Shane Percival, 24, of Rathangan, Co Kildare, was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing drugs for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply at the Aldi supermarket, Newlands Cross, Co Dublin, on December 9, 2015. Judge Martin Nolan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court described the act as a "reprehensible error of judgement" but noted Percival's good character and lack of previous convictions. The judge acknowledged that a custodial sentence would cause hardship to Percival's family, as he helps care for his intellectually disabled sister, yet stated he had to mark the seriousness of the crime involving €560,000 worth of heroin. The sentence was imposed for deterrence and punishment. Percival had been paid €50 to drive his co-accused, Gareth Prior, to the location. Gardaí seized four kilos of heroin from the vehicle. Prior, 36, of Celbridge, Co Kildare, was previously jailed for 12 years with the final three years suspended. Michael White, 42, of Clondalkin, Dublin, was jailed for six years with the final three years suspended. The court heard that Percival believed he was driving his friend to pick up cannabis and was not a target of the surveillance operation.
Frederick Cham, 62, of Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of organising or facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants into Ireland. The alleged offences involved helping persons bypass passport control at Dublin Airport on 29 December 2016 and 9 January 2017. Cham, originally from Hong Kong, was arrested by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. He was granted legal aid after a prior refusal. Judge Martin Nolan ordered a governor's report from Cloverhill Prison and adjourned the case to 6 February 2018.
Jonathan Harding, 44, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a cache of firearms at Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole. The cache included ten revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and various ammunition magazines. Harding was remanded in custody until 11 January next year, when he and co‑accused James Walsh, 33, will be sentenced. Declan Brady, 51, was also remanded until 8 December for unlawful possession of five revolvers, twenty rounds of ammunition and a silencer found on 24 January at the same unit.
James Walsh, 33, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a cache of firearms, including ten revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and ammunition magazines, found on 24 January at Greenogue Business Park. He was remanded in custody until 11 January next year, when sentencing will occur. Co‑accused Jonathan Harding, 44, and Declan Brady, 51, were also remanded until 10 November, when their cases will be mentioned again. Both were charged with unlawful possession of five revolvers, twenty rounds of ammunition and a silencer, also discovered on 24 January at the same unit.
A judge has granted legal aid to Frederick Cham, 61, an Aer Lingus worker accused of helping illegal immigrants enter Ireland. Cham, who lives in Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge, Co. Kildare and was born in Hong Kong, faces trial on two charges of organising or facilitating the entry of non‑Irish nationals into the State on 9 January and 22 January. He was arrested by the Garda National Immigration Bureau and sent to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Previously denied legal aid, Cham's application was renewed after the court heard that he had not fully disclosed assets, including two bank accounts in the UK and Hong Kong, and that he owned a 1996 Mini Cooper and a 2007 Alfa Romeo. Lawyers argued he earned €400 a week with Aer Lingus, his salary had ceased, and his wife in China depended on him.
Declan Brady, 51, of Kildare, was arrested on 24 January for unlawful possession of five revolvers, 20 rounds of ammunition and a silencer, and for possession of 22 kg of cocaine, 11 kg of heroin and 53 g of cannabis, drugs worth an estimated €3.2 million. He faces three firearms charges under the Firearms Act and three drug‑possession charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The High Court refused his bail application, with the State and the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Unit arguing that release could lead to further offences. Justice Isobel Kennedy rejected the application.
Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) were jailed for their roles in an NCT scam that involved passing cars that had previously failed roadworthiness tests. The men were arrested after a Garda investigation prompted by an RTÉ Prime Time documentary in 2011. Judge Gerard Griffin sentenced Rooney and Richardson to three years with two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, and suspended the entire three‑year term for Brunton. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery of an NCT certificate and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting a cash gift; Brunton pleaded guilty to forging an NCT certificate. The court noted the cars passed were unroadworthy and unsafe, and that the men's actions undermined public trust in the NCT system. The case was adjourned after the evidence was heard.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stephen Rooney, 37, was sentenced to one year in jail for forging an NCT certificate and accepting a €100 inducement. He collapsed in the dock, prompting an ambulance call. Judge Gerard Griffin had originally imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years due to Rooney's cooperation and remorse. The court also set sentencing dates for co‑accused Alan Richardson, 28, and Vincent Brunton, 34, who had each pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for passing two un‑roadworthy Toyota Carinas. Both men were to receive suspended sentences after full cooperation. A fourth man, Darren Meehan, 40, had already received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false NCT certificate. All three men were remanded on continuing bail pending the March 6 sentencing. The case stemmed from a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary and a Garda investigation.
