Lisa Lee, 41, was granted bail after a bench warrant was issued for her arrest following a failure to appear at the Central Criminal Court. Lee had previously received a half‑suspended four‑year sentence for discarding a knife used by Noel Lennon in the fatal stabbing of Isaac Horgan on 29 March 2021. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, described Lee as being in the "last‑chance saloon" and emphasized that her bail conditions would require her to reside at a named hostel in south Dublin, remain sober, keep her phone on hand for Garda and probation officers, and stay out of Dublin 2. The court noted that Lee had breached release conditions by committing public order offences and allegedly stealing a mobile phone. Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the matter to 8 April, stating that Lee's engagement with probation services could affect future cases. Lisa Lee was found guilty.
Lisa Lee, 41, was given a four‑year sentence for discarding a knife used in the fatal stabbing of Isaac Horgan, with two years suspended on the condition of good behaviour for three years after release. She had 17 prior convictions, including an attack on a female Garda, and had been warned to "put her life and house in order." Lee, who has no fixed abode and was formerly at Depaul Homeless Hostel, failed to appear at a Central Criminal Court hearing this morning, breaching the conditions of her suspended sentence. Judge Tony Hunt issued a bench warrant for her arrest, noting that her failure to attend court and alleged breaches of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act and a mobile‑phone theft claim were serious. The judge expressed frustration at what he described as "misplaced sympathy" for Lee, stating he would seek to compel her attendance and that further tolerance would not be extended. Lisa Lee was found guilty.
In a high‑speed chase on 27 December 2022, 20‑year‑old Kian Andrews drove a Toyota Avensis at 160 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, repeatedly rammed two Garda patrol cars, and drove on the wrong side of the road. Garda Sergeant Daniel Cuffe, patrolling the Sandyford and Dundrum area, pursued the vehicle, but Andrews refused to stop and continued to drive at dangerous speeds. When the Garda cars blocked the Avensis, Andrews attempted to drive into Sergeant Cuffe's car, prompting the officers to produce firearms. Andrews immediately raised his hands, cooperated, and was arrested. A small amount of cocaine and a flick knife were found in the vehicle. Andrews pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and possession of drugs, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a three‑year driving disqualification. The judge noted that the firearms produced by Gardaí had the desired effect in securing his arrest.
The High Court has appointed Mr Dessie Morrow and Mr Diarmaid Guthrie of Azets Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for Glenbeigh Construction Limited, a building company with 33 direct employees and many subcontractors. The firm is currently working on projects at Dublin Airport, two prisons, and a 100‑plus apartment development in South Dublin. It has six active projects, including a €36m contract at Dundrum Town Centre and works at Arbour Hill and Mountjoy Prisons, Terminal One at Dublin Airport, Northbank House, and Clarehaven & Seanchara Nursing Home. Glenbeigh has become insolvent after significant losses caused by Covid‑19‑related delays and rising labour and material costs, making several fixed‑price contracts loss‑making. The company had planned a €13m project in Killiney, expecting a €1m profit, but now anticipates a €1.2m loss. The liquidators are tasked with securing assets and ensuring an orderly winding up for creditors and employees. The case was adjourned to February.
Craig Mooney, 28, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply. Garda Kevin Kehoe recounted that on 25 January, a taxi driver reported an intoxicated, "obstreperous" passenger who could not be awakened. Gardaí removed Mooney from the taxi; he became abusive and was arrested. A search of the taxi revealed €725 worth of cocaine and 12 benzodiazepine tablets. A subsequent search of Mooney's residence on 2 February uncovered 2.3 g of cocaine (valued at €149) and 145 g of cannabis (valued at €2,914). Mooney has 32 prior convictions, including arson, road traffic offences and criminal damage. He has been in custody since February. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Mooney's intoxication and lack of wealth, imposed an 18‑month sentence back‑dated to February, taking mitigating factors into account.
In December 2023, a Court of Appeal hearing considered the appeal of Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, who had been sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for harassment and possession of child pornography. Boyle was caught by an off‑duty Garda on the Luas in December 2019 taking "up‑skirt" photographs of women and schoolgirls. A subsequent search of his Dublin home uncovered 275,800 images of women's groins, thighs and buttocks taken between June 2018 and January 2020, and a 2002 child‑pornography video described as "extremely explicit and disturbing." Boyle pleaded guilty in March 2022 to the harassment and possession charges. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five‑year term for harassment and a three‑year term for child‑pornography, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended and back‑dated to March 2021.
