A trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard allegations that Diego Costa Silva, aged 35, fatally attacked his wife at their apartment on Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin in November 2021. The prosecution alleges that Mr Costa Silva struck his wife, Fabiola Camara De Campos Silva, aged 33, with knives and severed her head from her body. Emergency services were called in the early morning of November 4th, with the accused telling responders he believed he had killed his wife. Gardaí discovered the deceased in a doorway with knife wounds and a blade protruding from her chest. Mr Costa Silva has pleaded not guilty to murder. The defence has made admissions regarding the death but indicated it will seek a special verdict under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006, centring on the accused's mental state at the time. Psychiatric evidence from both prosecution and defence experts will be presented to the jury. The trial before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath continues.
Michael Dickson, a 59‑year‑old Briton from Nottingham, was given a two‑year suspended sentence for violent disorder during the anti‑Pegida riot in Dublin in February 2016. The offence occurred at the Four Courts Luas stop on February 6, 2016, when a group of ten men attacked three men travelling on the Luas, shouting, punching and kicking them. CCTV footage was presented to the court. Dickson pleaded guilty. He has seven prior convictions, including a 1996 IRA mortar attack on the Osnabrück army base in Germany, for which he was sentenced to six years and six months for attempted murder and causing an explosion. He served three years of that sentence and was released under the Good Friday Agreement. The court imposed a suspended sentence, with no custodial term, for the 2016 incident.
Mamadou Alpha Bah, 27, was sentenced to six years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a violent sexual assault that occurred on 2 September 2020. The offence involved Bah chasing a 43‑year‑old woman through a hotel corridor after she had gone to his room, where he pinned her to a bed, threatened her, punched her, forced her to remove her clothes and sexually assaulted her through her clothing. He also attempted to force her legs open and followed her to the bathroom, where she escaped. CCTV footage captured the chase. Bah pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial and was found remorseful. He had no prior convictions at the time of the offence but had been convicted of sexual assault and false imprisonment in August 2021, receiving a five‑year sentence with one year suspended in October 2023.
A 23‑year‑old man, Taner Saricayir, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment and a lifetime ban on contact with a woman he had become infatuated with while they were students in 2019. He pleaded guilty to breaking into her home in Donnycarney on 19 June 2022, after a chance meeting in a Dublin Starbucks. He entered the house through an unlocked front door, rummaged through her underwear drawer, used a toothbrush with toothpaste on the sink and door, and held her dog while waiting for her to return. He later admitted he had entered through a window. The court considered a separate count of harassing her between 2021 and 2022. The judge noted the woman's distress and the seriousness of the break‑in, and imposed the 16‑month term and lifetime contact ban.
Brandon Crosbie, aged 25, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for violent disorder in Mountjoy Prison on 18 December 2018, when he and five others attacked a prisoner, stamping on his head and leaving him unconscious. He also pleaded guilty to several charges for a high‑speed car chase on 22 May 2022, including endangerment, unlawful use of a vehicle, reckless conduct creating a substantial risk of death, criminal damage, driving without insurance and without a licence. The chase involved breaking red lights, driving on the wrong side of a roundabout, forcing a taxi to swerve, and driving at up to 160 km/h, culminating in a tyre deflating after a stinger was fired. Crosbie was arrested when he exited the vehicle. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to six years for the violent disorder and four years for the endangerment, with both sentences running concurrently, and disqualified him from driving for five years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Elva Duffy heard that Lee Byrne (23) and Sam Garvey (25) pleaded guilty to robbery on Phibsborough Road on 1 October 2022. The robbery involved a mobile phone taken from a cyclist who was then punched, threatened and struck with a bottle. The victim suffered bruising and swelling to the back of his head and reported lasting emotional distress. Byrne and Garvey were arrested after a search that recovered the stolen phone. Both men have prior convictions and have been in residential treatment for addiction. The judge noted their rehabilitation efforts but emphasised the robbery's profound effect on the victim. She adjourned the case to 20 January 2025, remanded them on bail, and said further positive steps would influence future sentencing. The hearing included the victim's impact statement and letters of remorse from the accused.
Ciaran Foster, 30, a former Defence Forces member, was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to a robbery on Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2, on 23 July 2019. He punched an unarmed victim, knocking him unconscious for three and a half minutes, and stole a bag, a mobile phone and a watch. Garda Sean Tully reported that the victim had stopped to chat with someone he knew when Foster attacked him. CCTV footage showed the assault and Foster's escape. Foster was arrested on 9 November 2019. He had 13 prior convictions for traffic offences, criminal damage, public order and drug misuse. Judge Elma Duffy described the attack as "callous" and "unprovoked", noting Foster's difficult childhood and Defence Forces service as mitigating factors, but also the cowardly nature of the robbery as aggravating. Foster was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions.
