A 51‑year‑old woman, Rose Kenny, gave a victim impact statement after a 2014 knife attack by her former partner, Denis Leahy, who had been charged with attempted murder. Kenny described herself as a normal 49‑year‑old working at a local creche when Leahy, whom she had known for about five years, viciously stabbed her three times in the neck and three times in the chest. She survived after twelve hours of surgery and a seven‑week hospital stay, suffering severe physical and psychological trauma. Kenny expressed guilt over having brought Leahy into her life and questioned her judgment of character. She reported ongoing anxiety, loss of trust, and difficulty returning to work, while her family continues to support her recovery. Leahy's guilty plea will be considered at sentencing next Thursday.
A 31‑year‑old Romanian man, Ovidiu Raducanu, pleaded guilty to burglary at Mountjoy Square on 6 September 2013. He had pretended to sell DJ equipment for €2,500 to lure a victim, who later discovered that the equipment was not present. Raducanu met the victim outside his home, called the victim to let him into the apartment, and then left. Two other men entered the apartment, held the victim hostage, and stole the €2,500. The victim was tied up, punched, and threatened with a knife but eventually freed himself and called the Gardaí. Raducanu admitted he had set up the victim, denied the offence initially, and claimed he had been threatened by the men. He brought €2,500 to court as a "practical expression of remorse." Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to October to allow a probation report to be prepared. The case is pending sentencing.
Lucas Lima, a 25‑year‑old Brazilian student living at Mountjoy Square, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cocaine into Ireland. He was offered €1,000 to €3,000 to transport a bag containing €139,650 worth of cocaine from Spain to Dublin Airport on 11 January 2016. Revenue officials intercepted him at the airport using customs profiling; they found three plastic bottles in a second suitcase, the lids of which were glued and contained cocaine when opened. Lima claimed he needed money to renew his student visa and pay for an English‑language college, and that a Brazilian acquaintance offered him payment for the delivery. Garda Kevin Nolan said Lima knew he was bringing illicit goods. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting the circumstances, imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended the final three and a half years, and allowed her to depart from the mandatory ten‑year minimum for the offence.
In a 2016 appeal, the Court of Appeal reserved judgment on both the judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' (DPP) decision not to prosecute Eric Eoin Marques in Ireland and Marques' appeal against an extradition order to the United States. Marques, a 30‑year‑old Dublin resident, is alleged by the FBI to be the owner of the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting and faces U.S. charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. He has been in custody since August 2013, and his surrender was ordered by the High Court in December 2015 but stayed pending appeal. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, represented by Michael Lynn SC, argued that the DPP must give reasons for its decisions or, if it chooses not to, must explain why. The Court, sitting with Justices Peart, Birmingham and Sheehan, declined to decide on either appeal at that time, noting the Commission's impartial role in both matters.
In a 2016 Court of Appeal hearing, lawyers for Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irishman accused by the FBI of running a child‑pornography site, argued that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) no longer had a "quasi‑immunity" to refuse to give reasons for its decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Marques, who has been in custody since 2013 and whose extradition to the United States was ordered by the High Court, appealed a judicial review of the DPP's refusal. Counsel Micheál P O'Higgins cited the Supreme Court's *Murphy* decision, which required the DPP to provide reasons for prosecutorial decisions, and argued that the refusal was unjustifiable. The DPP's counsel, Patrick McGrath, countered that no constitutional right was infringed and that the refusal was based on public‑interest considerations. The case was set to resume the following day.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 June 2016, 50‑year‑old Denis Leahy pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Rose Kenny, 51, after a vicious knife attack on 23 September 2014 at School Street Flats, Dublin 8. Leahy, who had been in a relationship with Kenny 15 years earlier, admitted to stabbing her a large number of times, including three times to the neck, chest, abdomen and shoulder. Kenny was taken to St James's Hospital and survived. Leahy had previously admitted the assault to Gardaí at Kevin Street Garda Station and was arrested at Mountjoy Garda Station. The court heard that Leahy had no contact with Kenny for seven years until after her father's death, and that the only motive identified was a claim that Kenny had called the police on him. Leahy was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 14 July 2016. The case was closed after the guilty plea, with no further trial proceedings. Denis Leahy pleaded not guilty.
In a 2016 appeal, lawyers for Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irishman accused by the FBI of running the "largest facilitator of child porn in the world," argued that surrendering him to the United States would violate his fair‑trial rights. Marques, who has been in Irish custody since August 2013, faces charges for conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography on anonymous sites. His counsel, Micheál P O'Higgins SC, claimed that U.S. sentencing could consider uncharged or acquitted conduct, potentially leading to a "flagrant denial of justice." He cited U.S. case law and international standards, including the European Convention on Human Rights, to support the claim that such practices would be unlawful. The Attorney General's counsel, Patrick McGrath SC, dismissed the allegations as speculative, stating that U.S. judges are not obliged to enhance sentences with uncharged conduct and that no real risk of a denial of justice existed.
