Judge James McCourt, who had close contact with a Covid‑19 case, directed a jury from his home via video link to the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. He informed the jury that he was socially isolating after the contact tested positive, and that he himself had tested negative. The trial concerns two brothers accused of repeatedly indecently assaulting their younger brothers between 1979 and 1988. One complainant testified that he was raped up to 1,200 times over several years. The trial began last week; the jury started deliberations on Thursday but were sent home on Friday because Judge McCourt was absent. The brothers, aged 55 and 50, have pleaded not guilty to 35 and 16 sample counts respectively. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, resumed deliberations this morning. The defendants are not named to protect the complainants' anonymity. The alleged abuse took place at the family home in Dublin. The trial is ongoing.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jonathan Coelho (29) was sentenced to 20 months in prison for four counts of dangerous driving, one count of endangering pedestrians, and one count of driving without insurance on July 31, 2019. Coelho had previously pleaded guilty to these charges and admitted to driving at speed through red lights and in the wrong direction in Dublin city centre before crashing into a lamp post. The court heard that Coelho was disqualified from driving in the UK at the time of the incident. Judge Melanie Greally backdated the sentence to account for the time Coelho had spent in custody since his arrest in July 2022. Coelho was acquitted of charges of endangering and assaulting Garda Conor Murray, following a jury's not guilty verdict. His co-accused, Federico Carvalho (31), pleaded not guilty to the same charges and was not sentenced. Coelho's legal representative highlighted his recent cancer diagnosis and requested the sentence be suspended to allow him to return to Italy for treatment. The judge noted that Coelho posed a risk to pedestrians and road users and paid tribute to the gardaí for their efforts in stopping the dangerous driving. The matter was concluded at the sentence stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, two men, Jonathan Coelho, 29, and Federico Carvalho, 31, were acquitted of assaulting and endangering Garda Conor Murray. The case centred on an incident on 31 July 2019 at St Lukes' Avenue, Dublin 8, where the accused were driving a vehicle that reversed at speed, causing Garda Murray to be thrown from the car. The jury, after 18 minutes of deliberation, found the men not guilty of the assault and endangerment charges. Coelho had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences, admitting he had driven at speed through red lights and in the wrong direction, and had crashed into a lamp post. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing for those dangerous driving charges. Carvalho was discharged from the indictment and released. The trial concluded with the jury's unanimous verdict and the judge adjourned the case for sentencing next Friday.
In the trial of Jonathan Coelho, 29, and Federico Carvalho, 31, the jury heard closing speeches after the defendants were charged with assault causing harm to Garda Conor Murray. The incident occurred on 31 July 2019 when the car, driven by Coelho, reversed at speed with Garda Murray hanging out of the passenger window. Coelho pleaded guilty to dangerous driving charges, admitting he drove at speed through red lights and in the wrong direction, but denied the endangerment charge. Carvalho denied striking the Garda. Garda Murray described being pulled half‑inside the vehicle, the driver kicking him repeatedly, and being thrown from the car after a final kick. The prosecution argued that CCTV and witness testimony proved the defendants' guilt, while the defence contended that the Garda's actions and the defendants' intentions were misrepresented. The jury will be instructed by Judge Melanie Greally on Monday.
During the third day of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jonathan Coelho (29) and Federico Carvalho (31) were heard by a jury about an incident on 31 July 2019 in which Garda Conor Murray was dragged by a car that reversed at speed. Coelho told the court that he had driven off because he had no insurance, claiming he had never had trouble with police before and that his only mistake was not having insurance. He denied punching or kicking the Garda and said he would never attack police. He also said the accelerator was stuck after the crash, causing the car to reverse, and that he was not pressing it. Carvalho, a passenger, said he repeatedly urged the driver to stop and that he was terrified. He denied hitting the Garda and said he would never hurt anyone. Jonathan Coelho pleaded not guilty. Federico Carvalho pleaded not guilty.
