In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sean Dunne, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm after attacking a couple of American tourists in their sixties in the elevator of the Ashling Hotel on 7 April 2023. Dunne repeatedly punched the woman, threatened her with rape and murder, and struck her husband, causing bloodshed in the elevator. Garda Stephen Lawlor, on mobile patrol, responded to a call after 9 pm, found Dunne restrained on the corridor floor, and noted blood on the carpet. The couple received on‑scene treatment but did not require hospital care. Dunne, who has ten prior convictions and was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2020, denied the assault. He has been in custody since April 2023, is on medication, and has shown improved mental health. Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley ordered a probation report and adjourned the matter until October 2024.
A 32‑year‑old man, Graham McGuinness, admitted in a brief hearing that he produced a "homemade shank" and caused serious harm to Martin Reilly during an attack in Dublin City Centre on 11 June 2020. He pleaded guilty to the charge of causing serious harm, and the plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the case to 19 July to hear evidence before sentencing. The judge ordered a prison governor's report, an education report and a urinalysis. Mr Reilly was invited to give a victim impact statement before sentencing.
In a June 12 trial, a 50‑year‑old taxi driver faced rape and anal rape charges for alleged assaults in June and August 2022. Prosecutor Gerardine Small argued the accused targeted vulnerable, intoxicated women, citing CCTV and the complainants' accounts of lack of consent. She highlighted the improbability of two similar accusations within weeks and urged jurors to view the men's statements to Gardaí as ludicrous. The defense, led by Lorcan Staines, acknowledged the driver's unpleasant conduct but stressed the case was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt, noting the driver's professional obligations and the absence of explicit refusals by the complainants. Three other women testified that they had consensual sex with the driver on separate occasions, which the prosecution suggested was irrelevant to the rape allegations. The trial remained at the evidentiary stage, with no verdict announced. The unnamed 50-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A plumber, Gavin Dennan, 39, was given a three‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing harm for head‑butting a man in a pub toilet on St Patrick's Day. The victim suffered a mild brain bleed after being knocked to the ground outside the Grange pub in Deansgrange. Judge Pauline Codd ordered Dennan to pay €1,000 to the victim as a token of remorse, with the money going to a charity if the victim declined. Dennan, who had no prior convictions and was described as a family man, expressed remorse and said he acted out of character after a heated argument about Irish traditional music. The court heard that the victim was heavily intoxicated, was hospitalized, and later recovered, but did not file a victim impact report. Ten testimonials supporting Dennan's good character were presented. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 72-year-old man arrested in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, has been granted bail at the High Court following his arrest on a Northern Irish warrant. John Edward McNicholl is alleged to have murdered RUC Constable Robert John McPherson during an ambush in Dungiven, Co Derry, on 26 July 1975. He faces an additional four charges relating to the possession of explosives and firearms at Garvagh, Co Derry, on 16 February 1976. Independent TD Thomas Pringle offered to act as an independent surety for bail. The court heard that consent to bail has been given by the Minister for Justice, subject to conditions including a cash lodgement of €7,000, surrender of travel documents, and weekly sign-ons at Letterkenny Garda Station. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath approved the bail arrangements. The case will return to court on 2 and 3 July.
An application will be made to refer the bulk of a dispute between DLR Properties Ltd and the Johnny Ronan group to out‑of‑court arbitration. DLR has sued RGRE Devco 4 Ltd and Ronan Group Real Estate Ltd for breach of a 2019 development agreement over a 1.3‑acre site in Cherrywood, Loughlinstown, where the parties agreed that RGRE 4 would build a €35m office building. DLR seeks declarations that the agreement was validly terminated, damages, and an injunction to remove statements from the Ronan Group website that imply the defendants hold any title or interest in the site. The defendants deny the claims, calling them "completely unnecessary" and "unrealistic." The defamation claim will remain before the High Court, while the majority of the issues will be referred to arbitration, with former Chief Justice Frank Clarke proposed as arbitrator.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former Iceland employee Jeanette Joyce alleged that Naeem Maniar, the owner of Iceland's Irish stores, threatened her with a lawsuit targeting her personal property if she and her colleagues went on strike. Joyce said she received late‑night texts accusing her trade union of "playing dirty" and spreading "false news and propaganda." She claimed she was a shop steward for the Independent Workers' Union and that she had been harassed and bullied by Maniar, including being served legal papers for "unlawful industrial action." Joyce also reported wage withholding after the strike, delayed payment of €265.45 net wages, and hostile payroll emails. She filed a grievance for harassment and bullying, but no action was taken before the store entered liquidation. The case is pending adjudication by the WRC.
