A former secondary school teacher, Jacintha McSherry O'Connor (63), of the Mullins, Donegal Town, Co Donegal, was found guilty of two counts of indecently assaulting a male student in 1985 following a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial in October. The court heard the abuse occurred while McSherry O'Connor worked as a student teacher at a Dublin secondary school. The complainant, now in his fifties, stated that McSherry O'Connor 'has been like a spectre hanging over me my whole life' and that she 'took my innocence away'. He also mentioned that the truth was close to never coming out, but he was glad he spoke out. The trial also heard allegations of inappropriate sexual relations between McSherry O'Connor and the boy on a holiday in Spain, but no charges were before the jury in relation to these alleged incidents. Marc Thompson BL, defending, described the case as 'highly unusual' and said his client does not accept the verdict. He said the result of the trial had a 'significant impact' on her and that her imprisonment will have a significant impact on her mother, who is elderly. He asked the court to be as lenient as possible. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the case for finalisation on January 11, 2024.
Audrey McKeever, 38, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of making threats to kill or cause serious harm and criminal damage at an apartment complex in Crumlin on December 20, 2022. The court heard that McKeever allegedly threatened the victim, a former partner's current girlfriend, shouting that she would kill her and "dance all over her daughter's head." She also kicked the complex's outer door, causing over €1,000 in damage, and posted threatening messages on Facebook. Judge Martin Nolan described the behavior as "nasty" and "frightening." Considering the guilty plea, remorse, and mitigating factors including health issues and detoxification, the judge determined a prison sentence was not warranted. He imposed a sentence of 18 months suspended on strict conditions. McKeever was ordered to pay a further €500 within 15 months to defray repair costs, with her initial €230 token of remorse directed toward the door repair. The judge directed McKeever to have no contact with the victim and explicitly warned her "not to go near" the apartment building.
A 49‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty of 11 counts of sexually assaulting his wife by penetrating her vagina with various household objects, including a knife, cheese grater, bottle, carrot, banana, cucumber, tulip, wooden spatula, decanter stopper, part of a shoe and a bicycle pump. He had previously been acquitted of one count of raping her with a deodorant bottle, one count of raping her with his finger, and two counts of anally raping her. The alleged abuse took place in the family home between January 2005 and September 2014. After about three and a half hours of deliberation, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts. The woman wept as the verdicts were handed down; the defendant made no reaction. Mr Justice Paul Burns thanked the jury, excused them from duty for seven years, remanded the man in custody and adjourned sentencing for December 18. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 December 2023, former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, faced 21 counts of theft involving about €27 million from seven banks between October 2006 and April 2007. Retired Inspector Patrick Linehan, who led the investigation, explained that Gardaí had arranged interviews with Lynn in 2011, first in Portugal and later in London, but the meetings were cancelled because Lynn's solicitors were not all available. Lynn had moved to Brazil before the October 2011 interview, a fact Gardaí only learned after the interview was postponed. Linehan noted that Gardaí had monitored Lynn's movements via Interpol and had no extradition treaty with Brazil. He also said Gardaí had not received a direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge Lynn while he was in Portugal. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 48‑year‑old man who claims his teacher tried to rape him during a sleepover gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court, saying he has been "waiting for over 30 years" to appear. He said he had a close friendship with the teacher in transition year and stayed overnight in the teacher's spare room. The complainant described waking to the teacher's head on his crotch and receiving a blowjob. He explained that he suppressed the memory, later opening it and seeking therapy. He told the jury he had not reported the incident to Gardaí until recently, after contacting the Garda Confidential Line. The accused faces one count of attempted anal rape and one count of sexual assault relating to this complainant, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Patrick Stokes, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of offences including robbery, assault and criminal damage. He was living in a tent near the Dáil and had a long criminal record of 97 convictions. In October 2021 he robbed a homeless man in St Audoen's Park, taking about €400 from the victim's sock after the victim had given him €40. He also assaulted a man on the Liffey Boardwalk in September 2021, punching him to the ground and stamping on him, causing bruising and soft‑tissue damage. In June 2022 he robbed a shop in Dun Laoghaire, threatening the assistant with a knife, and later caused damage during a burglary on Baggot Street. The judge noted Stokes' addiction and history of adversity, and imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, to run consecutively with a prior three‑and‑a‑half‑year term. Patrick Stokes pleaded guilty.
Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, was caught by an off‑duty Garda taking "up‑skirt" pictures on the Luas in December 2019. A Garda search of his Dublin home uncovered hundreds of thousands of similar images, including 20,000 of women and girls' legs, groins and buttocks, and an "extremely explicit" child‑abuse video. Boyle pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to five years for harassment and three years for child‑pornography, with the final two and a half years of the latter suspended. On appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy reduced the overall custodial term to five years and six months, suspending the last 16 months. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence excessive, noting no violence or threat of violence and no contact with victims. Boyle remains subject to post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with the victims.
A garda on duty during the Stardust fire described the event as unprecedented, stating that the scale of the situation was brought home to him when a colleague told him 'whatever you can get' in terms of ambulances. Former garda sergeant Thomas Vennard testified that the incident was something they had never experienced before. The inquest also heard that Stardust manager Eamon Butterly and bar manager Brian Peel remained on site after the fire was extinguished. Garda Sergeant Bernard McMahon, who was tasked with preserving the scene, stated that he saw Butterly and Peel in the foyer of the Silver Swan and expressed his unhappiness with people being on the premises. McMahon also mentioned that he had previously observed fire exit doors locked with chains, a practice he understood was in place to keep 'gougers' out.
Oliver Doran, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the axe murder of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng in Dublin's Robinson's Court. Doran initially pleaded not guilty but later changed to guilty and was sentenced on 8 May 2023. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Keane, described the killing as "senseless" and imposed the maximum life sentence. The sentence was backdated to 17 January 2023, the date of Doran's guilty plea, and the Court of Appeal later further backdated it to 6 May 2021, the day Doran was first taken into custody. This adjustment allows Doran to apply for parole in 2033 instead of 2035. The case involved CCTV footage of Doran entering Cheng's apartment, forensic evidence of axe wounds, and Doran's prior 98 convictions. The appeal court upheld the backdating, noting that guilty pleas in murder cases are rare and that backdating is standard practice.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 55‑year‑old Michael Lynn stands trial for 21 counts of theft, accused of siphoning roughly €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007. Lynn maintains that the mortgages he secured on the same properties were "undertaking‑only" mortgages, not first legal charges, and that banks were unaware of overlapping financing. Suzanne Bainton, a practising solicitor and member of the Law Society's conveyancing committee, testified that she has never encountered a solicitor's undertaking‑only mortgage where a bank could claim against a solicitor's professional indemnity insurance. She explained that such undertakings are intended to reduce lending costs and rely on implicit trust in solicitors, noting that insurance coverage for solicitor fraud does not exist. Bainton also clarified that the undertaking is not meant for commercial lending, though banks may accept it. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Owen Flood, aged 29, pleaded guilty to two robbery offences committed in February and March 2020. The first involved forcibly taking a Volkswagen Golf car key from a nine‑year‑old boy and driving the vehicle away; the car, valued at about €15,000, was never recovered. The second offence saw Flood and another man rob a man outside a post office in Celbridge, stealing €180 from his social welfare payment; the victim's money was also not recovered. Flood, who has 55 prior convictions and is homeless with drug and mental‑health issues, was sentenced to four years and eight months' imprisonment, with the final eight months suspended to encourage rehabilitation. No victim impact statements were presented, and the court noted Flood's remorse and cooperation with authorities. The case highlights the seriousness of robbery involving a child and the impact of repeated offending.
During a trial on 7 December 2023, a 48‑year‑old complainant testified that a teacher he had trusted and befriended attempted to rape him during a sleep‑over at the teacher's home. The teacher, in his 30s at the time, was accused of one count of attempted anal rape and one count of sexual assault relating to this complainant. The witness described how the teacher invited him into the bedroom, where the teacher allegedly performed a forced oral act and then tried to penetrate his anus while the complainant was asleep. The complainant said he was terrified, did not consent, and tried to lie on his stomach to stop the assault. He could not recall the duration of the incident. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with the jury hearing the evidence. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In July 2022, a 31‑year‑old Dublin mother was sentenced to five years in prison for recklessly endangering her two children, aged two and three, by failing to seek medical care when they were physically abused. She pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment and five counts of child cruelty, including punching her son. The court noted that the children were taken into care and would suffer lifelong trauma. Her appeal, arguing that rehabilitation had not been considered and that part of the sentence should have been suspended, was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The judge had already applied a generous discount for mitigating factors and imposed concurrent jail terms of five and three years, deeming the custodial sentence necessary due to the grave nature of the offences.
