Three lifelong friends were sentenced for assaulting two foreign nationals in Dublin. Shane Kinsella (27) and Ross Law (29) received suspended sentences after pleading guilty to assaulting a Romanian carpenter in a Spar shop on 18 May 2024; Kinsella also verbally abused the victim and later punched him twice. Law claimed his sister had identified the victim as someone who had previously grabbed her arm, but no complaint had been reported. Jordan Dean Roddick (28) was jailed for his role in the same attack and for a separate assault on an Algerian man three weeks later, where he stamped on the victim's head. Roddick pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on both occasions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 20‑month suspended sentence on Law, a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence on Kinsella, and a three‑year jail term on Roddick, with a concurrent one‑year term for the first attack.
Jamie Moonen, aged 30, was sentenced to 13 months in prison after threatening to kill Dublin city councillor Malachy Steenson on 15 May 2024. Moonen first approached a Garda patrol car on North Circular Road, verbally abusing a Garda and declaring he would kill Steenson, who was campaigning for local and European elections. He then went to Steenson's offices, where he again threatened the 62‑year‑old councillor and became aggressive when Steenson's relatives appeared. Gardaí arrested him; he admitted the threats, apologized, and claimed he was depressed. Moonen pleaded guilty to a threat to a Garda to kill or cause serious harm. The court, noting his 12 prior public order convictions and one assault, imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to 13 months due to mitigating factors such as his cooperation and personal difficulties.
On 21 June 2024, 31‑year‑old Dek Abdi Hassan of Basin View, Dublin 8, pushed a 66‑year‑old man onto the footpath in Dublin city centre, causing the victim to fall backwards and break his hip. The injury forced the victim, who was working full time, to retire early and has since suffered ongoing pain, stiffness and reduced independence, as detailed in his victim impact report read by Judge Martin Nolan. Hassan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court described his conduct as a "wanton act of arrogance" and noted that while he did not intend the injuries, his actions were intentional and reckless. Hassan was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment. The judge acknowledged Hassan's difficult background, including trauma from civil violence in Somalia, but stressed that such behaviour is unacceptable on the street.
Romer Huarita, 31, of Dublin 4, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to knowingly distributing child pornography material on January 7, 2022, and December 8, 2021. He also admitted to possessing child pornography. Prosecutors stated that 74 images and 45 videos, totaling over three hours, were found on his phone during a March 2022 search. Huarita sent two explicit videos via WhatsApp, later asking the recipient if the children were "too young." He expressed regret to gardai. Defense counsel Eanna Mulloy SC highlighted Huarita's lack of prior convictions, his employment history, and a psychological report indicating low reoffending risk. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the mitigating factors of his guilty pleas and work history but imposed the 15-month sentence, noting the maximum penalty for distribution is 14 years. The judge referenced a Court of Appeal ruling regarding non-custodial sentences in the absence of aggravating factors. The matter was concluded with this custodial sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Karl Keogh, 38, admitted using forged documents—including a fake Virgin Media bill, counterfeit pay slips and a counterfeit Irish driving licence—to open an account at Ballygall Credit Union in Ballymun and borrow €19,000. The loan was never repaid, and the account fell into arrears. Keogh pleaded guilty to theft and fraud offences on 4 and 8 April 2021. The court, noting his severe gambling problem, imposed a 20‑month prison sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions asked a jury to consider whether a statement made by accused Mark Lee to Gardaí—claiming it was "terrible the way the homeless are treated" while illegal immigrants "run amok"—constituted a motive or justification for the attack on Croatian national Josip Strok. The prosecution alleged that Lee, Anthony Delappe and Connor Rafferty jointly assaulted Strok on 3 April 2024, using a pickaxe handle, a crutch and kicks, causing fatal blunt‑force injuries. Lee and Delappe pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; Rafferty pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to assault. Defence counsel argued that the evidence did not prove intent to cause serious injury and urged a manslaughter verdict for each accused. The case remains at the jury stage, with the prosecution's closing speech pending.
Winifred Joyce, aged 30, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, with the last six months suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to common assault and sexual assault in November 2022. The judge described Joyce's conduct as a "humiliating internal search" that was "inexcusable" and a "brutal, humiliating attack." The offence stemmed from a dispute over drugs at a Dublin city centre hostel. Joyce grabbed the victim by the hair, forced her to crawl, struck her, and sexually assaulted her while searching for drugs. Joyce has 62 prior convictions, including 29 thefts and one assault causing harm, and is undergoing treatment for addiction and schizophrenia. The suspended portion requires her to engage with the Probation Service, mental health supports and addiction treatment for 18 months after release.
