An Indian business student, Rishabh Mahajan, was jailed for four months after sexually assaulting a woman and brazenly masturbating in public multiple times in Dublin. Mahajan pleaded guilty to four counts of offensive conduct of a sexual nature and one count of sexual assault. The court heard that Mahajan targeted vulnerable women working alone at night and that his behavior was brazen and public. Judge Martina Baxter noted that Mahajan had no entitlement to remain in Ireland and was subject to a deportation order. She imposed a total of 16 months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Mahajan was also registered as a sex offender. The court heard that Mahajan had arrived in Ireland to study but had used cannabis and alcohol, which affected his behavior. His family is not in Ireland, and he is now homeless. The court emphasized the need for Mahajan to address his risk factors and develop insight into his offending.
The operator of the Generator Hostel in Dublin has been ordered to provide staff training on equality law following a complaint by a guest who alleged she was intimidated by a naked woman in her dorm room. Vanessa Corral claimed she experienced sexual harassment and victimisation in December 2024 and filed a complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000 against Generator Properties Dublin Ltd. She described encountering a fully naked female guest at the hostel in Smithfield, Dublin 7, and said she was shocked and told the woman her behaviour was inappropriate. The woman became angry, and Corral felt intimidated and threatened, leading her to leave. The receptionist dismissed her concerns, calling the behaviour a cultural matter. Corral mentioned making a complaint to the WRC or gardaí, but the receptionist became aggressive and threatened her with removal from the premises. She was moved to another room but not allowed to extend her stay. Corral felt she was effectively banned without justification and claimed she was victimised for reporting the harassment.
An Indian business student, Rishabh Mahajan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of offensive conduct of a sexual nature and one count of sexual assault. The incidents occurred in October and November 2024, where Mahajan sexually assaulted a woman and masturbated in public. Garda Patrick Hynes told the court that the incidents were captured on CCTV and were "quite brazen" and took place in "quite an exposed part" of the city. The complainant outlined the effects of the offending in a victim impact statement. Garda Stephanie Traynor stated that Mahajan was identified and arrested in early November. Mahajan told gardai that he couldn't remember carrying out the offence. His defence counsel, Patrick Flynn BL, said Mahajan had arrived in Ireland a month earlier to study at the Smurfit business school and was now in homeless accommodation. He offered an apology on his client's behalf to all victims. Judge Baxter adjourned sentencing to May 19 and remanded Mahajan on continuing bail, ordering him to provide the Probation Service with his contact details.
On 22 March, Stephen Hall, 40, was arrested near the Cheeverstown Luas stop after Gardaí observed him leaving the Glenveagh Properties building site with a stolen generator. The generator, valued at about €500, had been taken minutes earlier. Hall pleaded guilty to possessing the stolen generator, trespassing on the site and having cannabis at locations in Tallaght. Gardaí also found a small amount of suspected cannabis worth €20. He was remanded to Green Street courthouse for a drug‑treatment programme and probation assessment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 30 June 2025, Cristian Topiter, aged 39, pleaded guilty to the theft of a mobile phone and a suitcase from a Ukrainian woman in Smithfield Square, two hours after he had set fire to St Michan's Church. The arson, for which he was jailed for six years in February, destroyed two mummified bodies, including an 800‑year‑old Crusader, and caused a financial crisis for the parish. The court heard that the stolen phone was never recovered, while the suitcase, found at Topiter's address, remained unopened. Topiter claimed no memory of the incident and offered apologies to the victim, who has since returned to Ukraine. Judge Pauline Codd, noting his trauma and progress in prison, imposed a one‑year term to run concurrently with his existing sentence for the arson, and declined to add any further time for the theft.
Jason Wosser, also known as Jason Bonney, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a number of charges including robbery, attempted robbery, and threats to kill or cause serious harm. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 10-year sentence but suspended the final year on strict conditions. Prosecution counsel Fiona Pekaar BL alleged that Wosser robbed two taxi drivers on separate occasions, threatening one with a knife and punching another in the face. He was also accused of kicking a man in Smithfield Square and robbing a student of his phone in Merchant's Arch. Wosser has 96 previous convictions. Defence counsel Ian Woodland BL described the defendant as deeply apologetic, citing a drug addiction that began at age 12 following his brother's death in a house fire, as well as ADHD and dyslexia. Judge Sheahan noted that two prior robberies involved vulnerable young men and gratuitous violence. She identified aggravating factors, including the seriousness and repeated nature of the offending, the fact that Wosser was on bail, and the harm caused to the injured parties. The judge acknowledged the value of the early plea to the victims and noted the defendant's desire to seek employment upon release, though she had no discretion over his place of imprisonment.
