In a High Court case at the charge_or_pretrial stage, Mr Justice Brian Cregan ruled on claims brought by applicant Marie Gibson against her daughter Pauline Gibson, solicitor Kevin O'Gorman, and receiver Paul McCleary. The judge found that Pauline Gibson defrauded her parents of their family home in 2003, a transfer that was set aside due to fraud and undue influence. Although Pauline Gibson did not participate in the proceedings, the court accepted Marie Gibson's evidence over that of Mr O'Gorman, who was found to have acted with gross negligence but was not accused of fraud. The judge described the situation as a "lamentable tale," noting that the elderly widow discovered the fraud only after her husband's death in 2017. While the judge set aside the 2003 transfer, he did not conclude the litigation. Instead, after handing down his judgement, Mr Justice Cregan adjourned the matter to a date in January. Several issues remain outstanding, including the quantification of damages to which the plaintiff is entitled. The court noted that Marie Gibson has since disinherited Pauline Gibson in a new will, and the family has been unable to contact her since the discovery of the fraud.
In the Special Criminal Court, Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor and key witness in the Regency Hotel murder trial, testified that he is 'not a rat' and is not involved with Sinn Fein. He denied lying under oath about his relationship with Pearse McAuley, who was jailed for the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe. Dowdall admitted to visiting McAuley in Castlerea Prison multiple times, though he initially claimed only two or three visits. Under cross-examination, it was revealed that he had visited McAuley 14 times between February 2015 and January 2016. Dowdall also testified that he was 'set up' for the murder of David Byrne by being connected to a room at the Regency Hotel used by one of the raiders. Gerard Hutch, who has pleaded guilty to facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, stated that a 'massive amount of pressure' was put on Dowdall after he was granted bail. Patrick Dowdall was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The matter was adjourned.
The Regency Hotel murder trial continues before the Special Criminal Court, with Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney pleading not guilty to the murder of David Byrne. Jonathan Dowdall, a State's witness who pleaded guilty to facilitating the offence by making a hotel room available, testified under cross-examination. He alleged he was "set up" and claimed Gerard Hutch pressured him after his release from Wheatfield Prison. Dowdall stated he contacted gardai in November 2021 to clear his name, asserting he was not involved in the killing. The defence contended Dowdall's testimony was motivated by a quid pro quo arrangement to drop his murder charge. Patrick Dowdall, Jonathan's father, was previously jailed for two years for the same facilitation offence. Jonathan Dowdall was sentenced to four years for facilitating the criminal organisation. A nolle prosequi was entered on his murder charge following his sentence. His Witness Protection Programme application remains pending, with a decision expected in January. The trial is ongoing, with the prosecution alleging Kevin Murray used the room and cooperated with the raiders.
In the ongoing appeal proceedings concerning the murder of David Byrne, ex-Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, a State's witness who pleaded guilty to facilitating the killing, denied being a "master manipulator" during cross-examination. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC alleged Dowdall told "two big lies" regarding Gerard Hutch's alleged confession and the collection of hotel keys. Dowdall, who admitted to falsely imprisoning and threatening Alexander Hurley, stated he deeply regretted torturing Hurley. He clarified that his father, Patrick Dowdall, was sentenced to eight years for the same offences, later reduced to four years on appeal, while Jonathan was re-sentenced to seven years and 11 months. The court heard that Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to Byrne's murder by providing access to motor vehicles, remain defendants in the case. Dowdall denied involvement in moving AK-47s or bomb-making, describing such claims as lies or bravado. He asserted that the feud between the Hutch and Kinahan families stemmed from an alleged attempt by the Hutch brothers to steal money from Daniel Kinahan, not from the Kinahans initiating violence. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with no finalisation recorded.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence from Jonathan Dowdall, a State's witness in the trial of Gerard Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the offence by providing a hotel room, testified that neither the Kinahan family nor Hutch initiated the shooting. He stated he believed innocent people were targeted and that Hutch lied to him during a covertly recorded conversation regarding the identities of the assailants. The court examined audio recordings where Hutch allegedly referred to disposing of three AK-47 rifles to republicans in Northern Ireland. Dowdall also identified a reference to Buckingham Village, where a van used in the attack was allegedly stored. His father, Patrick Dowdall (65), was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the same facilitation charge. Co-accused Paul Murphy (61) and Jason Bonney (50) have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The trial continues before Justice Tara Burns and two other judges.
