Larry McCarthy, 37, of Limerick, was denied compassionate bail by the Special Criminal Court to attend his grandmother's funeral. McCarthy faces multiple charges: threatening to kill Noel Moore and to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015, and threatening unlawful violence with two others and assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014. The court had previously set trial dates for these offences. The State objected to the bail application, citing McCarthy as a serious flight risk and the potential to interfere with witnesses. Detective Sergeant John Cleary and defence counsel Mark Thompson BL argued for bail, but no conditions were offered to satisfy the court's concerns. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Robert Eagar and Sinead Ni Chulachain, upheld the refusal, noting no change in circumstances since the prior denial under Section 2A of the Bail Act. The decision was made on Friday, 30 December 2016.
John Costello, 59, of Glenashrone, Abbeyfeale, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to possessing 450 rounds of .38 special calibre ammunition and 329 rounds of 9mm ammunition at Main Street, Abbeyfeale on 21 February, and three rounds of 9mm ammunition at his home on 22 February. The court, presided by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and William Hamill, remanded him in custody until 24 January, when sentencing will occur.
Christopher Coakley, aged 25, was sentenced to six years in prison for hijacking a nurse's car while in a drug‑induced psychosis. The incident occurred early on 6 April 2015 near Temple Street Hospital when Coakley forced a nurse to hand over her keys, then reversed the vehicle without lights, later colliding with another car. The nurse's car was ultimately found burnt out. Coakley had previously pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Ladbrokes in December 2014, unlawful seizure of a car in April 2015, and criminal damage to two cars. He already serves a six‑year term for an armed robbery imposed in December 2014 and a three‑year term for a 2012 hijacking. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a six‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, ordering 18 months of probation, drug treatment and employment or educational courses. The sentence does not extend his time in custody, and he is due for release in 2020.
Two Dublin men, Conor Hughes, 38, and Darren Fox, 26, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge, sawn‑off, double‑barrel shotgun and two 12‑gauge cartridges. The weapons were found in Kyletaun, Rathkeale, County Limerick on 31 October 2015. Hughes lives in Goatstown Close, Goatstown, and Fox in Coolevin, Ballybrack. They were arrested by the Special Detective Unit during a dissident republican investigation. The court remanded them on continuing bail until 23 January, when sentencing will occur.
The Cabinet has approved the drafting of a new law to remove the blanket exclusion of An Garda Síochána and Defence Forces members from EU working hours directives. This development follows a High Court hearing where a challenge by two Limerick-based gardai, John Gaine and Padraig Harrington, was set to be struck out. The applicants alleged that Section 3 of the 1997 Organisation of Working Time Act, which excluded them from the EU's Working Time Directive, breached EU law. They claimed they worked eight-hour shifts without rest or meal breaks while on witness protection duty between October 2010 and January 2011, and were denied overtime payments. In their action against the Garda Commissioner, Ireland, and the Attorney General, they sought declarations that the exclusion was void and in breach of the directive, along with damages. The defendants had initially opposed the action. However, the matter did not proceed to a full hearing after Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O'Connor informed the court that she was introducing a bill to apply the directive's terms to gardai, following clarification from the EU Courts of Justice. Solicitor Elizabeth Hughes welcomed the resolution, noting the Cabinet approved the heads of a new bill subject to permissible derogations. The case was effectively resolved through this legislative commitment rather than a judicial judgment on the merits.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Brennan, aged 29, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Prison Officer Michael Delaney at Mountjoy Prison on 23 April 2011. Brennan, who had 56 prior convictions, threw a punch that ignited a violent attack by ten inmates on Delaney, who was head‑butted, punched, kicked and dragged to the ground. Delaney described lasting physical injuries, flashbacks and post‑traumatic stress, and said the assault robbed him of his career and sporting life. Brennan's counsel said he had turned his life around after release in 2012, citing his wife and family as stabilising influences. Judge Melanie Greally noted the incident was serious but limited to a single punch, and adjourned the case for a community service report, indicating a possible two‑year suspended sentence with one year probation and 240 hours community service. The case will return on 16 January 2017.
