In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Joseph O'Connor, 41, to three‑and‑a‑half years for setting fire to his council house at Primrose Grove, Darndale, in an attempt to end his life. O'Connor had lit the fire early on March 31, 2020, and after failing to pass out, he alerted neighbours and was later found by Gardaí in a dispute. Garda Colin O'Shea entered the burning building, pulled O'Connor to safety, and the court noted the damage to the property was €24,660. O'Connor pleaded guilty to one count of arson; an obstruction count was considered. He had 34 prior convictions and had been in custody since the fire. Judge Nolan praised Garda O'Shea's courage, highlighted the reckless nature of the arson, and imposed a five‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, back‑dated to the time O'Connor first entered custody.
In a robbery of a bookies on South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin, a 66‑year‑old pensioner was attacked by one of the two men who forced a teller to hand over cash. The attacker grabbed her by the neck, pushed her against the glass and held her until the money was given. The victim, who has epilepsy and a heart murmur, was shaken and suffered soft‑tissue damage. CCTV footage identified the raiders, who were later arrested at Carmens Hostel/Hall on Francis Street. David O'Brien, 43, pleaded guilty to robbery; he was not the man who held the woman but was part of the pair. O'Brien, who has prior convictions for theft, drug and public‑order offences, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The victim, unable to return to the bookies, now plans to leave the neighbourhood where she has lived her whole life.
Ahmad Majeed, 26, was jailed for his role in a violent mob that attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on 7 July 2019. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of weapons intended to cause injury. The mob, about 20 men, carried hatchets, a hammer, a wheel brace, a towing eye, and two petrol bombs made from a beer bottle and a brandy bottle. A doorman was punched and kicked, and the incident caused the victim to leave security work due to flashbacks and panic attacks. Majeed was arrested at his home and denied knowledge of the bombs. The court, after considering his low risk assessment, imposed a three‑year, four‑month prison term, suspending the final year on the condition of good behaviour and peacekeeping.
A judge sentenced Leon Griffin, 30, to three years imprisonment and a five‑year driving ban after he drove recklessly through red lights and on the wrong side of the road in Dublin's city centre. Garda Gavin Keenan testified that Griffin suddenly pulled out of traffic and began a six‑minute high‑speed chase, reacting to Keenan's patrol car while under a five‑year ban. Griffin's defence barrister Keith Spencer said the driver was aware of Keenan's knowledge and drove erratically, nearly colliding with traffic, breaking two sets of red lights, rear‑ending a vehicle on Thomas Street, and crashing into a bike stand. Griffin pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and criminal damage on 23 February 2019. The judge noted his prior convictions, including careless driving in 2015, and imposed the sentence and ban. The court heard that no one was physically hurt.
Dubliner Kevin Murphy (30) was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbery at Aston Place, Temple Bar, Dublin city centre, on June 29, 2020. Murphy pleaded guilty to the charge. The incident involved Murphy attacking a man, punching and kicking him while he was on the ground. The victim was found bleeding, surrounded by people, and his phone was missing. A security guard from a nearby restaurant observed the incident and saw Murphy beating the victim. Murphy fled the scene and was apprehended by an off-duty garda who recovered the victim's stolen phone from his hand. Murphy had previous convictions for possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of stolen property, and violent behaviour in a garda station. Defence counsel, Carol Doherty BL, stated that Murphy was heavily intoxicated at the time of apprehension and had a history of drug use, including crack and heroin, since the age of 28. She noted that Murphy is homeless and has two children, and asked the court to give him the opportunity to prove he can remain intoxicant free and be a family man. Judge Martin Nolan described the robbery as 'nasty enough' and noted that the property was recovered and that Murphy wants to reform. The matter was finalised at the sentence stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Johnstone, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Gardaí seized a laptop from his Brabazon House apartment, uncovering 22 images and 13 videos depicting children aged 1 to 12 years in sexual and physical abuse. The images showed girls aged 4 to 12 being abused, with eight digitally altered to include a horse's genitalia. The videos featured girls aged 1 to 10, including four of an 18‑month‑old baby abused by an adult woman, and a "trailer" video. Judge Pauline Codd described the material as "stomach churning" and adjourned the case for finalisation on March 24. Johnstone had no prior convictions, had worked as a bar manager, and claimed remorse, stating he had attended two counsellors and was seeking rehabilitation. The court considered a non‑custodial sentence.
