Dylan Murray, 21, pleaded guilty to violent disorder for a May 23, 2015 attack on D'Olier Street where he and three friends assaulted two men with a hammer and iron bar. The court, after considering a withdrawn assault plea, imposed a nine‑month sentence suspended on the condition of 200 hours community service. Murray, who was 19 at the time of the offence, had prior minor convictions for traffic offences and vehicle seizure. The attack, captured on a bus driver's mobile phone, saw the victims, Lee Whelan and Dylan Campbell, injured and taken to hospital. Murray's defence described him as a peripheral participant who had no weapons and had a stable job and family life. The judge's decision reflected the court's view that community service was an appropriate sanction for his conduct.
During the fifth week of his 35‑year‑old trial, Vesel Jahiri denied that he told former partner Anna Finnegan he would "get her" on a phone call the day before her death. The jury saw the third and fourth Garda interview videos recorded on 23 September 2023. Jahiri, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Finnegan and assaulting her brother Karl, represented himself after dismissing his legal team. He denied telling Finnegan he would "get her" if she did not let him see their children by 6 pm on 21 September 2012, and denied threatening her family. The prosecution presented evidence that Finnegan had called Jahiri on 21 September, with her friend Janice O'Neill hearing the conversation. The case remains before Justice Paul Coffey and a nine‑man jury.
Patrick Clarke, aged 31, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for making two menacing phone calls to Paul Gilmartin, demanding €60,000. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found Clarke guilty of making an unwarranted demand with menace on 10 May 2012 and again on a later date. The judge, Gerard Griffin, suspended the final 18 months of the sentence for two years on strict conditions. Clarke was arrested after a call was traced to an anonymous SIM card he had bought. He denied that he intended to harm Gilmartin, claiming he had no intention of violence and received no payment for the calls. Gilmartin had been subjected to sustained nuisance calls and threatening texts before and after Clarke's calls. Clarke's defence argued that Gilmartin was an innocent victim of the abuse.
During the fourth week of the 35‑year‑old Vesel Jahiri's trial, the court heard that he had told Gardaí there was no point in living if his former partner, Anna Finnegan, was dead. The video interview, shown to a Central Criminal Court jury, revealed that Jahiri, originally from Kosovo and now self‑represented, had no problem with Finnegan but claimed a problem with her sister and husband, who allegedly urged her to go to a refuge. Jahiri said he did not stab Finnegan and described the killing as a "bad accident." He also stated he could not cry, citing the loss of his mother and sister. Jahiri denied seeing Finnegan bleeding and claimed no blood was found in his car after driving her to hospital. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Coffey, continues with a jury of nine men and two women, one of whom was discharged due to illness. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, Vesel Jahiri, 35, accused of killing his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, and assaulting Karl Finnegan, has claimed collusion between Garda officers and witnesses. Jahiri, representing himself after dismissing his legal team, alleged that Detective Garda Brendan O'Hora had guided witnesses Karl Finnegan and Joan Broe to give specific statements. O'Hora denied any such guidance, stating he did not instruct witnesses. Jahiri also questioned why witnesses appeared to give conflicting accounts, but O'Hora refused to comment on evidence he had not collected. The court heard testimony from Finnegan, who described blacking out after a kitchen floor impact and later waking with stab wounds. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul Coffey, continues with a jury of nine men and three women. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
During the fourth week of the 35‑year‑old Vesel Jahiri's trial at the Central Criminal Court, he told the gardai that he did not stab his former partner, Anna Finnegan, and that he was not carrying a weapon when he forced his way into her house on 21 September 2012. Jahiri, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Finnegan and to assaulting her brother Karl, said he had been told by social services that he would never see his children, which caused him to become angry and enter the house. He claimed he only wanted to see his children for ten minutes and that he had no weapon on him. Jahiri described a fight with Karl, who allegedly had knives, and said he stabbed Karl once after Karl had tried to stab him. He said Anna was in the middle of the fight and that she was hurt when she fell at a neighbour's door.
