The High Court heard that Mr Wojciech Bialek, former chief executive of the Together‑Razem Centre, has complied with an injunction requiring him to vacate the charity's Cork offices. The injunction, obtained by the charity, prohibits Bialek and anyone aware of the order from removing, deleting or copying the charity's documents, transferring or withdrawing its funds, trespassing on its premises, or representing himself as an employee, trustee or chairperson. The court was told that the offices have been vacated and that Bialek denies the allegations. His lawyers requested time to respond fully. The charity claims Bialek resigned after an independent accountant raised questions about its accounting, and that he and others unlawfully attempted to remove board members, hold an invalid extraordinary general meeting, and seize control of the offices by changing the locks. The court set a timetable for document exchange and adjourned further proceedings to later this month. The charity has not yet regained possession of its offices.
In a cold‑case murder trial, the accused, Noel Long, 74, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, whose body was found in Shippool Woods, Cork, in 1981. The pathologist, Dr Robert Dermot Coakley, who performed the post‑mortem, died on 5 August 1981, weeks after the examination. Coakley testified that he visited the woods on 12 June 1981, saw the body, and began the post‑mortem that evening. He described the body's condition, including bruising, scratches, and the presence of spermatozoa. Witnesses, including Joan Holland and retired Garda officers, gave testimony about Sheehan's movements and the alleged involvement of Long. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a High Court case on 14 July 2023, Together‑Razem Centre Company Limited secured a temporary injunction against its former CEO, Mr Wojciech Bialek, who allegedly seized the charity's offices after resigning in 2022. The charity, funded by the HSE and based in Cork, claims Bialek unlawfully took control of its premises at Kilnap Business Park, changed the locks, and threatened to alter or erase its records. The court heard that Bialek had been under investigation for financial and governance matters and that an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 11 July, which the charity says was invalid, removed the existing board and appointed new directors. The injunction, granted by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, prohibits Bialek and others from removing, copying or transferring the charity's documents or funds, and bars them from representing themselves as officers of the charity. The order remains until the case returns to court on Monday.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Noel Long, retired Garda sergeant John B O'Sullivan, aged 83, recounted the discovery of a woman's body in Shippool Woods, Cork, on 12 June 1981. O'Sullivan was the sole Garda on duty at Inishannon station when forestry workers John Collins and Denis McSweeney arrived in a tractor at about 3 pm, reporting a suspicious find that turned out to be a body. He deputised his wife to accompany him to the scene, where they found a 54‑year‑old woman, later identified as Nora Sheehan, lying on her right side with her head covered by a blue floral dress. O'Sullivan noted a stench, blue bottles, a cut to the neck, a bandage on the left hand, and nylon tights on the left foot. He used a hurley to clear briars, avoided disturbing potential evidence, and later contacted Bandon Gardaí. Noel Long pleaded not guilty.
Claire Moloney, a psychologist, claimed the Irish Prison Service discriminated against her by refusing a disability waiver for pandemic mask rules. She said she was forced to wear a mask for 7½ hours daily under threat of disciplinary action, leading her to resign in October 2021. Moloney alleged the service presented her as an "anti‑mask extremist" and threatened payroll removal if she did not comply. She cited chronic rhinusitis, anosmia, wheezing, allergies and polyps, and a GP letter describing claustrophobia when wearing a mask. The Prison Service's chief medical officer, Dr Thomas Donnelly, concluded her condition did not preclude mask use. The Workplace Relations Commission found her condition was not a protected disability and rejected her discrimination claim. The tribunal noted no reasonable accommodation was available to allow her to work without a mask. The decision was issued on 13 July 2023.
