In a High Court proceeding, world‑renowned musician Sharon Shannon and her manager John Dunford consented to a judgement of €520,057 against them. Permanent TSB had lent the pair €402,000 in November 2006 under an Endowment Residential Business Loan, to be repaid in monthly instalments of just over €1,650 over 20 years. In June 2010 the bank noted two missed repayments, after which the entire balance became due. By 2012 the bank demanded full repayment, claiming the defendants had failed to pay back the principal plus interest. The Master of the High Court, Edmund Honohan, accepted the consent and placed a six‑month stay on execution of the judgement order, which the parties had agreed to. The case remains at the judgement stage.
Mark Nash (42) pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of two women, Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan, who died between 6 and 7 March 1997. The victims were residing in sheltered accommodation at a house attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman. On 27 January 2015, three gardaí from Mill Street Station in Galway gave evidence about encountering Nash on the Tuam Road in Galway on 16 August 1997. Garda Caroline McKenna testified that when she approached Nash, he identified himself and warned her to stay away or he would kill her, then produced a hammer from his pocket. The court heard Nash subsequently threw a bicycle aside and fled. During his escape, he was struck by a van, used the hammer to damage the vehicle's window, and attempted to enter a nearby house before being restrained. Nash was arrested at 7.45pm that evening. The trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks, was adjourned pending legal submissions.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard that DNA evidence from two women found dead at sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman in 1997 was discovered on the jacket of Mark Nash, who stands accused of their murders. Nash, aged 42, with last addresses in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan, whose bodies were found between March 6 and 7, 1997. The prosecution outlined that a bloodstain on Nash's jacket could not be analysed as DNA in 1997, but a breakthrough in July 2009 established DNA from both women on the garment. The court heard Nash initially confessed to the Grangegorman murders whilst in custody on unrelated charges connected to deaths in Roscommon, but subsequently retracted his admissions. The prosecution argued the DNA evidence, independent of any confession, points to Nash's involvement. The trial continues before Justice Carroll Moran.
At the appeal stage, Mark Farrelly (43) and Christopher Corcoran (67), previously convicted in 2009 for their roles in a 2005 tiger raid involving the robbery of €2.28 million from Mr Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd, were found not guilty by direction. The ruling followed a decision by Judge Mary Ellen Ring that mobile phone records could not be used as evidence in the case. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges of falsely imprisoning the Richardsons at Ashcroft, Raheny on the night of March 13 and 14, 2005, and the robbery of €2.28 million in cash. They had been sentenced to 25 years and 12 years respectively in 2009, but their convictions were overturned in 2012 due to a Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutionality of search warrants. A retrial in 2013 ended in a hung jury. The current appeal concluded with the matter being adjourned, as the jury was directed to find the men not guilty, and no retrial will take place. The legal argument centred on the admissibility of mobile phone records, with the defence relying on the 1992 Cochrane ruling. The case has had a lasting impact on the Richardson family, who have not retrieved the stolen cash and continue to be affected by the events ten years later.
A woman was discharged from the jury and a new female juror was sworn in for the trial of Mark Nash, 42, who is accused of murdering Sylvia Shields, 59, and Mary Callanan, 61, in a house attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman between 6 and 7 March 1997. Nash has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The trial, expected to last six to eight weeks, will begin on Thursday under Judge Carroll Moran. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, was introduced to the State counsel Brendan Grehan SC and Una Ni Raifeartaigh SC, and to the accused's counsel Hugh Hartnett SC and Patrick McGrath SC. Evidence will be presented from Gardaí at Bridewell Station, Galway, Garda Headquarters, Mountjoy Prison and the forensic science laboratory. Judge Moran instructed the jury not to discuss the case with anyone until it is over, after which they may speak freely about it.
In a High Court ruling on 20 January 2015, Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that the exclusion order issued by the Minister for Justice to remove Latvian national Deniss Kovalenko from Ireland in June 2013 was fundamentally flawed. Kovalenko, aged 34, had been convicted in 2004 of raping an American student in Galway and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, after which he was placed on the sex offenders register. He claimed that the Minister failed to provide fair procedures, denying him the opportunity to submit explanations or challenge the use of material from the Irish Prison Service regarding his conduct in custody. The judge also noted that a civil servant involved in the original decision had participated in the appeal process, further breaching fair procedures. Consequently, the exclusion order was quashed, allowing Kovalenko to remain in Ireland.