In November 2016 the Court of Appeal ruled that the Building and Allied Trades Union (BATU) breached John O'Connell's constitutional right to work by refusing to grant him full membership. The court directed a High Court hearing to assess damages. It overturned a prior High Court finding that BATU and some officials had conspired to intimidate O'Connell and that he was not entitled to damages on those grounds. The Court of Appeal held that BATU had no valid justification for denying O'Connell membership and that the union's exclusion infringed his right to earn a livelihood, given BATU's effective monopoly over the blocklayer market. The court remitted the assessment of damages to the High Court, but upheld that O'Connell's claims against the Construction Federation were statute‑barred and dismissed. BATU and the CIF denied the allegations. The case remains at the High Court stage for damages determination.
Gerard Field, 28, of Coolock, pleaded guilty to three counts of arson at his own home and adjacent houses on 11 April 2015. He set fire to a bag of clothes in the back room of his downstairs with the intention of taking his own life, using no petrol or other flammable materials. Field, who uses a wheelchair and has spina bifida, hydrocephalus and mild cerebral palsy, had been depressed and had sought psychiatric help the day before the incident. He was severely injured, lost consciousness and was rescued by the Dublin Fire Brigade; his parents were taken to Beaumont Hospital and his sister suffered minor injuries. Field had no prior convictions. The court, after hearing his background and the lack of intent to harm others, imposed a five‑year suspended sentence and required him to engage with probation services for two years. The judge described the sentence as lenient given his circumstances and the seriousness of the offence.
A 37‑year‑old Limerick man, Larry McCarthy, faces trial at the Special Criminal Court on charges of threatening to kill Noel Moore and to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The court set a trial date of 19 June next year. McCarthy applied for bail, but the court heard objections from Garda Niall Fitzgerald, citing concerns that he might commit further serious offences, and from Chief Superintendent David Sheahan, who invoked Section 2A of the Bail Act to argue that bail should be refused to prevent a serious offence. The court will decide on the bail application on Thursday morning. McCarthy also faces separate charges at the Special Criminal Court for threatening to use unlawful violence and for assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014, with a trial date of 3 July next year. He has been remanded in custody until Thursday morning.
Two men, Conor Hughes (38) and Darren Fox (26), are set to be tried at the Special Criminal Court on firearms offences on 11 January next year. They are charged with unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge sawn‑off double‑barrel shotgun and two 12‑gauge cartridges at Kyletaun, Rathkeale, County Limerick on 31 October 2015. The trial is expected to last two weeks. A third man, Jamie Smithers (36), will be tried on charges of IRA membership on 25 January, also expected to last two weeks.
David Marsh, 29, an IT worker, was jailed for two years after defrauding a Limerick couple of €76,000 by promising to secure them a cheap house. He used the money to buy an Audi, a rugby tour and a holiday to New York. Marsh also stole €7,785 from tag‑rugby teammates and colleagues by claiming he could obtain tickets to a Conor McGregor UFC fight. He pleaded guilty to the house fraud and 12 counts of dishonestly inducing others to give him money. Judge John Aylmer imposed a two‑year term for the house fraud and six months for the other charges, all to run concurrently. Marsh admitted his actions, apologized, and expressed a desire to reform, but no compensation was offered to the victims. The Audi seized by Gardaí was valued at €15,000‑€18,000. No money was recovered.
A 49‑year‑old Limerick man, Kieran Lynch, was freed after 11 years in custody following the quashing of his murder conviction. Lynch had originally been sentenced to life in prison in 2007 for the killing of his partner, Catherine McEnery, aged 36, at their home in Craughwell, Co. Galway. He appealed in 2013 on the grounds of misdirection by the judge and the influence of benzodiazepines he had received after a near‑drowning incident. The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction, and Lynch was re‑arraigned in May, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 12 years, with the last four years suspended for two years post‑release, and was released after paying a €10 bond for good behaviour. The case highlighted the impact of drug influence on his actions and the severe injuries sustained by McEnery. The court noted the significant assault and the family's profound loss.
