In June 2022, Shane Westwood, aged 26, was sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting his former partner. The victim was punched repeatedly, bitten, threatened with a knife, and an attempt was made to smother her. Westwood had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in March 2018. Gardaí found him hiding under his mother's bed after the incident. He denied the assault, claiming it was only shouting, while his defence lawyer cited drug addiction and jealousy. The court noted his 19 prior convictions, including drug dealing and burglary. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on the condition of keeping the peace for three years, and ordered him to attend probation, anger‑management, and drug‑treatment programmes.
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.
Padraic Casserly, executive chef at Tribal Restaurant Ltd (Tribeton bar and restaurant) in Galway, was dismissed after the company applied for planning permission to convert the restaurant into office space. He claimed unfair dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act, the Organisation of Working Time Act and the Payment of Wages Act. The company had closed the restaurant temporarily in March 2020 due to Covid‑19 restrictions and later sought office conversion permission, granted in September 2020. Casserly's solicitors argued that the company's refusal to engage with his employment queries and failure to respond to his letters amounted to dismissal. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal unfair and awarded him €21,461.97 in compensation, including 20 weeks' pay, unpaid notice, and non‑payment for public holidays.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, Darragh O'Farrell, a general manager at Campbell Catering Ltd trading as Aramark Ireland, was awarded €45,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal. O'Farrell had been employed since 2017 and managed up to 100 staff at sporting events. He was laid off during the first pandemic lockdown, a period when the government had introduced wage subsidies. The company argued his role was redundant due to the pandemic's impact, citing cancelled events and a sharp decline in business. O'Farrell contended the redundancy process was rushed, lacked clarity, and did not reflect the extraordinary circumstances. The adjudicator found the dismissal unfair, noting the employer should have treated the redundancy in line with the government's wage subsidy scheme. The award included an additional €821 for five days of annual leave. The case highlights the Commission's stance on employer conduct during the pandemic.
A High Court judicial review action brought by Dominic 'Og' McGlinchey against the Coroner for Co Louth, Ronan McGuire, was adjourned to a date in July. The applicant, son of the late INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey, sought documents preserved by the coroner regarding the 1996 inquest into his father's 1994 murder in Drogheda. Mr. McGlinchey alleged that the coroner failed to furnish these records, including depositions from the late State Pathologist Dr. John Harbison and the applicant himself, despite requests made under the 1962 Coroner's Act. Counsel for the applicant, Ronan Munroe SC, stated that the coroner had indicated in correspondence that he would provide all material in his possession, which may resolve the matter. However, it remained unclear how much of the sought material the coroner actually held. Mr. Justice Charles Meenan stated he was not prepared to grant permission for the judicial review challenge given the coroner's position. Instead, the judge said he was prepared to put the coroner on notice of the application. The proceedings were adjourned to a date in July. The applicant had sought declarations that the coroner failed to comply with statutory obligations to furnish documents and provide reasons for any non-compliance, as well as orders directing the coroner to comply or explain the failure. The underlying murder of Dominic McGlinchey Snr remains unsolved.
Conor Hynes, who was unfairly dismissed by Heneghan Premier Services Ltd after raising concerns about the lack of PPE for workers during the Covid‑19 pandemic, was awarded €24,840 by the Workplace Relations Commission. Hynes sought an additional €72,000 in compensation for inflation in construction costs, arguing that the price of building materials had risen after his dismissal and that this loss was directly linked to his protected disclosure. The Commission found no evidence that Hynes had committed to building a house before his dismissal and therefore excluded that loss from the decision. The company was not represented at the initial hearing but later joined by an HR consultant who submitted documentary evidence. The adjudicating officer ruled that, in the absence of a defence, the termination was unfair and awarded the €24,840, noting that any redundancy payment would be deducted from the compensation.
In a 2020 home invasion, 25‑year‑old Gerry Connors and his 25‑year‑old brother Myles attacked Edward Babos, punching him, threatening with scissors, cutting his hair, and forcing him to strip. They searched Babos, took his car keys, and drove him in his own car, kicking and damaging it. Connors threatened Babos that police would kill him, yet Babos escaped to his home and called Gardaí. Connors later admitted the crime, travelled to the UK for three days, and returned to give a full confession. He pleaded guilty to a 2018 robbery and was sentenced to two years for robbery and four years for false imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, under probation supervision. Myles Connors received a five‑year sentence for assault, false imprisonment, and robbery. The court highlighted Connors' remorse and efforts at rehabilitation. The case underscores the severity of violent offences and the court's dual aim of punishment and deterrence.
