A family‑run jeweller, Des Byrne Jewellers, closed its Dublin shop after a dispute with Danske Bank over a 2006 loan. The Byrnes, who owned the premises at 26 Bachelors Walk, claimed the bank's receivers sold the property for €502,000, about 55% of its market value, and that the bank was seeking judgment for €489,000 still owed. The Byrnes argued the loan terms were misrepresented by the bank's relationship manager and that they had consented to sell the property to discharge the debt. The case was heard by the Master of the High Court, Mr Edmund Honohan, who scheduled a hearing before a High Court judge for the following year. The business closed its doors on the evening of the hearing, citing the legal dispute as the reason for its final shutdown.
A 33‑year‑old Chinese man, Nianjie He, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully cultivating cannabis at his apartment on Wolfe Tone Street. The cultivation, valued at €100,800, involved 126 plants at various growth stages, humidifiers, fans and weighing scales, but no flowering buds. Gardaí were alerted by the apartment block manager, discovered the plants, and seized the premises with a warrant. He was found injured two floors below the window he had jumped from. He had previously been jailed for three years in Galway for a similar offence. He admitted to watering and feeding the plants daily, claiming he harvested them for up to €11,000 per crop and that most proceeds were used to pay a large gambling debt. He denied purchasing the plants but said he supplied them to third parties who paid him.
The appeal of a case involving an unnamed man, who was initially sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay €75,000 in compensation by Judge Desmond Hogan, has been addressed by the Court of Criminal Appeal. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. In July 2014, the Court of Criminal Appeal found the original sentence by Judge Hogan to be unduly lenient and imposed an additional 18 months. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised. Judge Desmond Hogan, who is from Athlone, retired today after 15 years on the bench, most of it spent sitting in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His retirement comes after a career that included handling high-profile cases, such as that of Anthony Lyons, a sex offender who assaulted a young woman in Dublin. Judge Hogan's tenure was marked by his characteristic good humour and commitment to the justice system, which he described as 'manifestly fair'.
Trevor Curtis (35), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two offences. On April 14, 2014, he was found in a laneway off Bedford Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin, in possession of a syringe which he brandished at gardai. Evidence indicated that Curtis had injected himself with a head shop drug and was experiencing hallucinations, believing he was under attack by demons. Garda Paul Gray pepper-sprayed Curtis after he refused to drop the syringe. Curtis also pleaded guilty to robbing a betting shop on Wicklow Street, Dublin, on October 27, 2014, during which he pointed a syringe at a pregnant employee and took €355 in cash. Judge Martin Nolan released Curtis into the custody of the Probation Services, conditional on his residence at a drug treatment centre and compliance with all directions. Curtis has 43 previous convictions, including three similar offences and previous sentences for robbery, including a suspended sentence at Longford Circuit Court.
The High Court has opened an inquiry into the legality of the detention of professional boxer Jamie Kavanagh, who is charged with violent disorder following his father's funeral in Dublin last year. The alleged incident occurred outside a Hotel at Harcourt Street in Dublin city‑centre on 23 September 2014 when it is alleged door staff at a hotel allegedly refused entry to a group of people including Mr Kavanagh. The 25‑year‑old lightweight, from Mourne Road, Drimnagh, in Dublin but who is now living in London, had been in Ireland for a fight that took place last Saturday. He was arrested at Dublin Airport on Monday evening before he was due to return to London. Mr Kavanagh appeared before Dublin District Court on Tuesday. He was refused bail by Judge Michael Walsh.
Michael Smyth, 66, a chronic alcoholic with a long history of homelessness and 362 prior convictions, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for arson at a flat in Hogan Court, Dublin, on 12 August 2014. The fire caused €25,910 in damage. Smyth admitted to being intoxicated and possibly leaving a cigarette on his bed, which he said he had left that morning and not returned to. He denied any exchange of words with his upstairs neighbour, who had reported hearing him shout threats such as "I will burn you." Garda Amy Kelly confirmed that Smyth was living in accommodation provided by Dublin City Council at the time of the incident. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the serious danger and cost of the damage, imposed the sentence and backdated it to the date Smyth entered custody. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Smyth pleaded guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 20 October 2015, the owners of a former guesthouse on Parnell Street in Dublin City Centre sought an injunction to remove squatters who had taken over the premises and were operating a cafe and social club called the Barricade Inn. The property, comprising part of No. 76 and all of Nos. 77 and 78, had been vacant since the death of former owner Ms Ellen McGuill in 2002. Lawyers for the executrix of Ms McGuill's estate and for Vandelure Ltd, the freehold holder, argued that the building was "extremely dangerous" and unsafe for occupation, citing unknown electricity supply and possible unauthorized works. They requested that the court restrain all occupiers from trespassing, cease interference, hand over vacant possession, and remove all items from the premises.