A motorist, Kim Nugent, 30, has filed a High Court action to have the six penalty points she received for two speeding offences on the M6 motorway on 6 August 2014 quashed. Nugent, a hairdresser from Athlone, was driving to and from Dublin when she was stopped twice by the Gardai for exceeding the 120km/h limit near Fardrum, Moate. She already had six points on her licence, so the additional six brought her total to 12, triggering a six‑month disqualification and the surrender of her licence. Nugent's counsel, Michéal Ó Higgins SC, argues that a technical loophole in the penalty‑point legislation renders the points and the resulting disqualification null and void. She seeks orders quashing the endorsement of the points, the disqualification, and a declaration that the endorsement is void. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted ex‑parte permission, staying the points and setting a return date in January.
Louis Shiels, aged 27, pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and false imprisonment of a woman who had become separated from friends at a hen party in Galway. The offences took place at his rented accommodation on 5 June 2011. He was sentenced on 25 February 2013 to 15 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended on each rape count, and a concurrent 8‑year sentence for false imprisonment. Shiels applied to review the sentence, but the Court of Appeal rejected the application. The court upheld the judge's view that the assault was "outrageous" and that mitigating factors such as Shiels' Asperger's syndrome and a psychologist's report were not sufficient to reduce his responsibility. Shiels will serve the remainder of his sentence in prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the court considered the case of Edward Connors, a 30‑year‑old homeless deaf mute who was found guilty of manslaughter after an eight‑day trial. Connors had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening people with a syringe. He claimed that the CCTV footage showing a punch was actually an attempt to stop the victim, Eoghan Dudley, from falling under a bus, which resulted in Dudley's death. The judge, Patrick McCartan, adjourned the case to allow Connors to be assessed for rehabilitation services in the UK, where facilities for deaf offenders exist. Dr Brendan Thomas Monteiro, a consultant psychiatrist, diagnosed Connors with a "primitive personality" stemming from lifelong hearing loss and lack of language, and warned that without treatment he would revert to his old ways. The judge ordered further assessment and inquiries into funding and legal issues for Connors' treatment abroad. Edward Connors pleaded not guilty.
Two men have been convicted and sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their involvement in a series of violent offences. Dylan Smith, aged 22, and Daniel Malone, aged 20, pleaded guilty to charges arising from incidents in August and September 2013. In August, they unlawfully seized a taxi on Tubber Lane, Lucan, and subjected the driver to false imprisonment, robbery, and serious assault. The victim sustained a skull fracture and multiple facial injuries. In September, Smith stabbed a bus passenger in the thigh during a robbery at Kylemore Road, Bluebell, and subsequently forced the victim to withdraw €200 from an ATM. Smith was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final eighteen months suspended, to run consecutively with a sentence from Roscommon. Malone received four and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended. Smith has fifty-seven previous convictions; Malone had one prior conviction. Both defendants expressed remorse, with Smith having engaged in rehabilitation since entering custody.
Sunny Idah, a 39‑year‑old former CIE bus driver of Nigerian origin, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for soliciting two undercover Gardaí to import a kilogram of cocaine from Brazil. The case stemmed from an international police operation involving Swiss and Irish undercover officers. Idah secretly recorded offers of €5,000 each to the undercover officers to swallow 1 kg of cocaine, worth €140,000, and bring it back to Ireland. He had provided the officers with €400 for a hotel room and $1,000 for flight tickets, but the officers never travelled. The court back‑dated the sentence to September 2010, when Idah was first taken into custody. Idah had previously received a 13‑year sentence for a related drug trafficking offence, which was overturned on appeal. The judge described the operation as sophisticated and noted the potential impact on users and addicts if the drugs had reached the market. Sunny Idah pleaded guilty.
