In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Anna Kavanagh (48) and Christine Byrne (30) were sentenced to community service for fraudulently applying for loans at Provident Personal Credit between August 2009 and January 2011. Kavanagh, employed in a position of responsibility, used other people's names to obtain €49,000, repaying €26,218 before the company discovered the scheme in September 2012, resulting in a €23,500 loss. She pleaded guilty to four counts of making a gain by deception and three counts of forgery. Byrne, also from Crannoge Close, pleaded guilty to six counts of forgery. Both were given three‑year sentences suspended in full and ordered to complete 240 hours of community service. The judge noted their financial difficulties and expressed remorse, and the court considered the defendants unlikely to re‑offend. The case highlighted the use of personal networks to secure high‑interest loans.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mohammed Abduljabbar, a 29‑year‑old Saudi Arabian master's student, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two counts of criminal damage after breaking into student accommodation at the Gateway Student Village in Ballymun on 25 June. He used a nunchuck to assault a fellow student, whom he claimed had damaged his car, and smashed two glass doors. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending 21 months on conditions that included payment of €2,000 in damages to the doors within 28 days. The Saudi Arabian embassy, represented in court, agreed to pay the damages. Abduljabbar admitted guilt, expressed remorse, and was noted to have a low risk of re‑offending by Probation Services. The victim suffered superficial injuries and declined to give an impact statement. The case highlighted Abduljabbar's prior convictions and his status as a foreign student facing educational disruption.
James Mongan, 33, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in Ballymun on 11 July 2016 and will be sentenced in April. While driving a taxi, the driver was flagged down by Mongan, who asked to be taken to St Margaret's. After a brief conversation, Mongan moved to the centre of the rear seat, put a knife to the driver's throat and threatened to stab him if he did not give money. The driver slammed on the brakes, grabbed the blade, and escaped by spraying deodorant and shouting for Gardaí. Mongan was pursued and caught by two officers. No knife was recovered. The driver suffered cuts to his fingers requiring stitches and now feels vulnerable, fearing for his life and the dark. Mongan, who has 65 prior convictions, has been in custody, is drug‑free, and has begun learning to read in prison.
William Gilsenan, aged 24, appeared for sentencing at the Central Criminal Court following his December conviction for manslaughter in the death of Edward Fitzgerald. The incident occurred on 17 October 2014 in a car park at The Green, Larch Hill, Oscar Traynor Road, Santry, Dublin. Mr Gilsenan was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. A dispute over a €100 debt preceded the stabbing, during which Mr Gilsenan inflicted two knife wounds, one of which proved fatal. The defence counsel sought a sentence not exceeding four years, citing Mr Gilsenan's previously good character, lack of violence history, and evidence that the attack was provoked and reactionary rather than premeditated. A psychological report indicated depression and cannabis use for self-medication. The victim's family provided an impact statement describing ongoing trauma. Justice Paul Butler adjourned sentencing to 19 January, remanding Mr Gilsenan in custody pending that date.
Jamie Daly, aged 20, pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful possession of a motor vehicle after breaking into a Blackrock home on 17 February. He and a co‑accused loitered in the house, stealing expensive items, then fled in the victim's black Jaguar, which crashed on the road. CCTV identified them; the co‑accused received a five‑year sentence with one year suspended. Daly was given a suspended three‑year sentence. He had four prior convictions for minor offences and was homeless at the time of the crime, having been displaced from Ballymun. He was on drugs during the offence and had little recollection. Since then, he has enrolled in a horticulture course at Blackrock Further Education Institute and engaged positively with the Probation Service. The judge noted the burglary was aggravated by the prolonged presence in the victim's home but also acknowledged Daly's efforts to reform.