Lucas Lima, a 25‑year‑old Brazilian language student, admitted to transporting a bag of cocaine from Spain to Dublin to raise money for college fees. He was offered between €1,000 and €3,000 to carry €139,650 worth of cocaine. At Dublin Airport on 11 January 2016, customs officials, using profiling techniques, stopped him and discovered three plastic bottles in a second suitcase; the lids were glued and the contents were cocaine. Lima had returned from a two‑day trip to Barcelona and had an extra suitcase. He claimed that a Brazilian acquaintance, aware of his financial difficulties, offered the money if he completed the delivery. Garda Kevin Nolan said Lima knew he was carrying illicit goods and was aware of the risk. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned sentencing to a Thursday, stating she needed time to consider her verdict. The defence argued the offence was out of character and that Lima would leave Ireland and never return.
Sharon Naughton, 38, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm to Brian Kenny after she threw boiling water and sugar on him, claiming he had offered her heroin. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the incident occurred on 27 June 2015 in a flat on Prussia Street, where a confrontation between Naughton, her partner and Kenny escalated when the partner threatened Kenny with a knife. Naughton, who had a history of drug addiction and was reportedly the youngest person on a methadone programme at 15, admitted the attack and denied any sexual assault allegations. She expressed remorse, stating she should never have scalded anyone. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the assault was out of character due to drug influence and suspended the final 18 months of the sentence, citing medical treatment and a recommendation for custodial benefit. The court also heard that Kenny was left scarred and frightened by the attack. Sharon Naughton pleaded guilty.
Pierce Moran, 61, of East Wall, Dublin 3, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to concurrent five-year jail terms for three charges of possession of firearms, magazines, and ammunition. The court previously heard that detectives investigating US firearm imports searched Moran's home on November 15, 2014, finding a shopping bag containing four semi-automatic pistols, a silencer, magazines, and ammunition, as well as a sawn-off shotgun. Moran had pleaded not guilty to all three charges but was convicted last Wednesday. In mitigation, his solicitor highlighted his age, lack of prior convictions, and cooperation by not contesting certain evidence. The judge noted the seriousness of the case due to the volume of weapons but acknowledged Moran's clean record and age as significant mitigating factors. The court distinguished Moran's case from that of co-accused Stephen Hendrick, who had pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to eight years for possession of explosives and firearms committed while on bail, plus three years for ammunition. The judge stated Hendrick's sentence involved aggravating factors not present in Moran's case. Moran's sentence was backdated to his initial arrest date in November 2014.
Leroy Dumbrell, 29, of Carriglea Gardens, Dun Laoghaire, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven years' imprisonment for violent disorder and a threat to kill Garda Ronan McMorrow. Dumbrell pleaded guilty to violent disorder on 27 November 2013 and to threatening the Garda on 5 May 2015. He had repeatedly breached bail conditions, including a curfew, and had threatened the Garda with personal details and violent language. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a three‑year term for the violent disorder and a four‑year consecutive term for the threat, suspending the final year on the condition of 12 months' engagement with the Probation Service and two years of good behaviour. The court noted Dumbrell's history of serious offending, his young children, supportive girlfriend, and attempts at rehabilitation, including training to become a fitness instructor. The threat was described as aggressive with sinister elements.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, was found guilty of possessing a shopping bag full of handguns and ammunition. The court heard that on 15 November 2014, Moran was in possession of several semi‑automatic pistols, a 12‑gauge Beretta shotgun, various firearm magazines, assorted ammunition and a silencer. The Special Detective Unit had been investigating the import of arms from the United States at the time. A search warrant was executed at Moran's home; detectives found the weapons in a Dunnes Stores shopping bag and a sawn‑off shotgun in a plastic bin liner. Moran was arrested, questioned, and remanded in custody until sentencing on 4 May. The court noted that the inferences drawn from his refusal to account for the weapons were corroborative evidence but were not the sole basis for conviction.
The High Court has adjourned several prisoner applications pending clarification of orders following Mr Justice Michael Moriarty's judgment declaring provisions of Section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 unconstitutional. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan adjourned an Article 40 challenge by an unnamed man who pleaded guilty to road traffic offences, receiving a five-month sentence and a 30-year driving ban. This man, originally sentenced in 2010 to eight years for robbery and firearms charges with seven suspended, had his suspension activated in November 2014. The State argued he is validly detained as he did not appeal the road traffic convictions. In a separate case, Mr Justice Noonan adjourned a judicial review challenge by another unnamed man who pleaded guilty to offences under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act. His 11-month suspended sentence, part of a two-year term for drug offences, was revoked by the District Court on April 14th last, resulting in his jailing. He remains in custody pending his appeal due to inability to provide bail lodgement. A third prisoner's Article 40 application was also adjourned. These delays await final orders from Mr Justice Moriarty, originally due May 5th, which will now be addressed next Wednesday to clarify the scope of the unconstitutionality ruling.