In a cold‑case murder trial, a jury heard evidence that a 74‑year‑old man, Noel Long, is alleged to have had sex with and murdered 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in 1981. The prosecution presented forensic DNA evidence linking semen recovered from Sheehan's vagina to Long's DNA, and trace evidence from Long's car that matched items found at the scene. Witnesses described Sheehan as a vulnerable, eccentric woman who was last seen alive on 6 June 1981 and whose naked, bruised body was discovered by forestry workers in Shippool Woods six days later. The State argued that the forensic findings and witness testimony together lead to an "irresistible conclusion" that Long committed the murder. Long has pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
A 74‑year‑old man, Noel Long of Passage West, has been arraigned in the Central Criminal Court on charges of murdering 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan between 6 and 12 June 1981. Sheehan's body was discovered by forestry workers at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods, six days after she was reported missing. Long pleaded not guilty. Judge Paul McDermott swore in a jury of eight men and four women, who will hear the case beginning Thursday morning and is expected to last four weeks. The prosecution is led by senior counsel Brendan Grehan; the defence is headed by Michael Delaney SC. Witnesses will include local Cork and Munster residents, forensic scientists from Dublin, and several Gardaí, including retired members. The judge reminded the jury to focus solely on evidence presented in court and to remain independent of any external media coverage. The trial will take place in the Central Criminal Court in Cork.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, Ms Anne Rowland SC presented evidence that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, threatened a 55‑year‑old man, Michael Mulvey, with the words "I'm gonna f**kin kill ya" at a pedestrian crossing on the Navan Road. The witness, Ms Pauline Matthews, described how the man was approached by a medium‑built individual who shouted aggressively and walked out in front of her car. She recounted that Mulvey was later severely beaten by Ian and his older brother Daniel Connaghan, who arrived in a car. The brothers have pleaded not guilty to murder, to causing serious harm, and to assault. The trial continues with further cross‑examination of Ms Matthews by the defence counsel, Mr Garnet Orange SC, and the prosecution will focus on medical evidence regarding Mulvey's injuries and death.
In a murder trial, the State presented the case that Michael Mulvey, a 55‑year‑old builder, died two weeks after a severe beating by brothers Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan. The prosecution argued that the injuries sustained on 14 November 2019, including fractured ribs and a severe chest trauma, substantially contributed to his death, though not the sole cause, citing medical evidence from pathologists and doctors. The brothers were charged with murder, intentional or reckless causing serious harm, and assault causing harm. The State highlighted a history of conflict between Mulvey and Ian Connaghan, a confrontation at a pedestrian crossing, and CCTV showing the brothers' movements. Text messages sent by the Connaghans after the assault were presented as evidence of intent to cause serious harm. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul Burns, is set to continue for up to three weeks.
Irish Distillers was ordered to pay €35,000 to Yvonne Foley after she was dismissed for being late 91 times and allegedly using offensive language toward a supervisor. The company claimed Foley was on a final written warning for a pattern of unacceptable behaviour, citing 91 late arrivals out of 118 occasions. Foley's solicitor argued she used alcohol as a crutch for an anxiety disorder and that the dismissal violated the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 because the final written warning was not in force at the time. The Workplace Relations Commission found that Irish Distillers had improvised its disciplinary process and had misapplied its own handbook, which lists only a verbal warning, a written warning and a final written warning of 12 months. The commission upheld the complaint and awarded Foley €35,000 in redress.
A man with 86 previous convictions, including for domestic violence, has had his custodial sentence doubled following a Court of Appeal ruling. Jason Doyle (28) of Tower Hill, Ballymote, County Sligo, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm against his then partner at their home on 10 January 2021. Sligo Circuit Criminal Court had imposed a two-year sentence with 15 months suspended. The State appealed on grounds of undue leniency. The victim sustained injuries including bleeding to the head, bruising to the jaw-line, and blows to the back of her head and body during the overnight incident. Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the Court of Appeal's judgment, found the lower court had erred in principle by applying an excessive mitigation discount. The court substituted a headline sentence of three years with nine months credited for the guilty plea and nine months suspended, resulting in an 18-month custodial term.
David 'Dave' Macardle, a long‑time presenter of the 'Dave Mac's Drive' programme on Cork's RedFm, has had his High Court action against the station resolved. The court heard that the proceedings had been settled and could be struck out, though no agreement details were disclosed. The dispute arose after RedFm demanded that Macardle stop presenting the show from Dublin three days a week and instead host it from its Cork studio all five weekdays. Macardle's lawyers had earlier secured a temporary injunction allowing him to continue the dual‑location arrangement. The station, represented by Brian Conroy BL, denied wrongdoing and had intended to oppose the action. The court noted that the parties had reached undertakings permitting Macardle to present two days a week from Cork and three days a week from Dublin, and that the station would not replace him or terminate his position pending the outcome of the case.
