Samuel Pop, aged 27, from Charnwood Court, Clonsilla, Dublin, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following a conviction for false imprisonment and robbery at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin 4, on 6 November 2019. Pop pleaded guilty to his involvement in an attack on an escort in her hotel room, during which he and a co-accused, who has since died in custody, restrained and robbed the victim of cash, a phone and passport. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Pop's co-accused was the primary aggressor in the incident. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of five-and-a-half years with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including payment of €5,000 compensation to the victim. Pop has previous convictions relating to a similar incident in Roscommon in October 2019.
In a case heard in Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Thomas O'Driscoll (40) and Patrick O'Driscoll (39) pleaded guilty to deception for targeting an elderly woman in her 70s. The brothers approached her in a jewellery shop in Skibbereen on 11 November 2018, persuaded her to give them her phone number after showing a machinery brochure, and later called her in Goleen. They aggressively urged her to purchase machinery and tools, resulting in her writing cheques totaling almost €25,000. The woman later cancelled the cheques, but €6,500 had already been cashed. The brothers paid €6,000 in compensation and each offered €4,000 of their bail money. They were sentenced to two years' imprisonment each. Their lawyers had planned to appeal to the Court of Appeal, but the brothers withdrew the appeal after the court's judges noted the possibility of increasing the sentence. The withdrawal was deemed a wise decision by the presiding judge.
Jonathan Collopy, 34, of St Mary's Park, Limerick, faces extradition to Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for drink driving. He has a prior conviction for serious drug offences in the early 2000s. Collopy's counsel, Katherine McGillicuddy BL, argued that extradition would expose him to inadequate medical care for his severe back and disc problems, citing Bulgarian prison conditions as substandard. She highlighted concerns about bed‑bug infestations, lack of pillows, and a single doctor for 600 inmates, arguing these factors could worsen Collopy's health. The Minister's counsel, Grainne Mullan BL, countered that Bulgarian authorities had provided information on living space (not less than four square metres), private bathrooms, daylight, ventilation, and active treatment in a specialised hospital in Sofia. She also noted assurances of inpatient and outpatient care and that prisoners can apply to the court if rights are breached.
In March 2021 the High Court reserved judgment on Charlotte Mulhall's application to challenge her transfer from Limerick Prison to the Dochas Centre in Dublin. Mulhall, a convicted murderer, argues she was moved to Limerick on 24 December 2018 after an alleged incident involving a female prison officer. She disputes claims that any inappropriate conduct occurred and says she was never given a chance to explain the situation to prison authorities. Mulhall claims the transfer has prevented her Dublin‑based family from visiting, causing her distress. She seeks orders to return her to Dublin and to quash the transfer decision. The prison service and respondents argue the application is untimely and that Mulhall had expressed satisfaction with Limerick. The case was heard by Mr Justice Anthony Barr, who reserved his decision after submissions from both sides. The matter remains pending.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 16 March 2021, Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe delivered his first judgment as an appeal court judge. The case concerned Keith O'Donoghue, a 32‑year‑old former drug addict from Limerick, who had pleaded guilty in 2020 to robbery and unlawful car taking on 21 October 2016. O'Donoghue had been involved in an addiction recovery programme, had begun a stable relationship, moved out of Limerick, worked as a volunteer, and taken part in education, training, health and fitness courses, and counselling. He had also paid €1,000 in compensation and had a positive probation report. The original Circuit Criminal Court judge had imposed a four‑year custodial sentence, with the final two years suspended.
The getaway driver, Alan Graham, 49, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to facilitating an attempted murder of 26‑year‑old Lee Boylan. Boylan was shot three times at close range in a highly populated area of west Dublin on 6 March 2019, sustaining life‑changing injuries. The judge described the attack as well‑planned, involving sophisticated surveillance and a stakeout of a car wash. Graham's role was to drive the BMW that carried the gunman, who fired the shots. He had 20 prior convictions, mainly for drug offences, and was believed to have been under pressure to repay a drug debt. The sentence was set at 14 years, reduced to 11 with one year suspended, backdated to 17 June 2019. The prosecution sought to drop the attempted murder charge. Boylan survived due to a rare arteriovenous fistula that prevented fatal bleeding.
