John Eghomwanre and Faraj Odukoya were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their roles in the St Valentine's Day violence that resulted in the death of Quham Babatunde. Eghomwanre pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde and another man. Odukoya pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde and two other men, one count of violent disorder, and two counts of burglary committed on November 23, 2023. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five-year prison sentence on both men, backdated to the date they entered custody. The judge noted that both defendants engaged in serious violence and that Odukoya's conduct was more serious, though he acknowledged the younger defendant's age and the opportunistic nature of the burglaries. Earlier this year, co-defendants Rory Carr and Bruno Tache were each sentenced to three years and six months for assault causing harm and violent disorder, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions for two years. Four other men remain before the courts in relation to the incident. The court accepted that neither Eghomwanre nor Odukoya possessed a knife during the attacks.
A murder trial jury has viewed CCTV footage showing Mark Carroll running from a house in north Dublin clutching his chest, followed by Derek Boyd, the accused in his murder. The footage, presented by Garda Ronan Kelly, showed Carroll arriving at the house on June 8, 2024, and spending time with his girlfriend Megan Rock and Boyd. At 5:30 pm, all three were seen outside the house. At 00:55 on June 9, Carroll was seen running from the house, followed by Rock, and then Boyd. Prosecuting counsel stated that no direct evidence of the stabbing would be presented, but jurors were asked to infer it occurred during the seven minutes between the two men's movements. The footage also showed Boyd leaving the house, shouting, and running back inside. He was later seen climbing over the roof and into a back garden before boarding a taxi. Boyd and his partner, Chantelle Harcourt, have both pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury of seven men and five women.
Constantin Iosca, 46, was jailed for two years and nine months after being convicted of dishonestly inducing the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) to investigate a fraudulent insurance claim. Iosca had submitted a claim form in 2016, alleging he was injured in a road traffic accident. However, CCTV footage showed him walking unaided and loading a wheelchair into his car, contradicting his claim. Iosca has 19 previous convictions, including theft, road traffic offences, and public order offences. The court heard that Iosca's claim was taken to the High Court, which was an aggravating factor. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that Iosca's medical issues and lack of recent criminal activity were mitigating factors. Iosca was sentenced to three years and six months, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions for three years post-release.
Constantin Iosca was convicted of fraudulently claiming compensation from the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) after a road traffic accident. Iosca falsely reported being injured while cycling and submitted a claim for compensation. Surveillance footage showed him getting in and out of a wheelchair and walking unaided, contradicting his claim of injury. Iosca had no work history and moved to Ireland from Romania in 1997. He has 19 previous convictions, including theft and road traffic offences. The court heard that Iosca's claim was withdrawn after the CCTV evidence was played. Iosca's defense argued that the engineer's report suggested the incident likely occurred as he described. However, the court noted that the jury found him guilty of deception. Iosca was remanded on continuing bail, with sentencing to take place later.
Aaron Lee Kinsella Kelly, 23, pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault under section 3 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, after punching his then‑partner in the face at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport, on 5 February 2024. The victim had a swollen and bruised face and claimed Kelly had accused her of flirting with another man. The District Court sentenced Kelly to one month in custody. On appeal, Judge Catherine White increased the sentence to six months imprisonment but fully suspended it for 12 months. She also ordered Kelly to pay €500 to a nearby women's refuge and to avoid the road where the victim lives. The appeal was based solely on the severity of the original sentence. No further legal actions or outcomes are mentioned in the article.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, aged 27, pleaded guilty last year to perverting the course of justice by attempting to destroy a mobile phone linked to a SIM card in Malahide on 27 May 2020, and to corruptly offering a gift to Lauryn McCann to influence her employment. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final three months suspended, by Judge Martin Nolan. Fitzpatrick's appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The court rejected the argument that he should be treated more leniently than the civilian employee who received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for providing the intelligence. The judge noted Fitzpatrick's conduct was corrupt and highly aggravated, including the destruction of evidence and absconding from justice, and that the sentence was well within the sentencing judge's margin of appreciation. Fitzpatrick had 30 previous convictions and had fled Ireland after the raid, later being extradited to face the charges.
In an appeal hearing, Keith McCormick (23) of La Touche Drive, Bluebell, Dublin 12 and Riverview, Church Road, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, who pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on May 12, 2020, and other charges including burglary, unlawful use of a vehicle, possession of stolen property, and driving without a licence or insurance between September 2020 and May 2021, had his sentence reviewed. McCormick, who has 44 previous convictions, was previously sentenced in February to a three-year and two-month prison term with the final 12 months suspended for his role in a series of offences on January 23, 2022, during which a man died. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a global sentence of six years and six months, suspending the final 15 months on strict conditions, including keeping the peace and being of good behaviour for two years and engaging with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release. Adam Murphy (23) of Cherry Orchard Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was handed a 12-year sentence with the final two-and-a-half years suspended on strict conditions. The matter was adjourned for further consideration.
