Patrick Scanlon, a 55-year-old restaurateur from West Limerick with an address on the Channel Island of Jersey, has appealed his conviction in the Court of Appeal. Scanlon had pleaded not guilty at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to the possession and importation of cannabis worth €79,000 from Spain to a house in Pallaskenry, Co Limerick, on August 8, 2013. He was found guilty by a jury following a three-week trial and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Mr Justice Carroll Moran on May 21, 2014. His counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that the second search conducted at a garda station lacked new reasonable cause, claiming the initial roadside search was negative. The prosecution, represented by Anne-Marie Lawlor BL, contended that the search was continuous and lawful, noting that a mobile phone without a SIM card was later found. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, Mr Justice John Edwards, and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, heard the arguments and reserved judgment. The matter was adjourned pending the court's decision.
John Wilson, 56, of Oliver Bond Street, Dublin, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his involvement in a €528,000 cannabis operation. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, backdated to February of this year, stating Wilson deserved the same term as his co-accused. Wilson pleaded guilty to possessing 88kg of cannabis at Forrest Little Road, Swords, on August 8, 2008. He had previously taken a bench warrant in 2011 and was rearrested in England earlier this year after serving a five-year UK sentence for conspiring to supply cannabis. His co-accused, Joseph Douglas, 38, and James Griffin, 48, were both jailed for eight years for the same offence in 2011. Robert Wilson, 51, received a ten-year sentence in 2011, with the final two years suspended. Detective Sergeant Emmet Casserly testified that surveillance linked Wilson's phone and pickup truck to the loading of 370 slabs of cannabis into a van driven by Griffin. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC argued for leniency, noting Wilson had "buried his head in the sand" by fleeing. The court accepted that a person above Wilson guided the operation. This sentencing concludes the proceedings for Wilson, while the matters for Douglas, Griffin, and Robert Wilson were finalised in 2011.
Barry Doyle, aged 29, was convicted of murdering rugby player Shane Geoghegan in Limerick on 9 November 2008 and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 16 February 2012. Doyle pleaded not guilty and claimed that Gardaí had induced him to admit the murder during interviews. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, rejected all 27 grounds of appeal, finding the trial satisfactory and the conviction safe. The court noted that Doyle's solicitor had approached Gardaí with an offer that Doyle would admit to killing Geoghegan if his girlfriend, Ms Victoria Gunnery, was released, but the court held that Doyle was aware of his actions and that no inducement or threat had been offered. The appeal was dismissed and Doyle remains in prison to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
The Court of Appeal declined to review Wayne Dundon's six‑year prison sentence for threatening to kill and intimidating witnesses, despite the Director of Public Prosecutions' appeal that the sentence was unduly lenient. Dundon, aged 37, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court in 2012 for threatening Alice Collins that he would kill or seriously harm her sons and for intimidating potential witnesses. The court had not considered a victim impact statement and had not taken into account Dundon's prior conviction for a similar threat. Dundon's appeal against conviction was also put back to the next hearing, with the court noting that John Dundon's appeal would be dealt with at the same time. The decision was announced by Mr Justice George Birmingham, with the court to give reasons later. The case remains at the appellate stage, with no change to the sentence or conviction.
Anthony 'Tony' Kelly, aged 24, was found guilty at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing serious harm, robbery and theft. He had attacked a 22‑year‑old man, slashing his face without provocation, and robbed two other men. The original sentence was four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on the basis that Kelly had "gone on a rampage" and chosen victims at random, imposed a new sentence of six years' imprisonment, again suspending the final two years. Kelly was required to post a €100 bond to keep the peace and maintain good behaviour during custody and the suspended period. The court noted the victim would bear a permanent scar for life. The appeal was upheld, and the sentence increased to six years with two years suspended.
James Kelly, a 25‑year‑old chronic heroin addict, was convicted at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment, unlawful vehicle taking and robbery at Colbert Station on 4 May 2011. He pleaded guilty and was originally sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Prosecutors appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, and the Court of Appeal increased the term to eight years' imprisonment, again suspending the final two years. The appeal judge, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, recounted the incident: a woman had disembarked from a train at Colbert Station, entered her car, and was confronted by Kelly. He threatened her with a knife, demanded money, and forced her to drive him to Moyross. After obtaining the money, he left the vehicle and the woman drove to a Garda station.
