During the opening of Maurice Boland's trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Boland, 36, admitted to causing the death of construction worker Cian Gallagher, 26, but denied murder. CCTV footage showed Boland punching Gallagher, who had his hands up and was backing away, leading to a fall and a brain bleed that caused death eight days later. Boland claimed the incident was a "pure accident" and that Gallagher had tried to hit him first. Witnesses, including three young men and Gardaí, testified about Boland's intoxication, his statements comparing himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor, and his attempts to lift Gallagher after the punch. The prosecution emphasized the focus on Boland's intent that night, distinguishing between murder and manslaughter. The trial is set to continue for two weeks before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Maurice Boland pleaded not guilty.
Maurice Boland, 36, of Tallow, Waterford, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of mechanic Cian Gallagher, who was killed on Barrack Street in Tallow on 10 November 2022. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case tomorrow, with a jury of four women and eight men sworn in by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor. The trial is expected to last two weeks and will rely solely on the evidence presented in court, with no independent research or social media engagement permitted.
Norman Tanju, a development chef with PBR Restaurants Ltd, claimed constructive dismissal after the company attempted to shift him from weekday head‑office work to weekend shifts at a restaurant, subjected him to bullying during a stress‑related sick leave, and failed to address his complaints. He resigned in November 2022 after the firm deemed his absence unauthorised and threatened disciplinary action. Tanju argued the employer breached his contract by not giving 28 days' notice of the change and by altering his working pattern without consent. The WRC found the grievance handling inadequate and unfair, concluding Tanju had met the constructive dismissal threshold. He was awarded €13,269 for lost earnings and continuing losses. The case was interrupted by a hoax bomb threat that caused an evacuation of the hearing venue but had no connection to Tanju's claim. The matter was later heard in full.
Brendan Ogle is testifying in a Workplace Relations Commission hearing that Unite's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, defamed him during a 2022 conference by claiming "lies were being told" about the union on social media. Ogle says the remarks were made after his wife, Unite official Amanda La Combre, posted on Facebook about his return to work from cancer treatment, which was reported by the Irish and British press. He alleges Woodhouse's comments were made without naming him and that they were part of a broader pattern of defamation. Ogle has filed a defamation claim against Woodhouse and has been warned not to discuss his evidence with anyone. The hearing is adjourned for the night, with cross‑examination to resume later. The case remains an ongoing complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998.
The inquest into the 1981 Stardust fire, which claimed 48 lives, focused on the tragic loss of three McDermott siblings—Marcella (16), George (18) and William (22). The jury heard that all three died from rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes and heat. Marcella and George were identified by dental records and clothing, with Marcella's coffin carried by friends in Ska attire as a tribute. William was identified by dental records and had the highest carboxyhemoglobin level (61%) among victims, yet his death was also attributed to inhalation of fumes. The proceedings highlighted the profound impact on the McDermott family, particularly mother Bridget, and underscored the difficulty of fully grasping the scale and enormity of the tragedy. The inquest was set to continue the following day.
Two teenagers, Jamie Agemoh (20) and Wayne Dennis (21), were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for intimidating a 51‑year‑old woman over her son's drug debt. Agemoh, who had previously been convicted of a firearms offence, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was given a two‑year, three‑month prison term, fully suspended for four years with conditions including one year of probation. Dennis, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to a single count of demanding money with menaces and received a twelve‑month sentence, fully suspended. The court noted Agemoh's repeated demands between May and June 2020, which resulted in the woman paying over €2,500. Both men were described as having acted to intimidate the victim, with Agemoh's behaviour deemed "terrorising" and Dennis serving as a "body man.".
Paschal Kelly, aged 57, has failed in his appeal against conviction for a €92,000 post office robbery committed in September 2014. The Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge on all grounds, upholding his 18-year sentence imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 2018. Kelly, with last addresses in Cootehill, County Cavan, and Castlepollard, County Westmeath, was convicted of offences including false imprisonment, robbery, burglary and threatening to kill three women during the crime. The gang entered the home of postmistress Susan Lawlor in Malahide, bound her, her daughter and a student guest with cable ties, and transported them to Bayside Post Office in Sutton where the robbery occurred. Mr Justice John Edwards upheld the trial judge's admission of CCTV evidence and garda identification testimony, finding the evidence reliable and the conviction safe. Kelly's legal team indicated a sentence appeal remains pending. He has 60 previous convictions including robbery and assault.
