Court archive
2026-03-05 · Kildare
Denniss Anolins pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified at Anglesea Road in Dublin 4. Judge Anne Watkin convicted him and imposed a three-month prison sentence, taking the guilty plea into account.
2026-01-14 · Kildare
Eleven Romanian workers were dismissed by an engineering firm, Rigotec International Ltd, days after they were subjected to racist behaviour at the Intel plant in Co Kildare, a tribunal has heard. Trade union Unite accused the firm of unlawful dismissal in a "sham redundancy" in February 2024. Six of the workers are pursuing complaints under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Rigotec maintains the redundancies were genuine and the result of a downturn in work. At the Workplace Relations Commission, counsel for the employer, Cillian McGovern BL, stated that two men had engaged in racist behaviour towards the complainants. Site manager Alan Jennings said one worker made a racist remark and received a written warning, while another was dismissed for aggressive behaviour. The workers were let go four days later, including the man who made the racist remark. Andrew Turner of Hamilton Turner Solicitors, appearing for the workers, argued that the redundancies were a sham and not due to a downturn in work. Adjudicator Monica Brennan will return her decision at a later date.
2025-07-31 · Kildare
Ryan Kearney, 39, was sentenced to ten years in prison with one year suspended for three years, following a nine‑year custodial term that was reduced by mitigation. The sentence was imposed after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter, not murder, for stabbing Jeffrey Jackson, 50, 16 times in a "frenzied knife" attack on 8 February 2024. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence, citing a dispute over alcohol and Jackson's intoxication. The judge described the violence as extreme and sustained, noting Kearney's 152 prior convictions, including a 10‑year drug‑supply sentence with three years suspended. Victim impact statements highlighted the brutality of the attack and the lasting pain felt by Jackson's family. The court emphasised that the defendant's alcohol‑related history and lack of remorse were factors in the sentencing decision. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
2025-07-28 · Kildare
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the brother of cancer‑survivor Jeffrey Jackson said the defendant, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney, showed no respect or remorse for the family when the verdict was read. Kearney, who had 152 prior convictions, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after a jury rejected the prosecution's claim that he had intentionally stabbed Jackson from head to toe. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence during a "frenzied knife" attack that left Jackson with 16 stab wounds, two fatal chest wounds, and a death caused by alcohol‑related impairment. The court heard that Kearney had previously been convicted of drug possession, theft, and other offences, and that he had been on bail for several matters at the time of the incident. The sentencing hearing was scheduled for Thursday, with Kearney remanded in custody. The victim impact statements highlighted the family's grief and the brutality of the attack.
2025-07-04 · Kildare
Ryan Kearney, aged 39, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after stabbing Jeffrey Jackson, aged 50, 15 times in what he claimed was self‑defence. The Central Criminal Court jury rejected the prosecution's case that Kearney intended to kill or cause serious injury, accepting the defence that he acted to protect himself from Jackson's alleged violence. The jury considered the force used and the partial defence of provocation, concluding that the killing was not murder. Kearney was described as an alcoholic but not violent. The judge remanded him in custody pending a sentencing hearing on 28 July. The case involved 16 knife wounds, with the pathologist noting Jackson was heavily intoxicated. The trial also heard testimony from Jackson's partner and family about his violent behaviour. The judge directed a psychologist and governor's report on Kearney.
2025-07-03 · Kildare
A jury of twelve, consisting of three men and nine women, is deliberating a verdict in the murder trial of Ryan Kearney, 39, who stabbed Jeffrey Jackson, 50, to death in a Co Kildare apartment on 8 February 2024. Kearney has pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self‑defence. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Burns, instructed the jury to decide whether the killing was murder, manslaughter or a lawfully justified homicide. He explained that if the jury believes Kearney honestly believed he was defending himself and that the force used was reasonable, the verdict should be not guilty. If the force was deemed excessive, the verdict could be not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. If the defence of self‑defence is rejected, the jury must consider a partial defence of provocation. The jury is required to reach a unanimous verdict.
2025-07-02 · Kildare
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Ryan Kearney, aged 39, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jeffrey Jackson, 50, who was stabbed at The Lamps, Kilcock, on 8 February 2024. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence after a scuffle with Jackson, who he described as prone to rage and violence and whom he called a "complete lunatic." He said he had taken a knife from Jackson's partner and delivered "a few jabs" to the neck, believing the victim was dead, and that he had no intention to kill. The prosecution, represented by Brendan Grehan SC, argued that Kearney's account did not match the pathology evidence, noting that Jackson suffered 16 separate knife injuries, including a 17‑cm wound, and that the knife was "buried to the hilt." Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC countered that the pathologist's findings suggested the injuries could result from a dynamic struggle with momentum from both sides, and that Kearney's actions were a reasonable.
