Innocent Aigbekaen, 31, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two money‑laundering counts involving €75,816 and €60,989 between April 2016 and October 2017. Garda detective Jennifer Connolly described a scheme that ran for 18 months and laundered about €331,000. Judge Pauline Codd said Aigbekaen was a "mule herder" who recruited people, including his wife and co‑workers, to use their bank accounts for the illicit proceeds. He was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final three years suspended for three years on strict conditions. The sentence was reduced from an initial headline of five years because of his guilty plea and long employment history. Aigbekaen's defence noted he had not been involved in any other offences since the offence, apart from a cannabis case that was struck out. The court accepted that he had taken responsibility for his role in the scheme.
Robert Duffy, a former IRA member aged 52, was convicted in 1996 for the murder of John Gibson in Belfast and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released after four years under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000. In 2007, Duffy attempted to murder Colin O'Neill at the Emerald Bar in Dundalk by firing a shotgun at O'Neill's face, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008 after pleading guilty. In 2023, the Northern Irish authorities sought his extradition to return him to prison for breaching the release terms by attempting the murder. A High Court hearing in June 2024 dismissed objections to the extradition, ordering his surrender to Northern Ireland. The order will be executed within 15 days, with an additional 10‑day extension, and will lapse if not carried out. Duffy remains in a South Irish prison awaiting release or parole before extradition can occur.
Three students – Margaret Eyong Taku, Wendy Briggs and Christina Igweze – have filed High Court proceedings to overturn their expulsions from Dundalk Institute of Technology. The expulsions followed internal disciplinary proceedings over alleged incidents on campus on 30‑31 January, including an aggressive physical altercation among the students. The college suspended the students, then a disciplinary committee recommended expulsion and campus bans in February. Appeals to the college's Appeals Committee in April were rejected. The students argue the college acted beyond its powers, with disproportionate findings, lacking adequate reasons and failing to consider relevant factors. They seek orders quashing the expulsions, re‑admission to their programmes, damages, and declarations that the college's actions were unlawful and irrational. Ms Justice Niamh Hyland granted ex‑parte permission for the cases, which will return in October for further hearings.
In a 363‑page Court of Appeal judgment, Mr Justice John Edwards dismissed nearly 50 grounds of appeal submitted by Aaron Brady, who remains convicted of the 2013 murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The court found no error in the trial judge's decision to proceed during the Covid‑19 pandemic and rejected arguments that jurors were coerced or that the trial was unfair. Brady's appeals concerning the admissibility of video‑link testimony from Daniel Cahill and Molly Staunton, and allegations of inducement by U.S. authorities, were also rejected. The court upheld Brady's life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years, allowing parole application in February 2048 after 30 years of imprisonment. Brady, aged 33 at conviction, was found guilty of shooting Donohoe during a credit‑union robbery in Louth on 25 January 2013.
A man serving a life sentence for his role in the murder of Irene White in 2005 appeared before the Court of Appeal to report difficulties in advancing his appeal. Niall Power, aged 51, from Riverstown, County Louth, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced in 2019. He was described as "the middle man" in arranging the killing of the 43-year-old woman at her home in Dundalk on 6 April 2005. Power told the court he has been unable to secure legal representation despite approaching approximately twenty or thirty solicitors. Court president Mr Justice George Birmingham noted that many solicitors on the legal aid panel actively seek work and adjourned proceedings to 6 December. Power indicated he had already experienced a two-and-a-half year period without representation. Anthony Lambe, who carried out the fatal stabbing, received a life sentence in 2018 after pleading guilty to the same offence.
During a Workplace Relations Commission hearing on a disability discrimination complaint by Brendan Ogle against Unite, senior Unite officer Tom Fitzgerald testified that including Ogle's name in an organisational chart would have been "controversial" because it could be seen as suggesting his duties. Fitzgerald explained that he had been promoted to regional coordinating officer while Ogle was on sick leave and that he had been told by line manager Jackie Pollock that Ogle did not want to work in Dundalk. Fitzgerald said he understood Ogle would remain a regional industrial officer but work from Dublin. He denied that Ogle had been told by Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham that he was excluded from a Republic of Ireland plan, and stated that the organisational chart presented on 20 December 2022 did not include Ogle. The hearing concluded with the case adjourned for closing arguments on 18 June.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former Unite boss Mandy La Combre testified that her husband Brendan Ogle's Facebook post on 11 September 2022 criticised the union and was intended to pre‑empt "trolling" from council water workers upset over an industrial agreement. La Combre said she feared a repeat of earlier online harassment and wanted to "put it to bed." She claimed Ogle had been "frozen out of staff and activist meetings" and that a move to a reduced role in Dundalk had been attempted. The union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, had spoken at a conference about "lies" on social media, prompting Ogle to issue legal proceedings against Woodhouse for defamation. Unite's counsel argued that La Combre's post was a "hand grenade" and that the Irish Examiner had published her contact details. The tribunal heard that Ogle's lawyers failed to secure a summons of Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, as a witness.
