In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old Dublin resident denied attempting to rape a woman on 18 December 2010 in Dublin city centre. The trial, before Mr Justice Micheal White and a jury of twelve, included evidence that CCTV footage from the area had been seized, downloaded and preserved by Garda witnesses. The accused pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm, and neither he nor the complainant were identified during the proceedings.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 34‑year‑old Dublin woman testified that on 18 December 2010 a man held her hands around her throat while attacking her outside her apartment block. She described arriving after a night out, opening the security gate, and being followed into the courtyard. The man grabbed her from behind, pushed her to the ground, and choked her. She tried to scream but he kept his hand around her throat, punched her repeatedly, and shouted "shut up." She reported pain on the side of her face from the punches and that he ripped her tights, pulled her underwear down, and touched her genital area. She claimed he attempted to rape her but could not, and that he masturbated and ejaculated on her skirt while still choking her. The accused pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Micheal White and a jury.
Anastasia Kriegel, 14, vanished on 14 May after leaving home with a boy she had known. Her father, Patric Kriegel, says he saw her walk away with the boy, now identified as Boy B, at about 5 pm, before her phone last connected to her mother's office at 5:32 pm. The State claims she was dead by that time. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, is the second day of proceedings against two 14‑year‑olds charged with her murder. Both accused, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty. Boy A is also charged with aggravated sexual assault. The prosecution alleges the boys lured Ana to a derelict farmhouse where she was murdered. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet.
Jason Farrell, 26, of Finglas, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to assaulting James McDonagh with intent to cause serious bodily harm and producing a 12-inch kitchen knife on February 2, 2018. The court heard that Farrell entered The Auld Triangle pub armed with two knives, including a 14-inch blade, before being ejected by a group of men. Garda Sergeant Ken Houlahan testified that he witnessed the melee and arrested Farrell after he refused to drop the weapons. Judge Pauline Codd noted that while Farrell intended to assault Mr. McDonagh, the intervention of others prevented him from using the knives. The judge acknowledged Farrell's 30 previous convictions, including assaults and robbery, but accepted his early guilty plea and his recent efforts to remain drug-free and complete job training. She imposed a three-year sentence, with the final two-and-a-half years suspended. The suspension is conditional on Farrell attending all Probation Service appointments and engaging in victim and offence-focused work. The matter was finalised with this sentencing order.
Two men, John Brock (46) and John Roche (55), were found in joint control of 167 kg of explosives in a black Skoda Fabia on Naas Road. The explosives, weighing 23–24 stone, included ammonium nitrate fuel mix and 38 rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives, and were deemed capable of causing death, injury and damage. Both pleaded not guilty to possession of 57 kg of homemade explosives. The non‑jury Special Criminal Court convicted them and sentenced Roche to seven years' imprisonment and Brock to eight and a half years. Brock was offered an 18‑month reduction if he dissociated from dissident organisations. The court noted the men's involvement was limited to transportation and that Roche had no prior convictions, while Brock had a previous firearms conviction. No further charges were pursued.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 22‑year‑old Emmet Prizeman received a suspended 18‑month prison sentence for assaulting Stephen Merchant, a professional referee from England, after a row with his girlfriend escalated outside a Harcourt Street nightclub. CCTV showed Prizeman punching Merchant once and then kicking him twice while he was on the ground, striking him on the head. Merchant was briefly unconscious, taken to hospital, and fully recovered. Prizeman pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 24 May 2017. The judge, citing his lack of prior convictions, good work record, and a character reference from a catering teacher, reduced a headline three‑year sentence to 18 months, suspended on the condition of keeping the peace for two years and engaging in victim‑ and offence‑focused work with the Probation Service.
Marius Purcil, 39, of Woodbrook Hall, was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual assault and assault causing harm at a holistic treatment centre in Dublin on 21 January 2017. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed five years for sexual assault and three years for assault causing harm, to run consecutively, and suspended the final two years on strict conditions. Purcil entered the premises, requested a massage from a receptionist who was absent, offered money for sex, and when she refused, he became aggressive, struck her, held a knife to her throat, and forced her to undress. He cut her leggings and underwear and inflicted lacerations to her genitals, as well as injuries to her face, head and neck. The victim, who was unconscious, later described the assault in a victim impact statement, expressing fear and a desire not to hate the attacker.
