The jury at the Stardust inquest paused their deliberations for the weekend after completing a third day of considering the causes of death of the 48 victims of the 1981 fire. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane answered questions the jury had raised about the general questionnaire they received at the start of their deliberations. She had postponed answering these questions until the current sitting. After speaking with the jury before lunch, they returned to the room to resume their work. The jury's role is to determine the identity, date and place of death and the circumstances surrounding each death, and to record a verdict. They can return one of five verdicts: accidental death, death by misadventure, an open verdict, a narrative verdict or unlawful killing. Dr Cullinane explained that the unlawful killing verdict is distinct from the others, requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt, whereas the other verdicts are based on the balance of probabilities.
On the second day of the Stardust inquest, the jury finished deliberations and sought legal guidance on several issues before returning verdicts on the 48 deaths. In Dublin District Coroner's Court, coroner Dr Myra Cullinane noted that the jury had asked a number of questions. The first concerned question four of the general questionnaire, which referenced factors contributing to the fire's spread. The jurors asked whether they were expected to answer "yes" even if a factor was minor, and whether the question focused on a design flaw. Dr Cullinane explained that the jury was highlighting that a building's ceiling is always a factor in a fire, and that the questionnaire was meant to assess such factors. Evidence had shown the Stardust's west alcove ceiling was lower than statutory height, and fire investigator Dr Will Hutchinson had testified that the low ceiling intensified downward heat, contributing to the spread.
The Workplace Relations Commission found that the evidence supplied by migrant fishermen Mohamed Shokr Ghonim and Khaled Elagamy, including Naval Service tracking data, was insufficient to support their claims of working 20 hours a day on the Dublin‑based prawn boat Nausicaa. The tribunal awarded each fisherman €3,500 for breaches of the Organisation of Working Time Act and €1,000 for breaches of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, but rejected their claims for unpaid minimum wage arrears of €61,649.96 and €65,326.31. The fishermen alleged that they worked up to 20 hours a day, averaging 17 hours at sea, and that the vessel's logs showed discrepancies between recorded times and actual work. The owner, Richard Brannigan, denied the wage claims, arguing that the boat could only operate nine or ten days at sea and that the maximum working day was ten to twelve hours.
The jury of the Stardust Inquest, after a year‑long hearing with testimony from more than 370 witnesses, began deliberations on 3 April 2024. They will return to the Rotunda Hospital's Pillar Room tomorrow to continue considering verdicts for the 48 young people who died in the 1981 fire at the Stardust Ballroom. The jury has heard 95 days of direct evidence from 373 witnesses. They asked Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane for clarification on the standard of proof for each verdict. She explained that accidental death, death by misadventure, and narrative verdicts require proof "on the balance of probabilities, more likely than not," while unlawful killing requires the "beyond a reasonable doubt" test. She also outlined examples of each verdict and reminded the jury that an inquest is a fact‑finding exercise, not a trial, and that a verdict can only be returned when all jurors agree.
Sharanjeet Kaur, a chef from India, claimed she was subjected to daily sexual harassment and discrimination at Bombay Bhappa Ltd in Skerries, Dublin. She said the director forced her to withdraw cash from an ATM after receiving her wages, paid her as little as €200 a week, and threatened blackmail and deportation. Kaur alleged that colleagues falsely accused her of improper relations, attempted to blackmail her, and made unwanted sexual advances. She reported being forced to work 50 hours a week for €4.46 an hour, with minimal breaks and a five‑minute lunch. After refusing to comply with the cash‑withdrawal demand, she was dismissed in November 2022. The Workplace Relations Commission found the employer breached the Employment Equality Act, Unfair Dismissals Act, and other labour laws, awarding Kaur €143,268 in compensation and damages. The case was heard in 2024.
The jury for the Stardust inquests received legal guidance on the five verdicts they may return for the 48 victims of the 1981 fire. Dr Myra Cullinane explained that an inquest is a fact‑finding exercise, not a trial, and that no verdict may apportion blame or identify any person. The available verdicts are accidental death, death by misadventure, an open verdict, a narrative verdict and unlawful killing. Unlawful killing requires a very high degree of failure to observe a necessary course of action, a substantial cause of death, and a standard of beyond‑reasonable‑doubt, but it may not name any individual. The jury must record a verdict for each deceased, may make recommendations to prevent future deaths, but cannot include censure or exoneration. The jury will begin deliberations on 3 April in the Rotunda Hospital.
