Sean McGovern, a Kinahan cartel lieutenant, has asked the Special Criminal Court to give him credit for pleading guilty to directing the criminal organization in the murder of a grandfather and the attempted murder of another man. His lawyers also requested additional credit for the time he spent in harsh conditions in a Dubai prison before his extradition to Ireland. McGovern pleaded guilty to directing the activities of the criminal organization in the murder of Christopher Kirwan and the surveillance of James Gately. His defense argued that his role was limited to surveillance and communication, not planning or executing the attacks. Michael Bowman SC highlighted the guilty plea as a significant mitigating factor and requested a reduction in the sentence beyond the standard 25 percent. He also presented testimonials from McGovern's family, emphasizing his rehabilitation and current status in Portlaoise Prison. The prosecution, however, questioned whether additional credit should be given due to McGovern's challenge to his extradition, which prolonged his time in Dubai.
The daughter of Noel Kirwan, an innocent man murdered by the Kinahan organised crime group, told cartel lieutenant Sean McGovern that her father would have been offended to have been killed by 'somebody as stupid as you.' Donna Kirwan, whose father was shot dead outside his home in December 2016, addressed McGovern directly in her written statement to the court. She questioned how McGovern thought he would get away with the murder, pointing out that he was linked to the murder by DNA, mobile phones, CCTV, and other evidence. The court heard evidence relating to McGovern's role in the murder of Mr Kirwan and the attempted murder of James Gately. The Kinahans targeted Gately because they believed he was one of the armed attackers at the Regency Hotel. McGovern used a secure messaging service to relay information about Gately's movements. The case was adjourned for the completion of evidence and pleas in mitigation by McGovern's lawyers. Sean McGovern pleaded guilty.
David Doyle admitted theft, criminal damage, public intoxication, threatening behaviour, resisting arrest and two counts of failing to appear in court. Despite a negative probation report, Judge Derek Cooney deferred custody, imposed a probation bond and ordered full engagement with probation, warning that further offending would mean prison. David Doyle pleaded guilty.
Alex Nyamhamba received a two-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final 15 months suspended, after pleading guilty to assault causing harm at a Sandyford builder's yard. The court heard he punched a customer eight to ten times during a traffic dispute, breaking two front teeth and knocking out two others.
A 23-year-old woman has been fined €500 for driving an electric scooter in a public place in Dublin nearly three years ago, when such vehicles were not legally allowed on Irish roads. Maria Jigala, who resides at Ticknock Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18, pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to driving an electric scooter without insurance on 23 March 2023, in Stepaside Village. She was stopped following a report of a minor collision. Gardai stated that Jigala, who required a Moldovan interpreter, had no previous convictions and had not been in contact with gardaí since the incident. She was described as co-operative at the time. Her defence counsel, Silvia-Maria Crowley BL, explained that her client works as a beauty specialist and needed the ability to drive for work. She had been trying to arrange insurance but had not been successful. Judge Conor Fottrell noted that the case was primarily about the lack of insurance. He imposed a fine of €500, with six months to pay. Other charges, including failing to produce insurance and driving without a licence, were also considered.
A serial roads offender, Owen Comerford (35), of Balally Drive, Dundrum, Dublin 16, has been sentenced to four months in prison and disqualified from driving for 10 years after being caught driving for a third time while banned. Comerford pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to driving without insurance and without a valid licence in Sandyford Village, Dublin 18, on 16 January last. The court heard that Comerford was driving a black 2010 Vauxhall Insignia in a public place while uninsured and without a valid licence. Judge Anne Watkin noted that Comerford has 99 previous convictions, including multiple charges for driving without insurance, driving without a licence, and various other offences. He has been disqualified from driving on three previous occasions, with this being his third conviction for driving while disqualified. The court was informed that Comerford had most recently been disqualified in November and was already subject to a 10-year driving ban at the time of the offence.
A sushi chef who was dismissed while on sick leave following a miscarriage has been awarded €8,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal. Beacon Sushi Ltd, which operates Michie Sushi in Dublin, was found to have breached the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 following a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The chef was terminated just days after suffering a miscarriage on 8 December 2024. The company's managing director, Michael Piare, sent a message of condolence but later terminated her employment via WhatsApp. The tribunal found that the company's stated reason for dismissal—breaches of absence reporting policy—was not reasonable given the employee's miscarriage. The adjudicator ruled the dismissal unfair and awarded the worker €8,000 for her losses.
