In the trial of Michael Lynn, a former legal executive, Liz Doyle, testified that she signed another solicitor's name on documents at Lynn's instruction, citing intense pressure and fear in the firm. Doyle, who worked as a legal executive at Michael Lynn & Co, described a demanding environment with constant calls and emails, and claimed she followed Lynn's directions to sign the name of Fiona McAleenan, a solicitor in the practice, and also the signature of Kinsella Mitchell and Associates, auditors for the firm. She admitted she was aware that signing the documents was wrong but felt compelled by the pressure. Doyle also discussed personal financial strain, including her husband's business collapse and multiple mortgages. The prosecution alleges Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties, while the defence disputes the extent of Doyle's knowledge and intent. The case is before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for 54‑year‑old Dermot King of Bishopscourt, Straffan, allowing him to write off over €16 million of unsecured debt owed to Everyday Finance DAC. King, who had been self‑employed trading as DMK Property Limited from 2004 to 2017, owed the fund €17.2 million. Under the arrangement, he will keep his €1.5 million family home, continue mortgage repayments for 25 years, and sell his interests in an investment property in Rosslare, part of the land on which his home sits, and an investment property in Athy to reduce the debt. He will make a €23 000 payment, of which €13 000 will go toward the unsecured debt. The PIA, lasting 12 months, was prepared by Personal Insolvency Practitioner John McCormack and approved by Mr Justice Alexander Owens after counsel noted no opposition and that creditors would fare better than under bankruptcy.
Artur Bromirski, 45, pleaded guilty to cultivating 32 cannabis plants in a rented house in Moyville estate, Rathfarnham, worth €25,600. He originally faced a more serious charge of possessing drugs for sale or supply, but that charge was dropped, leaving only the cultivation count. Gardaí found no drug‑dealing paraphernalia, only growing tents, lighting and irrigation equipment. Bromirski claimed the plants were for personal use and that he had been a long‑term user. He had previously lived in Naas, Kildare, and now works as a cleaner at a zoo in Poland. He had no prior convictions and had been subletting the property. The court noted his back injury, his wife's death in 2015, and his receipt of medical marijuana in Poland. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two years, fully suspended, acknowledging his mitigating circumstances and contribution to society.
A trial date of 2 July 2025 has been set for former hurling star DJ Carey, who is accused of fraudulently claiming he needed money for cancer treatment and inducing people to pay him. The 52‑year‑old, from The Drive, Newtown, Maynooth, appeared briefly at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where the judge, Orla Crowe, set the trial to last three to four weeks. Carey denies all 19 counts of dishonestly inducing payments and two additional charges of using a false instrument. He also faces a request for a variation of bail conditions to allow him to sign at a different Garda station closer to his new address. The State's counsel, Simon Matthews, did not object to the bail variation. The case is set to proceed in 2025, with no further developments reported in the article.
In a High Court hearing on 24 October 2023, Mr Simon Healy, a 25 % shareholder and former Executive Chairman of Navicorp Limited (trading as Navi Group), applied for a temporary injunction to prevent the company's directors and other shareholders from transferring his shares. He alleged that his dismissal in September 2023 was wrongful and that the defendants were acting oppressively to benefit Mr John Carroll, the 75 % shareholder and CEO of Navicorp. The company denied the claims, calling Healy a "bad leaver". After extensive negotiations, the parties reached an accommodation: the disputed meeting was postponed, a valuation of Healy's shares was to be undertaken, and the injunction application was to be rescheduled for 19 December. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey adjourned the case to that date, praising the parties' efforts to resolve the dispute.
A property developer was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay €35,000 to a medically vulnerable construction worker who was dismissed in August 2020 after taking sick leave during the Covid‑19 pandemic. The worker, described as an elderly gentleman with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, had been on sick leave in May and June 2020 and received a two‑week notice of redundancy in July 2020. He claimed the dismissal was discriminatory under the Employment Equality Act 1998, arguing he was selected because of his age and ill health. The company denied any discrimination, citing that the worker was not required on site due to the development stage and that no formal redundancy consultation had taken place. The WRC found the evidence showed the dismissal closely followed his return to work and that the employer had not provided mitigation or alternative positions.