Milad Khalili Ghanbari, 35, a former movie‑set caterer who had worked on the Star Wars franchise, was arrested after robbing phones from five people on St Patrick's Day 2021. He had recently split with his girlfriend and was described by counsel as having a "mental breakdown." Ghanbari gave Gardaí a false name and his neighbour's apartment number as his address. When officers entered that apartment they detected a strong cannabis smell and found 11 cannabis plants with a full grow‑out system. He pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of cultivating cannabis in Dublin city centre. He has eight prior convictions, including a failure to stop after an accident. He has been in custody since the offence. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the final year and back‑dating the term to the date he entered custody. The court noted his remorse and guilty pleas as mitigating factors.
At the Regency trial, Jonathan Dowdall testified that Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch claimed he and another man, 'Mago' Gately, shot David Byrne during the 2016 incident at the Regency Hotel. Dowdall also stated that Hutch expressed regret over the killing. The trial involves the murder of David Byrne, who was killed during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Patrick Dowdall (65) was previously jailed for two years before the trial started after admitting his role in booking the hotel room for the incident. Paul Murphy, Jason Bonney, Jonathan Dowdall, and Patrick Hutch Junior are currently on trial, with all pleading not guilty. The case is in the sentence stage, with no finalisation yet. The trial has heard evidence about the feud between the Hutch and Kinahan families, including the involvement of the New IRA and the discovery of assault rifles linked to the murder scene. The matter remains ongoing with no conclusion reached.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch until Monday, when Jonathan Dowdall will give evidence. Dowdall, a former co-accused who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016, was sentenced to four years. He is currently a sentenced prisoner in the State. The court heard that Dowdall's Witness Protection Programme (WPP) assessment is ongoing, with a decision expected by mid-January. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC stated that Dowdall's WPP status is separate from his testimony and that no difficulties were created by Dowdall. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC expressed anxiety over the timetable but agreed to proceed on Monday, provided a Detective Superintendent testifies that Dowdall's WPP admission is distinct from his performance in the witness box. Hutch, who denies the murder, and co-defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who also pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder, remain in the trial. The court ruled Dowdall's evidence admissible despite defence objections. The matter was adjourned to allow Dowdall to take the stand on Monday.
Sean Doherty, 29, of Rory O'Connor House, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on 7 July 2017 after claiming he was in the IRA. He had 25 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary, assault, and drug offences. The victim had gone out for drinks, and after a night of drinking, Doherty entered the victim's apartment, threatened him with a knife, and said "I'm in the IRA." He struck the victim twice on the head with an empty vodka bottle, stole his mobile phone, and the victim fled to the balcony. The victim was taken to St James Hospital and received stitches. Doherty was on bail at the time of the offence and was already serving a five‑year sentence. Judge James McCourt, after considering Doherty's guilty plea, mental health issues, apology, remorse, drug dependency and troubled background, sentenced him to four years in prison to run consecutively to his existing sentence.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, accused of the murder of David Byrne, has been adjourned until tomorrow for further information regarding Jonathan Dowdall's witness protection status. Presiding judge Ms Justice Tara Burns ruled that Dowdall's evidence is admissible, rejecting defence objections that his guilty plea to the lesser charge of facilitating the murder constituted an unfair incentive. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang in the 2016 Regency Hotel attack, was sentenced to four years in prison. The court noted that the prosecution had not yet confirmed whether Dowdall had been accepted into the Witness Protection Programme, a matter Ms Justice Burns described as "astonishing" given the ongoing trial. She directed the prosecution to resolve this issue promptly, expressing dissatisfaction with the delay. Meanwhile, co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who are alleged to have participated in or contributed to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles, have pleaded not guilty. The trial will resume tomorrow to address the witness protection query before Dowdall is expected to give evidence.
Pierce McComiskey, aged 44, was jailed for three years and three months for an armed robbery at Rocks Jewellers on Grafton Street on 16 February 2022. He entered the shop with a knife, demanded diamonds from a female employee, and instead took envelopes of jewellery from a deposit drawer. He returned to his hostel in Dublin City Centre, where Gardaí found an orange backpack, a knife and the jewellery, including 31 rings that he had hidden internally. All the items were recovered and returned to their owners. McComiskey, who has 26 previous convictions and was already serving a sentence for another offence, admitted the robbery and stated he was addicted to crack cocaine. He was taken to hospital after the arrest and is now receiving drug counselling and methadone treatment. Judge Orla Crowe noted the robbery was pre‑planned, involved a knife, and caused fear for the shop employees.