James Sammon, former general manager of Galway Multiplex Ltd, was dismissed in July 2020 after an investigation found him asleep at his desk and smelling of alcohol on 18 November 2019. The cinema's HR manager reported that a customer and two supervisors alleged Sammon had fallen asleep, sent a junior colleague to buy alcohol and cigarettes, and had a strong alcohol odor. CCTV footage was cited as evidence of his intoxication. Sammon was suspended with pay on 19 November and did not attend the disciplinary hearing, citing a nervous breakdown. He later claimed excessive working hours (56–60 per week) and lack of statutory breaks. The Workplace Relations Commission ruled Sammon was 60 % responsible for his dismissal, awarding him €1,600 in unfair dismissal compensation and an additional €1,018 for breaches of the Organisation of Working Time Act, while rejecting other working‑time claims.
Michael Scott, 57, of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co. Galway, faces trial for the murder of 75‑year‑old pensioner Chrissie Treacy, who was found dead in her farmhouse at Boula, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, set the trial date for 11 January 2023. The proceedings are expected to last between six and eight weeks. This is the third time a trial date has been scheduled for Scott; earlier dates in January 2021 and January 2022 were postponed due to pandemic‑related court restrictions.
Three former workers at an egg production facility in County Galway have secured redundancy payments following a Workplace Relations Commission ruling, two years after their initial claims were rejected due to the company's dissolution. Ronan McGrath, Brendan Eifert and Mark Hughes had sought redundancy entitlements from Galway Free Range Eggs Ltd after losing employment in early 2020. Their original complaints could not proceed when the company was struck from the register. The men subsequently obtained a Dublin Circuit Court order in April 2021 to restore the company, enabling their claims to progress. Adjudicating officer Catherine Byrne upheld their complaints under the Redundancy Payments Act this week, finding their employment had been genuinely redundant. Mr McGrath, who managed the egg packing plant in Cregmore, had over nineteen years' service, while Mr Hughes and Mr Eifert had served approximately seventeen and twelve years respectively. The largest lump sum is understood to exceed €20,000. Their solicitor noted the case raised wider concerns about employees unable to afford similar legal action.
The Workplace Relations Commission has rejected a discrimination complaint filed by But Bernard Carberry against T Ó hUiginn & a Comlucht Teo (T O'Higgins & Co Ltd) of Galway. Carberry, who represented himself, alleged that in January 2021, he was subjected to abuse and threats of police involvement when he refused to wear a face mask in the hardware store, claiming a medical exemption. He argued that the burden of proof lay with the retailer to demonstrate the efficacy of masks via peer-reviewed studies. The company contended that it was strictly enforcing public health guidelines and that Carberry failed to provide any evidence of his claimed disability or exemption, despite requests for proof. Adjudicating Officer Janet Hughes ruled that the retailer was not required to justify public health guidelines. She noted that Carberry refused to provide medical evidence, even when offered the option of an anonymised decision. The officer concluded that there was no possibility of the claim succeeding on grounds of disability discrimination and that continuing the hearing would be a waste of time. Consequently, the complaint was found not well founded.
The High Court has dismissed a barrister's bid to strike out a negligence action brought by broadcaster Gemma Ní Chionnaith. Ms Ní Chionnaith, who has worked for TG4 and Radio Na Gealtachta, sued Co Galway barrister John Fahy and the National Union of Journalists over their handling of an unsuccessful unfair dismissal claim she brought against RTE. The parties deny all allegations. Ruling on a pretrial motion seeking to strike out the claim on grounds of delay, Ms Justice Siobhan Phelan stated there was no proper basis to dismiss the proceedings at this stage. The broadcaster's damages claim stems from advice allegedly received regarding a 2010 Unfair Dismissals action arising from her time with Radio Na Gealtachta. She claims Mr Fahy advised her she had acquired the right to a contract of indefinite duration but failed to advise her to secure that right under the 2003 Protection of Employees Act. Consequently, she launched an unfair dismissal claim in June 2010, which was rejected by a Rights Commissioner in 2011 as out of time. A subsequent application for an extension of time was refused in January 2012. Ms Ní Chionnaith alleges negligence by both defendants. In her judgment, Ms Justice Phelan acknowledged inordinate delay but ruled that the balance of justice favoured the case proceeding to a full hearing, noting the action was not particularly witness-dependent. The court awarded Ms Ní Chionnaith her costs of the motion.
