In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Feri Anghel, a 42‑year‑old cleaner with Dublin addresses, pleaded "one hundred percent not guilty" to the murder of Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old Romanian national who was found dead on 13 April 2018. Anghel was charged with the killing at a location in County Dublin on the same date. The trial, scheduled to last six to seven weeks, was adjourned to 8 March after a juror fell ill and a new member had to be empaneled. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Burns.
Ross Hutch, aged 29, was denied bail after being charged with slashing the face of his ex‑partner's boyfriend with a knife and later assaulting his then girlfriend. He is also accused of making phone calls to his ex‑partner in which he allegedly threatened to kill her or cause her serious harm. Hutch appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 18 February 2022, where he was remanded in custody. The court considered the seriousness of the allegations, including assault causing harm, threats to kill or cause serious harm, and possession of a knife between 22 and 24 August 2021. The judge refused bail, adjourned the arraignment to 29 April, and noted that a treatment bed previously available in a residential treatment centre was no longer accessible due to security concerns. The case remains pending for arraignment.
In February 2022 the Workplace Relations Commission ordered Dublin sausage maker Granby Ltd to pay €10,000 to Maria Doyle, who was dismissed on 10 July 2020 during a cost‑cutting round after the firm lost a pandemic subsidy. Doyle claimed she was "singled out" because of an earlier altercation with a director. Granby argued the dismissal was a lawful redundancy following a 40% business downturn and that it applied a "last in, first out" policy. The commission heard that Doyle had been told her role was at risk, was given notice on 3 July, and that she had appealed unsuccessfully. Doyle had suggested moving to the pudding department but was told she lacked the required skills. The adjudicating officer found the redundancy was not the primary reason for her dismissal and ruled it unfair, awarding six months' salary as compensation, valued at €10,400. The decision was based solely on the evidence presented in the hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a man charged with unlawful possession for sale or supply of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on 31 May 2019 is seeking dismissal of the charge. His counsel, Keith Spencer BL, argues that the Irish prohibition on cannabidiol (CBD) oil conflicts with EU free‑trade law. The defendant claims he used CBD oil for health benefits, stating it calmed him, helped his partner with alopecia, and was purchased online from Northern Ireland with a THC content below 0.2 per cent, which he believes makes it legal in both the UK and Ireland. Spencer cites an EU court ruling that allowed the sale of hemp‑derived CBD oil produced in the Czech Republic, asserting that low‑THC CBD is not a narcotic or psychoactive substance and that blanket prohibition lacks health justification.
Conor Kirwan, 27, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, after pleading guilty to multiple offences including robbery, impersonation of a Garda, and producing a syringe. He stole 11 pieces of corned beef from Supervalu in June 2020, three legs of lamb from Dunnes Stores in January 2021, and €30 from a student on Eden Quay in September 2020. In each incident he used threats or a syringe to intimidate victims. Kirwan's crimes were linked to his drug addiction, and he was homeless at the time. The judge noted his positive steps since custody. He has 52 prior convictions, including theft, assault and drug offences. The court emphasised that the suspended portion of the sentence was imposed on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Douglas Glynn, 37, of Dublin 1, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to seven years and six months imprisonment for participating in the activities of a criminal organisation. The final year of the sentence is suspended, and the term is backdated to December 31, 2021, when he entered custody. Glynn pleaded guilty to charges relating to the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017. The court found that Glynn placed a tracking device on Gately's vehicle, an act that positioned him higher in the criminal hierarchy than co-accused Stephen Fowler and others. Mr Justice Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Cormac Dunne, noted the offence arose from an ongoing plan by the Kinahan organised crime group to murder Gately, a member of the rival Hutch group. The judge highlighted that the criminal organisation was serious, well-organised, and well-financed. In mitigation, the court considered Glynn's guilty plea, entered after the trial began, and his previous minor convictions. The sentence reflects the gravity of the offence, which was prevented solely by early Garda intervention. Related proceedings include the 2018 sentencing of Imre Arakas, who was jailed for six years for conspiring to murder Gately, and the 2023 sentencing of Peter Keating, who received 11 years for directing the criminal organisation's activities.