In an appeal hearing, the case of Keith McCormick (23) of La Touche Drive, Bluebell, Dublin 12 and Riverview, Church Road, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, who pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on May 12, 2020, and other charges including burglary, unlawful use of a vehicle, possession of stolen property and driving without a licence or insurance between September 2020 and May 2021, was adjourned for finalisation on November 27. McCormick, also known as McCormick-Smith, has 44 previous convictions. In February, he was handed a three-year and two-month prison sentence with the final 12 months suspended for his role in a series of offences on January 23, 2022, during which a man died. Co-accused Adam Murphy (23) of Cherry Orchard Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was handed a 12-year sentence with the final two-and-a-half years suspended on strict conditions. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on November 27. The court heard that McCormick's earliest current release date is June 2027. Probation and psychological reports were handed to the court, and the defence asked the court to consider the principles of proportionality and totality when imposing sentence.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (26) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for perverting the course of justice and corruptly offering a gift to access Garda intelligence. The court heard that Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to attempting to destroy a mobile phone linked to a SIM card in Malahide on May 27, 2020, and to corruptly offering a gift to Lauryn McCann to influence her employment acts. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Fitzpatrick threw his phone into water during a raid, an act described as "crude but effective," though Gardaí salvaged the SIM card. This evidence linked him to messages with McCann, a former civilian employee who was jailed for two and a half years in November 2022 after admitting to corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement and disclosing Garda Pulse system files. McCann had sent approximately 70 photos to an individual referred to as "R" in exchange for cash. Fitzpatrick, who has 30 previous convictions, fled Ireland and was extradited via a European Arrest Warrant. The judge set a headline sentence of six years but reduced it to four years, with the final three months suspended, allowing for time spent in custody.
Laura Rice, daughter of Alan Rice, who died after being struck by a car in Skerries, Co Dublin, has called on drivers to be more cautious on the roads, stating that 'accidents don't happen, they are caused'. Alan Rice died on April 13, 2021, after Terry Gaff (56) veered onto the wrong side of the road while navigating a bend on the R127. Gaff pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death and was handed a six-month suspended sentence, along with a €1,000 fine. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Gaff had no previous convictions and that there were no aggravating factors, such as speeding, alcohol, or drug use. The judge acknowledged the devastating impact of the collision on Mr Rice's family and expressed condolences. Victim impact statements from Mr Rice's family highlighted the profound loss they have experienced, describing Alan Rice as a loving, supportive, and adventurous father, husband, and friend.
Ryan Murphy, 25, of Lusk, Dublin, pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false report to Gardaí and money laundering. He claimed a robbery in Balbriggan on 2 April 2020, alleging masked men took his bank cards and deposited €32,000 into his account. Gardaí found no CCTV evidence of such men and discovered an unusual €31,912 lodgement. Murphy admitted lying about the robbery, citing a €500 drug debt and fear of the criminals. He had provided his bank details via Snapchat, hoping to receive €3,000–€4,000, but never received money. The account was frozen upon receipt of the funds; he sought to "un‑freeze" it by filing a robbery complaint. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as "pure stupidity" and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, deciding Murphy did not deserve jail at this stage.
George Finglas, who lived on the North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was sentenced to nine years in prison for transporting more than 128 kg of cannabis, worth an estimated €2.56 million, to reduce a gambling debt. He pleaded guilty last year and appealed the sentence as excessive. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, rejected all grounds of appeal, stating the sentencing judge had made no error and the sentence was not disproportionate. In February 2021, Revenue officials discovered two pallets of cannabis at Dublin Port, and Gardaí from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau conducted a surveillance operation that led to Finglas's arrest at a commercial premises in Lusk, Co Dublin. Finglas admitted moving the drugs under direction, citing a €25,000 gambling debt and fear of debtors. He had no prior convictions and entered an early guilty plea.
In a High Court ruling, Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy denied lawyers for French film star Dany Boon the right to supply prosecutors in Monaco with documents related to an alleged €7m fraud. The judge held that Boon's lawyers had not proven that providing the documents complied with the proper administration of justice and that the two defendants, Asia Monaco Investments Ltd and Asia Monaco SARL, would not be unfairly prejudiced. The affidavits, sworn by Ms Xin Zhao, were not formally opened in court and were deemed public. Boon's case involves claims that he was defrauded by Mr Thierry Birles and associated entities, and he has secured various freezing and disclosure orders in Ireland. The defendants opposed the application, citing potential injustice, and the judge noted that had the affidavits been opened, the application would not have been necessary.