An expert witness, Dr Will Hutchinson, testified at the Stardust inquest that a fire could have started in the hot press of the dispense bar without being noticed by staff. He explained that if the fire originated there, it would have been contained in the cabinet and channeled upwards like a chimney, traveling into the ceiling void without producing noise or smoke for several minutes. The sound of music in the club may have masked any sounds from the fire. Dr Hutchinson noted that the fire could have developed unnoticed due to the absence of heat, smoke, or noise. He also discussed the possibility of the fire spreading through the ceiling void, igniting combustible materials, and eventually reaching the West alcove. The expert confirmed that no evidence suggested the fire was started maliciously. The inquest continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, William Cassidy, 59, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for arson at Apache Pizza and three and a half years for assault causing harm, the last two years suspended. Cassidy had thrown two petrol bombs into the pizzeria on 9 July, set his jacket on fire, and then attempted to stab a female pedestrian on Drumcondra Road. He told Gardaí he sought "suicide by cop" and that the petrol bombs were intended for self‑harm. The court noted he had previously complained about noise from the shop, had a history of suicidal ideation and had stopped seeing his psychiatrist. Cassidy pleaded guilty to arson, possession of petrol bombs, assault, and possession of a knife. The judge described him as a dangerous man suffering mental health difficulties and said he was unlikely to reoffend with proper treatment.
Craig Ryan, 35, of Killarney Court, Dublin, pleaded guilty to five separate burglary offences dating from 2014 to 2023. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Court to five years' imprisonment. The offences involved ransacking offices and stealing expensive equipment from businesses in Dublin, including a florist in Monkstown, a photographer's office on Burgh Quay, a car on Strand Street, a building on Arran Quay, and a convenience store on Cabra Road. Ryan's 235 previous convictions include theft and criminal damage. He cooperated with Gardaí, and no violence was involved. The judge noted his long history of offending and addiction challenges, but also his cooperation and lack of violence. Ryan is currently in custody and has shown remorse and engagement with treatment services.
The High Court has appointed Mr Dessie Morrow and Mr Diarmaid Guthrie of Azets Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for Glenbeigh Construction Limited, a building company with 33 direct employees and many subcontractors. The firm is currently working on projects at Dublin Airport, two prisons, and a 100‑plus apartment development in South Dublin. It has six active projects, including a €36m contract at Dundrum Town Centre and works at Arbour Hill and Mountjoy Prisons, Terminal One at Dublin Airport, Northbank House, and Clarehaven & Seanchara Nursing Home. Glenbeigh has become insolvent after significant losses caused by Covid‑19‑related delays and rising labour and material costs, making several fixed‑price contracts loss‑making. The company had planned a €13m project in Killiney, expecting a €1m profit, but now anticipates a €1.2m loss. The liquidators are tasked with securing assets and ensuring an orderly winding up for creditors and employees. The case was adjourned to February.
A privacy claim by Martin Foley and Sonya Foley, alongside applicant Sonya Doyle, has been struck out by the High Court. The applicants, who initiated proceedings in 2015, alleged that the defendants breached their privacy rights during a Criminal Assets Bureau search of their home in Crumlin on October 15, 2014. They claimed that the then-Dublin City Sheriff, James Barry, the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Ireland, and the Attorney General disclosed confidential operational details to media personnel present at the scene. The applicants sought damages for alleged breaches of constitutional privacy, data protection, and European Convention on Human Rights rights, as well as negligence. The claims were fully denied by the respondents. Mr Barry, who retired in 2018, brought a pre-trial motion to dismiss the action on grounds of inordinate and inexcusable delay, arguing he was prejudiced by the lack of progress over several years. When the matter came before Mr Justice David Nolan, counsel for the applicants indicated they were not contesting the application. The court agreed with the motion, ordering that the actions against all respondents be struck out due to the delay.
