Paul O'Brien, a 38‑year‑old computer technician from Tallaght, pleaded guilty to three counts of copyright infringement for selling Android boxes that enabled cheap access to thousands of TV channels. Between June 2016 and December 2017 he sold about 150 boxes, charging customers €12 a month for activation codes that unlocked roughly 4,000 channels. Gardaí traced the scheme after a Sky investigator purchased a box in October 2017, leading to warrants and a raid in December 2017 that seized computers, flyers, business cards and a black tower PC containing data on activation codes. O'Brien's bank account held €34,017, about 60 % of which came from the illegal sales. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 240 hours of community service, ordered the forfeiture of €20,410 and the destruction of the seized equipment, and noted that a custodial sentence was considered but ultimately not imposed.
Wayne Cooney, 32, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to demanding money from a mother in Raheny on 21 April 2019, claiming her son owed €11,000. He threatened her, saying they would return to collect. The woman, frightened, photographed him and reported him. Cooney had 26 prior convictions, including murder, firearm and ammunition offences. Judge Orla Crowe, hearing the case, noted the aggravating factors of his criminal history and the daylight setting, but also considered his guilty plea, apology and remorse as mitigating. She sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, adding to his existing life term. The court heard that the victim did not wish to give an impact statement, and that Cooney expressed shame and a desire to apologise. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 53-year-old senior barrister and law professor from Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, County Dublin, is charged with the alleged murder of Keith Conlon at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, on February 22, 2022. The matter was adjourned at the Central Criminal Court to allow the Director of Public Prosecution time to respond to detailed disclosure requests from the defence. Defence counsel Karl Monahan BL applied for Arthur McClean Solicitors to come on record, noting substantial prior correspondence regarding disclosure. He stated that the accused's previous solicitors had sought detailed records on March 21, while new solicitors recently requested "further and better" disclosure. Prosecution lawyers indicated they required considerable time to respond to these requests and asked for the matter to be put back for six weeks. Mr Justice Paul McDermott acknowledged that the defence letter set out significant detail regarding the information sought, noting that providing a comprehensive reply would require time. He suggested that readily available materials could potentially be addressed within four weeks. The judge adjourned the case to May 25 to review the matter again. Phelan is due to go on trial at the Central Criminal Court on May 29, 2024. Keith Conlon, a father-of-four from Kiltalown Park, was seriously injured in a shooting incident and died at Tallaght University Hospital two days later.
Fr Foley, a 93-year-old retired priest, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to driving a vehicle in a manner dangerous to the public. The charges related to an incident on June 25, 2018, outside the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Clondalkin, where his vehicle struck mourners, causing the death of Christopher Phillips and grievous bodily harm to Jason Kelly, Martin Cawley, and Rebecca Meredith. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the tragic consequences, noting that the driver's confusion and lack of experience with the hybrid vehicle led to the loss of control. However, the Judge determined that Fr Foley did not deserve a custodial sentence, citing his advanced age, current residence in a nursing home, and the fact that he will not drive again. Consequently, the court imposed concurrent sentences of 18 months, which were suspended in full. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence, reflecting the Judge's view that the defendant's circumstances warranted a non-custodial disposal despite the severe injuries and death caused.
The Court of Appeal has heard arguments regarding the conviction of Philip Dunbar, who was found guilty by a unanimous jury at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott for the murder of Adam Muldoon. Dunbar, who was 17 at the time, was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing Mr Muldoon 183 times at Butler Park, Tallaght, on June 22 or 23, 2018. Defence counsel argued that a Garda interview admission should be excluded because Dunbar was a 'child under pressure' and the conditions were unfair. They also contended that his responsibility was diminished due to a mental disorder caused by chronic drug abuse and that CCTV evidence breached privacy rights. The State rejected these submissions, noting that expert psychiatric evidence at trial found no mental disorder and that the interview was conducted responsibly with legal representation present. The judges questioned whether the interview duration constituted oppression or unfairness, with one judge noting that Dunbar's impatience did not amount to his will being overborne. The court has reserved its judgement in this appeal, meaning the matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
The Court of Appeal has heard arguments in the appeal of Philip Dunbar, who was found guilty of murder by a unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Dunbar was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Adam Muldoon at Butler Park, Jobstown Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24, on June 22 or 23, 2018. Counsel for Dunbar argued that the use of CCTV footage breached his privacy rights, alleging that gardaí failed to comply with legal requirements regarding the harvesting of such data. The defence contended that the footage, which showed Dunbar returning home with Muldoon's Zimmer frame, was gathered in violation of established privacy standards. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, questioned the validity of these claims, noting that Dunbar was a legitimate suspect and that police have a duty to seek available evidence. The appeal also addressed the admissibility of evidence regarding Dunbar's state of mind, with previous submissions regarding diminished responsibility due to chronic drug abuse having been rejected by the trial judge. The matter was adjourned and continues before the court.
