Martin Connolly, former chief operating officer of Dundalk Town FC, was dismissed by owner Brian Ainscough on 26 February 2024 in a brief conversation that left him without notice of the club's financial difficulties. Connolly did not return to work after the dismissal and was unemployed until May 2024, when his salary stopped. He applied for several jobs before taking a temporary factory shift at Amgen in Cabinteely, earning just under €43,000 a year. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal unfair, noting no substantial grounds for termination and no conduct by Connolly warranting it. The tribunal awarded him €16,667 for four months of lost salary at his former €50,000 a year role, based on the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The award also considered the damage to his reputation and job prospects caused by the public nature of the dismissal. The decision was made by adjudicator Kara Turner.
In a case heard at Tallaght District Court, a 43‑year‑old man named Darren Kane was found asleep in the driver's seat of a Volkswagen camper van at the Spawell Service Station on 9 May 2021. Gardaí discovered two suspected deals of cocaine, each worth €70, in the passenger seat. Kane pleaded guilty to possession under section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The court noted that he had 27 prior convictions, including five under the same act, and had previously received a 10‑month suspended sentence in May 2022 for a Section 15 drugs offence. His defence counsel reported that Kane had made "remarkable" progress since then, completing a 20‑month residential programme at Cuan Mhuire, obtaining a Level 6 qualification in psychology, and volunteering to support others in addiction recovery. He had also spoken at a graduation event in March 2024 about his journey and the importance of second chances.
A 32‑year‑old man, Clinton Martin, was fined €250 for stealing a €15 bottle of Jameson from a Centra shop in Tallaght on 15 March 2022. CCTV captured him removing the bottle and leaving without paying. Gardaí identified him the next day, and he pleaded guilty, admitting the theft and apologising. The case was heard at Tallaght District Court where Judge Deirdre Gearty noted the theft occurred over three years ago, remarking that the whiskey was likely long gone. The judge recorded a conviction and imposed the fine, giving Martin five months to pay.
A 44‑year‑old man, James O'Callaghan, pleaded guilty to a Section 4 theft offence for his role in the theft of a handbag from an unlocked Mercedes parked outside Bridge Jewellers on Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, on 21 October 2020. He was identified by CCTV and later arrested, but did not physically remove the bag. O'Callaghan cooperated with Gardaí, helped recover the stolen items and was described by his solicitor as remorseful and fully aware of the wrongdoing. The court noted his previous convictions, mainly traffic‑related, and his current unemployment and social welfare status. Judge Catherine Ghent emphasised that the act was a choice, not a mistake, and that no apology had been offered to the victim. Taking into account his cooperation, the judge imposed a €400 fine, to be paid within eight months, and warned him that he was "far too old for that.".
On 20 October 2023, Garda Niall McGahern stopped a car on Whitestown Way, Tallaght, after noticing the driver acting suspiciously at a traffic light. The driver, Adam Printo, 26, of Sundale Villas, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin 24, produced a large butcher's knife from inside the car and could not explain why he had it. He was arrested and taken to Tallaght Garda Station, where a small amount of cannabis was also found on him. Printo entered a guilty plea to a charge under Section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act. Defence counsel Lauren Flanagan BL argued that Printo had been using the knife as a makeshift screwdriver earlier that day to fix the windscreen wipers. The court heard that Printo was employed full‑time in a warehouse, earning around €500 a week, and had no previous convictions or history of addiction. The knife was presented in court as evidence in a plastic bag.
A Ukrainian truck driver, Ruslan Rybak, who was serving in the Ukrainian military during the hearing, gave evidence remotely from an active battlefield to the Workplace Relations Commission. He claimed unfair dismissal by Dublin haulier Noel Hughes on 1 July 2020 after a verbal dispute with a customer. Rybak said he had been under constant work pressure, sleeping in the truck for over a year, and had no proper breaks, sometimes working 100 hours non‑stop. Hughes argued Rybak left work abruptly to return to Ukraine and had been rehired each time. The adjudicator found the employment relationship irregular, awarding Rybak €2,000 under the Unfair Dismissals Act, €1,000 for breaches of working‑time legislation, and €500 in lieu of holiday pay, totaling €3,500. The case was noted as the first instance of witness evidence received from an active battlefield in WRC history.