In 2011, 16‑year‑old Marian Lingurar Jnr left his employer, publican John Kenny, to die on a toilet floor after a violent robbery. Lingurar Jnr was not involved in the restraint or assault of Kenny, who sustained severe injuries and was found dead the next evening. He was convicted of manslaughter by a jury at Galway Circuit Criminal Court in January 2019 and sentenced to nine years imprisonment. In April 2022, the Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence and reduced the jail term by one year, citing the appellant's age and the fact that he was not a party to the violence. The appeal was based on the argument that the trial judge had not given sufficient weight to the appellant's age at the time of the offence. The Court of Appeal confirmed the conviction but adjusted the sentence to eight years, noting that the crime had a very grave impact on the Kenny family.
In 2019, Marian Lingurar Jnr, then 16, was sentenced to nine years for the manslaughter of publican John Kenny, 56, during a robbery in Oughterard, Co Galway. The attack, on 25 September 2011, left Kenny severely beaten, tied, and left to die in a ladies' toilet. Lingurar Jnr, who had worked as a doorman for a week, was part of a gang that robbed the pub after closing. In April 2022, he appealed the sentence, arguing the judge failed to consider his youth and the lack of evidence that he personally restrained or assaulted Kenny. The Court of Appeal noted the crime was a "common design" and that Lingurar Jnr bore responsibility, but the appeal was based on the judge's handling of his age. The appeal was still pending at the time of the hearing. The case highlighted the complexities of sentencing juveniles for violent robbery and manslaughter.
Martin Feehan, 42, was convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after his Citroen Berlingo collided with on‑coming traffic during an overtaking manoeuvre on the Mallow‑to‑Cork road at Granagh on 16 February 2015. The crash left his passenger, 40‑year‑old Brid Hallihan, with a broken pelvis and months of hospital treatment. Prosecutors alleged Feehan was driving too fast and lost control when the overtaking lane merged with a slower lane, causing his vehicle to cross the carriageway. A jury found him guilty and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin imposed a three‑year suspended sentence and a 20‑year driving ban. Feehan appealed, arguing the judge erred in law and fact, but the appeal was dismissed. The appellate court noted the judge's explanations were "plainly attempting to further explain the level of fault required to prove the charge" and rejected the claim that the judge had erred in summarising facts.
Murad Kandokar, 49, of Gleann Ribh, Lusk, Co. Dublin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 16 months in prison for two sexual assaults. He pleaded guilty to an assault on a Luas train in Dublin on 26 May 2021 and to an assault on a Galway‑to‑Dublin Airport City Link bus on 17 July 2019. The court heard that on the Luas incident a young woman was approached by Kandokar, who pressed his body against her and displayed an erection, causing her to disembark at the Four Courts and seek assistance from Garda Sonya Mooney. In the bus incident, a woman was found with Kandokar's hand in her crotch area; she shouted at him and he moved seats before being arrested. Judge Martin Nolan described the acts as compulsive yet criminal, sentencing Kandokar to two and a half years with fourteen months suspended, leaving a net 16‑month custodial term.
Daniel Munteanu, a 32-year-old Romanian national from Navan, Co Meath, has failed in his appeal against a custodial sentence imposed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court. Munteanu pleaded guilty to 10 charges of stealing €121,800 from 52 Bank of Ireland accounts between September 9, 2018, and March 4, 2019. He also admitted possessing 51 cloned bank cards, card-making equipment, and false identity documents. Judge Martina Baxter originally sentenced him to seven years, with the final six months suspended, after applying a discount to an 11-year headline sentence. Munteanu appealed on the grounds that the judge placed insufficient weight on mitigation, arguing he was merely a 'foot-soldier' in an international skimming gang who received a 10-15% cut of the proceeds. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal. The Court President noted that the original judge had applied a 'significant and generous' discount and that the final six-and-a-half-year term clearly fell within the available range. The court accepted the prosecution's submission that Munteanu was part of a complex criminal organisation operating across multiple jurisdictions, including Ireland, the UK, Belgium, Romania, and Italy, which justified the severity of the sentence.
A 32-year-old Romanian national is appealing a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence imposed for his role in an international bank card skimming operation. Daniel Munteanu pleaded guilty at Trim Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of theft totalling €121,800 from 52 Bank of Ireland accounts between September 2018 and March 2019. Over 300 withdrawals were made from ATMs across multiple counties including Cavan and Monaghan. Gardaí recovered cloned bank cards, a card-cloning machine, and forged identity documents from his home. At the Court of Appeal, his legal team contended the original sentence was disproportionate, characterising Munteanu as a foot-soldier in the gang who received approximately ten per cent of proceeds. The Director of Public Prosecutions countered that Munteanu was an integral member of an established international criminal network operating across multiple jurisdictions with significant resources. The court reserved judgment.
