Emma Burgess, 38, of Parkview, Rathborne, Dublin 15, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €280,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply at her home on 5 May 2023. Garda Shane Cunningham reported that Burgess admitted to gardaí that she had been supplying a small amount of cocaine, had run up a drug debt of about €15,000, and had agreed to keep the drugs at her home to repay part of that debt. A warrant secured a search of her home, where four kilograms of cocaine were found on top of a wardrobe in a bedroom. Burgess admitted responsibility for the drugs but could not identify the person who had given them to her. She said she had arranged to pick them up from the carpark at Crumlin's Children's Hospital, met an unknown person there, and was handed a heavy black bin.
Maurice Boland, 36, of Bridgeview Close, Tallow, Co Waterford, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 26‑year‑old Cian Gallagher, a construction worker, who died on 10 November 2022 after a fall on 2 November. Boland told detectives he was defending himself when he struck Gallagher, who had his hands up and was backing away, as shown by CCTV. He claimed he hit Gallagher once, that the man was intoxicated, and that the fall caused a traumatic brain injury leading to death. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Gallagher's blood alcohol level was high and that the injuries were consistent with a fall onto the back of the head. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
A barrister from Castlebar has had his public order conviction overturned on appeal. Simeon Burke, aged 25, was convicted in July 2023 at Dublin District Court and fined €300 following an incident at the Four Courts on Inns Quay in March that year. The breach of the peace charge related to his behaviour during proceedings involving his brother's legal case before the Court of Appeal. At the District Court Appeals hearing on 15 April, Judge John Martin allowed Mr Burke's appeal and quashed the conviction. The judge found insufficient evidence that Mr Burke's conduct met the criminal threshold required for a public order offence under the relevant legislation. Garda witnesses had testified that Mr Burke resisted and obstructed officers during removal from the courtroom, including making comments about unrelated matters. However, Judge Martin concluded the requisite standard for criminal conviction had not been established beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Burke had argued that gardaí adopted an overzealous approach and removed him without a valid judicial order to do so.
The High Court formally wound up Pressing Matters Limited, trading as Dublin Vinyl, on 15 April 2024, appointing Ken Fennell and Eamonn Richardson of Interpath Advisory as joint liquidators. The company, founded in 2016, employed 22 full‑time staff and four full‑time contractors and had liabilities exceeding €1.3 million. It had been unable to meet its debts as they fell due and had been petitioning for winding up. The court heard that the firm had hoped the provisional liquidators might allow it to complete outstanding orders worth €500,000, but Sam Collins BL reported that the clients deemed this unfeasible. All employees were made redundant. The company had received four separate offers for its assets, which are under consideration. Pressing Matters had sustained significant losses in 2022 and 2023 due to Covid‑19, Brexit, the Ukraine war, a lost major contract and delays in record‑pressing machines.
The High Court formally wound up Clonmannon House Retirement Village Limited, a Dublin-registered company that received millions from Chinese investors to develop a Co Wicklow care facility. Mr Justice Brian Cregan confirmed the appointment of insolvency practitioner Declan De Lacy as liquidator, following a provisional appointment after the court held the firm insolvent. The order was sought by Beijing-based Ms Yi Yuan, who claims to have lent €1m under the Immigrant Investor Programme. Counsel for the liquidator noted that the company's sole director, Ms Candance La Fleur, agreed to cooperate, and that the company intended to complete the purchase of Clonmannon House by month-end, with €1.9m already paid. The judge directed Ms La Fleur to provide a statement of affairs, and the matter was adjourned to return before the court later this month. Separately, proceedings brought last January by Clontarf-based Ms Li Sun, who invested in 2019, secured a temporary freezing order to prevent the disposal of assets. Ms Sun fears she will not recover €1.3m she says she is entitled to. All claims of wrongdoing in those proceedings have been denied by the company, and that action also returns before the court later this month.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Inspector Mark Phillips reported that witnesses who had spoken to Gardaí about Aaron Brady's admission of killing Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe feared retaliation if they testified. Phillips cited ten witnesses who did not attend Brady's 2020 murder trial, citing threats or intimidation from Brady's associates. One witness, Ronan Flynn, recorded a video interview in New York where he claimed to have heard Brady admit the murder on multiple occasions, and he expressed concern for his safety and his family's safety after receiving a warning that he would be "dealt with" if he returned to Ireland. Other witnesses, including Colin Hoey and Daniel Cahill, also reported intimidation or fear of harm. The court heard that Dean Byrne, charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice, had attempted to influence Cahill's testimony. The hearing focused on the intimidation allegations and the witnesses' reluctance to testify, without addressing any verdicts or sentencing. Dean Byrne pleaded not guilty.
