In a Kilkenny murder trial, Trevor Rowe, 29, pleaded not guilty to killing 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. During the hearing, Rowe admitted to the killing, describing how he slit Butler's throat and stabbed her head, and claimed he had committed five other murders, worked for the Kinahan Cartel, and received €5,500 for a murder. Garda Detective Martin Power recounted how Rowe collapsed in tears at the station, confessed to the crime, and later led officers to a house on Maudlin Street where a body was found. Rowe was arrested at 7.38 pm that evening. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The case remains at the evidence‑gathering stage.
During the trial, Garda Kevin Seymour testified that he received a call on 25 March 2020 from the control centre about a man claiming to be God who said he had murdered someone the previous Friday. Seymour and other officers visited Trevor Rowe's home on Abbey Street, where Rowe, who appeared intoxicated, shouted that he had "slit her throat, buried a knife in her head" and that this was his "fifth one". He also said, "I murdered her, I done her head in and slit her throat. I could tell you about five more too". Rowe then fell to his knees and cried. The officers took him to Maudlin Street, where they found a body on a couch in a nearby house. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
In a trial held in Kilkenny, Trevor Rowe, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 71‑year‑old Ann Butler, who was found dead in her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. The prosecution presented evidence that Rowe made three anonymous 999 calls on 25 March 2020, each claiming he had killed a woman and that the body was behind Langtons Hotel. In the first call, the caller demanded to be called "God" and threatened further murder if the Gardaí did not take him seriously. The second call repeated the claim that he had stabbed and sliced a woman's throat, and the third call was made from a different number. Garda officers, including control‑room operator Padraic McInerney, recorded the calls and traced the numbers to a mobile phone owned by Noel Pierce, who lived at Cathedral Square. The Gardaí subsequently visited Rowe's home, where he had briefly used Pierce's phone.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the State's barrister, John O'Kelly SC, presented evidence that Trevor Rowe (29) of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, had made three anonymous 999 calls claiming he had killed 71‑year‑old Anne Butler at her Maudlin Street home. The calls were traced to phones owned by others, leading Gardaí to Rowe's house where he admitted the calls and the location of the victim. Gardaí then directed Rowe to Butler's house, where they found her body in a state of decomposition on the couch, with injuries of asphyxia, blunt force trauma, an incised neck wound and multiple stab wounds. Forensic links included Rowe's DNA on a cider can, a pair of gloves with Butler's blood, and a crucifix fragment. CCTV footage showed Butler's last appearance at 9.30 pm on 20 March, followed by Rowe's arrival and departure from the house. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, is expected to last ten days. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
A 29‑year‑old man, Trevor Rowe of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 71‑year‑old pensioner Anne Butler at her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who announced the trial would begin the next day and is expected to last ten days.
In January 2020, William Harty, aged 31, deliberately crashed his Peugeot estate car into his family home in Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny, causing over €50,000 in damage and leaving the building structurally compromised. He pleaded not guilty to endangerment and criminal damage, but a jury found him guilty at the Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court and Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to five years imprisonment. Harty appealed, arguing that a 999 call made by his wife should not have been presented to the jury as real evidence. At the Court of Appeal, Kathleen Leader SC contended the call was hearsay and that photographs taken hours later showed the crime scene had not been preserved. Garret Baker BL for the Director of Public Prosecutions acknowledged some evidential infirmity but said it had no practical effect on the outcome. Harty expressed remorse for using his car as a battering ram while his wife and children, all under eight, were inside.
In January 2022, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of John Giltrap, 61, who had been convicted of 20 counts of rape against Caroline Kavanagh, a girl aged between 10 and 15, during 1978‑1982 in Bunclody. Giltrap had originally pleaded not guilty to 22 counts but was found guilty on 20 by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Kilkenny in December 2020 and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment on each count, with the terms running concurrently. He argued the verdict was "perverse" and "contrary to the weight of evidence." The appellate judges, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, rejected the appeal, stating there was no evidence of jury speculation. Ms Kavanagh, present in the gallery, expressed relief at the decision, noting that Giltrap's lawyers were considering a further appeal of the sentence length.