In a Dublin murder case, Vesel Jahiri, 35, originally from Kosovo, was formally charged with the killing of his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla. He also faced a charge of assaulting Karl Finnegan, who was injured at the same time and place. Jahiri pleaded not guilty to both offences and has chosen to represent himself after dismissing his legal team. On 22 September, Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan arrested Jahiri at Cabra Garda Station on suspicion of the murder, and Karl Finnegan identified him as the attacker. Jahiri was taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station, where Sergeant Joseph McLoughlin read the murder charge to him. In response, Jahiri said, "That is not true." He was then brought before Blanchardstown District Court, where the trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of nine men and three women.
During the trial of Vesel Jahiri, accused of murdering Anna Finnegan, Lisa Finnegan, Anna's sister, testified that the accused told her he was coming for her and her children next. Lisa recalled receiving a call from a woman on her brother's phone that night, who said the accused was in a bad way but an ambulance was on its way. She said the accused later called her, claiming he had taken Anna to hospital, and warned that if anything happened to her or her children, jail would not save them. Lisa said the conversation was on speaker so the accused heard it, and she shouted profanities at him. In cross‑examination, Jahiri denied saying he was coming for her and her children, accusing Lisa of threatening him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty. Anna Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Clarke, 31, was convicted by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of making two menacing phone calls to Paul Gilmartin, demanding €60,000. Clarke admitted to the calls but denied that he threatened money. The court heard that the calls were made while Gilmartin was already receiving sustained threatening calls and texts. Clarke claimed he was instructed by an unknown man to buy a SIM card and call Gilmartin, and that he had no intention to harm the victim. He also stated he received no payment for the calls. The jury found him guilty of the unwarranted demand with menace on 10 May 2012 and again on a later date. Judge Gerard Griffin remanded Clarke on continuing bail pending sentencing next week. The case involved no other convictions or outcomes.
Richard Dekker, aged 30, was found guilty of murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, who was in the care of the HSE when he was killed. The boy's body was discovered on 13 May 2010 in a drainage ditch in Rathfeigh, Co Meath, after a search that began when he was reported missing. Dekker was convicted by a unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court on 26 February 2010, following a week‑long trial and more than eight hours of deliberation. The conviction was the first under the Criminal Justice Procedure Act 2010, which allowed the State to retry Dekker after his 2013 acquittal. He faces a mandatory life sentence. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 3 April 2016. The case involved allegations that Dekker lured Daniel to Tolka Valley Park, where Trevor Noone stabbed him with garden shears. Noone pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month.
Patrick Clarke, a 37‑year‑old from Silverlawns, Navan, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of a stolen BMW. He had agreed to move the vehicle from one location to another in exchange for €100, describing the offer as "too good to be true." Clarke, who has struggled with alcohol since age 14 and has eight prior convictions, was arrested after Garda surveillance linked him to the theft. He was found in the stolen car with its keys and a mobile phone. The car was returned to its owner. Clarke pleaded guilty and was noted by the judge to have detoxed and intended to remain alcohol‑free. Judge Patricia Ryan, considering his early guilty plea and cooperation, imposed a two‑year sentence, which she suspended in full for two years.
In a Dublin city centre brawl on 23 May 2016, 19‑year‑old Jordan McGuinness and 20‑year‑old Craig Smith, along with two other men, attacked two students who were walking by. McGuinness punched Lee Whelan, knocking him to the ground, while Smith and another man struck Dylan Campbell with an iron bar and a hammer. CCTV footage showed the assaults and the use of the weapons. Both McGuinness and Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder at D'Olier Street and were scheduled for sentencing in April 2017. They were also charged with assault causing harm to the victims and, for Smith, production of an offensive weapon. The court noted their remorse and the offers of compensation, but the final sentencing was pending at the time of the report.
