James O'Donovan, aged 30, of Athy, Co Kildare, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the deaths of his girlfriend Rosanna Potts (22) and Teresa Kiely (49) on 27 December 2012. He had pleaded not guilty and was originally sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Leonie Reynolds on 2 March 2015. On appeal the Court of Appeal deemed the sentence "unduly severe" and ruled that O'Donovan's defence, which sought to attribute blame to Ms Potts, was not an aggravating factor. The Court therefore resentenced him to five years' imprisonment with the final year suspended, reduced his 30‑year driving disqualification to 12 years, and required a good‑behaviour bond. The case involved expert testimony that the Mitsubishi Pajero he was driving entered the wrong side of the road and collided with a Toyota Prius, killing Ms Kiely and injuring her daughter.
James O'Donovan, 30, of Athy, Co. Kildare, is appealing a conviction and seven‑year prison sentence for dangerous driving that caused the deaths of his girlfriend Rosanna Potts, 22, and Teresa Kiely, 49, on 27 December 2012. The case was heard at Naas Circuit Criminal Court, where a jury found O'Donovan guilty of causing the fatal crash on a straight, dry stretch of road in daylight. The car veered into a ditch, travelled along it, then zig‑zagged back onto the road, spinning three times before colliding with a second vehicle carrying Kiely and her daughter. O'Donovan claimed his girlfriend was arguing with him and that she had pulled at his hoodie, but the court described his attempt to blame her as "utterly reprehensible." In the appeal, his counsel argued that conflicting forensic collision expert opinions left the exact cause of the accident uncertain and that the jury should have chosen the version most favourable to the accused. James O'Donovan pleaded not guilty.
Andrew Shannon, 51, was jailed for one year for possessing 57 stolen antique books, including a 1660 King James Bible, after a jury conviction in February. The books had been taken from Carton House library in Kildare in 2006 and were found in Shannon's home in March 2007. Shannon, who had previously been jailed for damaging a €10 million Monet painting, pleaded not guilty to the possession charge. Judge Petria McDonnell sentenced him to one year with the final six months suspended. He had denied the charge but was convicted. The books were valued at €6,500. Shannon's 35 other convictions include theft and burglary. He had appealed his earlier conviction for the Monet damage, but that appeal was still pending at the time of this article.
John Roche, 53, was charged on 13 April 2016 with possession of 57 kg of homemade explosives and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives, and with membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The Special Criminal Court granted him bail, with a €1,000 personal bond and a €20,000 independent surety. Conditions include surrendering his passport, daily reporting to Kilmainham Garda Station, a curfew from 11 pm to 7 am, staying within the jurisdiction, avoiding contact with charged or convicted persons, and providing a phone number to the Gardaí.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 9 June 2016, two Dublin men, Michael Finlay (36) and Dean Byrne (24), were tried for unlawful possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol, a magazine and various rounds of ammunition at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght on 5 June 2014. Both pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented evidence that a Kildare man's Renault Kangoo van had been stolen from his home on 30 April 2014, with its keys missing, and that the van was later recovered by the Gardaí. The van's registration number did not match the tax disc at the time of the alleged offences. Garda Graham Dunne interviewed Byrne on 6 June 2014, questioning him about the firearm, ammunition, the stolen van with false plates, and his presence at Glenshane Crescent the previous morning; Byrne gave no reply. The trial continues.
On 28 August 2015 a Limerick man, Warren Hehir, 25, was stopped on the Long Mile Road in Dublin after a wrong turn. Gardaí searched his vehicle and found €43,970 in his tracksuit and €635 in his pocket. Hehir, who had no legitimate income, claimed the money was a loan from his mother to buy an Audi for his girlfriend, but his mother denied giving him the money. Hehir had 33 prior convictions, including drug dealing and theft, and was linked to known criminals in Limerick. He denied using the money for drugs. The prosecution, led by Grainne O'Neill BL, presented an affidavit from Sergeant Mark Campbell. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing the affidavits, ruled the cash was proceeds of crime or intended for criminal use and accepted the State's application to forfeit €44,000, with Hehir offering no objection.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 26 May 2016, John Roche, 52, was ordered to secure an independent surety before bail could be granted. Roche, arrested by the Special Detective Unit, faces charges of possessing 57 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate fuel mix and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives, and of membership in an unlawful organisation identified as the Irish Republican Army. The court accepted the State's demand for a €12,000 cash deposit and an independent surety of €8,000, and Judge Tony Hunt confirmed the requirement.