David Cranny damaged a video doorbell outside a south Dublin home, claiming it made him feel 'uncomfortable'. Cranny, who has 29 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the criminal damage. The residents were left €350 out of pocket and had to move out of fear. Judge Anne Watkin expressed confusion over why the doorbell would have caused Cranny discomfort, noting it only showed people at the doorstep. Cranny later paid €200 in compensation. The judge emphasized the impact of the incident on the residents, who felt unsafe in their own home. Cranny is no longer using drugs and is on an employment scheme. The court ordered him to pay the remaining balance, provide a probation report, and attend restorative justice services before sentencing. The case was adjourned to May 25.
A driver who collided with a motorcyclist who claimed he was 'filtering' through traffic had a charge of careless driving dismissed after a judge criticized the motorcyclist's dangerous behavior. Judge Anne Watkin noted that the motorcyclist had overtaken cars in their own lane, which was illegal and highly dangerous. The collision occurred during heavy traffic, and the motorcyclist claimed he was filtering through the congestion. However, the judge stated that the motorcyclist had no right to overtake in that manner and that his actions were breaking the law. The motorcyclist was found to have a cut and swelling from the collision but declined hospital treatment. The judge ruled that the driver, Ms Arta Kroni, could not reasonably have been expected to see the motorcyclist or anticipate his actions, leading to the dismissal of the charge of driving without due care and attention against her. Arta Kroni pleaded not guilty.
Chengwen Guo, the Irish representative of a transnational crime organisation, was jailed for seven years for his involvement in a €10 million 'zombie' iPhone fraud. Guo owned several mobile phone shops called Murray Mobile and was involved in a scheme where fake iPhones were sent to Apple for repair, and genuine replacements were sent to Hong Kong to be sold outside the EU. The court heard that Guo also sold counterfeit Apple products in his shops. A significant quantity of counterfeit goods, including power adaptors and phone cases, were found during a search of his stores. Guo's co-accused, Lukasz Lupa, was also jailed for his role in the scheme. The court noted that Apple lost considerable value due to the fraud, and Guo was found to have used his stores to sell counterfeit Apple products. The court ordered the forfeiture of the cash sums involved and the Audi, which was in the possession of Guo's wife. Chengwen Guo pleaded guilty.
Conor Meyler, a Tyrone senior inter‑county footballer and 2021 All‑Ireland winner, has filed a defamation claim against the Irish Post and its parent company, The Color Company (TM) Ltd. The High Court heard that the Irish Post published an article in January 2025 containing untrue details about Meyler. He alleges the article caused him loss, damage, inconvenience, expense, distress, embarrassment, annoyance and anxiety. The court allowed the Color Company to join as a co‑defendant and adjourned the case for a later hearing.
On 9 March 2025, Darren Longworth, a 40‑year‑old tradesman from Tallaght, was found by a Garda in a car park carrying two Stanley blades—one in his work belt and one loose in a pocket. He was arrested and charged with possession of a knife under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. Longworth explained that he was a multi‑skilled tradesman who had been working that day and was living in his van, using it as both accommodation and a storage space for his tools. He claimed the blades were standard work equipment and that a larger switch‑blade tool was stored inside the van. His solicitor argued that the blades were consistent with his trade gear. Judge Patricia McNamara, after considering that Longworth had been working earlier, was wearing his work belt, and that his living circumstances made it natural for tools to be on him, dismissed the knife possession charge.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Conor McGregor against a jury finding that he was civilly liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018. The original High Court jury awarded Ms Hand €248,000 in damages and ordered McGregor to pay both parties' legal costs, totaling €1.3 million. Co-appellant James Lawrence, who was found not civilly liable for rape, received no costs order because the jury did not accept his evidence and McGregor paid his legal fees. Both men denied the allegations. The appeal court rejected all grounds raised by McGregor, including arguments regarding the admission of his "no comment" responses to gardaí and the wording of the issue paper. Justice Brian O'Moore stated it was "simply unreal" that jurors could have been confused by the term "assault" when the trial judge clarified it referred to rape. Claims of "new evidence" regarding bruising on Ms Hand, based on affidavits from Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, were withdrawn on the first day of the appeal. The court awarded costs to Ms Hand for both appeals and made no costs order for Lawrence. Ms Hand stated the process re-traumatised her and urged survivors to seek justice.