Chico Makamda, an Angolan refugee aged 32, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years in jail, with the final year suspended, for false imprisonment of Melita Cahill on 7 August 2013. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Blessington Street when Makamda grabbed Cahill's right wrist, shouted "you drank too much bitch," and attempted to drag her into a laneway. Cahill fought back, punched and kicked him, and escaped after a male passerby intervened. Makamda was arrested shortly thereafter at a nearby bus stop. Cahill's victim impact statement noted that the event left her with lasting anxiety and panic attacks, preventing her from walking alone at night. The judge acknowledged Makamda's limited English and hardship as a foreign national in custody. The sentence was delayed due to a prior conviction in Tralee District Court for indecent exposure, for which Makamda was fined €50. Chico Makamda pleaded guilty.
Muhammad Hussain, a 29‑year‑old Pakistani man, was convicted in 2014 for travelling to meet a 13‑year‑old girl with the intention of sexual exploitation, the first case prosecuted under child protection legislation. He received a four‑year prison sentence, later reduced on appeal to three years with the final nine months suspended. The Court of Appeal noted no disciplinary issues since conviction, his attendance at classes, and that he had invited the child rather than coerced her. Conditions of the reduced sentence include maintaining good behaviour, cooperating with any relevant counselling, and complying with a deportation order. Hussain will remain on the Sex Offenders Registry and is subject to the Sex Offenders Act 2001. The case stemmed from an encounter on 25 May 2011 when Hussain met the girl, Ms F, who was then 13 and living in institutional care. The appeal hearing was held on 16 February 2015. The unnamed 13-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Michael Harty, aged 30, was convicted of dangerous driving that caused the deaths of Maurice Hartnett, 61, and his wife Margaret, 59, on 29 July 2009 in Askeaton. The jury found him guilty and he received a five‑year prison sentence and a 30‑year driving ban on 25 January 2013. Harty appealed the conviction and was granted bail five months later. The appeal focused on whether the trial judge correctly admitted biochemistry reports showing Harty's blood‑alcohol level exceeded the legal limit. Harty's counsel argued the evidence breached his constitutional right to privacy, claiming the right had never been formally enumerated. The Court of Criminal Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan with Justices George Birmingham and John Edwards, upheld the original conviction, stating the judge had acted correctly in admitting the evidence. Harty must now serve the original sentence. The court will publish its full reasoning at a later date. Michael Harty pleaded not guilty.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing Hodges Figgis Book Shop on 23 March 2014. He took €22,145 from the shop's safes after deciding to "take a notion" to rob the place. Ryan bound manager Ciara Flanagan in the cloakroom with tape, preventing her from raising an alarm. He later left Dublin, slept rough, spent the stolen money on drink and betting, and returned to hand himself in at Pearse Street Station. The court heard that Ryan was stressed by family life and had been drinking at the time of the offence. He was also charged with false imprisonment, which will be considered at sentencing. Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned sentencing to July, noting the incomplete Probation Report and the fact that this is his first conviction at age 50.
Mary Maloney, a 47-year-old Limerick mother of four, was sentenced in the Central Criminal Court for withholding information related to the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford. Although initially pleading not guilty, Ms. Maloney changed her plea to guilty before the jury, a move accepted by the prosecution. The court heard that the charges stemmed from events on December 17-18, 2006, when her daughter, Jennifer Fitzgerald, was abducted and threatened with a gun. Ms. Maloney allegedly failed to disclose information she knew or believed would assist in securing the apprehension of the perpetrator. Mr. Justice Carroll Moran noted that while withholding information in a murder case is serious, he considered mitigating factors including the guilty plea, the traumatic context of her daughter's abduction, and the fact that her lack of cooperation did not prevent the prosecution of two others—one convicted of murder and one of manslaughter. The judge disregarded her previous convictions from her mid-teens. He imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for the same period, with a bond of €100. The judge acknowledged that the plea removed trauma from victims and affirmed that the jury's presence had induced the guilty plea.
The trial of 47‑year‑old Mary Maloney of South Claughan Road, Garryowen, Limerick, will begin tomorrow. She is charged with failing to disclose information to the Gardaí that she knew or believed could assist in the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person for the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford. The charge covers the period from 18 December 2006 to February 2011. Maloney pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. A jury of six men and six women was sworn in, and the case is expected to last four to five days.
Gordon Ryan, 22, of Greenfields, Rosbrien, was convicted twice for possessing an improvised firearm in Limerick. He pleaded guilty to the first offence on 7 November 2012 and to the same offence on 23 June 2013. The first conviction carried a three‑year term with the last 12 months suspended. The second conviction was originally a three‑year term, but the Court of Appeal increased it by two years, citing undue leniency. The judge noted that Ryan was on bail for the first offence when the second offence occurred, involving the discharge of a shotgun that injured a companion. Ryan had 41 prior convictions. The Court of Appeal substituted a five‑year term for the second offence, resulting in an aggregate sentence of eight years with the final 12 months suspended. Ryan was required to bond €100 for the suspended portion.