Brian Fitzpatrick, a senior executive at Bocomm Aviation Leasing Ireland, settled a High Court dispute with his employer over a claim that the company demanded he stop working from home and instead work from its Dublin office several days a week. Fitzpatrick, who had been working remotely from his home in Danganbrack, Quin, Co Clare for years, said the company had never objected to this arrangement before the alleged demand. He also alleged that the company wrongfully refused to pay him his six‑figure annual bonus. Fitzpatrick sought an injunction to prevent the employer from imposing sanctions, to halt a purported investigation, and to stop interference with his employment terms, as well as an order for full payment of salary and benefits. The case, first heard in February, was adjourned repeatedly for settlement talks.
A 46‑year‑old man was jailed for 12 months for assault causing harm and a two‑year sentence for witness intimidation, with 12 months suspended on strict conditions. He was convicted after a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February. The case involved his wife withdrawing an earlier assault complaint at a Garda station in October 2020, then later re‑affirming her withdrawal in April 2021. She had initially claimed the husband had spat, hit and insulted her, showing bruises, but later said she was afraid of him. The jury heard her first statement and a medical report, but the judge noted she had not given a victim impact statement. The judge emphasised the seriousness of witness intimidation in a domestic setting and imposed the concurrent sentences, hoping the conditions would deter further incidents. The defendant did not accept the verdict and did not express remorse, though he acknowledged causing some injuries. The unnamed 46-year-old was acquitted.
A 67‑year‑old woman, Bernadette Murphy of Greenore Court, Dublin 2, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage after striking a man's car with a hammer during a dispute over flower pots with another senior citizen group member. The incident, which took place in Dublin city centre on 24 May 2023, caused nearly €10,000 in damage to the car's roof, bonnet and sides. Video showed Murphy, who used a walker, repeatedly raising the hammer and striking the vehicle. The man was the father of the other woman and tried to intervene. Murphy, who was undergoing a divorce and had no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí and surrendered the hammer. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to 18 months suspended in full, ordered her to pay the injured party over €600, and directed the payment to a charity if the victim declined it. The remaining damage cost of over €9,000 was covered by the victim's insurance.
Sean Power, a 32‑year‑old Dublin City Council driver, was fined €1,000 for careless driving after striking a pedestrian in a white Ford Transit van on a narrow, poorly lit T‑junction near Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate. The victim, in his 50s, suffered a catastrophic brain bleed and a broken leg, requiring three weeks in hospital and ongoing rehabilitation. Power, who had been employed with An Post before the accident, cooperated with Gardaí, offered first aid, and later wrote an apology letter. The court noted Power's lack of intent to cause injury, his cooperation, and mitigating personal circumstances, including being the sole breadwinner for three children. No driving disqualification was imposed, and the case remains civilly actionable. The incident occurred on 14 January 2020, and Power's van and phone were seized. The court imposed the fine within six months.
Patrick Joyce, 43, of Rossfield, Tallaght, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, after pleading guilty to two counts of endangerment and two counts of dangerous driving. The offence involved a 35‑minute high‑speed pursuit around Dublin, during which Joyce's gold Skoda Octavia ran red lights, crossed roundabouts, and drove through residential estates on the M50. He was disqualified from driving at the time and was arrested at the scene; CCTV footage from Garda Air Support was shown to the court. The court heard that Joyce's breath smelled of intoxicants and that he had drug and alcohol addictions. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse, addiction issues, and a tragic family loss as mitigating factors, while citing the seriousness of the offence and his disqualification as aggravating factors.
Daryl Wade, 18, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, robbery and attempted robbery after stabbing an Italian student in the leg in May 2022 and a 17‑year‑old boy in the stomach in February 2023. The court described the offences as "exceptionally serious" and noted Wade's violent propensity. He was identified by CCTV and an audio recording of his admission. Wade's guilty plea and expressions of shame were considered mitigating factors, but the judge deemed a custodial period necessary for rehabilitation. Wade's partner and employer provided supporting letters, and he is no longer living in the area. The sentence was imposed as an adult, with the suspended portion to be served after the 18th birthday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John McDonagh (36) was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for endangerment after he drove his van over his father‑in‑law, Daniel O'Reilly (58), following a row at a family christening party. The incident began when McDonagh, his wife and a third man left the house, only to return when the third man fired two shots from a starter pistol. McDonagh, claiming he was in "absolute terror and fear," reversed his van, striking O'Reilly, who was behind the vehicle, and then drove over him again while he lay on the ground. O'Reilly suffered cardiac arrest and died from traumatic injuries. McDonagh had six prior minor convictions and pleaded guilty to one count of endangerment, a charge carrying a maximum of seven years. The judge, noting McDonagh's state of terror, reduced the headline sentence of six years to three, citing mitigating factors. The sentencing elicited protests from O'Reilly's family.
