Naveed Rana, 42, of Newcastle, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in his taxi in October last year. The court heard the victim feared for her life during the incident, which involved erratic driving and forced sexual acts. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offending as serious, noting Rana breached his position of trust and caused significant harm to a vulnerable victim. The judge highlighted that Rana was on bail for a serious drug offence at the time of the attack, for which he later received community service. While acknowledging mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea, remorse, and family circumstances, Judge Sheahan declined to suspend any portion of the sentence due to his status on bail. Rana was handed a five-and-a-half-year custodial sentence. The matter was finalised with this sentence, with no adjournment recorded.
A former solicitor, Herbert Kilcline, 62, and two other men, Matthew Murphy, 52, and Philip Marley, 53, are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged fraudulent procurement of two Dublin City properties. Kilcline pleaded not guilty to eight counts, including failing to apply required measures as a designated person, using a false instrument and fraudulent procurement of entry to the land registry between September 2016 and June 2018. Murphy pleaded not guilty to four counts, including money laundering, theft and failing to keep records between April 2017 and April 2018. Marley pleaded not guilty to ten counts, including procuring the registration of a false deed, fraudulent procurement of an entry into the land registry and theft. The charges relate to a building on Phibsborough Road and a second property on St Mary's Road. The trial, opened before Ms Justice Sinead Ni Chulachain, is expected to last five weeks.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced two defendants for their roles in the unlawful administration of the euthanasia drug Dolethal to two dogs at Ashton Dog Pound in July 2020. Vet Sydney Nagle, 65, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or permitting a non-vet to possess the medicine, as well as four counts regarding record-keeping failures. He was fined €12,500, payable over six months. Judge Nolan noted Nagle was a fine vet who had done considerable service but failed to know the law, adding that Nagle may face consequences from an ongoing Veterinary Council of Ireland fitness-to-practice inquiry. Raymond Connolly, 56, the pound supervisor, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing the vet-only medicine and causing or permitting a lay person to administer it. He was fined €400, payable over six months. The judge described Connolly's culpability as low, stating he followed established instructions and could not be expected to know the legal intricacies. The court heard the dogs, an Akita and a Bichon Frise, suffered vomiting and diarrhoea after being dosed orally; one died, and the other was humanely euthanised days later. This follows previous fines for former pound manager Donal Moroney and owner David Stone for similar offences.
Tony Guilloteau, aged 32, was extradited from France to Ireland after a campaign of sexual assaults on young women on the Dublin commuter rail and near train stations in 2020. He pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and two counts of offensive sexual behaviour between 13 February and 11 March 2020. The offences included exposing himself to a 17‑year‑old on the Dart, masturbating in front of a 26‑year‑old on a train, and assaulting women aged 21 to 22 at various stations. Guilloteau had previously served an 18‑month community sentence in France for similar offences. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 30 January, after noting the aggravating nature of the five victims and his expressions of remorse. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the impact on the victims and the court's consideration of his guilty plea and personal circumstances.
A French national, Yanis Soudani, aged 21, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a smishing offence that involved the theft of luxury items worth over €52,000 from high‑end shops in Dublin city centre. The crime was carried out over five dates in January, using three victims' credit card details obtained through fraudulent text messages. The stolen goods included Cartier watches, a Dior shirt and trousers, a Louis Vuitton keepall, and a Gucci top, among other items. Garda David Dunne explained that the victims had received smishing messages asking for financial details, leading to withdrawals of more than €70,000 from one account and smaller amounts from the others. Soudani was arrested on January 22 after Brown Thomas staff recognised him on CCTV. He pleaded guilty, cooperated with investigators, and has no prior convictions.
Raymond Shorten, aged 50, was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to a total of 30 years in prison for a series of sexual offences. The sentence comprises a 17‑year term for raping a 19‑year‑old woman on 26 June 2022 and a 13‑year term for raping a 20‑year‑old woman on 9 August 2022, both to run consecutively with a 13‑year sentence for the rape and sexual assault of a seven‑year‑old girl in 2012. The judge noted Shorten's lack of remorse and described the offences as a gross betrayal of the trust placed in taxi drivers. He imposed no suspended portion and added a ten‑year post‑release supervision period, prohibiting contact with the victims or unsupervised contact with children. The sentencing highlighted the severity of the crimes and the danger posed by Shorten to society. Raymond Shorten was convicted.
