Sean Carraher, aged 55, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for harassing Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. Carraher posted 58 messages on Rate‑Your‑Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging that Gilmartin had withheld evidence in a prior case and was corrupt. He also made up to 12 harassing phone calls. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was convicted after nearly six hours of jury deliberation. Carraher had a prior 2011 conviction for harassing his wife. Judge Patrick McCartan imposed the sentence to deter others from spreading grossly defamatory information, noting Carraher's lack of remorse and use of internet anonymity. No findings of wrongdoing were made against Gilmartin. The case highlighted the impact of the harassment on Gilmartin and his family, who deleted social media accounts and a charity webpage to protect themselves.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, a 66-year-old appellant, was told by the Court of Appeal that his application for bail pending an appeal would not be heard. Murphy, who pleaded not guilty to nine charges of failing to comply with tax laws in the Irish Republic, was convicted on all counts by the Special Criminal Court and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on February 26. His appeal against conviction is scheduled for November 8. During case management procedures, his barrister, Tony McGillicuddy BL, raised the bail application, which had been listed for hearing the following Friday. However, Mr Justice George Birmingham stated that there was no reality to the application being heard. The judge conveyed that the court's view was that the case would not "remotely come close" to meeting the legal threshold for bail. Mr Justice Birmingham noted that Murphy had already been facilitated by receiving a hearing date before his submissions were ready. Consequently, the bail application was effectively dismissed at this procedural stage, and Murphy must wait until the November 8 appeal hearing. Murphy was not present in court for these proceedings.
A book of evidence was served on Owen McCann, a 36‑year‑old from Annaloughan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, who appeared at a brief sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 20 July 2016. McCann was arrested in December 2015 by the Special Detective Unit as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. He faces three charges: membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) on 18 December 2015; possession of firearms, including a .22 calibre rifle, a pistol conversion kit and two ammunition magazines on 17 December 2015; and possession of one round of .22 calibre ammunition on the same date. State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan informed the three‑judge, non‑jury court that the book of evidence was ready to be served. Detective Garda Enda Gannon handed the book to McCann. McCann's counsel, Conan Fegan BL, requested an extension of the legal aid certificate to include a second counsel, citing the seriousness of the charges.
A man from Cabra West in Dublin has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for involvement in a cocaine importation scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Michael Moore (62) of Killala Road pleaded guilty to possession of one kilogramme of cocaine discovered at Finglas on 4 September 2009. Gardaí intercepted thirteen packages addressed to a bogus engineering company at Dublin Airport; Moore and a co-accused were arrested while examining one such package at a UPS depot. During detention, Moore received threatening text messages demanding he answer his phone and warning he was "playing a dangerous game". He initially denied involvement but later admitted arranging for the package's collection, claiming he believed it contained cash rather than drugs. Moore told officers he had been provided a phone by associates in Spain and feared for his family's safety. He was released on High Court bail but subsequently absconded for six years before his arrest last May following his return to Ireland.
Paul Smith, 49, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, and Stephen Smith, 41, of Dundalk, Co. Louth, were acquitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assaulting Jenny Lynch causing her harm on March 7, 2015. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The jury, comprising four women and eight men, returned its verdict after 25 minutes of deliberation on the third day of the trial. Judge Martin Nolan discharged both defendants from the indictment. During the proceedings, the accused testified that their brother, Andrew Smith, was solely responsible for the attack. Andrew Smith, who had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms. Lynch and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, gave evidence that he struck the victim twice in the head while his brothers did not. He stated that Stephen Smith was on crutches at the time due to a recent shooting. Ms. Lynch, who alleged all three brothers assaulted her, described injuries including a busted nose and stitches to her lip. Defence counsel suggested to the jury that Ms. Lynch's accusations were motivated by a belief that the Smiths were responsible for the death of her son, Eddie Lynch, although neither Paul nor Stephen Smith has ever been charged with that killing. Paul Smith testified that he attempted to restrain Andrew Smith, while Stephen Smith stated he would never harm the mother of his best friend. The court concluded the matter with the acquittal of the two defendants.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2016, an elderly woman, Jenny Lynch, denied that she had wrongly accused her neighbours, Paul Smith (49) and Stephen Smith (41), of assaulting her. Lynch, who is in her eighties, claimed that both men had attacked her and that she had believed they were responsible for the death of her son, Eddie, who died of a ruptured spleen after being struck by a car. She rejected the defence's suggestion that she had misinterpreted Andrew Smith's assault as an opportunity to target Paul and Stephen. Lynch also denied that she had sent a mass card to the Smiths or that she had asked Paul to intervene for her son. The Smiths pleaded not guilty to the assault charge. The hearing focused on Lynch's allegations and the defendants' denials, with no verdict reached in the article.