Mark Dolan, 49, received a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for masturbating in front of four children aged six to nine in Dublin on 6 May 2023. The court considered mitigating factors such as Dolan's lack of prior convictions and his admission of the act as a form of exhibitionism. The sentence was suspended on conditions including a ban on visiting the area where the offence occurred. Dolan was arrested two days after the incident, initially claiming an insect bite, and later admitted the behaviour but denied masturbating. Victim impact statements highlighted the children's ongoing nightmares and loss of safety. Dolan has no previous convictions, spent nine days in custody, and has begun therapy and medication. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with CCTV footage presented and statements from the children's mothers and a prosecuting Garda. Mark Dolan pleaded guilty.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Abdul Rahman Mohammed, a 35‑year‑old security guard, was found guilty of sexual assault, false imprisonment and demanding money with menace. The case concerned a 15‑year‑old girl who had shoplifted a makeup brush and peel‑off mask from Penneys, Dundrum Shopping Centre. Mohammed allegedly forced her into a room, made her strip to her underwear, touched her thigh, and demanded she pay €250 for the items. He also interfered with the CCTV camera a week before the incident to blur footage. The girl, who was with two friends, was later told that shoplifters did not have to pay security. Mohammed denied the allegations and claimed the girl and her friends had followed him. The court adjourned the matter until 13 May for finalisation.
A 40‑year‑old man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for a prolonged, vicious assault on his then‑fiancée in December 2022. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court heard that the couple were engaged and in a long‑term relationship. The attack began after an argument about social media, when the man entered the bathroom, accused her of cheating, and became physically aggressive. He choked her, used his knee against her neck, and repeatedly verbally abused her, calling her a "slut" and threatening to "smash her face in." The assault lasted several hours, during which the victim was held down, knocked to the ground, and forced to lie in bed. She later fled to her mother's house and reported the incident to Gardaí. The man admitted violence, expressed remorse, and cited mental health difficulties.
In March 2024 the Court of Appeal found that the two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence given to John Lindsay, a 48‑year‑old "trusted operative" involved in a €1.2 million heroin exchange, was too lenient. Lindsay had pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale and supply in March 2023, and at sentencing he was said to have been acting in a warehousing and delivery capacity to reduce a €20 000 drug debt. Gardaí had tracked his movements, and dash‑cam footage showed him handing a co‑accused a bag that later contained €831 000 of heroin, with an additional €420 000 seized at his home. The State appealed on the grounds of undue leniency. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence, increased the headline sentence to 10 years, and, after a four‑year deduction for mitigating factors, suspended the final two years, citing Lindsay's family commitments, charitable work, and rehabilitation progress in prison.
Three business founders from Longford have had their discrimination claim against Enterprise Ireland dismissed by the Workplace Relations Commission for a second time. Mark Keenan, Michael O'Reilly and Robert Yorke, who own the sharing economy platform LendRB Ltd, alleged they were told during a 2022 funding interview that they "didn't have enough diversity". The complainants sought to proceed on the basis that discrimination occurred against them as individuals rather than the corporate entity. However, adjudicating officer Niamh O'Carroll found the new complaint was identical to a previous claim already rejected in 2023 on statutory grounds. Ms O'Carroll noted the matter had been ruled statute-barred and that a corporate entity cannot refer an equality claim under legislation. The founders indicated their intention to pursue the matter to the Labour Court.
The High Court heard that World Diamond Group SPA (WDG) sought an injunction against Shuwan Li, trading as Empress Fine Jewels, alleging her refusal to return a consignment of goods worth €585,000. WDG, represented by Barney Quirke SC, claimed the commercial relationship broke down after the defendants allegedly owed large sums for supplied goods. The plaintiff's CEO, Castrenze Giuliano, accepted an intimate relationship with Ms. Li existed but maintained the proceedings were strictly commercial, not related to the relationship's end. Ms. Li, represented by Peter Shanley BL, strongly rejected wrongdoing, arguing the action was motivated by the end of a four-year romantic relationship and that the injunction would prejudice her business, as the goods constitute 40% of her stock. WDG also sought an order for 77 items of jewellery to be held by an independent stakeholder, alleging threats during a store inspection. Mr Justice David Nolan refused both applications to vacate the injunction or order the stakeholder arrangement, citing insufficient financial information from the defendants and concerns over the inspection allegations. He determined the existing temporary injunction sufficiently protected WDG's position, noting any breach would constitute contempt. The judge emphasized he was not making a final determination on the complex dispute. The matter was adjourned to a date in April.