In a High Court case, Garvagh Homes Limited, claiming ownership of several Dublin 7 properties, sought vacant possession after alleging unlawful occupation by trespassers who allegedly used the sites for raves, poetry readings, boxing, gigs and as a community centre. The developer, represented by Martin Hayden SC and Paul Fogarty BL, argued that the occupants had no legal right, that alcohol was sold, and that serious fire safety concerns existed, citing a Dublin City Council fire safety notice. Some residents denied the trespassing claims and said they had entitlement to reside there. The court, after hearing submissions, granted Garvagh an order requiring occupants to vacate the premises and cease trespassing, but imposed a stay until 8 January 2024 to allow residents time to find alternative accommodation. The judge also upheld previous prohibitions on commercial activities on the site and ordered a map to delineate commercial and residential areas. The case will return for confirmation of the injunctions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lisa Joyce, aged 38, was sentenced to four years in prison on each of two counts of attempted robbery for an incident on O'Connell Street on 21 May 2023. The case involved Joyce dragging a teenage girl by the hair while attempting to rob the girl and her 13‑year‑old cousin. Joyce, who has 100 prior convictions and a history of substance abuse, pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. The judge, Elma Sheahan, set a headline sentence of five years but, after considering mitigating factors such as Joyce's early guilty plea and the impact on the victims, imposed a four‑year term on each count to run concurrently, with no portion suspended. The sentence was back‑dated to the date Joyce entered custody. The court noted that Joyce had no memory of the incident due to intoxication and had expressed depression during detention.
Zahir Boudahane, 50, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing serious injury to William Burke, 32, on O'Connell Bridge on 10 June 2022. Boudahane, a professional truck driver with no prior convictions, was travelling in the bus lane on Bachelor's Walk, broke a red light and made an illegal right turn onto O'Connell Bridge. Burke was crossing the road from the Eden Quay direction when Boudahane's vehicle struck him head‑on, dragging him under the front of the truck. Burke's left leg was severely damaged, leading to a below‑the‑knee amputation and his current use of a wheelchair. The court, noting Boudahane's lack of intoxication, low speed (17 km/h), cooperation at the scene, and the loss of his livelihood, imposed a headline sentence of two years but reduced it to a fully suspended 18‑month sentence.
KC Capital Property Group Limited, developing a nine‑storey building on Cuffe Street, Dublin 2, has challenged a planning requirement that it must install certain fire safety measures. The developer argues that the conditions requiring a 120‑minute fire resistance for structural elements and a sprinkler system are only applicable to buildings 30 metres or taller, and that the proposed building is not that height. The developer appealed the Dublin City Council's decision to include these conditions to An Bord Pleanála, which dismissed the appeal and upheld the council's decision. KC Capital has now brought High Court judicial review proceedings, claiming the board's decision is unreasonable, irrational, contrary to fair procedures, and that it incorrectly concluded the building was 30 metres or more. The case was granted permission to proceed by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland on an ex‑parte basis and is scheduled to return to court in February.
Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, was caught by an off‑duty Garda taking "up‑skirt" pictures on the Luas in December 2019. A Garda search of his Dublin home uncovered hundreds of thousands of similar images, including 20,000 of women and girls' legs, groins and buttocks, and an "extremely explicit" child‑abuse video. Boyle pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to five years for harassment and three years for child‑pornography, with the final two and a half years of the latter suspended. On appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy reduced the overall custodial term to five years and six months, suspending the last 16 months. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence excessive, noting no violence or threat of violence and no contact with victims. Boyle remains subject to post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with the victims.
A garda on duty during the Stardust fire described the event as unprecedented, stating that the scale of the situation was brought home to him when a colleague told him 'whatever you can get' in terms of ambulances. Former garda sergeant Thomas Vennard testified that the incident was something they had never experienced before. The inquest also heard that Stardust manager Eamon Butterly and bar manager Brian Peel remained on site after the fire was extinguished. Garda Sergeant Bernard McMahon, who was tasked with preserving the scene, stated that he saw Butterly and Peel in the foyer of the Silver Swan and expressed his unhappiness with people being on the premises. McMahon also mentioned that he had previously observed fire exit doors locked with chains, a practice he understood was in place to keep 'gougers' out.
During the Stardust inquest, a fireman recounted finding two young victims whose bodies were "fused together" with their arms around each other, suggesting they were trying to comfort one another before dying. He described the chaotic rescue, noting that the operation was largely a "free for all" focused on getting people out. He reported discovering a pile of bodies in a room behind the stage, believing the top three or four were still alive when he assisted them out, and that these were the last people rescued alive that night. He also found a torso behind exit five and brought it to an ambulance. The testimony highlighted the urgency, the difficulty of removing bodies from the burning building, and the lack of formal communication, with crews relying on word of mouth. The account was given in the context of the 1981 fire that claimed 48 lives.
