The Central Criminal Court adjourned the seventh day of evidence in the trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of Elaine O'Hara, because a juror could not attend. Justice Tony Hunt sent the remaining jurors home, noting that the parties had already scheduled a day of work in their absence for Monday, giving the absent juror an extra day. He also warned the jurors not to discuss the case over the long weekend. Dwyer is accused of killing the 36‑year‑old childcare worker in the Dublin Mountains at Killakee, Rathfarnham, on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from hospital as a psychiatric patient.
The trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, has heard evidence that items recovered from a Wicklow lake in October 2013 matched O'Hara's personal belongings. Glasses found in the lake were shown to have the same prescription and frames as those prescribed to O'Hara, and a set of keys recovered from the water matched keys to her car and home. The items, which included bondage cuffs, a leather mask, a ball gag, a blindfold, a knife, a rope, a chain, a Nokia mobile phone, a white vibrator, a black anal plug, a red battery‑operated device, a red kidney‑shaped object, a ski mask, a gold bracelet, a Tesco Mobile SIM card, a metal band, a pair of sunglasses, a pair of glasses, a pair of shorts and a Real Madrid dressing gown, were presented to the jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Damien Fleming, 28, was found guilty of attempting to rob a woman in Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, on 4 November 2013. He ambushed the woman from behind, slapped her over the mouth, and fled when she escaped. Three passers‑by apprehended him and handed him over to Gardaí. A carpet knife was later discovered in his pocket, though it was not presented during the incident. Fleming claimed he was in a drinking binge and had intended to take money from the victim, but changed his mind. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a suspended three‑year term and ordered him to pay the victim over €8,000, with the court deciding the payment's destination if the victim rejects it. Fleming, who has three prior assault and public‑order convictions, is now living in Cork and has reportedly completed a residential alcohol‑treatment course.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown a photograph of a punctured, blood‑stained mattress found in Elaine O'Hara's apartment at Belarmine Plaza, Stepaside. The mattress, removed by Detective Garda Brian Barry, displayed multiple puncture cuts and blood staining. The trial also presented evidence that O'Hara's remains were discovered in a forest in the Dublin Mountains on 13 September 2013, where forensic anthropologist Laureen Buckley testified that the skeleton was largely recovered and that the body had decomposed for about a year. Dwyer is charged with O'Hara's murder on 22 August 2012, after she was discharged from hospital as a psychiatric patient. The case continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
In the trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, the jury heard that a document titled "The Gorean Lifestyle: A Woman's Right is Slave" and two large metal chains were found in Elaine O'Hara's home shortly after her disappearance in August 2012. The document, read by the prosecution, describes a "slave" lifestyle for women, detailing how a woman's identity is subsumed under a master and how refusal to obey can lead to punishment or death. Garda James Codd testified that he seized a black plastic bag containing a PVC dress, a lubricant bottle, a rope, a gas mask, and a printout of the document. He also reported finding bloodstains on the mattress when the bed was stripped. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains ongoing.
In 2011, George Arundel, 27, was found guilty of attempted rape, sexual assault, rape and false imprisonment at Tinker's Field, Cork, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in 2012. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the jury's verdict was perverse and that inconsistencies in the victim's testimony undermined the conviction. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, stating that any inconsistencies were matters for the jury and that the evidence was substantially consistent. Arundel also appealed his sentence on the basis of mitigating circumstances, including his age and drug addiction, but the Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence, finding no error in the sentencing process. The appeal was dismissed, and Arundel remains in prison to serve the remainder of his term. George Arundel pleaded not guilty.
During the fourth day of the 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer's trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury was shown two large metal chains found in Elaine O'Hara's bedside locker shortly after her disappearance in August 2012. Retired Detective Garda Ultan Sherlock identified the chains from the witness box. Mr Dwyer, an architect, is charged with the murder of the 36‑year‑old childcare worker in the Dublin Mountains on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from hospital as a psychiatric patient. The case involves the discovery of Ms O'Hara's skeletal remains at Killakee, Rathfarnham, on 13 September 2013, and the finding of her keys in an almost‑dry reservoir in Wicklow. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Graham Dwyer, a 42-year-old architect accused of murdering Elaine O'Hara in August 2012, continued with testimony from family members. Dwyer, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of the 36-year-old childcare worker at Killakee, Rathfarnham, faces charges related to her death hours after her discharge from a psychiatric hospital. Her brother, John O'Hara, testified that he found printouts of hunting knives and a notebook containing the URL for the fetish lifestyle website FetLife in her apartment. He reported finding a profile named 'Chained Brunette' on the site. Sheila Hawkins, the deceased's father's partner, described recoiling from oily latex found in the home and clarified that her knowledge of O'Hara's BDSM interests came from conversations with her father. Ann Charles, O'Hara's sister, described her as naive and trusting, noting a miscarriage in 2011. Conor Gilfoyle, the last person to see O'Hara alive, testified to giving her directions near Shanganagh Cemetery. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is ongoing and expected to last up to eight weeks.