Cian Kavanagh, a 22‑year‑old apprentice electrician from Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dún Laoghaire District Court to a money‑laundering offence under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act for allowing his An Post account to be used in a €38,000 scam that took place on 22 July 2023. The court found that the victim remains out of pocket by €5,000, the amount Kavanagh is held accountable for. He admitted his role after Gardaí searched his home under warrant. Judge Peter White accepted jurisdiction, noted the seriousness of the offence, and gave Kavanagh 12 months to repay the €5,000 before a final decision. He is due back in court on 13 April 2026, with bail set on a €100 bond. Kavanagh is currently working as an apprentice electrician, earning about €300 per week, and lives with his grandfather.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 38‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to assault, controlling behaviour and other offences against his former partner and mother of their children. The judge found that over a period from 2019 to 2020 he subjected the woman to coercive control and intimate partner violence, culminating on 21 April 2020 in a "brutal, vicious attack" where he tried to choke her and placed a bag over her head while their two children were present. He also physically assaulted her, used a shopping bag in a tug‑of‑war, and later threatened her with a pitchfork. The court noted the victim's isolation, the man's alcohol use, and the presence of other incidents over the years. The judge sentenced him to three years, suspended the final 18 months, and ordered no direct contact with the woman for five years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Conor Deering, aged 24, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 25 September 2021 at several sites in Lucan. The case began when Gardai stopped his car for a seatbelt offence, discovered a backpack containing 100 g of cannabis and €3,900 in cash, and subsequently obtained a search warrant for his home. A search of his residence uncovered drugs valued at over €159,000 and an additional €4,000 in cash, bringing the total value of seized drugs to €161,690. Deering had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, taking into account Deering's early guilty plea, imposed a three‑year prison sentence, departing from the mandatory minimum of ten years. The court noted that Deering was not on the Garda radar and that his home showed no signs of wealth.
An unnamed 20-year-old man was sentenced today at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing improvised petrol bombs with intent to cause injury. The defendant, who was 16 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to one count of the charge. The court heard that on August 25, 2021, he participated in a dispute between rival groups of young people from the northside and southside of Dublin at a block of flats on Pearse Street, Dublin 2. During the incident, which involved between 80 and 100 individuals, the defendant allegedly threw two improvised petrol bombs from a balcony, narrowly missing people below. Judge Orla Crowe described it as a "miracle" that no one was injured. In sentencing, the judge acknowledged the defendant's troubled childhood, including being taken into care at age four, and his status in homeless accommodation at the time of the offence. However, she noted his "exceptional" progress since the incident, citing his current stability and ambition. Taking these mitigating factors into account, Judge Crowe set a sentence of two years, which she suspended in its entirety. The suspension is subject to conditions, including that the defendant remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for one year.
In a two‑week Central Criminal Court trial, a 20‑year‑old Dublin woman was acquitted by a jury of all 12 counts of sexual abuse against her younger cousin, aged 10‑11 at the time. The charges included 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of section 4 rape, alleged to have occurred during family sleepovers between July 2017 and July 2019. The defendant denied all allegations, stating she never slept over in the cousin's house, never owned a tablet during the relevant period, and that the cousin had never stayed overnight in her home. Testimony from extended family members, including the cousin's parents, grandmother, and aunt, was presented for both sides. The jury deliberated over nine hours and returned not‑guilty verdicts on all counts, with the judge thanking the jurors and excusing them from future service for ten years. The unnamed 20-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 40‑year‑old man, Philip Cox, was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years in prison for twice stabbing his partner of 18 years, Cristal O'Brien, with three knives. The judge noted that the first knife broke on a stairwell wall, yet Cox returned with another knife and threatened to finish her off. He also committed aggravated burglary by smashing Ms O'Brien's neighbour's front door, breaking a window and entering the dwelling. Cox had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and the production of a knife. The judge imposed a consecutive sentence of three years and six months for the knife production and three years and three months for the assault and burglary, suspending the last 15 months. The custodial term is back‑dated to 2 June 2023, and Cox must not contact the two women or approach within 100 metres of their homes.
In a Galway Circuit Court trial, a 26‑year‑old Eastern European man was found guilty of human trafficking, the organisation of prostitution and coercive control of his partner. The jury heard that the couple moved to Galway in 2020, after the defendant forced the woman to work as an escort in their shared house and later drove her to Airbnbs across Ireland. He took photographs of her, posted them online, booked venues, acted as security, drove her to locations and controlled her finances. The woman, who had come to Ireland at 18 for a better life, was forced to work as an escort and later as a "sugar baby" before becoming pregnant. She disclosed the abuse at a Garda station, leading to the defendant's arrest. The prosecution presented evidence of the defendant's control over her work, finances and movements, while the defence argued a lack of evidence and reasonable doubt. The jury convicted him on all three charges. Eastern European pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, Michael Andrecut (23) of Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown, was sentenced to a mandatory life term for the murder of Tristan Sherry. David Amah (19) of Hazel Grove, Donabate, and a third man from Blanchardstown, who was 17 when charged, were also convicted of murder but are not subject to the mandatory sentence; their sentences are due to be finalised at a later stage. Separately, the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that San Siro Ltd, the operating company of Browne's Steakhouse, breached employment laws by failing to pay statutory redundancy to six former employees when the restaurant closed on Christmas Eve 2023. Adjudicator Catherine Byrne upheld complaints from general manager Vjola Ajredini, waitress Adisa Ajredini, and assistant manager Amanda Ajredini, awarding them sums between €1,032 and €6,154 for unpaid notice and compensation for working time breaches. The WRC also confirmed redundancy entitlements for kitchen porter Gedeminas Urbasius and head chef Ruslan Pazuschin. In total, the orders secure over €100,000 in payouts for employment rights breaches, including redundancy lump sums exceeding €86,000.
