During the opening of Mr Diarmuid Phelan's murder trial, an eyewitness, farmhand Pierre Godreu, described the events on the Tallaght farm on 22 February 2022. Godreu said Phelan, who was 56, drew a pistol from his pocket and fired two shots into the air before discharging a third shot "towards" an unarmed trespasser, Keith Conlon, who was 36. Conlon was seriously injured and died two days later. Godreu testified that the trespassers were advancing and that Phelan had been "really pissed off" after a dog ran onto his land. He also said Phelan had told the trespassers to leave and that the third shot was fired in quick succession. The prosecution argues the third shot was aimed at Conlon, while the defence contends it was an accidental act of self‑defence. The trial is set to continue before Justice Siobhan Lankford and a jury. Diarmuid Phelan pleaded not guilty.
The court heard that CCTV footage captured a man, Sean O'Neill, 22, lying injured on the ground in Dublin City Centre after an assault. The footage showed several people standing over him and stealing his belongings, including a watch valued at €9,000. O'Neill had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder on 4 October 2023 and robbery on 19 September 2023. He was arrested the following day after a warrant was issued. During interrogation he claimed he could not remember the incident and said he was "strung out," but he identified himself on the footage. The court noted his 39 prior convictions, including drug offences, and his history of homelessness. The judge, Martin Nolan, accepted his guilty plea and admissions, and imposed a four‑year prison sentence, back‑dated to the time he entered custody, with the final year suspended for one year. The victim and the injured man declined to give victim impact statements.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 31‑year‑old Geovane Ferrnandes pleaded guilty to possessing 6.7 kg of cocaine, valued at €489,790, at Terminal One, Dublin Airport, on 18 March. He was caught when customs X‑ray revealed an anomaly. Ferrnandes claimed he had no knowledge of the contents, having received a parcel from an unknown woman and packed it himself. He said he had been offered about €2,000 for transport but received no payment. Ferrnandes cited his daughter's severe asthma and costly treatment as a motive, noting she is housebound and hospitalized twice weekly. He has no prior convictions, speaks limited English, and has worked various jobs since age nine. He expressed remorse, apologized to Gardaí, and vowed never to return to Ireland after serving his sentence. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 23 October.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Arslan Cheema, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault committed on April 4, 2021, outside a student accommodation in Dublin city centre. The victim, aged 19, described how Cheema placed his hand on her genitals and attempted to kiss her, causing her to feel "frozen and shook" for about ten seconds. She later suffered a breakdown, required hospital treatment, and was prescribed anti‑depressants and anti‑psychotics. Cheema, who had previously worked for a food delivery service, is now employed as a Bus Eireann Expressway driver and has a young child. The court adjourned the case to November 4 to consider mitigation and to impose a sentence. No prior convictions were noted. The hearing focused on the victim's impact statement and Cheema's admission of guilt.
On 6 June 2023, 23‑year‑old Constantin Leonard Magadau of Glenbourne Avenue, Leopardstown Valley, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary, dangerous driving and failing to stop a vehicle on Main Street, Dundrum. The court heard that Magadau and a second man removed €33,000 worth of stock from Murray Mobile, a phone shop in Dundrum, while a third man acted as a lookout. The shop owner testified that the premises were systematically destroyed, with €15,000 worth of criminal damage, and that the business was nearly closed as a result. Judge Elva Duffy sentenced Magadau to three and a half years' imprisonment. He appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 17 October 2024, warned that it could increase the sentence and granted Magadau permission to withdraw the appeal.
The Court of Appeal was told by the Director of Public Prosecutions that the sentences imposed on Adam Murphy, aged 22, and Keith McCormick Smith, aged 23, for a crime spree that left businessman Ian McDonnell dead were too lenient. Murphy had been sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for manslaughter, with the final two and a half years suspended on strict conditions, and also pleaded guilty to multiple vehicle‑theft offences. McCormick Smith received a sentence of three years and two months' imprisonment, with the final twelve months suspended. The DPP argued that the suspended portions should not have been fully suspended and that the headline sentences should have been higher, citing the seriousness of the offences and the fact that McDonnell was left to die while the offenders continued their crime spree. The court reserved judgment on the matter.
