In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 July 2024, Sebastian Bazczuk, aged 36, appealed his 2020 conviction for the murder of former flatmate Michal Kurek, aged 33, who was found dead with 62 stab wounds in Ballyboughal on 4 August 2017. Bazczuk argued that the trial was unsafe because the prosecution failed to establish the locations of mobile phone masts used in the case, and that phone traffic and location data retained under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 were inadmissible. He contended that the prosecution's schedule of phone records, which included maps of around 40 masts, was not properly proved, with evidence missing for nine of the cells. The appeal also highlighted that the prosecution had not demonstrated whether human interaction was required to assign cell numbers, and that the jury was presented with improperly proved material. The court reserved judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no outcome yet declared.
Raymond Shorten, aged 50, was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to a total of 30 years in prison for a series of sexual offences. The sentence comprises a 17‑year term for raping a 19‑year‑old woman on 26 June 2022 and a 13‑year term for raping a 20‑year‑old woman on 9 August 2022, both to run consecutively with a 13‑year sentence for the rape and sexual assault of a seven‑year‑old girl in 2012. The judge noted Shorten's lack of remorse and described the offences as a gross betrayal of the trust placed in taxi drivers. He imposed no suspended portion and added a ten‑year post‑release supervision period, prohibiting contact with the victims or unsupervised contact with children. The sentencing highlighted the severity of the crimes and the danger posed by Shorten to society. Raymond Shorten was convicted.
A High Court hearing on 24 July 2024 addressed a boundary dispute that is delaying the construction of 74 houses in Rush, Co Dublin. The developers – Fintan Price, Frank Wilson, Tom Phelan, Bernard Carroll and Laurance Schwer – have sued market gardener Mr Camillus Archer and his son Derek Archer. The partnership seeks an injunction to stop the Archers from trespassing or interfering with the planned works. The developers claim the Archers entered their land, erected concrete poles, and deposited steel waste. They also allege that the Archers removed boundary markers and accused the developers' agents of forging a 2015 map signature. The Archers deny all wrongdoing. The case, heard by Ms Justice Siobhan Stack, was granted a short‑notice injunction application, with a follow‑up hearing scheduled for next week. The dispute remains a civil matter, and the developers are pressing for immediate construction to resume.
The Workplace Relations Commission heard complaints of constructive dismissal and gender discrimination against the Rotunda Hospital, brought by Kaitlyn Winston. The hospital's head of human resources, Joanne Connolly, admitted that a porter, identified as Mr G under a reporting restriction, was found to have sexually harassed Ms Winston in May 2022. Despite this finding, the hospital retained him on staff, issuing only a final written warning and transferring him to general duties with restrictions. Ms Winston alleged she remained in reasonable fear of further harassment after encountering Mr G in a stairwell in 2023. Her line manager, Jane Hickey, testified she was not informed the complaint was upheld and denied bias, stating she was unaware it was unsafe to keep the porter in her department. The hospital's general secretary, Jim Hussey, chaired the disciplinary process. The complainant's counsel argued the hospital failed to provide a safe environment, while the hospital's representative, Mark Comerford, stated the actions aligned with dignity at work policies. The adjudicator, Catherine Byrne, closed the hearing and is expected to issue a written decision in due course.
A 61‑year‑old Dublin soccer coach was found guilty by a jury of four counts of defilement of a teenage student, aged 16 at the time, between August 2008 and January 2009. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for the defilement charges after deliberating just under five hours. The coach was found not guilty of rape, anal rape and 30 counts of sexual assault. He was remanded in custody for sentencing on 4 November. The case involved allegations that the coach, who was the student's team coach, used his position to contact her, eventually engaging in sexual activity while she was under 17. The prosecution argued that the coach knew she was under 17 and that the evidence was corroborated, while the defence denied any sexual relationship before she turned 18. The judge thanked the jurors and excused them from service for five years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Garda William Ryan, 41, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment. He claimed the complainant, who had come to the Aughrim Garda Station to retrieve her son's car, had masturbated him in a shower room while facing away, asserting the encounter was fully consensual. Ryan described the woman's behaviour as "sexually‑charged" and said he was "hot under the collar" and "fully aroused." The State's counsel, Maurice Coffey SC, described Ryan's account as "badly‑written erotica," arguing the woman's actions were implausible and that Ryan had prevented her from leaving the station and assaulted her three times. Defence counsel Breffni Gordon BL argued no crime was committed, noting the woman left the station the same day and later told her husband about the incident. The judge will deliver her charge on Thursday.