Diarmuid Molloy, a 45‑year‑old Dubliner, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of robberies in Dublin city shops. He pleaded guilty to three robberies and the possession of a knife to intimidate customers. The incidents included an attempted robbery at Tesco on 21 June 2022, a robbery and false imprisonment at Brady's Pharmacy on 22 June 2022, and a robbery at Thomas Street Pharmacy on 23 June 2022. During the Brady's Pharmacy robbery, Molloy put a 78‑year‑old sales assistant in a chokehold and repeatedly threatened to "slit" her throat. At Thomas Street Pharmacy he held a customer in a chokehold, produced a six‑inch knife and threatened to stab her. He was also in possession of a knife at the pharmacy on 24 June 2022. The court noted that CCTV footage was central to the investigation of the Thomas Street Pharmacy robbery.
Two Dublin men, Stephen Tynan (46) and Raymond Fitzgerald (41), were convicted of murdering Andrew Guerrine, who was found with 20 stab wounds on a roadside. They pleaded not guilty and were sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White in December 2018. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 11 April 2025, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy rejected all grounds of appeal. The appeal argued that the men were accessories after the fact and that evidence such as CCTV footage, ANPR data and a voluntary caution statement were inadmissible or unreliable. The judge found the evidence admissible and the defendants' statements lawful, and concluded that the trial judge had properly instructed the jury on the possible verdicts. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed and the convictions remain in force.
David O'Callaghan, 41, pleaded guilty to driving a white Ford Transit van into gates at Leinster House, Aras An Uachtaráin and the Custom House on 2 August, causing €60 000 of damage. He was found to have been suffering from a paranoid delusion and later diagnosed with schizophrenia, for which he is receiving treatment. Garda Niamh McCarthy described how O'Callaghan performed a sweeping u‑turn in front of the Aras gates, reversed into them, then drove to the Custom House and repeated the manoeuvre, breaching the gates and causing about €2 000 of damage. At Leinster House he struck three sets of gates in quick succession, breaching the Ministers' Entrance gate and damaging a perimeter gate, resulting in over €52 000 of damage. He admitted consuming alcohol and cocaine that evening and claimed he believed his food had been spiked.
During a sentence hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a woman in her 20s gave a victim impact statement about being sexually assaulted by taxi driver Samir Lakhlef, 53, who had a prior sexual assault conviction. She said she had chosen a taxi for safety, trusting the driver, but was touched on her leg and thigh while in the vehicle. She later walked to a nearby house, pretended it was her home, and was left alone in the taxi. She called her mother and was helped by a passer‑by. Gardaí obtained CCTV showing a silver Toyota Prius, Lakhlef's registered car, and DNA evidence linking him to the victim's clothing. Lakhlef pleaded guilty to sexual assault on 13 February 2022. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, refusing to suspend any portion, citing the driver's position of trust and his previous convictions. The woman expressed ongoing fear of using taxis alone and the impact on her life.
Michael Keane, a former professional footballer aged 42, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old college student while driving her in his taxi to Bull Island. The victim was forced to pay a €77.77 fare after the assault. Keane had previously been convicted in the UK for theft and assault causing actual bodily harm. He pleaded guilty in November 2023, after initially denying the allegation. The court noted the victim's fear, shock and ongoing trauma, and that Keane had lost his taxi licence and was now on social welfare. Keane's lawyers presented testimonials from former club associates and family, arguing the offence was out of character and a one‑off incident. The judge imposed the custodial term without a suspended portion, citing the aggravating circumstances of the victim's vulnerability and Keane's role as a taxi driver.