Kenneth Cummins, aged 28, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Thomas Horan, a 63‑year‑old man described as mentally challenged. Cummins initially pleaded not guilty but changed to guilty after four weeks of trial. The prosecution presented evidence that Horan was strangled and suffocated, with injuries consistent with a severe beating, and that Cummins and his sister Sabrina were involved in the assault. Cummins had 77 prior convictions, including 46 for public order offences, and a history of alcohol dependency and psychiatric treatment. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, imposed a life sentence backdated to 8 January 2014, noting Cummins' guilty plea and the violent nature of the killing. No further legal actions 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.
Trevor Gleeson, 36, of Monasterevin, Kildare, was convicted of possessing €5,791 worth of controlled drugs and was found guilty of possession at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The jury did not reach a verdict on the charges of possession for sale or supply and dangerous driving, which were later dropped during a retrial. Gleeson was given a wholly suspended 18‑month sentence by Judge Leonie Reynolds on 31 January 2014. His barrister, Damian Colgan SC, has now opened an appeal, arguing that the State suppressed evidence that would have supported Gleeson's claim of acting under duress from associates of a well‑known criminal gang. Colgan cites a CCTV footage that was not provided to the defence in the first trial and claims the State's failure to disclose it led to the dropping of the remaining charges. Trevor Gleeson pleaded not guilty.
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.
The second Special Criminal Court sat for the first time at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin today. The court, which will be known as Special Criminal Court Number 2, dealt with four cases transferred to it by Special Criminal Court Number 1. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding at Special Criminal Court Number 1, stated that the court had decided on its own motion to transfer the cases for trial to court Number 2 under the provisions of the Offences Against the State Act of 1939. Following the transfer order, the second Special Criminal Court sat at Court 17 with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy of the High Court presiding, along with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain of the Circuit Court and Judge Gerard Haughton of the District Court. Ms Anne Marie Lawlor BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, outlined the court's jurisdiction and presented documents, including the order establishing the second Special Criminal Court of December 14th, 2004, and the coming into existence of the second court on October 28th last year, when seven judges were appointed to the new court. The first case dealt with by court number 2 was that of Séamus McGrane (60), of Little Road, Domiskin, Co Louth, who is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State between December 23 2009 and May 13 2015. He is also charged with directing the activities of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, in respect of which a suppression order had been made, within the State on dates between December 23 2009 and May 13 2015 inclusive. His co-accused Donal O Coisdealbha (23), of Abbeyfield, Killester Dublin 15, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State on May 13 2015. Mr O Coisdealbha is also charged with possession of a component part of an improvised explosive device namely a time and power unit also known as a TPU at 'the personal storage locker under the control of Donal O Coisdealbha at Protector Life Sciences, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare' under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he had not got it in his possession for a lawful purpose on May 13 2015. Mr Bernard Condon, SC for McGrane said he was reserving his position on the proceedings of the court and the jurisdiction of the new court. Ms Anne Rowland BL, for O Coisdealbha, said she was also reserving her position on the proceedings and the jurisdiction of the court. Ms Justice Kennedy, presiding, adjourned the case until next Thursday and made a production order that the two accused, who are in custody, should be brought before court number 2 then. She also adjourned the cases of two other men, Joseph Finnegan and Ryan Glennon, who are on bail until next Thursday.
Owen Travers, a 61‑year‑old former assistant manager at AIB in Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft from seven customers, all of whom were also friends. He stole between €200 and €25,000, totalling over €127,000, but the actual loss to victims was just under €90,000 because he moved money between accounts. The thefts were uncovered in February 2012 when a customer noticed a large sum missing from her mother's account; she later discovered €10,000 had also been taken from her own company's account. Travers admitted the thefts to the victim, his boss, and to Gardaí, claiming he was dealing with alcoholism, depression, gambling debts and suicidal thoughts. He has no prior convictions, is now the primary homemaker for his wife and two children, and will never work in the financial sector again. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 11 July.