Alan Rooney, 54, of Stillorgan, was given a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for a series of offences committed on 18 September 2022 at Dundrum Town Centre. He pleaded guilty to theft, threats to kill, threatening abusive behaviour, breach of the peace, assault causing harm and entering a private kitchen and taking a kitchen knife. Rooney attacked a security guard, struck him five to six times and attempted to bring him to the ground before other security staff intervened. He also threatened a shopper, saying he would "cut the hearts out" of the shopper's wife and children. CCTV footage of the altercation was shown to the court. The judge, citing Rooney's 25 previous convictions, his 10‑year UK prison term for robbery and his moderate risk of reoffending, imposed the sentence on condition of probation, addiction services and victim‑focused work, suspending it in full for three years.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Victoria Dalton, aged 26, pleaded guilty to one count of theft after a petrol station robbery at Circle K, Dundrum, on 24 March 2020. Dalton entered the station at about 9.15 pm, asked for children's medicine, and was approached by a man whose face was covered with a scarf. He held a knife to her throat and demanded €120 from the till, threatening to kill her if she refused. The staff, fearing for their safety, handed over the money. Dalton later told Gardaí she was fine, but when a second officer arrived she admitted the knife had been held to her neck. She denied any role in the robbery, claiming she had gone to buy medicine for a toothache. The man, who matched the description of the accomplice, fled to a nearby apartment complex. Dalton was arrested shortly after the theft.
Noel Lennon, 49, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Isaac Horgan, 52, who died after being stabbed in the leg at his home in Dublin 2 on March 29, 2021. Originally charged with murder, Lennon pleaded not guilty to that charge but guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the State. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of nine years, reduced by 18 months to seven and a half years. The final year of the sentence was suspended for a post-release period of four years, with the judge warning that any breach would result in immediate custody. The sentence was backdated to March 30 last year. The court noted Lennon's high risk of re-offending and his 12 previous convictions. Aggravating factors included the impact on Horgan's nine-year-old son and the fact the victim was killed in his own home. A co-accused, Lisa Lee, was previously convicted by a jury of discarding the knife used in the attack. Lee, of no fixed abode, was jailed for two years last December. The report also notes that Horgan had previously been acquitted of the 2002 manslaughter of Douglas McManus, having pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges in that earlier case.
Lisa Lee, 41, was sentenced to four years in prison for discarding a knife that was used in the fatal stabbing of Isaac Horgan. The judge suspended two years of the sentence on the condition of good behaviour for three years after her release and required her to work with probation services. Lee, who has 17 prior convictions and has struggled with medical conditions and drug addiction, was warned to "put her life and house in order." She had no fixed abode and had previously lived at Depaul Homeless Hostel. The knife was discarded on 29 March 2021 at Spring Garden Lane, Dublin, after Noel Lennon had stabbed Horgan. Lennon, 48, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was also sentenced earlier that year. The court noted that Lee's attempt to hide the weapon was ineffective, as the knife was found in an area covered by CCTV.
Two financial funds, Emerald Sky II DAC and Lotus Decalia DAC, and their receivers, Myles Kirby and John Healy, obtained a temporary High Court injunction to stop businessman Patrick 'Paddy' Byrne, who is alleged to be the owner and director of Victoria Homes Ltd and Victoria Homes Development Ltd, from publishing or distributing confidential financial information he claims to possess. The injunction was granted on an ex‑parte basis by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore and remains in force until the case returns later in the week. Byrne's email, sent on 14 April, alleges he has the entire Lotus loan book, including names, contact details and risk assessments, and threatens to release it to the media if the plaintiffs do not respond by a specified date. The plaintiffs, represented by Edward Murray BL, argue that Byrne is not entitled to publish or distribute such material and that the email constitutes a potential GDPR breach.
During a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court, a nine‑year‑old boy, who has an acquired brain injury and autism, read a victim impact statement about his father, Isaac Horgan, who died from a stab wound to the leg in his Dublin home. The boy, who calls his foster parents Mam and Dad, said he is very sad that he will never see his Daddy again and asked if his Daddy's soul lives in the teddy bear named Blue that his father gave him. The statement, prepared with a social worker, noted the boy's loss will have a lasting impact and that he has never met his birth mother. The hearing also covered the sentencing of Noel Lennon, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and Lisa Lee, who was convicted of discarding the knife used in the stabbing. The court adjourned the matter to June 19 for sentencing.