A High Court challenge has been launched against An Bord Pleanala's decision to allow the redevelopment of Shanakiel Hospital, the site where Michael Collins' body was taken after he was shot in 1922. The challenge was brought by Raymond Duggan of Knockshedan, Shanakiel Cork, who claims that the buildings slated for demolition are protected structures. Duggan alleges that An Bord Pleanala misinterpreted the scope of protected structures and failed to recognize that these buildings form part of the protected structure. The court heard that Duggan's family previously owned the hospital site, which was converted into a hospital in 1908 and treated Irishmen injured in WW1. The development proposal includes the demolition of the former hospital building, stables, and other ancillary structures, as well as the redevelopment of Shanakiel House and the construction of two new dwellings. Duggan seeks an order quashing the planning permission granted by An Bord Pleanala and declarations that the planning authority failed to act in accordance with fair procedures and constitutional justice. The matter was adjourned and is returnable to a date in March.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, the partner of Elaine O'Hara's father, Sheila Hawkins, testified that she "recoiled" when she found oily latex in O'Hara's apartment on August 24, 2012. Hawkins, a psychologist, described how she and O'Hara's father were searching for a passport and that she had put her hand into a straw basket on a shelving unit, feeling an oily rubber substance that she identified as black latex. She did not inform O'Hara's father at the time because he was "very distressed." Hawkins also discussed her knowledge of O'Hara's interest in BDSM, which she said came from a conversation with O'Hara's father, and her recollection of O'Hara confiding that she had had sex for the first time in 2011. The trial, which is scheduled to last up to eight weeks, continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. Graham Dwyer pleaded not guilty.
John Walsh, 49, appealed his murder conviction, arguing that Gardaí had "harvested" evidence after misleading his solicitor about the nature of his arrest. He was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to display a valid NCT certificate, and his solicitor, Frank Buttimer, was told this was the only issue. While in custody, Walsh provided five sets of material evidence related to the murder of John McManus, which the appeal contends was done without meaningful legal advice. The appeal cites the Supreme Court's Gormley ruling, which requires suspects to receive meaningful legal advice before interrogation. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment, with a decision expected "as soon as possible.".
The trial of Graham Dwyer, 42, for the murder of 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara, began on the second day of the Central Criminal Court hearing. O'Hara's father, Frank O'Hara, testified that his daughter had been in good health on the day she disappeared, had a history of psychiatric illness, and had been seen by a married Foxrock architect who allegedly refused her request to kill her. He described her routine, her medical conditions, and her relationship with the architect, noting that she had asked him to kill her but he refused. The jury heard that the cause of death could not be determined from skeletal remains found in a forest, and that no evidence of trauma was found. The trial is scheduled to continue for up to eight weeks. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with murdering 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012, is being heard in the Central Criminal Court. The State alleges Dwyer killed O'Hara for sexual gratification, citing an "unusual sexual relationship" that involved stabbing. Evidence presented includes 400 pieces of evidence, eight key exhibits, and text messages between Dwyer's number and O'Hara's phones. The prosecution claims the texts reveal a BDSM relationship, with Dwyer expressing sadistic desires and threatening O'Hara to cooperate. DNA from semen on O'Hara's mattress matched Dwyer, and data extracted from her phones linked her to Dwyer's number. The jury was shown photographs of O'Hara's skeletal remains and her mattress, which had been pierced. The trial is scheduled to continue for six to eight weeks. Graham Dwyer pleaded not guilty. Elaine O'Hara pleaded not guilty.
