Roxana Dufficy, aged 32, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for harassment of a man over a five‑year period. She repeatedly sent threatening messages to the victim's family, friends and workplace, claiming he was not the father of his girlfriend's unborn child and threatening to release compromising photos of him. Dufficy also made constant phone calls to his work and sent letters to his mother's home. She was arrested in June 2018 and pleaded guilty to harassment at unknown locations between 1 October 2013 and 12 June 2018. The court imposed a suspended sentence on the condition of good behaviour and prohibited her from contacting the victim or his relatives. She has not contacted him since her arrest. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Alan Flynn, 29, of Swords, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for possession of €1.2 million worth of cocaine, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions. The offence was committed on 29 September 2019 when a silver VW Golf was stopped on O'Casey Road, Parkwest, by an unmarked Garda patrol. Flynn was driving the vehicle with his two‑year‑old daughter in the front passenger seat. Gardaí found 18 packages of cocaine in the car's footwell and an open cardboard box, totalling €1,263,920. Flynn admitted he had a debt for cannabis and had been instructed by a contact to pick up the drugs and deliver them to a gym in Parkwest. A search of his home revealed a stun gun and pepper‑spray, which he claimed were for his own protection. He has seven prior convictions for road traffic offences. Alan Flynn pleaded guilty.
Trevor Byrne, 41, of Finglas West, was present in the Special Criminal Court on 9 October 2020 after the High Court transferred his trial from the Circuit Criminal Court. The transfer followed an order to send him for trial before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court, which he refused to accept. Byrne faces several charges stemming from incidents in 2010 and 2011, including armed robbery at a bookmaker in Swords, robbery of €1,490 at Boyle Sports, possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery, seizure of a vehicle by threat of force, false imprisonment of a woman, and a threat to kill her between Thornleigh Avenue and Kilshane Cross. Solicitor Michael O'Donovan requested a month to gather witnesses and reported that a Garda had attempted to serve the order, but Byrne declined to accept it. The case was adjourned to 9 November, when Byrne is scheduled to appear in the Special Criminal Court on an unrelated matter.
Matthew Grogan, aged 22, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assault causing harm at Applewood Square, Swords, on 25 October 2019. The victim, Nikita Olijniks, was a delivery driver and former schoolmate of Grogan. During the incident, Grogan, seated in the driver's seat of a car with a girlfriend, a second passenger, and a lookout, punched Olijniks twice or three times in the face after Olijniks had stepped out to make a delivery. Olijniks was also struck in the head by another person and fell. Grogan later admitted the assault and expressed remorse, noting he only realised he knew the victim after the attack. The court, hearing Grogan's 42 prior convictions, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, conditional on good behaviour for 18 months. Matthew Grogan pleaded guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard mobile‑phone cell‑site analysis linking the accused, Sebastian Barczuk, and the deceased, Michal Kurek, on the days surrounding the murder. The accused's phone connected to a cell site near Ballyboughal at 00.53 on 4 August 2017, the same time the deceased's phone used a Ballyboughal site at 00.52. Barczuk's phone made a data connection at a Ballyboughal site at 00.55, and the last activity on his phone was at 1.53 am in Dunboyne. The jury also viewed CCTV footage of a blue Fiat Punto travelling from Clonsilla Inn on 3 August to Ballyboughal on 4 August, and heard testimony that the vehicle was sold to Barczuk on 2 August. The prosecution presented the phone‑call timeline, showing multiple calls and texts between the two men on 3 August, and the defence argued that cell‑site analysis is not an exact science. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