During a sentencing hearing for Daniel Okungbowa, a 35‑year‑old of Thornfield Square, Clondalkin, two women who were raped while asleep read victim impact statements. The first woman, now 31, was raped in 2016 and had pleaded guilty to the offence after a 2020 conviction. She described the assault as a loss of her soul, depression, anxiety and self‑harm, and said she forgives the rapist and prays for his healing. The second woman, now 32, was raped in September 2020 while celebrating with friends. She said the event changed her life, damaged her family relationships, and caused her to stop working. Both women described the rapist's attempts to blame them and his denial of the offences. The judge noted the offences were pre‑meditated, involved sleeping victims, and imposed a headline sentence of 14½ years, with a final 13‑year term and 18 months suspended on strict conditions. Daniel Okungbowa pleaded not guilty.
A 79-year-old Dublin man has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually abusing his two granddaughters over a fourteen-year period. He pleaded guilty to eleven counts of sexual abuse occurring between 2006 and 2020 at properties in Dublin and Cavan. The offences involved the older girl, who was between three and twelve years old, and her younger sister, aged five to eight during the abuse. The defendant initially denied the charges and only entered a guilty plea on the second day of trial after a jury was sworn. The abuse came to light in 2020 when the younger girl disclosed the matter to her school teacher. Judge Elva Duffy imposed consecutive sentences of three years and four years respectively. She commended the complainants and their mother for their bravery throughout proceedings. The judge noted the serious breach of trust and the significant impact on the victims' physical and mental health.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, James Hawkins, 24, pleaded guilty to robbing an American student studying at Trinity College after she withdrew €200 from an ATM on College Green. The victim, in her early 30s, was forced to surrender her purse, which contained cash, identification cards and credit cards. Hawkins, who has 76 prior convictions, was identified via CCTV, arrested, and admitted the offence. He apologized, claiming the robbery was unplanned and that he was homeless and struggling with drug addiction at the time. The court noted his cooperation, early guilty plea and desire to re‑engage with family and work upon release. No victim impact statement was available, and the case was adjourned to 21 November for further evidence and a governor's report. The court considered a custodial sentence with possible partial suspension.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that Brian Ibe, aged 23, allegedly killed Peter Kennedy in Newbridge between 28 April and 12 May 2020. Ibe, who had previously lived in Moore Park, Newbridge, and was associated with the Peter McVerry Trust, Dublin 12, had allowed Kennedy to stay in his home and also permitted Kennedy's mother to stay there until they found other accommodation. The State argued that Kennedy had become unhappy with Ibe's behaviour, leading to verbal disputes that prompted Gardaí to visit the house in December 2019. On the night of the killing, Ibe allegedly travelled from Dublin, smashed a window to enter the house, and attacked Kennedy, who sustained serious head injuries and died at Beaumont Hospital. Ibe has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder and to an assault charge against Garda Brendan O'Donnell. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Burns, is expected to last up to two weeks.
A 30‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim's anonymity, appealed his February 2018 conviction for one count of rape. He argued that the prosecution's closing address unfairly focused on his failure to give evidence and repeatedly scorned the testimony of Dr John Garvey, a sleep‑disorder expert who testified that the man suffered from sexsomnia. The defence maintained that the man was asleep during the assault, citing Dr Garvey's expert report. The appeal also challenged the judge's decision to allow evidence of a co‑worker's prior observation of the man's behaviour with the victim, and the use of video‑link testimony from abroad. The appellant contended these rulings prejudiced his right to a fair trial and made the verdict unsafe. The appeal was heard at the Court of Appeal on 23 July 2024. The article reports only the appellant's arguments and the court's hearing, without any outcome of the appeal.
Harry Archer, 23, of Kellys Bay Rocks, Skerries, Co Dublin, was remanded on bail pending sentence after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis at his home on 18 January 2022. The court found he was caught with €4,886 worth of the drug during a search. Archer had 13 prior drug and road traffic convictions. He claimed to have Covid‑19 at the time of the search and did not attend the Garda station as promised, later being taken in for questioning after a separate custody case. He made no admissions during the interview but pleaded guilty in the Circuit Criminal Court. The prosecution noted repeated targeting of his family home. Archer's defence highlighted his former cricket success and subsequent drug misuse following disappointment after being dropped from national teams. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to 26 November 2024 for a probation report, with Archer remaining on continuing bail.