John Brock, a 43‑year‑old Dublin resident, was charged on 13 April 2016 with possessing 57 kg of homemade explosives—ammonium nitrate fuel mix—and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives found at Naas Road, Dublin 12. He was also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (Oglaigh na hEireann). The Special Criminal Court granted him bail, allowing release on a €1,000 personal bond and a €20,000 independent surety. Conditions of his bail required surrender of his passport, daily reporting at Tallaght Garda Station, a curfew from 11 pm to 7 am, prohibition from leaving the jurisdiction or travelling to Northern Ireland, avoidance of contact with charged or convicted persons, and prohibition of contact with proposed prosecution witnesses. He must also provide a phone number to the Gardaí. His co‑accused, John Roche, 53, was granted temporary bail from 9 am to 7 pm on 22 April.
In 2016 the Court of Appeal dismissed Brian Meehan's application to have his 1999 conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin declared a miscarriage of justice, ruling it an abuse of process. Meehan, 47, had sought to quash the conviction on the basis of alleged new evidence from the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan, who was acquitted of Guerin's murder. The court found no new facts had emerged and that all material Meehan cited had been available since the Gilligan trial. It held that Meehan's attempt to revive arguments years later, without proper disclosure or new evidence, was unacceptable. The appeal was refused and Meehan remains serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison. The decision was upheld by the panel of judges, including Justice George Birmingham. The family expressed relief at the outcome.
Two Dublin men, John Brock, 43, and John Roche, 52, were charged at an out‑of‑hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 15 April 2016. They face possession of 150 kg of explosives, including 57 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate fuel mix and thirty‑eight 2.5 kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives found at Naas Road, Dublin 12, on 13 April 2016. Both men are also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Brock was arrested by the Special Detective Unit on St Ronan's Avenue, Clondalkin, and Roche on Rossmore Avenue, Ballyfermot. Each was detained at a Garda station before being taken to the Special Criminal Court, where they were shown the charge sheet and made no reply. The court remanded them in custody until 21 April, when bail applications are expected.
David Larrissey, 37, of Chapelizod, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for possessing 1.718 kg of ketamine, a drug that had only recently been criminalised. The sentence was mandatory as it was his second conviction for a similar offence. Larrissey pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 4 June 2015. He was found with the drugs in a suitcase while walking away from the site, and a subsequent search of his home uncovered a smaller quantity of ketamine, a notebook with names and numbers, and weighing scales. His co‑accused, 19‑year‑old Jordan Maher, also pleaded guilty to the same offence but had no prior convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed the ten‑year term, back‑dating it to the date of the offence, and scheduled a review five years later.
In a 2016 case, Dean Fagan, aged 26, was sentenced to six years for aggravated burglary after he and an accomplice tied up a woman, ransacked her home, and stole €1,500. Fagan, armed with garden shears, told the other man not to kill the victim while the accomplice struck her with a hammer. They searched the house, tore open furniture, and collected jewellery, laptops, and phones, demanding more cash. The woman escaped through a back door, locking the intruders inside, who fled via a window on pedal bikes. Fagan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Melanie Greally noted his 79 prior convictions and the violent nature of the crime. The judge accepted his admissions, suspended the final year of the sentence on strict conditions, and highlighted the victim's fear and the thorough investigation that led to his arrest.
Zoltan Almasi, a 44‑year‑old Hungarian national, was sentenced to life imprisonment on 16 March 2016 for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who was struck with a baseball bat at their shared Harbour View address in Naas on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty, but a jury of twelve found him guilty after four days of deliberation. He had been in custody since the offence and had three prior traffic convictions. The court heard CCTV footage of Almasi raising a bat and fleeing the scene, and forensic evidence of a single fatal blow to Dunne's head. Almasi's wife and step‑son had previously lived in Naas but had moved to Canada; his three children live in Hungary. The sentence was back‑dated to his arrest date. The Dunne family delivered victim impact statements describing Joseph as a kind, gentle, family‑loving young man who loved horses and was a devoted son, brother and friend.
