Kuong Lo Leong, 53, a taxi driver from Dublin, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to possession of €500,842 worth of cannabis. The drugs were delivered in four separate packages to four different vehicles. Garda Stephen Gillespie said Lo Leong was caught after a surveillance operation set up following a tip‑off. The first haul was €117,762, the second €134,874, the third €231,634 and the final package was just over a kilogram worth €16,572. Lo Leong admitted he had been instructed by "Chinese people" to deliver the drugs and that he was motivated by debt, including a loan‑shark debt, and a promise of €200 per delivery. He had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the guilty plea, the defendant's cooperation and lack of criminal record, and imposed the six‑year sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former soldier Graham Hayes, aged 33, was given a fully suspended 32‑month prison sentence for possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply. Hayes was caught when Gardaí stopped him beside a silver car whose boot he had just opened, revealing €10,683 worth of drugs and a stun gun. He fled but was chased and apprehended. The judge noted that Hayes' role was limited to holding the drugs and that this was his first offence of this type. He had previously been discharged from the army after a positive random drug test and had built a drug debt of €20,000. The sentence was suspended on the condition that he keep the peace for the period and engage with drug intervention services. The court heard he had four prior convictions for road traffic offences. The case was prosecuted by Sinead McMullan BL and defended by Sarah‑Jane O'Callaghan BL. Graham Hayes pleaded guilty.
A man convicted of perverting the course of justice in connection with a 2013 dissident Republican murder has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Raymond Kennedy was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment in May 2022 after the Special Criminal Court found him guilty of destroying a mobile phone SIM card on the day Peter Butterly was shot dead at Gormanston, County Meath. Kennedy's legal team argued he was unlawfully detained when gardaí instructed him to remain at the scene and that he should have been cautioned before making admissions about the device. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel contended Kennedy approached gardaí voluntarily and was afforded procedural fairness, including the option of a formal interview at a station. Justice John Edwards reserved judgment on the appeal. Four men have previously received life sentences for Mr Butterly's murder. Raymond Kennedy pleaded not guilty.
Karl Brown, 45, of Belgard Heights, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to stealing more than €6,000 worth of DJ equipment from a van parked outside DjBox in Coolock Industrial Estate on 22 February 2018. CCTV showed him opening the van's rear doors before 6 a.m., using a trolley to unload cases, and carrying the items out of sight. The stolen items included 24 sets of lights (€3,600), 15 laptop stands, and two amplifiers, with a total value of €6,675. Brown was arrested months later and admitted the theft. All equipment was recovered except the two amps worth €1,700. He has 22 prior convictions. In court, his counsel noted his long heroin addiction and recent progress in recovery, as well as his caregiving responsibilities for his mother and father. Brown brought €500 in compensation. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years, suspended in full.
Zara McCabe, 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking a homeless man she mistakenly believed had raped a woman she knew. The incident occurred on Fleet Street, Dublin 2, on 4 November 2020. McCabe, a mother of five with 21 prior convictions and a history of alcohol and mental health problems, was highly intoxicated that night. She attacked the victim for 30 minutes, later searching his pockets for a phone to photograph him. The victim was taken to hospital but discharged the next day and died by suicide a week later. No medical report was available. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced McCabe to 150 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term, noting the seriousness of her actions and the victim's unfortunate life. The court highlighted McCabe's remorse and her recent employment, while acknowledging her ongoing family and health challenges.
Brian Kelly, aged 60 and a survivor of the Stardust fire, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to transporting €159,922 worth of cannabis in his van on 12 March 2020. He claimed he was acting to help his nephew, who owed €30,000 in drug debt, and believed the nephew was in personal danger. Gardaí had surveillance of Kelly's van at Vernon Loughran's house, where they seized a large brown box containing eight vacuum‑packed packages and two mobile phones, one a burner phone. Loughran, aged 59, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and cocaine worth €840,000 after a search of his home. He was sentenced to six years in prison, with the final twelve months suspended. Both defendants had no prior convictions and showed remorse, factors considered by Judge Melanie Greally in determining their sentences. The court noted Kelly's family circumstances, his role in animal welfare, and his recovery from drug addiction.
