A 37-year-old man from Sligo has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to directing a criminal organisation. Barry Young, with an address in Cranmore, Co Sligo, admitted to the charge relating to directing the activities of a criminal organisation between October 2019 and January 2022, both within and outside the State. The accused, who is currently remanded in custody, appeared before the three-judge, non-jury court where he entered his guilty plea. The State's counsel confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions consented to his arraignment on the relevant section of the indictment. The court granted legal aid to cover the cost of a counsellor's report and adjourned the matter to May 9th for further proceedings. A previously scheduled trial date in April was vacated.
In the Special Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Brendan Treanor's back tattoo was a "pictorial admission" of his role in the 2013 robbery of a Dundalk credit union where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. The tattoo, photographed by Garda Aidan Hanlon during Treanor's 2021 arrest, shows four men with hats, a woman in a balaclava holding a gun, a BMW car, a pistol, ammunition, and money. The prosecution linked the BMW's registration plate "BOSS BFT" to Treanor's initials, suggesting the tattoo's imagery reflected the robbery. Treanor (34) and James Flynn (32) are charged with the robbery and with conspiracy to break into houses to steal car keys. Both plead not guilty. The court ruled the photographs were taken lawfully, and the trial will continue tomorrow.
A former detective garda told the Special Criminal Court how he feared for his life during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, on 25 January 2013, when a man pointed a shotgun at his face and threatened to shoot. The officer recounted discovering his colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe fatally wounded by a gunshot to the head following the incident. A credit union volunteer also gave evidence, describing how a robber smashed her car window and demanded money while she heard gunshots outside. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burgle residential premises and to robbing seven thousand euro from the credit union. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of Detective Garda Donohoe's murder, is serving a life sentence with a forty-year minimum term and is appealing his conviction. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court has heard testimony concerning a credit union robbery in County Louth in January 2013 during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. Staff from Lordship Credit Union and Cooley Credit Union in Bellurgan described a coordinated assault as they prepared to transport takings to a bank in Dundalk under Garda escort. The secretary at Lordship reported that three men blocked the exit and forced entry to his vehicle, stealing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques before gunshots rang out. A colleague from Cooley Credit Union, who remained in her car during the incident, witnessed the attack and subsequently discovered the detective wounded nearby. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn face charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit creeper-style burglaries across four counties between September 2012 and January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Aaron Brady, convicted of Detective Donohoe's murder and serving life with a forty-year minimum, is named as a co-conspirator. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence from victims of "creeper" burglaries in the ongoing trial of two men accused of conspiring to commit such break-ins across the border region. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, both charged with conspiracy to steal car keys from residential properties between September 2012 and January 2013, have pleaded not guilty. They face additional charges relating to a seven-thousand-euro robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth on 25 January 2013. Detective Garda Neil Brady outlined gardaí investigations into overnight burglaries in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Westmeath where door locks were forced to access vehicles. Five witnesses gave accounts of thefts from their homes, including a vehicle stolen from Virginia, Co Cavan in October 2012 whose engine was later recovered on the M1 motorway. Other victims described vehicles taken from properties in Westmeath following forced entry during January 2013. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that burglary and robbery charges against two men will be heard together, rejecting an application to separate the trials. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, County Louth, and James Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, face conspiracy charges relating to house burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and robbery charges stemming from a credit union incident in Bellurgan, County Louth on 25 January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the three-judge court, exercised his discretion to combine the trials while confirming each charge will be considered separately. The court heard evidence from Virginia and Monaghan residents describing break-ins and car thefts during the relevant period. Detective Garda Laura Bolger provided maps charting distances between alleged theft locations and properties connected to the accused. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murder and burglary in the same matter, is serving a life sentence with a forty-year minimum and is appealing his conviction.
