Court archive
Court reports mentioning Ballymahon, Longford
2026-07-06 · Dublin
A Brazilian brothel-keeper, Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro, has had his appeal to reduce his prison sentence dismissed by the court. Ribeiro, who operated a brothel network across rural Ireland and laundered €800,000, was arrested at Dublin Airport in 2023 with child abuse material on his phone. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including brothel-keeping, money laundering, and possession of child pornography. The child abuse material, which included images and videos of pre-pubescent children, was described as the most serious category. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a 10-and-a-half-year sentence in 2025, which included consecutive terms. Ribeiro's lawyers argued that the court should have suspended the sentence for the child abuse material due to his lack of prior convictions. However, Mr Justice Paul Burns ruled that the child pornography charge was of a different nature and required a separate sentence. He stated that the court could not ignore the severity of the offence. The investigation into Ribeiro began after two women came forward with trafficking allegations, leading to the identification of multiple properties used as brothels across Ireland.
2026-07-03 · Clare
The Court of Appeal has set a date in December to hear an application by a Polish cage fighter who is seeking to have his conviction for the murder of a 23-year-old man who was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the River Shannon declared a miscarriage of justice. Leszek Sychulec's legal team told the court today that they had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) seeking disclosure regarding an article published about a garda allegedly involved in organised crime who is connected to the case. Sychulec, now in his 40s, and his co-accused, Andrzej Gruchacz, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, Co Roscommon on June 20th, 2014. Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon outside Athlone while incapacitated with a head injury from a violent assault. A Central Criminal Court jury deliberated for five hours before reaching unanimous guilty verdicts. The defendants were accordingly given mandatory life sentences by Mr Justice Tony Hunt on June 13, 2016.
2026-05-15 · Clare
A Polish cage fighter serving a life sentence for the 2014 murder of a 23-year-old man in Co Roscommon has brought proceedings before the Court of Appeal seeking to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice. Leszek Sychulec, now in his 40s and previously resident in Ballymahon, Co Longford, was convicted alongside co-accused Andrzej Gruchacz in June 2016 of murdering Patryk Krupa at Athlone. The victim drowned in the River Shannon after suffering a head injury sustained during a violent assault. A jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts following five hours of deliberation, and mandatory life sentences were imposed. An earlier appeal in 2018 upheld both convictions. At a case management hearing before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy on 15 May, Sychulec's legal representatives submitted that a miscarriage of justice arose from undisclosed material relevant to State witnesses. The court adjourned the matter to 3 July to allow the prosecution and defence to resolve disclosure issues, with an affidavit containing new evidence to be filed by 15 June. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty.
2026-02-06 · Sligo
A man has been jailed for two years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an assault on an Irish Rail inspector aboard a Dublin to Sligo train at Connolly Station. Gerry Nevin (32), of Mostrim Road, Ballymahon, Co. Longford, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 21 September 2024. The incident occurred after the inspector requested Nevin remove alcohol from the train. Evidence presented to the court showed Nevin engaged in a verbal dispute with the inspector, then assaulted him by pushing him against a door, punching him repeatedly and placing him in a headlock. The inspector sustained a fractured lip, facial cuts and broken glasses, and required hospital treatment. In a victim impact statement, the injured party described ongoing psychological effects and anxiety about returning to work. Judge Martina Baxter imposed a headline sentence of three and a half years, reducing it to two and a half years to reflect mitigating factors including Nevin's early guilty plea. The final six months were suspended on condition he comply with probation supervision and undertake offence-related courses.
2025-03-26 · Dublin
A 54-year-old Brazilian man has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction on multiple charges related to operating a brothel network across rural Ireland. Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro pleaded guilty to 19 sample counts, including brothel-keeping, using false instruments, and possession of proceeds of crime totalling €788,982 across multiple bank accounts. He also admitted possessing child sexual abuse material on his mobile phone when arrested at Dublin Airport in November 2023. The investigation, led by the Garda Human Trafficking and Co-ordination Unit, identified ten rental properties used as brothels in locations including Longford town, Ballyconnell, Ballymahon, Carrick-on-Shannon, and Ballaghadereen. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the offences involved elaborate planning and premeditation. She imposed a global sentence of ten and a half years, suspending the final eighteen months on strict conditions, with the term backdated to his arrest date.