Matthew O'Connell (20) and Evan Vella (19) pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and violent disorder, respectively, for a mob attack on a 16‑year‑old Italian student in Blackrock Park on 27 November 2021. The attack began after a bottle was mistakenly blamed on the victim's group, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a group assault by up to ten young men. O'Connell was described as a main antagonist and Vella admitted punching the student once. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on O'Connell, ordering him to pay €5,000 and raise an additional €5,000 within a year, and a 16‑month suspended sentence on Vella, ordering him to pay €1,500 to the victim within six months or donate it to charity. Both sentences were suspended, with no custodial terms imposed. The judge highlighted the defendants' young age, lack of prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation.
In the Central Criminal Court, Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, aged 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Cian Gallagher, 26, who died from a brain bleed after an alleged altercation on Barrack Street, Tallow, on 10 November 2022. Boland told arresting gardai that Gallagher had struck him first, that he had "ducked" and then hit Gallagher back, and that Gallagher had made comments about Russians. He described the incident as a "pure accident" and said the fight resembled a "Conor McGregor knockout". Boland's partner, Marian O'Brien, testified that she had left him with their children on 1 November, that he had called her from Lismore saying he was going for drinks, and that she had seen him and Gallagher run out in front of her car. She also said she had taken his mobile phone at the scene to contact his relatives.
Adrian Stralynski, 22, pleaded guilty to laundering €13,100 in a smishing scam that cost a victim €16,000. He has 13 prior convictions for drug possession, assault, public order and road traffic offences. The court heard that the victim, Aidan Hall, received a fraudulent text claiming a Bank of Ireland login and was tricked into entering a verification code, after which €13,100 was transferred through accounts linked to Stralynski. Stralynski admitted he was high and was persuaded by a friend to facilitate the fraud, but denied sending the text. Judge Orla Crowe noted his early guilty plea, lack of recent Garda attention, and remorse, and sentenced him to 18 months in prison suspended in full for two years. The co‑accused has taken a trial date. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 12 April 2024, former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, was granted a change of legal representation to John P O'Donohoe but the court reserved its decision on legal aid pending a statement of his financial means to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Lynn, who is serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for stealing just over €18 million from six financial institutions during the Celtic Tiger era, must provide this statement before legal aid for his appeal can be granted. The court noted that if any issue arises, it should be notified. Lynn was found guilty of 10 of 21 counts of theft in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial last year; the remaining 11 counts were dropped after the jury could not agree. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a case brought before the Workplace Relations Commission, Margaret Fitzpatrick, a gym member for about fourteen years, claimed age‑based discrimination after being denied a student discount at West Wood Club CLG. Fitzpatrick, who became a full‑time student in April 2023, presented her student card in May 2023 but was told she was ineligible because she was "more than 25 years old." She served statutory notice in June, but the gym's solicitors denied any unlawful discrimination, arguing that the discount was limited to students under 25. The WRC adjudicator, Jim Dolan, applied a hypothetical comparator approach, comparing Fitzpatrick's situation with that of a full‑time student under 25 who would receive the discount. Finding the claim well‑founded, he ordered West Wood to pay Fitzpatrick €3,000 in compensation for the age‑based discrimination. The decision was made in April 2024.
Dylan Reddington, 28, of Cherry Orchard Grove, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences that included high‑speed pursuits on December 15, 2020 and October 7, 2021. He drove at high speed, failed to stop for Gardaí, overtook cars dangerously, ran red lights, drove the wrong way around roundabouts, and drove on the wrong side of the road. The first pursuit ended when he collided with a concrete marker in a residential estate; he was arrested on foot. The second pursuit began on October 7, 2021, when he drove a red Ford Focus at speed up Cloverhill Road, again driving the wrong way and overtaking oncoming traffic, before being arrested in a house in Cherry Orchard. Reddington had 65 prior convictions, including dangerous driving and endangerment. He had completed 16 months of residential treatment before sentencing.