A 34‑year‑old woman, Monika Matracka of The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick, is charged with murdering her housemate, Michal Rejmer, aged 38, on 30‑31 December last year. Her case was called before the Central Criminal Court and a trial date of 6 February 2017 was set by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Jonathan Fitzgerald, 26, of Limerick, was convicted of murdering Noel Crawford, a father of six, on December 18, 2006, in a case of mistaken identity. A jury found him guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on February 9, 2011. Fitzgerald appealed the conviction, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The court cited the testimony of Laura Kelly, a prosecution witness who described Fitzgerald and another youth arriving at her home, wearing bullet‑proof vests, and leaving with a shotgun. Kelly heard gunshots and later returned with the youths. She stated that Fitzgerald said, "I got him, I got Paul Crawford." The appeal was rejected because the court found the trial judge had adequately addressed the defence's challenges to Kelly's evidence and had not misled the jury. The appeal was dismissed by Justice George Birmingham, with Justices Garrett Sheehan and Alan Mahon in attendance. Jonathan Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty.
In April 2011, Melvin McNamara (36), Michael Fogarty (45) and Noel Markham (41) attempted to rob Tadgh O'Flynn Jewellers in Nenagh. McNamara and Markham entered the shop in hoodies and balaclavas, while Fogarty stayed in a stolen VW Passat with false plates. McNamara brandished a firearm and Markham approached the window display. During a struggle, Markham shouted to McNamara to "shoot him"; McNamara fired a shot that lodged in the wall above the shopkeeper's head, though the gun was real. The shopkeeper pressed the panic button and pushed the gun down. The men fled in the getaway car, which Fogarty drove at high speed, leading to a 61‑km pursuit at 180‑200 km/h. The vehicle was eventually stopped in a farm yard. McNamara received a 10‑year sentence, Markham nine years and Fogarty eight years, all of which were upheld on appeal. The Court of Appeal confirmed the sentences were within the appropriate range and found no error. Melvin McNamara pleaded guilty. Michael Fogarty pleaded guilty. Noel Markham pleaded guilty.
A book of evidence was served on Larry McCarthy, 37, of Tower Lodge, Crossgalla, who is accused of threatening to kill Noel Moore and damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. He also faces separate charges of threatening unlawful violence with two others and assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014. At the Special Criminal Court, State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan confirmed the evidence was ready, while McCarthy's counsel Patrick O'Neill BL said the case would likely take two weeks. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded McCarthy in custody until 26 July for a further mention.
In July 2016, a 49‑year‑old Limerick man, Kieran Lynch, who had spent 11 years in prison after a murder conviction was quashed, was set to be sentenced for manslaughter. Lynch had originally been convicted of murdering his partner, Catherine McEnery, in 2005 and sentenced to life in 2007. He appealed in 2013, arguing issues with the jury charge on provocation and the introduction of new evidence. The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction, citing his near‑drowning experience and high‑dose benzodiazepine medication. In May 2016, Lynch pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and the State accepted his plea. He was before Justice Patrick McCarthy for sentencing, with the court hearing testimony about his intoxication, the assault, and the impact on McEnery's family. The sentence was to be announced on 28 July 2016.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, two Kerry men testified that Eamon Shield, 45, had promised them a 100% return on their investments within 60 days by flipping repossessed cars at a significant markup. The prosecution, led by Shane Costelloe SC, described Shield's scheme as a pyramid scheme, arguing that he merely attracted new investors to pay off earlier ones. Shield, who pleaded not guilty to 15 theft counts and 12 deception counts, allegedly stole €178,000 from 12 people between June 2011 and February 2012. The trial, which began on Monday, was delayed due to a juror issue and will continue before Judge Patricia Ryan and a new jury. The case is expected to run for two weeks. The defendants, David O'Grady and Malcolm Griffin, each invested €3,000, received only partial payments, and later complained to Gardaí in Listowel. The court has not yet delivered a verdict.
A man has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final year suspended for three years, at the Central Criminal Court for the sexual abuse of his daughter over a decade-long period. The 50-year-old pleaded guilty to two attempted rapes and ten sexual assaults committed between 2003 and 2012 at the family farm and surrounding areas in County Sligo. The abuse began when the victim was five years old and occurred almost daily. The court heard the man had been diagnosed as a paedophile by a psychiatrist following an assessment linked to an addiction to pornography. The victim, now twenty, first disclosed the abuse to her school chaplain at seventeen. Mr Justice Tony Hunt ordered the man be registered as a sex offender and undergo eighteen months post-release supervision. The court noted there were other victims within the family beyond the primary complainant.