A Dublin man has been convicted of harassing a garda sergeant through approximately 50 online posts and harassing phone calls over a two-year period. Sean Carraher, aged 55, was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of harassing Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. The posts, made on legal profession websites, included allegations that the sergeant had withheld evidence and claims regarding his personal conduct. Carraher had pleaded not guilty but was convicted by jury following deliberation. He claimed the posts constituted protected freedom of expression and that he was acting as a whistleblower exposing alleged garda corruption. The court heard no findings of wrongdoing have been established against Sergeant Gilmartin. Following conviction, Carraher was remanded in custody despite the prosecution not objecting to bail. He is due for sentencing on 27 July, when a victim impact report from Sergeant Gilmartin will be presented to the court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 13 July 2016, two men, Paul Smith (49) of Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot, and Stephen Smith (41) of Gate Lodge, Dundalk, Co. Louth, pleaded not guilty to assaulting an elderly woman, Jenny Lynch, on 7 March 2015 in Ballyfermot. Lynch testified that she was attacked while walking home from mass, describing severe injuries: blood from her nose and mouth, a busted nose, two black eyes, a lump on the side of her head, a sore shoulder, and the need for stitches to her lip. She claimed the attackers pushed, thumped, and dug her, and identified the Smiths as the assailants. Lynch also mentioned that Andrew Smith, the accused's brother, had previously pleaded guilty to assault in another court. The trial focused on Lynch's account of the assault and the defendants' denial of guilt. No verdict or sentencing was reported in the article.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury deliberating the case of Sean Carraher, 55, was sent home overnight after declaring a deadlock. Carraher, of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, has pleaded not guilty to harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. He is accused of posting around 50 messages on Rate‑Your‑Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging that the sergeant withheld evidence in a prior case, and of making harassing phone calls. At his arrest, Carraher claimed to be a whistle‑blower exposing Garda corruption via the internet.
Sean Carraher, 55, stands trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Sgt Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. The State alleges Carraher posted about 50 messages on Rate‑Your‑Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, accusing the sergeant of withholding evidence in a prior case and of other misconduct, and made harassing phone calls. Carraher claims he was a whistle‑blower exposing garda corruption and that the internet was his only means to retaliate against alleged conspiracies. He admitted making four phone calls, arguing they were a response to the sergeant's repeated hang‑ups. Carraher also admitted posting unverified claims about the sergeant's personal life, stating he did so because he heard them. The prosecution maintains that regardless of any alleged corruption, the repetitive nature of the calls and posts constitutes harassment. The jury will deliberate after a judge's address. Sean Carraher pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Catherine Murphy sentenced 20‑year‑old Buti Sashi to nine months' imprisonment for robbing a taxi driver on 23 August 2014. Sashi, a former Blackrock College rugby player, beat the driver, stole his iPhone, SatNav and €220, and left his passport, mobile phone and a necklace in the taxi before reporting the passport lost at a Garda station. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, failed to attend probation and restorative justice conferences, and tested positive for cocaine and speed. Sashi had not completed a Rathmines College course or an anger‑awareness course, and his employer reference was deemed unsatisfactory. He apologized to the court, calling himself an "idiot" for taking drugs, and Judge Murphy urged him to use his custodial time constructively. The sentence reflects the court's view that Sashi had been given many opportunities to improve his situation.
Sean Carraher, aged 55, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Sergeant Conor Gilmartin by posting about 50 messages on Rate-Your-Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging that Gilmartin had withheld evidence in a prior case. He is also accused of making between ten and twenty calls to the sergeant. Carraher claims he was being harassed by Gardaí who subjected him to unwarranted arrests and that he was a whistle‑blower exposing Garda corruption. On the third day of his trial, Garda Rosemary Clancy told defence counsel that she had arrested Carraher at least five times over allegations that he had harassed his wife and breached court orders, and that he had been convicted six times in relation to these allegations, five of which were later overturned on appeal. Clancy also confirmed that she called Carraher on 24 December 2008 to inform him of his next court appearance, a call Carraher denies was harassment. Sean Carraher pleaded not guilty.
