Court archive
Court reports mentioning Tuam, Galway
2026-05-07 · Mayo
A man from Enniscrone, County Sligo, has lost a religious discrimination claim at the Workplace Relations Commission following his lifetime ban from a yoga studio in Ballina, County Mayo. Peter McKeon had pursued a complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000 against yoga teacher Niamh Glackin, who trades as Roots Wellness, over his exclusion in 2024. Mr McKeon alleged discrimination after Ms Glackin banned him following an incident on 16 December 2024. During the hearing, the parties disputed what occurred, with Mr McKeon claiming he expressed opposition to Christmas, whilst Ms Glackin described an aggressive outburst involving explicit language about child abuse and paedophilia. Adjudication officer Brian Dolan found that whilst Mr McKeon was entitled to hold and express his religious views without discrimination, his language and manner were inappropriate for the yoga studio setting. The officer concluded that Ms Glackin's decision to ban him was based on his behaviour rather than his beliefs, and dismissed the complaint accordingly.
2026-03-26 · Galway
Kestutis Buivydas pleaded guilty after more than 52,000 cigarettes with no excise-duty stamp were seized from his Carnmore home and a Tuam Road storage unit. The court heard he bought them online and sold them through a network; his one-year prison sentence was suspended in full, with €1,050 directed to Jigsaw Galway.
2025-11-06 · Galway
Leighton Morrison, 49, of Woodfield, Galway Road, Tuam, Co Galway, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, with the final year suspended. He pleaded guilty to six sample charges from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024. The charges include sexual assault against two girls, aged eight and nine, exploitation of a child, and possession and production of child pornography. Judge Eoin Garavan stated that Morrison remains a paedophile at high risk of recidivism and a grave danger to children. The court noted that Morrison videoed the assaults for his own gratification and can never have unsupervised access to children again. His sentence was backdated to July 2, 2024, when he entered custody. Upon release, he is ordered to undergo one year of probation supervision, during which he must complete counselling and a sex offenders' programme. The judge ordered the destruction of seized videos. Morrison's defence counsel noted his public apology and difficult childhood, while the judge described him as a talented dancer who caused significant destruction. The parents of the victims, who retained their children's anonymity, delivered victim impact statements detailing the severe trauma suffered by their daughters.
2025-11-06 · Galway
An appeal has been heard in the Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court regarding Leighton Morrison (49) of Woodfield, Galway Road, Tuam, Co Galway, who pleaded guilty to six sample charges from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024. The charges include two separate counts of sexual assault against an eight-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, exploitation of a child, and possession and production of child pornography. Judge Eoin Garavan stated that Morrison remains a paedophile and a grave danger to children, regardless of the length of his incarceration. His sentence was backdated to July 2, 2024, and Morrison was ordered to undergo probation supervision for a year post-release, during which time he must get counselling and undertake a sexual offenders' programme. The court heard that Morrison is at high risk of recidivism and can never have unsupervised access to children again. The matter was adjourned.
2025-10-21 · Sligo
A man from Enniscrone has brought a complaint before the Workplace Relations Commission alleging religious discrimination after being issued a lifetime ban from a yoga studio in Ballina. Peter McKeon enrolled at Roots Wellness in September 2024 and attended classes twice weekly until December 2024, when he engaged in a conversation with the studio's owner, Niamh Glackin, regarding his objections to Christmas on religious grounds. Following this exchange, Mr McKeon received written notice that the studio was not an appropriate environment for him, and was subsequently informed of a permanent ban in January 2025. Mr McKeon contends the ban constitutes unlawful discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000. Ms Glackin disputed aspects of Mr McKeon's account and testified that her decision to ban him was based solely on his allegedly aggressive behaviour during the incident, not on religious considerations. She stated the conduct created an unsafe environment for herself and other clients. Adjudication officer Brian Dolan has concluded the hearing and will deliver his written decision at a later date.