A former Christian Brother, John Merrick (77) of Portmarknock Park, Portmarknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of indecent assault against one sixth class pupil and three charges of indecent assault against his classmate on dates between September 1977 and June 1978. Both victims are now 58 years old and have indicated they wish to retain their anonymity but are happy for Merrick to be named in reporting the case. Merrick, who entered the Christian Brothers at the age of 14 and left the order in 1981, has previous convictions from the District Court in relation to similar offending around the same time. These incidences of abuse were reported in 1996 and he was later convicted in 1998, resulting in a six month suspended sentence and a 12 month suspended sentence. Philipp Rahn SC, defending, told the court that at the time of the convictions from the District Court, Merrick engaged in a sex offender treatment programme and also subsequently engaged in the Restorative Justice Programme. One of the men took the stand to read his victim impact statement into the record. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a sentence of 12 months for the offences against the first man and a consecutive 10 month term for the offences against the second man. She suspended the final 10 months of the term on strict conditions for 12 months. The matter was adjourned for the purpose of the court considering the victim impact statement and other submissions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 11 June 2024, a 50‑year‑old taxi driver accused of raping two young women denied the allegations. He claimed the 20‑year‑old woman was smiling and kissing him while they had consensual sex and that she asked, "was this off the bill?" He said he replied jokingly that it was not. The driver said he had been working that night, the woman had asked to be taken home, and that they engaged in consensual sex after she kissed him. He stated he had no reason to doubt her willingness. The court heard CCTV footage, location data and DNA evidence linking the driver to the woman, and a forensic examiner described bruises and an internal vaginal injury, but the trial remains ongoing. The unnamed 20-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A cleaner who was admonished for wearing 'form-fitting cycling leggings' and later dismissed after rejecting his manager's romantic advances has won €10,000 in compensation for sexual harassment and discriminatory dismissal. The worker, a former soldier, claimed that his relationship with his manager, identified as Ms A, deteriorated rapidly after he turned down her advances during a lunch meeting in February 2023. He stated that prior to this, he had been praised for his work and was considered one of the best cleaners. Following his rejection, the manager allegedly began criticizing his work performance and raised issues about his uniform. The employer argued that the dismissal was due to performance issues and uniform violations, but the tribunal found that the worker had been subjected to harassment and discrimination on the grounds of gender. The adjudicator ruled that the dismissal was not unconnected to the harassment and awarded €10,000 in compensation.
Clive Gargan, 48, an IT consultant, was jailed for 12 months after the Court of Appeal quashed a fully suspended three‑year sentence it deemed too lenient for failing to pay €180,623.51 in VAT over seven years. He had been charged with 84 VAT‑related offences, including 42 counts of failing to deliver VAT returns and 42 counts of failing to pay VAT within the statutory period between 2009 and 2016. Gargan entered guilty pleas to eight counts and had paid the sum due plus interest by the time of his original sentencing. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to three and a half years after mitigation, and suspended the final two and a half years, leaving one year in custody. The State had appealed the original suspended sentence, arguing that too much weight had been given to mitigating factors.
Peter Lam, an 80-year-old defendant from Belfast, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Busaras, Dublin 1, on October 11, 2021. The court heard that Lam was intercepted by gardai upon arriving by bus from Donegal with two large boxes containing MDMA valued at €470,982, which were hidden among pottery and children's toys. Lam alleged he was acting as a courier to pay gambling debts, stating to gardai that he dreamed of Roulette. Judge Mary O'Malley Costello noted that while Lam had a previous 2013 conviction for cannabis cultivation and possession, his current role as a courier made him an important part of the drug trade. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors including Lam's guilty plea, age, health conditions such as dementia, and lack of English, but emphasized the need for deterrence and societal protection. Lam had spent ten months in custody on remand. Judge O'Malley Costello imposed a sentence of four years, suspending the final ten months. She ordered that Lam be given credit for the ten months already served in custody.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 10 June 2024, George Murray, aged 55, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for possessing a realistic imitation firearm with intent to threaten. The incident occurred on 16 December 2020 at Maye's Public House, a long‑standing pub on Dorset Street, when Murray brandished a replica Glock handgun at proprietor Tom Maye, 70, and threatened to "blow his head off." Maye, who had run the pub for 31 years, was forced to close the business after the event. Murray, who has 57 prior convictions and a history of schizoaffective disorder and substance abuse, pleaded guilty to the charge. Gardaí arrested him after a panic button was pressed and the replica gun was confiscated. The judge, Pauline Codd, reduced an initial headline sentence of seven years to four, back‑dating it to November 2023. Murray acknowledged the incident and expressed "fair play" to the judge.".