In a High Court judicial review, trainer Tony Martin seeks to overturn a three‑month suspension imposed by the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board (IHRB) for breaching anti‑doping rules. The suspension, set to take effect tomorrow, follows an Appeals Panel decision that reduced his original six‑month licence suspension to three months. Martin argues the appeal was conducted unlawfully because the IHRB used a barrister not qualified to practise in Ireland, violating the 2015 Legal Services Regulation Act. He requests a stay of the suspension pending the review and an order quashing the penalty. The IHRB, represented by Ronan Kennedy SC, denies the claim and maintains that the barrister was qualified in England and Wales. Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy has reserved judgment on the applications and will decide on Thursday, while a temporary stay has been granted to allow Martin's horses to race on Wednesday.
Lisa Smith, a 42‑year‑old former soldier from Dundalk, Co. Louth, is preparing to file appeal submissions against her conviction for membership of the terrorist group Islamic State. The appeal will be heard on the Court of Appeal list scheduled for July 22. Smith was first convicted in 2022 by the Special Criminal Court for travelling to Syria in 2015 and joining ISIS, and was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. She pleaded not guilty to the offence of membership of an unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019. The Court of Appeal rejected her earlier bid to overturn the sentence, finding the trial judges had acted fairly and with appropriate regard to the evidence. Smith's lawyers now seek to appeal the conviction itself. The court noted that her travel to Syria was an overt expression of support for ISIS, a group that challenges democratic values and commits crimes against humanity.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 May 2024, Justice Úna Ni Raifeartaigh quashed the original four‑year sentence given to Dean Dullaghan (25) for a 2020 machete attack on a 16‑year‑old in his home. The appellate judge set a headline sentence of ten years, then imposed a custodial term of eight and a half years with the final two and a half years suspended, meaning Dullaghan will serve six years in prison. The case involved a violent burglary at Castleross, Dundalk, where Dullaghan caused permanent damage to the victim's right hand. The State had objected that the initial eight‑year headline was too lenient, citing Dullaghan's age and the severity of the offence. The appeal concluded with Dullaghan entering a bond to keep the peace and engage with probation services. Dean Dullaghan was convicted.
Sean Boland (41) of Dundalk, Co Louth, and co-accused Jeffrey Reynolds (34) of Bray, Co Wicklow, were sentenced at the procedural stage of sentence following their convictions for possessing cannabis. Boland admitted possessing approximately 12kg of cannabis valued at €240,000 across three locations on October 17, 2022, and was sentenced to five years in prison. Reynolds pleaded guilty to possessing about €88,000 worth of cannabis herb on the same day and was sentenced to three years in prison. Prosecution evidence indicated gardaí acted on confidential information regarding a suspected transaction, leading to the search of a van driven by Reynolds, which contained 4.4kg of cannabis. Further searches of Boland's apartment in Dundalk and another unit in the same complex revealed over 7kg of cannabis, along with a vacuum sealer, scales, and a tick list. Boland made full admissions upon arrest, stating he had handed a box of cannabis to Reynolds to settle a debt. Reynolds' defense counsel noted his client operated at street level and worked on a farm to become drug-free. Judge Nolan accepted both men had good work histories and mitigation, finding them unlikely to reoffend, before imposing the respective custodial sentences.
The Court of Appeal has re-sentenced Alan Melia, finding his original prison term unduly lenient. Melia, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, had previously pleaded guilty to robbery at the Applegreen filling station in Northern Ireland, along with endangerment, dangerous driving, and criminal damage on the M1 in Louth, all occurring on August 23, 2020. In January 2023, Judge Patrick Quinn at Dundalk Courthouse set a headline sentence of six years, which was reduced to four years with two years suspended. Acting for the State, Simon Matthews BL appealed this decision, arguing the sentence was significantly too low given Melia's 92 previous convictions and the severity of the offences, including reversing into a garda vehicle and driving the wrong way down the motorway. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted mitigation factors, including an early guilty plea and a difficult upbringing. Mr Justice Birmingham agreed the original sentence was unduly lenient to a significant extent. He determined that the headline sentence could not be less than ten years but reduced it to seven and a half years, taking into account Melia's guilty plea and his cooperation in consenting to have the robbery dealt with in this jurisdiction. The final year of the sentence was suspended for 12 months.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, a witness alleged that senior Unite officials sought to negotiate an exit package with Brendan Ogle to prevent his promotion to regional secretary for the Republic of Ireland. The witness claimed that Peter Hughes, Unite's Welsh secretary, suggested a deal after Ogle applied for the position, and that Ogle was told the role was no longer needed. Ogle had previously complained of being sidelined after returning from cancer treatment in 2022. He also alleged that the union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, was excluded from an interview panel due to a defamatory speech. The case was scheduled to proceed but the dates were vacated, and the witness noted that Ogle's concerns included losing a death-in-service policy worth five times his salary. The hearing focused on the alleged internal negotiations and Ogle's grievances.
