Maurice O'Carroll, a 63‑year‑old former Garda from Co. Wexford, was sentenced to two years in prison for harassing and threatening to kill an ex‑wife's solicitor and his wife between December 2019 and September 2020. He sent the solicitor five letters, one to the solicitor's wife accusing her husband of gambling, cheating, genocide, gun‑running and arms dealing, and another demanding she choose a child to die. The final letter contained a live and a spent bullet. O'Carroll also threatened the solicitor's children, saying they would be targeted and suffer great pain. He represented himself at trial, pleaded guilty, and offered a letter of apology and €20,000, which the victims declined. Judge Sarah Berkeley noted his low risk of re‑offending, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final year suspended, and ordered him to refrain from contacting the victims for five years. The unnamed accused was found guilty.
Matthew Grogan, 26, of Applewood Village, Swords, was jailed for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property, trespassing, criminal damage, driving without insurance and two counts of dangerous driving. The offences occurred between 22 and 23 September 2021 in County Louth and County Dublin. Grogan had stolen a taxi, reported it to the gardai, and then drove the vehicle at speeds up to 170 km/h, running red lights, weaving through lanes, passing a toll plaza and nearly colliding with an unmarked garda car. The pursuit involved armed gardai from the Armed Support Unit, Louth and Dublin. He was arrested in the Swords area, was intoxicated at the time of arrest, and later described the night as a "blur". Grogan has 64 prior convictions, including burglary and assault, and will be released in June 2026. The court noted his addiction issues and that he has two children.
Dwayne Stacey, 36, was sentenced to 32 months in prison for attempting to rob a cash‑in‑transit guard while riding an e‑scooter on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. On 18 November 2023, Stacey approached a Brinks van and threatened the guard, shouting, "Stop or I'll blow your fucking head off." The guard locked himself inside the van and triggered the panic alarm. Stacey struck the van with a hammer and was later found to have used a hammer that was seized from two addresses. CCTV confirmed his identity. The guard suffered no physical injuries and no victim impact statement was filed. Stacey has 17 prior convictions, including assault, robbery and burglary, and has been in custody since his arrest on 28 November. The judge noted his "terrible history" but also that no actual violence was used, and the sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody.
In May 2022, 64‑year‑old Victor Akinlade was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of violent disorder, assault causing harm and production of a baseball bat. He received five years for violent disorder, four years for assault and four years for the bat, all concurrent. Akinlade pleaded not guilty and claimed he never struck Garda Jonathan Ryan, alleging his injuries were self‑inflicted. He argued he acted in defence under Section 18 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. In the Court of Appeal, his lawyer argued the sentence was excessive and that mitigating factors had been overlooked. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham, who said the judge had considered all circumstances and the sentence lay within the available range. No changes to the five‑year term were made.
Gerard Mackin, with a previous address at Rhebogue Road in Limerick, has failed in his appeal against a three-and-a-half year sentence for money laundering. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge on May 7th, 2024. Mackin had pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing €4,780 as proceeds of criminal conduct, found wrapped in bubble wrap alongside two mobile phones, one capable of data encryption. His counsel argued the sentence was excessive and that insufficient credit had been given for his guilty plea, work history, and personal circumstances. However, Mr Justice John Edwards found the Special Criminal Court was entitled to consider Mackin's involvement in crime as significant rather than peripheral. The judge noted Mackin had provided false explanations regarding the money's source and rejected arguments that the 25 per cent reduction afforded was inadequate. The appeal against the severity of sentence was accordingly dismissed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 May 2024, two men, Gavin Mangan (47) of Bracken Close, Balbriggan, and Owen Kelly (37) of Seville Place, Dublin 1, were sentenced for a burglary that took place on 20 August 2022. The pair entered an elderly man's home armed with an imitation firearm and a meat cleaver, demanding money and taking €850 in cash. The victim was described as profoundly affected and fearing for his life during the incident. Mangan, who has 93 prior convictions, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. Kelly, with 87 prior convictions, received a sentence of eight years, with the final year suspended under a number of conditions. Both men have long‑standing drug addictions and were in custody before sentencing. The court noted their difficult childhoods and the presence of CCTV footage of the robbery. The combined jail term for the two offenders totals fourteen‑and‑a‑half years. Gavin Mangan pleaded guilty. Owen Kelly pleaded guilty.