2025-03-14 · Roscommon
A Brazilian man has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to operating a network of brothels across rural Ireland using falsified documents and landlord deception. Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro, aged 54, rented ten properties under a false Italian identity, with two located in Roscommon Town and others in Longford, Cavan, Leitrim, Carlow, Wexford and Kildare between 2018 and 2023. When arrested at Dublin Airport in November 2023, gardaí from the Human Trafficking and Co-ordination Unit recovered approximately €788,000 in proceeds of crime across multiple bank accounts. He also pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material on his phone comprising nine images and sixteen videos. Ribeiro entered guilty pleas to nineteen sample counts including fraud, inducing landlords to rent properties under false pretences, and possession of criminal proceeds. The investigation began following trafficking allegations from two women who identified properties being misused as brothels. Ribeiro has remained in custody since his arrest. Sentencing proceedings are scheduled for 21 March.
2023-02-01 · Longford
A Brazilian woman has testified at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that she expected merely to survive each day while allegedly trafficked in Ireland for sexual exploitation. Giving evidence via video-link with interpreter support, the woman described arriving in 2018 after being promised massage work, but was moved weekly between locations including Ballymahon, County Longford. She stated she was required to engage in sexual services, serving seven to nine clients daily at €100 to €150 each, while having limited English and facing aggressive clients. The witness detailed a system whereby she paid weekly fees for website listing, accommodation ranging from €500 to €900, transport, and transferred half her earnings to an account controlled by accused parties. She recalled meeting other women at a Christmas gathering organised by one of the accused. Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Drumlish, County Longford, has pleaded guilty to organising prostitution and money laundering but denies one human trafficking charge. Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, of Roscommon, denies all eighteen charges including two human trafficking counts.
2022-09-25 · Longford
Christopher Thompson (35) pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, without a driver's licence, and with excess cannabis in his system after being stopped on Mostrim Road, Ballymahon on February 16, 2020. An oral fluid sample tested positive for both cannabis and cocaine, with blood tests confirming he was over the legal limit for cannabis; Thompson had consumed the drugs the night before. Judge Bernadette Owens expressed concerns about a pattern of driving while intoxicated in Thompson's 26 previous convictions and directed a probation report before sentencing.
2022-06-24 · Longford
The Court of Appeal has increased the prison term of Nathan Doherty (24), of Legan, Co Longford, who was convicted of a violent attack on Derek Murphy. Doherty pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm and producing an article capable of causing serious harm. He was originally sentenced by Judge Keenan Johnson at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended for ten years, plus €30,000 in compensation. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the suspended portion, arguing the reduction was a substantial departure from similar cases. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, reading the three-judge court's decision, quashed the original sentence on grounds of deterrence. He re-sentenced Doherty to six years' imprisonment with the final year suspended for two years. The financial restitution was severed from the custodial term via a separate order under Section 6 of the Criminal Procedures Act. Doherty is now ordered to pay €25,000 in compensation to Mr Murphy in annual instalments of €5,000, commencing ten months after his release. The court noted the attack was extremely violent, involving a broken curtain pole forced into the victim's anus. Separately, Derek Doherty (52), of Vicarstown, Ballymahon, Co Longford, was recently sentenced to 80 months in prison, with the final 17 months suspended, at Longford Circuit Criminal Court for his role in the incident. Counsel for Nathan Doherty argued his client was goaded by his father, while the DPP maintained the original sentence was insufficient censure.
2022-06-23 · Longford
The Court of Appeal heard an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding the sentence imposed on Nathan Doherty (24), of Legan, Co Longford. Doherty pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm and producing an article capable of causing serious harm for an attack on Derek Murphy in June 2018. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended for ten years, and ordered to pay €30,000 in victim compensation. The DPP argued the suspended portion was unduly lenient, describing the assault as vile and sadistic. In response, counsel for Doherty highlighted mitigating factors, including his status as a first-time offender and his early guilty plea. Counsel also referenced the separate sentencing of Derek Doherty (52), of Vicarstown, Ballymahon, Co Longford, who was sentenced to 80 months in prison with the final 17 months suspended for his role in the incident. The defence argued that the father had instructed the son to attack the victim. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement on the appeal.