In a Central Criminal Court trial in May, Anthony Byrne, 55, was found guilty of two counts of raping his stepdaughter Kim Jordan, now 36, in 2002. Jordan, who had been raped on her 15th birthday while on a family holiday in Spain, waived her anonymity to name Byrne. She described how Byrne, who claimed he was "having an affair" with her, had abused her during a strip‑poker game and later in their home. Jordan said Byrne blamed her for his actions and portrayed her as a "teenage sexual temptress." She recounted the assault in detail, noting her emotional state and fear of pregnancy. Byrne's defence acknowledged sexual contact but denied rape. Justice Mary Ellen Ring noted Byrne's claim of an affair and that sentencing would be delayed until July 31 due to late documents, while also referencing recent changes to the Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking Bill that affect sentencing procedures.
Trevor Byrne, a 43‑year‑old from Finglas West, will continue to serve a 17.5‑year jail term after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal. Byrne, who has 44 prior convictions, was convicted in 2021 by the Special Criminal Court on five charges stemming from an armed robbery of Boylesports in Swords on 19 March 2010. The charges were robbery, possession of a firearm, false imprisonment, threat to kill and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. He was found guilty after a mobile phone dropped at the scene was identified as his and after a Garda recognised him in CCTV footage. Byrne's counsel argued the identification evidence was unsafe due to lack of contemporaneous notes, but the court upheld the evidence as admissible and the appeal was rejected. The 17.5‑year sentence, which runs concurrently with other convictions, remains in force. Trevor Byrne pleaded not guilty.
Terence 'Terry' Connors, aged 49, was convicted of manslaughter for stabbing Peter Conroy to death during a brawl at Palmerstown Lodge B&B on 9 June 2015. In 2017, a jury found him guilty of manslaughter and he received a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. He was released in July 2019, but in May 2023 he was re‑sentenced to three years after being found in possession of stolen goods. The possession offence triggered the suspended portion of his 2017 sentence, and the court activated the full two‑year suspension, which will run after his current term for the possession conviction. The case was heard by Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court, with counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions and for Connors present. Evidence at the 2017 hearing described a chaotic scene at the B&B, with Connors claiming he feared for his children's safety and subsequently stabbed Conroy.
In a Dublin city‑centre assault on New Year's Day, 24‑year‑old Jordan Maguire, who had been drinking and taking drugs for 48 hours, stamped on a man's head at Aston Quay and Price's Lane, causing a severe brain injury. The victim was left unconscious, required a craniotomy and 96 staples, and suffered a significant bleed, memory loss, slurred speech and depression. Maguire pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The Court of Appeal quashed his original two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the State's objection that the headline sentence of four years was unduly lenient. The Court set a headline of five years, then reduced it by 25% to three years and nine months, suspended the final six months, and back‑dated the term to 24 July 2023. Maguire will serve three years and three months in prison. The decision was based on the seriousness of the offence, the victim's long‑term impact and Maguire's 45 prior convictions.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Hamed Azeez, 53, was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against a girl aged six to eight, and two counts of sexual assault against her sister aged eight to ten. The offences occurred between 2013 and 2015 in County Dublin, while Azeez was in loco parentis of the girls. The court heard that the rape took place on a counter at Azeez's home, and that other children were playing nearby. Azeez also touched the girl inappropriately, and later assaulted her sister by touching her breasts and buttocks. The victims gave impact statements describing lasting pain, fear, anxiety and a sense of loss of safety. Azeez denied wrongdoing. Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced him to 11 years' imprisonment, with a headline term of 12 years for rape and eight years for the assault offences, reduced by one year each and imposed concurrently.
Raymond Shorten, a 50‑year‑old Dublin taxi driver, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping a seven‑year‑old girl in 2022, a crime committed days after the child's mother's funeral. The judge, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, highlighted the victim's extreme vulnerability and the lack of compassion shown by Shorten, noting that he "couldn't have cared less" about the long‑term pain inflicted. The sentence was reduced by one year from an initial 14‑year headline to 13 years, back‑dated to the date Shorten entered custody on 22 August 2022. Shorten also faces additional rape and sexual assault convictions from other incidents involving young women that occurred in the same year, but those sentences are pending. He remains in custody and has been working in the prison laundry under an enhanced regime.