In a murder case, 32‑year‑old Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty to the stabbing death of 33‑year‑old Polish national Michal Kurek. Kurek was found in a country lane in Ballyboughal with 62 stab wounds and blunt‑force trauma to the head and chest. Barczuk, who had lived with Kurek in the past, told Gardaí that he did not know who killed Kurek and suggested it was "probably some psychopath". He described their friendship, Kurek's drug use and the last time he saw him in August 2017. Gardaí collected call data and cell‑site analysis of the two men's phones on the night of the murder. The trial, heard by a jury, remains ongoing with no verdict yet.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Lloyd Saunders, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The alleged incident occurred on 17 December 2016 at Saunders' Finglas address, where his then‑girlfriend Kelly Evans claimed he assaulted her for at least an hour and a half, including slapping, strangling and threatening her with death. Evans said Saunders had been angry, had taken a drink, and had asked her to leave but she refused. Saunders allegedly propped her up, asked if she was "ready for round two" and then let her leave after the assault. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, could not reach a verdict after three days. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Saunders on continuing bail and adjourned the case to 6 October. The trial was the first criminal trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court since March of that year.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Lloyd Saunders, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and a threat to kill or cause serious harm. The alleged incident occurred on 17 December 2016 at Saunders' home in Finglas, where his then‑girlfriend, Kelly Evans, was reportedly confined to a bedroom and subjected to slapping and strangulation lasting at least an hour and a half. Saunders told Gardaí that Evans had marks on her face when she arrived, describing them as "not that bad", and that she had cried when he refused to let her stay. He also claimed Evans had faked a 999 call and that a tyre puncture was caused by a third party. Evans' medical report listed bruising on her eyes, forehead, hairline, neck, arms, chest and legs, with no fractures. The case is being heard by Judge Martin Nolan with a jury of five women and seven men. The trial continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lloyd Saunders, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and a threat to kill after allegedly slapping and strangling his girlfriend for at least an hour and a half in his bedroom in December 2016. The prosecution, led by Garrett McCormack BL, described the incident as the first criminal trial in the court since March of that year. Kelly Evans, the victim, testified that Saunders arrived an hour late, became angry, and after refusing to leave, repeatedly slapped her and strangled her while she fought and screamed. She claimed he threatened to kill her if she moved and that the assault ended when she fled, leaving her keys and glasses behind. Evans called 999 after leaving and a recording of the call was played in court.
A UK man accused of murdering Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin is described by his defence as a 'two-bit car thief' and 'no James Bond', according to the Special Criminal Court. David Hunter, a Liverpool native with an address in London, is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Barr (35) at the pub in Summerhill on the night of April 25, 2016. The defence closed its case by asserting that the defendant could not 'logically' have been the killer. Mixed DNA profiles were found on a ski-mask and rubber mask recovered from a car allegedly used in the killing, with the major contributor matching Mr Hunter's DNA. However, Mr Hunter stated to gardaí that he had left the ski-mask in a car in Dublin two months before the shooting and had not seen it again. Defence barrister Ms Roisín Lacey SC argued that the prosecution cannot prove Mr Hunter wore the ski-mask underneath the rubber mask at the shooting and that there is a reasonable doubt. She also highlighted that Mr Hunter's admission to gardaí of stealing cars 'painted him in a bad light' and that he was in a 'narcotic and alcoholic haze' at the time of the shooting. Ms Lacey submitted that Mr Hunter could not have been the driver of the getaway vehicle or the convicted male in the back of the vehicle, and that he had to be the front passenger who emerged without any head covering. She concluded that Mr Hunter 'is not a murderer and he cannot logically be the murderer on the evidence in the case.' Mr Justice Owens adjourned the case to September 11 for judgement and remanded Mr Hunter in custody.
Jake Kearney, 25, of Coolock Drive, Dublin 17, pleaded guilty on 5 May 2020 to unlawful possession of a Luger‑calibre Grand Power semi‑automatic pistol at Oscar Traynor Road, Santry, Dublin 9, on 30 October 2019. He was arrested after Gardaí observed him with a loaded handgun in a taxi and at a pub, where a black handgun and eight 9 mm bullets were seized. The firearm was intended for use in an imminent attack on a rival north Dublin gang, though it is not known whether Kearney himself would have fired it. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted Kearney's early guilty plea and limited prior convictions, and imposed a headline jail term of eight years, reduced by 25 % for the plea, and suspended the final year. Kearney was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the last year suspended, back‑dated to 2 November 2019.
