In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Byrne, a 39‑year‑old homeless man, received a 12‑month suspended sentence for possessing a realistic imitation firearm. Byrne, who lived at a homeless unit on Newtown Avenue, Blackrock, admitted to buying an air pistol and about 1,000 6mm plastic pellets from a toy shop on Talbot Street for €10. He claimed he had no real life and that the gun was meant for shooting at the back of street cars. The court noted Byrne was under the influence and giggling while waving the pistol out of a DART carriage, frightening an American passenger. Witnesses described the incident as frightening but harmless, and Garda Siobhán Frisby confirmed Byrne's actions were not intended to harm anyone. Judge Karen O'Connor accepted Byrne's remorse, citing his extensive history of public order offences and addiction issues, and warned of serious consequences if he breached bail conditions. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Conan Murphy, aged 30, the son of Colm Murphy, withdrew his appeal against a six‑year jail term for building an explosive in County Louth in 2010. Murphy had pleaded guilty before trial, while his co‑defendant Philip McKevitt, aged 62, contested the charge and was convicted. Both men had earlier appealed convictions that followed a Supreme Court ruling that Section 29 search warrants were unconstitutional, leading to retrials. Murphy was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years, with the final 18 months suspended; McKevitt received eight‑and‑a‑half years. On Monday, McKevitt withdrew his appeal after the Court of Appeal reminded his lawyers of the court's full powers, and on Thursday Murphy's lawyers formally withdrew his appeal. The case involved surveillance of a house in Aghaboys, where police found a shed containing a bomb‑loading unit, two gas cylinders, 26 kg of glucose, and a command‑wire, and an ERU intervention prevented the device's completion.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Jason O'Driscoll, is charged with murdering two men, Anthony Burnett (31) and Joseph Redmond (25), on 7 March 2012 in County Louth. He pleaded not guilty. Firefighters Stephen Hoey and Vincent McGuinness testified that after extinguishing a car fire at Ravensdale Park, they found a badly cracked skull and a ribcage in the driver's seat, and a second skull in the footwell. Constable Niamh Mulholland described pursuing a silver 07 D Mercedes that night, noting two male occupants and a driver who made eye contact with police before the vehicle fled. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of five women and seven men.
An Bord Pleanála admitted it erred in granting planning permission for a 500‑unit housing development in north Dublin. Mr Justice David Barniville was informed by Fintan Valentine that the board would consent to an order quashing the permission. Earlier, the board had approved a 104‑house and 432‑apartment scheme on land used by St Paul's College, Raheny, which had been challenged by Clonres CLG, environmental campaigner Peter Sweetman, John Conway, and the Louth Environmental Group. They argue the decision was fundamentally flawed, citing failures to conduct an Appropriate Assessment under the EU Habitats Directive and to comply with the EU Birds Directive. The case also involves proceedings against Ireland, the Attorney General, and the Minister for Culture. The judge adjourned the matter to allow parties to consider the board's admission of error.
In a 2018 Central Criminal Court hearing, Detective Sergeant Shane Curran testified about discovering two adult male bodies fused together in a burnt-out car in Ravensdale Park, Louth, on the night of March 7 2012. He described the driver's seat body as slumped out the door, with the passenger's body partially fused across it. Curran and colleagues carefully separated the remains, designating them as Body A (passenger) and Body B (driver). He noted that two badly damaged bullets were recovered from each head area, each fragmented into multiple pieces. DNA analysis later identified Body A as 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and Body B as 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, using samples from their mothers. The testimony was part of the trial of 34‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, who pleaded not guilty to the murders of the two men. The case was set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
During the murder trial of 34‑year‑old Jason O'Driscoll, a witness named Ms. Reynolds testified that she saw a burning car near Ravensdale Park, Dundalk, six years earlier. She described a glow, flames, and a body slumped over the steering wheel, which she later learned was just the seat. Ms. Reynolds called the fire brigade at 10.52 pm; by the time they arrived, the flames were out and she heard explosions. The prosecution, represented by Alexander Owens SC, argued that circumstantial evidence was sufficient to convict O'Driscoll of murdering 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012. Owens claimed O'Driscoll was a knowing participant in the killings, though he did not assert that O'Driscoll fired the gun. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, is expected to last up to five weeks. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction of Michael Connolly, a 45-year-old from Dundalk, for membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, on December 16, 2014. Connolly had pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court, where he was found guilty and sentenced to three years imprisonment by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding alongside Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Flann Brennan, on July 10, 2017. The appeal centered on the trial court's refusal to view an intelligence file that grounded Assistant Garda Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan's "belief evidence" regarding Connolly's membership. The trial court had upheld the Assistant Commissioner's claim of privilege over the material, citing State security and protection of life, and declined to inspect the file. In allowing the appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with President George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards, ruled that the trial court's reasons for rejecting the request to view the file were insufficient to justify their refusal. The Court of Appeal noted that the belief evidence significantly contributed to the guilty verdict. Consequently, the court quashed Connolly's conviction, ordered a retrial, and remanded him on bail to appear before the Special Criminal Court on Monday next.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Jason O'Driscoll, faces charges of murdering two fellow Dubliners, 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond, on 7 March 2012 in County Louth. O'Driscoll has pleaded not guilty to both murders. Prosecutor Alexander Owens SC argued that circumstantial evidence was sufficient to prove O'Driscoll's guilt as a knowing participant in the killings, though not necessarily the shooter. The case is before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of five women and seven men.