Muhammad Butt, a 44-year-old taxi driver from Blanchardstown, Dublin 12, has lost his appeal against a conviction for careless driving under section 52 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961. Butt had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged he struck a pregnant woman on Queen Street, Smithfield, on August 19, 2023. The District Court Appeals Court heard that the injured party, Mary Collins, was five months pregnant at the time and suffered a large bruise to her stomach. Collins testified that the vehicle hit her as she crossed the road, while Butt claimed she appeared suddenly and threw herself onto his car after he attempted to avoid her. Garda Stephen Lacey reported visible injuries to Collins and damage to Butt's vehicle. Judge Fiona O'Sullivan affirmed the lower court's findings, accepting the prosecution's evidence that Butt pulled out of his lane without indicating and accelerated. The judge found that Butt was driving with a lack of care and attention. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the original District Court order was upheld, requiring Butt to pay a fine of 110 euro within 12 months.
A Defence Forces Tribunal, opened by Ms Justice Ann Power on 24 June 2024, is investigating how the Defence Forces handle abuse claims, including sexual assault, torture, bullying and harassment. The tribunal invites members, civilians and civil servants to submit written statements by 16 August. It will gather statements, assess evidence, notify affected parties, and hold oral hearings where witnesses may be cross‑examined. The tribunal is inquisitorial, not adversarial, and will not make findings of fact or criminality. It aims to establish the truth about the complaints process and the culture surrounding complaints, and will report to the Taoiseach within three years. The tribunal also examines the forces' response to hazardous chemical use at Casement Aerodrome. Submissions can be emailed, called or mailed to the tribunal's address.
Joseph Doyle, 42, of Queen Street, Dublin 7, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery and assault causing harm after attacking a 39‑year‑old man in Haymarket, Smithfield. The victim was left unconscious with a skull fracture and facial fractures. CCTV showed Doyle punching the victim, stealing his phone and wallet, and leaving him on the ground. Doyle pleaded guilty in the District Court and later admitted the attack to Gardaí, though he had no memory of it. The victim suffered significant physical and psychological injuries, including loss of hearing, blurred vision, headaches, depression, and anxiety. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended one year on strict conditions, and noted Doyle's cooperation and remorse. Doyle has been in custody since the incident.
In a June 2024 hearing, a convicted murderer, Graham McEvoy, 26, pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer outside Swiftcare clinic in Smithfield on 8 May 2023. McEvoy, who had just had an X‑ray and was released from handcuffs to sit in a waiting van, lunged at officers, shouting threats and slashing the officer's face with a sharpened toilet brush. He also faced charges of threats to kill and attempting to escape lawful custody. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, noting she could not impose a consecutive sentence to his life term for murder. The officer sustained a cut under his eye, received hospital treatment, and was left with a scar. McEvoy had spent a period in 24‑hour lock‑up after the assault and has 32 prior convictions. The court heard that McEvoy had expressed remorse and was receiving psychiatric care in prison.
Michael Dickson, a 59‑year‑old Briton from Nottingham, was given a two‑year suspended sentence for violent disorder during the anti‑Pegida riot in Dublin in February 2016. The offence occurred at the Four Courts Luas stop on February 6, 2016, when a group of ten men attacked three men travelling on the Luas, shouting, punching and kicking them. CCTV footage was presented to the court. Dickson pleaded guilty. He has seven prior convictions, including a 1996 IRA mortar attack on the Osnabrück army base in Germany, for which he was sentenced to six years and six months for attempted murder and causing an explosion. He served three years of that sentence and was released under the Good Friday Agreement. The court imposed a suspended sentence, with no custodial term, for the 2016 incident.