In a High Court case, 32‑year‑old singer Rachel Prior, known as 'Rachy P', was awarded €64,300 in damages after slipping and falling at a Dunnes Stores outlet on Henry Street, Limerick, on 6 December 2008. Prior claimed she fell onto her back after stepping onto a white liquid, suffering neck and lower‑back pain. The court found Dunnes Stores negligent, accepting expert evidence that the floor was shiny and a spill would not have been visible. The judge did not find contributory negligence and described Prior as a truthful witness. Medical evidence showed some injuries had resolved but lower‑back pain would continue. The award included legal costs, with a stay applied pending payment of €30,000 and €20,000 toward costs. Dunnes sought a stay on appeal, but Prior's lawyers opposed it as a tactic.
A man in his fifties appeared before the Central Criminal Court in relation to serious sexual offences committed against his daughter over a decade-long period at the family farm in County Sligo. The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted rape and ten counts of sexual assault committed between 2003 and 2012. The prosecution indicated these charges were representative of thirty-seven total offences. The victim, now aged twenty, disclosed the abuse to her school chaplain at seventeen years old. During proceedings, she provided a victim impact statement describing the systematic nature of the abuse and its profound psychological effects. A psychiatric assessment concluded the defendant presented as a paedophile. Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded the man in custody pending sentencing on 11 July, stating he required time to consider the case carefully given the gravity of the offences and concerns regarding rehabilitation and public safety.
Sean Flanagan, aged 31, was convicted of murdering Ger McMahon in January 2012 and sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 3 December 2013. The Central Criminal Court found that McMahon was attacked from behind while mounting the steps to his cousin's house on Lenihan Avenue, suffering 16 wounds that fatally damaged his lung, liver and kidney. The trial noted that Flanagan and McMahon had a shared ex‑girlfriend and did not get along. Flanagan's appeal against conviction was dismissed by Mr Justice Alan Mahon on 14 June 2016. Mahon found no evidence that the house was McMahon's residence, that the gardaí were lawfully invited, and that Flanagan's constitutional rights were breached. He upheld the trial judge's rulings as reasonable and correct. Flanagan's uncle, Paul Colbert, 49, was also found guilty of the murder, while his brother, Ian Flanagan, 27, was convicted of assisting an offender by hiding a CCTV device. Sean Flanagan pleaded not guilty. Ian Flanagan pleaded not guilty.
David Marsh, 29, an IT worker, defrauded colleagues, tag‑rugby teammates and a Limerick couple of nearly €8000 and €76,000 respectively. He promised the couple a cheap house in Castletroy and a UFC ticket deal, but withdrew the money to buy an Audi, a rugby tour and a New York holiday. He also took €7,785 from rugby friends and workplace colleagues for a UFC event and a Barbados trip he never used. Marsh pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing others to transfer €76,000 to his AIB account for a site at Fox Hollow and to 12 counts of dishonestly inducing others to give him cash for various items. He was remanded on bail pending sentencing on 20 June, with a forensic psychologist report to be considered. No compensation was offered to victims, and the Audi seized by Gardaí remains in state possession. The court heard victim impact reports detailing the financial and emotional harm caused.
In a County Limerick case, a book of evidence was served on three men—Conor Hughes (38), Darren Fox (26), and Jamie Smithers (36)—accused of IRA membership and firearms offences. The men were arrested on Halloween 2015 by the Special Detective Unit. They face charges of membership in the Irish Republican Army and unlawful possession of a Winchester 12‑gauge shotgun and cartridges. A three‑judge, non‑jury court heard the evidence, and the men were remanded on continuing bail until a further mention on 28 June.
Sean Flanagan, serving a mandatory life sentence for the murder of Ger McMahon in Limerick in January 2012, must await the outcome of his appeal against conviction. Flanagan, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury and sentenced by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on December 3, 2013. The Central Criminal Court heard that McMahon was attacked from behind while mounting steps, sustaining fatal injuries. During the appeal hearing, defence counsel argued that Gardaí entered Flanagan's uncle's home without a warrant and failed to caution him, rendering evidence inadmissible. The prosecution countered that Flanagan's voluntary cooperation negated any unfairness. The court, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, and Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its judgment. Flanagan's uncle, Paul Colbert, was also found guilty of murdering McMahon after denying the charge. Additionally, Flanagan's brother, Ian Flanagan, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty on two counts of assisting an offender by hiding a CCTV device. The matter remains pending the appellate court's decision.