Gerry "The Monk" Hutch (58) and former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall (44) lost their High Court actions that sought to stop them from being tried before the Special Criminal Court (SCC) on murder charges linked to the 2016 Regency Hotel attack. Mr Justice Anthony Barr dismissed the men's requests for declarations that an SCC trial would be unlawful, unconstitutional, or outside the powers of the 1939 Offences Against the State Act. The judge held that the SCC's existence is not limited by a sunset clause and that the Director of Public Prosecutions may certify that offences can be tried before the SCC when ordinary courts are deemed inadequate. He rejected the claim that the SCC's temporary legislation had become permanent and that the court's jurisdiction should be limited to subversive offences. The court found no legal basis to refuse the trials or to declare the SCC unlawful.
A 15‑year‑old boy was found in a tent with two older men preparing €30,000 of drugs for sale. The boy, now 17, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply in Dublin city on 3 April 2020. Gardaí discovered the tent, a well‑hidden structure in a shrubby field, and saw three people inside through a mesh window. They seized a large amount of drugs, bagging, and paraphernalia, including cannabis, heroin, tablets and cocaine, valued at €32,692. The boy's parents were described as hard‑working and prosocial. The court, after receiving a positive probation report, deferred a two‑year detention order under Section 144 of the Children Act 2001 until the end of July, pending an updated probation report. The judge urged the boy to continue engaging with the probation service and noted his positive changes in education and sports. The two co‑accused received two‑year jail terms.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Damien Gray, aged 25, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a 14‑year‑old boy on James Joyce Street on 28 March 2018. The incident followed a verbal exchange after Gray had attended a friend's funeral earlier that day and had been drinking in a nearby pub. The boy, who was returning to his hotel with his mother, was punched in the face, knocked to the ground and later received stitches at hospital. Judge Melanie Greally noted the assault was not "particularly lengthy" but had a significant physical and psychological impact on the victim. Gray, who has 71 prior convictions, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions: nine months of probation, compliance with the Probation Service, and payment of €1,200 to the victim or a charity if he declines to accept it.
Lee Cunningham, aged 24, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Ciaran Rogers on 13 July 2020. Cunningham, who had eight prior convictions, had been in a state of intoxication and agitation when he head‑butted a patrol van door with extreme force, prompting Rogers to open the door to stop him. Cunningham then kicked Rogers, breaking a bone in Rogers' right hand. The injury required two screws and further surgery, and Rogers was unable to work for three‑and‑a‑half months, losing about €3,500 in overtime pay. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Cunningham to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended, with strict conditions including payment of €5,000 in compensation to Rogers. The court noted Rogers' prolonged absence from work and the high cost of his medical treatment. The case was Cunningham's first appearance before the Circuit Court.
Janet Agbontaen, 55, a Nigerian woman who arrived in Dublin in 2001 under a false identity claiming to be from Sierra Leone, was jailed for two years after fraudulently claiming more than €100,000 in child welfare and single parent benefits. She used a fake name to obtain about €55,000 in child benefit, €3,000 in early childcare allowance, and €83,700 in one parent family payments. In 2002 she challenged a deportation order and her sworn statements led to charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice. Agbontaen pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft from the Minister of Social Protection, giving false information to a births registrar, and fraudulently obtaining a driving licence. She was described as a victim of domestic violence and coercion by her husband, and the court noted her lack of prior offending when imposing the sentence.
John Greene, 24, was sentenced to two years in prison for dangerous driving during a high‑speed Garda chase on June 5, 2019, near the old Naas road. He pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, criminal damage to a road sign, resisting a police officer, driving without insurance and without a licence. Greene drove over 90 km/h in a 50 km/h zone on wet roads, repeatedly used handbrake turns, skidded across traffic lanes and Luas lines, and at one point spun 180 degrees before colliding head‑on with a patrol car in pursuit. He later crashed into an electronic road sign, after which Garda officers used an ASP baton to break his window, removed his keys, and restrained him, with pepper spray deployed. A warrant was found for his arrest; his real address was in Bluebell, Dublin. John Greene was convicted.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, was re-arraigned on November 17 and pleaded guilty to participating in activities of a criminal organisation, contrary to Section 72 (1) (A) of the Criminal Justice Act. The charge relates to his involvement between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, in activities connected with the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty at his first arraignment on November 9. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the non-jury court, remanded Glynn in custody until February 11, when he will be sentenced. In a related case, Caolan Smyth (30) of Cuileann Court, Donore, Co Meath, was sentenced to 20 years at the Special Criminal Court for the attempted murder of Gately and for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Smyth had denied both charges. Gary McAreavey (53) of Gort Nua, Station Road, Castlebellingham, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day. He received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended. Estonian hitman Imre Arakas (63) was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, after he admitted to conspiring with others to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62), of Blakestown Cottages in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, has already been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot to murder Gately. The court heard that Gately had been warned by gardaí of a threat to his life from criminals who believed him to be involved in the Regency Hotel murder of Kinahan Cartel associate David Byrne in February 2016. The court has heard in previous related cases that there was 'ongoing targeting' of Gately in the context of a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups.