Iollan Tynan Kelleher, aged 22, was sentenced to six years in prison for raping a 15‑year‑old friend and sexually assaulting a second victim. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault before trial. The rape occurred in July 2017 when he was 16, and the assault on the second victim happened in August 2017. The court noted the victim's trauma, including depression, suicidal thoughts, flashbacks and anxiety. Kelleher was found guilty of one rape and two sexual assault charges. He received three years and nine months for the rape, 11 months for the assault of the first victim (concurrent), and two years and three months for the assault of the second victim (consecutive). The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended for one year, and he will be supervised by probation for three years and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
Eugene Hanratty Snr, 65, of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, will remain in custody after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeals against conviction and sentence. He was convicted by a jury in October 2022 of assault causing harm to neighbour Martin McAllister in November 2012, an incident that left Mr McAllister with multiple broken facial bones and permanent loss of peripheral vision. Hanratty Snr, who pleaded not guilty, had been sentenced to three years' imprisonment, comprising a headline sentence of five years reduced by one year in mitigation and a further year suspended. Mr Justice Birmingham, presiding over the appeal, stated the headline sentence was "entirely understandable" and the mitigation "generous," finding no basis to deem the sentence unduly severe. The court also rejected the defence argument that the trial judge erred by treating the lack of a guilty plea as an aggravating factor, noting this is deeply embedded in jurisprudence. Additionally, the court deprecated the "developing practice" of defence applications to withdraw cases from juries as a matter of course, affirming the trial judge was correct to refuse such an application. The appeals were dismissed, leaving the original conviction and sentence intact.
Trade unionist Brendan Ogle claims his role at Unite's Irish office was "decimated" after surviving cancer, alleging discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. He says he was told by the union's general secretary that he would be written out of plans for Ireland, and that a directive was issued preventing him from being involved in his former duties. Ogle's lawyer, Mary‑Paula Guinness, argues that his responsibilities were drastically reduced and that the union failed to accommodate him. The Workplace Relations Commission is hearing Ogle's statutory complaint, which has been reduced to a single claim of discrimination after he withdrew three complaints of penalisation under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. Unite's counsel, Mark Harty, maintains that Ogle has not established a comparator and that the union took all possible steps to accommodate him. The case will run for up to eight days, with a potential witness summons for the union's general secretary.
Hamid Zatout, aged 26, had been sentenced to six and a half years for a series of robberies in which he snatched designer watches from vulnerable victims, some worth up to €47,000. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the evidence of multiple robberies and an attempted robbery, warned his lawyers that an appeal could result in a higher sentence. Following a discussion with the court's president, Mr Justice George Birmingham, Zatout's lawyers withdrew the appeal, citing the court's willingness to increase the sentence if an error was found. The court noted that the offence was very serious and that the sentencing judge had considered a "double figures" sentence. Zatout had pleaded guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm, and one attempted robbery, and had been living in a hotel in Dundalk at the time of his arrest. The case involved extensive CCTV evidence and the involvement of accomplices who followed victims before the robberies.
Joseph Hillen, 29, was taken back into custody following an appeal regarding the activation of his suspended sentence. Hillen was originally convicted by a ten-to-two majority jury of the manslaughter of Martin Mulligan in 2018. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The State appealed this sentence as unduly lenient, and in November 2019, the Court of Appeal increased the term to nine years, with the final 12 months suspended. Hillen was released from Mountjoy prison on March 30, 2022, after serving five years and 11 months. Two weeks later, on April 14, 2023, he allegedly drove a car at his mother, assaulted her, and committed other offences. He pleaded guilty at Lisburn Magistrates Court to assaulting his mother, criminal damage, dangerous driving, assaulting a police officer, possession of cocaine, driving while unfit, aggravated theft, and driving without a licence or insurance. In July 2023, he received an eight-month fully suspended sentence. The State subsequently applied to activate the suspended portion of his manslaughter sentence under Section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act. On January 29, 2024, Ms Justice Creedon activated nine months of the 12-month suspended sentence, resulting in Hillen being taken back into custody.