Kyle Walsh, 30, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary and making a threat at his former partner's home on 30 December 2019. In a "spasm of jealousy," he threw a brick at the door, entered the house, and threatened to kill her before leaving. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as frightening and serious, noting Walsh's lack of prior convictions and that the incident had not recurred. He acknowledged mitigation through Walsh's plea, cooperation and good work history, but considered the seriousness of the conduct. Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, suspended in full, and ordered Walsh to avoid unnecessary contact with the victim. The court warned that any further harassment would result in imprisonment. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Daniel Kerins, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply in St Ronan's Crescent, Clondalkin, on 25 November 2019. He had previously been convicted three times for drug possession. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, set up a surveillance operation in Donomore, Tallaght, on the day of the offence. Kerins was seen entering a taxi, travelling to St Ronan's Crescent, exiting with a package, and then entering another vehicle with a co‑accused. Both were arrested and the package contained €69,993 of cocaine. Kerins' role was to transport the drugs to pay a €7,500 drug debt; the co‑accused was to break down and sell them. The court heard Kerins was in the throes of drug addiction, had attended residential treatment, and had not reoffended since the offence. Judge Melanie Greally, satisfied that Kerins had been pressured to act as a courier, imposed a suspended three‑year sentence.
Niall Smyth, aged 30, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service for his role in a 2019 incident of "wanton thuggery" in Tallaght. He was one of six men who entered a garden on Dromcarra Avenue, smashed the windows of a Mini car parked in the driveway, and then smashed the downstairs window of a house. Smyth was the only member whose face was visible on CCTV, which identified him. He pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage. The incident stemmed from an altercation between Smyth's family and another family. The victims did not cooperate with Gardaí and did not give a victim impact statement. Smyth had no prior convictions except two old road traffic offences in 2011, and he was described as extremely remorseful. Judge Melanie Greally noted his lack of previous convictions, his work ethic, and employment history before ordering the community service.
John Kane, a 52‑year‑old former administrator for a family‑owned heating and plumbing business, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for stealing nearly €180,000 from his employer, Gerard Fox. Between 10 April 2017 and 4 June 2019, Kane stole amounts ranging from a few hundred euros to over €3,000 on 18 occasions, with the indictment comprising 66 theft charges and a total taken of €176,914. He admitted to spending up to €1,300 a day on gambling, claiming VIP treatment from bookies. During an audit in 2019, missing funds were discovered, and further investigation revealed that Kane had increased his own wages, paid himself twice weekly, under‑declared for tax, and made unauthorized payments, including €4,000 holiday pay. He had 37 prior convictions, including a 2012 three‑year sentence for similar thefts. John Kane pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 18 October 2022, Christopher Carthy, aged 25, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a young woman who was unconscious near a LUAS stop on 1 April 2021. The victim, a vulnerable person in her 20s, had been drinking since about 10 am and was taken home by friends. She later told Gardaí she remembered nothing between sitting at the LUAS stop and speaking to a female Garda. A witness saw Carthy approaching her, speaking to her, and later returning to find him on top of her, touching her groin. Gardaí dragged Carthy away. Carthy claimed he was so drunk he was oblivious to his behaviour. The court found his actions "gravely reprehensible" and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, noting he had no prior convictions for sexual violence and was unlikely to reoffend. The victim's impact statement described feeling down and struggling to sleep, blaming herself for the assault.
A father of five was jailed for four years after a jury found him guilty of two counts of child cruelty for attacking his partner's toddler, who was left with extensive bruising and required two days of hospital treatment. The toddler, aged two and a half at the time, suffered injuries to his face, ears, back, buttocks, thighs and genital area, and was described by his grandmother as looking like a child from an ISPCC ad. The man, who had 43 prior convictions including assault, was seen threatening the child on four occasions. He maintains his innocence. The mother, aged 21 when the assault occurred, received a three‑year suspended sentence in 2020 for allowing the abuse. The judge noted the child's vulnerability and the man's criminal record, and gave credit for time already served. The sentence runs concurrently on both counts.