Frank Kamara, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 January 2018. He had sent a video of a boy aged one or two being raped to his supervisor, who watched it for two seconds before deleting it. Kamara claimed he sent the video to warn his supervisor about child sexual exploitation. The video, 4 minutes 59 seconds long, was the only child‑pornographic material found on his phone. Kamara had no prior convictions, was a cleaner at the time of the offence, and had a history of charitable work. Judge Elma Sheahan accepted the case as a one‑off offence, noted mitigating factors such as his guilty plea and remorse, and imposed a 12‑month imprisonment sentence suspended on the condition of good behaviour for 12 months.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, John Roche (55) and John Brock (46) were found guilty of possessing 167 kg of explosives in the boot of a car on Naas Road, Dublin 12, on 13 April 2016. The court noted the explosives included 57 kg of ANFO and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives, amounting to roughly three‑quarters of the 227 kg of ANFO used in the Omagh bombing of 15 August 2008, which killed 29 people. Detective Sergeant Tom Power compared the Naas Road bomb to other large bombs, such as a 30 kg ANFO keg found in Finnstown House hotel and a 50 kg ANFO keg in Kilcurry Church, both in May 2014. The court also heard that 18 detonators were found under the front passenger seat. Mr Brock had a prior firearms conviction from 2008, while Mr Roche had no prior convictions. The sentencing was adjourned to Friday morning. John Brock pleaded not guilty.
Martin Hanley, aged 55, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a violent robbery on 23 November 2017 in Gardiner Lane. He knocked victim Frank O'Neill to the ground, demanded money, and stamped on O'Neill's leg, breaking his tibia. O'Neill, aged in his 60s, was left unable to run and later unable to walk, with the injuries likely to cause arthritis. Hanley, who is undergoing cancer treatment and has had a lung removed, pleaded guilty. Judge Karen O'Connor described the attack as vicious and frightening, suspended the last two and a half years of a five‑year term, and imposed a longer custodial period. Hanley was placed on a two‑year bond for good behaviour and required to engage with Probation Services. No order was made regarding a €2,000 offer of remorse from Hanley's family. The Probation Service assessed him as a moderate risk of re‑offending.
Donna McGarry, 38, who worked as general manager at the Dublin pub Four Dame Lane, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for taking €11,900 between 4 October and 6 November 2017. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of three years but suspended the entire two‑and‑a‑half‑year term, giving credit for her early guilty plea, good work history and a strong testimonial from her current employer. McGarry had no prior convictions, had fully repaid the stolen money, and was described as otherwise good character. The judge noted her severe financial pressure and a miscarriage at the time of the offences. McGarry was ordered to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the duration of the suspended sentence.
Deanna Brogan, 21, avoided jail after a judge placed her on a six‑month good behaviour bond for her role in a violent robbery on a Dublin city bus on St Patrick's Day 2015. Brogan, who had previously been involved in a street assault on a Brazilian man and a violent disorder offence in Temple Bar, admitted to slapping a minor victim twice in the face after the victim had returned his borrowed mobile phone. The attack was captured on CCTV and the victim has expressed ongoing fear of entering the city centre. Brogan's 12 prior convictions include two assault offences. The judge described the bus incident as "mean spirited" and "thuggish," and warned that any further offence would result in a prison sentence. She ordered Brogan to appear again on 10 October. The case also involved her partner Edward Doran, who pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of a robber.
In March 2019, Gerard Cully, a 32‑year‑old crack cocaine addict, was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for a series of violent robberies. He robbed a taxi driver on Railway Street, demanding €30 and the driver's car keys while threatening him with a pointed weapon and an accomplice strangling the victim with a rope. Cully also attempted to rob a convenience store and successfully robbed two other shops in Dublin's city centre, taking a total of €415. He was armed with a knife and a hammer during these offences. Judge Melanie Greally described the crimes as a "spree of severe offences committed at a very high level" to obtain money for his addiction. Cully pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and had previously sought help for his addiction. The judge imposed concurrent sentences, suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions, and considered his psychological report and prior attempts at treatment.
Frank Kamara, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 17 January 2018, while employed as a cleaner at a Dublin shopping centre, he emailed a video to his supervisor. The supervisor watched the four‑minute, 59‑second clip for two seconds, was shocked, and deleted it. Kamara claimed he sent the video to warn his supervisor about the dangers of child sexual exploitation and to advise him not to leave his own children with untrustworthy people. He said the video was sent to him by a woman in Nigeria and that he had deleted it after forwarding it. The prosecution, represented by Garda Joanne Grogan, described the footage as a male adult raping a boy about one or two years old.
