Court archive
Court reports mentioning Dundrum, Down
2025-12-05 · Down
A repeat offender, Michael O'Connell (44), of Patrician Villas, Stillorgan, has been referred to probation services and ordered to complete community service reports following his guilty pleas to criminal damage, intoxication in a public place, and threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. O'Connell pleaded guilty to these charges on 18 September, 2024, and also admitted to causing criminal damage at Dundrum Garda Station on the same date. Gardaí responded to a call at Patrician Villas on that morning, where they found O'Connell throwing a stone at the front door of his former partner's home. He was highly intoxicated and verbally abusive towards the gardaí. O'Connell has 84 previous convictions, including public order, drug, firearms, and road traffic offences. He was previously given a suspended sentence for criminal damage in 2020. His defence highlighted his history of mental health issues, including paranoid schizophrenia, and his reliance on alcohol and drugs. O'Connell is currently on methadone and has been sober for a period of time. The court noted that he has never worked with probation services despite his long history of offending.
2025-07-16 · Down
Reagan Chang, 53, of Clonee, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to possessing a hammer and crowbar in a GO rental car in Dundrum on January 30, 2023. The case was brought under Section 9(4) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990. Garda Brenda O'Brien testified that she found Chang asleep in the vehicle and that he initially claimed the items were for his own protection. In court, Chang denied making such a statement and offered no mitigation. Defence counsel Michael O'Brien BL suggested Chang had been looking for discarded wooden pallets, a claim Judge Anne Watkin described as arriving "out of the blue" and inconsistent with the Garda's account. Judge Watkin stated she did not believe Chang's evidence, noting the explanation for needing a crowbar and hammer for pallets made no sense. She remarked that Chang had provided no legitimate reason for possessing the items and suggested he may have been lying to either the Gardaí or the court. The judge indicated there was no evidence Chang felt threatened or in need of protection. The matter was adjourned for a full probation report, with Chang due back before the court on November 17.
2024-11-26 · Down
Allpro Security Services Ireland Ltd, a security provider with about 1,000 staff and indirect support for 250 jobs, secured an interim restraining order from Mr Justice Mark Sanfey to prevent Top Security Ltd from publicising a winding‑up petition it claims is malicious. Allpro, which supplied guards at the former Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum for asylum‑seeker accommodation, had engaged Top Security in June 2023 at €21 per hour. Disputes arose over clock‑in/out records, with Allpro alleging a €5,000 discrepancy and later a €154,000 claim from Top Security. Allpro stopped payments in January 2024, paid €123,000 in March, and contends the petition would cause unjustified reputational damage and stress to employees before Christmas. The court granted the injunction and adjourned the case to Thursday.
2021-06-03 · Dublin
Francesco Lampasi, 43, of Belarmine Plaza, Stepaside, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature on the southbound Green Line tram on 2 August 2019. A passenger, Mr Martin Smith, observed Lampasi holding his phone down his side while beside a woman and saw a colour on the screen matching the woman's skirt and skin. Smith demanded to see the gallery app; Lampasi complied and was later arrested, with his phone seized. Analysis of the phone revealed extra close‑up photos of women's buttocks and genitals, including images taken the previous day. Lampasi admitted taking the photos was inappropriate and that he had taken advantage of the girl. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a nine‑month suspended sentence, ordering Lampasi to remain of good behaviour and to donate €2,000 to a charity in the Dundrum area. The woman left the tram and has not been traced.
2020-12-11 · Dublin
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd praised Garda Fergus Holly's bravery after he was dragged and run over by a car driven by Clive Sweeney, 37, who was attempting to flee from Dundrum Town Centre. Sweeney, who had 85 prior convictions and was on bail, pleaded guilty to endangerment and failing to stop. Holly sustained bruising and a permanent finger injury. The judge noted Sweeney's reckless driving, his guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances, including drug addiction. She imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final year on the condition of one year of probation supervision, and a ten‑year driving ban. The incident involved a blue Fiat Bravo that had been used in a theft at Snow and Rock earlier that month. The judge commended Holly for his courage and acknowledged the aggravating factor that Sweeney knew Holly was a garda.
2019-10-23 · Down
During a two‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a mother was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after she smothered her three‑year‑old daughter with a pillow while the child was napping. The mother testified that she held the pillow over the child's face as the child struggled and screamed, and that she had been obsessed with the child's autism diagnosis, believing it to be a severe form called Pathological Demand Avoidance. She had searched online for "suicide" and "mothers killing autistic children" in the days before the killing. Two forensic psychiatrists testified that she suffered from severe depression with psychotic features and did not understand the nature of her act. The jury deliberated 54 minutes and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge ordered her to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital, with a further hearing scheduled for November 5.