The High Court granted the Criminal Assets Bureau a Section 3 order to seize a five‑bedroom luxury mansion in Saggart, west Dublin, which the court deemed to be proceeds of crime linked to cartel boss Daniel Kinahan, 45. The property, valued at €750,000 in 2013 and likely worth more now, was described as "effectively owned" by Kinahan. In an affidavit, Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland alleged that Kinahan sanctioned several murders in the Hutch/Kinahan feud and was involved in drug trafficking, weapons importation and money laundering. CAB presented evidence that Kinahan had lived in the house, including a passport and a Ryanair boarding pass in his name, and that €3,850 in cash was found in a hidden compartment. The court was satisfied that Kinahan and Thomas "Bomber" Kavanagh were in control of the property and the cash, that they had been duly served, and that no evidence of a contrary claim was presented.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda David Jennings explained that Amanda Fitzgerald, a 39‑year‑old mother of five, was coerced by painters to provide her bank details and mobile phone access. The painters, who had increased the quoted cost of a kitchen painting from €250 to €500, demanded payment through her account. After Fitzgerald supplied the information, the details were passed to a west Dublin gang that used her account to receive €3,100 of money stolen from another woman's bank account via a "smishing" text. From Fitzgerald's account, €2,400 was moved to a Revolut account and €700 was withdrawn in cash. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to money laundering on 21 January 2021. Judge Elma Sheahan discharged her from the charge, imposing a six‑month bond to keep the peace under the Probation Act, citing the duress she faced and her role as a mother.
Brian Mullen, aged 77, was convicted by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February 2022 of assaulting John Wayne with a pitchfork during a dispute over the demolition of a boundary wall. The assault took place on 13 April 2019 at Wayne's address and caused facial injury and a fractured leg. Mullen was also found guilty of production of an article and endangerment at the same address on the same date. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and had no prior convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a fully suspended custodial sentence of 20 months, conditioned on Mullen having no contact with the victim. The judge cited his age, remorse, good record and the €10,000 he brought to court as a demonstration of remorse. The court noted that Mullen had contacted Gardaí twice before the incident and again on the day of the assault, and that he accepted the jury verdict and expressed remorse.
Stephen Casey, 39, of Brookview Drive, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a December 12, 2019 raid on his home. Garda Padraig Rowan reported that officers executed a search warrant, finding several kilo bars of cannabis resin, baggies, and a weighing scale in a shed. The drugs were estimated to be worth €44,000. Casey admitted responsibility, claiming he had accumulated a drug debt from cocaine use and had agreed to split the cannabis into bags without realizing its value. He had prior convictions for possession for personal use and cultivation of cannabis. His counsel, Kathleen Noctor SC, argued that Casey was a good father and that imprisonment would harm his family, citing a social worker's testimonial. Judge Martin Nolan, impressed by the evidence, suspended a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term.
Dean Kelly, 46, was sentenced to eight months in jail for falsifying passport information. He acted as a "donor", allowing a passport application to be made in his name for a senior member of a British organised crime group. The application was submitted on 9 March 2020 after Kelly had visited Tallaght Garda Station on 2 March to obtain a certificate of identity. The photo on the application and the Public Service Card were of another person, identified as a Liverpool crime group member. Garda Detective Padraig Hanley testified that the Passport Service had been contacted in July 2020 about the application, and that calls about its status were likely made by a facilitator. Kelly had 45 prior convictions, including 12 thefts, and was already serving a separate sentence. The judge noted that the passport was never issued or used, but that the scheme was intended for nefarious purposes. The eight‑month term will run consecutively with his existing sentence. Dean Kelly pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 28 July 2022, a mother was found guilty of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to her 18‑month‑old twin sons after she drenched one in boiling water and threatened to kill her children and herself. She also pleaded guilty to producing a large kitchen knife capable of inflicting serious injury, to unlawfully intimidating another person, and to falsely imprisoning a female social worker. The court heard that the social worker, who was supervising the boys in foster care, was locked out of the house and forced to hold the children to safety while the mother poured hot water over one son. The mother was admitted to psychiatric care in Tallaght Hospital and the boy was treated at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, where he sustained permanent scarring. The court noted that the mother had no prior convictions but had been detained under the Mental Health Act.
David Hogan, 31, an electrician whose life had unraveled, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for aggravated burglary and drug possession. On 22 March 2021 he and another man broke into a family home at The Gallops, Leopardstown, armed with a wheel brace, shouting threats and demanding the homeowner's son. Six days later, Hogan and two others returned; the homeowner closed the door, but they again threatened the occupants and damaged the car. Gardaí later found over €45,000 of drugs in Hogan's possession at Russell Crescent, Tallaght. Hogan pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, burglary and possession of drugs for sale or supply. Judge Melanie Greally noted the high level of threat and aggression, the family's intimidation, and Hogan's prior life as a qualified electrician. She imposed an eight‑year sentence, suspended the final two years, and back‑dated it to 31 March 2021 when he entered custody.