The Court of Appeal heard several sentencing appeals, with two appellants withdrawing their cases after President Mr Justice George Birmingham reminded counsel of the court's power to increase sentences. Philip McKevitt, 62, of Dundalk, withdrew his appeal against an eight-and-a-half-year sentence imposed in 2017 by the Special Criminal Court. He had been convicted of making a bomb in his shed on May 22, 2010, which detectives alleged would have weighed 500lb fully loaded. His co-accused, Conan Murphy, 32, had previously pleaded guilty to the same incident and received a six-year sentence. In a separate matter, Charles McDonagh, 27, of Co Cavan, withdrew his appeal against a nine-year sentence for dangerous driving causing serious harm, a decision Mr Justice Birmingham described as sensible. Conversely, the court upheld the sentences of two other appellants. Keith Hughes, 27, of Dundalk, had his appeal dismissed regarding a six-year sentence (with the final year suspended) for robbing €235 and possessing a knife at a bookmaker in 2015. The court noted his 59 previous convictions and found no error in principle. Additionally, the appeal of a 28-year-old South African national against a 10-year sentence for raping his former partner was dismissed, with the court holding the sentence was within the available range.
A new retrial date has been set for Jonathan Gill, 36, who is accused of the 2011 "tiger kidnapping" of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their ten‑week‑old baby in Drogheda. Gill denies the allegations of false imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court scheduled the retrial for 19 June 2019, with an estimated duration of three weeks.
In a High Court case in June 2018, Raymond and Juliet Gogan, shareholders and directors of Listoke Distillery Ltd., sought to prevent their removal from the board. The distillery, founded in 2016 on the Listoke Estate in County Louth, also runs a Gin School that teaches gin production. The Gogan couple, owners of Listoke House, claimed that their roles were being undermined and that they were excluded from key company decisions. In November 2017 they were reportedly locked out of the business; Mrs Gogan resigned from the Gin School after the company moved production and the school to an industrial estate without informing them. The Gogan's petition requests orders to keep them on the board, grant access to company records, restrain a general meeting that could remove them, and consider alternative dispute resolution or winding up. Justice Carmel Stewart granted the Gogan's request for short‑notice service to the other shareholders and returned the matter for a hearing next week.
Philip McKevitt, 62, of Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, Dundalk, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for possession of explosive substances on 22 May 2010. He had denied the charges. McKevitt's co‑accused, Conan Murphy, 32, had pleaded guilty and received a six‑year sentence, while McKevitt was sentenced to eight and a half years. McKevitt had previously been tried and convicted in 2011, but a Court of Criminal Appeal overturned that verdict and ordered a retrial. The investigation began in May 2010 after Gardaí received information about IRA activity in Louth. Surveillance outside McKevitt's house observed him with Murphy and a garda heard an angle‑grinder in the shed. On 22 May, Gardaí entered the shed, finding two adapted gas cylinders, fifty‑two 500‑g glucose bags, a 377‑metre wire, and a match to McKevitt's DNA on a cylinder handle.