Patrick Maughan, 39, was sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd to two years in prison, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, for stealing €9,250 worth of tools from a construction worker's van at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Maughan broke a van window, used a false registration plate, and fled with the equipment. He had 75 previous convictions, including theft and possession of stolen property. The tools were recovered after Gardaí spotted a silver van with a different plate. Maughan pleaded guilty to the theft charge. The court noted the offence's deterrence value for workers in the building trade and considered Maughan's guilty plea and personal circumstances in sentencing. No victim impact statements were submitted by the injured parties. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sinead Byrne, 46, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply and to knowingly permitting her home to be used for the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug, as well as possession of cocaine, all on 19 December 2021. A Garda search found 1.5 kg of cannabis in an ensuite, 10 kg in the attic, a metal safe with €248 of cocaine, a digital scale and €1,200 cash. Byrne was not present during the search; she later contacted Gardaí, was arrested by appointment, and admitted knowledge of the cannabis in the ensuite but denied knowledge of the attic stash. She claimed the money was to pay rent and was under pressure from a drug debt. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑year prison sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, including 18 months of probation supervision.
Two young men, injured when a drink‑driving driver crashed into them on a Dublin footpath, told the court that the incident has left a "trail of devastation" in their lives. One victim, unable to work for five months, now struggles with mortgage, childcare and medical bills, and suffers chronic back pain, nightmares and panic attacks. The other, suffering multiple fractures and ongoing excruciating pain, reports severe mood swings and existential dread. The driver, Sean Creighton, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment and a four‑year driving disqualification. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm, dangerous driving at speed and drink‑driving. Creighton, a public servant and community volunteer, expressed remorse and offered €3,000 to the victims. The court noted the victims' long‑term physical and emotional sequelae. The sentencing judge highlighted Creighton's good character and community work as mitigating factors.
A 61‑year‑old Libyan man, Tareq Elkudir, was arrested after disembarking from a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Dublin. He was highly intoxicated, drinking from a litre bottle of whiskey during the 45‑minute flight, and was accused of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old girl. The victim described being repeatedly grabbed, hit on the arm, kissed, and having his hand rubbed near her breast area. She also reported being punched twice on the shoulder. Elkudir pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, imposed a fully suspended 18‑month sentence, noting the victim had not filed an impact statement and was ready to move on. The judge also allowed the victim to accept or redirect a €3,000 apology payment. Elkudir has no further criminal record since the offence and is married with three children. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Maurice 'Mossy' Boland, 36, of Tallow, Waterford, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Cian Gallagher, 26, a Dublin construction worker, who died from a brain bleed eight days after being punched and knocked to the ground on 2 November 2022. Witness Patrick Fennessy, 17 at the time, described seeing Boland on his feet and Gallagher on the ground outside Clancy's Bar. Fennessy said Boland claimed Gallagher had struck him first and that he was merely defending himself. Boland allegedly boasted that he had knocked Gallagher out "like Conor McGregor" and that Gallagher should have been in the UFC, expressing pride in the act. Boland also told witnesses he did not want an ambulance for Gallagher, insisting he would be fine. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues tomorrow with a jury of eight men and four women.
Sandra Kavanagh, 48, avoided jail after colliding with motorcyclist Nebojsa Sarcevic, 29, on the M50 in November 2019, which caused his death. She had previously been convicted of road traffic offences. The trial judge initially imposed a one‑year driving disqualification, but the defence and prosecution mistakenly informed the judge that a mandatory four‑year ban applied. The Court of Appeal quashed the four‑year ban and replaced it with a two‑year ban, while an eight‑month fully suspended sentence remained on her record. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death, was not speeding, had no drugs or alcohol, and was not using her mobile phone. The judge noted her remorse and the tragic nature of the incident. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in July 2022.
During Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial, a man named Dean Byrne offered to "do damage" to State witness Daniel Cahill, who later testified that Brady admitted shooting Garda Adrian Donohoe. Byrne, who was sharing a landing with Brady, allegedly sent messages to Cahill and to another acquaintance, urging them not to testify and threatening to harm Cahill. The Director of Public Prosecutions charged Byrne with conspiring to prevent Cahill's evidence, a charge that was opened by prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC. Byrne, aged 30, pleaded not guilty and his trial continues. The court heard that Byrne's messages referred to Cahill as a "rat" and that he claimed to have knowledge of Cahill's scheduled testimony, information not publicly available. The prosecution argues that Byrne acted as Brady's agent to pervert the course of justice. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheehan and Judge Marie Keane. The unnamed accused was acquitted.
