In the murder trial of Inga Ozolina, a 48‑year‑old Latvian‑born woman, the defence counsel, Caroline Biggs SC, urged the jury to acquit if there is a reasonable possibility that the fatal wound was caused by Mr Pukas moving toward the knife, or that Ozolina acted in justifiable self‑defence, or that she had no intent to kill. Ozolina, who lives in Mountrath, claimed she grabbed a nearby object to defend herself after Mr Pukas, a 40‑year‑old father of two, began hitting and biting her. The court heard evidence of domestic abuse, including injuries to Ozolina and witnesses describing Mr Pukas's aggression. The prosecution, represented by Paul Murray SC, argued that the knife wounds were not accidental and that Ozolina had the knife and was not in self‑defence. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, will deliberate on these points. The trial is ongoing. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Inga Ozolina, a 48‑year‑old mother of two, the defence presented evidence that she had arrived at a friend's house in a state of distress, with a bite on her nose, earlier in her relationship with the victim. Ozolina, originally from Latvia and residing in Old Court Church, Mountrath, claimed she was acting in self‑defence when she stabbed Audrius Pukas, a 40‑year‑old father of two, at The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. The Central Criminal Court heard that Pukas died from a stab wound to his chest. Niamh Hyland, a friend of Ozolina for ten years, testified that Ozolina had visited her home twice in the early hours, both times with blood on her nose and, on the second visit, a swollen eye. Hyland described Pukas's interactions with Ozolina as often aggressive. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial of Inga Ozolina, a witness testified that she once saw Ozolina's neck appear blue while she was still in a relationship with the deceased, Audrius Pukas. Ozolina, a 48‑year‑old mother of two from Mountrath, claimed she acted in self‑defence after Pukas died from a stab wound inflicted by a knife she was holding. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, also heard from Ms. Karina Sulinezee, who recalled seeing Ozolina's neck turn blue after removing a scarf and noted that Ozolina's ear had been scratched. Sulinezee further recounted that Pukas had previously struck her partner at a birthday party, an incident she said led to the partner's bleeding. Prosecutor Paul Murray closed his case and will cross‑examine Ms. Sulinezee before the judge and jury. The case remains ongoing. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, charged with murdering 40‑year‑old Audrius Pukas in Co. Tipperary, a neighbour testified that Pukas was always the aggressor in their arguments. He described a fatal fight on 20 November 2016, after which he met a garda and asked if Ozolina was OK, having heard a scream of pain from her. Photographs of bite marks and other injuries were shown to the court. Ozolina claimed self‑defence. Mark Fletcher, a neighbour, recounted frequent late‑night shouting, usually by Pukas, and that the fight ended abruptly. Garda Maureen Finnerty testified about the injuries found on Ozolina's body. The case is proceeding before a jury of seven men and five women. The unnamed 48-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, originally from Latvia, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016 at The Malthouse, Roscrea. Detective Garda Stuart Beatty testified that Ozolina claimed she had taken a knife to defend herself after Pukas began hitting and biting her, and that she had no intention of killing him. Beatty also reported that Ozolina was told the knife had penetrated Pukas' chest to 20 cm and his arm to 13 cm, and that she had washed the knife in a panic, claiming she did not think of removing DNA. The court heard that the knife was found in a kitchen drawer with three blood specks matching the deceased. Ozolina denied assaulting Pukas, stating she acted in self‑defence.
In a Central Criminal Court trial in Co. Tipperary, a 48‑year‑old woman, Inga Ozolina, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016. The prosecution presented a 21‑cm knife seized from Ms Ozolina's kitchen drawer, showing three small specks of blood that, under magnification, matched the deceased's DNA. Ms Ozolina testified that she had grabbed the knife after Mr Pukas began hitting and biting her, and that he had tried to wrestle it away before retreating. She claimed she washed the knife in the sink without noticing the blood, saying she was concentrating on her hands. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with a jury of seven men and five women.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentence of David Burke, who was found to have the greatest culpability in the fatal assault on Dale Creighton in Tallaght in 2014. Burke, along with four others, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after murder charges were dropped during trial. The original sentencing judge, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, imposed a ten-year term on Burke with the final two-and-a-half years suspended, citing his role in setting the agenda. However, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, re-sentenced Burke to ten years imprisonment with the final three years and three months suspended. This results in a net jail term of six years and nine months, a reduction of nine months. The court determined that the original divergence from the next most culpable offender, Ross Callery, was excessive. Callery, who was also found to have high culpability, received a ten-year sentence with the final four years suspended, leaving a net term of six years. Other participants included Aisling Burke, jailed for one year for violent disorder; James Reid, given a wholly suspended two-year sentence for possession of a knife; Graham Palmer, sentenced to ten years with five suspended; Jason Beresford, sentenced to ten years with four suspended; and Gerard Stevens, sentenced to ten years with seven suspended. The appeal focused on parity and relativity among the multiple defendants.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 48‑year‑old woman from Mountrath, Co. Laois, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016. The accused, Inga Ozolina, claimed that she had been repeatedly assaulted by Pukas, who had previously beaten her and had a history of violence. She said that a doctor had warned her that she might be killed if he attacked her again and advised her to keep a sharp object for self‑defence. Ozolina described her life as a "living hell," noting that she had a safety order against Pukas, had sought a second order, and had been in a women's shelter.
