Court archive
Court reports mentioning Loughrea, Galway
2026-07-08 · Galway
A senior lab technician, Edson Simoa De Morais, has lost his challenge to his dismissal after being found asleep in a first aid room and contaminating it with lead dust from his work gear. The Workplace Relations Commission rejected his claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, ruling that there were substantial grounds for his dismissal due to his conduct and failure to comply with health and safety protocols. The company's investigation found that he used the first aid room for non-medical purposes, including sleeping, and actively endangered others by wearing lead-contaminated gear. Despite his legal team's arguments about his workload and the company's safety practices, the adjudicator found that his actions warranted dismissal. The court noted that the first aid room had to be decontaminated after the incident, and the disciplinary process was upheld on internal appeal.
2026-05-21 · Galway
Jim McCarthy, 27, formerly of Oughterard, Co Galway, pleaded guilty at Galway Circuit Criminal Court to one count of hijacking a vehicle on Foster Street, Galway, on April 10, 2024, and to burglary, assault, and possession of an article at St Lawarnce Park, Loughrea, on January 23, 2024. Prosecution evidence alleged that McCarthy hijacked a car from a woman using a knife and later assaulted a resident in Loughrea, striking him with a knife and stealing cash. The court heard that McCarthy has 11 previous District Court convictions. Defence counsel noted that McCarthy has addressed addiction issues, completed a 12-week course at Cluine Mhuire, is employed, and has engaged with the Probation Service. Both injured parties declined to provide victim impact statements or participate in a restorative justice programme. Judge Brian O'Callaghan adjourned the case for an updated probation report in January 2027. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
2023-10-31 · Galway
Brian Shaughnessy, a former hotelier, has failed in his second appeal to overturn his conviction for raping a 17-year-old part-time employee in the presidential suite of the Loughrea Hotel and Spa in July 2010. Shaughnessy was convicted by a jury in March 2013 and sentenced to six years, with one year suspended. His initial appeal was rejected in April 2020, but the case was sent back to the Court of Appeal following a Supreme Court ruling. In his appeal, Shaughnessy claimed that his legal team did not adequately represent him and that a timeline, potentially containing a missing hour and 15 minutes, was not properly addressed in cross-examination. He also alleged that the timeline was only mentioned in a defence speech to the jury. His former legal team denied any claims of incompetence. At the second appeal hearing, Shaughnessy claimed he provided critical documents to his legal team, including key card and phone records, which he said were not used in the trial. However, the Court of Appeal President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal, stating that the court was not persuaded that the trial was unfair or that the legal team's performance rendered the conviction unsafe. The court noted that Shaughnessy had not provided a specific account of the time spent in the suite and that the significance of the timeline was diminished due to the lack of a clear alternative explanation. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
2023-03-10 · Galway
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co Galway, pleaded not guilty to murder after his 76‑year‑old aunt, Ms Treacy, died when he allegedly ran her over with a JCB on 27 April 2018. In court, Scott said he did not realise he could call 999 for an ambulance and that he thought his aunt would survive. He denied deliberately rolling over her a second time and claimed the incident was an accident. Scott said he did not help her up because he needed someone with him and that he had called his friend Francis Hardiman for help. He denied any intent to kill and said he did not want his aunt to die. The trial, hearing the prosecution's case that the run‑over was deliberate, continues next week before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury.
2023-03-09 · Galway
Micheal Scott, 58, of Portumna, Co Galway, is on trial for the alleged murder of his aunt, Chrissie Treacy, outside her home in Derryhiney on April 27, 2018. Mr Scott has pleaded not guilty, with his defence arguing the death was a tragic accident, while the prosecution alleges he deliberately ran her over following a long-running land dispute. During testimony, Mr Scott told gardai that his relationship with Ms Treacy was "fine" and that he gave a "deaf ear" to solicitor's letters seeking to partition their jointly owned land because he did not understand how it could be divided. He described Ms Treacy as "decent" and denied serious arguments, stating they only disagreed over minor issues like leaves or dirt. He claimed he did not see Ms Treacy when reversing a JCB teleporter, believing he might have hit a trailer tow bar. Witnesses included Detective Sergeant Paul Duane, who detailed the arrest and interviews, and agricultural consultant Declan McHugh, who testified that Ms Treacy instructed him to lease land and prevent Mr Scott from claiming farm payments for portions of the Derryhiney holding. Expert witness Robin Acheson explained the mechanics of the JCB, noting the handbrake was broken and that sudden direction changes could cause wheel tearout. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury.