Stephen Kearney, 35, a convicted killer with 113 prior convictions, was jailed for one year after robbing a Centra shop in Santry on 12 February 2019. He had previously pleaded guilty to a robbery of a wallet and bag in Dublin on 2 July 2018. On the day of the 2019 robbery, Kearney bought a can of coke and a bag of jellies, left the shop, returned minutes later in new clothes and a snood, addressed the shopkeeper by name, produced a firearm and demanded the till be opened, taking €250. He was known to the shopkeeper and had recently visited his mother. The judge imposed a concurrent one‑year term for both offences, to be served consecutively to his existing sentence. Kearney admitted to using the robbery proceeds to buy crack cocaine and heroin. The victim's impact statement noted no ill effect on her, and Kearney was described as remorseful and struggling with addiction.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, David Hunter, 41, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at a Dublin pub on 25 April 2016. Hunter claimed he first arrived in Ireland on 8 February 2016, had a history of car theft in the UK, and was invited to a botched car robbery where he left a ski‑mask in a car. The mask, recovered from a burning Audi on Walsh Road, was DNA‑matched to Hunter, with 61% of the mixed profile attributed to him. Hunter's voluntary statement, sent to the DPP on 4 June, detailed his travel, drug use, and the events leading up to the robbery. The court heard that the prosecution would finish its evidence on Tuesday, with the trial concluding the following Thursday. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Grogan, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to unauthorised use of a motor‑propelled vehicle. The assault occurred on 25 October 2019 at Applewood Square, Swords, when Grogan, who later admitted he recognised the victim as a former schoolmate, attacked delivery driver Nikita Olijniks. Olijniks was on a delivery, had just stepped out of a car with his girlfriend, when Grogan, seated in the driver's seat, punched him twice or three times in the face after a confrontation. Olijniks was also struck in the back of the head by another individual and fell to the ground. The court also heard that on 4 November 2019 Grogan was driving a stolen car belonging to Jennifer Kilbride, which had been reported missing.
A man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm following an incident at a nightclub in Swords, Dublin in December 2017. The victim, then aged 19, sustained serious injury to his left eye when struck with a glass during an altercation in the toilets at Wrights Cafe Bar. Medical treatment included surgery for a severe perforation and prolapse, resulting in permanent corneal scarring, though satisfactory vision was later restored. The accused, aged 22 at the time of the assault, initially denied involvement but subsequently entered a guilty plea in November 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on the more serious charge of assault causing serious harm. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the victim read a statement describing the lasting impact on his life, including abandonment of his ambition to play senior Gaelic football for Dublin and subsequent mental health difficulties. The court adjourned sentencing to July 30, 2020, with the accused remanded on continuing bail.
Michael Reilly, aged 50, was sentenced to two years in prison for a road‑rage incident at the Pavilion Shopping Centre Roundabout on Malahide Road, Swords, on 11 November 2017. Reilly stopped his van in front of another driver after the victim shouted at him for pulling across traffic. He exited his van, struck the windscreen with a lump hammer (causing no damage), then grabbed the victim as he tried to exit the car and repeatedly punched him in the head, shouting that he would kill him. Witnesses reported Reilly holding the victim in a headlock and punching him up to four times. After driving the victim off, Reilly was identified by Gardaí and arrested 18 months later. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jamie O'Rourke, aged 26, was sentenced to four years in prison for two offences: an attempted robbery of a Centra store in Swords and a robbery of a tanning salon in the same town on 26 August 2019. The Centra incident involved O'Rourke, armed with a knife, attempting to rob the shop while the owner chased him out with a step ladder. Gardaí were called to the salon after O'Rourke fled the Centra store and demanded money from the salon assistant, taking €156 in cash. He was apprehended shortly after by the Armed Response Unit, who tasered him and followed the taser wire to a bush where he was hiding. O'Rourke pleaded guilty to both counts and has 36 prior convictions, including robbery and attempted robbery.
In the Special Criminal Court, David Hunter, 41, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Hunter, who was in Dublin with his ex‑girlfriend Jordanna Kiely and a friend, Stacy Franey, claimed he met the two women at a Travelodge in Swords at 9 pm. Kiely testified that the trio had spent the week drinking and taking drugs, and that on the day of the shooting they went shopping and later went to Temple Bar. Franey said the night was "blurry" and that the group was "hostile" during the shopping trip. The court heard that two men in rubber masks entered the pub around 9 pm and shot Barr seven times. The case is ongoing and is expected to last four to five weeks.
A 25‑year‑old man, Jake Kearney, was arrested on 30 October 2019 for unlawful possession of a loaded Grandpower semi‑automatic pistol. He was a trusted member of an organised crime gang planning an imminent attack on a rival north Dublin faction. Gardaí seized a silver Skoda Octavia taxi, a Volkswagen Passat, Kearney's black handgun, eight 9mm bullets, his latex gloves and mobile phone. Kearney pleaded guilty on 5 May to the offence. He had previous convictions for drug dealing. His mother's home was burnt out after his arrest, an act described by the judge as a "desperate situation" and a punishment for the crime of her son. The Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing to 30 July. The case remains at the hearing stage, with no further outcome reported.