Co. Galway‑based GRID Network Services Ltd (GNS) has filed a lawsuit in the Commercial Court to overturn the ESB Board's decision not to award it a €250 million contract for the ESB Networks Overhead Lines Framework. GNS argues that the ESB breached European and Irish procurement law during the tender process, which it says unfairly excluded the company. The contract involves extensive works on the ESB's power lines, and GNS claims it has long supplied maintenance services to ESB Networks Ltd, the subsidiary responsible for Ireland's electricity network. In October the ESB notified GNS that its tender had been unsuccessful. GNS contends that the decision should be set aside and seeks orders to appoint the other tenderers and declarations on the procurement procedures. The case was fast‑tracked by Justice Brian McGovern and will be heard in the new year. The company warns that losing the contract could jeopardise its 35 employees, subcontractors and suppliers.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentences of Michael O'Loughlin and Edward O'Loughlin, the first two men jailed under 2009 anti-gang legislation. The Galway brothers were originally charged with directing a criminal organisation but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of membership after a decision not to prosecute was entered on the more serious offence. Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced them to nine years imprisonment on June 11, 2012, for participating in the activities of a criminal organisation. In this appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham found an error in principle, noting that Judge Nolan lacked sentencing guidelines as the first to apply the act. The Court of Appeal determined the original sentence was too severe given the organisation operated at mid-level criminality. Consequently, the nine-year terms were substituted with new sentences of six-and-a-half years imprisonment. The case arose from Operation Foolscap, a Garda Síochána investigation targeting a Galway-based gang. Audio surveillance revealed the brothers' involvement in three drug offences and four burglaries, though the latter were pre-empted by police. The court noted the brothers had extensive prior convictions, with most dealt with in the District Court.
In a Dublin flat raid, 28‑year‑old David Doherty was found with 6 g of heroin and was remanded on bail pending sentencing in February. He claimed he was there to buy €325 worth of heroin, some of which he would use and the rest to sell to friends in Tuam. Doherty pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply on North Circular Road on 27 June 2013 and has 49 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences. His co‑accused, 36‑year‑old Stephen Lunders, also pleaded guilty to the same charge and had 28 prior convictions, including drug offences. Lunders admitted responsibility for most of the drugs found in the flat, valued at €14,383, and said he was dealing to pay off a drug debt left by his deceased brother. Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned the case to 20 February to allow Probation Service assessment of the men's commitment to drug rehabilitation before sentencing.
In November 2014 the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of Marius Strelciunas, 33, who had been jailed for five years for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to a 22‑year‑old college student on 23 December 2012. Strelciunas, who was approximately four‑and‑a‑half times over the legal alcohol limit, struck the victim on a path while driving toward Barna, leaving the victim with one leg amputated above the knee and the other below the knee. The appeal court found that the trial judge had erred in principle by not giving sufficient weight to mitigating factors such as Strelciunas' early guilty plea, remorse, and only one minor prior conviction. Consequently, the court suspended three of the five years of the original sentence and reduced the 20‑year driving ban to five years, back‑dating both the sentence and the disqualification to 29 January 2014.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has acquitted a Galway man charged with raping a woman in Sligo in December 2010. The man had pleaded not guilty to the allegation. During a four-day trial, the complainant gave evidence that she had met the accused in a nightclub and subsequently engaged in consensual sexual activity at his flat. She alleged that the following morning, after she expressed her wish to leave, he forced himself upon her despite her repeated requests that he stop. Under cross-examination, defence counsel highlighted that the woman had been in control throughout the night and demonstrated various interactions with the accused. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, deliberated for under one hour before returning a unanimous not-guilty verdict.
Frances Mullarkey, a Senior Executive Officer who had served Galway City Council for almost twenty years, obtained a temporary High Court injunction that stops the council from dismissing her. In late October 2014, the council informed her of a planned dismissal following an internal disciplinary process that had sanctioned her for a house allocation issue, including a suspension without pay and a transfer. Mullarkey appealed the disciplinary findings, arguing the appeal process was flawed because it was conducted by the City Manager, who should not have had that authority. Her counsel, Marguerite Bolger SC, contended that the dismissal decision breached her client's rights and was a blatant violation of proper procedure. Judge Paul Gilligan granted the injunction, preventing the council from terminating her employment, appointing a replacement, or publicly announcing her dismissal, and ordered the matter to be revisited next week. The injunction was granted ex parte.