The owners of Kennedy's pub in Dublin's Westland Row, Trinity Taverns Ltd, have brought a legal action to challenge a sale of the licensed premises that the receiver, Mr Sean McNamara, and Vesta Mortgages Ltd claim has been agreed. The Commercial Court heard that the receiver was appointed in May after Trinity Taverns allegedly failed to repay €2.4 million borrowed from EBS building society, later acquired by Vesta. A buyer was found in late September, but Trinity Taverns has registered a lis pendens and disputes the sale, arguing the receiver and lender's claims are vexatious. The court, presided by Mr Justice Brian McGovern, admitted the case to the fast‑track Commercial Court list and directed the receiver's counsel to serve a statement of claim within a week. The matter was adjourned to mid‑November. The case remains in the early stages of dispute over the sale of the pub.
David O'Brien, aged 63, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for indecent assault of six boys during Scout camping trips between 1975 and 1980. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of assault in Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork. The court noted that each offence could carry a maximum of two years under the law at the time, but imposed three consecutive two‑year sentences and suspended the final 18 months, resulting in an effective custodial term of four and a half years. O'Brien, a former postman, admitted to unzipping sleeping bags, fondling private parts, forcing masturbation and inserting fingers into a boy's anus. He has no prior convictions and has lived in social isolation since the abuse. Victim impact statements highlighted long‑term depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts caused by the assaults. The judge emphasised that O'Brien used his position of trust and authority to plan and premeditate the offences.
In the murder trial of Kenneth Cummins (28) and Sabrina Cummins (37) for the killing of Thomas Horan (63) at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, a witness testified that he heard a woman's voice say "where's the wallet" early on the morning of January 6th. The witness described CCTV footage showing the Cummins siblings near the pub Sally's and later at Horan's bedsit, with Kenneth allegedly running out of the court and hiding behind a car. He also identified the Cummins as being present at the back door of the bedsit around 4.45am, when a commotion was heard. The witness, a neighbour, reported hearing the exchange and the disturbance that followed. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is scheduled to continue next week with a jury of twelve. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. The case is expected to last three weeks.
Michael Cahill, aged 46, was jailed for two and a half years for drug dealing after failing to attend his sentence hearing in June 2008. He had pleaded guilty to possession of €23,200 worth of heroin for sale or supply at his home on Synge Place, Dublin, on 21 August 2006. Cahill's partner, the mother of his two children, died after he had pleaded guilty. He had not appeared for sentencing, leading to a bench warrant. He was arrested in Dublin last month after returning from the UK with his children. The judge, Martin Nolan, acknowledged Cahill's past heroin addiction and his attempts to manage it. Garda John O'Connell reported that heroin was found in carrot jars and a plastic container, along with a weighing scale, €2,210 in cash and other drug‑dealing paraphernalia.
Leonard Dumbrell, aged 26, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase through Dublin city centre in a stolen car. He stole the vehicle in Ballsbridge, drove it at speed and in the wrong direction, nearly knocking over pedestrians on O'Connell Bridge before crashing it at Temple Bar Square. The court noted he had 108 previous convictions, including car thefts, assaulting a Garda and violent disorder, and that he had previously been allowed out on bail for drug treatment but failed to appear. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed concurrent sentences totalling three years, ordered that time already spent in custody be taken into account, and disqualified him from driving for five years. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the court considered the evidence of the chase and the subsequent crash. Leonard Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
Dublin City Council (DCC) brought High Court proceedings to remove alleged trespassers from two terraced three‑storey buildings at 38 and 39 Bolton Street, which it owns. The buildings were reportedly broken into and occupied by members of the Irish Housing Network (IHN), who called the site the Bolt Hostel and claimed it was being used to house homeless people. DCC argued that the occupants had no legal right to be there, citing that the buildings had been closed and secured with steel shutters in 2012 because they were no longer fit for purpose. Counsel for DCC noted that the council had engaged a housing body, Novas Initiative, to renovate the buildings for homeless accommodation, and that attempts to resolve the matter amicably had failed. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted injunctions against IHN members Seamus Farrell and Aisling Hedderman, ordering them to cease further works and allowing DCC to inspect the premises.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with eight years of service and no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery at Hodges Figgis on 23 March 2014. He tied up the day manager, Ciara Flanagan, in the cloak room with tape, took €22,145 from the shop's safes, and spent the money on alcohol and betting while living rough for a month. Ryan later turned himself in. The court considered a false imprisonment charge. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a four‑year prison sentence back‑dated to 24 April 2014, but suspended the remaining term on the condition that Ryan keep the peace and address his gambling and alcohol addictions through Probation Services. The sentence was not read out in full, and the victim impact report was not presented. Ryan has been described as a model prisoner during custody.