In the Court of Appeal on 17 December 2021, Caroline Kavanagh, aged 52, sat in the rear of the court to witness her former attacker, John Giltrap, 61, weeping as he pleaded for his conviction to be quashed. Giltrap had been found guilty on 20 of 22 counts of raping Kavanagh, aged between 10 and 15 at the time, between December 1978 and March 1982, and was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment on each count with the terms running concurrently. He appealed on the grounds that the jury's verdict was "perverse" and "contrary to the weight of evidence". Kavanagh, who had waived her right to anonymity, testified that the rapes occurred "nearly everyday and sometimes twice a day" in a house and later in a caravan that was moved to a public area known as "the Green". John Giltrap pleaded not guilty.
In a court hearing on 3 December 2021, Damien Singleton, aged 31 and without a fixed abode, addressed the family of Peter Donnelly, who was murdered on 11 June 2019. Singleton apologized, saying he could not ask for forgiveness because he could never forgive himself, and expressed regret for subjecting the family to the trial. He acknowledged that he had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and that he had been found guilty of murder by an 11‑member jury after CCTV footage and a threatening voicemail were presented. The trial focused on whether Singleton, intoxicated with drugs and alcohol, had formed the intent to kill. The jury rejected the defence's claim of incapacity, resulting in a mandatory life sentence. The hearing also included victim impact statements from Donnelly's mother, aunt, and a child's mother, all expressing grief and the loss of a loved one.
A homeless man, Damien Singleton, 31, was found guilty of murder by a unanimous jury at the Central Criminal Court after stabbing his friend Peter Donnelly, 39, on Dublin's O'Connell Street on 11 June 2019. Singleton had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution argued that Singleton, who was under the influence of a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, was capable of forming the intent to kill. The jury rejected the intoxication defence, concluding that Singleton could understand his actions and their consequences. The case was the second trial for Singleton; the first collapsed after a juror claimed to have overheard Gardaí discussing witness statements. The judge adjourned the case for a mandatory life sentence to be imposed on 3 December, when a victim impact statement will be heard. The trial highlighted the presence of alcohol, morphine, benzodiazepine and cocaine in Singleton's system and the prosecution's insistence that intoxication does not excuse intent.
In the murder trial of Damien Singleton, a 31‑year‑old homeless man, the judge instructed the jury to focus on the question of intent. Singleton pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Peter Donnelly, a 39‑year‑old homeless man from Kilkenny, who was stabbed twice on O'Connell Street on 11 June 2019. The defence argued that Singleton's mind was "polluted" by alcohol and drugs, preventing him from forming intent to kill. The prosecution countered that intoxication is not a defence unless it renders the defendant incapable of understanding his actions or their consequences. The judge emphasized that the jury must decide whether Singleton intended to kill or cause serious harm, and that any doubt about his capacity to form intent would lead to a manslaughter verdict, otherwise a murder verdict.
In the Dublin trial of Damien Singleton, a 30‑year‑old man of no fixed abode originally from Cork, the prosecution presented a case that the killing of 39‑year‑old Peter Donnelly on O'Connell Street was "murder pure and simple." Singleton pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution described the two men as friends who had spent three nights together. On the night of the killing, Donnelly had returned to Dublin from Kilkenny and was "hanging around" the area. Garda Nicola Torsney had a 30‑minute conversation with Singleton earlier that night. CCTV footage later showed Singleton grabbing Donnelly, stabbing him three times, striking him with a bottle, and then fleeing. Blood droplets and a recovered knife were presented as evidence. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, is expected to last eight days.
The murder trial of Damien Singleton, 30, accused of killing Peter Donnelly on Dublin's O'Connell Street in June 2019, collapsed after a juror claimed to have overheard Gardaí discussing witness statements in the courtroom. The trial, held in Court 9 of the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Tara Burns, began with Singleton pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. During the proceedings, a juror noted that he believed he heard partial conversations between Gardaí about witness statements, a claim the prosecution denied, stating the Gardaí present were only there for logistical reasons and did not discuss witness statements. The judge, concerned about the jurors' seating and potential distractions, decided to discharge the jury. The case was re‑listed for mention for the following Monday. The trial had been conducted under Covid‑19 health and safety guidelines, with only five jurors seated in the jury box and seven in the body of the court.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Peter Donnelly, a 39‑year‑old homeless man from Kilkenny, was killed on Dublin's O'Connell Street on the early hours of 11 June 2019. Dr Bolster described two fatal stab wounds inflicted by a single‑blade knife: a 4 cm‑deep wound to Donnelly's jugular vein and a branch of the aorta, and a V‑shaped wound near his backbone that missed the spine. The left lung had collapsed, with 500 ml of fresh blood in the cavity. Donnelly's blood alcohol level was 241 mg ml⁻¹, and cocaine, heroin and antidepressants were present. The knife recovered by Gardaí was 14 cm and matched the wounds. The case is before a jury of eight men and four women, with Mr Damien Singleton, 30, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Donnelly. The trial continues tomorrow.