James Maguire, 59, of Cabra Park, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing €597,188 worth of heroin, cocaine and tablets for sale or supply. Gardaí seized the drugs in his apartment in the Old Distillery, Smithfield, Dublin 7, where they found bags of cocaine and heroin, tablets, weighing scales, €5,995 in cash, a drug press, bottles of ammonia, €2,050 hidden in a washing machine, and a machine for compressing drugs. Mixing agents such as caffeine, paracetamol and benzocaine were also recovered. A BMW parked in the apartment's garage contained over €350,000 worth of cocaine and heroin, bringing the total seized value to €597,188. Maguire, who has 64 prior convictions including three for drug possession, was backdated to his custody entry on 18 December 2022. Judge Martin Nolan noted his guilty plea and cooperation as mitigating factors, yet emphasised his decision to engage in serious drug dealing.
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.
Lee Lismore, 54, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a revenge attack on a man he claimed had assaulted him earlier. The incident occurred at Smithfield Square, Dublin, on 3 April 2021, where Lismore, along with two other men, punched, kicked and stabbed the victim, who suffered a brain bleed and multiple stab wounds. Lismore had no prior convictions and cooperated with Gardaí, providing details of the alleged earlier assault. The court noted strong mitigating factors, including his community volunteer work and lack of criminal history. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Lismore to a three‑year term, suspended on conditions, and required him to pay €3,000 to the victim. The case remains under investigation for the alleged initial assault. The other two men were not before the court.
In December 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld that Kirsty Cummins, a 20‑year‑old mother, had been given an overly lenient fully‑suspended four‑year sentence for possession of drugs for sale or supply. Cummins, who had recently turned 18 at the time of the offence, was found with a Tesco bag containing about €70,000 of cocaine and €172,000 of heroin. She pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. The Court noted her pregnancy, her child's health issues, her remorse, and a positive probation report. The judge re‑sentenced her to the same fully‑suspended four years but increased her probation supervision from 18 months to three years. The decision was made after the State argued the sentence was too lenient compared with a co‑accused who received three years' imprisonment. The court considered Cummins' age, lack of prior convictions, and her efforts to distance herself from negative peers as mitigating factors.
John Rock, a 42‑year‑old former Nightline courier, used his old uniform and staff ID to pose as a delivery driver and steal mobile phones from several Dublin shops between July 2019 and January 2020. He claimed to be collecting phones booked for repair, but instead took them and sold them immediately to pay drug debts. The stolen goods included a courier bag of eight phones worth €2,789, a Samsung phone valued at €800, and additional phones totalling €1,500. After a shop manager suspected his impersonation, Rock fled, prompting a Garda investigation that uncovered his uniform and documents marked for shredding. He pleaded guilty to four theft charges, had no prior record, and was sentenced to a suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, conditional on good behaviour and payment of €5,000 to Garda Finbarr Thompson. The judge noted this was his first offence and considered his personal circumstances.
In the trial of Michael Lynn, a 53‑year‑old former solicitor accused of stealing about €27 million from seven banks, a witness named Jim Madden denied claiming that "all of the banks felt collectively they had no choice but to move against him." Madden, a former senior business manager at Bank of Ireland, explained that his role involved meeting prospective clients but that loan approval rested with the bank's group credit section. He recalled meeting Lynn in 2005 and 2006 regarding mortgages for eight investment properties, noting that Lynn signed a loan offer and accepted its terms. Madden also stated he had met Lynn at least twice, once in a non‑working setting, and could not remember any conversation about banks' collective stance. The court heard that Lynn has pleaded not guilty to 21 theft charges covering October 2006 to April 2007, and the trial is ongoing.
The Supreme Court quashed the conviction of Vincent Banks, a Dublin man in his early 50s, for being a member of the Irish Republican Army. The Court held that Banks' December 2012 arrest, made on suspicion of membership in an illegal organisation, was unlawful because it lacked a warrant required by the 1939 Offences Against the State Act. It also found that the prosecution's evidence was not strong enough to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt. Banks had previously been arrested in September 2012 on the same suspicion but released without charge. The Special Criminal Court had convicted him in 2017 and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment. The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, allowed Banks' appeal and quashed the conviction, noting that the evidence presented did not meet the required standard of proof.