During the seventh day of deliberations in the Stardust inquests, the jury asked the coroner for clarification on the questionnaire they received at the start of the proceedings. They wanted to know whether a particular answer could imply a failure on someone's part, despite being told they could not assign blame to any individual. Dr Myra Cullinane said she would address the question when the court reconvened on the eighth day. Earlier, the jury was reminded that they could not attribute wrongdoing to any identified person. They also asked how to interpret "standards" at the time of the 1981 fire, and Dr Cullinane explained that standards meant the laws, byelaws and regulations in force then, and that if no standards existed, norms and behaviours could be considered but only if they were the approved practice or carried obvious risks.
In a High Court case, a provisional liquidator has been appointed for Clonmannon House Retirement Village Limited, a Dublin‑registered company that acquired a property in Ashford, Co Wicklow, for a care facility. Beijing‑based Ms Yi Yuan, who invested €1 million in 2020 under Ireland's Immigrant Investor Programme, claims the company owes her €1.17 million, which has not been repaid. She alleges that the company's director, Candance La Fleur, made false statements in an affidavit, including that €100 000 had been paid to an investor and that the company had agreed to sell its asset, write down debt, and delay repayment—claims Ms Yuan says she never consented to. Ms Yuan also contends the property was purchased for €1.9 million instead of the €2.15 million contract price and was not transferred to the company. The company has failed to file annual returns, maintain a company secretary, and keep a director resident in the EEA.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, adjudicator David James Murphy ruled that a complaint by nurse Vanessa Rodrigues-Linhan against Carechoice Swords 2 Ltd was well founded, ordering the employer to pay €30,000 in compensation. The adjudicator found the employer failed to establish adequate risk management for two patients. Regarding Patient A, the adjudicator noted the employer failed to prove efforts were in place to manage the risk he presented prior to incidents where he allegedly racially abused the complainant and pushed a decoration into her chest. Although action was taken after reports, the adjudicator found no prior process to manage his aggressive behavior. Regarding Patient B, a dementia patient, the adjudicator found that despite known issues with sexual behavior, there was no process to ensure information cascaded to night-shift carers. The adjudicator determined the complainant was subjected to serious racial and sexual harassment, making her legitimately fear for her safety. He criticized the employer for relying on senior staff support after the fact rather than having immediate supervisors on hand to react to risks. The adjudicator noted the director and assistant director of nursing appeared professional but failed in their immediate supervisory duties. The employer's defense was rejected, resulting in the compensation award.
Aaron Brady, who was convicted in 2020 of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to perverting the course of justice. He admitted to recording footage of an interview between gardai and witness Ronan Flynn, which was subsequently posted online accusing Flynn of "touting." Brady did not enter a plea to a further count of conspiring with Dean Byrne to persuade a State witness not to testify, though prosecution counsel argued this should be considered at sentencing. Dean Byrne, 30, from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, remains on trial for the conspiracy charge. Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned sentencing to May 29. The court refused an application by Brady's lawyers to ban media reporting of the guilty plea, rejecting arguments that coverage could prejudice a potential retrial if Brady's murder conviction is overturned on appeal. The judge noted that a retrial is merely a possibility and that any prejudice could be remedied by judicial directions to the jury. Brady, 33, formerly of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2013 murder. He appealed his conviction last November and is awaiting a decision from the Court of Appeal.
The trial of Aaron Brady for perverting the course of justice has been postponed for a third day after the Director of Public Prosecutions and Brady's lawyers held discussions. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, said he had received an instruction from Brady that prompted the matter to be presented to the DPP. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC indicated he would consult with the DPP before proceeding and expects to have his instructions by the next day. The trial, originally scheduled for this week, was adjourned to give the defence time to review additional evidence served recently. Brady, aged 33, and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 30, are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in Brady's murder trial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, which took place during a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Jenkinstown, County Louth, on 25 January 2013.
Ayasha Littlejohn, 22, was jailed for three and a half years after transporting 22.6 kg of cannabis worth €453,640 from New York to Dublin, destined for the UK. She was stopped at Dublin Airport in October 2023 when customs officers noticed her luggage. Littlejohn pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan described her as naive and said she had been pressured by third parties. She had no prior convictions and was pregnant, expected to give birth in June at the Dóchas Centre. Littlejohn cooperated with Gardaí, claimed she was manipulated by a man she met in London, and expressed remorse, hoping to become a good mother. The sentence was back‑dated to her October 26, 2023 arrest.