Charles Mavitty, 66, of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of inducing others by deception to approve lease agreements on April 3 and 5, 2017. Judge Martin Nolan described Mavitty as the "front man" and a "vital cog" in a fraud involving the leasing of heavy plant machinery, noting that he signed paperwork and engaged financial companies using false documents, including fake utility bills, bank statements, and tax clearance certificates. The prosecution alleged that two Dublin-based financing companies, Bluestone Asset Finance and Finance Ireland, suffered a combined loss of over €240,000 after lending money to purchase two Hitachi excavators that have never been located. Mavitty provided a false address in Galway and made excuses regarding the machines' whereabouts. Defence counsel argued that Mavitty was a "pawn" and a "fall guy" in a larger scheme, stating he was pressurised by others and did not benefit financially. Judge Nolan set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it by half due to mitigating factors, including Mavitty's lack of previous convictions, his status as a family man, and his cooperation with authorities. The judge inferred that Mavitty knew what he was doing and never intended to use the machines. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
Dominik Golebiowski, a 30‑year‑old Polish chef from Krakow, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale after a detector dog found the drugs at a logistics warehouse in Co Dublin. The drugs were concealed in insulation pallets, cut into ten sheets, and were discovered when customs officers searched a warehouse at Dachser Ireland. Golebiowski travelled to the warehouse to collect the pallets, signed for the consignment with a false Polish ID, and attempted to transport the goods in a rented white Tuscon hatchback. He managed to fit four insulation sheets into the car, but Gardaí intercepted him at Dublin Port, where they seized two iPhones and 14 packages of cannabis worth about €200,000. The remaining €300,000 of drugs were found in the warehouse, bringing the total seized to over 25 kg valued at €505,340.
A 75‑year‑old pensioner pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, who was aged eight or nine at the time. The incident, which occurred between 1975 and 1976, involved the victim being left alone in a house, the assailant approaching her while she was asleep, and the assault lasting a few minutes. The victim later reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2019. The court heard that the defendant, who was 27 or 28 when the assault took place, sent a text to his daughter expressing remorse and claiming he could not remember the act. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to ten months' imprisonment, citing the defendant's guilty plea, remorse, work history and lack of recent convictions as mitigating factors. The sentence was out of a potential maximum of two years.
James Maloney, 44, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and attempted theft at an 80‑year‑old woman's home in Santry on 1 February 2023. He has 38 prior convictions. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided by Judge Elma Sheahan, found the private dwelling and victim's age aggravating, but noted Maloney's guilty plea, duress to pay a drug debt, remorse and apology as mitigating. He was sentenced to four years for the attempted burglary and two years and four months for the assault, both to run concurrently. The judge suspended the final six months of the sentence for six months. Maloney had been homeless and a drug user at the time, had admitted the offence, expressed remorse, and was engaged in a methadone programme. The victim suffered head, arm and hand injuries and had to wait over 12 hours in A&E. The court heard a victim impact statement and a letter of apology from Maloney.
Brendan Colley, a 55-year-old defendant from Drimnagh, Dublin 12, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of the proceeds of crime. Gardaí discovered €102,720 in cash hidden in socks and gloves beneath the stairwell of his home during a search on March 9, 2023. Colley admitted to holding the money to reduce a drugs debt, stating he was forced to store it and intended to hand it over to the owner. He has ten previous convictions, including offences for drugs, robbery, and possession of knives. Defence counsel John Berry BL highlighted Colley's vulnerabilities, including a recent tumour diagnosis and ongoing addiction issues, and requested a suspended sentence. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Colley's mitigating circumstances and low risk of re-offending but noted that laundering such a significant sum is a serious matter. The Judge stated that a more robust offender might have received three to four years. Consequently, Judge Nolan imposed a two-year prison sentence, ruling that an offender cannot launder that amount of money without suffering for it. The matter was finalised with this custodial sentence.
A 40‑year‑old man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his partner's friend while she slept on a bunk bed, with two children sleeping below. The assault occurred on 7 September 2018 and was found guilty in a trial last November. The victim, who could not be named, described feeling a hand in her vagina and hearing the assailant's voice, and later texted her partner and the accused. The accused denied the allegations but admitted to being out of bed at the time. He had ten prior convictions for drug misuse and traffic offences. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the assaults happened twice, with children present, and ordered the man onto the sex offenders register. The sentence reflected the aggravating factors and the victim's impact statement.