Jonathan Collopy, 34, of St Mary's Park, Limerick, is wanted in Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for drink driving committed in his absence. He has a prior conviction for serious drug offences in 2004. Collopy's barrister, Katherine McGillicuddy BL, told Mr Justice Paul Burns that she requires two weeks to prepare submissions challenging Bulgarian authorities' claim that prisons are not overcrowded. The court adjourned the matter to March 25. The case follows Collopy's arrest on 5 November after a European Arrest Warrant was issued by Bulgaria.
During a sentence hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the court heard that Alan Graham (49) was the getaway driver in a gang‑planned attempted murder of Lee Boylan (26) on 6 March 2019. Boylan was shot three times in the shoulder and neck while seated in his van in a busy area of Mulhuddart, Dublin. He survived because the gunshot wounds created an arteriovenous fistula that stopped the bleeding. Boylan suffered life‑changing injuries, including a severe neurological injury, and remained in hospital and rehabilitation until 30 August 2019. The three bullets remain in his body. Graham pleaded guilty to knowledge of the criminal organisation and participation in the attempted murder, but the State will not prosecute the first count of attempted murder after sentencing.
In a High Court ruling on 25 February 2021, Mr Justice Richard Humphrey authorised the Official Assignee to sell former rugby international Peter Clohessy's family home in Cappamore, Co. Limerick, and ordered the family to vacate the property within six months. Clohessy, declared bankrupt in 2017 with debts exceeding €13 million, had previously owned the house and a 48‑acre farm that was repossessed by AIB and sold to a financial fund. The Official Assignee, represented by Una Nesdale BL, valued the house at €500,000 to €550,000, while the couple valued it lower and opposed the sale. The court accepted the sale as the only means to satisfy creditors, who had been living at the house for four years since the adjudication, and found the six‑month postponement reasonable. The house, built over 15 years ago, adjoined the farm that had been sold to a financial fund.
The Central Criminal Court and Special Criminal Court have adjourned multiple trials due to the pandemic backlog. Inita Romanovska, 34, of Ennis, Co Clare, is charged with the alleged attempted murder of a man she met on Tinder during an incident in Limerick in March 2020. Her trial, previously scheduled for 2021, was adjourned to March 6, 2023. Mr Justice Michael White noted that jury trials will not resume until late March or April 2022, pending safety assessments. Meanwhile, at the Special Criminal Court, the trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney was adjourned from March 1 to May 31, 2022. The accused are Luke O'Reilly, 66, of Co Cavan; Darren Redmond, 25, of Dublin 3; and Alan O'Brien, 38, of Dublin 1. They face charges of false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney in September 2019. Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated that the five-party trial could not proceed in March due to public health restrictions and would run for 12 weeks starting in late May. A fifth unnamed male is also charged with the same offences. All matters remain at the procedural stage of fixing trial dates, with no pleas entered or findings made.
Inita Romanovska, 34, from Latvia, is charged with attempted murder after an incident at a Limerick apartment complex on 11 March 2020. She met the alleged victim on Tinder and they had several dates but were not in a relationship. Romanovska did not attend the Central Criminal Court in Dublin where Mr Justice Michael White had scheduled her trial for 6 March 2023. The trial is delayed for over two years because of a pandemic‑related backlog, with the court prioritising cases where the accused is in custody. She was granted bail last March.
Tomas Mikalajunas, 41, a Lithuanian national, was sentenced by the Court of Appeal to two years and nine months in prison for two burglaries and one criminal damage charge. He had originally received a suspended five‑year, six‑month sentence after a 2016 incident in which a Garda's accidental gun discharge left him with life‑changing injuries, including difficulty speaking and eating. The burglaries involved a pharmacy in Kinsale (January 2015) where €60,000 of high‑end perfumes were stolen, and a boutique in Adare (2016) where €80,000 of clothing was taken. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient and imposed the new term, with no portion suspended, while also imposing a concurrent two‑year sentence for criminal damage. Mikalajunas was present via video link from Lithuania. Tomas Mikalajunas pleaded guilty.
A 39-year-old man facing trial on charges of deception and theft had a bail surety of €100,000 incorrectly refunded in full instead of the reduced amount of €50,000, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday. The defendant, from Limerick, had the money distributed amongst family members who had contributed to the surety. His legal team told the court he is currently reliant on Covid-19 welfare payments following redundancy. During an application to vary bail conditions, Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about evidence that the accused had been travelling in a newly acquired van with power tools, questioning how this aligned with his stated financial circumstances. A detective garda objected to any variation, citing flight risk concerns and the seriousness of potential penalties if convicted. The matter was adjourned to March 5th to allow gardaí to establish whether the defendant's stated need to travel to Wexford for care duties was necessary. The accused faces 18 theft counts involving over €85,000 in County Mayo.