Ricardo De Freitas Correia, a 34-year-old Portuguese national with an address in Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to deception and theft offences. The charges related to incidents in May 2019 at retail locations in Blanchardstown, Clondalkin, Swords and Tallaght. Gardaí established that Correia had exploited a debit card processing vulnerability, removing cards when machines prompted him to do so, then swiping them again to complete purchases without entering PINs. He acquired approximately €400 worth of goods including a watch, video games, perfume and an electric toothbrush through this method. All property was recovered. The court heard Correia was acting under direction from another person. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offending as organised and noted Correia's considerable knowledge of circumventing security measures. She imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, fully suspended on condition of Probation Service supervision following completion of a sentence he was already serving.
In a Dublin junction at Swords Road and Collins Avenue, truck driver Prince Aibangbe (51) was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with a two‑year suspended portion, after he broke a red light and fatally struck 21‑year‑old Gerard Whyte. Aibangbe had stopped past the white stop lines and, believing he had a green filter light, pulled off to the left. Witnesses and CCTV confirmed he moved through a red light. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse, and cooperation, and disqualified him from driving for six years. Aibangbe had nine prior convictions, including four for traffic offences, and had previously been fined for driving without insurance and failing to display an NCT. The sentence was intended as a deterrent for large‑vehicle drivers at junctions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, truck driver Prince Aibangbe (51) pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of 21‑year‑old Gerard Whyte on 31 May 2019. Aibangbe claimed he believed he had hit a kerb after mistakenly thinking a green filter light was on, but was later informed by his boss that dash‑cam footage showed he had driven through a red light at the Swords Road/Collins Avenue junction. Witnesses, including a bus driver and a truck driver, confirmed the truck broke the red light and that Whyte was crossing as the green man appeared. Aibangbe had nine prior convictions, including four for road traffic offences, and had recently been fined €400 for driving without insurance and failing to display an NCT. He expressed remorse, wrote a letter to the court, and asked the Whyte family for forgiveness.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2020, 26‑year‑old Jamie O'Rourke pleaded guilty to two counts: attempting to rob the Centra store in Swords on 26 August 2019 and robbing a tanning salon in Swords on the same day. The court heard that O'Rourke fled the Centra store after a shop owner chased him out with a step ladder, then ran to the tanning salon, forced the assistant to open the till and stole €156 in cash. Gardaí from the Armed Response Unit pursued him, and after he refused to stop, they tasered him. A taser wire led officers to a bush where he was hiding. O'Rourke, who has 36 prior convictions including robbery, claimed he had no memory of the incident because he had taken heroin that day. The judge ordered a Probation Services report and adjourned sentencing to 10 July. The case remains pending.
In February 2020, Susan Byrne, a former post office clerk at Balbriggan sub‑post office, filed a High Court damages action against An Post and the postmaster, Mr Paul Hannon, alleging negligence after an attempted tiger kidnapping on 4 October 2011. The incident involved three masked armed raiders who tied up Byrne and her husband, forcing Byrne to fill bags with money at the post office. Byrne claims she was not warned of the risks of tiger kidnappings, nor given proper training or guidance on operating the sub‑post office, and that staff were not informed of preventative measures. The post office denied the claims. On 28 February 2020, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey ruled on a pre‑trial issue regarding discovery of documents. Byrne sought the Postmasters Manual and the 2006 An Post Retail Sub‑Offices Procedures Handbook.
In February 2018, 28‑year‑old Omo Delpin Omorouyi was prosecuted for possession of child pornography after she failed to delete a two‑minute video sent to her on WhatsApp. The video, which began innocently with a man and a toddler, was later revealed to depict the rape of a two‑year‑old child. Omorouyi claimed she did not know the content until she opened it and said she had deleted it, but a Garda investigation found the video still on her phone because the app automatically downloads media. She pleaded guilty and was given a suspended four‑month prison sentence by Judge Pauline Codd, who noted the lack of other convictions. The case highlighted the difficulty of deleting data from mobile devices and the impact on Omorouyi's future career prospects in child care. The adult in the video was identified as a man in Michigan, US, and has since been convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Sherry, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a 17‑year‑old boy outside the Wright Venue in Swords on 17 March 2017. Sherry, together with another teenager and a third man, attacked the victim after he was denied re‑entry to the nightclub. The victim was kicked to the shoulder and chest by Sherry and repeatedly kicked in the head by the other teenager. The attackers then took the confused victim to a nearby McDonald's, claiming to help him. The boy suffered multiple jaw fractures, required surgery with two metal plates, and incurred about €8,000 in dental damage. The court heard CCTV footage of the pursuit and the assault. The teen attacker was dealt with through the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme. Sherry has no prior convictions and will be sentenced on 20 March.