A 19‑year‑old pregnant woman, Kirsty Cummins, was found with a Tesco bag containing about €70,000 worth of cocaine and €172,000 worth of heroin, totalling €242,830 in street value. She pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply at Ballyfermot Road on 23 February 2020. Cummins had no prior convictions and had recently turned 18 at the time of the offence. Gardaí observed her entering a black Ford Focus in Smithfield, then leaving a hotel and entering St Michan's House flats before returning to the car with the bag. The car was intercepted in Ballyfermot, where a search revealed the drugs. Cummins was interviewed five times, largely invoking her right to silence, but admitted awareness of the drugs in the third interview. The judge, citing her age and lack of proprietary interest, imposed a four‑year sentence fully suspended on strict conditions, including 18 months of probation.
Thomas O'Brien, 49, was jailed for four and a half years after Gardaí found him carrying a bag containing €57,435 worth of cocaine. He was discovered while responding to a call about a man banging on a window in Ballyfermot; O'Brien was intoxicated and acting erratically. Gardaí searched his Dunnes Stores bag and found blocks of cocaine, a knife, weighing scales, plastic bagging, spoons, scissors, gloves and a suspected drugs tick list. O'Brien pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Con Colbert Road, Dublin 8, on 1 May 2018. He claimed he had stolen the bag, but his defence argued he had opportunistically taken the drugs after an overdose the night before. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Brien's remorse and prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary and hijacking, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, recognising the offence's seriousness but departing from the presumptive minimum of ten years.
During an appeal hearing, Edmund Dunican (47) admitted to one count of carrying an imitation firearm with criminal intent at Smithfield on December 20, 2018. The charges relate to an incident where Dunican held up a judge, a barrister, and his estranged wife with a fake pistol and a hoax pipe bomb during a 'terrifying' siege in a Dublin court. Dunican, a fitter by trade, made the fake bomb at home. The judge in the courtroom refused to leave when Dunican told her she could go, instead repeatedly appealing to him to drop the gun and helping the other two women. The 17-minute siege ended after an armed garda negotiator persuaded Dunican to surrender the gun and let the women go. Dunican pleaded guilty to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. Dunican has no previous convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the matter to next Tuesday, January 26, for sentencing.
Jeffrey Crowley, aged 23, received a nine‑year and three‑month sentence, with the final 15 months suspended, for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty to crashing a stolen bicycle into 72‑year‑old English tourist Christine Booth at Smithfield Square on 2 August 2019, causing serious injuries, and to damaging a bike lock and stealing a phone on the same day. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Jason Kidd at Merchants Quay on 24 October 2018, to stealing a phone at Queen Street on 24 July, and to damaging a phone at Georges Lane on 11 December 2016, during which he pushed a woman to the ground and kicked her. The judge noted the offences were a sequence of gratuitous violence and that Crowley had refused help from state bodies, including probation visits. He has 92 previous convictions and is currently serving a suspended sentence for a prior assault conviction.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Tims (48) pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder in the death of his father Anthony 'Tony' Tims (74) on 13 July 2018. The trial heard that a row erupted when Anthony returned from the pub on his birthday and Mark told him he had "cremated" his breakfast. Mark then put his father in a headlock, punched him twice in the head and kicked him when he fell. Sandra O'Donnell, Anthony's younger sister, described their relationship as a love/hate one, noting that they had lived together for most of Mark's life and had frequent arguments. She said Mark was not a bad person and that he was in shock after the incident. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
Vincent Banks, a convicted member of the IRA, has lost his appeal against his conviction. Banks, 49, of Dublin 7, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership of an unlawful organisation. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in October 2017 for purchasing a Toyota Camry linked to the 2012 murder of prison officer David Black. Although Banks was previously acquitted of withholding information regarding the killing, the court found he acted as a trusted member of the organisation to obtain the vehicle used in the crime. In the Court of Appeal, Banks challenged the admissibility of his garda interviews, arguing that inferences drawn from his silence were not properly explained. He also contested the lawfulness of his arrest and the handling of belief evidence. Mr Justice John Edwards, sitting with President George Birmingham and Ms Justice Marie Baker, dismissed these arguments. The court ruled that Banks had adequate legal advice and that the Special Criminal Court correctly applied the law regarding his arrest. The judges noted that arguments concerning belief evidence had been repeatedly litigated and found no basis to overturn the lower court's decision. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and Banks' conviction stands.
