In a High Court hearing, Mr Justice Senan Allen ruled that a 'lites pendentes' notice registered by defendant Bill Cullen over Killegy House in Killarney, Co Kerry, must be vacated. The notice, which formally recorded a dispute over the property's ownership, was challenged by applicants including receivers Kavanagh Farrell, the Glencullen companies, Ulster Bank Ireland DAC, and Seaconview Ltd. These parties disputed Cullen's claim to a 50% interest in the property, alleging the action was not prosecuted bona fide. Cullen opposed the motion, asserting his entitlement to half the proceeds of any sale and rejecting claims that his 2018 action was insincere. He noted that separate proceedings by his partner, Jackie Lavin, had been settled in 2017. The judge vacated the notice on the procedural ground that it was not properly registered under the 2009 Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act. While the court did not find the claim lacked bona fides, it held that even if Cullen succeeded in his main action for damages, this would not establish the beneficial interest required to maintain the notice. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court in the New Year.
The High Court heard the State's apology to Joanne Hayes and her family regarding the Kerry Babies case, concluding a settlement of damages actions. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds described the events as a "travesty" and a "dark chapter" in Irish history. The damages actions against the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Ireland, and the Attorney General were struck out, while proceedings against the DPP were discontinued. The court issued declarations that all tribunal findings of wrongdoing against the family were unfounded and incorrect. It further declared that the family's questioning, arrest, charge, and prosecution between April and October 1984 were unfounded and breached their constitutional rights. A separate damages claim by Yvonne McGuckin was also settled and struck out. The court noted that the family's arrest, interrogation, detention, and charge were improper after a May 1984 blood test confirmed Ms Hayes was not the mother of baby John. The State expressed deep regret for the hurt caused, reiterating a 2018 apology. The declarations will be permanently attached to the tribunal report in the Oireachtas Library to ensure the accuracy of the public record. The family stated the resolution vindicates their good names after more than 35 years.
Joanne Hayes, who was wrongly accused of murdering an infant in 1984, seeks a High Court declaration that all findings of wrongdoing against her and her siblings by the Kerry Babies Tribunal were unfounded and incorrect. The family was arrested after a newborn with stab wounds was found in Cahersiveen. Hayes was accused of being the mother of the child, baby John, and of murdering him, but a blood test later proved she was not the mother. The charges were dropped in October 1984. Hayes claims the Gardaí forced her and her family into false confessions, which they later withdrew. The Tribunal, led by Justice Kevin Lynch, made numerous unsubstantiated findings, including allegations of assault and lying, and was alleged to have shown bias by allowing inappropriate statements about Hayes' character and private health. Hayes and her siblings now seek declarations that the investigation, arrest, charge and Tribunal findings breached her constitutional rights.
In a 2020 High Court decision, Mr Justice Denis McDonald quashed An Bord Pleanala's approval of a development at Rathmullen, Drogheda, that would have added 661 homes, a neighbourhood centre and a creche. The judge found the board's decision "wrong in law" because it failed to properly assess the impact on bird species in the Boyne Estuary Special Protection Area and on four nearby Natura 2000 sites. The court held that the board had not carried out the required high‑tide survey of rare birds, a requirement under the EU Habitats Directive, and had incorrectly considered mitigation measures. The decision was challenged by Highland Residents Association and Protect East Meath Ltd, who argued the board had ignored ecological and historical concerns. The case will return for final orders at a later date.
A 33‑year‑old Lithuanian man, Arnoldas Ivanauskas, was sentenced to six years in prison with the final year suspended for the manslaughter of a 24‑year‑old Belarusian man, Dmitry Hrynkevich, who was 7ft 5in tall. The court found that Ivanauskas did not intend to kill or seriously injure Hrynkevich, who had a compromised heart and Marfan syndrome, and that a second man, not before the court, was the principal assailant. The judge noted that Ivanauskas had been identified as a potential victim of human trafficking and had a troubled past. He was given a suspended sentence on the condition of good behaviour for two years after release, and his sentence was back‑dated to November 2018. The judge also acknowledged Hrynkevich's tragic death and his mother's description of his struggles and character. Arnoldas Ivanauskas was convicted.
Two men, Christopher O'Sullivan, 37, and James Brady, 26, are accused of murdering Timmy Hourihane, a 53‑year‑old homeless man from West Cork, at Mardyke Walk in Cork City on 13 October 2019. Hourihane was found dead in Cork University Hospital after a fire was reported at a tent near Mardyke Walk. The Central Criminal Court in Dublin will hear the case from 31 January 2022, with a trial expected to last up to three weeks. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned the matter to that date and allowed the possibility of a Cork venue. Both accused men appeared by video‑link and were remanded in custody until the trial date. The case remains pending, with no verdict yet reached.