A 21‑year‑old woman testified at the Central Criminal Court that a taxi driver raped her after she fell asleep in his vehicle. She said she had been drinking, had gone home at about 4 a.m., and then entered the taxi to get a phone charger. The driver allegedly forced sexual contact, which she denied consent to, and after the act he asked her to pay the fare. She claimed her phone had died, her parents gave the driver cash, and she was later taken to a sexual assault treatment unit. The accused, in his fifties, pleaded not guilty to the rape and to an alleged anal rape of another woman. He denies all allegations, asserting any sexual activity was consensual and initiated by the women. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Jonathan Kenny, 40, was found guilty of a 'psychic assault' after he pointed to his eyes and flexed his biceps in Courtroom 4 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin, during a hearing where a witness gave evidence. The judge described the gesture as a form of intimidation that caused the witness to feel fear and distress. Kenny had previously been charged with witness intimidation but pleaded guilty to assault, a plea accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. He has 108 prior convictions, including robbery, assault and theft, and is serving a custodial sentence for other offences with an earliest release date in February 2027. The judge imposed a four‑month sentence, suspended in full for two years, to commence after the expiry of his current custodial term, and ordered him to stay away from the victim, their home and family during the suspension. The victim's impact statement was submitted but not read aloud. Jonathan Kenny was acquitted.
Eoin Claxton, a 37‑year‑old hotel worker from Rathgar, was arrested after a Garda posing as a courier delivered a parcel containing 4.8 kg of cannabis herb to his home. The package, valued at €79,824, had been intercepted by customs and was addressed to a Jackie O'Shaughnessy from a Molly Maguire. Claxton, who had 36 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply on 14 December 2020. He explained that he had been laid off during the pandemic, had accrued a gambling debt of €8,000‑€9,500, and accepted the drug deal to pay it off. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months in custody, suspended for three years, and remanded him on bail until July. The court noted his employment, family responsibilities, and remorse, but emphasised the seriousness of the offence.
A taxi driver in his early fifties, who is legally entitled to anonymity during the trial, has pleaded not guilty to rape and anal rape charges involving two young women. He claims that any sexual interaction with the first complainant was consensual, stating that the woman entered his taxi, directed him, and that they engaged in consensual sexual activity after he kissed her. He denies any rape or anal sex. The State alleges that both women were raped after a night out in Dublin city centre. Evidence presented includes CCTV footage of the first complainant entering the taxi, forensic DNA linking the driver to the victim's clothing, and GPS data showing the taxi's movements. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a Ukrainian man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, criminal damage and assault with a hammer on October 19, 2019, at a home in Dublin 15. He had no prior convictions. Gardaí were called when the defendant's then‑wife reported distress and property damage, including a broken laptop and plates. The defendant had produced a hammer and broken items after a disagreement earlier that day. He then left the house, but returned and locked himself and one of his children in the bathroom, closing the door on the wife's friend. Gardaí entered, seized the child and arrested the defendant. The wife was kicked in the head, legs and body, suffering sore ribs. The couple are now divorced and co‑parenting. The judge, citing the seriousness of the offence and the presence of children, sentenced the defendant to one and a half years' imprisonment, suspended in full, and ordered six months' probation supervision.
Edward Farrell, 49, admitted to possessing €2,173,920 worth of cannabis for sale or supply, with 105 kg found in a white Ford Transit van outside his Knocklyon home and an additional 15 kg in three black bin bags transported to Mountain Park, Tallaght. Gardaí also seized signed Oasis memorabilia, expensive whiskey, designer trainers, a disguised stun gun, drug paraphernalia including a vacuum‑packing machine, weighing scales and a mobile phone used for encrypted drug‑distribution messages. Surveillance captured Farrell moving the bin bags into a BMW X5 and then to a BMW 3 Series, where co‑accused Kevin Murphy, 41, was met. Murphy, who pleaded guilty to 15 kg of cannabis, was sentenced to four years earlier this year. Farrell, who has 32 prior convictions and claims to be on social welfare and HAP assistance, will be sentenced on 22 July.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 6 June 2024, Cedric Ingle, aged 50, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for assault causing harm after putting his 91‑year‑old father, Christopher Ingle, in a headlock on 4 April 2020. The incident occurred at the father's Glenageary home, where the father was shaking and had cuts on his hands. Ingle had previously been convicted 19 times and had a history of drug use, including cannabis and heroin. He pleaded guilty, and the court noted that the offence took place in the victim's own home, that the victim was elderly and vulnerable, and that the assault was not intended to cause serious injury but was an attempt to seize the father's keys. The judge, Elma Sheahan, considered the guilty plea and Ingle's lack of recent Garda attention as mitigating factors, but found the custodial threshold met, resulting in the sentence described above.