Philip Dunbar, aged 22, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 23‑year‑old Adam 'Floater' Muldoon, who was stabbed 183 times in an unprovoked attack when Dunbar was 17. His lawyers argued at the Court of Appeal that Dunbar should have been allowed to present a defence of diminished responsibility based on a mental disorder caused by chronic drug abuse. They cited expert psychiatric witnesses who said drug dependence could constitute a mental disorder distinct from intoxication. The trial judge had refused to allow the defence, and the appeal judge noted that a mental disorder must be established by a consultant psychiatrist under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The appeal will continue before the Court of Appeal tomorrow. Philip Dunbar was found guilty.
Joseph Carroll, aged 44, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to two counts of threatening to kill gardaí at a Tallaght address in May and July 2020. In the first incident, he emerged from a house bare‑chested, brandishing a baseball bat, a five‑foot plank of wood and a pit bulldog, threatening to kill the officers and telling them to shoot him. He was restrained by six gardaí and the dog was unharmed. Two months later, while on bail, he again threatened gardaí at the same address, brandishing a sledge‑hammer handle, a pickaxe and a bottle of bleach, and drank the bleach in front of the officers. He was restrained with incapacitation spray and refused medical treatment. The court noted he had breached a suspended 18‑month sentence from a 2018 public‑order incident.
Haremi Limited, the clothing company co-owned by Paul Quinn and Rosie Connolly Quinn, brought High Court proceedings against Safet Duran, Mohsan Bari, and Independent Clothing Ltd over alleged trademark infringement. The plaintiff claimed that garments bearing its '4th ARQ' trademark were discovered for sale at Bella Moda in Gorey, Co Wexford, and Elle Boutique in Tallaght, Dublin. Haremi alleged these items originated from a rejected batch ordered from Independent Clothing Ltd, which it claimed was substandard and poorly constructed. The company sought an injunction restraining the defendants from dealing in goods bearing its trademark, as well as orders requiring the disclosure of supplier and customer details. When the matter returned before Mr Justice Brian O'Moore on Tuesday, counsel Kelley Smith SC informed the court that the proceedings had been adjourned after the defendants provided certain undertakings. These undertakings included an agreement to make specific disclosures to Haremi, which have been complied with. Counsel stated that Haremi was satisfied with the progress, noting that the only remaining issue in its injunction application concerned the allocation of legal costs. Mr Justice O'Moore agreed to adjourn the issue of costs to a date later this month. The matter was therefore adjourned, with no final determination on the substantive claims or costs at this stage.
Michael Deegan, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for four counts of taking Go Car vehicles without consent in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow during October 2021. The court described Deegan as the driver who drove his or his wife's car to locations where Go Cars were parked; a second man then broke into the vehicles, which had keys inside, and stole them. Damage of €3,000 was caused to one car and two vans that were later recovered, while a third van was never recovered, resulting in a €26,000 loss to the company. Deegan had seven prior road‑traffic convictions. He pleaded guilty, cooperated with Gardaí and had no significant criminal record, factors that the judge considered in sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the custodial term without any suspended portion.
Haremi Limited, a clothing company co‑owned by fashion blogger Rosie Connolly Quinn and her husband Paul Quinn, has brought High Court proceedings against three parties it says have engaged in 'passing off' its trademarked brand 'The 4TH ARQ'. The claim arose after Haremi discovered hoodies, sweatpants and jumpers bearing its logo being sold at two fashion outlets – one in Dublin and one in Co Wexford – despite the company's policy that its goods can only be purchased through its website. Haremi alleges the items were supplied by Independent Clothing Ltd, a supplier it had rejected last year, and that the garments were inferior and substandard. The court granted Haremi permission to serve short‑notice injunction proceedings on the defendants and adjourned the matter to Friday's sitting. Haremi seeks injunctions restraining the defendants from selling, marketing or dealing in goods bearing its trademark, and orders to disclose the names and addresses of all suppliers of such goods.