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey of the High Court ruled that up to a dozen persons alleged to be unlawfully occupying a four-storey building on James Street, Dublin 8, must vacate the property by May 29. Developer Sumberry Limited, which purchased the former music shop in 2021 for €800,000, brought proceedings against the occupants, claiming they had no valid tenancies or leases and were trespassing. The plaintiff sought injunctions to restrain occupation and prevent access obstruction, citing health and safety concerns. Ms Jem Cleaver, representing herself, disputed some claims regarding the building's condition and service of documents but accepted she had no entitlement to reside there. She requested time to find alternative accommodation due to the housing crisis. The judge granted a stay on the mandatory vacate orders until May 29 to allow residents to make arrangements. Mr Stephen Bedford, a named defendant alleged to have been seen at the property, was not present in court. Ms Cleaver stated Mr Bedford did not reside at the building. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this month.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Garda Commissioner's appeal against a lower court's refusal to allow a video clip, alleged to contain pornographic material, to be used in a disciplinary investigation against Garda Patrick Hyland. The Court of Appeal had ruled that material obtained under a lawful search warrant could not be used in disciplinary proceedings, reversing an earlier High Court decision that had allowed it. Hyland, who denies wrongdoing, claims he forwarded the clip to a WhatsApp group without viewing it, later realizing it was a clip of a fully clothed male teenager and a female in a potentially suggestive position. The investigation led to a search of Hyland's home, seizure of devices, and a suspension that was later lifted. Hyland sought to prevent further disciplinary action, arguing the use of the material breached his privacy and the 2018 Data Protection Act.
Niall Colgan, 39, a former senior civil servant at the Department of Justice, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, including two indecent videos and two indecent images of children. The videos, one 1 minute 32 seconds long of a pre‑teen girl and another 1 minute 9 seconds long of a boy under ten, were category one material; the images were category two. Colgan admitted ownership of an iPhone from which the material was found after a Garda search on 1 February 2022. He was suspended from his role, resigned, and later faced a court hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year prison sentence fully suspended on strict conditions, with Colgan to be on the sex offenders register for five years. The court noted his good character, family support, and low risk of re‑offending, while also acknowledging the harassment he endured following the case.
The Special Criminal Court rejected arguments that the charge against Dean Byrne should be dismissed. Byrne, 30, from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, is accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady, the convicted garda killer, to persuade prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence at Brady's murder trial. The court found that, at its highest, the prosecution case could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Byrne conspired with Brady between April 8, 2020 and June 22, 2020 while both were in Mountjoy Prison's D‑wing. Byrne allegedly used a smartphone to disseminate Cahill's garda statement and recruited members of Cahill's family to discourage him from testifying. The court will hear closing arguments tomorrow before delivering a verdict. The case remains ongoing.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, 53‑year‑old Anthony Walker, a taxi driver, admitted possessing a loaded .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on 23 November 2021. He claimed he was unaware the item was a gun, saying he had only realised during the trip that it was a firearm. Walker said he had been instructed by 25‑year‑old Ryan Kelly, who had been jailed for a sophisticated enterprise, to deliver the weapon. Walker's contact with Kelly had lasted 18 months, and he had exchanged texts such as "I'll be there" and "send me the number, nearly there." Walker has eight prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and is described by counsel as a vulnerable individual with Tourette's, ADHD and OCD. The court adjourned sentencing to 29 May and remanded Walker in custody. The prosecution will decide whether to charge him with participation in a criminal organisation. Ryan Kelly pleaded guilty.
A 17‑year‑old charged with the murder of gunman Tristan Sherry, who shot and killed Jason Hennessy Senior on 24 December 2023, was granted bail after appealing a High Court refusal. The Court of Appeal upheld the refusal of bail for two other men, David Amah (18) and Michael Andrecut (22), who were also charged with Sherry's murder. The teenager's bail is subject to conditions such as staying away from named individuals, observing a curfew from 11 am to 7 pm, surrendering his passport, signing on twice a week and residing at a specified address. Amah and Andrecut remain in custody because the court found their flight risk significant and could not be mitigated by bail conditions. The court noted that the entire incident was captured on CCTV, giving the defendants full knowledge of the case against them.