Michael McGuirk, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for dangerous driving causing death after he struck 67‑year‑old Carol Seery while speeding at 96.4 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. McGuirk, who had been banned from driving for four years at the time, had 66 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, unlawful vehicle taking, and no insurance. He fled the scene and refused to answer Garda questions. The court noted he failed to activate brake lights, did not alter his course, and continued at speed before abandoning the car. Seery, a caregiver and beloved family member, was killed instantly. McGuirk pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance. Judge Elva Duffy imposed a headline sentence of eight and a half years but, considering mitigating factors, set a final sentence of six years and a 15‑year driving disqualification. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Anthony Kelly, 64, was sentenced to two years in prison for assault causing harm to a woman on 14 April 2019 and a separate conviction for threatening to kill a pregnant bookies employee on 9 October 2020. The assault took place in Blackhall Place, Dublin, where Kelly struck a woman in the face, kicked her, and was verbally aggressive towards an eyewitness who intervened. The victim suffered a 5‑cm contusion but did not require stitches. In the bookies incident, Kelly shouted threats, claimed he had a knife, and the pregnant employee pressed the panic alarm. No knife was found. Kelly's sentence for the assault was two years and six months, with the final six months suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The threat‑to‑kill sentence was two years, suspended in full on strict conditions. He was directed to probation supervision. The judge noted his age, medical difficulties, and personal circumstances as mitigating factors. Anthony Kelly pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a jury was informed that the alleged sexual assault of a woman by Garda William Ryan at Aughrim Garda Station was described by the defence as "consensual activity between two adults." Defence counsel argued that the woman had cupped her own bottom, pressed herself against Ryan, and showed him her breast before they went upstairs together for consensual sexual activity. The woman repeatedly denied these claims, stating "definitely did not happen." Ryan, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment. The State alleged that Ryan prevented the woman from leaving the station and sexually assaulted her three times. The trial, presided over by Judge Elma Sheahan, continues with the jury hearing evidence from both sides.
In a court hearing on 19 July 2024, Graham McGuinness, aged 32 and with 53 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to causing serious harm after he repeatedly slashed and stabbed Martin Reilly with a homemade shank. The attack took place on 11 June 2020 near Busáras, Dublin, where McGuinness shouted "I'm going to kill you" while striking Reilly's neck and face. Reilly suffered multiple lacerations, including a deep cut that exposed his jawbone, and has been left with lifelong scars. McGuinness had originally been charged with attempted murder but the State accepted his plea for serious harm. The court noted Reilly's belief that he would die that night and that the shank was wrapped in tissue to create a handle. McGuinness offered a brief apology and stated he has turned his life around. The case was adjourned to 9 October for finalisation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2024, the court heard that Andrei Dobra, aged 36, strangled his fiancée Ioana Mihaela Pacala to death on 12 November 2023. The court found Dobra not guilty by reason of insanity and committed him to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane. Dobra had been in a loving relationship with Pacala and had been seen holding hands with her on CCTV less than 24 hours before the murder. Two consultant psychiatrists diagnosed Dobra with schizo‑affective disorder, describing psychotic delusions that led him to believe Pacala was a threat. Pacala's father, Gheorghe Gratian Pacala, expressed deep devastation and described his daughter as gentle and respectful, noting that the couple had planned a wedding for 10 June 2023 and had bought a house together. The judge ordered Dobra to remain at the CMH for continuous treatment and assessment. The hearing was conducted via videolink as Dobra was not physically present.
Raymond Shorten, a 50‑year‑old Dublin taxi driver, was convicted in May 2024 of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a seven‑year‑old girl in 2012. The victim, now 20, requested anonymity. Shorten was also convicted in June of two counts of rape and one of anal rape against two other young women who had ridden in his taxi after a night out in Dublin in 2022. He is due to be sentenced next Monday by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, after Mr Justice Naidoo's unavailability.