Gheorghe Goidan, 46, was convicted of raping two Czech women who were working as prostitutes in Ireland. He had contacted them through the website "escortsireland.ie" and met each separately in hotel rooms. In each encounter he pulled a knife, threatened the women, and then sexually assaulted and raped them. Goidan had previously pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a hotel in Portlaoise on 7 September 2017, and had denied rape, oral rape and anal rape of a second woman at the Maldron Hotel in Galway on the same day. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty on all counts, including robbery. The trial revealed that the women had not known one another and had booked themselves into the hotel rooms via the website. Goidan's actions were traced through CCTV footage and the vehicle he used was linked to him.
A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Inga Ozolina, a 45‑year‑old Latvian woman, accused of murdering Lithuanian man Audrius Pukas, 43, at The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. Ozolina, who now lives and works in Mountrath, Co. Laois, pleaded not guilty. Her trial will begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Alexander Owens at 11 a.m.
A 79‑year‑old dual US‑Irish citizen, Daniel Mullan, is wanted by the FBI for alleged child‑pornography offences and the sexual exploitation of a minor. He is currently in custody at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, and faces extradition to New York. In December, the High Court ordered his extradition, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal on 12 April 2019. Mullan's lawyers challenged the order, arguing that his serious health problems—including sight loss, inability to walk, morbid obesity, atrial fibrillation, chronic cardiac failure, anxiety and cellulitis—made extradition disproportionate and not in the public interest. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge, stating that the evidence of his health was scant and that the Irish prison system had handled his custody well. The judge noted that the seriousness of the alleged offences and Ireland's international agreement with the United States supported the extradition.
The trial of farmer Patrick Quirke, 50, for the alleged murder of Bobby Ryan, a part-time DJ known as Mr Moonlight, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Quirke, of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution alleges he murdered Ryan to rekindle an affair with Ryan's girlfriend, Mary Lowry. Ryan went missing in June 2011 and his body was found in an underground tank on a farm leased by Quirke in April 2013. Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes, testifying for the defence, stated that injuries to Ryan's body were not caused by debris falling when the concrete lid covering the tank was removed. He confirmed that only minor debris fell and that the detachment of Ryan's arm was the only damage sustained during removal. Hayes also testified that Quirke has no previous convictions and is not suspected of other crimes, noting that prior burglary charges were withdrawn by the DPP. The cross-examination covered various investigative details, including the timing of phone masts, the examination of Lowry's home, and the handling of fingerprints and phone data. Hayes acknowledged that fingerprints from Ryan's van were not tested against Quirke's until recently, attributing this to a responsibility issue at Garda headquarters. He also noted that the Deputy State Pathologist did not attend the scene, which he stated had no negative impact on the examination. The matter was adjourned, with cross-examination to continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a case heard at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, Polish national Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault causing harm after a vehicle he drove collided with the Gorman brothers' car. The incident occurred on 29 December 2015 near Ballycrystal, Offaly. Alchimionek had claimed he believed the Islamic State would invade Europe and trigger a world war. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, employed at the Central Mental Hospital, agreed he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts. He was sentenced to nine years, with three years suspended. The Court of Appeal later quashed the verdict, describing it as "perverse" and ordered Alchimionek's commitment to the Central Mental Hospital as an inpatient. The decision was based on a recent assessment by Dr Paul O'Connell, who confirmed Alchimionek's continued need for detention.