On 31 July 2019, Jonathan Coelho, 29, drove a car at speed through red lights in Dublin, crashing into a lamp post. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving charges. Coelho and Federico Carvalho, 31, are accused of assaulting Garda Conor Murray, who was dragged into the moving vehicle's passenger side window. Murray claims he was pulled in, struggled, and was kicked repeatedly, including a final kick to his face, before being thrown out. He also alleges the driver kicked him with his left foot while the car was moving, a claim his counsel deems mechanically impossible. Murray disputes this, stating the car was moving at speed and that he was struck multiple times. The trial is ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Garda Conor Murray recounted an incident on 31 July 2019 in which he was attacked and dragged by a reversing car. He claimed he had been holding the handbrake lever while his legs dangled from the passenger window. After the vehicle, driven by Jonathan Coelho (29) and with Federico Carvalho (31) as passenger, crashed into a lamp post following a high‑speed chase, Murray said he was pulled into the car as the driver started it again. He described being struck by punches and kicks, the passenger kneeling on him, and both men shouting in a foreign language and repeatedly saying "fuck you." Murray said he struggled to escape, was thrown from the car, and was dragged a short distance before the vehicle stopped. He sustained serious injuries, was taken to hospital, and the case remains before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Charlie Magaharan, aged 25, received an 18‑month suspended prison sentence for assaulting three men during a violent attack that began when he was seen kicking a city‑rental bike. The incident, captured on CCTV, involved Magaharan and three accomplices who assaulted Lorcan Travers, Peter Hardy, and Marcus Thomas. Travers suffered a concussion, fractured cheekbone and sprained ankle; Hardy sustained cuts, a dislocated shoulder and a black eye; Thomas had a fractured eye socket, lip cuts and a sprained shoulder. Magaharan pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm, admitted the fight, expressed remorse and apologized to the victims, offering €1,000 each. The judge considered his guilty plea, remorse, young age and employment history, and imposed the suspended sentence while ordering probation and engagement with Probation Services.
In July 2020 a 26‑year‑old man, previously convicted of sexual assault, was brought before the Central Criminal Court after he had been on the run for 18 months. He had been found guilty in his absence in December 2018 of 14 counts of sexually assaulting his cousin between 2008 and 2011, and a seven‑year sentence had been imposed. In November 2019 he was arrested for robbing a 62‑year‑old woman on Fitzgibbon Street, where he punched her and stole her handbag. He pleaded guilty to the robbery. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a consecutive four‑year term, with the final year suspended, after hearing the victim's impact statement and noting the defendant's drug and alcohol influence. The man is due for release from Midlands Prison on 8 February 2025. The victim suffered minor head injuries and psychological distress, and now feels nervous walking to work. The unnamed 26-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The High Court heard that the €16m redevelopment of the Royal Irish Academy of Music's Dublin premises has been halted by protesters who block access to the site. Protesters, who live nearby, display banners claiming "Developers Disrespect our Community" and "Support the Residents". The Academy and Purcell Construction, the builders, argue the works are to expand and modernise the college, not a speculative property project. They say the protesters' slow‑walking blockade at the Westland Row entrance has stopped work and raised health and safety concerns, including dangerous material buildup. After an initial ceasefire and a temporary agreement with 18 local households, a second wave of protests resumed, again blocking the entrance. The court granted a temporary injunction preventing anyone from impeding access or intimidating entrants, and the case will return next week. The injunction was granted ex‑parte. The court acknowledged the right to peaceful protest but noted the health and safety risks presented by the blockade.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vasile Plesca, aged 41, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after he beat his wife with a rolling pin in what he described as a jealous rage. The incident, which lasted seven hours, involved Plesca and another man preventing the woman from leaving their flat. He struck her over the head, forced her to remove blood‑stained clothing and shower, and inflicted bruising on her arm, elbow and neck. Video evidence, recorded by the victim on a mobile phone, showed her screaming and pleading for help. Plesca denied strangling her and claimed he avoided hospital care to prevent the authorities from taking his children. The judge, citing the severity of the offence, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended, and required Plesca to pay €5,000 to his wife as a token of remorse. Vasile Plesca pleaded guilty.
Kevin Brazil, 50, of Terenure, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven counts of sexually assaulting a child in the city on unknown dates between April 1, 2002, and June 30, 2002. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Brazil to three years' imprisonment but suspended the entirety of the sentence for a period of three years. The judge cited the State's "unconscionable delay" in prosecuting the case, noting that Brazil had admitted his guilt to gardaí in 2002, yet no file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. She stated that without this delay, a custodial sentence would have been inevitable. Brazil has 16 previous convictions for sexually assaulting a child, for which he was sentenced in 2004 to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. Superintendent Barry Walsh, the applicant, testified that he was unaware of these specific offences at the time of the 2004 prosecution and could not explain why the 2002 file was not forwarded. The court heard that Brazil had not offended since his release from custody in 2006. The judge acknowledged the victim's anxiety due to the lack of closure but emphasized that the delay was not Brazil's fault. Mitigating factors included his early guilty plea, admissions, employment history, and remorse.
