A financial fund, Everyday Finance DAC, has applied to the High Court to restrain Mr Joseph Kennedy and others from occupying a beach‑side property at Brackendown, Portrane, Co. Dublin, which the fund repossessed last month following court orders. The fund claims that Kennedy, who had previously lived there, unlawfully re‑occupied the two‑bedroom gated house with the help of unknown individuals. On Thursday evening, Kennedy allegedly asked a lone security operative for a guitar; when the operative returned the instrument, four men seized him and forced him out. The operative was then followed by a UK‑registered Nissan SUV that shoved into his car and pursued him to Malahide Garda Station, where the Gardaí reportedly did not register a complaint or remove the trespassers. Kennedy has since initiated proceedings against Everyday, which the fund says amount to a collateral attack on the possession orders.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, Gerard Ward, aged 48, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for an aggravated sexual assault committed on August 25, 2020, at Raheen Business Park, Limerick. The assault involved a threat of rape, forced kissing, and the victim biting down on Ward's tongue, removing a significant portion. Ward also pulled the victim's hair, leaving a bald patch, and inflicted bite marks and scratches. He had previously been convicted of robbery, road traffic, and drug offences, receiving sentences of six and seven years in 2016 and 2001 respectively. The judge, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, set a headline sentence of seven years, reduced by 18 months, and suspended the final six months, citing Ward's remorse and acceptance of the jury verdict. The court noted Ward's injuries required relearning how to speak. The victim, who had called emergency services, was praised for her bravery.
Mark Adams, a 44‑year‑old former male model and airport police officer, was surrendered to Northern Ireland after a series of money‑laundering convictions. He had previously been jailed in the Republic for laundering about €1.2 million and for carrying €180,550 through Belfast International Airport in May 2018, an act he admitted was criminal property. In January 2022 at Laganside Crown Court he pleaded guilty to attempting to remove and arranging to remove criminal property, each offence carrying up to 14 years' imprisonment. He received a 10‑month sentence in May 2022, with an additional 10 months on licence, to run consecutively to a term he was already serving in the Republic. In August 2021 he was temporarily surrendered to attend court in the North and was returned to the Republic in June 2022 after 10 months' custody.
Michael Farrell, aged 32, was sentenced to six years in prison with the final six months suspended for assault, threatening to kill, and possessing a realistic imitation firearm. He has 231 prior convictions, including violent offences, and has a mild intellectual disability and a serious brain injury from a childhood accident. Farrell argued that the judge failed to give adequate weight to his personal circumstances and that the suspended portion was too short. Counsel Karl Monahan BL contended that a longer suspension would aid rehabilitation, citing Farrell's complex needs and developmental issues. State counsel Derek Cooney BL maintained that the judge had applied appropriate mitigation and that Farrell's history of recidivism justified the sentence. The court reserved judgment on the appeal. Farrell had previously threatened a female Garda with ammonia and attacked two prison officers in 2022. The firearm incident occurred in 2020 when Farrell displayed a realistic imitation weapon in his garden. Michael Farrell pleaded guilty.
Lee Murray, 29, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment after breaking into his childhood home in Blanchardstown on 2 October 2023. He smashed the front‑door window, entered the house, shouted for money to buy drugs and assaulted his grandfather and his aunt. Murray grabbed his grandfather by the top of his head and forced his aunt upstairs, where he struck her twice on the head with a metal pot. The aunt fell and was injured; she declined hospital treatment and no victim impact statement was made. Murray fled the scene but was re‑arrested 45 minutes later. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his grandfather and assault causing harm to his aunt, with 47 prior convictions including assault and production of an article. The court noted his long‑standing drug addiction and his attempts at rehabilitation. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the custodial term, describing the incident as a shocking experience for the aunt.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, baker Andrew Morris claimed he was unfairly dismissed by Realbread Wholesale Ltd on 10 November 2023 after being fired by phone. Morris alleged that his employer, Patrick Ryan, had repeatedly warned him about lateness and absenteeism, but that the warnings were disputed. Morris said he had been absent due to bereavement and illness in his family, including his uncle's death and his father's hospitalization, and that he had not been offered medical certificates. He also claimed that Ryan had shouted at him and that he had been treated disrespectfully. Ryan denied the allegations, stating that Morris had been late on several occasions and that the start time had always been 7.30 am. The tribunal is considering a decision.