2019-07-16 · Sligo
A 32-year-old man, Richard McLaughlin, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of Jimmy 'James' Loughlin (20) in Sligo on February 24, 2018, has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) following an appeal. The court heard that McLaughlin broke into Loughlin's home and beat him to death with a crowbar while suffering from delusions caused by paranoid schizophrenia. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan confirmed that Loughlin died from traumatic head injuries. During the trial, it was revealed that McLaughlin had a history of mental health issues, including previous admissions to St Columba's Hospital in Sligo and concerns raised by psychiatrists about his risk of violence. Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the CMH, testified that McLaughlin has been compliant with his treatment plan and has begun to develop insight into his illness. She recommended his commitment to the CMH for inpatient care. Dr Conor O'Neill, also a consultant forensic psychiatrist, confirmed that McLaughlin suffered from schizophrenia and did not understand that his actions were wrong at the time of the attack. The court, having heard evidence from two consultant psychiatrists, concluded that McLaughlin met the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The matter was adjourned for the Mental Health Review Board to review his condition every six months.
2019-07-09 · Sligo
In an appeal-stage procedural development, the Central Criminal Court directed Dr Sally Lenihan to prepare a report on the ongoing treatment of Richard McLaughlin, with the court scheduled to hear the matter on July 16. This follows a jury verdict finding McLaughlin not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of Jimmy Loughlin in Sligo in 2018. The court heard that McLaughlin, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, broke into the victim's home and attacked him with a crowbar. Two forensic psychiatrists agreed that McLaughlin did not understand his actions were wrong and was unable to refrain from the act due to his mental disorder. The victim's parents, Paula and Michael Loughlin, stated it was unacceptable that a man known to mental health services lived nearby. They expressed hope that questions regarding mental health services would be addressed at a coroner's inquest. McLaughlin's mother, Mairead McLaughlin, expressed her deepest sorrow to the Loughlin family. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart noted the palpable grief of the family and extended sympathy to McLaughlin's mother. The matter is currently adjourned pending the submission of the treatment report, and no final disposal or sentence has been concluded.
2016-11-04 · Waterford
Paul Cuddihy, 38, a former resident of St Otteran's Hospital, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of 55‑year‑old Maria O'Brien and for assaulting fellow resident Mary Nugent and nurses Breda Fennelly, Terry Hayes and Mary Grant. The jury, after 39 minutes of deliberation, concluded that Cuddihy, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was in a psychotic episode when he stabbed O'Brien over 100 times and attacked the others. He was committed to the Central Mental Hospital, with a return to court on 14 November for a treatment plan. O'Brien's family described her as kindhearted and loving, while forensic psychiatrists testified that Cuddihy's delusions and voices drove his actions and that he was unaware of their wrongfulness. The case highlighted the application of the Mental Health Act in determining criminal responsibility.
2016-06-09 · Donegal
A man from Carndonagh, County Donegal, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of his parents at their home on October 22, 2014. Julian Cuddihy (43) faced two charges at the Central Criminal Court following the deaths of his mother Kathleen (73) and father James (77). The trial heard expert evidence from two consultant forensic psychiatrists who testified that Mr Cuddihy's severe mental illness prevented him from knowing his actions were wrong and rendered him unable to stop himself. The jury deliberated for forty minutes before returning unanimous verdicts on both counts. Justice Margaret Heneghan committed Mr Cuddihy to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum for ongoing assessment and treatment. His family released a statement expressing their grief and urging other families to seek timely professional help for relatives experiencing mental health concerns. A follow-up court hearing was scheduled for June 20.
2016-05-27 · Wicklow
An autistic 23‑year‑old, Bijan Afshar, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his 50‑year‑old mother, Lynn Cassidy, who died on 26 or 27 June 2014 at their home in Deepdales, Bray, Co Wicklow. Afshar beat his mother to death after she told him she could not prevent the sale of the house he shared with his father. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and the jury of six men and six women delivered a unanimous verdict after less than an hour of deliberations at the Central Criminal Court. Afshar was committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. Justice Isobel Kennedy ordered that he be examined by an approved medical officer who will report to the court on his condition and ongoing treatment on 8 June.