During a trial, a witness testified that on 21 September 2012, murder accused Vesel Jahiri, 35, threatened former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, over a phone call. The witness heard Jahiri say, "I know where you fucking are, I'll come and kill yous," after a heated argument about seeing their children and financial matters. Finnegan, who had a protection order and had recently taken an overdose, was frightened and called the Garda station. The witness confirmed that Jahiri had previously threatened to kill Finnegan's sister Lisa and had a history of violence, including stabbing Finnegan at Allendale Glen. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Paul Coffey with a jury, and the trial is expected to last four to five weeks. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of Richard Dekker, 30, the prosecution argued that Dekker lured 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie to an isolated riverbank where Trevor Noone, armed with garden shears, stabbed the boy. Dekker allegedly knew Noone's violent history and that he intended serious harm. The prosecution claimed Dekker's assistance, knowing Noone carried a lethal weapon, made him guilty of murder. Dekker denied knowledge of the killing until shown Noone's statement accusing him. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC contended that Dekker had no intent to kill, had tried to stop Noone, and had no knowledge of Noone's murderous intent. He urged the jury to consider that Noone, not Dekker, was the actual killer. The case was presented to a jury of twelve on 2 March 2017. Richard Dekker pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial held on 1 March 2017, Richard Dekker, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the February 2010 stabbing death of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown. Dekker was interviewed by Garda Patrick McDonagh on 24 and 25 May 2010, during which he initially denied any knowledge of the killing. He later claimed that Trevor Noone, who had a garden shears blade, stabbed McAnaspie after a confrontation. Dekker said he begged Noone to stop and that McAnaspie pleaded for his life as he fell toward the river. Dekker admitted he feared Noone might use the blade on him. Forensic evidence from Dr David Casey and Dr Khalid Jaber identified multiple stab cuts on McAnaspie's clothing and body, consistent with a garden shears blade. The trial continued the following day before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of twelve.
The trial of Richard Dekker, 30, accused of murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, will resume tomorrow. Dekker, who lives in Blanchardstown, has pleaded not guilty. The murder took place at Tolka Valley Park on 26 February 2010, where McAnaspie's decomposed body was found in a drainage ditch. Justice Patrick McCarthy informed the jury that legal matters had been discussed in their absence and requested a short delay for further preparation.
In February 2017, Richard Dekker, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, who was stabbed to death at Tolka Valley Park on 26 February 2010. Dekker was among the last people to see Daniel. On 7 March 2010, he gave a statement under caution. He described spending the evening with friends, including Trevor Noone, and meeting Daniel and two girls. Dekker said Daniel was talking about fights in Finglas and that Noone punched Daniel after a confrontation. Dekker claimed he later told his mother that Noone had punched Daniel, and that Daniel had stayed with them for a few minutes before walking away. The prosecution alleges Dekker and Noone lured Daniel to a secluded area by the Tolka River and stabbed him with a garden shears. Dekker's lawyer accepted the legality of his arrest and the preservation of the crime scene.
In a murder trial, the prosecution presented evidence that 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie was found dead in a ditch near Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown, with multiple stab wounds to the heart, lungs, stomach and throat. A post‑mortem by Dr Khalid Jaber confirmed the wounds and noted extensive insect damage and decomposition, but identified sharp penetrating injuries as the cause of death. The pathologist stated the injuries would have caused pain before death and suggested the boy was dragged to the ditch after dying. The prosecution alleged that garden shears were used to kill Daniel, and witnesses described a night of drinking with friends, culminating in a confrontation that led to the fatal attack. Richard Dekker, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the murder. The trial was set to continue the following day before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
Richard Dekker, 30, has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court, pleading not guilty to the alleged murder of 17-year-old Daniel McAnaspie. The prosecution alleges that on February 26, 2010, Dekker participated in a ruse to lure McAnaspie to an isolated area in Blanchardstown, knowing another man intended to assault him with half garden shears. Although Dekker claims he did not wield the weapon, the state contends he is guilty of murder. McAnaspie, who was in the care of the HSE, went missing after being dropped off in Finglas by former social care worker Keith Homan. His decomposed remains were discovered three months later in a ditch in Rathfeigh, Co Meath, identified via DNA matching. During police interviews, Dekker admitted knowing of McAnaspie's death and led gardai to the scene by the Tolka River, alleging the other man killed the teenager. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues tomorrow.