Three Romanian nationals – Marius Crisan (29), Codrin Manoli (26) and Calin Scintei (32) – pleaded guilty to a range of offences involving cash‑trapping devices used to steal money from AIB ATMs. Crisan was convicted of two counts of criminal damage, two counts of stealing cash, four counts of possessing cash‑trapping devices with intent to use them, and one count of participation in a criminal organisation. Manoli faced similar charges, with four counts of damage, four of stealing cash, two of possessing devices and one of organisational participation. Scintei was convicted of one count of damage, one of stealing cash and three of possessing devices. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced Scintei to three years' imprisonment back‑dated to July 2024, Manoli to three years with the final six months suspended for two years, and Crisan to a fully suspended three‑year sentence.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing for three men convicted of the murder of Tristan Sherry, who was fatally beaten after shooting Jason Hennessy Senior at Browne's Steakhouse on Christmas Eve 2023. Michael Andrecut (23) was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. David Amah (19) and an unnamed 18-year-old, both 17 at the time of the offence, were also convicted of murder but are not subject to the mandatory life sentence; their sentencing was adjourned to May. Brandon Hennessy (21) and Jonas Kabangu (19) were convicted of violent disorder arising from the incident, with their sentencing also adjourned. Separately, Jaures Kumbu (19) pleaded guilty to a firearms offence for removing the sub-machine gun used in the shooting. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years. The court noted Kumbu had no prior convictions and acted under exceptional circumstances, though the weapon was never retrieved. The hearing included victim impact statements from Sherry's mother and sister, who described their ongoing fear and trauma. Counsel for the defendants highlighted their youth, lack of weapons, and brief involvement in the disorder. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Three female students – Margaret Eyong Taku, Wendy Briggs and Christina Igweze – had their expulsions from Dundalk Institute of Technology overturned by the High Court after they contested the punishment for alleged violent altercations that took place on January 30 and 31, 2024. The students claimed the expulsions were disproportionate, that alternative sanctions had not been considered, and that no reason was given. They alleged that the incidents involved aggressive physical confrontations, including a head step, a wet‑floor warning sign, and hair pulling. A February 2024 committee recommended expulsion and campus bans, and an April appeals committee rejected all appeals. Mr Justice Anthony Barr remitted the case to a new appeals committee for fresh consideration, noting the potential impact on the students' education and careers. The students were undergraduate enrollees in the college's Bachelor of Science in Mental Health Nursing and Bioscience programmes.
A man from Achill has been sentenced to eight years in prison following his conviction for manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. Dean Caffrey (38) of Beaucort, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, was found guilty by majority jury verdict of the manslaughter of Sean McCarthy on 2 August 2022 in Drumcondra. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a nine-year sentence with the final year suspended. Caffrey claimed he acted in self-defence when the fatal shooting occurred during a confrontation over drug debts. The court heard evidence that after the killing, Caffrey placed McCarthy's body in a suitcase, disposed of the firearm in the River Tolka, and took steps to conceal the death, including using McCarthy's mobile phone to suggest he remained alive. The judge found Caffrey's conduct after the killing demonstrated no genuine remorse and rejected arguments for leniency based on his drug addiction since 2013 and cocaine dependency since 2016. Gardaí recovered McCarthy's remains from a wardrobe in the apartment after Caffrey directed them to the location. Dean Caffrey pleaded not guilty.
Derek Smith, 43, of Donnycarney, Dublin, had his drug‑driving conviction overturned after an appeal court found no evidence he had been driving within three hours of a blood sample. Smith was found asleep over the wheel of a van that crashed into a tree on 15 January 2021. Garda Sandip Shrestha reported that Smith was unable to walk out of the vehicle, was unstable, had slurred speech and blood‑shot eyes. He was arrested and a blood sample was taken at 4.36 pm. The sample, analysed at 1435.0 ng/ml of Benzoylecgonine, exceeded the 50 ng/ml legal limit. Smith's counsel, Gregory Murphy BL, argued that the prosecution had "zero evidence" that Smith was driving when the sample was taken and that the sample could not be linked to him. Judge Fiona O'Sullivan agreed that the three‑hour rule was not satisfied and that the blood certificate could not be admitted, and allowed Smith's appeal. Derek Smith pleaded not guilty.
A Commercial Court case involving former Morgan Stanley broker Jeffrey Leo has been adjourned to the end of the month after the plaintiffs' lawyers attempted to remove Wenning Holdings Ltd from the proceedings. The case centres on allegations that Leo misappropriated US$60m (€58m) given by American couple Mary and James Wenning to invest in a portfolio of Irish properties, including Dundrum House Hotel, Pillo Hotel, Tullamaine Castle, Golden Vale Hotel, Drumonna House, Celbridge Manor and Powerscourt Arms Hotel. The Wenning couple claim the money was advanced as a loan or in exchange for equity, while Leo denies the claims. Liquidator Kieran Wallace seeks orders making Leo personally liable for Wenning Holdings' debts, against former auditor Colm Malone, and against Leo Financial Investments Ltd and Steelworks Investments Ltd. The court noted that the removal of Wenning Holdings was part of a "narrowing" of proceedings that did not prejudice the defence.