A man has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment following a burglary at a residential property in Dundrum, south Dublin on July 2nd, 2022. Gary Bailey, aged 45, of Gleann Na Ri, Druids Valley, Loughlinstown, pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. During the incident, the male occupant confronted the intruder and a struggle ensued in which Bailey grabbed the homeowner by the groin. As Bailey attempted to escape through a bedroom window, the resident struck him several times with a golf club, causing Bailey to become briefly suspended upside down from the window blinds before falling. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Bailey's primary objective upon being confronted was escape rather than violence. The court heard Bailey had acted impulsively, telling gardaí the burglary was not premeditated and that he had been under the influence of medication at the time. The judge accepted that Bailey had displayed remorse and wished to apologise to both victims.
At the Central Criminal Court, Noel Lennon, 49, of Dundrum, Dublin, appeared regarding the alleged murder of Isaac Horgan, who died after being stabbed in the leg at his home in Markievicz House, Townsend Street, Dublin 2, on March 29, 2021. Lennon pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the State. He is also charged with impeding his own apprehension at Spring Garden Lane, Dublin 2, on the same date. Counsel for Lennon stated that a psychiatric report was pending, preventing the case from proceeding. Mr Justice Hunt noted it was "rather sad" that no family members were present to make a victim impact statement, though he confirmed the opportunity remained. Lennon was remanded in custody until April 17. Co-accused Lisa Lee, 41, of Little Britain Street, Dublin 7, is charged with impeding Lennon's apprehension. Her counsel noted she had missed a probation service call. Mr Justice Hunt directed Lee to continue signing on and contact the probation service, warning she could face a custodial sentence. He granted her bail, describing it as a "last chance saloon," and emphasized that any misconduct or failure to sign on would result in severe consequences. The matter was adjourned to April 17.
A 41‑year‑old woman, Lisa Lee of Conyngham Road, Dublin, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of discarding a knife that was used in the stabbing of Isaac Horgan, which later caused Horgan's death. Lee denied that she threw the knife away knowing or believing that Noel Lennon had caused serious harm to Horgan. The charge was altered during the trial when it was established that Horgan died after Lee had disposed of the knife. Lennon, 48, was initially charged with Horgan's murder but pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, with sentencing scheduled for January. The State's case was that Lee, in the company of Lennon, went to Horgan's flat and that Lennon stabbed Horgan in the leg, causing a fatal arterial bleed.
Con Cowman, a 31‑year‑old Vodafone retail advisor, was found to have stolen €22,500 by issuing refunds to his own bank card after the till had been balanced each day. The thefts, all directed to the same card, were discovered because Cowman was the only staff member scheduled on the days the transactions occurred. He admitted the wrongdoing when questioned by HR and was immediately suspended. Cowman later cooperated with Gardaí, secured a bank loan to reimburse Vodafone, and pleaded guilty to ten counts of theft covering 50 incidents from 1 January 2020 to 12 March 2021. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally accepted his guilty pleas, lack of prior convictions, cooperation, and loan, and imposed a headline sentence of 42 months. She reduced this to 28 months, which she suspended in full on the condition that he repay the stolen amount.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Noel Lennon, 48, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Isaac Horgan, 52, who was stabbed in the leg at his Dublin home on 29 March 2021. The State accepted the manslaughter plea. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered a victim impact statement and requested that the State inquire whether a relative of Horgan wished to speak. Defence counsel asked for a governor's report and a psychiatric report on Lennon, citing prison strokes and memory issues. Lennon was remanded in custody until 30 January 2023 for sentencing.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Kieran Greene's appeal against his murder conviction for killing Patricia O'Connor at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Greene, who pleaded not guilty, had argued that the trial judge erred by refusing to leave a defence of provocation to the jury, claiming he suffered a "slow burn" similar to domestic abuse victims. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy rejected this, stating there was no evidential basis for such a defence. The court also upheld the refusal to sever Greene's trial from his co-accused and dismissed arguments regarding the admissibility of hearsay evidence concerning the deceased's husband, Augustine O'Connor. Augustine O'Connor, who pleaded guilty to reporting his wife missing to gardai at Rathfarnham Garda Station on June 1, 2017, knowing she was dead, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and has since died. In related proceedings, Louise O'Connor was found guilty of acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death; Louise was jailed for two-and-a-half years. Stephanie O'Connor, found guilty of disguising herself as Patricia O'Connor, was jailed for one-and-a-half years. The appeal court confirmed the trial judge was correct in limiting jury options to murder, manslaughter, or acquittal, rejecting the defence's request for an accessory-to-murder verdict.