Eddie Rockets Ireland Ltd admitted a discrimination complaint by former Paralympian Nadine Lattimore, who was told to sit near the door with her guide dog Pilot after a staff supervisor directed her to a booth. Lattimore, blind and a guide‑dog user, claimed the booth was unsafe and unsuitable for her dog, and that she was spoken over and treated as a difficult customer. The restaurant's lawyer acknowledged the mistake and said it was corrected by the head chef. Eddie Rockets has since provided anti‑discrimination training, dog bowls, a donation to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and offered Lattimore €5,000. The Workplace Relations Commission hearing, presided over by adjudicator Marie Flynn, concluded that the discrimination had occurred and will issue a written decision later. The tribunal also heard from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind chairman Patrick Burke, who noted widespread complaints of discrimination against guide‑dog users.
A woman who has filed a damages claim for alleged assault against mixed‑martial‑arts star Conor McGregor has been granted permission by Ms Justice Denise Brett to subpoena witnesses, including potentially Gardaí, for the case that will be heard by a High Court jury next month. The brief hearing took place at the High Court today, where Ms Justice Brett noted a small amount of overlap in witnesses but allowed the solicitor, David Coleman of Coleman Legal Partners, to issue subpoenas on behalf of the plaintiff. The costs of the proceedings will be dealt with when the case is heard next month. Mr Justice Alexander Owens had previously set the hearing for 5 November, after the plaintiff's application to adjourn was opposed. The claim, brought in 2021, alleges events in 2018 in Dublin and is one of two actions against McGregor.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Bank of Ireland senior executive and ex‑Ireland rugby international, is ongoing. Mullin, aged 60, denies 15 charges of theft, deception and false accounting alleged to have occurred between July 2011 and March 2013. Prosecutors claim he authorised payments to solicitors and accounting firms for work by his company Quantum Investment Strategies or for himself, and that he stole €500,000 from the bank during a miscommunication about a payout to life‑assurance customers. They also allege he authorised a payment of €500,000 to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, and that the money was later repaid to the bank in July 2015. Mullin pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing €500,000 and eight other counts totalling about €73,000, plus one count of deception and five counts of false accounting. The case is before Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial continues.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 56‑year‑old law professor and farmer, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Keith Conlon, 36, who was shot in the back of the head on 22 February 2022 at Hazelgrove Farm, Tallaght. Phelan told the Gardaí that he was terrified and "scared sh**less" when he fired a Winchester rifle at a loose dog and then, after three men emerged from the woods, he fired a Smith & Wesson revolver in the air. He claimed the third shot struck Conlon accidentally while he was turning away. The prosecution, represented by Senior Counsel Roisin Lacey, argued that the gun was pointed at Conlon when the fatal shot was fired, implying intent to kill or cause serious injury. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, will examine the circumstances of the shooting, the witnesses' accounts, and the forensic evidence regarding the bullet and the revolver's ammunition.
The Central Criminal Court has heard evidence during the murder trial of Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucourt, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Mr Caffrey has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sean McCarthy between August 2 and 7, 2022. Garda Brian Davis confirmed to the defence that the deceased was known to gardaí as a drug dealer in the Ballymun area. According to the prosecution, Mr Caffrey presented himself at Ashbourne Garda Station two days after Mr McCarthy was reported missing and disclosed the location of a body in his apartment wardrobe. The accused has stated that Mr McCarthy was fatally shot during a struggle over a firearm after demanding €5,000. State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis confirmed death resulted from a gunshot wound to the head. CCTV evidence charting the deceased's movements on August 2, 2022, was presented to the jury. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Jordan Boyle, 27, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, backdated to January 9, after pleading guilty to five counts of assault causing harm. The offences occurred in Dublin 15, including a supermarket and a bus, where Boyle bit his former girlfriend twice, head‑butted two security guards, dragged her onto a bus, and threatened to kill her. The victim was attacked on multiple occasions, requiring two hospital visits. Boyle's history includes 29 prior convictions and substance abuse. He has expressed remorse and is completing a Fás carpentry course, aspiring to become an electrician. Judge Orla Crowe described his conduct as "utterly flagrant and reprehensible" and noted the victim's severe trauma. The sentence reflects the sustained, public nature of the assault and the use of biting.