Brian Scully, a night manager at Tesco's Portlaoise store, was dismissed after a company investigation into alleged breaches of checkout procedures. Tesco claimed Scully had served himself at the till and taken a pack of cigarettes without paying, citing loss‑prevention software and CCTV evidence. Scully admitted serving himself but argued he forgot to pay for the cigarettes, stating he intended to pay between 7am and 8am. The investigation, conducted the day after his shift, lasted over five hours and was described by his legal team as an aggressive, pre‑judged interrogation with only 14 hours' notice. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal procedurally and substantively unfair, awarding Scully €23,000 in compensation for the unfair dismissal. The tribunal noted the investigation's lack of impartiality and the impact of pre‑judgement on the outcome.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued that the prosecution sought to introduce evidence of burglaries committed by Brendan Treanor and James Flynn to prejudice them in the Lordship Credit Union robbery case that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Guerin said the burglaries had no connection to the robbery and requested separate trials for each charge. Bernard Condon SC supported this position for Flynn. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC countered that the burglary and robbery charges were joined because of a continuum of facts, citing similarities in location, timing, method and mobile phone evidence. He argued the burglary evidence would show the accused were not in innocent association on the day of the robbery. The court would rule on the matter next Tuesday. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to both the burglary and robbery charges.
Two men have been charged with conspiracy to commit a series of burglaries known as "creeper burglaries" across Ireland between September 2012 and January 2013. The Special Criminal Court heard that the offences involved late-night break-ins at residential properties, where car keys were stolen and vehicles removed. A Volkswagen Passat taken during a creeper burglary in Clogherhead, County Louth in January 2013 was subsequently used in a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan on 25 January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. Brendan Treanor, 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, 32, from South Armagh are charged with conspiracy and with the credit union robbery. The prosecution indicated it would rely on circumstantial evidence including phone records, cell-site data, and CCTV footage. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murdering Detective Garda Donohoe, is serving a 40-year sentence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court will start a full‑day opening for the trial of Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, accused of a credit union robbery that led to the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Treanor, 34, and Flynn, 32, are charged with conspiracy to steal a car key and robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union on 25 January 2013. Aaron Brady, 31, is already serving a 40‑year sentence for Donohoe's murder and the burglary. Treanor's counsel intends to sever the conspiracy and robbery charges, a move also supported by Flynn's counsel.
Shaun Groome's appeal against his 15-year sentence for assault causing serious harm has been dismissed. In December 2021, Groome pleaded guilty to the 2015 attack on Ciarán Murphy at Coolcor, Co Offaly, where Murphy was stabbed 16 times and set alight, suffering burns to 96% of his body and losing his ears. The trial judge, Judge Martin Nolan, described the violence as exceptional and noted Groome's murderous intent, reducing a 20-year headline sentence to 15 years without a suspended portion. Groome's counsel argued the plea discount was insufficient, citing mitigating factors including remorse and addiction. However, the Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, rejected this, noting the plea was entered only after Groome was extradited from the UK. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy stated the sentence was within the margin for exceptional cases and the discount was appropriate. Groome's co-accused, David Keena, who was 17 at the time, was jailed for five years in October 2020 for his role in the attack, which involved providing petrol. The court upheld the original sentencing, finding the trial judge correctly weighed the mitigating circumstances against the severity of the injuries.
A woman giving evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has described being moved between rural towns weekly while allegedly trafficked for sexual exploitation. The complainant, who cannot be named, told the trial she was relocated from locations including Portarlington, Enniscorthy and Tralee, and kept a knife for protection following violent incidents with clients. She said she received instructions via phone and messaging apps from two women regarding services to be provided and payment collection, with no option to refuse work or relocation. Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, aged 32, of Drumlish, County Longford, has pleaded not guilty to human trafficking between March and May 2019, but guilty to organising prostitution, facilitating illegal entry to the State, and money laundering charges. Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, aged 46, of Roscommon, denies all eighteen counts against her, including two counts of human trafficking and fourteen counts of money laundering. The prosecution alleges both defendants exploited vulnerable Brazilian women through debt bondage. The trial continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a High Court decision, Mr Justice Cian Ferriter awarded €2,500 in damages to each of three men—Fintan O'Farrell, Declan Rafferty and Michael McDonald—who had been unlawfully detained in Portlaoise Prison. The men, all from County Louth, had been arrested in 2001 while attempting to procure arms for the Real IRA and were extradited to England, where they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause explosions and received 28‑year sentences. In 2014 the Irish High Court found that the warrants transferring them from an English prison to Ireland were defective, as they referred to the full 28‑year term rather than the 18 years and 8 months they should have served under Irish remission rules. The court held that the men's continued detention on the basis of an invalid Irish order constituted false imprisonment, but noted that their conduct in serious terrorist offences limited their interest in liberty.