The case of Dariusz Alchimionek (44), a Polish national from Portarlington, Co Laois, has been adjourned to March 7 for mention following a ruling by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal found the jury verdict of guilty on charges of manslaughter and assault causing harm to be 'perverse' and against the weight of the evidence. Alchimionek had previously been found not guilty by reason of insanity by the jury, but the verdict was overturned. Consultant psychiatrists from both the prosecution and defence agreed that Alchimionek met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial judge had instructed the jury to consider this option, but the jury returned a majority guilty verdict of 11-1 on both counts. Alchimionek was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with the final three suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson in October 2017. The Court of Appeal quashed the verdict and considered the possibility of a retrial or substituting the appropriate verdict. However, the court decided against a retrial, citing the public interest and the likelihood of the same outcome. Alchimionek was committed to the Central Mental Hospital for assessment, with the most recent medical report from July 2017. The matter was adjourned to March 7 for mention.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal of Daniel Mullan, a 79-year-old dual US-Irish citizen, regarding his proposed extradition to the United States. Mullan is currently in custody at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, and is wanted by the FBI in New York to face trial on charges of sexual exploitation and transportation of a minor, as well as two counts of possessing child pornography. The FBI alleges he produced and sold such material for at least 30 years. Mullan was indicted by a New York Grand Jury in September 2017 while serving a sentence for sexual offences in Ireland. The High Court ordered his extradition in December, a decision he is now challenging. His counsel argued that Mullan should be prosecuted in Ireland under the Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act 1996 and cited his severe medical conditions, including sight loss and cardiac failure, as grounds for blocking extradition under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Attorney General's counsel countered that these conditions do not bar extradition, noting US prison facilities are adequate and that Mullan lacks a sufficient family life nexus in Ireland. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Ms Justice Máire Whelan and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, reserved the court's judgement. The matter was adjourned, and no final decision was reached during this hearing.
In a 2019 case, the Court of Appeal quashed a jury verdict that convicted Polish driver Dariusz Alchimionek, 44, of manslaughter and assault after he allegedly caused the death of 19‑year‑old John Gorman and injured Gorman's brother Adam on 29 December 2015. The incident occurred when Alchimionek's vehicle crossed the road into the path of the brothers' car near Ballycrystal, Offaly. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, working at the Central Mental Hospital, agreed that Alchimionek met the criteria for not‑guilty by reason of insanity. The jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes of deliberation, returned a 11‑to‑1 guilty verdict, leading to a nine‑year sentence with a three‑year suspended portion. Alchimionek's lawyers appealed on the ground that the verdict was "perverse" and contrary to the evidence. Dariusz Alchimionek was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Kevin Braney, the Dublin leader of the New IRA, was convicted of murder for the killing of dissident republican Peter Butterly. The New IRA, formed in 2012 from remnants of the Real IRA, Republican Action Against Drugs, former Provisional IRA activists and criminal elements, is regarded by the gardai and PSNI as the biggest terrorist threat in Ireland. Braney's conviction followed extensive garda operations involving the Special Detective Unit, Garda Security and Intelligence and the National Surveillance Unit (NSU). NSU members observed Braney's movements before, during and after the murder, and provided evidence in court, though the public were excluded from the proceedings. Braney was also convicted of IRA membership in 2022 and is serving a four‑year sentence in Portlaoise Prison. The New IRA remains a primary target of Garda Security and Intelligence, with about 50 active members and several hundred sympathisers across the island.
Alan McDonagh, 33, was jailed for four years after stealing a rental car fitted with a tracking device. He pleaded guilty to burglary and unauthorised taking of a car on September 8, 2017, and was tracked by gardaí to the N7. McDonagh, who has 173 previous convictions including 31 for burglary, has spent more than half his life in custody and became addicted to heroin at 16. The court accepted his desire to become drug‑free and suspended the last year of a five‑year term on the condition he keep the peace, engage with the Probation Service for 12 months and remain drug‑ and alcohol‑free. He also admitted robbing a woman at St Stephen's Green on November 3, 2017, for which a concurrent sentence was imposed. All sentences are back‑dated to July 18, the day he entered custody.
Aaron Doran, a 32‑year‑old taxi driver, was sentenced to one year in prison for sexually assaulting a friend of his fiancée at the engagement party on 21 June 2015. The assault took place at Kilcarraig Close, Tallaght, after a night of heavy drinking. Doran entered the victim's bedroom, touched her vagina and demanded she show him her clit before leaving. The victim, who had waived anonymity, described the incident as traumatic and a betrayal of trust. Doran pleaded not guilty, claiming he was drunk and had mistaken the victim for his girlfriend. The judge noted his lack of acknowledgement of wrongdoing and the breach of trust, but suspended the final 18 months of a 2½‑year sentence, citing his good character and employment history. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Aaron Doran was convicted.