Stephen Kavanagh, 50, a former businessman now in debt, pleaded guilty to stealing alcohol worth €21,000 from a drinks company on 20 September 2023 while on bail for a similar offence. He placed the order under the alias "Mark O'Reilly," prompting the company's suspicion and a Garda surveillance operation that intercepted the delivery. Kavanagh was arrested, the alcohol was returned, and no victim impact statement was filed. He has 29 prior convictions, including a 2022 theft of the same nature. In court, his defence highlighted financial necessity, health issues, and threats from creditors, arguing for community service. Judge Orla Crowe accepted the plea, set a headline sentence of two years, reduced it to 18 months, and adjourned the case to February 2025 to decide on a 240‑hour community service order in lieu of prison.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Ireland rugby international and former managing director of Bank of Ireland Private Bank, began in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mullin, aged 60, denies all 15 charges, which cover alleged theft, deception and false accounting between July 2011 and March 2013. He is accused of stealing €500,000 from the bank on 16 December 2011, along with eight other theft counts involving various sums, and of false accounting and deception. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn outlined that the alleged thefts involved payments to McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors and Beechwood Partners, where invoices were altered to be paid by the bank instead of Mullin or his companies. A further three theft charges relate to invoices from Grant Thornton for work by Mullin's company Quantum. The prosecution also alleges a €500,000 transfer to Spice Holdings, a British Virgin Islands entity, which was later repaid through Quantum.
In a Supreme Court appeal, three defendants—Edel Doherty, Kyle Rooney, and Declan Corcoran—argue that they should not have been transferred from the District Court to the Circuit Court after breaching publication restrictions in the Ana Kriegel murder case. The defendants were charged with posting photos and naming the teenage murderers, Boy A and Boy B, on social media. Judge Brian O'Shea originally accepted the cases as minor matters in the District Court, but Judge John Hughes later deemed the offences too serious and sent them to the Circuit Court, where penalties are harsher. The High Court quashed Hughes' decision, and the State appealed to the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court is hearing the appeal, with counsel arguing that jurisdiction was already decided and that revisiting it could cause procedural chaos. The court has reserved judgment.
The trial of Diarmuid Phelan, a senior counsel and law professor at Trinity College, for the murder of Keith Conlon, a father of four, will begin tomorrow after a delay caused by the removal of two jurors from the original panel. Phelan, aged 56, pleaded not guilty to the fatal shooting that occurred on 22 February 2022 at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght. Conlon, aged 36, was seriously injured in the incident and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. Justice Siobhan Lankford sworn in a new jury of twelve, consisting of nine men and three women, after the original eight‑man, four‑woman panel was altered. The prosecution, led by John Byrne and Roisin Lacey, will present its case, while Michael Bowman and Sean Guerin will defend Phelan. The trial is expected to last six weeks. The case was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
At the Central Criminal Court, the State Pathologist has given evidence in the murder trial of Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucort, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Dr SallyAnne Collis examined the remains of Sean McCarthy, aged 28, discovered in a suitcase within a wardrobe at the accused's home. The body had been wrapped in bubble wrap and plastic bags secured with tape. Dr Collis identified a gunshot wound to the head as the cause of death, with a bullet lodged in the back of the skull and an entry wound above the left eyebrow. She noted the body was significantly decomposed, consistent with a four-day interval before discovery. The pathologist also observed facial fractures and bruising. Under cross-examination, Dr Collis acknowledged she could not determine the distance from which the firearm was discharged or confirm the bullet's trajectory beyond its entry and exit points. Mr Caffrey has pleaded not guilty to murder allegedly committed between 2 and 7 August 2022. The prosecution alleges the shooting occurred during a confrontation over a drug debt.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for striking his wife in the face with a suitcase during a family holiday, an act the court described as a "vicious attack" witnessed by their three young children. The defendant pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in August 2020, claiming the incident was a 100 % accident when he attempted to flip the suitcase to empty it. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin imposed a 16‑month term, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, and directed the man to be supervised by Probation Services and to undertake anger‑management and domestic‑violence work. The wife, who sustained a facial scar and has been receiving counselling and antidepressants, was praised for her victim‑impact statement, which the judge found "very moving" and helpful in shaping the sentence. The court noted the presence of the children as an aggravating factor and the couple's strained relationship prior to the incident.