Two Dublin men pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges relating to a fraudulent forestry investment scheme. Between January 2014 and mid-2016, Garret Hevey and David Peile induced approximately 143 foreign investors to deposit roughly €5.5 million into Arden Forestry Management. Detective Inspector Catharina Gunne told the court the investments would have required around 858 acres of land, but the company owned only 30.2 acres. Investors were promised returns based on government grants and forest harvesting, though the company was ineligible for grants as its trees exceeded the twenty-year age limit. One investor visited a forest site in Frenchpark, County Roscommon, but was prevented from accessing the land registry to verify ownership. Hevey, of Shankill, Dublin, and Peile, of Ballyguile, Wicklow, both pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing investment and deception charges. Approximately €1.98 million remained in the company account when gardaí froze it, with €1.5 million having been transferred to a Dubai account. Judge Melanie Greally remanded both men on bail pending sentencing submissions.
A 38‑year‑old former general manager of the Dublin pub Four Dame Lane, Donna McGarry, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for stealing almost €12,000 between 4 October and 6 November 2017. The court heard that McGarry was under severe financial pressure, had suffered a miscarriage, and was facing a potential repossession of her apartment. She admitted the thefts, transferred the €11,900 stolen to the victim's bank account, and promised to repay the money. McGarry had no prior convictions and was currently employed full‑time in hospitality. Judge Melanie Greally indicated an intention to impose a suspended sentence, citing exceptional circumstances and mitigating factors, and adjourned sentencing to 29 March to allow the transfer to complete. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Susan McNeill, 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €1,352,798 worth of cannabis and cocaine in her apartment. She admitted allowing the drugs to be stored there and cooperating with Gardaí, who found almost 60,000 g of cannabis and over 2,100 g of cocaine. McNeill claimed she was pressured by a neighbour, who had a key to her flat, and that the drugs were kept in a place inaccessible to her 14‑year‑old son. She said she had received €3,000 and €2,000 in cash for the operation and expected a one‑off payment of €500‑1,000. McNeill also provided the code for an encrypted phone. The court adjourned sentencing to June 4 pending a probation report, with Judge Pauline Codd remanding her on continuing bail. The case highlights the alleged involvement of an unnamed man in the drug movement.
Charlie Magaharan, 25, of Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Lorcan Travers, Peter Hardy, and Marcus Thomas at Custom House Quay on February 6, 2016. The incident occurred after the victims approached Magaharan and an accomplice, who were allegedly damaging a rental bike. CCTV footage played in court captured the assaults, during which the victims sustained injuries including a fractured cheekbone, dislocated shoulder, and fractured eye socket. Magaharan, who has 19 previous convictions, including a two-year suspended sentence for criminal damage in July 2013, accepted that a fight occurred and expressed remorse. The prosecution noted that the victims accepted a letter of apology and €1,000 compensation. Judge Melanie Greally placed Magaharan on a 12-month probation bond, ordering him to engage with Probation Services and undertake recommended courses. The matter was adjourned for a year.
Liam Walsh, a 27‑year‑old from Tallaght, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison for eight thefts in Dublin city centre in September and October 2017, including stealing a wallet from a pregnant woman at Supermacs and a handbag from an 87‑year‑old woman at the Shelbourne Hotel. He also pleaded guilty to an attempt to escape lawful custody at Pearse Street Garda Station. On 31 May 2018 Judge Martin Nolan imposed the original sentence. On 28 February 2019 the Court of Appeal increased Walsh's sentence to 35 months, but suspended the final five months for two years post‑release. The suspended portion will be activated if he breaches the conditions of his good‑behaviour bond and probation requirements. The court structured the sentence as eight consecutive month terms for each count, then reduced it by ten months to reach the final two‑and‑a‑half‑year term with the suspended five‑month period.
Eddie McEvoy, 34, was sentenced to two years in prison for a series of thefts in Dublin's city centre that totalled over €10,000 in goods, including perfume, cosmetics, alcohol and scratch cards. He pleaded guilty to eight thefts and one trespass with intent between 13 October 2017 and 26 January 2018. McEvoy's counsel described the offences as opportunistic and driven by a chronic addiction to crack cocaine, heroin, tablets and benzos, noting he was now drug‑free except for methadone. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, citing the accumulation of 204 prior convictions, up from 145 a year earlier. The court heard that McEvoy had lost a lung in 2016 due to an overdose and that he had been captured on CCTV during several of the thefts, including a €6,000 haul of scratch cards from a Londis staff room.