A 28‑year‑old man from Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2010 killing of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie at Tolka Valley Park. At the Central Criminal Court, his defence counsel said the client wished to make a fresh plea before the jury. When asked, Noone answered "not guilty to murder, guilty to manslaughter." The State accepted the plea as an unequivocal acceptance of responsibility, and Justice Patrick McCarthy granted bail until 1 March to allow him to get his affairs in order.
A 28‑year‑old man from Blanchardstown, Trevor Noone, is charged with murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, who was under HSE care, on 26 February 2010 at Tolka Valley Park. Noone, wearing a navy tie and waistcoat, pleaded not guilty after being arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The deceased, originally from Finglas, was reported missing in early 2010 and his body was found decomposed in Meath months later. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in for the trial set to begin tomorrow.
A man deliberately damaged clothing in Penneys stores and obtained cash refunds by exploiting the retailer's returns policy, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on 17 February 2017. Patrick Quinn, aged 36, of Drumlish, Co Longford, pleaded guilty to inducing refunds totalling €392 across eleven transactions at Penneys branches in Blanchardstown during April and May 2015. Garda Stephen Walsh told the court that security staff provided CCTV footage showing Quinn damaging a jacket before presenting it for a refund without a receipt. Quinn admitted to deliberately tearing items including suit jackets after discovering the stores did not require receipts for damaged goods. His defence counsel outlined Quinn's struggles with gambling addiction, which intensified following his father's death in 2000, and noted his previous convictions related to theft. The court heard Quinn had undertaken residential treatment in 2013 without sustained improvement. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing until May to permit preparation of a probation report.
James Cash, 59, was given a three‑year suspended sentence after he knocked on Pamela Creighton's granny flat in Blanchardstown, Dublin, while under the influence of alcohol and tablets. He attempted to attack her with a samurai sword and a kitchen knife. Bernard Creighton, the husband, wrested the weapons from Cash's hands and chased him into the garden, after which Gardaí were called. Cash pleaded guilty to two counts of producing a weapon at Corduff Avenue on 30 November 2015. He has 17 previous convictions, including theft, burglary, drink‑driving and criminal damage. Defence counsel Mark Lynam BL highlighted Cash's severe heart disease and lack of circulation in his legs, noting that further surgery might require amputation. Judge Melanie Greally, noting the offence occurred amid inter‑familial tension and Cash's intoxication, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full on the condition that Cash engage with the Probation Service and abstain from alcohol.
James Molloy, 34, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling a stolen Volkswagen Jetta and possessing a forged tax disk. He had taken a €2,000 loan from a money lender and left Ireland without repaying it. Upon his return, he claimed he was pressured by "loan sharks" to sell the stolen vehicle to settle the debt. Garda investigation found the car parked outside his home with false plates and a fake tax disk. Molloy admitted knowing the car was stolen and that the plates had been changed. Judge Melanie Greally noted his alcohol addiction and expressed that he had addressed it, imposing a three‑year sentence suspended in full for three years. Molloy had no prior convictions and had been sober since April of the previous year. The case highlighted the alleged coercion he faced from the lenders.
A jury of six men and six women was sworn in by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy for the trial of Richard Dekker, 30, and Trevor Noone, 28, who are charged with the murder of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnespie at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown, on 26 February 2010. Both men pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The jury is to return on Wednesday at 10.55 am to begin a trial expected to last three weeks.