Paula Farrell, 44, had her murder conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal after a Central Criminal Court jury found her guilty of killing her partner Wayne McQuillan, 30, on 1 January 2014. The appeal argued that the trial judge wrongly excluded the partial defence of provocation, which could have been considered by the jury. The court noted that Farrell had claimed she was provoked by McQuillan's violence and that she had a history of alcohol‑induced psychosis and PTSD from alleged sexual abuse. The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial and remanded Farrell in custody. The case remains at the retrial stage, with no further outcome reported in the article. Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Nevin, 36, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape of a woman in Bellewstown, Co. Meath on 12 July 2014 and to sexual assault of a second woman at an unknown location in Co. Meath on 16 July 2014. These charges follow a prior conviction in December 2017 for sexually assaulting a Brazilian student in July 2014. Nevin had met all three victims on the Tinder dating app and, on each first date, drove them to secluded spots where the assaults occurred. The court allowed evidence from the other two victims to be presented because the modus operandi was similar. Nevin's defence sought removal of media reports of his earlier convictions, but the judge rejected this request, finding no real risk of an unfair trial. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 26 July 2018.
Stephen Watters, 50, of Kilcurry, Dundalk, Co Louth, is wanted in the UK for alleged conspiracy to fraudulently evade excise duty and for facilitating the acquisition, use or control of criminal property as part of an organised crime gang. He was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant issued earlier this year and is currently in High Court extradition proceedings. Watters' lawyers have requested more time to file points of objection, citing a legal point related to Brexit. Justice Aileen Donnelly has remanded him on continuing bail until 8 October, allowing him to apply for early resolution of the Brexit matter before that date. The warrant alleges the gang operated between 1 January 2014 and 4 September 2015, involved in illegal importation and distribution of non‑UK duty‑paid tobacco, with seizures of over 17 million cigarettes and 1.5 tonnes of hand‑rolling tobacco, equating to roughly £3 million in evaded duty.
In June 2018 the High Court fast‑tracked several legal challenges to An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission for a 500‑unit housing development on former St Paul's College playing pitches in Raheny. Mr Justice David Barniville granted permission for the applicants to bring their cases against the board, the State and other parties, including the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The applicants – Clonres CLG, environmental campaigner Peter Sweetman, Mr John Conway and the Louth Environmental Group – argue that the decision is fundamentally flawed, that An Bord Pleanála failed to carry out an Appropriate Assessment of the impact on natural habitats, and that the development contravenes the EU Birds Directive and Dublin City Council's development plan. They seek orders to quash the permission, declarations of non‑compliance, and to set aside the decision. The judge adjourned the matter for two weeks and placed a stay on the permission.
In a High Court decision on 14 June 2018, Mr Justice Donald Binchy dismissed AIB's application for summary judgment of over €2.6 million against Kevin and Gillian O'Brien of Blackrock, Dublin. The judge found that the couple had raised an arguable defence, so the matter must proceed to a full hearing. AIB claimed it had advanced money to the O'Briens, which the court said was used for a €2.5 million property purchase adjacent to their former home. The bank alleged the couple breached loan terms in 2010, though some payments had been made. The O'Briens argued the 2006 and 2008 advances were not drawn in 2010, rendering the 2010 loan agreements void due to lack of consideration. They also claimed AIB failed to honour an oral agreement for additional funds and did not comply with mortgage arrears conduct code.
Three separate High Court applications seeking to quash An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission for a 500-unit housing development near St Anne's Park in north Dublin were mentioned before Mr Justice David Barniville. The applicants, including Clonres CLG, Peter Sweetman, and John Conway, challenge the board's approval of 104 houses and 432 apartments on lands formerly used by St Paul's College as playing pitches. The developers, Crekav Trading and Marlet, are notice parties. The applicants seek orders quashing the decision and declarations that the board failed to conduct an Appropriate Assessment regarding natural habitats and wild flora and fauna, and failed to comply with the Birds Directive. The proceedings also name Ireland, the Attorney General, and the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as respondents. Mr Justice Barniville, assigned to fast-track strategic infrastructure development (SDI) challenges, noted that while the case may not strictly fit the SDI definition, it aligns with the spirit of the list. He indicated that hearing the actions could save parties time but required input from other parties, including the board and developers, on whether to admit the cases to the SDI list. The judge adjourned the actions for one week to allow all sides to consider their positions regarding the fast-track listing.