Florin Ciurariu (31), of Forest Fields Road, Swords Dublin, has been sentenced to three years in custody for one count of assault causing harm to Ms Anete Senere and one count of breaching a safety order. The assault occurred on June 2 last year at Ms Senere's apartment in Clontarf, Dublin, where she was found unconscious in a pool of blood with severe facial injuries, including two black eyes, broken teeth, and bruising. Ciurariu pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The safety order had been issued following a previous assault by Ciurariu on Ms Senere. Judge Melanie Greally noted the violence of the attack and Ciurariu's history of multiple convictions, including breaches of domestic barring orders and assault. A four-year sentence was imposed, with the final 12 months suspended on conditions. The sentence was backdated to June last year when Ciurariu entered custody. The judge ordered Ciurariu to have no contact with Ms Senere for five years. Garda Clodagh Sharkey detailed the incident, including Ciurariu's uninvited visit, the assault during a football match, and his subsequent flight from the scene. Ciurariu was later found by gardaí with dried blood on his hands. Ms Senere was hospitalized and remains shaken from the attack. She did not attend court or make a victim impact statement. Ciurariu's defense apologized on his behalf, noting the relationship had ended. The Department of Justice is seeking his deportation due to his criminal history, which could have significant consequences for him.
A High Court judge struck out an injunction application brought by Barbara Sloan, a sister‑in‑law of the late Cyril McGuinness, who died after a police raid in the UK. Sloan had travelled to the UK with McGuinness's widow, Mary, when they were removed from a flight at Dublin Airport and held by Garda detectives for two hours. Two mobile phones were seized. Sloan sought the return of the phones, claiming they contained private and business information. The judge noted the phones were taken in early November and said there was no urgency to the matter, suggesting an application under the 1897 Police Property Act would be more appropriate. The injunction was struck out and the Commissioner was awarded legal costs. Sloan may appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal, and her claim for damages remains pending.
A man has been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment following a hammer attack on a shopkeeper in Dublin in March 2017. John McKeon, aged 31 and with an address in Strokestown, County Longford, was convicted by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of robbery, attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm. He and his cousin targeted Tansey's Newsagent on Fitzmaurice Road, Finglas, where McKeon struck the shopkeeper three times to the head with a claw hammer, causing severe traumatic brain injury. The victim, who remains in recovery, was the sole carer for his blind wife and three children. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a sentence of twelve-and-a-half years with the final eighteen months suspended. McKeon's cousin, Daryl McKeon, was previously jailed for seven years in connection with the same incident. Daryl McKeon pleaded guilty.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has acquitted Patrick Carroll on all charges relating to a €90,000 post office robbery in September 2014. The 54-year-old from Swords had pleaded not guilty to charges of trespass, false imprisonment, robbery and threats to kill in connection with an incident at a property in Malahide and Bayside Post Office in Sutton. During the eight-week trial, the prosecution alleged that DNA evidence linked Carroll to the crime, but his legal team submitted there was an innocent explanation for its presence. Following deliberations lasting over eleven hours, a jury of four men and eight women returned not guilty verdicts on all counts. Paschal Kelly, a 54-year-old with addresses in Cootehill and Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, was previously convicted of the robbery and kidnapping and received an eighteen-year sentence in late 2018.
Mark Boyle, a 50‑year‑old lending agent for Provident Personal Credit Limit, left €4,500 of company cash in his car, which was stolen. He did not inform his employer and instead secured loans in the names of family and friends to repay the company, promising to repay the loans himself. Boyle's repayments became difficult, leading him to borrow further. Provident, suspicious of the loans, confronted Boyle, who confessed. Boyle pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and one of fraud, covering 20 incidents between August 2015 and January 2016. He repaid over €8,000, leaving a balance of €10,600, which he handed to his solicitor for Provident. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Boyle's full repayment and lack of prior convictions, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition that the €10,600 be handed over to Provident.
Anthony Walsh, 32, was convicted of murder for the killing of Dermot Byrne, 54, in Swords on 16 July 2017. Walsh admitted killing Byrne but denied it was murder. He claimed Byrne attacked him during a drunken altercation over a cigarette, but prosecutors argued his account was unrealistic given Walsh's height and Byrne's intoxication. Walsh sent social‑media messages after the killing, describing the attack with laughing emojis and a voice message stating he was "going to fucking jail." The Court of Appeal upheld his conviction, ruling the messages were not overly prejudicial and that Walsh's admission of wrongdoing was clear. A second appeal ground, the partial defence of provocation, was also dismissed. Walsh's conviction was affirmed, and he remains sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment.