In the trial of Damien Singleton, a 30‑year‑old man with no fixed abode, the prosecution presented a case that the killing of Peter Donnelly, a 39‑year‑old from Kilkenny who had been living rough in Dublin, was murder and nothing else. Singleton had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution argued that CCTV footage showed Singleton stabbing Donnelly three times with a knife and then striking him with a bottle before fleeing. They also claimed that Singleton had approached a young girl on O'Connell Street, engaged in a heated exchange with Donnelly, and that the incident occurred around 12.25 am on 11 June 2019. The prosecution's evidence included testimony from Garda Nicola Tornsey, who described the confrontation, the subsequent CPR by witnesses, and the recovery of a blood‑stained knife near the arrest site.
A 30‑year‑old man, Damien Singleton, who has no fixed abode, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on 20 September 2021. He is charged with the murder of 39‑year‑old Peter Donnelly, a father‑of‑one from Kilkenny, who was killed on O'Connell Street in Dublin on 11 June 2019. Singleton denies the murder charge but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Justice Tara Burns informed the jury that the trial is expected to finish by the following Friday, with opening speeches scheduled for the next day before a jury of eight men and four women.
Claire Burke, aged 31, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of six years' imprisonment, with the final two years of the latter sentence suspended. The sentence is consecutive to a two‑year term for an assault in November 2018. In that assault, Burke stabbed a man in the wrist with scissors after he refused to return money she had taken from him. In June 2020, while on bail for that offence, she entered a garage in Clondalkin, produced a knife, and threatened an employee to hand over all the money in the till. She was found guilty of attempted robbery and the production of an article in the course of a dispute. The judge noted her history of drug addiction, homelessness and previous convictions, and stated that she had not shown the transformation her defence claimed. The court did not accept the argument that she had turned over a new leaf.
The High Court approved Personal Insolvency arrangements for former newspaper owner John Sheils and his wife Susan Casey, allowing them to keep and continue paying mortgage on their 702‑sq‑m house, Annamult House, in Bennetsbridge, Co. Kilkenny, until they reach their mid‑eights. The house, rebuilt after a 2009 fire, also serves as their business venue. They owe about €2.9 million to creditors including Start Mortgages, Pepper Finance, AIB, Bank of Ireland, Everyday Finance and Promontoria Oyster. Under the PIA, they will make mortgage repayments for 336 months (28 years). To fund the arrangement, they will sell assets such as a Blackrock house and a Lucan site, and write off roughly €70,000 of debt. The PIA, lasting 13 months, aims to restore solvency after completion. The judge, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, expressed some hesitation about the long repayment period but approved the plan due to creditor support.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 24 June 2021, Calvin Cullen, aged 22, withdrew an appeal against his murder conviction, despite his lawyers' advice. Cullen, convicted in September 2020 for the November 2018 murder of David Boland, 34, had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder. The appeal, based on a single ground that the trial judge had refused to allow the jury to consider provocation as a partial defence, was now abandoned. Cullen, represented by barrister Brendan Grehan SC, confirmed he no longer wished to proceed. Judge John Edwards, hearing the case via video link from Mountjoy prison, asked Cullen if he was "completely certain" about the withdrawal; Cullen affirmed his certainty and satisfaction with the legal advice. The judge permitted the withdrawal. Cullen's original conviction was obtained at the Central Criminal Court in Kilkenny, where Judge Tara Burns sentenced him to life imprisonment following a unanimous jury verdict.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Sean Ruth, a former mid-tier Kinahan Cartel member, to four years and six months for two money laundering offences. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt suspended both sentences for six years and ordered Ruth to repay €9,900 within 12 months. Ruth pleaded guilty to concealing or disguising the source of funds in his Allied Irish Bank account between 2016 and 2017, knowing or being reckless as to whether they were proceeds of criminal conduct. The court noted he had paid over €20,000 to the Criminal Assets Bureau, with his parents assisting with the remaining balance. Judge Hunt reduced a headline six-year sentence by 25% due to Ruth's guilty plea and mitigation, including his reformation and education since his 2019 release from a separate firearms conviction. Ruth was previously jailed for three years for possessing a .38 Special revolver and ammunition. The report also details that Jonathan Harding and James Walsh were previously sentenced to 10 and nine years imprisonment respectively, with the final year of each suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a submachine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition at the Greenogue Unit.
Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court at an out-of-hours sitting charged in connection with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in February 2016. Patrick Dowdall, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all from the Dublin area, faced charges under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act relating to alleged participation in activity intended to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Dowdall is accused of making a room available at the hotel, whilst Murphy and Bonney are alleged to have provided access to motor vehicles. Gardaí objected to bail for Bonney, indicating he was part of a well-organised crime gang, citing strong evidence including CCTV tracking and mobile phone data. The court granted Bonney bail pending further financial inquiries. Murphy and Dowdall were remanded in custody with bail applications to follow.
Sean Ruth, 32, of Portlaoise, Co Laois, was remanded on continuing bail until May 17 for sentencing after pleading guilty to two money laundering offences at the Special Criminal Court. Prosecutors alleged that Ruth, described as a mid-tier Kinahan Cartel member, allowed his bank accounts to be used to launder over €50,000 in crime proceeds between 2016 and 2017 while claiming State benefits and paying no tax. He has paid the Criminal Assets Bureau over €20,000, with his mother assisting to discharge the remaining €9,000 liability. Defending counsel argued that Ruth has reformed since his 2019 release from a previous three-year firearms sentence and requested the court consider whether imprisonment was necessary. The court heard that Ruth was previously linked via DNA evidence to a revolver found at a Greenogue business park, an arsenal that also contained weapons seized from James Walsh and Jonathan Harding. Walsh, 36, and Harding, 48, were previously sentenced to 10 years and nine years imprisonment respectively, with the final year of each sentence suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machinegun, an assault rifle, and ammunition at the same location. Ruth's current matter remains adjourned for final sentencing.
A 32‑year‑old man, Sean Ruth of Anamcara, Warrington Lane, Co Kilkenny, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to two counts of crime cash laundering under the Criminal Justice Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing Act 2010. He admitted, on various dates in 2016, to concealing or disguising the true nature or source of money credited to an Allied Irish Bank account in his name, and to converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using that money, knowing or believing it was the proceeds of criminal conduct. Ruth had originally faced eight offences but pleaded guilty to these two. The court remanded him on continuing bail until March 26 for a sentence hearing.
The High Court has approved a €7.5m settlement in a medical negligence action brought on behalf of 17-year-old Kyle Corcoran. The proceedings, initiated by his mother Amy Corcoran, alleged that the HSE was negligent during Kyle's birth at St Luke's General Kilkenny Hospital on June 4, 2003. It was claimed that hospital staff failed to act on cardiotocograph readings indicating fetal distress, resulting in a clinically unacceptable delay in delivery. Kyle was allegedly born in an asphyxiated state, leading to cerebral palsy, a moderate learning disability, and the need for permanent care, including a gastrostomy peg. The HSE denied the claims, and the settlement was reached without an admission of liability following mediation. Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement, describing it as reasonable and noting that it would provide for Kyle's future care needs. The judge observed that a trial outcome was not guaranteed. An application to make Kyle a ward of court is planned. The matter was concluded with the approval of the settlement.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, Dung Tran, a 41‑year‑old Vietnamese man who had arrived in Ireland at 18 and was an Irish citizen, was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment for possessing €480,000 worth of cannabis. The original sentence, handed down by Kilkenny Circuit Court in May 2020, had two years suspended. Tran was caught on 6 February 2019 when Gardaí stopped his black Mercedes in Rathcash, Co. Kilkenny, after it was observed overtaking at about 160 kph. Gardaí noted a strong smell of cannabis, searched the vehicle and found six black refuse sacks in the boot containing vacuum‑packed cannabis. Tran pleaded guilty, cooperated fully, had no prior convictions, and had not applied for bail. He had lost his job before Christmas 2019 and had three children. The Court of Appeal, hearing arguments from Mr Séamus Clarke SC and Mr David Humphries BL, found that the 12‑year sentence was excessive.