Signalman Alan Bennett, a member of the Naval Service stationed at Collins Barracks, brought a High Court action to prevent his discharge after the defence forces downgraded his medical classification in late 2012. Bennett claimed he had fully recovered from knee and wrist injuries sustained while playing football for the forces in 2009 and 2010, and that the downgrade was irrational, unreasonable and disproportionate. He argued the State had failed to consider his actual medical condition. The State maintained that the downgrade should stand. In his judgement, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan quashed the decision to downgrade Bennett's medical status, finding that not all relevant material had been considered and that the decision had effectively ended his career in the defence forces. Bennett had enlisted in 1999, served overseas, and had met the required criteria for re‑engagement before the downgrade.
Michael Butler, aged 33, was convicted of serious assault for stomping on the head of Billy Barry in Cork on 25 July 2010. He had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on 2 March 2012. Butler appealed the conviction but the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction. The Court of Appeal, however, reduced the 15‑year sentence to eight years, citing that the assault was an instance of "excessive self‑defence". The court noted that Butler was attacked with a knife twice, that he saw his mother and girlfriend being assaulted, and that he was acting in a context where armed men had appeared. The judge stated that the original sentence did not adequately consider the surrounding circumstances and that the incident was not created by Butler.
In 2010, Douglas Ward, 38, of Louth, killed 18‑year‑old Niall Dorr in a prolonged assault on Castle Road, Dundalk. Ward pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was originally sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment, with three years suspended, by Mr Justice Paul Carney in 2012. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, found the sentence excessive, citing Ward's lack of pre‑meditation, no serious prior convictions, and his efforts to address alcohol and drug problems. The appeal court reduced the sentence to 13 years' imprisonment, again with three years suspended. The decision was based on the violent nature of the attack, the severity of injuries, and the absence of provocation or prior conflict involving Dorr. Ward expressed remorse for the killing. The case remains a manslaughter conviction with a reduced custodial term.
Trevor Andre, a 27‑year‑old student from Pembroke Woods, Passage West, Co Cork, will be sentenced in March for attempting to rape and sexually assaulting a woman in Cork on 8 June 2013. He pleaded not guilty to rape, attempted rape and sexual assault. A jury of four women and eight men convicted him of the attempted rape and sexual assault charges but acquitted him of rape. Andre, a native of Seychelles, admitted to the assault after his arrest, claiming the victim may not have been fully awake and that her eyes were closed. The victim, in her twenties, reported severe post‑incident trauma, including nightmares, panic attacks and loss of trust. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the sentence to March and ordered an updated Probation Report. The case was prosecuted by Marjorie Farrelly SC and defended by Sean Gillane SC. The trial was held at the Central Criminal Court.
Ronald Walsh, 61, of Limerick, pleaded guilty to possession of €215,000 of cocaine and cannabis herb for sale or supply at Heuston Station, Dublin, and St Patricks Road, Limerick, on 2 February 2013. He admitted carrying €140,000 worth of cocaine on a train to Dublin to pay off a drug debt. Walsh said he began taking heroin in his forties to relieve back pain after other treatments failed, and that he had been a controlled heroin addict for five years before the addiction spiralled. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Desmond Hogan, gave Walsh a ten‑year suspended sentence, noting the drug value and the lack of custodial purpose. He will be supervised by probation for 12 months and must undergo drug counselling.
Two men from Louth were granted bail by the Special Criminal Court pending the service of a book of evidence for separate offences. Michael Connolly, 42, of Dundalk was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army, on 16 December. Brian Fitzpatrick, 49, of Dundalk was charged with two counts of possession of an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances, alleged to be two complete Improvised Explosive Devices, on the same day at Mitchelstown Cross, Castletown, Navan, Co. Meath. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and Judge William Hamill, ordered bail for both men on terms agreed with counsel. The conditions include daily signing at Dundalk Garda station, a curfew from 11 pm to 7 am, surrendering passports, remaining within the jurisdiction, residing at addresses known to Gardaí and providing a mobile phone number for contact. Independent sureties of €20,000 each and bonds of €100 were set, and legal aid was granted.
John English, 38, was released from prison after a Court of Appeal decision that the activation of his five‑year suspended sentence for breaching bail conditions was disproportionate. English had been sentenced in 2004 to 18 years for raping an Australian tourist, with five years suspended on the condition he abstain from alcohol. After serving 13 years, he was released in September 2012, but was found drinking and the suspended period was re‑activated by the Central Criminal Court. He appealed, and Judge Michael Peart, joined by Justices Garrett Sheehan and Alan Mahon, set aside the activation order. English was released on a new €100 bond, required to keep the peace, behave well for the remainder of the suspended period, and engage with probation and welfare services. The Court noted his prior convictions for sexual assault, false imprisonment and assault causing harm dating back to 1993.