Mary Cullen, an 82-year-old woman from Portland Row, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 30 sample counts of falsely claiming social welfare, using false instruments, and possession of false instruments between 1987 and 2015. The charges relate to her claiming over €206,000 in social welfare payments using the identity of her partner's deceased wife, Mary Rose Hart. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three-year suspended sentence. The judge noted that while the offence was reprehensible, he could not in good conscience jail an 82-year-old, stating that if Cullen were 20 years younger, she would likely face prison. He also remarked that he did not believe the Court of Appeal would overturn the suspended sentence if the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed it as too lenient. Cullen's defence counsel, Luigi Rea BL, cited her hard life and work history in mitigation. Garda Enda Connolly testified that he was asked to investigate suspicions of identity fraud and observed Cullen claiming payments under both her own name and the deceased's name. Cullen admitted to using the false identity at her partner's suggestion and stated she gave the extra money to him and later to a relative. The Department of Social Protection has since reduced her pension payments by €35 a week.
On 28 August 2015 a Limerick man, Warren Hehir, 25, was stopped on the Long Mile Road in Dublin after a wrong turn. Gardaí searched his vehicle and found €43,970 in his tracksuit and €635 in his pocket. Hehir, who had no legitimate income, claimed the money was a loan from his mother to buy an Audi for his girlfriend, but his mother denied giving him the money. Hehir had 33 prior convictions, including drug dealing and theft, and was linked to known criminals in Limerick. He denied using the money for drugs. The prosecution, led by Grainne O'Neill BL, presented an affidavit from Sergeant Mark Campbell. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing the affidavits, ruled the cash was proceeds of crime or intended for criminal use and accepted the State's application to forfeit €44,000, with Hehir offering no objection.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals of brothers Wayne and John Dundon against their convictions for making threats to kill. Wayne Dundon (37) was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in 2012 of threatening Alice Collins that he would kill or cause serious harm to her sons, Gareth and Jimmy Collins, on September 30, 2010. He was also convicted of intimidating potential prosecution witnesses Alice and April Collins to obstruct justice. John Dundon (33) was found guilty of threatening to kill April Collins on April 3, 2011. The Special Criminal Court sentenced Wayne to six years' imprisonment and John to five-and-a-half years on April 18, 2012. In its judgment, the Court of Appeal affirmed these convictions, rejecting arguments regarding the reliability of visual identification and the use of telephone transcripts. Mr Justice Birmingham noted that the trial judges were entitled to make findings of fact based on the evidence heard. The court also dismissed arguments concerning CCTV footage and the reliance on witness evidence from a separate trial. Wayne Dundon is currently serving a mandatory life sentence for the murder of Roy Collins in 2009, a charge to which he and co-accused Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty before being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court. The brothers were led away to continue serving their prison sentences following the dismissal of their appeals.
Sharon Naughton, 38, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm to Brian Kenny after she threw boiling water and sugar on him, claiming he had offered her heroin. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the incident occurred on 27 June 2015 in a flat on Prussia Street, where a confrontation between Naughton, her partner and Kenny escalated when the partner threatened Kenny with a knife. Naughton, who had a history of drug addiction and was reportedly the youngest person on a methadone programme at 15, admitted the attack and denied any sexual assault allegations. She expressed remorse, stating she should never have scalded anyone. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the assault was out of character due to drug influence and suspended the final 18 months of the sentence, citing medical treatment and a recommendation for custodial benefit. The court also heard that Kenny was left scarred and frightened by the attack. Sharon Naughton pleaded guilty.
The High Court confirmed the appointment of Mr Kieran Wallace of KPMG as interim examiner for Debenhams Retail (Ireland) Ltd (DRIL). DRIL, which employs over 1,400 staff directly and 800 staff in concessions and cosmetics across 11 stores, has been seeking examinership after sustained losses since the 2007 recession and the withdrawal of support from its UK parent, Debenhams Retail plc. The court noted that DRIL has a reasonable prospect of survival if it follows a scheme of arrangement approved by the High Court, which would involve court protection and cost reductions, particularly rent, which the company claims are above market rates. Mr Wallace has up to 100 days to propose a scheme of arrangement with creditors. No objections were raised to the application, though Dooroy Ltd, landlords of DRIL's Dublin and Cork stores, expressed concerns that the parent company should be involved in the process.