The High Court has quashed a condition imposed on Fiona O'Leary, a campaigner against pseudoscience, following the resolution of her judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions. In January, at Bandon District Court, Judge James McNulty sentenced Mrs O'Leary to 60 days imprisonment, suspended for two years, after she pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 13 of the 1994 Criminal Justice Act (Public Order) Act. She was charged with trespassing on a property at the Priory, Maulatanvally, Reenscreena Rosscarbery, Cork, in a manner likely to cause fear. The prosecution case relied on a statement from Fr Giacomo Ballini and alleged that Mrs O'Leary uploaded video footage of the premises to social media. As part of the sentence, the judge imposed conditions requiring her to keep the peace and refrain from engaging in abusive or offensive behaviour in any public place or forum, including social media, for the two-year suspension period. Mrs O'Leary, represented by Bernard Condon SC and Conor McKenna BL, challenged this condition in the High Court, arguing it breached her right to freedom of expression. On Tuesday, Mr Justice Charles Meenan was informed that the action had resolved and the DPP consented to an order quashing the specific condition. Mrs O'Leary stated that she requires social media access for her activism against misinformation, while maintaining she does not intend to be abusive.
Three family members and a teenager accused of murdering Thomas 'Tom' Dooley, 43, will be tried at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on 29 May 2024. The defendants are Patrick Dooley (35), Thomas Dooley Senior (41), Thomas Dooley Junior (20) and a 17‑year‑old boy who cannot be named. They are charged with the murder of Mr Dooley at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, on 5 October 2022, after he was attacked by a group of men while attending a funeral. Thomas Dooley Junior is also charged with assault causing serious harm to Mr Dooley's wife, Siobhán, and the teenager is charged with producing an article likely to intimidate or cause serious injury to Ms Dooley. Mr Dooley died after the attack; Siobhán suffered serious injuries. The court set the trial for the four defendants, with a mention scheduled for 10 July 2024 to allow the defence to receive case materials.
In a June 2023 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission dismissed Hilary Ellis's claim that she was discriminated against for refusing a Covid‑19 vaccine on religious grounds when applying to Araglen House Nursing Home in Cork. Ellis, a Christian Scientist, argued that her faith allowed her to refuse medical treatment. The nursing home's HR manager, Chris Woods, informed her that vaccination was a mandatory condition for all employees and that she would not be employed if unvaccinated. The commission's adjudicating officer, Thomas O'Driscoll, found that Ellis's position was not a protected religious belief under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and that the nursing home's vaccine requirement was a valid condition of employment to protect residents. Consequently, the complaint was rejected, with the commission concluding no discrimination had occurred. The decision was published on 20 June 2023.
Noel Lennon, 49, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Isaac Horgan, 52, who died after being stabbed in the leg at his home in Dublin 2 on March 29, 2021. Originally charged with murder, Lennon pleaded not guilty to that charge but guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the State. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of nine years, reduced by 18 months to seven and a half years. The final year of the sentence was suspended for a post-release period of four years, with the judge warning that any breach would result in immediate custody. The sentence was backdated to March 30 last year. The court noted Lennon's high risk of re-offending and his 12 previous convictions. Aggravating factors included the impact on Horgan's nine-year-old son and the fact the victim was killed in his own home. A co-accused, Lisa Lee, was previously convicted by a jury of discarding the knife used in the attack. Lee, of no fixed abode, was jailed for two years last December. The report also notes that Horgan had previously been acquitted of the 2002 manslaughter of Douglas McManus, having pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges in that earlier case.
Edward Riordan, a 73‑year‑old truck driver, told the Workplace Relations Commission that he defecated in a Flextronics loading bay during an urgent diarrhoea episode and did not report it because he thought the waste would wash away in a thunderstorm. He claimed the incident was caused by a peptic ulcer and that his former employer, All Star Logistics Ltd, discriminated against him on age and disability grounds by hiring a younger driver, cutting his hours and dismissing him after the incident. The company denied discrimination, arguing that the stool found was solid and inconsistent with diarrhoea, and that Riordan's failure to clean up or report the matter constituted gross misconduct. The tribunal heard that Riordan was identified on CCTV, admitted responsibility, and that the company had suspended him before formally addressing the issue. Adjudicating officer Ewa Sobanska will issue a decision in writing.
Kevin Coade, 44, was found guilty of trespassing and theft at an 81‑year‑old neighbour's house on 25 July 2018. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, by Judge Sean Ó Donnabháin. Coade appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred by allowing the identification evidence of the then Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Michael Finn, and other witnesses, including CCTV footage from a local pub, to be presented to the jury. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal. Birmingham held that the identification evidence was not inferior to a formal parade and that the judge had discretion to admit it. He also dismissed the claim that the jury should have been warned about possible false statements by Coade, concluding that no lies had been proven. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the conviction and sentence intact. Kevin Coade pleaded not guilty.