An inquest jury heard harrowing accounts from former firefighters who described finding bodies in the Stardust nightclub so badly burnt they could not determine their gender, with some corpses discovered in pieces within the 'completely gutted' building. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane acknowledged these were 'difficult details' for the families of the 48 victims of the 1981 fire. Noel Keegan testified about finding multiple bodies in the toilets, some still on fire, and described one body with exposed intestines. John Lehan noted the presence of 16 bodies near exit doors and suggested the fire spread rapidly. Garda Matthew Quinn described the severe burns on victims, with some having burst blisters. Other firefighters, including Frank Matthews and James Rowan, recounted finding unrecognisable bodies, some in pieces, and described the extensive damage to the building. The inquest continues tomorrow.
A 61-year-old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine sample counts from 69 charges, spanning March 2021 to November 2022, alleging he sexually exploited a girl aged three to five. The accused admitted to five counts of sexually exploiting a child, three counts of producing child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. He befriended the victim's father, who lived nearby, and abused the child while caring for her. The court heard of his extensive criminal history, including a 2008 jail sentence for sexually assaulting a minor and a 2014 suspended sentence for possessing child pornography. Although the validated procedural stage is sentence, the matter was adjourned to January 31 for finalisation. Judge Orla Crowe ordered a probation report to assess future risk and requested a structure for the accused's eventual release. The court noted the accused's medical condition, including a recent coronary stent, and his cooperation with gardaí. Victim impact statements highlighted the severe trauma suffered by the child and her parents. The accused expressed remorse, and counsel noted his early guilty plea and history of therapy, though he struggled to control urges. The case remains pending final sentencing.
The Court of Appeal heard that a 17‑year‑old who murdered Urantsetseg Tserendorj was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 13 years, a decision his barrister Mark Lynam SC described as disproportionate. Lynam argued that the teenager, who had 31 prior convictions, should have received a determinate sentence or an earlier review, citing international pressure to move away from life sentences for minors. He contended that the offender's intent was to cause serious harm rather than to kill, and that his age and lack of maturity warranted a different approach. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sean Guerin SC, maintained that the judge's discretion was justified, noting the defendant's armed robbery intent and the victim's vulnerability. The case remains pending a judgment set for December 19, 2023. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty and was found guilty.
The AGM of the Retired Civil and Public Servants Association will take place on 12 December after a High Court case brought by trustees Mary Farrell, Frank O'Dwyer and Matthew Ryan was resolved. The trustees had claimed the governing council had refused to allow them to raise several motions on financial and corporate management, including travel expenses and audit matters, and said they were being "gagged". The council denied the claims. The court heard that after extensive out‑of‑court discussions the parties reached an agreement. The settlement allows the trustees' motions and a report to be re‑worded and presented at the AGM, and the order of business will be amended accordingly. The matter was adjourned for two weeks to implement the settlement, and the judge welcomed the outcome. The association, founded in 1945, has over 8,000 members from organisations such as An Post, Coillte and Teagasc.
An ACC Bank fraud officer has given evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the ongoing theft trial of Michael Lynn, a former solicitor. Mr Lynn, aged 55 and resident in County Wicklow, faces 21 counts of theft relating to alleged offences between October 2006 and April 2007, with a total value of approximately €27 million across seven financial institutions. The prosecution alleges Mr Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on identical properties without the lenders' knowledge. The witness confirmed that a €3.7 million loan provided by ACC to Mr Lynn in 2007 for the purchase of Glenlion House in Howth was classified as a private residential mortgage and not a commercial facility. He stated the bank would not have advanced funds had it been aware that the Irish Nationwide Building Society and Bank of Scotland Ireland had simultaneously provided loans totalling over €8 million for the same property. The trial, before Judge Martin Nolan, continues. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a trial in Dublin, a 59‑year‑old man accused of sexually assaulting a student in 1995 pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The fifth complainant, now 47, testified that he was 18 when the alleged assault occurred in a pub toilet. He described the accused as masturbating into his hand, then pinning him against a wall and possibly kissing his neck or cheek. The complainant said he told a friend that night about the incident, after drinking whiskey with two other teenagers. He added that he had never met the accused again and that he had not reported the assault to Gardaí at the time, citing embarrassment and a sense of being in the wrong place. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Killian Grehan, 28, of Templeview Park, Clarehall, Dublin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for money laundering after €214,800 was found in a concealed compartment of his Hyundai. He pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering in the Coolock area on 26 March 2022. Garda surveillance had observed a vehicle in the Landon Road area on the day in question, and a brown envelope was handed to the driver, who later placed it in the car. The car was stopped in Coolock, searched, and the concealed compartment was discovered. Grehan admitted he was moving the money to pay off a drug debt and that his family had been threatened. He expressed remorse, had no prior convictions, and was deemed at low risk of reoffending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 68‑year‑old man received a third sentence for sexually assaulting a child who was five years old in 2016. The court heard that the accused filmed himself touching the child's genitals while she lay on a couch, a seven‑second clip that was shown to her mother. The mother, who described her daughter as once joyful and now withdrawn, said the assault had taken away her daughter's innocence and caused nightmares. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two years and three months because of the man's age and ill health, and noted his apology. The sentence runs concurrently with an eight‑year sentence for a 2021 anal rape. The man is also barred from contacting either victim permanently. The court did not discuss any further proceedings or outcomes beyond this sentencing.
