. The judge extended free legal aid to cover any potential appeal.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a 16-year-old accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury. The accused, who cannot be named due to his age, has pleaded not guilty to producing a knife at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020. He is alleged to have produced an article capable of inflicting serious injury in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. Last week, the accused pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder with two other persons present, using or threatening unlawful violence that would cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their safety. The trial concerns the murder of 20-year-old Cameron Blair, a chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology, who died at Cork University Hospital after being stabbed in the neck at a student party. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. Witness Marcel Szulhan testified that the accused, the youngest of three boys, threatened to "shank" a party-goer while looking for a phone charger. Szulhan stated he saw a knife being raised and heard someone scream that "they all have knives." He described Blair turning around, holding his neck, and saying he did not want to fight. The trial continues tomorrow.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a 16-year-old accused, who cannot be named due to his age, continues before Mr Justice David Keane. The teenager, who was 14 at the time of the incident, has pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. He has already pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder with two others at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020. The court heard evidence from Dave Sheehan, a friend of the deceased, Cameron Blair, a 20-year-old student at Cork Institute of Technology. Sheehan testified that he saw the accused holding a small knife in his left hand during an argument outside the house where Blair was subsequently stabbed in the neck. Sheehan stated he saw the knife "with my eyes" and described the accused as waving it while arguing with others. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. The jury is tasked with determining whether the accused produced the knife in connection with the dispute. The trial is ongoing and was not adjourned or finalised during this session.
A hearing in the Deirdre Morley case was adjourned to 8 June to allow lawyers to review a psychiatric report. The court had been awaiting a report from a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital. Mr Justice Paul Coffey, hearing via video link, said he had only received the report after 11 am and would consider it before the next hearing. Both defence and prosecution were to review the report. Ms Morley, 44, had been found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children. The adjournment was to give time for the report to be prepared and for both sides to consider its contents before the next hearing. The case remains at the Central Criminal Court.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court must decide whether a 16‑year‑old produced a knife capable of serious injury during a dispute at a house party on 16 January 2020, the night 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was stabbed in the neck and later died at Cork University Hospital. The teenager, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of producing the knife. He had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two other juveniles, an offence that caused a person present at Bandon Road to fear for safety. The prosecution will present evidence that the accused was present at the party, that a knife was used by another juvenile who stabbed Blair, and that the accused allegedly produced a second knife during the confrontation at the front door.
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder during a trial at the Central Criminal Court. The incident occurred on January 16, 2020, on Bandon Road in Cork city, and is connected to the murder of 20-year-old Cameron Blair, a second-year chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology. Blair died at Cork University Hospital after being stabbed in the neck at a student party. The juvenile, who went on trial on two charges, admitted to committing violent disorder with two other persons, using or threatening unlawful violence that would cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their safety. However, he maintained his not guilty plea to the second charge of producing a knife, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. Mr Justice Michael White noted the case would be treated as a juvenile court matter. Prosecution counsel John Fitzgerald SC began his opening speech to the jury, which is expected to last three weeks. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane at Croke Park, with Blair's family in attendance.
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, has been arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and is set to go on trial for violent disorder and the production of a knife in connection with the murder of Cameron Blair. The defendant pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is accused of committing violent disorder with two named males on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020, using or threatening unlawful violence that would cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their safety. He is also charged with producing a knife, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person during the same incident. Mr Justice Michael White addressed the jury panel, noting the accused is a juvenile and the case relates to a tragic situation where Blair, a second-year chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology, died after being stabbed in the neck. The judge confirmed that another juvenile had already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder, violent disorder, and possession of a knife in accordance with that incident. A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in. The trial is scheduled to begin on Friday morning at Croke Park before Mr Justice David Keane and is expected to last three weeks. Witnesses and gardai are based in Cork city.