In a case involving an inmate who assaulted three prison officers, the final sentencing has been adjourned until the High Court's recent ruling on the activation of suspended sentences is clarified. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, intended to impose a partially suspended term on Eoghan McGarry, 30, but declined to enforce a sentence that could not be upheld if he re‑offended. McGarry, originally from Tallaght and without a fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the officers on 23 April 2015. He attacked them with a homemade weapon made from razor blades and a toothbrush while they delivered breakfast. Two officers suffered post‑traumatic stress and have not returned to work. McGarry was present in court flanked by five officers in riot gear.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dublin resident Pierce Moran, 59, faced charges of unlawful possession of multiple semi‑automatic pistols, a silencer, a sawn‑off shotgun, various magazines and assorted ammunition, all allegedly found during a Special Detective Unit search of his East Wall flat on 15 November 2014. During a garda interview on 17 November 2014, Moran refused to explain the presence of the firearms and ammunition, citing his solicitor's advice. The court ruled the interview evidence admissible. Moran entered not‑guilty pleas for each of the three charges. The prosecution argued that the search proved Moran's knowledge and control of the items, citing lack of evidence of a second bedroom and absence of fingerprints. The defence contended that no evidence linked Moran to the firearms. The trial was set to resume on 27 April 2016.
Leroy Dumbrell, also known as Leroy Roche, of Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder committed on November 27, 2013. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Dumbrell participated in a daylight assault in Ballymun, where he stamped on a victim's leg while the man lay prone on the ground. The incident was witnessed by children and captured on CCTV. Dumbrell's co-accused received sentences of three-and-a-half years and two-and-a-half years respectively. The court noted that Dumbrell was repeatedly jailed for breaching bail conditions, which included a curfew from 7pm to 7am. On May 5, 2015, gardaí found him absent from his home in breach of these conditions. Prosecution evidence indicated that Dumbrell threatened Detective Garda Ronan McMorrow, stating he would regret bringing him back to court and that the officer would need a body bag. Dumbrell also identified the detective's personal car and threatened to find out about him. The court heard that Dumbrell has dozens of previous convictions, including for an incident where a woman was set on fire and a brawl at Mountjoy Prison that injured 16 prisoners. Judge Karen O'Connor noted a history of very serious violence. The matter was adjourned until April 28 for sentencing.
An inmate, Eoghan McGarry, 30, was brought to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 April 2016, flanked by five prison officers in riot gear. He had assaulted three officers at Mountjoy Prison on 23 April 2015, using a homemade weapon made from razor blades melted into a toothbrush. The officers were delivering breakfast trays when McGarry lunged at them, causing injuries: one sustained wounds to face and torso, another a wound under the chin, and the third was struck on the head. The incident was captured on CCTV. McGarry pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He is currently serving a four‑year sentence for aggravated burglary, with the final year suspended, and has 38 prior convictions. The court adjourned sentencing to 21 April to consider reports, including victim impact statements and reports from the prosecution and defence. The officers suffered significant psychological distress and anxiety as a result of the attacks. The case is pending further proceedings.
Robert Day, 54, of Cabra, Dublin, was released on bail by the Special Criminal Court after being charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The court accepted his application and set a €100 personal bond and a €10,000 independent surety. Conditions include surrendering his passport, daily reporting to Mountjoy Garda Station, a curfew from 11 am to 7 am, staying within the jurisdiction, avoiding contact with other charged persons, and providing a phone number. He remains on bail until April 5, when his case will be mentioned again.
Stephen Comey, 29, of Pearse House, Pearse Street, will be sentenced next month for hijacking a car and repeatedly punching a heavily pregnant woman in the passenger seat while driving through Dublin. He had 70 prior convictions and was released from prison six weeks before the offence. On 12 May 2014, he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful seizure of a car, assault causing harm and possession of a syringe in the north inner city. The court heard he had a "tragic background" but was now anxious to rehabilitate himself. Judge Patricia Ryan noted his efforts to rehabilitate while in custody and his family's support, ordered an updated probation report and said she would finalise sentencing in April.