Mark Rooney, aged 49, was jailed for seven years after a series of armed robberies. He first entered a chipper in Finglas on 18 November 2019 with a meat cleaver, demanding money from staff. On 19 January 2021 he entered a Burger King in Clearwater, Finglas armed with a small knife, held the knife to a young worker's neck, forced the till open, and fled. He left his mobile phone at the scene, which allowed Gardaí to identify him from a photograph on the phone's screen. Rooney had recently reported a burglary at his home and was on bail pending prosecution. He later attempted to rob a pharmacy in Dublin city centre on 13 July 2021, holding a knife to a security guard's throat; the guard seized the knife handle and forced Rooney out. Rooney was questioned by Gardaí, admitted to taking 20 Xanax tablets, and had a history of ten robbery convictions and thirteen drug offences. Mark Rooney pleaded guilty.
Paul Timmons, 31, of Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of robberies committed during a five-day binge in January 2020. Timmons pleaded guilty to four robberies and one attempted robbery. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to six years in prison but suspended the final three years, citing his serious rehabilitation efforts and expressed remorse. The sentence was backdated by seven months to account for time already served. The judge ordered Timmons to continue engaging in treatment and relapse prevention as deemed appropriate by the Probation Service. His brother, Patrick Timmons, also pleaded guilty to the robberies and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. The court heard that Timmons had 26 previous convictions, including five for robbery or attempted robbery. He successfully completed a residential rehabilitation course and is due to graduate from a construction training course. The judge praised Timmons' mother for her continued support. None of the stolen cash or dashcams were recovered.
Rafik Bin Salah, a 38‑year‑old Tunisian national, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for assault causing harm after refusing to pay a pregnant woman for a public sex act on Dublin's Eden Quay boardwalk on 24 August 2020. The victim, who was nearly seven months pregnant, had been begging for money and was offered €30 for a hand job. Salah paid €20, then tried to retrieve the money he had paid, knocking the woman to the ground. She suffered minor injuries and became hysterical, fearing for her baby's safety. Two witnesses saw the incident and called Gardaí. Salah, who has five prior convictions in Ireland, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Justice Karen O'Connor described the offence as hideous, noting no evidence he knew the victim was pregnant, and imposed the sentence after considering his good behaviour in custody, where he works as a prison barber. The maximum penalty for the offence is five years.
A 34‑year‑old man, Dean Paget, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder a pregnant woman, Lisa Ward, who was seriously injured in an attack on 25 April 2021 at Montague Lane, Dublin 2. Paget, who has no fixed abode, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court via video link from Cork on 15 November 2022. Judge Paul McDermott explained the normal practice would be to have the defendant present in court because of the gravity of the charge, but the defendant was allowed to plead via video link. The judge read the indictment to Paget, who answered "guilty." The court ordered an urinalysis and noted that a victim impact statement would be required. Sentencing was scheduled for 30 January, and Paget was remanded in custody until that date. The hearing was brief, with the victim present in the courtroom.
A 58‑year‑old married father of seven, Denis Aylmer, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting a 21‑year‑old university student outside a nightclub on 28 April 2018. Witnesses saw Aylmer pull the victim's penis up and down while his head was close to the student's penis, and the victim was later found unconscious and unresponsive. Aylmer, who had been drinking and had taken a line of cocaine that night, claimed the victim had consented to oral sex before the assault. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with 16 months suspended, and imposed strict conditions including probation supervision, sex‑offender interventions, and engagement with addiction services. The sentence reflected Aylmer's guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, remorse, and the impact on the victim, who was not present at sentencing.
A senior garda has given evidence to the Special Criminal Court describing the structure and operations of the "Hutch Criminal Organisation" in proceedings arising from the 2016 killing of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. Detective Superintendent David Gallagher, from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, testified that the organisation stems from intergenerational family bonds centred in Dublin city centre and operates on a patriarchal system prioritising monetary gain. He characterised it as less hierarchical than some criminal groups, describing it as fluid, with affiliates working together, independently, or alongside other organisations. The evidence was admitted despite objections from Gerard Hutch's legal team, who argued its admission would damage their client's presumption of innocence, though the court ruled it inadmissible against Hutch himself. Hutch, along with co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, denies involvement in the murder. The trial continues before a three-judge panel at the Special Criminal Court. Gerard Hutch pleaded not guilty. Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty. Jason Bonney pleaded not guilty.
Mark Byrne, 50, a former drug dealer, had been jailed for seven years in 2014 after stabbing his ex‑partner's new boyfriend with a kitchen knife, causing a life‑threatening kidney injury. After his release, he sent 12 threatening voice messages to the woman on the evening of 12 February 2021, claiming he would return to prison for the "right reasons" and that he was "stupid enough to make a point". The messages were recorded and used as evidence. Byrne pleaded guilty to harassment and to possession of cannabis for sale. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for each offence, to run concurrently, and ordered Byrne no future contact with the victim. The sentences were back‑dated to the date Byrne entered custody in February 2021. No further details of the case are provided in the article.