Mark Kavanagh, aged 48, was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to a global term of six years and nine months, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence follows a high‑speed chase on 28 April 2024 in which Kavanagh attempted to ram a Garda patrol car, drove at speeds up to 120 km/h, and was later apprehended after the vehicle crashed. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and failing to provide a blood or urine sample. Kavanagh also pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen property in 2024, including an intrusion into the home of an 85‑year‑old man on 10 June 2024, where a key was taken. He has 168 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, firearms and drug offences, and is disqualified from driving until 2030.
Callum Howell, 21, of Sandyford, Dublin 18, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court after pleading guilty to trespassing, theft, public order offences, road traffic matters, and failing to appear in court. The court heard that gardaí found Howell on a residential driveway in Stepaside in April 2025 in possession of stolen goods. He admitted to the charges, which included offences under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, and the Road Traffic Act. The judge noted Howell's 26 previous convictions but accepted evidence of severe mental health issues, including anxiety, neurodivergence, and substance misuse. Judge Patricia McNamara convicted and sentenced him on the trespassing charge to eight months in prison. This sentence was suspended for 12 months on the condition that Howell does not reoffend, possesses no illicit or non-prescribed substances, attends all medical appointments, complies with prescribed medication, and engages fully with Cluain Mhuire once a place becomes available. The judge warned that failure to comply would result in the immediate activation of the eight-month sentence. All remaining matters were taken into consideration in the disposal.
A man in his 30s, whose name was not disclosed, was denied bail by the Dún Laoghaire District Court after being charged with armed robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. The robbery took place on 30 June at Centra in Sandyford Hall, where the suspect entered the store at about 8.45 pm, demanded money from a 21‑year‑old cashier while holding a kitchen knife, and fled on a bicycle with roughly €500 in cash. CCTV footage shows him cycling past a pharmacy in a black tracksuit and Nike runners, with his face visible. The next day, Gardaí stopped him near the scene, found €490 in a satchel and a Stanley knife, and later recovered a medium‑sized kitchen knife from his partner's residence. The court cited the seriousness of the charges, the strength of the evidence, and the risk of further offences or non‑appearance as reasons for denying bail.
The Court of Appeal has decided to refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions after Conor McGregor withdrew a motion to introduce alleged new evidence in his appeal against a civil jury's finding that he raped Nikita Hand. The withdrawal came after McGregor's lawyers cited difficulties with the admissibility of a report from a former Northern Ireland pathologist. Ms Hand's counsel argued that the motion was intended to undermine her client's reputation and that the new evidence was "all lies." The court will notify the parties of the documentation it intends to provide to the DPP. The decision comes while the court is also reserving judgment on McGregor's substantive appeal and a costs appeal involving James Lawrence, who was found not liable for assaulting Hand. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no verdict or sentencing yet announced.
In the High Court, lawyers for Nikita Hand argued that the Director of Public Prosecutions should consider perjury proceedings after Conor McGregor withdrew his bid to introduce new evidence in his appeal of a civil jury's finding that he raped Ms Hand. The civil case, decided last year, awarded Ms Hand €248,000 in damages. McGregor's appeal team had planned to present sworn statements from neighbours Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, who claimed to have seen an assault. O'Reilly's affidavit suggested she witnessed a man push Ms Hand to the ground and then kick her, but Ms Hand has called the allegations "lies" and "vigorously" disputed them. The court allowed McGregor's withdrawal of the new evidence application, and the appeal will continue tomorrow. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further decisions yet.