2025-07-01 · Kildare
In a murder trial, Brendan Grehan SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that Ryan Kearney, 39, had stabbed Jeffrey Jackson, 50, with a knife that was "buried to the hilt" and that the injuries described by Kearney as "a few jabs to the stomach" did not match the pathology evidence. Grehan cited State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis, who identified 16 sharp‑force injuries, 15 of which were stab wounds, including a 17 cm wound to the chest. He claimed the evidence contradicted Kearney's account of a self‑defence encounter and that the knife had penetrated deeply, indicating intent to kill. Grehan urged the jury to find Kearney guilty of murder, while defence counsel Michael Bowman SC challenged the prosecution's description of the knife's use. The trial is set to continue tomorrow. Ryan Kearney pleaded not guilty.
2025-06-30 · Kildare
During the trial, Gardaí questioned Ryan Kearney, 39, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jeffrey Jackson, 50, at The Lamps, Kilcock, on 8 February 2024. Kearney claimed he stabbed Jackson in self‑defence after a scuffle, stating he had no intention to kill and was afraid for his life. He said he had taken a knife from Jackson's partner, stabbed him in the neck, and later stabbed him again when Jackson attacked him. Gardaí noted that Kearney's account was inconsistent: he admitted to stabbing Jackson in the back, washing the knife, and cleaning his hands, yet the prosecution's evidence showed 16 separate knife wounds, including one 17 cm deep, and Jackson was over eight times the legal drink‑driving limit. Kearney also admitted to fabricating parts of his story, including claims of intruders in the apartment. The prosecution's evidence was presented, and the trial was set to continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury.
2025-06-27 · Kildare
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a 50‑year‑old man, Jeffrey Jackson, was found dead after sustaining 16 knife injuries, one 17 cm deep, in an apartment in Kilcock. The accused, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney, pleaded not guilty, claiming he had taken a knife from his aunt's partner during a scuffle and stabbed the victim in self‑defence, with no intent to kill. Kearney told detectives he feared for his life. Pathologist Dr Sallyanne Collis testified that Jackson had been heavily intoxicated, with alcohol levels more than eight times the legal limit, and that the fatal wounds were two chest stab injuries that entered the chest cavity, puncturing the right lung and the aorta. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Burns, continues on Monday before a jury of twelve.
2025-06-26 · Kildare
Ryan Kearney, 39, of Leixlip, Co Kildare, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Jeffrey Jackson, 50, at The Lamps, School Street, Kilcock, Co Kildare, on February 8, 2024. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury. Witness Emma Farrell, the deceased's partner, testified via video-link from the UK that she lived in a "constant state of fear" of being killed by Jackson, who was an alcoholic and physically abusive when drunk. She described his violence as spontaneous and unprovoked, including incidents of throttling and physical aggression. Farrell stated she separated from Jackson in 2020 after he moved back to Ireland, though they never divorced. In his garda interviews, Kearney alleged he took a knife from Jackson after a scuffle and gave him "a few jabs," claiming self-defence and stating he had no intention to kill. Prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC argued that the 16 knife injuries sustained by Jackson did not align with Kearney's self-defence account. The matter is currently at the trial stage and has not been finalised.
2025-06-25 · Kildare
Ryan Kearney, aged 39, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jeffrey Jackson, aged 50, at The Lamps, Kilcock, on 8 February 2024. He told Gardaí that after a scuffle with Jackson, he took a small black‑handled kitchen knife from a drawer and used it to jab Jackson, claiming he had no intention to kill and was in fear for his life. Kearney said Jackson had been drinking vodka with his aunt, and that Jackson had repeatedly lunged at him. He described the incident as a self‑defence situation, stating he only struck Jackson to stop the attacks. Forensic evidence included a kitchen knife with a serrated blade, 12 cm long, whose handle bore Kearney's DNA and blood from an open wound. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury, is set to continue tomorrow.