A Kinahan-linked man convicted of attempted murder is challenging his conviction on appeal, arguing that mobile phone records used to secure his conviction breached his right to privacy under Irish and European Union law. Caolan Smyth, now imprisoned at Cork Prison, was found guilty at the Special Criminal Court in January 2021 of the attempted murder of James Gately in north Dublin on 10 May 2017. Smyth was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment. His co-accused, Gary McAreavey, received three years for assisting in the destruction of the vehicle used in the shooting. At the Court of Appeal, counsel for Smyth submitted that phone location data gathered under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 should not have been admitted as evidence, citing a 2018 judgment that found the legislation incompatible with EU law. The Director of Public Prosecutions contended that the phone records were recovered lawfully and that the legislation remains valid. McAreavey separately appeals his conviction, challenging whether evidence proved his knowledge that a serious offence had been committed. Caolan Smyth pleaded not guilty. Gary McAreavey pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal hearing, 21‑year‑old Kathleen McDonagh pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering for the period March 2019 to January 2020. Gardaí seized €23,715 worth of luxury goods, a high‑end car bought for €25,750 in cash, and discovered deposits totalling €98,828.88 in her AIB, post office and credit union accounts between March 2018 and December 2019. McDonagh's only income at the time was her lone parent's allowance. She was not the target of the original investigation and had no prior convictions. The court considered her a direct beneficiary of the illicit proceeds but not the perpetrator of the primary offences. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 4 May to allow a Probation Service assessment, and McDonagh was remanded on bail until that date. The case highlighted her possession of unexplained assets linked to a partner serving a burglary sentence and a European Arrest Warrant.
In a High Court hearing on 24 January 2022, Galway Sightseeing Tour Company Ltd, trading as Galway Tour Company, argued that Galway City Council had effectively created a monopoly by refusing to allow the company to operate a roadside bus stop outside the city's coach station. The company, which has run sightseeing and private hire buses for years, claims it was forced in 2009 to relocate its collection and drop‑off points to the newly built Galway Coach Station, a facility on public land but operated by private entities. After leaving the station in 2020 over alleged unfair and astronomical licence fees, the company sought a licence from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to operate a stop on Merchants Road. The NTA said council approval was required, and the council objected on traffic congestion grounds, ultimately refusing the licence. The company contends the council's refusal and the NTA's acceptance of that refusal amount to unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional actions.
In January 2022, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of Eddie O'Loughlin, a 38‑year‑old former resident of Finbar's Terrace, Bohermore, who had been convicted of aggravated burglary and a violent assault on Jonathan King in June 2016. O'Loughlin entered the family home at 8 am armed with a large kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed King in front of the victim's daughters, aged four, 11 and 17. He also threatened the mother, Adrienne Keary, by placing his finger on his lips. O'Loughlin was arrested hours later, his clothing stained with King's blood. He had originally pleaded not guilty, later changed to guilty after evidence from Keary, and was sentenced to 10 ½ years in January 2020. On appeal, the Court found no error in the conviction but suspended the final 18 months of the term for three years, subject to a bond with probation services. The appeal was heard by Justices Kennedy, Edwards and McCarthy.
Alexander Cribbin, 21, of Woodford Downs, Clondalkin, was discharged from an indictment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after abiding by the conditions of a deferred sentence. Cribbin pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct within the state on November 1, 2019. The court heard that a doctor narrowly avoided losing €18,000 in pension funds in an email misdirection scam. The doctor mistakenly believed he was replying to his pension broker but was actually communicating with a third party who provided Cribbin's bank details. Cribbin had lent his bank account to a friend for "trading" but became suspicious when the large lodgement arrived. He did not use the funds, allowing the bank to successfully recall the money and return it to the victim. Judge Martin Nolan previously noted that Cribbin's actions meant the money "could never have been taken from the account" and granted him leniency. The judge imposed a deferred sentence, requiring Cribbin to be of good behaviour for six months, with a proposed disposal of six months' imprisonment if he failed to abide by that condition. At the final hearing, the court confirmed Cribbin had met these conditions, and Judge Nolan discharged him from the indictment.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, was re-arraigned on November 17 and pleaded guilty to participating in activities of a criminal organisation, contrary to Section 72 (1) (A) of the Criminal Justice Act. The charge relates to his involvement between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, in activities connected with the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty at his first arraignment on November 9. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the non-jury court, remanded Glynn in custody until February 11, when he will be sentenced. In a related case, Caolan Smyth (30) of Cuileann Court, Donore, Co Meath, was sentenced to 20 years at the Special Criminal Court for the attempted murder of Gately and for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Smyth had denied both charges. Gary McAreavey (53) of Gort Nua, Station Road, Castlebellingham, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day. He received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended. Estonian hitman Imre Arakas (63) was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, after he admitted to conspiring with others to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62), of Blakestown Cottages in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, has already been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot to murder Gately. The court heard that Gately had been warned by gardaí of a threat to his life from criminals who believed him to be involved in the Regency Hotel murder of Kinahan Cartel associate David Byrne in February 2016. The court has heard in previous related cases that there was 'ongoing targeting' of Gately in the context of a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups.