Conor Stewart, 31, of Kilcross Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18, was found in possession of €280 worth of cocaine during a car stop on the Dundrum Bypass on 9 April 2022. He pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to a Section 3 offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, and was charged under Section 27(1) of the same Act, as amended by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984. Garda Brian Gallagher reported that Stewart was a nervous passenger when the vehicle was stopped in the early hours, leading to a search that uncovered the drug. Stewart has 84 prior convictions, including 12 for drug offences, seven public order offences, theft and criminal damage. He is already serving a three‑year sentence, one year suspended, for other offences. Judge Anne Watkin added a one‑month term to run consecutively, raising his total sentence to three years and one month, with a €500 recognisance for appeal.
A pharmacist, Marwan Al Rahbi, has lodged a complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, claiming he was constructively dismissed from his €112,000-a-year role as a senior support pharmacist at Rathgar Pharmacy Ltd., a business owned by former TD Kate O'Connell and her husband. Al Rahbi alleges that the O'Connells subjected him to a hostile work environment, describing their treatment as "working him to the death" and citing health and mental‑health concerns as reasons for his resignation. He says he raised a formal grievance in May 2024 over several incidents, but the pharmacy denied the complaints and did not address the issues. Al Rahbi also claims that the O'Connells denied him a verbal warning, instead shouting at him and refusing to allow him to speak during a review meeting.
Conor Stewart, 31, pleaded guilty on 26 May 2024 to making an unwarranted demand with menace, threatening the parents of his former partner that their house would "go up like a Christmas tree" if a €4,000 debt was not paid. Garda Aaron Carney testified that Stewart called the house in Sandyford, where the father opened the door and saw Stewart on his phone, with a third party apparently directing him. The incident was recorded by a doorbell camera. Stewart, who has 84 prior convictions and was on bail for another offence, admitted he was in difficulty and had been told to do it. He has signed up for drug counselling while in custody. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to two years and three months, with nine months suspended for two years, to run consecutively to his current sentence, and ordered 12 months of probation supervision after release.
Conor Stewart, 29, of Kilcross Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and possession of a samurai sword after a €50 drug debt dispute. On 18 June 2020 at Kilcross Grove, Stewart left a van, armed with a samurai sword, and attacked a man who had been carrying an adjustable wrench. The victim sustained a cut to the back of the head and a larger wound to the side of the head, requiring stitches, and later fully recovered. Stewart's prior convictions include criminal damage and burglary. The court accepted his guilty plea as valuable, noting reconciliation between Stewart and the victim's brother, and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the weapon used and the potential for future offending if Stewart does not change. The sentence reflects the court's view that Stewart's guilty plea and the circumstances warranted a custodial term of four years.
In the Court of Appeal on 2 May 2025, Conor McGregor's lawyers presented new evidence from a woman who claimed to have witnessed Nikita Hand being assaulted by her former partner at Hand's home. The woman swore an affidavit that she saw Hand being pushed and, judging from the man's body movements, believed he had kicked her after pushing her to the ground. She had come forward after reading about the civil trial in the media and had also sent McGregor an Instagram message, though the timing was not specified. Hand, who had been awarded €248,000 in damages after a civil jury found McGregor had raped and battered her, disputed the woman's claims in her own affidavit. The Court of Appeal will cross‑examine the two proposed witnesses before allowing their evidence into McGregor's appeal, with a hearing scheduled for 1 July. The case remains focused on the credibility of the new witnesses and the alleged new evidence.
Stephen Connolly, a 40‑year‑old businessman from Rath Gael, Clondalkin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for laundering €291,790 that he claimed was the proceeds of a drug offence. The money was found rolled and in separate bags during a planned search at Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, on 4 May 2017, and Connolly's fingerprints were on the cash. He admitted possession of the money and that he had stored and counted it with his brother, Mark Connolly, who had previously received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for his role. Connolly's defence counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, argued that his client was a family man with mental health issues and was not directing the operation, and presented a heartfelt apology. Judge Martin Nolan noted Connolly's responsibilities as a business owner and family provider before imposing the four‑year term. Stephen Connolly pleaded guilty.