Kevin Hannaway, 68, a Belfast resident and member of the "Hooded Men", will be tried in the Special Criminal Court on 11 January 2018 for allegedly assisting the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He and four co‑accused were arrested in August 2017 during a Garda operation targeting dissident republican activity in Dublin. Hannaway is charged with knowingly rendering assistance to the IRA by helping interview persons involved in IRA‑organised criminal activities at Riverwood Park, Castleknock, on 7 and 8 August 2015. His co‑accused, Eva Shannon (59), Edward O'Brien (41), David Nooney (52) and Seán Hannaway (47), are charged with the same offence and with membership of an unlawful organisation. All accused were remanded on continuing bail. The trial, expected to last eight weeks, is presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, William Gilsenan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Edward Fitzgerald. Gilsenan told Garda Fiona Divilly that he had taken a knife from his home to scare Fitzgerald, who had threatened to smash his house and had been calling him for a debt of €100. Gilsenan claimed he was terrified and had no intention of using the knife. He said he had tried to resolve the debt but Fitzgerald demanded payment immediately and threatened violence. On 17 October 2014, Gilsenan met Fitzgerald outside his home; a scuffle ensued, and Gilsenan struck Fitzgerald in the legs with the knife. Deputy state pathologist Dr Michael Curtis confirmed Fitzgerald died from a knife wound to the heart. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Paul Butler and a jury.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, William Gilsenan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Edward Fitzgerald, aged 29, who died from a stab wound to the heart after an altercation in a car park outside Gilsenan's home on 17 October 2014. Gilsenan told Garda Sgt Aidan Delaney that he had been threatened by Fitzgerald, who allegedly threatened to harm his mother and others, prompting Gilsenan to take a small kitchen knife from his apartment. Gilsenan claimed he stabbed Fitzgerald in the legs and that the force used was moderate. He stated he acted in self‑defence and had no intention to kill. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul Butler, will continue tomorrow with a jury of twelve.
Petrica Lucaci, a 25‑year‑old Romanian, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for a series of offences committed on 7 October 2014, including unlawful seizure of a vehicle, assault, assault of a peace officer, dangerous driving and two counts of endangerment. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 11 May 2016, suspended the final year. On appeal the Court of Appeal found that the "out of character" nature of the conduct, Lucaci's guilty plea and his offer of substantial compensation warranted a longer suspended period. Consequently, Judge Alan Mahon re‑sentenced him to five years with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, requiring a good‑behaviour bond for that period. Lucaci had no prior convictions in Ireland or Romania and had been living in Ireland for three months as a gardener when the incident occurred.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing in Dublin, former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were denied bail. Both men were charged with falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley on 15 January at Navan Road, Dublin 7, by detaining him without consent. They also face charges of threatening to kill Hurley and assaulting him, causing harm, at the same location and date. Additionally, they are accused of possessing a firearm or imitation firearm – a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun – with intent to facilitate the false imprisonment. Judge Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, refused bail after hearing objections from Gardaí based on the seriousness of the charges and Section 2A of the Bail Act. The Dowdalls remain remanded in custody until 15 May next year, when their trial is expected to commence.
Paul Casey, a 46‑year‑old former bricklayer from Ballymun, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a two‑year suspended sentence and a €3,000 fine for handling €53,453 worth of stolen electrical equipment. The property had been hijacked from a truck delivering goods from the UK to Dixons PC World in June 2014 and was later moved from a freight container into a van. Casey pleaded guilty on 18 July 2014 at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan. He was arrested while attempting to escape by the side of the container. The court noted that all stolen goods were returned to Dixons, that Casey had nine prior convictions, and that he was on disability benefit and a father of two. The suspended sentence was imposed, with the fine payable. The case also involved co‑accused Daniel McMahon, who was fined €5,000, and Michael Barr, who was sent to the Special Criminal Court for related charges.
A man's sentence for attempted robbery of a cash-in-transit van has been reduced by the Court of Appeal. Joseph Warren, aged 32, was convicted by jury at Dublin Circuit Court in 2012 of conspiracy to steal cash from a Chubb Ireland van at a Cellbridge supermarket in November 2007. He had also pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition. The original sentence was 14 years with the final three suspended. On appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon found the sentencing judge had erred in principle by not adequately reflecting Warren's limited role in the attempted robbery. The court heard that Warren's involvement related primarily to his skill with cutting equipment rather than planning or leadership. Considering prison reports describing him as a model prisoner with strong rehabilitation prospects and family support, the court reduced his sentence to six-and-a-half years for the conspiracy conviction, with his other sentence remaining consecutive. Joseph Warren pleaded not guilty.
