A veteran lorry driver, John Burkett, was acquitted of failing to remain at the scene of an incident where a young boy made contact with his truck. The court heard that the boy had suffered a fractured shoulder and leg injuries. Burkett had been convicted of failing to remain at the scene and failing to report the accident to gardai, but the appeal court found that the truck had stopped for at least a minute, as shown by tachograph evidence. The judge ruled that the prosecution's case had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted Burkett of the charge of failing to remain at the scene. However, he was fined €750 to Crumlin Children's Hospital for failing to report the accident. The court noted that Burkett had no charges related to careless or dangerous driving and that the prosecution's case was not proven beyond reasonable doubt. John Burkett pleaded guilty.
Deirdre Buttner admitted three deception counts after claiming Deserted Wife's Benefit and Carer's Allowance while living with a partner. The court heard the combined welfare loss was €112,000 and that a repayment plan had been proposed; Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing for a year and remanded Buttner on continuing bail. Deirdre Buttner pleaded guilty.
A judge has sentenced Dean Hayes, a prolific offender with 129 previous convictions, to ten years in prison for a violent home invasion where he stabbed a doctor multiple times. Mr Justice David Keane noted the extreme violence used and the victim's survival as a matter of luck. Hayes, who spent 90% of his life in custody, burgled a neighboring bungalow in 2009, which the judge called an aggravating factor. The victim, Waleed Mustafa, described the attack as a miracle he survived and suffered severe psychological harm. Hayes was armed with a knife and attacked the doctor in his bedroom while he was watching YouTube. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of 12 years, with the final two years suspended, on the conditions that Hayes engage in a residential drug treatment and a victim empathy programme. Hayes had a chronic drug addiction and a history of recidivism, which the judge highlighted as significant factors in the sentencing. Dean Hayes pleaded guilty.
A doctor, Waleed Mustafa, described the home invasion by Dean Hayes, 37, as a "miracle" he wasn't killed. Hayes, with 129 previous convictions, broke into Mustafa's home and stabbed him multiple times. Mustafa, who is originally from Sudan and works as a doctor in University Hospital Limerick, was attacked in his bedroom while watching YouTube. Hayes was armed with a knife and told Mustafa, "you ripped someone," before attacking him. Mustafa managed to escape through the back door but was stabbed in the head and abdomen. The victim described feeling "sheer terror" and said he was "extremely lucky" to be alive. Hayes was arrested the following day and had a history of burglary, theft, and drug-related offences. The court heard that Hayes had previously burgled the victim's neighbour's house. Mustafa has since experienced anxiety, hypertension, and sleep disturbances due to the attack.
A mother who killed her three children while suffering from a mental disorder is challenging a coroner's decision to limit medical evidence in the inquests into their deaths. Deirdre Morley, a paediatric nurse, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 2020 killings of her children. Her lawyers are seeking a judicial review of the coroner's decision to exclude medical professionals who treated her before the incident from giving evidence. The coroner instead plans to rely on expert testimony from psychiatrists who gave evidence at Morley's trial. Morley's legal team argues that the inquest would be inadequate without assessing her mental state at the time of the killings. The High Court granted an application to expedite the matter, with the case adjourned to December 8.
Patrick O'Brien, 18, was sentenced to a suspended nine‑month term after he threw two airsoft grenades in the underground car park of the IBIS hotel in Clondalkin, Dublin, in February. The grenades produced a bang and a flash, and one was thrown toward a man who later reported the incident to Clondalkin Garda Station. The man, after picking up the grenade, wrapped it in tissue and brought it to the station, where the gardaí were instructed to place it on the floor, leading to the station's temporary evacuation and the closure of surrounding roads. Bomb disposal units later confirmed the device was a CO₂ airsoft grenade, safe and used in airsoft games. O'Brien pleaded guilty to possession of the grenade; he had no prior convictions. The judge noted his young age and described the act as "an act of stupidity," and imposed the suspended sentence on conditions set by the court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan considered imprisoning 18‑year‑old Patrick O'Brien for throwing air‑soft grenades in the underground carpark of the IBIS hotel in Clondalkin. O'Brien admitted possession of the grenades and that he had thrown one at a man who investigated the first incident. The judge questioned whether O'Brien should be jailed "for stupidity" and subsequently revoked his bail, remanding him in custody until sentencing. O'Brien had no prior convictions and claimed the grenades were bought legally for use in air‑soft games. He acknowledged the act was foolish and potentially frightening to the man targeted. The court noted the evacuation of Clondalkin Garda Station and the safe disposal of the grenades by bomb‑disposal units. The case remains pending sentencing. Patrick O'Brien pleaded guilty.