Three men – Glen Keegan (41), Karl Keegan (31) and Thomas McAllister (48) – pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, on 25 April 2017. The attack involved a balaclava‑clad armed group that struck an orange car carrying two children, damaged two motorists' vehicles, and caused a taxi driver to lose his car. The men had a combined 78 prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Karl Keegan and McAllister to four years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions, and Glen Keegan to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term, also suspended. The judge noted the men's remorse, their progress in rehabilitation, and the family's forgiveness. No jail time was imposed, and the men were required to pay €6,000 as a token of remorse. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 6 March 2023.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in a miscarriage of justice application by Declan Tynan, who was cleared of violent disorder after spending 11 months in custody. Mr Tynan, who pleaded not guilty to alleged violent disorder at a Tallaght bookmakers in 2012, was initially found guilty by a jury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final year suspended in January 2017. His subsequent appeal was dismissed, but his conviction was quashed in April 2018 after another man came forward claiming responsibility. Counsel for Mr Tynan argued there was a "substantial and fundamental failure of process" due to the non-disclosure of an email exchange between Gardaí that identified potential suspects, which they alleged skewed the trial. The State's counsel contended that the identification evidence remained valid and that no grave error in the administration of justice was proven. The court allowed a seven-day window to determine if the man who came forward will give evidence before delivering its decision.
Lawyers for Declan Tynan, who spent 11 months in jail before his conviction was quashed, argued that Gardaí gave a false impression of a spontaneous identification of the accused at a Ladbrokes bookmakers attack in Tallaght on 13 December 2012. Tynan, 33, maintained his innocence and was convicted on the basis of a single visual identification by a Garda from CCTV footage. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. After an appeal was dismissed, a new witness came forward claiming to be the third attacker, leading to a Court of Appeal hearing in April 2018 that quashed the conviction under Section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act. In the current appeal, counsel alleged that Gardaí circulated a bulletin and later sent an internal email that identified Tynan as a suspect, but this was not disclosed at trial. The appeal is set to continue tomorrow before a three‑judge panel. Declan Tynan pleaded not guilty.
Alan Sallinger, 53, was sentenced to three years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing €396,910 in criminal proceeds. The offence occurred on June 14, 2016, at an Applegreen service station in north county Dublin. Sallinger admitted to the charge on the basis that he was reckless, with defence counsel Garret Baker SC arguing that Sallinger did not know the specific contents of the bag he transferred from his car to another man's vehicle. Gardaí, conducting surveillance, observed the transfer and subsequently arrested the men, finding vacuum-packed cash in the bag. Sallinger, of Brookview Walk, Tallaght, was arrested in 2017 and entered his guilty plea on his trial date. Judge Martin Nolan stated it was clear Sallinger was transporting the money for a third party in exchange for payment, noting he must have known the bag contained illicit items. The judge acknowledged Sallinger's remorse and cooperation with gardaí, as well as mitigating factors including a history of drug abuse and alcohol problems at the time of the offence. Although Sallinger has 18 previous convictions, mostly from the 1980s and 1990s, the judge reduced the headline sentence of six years to three years, taking these mitigating circumstances into account.
In a February 2023 hearing, Mr. Gavin Guerrine, aged 31, was warned by Mr. Justice Paul McDermott that any further breaches of his probation could lead to the activation of a five‑year suspended sentence. Guerrine had previously been sentenced in 2011 to ten years, with the last five years suspended, for deliberately running over Christopher O'Rourke in 2009. O'Rourke, who was 17 at the time, suffered severe brain injury, fractures and a serious knee injury, and later died in 2010 from a drug overdose. Guerrine's failure to attend probation appointments, attributed to illness, was cited as a breach. The court emphasized the need for Guerrine to engage with probation services, provide required urinalysis, and participate in training and employment programs, or risk re‑activation of the suspended sentence.
Ciaran Dolan, 32, of Lucan, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of barrister Edward O'Hara on Peamount Road, Newcastle, on 29 January 2022. He was driving a silver Volkswagen Golf at high speed, filmed on his phone at 160 km/h, and collided with O'Hara from behind. O'Hara, walking in the direction of Newcastle, was struck, carried 118 m, and later died at Tallaght Hospital. Dolan fled the scene, later turning the car around and pulling into a lay‑by before being apprehended. He was found to be under the influence of cannabis, had admitted smoking two joints that day, and had signed pleas. The court noted his previous five convictions for road offences, his remorse, and his signed pleas, but also his grossly reprehensible conduct and failure to assist the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, deeming a custodial sentence inevitable.
