A Dublin man, Keith Redmond, aged 45, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for attempting to send sexually explicit material to a fictitious 14‑year‑old girl over a three‑month period in late 2022. The case involved 83 pages of text between Redmond and a decoy named 'Amber', created by a UK‑based group called 'Volunteers for Predator Exposure'. Redmond sent four photographs of his penis and engaged in grooming‑like discussions, offering to buy a phone and plan a meeting in Leeds. He pleaded guilty to the offence, claiming he had not sought contact with a child and that the operation bordered on entrapment. The judge, citing aggravating factors such as moving the conversation to a private platform, imposed a two‑year custodial sentence with the final six months suspended for one year, and ordered probation and no unsupervised access to children.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, pleaded not guilty to a single count of knowingly making a false report that caused a safety apprehension while he was imprisoned at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on 7 March 2021. The allegation was that an anonymous caller, claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army, had called the Samaritans to report that explosives were planted at the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. No explosives were found and the call was traced to the prison. Murray, who was alone in his cell with a telephone that night, denied making the call but admitted having links with the paramilitary group. He said the threat was ludicrous, arguing that it made no sense for him to isolate himself at 8.30 p.m. and threaten the Minister. He claimed his grievance was with the policies of the Director of Public Prosecutions office, not with McEntee herself.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 6 March 2024, Niall Brooks, aged 26, was sentenced to three years and three months' imprisonment for his role in an unprovoked mob attack on a nightclub bouncer at Buzz nightclub, Red Cow Moran Hotel, on 9 November 2019. Brooks pleaded guilty to an amended charge of assault with intent to commit violent disorder after initially denying assault causing harm. He received a two‑year sentence for the nightclub assault and a consecutive 15‑month sentence for possessing 150 g of crack cocaine for sale or supply, found in an air vent in his kitchen. The court noted that the security guard suffered a punctured lung, three stab wounds to his back, two fractured ribs and a fractured elbow, and that the attack involved a group of six to ten men, including Brandon Brooks, who had previously been sentenced for assault in the same incident.
A 61‑year‑old man named David Clarke was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment after the court found he had evaded excise duty on 74,148 cigarettes and 141 kg of tobacco, which he claimed he was selling to traders. The products were seized from his home and a shed at a second house he rented on St Attracta Road, Cabra, Dublin 7. Clarke admitted sourcing the goods but did not identify the supplier. He pleaded guilty to evading excise duty and to a fine cut for the rolling of cigarettes with intent to defraud the State on 5 September 2022. The State suffered a loss of €121,565, and €65,000 was found during the search, though no application had been made for that cash. Clarke has prior minor road‑traffic convictions. He is a retired newsagent, a carer for his 87‑year‑old mother, and volunteers with Vision Ireland and a local soccer club.
Philip Cox, 39, was tried for attempted murder after he stabbed his former partner, Cristal O'Brien, twice in the leg on 1 December 2022 at a York Street flat. He claimed he had no intention to hurt her and that the incident was a blur. O'Brien said Cox had threatened to stab her "to pieces", broke two knives, then retrieved a third, describing the attack as terrifying. A neighbour, Alice McGrath, testified that Cox said he would kill O'Brien and that he did not care if he went to prison. Cox pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge. He also faced separate charges of assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and producing a knife during a dispute, for which he had pleaded guilty. The trial was heard in the Central Criminal Court, with the jury hearing the evidence and the defendant's statements. The case is ongoing.