In November 2023, a 17‑year‑old who stabbed 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair at a Cork house party appealed his life sentence, arguing the judge failed to weigh his immaturity and dysfunctional background. The Central Criminal Court had sentenced him to life detention in 2020, with a review after 13 years and an earliest release date of January 2023. The appeal court noted that a juvenile can only be sentenced to detention, not imprisonment, and that once the offender turns 18 he is transferred to an adult prison. Counsel for the appellant claimed the judge focused on age rather than maturity, and that the offence lacked aggravating factors such as premeditation or a callous attitude. The DPP countered that the judge had considered mitigating factors, including the offender's early guilty plea and lack of prior convictions. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment, with a hearing scheduled for December 5, and parties were invited to discuss the appellant's anonymity.
Gerald O'Donnell, 45, was sentenced to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after being found with €260,000 worth of cannabis in his Lusk home. He pleaded guilty to possession of the drug in herb and resin form. O'Donnell, who had no addiction issues, began dealing drugs after falling ill with ankylosing spondylitis in 2009, which forced him to leave his job as a manufacturing technician. He claimed dealing was a way to avoid dependence on others. Gardaí seized 12.5 kg of cannabis herb, 1.4 kg of resin, and €5,195 in cash, the proceeds of crime. The judge, after considering mitigating factors such as early plea, cooperation, and medical condition, reduced the headline sentence from seven to five years, back‑dating it to 3 May. O'Donnell has one prior driving offence and had never been on the Garda radar before this offence.
John Buckley AKA Maughan, 28, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to sample counts from 94 charges, including four counts of harassment and the remainder of making demands with menaces against four named victims. Judge Martin Nolan imposed concurrent sentences totalling five years and ordered Maughan to have no contact with any of the injured parties for 20 years. The court heard that Maughan extorted over €14,000 from his victims, all of which was transferred to his Boyle Sports gambling account. Prosecution evidence alleged that Maughan threatened one man in his 60s that he would falsely accuse him of being a paedophile and share these untrue allegations on social media. In a separate series of offences, Maughan allegedly threatened a woman with whom he had a relationship that he would send intimate photos of her to her boyfriend, and he harassed and extorted €2,000 from her. Judge Nolan described the false paedophile allegation as "hugely insidious and damaging" and "morally reprehensible," noting that Maughan had caused huge trauma and distress to his victims. In mitigation, the judge noted Maughan's remorse, his guilty plea, his co-operation, and that he had engaged in this behaviour as a way to deal with his gambling debts. Defence counsel highlighted Maughan's gambling and drug addictions, his stable relationship, and his two children, one of whom suffers from severe autism, arguing that a custodial term would be felt keenly by his family.
In a High Court decision, French film star Dany Boon was awarded €4.8 million in damages after being defrauded by Thierry Fialek‑Birles, who posed as an "Irish Lord from an ancient family." Mr Justice Brian O'Moore found that Mr Boon's funds had been used to support Mr Birles' luxurious lifestyle. The judge imposed receivership and permanent freezing orders on assets linked to Mr Birles, including three sailing boats – the 'Erin' and 'My Fair Lady' in Co Cork and the 'Shamrock' in Genoa – a house in Youghal, Co Cork, and monies in various bank accounts. Mr Birles and several co‑conspirators, such as SSMM, Hibernian Petroleum, United Irish Estates, Hibernian Yachts, and others, were ordered to pay Mr Boon's legal costs. The court also directed the sale of the seized assets to satisfy the judgment. The case remains pending against other named parties.
Dany Boon, a well‑known French film star, obtained High Court judgements against Thierry Fialek‑Birles, who presented himself as an "Irish Lord from an ancient family," and several companies linked to him. The court granted Boon judgement for damages of over €6 million, following earlier freezing and disclosure orders that had been secured to trace the missing funds. Boon's solicitor, Rossa Fanning SC, noted that most defendants had either chosen not to contest the claims or had never appeared in court. Judgements were awarded against Irish‑registered entities such as South Sea Merchant's Mariners Ltd Partnership, Hibernian Petroleum Limited Partnership, United Irish Estates Limited, Hibernian Yachts Company Limited, and the Samoa‑registered United Far East Oriental Holdings Ltd, as well as US‑registered American Sail & Motor Navigation Inc, Amalgamated Plantations Company Ltd (British Virgin Islands), and Sail & Motor Navigation Company Limited (Antigua and Barbuda).