Conti Birali (28) was sentenced to nine years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to assault causing serious harm and violent disorder. The offences occurred on July 31, 2022, at the Old Navan Road, Dublin 7. Birali admitted to instigating an unprovoked attack on victim Austin Doherty, who suffered severe head injuries and brain trauma, leaving him a wheelchair user with lifelong disabilities. Birali, of Parlickstown Drive, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, had previously left the jurisdiction but returned and was arrested in November 2022. He expressed remorse, describing his actions as a "stupid alcoholic decision" and accepting global responsibility for the joint enterprise. Judge Martin Nolan noted Birali was the "author of the entire incident" and categorized the offence in the higher range of seriousness. The court also heard that co-accused Craig Maples (28), of Green Briar, Verdemont, Blanchardstown, Dublin, was jailed for seven years last month after pleading guilty to violent disorder and assault causing serious harm on the same occasion. Maples was identified as one of the three men who participated in the assault. The judge accepted Birali's expression of remorse and assessed a low risk of reoffending, but emphasized the severe, permanent impact on the victim, who can no longer work or care for his children.
An 86‑year‑old driver, Phillip Smith, was fined €1,500 and banned from driving for one year after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm. On 4 August 2021, while travelling at 34 km/h on Gardiner Street, he struck a 95‑year‑old pedestrian who had crossed the street without looking left. The collision left the woman with a spinal fracture and 31 facial stitches. CCTV showed the woman had crossed the road and Smith hit her; he had 1.5 seconds to react and did so in 0.8 seconds. Smith had no prior convictions and had never received a parking ticket. The court noted the seriousness of the injuries but also Smith's unblemished record and early guilty plea, and therefore imposed a fine and a one‑year driving disqualification rather than custodial imprisonment. The woman has since made a full physical recovery.
Peter 'Peadar' Keating, a senior Kinahan cartel member jailed for 11 years in September 2021 for directing a criminal organisation to target James 'Mago' Gately, is awaiting a High Court decision on his extradition to the UK. Keating faces nine alleged offences, including perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to possess firearms, stemming from a botched plot to amass an arsenal to help Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh reduce his sentence. Kavanagh, who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and was jailed for 21 years in England in March 2022, is alleged to have directed the scheme. The UK warrant alleges Keating, using the handle 'short-texture', procured weapons from the Netherlands between January and June 2020. While Keating's counsel argued he was serving a sentence in Ireland and thus outside the UK's jurisdiction, the State's counsel rejected this, stating the warrant clearly indicates the conspiracy occurred while Keating was in the UK. The court will deliver its judgment on the surrender application by April 25. Separately, Imre Arakas was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland in 2017.
In the final stage of the Stardust inquest, Dr Myra Cullinane summarised the pathological evidence presented by pathologists Dr Richard Shepherd, Dr Nat Cary and Dr Benjamin Swift. She reviewed each of the 48 victims alphabetically, noting their birth dates, last movements on the night of the February 14, 1981 fire, dates of death and the methods used to identify them. Identification methods included visual recognition, property such as clothing or jewellery, dental records and, for five victims—Eamon Loughman, Paul Wade, Michael Ffrench, Richard Bennett and Murtagh Kavanagh—DNA analysis in 2007. Cullinane detailed that most deaths were caused by rapid incapacitation from inhalation of fire fumes and heat. She concluded the day's proceedings out of respect for the families and announced that the next part of the inquest would involve a summary of evidence from fire experts, with the inquest continuing tomorrow in the Rotunda Hospital's Pillar Room.
John Dundon, convicted in 2013 of ordering the murder of Shane Geoghegan, is currently appealing his conviction. The Court of Appeal granted an application for Dundon's lawyers to withdraw from the case. Dundon told the court he discharged his legal team after claiming they failed to properly advance a new ground of appeal regarding undisclosed trial evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions accused Dundon of a "cynical ploy," noting similar tactics were rejected by the Special Criminal Court and High Court during his 2013 trial. The DPP stated that disclosure was carried out in full and expressed anxiety to conclude the matter, citing the victim's mother's desire for an end to the proceedings. The presiding judge, Mr Justice John Edwards, granted an adjournment but warned that Dundon must instruct new lawyers immediately, with all paperwork completed by April 8. The appeal hearing is scheduled for April 22, and the court stated it would not entertain further adjournment applications barring exceptional circumstances. Dundon, who is serving a life sentence, was found guilty at the Special Criminal Court of ordering the hit that killed Geoghegan in a case of mistaken identity. Gunman Barry Doyle, who admitted shooting Geoghegan during garda interviews, later pleaded not guilty at trial. He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012.