Kamil Naumczyk, 40, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month jail term for punching an eight‑year‑old boy in the face after a dispute involving his daughters. The incident occurred in a back garden near a cabin when Naumczyk followed the boys and struck the child, causing a broken nose and a deviated septum that required surgery. Naumczyk pleaded guilty to assaulting a child on 8 May 2021 and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted Naumczyk's immediate admission, remorse, cooperation with Gardaí, long work history, family responsibilities and lack of previous offences. The judge considered monetary compensation but deemed it inappropriate for a minor. Naumczyk's suitability for community service will be assessed before the final sentence is imposed on 3 May. The case highlights the seriousness of assaulting a minor and the court's emphasis on rehabilitation.
The High Court appointed insolvency practitioner Declan McDonald of PWC as examiner to Tower Trade Finance Ireland Limited (TTFI) and Deal Partners Logistics Ltd (DPL). TTFI has a net asset deficiency of €10.1 million and DPL €9.5 million. Both companies suffered financial difficulties after the liquidation of JACC Sports Distributors, which had supplied sports kits to the FAI. TTFI provided trade finance through loans or purchasing goods and reselling them, while DPL raised funds from individual shareholders. Investors expressed concerns, with a straw poll showing a majority opposed to examinership. The judge noted that the companies owe creditors over €13 million and that an independent report suggested a reasonable prospect of survival if a scheme of arrangement is approved. The examiner has up to 100 days to prepare a survival scheme, and the matter was adjourned to early March.
Paul O'Brien, 38, pleaded guilty to three counts of copyright infringement for selling android 'dodgy boxes' that enabled cheap access to about 4,000 TV channels. He sold the boxes to 150 customers, charging €12 a month for activation codes, generating roughly €1,800 monthly. Gardaí traced him after a Sky investigator purchased a box from his website, IPTV Wizard, and seized evidence including a black Tower PC, flyers, business cards and bank details. O'Brien's bank account held €34,410, about 60 % from illegal sales. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the offence's "sneaky" nature, imposed 240 hours of community service instead of a custodial sentence, ordered forfeiture of €20,410 and destruction of seized equipment, and adjourned the case for finalisation on 27 April. The judge highlighted the potential earnings and the impact on O'Brien's personal life, including his partner's cervical cancer diagnosis and their 14‑year‑old son. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
George Radford, a 33‑year‑old former army soldier, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 October 2021. He admitted he had held just under two kilograms of cocaine, valued at €137,690, in a safe found in a shed on his property after a Garda search. Radford said he had brought the drugs in to help his younger brother, who was in debt over drugs, and that no one else knew about the drugs. He had resigned from the army when the matter came to light. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as "exceptional", noting that the problems were created by Radford's brother, and imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with a period of good behaviour, stating Radford was unlikely to appear again before the courts.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gavin Deering, 24, was jailed for one year after a hotel room bust at the Maldron Hotel in Tallaght. Gardaí had been surveilling Deering, who was seen entering and leaving the hotel while dealing drugs. He pleaded guilty to possessing €15,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply and to having a controlled drug, cocaine, in his possession on 4 July 2021. Deering had 28 prior convictions, all traffic offences. Judge Martin Nolan noted that a clean record might have allowed a suspended sentence, but given Deering's history, he imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on conditions of good behaviour for two years after release. The court seized a large wrapped package of cannabis, weighing €15,568, and a small amount of cocaine, valued at €106.
Gavin Blanchfield, 40, was sentenced to a six‑year suspended term after pleading guilty to eight counts of possessing ammunition, bullet heads, cartridges, gunpowder and primers without the correct firearm certification. The judge noted that Blanchfield had no sinister intent and had no prior convictions, which helped avoid imprisonment. He was found to have an "ammunition factory" at his Tallaght home, with 9.99 kg of gunpowder and equipment seized, and firearms that he legally owned but lacked the required licence for the ammunition. Garda investigations traced his activity on a public forum where he advertised and discussed ammunition. The court ordered forfeiture and destruction of all seized items, and Blanchfield's licence was revoked, effectively ending his gun‑owning hobby. The judge described the decision to spare him prison as a "close run thing.".
Luke Yates, aged 21, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for attempting to impede the arrest of Robert O'Connor, aged 34, during an incident in north Dublin on 12 October 2021. Yates pleaded guilty to the offence. O'Connor, who was later convicted of unlawful possession of firearms and jailed for six and a half years, was fatally attacked 48 hours after his sentencing and died five days later. Yates had been in 23‑hour lockup since the fatal attack. The court noted Yates' prior convictions, including drug offences, hit‑and‑run, possession of a mobile phone in custody and dangerous driving, some of which were committed as a minor. The judge considered Yates' guilty plea and age as mitigating factors and imposed the sentence from the date of the offence, 12 October 2021.