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to two fashion retail companies that operated thirteen Pamela Scott stores across Ireland. Arzac Developments Ltd ran ten stores while Richard Alan & Co operated three, with outlets in locations including Sligo, Dublin, Limerick, Tralee and Cork. The firms, employing 104 people, sought winding up orders citing challenging market conditions, rising operating costs and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which rendered them insolvent. Mr Justice David Keane appointed insolvency practitioners Eamonn Richardson and Ian Barrett of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators. The court heard the companies faced pressure from landlords, reduced footfall and changes to wage subsidy schemes. Both firms were dependent on their parent company, Flairline Fashion Ltd, for administrative and financial support, which was no longer available. The judge made the cases returnable to November.
Ben Merriman, aged 22, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment for assault, trespass and criminal damage committed on 27 March 2018 at a house in Flemington Lane, Balbriggan. The offence involved Merriman and a co‑accused who entered the home in search of the co‑accused's former partner. They threatened the woman's parents, shouted that they would kill her, and forced the door down with a metal bar. Merriman spat in the mother's face, kicked the father while he was on the ground, and the other man struck the father with the metal bar. The court noted Merriman's full‑time employment, stable relationship, and compensation offered to the injured parties. The sentence is suspended on the condition that he keeps the peace and behaves well for two years. No prior convictions were recorded for Merriman. Ben Merriman pleaded guilty.
At a sentencing hearing, the mother of 24‑year‑old Dmitry Hrynkevich, a 7.5‑ft Belarussian man with Murfad syndrome, spoke about her son's life and death. She said Dmitry was bullied because of his height, endured pain, blindness and other illnesses, yet remained courageous, generous and a volunteer organ donor. He died on 2 October 2015 after a drunken fight at a house in Tralee, suffering head, face and neck injuries. Lithuanian resident Arnoldas Ivanauskas, 33, was charged with murder but acquitted; he was found guilty of manslaughter. The jury accepted that he intended more than a trivial injury but not serious harm. The court heard that Dmitry had undergone major heart surgery and that a post‑mortem linked his death to a heart attack and blunt‑force trauma. The prosecution sought a sentence of four to ten years, the judge adjourned the hearing to 23 October for further inquiry.
Aaron Brady, 29, accused of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe, rejected the prosecution's suggestion that he is a psychopath. During his final day of evidence, Brady denied the claim, stating that the alleged psychopath was Daniel Cahill, who he said had assaulted him and threatened to cut off his toes. Brady maintained that he had never threatened anyone or entered a room to threaten a person. He pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and to a robbery charge of about €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union. Brady also discussed his alibi submissions, his interactions with Gardaí in February 2018, and his statements about diesel laundering. He denied any admission of murder or other wrongdoing, and the trial was set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of thirteen.
Padraig Tangney Junior, aged 39, received a suspended two‑year prison sentence for three counts of sexual assault of a child committed when he was 16. The offences occurred in 1995 and 1996 against his 13‑year‑old cousin at their family home in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Tangney pleaded guilty, and Justice Tara Burns noted his remorse and the fact that he was a child at the time of the offences, citing these as mitigating factors. The court accepted that the victim was extremely fragile and that Tangney's guilty pleas were valuable. He was found to be a low risk of reoffending, and the sentence was suspended on the condition he attends counselling for depression and stress management. Tangney is automatically registered as a sex offender, and the maximum sentence available is five years. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
The High Court heard that An Bord Pleanála indicated planning permission for a 450-unit housing development in Drogheda ought not to have been granted. The proposed project, located south of the Marsh Road, includes offices and a creche. Protect East Meath Ltd, represented by John Kenny BL and solicitor Fred Logue, brought judicial review proceedings seeking to quash the board's November 2019 decision. The applicants alleged the board failed to properly consider the impact on the Boyne Estuary Special Area of Conservation, specifically regarding bird and bat populations, and breached EU Habitats and Environmental Impact Assessment directives. They sought declarations that the board erred in law. The case was admitted to the High Court's fast-track strategic infrastructure development list. Before Mr Justice Denis McDonald, the court noted the board was prepared to concede the case, which would require developer Ravala Ltd to make a fresh application. However, Ravala Ltd, a notice party, indicated it may continue the proceedings to defend the board's decision. Mr Justice McDonald directed Ravala to make submissions outlining how it proposes to proceed given the board's indication. The matter was adjourned to a date in May.