2022-03-15 · Dublin
A man from Ballymahon in County Longford has received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing stolen power tools at a market in Dublin. Brian Nevin, aged 30, admitted to 13 counts of possession of stolen goods found at Balbriggan Sunday market on 21 January 2018. The tools, valued at approximately €3,000, included drills, a screw gun, laser level, and other equipment. A tradesman from Tullamore recognised one of his stolen drills at the market and alerted gardaí. Following investigation, gardaí recovered the items and arrested Nevin, also seizing cash and the van used. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the judge imposed a 12-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months on strict conditions, noting that Nevin had no further convictions since 2015 and remained engaged in his community. Nevin has 29 previous convictions.
2018-10-22 · Longford
A man from Edgeworthstown in Longford has received a partially suspended sentence after pleading guilty to trespassing with intent to commit an offence at a Dublin residence. James Smith (35) of Mostrim Oaks, Ballymahon Road, entered a house on Bloomfield Avenue on October 4, 2015, where he told the occupants that someone was pursuing him. When the homeowners informed him that gardaí were en route, he replied "good". At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Smith to three and a half years imprisonment, crediting 17 months already served in custody and suspending the remainder. The court heard Smith had broken a kitchen window and admitted seeking to steal items to sell, stating he needed money urgently and was unaware anyone was home. Nothing was taken from the property. Smith carries 116 previous convictions, including 17 for burglary. The judge cited his guilty plea, difficult personal circumstances including brain damage, and addiction history as mitigating factors, while noting the window damage and impact on the family as aggravating elements.
2018-01-30 · Westmeath
The Court of Appeal in Dublin has upheld murder convictions against two men in the death of a 23-year-old in June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 35, from Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 36, had been found guilty of murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. The victim was assaulted and left to drown in the Shannon outside Athlone while incapacitated from head injuries sustained during the attack. A Central Criminal Court jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts in 2016, and both men received mandatory life sentences. Delivering judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed all grounds of appeal, finding the trials satisfactory and the verdicts safe. He noted CCTV evidence of exceptional quality from Collins Service Station on the Roscommon Road was central to the investigation, along with DNA and blood evidence recovered from the black BMW used in the abduction and from Sychulec's clothing and watch. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty.
2017-10-27 · Westmeath
Two men convicted of murdering a 23-year-old Polish national in County Roscommon have appealed their convictions at the Court of Appeal. Leszek Sychulec, aged 35, with an address at Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 36, were found guilty by jury in the Central Criminal Court of the killing of Patryk Krupa on 20 June 2014 near Athlone. Both received mandatory life sentences in June 2016. The victim was assaulted, rendered unconscious, and subsequently drowned in the River Shannon. Evidence presented at trial included DNA recovered from Sychulec's belongings and witness testimony. During the appeal hearing, defence counsel for Sychulec challenged the identification procedures used by gardaí, arguing that witnesses were shown a single photograph rather than a range of images. Counsel for Gruchacz raised concerns regarding the admissibility of identification evidence and trial procedure. The prosecution contested these submissions. The three-judge panel reserved judgement. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty.
2017-01-27 · Longford
A man with 116 previous convictions, including 17 for burglary, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass with intent to commit an offence at a dwelling in Dublin 8 on 4 October 2015. James Smith, aged 33, of Mostrim Oaks, Ballymahon Road, Edgeworthstown, County Longford, entered the house by breaking a kitchen window. When the occupants shouted that gardaí had been contacted, Smith indicated he required assistance as someone was pursuing him. Upon the arrival of gardaí, Smith opened the door to admit them. He later told gardaí he had entered the property intending to steal items for sale, stating he needed money urgently and was unaware occupants were present. Nothing was taken from the house. Smith acknowledged he had consumed drugs prior to the incident. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to allow preparation of updated psychological and probation reports. A sentence date of 3 April 2017 was fixed, at which point defence counsel will make a plea in mitigation.
