In a 2023 Court of Appeal decision, a 17‑year‑old who stabbed 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair to death was denied a review to reduce his life sentence after 13 years. The court found the trial judge had properly considered the defendant's lack of maturity, set a proportionate sentence and taken mitigating factors into account. The appeal also rejected the claim that the 13‑year review deprived the defendant of the right to apply for parole after 12 years, noting the parole board would still consider eligibility. The judge highlighted the defendant's deliberate and callous conduct, including displaying a knife and tapping it on his leg before the fatal blow, and described the offence as "shocking and deliberate." The Court of Appeal will later decide on the anonymity of the accused, who is now 21 and no longer a minor. Cameron Blair pleaded guilty.
Two brothers, Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan, were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a 2019 attack that killed 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey. The jury found them not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter (Ian) and assault causing serious harm (Daniel). Ian received a nine‑year sentence with the final year suspended for three years; Daniel received five years with the final year suspended for three years. The court described the assault as "savage, cold‑blooded and cowardly," noting that Mulvey was a slight, unarmed victim who offered no resistance. The sentencing judge highlighted the brothers' lack of remorse and the brutal nature of the attacks, while acknowledging mitigating factors such as Ian's lack of prior convictions. No verdict was recorded on the assault charges for either brother.
In November 2023 the Court of Appeal rejected a mother's attempt to set aside her guilty plea for harassing a doctor at Temple Street Hospital. Marlies Walsh, 51, had pleaded guilty in 2022 to one count of harassment after repeatedly contacting the doctor by phone and email between 2017 and 2020 while her son awaited a kidney transplant. She argued that she was under duress and that her lawyers had given ineffective assistance, but the appeal court found no evidence of coercion or inadequate representation. The court noted that Walsh had been under significant stress but had understood the implications of her plea. The judge also dismissed her claim that the Garda investigation was flawed, stating that such matters were for trial. Walsh will appeal the severity of her suspended two‑year sentence at a later hearing.
Patrick McNamee, 42, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for stealing €200 from a 69‑year‑old wheelchair user in Cork. McNamee, who has 190 prior convictions, pretended to be a home carer, entered the victim's home uninvited, forced him into a wheelchair, and took him to a local Spar shop to collect his pension. He later returned to the house, found the pension withdrawn, and took the cash from the victim's armchair. The victim did not file a victim impact statement. McNamee admitted the theft, apologized, and claimed drug addiction had influenced his actions. The judge, after considering his personal circumstances and prison conduct, reduced a headline sentence of six years to the current term, backdated to June 26.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man, Josh Reidy, pleaded guilty to possessing more than €19,000 as proceeds of crime in two smishing frauds that occurred in August 2021 and July 2022. Smishing involves sending text messages with fake links that redirect money to other accounts. Bank of Ireland recovered all but €900 of the first €19,421 withdrawal and €18,973 of the second €19,877 withdrawal, leaving victims with losses of €900 and €904 respectively. Gardaí traced the beneficiary accounts to Reidy, who was living on Sundrive Road and later at Landsdowne Gate apartments. He claimed a €3,000 drug debt and said he had been forced to provide his passport and mobile details to pay it off. The court accepted his cooperation and the threat he faced, and imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence with strict conditions, including continued drug rehabilitation.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Brendan Ogle, a senior Unite official in Ireland, alleges discrimination and whistleblower penalisation by the union. He claims exclusion from promotion due to his cancer, discriminatory harassment, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, and penalisation for protected disclosures under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, Health Act 2004 and Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2004. The union denies all allegations. The case is scheduled for eight days of evidence and pleadings, with over a dozen witnesses, including Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham, former general secretary Len McCluskey, former ICTU president John Douglas, and others. Ogle's legal team seeks time to submit a 16‑page legal submission and additional documents. The adjudicator has adjourned the hearing to a three‑day block in the new year, anticipating a lengthy process. Ogle is accompanied by his wife and supporters.
A 57‑year‑old man from Cork pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to indecently and sexually assaulting his step‑sister over three months in 1991, when he was 14 and she was 12. The court heard that he fondled her breasts and vagina while 'wrestling' with her and, on one occasion, digitally penetrated her vagina. He had no blood relation to her. The victim described feeling repulsed, disgusted, low self‑esteem and burdened by the secret knowledge of the assaults, noting a terrible impact on her life. She said she could forgive the accused but not his actions. The judge acknowledged her bravery and, noting the defendant's rehabilitation and lack of prior convictions, sentenced him to four months' imprisonment for indecent assault and 16 months for each of the four sexual assault counts, all to run concurrently. The sentence was suspended for two years on strict conditions.