In a 2019 case, Polish driver Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault after a December 2015 incident in which he collided with the Gorman brothers, killing 19‑year‑old John Gorman and injuring Adam. The jury, after 2 h 50 min deliberation, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts, despite psychiatrists agreeing he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. Alchimionek was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. His defence counsel appealed, arguing the verdict was "perverse" and that the jury's decision contradicted expert evidence. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Alan McDonagh, 33, was caught driving a stolen Europcar that had a tracking device. He pleaded guilty to burglary and unauthorised taking of a car on Camden Street Upper on 8 September 2017 and to robbing a young woman of her purse at Stephen's Green East on 3 November 2017. The court noted he became addicted to heroin at 16, has spent over half his life in custody, and has 173 previous convictions, 13 for Circuit Court offences. He is on bail for other offences. The court adjourned sentencing to 7 February to allow him to finish methadone treatment. He has requested to serve his sentence at Midlands prison to stay near family and avoid influences at Mountjoy. He has written apology letters to both victims. The sentencing will occur on 7 February.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, William Butler, aged 52, was sentenced to three years' custody for stealing €19,380 from the pension fund of a widow, Kathleen Carroll, who had let him stay at her home. Butler admitted taking the money over three months between November 2013 and January 2014, using her banking details to withdraw the funds from the Bank of Ireland. He had no prior convictions. Judge Karen O'Connor described Carroll's husband as having died months earlier and noted that Carroll was a vulnerable person who was preyed upon by Butler's regular withdrawals. Butler was given a full admission of guilt, pleaded guilty, and was ordered to undergo treatment programmes for gambling and alcohol if required. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence and commended Carroll for her dignified conduct in court. The sentence was imposed with consideration of Butler's personal difficulties and the impact on his family and reputation.
An Estonian hitman, Imre Arakas, aged 60, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between 3 and 4 April last year. The court found that Arakas had agreed to pull the trigger and had supplied details on how the murder would be carried out, including the use of a silencer. He had been recruited from abroad and had travelled to Ireland for the purpose of the hit. Gardaí prevented the execution of the murder. Arakas pleaded guilty, and the judge noted his cooperation, health difficulties and lack of support in Ireland as mitigating factors. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 4 April 2017, with a combined discount of three years for the mitigating factors. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Cormac Dunne presiding. The conviction was part of a broader effort to disrupt organised crime conspiracies.
Mr Charlie Jennings, a 65‑year‑old farmer from Carrickamon, Ravensdale, Dundalk, has filed High Court proceedings against the financial fund Promontoria (Oyster) DAC. He seeks to sell 46 acres of land in Castletown, Kilpatrick, Navan, Co. Meath, which he bought in 2005 and 2006 for €590,000 with loans from Ulster Bank that were later purchased by Promontoria in 2016. Jennings claims the fund has not supplied a net redemption figure that would allow him to clear an outstanding loan of about €257,000, preventing him from completing a sale agreed with a buyer since May. He alleges the fund is also demanding payment on other mortgages linked to his son's property and a joint mortgage with a business partner, citing 'all sums due' clauses. Jennings seeks orders compelling Promontoria to provide the redemption figure, to allow the sale, and to prevent interference, as well as damages.
In a case watched by the Polish Embassy in Dublin, Polish national Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault causing harm to Adam Gorman, the brother of 19‑year‑old John Gorman, after a vehicle he drove collided with their car on 29 December 2015. The incident occurred while the brothers were returning from Tullamore. Alchimionek claimed he believed the Islamic State would invade Europe and trigger a world war. Consultant psychiatrists for both sides agreed he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity, yet the jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes of deliberation, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts. He was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Alchimionek has appealed, arguing the verdict was "perverse" and seeking treatment in the Central Mental Hospital. The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for 24 January, with the Polish Embassy observing the proceedings.
Ex-wrestler Imre Arakas, a former Estonian separatist who was 'scarred deeply' by imprisonment in Russia, was remanded in custody until December 12 for sentencing. Arakas admitted to conspiring with others not before the court to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3rd and April 4th last year, contrary to Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The court heard that Arakas purchased a wig in Dublin and used an encrypted Blackberry phone to receive information about Gately's movements. Gardai began an intelligence-led investigation after receiving confidential information about the targeting of Gately by individuals involved in organised crime. Arakas was placed under surveillance upon his arrival in Dublin on April 3, 2017, and was followed to Blakestown Cottages in Dublin 15, where he was arrested the following day. A Blackberry phone, a piece of paper with Estonian writing and the name 'James Gately…in Newry' in English, a mirror, and cash were found at the scene. The Blackberry phone was encrypted and password protected, and messages were found on it that detailed plans to target Gately. The messages were almost instantly deleted after Arakas' arrest, but a garda managed to photograph the open messages before they were removed. The court heard that Arakas had four previous convictions, including causing deliberate bodily harm, escaping from prison, and unlawful handling of firearms. The matter was adjourned and will be sentenced on December 12.
