Stephen Corbally, a 28‑year‑old hairdresser, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and disqualified from driving for four years after a series of hijackings and vehicle thefts in April 2023. Corbally pretended to test‑drive cars advertised for sale on Facebook Marketplace and Done Deal. On 5 April he drove off a 2008 Volvo after a test drive; on 20 April he took a 2012 Renault from a seller in Mulhuddart, brandishing a kitchen knife while the seller was in the car, and fled the scene. The next day he offered to swap the Renault for an Audi in Carpenterstown, claiming the car belonged to his late mother, and was caught by Gardaí driving the Audi. He had no licence and had been disqualified for 12 years. Corbally pleaded guilty to hijacking, taking a vehicle, dangerous driving and deception.
James McGinn, 35, of Bray, was found guilty of possession of drugs for sale or supply after a search of his home revealed €197,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis. He pleaded guilty on 22 January 2023. The court noted his four prior convictions for minor traffic offences and his admission that he was holding the drugs to reduce an €8,000 debt. McGinn's case was marked by the tragic loss of his two children and another family member in a 2017 house fire, which his defence argued was the root of his addiction. Judge Martin Nolan, citing these exceptional circumstances, imposed a sentence of four and a half years, suspending the final three years on strict conditions. The remaining one and a half years of custodial time were to be served, with the court recognising McGinn's previous good conduct and his 11‑month period of sobriety. The sentence was delivered on 26 February 2024.
In February 2024 the Court of Appeal quashed the acquittals of Jamie Berry (28) and Stephen Mulvey (32) in the attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old Dublin teenager. The original trial judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, had directed a jury to find both men not guilty due to insufficient evidence. The appeal court, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, held that the prosecution had presented ample circumstantial evidence – including CCTV footage of vehicles, forensic findings of firearm residue on gloves, and the recovery of a pistol in a burned‑out Hyundai – sufficient for a jury to convict. Mr Justice Birmingham noted that the trial judge had effectively acted as a jury by dismissing the case, and therefore the acquittals were overturned and a retrial was ordered at the Central Criminal Court. The case remains pending for the next hearing.
A 45-year-old man from Limerick has been remanded for sentencing following his guilty plea to making a vehicle available to an organised crime gang for use as a getaway car in an attempted murder. Larry McCarthy pleaded guilty in October 2023 to an offence contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. The incident occurred in June 2015 when two gunmen fired 13 rounds at Christy Keane as he sat in his vehicle at University of Limerick gym, causing four gunshot wounds. McCarthy assisted in positioning both a red Ford Focus and a white Volvo Estate used by the gunmen to escape. The Special Criminal Court heard evidence of the decades-long feud between the McCarthy-Dundon and Keane-Collopy criminal organisations. Defence counsel submitted that McCarthy has since relocated to Donegal, maintained employment and education engagement, and has not offended in nearly a decade. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs adjourned the case until 11 March for sentencing.
A former driver for Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has alleged that he was let go in a 'sham' redundancy process, leaving him with no choice but to accept a severance package or take a temporary clerical role at the Department of Social Protection. The change occurred in 2022 when the government decided to assign ministerial drivers to the Garda on security grounds, reversing a previous decision to civilianise the role. Trevor Shaw, who worked as a ministerial driver from 2004 to 2022, claimed the process failed to respect his employment rights. The Department of Agriculture denied any breach of rights, stating the decision was based on security advice. The Workplace Relations Commission is hearing the complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
Noel Foran, 61, of Lucan, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in July 2023 after pleading guilty to ten sexual assaults on his stepdaughter between 1991 and 1998. The judge imposed 18‑month sentences on the first and tenth charges to run consecutively, while the remaining eight were considered together. Foran's appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed on 26 February 2024, with Justice Tara Burns ruling that the sentencing judge had no error in principle in imposing consecutive sentences. Foran admitted to touching his stepdaughter's vagina while she slept, claiming the acts never progressed beyond touching and that he masturbated. He had no prior convictions and had engaged in counselling at the Granada Institute. The victim, Irene Cullen, gave a victim‑impact statement describing lasting PTSD, self‑harm, and prolonged hospital stays. The Court of Appeal upheld the full three‑year term, rejecting the appeal for a reduced sentence.