Jake Emmet, aged 21, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended term of two and a half years, suspended for three years on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to making unwarranted demands with menace. The offence involved Emmet threatening to burn down a family home in Glen Hostel, Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, over an alleged €500 drug debt. He had visited the victim's house twice that day, telling her he would return to torch the house, and had recorded the incident on a doorbell camera. Emmet had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty, and expressed remorse. The judge, Martina Baxter, noted his young age, lack of previous convictions, and positive changes in his life, and warned that his anti‑social behaviour must stop. The sentence was imposed as a single, fully suspended term, with no custodial period.
In October 2023, Dublin City University (DCU) and developer Kinwest Ltd lodged judicial review actions in the High Court challenging the inclusion of their properties on the map of sites subject to the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT). DCU, represented by Joe Jeffers SC, seeks to quash the board's decision to list two sites—Griffith Avenue, Glasnevin, and Albert College Park—arguing they are exempt because they are used for education, a provision in the Taxes Consolidation Act. Kinwest, represented by Martin Hayden SC, contests the board's upholding of Fingal County Council's rulings that it must pay the RZLT on three sites in Auburn, Streamstown, and Malahide. The developer also challenges the constitutionality of the Act's amendment and the ministerial guidelines, claiming they were made outside the minister's powers. Both parties' applications will return before the High Court in December, with DCU also seeking declarations that the board erred in law and made unreasonable decisions.
Paul Clarke, 41, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for robbing a Lidl supermarket on Malahide Road on 13 November 2019. CCTV showed him entering the store, firing a handgun into the ceiling, then demanding money from two open tills. He took about €1,000, placing the cash in a bag he had brought. When he struggled to leave, he forced the manager to open the doors by threatening him with the gun and demanded the other tills be opened, but the manager refused. Clarke then fled in a getaway vehicle driven by an accomplice. Garda patrol stopped the car, seized drug paraphernalia and cash, and found gunshot residue on Clarke's jacket and the vehicle. He has 115 prior convictions, including robbery, false imprisonment and threats of serious harm, and had previously been sentenced to five years for an attempted robbery in 2021.
A grave digger, Martin Hayes, 34, will be tried for the murder of his partner, Amadea McDermott, 27, who was found dead at her home in Rathvale Drive, Ayrfield, Coolock on or about 20 July 2017. Hayes was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by senior counsel Sean Gillane, will argue that the events leading to the murder began on 19 July and continued into the early hours of 20 July, with Hayes and McDermott in a relationship at the time. Witnesses will include McDermott's sisters and other parties, and Garda officers from Coolock and Malahide stations will testify. Hayes was employed as a grave digger at Mount Jerome cemetery in Harold's Cross when the alleged offence occurred. The trial, overseen by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is scheduled to last up to four weeks.
The High Court has ordered Richmond Homes and Arkmount Construction to give the ESB the names of all employees who are alleged to have demanded cash payments for electrical works at housing developments. The court granted Norwich Pharmacal‑type orders, requiring the firms to disclose the names of every person who allegedly sought or received payments. The firms had already supplied the names of four employees, but the judge found clear proof of wrongdoing by others and said that disclosure of those names was "clearly necessary." The court also ordered the firms to provide the date and amount of the alleged payments. The ESB, represented by Marcus Dowling SC and Joe Jeffers SC, intends to pursue proceedings against the individuals named. The case will return to the court for final orders, including cost allocations, at a later date.
A man from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two unprovoked assaults committed in January 2023. Celyn Eadon (31) pleaded guilty to causing harm to two men during random attacks on Malahide Road, Artane. The first victim was struck multiple times while using an ATM, and the second was assaulted on a bus. The offences occurred ten days after Eadon's release from a suspended sentence. The court heard that Eadon previously killed his mother in 2014, a murder conviction later quashed, with a subsequent manslaughter plea resulting in a ten-year sentence. Following release in 2021, he assaulted a support worker. Defence counsel submitted that Eadon has an acquired brain injury from prolonged substance abuse, causing cognitive impairment and loss of behavioural restraint. Judge Martin Nolan noted the court faces an unusual challenge, as the likelihood of further offending remains high despite the permanent nature of Eadon's condition. The final two years of the sentence were suspended, conditional on Probation Service supervision.
Amir Essalhi, 39, with 69 prior convictions, turned himself in after a three‑day spree of robberies in Dublin, claiming he had relapsed on crack cocaine. He admitted to stealing nearly €1,000 from a tanning shop, an off‑licence and a grocery store, and to an attempted robbery of a pharmacy. Essalhi apologized to Gardaí and to the victims, stating, "it's not me, it's the drugs." He was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe, who noted the unusual nature of his voluntary surrender. The sentence, back‑dated to May 19, 2022, reflects his cooperation and current participation in prison training and addiction counselling. Essalhi's brother, Adil Essahli, was murdered in 2011, a fact mentioned in the court hearing. The court also noted Essalhi's ongoing work and rehabilitation efforts in custody. Amir Essalhi pleaded guilty.