Dean Furlong, 45, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling €12,000 of stolen cash from a cash‑in‑transit robbery on 12 April 2012 and €30,000 from a robbery on 16 August 2012, and to supplying prescription tablets without a prescription and possessing drugs for sale in Tallaght on 13 October 2011. He admitted possession of 178,000 Zopiclone tablets and 19,000 Dalmane tablets, valued at €430,000, found in his van in November 2011. Furlong also admitted taking responsibility for €11,885 of cash found in an orange bag in April 2012, which had been taken during a robbery of a cash‑in‑transit van in Terenure the week before. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after noting his completion of a drug‑addiction treatment programme and enrolment in an addiction studies course, suspended a seven‑year sentence, wishing him good luck.
Michael McDonald, 44, was arrested after a burglary at a priest's house in Cherry Orchard, Dublin, where he stole a Yankees baseball cap and a Lourdes purse containing €660. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a suspended prison term of one year, suspended for three years, conditioned on McDonald keeping the peace and continuing drug treatment with Probation Services, and on his participation in victim empathy programmes. The burglary occurred on 15 August 2013; the priest discovered the front door unlocked and a side‑room window shattered, with the house ransacked. McDonald admitted the theft to Gardaí, apologized to the priest, and was wearing the stolen cap and purse when apprehended. He has 27 prior convictions, including a 2002 sentence of three years for robbery and assault offences. His defence lawyer, Keith Spencer BL, cited his upbringing in the Travelling community and his son's success as a professional footballer.
Thomas Mooney, 74, of Belvedere Place, Dublin, was convicted of indecently assaulting a boy aged 11 to 13 on eight occasions between October 1983 and June 1985. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, but a jury found him guilty after an eight‑day trial. Judge Catherine Murphy sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. Mooney appealed, arguing that a voluntary statement he made to Gardaí while not in custody should not have been admissible. The Court of Appeal, hearing a ten‑minute video in which Mooney confirmed the contents of that statement, dismissed the appeal. The judges noted that Mooney had been in his forties when the offences occurred and that the victim was always under 15. The case was scheduled for further proceedings on 30 July, with Mooney remaining on bail until then. The appeal was rejected, and Mooney will be taken into custody following the court's decision.
The owner of a Dublin city centre residence has initiated a High Court action to remove several individuals who, according to the owner, have unlawfully occupied the premises for several weeks. Artisan Oral Health Care Company Ltd, owned by Irish dentist Dr Colman McGrath, has sued the unknown occupants of 6 Seville Place, Dublin 1. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted the company permission to serve short notice of the proceedings to those occupying the building. Dr McGrath, who purchased the property four years ago, intends to refurbish it and run a business from there, but his representatives have been unable to access the building since the occupants took up residence in late April. The occupants have installed a fortified door and have not identified themselves to the owner's representatives. A notice of the proceedings will be posted on the front door, and the case is set to return to court early next week.
Daniel Martin, aged 21, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of seven years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences committed between August 2013 and June 2014. He received a two‑year term for possession of a weapon, unlawful seizure of a car and assault causing harm, and a consecutive five‑year term for assault causing serious harm on Wayne Donovan. The court described the attack on Donovan as a "savage assault" after Martin struck the victim with a stick, a broken bottle and a stick, cutting Donovan's little finger and inflicting large wounds to his head and face. Martin pleaded guilty to all charges and had no prior convictions. The judge noted Martin's history of violence and his attempts to reform, but imposed the seven‑year sentence with no mention of a suspended portion or separate custody period.
Magnus Meyer Hustveit, 25, received a suspended seven‑year prison sentence for raping and sexually assaulting his 28‑year‑old Irish girlfriend while she slept between 2011 and 2012. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted the case was exceptional, citing the repeated offences, deceit, and the victim's impact. Hustveit's admissions in emails, where he claimed up to ten rapes and multiple weekly assaults, formed the basis of the prosecution. The victim, who had endured PTSD, eating disorders and anxiety, waived anonymity to name him. The court considered his guilty plea, admissions, and a favourable reference from his employer in Oslo before suspending the sentence. No custodial term was imposed; the sentence remains suspended.