A 37‑year‑old UK man was found guilty by a Dublin jury of three counts of rape and eight counts of sexual assault against two girls aged 10 and 12 when they were neglected by their mother. The man, a family friend, moved the family into his home in an upmarket area of Dublin and later to Louth, where he sexually assaulted both girls, including in bed at night and in a hotel room. UK and Irish social services intervened, and the children were placed in foster care. The man fled to Chile in 2011, was extradited from the United States in 2014, and was released on bail before being remanded. The trial lasted 12 weeks, and the jury returned a unanimous verdict after three hours. The girls, now 17 and 19, gave victim impact statements describing the abuse and its lasting effects. The case will return to court on 20 June for a plea of mitigation.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal against the conviction of Sean Carraher for harassing Sgt Conor Gilmartin. Carraher, who pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was convicted by a jury of harassing the sergeant between March 2009 and May 2011. The allegations included making ten to twelve abusive telephone calls and publishing 58 internet postings on three websites, which contained claims that the officer was corrupt and unfaithful. Carraher had been sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Judge Patrick McCartan, who stated the tariff was intended to deter others from spreading grossly defamatory information. In his appeal, Carraher's counsel argued that the prosecution breached its duty to disclose his own telephone records, which were not put before the jury. However, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Hedigan, ruled that the prosecution was not in breach of its disclosure duties. The court found that the records were available to Carraher, their absence did not prejudice his defence, and the trial remained fair. The judges noted that while the phone calls were heard by limited personnel, the internet postings were public. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, upholding the original conviction and sentence.
In a 2018 Court of Appeal hearing, lawyers for Paula Farrell, aged 44, argued that her jury should have been allowed to consider a provocation defence in her murder trial. Farrell, who lives in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, had been convicted of murdering her partner, Wayne McQuillan, aged 30, on 1 January 2014. The Central Criminal Court found her guilty after 3½ hours of deliberation, and she received a mandatory life sentence on 17 July 2015. Her defence team, led by Caroline Biggs SC, claimed that Farrell had been provoked by McQuillan's violent behaviour and that she suffered a sudden loss of self‑control, citing evidence from Garda interviews and her own statements. The trial judge had rejected provocation as a viable defence, citing a lack of rational basis. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Gerard Clarke SC, countered that all evidence relevant to provocation was also relevant to other defences and was rejected by the jury. Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty.
In a dispute over the management of a Galway private medical clinic, Blackrock Medical Partners (BMP) Ltd, controlled by Dr Joseph Sheehan, has brought proceedings against Marpole Ltd, the beneficial owner of Galway Clinic Doughiska, and its majority shareholder Parma Investments Ltd, an entity linked to businessman Larry Goodman. BMP, which holds 25% of Marpole, alleges that Parma has orchestrated oppressive and abusive behaviour towards BMP. The company seeks a declaration that Marpole's affairs and directors' powers are being exercised oppressively, and requests orders for Parma to either buy BMP's shares in Marpole or sell its shareholding to BMP. BMP also seeks consolidation of this action with two other related cases to save court time. The case was admitted to the fast‑track commercial court list by Mr Justice Brian McGovern, who encouraged mediation, and Dr Sheehan expressed willingness to engage further in mediation. The matter is scheduled to return to court later this month.
Paul Crosby, 22, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle, 22, at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, County Meath, on 10 November 2016. The Central Criminal Court granted him bail. His brother and sister provided sureties totalling €2,100. Conditions include living at his mother's Drogheda home, observing a 9 pm to 7 am curfew, being available to Gardaí at that address and by phone, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, signing in regularly at Drogheda Garda Station, and not contacting the alleged victim or witnesses. His trial is scheduled for February next year.
In a High Court hearing on 23 April 2018, Patricia Martin, a wheelchair‑bound retiree who lives in a nursing home, obtained a possession order for her South Dublin bungalow at Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock. Martin had bought the property in 2013 and discovered in 2016 that Darko Malencia was living there without her permission. She had never met him, never entered into an agreement, and had not received any rent. Malencia claimed he had been given a letting by an unknown party. After letters in early 2017 failed to prompt him to leave, court proceedings were started. Malencia did not contest the application. The High Court, hearing an appeal from the Circuit Court, granted Martin possession, but imposed a four‑week stay to allow Malencia to arrange his affairs and vacate the premises.