A 61‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years in prison, with the last six months suspended, for raping and sexually assaulting his younger cousin over four years from 1991 to 1997. The victim, aged ten when the abuse began, was subjected to repeated oral and anal rapes, with an estimated 50 anally rapes per year. The man denied the charges. He is already serving a seven‑year term for earlier assaults on four girls. The court noted the abuse was a severe breach of trust, citing the victim's young age, the familial relationship, and the prolonged, relentless nature of the attacks. The sentence includes a five‑year post‑release supervision period during which the offender must engage in sex‑offender treatment programmes. The judge considered the defendant's history of abuse and domestic violence as mitigating factors. The victim, now in his 40s, remains reluctant to discuss the abuse. The unnamed 61-year-old was convicted.
Mr Justice David Keane sentenced Dion Genockey (24), Troy Ryan (24), and Daryl Rooney (25) to nine years, nine and a half years, and 10 years respectively for raping a vulnerable teenager at Dollymount Strand in January 2016. The men were convicted following a second trial at the Central Criminal Court after a jury in the first trial failed to reach a verdict. All three maintain their innocence and have not accepted responsibility. Mr Keane noted the offence involved a high degree of degradation and that the victim, who had recently left State care, was subjected to further assault by two other men not before the court. Rooney, who has 225 previous convictions, received the longest sentence due to aggravating factors. Ryan has 24 previous offences, while Genockey has no prior convictions. The judge declined to suspend any portion of the sentences given the lack of remorse but placed all three under Probation Service supervision for two years post-release. Leave to extend legal aid for potential appeals was granted. The men have been in custody since the guilty verdicts in April. Supporters of the accused were removed from the court after shouting that the men were innocent.
James Walsh, 38, of Burnell Park Green, was found "out of it" on drugs and alcohol when he attacked taxi driver Ian Sweeney on September 29, 2018. Walsh used a silver bicycle chain, part of his Macbeth costume, to repeatedly strike Sweeney's car and then attempted to strike the driver. Sweeney, who was in his taxi, tried to move the vehicle and flagged gardaí. Walsh, who had been drinking heavily and taken Xanax, began to hallucinate and tried to strangle himself when arrested. He was taken to hospital where a CT scan showed brain abnormalities. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Walsh pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a 20‑month prison term, ordering Walsh to pay €4,000 to the victim within six months, or to a local charity if the victim declined. The case was heard by Sinéad McMullan BL and defended by Karl Moran BL.
Dublin City Council denied responsibility for former dog wardens after ending its contract with the Ashton Dog Pound. Kevin Bissett, John Mahon and Lee Gaskin were told by the pound's management that their employment would transfer to the council, but they were left without work from the end of June 2021. The men filed complaints with the Workplace Relations Commission under the European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 against David Stone, trading as Ashton Dog Pound, and the local authority. The council argued no staff transfers occurred when its contract ended and that it was entitled to outsource and later take the service back in-house without TUPE applying. The council's position was that the workers had been effectively dismissed if no transfer of undertakings took place. The tribunal heard evidence that the pound continued to operate for up to two months after the contract loss, providing services for other local authorities.
In a Dublin court, a 16‑year‑old boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, is on trial for the murder of Mongolian national Urantsetseg Tserendorj, who was 49 when she died. The boy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and to producing a knife and attempting to rob Ms Tserendorj on 20 January 2021. The prosecution, led by Sean Guerin SC, argued that the teenager "went for the jugular", taking a knife and stabbing her in the neck, an act that caused a fatal carotid artery injury. CCTV footage and the boy's admission to Gardaí were presented. The case focuses on the boy's state of mind at the time of the attack, with the jury instructed to decide whether the prosecution proved a guilty mind for murder or manslaughter. The trial continues tomorrow.
Alan Yip, 47, of Parnell Street, Dublin, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of providing registrars with false or misleading birth information between August 2012 and July 2015. Judge Martin Nolan stated Yip deserved a custodial sentence for his role in a scheme that facilitated Irish passports for children. Five co-accused parents—Ning Zhang, Wei Qin Xie, Jie Chen, Honghui Dong, and Peng Lin—each pleaded guilty to one charge of providing false birth particulars regarding their own children. Although the judge initially considered harsh sentences for deterrence, he ultimately decided against imprisonment, citing their desperation and mitigation. Each of these five defendants received a two-year term suspended in full. The court noted that Yip, a British citizen, falsely registered himself as the father of six children to allow their mothers to secure Irish citizenship and leave to remain. Defence counsel argued that custody would be overly severe for the parents, who had no permanent status. The judge acknowledged the parents' difficult circumstances but emphasized they had breached the law. The matter was finalized with Yip jailed and the others receiving suspended sentences.