A 23‑year‑old former civilian call‑taker for An Garda Siochana, Lauryn McCann, was jailed for two and a half years after pleading guilty to corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement to access Garda intelligence and to obtaining and disclosing Garda intelligence files to a third party. McCann, who had no prior convictions, used her access to the Pulse system to take about 70 photos of sensitive information over a week in May 2020 and sent them via WhatsApp and Snapchat to an individual known to Gardaí, referred to as "R". She claimed she was offered €500 for information about R's brother and later €3,000, which she never received. Gardaí discovered the photos and messages, searched McCann's workstation and other locations, and found over 400 photos on her phone. McCann was suspended and resigned; she cooperated fully with investigators and pleaded guilty, and the court noted her psychological vulnerability and remorse.
George Finglas, 46, of North Circular Road, Dublin, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for transporting over €2.5 million worth of cannabis. On 2 February 2021, Revenue officials and a sniffer dog discovered two pallets of cannabis herb, concealed under portable gas heaters, at Dublin Port. Gardai set up a surveillance operation and carried out a controlled delivery to an industrial estate in west Dublin. Finglas, acting as a transporter, was directed by an unidentified "Suspect B" to unload the pallets into a rented van. He later drove the van to a commercial premises in Baldongan, Lusk, where he was arrested. Mobile phones recovered from the van contained encrypted messages referencing the drugs and payments. Finglas admitted moving the drugs under direction, citing a €25 000 gambling debt and fear of creditors. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of drugs and had earlier suspended sentences for assault and a drunk‑driving conviction.
In a High Court case, French film star Dany Boon has been allowed to add several new defendants to his fraud claim. Boon alleges he is the victim of a multi‑million‑euro fraud orchestrated by Thierry Fialek‑Birles, who he says uses a network of companies across the West Indies, the United States, Monaco and Ireland. The new defendants include US‑registered American Sail & Motor Navigation Inc, Amalgamated Plantations Company Ltd (British Virgin Islands), Asia Monaco Investments Ltd (Lusk Co Dublin), Asia Monaco (Monaco), Sail & Motor Navigation Company Limited (Antigua and Barbuda), and several Irish‑registered entities such as South Sea Merchant's Mariners Ltd Partnership, Hibernian Petroleum Limited Partnership, United Irish Estates Limited, Hibernian Yachts Company Limited, and Samoa‑registered United Far East Oriental Holdings (Samoa) Ltd. Boon's lawyers seek freezing and disclosure orders against these parties, following a prior freezing order that prevented the defendants from reducing assets below €6 million.
In May 2022 the Court of Appeal moved the hearing of a motion to introduce fresh evidence in the appeal of Boy B, the 13‑year‑old convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel in 2018. The original date of 17 June was postponed to 22 June because a judge was unavailable. Boy B, who was sentenced to 15 years' detention with review after eight years, was not present at the hearing. The motion seeks to amend the grounds of appeal and add new evidence, including a clinical psychologist's report that Boy B suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder after witnessing the assault and that his statements to Gardaí did not prove guilt. The Court noted that the appeal will focus solely on the conviction, not the sentence. Boy B and his co‑accused Boy A remain detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus. The case was originally tried in the Central Criminal Court using Children's Court procedures.
Murad Kandokar, 49, of Gleann Ribh, Lusk, Co. Dublin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 16 months in prison for two sexual assaults. He pleaded guilty to an assault on a Luas train in Dublin on 26 May 2021 and to an assault on a Galway‑to‑Dublin Airport City Link bus on 17 July 2019. The court heard that on the Luas incident a young woman was approached by Kandokar, who pressed his body against her and displayed an erection, causing her to disembark at the Four Courts and seek assistance from Garda Sonya Mooney. In the bus incident, a woman was found with Kandokar's hand in her crotch area; she shouted at him and he moved seats before being arrested. Judge Martin Nolan described the acts as compulsive yet criminal, sentencing Kandokar to two and a half years with fourteen months suspended, leaving a net 16‑month custodial term.
The trial of businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr (54) was adjourned at the Special Criminal Court until October. Mansfield, of Saggart, Co Dublin, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The matter was adjourned after Garda evidence regarding exhibits was heard. Previously, Dessie O'Hare (64) pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Byrne and assaulting John Roche. He was sentenced to ten years in prison with three years suspended for the false imprisonment and three years for the assault. Christopher Maguire (41) pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Lisa Byrne and received a three-year suspended sentence. Declan 'Whacker' Duffy (46) was also sentenced to six years for false imprisonment. Martin Byrne, who testified that Mansfield was present when he was taken prisoner, is currently in the Witness Protection Programme.