Dillon Andrews, 26, was jailed for two and a half years as the getaway driver in an armed robbery at a Lidl supermarket in Coolock Retail Park on 13 November 2019. The robbery involved a co‑accused who entered the shop after 7 pm, fired a shotgun into the ceiling, demanded cash, and attempted to access the safe. The manager triggered the panic alarm, locking the robber inside; the robber was released, fled, and escaped with Andrews in a vehicle. Gardaí recovered €550 from the car, found drug paraphernalia, and detected gunshot residue on the co‑accused's hands. Andrews denied involvement but admitted being present; he pleaded guilty to the robbery. The judge noted the seriousness of the incident, the presence of children, and accepted Andrews' plea before sentencing. The manager did not submit a victim impact statement. The case was prosecuted by John Berry BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 43‑year‑old Darren Sweeney pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery after he put a knife to a victim's neck on a bus at the Darndale Roundabout on 22 March 2022. The victim, who was waiting for a bus at Clarehall Shopping Centre, fought back, cutting his fingers and punching Sweeney before the attacker fled. Sweeney was identified by CCTV, searched, and arrested. He has 42 prior convictions, including assault, theft and traffic offences, and had recently been fined €200 for theft. The victim's impact statement described the incident as turning familiar streets into places "filled with shadow", causing anxiety, nightmares and hypervigilance. Sweeney, who has a serious drug problem, has been in methadone treatment and has expressed remorse. The judge adjourned the case to 6 November to prepare a probation report. The case remains at the attempted robbery stage.
In a June 2023 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission awarded €2,000 to Sophia Brennan after she was denied entry to KOA Asian Restaurant in Malahide with her guide dog Tim. Brennan, who had a letter from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and a guide‑dog card, described the staff's refusal as humiliating and said the dog was called "not hygienic" and could be left "out back." The proprietor had claimed staff allergies and that children might be scared of dogs, but Brennan said none of this was communicated to her that evening. The tribunal found the restaurant had discriminated against her under the Equal Status Act, ordered the proprietor to pay compensation, and required the management to become acquainted with equality legislation. The hearing was conducted without the restaurant's presence, and the decision was made by adjudicating officer Penelope McGrath.
The founder of a Dublin restaurant group, Padraic Hanley, had his car seized outside the Labour Court by the new management while he was inside pursuing an appeal against his dismissal, according to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). A barrister representing one of Hanley's sons argued that the confiscation highlighted the "utterly bitter" nature of the dispute. The tribunal noted the failure of negotiations aimed at resolving the three-year legal dispute between the Hanley family and the new owners of PBR Restaurants Ltd, who acquired the firm during its examinership in 2019. The WRC found defects in the redundancy processes and ruled the dismissals of David and Philip Hanley as unfair, awarding them €50,000. Padraic Hanley's claim was dismissed as he was not an employee prior to the examinership. Stephen Hanley, the middle brother, claimed that the redundancy process used outdated trading figures and that a proposed role paying €14 an hour would not be viable after tax.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 20‑year‑old Jake Emmet pleaded guilty to making unwarranted demands with menace at a family home in Malahide on 16 May 2022. Emmet threatened to burn down the house, claiming the homeowner owed him a €500 drug debt. The incident was captured on a doorbell camera, showing Emmet telling the homeowner's mother that her son owed money for "green and a little bit of cocaine" and that he would "torch the house." Emmet's father, a career criminal serving a prison sentence, had left the family when Emmet was a child. Emmet admitted to having no understanding of the trauma he caused, and his counsel noted his cocaine use and homelessness. The judge adjourned sentencing to 25 July, ordering Emmet to cease his association with the people he was "playing the hard man" with.
Yvonne Graham, a survivor of the 1981 Stardust Ballroom fire, gave a moving testimony at the inquest, describing the horror she and her friend Susan Morgan (19) witnessed as the blaze claimed 48 lives. Yvonne and Susan had moved from Derry to Dublin to work at the Nazareth House care home, where they lived and worked with other young women. She recalled the night of the fire, the shock of seeing friends die in front of them, and the subsequent trauma that haunted her with nightmares and compulsive safety checks. Yvonne spoke of the blame placed on the girls for being away from home, the lasting impact on her own life and her children, and her hope that the inquest will bring justice for those who suffered. The account focuses on the immediate aftermath and the enduring psychological effects of the tragedy.
