Larry Connors (32) and Michael Connors (34), both of Newbridge, Co Kildare, were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to assault causing harm at Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin, on December 21, 2024. The incident occurred in a pub restroom following a Tyson Fury boxing match, where the victim was assaulted after shouting "up Usyk." The victim sustained a chipped tooth, bruising, swelling, and cuts to his face. Both defendants were already serving sentences for affray imposed by Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court in February and had been due for release in November. Judge Martin Nolan noted that while Michael Connors initiated the incident by pushing the victim, Larry Connors used the greatest force. Both men brought €1,500 each to court. The judge imposed a sentence of 20 months on each defendant, with the final year suspended on conditions. These conditions require them to hand over the total €3,000 to the garda to be offered to the victim or, if not accepted, donated to charity. The court acknowledged their apologies and good work histories, noting they would return to stable situations upon release.
A man with 193 previous convictions, John Maughan, was given a fully suspended sentence for an attempted robbery that was described as 'heartless and cruel' by the judge. Maughan, 39, pleaded guilty to attempting to steal from a victim who was knocked to the ground during the incident. The court heard that he had not committed any offences in the past six years and had made 'exceptional' efforts to turn his life around. Judge Orla Crowe noted that while Maughan had a lesser role than his co-accused, he was present and twice attempted to steal from the victim. The judge described the victim's experience as being 'set upon and swirled around' by the group, highlighting a 'lack of humanity' and 'heartless and cruel' behaviour. The victim's impact statement was submitted but not read aloud. The judge acknowledged Maughan's difficult background, health issues, and rehabilitation efforts. She noted that his record and being on bail at the time would usually warrant a custodial sentence, but his recent behaviour was 'exceptional'.
A violent criminal with 123 previous convictions, Jordan Carroll, has been jailed for over three years for stabbing an English tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Carroll, who pleaded guilty to possession of a steak knife, assault causing harm, and violent disorder, was involved in an attack on a tourist celebrating a friend's birthday. The victim was stabbed after a verbal dispute, with Carroll retrieving a knife and lunging at him. Carroll's accomplices fled the scene, but a bloodstained knife was recovered. The court heard that Carroll had a traumatic upbringing marked by violence and criminal exposure. Despite his extensive criminal history, the judge reduced the headline sentence of six years to three years and nine months due to mitigation, including an early guilty plea and cooperation with gardaí. The victim's impact statement highlighted ongoing physical and psychological effects from the attack.
A pensioner who cultivated cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €50,000 has avoided a jail sentence. James Berkeley was caught growing cannabis in his Dublin home on two occasions in 2015 and 2017. The court heard that Berkeley had a sophisticated growing operation, including heating and water piping. He admitted cultivating the plants for his own use and said he used cannabis to help with his pain and depression. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychosis in the UK and has been self-medicating with cannabis. His defence highlighted his health issues and his good employment history. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Berkeley had set up a "sophisticated enough operation" but said there was no evidence he had profited from his actions. She suspended a three-year custodial sentence on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. James Berkeley pleaded guilty.
Stefano Gianluca Macari was jailed after pleading guilty to robbing and assaulting an American doctor in Dublin. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that he kicked the injured man and later lied about a child, family employment and testimonials used in mitigation. Judge Martina Baxter imposed seven years and three months, suspending the final three months subject to conditions including engagement with the Probation Service.
Michael McDonagh and Georgina McCarroll were sentenced after pleading guilty to demanding money with menaces from a German tourist in Temple Bar. McCarroll also admitted stealing his iPhone. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain imposed three years and six months on McCarroll and three years on McDonagh, suspending 18 months of each sentence and placing both under Probation Service supervision.
A 22-year-old man who cannot be named for legal reasons received a three-year term for a knife robbery at Dean Swift Square, Dublin 8. The court heard he and others assaulted a man, stole his phone and wallet, and left him with a deep calf wound. The term is consecutive to a nine-year sentence for a separate attack on a woman, with the final 12 months suspended. The unnamed 22-year-old pleaded guilty.