The 33‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court on 21 March 2024. He pleaded guilty to four charges that occurred in the southwest of the country in March 2021. He admitted that he reported his four‑year‑old son's fatal injuries as an accidental fall to a garda station on 24 March 2021, with the intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of the person he believed had murdered the child. He also pleaded guilty to endangering the child on 13 March 2021 by placing him in a situation that posed a substantial risk of serious harm while he had authority over the child. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to wilfully causing or allowing the child to be assaulted between 6 and 12 March 2021, and to wilfully neglecting the child on 13 March 2021 by failing to provide adequate medical aid.
A man convicted of killing his wife in Finglas, Dublin in 2021 has been returned to the Central Mental Hospital for continued treatment. Diego Costa Silva, aged 35, was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity following his trial at the Central Criminal Court earlier this month. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge relating to the death of his wife on November 4, 2021 at their home in Charlestown Place. Evidence presented to the jury established that Mr Costa Silva was suffering from cannabis-induced psychosis at the time, causing him to believe his wife was possessed and posed a threat to him. Two forensic psychiatrists confirmed he met the criteria for a finding of insanity under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. At today's hearing, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath ordered his return to the Central Mental Hospital, where a consultant psychiatrist confirmed he continues to require in-patient treatment. His case will be reviewed again on July 29.
Leeanda Farrelly (49) was found guilty of publishing a report likely to lead to the identification of a child involved in criminal proceedings after she reposted a photo of 'Boy A', one of the boys who murdered 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel, in a closed Facebook group on 19 June 2019. The image was posted with text encouraging others to share it. Farrelly removed the post after about 20 minutes but had already attracted police attention. She pleaded guilty in November 2023. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a fully suspended nine‑month sentence, noting that Farrelly's actions were a "self‑appointed judge, jury and executioner" and that she had little regard for the law. The court highlighted that the children were protected under the Children's Act and that the orders prohibiting their identification were in place to safeguard the judicial process.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the mother of a six‑year‑old girl whose innocence was taken by Mark Dolan, 49, demanded a clear message that such behaviour would not be tolerated. Dolan, who had initially denied the offence, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity in front of a child on 6 May 2023. CCTV footage showed him parking beside a school, walking past a group of girls aged six to eight, undressing and masturbating for over five minutes while checking for witnesses. The four girls suffered nightmares and lost a sense of safety. Dolan had no prior convictions, was arrested two days after the incident, and had admitted to exhibitionist behaviour. He spent nine days in custody, began therapy and is on medication. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
The High Court has heard arguments regarding the extradition of Peter 'Peadar' Keating to the UK, where he faces charges including perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to possess firearms. Keating, a senior Kinahan cartel member, was jailed for 11 years in Ireland in September 2021 after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation involved in the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately. The UK warrant alleges Keating conspired to source weapons from the Netherlands to assist Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh in reducing his sentence. Kavanagh, who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, was jailed for 21 years in England in March 2022. Counsel for Keating argued that the alleged conspiracy occurred outside the jurisdiction of England and Wales, noting Keating was serving a sentence in Ireland during the relevant period. The court also considered arguments regarding prison conditions in the UK. The hearing before Mr Justice Patrick McGrath was adjourned and continues tomorrow. Separately, Imre Arakas was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland. Stephen Fowler and David Duffy were also jailed for providing logistical support to the plot against Gately.
A 59‑year‑old man who sexually abused his cousin between 1979 and 1982 was arrested when he returned to Ireland after living abroad. He pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault at his cousin's Dublin home. The court noted he had serious lung disease requiring regular operations and a reduced life span, and therefore suspended the entire headline sentence of four to five years, giving him a three‑year suspended sentence. He had no prior convictions, a long work history and many references. The victim, aged six to nine at the time of the abuse, reported the incidents to Gardaí in 2023 and did not attend the sentencing hearing. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offences and the fear they caused, but deemed imprisonment unfair due to the defendant's medical condition. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to defilement for an incident that occurred in June 2019 when he was 18 and the victim was a 15‑year‑old girl. The court imposed a fully suspended sentence, citing the defendant's young age and mitigating circumstances. The victim, now 19, gave a victim impact statement describing severe emotional distress, self‑harm, depression, an eating disorder, PTSD, and ongoing nightmares. She also noted the disruption to her education, work, and family life. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as serious and a "terrible misjudgement" but decided against custodial imprisonment, stating the defendant's age and mitigation warranted a suspended sentence. The conviction will place the defendant on the sex offenders' register, which the court considered a punishment in itself. The case was originally reported by a local detective following a complaint by the victim's mother in December 2019.