Jonathan Chubb, a former employee of a Dublin letting agency, was found guilty of stealing €8,660 in rent payments from tenants across several properties between July and December 2012. He admitted to taking the money to address his own financial difficulties and claimed he intended to repay it. Chubb had previously been convicted of minor traffic offences. The theft involved redirecting rent payments to his personal bank account instead of the company's account, a scheme uncovered when the agency's receivership firm contacted tenants who had not received funds. Chubb was dismissed from his position and had not repaid any of the money. He pleaded guilty to eleven charges at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the offence as a form of white‑collar crime, remanded Chubb on continuing bail and adjourned the case to consider whether he might be eligible for community service.
Two men from Louth, aged 42 and 49, were brought before the Special Criminal Court on 18 December 2014. Michael Connolly of Dundalk was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Brian Fitzpatrick of Dundalk was charged with two counts of possession of an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances, alleged to be two complete improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Both men were arrested on 16 December at the same car park outside Drogheda Garda Station. Connolly denied membership of the IRA when cautioned, and Fitzpatrick denied possession of explosives. Garda Colm Finnerty and Detective Garda Niall Armstrong gave evidence of the arrests, charges and cautions. The court granted an order to preserve any external CCTV footage from Drogheda Garda Station and remanded both men in custody until Tuesday, when Connolly will apply for bail and legal aid.
Sheng Dong Pan, 31, a Chinese father of two, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years in prison, with the final four years suspended. He pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis after being apprehended by Gardaí at a Clondalkin Industrial Estate unit that contained €725,828 worth of cannabis. Pan had been working as a gardener at the growhouse, initially hired as a chef, and claimed he did not realise the plants were cannabis. Gardaí found over 16,000 g of cannabis material and 496 plants. Pan, who has no fixed abode and had a skin condition, was noted to have no prior convictions and had endured hardship as a foreign national in custody. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence, suspended the last four years, and ordered Pan to keep the peace for three years upon release, back‑dating the sentence to 23 July 2013.
Aidan Leacy, 56, of New Ross, Co. Wexford, was convicted of sexually assaulting two seven‑year‑old girls in the west of Ireland between November 2007 and January 2008. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Judge Carroll Moran at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on 3 March 2013. In the Court of Appeal, Judge George Birmingham reduced the sentence to three years' imprisonment with a two‑year post‑release supervision period. The appeal was successful. The Court noted that Leacy had shown the girls adult pornographic magazines, encouraged them to expose themselves, and had them pull down his trousers and his own clothes. The Court also recorded that Leacy's conviction led to two arson attacks on his home, the loss of his public service job, and the removal of his children from his care. He remains on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
A Mayo man has failed in his appeal against a six-year prison sentence imposed for dangerous driving that caused serious injury to his front seat passenger, though the Court of Appeal has reduced his driving disqualification from twenty years to twelve years. Martin Kearney, aged 33, from Ballina, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm arising from an incident on 30 September 2010 near Sligo Town. Kearney had driven a BMW M3 at speeds exceeding 150 kilometres per hour over a distance of 2.6 kilometres before losing control. The vehicle mounted barriers, somersaulted, and came to rest 80 to 100 metres beyond the road surface. His front seat passenger sustained devastating injuries requiring twenty-four-hour care. Kearney himself sustained considerable injuries. Sentencing him in June 2012 at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court, Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended and imposed a twenty-year driving ban.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a 55‑year‑old man accused of raping his sister‑in‑law has progressed to day seven. He pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and assault, and denied falsely imprisoning the woman. Medical evidence was presented by a doctor from the South Infirmary Hospital's sexual assault unit. The doctor described bruising on the complainant's face, chest, nipples, left breast, right buttock and right thigh, noting a large bruise on the right cheek and a five‑centimetre bruise on the right nipple, consistent with forceful blows. The examination also revealed scratches across the collarbone. The accused had been arrested a week after the alleged assault and had denied any assault, claiming the incident never occurred and accusing the woman of lying. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of nine men and three women.