Three men – Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) – were arrested after a Garda investigation into a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary that exposed a scheme to pass unroadworthy vehicles at a Dublin NCT centre. Richardson, then an NCT inspector, was approached by Rooney to pass two Toyota Carinas that had previously failed the test. The men were to receive €100, but no money was exchanged. Richardson then asked Brunton to issue a false NCT certificate for one vehicle, while a fourth man, Darren Meehan (40), was approached to pass the second vehicle and received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false certificate. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting cash from Rooney; Brunton pleaded guilty to forgery for creating a false certificate. All three men fully cooperated with the Garda investigation and expressed remorse.
Paul Wells Jnr, aged 30, faces trial for impeding a murder investigation by disposing of a chainsaw. He is charged with obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of his father, Paul Wells Snr, 48, who is alleged to have killed Kenneth O'Brien, 33, in Finglas on 15 or 16 January 2016. The Central Criminal Court set the trial for 19 February 2018.
The High Court has reserved its decision on a judicial review action brought by Alan Bradley, who was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with the final two years suspended for conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland in November 2007 at Tesco, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Bradley, along with his brother Wayne, pleaded guilty in 2012 to the charge. His sentence was later reduced on appeal to eight years, with 18 months suspended. Bradley claims he is entitled to one-third remission of his sentence, rather than the standard one-quarter, citing his attendance at courses and good behaviour while in Portlaoise Prison. Two applications for enhanced remission were refused by the Minister for Justice on the grounds that he posed a risk to public safety. Bradley argues the Minister failed to provide proper reasons for the refusal and that he was denied fair procedures. The Minister opposes the action, stating she was entitled to refuse enhanced remission based on the evidence. Following submissions from both parties, Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh reserved her decision and remanded Bradley on continuing bail pending her ruling.
Alan Bradley, 42, of Churchfields, Kentstown, Co Meath, is challenging the Minister for Justice's refusal to grant him one‑third remission of his sentence for conspiracy to rob a security van containing €1m in cash. Bradley pleaded guilty in 2012 to conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland in 2007 and was sentenced to nine years, with the final two years suspended. An appeal reduced the sentence to eight years with 18 months suspended. Bradley argues that his completion of several educational and training courses, including first aid, entitles him to enhanced remission rather than the standard one‑quarter reduction. Two applications for additional time off his sentence were denied on the basis that he poses a risk to public safety. He has been released on bail pending the outcome of the High Court action, which seeks to quash the Minister's decision and obtain a declaration that he is entitled to enhanced remission.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year's detention at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a series of offences committed in April 2016. The teenager pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, and criminal damage to a bridge after crashing a stolen Hyundai into the River Liffey at Celbridge while evading gardai from a burglary scene in Lucan. Within 48 hours of his release on bail, he assaulted an elderly man and stole his vehicle. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting that detention should be a last resort for minors. The court heard evidence that the accused was intoxicated during the chase and was abusing prescribed drugs at the time. His legal counsel submitted that he is now drug-free, has expressed remorse, and is willing to engage with rehabilitation services and address anger management issues.
The family of a 64‑year‑old man who was murdered by three men after they broke into his home expressed shock and horror at the brutality of his death. The family statement, read at the Central Criminal Court, said they were "horrified and shocked at the cruel and heartless way he was brutally taken from us" and that they hoped for justice. The three men, Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (22) and James Davy (25), were convicted of murder on 4–5 August. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence on each, back‑dating the sentences to account for time spent in custody since 24 November 2014. The court heard that the men had previously been convicted of a range of offences, including arson, burglary and assault.