Vadim Veste, a 28-year-old dual Moldovan-Romanian national from Fermoy, Co Cork, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for aggravated sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to the November 7, 2021, attack on a woman in her 50s at St Colman's Park. Mr Justice Paul McDermott described the incident as shocking, brutal, and cowardly, noting the victim sustained injuries and that Veste used a hat as a gag. The judge highlighted Veste's history, including a previous three-year prison sentence for the rape of a 14-year-old in Eastern Europe in July 2016, from which he was released just 18 days before the current offence. Although a headline sentence of nine years was set, the judge reduced the term due to Veste's expression of remorse, despite a Probation Service report indicating a lack of insight. Veste was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with the final six months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including attending treatment deemed appropriate by the Probation Service. The court also ordered that Veste not approach the victim or her family, prohibited unsupervised access to children, and imposed a six-year post-release supervision order to protect society and prevent future offending.
A pre‑trial hearing has started in the case of Noel Long, a 74‑year‑old man accused of murdering 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in 1981. The hearing, expected to last three weeks, is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Brendan Grehan, senior counsel, leads the prosecution, while Michael Delaney SC heads the defence. Sheehan's body was discovered by forestry workers at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods, Cork, six days after she was reported missing. A jury will be sworn in after the pre‑trial hearing concludes.
David 'Dave' Macardle, presenter of the 'Dave Mac's Drive' programme on Cork radio station RedFM, obtained a temporary High Court injunction allowing him to continue broadcasting from Dublin three days a week. The dispute arose after the station's new management demanded that he host the show from the Cork studio on all five weekdays, contrary to his contract which had permitted two days from Cork and three days from Dublin for the past 21 months. Macardle argued that the station's refusal to honour the agreed arrangement breached his employment contract and threatened his reputation if another colleague were to take over. The injunction covers the broadcasts on May 25 and May 26, with the case scheduled for a further hearing next Monday. The judge noted that only Macardle's side had been heard in the proceedings.
In a 2023 Court of Appeal decision, the three‑judge panel ruled that if a juvenile sentencing error is found, the appeal court cannot impose a new sentence once the offender turns 18. The case concerned a 20‑year‑old man who had been sentenced to life detention with a 13‑year review after pleading guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old student Cameron Blair. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, had sentenced him in April 2020 when he was just shy of 18. The appeal court can only quash the original sentence or impose a sentence that could have been given at trial, but it cannot order detention for an adult or imprisonment if that was not an option at sentencing. The court noted that the offender would be transferred to an adult prison after 18, and that the appeal court is constrained by the options available at the trial court.
A 19‑year‑old who had been charged with attempting to murder a teenager in Dublin when he was 17 pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to intentionally causing serious harm to that victim, to making a threat to kill or seriously injure another teenager, and to possessing a knife without lawful authority. The prosecution presented four counts; guilty pleas were entered on three, and a nolle prosequi was entered for the attempted murder charge, meaning the State will not pursue that count. The defendant was originally charged with the attempted murder of a teenage boy at Tymon Lane, Tallaght, on 2 January 2021. He also pleaded guilty to threatening a second teenager at Red Cow Luas Stop, Clondalkin, on 14 April 2021, and to having a knife on him at that time.
Anthony Glynn, a 52‑year‑old Dublin man, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment for his role in a large Kinahan Cartel drugs and ammunition operation. Glynn pleaded guilty to possessing €1.4 million in drugs—cocaine and cannabis—and 335 rounds of ammunition, including .44 Remington Magnum, .357 Magnum, .45 ACP and .22 LR rounds, between 25 January 2017 and 12 April 2017. The court described him as a "conduit" who passed information between Douglas Glynn and Emmet Fogarty. The judge imposed a six‑year term with the final year suspended for three years, and ordered a Section 26 monitoring order for the same period. Glynn had no prior convictions and had worked as a porter at Mater Hospital before the offence. The sentence was intended to encourage him to abandon criminal activity.
Karl Humphries, 40, of Bishopstown, was convicted in July 2021 of three counts of possession of cannabis worth about €58,000 for sale or supply. He claimed he was out hunting rabbits in Watergrasshill on 25 July 2012 when a Garda sting operation found a 9.74‑kg bag of cannabis under a hedge. Humphries denied any involvement in the drug trade, stating he never touched the bag and that he was simply searching for it. He pleaded not guilty and was found guilty by a 10‑2 jury. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Humphries appealed on grounds that the judge failed to properly explain inferences, the standard of proof and the elements of sale or supply. The three‑judge court dismissed all three grounds and upheld the conviction and sentence.
