The Special Criminal Court heard that Inspector Brian Delaney was "fairly satisfied" that 30‑year‑old Eamonn Cumberton had a "significant role" in the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, the manager of the Sunset House pub, on 25 April 2016. Delaney said items recovered from a partially burnt Audi near the scene – masks, hats, firearms and ammunition – linked the car to the shooting and that Cumberton was listed as a suspect early in the investigation. On 26 May, the inspector received information that Cumberton had a baseball cap and a rubber mask from the getaway car, which further convinced him of Cumberton's involvement. Cumberton had tried to leave for Bangkok after the shooting, but his passport had expired; he later obtained an emergency passport and flew to Bangkok, returning to Dublin on 25 May. Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Eamonn Cumberton, 30, who is accused of murdering Michael Barr, 35, the manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin, on 25 April 2016. Cumberton pleaded not guilty. The prosecution argues that Cumberton is "inextricably linked" to items recovered from a partially burnt-out car near the scene, and that those items are "inextricably linked" to the shooting. The court announced that the trial will resume on Monday before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Patricia Ryan and James Faughnan presiding.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing on 23 November 2017, evidence was presented linking a bullet and a mobile phone found beside a partially burnt-out car to the 2016 murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub. The prosecution argued that Eamonn Cumberton, 30, was "inextricably linked" to the items recovered from the car, which was allegedly used as a getaway vehicle. Witness James Fogarty testified that a car appeared on Walsh Road, with flames on the passenger side, and that a silver car was approached by three individuals. Detective Garda Michael Harkin described finding a 9mm bullet and a ringing phone near a grey Audi, noting the bullet had not moved. Garda Emmett O'Byrne reported a single 9mm round near the Audi's rear passenger wheel. Stephen Clifford, present at the pub, described seeing masked men with a gun at Barr's head. Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty. Sunset House pleaded not guilty.
During the Special Criminal Court trial of Eamonn Cumberton, 30, accused of murdering 35‑year‑old Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016, the court heard further witness statements. Stephen Clifford, who was organising a raffle in the pub that night, testified that he saw two men in rubbery Halloween masks approach Barr and place a gun to his head. Clifford described the men as standing "on top of him" and noted that the masks resembled an old man's face. James Fogarty also gave evidence, recalling a car that drove onto a path on Walsh Road, with three people exiting and flames appearing on the passenger side. Fogarty said one of the individuals may have dropped a shiny object near the car, and that the group ran toward a silver car. The trial continues. Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty.
Two men wearing "Freddie Kruger" masks entered the Sunset House pub in Dublin on the night of a shooting. Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, who was shot dead in the pub on 25 April 2016. The prosecution argued that Cumberton was "inextricably linked" to items seized from a partially burnt‑out car near the scene, and that those items were "inextricably linked" to the shooting. Witnesses, including Theresa Smyth, described the masked men as "Freddie Kruger" or "Halloween" masks and said they entered the bar, after which a shooting occurred. Smyth said she saw Barr on the ground with blood from his head and that she "crawled over and blessed him." James Dunne, who was organising a raffle that night, recounted seeing a man with a weapon and fleeing with his daughter.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, the manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin. Barr was shot on 25 April 2016 after two masked men in boiler suits entered the pub between 8:30 and 9:33 pm. Barr was shot seven times – five to the head, one to the shoulder and one to the neck – and died at 10:12 pm. Evidence will show that the shooters used a firearm found in a silver Audi, which was set on fire by three people on Walsh Road. The Audi contained loaded firearms, masks, balaclavas and boiler suits. Cumberton and another man flew to Thailand the day after the shooting. The defence will challenge all prosecution evidence, and the case will be heard in a voir dire to determine admissibility. The trial will resume tomorrow with Mr Justice Tony Hunt presiding.
In a High Court hearing on 26 October 2017, a judge reserved judgement on a bid by Eric Eoin Marques, an Irish man described by the FBI as the world's largest facilitator of child pornography, to halt his extradition to the United States. Marques, 32, is alleged to have owned and managed the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting, which hosted over a hundred extremely violent and graphic child‑pornographic images. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013 and suffers from Asperger's Syndrome. His surrender was ordered by the High Court in December 2015, and a subsequent appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Marques has also pursued judicial review to stop his surrender, arguing that the Minister for Justice failed to consider the Director of Public Prosecutions' reasons for not prosecuting him in Ireland.