In October 2025, a 43‑year‑old man from a European country was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for sexual assault and attempted rape of a Ukrainian refugee outside a Dublin nightclub in March 2024. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm before the trial. The court heard that the victim, who remains anonymous, was severely affected, losing work, experiencing health problems, and fearing for her daughter. The judge described the offence as "profoundly disturbing, degrading, primitive" and set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to nine years, with the final year suspended on conditions that the defendant have no contact with the victim and leave Ireland for 14 years after release. The defendant entered a bond agreeing to these terms. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with CCTV evidence showing the assault and the victim's struggle. No prior convictions were recorded for the defendant.
Paul Cullen, 45, of Crumlin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years and nine months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to seven offences including assault, robbery, attempted robbery and theft. The judge highlighted a pattern of violent crime, drug use and the use of weapons such as a meat cleaver, screwdriver, claw hammer and an imitation firearm. Cullen's crimes included a violent robbery at a Luas stop where a victim suffered a broken ankle, an attempted robbery at a hotel where he brandished a cleaver, a robbery of Boyle Sports Bookmakers where he stole €7,400, and an attempted robbery at Paddy Power Bookmakers while wearing a white hazmat suit. He also robbed a beauty salon and an estate agency, and was found with a scorched hazmat suit at a mortuary.
The trial of Mark Lee, Anthony Delappe, and Connor Rafferty continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury. The three men are accused of the murder of Josip Strok, who died on April 3, 2024, from blunt force injuries sustained in an alleged assault on March 30, 2024, at Grangeview Way in Clondalkin. Lee and Delappe have pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while Rafferty has pleaded not guilty to murder. All three have pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to witness David Druzinec. During cross-examination, Druzinec denied fabricating a story about racial abuse on a bus, stating he was in shock and told gardai what he remembered. Defense counsel suggested he invented the account to ensure someone was held responsible for his friend's death. The prosecution alleges the accused assaulted the two Croatian men after being told they had attacked a 17-year-old boy at a nearby bus stop. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentencing recorded at this procedural stage.
In a murder trial, 29‑year‑old David Druzinec, a Croatian immigrant, testified that he suffered memory loss after an assault that left his childhood friend Josip Strok, 31, dead. Druzinec said he felt a "strange feeling" of being followed after he and Strok disembarked from a bus near his Clondalkin home. He recalled telling Strok to "hurry up" when he saw more than three men behind them, but could not identify the attackers or their ages. Druzinec was attacked, received stitches above both eyes and on the top of his head, and could say nothing about the incident. The trial involves Mark Lee (44), Anthony Delappe (19) and Connor Rafferty (21), who have pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and assault causing harm to Druzinec. The case is before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of twelve.
Dean Teeling, 36, of Ballymun, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder and assault causing harm arising from a Mountjoy prison incident on December 18, 2018, and a separate assault causing harm during a knife attack on Fownes Street in Temple Bar on January 8, 2022. Teeling pleaded guilty to all charges. Judge Martin Nolan described the prison assault as "pretty savage" and imposed three-year custodial sentences for each offence, ordered to run consecutively, resulting in a total of six years. The court noted Teeling's history of offending, including prior knife assaults. Brad Dempsey, 24, of Crumlin, Dublin, also pleaded guilty to affray at Mountjoy prison for his involvement in the 2018 melee, where he allegedly kicked the victim. Judge Nolan sentenced Dempsey to 18 months imprisonment for this offence. Dempsey is currently serving an eight-year term for firearms offences imposed in 2022. The sentences for both defendants were finalized at this procedural stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Elva Duffy sentenced an 83‑year‑old former Christian Brothers teacher to four and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting nine primary school boys during a 30‑year teaching career. The offences, occurring between 1980 and 1995 in a Dublin city school, involved boys aged 8 to 13, with most between 11 and 13. The court heard that the teacher would call boys to the top of the class, place them on his knee, slap them—often with an implement—and then indecently assault them by rubbing their buttocks or groin. Victims recounted being slapped hard, being forced to lie on the teacher's knee, and being threatened with punishment if they reported the abuse. The teacher, previously convicted in the 1960s and 1970s, denied wrongdoing and did not accept jury verdicts. He is already serving a four‑year term for other offences.
