John Bayly, 31, of Foxdene Gardens, Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Foxdene Avenue on 2 June 2017 and at Clonburris, Clondalkin, on 27 September 2018. In June 2017, Bayly was observed by plain‑clothes Gardaí in the middle of a drug transaction; when approached he fled on his bike, leaving a plastic container that contained crack cocaine and heroin worth €2,283.12. In September 2018, Gardaí on plain‑clothes duty observed a group of drug addicts in Clonburris; Bayly arrived, asked several people what they wanted, including two Garda members, took orders, walked away and returned with a plastic bag containing heroin, crack cocaine and Alprazolam tablets worth €7,832. Bayly has 69 previous convictions, including drug possession and road traffic offences. He was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions.
A 48‑year‑old man, Mark Tims, was jailed for seven years after he kicked and stamped his 74‑year‑old father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, to death in their shared kitchen. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted that the father had been drunk and that the son had been provoked by verbal abuse, but the father's words were not considered a physical provocation. The father had a pre‑existing heart condition and died from injuries sustained when Mark struck him with a mug, then stamped and kicked him repeatedly. Mark had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder; the jury acquitted him of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from ten to seven years and six months, with the final six months suspended for two years on the condition of good behaviour and probation cooperation. The case was heard in January 2020 following a two‑week trial.
The Court of Appeal has listed an appeal against the conviction of an unnamed 15-year-old, referred to as Boy B, who was unanimously found guilty of murdering 14-year-old Ana Kriegel in May 2018. Boy B, who was 13 at the time, lured the victim from her home to a derelict house in Lucan where he was attacked by his friend, Boy A. Boy B was sentenced to 15 years detention, reviewable after eight years, with an earliest possible release date in June 2027. His co-accused, Boy A, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years for murder, plus eight years for aggravated sexual assault; no appeal has been lodged on Boy A's behalf. Boy B is appealing his conviction only, not the sentence. DPP counsel Brendan Grehan SC stated that three grounds of appeal were submitted, with the hearing scheduled for April 24. The President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, confirmed that media will be present, but strict anonymity rules regarding the boys' identities, families, and schools remain in force. Boy B is currently detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus, and arrangements for his transfer to court are being finalized. The matter is at the appeal stage, with the hearing set for a future date.
Joseph Fraser, a 43-year-old businessman from Leopardstown who formerly owned Fraser Oil, has had his appeal against the severity of his sentence dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Fraser pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman at Foxborough Downs in Lucan on September 19, 2017. Judge Melanie Greally originally sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, on November 27, 2018. Representing himself after dismissing his legal team, Fraser argued that the sentencing judge rushed to judgment and failed to consider a non-custodial option. He also contested the finding that the victim suffered a broken eye socket, claiming it was merely bruised, and suggested the judge should have heard DNA evidence regarding his boots. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, rejected these submissions. She stated that the circumstances were so extreme that a custodial sentence was unavoidable and confirmed the factual basis for the injury findings. The court noted that Fraser had not sought a Newton Hearing at the original sentencing to present additional evidence. Ms Justice Kennedy further clarified that arguments regarding temporary release were matters for the executive, not the courts. The three-judge panel, including Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, upheld the original sentence, leaving Fraser with an effective custody period of two and a half years.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr was refused permission to vary his bail to travel to Spain for his mother's 75th birthday. Mr Justice Paul Coffey at the Special Criminal Court denied the application, noting that the celebration could have been held within the jurisdiction and criticizing the timing of the booking changes after Mansfield had surrendered his passport. Mansfield, of Saggart, Co Dublin, is charged with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January 1 and June 30, 2015, and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. His trial is scheduled for April 20. The court noted that Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, who are alleged to have conspired with Mansfield, have already pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault charges related to the same incident. O'Hare was sentenced to ten years in prison, with three years suspended, for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and assaulting John Roche in Saggart on June 9, 2015. Duffy was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and assaulting John Roche at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, on the same date. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offences and the proximity of the trial date in refusing the bail variation.