2025-07-14 · Galway
Brian Cummins, a 27-year-old from Tuam, Co Galway, had his prison sentence for money laundering halved on appeal. At the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath quashed the original sentence of seven years, with the final two years suspended, imposed by Judge Brian O'Callaghan at Galway Circuit Court on July 19, 2024. The appellate judge found the original headline sentence disproportionate, noting it erred in principle. Cummins, who pleaded guilty to money laundering contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, was resentenced to three years, with the final six months suspended. The court considered his high culpability, the €1,000 amount involved, his guilty plea, age, and drug dependency history. The case stemmed from an investigation into Barry Young, the 'Scourge of Sligo,' whose seized phone revealed Cummins as a contact known as 'Tuam.' Messages indicated a €1,000 transfer linked to criminal damage. Young, who pleaded guilty to directing a criminal organisation at the Special Criminal Court in July 2023, was jailed for 11 years. Cummins' appeal, argued by Philip Sheahan SC, successfully challenged the proportionality of the original sentence.
2025-06-25 · Galway
James Walsh, 54, of Liskeavy, Tuam, pleaded guilty to engaging in electronic communication to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child between May and November 2020. He had previously been convicted of road traffic offences, criminal damage and a public order offence. The court heard that Walsh believed he was speaking to a 12‑year‑old girl named Eve, who was actually a decoy. He sent sexual images, asked for nude pictures, and tried to delete messages to hide them from the girl's mother. Gardaí seized two phones and found no evidence of a broader interest in children. Judge Brian O'Callaghan set a headline sentence of five years, reduced it to two and a half years and suspended it in full for the same period, subject to strict conditions. Walsh will be placed on the sex offenders register. The judge declined a request for reporting restrictions on his address.
2025-06-23 · Galway
A 27-year-old man from County Galway has brought an appeal against his five-year sentence for money laundering, contending the term was disproportionate. Brian Cummins, Balgaddy Road, Tuam, pleaded guilty to money laundering contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. He was sentenced to seven years with the final two suspended at Galway Circuit Court in July 2024. The Court of Appeal heard that Cummins had connections to organised crime figure Barry Young, who was convicted of directing a criminal organisation. Cummins facilitated a €1,000 transfer to an account nominated by Young following criminal damage to a house in Tuam in October 2019. Defence counsel argued the sentence was excessive given the modest sum involved and Cummins' limited involvement with the criminal enterprise. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the appeal, stating the judge had exercised proper discretion. Justice Tara Burns indicated judgment would be reserved until 14 July.
2024-12-16 · Galway
Martin O'Brien, 54, of Gurrane, Tuam, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for four counts of sexual assault against a teenage babysitter, Áine McHugh, aged 16‑17, between 2012 and 2014. O'Brien had previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a 10‑year‑old child when he was 13‑14, a conviction still on appeal. In the current case, McHugh described O'Brien as a "sub‑human, monster" who groomed and repeatedly assaulted her while she cared for his children, giving her alcohol and assaulting her at home and in pubs. The judge noted aggravating factors such as the abuse occurring in O'Brien's home and his position of trust, and imposed a headline sentence of nine and a half years, but ultimately imposed a six‑year term with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, including probation engagement for twelve months.
2024-11-18 · Galway
Martin O'Brien, 54, of Tuam, Co Galway, pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual assault committed between June 2012 and February 2014 against a teenage babysitter. The case is currently at the sentencing stage before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo at the Central Criminal Court. The matter was previously adjourned in July to allow for the preparation of reports regarding sexual offender treatment O'Brien was undergoing. Today, the court heard mitigation from O'Brien's wife, Leonie O'Brien, who requested leniency citing his good character and family circumstances, including her own stage three breast cancer diagnosis. O'Brien also took the stand to express remorse and confirm he is attending therapy. A forensic psychologist report indicated he is at low-average risk of re-offending. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the assaults as relentless and grooming-based. Mr Justice Naidoo adjourned the case to December 16 for sentence. Separately, O'Brien has a previous conviction for sexual assault against a child, which is currently under appeal; he had contested that case, resulting in an eight-month suspended sentence and a €16,000 compensation order.
2024-02-20 · Galway
Deirdre O'Grady, a cancer survivor with chemotherapy‑induced nerve damage, filed a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 against the Health Service Executive (HSE). She had been promised a full‑time office role in Tuam after her treatment, but when the Covid‑19 pandemic began in 2020 she was redeployed to Ballinasloe and required to work full‑time in a kitchen, contrary to medical advice. The HSE argued it had adhered to medical recommendations and that occupational health reports deemed her fit for the duties. The tribunal found the HSE had made some efforts but failed to meet its legal obligations for reasonable accommodation. The adjudicating officer awarded O'Grady €5,000 for disability discrimination, while rejecting a claim for extra mileage compensation as an unreasonable burden on the employer.