Diana Karacsony, 32, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assisting in keeping and managing a brothel in an apartment at The Asgard, Custom House Harbour, Dublin 1 between 1 January 2011 and 30 May 2012. Judge Martin Nolan remanded her on continuing bail and adjourned sentencing to 28 July.
Bernard Flynn, 63, of Cannon Burke Flats, Cabra, Dublin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for committing €25,000 of social welfare fraud. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 sample charges of stealing from Social Protection at River Valley Post Office, River Valley Swords, between August 2011 and April 2014. The charges represented 123 visits to the post office for job seekers allowance and 13 visits for both job seekers and rent allowance under the name Brendan Flynn. Flynn used a different PPS number and date of birth to claim the benefits. He was caught using facial recognition software when Garda Sergeant Kevin Mention arrested him on 4 April 2014 after he collected both allowances. Flynn had ten previous convictions, including breach of the peace, larceny, careless driving, public order and illegal possession of Garda equipment.
The High Court confirmed the appointment of joint liquidators, Eamon Richardson and Kieran Wallace of KPMG, for OCS Operations Ltd, the company that ran Clerys Department Store and Warehouse. Mr Justice Brian Cregan approved the appointment on Monday, with no objection. The liquidators were instructed to conduct a comprehensive investigation into payments and transactions involving OCS Operations and related companies, recent bank account payments, and the use of insurance proceeds from the 2012 flooding. They will also examine the conduct of the former directors, Rafael Klotz and Malcolm MacLennan MaCaulay, during the twelve months before the liquidation. A committee of inspection, comprising creditors and concession holders, will be formed to investigate any matters raised by them, and a creditor's meeting is scheduled for August. The liquidators will also handle employee redundancy payments, pension scheme inquiries, and the distribution of assets, including fixed assets, cash, and intellectual property.
A Laois resident, whose identity is protected, faces trial in June 2016 for two counts of rape committed in Dublin on 9 February. He has been granted bail with conditions requiring him to sign on at Portlaoise Garda Station three times a week. His lawyers argued that the nearest 24‑hour station was over an hour away by public transport, making the requirement impractical. They noted that other stations closer to his home were only open part‑time and that the only other 24‑hour station, in Portarlington, was even farther. The accused, a married man with an Irish wife, claimed he would not leave the area and requested removal of the sign‑on conditions. Justice Carroll Moran agreed to modify the bail, allowing the accused to sign on twice a week at Kevin Street Garda Station in Dublin, where he regularly travels for work.
Businessman Gerard Cosgrave, the applicant, brought High Court proceedings to prevent the Dublin City Sheriff from repossessing his family home in Donnybrook, Dublin. He seeks an injunction to stop the Sheriff from executing a 2013 Circuit Court order obtained by KBC Bank Ireland Ltd. Cosgrave claims the Circuit Court lacked jurisdiction to grant the repossession order because the property is not rated or ratable under the 2001 Valuation Act. KBC Bank sought the original order due to an alleged failure by Cosgrave to repay loans advanced in 2005 and 2006. The Sheriff stated he would take no steps to repossess the property while the matter is before the court. KBC Bank's lawyers opposed the application, describing it as misconceived. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan had previously granted permission on an ex-parte basis to serve short notice against the Sheriff and the bank. At the hearing, the judge noted that the application raised issues requiring clarification, including whether the High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case. Consequently, Mr Justice Gilligan adjourned the matter to next month. The case remains at the hearing or decision stage, with no final determination or sentence issued.
A Tipperary man, Michael Smith, aged 53, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against a girl who was 11 when the first abuse began. Gardaí interviewed him in 2004 after a search uncovered a video of him raping the victim. Smith was released without charge, travelled to the UK and committed further abuse against a teenage girl he had groomed online. He was jailed in the UK in 2008 for that offence and for possession of nearly 20,000 images of child pornography. After his release from a UK prison in 2014 he was extradited to Ireland and has been in custody since. The victim, Michelle Smith, 29, waived anonymity and gave a victim impact statement. Michael Smith pleaded guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 12 June 2015, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan appointed Eamon Richardson and Kieran Wallace of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators for OCS Operations Ltd, the company that runs Clerys Department Store and Warehouse. The company, which had petitioned for the appointment, was told to cease trading immediately to stop further debt accumulation. OCS Operations, described by the judge as "balance sheet insolvent" and in "severe financial difficulty", employs 130 staff directly and has about 330 concession‑holder employees who sell goods in the store. The liquidators were granted powers to take possession of assets, manage staff, pay creditors and continue the business pending a winding‑up hearing. The appointment followed the sale of the OCS group to Natrium Ltd, after which OCS Operations was transferred to insolvency practitioners Jim Brydie and Brendan Cooney for €1. The case was adjourned to early July for further proceedings.