In a High Court judicial review, Mr Simon Cross, who runs a farm equipment manufacturing business adjacent to the proposed site, challenges An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant planning permission for 28 new houses in Newtown, Rathangan, Co Kildare. Cross argues the permission is flawed because it allows a residential development next to a noise‑generating facility, which he says is inconsistent with proper planning. He also contends that the board failed to consider the current County Kildare Development Plan 2023‑2029, relying instead on the previous plan from 2017‑2023, and ignored his submissions about traffic hazards and environmental impacts. Represented by Michael O'Donnell Bl, Cross seeks an order quashing the decision. The case was heard ex‑parte by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted permission for the challenge and adjourned the matter to November. The developer Moortrim Limited is a notice party.
Niall Kennedy, a former soldier from Newbridge, Co Kildare, has lost his appeal against his conviction for rape and harassment. In December 2021, a jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted Kennedy of 12 counts of rape on eleven occasions in August 2017, as well as multiple counts of harassment and threats to kill or cause serious harm. The trial judge described the conduct as a "cynical and cold campaign of rape and harassment" and imposed a sentence of 12 years, with the final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions. Kennedy, who denied the charges, argued on appeal that the trial judge should have issued a corroboration warning to the jury regarding the complainant's evidence, citing alleged inconsistencies in her testimony. He also contended that the concept of recklessness regarding consent was not adequately explained. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed both grounds. The court found that the trial judge was fully aware of the relevant authorities and that the decision to decline a corroboration warning was open to him. The appeal was rejected, with the court stating it was not persuaded that the trial was unfair or the verdict unsafe. The matter was adjourned for the finalisation of the appeal process, though the conviction and sentence stand.
In a High Court case, Nigerian politician Oluseye Oladejo and his psychiatrist wife, Dr Oluwatoyin Oladejo, settled a defamation action against Kudirat Adunni Alowonle, an Irish resident. The couple had alleged that Alowonle posted videos on Facebook containing false and highly defamatory statements about them following their marriage in Lagos in June. They sought an injunction to remove the videos, an order preventing further defamatory publications, a correction, and disclosure of who received the videos. Mr Justice Brian O'Moore had previously allowed short notice of the injunction proceedings. However, when the case returned to court, the plaintiffs' counsel reported that Alowonle had removed the videos and issued an apology, leading to the striking out of the injunction proceedings. No representation was made by Alowonle in court. The case was resolved without further court action.
John O'Sullivan, a mobile tyre fitter who had worked for Tysoucha Ltd (trading as Tyresource) since 2000, was dismissed in 2022 after 22 years and nine months of service. The company, which claimed it was not liable for redundancy, argued that O'Sullivan was not made redundant because he found new work almost immediately. The tribunal found that the company had stopped the mobile tyre‑fitting service, effectively removing O'Sullivan's work vehicle, and that the alternative work offered was unsuitable due to transport issues. Consequently, the tribunal ordered the company to pay statutory redundancy based on his long service, amounting to €27,000, and noted that he was not entitled to notice pay because he left without completing his notice period.
In Dublin, a bomb threat prompted evacuations from government offices and the abandonment of a Workplace Relations Commission hearing. The threat, received by a Department of Enterprise telephonist, led to the building's clearance and locking at 2 pm. The hearing, presided over by Michael MacNamee BL, was halted at 1:45 pm when staff announced an evacuation. MacNamee asked parties to take their papers and offered to hear applications downstairs. Gardaí later confirmed the threat was a hoax and declared the area safe. The case was the only matter remaining at Lansdowne House that week. Solicitor Barry Crushell, who was evacuated, noted that such urgent evacuations are not uncommon, whether or not a bomb scare is real. The incident caused no further proceedings to be held at the venue.
Derek Brady, 59, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, threat to kill, and false imprisonment on 12 June 2022. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan on 26 January 2023 to five years' imprisonment with the final 15 months suspended. The State appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, found the original sentence too light and quashed it. A headline sentence of ten years was set, with a one‑third discount applied, resulting in a net sentence of six years and eight months. Brady's suspended portion was removed, and the court ordered that the suspended year of his two‑year robbery and attempted robbery sentence be suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The revised sentence is consecutive to the robbery convictions, with no further changes to those terms.