Lorcan Murphy, a former garda, was sentenced today at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of assault causing harm under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. Murphy had pleaded not guilty to the charges, but a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict last July. The incidents occurred on June 1, 2021, involving a 17-year-old victim on Essex Street and subsequently at Pearse Street Garda Station. Judge Pauline Codd described the force used as "unjustifiable" and "excessive," noting the victim sustained a fractured skull and brain contusion. In mitigation, the judge acknowledged Murphy's willingness to engage in restorative justice, though the victim declined to participate. She also accepted his remorse, references to his character, and the fact that he has since completed a law degree. Judge Codd imposed a three-year custodial sentence, with the final two years suspended for two years on strict conditions. The court made no order regarding €10,000 offered by Murphy to the victim, citing concerns about the victim's addiction. The judge emphasized that while Murphy acted recklessly rather than intentionally, his conduct was highly reckless and left his career in tatters.
Stephen Byrne (44) was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for aggravated burglary and threatening to kill a Carmelite brother at a retreat centre in Dublin. The incident occurred in April 2024 when Byrne broke into the Avila Carmelite Centre and threatened the 77-year-old brother with bolt cutters. The court heard that Byrne was identified through fingerprints and was arrested while on bail. He admitted to stealing €350 during the incident. Byrne, who has a history of addiction and homelessness, expressed remorse and wrote an apology letter. Judge Orla Crowe noted the severity of the crime and the terror experienced by the victim but considered mitigating factors, including Byrne's plea and his past contributions. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for two years on strict conditions. Stephen Byrne pleaded guilty.
Dean Teeling, 36, of Ballymun, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder and assault causing harm arising from a Mountjoy prison incident on December 18, 2018, and a separate assault causing harm during a knife attack on Fownes Street in Temple Bar on January 8, 2022. Teeling pleaded guilty to all charges. Judge Martin Nolan described the prison assault as "pretty savage" and imposed three-year custodial sentences for each offence, ordered to run consecutively, resulting in a total of six years. The court noted Teeling's history of offending, including prior knife assaults. Brad Dempsey, 24, of Crumlin, Dublin, also pleaded guilty to affray at Mountjoy prison for his involvement in the 2018 melee, where he allegedly kicked the victim. Judge Nolan sentenced Dempsey to 18 months imprisonment for this offence. Dempsey is currently serving an eight-year term for firearms offences imposed in 2022. The sentences for both defendants were finalized at this procedural stage.
Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old Garda of Pearse Street Station, was found guilty of two counts of assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Act after assaulting a 17‑year‑old on 1 June 2021. The attacks occurred on Essex Street and at Pearse Street Station. The victim, who suffered a fractured skull, testified that he was intoxicated, had no memory of the incident, and was later treated at Mater, Beaumont and James' Hospitals. CCTV footage showed Murphy approaching the victim, placing handcuffs, and performing a leg sweep that caused the victim's head to strike the ground. The jury, after 4 hours 20 minutes of deliberation, returned unanimous guilty verdicts. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to 3 November, remanded Murphy on continuing bail, and ordered a probation report and victim impact statement. No sentencing details were provided in the article. Lorcan Murphy pleaded not guilty.
Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old serving Garda from Pearse Street Garda Station, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. The alleged assaults occurred on 1 June 2021 at Essex Street, Dublin 2 and Pearse Street Garda Station, when the complainant, a 17‑year‑old, was reportedly brought to the ground, handcuffed, and then lifted onto his head, resulting in a fractured skull. The complainant spent five days in Beaumont Hospital and later testified that he could not recall the events, was drinking and smoking at the time, and had been taken to hospital after the incident. Mr. Murphy pleaded not guilty; the trial will continue tomorrow before a jury of eight men and four women, presided over by Judge Pauline Codd.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 4 July 2025, Stefano Gianluca Macari, 24, pleaded guilty to robbery and assault causing harm after he and two co‑accused attacked an American doctor in his 40s on 27 April 2023. Macari, a member of the Macari takeaway family, was caught by Gardaí with the victim's wallet and bank cards and had been in custody since June. He kicked the victim several times in the head while the trio stole cash and the wallet before fleeing. The victim suffered lacerations and bruising, declined hospital treatment, and was treated with temporary stitches. Macari's co‑accused received four‑ and five‑year sentences. The court noted Macari's 27 prior convictions and ordered a probation report, Governor's report and urine analysis for November, with the matter to be finalised then.