The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Nicole Doyle, a former administrator at Astronomy Ireland, €2,153.88 in compensation for employment rights breaches. Doyle, who worked in Ballycoolin, Dublin 11, between July 2022 and February 2023, alleged that the organisation failed to provide written contractual statements as required by the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994. She claimed her financial responsibilities were removed after she questioned the legality of certain operations and that she was subjected to a non-disclosure agreement. Astronomy Ireland failed to enter an appearance before the tribunal in February. Adjudicating officer Roger McGrath found that the burden of proof lay with the employer to disprove the claims, which it failed to do due to its absence. The adjudicator upheld all three complaints, finding breaches regarding the failure to provide a core written statement within five days, a more expansive statement within 30 days, and written notification of changes to terms. Doyle was accompanied by Sonya Martin, her former line manager, who stated she witnessed similar grievances and is pursuing her own workplace rights claim. The decision resulted in an award of four weeks' pay as compensation for the established breaches.
Andy Cash, 26, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to three mandatory terms of life imprisonment for the murders of his siblings, 18-year-old Lisa Cash and eight-year-old twins Christy and Chelsea Cawley. Cash pleaded guilty to all three counts of murder, which occurred at their family home in Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin 24, in the early hours of September 4, 2022. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a life sentence for each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. The sentences were backdated to September 4, 2022, when Cash entered custody. During the hearing, Detective Garda Robert Whitty testified that the scene was one of "carnage," with post-mortem examinations revealing 71 injuries to Lisa Cash, 107 to Christy Cawley, and 65 to Chelsea Cawley. A victim impact statement from the family described the loss as devastating. Defense counsel Brendan Grehan SC conveyed Cash's apology for his actions. The judge noted the evidence was deeply traumatising and stated that his function was to impose the only applicable sentence for such appalling circumstances. The matter was concluded with the imposition of these concurrent life sentences.
In a High Court hearing on 3 May 2024, Glen Oglesby claimed he had been living in a caravan on the ESB's Gloucster Place Upper substation site in Dublin 1 and said he had "nowhere else to go." He warned that if forced to leave, he might end up in homeless shelters or turn to drugs. Oglesby said local residents had not objected to his presence and admitted ownership of a Doberman Pinscher on the site. He also stated that the ESB had previously brought proceedings against his brother, Paul Oglesby, who he said was not the person residing there. The ESB's counsel argued that the person on the site was Paul, not Glen, and requested that Glen be added as a defendant. Judge Mark Sanfey agreed to add Glen to the action, adjourned the case to a later date in the month, and urged him to prepare a response.
Tie Yuen Seng, a 46‑year‑old Malaysian man with no fixed abode, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison for smuggling two women into Ireland and for possessing fraudulent travel documents. He pleaded guilty to two counts of people smuggling and two counts of possessing fraudulent documents. On 2 September 2023, Seng arrived at Dublin Airport from Italy, claiming he was on holiday. Immigration officers searched his bags and found two Taiwanese passports that matched the two women who had travelled on the same flight and who presented at immigration control claiming no documentation and seeking asylum. Seng admitted he was paid to transport the women and that he had been offered a job in an Irish factory in return. He said he had fled Malaysia after a criminal gang pressured him and his sister, and had lived illegally in Italy for several years.
Patrick Doran, 35, who fled Ireland in 2012 and lived abroad for 14 years, obtained an Irish passport under a false name in an attempt to "break the cycle of criminal offending," according to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Doran, who has 163 prior convictions—most for traffic offences—had no further convictions since leaving the country. He pleaded guilty to providing false and misleading information when applying for the passport on 13 September 2017. Gardaí discovered his passport during an investigation linked to another individual who supplied his details, and Doran was later arrested in New Zealand, extradited, and returned to Ireland voluntarily in November 2023. His wife and four children attended court. In his plea, his defence argued that Doran sought a fresh start and had established a business abroad. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years, backdated to his November 2023 arrest, emphasizing the seriousness of tampering with passport identity.
Raider Ian Byrne, 41, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for an attempted robbery. The court heard that on November 15, 2022, Byrne allegedly attempted to rob John Brereton of Brereton's Jewellers on Capel Street while the victim, aged in his 70s, was opening the shop. Prosecutors stated Byrne was armed with a butcher's knife, but Mr. Brereton used a shutter pole to force him to back off. Byrne had previously pleaded guilty to one count of robbing a post office on Dorset Street, Dublin 7, and one count of possessing an imitation firearm on November 1, 2022. For those admitted offences, he was jailed for 21 months last December. In his defence, counsel Emmet Nolan BL described Byrne as a single man living with his mother who had an excellent work history until a knee injury led to drug addiction and debt. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Byrne was in desperate need of money but noted the seriousness of the offence involving a knife and an elderly victim. The judge handed down a sentence of two and a half years, to start from the date of sentencing.