Patrick O'Donnell, aged 20, was charged after he accidentally reversed into a woman's car in a Dundrum Town Centre car park. He offered to pay €1,000 for the damage, but the woman refused and tried to stop him from driving away. CCTV showed O'Donnell driving forward slowly, striking her several times before finally hitting her again, causing injuries. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and dangerous driving. Judge Melanie Greally, after viewing the footage, noted the woman's attempts to prevent the incident and her pre‑existing depression and anxiety. O'Donnell's early guilty plea, remorse, lack of prior convictions and his age were mitigating factors. He received a two‑year prison sentence suspended in full for assault and a four‑month sentence suspended in full for dangerous driving, plus a four‑year driving ban. The woman was treated for severe bruising and headaches and has initiated a civil claim.
John Rock, a 42‑year‑old former Nightline courier, used his old uniform and staff ID to pose as a delivery driver and steal mobile phones from several Dublin shops between July 2019 and January 2020. He claimed to be collecting phones booked for repair, but instead took them and sold them immediately to pay drug debts. The stolen goods included a courier bag of eight phones worth €2,789, a Samsung phone valued at €800, and additional phones totalling €1,500. After a shop manager suspected his impersonation, Rock fled, prompting a Garda investigation that uncovered his uniform and documents marked for shredding. He pleaded guilty to four theft charges, had no prior record, and was sentenced to a suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, conditional on good behaviour and payment of €5,000 to Garda Finbarr Thompson. The judge noted this was his first offence and considered his personal circumstances.
The Court of Appeal heard arguments in the appeal of Kieran Greene, who was convicted of murdering Patricia O'Connor at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Greene's counsel argued that the trial judge erred by refusing to allow the jury to consider provocation, claiming Greene suffered a "slow burn provocation" similar to domestic abuse. Counsel also contended that Greene's trial should have been separate from that of Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston, whose charges stated Greene was the murderer, causing prejudice. Additionally, counsel sought to admit hearsay evidence regarding Augustine O'Connor and call a psychiatrist to testify about Greene's low IQ. The Director of Public Prosecutions responded that the trial judge was correct in excluding the provocation direction and the hearsay evidence. The matter was adjourned, with the three-judge panel to deliver their judgement at a later date. In related proceedings, Augustine O'Connor pleaded guilty to reporting his wife missing while knowing she was dead and was sentenced to 18 months in prison before his death. Louise O'Connor was found guilty of acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as Patricia O'Connor to conceal the death, and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years. Stephanie O'Connor was found guilty of disguising herself as her mother to conceal the death and was jailed for one-and-a-half years.
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.
A garda and prison investigation will be carried out into the death of Sameer Syed, who had been scheduled to stand trial for the triple murder of his wife Seema Banu and their children Asfira Riza and Faizan Syed. Syed, aged 38, was found dead in his cell at Midlands Prison in Co Laois on 9 June after taking his own life. The Central Criminal Court heard that the criminal file against him would be closed, formally ending the proceedings. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, also announced that a full inquest would be held into the deaths of Banu and her children. The court noted the tragic nature of the case and expressed sympathy for the victims' families. No further details about the investigation or the inquest were provided in the article.
Adrian Power, 50, recently released from prison, broke into Sheeran Insurance Brookers in Sandymount to escape the cold. He entered by kicking a PCV door, sat in an armchair, and told Gardaí he needed a place to stay. No damage or theft was reported. Power had previously pleaded guilty to trespass in May 2020 and had 87 prior convictions. He now claims he has turned his life around, is drug‑free, and lives with his partner in Athlone. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to a six‑month prison term, suspended for one year, on the condition that he keeps the peace and behaves well. The sentence was imposed after the court heard that Power had been awake on the Luas, walked around Sandymount, and sought shelter in the office. The court noted that Power had no fixed abode at the time of the offence.