2025-06-24 · Kildare
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney pleaded not guilty to the murder of 50‑year‑old Jeffrey Jackson. Kearney told Gardaí that he had stabbed Jackson in the neck but did not kill him, claiming the victim was a friend. He was arrested on suspicion of murder on 8 February 2024 after arriving at The Lamps in Kilcock. Garda Detective Sergeant Gerard Moore testified that Kearney had tried to stop a neck wound and was unaware of a severe abdominal stab. Kearney was found intoxicated, with slurred speech and an alcohol odor, and was deemed unfit for questioning for six hours. The prosecution presented evidence of 16 knife wounds, describing the attack as ferocious, which contradicted Kearney's self‑defence claim. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury.
2025-06-23 · Kildare
In a trial held in Kilcock, a woman named Breda Kearney testified that her nephew, Ryan Kearney, returned from a shop with blood on his hands and claimed he had stabbed her partner, Jeffrey Jackson, in the neck. Kearney described how she had gone to the shop after Ryan's arrival, then returned to find him standing in the hallway with blood on his hands. She reported that Ryan told her he had stabbed Jackson and thought he was dead. Kearney then found Jackson lying on a couch with blood spilling from his nose and mouth, and a wound on his abdomen. She attempted to call emergency services while trying to stop the bleeding. The prosecution argued that the evidence of 16 knife injuries did not align with Kearney's account of a self‑defence attack. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury. Ryan Kearney pleaded not guilty.
2025-06-19 · Kildare
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the State presented evidence that a 50‑year‑old man, Jeffrey Jackson, suffered 16 knife wounds in a Co Kildare apartment, a pattern the prosecution said could not be explained by the accused, Ryan Kearney's, claim of self‑defence. Kearney, 39, had told the first garda that men in balaclavas had attacked the scene and later said he had stabbed Jackson but not killed him. The prosecution argued that the injuries were distributed around the body, including head, face, chest and legs, and that Kearney had only a small cut on a finger. The jury was told Kearney had been arrested at 4.30pm, charged with murder, and that his statements to the garda and to the emergency call taker were inconsistent with the evidence. The trial was scheduled to continue for two weeks before Mr Justice Paul Burns. The unnamed 50-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2025-06-18 · Kildare
A 39‑year‑old man, Ryan Kearney of Loughnamona Drive, Leixlip, Co Kildare, has been arraigned in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Jeffrey Jackson, 50, at The Lamps, School Street, Kilcock, Co Kildare, on 8 February 2024. He pleaded not guilty. A jury of three men and nine women was sworn in by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, and the trial will commence tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Burns, expected to last two weeks.
2025-03-21 · Kildare
The owners of Ryevale House, an 18th‑century property in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, secured a temporary injunction from the High Court to stop nine named defendants from harassing or intimidating residents, staff or contractors. The injunction was sought after a protester threatened a foreman, saying the water‑connection works would not start unless the contractor was prepared to hit him with a bucket from his digger. The house, which began housing 93 female asylum seekers in March 2023, had a contract with the International Protection Accommodation Services office. The owners argued that protesters had regularly picketed the site, blocked the open space where the new water main was to be installed, and threatened the safety of contractors. The court granted the interim injunction and adjourned the matter to the following week.
2025-03-14 · Kildare
Kenneth Philpott, 64, of River Forest, Leixlip, was stopped by Gardaí for driving in a bus lane and was found to be carrying over €200,000 worth of cannabis. He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs on 10 April 2024 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Ronan Doolin reported that the vehicle was searched after the driver, who was nervous and cooperative, claimed there were packages in the car. Gardaí seized 7 kg of cannabis in taped packages, valued at €140,000, and later found an additional €80,000 worth of cannabis at Philpott's home. Philpott admitted that he had been pressured by parties who had taken advantage of his €2,400 gambling debt to traffic the drugs. He had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, taking into account Philpott's cooperation, good history, work record and the fear and coercion involved, set a headline sentence of six years but reduced it to three years imprisonment.
2025-02-27 · Dublin
Ian Kidney, a 37‑year‑old Dublin resident, was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a €3 million cannabis and cocaine operation. He had no prior criminal record but was under Garda surveillance from 3 April last year. Kidney pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply: one for transporting drugs on Dublin's north side and another for a haul at a south‑side storage facility. Garda Brian Kirwan testified that Kidney drove a van to Finglas, delivering two boxes to Liam Mellows Road, where €320 000 of cannabis was found. He then drove into Dublin City Centre, where a stop on Beresford Street led to the seizure of €198 332 of cannabis. A self‑storage unit in Ballymount yielded €2.28 million of cannabis herb, €5 572 of resin and €694 858 of cocaine; Kidney held one of two keys.