Two teenage men, Adam Heneghan (21) and Colin O'Sullivan (22), had their suspended prison sentences increased by the Court of Appeal after they sexually assaulted one woman and assaulted another with a bottle in Cork on 3 December 2011. Heneghan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and sexual assault, receiving a nine‑year sentence with the final year suspended; O'Sullivan was found guilty by jury of assault causing harm and later pleaded guilty to sexual assault, receiving a ten‑year sentence with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal, citing the seriousness of the offences and the defendants' youth, lack of prior convictions, and O'Sullivan's developmental issues, increased the suspended portions: Heneghan's suspended period was raised to four years, and O'Sullivan's to three‑and‑a‑half years. Both men will serve the remaining custodial time and have bonds of €1,000 to maintain good behaviour. The appeal was upheld on 25 November 2014.
Joseph Cooney, aged 22, pleaded guilty to arson of a shed behind the Salmon Leap pub and a house on Main Street in Leixlip in November 2012, causing almost €400,000 in damage. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years in prison but suspended the sentence in full after Cooney accepted a Garda's view that the arson was a one‑off "act of madness". At the hearing, Nolan ordered Cooney to spend two weeks in jail to reflect on his future if he fell from grace again. Cooney was told to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the five years of his suspended sentence. He had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had many good references, which contributed to the mitigation. The court noted that Cooney and a co‑accused were "basically on drugs for the night and were bored and decided to liven up their lives by setting properties on fire".
The High Court in Dublin has ordered the extradition of two convicted murderers to the United Kingdom, though a stay has been placed on their surrender pending appeal. Mr Justice John Edwards directed that Anthony Craig, aged 66, and Michael Anthony Balmer, aged 62, be surrendered to UK authorities. Craig was convicted of murder in Blackburn in 1973, while Balmer received a life sentence in 1984 for a fatal attack in Devon. Craig, who escaped from British custody after serving 28 years and subsequently lived in Cork and Leitrim, was arrested in Dublin in February 2013. Balmer, released on licence in 2012, was arrested in Cork after his licence was revoked. The judge granted Craig bail under strict conditions during the stay. Mr Justice Edwards determined that constitutional questions raised by the defence warranted referral to the Supreme Court as matters of exceptional public importance.
Trevor Williamson, a 48‑year‑old taxi driver from Carrigaline, Co. Cork, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended by Judge Patrick Moran in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court in May 2014. The sentence followed his conviction for possession of 99 kg of cannabis resin, valued at €594 000, found in nine boxes he had taken from a house during a Garda surveillance operation. Williamson's co‑accused was given a wholly suspended sentence. The Court of Appeal rejected Williamson's appeal, noting that the sentence was not excessive but that there was a significant disparity between his sentence and that of his co‑accused. The judge highlighted that Williamson had recruited the co‑accused and that the quantity and value of the drugs were substantial, justifying the imposed term within the statutory range for the offence. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham.
David Byrne, 32, of Crumlin, was tried at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder at Morrissey's Pub on 7 January 2013. The case relied mainly on CCTV footage and a single witness, Garda Seamus O'Donovan, who had been called after a panic alarm. He described a crowd outside the pub, a struggle inside, and a bottle used as a weapon. Byrne was identified in the footage and arrested on 9 December 2013. The jury, composed of five men and seven women, deliberated for less than an hour and returned a not‑guilty verdict. Judge Patricia Ryan thanked the jury and discharged Byrne from the indictment. The trial concluded with Byrne acquitted of the violent disorder charge, while other individuals involved were not charged in this proceeding. David Byrne pleaded not guilty.
In a 2014 appeal, Liam McCarthy, aged 30, failed to overturn a nine‑year sentence for assaulting army veteran Martin Butler, aged 51, with an ornamental sword. The attack, described as savage, left Butler with brain damage, partial paralysis, and permanent communication difficulties. McCarthy had previously served a suspended sentence for assault and was under its terms when he struck Butler from behind, striking the left side of his head and causing a penetrating brain injury. McCarthy pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, producing an offensive weapon, and violent disorder. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, noting that any provocation or self‑defence was grossly excessive and that the nine‑year sentence was appropriate for the severity of the assault. The judge also observed that the earlier suspended sentence had not deterred the offence. The appeal was dismissed.