Fionn Costello, 35, pleaded guilty to publishing a threatening voice note in 2021 that said he would 'throw two social workers over a balcony and cut them up.' The message was sent to a woman who works as a social worker on 13 July 2021, and it also referenced another social worker. Garda Jean McDonald explained that Costello had contacted the woman to bring the message to her attention, but he claimed he had no intention of sending it to either woman. Costello admitted the messages were intimidating but said they were not meant for the recipients. He was arrested on 5 May 2022, pleaded guilty on 4 October, and has prior convictions for drug possession, public order and road traffic offences. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to four and a half months' imprisonment, suspended in its entirety, after noting the unusual nature of the case and the lack of intent to send the threats.
During the 2023 inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, retired Dublin Fire Brigade senior firefighter William McQuaid described the blaze as an "accelerated fire" that spread rapidly due to an unknown combustible material in the building. He recounted receiving a call that a major accident plan was in force and that the entire state's resources were mobilised. McQuaid reported that the roof collapsed and the fire's temperature was unusually high, causing the fire to spread faster than normal. He supported the view that the fire's speed made it impossible for hoses to be laid effectively. McQuaid also noted that the fire brigade's assessment of a fire's extent is based on experience and visual judgement upon arrival. The inquest heard additional testimony from former firefighters and ambulance staff, but the focus remained on the fire's rapid spread and the lack of prior similar incidents. The hearing continues tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital.
The Duddy Hospitality Group has applied to the High Court for an injunction to stop the sale of the IBIS hotel at Red Cow, Dublin, which is central to a dispute with the UK‑based Propiteer Group over alleged breaches of a 2020 settlement that divided joint venture assets. The Duddy group claims that receivers appointed by Propiteer issued a 30‑day notice to sell the hotel, a notice that would expire on 8 December, and that any sale before the overall action is resolved would damage the Duddy group's claims. The group also seeks orders preventing the receivers, Ken Fennell and Andrew O'Leary of Interpath Ireland, from acting over the hotel. The Duddy group alleges that Propiteer breached the settlement, attempted to remove directors from related companies, and acquired the hotel's debt, thereby preventing the Duddy group from taking ownership. Propiteer denies all wrongdoing. The application will return before the court on Thursday.
The trial of an unnamed 59-year-old accused of sexual offences against six young men continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault, alleged to have occurred between March 1991 and November 1997 in Co Dublin. He also faces one count of sexual assault regarding the fifth complainant, to which he has also pleaded not guilty. The fifth complainant, now 47, testified that in 1995, while in a pub toilet, the accused allegedly pinned him against a wall and engaged in non-consensual sexual contact. The witness stated he did not consent and was in shock. Earlier, the fourth complainant, who faces one count of sexual assault, was cross-examined regarding alleged consensual encounters and drug use. He admitted to receiving a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply and cultivation of cannabis plants. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC suggested the complainant had boasted about drug use and that the accused reported this to the school principal. The complainant disagreed with suggestions that the sexual interactions were consensual. The trial is ongoing.
Thomas Kane, 29, of Ard Mor Drive, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine with intent to sell or supply on 10 June 2020. Gardaí searched his apartment following a warrant and found over 30 g of cocaine and 47.5 g of cannabis in a hot press, plus 10 g of cannabis in the kitchen. Two Adidas bags in a bin labelled with his apartment number contained almost 3 kg of cannabis. The total value of the cannabis was €60,946 and the cocaine €2,149. Kane claimed he kept the drugs to protect his brother, an addict with a drug debt, from threats to his life. His defence argued exceptional circumstances and that he was not profiting. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the case for finalisation in March pending a probation report.