Paul Casey, 46, of Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling €53,453 worth of stolen property at the Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co Dublin, on July 18, 2014. The prosecution alleged that Casey was arrested while moving the stolen electrical equipment, which had been hijacked from a truck in June 2014, from a freight container into a van. His co-accused, Daniel McMahon of Belfast, was previously fined €5,000, as community service was deemed difficult due to his residency outside the jurisdiction. The third co-accused, Michael Barr, who was shot dead in April, had pleaded guilty to handling stolen property; the State entered a nolle prosequi on the associated IRA membership charge, dropping it. Barr was due to be sentenced at the end of April before his death. In mitigation, defense counsel noted Casey's alcohol abstinence for 18 months and his intention to offer a financial gesture of remorse from his disability benefit. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the case until Friday next for sentencing. The matter was adjourned and is not concluded.
Michael Hanney, 23, was sentenced to five years in prison for transporting a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and three rounds of ammunition. He was caught in July 2015 after Gardaí noticed him driving out of a gated residential area in Ballymun. The pistol was found in the passenger footwell of his vehicle. Hanney pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Hanney was transporting the weapon and noted that he "obviously knew it was going to be used to kill, injure or at least threaten someone." The judge also acknowledged good references showing Hanney's willingness to work and his contribution to his family and community, and suspended the final two years of the sentence on strict conditions. Daniel Kavanagh, 25, was also jailed for five years for possession of the weapon, ammunition and silencer. The case was prosecuted by Martina Baxter BL.
Glen Kiely, 29, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Balbutcher Lane on 27 November 2013. He was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison with the final 12 months suspended by Judge Patricia Ryan on 19 October 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeal increased the suspended period by 12 months, making the total suspended period 24 months. The three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, found that the original judge had not given sufficient credit for Kiely's progress in overcoming addiction, securing employment at the Dogs Trust and completing a detoxification programme. Kiely must remain of good behaviour for two years after release; if he fails, he will be returned to prison for two years. He entered a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period and agreed to abide by it.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal against conviction lodged by Joesph Warren, a 32-year-old man from Ballymun. Warren had pleaded not guilty to conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland at a Tesco supermarket in Cellbridge on November 2, 2007. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition in Ballymun in 2009. A jury at Dublin Circuit Court found him guilty of the conspiracy charge, and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced him to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Warren's legal team argued the trial was unfair because the Director of Public Prosecutions allegedly "cleansed" the jury by excluding potential jurors from Ballymun, Cabra, and Finglas. Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, rejected this contention. The judge noted that Warren was identified as a pall bearer at the funeral of the alleged gang leader, indicating a close relationship inconsistent with claims of involuntary involvement. The Court of Appeal determined that the exclusion of jurors from specific areas was a pragmatic exercise in case management to ensure impartiality, falling within the trial judge's discretion. The judges concluded that the Circuit Court judge acted appropriately and that Warren had been found guilty after a very fair trial.
Daniel Kavanagh, aged 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on 18 February 2016 for possessing a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and three rounds of ammunition. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 13 July 2015. The judge, Martin Nolan, held that Kavanagh must have known the weapons would be used to kill or injure, and that the most innocent explanation was that he was transporting the gun for others to use. Garda Alan Carbery testified that the firearm was found in a silver metal case inside a black bag in the footwell of a car in which Kavanagh was a passenger. Ballistic tests confirmed the gun and silencer were compatible and capable of firing the ammunition. The serial number on the gun had been deliberately erased. Kavanagh had nine prior convictions, including three for drug dealing. The driver of the car, an associate, pleaded guilty to related offences and will be sentenced next month.
Brian McHugh, aged 31, was sentenced to four years in jail after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of robbery. The case stemmed from a dispute over a laptop at Megan Lawlor's home. McHugh entered the house, kicked down the bedroom door, and allegedly held a knife to Lawlor's neck, threatening to slash her face. He then took her phone and left. Lawlor reported the incident, and McHugh was later stopped by Gardaí. He denied the robbery and the threat, but a jury convicted him of robbery and acquitted him of the threat. McHugh also pleaded guilty to criminal damage to the door. The judge noted his 47 prior convictions and imposed the four‑year term, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the sentence itself. The court did not address any subsequent legal actions.
At the Special Criminal Court, a book of evidence was served on Kevin Hannaway and four co-accused, who are awaiting trial for alleged offences related to the Irish Republican Army. The group, arrested in August 2015 during a Dublin Region operation targeting dissident republican activity, includes Kevin Hannaway, Eva Shannon, Edward O'Brien, David Nooney, and Seán Hannaway. Kevin Hannaway and Eva Shannon are charged with knowingly rendering assistance to an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA, specifically alleged to have assisted in interviewing persons involved in IRA organised criminal activities at Riverwood Park, Castleknock, on August 7th and 8th, 2015. Edward O'Brien's initial charge of rendering assistance was withdrawn by the DPP; he is now charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA on August 8th, 2015. David Nooney and Seán Hannaway are each charged with membership of the IRA on the same date. Counsel for O'Brien indicated that legal teams require two to three weeks to review the evidence. Presiding with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded all five accused on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned until June 28th for a further mention.