Conor Stewart, 29, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to assault causing harm and possession of a samurai sword at Kilcross Grove, Sandyford, on 18 June 2020. The offence stemmed from an alleged €50 drug debt owed to the victim's brother. Stewart, who lives in Kilcross Court, Sandyford, was accompanied by another man when they attacked the victim, striking him on the back of the head and leaving a cut on the left side of his head. The victim was treated in hospital for a cut to the back of his head and a larger wound to the side of his head, which required stitches, and has since fully recovered. Stewart's previous convictions include criminal damage and burglary. The court accepted his guilty plea as valuable and noted that he had been on remand in prison, only recently receiving a bed in his cell due to overcrowding.
Conor McGregor and James Lawrence are appealing the civil jury verdict that found McGregor raped Nikita Hand in 2018. At a Court of Appeal hearing before Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, McGregor's counsel sought permission to introduce fresh evidence from two individuals. The judge directed that a formal motion and affidavits must be filed to address the admissibility of this new evidence, with a case management hearing scheduled for May 2 to fix the date for that application. The judge ruled the appeal cannot proceed until the court decides on the new evidence. McGregor's team alleges the trial judge made legal and factual errors, specifically regarding the jury question on whether he "assaulted" rather than "sexually assaulted" Ms Hand. Lawrence, who was found not to have assaulted Ms Hand, is appealing his costs, despite McGregor paying his legal fees. In January, Mr Justice Owens ordered McGregor to pay €1.3 million in costs, with a stay granted conditional on immediate payments of €100,000 towards the damages award and €200,000 towards costs, which the Court of Appeal heard has been completed. The matter remains at the procedural stage of determining the admissibility of fresh evidence before the substantive appeal can be heard.
Former Fine Gael TD Kate O'Connell is set to give evidence at an employment tribunal after senior pharmacist Marwan Al Rahbi lodged a complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Al Rahbi, who earned €112,000 a year as a senior support pharmacist at Rathgar Pharmacy Ltd, says he was constructively dismissed after two years because of O'Connell's alleged bullying. His lawyer, Cillian McGovern, claims O'Connell behaved rudely, removed a chair, hid a heater, and told Al Rahbi to perform arbitrary tasks, calling him "your boss." Al Rahbi also alleges O'Connell demanded he sign documents under pressure and refused his request for time off during the Islamic holiday of Eid Al‑Adha. O'Connell's barrister, Derek Dunne, disputes the allegations, stating Al Rahbi was aggressive after being reprimanded for using his phone and that the employer's actions were not bullying. The tribunal has adjourned the case to a later date.
In the High Court, Mr Justice Alexander Owens addressed post-trial applications in the civil case involving defendant Conor McGregor and applicant Nikita Hand. Following a jury finding that Mr McGregor was liable for the assault of Ms Hand in December 2018, while co-accused James Lawrence was found not liable, the judge issued orders regarding trial materials and damages. Mr Justice Owens ordered Mr McGregor to destroy or return all case materials, including CCTV footage, to his solicitor, citing a real risk of dissemination. He warned Mr McGregor that he does not get another run at the case by throwing out allegations on social media or using surrogates. The judge refused to find Mr McGregor in contempt for his social media posts, stating it would be a distraction. Regarding financial obligations, the court ordered an interim payment of €100,000 in damages and €200,000 towards Ms Hand's costs, with the remainder stayed pending a potential appeal. The matter was adjourned to February 12.
At the Central Criminal Court trial of Diarmuid Phelan, the jury heard extensive background evidence regarding repeated trespassing and criminal damage at his Hazelgrove farm in West Dublin. The defence argued that understanding the defendant's history was essential to contextualizing the events of February 24, 2022. Testimony detailed numerous incidents, including arson, vehicle theft, and assaults, which Phelan reported to gardai. Specific attention was given to a 2017 District Court case involving three young men, including Kallum Coleman and Robin Duggan, who were accused of trespassing. Although the source text notes that three individuals were previously convicted of trespassing and criminal damage in that earlier matter, the current trial focused on the subsequent murder charge against Phelan. The defence highlighted that Phelan had been threatened by these individuals in court, leading to his fear of returning. The trial also examined the context of badger baiting, an illegal activity, which Phelan allegedly encountered when he shot a dog he believed was threatening his livestock. The jury was presented with Phelan's account of the confrontation that followed, where he claimed the men emerged from the bushes and screamed at him. The proceedings emphasized the long-standing conflict between Phelan and local trespassers, with the defence urging jurors to consider the cumulative impact of these alleged crimes on the defendant's state of mind.