David Wright, 36, of Tallaght, South Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to stealing cash and €700 worth of cigarettes from the Fitzwilliam Card Club in Dublin 2 on August 13, 2018. Judge Pauline Codd described Wright, a poker dealer, as an "inside man" who betrayed his employer by providing information to individuals who carried out the robbery. Although Wright was not charged with robbery, the Judge noted he allowed his employer to be "fed to the wolves." The court heard that Wright's vehicle was used to transport the raider to the scene, and he made cash lodgements following the incident. Judge Codd acknowledged Wright's guilty plea, remorse, and rehabilitation efforts, including becoming a father and having only minor previous convictions. She imposed a four-year prison sentence, suspended on strict conditions requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The Judge also ordered Wright to pay €1,200 immediately and a further €1,800 within six months. Wright walked out of court following the sentencing.
Samy Taib, aged 21, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, coercive control, endangerment, driving without licence and insurance, and dangerous driving. He had previously been convicted of 22 road traffic offences. The court found the victim endured significant trauma and physical injury, including permanent foot damage. Taib's mental health, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia, was cited as a mitigating factor. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a five‑year prison sentence, crediting time served in Scotland and any time already spent in custody. The final 12 months were suspended for two years, with strict conditions: probation supervision, no contact with the victim, and avoidance of her home and workplace. Taib was also disqualified from driving for six years. The case highlighted the severity of his offences and the impact on the victim's life.
The High Court ordered the extradition of 54‑year‑old Algerian Youcef Madani, also known as Abderrahmane Yahiaoui, to France. Madani, who lives in Ireland with partial blindness and a prosthetic eye, is a convicted forger and weapons trafficker linked to Islamic terrorism. He was convicted in absentia in 2001 and sentenced to six years for forging passports for Algerian immigrants and trafficking weapons from the Netherlands. Irish authorities arrested him in 2021 after he appeared on the Schengen Information System under his false name. The court rejected arguments that he would face inhuman treatment, lack of judicial authority for the French prosecutor, or denial of fair retrial and medical care. The judge confirmed that the offence was committed in France and the Netherlands, and that the French authorities had the power to issue an arrest warrant. The extradition order was issued with a condition that Madani surrender to Gardaí when contacted.
Clare Parsons, wife of the 34‑year‑old Vincent Parsons, gave a victim‑impact statement at the Central Criminal Court after the mandatory life sentences were imposed on Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30). She described her husband as a loving, gentle family man who had never been aggressive. She said she was in denial when she first heard the news of his death, that the body was returned to her after ten days, and that the loss had shattered her family's life. She recalled the fear she felt when she realised he had been murdered, the long wait to see him, and the emotional toll of losing him. She thanked the court, the jury, the police and the public for their support, and said she would never get Vincent back but that justice had been served. The statement was read in plain Irish‑English prose and did not speculate on future outcomes.
Shane Finn, 24, of Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing €74,000 worth of cannabis at his home on 17 July 2021. Finn pleaded guilty to the offence of possession for sale or supply. He claimed he was coerced by masked men who threatened to kill him and to have his brother "cut up in prison" if he did not hold the drugs. The court heard that Finn was on bail for a previous drug offence when the cannabis was seized during a separate robbery investigation involving his brother, Jamie Finn. Finn admitted responsibility for the drugs, stating he had no knowledge of their quantity and had been forced to keep them. The judge noted the coercion but held Finn liable for breaking the law, and rejected a second suspended sentence, imposing a custodial term of two years.
Martin O'Brien, 40, of Brookwood Heights, Artane, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a five‑year driving disqualification for driving without insurance. He had 68 prior convictions, 40 of which were traffic offences. O'Brien admitted to one count of endangerment on Cheeverstown Road, six counts of dangerous driving in Tallaght, and one count of driving without insurance. He claimed he had panicked when an unmarked Garda car appeared and drove at speeds between 80 and 120 km/h, using bus lanes, mounting footpaths, breaking red lights and overtaking dangerously. The car, falsely registered, eventually crashed into a parked BMW. The judge noted no injuries but significant danger to other road users. The sentence was back‑dated to 4 June, when O'Brien was taken into custody for the offence. Martin O'Brien pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30) were found guilty by a unanimous jury of killing Vincent Parsons, a 34‑year‑old father of two, on 26 August 2019. Parsons had been drinking at a stag do in the Killinarden Inn when he became "messy" and irritated patrons. CCTV showed Disney and Carlyle confronting Parsons, with Disney raising an arm and pointing at him. After Parsons left the pub, the men entered a black van, returned to a green area on Killinarden Way, and beat him to death. They then drove to Carlyle's home, changed clothes, and later returned to the pub to create an alibi. The jury, after 4 h 48 min of deliberation, returned a life‑sentence verdict, and the case was adjourned to 13 January for a victim impact statement. The trial highlighted CCTV evidence, blood on Carlyle's shorts, and forensic testimony regarding Parsons' cause of death.