Shannon Haddock, 28, of Redgap, Rathcoole, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a 12‑month suspended term for assisting her partner in a burglary at a house in South Dublin. She pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and dangerous driving. The burglary occurred on 1 March 2023 when the co‑accused, previously jailed for 27 months for a burglary in Sallynoggin, drove a red Audi away from the scene, then switched places with Haddock. Both fled on foot, but Haddock was arrested shortly after. The court noted her lack of prior convictions, her efforts at rehabilitation, and her difficulties with addiction and mental health. She was disqualified from driving for two years and the suspended sentence will be enforced on strict conditions for two years. The judge highlighted her active participation and driving as aggravating factors, while recognising her mitigating circumstances.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Dunne, aged 48, testified that he was abused by 74‑year‑old Bernard Swaine between 1983 and 1986. Dunne, who was between seven and ten at the time, described Swaine's repeated indecent assaults, including a first incident where Swaine penetrated him while they shared a bed. Over the next three years, Swaine allegedly touched Dunne's genitals while he masturbated, a pattern that continued for about three years. Dunne's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological damage, citing depression, anxiety and self‑loathing. Judge Orla Crowe, acknowledging the severity of the abuse, sentenced Swaine to six years' imprisonment, with concurrent terms for the remaining counts. The sentence reflected Swaine's mitigating circumstances, including his age and health, and the court's assessment of the long‑term harm to Dunne. The case underscored the profound effect of childhood sexual abuse on a survivor's life. Bernard Swaine pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
During a murder trial, a barman testified that on the night of the killing he had conversations with the deceased about Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. The jury heard that the accused, Maurice Boland, 36, had replied to a Garda's caution that he was "onto" the deceased about Russians. Boland pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Cian Gallagher, 26, who died from a brain bleed eight days after being punched by Boland in early November 2022. Prosecutor Roisin Lacey SC described how Boland boasted of knocking Gallagher out and compared himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor. Witnesses, including the pub owner Ann O'Brien and barmaid Maggie O'Leary, confirmed that the deceased had been drinking and that Boland was highly intoxicated when he entered the pub. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
On its sixth day of deliberations, the 12‑person jury in the Stardust inquest asked Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane for further legal guidance. The questions focused on the meaning of "standards" at the time of the 1981 fire that killed 48 people at the Stardust nightclub in Artane. The jury sought clarification on whether standards referred to normal behaviour or to codified laws, regulations or byelaws. Dr Cullinane said she would answer the questions the following day, after which the jury would resume its deliberations in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, a witness alleged that senior Unite officials sought to negotiate an exit package with Brendan Ogle to prevent his promotion to regional secretary for the Republic of Ireland. The witness claimed that Peter Hughes, Unite's Welsh secretary, suggested a deal after Ogle applied for the position, and that Ogle was told the role was no longer needed. Ogle had previously complained of being sidelined after returning from cancer treatment in 2022. He also alleged that the union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, was excluded from an interview panel due to a defamatory speech. The case was scheduled to proceed but the dates were vacated, and the witness noted that Ogle's concerns included losing a death-in-service policy worth five times his salary. The hearing focused on the alleged internal negotiations and Ogle's grievances.
Jason Owens, a 34‑year‑old former Irish taekwondo international, pleaded guilty in June 2023 to assaulting Conor Kelly in a pub toilet on New Year's Day 2020, causing life‑threatening injuries. The trial judge sentenced him to 2½ years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, after a pre‑mitigation headline of seven years. The State appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient, citing a 50 % global reduction and the late guilty plea. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case in April 2024, dismissed the appeal. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh upheld the 2½‑year term, noting mitigating factors such as Owens' first‑time offender status, late plea, apology, compensation and psychological issues. The court also recorded that Owens had paid €10 000 to Kelly, which was donated to Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. No further sentence adjustments were made.