In a Dublin city‑centre assault on New Year's Day, 24‑year‑old Jordan Maguire, who had been drinking and taking drugs for 48 hours, stamped on a man's head at Aston Quay and Price's Lane, causing a severe brain injury. The victim was left unconscious, required a craniotomy and 96 staples, and suffered a significant bleed, memory loss, slurred speech and depression. Maguire pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The Court of Appeal quashed his original two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the State's objection that the headline sentence of four years was unduly lenient. The Court set a headline of five years, then reduced it by 25% to three years and nine months, suspended the final six months, and back‑dated the term to 24 July 2023. Maguire will serve three years and three months in prison. The decision was based on the seriousness of the offence, the victim's long‑term impact and Maguire's 45 prior convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a tourist from France was attacked on Talbot Street by a group of men, one of whom struck him repeatedly with a machete. The victim, who had been traveling extensively across Europe, was left with two deep wounds on his right leg and required surgery. He survived but suffered significant trauma and expressed uncertainty about future travel. John Hogan, 33, with 29 prior convictions including knife possession, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a machete. He was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, with a headline sentence of eight years, and the court noted the attack was "particularly savage." The sentence was backdated to 30 December 2023 when Hogan entered custody. The case highlighted the potential for a murder charge had the victim died.
An asylum seeker, Adel Kerai, 26, was jailed for two years and three months after sexually assaulting a 22‑year‑old woman in Dublin's city centre. Kerai had arrived in Ireland five days earlier and, after following the woman for up to half an hour, forced his way into her personal space on Henry Street on 10 December 2023. He attempted to kiss her, touch her genital area under her clothes and press his erect penis against her. The victim tried to escape, but Kerai was too strong. The incident lasted 30 minutes, parts of which were captured on CCTV. Kerai, who has four prior convictions in the UK and is seeking asylum from Algeria, pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of four years, reduced to 27 months, and back‑dated it to the time of Kerai's arrest. The court noted the assault was uninvited and particularly frightening for the victim.
Two men, one named Jason Kelly (53) with 160 prior convictions, broke into a Ray‑Ban shop on Grafton Street at 1:30 a.m. using a steel stanchion to smash the reinforced glass door. They stole 170 pairs of designer sunglasses and eyeglasses, worth €27,089, and packed them into a sleeping bag before leaving. The robbery was captured on CCTV. Kelly pleaded guilty to the burglary and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted the shop was empty, Kelly was under the influence, and the pair caused over €4,000 of damage to the door. Kelly is already serving a separate sentence and has a long history of offending, mostly in the District Court. The court heard he has a heroin addiction, a brain injury, and several health problems, and that he intends to seek treatment and study while in custody. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Raymond Shorten, a 50‑year‑old Dublin taxi driver, was convicted in May of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a seven‑year‑old girl. The offences occurred after the child's mother's funeral, in a bathroom at her family home where Shorten covered her mouth, and later on a bed and in a car. The girl, now 20, had left a handwritten note in 2020 alleging abuse and was interviewed by specialist gardai in early 2021. Shorten denied all allegations during voluntary interviews in 2020 and 2021, calling them "110% lies" and a "wind‑up." He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and is due to be sentenced later this month. The case is part of a broader pattern of sexual offences by Shorten, who has eight prior convictions, including five for road traffic offences. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
Chestin Hoogenboom, 37, a Dutch national, was jailed after admitting she smuggled more than €26,000 worth of cocaine into Dublin Airport. Customs officials stopped her at Terminal One when an X‑ray revealed an anomaly in her luggage, which contained €12,000 worth of cocaine. Gardaí questioned her and she was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where she removed an additional €14,000 worth of cocaine from inside her body. The total weight of cocaine removed from her luggage and her person was 0.38 kilograms. Hoogenboom pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 9 November last year and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She cooperated fully, made an early guilty plea, and has no prior convictions in this jurisdiction or abroad. The court noted she is studying law and judicial decision‑making and that she has mental health issues and two teenage children in the care of a friend.
A 24‑year‑old victim of a Temple Bar gang attack, who suffered slash wounds to his face and puncture wounds to his back, neck and arms, was left with permanent facial scarring and severe anxiety. He lost six months' earnings and now lives in constant worry, avoiding large gatherings. In a victim impact statement read by his partner, he described the assault as a "senseless act of violence" that shattered his life and left him with a "deep‑seated frustration" because most of the assailants are still free. Jordan Maguire, the only attacker identified from CCTV, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years and nine months' imprisonment. The court accepted that Maguire was not responsible for the most serious head and facial injuries, which required life‑saving surgery. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the gang attack.