Connor Manning, 29, a repeat offender, had his eight‑month jail sentence replaced with a fully suspended term after an appeal. He had pleaded guilty to 15 offences, including robbery, theft, assault and public order. In August 2022 he assaulted a garda with a hurley, knocking her to the ground and lifting a nail from her nail bed, and later kicked a garda patrol vehicle's number plate before being arrested. In January 2023 he threatened to kill staff at a Circle K shop on Nassau Street if they pressed the panic alarm, stole alcohol and cigarettes on several occasions, and was also charged with punching a man in Temple Bar. In August 2024 he was racially abusive and threw a pack of cider at a worker in a Tesco store on Fleet Street.
Asiah Boudakhan, aged 20 and without a fixed address, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Temple Bar Square on 14 March 2024. CCTV footage showed her sitting on the victim's legs while restraining him, then punching him, and later another accomplice striking the victim with a bottle. The victim's injuries were described as relatively minor, and no medical report or victim impact statement was presented. Boudakhan was intoxicated at the time and had no prior convictions. Defence counsel noted her history of early drinking and homelessness. Judge Martin Nolan, recognising the victim's full recovery and Boudakhan's lack of a criminal record, imposed a 20‑month suspended sentence, suspending the entire term in full.
Glen Duff, 38, of Doon Court, Poppintree, Dublin 11, was given a further five‑year prison sentence for slashing a fellow inmate's face in Cloverhill Prison on 16 October 2021. He pleaded guilty to the assault and to a burglary of a pub on Great Strand Street, where the front door was smashed and €300 worth of alcohol was stolen. Duff already has over 200 previous convictions and is serving a six‑year sentence with the final 15 months suspended for two robberies in Temple Bar in 2022 and an earlier assault on a tourist. The court noted his history of violent attacks on tourists in Temple Bar and his long‑term institutional life. Judge Elva Duffy described him as a "menace to society" and said he was "lucky" to be charged only with Section 3 assault. The five‑year sentence was handed down with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
Liudmyla Budash, 46, a Ukrainian refugee, was found with €500,000 in cash and pleaded guilty to money laundering at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in July 2024. Judge Elva Duffy originally sentenced her to 15 months, reduced to two years, with nine months suspended. The Court of Appeal quashed the original term and, on 5 February 2025, Mr Justice Patrick MacGrath resentenced her to four and a half years in prison. He noted her active, premeditated role in moving large sums, her lack of prior convictions, and her status as a mother of three. The headline sentence was set at seven years before a two‑and‑a‑half‑year reduction, resulting in the final term. The case involved a Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau operation that seized the cash in Temple Bar on 12 April 2024. The appeal argued the initial sentence was too lenient, citing the seriousness of the offence and the amount involved.
Nikita Ronan, aged 29 and without a fixed abode, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a series of "wilfully violent" assaults in Dublin city centre during 2023. She had 134 prior convictions, including assault, theft, burglary, drugs and traffic offences. Between March and May 2023 she attacked a woman in the Morgan Hotel, assaulted a friend on Aston Quay and attempted to rob her handbag, and on Merchant's Quay she stole a phone and slashed a man's arm and head with a knife. She pleaded guilty to one count of assault, one count of assault causing harm, two counts of assault causing harm and theft of a phone. Judge Elva Duffy described her as a danger to others due to intoxication, imposed a sentence of three years and two months, and suspended the final eight months under conditions. The court noted her remorse, methadone programme and plans to live with her father upon release.
In a 2025 appeal, the State argued that the 15‑month sentence given to Ukrainian refugee Liudmyla Budash was too lenient. Budash, aged 46, pleaded guilty in July 2024 to a single money‑laundering offence after being caught in Temple Bar with a suitcase containing €491,955. Judge Elva Duffy had set a headline term of three and a half years, reduced to two years, and suspended nine months. The State, represented by Miska Hanahoe, claimed the headline term was too low, citing the amount of money, the sophisticated nature of the operation, and Budash's active role. Budash's counsel, Dominic McGinn, argued the sentence was appropriate, noting her lack of prior convictions and the desperate circumstances of her refugee status. The Court of Appeal will decide in early February.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Scott Cahill was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended on strict conditions, including probation supervision. Cahill, who had been on bail when he attacked British tourists in Temple Bar on 11 August 2023, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm. CCTV footage showed him punching three men and stamping on one's head. Two victims were taken to hospital, one with a broken nose and lacerations, the other with a cut to the back of the head. Victim impact statements described lasting physical injuries and psychological effects such as PTSD and hyper‑vigilance. Cahill has four prior convictions, was deemed high‑risk of re‑offending, and has not behaved well in custody since September 2023. The judge noted his guilty pleas, remorse, youth and reports from psychologists and probation staff as mitigating factors.