Leon Byrne, 27, was convicted of robbing an empty cash‑in‑transit box at a Brinks‑guarded Maxol garage in Dublin on 17 February 2022. He brandished a kitchen knife, forced the guard to hand over the box, and fled to his mother's flat across the road. Gardaí followed a trail of green dye from the scene to the flat, where the dye was found on clothing and in the apartment. Byrne had previously been jailed for hijacking a taxi with a sawn‑off shotgun. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, which was valued at €3,000, and was sentenced to four years, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He will serve an additional 18 months on top of the sentence he is already serving, having been in custody since March 2022. The court noted Byrne's difficult upbringing and urged him to seek psychological support while in custody.
The High Court refused to grant Duddy Hospitality Ireland Holdings Limited, along with Brendan Duddy and Lawrence Duddy, injunctions restraining receivers from selling the IBIS Red Cow Hotel in Clondalkin, Dublin. Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy also declined orders preventing the UK-based Propiteer Group from appointing or removing directors of firms associated with the hotel. The judge determined that while the plaintiffs raised a serious issue, damages would be an adequate remedy, and the risk of injustice was not sufficient to warrant interim relief. The dispute centers on an alleged breach of 2020 settlement agreements regarding the division of jointly owned assets, including the hotel. The Duddy group claims the defendants, including Propiteer Ireland Holdings Limited, DADAC Ltd, Propiteer Ltd, Colin Sandy, and David Marshall, obstructed their acquisition of the hotel and wrongfully appointed insolvency practitioners Ken Fennell and Andrew O'Leary. The defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing, breach, or obstruction, asserting that the settlement was superseded by a call option agreement due to the plaintiffs' failure to secure refinancing. The judge noted that both sides made allegations of misappropriation of funds, which were denied, and declined to draw conclusions on 'clean hands' or delay at this stage. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court later this month for an early hearing.
The jury at the Stardust inquest will continue deliberating into the causes of death of the 48 victims of the 1981 fire for a sixth day tomorrow. The 12 jurors resumed considering their verdicts shortly after 11 am this morning. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told the panel she would be available throughout the day should they have any questions. The jury returned to the Pillar Room at the Rotunda Hospital at 4 pm, where they were discharged for the day having completed a fifth day of deliberations. The inquest, which has been sitting for almost a year, has heard 95 days of evidence from 373 witnesses. Dr Cullinane has previously told the jury that they must determine the identity, date and place of death and the circumstances surrounding the death of each of the 48 young people who lost their lives when a fire swept through the Artane venue in the early hours of Valentine's Day, 1981.
During the opening of Maurice Boland's trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Boland, 36, admitted to causing the death of construction worker Cian Gallagher, 26, but denied murder. CCTV footage showed Boland punching Gallagher, who had his hands up and was backing away, leading to a fall and a brain bleed that caused death eight days later. Boland claimed the incident was a "pure accident" and that Gallagher had tried to hit him first. Witnesses, including three young men and Gardaí, testified about Boland's intoxication, his statements comparing himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor, and his attempts to lift Gallagher after the punch. The prosecution emphasized the focus on Boland's intent that night, distinguishing between murder and manslaughter. The trial is set to continue for two weeks before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Maurice Boland pleaded not guilty.
In April 2024, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that James Foley, aged 53, had carried out two robberies in Dublin City Centre in April 2023. The first robbery occurred on 15 April at Eurogiant on Abbey Street, where Foley, wearing a facemask, threatened a cashier with a knife and stole €250. The second robbery took place on 20 April at Blackhall Pharmacy on Ellis Quay, where Foley again threatened staff with a knife and stole €200. Gardaí used CCTV footage from both businesses and surrounding areas to track Foley's movements until he removed his facemask, allowing them to identify him. Foley was arrested from a hostel, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. The court noted Foley's long history of drug addiction and his participation in a residential treatment programme, but deemed the offences too serious to avoid custodial time.
A 61‑year‑old man with a long history of child‑sex offences pleaded guilty to nine counts out of 69 charges covering March 2021 to November 2022. He admitted five counts of sexually exploiting a child, three of producing child pornography and one of possessing child pornography. The victim was a girl aged between three and a half and five years at the time of the abuse. The defendant had been the child's caretaker when her father was away for short periods. He admitted pulling down her underwear, touching her, licking her vagina, and videotaping the acts on his phone. Gardaí seized his Samsung phone and tablet, finding 113 images of the girl and 755 other child‑exploitation images, plus three videos involving the girl. The court imposed a nine‑year sentence, with concurrent four‑and‑a‑half‑year terms for the remaining offences, after noting the defendant's guilty pleas and mitigating factors. The unnamed 61-year-old was convicted.