In a Dublin case, former security guard Carlos Daly, aged 51, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for burglary after a peculiar incident during a break‑in. Daly had taken two trays of Tranax anti‑anxiety tablets before entering a basement flat on Tivoli Terrace. He claimed the tablets caused him to pass out halfway through the burglary. Garda Peter Daly reported that the suspect was found asleep by police after the resident discovered him. When taken to the station, Daly had left stolen items—two jewellery boxes and a mobile phone—in the footwell of the patrol car. He admitted burglary on 26 June 2018 and also admitted breaking into a car and stealing from a second car that night. With over 50 prior burglary convictions, the judge noted his drug addiction as a contributing factor but upheld the seriousness of the offence, imposing the sentence.
Dublin City Council has taken the case to the High Court to challenge a decision by An Bord Pleanala that allowed Spencer Place Development Company Ltd to increase the height of two buildings in a docklands development from 7 to 11 and 13 storeys, thereby adding more than 110 residential units. The council argues that the board's approval breaches building height restrictions in the North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock Strategic Development Zone. Earlier this year the council's challenge was remitted back to the board for reconsideration. In April the board had granted Spencer Place permission to add 115 units to a previously approved scheme of 349 units and to convert an apart‑hotel into 120 shared accommodation bedrooms. The council claims the board failed to consider relevant planning guidelines, gave inadequate reasons, and acted beyond its powers. The court will hear the case after the August recess.
Patrick Carter, of Coombe Court, Dublin city, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his part in a violent 2009 knife attack on Patrick Fowler. Carter pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but had previously failed to appear on his sentence date, fleeing to the UK where he was later imprisoned for aggravated burglary before being extradited to Ireland. The court heard that on April 19, 2009, Carter and Gerard Howe assaulted Fowler in a restaurant on Dame Street. Fowler alleged that Howe slashed his face with a blade, causing severe injuries including exposed facial muscles and a permanent scar. Carter admitted his role in the assault, stating he intervened to help a friend. Judge Martin Nolan rejected defense arguments that Carter had changed, noting he should not benefit from evading justice. Carter received a two-year prison sentence, with the final nine months suspended on conditions of good behaviour and payment of €2,000 to the victim. The sentence was backdated to June 19 of the previous year. Gerard Howe, who was jailed in 2013 for the same offence, was not present for this sentencing.
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following a series of attempted car thefts in a Dublin housing estate while under the influence of crack cocaine. Thomas Cahill Donohue, aged 35, pleaded guilty to twelve charges including burglary, attempted robbery, criminal damage, unlawful use of a vehicle, threatening behaviour and assault on gardaí at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 25 October 2019, Donohue approached multiple residents in the Whitethorn Walk estate in Lusk, making threats and attempting to take their vehicles while holding his pet chihuahua. Residents reported that he made violent threats towards them. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence on Thursday, noting that whilst Donohue expressed a desire to reform and seek drug treatment, the seriousness of his conduct and the trauma caused to civilians and gardaí necessitated custodial punishment. The judge stated that substance abuse was no defence. The sentence was backdated to 1 January last.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael Doyle, aged 52, was found guilty of two counts of exposure after an incident on Rathmines Road. Doyle had consumed a bottle of wine in addition to prescribed medication, including Diazepam and sleeping tablets, and was described as "off in his own world." While seated in his car with his 11‑year‑old son, he was seen dancing near a tree outside the Swan leisure centre, pulling at his pants and then exposing his penis to passers‑by, including elderly ladies and a woman with her five‑year‑old grandson. Doyle began touching himself, raised his arms, and verbally abused a Garda, calling him "prick" and "cunt." He pleaded guilty on 24 June 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a 12‑month prison term, suspended on the condition of good behaviour and compliance with Probation Service directions, citing Doyle's vulnerability, addiction issues and lack of prior convictions for similar offences.
In December 2018, Tomi Jinad, a 24‑year‑old KBC bank customer‑services worker, deactivated a security feature that required customers to receive a text‑message authorisation code for online transactions. This action enabled approximately 100 fraudulent transactions totalling €21,460, with individual amounts ranging from €100 to about €500. Jinad passed account details to unidentified parties. He pleaded guilty to multiple counts of unlawfully operating a computer to gain or cause loss to others. The offences occurred between 22 and 30 December 2018. Jinad had a prior drug‑dealing conviction and claimed he was persuaded by others to act. He did not receive any money. The court noted his apology, youth, and that he ceased the activity before the investigation. Judge Patricia Ryan suspended a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for four years, conditioned on peace‑keeping, and ordered annual payments of €5,200 until the stolen sum was repaid.