Michael Small, a 54‑year‑old former solicitor from Renville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, faces a trial set for 9 January 2023 in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He is charged with multiple counts of theft, deception, failure to keep accounting records and the use of false accounting documents, alleged to have occurred over a two‑year period while he was practising in Limerick. Earlier, in 2008 and 2009, he appeared before the Dublin District Court on similar charges. The case involves allegations of €1.2 million in fraud, and free legal aid was granted for the circuit court proceedings.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court concerning the death of a five-time Irish boxing champion has been adjourned due to Covid-19 restrictions. Logan Jackson, aged 30 and with an address in Coventry, England, is charged with the murder of Kevin Sheehy, who died after being struck by a vehicle on Hyde Road in Limerick on July 1, 2019. Mr Sheehy's body was discovered in the road at approximately 4.40am. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned the proceedings to February 9, when a trial date will be set. The court indicated that Mr Jackson's trial would be afforded priority status.
A 29‑year‑old man, Thomas Power, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for stabbing a stranger, Eoin Casey, in the head on 20 August 2018. The knife entered Casey's left temple, travelled across his brain and left the tip inside the skull. Casey spent two weeks on a ventilator and five months in a rehabilitation centre, and now suffers lifelong disability, epilepsy, speech dyspraxia and impaired reading and writing. Power pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm, and was also found guilty of assaulting Aaron Grant, who sustained superficial injuries. Power's sentence, back‑dated to 20 January 2021, runs concurrently with the two convictions and includes an 18‑month suspended portion for the serious‑harm charge.
In a court hearing on 28 January 2021, the case of Thomas Power, a 29‑year‑old Limerick resident, was presented. Power pleaded guilty to assaulting Eoin Casey, 25, on 20 August 2018, when a knife penetrated Casey's left temple, leaving a fragment inside his skull. Casey suffered a severe brain injury, requiring transfer to Cork University Hospital and subsequent rehabilitation in Dublin. He now has lifelong disabilities, including speech dyspraxia and memory deficits, and continues ongoing medical treatment. Power also pleaded guilty to assaulting Aaron Grant on the same night, who sustained superficial injuries. The court heard victim impact statements from Casey's brother and Grant, describing the lasting physical and emotional effects. Power was remanded in custody pending sentencing, with the judge noting the incident was a chance encounter without prior history between the parties. The case highlights the serious harm caused by the stabbing and the enduring impact on the victim's life.
A 48‑year‑old Munster man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for raping his younger sister in their family home in County Limerick between September and November 1989. He pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence, claiming the allegation is part of a conspiracy against him. The victim, aged about eight at the time, testified that the offence occurred while the accused was alone with her in the house, that he brought her to his bedroom, lifted her skirt and raped her, and that she later noticed blood. She disclosed the crime to Gardaí in 2017. The court noted the offence was a single event committed by a minor, that the accused had no prior convictions, and that the offence had a lifelong effect on the victim.
A 48‑year‑old Limerick truck driver, Alyvydus Simkus, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading guilty to unlawfully importing €1.6 million worth of ketamine, MDMA and cocaine into Ireland on 31 March 2018. Gardaí said he was paid £50 to transport the drugs, which were found in three white boxes in the cab of his truck at Dublin Port. Simkus, who had no serious convictions before, denied the offence initially but later admitted he was the only person with the key to the cab unit. He claimed he did not know the contents of the boxes and that he expected more payment. The judge accepted his remorse, noted his otherwise decent life, and suspended the final 18 months of a five‑year sentence on the condition of good behaviour.
In a High Court case, Judge Paul Burns will write to UK authorities seeking clarification on post‑Brexit extradition law concerning Keith Anthony McCarthy, a 40‑year‑old Limerick man wanted in the UK for the murder of Kerrin Repman, 29, in Essex. McCarthy, also known as Keith Galvin, is accused of murder by deliberately running down Repman on a scooter and of grievous bodily harm with intent to a 79‑year‑old pensioner who suffered multiple broken limbs. Both charges carry a life sentence. An EAW was issued on 27 November, and McCarthy was arrested five days later in Midlands Prison, where he is serving a separate sentence. His lawyer, Brian Storan, argues that McCarthy was arrested before Brexit and is now "caught between two stools," claiming the EAW Act no longer applies under the post‑Brexit Trade Agreement.