A high‑ranking member of a West African organised crime gang, Junior Boboye, aged 28, was sentenced to six years in prison, with the final year suspended, for his role in an €800,000 money‑laundering and fraud operation. The operation involved the theft of €792,000 from eight businesses through invoice‑redirect fraud, of which €319,000 was recovered. Boboye pleaded guilty to multiple offences for the benefit of a criminal organisation between August 2017 and May 2018, and to 13 counts of money laundering and using false instruments. He was described by the judge as an active lieutenant and recruiting sergeant within the gang. The case also involved other defendants: Emmanuel Olanyian, who received a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended; Taiwo Ajike, who received a suspended one‑year sentence; and Onyebuchi Aduba, who was dealt with under the Probation Act and will not receive a conviction.
In the Special Criminal Court, Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor and key witness in the Regency Hotel murder trial, testified that he is 'not a rat' and is not involved with Sinn Fein. He denied lying under oath about his relationship with Pearse McAuley, who was jailed for the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe. Dowdall admitted to visiting McAuley in Castlerea Prison multiple times, though he initially claimed only two or three visits. Under cross-examination, it was revealed that he had visited McAuley 14 times between February 2015 and January 2016. Dowdall also testified that he was 'set up' for the murder of David Byrne by being connected to a room at the Regency Hotel used by one of the raiders. Gerard Hutch, who has pleaded guilty to facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, stated that a 'massive amount of pressure' was put on Dowdall after he was granted bail. Patrick Dowdall was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The matter was adjourned.
Gerard Mackin, aged 40 and resident of Rhebogue Road, Limerick, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on a late sitting after being extradited from Spain. He faces a single charge of money‑laundering for €4,780, alleged to be proceeds of criminal activity, at his Limerick address on 17 April 2019, in breach of Section 7 of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Detective Garda Stephen Ahern informed the court that Mackin was arrested at Dublin Airport at 2.47 p.m. after a European Arrest Warrant issued on 7 April. The court granted a certificate to try Mackin at the non‑jury court. Alison Fynes BL, representing Mackin, declined to apply for a hearing at this time, requesting remand in Portlaoise Prison and free legal aid, and that the defendant seek the earliest possible court date. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath remanded Mackin in custody until 23 January, when his case will be listed for mention.
At the Central Criminal Court, Justice Paul McDermott ordered the release of trial transcripts from the murder case of Aaron Brady to the legal team of Brendan Treanor. Treanor, 34, is charged with participating in the January 25, 2013, robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. The transcripts are intended for use in Treanor's upcoming Special Criminal Court trial. The Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the application but emphasized that the documents must not be shared with anyone outside Treanor and his solicitors, citing witness intimidation concerns. James Flynn, 31, of Newry, Northern Ireland, is also accused of the same robbery and conspiracy to steal vehicle keys. Flynn was extradited from the UK last July to face charges in Ireland. He has not applied for the transcripts. In the related Brady case, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Garda Donohoe but was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority verdict in August 2020. He received a mandatory life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for the robbery.
A former solicitor from Claremorris, County Mayo, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing over €200,000 from four client families. David Doyle, aged 68, pleaded guilty to nine charges of theft totalling €218,579 committed between December 2008 and November 2016. Judge Martin Nolan heard that Doyle had misappropriated funds through a method known as "teeming and lading," transferring money between accounts to conceal the offences whilst addressing his personal debts. The court noted that Doyle eventually self-reported the fraud to his senior partner in October 2017 after 38 years of practice. He was subsequently struck off the register by the Law Society. Judge Nolan acknowledged that Doyle had sold his family home to repay clients in full and expressed remorse for breaching the trust of his clients and profession. Doyle cooperated with gardaí following his arrest in December 2020 and has no previous convictions.
James Flynn, 31, of Newry, Northern Ireland, was granted legal aid by the Special Criminal Court despite previously offering over £1 million in bail sureties in the UK. Ms Justice Tara Burns noted the 'odd position' of Flynn claiming to have 'absolutely nothing' after offering £185,000 in cash and a £965,000 surety to Westminster Magistrates' Court. Flynn is accused of robbing Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, in January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady and Brendan Treanor to steal vehicle keys. Flynn was refused bail last week due to flight risk concerns, including evidence that his father told gardai in Boston, 'the boys are gone, you will never get them.' His trial is scheduled for January. Co-accused Brendan Treanor, 34, of Dundalk, is also charged with the robbery and was refused bail in June 2022. Aaron Brady, 31, of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 jury verdict in August 2020. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus 14 years for the robbery, running concurrently. The matter regarding Flynn's legal aid was finalised, but his trial remains pending.