The coroner in the Stardust fire inquest has informed the jury that firefighters described encountering an 'inferno' at the scene. The first fire engine arrived at the Stardust nightclub in Artane at 1.50am on February 14, 1981. One firefighter stated that the Stardust fire was the worst tragedy he had ever encountered in his 15 years of service. Another firefighter described seeing an inferno at exit door four, while another noted that the roof was gone and flames were visible. The fire was reportedly out of control before the firefighters arrived, with the inside of the building evenly burned. It was not until 2.54am that the fire was brought under control. Evidence indicated that many of the deceased were found near exit door five and the centre of the dance floor. Assistant station officer evidence suggested that only those in sheltered areas, such as the toilets, could be rescued.
In an appeal-stage report, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced a 16-year-old boy to a three-year period of detention for violent disorder and a concurrent two-year period for assault causing harm. The boy pleaded guilty to these charges following an unprovoked attack on four English tourists in Dublin's Temple Bar in August 2023. Prosecution evidence alleged the teenager punched a victim, dragged another to the ground, and stamped on the head of a third man who was already on the ground. The court heard the defendant has 18 previous convictions, including six for assault causing harm. While imposing the sentences, Judge Codd stated that if the offender were an adult, she would have imposed six years for violent disorder and four years for assault causing harm. She directed that the boy receive credit for time already in custody on a separate matter. The judge also highlighted a legislative gap, noting that supervision orders for juveniles become unenforceable once they turn 18, leaving the court's hands "effectively tied." She urged the Oireachtas to address this issue urgently and suggested the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions take it up. Defence counsel noted the boy was in State care, diagnosed with ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and had been clean from cannabis. The matter was not adjourned; the sentences were handed down.
Martin Roche, 62, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to theft and aiding and abetting money laundering linked to a Brazilian real‑estate scam. In 2012 he became director of a company that promoted a fictitious social housing scheme in Brazil, later struck off in 2014. Roche's bank accounts in Spain were used to launder €271,958, and he admitted stealing €69,000 from investors. Two men invested €183,444.54 and €5,000 plus $6,900, expecting returns that never materialised. Victims received cold calls promising 15% and 30% returns, but the promised development never existed. Roche denied stealing any money from investors but admitted to taking the €69,000. He claimed he was used as a front by another individual and that he had a severe gambling addiction. Judge Martin Nolan described his conduct as "serious criminal behaviour" and imposed the custodial term. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In March 2024, Shannon Valley Plant Hire Ltd was fined €600,000 after the death of Christopher Miley, a 31‑year‑old worker who was knocked down by a digger at Behan Quarry in Rathcoole on 28 October 2021. Miley was refuelling vehicles for the company in wet, dark, windy conditions, with no lighting, traffic marshal or designated refuelling area. The court found that Shannon Valley failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of individuals on the site, and that Behan Aggregates and Recycling Ltd, the quarry operator, failed to maintain suitable operating procedures. The fine for Shannon Valley was the maximum allowed in such cases, while Behan Aggregates received a €50,000 fine. The judge highlighted a "certain level of complacency" on site and the lack of adequate safety measures. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the families of the deceased present for the sentencing. The companies had no prior health and safety breaches. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
During the final stages of the Stardust inquest, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane guided the jury through survivor testimony, confirming that patrons agreed the fire spread rapidly and engulfed the building suddenly. She highlighted vivid accounts of smoke's impact, noting widespread breathing difficulties, drowsiness, and loss of vision. The coroner reviewed evidence concerning each of the six fire exit doors and accounts from nearby residents who first saw the blaze between 1.15 am and 1.38 am. She reminded jurors that the event was described as an over‑21s disco, yet a 1981 Tribunal of Inquiry found 83 % of attendees were under 21, and most witnesses did not need to prove age upon entry. Patrons' estimates of when they first smelled smoke or saw the fire ranged from 1.30 am to 1.45 am, all agreeing on the rapid spread.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 27‑year‑old woman testified that she is "living in fear" after her ex‑partner, who was jailed for 18 months, slammed her to the ground, fracturing three vertebrae in her back and subjecting her to misogynistic abuse. The incident occurred on 13 November 2021 after a dispute over a third party. The man, who has 22 prior convictions, was found guilty of assault causing harm. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with six months suspended on strict conditions, back‑dated to September when he entered custody. The court noted the victim's ongoing pain, financial hardship, and mental health issues, and praised her for coming forward. The defendant accepted the verdict, apologized, and expressed a desire to co‑parent their child while avoiding contact with the victim. The judge highlighted the aggravating factor of the verbal abuse and the defendant's drug‑related history. The sentence was imposed on 19 March 2024.