Shane Brown, a 35‑year‑old former postman, was sentenced to a suspended two‑year term after pleading guilty to 36 counts of stealing stamped addressed envelopes and one count of stealing €90 from An Post on 1 November 2023. He was caught with 39 stolen greeting‑card envelopes, including three 'test' cards each containing €30, during a sting operation triggered by suspicious mail found on a Dublin street on 27 October 2023. Brown had worked as a postman for four years but lost his job following the arrest. He has no prior convictions, had an online gambling debt that he has since paid, and is in a long‑term relationship with three children. The judge, Orla Crowe, noted his community involvement and new employment as a delivery driver, and ordered that €500 be handed over to An Post as a token of remorse. The sentence was suspended in full on a number of conditions.
Sean Coffey, a recruiter at Azon Point Partners Ltd, claims he was dismissed in June 2024 after reporting that a senior colleague, Mr J, had drunkenly pulled his wife's hair at a leaving party. Coffey says the dismissal breached the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The firm denies the allegations, stating the incident was a "non‑work event" and that Coffey was terminated for "lack of performance", having failed to meet a €100,000 fee target. The company's barrister explained that Coffey had only generated €23,000 in fees and that his performance plan was accelerated before his dismissal. Mr J is no longer employed by Azon, having left after failing to meet recruitment targets. The Workplace Relations Commission will hear the case in 2025.
Kacper Koszarski, aged 23, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for a series of burglaries and dangerous driving incidents in Leinster. He pleaded guilty to 17 charges, including four counts of dangerous driving, four of trespass, one of endangerment, four of criminal damage, two of burglary, one of knife production and one of unauthorised vehicle taking, committed between 2020 and 2022. Judge Elva Duffy imposed consecutive sentences totalling five and a half years, suspending the final year on strict conditions. Koszarski was ordered to engage with the Probation Service for two years after release and was disqualified from driving for ten years. The court noted his history of 39 prior convictions, including seven for theft, and his statements of remorse and desire for rehabilitation. The sentence reflects the seriousness of his offences and the potential benefit of rehabilitation to society.
Jim Connors, 30, a banned driver with 36 prior convictions, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended term of four and a half years. The sentence, imposed by Judge Martina Baxter, is suspended on the condition that Connors keep the peace and exhibit good behaviour for five years, and he must engage with the Probation Service for two years and undergo any treatment deemed necessary, including drug rehabilitation. Connors pleaded guilty to five charges, including dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, driving without a licence, and failing to assist a passenger after a collision. The collision occurred on 19 February 2022 when Connors ran a red light and struck a taxi, causing the passenger to sustain multiple fractures and the taxi driver to suffer soft‑tissue injuries. Connors was arrested in June 2022 and made no admissions to gardai. The court received CCTV footage, witness statements, and evidence of Connors' prior alcohol‑addiction treatment.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 56‑year‑old senior counsel and associate professor of law at Trinity College, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 14 October 2024 for the murder of Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght on 24 February 2022. Conlon was seriously injured on 22 February and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. Phelan pleaded not guilty. He will stand trial before a 12‑person jury and Justice Siobhan Lankford, with the prosecution led by John Byrne and Roisin Lacey and the defence by Michael Bowman and Sean Guerin. The trial is scheduled to begin on 15 October and is expected to last about six weeks. Justice Lankford instructed potential jurors to avoid any pre‑trial research or social‑media activity related to the case and to notify her if they had engaged with such content.
A 38‑year‑old man from Peachville, Kilshane, Dublin 11 pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Marcel Kusenda, a 47‑year‑old Slovakian, who was unlawfully killed in Newbridge, Co Kildare on about 8 March 2023. The plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case was adjourned to 9 December, with a governor's report from Midlands Prison ordered, and the victim's son in Slovakia is to give a statement before sentencing.
Jason 'Jay' O'Connor, 46, of Whitestown Grove, Dublin, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 11 years' imprisonment for conspiracy to murder Charlie Cooper, a victim of a revenge attack linked to the death of O'Connor's friend Keith Walker. O'Connor pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of conspiracy to murder and to a facilitation offence involving the Kinahan crime group. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, set a headline sentence of 15 years for the facilitation charge, suspended the final four years, and imposed a concurrent seven‑year sentence for the conspiracy charge, resulting in an overall 11‑year term. O'Connor had 70 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and road‑traffic offences, and had pleaded guilty to the facilitation charge. The court noted his guilty plea and earlier steps toward rehabilitation in determining the sentence.