The High Court, by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, formally wound up Tower Trade Finance Ireland Limited (TTFI) and Deal Partners Logistics Ltd (DPL) on Monday. Both companies, registered in Dublin, were insolvent and could not pay debts exceeding €13 million. Mr Declan McDonald of PWC, previously the examiner, was appointed as the official liquidator for the two firms. Earlier this year the companies had entered examinership, but the process ended after a proposed survival scheme for TTFI was rejected by creditors and a scheme for DPL could not proceed without approval for both firms. The companies had sought court protection following financial difficulties linked to the collapse of JACC Sports Distributors, which had supplied sports kit to the FAI. The court noted that creditors, represented by Gavin Smith of DLA Piper, were not opposed to Mr McDonald's appointment. The judge confirmed the liquidation orders and the appointment of Mr McDonald as liquidator.
In May 2023 the High Court was asked to liquidate Tower Trade Finance Ireland Limited (TTFI) and Deal Partners Logistics Ltd (DPL) after creditors rejected a proposed survival scheme for TTFI. The companies had sought examinership protection following financial difficulties linked to the liquidation of JACC Sports Distributors, which had supplied sports kit to the FAI. Both firms owed creditors over €13 million and had previously been placed under examinership by insolvency practitioner Declan McDonald of PWC. A scheme had been agreed for DPL, but the relationship between the firms required both schemes to be approved. With TTFI's creditors voting against the scheme, the examiner and counsel concluded that the only option was to end examinership and order liquidation. Mr McDonald was proposed to act as liquidator, while a short adjournment was granted to allow creditors to decide whether they preferred a different liquidator.
Oliver Doran, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the axe‑murder of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng in Robinson's Court, Dublin. The court heard that Doran entered Cheng's sheltered accommodation at 9.59 pm on 28 April 2021, left at 11.12 pm, returned at 1.03 am on 29 April, and stayed for 11 minutes before Cheng's body was found the next morning. CCTV showed Doran's movements, and a pathologist confirmed multiple blunt and sharp‑force injuries, including a fractured mandible, caused by an axe found beside the body. DNA on the axe matched Doran, who had previously fled Ireland with his family the day after the murder and was arrested on 5 May 2021. He pleaded guilty, had 98 prior convictions, and the judge described the crime as senseless with no motive, imposing a life sentence back‑dated to 17 January 2023. The sentencing hearing included a victim impact statement from Cheng's son, Jason.
Anthony Glynn, a 52‑year‑old Dublin man, pleaded guilty to two serious offences for the benefit of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. He admitted possessing €1.4 million in drugs—cocaine and cannabis—and 335 rounds of ammunition between 25 January 2017 and 12 April 2017. Glynn acted as a conduit, relaying messages from his brother Douglas Glynn to Emmet Fogarty, who managed the business premises at Mount Dillon Business Park where the drugs were seized. The court noted Glynn's cooperation and lack of prior convictions, but also his role in the industrial‑scale operation. He will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court on 19 May, with the maximum penalty for each offence being 15 years' imprisonment. The article reports only the charges and the forthcoming sentencing date, without any outcome or further legal developments.
Brian Murphy, a former senior audit partner at Deloitte, lost his appeal against a High Court ruling that he could be criminally prosecuted for alleged tax offences. The High Court had ruled in May 2022 that Murphy could be prosecuted following a summons issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in February 2014 over a VAT refund claim for a company he directed, and a further summons in October 2015 concerning alleged tax return offences between 2008 and 2012. Murphy denied wrongdoing and argued that a settlement agreement reached with Revenue in August 2015, which required monthly payments of €4,000 and annual lump‑sum payments of €20,000 to €75,000, created a legitimate expectation that he would not be prosecuted. The High Court judge, Mr Justice Garrett Simons, found that the agreement did not contain any representation that the DPP would not pursue criminal proceedings and dismissed Murphy's claim of a breach of legitimate expectation.
The High Court appointed a provisional liquidator, Mr David O'Connor of BDO, to SIAC Construction Ltd and SIAC Roofing and Cladding Ltd, two trading companies of the SIAC construction group. The companies, which employ about 100 workers and are registered in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, are insolvent with net liabilities of €12.3 million for SIAC Construction and projected losses of around €500,000 for SIAC Roofing and Cladding in 2023. The court heard that the firms lack sufficient cash to pay staff and that the group has faced severe cash difficulties due to Covid‑19, rising labour and material costs, insurance and bonding issues, and the loss of senior personnel. Mr O'Connor was granted powers to retain employees and subcontractors on projects in Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny, secure assets worth about €11.2 million, and prevent "self‑help" by creditors.