In December 2023, a Court of Appeal hearing considered the appeal of Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, who had been sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for harassment and possession of child pornography. Boyle was caught by an off‑duty Garda on the Luas in December 2019 taking "up‑skirt" photographs of women and schoolgirls. A subsequent search of his Dublin home uncovered 275,800 images of women's groins, thighs and buttocks taken between June 2018 and January 2020, and a 2002 child‑pornography video described as "extremely explicit and disturbing." Boyle pleaded guilty in March 2022 to the harassment and possession charges. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five‑year term for harassment and a three‑year term for child‑pornography, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended and back‑dated to March 2021.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, truck driver Zahir Boudahane (50) pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to 32‑year‑old William Burke on O'Connell Bridge on 10 June 2022. Boudahane, unfamiliar with the city centre, was driving in the bus lane on Bachelor's Walk when he broke a red light and made an illegal right‑hand turn onto O'Connell Bridge. Burke, crossing from the Eden Quay direction, was struck head‑on. He was dragged under the front of the vehicle, with the front wheel passing over his left leg and the rear wheel over his foot. Burke later reported seeing bones exposed and blood everywhere; Garda Cathal Keon described the injury as effectively "de‑gloved." Burke was treated at Mater Hospital, underwent urgent surgery, and ultimately had a below‑knee amputation. He now uses a wheelchair. Boudahane's dashcam showed a speed of 17 km/h; breath tests found no drugs or alcohol.
The first emergency responder, Dermot Dowdall, described arriving at the Stardust nightclub at about 1.49 am, after a call from John Fitzsimons warned of a potential loss of up to 200 people. He found a circle of victims huddled together on the dancefloor, their heads down, and noted the fire had already been intense, venting through the roof and largely extinguished by the time he and a colleague reached the scene. Dowdall and his team focused on rescuing those in the toilets, transporting eight severely burned girls and a boy to St James Hospital. He later assisted in searching for bodies, describing the scene as gruesome and noting that many victims were already deceased when he arrived. The fire's rapid spread and high heat were highlighted as key factors in the tragedy.
Jordan Lee, 25, was sentenced to two years in prison in April 2023 for a violent robbery that left two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, unconscious after they refused to buy drugs in Dublin city centre. Lee, who was on bail at the time, struck one teen on the head and repeatedly stamped on his head, while a co‑accused struck the other teen. Both men then stole the teens' pockets and fled. The State appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, after viewing disturbing CCTV footage, found the original two‑year term too low and increased the pre‑mitigation headline sentence to seven years. The judge set a post‑mitigation headline sentence of five years, suspended six months, and back‑dated the custodial term to start after the expiry of a separate 11‑month sentence on 6 June. Jordan Lee pleaded guilty.
The trustees of the Retired Civil and Public Servants Association—Mary Farrell, Frank O'Dwyer and Matthew Ryan—have filed a High Court action claiming the association's governing council has refused to allow them to raise a series of motions at the upcoming AGM. The motions would address alleged financial and corporate management issues, including the level of subsistence and travel expenses paid by council members, the auditing of the association's accounts, the appointment of auditors, and the lack of audited accounts for 2022. The trustees also seek to discuss alleged unauthorised county‑level accounts, pre‑signed cheques, a €30,000 tax settlement following a protected disclosure, potential GDPR‑related data destruction, and why they were censured for questioning the 2019 accounts. They argue that the council's refusal to include these motions effectively "gags" them and could damage the organisation.
In a High Court case, Garvagh Homes Limited claims ownership of several Dublin 7 properties, including a former carpet showroom and a garage, and alleges they have been unlawfully occupied by trespassers for months. The company says the occupants are using the sites for raves, gigs, Irish language classes, herbal workshops, fitness classes and selling alcohol, all advertised on social media. Garvagh also cites a recent fire safety notice from Dublin City Council that will take effect on 8 December. The company seeks injunctions to force occupants to vacate, stop trespassing and hand over possession. Named defendants, including Shane O'Brien, Jem Cleaver, Emily Martin and others, deny the allegations, claim valid agreements to reside, and contest the safety and alcohol claims. Judge Rory Mulchay granted a temporary limited injunction restraining the named defendants from activities on the properties but did not order immediate eviction, noting the fire safety notice and awaiting the full injunction application before Christmas.
A bouncer at Club Lapello, a Dublin 2 strip club, was dismissed after repeatedly arriving late to shifts, costing the club and its self‑employed dancers significant income. The worker, Aybars Bayram, claimed he was often 10–15 minutes late and that the club's operations director, Ciaran O'Flynn, had issued a written warning on 8 July 2022 and dismissed him on 14 July 2022 after a 45‑minute lateness. Bayram denied any link between his dismissal and a prior incident with a Garda sergeant, stating he had no interaction with Gardaí. The adjudicator, David James Murphy, found no evidence that Bayram was given a chance to respond to the allegations and awarded him one week's wages (€680) as compensation for unfair dismissal, after reducing the claim to a month's lost earnings and applying a 75% reduction to the lost earnings.