The High Court has heard an appeal by Eric Eoin Marques, the accused, regarding his proposed extradition to the United States. Mr. Marques is alleged to be the owner of Freedom Hosting and is wanted by US authorities for conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. The FBI has described him as the world's largest facilitator of such material. Although his surrender was ordered by the High Court in 2015 and upheld by the Court of Appeal, he has launched fresh judicial review proceedings challenging the Minister for Justice's refusal to exercise discretion to halt his extradition. Counsel for Mr. Marques argued that the Minister's decision was flawed because she did not have regard to the Director of Public Prosecutions' reasons for not prosecuting him in Ireland. The court heard that the Minister stated it was not necessary to seek these reasons, a position described by defense counsel as "uninformative" and failing to meet the standard for a decision with profound consequences. Conversely, counsel for the Minister argued she was exercising residual discretion and that her provided reasons were adequate. The matter is currently at the appeal stage, with the hearing before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly adjourned to resume the following morning.
Vincent Maher, 45, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession of a loaded Smith & Weston revolver found in a laneway beside a Dublin pub. He was arrested after a surveillance operation and pleaded guilty to the firearm offence on 6 December 2016. The revolver, fully loaded with six bullets and wrapped in a black scarf, was recovered in a plastic bag by workmen; Maher's DNA was found on the butt. He claimed he kept the gun for personal protection, citing threats to his life, but no Garda Information Message had been issued to him. Maher also pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for personal use (22 November 2015) and possession of heroin for sale or supply (15 March 2016). All three offences occurred while he was serving a suspended sentence for possession of €20,000 worth of heroin.
Glen Conroy, aged 29, was sentenced to an additional 18 months in prison for assaulting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 20 March 2013. Conroy, who was already serving a six‑year sentence for aggravated burglary and had 57 prior convictions, had complained that his new cell lacked a television. Prison officer Paul Brady promised to arrange a TV, but Conroy lunged at him, head‑butting him and punching him in the face. Conroy resisted restraint attempts by other officers and was brought to the ground by three officers. Officer Brady suffered facial injuries and was out of work for a month. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after a three‑day trial, imposed the 18‑month term to be served consecutively to Conroy's existing sentence. The court noted Conroy's long history of violent offences and his limited time at liberty over the past 15 years.
Andrei Panzariu, 32, of Mountjoy Square Apartments, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to four charges of theft committed on March 25, 2014. The defendant admitted to withdrawing €4,042 through four separate transactions following a scam that defrauded a woman of €5,000. Prosecution evidence indicated the victim was targeted via a phishing email impersonating Permanent TSB, leading to unauthorized transfers. Panzariu was identified on CCTV making two ATM withdrawals and two sterling exchanges at post offices. He claimed he was approached by two men at a casino and offered €300 to perform the withdrawals. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Panzariu had 25 previous convictions, primarily for road traffic offences, but acknowledged he had repaid the full stolen amount to the victim, the bank, and the phone company. Defence counsel highlighted the defendant's personal tragedies and financial desperation at the time, noting he is now employed and has apologized to the victim. The judge suspended a sentence of 18 months imprisonment, citing the full restitution and the defendant's current circumstances.
Ryan O'Driscoll, aged 20, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after he stole a motorbike and drove it through Dublin city streets on 6 March 2015. The bike, with incorrect plates, was pursued by Garda patrol cars that eventually boxed it in. O'Driscoll was arrested and later sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to three and a half years' imprisonment, backdated to 20 February, with the balance suspended and a four‑year driving disqualification. He had previously been convicted 84 times, 64 for road traffic offences, and was serving a six‑month sentence for minor traffic offences at the time of sentencing. The court noted his history of drug use and prior sentences at Oberstown, and his stated intention to become a mechanic after release.
Ryan O'Driscoll, aged 18 at the time of the incident, was found guilty of dangerous driving after he operated a stolen motorbike on Dublin city streets. The motorbike, which had been stolen the previous month and bore incorrect plates, was pursued by Garda patrol cars after it was spotted on Malahide Road. O'Driscoll drove at high speed, overtaking stationary cars, weaving through traffic on Fairview Strand, and even using a footpath. He managed to escape onto Clontarf Road, collided with a second patrol car, and was eventually boxed in by the Garda. He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the charge. O'Driscoll has 84 prior convictions, 64 of which are for road traffic offences, and is currently serving a six‑month sentence for minor road traffic offences. The court heard that he is now 20, wishes to train as a mechanic, and has expressed a desire to avoid future criminal activity.