Colin Brady, aged 44, was sentenced to one year in prison for harassing his former girlfriend in Dublin between 21 September and 2 November last year. He breached his bail conditions 46 times, contacting her after being charged and sending 275 messages over three days. Brady broke her apartment door on 25 September, prompting Garda Emma Brady to call the police. The victim, who feared for her life, suffered extreme anxiety and lost work. Brady had previously been ordered to stay away from her and remain outside Dublin. He has seven prior convictions in Ireland and a robbery conviction in the UK. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Brady had "terrified" the victim and imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on conditions including no contact with the victim. He was also ordered to pay the cost of the broken door. Colin Brady pleaded guilty.
The High Court ruled that money seized from firms linked to associates of Republican Thomas "Slab" Murphy by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is the proceeds of crime. CAB had begun investigating fuel laundering in 2012, focusing on the Murphy family of Hackballscross, Dundalk, Co Louth and their associates. In 2013 CAB obtained seizure orders against bank accounts of a dozen companies and individuals involved in the scheme. The court ordered that property recovered, including €266,000 in frozen accounts, be held for the State under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act. The seized firms—Athboy BioFuels Ltd, TCF Fuels Benali Marketing, Save Fuels Ltd, Hibernia Fuels Ltd, Vienna Fuels and Shin Ram Ltd—were part of an elaborate fuel laundering operation that involved laundering marked green diesel into unmarked white diesel for profit.
Brendan Phelan, a 66‑year‑old retired principal officer of the Department of Health and Children, was given a suspended three‑year sentence in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. The offence stemmed from a March 2013 raid on his home, where authorities seized 58,585 images and 1,046 videos, most of which were naturist and focused on young boys' genitalia, with a minority depicting pre‑pubescent boys in sexual behaviour. Phelan admitted to long‑standing possession of the material and has since attended counselling and rehabilitation, producing a court report indicating a low risk of re‑offending. The judge noted mitigating factors such as the nature of the images, his cooperation, and the absence of distribution, but added that the conviction would bring shame on him and his family and that he would be listed on the sex offenders register.
During the Charleton Tribunal, former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan was heard to have told Fine Gael TD John Deasy that Sergeant Maurice McCabe was not to be believed or trusted. Deasy recalled that Callinan made these remarks before the former commissioner's appearance before the Public Accounts Committee in January 2014, and that he had spoken to Taoiseach Enda Kenny about McCabe's treatment. Deasy described McCabe as an honest officer who was simply doing his job. The tribunal also heard that Callinan had communicated with the Secretary General of Justice, Brian Purcell, via text messages about a meeting with TD John McGuinness in a Dublin hotel car park. McGuinness testified that Callinan had advised him not to trust McCabe and that McCabe was under investigation for child sex‑abuse allegations. The tribunal continued its hearing the following day.
A dispute between a financial fund and a court-appointed receiver against the owners of residential properties across multiple counties has been admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court list at the High Court. Seaconview DAC and receiver Anne O'Dwyer have brought proceedings against Chevas Securities Ltd and James and Conor Fagan concerning 28 apartments at Royston Village, Kimmage, and additional properties in Sligo, Dundalk and Galway. Ms O'Dwyer, appointed receiver in December, seeks injunctions to prevent the defendants from interfering with the receivership or accessing the properties. The fund claims it is owed €9.2 million in respect of loans originally advanced by Ulster Bank between 2002 and 2007, which the fund acquired in 2015. Ms O'Dwyer claims she has been obstructed in collecting rental income from the properties. Mr Justice Brian McGovern approved admission to the fast-track list. The defendants' solicitor opposed the application, indicating ongoing negotiations. The matter is scheduled to return to court later in April.