A 55‑year‑old man was found guilty by a jury of two counts of oral rape of his six‑year‑old daughter and one count of inviting a child to sexual touching. The offences occurred at his home between June 2020 and January 2021. He denied all charges and does not accept the verdict. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a ten‑year sentence for the two rape counts and a seven‑year sentence for the invitation to sexual touching, all to run concurrently and backdated to March 24. He noted the victim's young age, the breach of trust, and the profound harm caused. The defendant is a low‑to‑moderate risk of re‑offending, will be a registered sex offender, and must undergo three years of post‑release supervision. No portion of the sentence was suspended because the defendant does not accept the jury's verdict. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court in Tullamore.
An education support worker with Addison's disease, a rare hormonal disorder that can cause life‑threatening attacks, was awarded €33,500 after the Workplace Relations Commission found her employer discriminated against her under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The worker had learned in spring 2020 that her office in Blessington, Co. Wicklow would close and was offered relocation to Carlow, Naas, Kildare or Tallaght. She rejected Carlow because it lacked a hospital and requested the option to hot‑desk from Naas, but no accommodation was offered. She resigned and entered early retirement. The employer's counsel denied discrimination, claiming reasonable steps were taken, but the tribunal noted the employer knew of her serious medical conditions and failed to assess a suitable workplace. The compensation equated to six months' salary for the worker.
The Workplace Relations Commission upheld a constructive dismissal complaint by boxer Roy Sheahan against Kendra Civil Engineering (Ireland) Ltd pursuant to the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Adjudicating officer Valerie Murtagh found that Sheahan raised issues regarding heavy duties that exacerbated his hand injury and felt he had no option but to resign. The tribunal awarded Sheahan €6,000 in compensation, reducing the amount because his efforts to mitigate losses did not meet the standard of spending a reasonable amount of time each weekday seeking new work. Sheahan alleged his professional boxing career ended after his left hand was crushed by a digger bucket in January 2020. He claimed that upon returning to work in September 2020, he was assigned heavy duties despite a doctor's note recommending light duties as an initial lead-in. Kendra Civil Engineering's managing director, Dan Curtis, testified that he believed Sheahan was certified for unrestricted work and intended to provide lighter duties at a future site. The company's safety manager, Trevor Murtagh, stated that Sheahan never raised injury concerns during safety audits, though the firm failed to produce audit sheets for December 2020 and January 2021. A separate personal injury claim was noted as ongoing at the time of the hearing.
Luke McNamee, a 20‑year‑old Leaving Cert student from Loughlinstown Road, Celbridge, was recruited by a Snapchat user named "R Boogie" to act as a money mule for pandemic unemployment payments. McNamee, then 18, gave his bank details and received €4,700 in PUP funds, which he was instructed to transfer to other accounts or use to buy goods for resale. He later admitted the scheme, presented his story to Gardaí with his parents, and cooperated fully. The court found him guilty of possessing the proceeds of crime in his AIB account between 18 May and 30 July 2021. Judge Orla Crowe applied Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act, deferring sentencing and imposing conditions until 14 December, with a possible 12‑month sentence if he fails to comply. She ordered McNamee to repay €1,500 he gained and to keep the peace, noting his lack of prior convictions and his cooperation.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the original sentence of James Davy, who was convicted of impeding the apprehension of Sean Davy following the murder of Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley. Davy's conviction for murder was previously overturned in 2021, substituting it with a lesser offence for attempting to dispose of a baseball bat and burning the victim's body. Mr Justice George Birmingham ruled that the original nine-year sentence, with two years suspended, was excessive because the re-sentencing judge failed to adequately consider mitigating factors, including Davy's early plea, remorse, mental health difficulties, and productive prison conduct. The court reduced the sentence to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and marked the sentence as served. Davy had already served six years and nine months before his release in September 2021. Mr Justice John Edwards noted that the re-sentencing judge made no reference to these mitigating circumstances, which Davy was entitled to have taken into account. The court emphasized that while the offending was egregious, Davy was entitled to a proportionate sentence reflecting standard mitigation. Sean Davy, the principal offender, remains serving a life sentence for murder, while Mathew Cummins, who admitted to setting fire to the body, was also convicted of impeding apprehension. The appeal was dismissed as moot by the State, but the court affirmed Davy's right to due process and a correctly calibrated censure.