A man from Ballinamore, Co Leitrim has been acquitted of dangerous driving following an incident at the Russian Embassy in Dublin two years ago. Desmond Wisley, aged 51, faced trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges of dangerous driving and criminal damage after reversing a truck into the embassy gates on Orwell Road, Rathgar on 7 March 2022. The jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict on the dangerous driving charge. However, jurors were unable to reach agreement on the criminal damage count. Judge Elva Duffy adjourned proceedings on the criminal damage charge until 16 May and remanded Mr Wisley on continuing bail. During the five-day trial, the court heard evidence that the gates required reconstruction at a cost of €13,250. Mr Wisley had acted in protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mohamed Mohamud Mohamed, 26, was sentenced for a 90‑second attempted rape and sexual assault that occurred on 12 November 2022 at a Dublin city‑centre bar. He followed a woman to the bar's isolated toilets, where he tried to rape her and asked her why she was screaming, saying "I am saying please." The victim's impact statement described how the attack left her unable to scream or use a high‑pitched voice for months, and how the fear of using a toilet has persisted. Mohamed pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. Judge Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of seven years for attempted rape and four years for sexual assault, with the two sentences running concurrently for a total of five years and six months. He also ordered four years of post‑release supervision to protect the public.
In a High Court sentencing hearing, 19‑year‑old Joshua Doolan was convicted of aggravated sexual assault after he violently attacked a 43‑year‑old woman on a Dublin suburban street. The judge described the offence as "very disturbing" and noted the victim's testimony that the assault "irreversibly altered the course" of her life. Doolan, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to seven years' custody with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim and to be supervised by Probation Services for three years after release. The judge highlighted mitigating factors such as Doolan's age, his diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, and his willingness to engage with counselling and probation services. The victim's impact statement detailed the lasting psychological trauma and the profound loss of safety and freedom she experienced following the attack.
The Workplace Relations Commission adjourned a hearing concerning Brendan Ogle's complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 against trade union Unite. Ogle alleges he was sidelined in 2022 following his return from cancer treatment, claiming a directive from general secretary Sharon Graham excluded him from a new Ireland strategy. His legal team applied to compel Ms. Graham to attend for questioning, arguing her position that she is not amenable to Irish law is extraordinary given her role and the union's Irish operations. Unite's counsel countered that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction to compel her attendance and that her evidence is unnecessary, citing a previous decision by adjudicator Kevin Baneham which refused to summon witnesses not called by the respondent. Counsel also referenced a comparison involving Tim Cook to illustrate that senior executives need not attend for policy changes. Adjudicator Elizabeth Spelman stated she would issue her decision on the application in writing before the next scheduled date. The matter was adjourned until that decision is communicated, and no final determination was reached at this stage.
In a 2024 WRC ruling, the tribunal found that after PBR Restaurants Ltd was bought out of examinership in December 2019, the new management used the Covid‑19 pandemic to carry out a "blinkered, cynical" redundancy process that targeted founder Padraic Hanley and his three sons. The tribunal awarded Stephen Hanley €61,549 in total, including €46,385 for unfair dismissal, €13,800 statutory redundancy, €11,596 for a working‑time breach and €3,568 for a failure to provide written terms. His brothers David and Phillip received €20,000 and €30,000 respectively for unfair dismissal, while their father received €5,500 for a breach of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act but failed in his dismissal claim. The decision brought the total awards to the Hanley family to over €117,049, and PBR Restaurants Ltd was ordered to pay €130,318 to former employees who alleged unfair dismissal following the buyout.
Le Wang, 42, a taxi driver from Dundrum, was found guilty of harassing a Chinese student who had rented a room in his house. Between December 2022 and March 2023, Wang secretly filmed the student twice while she showered and attempted a third time when she discovered his phone hidden in a laundry basket. He threatened her with retaliation if she exposed the videos, sent harassing texts demanding she leave, and repeatedly tried to contact her via social media, culminating in 18 attempts before the harassment ceased on 11 March 2023. Gardaí seized his phone, uncovering the two videos and related screenshots. Wang had no prior convictions, cooperated with investigators, and was described as introverted with a low risk of reoffending. He was remanded in custody for two weeks pending sentencing on 16 May, where the judge will consider the case further.
The Special Criminal Court will decide next week whether to direct the acquittal of Dean Byrne, a 30‑year‑old from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, who is accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence at Brady's murder trial. Byrne's lawyers argue that he genuinely believed Cahill would perjure himself and that his motive was to prevent an injustice, requesting the court to direct an acquittal. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Lorcan Staines SC, counters that any attempt to persuade a witness not to give evidence is an attempt to pervert the course of justice, and that such concerns can be addressed by providing information to the Gardaí or the DPP. The case, which has been heard for two days, will be judged by the three‑judge panel on Tuesday.