The Special Criminal Court has found Lee Canavan guilty of the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. Canavan, 31, had pleaded not guilty to the charge, alleging he was part of a joint enterprise to murder Mr. Douglas, who died from injuries to his chest, neck, back, torso, elbow, and jaw. The court ruled that while it could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Canavan was the gunman, he was guilty due to his active participation in the shared intention to kill. He was also found guilty of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift on July 4, 2016, an act intended to destroy evidence. The prosecution, led by Sean Gillane SC, argued the murder was meticulously planned and that Canavan's actions were inextricably linked to those of co-defendants. Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was previously jailed for life for the murder. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and was jailed for six years. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years for his role as a getaway driver. The court emphasized the coordinated use of four vehicles and the removal of the pistol's serial number. Canavan's conviction completes the prosecution of the entire group involved in the killing.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children, aged 9, 7 and 3. Two forensic psychiatrists testified that she suffered a mental disorder at the time of the killings and could not appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions or refrain from them. The jury accepted the defence's claim that the case was a "tragedy of enormous proportions" and returned three verdicts of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court ordered Morley to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital for psychiatric assessment, with a hearing scheduled for 31 May. No other verdicts or sentencing details were given in the article.
In the Deirdre Morley trial, two psychiatrists testified that the accused, a 44‑year‑old nurse, suffered from a mental disorder at the time of the killings. Dr Brenda Wright, for the defence, described her as having bipolar affective disorder and believed she thought it morally right to kill her children, who were aged 9, 7 and 3. Dr Mary Davoren, for the prosecution, said she had a severe depressive disorder and, although she knew she was killing the children, her depression impaired her ability to appreciate the wrongness of her actions. The jury, after an hour and 28 minutes of deliberation, will return tomorrow to decide whether a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity applies. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the jury heard that 44‑year‑old nurse Deirdre Morley attempted to poison her three children on 23 January 2021 and then suffocated them on 24 January 2021. She used thick brown tape and plastic bags to smother the children, two of whom were killed in a play tent. Morley's husband, Andrew McGinley, discovered the bodies: two upstairs in his bedroom and one downstairs in the play tent. Two notes left by Morley warned anyone entering the house not to go into the front room or upstairs and to call 911. Prosecutors said Morley was suffering from a mental disorder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murders of her sons Conor (9), Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3). The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury.
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.
Daniel O'Brien, a 28‑year‑old banned driver, was found guilty of endangering a Garda and a mother with a newborn when he drove disqualified at a checkpoint in Cork City and later sped through a red light. He swerved at speed toward Garda Ryan Dillon, who feared for his life and was clipped by O'Brien's wing mirror. O'Brien then overtook a vehicle at a red light, narrowly missing a mother and her baby in a buggy, forcing them to retreat to the footpath. He had previously been sentenced in December for two counts of reckless endangerment and had 44 prior convictions, including an 18‑month prison term for slashing a man. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin imposed a four‑year jail term and a 12‑year driving ban. O'Brien appealed to the Court of Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed, with the judges finding no error in the original sentencing.
The Court of Appeal reduced a four‑year jail sentence to two years for 75‑year‑old taxi driver Denis McSweeney, who fled the scene of a fatal collision that killed 49‑year‑old psychiatrist Dr Martin Lawlor on 15 December 2018. McSweeney pleaded guilty to four hit‑and‑run offences: failing to stop, failing to remain at the scene, failing to report the incident and failing to give information to gardaí. The original sentencing hearing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in February had imposed five years, with the final year suspended, and a 20‑year driving disqualification. The Court of Appeal found the sentence excessive, citing McSweeney's age, lack of prior convictions, remorse and the absence of aggravating factors, and substituted a two‑year term. The decision was made after McSweeney's defence argued mitigating circumstances and the prosecution acknowledged limited case law on such matters.
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.
Jack McCarthy, 24, of Ardbhaile, Mayfield, Co Cork, was sentenced by the Cork Circuit Court to four years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years, for a burglary committed on 11 April at a house near his home. He entered a signed guilty plea at the earliest opportunity in the District Court and maintained it when sent to the Circuit Court. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reduced the sentence to three years, suspending the final six months. The judge highlighted the value of an early guilty plea and McCarthy's genuine remorse, noting his attempts to enrol in a residential rehabilitation programme before the first public‑health lockdown. Aggravating factors included McCarthy's prior convictions for burglary, assault and knife possession.