In March 2021, a 20‑year‑old Dublin man, Calvin Brophy, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for his role in a violent escape from the Oberstown youth detention centre in May 2017. At that time he was 17 and, together with two other youths, used metal bars and other implements to damage the centre, smash a CCTV camera, and break into a tool shed. They stole an angle grinder and a sledgehammer, which they used to cut through a perimeter fence and escape. Brophy admitted his involvement after walking into a Garda station two months later, but he failed to appear for trial, leading to a warrant and arrest in November. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was found guilty of the offences.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Harold, 26, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for robbery and assault. The offence occurred on 22 November 2019 at Camden Place, Dublin city centre, when Harold, then on bail, approached an intoxicated man, Cathal Doyle, who had been refused entry to a nightclub. Harold punched Doyle repeatedly, knocked him to the ground, and stamped on him as he was leaving. Doyle's phone and wallet were taken. Harold had no fixed address, previously lived on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, and had 55 prior convictions, including theft, drug possession and public order offences. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was described by the judge as having seized an opportunity to prey on Doyle. The court imposed the sentence accordingly.
A 48‑year‑old serial burglar, Bernard Foran, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he used a stolen master key to break into a dozen rooms at the Dean Hotel on 17 October 2020 while he was on bail for earlier burglary offences. Foran, who lives on Cloonlara Road, Finglas, had already pleaded guilty to two further burglaries on 18 October 2020 at Cedar Tree Restaurant and The Globe Bar, both in Dublin city centre. He admitted to forcing entry into a storage area, acquiring the master key, and then using it to enter 12 hotel rooms, stealing cash, jewellery and an Apple watch. The next night he was caught by a staff member at The Globe Bar, where he was found with a silver knife he claimed was for protection but had been stolen from Cedar Tree Restaurant.
Philip Murphy, 40, was scheduled for sentencing for two sexual assaults in Dublin in February 2016, but the hearing was adjourned to 16 April because Midlands Prison is in lockdown after Covid‑positive cases. Murphy had previously served a 10‑year sentence for false imprisonment and was extradited from the UK in 2020. He pleaded guilty to assaulting two women on Jervis Lane and O'Rahilly Parade, describing threats of death and sexual violence. CCTV and witness accounts detail the incidents, including a first victim who was chased by a passer‑by and a second who was pushed into a street and threatened. Murphy denied the offences during a Garda interview, claiming he had received psychological treatment and was no longer attracted to women. The judge noted a lengthy probation period would be required for any sentence. Victim impact statements highlighted lasting psychological harm and loss of confidence.
Milo Stuart, 26, pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault causing harm and production of an article after breaking into his ex‑girlfriend's Dublin apartment on 6 November 2018. He had psychiatric issues at the time, had refused admission to a psychiatric hospital two days before the incident, and had not contacted the victim since. The court heard that Stuart had no prior convictions and that the victim had worked for a catering company run by Stuart's mother, with whom she had a turbulent relationship. During the incident Stuart broke the victim's door, took her phone, held a knife to her stomach, and forced her into a bathroom where she was injured. Gardaí arrested him after the scene. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Stuart's psychiatric state and guilty plea, ordered 150 hours of community service in lieu of a one‑year prison term.
Ahmad Majeed, 26, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of weapons at a 2019 brawl outside Love Lane nightclub. He admitted bringing a hatchet, hammer, wheel brace, and a towing eye from a Brown Thomas shopping bag, and a rucksack containing two petrol bombs. CCTV showed him gathering with about 20 men on Clarendon Street, passing the bag to another, then retrieving it before heading to the club. He also moved a traffic cone to reveal the rucksack. The mob, about 30 masked men, attempted to force entry, injuring a doorman who was punched and kicked. Majeed denied involvement in the assaults and claimed ignorance of the bombs, stating he would have stayed home if he had known. The court adjourned sentencing to March 12 and remanded him on bail.
A High Court judicial review has been filed by Shadowmill Ltd, a group of local residents, against An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant planning permission for 18 new apartments on the site of the protected Stone Villa on Dublin's North Circular Road. The board had approved Lilacstone Limited to renovate Stone Villa into three apartments and to construct an additional 29 units. Shadowmill argues that the decision is flawed because it would remove significant tree cover and potentially disturb bat species that use the site for foraging and roosting. They claim the board lacked necessary information on bat roosts, failed to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment, and contravened the 2016‑22 Dublin City Development Plan and the 2001 Planning and Development Act. The case was heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who directed that the challenge be formally notified to the board, with a hearing scheduled for April.