Joseph Cooney, 22, pleaded guilty to setting fire to a shed behind the Salmon Leap pub and a house on Main Street in Leixlip on 25 November 2012, causing almost €400,000 in damage. He was remanded in custody for sentencing on 24 November. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accepted a Garda's view that the arson was a one‑off "act of madness" and noted Cooney's near‑perfect mitigation due to his guilty plea, remorse, lack of prior convictions and strong references. The judge warned that "half of Leixlip" could have been destroyed and innocent people could have died because of Cooney's "gross error of judgement". Cooney was jailed for two weeks while the judge decided on his final sentence. The case involved three fires: a shed behind the pub, the pub's lounge, and a vacant terraced house on Main Street, with the latter causing an estimated €160,000 in damage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 32‑year‑old Carl Feighery of Millbourne Crescent, Ashbourne, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Rosemary Douglas on North Road, Finglas, on 9 July 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring remanded him on continuing bail until 4 March 2015, when all evidence will be heard. Prosecutor Diarmuid Collins said there was no objection to bail and requested a victim impact report for the sentencing date.
Andrew Brett, 38, of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to damaging a property by fire on 1 January 2013. He threw two petrol bombs at the front of Audrey Maher's house, which was unoccupied that night. The bombs, made from fruit‑juice bottles filled with white spirits, left scorch marks on the windowsill of a front window. Brett was arrested after neighbours flagged him down; a strong smell of accelerants and his out‑of‑breath state prompted a medical assessment. He was involuntarily admitted to the psychiatric ward of St James's Hospital. A medical report concluded that Brett was suffering from delusions at the time of the offence. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to a three‑year suspended term, with strict conditions including liaison with the Probation Service for two years. The sentence was suspended in full, and Brett was required to comply with day treatment, medication and abstain from alcohol.
The High Court has adjourned extradition proceedings against two convicted murderers until November 18th. Anthony Craig, aged 66, was convicted of murder in Blackburn in 1973 and escaped from an English prison before coming to Ireland, where he subsequently lived in Cork and Leitrim. Michael Anthony Balmer, aged 62, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 for a killing in Devon. In July, Mr Justice John Edwards indicated he would surrender both men to UK authorities. However, their legal representatives sought to appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing the cases raise questions of exceptional public importance concerning constitutional protections against preventative detention. Mr Justice Edwards has now agreed to refer both matters to the Supreme Court on a single reformulated question relating to whether surrender would breach constitutional safeguards under Article 40.4. The cases remain adjourned pending preparation of the approved judgment, following which notice of appeal may be served.
Michael Maughan, 40, was found guilty of murder and assault in Ennis, County Clare, after stabbing Piotr Nowakowski, 31, twice and striking him again in the head. The jury, after a two‑hour and 23‑minute trial, returned a unanimous verdict. Mr. Maughan had pleaded not guilty to both charges, but the prosecution rejected his manslaughter plea. Mr. Maughan, who had a history of alcohol‑related offences, claimed he was out of control and had no memory of the motive. Mr. Nowakowski was a Polish immigrant who had come to Ireland for a better life. Mr. Maughan was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder, concurrent with a four‑year sentence for the assault, both back‑dated to 24 July 2013 for time already spent in custody. The court heard that Mr. Maughan had 68 prior convictions dating back to 1991, including public order, burglary and theft.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul Carney instructed the jury that alcohol does not excuse criminal responsibility. The accused, Michael Maughan, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, who was stabbed twice on 23 July 2013 and died en route to a hospital. Maughan and his brother had been drinking with Nowakowski and two others earlier that day and returned to the apartment later that night. Maughan also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address. The judge emphasized that intent can arise instantly and that pre‑planning is not required. The prosecution argued that ample evidence supported a murder conviction, while the defence highlighted Maughan's alcoholism and recent release from an addiction centre. The jury was sworn in for a week‑long trial.
A 36‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting his younger sister between 1991 and 1997. The Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, found him guilty of 23 counts of sexual assault after a trial in July. The abuse began when the accused was 14 and his sister 10, continuing until he was 20 and she was 16. Mr Justice Paul Carney described the offences as grave, noted the victim's impact, the multiplicity of acts and the victim's age, and imposed a five‑year term. He suspended the final year, citing the man's lack of prior convictions, good employment history and youth, and ordered him to stay away from the victim permanently, except with her consent. The judge also imposed 18 months of post‑release supervision. The accused, who has learning difficulties, has been in custody since conviction.