In February 2024, a pallet of flat‑pack furniture was seized by Customs after a sniffer dog signalled the presence of drugs. Gardaí conducted a controlled delivery and, upon breaking into the wooden shelves, discovered €830,000 worth of cannabis herb hidden inside. The suspect, Arnoldas Paleckis, 33, of Mariners View, Castletownbere, was apprehended when he arrived in a rental van to collect the pallet. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply in Newcastle, Co Dublin, and to possessing an encrypted phone for the commission of an offence. Paleckis had a prior conviction for drug production in the UK, for which he received a two‑year sentence. At sentencing, Judge Martin Nolan accepted his guilty plea and remorse, noting the pressure he faced, and imposed a jail term of six years and nine months.
Naveed Rana, 42, of Newcastle, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in his taxi in October last year. The court heard the victim feared for her life during the incident, which involved erratic driving and forced sexual acts. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offending as serious, noting Rana breached his position of trust and caused significant harm to a vulnerable victim. The judge highlighted that Rana was on bail for a serious drug offence at the time of the attack, for which he later received community service. While acknowledging mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea, remorse, and family circumstances, Judge Sheahan declined to suspend any portion of the sentence due to his status on bail. Rana was handed a five-and-a-half-year custodial sentence. The matter was finalised with this sentence, with no adjournment recorded.
Dennis Menton, a 34‑year‑old father of five from Rathcoole, pleaded guilty to possession of 30 kg of cannabis for sale or supply outside his home. He was caught after Garda officers, acting on confidential information, stopped him while he parked a rental car and discovered the drugs in a second vehicle. Menton admitted transporting the drugs on five to six occasions over the past three months, earning €2,000 per job. He had no prior convictions and had been working multiple jobs to meet financial obligations. The court noted his early guilty plea, cooperation, good work record and family responsibilities. The offence carries a mandatory 10‑year sentence, but the judge departed from that and imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term, citing mitigating factors. Menton has expressed remorse, is attending counselling and has considered studying community addiction studies. The court accepted his statements that the drugs were cannabis, a less harmful substance than cocaine or heroin.
Jordan Keogh, a 27‑year‑old from Clondalkin, was on bail when he repeatedly moved cash, a handgun and ammunition for an organised gang. In February 2020 he was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possession of €172,950 in crime cash, a semi‑automatic pistol, ammunition and drugs for sale. The original sentence comprised 3.5 years for two money‑laundering offences (concurrent), 2 years for cannabis possession (consecutive), and 1.5 years for the firearm offence with one year suspended, totalling seven years with 12 months suspended. The State appealed, arguing the judge had been too lenient, especially for the firearms offence. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentences and re‑sentenced Keogh to nine years: 2 years for drugs, 3 years for the first money‑laundering offence (concurrent), 3 years for the second money‑laundering offence with 2 years suspended (consecutive), and 5 years for the firearms offences (consecutive). Jordan Keogh pleaded guilty.
Patrick O'Reilly, 36, of Newcastle, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €269,280 in cash found in his home and a breakfast cereal box in his work van on 14 June 2022. He also admitted a small quantity of cocaine and the use of the Signal app to facilitate money‑laundering. Gardaí said he claimed to owe a debt, but the judge noted he had €20,000 in savings, making the debt claim "hard to square." O'Reilly was one of six arrested in a West Dublin organised‑crime investigation involving drug importation and distribution. The court set a headline sentence of four years, reduced by one year for early plea, cooperation and first‑time offence, and ordered confiscation of the cash. The case was heard by Judge Orla Crowe, with the prosecution led by Edward Doocey BL and defence by John Berry BL.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 20 June 2023, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 44‑year‑old taxi driver Richard Askin to a three‑year suspended prison term for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. Askin had pleaded guilty to the offence, which stemmed from a May 2021 Garda search of his home that uncovered 97.3 g of cocaine, a Nokia phone and weighing scales. Garda surveillance had recorded Askin handing a package to a cyclist on 29 April 2021 and to a known cocaine user two days later. Askin, who has seven prior traffic convictions, denied any trouble with Gardaí and claimed he was a low‑level dealer for another individual to service a drug debt. Defence counsel highlighted his addiction and lack of prior similar convictions. Judge Nolan warned that a repeat offence would result in custodial imprisonment and urged Askin to take the "considerable chance" he had been given.