Jordan Maher, a 19‑year‑old from Arthur Griffith Park, Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 1.718 kg of ketamine worth €103,132, which he was seen handing to another man during a surveillance operation on 4 June 2015. He had no prior convictions. The court granted him bail pending sentencing in October, on the condition that he secures full‑time employment, remains drug‑free, avoids further Garda attention and works with Probation and Welfare Services. Judge Sarah Berkeley emphasised that Maher must prove his maturity and good behaviour, and that evidence of his employment must be presented at the next hearing before the sentence is adjourned. The case involved surveillance of a van that travelled to Arthur Griffith Park and a self‑storage unit in Kildare, where Maher was observed handing a brown paper bag to a third party at Maidens Row.
Zoltan Almasi, 44, a Hungarian national living in Harbour View, Naas, was found guilty of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat on 16 May 2014. The Central Criminal Court jury deliberated for 11 hours 13 minutes before returning a majority guilty verdict. Almasi had pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented CCTV footage showing Almasi raising a bat and running away, finger‑print evidence from a white Mercedes van, and eyewitness testimony from Mikey McDonagh, Gavin Breen and nurse Anita Ryan. The post‑mortem confirmed Dunne died from a single blunt‑force blow to the head, consistent with a baseball‑bat strike. Almasi was remanded in custody for sentencing on 16 March 2024. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for 15 years. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The jury in the murder trial of Hungarian national Zoltan Almasi, aged 44, continues its deliberations. Almasi, who lives at Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare, is charged with the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne at the same address on 16 May 2014. He pleaded not guilty two weeks ago at the Central Criminal Court. The jury retired to deliberate on Monday at 12.44 am and has spent 9 hours 19 minutes so far. After 4 hours 48 minutes of deliberation yesterday, Justice Margaret Heneghan offered the option of a majority verdict. Today, after 8 hours 56 minutes, the foreman asked for a definition of a "terminal collapse." Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that a deep abrasion on Dunne's right knee was typical of a person collapsing onto a rough surface. At 4 pm the foreman reported that at least ten jurors had not agreed on a verdict and requested more time.
The jury in the trial of Hungarian national Zoltan Almasi, 44, accused of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne at their shared address in Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare, will continue deliberations. Almasi pleaded not guilty two weeks ago. The jury began deliberations at 12:44 am, spent five hours and 55 minutes, and after four hours and 48 minutes the judge offered the option of a majority verdict. At 4 pm the foreman reported that at least ten jurors had not agreed on a verdict and requested more time. Deliberations will resume at 11 am tomorrow.
Jason Rowe, a 40‑year‑old father of four, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing over €3 million worth of drugs, three sub‑machine guns and two pistols. Gardaí seized the contraband during raids on his home and a leased unit in the Bluebell Industrial Estate on 9 and 10 February 2015. The drugs included 18 kg of heroin (valued at €2.69 million) and 3 kg of cocaine (worth €210 567). Rowe also admitted possession of a Heckler & Koch MP5, a Steyr AUG, a GSG5 sub‑machine gun, a 9 mm handgun, a .45 handgun and 23 bullets. He had eight prior convictions for traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last three years of the sentence on strict conditions, noting that the firearms were "serious weapons that have the capacity to mutilate and kill.". Jason Rowe pleaded guilty.
The jury in the trial of Hungarian national Zoltan Almasi, 44, accused of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne in Naas, Co. Kildare, will resume deliberations tomorrow at 11 am. Almasi, who pleaded not guilty, was charged with the murder that occurred on 16 May 2014 at the same address. The jury had been deliberating for two hours and eight minutes before retiring at 12:44 am this morning.