A man charged with harassing a garda sergeant considers himself a whistleblower exposing police corruption, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. Sean Carraher, aged 55, of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011. The prosecution alleges Mr Carraher posted approximately 50 messages on websites including Rate-Your-Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, accusing Sergeant Gilmartin of corruption and evidence tampering. He is also accused of making between ten and twenty calls to the sergeant. The defendant claims the contact followed a complaint he made to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission regarding alleged assaults on his sons. No findings of wrongdoing have been established against Sergeant Gilmartin. Mr Carraher stated he was exercising freedom of expression rights and invoked comparison with the McBrearty family case in Donegal. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, William Burns, 40, of Ardoyne, Belfast, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a keg bomb. The case involved a 50‑litre beer keg, 50 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate, PETN and RDX explosives, an improvised detonation cord, a steel booster tube, and a time‑and‑power unit. The alleged offence took place at Kilcurry Church, County Louth, on 25 May 2014. Prosecutor Paul Greene SC described how two men drove a white transit van to a carpark off the N1, then Burns drove a red Volkswagen Passat into the same carpark. The vehicles moved to Kilcurry Church, parked back‑to‑back, and the improvised explosive device was transferred from the van to the boot of Burns' car. Gardaí found a 50‑litre Guinness barrel, plastic tubing with white powder suspected to be explosive, and an electric timer set for a thirty‑minute delay. William Burns pleaded not guilty.
Sean Carraher, 55, of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, Dublin, is on trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin. Carraher is accused of repeatedly calling the sergeant between March 2009 and May 2011 and posting online messages that called him "lying" and "corrupt" over nearly two years. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by barrister James Dwyer, presented evidence that Carraher admitted to posting the messages and claimed he was exposing what he believed to be Garda corruption. Dwyer argued that while free expression allows opinions, the content and intent of Carraher's posts crossed into harassment, requiring proof of intent or reckless conduct to cause alarm or distress. Sergeant Gilmartin testified that he first encountered Carraher in 2007, that Carraher had made a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman, and that he received harassing calls and defamatory posts from Carraher.
In the Special Criminal Court, William Burns, 40, of Ardoyne, Belfast, pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of PETN and RDX, a 50‑litre Guinness keg bomb, 50 kg of homemade ammonium nitrate, an improvised detonation cord, a steel booster tube and a time‑and‑power unit. Prosecutor Paul Greene opened the trial by describing the 2014 incident at Kilcurry Church, Co. Louth, where two men drove a white transit van and a red Volkswagen Passat into a carpark off the N1. The van's IED was allegedly moved into Burns' boot. Gardaí later found the keg, plastic tubing with white powder, and an electric timer set for a thirty‑minute delay. The court will hear video evidence of the events and the subsequent search of Burns' vehicle. The trial continues.
Andrew Smith, a 24‑year‑old mechanic from Navan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his girlfriend Chloe Cherry on 27 October 2013. The original sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years, with six months suspended, was imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea on 18 June 2015. Smith appealed, arguing that the sentencing judge failed to resolve a factual conflict regarding an alleged incident in which he supposedly locked Cherry in a dog cage. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found that the judge had not conducted a "Newton type hearing" and had accepted the victim's account of the dog‑cage allegation as true, an error in principle. Consequently, Smith was re‑sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with 15 months suspended, and was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The appeal did not alter any other aspects of the case.
Jim Duffy, a 45‑year‑old father of three from Dundalk, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a stolen John Deere tractor between June and September 2013. The tractor, valued at €50,000, had been taken from a farm in Portlaoise during a burglary on 29 May 2013 and later found on Duffy's farm in Hollywood Little, Ballyboughal, with several identifying features altered or removed and a false UK registration plate. Duffy claimed the tractor was left on his farm by a man who owed him money and insisted he had never taken anything. He had three prior minor convictions for road traffic offences. The judge, citing his lack of serious convictions, suspended a four‑year custodial sentence and ordered 240 hours of community service, avoiding immediate imprisonment.
An ex‑soldier aged 42, whose lawyers argued that indecent proposals or behaviour did not amount to sexual assault, had his appeal against a court‑martial dismissed by the Court of Appeal. He had been convicted on a charge of sexual assault and four charges of conduct contrary to good order and discipline at Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, on 30 October 2013. The Defence Force board imposed penalties ranging from fines to detention and discharge. In the appeal, the barrister contended that indecent proposals or behaviour do not constitute a sexual assault. Justice Alan Mahon rejected this, describing the victim's account of the soldier's repeated unwanted advances, including entering a female changing area and shower cubicle while undressed, exposing himself, and the victim's feelings of fear, discomfort and violation. The Court of Appeal found the evidence sufficient to uphold the original conviction and dismissed the appeal. The former soldier remains on continuing bail pending his sentence hearing.
