In a High Court hearing on 23 April 2018, Patricia Martin, a wheelchair‑bound retiree who lives in a nursing home, obtained a possession order for her South Dublin bungalow at Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock. Martin had bought the property in 2013 and discovered in 2016 that Darko Malencia was living there without her permission. She had never met him, never entered into an agreement, and had not received any rent. Malencia claimed he had been given a letting by an unknown party. After letters in early 2017 failed to prompt him to leave, court proceedings were started. Malencia did not contest the application. The High Court, hearing an appeal from the Circuit Court, granted Martin possession, but imposed a four‑week stay to allow Malencia to arrange his affairs and vacate the premises.
Brendan Phelan, a 66‑year‑old retired principal officer of the Department of Health and Children, was given a suspended three‑year sentence in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. The offence stemmed from a March 2013 raid on his home, where authorities seized 58,585 images and 1,046 videos, most of which were naturist and focused on young boys' genitalia, with a minority depicting pre‑pubescent boys in sexual behaviour. Phelan admitted to long‑standing possession of the material and has since attended counselling and rehabilitation, producing a court report indicating a low risk of re‑offending. The judge noted mitigating factors such as the nature of the images, his cooperation, and the absence of distribution, but added that the conviction would bring shame on him and his family and that he would be listed on the sex offenders register.
Sean Walsh, 51, of St John's Well, Fair Hill, Co Cork, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and sentenced to three and a half years in prison, backdated to his arrest on 14 December 2016. The court heard that in November and December 2016 Walsh met with three other men at a house on Old Commons Road, Blackrock, where a fourth man was shot dead on 7 December. Gardaí searched the house's attic and found a bag containing two firearms, 14 rounds of ammunition, latex gloves and a black woolly hat that matched Walsh's DNA. Later that evening, Walsh was found in a house in Cobh with two other men, carrying a sawn‑off shotgun, a Walther pistol and loose ammunition.
In a High Court hearing on 15 March 2018, Gerald and Olivia Dorian of Ivy Cottage, Rock Road, Blackrock, Dundalk, Co. Louth, sought an interim injunction against their neighbour Ruth Black. The dispute concerns a small plot of land outside the front wall of Ivy Cottage that contains mature flower beds. The Dorians claim the beds are part of their property, which has been in their family since 1903, and that Ruth Black, who bought an adjoining property in 2017, has no legal right to claim ownership. The Dorians allege that Black's solicitors asserted ownership and that Black has already arrived with machinery to carry out works that could remove the beds and ivy. On ex‑parte, Justice Caroline Costello granted the Dorians an injunction preventing Black from interfering with the beds, which measure 18 inches wide by 29 feet long. The Dorians also seek a declaration that the beds belong to them and form part of their property.
Gavin O'Reilly, 36, was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence after he drove a jeep in front of John and Amanda Martin's car, stopped, took an axe from the vehicle and swung it over the Martins' heads, threatening to kill them. O'Reilly had previously been in a relationship with the Martins' daughter and had two children with her. He pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Mr. Martin in Deansgrange on 13 February 2017. He had one prior conviction for possession of drugs. The court heard that the Martins were left traumatised, with their wife losing confidence in going out alone and their daughter experiencing anxiety at school. O'Reilly's actions were described as reprehensible and unjustified, and the judge suspended the custodial term on the condition that he does not contact the Martins.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Sean Walsh, aged 51, was found guilty of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Walsh had denied being a member on 14 December 2016, but the court accepted evidence from Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin, who testified that he was certain of Walsh's membership based on confidential information. Detective Sergeant Patrick Murphy supplied further evidence, including surveillance reports and a search of a house on Old Commons Road where a bag containing firearms, ammunition, latex gloves and a black woolly hat was found; the hat's DNA matched Walsh's. The court also heard that Walsh had met with co‑accused Joseph Walsh, Michael Gilmartin and a fourth man at Old Commons Road on 29 November and 6 December, and that the group had been involved in a shooting on 7 December. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 16 March.
Graham Dwyer, aged 45, has asked the High Court to strike down parts of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 that allowed Gardaí to obtain and use mobile phone data as evidence in his murder trial. He was convicted of the murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara and sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2015. Dwyer claims the Act breaches his constitutional rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, arguing that the 2011 Act implements the invalid 2006 EU Directive 2006/24/EC, which the European Court of Justice struck down in 2014 for violating privacy and data protection. He seeks declarations that the Act is incompatible with EU law, damages for breaches of his rights, and an order that his legal costs be paid by the respondents. The case is pending before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor and will affect his appeal against conviction.