The Special Criminal Court has refused bail to James Flynn, who is accused of the 2013 Lordship Credit Union robbery in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Ms Justice Tara Burns, delivering the ruling of a three-judge court, determined that Flynn is a significant flight risk, noting he left the jurisdiction shortly after the alleged crime and has resided in the US, UK, and Northern Ireland since. The court cited "very concerning evidence" regarding an incident where gardai travelled to Boston for an interview with Flynn, only to be met by his father, who allegedly stated, "the boys are gone, you will never get them." The judge emphasized that while the case against Flynn is circumstantial, the prosecution's evidence is strong enough to suggest a potential for conviction. Flynn, who holds US and UK passports, was extradited from the UK after his appeal against extradition was dismissed. He faces charges of robbery and conspiracy to steal vehicle keys. Aaron Brady, who was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 jury verdict in August 2020, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for the robbery. Flynn's trial is scheduled for January next year, alongside co-accused Brendan Treanor, who was also refused bail in 2022.
Keith Malone, 40, of Barnashrone, Mountmellick, was charged with assault causing harm and production of an article after stabbing his partner four times on 6 January 2019, causing a damaged liver, collapsed lung, broken rib and elbow gash. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Naas Circuit Court on 19 January 2022 to three years' imprisonment with the last three months suspended for 12 months. The State argued the sentence was unduly lenient; the Court of Appeal quashed the 33‑month term and re‑sentenced Malone to four years, with the final three months suspended. The appeal judge noted aggravating factors including breach of trust, weapon use and high intoxication, and that the victim should not have to fear her own home. The new sentence reflects the offence's highest gravity and the judge's assessment of mitigation.
Dean Kerrie, aged 21, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for the manslaughter of Jack Power, who had intruded into Kerrie's home in Dunmore East on 26 July 2018. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, found that Kerrie was entitled to use force in defence of himself, his family and his home, but that the force used was "grossly" excessive because Power was unarmed. Kerrie was 17 at the time of the offence, showed genuine remorse, and did not instigate the violence. The sentence, back‑dated to 30 June, includes a final year suspended for two years. Kerrie has already spent time in custody and will be required to work with probation services and engage in anger and violence management after release.
John Mangan, 54, escaped from Loughlan House open prison in October 2021 and was captured riding a motorcycle at high speed through the Dublin suburbs on a November afternoon. During the chase, which lasted about 20 minutes, he ignored Garda instructions, ran red lights, overtook vehicles, drove the wrong way around a roundabout, and nearly collided with several cars. The pursuit ended when Gardaí, with air support, blocked him on Carpenterstown Road. Mangan pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, to be served consecutively to his existing term, and was disqualified from driving for two years. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and is expected to be brought before the District Court for the escape charge.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, the State argued that the 33‑month jail sentence imposed on Keith Malone, 40, for repeatedly stabbing his partner was too lenient and should be set aside. Malone had stabbed his partner four times on 6 January 2019, causing a damaged liver, collapsed lung, broken rib and a gash to her elbow, which required three weeks in hospital. He was originally sentenced at Naas Circuit Court on 19 January 2022 to three years' imprisonment, with the last three months suspended for 12 months. The State contended that the headline sentence of five years was justified but the final sentence was unduly lenient, citing the gravity of the offence and the lack of mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment for a later date.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Loretta Power, mother of the 25‑year‑old victim, expressed that her son Jack Power's death has left her "tortured" and that the family endures a "life sentence" daily. Jack was stabbed to death on 26 July 2018 after breaking into Dean Kerrie's home in Dunmore East, Waterford. Kerrie, 21, was tried twice for the murder; the first trial ended with a jury verdict of manslaughter, the second with a conviction for manslaughter. The prosecution described a scuffle in the bedroom, with Kerrie allegedly stabbing Jack once in the chest after Jack had attacked Kerrie's mother. Kerrie's defence argued the act was a single defensive movement. The court has adjourned sentencing to 26 October 2022, with the possibility of a suspended portion of the sentence pending probation conditions. The maximum sentence for manslaughter is life imprisonment.