Eugene Hanratty Snr (65), of Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is appealing his conviction for assault causing harm at Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on November 24, 2012. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury following a trial in October 2022 and sentenced to three years in prison. The matter was adjourned at the Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice George Birmingham reserving his decision. Defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued the conviction should be overturned due to prosecution failings, including lost forensic evidence, a broken chain of custody regarding a jacket, and the failure to interview Hanratty Snr or his son, Eugene Jnr. The State, represented by Garret McCormack BL, countered that these issues did not warrant removing the case from the jury, noting the trial judge had properly considered the evidence. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally described the attack as unprovoked and premeditated, noting Hanratty Snr stamped on the victim's arm knowing he was a musician. The judge set a headline sentence of five years, reduced it by one year, and suspended the final year for 12 months, resulting in an effective custody period of two years. Hanratty Snr was also ordered to have no contact with the victims for 10 years. In a separate 2016 trial, Eugene Hanratty Jnr was acquitted of joint enterprise charges related to the same incident.
Abdisalan Abdulkadir Yusuf, a 25‑year‑old Somali‑Swedish national, was denied bail by the High Court after he fled Sweden to avoid serving a three‑year prison sentence for violent offences committed during a riot over the burning of the Quran. Yusuf was arrested in Dundalk, Co. Louth, on a European Arrest Warrant issued in April 2022 for gross sabotage of emergency services and attempted gross violence against police. He had travelled to Ireland in August 2023 without a passport, allegedly using a Swedish national identity card, and was found at a petrol station speaking to a sibling. The judge cited his flight risk, the seriousness of the offences, and the length of the sentence left to be served as reasons for refusal. Yusuf remains in custody until a full hearing on his surrender to Sweden on 7 February 2024.
In December 2023 the Court of Appeal upheld a decision that Pearse O'Connor, a 41‑year‑old contractor from Dundalk, would not serve jail time for a second time after a fully suspended five‑year sentence was deemed too lenient. O'Connor had pleaded guilty in April 2021 to six charges of invoice fraud and fraudulent trading, having used false invoices to secure €369,000 from Keys Commercial Finance to keep his company afloat during financial hardship in 2015. The original trial court had suspended the entire sentence and banned him from directing a company for life. The appeal court noted that the offence involved large sums over several months and that the custodial threshold had been crossed, but it also recognised O'Connor's ongoing efforts to reform, including addressing an alcohol problem and maintaining family responsibilities.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 17 November 2023, the State argued that the fully suspended five‑year sentence imposed on Pearse O'Connor, a 41‑year‑old contractor from Dundalk, was too lenient for the €369,000 invoice fraud he committed against Keys Commercial Finance. O'Connor had pleaded guilty in April 2021 to six charges, including five for using false invoices and one for fraudulent trading under the Companies Act. The Court of Appeal noted that the fraud occurred over a short period but was carefully planned, resulting in a loss that grew from €186,000 to €622,000, with only €253,000 repaid. The State claimed the suspended sentence failed to reflect the seriousness of the offence and called for a custodial term. The appeal court will decide on 1 December 2023.
William Duffy, 40, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in July to discharging a firearm recklessly at 11pm on 28 May 2019 in Marian Park, Dundalk, where he fired twice at Keith Shields, who was walking home. Duffy was seen on CCTV leaving a hospital four hours earlier and later arriving at the park. The Central Criminal Court judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, sentenced Duffy to three years and six months' imprisonment, with nine months suspended, for causing "abject terror" to Mr Shields. The judge noted Duffy's 42 prior convictions, including affray, burglary and assault, and his history of substance abuse, but also his remorse, boxing coaching and positive prison governor's report. The sentence was based on a pre‑mitigation term of four years and eight months, reduced by a 25% mitigating discount. The attempted murder charge was withdrawn by the State.