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in the trial of Zoltan Almasi, 44, of Naas, Co Kildare, has been told the central issue is whether the death of Joseph Dunne constitutes murder or manslaughter. Mr Almasi, who pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Mr Dunne at the same address on May 16, 2014, faces a charge that carries a potential life sentence. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that the evidence, including a depressed skull and shattered bones, demonstrates an intentional killing with a baseball bat, asserting that the accused was the aggressor and that regret does not defeat intent. Conversely, defence counsel Colm O'Briain SC contended that the blow was a reckless swipe rather than a deliberate strike, arguing that the prosecution has not proven the specific intention required for murder beyond reasonable doubt. The defence highlighted that the accused did not dispose of the weapon or evidence, suggesting the act was not a cold-blooded murder. The court heard that the cause of death was a single blow to the head. Justice Margaret Heneghan is scheduled to finish charging the jury on Monday morning, with the matter currently at the stage of closing submissions prior to the verdict.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Zoltan Almasi, a 44‑year‑old Hungarian national, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Joseph Dunne, a young Kildare man, at their shared address on 16 May 2014. Almasi told Gardaí that he had brought a baseball bat that night, believing it might be needed for self‑defence against men he considered "not kids" and "bigger" than him. He claimed he was about 2–3 metres from Dunne when the latter fell and denied that he struck him with the bat, saying the distance was too great. When questioned whether he had swung the bat, Almasi said he could not remember doing so and that it "looks like I did but I didn't reach him." He maintained that any contact would have been accidental and that he had no intention to hit anyone. Almasi has three prior convictions for road‑traffic offences. The trial continues.
In the Central Criminal Court, 44‑year‑old Zoltan Almasi pleaded not guilty to the murder of Joseph Dunne, who died at their shared Harbour View address on 16 May 2014. Almasi told Gardaí that he had lived there for three years and owned a white Mercedes van, which he parked in front of his garage that night. He claimed to have heard a banging noise from outside his bedroom window and saw several men, including two males, shouting at him. Almasi said he grabbed a baseball bat to scare them away, chased two men down the street, and that one fell to the ground. He denied striking Dunne with the bat, stating he was "not capable" of doing so. Garda evidence noted only general wear on the van and a baseball bat found behind a hallway door. The trial continues.
In a 2016 case, Zoltan Almasi, 44, of Harbour View, Naas, was charged with the murder of Joseph Dunne, also at Harbour View, on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Bernard Condon SC called Garda Stephen Flaherty to testify. Flaherty reported arriving at the scene at 10:20 pm, seeing a man lying on the ground and a group of people nearby. He described the alleged offender's appearance and was directed to a house by a friend of the deceased. Flaherty approached the house but received no response, then returned to preserve the scene outside the Vie de Châteaux restaurant. At 11:20 pm, a male approached, matching the offender's description. The man gave his name as Zoltan Almasi and an address in Naas.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that a young Kildare man, Joseph Dunne, died from severe traumatic head injury consistent with a blow from the tip of a baseball bat. Zoltan Almasi (44), of Harbour View, Naas, Co Kildare, is charged with murdering Mr Dunne at the same address on May 16, 2014. Mr Almasi pleaded not guilty to the charge. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the post mortem examination revealed thirteen injuries to the deceased's head and neck, including a large area of bruising and a significant bleed in the skull. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. A toxicology report indicated that Mr Dunne was intoxicated with alcohol at the time of his death, but no drugs were detected. Dr Curtis stated that the injury was consistent with a blow from a baseball bat. Witness Donal Dockery described seeing two men agitated around a vehicle and a man with a baseball bat. Ms Mary Bergin O'Connor testified that she heard someone shout 'drop the baseball bat' and saw a man running away. The trial continues.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that a young Kildare man was struck twice with a baseball bat by a man identified as Zoltan Almasi (44) of Harbour View, Naas, Co Kildare. Almasi is charged with murdering Joseph Dunne at the same address on May 16, 2014. On Monday, Almasi pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution called Alana Piercy, who testified that she witnessed the incident. She described seeing a man with a baseball bat strike Joseph Dunne on the back and then on the side of his head. The witness also described the man as small, skinny, baldy-haired, and wearing glasses. Richard Conway testified that he encountered two youths who attempted to provoke him and heard the sound of someone kicking or thumping a car more than twice. Anita Ryan, a nurse, stated she saw a man holding a baseball bat and heard him say, 'I've seen what you have done to my car.' She administered first aid to Joseph Dunne before making a 999 call. Derek Ryan, a member of the Naas Fire Service, testified that he observed a large lump on the deceased's head. Detective Garda Niall Lennon provided evidence regarding finger and palm marks found at the scene and on the deceased, as well as a baseball bat recovered from a house in the Harbour View area. The trial continues.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that a young Kildare man was 'smacked' at the back of his head by a man wielding a baseball bat after the deceased hit a parked van 'a thump'. Zoltan Almasi (44), of Harbour View, Naas, Co Kildare, is charged with murdering Joseph Dunne at the same address on May 16, 2014. On Monday, Mr Almasi pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Dunne. Today, prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC called witness Mikey McDonagh, a 20-year-old from Kildare, who testified that he met Mr Dunne and another friend, Gavin Breen, on the night in question. The group met three girls at the harbour in Naas before walking home. Mikey McDonagh stated that Mr Dunne hit the van once with his fist, making 'a noise', and then ran as a man with a baseball bat chased him. The witness described the man as bald and wearing glasses. Mr Dunne was struck at the back of his head and fell to the ground. In cross-examination, Mikey McDonagh agreed that Mr Dunne struck the van more than once. Gavin Breen, 21, also testified, stating that he saw the man strike Mr Dunne with a baseball bat at the side of his head. A teenage girl from Naas testified that she saw the man hit Mr Dunne once on the head, causing him to fall to the ground. The trial continues.
