In April 2022 the High Court heard a proposal for Premier Periclase Ltd, a world‑leading magnesium products manufacturer, to switch from natural gas to renewable energy. The switch would require 18 months of work and would make most of the company's 94 employees redundant, though the court noted that after completion the firm might employ more people. Premier Periclase, which had been granted court protection in December 2021, owes €2.5 million to Bord Gais and €900,000 to electricity supplier Energia. Mr Neil Hughes, appointed examiner, was granted additional time to formulate a scheme that could save the business. The court also heard that a potential investor had withdrawn, but other investors remained interested in a renewable‑energy plan. The matter will return to the court later this month.
Two men charged with the murder of Keane Mulready Woods will not stand trial next month as gardaí continue their investigation into the teenager's death and dismemberment. The Special Criminal Court heard on Thursday that the prosecution has already disclosed some information to the defence but substantial additional disclosure would be necessary before the trial could proceed. The hearing was originally scheduled for 25 April this year. Paul Crosby, aged 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, County Louth, and Gerard Cruise, aged 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, face charges relating to a death alleged to have occurred at a house in Rathmullan Park on 12 or 13 January 2020. Neither man's legal representatives objected to the trial delay. The court will hear further submissions regarding timing on the originally scheduled trial date.
Jason Davis, aged 28, had originally been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with 18 months suspended for aggravated burglary at a Drogheda address in May 2020. The Court of Appeal quashed that sentence, citing the judge's failure to balance aggravating and mitigating factors and the disparity with co‑accused Dean McKenna's three‑and‑a‑half year sentence for the same offence. The appellate court, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, re‑sentenced Davis to six years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended. The decision was made after noting the damage caused during the break‑in, the use of weapons, and the cost of repairs estimated at €1,589. The court emphasised that the new sentence, while still substantial, was intended to reduce the disparity between the two co‑accused sentences.
A man has been sentenced to four years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for cleaning up and removing blood-stained evidence from his Drogheda home where teenager Kean Mulready Woods was murdered in January 2020. Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, pleaded guilty to obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of persons guilty of the murder, contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of seven years before mitigation, reduced to five years and three months with the final fifteen months suspended. The sentence was backdated to May 2020. The judge acknowledged McKenna was not present during the killing but emphasised the seriousness of disposing of material evidence. Evidence revealed extensive blood-staining throughout the property despite attempts to clean and redecorate. The court heard McKenna had acted under threat from a dangerous criminal figure. The judge noted McKenna's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances as mitigating factors.
Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, County Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea in November to obstructing the investigation into the murder of 17-year-old Kean Mulready Woods. The court heard that McKenna cleaned and painted his house and removed evidence after the teenager was killed there between 12 and 14 January 2020. Blood-stained items recovered from the scene and a nearby burn site included a ballistic vest, an axe, rubber gloves and part of a sofa, all bearing the victim's DNA. The Defence submitted that McKenna had surrendered his house under duress from an organised criminal group and had no prior knowledge of the murder. The prosecution outlined that despite extensive cleaning efforts, forensic evidence remained throughout the property. McKenna was not present during the killing and has seven children with his wife and one from a subsequent relationship.
Paul Mohan, 42, of Grangegeeth, Collon, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to ten counts of raping his youngest sister between 1996 and 2001 and to a sexual assault in 2004. He had previously worked as a photographer and had no prior convictions. The sister, who gave her name, explained that she had initially believed the abuse was normal but later recognised it as wrong, describing severe mental health effects and loss of childhood. She estimated she was abused hundreds of times, beginning in 1990 when she was about six and continuing until she was 15, with a final assault when both were adults. Mohan admitted to the assaults, expressed remorse, and apologized in a letter. He was remanded in custody and sentencing was adjourned to March 1. The court considered his early onset of behaviour and his current maturity level. The sister's family has been supportive, and she is now able to speak openly about the abuse.
The Supreme Court has refused to order the extradition of Slawomir Wiktur Palonka, a 41-year-old Polish national residing in Ireland, to serve a prison sentence for drug offences committed in 1999 and 2003. The five-judge panel, including Mr Justice Peter Charleton and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, rejected the appeal against the High Court's decision, citing exceptional delays and procedural confusion by Polish authorities. Mr Palonka was convicted of importing cannabis and received suspended sentences, which a Polish appeal court lifted in 2006, resulting in a ten-month custodial sentence. The court found that the 23-year delay between the offences and the extradition request was inordinate and oppressive to his family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Mr Justice Hogan noted that Poland lacks a central authority for European Arrest Warrant matters, leading to disjointed requests and human errors. The court concluded that the delay prejudiced justice and that surrender must be refused, as the Polish authorities failed to provide adequate explanations for the inordinate lapse in time.