2024-12-18 · Dublin
A man described as middle management in a significant drug operation has been sentenced to seven years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Philip Lawless, aged 48 and from Leixlip, County Kildare, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine worth over €3.18 million for sale or supply at two Dublin locations on 3 April 2024. Gardaí conducted surveillance operations last April, tracking vehicles to a storage unit in Ballymount, Tallaght, and a subsequent stop on Beresford Street, Dublin 7. Searches uncovered substantial quantities of drugs at both locations. Phone analysis revealed Lawless was directing the activity of two other men, with one having saved his contact as "boss man". Evidence indicated he received instructions from a person further up the operation's hierarchy. Judge Dara Hayes imposed a headline sentence of twelve and a half years, reduced to eight and a half years, with the final eighteen months suspended. Lawless must engage with the Probation Service upon release.
2024-06-21 · Kildare
Ryan Kearney, 38, of Loughnamona Drive, Leixlip, Co Kildare, is charged with murdering 50‑year‑old Jeffrey Jackson in an apartment on The Lamp, School Street, Kilcock, Co Kildare, on 8 February. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case on 18 June 2025, with a trial expected to last two weeks. The case was listed for case management on 25 October.
2024-05-16 · Dublin
Winnifred Lawrence, a 74‑year‑old mother of 14, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty to three counts of deception for making false personal injury claims between September 2012 and May 2014. She used the false name Margaret Mongan to file six claims, receiving a net total of €23,185.50 from insurance companies. The court noted her previous conviction in 2019, where she received a three‑year suspended sentence for a similar offence. Lawrence's claims included incidents at Tesco Ireland, a bookshop, a bus, and a heater, with payouts ranging from €5,000 to €12,460. The judge highlighted her poor health and the significant amount of money she benefited from, and the sentence was imposed after her guilty plea and lack of further offences.
2024-04-12 · Kildare
Adrian Stralynski, 22, pleaded guilty to laundering €13,100 in a smishing scam that cost a victim €16,000. He has 13 prior convictions for drug possession, assault, public order and road traffic offences. The court heard that the victim, Aidan Hall, received a fraudulent text claiming a Bank of Ireland login and was tricked into entering a verification code, after which €13,100 was transferred through accounts linked to Stralynski. Stralynski admitted he was high and was persuaded by a friend to facilitate the fraud, but denied sending the text. Judge Orla Crowe noted his early guilty plea, lack of recent Garda attention, and remorse, and sentenced him to 18 months in prison suspended in full for two years. The co‑accused has taken a trial date. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
2024-02-01 · Clare
The 78‑year‑old widower John O'Neill, former owner of a Lisdoonvarna bed and breakfast, was found dead in his kitchen on 6 January 2024. Garda Louise Keogh and a colleague entered the house after a call about a suspected altercation the previous night. They discovered O'Neill's severely beaten body, with facial injuries, a pool of blood at the top of his head, a broken vase, a damaged laptop and scattered bank and social services cards. The scene suggested a "personal" killing. Witnesses identified Thomas Lorigan, 56, as the man who had stayed overnight at Lorigan's home the night before and who was later arrested for assault causing serious harm. Lorigan was detained at Ennis Garda Station after a DNA sample was taken. The case remains a murder investigation, with the prosecution presenting forensic evidence linking Lorigan to the assault and death of O'Neill. The trial has not yet concluded.
2024-01-17 · Clare
In a murder trial, the State presented evidence that 79‑year‑old widower John O'Neill was killed by his nephew Thomas Lorigan, 34, who allegedly repeatedly kicked him to the head with steel‑capped boots. The prosecution described O'Neill as a fit, healthy man who had lived alone after his wife's death and had recently run a bed and breakfast. On the night of 6 January 2022, O'Neill returned home after drinking and was attacked by Lorigan, who was described as "Mossy" and living in a derelict house. Witness Walter Burke testified that Lorigan left his house after an argument with O'Neill, and emergency services found O'Neill dead in the kitchen the next morning. The State's pathologist reported severe blunt‑force trauma to O'Neill's face, consistent with multiple kicks. CCTV footage showed a man assaulting another outside the B&B, with the attacker later seen heading toward Burke's house. Thomas Lorigan pleaded not guilty.