During a sentencing hearing, Judge Pauline Codd described Temple Bar as a "violent, post‑apocalyptic no‑go area" after a 25‑year‑old defendant, Jordan Maguire, was jailed for three and a half years for a "barbaric" assault on an innocent bystander. Maguire, who had previously pleaded guilty to assault on Bedford Row and to producing a cider can during that assault, was captured on CCTV punching, kicking, stomping and beating the victim with a cider can. Garda Michael Walsh testified that a different man had initially assaulted the victim but that this was not recorded. Maguire was sleeping rough in Dublin City Centre, had more than 50 prior convictions, and was already serving a sentence for two other assaults. Judge Codd noted the violence was mindless and senseless, and that Maguire had left the scene and returned with a cider can to strike the victim's head.
In the third day of evidence at a High Court civil trial, a woman named Nikita Hand testified that Conor McGregor and James Lawrence allegedly raped and battered her in a Dublin hotel on 8‑9 December 2018. Hand, who was intoxicated after a night of drinking and drug use, claimed she was pinned down and choked by McGregor in a penthouse suite at the Beacon hotel. She said she had been "brutally raped" and that a doctor later assessed her injuries as moderate to severe. Both McGregor and Lawrence denied the allegations. Hand's testimony included references to CCTV footage that she said contradicted her account, and she described her state as "drunk and very vulnerable." The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Soufiane Mountassir, 39, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment and assault causing harm after he forced his former partner into the boot of her own car and beat her for one hour and 40 minutes. The victim, who was his partner at the time, was subjected to repeated blows, was forced to drive to dark locations, and suffered injuries including blood on the steering wheel and gearstick. Mountassir, who was drinking, taking Dalmane, cocaine and smoking cannabis, claimed to be Moroccan and gave vague answers to Gardaí. He was also wanted in Germany for arson, for which a separate sentence of three years and one month had been imposed. The State argued the sentence was too lenient, citing the severity of the assault, the abduction, and the aggravating factors, while Mountassir's counsel maintained the judge had imposed an appropriate sentence. The Court of Appeal will reserve judgment. Soufiane Mountassir pleaded guilty.
A 24‑year‑old victim of a Temple Bar gang attack, who suffered slash wounds to his face and puncture wounds to his back, neck and arms, was left with permanent facial scarring and severe anxiety. He lost six months' earnings and now lives in constant worry, avoiding large gatherings. In a victim impact statement read by his partner, he described the assault as a "senseless act of violence" that shattered his life and left him with a "deep‑seated frustration" because most of the assailants are still free. Jordan Maguire, the only attacker identified from CCTV, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years and nine months' imprisonment. The court accepted that Maguire was not responsible for the most serious head and facial injuries, which required life‑saving surgery. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the gang attack.
In an appeal-stage report, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced a 16-year-old boy to a three-year period of detention for violent disorder and a concurrent two-year period for assault causing harm. The boy pleaded guilty to these charges following an unprovoked attack on four English tourists in Dublin's Temple Bar in August 2023. Prosecution evidence alleged the teenager punched a victim, dragged another to the ground, and stamped on the head of a third man who was already on the ground. The court heard the defendant has 18 previous convictions, including six for assault causing harm. While imposing the sentences, Judge Codd stated that if the offender were an adult, she would have imposed six years for violent disorder and four years for assault causing harm. She directed that the boy receive credit for time already in custody on a separate matter. The judge also highlighted a legislative gap, noting that supervision orders for juveniles become unenforceable once they turn 18, leaving the court's hands "effectively tied." She urged the Oireachtas to address this issue urgently and suggested the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions take it up. Defence counsel noted the boy was in State care, diagnosed with ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and had been clean from cannabis. The matter was not adjourned; the sentences were handed down.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, two repeat offenders, Cian Cleary (23) and Patrick McCarthy (28), were sentenced for a "cowardly, nasty and violent" assault on twin American tourists aged 20. The incident occurred on July 19 when the men were walking home through Temple Bar. Cleary, who had 61 prior convictions, and McCarthy, with 18 prior convictions, attacked the tourists, punching, kicking, and robbing one of them. CCTV footage showed the attackers separating the brothers, assaulting them, and stealing a wallet and mobile phone. Cleary received a three‑year, three‑month sentence with nine months suspended; McCarthy received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with twelve months suspended. Both were warned that the suspended portions could be enforced if they reoffend during probation. The court noted the assault's severity and the victims' injuries, including a brain scan for one and a sore, shaken condition for the other. Cian Cleary pleaded guilty. Patrick McCarthy pleaded guilty.