In a High Court decision on 6 June 2024, Mr Justice Micheal P O'Higgins reduced a two‑month suspension imposed on veterinary surgeon William McCartney to one month, finding the original sanction "unduly severe." The case arose after McCartney, owner of North Dublin Animal Hospital, operated on the left hind leg of a golden retriever named Alfie instead of the right leg as originally planned. He failed to inform the owner, who had come with her children, of the change and did not arrange a colleague to meet her or telephone her to explain the decision. The owner, believing the wrong leg had been operated on, was traumatised and later sought a second opinion. McCartney offered a goodwill gesture of no charge for the right‑leg surgery, which the owner declined. He had accepted responsibility for mistakes but denied professional misconduct.
Karen Harrington, who argued that her privacy rights were breached during the investigation into the murder of two-year-old Santina Cawley, is to remain serving her life sentence after failing in a bid to have her conviction overturned at the Court of Appeal. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy stated that the court has consistently held that individuals do not have an expectation of privacy while moving through public spaces. The CCTV footage from Clanrickarde Estate, which was central to the trial, was deemed relevant and admissible. Ms Justice Kennedy noted that no issue was raised at trial regarding the admissibility of memoranda of interview and that the defence had sought specific extracts of the footage to be played to the jury. The court dismissed the appeal, stating that the footage was harvested from commercial and private sources and did not concern the mass retention of data. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised. Santina Cawley, who is to remain serving her life sentence after failing in a bid to have her conviction overturned, was the victim of the murder. Elaine O'Hara, who is an applicant in the case, has no charges, plea, finding, sentence or finalisation associated with her in this case.
In a rape trial, a young woman who claims she was raped by a taxi driver in his vehicle denies any suggestion that the sexual activity was consensual. The accused, in his early fifties, has pleaded not guilty to rape and anal rape of this woman and denies a charge of rape involving a second woman. The complainant testified that after finishing work on 25 June 2022 she drank heavily, left a bar, and later found herself in a taxi where she was allegedly forced into sexual acts. She described being dazed, having no memory of the events, and being forced into anal rape. She stated she did not consent to any sexual interaction and was unaware of the driver's identity. The defense counsel argued that the complainant had voluntarily entered the taxi and that any sexual activity was consensual, claims the complainant rejects. The trial continues.
The High Court appointed Dessie Morrow and Diarmuid Guthrie of Azets as provisional liquidators for Passage Healthcare International (Ireland) Limited, the operator of Lucan Lodge and Sally Park nursing homes. The judge confirmed the company was insolvent and unable to meet its debts. The firm's difficulties were largely attributed to the Covid‑19 pandemic, which lowered occupancy and raised costs. Passage had entered examinership hoping to secure a rescue plan, but the examiner failed to obtain the necessary investment, leading to the collapse of that process. Lucan Lodge is now run by the HSE, which is paying 92 staff members while arranging alternative care for residents. Sally Park ceased operations in February after HIQA raised fire‑safety concerns; the facility's registration was cancelled and over 40 employees were made redundant. The company's board resolved to wind up, and the liquidators will manage assets, creditors, and lease issues, with the HSE and Revenue supporting the appointment.
In a court hearing on 5 June 2024, Caitriona Shaw, 42, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to two counts of invoice redirect fraud in March 2020. Shaw's bank account, previously holding €55, received over €170,000 from Cembrit Ireland and Circle K after fraudulent emails altered bank details. The Bank of Ireland froze her account, recovering most of the money, but Circle K lost €18,180. Shaw had no prior convictions and had not attracted Garda attention before or after the offence. She was described by Judge Pauline Codd as a "mere money mule" and was given a fully‑suspended three‑year sentence, with the judge noting her vulnerable circumstances and lack of benefit from the offence. The sentence was suspended in full for three years. The case highlighted the use of innocent individuals to facilitate illicit transfers.