John Murphy, a 43‑year‑old married secondary school teacher, was found guilty of sexually exploiting a 16‑year‑old girl via Instagram between June 2017 and June 2018 and of possessing child pornography in 2008 and 2010. He pleaded guilty at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court in July 2023. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing a probation report that highlighted Murphy's hostility to women, medium risk of reoffending, and the serious impact on the victim, ruled that the original one‑year sentence was too lenient. The appeal court doubled the sentence to three years, suspended the final 12 months, and clarified that the effective custodial term is 24 months. The decision was based on aggravating factors such as the prolonged communication, explicit sexual content, and the victim's vulnerability, while mitigating factors like Murphy's lack of prior convictions and cooperation with Gardaí were deemed insufficient to offset the seriousness of the offences.
The Special Criminal Court heard details of Declan 'Mr Nobody' Brady's involvement in facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan, who was shot dead outside his home in Dublin in December 2016. Bernadette Roe, Kirwan's partner, told the court that her 'soulmate had his life extinguished' because he was photographed walking to the funeral of life-long neighbour, Eddie Hutch. Kirwan's daughter, Donna, stated that Brady and his co-defendants should have known her father was an innocent man. Gardai have confirmed that Kirwan was not involved in criminality and was targeted by the Kinahan cartel due to a false belief he might be linked to the Hutch organisation. Brady was caught on CCTV near a car dealership where a tracking device was removed from Kirwan's BMW and placed on his new Ford Mondeo. Gardai found a laptop used to communicate with the tracker and a toothbrush with DNA matching Brady. However, Det Supt Mark O'Neill confirmed that Brady's DNA was not found on the laptop and that there is no evidence he owned or operated it. Brady, who is already serving 11.5 years in prison for supervising a firearms arsenal and eight years and three months for laundering crime cash, was adjourned to April 30 to allow a probation report to be prepared. Previous Brady pleaded guilty in July 2019 to supervising a firearms arsenal and was sentenced to 11.5 years in prison with the final year suspended. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to laundering more than €400,000 in crime cash and was sentenced to eight years and three months with the final year suspended, in a term which was to run from April 2021.
Michael Delaney, a 50‑year‑old transport manager for Rehab Group, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €6,000 from the charity by secretly selling three company trucks he claimed were scrapped. The theft, uncovered during an internal audit in 2021, occurred between 11 April 2019 and 29 December 2021. Delaney resigned in December 2021 and agreed to repay the money, having paid €600 to date and presenting €5,400 in cash at the hearing. He has one minor prior conviction for a road traffic offence. Defending counsel Colm Hennessy noted Delaney's cooperation and early guilty plea. Judge Martin Nolan, recognising Delaney's candid admissions and good work history, imposed a nine‑month suspended sentence and ordered the €5,400 to be handed over to the charity.
A 29‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting his partner's little brother between October 2013 and August 2015. The victim, aged seven to ten at the time, was abused while the man was babysitting him and had gained his trust as a family member. The man pleaded guilty to sexual assault, not rape, after the complainant's description of the assault was deemed "imprecise". He had previously been convicted of intimidating witnesses in the same case, a fact the judge highlighted as relevant. The judge also noted the man's history of threatening to murder the victim and his relatives, including a series of threatening WhatsApp messages to his estranged wife. The sentence was back‑dated to 18 December 2023, and the man was ordered to have no contact with the victim indefinitely.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Jasmine Olaru, an 18‑year‑old teenage worker at a Domino's Pizza shop in Dublin, alleged that the deputy manager gave her a name badge featuring a pair of breasts and repeatedly threatened her with a shovel, suggested she create pornographic content, and asked if he could watch her change. She also claimed that delivery drivers propositioned her for sex and that a shift manager told her she could masturbate later. Olaru said the shop's environment was highly sexualised, with men often shouting at women on the street. She reported that the store manager was absent for six weeks in July and August 2022, during which time several incidents occurred. After resigning, she said she was clocked out early by managers, which her lawyer argued was victimisation.
Craig Maples, 28, of Green Briar, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for violent disorder and assault causing serious harm after he kicked and stamped on Austin Doherty's head during a 45‑second attack in Mulhuddart on 21 July 2022. Doherty, who was left in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, now has limited mobility, requires a wheelchair for long distances and suffers significant impairments. He described his life as being in his own prison and missing key moments with his children. The court heard that the assault began after a dispute in a casino, with Maples arriving in a car and joining two other men who continued the attack. Maples pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of 12 years, reduced to seven years after mitigating factors such as early guilty plea and cooperation.