Glen Duff, 36, of Doon Court, Poppintree, Dublin 11, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for two robberies and an assault causing harm in Temple Bar. The first offence occurred on 17 April 2022 when Duff and an accomplice attacked a tourist, kicking and stomping on his head before taking a €300 wallet. The victim suffered concussion and ongoing memory problems. The second offence took place on 23 June 2023, when Duff and another man robbed an American tourist who had just arrived in Ireland, stealing his wallet, passport and driving licence and leaving him with a broken finger. Both incidents were captured on CCTV and led to charges in May 2023 and November 2023, respectively. Duff pleaded guilty to all charges.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mohamed Axmed, aged 20, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his role in a violent robbery of two UK tourists in Temple Bar on 17 September 2022. The court heard that Axmed, part of a group of young men, manhandled and assaulted the visitors, taking a bag that contained £1,050 sterling, bank cards, passports and a mobile phone. He pleaded guilty before the hearing, and the judge noted his prior convictions and the fact that he is already serving a sentence that will end in June 2025. Judge Martin Nolan extended his current stay in prison, citing his youth and the seriousness of the offence. The sentence was imposed with the intention that it would be a deterrent, though the judge acknowledged that the outcome might change upon his release. The other co‑accused have either taken trial dates, received bench warrants or remain unlocated.
Soufiane Mountassir, 39, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for false imprisonment and assault causing harm after he attacked a woman who had let him into her home. The court heard that on the night of 13 November 2022 he forced the woman into the boot of her car, repeatedly punched and smashed her face against the vehicle's interior, and drove the car onto the footpath, damaging the wheel. Witnesses described him as "full of anger" and "entering into a blind rage", and the victim said she was left with blood all over her face and body. Mountassir pleaded guilty, was described as remorseful and ashamed, and the judge noted his lack of prior convictions in Ireland. He is currently under 23‑hour protection in Wheatfield Prison and is wanted in Germany for arson. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody on 13 November 2022.
Soufiane Mountassir, 39, was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a violent assault on his former partner that left her with severe injuries and lasting trauma. The court heard that Mountassir, who claimed to be Moroccan, had been drinking, taking Dalmane, cocaine and cannabis during the incident. He forced the woman into a car boot, repeatedly punched and smashed her face against the vehicle's interior, and drove the car onto the footpath, damaging the wheel. Witnesses described the attack as a "blind rage" and reported blood on the car's interior and the victim's clothing. Mountassir pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm. He is also wanted in Germany for an arson offence and is due before the European Arrest Warrant court on Monday. The case will be finalised on 21 December 2023.
The Workplace Relations Commission ordered Ascot Catering Ltd, operator of Ciao Bella Roma, to pay more than €62,000 to five former staff for multiple labour law breaches. The tribunal found the restaurant had a chronic failure to honour shift breaks and other statutory rights under the Organisation of Working Time Act while it was still trading before its March 2020 closure. The staff – chefs Daniele Vito Antonetti and Ioan Cosmin Maties, kitchen assistant Darius Radu Peicu, barman Antonio Fillipo Santoiemma and bookkeeper Sandra Maties – complained of unfair dismissal, unlawful pay deductions and working‑time breaches. The employer did not appear at the joint hearing. The tribunal awarded each worker compensation ranging from €720 to €7,500, and ordered the company to pay €4,772 in unpaid wages, €9,706 in notice pay and €31,371.80 for breaches of the Act. The total orders against Ascot Catering Ltd amounted to €62,600.
Emanuel Adrian Marcu, 29, of Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a co‑worker during a night out at Temple Bar on 29 January 2019. The victim, who was on a work night out, was punched twice in the face, sustaining a broken jaw that required surgery and several days in hospital. Marcu, who was intoxicated that night, later claimed he could not remember the incident and that someone had pushed him, but he admitted the attack was unprovoked. He voluntarily appeared at Garda station, offered an apology and brought €2,000 to court. Judge Martina Baxter, noting the seriousness of the injury and Marcu's lack of prior convictions, imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence. The sentence was deemed suitable by the Probation Service.
