In the early hours of 14 February 1981, a fire broke out in the Stardust Ballroom in Artane, killing 48 people. Relatives of the victims are calling for an end to the decades of uncertainty surrounding the tragedy, hoping the current inquest before the Dublin District Coroner's Court will finally bring closure. During the preliminary stage of the inquest, held in the Pillar Room of Rotunda Hospital, pen portraits of the deceased were read. Singer Christy Moore read a portrait of 17‑year‑old Richard Bennett, written by his mother Helen and sister Elaine. Helen described Richard as mature, a breadwinner who had left school at 15 to support his family, and noted his job installing fire extinguishers. She recalled the shock of seeing the smoke at the Stardust and the subsequent search for his body, which was later identified. Helen expressed that the family still seeks answers and justice after 40 years.
Trevor Brown, 40, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on May 7, 2022. Brown pleaded guilty to creating a serious risk of harm by driving dangerously at Meakstown Cottages, Finglas, two charges of assaulting a police officer, and one charge of stealing a car at Fassaugh Avenue, Cabra West. The court heard that Brown reversed a stolen vehicle at speed, pinning Garda David Lewis's leg between the vehicles, before resisting arrest and assaulting Garda Lewis and Garda Louise Moran. Both officers sustained injuries and were certified unfit for duty. Judge Patricia Ryan noted Brown's 165 previous convictions, including 58 for theft and 41 under the Road Traffic Act. While acknowledging mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, time in custody, and engagement in drug treatment, the judge rejected Brown's claim that he was reversing slowly. Judge Ryan sentenced Brown to two and a half years for the unlawful taking of a car and five years for the assault on a police officer. The final year of the assault sentence was suspended under strict conditions. Both sentences run concurrently and are backdated from the date he went into custody.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in the appeal by 'Fat' Freddie Thompson against his 2018 life sentence for the 2016 murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas. Thompson, who pleaded not guilty, argued that his conviction should be overturned due to procedural failures in how gardaí identified him from CCTV footage. His counsel contended that no records were kept of the identification process, preventing effective cross-examination, and cited UK protocols as a standard for such procedures. The State argued that the UK code did not apply in Ireland and that the conviction remained safe even without the CCTV evidence, noting that the footage was of sufficient quality for the trier of fact. The court heard that Thompson was driving a Ford Fiesta involved in the plot, while other vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz, Suzuki Swift, and Mitsubishi Mirage, were part of the convoy. Thompson is one of four men jailed for the murder. Lee Canavan was sentenced to life in 2021 for his role in the joint enterprise, though the court did not find he fired the shots. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received a six-year sentence, while Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years as the getaway driver.
Ioan Lingurar, 36, who posed as a taxi driver, was convicted of raping two women in Dublin three years apart and of false imprisonment. The first victim was attacked in February 2016 after she had hailed what she thought was a taxi; she escaped after a struggle and later reported the assault. The second victim was assaulted in February 2019 after she had entered a vehicle she believed to be a taxi; she fought back and escaped. DNA evidence linked both attacks to Lingurar, who had previously been convicted of a sexual assault in France. At the Central Criminal Court, the judge imposed a total of seventeen‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the 2016 and 2019 sentences running consecutively. Lingurar appealed, arguing the headline sentences were too high, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing. Ioan Lingurar pleaded not guilty.
Michael Noonan, 61, pleaded guilty to stealing €22,400 from Hyde Court Property Management Company Ltd in August 2016 and to creating false invoices and accounting entries in 2015 and 2018. He admitted writing cheques to himself for money he claimed was owed due to unpaid fees by property owners, and that he used his own money to cover day‑to‑day bills while the company's bank account was "cleaned out". The court noted his long work history and previous good reputation, but found the thefts pre‑meditated and planned. Judge Martina Baxter imposed a four‑year prison sentence, fully suspended for five years on the condition that Noonan keep the peace. Civil proceedings have concluded and the money has been returned. Noonan has no intention of sitting on a management company again and is legally disqualified for five years.
In the opening day of the Stardust inquest, Gertrude Barrett, mother of 17‑year‑old Michael Barrett, recounted the devastation of losing her son in the February 1981 nightclub fire. She described the four days she spent waiting at the Dublin city morgue for Michael's body to be identified, the callousness she felt, and the shock of learning he was the last of the 40 victims to be identified. Barrett spoke of Michael's cheerful personality, his ambitions as a plumber‑DJ apprentice, and his love of music and family. She reflected on the lasting grief that has followed her family, the impact on her other children, and the 40‑year fight for justice. The inquest began with pen portraits, a tradition that allows families to publicly commemorate those who died, before formal evidence is heard. The hearing also included testimony from other bereaved families, such as Betty Bissett, whose daughter Carol died in hospital three days after the blaze.