In a 2002 case, Jim Fitzsimons, a former shop manager, lured a 12‑year‑old boy to a flat in Dublin where he and convicted sex offender Kevin Brazil sexually assaulted the child. Fitzsimons used promises of employment and cash gifts of €150 and €50 to groom the boy, while Brazil offered alcohol. The boy reported the abuse to his father, who took him to a Garda station, but the investigating officer failed to forward the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, a mistake the judge described as regrettable. Fitzsimons pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and was convicted on 10 October 2022. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 40 months, reduced to 30 months after considering mitigating factors. Brazil, aged 52, had previously been jailed for a similar offence and had pleaded guilty to assaulting a 12‑year‑old child.
A 22‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to six counts of assault causing harm and one count of assault, plus theft of the victim's car, bank cards, tablet and mobile phone. He also committed criminal damage to the victim's mother's home, threatened to burn it, and threatened to kill the victim and their unborn child between December 2017 and July 2019. The court noted seven separate assaults, including headbutting, strangulation attempts, biting, punching the pregnant victim in the stomach, dragging her down stairs, putting her head in a toilet, kicking her face, and threatening to cut the baby out of her. The judge imposed a total of eight years, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including good behaviour for three years, cooperation with treatment programmes and attendance at a domestic violence intervention assessment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jakub Chrzanowsli, aged 45, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for stealing over €150,000 from Polish businessmen. He had met the investors through a Polish business community group and promised astronomical returns, claiming to act as a middle‑man for Dublin City Council in selling council properties. The court found that the properties were not for sale and that Chrzanowsli had fabricated contracts and meetings in cafés or fast‑food outlets. He pleaded guilty to theft from a company and an individual between May 2017 and May 2018, and had one prior conviction. The judge noted his guilty pleas, lack of relevant convictions, and potential for reform as mitigating factors, and ordered €9,000 he had brought to court to be divided among the victims. The court also set up a repayment plan of €500 monthly, with €40,000 still outstanding.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Artiom Cerenkov pleaded guilty to possession of a realistic imitation firearm after a drunken incident on Abbey Street. Garda Ciaran Harford, on duty, confronted Cerenkov who was waving the imitation gun, restrained him, and secured the item. The armed support unit confirmed the firearm was an imitation. Cerenkov, who has 26 prior convictions mainly for shoplifting and has struggled with alcohol and homelessness, was found extremely intoxicated. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Cerenkov's guilty plea and his efforts at rehabilitation, sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspended in full. The judge praised Garda Harford's bravery and sensible handling of the situation and acknowledged the defendant's desire for a second chance. The case concluded with the suspended sentence and no custodial term imposed.
Four former employees of Beckett's Hotel & Restaurant in Leixlip, Co Kildare, have secured statutory redundancy payments from their former employer, Camrue Catering Ltd, following their layoff in March 2020. The company conceded all four claims during adjudication hearings before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between July and September 2022. The staff had their last day at work on 15 March 2020, before the hospitality sector closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The WRC was informed that the business had not traded since the first lockdown in 2020 and was still seeking investors. The largest payment order was made to head chef John Boyne, who had worked for the company for over 24 years and is owed €29,407 in severance pay. Other payments included €17,280 to Sandra Clarke and €13,619 to Nicky Corrigan. Michelle Flynn-Smyth, with nearly 16 years of service, is due approximately €10,000.
In a case heard in Dublin, three men aged 24—Dion Genockey, Troy Ryan and Daryl Rooney—were convicted of gang‑raping an 18‑year‑old woman at Dollymount Strand in 2016. The men were 17 and 18 at the time of the offence. Rooney had 225 prior convictions, including violent disorder and drug offences, while Genockey and Ryan had no convictions at the time of the rape. The court heard that after the initial assault, the victim was taken to a second car where two other men raped her before she was left on the beach. Defence counsel argued the men should be treated as minors, citing their ages, Rooney's ADHD and mild intellectual disability, and the men's claims of lack of intent. The judge was urged to consider the defendants' youth in sentencing, with the court scheduled to deliver a sentence on 4 November.
Lee McMullen, aged 22, pleaded guilty on 31 July 2019 to two counts of endangerment and two counts of dangerous driving after driving a car on the wrong side of a motorway at high speed with its lights off. The incident, which lasted eight to ten minutes, involved McMullen driving at speeds up to 160 km/h, crossing road dividers, and continuing onto the motorway in the outbound lane. Garda Michael Martin chased the vehicle, which eventually broke violently at the Leixlip junction and was abandoned. McMullen was apprehended nearby; passengers were later found in a taxi. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of 21 months for the endangerment count, with the remaining two years and three months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence reflects McMullen's eight prior convictions and the serious nature of the offence.