Online news outlet Gript Media Limited has been granted permission by the High Court to challenge the Press Council's decision to uphold a June 2025 ruling that an article titled "Inside the DCU SPHE Course – Fisting, writing sex scenes, porn terms examined" breached journalistic codes. Gript seeks to quash the Press Council's decision and obtain a re‑hearing, arguing that the Council applied the wrong standard of review and denied Gript a fair oral hearing. The article, published on 4 October 2024, described a viral video and the responses of Minister for Education Norma Foley and the funding context for the DCU SPHE/RSE graduate diploma. The Press Ombudsman found that Gript had no evidence that DCU had instructed teachers to replicate sexually explicit exercises in classrooms. DCU's complaint was upheld, and the High Court adjourned the matter to November. The case involves the Press Council, the Press Ombudsman and Dublin City University as notice parties.
Nadine Lattimore, a legally blind former Paralympian who has used a guide dog since 2017, brought an equality claim against Centra on Parnell Street in Dublin 1 under the Equal Status Act 2000. She alleged that on 18 December 2024 she was stopped at the shop entrance for 15 seconds because staff said dogs were not allowed, and that she was denied access. The WRC found that the incident was a brief lapse that was immediately corrected; the shop had a policy to restrict dogs due to past incidents with aggressive dogs, and staff were trained on the policy. The adjudicator agreed that the brief incident did not amount to discrimination and rejected the claim, ruling that the shop did not engage in prohibited conduct. The decision was published on 13 October 2025.
Thomas Fox, 22, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a global custodial term of five and a half years after pleading guilty to multiple offences arising from the November 23, 2022 riots. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of eight years before reducing it to the final term. Fox admitted to committing a riot on Burgh Quay, violent disorder, burglary of Foot Locker on O'Connell Street, interfering with a bus mechanism on O'Connell Bridge, assaulting Sergeant Brendan Eddery causing him harm, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply in his Lord Edward Street hostel. The prosecution accepted the assault charge on the basis of joint enterprise. Fox was identified by two gardaí via CCTV and arrested in July 2024. During the hearing, Sergeant Eddery read a victim impact statement detailing his injuries and the psychological trauma caused by the live-streamed attack, which his family later viewed. The judge acknowledged Fox's sincere remorse and apology, noting his history of drug addiction and homelessness. Despite the significant damage caused by the riots, estimated at €10 million, the court imposed the custodial sentence, concluding with Judge Nolan wishing the sergeant luck.
In a WRC hearing, Elly Kiprono Rop, a Kenyan security guard working for BGS Security Ltd (BGSS) in Dublin, was awarded €45,240 in compensation, two years' wages, plus €1,088 for unpaid wages and €1,200 for failure to provide a contract. Rop had worked unpaid shifts from May to June 2024, with extra hours assigned but not paid, leaving a shortfall of €1,088.49. He described feeling "let down and used" by BGSS. The adjudicator, Patricia Owens, found BGSS had shown "blatant disregard" for workers' rights and the Employment Regulation Order, disadvantaging law‑abiding competitors. The decision upheld claims under the Payment of Wages Act 1991, the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 and the Industrial Relations Act 1949, and highlighted the risk of industrial relations instability. The company now owes over €193,000 to former staff for unpaid wages and employment rights breaches.
American Kevin Yungman, 32, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for raping a 19-year-old woman in June 2018 in an Airbnb on Usher's Quay, Dublin city centre. Yungman pleaded guilty to the single charge of rape, which involved causing the victim to pass out by squeezing her neck. Mr Justice Hunt imposed a six-year prison sentence, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was backdated to August 2024, when Yungman entered custody in the United States following his arrest and extradition to Ireland. The judge noted that the headline sentence was eight years, reduced due to mitigation including the guilty plea and the difficulty of serving time in a foreign jurisdiction. Aggravating factors included the asphyxiation of the victim. Conditions of the suspended portion include a perpetual ban on direct or indirect contact with the victim. Additionally, Yungman is ordered to leave the jurisdiction upon release and is prohibited from returning for 10 years. The court acknowledged the victim's recovery and the support provided by Yungman's family, who expressed remorse and accountability during the proceedings.
Christopher O'Grady, 34, formerly of Dundalk, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for raping a 19-year-old Spanish tourist on January 1, 2019. Following a trial last March, the jury found him guilty of one count of rape. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs imposed a seven-year sentence, with the final six months suspended. The court noted aggravating factors, including the victim's intoxication and the predatory nature of the offence, which left her with PTSD and depression. Although the hearing was initially adjourned to explore restorative justice, the Probation Service advised the court that such measures were not feasible due to O'Grady's conduct during an interview. O'Grady, who has 65 previous convictions and was homeless at the time of the offence, accepted the verdict and expressed remorse. He had been in custody since August 2024 after breaching bail conditions. The judge acknowledged his chaotic upbringing but emphasized the severe impact on the victim, who described feeling 'like a doll' during the incident. The suspended portion of the sentence is intended to encourage rehabilitation, with O'Grady agreeing to work with the Probation Service.