Lee O'Brien, 32, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a high‑speed chase that ended with him crashing into a garda car and a taxi. He pleaded guilty to three counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving and one count of driving without insurance. The pursuit began when a garda patrol noticed a red Nissan Micra that sped away, leading to a series of collisions. O'Brien's vehicle collided with a patrol car, then a taxi, causing the taxi to spin and hit a pole. All occupants suffered minor injuries. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the incident as an "extremely serious episode of highly dangerous driving", noted O'Brien's 122 prior convictions, and imposed a ten‑year driving ban upon release. The sentence was back‑dated to May of the previous year. O'Brien admitted the charges, expressed remorse, and was found intoxicated during the incident.
Brian Kavanagh, 33, was jailed after attempting to mug US military policeman Christian Escobar in Dublin using a roll of tin foil that he claimed was a silver bar. Kavanagh, under the influence of drugs, tried to seize Escobar's backpack, leading to a scuffle that caused both men to crash through a shop window, damaging about €2,000 worth of goods. Escobar suffered severe tendon damage to his wrist. Garda Theresa Brady observed Kavanagh behaving violently, head‑butting security guards and a glass partition, and deemed him unfit for interview for six hours. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, assault causing harm and violent behaviour in a police station. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting 147 prior convictions and failed attempts to address his addictions, sentenced him to two years and nine months' imprisonment, rejecting his offer to engage with Probation Services.
Lawrence Doyle, a 51‑year‑old taxi driver, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to 180 hours of community service within 12 months instead of an 18‑month prison term for a drink‑fuelled assault on Christopher Darcy. The incident occurred on 15 May 2017 at Mullets Bar, Amiens Street, when Doyle bit off a 3‑cm portion of Darcy's ear after a quarrel. CCTV showed Doyle attacking Darcy, who was struck repeatedly in the chest and attempted to defend himself. Darcy was taken to Mater Hospital, treated for a permanent ear injury, and received a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Doyle pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí, and paid €1,000 in compensation. The judge noted the assault was out of character for Doyle and described it as vicious and violent.
A former construction worker, Noel Ryan, 42, was jailed for breaking into a basement flat on North Strand Road on 7 March 2018. Ryan, who had relapsed into heroin addiction after losing his job, told the court he believed the basement was an unoccupied office and hoped to find a cash box. The flat belonged to a dentist who ran a clinic on the ground floor, and Garda Jun Han confirmed there was no indication the basement was residential. Three college students were left traumatised; two hid in the back garden and one in her bedroom. When Ryan entered, he was caught by Garda Han and arrested. Ryan pleaded guilty to burglary. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last 18 months of a five‑year sentence on the condition he engages with addiction services in prison. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Gary Watson (35), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of former soldier Warren O'Connor (24) in north Dublin, heard evidence from former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jaber. Dr Jaber stated that a stainless steel kitchen knife was found partially impaled in Mr O'Connor's neck during the post-mortem examination conducted on January 17, 2010. The blade, measuring 22.5cms, had penetrated 13cms into the body, perforating the left ventricle artery and left internal jugular vein. Dr Jaber concluded that the cause of death was a single stab wound to the lower anterior of the left neck, noting the blade was bent toward the anterior midline. He indicated the perpetrator likely held a height advantage and that the victim was probably taken by surprise. No defence-type wounds were found on Mr O'Connor's hands. Prosecution counsel James Dwyer SC confirmed Dr Jaber was the final witness, closing the State's case. Earlier, Garda Damien Carroll testified to recovering a black-handled knife near Grattan Wood apartments and three knives from a Honda Civic, though no fingerprints belonging to Mr Watson were found on them. Mr Watson also denies assaulting Philip Woodcock and producing a knife to intimidate another person. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
A 25‑year‑old UK resident was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the last six months suspended, for repeatedly travelling to Dublin to have sex with a 16‑year‑old girl he claimed to love. The court found the relationship was exploitative and pre‑meditated, with the defendant controlling, possessive and manipulative. He pleaded guilty to eleven counts of serial defilement of a minor, two counts of travelling with the purpose of exploitation of a child and one count of production of child pornography. The judge noted the defendant's youth, lack of prior convictions and remorse, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to 15 July 2017. The court also ordered the destruction of the defendant's mobile phone, which had been used to record child‑pornographic material. The victim's impact statement described the defendant as persuasive and demanding, and she expressed difficulty trusting others after the abuse.