Joseph Finnegan, 54, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to four firearms and ammunition possession charges at Special Criminal Court Number 2. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Judges Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Gerard Haughton, recorded his guilty pleas to possessing an 8mm blank-firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition on July 11, 2015, and a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and three shotgun cartridges on July 12, 2015, all at the same address. Mr Finnegan also faces two further charges: alleged membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA, and possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4, on July 11, 2015. These remaining charges are set for trial on October 4, 2015. The court remanded Mr Finnegan on continuing bail until that date. Sentencing for the admitted firearms offences will be deferred until after the trial for the other charges concludes. This was the first hearing at Special Criminal Court Number 2 since its establishment last year.
A jury could not agree on a verdict in the trial of 54‑year‑old Aivars Sondors, who was charged with three counts of assisting an offender in the murder of 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus. Sondors admitted moving the body from a house on Marsh Road, Drogheda, and dumping it in the sea at Mornington Beach, cleaning the scene, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins from a derelict house on Mathew's Lane. He pleaded not guilty to all counts, claiming duress. The Central Criminal Court heard that the killer, Marius Gaizutis, had already been convicted of the murder. The jury deliberated for almost six hours but could not reach a verdict, and the judge recorded "Disagreed" for all three counts. Sondors remains on continuing bail until the next hearing on 27 June.
In a trial held at the Central Criminal Court, a jury will resume deliberations on a case involving Aivars Sondors, a 54‑year‑old Latvian, who faces three counts of assisting an offender without reasonable excuse. Sondors is accused of helping Marius Gaizutis evade capture and prosecution after Gaizutis murdered 44‑year‑old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus on 9 or 10 September 2013. The alleged assistance includes moving Butkus's body from the shared house on Marsh Road in Drogheda to the sea at Mornington Beach, cleaning the scene, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins from the Burke House on Mathew's Lane. Gaizutis has already been convicted of the murder, which involved him striking Butkus with the blunt end of an axe. Sondors has pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming duress and that he acted under the killer's orders.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of Aivars Sondors, a 54‑year‑old Latvian, charged with three counts of assisting an offender without reasonable excuse. The charges relate to the disposal of the body of 44‑year‑old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus, who was murdered by Marius Gaizutis. Sondors is accused of moving the body from the house he shared with Gaizutis on Marsh Road in Drogheda to the sea at Mornington Beach, cleaning up the scene at Marsh Road, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, bin bag, bottles and tins from the scene at the Burke House on Mathew's Lane. He has pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming duress and that he acted under the killer's orders. The Central Criminal Court has heard that Gaizutis has already been convicted of the murder. The jury, consisting of nine men and three women, began deliberating in the afternoon and will resume on Tuesday.
The trial of Aivars Sondors, 54, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. He faces three counts of assisting an offender without reasonable excuse by allegedly impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who has already been convicted of unlawfully killing 44-year-old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus. Sondors, of Sycamore Close, Termon Abbey, Drogheda, pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming he acted under duress. The charges relate to incidents on September 9th or 10th, 2013, including moving Butkus's body from Marsh Road to Mornington Beach and cleaning the scene. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC argued the core issue was why Sondors acted, emphasizing duress and reasonable excuse, noting that threats need not be expressed. Prosecution counsel Patrick Gageby SC countered that obedience to orders is not a defence and highlighted that Sondors had the opportunity to contact gardai. The jury is expected to begin deliberations after being charged by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
The trial of Aivars Sondors, 54, at the Central Criminal Court has concluded its evidentiary phase. Sondors is charged with three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who has already been convicted of unlawfully killing 44-year-old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus. The allegations, dated September 9th or 10th, 2013, include moving Butkus's body from Marsh Road, Drogheda, to Mornington Beach; cleaning the scene; and disposing of items from Burke House, Mathew's Lane. Although Sondors admitted the underlying acts, he pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming he acted under duress. During cross-examination, he stated his basement was "red with blood" when his flatmate ordered him to help move the body. He explained omissions in his garda interviews as fatigue and attributed sand in his car to frequent family visits to the beach. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart informed the jury that evidence has finished. The matter is not adjourned; the trial proceeds to closing speeches, expected to begin this afternoon.