In a High Court hearing, Kevin McCarthy and Wealth Options Trustees Ltd claim that a Tallaght pub was "completely stripped bare" of equipment, fixtures and fittings worth €250,000 after the departure of a previous tenant. The plaintiffs allege that MPK Bars Limited and its director Kevin O'Shea, who leased the premises from the former tenant in 2018, removed the items without consent. The pub, located at Tuansgate, Begard Square East, covers 1,450 square metres over two floors and a basement, and holds a seven‑day publican's licence. The removal allegedly occurred in late 2023, after the parties could not agree on a new lease. McCarthy says the loss of the equipment will cost €250,000 to replace and could jeopardise licence renewal in September. He seeks an injunction to restore the property and a return of the licence. The case was adjourned to a later date this month.
Darren Mulholland, 39, was jailed for three and a half years after driving a Ford Focus into a group of Indian and Pakistani men on School Road, Finglas, on 18 November 2019. The car struck one man, carrying him on the bonnet for five to ten metres before the vehicle crossed the green and left the scene. Mulholland, who was intoxicated and had been disqualified from driving for 15 years, pleaded guilty to endangerment and driving without insurance. Dashcam footage and a victim impact statement showed the injured party suffering soft‑tissue injuries and ongoing health problems attributed to the incident. The court found the attack was racially motivated and imposed the sentence, also extending Mulholland's driving disqualification to six years. The judge noted his addiction and mental‑health issues but considered them mitigating factors. The case was prosecuted by Diana Stuart BL and defended by Derek Cooney BL.
A 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for three counts of assault causing harm against his partner in a Dublin suburb between July and September 2023. The court heard that the defendant repeatedly attacked the woman, including on the day their baby died and after the funeral. He kicked her in the head and legs, threw bottles and plates, and hit her with a bottle of bleach. The victim fled but was tripped and fell, sustaining injuries that required hospital treatment. The defendant had 29 prior convictions, including assault and endangerment of the same woman. He pleaded guilty, denied the allegations during questioning, and has been in custody since his arrest on 16 September 2023. Judge Orla Crowe described the attacks as "nasty, heartless" and sentenced the defendant to three years on each count, to run concurrently and back‑dated to his custody date.
Kevin Murphy, 41, of Tallaght, admitted to possessing 15 kg of cannabis worth almost €300,000 after a delivery he expected to be a small package turned out to be large black bags. He pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply at his Mountain Park address on 20 February 2023. Gardaí Brian Foran described how a delivery was made in a BMW jeep, with other men transferring the bags into Murphy's vehicle. Thirty vacuum‑packed packages were seized, valued at €298,760. Murphy, who has seven prior convictions including three for assault, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment. The court noted his remorse, family tragedies, health issues, and recovery progress, and accepted that he was merely a transporter and holder, not the owner of the cannabis.
Dorothy Roe, 37, pleaded guilty to possession of proceeds of crime after authorities found €42,430 in cash in her car. She kept ledgers at home and owned a Hyundai with a concealed compartment, though she had no expertise to install it. Defence argued she acted as a "stooge" for others, motivated by a brother's drug debt and her own addiction. Gardaí had surveilled her following confidential tips, noting her visits to properties in Lucan and Clondalkin and a stop at Bluebell where the cash was seized. Roe admitted possession, expressed remorse, and cooperated. She has no prior convictions for this type of offence, receives social welfare, and is a carer for her son and mother. The case was adjourned to July 8 for a probation report.
Michael Tuzuka, 46, of Orchard Drive, Stamullen, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of using false instruments for counterfeit cheques totalling €98,250, lodged between March and April 2018 at branches of Permanent TSB in Drumcondra, Swords, Malahide, Ashbourne and Drogheda. Gardaí, alerted by Permanent TSB on 12 April 2018, identified Tuzuka on CCTV making the lodgements and later spotted him driving a Jaguar to another bank at about 1 am. The cheques were immediately flagged by bank software and frozen, so no loss was incurred. Tuzuka had 11 prior convictions, including theft and abusive behaviour, and had previously served a three‑year sentence during which he contracted TB. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, noting his cleverness but that he was defeated by the software. The court heard he had struggled to find work after release and was motivated by a desire to support his family.