Aidan Conroy, a 40‑year‑old truck driver from Ashbrook, Clonaslee, was jailed for eight and a half years after a court found him a facilitator in the importation of nearly €300,000 worth of cocaine. The drugs were seized at Dublin Port on 20 August 2015 when officers stopped his freight truck after it disembarked from a ferry. They discovered 4.2 kilos of cocaine hidden in a fire extinguisher in the truck cab and an additional 6.9 kilos in a bag on pallets in the trailer. A jury acquitted Conroy of charges relating to the trailer drugs but convicted him of possession of the cab drugs. He pleaded not guilty to possession for sale or supply of cocaine with a market value over €13,000 and denied importation.
A 41‑year‑old woman who had taken a summer job looking after animals on local farms to prepare for a future as a vet was raped by John Phelan, 54, between 1992 and 1993 when she was aged 14 to 16. Phelan pleaded guilty to four sexual assault charges and two rapes at his home and other locations in Laois. He had previously served seven years for raping a girl aged nine to 11 in 1989 and 1990. At sentencing, the judge noted Phelan's false claim of no sexual preference for minors and described the abuse as calculated and exploitative. Phelan was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, and ordered to serve three years of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement highlighted how the abuse ended her dreams of becoming a vet and left her with lasting trauma.
Stephen Brophy, aged 27, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm in Ashbury View, Roscrea, during a feud between the McCarthy/O'Donoghues and the Hutchinson/Marshalls. He had thrown a pitchfork that bounced and struck a woman, Sharon McCarthy, on the lips, causing a scar and requiring surgery. The original sentence of seven years, with two years suspended, was quashed on appeal. He was re‑sentenced to four years for violent disorder (two years suspended) and three years for the assault (12 months suspended), with both terms running concurrently. Brophy must remain in good behaviour for two years after release and may not approach a McCarthy family member unless invited or in a friendly manner. The appeal was granted by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, with the Court of Appeal hearing the case.
In October 2018, a Polish man named Andrezej Pacek, aged 44 and currently serving a ten‑year prison sentence for a drug offence, was denied legal aid to defend a Criminal Assets Bureau claim that a commercial property in Hollyford, Co. Tipperary, where about €1 million of cannabis was found, was purchased with proceeds of crime. Pacek, who lives in Deerpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford, had earlier been convicted in 2017 for possession of a controlled drug worth €13 000 or more, with six years of his sentence suspended. The CAB argued that the Hollyford house was bought with illicit funds, citing unexplained four‑figure deposits into Pacek's bank accounts before the purchase. Pacek claimed the property was bought with savings from selling his Polish transport business in 2006. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart dismissed his legal aid application, noting translation difficulties and a lack of supporting documentation, and adjourned the case to November.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal of Dariusz Alchimionek, a Polish national convicted of manslaughter and assault causing harm in 2015. Alchimionek, who was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment with the final three years suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson in October 2017, challenges his conviction on the ground that the jury's verdict was perverse. The case presents a procedural difficulty for the Director of Public Prosecutions, as both prosecution and defence psychiatrists agreed Alchimionek met the criteria for a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity. Despite this, the jury returned majority guilty verdicts. Counsel for the DPP, Michael Delaney SC, stated the Director is conducting further enquiries and seeking a new psychiatric opinion, which will take several weeks. Defence counsel Kenneth Fogarty SC noted the charged atmosphere in the Circuit Court and Alchimionek's preference for detention in the Central Mental Hospital over Wheatfield Prison. President Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Ms Justice Máire Whelan and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, put the matter back for case management on November 30. The court indicated it would attempt to secure an early hearing date if necessary, though this may not be possible. The matter remains adjourned and is not concluded.
Brendan Cummins, a 23‑year‑old former Leinster boxing champion, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for punching a prison officer at Portlaoise Prison on 20 February 2017. Cummins had 97 prior disciplinary sanctions and 11 previous assault convictions, including an earlier assault on a prison officer at Cloverhill Prison on the same date. The attack, described as unprovoked, broke the officer's nose and cut his inner lip, causing the officer to suffer headaches and a loss of smell. Cummins pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final year due to his age, and ordered that he have no contact with the officer or his family for 25 years. The court noted Cummins' plea and the prison punishments already imposed, including a year of solitary confinement.
Brian Rattigan, aged 37, remains in custody after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against a conviction for directing the supply of drugs from prison. He had pleaded not guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possession of heroin and two counts of possession of the drug for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang that conducted a €1 million heroin deal and sentenced him to 17 years in prison, backdated to June 2008. Rattigan appealed on eight grounds, including alleged errors in search warrants, admission of evidence and the value and purity of the drugs. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge panel, who upheld the trial court's findings and the conviction as safe. The decision was delivered by Mr Justice John Edwards, with Mr Justice John Hedigan and Mr Justice Brian McGovern.