Damien Gray, 36, was found asleep beside a playground in Hermitage Park, Lucan, where officers discovered a Kleenex packet containing €5,700 worth of heroin in individual street deals and later a quantity of crack cocaine. He pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 31 May 2017. With 12 prior convictions, including three drug offences, Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to two years imprisonment but suspended the sentence in full on strict conditions, requiring compliance with Probation Service directions for 12 months. Gray admitted acquiring the drugs three or four days earlier to fund his living and claimed he owed €500 to a friend. He stated he had been smoking heroin for two weeks and feared trouble after the drugs were seized. Garda Ronan Culligan noted that Gray's home was broken into and he was attacked with a machete, leaving scars.
In 2014, 29‑year‑old Darren Byrne, then struggling with a chronic drug addiction, pointed a knife at two 17‑year‑old girls on Trinity Street, demanding their belongings. He pressed the knife to one girl's throat, took a handbag with cash and an iPod, and fled. The girls were later apprehended by Gardaí. Byrne admitted the robbery, claiming he was under the influence of tablets. He was charged with robbery and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court noted his prior convictions for robbery and theft, his escape to the UK, and his subsequent return to Dublin where he secured employment. Judge Pauline Codd, acknowledging his rehabilitation and remorse, imposed a suspended sentence of three and a half years, conditional on maintaining peace. The co‑accused received a suspended two‑year sentence. The case highlights Byrne's significant turnaround from drug use to stable employment and community involvement.
Clive Kavanagh, 37, was found guilty of possessing €829,265 in cash at Tougher's Garage, Naas, on 1 September 2017, believing it to be proceeds of crime. He was sentenced by Naas Circuit Criminal Court to three years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, on 4 July 2019. The Court of Appeal upheld this sentence, rejecting the Director of Public Prosecutions' appeal that it was unduly lenient. The judge noted that Kavanagh was not the owner of the money and that the case involved theft. He had a history of self‑employment in construction and eight prior minor traffic convictions, plus a suspended sentence for drug possession. The suspended portion was justified to aid his family, who depend on him, and to encourage rehabilitation. The appeal was dismissed.
In a Central Criminal Court case, Mark Tims (48) was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after he killed his father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims (74), on the latter's birthday. The jury, after six hours and 17 minutes, accepted Tims' plea of guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder. The incident occurred at Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, when Tims, provoked by his father's harsh remarks and a heated argument, struck him with a cup and then kicked him three times, causing fatal injuries. Tims was taken to Midlands Prison pending a sentencing hearing on 24 February. Justice Tony Hunt thanked the jurors and exempted them from further service for 12 years, describing the case as tragic for all involved. The trial highlighted the tense relationship between father and son, with Tims' girlfriend Elizabeth McDonagh testifying about their frequent disputes and the father's controlling behaviour.
Mark Tims, 48, admitted striking his father Anthony 'Tony' Tims with a cup and kicking him after a heated argument over drinking. He claimed he was enraged and had a history of conflict with his father, describing him as harsh and often blaming him. Tims said he had previously harmed himself when his father was abusive. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The incident occurred on 13 July 2018 at their home in Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Tims told Gardaí he loved his father, who he compared to Kenny Rogers, and that he would carry the guilt for life. He left the house after the assault and spent the next 24 hours in a park before being arrested. The trial has heard that the father returned home from the pub on his 74th birthday and the dispute escalated. The case is still pending.
James Gannon, 32, of St Mark's Drive, Clondalkin, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for possession of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty to offences at Citywest Storage, Tallaght, and at locations in Lucan on 22 March 2018. The court found €1.1 million worth of drugs in brown boxes labelled "Sport Socks" at a storage unit in Gannon's name. Gardaí had observed Gannon entering the unit, driving a van to Ballyowen Castle Shopping Centre, and passing drugs to another man who later drove away in a car carrying €34 972 worth of cocaine. Gannon admitted renting the unit and that he had never stored drugs before, citing a €20 000 drug debt. He has two prior convictions for road traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a nine‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on conditions.
Boy B, a 15‑year‑old, will appeal his murder conviction on 24 April. He was found guilty of killing 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel in May 2018, when he was 13. The Central Criminal Court, applying children's court procedures, sentenced him to 15 years' detention, reviewable after eight years. Boy B's appeal concerns only the conviction, not the sentence. The Court of Appeal set an early hearing date; counsel expects the hearing to last a day. Boy B is currently detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus, with a possible release in June 2027. The case attracted significant media interest, leading the trial judge to restrict coverage. No appeal has been lodged on Boy A's behalf, who was also convicted of murder and aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years and eight years for the assault. The court will consider the boys' conduct in custody when reviewing their sentences.