Donna O'Brien, aged 25, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for the manslaughter of her cousin Bernadette Cash, 20, who died alone and unaided after a violent assault at O'Brien's home in Blanchardstown on 30 October 2013. O'Brien pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Witnesses described a series of punches and kicks to Cash's face and head, with O'Brien admitting to punching but denying kicking. The victim was found dead the next morning in a hallway, with a post‑mortem revealing brain swelling and head injuries as the cause of death. Toxicology showed morphine and codeine in Cash's system. O'Brien also received a consecutive 18‑month suspended term for unrelated theft offences committed in September 2013. The judge noted O'Brien's history of drug abuse, childhood exposure to violence, and her remorse, taking these into account when imposing the sentence. The case highlighted the severe violence that Cash had endured prior to the fatal assault.
Jonathan Conway, 35, a disqualified driver with 112 convictions, stole a BMW after its owner mistakenly left the keys inside. While driving under the influence of heroin, alcohol and tablets, Conway lost control at a roundabout, briefly became airborne, and crashed into a lamp‑post and the wall of The Graduate pub. Two female passengers sustained minor injuries. Conway, who had no valid licence or insurance, pleaded guilty to taking possession of the car, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and refusing a sample. The court adjourned sentencing to May, ordered a urine analysis, and will hear a plea in mitigation. Conway was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he refused to provide a blood or urine sample. The case highlights the ongoing legal proceedings and the court's consideration of mitigation arguments.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court adjourned the trial of George Cristo, 43, of Blanchardstown, after a Pakistani witness living in the United States expressed concern that he might be denied entry to Ireland if he travelled there to give evidence. The witness, who works in America, is not currently on the list of countries whose residents are banned from entering the United States under President Donald Trump's executive order, but he fears the order could be expanded. Judge Melanie Greally agreed to postpone the case, and Cristo will appear again on February 15 to receive an update on the situation.
Blake Tobin, 32, of Whitechapel Lawns, Blanchardstown, Dublin, was found guilty in February 2016 of multiple dangerous driving offences, including drink driving, driving without insurance, and driving while disqualified. The jury imposed four consecutive six‑month sentences and a life‑long driving ban, with Judge Pat McCartan stating Tobin "should never ever be allowed behind the wheel of a motor car". On appeal, the Court of Appeal upheld all other aspects of the judgment but reduced the driving ban to forty years, citing the absence of serious injury or death. The appeal court noted Tobin's history of 54 convictions, including road traffic offences, knife possession, drug possession, and assault, and described the case as "appalling" due to his high‑speed, reckless driving and attempts to evade detection. The Court of Appeal also found the original life‑long ban excessive in the circumstances. Blake Tobin pleaded not guilty.
Andrew O'Hara, a 36‑year‑old former drug addict turned community youth worker, was found guilty of possessing drugs for sale or supply after Gardaí intercepted him carrying a package of cocaine worth €17,339, some of which was discovered in his underwear. He had been paid €300 to deliver the drugs to an address in Charlemont Street, Dublin 2, and claimed he did not know the recipient or the quantity. O'Hara pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a suspended four‑year term by Judge Melanie Greally, who described the case as "unusual" and noted his previous rehabilitation, low risk of reoffending, lack of criminal history, and recent fatherhood. He has two prior traffic convictions and had previously turned his life around after a 2002 addiction, earning a degree in community care and working with disadvantaged youth. He expressed deep regret and pledged to remain drug‑free. The case remains pending for the other arrested individual.
Vincent Fox, 39, was sentenced to seven years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis, heroin and diazepam for sale or supply, and the supply of a medical product, zopiclone, without prescription. The court found that Fox had accumulated a drug debt of €4,000 from smoking cannabis and used the sale of drugs to clear that debt. Garda investigations uncovered diazepam tablets worth €282,957, heroin and cannabis, and 284,872 zopiclone sleeping tablets valued at €569,744, along with paraphernalia such as bagging, labels, scales and a tick list. Fox claimed the drugs were for his own use and that he had been staying at a friend's house. The prosecution argued that Fox's drug debt made him a potential "dirty worker" for the drug hierarchy.