Rita Ryan, aged 69, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of indecent assault against an 11‑year‑old girl she abused while working as a care assistant at an orphanage in the early 1970s. The abuse, which began with a question about "French kissing" and escalated to mutual masturbation and oral sex, continued for over a hundred occasions until the victim left Ireland. Ryan accepted the court's suggestion that her conduct was a "romantic" or "intimate" relationship and acknowledged it was sexual abuse. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year custodial term, fully suspended, and ordered Ryan to pay €15,000 to the victim as a token of remorse, with a further €15,000 within a year. The judge noted Ryan's admissions, lack of prior convictions, and community contributions as mitigating factors, while emphasising the prolonged nature of the abuse and the age disparity between the parties.
Sean Ruth, 31, of Rathangan, Co Kildare, appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with eight offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Finance Act. The alleged offences occurred in the State between 1 January and 31 December 2016. The Book of Evidence was served in the court, and the case was adjourned to 5 October. The State did not object to a free legal aid application, which was granted, and Mr Ruth was remanded on continuing bail. In June, Detective Garda Paul Kane informed State Solicitor Ciara Vibien that a warrant had been executed for Mr Ruth, who is accused of making four lodgements into an AIB account and four into an account at St Canice's Credit Union, Kilkenny, with the accounts allegedly held in his name. The amounts of the lodgements were not disclosed in court.
In a burglary of stables outside Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary, 27‑year‑old Owen Kirwan and two others entered a tack room where horse owner Miguel Gunn was lying on a couch with a mare in foal. Kirwan was caught "red‑handed" by Gunn, who had a pitchfork for self‑defence. Kirwan threatened that "20 lads" would return to "burn you out" if he was not let go, and later admitted the offence after a voicemail recording was played. He had pleaded guilty to burglary and threat to damage property. Judge Tom Teehan at Clonmel Circuit Court imposed a seven‑year sentence, with two and a half years suspended. Kirwan appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing the sentence was disproportionate, but the appeal was dismissed by Justice Patrick McCarthy, Court President George Birmingham and Justice Isobel Kennedy. The appeal was refused.
Sean Ruth, 31, of Blacktrench, Rathangan, Co Kildare, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 2 June 2020 charged with eight offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Finance Act. The alleged offences took place in the State between 1 January and 31 December 2016. Garda Paul Kane informed the court that a warrant had been executed for Mr Ruth, who is accused of making four lodgements into an AIB account and four into an account at St Canice's Credit Union, Kilkenny, with the accounts allegedly held in his name. The amounts of the lodgements were not disclosed. Mr Ruth is accused of knowing, believing, or being reckless as to whether the monies lodged were proceeds of criminal conduct.
Claire Burke, a 30‑year‑old mother of two from Kilkenny, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after stabbing a man in the arm with scissors on Temple Lane South, Dublin 2, on 12 November 2018. The incident followed an attempt to sell the man "grass" for €15, during which Burke stabbed him in the left wrist and attempted a second stab to his right leg. The man was later assisted by a third party who was arrested and the stolen bicycle recovered. Burke, who has 13 prior convictions and was living on the streets at the time, was released on bail pending sentencing. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as "very nasty" and adjourned the case for finalisation on 13 October, noting the possibility of a custodial sentence and a probation report. The sentencing hearing was postponed due to the prosecuting Garda's self‑isolation. The case remains pending.
Romeo Stanescu, a 30‑year‑old Romanian, pleaded guilty to burglary at The Playwright pub in Kilkenny on 11 June 2018, stealing €3,500 in banknotes. He was originally sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 29 October 2019. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reduced his term to two years. Edwards noted that Stanescu entered the pub shortly after opening, claimed he was looking for coffee, and later sought a toilet, leaving the premises after taking money from a cupboard. CCTV captured him removing bundles of cash and attempting to access a safe. Edwards described the offence as an opportunistic theft with limited premeditation, and the loss did not threaten the business. The final sentence was two years' imprisonment, with the last 18 months suspended.
Craig McGrath, 26, of Rathfaddan Park, Waterford, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Damien O'Brien, 27, on 13 July 2018. McGrath had earlier been on bail for an assault. The incident occurred at the junction of John Street and Manor Street on 7 July 2018 when McGrath punched O'Brien twice to the head, causing a broken eye socket, nose and jaw. O'Brien was unconscious and later died from a fatal brain injury when his head struck the ground. CCTV showed McGrath shadow‑boxing after the attack. McGrath also pleaded guilty to assaulting Kiefer Dowling in 2017, for which he received five years and a consecutive 2½‑year sentence, the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, and the Court of Appeal re‑sentenced McGrath to seven years for the manslaughter and a consecutive 2½‑year sentence for the Dowling assault, with the final two years suspended.