Ali El Taweel, 24, received a four‑year suspended sentence after a series of car crashes during an episode of psychosis linked to an abrupt withdrawal from cannabis. He left a car park without paying, drove against traffic, hit a motorcyclist, collided with two cars, a patrol car, a truck and a taxi, causing injuries to the taxi driver and passenger. He pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, driving without insurance, criminal damage and refusing to provide a urine or blood sample. The court noted psychiatric reports and a letter from his father detailing his cannabis dependency and sudden withdrawal. Judge Melanie Greally highlighted his subsequent engagement with mental‑health services, marriage, fatherhood, a law degree and a low risk of re‑offending, and imposed the suspended term on strict conditions, including continued medication compliance and a five‑year driving disqualification.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gheorghe Morar, aged 36, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 15 May 2020, for sexual assault of an 18‑year‑old woman he met in a nightclub. Morar admitted that he and the woman were touching each other's genitals and kissing, and that he believed she was consenting, though he acknowledged it was a possibility she was not. He claimed he was not more sober than her and that she was heavily intoxicated. The court noted that the woman could not give full consent due to her drunken state. Morar had previously denied the offence but pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness. He had no prior convictions in Ireland except a minor public order matter in Spain. The judge reduced the headline sentence to two years, citing sincere remorse and lack of prior offending.
A delivery driver has been jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction for a violent assault on another van driver. Aiman Khalel, aged 40, of Rathmines, Dublin, was found guilty after trial of assault causing harm and production of a wheel lock during an incident on Clanbrassil Street Upper on 12 September 2018. The assault arose from a dispute over overtaking between the two drivers. Khalel struck the victim three times around the head and hand with a steering wheel lock he had removed from the victim's vehicle. The victim, who was hospitalised for approximately four days and subsequently required multiple surgeries, was bleeding from head and chin wounds. Judge Sarah Berkeley described the broad daylight attack as "shocking and vicious" and noted the victim's ongoing medical needs. Khalel, who has lived in Ireland for 17 years and has no previous convictions for violence, received a three-year custodial sentence with the final year suspended, conditional on engagement with the Probation Service. Aiman Khalel pleaded not guilty.
Ioan Lingurar, 35, was sentenced to 17½ years' imprisonment for two separate rape and false‑imprisonment offences that occurred three years apart. In 2016 he raped a woman who woke up in his car, was locked inside and could not escape until later that night. In 2019 he again assaulted a woman in a car, who managed to escape after grabbing the wheel and punching him. DNA from both incidents matched Lingurar's pre‑existing profile from Austria. He had previously been convicted of sexual assault in France (2011) and had other convictions in Ireland. The judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, noted the offences were aggravated by the victims' isolation, the taking of their phones, and Lingurar's prior convictions. The sentences run consecutively, giving an effective custodial term of 17½ years. The victims' impact statements described lasting psychological harm and fear of strangers. The court did not consider any future outcomes beyond the sentencing. The unnamed woman pleaded guilty.