Gary Culhane, a 40‑year‑old Limerick man, was sentenced to four years in prison for breaking into the parochial house of The Good Shepherd Church in Churchtown, Dublin, on 15 October 2016. He pleaded guilty to burglary and was found to have 102 previous convictions, including assault, robbery and theft, and had spent 20 years in prison. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final year of the sentence, ordering Culhane to complete a residential drug rehabilitation course at Tiglin treatment centre and to follow all after‑care plans. The priest, who had been away saying mass, was "very shaken" when he returned to find €650 stolen from his house, including money, collections and the poor box. Garda Áine Bolton identified Culhane after the priest downloaded CCTV footage.
David Marsh, 31, was sentenced to an additional 14 months in jail after he deceived a woman he met on a dating website by claiming he was anaemic and needed money for medication and a flight to the US to see a specialist. He also extracted €300 from a new girlfriend for a holiday that never occurred, and €800 from the same woman under various pretences. Marsh's criminal history includes six counts of deception, one theft from an Eir store, and possession of heroin while in prison. He had previously been jailed for two years in 2016 for fraud, including defrauding a Limerick couple of €76,000, stealing €740 from his employer, and scamming colleagues and rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000. He has 23 prior convictions, mainly for fraud. The court noted his "active fantasy life" and impulsive behaviour, but did not attribute any motive beyond his charm and confidence tactics. David Marsh pleaded guilty.
Thomas McCann, 43, of Morristown Estate, Newbridge, Co Kildare, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of six years' imprisonment, with two years suspended. He has spent 22 years in custody and has 150 prior convictions, mainly for burglary and theft. McCann pleaded guilty to smashing a glass panel on a house on Strand Road, Sandymount, and was found guilty of burglary at a house on Maretimo Place, Blackrock, on 30 September 2011. He was acquitted of a second burglary attempt at comedian Mario Rosenstock's home. Judge Ryan sentenced him to four years for the Maretimo burglary, with one year suspended, and to two years for the 2016 criminal damage, with one year suspended, to be served after the first sentence. McCann, who has been drug‑free for 27 years, expressed remorse, thanked the court, and pledged to dedicate the rest of his life to his wife and child.
Former international rugby referee David McHugh resolved High Court proceedings he had brought against the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) over the decision to dismiss him from his role as Referee Performance Manager. McHugh, employed by the IRFU since 1997, claimed the dismissal was unlawful and breached his contractual rights. He had secured a temporary injunction preventing the IRFU from publishing any material about the termination and from terminating his employment pending the full hearing. The case was brought before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor, who heard that the parties were in talks and that the matter had been resolved, allowing the proceedings to be struck out. No details of the agreement were disclosed. McHugh, who has officiated at major international matches, said he had believed the October 5 meeting was to discuss grievances about referee resourcing, not a termination. He claimed the decision left him feeling disgraced and humiliated.
David McHugh, a former international rugby referee and former Referee Performance Manager for the IRFU since 1997, has filed High Court proceedings against the Irish Rugby Football Union. He alleges that his dismissal on 5 October was unlawful and breached his contractual rights. McHugh claims the IRFU, following an independent review of the referee department, decided he was not fit to lead it and terminated his contract. He says he was informed of the decision during a meeting where he was told he had been fired, and that he had no opportunity to defend himself. McHugh argues the dismissal was a deliberate attempt to deprive the department of adequate resources, causing him stress and affecting his health. The High Court granted him a temporary injunction preventing the IRFU from publishing any further statements about his termination, with the matter to be returned next week.
Jonathan Hynes, a 31‑year‑old Wicklow man, stole between €1,000 and €7,000 from his employer, Zurich Life Assurance plc, between January and December 2015. He used the stolen money to pay for prescription medication and hospital bills for his drug‑addicted ex‑girlfriend. Hynes has refunded €30,000 to the insurer and still owes €40,000, which he must repay within three years. He pleaded guilty to the thefts. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing the case, found that Hynes's motive was a desperate act driven by emotion rather than greed. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a three‑year sentence, noting that a less noble motive would have led to a different outcome, and ordered the repayment of the remaining debt. No prior convictions were recorded for Hynes.