Michael Connolly (55), of no fixed abode, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility of Mark Lawlor (38), who was found dead in Cloverhill Prison on the night of Friday, November 22, 2019. Connolly was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in August. The fatal attack occurred in a three-prisoner cell where both men had mental health issues and had been remanded to the prison on unconnected matters. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Lawlor by reason of insanity. During the sentencing hearing, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford stated that a headline sentence of 15 years was appropriate but reduced that to 12 years' imprisonment when taking into account Connolly's mental health history, his admissions to gardaí that he killed Mr Lawlor and his expressions of remorse. She then suspended a further two years of the sentence for five years to grant Connolly an opportunity to reintegrate into society upon his release. Ms Justice Lankford also suspended the final two years of the sentence for five years during which Connolly is to attend psychiatric treatment, not use illicit drugs and be of good behaviour for that time. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
William Duffy, 40, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty last July to discharging a firearm recklessly at Marian Park on 28 May 2019, an act originally charged as attempted murder. The incident involved a confrontation with Keith Shields, who fled after hearing two shots and later called 999. CCTV showed Duffy leaving a hospital four hours before the shooting, arriving at the park, and positioning himself near Shields. DNA from Duffy's home matched shell casings found at the scene, though Duffy denied shooting and claimed possible accidental contact with casings. He has 42 prior convictions, including theft, hit‑and‑run, affray, threatening behaviour and burglary. At the Central Criminal Court, Duffy expressed remorse, pledged never to appear before the courts again if given a chance, and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 13 November. The judge adjourned the matter for sentencing.
The High Court appointed Dessie Morrow and Dairmaid Guthrie of Azets Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for Climote Limited, a heating‑control firm with 20 employees. The appointment followed a failed Small Companies Administrative Rescue Process (SCARP) and an inability to agree on a rescue plan. Climote had been profitable until 2019 but became loss‑making due to Covid‑19 impacts, the removal of its 'Single Measure Solution' from the Energy Efficiency Obligations Scheme, and a €1.1 million loss in 2022. The company also owes significant debt to Revenue. The liquidators will preserve assets, maintain service for up to 100,000 remote heating controllers, and seek to sell the company's goodwill and assets, potentially to an identified investor, while ensuring continued maintenance until the assets are sold. The matter was adjourned to November.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 13 October 2023, the appeal of Edmundas Dauksa, aged 53, was dismissed. Dauksa had been convicted in May 2021 by a Central Criminal Court jury of murdering his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, after she refused to bring their six‑year‑old daughter to his home. The jury found no provocation and rejected Dauksa's claim that he was "fuelled with murderous intent" or that he had been "wronged" by the court's custody decision. The appeal argued that Maciokaite's decision not to bring the child constituted provocation, but the Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh, held that the decision was a matter for the custody court and that Dauksa's 20‑minute walk to the courtyard did not indicate a loss of self‑control. Alcohol intoxication was deemed irrelevant to the intent to kill. Both grounds of appeal failed, and the murder conviction was upheld. Edmundas Dauksa pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the family of Michael Connolly (55), who was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in the death of Mark Lawlor (37), had previously attempted to have him committed to a mental health institution due to concerns about his deteriorating mental health. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Lawlor by reason of insanity. The jury was informed that Connolly believed Mr Lawlor had 'some kind of exalted identity like a king' and was 'a kingpin of Dublin'. The case hinged on the disagreement between two psychiatrists regarding whether Connolly was sufficiently mentally ill to be found not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecution submitted that the offence committed by Connolly fell into the higher bracket for sentencing, which would result in a sentence between 10 and 15 years. Defence counsel highlighted that Connolly had received a fully-suspended sentence in 2013 for attacking what he believed to be 'blasphemous' artworks in a Louth church gallery with an axe and was then admitted to a mental health institution in Ardee, Co Louth. The matter was adjourned to October 27 for sentence.
Two men have been acquitted of robbery in connection with the 2013 Lordship Credit Union heist in Bellurgan, County Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. Following a three-month trial at the Special Criminal Court, judges found insufficient evidence to convict Brendan Treanor of carrying out the robbery itself, though the court noted his association with the criminal gang involved. James Flynn, from South Armagh, was cleared of direct participation in the robbery but convicted of conspiracy to steal the getaway vehicle used in the raid. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, determined that while evidence established both men's involvement with the crime's planning and execution, the prosecution had not proven beyond reasonable doubt that either was among the four men who entered the credit union car park. Flynn will be sentenced on November 13th. Aaron Brady, separately convicted of Detective Donohoe's murder, is serving a life sentence and pursuing an appeal. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has convicted James Flynn, an Armagh man, of conspiring with garda killer Aaron Brady to steal a Volkswagen Passat on 22 and 23 January 2013 at locations in County Louth. The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the robbery of Lordship Credit Union near Dundalk two days later, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Alan Mitchell, found the prosecution case consistent with the conspiracy charge, citing CCTV evidence and communication timings as circumstantial support. Flynn's co-accused, Brendan Treanor, was acquitted of conspiracy to commit burglary, the court determining insufficient evidence for conviction. The judges continue to deliver verdicts on the separate robbery charge against both men, who deny all allegations. Both defendants face charges relating to the €7,000 Lordship robbery and the wider conspiracy involving car thefts between September 2012 and January 2013. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
In August 2020 a pregnant Garda, Siobhán McCoy, was marked down in a detective‑post interview, receiving 70 % versus 81 % in a 2019 competition. The Workplace Relations Commission found the interview process flawed, favouring "performance" over competency answers and allowing potential manipulation of marks. The panel, lacking an independent member, consisted of a superintendent and an inspector. McCoy's representatives argued the difference in assessment was due to her pregnancy, not intent to discriminate. The adjudicating officer noted the panel's subjective judgments and the absence of an independent member as concerns. The commission upheld McCoy's gender‑based discrimination claim and ordered the force to pay €10,000 in compensation. The decision highlighted the flawed process and the risk of unconscious bias in the interview.