In a court hearing on 18 October 2022, the judge considered the case of Myles Howe, aged 49, who on 22 August 2020 broke into the Garda roads policing office at Dublin Castle through an emergency exit. Howe stole handcuffs, a radio, pepper spray and items of Garda uniform. CCTV footage later showed him attempting to conceal the stolen items in grass and a bin, after which the radio and handcuffs were recovered by Gardaí. The stolen uniform items were found at Howe's home in Dublin 8. Howe pleaded guilty to trespass and theft at Dublin Castle and also pleaded guilty to a burglary of a flat on Dawson Street in October 2021. He had previously been convicted of burglary, theft, assault and criminal damage. The case was initially before Dublin District Court, where the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to summary disposal, but Judge Brian O'Shea refused jurisdiction and referred it to the Circuit Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 18 October 2022, Christopher Carthy, aged 25, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a young woman who was unconscious near a LUAS stop on 1 April 2021. The victim, a vulnerable person in her 20s, had been drinking since about 10 am and was taken home by friends. She later told Gardaí she remembered nothing between sitting at the LUAS stop and speaking to a female Garda. A witness saw Carthy approaching her, speaking to her, and later returning to find him on top of her, touching her groin. Gardaí dragged Carthy away. Carthy claimed he was so drunk he was oblivious to his behaviour. The court found his actions "gravely reprehensible" and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, noting he had no prior convictions for sexual violence and was unlikely to reoffend. The victim's impact statement described feeling down and struggling to sleep, blaming herself for the assault.
Solicitor Eamonn O'Hanrahan of Fairview Strand Dublin brought a High Court challenge against the Clamping Appeals Officer and the National Transport Authority (NTA) regarding the dismissal of his appeal against an €80 clamping fee. Mr O'Hanrahan alleged that the appeal was heard in breach of natural and constitutional justice, specifically claiming the officer relied on submissions from notice party Dublin Street Parking Services Limited without providing him sight of that information or an opportunity to respond. He disputed the claim that his Suzuki Celerio was parked in a clearway on Fairview Strand on April 2, arguing appropriate signage was absent. In his judicial review, he seeks orders quashing the refusal, remitting the appeal to another officer, and declarations that the Clamping Appeals Officer and NTA must comply with natural justice principles under the 2015 Vehicle Clamping Act. The matter came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who questioned the proportionality of judicial review for an €80 fine but acknowledged the applicant's right of access to the courts. The judge directed that the application for permission be heard on notice to the Appeals Officer, NTA, and Dublin Street Parking Services Ltd. He noted that other judicial review cases involving special needs care allowances would be given greater priority. Consequently, the judge adjourned Mr O'Hanrahan's action to a date in late October 2023.
Noel Colvin, 45, a homeless man, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and production of an article at Harbour Court, Dublin, on 14 August 2020. He attacked a homeless woman, Natasha Smith, who was standing on a lane‑way off Lower Abbey Street. Colvin approached her, offered cider, then, after she asked him to step back, pulled out a blade and cut her face. She was taken to hospital and received 20 stitches, leaving considerable scarring. Colvin had a history of assault convictions and was suffering from an alcohol addiction. He apologized and a letter of apology was submitted to the court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment for the assault, taking the production of an article into account. The sentence was imposed at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016, until next Tuesday at 11am. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC stated that the trial is ready to proceed, noting that new evidence will be presented later in the proceedings. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, agreed to the new date after considering the availability of the three-judge panel. In related developments, Jonathan Dowdall (44) and his father Patrick Dowdall (65) have pleaded guilty to charges of facilitating the murder of Byrne. Jonathan Dowdall admitted to a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting, while Patrick Dowdall admitted to facilitating the murder and participating in criminal organisation activity by making a hotel room available. The State indicated it may enter a nolle prosequi against Jonathan Dowdall on the murder count. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, charged with facilitating the offence by providing vehicles, remain on trial. The court noted that if the trial extends past Christmas, arrangements may be made for early January.