A 61‑year‑old Dublin soccer coach was charged with 30 counts of sexual assault, four counts of defilement, one count of rape and one count of anal rape, all alleged to have occurred between September 2007 and February 2010. The complainant was aged 15 to 18 at the time of the alleged offences, while the accused was aged 45 to 47. The coach, who worked as a team coach at the complainant's school, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. In court, the coach claimed he had a sexual relationship with the complainant when she was 18, stating that the relationship began after she turned 18 and lasted six months. He denied any anal sex and denied having been in a hotel with her. The trial is ongoing before a jury presided by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a tourist from France was attacked on Talbot Street by a group of men, one of whom struck him repeatedly with a machete. The victim, who had been traveling extensively across Europe, was left with two deep wounds on his right leg and required surgery. He survived but suffered significant trauma and expressed uncertainty about future travel. John Hogan, 33, with 29 prior convictions including knife possession, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a machete. He was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, with a headline sentence of eight years, and the court noted the attack was "particularly savage." The sentence was backdated to 30 December 2023 when Hogan entered custody. The case highlighted the potential for a murder charge had the victim died.
In a tribunal hearing on 19 July 2024, a senior manager of Dublin Coach, John O'Sullivan, explained that the dismissal of driver Nico Holloway on 5 January was due to declining performance and a perceived threat of a mass exodus of drivers, not because of any protected disclosures about safety defects. Holloway, a South African haulier, had alleged that he reported safety defects on company buses that were not rectified and that he was subsequently penalised, including a flight booking to Cape Town and a deduction from his severance payment. O'Sullivan denied that the flight or deduction were related to Holloway's safety concerns, stating they were "nothing to do" with any alleged protected disclosures. He also highlighted that the company's buses had passed roadworthiness tests and that maintenance was carried out by qualified mechanics. The tribunal heard evidence from former drivers who claimed defects were logged but not addressed, and from a driver who noted recent defects.
A former ESB electrician, Colm Sheehy, aged 43, pleaded guilty to possessing €133,752 worth of heroin and cocaine at his Tallaght home in October 2022. He was on bail for a prior drug conviction when the offence occurred. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, normally would have imposed a six‑year sentence for the serious offence but reduced it to three years because Sheehy suffered a serious brain injury in 2017 after falling from a ladder at work. Medical reports showed a 30‑point IQ drop and ongoing cognitive difficulties, headaches, anxiety and depression. Sheehy has 33 prior convictions, including a previous three‑year prison term in 2002, and has struggled with long‑term drug addiction since age 18. The court noted his good work history and the impact of his injuries on his culpability. The case was adjourned to address his earlier conviction.
Magno Da Silva, 33, pleaded guilty to possessing €99,975 as proceeds of crime in his AIB account. He had previously received a suspended sentence for laundering €10,000 in a 2023 investment fraud. The court heard that the €100,000 came from a fake treasury bond scam in which the victim transferred the money to Da Silva's account after receiving a digital copy of a purported bond. Da Silva claimed the money was "clean" and intended to pay tax. Two weeks later he bought a second‑hand Mercedes for €22,900 and a Toyota for €22,400, and gave the remainder to his wife. The court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with the final nine months suspended, ordered the sale of the two cars, and directed the proceeds to the victim. The victim's loss was €79,604. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has convicted Derry O'Rourke, a former Irish Olympic swimming coach, of raping and sexually abusing a teenage girl over three decades ago. O'Rourke, aged 78 and resident in Cavan, had pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and 15 counts of indecent assault alleged to have occurred at a school between October 1989 and June 1990, when the complainant was aged 13 to 14 years. The trial judge directed the jury to acquit O'Rourke of four charges, leaving 12 offences for consideration. The jury unanimously convicted him on all remaining counts following five hours and 27 minutes of deliberations. Justice Melanie Greally remanded O'Rourke in custody pending sentencing on 30 July. O'Rourke has previous convictions for sexual offences dating back to 1998, including rape and indecent assault involving multiple victims. A victim impact statement has been ordered for the sentencing hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a serving Garda, William Ryan, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment. The case concerns an incident at Aughrim Garda Station on 29 September 2020, where a woman sought assistance with her son's case. According to the prosecution, Ryan invited her into the station, made lewd comments, and after a brief conversation, allegedly forced her to stand, slapped her buttocks, and locked the side door to prevent her escape. The woman is said to have tried to leave but was prevented by the lock. She reportedly showed Ryan a bikini photo, after which he allegedly grabbed her breast, propositioned her, and forced her into a shower room. In that room, he is alleged to have placed his hand on her, forced her to pull away, and then digitally penetrated her vagina.