A 49‑year‑old man, Alan Graham of Limerick, pleaded guilty to helping facilitate the attempted murder of Lee Boylan, who was shot in 2019. Graham admitted knowledge of a criminal organisation and participation in activities intended to aid the offence. He was arraigned via video link from Mountjoy Prison. The prosecution noted two counts on the indictment; a nolle prosequi will be entered on the attempted murder charge after sentencing. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Graham in custody until February 2 for a sentence hearing and a victim impact report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Limerick resident Pat Sheedy, 51, faced a new fraud charge after admitting he scammed a Westmeath publican, Con Gilsenan, out of €548 by promising four "premium" rugby match tickets that never arrived. Sheedy had previously pleaded guilty to the theft in January 2019 and had a history of 59 fraud convictions, many involving deception. He has a chronic gambling addiction and has engaged in treatment since custody. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing the victim's distress, granted Sheedy a "one last chance" by suspending a two‑year prison term for four years, conditional on maintaining peace and continuing gambling‑addiction treatment. Sheedy remains in custody for other offences, with a release date in January 2023. The court noted he had already repaid the stolen money. The hearing highlighted his ongoing struggle with gambling and the court's willingness to offer a conditional reprieve.
In a laneway on Adare Lane, Andrew Stammers died of a drug overdose during the night of 19 October 2017. Owen Comerford (34) and his accomplice, John Murdiff (33), entered the lane and rummaged through Stammers' pockets, taking cigarettes, cash and other items. They later returned to alert emergency services, staying with Stammers until medical help arrived. The court heard that Stammers had been off drugs for years and had been a recovering addict. Judge Melanie Greally found the theft an opportunistic crime against a vulnerable man who was either dead or dying, imposing an 18‑month prison term. Comerford's earlier convictions for burglary and threatening offences added an additional five and a half years, with 12 months suspended on condition of drug‑treatment participation. Murdiff received a two‑year sentence for his role in the theft. The case highlighted the distress caused to Stammers' grieving partner and the broader impact on the community. Owen Comerford pleaded guilty.
Jonathan Collopy, a 34‑year‑old Limerick man, is wanted in Bulgaria for an 18‑month drink‑driving sentence. He was arrested on 5 November under a European Arrest Warrant. His barrister, Ms Katherine McGillicuddy, argued that the 2016 conviction was a historical, complex matter and that Bulgarian prison conditions required an expert report. She requested the case be adjourned to allow preparation of the report, and Mr Justice Coffey set a new hearing for 21 December. Collopy had been jailed in 2004 for serious drug offences and was granted bail by Mr Justice Paul Burns last week.
The Court of Appeal has upheld a finding that the sentence imposed on Muiris Flynn, a 31-year-old appellant, was unduly lenient for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving, and driving without insurance at Doon near Boyle on September 24, 2017. Flynn pleaded guilty to all charges. While the three-judge panel nominated a headline sentence of six years, they decided not to increase the custodial element because Flynn had already been released from prison and secured new employment. Instead, the court imposed a €20,000 fine, describing it as a substantial part of his punishment. The unserved balance of the three-year custodial sentence was suspended. The court re-imposed the original driving disqualifications, acknowledging their adverse impact on his social and working life but deeming them an appropriate response to the devastating harm caused to the victims. Flynn was given until December 31, 2020, to pay the fine in a single instalment, with permission to pay through the Roscommon Town court office. The matter was not adjourned; the re-sentencing and fine payment deadline were finalized.
A 28‑year‑old Limerick man, Thomas Power, pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to two counts of assault. He admitted seriously assaulting Eoin Casey on 20 August 2018 at Woodbine Avenue, Caherdavin, and also assaulting Aaron Grant on the same occasion. The judge ordered a probation and welfare report and victim impact statements from both victims, and adjourned the sentencing hearing to 28 January.