Alan Harte's second murder trial collapsed at the Central Criminal Court after the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, dropping the charge. Harte, 40, had pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Anthony Rogers at Robinson's Court, Cork Street, Dublin 8, on November 6, 2016. The prosecution withdrew the case following rulings by Mr Justice Alex Owens that excluded evidence from two gardai who claimed to identify Harte on CCTV, as well as alleged comments made by Harte to gardai 24 days after the killing. The judge subsequently discharged the jury. Harte has a prior conviction for disposing of the body of Peter Gunn at Dunsoghly Lane. In 2014, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced Harte to six years' imprisonment for that offence and impeding the investigation, with the final three years suspended. An appeal by the DPP to increase this sentence was later rejected by the Court of Appeal. In that earlier matter, Kastriot Boza was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, a sentence later reduced by two years by the Court of Appeal. Harte had previously been acquitted of the murder of Mr Gunn by a unanimous jury.
Marian Lingurar Junior, 26, a Romanian national, is serving a nine‑year sentence for his role in the 2011 murder of John Kenny, a Galway publican, during a burglary. He has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal, arguing that his appeal was mistakenly filed under his father's name and that his privacy rights were breached when Gardaí obtained phone records used at trial. The Court noted that Lingurar had breached bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, delaying his trial until 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the extension, citing insufficient evidence that the appeal would succeed and the need to protect the victim's family. The appeal's outcome remains pending. The case also involved a second burglary conviction for the same night.
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.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Alan Harte, 40, who is charged with murdering wheelchair user Anthony Rogers, 61, a neighbour, Sharon Farrell, gave evidence describing how she found Rogers lying on the floor of his own apartment with blood everywhere after hearing him scream for help. Farrell said she was walking to her flat at Robinson's Court at 2.30pm on 6 November 2016 when a man approached her, calling her "Maureen" and accusing her of being a child molester. She later heard Rogers screaming, went to his flat, and found him with extensive blood on the floor. She called another neighbour, David McGuinness, and an ambulance. McGuinness also reported seeing Rogers with blood all over the place and unable to speak. Garda Sergeant Brian Hawkins and paramedic Tom McCrory also testified about the scene, noting puncture wounds and a pool of blood. Alan Harte pleaded not guilty.
A Commercial Court action brought by Dublin-based travel agency Trailfinders against Cork-based Travel Counsellors (Ireland) Ltd (TCIL) and three former employees, Liam Higgins, Jamie Thomas, and Simon Armstrong, has been resolved. The proceedings, commenced in 2019, alleged that the defendants took preparatory steps before resigning to use Trailfinders' trade secrets to set up in competition. Trailfinders had sought injunctions to prevent the disclosure of trade secrets and restrain breaches of employment contracts, along with damages. The claims were denied by the defendants. At the hearing on Monday, Michael Howard SC, representing TCIL, informed Mr Justice David Barniville that the matter had been resolved on the consent of the parties. Counsel stated that the proceedings were resolved without an admission of liability and requested that the action be struck out with no order. The judge welcomed the resolution. No other details of the settlement were disclosed to the court. The case involved allegations of misuse of confidential information and breach of contract, which were not admitted by the defendants. The resolution concludes the litigation without a final judgment on the merits.
In a Dublin murder trial, a 61‑year‑old wheelchair‑bound man named Anthony Rogers was stabbed multiple times in the head, neck and other areas at his flat in Robinson's Court, Cork Street, on 6 November 2016. The prosecution, led by Sean Gillane SC, presented evidence that a 40‑year‑old man, Alan Harte, was seen leaving the complex that afternoon and had told a resident that he was a child molester. The resident, Ms Farrell, heard Rogers screaming "help me I'm dying here" from the hallway and found him bleeding heavily, lying in a pool of blood. Emergency services arrived, but Rogers was pronounced dead at 3:18 pm. A post‑mortem revealed 11 stab wounds to the left side of his head and neck, a puncture of the jugular vein, and a wound above the Adam's apple. The unnamed 61-year-old pleaded not guilty.
David Duffy, 33, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to having knowledge of a criminal organisation and contributing to activities connected with the attempted murder of James Gately. The court heard that Mr Gately was shot multiple times in his car on Clonshaugh Road in May 2017. Duffy admitted to participating in these activities with the intention of enhancing the organisation's ability to commit serious offences between December 2016 and April 2017. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, remanded Duffy on continuing bail until June 21 for a sentence hearing. Three other men remain charged with involvement in the attempted murder: Peter 'Peadar' Keating, 39, of Clondalkin; Stephen Fowler, 61, of Clonsilla; and Douglas Glynn, 35, of Dublin 1. Mr Keating is additionally alleged to have directed the activities of a criminal organisation between December 2016 and April 2017. All four defendants face charges under Section 72(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, with Mr Keating also facing a charge under Section 71. The matter regarding Duffy was adjourned for sentencing, while the cases of the co-accused remain ongoing.