Patrick Rogers, 36, was previously jailed for 10 months in 2019 for possessing 41 images and one video of child abuse material. In 2023, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that five further illegal videos were found on a phone in 2017, but the prosecution was delayed due to a "mislabelling" oversight. Rogers pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at his home on 16 October 2017. He has 10 prior convictions, including possession of child pornography and threats to kill. The court considered his psychiatric history, learning difficulties, and family responsibilities. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the delay and Rogers' personal challenges, imposed a 16‑month custodial sentence that was fully suspended and ordered the destruction of the images. No further prison term was imposed.
The Court of Appeal has issued a ruling in the case of Patrick Dowdall, the appellant in the Regency Hotel shooting trial. Dowdall had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of facilitating the shooting of David Byrne. The specific allegation was that he participated in activity intending to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation, namely the murder of Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra, Dublin 9, on February 4, 2016. Following his initial conviction, Dowdall was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. However, after successful appeals, he was re-sentenced to seven years and 11 months. The current appeal resulted in a further reduction, with Dowdall now sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The procedural stage is an appeal, and the matter has been finalised with this revised sentence. Co-accused Jason Bonney was also involved in the proceedings, though specific details of his plea or sentence are not detailed in this summary. The court emphasized that the allegations against Dowdall were based on his admission of guilt to facilitating the crime, rather than direct participation in the shooting itself. The decision reflects the appellate court's review of the sentencing and charges, resulting in a reduced term of custody for the appellant.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Sophia Brennan claimed she was discriminated against when she and her husband were denied entry to KOA Kitchen of Asia in Malahide with her guide dog Tim. Brennan said the staff refused them, citing health and safety and claiming Tim was "not hygienic," and suggested leaving the dog in the yard. She described feeling humiliated and dirty. The restaurant's proprietor had previously stated that staff allergies and children's fears were concerns, but Brennan said none of this was mentioned to her that evening. The restaurant had indicated it could accommodate them if prior notice had been given, but Brennan argued she is not obliged to inform a restaurant of her guide dog. The adjudicator noted the restaurant's absence and that it had sent a "tainted apology" via correspondence, concluding a clear case of discrimination pending a final decision.
Gerard McQuillan, 35, was sentenced to three years in prison for strangling his former partner, an act he denied, claiming she had attacked him. Judge Martina Baxter noted his misogynistic tendencies and the aggravating context of an intimate relationship under the 2018 Domestic Violence Act. McQuillan was convicted in December 2022 of assault causing harm and two counts of criminal damage after he lifted the woman by the neck, damaged her necklace, and punched a wall. He has 76 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and was assessed as a high risk of repeat spousal abuse. The judge suspended the final six months of a 3½‑year term on the condition he engages with the Probation Service for a year, has no contact with the victim, and discloses any new partner. The sentence reflects the jury's rejection of his lies and the court's view of the assault as unprovoked and horrific.
Haremi Limited, a clothing company co‑owned by fashion blogger Rosie Connolly Quinn and her husband Paul Quinn, has brought High Court proceedings against three parties it says have engaged in 'passing off' its trademarked brand 'The 4TH ARQ'. The claim arose after Haremi discovered hoodies, sweatpants and jumpers bearing its logo being sold at two fashion outlets – one in Dublin and one in Co Wexford – despite the company's policy that its goods can only be purchased through its website. Haremi alleges the items were supplied by Independent Clothing Ltd, a supplier it had rejected last year, and that the garments were inferior and substandard. The court granted Haremi permission to serve short‑notice injunction proceedings on the defendants and adjourned the matter to Friday's sitting. Haremi seeks injunctions restraining the defendants from selling, marketing or dealing in goods bearing its trademark, and orders to disclose the names and addresses of all suppliers of such goods.
Ross Donoghue, a 31‑year‑old former resident of Northway Estate in Finglas, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted robbery in the Malahide area on 28 June 2020. He tried to rob a 16‑year‑old girl and a 64‑year‑old man on the same morning. The girl was forced to remove her earphones when Donoghue demanded her phone and threatened to stab her; she escaped after Donoghue fell. The man, Robert Ennis, was tackled by Donoghue, who kicked him several times. Ennis suffered facial bruising and mild orbital swelling. Donoghue had a long record of convictions for assault, criminal damage, attempted robbery, drug possession and obstruction, and was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting Donoghue's remorse and admissions, imposed a custodial sentence of 21 months, consecutive to his current term, citing his long‑standing addictions and prior convictions as aggravating factors. The sentence was delivered on 15 February 2023.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all accused of participating in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016, continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including providing access to motor vehicles and facilitating the offence. Today, defence counsel for Mr Bonney stated it is their case that his father, not Mr Bonney, drove the BMW X5 alleged to have been used in the attack. Prosecution evidence from Garda Michele Purcell and Senior Intelligence Analyst Sarah Skedd detailed vehicle movements, including a Toyota Avensis taxi driven by Mr Murphy and the BMW X5, which allegedly transported a man in a flat cap from the scene. The court also heard evidence regarding Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused who turned State's witness. Mr Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, previously pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a hotel room available and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for two years. The trial will continue tomorrow with further evidence from Ms Skedd.