The High Court, on Mr Justice Alexander Owens' direction, declared that assets linked to convicted killer and "career criminal" John 'Keith' O'Donovan – a Cork property and €8,590 in cash – were proceeds of crime. The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) had argued that the assets were financed by O'Donovan's criminal activity, citing over 50 convictions for offences such as manslaughter, armed robbery, burglary, assault, illegal firearm possession and drug offences, and his role as a major heroin supplier in Cork. CAB's sworn statement noted that the recorded convictions did not fully reflect his criminal involvement and that he accessed substantial funds from unknown sources. The property, bought in 1997 for IR£20,000, was registered in his mother Doreen O'Donovan's name to conceal ownership. CAB claimed O'Donovan had no legitimate means to acquire the property, now valued at over €200,000.
In a High Court hearing on 14 November 2023, Justice Eileen Roberts appointed Joseph Walsh of JW Accountants as interim examiner to a group of restaurant companies linked to the award‑winning Cornstore Restaurants and Coqbull outlets in Cork and Limerick. The companies—Keep it Real Holdings DAC, Rosewalk Ltd, Coal Quay Restaurants Ltd, Winstore Restaurants Ltd, Burgerchick Cork Ltd, Burgerchick Limerick Ltd and Burgerchick Castletroy Ltd—were found insolvent and unable to meet a €26.74 million debt owed to the Sweden‑based Proventus Capital Partners III KB fund. The court noted that the difficulties stemmed from the poor performance of related UK‑based group companies, which had been hit hard by Covid‑19 and had failed to service the debt since December 2022.
The Central Criminal Court trial of James Kilroy, 50, accused of murdering his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, 41, at their Co Mayo home in June 2019, continued with the prosecution case closing. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury heard evidence from gardai interviews in which the accused described waiting in the long grass for his wife before slitting her throat and choking her with his bare hands. He stated he used a black serrated knife and smashed her head, describing the event as a frenzy. The prosecution noted that Ms French Kilroy died from strangulation, blunt force trauma, and a stab wound. Defence counsel called consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney, who testified that the accused had a long history of cannabis use, including therapeutic consumption of high-THC 'AK-47' strain in the three years prior to the death. Dr Mullaney stated that THC can induce substance-induced psychosis in predisposed individuals and that the accused slightly increased his use in the week before the incident. The accused also reported feeling watched and paranoid in the days leading up to the event. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded at this stage.
In November 2023, a 17‑year‑old who stabbed 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair at a Cork house party appealed his life sentence, arguing the judge failed to weigh his immaturity and dysfunctional background. The Central Criminal Court had sentenced him to life detention in 2020, with a review after 13 years and an earliest release date of January 2023. The appeal court noted that a juvenile can only be sentenced to detention, not imprisonment, and that once the offender turns 18 he is transferred to an adult prison. Counsel for the appellant claimed the judge focused on age rather than maturity, and that the offence lacked aggravating factors such as premeditation or a callous attitude. The DPP countered that the judge had considered mitigating factors, including the offender's early guilty plea and lack of prior convictions. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment, with a hearing scheduled for December 5, and parties were invited to discuss the appellant's anonymity.
A 23‑year‑old man from Churchfield, Cork, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to a single charge of possessing 263 rounds of ammunition in suspicious circumstances on 3 June last year. The court found that the circumstances suggested he did not have the ammunition for a lawful purpose at Churchfield Avenue. He was also charged with membership of an illegal organisation, the Irish Republican Army, at a State location on the same date. The State's counsel said the plea would meet the case, and the judge adjourned sentencing to 22 January.
Michael Lynn, a 55-year-old from County Wicklow, is on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of stealing approximately €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007. He has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft. During cross-examination, the defence team challenged a former Bank of Ireland senior business manager's testimony regarding loan applications. The witness rejected suggestions that loans could be used for purposes other than property purchases, describing such a proposition as a "fairytale." The defence contended that Mr Lynn intended to use borrowed funds for overseas development projects, including ventures in Carrick-on-Shannon and Portugal. A former Ulster Bank official also denied allegations that Mr Lynn provided him with cash or paid for his travel. The prosecution's case centres on Mr Lynn obtaining multiple mortgages on identical properties from different institutions without their knowledge. The seven lenders involved include Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, and Irish Nationwide Building Society. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and jury.