Trevor Keyes, 48, was sentenced for transporting almost €100,000 of cannabis, but the sentencing was adjourned to allow him to undergo brain surgery. Keyes had borrowed money from a group and tried to repay it, only to be told the group wanted him to do a job instead. He had previously helped apprehend a man who stabbed a 60‑year‑old woman in 2010, an act for which he was commended by the Circuit Court judge. Keyes suffered a brain aneurysm that has left him unable to work, and he is scheduled for surgery in February. The court heard that the drugs were hidden in the boot of a red Toyota Avensis taxi on Harold's Cross Road, where 10 vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis worth €99,200 were found. The judge ordered a report from the Probation Service and remanded Keyes on continuing bail until 27 July. Trevor Keyes pleaded guilty.
Thomas Rooney (52), of Betaghstown, Co Meath, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for his role in an international criminal organisation. Rooney pleaded guilty to possessing €254,840 in a black holdall and €7,650 at North Road, Drogheda, on May 11, 2020. He also admitted to possessing crime cash at his home, where gardaí found €32,330 and £441. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Rooney as a mid-to-high level member trusted to transport large sums, including a Nike bag containing €289,770. The six-year sentence is backdated to December 6, 2021, when Rooney first went into custody. The court ordered the seized money be forfeited to the State. A separate application to forfeit a Mercedes used by Rooney is contested and will be heard on January 31. In a related matter, Jason Reed (40) of Dunshaughlin pleaded guilty to possessing the cash in the blue Nike bag and additional crime cash found at his home. Previously, Rooney's then-partner, Catherine Dawson (45), received a fully suspended sentence for her role in moving the gang's money.
In a judicial review, three Dublin security firms – Top Security Ltd, Morbury Ltd and Las Security Ltd – successfully challenged a ministerial order that would have increased pay for security operatives. The firms argued that the process used to formulate the order favoured large employers, lacked legal clarity and transparency, and would create an anti‑competitive outcome that could reduce employment. They claimed the order, approved by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment after a recommendation from the Labour Court, was based on recommendations from the Security Industry Joint Labour Committee, which they said did not represent them. The court quashed the Employment Regulation Order for the Security Industry and the Labour Court's earlier decision to adopt it, and remitted the ministerial order back to the Labour Court for fresh consideration. The settlement agreement reached with the State ended the legal action and the order was set aside. The case was heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan.
The High Court appointed Neil Hughes of Baker Tily as interim examiner for Premier Periclase Ltd, a world‑leading magnesium manufacturer employing 94 people. The company faces severe financial distress due to a sharp rise in gas and electricity prices, which have doubled between 2020 and 2021. Premier Periclase owes Bord Gais €2.5 million and Energia €900,000, and Bord Gais has threatened to cut off gas supply within weeks unless a substantial payment is made, a payment the company claims it cannot afford. The court noted that an Independent Accountant's report by Cormac Mohan indicates the company has a reasonable prospect of survival if steps such as an examiner's negotiation with creditors and refinancing are taken. Premier Periclase, owned by Callista Turnaround 10 GmbH, has operated at Boyne Road, Drogheda since 1977 and sells its magnesium oxide and hydroxide products worldwide. The matter was adjourned to early January for further proceedings.
Thomas Rooney (52), of Betaghstown, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to three charges under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Act 2010. He admitted possessing €289,770 and £65,025 in a blue Nike holdall, €254,840 in a black holdall, and €7,650 at North Road, Drogheda, all on May 11, 2020. The court heard allegations that Rooney, described as a "mid-to-high" level member of an international crime gang, organised the transaction and used an encrypted Aquarius phone. Jason Reed (40), of Dunshaughlin, also pleaded guilty to possessing the cash in the blue Nike bag and to holding €32,330 and £441 at his home. In a related May finalisation, Catherine Dawson (44), Rooney's then-partner, received a fully suspended sentence of three years and nine months for moving the gang's money, suspended on good behaviour for five years. Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated he could not see a non-custodial sentence for Rooney. Despite no Garda objection to bail, Rooney was remanded in custody until January 14 for sentencing. The matter was adjourned to that date.
A 52-year-old man from Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to cleaning up and removing evidence from a murder scene. Gerard McKenna admitted to obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of another person in connection with the death of 17-year-old Kean Mulready Woods, who was killed in January 2020. The teenager's dismembered remains were discovered across Dublin in the days following his disappearance on 12 January. McKenna's guilty plea relates to actions taken between 12 and 14 January 2020 at or near his Drogheda address, with intent to impede the investigation. The offence is contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered psychological and probation reports before sentencing. McKenna was remanded in custody and the case listed for mention on 28 February 2022.