In December 2016, 21‑year‑old Carl McGuiness was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for robbing a taxi driver, Harry Boland, to obtain money for drugs. McGuiness and an accomplice, who had been in the back seat, seized Boland's vehicle on Glasnevin Avenue, threatening him with a syringe and demanding cash. After the robbery, McGuiness drove the taxi, crashed into a woman's car in Blanchardstown, and was later arrested in Dublin's IFSC. He pleaded guilty to robbery, damaging a car and leaving the scene of an accident. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his 48 prior convictions and the escalation of violence after a 2013 prison term. McGuiness's final 18 months of the sentence were suspended, and he was placed on a methadone programme in custody. Boland has since quit taxi driving due to the risk.
A Dublin man, Darren Hogan, aged 43, was extradited to the United Kingdom to serve the remaining five years of a 14‑year sentence for importing eleven kilograms of cocaine. Hogan had already served seven years of his sentence before breaching probation by returning to Dublin, where he was born. He pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court in October 2005 and was stopped by customs at Stansted airport in August 2005 after travelling from Faro, Portugal, with ten tape‑wrapped blocks of the drug. In October 2012 he was released on licence from HM Prison Liverpool under supervision, but in July 2014 he failed to attend an appointment with his probation officer and was later found to have travelled back to Dublin. The High Court, presided over by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, heard that the central issue was whether Hogan's family rights would be violated by his surrender to the UK.
James Cash, 59, was found by a judge in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to have been under the influence of alcohol and tablets when he knocked on Pamela Creighton's granny flat in Blanchardstown and attempted to attack her with a samurai sword and a kitchen knife. He pleaded guilty to two counts of producing a weapon on Corduff Avenue. Cash's defence counsel, Mark Lynam, explained that the defendant suffers from severe heart disease and has had several surgeries, and that further surgery may require leg amputation due to lack of circulation. The judge, Melanie Greally, expressed surprise that a person with a serious medical condition could commit such menacing acts. The case was adjourned pending a probation services report, with sentencing scheduled for February 17 next year. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. when the Creighton family was preparing to go to bed, and a struggle ensued before Gardaí were called.
In a robbery on 2 November 2015, John Joyce, aged 25, used an Airsoft pistol to threaten a staff member at a dry‑cleaning shop he had previously visited for alterations. He forced the employee to hand over €436 in cash. Joyce was later apprehended at a halting site where a car containing an Airsoft handgun was found. He pleaded guilty to this robbery, as well as to a robbery on 21 August 2014 and to damaging cars with a screwdriver in mid‑2014. The judge imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the last 18 months. Joyce has 66 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and handling stolen property. The victim reported nightmares and a change of workplace following the incident. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Derek Mulligan, a 43‑year‑old former estate agent turned DJ from Tallaght, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 5 February 2015. Mulligan had previously been convicted of drug and firearm offences. He admitted that he owed €30,000 and that he had been told he would receive a €500 reduction on that debt if he agreed to transport and deliver cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy, mixing agents and prescription medication. Mulligan claimed he was coerced, saying he was "dancing to their tune" and had no choice. Gardaí had initially caught him with about €20,000 worth of cannabis in his car after a traffic offence, and a subsequent search of his home uncovered €592,471 worth of drugs, including €495,000 of cocaine.
Derek Mulligan, aged 43, was arrested after Gardaí found over €600,000 worth of drugs in his possession, including €495,000 of cocaine, cannabis resin, ecstasy, prescription medication and mixing agents. He claimed he was a "runner" for a drug operation, saying he owed €30,000 and that he would receive a €500 reduction on his debt if he delivered drugs. Mulligan first appeared in court on 5 February 2014, pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. He has two prior convictions for drugs and firearms. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail until 2 December, after noting he had taken responsibility for the drugs but feared naming others. Mulligan also said he was a carer for his elderly parents and that he had been working as a DJ at the time of his arrest.