In November 2023 the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Oriel House Hotel Ltd must pay €11,000 in compensation to Margaret O'Sullivan, her partner Joseph O'Donovan and her sister Theresa O'Sullivan after the hotel refused them accommodation on 6 July 2021. The family had booked a dinner and overnight stay to celebrate a First Holy Communion. At check‑in the receptionist told them the hotel was overbooked, and after two managers approached them the group was hurried out of the lobby. The hotel offered a €600 cash refund in the car park but no alternative lodging or meal. The tribunal found the hotel's claim that it could not distinguish Travellers from settled guests was implausible and that the family was discriminated against on the basis of Traveller identity.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man, Josh Reidy, was found guilty of two counts of possessing over €19,000 as proceeds of crime. The money was moved through a smishing scheme, where victims received text messages with fake bank links that redirected their funds to Reidy's accounts. Bank of Ireland recovered all but €900 of the first €19,421 withdrawal and €18,973 of a second €19,877 withdrawal, leaving victims with losses of €900 and €904 respectively. Gardaí traced the transactions to Reidy, who was living on Sundrive Road and later at Landsdowne Gate, Drimnagh. Reidy admitted he had a €3,000 drug debt and had supplied his passport and mobile details to the fraudsters. He claimed he was threatened and physically assaulted by the group, and that his mother was also threatened. The court noted Reidy's good work history and his intention to resume employment in January after paying the €900 owed.
In a High Court case that could affect many mortgage holders, Darren Hennessy and Emer Barrett have sued Pepper Finance Corporation Ireland DAC, a so‑called vulture fund that acquired their mortgage from Permanent TSB (PTSB). The couple claim Pepper is charging them an 8.5% interest rate, compared with just over 4.3% they would pay if the loans remained with PTSB. They argue that Pepper's variable rate increases are unjustified, driven solely by profit motives, and that the fund has breached EU consumer contract regulations and the 2013 Central Bank Supervision and Enforcement Act. The plaintiffs seek a declaration that the current rate is unlawful and out of proportion to any legitimate rate, orders to compel Pepper to charge the corresponding PTSB rate, and damages for alleged breaches. The case was adjourned by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey to a later date this month.
The Workplace Relations Commission ordered An Garda Siochána to pay €65,000 to Sergeant David Haughney, who claimed disability discrimination after a new superintendent, Adrian Gamble, confined him to station duties and barred him from driving, wearing a uniform, and training. Haughney, who had lost 70% of sight in his left eye in 2015, had been a roads policing sergeant, public order trainer and tactical advisor under three superintendents until 2019. After medical leave for a detached retina, Gamble blocked his return to training and driving, citing a medical report. Haughney was transferred to a traffic office where he was denied training and advisory work, leading him to describe the situation as "sit and rot." The tribunal upheld his claim, noting that Gamble had withdrawn reasonable accommodations previously granted, and awarded the compensation. The tribunal found no well‑founded harassment claim from the 2020 meeting.
An Environmental Protection group, Wild Ireland Defence CLG, has lodged a High Court judicial review challenge against Galway County Council's decision to extend planning permission for a proposed expansion of Rossaveel Harbour in the Connemara Gaeltacht. The challenge, brought by the Cork‑based organisation, concerns the environmental impact of a deep‑water quay that would provide 200 metres of berthing frontage, low concrete sea walls, an access road, lighting, drainage and protective structures. The original permission, granted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, expired in July 2023 and was reportedly extended on 10 July following an application by the Minister. Wild Ireland Defence argues that the council failed to properly assess the development under EU directives on Habitats, Water Frameworks and Environmental Impact Assessment, and that it gave no adequate reasons for the extension. The case, represented by Evan O'Donnell BL of Harrington & Co, seeks orders including a quashing of the extension.
A 27‑year‑old Cork man was jailed for eight years after being convicted of raping his nine‑year‑old cousin twice, once in 2010 and again in 2016, in their grandmother's home. He pleaded not guilty to both counts and continues to deny the offences. The victim, now 23, gave a victim impact statement describing lifelong trauma, loss of friends, and ongoing psychiatric issues. Judge Paul McDermott set a headline sentence of five years for the first rape and 11 years for the second, but imposed a four‑year sentence for the first and a concurrent eight‑year sentence for the second, with no suspended portion and three years of post‑release supervision. The court noted the defendant's age, lack of prior convictions, and multiple neurological diagnoses, including autism spectrum disorder, which may affect his custodial experience. The judge described the damage as "considerable and enduring.".