In a three‑week trial at Sr Senan Court, Edenderry, the jury found Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25) guilty of murdering 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley. The men were convicted of beating Dooley to death with a baseball bat in his home. The trial recounted how the trio met at Mangan's Pub, drank, used cocaine, and later attended a house party at April Murray's home where they caused extensive damage. After the party, they entered Dooley's house, where Cummins claimed Sean Davy struck Dooley with the bat, while Davy accounts varied. The prosecution described the attack as a joint enterprise. The men face mandatory life sentences; sentencing is postponed to 10 October, with reports ordered and all three remanded in custody. Matthew Cummins pleaded not guilty. James Davy pleaded not guilty. Sean Davy pleaded not guilty.
Two men, Sean Davy, 21, and James Davy, 25, were found guilty of murdering 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley in his home. The verdict was reached by unanimous jury after a three‑week trial at Sr Senan Court in Edenderry. The jury also considered a third defendant, Matthew Cummins, 22, who pleaded not guilty, and will decide his verdict tomorrow. The judge instructed the jury not to discuss the case with anyone else and to return for Cummins' verdict.
In the Central Criminal Court, defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC argued that the evidence against 22‑year‑old Matthew Cummins of Churchview Heights, Edenderry, shows "morally corrupt" behaviour but does not prove he committed murder. Cummins, who pleaded not guilty to the killing of Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley, was present at the crime scene, had taken drugs, and was involved in earlier vandalism, but there is no evidence he intended to kill or seriously injure Dooley. Biggs contended that Cummins' actions after Dooley's death, such as cleaning the scene and possibly setting the body on fire, cannot constitute murder. She urged the jury to find him not guilty of murder but guilty of impeding the arrest or prosecution of the principal offender. The trial also heard defence arguments for Sean Davy, who was to be found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and the case will continue with James Davy's defence on Tuesday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Patrick Treacy SC argued that Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25) acted together to murder 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley. The prosecution said the men entered Dooley's house at about 5.30 am after being expelled from a house party, beat him to death with a baseball bat, attempted to set his body on fire and then disposed of the bat and other items in a bin. Treacy described the evidence as showing a joint enterprise, with each accused equally guilty. He highlighted conflicting statements from the men, including Cummins' claims of lying about his whereabouts and Davy's admissions of striking Dooley. The trial was set to continue the following day before Justice Margaret Heneghan. Matthew Cummins pleaded not guilty. Sean Davy pleaded not guilty. James Davy pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution has finished giving evidence in the case of three men accused of murdering a 64‑year‑old at his home. Matthew Cummins (22) of Churchview Heights, Edenderry, Sean Davy (21) of Clonmullen Drive, Edenderry and James Davy (25) of Thornhill Meadows, Celbridge, all pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas "Toddy" Dooley at his home in Sr Senan Court, Edenderry, on 12 February 2014. Prosecuting counsel Patrick Treacy SC told the jury that the evidence had ended and he would begin his summary of the trial tomorrow. The legal representatives for all three accused said they would not call any further witnesses. On the final day of evidence the jury heard from interviews given by James Davy to gardai in February and June 2014. Det Garda Joseph Bradley said that in February Mr Davy told gardai that it was Matthew Cummins' idea to go to Mr Dooley's house that night.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a murder accused admitted to the Garda that he struck the deceased once with a baseball bat, but claimed the blow did not kill him. The accused, Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25), all pleaded not guilty to the murder of 64‑year‑old Thomas "Toddy" Dooley, who was found dead at his home in Sr Senan Court, Edenderry, on 12 February 2014. The trial is ongoing before a jury and Justice Margaret Heneghan.
The trial of Sean Davy, James Davy, and Matthew Cummins for the alleged murder of 64-year-old Thomas "Toddy" Dooley continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan. All three accused have pleaded not guilty to killing Mr. Dooley at his home in Edenderry, Co Offaly, on February 12, 2014. The jury heard that during an interview, Matthew Cummins stated that Sean Davy claimed the deceased had raped his cousin. Evidence presented included a text message allegedly received by James Davy from Chloe McBride, identified as the deceased's granddaughter, which read: "Toddy a rapist. I never going there again." Prosecutors suggested this indicated a pre-planned motive. However, Detective Garda Joe Hughes agreed with defense counsel that Mr. Dooley had never come to the attention of gardai and that there were no concerning rumors regarding him. Cummins testified that he believed the group was entering the house to drink and was unaware of any plan to attack. He stated he was too afraid to call an ambulance or alert police immediately after the incident. The court noted that the matter was adjourned and the trial continues.