A taxi driver in his fifties has gone on trial in Dublin for the rape of two young women in separate incidents in 2022 and 2023. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one of anal rape. Prosecutor Gerardine Small said each woman had been socialising in the city centre, met friends for drinks, and later found themselves in a taxi where they alleged they were raped. The driver denies the allegations, claiming any sexual contact was consensual. The trial is before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
In a 2024 Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Paralympic cyclist Martin Gordon claimed that La Maison, a French bistro in Dublin, discriminated against him and his family because he had his guide dog, Juno, with them on 14 January 2023. Gordon, his partner Louise Byrne, and their nine‑year‑old daughter had been denied indoor seating three times, allegedly because the restaurant's policy had changed from dog‑friendly to prohibiting dogs inside. Witness testimony, including CCTV footage, was presented by both parties. The restaurant's barrister argued that the dog was not visible to staff and that the policy applied to all dogs. After the hearing, the tribunal announced that the parties had reached an agreement, and the case was withdrawn. No further legal action was described.
In a 2016 hijacking, 29‑year‑old Ryan Cannon stabbed a taxi driver seven times, leaving the victim severely injured and bleeding on a road. The driver, who had parked outside a McDonald's in Airside Retail Park, was attacked after two men entered his cab. Cannon forced the driver to drive, then stabbed him while the driver tried to escape. The cab was later found burnt out in Balbriggan. Cannon, who had previously been convicted of drug and public‑order offences, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. The court, noting the victim's extensive injuries and the use of a knife, imposed a four‑year prison sentence on Cannon, with no part of the sentence suspended. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the victim's forgiveness, but did not reduce the custodial term. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Leroy Roche Dumbrell, 37, of Griffith Rath Hall, Maynooth, Co Kildare, was sentenced to three years in prison for assault causing harm after attacking a man in Dublin City Centre on 30 August 2022. The victim, who had a deep facial cut and other injuries, later died, but the death was unrelated to the assault. CCTV identified Dumbrell as the assailant. He has 81 prior convictions, including serious offences such as setting a woman on fire and a prison brawl. He was charged in September 2023, spent months in custody, and was granted bail on strict conditions in December. A urine test showed cannabis and benzodiazepines. Judge Jonathan Dunphy imposed a headline sentence of four and a half years, reduced to three years, and suspended the final 12 months on the condition that Dumbrell engage with the Probation Service for two years after release. Roche Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 31 May 2024, a 28‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on the condition that he attend alcohol‑addiction treatment. He had previously received a four‑year suspended sentence for assaults on his wife. The court considered that the defendant's breach of a protection order—kicking in his wife's front door, causing criminal damage, and driving off in her car—was aggravated by his prior history and the domestic violence context. Judge Pauline Codd set headline sentences of five years for the criminal damage and ten months for the breach of the court order, but imposed a four‑year custodial term, suspending the last two years. The sentence was back‑dated to November 2023 and the court ordered two years of post‑release supervision. The unnamed 28-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 35‑year‑old chronic drug abuser with 153 prior convictions was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended for three years, for a degrading sexual assault and robbery at a Luas stop in Dublin 12 on 26 January 2023. The court heard that the victim was forced to undress, had her legs held open, and was searched inside her vagina by a female co‑accused while the defendant held her down. The victim's €200 was taken, she suffered injuries, and a local man intervened with a golf club. The defendant, who has no prior sexual convictions, was described as having mental health problems and schizophrenia. The judge noted the assault was part of a robbery and set the headline sentence at six years, but ultimately imposed the suspended term. The victim remains in treatment and has experienced severe trauma and relapse into drug use. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, SuperValu dismissed Szymon Oasidrowski for alleged gross misconduct, claiming he had slept while clocked in and used coins from a "take‑a‑penny" tray to pay for food. Oasidrowski, who had worked for Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland Ltd for over a decade, was accused of 13 separate breaches in March and April 2023, including staying in the canteen for up to two hours while still clocked in and failing to pay for items such as bread rolls and soup. He also allegedly used customer coins from the tray to purchase items. The company's disciplinary officer, Lynne McManus, admitted there was no written policy on staff use of the tray, but stated staff could use it only when clocked out and not for the full amount of a purchase.