In a Dublin city‑centre assault, 26‑year‑old Romanian Ionut Potop head‑butted and bit Pakistani shop employee Tariq Mohammed at a Londis store on Westmoreland Street on 4 June 2014. Potop, who was drunk and had shouted racial slurs, caused injuries to Mohammed's nose, torso and wrist, leading to hospital treatment. Potop pleaded guilty to assault. Judge Patrick McCartan, noting Potop's lack of prior convictions, ordered him to raise €3,000 for Mohammed within six months as a token of remorse, warning that failure to do so would result in imprisonment. Potop was remanded on continuing bail to allow time to gather the compensation. The case was adjourned to 11 December for sentencing. The court considered Potop's apologies, letters of regret, and his attendance at psychotherapy for anger and alcohol issues. The judge expressed willingness to give Potop a chance if his remorse was genuine. The proceedings remain at the bail stage, with no final sentence yet imposed.
The High Court concluded proceedings that had required the evacuation of residents from a four‑storey building at 3 Kelly's Row, Dublin 1, which also includes 20 Dorset Street. The order, obtained by Dublin City Council, remains in force, preventing any occupation of the building until fire‑safety requirements are satisfied. The case involved owners Mr Frank Chatham of Arch Villas and Mr Joseph Simpson of Tara Green, who had previously consented to the order. The court noted that the building had been inspected on 11 May with no evidence of fire‑safety measures, and that the risk of fire was deemed "so serious" that use of the premises must be prohibited until remedial actions are taken. Mr Simpson, who represented himself, stated that tenants were being moved and that 95 % of the items listed in the fire‑safety notice had already been addressed in 2007 renovations, though outstanding issues were still being rectified.
Philip Connolly, 39, pleaded guilty to the violent robbery of 67‑year‑old farmer David Feeney on Railway Street, Dublin, on 14 May 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after reviewing evidence including a photograph of Feeney's injuries, imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with 18 months suspended on condition Connolly keeps the peace. Connolly is currently in a rehabilitation programme working on a farm, while Feeney, who can no longer work his land, has physically recovered but suffers ongoing consequences. Connolly's co‑accused, Leigh O'Connell, 28, had 100 previous convictions and was sentenced to four years, with the final two and a half years suspended on condition he continues addressing his drug problems. The robbery involved a head‑lock, assault, and theft of money, a phone and a driver's licence, and was captured on CCTV. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Chico Makamda, an Angolan refugee aged 32, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years in jail, with the final year suspended, for false imprisonment of Melita Cahill on 7 August 2013. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Blessington Street when Makamda grabbed Cahill's right wrist, shouted "you drank too much bitch," and attempted to drag her into a laneway. Cahill fought back, punched and kicked him, and escaped after a male passerby intervened. Makamda was arrested shortly thereafter at a nearby bus stop. Cahill's victim impact statement noted that the event left her with lasting anxiety and panic attacks, preventing her from walking alone at night. The judge acknowledged Makamda's limited English and hardship as a foreign national in custody. The sentence was delayed due to a prior conviction in Tralee District Court for indecent exposure, for which Makamda was fined €50. Chico Makamda pleaded guilty.
Dublin Bus has applied to the High Court for injunctions to stop rival operator Dublin Coach from using any shade of green on its vehicles, staff uniforms or promotional material. The State company argues that Dublin Coach's recent launch of a green‑coloured open‑top bus service for city sightseeing is likely to confuse customers, as Dublin Bus has operated its own green‑coloured Dublin Bus Tours since 2006. The injunctions sought would also require Dublin Coach to adopt a distinctly different colour for its buses, stops, uniforms and marketing. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted Dublin Bus permission to serve notice of proceedings against Dublin Coach and adjourned the matter to the following week, stating he would hear both sides before deciding on the application. The case remains pending, with the court yet to rule on the injunction request.