During the murder trial of three men accused of killing 64‑year‑old Thomas "Toddy" Dooley, Matthew Cummins, aged 22, testified that he and co‑accused Sean Davy and James Davy had been drinking and using cocaine at a house party on 11 February 2014. Cummins said James Davy had a baseball bat and that after the party they decided to break into Dooley's house through a window. Cummins entered first, then let the others in. While inside, Cummins claimed he and the others drank with Dooley, who refused vodka but drank Budweiser. Cummins alleged that Sean Davy struck Dooley on the back of the head with the bat, then again on the chest, and that James Davy attempted to stab Dooley with a knife that broke. Cummins said he shouted at Davy and that the trio left the house with a plastic bag, the bat and prescription sleeping pills. Matthew Cummins pleaded not guilty. Sean Davy pleaded not guilty. James Davy pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Sean Davy, Matthew Cummins, and James Davy, all accused of the murder of Thomas Dooley, continued before Justice Margaret Heneghan. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to the alleged killing of the 64-year-old man at his home in Edenderry on February 12, 2014. The court heard testimony from Chloe McBride, the deceased's granddaughter, who exchanged text messages with James Davy on the night of the alleged incident. She stated that Davy told her he was drinking and heading to a "session" with Sean Davy. Later, they discussed meeting at her grandfather's house, but Davy claimed he was busy with "stuff" and heading to Sean Davy's father's house. Four days later, upon learning of her grandfather's death, Davy expressed shock and hoped the perpetrators would be caught. He later inquired about arrests and whether a sock was found in Mr. Dooley's mouth. Prosecution also presented CCTV footage from the early hours of February 12, showing three men, one carrying a white bag, near Sweeney's Topaz and subsequently at Granary Court, where they lingered near bins. Garda Joseph Bradley identified one man as Matthew Cummins entering Granary Court. Other footage traced James Davy and Sean Davy walking together until 7am. The matter was adjourned, with the trial set to continue the following day.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Thomas Dooley, aged 64, died from blunt‑force trauma after being struck eight times on the head, with fractures to his skull and internal brain injuries. She noted additional blows to his body that fractured three ribs, contributing to his death. Cassidy examined Dooley's body on 17 February, five days after the alleged murder on 12 February, and observed scorch marks indicating an attempted fire. She identified a baseball bat, which the prosecution claims was the murder weapon, as consistent with the injuries. Under cross‑examination, Cassidy suggested the head injuries were likely inflicted by a single implement, though she could not confirm whether one or more assailants were involved. The defendants—Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25)—remain not guilty pleas. The trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Sergejs Sluncevs, 37, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after he crashed into a taxi on Dublin Road, Celbridge, on 21 December 2012. The incident occurred when Sluncevs, who had been heavily drinking after a Christmas party, drove his Audi A4 across the road and collided head‑on with the taxi. The taxi driver was pulled from the vehicle within thirty seconds before the car caught fire. The court noted the victim's severe injuries and psychological effects, and, considering Sluncevs' guilty plea, cooperation, remorse and previous good record, imposed the custodial term and a five‑year driving disqualification. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the circumstances surrounding the crash.
During a murder trial, the prosecution presented CCTV footage that showed three men acting suspiciously near a clothes bank at Granary Court apartments in Edenderry on the morning after the alleged murder of Thomas Dooley. The footage, captured at about 6:30 am on February 21 , 2014, was reviewed by Sergeant Carlo Griffin and Garda Alan Melia, who testified that the men were seen around the bin area. The men, Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25), are charged with murdering Dooley, who was found dead in his home on February 16 , 2014. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. The prosecution maintains that Dooley died from instrumental trauma to the head and chest. The case remains in the early stages of the trial.