Alan McDonagh, 33, was jailed for four years after stealing a rental car fitted with a tracking device. He pleaded guilty to burglary and unauthorised taking of a car on September 8, 2017, and was tracked by gardaí to the N7. McDonagh, who has 173 previous convictions including 31 for burglary, has spent more than half his life in custody and became addicted to heroin at 16. The court accepted his desire to become drug‑free and suspended the last year of a five‑year term on the condition he keep the peace, engage with the Probation Service for 12 months and remain drug‑ and alcohol‑free. He also admitted robbing a woman at St Stephen's Green on November 3, 2017, for which a concurrent sentence was imposed. All sentences are back‑dated to July 18, the day he entered custody.
Tony Ward, 40, of Castlecurragh Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin, was convicted at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for endangerment, dangerous driving, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. The offence occurred on 29 August 2017 between Dublin city centre and Finglas when Ward hijacked a taxi, threatened the driver with a knife, and forced the vehicle into a high‑speed chase that ended with the taxi colliding with two Garda cars. Garda Ciaran Garry was injured, suffering a large wound to his left arm that required 30 stitches. Ward pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 21 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour and compliance with probation for 12 months. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and credited for time already spent in custody.
Nathan Foley, a 20‑year‑old "gillie" who assisted a criminal organiser in the 2016 murder of David Douglas, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court. Foley admitted in November 2017 that he had helped facilitate the murder, an offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years. He was found to have driven a Mitsubishi Mirage used in the killing, had scouted the area, placed a petrol can in the getaway car, and supplied phones later discovered in that vehicle. The court noted Foley was not involved in planning but acted as a runner for the main organiser, who had already been dealt with by the court. Mitigating factors included his young age, limited cognitive ability, and guilty plea, leading to a six‑year sentence back‑dated to December 2017.
An English national, Simon Cummins, aged 49, was convicted in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stabbing Thomas McCarthy in the neck with a Leatherman multi‑tool on 22 April 2018. Cummins claimed he had been robbed and was experiencing a psychotic episode while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He pleaded guilty, citing a previous public‑order conviction in Ireland (2007) and 64 convictions in the UK, ten of which were assault‑related. The court noted that McCarthy was taken to hospital, sutured, and made no victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering Cummins' early guilty plea, remorse, and the need for treatment, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full. The sentence is conditional on Cummins leaving Ireland immediately and not returning for five years. Cummins' family, present in court, expressed a desire to take him back to England for community‑based care.
Alan McDonagh, 33, was caught driving a stolen Europcar that had a tracking device. He pleaded guilty to burglary and unauthorised taking of a car on Camden Street Upper on 8 September 2017 and to robbing a young woman of her purse at Stephen's Green East on 3 November 2017. The court noted he became addicted to heroin at 16, has spent over half his life in custody, and has 173 previous convictions, 13 for Circuit Court offences. He is on bail for other offences. The court adjourned sentencing to 7 February to allow him to finish methadone treatment. He has requested to serve his sentence at Midlands prison to stay near family and avoid influences at Mountjoy. He has written apology letters to both victims. The sentencing will occur on 7 February.
An Estonian hitman, Imre Arakas, aged 60, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between 3 and 4 April last year. The court found that Arakas had agreed to pull the trigger and had supplied details on how the murder would be carried out, including the use of a silencer. He had been recruited from abroad and had travelled to Ireland for the purpose of the hit. Gardaí prevented the execution of the murder. Arakas pleaded guilty, and the judge noted his cooperation, health difficulties and lack of support in Ireland as mitigating factors. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 4 April 2017, with a combined discount of three years for the mitigating factors. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Cormac Dunne presiding. The conviction was part of a broader effort to disrupt organised crime conspiracies.
Jason Keating, 27, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for facilitating a criminal organisation in the execution‑style murder of Noel "Duck Egg" Kirwan, 62, who was shot six times in his Ford Mondeo on 22 December 2016. Keating admitted in October 2018 to participating in or contributing to the commission of the murder, a serious offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, and pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation in committing murder. The court entered a nolle prosequi on the original murder charge. Keating's role included monitoring a tracking device (Gotek7) placed on Kirwan's car, providing the information to the gunman, and transporting the gunman to and from the scene. He was sentenced to ten years, back‑dated to 2 May 2017, after a mitigating discount of three and a half years for his guilty plea and other factors.