Sunny Idah, a former CIE bus driver, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to soliciting another person to unlawfully import cocaine between September 14 and 19, 2010. The plea was entered a week after his trial commenced. Judge Catherine Murphy remanded Idah in custody for sentencing in December. Prosecutors alleged that Idah, using the alias Mr T, recruited two undercover gardaí posing as Polish nationals to swallow one kilogram of cocaine each in Brazil and smuggle it to Ireland. He offered each €5,000 for the transport of drugs with an estimated street value of €140,000. Idah was arrested the day the men were scheduled to depart. Idah had previously been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for this and another drug trafficking offence, but that conviction was overturned by the Court of Criminal Appeal due to issues with the authorisation of secret recordings. Defence counsel Noel McCarthy SC noted Idah's remorse and lack of violent history, stating he had been in custody for four years. The matter was adjourned for sentencing in December.
In 2011, Dean O'Brien, aged 28, was convicted by a Galway Circuit Criminal Court jury of assault causing serious harm after an unprovoked attack on bank worker Mr Barry Mannion. O'Brien, driving a car with passengers, revved the engine and beaded the horn at a group outside a takeaway. An altercation ensued, and O'Brien threw beer bottles at a man who had tried to calm the situation. O'Brien then punched Mannion, splitting his lip and causing severe head injuries that left Mannion in a coma for two weeks and required a titanium plate in his skull. The victim could not return to work. O'Brien's eight‑year sentence was reduced by 18 months on appeal, with the suspended portion to be served under probation supervision. The court noted the assault was spontaneous, unpremeditated, and without a weapon. The judge highlighted the severe, life‑changing injuries to the victim and the high risk of reoffending. Dean O'Brien pleaded not guilty.
In 2014, the Criminal Court of Appeal reduced the sentences of Aurelius Zrielskies (39) and Gintautas Bagdonas (35), both Lithuanian, who had kidnapped and violently assaulted an addict in May 2010 over a €2,200 drug debt. The original trial had sentenced them to 12 years' imprisonment for false imprisonment, with two years suspended, and four years for assault. The appeal court found the judge had erred in the false imprisonment sentence, deeming a 10‑year term more appropriate. The final three years of the original sentence were suspended, and both men were required to serve an 18‑month probationary period after release. The appeal did not alter the assault convictions, which remained at four years each. The case highlighted the severity of the kidnapping and assault, as described by Garda Inspector Michael Coppinger and the DPP's counsel.
Alan Graham, 41, was sentenced in January 2012 to 12 years' imprisonment, two years suspended, for possession of cocaine worth over €600,000. He pleaded guilty to possession of €420,000 of cocaine for sale or supply at Glenbrack, Gort, on 2 November 2010, and to possession of €210,000 of cocaine at Goaley's farmhouse, Annaghdown, on 4 November 2010. The court described him as a "trusted lieutenant" with access to other valuable goods. His appeal against the sentence's severity was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal, which found no error in the trial judge's decision.
A man was jailed for contempt of court and later removed from the Four Courts by ambulance after collapsing. Mr Justice Brian McGovern jailed Eugene Costello after a receiver, appointed by Carlisle Mortgages Ltd, stated that agents were unable to gain vacant possession of land due to Mr Costello's cattle remaining on the property. The application for Mr Costello's imprisonment was brought by Carlisle Mortgages Ltd, who obtained an order for possession of the lands in 2006 following Mr Costello's default on loan repayments from 2004. Mr Maurice Lyons was appointed receiver when Mr Costello failed to pay €1.4m. The judge noted that Mr Costello had previously undertaken to remove all livestock from the land, allowing the receiver to take possession of 90 acres in Coolfree, Rockland, and Onagh. The judge found Mr Costello in contempt of court and committed him to prison until the receiver could take vacant possession of the lands and Mr Costello purged himself of his contempt. The matter was adjourned to next week. Mr Costello, who denied that his livestock were on the lands, appeared to take ill and collapsed, receiving medical attention from paramedics and being taken by ambulance to hospital. The case has been before the courts on multiple occasions, with Mr Costello ordered by the High Court in 2010 to remove his animals from the lands. Last year, the High Court found him in contempt of court, and the Supreme Court refused to grant a stay on that order. Counsel for Carlisle Mortgages Ltd stated that Mr Costello had given an undertaking to remove all his cattle from the land on July 1st last, but agents observed 14 cattle on the lands, which were left there to frustrate and obstruct the receiver. Mr Costello, who represented himself, told the court there were no cattle on the lands and that he had slaughtered and moved his cattle, but animals were put back on the lands due to restrictions imposed by the Department of Agriculture after illness was detected in his herd. He stated he was caught in a bind by the committal order and that he was prepared to take whatever steps were required to remedy the situation.