In a High Court hearing on 7 July 2017, objections were raised to a legal bid by Eric Eoin Marques, an Irish man described by the FBI as the world's largest facilitator of child pornography, to halt his extradition to the United States. Marques, 30, is alleged to have owned and administered Freedom Hosting, an anonymous site hosting over a hundred extremely violent child‑pornographic images. He has been in custody since August 2013 and was ordered to surrender in December 2015, a decision he challenged in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, all of which dismissed his appeals. Marques also sought judicial review of the Minister for Justice's refusal to use discretion to stop his extradition, claiming the minister had access to records that were not disclosed. The Minister's counsel argued that discovery was unnecessary and that Marques's request was a fishing expedition.
In 2017, Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Dublin resident, sought to stop his extradition to the United States. The FBI had labelled him the world's largest facilitator of child pornography, alleging he owned and ran the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. U.S. authorities charged him with conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, involving violent images of pre‑pubescent children on over a hundred anonymous sites. Marques had been in custody since August 2013 and had previously challenged the High Court's 2015 order for his surrender, with the Court of Appeal dismissing his appeal. He also sued the Director of Public Prosecutions for not prosecuting him in Ireland, offering a guilty plea, but both the High Court and Court of Appeal rejected his actions. The Supreme Court declined his appeal on that matter, and an application to the European Court of Human Rights failed.
Glen Conroy, 27, was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of assaulting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 20 March 2013. Conroy claimed the officer, Paul Brady, had moved him to a new cell without a television and that he had been attacked unprovoked. Conroy said he head‑butted Brady and punched him, but Brady testified that Conroy was the aggressor. Conroy also alleged that officer Patrick Laverty had grabbed his testicles and forced him to the ground, a claim Laverty denied. Conroy admitted no complaint had been made about the alleged assault. Assistant‑Governor Malcolm O'Sullivan reported a disciplinary hearing on 23 March 2013, after which Conroy signed a report and lost privileges for 56 days. The hearing was later disputed by Conroy, who said it never occurred. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case for sentencing on 26 July and remanded Conroy in custody.
In a High Court ruling on 23 June 2017, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan ordered that all residents of 24 Mountjoy Square, a Dublin city centre property subject to a fire safety notice issued in August 2016, vacate the premises by 9 July. The judge, while expressing sympathy for the Polish family of 12 who had lived there and wished to remain, stated that the court could not ignore the fire safety risk. The order also required up to a dozen students living in the building's windowless basement to leave. Fire wardens were to remain on site until the vacate date. The receiver, Ms Anne O'Dwyer, sought vacant possession, citing non‑compliance with the safety notice, while the owner, Mr Christopher Singh, contested the receiver's appointment and claimed work had been done to address the issues. The case was adjourned to a July hearing.
In a High Court hearing, it was ordered that a family and other residents of a Dublin City Centre building at 24 Mountjoy Square, which also houses 24 Charles Lane, must vacate the premises over the coming days and weeks. The building, deemed a potential fire safety risk, had received a fire safety notice from Dublin City Council in August of the previous year. Ms Anne O'Dwyer of Duff & Phelps, acting as receiver since March, had initiated proceedings to secure vacant possession, citing non‑compliance with the notice and the danger posed to residents, neighbouring buildings and the public. The receiver's case was directed at the owner, Mr Christopher Singh, and TWI Textile Machinery and Fabric Company Ltd, which partially occupies the property. Mr Singh, a director and sole shareholder of the company, opposed the receiver's appointment and hired an expert to address the fire safety issues. The court adjourned the matter to allow the parties to negotiate.
In a High Court hearing on 16 June 2017, the court was told that up to 20 people were living at 24 Mountjoy Square, Dublin, a premises that had been subject to a fire safety notice issued in August of the previous year. The notice had not been complied with, and the building was described as a potential fire safety danger and a risk to the public. Lawyers for Ms Anne O'Dwyer, who had been appointed receiver of the property in March, sought vacant possession of the premises and an injunction against the owner, Mr Christopher Singh, and TWI Textile Machinery and Fabric Company Ltd, which partially occupies the site. The receiver's counsel reported that an inspection had found eight people, including four adults and four children, in an upstairs bedsit, and up to 12 people in the basement, which may have been offered as Airbnb accommodation.