Pamela Bird, 40, of Ringsend, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery, two attempted robbery and one theft between 29 September and 3 November 2021. She was the getaway driver in a series of shop robberies in Dublin, driving a wine‑coloured Toyota Corolla that fled the scenes. Bird had 194 prior convictions, 114 of them thefts. Garda evidence included CCTV footage of her arriving at a petrol station, loading fuel, and later driving the co‑accused away from a shop after he attempted robbery. Bird admitted to driving and changing licence plates, stating the offences were planned to obtain money for drugs. She had a history of heroin use and had been in rehabilitation. The court, noting her early guilty plea and admissions, imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, crediting six months already served, to run from the hearing date.
A 59-year-old man has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to twelve counts including rape, oral rape, and sexual assault committed against two victims over separate periods. The charges relate to offences occurring primarily in Dublin and Kildare, with one incident on the road between Sligo and Dublin. The first victim was between twelve and seventeen years old when abused from 1992 to 1997 by a family friend employed in her parents' business. The second victim, the niece of his former partner, was aged eleven to seventeen when assaulted between 2000 and 2006. Both complainants provided impact statements describing lasting psychological harm and the abuse of trust. The defendant acknowledged the serious aggravating factors, including the age disparity and exploitation of familial relationships. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing to 8 April, noting the man will likely face community release following imprisonment and stating sex offenders require careful judicial scrutiny. The defendant remains in custody.
A 31-year-old man was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault, trespassing, obstruction of a police officer, and breaching a protection order. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victim's anonymity, pleaded guilty to charges arising from incidents at a Dublin address between December 14, 2022, and February 26, 2023. Judge Martin Nolan described the events as three frightening incidents involving the defendant's former partner. During the first incident, the man allegedly attacked the woman and had to be restrained by gardai using pepper spray. He subsequently breached a protection order on two further occasions, with the final incident requiring the intervention of the armed support unit. The court noted the defendant has 59 previous convictions. Judge Nolan sentenced him to a total of three and a half years in prison. This sentence was backdated to the date he entered custody on this matter. The judge acknowledged the defendant's guilty plea and his good behavior in custody, where he is currently working in the kitchens, but emphasized his long history of offending.
In a case described by the judge as "bizarre", a 75‑year‑old Canadian man, Edward Bystrom, was arrested on Temple Street, Dublin, on 3 September 2023 for possession of over €80,000 worth of cocaine. Gardaí found two black packages of white powder in his laptop bag, which tested positive for cocaine. Bystrom, who had no prior convictions in Ireland or elsewhere, told the police that he had been asked by "agents of the United Nations" to collect money. He claimed to have travelled from Canada to New York, Brazil and back to the USA before arriving in Ireland, and said he had not profited from the drugs. He pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspended 18 months, and ordered him to leave Ireland within a week of release and not to return for ten years.
A US‑based Irish dancing teacher and adjudicator, Vinny O'Connor, obtained a temporary injunction from the High Court in Dublin that allows him to act as an examiner at an Irish dancing event in Boston this weekend. The injunction was sought because the governing body, An Coimisiún Le Rincí Galeacha, is based in Dublin and could prevent his participation. Mr O'Connor had earlier received a written warning from the body for breaching its code of conduct and social media guidelines, which bars him from adjudicating at major events for the sanction period. He argues that the warning does not prohibit him from serving as an examiner, a separate role. The judge, with some reluctance, granted the interim order after noting that exclusion would damage his reputation and that the body had not clarified the sanction's effect on his examiner duties. The order was granted ex‑parte and the case will return next week.
A 77‑year‑old man was threatened with a stabbing and had his €40,000 car hijacked while listening to a true‑crime podcast. Max Corcoran (21) and a co‑accused entered the underground parking of the man's apartment complex, forced him out of the car, struck him in the jaw, took his keys and phone, and drove the vehicle into the parking gate. Unable to open the gate, they reversed the car to smash it, causing €24,536 in damage. The car was later found burnt out elsewhere in Dublin. Corcoran, who had 14 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to possession of a motor vehicle without consent and criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Corcoran's cooperation, remorse and mitigating factors, sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment, back‑dated to his March 2023 arrest.