Sam Collins, a 30-year-old electrician from Sandyford, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply following an incident on August 26, 2023, at Charlestown Place, Finglas. Gardaí discovered approximately €58,879 worth of drugs during a search of his vehicle and home after he was observed at the location. The court heard Collins was storing the drugs for a third party and that he had no previous convictions. Defence counsel highlighted his mental health difficulties at the time and noted his otherwise solid work history and family circumstances. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence, fully suspended, citing exceptional circumstances including Collins' early guilty plea, clean record, and unlikely prospect of reoffending.
In a civil trial, Conor McGregor was found liable for raping Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel room. Mr Justice Alexander Owens ordered McGregor to pay legal costs exceeding €1 million, but made no cost order for co‑respondent James Lawrence, who was found not liable. Owens noted that the case was "the most peculiar and singular" he had seen, referring to Lawrence's claim of consensual sex with Hand, which Hand denied. He awarded "party‑party" costs to McGregor, rather than the higher "solicitor‑own client" costs sought by Hand's lawyers, and left costs for Hand's claims against Lawrence to be paid by each side. Owens adjourned the matter to 16 January to consider an application for a stay pending appeal, and said he would separately decide on McGregor's social‑media post about a "kangaroo court.".
In a High Court hearing, the court will decide whether Conor McGregor must pay the full costs of a civil rape claim brought by Nikita Hand, who alleges he "brutally" raped her in a Dublin hotel penthouse. Hand's counsel urged the court to award the highest level of costs, citing McGregor's alleged conduct before, during and after the trial, including his post‑trial social media posts and accusations that the court was a "kangaroo" court. McGregor's counsel argued that the costs should remain at the normal level, as he was the losing party, and that post‑trial posts should not be considered aggravating. The case also involves James Lawrence, who was found not to have assaulted Hand. The judge, Justice Owens, described the case as "the most peculiar" he had encountered and will rule on costs after 2 pm today.
In the third day of evidence at a High Court civil trial, a woman named Nikita Hand testified that Conor McGregor and James Lawrence allegedly raped and battered her in a Dublin hotel on 8‑9 December 2018. Hand, who was intoxicated after a night of drinking and drug use, claimed she was pinned down and choked by McGregor in a penthouse suite at the Beacon hotel. She said she had been "brutally raped" and that a doctor later assessed her injuries as moderate to severe. Both McGregor and Lawrence denied the allegations. Hand's testimony included references to CCTV footage that she said contradicted her account, and she described her state as "drunk and very vulnerable." The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Driver Margaret Casey, 73, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. On June 17, 2023, at Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 11, Casey's vehicle mounted a kerb and struck a pedestrian on the footpath. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Casey had a momentary lapse in concentration following a difficult hospital visit to her brother. The court accepted that no aggravating factors, such as intoxication or speed, were present, and Casey's conduct at the scene was exemplary. The victim, a man in his sixties, suffered a fractured jaw and injuries to his skull, ribs, and neck, requiring five days in hospital. He has since significantly recovered and did not wish to make a victim impact statement, stating Casey had been through enough. Judge Crowe set a headline sentence of two years imprisonment. However, considering the mitigating circumstances and Casey's personal situation, including her care for her ill brother, the judge imposed a 12-month sentence fully suspended for two years. Additionally, the offence carries a mandatory four-year driving disqualification.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the accused, law professor Diarmuid Phelan, 56, is charged with the killing of Keith Conlon, 36, at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght on 24 February 2022. Phelan, a barrister and farmer, pleaded not guilty. The jury heard that Conlon had previously been arrested for burglary in 2010, during which he became "extremely violent", kicked a Garda and tried to jump from a patrol car. Conlon had pleaded guilty to burglary and assault in Dun Laoghaire District Court and received a 12‑month probation order. The prosecution alleged that on the day of the shooting, three men, including Conlon, trespassed on Phelan's land while hunting, and that Phelan fired a Smith & Wesson revolver in self‑defence, unintentionally killing Conlon in the back of the head. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Siobhan Lankford and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a decision published on 23 October 2024, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ruled that it was reasonable for Centric Mental Health to require its Kerry‑based employee, Rafael Jorge, to travel to the Dundrum office in Dublin once a month. Jorge had accepted a fully remote contract in August 2022 after turning down a job offer. In January 2024, Centric's HR officer notified him that, due to changing business needs, he was required to attend the Dundrum office a minimum of two days per week. Jorge objected, citing his remote status and residence in Tralee, and raised a grievance. The HR director subsequently reduced the requirement to one day per month. Jorge sought a pay rise, lunch allowance and travel expenses; the company offered the latter two.