James Flynn, aged 31 and from Raven's Glen, Newry, Northern Ireland, was extradited from the UK to face a robbery charge at the Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. The robbery, which took place on 25 January 2013, involved the theft of €7,000 from Pat Bellew's property. Flynn is also accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady, Brendan Treanor and others to enter a residential premises with the intent to steal a motor vehicle's keys between 11 September 2012 and 23 January 2013. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied to transfer the case to the non‑jury Special Criminal Court, and the three‑judge court accepted the application, adjourned the matter to 6 October 2022, and allowed the transfer. Flynn's extradition appeal was unsuccessful, and the case will now be heard at the Special Criminal Court alongside Brendan Treanor's trial.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Caolan Smyth and Gary McAreavey regarding the admissibility of mobile phone data used in their convictions. The appellants were found guilty and convicted, respectively, of the attempted murder of James Gately and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life in 2017. McAreavey was also convicted of assisting Smyth by purchasing petrol and helping burn a black Lexus at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth. The appeal challenged the use of data gathered under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011, arguing it breached EU privacy laws following a separate ruling in the Graham Dwyer case. However, the court, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled that the Act was valid in 2017 and that the public interest in investigating crime comprehensively outweighed the limited privacy rights attached to the data. The court noted the data was tightly focused and did not reveal personal details such as beliefs or sexuality. The judgment affirmed the Special Criminal Court's 2020 findings. This decision does not affect the separate appeal by Elaine O'Hara, whose case remains contested and is not part of this finalisation.
The Workplace Relations Commission heard that paramedic Dave Lanigan, who returned to work on Covid‑19 testing after injury leave, was threatened with a nearly €5,000 deduction by the HSE to recover a payroll error. Lanigan disputes the deduction's legality and claims entitlement to the money. He alleges he was not informed of changes to his working hours that would affect his shift allowance. The HSE argues the National Ambulance Service is not a legal entity and that the complaint is outside the WRC's jurisdiction because the disputed sum has not yet been deducted and the complaint was filed too late. Lanigan says he was offered a lump‑sum deduction or an instalment plan, chose the latter, and tried to lodge a grievance. The HSE's solicitor contends the shift allowance was not a contractual entitlement, while the National Ambulance Service HR manager says the bonus was paid in error to ten paramedics, including Lanigan.
Patrick Shiels, 66, was sentenced to 10 years in prison at the Central Criminal Court following a retrial. He was found guilty of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault committed against his daughter, Marlene Prakash-Shiels, between September 2000 and December 2004 at his address in Togher, Portlaoise, Co Laois. Shiels was also found guilty of two charges of child cruelty. Although convicted and jailed in a previous trial, he was released in July 2021 after the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of 12 years for the oral rape count, reducing it to 10 years after considering minor mitigating factors, including Shiels' age and lack of prior convictions. Sentences of four years for the remaining counts were imposed to run concurrently, with credit for time served. The judge noted limited scope for mitigation as Shiels does not accept the verdict and has expressed no remorse. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the lasting trauma in her impact statement. The court highlighted that the case fell within the more serious category of sexual offences.
Tony Walsh, aged 72, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to four years in prison for indecent assault of schoolboys in the 1980s. Walsh, a former curate in Ballyfermot and chaplain at De La Salle school, abused boys between 1978 and 1986. He pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child in a lane in Ballyfermot and at De La Salle school, as well as to indecent assault of a ten‑year‑old boy in 1982. The court heard victim impact statements describing how Walsh's actions caused lasting emotional and psychological harm. Walsh has previously served 20 years in prison since 1995, when he was first convicted of indecent assault, and has been convicted of 28 counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and five of buggery. The sentence reflects the cumulative nature of his offences and the harm inflicted on the victims.
The High Court has adjourned the extradition appeal of Imre Arakas to Monday next to fix a hearing date, during which he is to appear by video-link. Mr Justice Paul Burns directed the State to prepare a Section 20 request under the Extradition Act to clarify Lithuanian authorities' allegations regarding Arakas's specific role in the 2015 murder of Deimantas Bugavicius. Lithuanian police allege Arakas was part of a three-man gang that conspired to murder the victim, while Arakas claims he was in Spain on the relevant dates. An eyewitness to the murder stated that Arakas was not present at the scene. The court noted that Arakas was previously jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018 after pleading guilty to conspiring with others to murder James 'Mago' Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. He has been in custody in Ireland since April 2017. The judge also referenced the separate extradition case of Liam Campbell, who was found civilly liable for the Omagh bombing and whose appeal to the Supreme Court resulted in a ruling permitting his extradition to Lithuania for offences including terrorism and weapons possession. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the current session adjourned rather than concluded.