Nathan Roche, 28, admitted to gardaí that he had supplied his bank details to a person who claimed it was a tax‑back scheme, and that he was not the "brightest star" in the operation. He pleaded guilty to possessing €1,550 as proceeds of crime in June 2021. The court heard that Roche's account was used to move €1,550 into his account, a figure among the lowest in the investigation. Between January 2020 and September 2021, 308 electronic payments were made from Trinity College's hardship fund to accounts of people who had never attended the university. A staff member at Trinity was involved in the theft of a large amount of the money. Roche's defence lawyer, Kevin Roche BL, said his client had no connection to the person who stole the money. The case was adjourned to the end of July, with the judge asking for more information from the defence.
Two men, one named Jason Kelly (53) with 160 prior convictions, broke into a Ray‑Ban shop on Grafton Street at 1:30 a.m. using a steel stanchion to smash the reinforced glass door. They stole 170 pairs of designer sunglasses and eyeglasses, worth €27,089, and packed them into a sleeping bag before leaving. The robbery was captured on CCTV. Kelly pleaded guilty to the burglary and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted the shop was empty, Kelly was under the influence, and the pair caused over €4,000 of damage to the door. Kelly is already serving a separate sentence and has a long history of offending, mostly in the District Court. The court heard he has a heroin addiction, a brain injury, and several health problems, and that he intends to seek treatment and study while in custody. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Joyce, 31, with 110 prior convictions, was sentenced to four years in jail for stealing €16,000 from a woman after overhearing her conversation with a bank teller. The theft occurred on August 26, 2019, when Joyce and a co‑accused followed the woman to her home, smashed her car window, and stole her handbag containing cash, an iPhone, dollars, vouchers and jewellery. Joyce pleaded guilty to one count of theft, and the initial robbery charge was reduced. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five to six years but reduced it to four years due to Joyce's rehabilitation efforts and family circumstances. Joyce is currently serving the sentence, which is due to expire in January 2026. The victim's losses remain substantial.
In a south Dublin incident, 51‑year‑old Guillermo Salazar drove a Peugeot through a red light and struck a 12‑year‑old girl crossing the road. The child sustained a swollen temple, a cut eyebrow and required hospital treatment, but has since fully recovered. Salazar, who initially faced a dangerous driving charge, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, he received a nine‑month suspended sentence, with no driving disqualification imposed. The court noted Salazar's "momentary lapse in concentration," his cooperation with Gardaí, and the absence of alcohol or prior convictions. The judge highlighted the child's injuries as not severe and accepted mitigating factors, concluding that the suspended sentence was appropriate under strict conditions. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further legal actions reported.
Philip Ogbewe, a 59‑year‑old from Drogheda, was jailed for six and a half years for endangerment after he performed circumcisions on seven boys in their homes between 2018 and 2019. He charged parents €300‑€350, used anaesthetic spray in some cases but not all, and was on bail for a prior 2015 circumcision that caused hospitalisation. Ogbewe pleaded guilty to seven counts of endangerment and seven counts of assault causing harm. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the absence of anaesthesia in several incidents, the children's lack of long‑term harm, and Ogbewe's acceptance of wrongdoing. She imposed a global sentence of seven and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions to encourage rehabilitation. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Piotr Grycuk, 45, was found in possession of 10,347 images and three videos of child sexual abuse, including 30 in the most serious category. He pleaded guilty on 23 July 2018. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after noting that he had not reoffended since a raid six years earlier and had undergone extensive therapy, imposed a three‑year sentence fully suspended. He is required to be supervised by Probation Services for 18 months. The court highlighted his insight, remorse, and low risk of reoffending, and noted that he had no prior convictions. The raid uncovered seven devices containing the material; Grycuk had voluntarily handed over memory cards and provided passwords. The case was brought to the court following an American law‑enforcement lead that supplied an IP address. The judge emphasised that the offence carries public odium and shame, and that Grycuk will suffer considerably in this regard.
The High Court appointed Nicholas O'Dwyer and John Boland of Grant Thornton as provisional liquidators for GNC Well Ireland Unlimited Company and THSD Unlimited Company, operators of 11 health‑food stores under the GNC brand. The companies, employing 86 staff, had been loss‑making for years, with sales falling 12% in 2021 and 5% in 2022, and faced rising costs such as business rates, wages, VAT on previously zero‑VAT items and import duties. Their parent, the US‑based GNC group, had provided intracompany loans but withdrew support after a strategic review that found the Irish operations unlikely to become profitable. The parent had also sought a buyer but could not complete a sale. The court said the liquidators would secure stock, liaise with potential buyers, and manage landlords and employees to maximise creditor returns. The case will return to the court later this month.