During the Stardust inquest, a fireman recounted finding two young victims whose bodies were "fused together" with their arms around each other, suggesting they were trying to comfort one another before dying. He described the chaotic rescue, noting that the operation was largely a "free for all" focused on getting people out. He reported discovering a pile of bodies in a room behind the stage, believing the top three or four were still alive when he assisted them out, and that these were the last people rescued alive that night. He also found a torso behind exit five and brought it to an ambulance. The testimony highlighted the urgency, the difficulty of removing bodies from the burning building, and the lack of formal communication, with crews relying on word of mouth. The account was given in the context of the 1981 fire that claimed 48 lives.
In December 2023, a Court of Appeal hearing considered the appeal of Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, who had been sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for harassment and possession of child pornography. Boyle was caught by an off‑duty Garda on the Luas in December 2019 taking "up‑skirt" photographs of women and schoolgirls. A subsequent search of his Dublin home uncovered 275,800 images of women's groins, thighs and buttocks taken between June 2018 and January 2020, and a 2002 child‑pornography video described as "extremely explicit and disturbing." Boyle pleaded guilty in March 2022 to the harassment and possession charges. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five‑year term for harassment and a three‑year term for child‑pornography, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended and back‑dated to March 2021.
During the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former solicitor and property developer Michael Lynn (55) pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft, accused of stealing about €27 million from seven banks between October 2006 and April 2007. The prosecution argued that Lynn secured multiple mortgages on the same properties, with banks unaware that other institutions were also financing the same assets. John Kinsella, a partner at Kinsella Mitchell & Associates and former auditor for Lynn's company Kendar Holdings Limited, was cross‑examined. Kinsella admitted that Lynn had a favourable relationship with banks and was never denied a loan. He also confirmed that Lynn's financial affairs were "an open book" and that he had access to Lynn's accounts. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Silvio Rabbitte, 55, of Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of impeding the apprehension of his co-accused, Wesley Williams, between September 2012 and July 2014. Williams, 46, of Ratoath, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud. Both men were involved in a €1.4 million money-laundering scheme where funds from German investors were transferred into a shared account. Rabbitte received €350,000, while Williams also received a sum. The defence argued Rabbitte was duped and acted with recklessness, noting he had no previous convictions. Simon Gold, 59, of Athlone, Co Westmeath, was previously found guilty by a jury of money laundering, theft, deception, and control of false instruments, and was jailed for seven years in 2019. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the matter for finalisation on February 7 next year, stating he would sentence Rabbitte after hearing evidence in Williams' case. Rabbitte was remanded on continuing bail until that date. The court noted that the charge against Rabbitte was only recently offered to him, and that the Criminal Assets Bureau had seized €190,000 from his ill-gotten gains.
Alan Rooney, 54, of Stillorgan, was given a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for a series of offences committed on 18 September 2022 at Dundrum Town Centre. He pleaded guilty to theft, threats to kill, threatening abusive behaviour, breach of the peace, assault causing harm and entering a private kitchen and taking a kitchen knife. Rooney attacked a security guard, struck him five to six times and attempted to bring him to the ground before other security staff intervened. He also threatened a shopper, saying he would "cut the hearts out" of the shopper's wife and children. CCTV footage of the altercation was shown to the court. The judge, citing Rooney's 25 previous convictions, his 10‑year UK prison term for robbery and his moderate risk of reoffending, imposed the sentence on condition of probation, addiction services and victim‑focused work, suspending it in full for three years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, truck driver Zahir Boudahane (50) pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to 32‑year‑old William Burke on O'Connell Bridge on 10 June 2022. Boudahane, unfamiliar with the city centre, was driving in the bus lane on Bachelor's Walk when he broke a red light and made an illegal right‑hand turn onto O'Connell Bridge. Burke, crossing from the Eden Quay direction, was struck head‑on. He was dragged under the front of the vehicle, with the front wheel passing over his left leg and the rear wheel over his foot. Burke later reported seeing bones exposed and blood everywhere; Garda Cathal Keon described the injury as effectively "de‑gloved." Burke was treated at Mater Hospital, underwent urgent surgery, and ultimately had a below‑knee amputation. He now uses a wheelchair. Boudahane's dashcam showed a speed of 17 km/h; breath tests found no drugs or alcohol.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Dublin 22, appealed her sentence at the Court of Appeal regarding the killing of Gareth Kelly, 38. Anderson was sentenced earlier this year to 11 years in prison, with the final three years suspended for four years. She was initially charged with murder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder. The State accepted Anderson was experiencing a psychotic episode due to bipolar affective disorder but did not qualify for a full insanity defence. Counsel for Anderson argued the sentencing judge failed to correctly assess her moral culpability, citing a psychiatrist's report that she was highly dominated by her condition with no insight. The DPP countered that moral culpability was not extinguished, pointing to ongoing aggravation and the fact that Anderson stabbed the victim, walked away, and returned to stab him again. The DPP also noted the suspended portion was necessary for public protection given the lack of a suitable environment to police her mental health. Anderson is currently an enhanced prisoner at Dochas women's prison, where her medication has been reduced and she is participating in various classes. The matter remains under appeal.