Dean Byrne, 30, of Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, is on trial in the Special Criminal Court for conspiring with Aaron Brady in Mountjoy Prison to persuade prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence at Brady's murder trial. Byrne's defence, led by Padraig Dwyer SC, argues that Byrne genuinely believed Cahill would perjure himself and that any attempt to persuade Cahill was an attempt to secure justice, not to pervert it. Dwyer contends that the indictment is unclear and lacks evidence of wrongdoing, noting that Byrne and Brady were in prison while Cahill was in New York, making persuasion unlikely. Prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC counters that any interference by a private citizen, even with a benign motive, is an intentional act that interferes with public justice.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Sarah Berkeley adjourned the case of Martin Awoke, a 26‑year‑old from Tallaght, to July 8, giving him an opportunity to avoid prison by raising compensation for two victims who paid a total of €9,820 for student accommodation in Limerick. Awoke pleaded guilty on 12 August 2022 to handling the proceeds of crime, but the court noted his role was limited to allowing his bank account to be used; he had no involvement in the scheme itself. He had no prior convictions, had recently lost his job, and had cooperated with Gardaí. The judge directed a probation report and suggested Awoke find new employment to help pay the victims, who had lost money intended for their children's college. The judge emphasized that Awoke could choose to comply or go to custody, and requested payslips and documentation for the next hearing.
Sumberry Limited, owner of a four‑storey former music shop on James Street, Dublin 8, has filed High Court proceedings alleging that up to 12 people, including Mr Stephen Bedford, are unlawfully trespassing on the property. The company bought the building in 2021 for €800,000 and secured planning permission last year to convert it into 11 apartments. It claims the building, previously boarded up and unoccupied, has been occupied by unknown parties since January. Sumberry says none of the alleged occupants have permission or a lawful reason to be there and that the building lacks suitable residential facilities, including a working fire alarm system. The plaintiff seeks an injunction to restrain the defendants from occupying the property, to prevent them from blocking access, and to order them to vacate. The case will return to the High Court next week.
On the morning of a child's communion, shots were fired at Joanne Finnegan's mother's Dublin home, sparking heightened emotions. A woman from the opposing faction was later seen at a nearby Applegreen petrol station, where three women—Michelle Finnegan (38), Joanne Finnegan (37) and Caitlyn Donoghoe (22)—attacked her. They pulled her hair, dragged her down, kicked, punched and struck her head against the ground. CCTV footage was shown in court. The victim did not give a statement and was not seriously injured. Michelle and Joanne pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit violent disorder and violent disorder respectively; Donoghoe pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing mitigating circumstances, suspended the two‑year sentences for Michelle and Joanne in full and, under Section 100, decided Donoghoe would not receive a criminal record, adjourned her case to July 24 and ordered good behaviour until then.
Dominik Kaczmarek, 32, of Naas, Co Kildare, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at his then home address in Tallaght on April 24, 2023. The court heard that gardaí seized two kilos of cocaine from his car during a raid, but one kilo was allegedly 'inadvertently destroyed' by officers before analysis, resulting in charges based on the remaining one kilo. Judge Martin Nolan noted Kaczmarek's long history of addiction and that third parties had exploited this to use him for drug transport. The judge handed down a five and a half-year sentence, suspending the final year on a number of conditions. Kaczmarek has previous convictions, including a prior two-year sentence for a drug offence. His defence counsel highlighted his dysfunctional family life, drug addiction, and lack of financial benefit from the offence. The matter was finalised with this sentencing.
Omar Adbuqadir, 31, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for attempting to smuggle a Somalian journalist into Ireland. He gave her his wife's Swedish identity card, hoping she could enter Ireland via a flight from Madrid. An immigration officer at Dublin Airport noticed the card's photo did not match the woman's face, and her real identity documents were found after her luggage was searched. The journalist had paid about €2,800 to a man in Somalia, who connected her with Adbuqadir, and she has since been granted asylum in Ireland. Adbuqadir pleaded guilty to one count of people smuggling on 3 November last year. He has no prior convictions except minor traffic offences, and he has been in custody since entering the country. The judge accepted that he acted for "altruistic purposes" and back‑dated the sentence to the date he entered custody.