Nadine Lattimore, a Paralympian who represented Ireland in 2012, won €7,000 in compensation after a security guard at a Dealz shop in Dublin 1 tried to deny her guide dog entry. The incident occurred on 23 August last year when Lattimore was buying balloons and was told the dog was not allowed. She felt humiliated and vulnerable, and after the manager apologized and confirmed the dog was welcome, the case was brought under the Equal Status Act 2000. The tribunal found Dealz had not challenged her testimony and accepted her account. The decision ordered Dealz to pay the compensation, train staff repeatedly on the Act, and display signs welcoming guide and assistance dogs. Lattimore was represented by David McCarroll of RDJ LLP; Dealz was represented by Ursula Cullen of Miley and Miley LLP. The ruling was welcomed by Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, who highlighted the need for businesses to train staff on disability rights.
In Dublin, a barristers' strike halted criminal proceedings. Only five cases were scheduled in Court 7 of the Criminal Courts of Justice, but Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned them to the next day. The Central Criminal Court, which was handling several sexual‑abuse trials, did not sit at all. Jury members were told they were not required and were sent home at 10:30 am. No barristers were present; solicitors noted the adjournments. Barristers protested outside the courthouse, citing a 28‑60 % fee cut between 2008 and 2011 and a government failure to conduct an independent fee review promised in Budget 24. They plan to withdraw again on 15 July and 24 July, marking an escalation of the strike that began in October 2023. The strike is driven by a demand for the restoration of fee rates, not a pay rise. The courts are expected to resume tomorrow.
Chakib Baddaoui, a 40‑year‑old Dutch national, was sentenced to two years in prison for assault causing harm on his former partner in Dublin in 2015. He fled Ireland shortly after the offence, taking a new job in Amsterdam, and later married and had a child. He returned to Ireland in 2022, was granted bail, and travelled from Dubai for the sentencing hearing. He brought €10,000 in compensation to the court. The judge, Elva Duffy, noted that Baddaoui had no prior convictions and that the victim did not wish to give a victim impact statement. The sentence was read with Baddaoui and his wife becoming emotional. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for two years, back‑dating it to account for the six weeks he had spent in Spanish custody under a European Arrest Warrant. The effective custodial term is one year. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded guilty.
Andrei Dobra, 36, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for strangling his fiancée, Ioana Mihaela Pacala, on 12 November 2022. The jury, after 1 hour 44 minutes, accepted that Dobra suffered a psychotic episode that made him believe Pacala threatened him and that he did not know his act was wrong. Two consultant psychiatrists, Dr Brenda Wright and Prof Patricia Casey, diagnosed Dobra with schizoaffective psychosis and a major depressive episode with psychotic symptoms. Dobra had no prior mental‑health or criminal history and had lived a stable, normal life, working as a security guard and administrator. He was remanded to the National Forensic Mental Health Services Hospital in Portrane for assessment. The case highlighted the tragic loss of a young life and the impact of untreated mental illness.
Raymond Shorten, a 50‑year‑old Dublin taxi driver, was convicted in May of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a seven‑year‑old girl. The offences occurred after the child's mother's funeral, in a bathroom at her family home where Shorten covered her mouth, and later on a bed and in a car. The girl, now 20, had left a handwritten note in 2020 alleging abuse and was interviewed by specialist gardai in early 2021. Shorten denied all allegations during voluntary interviews in 2020 and 2021, calling them "110% lies" and a "wind‑up." He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and is due to be sentenced later this month. The case is part of a broader pattern of sexual offences by Shorten, who has eight prior convictions, including five for road traffic offences. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
Owen Maughan, 22, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 65-year-old Christopher Hall. Maughan, of Dun Saithne Avenue, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to the sole count of murder during a pre-trial hearing last month. The court heard that Maughan murdered Mr Hall at his home in Dun Saithne Green, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, between November 23 and 24, 2021. The sentence was backdated to July 4, 2022, when Maughan entered custody. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the focus rightly fell on the victim and his family. Prosecution evidence indicated Maughan had harassed and tormented the vulnerable victim, who had a brain injury, including directing him to ATMs to withdraw cash. A postmortem identified seven stab wounds to the neck and blunt force trauma to the head. Maughan has 39 previous convictions. Defence counsel stated Maughan was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time and expressed remorse. The victim's daughter, Rebecca Hall, described the actions as "nothing but evil" and "senseless."