In May 2015 the High Court granted a Dublin City Council order to evacuate a four‑storey building at 3 Kelly's Row, Dublin 1, including flats on 20 Dorset Street, because of "serious" fire‑safety concerns. The owners, Frank Chatham and Joseph Simpson, consented to the order after the court had served them notice. Simpson, who represented himself, disputed claims that the owners had not acted since a March fire‑safety notice had prohibited use of the flats. He said he and his co‑owner had asked tenants to leave, stopped collecting rent, and offered €600 each to vacate, but tenants remained. He also denied that the owners had refused to return deposits. The court noted that the building's single staircase was unsafe, electricity had been disconnected, and no fire‑safety measures were in place. The order prohibited the use of the premises for accommodation until the required works were completed. The case was adjourned to the following week.
Derek O'Brien, aged 33, was jailed for four years after a robbery at a shop on Fortfield Park, Terenure, on 26 May 2014. He threatened the shop owner with a knife, jumped over the counter and stole €600. O'Brien pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had previous convictions for assault, theft, burglary and drug offences and had been released from prison a few months earlier. He had a five‑year sentence for three robberies in July 2012, with the final two and a half years suspended. Judge Martin Nolan re‑activated two years of that suspended sentence and added a consecutive two‑year term for the Terenure robbery, giving a total of four years. Garda Keith Morrissey and other officers identified O'Brien through CCTV and a distinctive shoe print left on the counter. O'Brien was later arrested on Aston Quay with €460 in his bag, but no further charges were brought.
In July 2013, Natasha Gleeson, a 38‑year‑old mother of two from Blanchardstown, stabbed 37‑year‑old John Redmond in the stomach with a kitchen knife during a verbal altercation on Aston Quay. The 5‑cm wound caused his small bowel to protrude and tore his colon. Gleeson pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, citing her guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors, though he noted the potential for death and the severity of the attack. Gleeson had no prior violent history but had earlier convictions for theft, property damage and abusive behaviour. The incident followed a dispute involving Redmond's girlfriend and her sister, with Gleeson intervening and then attacking Redmond. She later admitted to throwing the knife into the Liffey. The case highlighted her previous drug‑addiction struggles and her role as a mother.
In May 2015 the High Court was asked to set aside the appointment of a voluntary liquidator to The Carlyle Institute Ltd., a private third‑level college that had closed in early April. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan had appointed Declan de Lacy of PKF O'Connor Leddy & Holmes as provisional liquidator on an ex‑parte basis after learning that many former students were concerned about the college's conduct. One student, Ching‑Hsiu Huang of Killiney, claimed she was owed €1,500 in fees and petitioned the court. On 24 April, the day after de Lacy's appointment, the company held a creditors' meeting and purportedly appointed Desmond Murrows and Neil Hughes as liquidators. Huang's solicitor, Peter Louis Boyle, argued that the meeting was held while the provisional liquidator was already in place and that votes from student creditors, including Huang's, were disallowed.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, witness Eamon Flynn testified that the accused, 29‑year‑old Ciaran Moran, repeatedly claimed he would "batter and torture" a homeless man who had money. Flynn said the accused made these threats while drinking and that he had purchased a fold‑up army shovel, an orange jumpsuit, a balaclava and a knife in October 2013. The case concerns the murder of Gerard Donnelly, a homeless man found burned in Phoenix Park in 2013. Donnelly's body was discovered on fire, and the father of one of the deceased had died from blunt force trauma to the head before being set alight. Moran pleaded not guilty, and the defence is cross‑examining Flynn before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of nine men and three women.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing Hodges Figgis Book Shop on 23 March 2014. He took €22,145 from the shop's safes after deciding to "take a notion" to rob the place. Ryan bound manager Ciara Flanagan in the cloakroom with tape, preventing her from raising an alarm. He later left Dublin, slept rough, spent the stolen money on drink and betting, and returned to hand himself in at Pearse Street Station. The court heard that Ryan was stressed by family life and had been drinking at the time of the offence. He was also charged with false imprisonment, which will be considered at sentencing. Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned sentencing to July, noting the incomplete Probation Report and the fact that this is his first conviction at age 50.