A solicitor and senior executive with a well known Dublin law firm has been awarded €120,000 in damages for injuries sustained after being struck by a car while cycling to work. Mr Justice Michael Hanna stated that Julian Yarr, Managing Partner of A&L Goodbody, suffered 'very serious injuries' following a road traffic accident on the Rock Road, Blackrock Co Dublin on July 26th 2011. The court was informed that Mr Yarr sustained broken ribs, as well as injuries to his neck, shoulders and hands. Mr Yarr, of Marlborough Road Glenageary Co Dublin, sued the driver of the vehicle, Mr Brian Biggins of Culleen, Headford, Co Galway. It was alleged that as Mr Yarr approached the entrance to the Blackrock Clinic, the defendant turned from the opposite side of the road and struck Mr Yarr, who was thrown into the air, over the defendant's car and into the path of oncoming traffic. It was claimed the defendant drove in a negligent manner resulting in injuries to Mr Yarr. Liability in the action had been admitted. The matter was before the Court for assessment of damages only. In his judgment, Mr Justice Michael Hanna noted that it was fortunate Mr Yarr had been wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, as the injuries could have been more severe. Following the accident, Mr Yarr was taken to St Vincents Hospital, where he was kept for eight days. After considering all the evidence, Mr Justice Hanna said Mr Yarr was entitled to a total of €120,000 in damages.
John Biggins, a 35-year-old man from Claremorris, County Mayo, was ordered by the Central Criminal Court to return to the Central Mental Hospital following his acquittal. Biggins had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his father, Thomas Biggins, who was shot twice with a shotgun at their home in May 2012. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity after a two-day trial. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Sally Lenihan testified that Biggins, who has chronic schizophrenia, has made good progress in rehabilitation but requires ongoing specialist care. She recommended his return to the hospital, a recommendation accepted by Mr Justice Paul Carney. Defence expert Dr Paul O'Connell had previously stated that Biggins suffered from psychotic symptoms and paranoid delusions, fulfilling criteria under the Mental Insanity Act. The court noted that Biggins was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and mild intellectual disability. The judge issued the order based on the psychiatric recommendations, ensuring the defendant continues to receive the necessary specialist treatment for his condition.
John Biggins, 35, of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris, was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering his father, Thomas Biggins, 70, at their home on May 6, 2012. The Central Criminal Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after 27 minutes of deliberation. Biggins had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The court heard that Biggins was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and mild intellectual disability. Defence psychiatrists testified that he met the criteria under the Mental Insanity Act, citing psychotic symptoms and paranoid delusions. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC requested an order to commit Biggins to the Central Mental Hospital, with a return date set for the following Wednesday to appear before the court. Mr Justice Paul Carney thanked the jury and exempted them from further service for life. Evidence indicated Biggins shot his father twice with a legally held shotgun. After the incident, Biggins rang 999, told Garda Mark Kilbride he was turning himself in, and drove to Ballinrobe Garda Station, where he was cooperative. Detective Sergeant James Carroll described the post-event behavior as "quite bizarre," noting Biggins stated, "I just shot the aul lad…I'll be going to jail now." The matter was adjourned for the proposed disposal hearing.