Aidan Horan, 39, of East Wall, Dublin, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading not guilty to two counts of assaulting his wife on January 1, 2019, and February 22, 2019. Following a trial, he was convicted of both charges. Prosecution evidence detailed that during the first incident, Horan struck the woman in the head and face, while the second involved her finger being hyper-extended, requiring surgery. Mr Justice Paul Burns acknowledged claims that violence was mutual but noted that only Horan was convicted. He described the relationship as tempestuous but stated there is no excuse for violence. The court imposed a 12-month custodial sentence. The final three months of this sentence were suspended on strict conditions, requiring Horan to engage with the Probation Service for three months upon his ultimate release from prison. The judge emphasized the specific impact of domestic violence under the Domestic Violence Act. Horan had no previous convictions, and his defense counsel offered €4,500 as a token of remorse, which the victim declined.
Jordan Lee, 25, of Darndale, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of robbery at Wellington Quay on 29 September 2022. Lee and a co‑accused approached two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, who declined to buy drugs. The men caught up with the teens, struck them on the side of the head and stamped on their heads repeatedly while they lay unconscious. Lee took an iPhone, an ATM card and €10 from the victims' pockets. After the robbery, the men were seen acting suspiciously in a drug‑dealing area and were stopped and searched by Gardaí. The victims suffered concussion, bruising, lacerations and headaches. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced Lee to two years' imprisonment, noting his early guilty plea, remorse and homelessness at the time of the offence. Lee is currently serving a sentence and will be released in June 2023.
The Special Criminal Court acquitted Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. Ms Justice Tara Burns stated the court could not rely on the unsupported evidence of Jonathan Dowdall, whose credibility was severely undermined by his criminal history and inconsistencies. The court found surveillance audio did not corroborate Dowdall's claim that Hutch confessed to being a hitman, noting instead that the recordings suggested Hutch was abroad immediately after the attack. While Hutch was cleared, co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney were found guilty of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. Their sentences are scheduled to be mentioned on May 8. Separately, Patrick Dowdall admitted to falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley and threatening to kill him in 2015. He was initially sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, later reduced to seven years and 11 months following a successful appeal. His father, also named Patrick Dowdall, was sentenced to eight years for the same offences, later reduced to four years. The report confirms the procedural stage for the primary subjects is sentence, with specific dates and durations preserved for the convicted individuals.
The Court of Appeal has issued a ruling in the case of Patrick Dowdall, the appellant in the Regency Hotel shooting trial. Dowdall had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of facilitating the shooting of David Byrne. The specific allegation was that he participated in activity intending to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation, namely the murder of Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra, Dublin 9, on February 4, 2016. Following his initial conviction, Dowdall was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. However, after successful appeals, he was re-sentenced to seven years and 11 months. The current appeal resulted in a further reduction, with Dowdall now sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The procedural stage is an appeal, and the matter has been finalised with this revised sentence. Co-accused Jason Bonney was also involved in the proceedings, though specific details of his plea or sentence are not detailed in this summary. The court emphasized that the allegations against Dowdall were based on his admission of guilt to facilitating the crime, rather than direct participation in the shooting itself. The decision reflects the appellate court's review of the sentencing and charges, resulting in a reduced term of custody for the appellant.
In a Dublin court, Judge Eileen Creedon directed a jury to find Jamie Berry (27) and Stephen Mulvey (31) not guilty of attempted murder and related charges because the prosecution's evidence was deemed insufficiently strong. The case involved an alleged shooting of a 17‑year‑old at a residential estate on 24 February 2021, with the defendants accused of being the shooter and an accomplice. The judge highlighted the lack of direct evidence linking the men to the crime scene, noting that CCTV footage did not show them at the shooting, and that a gun found in a burned Hyundai could not be tied to either. He also cited the absence of DNA, phone, social‑media or motive evidence. The defence argued that the circumstantial case was too tenuous, and the judge agreed, withdrawing all charges from the jury. The trial had reached its 11th day when the directed verdict was given.