A man convicted of murder has sought a stay on extradition proceedings pending the outcome of his application to transfer his prison sentence from Northern Ireland to the Republic. James Meehan (54), with addresses in Derry City and Kells, Co Meath, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 for the murder of Jim McFadden in May 2007 following an incident in Donegal. Meehan left Northern Ireland in October 2022 whilst on release conditions and later moved to Kells. He was arrested by arrangement in May this year on foot of extradition warrants. At the High Court hearing, his counsel argued that the punitive element of his sentence had been served and that determination of his sentence-transfer application, pending since 2017, should precede any extradition decision. The State's counsel contended he was unlawfully at large from temporary release and that court could not delay proceedings whilst a live prosecution existed in the North. Ms Justice Melanie Greally adjourned judgment to Friday, 8 December.
Karl Scully, 34, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for careless driving causing the death of Devin Shepherd, 7, at St Joseph's Way, Ballymun, on September 1, 2019. Scully pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Pauline Codd imposed an 18-month prison sentence and disqualified him from driving for 10 years. During sentencing, Scully interjected to request a lifetime driving ban. The court noted that Scully, a road sweeper, failed to check his rear-view camera while reversing, striking the child. This conviction follows a prior six-month suspended sentence imposed in June 2023 for careless driving causing the death of Anthony Hanney, 61, in December 2018. In that earlier case, Scully entered a bus lane prematurely, leading to the fatal collision. The judge considered Scully's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances in mitigation, while noting his prior conviction for causing death by careless driving as an aggravating factor. Victim impact statements from Devin's family highlighted their ongoing grief. Scully has 15 previous District Court convictions, including two for failing to display tax. The court emphasized the driver's duty of care in the presence of children.
Shane Ginty, 30, of St Stephen's Green, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on O'Connell Street on January 31, 2023. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one count of theft. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Ginty had 65 previous convictions and was serving a suspended sentence at the time of the offence. The court heard that Ginty assaulted a victim and Garda Alan Sexton, who was chasing him. Judge Crowe set a headline sentence of four years but reduced it to three years in prison, backdated to his custody date. She suspended the final six months for two years and ordered 12 months of Probation Service supervision post-release. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors including his early guilty plea, remorse, and good behavior in custody. The victim, a non-national, stated in an impact statement that he did not expect such violence in Ireland. Defense counsel highlighted Ginty's history of homelessness, drug addiction, and ADHD. The matter was finalized with the imposition of the custodial sentence and conditions.
On New Year's Day 2023, two homeless men, Jordan Maguire (24) and Shane McGrane (38), attacked a man at the corner of Aston Quay and Price's Lane in Dublin city centre. The victim was kicked in the head, left unconscious and bleeding, and later required a craniotomy to remove part of his skull. He lost three pints of blood, received 96 staples, and now suffers a significant skull depression, memory problems, slurred speech and difficulty sleeping. Gardaí found the victim at 12:30 pm and transported him to St James' Hospital and then Beaumont Hospital for emergency neurosurgery. CCTV footage showed the attackers changing clothes after the assault. Both men pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge adjourned the matter for finalisation on 9 November. The court heard that the victim's long‑term injuries have affected his employment and personal life.
In October 2023, Dublin City University (DCU) and developer Kinwest Ltd lodged judicial review actions in the High Court challenging the inclusion of their properties on the map of sites subject to the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT). DCU, represented by Joe Jeffers SC, seeks to quash the board's decision to list two sites—Griffith Avenue, Glasnevin, and Albert College Park—arguing they are exempt because they are used for education, a provision in the Taxes Consolidation Act. Kinwest, represented by Martin Hayden SC, contests the board's upholding of Fingal County Council's rulings that it must pay the RZLT on three sites in Auburn, Streamstown, and Malahide. The developer also challenges the constitutionality of the Act's amendment and the ministerial guidelines, claiming they were made outside the minister's powers. Both parties' applications will return before the High Court in December, with DCU also seeking declarations that the board erred in law and made unreasonable decisions.