Former publican Charles Coyle (59), of Bough, Cootehill, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply in Lusk on April 24, 2020. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, declining to depart from the mandatory minimum of ten years despite defense counsel John Peart SC's submissions that Coyle had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and made full admissions regarding his role. The court found that Coyle acted as a transporter at the directions of others, rather than as the owner of the drugs. Coyle was caught after gardai, acting on confidential information, observed him take three boxes from a truck driven by Dmitrijs Venskovics (45) at a Dublin service station. Venskovics, who was convicted last November, was also jailed for eight years. During the search of Coyle's van, gardai seized one kilogram of cocaine under the front passenger seat and a further 35kg in a rear security compartment. Coyle, who has 20 previous convictions, claimed he was paid €2,000 to transport the items, which he described as vegetables and hand sanitisers. The judge noted that Coyle's actions represented a grievous error of judgement, particularly given his age and experience.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr until June 2, 2021, following a second delay caused by newly disclosed CCTV footage. Mansfield, 53, of Saggart, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing the destruction of CCTV footage. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens with Judges Ni Chulachain and Faughnan, granted the defence time to review 12 days of previously undisclosed footage. While the trial is adjourned, related proceedings concluded with Christopher Maguire, 41, of Lusk, receiving a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin and Lisa Byrne in Rathcoole/Saggart on June 9, 2015. Maguire's sentence was suspended, with no effective custody imposed. In a separate 2007 matter, James O'Gorman was convicted of defrauding a company director of €54,000. The current trial remains ongoing, with the next mention scheduled for January 2021.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, who is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice, continues before a non-jury court. Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to both counts. During cross-examination, alleged victim Martin Byrne, who is in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that the incident was "all Mansfield business" and that Mansfield Jnr was present when he was taken prisoner by a gang including Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy. Byrne's son, Brandon Byrne, also gave evidence, describing how his parents were held at The Towers while security guard John Roche was assaulted outside. The court heard that Christopher Maguire, who pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin and Lisa Byrne on June 9, 2015, received a three-year suspended sentence. Additionally, Daniel Kane, who pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne, was sentenced in April 2018 to five years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. Background evidence noted that James O'Gorman was previously convicted of defrauding a company director out of €54,000 in 2007. The trial is ongoing, with proceedings continuing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and two other judges.
In Lusk, Co Dublin, Declan Turner, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for a string of hold‑ups that took place over a ten‑minute period within 500 metres of each other. The offences, committed on 15 November 2019, included an attempted robbery at Supervalu, a robbery at Gino's takeaway, and an attempted robbery at Orlynn Park. Turner was identified by CCTV, arrested the following day and has been in custody since. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitted a drug problem and expressed remorse. The judge, on condition of keeping the peace for the suspended period, required Turner to cooperate with the Probation Service for 18 months and to engage in residential drug treatment if directed. Turner has 33 previous convictions and a history of mental health issues. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the repeated armed robberies.
In a series of incidents over ten minutes in Lusk, Co Dublin, 23‑year‑old Declan Turner, who has 33 prior convictions and a drug problem, attempted to rob a 76‑year‑old woman at knifepoint after already robbing a Supervalu and a Gino's takeaway. CCTV showed Turner approaching a Supervalu staff member, brandishing a knife and demanding money, but the staff member pressed a bell and Turner left empty‑handed. He then stole a €20 note from Gino's by jumping the counter. Later, he approached the elderly woman in Orlynn Park, produced the knife, demanded money and threatened to kill her. She showed him her empty hands, he left, and she called her brother‑in‑law who alerted the gardai. Turner was arrested the next day, initially unfit for interview but later admitted the robberies, claimed no recollection of the knife or the elderly woman, and expressed remorse. Declan Turner pleaded guilty.
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following a series of attempted car thefts in a Dublin housing estate while under the influence of crack cocaine. Thomas Cahill Donohue, aged 35, pleaded guilty to twelve charges including burglary, attempted robbery, criminal damage, unlawful use of a vehicle, threatening behaviour and assault on gardaí at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 25 October 2019, Donohue approached multiple residents in the Whitethorn Walk estate in Lusk, making threats and attempting to take their vehicles while holding his pet chihuahua. Residents reported that he made violent threats towards them. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence on Thursday, noting that whilst Donohue expressed a desire to reform and seek drug treatment, the seriousness of his conduct and the trauma caused to civilians and gardaí necessitated custodial punishment. The judge stated that substance abuse was no defence. The sentence was backdated to 1 January last.