The 24‑year‑old man was convicted of attempted oral rape, sexual assault and engaging in a sexual act with a child under 15 after a Central Criminal Court trial. He met the 14‑year‑old victim on social media, arranged a meeting in Dublin, and the next day engaged in sex at his apartment, where he also attempted to rape her orally. The judge sentenced him to six‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. The man had no prior convictions. He pleaded no‑guilty, was not allowed to claim the most significant mitigating factor, and was found guilty. The judge noted the age disparity and the victim's intellectual difficulties as aggravating factors. The sentence was imposed at the trial, with no further outcome reported.
A 42‑year‑old man named Matthias Kelly, who has an acquired brain injury, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to attempting to murder Fiona Timmermans on 7 September 2024 at Newbury Lawns, Clonshaugh. He also admitted trespassing on the same day, committing an arrestable offence, and producing a serrated kitchen knife in a manner likely to intimidate. Kelly further confessed to threatening Ms Timmermans on 1 September 2024 at an unknown location, intending the threat to be carried out. He pleaded guilty to damaging property, specifically the sitting‑room and front‑bedroom windows of Jennifer Barror on 6 September 2024. Defence counsel informed the judge that Kelly's brain injury was operative at the time of the offences and requested legal aid for a medical report. The court adjourned the case to 10 November for a sentence hearing, with victim impact evidence to be presented then.
William Kavanagh, 35, was convicted in the District Court for a series of thefts and criminal damage in Dublin between January and March 2024. He stole 15 pairs of socks worth €290, a wallet and €90 in cash, smashed a car window, and wrote his own blood on the walls of a Garda cell. He was found guilty of three counts of theft, three counts of criminal damage and one count of possessing stolen property. The District Court sentenced him to 14 months, with six months for the January 8 theft and eight months for the January 25 theft, consecutive to a term he was already serving. On appeal, Judge Christopher Callan reduced the sentence to seven months, suspended for two years, on the condition that Kavanagh remains peaceful and engages with Merchant's Quay Ireland for rehabilitation upon release.
An appeal has been launched by two men, Dion Genockey (26) and Daryl Rooney (27), who were convicted of the gang rape of a vulnerable teenager who had recently left State care. The appeal, heard at the Court of Appeal, argues that issues of consent were relevant during their trial. Counsel for Genockey argued that the trial judge should have advised the jury that the appellant may have had reasons for not mentioning to gardaí that he believed the victim had given her consent. Counsel for Rooney argued that the appellant was not aware that the woman had not given her consent. Genockey, of Clarion Quay Apartments, and Rooney, of Railway Street, Dublin City Centre, were convicted of raping the woman at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on January 5, 2016, following a second trial at the Central Criminal Court in March 2022. The jury in the first trial, held in 2020, was unable to reach a verdict. Genockey was sentenced to nine years by Mr Justice David Keane while Rooney was sentenced to ten years. A third accused, Troy Ryan of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin City Centre, was also convicted and sentenced to nine and a half years. The appeal is ongoing, with the court reserving judgment.
Murilo Dos Santos, 36, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material between November 2020 and January 2021. Gardaí seized his phone during a separate investigation, finding 66 videos that contravened the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act. Dos Santos shared these videos with six others via a sharing app and WhatsApp, including a 5‑minute clip of a child aged 6‑12 months strapped down, and other footage of children aged 8‑12 and 10‑14 years in sexual activity. He also sent a MEGA folder link and a photograph of himself, claiming he was acting as a vigilante. Judge Orla Crowe revoked his bail and remanded him in custody until 1 December 2025 pending sentencing. No other participants were prosecuted. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Marese Craig, 28, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six and a half years' imprisonment for a series of thefts that included stealing a €27,000‑worth bag of cancer medication from an elderly American tourist and a handbag from a mother in a neonatal intensive care unit. The judge noted Craig's 191 prior convictions, including 18 burglaries, nine robberies, 102 thefts and 16 deception offences, and her drug addiction. Craig pleaded guilty to thefts, burglaries and possession of stolen bank cards between 2022 and 2024. She admitted the offences, expressed regret and was found to have been unaware of the contents of the bags she stole. Judge Orla Crowe imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspended the final 12 months, and required Craig to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months after release. The court described her conduct as "deplorable" but allowed her a chance to re‑enter society constructively.