John Paul Duncan, 39, with 139 prior convictions, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after he attacked two gardaí while being escorted to Mater Hospital. He had been arrested for possessing €8,500 worth of cocaine in six condoms and pleaded guilty. Duncan had requested a stay of sentence to enter a residential drug treatment program, but Judge Orla Crowe refused. The judge set a headline sentence of four years for the cocaine possession, reduced due to Duncan's early plea and remorse, and added a suspended six‑month portion for 18 months. The court also ordered Duncan to maintain good behaviour for 18 months upon release and to comply with Probation Services supervision. The assault on the gardaí, described as "nasty", was taken into account in the sentencing decision. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Owain Plumb, 37, an IT worker who has lived in Ireland for ten years, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault of a young woman who slept on his couch on 11 January 2020. The woman had earlier that night rebuked him for unwanted touching. Plumb, originally from Wales, had no prior convictions and maintains his innocence. The court described the offence as an opportunistic breach of trust and hospitality. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of eight years and eight months, then reduced it to seven years with the final twelve months suspended, citing Plumb's lack of prior convictions, good character evidence, rehabilitation steps, family support and favourable employment history. The case involved alcohol and cocaine consumption, a group hug that led to the assault, and the woman's subsequent distress and attempt to recover her iPad. The victim's impact statement was submitted but not read aloud.
During the Stardust inquest, former manager Eamon Butterly testified that club management was not prepared for a fire and was "not fit for purpose." He admitted that the only plan for a blaze was to call the fire brigade and that management's response to minor issues involved locking doors while patrons were inside, an action he described as an "extreme reaction." Butterly denied knowing how to give fire instructions and said he was not qualified. He claimed that the fire brigade or an inspector would have provided guidance if it had been sought. Butterly also stated that the doors were reportedly open at 11:30 pm, and that the club's carpet tiles were chosen for their appearance rather than fire safety, although he acknowledged price influence. He maintained that he had no knowledge of the manufacturer's warnings about the tiles' fire rating.
On 2 October 2023, Mr Justice Alexander Owens approved three Debt Settlement Arrangements in the High Court. The first allowed 51‑year‑old Brian Carrig, a self‑employed accountant from Ashfield, Drogheda, to write off more than €5 million of debt for a lump payment of about €15 000. The arrangement, lasting six months, aims to restore Carrig's solvency and gives creditors only 0.32 % of what they are owed; it is funded by a €20 000 payment that includes a fee for his Personal Insolvency Practitioner. The second arrangement, for 56‑year‑old David Hoban, a former building contractor, permits the write‑off of over €1.3 million for a €20 000 payment over 60 months, with 81 % of creditors accepting. The third arrangement concerns 47‑year‑old Daniel Desmond, an IT director, who will write off €2.2 million of debt for a €70 000 payment over 12 months; all creditors voted in favour.
The Special Criminal Court has heard the appeal of Michael Carroll, who was previously sentenced to 22 years imprisonment for a firearms offence and attempted murder. Carroll, who pleaded guilty to a new charge of having in his possession or control a firearm with intent to endanger life, contrary to Section 15 of the Firearms Act, at Drumalee Avenue on September 2, 2016, was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the firearms offence. He also pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted murder of Edward Staunton at Railway Street on March 26, 2017, and was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment consecutive to that for the attempted murder offence. The judge noted that the firearms offence on John Hutch carried a presumptive minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment and that the attempted murder of Mr Staunton was aggravated by the recent commission of the serious firearm offence. The court considered mitigation and suspended the last two years and six months of the adjusted 14-year sentence, resulting in a final sentence of 22 years for the two offences. The matter was adjourned for further consideration at the Court of Appeal.
Kevin Kletzander, a former Trinity College student, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting nine women in daylight attacks across Dublin city centre in August 2021. The sentence, back‑dated to August 2021, allows a maximum of 18 months' custodial time. The court heard that Kletzander, who had no fixed abode, was arrested after slapping a female Garda at Store Street Garda Station. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault at locations including Grafton Street, St Stephen's Green, Aston Quay, Usher's Island, the Ilac Shopping Centre and the Garda station. Victim impact statements described the assaults as humiliating and shocking, with one woman unable to socialise afterwards. Kletzander's mother attended court, offering to pay for a private psychological assessment but not for accommodation upon release. The judge ordered good behaviour for four and a half years and compliance with probation and mental‑health treatment directives.
Five men were sentenced to suspended prison terms for a violent assault on three friends in Dublin. The men—Vasilii Birca (32), Ion Mustesta (19), Gheorge Onila (32), Nicanor Ionas (29) and Ion Soponari (24)—had believed they were helping a friend who had been misled into thinking he was the victim of an assault. They pleaded guilty to one count each of affray on Golden Lane on 3 April 2022. All had no prior convictions. The court heard they offered €26,000 in compensation and sincere apologies to the injured parties, and that probation reports placed them at low risk of reoffending. Judge Pauline Codd imposed headline sentences of two and a half years for each, suspended in full for 18 months (Birca, Onila, Ionas), 12 months (Musteata), and 16 months (Soponari). The men were ordered to keep the peace and behave well during the suspension period. The sixth man involved remains before the courts.