In the Central Criminal Court, two young women testified that they were raped by Dublin taxi driver Raymond Shorten, who had previously been convicted of serious sexual offences. Both victims had taken taxis after nights out, believing it was the safest option, but were assaulted by Shorten. One victim, who had been drinking five pints of cider, was taken to the back seat where he raped her anally and vaginally, leaving her with a sore, disorienting experience. The second victim fell asleep in the taxi and was raped upon waking, after which Shorten demanded a €70 fare. Shorten denied the assaults, claiming the encounters were consensual. DNA evidence linked him to both incidents. The court adjourned the case to July 22 for finalisation. The victims described lasting impacts on their confidence, intimate life, and mental health, including anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares. The case highlighted the vulnerability of taxi passengers and the alleged breach of trust by a licensed driver. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former manager Donal Moroney, aged 70, was fined €500 for unlawfully storing and administering the euthanasia drug Dolethal to two dogs at Ashton Dog Pound in Castleknock on 24 July 2020. The drug, containing Pentobarbital Sodium, is only permitted to be stored at a veterinary practice and administered intravenously by a qualified vet. Moroney pleaded guilty to three counts: using the pound to store a veterinary‑only remedy, possessing it without being a vet, and allowing a layperson to give it orally to a Bichon Frise and an Akita. The court noted that staff lacked the experience or qualifications to handle the drug, described Moroney's culpability as "quite low," and considered mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, long history of animal care, and serious health problems. He was ordered to pay the fine within three months.
Joseph Doyle, 42, of Queen Street, Dublin 7, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery and assault causing harm after attacking a 39‑year‑old man in Haymarket, Smithfield. The victim was left unconscious with a skull fracture and facial fractures. CCTV showed Doyle punching the victim, stealing his phone and wallet, and leaving him on the ground. Doyle pleaded guilty in the District Court and later admitted the attack to Gardaí, though he had no memory of it. The victim suffered significant physical and psychological injuries, including loss of hearing, blurred vision, headaches, depression, and anxiety. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended one year on strict conditions, and noted Doyle's cooperation and remorse. Doyle has been in custody since the incident.
Emmanuel Foley and Jeanette Afi Aboni, applicants residing at Cruise Park, Tyrrelstown Dublin, have brought a High Court action against Dublin City Council (DCC) regarding Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contributions. The family, who have lived at the property for nearly four years, alleges that DCC reduced its monthly payment to the landlord, Orkstake Limited, from approximately €2,000 to just over €1,640. This reduction was implemented because DCC refused to cover €300 for a car parking space and €85 for service charges, which are included in the lease. The applicants claim DCC acted unlawfully and unreasonably, asserting that the council was aware of the lease terms in 2020 and that the charges are non-severable. Following a notice of termination issued by the landlord in April due to alleged arrears of over €1,300, the family fears homelessness. The applicants seek orders quashing DCC's decision to limit payments and compelling the council to pay the full HAP amount. They also seek declarations that DCC's actions were unlawful and that the family has a legitimate expectation of full payment. The matter was heard on an ex-parte basis by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted the applicants permission to bring the action. The case is at the pre-trial stage and was adjourned, with the matter set to return before the court next month.
Jordan Cunningham, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison after a judge reinstated part of a four‑year suspended sentence for a burglary he had breached. He had previously pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a female worker at Paddy Power on James' Street on 5 July and to attempting to rob Harcourt Launderette and Dry Cleaners on 4 November. In the betting shop incident, he entered at about 5 pm, shouted at the lone employee, kicked the counter, spat at the perspex screen, smashed the credit‑card machine, and threatened to slash the employee's face. A customer intervened and the employee called 999; CCTV identified Cunningham. In the launderette, he entered at 11:30 am, demanded payment, became aggressive, attempted to access the till, and was pushed out by staff.