Brian Rattigan, a 37‑year‑old from Cooley Road, Drimnagh, faces arraignment on 1 January 2001 murder charge. He is accused of killing 21‑year‑old Declan Gavin outside the Abrakebabra fast‑food at Crumlin Shopping Centre on 25 August 2001. The Central Criminal Court had scheduled a trial for 14 January next year, but his barrister requested an earlier arraignment. The court granted the request, setting 22 October as the arraignment date, while a governor's report from Portlaoise Prison is to be prepared. The prosecution will not present evidence on that day.
In 2018, a 41‑year‑old woman recounted how a local horse trader, John Phelan, 54, ended her aspiration to become a vet by raping her during school holidays in 1992–1993. She had taken a summer job caring for animals on farms, hoping to prepare for her future, but Phelan abused her while she was 14–16. He pleaded guilty to four sexual assault charges and two rapes, and was already serving a seven‑year sentence for earlier abuse of a girl aged nine to eleven. The court heard that Phelan began with inappropriate questions, then progressed to kissing, fondling, and digital penetration. He also forced her to wear a one‑piece swimsuit to facilitate molestation. The victim, who had not spoken out until the trial, described lasting trauma, depression, and a loss of trust in men. She thanked Garda Michael Kennelly and others for their support. Phelan was remanded in custody, with sentencing pending. John Phelan was convicted.
Two Dublin men, Kevin Braney (44) and Ciaran Maguire (30), were convicted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court and sentenced to four years and six months and four years and eleven months respectively. The court found that on 13 July 2017 they travelled from Dublin to an estate in County Meath, where they threatened an accident victim, claiming to be the IRA and threatening to shoot him if he did not withdraw a claim. The victim, who had fallen from a roof and suffered fractures, had filed a claim against his former employer over unpaid wages and hospital bills. Evidence from CCTV and the National Surveillance Unit corroborated the men's travel and threat. The judge relied on belief evidence from Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Maguire, concluding beyond reasonable doubt that the men were IRA members and had threatened the victim. The sentences were back‑dated to 2 August 2017 when the men entered custody. Kevin Braney was acquitted.
Kevin Hannaway, a 70‑year‑old from Belfast, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to three years and nine months in prison for aiding the IRA in interrogations that led to arrests. The court reduced the original six‑year sentence because of his age and serious PTSD, which includes anxiety attacks, heart problems, nightmares and physical symptoms triggered by prison conditions. Hannaway was one of several men interned at a secret base in Derry in 1971 where he endured inhumane treatment, including white noise and deprivation of sleep, food and drink. The European Court of Human Rights described that treatment as inhumane and degrading. The court also sentenced his co‑accused: Seán Hannaway to five years and six months, David Nooney to three years and nine months, Edward O'Brien to 16 months, and Eva Shannon to four years. All five were granted legal aid for appeal. Eva Shannon was found guilty. Kevin Hannaway was convicted.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Kevin Braney (44) and Ciaran Maguire (30) were found guilty of IRA membership. The men had denied membership on August 2, 2017, but evidence from Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Maguire and CCTV showed they travelled from Dublin to an estate in County Meath on July 13, 2017. There, they threatened an accident victim, claiming to be the IRA and saying they would shoot him if he did not withdraw a claim against a former employer. The victim, who had suffered a fall and injuries, had filed a claim for unpaid wages and hospital bills. The court, satisfied beyond reasonable doubt of the men's IRA membership, found the threat a planned, joined enterprise to intimidate. Both men were remanded in custody until sentencing on July 31. The offence carries a maximum sentence of eight years. The court noted the men's family circumstances and prior convictions but did not yet impose a sentence.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned a voir dire hearing to rule on the admissibility of DNA evidence in the trial of Jonathan Keogh, Regina Keogh, and Thomas Fox, who are accused of murdering Gareth Hutch. All three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to the murder, face charges related to the May 24, 2016, shooting outside Avondale House in Dublin. Mr Fox has additionally denied unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9mm handgun. Defence counsel for Mr Keogh argued that DNA samples taken from him in October 2017 for a separate, unprosecuted offence should be inadmissible, claiming the State had no interest in prosecuting that matter. Prosecuting counsel countered that the investigation was bona fide and the samples were necessary to compare against a mixed DNA profile. The court also heard evidence regarding forensic examinations of vehicles, including a Honda Civic where Mr Keogh's fingerprints were found on a knife and other items, and a white van where Mr Fox's fingerprints were identified on a spray paint cap and plastic bag. The prosecution contends the killing was premeditated, with Mr Keogh and an accomplice acting as shooters, while Mr Fox and Ms Keogh planned the crime. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, will deliver its ruling on the DNA evidence's admissibility on Monday, after which the trial will continue.