Leigh Deegan, 23, of Coolock, pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime after his bank account was used in an invoice redirect fraud involving St Andrew's College. Gardaí were alerted when staff discovered a change in the IT services company's bank details and a €11,480 payment had been lodged. €9,200 was transferred to Deegan's account and withdrawn in three ATM transactions. Deegan claimed he lost his debit card and someone guessed his PIN. Gardaí agreed he was not the mastermind but a "cog" in the scheme and was cooperative. He had no prior convictions and was 19 at the time of the offence. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions and directed that €5,000 be paid to the school within two weeks or to a local charity if the school declined it. The judge noted Deegan's mental health difficulties and his apprenticeship as a plumber.
Conor Murphy, aged 23, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for stabbing a shop security guard three times in the neck with a ballpoint pen. The attack took place at Centra, Neilstown Shopping Centre during the Covid‑19 pandemic, after the guard asked Murphy to wear a mask. Murphy later approached the guard and stabbed him, saying to the victim that it was "lucky it's only a pen". The victim suffered superficial injuries and no victim impact statement was filed. Murphy has six prior convictions, including a six‑year sentence for assault causing serious harm. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 18 March 2021. The judge noted Murphy's intoxication at the time and his "bad humour", and remarked that the pen is not mightier than the sword. His earliest possible release is November 2027.
Michael Dickson, a 59‑year‑old Briton from Nottingham, was given a two‑year suspended sentence for violent disorder during the anti‑Pegida riot in Dublin in February 2016. The offence occurred at the Four Courts Luas stop on February 6, 2016, when a group of ten men attacked three men travelling on the Luas, shouting, punching and kicking them. CCTV footage was presented to the court. Dickson pleaded guilty. He has seven prior convictions, including a 1996 IRA mortar attack on the Osnabrück army base in Germany, for which he was sentenced to six years and six months for attempted murder and causing an explosion. He served three years of that sentence and was released under the Good Friday Agreement. The court imposed a suspended sentence, with no custodial term, for the 2016 incident.
Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor, lost an appeal against a disciplinary sanction imposed by the Governor of the Midlands Prison for throwing a bible at Judge Karen O'Connor during a sentencing hearing in July 2021. The sanction, which removed ordinary privileges for 40 days, was upheld by the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal agreed with the lower court that the Governor was lawfully entitled to discipline Murray under the 2007 Prison Rules Act, even though the incident occurred while he was in court custody. The Court of Appeal dismissed all but one of Murray's arguments, finding that the Governor's action was within jurisdiction. The Court also allowed an appeal concerning the High Court's refusal to recommend payment to legal representatives under the Legal Aid Custody Issue Scheme. Murray, aged 51, had previously been sentenced to 16 years for threats and harassment, and had earlier convictions for rape and sexual assault.
Patricia Kelly, 61, the widow of the late founder of the suicide‑prevention charity Console, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to keep proper books of account as a director between December 2006 and May 2015. The court found that 96 payments totalling €223,000 were traced to accounts controlled by her husband, Paul Kelly, who had died by suicide in 2020. The prosecution could not prove a wilful failure, so no custodial sentence was imposed. Judge Martin Nolan fined Kelly €1,500, to be paid within six months, and disqualified her as a director for five years. The charity, which received €2.03 million from the HSE between 2010 and 2016, is in liquidation and is subject to ongoing civil proceedings by its liquidator. The case highlighted a lack of cooperation with audits and the movement of records offsite. The fine was considered modest given Kelly's limited means and widow's pension.
In a High Court hearing on 21 February 2024, Michael Flatley, the 65‑year‑old dancer, claimed that Hiscox Societe Anonyme's Irish branch had refused to pay his monthly relocation expenses of up to €80,000 and intended to cancel the insurance policy covering his Castlehyde Manor property from 8 March. Flatley, represented by Ronnie Hudson BL and solicitor Max Mooney, obtained an ex‑parte order to restrain Hiscox from cancelling the policy and to prevent denial of coverage for the Fermoy property until the proceedings concluded. He argued that the insurer had been aware of the property's unsafe chemical residue and had renewed the policy in November, yet now sought cancellation on the basis of changed occupancy. Flatley said the insurer had not compensated him for vacating the home, and he feared difficulty in securing alternative coverage if the policy were cancelled. The case will return to court later that week.