In the trial at Sister Senan Court, three men in their twenties—Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21), and James Davy (25)—have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas 'Toddy' Dooly, a 64‑year‑old who was found dead in his Edenderry home on 16 February 2014. The prosecution alleges Dooly died from instrumental trauma to the head and chest and that the accused were present in his house on the day of the death, acting as a joint enterprise. A baseball bat, believed to have been used in the alleged murder, was recovered from a clothes bank in Edenderry on 21 February and later presented to the jury. Garda Trevor Shore described the bat as having marks and indentations; forensic scientist John Hoade examined it, noting missing wood pieces and dents that contained DNA matching Dooly, and reported blood staining indicating repeated swings of the weapon. The case remains at the jury stage.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a Garda witness testified that a fire may have been set at the armchair where 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley was found dead in his Edenderry home on 16 February 2014. The body, covered with a cushion, was in a sitting position in the armchair, which was burned in three places. Seven footwear marks were found on the floor, and no implement was recovered. The fire caused burns to Dooley's head, upper body, and both legs of his nylon tracksuit. The prosecution also presented witnesses who described the presence of a baseball bat in the scene, but no weapon was found. The case involves three men—Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21), and James Davy (25)—who are charged with murder and have pleaded not guilty. The trial is set to continue tomorrow before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan.
During a murder trial, witness Ms. April Murray testified that on 11 February 2014 she and her daughter were at Mangan's pub in Edenderry, where they met James Davy, Sean Davy and Jade Mooney. After the pub, they returned to Murray's house, where the men drank beer and used cocaine from a key. Murray described a chaotic scene the next morning, with damage to the living room and kitchen, and noted a light‑brown wooden baseball bat on the kitchen table. She claimed the bat had been used and was later left in a taxi. Courtleigh Maloney, an 18‑year‑old, confirmed that James Davy had brought the bat to the pub and left it in the taxi. Jade Mooney also stated that Davy had shown her the bat and said it was to "protect himself." The accused men, Matthew Cummins, Sean Davy and James Davy, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Dooley.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a Meals on Wheels volunteer, Ms Patricia Maguire, testified that a 64‑year‑old Offaly man, Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley, appeared to be in "OK" form the day before his death. Ms Maguire, who has volunteered for 18 years, delivered a meal to Dooley's home at Sister Senan Court on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. She described a brief conversation with Dooley, who seemed fine and paid her €2 or €2.50 for the meal. Dooley was later found dead in his living room on February 16, 2014, with injuries to his upper body and head. The trial involves three men—Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25)—who were charged with murdering Dooley on February 12, 2014, and who pleaded not guilty. The case continues.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley, a 64‑year‑old Offaly resident, was found dead in his living room on 16 February 2014, four days after he was allegedly beaten to death with a baseball bat. The prosecution presented evidence that three men – Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25) – were present at a party in April Murray's house on the early hours of 12 February 2014, then travelled to Dooley's home. The men were said to have used a wooden baseball bat to inflict blunt‑trauma injuries to Dooley's head and chest, leading to his death. The prosecution also alleged attempts to set fire to Dooley's armchair and clothing, and that the men removed items from the scene, some of which were later recovered by the gardai. The accused pleaded not guilty. The trial was scheduled to continue the following day.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of three men accused of murdering a 64‑year‑old man in Offaly. Sean Davy, 21, of Edenderry; James Davy, 25, of Celbridge; and Matthew Cummins, 22, of Edenderry, were charged with the murder of Thomas Dooley at Sister Senan Court on 12 February 2014. The men pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jury that the trial was expected to last three weeks, though it could extend beyond that. The trial began in evidence before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Sergejs Sluncevs, aged 37, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after his Audi A4 collided head‑on with a taxi on Dublin Road, Celbridge, on 21 December 2012. Sluncevs had been heavily intoxicated after a Christmas party and, after leaving his keys in his car, decided to drive home. Witnesses described the taxi driver seeing the car approach with full beams, the vehicle swerving onto the taxi's side and crashing. The taxi driver's leg was trapped inside the car; he was rescued by bystanders and later treated for injuries to his leg, arms, ribs and chest. Within thirty seconds of the taxi being pulled from the vehicle, the car caught fire. Sluncevs' defence argued the incident was a "life‑changing mistake" and that he was remorseful, requesting the court consider alternatives to custodial sentencing.