In a Dublin murder trial, Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30) deny killing Vincent Parsons (34) on 26 August 2019. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC presented a case that the men acted together in a common design before and after the killing. He described Parsons as intoxicated at a friend's stag do, becoming agitated and leaving the Killinarden Inn. CCTV footage allegedly shows Disney raising an arm and pointing at Parsons, who then ran outside. The accused allegedly left the pub, entered a black van, and returned to a green area where they beat Parsons to death. They then drove to Carlyle's home, changed clothes, and returned to the pub, creating an alibi. The defense argued that CCTV and forensic evidence were insufficient to prove the prosecution's narrative, citing a lack of clear threat, inconsistent clothing changes, and no forensic evidence in the van. The case is set for jury deliberation. Philip Disney pleaded not guilty. Sean Carlyle pleaded not guilty.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, Dublin 22, is charged with murdering Gareth Kelly, 39, who was stabbed five times on 25 February 2020 as he tried to start his car outside her home. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial, heard in the Central Criminal Court, focuses on whether her behaviour when she stabbed Mr Kelly was driven by mental illness or by cannabis intoxication. Her husband, Mark Anderson, called her psychiatric clinic the day before the incident, but did not testify. Dr Thomas McMonagle, one of her treating psychiatrists, testified that Anderson used cannabis sometimes daily but also abstained for long periods, and that she had told doctors it did not cause paranoia. He described her as normally measured and in control, but at the Garda station she appeared psychotic and not in contact with reality, though he found her fit for interview.
In a Dublin murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that Vincent Parsons, 34, died on 26 August 2019 from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy caused by internal bleeding and a heart attack following blunt‑force trauma. The prosecution alleged that Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30) beat Parsons to death after a confrontation at the Killinarden Inn. Parsons suffered 12 facial injuries, a broken nose, and no defensive wounds on his hands or forearms. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Parsons had no pulse upon admission, was resuscitated with adrenaline, but ultimately died at 7.20 pm. She noted cocaine and alcohol in his system but said they were not contributory. Forensic evidence included DNA from blood on shorts and a T‑shirt linked to Carlyle, and a watch identified by Parsons' mother. The accused pleaded not guilty. The case was scheduled to close the following day.
Aaron Clancy, 33, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography after Gardaí seized a Samsung laptop during a search of his home on 15 September 2015. Forensic examination revealed 182 images and six videos of child sex abuse material. Clancy was arrested on 9 March 2019 but gave little evidence in interview. The court heard that the material did not include the most serious category and that Clancy had no history of distributing it. He had no prior convictions and had cooperated with Gardaí, providing the laptop password and access to the 'AC' profile. Family and friends testified in his support, and a letter of apology was presented. The judge, citing the unusual circumstances and Clancy's early guilty plea, imposed a headline sentence of two years and six months, fully suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was set to be recorded on the sex offenders' register.
In the murder trial of Sean Carlyle (30) and Philip Disney (27), the jury heard that Vincent Parsons (34) was severely beaten, with bleeding from his ears and blood-soiled clothing, and was brought to Tallaght Hospital in a Garda car after no ambulance was available. Garda Sean Lawlor testified that he found Parsons unconscious on a green area near Killinarden Way, with significant facial bleeding and swelling. Garda Ross Thornton and Garda John Byrne described extensive head injuries and a slight pulse. Aoife Mannion confirmed Parsons was transferred to ICU and died on 26 August 2019. Detective Garda Conor Harrison reported locating a dark van and the accused outside Carlyle's house around 11.25 pm, while the defence contested the exact time. The trial proceeded before Justice Kerida Naidoo and a 12‑person jury. Sean Carlyle pleaded not guilty. Philip Disney pleaded not guilty.