During a trial in Dublin, a 49‑year‑old Garda, Eve Doherty, was charged with harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and making false statements that Howlin was perverting the course of justice. The prosecution presented a poster that had photographs of Howlin and her distant cousin Brendan Howlin, TD, printed on it. The posters were reportedly left on cars around Howlin's estate in Blackrock, south Co. Dublin, and falsely claimed that Howlin was a corrupt State solicitor who had interfered in the prosecution of a local family of "drug dealers". The photograph used on the posters was taken in 2007 during a meeting between a committee within the Department of Justice and then‑Minister Brian Lenihan. It was uploaded to the website criminalcode.ie, and the prosecution argued that the only way the photo could have been obtained was from that site.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, State solicitor Eve Doherty, aged 49, denied harassing DPP directing officer Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and refuting claims that Howlin was perverting justice. Doherty said she had no idea how a "disgruntled" person could know Howlin's personal details, noting that Howlin's role involved deciding on prosecutions. Howlin testified that letters and emails sent to her home, workplace and GP called her a "corrupt bitch" and "incompetent useless hobbit," alleging she was a political appointee who would "pull" files to protect government associates. She denied the allegations, stating they were untrue but contained true personal details. Doherty's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, insisted the accusations were unfounded and that the system was often "rigged" against those not prosecuted. The case remains before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty and had the case struck out.
Eve Doherty, a garda based in Dublin, has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin and making false statements. The accused, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, is alleged to have sent a series of letters and emails between September 2011 and March 2013. These communications purported to describe Ms Howlin as politically corrupt and claimed she attempted to pervert the course of justice. Specifically, the charges include harassment and making false statements on March 1, 2012, and March 31, 2012. Prosecutors stated that the material contained abusive language and false allegations that Ms Howlin, who worked in the Director of Public Prosecutions office, interfered with prosecutions. Ms Howlin testified that the claims were untrue and caused her significant anxiety. The defense, represented by Michael O'Higgins SC, maintains that Ms Doherty denies authoring the letters and emails. Regarding specific allegations concerning a diving company, Ms Howlin clarified that while her brother and ex-husband were directors, the company was prosecuted under health and safety laws and fined following an accident, contradicting claims of murder. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
In December 2015, Joseph McKeon, aged 41, entered Partners at Law Solicitors in Dublin and, after being denied a refund cheque, became angry, kicked a door, damaged a security lock and threatened a female staff member that he would break her jaw and blow her head off. He also shouted about money he claimed belonged to him. McKeon was arrested and has since been in custody. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm and damaging a door. He has eight prior convictions. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to three and a half years, suspended the final year on strict conditions, and ordered that he be given credit for time already spent in custody. The judge also ordered that he stay away from the victim and the firm's offices. The case was prosecuted by Lorcan Staines BL and defended by Brian Storan BL.
A Fitness to Practice inquiry at the Nursing and Midwifery Board found that Registered Nurse Marilyn Rillera, 57, from the Philippines, slapped an 87‑year‑old resident of the Maynooth Community Care Unit in December 2015 and referred to him as a "dirty Jew." The inquiry recorded that Rillera failed to communicate appropriately with the dementia patient and was non‑compliant with the nurses' professional code of conduct. Rillera was not present at the inquiry and denied using the phrase, claiming she only told the patient he was dirty. Linda Jennings, a health‑care assistant who assisted the resident that day, testified that Rillera said, "You can't hit a woman. What are you, a dirty Jew?" and then slapped the patient's arm. The resident was shocked and upset but did not understand the incident shortly thereafter. Rillera had worked in Ireland since 2002 and may have returned to the Philippines.
David Ryan, a 59‑year‑old taxi driver, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to Eoin Daly on 7 April 2011. In July 2014 Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended, and imposed a four‑year driving ban. Ryan's lawyers argued that the ban prevented him from working as a rural publican in Cappaghwhite, Co. Tipperary, where public transport is limited. The judge lifted the ban after noting Ryan had not attracted further Garda attention since the conviction and that he needed the vehicle for his occupation. The court also considered that Ryan had been under severe financial and family stress, had paid €5,000 as a token of remorse, and had expressed remorse and apology. The decision was made without altering the original sentence or the suspended portion. The case remains at the criminal court stage.