Diego Costa Silva, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, De Campos Silva, 33, at their home in Charlestown Place, Finglas, on November 4, 2021. The Central Criminal Court jury is being asked to return a special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Detective Garda Carl Smith testified that Mr Costa Silva told gardai he heard voices and believed his wife was possessed, stating, "sometimes you have to behead somebody." He alleged he felt unsafe after confessing to infidelity and feared his wife would kill him. He described striking her with a cup, choking her, stabbing her, and cutting off her head with a knife. Det Sgt Louise McHugh stated that following interviews, Mr Costa Silva was released from detention before she arrested and charged him with murder. Garda Colin Miley testified that two days prior, he found Mr Costa Silva distressed and disorientated while running barefoot in Dublin city centre. Mr Costa Silva was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to the Mater Hospital, where he expressed suicidal thoughts. A urine analysis was positive for cannabis. The accused has only previous convictions for minor road traffic matters. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, is on trial for making a false bomb threat to the Minister of Justice's home. While imprisoned in Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, he allegedly phoned the Samaritans claiming explosives were planted at Helen McEntee's residence. The call was traced to a unique identification number registered to Murray, who was alone in his cell with telephone access that night. Murray denied making the call but admitted having links to a paramilitary group. He claimed to have been part of a "Criminal Revenge Group" that threatened Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Minister of Justice, stating "Leo is to get it this week." The court heard video footage of Murray's interview after his arrest, where he discussed the group's threats and his frustration. He also said he regretted the call. The trial is ongoing before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Philip Cox, 39, was accused of attempting to murder his former partner, Cristal O'Brien, after a 12‑month relationship. O'Brien testified that on 1 December 2022 Cox entered their flat, threatened to stab her "to pieces", and brandished a knife. She described a violent confrontation in which Cox broke two knives, then sought a third, and attempted to stab her while she fled to a neighbour's flat. O'Brien was injured, sustaining two stab wounds to her left thigh, a broken lip, and bruising. During the trial, Cox interrupted proceedings, calling O'Brien a "lying c***", and was subsequently removed from the courtroom. The judge apologized for the interruption and instructed the jury to focus on the evidence presented. The case remains pending before Mr Justice McDermott. Philip Cox pleaded not guilty.
Niall Sheehy, a 59‑year‑old car‑sales owner from Ballinteskin, Stradbally, pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching the Data Protection Act for disclosing personal information obtained from the Garda Pulse system between June 2019 and February 2020. He had no money exchanged for the data and did not request it, but the information was sent to him by a serving Garda who had a "cosy relationship" with him. The Garda's phone was seized in March 2020, revealing ten screenshots of Pulse data sent to Sheehy. Sheehy's home was searched and he fully cooperated. Judge Martin Nolan, noting his long‑standing community standing and lack of criminal intent, sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions, and found no malice in his receipt of the data. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paulo Ronchi, 39, a chef from Brazil, was found to have had a psychotic episode when he attacked his landlady, a fellow tenant and two Gardaí on the night of 21 August 2021. He assaulted the sleeping landlady, pulling out clumps of her hair and claiming she was the devil, then jumped from a second‑floor bedroom window onto the Gardaí below, injuring them and biting one. He also caused criminal damage to the bedroom, damaging furniture, a door and the walls. The landlady suffered bleeding from the assault and reported €800 in damage and loss of rental income, along with stress, depression and anxiety. Ronchi pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm, one count of assault and one count of criminal damage. He was remanded on continuing bail and the case was adjourned to June 10 for a psychiatric report and a urine analysis to confirm he was not smoking weed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old named Calistus Omoikhudu received a fully suspended three‑year prison sentence for assault causing harm and possession of a knife after stabbing a rival group member in the thigh with a kitchen knife on Nutgrove Avenue, Churchtown, on 10 May 2019. The victim suffered a 15‑cm laceration and required surgery. Omoikhudu, who had no prior convictions, admitted the offence, expressed regret and presented an apology letter. The court noted his age, lack of parental oversight at the time, and his subsequent maturation and good behaviour after returning to Ireland from Nigeria in 2022. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the suspended sentence on strict conditions and directed Omoikhudu to be supervised by Probation Services for 15 months. The sentence was based on the Children's Act and the court's assessment that he was unlikely to re‑offend. Calistus Omoikhudu pleaded guilty.
Shane Romel Bullock, a 29‑year‑old Canadian from Toronto, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing 29.8 kg of cannabis, valued at €597,048, into Ireland. He was arrested after a customs sniffer dog flagged two suspicious pieces of luggage bearing his name and flight number. Bullock initially denied ownership but later admitted the bags were his, claiming he did not know their contents but had agreed to transport them from Canada to London via Dublin, for a promised €2,000. He has been in custody since his arrest. The court accepted his admission of high risk and reckless conduct, noting his remorse. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, back‑dated to his initial remand in July 2023.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard allegations that Diego Costa Silva, aged 35, fatally attacked his wife at their apartment on Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin in November 2021. The prosecution alleges that Mr Costa Silva struck his wife, Fabiola Camara De Campos Silva, aged 33, with knives and severed her head from her body. Emergency services were called in the early morning of November 4th, with the accused telling responders he believed he had killed his wife. Gardaí discovered the deceased in a doorway with knife wounds and a blade protruding from her chest. Mr Costa Silva has pleaded not guilty to murder. The defence has made admissions regarding the death but indicated it will seek a special verdict under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006, centring on the accused's mental state at the time. Psychiatric evidence from both prosecution and defence experts will be presented to the jury. The trial before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath continues.