Petrica Lucaci, 26, was jailed for four years after a series of violent incidents on the M50 and at Dublin Airport. He abandoned his car at a toll booth, walked to the airport, hijacked a BMW and pursued a taxi driver, breaking red lights and driving against traffic. During the chase he struck three Gardaí, one of whom was cut behind the ear, and later assaulted two security officers at Beaumont Hospital. Lucaci pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle, attempted unlawful seizure, assault on Kevin O'Brien, assault on Garda Adrian McHugh, assault on two security officers, endangerment and dangerous driving. He had no prior convictions. Judge Terrence O'Sullivan sentenced him to five years with the final year suspended, banned him from driving for six years, and ordered anger‑management treatment under probation supervision. The judge noted Lucaci's hyper‑aggression and the physical and psychological impact on victims, including a five‑year‑old girl.
Sean Ducque, aged 32 and without a fixed abode, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to five years in prison for an attempted car‑jacking on 26 March 2013 at Terrace Place, Dublin, and for producing a knife during the attack. The victim, taxi driver Noel Fairman, recounted that he felt his life flash before him and feared death, heart rupture, or throat injury while Ducque held a knife to his neck. Fairman resisted, managed to open the car door, and escaped. Ducque repeatedly demanded the car keys and the knife, refusing to release them. The court noted Fairman's prior heart surgeries and stent implants. Judge Ryan imposed an eight‑year sentence, suspending the last three years on the condition that Ducque engage in addiction programmes run by the Probation Services. The case highlighted Ducque's 39 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary, drug dealing, and theft, and his history of drug addiction and homelessness. Sean Ducque pleaded guilty.
Pierce Moran, 61, of East Wall, Dublin 3, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to concurrent five-year jail terms for three charges of possession of firearms, magazines, and ammunition. The court previously heard that detectives investigating US firearm imports searched Moran's home on November 15, 2014, finding a shopping bag containing four semi-automatic pistols, a silencer, magazines, and ammunition, as well as a sawn-off shotgun. Moran had pleaded not guilty to all three charges but was convicted last Wednesday. In mitigation, his solicitor highlighted his age, lack of prior convictions, and cooperation by not contesting certain evidence. The judge noted the seriousness of the case due to the volume of weapons but acknowledged Moran's clean record and age as significant mitigating factors. The court distinguished Moran's case from that of co-accused Stephen Hendrick, who had pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to eight years for possession of explosives and firearms committed while on bail, plus three years for ammunition. The judge stated Hendrick's sentence involved aggravating factors not present in Moran's case. Moran's sentence was backdated to his initial arrest date in November 2014.
Leroy Dumbrell, 29, of Carriglea Gardens, Dun Laoghaire, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven years' imprisonment for violent disorder and a threat to kill Garda Ronan McMorrow. Dumbrell pleaded guilty to violent disorder on 27 November 2013 and to threatening the Garda on 5 May 2015. He had repeatedly breached bail conditions, including a curfew, and had threatened the Garda with personal details and violent language. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a three‑year term for the violent disorder and a four‑year consecutive term for the threat, suspending the final year on the condition of 12 months' engagement with the Probation Service and two years of good behaviour. The court noted Dumbrell's history of serious offending, his young children, supportive girlfriend, and attempts at rehabilitation, including training to become a fitness instructor. The threat was described as aggressive with sinister elements.