John Titiloye, aged 28, was sentenced to ten years in prison with the final year suspended for two years, backdated to his arrest on 11 August 2021, after being found guilty of murdering his 25‑year‑old friend Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa. The killing occurred on 10 August 2021 in Tallaght, following a dispute over a €100 debt and a stolen scooter. Titiloye stabbed Giwa in the neck with a knife he had bought that afternoon, an act described by the judge as a rapid, spontaneous response triggered by the defendant's perception that his father had been attacked. The court noted that Titiloye had 23 prior convictions, mainly for minor traffic offences and some drug offences, and that he had attempted to justify his actions to the probation service. The judge highlighted the disproportionate use of force and the fact that the victim's father was also assaulted during the altercation. John Titiloye pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
Gigi Birsan, 33, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty to 103 thefts and 33 attempted thefts between late 2016 and late 2017, stealing over €3,000 from colleagues and housemates to fund online poker. He returned the full amount, €3,164, and has addressed his gambling addiction. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of three years but imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, ordering Birsan to keep the peace and behave well for that period. The case arose after staff at the Drury Buildings restaurant noticed small deductions from bank accounts, leading to an investigation that traced a PokerStars account linked to Birsan. He was arrested in Romania under a European Arrest Warrant and admitted all transactions. Birsan has no prior convictions and has shown remorse, writing a letter to the judge and claiming rehabilitation. The court noted his low risk of reoffending and stable relationship with his wife.
In a victim impact statement read to the Central Criminal Court, Gaffar Giwa, father of 25‑year‑old Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, expressed profound grief after his son was stabbed to death by John Titiloye, a former friend, during a dispute over a stolen scooter. Giwa said the loss of his son is indescribable and that the killer's attempts to tarnish his son's name were futile. Titiloye, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in May. He admitted responsibility, expressed remorse, and said he would never forgive himself. The court heard that Titiloye had 23 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and that the altercation escalated over a small debt. The case was remanded for sentencing on July 24. The hearing focused on the facts of the killing and the defendant's admission of guilt, without any mention of future outcomes. John Titiloye was acquitted.
A 39‑year‑old William Duffy of Dundalk, who had been charged with attempted murder in County Louth four years earlier, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to a firearms offence. He admitted discharging a firearm recklessly on 28 May 2019 at Marian Park, Dundalk. Justice Caroline Biggs ordered a psychological assessment and a victim impact statement, and adjourned the sentencing hearing to 23 October. Duffy remains on bail.
A man granted refugee status in Ireland despite a prior UK sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of one woman and the attempted abduction of another in County Sligo. Tayyab Salah Uddin pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 15 September 2018 and to falsely imprisoning a second woman the following day. The court heard that both victims were intoxicated and alone when Uddin approached them in a town centre. After raping the first woman, he returned the next evening and attempted to force a second woman into his car before gardaí intervened following surveillance footage. The court noted Uddin's predatory behaviour in targeting vulnerable, isolated women and his lack of remorse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed consecutive sentences with three years post-release supervision, having assessed Uddin as presenting a high risk of reoffending. Uddin, a Pakistani national with ocular albinism, arrived in Ireland in 2018 and was granted refugee status.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 3 July 2023, John D Fitzgerald SC argued that Edmundas Dauksa, 53, was provoked when his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, decided not to bring their six‑year‑old daughter to his home on the day of the murder. Dauksa had been convicted in May 2021 of murdering Maciokaite by stabbing her 19 times in a darkened archway in front of the child. The defence claimed the decision to withhold the child, made after a District Court granted her sole custody, caused Dauksa to become "very distraught" and "destroyed as a human being." Fitzgerald said the phone call from Maciokaite at about 2 pm was the trigger and could amount to provocation, even though it was not a face‑to‑face confrontation. The judge, Mr Justice John Edwards, noted Dauksa was in a self‑induced state of intoxication and that the court would reserve judgment on the provocation claim. Edmundas Dauksa pleaded not guilty.