This report details seven extraordinary exonerations in Irish courts, highlighting cases where the justice system failed accused individuals. Among the validated subjects is Nora Wall, a former nun convicted in 1999 of rape, a charge she did not plead to but was found guilty of. She became the first woman convicted of rape in the State's history and the first to receive a life sentence for the crime, handed down by Mr Justice Paul Carney. However, her sentence was quashed after a prosecution witness admitted fabricating evidence, and in December 2005, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared her conviction a miscarriage of justice. Another subject, Michael Hannon, was convicted in 1999 of sexually assaulting a ten-year-old girl, Una Hardester, and assaulted Hannon's father. Hannon received a suspended prison sentence of four years. In 2009, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared his conviction a miscarriage of justice after Hardester admitted her allegations were fabricated for revenge following a land dispute. Christy Lynch, convicted of the murder of Vera Cooney in 1976, was also exonerated. Lynch claimed his confession was extracted under duress by the Garda murder squad. Although the Court of Criminal Appeal initially ordered a retrial, the Supreme Court ultimately set Lynch free, declaring him an innocent man based on the inadmissibility of his coerced statement. These cases underscore significant failures in the Irish legal process.
Shane O'Connor, 34, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence of producing an article at Mountjoy Prison on 25 September 2013. The incident involved O'Connor attempting to throw a jug of warm water at fellow inmate Keith Hughes while prison officer Leon Maguire was refilling a jug for tea. O'Connor rushed past Maguire, who was restraining him, and struck Maguire on the forehead with the jug. Maguire was treated for a cut and received one stitch. O'Connor was already serving a four‑year robbery sentence and had 29 prior convictions. He was undergoing drug rehabilitation at Tiglin Centre and was reported drug‑free for a year. Judge Patricia Ryan, after hearing the evidence, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions, recognising O'Connor's admissions, family support and drug‑free status. The sentence was suspended, not executed, pending compliance with the conditions. The case remains at the suspended‑sentence stage.
Karl McDermott, a 19‑year‑old from Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, was sentenced by Judge Sarah Berkeley at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison for possession of a stolen car and its keys, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. McDermott pleaded guilty to the offence that occurred on St Helena's Road on 30 June 2015. He had 40 prior convictions, including burglary and interfering with a car. The stolen vehicle was a Toyota Yaris, taken from its owner by two men on 29 June 2015 and later abandoned on Tolka Valley Road. McDermott was found heavily intoxicated, resisted Garda questioning, and had attempted self‑harm in the station. He had recently lost his brother in Mountjoy prison, a factor noted by the defence. The judge described him as a danger to himself and to the public, but acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding his brother's death. The sentence was imposed with the final year suspended.
Seamus Morgan, 49, of Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Laurence Keane, 56. A jury of three men and nine women returned a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for three hours and six minutes. Mr Justice Robert Eagar imposed the life sentence, backdating it to April 23, 2014, the date Morgan entered custody. Morgan had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court heard that Keane was beaten in a lane-way in Athy on July 18, 2013, suffering severe blunt force trauma to the head, and died the following day. Evidence included witness testimony of a scuffle and forensic analysis of blood stains on the accused's runners, which matched Keane's DNA profile. Morgan has eight previous convictions, including a 2005 manslaughter conviction for the stabbing death of James Hand outside a Dublin pub, for which he received an eight-year sentence. The victim's family read a statement describing Keane as a disabled man and expressing the lasting impact of his death. The judge exempted the jury from service for four years.
Eoghan McGarry, a 30‑year‑old serial burglar, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a twelfth burglary and possession of stolen jewellery. He pleaded guilty to breaking into St Killian's National School in Tallaght on 1 September 2014 and to possessing nine pieces of stolen jewellery found in his jacket the next day. The court heard he used a rock to smash a window, stole €218 and bank documents, and that a woman in Walkinstown discovered jewellery taken from her home. McGarry admitted the break‑in and said he needed money for a "fix." Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence, extending his existing term by four months, and ordered him to swear an oath to undergo two years of probation supervision upon release, to take medication and engage with mental health services. The sentence was delivered while five prison officers in riot gear stood with riot shields and an officer held a video camera.
Aoife Maguire, 62, former assistant manager at Anglo Irish Bank, was jailed for 18 months after a jury found her guilty of conspiring to delete bank accounts from the bank's internal system and defraud the Revenue Commissioners in 2003 and 2004. She pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On appeal, the Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence, substituted a new nine‑month term and suspended any unserved portion. The judge noted the seriousness of the offence, the fact it occurred in a publicly quoted company, and that Maguire had no prior convictions and a good character. She was required to enter a €100 bond for one year. The appeal focused solely on the sentence, not on the conviction itself. The decision was delivered by Mr Justice George Birmingham, with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon present. The court also considered testimonials about Maguire's conduct in prison and her voluntary contributions to society.