In January 2022, a 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for defiling his 16‑year‑old cousin on a church grounds in Galway in May 2018. He pleaded guilty to a sexual act with a child under 17, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of five years. At the time of the offence he was 29. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to keep her eyes open, described how the man kissed and groped her after she refused to go to the bushes. He denied any wrongdoing during questioning. The court noted his 140 prior convictions, including assault, robbery, burglary, knife possession, theft, public order offences and four Covid‑related convictions. The judge, citing the victim's vulnerability and the lack of grooming or violence, set a headline sentence of three and a half years, reduced by one year for mitigating factors, and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision period.
In a Commercial Court case, Mary Flannery sued her family members and the company's accountant over control of Foxfield Inns Designated Activity Company, which owns hotels in Dublin and Galway. She alleged oppressive conduct under section 212 of the 2014 Companies Act. The defendants—her brothers Frank and Kevin Flannery, Kevin's wife Sheelagh, and accountant James Norton—denied the claims. The court heard that the company employed about 180 people and owned several properties, including the Eglington Hotel. After mediation, the parties reached a settlement. The court agreed that it could order Foxfield Inns to purchase Mary Flannery's and Andrena Moynihan's shareholdings. The settlement terms are confidential, and the matter was adjourned for mention in April. The judge welcomed the settlement.
Michael O'Donoghue, aged 43, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for raping and sexually abusing his 19‑year‑old daughter, Aimee Foley, over a six‑year period. The Central Criminal Court heard that O'Donoghue supplied Foley with alcohol and drugs, including cannabis and cocaine, before sexually assaulting her during access visits to his home. He pleaded guilty to 31 counts of sexual assault, one count of rape and one count of producing child pornography. Foley, who was aged between 12 and 17 at the time of the abuse, gave a victim impact statement in which she described the emotional and physical abuse she endured. The judge noted mitigating factors such as O'Donoghue's early admission to Gardaí and his current low risk of re‑offending. The sentence was back‑dated to his arrest in April 2019.
At the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution closing argument in the trial of Logan Jackson concluded on December 9th. Mr Jackson, aged 31, of Coventry, England, denies murdering Kevin Sheehy, a five-time Irish boxing champion aged 20, but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The death occurred on July 1st, 2019, on Hyde Road in Limerick city, when Mr Sheehy was struck repeatedly by a Mitsubishi Shogun jeep, sustaining fatal injuries including a catastrophic skull fracture. The prosecution barrister contended that CCTV evidence contradicted the defendant's account to gardaí, describing his statements as fabricated. The defence counsel argued the case lacked conclusive detail and that manslaughter remained the appropriate verdict. Mr Jackson also faces a charge of dangerous driving contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Justice Eileen Creedon is expected to charge the jury of five men and six women before deliberations commence. Logan Jackson pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, a forensic pathologist gave evidence concerning the death of Kevin Sheehy, a five-time Irish boxing champion, who died on July 1, 2019, following a fatal road traffic collision in Limerick city. Dr Allan Cala, testifying via video link from Australia, detailed multiple severe injuries sustained by the twenty-year-old, including a catastrophic skull fracture, extensive skeletal fractures, and profuse internal bleeding. Logan Jackson, aged thirty-one, of Longford Road, Coventry, England, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder. Evidence presented included witness testimony describing the vehicle striking Mr Sheehy repeatedly, and forensic findings consistent with the deceased being struck and dragged. The trial, before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury, continues at the Central Criminal Court.