In a dramatic October morning, a Garda pursued David Paget, a 43‑year‑old serial burglar, who had broken into a family home in Dublin. Paget threw a shovel through the front window of the occupied house and attempted to flee. The Garda, Detective Shane Woods, followed him into the Tolka River and later apprehended him hiding behind shrubbery. Paget, who had 57 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to stealing a car and 11 burglaries between September 2020 and October 2023, most of which occurred in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Paget had been on bail for the car theft and for several burglaries when he committed the latest offence. She accepted his cooperation, admissions, remorse, and efforts to address his addiction. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspended the final year on strict conditions, and required Paget to engage with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release.
The parent company of Russian State-owned GTLK has indicated it may not participate in legal proceedings initiated by liquidators appointed over its Dublin-registered subsidiary, citing concerns about receiving a fair hearing in Irish courts. Damien Murran and Julian Moroney, joint liquidators of GTLK Europe DAC and GTLK Europe Capital DAC, have filed an action to prevent the Joint Stock Company State Transport Leasing Company from claiming ownership of multiple aircraft. The liquidators argue that the aircraft belong to the firms in liquidation and that the parent company has no legal entitlement to the assets. Counsel for the liquidators, James Doherty SC, stated that Russian lawyers representing the parent company have informed them of their decision not to participate in the Irish proceedings. The liquidators dispute the claim that they would not receive a fair hearing, noting that Russian companies have previously participated in UK court actions. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey acknowledged the urgency of the matter and set a hearing for later this month, leaving the option open for the parent company to participate. The liquidators seek orders to set aside the pledge agreements, declaring them void and unenforceable under Irish law, and asserting their retention of title to the aircraft. The proceedings involve several GTLK group subsidiaries, with the pledge agreements governed by Russian law, though the liquidators and notice parties are based in Ireland. The firms were wound up earlier this year following an application by four creditors who claimed they were owed over US$178m/€162.5m. The financial difficulties of the firms are attributed to economic sanctions imposed on Russian entities following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. GTLK is Russia's largest leasing business in the transport sector, with its Europe Group's international leasing business headquartered in Dublin.
A man has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Daniel Maymay, aged 31, of Kilmacrennan Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was found guilty of one count of rape committed on 28 January 2019. He had pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and false imprisonment; the jury acquitted him on the remaining charges. The court heard that Maymay and the woman met online and arranged to meet for coffee. During the encounter at his Letterkenny residence, the woman told him to stop sexual contact, but he continued. Maymay maintained the intercourse was consensual. The complainant did not initially report the incident but later contacted police after confiding in her mother. Justice Paul Burns imposed a six-year sentence with the final year suspended on strict conditions. Maymay has 17 previous convictions, including violent disorder and drug-supply offences, but no prior sexual convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 18 foreign students who had paid a fraudster, Raul Rodriguez Ramirez, for English‑language courses suffered severe psychological and emotional distress. Ramirez, who ran a legitimate agency from 2018 to 2020, diverted the students' money into a restaurant venture that failed during the pandemic. The students, many from Mexico, Bolivia, Japan and South Korea, were left without course placements, risking their visas, and faced financial hardship—one slept in a church doorway for two nights, another could not travel home to see his mother before she died. They reported being pressured to pay quickly and receiving "contracts" by email, yet their funds were never used to secure enrolment. Ramirez pleaded guilty to inducing the students to pay sums between June 2020 and June 2021, and the judge adjourned sentencing for a week to allow him to gather funds for compensation.