Seven men were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder on a LUAS tram at Chancery Street, Dublin 7, on February 6, 2016. Sean Kindillon, Jamal Garamanli, Ian Baker, Patrick Dunne, Michael Farrell, Jamie Whelan, and Andrew Byrne each pleaded guilty to the offence. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced all seven to two years' imprisonment, but suspended the sentences in their entirety on strict conditions. The court ordered six of the men to pay €2,500 each within 18 months, while Byrne was ordered to pay €1,500, with funds directed to charity. The incident involved an altercation with members of a far-right anti-Islam organisation travelling to a demonstration. Prosecution evidence included CCTV footage showing Dunne striking a man with an umbrella and Byrne aiming a kick. The judge noted the defendants were working, had good prospects, and expressed remorse, deeming imprisonment unjustified. Kindillon and Garamanli stated they intervened to defend themselves or friends against perceived attacks. None of the far-right group members were charged. A separate co-accused, who pleaded guilty in the District Court, was sentenced to 140 hours of community service in lieu of 14 months' imprisonment for striking a man with an iron bar.
Karl McDonnell, 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Generator Hostel in Smithfield on 15 April 2018. The incident involved a tourist from Switzerland who claimed McDonnell followed him into a toilet cubicle with his penis exposed, punched him, and then was punched back. McDonnell denied this, saying he was provoked when the tourist commented on his manhood and tried to grab his penis. Gardaí had conflicting accounts from both parties. McDonnell had 19 prior convictions for minor offences. The court heard the tourist declined to give a victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan, finding McDonnell's version reasonably believable, sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspended in full, on condition he hand over €1,000 in compensation and raise an additional €1,500 over 18 months.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Karl McDonnell, 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after an incident at the Generator Hostel's toilet on 15 April 2018. The accused claimed the Swiss tourist had made advances, while the tourist alleged McDonnell followed him into a cubicle with his penis exposed and then punched him. Gardaí interviewed the tourist, who had bruises and two black eyes, and CCTV showed McDonnell leaving the toilet and looking at his fist. McDonnell denied the claim, saying he only reacted when the tourist "commented on his manhood" and tried to grab his penis. He expressed remorse but maintained the tourist had "made advances." The court noted McDonnell's 19 prior convictions and adjourned sentencing to 18 July to allow the prosecution to decide if the tourist would testify from Switzerland.
Paul Maguire, aged 32, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm after an unprovoked attack on two tourists at the Generator Hostel on Smithfield Square on 1 June 2016. The victims, an English tourist and a Finnish woman, were struck with a pool cue, leaving deep scars on the English man's chin and the Finnish woman's forehead. Both were taken to Mater Hospital; the English man required stitches and suffered pain for days. Judge Melanie Greally condemned the assault as an "outrageous outburst of impatience and anger" and noted that neither victim accepted the €5,000 offered by Maguire as a gesture of remorse. She ordered the money to be paid to Temple Street Children's Hospital. After considering a probation report that highlighted Maguire's employment prospects and a pro‑social partner, the judge imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions.
In 2016, an English tourist and a Finnish woman were attacked at Dublin's Generator Hostel when a man struck them with a pool cue. The tourist, Paul Maguire, suffered a deep 4‑cm wound to his chin, while the woman received a scar on her forehead. Both were taken to Mater Hospital; the tourist required stitches and endured pain for days. Maguire, aged 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. He had 26 prior convictions. The court accepted his offer of €5,000, to be donated to Temple Street Children's Hospital, as a mitigating factor, though the victims declined the money. The case was adjourned to May 9 for sentencing pending a probation report. The judge described the assault as an "outrageous outburst of impatience and anger" toward unsuspecting tourists. The incident left the tourist's view of Ireland tainted and made him apprehensive about returning. The woman's scar caused her embarrassment.
John O'Donoghue, a 38‑year‑old former cashier at the Motor Tax Office in Dublin, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended for stealing €14,293 from his employer between March and August 2017. He pleaded guilty to representative counts of theft and false accounting. The thefts were uncovered when a customer's payment for motor tax arrears was found missing, prompting a review of CCTV and paperwork that revealed O'Donoghue had pocketed the money and falsified cashier summaries. He admitted to heavy drinking, spending €50–€100 daily on alcohol, and had used the stolen funds for that purpose. O'Donoghue had previously admitted to child‑pornography offences but had not yet been charged at the time of the thefts, and he had lost his job in September 2017. The judge noted his stress, cooperation, and lack of enrichment in determining the sentence.