David Slattery, a 50-year-old married man from Celbridge, Co Kildare, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining a child for sexual exploitation and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material, known in law as child pornography, on dates in 2023. The court heard that Slattery befriended a 16-year-old girl on Snapchat, providing her with money, alcohol, and drugs in exchange for sexual favours, including taking her to hotels on two occasions. Additionally, gardaí discovered two images and two videos of a 13-year-old child on his device during a search. Slattery claimed he believed both victims were 17. Judge Martin Nolan noted the defendant's remorse and mitigation, including his rehabilitation from a cocaine addiction, but stated that Slattery "must suffer a prison term for what he did." The judge imposed a sentence of three years. The victim, who attended the hearing, read a statement describing the lasting trauma and loss of trust she experienced. Slattery has three previous convictions for minor road traffic offences. The matter was finalised with the imposition of this custodial sentence.
Oisin Mullen, 25, of Rush, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after an unprovoked road‑rage incident on Upper Main Street, Rush, on 25 May 2023. While a passenger in a Volkswagen Golf, he repeatedly punched, kicked and stomped on a female driver who had made a U‑turn at a designated spot. The driver's two children witnessed the assault and shouted at Mullen to stop. Mullen claimed self‑defence, but the court heard he had no prior convictions and that the victim suffered head injuries and abrasions. Judge Martin Nolan described the attack as unprovoked, noted Mullen's anger‑management issues, and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence with strict conditions. Mullen was ordered to pay €3 000 to the Gardaí and an additional €500 within three months, with the total offered to the victim or to charity if declined. No jail time was imposed.
Amy McQuaid, 30, was arrested at Dublin Airport on 4 September 2024 after X‑ray revealed 29.8 kg of cannabis worth €597,000 in her luggage. She claimed she believed the bags contained gold and watches, a statement her barrister described as "patent nonsense". McQuaid accepted that the bags were in her control but insisted they were not hers. She had travelled to Thailand with her then‑partner, who was later jailed for four and a half years for a similar offence. McQuaid was interviewed three times and said she was paid £4,000 and given a holiday in Thailand. The court found her explanation to be "transparent and stupid" and, after considering mitigating factors, imposed a sentence of four years and three months, back‑dated to her arrest. The sentence is to be served in a foreign jurisdiction.
A 22‑year‑old man, Mahamud Ilyas, was found dead in a field on 10 December 2022 after a fight over a stolen bag of cannabis. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Ilyas sustained depressed skull fractures typical of hammer blows, along with multiple lacerations, bruises and scratches consistent with blunt‑force trauma. She noted extensive bruising to the face and body, and that the body was likely dragged after death. No evidence of sharp injuries or intoxication was found. The cause of death was blunt‑force trauma to the head. The accused, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), plead not guilty to the murder charge. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. Lorenzo Cantaragiu (21) faces separate charges and also pleads not guilty.
Masood Ur Rehman, a tandoori chef who worked for nearly fourteen years in a Dublin‑based restaurant without paid holidays, won a €55,000 award from the Workplace Relations Commission. The decision, dated 26 March, followed the restaurant's closure in January 2021. Shonagh Byrne of Siptu represented Mr Rehman at hearings in 2022 and 2023, arguing that despite the restaurant's name changing repeatedly, he was employed by the same person at the same location throughout. Mr Rehman provided evidence, with an Urdu interpreter, that he worked for the same family through a series of different companies. Adjudicator Conor Stokes found the evidence credible and ruled that Mr Rehman had continuous employment for over thirteen years.
Jason Wosser, also known as Jason Bonney, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a number of charges including robbery, attempted robbery, and threats to kill or cause serious harm. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 10-year sentence but suspended the final year on strict conditions. Prosecution counsel Fiona Pekaar BL alleged that Wosser robbed two taxi drivers on separate occasions, threatening one with a knife and punching another in the face. He was also accused of kicking a man in Smithfield Square and robbing a student of his phone in Merchant's Arch. Wosser has 96 previous convictions. Defence counsel Ian Woodland BL described the defendant as deeply apologetic, citing a drug addiction that began at age 12 following his brother's death in a house fire, as well as ADHD and dyslexia. Judge Sheahan noted that two prior robberies involved vulnerable young men and gratuitous violence. She identified aggravating factors, including the seriousness and repeated nature of the offending, the fact that Wosser was on bail, and the harm caused to the injured parties. The judge acknowledged the value of the early plea to the victims and noted the defendant's desire to seek employment upon release, though she had no discretion over his place of imprisonment.