Craig McGrath, 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter of Damien O'Brien, 27, after an assault on 7 July 2018. McGrath punched O'Brien twice, causing fatal brain injury. He also pleaded guilty to assaulting Kiefer Dowling in 2017, receiving a five‑year sentence for manslaughter and a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for assault, with the last two years suspended. The total sentence is five‑and‑a‑half years. The Director of Public Prosecutions seeks to increase this sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient, citing McGrath's callous behaviour and breach of a curfew. McGrath's counsel argues the sentence was appropriate, citing Supreme Court guidance that places manslaughter in a medium range of four to ten years. The Court of Appeal will decide on 18 February.
The trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Greene, 34, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Louise O'Connor, 41, has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor, 22, disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death. Stephanie O'Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor. Keith Johnston, 43, has pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for the concealment of remains and to refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. All defendants are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene. Evidence presented includes testimony from Richard O'Connor, the deceased's son, who stated his sister Louise did not want to report their mother missing. He identified Stephanie O'Connor in CCTV footage closing the back door on the night of the alleged murder. The prosecution alleges Stephanie disguised herself as her grandmother to create a ruse that Mrs O'Connor had left the house. The court has heard that Mrs O'Connor's dismembered remains were found at nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10 and 14, 2017. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded.
The trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston continues before the Central Criminal Court. All four accused have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the alleged murder of Patricia O'Connor (61) at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017. Greene faces a charge of murder, while the others are accused of impeding the investigation, including disguising themselves as the deceased and assisting in the purchase of implements to conceal remains. The jury heard a voluntary statement from Louise O'Connor, who alleged that Greene told her he was sorry for hurting her mother and intended to surrender. Evidence presented includes the discovery of the deceased's dismembered remains in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, with her head and hands found in a black plastic bag on the Military Road. Garda Andrew Quinn testified to the missing person report filed on June 1, 2017, and subsequent inquiries. The prosecution alleges the victim suffered a violent death and that her body was dismembered using hacksaws and a hatchet. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded at this procedural stage.
Sean Ruth, 29, of Rathangan, Co Kildare, was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for possession of a .38 Special Rossi revolver and a 9mm round. He pleaded guilty to charges under the Firearms Act, 1925. Presiding Judge Paul Coffey, sitting with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, accepted that these items were unconnected to the larger arsenal recovered from Greenogue Business Park on January 24, 2017. The court noted the firearm and ammunition were incompatible and unused. Considering Ruth's 29 previous convictions as an aggravating factor, the headline sentence was set at four and a half years. This was reduced to three and a half years due to his guilty plea. The final six months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that Ruth enter a peace bond. The sentence was backdated to May 17, 2017, when he entered custody. The court also referenced the convictions of Jonathan Harding and James Walsh, who pleaded guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition magazines at the same location. In January 2018, Harding was sentenced to ten years with one year suspended, while Walsh received nine years with one year suspended.
Sean Ruth, 29, of Rathangan, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing a .38 Special Rossi revolver and a 9mm round of ammunition. The court heard that DNA evidence linked Ruth to the revolver found in a blood-stained bag at Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co Dublin, on January 24, 2017. Prosecution counsel Paul Burns SC stated the maximum sentence for each count is seven years. In mitigation, defense counsel Dominic McGinn SC highlighted Ruth's early guilty plea, which saved the court significant time, and noted that the weapon was not loaded. Mr McGinn also cited support from Ruth's family and courses completed in custody. Mr Justice Paul Coffey, presiding with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, remanded Ruth in custody until February 8, when he will be sentenced. The matter was adjourned. Jonathan Harding, 45, of Sallins, Co Kildare, and James Walsh, 33, of Clondalkin, Dublin 22, previously pleaded guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition magazines at the same location. In January 2018, Harding was sentenced to ten years in prison with one year suspended, and Walsh was sentenced to nine years in prison with one year suspended.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, 32‑year‑old Renars Veigulis was acquitted of murdering his 29‑year‑old partner, Rita Apine, who died after falling down the stairs of their Freshford home on 14 May 2017. Veigulis maintained from the outset that he was playing with his daughter when he heard a "boom, boom, boom" and later found Apine at the bottom of the stairs with blood on her head. The jury heard forensic testimony that Apine's injuries were not consistent with a simple fall, citing multiple lacerations, bruising, and blood spatter patterns that suggested blunt‑force trauma. The prosecution presented pathologist Dr. Linda Mulligan's findings and forensic science evidence, while Veigulis's counsel argued that the injuries could result from a complex fall and that the pathologist had never seen such patterns before. After 10 hours and 21 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a not‑guilty verdict, and Veigulis was released.