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 15 June 2023, Jaroslow Kilian, a 39‑year‑old Polish national with 27 prior convictions in Ireland, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for violently attacking five bus passengers on the C4 route from Dublin to Celbridge. Kilian, who had been deported in December 2021 and illegally returned to Ireland in February 2022, was found intoxicated and suffering from schizophrenia. He slapped, punched and kicked passengers, causing concussions to two men and lasting PTSD to a woman who was punched full‑force in the face. Kilian also threatened Gardaí who arrived to arrest him. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of assault, with three further counts considered. The court set a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two years on mitigating factors, and backdated it to 27 August 2022 when he was taken into custody.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in an appeal by James Davy regarding the severity of his sentence. Davy, along with Mathew Cummins, was initially convicted of murdering Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley in 2014. In 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed these murder convictions, finding no evidence of a joint enterprise to kill. Instead, the court substituted convictions for impeding the apprehension of Sean Davy, who remains serving a life sentence for the murder. Davy was re-sentenced to nine years in jail, with the final two years suspended, but the sentence was marked as served. He was released in September 2021 after serving six years and nine months. Davy now appeals against the severity of this already-served term, arguing it negatively impacts his job prospects. Counsel for the State described the appeal as moot. However, Mr Justice Edwards noted that while the sentence is served, Davy is entitled to due process and a proportionate censure. He criticized the re-sentencing judge for failing to consider Davy's remorse, mental health, addiction, and prison progress. The court will decide whether the sentence was excessive given these unaddressed mitigating factors.
In a High Court decision on 12 June 2023, the eight‑month prison sentence imposed on 25‑year‑old Manuela Lacatus for stealing €233 worth of groceries from a Lidl store in Naas was quashed. Lacatus, who was pregnant with her fifth child at the time of the offence, had admitted the theft and had three prior convictions for theft and handling stolen goods. The sentence had been upheld by the Circuit Court in November 2021, with a three‑month stay due to the age of her unborn child and a further stay pending the High Court action. Lawyers argued that the sentence was extreme, based on a "fixed policy" that treated all repeat shoplifters the same, and that it failed to consider individual circumstances. Justice Niamh Hyland ruled that the Circuit Court's approach was impermissible, rejected the claim of a constitutional breach, and ordered the sentence to be set aside.
Tony Dean, 70, former owner of Dean Waste Management Ltd, was jailed for two years after a judge found him guilty of three breaches of a waste management licence and of holding or recovering waste in a manner likely to cause environmental pollution at a 25‑acre site at Kerdiffstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, between October 2003 and November 2008. The breaches were said to have had a significant environmental impact, with the landfill accepting more waste than it could manage, driven by financial motivation. Judge Melanie Greally noted that €61.5 million of public money was spent to remediate the site and that large profits had been generated and prioritized over compliance. The judge imposed a headline sentence of four years on each charge, reduced to three years with the final 12 months suspended, all to run concurrently. Tony Dean pleaded not guilty.
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.
Niall Kennedy, a former soldier, was convicted in December 2021 on twelve counts of rape and additional charges of harassment and threats. He was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions. Kennedy, aged 32, denied the charges. His appeal argues that the trial judge failed to issue a corroboration warning to the jury about the uncorroborated evidence of the complainant, who admitted to lying about her relationship with Kennedy and about a male friend's drug use. The appeal also contends that the judge should have warned the jury about Kennedy's state of mind and the alleged consensual nature of the intercourse. The Court of Appeal will consider whether the absence of such a warning affected the jury's deliberations. The case remains at the appeal stage.
In a sentencing hearing on 22 May 2023, the Special Criminal Court heard that Michael Carroll, aged 43, had "indiscriminately" fired a revolver at John Hutch, a 63‑year‑old former Dublin resident, outside Hutch's home on Drumalee Avenue on 2 September 2016. CCTV showed Carroll approaching the rear of the house in a stolen Opel Astra, carrying two firearms – one with seven rounds and the other with six – and firing all rounds into the garden where Hutch's wife, Vera Hutch, was present. Vera Hutch gave a victim impact statement describing the lasting trauma of the incident. Carroll had previously been charged with attempted murder of Hutch and had pleaded guilty to a firearms offence. He was also charged with two attempted murders of Edward Staunton in March 2017; he pleaded guilty to one of those charges. The court noted Carroll's extensive criminal record and the alleged motive of repaying a drug debt to the Kinahan/Byrne faction.