A 41‑year‑old Dublin man was given a fully suspended two‑year sentence for assaulting his former wife over a decade ago. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm, with other assault counts considered; the State dropped the remaining charges. The judge noted the victim was isolated and the man's bullying and dominant behaviour caused fear and violence, including throwing sharp objects that left a scar. He was ordered to cooperate with the Probation Service, attend therapeutic and domestic violence courses, and have no contact with the former partner except for childcare arrangements. If he breaches any condition or re‑offends, the sentence will be reactivated. The couple, now divorced, share custody of their child, and the man has expressed remorse and is engaged in psychiatric care.
Thomas Kane, 29, of Ard Mor Drive, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and cocaine with intent to sell or supply on 10 June 2020. Gardaí obtained a warrant and searched his apartment, finding more than 30 g of cocaine and 47.5 g of cannabis in the hot press, an additional 10 g in the kitchen, and almost 3 kg of cannabis in two Adidas bags in a bin marked with his apartment number. The drugs were valued at €60,946 for cannabis and €2,149 for cocaine. Kane claimed he kept the drugs to protect his brother, an addict with a drug debt, from threats to his life. The court accepted this explanation. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Kane to five years, which she suspended in full on a number of conditions.
Gerard O'Brien, 59, a former Circuit Court judge, was sentenced to five years and nine months' imprisonment, with 21 months suspended, for one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault against six young men. The offences, committed while he was a teacher at CBC Monkstown between 1991 and 1997, involved victims aged 17 to 24, four of whom were students or former students. O'Brien pleaded not guilty, resigned as a judge in January 2024, and had his sentencing hearing postponed twice. The judge noted O'Brien's age, disability and psychological vulnerability, but also highlighted his misuse of disability to exploit victims, lack of remorse, and predatory behaviour. O'Brien will serve the custodial term, be subject to a two‑year post‑release supervision order, and his conviction was deemed to show he was unsuitable to hold judicial office.
A man who was apprehended taking photographs in a female toilet cubicle at Dublin Airport has been convicted and sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Arthur Fiks, aged 47, admitted assault causing harm and possession of child sexual abuse material following an incident at Terminal One on 28 June 2022. A woman discovered a mobile phone positioned beneath her cubicle door and retrieved it. When she emerged, Fiks attempted to reclaim the device, and during the altercation pulled hair from her scalp. Gardaí subsequently found over 300 child abuse images stored across multiple phones in his possession, including material depicting children aged between one and thirteen. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Fiks to three and a half years imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended. The sentence was backdated to June 2022, when he entered custody. He was ordered to register as a sex offender and to leave the jurisdiction upon release. The court heard Fiks had recently arrived from Poland and had been employed as a farm worker in County Monaghan before losing his position.
The High Court has ordered the arrest of Glen Oglesby for alleged contempt of court following his refusal to vacate an ESB substation in Dublin city centre. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted the order after the ESB, represented by John Punch SC, alleged that Oglesby had failed to comply with earlier orders to remove his caravan from the Gloucester Place Upper site. The ESB claims the property is unsafe for habitation, while Oglesby disputes this, stating he has nowhere else to go. Although Oglesby previously promised the court he would leave and arrange for the removal of his possessions, he allegedly placed a lock on the site gate, preventing ESB access. The judge found Oglesby in contempt of court and directed the Gardaí to arrest him, while expressing hope that the matter could be resolved without committal to prison. Separately, the ESB has brought trespass proceedings against Paul Oglesby, Glen's brother. However, Glen Oglesby told the court that Paul does not reside on the site, and the plaintiff did not seek an order for Paul's attachment. The case was heard at the hearing_or_decision stage.
The High Court dismissed a secondary school student's claim that the Leaving Certificate Mandarin Chinese marking scheme discriminates against those who use traditional Chinese characters. The student, a Taiwanese-born learner taught in traditional characters, alleged that exam markers would refuse to accept traditional characters and that the curriculum required simplified characters, thereby disadvantaging him. He also claimed the Minister for Education had unlawfully consulted with the Chinese Ministry of Education and that the Chinese Embassy was drawing up the curriculum. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Garrett Simons, rejected all allegations, stating the student failed to show the marking scheme breached the 1998 Education Act. The judge noted that traditional characters are not deemed incorrect, that the marking scheme allocates only 15‑20% of marks to written Mandarin, and that all candidates are assessed objectively against the same syllabus and marking scheme. The respondents denied any flaw or discrimination in the examination.