Ken Oman, a 41‑year‑old former League of Ireland centre‑back and Ireland U21 international, voluntarily surrendered to Northern Ireland authorities to face charges of causing a broken jaw to Cliftonville player Caoimhín Bonner during a 2016 Premiership match at Solitude. The incident, captured on TV, led to Bonner losing two front teeth and sustaining a broken upper jaw. Oman received a six‑match ban from the Irish Football Association. The warrant, issued in the Republic and endorsed by the PSNI, refers to the offence as grievous bodily harm, punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment in the UK. At the High Court, Oman confirmed he had been fully advised of his legal options and signed consent papers. The judge ordered his extradition to Northern Ireland within 20 days, noting Oman had complied with bail conditions and had engaged a solicitor in the North.
Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Killiney, Dublin, is on trial before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury for one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleges he phoned in a bomb threat to the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee while imprisoned in Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, on March 7, 2021. The jury heard that an anonymous caller claiming to be from the INLA reported explosives at the Minister's home; no explosives were found, but the call was traced to a unique identification number registered to Mr. Murray. Video footage of a garda interview played to the jury showed Mr. Murray admitting to having "well-known" links to the INLA. He denied making the threat, stating he regularly called the Samaritans. The court also heard details of his criminal history, including convictions for armed robberies and a 2010 conviction for kidnapping and rape, for which he was initially sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, later increased to 19 years on appeal. The trial continues.
Keith Redmond, 45, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempting to send sexually explicit material to a child between 30 August and 3 December 2022. He had not initiated contact with a fake profile of a 14‑year‑old girl named 'Amber' created by the UK group Volunteers for Predator Exposure, nor had he sought an underage girl. Redmond's profile on the social media platform Kick listed him as a 44‑year‑old male from Ireland. After 'Amber' contacted him, they exchanged 83 typed pages of messages, which began as ordinary conversation but became sexually explicit. Redmond sent four photographs of his penis and discussed meeting 'Amber' for sexual activity, offering to buy her a phone and to live together. The UK group used open‑source technology to locate Redmond and contacted an Irish group, Child Online Protection Enforcers, who located him in Dublin.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 4 March 2024, Philip Cox, 39, pleaded not guilty to a single count of attempted murder of his former partner, Cristal O'Brien, after an incident on 1 December 2022 at York Street Flats. The prosecution presented evidence that Cox had broken two knives during an argument with O'Brien, pursued her, and then broke a third knife to continue the attack. O'Brien fled to a neighbour's home, where Cox broke the neighbour's door, unbolted the lock, and threatened her again. She later hid behind a car and called Gardaí, who arrested Cox. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, will focus on proving Cox's intent to kill and the physical acts of breaking and using the knives, with a potential duration of up to one week. The case also notes Cox's prior guilty pleas for assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, and knife production, which do not affect the attempted murder charge.
The High Court appointed Ken Fennell and Eamonn Richardson of Interpath Advisory as joint provisional liquidators for Pressing Matters Limited, trading as Dublin Vinyl, Ireland's sole vinyl record manufacturer. The court heard the company, founded in 2016, employs 22 full‑time staff and four contractors and supplies records to major labels, including artists such as Taylor Swift. Pressing Matters has suffered significant losses in 2002 and 2023, citing the Covid‑19 pandemic, Brexit, the Ukraine war, the loss of a major contract and delays in the delivery of pressing machines. The company's directors petitioned for liquidation, arguing that an orderly winding‑up would best serve employees and creditors. Mr Justice Oisin Quinn confirmed the company's insolvency, granted the liquidators powers, and adjourned the case to April, noting the firm's liabilities exceed its assets by €1.9 million.
A 45‑year‑old chronic alcoholic was jailed for 16 months after he ignored his 11‑year‑old daughter's pleas for help when her mother collapsed and later died in their apartment during Covid‑19 restrictions. The mother, in end‑stage alcoholism, died of acute alcohol intoxication, and the daughter cared for her for about four days, bringing blankets and food, before seeking help from neighbours. The father, now sober, told Gardaí he did not remember the events and described himself as a monster. He pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty in 2020, with no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted the father's severe alcohol problem and the child's neglect, but imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 20 months suspended, citing the father's guilty pleas, cooperation, lack of criminal record and work history. The case was reported under restrictions to protect the child's identity.