Bernard Browne, aged 62, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing boys at the CBS school on Richmond Street and later at his flat on Belvedere Place between 1983 and 1990. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault, part of a larger indictment of 44 charges. Browne lured boys with promises of pocket money, claiming he was collecting sperm to donate to childless couples. Victims, aged 11 to 17, described weekly molestation, forced exposure, and intimidation. The judge noted severe emotional distress, long‑term psychological damage, and the impact on the victims' education. Browne's position of trust, the duration of the abuse, and his planning were aggravating factors; his guilty pleas, remorse, age and ill health were mitigating. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition of completing treatment programmes while in custody.
In February 2020, a mother‑of‑one, Tanya Breen, 30, and a Dublin bus driver, Laurence Keane, 42, were arrested after Gardaí discovered bundles of cash in a Kia Sportage and at Breen's home. The pair were charged with possession of €59,710 in proceeds of crime, linked to drug trafficking. Both pleaded guilty. Breen's lawyer argued she was a single mother struggling with bills and that the money was offered by community members. Keane's counsel highlighted his long employment with Dublin Bus and family responsibilities. Judge Elma Sheahan found no threat or compulsion, deeming the offence a "lifestyle choice" with high culpability. She sentenced Breen to 3½ years, suspending the final six months on a 12‑month good‑behaviour condition, and Keane to 2½ years, similarly suspended. The case was prosecuted under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, 2010.
Dean Masterson, 34, a father of three with a history of serious convictions, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to defraud a bank by submitting false documents in a mortgage application. He sought a €220,000 loan to buy a family home, but bank staff detected the falsities and no money was disbursed. Masterson pleaded guilty to deception and five counts of using false instruments, having provided a fake salary certificate, payslip, P60 and two bank statements. The court noted his prior convictions for robbery, attempted robbery and theft between 2004 and 2012, and that he had not been convicted since 2016. Judge Pauline Codd highlighted the premeditation and deliberation involved, describing the offence as "fairly sophisticated" and imposing a four‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions.
Desmond McGrath, aged 50, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for his role in a violent forced eviction that took place on 9 June 2015 at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. McGrath, who claimed he was attending a job interview for security work, was part of a gang of seven men that included convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare. The gang falsely imprisoned the Byrne family, assaulted security guard John Roche, and inflicted injuries on Martin Byrne, who sustained fractures to his forearm and nasal bone. McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment, and his sentence was suspended for 12 months on strict conditions. The court noted his guilty plea, remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate from drug and alcohol addiction as mitigating factors. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge distinguishing McGrath's conduct from that of the ringleaders. The Byrne family remains in the Witness Protection Programme.
In a Dublin apartment on 17 July 2019, a 28‑year‑old Moroccan national, Ibrahim Elghynaoui, broke in and sexually assaulted a woman who had just awakened. The woman described being strangled, having his hand forced into her vagina, and fighting back by striking his eyes, groin and biting him. She escaped through a bedroom window, and Elghynaoui fled. He admitted burglary but denied assault. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, and has been in custody since 18 July 2019. Sentencing was adjourned to 1 March 2021 to allow a psychiatric report and to determine his EU status. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing hyper‑vigilance, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional harm she endured. The trial highlighted the traumatic nature of the assault and the victim's struggle to recover. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old man was given a fully suspended two‑year sentence for wilful neglect of his seven‑year‑old autistic son. The incident occurred on 2 June 2017 at Customs House Harbour, where the boy was found alone in a buggy about 15 feet from the water, not wearing a coat. The father claimed he had left the party with his son, went to a pub to use the toilet, and, in a "bad state" after taking tablets and alcohol, did not see the child again, mistakenly believing his partner had taken them home. Both children have since been taken into care and separated; the younger is in foster care and the older in residential care. The father, who has 13 prior convictions including theft and drug possession, pleaded guilty and expressed deep remorse.