Larry McCarthy, 37, of Limerick, was charged with threatening to kill Noel Moore and threatening to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The State had objected to his temporary bail application, arguing that bail could prevent further serious offences. McCarthy's sister, Laura, told the court that Moore, her father‑in‑law, would not attend the confirmation. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, weighed the danger to life and well‑being against McCarthy's liberty. He found McCarthy's application to be bona fide and that McCarthy intended to attend the confirmation. Bail was granted for 28 May from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with the condition that McCarthy not attend a licensed premises. McCarthy remained remanded in custody until 2 June, when his case was listed for mention again.
In a 2016 Court of Appeal decision, the appeal of Michael Harty, aged 31, was dismissed. Harty had been convicted of dangerous driving that caused the deaths of Maurice Hartnett (61) and Margaret Hartnett (59) in 2009 and received a five‑year sentence and a 30‑year driving ban. The appeal concerned whether Harty's consent was required for the Gardaí to obtain a toxicology report from Limerick University Hospital. The court held that the public interest in prosecuting a suspected serious crime outweighed Harty's right to privacy. It found that the Gardaí's request for the blood‑alcohol report was proportionate and that Harty's consent was not necessary. The appeal was therefore dismissed by Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices George Birmingham and John Edwards. The decision reaffirmed that the need for evidence in serious criminal cases can override an individual's privacy rights. Michael Harty pleaded not guilty.
In May 2016 Irish Cement Ltd filed a High Court challenge to a compulsory purchase order issued by An Bord Pleanála, which allowed Shannon Foynes Port Company to acquire 37.5 hectares of the cement company's land for harbour expansion. The company argues that An Bord failed to properly assess its constitutional property rights when granting the order. The court granted permission to proceed on an ex‑parte basis and placed a stay on the port company's actions under the order until the matter is decided. The case is scheduled for a June hearing.
In 2007, Kieran Lynch, aged 49, was convicted of murdering his partner Catherine McEnery and sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney. Lynch had previously pleaded not guilty at a Galway Central Criminal Court hearing in July 2005. The couple had lived together for ten years and moved into Rose Cottage in Craughwell in June 2005; Ms McEnery was found dead in a bedroom on 17 July 2005. Lynch appealed in December 2013, arguing that the trial judge misdirected the jury on provocation and that fresh evidence of a near‑drowning experience and high‑dose medication should be considered. In July 2015, Mr Justice Donal O'Donnell quashed the murder conviction, citing misdirection on provocation. A retrial was ordered. On the day of the retrial, Lynch was arraigned, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and was remanded in custody. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy directed that a probation report be prepared for sentencing on 18 July.
A 44‑year‑old Cork man was sentenced to a three‑year prison term, with the last year suspended, for sexually assaulting a friend's daughter on three occasions between January and November 2013. The offences occurred at addresses in Limerick and County Clare while the victim was aged 11 and 12. The man pleaded not guilty but a jury found him guilty on all counts. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the suspended sentence on the condition that he keep the peace for three years after release and placed him on the sex offenders register. The court heard the victim's interview, describing the assaults, and a victim impact report detailing her fear of older men and the effect on her life. The judge noted the defendant's position of trust and the victim's young age as aggravating factors, while his lack of prior convictions was a mitigating factor.
Jonathan Fitzgerald, 26, of Limerick, has lodged an appeal against his life sentence for the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford, a father of six, which occurred on Crawford's 40th birthday. The Central Criminal Court found Fitzgerald guilty of the shooting, a case of mistaken identity, and imposed a mandatory life term on 9 February 2011. In the Court of Appeal, his barrister Hugh Hartnett SC argues that the trial judge failed to treat prosecution witness Laura Kelly as an accomplice and to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting on her evidence. Hartnett contends that Kelly's testimony, alongside that of her partner Jonathan Kiely, was the sole evidence and that Kelly should have been on the same footing as Kiely. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Kerida Naidoo SC, counters that the judge had warned the jury of potential self‑serving motives in Kelly's testimony and that the evidence against Fitzgerald was strong. Jonathan Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty.