A pharmacist, Fiona Rabbitte, has received a redundancy payment of over €22,000 after the Workplace Relations Commission ruled in her favour. The commission rejected Lloyds Pharmacy Ireland's claim that offering her a transfer from Newbridge to Naas was a reasonable alternative to redundancy. Ms Rabbitte had worked at the Newbridge branch since 2003 and was asked to move to the Naas branch in January 2022, which she refused. She argued that the closure of the Newbridge branch triggered her redundancy entitlement, while the firm claimed her employment had not been terminated. Ms Rabbitte explained that the Newbridge location was advantageous to her domestic life and that the Naas position would significantly increase her commuting time due to traffic congestion and the need to attend to her children's school runs. The firm's representative argued that the commute would only be extended by ten minutes and that a once-off compensation sum was offered.
A 27‑year‑old Kildare man who violently sexually assaulted his estranged wife, recorded on camera saying he had "every right" to touch her, had his original five‑year sentence increased by eight months after a successful appeal by the State. The Court of Appeal quashed the initial sentence, which had a 20‑month suspended portion, and re‑sentenced him to five years and eight months' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended. The judge noted the man's guilty plea and the mitigating factor of an acquired brain injury sustained in 2017. The appeal hearing highlighted the violence, breach of trust, and the impact of the brain injury, while the State argued the sentence was too lenient and the defence emphasised the injury as a key mitigating factor. The woman's victim impact report described the assault as frightening and menacing, and she had previously sought a protection order and stayed in a women's refuge.
Anthony Hatton, 36, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a smash‑and‑grab burglary at the Eir building, Heuston South Quarter, on 6 February 2018. A black Opel Corsa, driven by a co‑accused, was used to smash the building's windows; Hatton entered, removed a podium of laptops and phones, and placed it in the car. Gardaí arrived while he was still inside; he was arrested and taken to a garda station where he was initially deemed unfit for interview. The car was later found in Naas, Co. Kildare, and the driver was arrested the same day, found with two smartphones. The burglary caused €10,000 of damage, requiring replacement of two glass panes. Hatton, who has 150 prior convictions including five for burglary, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, back‑dated to 7 July 2022. The co‑accused received a three‑year sentence with 18 months suspended.
In a case heard by a three‑judge Court of Appeal, a 27‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for aggravated sexual assault of his estranged wife in Co. Kildare on 19 November 2020. The final 20 months of the sentence were suspended. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the assault took place in the victim's home, where she had a right to feel safe, and that she had repeatedly pleaded for the man to leave. The man recorded on camera declared, "I'm your husband and I have every right to touch you." He pleaded guilty to the assault. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued the sentence was too lenient, citing violence, breach of trust and the man's refusal to leave despite pleas. The court considered mitigating factors, including a traumatic brain injury sustained in 2017, and a prior conviction for violence.
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.
A 28‑year‑old man, Robert Broughan of St Patrick's Park, Rathangan, Co Kildare, has been charged with the murder of Roy Hopkins, 34, who died on 31 July 2020 after an assault with a blunt instrument believed to be a baseball bat. Broughan was charged at Naas District Court on 2 August 2020. The trial, originally scheduled for last July, was postponed pending a report. Justice Mary Ellen Ring set a new trial date for 5 February 2024, with a case‑management adjournment to 21 July, and the trial is expected to last no more than two weeks.
Bjorn Erlend Tveter, a 41‑year‑old Norwegian telecoms engineer, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for using a fraudulent rental agreement to lease an Irish car. The car, driven across Europe for 9,000 miles, was caught speeding in Holland and later flagged as stolen by Norwegian police. Tveter had declined to return the vehicle after the rental company requested it, and he had previously paid €1,500 and an additional €3,500 from his credit card, leaving the company a loss of €1,200. He pleaded guilty to use of a false instrument between 10 and 25 November 2020. The court imposed a 12‑month sentence, suspended the final nine months, and ordered the outstanding €1,200 to be paid. The sentence was back‑dated to 13 January 2023.