Ciaran Dolan, 32, of Lucan, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of barrister Edward O'Hara on Peamount Road, Newcastle, on 29 January 2022. He was driving a silver Volkswagen Golf at high speed, filmed on his phone at 160 km/h, and collided with O'Hara from behind. O'Hara, walking in the direction of Newcastle, was struck, carried 118 m, and later died at Tallaght Hospital. Dolan fled the scene, later turning the car around and pulling into a lay‑by before being apprehended. He was found to be under the influence of cannabis, had admitted smoking two joints that day, and had signed pleas. The court noted his previous five convictions for road offences, his remorse, and his signed pleas, but also his grossly reprehensible conduct and failure to assist the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, deeming a custodial sentence inevitable.
A man has been sentenced to three years in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a road incident in Lucan that endangered innocent bystanders. Martin Mongan, aged 47, was convicted by jury of endangerment and dangerous driving arising from an incident on Newcastle Road on 6 May 2018. The court heard that Mongan, embroiled in a family feud originating from a violent incident at a Roscommon funeral in 2017, deliberately drove his truck at a van containing family members he was in dispute with. The collision caused the van to strike an uninvolved car with three occupants who had no connection to the parties involved. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the incident occurred in broad daylight and considered aggravating factors including the repeated nature of the driving at the van. The judge stated a custodial sentence was necessary to mark the seriousness of the offence and its effects on the injured parties.
Ian Coughlan, 46, a former Irish Defence Forces member, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four money‑laundering charges involving €159,250 in Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland accounts between June and October 2016. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to a three‑year prison term, fully suspended on strict conditions, citing the case's exceptional features. Coughlan had been approached by third parties at his gym offering financial incentives for his bank details, which he never received. He admitted to being contacted by Nigerian men and a French plastics company, who sought to use his accounts for fraudulent transfers. Gardaí had secured a warrant and arrested him on 17 May 2017 after discovering fraudulent payments. Coughlan had no prior convictions and had brought €12,000 to court as an expression of remorse. The judge ordered the money to be split between the two companies and paid within 30 days.
Jim Mansfield Jnr, a property magnate, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended for a period of six months, back‑dated to 17 January 2022. The sentence followed a conviction for attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage that showed Mansfield and former employee Martin Byrne leaving Finnstown House Hotel on 9 June 2015, the day Byrne was later kidnapped by republican terrorists Dessie O'Hare and Declan 'Whacker' Duffy. Mansfield, 54, had ordered the footage destroyed to distance himself from the kidnappers and to hide his association with them. He was acquitted of a separate conspiracy charge for falsely imprisoning Byrne. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his mild intellectual disability, his role as a carer for his 78‑year‑old mother and his generally good character as mitigating factors. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
Jim Mansfield Jnr, a property magnate, faces sentencing at the Special Criminal Court for directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage that showed Mansfield and former employee Martin Byrne leaving Finnstown House Hotel on 9 June 2015, the day Byrne was kidnapped by Dessie O'Hare and Declan 'Whacker' Duffy. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC presented a psychologist's report indicating Mansfield operates at a mild intellectual disability or borderline range. Mansfield, 54, was acquitted of a separate conspiracy charge to falsely imprison Byrne. The court noted Mansfield's involvement with the New IRA and INLA in dealing with threats from traveller gangs and his efforts to recover assets lost in a crash. He has no prior convictions except a traffic offence over ten years ago, complied with bail conditions, and is a carer for his 78‑year‑old mother. The sentencing hearing will determine the final imposed term. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
Jim Mansfield Jnr was remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice. The 54-year-old pleaded not guilty to two charges: conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The court acquitted Mansfield on the conspiracy charge, finding insufficient evidence that he knew Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy planned to kidnap Byrne. However, he was convicted of perverting the course of justice for ordering the destruction of footage showing him with Byrne on the morning of the kidnapping. Mr Justice Alex Owens stated that while Mansfield knowingly involved O'Hare and Duffy in asset recovery efforts, the court could not exclude the possibility that he was misled regarding the kidnapping plot. O'Hare was jailed for seven years in 2019 and Duffy for six years in 2018 for falsely imprisoning Byrne. Following the verdict, the court refused Mansfield's request to remain on bail and remanded him in custody. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 7.