A man from County Cavan is appealing his conviction for a post office robbery in Dublin during which three women were tied up and abducted. Paschal Kelly, aged 56, was convicted in 2018 of robbery, false imprisonment, threatening to kill, and other offences relating to a €92,000 theft from Bayside Post Office in Sutton in September 2014. He was sentenced to 18 years. The Court of Appeal heard arguments on the strength of evidence against him. The State's counsel cited DNA evidence recovered from discarded clothing found at the scene and a bottle in the getaway vehicle, alongside CCTV footage and garda identifications of the driver. The defence challenged the quality of CCTV footage, arguing the jury should have been instructed not to make visual identifications themselves and questioned the reliability of mixed DNA profiles as evidence of guilt. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
Mícheál Ó Leidhin, 38, a former RTÉ journalist, lost his appeal against a conviction for sexually assaulting a woman who was asleep at his former home. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, ruled that consent cannot be implied when a person is asleep and rejected the appellant's argument that prior consensual activity could establish implied consent. Justice Donnelly described the appeal grounds as speculative and dismissed both the conviction and sentence appeals. She noted that the trial judge had considered Ó Leidhin's lack of prior convictions, good character, loss of employment, and cooperation with Gardaí, and that the final three months of the 18‑month sentence were suspended. The decision reaffirmed the conviction and the imposed custodial term.
Stephen Penrose, 39, a former garda's son, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Philip Finnegan in 2016. While in Mountjoy Prison, he pleaded guilty to possession of diamorphine for sale and supply. In a supervised visit, Penrose attempted to conceal a package containing a mobile phone, 49.2 g of diamorphine, and 113 zopiclone tablets. Prison officers intervened, and the package was seized. Penrose initially denied receiving the drugs but later admitted he was unaware of the package until the visit and that his partner had instructed him to hand it to another inmate. He has 34 prior convictions, including murder, manslaughter and drug possession. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a concurrent sentence of two and a half years to deter drug smuggling in prison.
The High Court has appointed an interim examiner to Blacklough Construction Limited following an application on grounds of cash-flow insolvency. The company, which has 48 employees and engages subcontractors, is currently constructing over 360 social housing units across five sites for Respond Housing Association, including developments in Charlestown, County Mayo, and locations in Dublin, Meath, Westmeath and Louth. An independent expert's report indicated the company has reasonable prospects of survival if certain steps are taken. Counsel attributed the firm's difficulties primarily to a 33 per cent rise in building material costs since 2020, alongside a potential planning permission issue at the Carrickmines site in Dublin. Trade creditors are owed over €3 million. Chartered accountant Joe Walsh was appointed as interim examiner by Mr Justice Michael Quinn on Thursday. The court was satisfied that creditors would fare better under an examinership than in liquidation. Proceedings were adjourned to later in the month, with creditors to be notified of the application.
A blind homeless woman, aged 39 and known as Rosemarie Fearsaor or Maria Rosita Apacha Marchega, pleaded guilty last year to five counts of stealing about €40,000 in welfare benefits between 2011 and 2015. She later claimed a wish to change her plea to not guilty, but the DPP was not notified. In court she represented herself, refusing a solicitor or barrister. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting the case had been adjourned 14 times and the accused's uncooperative behaviour, imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence on strict conditions, including a bond to keep the peace. The judge warned that refusal to accept the bond would lead to custody. The woman interrupted the judge during sentencing, initially refusing the bond but later agreeing to abide by it. The State alleged she also claimed over £50,000 in UK benefits under false identities, and that she had used multiple names and false documents.
A man who allowed his vehicle to be used to transport nearly €60,000 worth of cannabis has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. David Murray, aged 33, of Ballyshannon Road, Kilmore, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the sale or supply of cannabis in his van at the Malahide Road Roundabout in Swords on 29 October 2020. During a surveillance operation, Murray parked his vehicle at a carpark on the Swords Road. While he was in a nearby shop, another individual placed almost three kilograms of cannabis into the back of his van. Murray was stopped shortly after leaving the carpark and the drugs were recovered. The court heard that gardaí were satisfied the drugs did not belong to Murray and that his role was limited to transporting them. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Murray's guilty plea was of significant value to the prosecution while noting he was unlikely to reoffend. Murray has 26 previous convictions, including drug and firearms offences.