The Central Criminal Court is hearing a 32‑year‑old man, Renars Veigulis, who denies murdering his 29‑year‑old partner, Rita Apine, at their Freshford home on about 14 May 2017. Veigulis says he was in the kitchen with his daughter when he heard a series of bangs and later found Apine bleeding at the bottom of the stairs. The prosecution argues her injuries are inconsistent with a simple fall and that he beat her to death. The jury has deliberated for over six hours and will resume tomorrow. Renars Veigulis pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Renars Veigulis, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Rita Apine, aged 29, who died after falling down the stairs at their Freshford home on 14 May 2017. Veigulis claimed he was in the kitchen with his daughter when he heard a noise from the stairs, found his wife injured, and called emergency services, but she later died. Prosecutors, led by Vincent Heneghan SC, argued that blood spatter on walls and a hoodie, along with head injuries, proved Apine was beaten to death. They cited Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan, who said the injuries were unlikely from a simple fall, and forensic scientist Dr Stephen Doak, who suggested a baby gate could have been a weapon.
In the murder trial of Renars Veigulis, the prosecution's closing speech was delivered by Vincent Heneghan SC. He reminded the jury that Veigulis, a 32‑year‑old from Old Bridge Street in Freshford, Co. Kilkenny, is presumed innocent unless found guilty. Heneghan highlighted forensic evidence that contradicted Veigulis's claim that Rita Apine, aged 29, fell down the stairs, and urged the jury to scrutinise the interviews he gave to the gardai after her death. The speech was addressed to a jury of seven men and five women before Justice Tara Burns. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Renars Veigulis, aged 32, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his partner, Rita Apine, aged 29, at their Freshford home on or about 14 May 2017. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Veigulis maintains that Apine fell down the stairs, but forensic evidence presented by Dr Stephen Doak indicated that the blood‑staining on the wall beside the first step and on the baby‑gate at the bottom of the stairs suggested a forceful event. Doak also found hair‑swipe blood patterns and used luminol to reveal hidden blood marks, concluding that the wall had been wiped clean. During police interviews, Veigulis denied cleaning the wall, stating he had only performed CPR and called an ambulance. He also denied seeing any bruising on Apine's face, despite a paramedic's observation of bruising. The trial continues before a jury presided by Ms Justice Tara Burns.
In the Central Criminal Court, Renars Veigulis (32) pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner, Rita Apine (29), who died on 14 May 2017. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Apine's injuries were inconsistent with a simple fall down the stairs, as Veigulis claimed. She described extensive blood staining, shoeprints, and a blood‑stained slipper on the tenth step, but noted the house was otherwise neat. Apine died from massive blood loss due to blunt force trauma to the head, with three full‑thickness lacerations on the right side of her head of different shapes and impact surfaces, and bruising on both eyes and forearms. She also had therapeutic levels of citalopram and a tattoo reading "through pain comes strength." Dr Mulligan acknowledged some injuries could result from a fall but argued others could not be easily explained by such a fall.