Jonathan McLoughlin, 34, of Sheephill Park, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting deception in an Electric Picnic ticket scam. The court noted he was vulnerable, had a learning disability, and was exploited because he had a bank account. He withdrew €1,845 from his account, which was later distributed to the victims. The scam involved advertising tickets on Donedeal and an unknown man contacting buyers, with McLoughlin's account used for transfers. A total of €2,630 was deposited, much of which was withdrawn via ATMs. Gardaí stopped the account after the victims reported it. McLoughlin was not the orchestrator; the court imposed probation, stressing he was taken advantage of. No other person has been charged.
Patrick Whelan, aged 20, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year term for robbing and assaulting Sikh shop assistant Navdeep Singh at a newsagent in Blanchardstown on 27 July 2015. Whelan struck Singh over the head with a meat cleaver, forcing him to have his hair cut against his wishes, and stole €600 from the till. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, assault and being a passenger in a stolen car. The court ordered him to pay €4,000 in compensation to Singh. Judge Pauline Codd noted Whelan was a first‑time offender from a "decent, hardworking family", and that the assault was "completely unjustified". The suspended sentence is subject to probation supervision for four years and requires Whelan to attend drug, alcohol, anger awareness and victim awareness courses, as well as to pay the compensation in two instalments. The co‑accused remains before the courts.
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.
Joe O'Donnell, 23, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and damaging a Garda Ford Transit van at St Philomena's Park, Blanchardstown, on 9 February 2013. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a two‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions. O'Donnell had seven prior convictions and had never been imprisoned before. The judge remarked that O'Donnell had "made life miserable for the gardai" and warned that he should observe his surroundings or face future imprisonment. The incident involved O'Donnell, his brother Anthony (who died), and John Mongan. Mongan received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence in November 2015. O'Donnell was physically restrained, handcuffed and later became passive after being put to the ground. The Garda van's front windscreen was smashed and a front light was hanging off. No gun was produced during the disturbance. The court noted that O'Donnell had no history of violence at the time of the offence, although he had subsequently accrued road traffic convictions.
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.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Adebowale Okunade, 41, pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime and to four counts of dishonestly appropriating money from Dunboyne Credit Union and Waterford Credit Union between 14 November and 19 December 2014, as well as to using an electricity bill in another name to open a Ballyfermot Credit Union account on 15 December 2014. Okunade admitted that he had transferred €27,127 from a Bank of Ireland account into his own account in September 2014, and that the money originally came from a Mexican woman's brokerage account, which had been stolen. He exploited a "glitch" in the credit union system, using compromised credit cards to lodge and withdraw money, resulting in a total loss of €13,950 to the credit unions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment for possessing the proceeds of crime, suspending the final 12 months of the term.
Daniel Martin, 26, of Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and recklessly causing a risk of serious harm after a high‑speed chase that ended with a collision with a car carrying an elderly woman on Stonemasons Way, Ballinteer, on 2 June 2014. Gardaí pursued him at about 150 km/h, and he accelerated to over 200 km/h before veering and colliding head‑on. The woman was taken to hospital but suffered no serious injuries. Martin, with eight prior traffic convictions, received an 18‑month suspended prison sentence, 200 hours of community service and a two‑year driving disqualification.
Bryan Ryan (31) of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, has had his appeal against conviction for murder dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Ryan was convicted in 2013 of the murder of Ian Tobin at Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown, on May 27, 2007. A jury at the Central Criminal Court returned a majority guilty verdict, and the mandatory life sentence was imposed in March 2013. Ryan's legal team had argued that gardaí possessed "an agenda" to obtain a confession and that admissions made during garda interviews should have been excluded from evidence. Mr Justice George Birmingham, delivering judgment today alongside two other judges, found the trial judge was best positioned to assess these matters and had properly viewed all video evidence. The court upheld the trial judge's findings that Ryan was not oppressed and admissions were not involuntary. The Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction as safe and rejected all grounds of appeal.
Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy adjourned the sentencing of Michael Kinsella, 24, of Tallaght, to May 3 after expressing "enormous difficulty" in determining the appropriate penalty. Kinsella pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Adil Essalhi, who was killed in 2011. His uncle, Wayne Kinsella, was previously convicted of murdering Mr Essalhi. The judge noted that while the plea was accepted on an agreed basis, there are "differing accounts" regarding Kinsella's culpability. Specifically, conflicting evidence exists as to whether Kinsella knew his uncle had lured Mr Essalhi to extract revenge for the murder of Lee Kinsella, or if he was only informed of this at the scene. Ms Justice Murphy stated that without a clear factual basis from the prosecution, the court could not perform its task. She highlighted that the sentencing range available spans from a suspended sentence to life imprisonment. The judge requested that the prosecution clarify the basis on which the guilty plea was accepted before the court can set an appropriate sentence. This follows an earlier adjournment on April 11, during which a victim impact statement was heard from Mr Essalhi's mother, Geraldine.
In a compassionate bail decision, Mr Justice Tony Hunt allowed Trevor Noone, aged 28 and charged with murder in the 2010 death of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, to leave custody to attend his father's funeral. Noone, who lives on Whitestown Avenue, Blanchardstown, was granted bail on a €300 bond. The judge noted that Noone would be released today and must return by 6 pm, and again on Saturday at 11 am for the funeral, with a return to custody by 6 pm. He is restricted to Blanchardstown and the church where the service will be held, must remain sober, be reachable on his sister's mobile phone, and keep the peace. Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan had objected to bail, citing Noone's flight risk and 12 prior bench warrants, but the judge accepted counsel's argument that it would be desirable to let him pay his respects. Noone's release is conditional; breaching the conditions would likely preclude future bail.
Chunjie Wang, a 35‑year‑old mother of two from Castlewood Avenue, Rathmines, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to organising prostitution. Between 1 January and 22 July 2011 she ran four brothels in Rathmines, Swords, Blanchardstown and Clondalkin, coordinating the provision of sexual services, their duration and payment. Gardaí raided the Rathmines premises on 23 July 2011, finding over €18,000 in cash, 19 mobile phones and several laptops linked to an escort website. Four bank accounts held more than €27,000, with payments of €3,000 to €5,000 sent to China every few days. Wang had worked for Dunnes Stores for nine years before a back and neck injury ended her employment; she said her motivation was purely financial. The court noted no trafficking or exploitation of the women involved. Judge Melanie Greally accepted Wang's remorse and the seriousness of the offence, imposing the custodial sentence.
At the Central Criminal Court, Michael Kinsella, aged 24, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 29‑year‑old Adil Essalhi, who was stabbed on 6 January 2011. Essalhi suffered 50 stab and chop wounds before his killers attempted to set his body on fire and then dumped it in a ditch in Tyrrelstown. Kinsella's mother, Geraldine, spoke of the devastation to her family, describing her son as kind, loving and full of promise. Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan revealed that Kinsella's uncle, Wayne, was convicted of murder for his part in Essalhi's death. Kinsella had been in detention since age 14, had 30 prior convictions, and claimed he was coerced by his uncle. Justice Deirdre Murphy adjourned the sentencing to 25 April. The hearing focused on the circumstances of the killing and the defendant's background.
In 2016, Andrew Gibney, aged 23, appealed his murder conviction for the 2012 stabbing of Gerard Burnett, aged 28, in Mulhuddart. Gibney had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury 10‑2 and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. His counsel, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, argued that a miscarriage of justice occurred, citing the UK Supreme Court's Jogee decision that clarified joint enterprise law. Ó Lideadha contended that Gibney's intent was to harm, not kill, and that the jury was denied the opportunity to consider a partial defence. He also challenged the admissibility of a witness statement that alleged Gibney said he would "kill" Burnett. The appeal was adjourned for a later hearing.