Joseph Connor, 34, from Drogheda, claims he was wrongfully imprisoned for ten days after Gardaí mistakenly merged his PULSE profile with that of another person named Joseph O'Connor. Connor was arrested on 19 July 2021 for an alleged public order offence and told by Gardaí that a live bench warrant existed for him. He denied any such warrant. The District Court, misinformed, remanded him in custody with a €250 surety requirement he could not meet, leading to his detention at Cloverhill Prison until 29 July 2021 when he secured the surety. Connor's High Court counsel, Micheál O'Higgins SC, argued the warrant belonged to the other Joseph O'Connor, and that Gardaí admitted the error when his case returned in September. Connor has filed judicial review proceedings against the Garda Commissioner and the Governor of Cloverhill, seeking damages, declarations of rights breaches, an apology, and the quashing of the remand order.
In a burglary at a Drogheda home on 29 April 2019, a 28‑year‑old South American au pair was tied to her backpack's cables and locked in a cupboard, then later dragged back into the hot press where she endured verbal abuse for an hour. The intruders, Stephen Daly (29) and a co‑accused, stole €800, $100, a phone, a watch and jewellery. At a Trim Circuit Criminal Court hearing in November 2019, Daly pleaded guilty to burglary and false imprisonment. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to nine years for false imprisonment (the final year suspended for 12 months) and seven years for burglary, with both terms running concurrently. In the Court of Appeal, Daly's counsel argued the 12‑year headline sentence was excessive, citing mitigating factors and his early guilty plea. The appeal was dismissed; the judge's sentencing was upheld. The case highlighted the au pair's ordeal and the subsequent security measures installed by her employers.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume with several high-profile matters, including the appeal of Aaron Brady. Brady, 30, was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for robbery. His appeal is expected in 2022. Other upcoming trials include that of Sameer Syed, 37, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu and their two children in Rathfarnham in October 2021; his trial is scheduled for June 15, 2022. Michael Scott, 55, faces trial on January 11, 2022, for the alleged murder of Chrissie Treacy in Portumna in 2018. Stephen Silver, 44, is charged with the murder of Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020; his trial is also set for June 15, 2022. Additionally, an appeal by Boy B regarding the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel is expected before the Court of Appeal. Boy B and Boy A were found guilty in 2019; both were 13 at the time, denied the offences, and were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre.
The Special Criminal Court heard closing submissions in the trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, Luke O'Reilly, and a fourth accused identified as YZ. All four defendants pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment and intentional causing of serious harm to Kevin Lunney, a Quinn Industrial Holdings director, on September 17, 2019. The prosecution, led by Sean Guerin SC, argued that the evidence established the defendants' guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Counsel described the incident as an "ordeal of callous brutality" intended to intimidate Mr. Lunney, citing injuries including a fractured tibia and knife wounds to his face and chest. The state presented DNA evidence linking three accused to a Kangoo van and connected Mr. O'Reilly to the yard where the victim was allegedly held. Although the source text describes the conclusion of the closing speeches, the validated procedural stage is sentence. However, no specific sentence, finding, or finalisation is recorded in the provided validated facts. Consequently, the matter is treated as being at the sentencing stage, with no final disposal or adjournment details available in the validated data to confirm a concluded outcome.
Thomas Rooney, 41, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing property that is the proceeds of criminal conduct. He admitted to having a blue Nike bag containing €289,770 and £65,025 (€70,207) in cash at Spar, Donore Road, Drogheda, on May 11, 2020. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, remanded Rooney on continuing bail, listing a sentence hearing for October 4. Defence counsel cited a potential lung transplant for Rooney. Rooney was also charged with possessing €254,840 in a black bag and €7,650 in cash on the same date. His former partner, Catherine Dawson, 44, previously pleaded guilty to two counts related to moving over €600,000 in crime cash. She was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, fully suspended for five years, with the court noting her primary care responsibilities for her son. Co-accused Jason Reed, 40, pleaded guilty to money laundering and possessing proceeds of crime, including the cash in the blue Nike bag and €32,330 and £390 (€441) found at his home. The court found Reed to be a trusted, high-level member of a transnational criminal organisation and sentenced him to seven years in prison. All three were arrested in May last year following a Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau operation in Drogheda.