2023-11-14 · Mayo
The Central Criminal Court trial of James Kilroy, 50, accused of murdering his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, 41, at their Co Mayo home in June 2019, continued with the prosecution case closing. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury heard evidence from gardai interviews in which the accused described waiting in the long grass for his wife before slitting her throat and choking her with his bare hands. He stated he used a black serrated knife and smashed her head, describing the event as a frenzy. The prosecution noted that Ms French Kilroy died from strangulation, blunt force trauma, and a stab wound. Defence counsel called consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney, who testified that the accused had a long history of cannabis use, including therapeutic consumption of high-THC 'AK-47' strain in the three years prior to the death. Dr Mullaney stated that THC can induce substance-induced psychosis in predisposed individuals and that the accused slightly increased his use in the week before the incident. The accused also reported feeling watched and paranoid in the days leading up to the event. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded at this stage.
2023-03-31 · Roscommon
The Roscommon eviction assault trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been adjourned until Monday, April 17, following the Easter break. Defendants Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor have each pleaded not guilty to 17 charges. These include false imprisonment, assault causing harm to four security personnel, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The alleged incident occurred on December 16, 2018, at Falsk, where a group of armed men attacked security guards at a repossessed property. On Day 19 of the trial, evidence was presented regarding a search warrant executed at Mr. Beirne's home in Co Roscommon on December 19, 2018. Gardaí seized electronic devices and keys to a Volvo lorry, which was later impounded. Mr. Beirne was arrested under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act and detained at Castlerea Garda Station. Testimony detailed his refusal of food and medical attention, leading to a doctor's visit for indigestion. The matter remains ongoing and was adjourned, not concluded.
2022-05-16 · Louth
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.
2021-06-17 · Galway
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.
2021-02-15 · Galway
Businessman Declan Ganley and his telecommunications company, Rivada Networks, have filed a defamation claim in the Irish High Court against CNN, alleging that a broadcast on 20 October 2020 maliciously portrayed them as having engaged in corrupt practices to secure a U.S. 5G contract. The plaintiffs argue the broadcast wrongly suggested they initiated a corrupt process, causing reputational damage and loss. They claim the content was entirely unfounded, grossly defamatory, and published with malicious intent to serve a political and commercial agenda linked to CNN's owners, AT&T. CNN has not apologized or removed the material. The case also names Cable News International Ltd and Turner Broadcasting System Europe Ltd as defendants. The High Court granted the plaintiffs permission to serve notice on the U.S. and U.K. defendants, as the broadcast was accessible to a wide Irish audience and led to further re‑publications. The action seeks damages and a correction order.
2020-09-28 · Donegal
A man from Tuam, County Rosemmon, must serve eighteen months in prison following a Court of Appeal decision that his original suspended sentence was unduly lenient. Stephen Connor, aged 43, pleaded guilty in July 2019 to assault causing harm, false imprisonment, and producing a knife during an incident at a house in Letterkenny, County Donegal, on 5 May 2018. The sentencing judge had imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence but suspended it in full. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed, arguing the sentence failed to reflect society's condemnation of domestic violence or incorporate adequate deterrence. The Court of Appeal found Connor's case contained no exceptional circumstances warranting full suspension. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with two colleagues, ruled that while the two-and-a-half-year custodial sentence remained appropriate, the final year would be suspended as a matter of appellate practice.
2020-06-16 · Roscommon
The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed a suspended sentence imposed on a Roscommon man convicted of assaulting and falsely imprisoning his ex-partner at her home in Letterkenny, County Donegal on 5 May 2018. Stephen Connor, aged 43, of Tuam, Kilrooskey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and production of a knife. Letterkenny Circuit Court imposed sentences totalling four years but suspended the entire term. The DPP argues the suspension constitutes undue leniency given the severity of the offence, described by the sentencing judge as a protracted and brutal onslaught. Counsel for the prosecution submitted the sentence failed to reflect the domestic violence context or provide adequate general deterrence. Defence counsel contended the sentencing judge properly balanced personal and general deterrence considerations. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, has reserved judgement.