In July 2020, Gerard Griffin, aged 63, was remanded in custody after a series of violent incidents involving chef Bilal Ahmed at the Chicken Hut on Clanbrassil Street. Griffin had previously damaged the restaurant in 2017 with a hockey stick, smashing glass counters, displays, and CCTV cameras, and had assaulted Ahmed. In February 2020, while Ahmed was waiting outside the restaurant, Griffin stabbed him in the right hand with a kitchen knife. Griffin also inflicted a superficial wound on his own throat with a Stanley blade during a confrontation with Gardaí, who described a "siege" in his apartment where he threatened to pour boiling water and use booby traps. He pleaded guilty to assault, criminal damage, and threats of serious harm. The court remanded him pending sentencing, with a judge noting his history of 30 prior convictions and alleged mental collapse. The chef remains injured, suffering stiffness and pain in his right arm.
The receiver, Mr Stephen Tennant, appointed by AIB Mortgage Banks and AIB in October 2016 to manage three Dublin properties at 100, 101 and 104 Seville Place, strongly denies Dublin City Council's claim that he is in contempt of court for failing to vacate the buildings. The council, which secured injunctions in October 2015 requiring the residents of the three fire‑trap properties to leave immediately, has now sought the receiver's attachment and possible committal to prison. Mr Tennant, represented by counsel Rossa Fanning SC, said he will fully contest the allegations and has sworn two affidavits outlining his position. The High Court adjourned the matter for a week to allow constructive talks between the receiver and the council, with the judge hoping the discussions will be productive. The council has received complaints of anti‑social behaviour from residents and cites fire‑safety deficiencies that could spread a fire rapidly in the four‑storey, 190‑year‑old buildings.
In a Dublin court on 23 June 2020, Mario Snajder (32) and Miso Filjak (30) received suspended prison sentences for a drunken assault on a 20‑year‑old student on Harcourt Street in November 2018. Snajder punched the victim, Karl Canning, repeatedly, then kicked him twice after he fell. Filjak punched the victim once before he fell. Both men fled the scene. Canning suffered fractures, black eyes, loose teeth and nightmares, and his exam results were affected. The men pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Pauline Codd suspended a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for Snajder, conditioned on peace‑keeping and abstaining from alcohol, and ordered him to pay €1 300 immediately and €1 000 within a year. Filjak received an 18‑month suspended term and was ordered to pay €1 450 to the victim. Both men had no prior convictions and had expressed remorse.
In June 2020 the Dublin City Council (DCC) brought court proceedings against Mr Stephen Tennant, the receiver appointed by Grant Thornton for three Seville Place properties. The DCC sought the receiver's attachment and possible committal to prison after the receiver failed to enforce High Court orders that required the residents of the three "firetrap" buildings to vacate. The High Court had earlier issued injunctions in October 2019, ordering the residents of 100, 101 and 104 Seville Place to leave immediately and keep the buildings vacant until fire‑safety deficiencies were remedied. The DCC argued that the receiver's refusal to vacate the premises, despite offers of alternative accommodation, led to continued occupation and anti‑social behaviour. The court granted the DCC permission to serve short notice of the proceedings and adjourned the matter to later that week.
The Special Criminal Court heard on 19 June 2020 that five bullets were lodged in the head of Michael Barr, 36, who was shot to death at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Liverpool native David Hunter, 41, is pleading not guilty to the murder. Former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, appearing by video‑link, described the post‑mortem findings: seven gunshot injuries, including three entry wounds above the jaw, one behind the right ear, one behind the temple, one through the right shoulder blade, and one on the left thigh. He noted extensive skull damage and that the injuries were incompatible with life. Retired Detective Superintendent Eunan Dolan confirmed the pub was declared a crime scene and that CCTV footage had been seized by the Special Detective Unit. The defence questioned the seizure and the court adjourned the case to 23 June for further proceedings. The trial is expected to last four weeks.
In a High Court case, several parties, including Iveagh Markets Hotels Ltd and businessman Martin Keane, challenge Dublin City Council's (DCC) decision to invalidate a planning application for redeveloping the Iveagh Markets site in Dublin's Liberties. The application, submitted in December 2019, proposed a distillery, restaurant, bakery, and a 128‑room four‑star hotel on the western side of Lambs Alley, and a 148‑room three‑star hotel with a hostel on the eastern side. DCC declared the application invalid on 17 January 2020, citing lack of legal interest and absence of a required letter of consent, asserting ownership of the land. The applicants argue that DCC's claim of ownership is disputed, noting a €888,816 payment made in 2006 that remains on deposit. They seek orders to quash DCC's decision, declare their sufficient interest, and claim DCC acted unreasonably and breached their rights. The judge granted permission ex‑parte and adjourned the case to October.