The ESB has brought High Court proceedings against Paul Oglesby, who it says unlawfully moved his caravan onto ESB property at Gloucester Place Upper in Dublin 1 in late February. The site is part of a Dublin city centre substation that includes a 38 KV and a 10 KV substation. The ESB claims Oglesby has no legal right to be there and has refused to leave despite signs directing him to vacate. In March, Oglesby approached ESB staff, accompanied by Gardaí, with a Doberman Pinscher and insisted he would not leave. The ESB says the area around the substation is unsafe for anyone other than trained staff and contains underground cables. The company seeks injunctions to force Oglesby to vacate, surrender possession, remove belongings, stop damaging the property and cease entering the lands. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted the ESB permission to serve short notice of the proceedings, and the case will return to court later this week.
In the trial of Dean Byrne, a 30‑year‑old from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, the prosecution is set to finish its evidence tomorrow. Byrne, who was in Mountjoy Prison when arrested on 8 October 2020, is accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Brady's 2020 murder trial. Byrne denied owning a mobile phone found in his cell and denied knowing Brady or Cahill. He claimed the phone belonged to a former inmate and that any video or audio messages on it were not made by him. Byrne also denied that a threat to harm Cahill was an attempt to pervert the course of justice. The prosecution alleges Byrne's actions were intended to influence Cahill's testimony. The case is before a three‑judge court, and the prosecution's evidence will conclude tomorrow. The trial remains ongoing. Dean Byrne pleaded guilty.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (26) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for perverting the course of justice and corruptly offering a gift to access Garda intelligence. The court heard that Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to attempting to destroy a mobile phone linked to a SIM card in Malahide on May 27, 2020, and to corruptly offering a gift to Lauryn McCann to influence her employment acts. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Fitzpatrick threw his phone into water during a raid, an act described as "crude but effective," though Gardaí salvaged the SIM card. This evidence linked him to messages with McCann, a former civilian employee who was jailed for two and a half years in November 2022 after admitting to corruptly agreeing to accept an inducement and disclosing Garda Pulse system files. McCann had sent approximately 70 photos to an individual referred to as "R" in exchange for cash. Fitzpatrick, who has 30 previous convictions, fled Ireland and was extradited via a European Arrest Warrant. The judge set a headline sentence of six years but reduced it to four years, with the final three months suspended, allowing for time spent in custody.
A 36‑year‑old man, already on bail for assaulting his former partner, was jailed for an additional 18 months after breaking into her home and attacking her again. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage, endangerment, assault and trespass for the January 2021 incident. The court noted his 79 prior convictions and that he had previously received a three‑year sentence with six months suspended. Judge James O'Donohue described the new assault as "very bad" and "traumatising," citing the victim's fear and PTSD. He imposed a one‑year‑six‑month sentence for endangerment to run consecutively to the sentence he is already serving, crediting him for six months already served. The judge ordered counselling during custody and for six months after release. The case highlighted the victim's ongoing trauma and the defendant's expressed remorse and participation in educational programmes while in custody.
Abderrahmane El Aaour, 58, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old woman with special needs in November 2016. The victim was in her second year of a special‑needs training course when El Aaour approached her outside a church, asked for a cigarette and then a coffee. She later agreed to go for coffee, but after a short time in the café he forcibly kissed her and touched her breasts. He then asked her to go to a hotel, she shook her head, but he took her hand and followed her onto the DART. He forced her to stay, stole her phone, and later called her. The woman's mother reported him, and he was arrested. El Aaour pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing, a Mountjoy prison officer discovered a hidden mobile phone inside a sock in a wall cavity of Dean Byrne's cell. The phone, a black Sony, contained a Facebook account named Dean Byrne that had communicated with a relative of Daniel 'Dano' Cahill, a key witness in Aaron Brady's murder trial. Garda Orla Madden retrieved Facebook conversation records showing Byrne's attempts to prevent Cahill from giving evidence, including voice messages urging Cahill not to share his statements and claims that Cahill's testimony was false. Byrne, aged 30, is charged with conspiring with Aaron Brady to pervert the course of justice by persuading Cahill not to testify. The trial continues before Judges Paul Burns, Elma Sheahan and Marie Keane. The article reports only the discovery of the phone and the related communications, without detailing any trial outcome.
David Johnstone, a 40‑year‑old man with Down Syndrome who lives with his family in Cabinteely, has filed a High Court challenge against Dun Laoghaire‑Rathdown Council. He seeks an order forcing the council to carry out a social housing assessment that meets the 2009 Housing Act. Johnstone says he can manage most basic needs but requires full‑time assistance to live safely and independently. He has been seeking assessment for over a decade and claims the council failed to identify suitable support after deeming him eligible in 2012. He argues this delay breaches his rights and the state's obligations. The case was granted permission by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland on an ex‑parte basis and is set to return to court next month. The proceedings involve the Minister for Housing, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth, and the Attorney General.