Patrick O'Donnell, 19, was sentenced for assault causing harm after he accidentally reversed into a woman's car at Dundrum Town Centre on 15 December 2020. He offered to pay €100 for the damage but the woman refused and tried to prevent him from driving away. CCTV showed O'Donnell repeatedly struck her while she stood in front of the vehicle, causing injuries. The woman suffered severe bruising, a swollen eye, headaches and worsened depression. O'Donnell pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on bail, adjourned the case to 17 May for a Probation Service report, and urged him to seek employment and show remorse. The woman has initiated a civil action for her injuries. O'Donnell has no prior convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, four men—Rabah Rabai (20), Ibrahim Ouadria (21), Ishak Djebbari (22) and Hamen Guernane (21)—were found to have attacked a 16‑year‑old teenager who had witnessed the unlawful killing of their friend in May 2019. The victim was kicked and stamped on the head while on the ground, resulting in unconsciousness and injuries treated in an ambulance. The court noted that the teenager had previously testified as a witness in the 2020 trial of the unlawful killing and that three of the four accused were also witnesses to that death. All four pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sandyford Luas Stop on 22 June 2019. None had prior convictions. The judge remanded them on continuing bail, adjourned the case for finalisation on 28 April, and suggested the accused pay the victim a compensation of around €10,000.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Aleksander Janik, aged 23, pleaded guilty to engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at Dundrum Town Centre on 10 August 2019. Janik had placed his phone under a public toilet cubicle to capture images of a male occupant. The incident occurred after a man used the toilet at 6 pm, discovered a live phone in the cubicle, and confronted Janik, who then locked himself in the disabled toilet. Gardaí were called, and Janik was arrested. A subsequent garda interview and a search of his phone revealed images of shoes, legs and a toilet. Justice Karen O'Connor described the offence as a significant invasion of privacy, noted Janik's cooperation and mental health counselling, and suspended a one‑year prison term on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service for nine months and comply with all directions.
Michael McDonagh, aged 30, crashed his partner's car into a tree during a high‑speed Garda pursuit, then fled the scene. His partner reported the vehicle stolen and filed an insurance claim. Gardaí seized McDonagh's and his partner's phones, uncovering messages that McDonagh had driven the car and had asked his partner to falsely state it was stolen. McDonagh pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false statement at Tallaght Garda Station on 3 April 2020 and to attempting to deceive RSA insurance between 3 April and 5 May 2020. He also had a prior drink‑driving conviction that resulted in a four‑year driving ban. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions. The court noted the tree replacement cost was just over €2,000 and that the insurance claim for €7,000 was never paid.
A 19‑year‑old teenage car thief, Ross Crea, was jailed for three and a half years after a high‑speed chase across Dublin. He stole a car from a house on Kilmacud Road, drove through a patrol block, and then drove onto the M50, weaving through traffic, breaking red lights, and making a U‑turn. He crashed into a barrier near Harolds Cross and later into a petrol station kerb. Gardaí were not injured, and the incident lasted about 45 minutes. Crea pleaded guilty to three counts of reckless endangerment, three of dangerous driving and one of unlawful taking of a car. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years for endangering the gardai, suspended the final 18 months on condition of keeping the peace for five years, and banned him from driving for four years. He also received a two‑year concurrent prison term for a separate assault that occurred four weeks before the car chase.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume with several high-profile matters, including the appeal of Aaron Brady. Brady, 30, was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for robbery. His appeal is expected in 2022. Other upcoming trials include that of Sameer Syed, 37, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu and their two children in Rathfarnham in October 2021; his trial is scheduled for June 15, 2022. Michael Scott, 55, faces trial on January 11, 2022, for the alleged murder of Chrissie Treacy in Portumna in 2018. Stephen Silver, 44, is charged with the murder of Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020; his trial is also set for June 15, 2022. Additionally, an appeal by Boy B regarding the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel is expected before the Court of Appeal. Boy B and Boy A were found guilty in 2019; both were 13 at the time, denied the offences, and were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre.