A 46-year-old man from Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, has been imprisoned for 14 months following a conviction at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing over €3,300 from a vulnerable woman. Michael McGauley pleaded guilty to two counts of theft committed in October 2018, when he defrauded the woman by falsely promising to carry out insulation work on her home and to invest money on her behalf. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three-year sentence with the final 22 months suspended on condition that McGauley repay the full stolen amount, which he has already begun doing. The court heard McGauley was struggling with gambling addiction and outstanding debts at the time of the offences. He has 25 previous convictions, including five for theft, and was on probation when the crimes occurred. His defence counsel indicated McGauley has since sought treatment through Gamblers Anonymous and has secured employment while making regular repayments to his victim.
Petr Balint, a 41-year-old former night security guard at All Hallows College, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to theft charges. He admitted to stealing 33 art prints and an incunabula, defined as a book printed before 1501, from the college between January 2013 and June 2014. Balint also pleaded guilty to the theft of four prayer books and six other books during the same period. Judge Martin Nolan noted that while theft from employers is a serious matter, the value involved in this case did not approach the thresholds cited by the Court of Appeal for significant custodial sentences. Consequently, the judge determined that a custodial sentence was not appropriate. Balint was imposed a two and a half-year sentence, which was suspended in full. The court heard that Balint had sold some of the stolen prints through Sotheby's auction house, claiming they belonged to his mother, and had later returned the incunabula to the college. Defence counsel highlighted that Balint had no previous convictions, was a married father of one, and had used the proceeds to supplement his low wage. The judge accepted that Balint had been working alone and succumbed to temptation while the college was winding down operations.
Anthony Walsh, 32, of no fixed abode, appeared in the Court of Appeal to challenge his conviction for the murder of Dermot Byrne, 54, at North St, Swords, Co Dublin, on July 16, 2017. Walsh had admitted killing Mr Byrne but denied the charge of murder, claiming self-defence and provocation. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty, and Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed the mandatory life sentence on October 22, 2018. In the appeal, Walsh's counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, argued that the trial judge erred by admitting a voice recording sent by Walsh to a friend shortly after the incident. The recording contained statements such as "I'm going to fucking jail" and references to a "poor old fella being kicked to death," followed by laughter. Grehan SC contended this evidence was highly prejudicial and not probative, while the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Vincent Heneghan SC, maintained it was admissible as an admission of how the victim died. The appeal panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, reserved its judgement. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Walsh must wait to hear the outcome of the appeal against his conviction.
A 23-year-old man from Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, has been sentenced to 40 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. John Dowling pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on 19 August 2017 on Drynam Road, Swords. The incident took place after Dowling left a public house where he had been celebrating his 21st birthday. While driving, he was marginally over the drink-driving limit, exceeded the speed limit whilst overtaking another vehicle, and lost control of his car after striking the kerb. The vehicle collided with a tree and wall. His passenger, Mark Kelly, sustained catastrophic injuries and remains in a vegetative state. Judge Martin Nolan noted the case was tragic and that Mr Kelly's family had been devastated. The judge imposed the sentence having considered aggravating factors including alcohol consumption, excessive speed, and lack of vehicle insurance, alongside mitigating factors including Dowling's guilty plea and demonstrated remorse.
In the Court of Appeal, state lawyers argued that the right to privacy is subordinate to the State's right to investigate crime, citing the €2m tiger kidnapping of the Richardson family. The case involves Mark Farrelly (48), David Byrne (46) and Niall Byrne (37), who pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor. Farrelly, deemed the gang's mastermind, was sentenced to 17½ years; Byrne to 13½ years; Byrne to 10 years. Christopher Corcoran (72) received 12 years for scouting the kidnapping. The appeal, opened in January 2018, challenges the constitutionality of evidence gathered by Gardaí under 1993 legislation, now superseded by 2005 law. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions contended that the breach did not affect evidence quality, as the same data would have been obtained under the newer law. The Court reserved judgment.