A 34‑year‑old Limerick man, Jonathan Collopy, is wanted in Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for a drink‑driving offence that was convicted in his absence. He was previously jailed in the early 2000s for serious drugs offences. Collopy is a father of five, expecting a sixth child, and has started a car sales business in Limerick. The High Court granted him bail pending an extradition hearing. The judge accepted that Collopy poses a flight risk but imposed conditions: he must live at St Mary's Park, deposit €2,000 in cash, provide an independent surety of €2,000, sign daily at Henry Street Garda Station, obey a curfew from 10 pm to 7 am, and keep his mobile phone charged for Garda contact. Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan objected to bail, citing Collopy's 17 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic matters, and his substantial sentence in Bulgaria.
Rita Ryan, aged 69, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of indecent assault against an 11‑year‑old girl she abused while working as a care assistant at an orphanage in the early 1970s. The abuse, which began with a question about "French kissing" and escalated to mutual masturbation and oral sex, continued for over a hundred occasions until the victim left Ireland. Ryan accepted the court's suggestion that her conduct was a "romantic" or "intimate" relationship and acknowledged it was sexual abuse. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year custodial term, fully suspended, and ordered Ryan to pay €15,000 to the victim as a token of remorse, with a further €15,000 within a year. The judge noted Ryan's admissions, lack of prior convictions, and community contributions as mitigating factors, while emphasising the prolonged nature of the abuse and the age disparity between the parties.
Two Limerick men, Dylan Hayes (25) and Gerard Hogan (37), were found guilty of murdering Shane Murphy at a house‑party in Pallasgreen on 30 April 2015. The jury convicted them of murder after evidence showed Hayes stabbed Murphy repeatedly with a knife, while Hogan allegedly assisted by attacking with a screwdriver and encouraging Hayes. The trial judge imposed a mandatory life sentence on both. In May 2024 the Court of Appeal dismissed appeals by both men. The appellate panel found no error in the trial judge's instructions on provocation or on joint enterprise, and concluded there was no evidence that Hogan had withdrawn from the attack. The appeals were therefore rejected, leaving the convictions and life sentences intact.
Thomas Regelski, a 79‑year‑old retired U.S. academic living in Helsinki, is suing University Hospital Limerick for alleged medical negligence. He was admitted to the hospital in June 2019 while holidaying in Ireland, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and treated with antibiotics, including Levoflaxin, and steroids. Regelski claims that the combination of Levoflaxin and steroids, which national guidelines advise against, caused him to develop bilateral Achilles tendon ruptures. He says the injuries left him confined to a wheelchair for four weeks. To bring a High Court claim against the hospital, Regelski needs a Personal Public Service (PPS) number, which he has not received despite applying and providing all required documentation to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. He is seeking a judicial order compelling the Minister to issue the PPS number and a declaration that the failure infringes his right of access to the courts.
Mr Noel Hickey, aged in his mid‑thirties, brought High Court judicial review proceedings against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, the Department of Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General after a 44‑month backlog delayed his claim for compensation following a 2014 assault that left him with life‑changing injuries. The assault, in which he was punched and kicked with steel‑capped boots, caused brain bleeding, facial deformation, a broken eye socket, nose, jaw and chin, and left him in a coma for four weeks. He now suffers memory loss, anosmia, ageusia and requires ongoing surgeries. His counsel, Thomas Creed SC, argued that no interim payment had been made and that the Tribunal was understaffed. The court heard that, at the current rate, Mr Hickey would not receive any compensation until 2023 or 2024 at the earliest.
The Court of Appeal has added a €20,000 fine to the sentence of Muiris Flynn, a 31-year-old appellant, following a successful DPP appeal against the undue leniency of his original sentence. Flynn pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving, and driving without insurance at Doon near Boyle on September 24th, 2017. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Francis Comerford, was four years in prison for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, with the final two and a half years suspended, alongside concurrent disqualifications for the other charges. The three-judge appellate court, presided over by Justice John Edwards, found the original sentence unduly lenient and nominated a headline sentence of six years. However, considering Flynn's release from prison, his finding of new employment, and the interests of justice in promoting reform, the court decided not to increase the custodial element. Instead, they suspended the unserved balance of the newly imposed three-year term and imposed the substantial €20,000 fine. The court re-imposed the same driving disqualifications as the circuit court, acknowledging the adverse impact on Flynn's social and working life but deeming it an appropriate response to the devastating harm caused to the victims.