Barry Watters, aged 42, was sentenced to six years in prison for two counts of indecency and possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in December 2014 and October 2016. Watters had previously been convicted six times, mainly for child pornography, and once for criminal damage. In December 2014, children on their way to school witnessed him exposing himself on a Dublin street; a youth worker and several children reported the incident the following day. In October 2016, Gardaí observed him in an internet café, where he accessed a USB containing 23 illegal child‑pornographic images and 422 images of pre‑teens in various states of undress. The judge imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including completion of sexual offender treatment, no contact with children, and supervision when using internet‑enabled devices.
In a High Court case, Luxor Investments Ltd, owner of land at Ship Street Great and Chancery Lane where a Radisson Hotel stands, has sued Wave Point Limited, which plans a 136‑bedroom hotel on an adjoining site. Luxor alleges that Wave Point has breached conditions of its planning permission from An Bord Pleanala and Dublin City Council, specifically that it has not submitted a construction management plan for the proposed hotel. Luxor seeks an injunction requiring Wave Point to prepare such a plan. In a sworn statement, Luxor's director Padraig Rhatigan expressed concerns about earlier demolition work, removal of a wall, installation of barriers without consultation, and the lack of a management plan. Wave Point, represented by Martin Hayden SC and Ross Aylward Bl, denies any breach and argues that preliminary works did not require a plan, though it will submit one for the hotel itself. The case is before Ms Justice Tara Burns.
A man in his twenties has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment in absentia at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for sexually abusing a young relative in Dublin. He was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict on fourteen counts of sexual assault occurring between 2008 and 2011, when the victim was aged five to eight years old. The defendant absconded just before the jury delivered its verdict in May and has remained at large since. A bench warrant for his arrest was issued, but gardaí have been unable to locate him. During sentencing proceedings last week, the court heard a victim impact statement from the now teenage complainant, describing ongoing psychological effects including sleep disturbance and difficulty attending school. The defendant, who had been arrested in Cavan on the allegations but made no admissions during interview, is believed to be homeless in Dublin city. Mr Justice Michael White noted the breach of trust involved and that the offences spanned several years, though acknowledged the defendant's youth as a mitigating factor. The unnamed 24-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Commercial Court has admitted a dispute over the Clarion Quay development in Dublin's docklands to its fast-track list. Clarion Quay Development Management Company alleges that defendants failed to properly complete the development, which comprises 184 residential and nine retail units. The defendants include Dublin City Council, Pierse Contracting, and five businessmen who were members of the Campshire Partnership: John McCormack, Brian McCormack, Niall McCormack, Alan McCormack, and Patrick Kelly. The plaintiff claims the defendants breached their obligations as developers, asserting that €14m is required to remedy alleged defects, including fire safety compliance, roof issues, brickwork, timber cladding, balconies, heating, ventilation, and basement water problems. The action seeks orders compelling specific performance of a 2001 sale agreement, declarations of indemnity for costs arising from alleged defects, and damages, potentially including aggravated and exemplary damages. The defendants deny the claims, stating the action is misconceived. Mr Justice Robert Haughton admitted the case to the fast-track list on Monday without objections. The matter was not concluded; it was adjourned and will be mentioned before the court later this month, alongside related actions.
Ex-wrestler Imre Arakas, a former Estonian separatist who was 'scarred deeply' by imprisonment in Russia, was remanded in custody until December 12 for sentencing. Arakas admitted to conspiring with others not before the court to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3rd and April 4th last year, contrary to Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The court heard that Arakas purchased a wig in Dublin and used an encrypted Blackberry phone to receive information about Gately's movements. Gardai began an intelligence-led investigation after receiving confidential information about the targeting of Gately by individuals involved in organised crime. Arakas was placed under surveillance upon his arrival in Dublin on April 3, 2017, and was followed to Blakestown Cottages in Dublin 15, where he was arrested the following day. A Blackberry phone, a piece of paper with Estonian writing and the name 'James Gately…in Newry' in English, a mirror, and cash were found at the scene. The Blackberry phone was encrypted and password protected, and messages were found on it that detailed plans to target Gately. The messages were almost instantly deleted after Arakas' arrest, but a garda managed to photograph the open messages before they were removed. The court heard that Arakas had four previous convictions, including causing deliberate bodily harm, escaping from prison, and unlawful handling of firearms. The matter was adjourned and will be sentenced on December 12.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was robbed and beaten on Nassau Street on 26 May 2016 described how the attacker, Marese Craig, 21, approached her after a night out, demanded money, pushed her to the ground, kicked her, and stole €57. The victim later reported seeing Craig again and called the Gardaí. She expressed that she is now "wary of helping homeless people" and feels it is a shame because she believes in aiding those in need. Craig, who has 47 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to the robbery, as well as to trespass and theft from a 90‑year‑old shop owner on 27 September 2017 and to robbery of a bank card from a man on 2 February 2018. The court noted Craig is in custody and is taking steps toward rehabilitation, with sentencing adjourned to 6 December. The victim's impact statement was read in court.