A 35‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for assaulting his former partner and breaching a protection order. The court heard that the woman had obtained a live protection order two months earlier. On the night of the assault, the man, who had been watching their son, became agitated, appeared intoxicated and violently struck the woman, banging her head against a wall three or four times, throwing her to the ground, pulling her by the hair, shouting and stamping on her head. She blacked out, managed to escape, called the Gardaí and was taken to Beaumont Hospital for head injuries. The man had previously been granted High Court bail with a condition to stay away from the woman's home and not contact her or their son. He breached this bail and the protection order by returning to the house, where he also struck a babysitter. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a High Court hearing, Hitianland Limited, trading as 'Xi'an Street Food', claimed that IR Entertainment Limited's planned restaurant 'Meet Xi'an' would breach its registered trademark. Hitianland operates eight authentic Chinese restaurants in Ireland, including two near the proposed Dublin 7 location. The plaintiff argued that the name 'Meet Xi'an' and a logo featuring similar Chinese characters would cause confusion and damage its goodwill. IR Entertainment denied wrongdoing. Hitianland, represented by Imogen McGrath SC, highlighted its 2017‑established brand, awards, social media presence, and significant investment. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, granted Hitianland permission to serve short‑notice injunction proceedings, with the case set to return next week. The injunction seeks to restrain infringement and damages. The matter remains pending.
Ryan Murphy, 25, of Lusk, Dublin, pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false report to Gardaí and money laundering. He claimed a robbery in Balbriggan on 2 April 2020, alleging masked men took his bank cards and deposited €32,000 into his account. Gardaí found no CCTV evidence of such men and discovered an unusual €31,912 lodgement. Murphy admitted lying about the robbery, citing a €500 drug debt and fear of the criminals. He had provided his bank details via Snapchat, hoping to receive €3,000–€4,000, but never received money. The account was frozen upon receipt of the funds; he sought to "un‑freeze" it by filing a robbery complaint. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as "pure stupidity" and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, deciding Murphy did not deserve jail at this stage.
Rodin Van Hooff, 43, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of intentionally or recklessly assaulting two gardai at Lynwood, Ballinteer, Co Dublin, on March 2, 2023. The court heard that Van Hooff, who was living in a tent at the time, refused to leave the area when directed by officers and swung at them, striking one on the back of the head. He was restrained with pepper spray and arrested. Van Hooff's bail was revoked in July last year, resulting in two months spent in custody. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the officers were performing their duty and sustained no injuries. Acknowledging Van Hooff's "unusual lifestyle and philosophy of life," the Judge stated that such views are permissible provided no crime is committed. Judge Nolan initially intended to impose a suspended sentence of three months but reduced this to a suspended one-month sentence to account for the time Van Hooff had already spent in custody. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
Egidijus Aleliunas, 43, of The Paddocks Way, Adamstown, Lucan, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to multiple counts including deception, possession of false documents, use of a false instrument, and possessing and transferring the proceeds of criminal conduct over a seven-year period. Judge Nolan described Aleliunas as a "very competent man" who could reform himself. His wife, Anastasija Pavola, 37, of The Paddocks; father-in-law Viaceslav Pavlov, 68, of Earlsfort Road, Lucan; and mother-in-law Natalja Pavlova, 65, of Abbeydale Gardens, Lucan, each pleaded guilty to engaging in the transfer of property that was the proceeds of crime between June and August 2017. The court found they acted recklessly by allowing their bank accounts to be used for transfers to a Dubai investment company. Judge Nolan handed each of them suspended sentences of two years. He noted their good work histories and lack of previous convictions, stating it would be unjust to imprison them. Judge Nolan also agreed not to disqualify Pavola as a director to protect her business. The matter was finalised with these sentences.
The High Court upheld An Bord Pleanala's refusal to grant retention permission for St Margaret's Recycling and Transfer Centre Limited to continue using its waste facility at Sandyhill, St Margarets, which has operated since the late 1990s. The operator had appealed the board's decision, which had been made after a 2021 Fingal County Council permission that was limited to three years and subject to 17 conditions. The board refused retention on grounds that the operator had not supplied sufficient evidence to assess environmental impact and that the proposed waste disposal contravened the council's land‑use zoning objectives. The court found the board's reasoning correct, noted that the operator's claim that the council had not required a full Environmental Impact Assessment was mistaken, and rejected all grounds raised by the operator. The decision confirms the board's refusal and the operator's appeal was dismissed.
Aaron Brock, a 19‑year‑old from Manchester, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to smuggling 29.3 kg of cannabis worth an estimated €586,000 into Ireland from the United States. The drugs were found at Dublin Airport on 9 July 2023, shortly after Brock's flight from Los Angeles. He had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Brock was under financial debt, reportedly £10,000, due to gambling, and that he felt pressured to repay the debt. The judge considered Brock's young age, lack of previous convictions, cooperation with Gardaí, and early guilty plea, and concluded he was unlikely to re‑offend. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence while taking into account the defendant's circumstances. The case was prosecuted by Pieter Le Vert BL and defended by Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC.