Conor Clarke, 29, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment for unlawful seizure of a vehicle, attempted seizure, assault and threats to kill, following an incident on Hazelhatch Road, Newcastle, Co Dublin, on 15 February 2019. The case involved Clarke emerging from an overturned car, punching John Daly and attempting to seize a second car. Clarke's plea of guilty, his history of 55 convictions, and a probation report indicating a high risk of reoffending were weighed against mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea, difficult upbringing and recent relationship break‑up. The judge imposed a 12‑month suspended period, requiring Clarke to attend anger‑management classes, follow drug and alcohol treatment plans, and submit to random urine tests. He will also be supervised by the Probation Service for 12 months after release. The court noted Clarke's remorse, his depression and anxiety, and his role as a father of three young children. The sentence was delivered by Judge Elma Sheahan.
Norense Okungbowa, a 46-year-old bus driver from Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a 17-year-old girl in the car park of Finnstown Hotel on September 1, 2018. The court heard that the defendant and the victim had met while she was travelling on his bus. Sergeant Shay Leonard stated that a dispute arose during their meeting, leading the defendant to punch the victim in the back and side while demanding money he alleged she had taken. The victim's impact statement described a loss of security and increased paranoia. Defending counsel, Fiona Murphy SC, highlighted the defendant's lack of prior convictions, his employment with Dublin Bus since 2008, and his expression of remorse. She requested a discharge from indictment under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the matter under Section 100 until May 4. The defendant is required to keep the peace, be of good behaviour, pay a €100 fine, and collect €2,000 for potential transfer to the victim. Judge Nolan stated that if these conditions are not complied with, the appropriate sentence is two months imprisonment. The decision was based on the guilty plea, cooperation with gardaí, and the defendant's rehabilitative potential.
The Special Criminal Court will deliver a judgement in the New Year in the trial of property magnate Jim Mansfield Jnr, who denies setting up one of his employees to be kidnapped by a criminal gang. Mr Mansfield pleaded not guilty before the three‑judge, non‑jury court in October last year but due to a number of lengthy adjournments, the trial continued until last month. Mr Justice Alex Owens, presiding, had indicated that a judgement might be delivered today. At a brief hearing this morning Mr Justice Owens said that the court has not concluded its consideration of the evidence and judgement will be delivered on January 17 next. Mr Mansfield Jnr (54), of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015.
Ian Coughlan, 45, of Newcastle Manor Close, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of possessing €159,250, believing or being reckless about whether it was the proceeds of crime, in relation to Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland accounts used in an international invoice redirection fraud between June and October 2016. Gardaí investigated a fraudulent payment of €39,251 received into his AIB account from a Turkish aviation company that had been instructed to change supplier bank details; the money was never received. A warrant was obtained and Coughlan was arrested on 17 May 2017. Further evidence showed a French plastics company transferred €120,000 into his Bank of Ireland account after being directed to amend supplier details. Coughlan claimed he was approached by Nigerian men offering a 10% share of the cash, but he never received this cut.
In the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that the State's chief witness, Martin Byrne, had lied and was unreliable. Condon said Byrne had told the Criminal Assets Bureau about IRA ties but denied them in court, and later could not recall what he had said. He claimed Byrne's testimony was dishonest and muddled, and that there was no evidence the abduction was intended to evict Byrne from The Towers. Prosecution counsel Shane Costelloe SC maintained that Jim Mansfield Jnr. lured Byrne to a remote office where former terrorist Dessie O'Hare and criminal Declan 'Whacker' Duffy abducted him to evict him from Mansfield's property. Mansfield, 54, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to falsely imprison Byrne and to perverting the course of justice by directing Byrne's brother to destroy CCTV. The judge, Alex Owens, set a mention for 15 November, with no verdict date announced. The case remains at the hearing stage.