Eddie McEvoy, 34, a chronic drug addict, pleaded guilty to eight thefts and one trespass with intent between October 2017 and January 2018. He stole goods worth over €10,000, including €6,000 of scratch cards, 20 bottles of Armani Code perfume (€2,000), 200 packets of cigarettes, 25 vodka bottles, a rum bottle, and other cosmetics and alcohol. McEvoy's offences were opportunistic, targeting soft targets and often entering shops through open doors. He was captured on CCTV in several incidents, such as the Cath Kidston shop, Hickey's Pharmacy, Boots on Grafton Street, and Boots on Baggot Street. He admitted to stealing items from a staff room at Londis, taking €6,000 of scratch cards and other stock. McEvoy has 135 prior convictions, including 59 thefts, 17 drug offences and two robberies. He is currently clean of all drugs except methadone.
David Murphy, 39, of Carlow, was jailed for four years after he held up a Centra shop in Dublin to pay his 21‑year‑old son's drug debt. He had been released from a seven‑year sentence in 2012, with five years suspended on a good‑behaviour condition. Judge Melanie Greally reactivated three of those suspended years and imposed a new five‑year sentence, suspending the final four years, for the attempted robbery on 28 December 2017. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The robbery involved him threatening a shop employee, Marco Moniz, with a pair of scissors. Moniz tackled Murphy, and police arrived shortly after. Murphy admitted the offence was stupid, expressed remorse, and said he had no intention to injure anyone. The sentence is consecutive to the reactivated years. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL. The article reports no further legal developments.
Lee O'Brien, 31, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving and one count of driving without insurance on 9 January 2018. At 1.30 a.m. a garda patrol unit noticed a red Nissan Micra that hesitated when the driver spotted the gardaí. The car sped off, pursued, and drove down the wrong direction of several one‑way streets, through red lights, and on North King Street where it stalled. O'Brien reversed toward the halted patrol car, colliding with it while two gardaí were still inside. A second patrol car pursued until O'Brien collided with a taxi on Queen's Street, causing the taxi to spin and hit a pole. The driver, his passenger and the taxi driver were removed and treated for minor injuries. O'Brien admitted he was banned from driving at the time and was intoxicated.
The High Court issued a permanent order preventing the use of a Dublin property at 414 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, for multi‑occupancy units or as a hostel. The building, described by Dublin City Council (DCC) fire safety officers as a "tinderbox", had housed up to twenty squatters, including foreign nationals. DCC had previously obtained temporary orders for occupants to vacate and had served a fire safety notice after a public complaint. Fire safety officers warned that a fire would spread rapidly, that escape routes were inadequate, that there were no fire extinguishers, and that rubbish and combustible material were stored inside. The order was made against Mr Edward Doorly, who controls the property, after discussions with his lawyers. The court noted that the property had been unoccupied for some time but squatters had moved in, and that Doorly had cut the electricity and was pursuing legal action to remove them.
The High Court, on 15 November 2018, ordered the immediate evacuation of 414 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, a mid‑terrace three‑storey building described by the court as a "tinderbox". The injunction was granted by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan after Dublin City Council (DCC) presented evidence that the premises, registered to Lily Kilroy and Eileen Doorly, was occupied by 15 to 20 foreign nationals who had been squatting there. DCC fire safety officers had found no adequate means of escape, no fire extinguishers, and combustible material stored inside, including a camping stove and an unknown electricity supply. The council argued that a fire would spread rapidly and pose a serious risk to life. DCC had corresponded with Edward Doorly, the nephew of the deceased owners, who had not taken legal action to remove the squatters.