In May 2020 a dockworker, Brian Dooley, was dismissed by Marine Terminals Ltd after a truck driver, who was lost and had climbed onto the running board of a moving container handling machine, was allowed to remain on the machine's cab. Dooley told the driver to dismount, but the driver refused, claiming he was lost. Dooley feared the driver could be struck by a lorry or container and, without a functioning two‑way radio, proceeded to the driver's truck to escort him to the collection point. The incident was discovered by a manager reviewing CCTV on 24 June 2020, leading to an investigation and Dooley's dismissal. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld Dooley's unfair dismissal claim, noting his 24 years of unblemished service, but reduced his loss‑of‑earnings award to €10,000 because his attempts to mitigate losses were deemed inadequate. The decision was published on 3 May 2023.
Ronan Keogan, a 51‑year‑old former GP, received a fully‑suspended one‑year prison sentence for distributing child pornography. He pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing child pornography at an unknown location in March 2017 and to possessing three child pornography images in May 2017. Gardaí found 10,000 images on his phone, including three child‑pornographic images, one of which he sent to an adult woman he was meeting for sex. Keogan claimed the girl in the image was 15, later stating 17. He was described as engaging in "thrill‑seeking behaviour", meeting many women online, and had a history of anxiety and depression. The judge noted the impact on his career and family, imposed the suspended sentence, and noted he would become a registered sex offender. No other convictions or charges were mentioned.
The State has appealed a High Court ruling that quashed a District Court judge's refusal to hear cases against three individuals accused of breaching publication restrictions under the Children Act 2001. The accused, Edel Doherty, Kyle Rooney, and Declan Corcoran, are alleged to have posted photos or named the teenage boys convicted of murdering Ana Kriegel in 2018. In July last year, Ms Justice Siobhán Phelan ordered the matter returned to the District Court for reconsideration, finding that Judge John Hughes' approach to jurisdiction was unfair. Today, at the Court of Appeal, the State argued that no breach of natural justice occurred and that the High Court erred in its decision. Counsel for the appellants contended that the cases were distinct, with Mr Corcoran accused of naming the boys, causing potentially more serious harm. The court noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to summary trials at the District Court level. The presiding judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved his judgment in the matter.
A 51‑year‑old GP, Ronan Keogan of Terenure, pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing child pornography and to possessing three child pornography images. The offences were committed in March and May 2017. A woman he met on the affairs website Ashley Madison complained to Gardaí after he sent her images of a girl he claimed was 15, later stating she was 17. Gardaí obtained search warrants for Keogan's medical centre and home; the centre search yielded over 10,000 images, three of which were child pornography. Keogan was cooperative during the searches and denied intent to exploit underage girls. He has no prior convictions. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 3 May 2023. Keogan has been removed from the Medical Council, his practice closed, and he has lost all income as a result of the offences.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in the appeal by 'Fat' Freddie Thompson against his 2018 life sentence for the 2016 murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas. Thompson, who pleaded not guilty, argued that his conviction should be overturned due to procedural failures in how gardaí identified him from CCTV footage. His counsel contended that no records were kept of the identification process, preventing effective cross-examination, and cited UK protocols as a standard for such procedures. The State argued that the UK code did not apply in Ireland and that the conviction remained safe even without the CCTV evidence, noting that the footage was of sufficient quality for the trier of fact. The court heard that Thompson was driving a Ford Fiesta involved in the plot, while other vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz, Suzuki Swift, and Mitsubishi Mirage, were part of the convoy. Thompson is one of four men jailed for the murder. Lee Canavan was sentenced to life in 2021 for his role in the joint enterprise, though the court did not find he fired the shots. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received a six-year sentence, while Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years as the getaway driver.