The trial of Aivars Sondors, 54, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. He faces three counts of assisting an offender by allegedly impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who has already been convicted of unlawfully killing 44-year-old Lithuanian Audrius Butkus. Sondors, of Sycamore Close, Termon Abbey, Drogheda, pleaded not guilty to all three counts, claiming he acted under duress. The allegations include moving Butkus's body from a shared residence on Marsh Road to Mornington Beach, cleaning the scene, and disposing of items from Burke House, Mathew's Lane. In his defence evidence on the fifth day of the trial, Sondors testified that Gaizutis, whom he had known for 40 years, woke him in the night and demanded his car keys. He stated he was threatened with violence and subsequently helped move a body from a blood-covered basement, describing the scene as resembling a slaughter house. Sondors claimed he believed Gaizutis would kill him if he refused. Cross-examination by Patrick Gageby SC began this afternoon and is scheduled to continue tomorrow morning before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. The matter remains at the trial stage with no finalisation or sentence recorded.
The Central Criminal Court heard that 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus was 'battered to death' in a Louth house before his body was dumped at Mornington Beach. Aivars Sondors, 54, is charged with three counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who had unlawfully killed Butkus. The charges include moving the body from the house on Marsh Road, placing it in the sea, cleaning the scene, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, bin bag, bottles and tins from the Burke House. Sondors admitted the three allegations but pleaded not guilty, claiming duress. He denied involvement when interviewed by gardai but could not explain how his fingerprint was found in blood at the scene. Detective Sergeant Liam Archbold testified that Sondors was told to seek legal advice and return to Garda Station. The trial continues before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus was found 'battered to death' in a Louth house before his body was dumped at Mornington Beach. 54‑year‑old Aivars Sondors is charged with three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, who is alleged to have unlawfully killed Mr Butkus. Sondors admitted the allegations but pleaded not guilty, arguing possible duress. He gave four Garda interviews starting 13 September 2013, describing a tense night on 9 September when Gaizutis allegedly threatened him after a dispute over money. Sondors claimed he slept in the house that night, was awakened by Gaizutis asking for car keys, and later returned to bed. He stated he had never met Mr Butkus and offered no explanation for a fingerprint found on a handrail. The trial is set to continue tomorrow before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Aivars Sondors and Professor Marie Cassidy, both accused of three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, allegedly knowing he had unlawfully killed Audrius Butkus. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. State Pathologist Dr. Cassidy testified that Butkus died from blunt force trauma to the head, likely caused by the blunt end of an axe, with injuries clustered to the back of his head. She noted he was intoxicated and showed no signs of drowning despite being found on Mornington Beach. Detective Sergeant Fergal O'Toole stated an axe was found at the Marsh Road house, while forensic expert Brian Barry indicated bloodstains suggested a serious assault and cleanup occurred. DNA from the axe, car boot, and a carpet matched Butkus. Sondors' counsel indicated the jury must decide if duress was present. The matter was adjourned and continues before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 17‑year‑old schoolboy pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after striking a fellow student with a hammer, fracturing the victim's skull. The incident occurred on 25 January when the boy, armed with his father's hammer, attacked the victim during a dispute over a €50 cannabis deal. The victim suffered serious injuries, requiring hospital treatment and a drop in academic level. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the assault as "deeply reprehensible" and imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence with a two‑year probation period. The boy was remanded in custody before sentencing. No custodial term was imposed, and the court highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the impact on the victim's future. The boy's defence noted his prior drug issues and attempts at rehabilitation. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
During the trial of Aivars Sondors, charged with three counts of impeding a homicide investigation, the court heard that the killer's partner and children sought refuge in a neighbour's house before the killing, fearing the killer. Sondors, 54, claimed he was under duress when he helped move the body of 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus from a house on Marsh Road in Drogheda to Mornington Beach and cleaned the scene. He admitted the allegations but pleaded not guilty to all three counts. The jury was asked to decide whether duress applied. Carmen Canales testified that the partner knocked on her door on the evening of 9 September, claiming her husband would beat her, and that she let the woman and her five children stay overnight. The trial was set to continue on Monday before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, 66, was convicted by a non‑jury Special Criminal Court of nine tax‑evasion offences for failing to file returns on income, profits or gains from 1996 to 2004. The court found he owed €189,964 in tax and that the Cab's assessment of his tax bill was €5,344,157. Evidence included a March 2006 search of an outhouse on the border with Northern Ireland, where investigators seized documents, ledgers, cash worth €256,235, £111,185, uncashed cheques worth €579,000, £80,000 and €24,000, and evidence of cattle purchases and sales totalling over €700,000. Murphy's defence claimed his brother Patrick controlled the farming activities. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment on 26 February. In March, his counsel filed a 47‑ground appeal, seeking a provisional hearing in November, and also challenged the sentence's severity. The Court of Appeal set a provisional hearing for 22 November, to be confirmed in June. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 17‑year‑old south Dublin schoolboy was remanded in custody while a judge considers his sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing harm. He used his father's hammer to strike a fourth‑year secondary school student on the forehead, fracturing the victim's skull and causing internal bleeding. The incident followed a dispute over a €50 cannabis deal between two teenage groups. The boy, who had never met the victim, claimed he brought the hammer for protection and became angry after a phone call from the other group. The victim, who had to drop from an honours Leaving Cert to a Leaving Cert Applied course, gave a victim impact statement describing the injury's long‑term stress and pain. The boy's defence argued he was remorseful, had a history of drug addiction from age 13, and had enrolled in an addiction centre.