The Court of Appeal dismissed a solicitor's appeal against a €30,000 aggravated damages award to an elderly widow, Marie Gibson, who was defrauded of her home by her daughter Pauline Gibson. The High Court had found that Pauline forged signatures and transferred the property to herself in 2003, then secured a €190,000 mortgage from First Active Building Society. Marie and her husband were not properly advised and were unaware of the transfer. The solicitor, Kevin O'Gorman, who represented both parties, was ordered to pay Marie €5,000 compensatory damages and €30,000 aggravated damages for negligence and active misdirection. The Court of Appeal confirmed no legal error in the High Court's decision and rejected the solicitor's appeal, noting the evidence supported the aggravated damages award. The case remains in the estate of the deceased plaintiff.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Raymond Shorten, 50, of Clondalkin, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of two counts of rape and one of anal rape against two young female passengers. The jury deliberated for 76 minutes after hearing evidence that the women, aged 19 and 20, had been in Shorten's taxi following nights out in Dublin city centre in June and August 2022. Both women testified that they were raped in the back of the taxi, describing loss of memory, shock and physical injury. Shorten denied the allegations, claiming the encounters were consensual, and provided written statements supporting this view. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, forensic DNA evidence, and testimony from other women who said they had consensual sex with Shorten in his taxi. The judge thanked the jury, excused them from service for five years, remanded Shorten in custody for sentencing on 1 July, and ordered victim impact statements. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sean Dunne, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm after attacking a couple of American tourists in their sixties in the elevator of the Ashling Hotel on 7 April 2023. Dunne repeatedly punched the woman, threatened her with rape and murder, and struck her husband, causing bloodshed in the elevator. Garda Stephen Lawlor, on mobile patrol, responded to a call after 9 pm, found Dunne restrained on the corridor floor, and noted blood on the carpet. The couple received on‑scene treatment but did not require hospital care. Dunne, who has ten prior convictions and was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2020, denied the assault. He has been in custody since April 2023, is on medication, and has shown improved mental health. Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley ordered a probation report and adjourned the matter until October 2024.
A 32‑year‑old man, Graham McGuinness, admitted in a brief hearing that he produced a "homemade shank" and caused serious harm to Martin Reilly during an attack in Dublin City Centre on 11 June 2020. He pleaded guilty to the charge of causing serious harm, and the plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the case to 19 July to hear evidence before sentencing. The judge ordered a prison governor's report, an education report and a urinalysis. Mr Reilly was invited to give a victim impact statement before sentencing.
In a June 12 trial, a 50‑year‑old taxi driver faced rape and anal rape charges for alleged assaults in June and August 2022. Prosecutor Gerardine Small argued the accused targeted vulnerable, intoxicated women, citing CCTV and the complainants' accounts of lack of consent. She highlighted the improbability of two similar accusations within weeks and urged jurors to view the men's statements to Gardaí as ludicrous. The defense, led by Lorcan Staines, acknowledged the driver's unpleasant conduct but stressed the case was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt, noting the driver's professional obligations and the absence of explicit refusals by the complainants. Three other women testified that they had consensual sex with the driver on separate occasions, which the prosecution suggested was irrelevant to the rape allegations. The trial remained at the evidentiary stage, with no verdict announced. The unnamed 50-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 11 June 2024, a 50‑year‑old taxi driver accused of raping two young women denied the allegations. He claimed the 20‑year‑old woman was smiling and kissing him while they had consensual sex and that she asked, "was this off the bill?" He said he replied jokingly that it was not. The driver said he had been working that night, the woman had asked to be taken home, and that they engaged in consensual sex after she kissed him. He stated he had no reason to doubt her willingness. The court heard CCTV footage, location data and DNA evidence linking the driver to the woman, and a forensic examiner described bruises and an internal vaginal injury, but the trial remains ongoing. The unnamed 20-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 21‑year‑old woman testified at the Central Criminal Court that a taxi driver raped her after she fell asleep in his vehicle. She said she had been drinking, had gone home at about 4 a.m., and then entered the taxi to get a phone charger. The driver allegedly forced sexual contact, which she denied consent to, and after the act he asked her to pay the fare. She claimed her phone had died, her parents gave the driver cash, and she was later taken to a sexual assault treatment unit. The accused, in his fifties, pleaded not guilty to the rape and to an alleged anal rape of another woman. He denies all allegations, asserting any sexual activity was consensual and initiated by the women. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A taxi driver in his early fifties, who is legally entitled to anonymity during the trial, has pleaded not guilty to rape and anal rape charges involving two young women. He claims that any sexual interaction with the first complainant was consensual, stating that the woman entered his taxi, directed him, and that they engaged in consensual sexual activity after he kissed her. He denies any rape or anal sex. The State alleges that both women were raped after a night out in Dublin city centre. Evidence presented includes CCTV footage of the first complainant entering the taxi, forensic DNA linking the driver to the victim's clothing, and GPS data showing the taxi's movements. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A taxi driver in his fifties has gone on trial in Dublin for the rape of two young women in separate incidents in 2022 and 2023. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one of anal rape. Prosecutor Gerardine Small said each woman had been socialising in the city centre, met friends for drinks, and later found themselves in a taxi where they alleged they were raped. The driver denies the allegations, claiming any sexual contact was consensual. The trial is before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
Leroy Roche Dumbrell, 37, of Griffith Rath Hall, Maynooth, Co Kildare, was sentenced to three years in prison for assault causing harm after attacking a man in Dublin City Centre on 30 August 2022. The victim, who had a deep facial cut and other injuries, later died, but the death was unrelated to the assault. CCTV identified Dumbrell as the assailant. He has 81 prior convictions, including serious offences such as setting a woman on fire and a prison brawl. He was charged in September 2023, spent months in custody, and was granted bail on strict conditions in December. A urine test showed cannabis and benzodiazepines. Judge Jonathan Dunphy imposed a headline sentence of four and a half years, reduced to three years, and suspended the final 12 months on the condition that Dumbrell engage with the Probation Service for two years after release. Roche Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
The High Court has ordered the arrest of Glen Oglesby for alleged contempt of court following his refusal to vacate an ESB substation in Dublin city centre. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted the order after the ESB, represented by John Punch SC, alleged that Oglesby had failed to comply with earlier orders to remove his caravan from the Gloucester Place Upper site. The ESB claims the property is unsafe for habitation, while Oglesby disputes this, stating he has nowhere else to go. Although Oglesby previously promised the court he would leave and arrange for the removal of his possessions, he allegedly placed a lock on the site gate, preventing ESB access. The judge found Oglesby in contempt of court and directed the Gardaí to arrest him, while expressing hope that the matter could be resolved without committal to prison. Separately, the ESB has brought trespass proceedings against Paul Oglesby, Glen's brother. However, Glen Oglesby told the court that Paul does not reside on the site, and the plaintiff did not seek an order for Paul's attachment. The case was heard at the hearing_or_decision stage.
A 54‑year‑old maintenance man was sentenced to four years in prison after he installed hidden cameras in a friend's apartment and secretly recorded her for seven months in 2021. He recorded her during intimate moments, edited the footage by drawing love hearts around her private parts, and repeatedly entered her apartment to change camera positions. When she discovered a camera and tried to cover it, he sent a threatening message telling her not to touch it. He pleaded guilty to one count of harassment, two counts of burglary and five counts of recording without consent. The court imposed a 20‑year no‑contact order and a four‑year custodial sentence, citing the gross invasion of privacy and the aggravating factor of their long friendship. No prior convictions were noted. The victim, a childminder who had moved to Ireland in 2008, reported the incident to Gardaí in December 2021. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Elliot Toale, 18, was jailed for two years after hijacking a mobility scooter and pushing an older man off it for 'fun', fracturing the man's hand and snapping his dentures. The incident occurred outside a Centra shop in Dublin city centre on Capel Street. Toale, who had 23 prior convictions, also stole a kitchen knife from the shop and brandished it at a Scottish tourist. He pleaded guilty to assault and theft. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 16 months of the sentence because of Toale's age. The victim, in his sixties, suffered serious injuries, including a broken left hand and damaged fingers. Toale admitted he had taken cocaine and alcohol that night and expressed remorse, noting he would be upset if a family member had been harmed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Criminal Alan Hutch, 41, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for attempting to rob €100 from a woman in Dublin city centre while on bail. The offence occurred outside Tesco on Talbot Street on 3 March last year when Hutch approached a woman who had just withdrawn €100 from an ATM and tried, unsuccessfully, to take the money from her. CCTV footage captured the incident and identified Hutch, who has 80 previous convictions, including 34 Circuit Court offences. Hutch pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. He has a history of mental health difficulties, including schizophrenia, psychosis and auditory hallucinations, and has been on methadone and antipsychotic medication. The court noted his family's traumatic circumstances, including the murder of his father Eddie Hutch in 2016, and his own multiple hospitalisations. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Hutch had not intended to harm the woman and sentenced him to 21 months in prison. The sentence was imposed on 9 May 2024.