2023-06-08 · Kildare
Terry Jackson, a 72‑year‑old from Leixlip, was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to possessing 2,887 images and 669 videos of child pornography. The material, seized from a hard drive at his home on 17 April 2018, included images of children aged five to 15 and 13 hours of footage. Jackson claimed he collected the material to prevent others from distributing it, stating he was "appalled and enraged" by its online availability and was willing to go to prison to stop its spread. The judge, Orla Crowe, set a headline sentence of two and a half years, reduced to 18 months with nine months suspended, and ordered Jackson to comply with Probation Services for two years upon release. He had no prior relevant convictions and was noted to have health issues including arterial fibrillation and Crohn's disease.
2023-05-03 · Kildare
Terry Jackson, a 72-year-old man from Leixlip, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty at the hearing to knowingly possessing 2,887 images and 669 videos of child pornography on a hard drive at his home on April 17, 2018. The defence submitted that Jackson claimed he collected the material to stop others from distributing it, stating he was appalled by its availability online. A Forensic Psychological Services report placed him at low risk of reoffending. Prosecution evidence indicated gardaí were alerted to the images in September 2017 via a peer-to-peer app, leading to a search warrant executed at Jackson's home in April 2018. Jackson admitted responsibility for the seized hard drive. He has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence from 2008. The defence highlighted his health issues, including arterial fibrillation and chronic Crohn's disease, and noted that none of the material was classified as extreme. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the matter for finalisation to May 10, requiring the prosecution to furnish further information regarding the categorisation of the material, the number of children involved, the level of abuse, and the duration of the videos.
2023-03-03 · Carlow
A 51‑year‑old pizza delivery driver, Earl McKevitt, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 19‑year‑old Conor O'Brien, who was shot once in the chest on the evening of 26 August 2021 while McKevitt was delivering a pizza to O'Brien's studio in Enfield. McKevitt admitted to shooting the teenager after failing to read the delivery instructions and claimed that shooting people was part of his job. He was also found guilty of possessing a firearm and a knife on 31 August 2021 at the Talbot Hotel in Carlow, where he had retrieved the gun. Concurrent sentences of seven‑and‑a‑half years and two years were imposed for the firearm and knife offences. McKevitt's life sentence was back‑dated to 31 August 2021, the date he entered custody.
2022-10-24 · Kildare
Four former employees of Beckett's Hotel & Restaurant in Leixlip, Co Kildare, have secured statutory redundancy payments from their former employer, Camrue Catering Ltd, following their layoff in March 2020. The company conceded all four claims during adjudication hearings before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between July and September 2022. The staff had their last day at work on 15 March 2020, before the hospitality sector closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The WRC was informed that the business had not traded since the first lockdown in 2020 and was still seeking investors. The largest payment order was made to head chef John Boyne, who had worked for the company for over 24 years and is owed €29,407 in severance pay. Other payments included €17,280 to Sandra Clarke and €13,619 to Nicky Corrigan. Michelle Flynn-Smyth, with nearly 16 years of service, is due approximately €10,000.
2022-10-20 · Kildare
Lee McMullen, aged 22, pleaded guilty on 31 July 2019 to two counts of endangerment and two counts of dangerous driving after driving a car on the wrong side of a motorway at high speed with its lights off. The incident, which lasted eight to ten minutes, involved McMullen driving at speeds up to 160 km/h, crossing road dividers, and continuing onto the motorway in the outbound lane. Garda Michael Martin chased the vehicle, which eventually broke violently at the Leixlip junction and was abandoned. McMullen was apprehended nearby; passengers were later found in a taxi. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of 21 months for the endangerment count, with the remaining two years and three months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence reflects McMullen's eight prior convictions and the serious nature of the offence.
2022-07-26 · Dublin
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, truck driver David Morrissey, aged 29, received a nine‑month suspended sentence for careless driving that caused the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018. The incident occurred at the junction of Greenfield Park and Stillorgan Road when the traffic lights turned green and Morrissey turned left, placing Boland under his large DAF truck. Despite early medical response, Boland was pronounced dead at St Vincent's Hospital. The prosecution argued that Boland was visible from the truck's cab and should have been seen via the truck's wide‑angle mirrors. Morrissey denied seeing Boland, claiming he had checked his mirrors. The judge noted no aggravating factors such as intoxication, speeding or mobile phone use, and imposed a fully suspended nine‑month custodial sentence, a five‑year disqualification, and no additional penalties. The sentence reflected Morrissey's lack of prior convictions and his cooperation with the investigation. David Morrissey pleaded not guilty.