Patrick Cawley, 35, pleaded guilty to assault, theft and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was convicted of four offences against three men, including a German tourist in his 60s. Cawley, described by the judge as an "endemic recidivist offender" with 127 prior convictions and a history of drug addiction, was sentenced to five years and three months, with the final 12 months suspended, leaving an effective term of four years and three months. The judge aimed to encourage treatment of his drug problem and reintegration into society. The German victim suffered anxiety, stress and a fear of crowds, and reported an economic loss of €1,100. Another victim sustained a broken jaw that required wiring. A third incident involved a mugging at a Luas stop, but no conviction was recorded for that event. The court noted Cawley's cooperation during the interview.
A Spanish tourist, aged 19 at the time, was raped in Dublin city centre on New Year's Eve 2019. The victim, who has since expressed a desire to meet her attacker in a safe space, said she wants to confront him about his cruelty and to see him acknowledge his wrongdoing. Christopher O'Grady, 33, was found guilty of one count of rape in March 2025. He has 65 prior convictions and was homeless during the offence. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, including loss of confidence, fear of walking alone at night, and hypervigilance. O'Grady has admitted guilt and wishes to apologise. Both parties have agreed to consider restorative justice, but the court noted that this does not preclude a custodial sentence. The case was adjourned to July 24 for the prosecution to investigate the restorative justice option. The trial also covered the victim's subsequent encounter with a second man, who was not charged.
Michelle Murray, a client services manager at Cagney Maintenance Service Ltd, was dismissed in August 2024 after an investigation found her training record fraudulent. The investigation was triggered when a cleaner, Sylvia Sanchez, arrived at a Dublin site with blue dye in her hair, contrary to a dress‑code policy. Murray had warned Sanchez that the dye was not allowed, leading to Sanchez's resignation. Murray claimed she had not falsified any documents and that the alleged training record had been forged. An HR officer's investigation revealed "clear fraudulent information" in Sanchez's record. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal reasonable but unfair because Murray was denied the right to cross‑examine her accusers. The tribunal awarded her €10,000 in compensation, including €5,580 for unfair dismissal and €4,500 for a breach of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994. No further claims were upheld.
Bewley's Café and a company owned by property developer Johnny Ronan have taken a dispute over the €747,000 per year rent for the Grafton Street outlet to the High Court. RGRE Grafton Limited, which owns the building, claims the rent should be €1 million, while a valuer hired by Bewley's says it should be €518,000. Bewley's had previously paid €1.46 million for the premises before a Circuit Court ruling cut the rent in half to €747 k. Both parties are appealing the Circuit Court decision. The case focuses on valuation methods, with Bewley's expert Fergus Crosse arguing that improvements to the building justify a lower rent, and RGRE's valuer David Potter contesting the zoning approach used by Crosse, claiming it undervalues the restaurant space. The matter is now before Ms Justice Sara Phelan.
Jibola Moses Akanni, 27, of Drogheda, Co Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after being found guilty by a jury of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The offences occurred in a Dublin city centre apartment in February 2018, where the court heard the 17-year-old victim was intoxicated and barely conscious. Mr Justice David Keane noted aggravating factors including the victim's vulnerability and the age disparity. Although Akanni has 28 previous convictions for other matters, the judge stated no credit was given for a guilty plea as none was offered, nor for remorse. The judge determined there was no realistic hope of rehabilitation and refused to suspend any part of the sentence. Akanni was sentenced to eight and a half years on each rape count and three and a half years for sexual assault, all to run concurrently and backdated to November when he entered custody. To protect the public from the risk of sexual reoffending, the judge ordered that Akanni be placed under the supervision of the Probation Services for two years post-release, instructing him to carry out all directions deemed necessary by the service.
Sergiu Lupo, 39, pleaded guilty to 43 counts of theft, attempted theft and criminal damage for a three‑day spree of targeted ATM thefts in Dublin from 3 to 6 June 2019. He stole €7,260 and caused €7,147 in damage across 24 incidents at AIB ATMs in locations such as Artane, Stillorgan, Dundrum, Crumlin, Tallaght, Clondalkin, Rathfarnham, Finglas, Swords and Portmarnock. Lupo also assisted in a separate incident at Sutton Cross, where he watched two men withdraw cash and then drove them away. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to two years and six months' imprisonment, back‑dated to 15 November 2024, for the deliberate, organised nature of the offences and the significant financial loss and inconvenience caused to AIB and the public. The sentence reflects the aggravating factors of the scale of theft and damage, and the fact that Lupo fled and was extradited back to Ireland. He has no prior convictions in Ireland or elsewhere.