A 54‑year‑old man, Aivars Sondors of Termon Abbey, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 26 May 2016. He faced three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the investigation of a homicide that occurred on 9 or 10 September 2013. The alleged victim was 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus, who was reportedly beaten to death in the basement of a house on Marsh Road, Drogheda, and whose body was moved to Mornington Beach. Sondors is accused of moving the body, cleaning the scene, and disposing of evidence such as carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. His barrister admitted the allegations but argued that the jury should decide whether duress was involved. The trial was set to continue on Friday morning before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart.
An ex‑soldier aged 42 was found guilty by a military court of sexual assault and four counts of conduct contrary to good order and discipline at Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, on 30 October 2013. The conviction was delivered by a board of Defence Force members and a Military Judge, Colonel Michael Campion, who imposed penalties ranging from fines to detention and discharge. The case arose after a Military Police member entered the gym sauna and was told by the soldier that advance notice was required. She later claimed he followed her into the women's shower and that she felt threatened. She had made handwritten notes of the incident, which were allegedly shredded and not presented to the defence. The soldier's barrister, Roderick O'Hanlon SC, argued that the notes were destroyed, depriving the defence of evidence. The soldier has now opened an appeal, and the court has reserved judgment on the matter.
John Joyce, 24, of Donaghmede, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin's Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill Garda Adrian Cahill on 27 November 2013. The threat was made while the pair were on patrol following a call about a suspicious man in Donabate. Joyce refused to be searched, was arrested, and then became physically aggressive toward Cahill, shouting that he would attack Cahill's wife and "shoot him like his mate in Dundalk." The threat referenced the death of former colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was gunned down in January 2013. Joyce had 78 previous convictions. His defence lawyer, Ms Fiona Murphy, described him as angry and frustrated, and said he accepted he was in the wrong and wished to apologise. Judge Patrick McCartan noted Joyce's conduct was an "utter disregard" for the Garda and that the threat was made in a nasty manner, referencing a fallen colleague.
The second Special Criminal Court sat for the first time at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin today. The court, which will be known as Special Criminal Court Number 2, dealt with four cases transferred to it by Special Criminal Court Number 1. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding at Special Criminal Court Number 1, stated that the court had decided on its own motion to transfer the cases for trial to court Number 2 under the provisions of the Offences Against the State Act of 1939. Following the transfer order, the second Special Criminal Court sat at Court 17 with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy of the High Court presiding, along with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain of the Circuit Court and Judge Gerard Haughton of the District Court. Ms Anne Marie Lawlor BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, outlined the court's jurisdiction and presented documents, including the order establishing the second Special Criminal Court of December 14th, 2004, and the coming into existence of the second court on October 28th last year, when seven judges were appointed to the new court. The first case dealt with by court number 2 was that of Séamus McGrane (60), of Little Road, Domiskin, Co Louth, who is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State between December 23 2009 and May 13 2015. He is also charged with directing the activities of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, in respect of which a suppression order had been made, within the State on dates between December 23 2009 and May 13 2015 inclusive. His co-accused Donal O Coisdealbha (23), of Abbeyfield, Killester Dublin 15, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann otherwise the IRA within the State on May 13 2015. Mr O Coisdealbha is also charged with possession of a component part of an improvised explosive device namely a time and power unit also known as a TPU at 'the personal storage locker under the control of Donal O Coisdealbha at Protector Life Sciences, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare' under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he had not got it in his possession for a lawful purpose on May 13 2015. Mr Bernard Condon, SC for McGrane said he was reserving his position on the proceedings of the court and the jurisdiction of the new court. Ms Anne Rowland BL, for O Coisdealbha, said she was also reserving her position on the proceedings and the jurisdiction of the court. Ms Justice Kennedy, presiding, adjourned the case until next Thursday and made a production order that the two accused, who are in custody, should be brought before court number 2 then. She also adjourned the cases of two other men, Joseph Finnegan and Ryan Glennon, who are on bail until next Thursday.