Brian Rattigan, 37, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, appealed his conviction for directing a €1 million heroin supply from prison. He had pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possession of heroin and two counts of possession for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang and sentenced him to 17 years, back‑dated to June 2008, to run concurrently with a life sentence for the murder of 21‑year‑old Declan Gavin. The Supreme Court quashed the murder conviction in December 2017. Rattigan's counsel argued insufficient evidence of possession and control, citing lack of drug purity testing and questionable expert testimony. He also challenged the validity of warrants used in the case. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment on the appeal.
In a sting operation, a Garda officer disguised as a postman used an An Post van to deliver a parcel containing 36,000 ecstasy tablets to Philip Noonan, who signed for it and was immediately arrested. Customs had flagged the package as suspicious after it arrived from Germany to Portlaoise Mail Centre in June 2015. The parcel, addressed to Noonan, was found to contain MDMA tablets worth €288,000. Noonan, aged 49, had previously been convicted of 20 offences, including a robbery in 1992, and was charged with possessing drugs for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty at his trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment. The judge noted he was not the owner of the drugs but had knowingly received the package for onward delivery. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the drug‑dealing activity, despite mitigating circumstances.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 8 June 2018, Private Dean Kane, aged 24 and a year into service with the 27th Infantry Battalion, was discharged from the Defence Forces for pointing a cocked and loaded Steyr automatic rifle at a fellow private while joking in his barracks. Kane had previously pleaded guilty in a summary Court Martial to three counts of negligent performance of duty and one count of conduct prejudiced to good order. He had loaded the rifle with a 30‑round magazine, cocked it, and pointed it near another soldier, then lied to a Corporal about the magazine. The military judge's sentence was upheld by a three‑judge Court of Appeal, which found no error in the judge's approach. Kane's conduct was deemed a serious breach of weapon safety protocols, and he was discharged by order of the military judge in March 2018. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the discharge and the seriousness of the offence.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Kevin Braney (44) and Ciaran Maguire (30) pleaded not guilty to IRA membership. They told a witness that they would shoot him if he did not drop a claim against a former employer. The witness, who was at home in Longwood on 13 July, heard heavy knocking, saw the two men, and was told they were IRA members. They claimed the witness had a claim against his former employer, who allegedly did work for republicans in Portlaoise prison, and urged him to drop the claim, calling it fraudulent. The witness said he was shocked and that he had indeed a claim for hospital bills after a fall on a roof. The court also heard that the men were seen driving from Dublin to Longwood that day. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
Garda Paul Leavy, who was off duty when burglars broke into his father‑in‑law's house in Tallaght on 8 December 2012, sustained serious injuries including stab wounds to his eye, shoulder, hand and chest. He applied for compensation under the Garda Compensation Acts, but the Minister for Justice refused the claim, ruling the injuries were not malicious or reckless. Leavy's lawyers argue the refusal is unreasonable, factually unsustainable and breaches fair procedures. The High Court has been asked to quash the Minister's decision and declare that the Minister and Oireachtas cannot constitutionally deny him access to the courts. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted permission ex‑parte, setting a return date for April. The case remains a judicial review challenge to the Minister's refusal.
Patrick McDonnell, 28, of New Line Close, Mountrath, was sentenced to five years in prison after a series of drug‑related offences and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine for sale or supply, dangerous driving and reckless endangerment at Castlecomer on 27 January 2017, and to possession of cannabis and cocaine at Ballyroan on 16 January 2016. During a drug bust near the Kilkenny/Laois border, gardaí found 300 g of cocaine in a tupperware container. McDonnell fled, driving his car at speeds up to 100 km/h, crashing into a garda vehicle and injuring two officers. He also crashed into a car exiting a driveway. The court noted his history of drug offences and his statement to a garda that he had "not done anything". Judge Martin Nolan imposed the five‑year sentence, citing the reckless conduct and the injuries caused to the officers.
Brian Rattigan, 38, was convicted in a Special Criminal Court of directing a €1 million heroin supply from prison. He pleaded not guilty to possession of heroin and two counts of possession for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, on 21 May 2008. The court found him the director of a drugs gang and sentenced him to 17 years, back‑dated to June 2008, to run concurrently with a life sentence for the murder of 21‑year‑old Declan Gavin. The murder conviction was later quashed by the Supreme Court. Rattigan's appeal against the drug conviction is scheduled for 5 June 2025. The appeal is solely against conviction; counsel expects it to finish in under a day. Rattigan was not present at the hearing. The trial relied on evidence of a €1 million heroin haul, mobile phone texts detailing drug distribution, and a diary found in his prison cell.