In July 2022 the State appealed a trial judge's direction to acquit a 38‑year‑old man accused of robbing an elderly Laois woman of her pension and holiday money at her back door. The man had been acquitted in May 2021 after the defence argued that a garda line‑up used to identify him was inadmissible because he had not been informed he was participating. The line‑up was informal, conducted without the man's knowledge, and he was the only participant who spoke to a garda during the pass. The trial judge agreed with the defence that the identification was unfair and ordered acquittal, refusing further evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed under Section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2010, arguing the evidence was compelling and the line‑up was conducted to a high standard. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals against conviction and sentence lodged by Gheorghe Goidan, a 49-year-old Romanian national. Goidan was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of rape and sexual assault committed against two sex workers in separate hotels in Portlaoise and Galway on September 7, 2017. He had pleaded not guilty to these charges but admitted to robbing the victims. The trial judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, sentenced him to two consecutive terms of 10 years, describing the offences as ultra-violent and premeditated. In his appeal, Goidan's counsel argued that the trial judge erred regarding the admissibility of videolink evidence and the refusal to sever the indictment, and that the sentence was disproportionate. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected these grounds, stating the trial judge exercised her discretion correctly. The court further dismissed the appeal against sentence, noting that the discount applied to the consecutive terms was entirely appropriate. The judges affirmed that the sentence reflected the severe violence and humiliation experienced by the victims, who were targeted due to their vulnerability. The 20-year effective custody term is therefore upheld.
Dean Kerrie, aged 21, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter after a retrial at the Central Criminal Court. The case involved the death of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who had smashed the front window of Kerrie's home and entered after 3 am. Kerrie claimed Power attacked him and his mother, and that he stabbed Power with a kitchen knife in self‑defence. The jury, consisting of seven women and four men, deliberated for just under six hours before reaching a unanimous verdict. Judge Paul McDermott remanded Kerrie into custody pending sentencing on 19 October, ordered a probation report and a victim impact statement, and refused to allow him to remain on bail. The trial was the second for Kerrie on the same offence, following an earlier hung jury. The evidence presented included conflicting witness accounts of the events inside the house and the circumstances of the stabbing. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, the jury must decide whether 17‑year‑old Dean Kerrie used reasonable force when fisherman Jack Power entered his home. Judge Paul McDermott explained three possible verdicts: acquittal if Kerrie's force was objectively reasonable, manslaughter if he believed the force necessary but used excessive force, and murder if he knew the force was excessive. Evidence includes a 999 call from Kerrie at 3:44 am, eyewitness accounts, and Kerrie's own statements to Gardaí. The case centers on Power's alleged entry after a night of drinking, a broken window, and a single stab wound to Power's chest. Kerrie, aged 20 at trial, pleaded not guilty to murdering 25‑year‑old Power, who died at Shanakiel, Dunmore East. The jury began deliberations on the day of the hearing.