David Howard, a retired firefighter from Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder arising from an incident on October 15, 2019, at Loughlinstown Drive, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin. The matter was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the prosecution alleged Howard engaged in a "boxing match" with a third party during an altercation in which his cousin, Derek Reddin, was fatally stabbed by Andrew Lacey. Lacey was previously found guilty of manslaughter, and the Court of Appeal recently quashed his original sentence of seven and a half years with 18 months suspended, imposing a new term of six years and nine months. In Howard's case, the court accepted he had no previous convictions, acted as a central witness in Lacey's trial, and attempted to provide first aid to the deceased. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as unfortunate, noting Howard's limited involvement and good behavior afterward. He imposed a nine-month sentence suspended on strict conditions, determining that Howard did not deserve a prison term.
David Douglas, 65, from Belfast, was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to two charges of masturbating in a public place at Dundrum Town Centre in March 2022. He admitted playing an "eye contact game" for about 20 years, focusing on young girls. An off‑duty Garda and her 11‑year‑old daughter reported that Douglas sat close to them in the food court, looking at them, and later ran when security alerted the Gardaí. CCTV showed Douglas masturbating outside his clothing near where girls were seated, and he claimed he used alcohol to reduce inhibitions. He has 33 prior convictions, including road traffic offences and sexual offences, but none involving physical contact. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to 15 months' imprisonment, suspended the final three months, and imposed 12 months of probation on release.
Daunte Millar Wruck, a 21‑year‑old Canadian, pleaded guilty on 1 August 2023 to importing a controlled drug for sale or supply after customs found 29.8 kg of herbal cannabis in two suitcases at Dublin Airport, valued at €596 000. He claimed the items were artworks he intended to take to Birmingham. Wruck admitted possession but said he expected a $10 000 reward. Garda Peter Elliott and counsel Paul Murray described him as a "complete and utter patsy" who entered an early guilty plea, answered all questions, and cooperated. The investigation revealed messages from a third party arranging flights from Toronto via Ottawa to London, then to Birmingham via Dublin, and providing money for the flights. The court noted Wruck's lack of prior convictions, young age, and lack of Irish ties.
A 76‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for raping a 15‑year‑old girl in the late 1980s. The victim, who was babysitting for a woman with whom the defendant was having an affair, was lured to the Wicklow mountains under the pretext of a job interview and raped there. In a separate incident he took her to the babysitter's home, where he raped her while she was cleaning the house. The victim also reported that the defendant forced her to perform oral sex on him and that he held her by her hair. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of rape and indecent assault. A jury convicted him on two rape charges and three indecent assault charges.
In March 2023, at the Central Criminal Court, Stephen Mulvey (32) and Jamie Berry (28) were found not guilty of attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old boy on 24 February 2021, possession of a Beretta pistol with intent to endanger life, and Berry was also charged with criminal damage to a home on Eugene Street. Both men had pleaded not guilty to all charges. In March 2024, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittals, ruling that the evidence presented at the original trial required a jury's consideration. The Court of Appeal quashed the acquittals and ordered a retrial. Mr Justice Paul McDermott announced that the retrial would commence on 14 October 2024 at the Central Criminal Court. The case concerns the attempted murder of a teenager at a Dublin south inner‑city residential estate and the alleged possession of a firearm and criminal damage on the same night.
A 39-year-old man with 174 previous convictions has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for breaching conditions of a suspended sentence, including a lifelong driving disqualification. James Maughan was convicted in February in the District Court of 16 offences arising from a hit-and-run incident involving an off-duty garda's vehicle. No injuries resulted from the collision. Judge Pauline Codd described Maughan's continued driving despite the ban as an "intolerable" and "outrageous" situation, noting that someone would eventually be injured. Maughan, previously of Cloghran, County Dublin, has an extensive history of road traffic offences spanning a decade. The court heard he became homeless after his suspended sentence was imposed in 2022 and was not accessing required medication for paranoid schizophrenia. Upon release, the judge requested continued medical supervision.