Glen Duff, 36, of Doon Court, Poppintree, Dublin 11, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for two robberies and an assault causing harm in Temple Bar. The first offence occurred on 17 April 2022 when Duff and an accomplice attacked a tourist, kicking and stomping on his head before taking a €300 wallet. The victim suffered concussion and ongoing memory problems. The second offence took place on 23 June 2023, when Duff and another man robbed an American tourist who had just arrived in Ireland, stealing his wallet, passport and driving licence and leaving him with a broken finger. Both incidents were captured on CCTV and led to charges in May 2023 and November 2023, respectively. Duff pleaded guilty to all charges.
Ryan O'Toole, aged 34, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after a cocaine‑fueled assault on Garda Karl Byrne outside a Dublin apartment block on 11 December 2022. O'Toole, heavily intoxicated, repeatedly punched, bit and knocked Byrne unconscious, also lifting him into a headlock and throwing him to the ground. Byrne suffered a concussion and a fractured nose, though the fracture's cause was uncertain. O'Toole pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had seven prior convictions, none for serious offences. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Toole's extreme intoxication and aggression, concluding he deserved prison. Garda Sergeant Paul Daly confirmed Byrne returned to work two weeks later. O'Toole's early guilty plea was seen as a sign of remorse, and he has since addressed his addiction issues. The court imposed the 18‑month term without further details on suspension or custody.
Lisa Lee, 41, was granted bail after a bench warrant was issued for her arrest following a failure to appear at the Central Criminal Court. Lee had previously received a half‑suspended four‑year sentence for discarding a knife used by Noel Lennon in the fatal stabbing of Isaac Horgan on 29 March 2021. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, described Lee as being in the "last‑chance saloon" and emphasized that her bail conditions would require her to reside at a named hostel in south Dublin, remain sober, keep her phone on hand for Garda and probation officers, and stay out of Dublin 2. The court noted that Lee had breached release conditions by committing public order offences and allegedly stealing a mobile phone. Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the matter to 8 April, stating that Lee's engagement with probation services could affect future cases. Lisa Lee was found guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 19 February 2024, taxi driver Neville Griffin, aged 49, pleaded guilty to endangerment after a 2021 incident in which he drove off while an inter‑county playing Garda was pursuing a suspect. Griffin, who had five prior convictions, was described by the judge as having acted in a "spur of the moment" decision, a "total misjudgement" that was "extremely dangerous." He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, but the sentence was fully suspended on strict conditions, including a €3,500 payment to the injured Garda within 12 months. Griffin brought €1,500 to court as a token of remorse. The Garda, who was injured and out of work for seven weeks, received medical treatment and was unable to resume county training. The court noted Griffin's good character and the lack of serious harm caused, but upheld the suspended sentence for the offence.
Mamadou Alpha Bah, 27, was sentenced to six years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a violent sexual assault that occurred on 2 September 2020. The offence involved Bah chasing a 43‑year‑old woman through a hotel corridor after she had gone to his room, where he pinned her to a bed, threatened her, punched her, forced her to remove her clothes and sexually assaulted her through her clothing. He also attempted to force her legs open and followed her to the bathroom, where she escaped. CCTV footage captured the chase. Bah pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial and was found remorseful. He had no prior convictions at the time of the offence but had been convicted of sexual assault and false imprisonment in August 2021, receiving a five‑year sentence with one year suspended in October 2023.
The Registrar of Companies has filed High Court actions to annul District Court orders that granted two companies, Kitchen Innovations Limited and Greenay Ltd, additional time to file their annual returns. The Registrar argues that the courts lacked jurisdiction to issue a second extension beyond the single 28‑day period normally allowed. The proceedings, represented by Brian Conroy SC and John Freeman BL, seek to set aside the orders and declare any returns filed under them as not lawfully registered. Justice Niamh Hyland granted the Registrar permission to proceed ex‑parte, with the case scheduled for a hearing next month. The Registrar also requests declarations that the returns were not delivered within the statutory periods and should be removed from the register. The action follows the lifting of a pandemic‑era suspension on enforcement of non‑filing penalties, which will resume shortly.