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that a Health Service Executive (HSE) worker, Shane Ryan, who had been absent from work for over two years while still receiving full pay, was ultimately deemed absent without leave. Ryan had claimed a nervous breakdown and inability to attend occupational health appointments, but the tribunal found he had repudiated his contract by refusing to engage with management. The HSE had attempted to reassign him to pest control and other duties, but Ryan declined offers, citing the roles as not comparable. After repeated attempts to get him back to work, his pay was stopped in January 2022 and his employment terminated in June 2022. The tribunal rejected most of Ryan's employment law complaints, upheld a claim for unpaid public holiday entitlements, and awarded €1,200 in compensation. The decision highlighted a "seismic omission" by HSE management and the phenomenon of "quiet quitting.".
County Clean Recycling Unlimited Company has secured High Court permission to challenge An Bord Pleanála's 2021 refusal to grant planning permission for a waste transfer station at Courtstown Industrial Estate, Little Island, Co Cork. The applicant, represented by Oisin Collins SC, alleges a reasonable apprehension of bias due to the involvement of Deputy Chairperson Paul Hyde, who has a family connection to the area. The company claims Hyde failed to declare a conflict of interest, noting that many local objectors were likely known to him. This alleged bias is compounded by Hyde's recent conviction; he pleaded guilty in June to two offences under Section 147 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and received a two-month jail sentence earlier this year for breaches of planning laws. The applicant seeks orders quashing the refusal, extending time limits, and compelling the board to disclose relevant documentation. Ms Justice Niamh Hyland granted the ex-parte application for leave to bring the judicial review. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court in December. Separately, Hyde's appeal against his two-month sentence is scheduled for November. He resigned from the board last year after serving as a member since 2014.
In a High Court hearing on 24 October 2023, Mr Simon Healy, a 25 % shareholder and former Executive Chairman of Navicorp Limited (trading as Navi Group), applied for a temporary injunction to prevent the company's directors and other shareholders from transferring his shares. He alleged that his dismissal in September 2023 was wrongful and that the defendants were acting oppressively to benefit Mr John Carroll, the 75 % shareholder and CEO of Navicorp. The company denied the claims, calling Healy a "bad leaver". After extensive negotiations, the parties reached an accommodation: the disputed meeting was postponed, a valuation of Healy's shares was to be undertaken, and the injunction application was to be rescheduled for 19 December. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey adjourned the case to that date, praising the parties' efforts to resolve the dispute.
In October 2023 the Workplace Relations Commission dismissed a disability discrimination claim brought by truck driver Edward Riordan against All‑Star Logistics Ltd. Riordan alleged that he was sacked after relieving his bowels in a warehouse loading bay due to an urgent diarrhoea episode linked to a peptic ulcer. The tribunal found insufficient evidence that the cramping and diarrhoea were caused by a peptic ulcer and that the stool discovered by a colleague was consistent with diarrhoea. Riordan admitted responsibility on CCTV and was dismissed for gross misconduct. The company also rejected an age discrimination claim, noting that any reduction in his hours had been agreed upon and that the final decision to assign him no shifts was related to the incident. The adjudicator concluded that the evidence did not establish a disability at the time of the loading‑bay event.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Ashling Murphy died before paramedics could attempt resuscitation after she was found with 12 sharp force wounds to her neck in the undergrowth by the Grand Canal in Tullamore. CCTV footage showed a garda believing he could see the accused, Jozef Puska, moving in the same direction as two women, reaching into his pockets and appearing to have something in his hand before returning it to his pocket. The prosecution presented footage of Ashling's movements from leaving work at Scoil Naomh Colmcille at 2.37 pm to arriving at the Daingean Road car park at 2.50 pm and walking to the towpath. Puska, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Murphy on 12 January 2022. The trial continues next week before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a child under 17 between August and December 2010. During cross‑examination, he admitted giving his phone to a 17‑year‑old complainant at the 2010 Oxegen music festival, but denied kissing her or any sexual contact at the festival. He claimed the girl had lied about her age, stating she was 18 when they first met and later 16 before any alleged sexual activity. He said their contact from July 2010 to January 2011 was minimal and that any later sexual relationship occurred after the alleged offences. He also provided eight phones to Gardaí, asserting no overtly sexual messages were found. The trial remains ongoing.