In a trial held on 4 December 2023, a 59‑year‑old accused man pleaded not guilty to a single count of sexual assault. The complainant, who was not named for legal reasons, testified that he had been awakened by the accused performing oral sex on him after drinking eight or nine pints with the teacher. He said he did not block out the incident but kept it at the back of his mind. The defence counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, questioned whether the accused had left a class unattended and whether the complainant had been intoxicated during the alleged events. The complainant confirmed he had been drunk and that he had not remembered a later alleged sexual encounter in Kilkenny. The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Ian Byrne, 41, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for robbing a post office on Dorset Street, Dublin 7, and for possessing an imitation firearm on 1 November 2022. He also faced a count of attempting to rob a post office in Cabra two days later, which was considered but not charged. Byrne claimed he was coerced by a drugs gang after accruing a cocaine debt following a knee injury. He had previously worked as a forklift driver for Ikea for eight years and had no prior convictions. Byrne admitted to the robbery at a Ballymun Garda station, stating he was under pressure and threatened by the gang. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Byrne's depression medication and the gang's threats, and said the 21‑month term was the lowest he could impose under the circumstances. Ian Byrne pleaded guilty.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, former Michael Lynn solicitor Fiona McAleenan denied any knowledge of Mr Lynn's bank borrowings and claimed she had never been a partner in the practice. Mr Lynn, aged 55, faces 21 theft counts for allegedly stealing about €27 million from seven banks between October 2006 and April 2007. McAleenan said she had only been appointed partner in October 2006 and that she had never been a partner before or after leaving the firm. She denied involvement in any bank transfers or money movements, stating she was unaware of the lending or the amounts. The prosecution's case alleges Mr Lynn secured multiple mortgages on the same properties while banks were unaware of other lenders. McAleenan's testimony concluded after the judge thanked her for her attendance, and the trial continues before Judge Nolan and a jury. Fiona McAleenan pleaded not guilty.
Two brothers, Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan, were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a 2019 attack that killed 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey. The jury found them not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter (Ian) and assault causing serious harm (Daniel). Ian received a nine‑year sentence with the final year suspended for three years; Daniel received five years with the final year suspended for three years. The court described the assault as "savage, cold‑blooded and cowardly," noting that Mulvey was a slight, unarmed victim who offered no resistance. The sentencing judge highlighted the brothers' lack of remorse and the brutal nature of the attacks, while acknowledging mitigating factors such as Ian's lack of prior convictions. No verdict was recorded on the assault charges for either brother.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 45‑year‑old complainant testified that he had known a now‑59‑year‑old teacher, who is unnamed for legal reasons, from his school. The complainant said they had socialised, often drinking alcohol, and that on one occasion in late 1995 they drank eight or nine pints together. He then went to the teacher's house, where both slept in boxer shorts and t‑shirts. The next morning the complainant woke to find his boxer shorts pulled down and the teacher performing oral sex on him. He described shock and delirium, and that he later performed oral sex on the teacher after being told "It's your turn now." The complainant denied giving consent and said the act was non‑consensual. He also admitted to smoking cannabis and other drugs that night. He had not reported the incident until a statement to the Gardaí in April 2019, after therapy. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 59‑year‑old woman, Kim Ng Swan, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of 36‑year‑old Deliveroo motorcyclist Jose Eduardo Silba Pereira. The incident occurred on Kimmage Road West on 30 December 2021 when Swan turned right and failed to see Pereira's motorbike coming from the opposite direction. The collision threw Pereira from his bike and he died at the scene. The court noted no speeding, distraction or phone use, but that Swan did not see the motorbike within the eight seconds it was visible on her dashcam. Judge Orla Crowe, hearing the case, found no aggravating factors and several mitigating circumstances, including Swan's lack of prior convictions, community work and remorse. She was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, fully suspended, and disqualified from driving for one year. The sentence reflected the tragic nature of the accident and the absence of animosity from Pereira's family.
Dennis Menton, a 34‑year‑old father of five from Rathcoole, pleaded guilty to possession of 30 kg of cannabis for sale or supply outside his home. He was caught after Garda officers, acting on confidential information, stopped him while he parked a rental car and discovered the drugs in a second vehicle. Menton admitted transporting the drugs on five to six occasions over the past three months, earning €2,000 per job. He had no prior convictions and had been working multiple jobs to meet financial obligations. The court noted his early guilty plea, cooperation, good work record and family responsibilities. The offence carries a mandatory 10‑year sentence, but the judge departed from that and imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term, citing mitigating factors. Menton has expressed remorse, is attending counselling and has considered studying community addiction studies. The court accepted his statements that the drugs were cannabis, a less harmful substance than cocaine or heroin.