2022-05-31 · Dublin
David Morrissey, 29, of Glendale Meadow, Leixlip, was found guilty of causing the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018. The incident occurred at the junction of Greenfield Park and Stillorgan Road near RTÉ, where Boland was riding in the north‑bound cycle lane with a red light. Morrissey, driving a large DAF truck, turned left after the light turned green and Boland ended up under the truck, sustaining fatal injuries. The jury, after 3 h 35 m of deliberation, returned a 10‑to‑2 verdict. The prosecution argued Boland was visible from the cab, aided by wide‑angle mirrors, while the defence claimed the driver did not see him and that a blind spot was very small. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 20 June, with Morrissey remanded on continuing bail. David Morrissey pleaded not guilty.
2022-05-30 · Dublin
The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case against truck driver David Morrissey (29) was sent home after 2 hours and 33 minutes of deliberation. Morrissey is accused of causing the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018 at a junction near RTÉ. The prosecution alleges he failed to use mirrors and turn with due care, while the defence argues Boland may have fallen off his bike and was not wearing a helmet. The jury will resume tomorrow morning. David Morrissey pleaded not guilty.
2022-05-27 · Dublin
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury began deliberating on the case of truck driver David Morrissey, 29, who is accused of careless driving that caused the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018. Morrissey pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention. The prosecution, led by Michael Hourigan BL, argued that evidence from eyewitnesses Quentin Guillemot and Jason McMahon showed contact between the truck and the bike, and that Morrissey failed to see Boland. Defence counsel Garnet Orange SC contended that a truck driver cannot have a 360‑degree view, that Boland was not stationary and may have veered into the truck's path, and criticised the Garda investigation for lacking measurements and photographs. The jury was sent out by Judge Elma Sheahan after 3 pm and will resume on Monday morning.
2022-05-26 · Dublin
During the trial of 29‑year‑old truck driver David Morrissey, the court heard that he was in a distressed state when Gardaí arrived at the N11 accident site where 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland was killed. Morrissey, who drives an eight‑wheel truck on round trips between quarries and construction sites, claimed he had checked his mirrors, moved into the left lane, and turned left at a red light that turned green. He stopped, jumped out, and saw Boland severely injured. Boland suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene and died at St Vincent's Hospital. The truck and bicycle were found defect‑free. A forensic collision analyst noted grind marks on the road from the bike's handlebars and wheels. The trial continues tomorrow. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
2022-05-25 · Dublin
A UCD student, Quentin Guillemot, recounted witnessing the fatal collision of 19‑year‑old Harry Boland with a construction truck driven by David Morrisey on the N11 at Greenfield Park on 18 April 2018. Guillemot described the scene: the lights turned green, Boland's bike was to the left of the truck, and the truck turned left into Greenfield Park. He said the truck's left side first touched Boland's handlebars, destabilising the cyclist, who then fell beneath the truck as it continued turning. Another witness, Jason McMahon, noted the truck's front corner struck the bike first, while Grainne Butler observed the cyclist fall as the truck turned. The incident led to Boland's death at St Vincent's Hospital. Morrisey is on trial in the Dublin Circuit Court, pleading not guilty to driving without due care and attention, which caused Boland's death. The trial is ongoing.
2021-12-13 · Offaly
Stephen Penrose was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Philip Finnegan at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence was backdated to May 17, 2017, when Penrose entered custody. Penrose, who had pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict. He represented himself during the trial after dismissing his legal teams, an action the judge described as a serious abuse of the legal system. In a victim impact statement, Angela Finnegan, the victim's mother, condemned Penrose for cross-examining her in the witness box, stating no mother should be questioned by the man who murdered her son. She described the trauma of finding her son's decapitated remains in Rahin Woods, Co Kildare, three weeks after he went missing. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Finnegan died from multiple stab wounds, including fatal injuries to his liver and aorta. Superintendent Brian O'Keeffe informed the court of Penrose's previous convictions, including the manslaughter of David Sharkey in 2010, for which Sharkey was sentenced to nine years in prison. Penrose's other prior offenses included possession of firearms, a hit-and-run, and assaults on prison officers. The judge noted that Penrose had been continually in custody since May 2017. The court rejected Penrose's defense that he was attacked by others, accepting the prosecution's case that he inflicted a gruesome death on Finnegan.