A 72‑year‑old man was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing three of his nieces over a decade. He pleaded guilty to 16 counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent assault committed between 1985 and 1995 at various locations in Cork and Kerry. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, described the offender as a "voracious sexual predator" who masqueraded as a kindly uncle. He set a headline sentence of 25 years, reduced to 20 years because of the defendant's age, and suspended a further two years permanently. The sentence includes two years of post‑release supervision if released. The court heard victim impact statements describing the abuse as repeated, prolonged, humiliating and degrading, and noted the defendant's advanced age may affect his survival of the sentence.
The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict for Noel Long, a 74‑year‑old former British Army soldier, in the oldest murder prosecution in Irish history. Long, who has prior sexual and assault convictions, was found guilty of murdering 42‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in June 1981. The jury accepted the State's case that DNA from semen found on Sheehan's body matched DNA from Long's clothing, and that fibres and paint fragments from the victim matched those from Long's car. The defence argued that the State failed to prove intent and that the case could be manslaughter, but the jury rejected this. The verdict was reached after 5 hours and 32 minutes of deliberation. The judge thanked the jurors and indicated that a mandatory life sentence would be handed down shortly. The Sheehan family was expected to address the court about the impact of the loss. Noel Long pleaded not guilty.
In early summer 2023, Noel Long received a call from Detective Inspector Eamonn Brady about new evidence in the 1981 murder of Nora Sheehan. Long declined to meet with Gardaí or discuss the evidence, stating he wanted no involvement. The article recounts the 1981 discovery of Sheehan's body in Shippool Woods, describing the scene, the victim's injuries, and the forensic work that linked fibres and paint from Long's 1981 Opel Kadett to the victim. It details the 2008 DNA review that produced a partial male profile from a semen sample, later matched to DNA on a beanie hat taken from Long in 2021. The article also notes the defence's challenge to the reliability of the Low Copy Number DNA method and the State Pathologist's statement that Sheehan's cause of death was unascertained.
A jury of eleven returned to the Central Criminal Court to continue deliberating a cold‑case murder trial involving Noel Long, 74, of Passage West, Cork. Long is charged with the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, whose body was found in Shippool Woods in 1981. The jury had spent 4 hours 44 minutes on their first day of deliberations and was instructed by Judge Paul McDermott to resume at 10.30 am the next day. The prosecution's case, presented by Brendan Grehan SC, relied on forensic evidence, including a partial DNA profile from semen on Sheehan's body that matched DNA on clothing taken from Long in 2021, fibres from the victim's carpet that matched those from Long's car, and paint fragments that matched the same vehicle. The defence, led by Michael Delaney SC, argued that the evidence was solely forensic and did not establish intent, suggesting a possible manslaughter verdict. Noel Long pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott informed a jury that the 74‑year‑old Noel Long's trial could be the oldest murder prosecution in the State, noting the difficulty of proving an old case. The jury, after 35 minutes of deliberation, will return tomorrow. Long, who lives in Maulbawn, Passage West, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who disappeared between 6 and 12 June 1981 and whose body was found at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods. The prosecution's case rests on circumstantial evidence, including the victim's movements, the discovery of her body, and a DNA match between a sample from her body and a beanie hat taken from Long in 2021. Mr McDermott reminded jurors that no statute of limitations applies to murder, that over 280 exhibits were lost, and that the defence had concerns about a missing vaginal swab.