An elderly man, Christopher O'Neill, was attacked by 26‑year‑old Nicole Byrne while using a cash machine in Dublin city centre. Byrne threatened him with a syringe and said, "I'm going to hurt you now." O'Neill, fearing for his life, struck Byrne in the face, grabbed her arms, and forced her to the ground until Gardaí arrived. Byrne, who had previously pleaded guilty to robbery offences, was found to be heavily drug‑using and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended on condition of drug treatment and victim‑focused work. O'Neill, who had recently returned to Ireland with his family, said the incident shattered his dream of living safely in the country and prompted them to seek a safer place to live. The case was described by the sentencing judge as a regrettable indictment of the risks people face in the city.
A 29‑year‑old man, Dylan Murphy, was arrested after a teenager was attacked during a burglary at a flat on Thomas Street, Dublin. The victim, an Iranian teenager aged 19, was taken to hospital after Murphy smashed a large bottle across the side of his head. Murphy was seen walking around the emergency department and was found to be carrying stolen Iraqi currency and rolling tobacco. He claimed he could not explain how he had the cash and denied having broken into the flat. He also admitted to taking tablets and drinking beer and whiskey. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Murphy to six years in prison, suspending the final four years, and ordered that the sentence run consecutively with two years already imposed for other robberies in 2018. The suspension was conditional on Murphy attending drug treatment, alcohol awareness and anger management programmes and maintaining good behaviour.
A 51‑year‑old man named Jessie O'Dwyer, who has a long criminal record, was jailed for a robbery of a pharmacy in Dublin city centre. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, which took place on 11 February 2019 when he entered Blackhall pharmacy on Ellis Quay, threatened staff, and used a scarf to cover his face while shouting for the till to be opened. The pharmacist, fearing he might be armed, opened the till, and security staff tackled him. O'Dwyer was found to have been abusing crack cocaine at the time of the offence. In court, his lawyers argued that he wanted to change and address his addiction. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged his desire for reform, noted his good behaviour in custody, and suspended the final two years of a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence on the condition that he remain peaceful and engage with the Probation Service.
Lawrence Mubango, 31, was already serving a 10‑year prison term for a 2018 knife attack that left a victim severely injured. In 2017 he pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit‑card machine at Mary's Pub in Dublin. The court heard that on the day of the offence he had the machine for less than ten minutes, activated the refund function and entered €7,500, but the transaction was cancelled before any money was transferred, so the pub suffered no loss. CCTV captured him taking the machine from behind the bar. Judge Martin Nolan described the attempt to steal €7,500 as "absolutely asinine" and, considering it a minor matter compared with the earlier violent offence, sentenced Mubango to three months' imprisonment, to run consecutively with his existing sentence. The court noted that without his current sentence the penalty would have been considerably longer.
Robert Kinlan, 33, of Ballygall Parade, Finglas, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on October 20, 2018. Kinlan pleaded guilty to charges of attempted robbery and robbery at Cuffe Street, Dublin 2. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Kinlan had a "lamentable history" of previous convictions, including numerous robberies. The court heard that Kinlan was arrested the night before the incident for another robbery and was released on bail. During the daylight offence, he allegedly threatened a victim, pushing him against a gate and causing facial injuries, including a broken nose, while demanding his phone and wallet. Kinlan was subsequently arrested after a witness identified him on a Luas tram. Judge Greally imposed a prison sentence of four and a half years. However, she suspended the final two years of the term, resulting in an effective custody period of three and a half years. The suspension is conditional upon Kinlan keeping the peace and engaging with drug treatment during that period. The Judge acknowledged Kinlan's difficult start in life and his current engagement with Probation Services.
Pat O'Donnell and Company, a plant machinery supplier, has filed a High Court challenge against Dublin City Council's decision to rezone land at Chapelizod Bypass/Kylemore Road from industrial to mixed commercial and residential use. The company argues the council's variation of its development plan is flawed, was made without proper hearing, and lacks adequate reasons. It claims the change from industrial to mixed use is not a minor modification and that the council failed to comply with EU law by not conducting an Appropriate Assessment or Strategic Environmental Assessment. The company seeks an order quashing the rezoning, declarations that the decision was unlawful and breached the 2000 Planning and Development Act, and fair procedure. Uniphar Group Plc, which owns part of the land, is a notice party. Mr Justice Michael Twomey granted permission ex‑parte and stayed the council's decision pending further court orders. The case will return to court next month.