2016-10-13 · Longford
A man convicted of aggravated burglary at Ballymahon, County Longford, has failed to overturn his conviction at the Court of Appeal, despite judges acknowledging that his DNA sample was unlawfully retained beyond the statutory 12-month deadline. Eamon Murphy (48) of Attracta Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to the offence at Longford Circuit Criminal Court but was found guilty and sentenced to ten years imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, in October 2015. A forensic swab was lawfully taken following his arrest in November 2011, but no application was made to retain it beyond the required period before his charge in January 2013. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found that whilst the retention breach violated Murphy's legal rights, the trial judge had properly exercised her discretion to admit the evidence. The appeal was dismissed.
2016-07-13 · Longford
A 29-year-old man from Ballymahon, County Longford, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court, with one year suspended, following his guilty plea to possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device at his home in June 2015. Paul Dodd accommodated the storage of IED materials, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm, in exchange for a financial promise. The court heard Dodd was in dire financial circumstances at the time. His co-accused, Brendan Hope from County Westmeath, had previously received a three-year sentence for possession of a completed device discovered in a van during a search operation. The Special Criminal Court found Dodd's involvement less culpable than Hope's. A separate charge of IRA membership against Dodd was withdrawn by the State.
2016-06-27 · Westmeath
At the Central Criminal Court, Symon Tarkowski, a Polish national aged 28 from Tullamore, County Offaly, received a suspended sentence of five years for his role in the false imprisonment of Patryk Krupa at Bogganall, County Rosemmon, on June 20th and 21st, 2014. Mr Krupa, aged 23, subsequently drowned in the Shannon whilst incapacitated from a head injury sustained during a violent assault. Two other men, Leszek Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz, were convicted of Mr Krupa's murder and received life sentences in June. Mr Justice Tony Hunt distinguished Tarkowski's involvement from that of the convicted murderers, noting he had not planned the assault and remained in his vehicle during the beating. The judge acknowledged Tarkowski's subsequent cooperation with gardaí and his genuine remorse, whilst criticising his decision to clean his car. The suspended sentence reflected the limited nature of his culpability and the mitigating factors present in his case. Symon Tarkowski pleaded guilty.
2016-06-13 · Westmeath
A 28-year-old Polish national has been remanded on bail pending sentence after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and withholding information in connection with a fatal assault in County Roscommon in June 2014. Szymon Tarkowski of Tullamore admitted to the charges relating to the death of Patryk Krupa, who drowned in the Shannon near Athlone following a violent attack. At the Central Criminal Court, evidence was heard that Tarkowski drove two men to locate the victim and transported them to the scene, though he remained in the vehicle during the assault itself. He subsequently cleaned his car in an attempt to remove forensic evidence and later provided a voluntary statement to gardai that aided the investigation. Two other men, Leszek Sychulec of Ballymahon and Andrzej Gruchacz, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment on the same date. The court heard Tarkowski had no previous convictions and was considered out of his depth, lacking premeditation in his involvement. He will be sentenced on 27 June.
2016-06-13 · Westmeath
A cage fighter and another man have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 23-year-old man who was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the River Shannon near Athlone in June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, with an address at Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, were convicted by jury at the Central Criminal Court following a five-hour deliberation in April 2016. The court heard that Patryk Krupa was assaulted following an encounter in Athlone town before being driven away by the accused men. His body was discovered face down in the water by associates who became concerned for his welfare. A State pathologist concluded that Krupa died from a combination of severe head trauma and drowning while unconscious. Justice Tony Hunt described the offence as shocking and violent, commending the investigative work of gardaí at Athlone. Concurrent sentences for false imprisonment were also imposed on both men. Sychulec has previous convictions for drugs offences, extortion and robbery. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty.
2016-05-11 · Westmeath
A Westmeath man has received a three-year prison sentence at the Special Criminal Court for possession of an improvised explosive device. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, pleaded guilty to the charge relating to an IED discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford on 24 June 2015. Detective Sergeant William Hanrahan told the court that Hope was observed leaving a house under surveillance as part of an investigation into IRA activity in the Longford area. The device, containing shotgun propellant powder, a cartridge, cardboard tubing, and other components, was found in a van in which Hope was travelling. During interview, Hope initially claimed he had constructed the device out of curiosity before later stating he had found it. The court noted the crude nature of the device and accepted mitigating factors including Hope's guilty plea and time spent in custody. The sentence was backdated to 31 July 2015.