David Gregan, 43, of Swords, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of making a false statement to a solicitor on October 20, 2017. The court heard that Gregan falsely claimed to have suffered soft tissue injuries in a 2017 collision between a Dublin Bus and a car registered to Trinity College. An anti-fraud investigator reviewed CCTV footage and determined Gregan was not near enough to be hit by the vehicles. Although Gregan withdrew his claim in 2018 and no payment was made, the parties incurred €9,000 in legal fees. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Gregan had "succumbed to the temptation of what he thought was easy money." Considering Gregan's lack of previous convictions, his 25 years of work in the security industry, and his history of mental health difficulties, the judge ruled that a custodial sentence was not appropriate. He sentenced Gregan to 150 hours of community service in lieu of imprisonment. However, the judge adjourned the case to allow the Probation Service to assess Gregan's suitability for the order. The matter is scheduled to return to court on June 12.
In a High Court hearing, lawyers for 72‑year‑old Thomas Donaldson argued that possession of images depicting a woman and a dog engaging in sexual acts would not constitute a criminal offence under Irish law. Donaldson, who was arrested in Dublin in January after a Northern Irish warrant alleged that hundreds of indecent images of children were found on his computer, faces 15 charges of making indecent images and two counts of possessing extreme pornography. The court considered whether the images, which show a female's mouth and vagina being penetrated by a dog's penis, fall under Irish legislation that criminalises sexual conduct likely to cause fear or alarm. The judge noted ambiguity in the law, particularly whether possession alone is an offence, and postponed judgment to 25 April, remanding Donaldson in custody until then.
In a Workplace Relations Commission equality hearing, former Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu denied discriminating against atheist campaigner John Hamill or his Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Chu explained that she had invited various non‑religious groups to the Mansion House garden during the Rewind 2020 series, but that only volunteer and support groups were accepted after May 17, 2020. Hamill claimed he was denied a slot for his non‑religious ceremony and that the council's policy shifted from an umbrella group to a Lord Mayor‑directed approach. Chu said the council's barrister argued the Equal Status Act does not cover group discrimination and that the garden was within the act's provisions. The case was adjourned for a written decision.
Two men, Stephen Mulvey (31) and Jamie Berry (27), have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old teenager shot multiple times on Eugene Street, Dublin 8, on 24 February 2021. The prosecution alleges the attack was a "well‑planned and premeditated hit" carried out by a joint enterprise of three individuals. Berry is accused of firing the Beretta pistol that wounded the teenager in the neck, cheek and leg, while Mulvey is alleged to have assisted. Berry is also charged with criminal damage to a home on Eugene Street, where a bullet passed through a front door and shattered a cooker's glass. Both men are charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The case is presented as a circumstantial one, relying on CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and the recovered weapon, with the trial continuing before Justice Eileen Creedon.
Ross Hutch, aged 30, pleaded guilty via videolink at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two separate offences committed in August 2021. On 22 August, he allegedly slashed the face of his ex‑partner's boyfriend with a knife at Sheriff Street Lower, causing serious harm. The following day, 23 August, he allegedly assaulted his then girlfriend at The Holyhead Hostel on Gardiner Street, causing harm. The court heard that Hutch had been denied attendance at his child's communion for security reasons and that the slashing incident occurred as the boyfriend was leaving a pub in Dublin City centre. CCTV footage reportedly captured the assault on his girlfriend the next morning. Prosecutor Fiona McGowan requested victim impact statements for the two victims and others named in the indictment. Judge Martin Nolan set a sentence hearing for 29 March, remanded Hutch in custody, and vacated his earlier trial date. The case remains pending sentencing.
A man with ninety previous convictions has been sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an assault in the city centre. Jonathan Donovan (37) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after the State accepted the lesser charge in lieu of the original allegation of assault causing serious harm. The incident occurred on Gardiner Street on 13 February 2022, when Donovan attacked a man, inflicting a fifteen-centimetre wound extending from ear to cheek. The victim sustained ten injuries, including chest lacerations resulting in internal bleeding, and was hospitalised with no recollection of the attack. Gardaí identified Donovan through CCTV footage and recovered evidence linking him to the assault. His criminal history includes previous convictions for assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, which was backdated to February 2022 when Donovan entered custody, noting the vicious nature of the attack and his established pattern of serious violence.
A 48‑year‑old former Romanian soldier, Constantin Maxim, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in Dublin for possessing 1,458 images of child pornography and distributing hand‑drawn images and videos of child sex abuse. He admitted to posing as a 15‑year‑old girl named Christina on Facebook and Snapchat, sending explicit messages to three children aged 10 to 12 and requesting sexualised images. When Snapchat closed his accounts, he created new ones. Gardaí found his phone contained about a thousand images of child sexual activity, 450 images of children exposing genitalia, and 12,000 adult and bestiality images of uncertain age. Maxim denied sexual attraction to children and claimed he had no real‑life intent. He had no prior convictions in Ireland but had four Romanian convictions for sexual corruption and abduction of a minor. Constantin Maxim pleaded guilty.