Leroy Dumbrell, also known as Leroy Roche, of Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder committed on November 27, 2013. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Dumbrell participated in a daylight assault in Ballymun, where he stamped on a victim's leg while the man lay prone on the ground. The incident was witnessed by children and captured on CCTV. Dumbrell's co-accused received sentences of three-and-a-half years and two-and-a-half years respectively. The court noted that Dumbrell was repeatedly jailed for breaching bail conditions, which included a curfew from 7pm to 7am. On May 5, 2015, gardaí found him absent from his home in breach of these conditions. Prosecution evidence indicated that Dumbrell threatened Detective Garda Ronan McMorrow, stating he would regret bringing him back to court and that the officer would need a body bag. Dumbrell also identified the detective's personal car and threatened to find out about him. The court heard that Dumbrell has dozens of previous convictions, including for an incident where a woman was set on fire and a brawl at Mountjoy Prison that injured 16 prisoners. Judge Karen O'Connor noted a history of very serious violence. The matter was adjourned until April 28 for sentencing.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in the appeal by Joseph Warren, a Ballymun man convicted of conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland at a Tesco supermarket in Cellbridge on November 2, 2007. Warren, who pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charge, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in 2012, with the final three years suspended. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition in Ballymun in 2009. His legal team argued the trial was unfair because the Director of Public Prosecutions allegedly "cleansed" the jury by excluding potential jurors from Cabra, Ballymun, and Finglas. Counsel Michael Bowman SC contended this was an unlawful, blanket ban that denied Warren a fair cross-section of peers, particularly given his defense of acting under duress. The DPP's counsel, Seán Guerin SC, countered that the exclusions were based on specific reasons or causes related to the gang's origins and the notoriety of a related shooting in Cabra, asserting that the remaining pool still provided a representative jury. The court, comprising Justices Birmingham, Sheehan, and Mahon, heard these submissions and indicated it would reserve judgment on the appeal.
Stephen Hendrick, 49, of Ballymun, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to eleven years' imprisonment for possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives. In July 2013 he pleaded guilty to holding 59 rounds of ammunition at Furry Park. In November 2014 he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov rifle, components for Glock pistols, 125 rounds of rifle ammunition, five shotgun cartridges and a flexible PETN explosive tube, all found at his Ballymun home. The court noted that these offences were committed while he was on bail for the earlier charge. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Butler, described the items as an "arsenal" and imposed a sentence of eight years for each of the three counts, with each term running concurrently and consecutive to the first prison term. The total sentence was eleven years' imprisonment.
Jason Malone, 33, was found with keys to two cars and various drug paraphernalia, including a Centra bag and a phone. Gardaí searched the cars and recovered a kilogram of white powder identified as caffeine, lignocaine and phenacetin, substances used to bulk cocaine, as well as a plate, spoon and hotel card key with traces of heroin. Malone pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of caffeine, lignocaine and phenacetin with traces of cocaine. He has 31 previous convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three-and-a-half years, suspending the final year on strict conditions, noting that he was clearly involved in drug dealing at the time but may now be prepared to put his offending behind him. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL. Patrick Marrinan SC defended Malone, citing his difficult upbringing, lack of employment and recent rehabilitation efforts.
Stephen Hendrick, 47, of Balbutcher Drive, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in April 2015 to possessing 59 rounds of ammunition at Furry Park, Turnapin Great, Old Airport Road, Cloghran. He had previously been granted bail by the Special Criminal Court, but while on bail committed the offence for which he pleaded guilty. He applied for five days' temporary bail to spend Christmas with his family, but the State objected. Mr Justice Paul Butler, with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan, refused the application, citing the risk of disrepute. Hendrick will be sentenced on 12 February 2016.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Christopher Maughan, aged 22, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for robbing a 62‑year‑old taxi driver in Ballymun on 14 October 2014. Maughan pulled the driver's head back, threatening to cut his throat, and after the driver was dropped at a halting site, Maughan's friend walked around the car to take the keys. The driver was then forced to walk across fields while the two men fled in his vehicle. Maughan pleaded guilty to robbery of cash and a phone, and the court noted his 33 prior convictions, including robberies, knife possession and assaults. Garda Pamela Dunne reported that the driver had reported the crime to a station, and the stolen items were recovered from Maughan and his accomplice. The judge, Martin Nolan, accepted the guilty plea but found no significant mitigation due to Maughan's extensive criminal record.
Joseph Byrne, aged 21, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for assault causing serious harm after he slashed a teenage boy's face with a knife on 4 February 2014. Byrne approached the boy, accusing him of having his X‑Box console, and cut a 10‑cm slash from the boy's ear to his lip, requiring 36 stitches and leaving a likely permanent scar. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Byrne had 15 prior convictions, including two for knife possession, and was suffering from schizophrenia and depression at the time of the attack. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, ordering psychiatric care while in custody and 12 months of probation monitoring after release. Byrne also received a suspended one‑year sentence for a burglary committed while on bail, which will run consecutively with the seven‑year term.