At the Central Criminal Court, prosecutors have submitted that forensic evidence in a cold case murder trial points inescapably to the guilt of the accused. Senior counsel Brendan Grehan closed the State's case against Noel Long, aged 74, of Maulbawn, Passage West, County Cork, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Nora Sheehan between 6 and 12 June 1981. Ms Sheehan's body was discovered at Shippool Woods, Cork, six days after she went missing. Mr Grehan told the jury that fibres from the victim's clothing and paint fragments matched those from the accused's Opel Kadett motor vehicle. A DNA profile recovered from semen found on the deceased matched that from a beanie hat belonging to Mr Long, with odds of one in 23,000 against it being unrelated. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC argued the 42-year delay was unprecedented and that critical exhibits had been lost, preventing independent verification of the prosecution's forensic findings. The jury's verdict is now pending.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, brothers Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan were found not guilty of murder after a jury deliberated 14 hours. The jury, however, convicted Ian of manslaughter and Daniel of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey, who died 13 days after the November 14, 2019 assault. The brothers had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to the serious harm charges. The State's case alleged that Ian attacked Mulvey near The Halfway House Pub, leaving him on the ground, and that Daniel joined him in a subsequent beating on a traffic island. The jury accepted that the brothers' actions substantially contributed to Mulvey's death but did not find the intent required for murder. No verdicts were recorded for the two assault‑causing‑harm charges, and Daniel was granted bail pending a probation report.
The cold case murder trial of Noel Long, 74, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 54-year-old Nora Sheehan between June 6 and June 12, 1981, continued before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy, called by the defence, testified that the cause of Mrs Sheehan's death remains unascertained. While she agreed with the prosecution that death by asphyxia via two specific methods could not be proved or disproved, she stated there was no evidence of strangulation. Dr Cassidy noted the absence of petechial haemorrhage and ligature marks, suggesting the victim may have died elsewhere before her body was transported to Shippool Woods in Cork. She indicated that injuries to the head and face were consistent with an assault but unlikely to be fatal on their own. The prosecution argued the death resulted from foul play, citing the victim's naked and bruised state. Dr Cassidy acknowledged that while smothering is difficult to sustain, it could not be excluded. The matter was adjourned, with the trial set to continue before the jury.
In a Dublin murder trial, brothers Ian Connaghan (34) and Daniel Connaghan (43) plead not guilty to the killing of 55‑year‑old builder Michael 'Mick' Mulvey, who died 13 days after a November 2019 assault near The Halfway House Pub. The State alleges the brothers beat Mulvey at a roundabout, causing injuries that contributed to his death, though not the sole cause. The brothers also face charges of serious harm and assault. Judge Paul Burns instructed the jury to determine the dominant cause of death and the accused's intent, noting that intent to cause serious injury suffices for murder. Prosecutor Anne Rowland argued the beatings were severe enough to imply intent to cause serious harm. Defence counsel Garnet Orange contended no serious injury occurred and the death was likely natural. Post‑mortem findings identified blunt‑force chest trauma and underlying ischemic heart disease as contributory. The jury will resume deliberations tomorrow.
Jonathan Duke, 27, strangled at Bridge House, Bandon, on 12 November 2011, had his body moved downstairs, trussed with an electrical cord and thrown into the River Bandon. A day earlier, 42‑year‑old John Forrester had been killed in the same building and his body also disposed of in the river. Duke, a father‑of‑one, was visiting Forrester's murderers when he learned of the previous day's killing. Catherine O'Connor, former girlfriend of the victims, is serving life for both murders. Her boyfriend, Ciprian Grozavu, 49, denied murdering both men and was tried separately. Grozavu was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life, but his murder conviction was quashed on appeal and he was retried in 2021. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another.
Marlies Walsh, 51, of Pedlers Cross, Clonakilty, pleaded guilty on the first day of her trial to one count of repeated harassment of a Temple Street Hospital doctor in 2018 and 2019. She had contacted the doctor and other hospital staff by phone and email from December 2017 to August 2020 while her 21‑year‑old son, a kidney transplant patient, was cared for at the hospital. The judge found that Walsh had engaged in repeated harassment and imposed a two‑year sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, and barred her from contacting the doctor or approaching his residence or workplace for 20 years. At the Court of Appeal, Walsh, representing herself, claimed she was under duress and that her guilty plea was made to prioritise her son's care. The appeal was dismissed, with the court reserving its judgement.
A 29‑year‑old Brazilian man, Miller Pacheco, is charged with the murder of 28‑year‑old Bruna Fonseca, a qualified librarian who had moved to Cork in September last year and worked as a cleaner at Mercy University Hospital. Fonseca was found dead in a bedsit flat on Liberty Street on New Year's Day, just hours after she had gone out to celebrate New Year's Eve in Cork city centre. Justice Melanie Greally has set a trial date of 24 June 2024 at the Central Criminal Court, with case management scheduled for 24 November.