2016-05-09 · Longford
A man convicted of aggravated burglary at Ballymahon, County Longford has appealed his conviction in the Court of Appeal, arguing that gardaí unlawfully retained his DNA sample beyond a statutory 12-month period before he was charged. Eamon Murphy, aged 48, had pleaded not guilty at Longford Circuit Criminal Court to the offence at An Draigheann on July 3, 2011. He was convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the final three years suspended in October 2015. A forensic buccal swab was taken from Murphy in November 2011 following his arrest, but no court application was made to retain the sample within the required timeframe. He was not charged until January 2013. Murphy's barrister submitted that retention beyond the deadline constituted a breach of his constitutional right to privacy under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence) Act 1990. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued the DNA profile itself was not private information. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
2016-04-22 · Westmeath
At the Central Criminal Court, a cage fighter and a second man have been convicted of murdering a 23-year-old Polish national in June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34 and resident at Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35 from Warsaw, Poland, were found guilty of killing Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. The trial heard that Mr Krupa was assaulted and rendered unconscious before being left to drown in the River Shannon. Evidence presented included witness testimony, DNA findings on Sychulec's belongings, photographic documentation of drag marks leading to the water, and CCTV footage placing both men together at the scene. The jury deliberated for five hours before delivering unanimous guilty verdicts. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13th, when both defendants will receive mandatory life sentences. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty. Cage Fighter pleaded not guilty.
2016-04-21 · Roscommon
The jury in the trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old man at the Central Criminal Court will resume deliberations on Friday morning. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon, on 20 June 2014. The court heard that Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon River following a violent assault that left him unconscious. The prosecution alleges both men transported the deceased to the riverbank, assaulted him, and threw him into the water. The defence has contended that alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault may be appropriate depending on the evidence of intent. Mr Justice Tony Hunt instructed the jury that they could return alternative verdicts on these lesser charges. The twelve-member jury deliberated for one hour and forty-nine minutes before adjourning for the night.
2016-04-21 · Roscommon
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in the trial of two men charged with murdering a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon has been instructed that it may return alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both deny a further charge of false imprisonment on the same date. The trial heard that Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon following a violent assault that rendered him unconscious. Mr Justice Tony Hunt advised the jury it could return a manslaughter conviction if it found there was no intention to kill or cause serious injury, or alternatively convict of assault causing harm. DNA evidence linked Mr Sychulec to the deceased. The jury commenced deliberations before lunchtime.
2016-04-20 · Roscommon
The jury in the trial of two men charged with the murder of a 23-year-old in Athlone is expected to begin deliberating on Thursday. The Central Criminal Court heard that Patryk Krupa drowned following a violent assault on 20 June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murder at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. Both also deny charges of false imprisonment on the same date. Mr Justice Tony Hunt began his charge to the jury on Wednesday, completing it on Thursday before the 12-member panel retire to consider their verdicts on four counts. The prosecution contended that the accused men assaulted the deceased and left him to drown in the River Shannon. The defence disputed identification evidence relating to one accused and suggested alternative liability for assault or manslaughter rather than murder.
2016-04-19 · Westmeath
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in a murder trial heard closing arguments concerning the death of a 23-year-old man in June 2014. Prosecutors alleged that the two accused men violently assaulted the victim and left him to drown in the River Shannon near Athlone, County Roscommon. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, a resident of Warsaw, Poland, have each pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment charges relating to the incident. The State's closing submission contended that DNA evidence recovered from Mr Sychulec's clothing linked him to the deceased. The defence challenged the identification evidence against Mr Gruchacz, questioning the reliability of CCTV footage and passport photographs. A witness testified that he was present during the incident. The judge will deliver his charge to the jury on Wednesday.