The Special Criminal Court has rejected Jim Mansfield Jnr's application to dismiss the case, so the trial will proceed to closing speeches. Mansfield, 54, denies setting up an employee to be kidnapped by a gang and denies conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between 1 January and 30 June 2015. He also denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage related to Byrne's false imprisonment at Finnstown House Hotel between 9 and 12 June 2015. The prosecution will present its closing argument tomorrow, followed by Mansfield's defence. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard closing submissions in the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, who has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January 1 and June 30, 2015. He also denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that former INLA members Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy were on a "frolic of their own" and that there is insufficient evidence to establish a conspiracy involving Mr Mansfield. He contended that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Mansfield knew of the plot or agreed to it. Prosecution counsel Shane Costelloe SC countered that evidence shows Mr Mansfield conspired with the two men, citing the arrangement of the meeting at Keating Park and the subsequent destruction of CCTV footage as indicators of his involvement. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Alex Owens, will deliver its judgement on the defence application to acquit tomorrow morning.
Jim Mansfield Jnr, aged 54, denies hiring Declan "Whacker" Duffy or Dessie O'Hare, both of whom have pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning one of Mansfield's employees. He is on trial at the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to abduct security man Martin Byrne and for attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Byrne's brother, Patrick, to destroy CCTV footage of Byrne's abduction. Mansfield says he never had an issue with Byrne, who worked for him and lived rent‑free at a Dublin property owned by the Mansfields. He claims he never employed Duffy or O'Hare, who he says were known to him but never worked for him, and denies bringing Byrne to them for any purpose. He also denies telling Patrick Byrne to destroy the recording device. The trial continues before a three‑judge court.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing, Patrick Byrne testified that Jim Mansfield Jr. instructed him to destroy a digital recording device that stored CCTV footage from Finnstown House hotel. Byrne, who worked in security with Mansfield's brother Martin Byrne, said Mansfield asked him to remove the device from the system and then to bring it out the back and smash it. Byrne had already viewed the footage, which showed two men attempting to access Martin Byrne's car and both Mansfield and Byrne leaving the hotel in a black Audi A6. Mansfield, 55, denies conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne, 53, between January and June 2015, and denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Byrne to destroy the footage. The case is ongoing at the non‑jury Special Criminal Court presided by Justice Alex Owens.
The trial of businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr (54) was adjourned at the Special Criminal Court until October. Mansfield, of Saggart, Co Dublin, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The matter was adjourned after Garda evidence regarding exhibits was heard. Previously, Dessie O'Hare (64) pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Byrne and assaulting John Roche. He was sentenced to ten years in prison with three years suspended for the false imprisonment and three years for the assault. Christopher Maguire (41) pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Lisa Byrne and received a three-year suspended sentence. Declan 'Whacker' Duffy (46) was also sentenced to six years for false imprisonment. Martin Byrne, who testified that Mansfield was present when he was taken prisoner, is currently in the Witness Protection Programme.
The Special Criminal Court resumed the non‑jury trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, aged 53, after a seven‑month adjournment. Mansfield is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne, aged 53, between 1 January and 30 June 2015, and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. Byrne, now in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that Mansfield was "a couple of feet away" when he was taken prisoner by a gang that included former INLA man Dessie O'Hare and former Republican paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy. The trial was adjourned in December to allow Mansfield's lawyers to view previously undisclosed CCTV footage. Defence counsel Tony McGillicuddy challenged redactions, while DPP counsel Shane Costelloe addressed each request. The case continues before Judges Owens, Ni Chulachain and Faughnan, with further evidence to be heard after the summer break. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Conor Clarke, aged 29, pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle, attempted seizure of a vehicle, assault and making threats to kill or cause serious harm after an incident on Hazelhatch Road, Newcastle, Co Dublin, on 15 February 2019. The case began when a car overturned on the street and three men, including Clarke, emerged. Clarke punched a resident, John Daly, and later jumped into another man's car, leading to a struggle that was ended by Daly's intervention. A nurse who had stopped to help also witnessed the altercation and left the scene after fearing Clarke might pull her out of her car. Gardaí arrested Clarke, who was remanded in custody pending a final hearing scheduled for 1 November. The court considered psychological reports indicating severe depression and high anxiety, and a probation report was ordered. The hearing concluded with the judge adjourned the matter for finalisation.