In the Central Criminal Court, 48‑year‑old Mark Tims admitted killing his father, Anthony Tims, but denied murder. He told Garda Colm Harrington that he had a heated argument over a burnt breakfast and that his father's repeated complaints about drinking had provoked him. Tims claimed he struck his father with a cup, then kicked him when he fell. He said he felt his head "boiling" and "freaked" during the incident. Garda Aine O'Sullivan recorded that Tims described his father's death as a result of blunt‑force trauma, noting that the body had multiple fractures and bruises. The trial heard that Tims had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve. The court has not yet delivered a verdict.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced two 15‑year‑old boys to life with a review after 12 years and 15 years with a review after eight years, respectively, for the murder and sexual assault of 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. The boys will be detained in a young offenders centre until 18, then transferred to an adult prison. The judge noted the boys' ages as a mitigating factor, but emphasised their responsibility for Ana's death. He described the crime as calculated, violent and shocking, and highlighted the boys' lack of remorse and the severity of the assault. The sentences were back‑dated to the June convictions, and the judge ordered reports for the review periods. The hearing included statements from Ana's parents and Garda officials, who praised the investigation and expressed gratitude for the justice delivered.
The High Court has authorised the sale of the last property linked to John Gilligan, a three‑bedroom house at Willsbrook, Lucan, for €380,000. The house had been rented to long‑term tenants after seizure by the Criminal Assets Bureau. Justice Carmel Stewart granted the sale, allowing Gilligan's daughter Tracey to receive 20 % of the net proceeds. REA McDonald estate agents secured a buyer; they argued the €380,000 price reflects fair market value due to required repairs and noise from a nearby road, which had reduced interest over the past three months.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr, 52, of Saggart, Co Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court where Mr Justice Paul Coffey set April 20th, 2020, as the date for his trial to begin. The non-jury trial is expected to last three weeks. Mr Mansfield is charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1st, 2015, and June 30th, 2015. He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the alleged false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, between June 9th, 2015, and June 12th, 2015. These are allegations; no plea or finding has been recorded. Defence counsel Tony McGillicuddy BL stated that Mr Mansfield is a working man, divorced, and subject to a €6 million High Court judgment. He currently lives with his mother and provides money to his ex-wife. Mr Mansfield was granted legal aid last Tuesday. Today, he was remanded on continuing bail to appear before the court again on April 20th. He was previously admitted to bail on July 3rd on an independent surety of €10,000, with conditions including signing on weekly at Lucan Garda station and not leaving the country.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 3 December 2019, businessman Jim Mansfield Junior, aged 52, was granted legal aid on charges of false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. The court heard that Mansfield had a €6 million judgment against him and that he was charged with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2015, and with directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage relating to Byrne's false imprisonment at Finnstown House Hotel between 9 June 2015 and 12 June 2015. Mansfield, who lives with his mother and provides financial support to his ex‑wife, was not placed in the dock but sat at the back of the courtroom. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions noted that Mansfield had applied for legal aid in October and was not opposing it.
Keith Murtagh, 35, of Mariner's Port, Sheriff Street, Dublin, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for armed robbery of the Roebuck post office on 5 January 2016. He had pleaded not guilty to robbery, possession of a shotgun and possession of a shotgun cartridge. A 10‑day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ended with unanimous guilty verdicts on all charges. Judge Melanie Greally noted the pre‑meditated nature of the offence, the discharge of a firearm, and Murtagh's prior conviction for a similar offence. She credited him for voluntarily meeting Gardaí, providing a DNA sample, his difficult childhood, his charitable activities and his efforts to improve himself in prison. The sentence was back‑dated to his first custody date in November 2017. The robbery involved two men, one armed with a handgun and one with a shotgun, who stole €2,754 from the post office and €420 from a fine‑food shop on the premises.