Anthony 'Tony' Kelly, aged 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after a May 2011 unprovoked attack on a 22‑year‑old man in Limerick. The original sentence, imposed by Mr Justice Carroll Moran on 10 February 2012, was four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by John O'Sullivan BL, appealed, arguing that Kelly had "gone on a rampage," robbed a man of money and a mobile phone, and then, 24 hours later, slashed the face of another man, causing permanent facial disfigurement. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 23 April 2015, found the sentence "unduly lenient." Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, joined by Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, ordered a probation report and postponed the new sentencing to 4 June 2015, where a revised sentence would be imposed.
James Kelly, 25, a chronic heroin addict, was convicted at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment, unlawful vehicle taking and robbery at Colbert Station on 4 May 2011. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for seven years. The Director of Public Prosecution appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 23 April 2015, found the sentence too lenient and remanded Kelly in custody until 4 June 2015 for a new sentence. Kelly's defence counsel noted he was no longer on heroin and had completed the custodial part of his sentence, having been released for less than a week before being returned to custody. The appeal focused on the seriousness of the offence, the use of a knife, the victim's false imprisonment, forced driving, ATM theft, and the threat of rape and indignities. James Kelly pleaded guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has fixed a trial date for April 2017, the earliest available slot, amid significant backlog delays. The court currently has 32 people before it and has scheduled 19 trials extending into early 2017. Among these is the trial of Donal Billings, a Co Longford man charged with possession of an improvised explosive device, scheduled for October 2016. Billings has been on bail for several years awaiting this trial, which is set to begin over five and a half years after the alleged offences. The Supreme Court previously criticised delays in the case of Thomas "Slab" Murphy, who faces alleged tax offences dating back to 1996, noting that much of the delay was caused by his repeated challenges. Recent high-profile proceedings have also contributed to the schedule's congestion. In July 2014, Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins and jailed for life following a 29-day trial. Additionally, the trial of three men accused of the murder of Peter Butterly collapsed in January after 55 days due to a disclosure issue; their retrial is ordered for January 2017, and they have been released on bail. A separate legal issue regarding IRA membership arrests is pending before the Court of Appeal, with the State set to hear an appeal next June against a ruling that gardai cannot arrest suspects for IRA membership without a warrant if previously arrested for the same offence.
Gavin Hennessy, aged 30, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing a loaded Magnum Smith and Wesson revolver and 20 rounds of .44 ammunition. He admitted that he had been contacted by a phone call to transport the gun and ammunition from Limerick to Dublin to pay off a €17,000 gambling debt. Hennessy claimed he did not know the caller and was told he would receive €500 for the job. Garda Stephen Foran stopped Hennessy's Opel Astra on the N7, found the revolver wrapped in black cling film in the rear passenger footwell and the ammunition in the glove box. Hennessy had a prior speeding conviction but no other serious offences. Judge Martin Nolan accepted his desperation due to gambling problems and described the incident as a "once‑off fall from grace," yet imposed the custodial sentence with regret, noting that certain crimes inevitably lead to jail terms.
In a Limerick Central Criminal Court hearing, Richard Higgins, aged 45, was convicted of murdering Seán Murphy, aged 29, on 17 January 2010, and received a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2011. The jury also found him guilty of two counts of threatening to kill Murphy and his partner. Higgins, who pleaded not guilty, has now lodged an appeal in the Court of Appeal. His counsel, Mr Michael Bowman SC, argues that the conviction is unsafe, citing a mis‑representation of Higgins' statement to a third party. Bowman contends that the transcript used by the prosecution was incorrect, as Higgins actually said, "what would kill me…", which changes the meaning. He also claims the threatening counts should not have been included on the indictment, noting no Garda investigation into those threats. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, will render a judgment as soon as possible.