The jury for Brendan Mullin's trial, where he faces 15 charges including stealing over €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank and related deception and false invoicing claims, was discharged after a juror disclosed a familial connection to Mullin. Mullin, 60, has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case until a new jury is empanelled tomorrow morning. The trial was scheduled to open in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the day of the discharge.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Liam McGrane, aged 59, pleaded guilty to two robbery offences committed at separate hotels in December 2018 and August 2019. McGrane, who had prior convictions for traffic offences and similar robberies, used a knife to threaten escort workers who had booked meetings through Escorts.ie. In the first incident, he stole €1,500 and attempted to extort more from a neighbouring room. In the second, he took €1,800 and fled in a blue car, which was traced to his residence. Gardaí obtained CCTV evidence and recovered the stolen sums. McGrane admitted the robberies, expressed remorse, and offered apologies to the victims. The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the knife crimes, noted McGrane's counselling, and adjourned sentencing to January 2025, ordering a probation report.
A 31‑year‑old man was sentenced to two years and three months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended for 12 months under Probation Supervision, for assault causing harm to his former partner on Christmas Eve 2020. The offence involved an hour‑long assault and threats while the victim, who was pregnant, was at home with her one‑ and five‑year‑old children upstairs. The man barged into the house, slapped the victim's face, head and mouth, verbally abused her, threatened to burn down her and her mother's home, and brandished a knife while saying he wanted to kill her. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted his intoxication, drink and drug issues, 30 prior convictions and the seriousness of the intimate partner violence, and imposed the custodial sentence after taking into account his guilty plea, apology and attempts to address his problems. No contact with the victim's children was allowed.
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.
Gerald McQuillan, 37, was on bail for assaulting his former partner when he broke into her home and attacked her again, grabbing the steering wheel of her car and causing it to spin across traffic lanes. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, assault, criminal damage and trespass. The original 18‑month sentence imposed by Circuit Court Judge James O'Donohue on 30 April 2024 was deemed too low. At the Court of Appeal, Justice Isobel Kennedy quashed the sentence and set a headline sentence of five years for the endangerment count, then imposed a final sentence of three and a half years with the last twelve months suspended. The effective custodial term is two and a half years, to run consecutively to the sentence already imposed, with credit for time already served. The appeal was brought by the State, who argued the original sentence was unduly lenient. The case remains at the appellate stage. The unnamed 37-year-old was convicted.
Rachel Smyth, a former junior buyer at Iceland, was laid off while seven months pregnant after the supermarket group was sold to Project Point Technologies. The layoff occurred without notice and the company failed to provide her with maternity benefit forms for over three months, preventing her from claiming statutory maternity benefit. Smyth's union representative argued that the company's actions constituted gender discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The Workplace Relations Commission tribunal found Metron Stores Ltd, trading as Iceland, in breach of the Act and awarded Smyth €51,000 in compensation. The award was intended as a deterrent. Smyth's case highlighted the stress and financial loss she suffered, including a €42 weekly shortfall and a gross earnings loss of €21,589 between March and June 2024. The tribunal upheld her complaint and noted the company's failure to inform her of her status or provide necessary documentation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a High Court judge condemned a father for allowing his four‑year‑old son to suffer repeated physical abuse and for misreporting the boy's fatal injuries as a fall from a bunk bed. The judge described the father's conduct as a "shameful betrayal" and noted the child's isolation and the father's deliberate disregard for his welfare. The defendant, 35, pleaded guilty to endangerment, neglect, and aiding an offender, and was sentenced to seven years for each of the endangerment and assisting an offender charges, plus five years for each of two child cruelty convictions, all running concurrently and back‑dated to March 2024. The judge highlighted the clear pattern of abuse, the father's role in hiding injuries, and the boy's tragic death from traumatic head and abdominal injuries. The mother's victim impact statement described the boy as a happy, cheery child whose life was "robbed" by the abuse.