The trial of Ian Connaghan (34) and Daniel Connaghan (43) for the murder of 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey is set to resume after the jury was excused early due to a family issue with one juror. The State alleges the brothers assaulted Mulvey near The Halfway House Pub on 14 November 2019, leaving him on the ground and later delivering a severe beating at a roundabout. Mulvey died two weeks later, with the prosecution arguing the injuries contributed to his death but were not the sole cause. The brothers pleaded not guilty to murder, intentional or reckless serious harm, and assault causing harm. Mr Justice Paul Burns explained that if the jury finds the brothers caused the death but lack intent for murder, a manslaughter verdict is appropriate; if intent is proven, a murder verdict is required. The jury will return tomorrow for the judge to continue his charge.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, defence counsel Garnet Orange SC argued that the death of builder Michael Mulvey was not a natural consequence of an assault he suffered on 14 November 2019. Orange highlighted that Mulvey, aged 55, was not in good health, had been released from hospital with painkillers, and had gone back to the pub to drink that night. He questioned the prosecution's evidence, noting that pathologists Dr. Heidi Okkers and Dr. Stuart Hamilton had differing views on the cause of death, with Hamilton suggesting heart disease and rib fractures contributed, while the defence's Professor Jack Crane concluded a heart attack. Orange urged the jury to consider whether the injuries inflicted by accused Ian and Daniel Connaghan contributed substantially to Mulvey's death, noting that causation could be sufficient for murder or manslaughter. The trial was set to resume with further jury directions from Judge Paul Burns. The unnamed 55-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2023 decision, the Court of Appeal quashed the confiscation of almost €400,000 in catch and gear from the Dutch factory ship Wiron 5, whose skipper, Klass Dirk Meijvogel, had been convicted in 2015 for a single technical fishing offence. The original penalty, imposed by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin, ordered the forfeiture of €344,960 worth of fish and €55,000 worth of gear. The appeal court found that the judge was misled by counsel, who insisted the judge had no discretion and must order forfeiture. It deemed the confiscation disproportionate and overturned the penalty. The court will later hear arguments from both sides to determine a proportionate penalty. Meijvogel had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a 10‑2 jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Daniel Sheehan, a 23-year-old man from Cork, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on a trial basis. He is charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, at a location within the State on June 3, 2022. Additionally, he is accused of possessing 263 rounds of ammunition in a shed at Churchfield Avenue, Cork City, on the same date, in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose. Detective Garda Geraldine Daly provided evidence regarding the arrest, charge, and caution, stating she identified herself to Mr Sheehan at 10.41am on Anglesea Street, Cork. She arrested him under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and Section 27(A) of the Firearms Act. The DPP's solicitor, Michael O'Donovan, indicated consent to bail subject to conditions. Defence counsel Patrick McCullough BL applied for legal aid, which was granted. Mr Justice Alexander Owens remanded Mr Sheehan in custody with consent to bail. The matter was adjourned, with Mr Sheehan ordered to appear again before the court on October 9.
In a Dublin murder trial, brothers Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan pleaded not guilty to the killing of Michael 'Mick' Mulvey (55) on 27 November 2019. Prosecutor Anne Rowland SC presented evidence that the brothers beat Mulvey so severely that the intent could only have been to cause serious harm. She cited pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers' finding of 800 ml of blood in Mulvey's chest cavity and described the sustained assaults at the Darling estate and a traffic island near Halfway House. Witnesses, including Pauline Matthews and Mary Kelly, testified to the brutality and the brothers' presence at both attacks. Text messages from the Connaghans suggested a motive rooted in resentment. Rowland urged the jury to consider the evidence as ample proof of the brothers' guilt in the murder. The trial was set to continue the following day.
In the Central Criminal Court, forensic scientist Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker testified that a partial DNA profile from material preserved 42 years ago matched DNA found on a black beanie hat belonging to Noel Long, the accused. Whitaker explained that the probability of the recovered DNA originating from someone unrelated to the hat wearer was one in 23,000, and that a database of the Irish population made it at least 20,000 times more likely that the DNA matched the hat rather than an unrelated person. He described using Low Copy Number (LCN) techniques to obtain a profile from a microscopic slide of a vaginal swab taken from the victim, Nora Sheehan, and how the male partial profile from the slide matched the hat's DNA. Dr Dorothy Ramsbottom corroborated the match, and the trial continues with a jury of seven men and four women. The accused, Noel Long, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sheehan.