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.
In a high‑speed chase on 27 December 2022, 20‑year‑old Kian Andrews drove a Toyota Avensis at 160 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, repeatedly rammed two Garda patrol cars, and drove on the wrong side of the road. Garda Sergeant Daniel Cuffe, patrolling the Sandyford and Dundrum area, pursued the vehicle, but Andrews refused to stop and continued to drive at dangerous speeds. When the Garda cars blocked the Avensis, Andrews attempted to drive into Sergeant Cuffe's car, prompting the officers to produce firearms. Andrews immediately raised his hands, cooperated, and was arrested. A small amount of cocaine and a flick knife were found in the vehicle. Andrews pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and possession of drugs, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a three‑year driving disqualification. The judge noted that the firearms produced by Gardaí had the desired effect in securing his arrest.
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.
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.
A south Dublin car dealership, trading as Sandyford Motor Centre, was ordered to pay €28,000 to Abbie Walsh, a 19‑year‑old saleswoman who was dismissed in May 2023. Walsh claimed she was pregnant and that the dealership's management knew of her pregnancy after she informed her former line manager. The company had told her she was not expected to meet a target of 60 cars in the first quarter, a figure that applied to senior staff, and that she was in an apprenticeship role. An adjudicator found the management's defence uncredible, concluded the dealership had become aware of her pregnancy, and ruled that the dismissal was discriminatory under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The compensation was awarded to address the discriminatory treatment and deter future misconduct.
In October 2023, Mr Paul McGrath of Mount Eagle Square, Sandyford, settled a High Court case that had sought to restrain the Tuath Housing Association from evicting him. McGrath had previously obtained an injunction after being accused of anti‑social behaviour, claiming instead that he was attacked while socialising at a neighbouring property and that he had sustained injuries. He argued that the landlord had no right to terminate his lease and that the eviction should be postponed until the Residential Tenancies Board could decide the dispute. The court had issued orders preventing the landlord and its agents from evicting or entering the premises pending that determination. On Friday, the parties reached a confidential settlement, and the court was instructed to strike out the case. No further details of the agreement were disclosed.
A south Dublin car dealership, Soraghan Auto Retail Ltd trading as Sandyford Motor Centre, told the Workplace Relations Commission it dismissed teenage saleswoman Abbie Walsh on 8 May 2023 because she failed to meet a target of 20 cars a month. Walsh, who had worked there for only four months, claimed she was pregnant and that the company had no knowledge of her pregnancy when she was sacked. She said she had informed the sales manager the day after her first scan appointment on 4 April and a colleague on 6 or 7 April, but the manager left the next day and did not pass the information to senior management. The dealership argued the dismissal was purely for lack of performance, citing that Walsh had sold 24 cars by the time of dismissal, far below the 60‑car target set for all sales staff in the first quarter.
In a High Court hearing on 4 July 2023, Mr Paul McGrath, a tenant at Mount Eagle Square, Sandyford, secured a temporary injunction preventing the Tuath Housing Association from evicting him over alleged anti‑social behaviour. McGrath, who has lived there for two years under a lease, claimed he was the victim of violent assault by several individuals in early June and that the landlord had given him only seven days to leave following a notice of termination alleging violent and threatening behaviour. He denied any anti‑social conduct and argued that the landlord had no grounds to terminate the lease. McGrath sought resolution through the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) and obtained the injunction on an ex‑parte basis, which restrains the landlord and its agents from evicting or entering the premises pending the RTB's determination. The judge, Ms Justice Eileen Roberts, accepted the evidence presented and set a return date for later that month.