A 39-year-old man, Alan Hanley, has appealed his rape conviction, arguing that the trial judge's inadvertent use of the word 'guilt' rather than 'innocence' should result in the conviction being quashed. Hanley, of no fixed abode, was convicted in the Central Criminal Court following three trials. The first jury failed to reach a verdict, the second convicted him, and the third returned a guilty verdict on one of three rape counts but failed to agree on the other two. Mr Justice Alex Owens sentenced him to 12 years in custody. During the appeal, Hanley's barrister, Seamus Clarke SC, submitted that the trial judge had erred in refusing to warn the jury that evidence of a complainant's distress amounted to weak corroboration, and that the judge had inadvertently used the word 'guilt' instead of 'innocence' when explaining the standard of proof and presumption of innocence. The judge had attempted to clarify the matter with the jury, but Mr Clarke argued that this only confused the jurors further. The appeal was heard by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, Justice George Birmingham, and Justice Aileen Donnelly, who reserved judgment.
Jordan Duffy, 23, of Glin Road, Coolock, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at his home on 2 May 2019. Gardaí searched the house with a warrant, finding a small quantity of cocaine, weighing scales and a safe. When asked to open the safe, Duffy revealed more cocaine and €350 in cash. He claimed he was holding the drugs for someone else to repay a debt, but the court found this explanation uncredible, noting the presence of scales and cash indicated dealing. Duffy had no prior convictions, worked as a gym instructor, and had recently begun a four‑year electrician apprenticeship. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to 18 months, suspended in full, and ordered 18 months of probation supervision. The sentence was imposed on 22 October 2020.
A 31-year-old man from Geevagh, County Sligo has had his sentence referred for review by the Court of Appeal after being convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving and driving without insurance. The offences arose from a collision on a country road near Boyle, County Roscommon, on 24 September 2017, when his vehicle struck two cyclists. One victim sustained spinal fractures and hip dislocation, requiring prolonged recovery and leaving her unable to return to her former employment as a teacher. The other cyclist suffered significant pelvic fractures and required intensive care treatment. At sentencing in Roscommon Circuit Court, the defendant received four years imprisonment with the final two and a half years suspended, along with an eight-year driving disqualification. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the sentence as unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence was indeed unduly lenient and determined that re-sentencing was necessary. The court indicated it would consider all available options, including the possibility of imposing a substantial fine. Judgement is expected by month's end.
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to two fashion retail companies that operated thirteen Pamela Scott stores across Ireland. Arzac Developments Ltd ran ten stores while Richard Alan & Co operated three, with outlets in locations including Sligo, Dublin, Limerick, Tralee and Cork. The firms, employing 104 people, sought winding up orders citing challenging market conditions, rising operating costs and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which rendered them insolvent. Mr Justice David Keane appointed insolvency practitioners Eamonn Richardson and Ian Barrett of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators. The court heard the companies faced pressure from landlords, reduced footfall and changes to wage subsidy schemes. Both firms were dependent on their parent company, Flairline Fashion Ltd, for administrative and financial support, which was no longer available. The judge made the cases returnable to November.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 8 October 2020, Alex Kelly, aged 26, pleaded guilty to the murder of 44‑year‑old Martin Clancy on New Year's Day 2018. The court heard a statement from Clancy's brother Brendan, describing Martin as a generous chef who fed the hungry and gave from his pocket. Brendan expressed profound grief, noting the loss of a son, brother, and the impact on nieces, nephews and grandnephews. Pauline Whalley SC for the State said the guilty plea provided closure and spared the family a lengthy trial. She acknowledged Kelly's remorse, citing a voluntary statement to Gardaí nine days after the murder. Judge Paul McDermott imposed the mandatory life sentence for murder, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody terms in the article.
Mark Crawford (43) was sentenced to a mandatory life term for the murder of Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) at Fitzgerald's Bar in Limerick City on July 7 or 8, 2018. Ms Justice Tara Burns described the killing as an act of "madness fuelled by drink and drugs," noting that Crawford stabbed the victim six times, with wounds to the heart and neck causing death. The court heard that the men had met less than 48 hours prior and were taking cocaine together when tensions rose over the drugs. Crawford's claim of self-defence was rejected by the jury, which convicted him unanimously last month. In mitigation, Crawford's barrister read a letter in which Crawford expressed regret and stated he "never meant to kill" the victim. The prosecution highlighted Crawford's previous convictions, including assault causing harm and a pending sentence for a Section 15A drugs offence involving €24,500 worth of heroin. The victim's sister, Deborah O'Connor, told the court that the sentence provides some comfort, describing her brother as a kind, fun-loving regular who was killed by a man he barely knew. The judge emphasized the societal issue of knife violence combined with alcohol and cocaine, stating that such a mixture results in far too many deaths.