The cold‑case murder trial of Noel Long, accused of killing 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in 1981, was adjourned to Monday because a juror fell ill. Judge Paul McDermott informed the remaining eleven jurors that the case would continue with a reduced jury. Long, 74, lives in Passage West, Cork, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial has focused on DNA evidence: UK forensic scientist Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker presented a DNA profile from semen recovered from Sheehan's body, matched to material from Long's belongings, with a one‑in‑20,000 chance of a different source. The prosecution highlighted bruising and spermatozoa found in Sheehan's vagina, and the post‑mortem was conducted by Dr Robert Dermot Coakley in 1981. The hearing will resume on Monday with the same jury composition.
Andrew Nash, 43, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the death of John Ustic, 51, on 24 or 25 September 2023 in Skibbereen. Nash, a father of five, had repeatedly dropped a couch on Ustic's head during a "vicious and sustained" assault, causing blunt‑force trauma to the head, chest and neck. The victim was reportedly in a comatose state and heavily intoxicated, which limited his ability to defend himself. Nash apologized to Ustic's family, the court, gardai and ambulance crew, expressing deep shame and remorse. The judge noted Nash's efforts to address alcoholism and his desire to work and be a better family person upon release. The sentence reflects the high culpability and violence of the attack.
In a cold‑case murder trial, the prosecution explained that DNA material recovered from the body of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who was killed in 1981, had to be sent to the UK in 2008 because Ireland lacked the technology to interpret low amounts of DNA at that time. The material, a vaginal swab taken from Sheehan's body, was sent to Dr Jonathan Whitaker of Forensic Science Services in the UK, who generated a DNA profile. The profile was later matched to DNA recovered from the accused, Noel Long (74), who has pleaded not guilty. The trial, held before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of seven men and four women, and the State's case is expected to conclude tomorrow. The proceedings remain at the evidential stage, with no verdict yet announced.
In a cold‑case trial, forensic scientists presented evidence that Nora Sheehan, who vanished in 1981 and was later found dead in Shippool Woods, had been in a car driven by Noel Long. Fibres from Sheehan's clothing matched those from the carpet of a blue Opel Kadett linked to Long, and paint fragments from her garments corresponded to paint on the vehicle. Dr Maureen Smith, Dr Sheila Willis, and Dr Amanda Lennon all confirmed the strong support for the view that Sheehan was in the Kadett. The trial also heard that Long, aged 74, has pleaded not guilty to her murder. The proceedings are ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The case remains at the evidence‑presentation stage.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2023, the jury heard that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, sent a WhatsApp message on 14 November 2019 in which he claimed he was "after opening Mulvey's face up" after a confrontation with Michael Mulvey, aged 55, near a Dublin public house. Connaghan alleged that Mulvey had almost struck him with his car while he was crossing the road, that Mulvey had screamed at him, and that later that day Mulvey "came running at me from behind." Connaghan said he dropped his bag, "caught him a dig," and "opened up his face." He also claimed Mulvey had spat on his leg in the pub and that Mulvey "had it coming." Daniel Connaghan, aged 43, sent a separate message claiming Mulvey had "tried to knock down Iano" and that the brothers left Mulvey in an awful state. Ian Connaghan pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Noel Long, aged 74, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who disappeared between 6 and 12 June 1981. Sheehan's body was found six days later at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods, Cork. Dr Timothy Creedon, a former forensic scientist, testified that he was on holiday in Inishannon, Co Cork, when the body was discovered. He later met a detective and received swabs from the body, including a vaginal swab that contained semen. Creedon created a microscopic slide from the swab, which was later archived. The slide's preservation became crucial when a 2008 review of cold cases examined the evidence with modern DNA techniques. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of seven men and four women. The case remains at the trial stage.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 18 July 2023, a witness testified that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, admitted to punching and kicking Michael Mulvey, aged 55, after a confrontation near the Halfway House Pub on 14 November 2019. The witness, Stephen Kelly, who had been in a relationship with Mulvey's daughter, said Connaghan told him he had "lost it" and that the assault occurred while crossing the traffic lights on Navan Road. Connaghan also claimed he was alone at the time. The prosecution, represented by Ms Anne Rowland SC, argued that the brothers had a history of "bad blood" with Mulvey and that the severe beating left Mulvey in a "bad way" with black and blue marks on his right side. The jury viewed CCTV footage from the pub and surrounding areas to corroborate the timeline of the alleged assault. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.