In a High Court hearing on 15 June 2017, the court was told that a Dublin city centre property at 24 Mountjoy Square, which includes the premises known as 24 Charles Lane, is a fire safety risk and must be vacated immediately. The building houses a textile business and is being used for residential purposes, a use that is not permitted under a Fire Safety Notice issued by Dublin City Council in August of the previous year. The receiver, Ms Anne O'Dwyer of Duff & Phelps, represents the property owner, Mr Christopher Singh, and TWI Textile Machinery and Fabric Company Ltd. The receiver has been unable to access the premises since her appointment, and the building is still being used for residential purposes, contrary to the notice. Dublin City Council, after a recent inspection, has urged the receiver to vacate the building immediately.
In June 2017, Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irishman living in Dublin, faced a legal battle to stop his extradition to the United States. The FBI had described him as the world's largest facilitator of child pornography, alleging he owned and ran the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. U.S. authorities charged him with conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, specifically involving extremely violent images of pre‑pubescent children. Marques had been in custody since his 2013 arrest, and a 2015 High Court order for his surrender was upheld by the Court of Appeal. He had also challenged the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him for the offences tied to the surrender, but both the High Court and Court of Appeal dismissed his actions. In May, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal on that matter, and an application to the European Court of Human Rights was also denied.
In a Dublin District Family Law court, Judge Marie Keane warned an unemployed father that he would be jailed if he failed to comply with a maintenance order. The father owed €8,530 for the upkeep of his three children from a former partnership, a figure he contested, claiming only €3,300 was due. He had appealed every maintenance order since 2010 and had never complied. He stopped payments last year when he lost his job and claimed he was seeking work. Judge Keane questioned his lack of employment and his inconsistent payments, noting he could not afford the current order of €72 per week and offered €30. She rejected the offer, ordered him to Mountjoy Prison for 60 days for breaching the order, and warned that non‑compliance would result in imprisonment. She later accepted a revised weekly payment of €50, stating that failure to obey would still lead to the 60‑day sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 3 April 2017, Daniel McAnaspie's sister Nikita McAnaspie spoke on behalf of the family, expressing that the murder of their 17‑year‑old son had left their lives meaningless and that they wished the killers "rot in hell." The court had earlier convicted Richard Dekker (30) of murder and Trevor Noone (28) of manslaughter in Daniel's death. Dekker was sentenced to life imprisonment, the mandatory term for murder, with credit for time already served. Noone's guilty plea was noted, and the judge adjourned his sentencing to 24 April, allowing for consideration of his remorse. The hearing highlighted the family's grief, the brutal nature of the crime, and the defendants' prior convictions, but did not disclose any further procedural developments beyond the sentencing decisions.
Paul Moore, 51, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman on a DART train on 28 August 2014. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the final 18 months of a three‑year sentence, imposing strict conditions including a curfew from 10 pm to 8 am for ten years, supervision by Probation Services, mandatory reporting of any address or phone changes, and a requirement to remain alcohol‑free in public. Moore had previously been jailed six times for sexual offences over 25 years, including a 15‑month term in 2015 for two separate attacks in the city centre and earlier convictions for rape in 1995 and 2001. The court noted that Moore showed no remorse, resisted rehabilitation, and posed an indefinite danger to adult females, with alcohol cited as a major contributing factor. The sentence was imposed for the 2014 offence, not for past offences, and the judge highlighted the need for ongoing multi‑agency monitoring. Paul Moore pleaded guilty.
Alan Ellis, 24, was sentenced to three years in prison with the final year suspended for assault causing harm at Mountjoy Prison on 23 October 2014. He stabbed his treating psychiatrist, Dr Ronan Mullaney, with a makeshift weapon described as a paint roller with one metal end filed to a sharp point. Ellis claimed a "demon" had entered his head and compelled him to act, stating he had no control over the demon. He shouted threats during the attack and attempted to push the weapon into Dr Mullaney's neck, puncturing the area beside the Adam's apple. Prison officers restrained him, and the doctor was treated for a small puncture wound. Ellis had previously pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to a 14‑year‑old in 2012, for which he was serving a nine‑year sentence with three years suspended.