Graham Dwyer, convicted of the 2012 murder of Elaine O'Hara, has secured a December 1 date to appeal his conviction in the Court of Appeal. Dwyer's legal team, represented by Brian Gageby BL, stated they are finalizing submissions to argue that his conviction should be quashed following a recent Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling. The CJEU determined that the indiscriminate retention of mobile phone data for criminal investigations breaches EU law. This data was central to the evidence against Dwyer, used to track his movements and contacts with O'Hara. Mr Justice George Birmingham, President of the Court of Appeal, set the hearing date but warned it could change if submissions are not filed this week. Dwyer, a 49-year-old architect, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in 2015. He had previously appealed on the grounds that the use of mobile phone metadata under the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act was unconstitutional and breached his privacy rights. While the High Court ruled in his favor, the State appealed, leading to the CJEU referral. In a separate recent case, Mr Justice Tony Hunt rejected similar arguments in the trial of Wayne Cooney, who was convicted of murdering Jordan Davis, stating that EU privacy rights do not trump considerations in serious crime investigations. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the hearing scheduled for December 1.
Lee Swift, 28, was jailed for three and a half years after raiding a convenience store on Kimmage Road Lower in Terenure three times in one week. The third raid saw Swift in the shop when staff called the Gardaí; he threatened officers Brendan Stynes and Jason O'Carroll with a knife, forcing them to retreat. Additional Gardaí were called, and Swift was arrested after a brief pursuit. He pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery between 4 and 8 August 2021. The court found €455 in cash and over €2,400 in cigarettes and tobacco were stolen. Swift has 258 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, but also criminal damage and theft. He has a history of chronic drug abuse and a heart attack at 18. The judge noted his long offending history and handed down a five‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on conditions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Francis Kelly, aged 33, was sentenced to a suspended 32‑month term for possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale. Kelly, who had a near‑death experience after an overdose in 2020, has since stopped using drugs and has undergone a profound personality change, according to a clinical psychologist. He now studies computer programming and intends to pursue third‑level education. The drugs, valued at €8,400, were seized in a Saggart carpark after a Garda report. Kelly pleaded guilty to two counts of possession for supply on 4 May 2018 and has 35 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences. The judge noted his educational progress and the absence of further Garda attention, and imposed the suspended sentence on a number of conditions.
Gerard Hughes, 25, was sentenced to one year in prison for criminal damage after smashing 21 doors at Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Dublin, in September 2018, causing over €7,000 in damage. He received an additional 18‑month consecutive sentence for possessing cannabis for sale, found at his home in March 2021. Witnesses, including security officer Conor Flynn, reported Hughes breaking hotel doors and attempting to smash a safe with a fire extinguisher. The hotel paid €7,717 for repairs, and an office was broken into with keys later found on Hughes. Hughes admitted the acts, expressed remorse, and cited the murder of his brother a year earlier as a distressing factor. He has 81 prior convictions, including drug offences, and was on bail for the criminal damage charge at the time of sentencing. The judge back‑dated the sentences to May 21, when Hughes entered custody for a separate robbery and endangerment matter. Gerard Hughes pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2022, CAB officers seized an Audi Q7, more than €74,000 in cash and luxury goods from the home of Anthony McKeever (39) and his partner Adrienne Shepard (36). The couple had admitted to multiple counts of laundering crime cash. €40,000 was found hidden in a kitchen extractor fan, with additional cash concealed in a pillow, bedroom cabinet, wardrobe and other locations. McKeever was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of possessing the proceeds of crime between 21 March 2004 and 26 July 2020. Shepard received a suspended one‑year sentence after admitting possession of the proceeds on several dates in 2020, with the sentence suspended on the condition of good behaviour for a year.