Brian Shaughnessy, a 53‑year‑old former Galway hotel owner, was convicted of raping an employee in the Loughrea Hotel and Spa's Presidential Suite after buying her drinks and asking to confide in her. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on 26 July 2010, and he received a six‑year sentence with the final year suspended by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 10 June 2013. Shaughnessy has now lodged an appeal, arguing that his previous legal team failed to prepare or conduct his defence adequately. His new barrister, Hugh Hartnett SC, claims new evidence was omitted from the transcript and that the trial judge mis‑informed the jury about the victim's demeanour. The Court of Appeal will consider these arguments, with counsel for the former team and the Director of Public Prosecutions presenting counter‑arguments, and the court has reserved its judgement. Brian Shaughnessy pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court hearing, Peter Bellew, Ryanair's Chief Operations Officer, testified that Michael O'Leary shouted at him during senior‑executive meetings, calling him "You are fucking useless." Bellew said O'Leary had criticised his performance in a November 2018 note and in a March 2019 annual review, and that the board had no issue with Bellew's performance. Bellew claimed O'Leary wanted him gone and that he would not have been fired until after Ryanair's September 2019 AGM. Bellew is being sued by Ryanair for allegedly breaching a 12‑month non‑compete clause by accepting a position with EasyJet. He denies any breach, arguing the clause is unenforceable and that he was misled about share‑option participation. The court will decide next Friday, possibly Monday, 23 December.
In a High Court hearing, Peter Bellew, former Chief Operations Officer of Ryanair, testified that he was shocked and devastated after a meeting with airline chief Michael O'Leary on 22 March, during which O'Leary expressed serious concerns about Bellew's performance and warned that his role was at risk. Bellew said O'Leary also informed him he would not be included in the 2019 share‑option scheme unless his performance improved, a point Bellew disputed. He described a deteriorating relationship with O'Leary beginning in July 2018, citing incidents involving cabin crew and a letter of criticism sent in November 2018. Bellew claimed that after receiving the letter he felt "dead‑man‑walking" and eventually accepted a job offer from EasyJet, which Ryanair now sues for breaching a 12‑month non‑compete clause. The court continues to consider whether the clause is enforceable.
In a High Court hearing on 11 December 2019, Mr Justice Senan Allen dismissed Ryanair's bid to introduce forensic evidence alleging that former Chief Operations Officer Peter Bellew had downloaded company data onto personal devices. The judge ruled the evidence was irrelevant to the court's question of whether a 12‑month non‑compete clause in Bellew's contract was enforceable. He also found an incident on 27 November, where Bellew allegedly removed a confidential document, irrelevant. Bellew denies wrongdoing and claims the document was taken by mistake. Ryanair's counsel sought to curtail the airline, arguing the evidence would delay the case. The judge's ruling came on the sixth day of the action, and Ryanair accepted that the proposed evidence would not be used. Bellew's defence maintains the clause is unenforceable. The case continues with Bellew's evidence to be presented on Thursday.
In a High Court hearing, Eddie Wilson, former chief people officer of Ryanair, testified that outgoing COO Peter Bellew possessed confidential information that competitors would "kill to have". Wilson claimed Bellew had insights into Ryanair's cost‑saving strategies and long‑term contracts, information normally shared in senior management meetings called 'Zs'. Bellew had not attended these meetings since late July, after announcing his departure, and no longer had access to confidential reports. Ryanair alleges Bellew breached a 12‑month non‑compete clause by accepting a role at easyJet, its main rival in the low‑fare sector. Bellew denies the breach and argues the clause is unenforceable. Ryanair seeks an order enforcing the non‑compete and an injunction against Bellew's employment with easyJet. The case continues before Mr Justice Senan Allen, with a judgment expected before Christmas.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary denied creating a "culture of fear" among pilots during cross-examination in the High Court, where the airline is suing former Chief Operations Officer Peter Bellew. The hearing before Mr Justice Senan Allen concerns Ryanair's claim that Mr Bellew breached a 12-month non-compete clause by joining easyJet. Mr O'Leary rejected allegations of verbal abuse and a violent confrontation with a former employee, though he admitted using bad language. He also denied firing a German crew after a 2018 fatigue incident, stating the account was "completely untrue" and that Mr Bellew was not involved in such safety matters. Mr O'Leary accepted he warned Mr Bellew his job was at risk following a 2019 performance review but denied the executive was "a dead man walking." Ryanair seeks an order for specific performance of the contract and an injunction against Mr Bellew, of Killarney, Co Kerry. Mr Bellew denies any breach of contract and argues the clause is unenforceable. The matter is currently at the hearing stage and continues.
In a High Court hearing, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told the judge that he was surprised when COO Peter Bellew announced his resignation in July 2019 and subsequent move to Easyjet. O'Leary explained that Bellew had cited lack of sleep and stress as reasons for leaving, and that he had been offered a three‑month notice period to allow a transition after Ryanair's summer schedules. Bellew declined the offer, claiming the 12‑month non‑compete clause did not apply because he was not joining a low‑fare carrier or a European airline. O'Leary disputed this, noting the clause was standard for senior managers and that Bellew had been paid a €1.1 million share‑option bonus in June 2019. Bellew denied breaching the contract, arguing the clause was void as he was excluded from the share‑option scheme. The case continues before Mr Justice Senan Allen.
In a High Court hearing on 3 December 2019, Ryanair's chief operations officer Peter Bellew faced a claim from the airline that his employment contract contained a 12‑month non‑compete clause preventing him from working for a rival after leaving. Bellew, who had agreed to become chief operating officer at EasyJet, denied breaching the contract and argued the clause was unenforceable because he was not included in Ryanair's share‑option scheme, which he said was a precondition for the clause. Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary testified that senior managers, known as "Zs", are bound by such clauses, receive share options, and have access to commercially sensitive information. O'Leary also highlighted Bellew's role in flight operations, engineering, and pilot training, and his salary of €550,000 plus a potential €500,000 bonus. The case, heard before Mr Justice Senan Allen, seeks an injunction to enforce the non‑compete and prevent Bellew from acting contrary to the post‑termination restrictions.
A dispute over patents for asthma and COPD treatments has been brought before the Commercial Court by Teva Pharmaceuticals Ireland, trading as Norton (Waterford) Limited, against Italian company Chiesi Farmaceutici SPA. Teva alleges that three patents, granted in 2007 and 2008 and set to expire in 2027 and 2028, are invalid due to lack of novelty, an obvious inventive step and insufficient disclosure. The case was admitted to the fast‑track list by Mr Justice David Barniville on the consent of Chiesi, represented by Michael Howard SC, and is scheduled for an April hearing.
In a High Court action brought by Clonres CLG, residents of Clontarf seek to have lands at St Paul's, Sybil Hill, Dublin 3 designated as a special area of conservation (SPA). The group argues that the former playing pitches, now a feeding ground for light‑bellied brent geese and black‑tailed godwit, should be protected under the EU Habitats Directive, Birds Directive and the 2011 European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) regulations. The case is against the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Attorney General and Crekav Trading GP Limited, the developer planning a major housing scheme. Crekav, part of the Marlet property group, has applied to have the matter fast‑tracked in the Commercial Court, claiming the residents' action could hinder its development plans and that the lands are worth tens of millions of euros.
Rosalind Barton, 49, of Barrduff, Killarney, pleaded guilty to possessing €139,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Dromalour, Kanturk, Co Cork on 8 December 2017 and €8,000 worth of cocaine at her home on the same date. She claimed the drugs were sold to fund feeding of abandoned horses at her sanctuary. Barton was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on 10 January 2019. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence. The court noted that gardaí observed two vans entering the side of the road outside Kanturk, from which black refuse bags containing the cannabis were taken. A follow‑up search of Barton's home revealed the cocaine. Barton admitted her role in the transactions and had no prior convictions. The appeal was dismissed with no error found in principle.
In 2016, Marcus O'Rourke (39) and Brian O'Sullivan (33) robbed the Waterville Post Office in County Kerry, pointing a firearm at postmistress Lisa O'Reilly Foran and using a crowbar. They stole €4,000–€5,000, broke a glass pane, and activated a panic alarm. Two Dutch tourists witnessed the event. After the robbery, the pair fled in a Mazda, driving at high speed on the narrow Ring of Kerry road, and later reversed into a Garda car, damaging it and endangering officers. Gardaí, believing the firearm was real, opened fire during the chase. Both men had prior convictions (43 for O'Rourke, 52 for O'Sullivan) but none of comparable gravity. They were sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and the sentence was upheld on appeal as appropriate for the seriousness of the offence. The nine‑year term was made consecutive to three‑year terms for separate drug offences. Marcus O'Rourke pleaded guilty. Brian O'Sullivan pleaded guilty.
Dubliner Christopher Dunne (34) has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his role in a series of robberies and attempted robberies across Dublin between October 24, 2017, and December 11, 2017. Dunne, who has no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed consecutive sentences of three years and four and a half years. A portion of the sentence was suspended for 24 months on the condition that Dunne keep the peace. The court heard that Dunne used weapons such as a knife, screwdriver, and claw hammer during the crimes. Garda Aoife O'Brien stated that Dunne robbed cash from Applegreen, Howth Road, Clontarf, on four occasions and committed further robberies in Killester, Artane, and Clontarf. Dunne was also involved in a robbery at a shop in Waterville, Blanchardstown, and acted as the getaway driver in another robbery on Oxmantown Road, Stoneybatter. Dunne has 89 previous convictions, including for robbery, burglary, theft, and drug possession. His defence acknowledged that he was a drug user who committed the crimes to fund his addiction. Judge O'Connor noted that the crimes caused fear and distress to victims and that Dunne is a chronic drug addict who pleaded guilty to the charges.
Wesley Purse, a 41‑year‑old Welshman, was found cultivating 112 cannabis plants in County Tipperary while he was supposed to be serving a 12‑year sentence in the UK. He pleaded guilty to possession and cultivation of €42,000 worth of cannabis at Rossadrehid on 3 May 2017. The Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment on 29 June 2018, a sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal on 22 July 2019. In the appeal hearing, Justice Máire Whelan noted that Purse had initially given a false name to Gardaí and claimed coercion by a gang in Cork, but the claim was undermined by the fact that the name was an alias he used elsewhere. She highlighted that Purse had 92 prior convictions, including 13 drug offences, and that he committed the offence while he was supposed to be in prison in the UK.
Wales-born Wesley Purse, 40, was convicted in Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court for possessing and cultivating €42,000 worth of cannabis in Rossadrehid, County Tipperary. He received a five‑year prison sentence on 29 June 2018, a term he now seeks to appeal in the Court of Appeal. Purse, who had 92 prior convictions, was also "at large" from a 12‑year sentence imposed in Stafford Crown Court, England, when he was arrested in Tipperary. His barrister, Philip Sheahan SC, argued that the headline sentences of eight years for possession and six years for cultivation were excessive, noting that the plants were at various stages of production and that the €42,000 valuation was not comparable to higher‑valued cases. The Court of Appeal heard the arguments and reserved judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome announced. Wesley Purse pleaded guilty.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 31‑year‑old Carl Cullen pleaded guilty to robbery at Tolka Valley Road, Finglas, on 27 February 2017. Cullen and a co‑accused entered a taxi at about 6 a.m., behaved oddly and appeared intoxicated. The driver, fearing a crash, stopped the vehicle and left it 40 metres away. Cullen and the accomplice then rummaged through the car, taking a phone, an MP3 player and a bag of coins. Garda Barry Hehir reported that the victim later located the phone via a "find phone" feature, leading police to the suspects on St Helena's Road. Cullen, who has 40 prior convictions, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on 22 November 2017. He had intended to appeal the sentence, but withdrew the appeal after the Court of Appeal warned that it could increase his jail time. The appeal was formally withdrawn with the court's permission.
Kerry County Council has agreed to quash a planning decision granted to Healy Rae Plant Hire Limited, a company owned by Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae, following a High Court challenge. Environmental campaigner Peter Sweetman, represented by Margaret Heavey BL and solicitor Aoife O'Connell, launched the action last July to set aside the Council's June permission to raise a field in Kilgarvan with construction and demolition waste. The proceedings, which were adjourned on several occasions, were briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Seamus Noonan on Thursday. The judge noted that the action had been resolved after the Council agreed to quash the decision. Healy Rae Plant Hire Ltd was a notice party but took no part in the proceedings. Mr Sweetman was granted the costs of the complex action. In his claims, Mr Sweetman alleged that the developer obtained permission to place over 50,000 tonnes of inert waste on a 1.8-hectare field with peaty soils, claiming the Council failed to consider the need for a waste licence or environmental impacts such as leachate and gas. He further alleged the decision contravened the Kerry Development Plan without an Environmental Assessment or Appropriate Assessment, despite the site's proximity to Killarney National Park Special Protection Area. The part of the judicial review involving the State became moot after the Council agreed the planning decision could be quashed.
In a two‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court, Kerry farmer Michael Ferris, aged 64, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of neighbour Anthony O'Mahony, aged 73, after Ferris drove the prongs of a teleporter into O'Mahony's car on 4 April 2017. The jury, 10 to 2, accepted that the attack was deliberate and caused catastrophic injuries. Justice Carmel Stewart sentenced Ferris to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and backdated the sentence to the day of the offence. The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a review, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient", and the Court of Appeal has set a hearing for 2 December. Ferris's defence lawyer, Brendan Grehan SC, expressed remorse and cited cumulative provocation by O'Mahony. The O'Mahony family, represented by his niece Ann O'Carroll, has expressed that the outcome was insufficient and that a murder conviction would have been appropriate.
Liam Concannon, 25, of Killorglin, was convicted of assault causing serious harm after striking Darren Moriarty, 22, with a pool cue on St Patrick's Day 2014. The attack, described as vicious and unprovoked, left Moriarty with a fractured skull, lacerations, a subdural haematoma, severe headaches, contusions, ongoing migraines, distorted vision and night terrors. Concannon was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, by Judge Thomas O'Donnell on 29 May 2018. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, finding it fair and proportionate to the seriousness of the assault. Concannon had previously been convicted of assault, was extradited from the UK, and had claimed self‑defence, a claim rejected by the court. The appeal was dismissed by the three‑judge panel. Liam Concannon pleaded guilty.
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for dangerous driving causing death at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Dingle, of Drumcliffe Road, Cabra, Dublin pleaded guilty to causing the death of Maureen Creaner, aged 92, on Navan Road, Cabra on 4 September 2016. The collision occurred as Mrs Creaner crossed the road to purchase a newspaper. Garda collision experts established Dingle was travelling at 64 kilometres per hour in a 50 kilometre per hour zone. A breath test revealed he was marginally over the legal drink-driving limit, having consumed alcohol the previous evening. Analysis of his phone activity indicated significant sleep deprivation in the hours before the incident. Judge Martin Nolan noted Dingle had made conscious decisions regarding his condition and speed, for which he bore responsibility. Mitigating factors included his remaining at the scene and full co-operation with gardaí. Dingle was also disqualified from driving for four years.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, a hard drive seized from Patrick Quirke's home yielded a recording of Mary Lowry speaking with Flor Cantillon, the man who began seeing her after Bobby Ryan vanished. The audio, played by Detective Sergeant John Keane, shows Lowry laughing while reading a newspaper article about cross‑dressing, and Cantillon asking her about a verdict. Lowry confirmed the tape was of her and Cantillon, denied making or authorising the recording, and stated she was unaware of being recorded. She also testified that she had allowed her three children to be interviewed by Gardaí in 2013 after Bobby Ryan's body was found, and that she had not been permitted to attend the interview. The court heard that Quirke had expressed disapproval of Lowry's relationship with Ryan and had reported her to Tusla for allegedly leaving her children alone. The trial continues with further testimony from Lowry's brother, Eddie Quigley. Patrick Quirke pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, Polish national Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault causing harm after a vehicle he drove collided with the Gorman brothers' car. The incident occurred on 29 December 2015 near Ballycrystal, Offaly. Alchimionek had claimed he believed the Islamic State would invade Europe and trigger a world war. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, employed at the Central Mental Hospital, agreed he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts. He was sentenced to nine years, with three years suspended. The Court of Appeal later quashed the verdict, describing it as "perverse" and ordered Alchimionek's commitment to the Central Mental Hospital as an inpatient. The decision was based on a recent assessment by Dr Paul O'Connell, who confirmed Alchimionek's continued need for detention.
Farid Fawzi, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing almost €100,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at his Cooneybeg address on 15 September 2016. The Cork Circuit Criminal Court found he was not present at the address when it was raided, but a mobile phone linked to him was discovered, leading Gardaí to him. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin described Fawzi as the "main man" in the movement and distribution of a significant amount of drugs, giving directions to at least two others. He was not addicted to drugs but entered dealing for profit, attracted by a lucrative lifestyle and easy money. The initial sentence was 10 years with the final two years suspended. The Court of Appeal reduced this to seven years with the final six months suspended, requiring a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period and compliance with probation service directions.
The case of Dariusz Alchimionek (44), a Polish national from Portarlington, Co Laois, has been adjourned to March 7 for mention following a ruling by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal found the jury verdict of guilty on charges of manslaughter and assault causing harm to be 'perverse' and against the weight of the evidence. Alchimionek had previously been found not guilty by reason of insanity by the jury, but the verdict was overturned. Consultant psychiatrists from both the prosecution and defence agreed that Alchimionek met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial judge had instructed the jury to consider this option, but the jury returned a majority guilty verdict of 11-1 on both counts. Alchimionek was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with the final three suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson in October 2017. The Court of Appeal quashed the verdict and considered the possibility of a retrial or substituting the appropriate verdict. However, the court decided against a retrial, citing the public interest and the likelihood of the same outcome. Alchimionek was committed to the Central Mental Hospital for assessment, with the most recent medical report from July 2017. The matter was adjourned to March 7 for mention.
In a 2019 case, the Court of Appeal quashed a jury verdict that convicted Polish driver Dariusz Alchimionek, 44, of manslaughter and assault after he allegedly caused the death of 19‑year‑old John Gorman and injured Gorman's brother Adam on 29 December 2015. The incident occurred when Alchimionek's vehicle crossed the road into the path of the brothers' car near Ballycrystal, Offaly. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, working at the Central Mental Hospital, agreed that Alchimionek met the criteria for not‑guilty by reason of insanity. The jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes of deliberation, returned a 11‑to‑1 guilty verdict, leading to a nine‑year sentence with a three‑year suspended portion. Alchimionek's lawyers appealed on the ground that the verdict was "perverse" and contrary to the evidence. Dariusz Alchimionek was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Liam Deegan, 27, an escaped prisoner from Mountjoy, was sentenced to five years after a night‑time chase on the M50. He abandoned his Volkswagen Passat in a garage forecourt, then pulled over at 2 am when Garda John Ryan ordered him to stop. Deegan reversed, performed a U‑turn across three lanes, and drove the wrong way down the motorway. A Garda helicopter detected heat from a wheelie bin where Deegan hid. He was arrested and pleaded guilty to endangerment between junctions 7 and 9 on the M50. The court noted his 39 prior convictions and his apology to Gardaí. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict terms, requiring Deegan to engage with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release. No injuries occurred during the pursuit. The case was prosecuted by Garret Baker BL and defended by Niall Storan BL.
In a 2019 case, Polish driver Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault after a December 2015 incident in which he collided with the Gorman brothers, killing 19‑year‑old John Gorman and injuring Adam. The jury, after 2 h 50 min deliberation, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts, despite psychiatrists agreeing he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. Alchimionek was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. His defence counsel appealed, arguing the verdict was "perverse" and that the jury's decision contradicted expert evidence. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Nan Wu, 37, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to controlling and directing prostitution for gain in 2015. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced her to two years imprisonment, fully suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour. Wu owned massage parlours in Dublin, including one in Olivemount, where a Garda obtained a search warrant and found a naked woman and man in a treatment room. Wu admitted knowledge of sex acts for money and that a second parlour operated similarly. Defence argued no coercion and that Wu believed the acts were legal, with employees learning from others. Wu had no prior convictions, lives with two children, and is originally from Dalian, China. The Criminal Assets Bureau is also pursuing proceedings against her.
Matthew Ellis, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to threatening to kill a shop security guard. The incident occurred on 26 October 2017 at Spa Road, Inchicore, when Ellis, holding five bullets between his teeth, told the guard he would return after finishing his pizza to kill him. He also called the guard a "garda informer" and claimed ownership of Inchicore. Gardaí intervened, confiscated the bullets, and Ellis was taken into custody. He had 71 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, knife possession, drug dealing and robbery. Ellis's defence cited his intoxication, a perceived slight over shop entry, and his history of drug addiction. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse, poor physical and fragile mental health, and previous drug‑treatment efforts, and accepted a €5,000 compensation from his family.
Michael Ferris, 63, was jailed for five years at the Central Criminal Court for manslaughter after repeatedly driving a teleporter into his neighbour Anthony O'Mahony, 73, during a long‑standing dispute over a noisy bird‑scaring device. The jury found Ferris not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a 10‑to‑two majority. At the sentence hearing, Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a six‑year prison term with one year suspended, back‑dated to the day of the offence. The judge cited Ferris's admission of guilt, his remorse, lack of prior convictions and his age as mitigating factors. The family of the deceased, led by niece Ann O'Carroll, expressed that they believed justice was not served, arguing the sentence was too lenient and that the case exemplified victim blaming in Irish courts. The judge noted the severity of the injuries inflicted and the impact on the victim's family.
In a case watched by the Polish Embassy in Dublin, Polish national Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault causing harm to Adam Gorman, the brother of 19‑year‑old John Gorman, after a vehicle he drove collided with their car on 29 December 2015. The incident occurred while the brothers were returning from Tullamore. Alchimionek claimed he believed the Islamic State would invade Europe and trigger a world war. Consultant psychiatrists for both sides agreed he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity, yet the jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes of deliberation, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts. He was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Alchimionek has appealed, arguing the verdict was "perverse" and seeking treatment in the Central Mental Hospital. The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for 24 January, with the Polish Embassy observing the proceedings.
During a two‑week trial in Tralee, dairy farmer Michael Ferris (63) was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of neighbour Anthony O'Mahony (73) on 4 April 2017. Ferris admitted to blocking a small road with a New Holland teleporter and driving it at O'Mahony's car, causing catastrophic injuries that killed him. The victim impact statement, read by O'Mahony's brother Seamus, described the brutal nature of the attack and the emotional toll on the family, who feel their brother's good character was unfairly attacked in court. Seamus expressed fear that Ferris might "snap again" and that the family will live in fear of encountering him on the road. The statement highlighted the family's isolation and the lasting pain of the incident. The court has remanded Ferris in custody until his sentencing on 3 December.
In a sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Kerry farmer Michael Ferris, aged 63, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of neighbour Anthony O'Mahony, aged 73. The case stemmed from a long‑standing dispute over a noisy bird‑scarer. On 4 April 2017 Ferris blocked a small roadway in Rattoo with a New Holland teleporter and drove its prongs into O'Mahony's Peugeot, repeatedly stabbing him. O'Mahony suffered catastrophic injuries, including five penetrating wounds, and died immediately. Ferris admitted to the attack, stating he had been frustrated by the bird‑scarer for 30 years and believed the only solution was to block the road. He had no prior convictions and had been in custody since the incident. The hearing focused on the facts and Ferris's admissions, with no further verdicts announced.
In 2018, a 53‑year‑old travelling salesman was jailed for five years after being convicted of raping a 24‑year‑old mother‑of‑one in County Cork on 2 August 2015. The victim had been a former employee of the salesman's business. The man had previously received a two‑year suspended sentence in 2014 for sexually assaulting a 19‑year‑old woman in 2011. At the Central Criminal Court, a jury found him guilty by majority verdict. Judge Paul McDermott set a headline sentence of six years but reduced it to five years, citing the man's lack of remorse and the hardship his imprisonment would cause to his ageing mother. The sentence was back‑dated to 19 July, the day he was taken into custody. Upon completion, he must serve two years of probation, attend counselling for alcohol and sexual offending, and may not contact the victim directly or indirectly.
Nan Wu, 36, of Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to controlling and directing prostitution for gain in 2015. A Garda officer, after a public complaint about a high number of male visitors at a massage parlour in Olivemount, visited the establishment on 17 April 2017. The officer was shown a treatment room containing a naked woman and man. Wu admitted knowledge that her employees performed sex acts for money and disclosed a second massage parlour where similar acts occurred. Defence counsel argued there was no coercion, no sexual intercourse, and that the acts were considered "manual relief". Wu claimed she believed the activities were legal and had not directly profited, as employees kept the money. She has no prior convictions, lives with two children, and is originally from Dalian, China. Judge Elma Sheahan ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 15 January next year.
James Cronin, a 36‑year‑old rapist serving a burglary sentence, was given an additional two‑year term for threatening to burn down a prison officer's house at Arbour Hill Prison. He told the officer he knew where she lived and would set her home alight if she refused to serve him tobacco at the prison tuck shop. The court noted that prisoners have scheduled times to use the tuck shop and that Cronin had lied about being unable to attend his slot a day later. Garda Redmond O'Leary said this was the first time the officer felt compelled to report the threat, despite 17 years of similar incidents. Judge Melanie Greally described the threat as "sufficiently menacing and convincing" and imposed a two‑year sentence with nine months suspended, citing Cronin's history of mental health issues and prior convictions for false imprisonment, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and burglary.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Ellis, aged 38, admitted to threatening a shop security guard, Patrick Collins, that he would return to kill him after finishing a pizza. Ellis claimed he knew the guard's shift end time and would come back once he had eaten. He had previously threatened the guard earlier that day and returned around 9 pm holding five bullets between his teeth, which he displayed to the guard. He called the guard a "garda informer" and shouted, "You finish at ten o'clock. I own Inchicore. I'm gonna kill you." Gardaí were called, stopped Ellis, and the bullets fell from him. Ellis pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. He has been in custody since the incident and has 71 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, possession of knives, drug dealing and robbery.
Infront Italy SPA, acting as an agent for the Serie A Professional Football League, obtained a High Court freezing order to prevent Media Partners & Silva Limited from reducing its assets below €18 million. The order arose from a dispute over payments for the international audiovisual rights to Serie A matches, which Media Partners & Silva had agreed to hold from the 2015‑16 to the 2017‑18 seasons for €4.68 million per season. Infront claimed that, as of June 2018, it was owed approximately €22 million, a debt acknowledged by the defendant's CEO. Media Partners & Silva had agreed to monthly payments of €5.5 million from September to December 2018, but none were made. The court granted the injunction ex‑parte on Tuesday, with a return hearing scheduled for the following week. The order aims to protect Infront's interests amid concerns that the defendant may dissipate assets or be insolvent.