Lynne Adderley, a former civil servant at a Dublin Motor Tax Office, pleaded guilty to five counts of making false instruments for forging driver licences for Albanian and Italian nationals between 1 October 2008 and 1 April 2010. The forging involved reusing certificates of competency from genuine test‑passers and attaching them to applications from drivers who surrendered their foreign licences, which were not forwarded to the Road Safety Authority but were still issued replacement Irish licences. An internal audit uncovered the scheme. Adderley was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a three‑year suspended sentence, with the judge noting that she had betrayed public trust but was "very lucky" not to go to jail. The judge also highlighted the impact on her career and personal life, while noting the broader implications of white‑collar crime for public services.
On 23 April 2015, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan of the High Court appointed Declan de Lacy of PKF O'Connor Leddy & Holmes as provisional liquidator for The Carlyle Institute Ltd, a private third‑level college in Dublin that had ceased trading earlier that month. The appointment was made ex parte after the court was informed that many former students were concerned about the company's conduct. A creditors' meeting was scheduled for the following day, but students, led by Ching‑Hsiu Huang of Killiney, opposed a liquidator nominated by the college. Huang, one of 200 students who had paid fees, claimed €1,500 was owed to her; other students and the Irish Council of International Students (ICOS) claimed a total of €237,000. The students argued that the college had accepted payments just before closure, may have transferred €60,000 to another institution, and that student records were inconsistent with accredited bodies, potentially affecting award entitlements.
Mark Nash has been found guilty of murdering two women at sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, in March 1997. A Central Criminal Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after deliberating for over four hours on Monday, 20 April 2015. The trial lasted 48 days, during which 71 witnesses gave evidence. Nash, 42, originally from England with Dublin addresses, had pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Sheils, aged 59, and Mary Callanan, aged 61. The prosecution's case rested on admissions made by Nash, forensic evidence including DNA found on his jacket, and a caterpillar boot print discovered at the scene. Nash is already serving a life sentence for murders committed in Ballintober, Castlerea, County Roscommon, in August 1997. Mr Justice Carroll Moran imposed a life sentence for the Grangegorman murders. The case had remained unsolved for eighteen years before a DNA breakthrough in 2009 led to Nash's formal charging in October of that year.
Paul Haughey, a 35-year-old water meter installer and company director, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where the State withdrew its case against him. He had been charged in the District Court last year with removing or attempting to remove a prescribed marker from mineral oil without the consent of the Revenue Commissioners. The alleged offence occurred on September 1, 2011, at Corragarry, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan. Gardaí alleged that Haughey was caught standing on a tanker containing 30,000 litres of diesel, with a potential exchequer loss of €15,000. A search of the yard revealed €110,000 litres of diesel, representing a potential €55,000 loss. Authorities alleged the yard had a capacity to produce 18 million litres of fuel annually, with a total possible loss to the State of €9 million. The offence carried a maximum fine of €10,000 and a sentence of five years in prison on conviction. At the hearing, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions stated she was not proceeding with the case and applied to strike out the charge. Judge Patricia Ryan agreed to strike out the charge and adjourned the matter until April 24 next, when an application for costs will be heard. No reason was given for the strike-out. Previously, a District Court judge had deferred a decision on granting legal aid to Haughey after noting his firm held a three-year contract with Dublin City Council for installing water meters.
Gerard Creighton, 49, was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to inform the Gardaí of his change of address between November 2013 and February 2014, for an attempted robbery at a bookmaker's on 28 February 2014, and for possessing an imitation firearm. He entered the shop in Dublin city centre armed with a 6mm air pistol loaded with ball bearings, handed a bag to a female staff member, and demanded money be placed in it. The woman fled, and Creighton left without any money. Gardaí recovered the pistol from a bin and later found his DNA on it. He also admitted possession of a stolen travel pass in the name of Michael Connors. The court noted his six prior convictions under the 2001 Sex Offenders Act and his registration as a sex offender in 1999. Judge Martin Nolan back‑dated the sentence to February 2014. Gerard Creighton pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 32‑year‑old Chico Makamda pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of Melita Cahill on 7 August 2013. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Blessington Street when Makamda, a Limerick resident originally from Angola, grabbed Cahill's right wrist and attempted to drag her into a laneway while shouting "you drank too much bitch." Cahill resisted, punching and kicking him, and managed to escape after about a minute and a half of restraint. A passer‑by heard her screams and helped her. Cahill's victim impact statement described lasting anxiety and panic attacks, noting she could not walk alone at night. The judge adjourned sentencing to the following month, with the case pending further proceedings.