In a case heard in Dublin, Gerard Gunnery Senior, aged 60, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting a passenger who had fallen asleep in his taxi. The victim, who was drunk and later described the assault as a "devastating" breach of trust, reported that Gunnery had placed his hand on her knee, masturbated, and then violently threw her out of the vehicle, leaving her on the side of the road. She suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps and jaw. Gunnery pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual assault, which had been brought in December 2017. The judge noted his age, health and previous good character, but also that he was now a registered sex offender and that incarceration was unavoidable. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the impact on the victim.
In a Dublin court siege on 20 December 2018, 47‑year‑old Edmond Dunican held a judge, a barrister and his estranged wife hostage with a fake pistol and a hoax pipe bomb. He threatened the barrister, Lisa Daly, with the imitation firearm and wore a device that looked like a bomb around his neck, which he claimed was a pipe bomb he had made at home. The judge, Judge Patricia Ryan, repeatedly urged him to drop the gun and attempted to defuse the situation. A Garda negotiator persuaded Dunican to surrender the gun after a 17‑minute siege that saw the court building evacuated and surrounded by armed Garda units. Dunican pleaded guilty to carrying an imitation firearm with criminal intent. Judge Ryan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspended the final two years on the condition of good behaviour and no contact with the victims, and back‑dated the sentence to the day of the offence.
Liam Vickers, aged 23, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑year prison term for a "cowardly" knife attack on a transgender escort in Dublin. The assault occurred on 30 September 2017 when Vickers entered the victim's apartment, brandished a large knife, and attempted to stab her in the face while demanding free sex. The victim, who was working as an escort, blocked the attack and was wounded in her arm and cheek. Vickers also threatened the victim's roommate, who was later instructed to delete Vickers' phone number and text messages from his phone. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had prior convictions for driving while holding a mobile phone and failure to appear. The judge, Elma Sheahan, suspended the entire sentence for three years on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service, monthly drug testing, and payment of €2,000 compensation to the victim.
In November 2017, Laura Lambe, a 35‑year‑old mother of three from Basin Street, Dublin, was found to have smuggled heroin and Valium‑type tablets into Mountjoy prison. She concealed the drugs in her bra while visiting her then‑partner. According to her defence solicitor, Simon Matthews, a man had warned her the night before that he knew she would be entering the prison the next day, threatened her and her children, and gave her the drugs, instructing her to smuggle them in. Lambe appeared nervous during the security check, and when searched she voluntarily admitted the drugs were hidden in her bra. The court estimated the heroin's street value at €1,933 and the 24 Alprazone tablets at €2 each. Lambe pleaded guilty to the offence. Judge Melanie Greally described her as not a serious criminal, noted she had no prior convictions, and suspended a two‑year prison term on the condition of good behaviour.
An Afghani man, Abdullah Shinwari, aged 31, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a young woman on a Luas tram on 26 September 2019. Shinwari stood behind the victim, rubbed his penis against her lower back and ejaculated on her clothes. The victim described feeling "frozen" and later cleaning her clothes in a toilet, experiencing physical illness and vomiting. She reported the incident to Gardaí the next day and later identified Shinwari on a platform, leading to his arrest. DNA evidence linked Shinwari to the victim's stained clothing. Shinwari pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final 15 months on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 15 months post‑release. The sentence was reduced due to Shinwari's status as an Afghani national and the challenges of custody during Covid times.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean Fitzpatrick, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching David Curran on Grafton Street on 15 February 2017. Curran suffered a broken nose, three jaw fractures and a fracture above his eye, requiring surgery and extensive stitches. The assault left him with lasting nerve damage, forced him to drop out of college and lose his degree, and caused a significant increase in his anxiety and depression. Fitzpatrick was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and addiction treatment for 12 months. The judge also noted Fitzpatrick's 70 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. The case highlighted the severe physical and psychological impact of the assault on the victim.
Kevin Brazil, aged 51, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. The boy was lured into Brazil's flat with the promise of high‑end electronic gadgets and was psychologically coerced into further sexual acts. Brazil had been questioned by Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station in 2002 and had admitted to the abuse, yet the file was inexplicably not forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2020 Brazil pleaded guilty to six counts of child sexual assault and received a fully suspended three‑year sentence. In January 2021 the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Michael White, imposed a five‑year sentence, reduced to two and a half years, taking into account the delay in prosecution, Brazil's cooperation and guilty plea. The victim reported lasting anxiety and depression as a result of the abuse.