Stephen Freeman, 28, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at the Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny on 3 November 2009. He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Judge Desmond Hogan on 28 July 2015. Freeman's appeal against the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 15 October 2015. Sheehan described the robbery as "difficult to contemplate a more egregious form of attempted robbery" and noted that Freeman was not involved in planning the crime or attending the victim's house. Freeman's role was to move money between locations in Kilkenny. The judge applied proportionality and considered mitigating factors, including Freeman's gambling addiction, before dismissing the appeal. The decision was made by a panel including Judges John Edwards and Alan Mahon. The sentence was upheld as not excessive.
Faizal Baccus, a 36‑year‑old Mauritian national, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for defrauding at least 11 people by selling them cars that were not roadworthy and intended for scrap. He advertised the vehicles on donedeal.ie, claiming they had recently passed the National Car Test (NCT) and were taxed, and supplied customers with forged NCT certificates, tax discs and log books. Baccus pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including dishonestly inducing purchase by deception, making false NCT certificates and log books, and possessing equipment to forge documents. He had four prior convictions for road traffic offences and had lived in Ireland for eight years before losing his security job and starting the scam. After serving his sentence, he is to be deported to Mauritius. The judge noted Baccus's ability, education and energy, and acknowledged his cooperation with the Garda investigation and expression of remorse.
Alison Wilkins, 48, of Balcurris Park West, Ballymun, received a three‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to nine theft charges for stealing over €30,000 from Rita Keogh, a 78‑year‑old widow with dementia. Wilkins had become Keogh's sole carer, gaining access to her debit card and PIN after earning the victim's trust. Between July 2013 and March 2014, Wilkins carried out 57 unauthorised transactions, leaving Keogh's bank balance reduced from €33,000 to €13,900. The court ordered Wilkins to return €1,500 already recovered and to repay €28,500 to Keogh's family over four years, to complete 240 hours of community voluntary work, to undergo 12 months of probation supervision and to finish any recommended drug‑treatment programme. She was also directed to hand over the money she had raised so far.
Belfast man Kevin Hannaway, aged 67, was granted bail by the Special Criminal Court pending trial for allegedly assisting the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He and four co‑accused were arrested on 8 August 2015 in an operation targeting dissident republican activity in the Dublin region. Hannaway was charged on 10 August 2015 with knowingly rendering assistance to the IRA on 7 and 8 August. His co‑accused, Edward O'Brien (41), Eva Shannon (59), David Nooney (52) and Seán Hannaway (47), faced similar charges. The court imposed conditions including €100 bonds, residence requirements, daily curfews, provision of mobile phones to Gardaí, and restrictions on contact with witnesses and other charged persons. Additional sureties of €15,000 and €10,500 were posted for O'Brien and Nooney. The bail remains in force until 3 November 2015, when the book of evidence is expected to be served.
Kevin Hannaway, 67, a Belfast man linked to the "Hooded Men", appeared before the Special Criminal Court on Monday, 10 August 2015. He was charged with knowingly assisting the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 7 and 8 August 2015, an unlawful organisation. Hannaway, along with four co‑accused—Edward O'Brien (41), Eva Shannon (59), David Nooney (52) and Sean Hannaway (47)—were arrested on Saturday afternoon during a Garda operation targeting dissident republican activity in the Dublin region. The operation involved the Garda Special Detective Unit, Emergency Response Unit and Crime and Security Branch. The court remanded all five accused in custody, with a subsequent hearing scheduled for 17 August 2015. The case is part of a broader effort to address the detention of the "Hooded Men" during the Troubles and their appeal for a revision of a 1978 European Court of Human Rights judgement.
Joseph Byrne, 21, who suffers from schizophrenia and was off his medication, attacked an innocent boy by slashing his face with a blade. Byrne approached the boy, who was walking home from school, accusing him of having his X‑Box console. When the boy denied it, Byrne cut a 10‑cm slash down the side of the boy's face. The victim was left with a significant scar and required 36 stitches. Byrne pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, on 4 February 2014. He has 15 prior convictions, including two for possession of knives. Garda Niall Minnock and counsel Michael O'Higgins SC noted that Byrne comes from a respectable family who supported him, but that he was off medication at the time of the attack. Judge Desmond Hogan allowed Byrne to remain on bail pending sentencing, citing a high risk of reoffending and the need for psychiatric support. The case is set for sentencing next November.