Laurence Grocott, aged 38, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for an unprovoked assault at Capel's Bar in Dublin on 12 October 2018. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to a man. CCTV footage showed Grocott approaching the victim and his friend, punching the victim several times to the head and face, leaving a one‑inch scar on the victim's jaw. The victim and his friend were drinking when Grocott and his friends offered them drugs; they declined and moved seats, after which Grocott attacked without warning. The victim tried to defend himself and was taken to hospital. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the 18‑month sentence to run concurrently with Grocott's existing nine‑year term for drug offences and a machine‑gun attack, noting he is making progress in custody and is now drug‑free. Grocott has a history of various jobs and is a grandfather.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph O'Brien, aged 35, was found to have robbed a victim on James Street on 21 January 2019. O'Brien struck the victim twice on the back of the head with a glass bottle, then kicked him 20 to 30 times while he lay on the ground before stealing his phone. The victim suffered a laceration requiring stitches, heavy facial bruising, black eyes and a broken tooth. Witnesses saw O'Brien use the bottle and a woman also kicked the victim two or three times. O'Brien had previously committed a pharmacy robbery two days earlier, where he forced a staff member to open the till and stole about €300. He has 56 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary, assault and drug‑related offences. The court noted his history of drug addiction and homelessness, and Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Service report and adjourned sentencing to 29 March, indicating a likely lengthy sentence. Joseph O'Brien pleaded guilty.
Liam Vickers, aged 24, was given a two‑year suspended sentence in January 2021 for a knife attack on an escort. The sentence was reactivated in March 2021. In February 2021 he sexually assaulted a 21‑year‑old woman while she was running near her home. Gardaí identified him through CCTV and local witnesses. Vickers pleaded guilty to the assault and was sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan to a three‑year term, consecutive to the two‑year suspended sentence. The judge noted Vickers' prior leniency, his traumatic childhood, cooperation at arrest, and expressed desire for rehabilitation, but also cited his low risk of reoffending as a mitigating factor. The new sentence will run consecutively to the existing two‑year term, adding three years of imprisonment to his custodial period. The case highlights the court's consideration of both past conduct and mitigating circumstances in sentencing.
Martin Sands, aged 29, was found guilty of possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his Dublin City address on 11 October 2019. He had no prior drug convictions. Sands had accrued a drug debt from his own cocaine use and agreed to hold about €11,000 worth of cannabis for another person, a role described by the judge as a "very important function for the drug trade generally" but not for his own financial gain. The judge noted his responsibilities as a carer for his father and brother, his stable employment, partner and two children, and his efforts to address risk factors. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, and imposed no custodial term. The sentence was passed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen O'Connor of Carndonagh, Dublin, has had his wholly suspended sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal. O'Connor pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms contrary to the Firearms Act 1964 following the discovery of two loaded semi-automatic pistols stored inside a Henry Hoover at his address in September 2019. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a four-year sentence, suspended in full, citing O'Connor's lack of previous convictions, mental health difficulties, and vulnerability to exploitation by a criminal figure. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed on grounds of undue leniency, arguing the sentence should not have been entirely suspended. The three-judge Court of Appeal panel, led by President Mr Justice George Birmingham, rejected this application. The court found the decision to fully suspend the sentence was exceptional and appropriate given the extent of O'Connor's mental health problems, including serious suicide attempts following the deaths of two brothers.
In January 2021 Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced 24‑year‑old Liam Vickers to a two‑year suspended term for assault causing harm in a Dublin apartment on 30 September 2017. He had earlier convictions for driving while holding a mobile phone and failure to appear. The court heard that Vickers had threatened the victim's roommate and ordered the victim to delete his phone number and texts. Vickers was later found to have followed a 21‑year‑old woman while she was running near her family home on 3 February, pushed her against park railings, and sexually assaulted her. He admitted the act was sexually motivated. The court adjourned the case to 6 December, with CCTV footage presented and a victim impact statement noting eight weeks of work absence and ongoing safety concerns. The case remains pending. Liam Vickers pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old oil rig engineer Graham Foran pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver and a Garda on 22 May 2015. Foran, who had previously been convicted of a road traffic offence, was found to have punched the Garda several times in the face, fell on top of him during a struggle, and continued to punch him while they were on the ground. The Garda sustained torn ligaments in his ankle, requiring surgery and possibly further surgery, and also suffered wrist injury. Judge Martin Nolan described Foran's conduct as "disgraceful" and noted the Garda's dreams and ambitions had been thwarted. Foran was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment, the sentence being fully suspended on strict conditions, including a €5,000 payment to the Garda within one year. The court heard that Foran had already paid €10,000 in compensation to the Garda and €500 to the taxi driver.