A 26‑year‑old man, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old girl he met in a bar, lost an appeal against a six‑year prison sentence. The victim, whose identity is protected, described how the attacker pushed her onto a bed, inserted his hands into her trousers and tried to remove her clothing, and a medical examination later revealed damage to her vaginal area. The man pleaded not guilty to the offence under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1990, but was found guilty and sentenced in December 2019. In his appeal he argued that the sentence should have included a rehabilitation element and that too much weight had been given to his prior convictions, which were not all sexual and some occurred after the offence. The Director of Public Prosecutions noted the accused had shown no remorse.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, changed his plea to guilty at the Special Criminal Court, admitting to participating in the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017. The charge alleged he placed a tracker device on James Gately's car in Belfast to facilitate a murder plot. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the case to January 14, 2022, for a sentence hearing; the matter was adjourned and not concluded. Glynn is the fifth person convicted in cases relating to the failed bid to murder Gately. Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation targeting Gately. Stephen Fowler (62) and David Duffy (33) were jailed for providing logistical support. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Caolan Smyth (30) was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Gately and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Gary McAreavey (53) pleaded not guilty to impeding a prosecution and received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended.
In a Dublin case, Derek Malone, aged 59, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography images and videos at his Ballyfermot home on 27 January 2016. Garda Martin O'Gara reported that authorities discovered the activity on a Twitter account in September 2015, identifying 19 images that could be child pornography. A search warrant led to the seizure of a black mobile phone, from which eight images and three videos of naked prepubescent girls engaging in sexual acts with other children were found. Malone admitted to viewing pornography for some time and acknowledged that some material was illegal, expressing regret. The prosecution noted his alcohol use and his wife's health issues as contextual factors. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his remorse and the offence's timing, imposed a nine‑month prison sentence suspended in full, conditional on Malone's participation in the Probation Service to address his alcohol abuse. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence while allowing for rehabilitation.
Stephen Fowler (62) was sentenced to six years and nine months at the Special Criminal Court for his logistical involvement in a plot to murder James Gately. The judge suspended the final 15 months for three years, conditional on good behaviour. Fowler pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal organisation's activities between December 2016 and April 2017. He is the sixth person jailed in this case. Peter Keating (40) pleaded guilty to directing a criminal organisation and was jailed for 11 years. David Duffy (33) pleaded guilty to contributing to the murder plot and received five years' imprisonment with one year suspended. Caolan Smyth (30), who denied charges, was sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder and firearm possession. Gary McAreavey (53) pleaded not guilty to impeding prosecution by burning a vehicle but received a four-year term with the final year suspended. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. The court described the events as part of ongoing targeting of Gately within a gang feud.
Stephen Fowler (62) pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to participating in a criminal organisation with the intention of enhancing its ability to commit the serious offence of the murder of James Gately. The court heard that Fowler offered his home as a safe-house to Estonian hitman Imre Arakas, who was jailed for six years in December 2018 for conspiring in the attempted murder. Fowler, who previously served six years for cannabis possession, was on a two-year suspended sentence at the time of the 2017 offence. The court will review this suspended sentence as part of the finalisation. Sentencing for Fowler, which carries a maximum of 15 years, is scheduled for October 4. Related convictions include Peter Keating, jailed for 11 years for directing a criminal organisation; David Duffy, sentenced to five years with one year suspended for participating in the organisation; and Caolan Smyth, sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder and firearm possession after denying charges. Gary McAreavey, who pleaded not guilty to impeding prosecution by assisting in burning a vehicle, received a four-year term with the final year suspended. These cases stem from a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups.
At the Special Criminal Court, Dubliner Stephen Fowler (62) pleaded guilty to having knowledge of a criminal organisation and participating in activities connected with the attempted murder of James Gately between December 7, 2016, and April 4, 2017. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the matter, fixing September 16 for a sentence hearing. The court report also details related finalisations. Peter Keating (41) was sentenced to 11 years after pleading guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation during the same period. David Duffy (33) pleaded guilty to similar charges and received a five-year sentence with one year suspended. Caolan Smyth (30), who denied charges, was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Gately and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Gary McAreavey (53) pleaded not guilty to acting to impede an apprehension by assisting in the burning of a vehicle used in the attack; he was sentenced to four years with the final year suspended. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. These proceedings relate to a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups, during which Gately survived multiple assassination attempts.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume with several high-profile matters, including the appeal of Aaron Brady. Brady, 30, was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for robbery. His appeal is expected in 2022. Other upcoming trials include that of Sameer Syed, 37, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu and their two children in Rathfarnham in October 2021; his trial is scheduled for June 15, 2022. Michael Scott, 55, faces trial on January 11, 2022, for the alleged murder of Chrissie Treacy in Portumna in 2018. Stephen Silver, 44, is charged with the murder of Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020; his trial is also set for June 15, 2022. Additionally, an appeal by Boy B regarding the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel is expected before the Court of Appeal. Boy B and Boy A were found guilty in 2019; both were 13 at the time, denied the offences, and were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre.