Robert Duffy, 50, was convicted in 1996 of murdering John Gibson in Belfast in 1993 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released after four years under the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) in July 2000. In March 2007 he attempted to murder Colin O'Neill at the Emerald Bar in Dundalk by firing a shotgun into O'Neill's face at point‑blank range, for which he was again sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty. The High Court heard that Duffy is now being considered for parole in this jurisdiction, while Northern Irish authorities seek his extradition to serve a life sentence for breaching the GFA release terms by attempting the murder. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs heard that Duffy has engaged well with probation services, is a trusted prisoner, is considered at a moderate to low risk of re‑offending, and no longer affiliates with any paramilitary organisation.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found John Titiloye not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for stabbing Ademola Giwa in the neck during a dispute over a stolen scooter. The jury rejected the prosecution's claim that Titiloye intentionally killed Giwa, instead concluding that the act was a result of provocation and a lack of intent to kill. Titiloye, aged 28, had claimed he was defending his father, Anthony, who had been attacked by Giwa. The judge, Mr Justice McDermott, noted the partial defence of provocation and self‑defence as possible bases for the manslaughter verdict. Titiloye was remanded in custody pending sentencing, with the court scheduled to hear a victim impact statement on 17 July. The case highlighted the jury's unanimous decision after nearly five hours of deliberation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, John Titiloye, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 25‑year‑old friend Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, who was stabbed in the neck on 10 August 2021 in Tallaght. Titiloye told Gardaí that he had an altercation with Giwa's friend Samson Fayemi the day before and that he had been threatened by Giwa. He claimed he had a knife for self‑defence and that he had only used it to intimidate, not to stab. An eyewitness, Fayemi, testified that Titiloye raised his arm and struck Giwa's neck with a knife. A pathologist confirmed Giwa died from a stab wound that severed his jugular vein and damaged a lung. Titiloye's statements to Gardaí and his subsequent interviews were presented as evidence, with the prosecution arguing that he produced the knife and stabbed Giwa during a dispute over a debt and a stolen scooter. The trial will continue with closing speeches scheduled for Monday.
Verdicts for Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, accused of a robbery that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, will be delivered on 19 September. The Special Criminal Court trial lasted 55 days, with evidence, legal arguments and closing speeches. Both men, aged 34 and 32, deny all charges. They are also charged with conspiring with convicted Garda killer Aaron Brady and others to burgle houses in 2012 and 2013, specifically to steal car keys. The prosecution alleges they were part of a group that broke into houses to steal keys and then quietly leave with the cars. Aaron Brady, 31, is serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for Donohoe's murder and the Lordship robbery, and he denies involvement in the robbery. The judges will provide reasons for their verdicts and have been given the summer break to prepare. The trial concluded today, with the court noting the need for detailed reasoning in its judgments. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty. James Flynn pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, John Titiloye, aged 25, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, aged 25, in Tallaght on 10 August 2021. State pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis testified that Giwa died from a stab wound to the right side of his neck that cut the jugular vein and damaged the right lung, causing haemorrhage and loss of blood and air in the chest cavity. The wound also penetrated the chest cavity and the upper lobe of the right lung. A second, superficial stab wound was found on Giwa's right forearm. No alcohol was detected in Giwa's system, though he had consumed cannabis containing THC earlier. Witnesses, including Samson Fayemi, described seeing Titiloye raise a knife and strike Giwa's neck during a dispute over a stolen scooter. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of twelve.
A barrister for James Flynn has told the Special Criminal Court that the prosecution's case against his client lacks any substantive evidence. Bernard Condon SC argued that there is no proof Mr Flynn was present at Lordship Credit Union during the robbery on 25 January 2013, in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. The prosecution's case instead relies on linking Mr Flynn to the theft of a Volkswagen Passat in Clogherhead, County Louth, allegedly used in the robbery. Mr Condon contended that CCTV footage showing the vehicle's movements contained implausible timings and that a farmer's account of blue headlights at the burn site in Armagh did not match Mr Flynn's BMW. He described the evidence regarding the Passat as threadbare and accused the prosecution of relying on weak associations and speculation rather than concrete proof. Mr Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to robbing €7,000 from the credit union and to conspiracy charges. Aaron Brady, who was convicted of murdering Detective Donohoe, is serving a life sentence.