A 73‑year‑old retired priest, Tadhg O'Dalaigh, whose conviction for indecently assaulting a schoolboy in the 1970s was quashed, has been awarded legal costs for his successful appeal. The Catholic Church had funded his legal representation, a fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel argued should preclude a costs award because O'Dalaigh was not out of pocket. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction after the trial judge failed to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting without corroboration. The three‑judge court also refused a retrial, citing the defendant's full sentence, the case's antiquity and his age. Justice Alan Mahon ruled that awarding costs was appropriate, noting that O'Dalaigh had not benefited from state‑funded legal aid and that no blame could be attributed to him for the alleged offence. The decision was made without any application to recover the costs of the original Circuit Court trial. Tadhg O'Dalaigh pleaded guilty.
A woman who stole over €28,000 from the State by falsely claiming job seekers allowance while employed was sentenced today in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Bridget Dwane (55), of Emmet Square, Blackrock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to making false or misleading statements to facilitate the payment of jobseekers allowance between March 2009 and July 2011. She admitted to receiving an overpayment of €28,484 during this period and has since made repayments of €200 per month, though she still owes €24,200 to the State. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the 'loss to the exchequer was significant' but acknowledged Dwane's cooperation, early guilty pleas, and genuine remorse. She sentenced Dwane to 12 months in prison, suspended in full, on the condition that she engage with the Probation Service for 12 months. Emmet Sqaure, another defendant, was not sentenced as no details of his charges, plea, or sentence were provided. The court heard that Dwane was under pressure to pay her daughter's drug debts and had taken out a €6,000 credit union loan to do so. The matter was not adjourned and is now at the validated procedural stage of sentence.
The Catholic Church paid for the legal representation of retired priest Tadhg O'Dalaigh, who successfully appealed a conviction for indecently assaulting a schoolboy in the 1970s. O'Dalaigh, aged 73, had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended by Judge Donagh McDonagh on 18 December 2014. He had already served the full term when the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction on Monday, citing the trial judge's failure to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting without corroboration. The Court also refused the Director of Public Prosecutions' application for a retrial, deciding it would not be in the interests of justice to order one for someone who had served the sentence. Counsel for O'Dalaigh, Patrick Gageby SC, applied for legal costs for the appeal, arguing that the source of the funding was irrelevant.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 25 May 2017, 31‑year‑old landscape gardener Jason Wall pleaded guilty to assaulting Kieran Nelson on 27 April 2016. Wall, who had 14 prior convictions, attacked Nelson with a glass after insulting him for being from Northern Ireland. The assault left Nelson with cuts to his forehead and lip, requiring stitches, and caused him a visible scar, embarrassment and an economic loss of €900. Wall had paid €1,000 in redress and submitted a letter of apology. Judge Karen O'Connor described the attack as "violent and gratuitous", noted Wall's good work record and lack of recent Garda attention, and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final year. The case was identified through CCTV and the incident occurred around the Easter 1916 commemorations. The court accepted the victim's impact report and the defendant's remorse.
In 1979 a retired priest, Tadhg O'Dalaigh, was convicted of indecently assaulting a 16‑year‑old boy at a boarding school in County Cork. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to five years, with two years suspended. O'Dalaigh appealed, arguing that the trial judge failed to warn the jury about the danger of convicting without corroborative evidence. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, agreed that the judge erred by not giving a corroboration warning in a case lacking corroboration. The appeal was allowed, the conviction was quashed, and the court will consider whether a retrial is appropriate. O'Dalaigh had previously pleaded guilty in 1999 and 2014 to similar offences at the same school, but denied assaulting the complainant in the present case. The case highlighted the importance of jury warnings when evidence is limited. Tadhg O'Dalaigh pleaded not guilty.
A Kildare man was acquitted of an attempted burglary at the home of celebrity impressionist Mario Rosenstock. The case involved a separate conviction of Thomas McCann, 42, who was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of burglary at Marentimo House apartments in Blackrock, Dublin, on 30 September 2011. McCann, of Morristown Estate, Newbridge, had pleaded not guilty to both charges. Mrs. Rosenstock testified that she encountered McCann after returning home, describing him as tall, slender, wearing white socks, a baseball hat, sunglasses, and a tracksuit bottom tucked into his socks. He claimed to be a painter and decorator working at a neighbour's house and said he had come to check on her. Mrs. Rosenstock called the gardai immediately after he left on a mountain bike.