Stephen Hearns, a former nightclub doorman, was found in possession of a video showing a girl of about 13 years old fully naked and engaging in explicit sexual behaviour. The video was sent to him in a 2015 WhatsApp group chat that also included other participants. Garda Stephen Kinneavy testified that Hearns had expressed liking the video and requested more. The footage surfaced during a global child‑abuse investigation that led to a search of a property in Swords, Co. Dublin, and the seizure of several mobile phones and computers. The operation ultimately resulted in the 2018 conviction of the primary suspect, Maddy Grant. Hearns admitted to joining the group but denied any physical contact with children. He was given a fully suspended one‑year prison sentence, and his security licence was revoked.
Wayne Cooney, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jordan Davis and possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, was sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt. The judge imposed the mandatory life imprisonment term for the murder, describing Cooney as an "extremely dangerous individual" who should not be considered for release until that danger is negated. He further sentenced Cooney to 13 years each for the firearm and ammunition possession, with these terms running concurrently with the life sentence. The court heard that Cooney has 21 previous convictions. Mr Justice Hunt criticized recurring legal arguments regarding CCTV privacy as a "shocking waste of public money," urging the Court of Appeal to rule on the matter. Although the defense indicated the jury's verdict is likely to be appealed, the sentencing hearing itself was not adjourned. The judge noted that the prosecution alleged Davis owed €70,000 to a local drug dealer, and that Cooney fired eight times, striking Davis three times. The judge emphasized that Davis had a right to life, despite his alleged involvement in crime, and praised An Garda Síochána for their investigation.
Barry Fowler, aged 37, of Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for supplying drugs after he had recently finished serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for possession of drugs and a submachine gun. On 24 May 2021, Garda surveillance in Tallaght led to Fowler and a co‑accused being monitored. The co‑accused was seen placing an item into a car boot before driving off in a taxi; Fowler was seen taking the car keys and attempting to discard them before being arrested. Gardaí searched the vehicle and found a bag containing €134 000 worth of cannabis. Fowler pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs. He had completed a conflict‑resolution course while in prison and had received letters of support from friends, family and his employer. His sister noted his ongoing battle with cocaine addiction and mental health issues.
Glen Stankard, 26, was jailed for two and a half years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He drove a van that contained 25 packages of cannabis weighing 24.8 kg, valued at €496,384, and €6,000 in cash. Garda Detective Peter Ronan testified that Stankard moved the drugs from one van to another during a surveillance operation, wearing the insignia of a courier company he had previously worked for. Stankard admitted he had been asked to move the drugs to reduce a debt and was aware that something illegal was being moved, but did not know the contents. The judge imposed a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to six years with the final three and a half years suspended, and directed Stankard to follow Probation Services for two years after release. The court noted his low‑level role, his rehabilitation efforts, and the high value of the drugs as aggravating factors.
Wayne Cooney, aged 31, was found guilty of murdering drug dealer Jordan Davis, 22, by shooting him three times with a 9mm pistol while Davis was pushing his four‑month‑old son in a pram. The jury, after just over three hours, concluded that Cooney had circled Davis for three days before firing eight shots, killing him instantly. Cooney was remanded in custody pending a hearing where the victim's family will speak before a life sentence is imposed. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, DNA on a glove, and mobile phone records linking Cooney to the scene and to a drug dealer named CD, who had warned Davis of impending violence. Cooney denied being the shooter and argued that the evidence had "large holes." The case remains subject to appeal. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.