A 17‑year‑old Dublin teenager pleaded guilty to a series of violent offences, including assaulting street magician Mark Beltran, stabbing Waterford resident Gavin Keoghan, and robbing a 16‑year‑old's phone. He also admitted to assaulting a homeless man, Martin Goth, and participating in violent disorder at Smithfield Square. The court heard that the attacks followed the theft of a stolen amp from Beltran's street performance. The teenager was sentenced to three years' detention by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted his early guilty plea, young age and rehabilitation efforts. The sentence was imposed despite the absence of victim impact statements in the cases involving Goth and Keoghan. The judge highlighted the teenager's lack of further offences since the convictions. The case involved co‑accused Luke Byrne, who received nine and a half years' imprisonment for a separate attack and robberies. The court also considered the teenager's drug use and subsequent counselling.
Anthony McDonnell (26) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of robbery committed on May 1, 2017, in Mary's Lane and Cuckoo Lane. McDonnell pleaded guilty to the charges, which involved the violent attack of two victims who were kicked, punched, and robbed of their phones and wallets. Judge Martin Nolan handed down a four-and-a-half-year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on a number of conditions. The judge noted that McDonnell, who has 22 previous convictions, deserved a longer term than his co-accused due to his age and extensive criminal record. His co-accused, Thomas Jackson (21), a homeless man, was jailed for two years. Prosecution evidence detailed how the attackers blocked the victims' paths, used physical force to seize property, and left one victim with a broken wrist and another with broken teeth. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL argued that McDonnell was remorseful and heavily intoxicated at the time, urging a sentence similar to Jackson's. The court accepted the guilty plea and imposed the custodial sentence with the specified suspended portion.
Michael Murray, aged 46, was sentenced to 19 years in prison after an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions increased his original 15‑year term. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient, citing the appalling nature of the offences, his extensive prior criminal record and the absence of any mitigating factors. Murray was convicted of rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment, and theft. He lured a woman into an apartment by claiming an elderly woman was dying, bound and drugged her, raped her, and abducted her four‑year‑old son, abandoning the child in a city centre square. The judge noted the severity of the crime, the prolonged duration of the assault, the use of restraints and threats, and the lack of any mitigating circumstances.
Siobhan Maguire, aged 47, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for fraud and theft offences that spanned 14 years. She worked as a personal assistant and shared secretary at two Dublin offices, where she fraudulently lodged 660 cheques into her own bank account, ranging from a few hundred euros to €5,000 each. The total amount stolen was €1,187,616, of which about €325,000 remains outstanding. Maguire pleaded guilty in the District Court and entered a signed guilty plea before the Circuit Criminal Court. She had no prior convictions. The judge noted her early plea, full admissions, remorse, and the impact on her young children, and imposed concurrent four‑year terms for each count. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge taking into account the financial details and the circumstances of the theft. The former employers received partial reimbursement from banks and did not wish to give victim impact statements.
Vincent Banks, aged 49, of Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin 7, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment following his conviction by the Special Criminal Court in July for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA. The non-jury court heard that Banks purchased a Toyota Camry in a clandestine manner, which was subsequently used in the November 2012 murder of David Black, a Northern Irish prison officer shot whilst en route to Maghaberry prison. Evidence presented to the three-judge court included forensic links between Banks and the vehicle, including his fingerprint on the car's registration certificate, which he had signed under a false name. An ordnance survey map with the Leitrim page removed and bearing Banks' fingerprints was recovered from a friend's vehicle. Justice Isobel Kennedy noted Banks held a position of trust within the organisation. The sentence was backdated to April 16th 2016. Banks was previously acquitted in 2014 of withholding information related to Mr Black's death.
Siobhan Maguire, 47, of The Brambles, Skerries, Dublin, pleaded guilty to 32 theft and fraud offences for fraudulently lodging 660 cheques from her employers' accounts into her personal bank account between 2001 and 2015. The total amount stolen was €1,187,616. She used the money to pay her mortgage, take holidays and support her children. The fraud was discovered in January 2015 when a bank employee noticed suspicious cheques deposited into her account. Maguire was suspended, resigned, and cooperated fully with the Garda investigation, admitting all offences. She has no prior convictions. The employers have been partially reimbursed by banks; the remaining loss is about €325,000. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to 26 October and remanded Maguire on bail. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after her guilty pleas in the District Court. The article does not state any sentencing outcome.