The High Court extended an injunction that bars four named individuals and unknown persons from entering or interfering with the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, which is slated to become an asylum‑seeker facility. The injunction, originally issued in July amid violent protests, prohibits trespassing, threatening or intimidating behaviour toward employees or contractors of Townbe Unlimited Company and Remcoll Capital Ltd. It applies to anyone attending the site for violent or intimidating protests against housing foreign nationals. Two defendants, Kevin Coyle and Leon Bradley, were local election candidates who allegedly posted videos of themselves on the property and claimed to have thrown rocks. Sean Rush is accused of creating a social‑media page inciting riots. A fourth unnamed defendant was served via social media. The court noted that the violence seen in summer has not re‑occurred, but the protest remains unresolved.
Lawyers for Richard Satchwell, aged 57 and resident of Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork, have requested that his murder trial be transferred from Cork to either Dublin or Limerick. The request was made to Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring at the Central Criminal Court, where the defence, represented by Senan Crawford BL, stated that the trial, scheduled for April next year, should be moved. The prosecution, represented by Maria Brosnan BL, was not notified of the application. Justice Ring said the application must be made in the ordinary way and that the prosecution should be put on notice, and adjourned the matter to 15 November. Mr Satchwell is charged with the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, aged 45, who was found buried beneath the stairwell of their shared home on Grattan Street in Youghal. The body, discovered by Gardaí in October 2023, was skeletal remains of a woman reported missing on 24 March 2017.
Kris Coyne, 36, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after stabbing Arkadieuz Ujma in the stomach on 19 December 2020. Coyne told paramedics that Ujma had fallen from a tree onto a stick, a claim the court found dubious. The incident occurred after a family gathering where alcohol was consumed by all parties. Ujma, who was lying in the sitting room holding a towel to his abdomen, was stabbed with a medium‑sized knife, and Coyne also cut his ear and attempted to cut his face. Ujma suffered a serious abdominal wound requiring surgery and has since endured further health and mental‑health issues. Coyne, a father of four and delivery driver, denied intent to kill and claimed the story was fabricated. The case was adjourned to 16 December for finalisation and additional medical reports.
A former solicitor, Herbert Kilcline, 62, and two other men, Matthew Murphy, 52, and Philip Marley, 53, are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged fraudulent procurement of two Dublin City properties. Kilcline pleaded not guilty to eight counts, including failing to apply required measures as a designated person, using a false instrument and fraudulent procurement of entry to the land registry between September 2016 and June 2018. Murphy pleaded not guilty to four counts, including money laundering, theft and failing to keep records between April 2017 and April 2018. Marley pleaded not guilty to ten counts, including procuring the registration of a false deed, fraudulent procurement of an entry into the land registry and theft. The charges relate to a building on Phibsborough Road and a second property on St Mary's Road. The trial, opened before Ms Justice Sinead Ni Chulachain, is expected to last five weeks.
A pregnant woman, Hijacker Gillian Byrne (38), is to be sentenced later this month for her role in hijacking a taxi and assaulting the driver in the Phoenix Park on July 26, 2023. Byrne pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle and assault causing harm. A co-accused woman is to be sentenced next week for the same offences and the additional charge of falsely imprisoning the taxi-driver. Byrne has 12 previous convictions, including a four-year-suspended sentence for a prior vehicle seizure. Counsel said Byrne had requested to be sentenced separately to her co-accused in this case and that she had allegedly been assaulted by associates of the other woman close to the court. The court heard that Byrne rang 999 immediately after the incident to inform gardaí about the offence and her role in it. A prosecuting garda agreed with Mark Lynam SC, defending, that Byrne had a 'passive role' in the hijacking and the assault and had not known they were about to happen. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on October 24.