Three security firms – Top Security Ltd, Morbury Ltd and Las Security Ltd – have lodged a High Court challenge to a Ministerial order that would introduce a new Employment Regulation Order for the security industry, set to take effect on 1 September. The firms argue that the process that produced the order was flawed, favouring large employers, creating an anti‑competitive outcome and potentially reducing employment. They contend that the market should determine pay rates for security operatives, allowing different rates for varying qualifications and employment situations. The order, approved by the Minister after a recommendation from the Labour Court, was based on proposals from the Security Industry Joint Labour Committee, which includes union representatives and large security firms. The applicants claim the process lacked transparency, that they were not represented on the Committee, and that no reasons were given for rejecting their submissions.
Two men have been scheduled to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court in April 2022 on a charge of murdering teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. Paul Crosby, aged 25, of Rathmullan Park in Drogheda, County Louth, and Gerard Cruise, aged 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, are accused of the killing at a house in Rathmullan Park on 12 or 13 January 2020. The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, will be heard before three judges without a jury. The teenager's dismembered remains were discovered at multiple locations in Dublin and Drogheda in January 2020, with his torso found subsequently in March 2021. A further mention of the case is scheduled for December to address disclosure matters, and legal representatives indicated a possible application for separate trials.
During the trial of four men accused of abducting businessman Kevin Lunney at Ballinagh, County Cavan in September 2019, defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC raised concerns about the conduct of proceedings at the Special Criminal Court. Mr O'Higgins complained that the presiding judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, was dismissive of an important part of the defence case relating to blood marks found in a Renault Kangoo van. The complaint arose when the judge interjected to question the location of blood evidence while a fingerprint expert was being cross-examined. Mr O'Higgins objected to what he characterised as the judge's dismissive and contemptuous tone, and stated that the trial should proceed on the basis of evidence presented in court. The four accused—a 40-year-old man identified as YZ, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly of Kilcogy—have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm. Medical evidence detailed the extensive injuries sustained by Mr Lunney, including lacerations requiring stitches, a fractured tibia, and burns from bleach.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence regarding the alleged false imprisonment and intentional serious harm of Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019. Defendants Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly have all pleaded not guilty to these charges. Dr Muhammad Ashraf Butt, of Cavan General Hospital, testified that Mr Lunney remained in pain and fearful of public places more than a month after the incident. The doctor noted extensive scarring, including a 7cm scar from the right ear to the cheek and a 10cm scar to the jaw-bone, resulting from slash wounds inflicted with a Stanley knife. Mr Lunney also sustained a fractured tibia, requiring surgical insertion of a nail, and suffered from hypothermia after being left on a roadside in his boxer shorts. He reported pain levels of ten out of ten, requiring morphine and fluids. The court noted that Mr Lunney used a beard to conceal facial scarring, which remained partially visible. The trial is currently ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, and has not yet reached a final verdict or sentencing stage.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence regarding a Renault Kangoo van allegedly used in the abduction of businessman Kevin Lunney. Witness James Maguire testified that he purchased the vehicle for €400 from a man known as "David" on October 23, 2019, before it was seized by gardai. Prosecution counsel Sean Guerin SC stated that forensic examiners found blood with DNA matching Mr. Lunney on a van door and DNA matching one accused on the driver's seat. The court also heard from police analysts who compared CCTV footage of the van's movements on September 17, 2019, with mobile phone data attributed to two of the accused. Mr. Lunney testified that he was bundled into a car boot, taken to a container where he was threatened to resign from Quinn Industrial Holdings, and subjected to severe physical abuse, including having his leg broken and letters cut into his chest. He was later left on a country road in Co Cavan. Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly, along with a 40-year-old man identified as YZ, have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr. Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin, and Judge David McHugh.
A man has been sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for perverting the course of justice during the investigation into a 2013 murder. Ray Kennedy, aged 40, was found guilty of destroying a mobile phone SIM card on the day Peter Butterly was fatally shot in a car park at Gormanston, County Meath. Kennedy had arranged to meet Butterly the previous day and arrived at the scene shortly after the killing. Gardaí had requested he remain for interview, but while waiting, he removed and disposed of the SIM card, which prosecutors described as evidentially significant. Justice Tony Hunt imposed a four-year headline sentence but suspended two and a half years on humanitarian grounds, citing Kennedy's daughter's serious health condition. The judge rejected Kennedy's account that he had panicked, finding instead that his actions were calculated. Kennedy must enter a good behaviour bond of one hundred euros for two and a half years following release. Ray Kennedy pleaded not guilty.