Ioan Lingurar, 36, who posed as a taxi driver, was convicted of raping two women in Dublin three years apart and of false imprisonment. The first victim was attacked in February 2016 after she had hailed what she thought was a taxi; she escaped after a struggle and later reported the assault. The second victim was assaulted in February 2019 after she had entered a vehicle she believed to be a taxi; she fought back and escaped. DNA evidence linked both attacks to Lingurar, who had previously been convicted of a sexual assault in France. At the Central Criminal Court, the judge imposed a total of seventeen‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the 2016 and 2019 sentences running consecutively. Lingurar appealed, arguing the headline sentences were too high, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing. Ioan Lingurar pleaded not guilty.
In a drunken altercation in Dublin's Temple Bar on 11 August 2021, a 16‑year‑old girl, later identified only as a minor, used a broken vodka bottle to slash a woman's face, leaving a two‑inch cut. The incident began when the girl and a friend approached a group of young adults for a cigarette, which was refused. A member of the group pushed the girl, causing her to fall and break the bottle. In the ensuing melee, she struck the woman with the broken bottle. Gardaí found the girl intoxicated and she was taken to a garda station for a responsible adult to collect her. She pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to a woman. Judge Martin Nolan ordered a peace bond until July, stating that if the Probation Service deems her suitable, she will be sentenced to community service.
Hamid Zatout, 25, was jailed for six and a half years after pleading guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm and one attempted robbery. The crimes, committed in July and August 2019, involved targeted muggings of expensive designer watches ranging from €5,000 to €47,000, including a €20,000 watch from an American tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Gardaí used over 57 CCTV clips to show Zatout and accomplices following victims before forcibly breaking watch straps to steal the timepieces. Zatout had lived in a Dundalk hotel at the time of arrest and had previously left Ireland via Belfast in September 2019, returning under a different name. He had no prior convictions in Ireland, and the court accepted his guilty pleas, noting his remorse before sentencing.
In February 2023 the Court of Appeal heard the appeal of Renato Gehlen, a 40‑year‑old Brazilian who was convicted of murdering his wife, Anne Colomines, in October 2017. Gehlen had denied the murder and claimed that Colomines stabbed herself during a struggle. The jury had rejected this claim, finding the wounds unlikely to be self‑inflicted, and had convicted Gehlen of murder, sentencing him to mandatory life imprisonment. At the appeal, Gehlen's lawyers argued that a defence of provocation and loss of self‑control had not been allowed to be presented to the jury. The judges, however, noted that there was no evidence of Gehlen's loss of control and that a provocation defence would be inconsistent with the evidence of the fatal wounds. The court reserved its judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appellate stage.
In a High Court case brought by Sheelagh Conway against her estranged husband Frank Conway and John Harty, the parties sought to appoint a receiver to wind up the Peig Sayers Hotel Partnership, which owns the 29‑bedroom Riverhouse Hotel complex in Dublin's Temple Bar. Conway alleged that the partnership was mismanaged and that Conway had not acted in good faith. She requested the partnership be formally dissolved and its assets sold. Conway's claims were denied by Conway, while Harty was not represented. After out‑of‑court discussions, the parties agreed to resolve the matter. Judge Conor Dignam struck out the proceedings, allowing either side to re‑enter the action if necessary. No settlement details were disclosed in court. The case was concluded without any orders or declarations being granted.
Two Dublin men, Philip Bowes and Jason Dunphy, who suffered serious injuries in violent attacks, successfully challenged the High Court's refusal to consider their applications for compensation under the State's Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The men were told they were ineligible because their applications were made after the scheme's time limit. Mr Justice David Holland ruled that the scheme's 2021 amendment, which introduced a strict two‑year limit, lacked a transitional provision allowing extensions for exceptional circumstances. He found this breach of the legal principle of effectiveness and that the State could not impose such a limit without proper safeguards. The court did not address the scheme's constitutionality and awarded the men their legal costs. The decision leaves pending similar cases from other victims whose applications were also rejected on the same grounds.