Eoin Considine, a 24‑year‑old Limerick law graduate, was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a woman after they had engaged in consensual sex. The incident occurred on 11 August 2019 when the couple, who had met in a pub that evening, went to the woman's home. She reported that Considine began pulling her hair, striking her head, and later choking and pinning her down. She withdrew consent and begged him to stop, but he continued sexual penetration for about 90 seconds. Considine pleaded not guilty and denied rape, but was convicted in January. The judge noted the lack of a guilty plea or remorse, set a headline sentence of four and a half years, and imposed a four‑year custodial term with 18 months of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement described bruising, bleeding, loss of safety in her own bedroom, and suicidal thoughts. No contact with the victim is allowed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach admitted to 13 counts of indecent assault on five teenage boys between December 1979 and March 1990. The admissions followed Judge Martin Nolan's ruling that incidents involving complainants aged 15 or older should not be considered by the jury, as the law at the time allowed consensual activity post‑15. The defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to 266 counts covering 1978‑1993. He denied wrongdoing, claiming some allegations were fabricated or that he only acted after the boys turned 15. The judge remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing to 22 May, noting the conduct was "grossly immoral" but not criminally illegal under the 1980s law. The case remains pending sentencing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach pleaded not guilty to 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys. The court heard that the complainants, now men in their 40s and 50s, had been in contact with the accused as boys or teenagers through sports and family friendship. The State alleged that the accused exposed himself, fondled, masturbated, handcuffed, urinated and defecated with the boys, and that he offered money for sexual acts. The accused denied suggesting that a second complainant could pay off a loan by letting him watch the complainant's wife and him have sex. He claimed the relationship with the second complainant became sexual only after he turned 18 and that any acts were consensual. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach is on trial for 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys, with alleged incidents spanning 1978 to 1993 in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny. One complainant, now 56, described how the coach first approached him around age 12, rubbing his leg and later tying him with twine and handcuffs, touching his genitals and taking naked photographs in the coach's car and home. He also recounted being taken to a wooded area where he was tied to a tree, had his genitals squeezed, and was threatened with a cigarette. The complainant said these weekly abuses continued until he was 15 and that he received money from the coach. The witness denied that the allegations were fabricated and insisted he was not lying. The trial is set to continue before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. The unnamed 72-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to five counts of indecent and sexual assault against teenage boys in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny between 1978 and 1993. One complainant, now 48, testified that the accused began making sexual innuendos when he was about 12, offering money for the boy to allow the man to touch his penis and later to watch him masturbate. The complainant described being tied to trees and beds, forced to perform acts involving urination and defecation, and the accused wearing women's clothes and demanding the boy "punish" him by squeezing his genitals or kicking him. Alcohol and drugs were also present. Another complainant, aged 52, recounted a 1985 incident where the accused touched his penis in a car and the boy later reported the event to a Garda station, only to be told an adult was required.
A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicating officer has dismissed a discrimination and victimisation claim brought by racecourse bookmaker Jim Desmond against the Association of Irish Racecourses CLG (AIR). Mr Desmond alleged that the operator of Mallow Racecourse refused him access to a tent during wet weather on 31 October 2021, a restriction he described as "apartheid Irish style." He claimed this constituted a "man-made discriminatory rule" imposed by AIR, arguing that other betting operators were allowed indoor facilities while on-course bookmakers were not. Mr Desmond, who stated he had attended Mallow meetings for 70 years, sought improved facilities rather than financial recompense and later attempted to progress the claim on the grounds of disability, citing compromised mobility. However, he acknowledged he had not specified a protected characteristic in his initial statutory notification. AIR chairman Paddy Walsh responded that the association had no role in designing betting rings and that Mr Desmond had failed to link his complaint to prescribed grounds. Adjudicating officer Patsy Doyle found that Mr Desmond did not have a protected disability and had not been refused service by AIR, as he paid the racecourse directly for his pitch. She determined there was no less favourable treatment by AIR and that the matter was a commercial dispute. While noting Mr Desmond acted in genuine belief, she concluded he was "mistaken" in his claim for victimisation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 72‑year‑old former sports coach, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to 266 counts of indecent and sexual assault against five boys in Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny between 1978 and 1993. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, presented evidence that the accused tied boys up in woods or at his home, exposed his penis, forced them to urinate in a glass and defecate in his mouth, and engaged in other sexual acts. The first complainant, now 51, testified that the coach, a family friend, offered money for such acts, describing a pattern that began when he was 13 and continued until he was 20. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, remains ongoing with a jury hearing the case.