During a Workplace Relations Commission hearing on a disability discrimination complaint by Brendan Ogle against Unite, senior Unite officer Tom Fitzgerald testified that including Ogle's name in an organisational chart would have been "controversial" because it could be seen as suggesting his duties. Fitzgerald explained that he had been promoted to regional coordinating officer while Ogle was on sick leave and that he had been told by line manager Jackie Pollock that Ogle did not want to work in Dundalk. Fitzgerald said he understood Ogle would remain a regional industrial officer but work from Dublin. He denied that Ogle had been told by Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham that he was excluded from a Republic of Ireland plan, and stated that the organisational chart presented on 20 December 2022 did not include Ogle. The hearing concluded with the case adjourned for closing arguments on 18 June.
The Central Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Diarmuid Phelan, a senior barrister accused of the murder of Keith Conlon. Phelan, 55, is charged with killing Conlon, 36, at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght on February 22, 2022. Conlon died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. The trial, originally scheduled to begin before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford, was delayed until October 7. Defence counsel Sean Guerin SC requested the adjournment, stating the case was not ready to proceed from the defence perspective. The prosecution, represented by Sean Gillane SC, expressed disappointment at the late application but did not oppose it. Ms Justice Lankford expressed considerable reluctance to delay the matter, noting the case had been listed for 18 months. She ordered a progress report on July 22 to ensure the trial proceeds in October. Phelan, who was present in court, was remanded on continuing bail until October. His bail was previously granted by the Court of Appeal after the High Court initially refused it, requiring two bonds of €50,000 each from Phelan and his sister.
Anthony Walker, a 54-year-old taxi driver, was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to concurrent terms of five years' imprisonment on two charges of possessing a firearm and five rounds of ammunition. Walker pleaded guilty to possessing a .38″ special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and ammunition on November 23, 2021. Mr Justice Paul Burns suspended the final 18 months of each sentence for three years, during which Walker must engage with probation services. The judge described Walker as a "psychologically vulnerable" man who acted in a "moment of madness" while transporting the weapon for Ryan Kelly. Kelly, who pleaded guilty to possessing the same firearm and ammunition, was jailed for six years in January for his role in a "sophisticated enterprise." Walker was intercepted by armed gardaí after receiving the gun from Kelly, who was arrested separately with three other men. The court noted Walker's history of abuse, mental health issues, and remorse, deeming him a good candidate for rehabilitation despite his involvement in a larger plan. Walker's counsel highlighted his lack of prior serious convictions and his fear for his family if he named others involved.
Gerard O'Brien, a former Circuit Court judge aged 59, had his sentencing hearing for attempted rape and sexual abuse of six young men adjourned to Friday. He was convicted in December at the Central Criminal Court of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six victims, all of whom were aged 17 to 24 at the time of the offences, which took place in Dublin between March 1991 and November 1997. O'Brien, who taught at CBC Monkstown and was aged 27 to 33 during the incidents, pleaded not guilty to all allegations. He had no prior convictions and resigned from the judiciary in January after being appointed in 2015. The court noted his rare congenital condition, Phocomelia, caused by Thalidomide, which left him without upper limbs and missing a lower limb, requiring assistance with daily tasks.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing hearing for Aaron Brady, who murdered Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, and the related proceedings concerning Brady's alleged campaign of witness intimidation during his 2020 trial. The court was also scheduled to hear evidence on Dean Byrne, who denies conspiring with Brady to pervert the course of justice. Mr Justice Paul Burns announced that the verdict on Byrne is not yet ready and adjourned both matters to 14 June. Byrne, aged 30, is accused of conspiring with Brady in Mountjoy Prison between 8 April and 22 June 2020 to persuade prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Brady's murder trial, an act intended to pervert the course of justice. Byrne pleaded not guilty. Brady, aged 33, was previously convicted of Donohoe's murder in 2013 and has pleaded guilty to a 2020 charge of recording a witness interview to pervert the course of justice.