A surveillance garda testified in the Special Criminal Court that he saw Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, accused of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne, riding a motorcycle out of former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall's home on February 12, 2016. Gerard Hutch (59), last of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Jonathan Dowdall (44), a married father of four with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in advance of the trial to a lesser charge of facilitating the Hutch gang by making a hotel room available ahead of the murder. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The former Dublin councillor is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after agreeing to testify against former co-accused Gerard Hutch, who is charged with Mr Byrne's murder. The Special Criminal Court has already viewed CCTV footage of what the State says is Gerard Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall on February 20 and March 7, 2016. A garda known as Member BZ testified that he observed Jonathan Dowdall's grey Toyota Land Cruiser parked opposite Forest Park in Killygordon in Co Donegal at 11am on February 20 2016 and that it was beside a silver Renault Megane Scenic. The Megane left the area at 2.35pm with two males in the vehicle. Another officer called Member BU told Ms Murphy that at 3.51pm on March 9 2016, Shane Rowan was observed carrying a long cardboard box as he walked down the escalator of Clarehall Shopping Centre before entering Carphone Warehouse. In July 2016, Rowan from Forest Park, Killygordan, in County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition. He was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of four years in prison for IRA membership, backdated to March 9 2016. Evidence has also been given that bullet cases found at the Regency Hotel murder scene were fired by the three AK-47 assault rifles. Gerard Hutch's two co-accused – Paul Murphy (59), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin and Jason Bonney (50), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The evidence of the NSU members continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
The Special Criminal Court has viewed CCTV footage presented by the State, which allegedly shows Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall shortly after the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel. The footage also shows Patrick Hutch Senior in the same area of north Dublin as convicted IRA member Shane Rowan a month after the attack. Rowan was stopped with three assault rifles used in the Regency Hotel shooting. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Gerard Hutch has pleaded guilty to charges related to the murder of David Byrne, but the matter is still ongoing. County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition and received a concurrent sentence of four years for IRA membership, backdated to March 9, 2016. The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
The trial of Gerry Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016, continued before a three-judge court. All three defendants, who are alleged to have participated in or contributed to the killing, have pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented CCTV evidence depicting the escape of the assailants, including a black BMW X5. Garda Michelle Purcell detailed footage showing the vehicle's movements from Portmarnock to St Vincent's GAA grounds, where six individuals, including a man in a wig and a man in a flat cap, were seen fleeing. The prosecution alleges the man in the flat cap was the deceased Kevin Murray, who cooperated with the tactical team. Counsel stated that the escape route is central to the cases of Murphy and Bonney, who are accused of providing access to motor vehicles. The defense for Bonney indicated the identification evidence would be challenged. The trial is ongoing and was adjourned to continue on Monday before Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone.
The Special Criminal Court heard the opening of the trial of Gerry Hutch, 59, Paul Murphy, 59, and Jason Bonney, 50, who were arraigned today. Hutch pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Kinahan gang member David Byrne, 33, during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. Murphy and Bonney also pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating a serious offence by providing access to motor vehicles to a criminal organisation. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC alleged that Hutch told former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall he was "one of the team" responsible for the killing. The state contends the attack was "performative, targeted," and "macabre," involving men disguised as gardaí. Evidence includes a recorded conversation where Hutch discussed the incident and the Kinahan feud. While Patrick Dowdall and Jonathan Dowdall are not defendants in this specific trial, the report notes that both Dowdalls admitted to making a room available at the Regency Hotel on February 4, 2016, to facilitate the offence. The trial is underway before a non-jury court, with significant security presence at the Criminal Courts of Justice.
Paschal Kelly, a convicted criminal with 60 previous convictions, opened an appeal at the Court of Appeal against his 2018 conviction and 18-year sentence for a 2014 post office robbery in Sutton, Dublin. Kelly was convicted of trespass, false imprisonment, robbery, threatening to kill, and possession of a stolen vehicle. The charges relate to the abduction of postmistress Susan Lawlor, her daughter Emma Carter, and student Gabriella Saisa, who were bound and held overnight before being taken to the Bayside Post Office. Kelly denied all charges. His counsel, Martin O'Rourke KC, submitted ten grounds challenging the conviction and four against the sentence, arguing the trial judge erred in admitting CCTV identification evidence. O'Rourke contended the footage did not positively identify Kelly and that Garda witnesses failed to provide a specific description of the driver during initial interviews. The appeal, heard by Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, was adjourned to December 19. On that date, State counsel Roisin Lacey SC is scheduled to reply to the appellant's submissions. The matter remains pending and has not been concluded.