Emmet McAuley, 31, pleaded guilty to robbery at a Celbridge off‑licence on 30 May 2015. He was armed with a plastic McDonald's knife, which he claimed to hold, and was pursued on foot by the shop owner. The robbery lasted about 60 seconds, involved no violence, and the robbers escaped with cash and cigarettes, which were later recovered. McAuley was restrained without resistance and later arrested. He has 22 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, including a €1,000 payment to the injured party. The court noted McAuley's cooperation with Gardaí and his completion of a residential drug treatment programme. No further convictions or outcomes were mentioned in the article.
Three men—Stephen Rooney (35), Vincent Brunton (33) and Alan Richardson (27)—will be sentenced on 13 July for forging a National Car Test certificate on 20 April 2011. Rooney and Richardson, who live at The Paddocks Grove, Adamstown, Dublin, and Brunton, who lives at Priory Square, St Raphaels Manor, Celbridge, pleaded guilty on a without‑prejudice basis at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They were arrested after a four‑year Garda investigation prompted by an RTÉ Primetime documentary in 2011. Judge Karen O'Connor set the hearing for half a day, when full facts will be heard.
In 2010, 30‑year‑old Shane Millea stabbed his cousin Paul Harris to death with a flick knife. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was originally sentenced to ten years, with two years suspended, on the condition he never possessed a knife again. Millea appealed in 2014, arguing that his immediate remorse, staying at the scene, contacting emergency services and attempting CPR were mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal agreed, reducing the sentence to eight years with the final three years suspended. The court noted that Millea had acted in self‑defence after Harris attacked him with an axe handle, and that the offence was not at the upper end of the scale. The appeal court set aside the original ten‑year sentence and imposed the revised eight‑year term with a suspended portion, subject to good behaviour for four years. The decision was made without reference to any subsequent developments.
Two men were sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following their guilty pleas to car-jacking. Francis Stokes, aged 29, of Ballyconnell, County Cavan, and Martin Stokes, aged 24, of Celbridge, County Kildare, hijacked a vehicle at Blessington Road, Tallaght, on 10 November 2013. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final two years of Francis Stokes's sentence and the last three years of Martin Stokes's sentence, having regard to their differing criminal histories. The victim described the incident as life-altering, stating it had severely restricted her confidence and ability to engage in activities she previously enjoyed. The court heard evidence that the complainant had become fearful of driving and was unable to maintain her former independence. The accused had claimed to gardaí that they commandeered the vehicle following an attack by another party, though the victim impact statements presented a substantially different account of events.
In a Kildare incident, Tadgh Delaney, aged 41, assaulted and robbed his ex‑girlfriend, a 36‑year‑old woman, on 29 January 2014. He pleaded guilty to assault and to robbing her mobile phone and €130 cash. The victim, whose identity is protected, appealed to Judge James O'Donohoe to avoid jail, arguing that Delaney had turned his life around. The judge had previously indicated a possible 240‑hour community service sentence in lieu of a six‑month jail term. Judge Martin Nolan confirmed this order after a Probation Service report deemed Delaney suitable for community service, requiring the work to be completed within one year. The case highlighted Delaney's history of road‑traffic offences, theft, and a former heroin addiction, and the victim's claim that he had begun to change after their relationship ended.
Wayne Donnelly, 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment of a taxi driver and unlawful seizure of a car. He was sentenced to a six‑year prison term with four years suspended, conditional on keeping the peace and attending a drug treatment programme. The case involved an attack on a taxi driver who was tied up, robbed of his phone and €250, and had his car taken. Donnelly also assaulted a man in Palmerstown, claiming the man owed money to drug dealers, and threatened to use grenades. He had 26 prior convictions. The judge described Donnelly and a co‑accused as "bullyboys." The sentencing was delivered by Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The article reports no further legal proceedings beyond the suspended sentence and conditions.
In February 2015 the Court of Appeal dismissed James Mansfield Junior's appeal against a €6.32 million summary judgment issued by the Commercial Court. The judgment arose from loans AIB advanced between 2003 and 2009 for the purchase of land in Duleek, Co Meath, and the development of apartment blocks, an underground car park and commercial units. Mansfield, together with three other parties, formed the "Duleek Partnership" to acquire the land. The Commercial Court found none of the four parties had an arguable defence and granted summary judgment. Mansfield appealed, arguing he was dyslexic and had signed the loan agreement by mistake (non‑est‑factum). The Court of Appeal, sitting with Justices Mary Finlay Geoghegan, Michael Peart and Alan Mahon, rejected the appeal, holding that Mansfield knew he was signing a legal document that created obligations and that no evidence showed he had asked questions about the liability he was undertaking.