Jonathan Whelan, aged 48, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for a prolonged assault on his neighbour. The victim was beaten, stripped to her underwear, repeatedly forced to vomit and threatened with death. Whelan also took her keys, ransacked her apartment, and demanded money. He and a friend used a metal rod, a knife, scissors and a razor blade to threaten and beat her for hours. The assault took place in Whelan's flat on North Great Charles Street, Dublin 1, on 4 April 2021. He had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to possessing cannabis for sale, receiving four‑year and four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentences respectively, which ran consecutively. The court reduced the headline sentence to eight and a half years on mitigation. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 1 March 2023.
Paul Hendrick, aged 75, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against a male at the Christian Brothers' School in Westland Row between May 1980 and July 1981. He appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patricia Ryan set a sentence hearing for 24 May and remanded him on bail until that date.
David Stone, 65, owner of Ashton Dog Pound in Dublin, was fined €30,000 after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found he unlawfully stored and incorrectly administered the euthanasia drug Pentobarbital to two dogs on 24 July 2020. Garda Áine McQuillan reported that the drug was found in an unlocked tin box at the pound's reception, with over 350 ml in total, and that the dogs had been given the drug orally rather than intravenously by a registered veterinary practitioner as required. Stone pleaded guilty to using a premises for the supply of an animal remedy contrary to European regulations, possession of a veterinary‑only drug, and permitting its improper administration. The court noted the drug's lethal potential for both animals and humans, Stone's breach of a €277,000 contract with Dublin City Council, and his lack of prior convictions, and imposed the fine without custodial sentence.
Karl Dalton, 32, was one of three men who violently robbed a businessman of high‑value phones outside the victim's home in Lucan, Dublin, in February 2019. The robbery involved a stabbing attempt and a wheel‑brace strike, and the victim was shouted "kill him" at the scene. Dalton's fingerprints were found on the victim's car, linking him to the crime. He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended and a 12‑month probation order. The phones, worth €11,000–€12,000, were not covered by insurance. Dalton appealed the sentence, arguing for greater mitigation, but Judge George Birmingham dismissed the appeal, upholding the original six‑year term and noting Dalton's extensive criminal history and the seriousness of the robbery.
Hamid Zatout, 25, was jailed for six and a half years after pleading guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm and one attempted robbery. The crimes, committed in July and August 2019, involved targeted muggings of expensive designer watches ranging from €5,000 to €47,000, including a €20,000 watch from an American tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Gardaí used over 57 CCTV clips to show Zatout and accomplices following victims before forcibly breaking watch straps to steal the timepieces. Zatout had lived in a Dundalk hotel at the time of arrest and had previously left Ireland via Belfast in September 2019, returning under a different name. He had no prior convictions in Ireland, and the court accepted his guilty pleas, noting his remorse before sentencing.
Owen Kavanagh, aged 53, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence and a four‑year driving disqualification after he hijacked a car on 4 January 2021. He admitted to having drunk two bottles of whiskey, a bottle of gin and prescribed medication before confronting a woman at Campus Oil, East Wall Road, Dublin, demanding her car keys. CCTV showed him threatening the woman with a kitchen knife and two men attempting to stop him. During the subsequent Garda pursuit, Kavanagh broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, drove at excessive speed, collided with a patrol car, and drove around a traffic island. Gardaí used a stinger device to stop his vehicle, deflating its tyres and causing a collision. The court found him guilty of seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a patrol car, three dangerous driving offences and driving without insurance.
Dean Paget, 34, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Judge Paul McDermott imposed a 14‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for two years on the condition that Paget work with probation services and continue treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. The court considered Paget's violent assault on Ward on 25 April 2021, during which he punched, kicked, choked and threatened her, and threatened to "rip" their unborn daughter, Ruby Rose, out of her. CCTV evidence showed a series of vicious assaults and appalling threats. Paget's guilty plea and admission of remorse were noted as mitigating factors, but the judge emphasised the severe and terrifying nature of the violence and the lasting impact on Ward. The suspended portion of the sentence was tied to addressing violence and addiction issues.