Stephen Egan, aged 33, was convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility for killing fellow inmate Gary Douche, aged 20, in Mountjoy prison on 1 August 2006. A psychiatrist testified that Egan suffered from a schizoaffective disorder and was in a paranoid state at the time of the killing, which reduced his responsibility. He received a life sentence in 2009, upheld in 2010. In 2023 his lawyers applied to reopen the appeal under Section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993, citing new facts from the 2014 Commission of Investigation report that Egan was in an acute psychotic state in July 2006 and that he should not have been discharged from the Central Mental Hospital back to prison. The court rejected the application, stating the Commission's findings were not new or newly discovered, as the evidence was available at trial. The appeal was dismissed, and Egan's counsel intends to seek a Supreme Court appeal. Stephen Egan was acquitted.
Paul Moore, 51, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting a woman on the southside DART on August 28, 2014. Judge Melanie Greally indicated she would impose a three-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended, but remanded Moore in custody until March 30th to finalize post-release conditions. The judge sought to determine if a special request could be made for urine analysis as part of Probation Service supervision. Evidence from Moore's case manager and probation officer confirmed he had been compliant with supervision terms following his release in April 2016. They advised he should remain sober in public and suggested a night-time curfew. Moore, of Mountjoy Square, Dublin, has a history of six prior jailings for sexual offences over 25 years, including a 15-month sentence in 2015 for assaulting two women. Judge Greally expressed concern over Moore's inability to desist from offending and stated any sentence must maximize the ability of services to supervise him. The matter was adjourned to allow the court to fine-tune the conditions of the partly suspended sentence.
Paul Moore, 51, who has received six jail sentences for rape and sexual assault over the last 25 years, was again released on bail pending sentence for sexually assaulting a woman on the DART. The case was adjourned to allow his case manager to give evidence on how he can safely live in the community. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail until 16 March 2017, stating the court should be alerted if any concerns arise. Moore assaulted an au pair in 2014, was not recognised on CCTV until two years later, and had previously sexually assaulted two women in the city centre in 2015, for which he received 15 months' imprisonment. Earlier convictions include raping a musician in 2001 (ten years) and another woman in 1995 (seven years). He pleaded guilty to the DART assault and his defence counsel highlighted conflicting psychiatric reports and his isolated life.
Christopher Coleman, 27, of Dublin, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused the death of Eugene Maher, 62, on Clontarf Road on 30 June 2015. The Court of Appeal increased the original two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence to six years, suspending the final two years and nine months. Coleman also received a 15‑year driving disqualification. He had previously been disqualified and had no licence at the time of the offence. The prosecution argued the original sentence was too lenient, citing Coleman's speed, failure to stop at a red light, driving while disqualified, leaving the crash scene and lack of insurance. The court noted his guilty plea and remorse, but upheld the increased term with suspension due to mitigating factors. The case remains a criminal proceeding at the appellate level.
Paul Moore, 51, who has received six jail sentences for rape and sexual assault over the last 25 years, will remain on bail pending sentencing for sexually assaulting an au pair on the southside DART on 28 August 2014. Gardaí examined CCTV footage of the incident but Moore was not recognised until 2016, when he was arrested. In 2014, Moore approached the victim on the DART, made small talk, then touched her breasts and pulled at her trousers before another passenger intervened. He had a toy turtle in his hand and claimed he was looking for a child to give it to. In 2015 he was jailed for 15 months for two separate street assaults where he stopped women for a cigarette and sexually assaulted them. His other convictions include rape of a musician in 2001 (10 years) and rape of another woman in 1995 (7 years). The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 10 February 2017, Thomas Fox, aged 29 and resident of Rutland Court in north inner city Dublin, was denied bail after being charged with the murder of Gareth Hutch, who was shot dead outside his home on North Cumberland Street in Dublin 1 on 24 May 2016. Fox had applied for bail, but counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Eoghan Cole BL, argued against it on several grounds. The court considered evidence presented by Chief Superintendent Pat Leahy and Detective Sergeant Bob O'Reilly, and applied section 2 of the Bail Act 1997. Justice Isobel Kennedy refused bail, citing the need to prevent a further serious offence and the possibility that the accused might abscond. The decision was made under the principles of "O'Callaghan" and the provisions of section 2.A of the Bail Act, which require the court to weigh the seriousness of the offence and the likely sentence upon conviction.