Gerard Jordan, 54, was sentenced to 12 months in jail for setting a fire outside the front door of an acquaintance's third‑floor apartment in Rosemount Court, Dundrum, on 2 July 2022. The blaze caused €14,000 of damage to the common area. Jordan pleaded guilty to arson and was a resident of a second apartment block at the same address. The court noted that no physical harm was caused and that Jordan had previously been assaulted by the victim. He had 12 prior convictions, mainly for public order, criminal damage and theft. The judge, Elma Sheahan, considered Jordan's guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, personal circumstances and mental health difficulties, and imposed a three‑year sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. No injuries were reported, and the fire was extinguished by the Dublin Fire Brigade. The victim declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Parnells GAA Club Ltd, once considered Ireland's richest club, now faces a growing bill for severance payments after leaving staff in "employment limbo" during the Covid‑19 shutdown. Two new orders under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 have added to the list of former employees entitled to a lump sum, bringing the total to 11. The affected workers include bar and restaurant staff, security personnel, a payroll administrator and a receptionist. In recent WRC decisions, restaurant manager Louise Hannon and bar manager Owen Fanning were granted extensions to file redundancy claims, but were found too late to recover unpaid wages and holiday pay under the Payment of Wages Act and the Organisation of Working Time Act. They are entitled to statutory redundancy lump sums, calculated by the Department of Social Protection based on pay, length of service and social insurance records. The aggregate lump sums are expected to reach tens of thousands of euros.
A man accused of murder appeared at the Central Criminal Court on October 10th after voluntarily presenting himself to gardaí with information about a body. Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucort, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sean McCarthy, aged 28, between August 2nd and 7th, 2022. The prosecution outlined that Mr Caffrey attended Ashbourne Garda Station two days after Mr McCarthy was reported missing, stating the deceased was located in his apartment wardrobe. During subsequent interviews, the accused alleged Mr McCarthy had arrived at his home armed and demanding €5,000 over a heroin-related debt, and that a struggle over the firearm resulted in a fatal shot. A pistol was recovered from the Tolka River near Mr Caffrey's residence. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues with a jury of seven men and five women.
A woman who filed a damages claim against mixed‑martial‑arts star Conor McGregor in 2021 is set to have her case heard by a High Court jury on 5 November. The claim alleges an assault that allegedly occurred in 2018 in Dublin and seeks compensation for personal injury. The High Court hearing was postponed twice after McGregor obtained adjournments to allow him to participate in a UFC comeback bout and later a boxing match, both of which were cancelled. The plaintiff's counsel, John Gordan SC, expressed frustration at the repeated delays, while McGregor's counsel, Remy Farrell SC, argued that the trial could not proceed during the fight period. The case will be heard by a judge and a jury during the civil jury sessions in November, with no details of the claim having been disclosed in open court. The allegations are fully denied by the defendant.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 October 2024, a 44‑year‑old woman testified that a facial scar she sustained during a "vicious attack" by her husband remains a constant reminder of the assault. The husband, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in August 2020, claimed the incident was a 100 % accident when he attempted to flip a suitcase to empty it, striking her face and causing a wound between her nose and lip that bled heavily. The couple were on holiday with their three small children when the incident occurred. The woman described the children's distress, her fear of the husband, and her ongoing emotional and physical impact, including counselling and antidepressants. She also noted she had used up sick leave entitlements and worries about future support for herself and the children. The case was adjourned for finalisation to 15 October 2024.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Luke Daly, aged 23, was ordered to keep the peace and be of good behaviour pending a sentence in April. Daly pleaded guilty to simple assault for an incident on 7 December 2019 at Rock Road, Blackrock, where he admitted grabbing a teenager's jacket and pulling him to the ground. Gardaí could not confirm his involvement in kicking or hitting. The victim suffered three fractured fingers after being kicked by a group of 10–20 youths who mistakenly believed he was from a rival school. Daly was directed to pay €3,000 to the victim as a token of remorse. Judge Orla Crowe noted the offence could warrant a two‑month sentence but intended to dispose of the case under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act, pending the victim's full compliance with conditions. The victim did not wish to attend court or give a victim impact statement.
Edco denies discrimination after Mary Tracy, a sales rep with lupus SLE, was told she could not stay in her role because medical advice limited her to lifting no more than 3 kg. Tracy claims the company's sales model required her to carry multiple textbooks—some up to 2.7 kg—into schools, causing flare‑ups. She alleges the employer failed to disclose the manual handling demands during her interview and that she was "managed out" after management adopted the 3 kg restriction. Edco argues the restriction made the job impossible and that any workaround, such as a trolley, would disadvantage the company. The WRC heard evidence from both sides, including a proposed role change that Tracy rejected, and noted her dismissal on 22 August 2023. The tribunal will conclude the hearing on Thursday.