An Irishman, Eric Eoin Marques, 30, was ordered by the High Court to be extradited to the United States after the State sought to surrender him for charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. Marques, who lives in Dublin, is alleged to own and administer the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting, which hosts over a hundred sites with violent child‑pornographic images. The extradition was delayed for at least 15 days to allow Marques to appeal the decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Justice Aileen Donnelly rejected a judicial review application that argued Marques should be tried in Ireland, stating the Director of Public Prosecutions has no duty to give reasons for its decisions. Marques has both Irish and U.S. citizenship and is diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a fact raised by his counsel as a potential risk if extradited. The U.S. authorities claim they can provide appropriate care for him if he is extradited.
In February 2014, 24‑year‑old Robert Ellis of Ballyfermot was convicted of criminal damage at Mountjoy Prison after he destroyed his cell to seek medical help. While serving a sentence, Ellis had taken a "cocktail of sleeping tablets" and was coughing blood. He smashed a toilet, a wash hand basin, a protective screen, mirrors, a mattress and bedlinen, causing damage estimated at €2,000. A prison officer heard noises from two adjoining cells and saw the damage. Ellis was removed, examined by a medic, and placed in a padded cell. He admitted he had not acted correctly and had been thinking poorly. The court accepted his apology and noted that his behaviour ended once he was taken from his cell. He was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment. The article reports no further legal actions or outcomes. Robert Ellis pleaded guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 17 November 2015, Justice Aileen Donnelly considered a letter sent to her by a US inmate warning about conditions for mentally‑ill prisoners. The letter was introduced in the case of Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Dublin resident alleged by the FBI to run the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting and charged with conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. Donnelly ruled the letter irrelevant, allowing counsel to submit arguments, and the prosecution and defence agreed with that decision.
A 24-year-old man from Castlebar, County Mayo, who is serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of his mother, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for assaulting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison. The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to throwing boiling water at the officer on 15 April 2014. The officer sustained burns to his face and shoulder and was absent from work for five weeks. The court heard the defendant has sustained irreversible organic brain damage from drug abuse during his teenage years and was transferred from the Central Mental Hospital to Mountjoy following his murder conviction. At the time of the assault, his medication had recently been altered and he had just been moved from a padded cell. Judge Martin Nolan noted the defendant had no impulse control and observed there was no rational explanation for the attack. The court heard the defendant has since remained free of further convictions and is receiving psychiatric care in custody.
The High Court heard an update in the extradition proceedings concerning Eric Eoin Marques, a 30-year-old Dublin resident with an address at Mountjoy Square. Marques is alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting, and US authorities claim he is the largest facilitator of child pornography in the world. He faces charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing such material. The State seeks to surrender him to US authorities, while Marques is seeking a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. During the hearing, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly referenced a letter written to her by a US prisoner regarding the treatment of mentally ill inmates in American prisons. Although Marques' lawyers had previously raised concerns about the risk of sexual violence in US prisons, the judge stated that her judgment would not be influenced by the inmate's letter. However, she allowed legal representatives the opportunity to make submissions relating to the letter's contents. The matter was adjourned until December 16th, with the case to be mentioned again next week. Marques remains in custody, having been remanded after his arrest in August 2013, when bail was refused due to concerns he represented a flight risk and might interfere with evidence.
Albert Monahan, aged 73, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of theft and one count of producing a false instrument. He had fraudulently collected his brother Peter's State pension for seven years, receiving 356 weekly payments of €219, totalling €77,964. Monahan had assumed his brother's identity, forging a signature to apply for the pension and collecting it at Berkeley Road Post Office. He claimed the money was used to install new bay windows, new floors and to stock his fridge with food. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended a four‑year sentence in full, citing Monahan's poor health, including several heart attacks and triple bypass surgery. Monahan admitted the fraud immediately and expressed remorse, offering to repay the Department of Social Protection by deduction from his legitimate social welfare payments.
Paul Moore, aged 50, received a two‑year prison sentence for daylight sexual assaults on two women in Dublin city centre. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman on Gardiner Street on 21 January 2015 and another on St Mary's Place North on 8 May 2015. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an 18‑month term for the second offence, to run consecutively with six months for the first, back‑dated to when Moore entered custody in May, and suspended the final nine months. Moore had 11 prior convictions, including three rape offences, and had served prison terms for earlier sexual and indecent assaults. Garda Gavin O'Gara described how Moore approached the first victim, a woman in her early 20s, offering a cigarette and groping her breast while she spoke. The second victim, a late‑teen, was approached for a cigarette on the road to a pharmacy; Moore touched her nipple and again groped her breast.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane O'Connor, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer while attempting to throw warm water at a fellow inmate. The incident occurred on 25 September 2013 at Mountjoy Prison when Officer Leon Maguire was refilling jugs of hot water for inmates. O'Connor rushed past Maguire, aiming to throw the water at prisoner Keith Hughes, with whom he had a prior disagreement. Maguire tried to restrain O'Connor and was struck on the forehead by the water jug, sustaining a laceration that required one stitch at Mater Hospital. O'Connor, who was serving a four‑year robbery sentence, had 29 prior convictions including assault, criminal damage, knife possession, robbery and theft. He was undergoing drug rehabilitation at Tiglin Centre and was complying with its conditions. The judge adjourned the case to January 2016 for a probation report.