In 2019, Mark Farrelly (48), David Byrne (46) and Niall Byrne (37) appealed convictions for the 2005 tiger kidnapping of the Richardson family and the €2.08 million robbery of a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van. The original trial, the fifth time the case had been heard, found them guilty of false imprisonment and conspiracy to rob. Farrelly, deemed the mastermind, received 17½ years; Byrne, one of the kidnappers, 13½ years; and Byrne, the inside man, 10 years. Their appeal, lodged on 29 October 2019, argued that mobile‑phone data used by Gardaí was gathered under the 1993 legislation, which did not cover the type of data now available and had been superseded in 2005. Counsel contended the evidence was inadmissible, citing the 2015 Supreme Court case 'JC' and the pending 'Dwyer' case. The appeal was heard by the Court of Appeal, with the Director of Public Prosecutions set to reply the following day. Mark Farrelly pleaded not guilty.
Martin Guerin, 68, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his Portmarnock address on 17 September 2014. He was found to have held material depicting children, including girls under 15 and as young as two, in sexual activity, and images of children with exposed genitals. Gardaí traced the material to Guerin via an IP address and seized devices during a search. Guerin admitted responsibility and cooperated with investigators. Judge Martin Nolan, noting no aggravating factors and Guerin's guilty plea, good work history, and lack of prior convictions, imposed a fully suspended sentence of two and a half years, conditional on good behaviour for that period. The court considered a non‑custodial sentence appropriate given the circumstances. No mention of prior convictions or future sentencing was made. The case was presented as a single charge of possession of child pornography.
David Swords, 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend Jessica Walsh in Glasthule on 21 June 2017 after believing she had kissed his cousin. He admitted punching her more than five but less than ten times, holding her with his left hand and striking with his right. The assault was described by Judge Martin Nolan as unprovoked, sudden and vicious. Swords had no prior convictions and was cooperative, having begun weekly anger‑management and domestic‑abuse courses. The judge cited his guilty plea, lack of criminal history, education, employment and steps to control his temper as mitigating factors. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, including a €12,500 payment to be forfeited if the victim declined it. The court did not read the victim impact report, and Walsh was treated for swelling and bruising at hospital. The case was adjourned overnight for further consideration.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, truck driver Oleksandr Hrudovyy, aged 47, was found not guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of 80‑year‑old William Carrick on 22 May 2015. The jury, after about an hour and a half of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict. Hrudovyy, a professional driver from Clonee, claimed he was not driving dangerously; he had no alcohol or drugs, was not tired, and had not been speeding. He argued that Carrick, who had left a pub and was attempting to cross a pedestrian crossing partially blocked by the truck's rear, may have been in a blind spot. Dashcam footage showed Carrick crossing in front of the truck before Hrudovyy moved forward, but the footage did not capture the driver's view. Hrudovyy stopped the truck immediately, was shocked, and cooperated with Gardaí. The prosecution alleged Hrudovyy was inattentive and did not check mirrors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Oleksandr Hrudovyy, a 47‑year‑old professional truck driver, pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of William Carrick, an 80‑year‑old pedestrian. The incident occurred on 22 May 2015 when Hrudovyy stopped his 16.9‑metre truck in heavy traffic at a green light on Swords Road, Cloghran, and then moved forward, crushing Carrick who had just left a pub and was crossing the road. Carrick died from multiple fractures and blood loss. The prosecution alleged Hrudovyy was inattentive, failed to check mirrors, and did not perform required checks before moving the vehicle. Dashcam footage showed Carrick crossing in front of the truck, while Hrudovyy claimed he did not see him. Defence argued the evidence did not meet the Supreme Court's definition of dangerous driving and that the stop was merely inconsiderate. The jury was instructed to remain impartial and consider the facts presented.
Dean Heapes, 34, of Swords, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 10 burglaries of premises on South William Street, Dublin 2, committed on December 13, 2016. He also admitted to three further burglaries in the city between January 2017 and April 2018, as well as using a false instrument when attempting to cash a stolen cheque on Grafton Street in November 2016. The court heard that Heapes, who has ten previous burglary convictions, was captured on CCTV stealing 13 laptops during the initial incident, five of which were later recovered. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that while the offences were serious, Heapes had no history of violent offending. The judge considered his chronic drug addiction, difficult upbringing, and periods of homelessness, alongside his cooperation with gardai and expressed remorse. Judge O'Connor imposed consecutive sentences totalling five and a half years but suspended the final 18 months. She stated that Heapes has much to be hopeful for, including a supportive partner and young child, but warned that if he does not take this opportunity, he will spend the remainder of the sentence in prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a homeless couple, Stacey O'Dwyer (34) and Ciaran O'Toole (35), avoided jail after pleading guilty to possessing €8,000 worth of heroin for sale or supply. The drugs were found in O'Dwyer's tracksuit after a checkpoint search on 27 April. O'Dwyer resisted arrest, kicking, screaming, lying on the ground and later biting a Garda, while O'Toole remained calm. Both pleaded guilty, O'Dwyer also to obstructing an officer. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended three‑year sentence, noting O'Dwyer's mental health history, remorse and rehabilitation progress, and O'Toole's acceptance of responsibility. The pair, living in homeless accommodation, plan to marry in a civil ceremony in early November. The court considered their prior convictions and personal circumstances before deciding the suspended sentence.