John Kavanagh, 55, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a "vicious" attack on November 4, 2020, in which he kicked the victim in the head while the victim lay on the ground. The assault, lasting over 30 minutes, involved weapons used by other participants but not by Kavanagh. The victim, who was hospitalised with head injuries, died by suicide one week later. Kavanagh, who has no fixed abode and lives in Dublin 2, had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as "particularly vicious and violent" and noted the victim's ordeal was "very frightening and distressing." She sentenced Kavanagh to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The court accepted that Kavanagh's remorse was genuine and that he had a lesser role than the other two assailants. The case was prosecuted by Fiona Crawford BL, with Garda Jordan Kennedy providing evidence of the assault and Kavanagh's arrest.
A 25‑year‑old man was jailed for four years and six months, with the final six months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to raping a 22‑year‑old friend in her bed. The victim, who had known the defendant since their early teens, reported that he had come to her house drunk, followed her to her bedroom, and began kissing her and removing her top. She resisted and he stopped, but later she woke to find him thrusting in and out of her. He later texted her apologising and blaming alcohol. The judge accepted the guilty plea on the basis of recklessness, noting significant risk that consent was absent, and highlighted the breach of trust and impact on the victim's mental health. The sentence included strict conditions and engagement with the Probation Service. The case was returned for trial in March 2018 and a trial set for March 2019 did not proceed.
A 62‑year‑old man was sentenced to 10½ years in prison for raping and violently sexually assaulting his daughter over a 16‑year period. He began molesting her when she was seven and continued to repeatedly rape and assault her until she was 18. The court heard that the offences included rape, oral rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault, the latter involving an electric sander and a phone cable. The judge set headline sentences of 16 years for rape, seven years for sexual assault and ten years for aggravated sexual assault, then reduced them to 12 years, five and a half years and eight years respectively, citing guilty pleas and the defendant's otherwise offence‑free life. The last 18 months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that the defendant engage in victim‑focused programmes, have no unsupervised access to children and have no contact with the victim.
Historian Kerron Ó'Luain, aged 34, was charged with unlawful violence after he punched a Polish man during an anti‑Pegida protest in Dublin on 6 February 2016. The incident occurred when a group of protesters, who believed the victim knew members of the far‑right group Pegida, attacked him. CCTV footage showed Ó'Luain delivering a single punch to the victim's head before leaving the scene. He pleaded guilty to the offence. In July, Judge Melanie Greally found his culpability to be in the low range for violent disorder, describing the conduct as reprehensible but very short‑lived. She ordered him to donate €200 to Pieta House and to keep the peace for a set period. At a subsequent sentencing hearing, the court noted that Ó'Luain had complied with all conditions and discharged him from the indictment. The victim sustained cuts and bruises but did not make a statement to Gardaí. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, changed his plea to guilty at the Special Criminal Court, admitting to participating in the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017. The charge alleged he placed a tracker device on James Gately's car in Belfast to facilitate a murder plot. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the case to January 14, 2022, for a sentence hearing; the matter was adjourned and not concluded. Glynn is the fifth person convicted in cases relating to the failed bid to murder Gately. Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation targeting Gately. Stephen Fowler (62) and David Duffy (33) were jailed for providing logistical support. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Caolan Smyth (30) was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Gately and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Gary McAreavey (53) pleaded not guilty to impeding a prosecution and received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended.
Derek Stanley, 35, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after biting a Garda who had taken him to Mater Hospital's A&E. The court heard that Stanley, previously jailed for sex offences, had feigned illness after breaking into a restaurant on Dorset Street. He was brought to the hospital by Gardaí, resisted restraint, and during a struggle bit a Garda's finger, breaking the skin, and attempted to bite others. The judge, Pauline Codd, noted the offence was aggravated by the victim's status as a Garda and Stanley's feigned medical condition. The sentence was suspended for 12 months, to run consecutively with the 2½‑year sentence he is currently serving. The Garda who was bitten sustained no permanent injury and missed no work. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Derek Stanley pleaded guilty.