The High Court approved an interim payment of €4.1 million to Andrew Whelan, a 22‑year‑old man with cerebral palsy, as part of a settlement in a medical negligence action. The claim, brought by Mrs Angela Whelan on Andrew's behalf, alleged that a delay in his delivery on 5 August 1993 at Portlaoise General Hospital caused his injuries. The settlement covers Andrew's ongoing care, aids and appliances for the next ten years and includes his legal costs. The court, presided over by Justice Anthony Barr, agreed to adjourn the matter until February 2026. Mrs Whelan stated that while the money cannot repair Andrew's brain or enable him to walk, it will improve his quality of life and ease the family's concerns about his future care. The settlement was reached with the HSE and Dr John Patrick Corristine, who were found negligent for the delay and failure to respond to signs of foetal distress.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Zoltan Almasi, a 44‑year‑old Hungarian national living in Harbour View, Naas, attacked 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat after Dunne hit a van. The jury heard that on 16 May 2014 Dunne, who lived in Athy with his family, had gone out with friends to Naas, where they met girls and drank near the harbour. While returning to Kildare, Dunne struck a parked van, prompting Almasi to pursue him with a bat. Almasi struck Dunne on the head, causing blunt‑force trauma that led to his death. CCTV footage showed Almasi raising his arm and later running away with the bat. Almasi was arrested, the bat seized, and he pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.
This report details seven extraordinary exonerations in Irish courts, highlighting cases where the justice system failed accused individuals. Among the validated subjects is Nora Wall, a former nun convicted in 1999 of rape, a charge she did not plead to but was found guilty of. She became the first woman convicted of rape in the State's history and the first to receive a life sentence for the crime, handed down by Mr Justice Paul Carney. However, her sentence was quashed after a prosecution witness admitted fabricating evidence, and in December 2005, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared her conviction a miscarriage of justice. Another subject, Michael Hannon, was convicted in 1999 of sexually assaulting a ten-year-old girl, Una Hardester, and assaulted Hannon's father. Hannon received a suspended prison sentence of four years. In 2009, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared his conviction a miscarriage of justice after Hardester admitted her allegations were fabricated for revenge following a land dispute. Christy Lynch, convicted of the murder of Vera Cooney in 1976, was also exonerated. Lynch claimed his confession was extracted under duress by the Garda murder squad. Although the Court of Criminal Appeal initially ordered a retrial, the Supreme Court ultimately set Lynch free, declaring him an innocent man based on the inadmissibility of his coerced statement. These cases underscore significant failures in the Irish legal process.
A 44‑year‑old Hungarian man, Zoltan Almasi, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who was killed at Almasi's Harbour View, Naas address on 16 May 2014. The plea was entered at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Patrick McCarthy informed the jury that the trial could not commence until Wednesday and would be presided over by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. He added that the case should be concluded by the end of the following week, though the jury might be required for the first few days of the week after that.