John Hanley, a 45‑year‑old tile shop co‑owner in Coolock, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to knowingly permitting the importation of drugs. On 10 October 2020 a pallet containing €1.94 million worth of cannabis was delivered to his shop on Malahide Road and signed for by a shop worker. Gardaí raided the premises and seized the drugs. Hanley told the court that he had accepted the delivery because he believed he was targeted due to his legitimate business and that he did so out of fear for his safety and that of his family. He claimed no other shop staff were aware of the drugs and that he had been threatened by individuals to hold them. Hanley had two prior convictions for minor offences.
The Court of Appeal refused to consider an "implied consent" argument raised by the defence of ex‑RTE journalist Mícheál Ó Leidhin, who was convicted of sexual assault. The defence had argued that the victim had discussed possible sexual activity the following morning before falling asleep, and that this should have been considered by the jury. The court held that a sleeping person cannot give consent and that the jury's charge did not mention implied consent. The appeal also challenged the 18‑month sentence with three months suspended, but the court reserved judgment on that ground. Ó Leidhin, aged 38, was convicted in April 2022 after a trial in which the victim described being groped while asleep. The court noted that the victim's testimony was compelling and that Ó Leidhin had no prior convictions. The appeal remains pending.
Mícheál Ó Leidhin, 38, a former RTÉ journalist, was convicted of sexual assault for an incident that occurred on the night of 13 May 2018. The assault took place at his former home in south Dublin after the victim, who remains anonymous, had been drinking with a friend. According to the court, the victim fell asleep and later woke to find Ó Leidhin on top of her, groping her breasts. He stopped after she told him to, but the victim reported the incident to Gardaí in April 2019. In April 2022, a jury found him guilty. On 26 July 2022, Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, suspending the final three months on conditions. The judge noted the victim's traumatic impact and that Ó Leidhin had accepted the verdict but not its import. The sentence was to take effect on 1 August 2022 when he was to appear at Mountjoy Prison.
Daniel Belling, a 49‑year‑old German national living in Dublin, was sentenced in his absence in Italy to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended term for one count of dishonestly inducing the Bank of Ireland to grant a €112,500 mortgage on 13 March 2014. He used falsified documents—including a German ID card with an incorrect birth date, overstated payslips, altered bank statements and a P60—to apply for loans between 1 July 2013 and 27 January 2015. The court described the offence as a "classic white‑collar crime" and noted Belling's wife, missing since 2017, was alleged to have driven the scheme. Belling pleaded guilty, exercised his right to silence in 2018, and has no prior convictions. He is a primary carer for his two sons, aged nine and ten, and has been unemployed since 2017. The judge fully suspended the sentence, deciding not to imprison him.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the sentencing of 38‑year‑old RTE journalist Mícheál Ó Leidhin was adjourned to 27 July 2022 while the court considered the weight of his remorse. Ó Leidhin, convicted in April 2022 of sexual assault at his former home in south Dublin, had denied the offence but now accepts the jury verdict. The judge noted that evidence had been challenged and a narrative presented to the jury. The complainant, who remains anonymous, reported that after a night of drinking and kissing, she fell asleep and later found Ó Leidhin on top of her, groping her breasts. She told him to stop; he apologized. She later expressed annoyance and the pair agreed to "differ" on the events. The court heard that Ó Leidhin had no prior convictions and had cooperated fully with investigators. The judge will decide how much weight to give to his remorse before sentencing.
Mícheál Ó Leidhin, 38, a journalist with RTÉ, was convicted of sexual assault for an incident that occurred on the night of 13 May 2018. The alleged assault took place at his former home in south Dublin after the victim, who was drinking with a friend, met Ó Leidhin at a pub. They travelled to his flat, where they kissed and engaged in consensual foreplay. The victim later fell asleep; Ó Leidhin allegedly attempted to continue sexual activity while she was unconscious, groping her breasts and positioning himself on top of her. She reported the assault to Gardaí in April 2019. Ó Leidhin denied the offence initially but has now accepted the jury verdict. He has no prior convictions and was suspended from RTÉ. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The court adjourned sentencing to the following Monday and remanded Ó Leidhin on continuing bail.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Fred Davis, 42, received a suspended six‑month prison sentence for driving without due care and attention, causing serious harm to a one‑year‑old infant. On 21 June 2017, while operating his work van on the Malahide Road in Coolock, Davis failed to observe a red pedestrian light at a crossing. A mother, with a green light for pedestrians, was pushing her buggy across the road when the van struck the buggy, fracturing the child's skull and ribs. The infant spent 13 days in hospital and has since recovered. Davis, a painter and decorator with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty. The judge, citing the child's severe injuries and Davis's remorse, imposed a four‑year driving disqualification and a suspended six‑month custodial term, noting that the maximum penalty for the offence is two years. The victim remains unnamed in accordance with the Children Act.