At the Special Criminal Court, the matter was adjourned to July 16 for a mention. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Mr Justice Paul Burns and Judge Sinead Ní Chúlacháin, heard an application by State solicitor Ciara Vibien to have Brandon Hennessy tried at the non-jury court. Hennessy, 21, is accused of violent disorder under Section 15 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, allegedly using or threatening violence at Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on December 24. He is the son of Jason Hennessy Sr, who was fatally injured in the shooting and died 11 days later. Another victim, Tristan Sherry, died of blunt-force trauma. Seven others are also involved in the proceedings. David Amah, Michael Andrecut, Noah Musueni, and Wayne Deegan are charged with murder. Jaures Kumbu is charged with unlawful possession of a submachine gun at the steakhouse on the night. A 17-year-old boy and Jonas Kabangu are charged with violent disorder. The court did not record any pleas, findings, or sentences, as the case remains at the procedural stage of trial preparation. The matter was not concluded but adjourned to allow for the listing of all matters for mention on the specified date.
Eoin Claxton, 37, a hotel worker who fell into debt during the pandemic, was jailed for 18 months after a Garda posing as a courier delivered a package containing 4.8 kg of cannabis herb worth €79,824 to his home in Rathgar. Claxton pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply on 14 December 2020. He had been laid off, isolated, and started gambling recklessly, building a debt of €8,000‑€9,500. He accepted a deal to take the drugs to pay off the debt. At an earlier hearing Judge Elma Sheahan accepted his remorse and the gambling debt but imposed a custodial sentence, suspending the final 18 months. Claxton was arrested at the delivery, his home searched, and his phone seized. He has 36 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and had been promoted twice at the hotel. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph French, 33, of Neilstown Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years in prison, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to attempted robbery on 18 July 2021 and a robbery on 21 July 2021. The attempted robbery took place at Centra, Kingswood Shopping Centre, where French, armed with a large knife, demanded money from a staff member and was stopped by a customer. CCTV captured him leaving a Tesco plastic bag, which later yielded his DNA. The robbery at Applegreen, Clondalkin, involved a black rubber mallet; French forced a staff member to open the till and took just over €350 before leaving a plastic bag that again provided DNA evidence. French had 139 prior convictions, including a four‑year sentence for a 2020 robbery and a consecutive four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the 18 July 2021 robbery.
Sean Keenan, 28, of Rosse Court Heights, Balgaddy, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for stealing a Peugeot 206 and its keys from a home in Holywell View, Swords, on 17 September 2022. He used a fishhook to snatch the keys from the hallway. Keenan has 118 prior convictions covering theft, assault, and other offences. Garda Brian Murphy presented CCTV footage and evidence from a search of Keenan's house. Keenan pleaded guilty, admitting intoxication and drug influence at the time of the crime. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted his early guilty plea and cooperation as mitigating factors, suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for 12 months, and ordered probation supervision for one year after release. Keenan is currently serving a three‑year sentence and is due for release in May 2025.
A trial date of 23 February 2026 has been set at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for three Gardaí accused of burglary and perverting the course of justice. Robert Gorman, aged 43, is charged with burglary of a basement flat at Mountjoy Square North on 7 September 2021, and with two counts of perverting the course of justice: one for allegedly signing information for a search warrant for that flat between 30 September and 30 December 2021, and another for allegedly creating three incidents on the Garda Pulse computer system on 21 September 2021. Ciaran Whelan, aged 51, is charged with burglary of the same basement flat on 7 September 2021, burglary of a flat on Kenilworth Road on 19 June 2021, and three counts of perverting the course of justice between 25 August and 27 September 2021, including a false report to a superintendent and amended data on the Garda Pulse system.
Chestin Hoogenboom, 37, a Dutch national, was jailed after admitting she smuggled more than €26,000 worth of cocaine into Dublin Airport. Customs officials stopped her at Terminal One when an X‑ray revealed an anomaly in her luggage, which contained €12,000 worth of cocaine. Gardaí questioned her and she was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where she removed an additional €14,000 worth of cocaine from inside her body. The total weight of cocaine removed from her luggage and her person was 0.38 kilograms. Hoogenboom pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 9 November last year and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She cooperated fully, made an early guilty plea, and has no prior convictions in this jurisdiction or abroad. The court noted she is studying law and judicial decision‑making and that she has mental health issues and two teenage children in the care of a friend.