Maurice Fitzgerald, 29, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and assaulting a 26‑year‑old woman with chronic schizophrenia on 27 August. The court heard he travelled from Cork to Dublin, bought duct tape and a claw hammer, and planned to abduct the victim. Gardaí were called when residents heard tape being wrapped and the victim screaming. Fitzgerald dragged her, bound her with tape, and gagged her in an alleyway. He was restrained, cuffed, and a knife was used to free tape from her mouth. The victim was taken to Mater Hospital, then transferred to a Midlands hospital under the Mental Health Act. Fitzgerald's prior convictions and guilty plea were noted, and he was ordered to comply with probation for five years post‑release. The sentence was back‑dated to the day of the offence.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Graham Dwyer's appeal against his conviction for the murder of Elaine O'Hara. President Mr Justice George Birmingham, delivering the judgment of the three-judge court, upheld the unanimous jury verdict from 2015. The court rejected Dwyer's argument that the admission of mobile phone call data records constituted a miscarriage of justice, noting that traditional detective work provided independent, compelling evidence linking the phones to him. The judges also dismissed claims regarding the trial judge's demeanor, adverse media coverage, and the admission of video evidence, finding no prejudice to the jury. Furthermore, the court rejected the defense contention that suicide remained a live issue, concluding there was sufficient evidence for the jury to infer Dwyer stabbed O'Hara to death. Dwyer, a 50-year-old architect, was originally sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for what was described as a chilling and premeditated murder following a campaign of manipulation. The appeal court confirmed that the admission of the limited call data evidence could not conceivably be regarded as giving rise to a miscarriage of justice, thereby upholding the conviction.
A 40‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to four years in prison in June 2021 for raping his younger sister when she was between five and nine and for sexually assaulting her again when she was 16 and he was 21. He denied both offences and had no prior convictions. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 March 2023, his counsel argued that the time elapsed between the offences should have been considered for mitigation, claiming the sexual‑assault sentence was disproportionate. The appeal was dismissed. The judges noted the victim's age, the breach of trust, and the fact that she had to fight off her brother during the assault. They said the sentence was proper and just, and that no part of it had been suspended. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original four‑year custodial term in place.
Joseph Rogerson, aged 73, was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply. The drugs were seized in June 2005 from his car on Rock Road, Blackrock, and from his house in Ballybrack, Co. Dublin, amounting to just over a kilo of cocaine and heroin worth €146,552. Rogerson had fled Ireland in 2006, taking a bench warrant, and lived in the Canary Islands until his voluntary return on 8 March 2023. He had 31 prior convictions, including 23 for larceny and several assault offences, but had not offended since 1987. The judge noted his age, his voluntary surrender, and cooperation with Gardaí, and backdated the sentence to the day of his return. The court highlighted that Rogerson's gambling debt and alleged coercion by third parties were factors considered in sentencing. The four‑year term is effective from 8 March 2023.
Douglas Glynn, a manager for the Kinahan cartel, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for managing an industrial-scale drugs warehouse. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Glynn as "cannon fodder" used by higher-level members. Glynn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess 335 rounds of ammunition and to conspiracy to possess cocaine and cannabis worth over €13,000. The judge fixed a headline sentence of 12 years for the drugs charge, discounted by 25% for his early plea, with the final year suspended for four years under probation supervision. He was also sentenced to four years for the ammunition charge to run concurrently. These sentences run from February 20, when he entered his first plea. Glynn is already serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final year suspended, for his role in a foiled plot to murder James 'Mago' Gately. His brother, Anthony Glynn, pleaded guilty to possessing the ammunition and drugs for the gang and was sentenced in February of last year to seven-and-a-half years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. Emmet Fogarty, alleged to be responsible for the unit, was jailed for five years in November 2018 after pleading guilty to possession of the drugs and ammunition. The matter was concluded with these sentences.
In March 2023 the High Court heard a challenge to a Circuit Court decision that overturned a Workplace Relations Commission finding that a hotel owned by Supermac's founder Pat McDonagh had discriminated against a Traveller family. The family, consisting of Bridget O'Reilly, her partner Philip O'Neill and two children, had been denied accommodation at the Charleville Park Hotel after booking online and presenting a debit card and a cheque. The hotel insisted a credit card in the name of the guest was required. The WRC awarded the family €22,000 for discrimination, but the Circuit Court set aside that finding, ruling the hotel's credit‑card policy was lawful. The family's lawyers now seek a judicial review, alleging the judge's conduct created a reasonable apprehension of bias, including the use of the term "itinerants" and praise of the hotel's witness. The High Court has adjourned the case to May pending a transcript of the Circuit Court hearing.
Kenneth Reilly, 63, was jailed for five years after a jury found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, Helene Hallisey Power, between 1982 and 1985 when she was aged 12 to 16. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court in Cork, concluded in October after a series of allegations that Reilly forced Power to masturbate, photographed her without clothes, and made her watch pornographic films. Power, now 54, testified that the abuse left her feeling "dirty, ashamed, empty and completely confused," and that taking the stand felt like a re‑experience of sexual assault. She described the impact on her mental health and her decision to speak out. Reilly, who has no prior convictions, accepted the verdicts and was sentenced by Ms Justice Creedon to six years, with the final year suspended on conditions, back‑dated to his entry into custody.