Rhys Moran, 24, of Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on Charleville Road (10 May 2018), robbery on D'Olier Street (9 May 2018) and to perverting the course of justice and criminal damage at Bridewell Garda Station (10 May 2018). He had 18 prior convictions, including a juvenile robbery. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally described him as "clearly out of control" and noted his urination in his cell as a "self‑defeating act of defiance". She imposed a six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision. The judge considered his guilty pleas, insight, extensive difficulties and youth. The case also involved a broken golf club that Moran ripped open during an interview, destroying evidence, and a €69.46 damage claim for cell cleaning.
David Allen, 35, was on bail for a robbery when he knocked 89‑year‑old Nina MacAuley to the ground outside a Dublin hairdresser, bashed her, and stole her handbag. MacAuley suffered head and arm injuries and later discovered her handbag missing. Allen, who has no fixed abode and a history of 25 convictions including robbery, burglary and theft, pleaded guilty to the robbery at Aungier Street on 1 July 2019 and to the armed robbery of a 73‑year‑old taxi driver on 5 February 2019. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for the earlier robbery and five years for the MacAuley robbery, making a total of eight years imprisonment with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was imposed with the two terms running consecutively. Allen's victim impact statement was read in court, and he admitted to being "strung out" on heroin during the incidents.
Anthony Rossitter, a 32‑year‑old drug addict from County Wexford, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three attempted robbery charges after threatening staff in three city‑centre shops on 15 May 2019 with a large pair of stainless‑steel scissors. He entered a Gala shop on Abbey Street, placed a plastic bag on the counter and demanded cash, threatening to cut a staff member if he did not comply. After leaving without money, he went to a Spar shop in Temple Bar and then to a Gala shop on Dorset Street, again demanding cash and showing the scissors, but left empty‑handed and was arrested shortly thereafter. Rossitter has 85 prior convictions, including 46 for traffic offences, and a history of assault and drug dealing. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
Myles Byrne, 28, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment after a shop robbery in Dublin's city centre. He entered a Tesco at about 9 am, attempted to purchase four cans of cider, and when staff refused to sell him alcohol he threatened a staff member with a syringe, saying "get away or I'll stab you" and that he was lucky he didn't rob the tills. Garda Aine Hogan reported that staff feared for their lives, and the deputy manager described Byrne as "out of it" and "swaying". Byrne pleaded guilty to robbery and to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. He has 79 prior convictions, including assault, robbery and traffic offences, and was on bail when the offence occurred. His defence counsel, Rebecca Smith BL, noted his ongoing alcohol problems and lack of memory of the incident, and that he wished to address his addiction but was unable to access residential treatment due to pandemic restrictions.
Two men, Nathan Benson (22) and Harry Walsh (19), were sentenced to four years each in prison for a violent robbery that took place on Wellington Quay on 22 October 2017. The robbery involved the victim's Rolex watch, valued at €7,500, which the men seized after spotting the watch in a Dublin nightclub. During the assault, the victim was kicked, punched and left with physical injuries and lasting psychological impact. Judge Melanie Greally described the robbery as "extremely violent and vicious" and noted the defendants' histories of violent offending and drug addiction. Benson's case was influenced by his upbringing and mental health struggles, while Walsh's record included numerous prior convictions for extreme violence. Both men pleaded guilty and were given sentences with the final 12 months suspended. The court also considered their behaviour in custody and potential for rehabilitation. The sentencing highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the defendants' personal circumstances.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, three men in their early twenties were accused of raping an 18‑year‑old woman at Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016. The defendants pleaded not guilty and claimed the woman had consented to all sexual activity. The woman testified that she met the men in an internet café, was taken to a remote location, and was raped by the men in succession. She described feeling shocked and trapped, noting that she could not exit the car. The trial lasted 29 days; on day 29 the jury could not reach a verdict on any count after deliberating five and a half hours. Judge Alexander Owens granted the jury a 15‑year exemption from future service, remanded the men on bail, and adjourned the case to 15 June. The trial ended without a verdict.