Bernard Daly, the former Anglo Irish Bank company secretary, was refused bail pending his appeal against a conspiracy conviction. Daly, 67, of Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to furnishing false information, conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners, and conspiring to delete accounts from the bank's internal system. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years imprisonment by Judge Patrick McCartan on July 31. His lawyers argued the trial was unfair, specifically citing an inadequate accomplice warning regarding evidence from the bank's head of compliance, Mr Gillespie. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, ruled that the threshold for bail had not been met. However, the court noted that the substance of the accomplice warning argument could only be fully assessed once the trial transcript is available and did not rule out a fresh bail application at that time. The appeal hearing was fixed for January 11. Daly is currently detained in Mountjoy Prison. His co-accused, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, the bank's former Chief Operations Manager, who was jailed for three years in July, will seek bail later this week pending his own appeal.
Kirsty Doyle, a 25-year-old woman from East Wall, Dublin, was sentenced to nine months in prison for smuggling a mobile phone into Mountjoy Prison. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Doyle pleaded guilty to bringing a prohibited item into the facility on September 9, 2013. The court heard that she agreed to transport the phone internally in exchange for €500, a decision attributed to her heroin and crack cocaine addiction and homelessness at the time. Gardaí reported that Doyle initially denied carrying contraband when a metal detector was activated but subsequently handed over a phone wrapped in a condom, which she had removed from her underwear. She refused to identify the individuals who requested the delivery or the intended recipient, citing fear. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Doyle's guilty plea and co-operation but determined that a custodial sentence was warranted. In mitigation, her defence counsel highlighted her history of drug addiction, previous trauma, and current sobriety, describing her as a pawn in the scheme. The court also noted her 29 previous minor convictions for offences including shoplifting and common assault. The nine-month term represents the effective custody imposed by the judge, with no suspended portions or specific conditions detailed in the finalisation.
The High Court has adjourned the extradition hearing of Eric Eoin Marques, a 30-year-old Dublin man residing at Mountjoy Square, until October 6th. The United States seeks his surrender to face charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, alleging he is the owner and administrator of the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. The US authorities claim the charges relate to images on over 100 websites depicting the rape and torture of pre-pubescent children. Mr. Marques, who has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013, is simultaneously seeking a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Counsel for Mr. Marques argued that extradition poses a significant risk to his health, citing his Asperger's syndrome and the potential for sexual violence and inadequate medical care in US prisons. Conversely, State counsel noted that Mr. Marques has sought no specific treatment for his condition since 2013 and has shown no mental health deterioration while in Irish custody. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly remanded Mr. Marques in custody, with the hearing set to resume on October 6th.
High Court proceedings concerning Eric Eoin Marques, an Irishman alleged by the FBI to be the 'largest facilitator of child porn in the world,' will resume in three weeks. Marques, a 30-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, is alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting. US authorities seek his surrender to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing such material. The allegations concern images on over a hundred anonymous websites described as extremely violent, graphic, and depicting the rape and torture of pre-pubescent children. The State is seeking to surrender him to US authorities, while Marques is seeking a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. The matter came before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly for the purpose of fixing a date for the resumed hearing. Ms Justice Donnelly remanded Mr Marques in custody until July 21 next. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013, after being refused bail over concerns he represented a flight risk and that he may abscond or interfere with evidence in the case.
The High Court heard arguments regarding Eric Eoin Marques, a 30-year-old Dublin resident at Mountjoy Square, who is alleged to be the owner of Freedom Hosting and the 'largest facilitator of child porn in the world.' The State seeks to surrender him to US authorities for charges related to distributing and advertising child pornography, while Marques seeks a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' refusal to prosecute him in Ireland. Counsel for Marques, Micheál P O'Higgins SC, argued there was a strong public interest in a domestic prosecution, noting his client offered to plead guilty to the alleged offences in the District Court. This offer would dispense with a lengthy trial, and O'Higgins stated there would be no difficulty in securing evidence or witnesses for a sentence hearing. Conversely, State counsel Patrick McGrath SC contended that the DPP properly considered forum issues, including Marques' Irish citizenship and the disproportionate sentence he would face in the US. The court heard that the DPP is entitled to weigh these individual circumstances. The matter was adjourned before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, with the case continuing on a date yet to be agreed between the parties.