In a case heard at the Court of Appeal, Martina Rooney, aged 40, was found not to have successfully overturned an eight‑year jail sentence for a violent assault that took place in Temple Bar, Dublin, on 13 June 2020. The assault involved Rooney repeatedly stabbing a woman over a missing €50 note, with the attack described as "barbarous" and aggravated by a sexual element that "humiliated intimate body parts." Medical reports noted extensive facial bruising and lacerations to the back, buttock and thigh, and the victim was also stabbed in the eye. Rooney had pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and robbery, and the Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence, noting the seriousness of the offence and the mitigating factors presented by her drug‑addiction background. Her co‑accused, Karl Fishe, 36, received a two‑year sentence for his role in the assault.
Zara McCabe, 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking a homeless man she believed had raped a family member. The assault lasted 30 minutes and McCabe, intoxicated and with poor mental health, claimed she had a blade and hoped to kill the victim. She has 21 prior convictions. The victim was taken to hospital, discharged, and died by suicide a week later. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case to assess McCabe for community service. If suitable, he may order 150 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term. McCabe's children are in care and she has secured work in a warehouse. The court noted her history of alcohol and addictive problems and her "very unfortunate family life.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Andrew Byrne, 35, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm and theft after he punched a homeless man in the back of the head at Temple Bar on 11 September last year. Byrne struck the victim, who was unconscious, causing facial fractures, a broken jaw, broken teeth and a split tongue. The victim, a homeless man living in a hostel, suffered ongoing memory loss, fear and anxiety, and has stopped going out alone. Byrne, who has 93 prior convictions including assault and public order offences, was arrested after CCTV footage captured the incident. He pleaded guilty, admitted the assault, and expressed deep regret. The judge noted Byrne's high culpability and backdated the sentence to his custody in January. The woman who accompanied Byrne remains before the courts.
Daniel Corry, aged 29, was one of several men who attacked two Brazilian men in a late‑night incident in Dublin City centre. The attack was described by the judge as "cowardly and vicious" and was unprovoked. CCTV footage showed Corry punching one victim and another individual head‑butting the other. Corry pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Mary's Abbey on 17 February 2017. He has a history of drug addiction and homelessness. The court noted that one victim left Ireland the same year, partly due to the attack. Corry was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, but the sentence was fully suspended on strict conditions for four years, requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
Renato Gehlen, 39, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, Anne Colomines, 37. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath imposed the mandatory life term after a unanimous jury convicted Gehlen of killing Ms Colomines at their home in Dublin 1 on October 25, 2017. The judge described the crime as "terrifying and horrific," noting the added distress caused by Gehlen's claim that his wife stabbed herself. The court heard victim impact statements from Ms Colomines' mother, Danielle Gallard, father, Jean-Louis Colomines, and sister, Alexandra, who described her as a "beautiful, intelligent woman" who loved life. During the trial, State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that it was "highly unlikely" Ms Colomines inflicted the fatal injuries on herself, pointing to defensive wounds on her hands. Prosecution counsel argued Gehlen acted out of "toxic masculinity" to control the end of their marriage. In mitigation, defence counsel presented reports describing Gehlen as a model prisoner who completed courses including "Alternatives to Violence." The judge extended condolences to the Colomines family, acknowledging their dignity in the face of the tragedy.
In a Dublin murder trial, Renato Gehlen, 39, was found guilty of killing his wife Anne Colomines, 37, by stabbing her through the heart on 25 October 2017. The jury, after two and a half hours, rejected Gehlen's claim that Colomines had stabbed herself. Prosecutors described his actions as an attempt to control the end of their marriage, citing his "toxic masculinity" and the fact that he had tried to grab a knife during a struggle. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Colomines suffered four stab wounds, a 22‑cm throat incision and defensive injuries to her hands, concluding it was highly unlikely she inflicted the fatal wounds herself. The court will impose a mandatory life sentence on Gehlen, with sentencing scheduled for 22 October 2024. The trial also revealed that Colomines had been in a new relationship and had exchanged nearly 300 messages with her boyfriend in the hours before her death. Renato Gehlen pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial, the accused, Renato Gehlen, was heard by the Central Criminal Court to have spoken to a friend on the night of his wife Anne Colomines' death, saying, "Sorry, I killed Anne and now I'm going to kill myself." The court also heard that Gehlen had been upset because his wife wanted a divorce, accusing him of being controlling and absent during her operation. Witness Ralph Comendador recounted that Gehlen had argued with Anne after discovering she was not wearing her wedding ring and that she had complained about his video‑gaming and his desire for a baby. On the night of the murder, Gehlen sent a message to Comendador saying, "The same shit man. No talk. Cold and avoiding. Fuck, I really want to stab." The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of five women and seven men. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Elma Sheahan condemned the brutal assault carried out by Martina Rooney (39) against another woman over a €50 dispute. Rooney repeatedly punched and stabbed the victim, causing extensive facial bruising and lacerations to the back, buttock and thigh. She was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Karl Fishe (35), who assisted by holding the victim's hair, received a two‑year and eight‑month sentence, with the final eight months suspended and a 16‑month probation period. The court noted the attack's duration of about nine minutes and the victim's lasting physical and psychological harm, including panic attacks and loss of joy over an impending pregnancy. Rooney's prior 73 convictions and Fishe's 124 convictions were also recorded. The case was built on CCTV, DNA evidence and Garda testimony. Martina Rooney pleaded guilty. Karl Fishe pleaded guilty.