Stephen Comey, 29, was sentenced to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for hijacking a car and repeatedly punching a heavily pregnant woman in the passenger seat while driving through Dublin's city centre. He had 70 prior convictions and had been released from prison six weeks earlier. The court heard he had a "tragic background" and had been working on rehabilitation while in custody. Judge Patricia Ryan back‑dated the sentence to May 2014, the date Comey entered custody, and suspended the remaining term from today's date. The offence involved unlawful seizure of a car, assault causing harm and possession of a syringe. The victim, a seven‑and‑a‑half‑month‑pregnant woman, was unable to escape the moving vehicle and was repeatedly punched by Comey. The case was adjourned several times to allow Comey to continue his rehabilitation work. The court noted his efforts to become drug‑free and the support of his family. Stephen Comey pleaded guilty.
Norma Phillips, 46, of Phibsboro, Dublin, was found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing her boyfriend, 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu, during a drunken argument on 12 April 2015. The jury, composed of seven women and four men, deliberated for seven hours and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder and guilty of manslaughter. Justice Margaret Heneghan explained that if the jury believed Phillips acted in self‑defence but used more force than reasonably necessary, a manslaughter verdict was appropriate. Phillips had initially called emergency services, claiming a man had stabbed Neanu, but later changed her story, stating Neanu had pulled a knife on her and she pushed it away in self‑defence, turning the blade toward him. The single stab wound to the heart was deemed consistent with her account. Phillips remains on bail until the sentencing hearing on 13 February.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Norma Phillips, 46, could not have acted in self‑defence when she stabbed Romanian national Stefan Neanu, 36, at her former home on 12 April 2015. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley SC described Phillips' account as "not believable," citing repeated lies to emergency services and Gardaí, including claims that a balaclava‑wearing intruder had stabbed Neanu. He highlighted that Phillips delayed calling 999 for five to ten minutes, left the knife on a rubbish pile, and later told Gardaí she had pulled the knife out and thrown it away. Buckley urged the jury to use common sense and find Phillips guilty of murder. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC countered that Neanu was awake and able to walk when the emergency crew arrived, that Phillips' statements were made after learning of Neanu's death, and that she had given a voluntary statement. Norma Phillips pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 trial, 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean Norma Phillips pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu, who died on 12 April 2015 from a knife wound during an altercation at Phillips' former home on Phibsboro Road. During a police interview on the day of the incident, Phillips told detectives that Neanu had waved a knife at her and that she had pushed the knife away, after which he was stabbed. She described the knife as a 19‑cm kitchen carving knife and claimed she had not held it. Phillips said Neanu's death would haunt her for the rest of her life and expressed shock at his passing. The state pathologist presented a video of Phillips demonstrating the knife's use and described the fatal wound as requiring moderate force. The prosecution's evidence concluded, and the jury was instructed to return the next day.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 46‑year‑old Zimbabwean Norma Phillips pleaded not guilty to the murder of her Romanian partner, Stefan Neanu, 36, on 12 April 2015. Phillips, who lived on Phibsboro Road, claimed she acted in self‑defence after Neanu allegedly waved a knife at her. She described their relationship as "on and off" and said they had been together for about four months, sharing meals and drinks but not living together. On the day of the incident, after a party at Neanu's aunt's house, the couple returned to Phillips's home where an argument escalated. Phillips said Neanu went to the kitchen upstairs, returned with a knife, and she pushed it away, inadvertently striking him. She called 999, and a recorded emergency call was read in court. The jury, reduced to eleven, will continue the trial the following day before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In a 2017 case, Andrei Panzariu, aged 32, was sentenced in July for a phishing scam that caused a woman to transfer €5,000 from her savings to her deposit account, which was then moved to another bank without her knowledge. Panzariu withdrew €4,042 through four separate transactions after the scam. He pleaded guilty to four theft charges in March 2014 and had 25 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences. The victim received an email that appeared to be from Permanent TSB, providing her account details and prompting a transfer. Scammers accessed her SIM card, moved the money to a separate account, and Panzariu withdrew the cash. He was caught on CCTV and claimed he was offered €300 by two men he met at a casino. A balance of €958 was returned to the victim, and the bank and O2 took responsibility for part of the loss.