Michael Maughan, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, at Sandfield Mews, Ennis, on 23 July 2013. He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address. In Garda interviews, Maughan admitted stabbing Nowakowski twice, kicking him in the head after paramedics arrived, and claimed he had no control, saying he "just went berserk" after seeing a knife. He denied intent to kill, stating he thought Nowakowski was drunk. Cross‑examination of Maughan by Garda Stephen Hession echoed this, describing the incident as "total madness" with no excuse. Margaret Nihill, Maughan's former girlfriend, testified about their relationship and his alcohol consumption that night. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis reported that Nowakowski died from stab wounds to the chest, lung and liver, plus blunt force trauma to the head, with a blood alcohol level of 415 mg per cent.
During a murder trial, a paramedic testified that he saw the deceased, Piotr Nowakowski, being kicked in the head. The accused, Michael Maughan, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The paramedic, Ralph O'Neill, arrived at 1:05 am after a call about a stabbing at Sandfield Mews. He described a scene where several men were present, the victim lying on the floor with multiple wounds, and a third man repeatedly kicking him. Maughan's brother, Darren, and the third man were also present. The paramedics left the scene at 1:57 am, hoping to transport the patient by helicopter, but he died at Shannon Airport. The trial continues with a jury hearing the case.
Anthony Harte, 24, of Inchicore, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder at Morrisey's Pub in January 2013 and handling three stolen motorbikes in February 2012. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, who had previously adjourned sentencing to assess his suitability for community service, accepted a favourable probation report. She sentenced Harte to two years in prison but ordered him to carry out 220 hours of community service in lieu of custody, to be completed within one year. Richard O'Reilly, 29, also pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods during the same 2012 incident. Judge Ring ordered him to perform 160 hours of community service in lieu of a two-year prison term. Darren Foster, 35, who pleaded guilty to the same handling offence, received a two-year suspended sentence from Judge Ring last July. The court heard that Harte and Foster collected the bikes from a dealership, while O'Reilly assisted with the van. Prosecution evidence alleged Harte punched and kicked a victim during the pub altercation, though the victim and pub manager refused to make formal complaints. Defence counsel noted Harte had ceased drug use and that his prior convictions were for minor offences.
Noel Maher, aged 42, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting his step‑daughter Amy Kenna over an eight‑year period. The abuse began when Kenna was ten and escalated to rape when she was thirteen, continuing until 2009. A seven‑day trial in July found Maher guilty of three counts of sexual assault between 2001 and 2007 and 34 counts of rape between 2005 and 2009, all at various locations in County Laois. The judge, Justice Garrett Sheehan, noted the victim's suffering and praised her courage, imposing a 14‑year sentence with the last two years suspended on the condition that Maher participate in a sex‑offender programme while incarcerated. The case highlighted the persistent, threatening nature of the abuse and the victim's ongoing recovery efforts.
In August 2013, Jesus Ramon Rea Rosales, 41, Master of the Spanish fishing vessel Armaven Dos, was detained by Sea‑Fisheries Protection Officers after it was discovered he had 11,888 kg of monkfish on board, exceeding the permitted 7,344 kg. He pleaded guilty in Cork Circuit Court, was fined €2,500, and had €92,500 worth of catch and equipment forfeited under Sea Fisheries and Maritime legislation. Rosales appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeal, arguing that none of the gear should have been forfeited because it was unrelated to the offence. The Court, presided over by Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne with Ms Justice Mary Finlay‑Geoghegan and Mr Justice Michael Moriarty, rejected the appeal. The court held that penal statute must be interpreted strictly, and that any fish or fishing gear found on the boat to which the offence relates is liable to forfeiture, making forfeiture mandatory for all the fish and gear involved.
John Douglas, a 30‑year‑old convicted murderer, was sentenced to life in prison in July 2012 for the shooting death of a father‑of‑one in a parked car. In a separate incident, he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 26 August 2008. Judge Martin Nolan ruled that a life sentence cannot be extended by an additional term, following a Supreme Court decision. Consequently, Douglas will not serve extra time beyond his life sentence. Instead, Nolan imposed an 18‑month sentence that will run concurrently with the life term, beginning immediately. Douglas, who has 95 prior convictions including a dangerous driving conviction that caused death, was hired to kill 31‑year‑old Aidan Byrne, a front‑seat passenger in a car driven by another man.