A 25‑year‑old English tourist, Thomas Oliver, was attacked in Dublin on 17 April 2022 and spent five and a half weeks in hospital, including three weeks in a coma at Beaumont Hospital. He suffered severe head injuries, loss of muscle mass, headaches, loss of smell and taste, and ongoing post‑traumatic stress. Oliver described waking as a "shell of a human" and expressed that the psychological damage would never leave him or his family. He thanked Irish emergency services and noted the financial cost of his care. The assailant, 19‑year‑old Stefan Bornac, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Oliver and assault causing harm to Oliver's friend James Lightly. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Bornac to four and a half years in prison, with nine months suspended, after reducing a headline sentence of six and a half to seven years because of his age, good character, lack of record, guilty plea and cooperation.
Fiachra Slator, 40, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a small quantity of drugs at his home and a larger quantity at a location in Straffan, Co Kildare, together with bagging material, weighing scales and a blender. He also pleaded guilty to money laundering for €125,110 found in a locked box at his mother's home. The offences, committed on 14 April 2022, involved over €80,000 in drugs and €125,000 in cash. Garda Ciaran O'Neill explained that two search warrants, based on confidential information, led to the seizures. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Slator's early guilty plea, admissions, medical condition and desire to change, departed from the ten‑year mandatory minimum and imposed a six‑year sentence, back‑dated to the date Slator entered custody.
At the Central Criminal Court, a murder trial heard that James Kilroy, aged 49, a park ranger from Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, described to gardai how he "waited in the long grass" before attacking his wife at their rural home. The Chief State Pathologist testified that Valerie French Kilroy, aged 41, an occupational therapist and mother of three, died from ligature strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head, and a stab wound to the neck. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to her murder on a date between 13 and 14 June 2019. His legal team has made formal admissions that he killed his wife. During garda interviews, he described the assault as "dark and frenzied" and claimed she was alive when he left her. The trial before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring continues.
Michael Deegan, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for four counts of taking Go Car vehicles without consent in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow during October 2021. The court described Deegan as the driver who drove his or his wife's car to locations where Go Cars were parked; a second man then broke into the vehicles, which had keys inside, and stole them. Damage of €3,000 was caused to one car and two vans that were later recovered, while a third van was never recovered, resulting in a €26,000 loss to the company. Deegan had seven prior road‑traffic convictions. He pleaded guilty, cooperated with Gardaí and had no significant criminal record, factors that the judge considered in sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the custodial term without any suspended portion.
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.
Paul Storey, a 36-year-old civil servant from Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and diamorphine for sale or supply. The charges relate to an incident on April 24, 2021, at Baronrath, Straffan, Co Kildare. Gardai discovered 3.3kg of cocaine and 560g of diamorphine, valued at over €310,000, inside a Honda Accord located in a container at a property subject to a search warrant. Although Storey was not present during the search, he was arrested later and initially denied knowledge of the drugs. Prosecution evidence indicated he was holding the substances for a third party, a characterization agreed upon by the investigating garda, who noted Storey was low down the chain and lacked trappings of wealth. Defence counsel Anne Marie Lawlor SC argued that Storey's involvement stemmed from a desire to help a partner with a drugs debt, describing it as a serious misjudgement rather than primary criminal intent. She highlighted his early guilty plea, remorse, full-time employment, and support for his parents as mitigating factors. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Storey's reduced culpability due to acting on behalf of another, while noting his previous convictions for minor drug and road traffic offences. Taking into account his early plea and good work history, the Judge imposed a four-year prison sentence.