Former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, was found guilty of stealing €18,144,385 from six banks during the Celtic Tiger era. He was convicted on ten counts of theft in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial; the jury could not agree on the remaining eleven counts. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Lynn to five and a half years' imprisonment, crediting him for seven and a half years spent in Brazilian prison. The headline sentence was 13 years, but the final imposed term was five and a half years, with the credit for time served. Lynn was extradited from Brazil in 2018 after spending four and a half years in a harsh prison. He and his wife Brid Murphy were present at sentencing, showing no visible reaction. The court set a hearing for asset confiscation on 16 April. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the sentencing hearing for Nathan Kinsella until June 17 to allow gardai to complete an investigation into newly filed tax returns. Kinsella, 44, of Richmond, Blackrock, Co Dublin, previously pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to deliver full and true Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) returns for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020. The charges alleged he failed without reasonable excuse to comply with section 46(2) of the Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Act 2003 while residing at addresses in Saggart, Dublin, and Blackrock. During the hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions stated that Kinsella had recently filed income tax returns for the same period, which the State described as "not in keeping with the evidence" regarding funds on which CAT should have been paid. Defense counsel explained the returns were filed on accountant advice to encompass all money received. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, presiding on behalf of the three-judge court, ordered the adjournment to permit gardai to investigate the basis of these new returns and any overlap with the funds in question. Kinsella was previously sentenced to two years in prison in 2012 after pleading guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), an unlawful organisation, following an investigation into paramilitary activity at the funeral of Alan Ryan.
A former senior official at the Department of Justice, Niall Colgan, 39, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possessing child abuse material. He admitted to having two indecent videos and two indecent images of children, which he had at his home on 1 February 2022. The judge set a sentence hearing for 7 May, after a report will be prepared.
Gerard O'Brien, a former Circuit Court judge aged 59, was convicted in December 2023 by a Central Criminal Court jury of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six young men. The offences, which took place between March 1991 and November 1997 in Dublin, were committed while O'Brien was a teacher in his 30s. The complainants, four of whom were his students, were aged 17 to 24 at the time. O'Brien denied all charges. He resigned from the judiciary in February 2024. Defence counsel requested a delay of the sentence hearing to allow completion of several reports, which are expected to be ready by mid‑April. The court agreed to adjourn the hearing to 29 April, and O'Brien remains on continuing bail.
Noel Foran, 61, of Lucan, was sentenced in July 2023 to three years' imprisonment for ten sexual assaults on his step‑daughter between 1991 and 1998. The court imposed 18‑month consecutive sentences for the first and tenth charges, while the remaining eight were considered by Judge Orla Crowe. Foran pleaded guilty before trial and claimed he had been "cured" after attending the Granada Institute in 2004. At the Court of Appeal, his counsel argued the consecutive sentences were disproportionate, noting Foran's lack of prior convictions and his low risk of reoffending. The appeal also highlighted the victim's prolonged suffering, including PTSD, self‑harm, and over 500 days in St Patrick's Hospital. The court reserved judgment on the appeal, noting the sentencing judge had discretion to impose a single four‑year sentence or consecutive terms. The case remains pending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2024, the court considered the case of Neville Griffin, 49, who pleaded guilty to endangerment after a taxi he was driving was pursued by an inter‑county Garda. The Garda, who was injured in a separate incident and had been out of work for seven weeks, had grabbed the passenger and the taxi door in an attempt to stop a fleeing suspect. Griffin stopped the vehicle within seconds, but the Garda fell to the road and was injured. Griffin's lawyers described the offence as reckless and momentary, noting no serious harm was caused. The judge adjourned sentencing to Monday, remanding Griffin on bail. The case highlighted the Garda's injury and the brief nature of the incident, with no further legal action reported in the article.
Lee Hardy, 27, of Georges Hill Apartments, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty on 18 January 2022 to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after being found with almost €50,000 worth of cannabis. He had no prior convictions. Garda Alan Browne reported that a confidential search of Hardy's premises uncovered two kilograms of cannabis, weighing scales, bagging equipment and two mobile phones, valued at €49,022. Hardy claimed the items were his and that no other house occupants were involved. The prosecution argued Hardy was acting on instructions from third parties and holding the drugs for them. Hardy's defence highlighted his good work history, full‑time employment since leaving school, and that he was a pro‑social individual struggling with drug addiction. Judge Martin Nolan, considering Hardy's guilty plea, cooperation, and the circumstances, departed from the mandatory ten‑year minimum and imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, stating he could not consider a non‑custodial option.