In the Central Criminal Court, Norma Phillips, 46, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Stefan Neanu on 12 April 2015. She first told Gardaí that a man had run into her Phibsboro flat, stabbed Neanu, and fled, later claiming self‑defence. Garda Niall Cadden described her as hyper and anxious; she could not identify the assailant, only that he was Irish. Garda Stephen Rooney noted she repeatedly asked if Neanu was OK, and Garda Cadden agreed her statements about a man running in were untrue. Dublin Fire Brigade officer Ciaran Wilson found Neanu with a bleeding chin wound and a small chest wound, but no extensive blood. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified Neanu died from a stab wound that pierced his heart. Detective Garda Seamus O'Donnell identified a carving knife, 200 mm blade, as the alleged murder weapon. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of twelve.
In December 2016 the Irish Court of Appeal dismissed Eric Eoin Marques' appeals against an extradition order and a legal challenge to the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Marques, a 30‑year‑old Dublin resident, is alleged by the FBI to run an anonymous hosting site, Freedom Hosting, that distributed child pornography. He has been in custody since August 2013. The High Court had ordered his surrender to U.S. authorities, but the Court of Appeal stayed the order pending a Supreme Court appeal. The court noted that if the Supreme Court grants leave to appeal, surrender will be delayed until that appeal is decided; if leave is refused, surrender will then occur. The court also confirmed that the DPP's decision not to prosecute was not reviewable and that Marques had no statutory right to reasons for that decision. The court rejected Marques' claim that a U.S. The unnamed 30-year-old was convicted.
In December 2016 the High Court dismissed Eric Eoin Marques' appeal against his extradition to the United States and the decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irishman, is alleged by the FBI to have run the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting, which hosted child‑pornographic material on over a hundred sites. He has been in custody since August 2013. The court held that the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute was not reviewable and that Marques had no statutory or constitutional right to be given reasons for that decision. The court also rejected his claim that extradition would expose him to an unconstitutional sentencing regime in the United States, finding his concerns speculative and not a real risk of unfairness. The case is set for the Court of Appeal next week. Eric Eoin Marques was convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Brennan, aged 29, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Prison Officer Michael Delaney at Mountjoy Prison on 23 April 2011. Brennan, who had 56 prior convictions, threw a punch that ignited a violent attack by ten inmates on Delaney, who was head‑butted, punched, kicked and dragged to the ground. Delaney described lasting physical injuries, flashbacks and post‑traumatic stress, and said the assault robbed him of his career and sporting life. Brennan's counsel said he had turned his life around after release in 2012, citing his wife and family as stabilising influences. Judge Melanie Greally noted the incident was serious but limited to a single punch, and adjourned the case for a community service report, indicating a possible two‑year suspended sentence with one year probation and 240 hours community service. The case will return on 16 January 2017.
During a hearing, a court heard that Gareth Carroll, 35, was threatened by inmates that his brother's legs would be broken if he refused to smuggle heroin, Valium and Xanax into Mountjoy Prison. Carroll, who was on temporary release, received the call while his brother was in prison. He returned to the facility and officers found drug paraphernalia in his cell; the drugs fell out of his underwear when he was searched. Carroll pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €1,497 of heroin, €768 of diazepam and €286 of alprazolam on 10 May 2015. He was serving a sentence for a drug offence at the time. Garda Barry Brennan confirmed that both Carroll and his brother were serving sentences in Mountjoy when the drugs were brought in. Carroll admitted concealing the heroin and tablets internally. The brother was later placed in protective custody. Mr.
In the murder trial of Donal Colgan, 65, the accused claimed self‑defence after being attacked by two men. Colgan was arrested early on 19 August 2014 and, while in a Garda car, told Sgt Chris Cahill that he was defending himself. Garda Eoin Treacy and witness Gary Kinlan confirmed that Colgan used a knife to stab 45‑year‑old David Sheridan outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Colgan denied knowing Sheridan or being at Luigi's that night, and said he had been advised by his solicitor not to speak. Teresa Marsella, a Luigi's employee, observed a fight between Colgan and Sheridan, then saw Colgan return with a knife and stab Sheridan. Detective Sergeant Mark Watters found blood‑stained clothing and a block of knives at Colgan's home; forensic analysis matched the blood to Sheridan. The case is set to continue before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. Donal Colgan pleaded not guilty.