Daniel Mofiyinfoluwa Kotun-Akinbode, a 24-year-old from Balbriggan, Co Dublin, appeared before the District Court Appeals Court to challenge a one-year driving disqualification. He had been convicted in his absence at Balbriggan District Court for holding a phone while driving, contrary to section 3(1) of the Road Traffic Act 2006, and was sentenced to a one-year ban and a €300 fine. The appeal arose after Kotun-Akinbode was stopped by Garda Cian O'Connor in Balbriggan on April 13, 2024, for an unrelated matter. While the vehicle was parked with the engine running, the appellant allegedly took out his phone to record the interaction. Garda O'Connor stated he informed the driver twice that using a phone was an offence even if the car was not in motion. Defence counsel Richard Brady BL accepted that the vehicle did not need to be in motion for the law to be breached but appealed on the severity of the sentence alone, arguing the punishment was disproportionate. Judge Fiona O'Sullivan affirmed the District Court's conviction and the €300 fine but lifted the one-year disqualification from driving.
A Nigerian woman has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to making false statements to gardaí. The 34-year-old woman arrived at Store Street Garda Station in October 2019 claiming she had been trafficked to Ireland and forced into prostitution. Over subsequent months, she provided five statements detailing her alleged captivity in Balbriggan. Gardaí conducted an extensive investigation spanning hundreds of hours, including searches of the area and CCTV analysis. Investigation ultimately revealed the account was fabricated. Handwriting experts linked documentation found in her hostel accommodation and a discovered diary to the woman. Evidence from bank records and CCTV footage contradicted her narrative. The woman, previously resident in Carrickmacross, Monaghan, pleaded guilty to three counts of knowingly making false statements between October 2019 and December 2020. Judge Ronan Munro described her actions as premeditated and calculated, noting they diverted resources from genuine victims and undermined legitimate trafficking complaints.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted 23‑year‑old Brian Ibe of murdering 65‑year‑old Peter Kennedy and assaulting Garda Brendan O'Donnell. Ibe had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to both charges. The jury found him guilty after deliberating for just under seven hours. The trial described how Kennedy had taken Ibe and his mother into his home after learning of their homelessness, and how Ibe had allegedly stabbed Kennedy with a knife while Kennedy was in his bedroom. Ibe's defence presented psychiatric evidence that he suffered from schizophrenia and was psychotic at the time of the assault, while the prosecution argued he had a dissocial personality disorder and that his actions were goal‑directed. The judge, Justice Melanie Greally, instructed the jury to apply healthy skepticism to expert testimony. Ibe remains remanded in custody awaiting sentencing, where he faces a mandatory life sentence.
In a Galway Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 26‑year‑old man charged with human trafficking, the organisation of prostitution and coercive control was told to the jury that he lived off his partner as a "cash cow". The prosecution, led by Patricia McLaughlin SC, described the complainant as an escort and lap dancer who worked from 11 am until midnight, earning money that the accused controlled. She claimed the accused did not seek employment and instead relied on her earnings, which were deposited in his bank account. The defence, represented by Delia Flynn SC, argued that the complainant's allegations lacked evidence and that she was aware of her rights and conducted her business voluntarily. The trial, presided over by Judge Brian O'Callaghan, continues with the jury to decide the man's guilt. The unnamed 26-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Jonathan Leonard, 48, was brought before Dún Laoghaire District Court on Wednesday for an alleged armed robbery at Ballybrack Medical Hall on 8 April. He is accused of entering the pharmacy at about 5:30 pm, wearing dark clothing, a black snood, gloves and a black puffer jacket, and of demanding money from staff with a flick knife. CCTV footage shows him leaving the pharmacy, walking through Ballybrack village and into Daleview Park, where he was seen removing the snood, and later returning to a nearby hostel. Gardaí recovered a black puffer jacket but the gloves, snood and knife remain missing. They also found €420 in cash, three bags of crack cocaine and a crack pipe on Leonard. He faces robbery charges under Section 14 of the Criminal Justice Act and drug offences under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Erika Gould, 39, of Kilmacud, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years' imprisonment, with the final two and a half years suspended on strict conditions. The sentence follows her guilty plea for harassing a neighbouring couple from June 2020 to May 2023, during which she shouted threats from her back window, brandished a phone, threatened to petrol‑bomb the house, and made threats against the couple's children. She also threw empty bottles and sticks into their garden and called the fire brigade falsely. Gould has 209 prior convictions, including assault, threats to kill and criminal damage, most of which were alcohol‑related. She was previously jailed in June 2021 and released in October 2021, after which she continued to make threatening calls. The court noted her acute mental‑health diagnosis and ordered her to be supervised by the Probation Services upon release. The sentence reflects her history of harassment and the impact on the victims.