Christina Anderson, 39, of Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, Dublin 24, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Gareth Kelly, 39, a father of seven. Kelly died from stab wounds after an incident at his estate on 25 February 2020. Anderson, wearing a black and yellow dress, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The single count was read to her, and she responded with her plea. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in, and the trial is set to begin tomorrow before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, potentially continuing until 19 December.
During the murder trial of Vincent Parsons, his brother Daniel Parsons testified that Vincent was never aggressive and would not start a fight, describing him as a messy drunk but not violent. Daniel recounted attending a stag do at the Killinarden Inn in Tallaght with friends and family, where he observed a bouncer confronting a red‑haired man in Vincent's face. Daniel told the bouncer that Vincent was drunk and would not cause trouble. He later left the pub at 11:10 pm, only to learn Vincent had been taken to hospital. The prosecution alleged that Philip Disney and Sean Carlyle, acting as a joint enterprise, murdered Vincent by beating him to death near the pub on 26 August 2019. The trial, presided over by Justice Kerida Naidoo, continues with a jury of twelve. Sean Carlyle pleaded not guilty. Philip Disney pleaded not guilty.
A 34‑year‑old father of two was beaten to death after a drunken stag do at the Killinarden Inn in Tallaght. The prosecution, represented by Lorcan Staines SC, presented a case that Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30) were involved in a joint enterprise to murder Vincent Parsons on 26 August 2019. According to the barrister, Parsons had been drinking for several hours, became "messy" and irritated patrons, and was confronted by Disney. CCTV footage allegedly shows Disney raising his arm and pointing at Parsons, who then fled the pub. Disney and Carlyle left the pub, entered a black van, and later returned to a green area where they allegedly beat Parsons to death. The prosecution claims evidence such as Parsons' watch found in Carlyle's van, blood on Carlyle's shorts, and CCTV footage of the accused's movements. Both accused men pleaded not guilty. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury of twelve.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, two 42‑year‑old neighbours, Julie Pigott and Catriona O'Keefe, were sentenced for a physical altercation that began over a suspected infidelity. The incident occurred at 8 a.m. in May 2021 when Pigott's husband visited O'Keefe's home. Pigott demanded his presence, O'Keefe responded with hostility, and a fight ensued. Pigott left briefly, returned with a broken glass shard, and slashed O'Keefe's wrist and arm. Both women were taken to Tallaght Hospital. Pigott pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a shard of glass; O'Keefe pleaded guilty to assault. Judge Pauline Codd described their conduct as "highly immature" and "misdirected." Pigott received a three‑year sentence suspended in full under conditions, while O'Keefe received a four‑month suspended sentence. Both women now reportedly have restored peace and wish each other well.
A trial date has been set for senior barrister Diarmuid Phelan, 53, who is accused of murdering Keith Conlon in a shooting at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, on 22 February 2022. The case will be heard at the Central Criminal Court on 29 May 2024. Conlon, a father of four from Kiltalown Park, was seriously injured in the incident and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. The trial is expected to last three weeks. Mr Phelan's bail application was initially rejected by the High Court in March, but the Court of Appeal overturned that decision and granted him bail on the condition of a €50,000 bond with an independent surety of €50,000, plus additional conditions such as a curfew, daily sign‑on, and an order to stay out of Tallaght and his Wexford properties. French and German interpreters will be required by the prosecution.
A jury of six men and six women was sworn in to hear the trial of Sean Carlyle, 30, and Philip Disney, 27, both from Tallaght, accused of murdering Vincent Parsons, a 30‑year‑old metal fabricator from Clondalkin, on 26 August 2019 at Killinarden Way. The men were arraigned before the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, is scheduled to begin the following day and is expected to last three weeks.
Samy Taib, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm, one count of coercive control, endangerment, driving without a licence and insurance, and dangerous driving. The offences occurred between May 2018 and October 2019, involving repeated physical abuse of his former partner, including choking, punching, and driving over her leg. He admitted to running her over with his car on 9 May 2019, causing permanent injury to her foot. Gardaí pursued him after a high‑speed chase on 13 October 2019, seized his black Volvo, and arrested him in July 2019. Taib has 22 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia in early 2020. The case was adjourned to 20 January 2023 for finalisation. The court heard the victim's impact statement describing lasting physical and psychological harm. Taib had moved to Scotland in 2020 and returned to Ireland in April 2022.