In the trial of 21‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, who was 17 when the incident occurred, the court heard closing speeches from both the prosecution and defence. Kerrie, of St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, denies murdering 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who was stabbed at Shanakiel, Dunmore East, on 26 July 2018. The defence argues that Kerrie acted in self‑defence after Power allegedly forced his way into the Kerrie home following a rock thrown at their window. Witness testimony includes a 999 call by Kerrie at 3.44 am, stating that Power entered the front door and tried to hit him, and that Kerrie stabbed him with a kitchen knife without intent to kill. Christopher Lee, a friend of Power, denies that Power forced entry and claims Kerrie deliberately killed him. The court heard that Power died from a 13 cm stab wound that penetrated his heart, causing massive blood loss. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Shiels, 66, was found guilty of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault against his daughter, Marlene Prakash-Shiels, who was aged between four and eight at the time. The offences occurred between September 2000 and December 2004 at his address in Togher, Portlaoise, Co Laois. Shiels was also found guilty of two charges of child cruelty for forcing the victim to drink alcohol and watch pornography. This verdict followed a retrial earlier this year; Shiels had previously been convicted and jailed but was released in July 2021 after the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial. The victim, who waived her anonymity, stated that Shiels caused "so much destruction" and showed no remorse. Prosecutors noted that the victim was placed in foster care in 2001 and that alcohol was a consistent feature of her visits to her father. Defence counsel highlighted Shiels' anxiety, depression, and alcoholism, noting he has no previous convictions. However, Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated there was little room for mitigation because Shiels does not accept the jury's verdict. The matter was adjourned to July 22 for sentencing.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, Patrick Gageby SC argued that Judge Tara Burns erred by refusing the defendant, Gheorghe Goidan, the right to cross‑examine one victim on her sexual history and by failing to discharge the jury after prejudicial material was presented. Goidan, 49, had been convicted in 2019 of two rapes and robberies of Czech sex workers, receiving 20 years' imprisonment (10 years for each rape, 7 years for robbery, concurrent). He appealed both conviction and sentence, claiming the judge's headline 17‑year sexual‑offence term was disproportionate and that his lack of prior convictions should have been weighted more heavily. The Director of Public Prosecutions upheld the conviction and sentence, citing the premeditated, ultra‑violent nature of the attacks and the victims' vulnerability. The appeal judgment remains reserved. Gheorghe Goidan pleaded not guilty.
An eye witness, Dylan Jones, told a jury that a drunk fisherman, Dean Kerrie, entered the home of a teenager, now on trial for murder, and began choking him while saying, "I'm going to kill you." Jones also said the prosecution's claim that Jack Power was leaving the house when Kerrie stabbed him was false. Kerrie, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who was 17 at the time of the death. Jones described the night of the stabbing, noting that Power appeared drunk, pushed him against a wall, and that Kerrie later stabbed him. He denied that Power had pushed the door in or that a knife was seen until after the stabbing. The trial continues with further witnesses to be called.
The prosecution finished its case in the trial of Dean Kerrie, a 20‑year‑old accused of murdering 25‑year‑old fisherman Jack Power in July 2018. On the final day, forensic expert Dr Stephen Clifford presented DNA evidence from items found in Kerrie's home, including a knife in the kitchen that matched Power's DNA and a second knife with an incomplete DNA mix. Blood stains on a white scarf and on a pair of shorts also matched Power and Kerrie's mother, Ann Fitzgerald. The jury heard that Kerrie, who was 17 at the time of the murder, had called 999 at 3.44 am, claiming he stabbed Power in self‑defence. Witness Christopher Lee denied that Power had forced entry and accused Kerrie of deliberately killing him. The defence announced plans to call technical witnesses, and the judge scheduled the next phase of the trial for the following day. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
During a Central Criminal Court murder trial, the jury heard that a knife heavily stained with the blood of 25‑year‑old fisherman Jack Power was found in the kitchen of accused Dean Kerrie, while a second knife recovered from the hallway contained no blood. Kerrie, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to murdering Power, who was 17 at the time, after a 999 call at 3.44 am on 26 July 2018. Kerrie claimed he stabbed Power in the chest with a kitchen knife but did not intend to kill him. Eye witness Christopher Lee denied that Power had forced entry and accused Kerrie of deliberately killing him. Garda evidence included a black‑and‑white Swiss Line knife on a hallway mat, a black‑handled bread knife on a draining board, and a large black‑handled knife heavily blood‑stained. A broken wooden chair leg was found in the attic, with contact blood smears attributed to Kerrie's mother.
In a Waterford murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that Jack Power, 25, died from a 13‑centimetre stab wound to his chest, inflicted by Dean Kerrie, 21, when Power entered Kerrie's house in Shanakiel, Dunmore East, on 26 July 2018. Former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the knife entered between the third and fourth ribs, pierced the heart and two ribs, and caused a massive haemothorax, with about 3.5 litres of blood pooled in Power's chest cavity. CPR and chest drains were attempted but failed. Power's blood alcohol level was 187 mg per 100 ml, three times the driving limit, and there was evidence of recent cocaine use. Dr Curtis concluded the cause of death was the single stab wound; blunt‑force trauma to the head was not contributory. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
A 20‑year‑old named Dean Kerrie, who lives in Portarlington, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who was stabbed on 26 July 2018. In court, Kerrie told a garda that he had been asleep when Power entered his house, grabbed his mother and began punching and kicking. Kerrie claimed he grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Power in the chest, saying he did not intend to kill him. He also said Power had come to his house to blame him for damage to a car mirror. The trial heard evidence that the front windows of Kerrie's house were broken, a silver Volkswagen Polo was found with a missing wing mirror, and that Power's body had a stab wound with little blood. The case is still before a jury and a judge.