2016-04-18 · Roscommon
The State has completed its case at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old man in Athlone. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. The court heard that Mr Krupa drowned after sustaining a head injury during a violent assault. Both defendants also deny charges of falsely imprisoning Mr Krupa on the same date and location. Evidence presented included CCTV footage and a statement from a witness who spoke to Mr Sychulec on the night in question. The jury, comprising four women and eight men, was adjourned to allow legal matters to be discussed in their absence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
2016-04-15 · Westmeath
The Central Criminal Court has heard DNA evidence linking a deceased man to items seized from one of two men on trial for his murder. Patryk Krupa, aged 23, drowned in the River Shannon on 20 June 2014 following an alleged violent assault in Athlone, County Roscommon. DNA profiler Dr Stephen Clifford testified that genetic material matching the deceased was recovered from a bloodstained watch and sock belonging to Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford. The scientist stated the probability of the DNA originating from another person was less than one in a billion for the watch sample and less than one in 11 million for the sock. DNA matching Mr Krupa was also found on a black BMW, the court heard. Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have each pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges both men forcibly removed Mr Krupa and left him incapacitated in the river. The trial continues.
2016-04-15 · Westmeath
Evidence has been heard at the Central Criminal Court in relation to a driving licence found in the name of a witness in a murder trial. Tomas Strugacz testified that his Polish driving licence went missing in Dublin in June 2013, which he reported to gardaí in Lucan before obtaining a replacement. An identification card bearing his name and address but a different photograph was produced in court during proceedings. The trial concerns Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa, aged 23, at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. They also deny falsely imprisoning the deceased on the same date. The court has heard that Mr Krupa drowned following a violent assault. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
2016-04-14 · Roscommon
The Central Criminal Court trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old at Bogganfin, Athlone has continued with legal argument in the absence of the jury. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, face charges of murdering Patryk Krupa on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a separate charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused removed Mr Krupa from Athlone, travelled to the Shannon riverbank, and assaulted him before he drowned while incapacitated. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt began last week and entered its seventh day. Procedural matters were addressed before the jury this morning, with further evidence anticipated this afternoon.
2016-04-13 · Longford
A key prosecution witness in a Central Criminal Court murder trial conceded during cross-examination that he disclosed nothing to gardaí about the alleged killing until after his own arrest on suspicion of murder. Kuba Zmuda testified that he witnessed the assault on Patryk Krupa, aged 23, on the banks of the River Shannon near Athlone on 20 June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, of Warsaw, Poland, are charged with Mr Krupa's murder. Both men deny the allegations and also deny a separate charge of false imprisonment. The trial heard that Mr Krupa died from a head injury sustained during an assault. Under cross-examination by the defence barrister, Mr Zmuda acknowledged that he had made no statement to gardaí prior to his arrest, despite meeting Mr Krupa's sister and receiving a phone call from his girlfriend. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and jury. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2016-04-12 · Westmeath
A witness has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he observed two men remove a 23-year-old from a vehicle, assault him for approximately 15 minutes, and subsequently drag him towards the River Shannon. Kuba Zmuda was providing evidence in the trial of Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland. Both men are charged with the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Each defendant has entered a not guilty plea to the murder charge and to a separate count of false imprisonment. Mr Zmuda described being present when the accused men located Mr Krupa on Church Street in Athlone town centre and brought him to a location near the N6 bridge crossing the Shannon. He stated the men beat and kicked Mr Krupa, who was subsequently found drowned. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
2016-04-11 · Westmeath
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence that a 23-year-old man drowned in the Shannon River following a violent assault that left him incapacitated. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy described severe blunt force trauma to the deceased's head, including a fractured nose, facial swelling, and injuries consistent with kicks and punching. She found blood-tinged froth in the airways and river debris in the lungs, indicating drowning while unconscious. The brain trauma was sufficient to cause concussion or unconsciousness, rendering the victim unable to resist being pulled into the water, the pathologist concluded. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon, on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
2016-04-08 · Westmeath
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning the death of a 23-year-old man recovered from the Shannon in June 2014. The deceased's mother described viewing her son's body at Roscommon mortuary, noting severe bruising and swelling to his face and head. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused subjected the victim to a severe beating before placing him in the river. A witness testified to observing two men wearing blood-stained clothing at a fuel station later that evening. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues with a jury of twelve.