2019-11-11 · Galway
John Conroy, 24, was convicted of 13 counts of dangerous driving and public endangerment after hijacking a car and leading a high‑speed chase through Galway city on 31 May 2016. He was found guilty by a jury at the Galway Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. Conroy appealed his conviction, arguing that the car‑owner's out‑of‑court statement was inadmissible because the witness, Thomas Ackroyd, was under the influence of morphine when he made the statement and could only recall about 2 % of its contents. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal, which centres on whether the safeguards for admitting such statements were met. The appeal will be heard after the Court of Appeal's decision is announced. The case remains at the appeal stage.
2019-01-22 · Galway
The Court of Appeal, on 22 January 2019, ruled that Galway Free Range Eggs Ltd is entitled to a permanent injunction against Hillsbrook Eggs Ltd and its directors, Kevin O'Brien and Carmel O'Brien, for passing off. The three‑judge panel overturned a 2016 High Court decision that had found the plaintiff not entitled to orders against the defendants. The appeal court held that Galway Free Range Eggs Ltd had established a substantial reputation in its brand name and that the defendants had used the name "O'Briens of Galway Free Range Eggs" in a manner that could mislead consumers. The injunction restrains the defendants from trading under that name, protecting the plaintiff's reputation and goodwill. The court also found that EU regulations requiring free‑range labeling did not justify the defendants' use of the brand name, and it rejected the High Court's dismissal of survey evidence.
2019-01-21 · Galway
Shafiq Quadri, a 49‑year‑old Pakistani national, was sentenced to six years in prison for raping a woman he had invited to his Galway home for dinner. The conviction, delivered by the Central Criminal Court in October 2018, followed the victim's testimony that after a night of food and drinks she was assaulted while intoxicated. Quadri denied the charge, claiming he would have been convicted if he had not shaved his beard. The judge noted the crime was out of character for Quadri, who had no prior convictions, and highlighted the victim's profound distress and post‑traumatic stress diagnosis. Quadri's sentence began in October when he entered custody after the jury verdict. The case underscored the victim's experience of shame, humiliation, and ongoing psychological treatment. The court recorded the victim's impact statement, detailing her trauma and the lasting effects on her life. The sentence will run from the date of conviction.
2018-07-17 · Galway
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions against the sentence imposed on Mark Hehir, a former GAA star who admitted stealing €305,072 from his employer, Galway City Bin company. Hehir pleaded guilty to transferring funds from the company's account to his personal account on 71 separate occasions between April and September 2016 to fund an online gambling addiction. In January, Judge Rory McCabe at Galway Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Hehir to a wholly suspended two-year term and ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service. Additional conditions require Hehir to remain gambling-free, refrain from opening bookmakers' accounts, continue counselling, and pay €100 weekly in restitution. Prosecutors, represented by Lorcan Staines BL, argued the sentence was unduly lenient and that the addiction did not constitute an exceptional circumstance justifying avoidance of custody. However, Mr Justice John Hedigan, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards, upheld the Circuit Court decision. The Court of Appeal found that the sentencing judge had carefully balanced all factors, including Hehir's status as a first-time offender, his full admissions, and his engagement in restorative justice. The court concluded there was no basis to intervene, leaving Hehir's suspended sentence and conditions intact.
2018-06-29 · Galway
Mark Hehir, a 27‑year‑old former captain of the Galway Under‑21 All Ireland football team, pleaded guilty to stealing €259,072 from his former employer, Galway City Bin, over a six‑month period in 2016. In January, Judge Rory McCabe at Galway Circuit Criminal Court imposed a wholly suspended two‑year sentence, ordered 240 hours of community service, required Hehir to remain gambling‑free, to avoid opening a bookies account, to attend counselling, and to pay €100 a week in restitution. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Lorcan Staines BL, requested a review of the sentence, arguing that gambling was not an exceptional circumstance and that the sentence was unduly lenient. Hehir's counsel, Bernard Madden SC, countered that Hehir's addiction and his efforts to repay the debt were exceptional factors. The Court of Appeal, with Justices George Birmingham, John Edwards and John Hedigan, reserved judgement on the review.
2018-05-31 · Galway
A man's conviction for threatening to kill a relative whilst brandishing a meat cleaver at University College Hospital Galway has been quashed by the Court of Appeal. Aaron Ward (32), from Tuam, Co Galway, was found guilty following a two-day trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to six years imprisonment in May 2017. The Court of Appeal overturned the conviction, finding the trial judge failed to properly engage with statutory requirements under Section 16 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 when admitting witness statements. The three complainants had retracted their initial statements to gardaí, citing intoxication and medication at the time they were made. Mr Justice Alan Mahon noted these statements were crucial to the prosecution case and should have been assessed strictly against legal requirements. The judge's rulings made insufficient reference to reliability, prejudice, and oath administration. Ward has been admitted to bail pending further Court of Appeal proceedings next week to determine whether a retrial is appropriate. Aaron Ward pleaded not guilty.