Bo Yu, 38, was jailed for eight months after being caught masturbating in three different stores in Dundrum on several occasions in 2019. He pleaded guilty to public masturbation at House of Fraser on 27 and 30 November, and at Penneys and Marks & Spencer on 3 December. At the time of his arrest he was found with a sex toy, an unused condom and lubricants. The court noted that he was clearly aroused during the incidents and that shoppers were largely unaware of his conduct. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended the final four months for two years, and ordered him to engage with the Probation Service and undergo treatment for sex offenders. No prior convictions were recorded.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 June 2021, Erika Gould, 36, pleaded guilty to assaulting three gardaí in Dundrum on 1 June 2020. The court heard that Gould, after a traffic cone was thrown into the Garda Station car park, threw a bottle of wine at officers, spat and kicked them as they attempted to restrain her, and spat on Garda Brian Hennessy's stomach. She also called a sergeant a "prick" and a "fucking arsehole" and claimed she "had the virus" while trying to spit on officers. A doctor later confirmed she was not ill. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Gould to 18 months' imprisonment, suspended all but five months, and ordered a year's supervision by the Probation Service. The court noted her 118 previous convictions and her abstinence from alcohol for five months prior to the offence. The case was referred for appeal with extended legal aid.
Gary Murphy, 36, was sentenced to a fully suspended four‑year term after pleading guilty to attempted burglary and production of an article at Bentley House, a homeless care centre in Dun Laoghaire, on 14 March 2019. He had tried twice to force entry, once with a hammer‑bearing accomplice, and had threatened a resident. Murphy, who had 75 prior convictions and a history of alcohol misuse, claimed intoxication and that his intent was to obtain a "straightener" to settle an argument. The court noted his significant addiction issues, his role as a father, and a largely positive Probation Service report. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for two and a half years. No custodial time was imposed. The judge emphasised the outrageous nature of his conduct and the need for leniency given his circumstances.
A 35‑year‑old Polish‑born man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 in Ardee, Louth. The court heard that Piotrowski had decapitated his mother, leaving her body in the hallway of her home, and that an axe and several Stanley knives were found near the scene. He had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial but was considered fit after psychiatric assessment. The judge noted the case was the second in a short period where drug‑induced psychosis had led to a "horrific tragedy". Piotrowski had also lied to psychiatrists to obtain a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a lesser sentence. The sentencing was described as the "most tragic of cases" and the judge ordered monitoring of his psychiatric condition in prison. The judge also expressed sympathy for the victim's husband, daughter and grandmother.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Graham Shields, aged 34, received a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for assault causing harm after punching his then partner in the face at Mulvey Park, Dundrum, on 1 July 2018. The court noted the attack followed a verbal exchange after a wedding celebration involving alcohol. Shields, diagnosed with an anti‑social personality disorder and experiencing high anxiety, pleaded guilty. The victim suffered significant injury, including swelling and bruising that took about three weeks to heal, blurred vision, and required two years of weekly counselling. Shields has no prior convictions, is on cordial terms with the victim, contributes financially to their son, and is under Probation Service supervision for 18 months. The judge suspended the entire sentence on strict conditions, citing Shields' mental health history, lack of previous convictions, and remorse.
A 33‑year‑old Polish man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was found fit to stand trial by Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court after two consultant psychiatrists disagreed on his fitness. The judge was satisfied that Piotrowski could navigate a plea, follow evidence and make a proper defence. He was charged with decapitating his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 at her home in Clonmore, Ardee. The body was discovered that morning with multiple stab wounds and an axe and Stanley knives nearby. Piotrowski was arrested the same day and had previously been deemed unfit to be tried by psychiatrists at the Central Mental Hospital. Dr Mary Davoren, after a November consultation, concluded he was now fit, citing his understanding of plea options and good concentration. Dr Conor O'Neill disagreed, asserting ongoing delusional beliefs and a history of substance misuse.
In a 2018 incident at Rathmines, Stephen McNamee (26), his partner Natalie Mulligan (34) and her cousin Mark Connolly (26) chased and assaulted Paul O'Kelly after he made a derogatory remark about Mulligan's weight. The trio, all intoxicated, punched and kicked O'Kelly as he lay on the ground in a car park. CCTV footage showed the violence, prompting the court to describe it as "very disturbing". All three pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and were placed on bond to keep the peace until January 15, 2021. Judge Karen O'Connor discharged them under section 11 of the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, noting their remorse, lack of prior convictions, and young age. Each defendant paid €1,500 to O'Kelly as a practical expression of remorse. O'Kelly suffered nerve damage, dental surgery and ongoing anxiety as a result of the attack. The court recorded the defendants' expressions of regret and the impact of the assault on the victim.