Charlotte Mulhall, aged 21 at the time of the 2005 murder of her mother's boyfriend, has filed a High Court challenge to reverse her transfer from Limerick Prison to the Dochas Centre in Dublin. She argues that the move, made on 24 December 2018, was unjustified and that she was never given a chance to explain the alleged incident involving a prison officer. Mulhall claims the transfer has caused her severe emotional distress, citing a lack of family visits and the loss of her dog from a canine programme. She seeks orders directing the Irish Prison Service, the Governor of Limerick Prison, the Minister for Justice & Equality, and the Attorney General to return her to Dublin and to annul the transfer decision. The case is set to be heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan next month. Mulhall's sister, Linda, was convicted of manslaughter in the same 2005 case and released in 2018.
Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court, where they were served with Books of Evidence in connection with the alleged attempted murder of Christy Keane. The prosecution alleges that the Limerick-based McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation shot Mr Keane multiple times as he parked his car on the University of Limerick grounds at approximately 6.35am on June 29, 2015. Noel Price, 42, of Kileely Road, Limerick City, is charged with having knowledge of the existence of the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation and assisting in making a vehicle available to that organisation with the intention of facilitating the attempted murder, or being reckless as to the same, between June 27 and 29, 2015. Co-accused John Costello, 39, of Hennessy Avenue, Kileely, is charged with knowledge of the existence of the criminal organisation and providing transport to persons with the intention of facilitating the commission of the attempted murder on June 29, 2015. Larry McCarthy, 42, of Tower Lodge, Old Cork Road, Limerick City, is charged with making a vehicle available to the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation in the attempted murder between June 27 and 29, 2015. The alleged offences fall under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded all three men in custody to appear again before the non-jury court on November 2.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 43‑year‑old man was found guilty of murder after stabbing a friend six times in a Limerick bar during a dispute over cocaine payment. The jury rejected the defendant's claim of self‑defence, concluding he intended serious injury and that the force used was excessive. The prosecution argued that the knife wounds to the heart, jugular vein, neck and arm inevitably caused death. The judge announced a mandatory life sentence and remanded the defendant in custody. The trial included testimony from witnesses who observed the altercation, a barman who saw the stabbing, and the defendant's wife who described his fear and subsequent actions. The case highlighted the severity of the assault and the court's determination of intent and culpability. The unnamed 43-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Limerick murder trial, a jury of 11 men and one woman spent over two hours deliberating the case of Mark Crawford, 43, accused of stabbing his friend Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor, 24, to death in Fitzgerald's Bar. The jury was instructed by Ms Justice Tara Burns to consider Crawford's claim of self‑defence, the alleged threat he perceived, and whether the force used was reasonable and proportionate. The judge explained the possible verdicts: guilty of murder; not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter; or not guilty. Crawford had admitted to stabbing O'Connor but denied intent to kill, stating he acted in self‑defence after a dispute over €100 for cocaine. The prosecution argued there was no threat and that the force was excessive, while the defence highlighted Crawford's distress and remorse. The jury was to return a unanimous verdict before returning to the courtroom.