A 55‑year‑old convicted sex offender was sentenced to six years in prison, with the final year suspended, for sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning his sister‑in‑law in County Kerry and County Limerick. He pleaded not guilty to six counts, including two of rape, assault causing harm, sexual assault and false imprisonment. A jury found him guilty of the two counts of sexual assault and false imprisonment, but not guilty of the rape charges due to insufficient evidence. The judge noted the victim, a woman in her sixties, was isolated and suffered serious consequences, including fear of living alone and physical injuries such as bruising on her face and breasts. The offender has 42 prior convictions, including a sexual offence involving a child under 16, and the judge emphasised the need to protect society while allowing a chance for rehabilitation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 35‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a 28‑year‑old woman in Limerick on 28 August 2012. The assault occurred in a small gathering at a friend's house, where the accused was unknown to the victim. The victim had asked her friend for permission to share a room, was assured the man would not harm her, and was later woken at 5.30 am by the man having sex with her. She resisted, but he continued. The victim texted her friend, the man apologized, left, and the matter was reported to Gardaí. The accused admitted groping her while she slept. He had four prior convictions, no partner or children. The judge imposed a seven‑year sentence, suspended two years and three months, citing the early guilty plea and remorse, while noting the victim's lasting psychological harm.
Ion Matei, aged 37, was jailed for his role in a well‑organised credit‑card fraud that spent nearly €20,000 in high‑street shops in 2009. He and three accomplices used a stolen American Express company card belonging to Oracle employee Phillip Ryan to buy clothes, perfumes and handbags at Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Next and Debenhams. The fraud began after Ryan received a new card in October 2009, which he never used. Garda Wayne Donnelly compiled CCTV footage showing four people using the card, including Matei. Matei was arrested in February 2010, denied knowledge of the theft but admitted using the card to buy goods. He pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen credit card and 19 theft charges totalling €7,377, plus possession of a stolen Ulster Bank card and theft of €1,350 in 2014. Judge Desmond Hogan sentenced him to four years, suspending two on the condition of keeping the peace for four years. Ion Matei was convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 32‑year‑old Chico Makamda pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of Melita Cahill on 7 August 2013. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Blessington Street when Makamda, a Limerick resident originally from Angola, grabbed Cahill's right wrist and attempted to drag her into a laneway while shouting "you drank too much bitch." Cahill resisted, punching and kicking him, and managed to escape after about a minute and a half of restraint. A passer‑by heard her screams and helped her. Cahill's victim impact statement described lasting anxiety and panic attacks, noting she could not walk alone at night. The judge adjourned sentencing to the following month, with the case pending further proceedings.
A Limerick man, Kevin Coughlan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011 for the murder of Francis Greene at Steamboat Quay between November 28 and 29, 2009, has appealed his conviction. Coughlan pleaded not guilty to the charge, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court, and received a mandatory life sentence from Mr Justice Patrick J McCarthy. The appeal, heard by the Court of Appeal, focuses on the testimony of the former Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Khalid Jabber, who altered his conclusion on the cause of death during the trial. Prior to the trial, Dr Jabber suggested the possibility of drowning, but later testified that the victim was strangled before entering the water. Counsel for Coughlan, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, argued that this change placed the defense in an unfair position. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Patrick McCarthy SC, acknowledged the unfairness but maintained that it did not affect the fairness of the trial. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Mr Justice John Edwards, considered whether the conviction could be quashed and the murder verdict substituted with a lesser offense. The matter was adjourned until Monday next, with judgment expected in the next law term.
Two cousins, Patrick O'Brien (35) and Thomas Stewart (31), have appealed their convictions for the double murder of Desmond Kelly and Breda Waters at O'Malley Park, Limerick City on January 9 2011. Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges and were found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court, each receiving a mandatory life sentence on October 26 2012. Annie Waters Ryan, Breda Waters' sister, is also involved in the appeal. Counsel for O'Brien, Seán Gillane SC, argued that the identification of his client's voice should not have been admissible due to the witness's recent heroin use and the limited words used for identification. He also challenged the admissibility of a statement by Thomas Stewart Jnr, who initially claimed to have seen a shotgun in a car with O'Brien. Counsel for Stewart, Hugh Hartnett SC, contended that a garda incorrectly testified that two people were visible on CCTV footage when only one was visible. The prosecution's case relied on the garda's testimony to establish that two individuals were involved in the crime. The appeal is ongoing, with the court reserving judgment to a date 'as soon as possible'.
Gary Campion, a 31‑year‑old Limerick resident, is set to resume his appeal against the second murder conviction for the killing of Frank Ryan, which occurred in Moyross in 2006. Campion had previously denied involvement in the murder of bouncer Brian Fitzgerald in 2002 and the murder of Ryan in 2006. He was found guilty in two separate Central Criminal Court trials and received two life sentences, one in 2007 and another in 2009. In the appeal, his barrister, Martin O'Rourke SC, argued that the admission of evidence from Errol Ibrahim was improper. Ibrahim, a passenger in the car where Ryan was shot, was allegedly pressured by Gardaí to testify, and the trial judge did not give a "no case to answer" direction. The appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal on Friday before Justices Seán Ryan, George Birmingham and Garrett Sheehan.