In November 2019 the Central Criminal Court struck out contempt of court proceedings against Facebook Ireland Limited and Twitter International Company that had been brought over the sharing of the identities of the two 15‑year‑old boys who murdered schoolgirl Ana Kriegel. The injunction, originally imposed by Mr Justice Michael White on 19 June 2019 and extended by Mr Justice Paul McDermott on 26 July 2019, required the platforms to remove any photographs or material identifying the boys. The court noted that the injunction had been discharged and the proceedings struck out after the boys' sentencing on 5 November 2019, with the platforms having cooperated in removing offending material and halting its proliferation online. The court also confirmed that any breach of the injunction would constitute contempt of court and a criminal offence under the Children Act 2001.
Derek Tuohy, 37, of Lucan, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to assault causing harm at his home on 1 November 2017. The offence involved him head‑butting his then partner, Samantha Murphy, picking her up by the neck and throwing her out of the house. The incident followed a Halloween party where Tuohy had been intoxicated. He punched Murphy three times on her right thigh, head‑butted her to her right temple, kicked her in the stomach, and then lifted her and threw her out of the house. Murphy suffered a fall down the stairs and was left barefoot on the street. She later obtained a protection order. Tuohy had nine prior convictions for road traffic and public order offences and had made no contact with Murphy or their child since the incident.
In a hearing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, the Central Criminal Court set the earliest possible release dates for two teenage boys convicted of murdering and sexually assaulting 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. Boy A, now 15, faces a life sentence with a review after 12 years and an additional eight‑year term for aggravated sexual assault; his earliest release from the custodial portion is June 18, 2031. Boy B, also 15, received a 15‑year detention sentence with a review after eight years; his earliest release is June 18, 2027. Both boys will be detained at a young offenders centre until age 18, then transferred to an adult prison. Mr Justice McDermott ordered bi‑annual probation, governor and education reports to be prepared for the reviewing court, beginning after their release from Oberstown detention centre. The reports aim to inform the court of the boys' development and progress, not to micro‑manage their sentences.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced Boy B, then 13, to 15 years' detention for luring 14‑year‑old Anastasia Kriegel to an abandoned farmhouse where she was sexually and violently assaulted and murdered by his friend. The judge noted Boy B watched the assault, did not intervene or seek help, and was aware of the events, yet remained indifferent. He had fabricated lies about the incident, which the judge described as "clear and brazen." Boy B has not accepted the jury's verdict and maintains he had no part in the crime. Defence counsel highlighted his low risk of re‑offending, personal difficulties, and suicidal tendencies, while also noting his remorse for not intervening. The sentence includes a review after eight years. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further outcome reported. The unnamed boy was convicted.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 5 November 2019, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced a 15‑year‑old boy, referred to only as Boy A, to life imprisonment for the violent sexual assault and murder of 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. The sentence will be reviewed after 12 years. The judge described the crime as the most serious, disturbing and shocking type, citing the extreme violence used, including a headlock, choke hold, kicking, striking with a stick and a block. Boy A had previously denied the sexual assault and offered an alternative explanation for forensic evidence. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, DNA evidence linking Boy A to Ana's body and scene, and circumstantial evidence of injuries he claimed were from a random assault. Ana was found dead in an abandoned house in Lucan on 14 May 2018, with blunt‑force injuries to the head and neck. The unnamed accused was convicted.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the mother of 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel described her daughter as an "ephemeral angel" and said her family was devastated by her murder. The court heard that the defendant known as Boy A admitted he caused Ana's death but denied sexually assaulting her, while Boy B rejected the unanimous jury verdict that found him guilty of murder. Boy A was also convicted of aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence. The court noted that Boy A's semen was found on Ana's top and that forensic evidence showed she had been sexually assaulted, her clothes torn, and her blood on the walls of the derelict building where she was found. Both boys were 13 at the time of the crime and are now 15, having been convicted by unanimous jury verdicts earlier this year. The judge will sentence them on November 5.