In a Kildare case, a woman appealed to Judge James O'Donohoe not to imprison her ex‑partner, Tadgh Delaney, who assaulted and robbed her. She argued that Delaney had reformed and was not seeking vengeance, but wanted the €130 he stole. Delaney, 41, pleaded guilty to assaulting the 36‑year‑old woman on 29 January 2014 at Call a Cab, Celbridge, and to robbing her mobile phone and cash. He had seven prior convictions for traffic offences and theft. The judge offered 240 hours of community service instead of a six‑month jail term if Delaney was deemed suitable. The case was adjourned to March to determine eligibility for community service. The victim described Delaney as a former heroin addict who had been working with Catholic youth organisations and was turning his life around.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paulius Taracvius, a 34‑year‑old Lithuanian mechanic from Finglas, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property. He admitted that he had delivered a stolen Audi Q3 to a yard on Flemington Road, Balbriggan, where a Garda raid recovered four high‑end vehicles worth €100,000, including an Audi A5, the Q3, a Nissan Qashqai and a BMW 3‑series. The cars had been stolen from homes in Rathmines, Rathgar and Celbridge in September 2013, with keys often taken from letterboxes. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, suspended a two‑year prison sentence, noting that Taracvius's role was limited to delivering the Audi. The court also noted that other individuals involved in dismantling and shipping stolen vehicles had received weekly payments and faced separate sentences. The case highlighted the broader investigation into the dismantling and export of stolen high‑end cars from Ireland to Eastern Europe.
Two men have been convicted and sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their involvement in a series of violent offences. Dylan Smith, aged 22, and Daniel Malone, aged 20, pleaded guilty to charges arising from incidents in August and September 2013. In August, they unlawfully seized a taxi on Tubber Lane, Lucan, and subjected the driver to false imprisonment, robbery, and serious assault. The victim sustained a skull fracture and multiple facial injuries. In September, Smith stabbed a bus passenger in the thigh during a robbery at Kylemore Road, Bluebell, and subsequently forced the victim to withdraw €200 from an ATM. Smith was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final eighteen months suspended, to run consecutively with a sentence from Roscommon. Malone received four and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended. Smith has fifty-seven previous convictions; Malone had one prior conviction. Both defendants expressed remorse, with Smith having engaged in rehabilitation since entering custody.
In 2014 the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of 29‑year‑old Shane Millea, who stabbed his cousin Paul Harris to death with a flick knife he had given him as a present. Millea had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and was originally sentenced to ten years with two years suspended. The appeal court found the original sentence too severe and set it aside, imposing an eight‑year term with the last three years suspended on the condition that Millea remain of good behaviour for four years. The court cited Millea's immediate remorse, acceptance of responsibility, and the fact that he had stayed at the scene and provided first aid. The decision was made after considering the gravity of the offence and mitigating factors such as the circumstances of self‑defence and the victim's prior knife possession. The judgment was reserved for a later date.
Nerigus Flederis, 34, a Lithuanian mechanic living in a filthy caravan in Balbriggan, was sentenced to three years for stripping high‑end stolen cars for shipment to Eastern Europe. He pleaded guilty to possession of four stolen vehicles – an Audi A5, an Audi Q3, a Nissan Qashqai and a BMW 3‑series – and two petrol tanks on 20 September 2013. The judge accepted his plea on the basis of recklessness, noting he had no prior convictions and had not profited from the operation. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended the last 18 months of the sentence, citing his lack of profit and the successful Garda investigation. Flederis was remanded in custody after arrest, as he could not afford bail, and he has a six‑year‑old son in Lithuania. The cars were seized after a surveillance operation that traced a BMW from Celbridge to Balbriggan.