A 65‑year‑old woman, Lynda Goldsmith, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with 14 months suspended, after pleading guilty to four counts of stealing cash and one of theft of an ATM card from a 90‑year‑old friend while the victim was in hospital. Goldsmith had taken more than €2,700 from the victim's bank account over three months, using the victim's debit card and a stolen ATM card, and had also taken an unquantified amount from the victim's purse. The judge noted that the thefts were aggravated by the victim's illness and that Goldsmith had memorised the victim's PIN. Goldsmith's guilty plea, admissions, ill health and remorse were considered in mitigation. She will serve 14 months of probation and is prohibited from unsupervised volunteer care work. The victim's son gave a victim impact statement describing the thefts as a profound loss of security and trust. The case was prosecuted by the Gardaí.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd praised Garda Fergus Holly's bravery after he was dragged and run over by a car driven by Clive Sweeney, 37, who was attempting to flee from Dundrum Town Centre. Sweeney, who had 85 prior convictions and was on bail, pleaded guilty to endangerment and failing to stop. Holly sustained bruising and a permanent finger injury. The judge noted Sweeney's reckless driving, his guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances, including drug addiction. She imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final year on the condition of one year of probation supervision, and a ten‑year driving ban. The incident involved a blue Fiat Bravo that had been used in a theft at Snow and Rock earlier that month. The judge commended Holly for his courage and acknowledged the aggravating factor that Sweeney knew Holly was a garda.
In a case involving the alleged murder of Elzbieta Piotrowska, a 57‑year‑old Polish woman found decapitated in her Ardee home on 8 January 2019, the Central Criminal Court is set to decide whether her son, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, aged 33, is fit to stand trial. Dominic McGinn SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, presented evidence that Piotrowski's body was discovered with multiple stab wounds and that an axe and Stanley knives were nearby. Piotrowski was arrested the same day and was previously declared unfit to be tried after assessments at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. However, Dr Mary Davoren reported on 3 December that Piotrowski is now fit to stand trial, following a November consultation in which he admitted lying to psychiatrists. Contrarily, Dr Conor O'Neill, a consultant psychiatrist at the CMH, disagreed, asserting that Piotrowski remains suffering from delusional beliefs consistent with paranoid schizophrenia and is still unfit to plead.
A 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified due to his minor status, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years' detention for the manslaughter of 18-year-old Azzam Raguragui. Mr Justice Paul McDermott delivered the sentence after a jury found the defendant not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter in September. The victim died in May 2019 after being stabbed five times during a fight in Finsbury Park, Dundrum, Dublin 14, which allegedly stemmed from a dispute over a stolen bicycle. The judge noted that while the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the fatal wound was inflicted after the victim fell, the defendant brought a knife to the altercation, an aggravating factor. Further aggravating circumstances included the defendant's failure to seek assistance, his pursuit of the victim while he lay on the ground, and his attempt to dispose of the weapon. CCTV footage showed the defendant celebrating with friends shortly after the attack. Mitigating factors included the defendant's early guilty plea offer, cooperation with gardai, and his young age. Emotional statements were read from the victim's parents, Abdul and Hajiba Raguragui, and cousin Younes Talibi. Abdul Raguragui described being haunted by images of the killer 'high-fiving' friends after the stabbing, while his wife expressed grief over the loss of their 'kind' son. The matter was concluded with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
On 7 March 2020, Raymond Neeson (44) and Francis Duffy (43) were caught breaking into Central Park Apartments in Leopardstown. Neeson assaulted three residents, spat blood in a Garda car, broke a wing mirror and defecated in a Garda cell, while Duffy tried to hand Neeson a shatter hammer and fire extinguisher before both were restrained by the residents. Neeson pleaded guilty to burglary, three counts of assault causing harm, a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a Garda, and criminal damage to a squad car. Duffy pleaded guilty to burglary. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Neeson to four and a half years' imprisonment and Duffy to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting Neeson's more serious conduct and Duffy's lesser role. Both men have numerous prior convictions. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Deirdre Morley, 44, of Parson's Court, Newcastle, Co Dublin, faces charges of murdering her three children – sons Conor (9) and Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3). Their bodies were found at the family home on 24 January. The Central Criminal Court heard that the prosecution awaits a psychiatric report. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC indicated the case will likely be an "insanity" trial, expected to last three days. Morley has been treated at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum since the deaths and was not required to attend the hearing.