Paul Morris, aged 55, was sentenced to eight years in prison after a jury found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted anal rape against a teenage boy aged 13–14. The offences occurred between 1 May 2010 and 1 April 2011 at Morris's trailer in Chianti Park, Tallaght. Morris, who had previously worked as a youth worker but not since 2002, had persuaded the boy's mother to allow the boy to stay overnight by claiming he was a youth worker. He then sexually assaulted the boy, groping his genitals and masturbating in front of him, and on a second occasion attempted an anal rape, which the boy resisted. Morris maintains his innocence and has no prior convictions. He was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath to a headline term of ten years, reduced to eight years, with mitigating factors including his lack of prior convictions and medical history.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 20‑year‑old Andrew Hillick and his co‑accused Michael Matthews were found guilty of assault causing harm and robbery after they broke a glass partition in a taxi, punched the driver in the head, kicked him in the ribs, and stole €60 and a mobile phone. The driver suffered a broken nose and other injuries. Both men had no prior convictions. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on Hillick, ordering him to engage with the Probation Service for two years, attend all appointments, and undergo a full mental health review. Matthews had previously received a similar suspended sentence. The court noted the teenagers' intoxication and the driver's role as a "blameless member of society" who was simply doing his job. The sentencing reflected concerns about the youths' drug use and the need for rehabilitation rather than custodial punishment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a consecutive four‑year sentence on 25‑year‑old Gerard Hughes of Tallaght for a robbery and endangerment that took place on Crumlin Road on 28 July 2019. Hughes left the passenger seat of a white car, seized a woman's handbag, and, after she resisted, dragged her alongside the vehicle for 30 metres. CCTV footage showed the incident, and a medical report recorded grazing scratches and a chipped tooth on the victim. Hughes pleaded guilty, was already serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for earlier offences, and had a history of drug use. The court noted the seriousness of the robbery and the victim's bravery, and, after considering mitigating factors, ordered the four‑year term to run consecutively to his existing sentence.
Three men – Glen Keegan (41), Karl Keegan (31) and Thomas McAllister (48) – pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm to two men in an attack on a car at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, on 25 April 2017. The incident occurred while children were present on a busy Dublin road. The men were not directly involved in the underlying dispute between two families but agreed to participate. Gardaí investigated the scene, finding a maroon car that had crashed into an orange car, with the assailants wearing balaclavas and carrying implements. The victims sustained superficial cuts; an ambulance was called and the children were taken home. The case was adjourned to 6 March 2023 for probation reports. The men's prior convictions and the circumstances of their involvement were presented in court, but no sentencing outcome was given in the article.
The High Court ordered a Criminal Assets Bureau receiver to take control of a west Dublin property near Tallaght that was deemed to be the proceeds of drug‑trafficking by cartel boss Daniel Kinahan. The receiver, Mr Kevin McMeel, was appointed under Section 7 of the Criminal Assets Bureau Act to sell the house on the open market and manage the €3,850 found there. The property, a five‑bedroom house at Coldwater Lakes in Saggart, was valued at €750‑800k in 2013 and was found uninhabited when CAB visited on 25 October 2022. No respondent claimed ownership. The receiver will hold the sale proceeds in a nominated bank account and, after seven years, the funds will be forfeited to the State. The court noted that CAB had served papers on Kinahan and Thomas Kavanagh, who were aware of the proceedings but had not contested the order.
Bernard Nugent, 56, of Castletymon Court, Tallaght, pleaded guilty on 19 April 2008 to possession of drugs for sale or supply after transporting €200,000 worth of heroin 14 years earlier. The case was delayed due to fitness to plead issues. Garda surveillance tracked a car from Munster to Dublin, which stopped at the Red Cow Hotel car park. Nugent's van arrived, and a brown bag containing 1 kg of diamorphine was transferred between vehicles. Nugent was arrested, interviewed five times, and claimed he was instructed to move the bag to reduce a drug debt. He has 23 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and a drug possession conviction from 2001. One co‑accused died before the trial; the other two received suspended seven‑year sentences in 2009. The court heard that Nugent acted under instruction and feared for his life. He was a heroin addict at the time but is now drug‑free.
Rebecca Yeats, 21, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 13 November 2020. A 999 call, believed to have been made by Yeats, led Gardaí to search her Tallaght apartment, where they found 952 g of cannabis worth €19,040. Yeats admitted possession and claimed addiction issues and a drug debt. She was arrested, interviewed, and admitted responsibility. Judge Elma Sheahan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, ordered Yeats to be placed under Probation Services supervision for 12 months, with strict conditions including random drug testing. The judge noted Yeats's continued cannabis use and moderate risk of re‑offending, and set a headline sentence of three years, but left the final custodial decision pending further mitigation. The case was adjourned to 10 November 2023.