Gerry Connors, aged 26, had his original four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for false imprisonment and robbery reduced by one year on appeal. In April 2020 he and a companion unlawfully entered a home on Ballyogan Road, repeatedly punched the victim, threatened him with scissors, forced him to strip, and robbed him of his car keys. The incident lasted 20‑30 minutes. In November 2018 he also robbed Aaron Campbell on Kilcross Estate, taking headphones, €150 and cigarettes after threatening him. Connors pleaded guilty to both offences and showed remorse. The Court of Appeal, citing his drug‑free status and rehabilitation efforts, quashed the original sentence and re‑sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, allowing him to continue his rehabilitation work. The appeal focused on balancing punishment with rehabilitation, not on any new facts beyond those presented in the trial.
A 58‑year‑old former construction worker, John Reeves, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply at his Dublin Southside home. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 October 2022. During a search of his residence, Gardaí discovered a pink suitcase containing eight small blocks of heroin and seven blocks of cocaine, each block weighing about half a kilogram for heroin and one kilogram for cocaine. The heroin was valued at roughly €560,000 and the cocaine at about €490,000. Reeves admitted he had taken possession of the suitcase in a shopping centre car park, claiming he thought it contained cannabis and was unaware of the drugs inside. He stated he had addiction issues and financial difficulties, including a €3,000 drug debt, and that his family was not involved. He had no prior convictions and had not attracted negative Garda attention before this incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 58‑year‑old John Reeves pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply at his south Dublin home. Gardaí searched the property on 20 October 2022 and found a pink suitcase in the attic containing eight half‑kilogram blocks of heroin and seven one‑kilogram blocks of cocaine, valued at approximately €560,000 and €490,000 respectively. Reeves admitted he had taken possession of the suitcase in a shopping centre car park, claiming he thought it contained cannabis and only later learned it held hard drugs. He stated he had addiction issues, financial difficulties, and a drug debt of €3,000, and that he had no control over the quantity or type of drugs. Reeves had no prior convictions, had completed drug treatment, and had no family involvement. The court heard he was ashamed of his actions and had taken responsibility.
A former Israeli soldier, Shahar Hlinovsky, aged 53, turned pro‑Palestinian activist and was said to have been persecuted by Mossad. He lived rough in Dublin and, in two separate incidents, attacked people he mistakenly believed were working for Mossad. In the first, he shouted at a man, brandishing a butcher's knife, which forced the man to call gardaí and retreat. Gardaí found two knives on Hlinovsky. In the second, he pushed a young woman who had just arrived from Germany and was calling her mother, causing her to suffer a graze and a partially ripped nail. Hlinovsky pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, two knife‑possession counts and another assault. He was sentenced to three years, with the final two years suspended and conditions imposed, and will be supervised by the Probation Service for one year after release.
Sven Spollen Behrens, aged 54, a former lobbyist and director of the Small Firms' Association, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of stealing €10,250 each from the Dun Laoghaire Business Improvement District and the Sandyford Business Improvement District in 2017. He used the stolen money to pay private school fees and also diverted an additional €48,500 from Sandyford to Dun Laoghaire to aid cash flow, intending to return it when possible. Behrens had no prior convictions, had cooperated with Gardaí, and repaid over €40,000. Judge Martin Nolan, noting his financial difficulties and the impact on future employment, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, concluding that a custodial term was not warranted. The case highlighted the misuse of company funds for personal expenses and the legal consequences of such theft.
Oleg Mihalas, 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a verbal row over a football pitch at UCD. He tackled a 13‑year‑old boy to the ground and kicked him in the face, causing bleeding, a swollen lip, a graze to the arm and bruising to the leg. The boy fully recovered. Mihalas was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to an 18‑month prison term, fully suspended for three years on strict conditions. He was described as remorseful, had no prior violent history, and had cooperated with Gardaí. He brought €2,500 to court as a token of remorse, covered the boy's GP costs and clothing, and handed a letter of apology. The court noted the seriousness of the charge and the victim's trauma. The sentence was imposed with full suspension and strict conditions.