A 35-year-old Brazilian man pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court today to the murder of his wife at their home in Dublin in November 2021. Diego Costa Silva is charged with the killing of Fabiola Camara De Campos Silva at Charlestown Place, Finglas. The trial, which opened before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury, is expected to last approximately five days. The court will consider the question of insanity as a special verdict. The prosecution's case will be supported by evidence from gardaí, emergency service personnel, and two consultant forensic psychiatrists. Both the accused and his wife had emigrated from Brazil, with Mr Costa Silva having worked at a public house in Blanchardstown.
During a trial on March 7 2021, Michael Murray (52) of Seafield Road, Killiney, was accused of making a false bomb threat against Minister Helen McEntee's home. The call was traced to a unique identification number registered to Murray, used on a prison telephone at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise. Jury evidence showed Murray was alone in his cell at the time, with all cells master‑locked and no other prisoners able to access the phone. The assistant chief officer, Patrick McCabe, confirmed that the cell would not have been opened until the next day. Detective Garda Shane Curran identified the call's source as the prison, and IT staff Noel Reilly admitted he had not reported a phone‑system issue that allowed prisoners to call solicitors. No other calls to the Samaritans were made from Murray's number until March 20, and the trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
In a sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, a woman gave a victim impact statement after being raped by Aidan Kestell, 55, the husband of a friend. She described the assault as an "atrocious attack" that left her a "waking corpse," causing anxiety, paranoia, nightmares and a loss of her former self. She said the rape ended her habit of walking home alone after nights out and that society's perceptions of sexual assault are "all wrong." She noted that Kestell had no prior convictions and that the crime involved an abuse of trust, premeditation and occurred in a public place near her home. The court heard that Kestell was remanded in custody pending a March 15 sentencing and that the case was being treated as a higher‑category offence by the DPP. The woman thanked the court, Gardaí, the prosecution and her family for their support.
Andrew Lacey, a 35‑year‑old father of five, was convicted of manslaughter for stabbing Derek Reddin to death on 14/15 October 2019 after an altercation on Loughlinstown Drive. The original sentence of seven and a half years with 18 months suspended was increased by the Court of Appeal to six years and nine months with no portion suspended. The appeal court found that the trial judge, Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, had given too much weight to the difficulties faced by Lacey's children, describing them as "innocent victims" and citing reports of educational issues. The Court of Appeal held that these circumstances were not central to the sentencing hearing and quashed the suspended portion, imposing the new term. The decision was made by a three‑judge panel, including Mr Justice George Birmingham, who noted that the suspended portion had no evidential basis in this case.
During a trial, Michael Murray, 52, pleaded not guilty to a single count of knowingly making a false report that caused apprehension for the safety of another. The false report was a bomb threat to the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, allegedly made from the Samaritans. The State argued that the call was traced to the prisoner number of Murray, who was imprisoned at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, on 7 March 2021. Evidence included a report from Noel Reilly, an IT officer at the Irish Prison Service, who showed that an outgoing call from the prison matched the duration and time of the bomb threat and used Murray's unique prisoner number. Reilly explained that prisoners must enter a number to access the phone system and that calls to the Samaritans are logged but not recorded.
Kevin Murphy, 28, of Bray, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of harassment and one count of making a threat to kill between July 2021 and July 2022. He sent 200 abusive, violent and distressing messages to a family, including graphic sexual texts, threats to kill, and insults. The victim was a 16‑year‑old girl who had been his surfing student; her mother also received harassing messages. Murphy's communications included threats to "clip their car" and to kill the boyfriend of a family member. He was initially detained in February 2022, later arrested again, and admitted to some of the messages. Garda Rachel Corcoran and counsel noted that his behaviour occurred during an episode of psychosis and that he had voluntarily committed himself to hospital for four weeks in March 2022. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two and a half years in prison, suspended in full, and imposed a 15‑year no‑contact order with the injured parties.
A 35‑year‑old serial offender, Dean Masterson, who had 122 prior convictions and was on bail, was sentenced to one year in prison for robbing an Italian man in St Stephen's Green on 1 May 2018. Masterson and two accomplices followed the victim, who was walking from Harcourt Street, and attacked him from behind. One of the men placed the victim in a chokehold, forced him to the ground, and seized his phone, ATM card, cigarettes, Italian ID card and €1 in cash. The incident was captured on CCTV. Masterson pleaded guilty before trial. The court noted his guilty plea, apology, and claims of drug addiction at the time of the offence, and considered mitigating factors. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended the final 12 months, and ordered 12 months of probation after release. The victim has returned to Italy and declined to give a victim impact statement.