Derek Kavanagh, 48, turned himself in after RTÉ's Crimecall aired CCTV of him assaulting a homeless woman on James Street, Dublin 8, on 7 May 2022. He claimed he was approached, panicked, and thought he was being mugged, leading him to punch and choke the victim, who was living in hostel accommodation. Kavanagh admitted the woman was not threatening and had kept a reasonable distance. He pleaded guilty to assault and causing harm, and was given a three‑year fully suspended sentence. He paid €2,000 in compensation and was ordered to pay an additional €3,000 within six months, to be given to the victim or a local charity if she declined. The court noted his remorse, lack of prior convictions, and his efforts at anger‑management and alcohol‑abuse courses. The judge considered his mitigating circumstances and deemed him unlikely to reoffend.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 33‑year‑old Daragh Houlihan pleaded guilty to robbery after assaulting his pregnant girlfriend at her home. The incident began while she was cooking; Houlihan entered the kitchen, demanded a knife she was holding, and a one‑minute struggle ensued. He then seized her phone, demanding the unlock code, and pushed her onto the ground. He left the apartment, later pursued her to retrieve the phone, during which he struck her with his leg and threw her phone over a wall before fleeing. The victim, distressed, reported the assault to Gardaí and was later taken to Mater Hospital. Houlihan admitted stealing the phone but denied violent conduct, citing a belief the victim might stab him. He is scheduled for sentencing later this year, with a probation report and urine analysis ordered for the next court date on 19 June.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a Brazilian woman gave evidence that she was required to engage in sexual relations with one of the accused and her husband on multiple occasions. Testifying via video-link with an interpreter, the complainant described being selected as a "girlfriend" for weekends at properties in Roscommon and various hotels. She stated she was not willing to participate in these activities. The prosecution alleges that Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, of Racecourse Road, Roscommon, and Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Drumlish, County Longford, trafficked two vulnerable Brazilian women for sexual exploitation. The court heard the complainant was encouraged to consume alcohol and drugs, and was instructed to continue working during menstruation. She was subsequently evicted from an apartment near Kildare Village after requesting repairs. Ms Vailones Fidelis, aged 46, has denied all 18 charges including human trafficking and money laundering offences dating between 2015 and 2020. Ms Da Silva, aged 32, has admitted 35 charges but denies one count of human trafficking. The trial continues before Ms Justice Patricia Ryan.
In a dispute over employment status, fiddler Matt McGranaghan claims he secretly recorded conversations with country singer Michael English during meetings in 2019 and 2021. McGranaghan alleges that English told him he was being dismissed and that the band's manager wanted him gone. He says he was later declared an employee by the Department of Social Protection in 2020, a decision later overturned by the Social Welfare Appeals Office. McGranaghan has brought an unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 against MEPC Music Ireland Ltd, which denied the claim. During the Workplace Relations Commission hearing, McGranaghan presented excerpts from his recordings, despite objections from the company's lawyer. The tribunal allowed the excerpts to be used as evidence, noting that no party was permitted to record the hearing itself. The case remains at the unfair dismissal stage.
Samy Taib, aged 21, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, coercive control, endangerment, driving without licence and insurance, and dangerous driving. He had previously been convicted of 22 road traffic offences. The court found the victim endured significant trauma and physical injury, including permanent foot damage. Taib's mental health, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia, was cited as a mitigating factor. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a five‑year prison sentence, crediting time served in Scotland and any time already spent in custody. The final 12 months were suspended for two years, with strict conditions: probation supervision, no contact with the victim, and avoidance of her home and workplace. Taib was also disqualified from driving for six years. The case highlighted the severity of his offences and the impact on the victim's life.
Vasile Muntean, 28, worked for the grocery‑shopping app Buymie and used his company debit card to shop at 23 supermarkets in Dublin and Kildare. Between 1 and 25 February 2021 he carried out 204 thefts, buying goods worth about €29,000, including €15,000 of One4All gift vouchers that he sold for cash to fund a drug habit. Buymie discovered the discrepancy when the card's spending did not match customer orders, and the company suffered a loss of €14,000. Muntean pleaded guilty to 32 counts of theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term, with conditions that he hand over €6,000 to Buymie and save an additional €8,000 within two years. He has no prior convictions and has since undergone drug counselling and is working as a food‑delivery driver.