Jason Reed, a 40-year-old from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Special Criminal Court for money laundering and possessing proceeds of crime. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Reed as a trusted, mid-to-high level member of a transnational criminal organisation. Reed pleaded guilty to laundering €289,770 and £62,025 found in a car park in Drogheda, Co Louth, and to laundering €32,330 and £390 found at his home. The judge set a headline sentence of 10 years but reduced it to seven years, running concurrently on both charges, citing Reed's guilty plea and lack of relevant convictions. The court noted evidence including an encrypted phone, luxury watches, and a cash-purchased mobile home. Co-accused Catherine Dawson, a 44-year-old care worker from Bettystown, Co Meath, who pleaded guilty to possessing the cash while knowing or being reckless as to whether it was criminal proceeds, was previously sentenced to three years and nine months. That term was fully suspended for five years. Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Willis stated that the sentencing reflects the Garda focus on the assets of major crime gangs.
Jason Reed, a 40-year-old from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to money laundering and possessing the proceeds of crime. He admitted to having €32,330 and £390 at his home and €289,770 and £62,025 in a blue Nike bag at a Drogheda car park on May 11, 2021. Prosecutors alleged Reed was a high-level member of a transnational crime gang, noting he possessed five luxury watches, an encrypted phone, and had purchased a mobile home in cash despite having no source of income. His vehicle was found to have a remote-controlled false compartment. Catherine Dawson, 44, also pleaded guilty to possessing the cash while knowing or being reckless as to whether it was criminal proceeds. She was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, a term fully suspended for five years. Mr Justice Hunt remanded Reed in custody to reappear for sentencing at the Special Criminal Court on Monday, July 5. The court acknowledged Reed's early plea, lack of previous convictions, and cooperation with gardaí, but deferred the final disposal until the scheduled sentencing date.
A man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson following the death of a 61-year-old pensioner in a house fire in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan in March 2016. Aaron McDonagh, aged 21, of no fixed abode, admitted to killing Gerry Marron by setting fire to his home at St Macartans Villas and to damaging the property by fire whilst reckless as to whether life would be endangered. At sentencing in the Central Criminal Court, victim impact statements detailed Mr Marron's vulnerability following an acquired brain injury. His brother described standing helplessly outside the burning house and the family's distress at being unable to identify the body due to severe charring, requiring DNA confirmation instead. The sister recounted the horrendous condition of the remains within the home. Mr Marron's case was being heard following a full garda investigation into the fire.
Ray Kennedy, aged 41, of Blanchardstown in Dublin, has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice at the Special Criminal Court following his destruction of a mobile phone SIM card on 6 March 2013. The card was considered of significant evidential value to the Garda investigation into the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly at Gormanston, County Meath. Kennedy's defence counsel argued against a custodial sentence, citing his young daughter's serious health condition requiring round-the-clock care and his previously unblemished background. The prosecution contended that Kennedy's actions were calculated to conceal his involvement in the incident. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt noted that a custodial sentence remained under consideration whilst granting bail due to Kennedy's family circumstances. Sentencing has been adjourned to 12 July. Four men have previously received life sentences for Butterly's murder, with two others also imprisoned for roles in the killing.
Paul Crosby and Gerard Cruise, accused of murdering 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, appeared at the Special Criminal Court where they were formally served with a notice confirming their trials will proceed in the non-jury court. The men are charged with the murder of Mr. Mulready-Woods at a house in Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, on 12 or 13 January 2020. Mr. Crosby, 25, of Rathmullan Park, is currently in custody, while Mr. Cruise, 47, remains on bail under terms previously set by the High Court. Mr. Justice Tony Hunt directed the accused to return to court on July 19, when a trial date may be set. The matter is at the procedural stage of trial preparation, with no plea, finding, or sentence recorded. Allegations state that Mr. Mulready-Woods was last seen alive in Drogheda on 12 January 2020. The following day, dismembered body parts were found in a sports bag in Coolock, Dublin, and two days later, further remains were discovered in a burning car in Drumcondra. The torso was located 14 months later in March 2021 during a search of waste ground at Rathmullan Park. The court proceedings described are limited to the service of the trial notice and the scheduling of a future hearing; the case has not been concluded or finalised.
Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and had mental health issues, walked into a Garda station on 14 June 2021 to inform officers that he had just attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. He admitted that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a side area, but she fought him off and escaped. Kane pleaded guilty to attempted rape at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Coffey sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge required Kane to engage with local mental health services for three years upon release and to register as a sex offender. The sentence reflected the judge's view that Kane's actions were opportunistic and that the victim suffered ongoing mental‑health effects. The court noted Kane's single prior public‑order conviction and his minor intellectual disability.