Kenneth Collopy, aged 25, was convicted of murdering 25‑year‑old Daniel Fitzgerald in 2009 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Collopy pleaded not guilty, claiming he had mistakenly fired at a caravan in revenge for an arson attack on his mother's van, and that he intended only to shoot at the mobile home, unaware of any victim. He admitted killing Fitzgerald but maintained he had no intent to kill. The jury found him guilty of murder and the judge imposed a mandatory life sentence. Collopy appealed, arguing the jury's verdict was perverse, citing the inclusion of a video statement from a witness, David Bussoli, and questioning whether Bussoli and Christopher Mulqueen were accomplices. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on all grounds, affirming the trial judge's decisions, the use of the video statement, and the jury's verdict. Collopy was taken away to continue serving his life sentence.
In a 2016 case, 19‑year‑old Eric Ryan received a suspended three‑year sentence for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to 32‑year‑old Evelyn Nealon. Nealon was struck by Ryan's car while crossing a green pedestrian light at the junction of Clanbrassil Street and South Circular Road. The impact threw her under a parked bus, leading to four operations on her pelvis and leg. She suffered long‑term injuries, including early‑onset arthritis, a limp, a dropped foot and a lifelong leg brace. Ryan, who was driving a blue car that collided with a white car before spinning and hitting Nealon, fled the scene. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was found guilty of dangerous driving, and was also disqualified from driving for four years. The court noted his young age, early plea and remorse when imposing the suspended sentence.
A 47‑year‑old Latvian man was jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to raping and sexually assaulting a 42‑year‑old woman in her Tipperary flat on 17 November 2014. He forced himself into her bedroom, beat her, dislocated her wrist, and performed anal, oral and vaginal rape while she was restrained. He also forced her to kiss him and threatened to act as a doctor. The victim, who had been living in poor accommodation, suffered nightmares and deteriorating mental health, and later returned to her native country. The court noted the offender's heavy alcohol intoxication and lack of prior convictions. The sentence, imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, was back‑dated to the date of the offence and reflects the offender's guilty plea and foreign nationality. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
A 41‑year‑old Declan O'Cualain was found not guilty by reason of insanity for strangling his brother Adrian Folan with a bungee cord on 4 July 2014. O'Cualain, who lived in An Caoran Beag, An Cheathru Rua, Co Galway, was charged with murder after the body was discovered concealed under rocks near the Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and after 21 minutes of deliberation a jury of nine men and three women returned that verdict. The judge, Justice Margaret Heneghan, exempted the jury from further service for 15 years and ordered O'Cualain to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital. The court heard forensic psychiatrists confirmed he was in an acute manic psychosis state, unable to appreciate the nature of his actions. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court on 22 April 2016.
A 41‑year‑old Galway man, Declan O'Cualain, was charged with murdering his brother Adrian Folan. The prosecution alleged that O'Cualain strangled Folan with a bungee cord, then disposed of the body in a water‑filled pit near the Cliffs of Moher, covering it with rocks. He confessed to the act to a friend and to Gardaí, and was arrested at his home on 7 July 2014. Gardaí found the body, which was later identified at Limerick University Hospital, and evidence of a burnt knife fragment and bungee cords was recovered. O'Cualain pleaded not guilty on the grounds of insanity, claiming he was in an "utterly delusional" state and believed his brother was a paedophile. The trial is ongoing.
In a High Court judicial review, John and Kathleen O'Reilly and their two children, members of the Irish Travelling Community, argue that Limerick City and County Council failed to provide emergency accommodation as agreed on 22 March. The family had lived at a temporary bay on Childers Road Halting Site since 2008 but left in March due to unsafe conditions—deteriorating structure, rodent infestation, damp, mould, and a fire that damaged the washing facility. They then lived in rented caravans that were unsuitable and unaffordable. After the council committed to cover the cost of emergency accommodation, the family could not secure suitable B&B accommodation because B&B owners would not accept a booking without a credit card. The O'Reillys seek a court order compelling the council to comply with its March decision, declarations that the failure breaches their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, and damages.
Larry McCarthy, 37, of Limerick, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court on 8 April 2016. He faces charges of threatening to kill Noel Moore and threatening to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The State objected to his bail application, citing the seriousness of the offence and the maximum ten‑year sentence. Chief Superintendent David Sheehan argued that Section 2A of the Bail Act required bail to be refused to prevent a serious offence. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, accepted the objection and refused bail under Section 2A. McCarthy also faces separate charges of threatening unlawful violence and assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014. He was remanded in custody until 11 May, when his case was listed for mention again.