The High Court has granted permission for John Conway and the Louth Environmental Group to challenge An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission for a 657-apartment development in Raheny, Dublin. The applicants, represented by Stephen Dodd SC, claim the board erred in law by failing to conduct an appropriate assessment under EU habitats and birds directives, specifically regarding impacts on curlews, oystercatchers, and light-bellied Brent geese. They further allege the development contravenes the Dublin City Development Plan regarding building heights and zoning. The proposed project, submitted by Crekav Trading GP Ltd under a fast-track process, consists of nine blocks ranging from five to nine storeys plus a creche, located east of St Paul's College. Crekav is a notice party to the proceedings. In their action, the applicants seek an order quashing the board's decision, declarations that the decision was unlawful and did not constitute a strategic housing development, and findings that it acted contrary to EU Directives. Mr Justice Denis McDonald, who handles fast-track challenges for strategic infrastructure, was satisfied to grant the application on an ex-parte basis. After making certain directions in the action, the judge adjourned the matter to a date in late April.
In October 2017, John Murdiff, aged 33, and an accomplice stole items from Andrew Stammers, a former heroin addict, in Adare Lane, Dublin. Stammers had overdosed that night, but it could not be determined whether he was dead when the theft occurred. Murdiff later returned to the lane, discovered Stammers was not breathing, and sought help. He was charged with theft and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Murdiff had 50 prior convictions, including theft, public order, and assault causing harm. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, consecutive to a three‑year term for assault, after a judge noted his remorse and the tragic circumstances surrounding Stammers' death. The case highlighted the difficulties in determining the exact time of Stammers' death and the impact on his family.
Patrick Harte, a retired Dublin school teacher aged 78, was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault against seven boys who attended Sancta Maria Christian Brothers on Synge Street between September 1968 and September 1970. The boys, then about ten years old, alleged that Harte had fondled them after calling them to the top of the class, placing his hand down their trousers and touching their genitals. One complainant, now in his 60s, also claimed Harte had physically assaulted him. Harte denied all allegations, arguing that the classroom was busy and that such actions would have been impossible. The jury, after more than six hours of deliberation, returned a guilty verdict on all counts, with two jurors dissenting. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Harte on continuing bail and scheduled a sentencing hearing for 27 April. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two development companies, Ingaro Limited and May Property Holdings Limited, have taken the High Court to challenge a new basement policy introduced by Dublin City Council (DCC). The firms argue that the policy, which requires a 0.5‑metre clearance between the site boundary and the outer extent of any proposed basement, could reduce the floor area of their projects by 10 % to 14 %. They claim DCC failed to vary its 2016‑2022 Development Plan, did not identify the legislative power used, and did not conduct public consultation or provide adequate reasons for the policy. Represented by Jarlath Fitzsimons SC, the companies allege that DCC acted unlawfully and irrationally, breaching their rights. They seek orders to quash DCC's decision, a declaration of legal error, and a stay on the policy's application to their planning applications. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted permission on an ex‑parte basis and allowed a stay pending further proceedings, which were adjourned to late May.
The jury has retired from the trial of Patrick Harte, a 78‑year‑old retired Dublin school teacher, who is accused of fondling school boys at the Sancta Maria Christian Brothers on Synge Street between September 1968 and September 1970. Harte faces 11 counts of indecent assault involving seven complainants, all of whom were around ten years old at the time. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The prosecution, led by Anne Rowland SC, presented testimony that Harte allegedly called boys to the top of the class and then fondled them, including placing his hand down a boy's trousers while sitting on his knee. A complainant, now in his 60s, recounted a similar incident and noted prior physical assault by Harte. Harte denied the allegations, arguing that the classroom's busy environment and the presence of other teachers and inspectors would have made such actions unlikely.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old accused of rape, who is one of three young men, told the judge that the alleged victim was lying and trying to ruin his life. He said he had never met the woman before the incident, which took place on 5 January 2016 at Dollymount Strand, Dublin. According to him, the woman entered a car with the accused men, suggested they go to Dollymount, and asked who wanted to have sex first. He claimed he left the car with one co‑accused and stood at a nearby hut, while the other men returned later. He denied having sex with the woman and said she asked for his phone number, which he refused to give. He also said he did not inform Gardaí of the events, citing his father's advice and his solicitors' counsel. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin court, three men in their early twenties, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to raping an 18‑year‑old woman on Bull Island, Dollymount, on 5 January 2016. The prosecution alleged the woman was driven to Dollymount Strand, raped by the men in succession, and then abandoned in a remote area. During the trial, a jury viewed CCTV footage showing the woman and the three men leaving an internet café in Dublin city centre and boarding a car. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Owens and a jury.