A 29‑year‑old non‑national was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for assault causing harm, threats to kill and criminal damage after a three‑hour attack on his former partner in her Dublin home during the Covid lockdown. The court heard that the defendant and the victim had a volatile relationship for three years. On 12 February 2021, he struck the woman on the head and body, called her a "bitch" and a "whore", threatened to kill her and said he would "smash her head in" before leaving at 1 a.m. Four days later, on 16 February, he returned, again called her a "whore", threatened to kill her, grabbed and smashed her iPhone, and the victim's child was present. He was arrested on 1 April 2021, pleaded guilty, and admitted the assault but not the full extent of the victim's account.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, the Dublin‑based rental company Itzig Sarl was ordered to pay €2,032 in compensation to former showing agent Dunia Rojas. Rojas began work in October 2023, initially under the impression she would receive a salary, but was later told the role was commission‑only. She reported that she received no payment for the first two weeks, and subsequent payments were incorrect. Rojas documented her complaints with calls and WhatsApp chats, yet the company failed to respond to her queries and did not provide pay‑slips or a contract. Itzig Sarl did not attend the hearing, despite a prior notice. The adjudication officer, Jim Dolan, found Rojas' complaint well founded under the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, citing a breach of Section 3, and directed the company to transfer the compensation within 42 days of the decision.
John McClean, aged 79, former rugby coach at Terenure College, was convicted of sexually abusing 45 pupils over more than 20 years. After his first 2021 sentence of eight years for 23 offences, he pleaded guilty to 22 further abuses and received a four‑year sentence in February 2023, to run consecutively. The Court of Appeal found that Judge Nolan's global sentencing approach was not sufficiently rigorous and quashed the 2023 sentence. The Court ordered a new global sentence of ten and a half years for all 45 offences. McClean left the school in 1996 following earlier allegations and later coached rugby at UCD. The appeal highlighted the predatory nature of the abuse, the vulnerability of the victims, and the significant psychological harm caused. The new sentence reflects a proportionate headline term after discounting mitigating factors such as early guilty pleas and remorse.
The High Court on 3 July 2024 appointed Tom Murray and Eoin Massey of Friel Stafford as joint provisional liquidators for Cube Logistics 3PL Limited, a freight logistics company employing over 30 people. The court found the company insolvent, unable to pay debts as they fall due, after a difficult 2023 trading year that saw losses of €610,000 despite a turnover of €5.38m. Cube had expanded by leasing two new warehouses, but new customers did not use them, and it lost key clients such as Hilti Ireland, Lloyd Fraser Holdings' UK parent, and PRL Ireland. The company owes €655,000 to Revenue for VAT, PAYE and PRSI and cannot meet a phased payment arrangement. It had attempted restructuring via SCARP and considered examinership, but the court deemed that option unviable. The liquidators will manage the company's affairs, including customer stock worth about €5m, and may continue trading, dismiss or retain staff.
A 20‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 20 months suspended, for raping his younger cousin when he was about 13. The offences, committed between April 2017 and March 2018, included three counts of rape, one anal and one oral. He was ordered to have no unsupervised contact with children, to avoid the victim and to comply with child‑safety measures. The judge noted the victim, now 14, had suffered trauma and praised her courage. The defendant pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and has no prior convictions. He is studying at third level and the sentence will commence after his August exams. The court also directed him to engage in relevant programmes and cooperate with probation services. The case was brought after a Tusla referral and investigation by specialist Gardaí.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan restored the driving licence of 27‑year‑old Shane Ward early, cutting his six‑year disqualification to four years and nine months. Ward had been convicted in February 2021 of dangerous driving causing serious harm, driving without insurance and leaving the scene after striking 28‑year‑old Ms Radhika Lausin on a footpath at Drimnagh Luas. Lausin suffered a brain bleed, multiple facial fractures and a broken arm, and has undergone two operations. Ward fled the scene, later escaping on a friend's scrambler, and did not assist the investigation before pleading guilty. Despite Garda objections citing the severity of Lausin's injuries, the judge accepted Ward's rehabilitation efforts, noting his business venture and tax compliance, and ruled that the court should not impede his rehabilitation. Ward can resume driving in November 2025. The decision was made after a hearing on 3 July 2024.