In 2012 the Special Criminal Court convicted Wayne Dundon (37) of threatening to kill Alice Collins' sons and of intimidating potential witnesses, sentencing him to six years' imprisonment. His brother John (33) was convicted of threatening to kill April Collins and received five‑and‑a‑half years. Both appealed. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment but rejected preliminary motions to add evidence and to broaden Wayne's grounds of appeal. The court said the threshold for materiality had not been met. Wayne's counsel argued the prosecution failed to disclose material from a later murder trial, including telephone calls with Alice Collins and evidence of April Collins' driving offences. The appeal also addressed alleged inconsistencies in witness statements and the court's handling of evidence. The Court of Appeal will give reasons later. No outcome of the appeals is reported in the article.
In 2016 the Court of Appeal heard Wayne Dundon's appeal against a 2012 conviction for threatening to kill Alice Collins and her sons. Dundon, aged 37, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of threatening to kill or seriously harm the Collins children and of intimidating potential witnesses. His brother John, aged 33, was also convicted of threatening to kill April Collins. Both were sentenced to six and five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment respectively. Dundon's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, sought to add new grounds to the appeal, citing telephone recordings made while Dundon was in prison and questioning the reliability of witness Gareth Collins' testimony. Bowman also alleged that the Collins family could have fabricated statements and that CCTV cameras may have been non‑functional. The Director of Public Prosecutions objected, and the judges ruled that any additional grounds must be presented as a formal motion before the full hearing tomorrow.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a jury acquitted a man of raping a woman in the back office of a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The woman testified that she had been on a date with another man when the accused brought her into the back office to show her the CCTV system, which she described as "fascinating." She alleged that she was "brutally, brutally raped" there, and she held up her wrist to show bruises from being held against a wall. During cross‑examination she suggested the accused might have destroyed CCTV footage and said her children were now afraid to go to certain places because of the incident. The jury deliberated for 36 minutes on day five and returned a verdict of not guilty. The judge thanked the jurors and allowed the accused to leave with his family.
In Wheatfield Prison, Limerick man Niall Carey, aged 28, was found guilty of violent disorder and assault causing harm to fellow prisoner Noel Murray on 21 January 2013. Carey, who led a group that attacked Murray after a dispute over missing personal items, received a custodial sentence of three years, with the final year suspended. His co‑accused, Daniel Martin, 30, was sentenced to one year suspended for his role. A third participant, Stephen Seery, 34, had earlier been sentenced to six months for the same incident. Carey, who has 40 prior convictions and is due for release in May, pleaded guilty and was described by the judge as the ringleader who marshalled the attackers. The court noted his loss of 56 days' privileges and his remorse, but imposed the custodial term accordingly. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a man accused of raping a woman in a Limerick pub's back office has entered its closing stages. The woman, who was on a date with another man, says the accused brought her into the office to show her CCTV, where she was "brutally brutally raped." She pleaded not guilty. Evidence has finished; the jury will deliberate tomorrow after counsel's closing speeches.
A Dublin man, Donal O'Hara, aged 22, is serving a 12‑year sentence for an aggravated burglary in Tipperary. In November 2012 he also punched his heavily pregnant ex‑girlfriend, Réiltín Cassidy, who was 32 weeks pregnant, in the face after she had been knocked to the ground. O'Hara pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Cassidy at Ferrycarrig Drive, Coolock. He has twenty previous convictions. His counsel argued that steroid use for bodybuilding at the time may have contributed to his aggression, a point accepted by Judge Melanie Greally. The court found no evidence of alcohol abuse. O'Hara's sentence for the assault was a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term to run concurrently with his existing 12‑year sentence, meaning he will not serve additional time in prison for the assault. Ms Cassidy did not give a victim impact statement and has reportedly reconciled with O'Hara.
In a 2016 rape trial, a witness testified that he was in "extreme shock" after a woman he had arranged to meet in a bar told him his friend of twenty years had "forced himself on her" that evening. The alleged victim said she was on a date with another man when the accused brought her to the back office to show her the CCTV system, where she claimed she was "brutally raped." The accused pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman in a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The witness described meeting the complainant in the bar's smoking area a week before the alleged rape, arranging a meeting, and spending most of the night together. He said they kissed "on and off," later went to a disabled toilet where they kissed passionately for about 15 minutes, and then returned to the bar.