In 2015 the Court of Appeal heard an appeal by Gary Campion, 31, who had been convicted of two murders in Limerick. Campion denied involvement in the 2002 killing of bouncer Brian Fitzgerald and the 2006 murder of Frank Ryan. He had received two life sentences, one in 2007 and another in 2009. The appeal argued that the trial for Fitzgerald's murder was flawed because the defence could not obtain a psychiatric examination of the key prosecution witness, James Martin Cahill. Cahill's medical notes suggested paranoia and hallucinations, and his testimony was said to be inconsistent. The defence claimed that without a proper medical assessment the trial was unfair. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted that Cahill's evidence was central but argued that other corroborating evidence, including a taxi driver's account and a witness describing Campion's "joined eyebrows", supported the conviction.
Gary Campion, aged 31, has lodged appeals against two separate murder convictions. The first conviction concerns the killing of 34‑year‑old bouncer Brian Fitzgerald outside his home on 29 November 2002; the second concerns the shooting death of 21‑year‑old Frank Ryan on 16 September 2006. Campion denied involvement in both murders. He was found guilty in two separate Central Criminal Court trials and received two life sentences, one imposed by Justice Peter Charleton on 15 November 2007 and the other by Justice Paul Carney on 28 May 2009. In the appeal for the Fitzgerald case, counsel Martin O'Rourke argued that the trial was unfair because the defence was not allowed to have the key prosecution witness, convicted murderer James Martin Cahill, examined psychologically or psychiatrically. O'Rourke cited medical notes indicating Cahill's paranoia and hallucinations, and claimed that without a proper medical assessment the witness's testimony could not be reliably relied upon.
In Swords District Court, Mark Sheehan (25) pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and had his case adjourned until April 13th following a request from the Probation Service for further assessment. Sheehan has 15 previous convictions and was previously given a six-month suspended sentence and a six-year driving disqualification. Michael Reilly (21) pleaded guilty to stealing a remote controlled car and was convicted in his absence. As he did not appear to pay the €250 compensation, Judge Dempsey imposed a default order and fined him €250. Helen McDonnell (25) pleaded guilty to using a false driving licence and stealing groceries. Her case was adjourned until March 30th for a repayment meeting with the furniture store and to provide proof of arrangements. Adrian O'Reilly (50) pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and using threatening and abusive behaviour. Judge Dempsey ordered him to make a charitable donation of €250 to Pieta House and applied Section 1.1 of the Probation Act.
In 2015, Joseph Hogan, aged 61, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping his seven‑year‑old niece, Sonya Stokes, between 1984 and 1988. The Central Criminal Court convicted him of one count of attempted rape, three counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault. Hogan had previously been jailed in 1973 for six months for an indecent assault and had further convictions in 1974, 1995, 1998 and 2013 for related offences. The judge, Mr Justice Carney, found no mitigating factors such as remorse or good character and imposed concurrent sentences of 10 years for the attempted rape and eight years for the sexual assault counts, totaling 15 years. A victim impact statement described the lasting trauma inflicted on Stokes, who chose to waive her anonymity to speak publicly about the abuse. The sentence included 18 months of post‑release supervision. Joseph Hogan pleaded not guilty.
A 61‑year‑old Limerick man, who was jailed in the early 1970s for indecent assault, will be sentenced next week for raping his seven‑year‑old niece between 1984 and 1988. He was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of one count of attempted rape, three counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault. He was remanded in custody for sentencing. The victim, whose name is withheld, said in a victim impact statement that her uncle had stolen her childhood, innocence, dignity and trust. The court heard that the man had previously been jailed for six months in 1973 for an indecent assault, and in 1974 was convicted in the UK for assaulting a girl under 14. He had further convictions for indecent assault in 1995 and 1998, and was jailed for 22 months in 2013 for breaches of the Sex Offenders Act.
A 45‑year‑old British man surrendered to UK authorities after an extradition warrant issued in October 2014. He faces 24 offences of sexual exploitation and child pornography, alleged to have occurred in a family home in Limerick. Irish courts accepted the European Arrest Warrant and confirmed the man's voluntary surrender. The judge noted the man had acknowledged the nature of the alleged offences and had been given legal advice. One alleged offence, voyeurism involving a 14‑year‑old girl filmed naked in a shower, was excluded because it does not correspond to Irish law. The judge ordered the man's surrender to the UK for the remaining offences and allowed a maximum 20‑day detention in prison pending the execution of the surrender order. The case remains at the extradition stage.