Two men, Ainis Guzauskas and Eric Brils, are set to be tried in criminal court for allegedly flying drones too close to Dublin Airport. They have filed High Court challenges claiming that the 1975 Air Navigation and Transport Act's Section 6, which bars suspended sentences and probation, is disproportionate, draconian and unconstitutional. Guzauskas, a furniture mover, is charged under Section 3 for a July 2022 incident, while Brils, a company employee, faces a similar charge for a January 2023 flight. Both pleaded not guilty and are represented by Mark Lynam SC. Their judicial review seeks to prevent further prosecution under Section 3, declare Section 6 incompatible with the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, and obtain orders from the court. Justice Niamh Hyland granted permission for the actions, with the cases scheduled to return next month.
Robert Redmond (35), a convicted murderer currently serving a life sentence for the killing of Barry Wolverson, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to conspiring to murder Jordan Davis. The 22-year-old victim was shot dead in 2019 while pushing his infant son in a pram. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the plea was acceptable to the DPP, and a nolle prosequi will be entered on the original murder charge after sentencing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Redmond in custody until May 13 for a sentence hearing, where a victim impact report is expected. Redmond is the second person dealt with regarding this offence; in 2022, Wayne Cooney (33) was jailed for life for the murder after a jury found he fired eight shots at Davis. Separately, Redmond and co-accused Jamie Gray (27) previously pleaded guilty to possessing a RAK PM-63 submachine gun in 2020. Redmond was jailed for six years in 2023 for that offence. Bernard Fogarty (34) was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Wolverson in December 2022. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
A former Circuit Court judge, Gerard O'Brien, aged 59, was told by the court that he is likely to receive a custodial sentence for attempted rape and sexual assault of six young men between 1991 and 1997. O'Brien, a former teacher and solicitor, was convicted in December 2023 of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault. The victims, aged 17 to 24, were either his students or former students. The judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, said he would impose a custodial sentence when the case is finalised on 29 May 2024 and remanded O'Brien on continuing bail. O'Brien pleaded not guilty to all allegations. The court considered psychological reports, victim impact statements and O'Brien's personal circumstances, including his disability and history of depression, but did not yet decide the final sentence.
Joseph Parker, 32, of Crowfall, Bridge Road, Dublin 18, was convicted of sexual assault of a sleeping woman at a Dublin hotel on 9 September 2020. He pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness, a plea that reduced the maximum ten‑year sentence. While on bail for a rape charge, he assaulted the woman, who had earlier told him she did not want intimacy. After she fell asleep, Parker entered her room, forced himself on her, and later tried to persuade her not to report the incident. The court, hearing the case at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted that Parker had cooperated with investigators and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of four years, but, considering the guilty plea and cooperation, set a final sentence of two years imprisonment to be served consecutively to his existing term. The decision was made on 26 April 2024.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that a fully suspended sentence imposed on Dylan Clements for drug possession was unduly lenient. Clements, a 29-year-old man from Finglas, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2023, to one count of possession of drugs for sale or supply under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court the following day to three and a half years, which was fully suspended. The remaining four counts on the indictment were taken into consideration. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentencing judge failed to adequately weigh the gravity of the offence, the presumptive mandatory minimum sentence, and the combined market value of the seized cocaine and cannabis, which exceeded €28,000. The DPP contended that no wholly exceptional circumstances existed to justify full suspension. Defence counsel argued there was no error in law and that the judge was entitled to consider Clements' lack of prior convictions and cooperation. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found that the trial judge erred by failing to apply recent case law and that the sentence was unduly lenient without evidence of extraordinary special circumstances. The court ordered that a probation report be prepared and adjourned the matter to July 23, when it will proceed to quash the original sentence and resentence the respondent.
The WRC ruled that Avia Capital Leasing Ltd, the Irish arm of a Russian aircraft leasing firm, must pay former staff over €30,000 for breaches of employment rights after the company shut down in April 2022 due to EU sanctions linked to the Ukraine invasion. The tribunal awarded Sofija Krascuka €6,188 and Alexandra Skavronskaja €22,558 for illegal wage deductions in March and April 2022, and a week's pay each for failure to provide written employment terms. Technical manager Anton Gremin received €11,970.80 for statutory notice entitlements. The tribunal found the company was unable to pay redundancy sums because its bank accounts were frozen, but granted the workers the right to claim redundancy from the social insurance fund. The decision was made in a remote hearing in April 2023 and published on 26 April 2024.