Lisa Comerford, 46, and her partner robbed a homeless man on a Dublin city street. Comerford approached the man, demanded €5, and when he refused, she grabbed his feet and forced him to the ground. The victim, who was homeless, later reported that he was kicked, punched, and had his throat squeezed by Comerford. She then searched his pockets and took his rucksack, which contained his phone and clothes. A nearby security guard intervened and called the Gardaí. Both Comerford and her accomplice were present when the police arrived. Comerford was arrested, and the victim's belongings were returned. She pleaded guilty to robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for an incident on Winetavern Street on 16 March 2019. She has 80 prior convictions, including theft and robbery. The judge adjourned her case to 11 June, revoked her bail, and remanded her in custody, ordering a probation report. The case remains pending.
A building contractor, McAleer & Rushe UK Ltd, was fined €100,000 by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to conduct an asbestos risk assessment during refurbishment work at Findlater House, Cathal Brugha Street, on 23 June 2016. The breach occurred while the company was converting the building into a hotel. Two asbestos surveys had been carried out the previous year, but the area where the breach happened had not been included because work had not been planned there at that time. The company had previously removed asbestos elsewhere in the building in compliance with regulations. Declan McLogan, a director, pleaded guilty on behalf of the firm, acknowledging that the company would be liable for exposing employees to asbestos dust where a risk assessment was not performed. Judge Melanie Greally described the breach as a serious one caused by human error, not cost‑saving, and noted the company's strong safety reputation and low accident record.
Hoi Ping Yung, 47, a UK businessman, was convicted of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel room on 21 November 2013. The victim, who slept in a single bed, woke to find Yung in the double bed, rubbing her arm and leg, and later being raped. Yung claimed he had no memory of the incident and denied non‑consensual sex, arguing any contact was consensual. He had no prior convictions. The judge noted Yung's good character and lack of previous offences but also the severe violation of the victim's body. A headline sentence of seven and a half years was reduced to four and a half years, taking into account mitigating factors. The court also heard the victim's detailed impact statement, describing shame, guilt, fear, panic, flashbacks and anxiety attacks. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Hoi Ping Yung pleaded not guilty.
In a 2020 hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Garda Sean Lucey, 42, to a fully suspended one‑year prison term for assaulting RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand during anti‑racism protests in Dublin in February 2016. Lucey struck Hand's camera with his baton and then hit him in the groin, causing significant bruising and pain. Hand's victim impact statement described sleeplessness, worry and stress, noting the incident shattered his confidence. Judge Greally rejected Lucey's claim that the assault was an error of judgement, stating his regret fell short of an apology and that a donation to a charity was an unsuitable gesture of remorse. She cited Lucey's clean record and lack of prior offences, viewing the act as an aberration, and therefore suspended the sentence. The conviction was for assault causing harm; Lucey was acquitted of criminal damage. The case highlighted the need for restraint and self‑control in public order situations. Sean Lucey pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Sean Lucey, aged 42, was set to be sentenced for assaulting RTÉ cameraman Mr Colm Hand during street protests on 6 February 2016. Lucey, a public order officer stationed at Crumlin Village and Sundrive Road, struck Hand in the groin with a baton while Hand was filming. Hand suffered bruising and pain and later described sleeplessness, worry and stress in his victim impact statement, claiming the incident shattered his confidence. Lucey pleaded not guilty to one count of assault causing harm and to damaging Hand's camera. He was convicted of assault after a five‑day trial in December and acquitted of the criminal damage charge. The judge adjourned finalisation of the case until the following Friday, remanding Lucey on continuing bail while considering a deferred sentence under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, McAleer & Rushe UK Ltd was found guilty of failing to carry out an asbestos risk assessment during refurbishment work at Findlater House, Cathal Brugha Street, on 23 June 2016. The company had previously conducted two asbestos surveys the year before, but the area where the work was carried out had not been included because it was not part of the planned conversion. While asbestos had been removed elsewhere in the building by a specialist, the subcontractor's workers discovered a tile with a warning sticker during demolition. Analysis confirmed the presence of amosite or brown asbestos. The company's director, Declan McLogan, pleaded guilty on behalf of the firm, acknowledging that the failure to assess risk could have exposed employees to asbestos dust.
In a five‑day Central Criminal Court trial, a 16‑year‑old defendant was acquitted of raping an 18‑year‑old woman in a Dublin city park in February 2017. The court heard that the parties met in October 2016, began a consensual relationship in November, and had sex from December 2016 to January 2017. The woman testified that after a quarrel the defendant grabbed her, dragged her around a bench, and raped her. She also claimed the defendant texted a friend, offering money to keep her from reporting the incident. The defence argued the woman had fallen out with the defendant and sought reconciliation, and that the alleged rape was untrue. After two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict. The trial included medical testimony, text‑message evidence, and cross‑examination of the complainant and her friends. The case concluded with the defendant's acquittal.