Mark McCarthy, aged 32, had his nine‑year prison sentence for the tiger kidnapping of the Nawn family increased to 15 years after the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed. The kidnapping, which took place on 1–2 August 2011, involved the abduction of Warren and Jean Marie Nawn and their 10‑week‑old baby in County Louth and County Dublin. McCarthy was found guilty of false imprisonment and the theft of €661,125 from the Post Office in Drogheda, an amount that has never been recovered. The Court of Appeal described the original sentence as "unduly lenient" and, after considering mitigating factors such as alleged duress and a drug debt, imposed a 15‑year term. The decision was made by a three‑judge panel headed by Mr Justice George Birmingham. The case remains a rare example of a tiger kidnapping in Ireland.
Sean Walsh, 51, of St John's Well, Fair Hill, Co Cork, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and sentenced to three and a half years in prison, backdated to his arrest on 14 December 2016. The court heard that in November and December 2016 Walsh met with three other men at a house on Old Commons Road, Blackrock, where a fourth man was shot dead on 7 December. Gardaí searched the house's attic and found a bag containing two firearms, 14 rounds of ammunition, latex gloves and a black woolly hat that matched Walsh's DNA. Later that evening, Walsh was found in a house in Cobh with two other men, carrying a sawn‑off shotgun, a Walther pistol and loose ammunition.
In a High Court hearing on 15 March 2018, Gerald and Olivia Dorian of Ivy Cottage, Rock Road, Blackrock, Dundalk, Co. Louth, sought an interim injunction against their neighbour Ruth Black. The dispute concerns a small plot of land outside the front wall of Ivy Cottage that contains mature flower beds. The Dorians claim the beds are part of their property, which has been in their family since 1903, and that Ruth Black, who bought an adjoining property in 2017, has no legal right to claim ownership. The Dorians allege that Black's solicitors asserted ownership and that Black has already arrived with machinery to carry out works that could remove the beds and ivy. On ex‑parte, Justice Caroline Costello granted the Dorians an injunction preventing Black from interfering with the beds, which measure 18 inches wide by 29 feet long. The Dorians also seek a declaration that the beds belong to them and form part of their property.
A 19‑year‑old from Louth, Lee Smyth, was sentenced to four years in prison for violently hijacking a taxi and assaulting its driver, Eric Byrne, on O'Connell Street in Dublin. Smyth, who admitted he was heavily intoxicated on tablets and could not fully recall the incident, said he only wanted to get home to Drogheda. He and a co‑accused seized the vehicle, attempted to take the keys, and then attacked Byrne, who fled and called the police. The car was later found burnt out in Drogheda. Smyth pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. He had 29 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, noting Smyth's cooperation and willingness to reform. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Grainne O'Neill BL. The court acknowledged Smyth's efforts in prison to change his behaviour.
Gavin O'Reilly, 36, was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence after he drove a jeep in front of John and Amanda Martin's car, stopped, took an axe from the vehicle and swung it over the Martins' heads, threatening to kill them. O'Reilly had previously been in a relationship with the Martins' daughter and had two children with her. He pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Mr. Martin in Deansgrange on 13 February 2017. He had one prior conviction for possession of drugs. The court heard that the Martins were left traumatised, with their wife losing confidence in going out alone and their daughter experiencing anxiety at school. O'Reilly's actions were described as reprehensible and unjustified, and the judge suspended the custodial term on the condition that he does not contact the Martins.