A 48‑year‑old Clare resident was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for sexually abusing his Limerick niece from age six. He began raping her from age nine, forcing her to touch his private parts and perform oral rape while she stayed at his bedsit. The jury found him guilty of eight counts of rape and 17 counts of sexual assault between October 1998 and April 2003; he had pleaded not guilty to 32 counts of rape and assault between October 1998 and October 2004, with seven counts unresolved. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Carney, described the case as distressing, noting the abuse was filmed, the victim was drugged with alcohol, and pornographic material was shown. He imposed a 15‑year term with no suspension and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision. The defendant had prior convictions dating from 1984 to 2012.
Barry Doyle, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of rugby player Shane Geoghegan, who was shot in a case of mistaken identity on 9 November 2008. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found Doyle guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 16 February 2012. Doyle's appeal to the Court of Appeal centres on the claim that Gardaí induced his admissions during interviews, using psychological pressure involving his child and a woman named Victoria Gunnery. Doyle's counsel argues the admissions were obtained non‑voluntarily and should not be admissible. The DPP's counsel maintains that Doyle confessed voluntarily, driven by guilt, and that he had access to legal advice throughout the interrogation. The Court of Appeal will decide the appeal as soon as possible. The article reports only the procedural status of the appeal, not any outcome. Barry Doyle was found guilty. Shane Geoghegan was found guilty.
A 48‑year‑old Clare resident, unnamed for legal reasons, abused his Limerick niece from age six, raping her from nine on a regular basis in his bedsit. The victim, now in her early 20s, testified that she begged her mother not to let her stay with him, yet her mother still allowed it every few weeks. The man forced the child to touch his private parts, perform explicit sexual acts, and even oral rape. In December a jury found him guilty of eight counts of rape and 17 counts of sexual assault between October 1998 and April 2003; he pleaded not guilty to 32 counts of rape and assault between October 1998 and October 2004, with seven counts undecided. He was remanded in custody for sentencing next Monday. The victim's impact report described how the abuse ruined her childhood, caused her to turn to alcohol, and left her fearful of visiting his flat.
In 2015, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of Greg Crawford, 27, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Gareth Brosnan‑Grant in Limerick in 2007. Crawford had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court, where a jury found him guilty and Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory life sentence on 3 March 2012. The appeal was rejected on all grounds, including Crawford's request that the trial judge give the jury an adequate identification warning. Mr Justice George Birmingham noted that the deceased's partner, Ms Claire Ronan, had identified Crawford shortly after the shooting, and that her identification was later confirmed by Garda Sergeant Gerry Cleary. The Court held that the appeal failed and dismissed it. The case remains at the life‑sentence stage.
In February 2015, Neilus Keogh, a 27‑year‑old former Limerick rugby player, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after attacking Michael Frisby during a poker game at The Sporting Emporium Casino in Dublin. Keogh struck Frisby in the face and threw a chair, causing three broken facial bones and nerve damage that required surgery with metal plates and screws. Frisby's victim impact statement described being struck while lying unconscious. Keogh had previously been ordered by Judge Patrick McCartan to attend anger‑management counselling and to pay €10,000 to Frisby as a sign of remorse. The court imposed the Probation Act, so no conviction is recorded, and required Keogh to pay the €10,000. The case ended with Keogh's rugby contract not renewed and his subsequent employment as a labourer in London. The judge noted the loss of Keogh's career as a regrettable but inevitable consequence of his wrongdoing.
In a 30‑minute incident in south Dublin, 41‑year‑old Francis Gavigan, a drug addict, forced a woman, Eleanor McCarthy, to drive his car while threatening to Taser her and take her children. He showed the children a memorial card of his late mother and claimed he was a "bad apple" desperate to avoid bank robbery. Gavigan pleaded guilty to robbery and false imprisonment. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with the sentence backdated to May 17, 2014. The court noted the victims felt severely threatened but that Gavigan had no intent to harm them. He had 34 prior convictions, including vehicle theft and violent theft, and was reported to be engaging with prison chaplaincy and drug‑addiction support at the time of sentencing.