Egidijus Stasaitis, 41, of Mount Drynam Avenue, Kinsealy, Swords, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm after illegally turning across a junction at Pinnock Hill on 25 September 2023. He struck a motorcyclist who suffered a broken pelvis, wrist, ankle and finger, and was still in rehabilitation two and a half months later. Stasaitis was travelling from the opposite direction, made an illegal right turn across a double white line in a 60 km/h zone, and hit the rider who had entered the bus lane. CCTV showed Stasaitis's BMW was written off. Garda Mark Gandola, who witnessed the crash, testified that the rider was travelling at excessive speed and that Stasaitis had no intoxication. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the rider's serious injuries and Stasaitis's lack of prior convictions, noting his temporary lapse of judgement. He imposed a 20‑month sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions. The court did not hear the speeds of either party.
Luke McKee, aged 23, had a six‑month jail sentence overturned on appeal after he pleaded guilty to producing a knife contrary to section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990. McKee, who had completed his Leaving Certificate while living in a homeless hostel and was due to start an apprenticeship, was found with an unopened Stanley blade on a Centra shop floor in Dublin 2 on 1 December 2022. He entered the shop to break up a fight between two men, briefly produced the blade, but did not use it or wave it. The District Court Appeals Court, hearing the case, fully suspended the nine‑month sentence (three months suspended) for 18 months, requiring good behaviour and an anger‑management course. A €300 payment was made to the injured party. The case was heard in the District Court Appeals Court.
In a case heard in Tallaght District Court, a clothes shop owner was charged under Section 45 of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences) Act for allegedly lifting a woman's skirt and making a sexually explicit remark about her "beautiful pussy" while also making a suggestive hand gesture. The incident, reported to have occurred on 7 January 2022 in a Dublin shop, involved no physical contact. Garda Sergeant Ruth Finnegan presented the evidence, noting the alleged lifting and comment. The accused, represented by solicitor Michael Hennessy, pleaded not guilty and requested that the case be heard in a higher court with a judge and jury, arguing that the act was part of his job in alterations. Judge John Brennan denied this request, ruling that the offence was too minor for a higher court and that the State should not incur undue expense.
Levi McCarthy, 33, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for a campaign of violence against his partner, Victoria Keogh, between July 2021 and July 2023. The court found him guilty of coercive control, assault causing harm, making threats to kill or cause serious harm, perverting the course of justice and robbery. McCarthy had previously been convicted of burglary of Keogh's parents' home and other offences, including a French conviction for threatening a former partner. During the period of coercive control, he repeatedly beat Keogh, threatened to knife her dead, and put a bullet in her head. He also sent intimidating letters to Keogh and her parents while on remand. The judge imposed a headline sentence of nine years, a four‑year term for coercive control, and a consecutive two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for assault, and ordered a 15‑year prohibition on contact with Keogh and her family.
Tom Colton, 49, of Celbridge, was given a suspended nine‑month sentence after pleading guilty to acting as director of Grá agus Solas ULC, a spiritual wedding and funeral business, between August 2016 and May 2018. He had been automatically disqualified from company directorship on 5 December 2014 following a 2014 theft conviction that carried a four‑year prison term with 18 months suspended for the theft of €322,000. Colton used his Irish name, Tomás Mac Cultan, to file company documents and was unaware of his disqualification until 2018, when he resigned. The court noted no system informs defendants of automatic disqualifications. He also had a prior Companies Act conviction for acting as a statutory auditor without approval. The judge imposed a 10‑year disqualification under the Companies Registration Act and suspended the nine‑month sentence in full.
Martin O'Flaherty, aged 73, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 14 counts of indecent assault and one attempted indecent assault against seven boys who were his pupils between 1978 and 1981. He had previously been tried five times since 2022 and had 103 convictions for indecent assault of 22 other boys. He is serving an effective sentence of eight years, two months and three weeks, with an earliest release in August 2028. Reporting restrictions were lifted as no further matters are pending. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a global five‑year sentence for the seven victims in this case, bringing his total convictions to 29 boys. The court heard that O'Flaherty denied the allegations, cooperated with the investigation, and does not intend to appeal. The judge noted his age, health, and past service as mitigating factors but also cited the seriousness of the offences and the breach of trust as aggravating factors.