Moire Bergin, aged 47, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after stabbing her 76‑year‑old mother, Mary Bergin, to death on 13 April 2022. The jury, after one hour and seven minutes of deliberation, accepted expert testimony from two forensic psychiatrists who diagnosed Moire with bipolar affective disorder, noting symptoms of mania, depression and psychosis at the time of the killing. They confirmed she did not understand the nature or moral wrongness of her act and could not refrain from it. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, concluded with a one‑day hearing. Judge Paul McDermott ordered Moire to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital for up to 14 days, with a psychiatric assessment to be prepared. The case highlighted her history of 16 detentions under the Mental Health Act and six admissions between March 2021 and April 2022. The verdict was delivered unanimously by a jury of six men and six women.
The Central Criminal Court heard psychiatric evidence in the trial of Moire Bergin, 47, who is accused of murdering her 76-year-old mother, Mary Bergin, in Dublin 1 on April 13, 2022. Ms Bergin pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, Dr Paul O'Connell and Dr Stephen Monks, testified that the accused met the criteria for this special verdict. They agreed she suffered from bipolar affective disorder with psychotic symptoms, including religious delusions, and did not know the nature and quality of the act, could not appreciate it was morally wrong, or refrain from it. The court noted her history of 16 detentions under the Mental Health Act between 2005 and 2022. Prosecution counsel James Dwyer SC and defence counsel Fiona Murphy SC both submitted that the appropriate verdict was not guilty by reason of insanity. Justice Paul McDermott charged the jury, describing the case as tragic but instructing them to rely solely on the evidence. The jury was sent out to deliberate and the matter was adjourned to return tomorrow for a verdict.
A 24‑year‑old victim of a Temple Bar gang attack, who suffered slash wounds to his face and puncture wounds to his back, neck and arms, was left with permanent facial scarring and severe anxiety. He lost six months' earnings and now lives in constant worry, avoiding large gatherings. In a victim impact statement read by his partner, he described the assault as a "senseless act of violence" that shattered his life and left him with a "deep‑seated frustration" because most of the assailants are still free. Jordan Maguire, the only attacker identified from CCTV, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years and nine months' imprisonment. The court accepted that Maguire was not responsible for the most serious head and facial injuries, which required life‑saving surgery. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the gang attack.
In July 2024, a 25‑year‑old repeat offender was jailed for three and a half years after a violent incident in January 2022. While on bail, he entered his former partner's apartment, threatened to "rip her head off", slapped her, and tried to force her back inside. He then placed their four‑month‑old baby in an unstrapped buggy, causing the child to fall and injure his head. He refused to hand the baby over, threatened the woman's family, and tried to intimidate her with a key. The court found him guilty of criminal damage, making threats to kill or cause serious harm, assault, and child cruelty. Sentences of 20 months for child cruelty, two years and nine months for criminal damage, and five months for assault were imposed concurrently, with a total custodial term of three and a half years.
During the opening of the Central Criminal Court trial, Moire Bergin, 47, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her 76‑year‑old mother, Mary Bergin, on 13 April 2022. The prosecution and defence agreed that Moire suffered from a bipolar disorder at the time of the killing. Evidence presented included the discovery of two knives at the scene, one with the deceased's DNA, and a post‑mortem by State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers revealing stab wounds to the neck and forehead and defensive injuries to the forearms. CCTV footage showed Moire leaving the house in a dressing gown at 4.37 am, later seen genuflecting and lying on the ground. A 999 call had been made by Mary at 2.22 am for an ambulance for her naked daughter. Garda reports described Moire as highly distressed, naked and covered in blood, and she repeatedly claimed she had killed her mother.
In a Dublin post office robbery on 11 November 2023, Mark O'Grady (35) and Paul Bradley (43) were jailed for six years each. Both pleaded guilty to robbery and to possessing an imitation firearm that resembled a handgun. O'Grady held the imitation gun at the entrance, preventing entry and exit, while Bradley entered with a third man, Lee Conlon (44), who drove the gang in a stolen car. Conlon smashed the protective glass with a scaffolding pole, stole €20,000 from the counter, and fled. The robbery was quickly stopped; the getaway car was identified and the money recovered. A customer with a three‑year‑old grandchild had to dive on her grandson to protect him when a bang was heard. All three men were arrested within minutes and received six‑year sentences for the robbery, with five years concurrent on the firearms charge. Conlon had previously been jailed for six years for a separate burglary.