John Griffin, a 45‑year‑old from Dundalk, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of sexual assault committed at a Dublin homeless shelter between 23 March and 1 April 2015. Griffin admitted that he had forced his male room‑mate, who was not gay, to perform oral sex and then, after the victim refused, threatened him and forced him to bend over a bath and be anally penetrated without consent. Griffin later expressed remorse, stating he felt horrible about the act. He had previously received a five‑year sentence in 1991 for buggery and sexual assault. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as odious and noted the victim's vulnerability and neurological issues. Griffin had cooperated with Gardaí, admitted the offences and expressed remorse before sentencing. John Griffin pleaded guilty.
Waldemar Solowiow, a 49‑year‑old Polish national, was convicted of murdering his 37‑year‑old girlfriend, Mary Ryan, in his Dublin bedsit on 18–19 May 2012. Ryan died from neck compression and head trauma after a physical altercation. Solowiow admitted killing her but denied murder, claiming provocation. He received a mandatory life sentence in October 2013. In 2015 he appealed, arguing the trial judge misdirected the jury on provocation. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the conviction. The judges found the judge's instructions on provocation adequate and noted that Solowiow had admitted the killing. They also rejected other grounds, including alleged false statements to Gardaí and the handling of expert evidence. Solowiow remains in custody to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
Cathal Gartland, 42, of Dundalk, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for assaulting and threatening to kill his daughter while in possession of a Magnum hand‑gun. The Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Michael O'Shea, imposed the sentence on 20 May 2015, with lesser sentences running concurrently. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient", but the Court of Appeal dismissed the application, stating the sentence lay within the margin available to the sentencing judge. Judge Garrett Sheehan explained that Gartland had assaulted his youngest daughter after learning she was intoxicated and behaving inappropriately. He slapped her, used a .357 calibre Magnum Smith and Wesson, threatened to drown, kill and kneecap her, and forced her into a taxi. The daughter sustained multiple injuries, required crutches for four months, and later was taken to hospital. Gartland had prior convictions for firearms possession and assault. Cathal Gartland pleaded guilty.
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Muhammad Arif, 32, whom he believed was having an affair with his wife. Hussain had previously been jailed for life for the murder of his wife's cousin and for a life sentence for the murder of a distant relative. He also received a seven‑year sentence for serious injury to his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and a two‑year sentence for assaulting her in January 2011. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction, citing a "very real risk of injustice" in the jury's understanding of provocation. A retrial was ordered, and at the retrial Hussain pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.
Jim Duffy, 45, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a stolen John Deere tractor between June and September 2013. The tractor, worth €50,000, was stolen from a Portlaoise farm on 29 May 2013 and later found on Duffy's farm in Hollywood Little, Ballyboughal North Dublin, with altered identifying features and a false UK registration plate. Duffy claimed the tractor had been left on his farm by a man who owed him money and denied ever taking it. He admitted the tractor was stolen but said he could not believe it. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Duffy's lack of serious convictions, adjourned the case to 14 June and ordered a community service report to be prepared by the Probation Service. The case remains pending.
Shahzad Hussain, 35, of Woodland Avenue, Mosney, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to killing a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife. He had previously been jailed for life for murdering his wife's cousin and a distant relative, Muhammad Arif, 32, and had received sentences of seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and two years for assaulting her. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction and ordered a retrial, after a three‑judge panel found a "very real risk of injustice" in the trial judge's explanation of provocation to the jury. The retrial led to a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Mr Arif. Hussain remains in custody awaiting sentencing, which will be set on Friday morning at 11 am.
In a High Court judicial review, eight of the 33 indecent assault charges against retired consultant surgeon Dr Michael Shine (83) were dropped. The charges, originally filed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, span from 1964 to 1990 and involve 22 alleged victims. Prosecutor Kathleen Noctor BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the Director of Public Prosecutions was withdrawing these eight counts, with the intention to re‑enter them later. Dr Shine remains scheduled to stand trial next year on the remaining 25 charges. The court discharged him from the indictment for the eight counts as counsel indicated.