Laurence Maguire, 47, pleaded guilty to two robberies and an assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had been on the run for seven years after a bench warrant was issued in 2016, during which time Gardaí could not locate him. In June 2023 he surrendered and has been in custody since. The first robbery occurred at Courtview, Rathbourne, where he forced a woman to drop her bags, stole a River Island handbag containing about €30, bank cards and a DKNY watch, and left her with a sore neck and a cut. The second robbery took place on Glasnevin Avenue, Ballymun, where he attempted to seize a woman's bag, injured her husband with cuts to his face and hand, and stole a Marks & Spencer handbag. Gardaí recovered the vehicle, bank cards, and evidence linking Maguire to the incidents. He admitted to possessing a knife and having a drug addiction, and has 17 prior convictions.
Sharon Hickey, 45, of Kilmainham, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9kg of heroin for sale or supply outside the Lamplighter pub in Dublin 8 on April 12, 2022. She appeared before Judge Elma Sheahan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where she admitted to the charge. Gardaí reported that Hickey was intercepted after receiving a bag containing the drugs and €500 in cash from co-accused Gregory Dunne. During interview, Hickey stated she was instructed to find a hiding place for the drugs to settle a drug debt, for which she was to be paid €500 and have her debt reduced. Her defence counsel highlighted her difficult childhood, addiction struggles, and a certificate in addiction studies, urging leniency. Hickey has one previous conviction for larceny from the 1990s. Judge Sheahan adjourned the case for finalisation on January 12, 2024. Co-accused Gregory Dunne, 39, of Dublin 7, had previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. In October, Judge Sheahan sentenced Dunne to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
Two teenagers, Jamie Agemoh (20) and Wayne Dennis (21), were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for intimidating a 51‑year‑old woman over her son's drug debt. Agemoh, who had previously been convicted of a firearms offence, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was given a two‑year, three‑month prison term, fully suspended for four years with conditions including one year of probation. Dennis, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to a single count of demanding money with menaces and received a twelve‑month sentence, fully suspended. The court noted Agemoh's repeated demands between May and June 2020, which resulted in the woman paying over €2,500. Both men were described as having acted to intimidate the victim, with Agemoh's behaviour deemed "terrorising" and Dennis serving as a "body man.".
The first emergency responder, Dermot Dowdall, described arriving at the Stardust nightclub at about 1.49 am, after a call from John Fitzsimons warned of a potential loss of up to 200 people. He found a circle of victims huddled together on the dancefloor, their heads down, and noted the fire had already been intense, venting through the roof and largely extinguished by the time he and a colleague reached the scene. Dowdall and his team focused on rescuing those in the toilets, transporting eight severely burned girls and a boy to St James Hospital. He later assisted in searching for bodies, describing the scene as gruesome and noting that many victims were already deceased when he arrived. The fire's rapid spread and high heat were highlighted as key factors in the tragedy.
Jordan Lee, 25, was sentenced to two years in prison in April 2023 for a violent robbery that left two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, unconscious after they refused to buy drugs in Dublin city centre. Lee, who was on bail at the time, struck one teen on the head and repeatedly stamped on his head, while a co‑accused struck the other teen. Both men then stole the teens' pockets and fled. The State appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, after viewing disturbing CCTV footage, found the original two‑year term too low and increased the pre‑mitigation headline sentence to seven years. The judge set a post‑mitigation headline sentence of five years, suspended six months, and back‑dated the custodial term to start after the expiry of a separate 11‑month sentence on 6 June. Jordan Lee pleaded guilty.
Anthony Goodman, a 78‑year‑old sex offender with no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 months after a Garda detective spotted him attempting to board a Luas tram at Smithfield. Goodman had a sex offender order issued in August 2017 that barred him from using public transport without prior Garda notice. The detective, Fergus Grant, approached Goodman, who admitted he had knowingly violated the order and had decided to "take a chance." Goodman had 213 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, breaches of a sex offender order, burglary, arson and threats to kill, and was already serving a sentence for another offence. Judge Dara Hayes noted Goodman's age, frailty and cooperation, but imposed a 12‑month sentence, crediting him for time already served. The order had previously prevented him from riding a bus without informing Gardaí. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Anthony Goodman was found guilty.