Ryan Kelly, 32, and Anthony Walker, 52, are accused of possessing a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of .38 Special ammunition each, with the incidents occurring on 11 November 2021 and 23 November 2021 respectively. Both are also charged with knowledge of a criminal organisation and participation or contribution that could facilitate a serious offence, violating Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act. The State's ex‑parte application succeeded, and the trials will be heard before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court, with the matter adjourned to 11 July.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt directed a jury that if they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that 31‑year‑old Wayne Cooney murdered Jordan Davis, they could find him guilty of the lesser offence of impeding the murder investigation. The judge explained that Cooney was seen on CCTV at Belcamp Lane about 5.20 pm, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes after the shooting, retrieving a body warmer that the alleged shooter had left there. He noted that the shooter disposed of the body warmer in a 40‑second window when off‑camera, and Cooney's retrieval took almost the same time, suggesting he had knowledge of the item's location. Hunt said that if Cooney was not the shooter, he must have had information that led him to the laneway. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 July 2022, Mr Justice Tony Hunt instructed a jury that the key question was whether Wayne Cooney, 31, was the cyclist who shot Jordan Davis, 22, on 22 May 2019. Cooney, who lives on Glenshane Drive, Tallaght, had pleaded not guilty to the murder, to possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol, and to possession of ammunition in circumstances implying unlawful use. The prosecution alleged Cooney stalked Davis for three days, fired eight bullets that hit Davis three times, and that Davis owed €70,000 to a local drug dealer, the brother of Cooney's former girlfriend. Cooney denied being the cyclist, and his barrister said the case had "large holes" and did not prove beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Justice Hunt told the jury to focus on proving Cooney's identity as the shooter and to disregard other matters. The judge would resume his charge on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC presented a case that Wayne Cooney, 31, is either guilty of murdering 22‑year‑old Jordan Davis or is the "most unlucky person ever." Condon cited CCTV showing a cyclist, described as athletic with darkish skin, who allegedly fired eight bullets at 4 pm, then dumped a bike and later returned with a body warmer. He linked the cyclist to a phone number ending in 166, associated with Cooney, and to a local drug dealer who had threatened Davis. Condon also referenced DNA on gloves and a bicycle found near the scene, claiming they matched Cooney's DNA and firearm residue. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC argued that the prosecution's evidence contained "huge holes," questioning the reliability of CCTV identification, the DNA transfer, and the phone‑number link, and noting that other Gardaí did not identify Cooney in the footage. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.
In a 2022 court hearing, former Garda Stephen Cooper (37) and accomplice Stephen McGrath (37) were sentenced for drug‑ and alcohol‑fuelled assaults on two women. Cooper forced a woman to undergo a "strip search" after claiming she stole drugs, threatened her, and inserted his fingers into her body. McGrath then violently assaulted a second woman, kicking, punching, and tearing her hair, while both men threatened to take her to the mountains and bury her. They attempted to place her in a van, but she resisted and was ultimately left in the footwell. Cooper pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the first woman and to threats against the second, while McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, sexual assault, and weapon production. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence for Cooper's assault and a three‑year sentence for the threats, to run consecutively.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Wayne Cooney, aged 31, denied murdering 22‑year‑old Jordan Davis. Cooney claimed he had donated a pair of North Face gloves, which were found near the shooting site and contained firearms residue and his DNA, to a clothing collection company. He expressed remorse for the death but insisted he was the wrong person. Gardai questioned him about his presence in Darndale before and during the shooting, his possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition, and his alleged appearance on CCTV footage. Cooney denied being in the area, owning a firearm or ammunition, and being the cyclist seen on CCTV. He also denied that his DNA was found on the bicycle. The court heard forensic evidence of nine spent 9mm cartridges and two casings, identified as from a Glock‑type pistol, and the trial proceeded before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of twelve. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
Karl Cummins, 29, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a four‑month suspended sentence for dangerous driving after he forced a Garda patrol car to take evasive action in Tallaght in 2017. Cummins, who has 65 prior convictions including 15 for dangerous driving and was banned from driving for 16 years in 2015, pleaded guilty to the offence at Fettercairn Ring Road on 21 July 2017. During the sentencing hearing in March, the court heard that Cummins had turned his life around, had brought €500 to the court as a token of remorse, and had been engaged in voluntary work. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the sentence in full on the condition that Cummins engage with the Probation Service for 12 months and disqualified him from driving for eight years. The case was brought by Detective Garda David Jennings, who described the pursuit and the car's evasive manoeuvre.
A trial date has been set for Christina Anderson, 39, who is accused of murdering Gareth Kelly, 39, on 25 February 2020. Anderson will appear at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on 28 November. Mr Justice Paul McDermott fixed the date and ordered the case to return for case management and updates on 22 July. Anderson is charged with murder after Kelly, who was trying to jump‑start his car to go to work, was stabbed and died on the street. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
A Dublin High Court hearing on 24 June 2022 heard that a man convicted of Islamic terrorism offences in France, Youcef Madani, should not be extradited to Paris because the conditions at Villepinte remand centre are alleged to be inhumane. Thomas Horan BL argued that the centre was overcrowded, with 979 inmates in a facility designed for 583, and that prisoners lacked showers and were sleeping on mattresses on the floor. He further contended that the European Arrest Warrant issued by the French prosecutor did not provide "effective judicial protection" and that Madani had not been given an opportunity to challenge the warrant. Horan also noted that French courts had convicted Madani in his absence in 2001 and would offer a retrial if he were returned, implying that his right to defence was not met. The State's counsel, Elva Duffy SC, was scheduled to respond on 13 July.