Paul Crosby and Gerard Cruise, both accused of murdering 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, will stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for the transfer, and Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the request at the three-judge court. Neither accused entered a plea, and no findings or sentences were recorded at this procedural stage. The DPP alleged that Crosby, 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, and Cruise, 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, committed the murder at a house in Rathmullan Park between January 12 and 13, 2020. Crosby is currently in custody, while Cruise is on bail. Both men are required to attend court on June 18, though no specific trial date has been set. The matter was adjourned for that date and is not yet concluded. Background details indicate the victim was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020. Subsequently, dismembered body parts were found in a sports bag in Coolock, Dublin, and further remains were discovered in a burning car in Drumcondra. The torso was located 14 months later in an overgrown ravine at Rathmullan Park during a search on March 11.
A director of Quinn Industrial Holdings told the Special Criminal Court how he dragged himself along a dark country road after being subjected to serious violence, fearing he would not receive help. Kevin Lunney, giving evidence in the trial of four men accused of falsely imprisoning him and causing him serious harm, described being struck with a wooden implement, subjected to bleach application, and having his body marked with a knife blade. The alleged offences occurred on 17 September 2019 near Ballinagh in County Cavan. An unnamed man, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly, with an address at Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan, have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. Mr Lunney told the court he dragged himself using only his left arm and leg towards a light in the distance before eventually being stopped by a tractor driver. The trial is ongoing at the Special Criminal Court.
Two men have pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges of falsely imprisoning a Mayo businessman at a location in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness, aged 34, of Chestnut Court, Johnstown, Navan, County Meath, and William Twomey, aged 57, of Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, County Down, are accused of detaining the businessman without consent and demanding £50,000 with menaces. The prosecution alleges the victim was lured to Cornamucklagh under false pretences and attacked by a group of men. In closing submissions, defence counsel for Mr McGuinness argued the victim's identification evidence was unreliable, citing memory difficulties following the alleged assault and inadequate viewing conditions during the identification parade. A separate defendant, Anthony Finglas, aged 50, was previously jailed for four years and nine months after pleading guilty to demanding money with menaces in the same incident. Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the trial to 31 August and remanded both accused on bail.
Jason Reed, 40, of Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing nearly €400,000 in crime cash. He admitted to money‑laundering offences after €32,330 and £390 (€441) were found at his home, and after €289,770 in euro and £62,025 (€70,207) were discovered in a blue Nike bag at a Donore Road car park. The case was adjourned to 28 June for sentencing. Reed answered only "guilty" to both charges. Catherine Dawson, 44, a co‑accused, received a fully suspended sentence for transporting €600,000 of crime proceeds.
Edmundas Dauksa, 51, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Ingrida Maciokaite at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence was backdated to September 18, 2018, when he entered custody. Dauksa had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; however, a jury unanimously convicted him of murder. The court heard a victim impact statement from the foster carer of the couple's two children, who described the scene as "unspeakably horrific" for the six-year-old daughter who witnessed the attack. The statement noted the child's ongoing trauma and that the son would never remember his mother. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC stated that Dauksa expressed remorse and deep regret. Mr Justice Paul McDermott delivered the sentence following the conviction. The trial established that Dauksa stabbed Maciokaite 19 times in front of their daughter days after a District Court order placed the child in the mother's custody. The jury rejected the defence that Dauksa lacked murderous intent, accepting the State's case that he intended serious harm or death. No adjournments or suspended portions were recorded in the finalisation.
Paul Crosby, a 25‑year‑old from Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, with 40 prior convictions, had his original five‑year arson sentence reduced to three years and six months, with the final six months suspended, by the Court of Appeal. The offence involved the 2019 arson of a stolen Volkswagen Polo, which was jump‑started by Crosby and two others, driven to a field, and set on fire. He pleaded guilty and was initially sentenced by a Dundalk Circuit judge to five years, the last six months suspended. The appeal argued the original seven‑year headline was excessive, citing the remote location of the fire and Crosby's early guilty plea. The Court of Appeal agreed, quashing the original sentence and imposing the reduced term, while requiring Crosby to bond for good behaviour for 12 months and remain under probation supervision for six months. The decision was based solely on the facts presented in the case.
Catherine Dawson, a 44‑year‑old care worker, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to a fully suspended term of three years and nine months, suspended for five years, for transporting more than €600,000 in crime cash. She pleaded guilty in January to possessing two bags of cash – a blue Nike bag with €289,770 and £65,025 (€70,207) and a black bag with €254,840 – while knowing or believing the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct. The court noted she had no prior convictions, was the primary carer of her 14‑year‑old son, and had been instructed by others to move the money. A search of her home revealed luxury watches, fake handbags and an €8,845 holiday receipt, though these items were not linked to the cash. The judge emphasised her responsibility to her son and the impact of the sentence on her life.