In the Dublin trial of Damien Singleton, a 30‑year‑old man of no fixed abode originally from Cork, the prosecution presented a case that the killing of 39‑year‑old Peter Donnelly on O'Connell Street was "murder pure and simple." Singleton pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution described the two men as friends who had spent three nights together. On the night of the killing, Donnelly had returned to Dublin from Kilkenny and was "hanging around" the area. Garda Nicola Torsney had a 30‑minute conversation with Singleton earlier that night. CCTV footage later showed Singleton grabbing Donnelly, stabbing him three times, striking him with a bottle, and then fleeing. Blood droplets and a recovered knife were presented as evidence. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, is expected to last eight days.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 62‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to nine counts of rape, oral rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault against his daughter over a 16‑year period from 1990 to 2006. The abuse began when the daughter was seven and continued regularly, with the father repeatedly orally raping her, forcing her to perform sexual acts, recording the assaults with a dictaphone, and taking explicit photographs when she was 18. He also used an electric sander and a phone cable to assault her. The court heard that the victim had reported the abuse to Gardaí in July 2016 and that she was mentally, emotionally and physically tortured. The judge adjourned sentencing to 23 November. The defendant's wife and other children provided character references describing him as a "fantastic father.".
In a 2021 court hearing, Damien Byrne, 44, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm after brandishing an imitation pistol in Finches pub, Clondalkin, on 18 September 2016. Byrne, who was suffering from severe cocaine and alcohol dependence at the time, had pulled the weapon during a violent altercation with an associate and pointed it at security staff before waving it around the pub, causing patrons to flee for cover. He was arrested after leaving the pub with another man. Byrne pleaded guilty and his defence counsel highlighted his ongoing rehabilitation, noting he has been drug and alcohol free since 2020 and has established two successful businesses. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his progress and lack of prior convictions, suspended a four‑year prison term on the condition that he keep the peace for that period, thereby avoiding a custodial sentence. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In November 2021, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Xiangfu Zheng, 42, to 18 months' imprisonment for assisting in the management of a brothel at Jasmine Massage Parlour, Dorset Street Lower, between 29 January 2016 and 19 July 2017. Zheng pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury. He denied knowledge of sexual acts occurring in the parlour, though he admitted to hiring staff and advertising the establishment. His wife, Qiuping Chen, 36, had pleaded guilty to the same offence and received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence in December 2020, fully suspended. Judge Pauline Codd noted the operation was relatively small and that Zheng had no prior convictions. The court suspended 16 months of the sentence on strict conditions, leaving 2 months of custodial time. Zheng entered a bond to keep the peace and was reminded that prostitution is illegal in Ireland.
The trial of Douglas Glynn (37) opened at the Special Criminal Court, where he pleaded not guilty to assisting in a plot to murder James Gately by placing a tracker device on his car. Prosecutors allege Glynn participated in directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, to target Gately. The State's case relies on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV, mobile phone data, and tracking devices. It is alleged that Glynn travelled to Belfast with Peter Keating and David Duffy on March 30, 2017, to place the device on Gately's vehicle. Keating (40) previously pleaded guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation relating to the targeting of Gately and was jailed for 11 years. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62) and David Duffy (33) have also been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot. The trial, presided over by a three-judge panel, is expected to last three weeks.
Gerry "The Monk" Hutch has been granted permission to file a High Court challenge to the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) over his murder trial. Hutch, charged with the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne, argues that the SCC's use of temporary emergency legislation from 1972 infringes his rights, including a fair trial and the right to a jury. He claims the 1939 Offences Against the State Act does not authorize the SCC and that the State's failure to enact permanent legislation breaches his constitutional and ECHR rights. Hutch seeks an order to halt his SCC trial, declarations that the trial is unlawful, and a stay pending the High Court decision. The judge, Mr Justice Anthony Barr, granted him permission on an ex‑parte basis, with the matter to be mentioned next month. A similar challenge has been filed by former SF councillor Jonathan Dowdall, also charged with Byrne's murder, and is scheduled for early next year.
Mark O'Shea, aged 41, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary and harassment. The burglary occurred on 19 December 2018 at a Dublin City centre location, when O'Shea, accompanied by two other knife‑wielding men, entered the ex‑partner's home after using a woman as a decoy. All three men wore black balaclavas and gloves and were armed with knives. O'Shea had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and to harassment between 19 October 2018 and 31 December 2018. The court described the offence as pre‑meditated, conducted with assistance, involving physicality and intimidation. O'Shea had 44 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, criminal damage, handling stolen property, possession of drugs, public order and road traffic offences. The judge noted that O'Shea had been in a residential treatment programme for a short period before the hearing. The sentence requires O'Shea to comply with all Probation Service directions for 12 months after release.