In a Dublin court on 13 October 2017, Darren Perkins, aged 40 and resident on Kings Inn Street, was given a suspended twelve‑month sentence for sexually assaulting a woman on 22 August 2015 in Smithfield. The victim, who was walking down a busy street at about 8.45 pm, was groped on the breast and squeezed tightly by Perkins, who denied touching her. She called out, lost him in the crowd, and later identified him to Gardaí after she had entered an apartment block. Perkins was arrested, admitted bumping into the woman but denied contact, and had five prior convictions. The judge ordered him to attend a victim awareness programme and to address his cannabis and alcohol problems. His wife described him as a "gentleman" in a letter to the court, and the defence argued his previous convictions were related to a drinking problem and were in the past. Darren Perkins was found guilty.
A Dublin man convicted of IRA membership will be sentenced later this month at the Special Criminal Court. Vincent Banks, aged 49, of Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin 7, was found guilty in July of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The conviction relates to his role in purchasing a Toyota Camry that was subsequently used in the fatal shooting of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black in November 2012. During sentencing proceedings, detectives outlined how Banks had acquired the vehicle under a false name and how forensic evidence, including fingerprints on a car registration certificate and an ordnance survey map of County Leitrim, connected him to the car. The map had a page displaying County Leitrim torn out. Banks' fingerprints were also found on the document. The court heard Banks has no significant previous convictions. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 23rd October.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment on an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking a review of Michael Murray's 15-year prison sentence as unduly lenient. Murray, 46, formerly of Killiney, Dublin, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill, false imprisonment, and theft committed in February 2010. He had previously denied the charges and lost an appeal against his conviction in March. Prosecutors argued the sentence failed to account for aggravating factors, including pre-meditation, deception, and explicit threats to the victim's four-year-old son. Defense counsel contended the trial judge exercised proper discretion. The court, comprising Justices Birmingham, Mahon, and Edwards, heard submissions but did not finalize the sentence, instead adjourning the matter to reserve judgment.
Vincent Banks, aged 47, from Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin 7, has been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The conviction follows his trial regarding the purchase of a Toyota Camry used in the fatal shooting of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black on 1 November 2012. Mr Black was killed in a drive-by shooting on the M1 near Lurgan, County Armagh. The vehicle was subsequently found burnt out in a ditch near Carrigallen, County Leitrim, with firearm cartridges connected to the death recovered from inside. Banks had denied the charge, maintaining he knew nothing of Mr Black or the vehicle. However, the court accepted evidence from Chief Superintendent Gerry Russell regarding Banks' membership and found his conduct surrounding the car's purchase surreptitious. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding with judges Gerard Griffin and Gerard Haughton, noted that inferences could be drawn from Banks' failure to answer material questions during garda interviews. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 9 October.
A three-judge panel at the Special Criminal Court will deliver its verdict on Monday in the trial of a Dublin man accused of membership of an unlawful organisation. Vincent Banks (47), of Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin 7, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution alleged that Mr Banks purchased a Toyota Camry used in the fatal shooting of Northern Irish prison officer David Black in November 2012. The State presented evidence that the vehicle was later parked in Carrigallen, County Leitrim, near the border. The defence contended that the evidence was insufficient and that purchasing a car does not constitute activity uniquely associated with unlawful organisation membership. Justice Isobel Kennedy, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Gerard Haughton, will deliver judgment on 31 July.
The Special Criminal Court heard belief evidence from Garda Chief Superintendent Gerard Russell that Vincent Banks, a 47‑year‑old Dublin man, was a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Russell told counsel Paul Greene SC that he believed Banks was an IRA member on the date in question, citing material he had viewed and his experience with the Special Detective Unit. Banks, who lives in Smithfield Gate Apartments, Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 18 December 2012. Padraig Dwyer SC for Banks suggested the belief was false. The court had earlier ruled that interviews conducted with Banks under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State Act were admissible, despite Banks' denial of IRA membership and his claim never to have seen the registration certificate for the car alleged to have been used in the fatal shooting of prison officer David Black on 1 November 2012.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges will decide on Monday whether garda interviews of Vincent Banks, 47, can be admitted as evidence. Banks, who lives in Dublin 7, is accused of IRA membership and of buying the car used in the fatal shooting of prison officer David Black, 52, on 1 November 2012. Black was driving to Maghaberry prison when he was shot. Banks pleaded not guilty to the membership charge on 18 December 2012. Defence and prosecution counsel presented arguments during a voir dire to aid the judges' decision.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Vincent Banks, a 47‑year‑old Dublin resident, to the following morning. Banks is accused of IRA membership and of buying the car later used in the fatal shooting of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black, a 52‑year‑old father of two, who was killed on 1 November 2012 while driving to work at Maghaberry prison. Banks pleaded not guilty to the membership charge on 18 December 2012. The case will resume before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Gerard Haughton presiding.