Four men have been sentenced to a combined 33 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following their convictions in connection with a gangland murder conspiracy. Wayne Ryan, aged 41 and with an address in Longford, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, on September 4th, 2019, and received 15 years. Three others—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson, and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan between May and November 2019. McClean received eight years, whilst Henderson and Crawford each received seven years with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice Michael White noted the "callous indifference" demonstrated in the broad daylight attack outside the victim's home. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a second attack in November 2019. The judge backdated sentences according to custody commencement dates and imposed good behaviour bonds on Henderson and Crawford regarding their suspended portions.
Trevor Byrne, aged 41, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to consecutive jail terms totalling 17½ years for a series of firearms offences and an armed robbery of Boylesports bookmakers in Swords on 19 March 2010. The robbery involved two men and included possession of a loaded 9 mm Luger‑calibre Radom 35 firearm, false imprisonment, a threat to kill, and hijacking a woman's car at gunpoint. Byrne had 44 prior convictions and was already serving a nine‑year sentence for a firearms offence that began in November 2019. The judge imposed eight‑and‑a‑half years for the robbery and false imprisonment, six‑and‑a‑half years for the threat to kill, and seven‑and‑a‑half years each for the firearm possession and car hijacking, with all five sentences running concurrently but consecutively to the earlier firearms conviction. The sentences were reduced by a total of 12 months for mitigation and rehabilitation considerations. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
Wayne Ryan, aged 41, with an address in Longford but originally from Limerick, has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan on 4 September 2019. Three Dublin men—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan at that location between May and November 2019. McClean and Whelan had previously been business partners in a car sales enterprise that ceased trading in 2016. Evidence presented to the Central Criminal Court detailed how Whelan was shot eleven times as he sat in his vehicle, struck by four bullets. A badly damaged handgun was recovered from a burnt-out van minutes after the attack. Firearms residue found on Ryan's clothing offered extremely strong support that he had discharged the shots. The four men were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 2 September 2021.
In 2021, Niall Conneely, 48, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm and driving without insurance after a crash on 27 October 2018 that left father and son Sanghodara and Manoj Kataram seriously injured. The initial sentencing judge, citing Manoj's "exceptional level of charity" in his plea for mercy, imposed a four‑year prison term but suspended the final three years, ordering 240 hours of community service instead. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, after hearing the case, found the original sentence too light and re‑sentenced Conneely to four years in prison, suspending the final three years. Conneely entered a bond for good behaviour for the suspended period and agreed to report to Garda Station as required. The decision was made by Justice Birmingham, Justice McCarthy and Justice Kennedy. The case remains at the appellate stage.
The Court of Appeal refused to allow Marian Lingurar Jnr, 26, to appeal his conviction for the manslaughter of John Kenny, 56, who was killed in a burglary at Kenny's pub in Oughterard on 25 September 2011. The court considered the impact of new proceedings on the victim's family, ten years after the killing, and found the appeal had little chance of success. It will, however, allow Lingurar to appeal his nine‑year prison sentence. Lingurar, a Romanian national who had broken bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, was found guilty by a jury in 2019. The judge noted that Lingurar was a juvenile at the time of the offence and that the family's impact would be less if the sentence were appealed rather than the conviction. The appeal of the sentence will be heard after the defence argues that the sentence was overly severe given Lingurar's youth.
Peter Keating, 40, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to directing a criminal organisation's activities from 7 December 2016 to 4 April 2017, including the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately. Gately was shot multiple times on 10 May 2017 while seated in his car at Topaz filling station, Dublin 17. The court heard that the attackers believed Gately was involved in the 2016 Regency Hotel attack that killed Kinahan gang member David Byrne. Other defendants include Caolan Smyth, sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder and firearm possession; Gary McAreavey, who pleaded not guilty to aiding the escape of a vehicle used in the attempt and received a four‑year term with the last year suspended; and Imre Arakas, jailed for six years for conspiracy to murder Gately in Northern Ireland. David Duffy, 33, pleaded guilty to knowledge of the organisation and participation in the offence, to be sentenced in July.
Shafik Qadri, a 51‑year‑old Pakistani national, was sentenced to six years in prison in October 2018 for raping a woman he invited to dinner in January 2016. He appealed at the Court of Appeal, arguing that Gardaí failed to take two witness statements. The statements in question were from a work colleague of the victim and the colleague's girlfriend, who had been told by the victim about the incident before reporting it the following day. Qadri's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, claimed that the omission compromised the fairness of the trial. The DPP's counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, dismissed the appeal as speculative, noting no issue was raised during the trial and that the Gardaí had not disclosed any information to the defence. The judge reserved judgment on the appeal.
The Central Criminal Court will hold a trial in 2022 for Michael Scott, a 55‑year‑old from Gortanumera, Portumna, charged with the murder of 75‑year‑old Chrissie Treacy, also of Portumna. Treacy was found dead on 27 April 2018 at her farm in Boula, where she lived alone. The trial, originally scheduled for January 2021, was postponed due to Covid‑19 restrictions that halted jury swearing‑in. Judge Michael White set the trial date for 11 January 2022, with a potential duration of up to eight weeks.
At the Central Criminal Court, four men admitted to offences related to the attempted murder of gangland figure Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, on September 4, 2019. Cailean Crawford (25), of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to conspiring to murder Whelan. His barrister, John Fitzgerald SC, applied for reporting restrictions citing a separate trial scheduled for June 2022. However, Mr Justice White rejected the application, ruling that Crawford could be named, stating he had great faith in the jury system. Wayne Ryan, of Longford, also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Whelan. Darren Henderson (30), of Ballyfermot, and a fourth man, who remains unnamed, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Crawford to murder Whelan. All four defendants were originally charged with attempted murder and were due to stand trial together on June 21, a date vacated following their guilty pleas. Whelan, who survived the initial shooting, was later killed in a separate incident in November 2019. Mr Justice White remanded the four men in custody until July 12 for a sentence hearing.
In a High Court claim, Gastro Grub Limited, trading as Tuco's Taqueria in Galway, alleges that Deliveroo has defamed it by listing the restaurant as closed, not accepting orders, and busy on its website and app. The restaurant, which opened in 2015, had ended its partnership with Deliveroo in 2016 over commission disputes and entered an exclusive delivery agreement with another firm. Director Aonghus O'Flaherty says the false listings caused customer confusion and harmed the business's reputation. He has requested the court to issue injunctions preventing Deliveroo from using the restaurant's name, logo, or presenting itself as a delivery agent for Gastro Grub, and to remove all references to Tuco's Taqueria from Deliveroo's platform. The judge granted short‑notice service ex‑parte and adjourned the case to June.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alexander Cribbin, aged 21, was found guilty of possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct after an €18,000 sum was fraudulently transferred into his account via a compromised email chain. Cribbin had given his bank details to a friend but, upon noticing the illicit transfer, refused to use the money and remained in Paris. Because he did not access the funds, the bank successfully recalled the amount and returned it to the doctor who had originally sent it. Cribbin pleaded guilty on 1 November 2019 and had no prior convictions. Judge Nolan, citing Cribbin's refusal to withdraw the money, granted leniency, imposing a €100 fine and a deferred sentence, with a condition of good behaviour until 9 December, after which a six‑month imprisonment could be imposed if the condition was breached.
Former Ros na Run actor Garrett Phillips, aged 48, has withdrawn his appeal against the sentence imposed for raping a 20‑year‑old woman in Galway on 5 November 2015. Phillips was convicted by an 11‑1 jury verdict of a single charge of orally raping the victim after she fell asleep in his van. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment. The appeal, which had been scheduled for the Court of Appeal, was withdrawn at the request of his counsel, Fiona Murphy SC. The court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, accepted the withdrawal. The case had previously seen a conviction appeal rejected, and the sentence appeal was the only remaining legal proceeding. No further proceedings are scheduled. Garrett Phillips pleaded not guilty.
Marian Lingurar Junior, 26, a Romanian national, is serving a nine‑year sentence for his role in the 2011 murder of John Kenny, a Galway publican, during a burglary. He has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal, arguing that his appeal was mistakenly filed under his father's name and that his privacy rights were breached when Gardaí obtained phone records used at trial. The Court noted that Lingurar had breached bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, delaying his trial until 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the extension, citing insufficient evidence that the appeal would succeed and the need to protect the victim's family. The appeal's outcome remains pending. The case also involved a second burglary conviction for the same night.
The Court of Appeal rejected former Ros na Rún actor Garrett Phillips' appeal against his conviction for raping a 20‑year‑old woman in Galway on 5 November 2015. Phillips, 48, was found guilty by an 11‑1 majority after a four‑day trial at the Central Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. He had pleaded not guilty, claiming the act was consensual. His lawyers argued that the trial judge had erred by refusing to allow cross‑examination of the victim about an oral sex act she had had with her boyfriend a week before the offence. The appeal was dismissed on the basis that the alleged prior act was not relevant to the rape charge. Phillips will now appeal the length of his sentence on 30 April.