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey of the High Court ruled that up to a dozen persons alleged to be unlawfully occupying a four-storey building on James Street, Dublin 8, must vacate the property by May 29. Developer Sumberry Limited, which purchased the former music shop in 2021 for €800,000, brought proceedings against the occupants, claiming they had no valid tenancies or leases and were trespassing. The plaintiff sought injunctions to restrain occupation and prevent access obstruction, citing health and safety concerns. Ms Jem Cleaver, representing herself, disputed some claims regarding the building's condition and service of documents but accepted she had no entitlement to reside there. She requested time to find alternative accommodation due to the housing crisis. The judge granted a stay on the mandatory vacate orders until May 29 to allow residents to make arrangements. Mr Stephen Bedford, a named defendant alleged to have been seen at the property, was not present in court. Ms Cleaver stated Mr Bedford did not reside at the building. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this month.
In a High Court hearing on 3 May 2024, Glen Oglesby claimed he had been living in a caravan on the ESB's Gloucster Place Upper substation site in Dublin 1 and said he had "nowhere else to go." He warned that if forced to leave, he might end up in homeless shelters or turn to drugs. Oglesby said local residents had not objected to his presence and admitted ownership of a Doberman Pinscher on the site. He also stated that the ESB had previously brought proceedings against his brother, Paul Oglesby, who he said was not the person residing there. The ESB's counsel argued that the person on the site was Paul, not Glen, and requested that Glen be added as a defendant. Judge Mark Sanfey agreed to add Glen to the action, adjourned the case to a later date in the month, and urged him to prepare a response.
Raider Ian Byrne, 41, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for an attempted robbery. The court heard that on November 15, 2022, Byrne allegedly attempted to rob John Brereton of Brereton's Jewellers on Capel Street while the victim, aged in his 70s, was opening the shop. Prosecutors stated Byrne was armed with a butcher's knife, but Mr. Brereton used a shutter pole to force him to back off. Byrne had previously pleaded guilty to one count of robbing a post office on Dorset Street, Dublin 7, and one count of possessing an imitation firearm on November 1, 2022. For those admitted offences, he was jailed for 21 months last December. In his defence, counsel Emmet Nolan BL described Byrne as a single man living with his mother who had an excellent work history until a knee injury led to drug addiction and debt. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Byrne was in desperate need of money but noted the seriousness of the offence involving a knife and an elderly victim. The judge handed down a sentence of two and a half years, to start from the date of sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mohamed Mohamud Mohamed, 26, was sentenced for a 90‑second attempted rape and sexual assault that occurred on 12 November 2022 at a Dublin city‑centre bar. He followed a woman to the bar's isolated toilets, where he tried to rape her and asked her why she was screaming, saying "I am saying please." The victim's impact statement described how the attack left her unable to scream or use a high‑pitched voice for months, and how the fear of using a toilet has persisted. Mohamed pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. Judge Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of seven years for attempted rape and four years for sexual assault, with the two sentences running concurrently for a total of five years and six months. He also ordered four years of post‑release supervision to protect the public.
Sumberry Limited, owner of a four‑storey former music shop on James Street, Dublin 8, has filed High Court proceedings alleging that up to 12 people, including Mr Stephen Bedford, are unlawfully trespassing on the property. The company bought the building in 2021 for €800,000 and secured planning permission last year to convert it into 11 apartments. It claims the building, previously boarded up and unoccupied, has been occupied by unknown parties since January. Sumberry says none of the alleged occupants have permission or a lawful reason to be there and that the building lacks suitable residential facilities, including a working fire alarm system. The plaintiff seeks an injunction to restrain the defendants from occupying the property, to prevent them from blocking access, and to order them to vacate. The case will return to the High Court next week.
The ESB has brought High Court proceedings against Paul Oglesby, who it says unlawfully moved his caravan onto ESB property at Gloucester Place Upper in Dublin 1 in late February. The site is part of a Dublin city centre substation that includes a 38 KV and a 10 KV substation. The ESB claims Oglesby has no legal right to be there and has refused to leave despite signs directing him to vacate. In March, Oglesby approached ESB staff, accompanied by Gardaí, with a Doberman Pinscher and insisted he would not leave. The ESB says the area around the substation is unsafe for anyone other than trained staff and contains underground cables. The company seeks injunctions to force Oglesby to vacate, surrender possession, remove belongings, stop damaging the property and cease entering the lands. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted the ESB permission to serve short notice of the proceedings, and the case will return to court later this week.