John Power, 35, pleaded guilty to two robberies and an attempted robbery at Dublin city shops in March 2023. He has 106 prior convictions, 99 in District Court and seven in Circuit Court. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to two and a half years for the attempted robbery and four years for each robbery, all concurrent. She suspended the final 18 months of the 2½‑year term, backdated the sentence to October 2024, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision. Power's earlier guilty pleas, remorse, insight, and a drug‑free urine test were mitigating factors, while his addiction and past convictions were aggravating. The court noted that a shop worker resisted him during the attempted robbery, and CCTV footage identified him wearing a distinctive jacket. Power apologized to the judge and pledged never to use drugs again. The case was prosecuted by BL Miranda Egan‑Langley.
A 46‑year‑old serial offender, Stepan Pavlov, who had 93 prior convictions, had a 15‑month jail sentence for burglary in three separate incidents at Dublin restaurants replaced by a fully suspended term on appeal. The District Court had found him guilty of burglary under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, for stealing more than €1,000 from staff lockers at Murray's Bar on O'Connell Street on 14 July 2023, a wallet and laptop worth over €1,600 from Chequer Lane on 10 March 2023, and a purse worth €200 from a restaurant on Molesworth Street on 10 October 2023. The appeal court, hearing on 14 July 2023, granted a two‑year suspended sentence on the condition that Pavlov keep the peace, provide monthly urine analysis and stay out of the city centre without just cause. The decision was based on his rehabilitation efforts for drug addiction, as presented by his defence counsel.
Graham Kinsella, 21, of Clondalkin, Dublin 2, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. He pleaded guilty to an incident on May 19, 2024, where he allegedly kicked a teenager off an e-scooter on Liffey Street and punched him. Judge Elva Duffy described the CCTV footage as "poor and shocking viewing" and noted the attack involved a "level of lawlessness which was hard to watch." The judge characterized the act as an unprovoked "revenge mission" focused on the scooter rather than the individual. Kinsella was handed a sentence of two years, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. Judge Duffy stated that an immediate custodial sentence was required despite mitigating factors, including Kinsella's lack of previous convictions, his guilty plea, and his efforts to address drug issues. The court noted Kinsella was not responsible for puncture wounds sustained by the victim, who was stabbed by a co-accused still before the courts. The victim made a full recovery. Defense counsel Marc Thompson-Grolimund BL highlighted Kinsella's remorse and his status as a "work in progress." The matter was finalized with this sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Kevin Geraghty, 31, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, with the final nine months suspended, for an unprovoked assault on a 25‑year‑old Spanish student. The victim, studying English in Ireland, was punched in the face after Geraghty and another man shouted homophobic slurs while he waited outside a bar on Cuffe Street in the early hours of 19 September 2024. The attack left the student with a broken jaw that required surgery. Geraghty, who has 70 prior convictions, denied shouting the slurs. The court noted the assault's homophobic overtones and the victim's financial impact. The sentence was imposed by Judge Orla Crowe, who highlighted the attack's unprovoked nature and the defendant's criminal record. Kevin Geraghty pleaded guilty.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, Omar Mohammed Osman, a night manager at Cantarini Limited's City Quay aparthotel, was dismissed after allegations that he bullied a gay colleague, Mr D, for his sexuality. Mr D claimed Osman called him "a big homosexual" and "princess", whistled at him and mocked his accent. Osman denied the allegations, stating he had no issue with homosexuals and that the nickname referred to a female colleague. The tribunal found Osman had been "bullying and harassing a colleague in relation to their sexual orientation and race" and dismissed him. Osman later emailed the HR manager to appeal the dismissal, but the email was not responded to because the recipient had left the company. The WRC ruled that while the dismissal was reasonable, the failure to allow Osman to appeal made it an unfair dismissal, awarding him €3,000 in compensation. The case did not find any protected disclosure or safety‑related claims.
Dublin City Council has regained possession of the former home and shop of 1916 Rising leader Tom Clarke on Amiens Street after a group of alleged trespassers vacated the property. The High Court heard that the council had initiated proceedings last November to restrain "persons unknown" from trespassing following reports of unauthorised occupation in May. At the hearing, Gavin Mooney SC represented the council and reported that the alleged trespassers had agreed to vacate the house and had now provided their names. An inspection of the Georgian building, which dates from the 1790s, was previously adjourned due to concerns about a potential stand‑off with occupants. The council, which purchased the run‑down building for €630,000 in 2018, had planned to convert it into a museum and community centre, but works had not begun after a contractor withdrew in 2023.