Conor Emerson, 20, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a search of his Cabra garden shed revealed almost €20,000 worth of cannabis and €888 of cocaine. He had 15 prior convictions, including drug possession and assault, and was 18 at the time of the offence. Judge Melanie Greally noted his severe dependence on cannabis and cocaine, his early guilty plea, and his efforts to change his life, such as distancing from a negative peer group and addressing his addiction. Although a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years existed, the judge considered the circumstances exceptional and imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with 12 months of intense probation supervision. The sentence aimed to allow Emerson to continue rehabilitation and seek employment. The court did not impose any custodial term.
In a Dublin street incident on 10 October 2017, 28‑year‑old Roberto Arinella, a Brazilian resident of Mask Green, Artane, struck Laura Masterson, who had intervened in a dispute, causing her nose to break. Arinella pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Masterson suffered significant injuries, including a broken nose that required cosmetic surgery, and was taken to St James' Hospital. Arinella claimed he acted in self‑defence after a verbal altercation and alleged false accusations by the first woman involved. The court, noting Arinella's lack of prior convictions and good employment record, imposed a one‑year imprisonment sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, and required him to raise an additional €1,000 in compensation for Masterson within 12 months. The case was prosecuted by Michael Hourigan BL and defended by Emmet Nolan BL. Judge Martin Nolan delivered the judgment.
Daniel Corry, aged 29, was one of several men who attacked two Brazilian men in a late‑night incident in Dublin City centre. The attack was described by the judge as "cowardly and vicious" and was unprovoked. CCTV footage showed Corry punching one victim and another individual head‑butting the other. Corry pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Mary's Abbey on 17 February 2017. He has a history of drug addiction and homelessness. The court noted that one victim left Ireland the same year, partly due to the attack. Corry was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, but the sentence was fully suspended on strict conditions for four years, requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
Ank Vu, a 20‑year‑old chef from Vietnam, was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his Kilmainham address on 24 September 2020. He pleaded guilty and was described by the judge as having acted only as an "errand boy" or courier, unaware of the contents of the bags he carried. The cannabis, valued at €399,480, was seized from a van after a surveillance operation. Vu had been paid to load bags into a suitcase and hand them over to another person; he claimed he thought the bags contained clothing. The judge noted his lack of financial interest in the drugs and his family's residence in Vietnam, and suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, back‑dating the term to 15 October 2020 when he first entered custody.
Matthew Johnstone, 31, a former bar manager, was found in possession of 22 images and 13 videos of children aged one to twelve being sexually and physically abused. The material, described by the judge as "stomach churning," included a video of an 18‑month‑old child subjected to "elements of torture." Johnstone pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on 19 November 2018. At sentencing, Judge Pauline Codd noted the case was aggravated by the particularly "deviant and depraved" nature of the material and the youth of the victims. She sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for two years after release. The judge emphasised the court's duty to protect children and the lack of evidence that Johnstone exchanged or profited from the material. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 19‑year‑old named Josh Henney was jailed for six months after he killed a 10‑month‑old mixed‑breed dog named Sam by kicking it twice in the underbelly while the owner was speaking with his mother on North William Street, Dublin. Henney pleaded guilty to killing a protected animal on 23 March 2020. He already had 36 convictions and was serving a two‑year sentence for violent disorder, with the final six months suspended. The court heard that Henney shouted threats, including "fucking kill your dog", before running up to the dog and delivering the fatal kicks. The dog was taken to a veterinary practice, anaesthetised, and died during treatment. Dr Alan Wolfe's autopsy found multiple fractures and liver fissures consistent with blood loss from acute trauma.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed a suspended sentence imposed on a man convicted of unlawful possession of firearms at the Court of Appeal in Dublin. Stephen O'Connor, aged 45, of Carndonagh, was handed a four-year suspended sentence in May by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to storing two loaded semi-automatic pistols concealed within a vacuum cleaner at his home on 7 September 2019. The State argues the suspension should not have been imposed in full, though it does not challenge the four-year term itself. The trial judge heard that O'Connor, who has no previous convictions, agreed to conceal the weapons when approached by a criminal associate during a period of gangland activity in Dublin. His legal counsel submitted that he was exceptionally vulnerable at the time, suffering serious mental health difficulties and previous suicide attempts, and had been exploited. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved judgement, describing the case as very serious.