Joseph Hussey, 41, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Gemma Twohig on 13 October 2018 and threatening to kill a woman in his home on 19 January 2019. He has three prior convictions. The court described him as a "Jekyll and Hyde character" who is calm when sober but violent when drunk. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him overnight and later sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition of good behaviour for 18 months. The judge noted the abuse of Gardaí friendships and the animal cruelty offence. Hussey had previously threatened Gardaí, feigned unconsciousness, and was handcuffed after becoming abusive to ambulance and medical staff. The victim impact report detailed Garda Twohig's injuries and emotional distress. No further legal outcomes were mentioned.
Michael Geoghegan, 36, a former Crufts best dog handler, was placed on a probation bond after pleading guilty to three knife‑point robberies in Swords, north Dublin. The judge, Patricia Ryan, adjourned his sentence to January, citing his efforts to address drug and alcohol addiction and a probation report supporting his rehabilitation. Geoghegan handed €2,500 as a gesture of remorse to be divided among the victims. He had previously admitted to producing a large kitchen knife and an iron drill bit to intimidate victims and resisting arrest. The court noted his past convictions for robbery with an imitation firearm (2005) and drug offences. He threatened a Garda with a knife during the arrests, but the officer used a baton to disarm him. The case remains pending, with the sentence to be decided next year.
Robert Lynch, aged 32, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of three and a half years' imprisonment for two robberies. He pleaded guilty to the robbery of taxi driver Alan Thompson on Malahide Road on 4 September 2016 and to the robbery of a Spar shop on 15 October 2017. Lynch, who has a history of drug addiction, was described by Garda Alan Roach as having changed significantly since the offences. Judge Pauline Codd imposed consecutive terms of three years and three and a half years, suspending the final three years on the condition that Lynch participate in drug rehabilitation programmes and keep the peace. The court noted Lynch's 54 prior convictions, including robbery, knife possession and threats to kill, and that he had been identified on CCTV before the taxi robbery. No weapons were used in either robbery. The sentence reflects the judge's assessment of Lynch's efforts at rehabilitation and the seriousness of the offences.
Martin Guerin, 68, brother of the late crime journalist Veronica Guerin, pleaded guilty on 17 September 2014 to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his Portmarnock home. He was arraigned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to October and remanded him on continuing bail. Prosecutor John Berry noted the hearing would last about 30 minutes. Guerin had earlier been charged under Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 and had been granted bail on a €100 bond with no conditions.
Micheal Geoghegan, 36, of Swords, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and production of a knife at Rathbeale Road, Swords, on August 18, 2018. He also admitted producing a large kitchen knife to intimidate and producing an iron drill bit and knife while resisting arrest. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the offences carry a potential maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Prosecution evidence detailed that Geoghegan robbed three women at knifepoint and subsequently threatened Detective Sergeant Alan Flaherty, who eventually disarmed him using a baton. Geoghegan has a previous conviction for robbery with an imitation firearm from 2005 and prior drug offences. Defence counsel Annette Kealy BL stated that Geoghegan is attempting to address his heroin addiction and had remained drug-free since the incidents. She also noted his past achievement as a best dog handler at Crufts. Geoghegan brought €2,500 to court as a token of remorse. After hearing the evidence, Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the case to July 23 next for sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael Reilly Senior (49) and his son Michael Reilly Junior (22) were sentenced for an assault on Martin Maughan. The incident, part of a feud, involved the Reillys attacking Maughan with a hammer and pick handle while his wife and five‑year‑old granddaughter witnessed. Reilly Senior also bit Maughan's ear and repeatedly rammed his jeep with his van. Both pleaded guilty to assault causing harm; Reilly Senior also pleaded guilty to endangerment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of five and a half years for Reilly Senior on the endangerment charge and a three‑year sentence for Reilly Junior on assault. Mitigating factors cited included guilty pleas, remorse, and the defendants' tragic backgrounds. Maughan suffered bruising and soft‑tissue injuries; the child was uninjured but distressed. The court noted prior convictions and mental‑health issues for both defendants.