In January 2023, Liam Byrne, aged 41, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment after threatening to stab Gardaí and assaulting them with a wooden pole and knife at his mother's home in Dublin. Byrne had previously been barred from the house but was allowed back after promising to stay clean. The incident followed a June 2022 court case where he pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill a Garda and producing a knife. Byrne's lawyer linked his violent escalation to the traumatic discovery of his father's murder in 2000, which led to severe drug addiction. He had reportedly rehabilitated a year earlier, worked in construction, and assisted at a vaccination centre, but relapsed and was intoxicated during the offence. He is now awaiting assessment for residential treatment.
Dean Paget, 36, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward, who was 32 weeks pregnant, and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At the Central Criminal Court, CCTV footage showed Paget repeatedly kicking and punching Ward as they walked along Dame Street toward a tent on Montague Lane on 25 April 2021. He shouted, "I'll rip her out of you," and later called the unborn child a "bastard." Ward, aged 32, was taken to the Rotunda Hospital in a distraught state; medical tests found no fetal heartbeat and a placental abruption likely caused by the assault. Paget's 68 prior convictions include robbery, violent behaviour and drug offences. He expressed remorse during the hearing, apologised to Ward, and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 7 February. Ward's statement described the lasting emotional pain and her loss of hope for a child.
Keith Riggs, aged 38, set fire to the Depaul Hostel in Dublin 7 on 26 March 2022, causing €2.8 million in damage and leaving 22‑year‑old Shauna O'Brien permanently blind, unable to speak and suffering chronic nerve damage. Riggs pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and one of endangerment. Judge Dara Hayes sentenced him to 11 years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 27 March 2022. The suspended period is subject to strict conditions, including supervision by the Probation Service and engagement with community mental health services. The sentence reflects the serious injuries to O'Brien, the impact on her two children and family, and the cost to Dublin City Council of repairing the hostel and rehousing residents. Riggs' history of mental health issues and expressions of remorse were considered mitigating factors. The court noted that the fire caused four hospitalisations and significant damage to the hostel's infrastructure.
Two 27‑year‑old semi‑professional footballers from Scotland, Liam Callaghan and Craig Johnston, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and obstruction after a "shameful attack" on a 52‑year‑old man in Dublin on 8 December 2019. The victim's eye socket was fractured and his head was struck by a box, causing him to bounce off the ground. The court heard that the men had no prior interaction with the victim and that an earlier altercation at a bar had no relevance to the attack. Both men brought €6 000 to court as a token of remorse, which the victim accepted. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a two‑year prison sentence on each, suspended in full on the condition of keeping the peace for two years, and directed the men to hand over the gesture of remorse to the victim.
Ruzmond Muwaniri, 34, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting three people in the St Stephen's Green area on 1 and 2 February. He admitted punching a woman, causing a broken nose, and striking two men in the face. The judge noted Muwaniri's history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, and his previous conviction for assaulting his girlfriend. He had spent two years in the Central Mental Hospital and was homeless upon release. Muwaniri denied recollection of the attacks but admitted the incidents when shown CCTV footage. He has 80 prior convictions, 16 for assault causing harm. The court ordered him to keep the peace for one year after release and comply with Probation Services. The sentence was back‑dated to 2 February 2022. Ruzmond Muwaniri pleaded guilty.
The appeal stage of the case involving Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, who are accused of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016, is ongoing. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Patrick Dowdall, who was previously convicted of facilitating the murder by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, has admitted guilt and was later re-sentenced to 7 years and 11 months and four years imprisonment after successful appeals. The prosecution has presented evidence, including secretly recorded conversations between Gerard Hutch and Jonathan Dowdall, which allegedly show Hutch's central involvement in the Regency Hotel attack. The trial has heard that three AK-47 assault rifles were found in the boot of a car following an intervention by gardai. The case has been adjourned and is not yet concluded.