In May 1916, Dublin solicitor William Corrigan was tried in a makeshift Richmond Barracks courtroom for his role in the Easter Rising. He had been a lieutenant in the Irish Volunteers and was wounded before surrendering. Barrister William Wylie, a young king's counsel, was the prosecutor. Wylie, who had previously worked with Corrigan, attempted to help the rebels and even examined Corrigan in his defence. Corrigan was sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted to five years' penal servitude. He was sent to an English prison, later returned to Ireland in 1919. The two lawyers later met again in 1920, each representing opposing sides in a brief meeting that marked a first step toward the truce. Wylie later served on the High Court, while Corrigan became solicitor to the attorney general. The article appeared in the Irish Times.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, was charged at an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court with possession of three assault rifles and associated ammunition discovered at Tuiterath, Balrath, Slane, County Meath on March 9th, 2016. The charges include possession of a Chinese Type 56, a Romanian PM63 and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with nine magazines and 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre ammunition. Mr Rowan was additionally charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce of the Special Detective Unit said Mr Rowan was arrested in Drogheda under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and made no reply when cautioned or shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge William Hamill, remanded Mr Rowan in custody pending mention on March 16th.
A father and son from Drogheda have had their appeals against prison sentences dismissed by the Court of Appeal following their conviction for cannabis possession. Michael Devlin Snr and Michael Devlin Jnr pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis worth €1.3 million with intent to supply at Cartown, Termonfeckin in September 2013. The discovery arose after an off-duty garda became suspicious of a lorry driver seeking a non-existent address and alerted colleagues. Gardaí subsequently found 262 packages containing 65.5 kilograms of cannabis during a coordinated operation. Devlin Snr, aged 61, received 12 years imprisonment with four years suspended, while Devlin Jnr, aged 40, received 12 years with two years suspended. The Court of Appeal found the sentences fell within the appropriate range for the offence's sophistication and dismissed both appeals.
Tom "Slab" Murphy, born August 1949 in Ballybinaby, Co. Louth, is alleged to have been a former Chief of Staff of the Provisional IRA and to have run a cross‑border smuggling operation from his family farm that straddled the Republic‑Northern Ireland border. Court documents and affidavits from the Criminal Assets Bureau, Gardaí, customs and PSNI describe how the farm, which Murphy inherited in 1968, was used to smuggle pigs, cattle, fuel and oil between the two jurisdictions. The operation involved large storage tanks, underground tanks, and concealed dispensing machines that allowed fuel to be moved across the border. Affidavits also report the discovery of €256,245 and £111,185 in cash and cheques during a 2006 raid. Murphy has pursued libel actions against the Sunday Times, but the court found against him in both 1990 and 1998 trials. The case highlights the alleged scale of the smuggling enterprise and the legal challenges faced by authorities.
In 2016, Gibson Brothers (Ireland) Limited, a construction firm, was fined €30,000 for health and safety breaches after a 73‑year‑old man, Michael Reynolds, fell over a kerb at a Dundalk footpath in 2007, fractured his neck and later died. The company had pleaded guilty to failing to protect non‑employees from risk and to not including specific safety measures for work involving particular risks. Judge Michael O'Shea imposed the fine on 19 October 2011. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of the sentence, claiming it was "unduly lenient". Gibson Brothers' lawyers objected, arguing the DPP's application was not served correctly. Judge John Edwards upheld the objection, noting that service to a corporate defendant must be through a solicitor, not a legal secretary, and ruled that the review could not proceed. The court declined to order costs, stating the penalties were not "far from an indication" of undue leniency.
Two cousins, Edward Wall (43) and Patrick Wall (36), were jailed after pleading guilty to burglary at The Park, Highlands, Drogheda, Co. Louth, on 31 October 2014, and to attempted burglary at Gainstown, Co. Meath, on the same date. Both were pursued by the Emergency Response Unit after a car, carrying house‑breaking tools and stolen items, fled from a silver Mazda. The car collided with Garda vehicles; Edward escaped but was arrested, while Patrick was taken from the rear by an armed Garda. The court imposed four‑year sentences on each, suspending the final year, and ordered €500 from each to be paid to the burglary victim. The defendants' prior convictions and the details of the burglary, including the €4,600 damage and the missing €349 Armani watch, were noted in the proceedings. The defendants offered €3,000 each as tokens of remorse. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.