In November 2014, Mark Mahony, aged 34, and Jason Brennan, aged 33, were convicted of possessing €3.5 million worth of cocaine and heroin. Both were sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with a three‑year portion suspended, by Judge Martin Nolan at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The pair had met in the car park of a service station in Naas on 17 January 2013, where they transferred boxes of drugs to Mahony's car. They were arrested as they tried to leave the car park. The drugs were valued at €488,761 of cocaine and just over €3.1 million of heroin. Both men appealed, arguing the sentence was excessive and that mitigating factors had not been adequately considered. Judge Garrett Sheehan rejected the appeal, noting that neither had prior convictions, that Mahony had worked from age 15 and had been drug‑free at sentencing, and that Brennan had worked steadily from 2003 to 2012 and had a family. Mark Mahony pleaded guilty. Jason Brennan pleaded guilty.
Alan Bradley, currently serving a prison sentence, has brought a High Court action against the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Irish Prison Service, and the Governor of Portlaoise Prison to compel the provision of orthodontic treatment. Bradley, who is incarcerated at Portlaoise, alleges that despite an independent expert report confirming his entitlement to treatment under HSE criteria, his request has been denied. His counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, argued that the failure to provide care is irrational and unreasonable, noting that Bradley has suffered severe pain for over a year. Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted leave to bring the application on an ex parte basis and adjourned the matter to a date in mid-December. The court heard that Bradley pleaded guilty in 2012 to conspiring to steal cash from a Chubb Ireland security van in 2007. Judge Tony Hunt originally sentenced him to nine years, with the final two suspended. On appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal reduced this to eight years, with the final 18 months suspended. His brother, Wayne Bradley, also pleaded guilty to the offence. He was initially sentenced to seven years with 18 months suspended, a term the CCA reduced to six years with the final year suspended. Three other men, including a Chubb employee, were also sentenced for their roles in the incident.
Wayne Donnelly, 28, from Oakcourt Lawn, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, false imprisonment of a taxi driver, and unlawful seizure of a car. The offences occurred in Palmerstown and Lucan in July and August 2013. Donnelly, who has 26 prior convictions, was part of a group that attacked a taxi driver, tied him up, stole his car, and threw him into a ditch. He also assaulted a man in Palmerstown, threatening him with grenades and physically attacking him. The judge adjourned sentencing to March next year and ordered a probation report. Donnelly's case was presented by Detective Garda Padraig Jennings, with testimony from Garda Caroline Flynn and defence counsel Anne Marie Lawlor. The article reports Donnelly's background, drug use, and claims of remorse, but no sentencing outcome is given.
In a High Court case brought by Mr Pat Grant of Ballyouster, Celbridge, the family seeks to stop the demolition of their timber‑framed house built in 2010. The house sits behind a pre‑existing dwelling owned by Grant's sister‑in‑law. Kildare County Council argues the house lacks proper planning permission and is in breach of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and has pursued enforcement proceedings to demolish it. Grant's house had originally been granted permission for an extension, but a separate dwelling unit was later constructed. The Council's refusal to allow the house to remain was appealed to An Bord Pleanala, which, despite an inspector's recommendation to grant retention permission, upheld the Council's refusal on a split decision. Grant now seeks orders quashing the Bord's decision, arguing the Board gave no adequate reasons for its refusal and failed to explain why it did not follow its inspector's recommendation.
The Court of Criminal Appeal has reduced the sentences of Alan Bradley (40) and Wayne Bradley (35) by six months each following an appeal against convictions for conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland on November 2, 2007, at Tesco, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Both men had previously pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. In April 2012, Judge Tony Hunt sentenced Alan Bradley to nine years with two years suspended and Wayne Bradley to seven years with 18 months suspended. Presiding Judge Mr Justice John MacMenamin found an error in principle in the original sentencing, noting that the trial judge appeared to start from the maximum ten-year penalty rather than assessing the case's position on the offending spectrum. Consequently, the appeal court determined that Alan Bradley's appropriate sentence was eight years with one-and-a-half years suspended. For Wayne Bradley, the court considered documentation regarding his health, including panic attacks and ankylosing spondylitis, and determined his appropriate sentence was six years with one year suspended. The court also congratulated gardai on their investigative work which prevented the commission of a more serious crime. The brothers had been involved in an attempted raid directed by the late Eamon Dunne, targeting a van containing nearly one million euro.