In 2012, Gardaí seized mobile phones and computers from Frederick Hunt, a former Irish Times employee, after an FBI investigation linked his email address to the trade of child pornography. Hunt, 74, admitted to producing, distributing and possessing hundreds of graphic images and videos of child abuse between December 2010 and January 2011. He claimed boredom at work and internet curiosity led him to the material, denying intent to harm children. Gardaí found 746 real‑child images and 251 animated ones, all classified as the most severe category. Hunt pleaded guilty to seven of 101 charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. The court adjourned sentencing to 28 April, ordered a Probation Services assessment, and noted Hunt's ongoing health issues and community stigma. The case highlighted investigative delays that postponed charges until 2018.
Desmond McGrath, 50, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to John Roche and false imprisonment of Martin and Lisa Byrne on 9 June 2015. McGrath was part of a gang of seven, including convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare, who were ringleaders of the forced eviction. McGrath claimed he had been told he was attending a job interview for security work and was dressed "almost as a bouncer". He admitted to punching and kicking Roche but not to physical violence against the Byrne family. The Byrne family has been in the Witness Protection Programme since the incident. McGrath was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to 3 February. The court noted McGrath's heroin addiction and his claim of remorse.
Kevin Brazil, 51, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. He lured the child to his flat with promises of high‑end electronic gadgets, then psychologically tortured him by threatening to expose the incident to the boy's friends if he did not return for further sexual acts. Brazil was first questioned in 2002 and made admissions to Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station, but the files were never forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2023 he received a fully suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to six counts of sexual assault. At the sentencing hearing in January 2024, the victim reported lasting anxiety and depression, and the court noted the delay in prosecution. Judge Michael White ordered a custodial sentence, remanding Brazil for sentencing on 19 January 2024.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed a sentence appeal by Aaron Wilson, who was convicted of assault causing serious harm to Aaron Kiely in Dublin City on January 19, 2014. Wilson, a personal trainer, pleaded guilty to the charge after initially absconding from a scheduled trial. He was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Wilson appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking a reduction of six months and one day to avoid classification as a long-term prisoner. His counsel argued the sentence was at the top of the scale and that the attack was not premeditated. The prosecution, represented by Tony McGillacuddy BL, urged the court to dismiss the appeal, noting the severity of the injuries. The victim, Mr. Kiely, suffered skull fractures, a brain clot, and hearing loss, leaving him requiring 24-hour care. Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with Justices Birmingham and Kennedy, dismissed the appeal. The court held that the classification of prisoners is a matter for prison authorities, not the judiciary. It found that the sentencing judge was correct to place the case near the top of the available range, given the victim's severe, life-altering injuries and the fact that Wilson's fitness exacerbated the harm. The court noted that a generous reduction had already been applied for mitigating factors and confirmed the original eight-and-a-half-year sentence.
In December 2017, Christopher Warburton, 26, drove a red quad bike in a dangerous chase through Dublin city traffic, repeatedly ignoring police signals and driving on the wrong side of the road. He accelerated toward Donard Estate, forced an oncoming vehicle to brake, and continued on Nephin Road, overtaking a van and two cars, causing one to brake suddenly. At the Cabra gate of Phoenix Park, the quad bike lost power; Warburton jumped off and struggled with an unmarked Garda car. He then attempted to jump over a wall, kicked a Garda, and entered the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, where a mounted police officer apprehended him. A month later, he punched an elderly, intoxicated man from behind, an act recorded on video. Warburton pleaded guilty to endangerment and assault causing harm, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, with nine months suspended on condition of rehabilitation, and was banned from driving for three years.