Wesley Williams, 46, of Foxlodge Manor, Ratoath, was already serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for receiving €1.4 million from European investors in a money‑laundering scheme. On 9 April 2024 a judge declined to extend his sentence after Williams pleaded guilty to stealing a watch worth over €15 000. He received a 20‑month concurrent sentence for the theft, which occurred between February and June 2012. Gardaí searched his property in 2013, finding a safe that could not be opened; a locksmith later opened it and discovered the watch. Williams claimed he was unaware the watch was in the safe and was embarrassed that he could not open it. The court noted he had no prior convictions and, after considering mitigating factors, imposed the 20‑month term. The earlier money‑laundering conviction remains unchanged. The case also involved co‑accused Silvio Rabbitte, who received a two‑year suspended sentence for impeding Williams' apprehension.
Dean Smith, 30, of Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 19 kg of cannabis herb, worth €359,000, found in his home on 11 November 2021. The drugs were discovered under his child's bed and in a drawer in the same room during a Garda search. Smith confirmed he had placed the drugs there and that his son slept in the room. He had a prior conviction for a separate drug offence. Smith cooperated fully with the investigation and had no evidence of benefiting from drug sales. His defence argued that his drug debt stemmed from cocaine addiction and that he had no control over the quantity supplied. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the mitigating factors, including Smith's cooperation, early guilty plea, family responsibilities and rehabilitation efforts, and imposed the sentence.
Lisa Lee, 41, was convicted in 2022 of discarding a knife used by Noel Lennon to stab Isaac Horgan, who died from a leg wound. Lee, who has no fixed abode and a history of 17 convictions, was sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with probation services. After her release in December, she was charged with offences under the Public Order Act and Misuse of Drugs Act, including possession of stolen mobile phones. Mr Justice Hunt offered her a choice: enter a detox programme followed by intensive residential care or return to prison. Lee declined the treatment programme, citing panic at the prospect of residential care, and opted to have the suspended portion of her sentence reactivated. She was remanded in custody and will appear again on April 19.
A senior manager at One Complete Solutions Ltd, a security firm accused by Siptu of fostering a "culture of racism," denied a former colleague's claim that he told a subordinate, "Shut the fuck up you foreign c***." The allegation was part of an Employment Equality Act complaint by former contract manager Sayed Baqur‑Hussein, who said he and an Indian security guard were sanctioned after an incident involving a shoplifter, while a Polish colleague was not. The company argues Baqur‑Hussein failed to follow procedures and de‑escalate the situation, whereas the complainant insists he feared a "life threat" and acted in self‑defence. The tribunal heard evidence of racial abuse during the incident, the company's denial of such remarks, and the differing disciplinary outcomes for the three staff involved. The case is adjourned for further hearings.
A 59‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his grandniece, aged eight to ten, between 2019 and 2022. He recorded the abuse on his phone and forced the child to record it, producing 19 videos and 1,191 images, of which 377 were unique. The abuse began when the family experienced homelessness and the man became a father‑figure, collecting the girl from school and giving her money. He initially told Gardaí that the girl had "come onto" him and that he was trying to stop her from doing it with someone else. He pleaded guilty to 11 sample counts, including vaginal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, possession and production of child pornography, and invitation of a child to sexual touching. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, described the offending as "appalling" and the recordings as "shocking".
Padraig Thornton Waste Disposal Limited, trading as Thorntons Recycling, was fined €60,000 by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for health and safety breaches that led to the death of employee Tomasz Orzel in 2020. The court heard that a bin‑lifting lorry used by the company was defective and unsafe on 19 March 2020. The vehicle's footboards, on which workers stood, were damaged, and a proximity sensor switch designed to prevent reversing while the footboards were down had been interfered with by plastic cable ties, aluminium pull rings and additional wiring that shorted the system. The switch's failure allowed the lorry to reverse and strike Orzel. Thorntons pleaded guilty to failing to manage and maintain the vehicle, breaching the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and related regulations. The company, founded in 1979 and employing 800 people, has since reviewed its vehicle monitoring procedures.