During a sentence hearing, Boy A, now 15, admitted choking Ana Kriegel, striking her with a stick and a concrete block, but denied sexually assaulting her. Detective Inspector Mark O'Neill informed Brendan Grehan SC that psychiatric and psychological reports led Boy A to accept responsibility for Ana's death. He described actions such as a headlock, choke hold, kicking, and hitting her with a stick and a block, which he either threw or struck off her head on three occasions. Boy A maintains he did not sexually assault Ana and offered an alternative explanation for forensic evidence. Inspector O'Neill noted that semen was found on Ana's top and that the boys had planned the murder. The hearing continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The two 13‑year‑old boys were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts earlier this year for Ana's murder and, for Boy A, her aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence.
In a sentencing hearing for two 15‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering Anastasia Kriegel, Mr Justice Paul McDermott limited the number of journalists to five. He said the restriction was to protect the boys' rights, physical and mental well‑being, and dignity, citing the United Nations Convention on Human Rights and the need to reduce the "considerable toll" the case has taken on the children and their families. The court will be televised in a separate room where any number of journalists may watch, but the judge rejected an application by RTE and newspapers to increase the number of reporters in the courtroom. The boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, were 13 when the murder occurred in May 2018 and were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts earlier this year. The judge also ordered the media to pay the costs of the boys' legal teams for the hearing.
The Central Criminal Court will hold a sentence hearing for the two 15‑year‑old boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, who were convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel in an abandoned house on Clonee Road, Lucan, on 14 May 2018. The hearing, scheduled for next Tuesday, will include a summary of evidence presented by a Garda detective inspector and a statement from Ana's parents. Mr Justice Paul McDermott received psychological and psychiatric reports on the boys. Boy A was also convicted of Ana's aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Keith Murtagh, 35, of Mariners' Port, Sheriff Street, was set to be sentenced for his alleged role in the armed robbery of the Roebuck post office on 5 January 2016. Murtagh had pleaded not guilty to robbery, possession of a shotgun and possession of a shotgun cartridge. A ten‑day trial in July concluded with a jury finding him guilty on all counts. Detective Garda Lisa McHugh recounted that two men entered the post office, one armed with a handgun and the other with a shotgun, who fired two blasts into a glass partition before Murtagh allegedly climbed over the desk into the back of the office. The robbery yielded €2,754 from the post office and €420 from a fine‑food shop on the premises. Murtagh's defence, Garnet Orange SC, highlighted his long prison history and charitable activities, yet acknowledged the evidence presented.
Michael Doherty, a 39‑year‑old former wine and school lunch delivery businessman, was sentenced to a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for robbery after a judge noted his efforts to rehabilitate. On 31 March 2017, Doherty entered a Maxol station on Newcastle Road in Lucan, threatened staff with a claw hammer, and when the till would not open he struck it and stole about €400. He fled in a black car that Gardaí linked to him, leading to his arrest. Doherty pleaded guilty to the robbery of Kim Heffernan. He had 24 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic offences, and the prosecution and defence agreed the robbery was out of character. Counsel argued that the breakdown of his marriage had devastated him, leading to drug abuse and business failure, and that he committed the robbery to fund his addiction.
Businessman James Mansfield Jnr, 52, of Saggart, Co Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to address charges of conspiring to falsely imprison a man and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The accused is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January 1 and June 30, 2015, in contravention of Section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. He is further accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co Dublin, between June 9 and June 12, 2015. During the hearing, the court noted that Mr Mansfield intends to apply for legal aid. Mr Justice Paul Coffey, presiding alongside Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge James Faughnan, remanded Mr Mansfield on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned, with the case set for mention again on November 4 at 11am. This appearance followed his arrest by arrangement and the service of a book of evidence. The court had previously endorsed a warrant for his arrest after the State dropped earlier charges entered against him.
Businessman James Mansfield Jnr, aged 52, was charged in the Special Criminal Court with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The alleged false imprisonment of Byrne took place between 1 January and 30 June 2015, while the attempt to destroy footage occurred between 9 and 12 June 2015 at Finnstown House Hotel. Mansfield was arrested by Garda Sergeant Eamon O'Neill at Clondalkin Garda Station under a warrant endorsed by the court. He was cautioned, presented with a true copy of the charge sheet, and remanded on bail to appear again on the following Monday. The court heard no reply from Mansfield during the arrest or when the charge sheet was handed to him.