Abderrahmane El Aaour, 58, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old woman with special needs in November 2016. The victim was in her second year of a special‑needs training course when El Aaour approached her outside a church, asked for a cigarette and then a coffee. She later agreed to go for coffee, but after a short time in the café he forcibly kissed her and touched her breasts. He then asked her to go to a hotel, she shook her head, but he took her hand and followed her onto the DART. He forced her to stay, stole her phone, and later called her. The woman's mother reported him, and he was arrested. El Aaour pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In April 2024 the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of Feri Anghel, 44, a Romanian national, for the murder of Ioan Artene Bob, 49, who was found dead in a Dublin park after being beaten. The appeal was dismissed because the court found Anghel's submissions lacked reality. The judge noted that the evidence, including extensive CCTV footage and DNA from a cigarette butt, was sufficient for the jury to convict. Anghel had claimed a lack of evidence and privacy violations, but the court found no basis for these claims. The appeal was rejected on all grounds, meaning Anghel will remain in custody under the mandatory life sentence imposed by the Central Criminal Court in 2022. The case remains at the appellate stage, with no further legal action reported. Feri Anghel pleaded not guilty.
The High Court and coroner's court have examined competing legal arguments regarding the scope of verdicts available to the jury in the resumed inquest into the 48 deaths at the Stardust nightclub fire. The new inquests, which commenced in April 2023 at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, followed a 2019 direction by the then Attorney General that fresh proceedings were necessary due to insufficient examination of the fire's circumstances at the original 1982 inquiry. Former Stardust manager Eamon Butterly challenged the coroner's decision to permit a potential unlawful killing verdict, arguing it would identify him as subject to censure. In November 2022, Mr Justice Charles Meenan rejected this challenge, confirming such a verdict could lawfully be available provided no individual remained identifiable as censurable. Following the conclusion of evidence, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane received further submissions from interested parties. She ultimately ruled that an unlawful killing verdict could be placed before the jury, applying a beyond-reasonable-doubt standard of proof. The available verdicts were determined as accidental death, misadventure, unlawful killing, narrative, and open verdict.
Two young men, injured when a drink‑driving driver crashed into them on a Dublin footpath, told the court that the incident has left a "trail of devastation" in their lives. One victim, unable to work for five months, now struggles with mortgage, childcare and medical bills, and suffers chronic back pain, nightmares and panic attacks. The other, suffering multiple fractures and ongoing excruciating pain, reports severe mood swings and existential dread. The driver, Sean Creighton, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment and a four‑year driving disqualification. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm, dangerous driving at speed and drink‑driving. Creighton, a public servant and community volunteer, expressed remorse and offered €3,000 to the victims. The court noted the victims' long‑term physical and emotional sequelae. The sentencing judge highlighted Creighton's good character and community work as mitigating factors.
In April 2024, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that James Foley, aged 53, had carried out two robberies in Dublin City Centre in April 2023. The first robbery occurred on 15 April at Eurogiant on Abbey Street, where Foley, wearing a facemask, threatened a cashier with a knife and stole €250. The second robbery took place on 20 April at Blackhall Pharmacy on Ellis Quay, where Foley again threatened staff with a knife and stole €200. Gardaí used CCTV footage from both businesses and surrounding areas to track Foley's movements until he removed his facemask, allowing them to identify him. Foley was arrested from a hostel, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. The court noted Foley's long history of drug addiction and his participation in a residential treatment programme, but deemed the offences too serious to avoid custodial time.
A 67‑year‑old woman, Bernadette Murphy of Greenore Court, Dublin 2, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage after striking a man's car with a hammer during a dispute over flower pots with another senior citizen group member. The incident, which took place in Dublin city centre on 24 May 2023, caused nearly €10,000 in damage to the car's roof, bonnet and sides. Video showed Murphy, who used a walker, repeatedly raising the hammer and striking the vehicle. The man was the father of the other woman and tried to intervene. Murphy, who was undergoing a divorce and had no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí and surrendered the hammer. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to 18 months suspended in full, ordered her to pay the injured party over €600, and directed the payment to a charity if the victim declined it. The remaining damage cost of over €9,000 was covered by the victim's insurance.