In a Dublin city‑centre nightclub incident on 7 July 2019, a masked mob armed with a hatchet and a petrol bomb—made from a Hennessy brandy bottle—attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on Grafton Street. Moses Lulendo, aged 19, joined the group, some members wearing face coverings. The mob sought revenge against those they believed were inside the club and linked to a prior attack on a relative of Lulendo's, following an earlier car attack involving Lulendo and another man. Detective Garda Sarah Barry reported that the mob's intent was retaliation. Lulendo pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to two earlier iPhone robberies. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the disorder charge and 26 months for the robberies, suspending eight months on condition of probation for 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Aaron Wilson, aged 31, attacked Aaron Kiely, aged 33, three times after seeing Kiely and his girlfriend interfere with Wilson's partner's car in Dublin. Wilson pursued the pair, punching, kicking, stamping on Kiely and beating him with a chair. Kiely was found on Patrick Street, breathing poorly and bleeding from his mouth. He was taken to hospital, where he suffered severe injuries: deafness in one ear, loss of hearing in the other, fractures to both sides of his skull, a brain blood clot, and now requires 24‑hour care. Wilson pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and was sentenced to eight and a half years. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking a reduction of six months and one day to avoid being classed as a long‑term prisoner. The appeal was heard by Justice George Birmingham, with counsel arguing the sentence was not excessive, and a decision is pending.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of Gerard Gunnery Snr, a 60-year-old taxi driver, to January 29 due to medical reasons. Gunnery Snr, of Whitehall, Dublin, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin city on December 23, 2017. The defendant, who was remanded in custody pending sentencing, was not produced to the court by the prison service for his scheduled hearing last Friday. Defence counsel stated they believed he may have had a hospital appointment. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the matter for finalisation, citing previously outlined medical issues. The court heard that since the offence was published, Gunnery Snr's son has faced threats and car vandalism; the Judge requested media distinguish between the father and son. The victim, who suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps, and jaw, told the court she woke to find the driver assaulting her before he threw her from the vehicle. She described enduring guilt and flashbacks. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued the actions were out of character for a hard-working man, while the Judge affirmed to the victim that the incident was not her fault.
Jonathan Grimes, aged 33, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for burglary offences. He pleaded guilty to stealing a €300 tablet from the Irish Whiskey Museum on 8 February 2019, and to two burglaries at Bewley's café on 23 February and 6 March 2019. In the first café burglary he entered a women's changing room and stole a cash belt; in the second, with a companion, he stole a bottle of gin and a laptop valued at about €1,500. He had 161 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery and theft. The court noted he was on bail for the first burglary when the later offences occurred. He was sentenced to four years for the museum burglary and three and four years for the café burglaries, to run consecutively, giving an eight‑year term with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. No stolen property was recovered.
In a laneway on Adare Lane, Andrew Stammers died of a drug overdose during the night of 19 October 2017. Owen Comerford (34) and his accomplice, John Murdiff (33), entered the lane and rummaged through Stammers' pockets, taking cigarettes, cash and other items. They later returned to alert emergency services, staying with Stammers until medical help arrived. The court heard that Stammers had been off drugs for years and had been a recovering addict. Judge Melanie Greally found the theft an opportunistic crime against a vulnerable man who was either dead or dying, imposing an 18‑month prison term. Comerford's earlier convictions for burglary and threatening offences added an additional five and a half years, with 12 months suspended on condition of drug‑treatment participation. Murdiff received a two‑year sentence for his role in the theft. The case highlighted the distress caused to Stammers' grieving partner and the broader impact on the community. Owen Comerford pleaded guilty.
Philip Murphy, 40, was released from prison two days before he sexually assaulted two women in Dublin in February 2016. He had served most of a 10‑year sentence for false imprisonment. In the first incident, he grabbed a woman from behind on Jervis Lane, threatened to kill her, and attempted to force sex. She tried to escape, screamed, and was aided by bystanders. In the second incident on Moore Street, he similarly attacked a woman, threatening her life and attempting to choke her. CCTV footage showed him wearing gloves and following the victims. Murphy denied the offences, claimed he had received psychological treatment, and said he was gay. He was extradited from the UK in June after a European arrest warrant. The case is set for sentencing in February, with a probation report due. Philip Murphy pleaded guilty.
A woman serving a suspended sentence for staging a murder victim's suicide has been sent back to jail after a judge heard she has been charged with 33 new offences, has consumed crack and heroin, and failed to give notice of where she was living. Janice Brady, with a last address at Maryville Hostel, Finisklin, Sligo, was sentenced to four years in prison in November 2019 for staging a suicide to impede the prosecution of her brother for the murder of Sligo musician, Martin "Matt" Kivlehan (60). She had pleaded guilty to the impeding charge in November 2017. Keith Brady (33) was found guilty of Mr Kivlehan's murder at New Apartments, Holborn St, Sligo on August 2 or August 3, 2015. Earlier this month, a bench warrant was issued for Brady after she breached the terms of her suspended sentence again. Activating the suspended part of the original sentence, Mr Justice White said that he had to impose the balance of the ten month sentence as Brady was in trouble again with the law, had failed to cooperate with the probation services and was still abusing drugs. The matter was adjourned.