The appeal in the case of Mark Crawford (43), who is alleged to have murdered Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) at Fitzgerald's Bar, Sexton Street, in Limerick city between July 7 and July 8, 2018, is ongoing. Crawford has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. The State has argued that there was nothing to justify the use of force against the deceased, let alone the level of force used, which resulted in six stab wounds, including two fatal ones to the heart and jugular vein. The prosecution has highlighted that Crawford admitted stabbing the deceased to gardai but claimed self-defence. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that the deceased sustained six stab wounds. The State has also pointed to evidence suggesting Crawford disposed of the flick-knife used in the attack and moved to multiple locations before surrendering to gardai. Defence counsel Patrick McGrath SC has argued that Crawford was genuinely distressed and remorseful, and that the appropriate verdict, if there is doubt about his intention or if he mistakenly believed he was under threat, would be manslaughter. The matter is adjourned for the jury to be charged by Ms Justice Tara Burns.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mark Crawford, aged 43, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor, aged 24, who died after being stabbed in Fitzgerald's Bar, Limerick, on 7–8 July 2018. Crawford told Gardaí that the fatal incident followed a dispute over €100 owed for cocaine. He claimed a flick‑knife was handed to him by a young man in the bar, which he took for protection, and that he stabbed O'Connor in a moment of fear, believing he might be attacked. Crawford said he had no intention to kill and that the act was a split‑second reaction. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, continues with a jury of 11 men and one woman. The prosecution maintains that Crawford admitted the stabbing to Gardaí and that the motive was a dispute over cocaine payments. The case remains in the early stages of the trial.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor, a 24‑year‑old, died from six stab wounds, two of which were fatal to his heart's right ventricle and left jugular vein. The wounds were found on his thorax, neck, left upper arm, left forearm, and left upper arm again, with depths ranging from 2.1 cm to 10 cm. Dr Bolster noted cocaine in O'Connor's system. Mark Crawford, 43, charged with O'Connor's murder, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged a dispute over €100 for cocaine led to the fatal attack at Fitzgerald's Bar, Limerick, between 7 and 8 July 2018. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, continues with a jury of 11 men and one woman. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Crawford (43) faces a murder charge for stabbing Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) to death at Fitzgerald's Bar, Limerick, on 7 July 2018. His wife, Karen Crawford, testified that the night after the incident he called her from the pub, asking her to pick him up. She described him as staggered, blood‑dripping, crying, and saying he needed to "get his head straight." She drove him to her sister's house, then to the Abbey Court Hotel, and finally to the garda station where he handed himself in. Karen also recounted that the next day he told her, "what am I after doing to that boy as he was my friend?" The prosecution alleged a dispute over €100 for cocaine, while the defence claimed self‑defence. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, is expected to last two weeks. Mark Crawford pleaded not guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Mark Crawford, a barman named Cyril O'Connor testified that he witnessed Crawford striking Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor in the neck after a dispute over money and cocaine. O'Connor, who began his shift at 6 pm on 7 July, observed the men arguing quietly and heard €50 mentioned. He later saw Crawford hit O'Connor four or five times, describing the blows as rapid. O'Connor was left lying on his side with blood flowing from his neck, and he had two marks on his neck and was unconscious. The barman noted Crawford's mood changed during the night, showing rage, but he could not explain how the fight started. The trial, set before Ms Justice Tara Burns, is expected to last two weeks. Mark Crawford pleaded not guilty. Cyril O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
A jury of eleven men and one woman was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Mark Crawford, 43, of Quarry Road, Thomondgate, Co Limerick. Crawford, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with the murder of Patrick O'Connor at Fitzgerald's Bar, Sexton Street, Limerick City, between 7 and 8 July 2018. He is scheduled to appear before Ms Justice Tara Burns tomorrow morning, and the trial is expected to last two weeks.
Ms Fiona Roche, a secondary school teacher from Kildare who has taught since 2002 and been registered with the Teaching Council since 2006, has brought a High Court judicial review against the council's refusal to recognise her as a qualified post‑primary teacher. The council, after a 2018 Department of Education instruction to vacate her position, declared in April 2019 that she was not to be accredited as a registered qualified teacher for religion and CSPE, citing insufficient subject‑matter qualifications and lack of experience in the sector. Ms Roche, who holds a Montessori teaching qualification, a degree in Behavioural Science‑Psychology, a Graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling and higher diplomas in Further Education and Theological Studies, disputes the decision and has unsuccessfully appealed. In the High Court, counsel argued that the council's decision‑making process was flawed and that the decision was without legal basis, irrational and contrary to common sense.
Derek Devoy, 37, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 17 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for a series of violent offences committed on 11 March 2019. He admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov PM63 RAK submachine gun with intent to endanger life and of a Yugoslavian M75 hand grenade with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury. Devoy discharged the gun twice in public and again while being restrained by Gardaí in a bathroom, narrowly missing a garda's head. A hand grenade was found on the floor without its safety mechanism; it was later detonated in a controlled explosion, rendering the house uninhabitable. The court noted Devoy's 27 previous convictions, including two firearm offences, and his personal history of family tragedy. He pleaded guilty to all charges, which led to a 15 % discount on the headline sentence of 20 years, resulting in the 17‑year term.