Sean Power, a 32‑year‑old Dublin City Council driver, was fined €1,000 for careless driving after striking a pedestrian in a white Ford Transit van on a narrow, poorly lit T‑junction near Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate. The victim, in his 50s, suffered a catastrophic brain bleed and a broken leg, requiring three weeks in hospital and ongoing rehabilitation. Power, who had been employed with An Post before the accident, cooperated with Gardaí, offered first aid, and later wrote an apology letter. The court noted Power's lack of intent to cause injury, his cooperation, and mitigating personal circumstances, including being the sole breadwinner for three children. No driving disqualification was imposed, and the case remains civilly actionable. The incident occurred on 14 January 2020, and Power's van and phone were seized. The court imposed the fine within six months.
An 86‑year‑old driver, Phillip Smith, was fined €1,500 and banned from driving for one year after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm. On 4 August 2021, while travelling at 34 km/h on Gardiner Street, he struck a 95‑year‑old pedestrian who had crossed the street without looking left. The collision left the woman with a spinal fracture and 31 facial stitches. CCTV showed the woman had crossed the road and Smith hit her; he had 1.5 seconds to react and did so in 0.8 seconds. Smith had no prior convictions and had never received a parking ticket. The court noted the seriousness of the injuries but also Smith's unblemished record and early guilty plea, and therefore imposed a fine and a one‑year driving disqualification rather than custodial imprisonment. The woman has since made a full physical recovery.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to defilement for an incident that occurred in June 2019 when he was 18 and the victim was a 15‑year‑old girl. The court imposed a fully suspended sentence, citing the defendant's young age and mitigating circumstances. The victim, now 19, gave a victim impact statement describing severe emotional distress, self‑harm, depression, an eating disorder, PTSD, and ongoing nightmares. She also noted the disruption to her education, work, and family life. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as serious and a "terrible misjudgement" but decided against custodial imprisonment, stating the defendant's age and mitigation warranted a suspended sentence. The conviction will place the defendant on the sex offenders' register, which the court considered a punishment in itself. The case was originally reported by a local detective following a complaint by the victim's mother in December 2019.
Shaun Kelly, 33, received a suspended three‑year prison term for selling drugs, a separate offence from the careless driving that caused the death of French tourist Alicia Guilleux. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, found Kelly had been engaged in drug dealing at the time but deemed the activity not extensive. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, warning that any re‑offence would lead to jail. The court also dealt with the careless driving charge, where Kelly's vehicle dragged Guilleux beneath a Ford Ranger as she crossed South Great George Street. The judge noted Kelly's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and the absence of aggravating factors, and suspended the one‑year custodial term for that offence, disqualifying him from driving for one year. The decision was made after reviewing evidence, CCTV footage and witness statements, with no intoxication or excessive speed involved.
In a Dublin city street incident on 11 December 2021, a French tourist, Alicia Guilleux, 31, and her partner were crossing South Great George Street hand‑in‑hand when Shaun Kelly, 33, driving a Ford Ranger, turned right from Fade Street and collided with them. Mr Avril was pushed clear, but Ms Guilleux was dragged beneath the vehicle, sustaining catastrophic injuries that led to her death two days later. Kelly, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death and to possession of ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and TCP for sale. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing evidence and CCTV, found Kelly's failure to notice the pedestrians was a human error. He imposed a one‑year custodial sentence, suspended in full, and disqualified Kelly from driving for one year. The judge would decide on the drug offence the following day. The case highlighted the tragic outcome of a momentary lapse in attention on the road.
Diego Costa Silva, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, De Campos Silva, 33, at their home in Charlestown Place, Finglas, on November 4, 2021. The Central Criminal Court jury is being asked to return a special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Detective Garda Carl Smith testified that Mr Costa Silva told gardai he heard voices and believed his wife was possessed, stating, "sometimes you have to behead somebody." He alleged he felt unsafe after confessing to infidelity and feared his wife would kill him. He described striking her with a cup, choking her, stabbing her, and cutting off her head with a knife. Det Sgt Louise McHugh stated that following interviews, Mr Costa Silva was released from detention before she arrested and charged him with murder. Garda Colin Miley testified that two days prior, he found Mr Costa Silva distressed and disorientated while running barefoot in Dublin city centre. Mr Costa Silva was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to the Mater Hospital, where he expressed suicidal thoughts. A urine analysis was positive for cannabis. The accused has only previous convictions for minor road traffic matters. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath.