A Laois man, Jason Tuthill, who was caught with nearly €400,000 in cannabis, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after the Court of Appeal overturned his original suspended sentence. The court found the initial three-year fully suspended sentence too lenient. Tuthill was convicted of possessing 17kg of cannabis and three kilograms of cannabis herb in 2023. The judge, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, noted that while there were mitigating factors, such as threats against Tuthill and his family, these did not justify the original sentencing. The court ruled that the headline sentence of eight years should be reduced to five years, with the final two and a half years suspended. The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued that the original sentence was unduly lenient. Tuthill's counsel argued that the sentencing judge considered the circumstances of his life, but the court found that the reduction was excessive.
Ryan Carroll, 29, and two men broke into a man's Dublin home on 9 August 2022 after a littering dispute. They entered the house, shouted "chop his hand off," and used a blade to slash the victim's arm, chest, back, head and hand, cutting three fingers to the tendons. The victim suffered severe lacerations and required surgery. The attackers fled after a neighbour called Gardaí. Carroll, who had 37 prior convictions and was on bail for another offence, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, criminal damage and trespass while armed. He was sentenced by Judge Sinead McMullen to three years' imprisonment, with the court noting the attack was savage, unplanned and grossly disproportionate to the initial altercation. The sentence was imposed today.
Marcus Hannon, 29, of Carlow, pleaded guilty at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill his sister Lauren Hannon and assaulting her partner Cian Comerford during a family row on 13 March 2024. He doused the three of them in petrol, causing Lauren to swallow some liquid; none sustained injuries. Hannon, previously convicted of violent disorder, criminal damage and production of an article, had been on remand since the offence. He had earlier been acquitted of the manslaughter of his father, Marcus "Murt" Brennan, after a 2018 trial. The court set a headline sentence of five years, reduced to three years and nine months, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including 18 months of Probation Service engagement upon release. The sentence was back‑dated to March 2024. The case highlighted the family's troubled background and ongoing psychological support for Hannon in custody.
A 41‑year‑old man, Andrew Leigh, was convicted of historic sexual assaults on three girls and sentenced to four years in prison by Mr Justice David Keane on 18 December 2023. Leigh now appeals to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the trial should have separated the charges. His counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contended that two of the counts were only linked by occurring in a car, one involving touching a girl's genital area and the other involving self‑touch and inserting fingers into a girl's mouth. Bowman also challenged the prosecution's claim that Leigh knew his actions were "gravely wrong", noting no evidence of deliberate creation of an environment or isolation of the girls. Mr Justice John Edwards instructed the court to reserve judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted 23‑year‑old Brian Ibe of murdering 65‑year‑old Peter Kennedy and assaulting Garda Brendan O'Donnell. Ibe had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to both charges. The jury found him guilty after deliberating for just under seven hours. The trial described how Kennedy had taken Ibe and his mother into his home after learning of their homelessness, and how Ibe had allegedly stabbed Kennedy with a knife while Kennedy was in his bedroom. Ibe's defence presented psychiatric evidence that he suffered from schizophrenia and was psychotic at the time of the assault, while the prosecution argued he had a dissocial personality disorder and that his actions were goal‑directed. The judge, Justice Melanie Greally, instructed the jury to apply healthy skepticism to expert testimony. Ibe remains remanded in custody awaiting sentencing, where he faces a mandatory life sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 65‑year‑old man named Peter Kennedy testified that he was terrified of a teenager, Brian Ibe, who had moved into his home. Kennedy said Ibe demanded money, threatened to kill him, and said he would "slit his throat." Witnesses, including Rita Swords, described Ibe as homeless and mentally unstable, and said he had repeatedly demanded money from Kennedy. Kennedy also alleged that Ibe threatened to stab him on at least one occasion. Ibe has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Kennedy and to assaulting a Garda. The trial, presided over by Justice Melanie Greally, continues next Tuesday with a jury of twelve.
A jury of twelve was sworn in on 18 March 2025 to hear the trial of Brian Ibe, a 24‑year‑old from Newbridge, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of 65‑year‑old Peter Kennedy, which took place between 28 April and 12 May 2020. Ibe was also charged with assault causing harm to Garda Brendan O'Donnell on 29 April 2020, to which he likewise pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial will last about two weeks, with a possibility of a slight extension. The prosecution will present witnesses including consultant psychiatrist Dr Mary Davoren and clinical psychologist Dr Kevin Lambe, while the defence will call consultant psychiatrists Dr Conor O'Neill, Dr Stephen Monks, Dr Patrick McLoughlin, Dr Gauruv Malhan and psychologist Dr Marie English. A large number of Garda witnesses from Newbridge, Kildare, Athy, Rathangan, Portlaoise, Tallaght and Naas will also testify.
Mark Dolan, 49, received a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for masturbating in front of four children aged six to nine in Dublin on 6 May 2023. The court considered mitigating factors such as Dolan's lack of prior convictions and his admission of the act as a form of exhibitionism. The sentence was suspended on conditions including a ban on visiting the area where the offence occurred. Dolan was arrested two days after the incident, initially claiming an insect bite, and later admitted the behaviour but denied masturbating. Victim impact statements highlighted the children's ongoing nightmares and loss of safety. Dolan has no previous convictions, spent nine days in custody, and has begun therapy and medication. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with CCTV footage presented and statements from the children's mothers and a prosecuting Garda. Mark Dolan pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the mother of a six‑year‑old girl whose innocence was taken by Mark Dolan, 49, demanded a clear message that such behaviour would not be tolerated. Dolan, who had initially denied the offence, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity in front of a child on 6 May 2023. CCTV footage showed him parking beside a school, walking past a group of girls aged six to eight, undressing and masturbating for over five minutes while checking for witnesses. The four girls suffered nightmares and lost a sense of safety. Dolan had no prior convictions, was arrested two days after the incident, and had admitted to exhibitionist behaviour. He spent nine days in custody, began therapy and is on medication. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
Mark Dolan, 49, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to masturbating in front of a child at a north Dublin address on 6 May last year. Judge Martin Nolan set a sentence date of 20 March and remanded Dolan on continuing bail until that date.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced four men for money laundering offences linked to €121,000 stolen from a Dublin solicitors' firm via invoice redirect fraud. Judge Martin Nolan warned that the court is "totally fed up" with young money mules using "stupidity as a shield" and stated that those providing bank details after January 2022 face potential custody. Cameron Fanning, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering and one count of giving false information to gardaí. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions. The judge noted the court would not use Fanning as a "sacrificial lamb" given his reckless but believable explanation. Mubarak Salawu, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and possessing €600 Balenciaga runners bought with proceeds of crime; he received a suspended two-year prison sentence. Olumide Lawal, 27, admitted to two counts of money laundering and possession of an iPhone bought with proceeds of crime; he was also given a suspended two-year prison sentence. Aaron Clancy, 21, pleaded guilty to possessing €3,020 in proceeds of money laundering and a further unrelated count of possessing €4,650 in proceeds of crime; he received a suspended two-year prison sentence. The judge noted that for Salawu, Lawal, and Clancy, the amounts involved were lower and all three were young men with their "futures in front of them".
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for 54‑year‑old Dermot King of Bishopscourt, Straffan, allowing him to write off over €16 million of unsecured debt owed to Everyday Finance DAC. King, who had been self‑employed trading as DMK Property Limited from 2004 to 2017, owed the fund €17.2 million. Under the arrangement, he will keep his €1.5 million family home, continue mortgage repayments for 25 years, and sell his interests in an investment property in Rosslare, part of the land on which his home sits, and an investment property in Athy to reduce the debt. He will make a €23 000 payment, of which €13 000 will go toward the unsecured debt. The PIA, lasting 12 months, was prepared by Personal Insolvency Practitioner John McCormack and approved by Mr Justice Alexander Owens after counsel noted no opposition and that creditors would fare better than under bankruptcy.
The Workplace Relations Commission upheld a constructive dismissal complaint by boxer Roy Sheahan against Kendra Civil Engineering (Ireland) Ltd pursuant to the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Adjudicating officer Valerie Murtagh found that Sheahan raised issues regarding heavy duties that exacerbated his hand injury and felt he had no option but to resign. The tribunal awarded Sheahan €6,000 in compensation, reducing the amount because his efforts to mitigate losses did not meet the standard of spending a reasonable amount of time each weekday seeking new work. Sheahan alleged his professional boxing career ended after his left hand was crushed by a digger bucket in January 2020. He claimed that upon returning to work in September 2020, he was assigned heavy duties despite a doctor's note recommending light duties as an initial lead-in. Kendra Civil Engineering's managing director, Dan Curtis, testified that he believed Sheahan was certified for unrestricted work and intended to provide lighter duties at a future site. The company's safety manager, Trevor Murtagh, stated that Sheahan never raised injury concerns during safety audits, though the firm failed to produce audit sheets for December 2020 and January 2021. A separate personal injury claim was noted as ongoing at the time of the hearing.
Roy Sheahan, a former professional boxer, says his career ended after a January 2020 accident when a digger bucket crushed his left hand on a Dublin construction site. He claims the injury left him with seven pins, two broken bones, and damaged ligaments, preventing him from boxing. Sheahan returned to work in September 2020 but was assigned heavy lifting duties, which he alleges forced him to resign. He has filed a constructive dismissal claim against Kendra Civil Engineering Ltd and Kendra Plant Hire Ltd, arguing the employer failed to provide lighter duties despite a doctor's recommendation. The tribunal heard Sheahan's correspondence with the employer, his medical reports, and statements from the company's director and safety manager. The case is pending a written decision.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Declan McGowan, aged 33, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a series of offences committed on 18 September 2021. He was found guilty of attempted coercion, impersonating a Garda, assault and assault causing harm after he approached a woman, Andra Calauz, on Kimmage Road Lower, claiming to be a Garda and urging her to get into his car. He also threatened her husband, Daniel Ion, and physically assaulted him. McGowan had previously pleaded not guilty but later accepted the jury's verdicts. The judge cited his 31 prior convictions, including impersonation and assault, as aggravating factors, while mitigating factors included personal circumstances. The sentence was back‑dated to the day he entered custody. The court heard victim impact statements from both Calauz and Ion, detailing fear, injury and disruption to their family life. The case was concluded with McGowan's acceptance of the verdict and the judge's remarks on his repeated impersonation of Gardaí.
Keith Malone, 40, of Barnashrone, Mountmellick, was charged with assault causing harm and production of an article after stabbing his partner four times on 6 January 2019, causing a damaged liver, collapsed lung, broken rib and elbow gash. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Naas Circuit Court on 19 January 2022 to three years' imprisonment with the last three months suspended for 12 months. The State argued the sentence was unduly lenient; the Court of Appeal quashed the 33‑month term and re‑sentenced Malone to four years, with the final three months suspended. The appeal judge noted aggravating factors including breach of trust, weapon use and high intoxication, and that the victim should not have to fear her own home. The new sentence reflects the offence's highest gravity and the judge's assessment of mitigation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 28 October 2022, Declan McGowan, aged 33, admitted acceptance of a jury verdict after being found guilty in March 2023 of attempted coercion, impersonating a Garda, assault and assault causing harm. The offences stemmed from an incident on 18 September 2021 at Kimmage Road Lower, where McGowan approached a woman, Andra Calauz, claiming to be a Garda, showed her what he said was official ID, and pressured her to get into his car. He also threatened to involve Tusla to remove her children. McGowan's husband, Daniel Ion, testified that McGowan choked him and threatened to call Tusla if the couple did not comply. McGowan had previously been convicted of impersonating a Garda in July 2019 and had 31 other convictions, including threats to kill and assault causing harm. The court heard that the incident lasted about 15 minutes on a public road near housing. Declan McGowan pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, the State argued that the 33‑month jail sentence imposed on Keith Malone, 40, for repeatedly stabbing his partner was too lenient and should be set aside. Malone had stabbed his partner four times on 6 January 2019, causing a damaged liver, collapsed lung, broken rib and a gash to her elbow, which required three weeks in hospital. He was originally sentenced at Naas Circuit Court on 19 January 2022 to three years' imprisonment, with the last three months suspended for 12 months. The State contended that the headline sentence of five years was justified but the final sentence was unduly lenient, citing the gravity of the offence and the lack of mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment for a later date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Tobin of Corran Ard, Athy, was found guilty of assault causing harm after he kicked in the door of a man's home and carried out a prolonged attack. Tobin claimed he had been misinformed that the victim had harmed a woman, the victim's partner, and that his actions were a misguided attempt to help. He admitted his wrongdoing. The victim, who wished to remain unnamed, suffered cuts, a punctured lung and other injuries but no serious consequences. Tobin, who has prior convictions for assault and public order offences and a history of alcohol and cocaine abuse, was given €1,000 as an expression of remorse, which the victim accepted. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a 30‑month prison sentence, suspended the final 15 months, and required Tobin to keep the peace and engage with Probation Services for 15 months after release.
A jury convicted Declan McGowan, 33, of assaulting Andra Calauz and attempting to coerce her into his car on the night of 18 September. McGowan claimed he had pulled alongside Calauz on Kimmage Road Lower, believing she was in danger, and told her he was a Garda with a gun. He kissed and hugged her, then repeatedly urged her to get into his vehicle. Calauz said she felt frightened and pressured. Her husband, Daniel Ion, testified that McGowan choked him and threatened to call Tusla, demanding Calauz enter the car. Ion called Gardaí, who arrested McGowan. The four‑day trial ended with guilty verdicts on all four counts: attempted coercion, assault on Calauz, impersonation of a Garda, and assault on Ion. McGowan was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 17 June. The judge thanked the jury for their time. The case remains at the sentencing stage. Declan McGowan pleaded not guilty.
A jury has begun deliberating the trial of Declan McGowan, a 33‑year‑old builder from Branswood, Athy, who is accused of attempting to coerce Andra Calauz into his car on the night of 18 September. McGowan pleaded not guilty to the charge of attempting to coerce Calauz, to assaulting her by kissing and hugging her, to impersonating a Garda, and to assaulting her husband Daniel Ion. Calauz testified that she was walking alone on Kimmage Road Lower at about 2.30 a.m., arguing with her husband on a video call when McGowan's car pulled up beside her. He told her he was a Garda, praised her beauty, kissed her hand, and hugged her. She claimed he urged her to get into his car. Her husband, Daniel Ion, said McGowan choked him, claimed to have a gun, and that McGowan only restrained him after Ion struck Calauz. Both Calauz and Ion denied this version of events.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 33‑year‑old builder, Declan McGowan, was accused of assaulting a man and attempting to coerce a woman into his car while claiming to be a Garda. The prosecution described McGowan's account as "fantastical," asserting that when the woman's husband, Daniel Ion, intervened, McGowan "flew into a rage" and assaulted him. McGowan denied assaulting the woman, stating he never touched her and that he had only tried to protect her from the husband. He also denied impersonating a Garda, claiming any reference to being a Garda was a misunderstanding due to a language barrier. McGowan pleaded not guilty to attempted coercion, assault, impersonation of a Garda, and assault of Mr. Ion. The case remains at the trial stage, with jurors set to deliberate after the judge's instructions.
In a 2016 murder trial, James Lammon, aged 48, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of the brutal, pre‑meditated killing of Jason Doogue in Athy, Co. Kildare, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Lammon appealed, arguing that his counsel failed to challenge a disputed Garda Daniel O'Shea memo that he had allegedly recorded a conversation in an exercise yard after his arrest. The memo, which Lammon denied ever occurred, was admitted in edited form. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, concluding that Lammon had been informed of the prosecution's proposal regarding the memo, had understood it, and had instructed his legal team to accept it. The court found no evidence that his counsel acted contrary to his instructions and dismissed the appeal, leaving the life sentence in place.
Paul Penrose gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court in a murder trial concerning his son, Stephen Penrose, aged 38, of Coolock, Dublin. Stephen Penrose has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Phillip Finnegan, aged 24, at Rahin Woods, County Kildare on August 10, 2016. The father described meeting Mr Finnegan on August 8, two days before the alleged killing, and stated that the two men appeared friendly towards each other. Paul Penrose testified about subsequent events, including his son's hospitalisation with stab wounds, the discovery of bloodstains on a vehicle, and an attempt to purchase cleaning products. The trial heard that Mr Finnegan's decapitated remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Kildare woodland. The prosecution has indicated that a bloodied glove found at the scene matched DNA belonging to the accused. The trial continues before Justice Alexander Owens and jury.
The Central Criminal Court has adjourned the third trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49-year-old truck driver, after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Almasi, who has been in custody for seven years, was charged with murdering Joseph 'JoJo' Dunne, a 20-year-old, at Harbour View, Naas, on 16th May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury heard evidence that Almasi struck Dunne in the back of the head with a baseball bat after Dunne banged on his van, causing a fatal skull fracture. Almasi's first trial resulted in a murder conviction, which was quashed by the Supreme Court following an appeal on the grounds of provocation. His second trial also ended in a disagreement. In this third trial, the jury deliberated for over 13 hours before informing the court they were deadlocked. Justice Michael White allowed them to record a verdict of disagreement. The matter was adjourned, with Almasi remanded in custody until 16th July for the Director of Public Prosecutions' further directions. No final sentence or disposal was recorded at this procedural stage.
The jury in the trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian man, has been sent home after three days of deliberations. Almasi has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne but guilty to manslaughter. The case concerns an incident on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View, Naas, where Dunne was struck on the back of the head with a baseball bat, shattering his skull and causing death. Almasi claims he did not realise he had struck Dunne until later, when he saw an ambulance and Garda car. The judge, Michael White, initially required a unanimous verdict but later allowed a majority verdict of at least ten jurors. The jury has requested additional witness testimony and legal definitions, and will resume deliberations tomorrow. The trial is being heard in the Central Criminal Court.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Zoltan Almasi, 49, faced charges of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a single blow from a baseball bat. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The case centred on whether Almasi's use of the bat was provoked. Evidence showed Dunne had jostled Almasi's van, after which Almasi chased him with a bat. Dunne died when the bat struck the back of his head, fracturing his skull and driving bone into his brain. Almasi's counsel argued that the force used indicated loss of control, a partial defence of provocation. The prosecution contended that Dunne was retreating and posed no threat, and that Almasi struck him in anger. Judge Michael White instructed the jury to seek a unanimous verdict and to keep deliberations confidential.
A jury of seven men and five women will start deliberating on Monday at 10.30am in the trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian man, charged with murdering a 20‑year‑old man named Joseph Dunne. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for an incident that occurred on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare. The case involved a single blow with a baseball bat that shattered Dunne's skull and caused his death. The trial, which lasted more than four weeks, focused on the issue of provocation. Almasi's barrister argued that the force used might show loss of control, while the prosecution maintained that Dunne was running for his life and was not a threat. Judge Michael White instructed the jury to reach a unanimous verdict and explained that deliberations would take place in a converted courtroom due to pandemic restrictions.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 24 June 2021, Calvin Cullen, aged 22, withdrew an appeal against his murder conviction, despite his lawyers' advice. Cullen, convicted in September 2020 for the November 2018 murder of David Boland, 34, had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder. The appeal, based on a single ground that the trial judge had refused to allow the jury to consider provocation as a partial defence, was now abandoned. Cullen, represented by barrister Brendan Grehan SC, confirmed he no longer wished to proceed. Judge John Edwards, hearing the case via video link from Mountjoy prison, asked Cullen if he was "completely certain" about the withdrawal; Cullen affirmed his certainty and satisfaction with the legal advice. The judge permitted the withdrawal. Cullen's original conviction was obtained at the Central Criminal Court in Kilkenny, where Judge Tara Burns sentenced him to life imprisonment following a unanimous jury verdict.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal by Séamus Morgan, who was found guilty of the murder of Laurence 'Bomber' Keane. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled that there were no grounds to find the trial unfair or the verdict unsafe. Morgan, a 53-year-old from Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2016 for beating Keane to death in a laneway near the Greenhills estate in July 2013. He had previously served an eight-year jail sentence after being found guilty of the manslaughter of James Hand in 2002. Defence counsel Seán Gillane SC argued that the trial judge erred regarding the admissibility of previous convictions and misdirected the jury on identification evidence. The Court of Appeal rejected these claims, finding the trial judge's approach on prior convictions and witness recognition evidence to be legally sound. The court also noted that while the judge's warning on street lighting was not strong, it was adequate given the focus on witness honesty. During the proceedings, the presiding judge and Mr Justice McCarthy recalled potential prior involvement in Morgan's earlier case. Both parties confirmed no objection to the original panel proceeding, and the appeal was ultimately lost.
The jury in the third trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian‑born man, examined maps and aerial photographs of Naas and the surrounding area where the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne occurred. Almasi, who lives at Harbour View, Naas, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The case had already been tried twice. Judge Caroline Biggs SC opened the trial for a jury of seven men and four women, noting that Dunne lived in Athy with his family and was attending Fás. On the night of the incident, Dunne was with friends heading for a bus at about 10.30 pm when he had a brief altercation with another man. Almasi's parked Mercedes van was hit by Dunne as he passed. Almasi then emerged from his house, armed with a baseball bat, and pursued Dunne.
The Central Criminal Court heard the third trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian‑born man, charged with murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne in County Kildare. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State argued that Almasi intended to kill or seriously injure Dunne, citing the post‑mortem finding of a comminuted, depressed skull fracture caused by a baseball bat. The prosecution described the incident: Dunne was on his way to a bus at 10.30 pm when he collided with Almasi's parked van, after which Almasi pursued him with a baseball bat and struck him on the head, causing death. The defence accepted that Almasi caused the death but disputed the intent. The jury, composed of seven men and four women, heard the case on Wednesday, with the trial set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White for an expected four‑week duration.
James Lammon, aged 48, was convicted in 2016 of the brutal, pre‑meditated murder of Jason Doogue in Athy, Co. Kildare, and received a mandatory life sentence. He is appealing on the ground that his legal team failed to challenge a disputed statement attributed to him by Garda Daniel O'Shea, who claimed Lammon had spoken about the murder in a Garda station exercise yard. Lammon denies the conversation ever occurred and says he never authorised the admission of excerpts from O'Shea's memo. His counsel argues that no clear instruction was given by Lammon to allow the evidence, and that the legal team's strategy was not supported by any record of his consent. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal, noting the case remains at the trial stage.
In 2016, James Lammon, aged 48, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of the brutal, pre‑meditated murder of Jason Doogue in Athy, Co. Kildare, on 21 August 2015. The jury found Lammon to be the masked gunman who shot Doogue three times before cycling away. He received a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to the day of the murder. Lammon is appealing, arguing that his counsel failed to challenge a disputed statement attributed to him by Garda Daniel O'Shea. O'Shea had recorded a conversation in which Lammon allegedly said the bullet was meant for another man and that he would never be charged. The defence and prosecution reached an agreement allowing O'Shea's testimony to be admitted unchallenged, a decision Lammon claims he did not consent to. The Court of Appeal will consider whether Lammon had agreed to this arrangement and whether it was proper.
Two judges on the Court of Appeal heard Seamus Morgan's appeal against his murder conviction for killing Larry 'Bomber' Keane. During the hearing, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, realised that he had defended Morgan in Morgan's earlier murder trial, while his colleague, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, had prosecuted him. Birmingham said that if either side had a qualm, the appeal would be reheard by a different panel. Morgan, aged 53, had previously been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the killing of 29‑year‑old James Hand in 2002. The appeal is now pending, with lawyers for Morgan and the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether to proceed with a new panel. The court has reserved judgment.
Seamus Morgan, aged 53, seeks to overturn his 2016 murder conviction for killing Laurence 'Bomber' Keane, a 56‑year‑old former bomb‑maker. Morgan was jailed for life after a jury found him guilty of murdering Keane in a dark laneway near Greenhills, Athy, on 18 July 2013. He had previously served eight years for the manslaughter of 29‑year‑old James Hand in 2002. In the Court of Appeal hearing, Morgan's lawyer argued that the trial judge erred by allowing the prosecution to introduce evidence of Morgan's earlier manslaughter conviction and by failing to properly warn the jury about the reliability of witness identification. The appeal judges reserved judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no outcome yet announced. Seamus Morgan pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
In a High Court judicial review, Keshmore Homes Ltd (KHL) challenges An Bord Pleanala's refusal to grant planning permission for a 64‑unit housing development in Kildare Town. The proposed site, adjacent to an existing residential estate, would include detached, semi‑detached, terraced houses and eight apartments in a two‑storey block. KHL had previously applied for permission, which was denied by Kildare County Council and upheld by An Bord Pleanala in November. KHL argues that the board's decision was flawed, citing failures to consider the developer's submissions, lack of reasons, and an alleged invalid variation of the 2017‑23 Kildare County Development Plan. The developer seeks an order to quash the refusal. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted permission for the challenge and adjourned the case to March. The hearing is part of ongoing judicial review proceedings.
A High Court challenge has been brought by Emma Kelly against the Attorney General regarding the refusal to order a fresh inquest into the 2008 drowning death of her brother, John Kelly, at Britain Quay in Dublin Docklands. The case, heard before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, concerns the AG's October decision to decline the family's request under the 1962 Coroner's Act for a new inquest. The applicants allege the original 2009 inquest, which found the death a misadventure, was flawed by procedural irregularities, including a failure to call eyewitnesses and a denial of the option for a jury trial. They further claim the decision to refuse a new inquest is unfair, irrational, and contrary to public interest, citing a 2018 report by retired Mr Justice Daniel Herbert that criticized the Garda response as "confused, inappropriate, and inadequate." Emma Kelly, from Athy, Co Kildare, seeks orders quashing the AG's decision, directing a new inquest, and declaring the refusal unlawful and in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. The application was made on an ex-parte basis. Mr Justice Meenan directed that the application for permission to bring the challenge be heard on notice to the respondents. The matter was adjourned to a date in March.
Michael Hennessy, 63, of Coneyboro, Athy, is awaiting trial for alleged property purchase frauds involving Spanish properties. A circuit court judge adjourned the trial because Covid‑19 prevented witnesses in Spain from travelling. Hennessy was granted short‑term bail, described as a vulnerable person in an overcrowded environment, after his wife attempted to sell a car to pay his surety. He may attend his father‑in‑law's funeral and must present bank documents to investigating Gardaí and comply with strict conditions. The case is now set for a new trial date on 16 June, with Hennessy observing proceedings via video‑link from prison. The judge warned that any breach of conditions would result in his return to custody until the trial.
In a High Court hearing on 21 January 2020, Mr Justice Alexander Owens ruled that a Volkswagen Passat and a diamond‑encrusted Rolex watch owned by a Kildare couple were purchased with proceeds of crime. Jerry Knee and Ann‑Marie Cassidy, both 30 and from Athy, represented themselves after their barrister, Desmond Hayes, withdrew following the court's rejection of their legal aid application. The items were seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) on 29 May 2018 and were handed to the CAB's chief legal officer. Mr Knee has prior convictions for burglary and trespassing; Ms Cassidy has none. CAB, represented by David Dodd BL, argued that the couple's financial evidence—cash lodgements totalling €43,000 and a €5,000 lodgement—was inconsistent with the luxury items. The court found the couple's affidavits, which claimed the car was bought from savings and welfare payments, insufficient to prove legitimate funding, and therefore concluded the items were proceeds of crime.
The Court of Appeal dismissed Michael McDonald's appeal, which argued that his alcoholism or Alcohol Dependence Syndrome had diminished his responsibility for the murder of Breda Cummins. McDonald, 56, had admitted killing Cummins, 31, in 2010 but denied murder, and was convicted of murder in 2012 with a mandatory life sentence. His defence at trial claimed diminished responsibility due to schizoaffective disorder; the jury rejected this and found him guilty. In the appeal, his barrister Michael Lynn SC presented psychiatric experts who agreed McDonald suffered from alcoholism but also agreed it did not fall within the Criminal Justice (Insanity) Act 2006 definition of diminished responsibility. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, held that the argument was raised too late, was not raised at trial, and could not be pursued at appellate level. The appeal was dismissed, with the court affirming the trial judge's rulings and the verdict as safe and proper.
A man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, has been sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment following his conviction on money laundering charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Simon Gold, aged 54, pleaded not guilty to charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments relating to offences between January 2010 and October 2012. A jury returned guilty verdicts on 20 counts after over 12 hours of deliberation, following more than two weeks of evidence. The court heard Gold operated fraudulent companies under multiple identities and targeted vulnerable individuals experiencing severe financial difficulty. Judge Martin Nolan described the crimes as devious and dishonest, noting Gold exploited men in desperate circumstances. The sentence was backdated to May 2018, when Gold first entered custody. Gold has 17 previous convictions, including 12 recorded in the United Kingdom for burglary, theft and larceny.
In the appeal of Michael McDonald, a 56‑year‑old alcoholic who murdered his ex‑girlfriend Breda Cummins in 2010, the Court of Appeal was presented with an argument that alcohol dependence could diminish responsibility for murder. McDonald admitted stabbing Cummins six times but denied murder, and the defence claimed his responsibility was reduced by schizoaffective disorder. The jury rejected this and convicted him of murder, sentencing him to mandatory life imprisonment. On appeal, barrister Michael Lynn SC argued that both prosecution and defence psychiatric experts agreed McDonald suffered from alcoholism or alcohol dependence syndrome, yet the condition was excluded from the Criminal Justice (Insanity) Act 2006. Lynn contended this exclusion deprived McDonald of a significant defence and caused a fundamental injustice. Director of Public Prosecutions counsel Orla Crowe SC countered that the experts agreed the condition did not fall within the statute and that no evidence linked alcoholism to the murder.
A man convicted of manslaughter in connection with a 2013 killing has been found guilty of criminal damage and production of a weapon at the Central Criminal Court. Quentin Monaghan, aged 25 and from Tullamoy, Stradbally, County Laois, received an eight-year sentence in 2015 with two years suspended for his role in the death of Jamie Lindsay, who was fatally shot during an altercation over drugs in Athy, County Kildare. The court heard uncertainty regarding the duration of the suspension period. Prosecutors sought clarification by requesting trial transcripts from the original sentencing. Monaghan faces a potential two-year custodial term if the offences occurred within the suspended sentence period. He is scheduled for sentencing at Limerick Circuit Court later in the year. The trial judge previously accepted Monaghan did not intend death or serious injury but characterised his conduct as reckless.
A developer told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the eighth day of evidence that he "freaked straight away" upon discovering that a man presented as a prospective financier knew nothing of his Portuguese construction project. Frank Gleeson, testifying in the trial of Simon Gold (54), of Augharan, Aughavas, County Leitrim, recounted seeking a bridging loan after failing to secure funding through conventional channels. He stated that Gold had agreed to arrange £3 million in financing in exchange for a £30,000 deposit, which Mr Gleeson and business partners transferred to an account in the name of Belgravia Consultants UK Ltd. Mr Gleeson said he subsequently met the proposed investor in London, who demonstrated no knowledge of the project. When the deposit was transferred despite his objections, Mr Gleeson said he pursued the matter and later established that Gold used alternative names. He recovered only £10,000 of the £30,000. Gold has pleaded not guilty to twenty-two charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments allegedly committed between January 2010 and October 2012.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 33‑year‑old Eric Hogan pleaded guilty to criminal damage after crashing a grey Peugeot into the outer gates of the British Embassy in Ballsbridge on 9 June 2018. Garda Declan Dunne, who was on duty outside the embassy that night, observed Hogan's vehicle collide with the gates, which were knocked off their rails. Hogan was shouting but his speech was incoherent, leading the Garda to suspect intoxication. However, the defence counsel, Pieter Le Vert, argued that Hogan was "off his medication" and dealing with psychiatric issues, and that he had no knowledge of drinking. Hogan had five prior convictions for public order offences and is the sole carer of his eight‑year‑old son. The judge, Pauline Codd, ordered a psychiatric report and adjourned sentencing to 12 April 2019. The repair cost for the gates was €33,500 plus VAT.
Jason Byrne, a 38-year-old from Clondalkin, Dublin 22, has lost his appeal against his conviction. Byrne had pleaded not guilty at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to a series of offences, including three counts of burglary, one count of aggravated burglary, assault causing harm, and unauthorised use of a vehicle, allegedly committed in the south-east in 2008 and 2009. Following a lengthy trial, a jury found him guilty, and Judge Barry Hickson sentenced him to six years imprisonment on April 15, 2016. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, dismissed the appeal, holding that the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. The prosecution alleged Byrne was part of a gang targeted by An Garda Síochána's Operation Slope. Key evidence came from Des Kavanagh, an accomplice in the Witness Protection Programme, who implicated Byrne in incidents including a burglary at Bunclody and an assault at an Esso filling station. Byrne's lawyers argued Kavanagh's evidence lacked credibility and transparency. However, the Court of Appeal noted the trial judge had issued clear warnings to the jury regarding the dangers of relying on such evidence. The court concluded that the matter was quintessentially for the jury to decide, and they were content to convict based on the evidence presented.
Lisa Lynch, 33, a former director of AGL Logistics, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for stealing €460,660 from Bibby Financial Services over three months in 2013. The Court of Appeal had suspended the final six months of her sentence in January, but on 23 February 2018 the court extended the suspended portion by one day to make her eligible for the Care After Prison (CAP) community support scheme, which is available only to prisoners serving sentences of 364 days or fewer. Lynch had pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after making immediate admissions and an early guilty plea. She had taken over AGL after her husband's diagnosis of a rare mouth cancer, and the judge noted her motive was to keep the company afloat for its 70 employees, citing her cooperation, early plea and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors.
Lisa Lynch, 33, a former director of AGL Logistics, stole €460,660 from Bibby Financial Services over a three‑month period in 2013 by issuing 93 false invoices. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on 12 December 2017. The sentence was deferred until the new year, and she remained on bail. On appeal, the Court of Appeal suspended the final six months of the term, reducing the custodial period to 12 months. Lynch had taken over the company after her husband's diagnosis of a rare mouth cancer and the subsequent withdrawal of his involvement. She had made early admissions, a guilty plea, and had been saving €50 a week for a compensation fund. The appeal was granted on the basis of mitigating factors, including her cooperation, lack of prior convictions, and the impact on her family. She was taken to prison to begin serving the 12‑month term.
Lisa Lynch, 33, a former director of AGL Logistics, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €460,660 from Bibby Financial Services over a three‑month period in 2013. She created 93 false invoices in the names of eight of her companies, which Bibby treated as legitimate and advanced 80 % of the debt to AGL. The money was transferred to a personal account and partially repaid to Bibby, allowing AGL to maintain cash flow. Lynch admitted falsifying emails and invoices, claiming she acted to keep her company solvent and protect her employees. She was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, with the court noting her low risk of re‑offending and her cooperation with the Garda investigation. AGL Logistics has since dissolved, and Lynch's family home faces repossession. The sentence was adjourned until after Christmas to allow her to inform her children of the offence.