2023-03-02 · Galway
Michael Scott, 58, denies murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy. He was said to have been "enraged" when a letter from her solicitor suggested a land division at their jointly owned farm in Derryhiney, Portumna. Witness Joseph Carty testified that Scott reacted angrily, saying "this will end badly." Scott later told Gardaí he was "in fair debt," having spent about €120,000 on sheds, a silo and fencing. State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Treacy died almost instantaneously, within seconds, of being run over by an agricultural teleporter, with no evidence of assault before the crush injuries. The trial heard that the farm was held as tenants in common, with each party owning 50 % of every blade of grass. The case continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
2023-01-19 · Galway
In a 2023 Court of Appeal hearing, the court increased the sentence of Costel Pirvu, a 39‑year‑old non‑English‑speaking foreign national, for raping a 19‑year‑old woman with a mild intellectual disability three times after forcibly taking her to his apartment. The original six‑and‑a‑half‑year term was quashed and replaced with a ten‑year imprisonment, with the final year‑and‑a‑half suspended. The appeal judge criticised the trial judge for giving an excessive discount for Pirvu's language barrier, describing it as "extremely high" and "excessive". The judge noted Pirvu's prior convictions, including attempted rape, and a disturbing probation report that showed no remorse or empathy toward the victim. The new sentence was back‑dated to the date Pirvu entered custody in August 2018. The decision was made after a nine‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court where Pirvu pleaded not guilty to all counts. Costel Pirvu was found guilty.
2023-01-16 · Galway
Costel Pirvu, 39, was convicted of three rapes and one false imprisonment after a nine‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court. He was sentenced to ten years, with the final three‑and‑a‑half years suspended and back‑dated to his arrest in August 2018. The Court of Appeal heard that the judge had applied a 50 % mitigation factor because Pirvu, a foreign national who does not speak English, would find prison life more difficult. The appeal argued this discount was extraordinary. Pirvu's defence said the judge acted within discretion and that Pirvu had medical concerns and limited access to English‑speaking support while in custody. The appeal was adjourned for judgment on 19 January 2023. The case involved a 19‑year‑old woman who was raped on a side‑street, taken to Pirvu's apartment, and raped twice more before being released the next morning. The victim suffered physical injuries and ongoing PTSD, depression and suicidal thoughts. Costel Pirvu pleaded not guilty.
2022-11-14 · Galway
Brian Shaughnessy, aged 56, was convicted in March 2013 of raping a 17‑year‑old employee at his Loughrea Hotel and Spa. He received a six‑year sentence with one year suspended, imposed by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 10 June 2013. Shaughnessy appealed, claiming his defence counsel was incompetent and that a missing 1 hour 15 minutes in the timeline undermined the victim's account. The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal in April 2020. He then applied to the Supreme Court, which remitted the case back to the Court of Appeal in March 2023. The Court of Appeal today reserved judgment, noting that the evidence presented did not establish incompetence of his legal team. Shaughnessy must now await the final decision on his appeal.
2022-07-26 · Galway
Brian Shaughnessy, a former hotelier aged 55, was convicted in March 2013 of raping a 17‑year‑old employee at his Loughrea Hotel and Spa. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with one year suspended. Shaughnessy appealed, claiming his defence counsel had not adequately presented his version of events, particularly a two‑hour period he alleged the victim spent in the room after the assault. He argued that key card and phone records, which he supplied to his lawyers, were not examined by the jury. His appeal was rejected in April 2020, but he successfully applied to the Supreme Court, which sent the case back to the Court of Appeal in March 2023. At the Court of Appeal, Shaughnessy reiterated that his defence was not put to the jury and that the two‑hour claim had been raised repeatedly with his legal team, yet was not pursued during the trial.