A 61‑year‑old Dublin soccer coach has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for 30 counts of sexual assault, four counts of defilement, one count of rape and one count of anal rape. The alleged offences took place between September 2007 and February 2010 at unknown locations in the State. The complainant, aged between 15 and 18 at the time, was a student at the school where the coach worked. She said the coach, who was a married man with children, used his position to contact her, eventually becoming a prominent figure in her life. She alleged that he took her to private accommodation, drove her around, kissed her, touched her genital area and breasts, and forced sexual activity, including rape and anal rape, while she was under 18. The coach denies all allegations. The trial is proceeding before a jury presided by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. The unnamed 61-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Nico Holloway, a South African bus driver for Citi Bus Ltd, claims he was dismissed after raising safety concerns about multiple vehicles on intercity routes between October 2023 and January 2024. He alleged defects such as a cracked windscreen, malfunctioning wipers, faulty power steering, seatbelt failures, tyre misalignment and a door that opened on the M7 motorway. Holloway said he reported these issues to duty managers who told him to drive the buses as‑is and that no action was taken. He was served with a dismissal notice on 5 January 2024, after which managers allegedly arranged a flight for him to Cape Town and attempted to escort him to the airport, an action he described as a "self‑styled deportation." The Workplace Relations Commission hearing is ongoing, with further evidence to be presented tomorrow.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, a 31‑year‑old man was jailed for six years for keeping his partner prisoner and repeatedly beating her over a three‑day period from 18 to 21 February 2021. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment. The court heard that he entered the victim's home, took her keys and phone, and after she tried to calm him, he locked the door, beat her with a baton and a glass bottle, and left a rope around her neck. He beat her on the head on 19 February and continued until she woke on Sunday. He has 37 prior convictions, including 18 for public order offences.
Amy Reynolds, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after she broke a red light and collided with another car at Walkinstown Avenue and the Long Mile Road on the night of 2–3 January 2022. The impact left the other driver with a brain bleed, fractured skull and other injuries, requiring five weeks in hospital. Reynolds also admitted to leaving the scene to evade liability and driving without insurance or a licence. She was already disqualified from driving for five years at the time of the offence and had 26 previous convictions, many for traffic offences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of five years, citing an "element of coercion" as a mitigating factor, but noted that a custodial term was unavoidable. He also extended her disqualification from driving for an additional five years. Amy Reynolds pleaded guilty.
Dermot O'Callaghan, 58, a serial armed robber, had his original eight‑year sentence quashed and resentenced to seven years with six months suspended after the Court of Appeal found the judge had set an inappropriate headline sentence. The appeal was prompted by the fact that O'Callaghan was on bail when he participated in a 2017 raid on Ulster Bank's Stillorgan branch, during which a bank employee was threatened with a gun and forced to hand over €13,200 and £800. O'Callaghan pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to rob. He had 22 prior convictions, including armed robbery and firearms offences. The Court of Appeal ruled that the headline sentence should have been 11 years, reduced to nine years after mitigation, and imposed a consecutive seven‑and‑a‑half‑year term with the final year suspended.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Daniel Bowker, a 41-year-old UK national, against his sentence for possessing €2.364 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply. Bowker and co-accused Ibrar Sharif, 48, both pleaded guilty to the offence committed at Kilmainham, Dublin 8, on December 22, 2022. Following a surveillance operation, gardaí seized 119 kilos of cannabis concealed under frozen chicken. In October 2023, Judge Orla Crowe at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced both men to eight years in prison, with the final year suspended. Bowker's counsel argued that the sentence failed to adequately account for mitigating factors, including his status as a foreign national and his role as a father of three. However, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy ruled that it was "ludicrous" to claim a further reduction based on foreign nationality, given that Bowker had travelled to Ireland specifically to commit the offence. The court found no error in principle in the original sentencing, noting that the eight-year term already represented a substantial reduction from the mandatory minimum of ten years. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the original sentence intact.
The Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal by Michael Farrell, a convicted person with 231 previous convictions, against his five-and-a-half-year effective prison sentence. Farrell, who pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm in 2022, one count of threatening to kill or cause serious harm in 2021, and possessing a realistic imitation firearm in 2020, argued that the sentencing judge failed to adequately consider his personal circumstances and rehabilitation. The State characterized Farrell as a recidivist criminal. At his original sentencing in December, Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a six-year term with the final six months suspended, noting Farrell's mild intellectual disability resulting from a childhood brain injury. During the appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy upheld the original sentence, stating that the threat to a female garda was taken very seriously and that Farrell's unprovoked attacks on two prison officers caused significant injuries, including a fractured finger and stitches. The judge acknowledged Farrell's mental age but found no error in the sentencing judge's decision. The court concluded that the cumulative custody period was not excessive and dismissed the contention that the suspended portion was insufficient. Farrell will serve his full term in prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan faced uncertainty over how to sentence two 16‑ and 17‑year‑old boys charged with demanding money with menace during a drug‑debt dispute. The judge noted that suspended sentences are not available for juveniles, so he considered an 18‑month good‑behaviour bond that would require the boys to remain under Probation Service supervision for one year. He questioned counsel about consequences if the boys misbehave or fail to attend, and was told it would be difficult to enforce. After reviewing CCTV footage showing the boys, a third person, and a ringleader who has fled, the judge ruled that neither boy deserved detention and imposed the bond. Both pleaded guilty to the single count, with additional affray and trespass charges considered. The boys had no prior convictions, had recently finished their Leaving Certificate, and expressed remorse.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for three years after he beat his partner unconscious on 17 December, an act that left her seven‑year‑old son wandering the streets in pyjamas looking for help. The court heard the boy was found by a passer‑by who took him to safety and called the Gardaí. The victim, who was found bleeding and bruised, was taken to hospital and later told police that the man had been drinking and had punched her twice, causing her to lose consciousness. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had 14 prior convictions, mainly for public‑order and traffic offences. The judge, after noting his guilty plea, cooperation and apology letter, set a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three, citing mitigating factors.
Aaron Brady, aged 33, admits that his attempt to pervert the course of justice during his trial was wrong but maintains that witnesses gave untrue evidence against him. He was convicted in 2013 of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe during a robbery and is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years. In 2020 he pleaded guilty to recording a witness interview and sending photographs to a prison colleague in an effort to influence testimony. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that the witnesses were under pressure during the COVID lockdowns and that Brady's actions were a serious error of judgment, not a justification. The court was asked to consider leniency and to allow the maximum benefit for Brady's guilty plea. Brady's perverting‑justice sentence cannot run consecutively to his life sentence, but the DPP seeks it to run consecutively to his 14‑year robbery sentence.
An asylum seeker, Adel Kerai, 26, was jailed for two years and three months after sexually assaulting a 22‑year‑old woman in Dublin's city centre. Kerai had arrived in Ireland five days earlier and, after following the woman for up to half an hour, forced his way into her personal space on Henry Street on 10 December 2023. He attempted to kiss her, touch her genital area under her clothes and press his erect penis against her. The victim tried to escape, but Kerai was too strong. The incident lasted 30 minutes, parts of which were captured on CCTV. Kerai, who has four prior convictions in the UK and is seeking asylum from Algeria, pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of four years, reduced to 27 months, and back‑dated it to the time of Kerai's arrest. The court noted the assault was uninvited and particularly frightening for the victim.
Templeogue College reached a compromise with teacher Darren O'Sullivan, the fourth teacher to bring an employment rights claim against the school in the last two years. The resolution was announced at the Workplace Relations Commission, where the tribunal was set to open two days of hearings into O'Sullivan's statutory complaints. Adjudicator Penelope McGrath confirmed the parties had reached an agreement and that the complaints would remain alive for five weeks pending implementation of the compromise arrangement. The school's barrister noted no difficulty with the proposal and that the complainant's solicitor would communicate a withdrawal on or before 10 August. No particulars of O'Sullivan's complaints or the legislation under which they were brought were made public at the brief hearing. The school's unitary manager and an ASTI officer attended but did not address the hearing.
The Special Criminal Court will hold a trial in November for seven men charged in the murder of Tristan Sherry, a gangland assassin, at Browne's Steakhouse on 24 December 2023. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, has announced that an early guilty plea entered before 31 July will result in a 25 percent reduction of the headline sentence. The prosecution, represented by Maddie Grant BL, is prepared to proceed, and the trial is expected to last about four weeks, concluding between 4 November and 21 December. The accused include Noah Musueni (18), Wayne Deegan (26), David Amah (18), Michael Andrecut (22), Jonas Kabangu (18), an unnamed 18‑year‑old, and Jaures Kumbu (18). Their charges range from murder and violent disorder to possession of a submachine gun. Sherry, aged 26, was killed after shooting Jason Hennessy Senior on Christmas Eve 2023. The court will determine the final sentences once the trial concludes.