During a sixth day of the Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Brendan Ogle's disability discrimination complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 was heard. Ogle, who returned to work after treatment for throat cancer, accused Unite of failing to provide reasonable accommodation, victimisation and harassment. Senior Unite officer Tom Fitzgerald testified that he was not involved in any plan to remove Ogle. Fitzgerald denied that he had told Ogle that Unite's new general secretary Sharon Graham had directed him to exclude Ogle from a new strategy for Ireland. He said he had no record of such a meeting and that any whiteboard drawings were made by Ogle. Ogle's allegations were based on emails and a Facebook post by his wife. The tribunal will adjourn to tomorrow morning for cross‑examination of Fitzgerald.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former Unite boss Mandy La Combre testified that her husband Brendan Ogle's Facebook post on 11 September 2022 criticised the union and was intended to pre‑empt "trolling" from council water workers upset over an industrial agreement. La Combre said she feared a repeat of earlier online harassment and wanted to "put it to bed." She claimed Ogle had been "frozen out of staff and activist meetings" and that a move to a reduced role in Dundalk had been attempted. The union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, had spoken at a conference about "lies" on social media, prompting Ogle to issue legal proceedings against Woodhouse for defamation. Unite's counsel argued that La Combre's post was a "hand grenade" and that the Irish Examiner had published her contact details. The tribunal heard that Ogle's lawyers failed to secure a summons of Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, as a witness.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to review its recruitment policy and pay €1,000 to Anthony Cummins for age‑related discrimination. Cummins, a 22‑year veteran of part‑time relief cover at the National Drugs Treatment Centre, had his application for a permanent role rejected by an external recruiter who used software to filter candidates. The WRC found that the HSE's insistence on a Health Care Assistant (HCCA) Level 5 certification, which Cummins did not hold, amounted to indirect age discrimination. The HSE argued the requirement was well‑known and part of national frameworks, but the adjudicator noted that many experienced staff were kept in place without the qualification to keep centres open. Cummins had no complaints about his work or attendance, and the WRC directed the HSE to reconsider how prior learning and experience are weighed against formal qualifications.
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled it had no authority to decide a discrimination claim lodged by Emily Brady, a hearing‑impaired patron, against the Dublin restaurant 777 on George's Street. Brady alleged that the venue's sound system was "obscenely loud" and that staff refused to lower the volume when she requested it, claiming the music was part of the restaurant's vibe. She filed a complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000, stating she could not converse with friends and had to hand over orders. The restaurant's management, represented by JFR Ltd., denied the allegations, asserting the sound system automatically adjusted to the premises' busyness and would not interfere with conversation. The manager, Pepé Rodriguez, and waitress Christine Noguera denied that Brady had disclosed her disability, contrary to Brady's testimony. The adjudicator, David James Murphy, noted that the Equal Status Act's jurisdiction does not extend to licensed premises, and therefore the WRC could not rule on the matter.
Enterprise, a vehicle‑rental group, was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay €10,000 to Bernadette Ryan after she claimed gender discrimination. Ryan, who had been promoted to assistant depot manager at ERAC Ireland Ltd (trading as Enterprise Flex‑E‑Rent), was told her salary would be €39,000‑€40,000. She later learned that the actual increase was only 10 %, bringing her pay to just over €34,000, and that her working hours would rise from 28 to 40 per week. Ryan had previously earned €31,000 part‑time. She felt humiliated and forced to return to her old role. The tribunal found that Ryan and two male comparators performed similar work, but the pay difference was not justified except for gender. Enterprise's defence that the comparators had more responsibility was rejected. The adjudicator ordered the company to compensate Ryan €10,000 for the discrimination she experienced.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) reported a 201% rise in whistleblower complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act, with 301 cases filed last year compared to 96 in 2022, marking the first time statutory complaints exceeded 100. Amendments effective January 2023 now require private sector organisations with 250 or more staff to establish formal reporting channels, and extend protection to volunteers, trainees, shareholders, board members and job applicants. The law shifts the burden of proof to respondents, who must disprove a link between penalisation and a protected disclosure. The WRC's annual report noted 4,727 inspections, 2,221 breaches, and €1,950,601 in unpaid wages recovered, including €565,409 from food‑service businesses. The WRC's director‑general highlighted the year as the first full year of normal services since 2019 and praised staff for high standards of delivery. The report also highlighted emerging trends that will shape future workplans.
Mark McMorrow, a 27‑year‑old law graduate and former religious youth leader, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with the final six months suspended, for defiling and sexually exploiting a 16‑year‑old girl, Sophia Doyle, in Dublin between September and December 2020. McMorrow pleaded guilty to defilement, sexual exploitation and communicating with a child for exploitation. Doyle, now 19, waived anonymity to name him. The court noted McMorrow was 22 when the offences began and that he had been a leader in a faith‑based youth group where Doyle was a member. He had communicated with her via social media and Discord, and had invited her to his home and other locations. Doyle's victim impact statement highlighted McMorrow's position of power and betrayal of trust. The judge imposed conditions preventing McMorrow from contacting Doyle or the Community of Nazareth, and barred him from using Discord. No prior convictions were recorded.