A retired priest, Tadhg O'Dalaigh, aged 73, is awaiting the result of an appeal against his conviction for indecently assaulting a 16‑year‑old boy at Coláiste Chroi Naofa in Carrignavar, County Cork, in 1979. He pleaded not guilty at the Cork Circuit Criminal Court and was found guilty by a jury, receiving a five‑year sentence with the final two years suspended by Judge Donagh McDonagh on 18 December 2014. O'Dalaigh's appeal, filed today, argues that the trial judge erred by refusing to give the jury a corroboration warning, claiming it would be dangerous to convict without corroboration. His barrister, Patrick Gageby SC, described the case as a classic "one person's word against the other" scenario, noting the incident was a one‑off event in a secluded location. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Garrett McCormack BL, maintained that the judge's discretion was exercised correctly and that no legal error occurred.
Thomas Murray, aged 34, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of robberies in Dublin between December 2015 and February 2016. He used a knife to threaten victims and cut the straps of handbags, and he also used stolen bank cards for small "tap" purchases. The court noted that he had 37 prior convictions and that his most recent offences were committed while on bail. Murray was apprehended after being "rugby tackled" by two Dublin Bus drivers who pursued him following a robbery at a bus stop. He pleaded guilty to eight robberies, one attempted robbery and one threat to kill, and he admitted that his crimes were driven by a heroin addiction and the need to fund his drug habit and provide for his children. The judge imposed a consecutive sentence of eight years, with the final two years suspended, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision.
A 23‑year‑old man from Clondalkin, Michael Bayley, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for two burglaries in Sallynoggin and dangerous driving on 12 May 2016. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Bayley had 22 prior convictions, including aggravated burglary, public order and road traffic offences. The judge also disqualified him from driving for four years. The burglaries involved the theft of a Samsung Galaxy tablet and an iPad from a sick child's home, as well as cash found in a birthday card. Bayley claimed he was recruited by people he owed "15 grand" to repay a debt, and that he had drug addictions. He was arrested after a high‑speed chase in which his stolen car crashed in Blackrock, having driven at 160 kph in a 50 kph zone and failed to stop at red lights.
In a fitness‑to‑practice hearing at the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, Nora Bernadette Regan Territt, a former nurse at Peamount Healthcare, was found guilty of professional misconduct and non‑compliance with the nurses' professional code of conduct. The hearing focused on an incident on 8 August 2014 in which Territt pushed an elderly, intellectually disabled resident (Resident A, 94) twice – once toward his bedroom and again into the bathroom after he had soiled his bed. Witnesses reported that Territt roughly shoved him onto the toilet, pulled his shirt over his head so that faeces fell onto his head, and then showered him while he was still wearing his trousers. She also allegedly told Resident A, "I am sick of this," after he complained of stomach pain. Territt, who qualified as a nurse in 1979, had been suspended immediately after the incident and had not been present at the hearing.
Jamie Daly, aged 20, pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful possession of a motor vehicle after breaking into a Blackrock home on 17 February. He and a co‑accused loitered in the house, stealing expensive items, then fled in the victim's black Jaguar, which crashed on the road. CCTV identified them; the co‑accused received a five‑year sentence with one year suspended. Daly was given a suspended three‑year sentence. He had four prior convictions for minor offences and was homeless at the time of the crime, having been displaced from Ballymun. He was on drugs during the offence and had little recollection. Since then, he has enrolled in a horticulture course at Blackrock Further Education Institute and engaged positively with the Probation Service. The judge noted the burglary was aggravated by the prolonged presence in the victim's home but also acknowledged Daly's efforts to reform.
Michael Bayley, a 23‑year‑old from Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two burglaries in Sallynoggin and dangerous driving on 12 May 2016. He admitted owing €15,000 to people who had brought him to the burglary sites to repay a debt. During a high‑speed chase that reached 160 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, Bayley fled in a stolen car, which crashed in Blackrock. He was arrested alone in the vehicle. The burglaries involved the theft of a Samsung Galaxy tablet and an iPad from a sick child's home, and a €100 note was found in a birthday card at the victim's house. Bayley acknowledged drug addictions, claimed he did not recall taking the items, and offered a full apology. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to allow victim impact statements and a probation report before the next hearing on 1 February 2017.