In a Dublin murder trial, a woman from Coolock, Kirsty Darby, testified that she saw a strange man on an orange push bike around her estate for three days in May 2019, before a neighbour, Jordan Davis, was shot dead by a man on a bike. Darby described the cyclist as broad, tall, with sallow skin, wearing gloves, a jacket and a hat, and noted he was "hanging around" and "going round in circles." She claimed she had not seen him before May 20 and not after May 22, the day of the shooting. The prosecution alleges that Wayne Cooney, 31, of Glenshane Drive, Tallaght, was the cyclist and is charged with murder, possession of a 9mm pistol and ammunition. The case is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of eight men and four women. The trial is ongoing. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial, Sandra Davis, mother of 22‑year‑old Jordan Davis, testified that her son was involved in drug dealing. She said he began buying expensive clothing and traveling to Amsterdam, and that he always had large amounts of cash. Davis recalled that Jordan's partner became pregnant and he bought a buggy costing over €1,500, which she said was all his money. She also described receiving threatening text messages and witnessing men searching her garden in March 2019, after which the windows of her house were smashed. Davis admitted that Jordan had been friends with Sean Little, who was shot dead a day before Jordan. Wayne Cooney, 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jordan Davis, to possession of a 9mm pistol, and to possession of ammunition. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of eight men and four women.
Seamus Robert, 61, of Tallaght, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for indecent assault and unlawful assault against two girls, aged about six, between 1982 and 1988. Robert, who worked with the homeless, lured the girls into his home to play with his kittens before sexually assaulting them. One victim, who cannot be named, testified that the abuse disrupted her emotional, social and educational development, describing a prison in her mind. She reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2016 and named a childhood friend as a possible witness. Robert pleaded guilty before his trial began and had no prior convictions. The judge described his conduct as "grossly reprehensible" and imposed a five‑year sentence.
In the Central Criminal Court, witness Ms Stacey Hayes denied that she was pressured to make a false allegation against Wayne Cooney. She said she had picked up Cooney from a bus stop in Darndale after Jordan Davis was shot dead nearby, driving with Cooney's girlfriend, EF, in the passenger seat. Hayes claimed she had met Cooney twice before and knew of his tattoo. Cooney, 31, pleaded not guilty to Davis's murder and to possession of a 9mm pistol and ammunition. Hayes told the prosecution that she had no criminal convictions and that Cooney had entered her car on the day in question. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The article also reports that Dr Margot Bolster gave evidence on the fatal gunshot wounds to Davis.
In a murder trial, a jury watched CCTV footage showing 22‑year‑old Jordan Davis being shot while pushing a pram with his four‑month‑old son through a lane between a church and a national school in Darndale. The footage, examined by Detective Sergeant Eoin Colbert, shows Davis entering the cul‑de‑sac at 3.28 pm, leaving at 3.50 pm, and walking with a friend to the lane at 3.59 pm. A figure on a bicycle approached from behind at that time, and a young child was also cycling through the lane. Davis is seen falling to the ground as the shooting occurs. The prosecution alleges that 31‑year‑old Wayne Cooney, who lives on Glenshane Drive in Tallaght, was the person on the bicycle who shot Davis. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a barrister presented evidence that a drug dealer warned a man named Jordan Davis that he would be killed soon, with the phrase "soon, very soon, bang bang." The defendant, Wayne Cooney, 31, denies murdering Davis, 22, who was shot while pushing a pram in Darndale on 22 May 2019. CCTV footage shows Davis being shot repeatedly by Cooney. Cooney also faces charges of possessing a 9mm pistol and ammunition. The prosecution will argue that the warning from the dealer was a death threat. Additional evidence includes DNA linking Cooney to gloves found at the scene, which contained firearm residue. The trial, expected to last up to four weeks, will continue before a jury and Justice Tony Hunt. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.