Shane Halpin, 25, of Lusk, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Derek Dalton, causing him harm, at his address on September 2, 2018. Judge Melanie Greally desisted from imposing a sentence and discharged Halpin from the indictment forthwith. The judge previously imposed an indicative sentence of two years imprisonment, deferred until April 1, contingent on Halpin complying with a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The case was automatically referred to the current date due to the pandemic. Judge Greally invoked an exceptional provision to minimise the effect of the conviction, describing the incident as a complete aberration for a defendant with no previous convictions. Prosecution evidence stated that Garda Dalton had driven the intoxicated Halpin home after finding him unconscious on the road. Halpin allegedly became aggressive, grappling with the garda, ripping his radio and torch, and biting him on the hand and knee. Garda Dalton suffered a fractured hand bone, bites, and a groin injury, preventing him from returning to duty for six months. The judge directed Halpin to hand over €3,000 to Little Blue Heroes, a charity nominated by Garda Dalton.
Giovanni Protacio, 49, a former respected nurse with two decades of experience, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a nine‑month prison term that was fully suspended. Protacio had worked at Clonmethan Lodge nursing home in north County Dublin since November 2015. In that month a patient struck him on the head with a metal bar, causing soft‑tissue injury. To cope with the pain he began taking painkillers and sleeping tablets, becoming severely addicted. He used his access to locked medical cabinets to steal sleeping tablets and forged prescriptions. The thefts were uncovered in May 2017 when a pharmacist noticed a suspicious prescription linked to the nursing home. CCTV identified Protacio bringing the prescription in, and Gardaí searched his home in Lusk, finding stolen blank prescriptions and various brands of sleeping tablets. He pleaded guilty to one count of forgery of a prescription and three counts of theft of medicines and blank prescription sheets.
In a 2018 incident, 25‑year‑old Shane Halpin of Lusk was found unconscious and vomiting on the side of the road. Garda Derek Dalton, who had driven Halpin home, was attacked when Halpin, intoxicated, bit him on the hand and later on the knee. Dalton suffered a fractured hand bone, two bites and a groin injury, and was unable to return to duty for six months. Halpin pleaded guilty to assaulting Dalton at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally described the event as a serious assault carried out by a young man unlikely to reoffend, imposed an indicative sentence of two years imprisonment, deferred it until April 1, and directed Halpin to pay €3,000 to Little Blue Heroes, a charity nominated by Dalton. The sentence was contingent on Halpin's compliance with a bond to keep the peace until that date.
Murad Khandokar, 47, was sentenced to three years in prison for sexually assaulting a 26‑year‑old woman on a Dublin bus on 30 April 2016. During the 15‑20 minute journey he attempted to pry the woman's legs apart and tried to penetrate her with his fingers, while also touching her thighs and attempting to use a baseball cap to conceal his hand. The victim, who was wearing leggings, resisted and froze, describing the experience as being "hemmed in" and terrified. Khandokar had previously been convicted of sexual assault, harassment and breach of a barring order. He pleaded guilty, and Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on conditions including probation supervision after release. The case was brought by Garda Louise Carroll, who noted the victim's complaint and CCTV evidence that identified Khandokar. The victim's impact statement highlighted her frustration, anger, shame and desire for consequences.
Piotr Waleza, 46, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of handling stolen vehicles in 2014. He sold a Hyundai Santa Fe and a Ford Focus, each stolen three days earlier, for €6,000 and €5,850 respectively, to self‑employed buyers who suffered financial loss and emotional distress. The court heard that Waleza had a terminal illness with a poor prognosis and had been living in Ireland for 14 years, with prior convictions in Ireland and Poland for drink‑driving, fraud and driving without a licence. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a suspended three‑year jail term, citing the seriousness of the offences and Waleza's ill health. She ordered €1,000 to be divided between the two injured parties and noted that Waleza had admitted to Gardaí that he knew the vehicles were stolen and sought to profit from them. The sentence reflects the judge's view that the crimes were pre‑meditated and dishonest.
A 19-year-old man from Strokestown, County Longford, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent offences committed during an escape from Oberstown Children's Detention Campus in Lusk, County Dublin, on 29 May 2017. Michael Ward pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault causing harm, and assault while attempting to commit theft. During the incident, Ward struck the campus director with a metal bar, causing bleeding, and caused extensive damage to the facility estimated at €17,135. He and other detainees barricaded themselves in an office, armed themselves with metal fixtures, and used an angle grinder to breach the campus perimeter fence. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed concurrent sentences of four years for assault and five years for criminal damage, suspending the final 12 months of both terms. She considered Ward's early guilty plea, efforts at rehabilitation, youth, and apology. Ward is currently serving an earlier four-year sentence, with 12 months suspended, for separate criminal damage offences at Oberstown.