Jonathon Duffy, aged 33, was convicted of robbing the Blackrock Post Office on 16 April 2013 with a €2 toy gun, possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery, unlawfully seizing a vehicle and attempting to seize another. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 26 May 2014. Duffy appealed the sentence, but Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the appeal on 25 October 2016, stating that Duffy had entered the post office, threatened a woman with the toy gun, stole about €3,000 in €20 notes, and then attempted to stop cars while fleeing. Gardaí pursued him, and he was eventually apprehended after a woman's vehicle was seized. Duffy had 35 prior convictions, including 10 for robbery, and had been temporarily released from prison 11 days before the offence. The court found no error in principle and upheld the seven‑year term. Jonathon Duffy pleaded guilty.
Sean Carraher, aged 55, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for harassing Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. Carraher posted 58 messages on Rate‑Your‑Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging that Gilmartin had withheld evidence in a prior case and was corrupt. He also made up to 12 harassing phone calls. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was convicted after nearly six hours of jury deliberation. Carraher had a prior 2011 conviction for harassing his wife. Judge Patrick McCartan imposed the sentence to deter others from spreading grossly defamatory information, noting Carraher's lack of remorse and use of internet anonymity. No findings of wrongdoing were made against Gilmartin. The case highlighted the impact of the harassment on Gilmartin and his family, who deleted social media accounts and a charity webpage to protect themselves.
A Dublin man has been convicted of harassing a garda sergeant through approximately 50 online posts and harassing phone calls over a two-year period. Sean Carraher, aged 55, was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of harassing Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. The posts, made on legal profession websites, included allegations that the sergeant had withheld evidence and claims regarding his personal conduct. Carraher had pleaded not guilty but was convicted by jury following deliberation. He claimed the posts constituted protected freedom of expression and that he was acting as a whistleblower exposing alleged garda corruption. The court heard no findings of wrongdoing have been established against Sergeant Gilmartin. Following conviction, Carraher was remanded in custody despite the prosecution not objecting to bail. He is due for sentencing on 27 July, when a victim impact report from Sergeant Gilmartin will be presented to the court.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury deliberating the case of Sean Carraher, 55, was sent home overnight after declaring a deadlock. Carraher, of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, has pleaded not guilty to harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. He is accused of posting around 50 messages on Rate‑Your‑Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging that the sergeant withheld evidence in a prior case, and of making harassing phone calls. At his arrest, Carraher claimed to be a whistle‑blower exposing Garda corruption via the internet.
Sean Carraher, 55, stands trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Sgt Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. The State alleges Carraher posted about 50 messages on Rate‑Your‑Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, accusing the sergeant of withholding evidence in a prior case and of other misconduct, and made harassing phone calls. Carraher claims he was a whistle‑blower exposing garda corruption and that the internet was his only means to retaliate against alleged conspiracies. He admitted making four phone calls, arguing they were a response to the sergeant's repeated hang‑ups. Carraher also admitted posting unverified claims about the sergeant's personal life, stating he did so because he heard them. The prosecution maintains that regardless of any alleged corruption, the repetitive nature of the calls and posts constitutes harassment. The jury will deliberate after a judge's address. Sean Carraher pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Catherine Murphy sentenced 20‑year‑old Buti Sashi to nine months' imprisonment for robbing a taxi driver on 23 August 2014. Sashi, a former Blackrock College rugby player, beat the driver, stole his iPhone, SatNav and €220, and left his passport, mobile phone and a necklace in the taxi before reporting the passport lost at a Garda station. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, failed to attend probation and restorative justice conferences, and tested positive for cocaine and speed. Sashi had not completed a Rathmines College course or an anger‑awareness course, and his employer reference was deemed unsatisfactory. He apologized to the court, calling himself an "idiot" for taking drugs, and Judge Murphy urged him to use his custodial time constructively. The sentence reflects the court's view that Sashi had been given many opportunities to improve his situation.