Edward Wall, 46, was sentenced to nine months in prison for a series of burglaries in which he repeatedly entered unoccupied bars in open pubs during daylight hours and stole alcohol. Lawyers for Wall told the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that most of his 68 prior burglary convictions involved this pattern of theft. Garda Niall Cunningham described how Wall slipped into closed bar areas and took drinks, noting that the judge considered this his "specialisation". In November 2019, Wall entered the Vat House bar in Temple Bar, slipped behind the bar, and stole two bottles of Jameson whiskey; the theft was discovered later during a stock take and CCTV footage was examined. On 10 January, he entered a bar at the Mercantile Hotel on Dame Street, again walked behind an unmanned bar, and was confronted by staff while holding a bottle of whiskey. Wall pleaded guilty to trespass and theft on both occasions.
A 60‑year‑old taxi driver, Gerard Gunnery, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a late‑night passenger in Dublin on 23 December 2017. The victim, who was asleep in the front seat, woke to find Gunnery's hand inside her and masturbating. He then became aggressive, demanded payment, and threw her out of the car, leaving her on the side of the road. She suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps and jaw. Gunnery's lawyers argued the incident was out of character, presenting testimonials of him as a hard‑working, good man. The court heard the victim's impact statement, describing fear, guilt and flashbacks. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded Gunnery into custody for sentencing on 11 December. The case is pending sentencing.
A 34‑year‑old man with an acquired brain injury was found unfit to stand trial for several alleged assaults. He faced charges for assaulting a nurse manager at a hospital A&E in November 2015 and for unprovoked attacks on pedestrians in Dublin city centre, where he allegedly struck a man in February 2017 and a woman in March 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing medical reports from two consultant psychiatrists, declared the defendant unfit to plead. The judge imposed an interim order preventing publication of his identity until his status as a ward of the court was clarified, to be reviewed in four weeks. The court noted the defendant's memory loss, lack of understanding of court proceedings, and the need for long‑term assessment and support. The prosecution acknowledged the complainants' awareness of the proceedings and their appreciation of the defendant's position.
Michael Sheeran, 68, a retired council engineer, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at his Dublin home on 17 May 2016. An investigation began in 2016 after FBI information identified Irish users on the hidden file‑sharing site Playpen. Sheeran registered in November 2014 and was linked to 57 discussion threads containing images and video clips of child abuse. Gardaí seized his computer equipment and, after a backlog, retrieved 645 image files and 136 video files showing children being sexually abused. Sheeran began therapy after the raid and has undertaken steps to understand his behaviour. Judge Pauline Codd, noting his remorse and family support, suspended a three‑year prison term on the condition of continued therapeutic rehabilitation, two years of probation and registration on the sex offenders' registrar.
During the eighth day of a trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Colm Roddy (78) and Dave Donnellan (60) defended their actions of cutting a perimeter fence and painting crucifixes on a runway at Shannon Airport on 5 May 2016. They pleaded not guilty to criminal damage without lawful excuse. Roddy argued that the US military's use of the airport as a forward operating base for 17 years, with 2.5 million troops transiting, made him complicit in "destruction and torture" and that his protest was a lawful excuse to raise awareness. Donnellan claimed that the breach of neutrality and the transformation of the airport into a legitimate military target were not measurable in millimetres, and that his actions aimed to protect human life. Judge Karen O'Connor reminded the jury that the prosecution must negate any defence of lawful excuse. The trial continues at Kings Inns.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 20 October 2020, Judge Martin Nolan expressed concern over Paul Rooney, a 30‑year‑old with an acquired brain injury sustained in 2003, who had repeatedly committed crimes. Rooney had attacked Garda Patrick Barker in January 2019 after attempting to steal a bike on Beaver Street, punching the officer five to six times and cutting his nose. Rooney's mother and brothers were present and his mother administered medication to calm him. Rooney pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a Garda and had 37 prior convictions, including criminal damage, theft and handling stolen property. The judge accepted the defence's argument that Rooney's brain injury was significant but noted his recent escalation in offending. He questioned the court's role, said only one tool remained, and adjourned the case to 25 March 2021, ordering immediate return if Rooney commits further offences.