2021-11-18 · Kildare
In November 2021 a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Hazel Fitzpatrick, 25, for contravening a court order that prohibited the publication of identifying material about the juveniles convicted of murdering Ana Kriégel. Fitzpatrick had posted a screenshot of a photo that identified one of the boys, Boy A, on her Facebook page the day after the convictions in June 2019. The judge noted that Fitzpatrick acted out of "pure anger", was aware of the order, and that her behaviour was a "mistake" she regretted. She pleaded guilty and was described as a person of good character who was suffering from anxiety and depression at the time. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 12 months imprisonment, reduced to eight months, which was suspended on the condition that Fitzpatrick keep the peace for that period. No other convictions or charges were mentioned.
2021-11-15 · Kildare
Stephen Penrose, aged 38, was found guilty by a jury of murdering his friend Philip Finnegan, aged 24, who was missing for three weeks before his decapitated remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare. The jury rejected Penrose's defence that he had last seen Finnegan being stabbed by a group of men in a forest and that he had attempted to conceal the body's location. Evidence included a DNA match from a bloodied glove found near the remains, a forensic scientist's report linking Penrose's DNA to the glove, and testimony that Finnegan's body had suffered multiple stab wounds, including fatal ones to the liver and aorta. Penrose had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 2010. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, concluded with a unanimous verdict after five hours and 46 minutes of deliberation over two days.
2021-11-10 · Kildare
Gardai questioned Stephen Penrose, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, about the location of the attack that led to Finnegan's death in Rahin Woods, Kildare. Penrose gave multiple, conflicting accounts of where he and Finnegan were attacked by a group of men on 10 August 2016, initially saying it occurred on the outskirts of Kilcock, then near Clonuff, then near Edenderry, and finally near a caravan beside a woods. He claimed they were there to collect firearms, but later denied any knowledge of the attack. Penrose admitted to lying about the location out of fear for his life. Evidence presented included a blood‑stained glove matching Penrose's DNA found near Finnegan's remains, a garden fork, shovel, and knife blade, and a fire‑damaged glove. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury, with Penrose remaining in custody and refusing to attend. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty. Philip Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
2021-11-08 · Kildare
Stephen Penrose, 38, of Coolock, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, who was found decapitated in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare, on 2 September 2016. Penrose testified that he witnessed Finnegan being stabbed in the back by a group of men on 10 August 2016. He claimed he had no involvement in Finnegan's death and that he had been attacked in a black car, sustaining a stab wound to his left arm. Penrose's DNA was found on a left‑handed gardening glove near the grave, and a bloodied glove was recovered from the site. He has repeatedly denied any role in the murder, stating he was not in the woods and that he only witnessed the attack. The trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court.
2021-11-05 · Dublin
A blood‑stained glove found near the skeletonised remains of Philip Finnegan in Rahin Woods matched DNA from Stephen Penrose, a forensic scientist who is on trial for Finnegan's murder. The glove, heavily charred and bearing blood on five internal sites, was recovered by Gardaí on 8 September 2016 and later analysed by Dr Alan McGee of Forensic Science Ireland. McGee compared the glove's DNA with a buccal swab taken from Penrose on 16 November 2016 and reported a match, estimating the probability of a different source as less than one in a billion. Penrose, 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 24‑year‑old, who was found buried in a shallow grave after being missing for just over three weeks.