Dubliner Kevin Murphy (30) was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbery at Aston Place, Temple Bar, Dublin city centre, on June 29, 2020. Murphy pleaded guilty to the charge. The incident involved Murphy attacking a man, punching and kicking him while he was on the ground. The victim was found bleeding, surrounded by people, and his phone was missing. A security guard from a nearby restaurant observed the incident and saw Murphy beating the victim. Murphy fled the scene and was apprehended by an off-duty garda who recovered the victim's stolen phone from his hand. Murphy had previous convictions for possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of stolen property, and violent behaviour in a garda station. Defence counsel, Carol Doherty BL, stated that Murphy was heavily intoxicated at the time of apprehension and had a history of drug use, including crack and heroin, since the age of 28. She noted that Murphy is homeless and has two children, and asked the court to give him the opportunity to prove he can remain intoxicant free and be a family man. Judge Martin Nolan described the robbery as 'nasty enough' and noted that the property was recovered and that Murphy wants to reform. The matter was finalised at the sentence stage.
Two Romanian‑origin gang members were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for creating and using fake credit cards. Daniel Almajanu, 35, fabricated 65 counterfeit cards with a card reader/writer machine and supplied them to Albert Gimy Linul, 29, who used the cards to purchase and resell cartons of cigarettes in Dublin shops. The fraud stemmed from a "deep insert skimmer" operation in the UK that captured HSBC customer details. Linul pleaded guilty to 60 fraudulent cards, eight card‑use offences, ten thefts and two attempted thefts, while Almajanu pleaded guilty to 53 cards, 65 card‑making offences and possession of a specialised laptop. Linul received a three‑year term and Almajanu a four‑year, four‑month term, both back‑dated to their custody dates. The judge described the case as an offshoot of a sophisticated international fraud scheme.
Two members of a Romanian organised crime gang, Daniel Almajanu (35) and Albert Gimy Linul (29), were found to have made and used fake credit cards in Dublin following a "deep" skimming operation in the UK. Almajanu used a card reader/writer machine to create 65 fake cards, which he handed to Linul. Linul used these cards to purchase cartons of cigarettes from several newsagents in Dublin, which were then sold for profit. Garda Ciaran Ronan reported that Linul stole £1,185 from the UK bank. Linul pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing 60 fraudulent bank cards, eight counts of using a fake HSBC card, ten counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft from HSBC between November 2019 and February 2020. Almajanu pleaded guilty to two counts of custody of 53 fake cards and one count of making 65 fake cards, plus possession of a laptop designed for card fabrication.
Edward Wall, 46, was sentenced to nine months in prison for a series of burglaries in which he repeatedly entered unoccupied bars in open pubs during daylight hours and stole alcohol. Lawyers for Wall told the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that most of his 68 prior burglary convictions involved this pattern of theft. Garda Niall Cunningham described how Wall slipped into closed bar areas and took drinks, noting that the judge considered this his "specialisation". In November 2019, Wall entered the Vat House bar in Temple Bar, slipped behind the bar, and stole two bottles of Jameson whiskey; the theft was discovered later during a stock take and CCTV footage was examined. On 10 January, he entered a bar at the Mercantile Hotel on Dame Street, again walked behind an unmanned bar, and was confronted by staff while holding a bottle of whiskey. Wall pleaded guilty to trespass and theft on both occasions.