An unemployed courier from Glenties Road, Finglas, Dublin has been sentenced to six years imprisonment following his conviction for drug and firearms offences. Ken McDermott, aged 47, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms on 27 May 2015. Gardaí arrested McDermott after he collected two rucksacks containing a .32 Colt revolver, a .38 Remington revolver with ammunition, cocaine valued at approximately €219,104, and ecstasy tablets estimated at €256,820. Additional controlled substances were recovered from a vehicle at the Finglas location. The total estimated street value of drugs seized exceeded €483,000. Judge Melanie Greally noted McDermott's guilty plea and family circumstances as mitigating factors but stated he failed to consider the community impact of his actions. The judge recommended Mountjoy Prison for his detention to facilitate family contact.
In the Central Criminal Court, Donal Colgan, aged 65, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 39‑year‑old David Sheridan outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Prosecutor Paul Burns SC presented evidence that Colgan had left the chip shop after an altercation, returned minutes later armed with a knife, and stabbed Sheridan multiple times, leading to Sheridan's death the following day. CCTV footage from the Sunset House pub, Luigi's chip shop and a nearby Centra was shown to the jury. The footage showed Colgan drinking heavily at the pub, arriving at the chip shop, engaging with other customers, leaving the shop, walking back to his home, and then returning to the shop with a knife. He was seen walking away from the scene carrying the knife, without attempting to conceal it. The trial continued the next day before Justice Carmel Stewart and the jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ovidiu Raducanu, aged 31, pleaded guilty to burglary at Mountjoy Square on 6 September 2013. He had staged a scheme to sell DJ equipment for €2,500, luring a victim into his apartment where he and two other men robbed the victim, who was briefly tied up and later freed. Raducanu denied the offence initially but admitted later that he had set up the victim. He claimed he had been threatened by the robbers, who had a knife, and that he had been offered a share of the proceeds but refused. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years, suspending the final two years. Raducanu had 28 prior convictions and had previously paid €2,500 to the victim as a "practical expression of remorse.".
Eamonn Cumberton, 29, of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, was charged with the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub on 25 April. The Special Criminal Court, hearing the State's application, ordered that Cumberton be tried before the three‑judge, non‑jury court. The order was made by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne presiding.
Eoin Daly, 30, of Kippure Park, Finglas, Dublin, was sentenced by Judge Patrick McCartan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a three‑year suspended sentence with two years of probation for smuggling more than €8,000 worth of heroin and cocaine into Cloverhill Prison. Daly pleaded guilty to possessing heroin for sale or supply and possessing cocaine on 10 May 2015. He was also remanded on a burglary offence after attending his son's first communion. At the sentencing hearing in June, Judge McCartan had ordered a urine sample for drug testing, but Daly claimed he could not provide one due to "stage fright," a psychological condition, and offered a blood sample instead. The judge noted Daly's good report from Probation Services and his willingness to remain drug‑free, but also highlighted his 32 previous convictions and his current five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for burglaries. Daly is due for release in April 2016.
Eoghan McGarry, 30, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for assaulting three Mountjoy Prison officers on 23 April 2015. He attacked the officers with a homemade shiv made from razor blades melted into a toothbrush while they were delivering breakfast. The officers were injured and required treatment; one sustained facial wounds, another a wound under the chin, and the third was struck on the head. McGarry appeared in court handcuffed and surrounded by riot‑gear officers. He had already been serving a four‑year sentence for aggravated burglary, with the final year suspended, and the new sentence will run consecutively to that term. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last year of the new sentence on the condition that McGarry engage in psychiatric care and take prescribed medication. He has 38 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and criminal damage. The incident was captured on CCTV and the cell was searched, revealing the shiv. Eoghan McGarry pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 26 July 2016, 24‑year‑old Raymond Byrne pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after throwing a pint glass at Supermac's manager Grzegorz Gazek on Christmas Eve 2013. The glass struck Gazek's face, permanently damaging his cornea and causing ongoing headaches and sleeplessness. Byrne, identified from CCTV, had no prior convictions and claimed he was drunk and embarrassed by the footage. He offered a letter of remorse and €200 to the victim. Judge Patrick McCartan, after considering Byrne's circumstances and character, imposed a suspended three‑year sentence and ordered him to pay €4,800 to Gazek within six months, thereby avoiding jail time. The judge noted the seriousness of the offence but gave Byrne a chance for rehabilitation.