The State has applied to the Court of Appeal to increase the 2½‑year jail sentence imposed on Jason Owens, a former Irish taekwondo international, for striking Conor Kelly in a pub toilet on New Year's Day 2020. Owens pleaded guilty in June 2023, and Judge Martin Nolan had sentenced him to 3½ years with the final 12 months suspended. The State argues the headline sentence of seven years was too low and that the 50 % reduction for mitigating factors was unduly lenient, citing Owens' late guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and a letter of apology. The Court of Appeal, hearing evidence of the assault, the serious head injury sustained by Kelly, and mitigating circumstances such as Owens' remorse and psychological issues, has adjourned the decision to 9 April 2024. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no final judgment yet issued.
At the appeal stage of the case, Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor serving a combined 35-year sentence in the Midlands Prison, was found guilty of one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021. Murray had pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was convicted by a jury in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an eight-day trial. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two-year prison sentence to run consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving. The court heard that an anonymous caller phoned the Samaritans claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and said explosives had been planted at the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The call was traced back to Murray's cell in the Midlands Prison. Murray admitted making a call to the Samaritans but denied making the threat. He also stated that he had a 'gripe' with Fine Gael and the Minister for Justice. The matter was adjourned for further proceedings.
Paula Doyle describes the lasting physical, mental and emotional damage she suffered after a violent assault on 6 September 2019. She recounts living with extreme fear, anxiety and paranoia for four and a half years, feeling that her future no longer mattered. Doyle says the perpetrator, Aidan Kestell, sent harassing texts, photos, videos and stalked her for three and a half years before the rape, and that he drove around her cul‑de‑sac after the attack. She calls for more than vigils, urging action, education and better legislation to protect women. Doyle thanks the Gardaí, the DPP, the legal team, the Rape Crisis Centre, her family and the jury for their support. She declares that the ordeal is over and she is now a survivor ready to rebuild her life. The article focuses on her experience and her plea for change, not on any legal outcome.
At a sentence hearing in the appeal stage, Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor serving a combined 35-year sentence in the Midlands Prison, stated he does not accept the jury's verdict of guilt on a charge of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021. Murray had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was found guilty by a jury in a trial earlier this month. The charge relates to a bomb threat made against the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The case was adjourned for finalisation until March 19. Murray was excluded from his July 2021 sentence hearing and moved to another courtroom after he threw a bible, narrowly missing Judge Karen O'Connor. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
An Italian diamond distributor, World Diamond Group SPA, obtained a temporary High Court injunction against Shuwan Li, trading as Empress Fine Jewels, to stop the sale or distribution of over €500,000 worth of jewels. The injunction was granted ex‑parte by Mr Justice David Nolan after the parties' commercial relationship collapsed. WDG alleges Li failed to return a consignment valued at €585,000 and that the defendants owe large sums for goods supplied. The court heard that negotiations had taken place, but WDG was concerned about the repayment method and ended the relationship, demanding the return of the goods. WDG seeks an order for the return of the consignment, damages, a declaration of ownership, and a separate €155,000 judgment for other goods. The defendants have disputed the debt amount and the deadlines for return, and the case will return to the High Court next week.
The owners of the Fota Island resort and other luxury hotels in Cork have secured temporary freezing orders against former directors Xiu Xiang Kelly and her son Tuo Du. The High Court granted the orders after Mr Yuzhu Kang, a Chinese businessman who had previously resolved a dispute over the resorts, alleged that the directors defrauded the companies of more than €1.8 million. Mr Kang claims the directors received €1.5 million for artworks and furniture that were worth far less, and that €246,000 was paid for sham redundancies in 2021. He also cites an unpaid €125,000 loan to Ms Kelly. The court ordered that Ms Kelly's assets not fall below €1.85 million and Mr Du's not below €1.7 million, pending further proceedings. The case remains at the temporary injunction stage, with the matter set to return to court early next week.
In a High Court trademark dispute, Hitianland Limited, trading as 'Xi'an Street Food', sued IR Entertainment Limited over its planned restaurant 'Meet Xi'an' in Dublin 7. Hitianland alleged that the name and a logo with Chinese characters would infringe its registered trademark and cause confusion with its existing restaurants. The case was adjourned for out‑of‑court settlement talks. When it returned before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, the parties agreed to a settlement: the new restaurant will operate under the name 'Biang Biang' on Little Mary Street, and the proceedings were struck out. The settlement was reached with the consent of both parties, and no damages or injunctions were imposed. The dispute centred on the use of a similar name and logo in a nearby area, which Hitianland claimed could damage its goodwill and reputation. The case was therefore resolved without a court order.