The State has dropped criminal proceedings against businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr for conspiring to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. However, prosecuting lawyers told the Special Criminal Court today that the Director of Public Prosecutions intends to "recommence proceedings" at a later stage. Mr Mansfield (52), of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin had been charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015, both dates inclusive. He had also been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne between June 9, 2015 and June 12, 2015 at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin.
Kathleen Kiely, 32, of London, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling stolen property and handling assorted stolen jewellery on January 21, 2018. She was caught attempting to sell €90,000 worth of damaged gold jewellery, traced to a burglary in Lucan, to a cash-for-gold shop in Tallaght. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced Kiely to two years' imprisonment but suspended the entirety of the sentence on strict conditions. The court noted aggravating factors including premeditation and impact on the victim, balanced by mitigating factors such as her guilty plea, good character, and status as a mother. Her former partner, Michael Maughan, 25, of Tallaght, also pleaded guilty to handling assorted stolen jewellery on the same date. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Maughan to four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The prosecution highlighted that gardaí had placed the shop under surveillance after receiving information about the planned sale. Defence counsel argued Kiely was influenced by Maughan and was not the primary target of the investigation. No previous convictions were recorded for Kiely. The matter was finalised with these sentences imposed.
In a hearing on 26 July 2019, Mr Justice Michael White extended an injunction that requires Facebook and Twitter to remove any photographs or other material that could identify the two fourteen‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering Anastasia Kriegel. The order, originally imposed on 20 June, will remain in force until after the boys' sentencing on 22 November. Brendan Grehan SC, speaking for the Director of Public Prosecutions, noted that the sentence hearing had been postponed to 29 October and requested that the injunction continue until the new date. Rossa Fanning SC for Facebook Ireland and Andrew Fitzpatrick SC for Twitter confirmed their cooperation and consented to the order's continuation. The injunction was issued after social media posts had circulated identifying the boys, who are known only as Boy A and Boy B, and the court emphasized the need to monitor the situation due to its sensitivity.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a Spanish woman who had come to Dublin to learn English suffered permanent facial scarring after being glassed by Rosangela Wyzykowski (34) in a city‑centre pub. Wyzykowski, a trained physiotherapist from Brazil living at Talbot Street, threw a large glass at the victim's face after a confrontation that began when the Spanish woman asked her to stop bumping into her while dancing at Dicey's bar. The glass struck the victim's face, causing a deep wound that required eight hours in A&E at St Jame's Hospital and subsequent surgery at a private clinic in Lucan to remove the glass. The victim incurred €2,600 in medical costs and lost about €400 in wages. Wyzykowski was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition of 12 months' probation, and she brought €10,000 and a letter of apology to the court.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted the legal teams of two 14‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel access to parts of each other's probation reports that relate to the murder and sexual assault. The request was made by Gerardine Small BL for the Director of Public Prosecutions, and both defendants' counsel, Patrick Gageby SC and Damien Colgan SC, objected neither to the disclosure nor to a garda inspector's access. The judge emphasised that the documents must be handled with the strictest confidence and warned that any breach would be contempt of court. He also limited media presence to no more than five reporters at the boys' sentencing in October, citing the need for an appropriate environment. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts last month for Ana's murder and aggravated sexual assault.
Damien Gray, 35, was found asleep beside a playground in Hermitage Park, Lucan, when Gardaí received a call. Officers discovered him with a Kleenex packet containing €5,700 worth of heroin in individual street deals and later found a quantity of crack cocaine. Gray, of Shancastle Close, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 31 May 2017 to possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply. He admitted acquiring the drugs three or four days earlier, selling them to pay debts, and that he had been smoking heroin for two weeks. He claimed someone else had wrapped the drugs into individual deals. Garda Ronan Culligan informed the prosecution that Gray was arrested and questioned. The drugs were analysed, confirming the heroin's street value of €5,700 and the crack cocaine's estimated value of €300. Gray's home was broken into after his arrest, and he was attacked with a machete, leaving him with scarring.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 15 July 2019, Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned sentencing for two 14‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel and of assaulting her in a violent manner. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty on 18 June of the murder and the aggravated sexual assault. The judge explained that he would not proceed with a sentence hearing until psychiatric reports are completed. Two teams of psychiatrists, one adult forensic and one child psychiatrist, will prepare reports for each boy, with a possible psychologist involved. The reports are expected to take time and are unlikely to be ready before the end of term. Sentencing has been postponed to 29 October, with all reports required to be available to the legal teams by 21 October.