In the Central Criminal Court, two young women testified that they were raped by Dublin taxi driver Raymond Shorten, who had previously been convicted of serious sexual offences. Both victims had taken taxis after nights out, believing it was the safest option, but were assaulted by Shorten. One victim, who had been drinking five pints of cider, was taken to the back seat where he raped her anally and vaginally, leaving her with a sore, disorienting experience. The second victim fell asleep in the taxi and was raped upon waking, after which Shorten demanded a €70 fare. Shorten denied the assaults, claiming the encounters were consensual. DNA evidence linked him to both incidents. The court adjourned the case to July 22 for finalisation. The victims described lasting impacts on their confidence, intimate life, and mental health, including anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares. The case highlighted the vulnerability of taxi passengers and the alleged breach of trust by a licensed driver. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
Moire Bergin, 47, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of her 76‑year‑old mother, Mary Bergin, at the mother's Dublin home on 13 April 2022. She was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on a single murder charge. Judge Paul McDermott explained that the jury's task was to assess Bergin's state of mind at the time of the killing. The judge noted that most facts of the case were agreed upon, and that the trial would be presented in short form. Detective Sergeant John Brady of Store Street Garda Station would outline the facts, and two consultant forensic psychiatrists, Dr Stephen Monks and Dr Paul O'Connell, would provide expert testimony. A jury of twelve was sworn in; the trial is scheduled to begin tomorrow and is expected to last up to two days.
Two brothers, Glen Ward (31) and Eric O'Driscoll (22), both from Finglas, have withdrawn their bail applications in the Special Criminal Court after being charged with possession of firearms and reckless discharge of assault rifles in January 2022. Ward is accused of possessing a .223 Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifle and discharging it on 1 January 2022 at Ratoath Drive, while O'Driscoll faces similar charges plus additional allegations of possessing a .380 ACP calibre Ingram M11 submachine gun on 9 January 2022. The charges are under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990 and the Firearms Act 1964. Judge Tony Hunt offered the men time to decide whether to proceed to trial, noting a November trial date is available and giving them until later this month to inform the court of their decision. The brothers will indicate later this month whether they wish to go to trial.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned several matters scheduled for July 15 due to a planned barrister strike, with proceedings rescheduled for the following day. Aaron Brady, convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, was due to be sentenced for attempting to pervert the course of justice. He had pleaded guilty to video-recording an interview between witness Ronan Flynn and An Garda Síochána. The matter was adjourned and is not concluded. Additionally, four men accused of the murder of Tristan Sherry at Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown were scheduled to appear. Noah Musueni, Wayne Deegan, David Amah, and Michael Andrecut face murder charges; their cases were adjourned. Jonas Kabangu and an unnamed juvenile are charged with violent disorder at the same location, while Jaures Kumbu is charged with possession of a submachine gun. All these matters were adjourned to July 16. The court noted the strike dates of July 9, 15, and 24. No sentences or findings were delivered during this session.
Mary O'Sullivan, a 52‑year‑old housewife from Ballymakealy Grove, Celbridge, was involved in an €65,000 online fraud after she set up a bank account for a man she believed to be a US soldier. The account was used to transfer the proceeds of an invoice‑redirection scam carried out by criminals. O'Sullivan pleaded guilty to money laundering on the basis of recklessness. The court noted her vulnerability, low intellectual ability and emotional state during a marital breakdown, and that she did not understand the fraud was occurring. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended in full, citing her low culpability and the lack of prior convictions. No jail term was imposed, and the case highlighted the victim's loss of over €65,000, with some assets seized in Nigeria but no recovery of the money.
In a long‑running case that began in 2017, the Commercial Court resolved a claim of unjust enrichment brought by the Abu‑Dhabi‑based engineering firm Hogan Keoghan Ryan Middle East Architects Engineering LLC (HKRME) against businessman Barry English, founder of Winthrop Engineering. After out‑of‑court negotiations, English agreed to pay €1.25 million from a trust to HKRME's solicitors, to be used for employees and creditors of the firm. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Denis McDonald, accepted the settlement and struck out two other related actions. English, represented by Bernard Dunleavy SC, had denied the claims, but consented to the order. The settlement was welcomed by the judge, who praised the parties for reaching an agreement. The case had involved earlier disputes over a caretaker arrangement for shares and a claim for US$8 million, which had been dismissed in 2019.