A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to two years in prison for sexually assaulting his daughter's 13-year-old friend. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury convicted the appellant last November after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexual assault committed at his Dublin home on April 10, 2021. Although the man does not accept the victim's evidence, he has stated he will not appeal the conviction. Judge Dara Hayes described the conduct as a serious breach of trust with a considerable impact on the teenager. The judge set a headline sentence of four years, reduced it to three years and three months, and suspended the final 15 months on strict conditions, including engaging with the Probation Service for two years upon release. The sentence was backdated to when the man was first remanded in custody last November. He was registered as a sex offender. The court heard the victim reported the incident to gardaí the same day, alleging the man touched her buttocks, hips, waist, and chest while asking if she had a crush on him. The man claimed he only spoke to her about her clothing. A victim impact statement detailed the teenager's ongoing trauma, including paranoia and trust issues. The Probation Service assessed the man as low risk and willing to work with the service.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 20‑year‑old Dublin woman pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of section 4 rape involving her younger cousin aged 10‑11 between July 2017 and July 2019. She is accused of penetrating the girl with a hairbrush. The prosecution alleges the abuse began before the accused turned 12, with the girls allegedly sleeping over in each other's homes or a mutual aunt's house. Family members of both parties testified that the girls were not close friends and that no sleepovers occurred in the grandmother's house. The grandmother, aunts, uncles, and the accused's mother all denied the alleged sleepovers and stated the girls were different and not particularly friendly. The trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury.
Radu Budai, 40, of Lucan, was found guilty of Revenue offences for selling untaxed Romanian cigarettes and alcohol in his shop on Upper Dorset Street. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 7 March 2023. Revenue officers, led by Marie Treacy, entered the shop and discovered bottles of wine without Irish tax stamps, boxes of brandy and wine, and homemade alcohol in large plastic containers. A female employee showed officers a Romanian identity card and was interviewed. Budai was present during the search but was not questioned. The court heard that the goods were seized. In mitigation, his defence counsel argued that Budai was trying to compete with larger shops, had family responsibilities, and had health issues including sleep apnoea and a gastric balloon surgery. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Budai's family situation but noted the profit motive and the €27,000 loss to Revenue.
Thomasz Pysz, 46, of Clonee, Dublin, was found guilty of four counts of theft from the Department of Social Welfare between 2019 and 2021. He used the PPS number of a relative who had left Ireland in 2016 to claim benefits while working under a different PPS number. Pysz received €9,235.50 in Disability Allowance and €16,303 in Pandemic Unemployment Payments through this scheme. Garda Stephen Byrne reported that the relative's bank account was used for wages and that the relative was not charged with any offence. Pysz repaid part of the money and has an outstanding debt of €21,814. He pleaded guilty, citing mental health issues and marital breakdown. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 20‑month suspended sentence, requiring the freezing and transfer of €10,917 from Pysz's account to the Department of Social Welfare and noting a separate payment agreement with the Department.
A jury has begun deliberating on the case of Brian Ibe, 23, who was accused of murdering 65‑year‑old Mr Kennedy after the victim had taken Ibe's mother into his home. Ibe pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of insanity. Two defence psychiatrists, Dr Stephen Monks and Dr Gaurav Malhan, diagnosed him with schizophrenia, stating he could not control his actions and did not understand their nature. The prosecution's psychiatrist, Dr Mary Davoren, disagreed, diagnosing a dis‑social personality disorder and asserting Ibe met the criteria for the special verdict. The trial also covered Ibe's assault on Garda Brendan O'Donnell, for which he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Justice Melanie Greally instructed the jury to apply a "healthy skepticism" to the conflicting expert evidence and to consider diminished responsibility if the schizophrenia diagnosis is accepted but the disorder did not fully impair his control.
A 43‑year‑old learner driver, Jijo George, was found guilty of dangerous driving after he ran a stop sign on Drogheda Street, Balbriggan, on 29 January 2023. Garda Joanne McGinn, who was on patrol at the time, observed the vehicle fail to stop, nearly colliding with her patrol car and a child on a bicycle. She noted a strong smell of alcohol and performed a breath test that returned clear. George was driving on a learner's permit without L plates or an accompanying driver. He was charged under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 and Section 69 for failure to produce insurance. The court upheld the conviction, imposing a two‑year disqualification and a €250 fine. The judge accepted all evidence presented by the Garda. Jijo George pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 7 April 2025, Eric O'Driscoll, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing a .223 calibre Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifle in Finglas on 1 January 2022. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended, and the court imposed a one‑year restriction on O'Driscoll's association with six named individuals. The judge noted O'Driscoll's youth, lack of prior convictions, and his willingness to cooperate with probation. The case stemmed from video evidence on O'Driscoll's phone showing him and his brother Glen Ward, aged 32, firing the rifle from the back door of a house in Finglas. Ward pleaded guilty to the same offence and faces sentencing later in 2025. Ward has 20 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and one for assault and criminal damage. The court described the videos as a "display of strength" intended to intimidate. The hearing was presided over by Ms Justice Melanie Greally.