In a robbery on Station Road, Lusk, on 9 March 2016, Folarin Odunlami (22) and an accomplice used a long steak knife to threaten a young man, demanding his phone, wallet and €110. The victim fled to a nursing home, called Gardaí, and later identified the two men at a train station. Gardaí chased them; they fell 15 feet from a footbridge into a carpark and hid. Garda Air Support Unit detected them a short time later, lying under brambles, using thermal imaging from a helicopter. Odunlami pleaded guilty to robbing the victim's phone, wallet and cash. At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally noted his remorse and lack of further offences, ordering 240 hours of community service. The case highlighted the use of thermal imaging to locate suspects hiding in vegetation.
Michael Ward, 19, of Co Longford, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage, assault causing harm, and assault while attempting to commit theft at Oberstown Children's Detention Campus in Lusk, Co Dublin, on May 29, 2017. The court heard that Ward is currently serving a four-year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended, for prior criminal damage offences at the same facility. Prosecution evidence alleged that Ward assaulted a staff member, barricaded himself in an office with other youths, and struck Campus Director Pat Bergin in the head with a metal bar. Ward and two others allegedly used an angle grinder to cut through the campus fence to escape, causing €17,135 in damage. Ward has 56 previous convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that Ward minimised his actions and ordered a governor's report and a probation report to be prepared. The matter was adjourned for sentencing to March 22 of this year.
In a 2018 hearing, Gardaí used thermal imaging from a helicopter to locate Folarin Odunlami (22) and Arnaud Farel (20) after they robbed a young man on Station Road, Lusk, on 9 March 2016. The pair had stolen a phone, wallet and €110, and the victim fled to a nursing home and called the police. Gardaí chased them, who fell 15 ft from a footbridge into a carpark and hid under brambles. Thermal imaging detected them, and Gardaí recovered the victim's items and the men's driving licence. Farel received a three‑year sentence with 18 months suspended, to run consecutively with a six‑year sentence for a prior assault. Odunlami's sentencing was adjourned pending a suitability assessment for community service. The court heard Odunlami had two prior minor convictions and was studying computer systems in Dundalk. The case was heard by Judge Melanie Greally. Folarin Odunlami pleaded guilty. Arnaud Farel pleaded guilty.
John Brennan, 44, of Lusk, Dublin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended for assault causing harm to his then‑girlfriend on 31 August 2014. The victim, a former nurse, suffered multiple fractures to her face, a black eye, bruising and hair loss after Brennan struck her head off the steering wheel, dragged her by her hair from the car, and continued punching her in the face. She endured months of pain, dependence on her son's care and ongoing mental health issues such as severe anxiety and flashbacks. Brennan pleaded guilty, citing remorse and a good employment record, and the judge reduced the headline sentence from four to three years. The court refused compensation and ordered him to be of good behaviour for the suspended portion of his sentence.
In an assault case, Judge Karen O'Connor recused herself from the sentencing hearing after stating that the proceedings had become an attempt to undermine the defendant's guilty plea. John Brennan, 44, had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his then‑girlfriend on 31 August 2014. The court heard that Brennan had shouted anti‑British slogans, threatened to shoot the victim's son, and physically assaulted her, including slapping, punching, pulling her by the hair and dragging her back into his house. The victim sustained a black eye, bruises, nail marks on her neck, a broken nose and a broken cheekbone that required a plate. Brennan had a prior drink‑driving conviction. The defense argued that Brennan had acted to prevent the victim from driving off intoxicated, but Judge O'Connor halted that line of questioning, citing the guilty plea. She warned the defense counsel that questioning the victim's impact statement would be unfair.
A man from Strokestown, County Longford, has been sentenced to four years in prison for causing over €50,000 in damage to Oberstown Children Detention Campus during four separate incidents in 2016. The 18-year-old, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal damage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incidents involved stand-offs with staff spanning between three and four hours each. One incident included a fire being set in a multi-purpose room. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence with the final year suspended, and ordered two years' probation supervision upon release. The court acknowledged Ward's efforts at rehabilitation while in detention and his expressions of remorse, but noted the incidents were violent and aggressive, causing significant anxiety to staff and residents. Two further counts of assault and theft were taken into account.