Barry Doyle, aged 29, was convicted of murdering rugby player Shane Geoghegan in 2008 and received a mandatory life sentence in 2012. Doyle now appeals his conviction to the Court of Appeal, arguing that Gardaí induced him to admit guilt during interviews. His counsel, Martin O'Rourke SC, contends that Doyle's admissions were obtained through non‑voluntary means, citing threats, psychological pressure, and the use of his child's mother, Victoria Gunnery, as a tool of intimidation. Doyle allegedly was told Gunnery was in custody away from their child, and that he could influence her release by confessing. O'Rourke claims Doyle was denied reasonable access to legal advice during the 14th and 15th Garda interviews, where he ultimately waived his right to silence. The Director of Public Prosecutions has not yet responded, and the appeal will be heard next week by the Court of Appeal judges. Barry Doyle pleaded not guilty.
In February 2015, a 40‑year‑old man named Jason White pleaded guilty in Dublin Central Criminal Court to harassing and threatening a neighbour, Jacqueline Hogg, over a three‑month period in 2012. White admitted harassing Hogg between St Patrick's Day and 7 July 2012, threatening to burn her house, and making violent threats to her family. He also threatened to damage the house, shouted threats from his upstairs window, and was found very drunk and aggressive. The court heard that youths had been drinking at his house, causing anti‑social behaviour, and that Hogg lived in a constant state of fear. Judge Patrick McCartan imposed a six‑month jail sentence suspended for two years, ordered White not to return to his former home in Doon Court, and noted his cooperation with Probation Services. White had three prior convictions for assault and criminal damage.
Greg Crawford, aged 27, of St Munchin's Street, Limerick, has applied to the Court of Appeal to overturn his 2012 conviction for the murder of Gareth Brosnan‑Grant on 8 October 2007. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney. Crawford's barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, argues that the identification of Crawford by witnesses was flawed and that the judge failed to give an adequate identification warning contextualised to the case. He also contends that Gardaí's illegal entry into Crawford's grandparents' home after the shooting violated the law, citing the nullification of the power under section 29 of the Offences Against the State Act. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Thomas Creed SC, maintains that the judge properly warned the jury and that circumstantial evidence, including a firearm found in the grandparents' house, supports the conviction. The Court will reserve judgment until 16 February.
The trial of Noel Hayes (61) and William O'Leary (51), both of Co Wexford, continued before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. The two men, who have pleaded not guilty to forging the will of Matthew Hayes between December 1998 and January 1999, are accused of taking part in the alleged forgery. Prosecution witness Charles O'Leary, who previously pleaded guilty to taking part in the alleged forgery, testified that he first met the deceased on his deathbed in hospital on Christmas Eve 1998. He stated that Noel Hayes brought him to the hospital and denied possessing a pre-printed will. Charles O'Leary was sentenced to 18 months suspended and ordered to pay €30,000 into an account pending for the next of kin of Matthew Hayes. The will, purportedly signed in August 1998, left 162 acres of land and funds to Noel Hayes. It is alleged that all three were involved in forging the document, with Noel Hayes forging the signature. The trial continues.
The High Court has struck out a damages action brought by Lorcan Roche Kelly against the State following the murder of his wife, Sylvia Roche Kelly, in December 2007. Ms Roche Kelly, a mother of two, was killed at The Clarion Hotel in Limerick by Gerard McGrath, who was later sentenced to life imprisonment. Mr Roche Kelly had sued the State, the Garda Commissioner, and the Minister for Justice, claiming that McGrath should have remained in custody rather than being granted bail on charges relating to an assault on a taxi driver in County Cavan and false imprisonment in County Tipperary. High Court President Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns dismissed the claim, acknowledging the case's tragic nature but finding it disclosed no reasonable cause of action under existing law. While the judge described the handling of bail procedures by An Garda Síochána as negligent and disgraceful, he concluded that McGrath's actions were not reasonably foreseeable and that no special duty of care towards the deceased had arisen.
Joseph Cullen, 46, was convicted of assault causing serious harm to Kevin Byrne, who was hit by a car and lost his foot. Cullen pleaded not guilty to alternative counts of assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm. A jury found him guilty and Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment on 20 December 2010. Cullen appealed the conviction but the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and reduced the sentence to nine years imprisonment. The appeal was based on the argument that the prosecution had not indicated joint enterprise until the closing speech, and that Cullen had no basis to believe he faced both counts. The Court of Appeal found no ambush and that the charges were alternatives, but that the original sentence was too high. The new sentence of nine years was imposed by the Court of Appeal.