Ian Coughlan, 45, of Newcastle, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of possessing €159,250, believing or being reckless about whether it was proceeds of crime, from an Allied Irish Bank and a Bank of Ireland account between June and October 2016. Gardaí investigated a fraudulent payment of €39,251 from a Turkish aviation company that was redirected to a Ukrainian supplier; the company later discovered the fraud when the money was never received. A warrant was obtained to search Coughlan's home, and he was arrested on 17 May 2017. Further evidence linked a French plastics company that transferred €120,000 into his Bank of Ireland account after being instructed to change supplier bank details. Coughlan admitted that Nigerian men had asked him to use his account for business, offering him a 10% cut, but he never received it.
The Special Criminal Court trial of businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr, aged 53, is facing a potential delay of more than six months. The delay follows the court's decision to pause proceedings to allow Mansfield's lawyers to review 12 days of CCTV footage that had not been previously disclosed by the Gardaí. Mansfield's defence counsel, Bernard Condon, is currently engaged in another trial that will not conclude in time, prompting his senior counsel, Tony McGillicuddy BL, to request an adjournment. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Caroline Cummings BL, described the delay as a "disappointing turn of events" that could complicate matters for witnesses in the Witness Protection Programme. Judge Alexander Owens stated that the court would consider an adjournment application next Wednesday but emphasized the need to keep the case moving. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, aged 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children—Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3)—in January 2023. A Central Criminal Court judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, ordered her commitment to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for further inpatient care under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The order follows a jury verdict that accepted psychiatric evidence showing Morley was unable to appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions and could not refrain from them. The CMH will conduct a psychiatric assessment, and her condition will be reviewed every six months by the Mental Health Review Board. The case was adjourned to allow time for the psychiatric report, which was then considered by the court. The order effectively disposes of the case.
A hearing in the Deirdre Morley case was adjourned to 8 June to allow lawyers to review a psychiatric report. The court had been awaiting a report from a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital. Mr Justice Paul Coffey, hearing via video link, said he had only received the report after 11 am and would consider it before the next hearing. Both defence and prosecution were to review the report. Ms Morley, 44, had been found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children. The adjournment was to give time for the report to be prepared and for both sides to consider its contents before the next hearing. The case remains at the Central Criminal Court.
In the Deirdre Morley case, the presiding judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, told the jury that the evidence was free of conflict and that no underlying facts required resolution. He explained that the case relied mainly on expert medical opinion, which was unanimous: both psychiatrists agreed Ms Morley was legally insane when she killed her children and could not understand the wrongness of her acts. The judge clarified that the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity required the jury to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that she was suffering from a mental disorder and was unable to refrain from her actions. He emphasized that the evidence was all one way and that the prosecution was not seeking a murder conviction. The jury was then sent back to deliberate on the verdicts.
In the trial of Deirdre Morley, accused of murdering her three children, the jury was informed by Mr Justice Paul Coffey that they could deliver a majority verdict if ten of the twelve jurors agreed. The foreman noted they had further questions to raise later that day. The jury had spent over three hours deliberating since the previous day. They had earlier requested clarification on the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Mr Justice Coffey explained that Ms Morley admitted to the acts that caused her children's deaths, but her defence argued she should not be held responsible due to insanity. He outlined the criteria for a special verdict: the jury must be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Ms Morley was suffering from a mental disorder at the time, that she did not know the nature or wrongness of her acts, or was unable to refrain from them.