Noel Ryan, 42, of Charleville Mall, Dublin, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to handling a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser, deceiving a victim at Woodie's car park in Lucan on 27 June 2016, and unlawfully taking a Ford Fiesta from Northside Shopping Centre, Coolock on 24 March 2017. The judge noted that Ryan had committed similar offences before and that the victims suffered significant losses. Ryan admitted to selling the stolen Land Cruiser on DoneDeal for €11,600 after the buyer had paid cash, and later stealing a Ford Fiesta that had been advertised on the same site. He was also found in possession of the victim's driver's licence, which he had altered. Ryan has 16 prior convictions, including burglary and robbery, and has struggled with a crack cocaine addiction. He has been on bail during these offences.
In July 2019, the Irish Daily Mail editor Sebastian Hamilton was fined €4,500 after a court found him guilty of contempt for a front‑page headline that posed a real risk to the trial of two boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Anastasia Kriegel. The headline, "CCTV shows Ana being led to her death," was deemed inaccurate and potentially prejudicial. The court noted that Hamilton's consultation system with court reporter Helen Bruce was inadequate and that there was no effective editorial control over the story's presentation. The publisher, Associated News (Ireland) Ltd, was fined €25,000. Hamilton was ordered to pay the fine within six weeks or face three months' imprisonment, and the company was also ordered to pay the DPP's costs. The case highlighted the importance of accurate reporting during ongoing trials.
During a brief court appearance, Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), expressed concern that the identification of the two 14‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering Anastasia Kriegel could "flare up" again at the upcoming sentencing hearing later this month. The boys, known only as Boy A and Boy B in the media, were convicted in June of the murder of Ana Kriegel at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on 14 May last year, and Boy A was also convicted of Ana's aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence. The DPP noted that it remains "real concerned" despite a recent period of stability following the removal of identifying images from Facebook and Twitter. On 20 June, Mr Justice Michael White imposed an injunction requiring Facebook and Twitter to remove any photos or other material identifying the boys.
James Mansfield, a 52-year-old businessman from Saggart, Co. Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to face charges of conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1 and June 30, 2015. Additionally, he is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing another man to destroy recorded CCTV footage related to the alleged false imprisonment of Mr. Byrne between June 9 and June 12, 2015, at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co. Dublin. These allegations remain contested. The matter was heard by a three-judge panel comprising Ms. Justice Tara Burns, Judge Gerard Griffin, and Judge Michael Walsh. Mr. Mansfield was admitted to bail on an independent surety of €10,000, subject to conditions requiring him to sign on weekly at Lucan Garda Station and not to leave the country. A book of the evidence was served on the accused. The court remanded Mr. Mansfield until July 29, when he will next appear before the three-judge court. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
In July 2014, Bogdan Hainal (28), a Romanian national, participated in a violent robbery at the home of Paul and Patrick Kenny, both in their sixties, in Prosperous, Co Kildare. The raiders arrived in a black BMW, entered Patrick's bedsit, tied him with neckties, threatened him, and demanded money. They beat him, stabbed his hand and arm, and tied him to a sink with a rubber inner tube while covering his eyes with a woolly hat. The ordeal lasted one hour and six minutes. Hainal pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary on 8 July 2014. Judge Patricia Ryan set a headline sentence of 11 years, suspending the final two years on the condition that Hainal stay away from the victims for 30 years and engage with Probation Services. The victims described fear for their lives, and Paul Kenny was hospitalised for six weeks, while Patrick Kenny has suffered high blood pressure and will require lifelong medication.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 July 2019, Mr Justice Paul McDermott considered whether mental health professionals could interview the parents of the two boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty of the murder and, in Boy A's case, of aggravated sexual assault. Mr Justice McDermott had ordered probation and psychiatric reports from child forensic psychiatrists. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, presented Professor Harry Kennedy's suggestions, which included joint assessments by consultant child and forensic psychiatrists, assessments by clinical psychologists, and interviews with the boys' parents to access prior reports. Patrick Gageby SC, for Boy A, noted uncertainty about the availability of a specialist child forensic psychiatrist in Ireland, while Damien Colgan SC, for Boy B, expressed no objection to the proposals.