Emergency legislation passed in response to the Covid crisis has prevented a hotel barman with 15 years of service from claiming redundancy, according to a ruling by the Workplace Relations Commission. Brian Mathias was laid off in January 2020 when his hotel closed for refurbishment, two months before the first lockdown. Despite being out of work for over two years, his attempts to claim redundancy have been blocked by the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020. The WRC heard that the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght, Dublin, has remained closed since the lockdown began. Mr Mathias submitted a claim to the WRC, arguing that he was laid off before the pandemic and should be eligible for redundancy. However, the adjudication officer found that the amendment to the Redundancy Payments Act, introduced by the Emergency Measures Act, prevents employees laid off during the emergency period from claiming redundancy.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Christopher Lambe, 32, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Ms Julie Piggot. On 24 January 2021, Ms Piggot was awakened at 5 am by a banging on a downstairs window. She saw a man in a woollen hat, thought it was her partner, and after checking on her children, opened the front door. Lambe grabbed her from the doorway, pressed something into her side, and forced her across the road to an unfamiliar apartment. While she knocked on the door, Lambe shouted that he would stab her and then fled. CCTV footage identified Lambe and captured him saying, "I will cut the neck of ya." Gardaí arrested him at Tallaght Garda Station. He had 86 prior convictions. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted his remorse and family background but sentenced him to 18 months in prison, citing the threat and the influence of alcohol. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Valentin Bulgaru, a 33‑year‑old Romanian national, was arrested in Dublin on 31 July 2021 after Gardaí found €104,905 in cash in his car. He pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. Garda Brian McDermott described how Bulgaru was seen driving around the shopping centre, handling an object in the passenger seat, and later revealing the cash was intended to buy a truck in Belgium. Prosecutor Oisin Clarke noted that Bulgaru had accrued a €9,000 debt to a criminal gang and agreed to launder money to pay €3,500 of that debt. Defence lawyer Rónán Prendergast said Bulgaru had lived in the UK for one or two years, worked as a truck driver, and had minimal ties to Ireland, visiting only to collect the money. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended and a five‑year ban on re‑entry to Ireland.
Feri Anghel, a 43‑year‑old Romanian gypsy, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old construction worker who was found badly beaten in Sean Walsh Memorial Park, Tallaght, on 13 April 2018. The court noted that Bob had been lured to the park after a casino win of about €2,700, which he had largely sent to his family in Romania. Anghel had a history of violent offences, including attempted murder, and had 24 prior convictions across Romania, France and Ireland. CCTV footage and forensic evidence showed a brutal attack involving stamping and blunt‑force trauma that caused Bob's death. Anghel pleaded not guilty but was unanimously convicted by a jury after a trial that lasted two days. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence, backdated to Anghel's arrest on 18 April 2018, and highlighted the role of CCTV in the prosecution's case.
Jonathan Reid, 28, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with the final two years suspended for three years, after stabbing Greg Shiels, his mother's partner, in the neck during a drug‑induced psychosis on 6 March 2020. The attack was described as unprovoked and extremely violent, causing serious injury to Shiels, who was taken to Naas Hospital and later Tallaght Hospital for surgery. Reid pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm and to possession of cocaine and cannabis, leading the Director of Public Prosecutions to drop the attempted murder charge. He has no prior convictions, has a history of mental health problems linked to drug use, and has been offered addiction counselling through the Peter McVerry Trust upon release. The judge noted Reid's willingness to engage with his problems and his sincere remorse, which mitigated the sentence. The court emphasized the need for Reid to attend probation appointments and local drug‑addiction services.
Mark Taylor, aged 32, was sentenced to two years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for allowing himself to be carried in a stolen Nissan car on 3 December 2019. The car was stolen from a house in Orwell Park, Templeogue, crashed after theft, and was later recovered in Cabra. DNA from a glove, hat and Yop yoghurt bottle linked Taylor to the offence. The owner's victim impact report noted €20,000 purchase price and €14,000 damage. Taylor has 152 prior convictions, including traffic, drugs, assault, vehicle theft, burglary and endangerment. He has been in custody since October for a five‑year endangerment sentence. His defence argued a personal change after his twin brother's death, but the judge noted his behaviour was less culpable than earlier offences and did not extend his sentence beyond the two years imposed. The sentence is effective from the hearing date.