Darren Foster, 44, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage after breaking into a warehouse in the Dublin Industrial Estate on the night of 9 July 2023. He used a forklift to lift security doors and caused extensive damage to the interior, including cutting telecom lines and damaging tools stored in a secure area. The warehouse, operated by St Micheal's House for the HSE, suffered about €4,400 in damage. Foster was found in a van near the site, covered by a blanket, and was arrested while on bail. He claimed he had no intention to steal but wanted to draw attention to an alleged debt. The court, noting his prior convictions and current sentence, imposed an additional 10‑month sentence consecutive to his existing term, extending his custody until July 2025. No victim impact statement was presented. The case highlighted Foster's addiction issues and his recent detox and volunteer work in custody.
Brendan Ogle, a Unite trade‑unionist, has lodged a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 alleging that the union discriminated against him on disability grounds after his return to work in 2022 following a cancer diagnosis. He claims a colleague, Tom Fitzgerald, told him that Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham had directed that he be excluded from a new strategy for Ireland. Ogle says his line manager, Jackie Pollock, and HR manager Richard Griffiths were surprised by this claim, and that a meeting with Graham's deputy Gail Cartmail denied any such directive. The case was adjourned by the Workplace Relations Commission to April, with hearings held at Lansdowne House in Ballsbridge. The proceedings were attended by the public, and the adjudicator warned against recording the hearing. Ogle's evidence was presented by his counsel, Mark Harty SC, and the union's counsel, Mary‑Paula Guinness BL, engaged in heated exchanges during the hearing.
During a trial, Garda Superintendent Dermot Dray explained that a bomb threat call to the Samaritans hotline, claiming explosives were planted at Minister for Justice Helen McEntee's home, was treated as a serious criminal offence that could threaten the state's security. The call, made on 7 March 2021 from Midlands Prison while Michael Murray was incarcerated, was investigated to identify the caller's number and location. Dray noted that the call's origin was traced to the prison two days later, and that the Samaritans volunteer who received the call had not recorded the exact time or duration. Garda Sergeant Paul McGarry recounted that officers from Navan and Dublin were dispatched to McEntee's residence and the Justice Department to search for suspicious devices, finding none. The threat was ultimately deemed a hoax, but the investigation remained thorough. The case is before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Brian Lucey (44) was sentenced for illegally possessing a submachine gun at the M11 Shankill roundabout on March 7, 2020. Lucey, of Ashford, Co Wicklow, initially took a trial date but later pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Lucey, a 'gilly' expecting to collect cannabis, was 'completely taken by surprise' when an unknown individual threw the firearm into his car. The judge noted Lucey's low culpability and 'agony of the moment,' resulting in a four-year fully-suspended sentence. The court heard that Lucey was used by co-accused to move the weapon. In related proceedings, Robert Redmond and Jamie Gray pleaded guilty to possessing the firearm for an unlawful purpose and were jailed in July 2023. Redmond, who denied the charge of murdering Barry Wolverson in January 2020, was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2022. His co-accused, Bernard Fogarty, was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mr Wolverson. Separately, Fogarty pleaded guilty to possession of the submachine gun in 2020 and was jailed for five years by the Special Criminal Court.
During a search of a Renault van at Dublin Port, Gardaí uncovered a secret, lead‑lined compartment beneath the floor carpet containing 167,000 Xanax tablets, valued at €334,950. The van had arrived from Manchester on 4 July of the previous year. The owner, Conor Kealy, 42, of Gleann na hEorna, Springfield, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to importing controlled drugs. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years' imprisonment, a sentence backdated to the July offence. Kealy claimed he was unaware of the compartment's contents. He has 21 prior convictions, including two drug offences, and has a history of addiction dating back to his teens. The court noted his vulnerability and the role of drug debt in his actions. He is reportedly adapting well to prison life.
Daniel O'Connell, 42, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply on 8 March 2022 at his Cherry Orchard Park home. Gardaí searched the property and found a white plastic bag in an upstairs bedroom containing 113 g of diamorphine, valued at €15,904. O'Connell was not present during the search but later contacted the police, stating he was holding the drugs on behalf of a third party to reduce a €5,000 drug debt. He claimed he had been holding the heroin for two weeks, was unaware of its weight, and was threatened at the time. He said it would be the "first and clearly the last time" he would hold drugs. O'Connell has 19 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and three drug offences. He has a history of addiction, has engaged in rehabilitation, and has a job offer after completing an up‑skilling programme.