Lynda Goldsmith, aged 65, stole more than €2,700 from a 90‑year‑old friend over three months. She took cash from the victim's bank account by using the victim's debit card to buy groceries and also withdrew money from the victim's purse, which was kept in a drawer in the victim's bedroom. Goldsmith admitted in a Garda interview that she stole the cash because she felt her pension was insufficient and that she thought it would be "nice to have a bit of money". She pleaded guilty to four charges of stealing cash and one of theft of an ATM card, representing a sample of 31 thefts between 16 January and 4 April 2019. The court heard that after stealing the victim's card in hospital, Goldsmith accepted €70 from the victim's son, claiming it was owed for petrol money.
In a drunken brawl on 24 April 2018, Mark Connolly (25), Stephen McNamee (25) and Natalie Mulligan (33) chased Paul O'Kelly from a chipper in Rathmines, punched and kicked him as he lay on the ground, and then attacked him again in the car park of the Rathmines Garda Station. CCTV footage showed the trio striking O'Kelly, who later suffered nerve damage to his thumb and required surgery. All three pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Karen O'Connor, after viewing the footage, placed them on bond to keep the peace until 15 January and indicated she intended to order 100 hours of community service in lieu of a one‑year prison term. Each defendant brought €1,500 to the court as a practical expression of remorse. The court heard that the defendants were intoxicated and expressed remorse, and that O'Kelly had also consumed cocaine and cannabis that night.
In a Dublin court, a 17‑year‑old was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui during a melee in Finsbury Park on 10 May 2019. The teenager had pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the start of the trial, but the Director of Public Prosecutions rejected the plea. The jury, after more than 13 hours of deliberation, returned a majority verdict of ten to two. The victim died from five stab wounds, one of which severed the subclavian artery, causing massive blood loss. The defendant was taken to Oberstown Detention Centre pending a sentence hearing on 12 October. The trial heard conflicting accounts of the fight, with the defence arguing the accused acted in self‑defence during a "terrifying brawl.".
In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott instructed a jury of six men and six women to decide whether a 17‑year‑old accused of killing 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui in a Dublin park on 10 May 2019 was guilty of murder or manslaughter. The accused, who has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claims he acted in self‑defence during a melee that erupted over a stolen bike. The judge explained that the key question is whether the accused honestly believed the force he used was necessary. If he truly believed he was defending himself but used more force than a reasonable person would consider necessary, the verdict should be manslaughter. If the prosecution can exclude that belief, the verdict should be murder. The jury will return tomorrow to continue deliberations.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old accused of murdering 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui was defended by Michael Bowman SC, who argued the boy acted in fear during a chaotic brawl. Bowman claimed the accused believed he was in self‑defence and should be found guilty of manslaughter, not murder. He described the fight as spiralling out of control due to youthful posturing, fear, adrenaline, immaturity and lack of judgement, with the accused armed with a knife and assembling a group to confront Raguragui and his friends. James Dwyer SC for the prosecution maintained that the accused had a clear intent to kill or cause serious harm, citing the stabbing of Raguragui's chest and back and the accused's prior statements to Gardaí. The prosecution argued that intent to kill or cause serious injury is required for murder, and that the natural and probable consequences of the stabbing were serious harm.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old accused of murder explained to the Gardaí that he was panicking and attempting to break up a fight when he stabbed 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui in a Dublin park. He claimed he had no intention of using a knife, which he had carried for no reason, and that he struck Raguragui only to scare him off after the victim ran at him. The accused said he had never used a knife before and that he was terrified of being beaten. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of twelve. The case is still at the trial stage.
In a Dublin park melee on 10 May 2019, 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui was stabbed to death. Acting State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that four stab wounds were inflicted, one to the chest severing the subclavian artery below the shoulder blade. The arterial injury caused massive blood loss and death shortly thereafter. The other wounds—on the chest, upper back, right arm and right thigh—were minor but contributed to his death. No defensive wounds were found on his hands or arms, and no head or neck injuries were noted. The 17‑year‑old accused, a minor, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder; the plea was rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continues tomorrow.