Stephen Nolan, 31, of Finglas, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two offences. He admitted to assaulting Ryan Perkins, causing him harm at Cairn Court, Ballymun, on December 13, 2014, and robbing car keys at Poppintree Terrace, Ballymun, on January 1, 2015. The court heard that Nolan attacked the first victim with a glass bottle and later assaulted a second man to steal his vehicle keys. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a two-year sentence for the assault to run consecutive to a three-year sentence for the robbery. The judge suspended the final two years of the total sentence, describing it as providing "light at the end of the tunnel." Nolan, who has 128 previous convictions, was noted to have cooperated with gardai and cited his father's recent death and substance issues as mitigating factors. The judge acknowledged Nolan's difficult life but emphasized the severity of attacking unarmed victims. The matter was finalized with this sentencing order.
Stephen Hendrick, 47, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle, Glock pistol components, and a flexible PETN‑filled tubing explosive at his home on 15 November 2014. He also admitted possession of 59 rounds of ammunition at Furry Park, Cloghran, on 3 July 2013. The judge granted an adjournment of the sentencing hearing to 8 December 2015 at the request of counsel.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank officials Bernard Daly, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, and Aoife Maguire continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to seven counts, are alleged to have hid or omitted accounts connected to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from the bank's Core Banking System or documentation provided to Revenue between 2003 and 2004. On day 22, former company secretary Bernard Daly testified that he was appointed to handle the Revenue audit due to his public service background. Daly stated he had no memory of asking subordinate Brian Gillespie to delete an account and was unaware that the account of FitzPatrick's brother-in-law, John Peter O'Toole, was omitted from the list of non-resident accounts handed to Revenue. He described the bank's attitude toward the audit as focused on settling a financial liability rather than investigating individual accounts, noting a €2.9 million settlement was reached. Daly also characterized former Chief Operations Officer Tiarnan O'Mahoney as a bully with whom he had a difficult relationship. The prosecution presented evidence that the O'Toole account, holding nearly Ir£140,000 in 1995, fell under the audit remit but was missing from the submitted list. Daly acknowledged the omission but stated he did not compile the list. The matter remains at the trial stage and has not been finalised.
A 21‑year‑old Wicklow man, Dylan Keegan Duignan, and an accomplice robbed a 62‑year‑old taxi driver, Leslie Leady, on 14 October 2014. The robbery took place after the driver had taken the men from Dublin's O'Connell Street to St Margaret's Park halting site in Ballymun. Duignan sat in the front passenger seat while the other man sat behind Leady. The accomplice threatened Leady with a sharp object, demanding money, and Duignan then took the car keys. Leady was forced to walk into a field. The robbers fled to the nearest petrol station after the taxi's tank ran empty; they were arrested when they returned with petrol. Duignan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan, adding to an existing eleven‑month term for a 2012 robbery. The other accomplice is also before the courts for the same offences.
Seven men from Dublin were acquitted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court on 30 June 2015. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found that the Department of Public Prosecutions would not present further evidence after a ruling last week that the arrests of six of the men were unlawful. The men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49)—had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court had earlier ruled that the arrests at a house in Tallaght lacked the necessary objective justification under the Section 30 Offences Against the State Act. The acquittal followed the prosecution's decision not to pursue the case further. The case had involved a search of a house in Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, where police found packages allegedly containing communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison.
Eoin Murphy, 19, was jailed for driving a stolen car at Garda Karen Duffy, causing her a six‑centimetre scar on her forehead. The incident occurred on 28 August 2013 when Murphy, allegedly "stoned" on tablets, drove a stolen Nissan Micra at high speed between a patrol car and a parked vehicle. The Micra's passenger door struck Duffy's head as she tried to re‑enter her patrol car, breaking her nose and opening a wound on her forehead that required 30 stitches. Duffy suffered severe bruising, photophobia and was diagnosed with Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder. Murphy, who had 30 prior convictions including three for car theft, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and unlawful use of a car. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three and a half years, suspending the last year due to his good work with Probation Services.