In a High Court hearing on 1 July 2015, state lawyers argued that Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irish‑American alleged to run the 'Freedom Hosting' site, would not provide his computer password to Gardaí. Marques, arrested in August 2013 and held without bail, faces U.S. charges for conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography on over 100 anonymous sites. He seeks a judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland, claiming the case is exceptional because he has offered to plead guilty. Counsel for the State, Pat McGrath SC, rejected the claim of exceptional circumstances, noting no evidence of mala fides or procedural breach. He highlighted that the alleged offences were committed in Ireland, the IP addresses were U.S. based, and that Marques holds dual citizenship. The court heard that Marques has Asperger's syndrome and that U.S.
The High Court heard arguments regarding the extradition of Eric Eoin Marques, 30, of Mountjoy Square, Dublin, who is alleged to be the owner of 'Freedom Hosting'. US authorities seek his surrender to face charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. Marques, who has been in custody since August 2013, is seeking judicial review of the DPP's refusal to prosecute him in Ireland. Counsel Mícheál P O'Higgins SC argued that the alleged offences occurred in Ireland and that Marques had offered to plead guilty in the District Court for sentencing in the Circuit Criminal Court. O'Higgins contended that extradition would be disproportionate, as US law could result in a life sentence without parole, whereas Irish law would impose a determinate sentence. He further noted that Marques, who has Irish and US citizenship, was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in May, raising health concerns regarding the US prison system. State counsel Patrick McGrath SC detailed the procedural history, including a US official's affidavit stating the Bureau of Prisons could manage Marques' medical condition. Justice Aileen Donnelly requested clarification on the specific acts alleged in this jurisdiction. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
The High Court has opened the State's case to surrender Eric Eoin Marques, a 30-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square, Dublin, to US authorities. Marques, who holds dual Irish and US citizenship, is alleged to be the owner and administrator of Freedom Hosting and is wanted to face charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. The State alleges the offences involved images of pre-pubescent children on over a hundred anonymous websites. Marques has been in custody since August 2013 after being refused bail due to flight risk concerns. During the hearing, counsel for the State, Patrick McGrath SC, detailed the proceedings and noted that Marques was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in May. A US official affirmed that the Federal Bureau of Prisons could provide appropriate care for his condition. Simultaneously, Marques is seeking judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. His counsel, Mícheál P O'Higgins SC, argued that extradition would be disproportionate, noting that while he would receive a determinate sentence in Ireland, he would effectively face a life sentence without parole in the United States. The matter was adjourned and continues before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly on Tuesday.
William O'Neill, aged 27, was sentenced to four years in prison for robbing Goldsmiths' Jewellers in Balbriggan on 10 May 2013. He admitted to smashing display cases with a sledgehammer, stealing jewellery worth €15,357 and causing €2,800 in damage. O'Neill also pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery at Rush Newsagents in Drimnagh on 10 November 2013 and to possession of a Taser gun in Crumlin on 30 March 2014. He claimed the weapons were for smashing glass, not for harming anyone, and that the gang intended to split the loot. O'Neill had previously served a sentence at Mountjoy, where he witnessed the killing of inmate Gary Douch, and had a criminal record of 68 convictions. The court noted his history of drug offences, assaults, public order and criminal damage charges. The judge imposed the four‑year term, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody details.
Daryl Bolger, aged 23, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for endangerment, five counts of dangerous driving and driving without insurance after a high‑speed pursuit in January 2015. He had taken 20 tranquiliser tablets and, while a passenger, moved to the driver's seat and fled the Garda's questioning. The chase, lasting 20 minutes around Tallaght, saw the toddler in the back seat unrestrained, causing school children to flee the road and motorists to swerve. Bolger's vehicle broke red lights, lifted off the road and, at one point, performed a handbrake turn that nearly collided with a patrol car. He was arrested at his home after hiding under a bed, with the child still in the car. The court noted his 91 prior convictions, including hijacking, theft and burglary, and his unlawful release from Mountjoy Prison for drug treatment. Daryl Bolger pleaded guilty.
The High Court has adjourned the extradition hearing of Eric Eoin Marques, an Irishman alleged to be the owner and administrator of the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. Marques, a 28-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, is wanted by US authorities to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing such material. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013 after being refused bail due to flight risk concerns. Counsel for the respondent, Michael P O'Higgins SC, informed the court that Marques had been assessed by psychiatrist Patricia Casey and diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly criticized the failure to file written submissions prior to the hearing, describing the situation as "entirely unsatisfactory" and unfair to the court. She noted that the newly admitted affidavits would require time for review. Consequently, the matter was adjourned. Ms Justice Donnelly remanded Marques in custody until June 29th and scheduled the matter for mention on June 16th. The court also noted that the DPP had previously decided not to prosecute Marques in Ireland, a decision he sought to challenge via judicial review, which was initially refused but later granted leave by the Supreme Court in November 2014.