During an appeal of Feri Anghel's life sentence for the murder of Artene Bob, a Court of Appeal judge noted that the evidence could allow for a third party's involvement. The judge said that the injuries and forensic findings suggested more than one person may have struck Bob, who was found dead in Tallaght's Sean Walsh Memorial Park on 13 April 2018. Anghel was convicted on circumstantial evidence, with no DNA linking him to the scene, while DNA from four other individuals was found on Bob's glasses. The judge highlighted that Bob's injuries were consistent with multiple assailants and that the pathologist's testimony supported this possibility. He concluded that a rational inference could point to a third party, and the court would reserve judgment pending further review of CCTV footage. Feri Anghel pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court case, Mr Justice Brian Cregan directed that two judgments be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The judgments concern Marie Gibson, an elderly woman in her 80s, who was defrauded of her family home by her daughter Pauline Gibson. The court found Pauline had forged her parents' signatures to transfer the property to herself in 2003, secured a €190,000 mortgage from First Active Building Society, and later defaulted. The transfer was set aside as fraudulent, and the mortgage charge was removed. Marie Gibson was awarded €110,000 in damages and €75,000 in punitive damages against Pauline. The court also found solicitor Kevin O'Gorman negligent and awarded Marie €35,000. The judgments will be referred to the DPP for possible criminal charges, and further decisions on referrals to professional bodies will be made later this month.
The High Court ordered the removal of a mortgage charge held by Promontoria Oyster DAC over the home of Marie Gibson at Castletymon Green, Coolock, Dublin 5. Mr Justice Brian Cregan ruled that Pauline Gibson, Marie's daughter, must pay €75,000 in exemplary damages for engaging in an unscrupulous fraud involving the 2003 transfer of the property. The court found that Pauline Gibson forged signatures to defraud her parents and Dublin City Council. Additionally, solicitor Kevin O'Gorman was ordered to pay €5,000 in compensatory damages and €30,000 in aggravated damages for gross negligence, including failing to provide written advice and destroying original documents. The judge stated he is considering referring findings regarding Pauline Gibson to the Director of Public Prosecutions and findings against O'Gorman to the Law Society and Revenue Commissioners. However, the judge indicated he would consider further submissions before making a final decision on those referrals when the matter returns before the court in two weeks time. The court declared the 2003 transfer and the subsequent mortgage charge void, noting that the receiver was not validly appointed. Promontoria Oyster DAC opposed the removal of the charge, arguing undue influence, but the judge rejected this argument. Pauline Gibson did not participate in the proceedings.
David Gregan, 43, was sentenced to 150 hours of community service instead of 18 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to making a false statement to a solicitor. In 2017 he claimed he had been injured in a collision between a bus and a car in Dublin city centre, alleging soft‑tissue injuries to his shoulders. The incident involved Dublin Bus and a car registered to Trinity College. An anti‑fraud investigator reviewed CCTV footage and found Gregan, though on the footpath, was not close enough to be struck by the vehicles. He withdrew the claim in 2018 and no payment was made, but the parties incurred €9,000 in legal fees. Gregan has no prior convictions, has worked in security for 25 years, and has a history of mental‑health difficulties. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Gregan had "succumbed to the temptation of easy money" and therefore did not impose a custodial sentence.
In a High Court case, Marie Gibson, an elderly widow, seeks removal of a mortgage charge held by Promontoria Oyster DAC over her home at Castletymon Green, Coolock, Dublin 5. Gibson was defrauded by her daughter Pauline Gibson, who forged signatures to transfer the property to herself in 2003 and secured a €190,000 loan from First Active. The transfer was later set aside by Justice Brian Cregan as fraudulent. Gibson also sued solicitor Kevin O'Gorman for professional negligence and the receiver Paul McCleary. Promontoria, claiming €350,000 owed, opposes the removal of the charge and has offered Gibson options to stay or surrender the property. Gibson rejected all offers. The court has been asked to remove the charge and receiver, and to consider nominal damages against Pauline Gibson and O'Gorman. Justice Cregan has reserved judgment, noting the case's complexity.