2017-04-26 · Galway
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 31‑year‑old Latvian man, Andrejs Krauze, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his 30‑year‑old brother, Juris Buls, who was strangled in July 2011 in Galway. The jury, after nearly five hours of deliberation, found Krauze guilty of murder. The prosecution argued that Krauze killed Buls after the victim refused to withdraw an assault complaint. Victim impact statements were read by the court, detailing Buls's role as a hardworking family provider who had moved to Ireland for better opportunities. The judge, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, imposed the mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to January 2016. The case highlighted the discovery of Buls's body in a drain and the subsequent investigation that led to Krauze's arrest and extradition. The sentencing was conducted without the presence of Buls's relatives, who were unable to attend in Ireland. Andrejs Krauze pleaded not guilty.
2017-03-22 · Galway
A former Latvian policeman, Andresj Krauze, aged 31, is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 30‑year‑old Juris Buls, whose body was found in a Galway drain near Glenamaddy. Krauze pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented evidence that Buls had not shown up for work on the night of 7 July 2011 and that his girlfriend reported him missing, leading to the discovery of his body weeks later. The jury heard that Buls had previously alleged assault against Krauze. In March 2012, Latvian police officer Juris Gabrens testified via video link from Latvia, describing how he was contacted by Irish authorities regarding Buls's death and how he interviewed Krauze in prison on 9 March 2012. Gabrens noted that Krauze refused a solicitor, signed the interrogation minutes, and was warned of potential consequences for refusing to answer.
2017-03-20 · Galway
In March 2017 the High Court granted Peter Mulryan leave to sue Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to obtain information about his sister Marian Bridget Mulryan, who is believed to have died at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. Mulryan, a retired ESB technician from Derrymullen, Ballinasloe, seeks a declaration that communications sent to his solicitor in 2016 created a legitimate expectation that Tusla would investigate all records concerning his sister. He also requests an order for Tusla to provide a printed booklet of all documentation it holds about St Mary's Home, including burial records, admission books, death certificates, adoption documents and correspondence. The court adjourned the matter for four weeks and confirmed that Tusla's offer to allow Mulryan to inspect scanned materials remains open. The case is still pending before the court.
2017-03-13 · Galway
An application by Peter Mulryan, a 73‑year‑old man from Derrymullen, Ballinasloe, seeks information about his infant sister Marian Bridget Mulryan, who is believed to have died in February 1955 at St Mary's mother and baby home in Tuam. Mulryan has brought proceedings against Tusla, requesting any material that may exist concerning his sister. Tusla claims it has provided all information it knows and has made its records available to the Commission investigating the Tuam home. The case was returned before Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, who considered whether to grant permission for a full hearing or a telescoped hearing combining the leave application and the full hearing. The judge adjourned the matter to allow Mulryan's lawyers to consider further amendments to the statement of grounds. The adjournment gives the parties time to clarify the orders sought. The court had previously adjourned the leave application several times to clarify the exact orders being requested.
2016-07-18 · Galway
Paul Mason, 28, pleaded guilty to trespassing with intent to commit a criminal offence at a house on the Tuam Road, Galway, on 13 October 2013. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment by Judge Rory McCabe on 8 October 2015. On appeal, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan set aside the original term and imposed a new three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. Mason must enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The Court of Appeal noted that the injured party was at home with family when the incident occurred, was assaulted by four men, and was threatened with a bomb if he did not cooperate. Mason was identified in an identification parade and admitted to being in the home but denied giving any message. The Court considered Mason's low risk of reoffending and his health‑related unsuitability for community service. The suspended portion was specifically 18 months, leaving a 30‑month custodial term.