Michael Keane, a former professional footballer aged 42, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old college student while driving her in his taxi to Bull Island. The victim was forced to pay a €77.77 fare after the assault. Keane had previously been convicted in the UK for theft and assault causing actual bodily harm. He pleaded guilty in November 2023, after initially denying the allegation. The court noted the victim's fear, shock and ongoing trauma, and that Keane had lost his taxi licence and was now on social welfare. Keane's lawyers presented testimonials from former club associates and family, arguing the offence was out of character and a one‑off incident. The judge imposed the custodial term without a suspended portion, citing the aggravating circumstances of the victim's vulnerability and Keane's role as a taxi driver.
Jason Wosser, also known as Jason Bonney, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a number of charges including robbery, attempted robbery, and threats to kill or cause serious harm. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 10-year sentence but suspended the final year on strict conditions. Prosecution counsel Fiona Pekaar BL alleged that Wosser robbed two taxi drivers on separate occasions, threatening one with a knife and punching another in the face. He was also accused of kicking a man in Smithfield Square and robbing a student of his phone in Merchant's Arch. Wosser has 96 previous convictions. Defence counsel Ian Woodland BL described the defendant as deeply apologetic, citing a drug addiction that began at age 12 following his brother's death in a house fire, as well as ADHD and dyslexia. Judge Sheahan noted that two prior robberies involved vulnerable young men and gratuitous violence. She identified aggravating factors, including the seriousness and repeated nature of the offending, the fact that Wosser was on bail, and the harm caused to the injured parties. The judge acknowledged the value of the early plea to the victims and noted the defendant's desire to seek employment upon release, though she had no discretion over his place of imprisonment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Noel Ryan, 48, pleaded guilty to hijacking a car and abducting a child. He took a vehicle in Mountjoy Square on 23 September 2024, leaving a five‑month‑old baby alone for almost three hours while the mother struggled to stop him. CCTV showed the mother holding the door as Ryan drove away, and the baby's tears were captured. Ryan used the mother's credit card 12 minutes after the theft. He was arrested the next day and admitted he did not know a child was in the car. The court heard victim impact statements from the mother and father, describing terror and lasting trauma. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Ryan's addiction and early guilty plea, imposed a headline sentence of nine and a half years, reduced to seven years in prison, back‑dated to his custody date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael Ward, aged 44, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after pleading guilty to two separate assaults on a 19‑year‑old woman. The first assault occurred on 16 December 2023 when Ward, who had 53 prior convictions, allegedly locked the woman in an apartment on Parnell Street, struck her, and prevented her escape. She jumped from the first‑floor balcony, sustaining injuries and later receiving medical care. A second assault on 3 March 2024 involved Ward striking the woman, choking her, and threatening her with a pliers. The court noted the woman's repeated attempts to leave and the ongoing relationship between the parties. Ward's plea of guilty and expressed remorse led the judge to reduce the initial seven‑year sentence to four-and-a-half years, backdated for time already spent in custody.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Umarjon Muradov, a former security guard for BGS Security Ltd (trading as BGSS), argued that the firm had a persistent practice of not paying workers their wages, thereby gaining an unfair advantage in the Dublin security market. Muradov, represented by the Independent Workers' Union, claimed he worked long hours alone at Centra, Spar, and Supervalu stores, faced threats, and was paid only €500 for June, July, and August, far below the €14.50 hourly rate set by the Employment Regulation Order (ERO). The adjudicator, David James Murphy, found BGSS had failed to pay the new ERO rate, premium rates, and annual leave, and had admitted the debt but not paid.
Two men, Robert Costello and Ciaran Whelan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking a Mongolian couple in Dublin City Centre on 9 August 2016. The male victim suffered a third of his ear separated and required a skin graft, while the female victim sustained a broken nose and underwent surgery in Mongolia. The couple returned to Mongolia after the incident. Costello, aged 35, has 29 prior convictions, last in 2017; Whelan, also 35, has 33 prior convictions, last in 2012. Both men were intoxicated and had addiction issues at the time. The court accepted their guilty pleas and considered their personal circumstances, and adjourned the case for finalisation until 20 June to allow Whelan to pursue rehabilitation and raise additional restitution. The court did not impose a sentence in this article.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Ionut Leonard Petriu, who pleaded guilty to assisting a Romanian organised crime group, to a three-year prison term suspended in full on strict conditions for four years. Judge Orla Crowe noted Petriu's low risk of re-offending and his role in facilitating the gang, which included allowing his car to be used for transport and housing members. The court heard Petriu was not involved in the actual burglaries. His co-accused, Ricardo Stancu and Daniel Murgea, also pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage, and organised crime offences. Stancu was previously sentenced to five years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended. Murgea received a six-year sentence, reduced from a headline eight years, due to his significant history of dishonesty in France and Italy. The offences involved ram-raiding commercial premises, including a phone shop in Dublin city centre and a Vodafone shop in Newbridge, using a 'dummy car' to cause extensive damage. The judge described the crimes as highly organised, targeting unoccupied premises over two days. Petriu's case was adjourned for the preparation of a probation report before finalisation.