Before the Special Criminal Court on May 17th, 2023, a barrister for Brendan Treanor argued there is insufficient evidence to sustain charges against his client in connection with a 2013 credit union robbery in Bellurgan, County Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. Sean Guerin SC submitted that prosecution claims relied on speculation rather than direct evidence, and that no proof existed that Treanor left his home the evening of the robbery. Counsel highlighted inconsistencies in the State's case, including witness testimony that the getaway driver was female, and challenged the feasibility of the timings alleged. Both Treanor and James Flynn (32), from South Armagh, deny charges of robbery and conspiracy to burgle. Aaron Brady is serving a life sentence for the detective's murder and the robbery itself. Closing arguments continue, with the three-judge court to determine the case. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard closing submissions yesterday in the trial of two men accused of involvement in the fatal robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth in January 2013. Prosecution counsel told the three-judge court that a tattoo allegedly obtained by one of the accused in 2018 constituted an "extraordinary act of hubris". The tattoo, which counsel submitted contains images strikingly coincidental to elements of the Lordship robbery, features a BMW car, armed figures, and a person wearing a balaclava. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, aged 32, of South Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the robbery and to conspiracy to commit residential burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013. Prosecution counsel presented evidence linking phone records and movements of the accused to burglaries in Cavan, Monaghan, and Westmeath prior to the robbery. Defence closing speeches are scheduled to follow.
The Special Criminal Court excluded Aaron Brady's father, Tony Brady, from the trial of James Flynn and Brendan Treanor after he posted an online video accusing a Garda of perjury and contempt of court. The video was deemed "tendentious and offensive" and unrelated to the evidence presented. Judge Tony Hunt ruled that while people may hold opinions, they cannot use their presence in court to publish such allegations. Brady apologized for his remarks and was not found in contempt. The trial, which has been ongoing for over 50 days, involves Flynn (32) and Treanor (34) who are charged with a €7,000 robbery at Lordship Credit Union and conspiracy to break into homes to steal car keys. Both pleaded not guilty. Aaron Brady, 31, remains in custody on a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe and the robbery. The case is expected to conclude this week.
A Special Criminal Court has heard that an organised criminal gang comprising at least five members with local knowledge deliberately targeted Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, in the robbery during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. The State's closing address, delivered by barrister Lorcan Staines SC on 15 May 2023, relied on circumstantial evidence including CCTV footage and mobile phone data to link the accused men to the attack and a series of related burglaries. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn deny charges of conspiracy to commit creeper burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and of robbing €7,000 from the credit union on 25 January 2013. The prosecution contends the gang possessed detailed local knowledge of the area and prior intelligence about the credit union's operations. Counsel noted coordination indicators such as synchronised phone deactivations before the robbery and evidence of reconnaissance visits. Aaron Brady, already serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum for Detective Donohoe's murder, was named as a co-conspirator. The trial continues at the Special Criminal Court. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, the trial of Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, charged with conspiracy to commit burglaries and a robbery that killed Garda Adrian Donohoe, is set to conclude next week. After the prosecution's case, the defence argued that the common‑law offence of conspiracy no longer exists, citing the Criminal Justice Act 2006, and claimed the charges were vague and unsubstantiated. The court rejected these arguments, holding that the indictment provided sufficient "reasonable information" and that the common‑law offence still stands. The trial, which has lasted 39 days, involves the January 2013 robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union and a separate conspiracy with Aaron Brady to steal car keys from residential premises. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Brady, already serving a life sentence for Donohoe's murder and the robbery, denies any role in the latter and is appealing his conviction.
The Special Criminal Court admitted a back tattoo as evidence in the case of Brendan Treanor, 34, and James Flynn, 32, charged with the robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, which resulted in the shooting death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The tattoo, featuring guns, bullets, gangsters, money, knuckle dusters and a BMW X5, was described by the prosecution as "almost a glorification" and a "pictorial admission" of Treanor's involvement. Treanor's lawyers argued it was irrelevant, but Mr Justice Tony Hunt ruled that the court would consider it as part of the overall evidence, stating that excluding it would be a failure of logic, reason and common sense. Treanor and Flynn have pleaded not guilty to each charge. The trial continues tomorrow.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Brendan Treanor, 34, and James Flynn, 32, until after Easter. The men are accused of robbing €7,000 from Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on 25 January 2013, an incident that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. They are also charged with conspiring, between 11 September 2012 and 23 January 2013, with convicted Garda‑killer Aaron Brady and others to break into houses to steal car keys. Treanor and Flynn plead not guilty to all charges. Brady, 31, serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum for Donohoe's murder and the credit union robbery, denies involvement and awaits appeal. After evidence on CCTV‑identified cars, the court noted about 15 days of prosecution material remained. The trial will resume on 18 April before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Alan Mitchell.