The Regency Hotel trial continued in the Special Criminal Court with Senior intelligence analyst Sarah Skedd testifying regarding phone records. Skedd stated there is no clear evidence supporting Jonathan Dowdall's claim that he met Gerard Hutch in a Whitehall park to hear a confession about the murder of David Byrne. While a cell site potentially covering the park was used on February 7, 2016, at 3.16pm, Dowdall's phone connected to a mast in Finglas just 4.5 minutes later, suggesting insufficient time for the meeting. Skedd confirmed no records support a meeting on February 8. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by booking a room at the Regency Hotel, was previously sentenced to four years' imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also admitted to the facilitation offence and was jailed for two years. Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, and co-accused Paul Murphy, 61, of Swords, and Jason Bonney, 52, of Portmarnock, have all pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The defence, led by Brendan Grehan SC, challenged Dowdall's credibility, arguing his account was inconsistent with the digital evidence presented by the State.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all accused of participating in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016, continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including providing access to motor vehicles and facilitating the offence. Today, defence counsel for Mr Bonney stated it is their case that his father, not Mr Bonney, drove the BMW X5 alleged to have been used in the attack. Prosecution evidence from Garda Michele Purcell and Senior Intelligence Analyst Sarah Skedd detailed vehicle movements, including a Toyota Avensis taxi driven by Mr Murphy and the BMW X5, which allegedly transported a man in a flat cap from the scene. The court also heard evidence regarding Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused who turned State's witness. Mr Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, previously pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a hotel room available and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for two years. The trial will continue tomorrow with further evidence from Ms Skedd.
Christopher Kearney, 36, of Isaacs Hostel, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Anthony O'Toole at Aston Quay on 21 January 2022. The assault, captured on CCTV from a Dublin Bus, was described by Judge Martin Nolan as "particularly violent" and followed a dispute between the men. Garda Eric Downey reported that the pair had earlier attracted police attention during a disagreement, claiming they were friends, before walking toward Ha'penny Bridge. Later, Gardaí found O'Toole unconscious, bleeding from nose, mouth and head, with facial injuries; he was taken to hospital but discharged himself and did not cooperate with the investigation. Kearney received a 16‑month prison sentence, with no victim impact statement submitted. He has 77 prior convictions, including theft and violent behaviour, and is homeless, on a social housing waiting list, and engaged with drug‑difficulties services.
The trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne, heard evidence regarding a YouTube video showing the victim dead after the Regency Hotel attack. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both pleading not guilty to facilitating the murder by providing vehicles, face charges of participating in criminal activity. The court heard from Detective Garda Paul Darley about the clip, which captured voices discussing the scene and a van exiting the premises. The prosecution also presented evidence from taxi driver Paul Brady, who rented a plate to Murphy, and Detective Alan Crummey, who took statements from Murphy regarding a potential vehicle clone. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. Separately, former co-accused Patrick Dowdall (65) was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for facilitating the murder by booking a hotel room. His son, Jonathan Dowdall, pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court. A nolle prosequi was entered on Jonathan Dowdall's murder charge following his guilty plea. The validated procedural stage for the current defendants is sentence, though the trial is ongoing.
The Regency Hotel murder trial heard evidence from a senior garda regarding four shootings linked to the Hutch-Kinahan feud. Detective Superintendent David Gallagher testified about the still open investigation into the shooting of Patrick Hutch Junior and the murder of Eddie 'Neddie' Hutch in 2016. The prosecution case against Gerard Hutch and his co-accused is expected to conclude on Thursday. Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch (59) denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Paul Murphy (61) and Jason Bonney (52), have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Patrick Dowdall (65) was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders. James Quinn (role: convicted_person) was convicted of facilitating Mr Byrne's murder and participating in activity intending to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by making a room available at the Regency Hotel on February 4, 2016. The court also ruled that CCTV footage concerning the movement of a silver Toyota Avensis taxi associated with Paul Murphy can be admitted as evidence against him. The procedural stage is sentence.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch who has turned State's witness, asked a garda 'is there any way out' and 'if him and his family could get into the Witness Protection Programme' in the days following his arrest. The status of Dowdall's Witness Protection Programme (WPP) application remains unknown, with a decision expected in the middle of this month. Gerard Hutch (59), of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of David Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Paul Murphy (61), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin, and Jason Bonney (52), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The court also heard that Patrick Dowdall was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in June 2017 and later re-sentenced to 7 years and 11 months after successful appeals, following his guilty plea to falsely imprisoning Mr Hurley and threatening to kill him at Jonathan's family home on January 15, 2015. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
A 39‑year‑old Dublin security guard was sentenced to nine years in prison for grooming, molesting and raping his partner's daughter, aged eight to ten, between 2018 and 2019. He threatened the girl with violence if she disclosed the abuse and was found guilty of sexual assault and one count of rape at several Dublin locations, including his home. The judge noted the defendant's admission of wrongdoing, his attempts to blame the victim, and his ambiguous moral stance. The victim, now a mid‑teen, described her childhood as a period of terror and expressed fear and guilt. The judge praised her courage for coming forward. The sentence includes a suspended final year, conditions for psychiatric and drug‑abuse treatment, and a post‑release supervision order to protect the victim and other children.