2022-07-25 · Galway
Costel Pirvu, 39, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final three and a half years suspended, for raping a 19‑year‑old woman with a mild intellectual disability. The offence began on the night of 4 February 2018 when Pirvu, who had previously been convicted of robbery and attempted rape, accosted the victim on a street in the west of Ireland, forced her into a black jeep, and raped her. He then took her to his apartment, where she was raped twice more under threat. Pirvu was arrested the same evening, and DNA evidence linked him to the victim. He maintains his innocence, claiming the sex was consensual, but the court found no evidence of prior acquaintance or knowledge of the victim's vulnerability. The sentence was back‑dated to his August 2018 arrest. The victim, who suffered physical injuries and ongoing PTSD, described feeling unsafe and depressed after the attacks.
2022-07-21 · Galway
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 21 July 2022, the State's appeal to increase the jail term for David Bannerton was dismissed. Bannerton, aged 47, had been convicted of two separate assaults in June 2016 in Galway city centre. The first assault, against a 70‑year‑old pensioner, resulted in a two‑year jail term following a three‑year headline sentence. The second assault, against a passer‑by who tried to intervene, led to a six‑year sentence with 18 months suspended, after a nine‑year headline sentence. The Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision, noting that the suspended portion was a legitimate consideration for rehabilitation and that no additional consecutive sentence was warranted. The appeal was refused, and the original sentences were left unchanged. The case highlighted the judge's discretion in balancing punishment with rehabilitation considerations.
2022-05-23 · Galway
A 19‑year‑old woman with a mild intellectual disability was raped three times and falsely imprisoned by Costel Pirvu, a 38‑year‑old former Loughrea resident, after a night out. The offence occurred early on 4 February 2018 in a town. Pirvu forced the victim into a black jeep, removed her pants, and raped her while she struggled, leaving scrapes and bruises on her arms, legs, back, face, breasts, and a 2 mm laceration to her urethra. He then threatened her, held her against his apartment, and raped her a further two times before releasing her the next morning. The victim, who now suffers PTSD, flashbacks, and depression, described feeling "like a piece of meat" and that her life was broken. Pirvu maintains his innocence; his sentencing was adjourned pending a prison report. The case is still pending at the Central Criminal Court. Costel Pirvu was found guilty.
2020-02-27 · Galway
Brian Shaughnessy, a 53‑year‑old former Galway hotel owner, was convicted of raping an employee in the Loughrea Hotel and Spa's Presidential Suite after buying her drinks and asking to confide in her. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on 26 July 2010, and he received a six‑year sentence with the final year suspended by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 10 June 2013. Shaughnessy has now lodged an appeal, arguing that his previous legal team failed to prepare or conduct his defence adequately. His new barrister, Hugh Hartnett SC, claims new evidence was omitted from the transcript and that the trial judge mis‑informed the jury about the victim's demeanour. The Court of Appeal will consider these arguments, with counsel for the former team and the Director of Public Prosecutions presenting counter‑arguments, and the court has reserved its judgement. Brian Shaughnessy pleaded not guilty.
2018-07-25 · Tipperary
In July 2018, Heritage Bloodstock Ltd of Cahir, Co. Tipperary, withdrew a High Court action that had sought to allow its horse, Heritage Vittorio, to compete in the five‑year‑old competition at the Dublin Horse Show and to exclude Indigo VDL, owned by Mr. Ivor Broderick of Loughrea, Co. Galway. The company had argued that Indigo VDL was ineligible because it was not Irish‑bred and was not on the Department of Agriculture's approved breeding list for 2018, and that its participation would breach the RDS's rules. Heritage Bloodstock had obtained a short‑notice injunction and sought declarations that Indigo VDL did not meet the qualifying criteria. The case was adjourned for a costs hearing, and the action was formally withdrawn before the judge's decision on costs. The withdrawal left the status of the two horses at the Dublin Horse Show unresolved.