Aaron Brophy, aged 24 and without a fixed abode, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for robbing Patrick Birmingham, a man with cerebral palsy, outside a Dublin post office on Ormond Quay Upper. Brophy followed Birmingham, put his arm around his neck, kicked him to the back of the knee, knocked him to the ground, called him a paedophile and then stole his wallet containing €20 and various cards. He pleaded guilty to robbery on 9 January 2014 and has 48 prior convictions, including robbery, assault, violent disorder, theft, burglary and criminal damage. Birmingham, who works in the Four Courts and usually takes lunch breaks at nearby Civic Offices, described the attack as a low point in Brophy's criminal career and said it has left him mentally and physically affected, making him wary of people on the street.
Mark Nash has been found guilty of murdering two women at sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, in March 1997. A Central Criminal Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after deliberating for over four hours on Monday, 20 April 2015. The trial lasted 48 days, during which 71 witnesses gave evidence. Nash, 42, originally from England with Dublin addresses, had pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Sheils, aged 59, and Mary Callanan, aged 61. The prosecution's case rested on admissions made by Nash, forensic evidence including DNA found on his jacket, and a caterpillar boot print discovered at the scene. Nash is already serving a life sentence for murders committed in Ballintober, Castlerea, County Roscommon, in August 1997. Mr Justice Carroll Moran imposed a life sentence for the Grangegorman murders. The case had remained unsolved for eighteen years before a DNA breakthrough in 2009 led to Nash's formal charging in October of that year.
Christopher Coakley, a 23‑year‑old heroin addict, pleaded guilty to unlawfully seizing a woman's car with her child in the back seat on 5 August 2012. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Desmond Hogan on 25 February 2013. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing that the judge had not fully considered Coakley's 92 prior convictions and his previously suspended five‑year sentence. The Court of Appeal heard that Coakley had been a heroin addict since age 13 and had spent most of his life in custody since age 14. His mother said he had become drug‑free in September 2012. The court adjourned sentencing to 20 July, remanding him in custody with the condition that he attend the Coolmine Alcohol and Drugs Service Community. If he left Coolmine, the court warned that authorities would be notified and a stricter view would be taken. The court offered him a chance to engage in drug rehabilitation.
The extradition proceedings of Eric Eoin Marques, a 28-year-old resident of Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, were scheduled to proceed before the High Court on May 11. Marques is alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting and is wanted by US authorities to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, as well as advertising and distributing child pornography. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2013, having been refused bail due to concerns he represented a flight risk and might interfere with evidence. During the pretrial stage, counsel Mark Lynam BL informed the court that Doctor Patricia Casey visited Marques in the midlands in March but could not finalize a neurological report without consulting a neurologist. A report was due at the end of April. Counsel for the State urged Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly to consider the importance of the case. The court determined that the extradition hearing would go ahead on May 11, following the furnishing of the required neurological report. The matter was not concluded or finalised at this stage, with the hearing set for the specified date.
Three men – Gary Freeman (27), Barry Gannon (36) and John Redmond (38) – were found guilty of assault causing harm and violent disorder after a 12‑day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The offence took place in the yard of Mountjoy Prison on 28 August 2012 when the men attacked prisoner William McDonagh, pushing him to the ground and kicking him, as shown on CCTV footage. The court saw that Gannon struck McDonagh with a mop head, Redmond kicked and punched him, and Freeman punched and stamped on his head. McDonagh suffered lacerations, a damaged ear and bruising, and required 30 sutures. Each defendant was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended; Freeman's and Gannon's terms were back‑dated to 26 February 2015, and Redmond's to 18 December 2013. The judge noted the defendants' prior convictions and their expressions of remorse and rehabilitation efforts. Gary Freeman pleaded not guilty. Barry Gannon pleaded not guilty. John Redmond pleaded not guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has been presented with a letter of retraction written by Mark Nash, a 42-year-old man from Dublin, who previously gave gardaí a statement admitting responsibility for the 1997 murders of two women in Grangegorman. Nash has pleaded not guilty to the charges concerning the deaths of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan between 6 and 7 March 1997. In the retraction, read to the court by former Assistant Commissioner James McHugh, Nash attributed his knowledge of the crimes to media coverage, teletext reports, and radio accounts. He claimed he had been in mental distress when making his initial August 1997 statement at Mill Street Garda Station in Galway and asserted he had requested legal representation on three occasions during questioning. The trial, with Roscommon connections relating to an earlier assault allegation against Nash, continues.