The Special Criminal Court heard that no further steps will be taken regarding a 'curious' document disclosed to the defence in the Regency Hotel murder trial. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC stated the matter requires investigation, while defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC noted it must wait for another day. Gerard Hutch, 59, denies the murder of David Byrne on February 5, 2016. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both pleading not guilty to facilitating the murder by providing vehicles, face a ruling tomorrow on the admissibility of CCTV footage. Murphy's defence argued the footage breached privacy rights under the Data Protection Act, while the prosecution contended it was manifestly relevant and admissible. The court also heard evidence from Inspector Padraig Boyce regarding a coordinated operation that seized AK-47 rifles from Shane Rowan and searched the home of Jonathan Dowdall. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a hotel room available, was sentenced to four years imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for two years. Both men had previously been sentenced for the false imprisonment of Alexander Hurley, with sentences later reduced on appeal. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns.
The Special Criminal Court heard a "curious development" in the ongoing trial of Gerard Hutch, who denies murdering David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC apologized for a delay caused by a newly disclosed document and the unavailability of a garda witness, estimating the trial would conclude in two weeks. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder by providing vehicles, remain on trial. Jonathan Dowdall, a former State's witness who pleaded guilty to facilitating the offence by booking the hotel room, was previously jailed for four years. His father, Patrick Dowdall, was jailed for two years for the same facilitation charge. The court heard evidence regarding CCTV footage harvesting, with the trial set to continue before Ms Justice Tara Burns and colleagues. The prosecution alleges Kevin Murray, who died in 2017, was the shooter, while Dowdall testified that Hutch admitted to the killing. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC challenged Dowdall's credibility, citing phone data inconsistencies regarding alleged meetings.
The Special Criminal Court heard the final day of cross-examination of Jonathan Dowdall, a State's witness in the trial of Gerard Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by providing a room at the Regency Hotel, denied allegations that he is a manipulator or liar. The defence challenged his testimony regarding alleged meetings with Hutch, playing audio recordings and phone data that contradicted his timeline. The court refused to allow the defence to play a video of Dowdall waterboarding Alexander Hurley, noting that Dowdall had already pleaded guilty to that offence and was re-sentenced to seven years and 11 months imprisonment following a successful appeal. His father, Patrick Dowdall, who also pleaded guilty to the same offence, was re-sentenced to four years imprisonment after his appeal. The trial continues with Hutch, who denies the murder charge, and co-defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in the murder by providing access to vehicles. The matter remains ongoing, with no finalisation or adjournment recorded in this report.
Kim Kelly, aged 54, was beaten by her partner Ian McCluskey in his home after she refused to lend him money. Six weeks later, McCluskey and his friend David Corr attacked her again, with Corr calling her a "rat". Kelly described being knocked to the ground, struck in the face, and repeatedly kicked and punched. She feared the men would kill her and that they might throw her out of a window. Kelly has suffered black eyes, facial cuts, bruises, and Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder, and now sleeps with an axe beside her bed. McCluskey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, threatening to kill, witness intimidation and a second assault. Corr pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, threatening to kill and witness intimidation. Judge Dara Hayes sentenced McCluskey to five years with the final 12 months suspended, and Corr to three years with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. He also faces charges of facilitating the murder by making a hotel room available on February 4, 2016, and providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Jonathan Dowdall, 44, of Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making the room available. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for this offence, and a nolle prosequi was entered on the murder charge. Patrick Dowdall, 65, also pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for two years before the trial began. Paul Murphy, 61, of Swords, Co Dublin, and Jason Bonney, 50, of Portmarnock, Dublin 13, pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The trial is ongoing, with cross-examination of the State's witness, Jonathan Dowdall, continuing before the Special Criminal Court.
Kevin Brazil, 53, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old boy in Wicklow between January and July 2020. The boy was befriended by Brazil, who gave him money, alcohol and cigarettes, and took him to Blessington Lakes where Brazil offered drinks and cigarettes. The assault involved Brazil touching the boy's leg. Brazil has a long criminal record, including eight years already served for earlier sexual assaults, a 2004 sentence of three years with the final year suspended, and a 2021 sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years for a 12‑year‑old victim. He also pleaded guilty in 2024 to sexual assault and communication offences in the State. The court noted the boy's mother observed a "massive change" in her son after the offence. Brazil's 15‑month term is back‑dated to January and he will not be released from his other sentences until January 2027.