Ivor Callely, aged 57, an ex‑Fianna Fáil politician and former Minister of State, admitted fraudulently claiming €4,207.45 in expenses from the Oireachtas using forged mobile‑phone invoices between November 2007 and December 2009 while a member of the Seanad. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of using false invoices and was sentenced to five months' imprisonment by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 28 July 2014. Callely had appealed the severity of the sentence in 2014, but the Court of Appeal received a letter from him withdrawing that appeal. The withdrawal was confirmed during case‑management procedures on 19 February 2015, with Callely not present in court.
Terry O'Donoghue, 51, of Tallaght, was found guilty of possessing €2 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Cookstown Industrial Estate between 27 and 28 February 2013. He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 7 April 2014. O'Donoghue appealed against the severity of the sentence, but the Court of Appeal found no error in principle. Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Justices Garrett Sheehan and John Edwards, upheld the sentence, noting the large value of the drugs and O'Donoghue's extensive involvement in the operation, including renting premises and organising vehicles. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the 10‑year term, three years suspended, in place. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
At the Special Criminal Court, Robert Day (44), of Cabra, Dublin 7, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on February 2, 2014. Day pleaded guilty to the charge. His co-accused, Hubert Duffy (49), of Temple Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen BMW motorcycle at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, between November 11, 2013, and February 2, 2014. Duffy received an 18-month suspended sentence. Detective Superintendent Thomas Maguire of the Special Detective Unit told the court that the counterfeit money was allegedly used to "finance the activities of the IRA." The court heard evidence that Richard Molloy, previously jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for selling €20,000 in counterfeit bills, was involved in the transaction at Clarke's pub. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding over the non-jury court, stated that the sentencing ignored allegations that the money was part of an IRA fund-raising operation. Day's sentence was backdated to August 10, 2014. The court noted Day had one prior conviction for assault causing harm, while Duffy had no prior convictions.
Christpher Dunne, 29, of Kilcronan Court, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to burglary at Old Chapel Wood, Naas, on 15 March 2011. He was sentenced on 25 July 2014 to five years imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. Dunne had 125 previous convictions, 97 of which pre‑dated the offence, and was a father of three and an addict of heroin at the time. During the burglary he threatened to behead a garda while escaping, and had a baseball bat that he swung at the officer. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, held that the sentence was proportionate and just, dismissing Dunne's appeal. The judge noted the offence was an "egregious burglary" involving baseball bats, screwdrivers and vice grips, and that the maximum sentence for burglary is 14 years. The suspended year was intended to incentivise rehabilitation. The appeal was dismissed.
In 2016, the Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of sentences for three Vietnamese nationals convicted of cannabis offences, arguing the sentences were "unduly lenient." The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 8 February 2016, found that the Circuit Court judge had properly weighed the seriousness of the offences and the personal circumstances of the defendants. The judge had imposed six years' imprisonment with three years suspended for Choung Vu (45), four years' imprisonment with two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for Kham Tu (61), and four years' imprisonment with three years suspended for Tuan Cong Le (53). The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, concluding the sentences were not excessive and were proportionate to the harm and culpability involved. The court noted the defendants were legally present in the jurisdiction and did not fall into the comparative cases of illegal migrants or trafficked individuals. The decision reaffirmed the original sentencing as appropriate and justified. Kham Tu pleaded guilty. Tuan Cong Le pleaded guilty.
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.
Jamie Gordon, James Gantley, and David Ward were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to various charges. Gordon, who admitted to trespassing with intent to commit an offence at an ESB substation on Ninth Lock Road, Clondalkin, on November 3, 2013, received a three-year jail sentence suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace for five years. Gantley, who pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from DX staff, was sentenced to five years, which was suspended in full. Ward, who also pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from DX staff and attempting to dishonestly cause a loss to FBD Insurance between July 22, 2013, and January 1, 2014, was sentenced to one year in prison. The court noted Ward's previous conviction in determining his effective custody. All defendants had admitted their respective charges, and the proceedings reached the sentencing stage with no further adjournments recorded for these specific finalisations.