American tech firm PluralSight was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay Irish sales director Grainne Sherlock €112,000 for the handling of her redundancy in 2022. Sherlock, who joined PluralSight's Dublin commercial team in June 2019 and rose to SMB director by 2022, was made redundant when the company announced a staff reduction of a fifth, affecting 254 workers in the US and nine in Ireland. Sherlock's lawyers argued the redundancy process was contrived and manipulated to select her, a claim denied by the company. The tribunal found the selection criteria lacked clarity and objectivity, noting an 80/20 weighting of interviews versus past performance and no ranking was provided to Sherlock. The award covered her base salary, commission, a €20,000 bonus, and a cash equity payment, but excluded stock options. The decision was based on a 13‑month period from February to March 2024. The total compensation awarded was €112,000.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 47‑year‑old woman, Ms. Moire Bergin, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her 76‑year‑old mother, Mary Bergin, who was stabbed to death on 13 April 2022. The jury accepted evidence from two consultant forensic psychiatrists that Ms. Bergin suffered from bipolar affective disorder with mania, depression and psychosis at the time of the killing, meeting the three criteria for the special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Ms. Bergin had been admitted to hospital six times between March 2021 and April 2022 and was released five days before the murder. A Central Criminal Court judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, ordered that she remain in the Central Mental Hospital for ongoing treatment, following a report by Dr Ronan Mullaney that she continues to suffer from a mental disorder. The case was prosecuted by James Dwyer SC and defended by Fiona Murphy SC.
A jury has been empanelled for the trial of William Ryan, a 38‑year‑old Garda of Aughrim Station, who is charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment of a woman at the station on 29 September 2020. Ryan appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to all charges, and was informed that he is a serving member of An Garda Síochána. The trial, expected to last eight to nine days, will hear witnesses including Gardaí and senior detectives, and is scheduled to open tomorrow before Judge Elma Sheahan.
A 19-year-old, John Mulrooney Sugrue of Manorfield Green, Clonee Dublin, has initiated a High Court challenge against the mandatory life sentence law, which would prevent a judge from imposing any sentence other than life in prison if he is found guilty of the murder of Aaron Keating on Main Street, Ongar, Dublin 15 on June 13, 2023. Represented by Seamus Clarke SC, Sugrue argues that the law prevents the sentencing judge from considering that the alleged offence occurred when he was a minor. He claims this breaches his constitutional rights and rights under the European Convention of Human Rights. Sugrue seeks various orders, including an order to prevent further prosecution until sentencing provisions account for his age at the time of the alleged offence, and a declaration that the State has breached his rights by failing to have a sentencing regime that allows for such considerations. The matter was heard by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted permission for the challenge. The case, along with related matters, will be mentioned before the court later this month. Two other similar challenges have been brought by Noah Musueni and David Amah, who are also charged with murder and are awaiting trial in the Special Criminal Court.
The strike by barristers caused a halt to several Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trials and the Central Criminal Court did not sit. Eight cases were listed for Court 7 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, all adjourned by Judge Patricia Ryan, most to tomorrow. No barristers were present; solicitors took notes of the adjournments. The strike, the second in a week, saw barristers outside the courthouse protesting fee cuts of 28–60% from 2008 to 2011. They plan to withdraw services again on 24 July. The action began in October 2023, with barristers claiming the Government failed to honour a commitment to review fee rates. 'Devil' barristers, including Áine Holt and Darren Lalor BL, joined senior colleagues, demanding an immediate pay increase for District Court barristers and arguing that current fees of €27.72 per application are unfair and unsustainable. They insist that restoring fees would allow them to remain in practice.
In a tragic incident that occurred on 12 January 2018, Alexander Kondrashyn died after jumping from the cargo vessel The Elptrader at Dublin Port. The ship's gangway, which should have been secured to the quayside, had been removed before midnight, contrary to maritime regulations that require a safe means of access and egress for people boarding or disembarking. Kondrashyn, who was socialising with the ship's master Sergej Stolbov and the master of another vessel, jumped from the ship with another man at about 4.30 am. While the other man landed on the quay, Kondrashyn fell into the water, was recovered unresponsive and later died in hospital. The court heard CCTV footage showing the gangway in place at 11.19 pm and its removal before midnight. Stolbov pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the gangway remained in position, a summary offence punishable by a fine of €500.