Patricia Kelly, 61, widow of the late Paul Kelly, former chief executive of the suicide‑prevention charity Console, has been given a trial date of 11 January 2024 by Justice Patricia Ryan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She faces two counts of fraudulent trading and one count of money laundering. The first fraudulent trading charge covers the period from 6 December 2006 to 31 May 2015, alleging that she knowingly participated in running Console Suicide Bereavement Counselling Ltd for a fraudulent purpose, misusing the company's property that was meant for its charitable objectives. The second fraudulent trading charge concerns 1 June 2015 to 14 July 2016, alleging the same wrongdoing. The money‑laundering charge covers 1 September 2010 to 1 July 2016, alleging that she concealed the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership of property of Console Ltd or acted recklessly about whether that property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired bus driver David Stamper, aged 68, was sentenced to a year in jail for a series of frauds and thefts that cost the Citybus Employees Credit Union over €100,000. Stamper, who joined the Credit Union in 1994 and became chair of its board in 2013, began misappropriating funds in 2009. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of forgery, 41 counts of theft and 31 counts of money laundering between August 2009 and September 2015. The court found that he issued false cheques totalling €351,642, profiting €107,730. The judge noted the devastating impact on the Credit Union's members and the loss of trust, and imposed a custodial sentence of one year, suspended for 18 months on conditions. The Credit Union closed in 2019 following the fraud. The case highlighted the serious breach of trust and the financial damage caused to the members.
A Central Criminal Court judge agreed to postpone sentencing for a 17‑year‑old Kildare teenager who was found guilty of orally raping his seven‑year‑old female cousin and of four counts of sexual assault between 1 October and 31 December 2018. The defendant, who was 13 at the time of the offences, is a minor and cannot be named. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, after hearing the case, decided to adjourn the matter for two weeks to allow the defence to lodge an appeal application to the Court of Appeal. She noted the trial was unusual, with no closing speech by defence counsel and no cross‑examination, so the victim did not attend court. The judge expressed that a period of detention would be imposed, taking mitigating factors such as the defendant's age and cooperation into account, and that the sentences would run concurrently.
Jamie Walsh, 18, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for assault causing harm after he and a co‑accused attacked a man on Naas Road, Dublin, on 18 November 2021. The incident began when the victim and his partner were kissing on a Luas stop; a boy shouted "It's so gay" and the two teenagers then punched and kicked the victim, leaving him unconscious with bruises, a swollen lip and a broken eye. CCTV identified Walsh and he was arrested a month later. Walsh had 48 prior convictions, including theft, robbery and assault. The court noted his upbringing in state care and his parents' criminal history. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 16 months, and ordered good behaviour and probation supervision for one year upon release. The victim's impact report was filed but not read aloud. The co‑accused, aged 14, had already been dealt with by the courts. The unnamed teenager pleaded guilty.
Roy Sheahan, a former professional boxer, says his career ended after a January 2020 accident when a digger bucket crushed his left hand on a Dublin construction site. He claims the injury left him with seven pins, two broken bones, and damaged ligaments, preventing him from boxing. Sheahan returned to work in September 2020 but was assigned heavy lifting duties, which he alleges forced him to resign. He has filed a constructive dismissal claim against Kendra Civil Engineering Ltd and Kendra Plant Hire Ltd, arguing the employer failed to provide lighter duties despite a doctor's recommendation. The tribunal heard Sheahan's correspondence with the employer, his medical reports, and statements from the company's director and safety manager. The case is pending a written decision.
In December 2022, retired MMA fighter Artem Lobov filed High Court proceedings against Conor McGregor, alleging a series of harassing, intimidating and defamatory posts on McGregor's Twitter account. Lobov claims that McGregor repeatedly referred to him as a "rat" in a song and other tweets, and that a picture of Lobov was superimposed on a packet of raw sausages. He also alleges that McGregor's father sent him pictures of rats and a snake as part of the campaign. Lobov's lawyers sought an undertaking to cease and desist from such posts and an order to remove them. The court granted permission to serve short notice of the injunction but declined a temporary injunction pending McGregor's response. The application is set to return to the court by Thursday of that week. The case is part of a broader legal dispute between the two former friends, including a commercial disagreement over a whiskey brand sale.
Joe McCabe, aged 21, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to one count of sexual assault against a 16‑year‑old friend at his home in Maynooth between 2 and 31 March 2018. He was 17 at the time of the offence. The victim, now 21, gave consent for his name to be disclosed. At the hearing, Justice Karen O'Connor remanded McCabe in custody before sentencing. She imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspended in full on a number of conditions, noting that he must be sentenced as a minor and that detention should be a last resort. The judge highlighted the victim's catastrophic life impact, her disrupted education, ongoing depression, anxiety and flashbacks, and the significant and ongoing effect on her daily life. McCabe's guilty plea and the fact that the victim avoided trial were taken into account as mitigating factors.