During the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Colm Roddy (78) and Dave Donnellan (60) pleaded not guilty to criminal damage for cutting a perimeter fence and painting crucifixes on Shannon Airport's runway. The defendants claimed their actions were driven by a moral and legal duty to oppose the use of the airport by the US military, citing human rights abuses in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Donnellan said he carried a wooden cross and a banner reading "US Military and CIA out of Shannon Airport" to protest the airport's role in facilitating military operations. Roddy asserted that he had protested for 14 years and sought to have the US Airforce Learjet searched for "murderous machinery." Gardaí questioned the legality of their claims, noting that the defendants' actions could have caused serious harm and that no one was injured. The trial remains ongoing.
A 39‑year‑old woman who discovered her husband was having sex with her 16‑year‑old daughter was charged with reckless endangerment of a child. After the discovery, she kicked both the man and her daughter out of their home. The couple stayed in Dublin city‑centre hostels, where staff noticed the man's behaviour and contacted Gardaí. The Gardaí found the pair, and the woman told them she was aware of the man's presence but did not disclose the sexual relationship. The Gardaí, after a second encounter, deemed the child at immediate risk and placed her in Tusla care. The woman pleaded guilty to one count of reckless endangerment and was given a suspended sentence. The stepfather remains charged with multiple counts of defiling a child, and the case is still before the courts. The daughter, now 18, lives with a foster family. The woman's baby, born with severe health issues, died shortly after birth.
In a High Court hearing on 13 October 2020, Noel Anderson, Managing Director of the Dublin bar Lemon and Duke, testified that he had been assured by FBD that its insurance policy covered business disruption losses caused by Covid‑19. Anderson switched insurers in early March after learning the previous policy did not cover pandemic‑related losses. He claimed FBD had assured him of coverage for wages, losses and rent during lockdowns, and that the policy covered up to €3.2 million. In April, FBD informed Anderson it would not provide coverage, which he described as disingenuous. Anderson, who has partners including rugby players, argued that the policy's plain‑English wording indicated coverage for Covid‑19 closures. The case is part of a group of four pubs suing FBD for breach of contract over pandemic‑related business interruption claims. The hearing continues.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Naranbat Ganbat (37), Altankhundaga Badrakh (37), and Gantulga Turbayan (42) pleaded guilty to providing false documentation when applying for an Irish passport on a date unknown between July 23, 2015 and August 12, 2015. The same offence was also alleged on the basis that they were reckless. The case was at the sentence stage. Ganbat was sentenced to a three-year suspended sentence, with the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. Badrakh received a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with the condition that she keep the peace for that time. Turbayan was sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence, with the condition that he be of good behaviour for two years. The matter was not finalised and was not described as concluded. The charges against another Mongolian national were alleged or contested, and no plea was entered. The court heard that the couple paid €19,000 to an intermediary to obtain a false naturalisation certificate, while Turbayan paid €25,000 for the same. The court also heard that the couple used doctored Czech passports and the PPSN of another Mongolian native to work in Ireland. The case was brought to light through Operation Porcelain, a garda operation investigating the issuing of Irish passports to non-nationals using false documentation.
Gerard Griffin, 63, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a series of violent attacks on the staff of the Chicken Hut on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin. The first assault occurred in April 2017, when he punched the owner, threatened staff and smashed the shop with a hockey stick. He later stabbed the owner's hand in February 2020. Griffin pleaded guilty to assault, criminal damage, threats to kill and possession of a knife. He also admitted to earlier offences, including assault, firearms possession and theft. The judge noted his mental collapse following the death of a son and the loss of four children, and suspended the final three years of a six‑year sentence on the condition that he stay away from the flat. He was ordered to engage with the Probation Service to address bereavement and racism issues. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the repeated violent conduct and the impact on the victim.
In October 2018, Amanda Carroll, 32, was strangled to death by her partner, Sean Nolan, 36, in Cabra, Dublin 7. The couple had begun a volatile relationship about four months earlier, exacerbated by heavy alcohol consumption. On the day before Carroll's death, they engaged in a binge‑drinking session that began early and continued across various Dublin locations. Nolan, intoxicated, crashed his car at 5.30 pm and was arrested; Carroll was also detained for a public order offence. Both were released around 8 pm. They resumed drinking, were observed intoxicated between 10 and 11 pm, and were later seen entering Carroll's apartment on CCTV. The next morning, Carroll's son, then 16, discovered her body in her bedroom. Nolan was subsequently arrested, questioned, and re‑arraigned. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while the prosecution argued he intended to kill or cause serious injury.