In the Central Criminal Court, 17‑year‑old Dean Kerrie is charged with murdering 25‑year‑old Jack Power on 26 July 2018. Witness Christopher Lee, Kerrie's best friend, testified that he and Power were schoolmates and that Power entered the Kerrie house early that morning. Lee said he saw Power and Kerrie in the house, that Power pushed Kerrie's mother and that Kerrie entered the house with a knife. Lee claimed he saw Kerrie stab Power in the chest. He denied that Power had forced the front door or that Power had smashed a window. Lee also said he broke a window with a golf club after the incident. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 20‑year‑old named Dean Kerrie, who lived in Portarlington, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, a fisherman from Dunmore East, who was stabbed to death at Kerrie's house on 26 July 2018. The prosecution presented evidence that Power had left a pub intoxicated, damaged his car's wing mirror, and believed Kerrie was responsible. Power then went to Kerrie's house, where a confrontation occurred. Kerrie allegedly stabbed Power with a large kitchen knife, after which Power collapsed outside and was pronounced dead at University Hospital Waterford. A post‑mortem found a 13‑cm stab wound as the cause of death. The prosecution also highlighted two 999 calls: one from Kerrie's mother reporting broken windows, and another from Kerrie admitting to stabbing Power but claiming he did not intend to kill.
A jury has been sworn in to hear the trial of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, accused of murdering 25‑year‑old fisherman Jack Power in Waterford on 26 July 2018 when Kerrie was 17. Kerrie pleaded not guilty to the single charge of murder. The trial will be heard by a panel of seven women and five men at the Central Criminal Court, with the prosecution opening the case tomorrow. Judge Paul McDermott warned jurors to avoid media and social media and focus solely on the evidence presented in court.
In a 2022 Central Criminal Court hearing, Martin Kelly, aged 35, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for manslaughter after he set fire to Gerry Nolan's mobile home in 2006, killing Nolan. The court noted Kelly's 196 prior convictions, including 10 for criminal damage, and his high risk of reoffending. Kelly pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting gross recklessness. The judge highlighted the devastating impact on Nolan's family, who had endured 16 years of unresolved grief. The sentence included an 18‑month suspended portion, to be served over three years, contingent on education and addiction support. The case stemmed from a cold‑case review that uncovered new evidence, including a changed alibi statement from a former partner. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offence and Kelly's acceptance of responsibility. Martin Kelly pleaded not guilty.
A 68-year-old former solicitor from Claremorris, County Mayo, has been remanded on bail pending sentencing in November following his admission to four counts of theft. David Doyle pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing cash totalling over €53,000 from a number of individuals between April 2009 and November 2016. The prosecution indicated that further guilty pleas would be sought. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 10 November, when evidence and victim impact statements will be heard. Doyle remains on continuing bail in the interim.
David O'Brien, a 70‑year‑old former scout leader, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for indecently assaulting a nine‑ or ten‑year‑old boy during a scouting trip in 1981. O'Brien, who has 22 prior convictions for indecent assault and has admitted abusing more than 40 children between 1975 and 1983, is already serving sentences that include an eight‑year term and a six‑year term, with release not expected until February 2025. The court heard that the boy, who was sleeping with other cubs, was approached by O'Brien who fondled his genitals and anus while the boy was frozen and in shock. The boy later reported the abuse after media reports on sexual abuse in Scouting Ireland. O'Brien pleaded guilty, acknowledged his paedophilic nature, and expressed remorse. Judge Melanie Greally noted the boy's lasting harm and the breach of trust, and imposed the 16‑month sentence.
Dean Kerrie, a 20‑year‑old from St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, was accused of murdering 25‑year‑old fisherman Jack Power during an early‑morning altercation at Kerrie's mother's home. The original trial at the Central Criminal Court ended with a hung jury after two weeks, and Kerrie was released on continuing bail. At a hearing today, Mr Justice Paul McDermott set a new trial date for 27 June and ordered that transcripts from the previous trial be made available to both prosecution and defence before the new proceedings. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.