Eddie Cawley, 22, pleaded guilty to burglary at a Portmarnock house on 9 March 2020. He and a co‑accused rang the doorbell, knocked, and when no one answered they damaged the front door to enter. The homeowner's son, who was in the bathroom, heard the noise, confronted one intruder on the stairs, and the men fled. Cawley claimed he would not have entered if he had known someone was home and had no weapon, though a claw hammer was used in the confrontation. No items were taken, only door damage. He was arrested after a chase, and the pair were taken into custody. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his guilty plea, past convictions, and personal circumstances, sentenced him to four and a half years, suspending 18 months on strict conditions including 12 months probation supervision. The sentence was imposed in 2022.
Stephen Penrose was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Philip Finnegan at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence was backdated to May 17, 2017, when Penrose entered custody. Penrose, who had pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict. He represented himself during the trial after dismissing his legal teams, an action the judge described as a serious abuse of the legal system. In a victim impact statement, Angela Finnegan, the victim's mother, condemned Penrose for cross-examining her in the witness box, stating no mother should be questioned by the man who murdered her son. She described the trauma of finding her son's decapitated remains in Rahin Woods, Co Kildare, three weeks after he went missing. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Finnegan died from multiple stab wounds, including fatal injuries to his liver and aorta. Superintendent Brian O'Keeffe informed the court of Penrose's previous convictions, including the manslaughter of David Sharkey in 2010, for which Sharkey was sentenced to nine years in prison. Penrose's other prior offenses included possession of firearms, a hit-and-run, and assaults on prison officers. The judge noted that Penrose had been continually in custody since May 2017. The court rejected Penrose's defense that he was attacked by others, accepting the prosecution's case that he inflicted a gruesome death on Finnegan.
Stephen Penrose, aged 38, was found guilty by a jury of murdering his friend Philip Finnegan, aged 24, who was missing for three weeks before his decapitated remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare. The jury rejected Penrose's defence that he had last seen Finnegan being stabbed by a group of men in a forest and that he had attempted to conceal the body's location. Evidence included a DNA match from a bloodied glove found near the remains, a forensic scientist's report linking Penrose's DNA to the glove, and testimony that Finnegan's body had suffered multiple stab wounds, including fatal ones to the liver and aorta. Penrose had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 2010. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, concluded with a unanimous verdict after five hours and 46 minutes of deliberation over two days.
The jury in the Stephen Penrose murder trial, which concerns the death of 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan whose decapitated body was found in a Kildare woods, has paused its deliberations for the weekend and will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday. The panel of eight men and four women spent 3 hours and 36 minutes considering their verdict. Judge Alexander Owens instructed them to suspend deliberations at 4 pm and resume on Monday morning to decide whether Penrose, aged 38, should be found guilty of murdering Finnegan. The jury was told to ignore Penrose's choice to represent himself, his outburst in court, and his repeated hiring and firing of lawyers, and to focus solely on the evidence presented. The case has heard that Finnegan's remains were found buried in a shallow grave, that a DNA profile from a bloodied glove matched Penrose, and that the death was caused by multiple stab wounds. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Stephen Penrose, 38, for the alleged murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, at Rahin Woods, Edenderry, Co Kildare, on August 10, 2016, is ongoing. Penrose, of Coolock, Dublin 17, pleaded not guilty. The Central Criminal Court jury has heard that Finnegan's decapitated remains were found buried in September 2016, with forensic evidence indicating death by multiple stab wounds. A DNA profile from a bloodied glove matched Penrose. The prosecution alleges Penrose brought Finnegan to the woods between 4.10pm and 5.13pm, a period supported by CCTV footage of his Alfa Romeo. Penrose claimed he was attacked by men in a black car while testing firearms, but the State argues his changing accounts were an attempt to conceal the body's location. Mr Justice Alexander Owens charged the jury to ignore Penrose's unrepresented status, courtroom outbursts, and character, focusing solely on the evidence. The judge noted Penrose declined to give a closing speech or call witnesses. The jury was instructed to decide if Penrose was the perpetrator. The judge will complete his charge tomorrow morning, after which the jury will begin deliberations.