Robert Bayly, a former Leeds United and Republic of Ireland youth team footballer, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after he was caught transporting almost €200,000 worth of cannabis. Bayly, aged 30, admitted to possessing the drugs for sale or supply at Cherry Orchard Drive, Ballyfermot, on 12 May 2017. Gardaí stopped his Nissan Almera and found a strong smell of cannabis; Bayly confirmed there was "weed in the boot" before officers discovered ten small packages with an estimated street value of €194,284. He claimed he agreed to transport the drugs to reduce a €6,500 gambling debt, citing fear for his life, his daughter and girlfriend. The court noted Bayly had no prior convictions and was described by his barrister as a "child prodigy" who fell into gambling after moving to Leeds at 14. Robert Bayly pleaded guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Sean Walsh, aged 51, was found guilty of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Walsh had denied being a member on 14 December 2016, but the court accepted evidence from Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin, who testified that he was certain of Walsh's membership based on confidential information. Detective Sergeant Patrick Murphy supplied further evidence, including surveillance reports and a search of a house on Old Commons Road where a bag containing firearms, ammunition, latex gloves and a black woolly hat was found; the hat's DNA matched Walsh's. The court also heard that Walsh had met with co‑accused Joseph Walsh, Michael Gilmartin and a fourth man at Old Commons Road on 29 November and 6 December, and that the group had been involved in a shooting on 7 December. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 16 March.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the matter following an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking to increase the sentence of Mark McCarthy. McCarthy, a 32-year-old from Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment of Warren and Jean Marie Nawn and their ten-week-old baby in County Louth between August 1st and 2nd, 2011. He was originally sentenced to nine years' imprisonment by Judge Patricia Ryan on May 19, 2017. The DPP argued the sentence was unduly lenient, contending that the starting point should have been significantly higher than the 15 years fixed by the trial judge before mitigation. Prosecutors highlighted the severity of the ordeal, including threats to the infant and the use of surveillance equipment, comparing it to the aggravated burglary case of DPP v Dean Byrne. Defence counsel Derek Cooney BL countered that McCarthy acted under duress due to a drug debt and credible threats to his life, factors absent in the comparative case. The bench, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, and Mr Justice John Hedigan, heard submissions on whether a headline sentence of 25 years to life would have been appropriate. The court reserved its judgement, meaning the appeal is not yet concluded and the original sentence remains in effect pending the final decision.
Paul Crosby, 22, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faces trial for attempting to murder Gerard Boyle, 22, at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co. Meath, on 10 November 2016. He is also charged with false imprisonment and serious harm to Boyle on the same occasion. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy set the trial date for 11 February 2019 at the Central Criminal Court.
A trial date has been set for Joseph Hillen, a 23‑year‑old from Forkhill, County Armagh, who is charged with the murder of 53‑year‑old Martin Mulligan, a taxi driver from Dundalk. The killing took place at Carnmore, off the Armagh Road outside Dundalk, on 28 September 2015. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy of the Central Criminal Court fixed the trial for 2 October, with the case expected to last two weeks.
Graham Dwyer, aged 45, has asked the High Court to strike down parts of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 that allowed Gardaí to obtain and use mobile phone data as evidence in his murder trial. He was convicted of the murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara and sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2015. Dwyer claims the Act breaches his constitutional rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, arguing that the 2011 Act implements the invalid 2006 EU Directive 2006/24/EC, which the European Court of Justice struck down in 2014 for violating privacy and data protection. He seeks declarations that the Act is incompatible with EU law, damages for breaches of his rights, and an order that his legal costs be paid by the respondents. The case is pending before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor and will affect his appeal against conviction.
A 25-year-old man charged with murder at the Central Criminal Court has testified that he did not intend to harm the deceased during an incident in Longford in November 2016. Rihards Lavickis of Annaly Court, Longford, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of a 31-year-old man at Townspark on 1 November 2016. He admitted stabbing the deceased but told the court he experienced a loss of control and a "blackout" at the time, only realizing later what had occurred. Mr Lavickis described escalating tensions with the deceased over several months, including a prior assault and property damage to his home. He stated he brought a knife to the deceased's residence intending only to confront him but that events spiralled when they encountered each other later. The prosecution suggested his account of losing control was a deliberate fabrication designed to support a manslaughter defence. Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh adjourned proceedings to allow a juror to attend a family event. The trial resumes before the jury on Friday.
In 2015, a 63‑year‑old shop owner was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old girl who had been sent to his shop by her mother to buy a household item. The jury convicted him on a single count and Judge Michael O'Shea imposed a wholly suspended three‑year sentence. The conviction was later successfully appealed on the basis that the trial judge's ruling on the timing of the CCTV footage was unfair. The Court of Appeal has now directed a retrial, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The unnamed 13-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Gary Culhane, a 40‑year‑old Limerick man, was sentenced to four years in prison for breaking into the parochial house of The Good Shepherd Church in Churchtown, Dublin, on 15 October 2016. He pleaded guilty to burglary and was found to have 102 previous convictions, including assault, robbery and theft, and had spent 20 years in prison. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final year of the sentence, ordering Culhane to complete a residential drug rehabilitation course at Tiglin treatment centre and to follow all after‑care plans. The priest, who had been away saying mass, was "very shaken" when he returned to find €650 stolen from his house, including money, collections and the poor box. Garda Áine Bolton identified Culhane after the priest downloaded CCTV footage.