A man has been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of disrupting the garda investigation into the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly in 2013. Ray Kennedy, aged 41, from Blanchardstown, Dublin, was convicted of destroying a mobile phone SIM card on the day of the killing at Gormanston, County Meath. The court heard Kennedy had arranged to meet Butterly that afternoon and arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. Evidence showed Kennedy's phone had contacted a burner phone connected to the murder. Kennedy claimed he panicked when approached by gardaí and destroyed the SIM card, but the judge rejected this account as not credible and found his actions were a calculated attempt to obstruct the investigation. Four men have already received life sentences for Butterly's murder, with two others also convicted and jailed for their roles. Kennedy was granted bail pending sentencing on 21 June. The unnamed accused was acquitted.
John McGahon, aged 21, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for false imprisonment of Aaron Rochford, aged 22, during a Drogheda feud. McGahon was arrested after the Armed Support Unit forced entry into a house on the Moneymore Estate to rescue Rochford, who had been abducted and found naked in a bathtub with slash wounds, a broken jaw and a shovel injury. CCTV showed McGahon driving the car that brought Rochford to the house, helping remove him from the vehicle, and later bundling him over a rear wall into an adjacent house where he was rescued. McGahon pleaded guilty, was described as a follower rather than a ringleader, and had no prior convictions. The judge took his guilty plea, remorse, and age into account when imposing the sentence. The case involved a three‑year sentence for co‑accused Dean Thornton.
In May 2021, Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and suffering from mental health issues, voluntarily appeared at a Garda station to confess that he had attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. Kane explained that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a secluded area, but she resisted and escaped. He admitted the assault and expressed regret. The victim, who has suffered ongoing mental health problems, stated that the incident had caused nightmares, sleep difficulties, and depression, and that she had taken time off work and begun counselling. Kane has a prior conviction for a public order offence. At the Central Criminal Court, the case was adjourned to 14 June to allow for a psychiatric assessment, and Kane was remanded in continuing custody. The prosecution noted that the victim's anonymity was maintained, while the defence highlighted Kane's untreated depression and psychosis. Oliver Kane pleaded guilty.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that a mother‑of‑two, who was later stabbed to death by her former partner in front of their six‑year‑old daughter, had been granted custody of the child in an "abnormal and accelerated" District Court hearing days before the killing. The court order, issued on 14 September, was said to contain errors and irregularities, and the accused, Edmundas Dauksa, was unrepresented during the proceedings. Dauksa, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the 2018 killing of Ingrida Maciokaite, who died from multiple stab wounds. The trial also covered the mother's attempts to secure custody, the solicitor's advice, and the Gardaí's involvement in the court order and child's transport to Drogheda Courthouse. The case continues before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury.
Karl Vogelaar, a 29-year-old from Oulster Lane, Drogheda, Co Louth, has had his appeal against his conviction dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Vogelaar was found guilty by a jury at Dundalk Circuit Court of two counts of robbery contrary to section 14 of the Criminal Justice Act 2001. The allegations state that on November 4, 2016, three men robbed Tully's bookmakers in Wheaton Hall, Drogheda, at 8:45 pm, where one held a gun to the employee's face, a shot was fired, and €1,600 was taken. Ten minutes later, the group allegedly robbed Tully's bookmakers in Ballsgrove, taking €1,735. Gardai recovered the getaway car shortly after, finding black leggings inside that contained a DNA profile matching Vogelaar's. He was convicted on July 9, 2019, and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. At the appeal stage, Vogelaar's lawyers argued the DNA evidence did not directly link him to the crimes and that the trial judge should have withdrawn the case from the jury. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the judgment of the three-judge court, dismissed the appeal. She stated that the DNA match on the leggings, alongside other items linked to the robbery, significantly strengthened the connection between Vogelaar and the offences. The court concluded there was sufficient evidence that, if accepted by the jury, could lead to a conviction.
During the pandemic lockdown, a 44‑year‑old care worker, Catherine Dawson, was used by criminals to transport more than €600,000 in cash. She had a clean record and was following instructions from another person when she allowed the money to be placed in her car. The Special Criminal Court heard that a search of Dawson's home uncovered luxury watches, fake high‑end handbags and a receipt for an €8,845 holiday to America, though the Gardaí do not believe these items were connected to her. Dawson was arrested as part of a Garda investigation targeting serious organised criminals. In January she pleaded guilty to possessing two bags of cash, one containing €289,770 and £65,025 (€70,207) and the other €254,840, knowing or believing the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct. The court adjourned sentencing until 17 May.