Seamus McGrane, 63, of Dromiskin, County Louth, was sentenced to eleven and a half years in prison for directing the activities of a terrorist organisation and six and a half years for IRA membership. The Special Criminal Court convicted him in October of directing the IRA between April 19 and May 13, 2015, and membership from January 18, 2010, to May 13, 2015. McGrane, who denied both charges, was found to have plotted an explosion during Prince Charles's State visit, targeting the Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin. The sentences run concurrently. His ally, Donal O'Coisdealbha, pleaded guilty to IRA membership on May 13, 2015, and was jailed for five and a half years. The court noted McGrane's previous convictions, including a 2001 sentence for firearms training, as aggravating factors. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy dismissed a letter from Eamon O'Cuiv TD as unconvincing. The judge highlighted that significant explosive materials, including Semtex and detonators, were found at locations linked to McGrane and O'Coisdealbha. This marks the second conviction for directing terrorism in the State, following Michael McKevitt's 2003 sentence.
A High Court action brought by Edward Magan, a beneficiary of the Eaglehill family trust that owns Castletown Cox, over the proposed sale of the 513‑acre south Kilkenny estate has been halted. Mr Magan had previously failed to stop the marketing of the property in a Jersey court, where the court allowed DW Trustees to proceed with marketing and access to Castletown. The trust's lawyers sought injunctions in Dublin to stop the Irish Times from publishing an article about the sale, but Mr Justice Paul Gilligan refused to restrain the newspaper and only allowed Mr Magan to serve short notice of proceedings for an injunction preventing the trustees from promoting the sale. The case was adjourned several times and returned to the High Court after DW Trustees moved to dismiss it on jurisdiction grounds.
The High Court has ordered the surrender of Damien Joseph McLaughlin to Northern Ireland under a European Arrest Warrant. McLaughlin, 40, was arrested in Donegal and faces allegations that he aided and abetted the murder of prison officer David Black on November 1st, 2012. He is also charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism and being a member of a proscribed organisation. These charges remain alleged or contested, with no plea, finding, or sentence recorded at this pretrial stage. His barrister, David Leonard BL, opposed the surrender, arguing McLaughlin would face inhumane treatment due to full-body searches in Maghaberry Prison. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly initially sought further information from Northern Irish authorities regarding the necessity of these searches. The Head of the Northern Irish Prison Service responded that such measures were necessary to address severe threats from dissident republicans, noting that alternative technologies had not proven equally effective. Ms Justice Donnelly accepted that full-body searches were necessary in the specific high-risk context of Northern Ireland and did not contravene Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Consequently, the court rejected the objection and ordered McLaughlin's surrender.
Real IRA leader Seamus McGrane was bugged by the Gardai as he plotted in a well-known Dublin pub with another man to carry out an operation involving explosives during the run-up to the State visit of Prince Charles two years ago. The Garda National Surveillance Unit planted a sophisticated listening device in the snug of the Coachman's Inn on the Airport Road, which recorded conversations between McGrane – a founder of the Real IRA – and engineering graduate Donal O'Coisdealbha. McGrane (63), from Dromisikin in Co Louth, is only the second person to be convicted of directing a terrorist organisation in the State. His former colleague and fellow founder of the Real IRA Michael McKevitt was jailed for 20 years in 2003 for directing terrorism between August 1999 and October 2000. He was released from prison in 2016. During McGrane's trial at the Special Criminal Court, during which there was no cross-examination of prosecution witnesses, the court heard recordings of the conversations between McGrane and O'Coisdealbha in April, 2015. McGrane told O'Coisdealbha: 'Go with whatever plan you wish. I think he's coming on the 19th (a reference to Prince Charles). I don't like an embarrassment.' McGrane then mentioned 'military significance.' 'Symbolic,' O'Coisdealbha replied. 'Symbolic is right,' replied McGrane. The two men were heard in the recording of April 19th discussing a location 'around 400 metres from the target.' Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce said that the location being discussed was approximately 400 metres from the Cross of Sacrifice, a monument in Glasnevin Cemetery commemorating British and Irish soldiers who fought in World War 1. The two men were also recorded discussing a bomb found on a train line in Northern Ireland in February 2015 and an attack on MI5 Headquarters in London in April, 2010. The court also heard that gardai found bomb making components in a field adjacent to McGrane's house. McGrane was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court in 2001 after he pleaded guilty to training others in the use of firearms.