In the trial of Deirdre Morley, a 44‑year‑old paediatric nurse from Parson's Court, Newcastle, Co Dublin, the jury was instructed by Mr Justice Paul Coffey to consider a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Morley is accused of murdering her three children—sons Conor (9) and Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3)—whose bodies were found at the family home on 24 January. The judge explained that the defence's psychiatric experts, Dr Brenda Wright and Dr Mary Davoren, had agreed that Morley was legally insane when she smothered her children, lacking knowledge of the nature or wrongness of her acts and unable to refrain from them. He noted that both prosecution and defence concurred on this conclusion and that the case was "unusually free from controversy." The jury was given time to deliberate, with the judge emphasising that the appropriate verdict on all counts was not guilty by reason of insanity.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children, aged 9, 7 and 3. Two forensic psychiatrists testified that she suffered a mental disorder at the time of the killings and could not appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions or refrain from them. The jury accepted the defence's claim that the case was a "tragedy of enormous proportions" and returned three verdicts of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court ordered Morley to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital for psychiatric assessment, with a hearing scheduled for 31 May. No other verdicts or sentencing details were given in the article.
In the Deirdre Morley trial, two psychiatrists testified that the accused, a 44‑year‑old nurse, suffered from a mental disorder at the time of the killings. Dr Brenda Wright, for the defence, described her as having bipolar affective disorder and believed she thought it morally right to kill her children, who were aged 9, 7 and 3. Dr Mary Davoren, for the prosecution, said she had a severe depressive disorder and, although she knew she was killing the children, her depression impaired her ability to appreciate the wrongness of her actions. The jury, after an hour and 28 minutes of deliberation, will return tomorrow to decide whether a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity applies. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey.
In the Central Criminal Court, Dr Brenda Wright testified that 44‑year‑old Deirdre Morley, a renal‑specialist nurse, was suffering from bipolar affective disorder and believed it was morally right to smother her three children, whom she claimed had been irreparably damaged. She had attempted to drug them with morphine and codeine the night before the killings, but the children resisted. The next day she used tape, plastic bags and cushions to suffocate them, two of whom died in a play tent. Dr Wright said Morley did not know her actions were wrong due to her psychotic state and was unable to refrain from them, meeting the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial continues with the jury hearing evidence of her mental state on 24 January and her belief that ending their suffering was necessary.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the jury heard that 44‑year‑old nurse Deirdre Morley attempted to poison her three children on 23 January 2021 and then suffocated them on 24 January 2021. She used thick brown tape and plastic bags to smother the children, two of whom were killed in a play tent. Morley's husband, Andrew McGinley, discovered the bodies: two upstairs in his bedroom and one downstairs in the play tent. Two notes left by Morley warned anyone entering the house not to go into the front room or upstairs and to call 911. Prosecutors said Morley was suffering from a mental disorder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murders of her sons Conor (9), Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3). The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul Coffey lifted a reporting restriction that had previously barred the publication of the identity of Deirdre Morley, a 44‑year‑old mother charged with murdering her three children. The restriction had been imposed after a Court of Appeal ruling that Section 252 of the Children Act 2001 prohibited identifying child victims, including deceased ones. Morley, who lives in Parson's Court, Newcastle, Co. Dublin, faces charges for the deaths of her sons Conor (9) and Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3), whose bodies were found at their family home on 24 January. The Children (Amendment) Act 2021, which came into force last week, removed the blanket prohibition on naming deceased children, allowing the court to grant the order. The defence had originally applied for the protection, and the Director of Public Prosecutions had not objected.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr until June 2, 2021, following a second delay caused by newly disclosed CCTV footage. Mansfield, 53, of Saggart, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing the destruction of CCTV footage. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens with Judges Ni Chulachain and Faughnan, granted the defence time to review 12 days of previously undisclosed footage. While the trial is adjourned, related proceedings concluded with Christopher Maguire, 41, of Lusk, receiving a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin and Lisa Byrne in Rathcoole/Saggart on June 9, 2015. Maguire's sentence was suspended, with no effective custody imposed. In a separate 2007 matter, James O'Gorman was convicted of defrauding a company director of €54,000. The current trial remains ongoing, with the next mention scheduled for January 2021.