In a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Annette Keane, mother of 34‑year‑old motorcyclist John Keane, delivered a victim impact statement after her son was killed in a collision with a car driven by Karl Ennis on 14 April 2021. Ennis pleaded guilty to careless driving. The court disqualified him from driving for three months and fined him €2,000. Judge Pauline Codd noted Ennis's lack of attention and the serious consequences of a momentary lapse, while also acknowledging the family's forgiving attitude. Ennis, who had no prior convictions, was cooperative with Gardaí and had retired after the incident. The hearing included testimony about the collision, Ennis's apology, and the family's profound loss. The judge extended legal aid for any appeal and directed the fine to be paid within 12 months.
The Court of Appeal heard submissions on 8 October concerning the convictions of Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, who were found guilty at the Special Criminal Court in 2022 of facilitating a murder at the Regency Hotel, Whitehall, Dublin on 5 February 2016. Their barristers argued the trial was unfair and that judges made conclusions unsupported by evidence, including claims that one gunman travelled in Murphy's Toyota Avensis and that the vehicle was later part of a getaway convoy from St Vincent's GAA ground. They contended insufficient evidence existed to prove the men knew of a criminal organisation or that they were facilitating serious crime. The DPP's counsel countered that identifications could be made by CCTV registration details and that the men's knowledge could be inferred from their actions in relation to the meticulously planned offence. Issues regarding un-cautioned interviews and vehicle searches were also raised. The three-judge court reserved judgement. Murphy, aged 62 of Swords, received nine years imprisonment; Bonney, aged 53 of Portmarnock, received eight and a half years.
Elizabeth Lock, 56, was jailed for two and a half years after customs officials at Dublin Airport discovered 30 vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis worth €270,460 in her luggage. A drugs dog had indicated the presence of contraband, and a search revealed the cannabis. Lock claimed she had been given the bags in Canada by a third party and believed she was transporting precious metals for tax‑avoidance purposes. She said she had answered an online job posting, was in financial difficulty, and was promised $10,000. She pleaded guilty to possession and importation of a controlled drug for sale and supply. Judge Orla Crowe cited the large quantity and financial motive as aggravating factors, but noted Lock's medical issues, lack of prior convictions, and guilty plea. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final six months, and backdated the term to her March arrest.
A former Irish rugby international, Brendan Mullin, aged 60, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 October 2024. He pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including one count of stealing €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank on 16 December 2011 and eight other counts of theft of various amounts between July 2011 and March 2013. Mullin also pleaded not guilty to one count of deception and five counts of furnishing false or misleading information to the bank to authorise payment of invoices. The alleged offences all took place at the bank's Mespil Road premises. Judge Patricia Ryan empanelled the jury, instructing that no one connected with the bank should serve and warning against independent investigations. The trial, to be presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, is scheduled to last four to five weeks, with the jury being sent home until Friday at the earliest to allow other matters to be dealt with.
Trade union Siptu claims that the demotion of Indian manager Syed Baqur‑Hussain by security firm Complete Solutions Ltd (OCS) was due to direct racial discrimination. Baqur‑Hussain, who had been the company's contract manager, punched a man identified as a shoplifter during a melee on an escalator at Tesco's Jervis Shopping Centre on 30 August 2022. The company says he escalated the situation and was disciplined for his own actions, while a Polish colleague involved in the incident was not sanctioned. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has heard a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and is reviewing the decision. Siptu's representative, Nicola Coleman, argues that OCS's disciplinary process was biased, that the company failed to provide proper guidance on self‑defence and racial abuse, and that Baqur‑Hussain suffered a €62,000 loss in earnings. The WRC will issue a written decision in due course.
Paul Beggs, 49, of Brookfield Park, Rush, was found guilty of four counts of theft after diverting €26,785.53 from Eventhouse's bank account to his own. He admitted the fraud, citing a gambling addiction, and accepted responsibility. Beggs has paid €1,000 in 2020 and raised an additional €10,000, but the total restitution remains incomplete. He has no further theft convictions and has not been involved with Gardaí since the incident. Beggs has expressed remorse, is drug‑free, attends Alcoholics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous, and has re‑entered employment after a period of unemployment. The court, acknowledging his early plea and low re‑offending risk, imposed a suspended sentence of two years and three months, with the full term suspended. He must repay the remaining amount within the next week. The case was heard by Judge Dara Hayes in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.