A 21-year-old sports science student from Kiltimagh, County Mayo, has avoided a custodial sentence after admitting drug dealing at Dublin City University. Cian Charlton pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine, ketamine and MDMA for sale or supply at Hampstead House, Glasnevin, on 15 November 2017. Following a garda raid on his campus residence, officers recovered the drugs with weighing scales and documentation, with an estimated street value of €3,079. Charlton initially provided false accounts to gardaí before acknowledging he could not identify his suppliers due to fear. Judge Pauline Codd suspended a one-year prison sentence on condition Charlton maintain the peace and complete a drug awareness course with the Probation Service. The university subsequently suspended him from his course for the academic year. The court noted Charlton's lack of previous convictions, engagement with counselling, and supportive family background in mitigation.
Gary Kelly, a 40‑year‑old Dublin City Council plumber, was arrested at his family home after threatening to shoot two colleagues, Brian Fitzpatrick and John Maher, on 23 and 24 January. He had severe mental health problems, including a psychotic episode, and believed he was being followed by "drones, ISIS and other organisations." Kelly denied the offences and was considered paranoid by the arresting Garda. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded in custody until 27 November pending sentencing. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case for two weeks to consider a psychiatric report, which recommended an independent forensic psychological assessment. The judge expressed concern that Kelly's risk of re‑offending would be high if he continued to drink and that he would only be released under a proper regime. No previous convictions were recorded. The case remains pending sentencing.
A man with previous convictions for manslaughter has been imprisoned after carrying out armed raids whilst serving a suspended sentence. Mark Bissett, aged 33, of Swords Road, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to burn down the house of a charity worker in May 2016. The threat was made at Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street, during a soup run for homeless people in Dublin city centre. Judge Karen O'Connor had suspended a two-year sentence for this offence in June 2017, cautioning Bissett that he faced imprisonment if he reoffended. Within four months, Bissett carried out armed robberies on two shops in Ranelagh. On 15 October 2017 he wielded a knife during one raid, and on 26 October he used a fork during a pharmacy robbery. Judge O'Connor activated the suspended sentence, imposing the full two-year term. Bissett has sixty previous convictions including manslaughter, assault and public order offences.
A man from Cootehill, County Cavan, has died by suicide since his arrest on the morning of a tiger kidnapping, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard. Paschal Kelly, aged 52, has pleaded not guilty to charges including false imprisonment of a postmistress and her daughter at a property in Malahide on 25 September 2014, as well as robbery from Bayside Post Office in Sutton and threats to kill. He also denies unlawful possession of a vehicle. During the sixteenth day of the trial, gardaí gave evidence that Kelly was arrested while fleeing a suspect vehicle at traffic lights in north Dublin that morning. A garda subsequently attended his death at a city-centre premises in June 2016, an inquest finding nothing of suspect nature. The trial heard how the postmistress and her daughter were discovered bound with ties at the post office, visibly distressed. The case continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Eoin Berkley, 25, was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment for abducting a teenage Spanish student from Dublin city centre and raping her repeatedly over a 21‑hour period. The offences, committed between 15 and 16 July 2017 at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site, involved three separate rapes, false imprisonment, threats to kill and 19 incidents of violence or intimidation. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, imposed concurrent 14‑year sentences for each rape, back‑dated to 31 July 2017, and added a three‑year post‑release supervision period. Berkley's history of mental health difficulties and prior convictions was noted, but the court emphasised the premeditated nature of the crimes and the severe degradation inflicted on the victim. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the assaults and the threat posed to the victim's life and safety.
In a Dublin city‑centre pub, taxi driver Lawrence Doyle (51) bit off part of Christopher Darcy's ear during a violent altercation that began after the two men met at a bar. Garda Fergus Grant reported that Doyle struck Darcy with a blow to the side of the head, then bit the ear, causing a 3 cm loss of tissue that could not be stitched. Darcy was also struck dozens of times in the chest and attempted to defend himself, but was ultimately taken to Mater Hospital where he received a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Doyle pleaded guilty to assaulting Darcy at Mulletts Bar on Amiens Street on 15 May 2017. He has no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 21 February 2024, with Judge Melanie Greally ordering a probation report and noting Doyle's €500 restitution offer. The judge described the assault as vicious, violent and out of character for Doyle. The court will hear the case next month.