John Biggins, 35, of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, accused of murdering his father, Thomas Biggins, 70, at that address on May 6, 2012. The accused entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the defence of insanity is being raised, with the burden on the accused to prove insanity. The court heard the accused was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and on disability allowance. Evidence indicated the victim was shot twice with his own legally held shotgun in his yard; Prof Marie Cassidy identified a shotgun wound to the left chest as the cause of death. Det Sgt James Carroll testified that the accused handed himself in at Ballinrobe Garda Station after calling 999, stating, "I just shot the aul lad…I'll be going to jail now." He was co-operative during detention. The accused told gardai he had contemplated suicide and had searched websites on how to kill himself. A hangman's noose and two ropes were found in a barn loft. The accused has no previous convictions. The trial continues.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis in the ongoing trial of Simon McGinley, a 30-year-old Sligo man. McGinley, of Connaughton Road, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Eugene Gillespie (67) but admitted to the manslaughter of the pensioner in Co. Sligo on September 22, 2012. He also pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment of Mr Gillespie and trespass to commit robbery at his home in Old Market Street on September 19, 2012. The State did not accept the manslaughter plea, and the trial commenced last Tuesday. Dr Curtis testified that he performed a post-mortem at Galway University Hospital on September 23, 2012, and visited the deceased's home. He reported severe blunt force trauma to the head, face, and neck, including fractures to the skull base, jaw, and ribs, as well as ligature marks on the wrists and neck. The pathologist stated the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia due to coma resulting from the trauma, with hand ischemia from binding as a contributory factor. Detective Sergeant Con Lee also gave evidence regarding McGinley's demeanor during interviews. The matter was adjourned, and the trial continues.
Eugene Cullen, 30, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Seamus O'Byrne, 27, in south Dublin. The Central Criminal Court heard that O'Byrne was shot dead at Tymon Park North, Tallaght, on 13 March 2009, in front of his girlfriend Sharon Rattigan and their baby. Rattigan tackled the assassin and was shot in the leg while disarming him. The prosecution alleged that Cullen was not the gunman but a participant in the planning and execution of the murder, acting by common design. He was the second person convicted for the crime; Garrett O'Brien was the gunman, sentenced to life in 2012. The jury, after 3 hours 41 minutes, returned a unanimous guilty verdict. Mr Justice Barry White imposed a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 8 May 2012 for time spent in custody. Eugene Cullen pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Ursula Shannon, a 30‑year‑old Trinity College PhD student, and her co‑accused John McGreal (37) and Colin Brady (24) were found guilty of unlawful possession of two handguns and 32 rounds of ammunition, as well as a 9mm Taurus PT92 pistol, a Walther P5 pistol, a magazine for the Taurus, a ZGJY stun‑gun/flashlight, and 25 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The court noted that the firearms were recovered from a stolen van intercepted by armed gardai outside a firearms dealer in Co Offaly, and that the ammunition was wrapped in a baby's nappy. The defendants had not contested the evidence. The judge sentenced each to six years' imprisonment, with Brady's sentence back‑dated to 29 November 2012. Ursula Shannon pleaded not guilty. John McGreal pleaded not guilty. Colin Brady pleaded not guilty.
In December 2013 a Limerick man, Kieran Lynch, aged 47, was ordered to await the outcome of his appeal after being sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2007 for the murder of his partner Catherine McEnery. Lynch had pleaded not guilty at a Galway sitting of the Central Criminal Court in July 2005. The appeal, heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal, focused on two main points: first, the alleged misdirection by Judge Paul Carney regarding provocation, and second, a motion to introduce fresh evidence about Lynch's recent near‑drowning experience and high‑dose medication that might have made him more susceptible to provocation. Lynch's counsel argued that this evidence could have rendered him more vulnerable to a loss of control. The State's counsel contended that the question was ambiguous and that no exceptional circumstances justified the new evidence. Judge Donal O'Donnell said the court would reserve its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Paul McDonagh, 43, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for assaulting and threatening to kill a 97‑year‑old woman and for burglary. The sentence was increased from an earlier nine‑year term with three years suspended after the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed. McDonagh had previously gained entry to the victim's home by offering to tidy her gardens, then held his hand over her mouth, cutting her lip, repeatedly threatened to kill her, and fled with her purse. He had 26 prior burglary convictions and had served 12 years in the United Kingdom for a similar offence. The Court of Criminal Appeal deemed the offence of "utmost gravity" and imposed the 12‑year term, suspending the last two years on the condition of good behaviour and cooperation with a management plan while in prison.