Albert Redmond, 46, a crack addict with 401 prior convictions, was sentenced to two years in prison for a series of thefts in Dublin City Centre. He pleaded guilty to two separate counts of theft: one at Frame Experts in Ranelagh on 8 October 2019, and another at the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook on 6 February 2020. The court noted that Redmond has 401 previous convictions, including 144 for burglary and 120 for theft, and is already serving a nine‑year custodial sentence for another offence. Garda Detective Gerard Hickey presented evidence that Redmond stole a woman's wallet at Frame Experts, used her bank card for €28.40 supermarket purchases, and later stole a bank card at the Marco Pierre White restaurant, spending €29.40 on cigarettes.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC stated that the team was forced to carry out a 'fundamental reappraisal' of their strategy after being served with significant new evidence late last week. The court, presided over by Justice Tara Burns, granted a one-week adjournment, noting that the trial is unlikely to commence next Monday due to the court's full calendar. Mr. Hutch, who has been in custody since his extradition from Spain, was remanded until next Monday. He has not yet been arraigned. In related developments, the DPP indicated that a nolle prosequi could be entered against Jonathan Dowdall on the murder count, as he pleaded guilty last Wednesday to a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting. Jonathan Dowdall and his father, Patrick Dowdall, both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a room available at the hotel for a criminal organisation. Their sentencing was adjourned. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, charged with facilitating the offence by providing access to vehicles, were also due to stand trial but the matter was postponed to allow for further disclosure.
Former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall is being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after providing a statement to gardai that implicates others in the murder of David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel in 2016 as part of the Hutch/Kinahan gang feud. Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne by making a hotel room available for the Hutch gang ahead of the murder. They admitted to participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016. The three-judge Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall after hearing submissions from their respective counsel. The court heard that room 2104 in the Regency Hotel was booked using Patrick Dowdall's credit card on February 4, 2016, one day before Mr Byrne's murder. CCTV footage showed Patrick Dowdall arriving at the hotel, receiving key cards, and later handing them over to a known member of the Hutch criminal organisation. The matter is currently in the appeal stage.
A young woman who had recently left State care was gang‑raped on Dollymount Strand by three teenagers, Dion Genocky (23), Troy Ryan (24) and Daryl Rooney (24). The men, aged 17–18 at the time, drove her to the beach, where they took turns raping her. After the first assault, she was forced into a second car that arrived at the scene, where two more men from that vehicle raped her before leaving her on the beach. The case went to trial twice: the first in 2020, where the jury could not reach a verdict, and a second at the Central Criminal Court this year, where the men were convicted. The woman gave a victim‑impact statement via video‑link, describing the trauma, drug addiction and ongoing struggle for justice. She expressed hope that the men will pay for the pain and loss they caused. The court adjourned the case to 21 October for mitigation pleas.
Martin Aylmer, described as a 'trusted enabler' of the Kinahan Cartel, has been sentenced to 10 years and four months with the final two years suspended after pleading guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan in 2016. Aylmer also pleaded guilty to a similar offence in relation to the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately. Both men were targeted because the Kinahan cartel believed they were associated with people involved in the murder of David Byrne in February 2016. Aylmer was found guilty of importing tracking devices from the UK by ferry to be used in both crimes. He also pleaded guilty to participating in the plan to murder James 'Mago' Gately between September 7, 2016 and April 6, 2017. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Aylmer to five years' imprisonment for his involvement in the murder of Noel Kirwan and a consecutive sentence of five years and four months for his part in the attempted murder of James Gately. The final two years of the sentence were suspended for four years to allow for rehabilitation. The case is currently at the appeal stage.
In a unanimous Supreme Court ruling, the appeal by Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch and former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall to stop their trial for the Regency Hotel murder from proceeding before the Special Criminal Court (SCC) was dismissed. The Court, led by Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell, upheld the High Court's decision that the SCC remains lawfully in operation under the 1939 Offences Against the State Act and the 1972 Proclamation. The judges rejected arguments that the SCC had become an unlawful permanent court or that its existence required continuous review by the Dáil. They also found that the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission could not act as amicus curiae in this case. The Court will later order costs. The trial of Hutch (58) and Dowdall (44) for the murder of David Byrne (33) on 5 February 2016 will therefore proceed before the SCC.
A 15‑year‑old girl, Bernadette Donovan, was involved in a 40‑minute brawl at the Rotunda Hospital reception during a family feud. The fight, which took place around Christmas 2018, saw a group of five women and two men shouting at a couple who had come to the hospital. The altercation included a woman being kicked and a man holding a wine bottle. CCTV identified Donovan, who did not engage in violence, and she was arrested in March 2019. She pleaded guilty to affray. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to nine months, suspended for two years on strict conditions, noting her age and that she was the youngest participant. Donovan has no prior convictions and is completing a baking course.