High Court judge Mr Justice John Edwards granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court for two convicted murderers facing extradition to the UK. The applicants are Anthony Craig, 66, and Michael Anthony Balmer, 62. Craig was convicted in 1973 of murdering a man in Blackburn, England, and escaped from an English prison before being arrested in Ireland in 2013. Balmer, with a last address in Cornwall, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 for killing a woman in Devon, England, in 1983. He was conditionally released in 2011, but his license was revoked in 2012, leading to his arrest in Cork. In July, Mr Justice Edwards indicated he was disposed to surrender both men to UK authorities. Counsel for both applicants argued that surrendering them to serve the balance of their life sentences, after serving the punitive tariff, would constitute preventative detention, violating Article 40.4 of the Irish Constitution. The Minister for Justice argued the issues were not of exceptional public importance. However, Mr Justice Edwards determined that the legal question was of exceptional public importance and in the public interest for the Supreme Court to decide. He reformulated the question to address whether such surrender contravenes the Constitution and is prohibited under the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003. The matter was adjourned until October 28, pending the availability of the approved judgment in the Balmer case, after which counsel may serve notice of appeal. No final order was made at this stage.
Frederick "Freddie" Thompson, aged 33, has filed a High Court challenge against the Irish Prison Service's decision to transfer him from Cloverhill to Cork prison and to sanction him for alleged breaches of prison discipline while at Dublin prison. Thompson, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Morrissey's Pub in Cork on 7 January 2013, is awaiting sentencing on 2 February. His lawyers secured permission for judicial review of the transfer and disciplinary decisions. Thompson claims the punishment for an incident on 13 September in Cloverhill's visitor's area, where he says he was violently attacked by three other prisoners, was unfair. He was found guilty of indiscipline, placed in segregation, denied privileges, and subjected to 22.5 hours lock‑up per day. He was transferred to Cork on 30 September without explanation, and his family received no reasons from prison authorities. The case is set for a hearing in late November.
A man convicted of murder in England in 1973 appeared before the High Court in connection with extradition proceedings. Anthony Craig, aged 66, had escaped from an English prison and subsequently lived in counties Cork and Leitrim before his arrest in February 2013 on foot of a UK extradition warrant. In July, Mr Justice John Edwards determined that Craig should be surrendered to the United Kingdom authorities. Craig now seeks leave to appeal that decision to the Supreme Court. Ms Cathleen Noctor BL, representing the Minister for Justice and Equality, informed the court that written submissions from Craig's legal representatives had been received and would be reviewed. Mr Justice Edwards remanded Craig on continuing bail pending a further hearing scheduled for October 7th.
Kenneth Brunell, 28, of Palmerstown, had his bail reinstated for a second time by the High Court after Dutch authorities sought his surrender for the 2009 murder of Keith Ennis, 29, whose dismembered body was found in an Amsterdam canal. Brunell was arrested in 2011 on extradition warrants and had previously had his bail revoked for failing to appear in court. He applied to vary his bail to attend a training course in Cork on 19 June, but did not attend and was missing for five days following a dispute with his father. Brunell denied any intention to flee, claiming he had nothing to run from. The court noted a significant improvement in his behaviour and, after hearing from his father, granted him bail of €3,000 on a €100 bond. The court found no evidence of conspiracy to escape jurisdiction. The case remains pending.
A 66-year-old man convicted of murder in England in 1977 will be extradited to the United Kingdom following a High Court decision, it was ruled on 2 August 2014. Anthony Craig, who escaped from an English prison and subsequently lived in counties Cork and Leitrim before relocating to south Dublin, was arrested in February 2013 on an extradition warrant. Mr Justice John Edwards determined that Craig's surrender was not prohibited, rejecting arguments raised by his legal team regarding preventative detention and the nature of mandatory life sentences. The judge distinguished Craig's case from previous jurisprudence on Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences, finding that UK mandatory life sentences are equivalent to their Irish counterparts. Craig will remain on bail until 8 September to allow his solicitors to review the judgment and consider pursuing an appeal to the Supreme Court. The bail conditions were tightened to require daily signing at Clondalkin Garda Station. Craig, who had served 28 years before his escape, has complied with bail requirements throughout proceedings.