In a Dublin case, Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy declined to issue arrest orders for the unknown occupants who have barricaded themselves in a Cabhru Housing Association property at James McSweeney House, Berkeley Street, Dublin 7. The judge had earlier granted an injunction preventing the occupants, believed to be seeking international protection, from trespassing on the building, which Cabhru intends to convert into housing for the elderly. The injunction was not being complied with, but the judge said he could not order arrest or committal without evidence of the occupants' identities and proper service of the proceedings. Cabhru has requested that the court consider attachment and committal of those in contempt at a later date. The matter will return to court next week. Cabhru has secured the property, disconnected utilities, and engaged a security company, but the occupants remain inside, delaying the charity's redevelopment plans.
Kevin Kletzander, a former Trinity College student, pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault committed in Dublin between 5 and 28 August 2021. The offences occurred at Grafton Street, Stephen's Green, Aston Quay, Usher's Island, the Ilac Shopping Centre and Store Street Garda Station. In each incident he forced contact with a woman's crotch or buttocks, sometimes using force or a fist, and once slapped a female Garda. He was arrested at the Ilac Centre and has been in custody since August 2021. Kletzander has no prior convictions and admitted the acts were inappropriate, citing mental health problems that had led to hospitalisations. The court heard psychiatric and probation reports and adjourned the case to 23 June for finalisation. The case was presided over by Judge Orla Crowe.
Thomas Headon, 40, was jailed for nine months after sexually assaulting a sleeping woman in a Dublin hotel on 28 April 2013. The woman had told him she did not want to continue after earlier consensual activity. Headon pressed himself against her, removed her tracksuit bottoms and touched her without consent while she slept. She woke, punched him, shouted "no" and pushed him off the bed, throwing a chair. Headon was charged in August 2022, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and Judge Orla Crowe imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspending the final nine months on strict conditions. The judge noted the woman's clear refusal, the lack of consent, and Headon's remorse. The case highlighted the impact on the victim and the offender's record, which included only a prior traffic offence. The court considered Headon's unblemished record and the victim's long‑term trauma.
In a 2023 decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, Dorinda Walsh, a single mother who had lived in a Dublin City apartment for just over two years, accused her landlord Martin Murray of discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000. Walsh had been told in August 2022 that she was no longer eligible for a rent supplement and would need to claim Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). She sent the HAP application to Murray, who replied that he was willing to honour the contract but did not complete the form. After no response, Walsh filed a complaint. Murray then served her with an eviction notice in October 2022, and later presented a new tenancy agreement with a rent increase that Walsh deemed invalid. The tribunal found that Murray had used "delay and diversionary tactics" to avoid completing the HAP form, and ordered him to pay Walsh €12,500, equivalent to ten months' rent, for discrimination.
A 19‑year‑old who had been charged with attempting to murder a teenager in Dublin when he was 17 pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to intentionally causing serious harm to that victim, to making a threat to kill or seriously injure another teenager, and to possessing a knife without lawful authority. The prosecution presented four counts; guilty pleas were entered on three, and a nolle prosequi was entered for the attempted murder charge, meaning the State will not pursue that count. The defendant was originally charged with the attempted murder of a teenage boy at Tymon Lane, Tallaght, on 2 January 2021. He also pleaded guilty to threatening a second teenager at Red Cow Luas Stop, Clondalkin, on 14 April 2021, and to having a knife on him at that time.
The Coroner's Court heard that Paul Kenny, who was present at the Stardust Ballroom on the night of the fire that killed his sister Mary, remains unable to speak about the event more than 40 years later because of the trauma he endured. Angela Kenny, Mary's sister, described the family's life before the tragedy, noting that Mary was a 19‑year‑old, kind, popular young woman who worked as a receptionist and loved dancing and fashion. She recalled the night before the fire, when Mary and her friends were preparing to go out, and the shock that followed when the family learned Mary had died. Angela detailed the family's grief, the identification of Mary's jewellery at the morgue, and the lasting impact on her parents and siblings. She expressed hope that the inquest's conclusion will bring closure to the family after more than four decades of loss.
During the Stardust Inquest, the Keegan family recounted the loss of their daughters Mary and Martina, who died in the 1981 fire that claimed 48 lives. The parents spent two days in the morgue, receiving plastic bags with jewellery to identify, including a signet ring with initials MK and a Claddagh ring. Lorraine Keegan described Martina as a beautiful, blonde model aspirant, nicknamed Cinderella for her work cleaning the fire. Damien Keegan, the youngest brother, recalled waiting on the doorstep for Mary, who was 19, and expressed his confusion as a child. The family noted that the tragedy also claimed their parents, John and Christine Keegan, and that the event forever altered their lives. The inquest highlighted the enduring grief and the family's commitment to seeking truth and justice.