In a Dublin City Centre robbery attempt on 9 November 2020, Samantha Osbourne (33) and Adam Casey (22) were jailed for their roles. Osbourne pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was sentenced to 16 months in prison, backdated to her custody date. Casey pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery and one count of assault causing harm, receiving a four‑year prison term with the final year suspended and probation supervision for one year after release. The victim, who was walking to the city centre, was attacked by all three men, suffered a concussion, facial injuries and a minor brain bleed, and was taken to St James' Hospital. Andrew Cash (32) had already been sentenced to five years for the same attack. The court noted the victim's injuries and the defendants' histories, including Osbourne's 90 prior convictions and Casey's 15 prior convictions. The judge emphasised the seriousness of attacking a defenseless man.
Wayne Gilligan, 29, of Rosebank Court, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to violent disorder for an unprovoked attack on Euston Street on 8 May 2023. Garda Chloe Rochford testified that Gilligan instigated the assault, punching the victim several times, kicking and stamping on him, while other men also struck and stabbed the victim with a bladed weapon believed to be a machete. CCTV footage was shown. The victim suffered deep cuts to the head and a finger, was taken to hospital, and refused to cooperate with Gardaí. Gilligan has 137 prior convictions, including affray, assault, endangerment and drug offences. He was sentenced to four years and three months' imprisonment, with an earliest release date of August 2027. The court noted his engagement with services and completion of an anger‑management course, but did not suspend any portion of the sentence.
In a Dublin City Centre incident, a 25‑year‑old man, Sinore Iosca, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for false imprisonment after he controlled a 23‑year‑old woman with Down syndrome for about two hours. Iosca forced her to withdraw €420 from ATMs and to purchase an iPhone X costing €1,349, which he later took. The victim's family testified that the woman had been independent before the attack but has since withdrawn socially and suffered psychological injury. Iosca pleaded guilty to false imprisonment in 2018 and to three theft charges in 2019; the theft charges were later struck out. He was extradited from Germany after a bench warrant and was found guilty of the false imprisonment charge, leading to the four‑year custodial sentence. The court noted the victim's trust issues and the family's distress but did not award compensation.
In a Dublin City Centre incident on 23 July 2020, Peter Burns, a 50‑year‑old truck driver from Tallaght, caused a cyclist to be crushed between his vehicle and another after failing to check his mirrors. CCTV showed the cyclist's backpack caught in the wheels, spinning her body so her lower limbs were trapped rather than her head. The cyclist was taken to hospital in critical condition, suffered multiple fractures and crush injuries, and has undergone at least six surgeries with ongoing rehabilitation. Burns pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious injury. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, imposed an eight‑month suspended sentence and did not impose a driving ban, citing Burns' lack of prior convictions and the absence of aggravating factors. The judge noted Burns' responsibility to observe all road users and his failure to give the cyclist a wider berth.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court found Christopher O'Grady, 33, guilty of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist on New Year's Eve 2019 in Dublin's Castle area. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to consent, was led by O'Grady to a car‑park area where the assault occurred. She described the assault as forceful and non‑consensual, noting a lack of memory and physical pain. O'Grady was homeless at the time and remains in custody. The trial also considered a separate sexual encounter the victim had with another man that night, but the jury's verdict focused solely on the charge against O'Grady. The case is scheduled for sentencing on 19 June. The court heard CCTV footage of the assault and the victim's subsequent medical examination. The prosecution highlighted the victim's honest account and urged a guilty verdict. The defense questioned the similarity of the two encounters and the victim's capacity to consent.
In a Dublin rape trial, the State presented a 33‑year‑old Louth defendant who is accused of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish student on New Year's Eve. The prosecution argued that the defendant led the woman into a quiet area in a menacing and predatory manner, that she was heavily intoxicated and unable to consent, and that CCTV footage showed the pair meeting at a shop after she had vomited and then walking to a car park where the alleged rape occurred. The defence counsel highlighted "bizarre" elements, noting similarities between the woman's encounters with two men that night, and argued she was in full control of her faculties and capable of consenting. The jury was instructed to consider whether the woman could consent between 1.40 am and 2.17 am. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded not guilty.