A 40‑year‑old man, Alan Harte, will stand trial for the murder of Anthony Rogers, 61, who was killed at Rogers' Dublin 8 home on 6 November 2016. Harte, who lives at Island Quay Apartments, East Wall, was charged with the killing at Robinson's Court, Cork Street. He appeared before the Central Criminal Court on 14 April 2021, wearing a blue shirt and black trousers, and pleaded not guilty. The judge, Michael White, explained that trial dates are uncertain because the courtroom must be free and jury deliberations must finish. The trial is scheduled to begin on Friday morning before Justice Alexander Owens and is expected to last seven days. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in, and the judge instructed them to consider only the evidence presented in court, avoiding external research. The case will be heard in the Central Criminal Court.
In a case heard in Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Thomas O'Driscoll (40) and Patrick O'Driscoll (39) pleaded guilty to deception for targeting an elderly woman in her 70s. The brothers approached her in a jewellery shop in Skibbereen on 11 November 2018, persuaded her to give them her phone number after showing a machinery brochure, and later called her in Goleen. They aggressively urged her to purchase machinery and tools, resulting in her writing cheques totaling almost €25,000. The woman later cancelled the cheques, but €6,500 had already been cashed. The brothers paid €6,000 in compensation and each offered €4,000 of their bail money. They were sentenced to two years' imprisonment each. Their lawyers had planned to appeal to the Court of Appeal, but the brothers withdrew the appeal after the court's judges noted the possibility of increasing the sentence. The withdrawal was deemed a wise decision by the presiding judge.
The Special Criminal Court has remanded Lee Canavan in custody until May 20, when judgment will be delivered on his case. Canavan, 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Douglas, who was shot six times at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. He also denies a second charge of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift vehicle at Strand Road, Sandymount, on July 4, 2016. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC argued that Canavan was the gunman who "executed" Douglas and was "up to his neck" in the meticulously planned enterprise. The State alleged that Canavan's actions could not be divorced from those of Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson, Gareth Brophy, and Nathan Foley, all of whom have been jailed in connection with the murder. Thompson was jailed for life in 2018 for the murder. In 2019, Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation by driving one of four cars and buying mobile phones used in the offence, receiving a six-year sentence. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in February 2020 for his role as getaway driver. The defense, led by Michael Bowman SC, challenged the identification evidence, arguing that the prosecution relied heavily on the accused wearing a red top and that DNA on the pistol grip belonged to another man. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath alongside Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Dermot Dempsey, adjourned the matter for judgment.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that key identification evidence is admissible in the ongoing trial of Lee Canavan, who is accused of murdering David Douglas. Mr. Canavan, 31, of Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr. Douglas (55), who was shot six times at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. He also denies a charge of criminal damage to a vehicle. The prosecution alleges Canavan was the triggerman in a planned assassination. Judge Michael MacGrath, presiding with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Dermot Dempsey, rejected the defence application to exclude CCTV footage and Garda identification evidence, finding no breach of constitutional privacy rights. The State contends Canavan was linked to Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson, who was jailed for life for the murder in 2018. Gareth Brophy, jailed for ten years in 2020, and Nathan Foley, jailed for six years in 2019 after pleading guilty to assisting a criminal organisation, are also connected to the case. The trial continues with closing speeches expected.
Bruno Binda De Souza, a 31‑year‑old transgender Brazilian woman known as Bruna Meirelles, was sentenced to three years in prison in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing thousands of child pornography images. She pleaded guilty to four counts of possession on a MacBook and three iPhones, five counts of production of child pornography through text conversations, and one count of distribution between December 2017 and July 2020. The images, described as "depraved," were found on her devices during searches in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and included 41 category one images and up to 2,464 category one images on a phone. Garda investigations revealed 900,000 messages discussing child sexual activity. De Souza had no prior convictions, cooperated with authorities, and expressed remorse. She is married to an Irish man but will be deported after her sentence. The court noted her use of crystal meth and prostitution as influencing factors but affirmed her responsibility for the offences.