Glen Hogan, aged 25, was sentenced to three years in prison for driving a stolen Mitsubishi Pajero through red lights and onto footpaths during a high‑speed chase in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to one count of driving a stolen car, two counts of dangerous driving and one count of driving under the influence. Judge Patrick McCartan suspended the final year of a four‑year term on the condition that Hogan remains drug‑free and keeps the peace, and banned him from driving for ten years. The judge also back‑dated the sentence to start in August 2014. Hogan has eight prior convictions for car theft, 71 total convictions including drug offences, and a previous six‑year sentence for assault. The court noted his drug addiction and offered him a residential treatment programme through the Peter McVerry Trust.
Elaine O'Hara, a 36‑year‑old childcare worker, was last seen alive on 22 August 2012 after being discharged from a mental health hospital. The State alleges that Graham Dwyer, 42, texted her from a "Master" phone to the "Slave" phone, threatening to stab her and demanding she assist in a murder. The trial heard over 2,600 text messages recovered from two Nokia phones found in a reservoir and from O'Hara's iPhone. The messages depict Dwyer's intimidation, claims of sexual coercion, and instructions for a planned stabbing. O'Hara's remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, and the cause of death could not be determined. The case is being heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the jury instructed on the content of the texts and the alleged murder.
In March 2014, George Croitoru, a 29‑year‑old Romanian, attacked Dawn Critchlow‑Burke on Dublin's North Circular Road. He dragged her to the ground, repeatedly kicked her in the face and head, punched her, and threatened her while she tried to escape. The assault left her with a perforated eardrum, fractured nose, black eyes and extensive bruising. Croitoru pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan described the attack as persistent, vicious and prolonged, noting that Croitoru "lost complete control." He imposed a sentence of three and a half years, with the final two years suspended, and ordered Croitoru to pay €1,000 to the victim as a token of remorse. The case was prosecuted by Martina Baxter BL, and Croitoru's defence argued he was intoxicated and had no prior convictions. The judge emphasised the seriousness of the assault and the need for custodial time.
Three Lithuanian men—Darius Adamonis (46), his son Darvydas Adamonis (27) and Linas Butrinovicius (29)—were sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment of student Richard Nagle (25) on 16 October 2013. The men, acting on instructions from landlord Peter Downey, forcibly evicted Nagle from a bedsit in Cabra Park, Dublin. They blocked his exit, demanded his belongings, and led him to his room, where Butrinovicius brandished an air pistol. Nagle, who had paid a €500 deposit for the room, fled with his possessions and reported the incident. The court found the men unaware of the illegality of their actions. Butrinovicius received a two‑year sentence, Darius Adamonis an 18‑month term, and Darvydas Adamonis a two‑year suspended sentence. The case highlighted the unlawful nature of the forced eviction. Darius Adamonis pleaded guilty. Darvydas Adamonis pleaded guilty. Linas Butrinovicius pleaded guilty.
Bilal Idrees, 24, a Pakistani native, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for each of two offences committed between 11 and 22 November 2012. He pleaded guilty to theft at an apartment in Dublin on 11 November 2012 and to impersonating a member of the gardaí over the same period. Idrees had been living in Ireland since May 2011, though he had no entry record. On 11 November he visited the apartment of a woman working as an escort, claiming to be a garda and demanding €150 in exchange for "wiping her record". He also made threatening phone calls for several days after the visit. The woman, a foreign national with limited English, later sought help from a social worker and contacted the gardaí. Gardaí arranged a meeting at the apartment, arrested Idrees on 22 November, and he admitted the offences. He had no prior convictions and expressed remorse.
A court has ordered a 63-year-old Dublin man, previously convicted of sexual assault, to have no interaction with children and not to loiter where children gather. The application was brought by gardai under section 16 of the 2001 Sex Offenders Act, which allows the court to prohibit the actions of a respondent if it is necessary to protect the public from serious harm. Judge Martin Nolan granted an exclusion order sought by the State, noting that the 2001 act was there to protect youngsters in the country from predators. In 2007, the man was sentenced to two years imprisonment for the sexual assault of a juvenile. He was convicted again in 2008 of another sexual assault and sentenced to two years with one suspended. In 2010, he was released from Dublin's Arbour Hill Prison, subject to a condition that he comply with the directions of the Probation Services for five years. The court heard that he previously scored high on a risk assessment test, which would have considered his alcohol abuse problems as a contributory risk factor. The order sought that the man be prohibited from having any interaction with any child and from loitering around areas where children usually congregate. Dean Kelly BL, defending, said that any order under the act must be proportional and argued that the prohibitions may be too vague and too broad. The judge refused to include an order that the man not consume any alcohol in a public place.