In the Central Criminal Court, Renars Veigulis, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner, Rita Apine, aged 29, who died on or about 14 May 2017. A forensic scientist testified that blood stains on Veigulis's clothing were more likely caused by a strike than by CPR. The scientist described contact‑blood staining and a spatter pattern on a white hoodie belonging to Veigulis, concluding the pattern was consistent with force applied to wet blood. The prosecution argued that Apine's injuries were inconsistent with a fall, while the defence highlighted the possibility of a strike. Detective Sergeant James O'Brien gave evidence that he arrived at the scene after Apine had been removed, saw blood on the floor, and later arrested Veigulis on suspicion of murder. The trial also heard Veigulis's witness statement, in which he described the day's events and the discovery of Apine at the bottom of the stairs. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, forensic scientist Dr Stephen Doak testified that the blood‑staining patterns at the scene of Rita Apine's death suggested an assault rather than a simple fall. He described contact‑staining, splatter, airborne blood, swipe patterns and cast‑off blood on the walls and floor beside the stairs, noting a large area of wet blood that had been wiped up and a missing area revealed by luminol. Dr Doak argued that the patterns indicated a forceful event and that the accused, Renars Veigulis, had attempted to clean up the blood. Veigulis, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to murdering Apine, aged 29, at their Freshford home on or about 14 May 2017. The trial continues before a jury presided by Ms Justice Tara Burns.
The trial of Renars Veigulis, aged 32, for the murder of his partner Rita Apine, aged 29, began on 19 November 2018. Veigulis pleaded not guilty and claimed Apine fell down the stairs, while the prosecution argued her injuries were inconsistent with a fall. Both were Latvian; they had lived in Freshford since 2016. Garda Edward Laffin testified that he saw a "considerable amount of blood" at the scene and that neighbours reported nothing "untoward" before the incident. Detective Garda Ronan Lawlor described the forensic findings: a two‑bedroom terraced house with a hallway and stairs, blood on the floor, a slipper soaked in blood, and airborne blood stains on walls and ceiling. CCTV footage showed medical staff and Gardaí around the house and Veigulis' movements. The case proceeded to a jury of seven men and five women under Ms Justice Tara Burns.
In a trial in Kilkenny, Renars Veigulis, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner, Rita Apine, aged 29, who died on or about 14 May 2017 after falling down the stairs of their Freshford apartment. Veigulis told ambulance staff that he heard a "boom, boom, boom" and found Apine at the bottom of the staircase, claiming she had fallen. The prosecution argued that Apine's injuries were inconsistent with a fall, citing forensic evidence of blood spatter on the wall and on Veigulis's clothing, and a post‑mortem showing severe blunt‑force trauma. Veigulis's defence maintained that Apine died from the fall, and his 999 call was recorded as showing distress. The case is being heard by a jury presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns.
In the Central Criminal Court, a woman identified the body of her friend Rita Apine, whose partner Renars Veigulis is on trial for her murder. Veigulis, 32, pleaded not guilty to killing Apine, 29, at their Freshford home on 14 May 2017. He claimed Apine fell down the stairs, but prosecutors argued the injuries were inconsistent with a fall. Evidence from Latvian national Gatis Kuhalskis, a former colleague, indicated Veigulis told him Apine had fallen and hit her head on a child‑safety gate, yet Veigulis denied witnessing the fall. Estonian national Julia Sinjagina, a close friend, confirmed Apine's identity after her death, noting the body's face and body were "two different faces, two different bodies." Forensic findings showed blood spatter inconsistent with a fall and severe blunt‑force trauma, contradicting Veigulis's account. The trial continues before a jury presided by Justice Tara Burns.
In a 2018 trial at the Central Criminal Court, Renars Veigulis, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner, Rita Apine, aged 29, who died at their Freshford home around 14 May 2017. The jury heard that Veigulis called emergency services at 12:18, claiming Apine had fallen down the stairs. He was described as distressed, breathing heavily, and crying during the call. He gave conflicting details about the fall, such as the height and the location of bleeding. Emergency‑call taker Laura Bunbury provided instructions on first aid and CPR, noting Veigulis's panic. Medical witnesses, including Dr Leonard de Villiers and paramedics, described a large head wound and extensive blood spatter in the house. The trial continued the following day with a jury of seven men and five women presiding by Ms Justice Tara Burns.
The Central Criminal Court heard the murder trial of 32‑year‑old Renars Veigulis, who pleaded not guilty to the death of his 29‑year‑old partner, Rita Apine, at their Freshford home on 14 May 2017. Veigulis had told gardaí that Apine had fallen down the stairs, but a post‑mortem revealed severe blunt‑force injuries inconsistent with a fall. Forensic evidence showed blood spatter on the scene and on Veigulis's clothing that did not match a simple fall, and investigators noted that blood had been wiped from a wall before paramedics arrived. The court heard that Veigulis maintained his version of events during garda interviews, while the forensic team and the post‑mortem findings contradicted his account. The trial is proceeding before Justice Tara Burns.