Ian Kilroy, a Buddhist lecturer at the Technical University of Dublin, brought a discrimination claim under the Equal Status Act after receiving an email from the university's chaplaincy service on 15 February 2021 asking, "Who is Jesus?" He argued that the email, sent to a universal list, was an unsolicited proselytising act that discriminated against him because the chaplaincy was exclusively Christian and controlled by the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. Kilroy also claimed that the university failed to provide adequate facilities for minority faiths, citing the lack of dedicated spaces for Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist staff and students and the closure of the university's Zen Society. The adjudicating officer, Pat Brady, found no evidence of a discriminatory act, noting that the email was a universal notice and that the university had provided neutral spaces for reflection. The claim was dismissed, with the officer concluding that the email did not amount to discrimination.
Two semi‑professional footballers from Scotland, Liam Callaghan and Craig Johnston, both aged 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and obstruction in Dublin City Centre on 8 December 2019. The defendants, who are cousins and play for Montrose FC, attacked a victim after an altercation at the nightclub Xico on Baggot Street. The victim was punched in the jaw, struck with a traffic cone and a box, and suffered facial injuries, a fractured eye socket, and a broken ankle that required three surgeries. Garda Emmet Hayde testified that the defendants fled but were apprehended. The court heard the victim's impact statement, noting ruined Christmas, depression, anxiety, missed work opportunities and an economic loss of over €6,000. The defendants offered €2,000 as a gesture of remorse, which the victim accepted, but Judge Orla Crowe said this was insufficient. The sentencing was adjourned to 20 January 2023, with the court seeking a more concrete expression of remorse.
Paul Moody, a former Garda, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for coercive control and related offences against a terminally‑ill partner. Over a four‑year period, he sent more than 30,000 threatening and abusive messages, threatened violence, took secret photographs, and threatened to post them online. He also stole her keys, caused criminal damage, and physically assaulted her on several occasions. Moody pleaded guilty to a charge of coercive control covering 2019‑2020 and to 19 other counts including harassment, assault, criminal damage, theft and threats to kill. The court noted his guilty plea and the absence of prior convictions, and reduced the maximum five‑year sentence to the stated term. He will lose his Garda position and is remanded in custody pending the decision on a psychological report. The sentencing judge highlighted the severity of his conduct and the impact on the victim.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 61‑year‑old man was convicted of seven counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault against his younger cousin, who was ten when the abuse began in 1991. The court heard that the victim was raped as many as 50 times a year, with oral and anal rapes, until 1997 when the victim asked the man to stop. The abuse was described as "relentless and constant" and was carried out while the victim lived with the defendant, with a three‑year break when the victim lived elsewhere. The victim's parents were alcoholics and the family environment was described as neglectful, with several siblings placed in care. The defendant denies the allegations and has no remorse. He is already serving a seven‑year sentence for other sexual assaults on girls. Sentencing was adjourned to 24 October 2024.".
Thomas Kelly, a 35‑year‑old Dublin City Council worker, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of money laundering for transporting €10,000 in crime cash to settle a €700 drug debt. On 19 October 2019, Garda Sean Kelly of Finglas Garda Station stopped a silver car driven by Kelly, who appeared nervous. A search uncovered €250 in a white envelope and a package marked 'H2O' beneath the driver's seat, which contained the €10,000. Kelly admitted he had agreed to deliver the cash to Liffey Valley to reduce his drug debt and also mentioned a gambling debt. He has 14 prior convictions, mainly district court offences, and had previously repaid part of his debts from wages, leaving a final balance of €700. No one has claimed the money, which the Gardaí consider proceeds of crime.
Paul Boyle, 45, was arrested after an off‑duty Garda spotted him taking intimate photographs of a Luas passenger. A search of his phone revealed 40,000 images of women and girls, including up‑skirt shots of schoolgirls. A subsequent warrant uncovered over half a million images on a flash drive, with 275,800 depicting women's groins and buttocks, taken between June 2018 and January 2020. The same drive also contained a disturbing child‑pornography video showing an eight‑year‑old child bound and raped, a material first reported to Irish authorities in 2002. Boyle had prior convictions in Scotland. He pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. The court sentenced him to three years for harassment and five years for possession, suspending the final two and a half years, and imposed two years of post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with victims.
An appeal by former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 44, against the High Court's refusal to overturn the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision to try him for the Regency Hotel murder at the Special Criminal Court, has been struck out by the Court of Appeal. Dowdall and Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, aged 58, are charged with the murder of David Byrne, 33, at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin, on 5 February 2016. Both men had sought judicial review at the High Court, arguing that a non‑jury trial before the SCC would be unlawful and a breach of their fundamental rights, claiming the court was a permanent institution established on a temporary basis. Mr Justice Anthony Barr dismissed the actions, ruling that the legislation was not temporary and had no temporal limit. The Court of Appeal struck out Dowdall's appeal, following a decision by the Supreme Court to hear the Hutch and Dowdall appeals next Tuesday.