2021-11-04 · Dublin
Hazel Fitzpatrick (25) of Easton Green, Easton Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to posting a picture on her Facebook account which includes a picture of Boy A in contravention of the Children's Act 2001 within the State on or about June 19, 2019. Fitzpatrick admitted to the charge and stated she had heard about the judge's order and that people could be brought to court and fined. She described the offence as 'the biggest mistake she has ever made in her life'. The court heard that Fitzpatrick posted the image out of 'pure anger' and that she had become 'almost reliant and addicted to social media'. The matter was adjourned for finalisation to November 18, next, with Fitzpatrick remanded on continuing bail. The court heard that Fitzpatrick had no previous convictions and that she had taken the image down shortly after posting it. The case was initially directed for summary disposal in the District Court, but jurisdiction was later refused by another judge. The defence submitted that Fitzpatrick was not part of a greater conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and that her actions were spontaneous and misguided. The court was informed that Fitzpatrick was suffering from post-natal depression and anxiety at the time of the offence and that she was at a low-risk of reoffending. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
2021-11-02 · Dublin
During a murder trial, a dog walker recounted discovering what he believed to be a body in Rahin Woods, Kildare, on 2 September 2016. He found two dogs barking near a buried object that appeared to be flesh. He later informed two men, Ivan Pollard and Pat McGrath, who called 112. Garda inspectors Aiden Hannon and Padraig Nolan examined the site, noting almost skeletal remains protruding from a shallow grave, a stab‑proof vest, a garden fork, a shovel, a knife blade, a mobile phone, a fire‑damaged glove, and a black funnel. The remains were taken to Naas mortuary. The trial heard that the accused, Stephen Penrose, 38, pleaded not guilty to murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, whose body was found decapitated in the woods. The case is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
2021-10-21 · Offaly
In the Central Criminal Court, Stephen Penrose, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, who was found decapitated in a Kildare woods on 10 August 2016. A Garda officer reported finding a blue Alfa Romeo car in Kilcock on 13 August, with extensive blood splatter on the gearstick and driver's door. The vehicle, registered in Portarlington, was seized as it was believed to contain evidence of the assault. Paramedic Terry Devine treated Penrose for a stab wound to his left arm, noting blood-soaked socks. Penrose claimed five men were involved in an incident where Finnegan was stabbed and he fled in the car. Inspector Aidan Hannon recounted that Penrose was stabbed through a window while driving the Alfa Romeo, after which he stopped, removed his sock, and left the vehicle. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and 12 jurors.
2021-10-20 · Kildare
Stephen Penrose, aged 38, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan in Kildare woods, has declined to attend his murder trial in person. The Central Criminal Court jury was informed that proceedings would continue without him. Penrose had previously represented himself after dismissing his legal team, but has now hired new counsel: solicitor Michael French and barristers Anthony Sammon SC and Eoghan Weldon BL. Judge Alexander Owens warned Penrose that continued disruptive behaviour could lead to his removal from the courtroom. Penrose had previously shouted at a Garda Inspector in the witness box, accusing him of lying. The trial, which began on 13 October, will proceed with the jury hearing CCTV footage and evidence, including a bloodied glove DNA‑matched to Penrose, while the body of Finnegan was found decapitated in a shallow grave in Kildare woods. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty.
2021-10-12 · Kildare
A 38‑year‑old man named Stephen Penrose, who lives on Newtown Court, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17, is set to go on trial for the murder of Philip Finnegan, a 24‑year‑old man, in Rahin Woods, Rahin, Co Kildare, on 10 August 2016. Penrose was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, noted that Penrose is from west Kildare and Finnegan was from the south inner city of Dublin, and that most of the Gardaí involved are from the Leixlip area of Co Kildare. He mentioned that there is substantial CCTV footage, telecommunication experts and technical witnesses. A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in, and the trial, to be heard by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, is expected to last between five and six weeks.
2021-09-02 · Dublin
Four men have been sentenced to a combined 33 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following their convictions in connection with a gangland murder conspiracy. Wayne Ryan, aged 41 and with an address in Longford, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, on September 4th, 2019, and received 15 years. Three others—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson, and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan between May and November 2019. McClean received eight years, whilst Henderson and Crawford each received seven years with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice Michael White noted the "callous indifference" demonstrated in the broad daylight attack outside the victim's home. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a second attack in November 2019. The judge backdated sentences according to custody commencement dates and imposed good behaviour bonds on Henderson and Crawford regarding their suspended portions.
2021-07-26 · Dublin
Wayne Ryan, aged 41, with an address in Longford but originally from Limerick, has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan on 4 September 2019. Three Dublin men—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan at that location between May and November 2019. McClean and Whelan had previously been business partners in a car sales enterprise that ceased trading in 2016. Evidence presented to the Central Criminal Court detailed how Whelan was shot eleven times as he sat in his vehicle, struck by four bullets. A badly damaged handgun was recovered from a burnt-out van minutes after the attack. Firearms residue found on Ryan's clothing offered extremely strong support that he had discharged the shots. The four men were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 2 September 2021.
2021-07-01 · Kildare
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Hazel Fitzpatrick, 25, pleaded guilty to posting a photo of Boy A, one of the boys convicted of Ana Kriégel's murder, on her Facebook account in contravention of the Children's Act 2001. The court noted she had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Service report and, uncertain about victim impact implications, directed a victim impact statement on a non‑prejudice basis. Fitzpatrick was remanded on continuing bail, with sentencing scheduled for November 4.