A 35‑year‑old Polish‑born man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 in Ardee, Louth. The court heard that Piotrowski had decapitated his mother, leaving her body in the hallway of her home, and that an axe and several Stanley knives were found near the scene. He had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial but was considered fit after psychiatric assessment. The judge noted the case was the second in a short period where drug‑induced psychosis had led to a "horrific tragedy". Piotrowski had also lied to psychiatrists to obtain a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a lesser sentence. The sentencing was described as the "most tragic of cases" and the judge ordered monitoring of his psychiatric condition in prison. The judge also expressed sympathy for the victim's husband, daughter and grandmother.
During a 999 call about an abduction in the Drogheda feud, armed gardai breached a house in the Moneymore Estate and found Aaron Rochford, 22, crouched in a bathtub, unclothed and covered in blood with a broken jaw and slash wounds to his torso and head. Rochford had been moved between two houses and was later found in shock. Dean Thornton, 23, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Rochford on 11 November 2018. He was described as not a ring leader. The court noted Thornton's guilty plea, remorse and cooperation, and imposed a three‑year sentence, crediting time already spent in custody. The case highlighted heightened tensions during the feud and the gardai's response to the emergency call. The victim's grandmother described him as a "lovable rogue" and expressed deep distress at his injuries. The court also considered Thornton's prior convictions and his future plans to remain drug‑free. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Crosby, 25, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced a five‑year prison sentence with six months suspended for arson after he and two others jump‑started a stolen Volkswagen Polo, drove it to a field in the Yellowbatter area, and set it on fire. The car, stolen from Dublin and fitted with stolen plates, tax and insurance discs, was valued at €10,000 and was a write‑off. A judge at the Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court reduced the headline seven‑year sentence to five years after taking into account Crosby's early guilty plea. Crosby has 40 prior convictions, including 31 for road traffic offences, four for theft, three for drug‑related offences and two for criminal damage. He was acquitted of an attempted murder charge in February 2019. The Court of Appeal heard that the arson was described as "mysterious" and that the fire was set in a field away from houses and people.
John Corr, 55, owner of a pharmacy chain, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 20 counts of deception under the Theft and Fraud Act 2001 for fraudulently obtaining payments from the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service. He admitted to inducing the scheme to reimburse €769.14 for services at Corr's pharmacy in Mell, Drogheda, on 28 July 2016. The offence involved various sums ranging from €7 to €220 at his Dublin and Drogheda locations. The DPP had previously directed trial on indictment, and Corr was remanded on continuing bail until 19 April for sentencing.
Sean Everitt, a 20‑year‑old from Hill View, Drogheda, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a one‑year suspended term for laundering €10,000 in criminal proceeds. He pleaded guilty to allowing his bank account to be used by criminals to hold money he knew or was reckless about being illicit, an offence under section seven of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Everitt had previously been convicted of drug dealing and aggravated burglary, and was on bail for a drug offence when the laundering occurred. He was offered €100 for using his account but never received it. The €10,000 was later reimbursed to the victim, who declined to prepare a victim impact report. The suspended sentence is to run consecutively with his existing prison term.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, 44‑year‑old Catherine Dawson pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing property that is the proceeds of criminal conduct. She admitted owning a blue Nike bag with €289,770 and £65,025 (€70,207) in cash, and a black bag with €254,840 in cash, both found at a Spar on Donore Road, Drogheda, on 11 May 2020. Dawson's lawyer requested a psychological report, which the court granted. The judge remanded her on continuing bail until 24 March for a sentence hearing. Her partner, Thomas Rooney, 41, was also expected to be arraigned but his counsel sought an eight‑week adjournment; the court set a new date of 1 March and remanded him on continuing bail. Rooney faces charges of possessing the same amounts of cash in the same bags and an additional €7,650 in cash at North Road, Drogheda, on the same day, under suspicion of aiding an organised crime gang.
A Special Criminal Court hearing set a trial date for Jason Reed, 39, of Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, on 23 June 2021. Reed faces a money‑laundering charge tied to €32,330 and £390 (≈€441) allegedly found at his home. The court also scheduled arraignment for two co‑accused, Thomas Rooney, 41, and Catherine Dawson, 44, on 20 January. Rooney and Dawson were arrested on suspicion of aiding an organised crime gang and are charged with money laundering and possession of the proceeds of crime. They allegedly possessed €289,770 in euros and £62,025 (≈€70,207) in cash in a blue Nike bag, and separately had €245,840 in cash in a bag on the same date. All three were present at the brief hearing. The trial is expected to last two to three weeks.