Sean Carraher, aged 55, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Sergeant Conor Gilmartin by posting about 50 messages on Rate-Your-Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging that Gilmartin had withheld evidence in a prior case. He is also accused of making between ten and twenty calls to the sergeant. Carraher claims he was being harassed by Gardaí who subjected him to unwarranted arrests and that he was a whistle‑blower exposing Garda corruption. On the third day of his trial, Garda Rosemary Clancy told defence counsel that she had arrested Carraher at least five times over allegations that he had harassed his wife and breached court orders, and that he had been convicted six times in relation to these allegations, five of which were later overturned on appeal. Clancy also confirmed that she called Carraher on 24 December 2008 to inform him of his next court appearance, a call Carraher denies was harassment. Sean Carraher pleaded not guilty.
A man charged with harassing a garda sergeant considers himself a whistleblower exposing police corruption, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. Sean Carraher, aged 55, of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. The prosecution alleges Mr Carraher posted approximately 50 messages on websites including Rate-Your-Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, accusing Sergeant Gilmartin of corruption and evidence tampering. He is also accused of making between ten and twenty calls to the sergeant. The defendant claims the contact followed a complaint he made to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission regarding alleged assaults on his sons. No findings of wrongdoing have been established against Sergeant Gilmartin. Mr Carraher stated he was exercising freedom of expression rights and invoked comparison with the McBrearty family case in Donegal. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury.
Sean Carraher, 55, of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, Dublin, is on trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin. Carraher is accused of repeatedly calling the sergeant between March 2009 and May 2011 and posting online messages that called him "lying" and "corrupt" over nearly two years. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by barrister James Dwyer, presented evidence that Carraher admitted to posting the messages and claimed he was exposing what he believed to be Garda corruption. Dwyer argued that while free expression allows opinions, the content and intent of Carraher's posts crossed into harassment, requiring proof of intent or reckless conduct to cause alarm or distress. Sergeant Gilmartin testified that he first encountered Carraher in 2007, that Carraher had made a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman, and that he received harassing calls and defamatory posts from Carraher.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 17‑year‑old schoolboy pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after striking a fellow student with a hammer, fracturing the victim's skull. The incident occurred on 25 January when the boy, armed with his father's hammer, attacked the victim during a dispute over a €50 cannabis deal. The victim suffered serious injuries, requiring hospital treatment and a drop in academic level. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the assault as "deeply reprehensible" and imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence with a two‑year probation period. The boy was remanded in custody before sentencing. No custodial term was imposed, and the court highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the impact on the victim's future. The boy's defence noted his prior drug issues and attempts at rehabilitation. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
A 17‑year‑old south Dublin schoolboy was remanded in custody while a judge considers his sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing harm. He used his father's hammer to strike a fourth‑year secondary school student on the forehead, fracturing the victim's skull and causing internal bleeding. The incident followed a dispute over a €50 cannabis deal between two teenage groups. The boy, who had never met the victim, claimed he brought the hammer for protection and became angry after a phone call from the other group. The victim, who had to drop from an honours Leaving Cert to a Leaving Cert Applied course, gave a victim impact statement describing the injury's long‑term stress and pain. The boy's defence argued he was remorseful, had a history of drug addiction from age 13, and had enrolled in an addiction centre.
In May 1916, Dublin solicitor William Corrigan was tried in a makeshift Richmond Barracks courtroom for his role in the Easter Rising. He had been a lieutenant in the Irish Volunteers and was wounded before surrendering. Barrister William Wylie, a young king's counsel, was the prosecutor. Wylie, who had previously worked with Corrigan, attempted to help the rebels and even examined Corrigan in his defence. Corrigan was sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted to five years' penal servitude. He was sent to an English prison, later returned to Ireland in 1919. The two lawyers later met again in 1920, each representing opposing sides in a brief meeting that marked a first step toward the truce. Wylie later served on the High Court, while Corrigan became solicitor to the attorney general. The article appeared in the Irish Times.
Michael McMahon has been denied a reduction to his nine-year jail sentence following an appeal heard in the Court of Appeal. McMahon, aged 49 and resident in County Louth, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Seán Lavelle and falsely imprisoning Mr and Mrs Lavelle at their Achill Island home on 14 February 2010. He received a twelve-year term with the final three years suspended in January 2012. His appeal against sentence severity was dismissed on grounds that the trial judge had not sufficiently considered his offer of compensation to the victims. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan stated the couple had returned home to find two masked intruders who tied and beat Mr Lavelle and restrained Mrs Lavelle. Both victims reported lasting psychological trauma. McMahon's offered compensation of €20,000 was rejected by the injured parties. The court found no error in sentencing and dismissed the appeal unanimously.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 27‑year‑old Dean Moran of Emmet Square, Blackrock, pleaded guilty to possession of a realistic imitation firearm after threatening Irish Water workers with a plastic handgun model hidden in his tracksuit. The court found Moran had deliberately frightened the workers, who were installing water meters nearby, and had shouted threats such as "If you come near my house you will get this." Judge Martin Nolan, noting Moran's guilty plea and the seriousness of the threat, imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years. The sentence was suspended, and Moran was ordered to raise €1,000 for a charity chosen by Garda Gordon Woulfe within 12 months. No custodial term was imposed, and the case was closed with the suspended sentence and community service requirement.