The Special Criminal Court ruled that the arrests of six Dublin men suspected of IRA membership at a house in Tallaght were unlawful. Judge Tony Hunt said each case lacked the modest level of objective justification required under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, citing the Supreme Court's 2003 Walshe v Fennessy decision. The men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan and Desmond Christie—were found to have been arrested without sufficient justification. Peter Burns, the seventh accused, did not challenge the legality of his arrest. Tara Burns SC, representing the State, requested instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and asked the court to adjourn until the following Tuesday. The court had previously accepted evidence that a search warrant for the Tallaght house was valid and that two packages allegedly containing communications from prisoners were found in the house. Brian Nick Mc Bennett pleaded not guilty. Kevin Braney pleaded not guilty. Michael Barr pleaded not guilty. John Brock pleaded not guilty. Declan Phelan pleaded not guilty. Desmond Christie pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 ruling, the Special Criminal Court declared that evidence from a search warrant executed at a Tallaght house could be used in the trial of seven men accused of IRA membership. Judge Tony Hunt confirmed that the warrant was issued and carried out lawfully. Gardaí had found two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners at Portlaoise Prison, on a coffee table in the front room where the accused were gathered. The court held a "voir dire" concerning the warrant and the arrests. Ms Tara Burns SC argued that the prosecution's case was that the men were meeting as IRA members to discuss the communications. Judge Hunt said he would reserve judgment on the arrests' lawfulness until Friday at 11 am. The accused, all pleading not guilty, are Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49).
The Special Criminal Court will decide next week whether evidence from a search warrant and the arrest of seven Dublin men can be admitted. The men, accused of IRA membership, were found in a Tallaght house where police discovered two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners at Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution argued that the men were holding an IRA meeting to discuss these communications. The seven accused—Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan and Desmond Christie—have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation. The court is conducting a voir dire to determine the admissibility of the search warrant evidence and the arrests, with a ruling expected next Tuesday at 2 pm before a full six‑week hearing begins.
The trial of seven Dublin men accused of IRA membership continues with a voir dire hearing to decide the admissibility of evidence from a search warrant and the arrest of the accused at a house in Tallaght. Gardai found two packages of tightly folded paper wrapped in clingfilm, allegedly communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison, on a coffee table in the front room where the men were gathered. Ms Tara Burns SC argued that the prosecution case was that the men were holding a meeting as IRA members to discuss those communications. The accused – Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49) – have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation. The charges stem from a search of a house in Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, where Peter Burns lived with his father.
The trial of seven Dublin men accused of IRA membership has continued with a voir dire, a trial within a trial, to determine the admissibility of evidence regarding a search warrant and arrests at a Tallaght house. The accused are Brian Nick Mc Bennett, Peter Burns, Kevin Braney, Michael Barr, John Brock, Declan Phelan, and Desmond Christie. Each has pleaded not guilty to the alleged charge of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on July 3, 2013. The prosecution alleges the men were holding an IRA meeting to discuss communications from Portlaoise Prison, which were found in packages on a coffee table. The case is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne. The trial is scheduled to last six weeks and continues tomorrow.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 10 June 2015, seven men were charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) after a 2013 raid on a Tallaght house. The raid, conducted by Special Branch detectives, uncovered two packages on a coffee table in the front room. The packages contained thin paper, tightly folded and wrapped in clingfilm, which were communications from prisoners in Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution, led by Ms Tara Burns SC, argued that the men—Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49)—were holding a dissident IRA meeting to discuss these prison messages. All seven pleaded not guilty. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne, is conducting a six‑week voir dire to determine the admissibility of evidence from the search warrant and arrests.
Seven men from Dublin – Brian Nick Mc Bennett (54), Peter Burns (39), Kevin Braney (39), Michael Barr (33), John Brock (41), Declan Phelan (31) and Desmond Christie (49) – pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges that they were members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 3 July 2013. The prosecution, represented by Tara Burns SC, announced that the case would be opened the following day, and the court adjourned the trial until then.
Andrew O'Toole, 22, was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and reckless endangerment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase on a stolen motorbike. The incident, which took place on May 26, 2013, involved O'Toole driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway, around several roundabouts, and failing to stop at red lights, ultimately crashing into a parked car. Garda Stephen Walsh described how the pursuit forced other motorists to take evasive action, including a bus that had to swerve into road works. O'Toole was arrested after a brief struggle that injured the Garda's hand. He has 12 prior convictions and became a father two days after the offence. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody for over a month, warning that re‑offending would result in further custody. The court noted his recent period of good conduct but emphasised the danger he posed to himself and others.