Brendan Ogle is testifying in a Workplace Relations Commission hearing that Unite's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, defamed him during a 2022 conference by claiming "lies were being told" about the union on social media. Ogle says the remarks were made after his wife, Unite official Amanda La Combre, posted on Facebook about his return to work from cancer treatment, which was reported by the Irish and British press. He alleges Woodhouse's comments were made without naming him and that they were part of a broader pattern of defamation. Ogle has filed a defamation claim against Woodhouse and has been warned not to discuss his evidence with anyone. The hearing is adjourned for the night, with cross‑examination to resume later. The case remains an ongoing complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Templeogue College principal Niamh Quinn will deny retaliating against former teacher Jennifer Clancy, who had signed a grievance about student indiscipline. Quinn will argue that she did not target Clancy personally and that any disciplinary action was unrelated to the grievance. She will also contest claims that a student who threw a mobile phone at a teacher was only internally suspended, and that a student filmed a teacher's backside, stating no evidence was found. Quinn will explain that the timetable change offered to Clancy in September 2022, which shifted her to afternoon classes, was an administrative adjustment, not a punitive measure, and that Clancy was not approved for a permanent contract at that time. The hearing is adjourned to 24 April for further evidence. The case involves complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act.
In a 2024 ruling, the Workplace Relations Commission found that former bouncer Ellison Silva dos Santos was not unfairly dismissed by Mercantile Entertainment Group after an incident at Dublin's George bar. Silva dos Santos claimed he was fired two days after a customer allegedly threw herself down the stairs during Pride month, but the company argued he was not allowed to continue working due to concerns over his conduct. The tribunal noted that the company had issued a warning letter and later terminated his contract on 11 August 2023, citing abandonment of employment. Evidence included CCTV footage, witness statements, and text messages indicating the worker was transferred to other venues rather than dismissed. The adjudicator concluded, on the balance of probabilities, that Silva dos Santos was not dismissed on 30 June 2023 as he had alleged, and dismissed his unfair dismissal claim.
Alan Ward, 56, was convicted of murdering his wife Catherine Doyle, 41, by stabbing her on 1 March 2019. He pleaded diminished responsibility, claiming a stroke in 2017 had caused a mental disorder. At trial, the State's psychiatrist, Dr Damian Smith, referenced Ward's history of violence and argued alcohol intoxication was the likely cause of the murder, while the defence psychiatrist, Dr Paul O'Connell, acknowledged a brain injury and PTSD but declined to opine on the ultimate issue of diminished responsibility. Ward's appeal argues that Dr Smith should not have been allowed to give opinion evidence on the ultimate issue, as this should be decided by the jury. The Court of Appeal will reserve judgment on the appeal. The article reports the trial facts and the appeal's legal contentions but does not state any outcome of the appeal.
A former teacher at Templeogue College, Jennifer Clancy, has alleged that she was penalised after she and her colleagues raised concerns about student discipline and other issues at the school. She claims that the school environment had deteriorated significantly, with students feeling they had 'the run of the place' and teachers not feeling safe. Ms Clancy alleges that her employment contract was altered using Tipp-Ex to state she was on an annual contract rather than a permanent one. She also claims her timetable was changed in retaliation after she and ten other teachers signed a grievance document outlining 17 concerns about the school's management. Ms Clancy said she was subjected to a disciplinary meeting without being informed of the allegations against her. She further accused the principal, Niamh Quinn, of being aggressive and of making up a quote from a Department of Education circular to strengthen her case.