In a Central Criminal Court ruling, Mr Justice Paul McDermott fined journalist Niall O'Connor €2,500 after he inadvertently named one of the boys convicted of Ana Kriegel's murder during a live Red FM interview. The station was fined €10,000. O'Connor, who was a guest on the Neil Prendeville show the morning after the convictions, apologized unreservedly, stating the slip was a mistake and not intentional. The DPP's Brendan Grehan noted that the boys, aged 14, could not be identified, and the court had taken care to refer to them as Boy A and Boy B. The judge imposed the fine or a three‑month prison term if unpaid, and the broadcaster was ordered to pay within three months. The case highlighted the court's protection of minors and the broadcaster's subsequent implementation of a seven‑second delay to prevent future incidents.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a contempt of court motion was authorised after journalist Niall O'Connor allegedly named one of the two boys convicted of Ana Kriegel's murder on a Cork radio show. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, informed Mr Justice Michael White that the matter arose from an interview on the Neil Prendeville show on Red FM on the morning of June 19, the day after the jury's verdicts. The boys, aged 14, were found guilty of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel at an abandoned farmhouse in Lucan on 14 May last year, and one was also convicted of aggravated sexual assault. The identities of the boys are protected under the Children Act and a court order by Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Mr Grehan presented a redacted transcript showing the journalist naming one boy twice before being cut off.
In a contempt of court hearing on 20 June 2019, Mr Justice Michael White addressed the wrongful online identification of an innocent boy as one of the convicted murderers of 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. The judge urged Gardaí to pursue those who shared the identities of the two boys, Boy A and Boy B, who were convicted of the murder and an aggravated sexual assault. Under the Children Act, it is an offence to identify minors, and the court upheld an injunction requiring Facebook and Twitter to remove any material that identified the boys. Lawyers for the boys expressed concerns about threats and the safety of their families. The judge emphasised the importance of respecting the law and the integrity of the trial process, noting that the Central Criminal Court is not the forum for broader social media responsibility.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 June 2019, Mr Justice Michael White warned that publishing the identities of the two boys convicted of Ana Kriegel's murder is an offence. The judge issued a contempt of court order against any person who attempts to identify the 14‑year‑old boys, stating they will be treated in the most serious fashion. He also ordered Facebook and Twitter to appear in court the following day and to remove any material that identifies the boys. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, requested the removal of photographs and other identifying content from the platforms. The boys, referred to only as Boy A and Boy B, were convicted of murder and, in Boy A's case, aggravated sexual assault, after an eight‑week trial with unanimous jury verdicts. The court emphasised that the Children Act prohibits the identification of minors accused or convicted of a criminal offence. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found two 14‑year‑old boys guilty of murdering Ana Kriegel, a schoolgirl who was discovered naked in an abandoned farmhouse three days after she went missing. Boy A was also convicted of an aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence. The trial, lasting seven weeks, included evidence that Ana's blood was found on a "ghoulish mask" Boy A allegedly wore at the scene, and forensic analysis showed she died from blunt‑force trauma to the head or neck, with extensive bruises, abrasions and scratches on her body. The jury deliberated for 14 hours 25 minutes before delivering unanimous guilty verdicts. The boys were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre pending further proceedings. The case was presented by prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC, with defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC for Boy A and Damien Colgan SC for Boy B. The trial concluded with the judge adjourned the case to allow additional reports to be submitted.
The jury in the trial of two 14‑year‑old boys accused of murdering 14‑year‑old Anastasia Kriegel has spent 11 hours and 24 minutes deliberating and will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to continue. Mr Justice Paul McDermott instructed the eight men and four women to return at 10 am and reminded them not to discuss the case with anyone outside the jury. The accused, who cannot be named because they are minors, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ana Kriegel at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on 14 May last year. Boy A is also charged with Ana's aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence and has pleaded not guilty to that charge as well. Mr Justice McDermott explained that the jury must consider each count separately, with possible verdicts of guilty or not guilty for each murder charge and for the aggravated sexual assault charge.