David Lawrence, aged 22, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a drunken rampage that took place on 23 April 2017 at a house in Lusk. He admitted assaulting a teenage boy and a 15‑year‑old girl, smashing windows with a bale of briquettes and a lump of timber, and threatening to kill the boy. The court heard that Lawrence knocked on the door, used the bathroom, returned to demand a phone, knocked the girl to the ground, struck the boy, smashed the front‑door window, and threatened to slit the boy's throat with a knife. He also smashed another window with a wooden stick and tried to open the bathroom door. The family, who had known Lawrence before, were frightened and suffered long‑term emotional damage. Judge Martin Nolan noted that alcohol was not an excuse for his behaviour. Lawrence's sentence was back‑dated to 7 September 2017 when he entered custody. David Lawrence pleaded guilty.
Dylan O'Flanagan, 23, was jailed for 16 months after he threw a burning pint glass of petrol into a neighbour's garden during a barbecue. He had arrived drunk, complained about food, and left the event feeling offended. Returning home, he poured a bottle and can of alcohol over the fence and threatened to beat people. He later returned to the neighbour's house with a pint glass filled to the brim and a box of matches, striking a match to ignite the petrol. The fire damaged the wooden decking. O'Flanagan suffered burns that required four days in hospital. He pleaded guilty to damaging by fire. The judge described his conduct as petulant and aggressive, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with 14 months suspended, and ordered probation supervision. The neighbour's partner was terrified when the decking caught fire, as an 11‑month‑old child slept upstairs. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two men were sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for their roles in a mob that intimidated a man and forced his family to leave their home. Declan Duffy, aged 44, was jailed for six years for false imprisonment of Martin Byrne in Rathcoole/Saggart on 9 June 2015, and for assaulting John Roche at the Towers, Garters Lane, Saggart, on the same date. Christopher Maguire, aged 39, received a three‑year suspended sentence for falsely imprisoning Lisa Byrne in the same incident. Both men pleaded guilty. The mob, recruited to intimidate Byrne, forced him to leave his apartment in the Towers complex, assaulted him, and threatened his life. Duffy had prior convictions for false imprisonment and IRA membership, while Maguire had no prior convictions. The judge noted Duffy did not lead the mob and was not armed, and that the mob's violence was intended to supplant the legal process. The sentencing was carried out by Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Declan Duffy (44) and Christopher Maguire (39) pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault. Duffy admitted assaulting security guard John Roche, who was injured and forced to leave his home in the Towers complex, while Maguire pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of Lisa Byrne. The court heard that Duffy and seven men forced Martin Byrne, a former security guard, to leave his apartment at the Towers on 9 June 2015, assaulting him and threatening his life. Roche was also assaulted and a garda was called after a witness reported the incident. Duffy has prior convictions for false imprisonment, IRA membership and a 2010 murder conviction in England. Maguire had no prior convictions. The court remanded Duffy in custody and ordered Maguire to remain on bail until sentencing on 29 January.
In a case before the Special Criminal Court, Declan Duffy, 43, and Christopher Maguire, 38, both pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne in Rathcoole/Saggart on 9 June 2015. Duffy also admitted assaulting John Roche on the same day, while Maguire admitted falsely imprisoning Lisa Byrne. Daniel Kane, 28, was charged but did not attend court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt set a sentencing date of 18 December, remanded Duffy in custody and kept Maguire on continuing bail until that date.
Declan Duffy, aged 43, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to assaulting John Roche and to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne, both offences committed on 9 June 2015. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, remanded Duffy in custody until 18 October, when the case will be mentioned again. The judge ordered victim impact statements to be prepared for a future sentencing hearing. Duffy's co‑accused, Christopher Maguire (38) and Daniel Kane (28), were also involved in the same false imprisonment allegations, with Kane failing to attend court.
Christopher Maguire, 38, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and Lisa Byrne in Saggart on 9 June 2015. The court accepted the plea, remanded him on continuing bail until 18 October when sentencing will occur, and ordered victim impact statements to be prepared.
George Simpson, aged 30, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for attempting to rob the Rush Post Office on 28 November 2016. He entered armed with an air pistol and a hatchet, threatened to chop a customer's head off, and smashed a glass panel in front of the tills. Simpson pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to rob, production of a weapon, threat to kill or cause serious harm, and criminal damage. The judge, after viewing CCTV footage, noted the incident was frightening for staff and customers, and that Simpson's behaviour was out of character. His final 18 months were suspended, leaving an effective custodial term of four years and six months. Simpson has since moved out of his shared home and has begun attending a psychologist. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.