A 73‑year‑old pensioner, whose identity is protected, lost an appeal against his conviction for sexually abusing his young daughter in the 1980s. He had pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault but was found guilty on two other counts and sentenced to three years and six months' imprisonment, to run concurrently. The appeal argued that missing evidence from a "healer" and delays in the prosecution had made the trial unfair. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected the appeal, stating there was no basis that any healer's involvement was relevant to the charges or that missing evidence existed. The judge upheld the trial judge's warning to the jury about delays and found no prejudice against the appellant. The conviction remains in place.
Maurice Boland, 36, of Tallow, Waterford, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of mechanic Cian Gallagher, who was killed on Barrack Street in Tallow on 10 November 2022. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case tomorrow, with a jury of four women and eight men sworn in by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor. The trial is expected to last two weeks and will rely solely on the evidence presented in court, with no independent research or social media engagement permitted.
During the fourth day of deliberations in the Dublin District Coroner's Court, the jury investigating the Stardust nightclub fire was informed by coroner Dr Myra Cullinane that they could not formally add an unborn baby as a 49th victim. Dr Cullinane explained that the inquest's remit, directed by the attorney general, covers only the 48 individuals who died in the 1981 blaze. She noted that if any deceased was in early pregnancy, the jury could record this fact on the individual questionnaire, possibly as an addendum to question three regarding cause of death, but this would not change the number of victims. The jury's role remains to determine identity, date, place, and circumstances of each of the 48 deaths and to record a verdict such as accidental death, misadventure, open, narrative, or unlawful killing. The jury will resume deliberations the following day in the Pillar Room of Rotunda Hospital.
Over fifteen years after the mistaken‑identity murder of rugby player Shane Geoghegan, John Dundon, who ordered the hit, has been assigned a new legal team and will have his appeal against his 2013 murder conviction heard on 22 April 2024. Dundon had previously dismissed his lawyers, claiming they had failed to raise a new ground of appeal that he said had been identified recently. The Court of Appeal granted the withdrawal of his former counsel and allowed solicitor Phelim O'Neill, of Morgan Shelley, to take over. Dundon was also granted free legal aid for the new team. The judges set a strict timetable: motions for new grounds and affidavits must be filed a week before the hearing, and any documents to the State must be served in time for the State to respond. The appeal will proceed on 22 April, "come what may," with no further adjournments expected unless exceptional circumstances arise.
Ryan Kelly (25), of Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a .38 special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on November 23, 2021. He was observed handing the loaded firearm to co-accused Anthony Walker (52), of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8, who was driving a taxi. Walker also pleaded guilty to possessing the revolver at Tallaght Road, Templeogue, on the same date. The prosecution stated that a nolle prosequi will be entered regarding a separate charge against Kelly concerning participation in a criminal organisation. Walker's ammunition charge remains live, and he faces a further charge of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Mr Justice Paul Burns, presiding with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Ms Justice Marie Keane, remanded Kelly in custody until April 22, when he will be sentenced. Walker's sentence hearing was adjourned today until May 7. The court heard that Kelly has nine previous convictions, mostly for public order and road traffic offences, and has never received a custodial sentence. Defence counsel described Kelly as deeply ashamed and noted he had been on strict bail conditions for three years.
A 59-year-old man has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of two girls during the 1990s and 2000s. The man pleaded guilty to twelve counts relating to sexual offences against the victims when they were young teenagers. The first victim, aged between twelve and seventeen, was abused from 1992 to 1997 by a trusted family employee. The second victim, aged between eleven and seventeen, was abused between 2000 and 2006 by her sister's then-partner. The offences occurred primarily in Dublin and Kildare, with one incident occurring on the road between Sligo and Dublin. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed nine-and-a-half years for offences against the first complainant and four consecutive years for the second, suspending the final eighteen months on condition of no contact with either victim and probation supervision.
Lawyers for Aaron Brady, who shot Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in 2013, warned that the upcoming trial for perverting the course of justice could generate damaging publicity. Michael O'Higgins SC told the Special Criminal Court that Brady is still awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his murder conviction. If the appeal succeeds, a retrial at the Central Criminal Court, which would involve a jury, may follow. O'Higgins expressed concern that media coverage could influence jurors and plans to apply to the court, citing the Irish Times v Murphy judgment on media reporting. The perverting the course of justice trial was adjourned to allow the defence to consider new evidence. Brady (33) and co‑accused Dean Byrne (30) are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify between April and June 2020, and with recording a video of a witness interview between February and May 2020.