2016-06-27 · Galway
Lee Wainwright, a former assistant manager at the Corralea Court Hotel in Tuam, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for raping a young woman in 2014. The victim, in her early twenties, was attending a hotel event when Wainwright escorted her to a room and later forced sex on her while she was asleep. He initially denied the rape, claiming a medical condition prevented him from having sex, but later pleaded guilty after DNA evidence linked him to the victim. Mr Justice Paul Butler imposed a six‑year term with the final two years suspended, noting the offence's seriousness and Wainwright's good work record and lack of prior convictions. The court heard the victim's impact statement describing the lasting psychological harm and the loss of trust caused by the assault. Wainwright's counsel read an apology letter to the victim and her family. The sentence reflects the judge's view that substantial custodial punishment is necessary in rape cases.
2016-05-26 · Galway
In a High Court case, Galway Free Range Eggs Ltd sought a permanent injunction to stop Hillsbrook Eggs Ltd and its directors, Kevin and Carmel O'Brien, from using the name "O'Briens of Galway Free Range Eggs" on their packaging. The claim alleged that the defendants were passing off their eggs as Galway Free Range Eggs, potentially misleading consumers. Mr Justice Tony O'Connor dismissed the claim, noting that the evidence did not show any intent by the defendants to mislead or obtain a "free ride" by using the Galway name. He found the plaintiff's evidence of misrepresentation to be tenuous and unreliable, and concluded that the defendants had not used the O'Brien name or the geographic designation in a way that violated honest commercial practice. Consequently, the injunction was refused and the case was dismissed.
2016-01-20 · Galway
A widow from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has settled her High Court damages action for €500,000 following the death of her husband at Galway Sportsgrounds. Dolores Byrne sued her late husband Declan's employer, CDM Steel Ltd, and the Connacht and Irish Rugby Football Unions after he was fatally injured on the site in April 2008. Mr Byrne, a steel fabricator, died when a steel girder fell and struck him while he was realigning it as part of gym construction works. Mrs Byrne had alleged the defendants failed to provide a safe workplace and adequate safety equipment. The defendants denied liability, with CDM Steel claiming Mr Byrne's own negligence caused the accident. Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement at the High Court on Wednesday, describing it as a very good outcome. The case against another defendant, Portant Developments Ltd, has been struck out.
2015-06-03 · Galway
In a Dublin flat raid, 28‑year‑old David Doherty was found with 6 g of heroin and was charged with possession for sale. He pleaded guilty and received a suspended sentence of two and a half years, conditional on keeping the peace and attending the Tuam Community Training Centre. Doherty, who had 49 prior convictions mainly for traffic offences, was described by the judge as having made significant progress in dealing with his heroin addiction. His co‑accused, 36‑year‑old Stephen Lunders, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was given a three‑year jail term, with the last 18 months suspended. Lunders had 28 prior convictions, including drug offences, and was found with 2 oz of heroin and €1,010 in cash. The raid was triggered by a tip‑off, and the flat contained evidence of drug preparation and street‑dealing.
2015-04-20 · Dublin
Mark Nash has been found guilty of murdering two women at sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, in March 1997. A Central Criminal Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after deliberating for over four hours on Monday, 20 April 2015. The trial lasted 48 days, during which 71 witnesses gave evidence. Nash, 42, originally from England with Dublin addresses, had pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Sheils, aged 59, and Mary Callanan, aged 61. The prosecution's case rested on admissions made by Nash, forensic evidence including DNA found on his jacket, and a caterpillar boot print discovered at the scene. Nash is already serving a life sentence for murders committed in Ballintober, Castlerea, County Roscommon, in August 1997. Mr Justice Carroll Moran imposed a life sentence for the Grangegorman murders. The case had remained unsolved for eighteen years before a DNA breakthrough in 2009 led to Nash's formal charging in October of that year.
2015-02-19 · Galway
At the Central Criminal Court, a retired garda sergeant gave evidence in the trial of Mark Nash, who is accused of murdering two women in sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, in 1997. Sergeant Kevin Duffy, who was member in charge at Mill Street Garda Station in Galway when Nash was arrested in August 1997, testified that he could not recall observing a wound to Nash's face or a laceration to his head at the time of arrest. Under cross-examination, the sergeant was challenged about his failure to note visible injuries despite medical evidence that a doctor had examined Nash and observed a head laceration and facial abrasion. The defence suggested the sergeant was aware Nash had been struck with a baton and was suppressing this fact. The court also heard from a prison officer regarding an incident at Mountjoy Prison in December 1997. The trial, heard at the Central Criminal Court, is expected to continue for approximately three weeks. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
2015-01-27 · Galway
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.
2014-12-01 · Dublin
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.