The Special Criminal Court heard cross-examination of State's witness Jonathan Dowdall in the trial of Gerard Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Byrne. Dowdall, a former Dublin city councillor, denied using bomb timers as a bargaining tool to mediate the Hutch-Kinahan feud. He described references to bombing a house in Finglas or killing individuals as "nonsense" and "hypothetical stuff," insisting none of it happened. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC accused Dowdall of telling an "opportunistic lie" regarding his interpretation of audio recordings. The State alleges Hutch asked Dowdall to arrange a meeting with republican contacts to resolve the feud. While Dowdall testified that Hutch admitted to shooting Byrne with "Mago" Gately, the defence contends this was a lie. The court viewed CCTV of alleged trips to Northern Ireland. In a separate procedural development, a nolle prosequi was entered on the murder charge against Dowdall following his sentence on October 3. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty to participating in the murder by providing access to motor vehicles, remain defendants in the case.
A 22‑year‑old mother, Shauna O'Brien, remains gravely ill in intensive care after the De Paul Hostel on Little Green Street, Dublin 7, was set on fire on 26 March. She is permanently blind, unable to speak and suffers chronic nerve damage after falling unconscious while escaping the blaze. Her lungs are severely scarred from inhaling toxic smoke, requiring a ventilator, and she has undergone multiple surgeries to remove scar tissue, though the tissue keeps growing back. She is in an induced coma and her prognosis is uncertain, with discussions about a possible end‑of‑life pathway. Keith Riggs, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and one count of endangerment. He was seen on CCTV entering the hostel, setting fire to a toilet, moving through rooms, and eventually leaving after calling 999. He has a history of drug addiction, schizophrenia and previous convictions. Riggs will be sentenced on 16 January, with a psychiatric report pending.
Ryan Dowling, aged 20, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for his role in a violent disorder incident on South William Street, Dublin, on 17 June 2021. While on bail, Dowling was part of a group of four men who harassed a heavily pregnant woman dining with her partner, threw furniture and beer cans at restaurant staff, and threw a wine bottle at a worker. Garda Eoin McLoughlin reported that staff intervened and the brawl was captured on mobile phones. The court heard that Dowling was not the chief aggressor, that he had consumed a large amount of alcohol, and that he had a history of 16 prior convictions. He pleaded guilty, apologized, and the judge noted his young age and lack of maturity as mitigating factors. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence, with fourteen months suspended, and strict conditions for release. The final custodial term is ten months.
At the validated procedural stage of sentence, the court heard that Gerard Hutch, a defendant, admitted to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016, and pleaded guilty. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both defendants, faced the same charge but pleaded not guilty, with their cases remaining alleged or contested. Jonathan Dowdall, an accused, admitted to facilitating Mr Byrne's murder and was subsequently jailed for that offence, which was not connected to the Regency. Following Dowdall's sentence on October 3, a nolle prosequi was entered on the murder charge against the former Dublin city councillor. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised. No findings or sentences were issued for Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, and no validated finalisation was reached for their cases. The court did not attribute any conviction to the allegations made against them.
At the Special Criminal Court, Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, admitted to lying 'out of necessity' when questioned by gardai about his involvement in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by booking a hotel room for one of the perpetrators, was sentenced to four years in prison for this charge. He stated that he lied to protect his family, claiming they would have been targeted if he had revealed the truth. During cross-examination, Dowdall's defence barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, suggested that Dowdall had been 'very indignant and convincing when telling lies' in his interviews with gardai. Dowdall also testified that he did not know the extent of Gerard Hutch's criminal activities and had no prior knowledge of the murder. Gerard Hutch, who is accused of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles, pleaded guilty to the charges. Patrick Dowdall, Jonathan's father, was previously jailed for two years for his role in booking the hotel room. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who are accused of providing access to motor vehicles, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case is currently in the sentence stage, with no adjournments or finalisations reported.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney for the murder of David Byrne continues before Justice Tara Burns. Hutch, 59, and co-accused Murphy, 61, and Bonney, 50, have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. State's witness Jonathan Dowdall, a former Dublin city councillor, testified that he did not know of the "Hutch criminal organisation" and was reckless in helping book a Regency Hotel room for a raider. Dowdall previously pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making the room available on February 4, 2016, and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. A nolle prosequi was entered on his murder charge following that sentence. His father, Patrick Dowdall, 65, was jailed for two years for the same facilitation offence. Dowdall admitted he was reckless for not asking who the room was for, despite driving his father to the hotel. The trial heard that Kevin Murray used the room the night before the attack. The court is currently hearing cross-examination regarding Dowdall's knowledge and the booking process.