David Marsh, 31, was sentenced to an additional 14 months in jail after he deceived a woman he met on a dating website by claiming he was anaemic and needed money for medication and a flight to the US to see a specialist. He also extracted €300 from a new girlfriend for a holiday that never occurred, and €800 from the same woman under various pretences. Marsh's criminal history includes six counts of deception, one theft from an Eir store, and possession of heroin while in prison. He had previously been jailed for two years in 2016 for fraud, including defrauding a Limerick couple of €76,000, stealing €740 from his employer, and scamming colleagues and rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000. He has 23 prior convictions, mainly for fraud. The court noted his "active fantasy life" and impulsive behaviour, but did not attribute any motive beyond his charm and confidence tactics. David Marsh pleaded guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court acquitted Paul Crosby of one attempted murder charge – the attempt to kill Gerard Boyle by pushing a car into a canal on 10 November 2016 – after five hours of deliberation. The jury, composed of five women and six men, could not reach a verdict on the remaining three charges: two counts of attempting to murder Boyle by stabbing him 28 times and by placing him in a car boot, and a charge of false imprisonment and serious harm. The foreman reported an impasse, and the judge recorded a "disagree" on those issues, discharged the jury, and remanded Crosby until a new trial date on 26 February. Boyle, who suffered a punctured lung and was found in the canal, denied naming the wrong person as his attacker and claimed Crosby had forced him into the car boot before the vehicle was pushed into the water. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced charges of attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice in November 2016. The first attempt involved stabbing Boyle 28 times, and the second involved locking him in a car boot that was then pushed into a canal. Boyle, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to all charges. After closing arguments, the jury, instructed by Justice Patrick McCarthy, was allowed to return a majority verdict on any charge if ten jurors agreed.
The jury will resume deliberating tomorrow morning in the trial of Paul Crosby, a Louth man charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle, 22, on 10 November 2016. Crosby allegedly stabbed Boyle 28 times and then locked him in a car boot that was pushed into a canal. He is also accused of a second attempted murder on the same day at Boyne Canal, Drogheda. Boyle pleaded not guilty to all charges. Both sides delivered closing speeches last Thursday; the jury had deliberated for almost three hours and 24 minutes before being sent home.
The Central Criminal Court will hear the case of Paul Crosby, a Louth man, who is charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice in one day. On 10 November 2016, Crosby allegedly stabbed Boyle 28 times and then locked him in a car boot that was pushed into a canal. Boyle, aged 22, also suffered a second attempted murder at Boyne Canal. Boyle pleaded not guilty to all charges. Both prosecution and defence delivered closing speeches, and the jury will begin deliberations on Monday.
In a 2018 attempted‑murder trial, the State counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, argued that Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, had a strong motive to eliminate Gerard Boyle, 22, after a prior incident in March when Crosby and another man allegedly broke into Boyle's home. Gageby highlighted that Boyle was stabbed 28 times in Knockcommon, then locked in a car that was submerged in the Boyne Canal. He claimed Boyle named Crosby as the assailant, citing a phone call to Crosby's house and a text from an unknown number. Defence counsel, Mr Bowman SC, countered that Boyle's statements were inconsistent, that no forensic evidence linked Crosby to the crime, and that Boyle's accusations were unreliable. The counsel urged the jury to acquit Crosby on all counts, citing flawed evidence and a deficient investigation. The case was set for jury deliberation by Judge Patrick McCarthy. Gerard Boyle pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced charges of attempting to murder, false imprisonment and serious harm against Gerard Boyle, aged 22, on 10 November 2016. The alleged attacks occurred first at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, where Boyle was stabbed 28 times, and later at Boyne Canal, Drogheda, where he was reportedly locked into a car boot that was pushed into the canal. Crosby pleaded not guilty to all charges. Dr Asim Rafeeque treated Boyle in Drogheda hospital, describing a surgical emergency with severe shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, reduced oxygen and multiple sharp‑edge wounds, and performed immediate chest decompression. Garda Ronan Geraghty testified that Boyle had named a passenger who allegedly pulled him from the car and placed him in the boot; this person was not arrested and no other individuals were charged.