John McDonagh, 36, a married father of three from St. Louises Park, Temple Hill, Blackrock, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill or seriously harm Garda Donacha Ryan during a search at his halting site on 4 December 2014. He had eleven prior convictions. Judge Desmond Hogan, after hearing evidence in July 2015, adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report. On 6 November 2015, Hogan imposed a four‑year sentence, suspended on conditions including 240 hours of unpaid community work and completion of drug or alcohol treatment programmes as directed by the Probation Service. The court noted that McDonagh had threatened Garda Ryan with petrol and a knife, and had also made threats to other Gardaí. The judge described the area as "an almost no‑go area for Gardaí.".
Titilayo Kilanko, a 38‑year‑old care worker from Carrigmore Lawn, Citywest, Dublin, pleaded guilty to ten counts of theft from Ulster Bank on 22 June 2012. She admitted making 115 fraudulent withdrawals totalling €57,708 from ATMs in Dun Laoghaire, Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Main Street, Blackrock and the Beacon Centre in Sandyford. Kilanko claimed the money was used to pay a man to donate a kidney to her father in Nigeria, where he was being treated at University College Hospital in Ibadan and owed €80,000 for treatment and dialysis. She flew to Nigeria with the cash, converted it to naira, and paid a donor €25,000. The court sentenced her to three years' imprisonment with 15 months suspended, noting she had no prior convictions and had cooperated with authorities. The judge expressed regret at sentencing her but stated the repeated theft could not be condoned.
Michael McKevitt, 65, a former Real IRA leader, was sentenced to 20 years in 2003 for directing terrorism and membership of an illegal organisation. He was due for release in July 2016 after a one‑quarter remission. McKevitt applied for an additional 8 % remission, arguing that his participation in structured prison activities such as art, drama, French, home economics and yoga reduced his likelihood of re‑offending. The High Court ruled that the Minister for Justice could not grant this enhanced remission and that the Minister was entitled to consider other relevant material, including Garda advice. McKevitt's appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed, with the court affirming that the Minister's discretion was not limited to a simple assessment of participation in authorised activities and that the decision to refuse the remission was lawful. The judgment noted McKevitt's good conduct and his role in the E2 'Republican' Landing, but upheld the refusal of the additional remission.
Michael Riordan, aged 49, was convicted of 21 counts of sexual assault against his step‑daughter between September 2007 and November 2012. A jury found him guilty on nine counts and acquitted him on the rest by direction. He received a sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment on 4 July 2014. Riordan appealed, arguing that facts disclosed in the victim's impact statement – such as the accused allegedly breaking the shower on purpose and his alleged dislike of the victim until she was 13 – contradicted her evidence and should have led to the withdrawal of the remaining counts. The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal, stating the new facts were minor and did not affect the fairness of the trial or the cross‑examination. Riordan was ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence in prison. The victim had waived anonymity, allowing the court to publish his identity. Michael Riordan pleaded not guilty.
Michael McKevitt, 66, a former Real IRA leader, was sentenced to 20 years in 2003 by the Special Criminal Court for directing terrorism and membership of an illegal organisation. His sentence, back‑dated to 2001, is set to be reduced by the normal one‑quarter remission, with release expected in July 2016. McKevitt applied for an additional 8 % remission, arguing that participation in structured prison activities such as art, drama, French, home economics and yoga entitled him to a one‑third remission. The High Court refused this request, stating the Minister for Justice could only consider whether the prisoner had completed authorised activities and had shown good conduct. McKevitt has now appealed that decision to the Court of Appeal, where counsel argues that the High Court's rulings were inconsistent and that the Minister's discretion was improperly limited. The Court of Appeal will decide the appeal shortly.