The owners of two trans‑Atlantic communication cables, GTT Communications Inc and its affiliates Hibernia Express Ireland Ltd and Hibernia Atlantic Cable System Limited, have applied to the High Court for injunctions to stop fishermen from trawling within one kilometre of their cables. The cables, which link Ireland, the UK and Canada, carry data for major financial, telecommunications and cloud firms, and one cable transmits information vital to global stock traders. The companies allege that vessels owned by Brendan, Denis, James and John O'Flaherty, operating out of Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, have been trawling near the cables, posing a high risk of damage and endangering crews because the cables are charged and have previously caused vessels to sink when fishing gear became entangled. The applicants seek orders restraining the respondents from trawling, dropping anchor or interfering with the seabed until the dispute is resolved.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the murder conviction of David O'Loughlin for the second time, substituting it with a manslaughter verdict. O'Loughlin, 33, was originally convicted of murdering Liam Manley on May 12, 2013, following a retrial at the Central Criminal Court in January 2019. The three-judge panel, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, found that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that O'Loughlin intended to kill or cause serious injury to Mr Manley. The court determined there was no evidence to support the intent required for a murder conviction, describing the case as finely balanced. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, and the murder verdict was replaced with manslaughter. O'Loughlin had previously been sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder. Following this decision, he will appear before the Central Criminal Court on Friday to set a date for a new sentencing hearing, where a judge will impose an appropriate sentence for the substituted manslaughter conviction. O'Loughlin's counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, stated that his client wishes to sincerely apologise for the death of Mr Manley and thanked the court for its careful consideration.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, Jurijs Savcuks, a 39‑year‑old Latvian national, was found guilty of possession of drugs for sale or supply after transporting €19,240 worth of cannabis from Cork to Dublin to repay a business debt. He had pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Savcuks' counsel argued that he had no prior convictions, had a good work record, and was acting under significant duress to repay the debt, and that the sentence of five years with a suspended portion was too harsh. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, stating that Savcuks was not addicted to drugs and that his decision to involve himself in drug trafficking had consequences. The judge upheld the original sentence, finding no error in the sentencing approach of Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin.
The trial of Lee Canavan (31), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Douglas (55) and criminal damage, continues before the Special Criminal Court. Mr Douglas was shot six times at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. The State alleges Canavan was the triggerman in a meticulously planned assassination involving four vehicles. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC stated that evidence would link Canavan to two cars via fingerprints and DNA. Forensic scientist Sarah Fleming testified that a DNA profile from a cigarette butt in a Ford Fiesta matched Canavan. Amanda Lennon provided evidence supporting a collision between a Mitsubishi Mirage and a Suzuki Swift. Detective Garda Raymond Kane testified that two fingermarks from Canavan's left thumb were found on the rearview mirror of the Ford Fiesta. Canavan also denies damaging a Suzuki Swift at Strand Road, Sandymount, on July 4, 2016. Previously, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson (41) was jailed for life for the murder. Nathan Foley (22) pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and was jailed for six years. Gareth Brophy (26) was jailed for ten years for acting as a getaway driver. The case is adjourned to Monday afternoon before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, Ms Justice Sinead Ní Chúlacháin, and Mr Justice Dermot Dempsey.
Gary Nolan, 39, was stopped at a Covid checkpoint in Clondalkin on 18 May 2020 while driving a van that contained €95,000 of cocaine. He admitted to the Gardaí that the drugs were part of a debt he owed and that he had been threatened repeatedly. Nolan pleaded guilty to possession of the cocaine at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had no prior convictions and had been attending counselling regularly, providing clean urine samples. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted his early guilty plea, lack of a record, good work history and family support. The court departed from the mandatory ten‑year minimum and imposed a five‑year sentence, which was suspended in full. The decision was based on the evidence of rehabilitation and the exceptional circumstances presented by the case.
Gareth White, 33, was jailed for three years after a series of fraud offences. He advertised on Gumtree for a €5,500 loan, claiming he would repay €8,000 in four months, and posed as a Tusla social worker. He provided forged documents and a phone bill to a victim who had saved for his daughter's college fund. White also set up a fake taxi company account, claiming to be a homeless charity contact, and sent invoices for rides that were never paid, costing the company €11,221. In February 2020 he created a bogus mobile phone company account, ordering 115 phones and broadband devices worth €36,729, which were delivered but never paid for. White pleaded guilty to theft and deception offences between March 2017 and April 2020, had 13 prior convictions, and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a four‑year consecutive term with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.