Ronald Walsh, 61, of Limerick, pleaded guilty to possession of €215,000 of cocaine and cannabis herb for sale or supply at Heuston Station, Dublin, and St Patricks Road, Limerick, on 2 February 2013. He admitted carrying €140,000 worth of cocaine on a train to Dublin to pay off a drug debt. Walsh said he began taking heroin in his forties to relieve back pain after other treatments failed, and that he had been a controlled heroin addict for five years before the addiction spiralled. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Desmond Hogan, gave Walsh a ten‑year suspended sentence, noting the drug value and the lack of custodial purpose. He will be supervised by probation for 12 months and must undergo drug counselling.
Brian and Mary O'Shaughnessy, who owned a two‑bedroom farmhouse in Annaholty, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary, had their home demolished on 6 September 2006 without notice during construction of the N7 dual carriageway. The couple, who were renovating the house and had obtained planning permission, claimed the demolition was negligent and filed a High Court damages action against Limerick County Council, the National Roads Authority, RPS Consulting Engineers Ltd, EGIS Route Scetauroute SA, and Midland Fencing Ltd. In January 2015 the O'Shaughnessys settled their action and were "out of the case," though the defendants continue to dispute liability. The settlement terms were confidential. The court remains to decide which defendant is responsible for the demolition. The O'Shaughnessys had purchased the house for IR£34,500 in 1998, had lived there, and had intended to reside there permanently. The demolition left them homeless, unable to meet mortgage repayments, and led to possession orders that are now on hold.
Brian and Mary O'Shaughnessy brought a claim to the High Court after their rented two‑bedroom farmhouse at Annaholty, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary was demolished on 6 September 2006 without notice while the N7 dual carriageway was being built. The couple had purchased the house for IR£34,500 in 1998, lived there, and had begun renovations in 2006, having sought planning permission. They were told in 2003 that their property would not be acquired for the road. The demolition was carried out by Midland Fencing Ltd, a subcontractor of RPS Scetauroute JV, which described the house as derelict and uninhabited. The defendants—Limerick County Council, the National Roads Authority, RPS Consulting Engineers Ltd, EGIS Route Scetauroute SA, and Midland Fencing Ltd—deny negligence. The O'Shaughnessys seek damages for loss of home, loss of mortgage payments, and exemplary damages, having received only two €10,000 payments from the council.
Derek Floyd, 36, of Tulla, Co Clare, was found guilty of 15 counts of filing incorrect VAT returns and 12 counts of claiming VAT remits to which he was not entitled between 2001 and 2003, and of handling stolen goods. He was originally sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final year suspended, and separately to three years imprisonment for handling stolen goods, with eight months suspended. On appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced his overall sentence to five years imprisonment with one year suspended, and a consecutive term of three years with eight months suspended. The Court found errors in the original sentencing, noting that the judge had misapplied the appropriate sentence and had incorrectly considered the suspended portion. The appeal was upheld by Mr Justice George Birmingham, who substituted the original sentences with the reduced terms. The case involved fraudulently claiming €683,000 in VAT returns and handling €45,000 worth of stolen silage wrap.
A 19‑year‑old Limerick teenager was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, for sexually abusing his seven‑year‑old step‑sister while babysitting her between February 2011 and January 2012. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault at locations in Limerick and Clare. The judge cited the distressing details, breach of trust, gravity of the offences and the victim's age. The sentence includes a prohibition on contact with the victim, 18 months of post‑release supervision, and registration on the Sex Offenders Register. The accused had no prior convictions and was 16 at the time of the abuse. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge and defence counsel presenting evidence and arguments regarding the offender's age and remorse. The victim's impact statement expressed discomfort and a desire never to see the offender again.
A 55‑year‑old man was found guilty of sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning his sister‑in‑law, but was acquitted of an oral rape charge. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, involved six counts, including two of rape, assault causing harm, sexual assault and false imprisonment. After almost five hours of deliberation, the jury returned a not‑guilty verdict on the oral rape charge. Two hours later, the jury found the man guilty of biting the victim's breast and of forcing her into a car, thereby falsely imprisoning her. The judge thanked the jury and excused them from future service for ten years. The defendant was remanded in custody for sentencing on 23 March and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register. The unnamed 55-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard in 2014, a 55‑year‑old man was found guilty of sexually assaulting his sister‑in‑law by biting her breast at her home and of false imprisonment by forcing her into a car. The jury, after deliberating a little over two hours, also convicted him of pulling her by the hair into her bedroom, punching her in the head and forcing her to perform oral sex. However, the trial judge directed a verdict of not guilty on three charges of oral rape and assault causing harm, citing insufficient evidence. The only remaining charge is an allegation that the man orally raped the woman during a car journey from her home to a town in County Limerick. The trial, now in its eleventh day, continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of nine men and three women.