In the Special Criminal Court, the three‑judge panel rejected the defence's request to discharge the judges and order a retrial of Jim Mansfield Junior. Mansfield, 53, is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The defence, led by Bernard Condon SC, sought to exclude a significant portion of newly disclosed CCTV footage and to adjourn the trial until the defence could review the material. The judges denied both the discharge and the exclusion, stating that the defence would still have an opportunity to question Byrne. The trial, which had been adjourned on 19 November due to the late disclosure of CCTV, was scheduled to resume on 15 December, but further adjournments are expected because of delays in serving the defence with the footage. The case remains in progress. Martin Byrne pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, 53, until December 15 after newly disclosed CCTV footage was discovered. Mansfield Jnr is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January and June 2015 and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The prosecution, represented by Shane Costelloe SC, revealed that a significant portion of CCTV footage retained on a hard‑drive seized from the Towers on 7 June 2015 had never been disclosed to the State. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that the undisclosed footage amounted to 12 days of material and that the case should not proceed until he could review it. The court agreed to certify a second junior counsel for four days to examine the footage and adjourned the trial until 15 December, with Mr Justice Alexander Owens presiding alongside Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, who is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice, continues before a non-jury court. Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to both counts. During cross-examination, alleged victim Martin Byrne, who is in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that the incident was "all Mansfield business" and that Mansfield Jnr was present when he was taken prisoner by a gang including Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy. Byrne's son, Brandon Byrne, also gave evidence, describing how his parents were held at The Towers while security guard John Roche was assaulted outside. The court heard that Christopher Maguire, who pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin and Lisa Byrne on June 9, 2015, received a three-year suspended sentence. Additionally, Daniel Kane, who pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne, was sentenced in April 2018 to five years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. Background evidence noted that James O'Gorman was previously convicted of defrauding a company director out of €54,000 in 2007. The trial is ongoing, with proceedings continuing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and two other judges.
A witness at the Special Criminal Court has testified that property magnate Jim Mansfield Jnr could not have written a note allegedly used during an alleged kidnapping in Dublin. Martin Byrne, a former employee, told the three-judge court that a piece of paper handed to a vehicle driver bore someone else's handwriting. Mr Byrne claims Mr Mansfield Jnr orchestrated his false imprisonment by arranging meetings with paramilitary groups. He described being taken by seven men, including former paramilitaries Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, after a warehouse meeting in 2015. Mr Byrne, now in the Witness Protection Programme, said he was assaulted and later threatened at his home address, known as the Towers in Saggart, County Dublin. Under cross-examination, he rejected suggestions he was fabricating evidence or concealing information when he initially declined to speak with gardaí at the scene. Mr Mansfield Jnr, aged fifty-three, denies conspiracy to falsely imprison Mr Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and two other judges. Jim Mansfield Jnr pleaded not guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, former employee Martin Byrne, aged 53, testified that Jim Mansfield Jnr wanted him to attend the funeral of murdered Real IRA leader Alan Ryan in September 2012 on Mansfield's behalf. Byrne denied being solely employed by convicted fraudster James O'Gorman and claimed he worked mainly for Mansfield, though he also worked for O'Gorman. He said Mansfield had arranged meetings with the New IRA and INLA to help recover family property assets, and that Mansfield had set him up for false imprisonment. Byrne also recounted being taken prisoner by a gang including former INLA man Dessie O'Hare and Declan "Whacker" Duffy, and that he was later robbed of money and documents. The court heard Byrne's evidence about Mansfield's alleged conspiracy to falsely imprison him and attempts to pervert the course of justice. Mansfield pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Martin Byrne, a witness in the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr, has denied claims by the defence that he cannot keep his story consistent and that he puts people in and out of meetings 'willy nilly'. Byrne, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, testified that he was falsely imprisoned by a gang of seven men, including former INLA member Dessie O'Hare and former Republican paramilitary Declan 'Whacker' Duffy. The trial, which is in the sentence stage, continues before a three-judge court. Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including conspiring to falsely imprison Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice. In April 2019, Dessie O'Hare was jailed for three years for assaulting John Roche and ten years with three suspended for the rest of his life for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. In 2018, Declan 'Whacker' Duffy was sentenced to six years imprisonment for assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne. The trial continues tomorrow.