Vesel Jahiri, 43, was convicted of murdering Anna Finnegan, 25, and stabbing her brother Karl in 2012. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 after a jury found him guilty of both murders. Jahiri represented himself at the Court of Appeal, where he submitted a range of allegations, including claims that Gardaí conspired to manufacture evidence, that CCTV footage had been tampered with, and that he was denied the right to inspect the murder weapon. The three‑judge panel found his submissions to be inadmissible hearsay, unsupported assertions, and irrelevant material. They dismissed all grounds of appeal, stating that the trial judge had acted correctly and that Jahiri's claims had no evidential foundation. Jahiri, who appeared by videolink from Midlands Prison, said he would appeal to the Supreme Court. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
On 7 March 2021, a Samaritans volunteer received a phone call claiming that explosives had been planted at the home of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. The caller, identifying himself as the Irish National Liberation Organisation, said the password was "Red October" and that the threat related to a court case in Dublin the following day. The volunteer, who was on duty at the time, was shaken by the call and later reported it to her supervisor before contacting emergency services. She made a statement to Gardaí the next day. The call was traced to Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, where Michael Murray, a 52‑year‑old former resident of Seafield Road, Killiney, was imprisoned. Murray pleaded not guilty to a single count of knowingly making a false report that caused apprehension for the safety of another. His trial, opened on 27 February 2024 before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury, is expected to last one week.
Moise Muhula, 54, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault causing harm for repeatedly stabbing his former partner in the shoulder during a dispute over dinner. On 22 December 2017, at the partner's home in west Dublin, the couple argued when he asked about dinner and she told him to leave. He became aggressive, obtained a knife, and entered the sitting room where the victim was watching TV. He threatened her, stabbed her at least three times in the shoulder, punched her, and took her upstairs. The victim was treated for four shoulder wounds and a head injury. The court noted the incident was a one‑off, the use of a knife and the relationship were aggravating factors, but the guilty plea and lack of prior convictions were mitigating. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the 21‑month sentence.
Daniel Martin, aged 47, was sentenced to 13 years in prison, with the final year suspended for three years, for a series of sexual offences against a teenage girl aged 15-16 between 2019 and 2020. The offences included sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, oral rape, anal rape, vaginal rape and sexual exploitation. He also received a 12‑year sentence for a child‑trafficking offence involving a second teenage girl aged 14-15, and a 10‑year sentence for the sexual assault offences. Martin was additionally jailed for two years for causing a child to watch pornography. The judge noted the deliberate, calculated nature of the campaign, the use of drugs and threats, and the significant impact on the victim. The sentences are concurrent, and Martin was not given a post‑release supervision order due to the suspension conditions. Daniel Martin was convicted.
David Hackman, 24, was jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to purchase a firearm in suspicious circumstances between 31 March and 28 May 2019. Gardaí observed a silver Ford Focus near a Spar in Waterville, Dublin 15, where Hackman and three other occupants, including his mother, were found. A search revealed a 9mm firearm, orange latex gloves, and evidence of a €4,000 cash transaction between Hackman and his mother. Hackman's mother was charged but the case against her was dropped following his guilty plea. Hackman has prior convictions for assault and drug possession. The court noted his youth, addiction issues, and the mitigating circumstances of his background, and rejected a post‑release drug treatment condition. The sentence reflects the offence's mid‑range sentencing guidelines of seven to ten years.
Trade unionist Brendan Ogle claims his role at Unite's Irish office was "decimated" after surviving cancer, alleging discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. He says he was told by the union's general secretary that he would be written out of plans for Ireland, and that a directive was issued preventing him from being involved in his former duties. Ogle's lawyer, Mary‑Paula Guinness, argues that his responsibilities were drastically reduced and that the union failed to accommodate him. The Workplace Relations Commission is hearing Ogle's statutory complaint, which has been reduced to a single claim of discrimination after he withdrew three complaints of penalisation under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. Unite's counsel, Mark Harty, maintains that Ogle has not established a comparator and that the union took all possible steps to accommodate him. The case will run for up to eight days, with a potential witness summons for the union's general secretary.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, two repeat offenders, Cian Cleary (23) and Patrick McCarthy (28), were sentenced for a "cowardly, nasty and violent" assault on twin American tourists aged 20. The incident occurred on July 19 when the men were walking home through Temple Bar. Cleary, who had 61 prior convictions, and McCarthy, with 18 prior convictions, attacked the tourists, punching, kicking, and robbing one of them. CCTV footage showed the attackers separating the brothers, assaulting them, and stealing a wallet and mobile phone. Cleary received a three‑year, three‑month sentence with nine months suspended; McCarthy received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with twelve months suspended. Both were warned that the suspended portions could be enforced if they reoffend during probation. The court noted the assault's severity and the victims' injuries, including a brain scan for one and a sore, shaken condition for the other. Cian Cleary pleaded guilty. Patrick McCarthy pleaded guilty.