2016-04-07 · Roscommon
A woman described finding her boyfriend's body in the Shannon River while pregnant, giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men charged with his murder. Malwina Kurowski testified that she had been unable to contact Patryk Krupa after he finished work in Athlone on 20 June 2014. She said her brother told her Mr Krupa had been taken by unknown men. Ms Kurowski collected her brother and a friend, and they drove to Bogganfin near the N6 bridge where they discovered Mr Krupa's belongings and found him in the water. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are each charged with murdering the 23-year-old man by beating him unconscious and leaving him to drown. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt is expected to last over three weeks.
2016-04-07 · Roscommon
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from CCTV footage during the trial of two men charged with murder in County Roscommon. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan in Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are accused of murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. The prosecution alleges the victim was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the Shannon. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to a second charge each of false imprisonment on the same date and location. A jury of twelve was empanelled to hear the case. Video footage captured at Collins Service Station in Athlone on the evening in question was presented to the jury, along with still photographs extracted from the footage. The jury was subsequently excused pending discussion of legal matters.
2016-04-06 · Westmeath
Two men appeared before the Central Criminal Court in April 2016 charged with the murder of a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon nearly two years earlier. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both men also denied a charge of false imprisonment on the same date and location. The prosecution outlined that the victim had been subjected to severe violence and subsequently drowned in the Shannon River. Evidence was expected to show that witnesses identified the accused men leaving a black BMW vehicle at the riverside location. A pathologist was anticipated to give evidence regarding injuries consistent with footwear marks and that the victim was unconscious when entering the water. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, was expected to continue for more than three weeks.
2016-04-06 · Longford
Two men have pleaded guilty to explosives offences at the Special Criminal Court. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford, admitted possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges, propellant, cardboard tubing and clingfilm at his home. He also pleaded guilty to possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, pleaded guilty to possession of a complete improvised explosive device containing similar materials, discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler alongside Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded Hope in custody until 11 May and released Dodd on bail until 13 July, both pending sentencing.
2016-03-15 · Longford
Eamon Murphy, 48, of Cabra, Dublin 7, appealed his conviction for aggravated burglary at An Draigheann, Ballymahon, Co Longford, on July 3, 2011. He had pleaded not guilty at Longford Circuit Criminal Court, where he was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on October 25, 2015, with the final three years suspended. In the Court of Appeal, Murphy's counsel, Ciarán O'Loughlin SC, argued that retaining his DNA sample beyond 12 months without a court application breached his constitutional right to privacy. The Garda investigation identified a blood stain on the rear patio door, leading to Murphy's arrest on November 21, 2011, and a buccal swab. He was not charged until January 9, 2013, and no application was made to retain the sample within the statutory 12-month limit. Counsel submitted that under the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence) Act 1990, the sample and records should have been destroyed, rendering the evidence inadmissible. The appeal was heard by Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, and Mr Justice John Edwards. The court reserved judgment, noting the case may raise complex legal and constitutional issues. The matter was adjourned for a mention on April 15 to determine if parties wished to make additional oral submissions on these rights.
2016-02-04 · Longford
A book of evidence has been served on two men following their arrest in County Longford in June 2015 as part of investigations into dissident republican activity. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, faces charges of membership of an unlawful organisation, possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, and possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, County Westmeath, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and possession of an improvised explosive device. Both men appeared before the three-judge Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Mr Hope in custody and granted Mr Dodd bail. Both cases have been adjourned to 15 March, when a trial date is expected to be set.
2015-06-26 · Longford
Two men appeared before an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 26 June 2015, charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and explosives offences. Paul Dodd, aged 29, of St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford, faced charges of IRA membership and possession of component parts of an improvised explosive device, including shotgun cartridges and related materials, discovered at his home on 24 June. He was also charged with possession of approximately 30 assorted shotgun cartridges at the same address. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was charged with IRA membership and possession of an improvised explosive device containing shotgun propellant powder, a 12-gauge cartridge, and other materials, found in Ballymahon on 24 June. Both men were arrested by members of the Special Detective Unit as part of investigations into dissident republican activity. Neither made any reply upon arrest. Both defence representatives indicated they would seek bail applications at a subsequent hearing. The court remanded both men in custody to appear on 1 July.