Sandra Adams, a member of the pressure group The Countess, claimed she was denied entry to a National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) meeting on 9 June 2022 because of her religious beliefs, alleging discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000. The NWCI argued that a risk assessment had to be escalated after a press release by The Countess threatened a transgender board member, raising concerns about potential disruption and harm. Witnesses testified that Adams would have been admitted if not for the press release, and that the NWCI's decision was based on safety rather than religious discrimination. The tribunal found no evidence of discrimination, concluding that the refusal was on non‑discriminatory grounds. Adams' claim was dismissed, marking the second loss for a Countess activist in similar disputes.
John Murphy, a 43‑year‑old married secondary school teacher, was sentenced to one year in prison for sexually exploiting a 16‑year‑old girl via Instagram. He communicated with the victim for a full year while she was preparing for her junior certificate exams, with the content escalating to explicit descriptions of penetration. A probation report noted that Murphy tended to rationalise his behaviour, had a medium risk of reoffending, limited understanding of the harm caused, emotional disconnect, limited insight, and displayed sexually compulsive behaviour over a long period. The sentencing judge had originally set a headline sentence of six years, reduced it to three years, and suspended the final two years, a decision criticised by the Director of Public Prosecutions for placing too much weight on mitigating factors such as Murphy's good career and lack of prior convictions. Murphy also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2008 and 2010. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgement.
Hamid Zatout, aged 26, had been sentenced to six and a half years for a series of robberies in which he snatched designer watches from vulnerable victims, some worth up to €47,000. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the evidence of multiple robberies and an attempted robbery, warned his lawyers that an appeal could result in a higher sentence. Following a discussion with the court's president, Mr Justice George Birmingham, Zatout's lawyers withdrew the appeal, citing the court's willingness to increase the sentence if an error was found. The court noted that the offence was very serious and that the sentencing judge had considered a "double figures" sentence. Zatout had pleaded guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm, and one attempted robbery, and had been living in a hotel in Dundalk at the time of his arrest. The case involved extensive CCTV evidence and the involvement of accomplices who followed victims before the robberies.
Keith Riggs, 40, of Finglas, pleaded guilty to arson, threats to kill and threats to cause damage. He set a Garda's private car on fire on 13 August 2020 while the owner was on patrol outside Bridewell Garda Station. Riggs poured accelerant from a Dunnes Stores bag under the car, igniting it and leaving the vehicle to burn. CCTV captured the act; forensic DNA linked Riggs to the bag and gloves. He also threatened to kill the owner of his apartment and to burn down Bridewell Garda Station. Riggs had previously been convicted of arson at a Dublin homeless hostel in March 2022, which left a 22‑year‑old woman with catastrophic injuries. He is already serving a nine‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for that offence. Judge Elva Duffy sentenced him to four and a half years imprisonment, to run concurrently with his existing term.
In a High Court ruling, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore declared that Garret Hevey and David Peile, jailed in 2019 for a €5.5 million forestry investment Ponzi scheme, were personally liable for Arden FM's debts. Hevey was ordered liable for €3.8 million, while Peile was ordered liable for an unspecified portion that will be determined at a future hearing. The court found that Arden FM, operated by the pair, had deceived mainly older foreign investors into believing their money would purchase forest land and yield returns after tree sales. In reality, the company spent only €133,000 on 30 acres of land and returned €393,000 to investors. The liquidator, Declan De Lacy, sought the orders, and the judge confirmed the fraudulent nature of the scheme and the defendants' intent to defraud creditors. The case remains at the stage of finalising Peile's liability. Garret Hevey pleaded guilty.
Lucy Ewins, a Kenyan‑born resident of Ireland for over 30 years, has brought an injunction application against Promontoria Scariff Designated Activity Company and receiver Mr David O'Connor, alleging unlawful conduct in the sale of her four‑bedroom home in Knocknacarra, Galway. She claims the defendants' agents changed the locks, attempted to market the property for auction, and that a representative once stayed overnight in the sitting room, constituting trespass and a breach of her privacy rights. Ewins also alleges intimidation and harassment over several years. She seeks to restrain the defendants from selling or trespassing on the property. The High Court granted her permission to file the injunction, and the case was adjourned for two weeks to allow the defendants to reply. The defendants deny all allegations in the "strongest possible terms" and have offered undertakings not to sell or attend the property until the matter returns to court.