Paul Cashel, 49, a former shop manager at Aran Sweater Market Ltd on Grafton Street, pleaded guilty to thefts between 2 March and 11 April 2019, during which he stole €72,629.53 from the shop's daily takings to fund a gambling addiction. He began by taking small amounts, then replenished them with further cash until he could no longer do so. Cashel had five prior convictions for road traffic offences. At sentencing, Judge Martin Nolan imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison term. Cashel admitted the thefts, expressed remorse, and stated the offence was caused by his gambling problem. The court noted his previous employment, family, and the breach of trust involved. No custodial sentence was imposed.
Dylan Deegan, 24, pleaded guilty to three robberies – €684 from Cash for Clothes (July 2020), €684 from Insomnia Café (February 2021) and a prior robbery of a man at Back Lane Hostel (April 2020). He also admitted producing a knife on 2 July 2020. He had 15 prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for the July 2020 robbery and 18 months for the February 2021 robbery, both to run consecutively with his earlier three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a violent mugging in April 2020. The judge suspended both new sentences on strict conditions, including three years of probation. Deegan had approached a solicitor's office, claiming he wanted to hand himself in after the February 2021 robbery, stating he was suicidal, drug‑addicted and wanted to go to prison. The court noted he had no knife at the time of the February robbery and that the cash was never recovered.
Judge Pauline Codd, presiding over the sentencing of Marcin Konar, a 43‑year‑old former Lidl store manager, highlighted the duty of bookmakers to scrutinise accounts that receive large sums of stolen money. Konar had stolen €26,600 from Lidl between February and May 2018, using the cash to fund an online gambling addiction. He admitted the theft, confessed to the gardaí, and expressed remorse, claiming he intended to repay the money. Codd noted that the stolen funds had been transferred to an online gambling account, effectively "walking into the sunset" for the bookmaker. She imposed a suspended two‑year imprisonment, suspended in its entirety for four years, and required Konar to hand over €3,700, repay a minimum of €500 monthly to Lidl, and comply with strict conditions. The judge urged the gardaí to investigate the bookmaker's handling of the proceeds, as no prior inquiry had been made. Marcin Konar pleaded guilty.
Trevor Robinson, aged 31, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after an offence, criminal damage and two burglary charges following a high‑speed chase on 9 April 2018. The incident began when Christina Joyce, aged 33, accelerated a Volvo while Garda Thomas Gallagher attempted to seize the vehicle. Gallagher, fearing he would be dragged under the car, held onto the door and later fell, sustaining serious injuries. Joyce was convicted of endangering Gallagher and assault, receiving a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. Robinson was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a cumulative term of three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including probation for 12 months after release. The court noted Robinson's burglaries were committed in a frantic attempt to evade pursuing Gardaí. No further outcomes are reported in the article.
Grace Miano, aged 53, was charged with the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, aged 27, at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, Dublin, on 1 November 2018. She was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity by a unanimous jury verdict. On 11 October 2021, she appeared before Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Elva Duffy presented a report from a consultant psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) recommending that Miano remain in the hospital for ongoing treatment. The psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizoaffective disorder and noted progress but a risk of relapse. Mr Justice McDermott committed Miano to the CMH under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 to continue her treatment. Miano's defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, described her delusions, including believing she was possessed by Princess Diana and that she killed Mzoma to protect Prince William and women.
The trial of a Dublin couple accused of child cruelty and serious harm to their nine‑year‑old daughter has heard that medical staff observed burns and bruising on the girl's body. The 39‑year‑old man and 36‑year‑old woman, from North Africa, told paramedics that their daughter had slipped in the shower a few hours before they called 999. Witnesses testified that after the child was hospitalised, both parents said they had not previously seen the injuries. The couple, whose identities are protected, pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm, to child cruelty for failing to provide medical aid, to intentionally or recklessly causing serious disfigurement, and to two further counts of child cruelty between 28 June and 2 July 2019.