2016-11-10 · Dublin
Patrick O'Brien, a former lay worker with the Church of Ireland, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and molesting 14 boys over a 40‑year period. He pleaded guilty to 48 counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault, with offences ranging from kissing to forceful anal penetration. The abuse occurred between 1974 and 2013 at locations including Kildare, Westmeath, a boat in Loughrea, and St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. O'Brien had previously received a one‑year suspended sentence in 1989 for assaulting a ten‑year‑old boy. The sentencing hearing, held over two days, included victim impact statements from 14 men aged 7 to 16, who described the abuse as predatory and pervasive.
2016-10-19 · Dublin
Patrick O'Brien, a former Church of Ireland lay worker, was sentenced for raping and molesting 14 boys over 30 years. He pleaded guilty to 48 counts of indecent assault, including anal penetration, and three counts of sexual assault between 1977 and 2010 at locations such as Kildare, Westmeath, a boat in Loughrea, and St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. O'Brien, aged 76, had a prior one‑year suspended sentence for a 1989 sex assault. The sentencing hearing, held over two days, included victim impact reports from 14 men, some of whom described long‑term emotional and social harm. The court noted O'Brien's guilty plea, his completion of 312 hours of group psychotherapy, and his voluntary apology. He was remanded in continuing custody until the next hearing on 10 November. The victims remain anonymous. The case highlights the prolonged abuse and its lasting effects on the survivors.
2016-10-18 · Dublin
Patrick O'Brien, 76, a former lay worker with the Church of Ireland, is due to be sentenced for the rape and molestation of 14 boys over 30 years. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 48 counts of indecent assault, including anal penetration and three counts of sexual assault between 1977 and 2010 at various locations such as Kildare, Westmeath, a boat in Loughrea, and St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin where he volunteered. The sentencing hearing, held over two days, included victim impact reports from four men, some of whom chose not to have their statements read. The court heard that O'Brien abused the boys in cars, at his yacht, and in his office, often after visiting their parents. He also performed oral sex and forced victims to perform it on him. The hearing will continue tomorrow before Judge Melanie Greally.
2016-06-10 · Mayo
The High Court has awarded approximately €700,000 in damages to Mary Molloy, the former owner of Bartragh Island in Killala Bay, County Mayo. Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan ruled on Friday that Ms Molloy was entitled to the damages arising from a 1996 option agreement with Sean Simon of Deerpark, Loughrea, County Roscommon, which was never completed. The island was subsequently sold to a company controlled by golfer Nick Faldo in 1997 for €1.5 million. Ms Molloy had sought to exercise her right to repurchase the property but was unable to do so after the mortgagee, Irish Nationwide Building Society, agreed to its sale. The High Court had previously found in 2003 that Ms Molloy's attempts to exercise her option had been frustrated. The assessment of damages proceeded following the withdrawal of a Supreme Court appeal and re-entry of the case in 2014. A smaller adjoining island is also to be transferred to Ms Molloy.
2016-06-07 · Mayo
A long-running dispute over Bartragh Island in Killala Bay, County Mayo, returned before the High Court on Tuesday. The case concerns a 1996 agreement between former island owner Mary Molloy and Sean Simon regarding a purchase option. Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan dismissed Mr Simon's preliminary application to strike out proceedings on grounds of inordinate and inexcusable delay. The judge acknowledged a delay of over ten years had occurred but determined it was in the interests of justice to proceed with assessing damages. The case will now advance to a damages assessment hearing. In 2003, the High Court previously ruled that Ms Molloy's attempts to exercise her option to repurchase the island had been frustrated when a mortgagee lender agreed to sell the property to an international golf company.