Gary Flynn, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon North Park on March 13, 2009. Prosecuting counsel Alex Owens SC stated it is the prosecution's case that Flynn was part of a "murder gang" that plotted the killing. Detective Garda Michael McGrath testified that gardai trawled through days of CCTV footage from south and west Dublin to investigate the incident. He presented footage tracking a Ford Transit Van, a red Honda Accord, and a white Nissan on March 12. The evidence showed Eugene Cullen arriving in the Ford Transit to purchase petrol, while Garret O'Brien arrived in the Honda Accord wearing a New York Yankees cap and blue hoodie. A second man in a grey Nike jumper was also observed. Footage from the Red Cow Hotel area indicated an interaction between the vehicles. On the day of the alleged murder, a speed camera captured the Nissan Micra with a driver wearing similar attire to O'Brien. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a 2016 Central Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Janette O'Neill presented a Webley & Scott revolver found in a car near the site where Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne was shot dead in 2009. The gun had been decommissioned by the Birmingham Proof House museum, but O'Neill noted that the firing arm had been replaced and the barrel refilled, restoring its functionality. Five spent cartridges were recovered, and State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy confirmed five bullets in O'Byrne's body, though they were of the wrong calibre for the revolver. Gary Flynn, 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder. The court also heard CCTV evidence from a local Spar showing a nervous man purchasing items on the day of the shooting, and additional surveillance from petrol stations and a Topaz shop. The trial proceeded before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
Andrew Shannon, 51, was found guilty of possessing 67 stolen antique books, including a 1660 edition of the King James Bible, after a five‑day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The books had disappeared from the library of Carton House in Kildare during its restoration and were later discovered in Shannon's house during a Garda search. Shannon claimed he bought the books at a fair for about Irl£300 and used them to decorate his home, stating they were of no real value. He pleaded not guilty but the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict after just under four hours of deliberation. Shannon is currently on bail and remanded under the same conditions; he is in custody at Shelton Abbey prison serving a term for a prior conviction of criminal damage to a Monet painting. The case is subject to a victim impact report under the new EU directive on victims.
A trial date of January 11, 2018, has been set for Séamus McGrane (60), of Little Road, Domiskin, Co Louth, and Donal O Coisdealbha (23), of Abbeyfield, Killester Dublin 15, who were arrested last year on IRA and explosives charges. Séamus McGrane is alleged to have been a member of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (IRA) between December 23, 2009, and May 13, 2015. He is also alleged to have directed the activities of the IRA during the same period. Donal O Coisdealbha is alleged to have been a member of the IRA on May 13, 2015, and to have possessed a component part of an improvised explosive device, namely a time and power unit (TPU), at a personal storage locker under his control at Protector Life Sciences, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare, on the same date. The case is currently at the trial stage, with no pleas, findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded. The matter was adjourned to a trial date in January 2018.
In February 2016 the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to the Court of Appeal for a review of the prison sentences handed to three Vietnamese nationals convicted of cannabis offences in 2011. Choung Vu, aged 45, was found guilty of cultivation, possession and possession for sale of cannabis at Ballinlough, Kells, Co. Meath. He was sentenced on 8 July 2015 to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Kham Tu, aged 61, pleaded guilty to cultivation and received a four‑year sentence, the last two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, consecutive to a sentence imposed a day earlier in Naas Circuit Court. Tuan Cong Le, aged 53, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession and was sentenced to four years, with the final three years suspended. The DPP argued the sentences were "unduly lenient", citing that the defendants were legally resident in the jurisdiction and not under duress, unlike comparable cases involving illegal migrants or trafficked individuals.
Jason Rowe, aged 40, will be sentenced on 3 March after pleading guilty in District Court to possession of heroin and cocaine worth over €13,000 for sale and supply, and to possession of a Heckler and Koch MP5, a Steyr AUG, a GSG5 sub‑machine gun, a 9mm handgun, a .45 handgun and 23 bullets. The drugs were estimated at €360,000 street value. He faces a maximum life sentence, a mandatory minimum of ten years for the drugs and a mandatory minimum of five years for the firearms, and remains on bail until sentencing.
The jury in the trial of Andrew Shannon, 51, accused of illegally handling 67 alleged stolen antique books including a 1660 King James Bible, will resume deliberations tomorrow. The books, originally from Carton House library, were reportedly found in Shannon's home after a Garda search. Shannon claimed he bought them for about Irl£300 at a fair and used them for decoration. He pleaded not guilty to possession of the books while knowing or being reckless about their stolen status. The jury had previously deliberated for two and a half hours before returning home.