At the Special Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that a Toyota Camry allegedly used in the November 2012 fatal shooting of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black was purchased under an assumed name. A vehicle dealer testified that a man identifying himself as Paul McCann bought the car on October 10th, 2012. The prosecution contends that Vincent Banks, aged 47, of Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin, was connected to the purchase, citing a thumbprint found on the registration document. The court heard that a Carrigallen resident in County Leitrim reported seeing a matching black Toyota Camry parked near her home the following day and contacted gardaí. Banks has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Gerard Haughton, continues before the Special Criminal Court.
The Special Criminal Court heard that the fingerprint of Vincent Banks, a 47‑year‑old accused of IRA membership, was found on the registration certificate of a Toyota Camry used in the fatal shooting of prison officer David Black on 1 November 2012. Black, a 52‑year‑old father of two, was shot while driving to work at Maghaberry prison. Banks, who lives in Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army on 18 December 2012. The car was registered to a man named Paul McCann at an address on Rathgar Road, Rathmines, but the landlord said no tenant bore that name; the registration letter was addressed to McCann. The vehicle was purchased from a previous owner in Tallaght on 10 October, and the buyer signed the certificate with his left hand while placing his right hand on it.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges ruled that Vincent Banks's arrest on 18 December 2012 for alleged IRA membership was lawful. Banks, 47, had previously been arrested in September 2012 for the same alleged offence and released without charge. Defence lawyers challenged the legality of the second arrest under Section 30(A) of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998, arguing that a repeat arrest without a warrant was unlawful. The court, hearing evidence from the Special Detective Unit, found that the September and December investigations were separate and that the earlier release did not affect the later arrest. Justice Isobel Kennedy therefore concluded the December arrest was lawful. Following the ruling, Banks's counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, said his client would not contest some prosecution evidence, and the trial was adjourned to Monday. Vincent Banks pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges will decide tomorrow on the legality of the arrest of Vincent Banks, a 47‑year‑old Dublin man accused of IRA membership. Banks, who allegedly bought the car later used in the fatal shooting of 52‑year‑old prison officer David Black, has pleaded not guilty to the membership charge. Defence lawyers argue the arrest was unlawful, while prosecution counsel maintains it was lawful. The court is conducting a voir dire to determine the issue, with Justice Isobel Kennedy presiding alongside Judges Gerard Griffin and Gerard Haughton.
Shamaine McNulty, 23, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of using a false instrument to open a bank account in Drogheda on March 23, 2015, and one count of handling stolen property between March 23 and October 10, 2015. The court heard that McNulty allegedly used a fake electricity bill to open an AIB account for a man known as 'Frank', who is accused of scamming two international students out of over €2,000 through false rental advertisements. McNulty made two withdrawals totaling €8,000 for the man. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that while a three-year custodial sentence would have been appropriate, she considered McNulty's significant assistance to gardaí, which led to the man's arrest. He is due to be sentenced later this year. Judge O'Connor handed down a suspended 18-month sentence. McNulty, who has no previous convictions, was warned not to return to court. The judge acknowledged the distress caused to the victims and the loss of reputation for the country. McNulty's defence highlighted her status as a primary carer for two children and her current homelessness following a house fire. A €100 token of remorse was accepted by the court.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Vincent Banks, 47, of Dublin, pleaded not guilty to IRA membership. The prosecution alleges he bought the car used in the 2012 murder of Northern Irish prison officer David Black, 52, who was shot while driving to work at Maghaberry prison. Banks' defence, led by Padraig Dwyer SC, challenged the legality of his arrest. Evidence was presented in a voir dire to aid the three‑judge panel in deciding the matter. The legal argument will continue on Monday before Justice Isobel Kennedy, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Gerard Haughton.