A woman from County Roscommon has received a four-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering offences connected to proceeds of prostitution. Ivanilce Vailones, aged 47, pleaded guilty to five counts of money laundering between 2018 and 2021, with ten additional counts taken into consideration. The court heard that gardaí investigations revealed two bank accounts linked to Vailones containing approximately €126,000. Evidence included CCTV footage showing her withdrawing funds using a card belonging to a former sex worker. Justice Patricia Ryan imposed a sentence of four years with the final 28 months suspended for two years. Vailones has already served an equivalent period on remand, meaning she will serve no additional custodial time. The judge noted mitigating factors including her guilty plea, remorse, and employment since release. A co-accused in related proceedings received a four-year sentence with two years suspended.
Raymond Carroll, 16 at the time, was part of a group that caused trouble in a Lidl store on Moore Street on 11 March 2020. He opened a pack of biscuits and threw them, tossed a cardboard box, and became aggressive when a security guard took it. He also pushed a guard, grabbed a plastic cone and raised it over the guard's shoulder, then pulled the guard to the floor. CCTV footage was shown in court. Carroll pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of Section 2 Assault, carrying a maximum six‑month sentence. The judge, noting his lack of prior convictions and his plea, set a headline sentence of five months for an adult but reduced it to three months because he was a juvenile. The final sentence was two and a half months, fully suspended on strict conditions.
David Moore, founder of Astronomy Ireland, is accused by former manager Sonya Martin of pocketing speaking‑engagement fees that were meant to be the society's main revenue stream. Martin, who worked as an administrator and later manager from 2021 to 2022, resigned after a heated meeting in which Moore told her the club had no board and that her grant applications were fraudulent. She claims she was forced to cover two jobs, faced micromanagement, and was told not to report a website hack. Martin alleges financial irregularities, that Moore kept money for himself, and that the organisation's legal status is unclear as an unincorporated society without trustees. The Workplace Relations Commission will consider whether all members are answerable for her complaints, with a hearing likely rescheduled for September.
The High Court released Enoch Burke from Mountjoy Prison on Friday afternoon, having been detained since September 2023 for contempt of court. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted his release despite Mr Burke's refusal to comply with a standing injunction prohibiting him from attending Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath. The judge noted that state examinations had concluded and the school was on holiday. Mr Justice Sanfey stressed that the injunction remains enforceable and warned of potential re-imprisonment should further breaches occur. The Co Mayo teacher has spent over 400 days incarcerated. On the same date, the court heard Mr Burke's bid to set aside an order made by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, which Mr Burke claims is unconstitutional. The teacher argues his constitutional rights regarding freedom of conscience and religious practice were disregarded in the original proceedings. The school's counsel disputed the application's jurisdiction and characterised it as an improper appeal. Mr Justice Sanfey reserved judgment on this preliminary matter and indicated a ruling within weeks.
Michael Lynn, a 55‑year‑old former solicitor from Millbrook Court, Redcross, Co Wicklow, has been granted legal aid to appeal both his conviction and sentence for stealing over €18 million from six financial institutions. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, agreed to provide aid on the same terms as the trial court after Lynn presented a statement declaring he had no means. The judge noted that should new information arise making legal aid inappropriate, the State could return the matter to the Court of Appeal. Lynn, found guilty of 10 of 21 theft counts in a second Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial after a hung jury in 2022, is currently serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term. He intends to appeal the conviction and the sentence, with the appeal focusing on the construction of the sentence and release date issues. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former manager Donal Moroney, aged 70, was fined €500 for unlawfully storing and administering the euthanasia drug Dolethal to two dogs at Ashton Dog Pound in Castleknock on 24 July 2020. The drug, containing Pentobarbital Sodium, is only permitted to be stored at a veterinary practice and administered intravenously by a qualified vet. Moroney pleaded guilty to three counts: using the pound to store a veterinary‑only remedy, possessing it without being a vet, and allowing a layperson to give it orally to a Bichon Frise and an Akita. The court noted that staff lacked the experience or qualifications to handle the drug, described Moroney's culpability as "quite low," and considered mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, long history of animal care, and serious health problems. He was ordered to pay the fine within three months.
Raul Rodriguez Ramirez, 36, was convicted of fraud for taking €29,042 from 18 international students who had paid for language courses in Dublin. He used the money to invest in a restaurant that failed during the pandemic, instead of enrolling the students. The students suffered financial loss, psychological distress, and some had to sleep in a church doorway or could not travel home. Ramirez pleaded guilty and paid €18,050 as a token of remorse. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to 18 months in prison on each count, to run concurrently, and suspended the final nine months for two years. The €18,050 was ordered to be divided pro‑rata among the 18 victims. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 27 June 2024.