Christopher O'Grady, 34, formerly of Dundalk, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for raping a 19-year-old Spanish tourist on January 1, 2019. Following a trial last March, the jury found him guilty of one count of rape. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs imposed a seven-year sentence, with the final six months suspended. The court noted aggravating factors, including the victim's intoxication and the predatory nature of the offence, which left her with PTSD and depression. Although the hearing was initially adjourned to explore restorative justice, the Probation Service advised the court that such measures were not feasible due to O'Grady's conduct during an interview. O'Grady, who has 65 previous convictions and was homeless at the time of the offence, accepted the verdict and expressed remorse. He had been in custody since August 2024 after breaching bail conditions. The judge acknowledged his chaotic upbringing but emphasized the severe impact on the victim, who described feeling 'like a doll' during the incident. The suspended portion of the sentence is intended to encourage rehabilitation, with O'Grady agreeing to work with the Probation Service.
Mark McCourt, 34, pleaded guilty to firearms offences and participation in a criminal organisation that imported and re‑assembled restricted weapons from the USA. In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a senior Garda testified that McCourt controlled a ring that smuggled gun parts by air, assembling them into assault rifles and pistols. Evidence included seized phone data revealing text messages to prospective buyers, offering a €75,000 cash deal for firearms and a free gift of 10 pipe bombs. McCourt had previously flown to Las Vegas in 2023, where he purchased an AR‑15 rifle and discussed further weapon sales. A raid on a shed in Ardee on 19 July 2024 uncovered 82 gun parts and nearly 900 rounds of ammunition. McCourt has 42 prior convictions and was jailed for three years, 18 months suspended, for a criminal damage incident involving a Garda's vehicle. The court will decide his sentence at a later hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on July 24, 2025, the court considered whether restorative justice could be applied to Christopher O'Grady, 33, who was convicted of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist in 2019. The Probation Service's updated report, presented by prosecutor Tony McGillicuddy SC, concluded that restorative justice was "not feasible" because O'Grady does not accept full responsibility. The victim's impact statement, read by McGillicuddy, expressed a desire to confront O'Grady and to see him acknowledge his wrongdoing. O'Grady, who had been homeless at the time of the offence, had previously accepted the jury's verdict and expressed remorse, but the probation officer noted he may still be in early stages of contemplation. Justice Caroline Biggs noted that the door to restorative justice was closed, that the probation report would not be treated as an aggravating or mitigating factor, and that O'Grady's acceptance of the verdict was acknowledged.
A 34‑year‑old man named Mark McCourt pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to facilitating a criminal organisation in the importation of firearms, ammunition and explosives into the State between 10 February 2023 and 19 July 2024. He admitted that, knowing the organisation existed, he participated in or contributed to activities intended to assist the organisation or its members in committing serious offences, specifically the importation of firearms, ammunition and explosives. McCourt also confessed to unlawfully possessing two .233 Remington calibre barrels from AR‑15 pattern rifles and, on the same date and location, nine 9mm Luger calibre barrels, eight frames for Sig Sauer semi‑automatic pistols, a frame for a Canik semi‑automatic pistol and four slides for a Sig Sauer P320 9mm Luger semi‑automatic pistol, with circumstances indicating he did not have them for lawful purposes.
A mentally ill man, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis, had his four‑month jail sentence for breaching a safety order overturned on appeal. He had pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order twice under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 and to trespassing under section 3 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He also faced charges of making off without payment, theft and failure to appear in court. The appeal was lodged after the court heard that he had been arrested on 3 October 2024 at a woman's property where a safety order was in place, and again on 9 May 2024 at an Applegreen on Stillorgan Road where he poured petrol worth 60 cents into a bag and left without paying. He was also charged with failure to appear in court for that offence.
Ian Gillen, a retired Garda and former international bowler, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 28 months suspended, for threatening to kill and assaulting his partner Jennifer Clinton on 23 December 2021. The court heard that Gillen's mental health deteriorated after he was the first responder to his son's suicide in his early 20s, leading to increased alcohol use and anger. Clinton recorded 40 minutes of the assault, during which Gillen repeatedly threatened her life and physically struck her. She later escaped and provided a victim impact statement describing lasting PTSD, anxiety and depression. Gillen pleaded guilty, accepted responsibility, and had no prior convictions. The judge noted his long service as a Garda, the tragic loss of his son, and his cooperation as mitigating factors, resulting in the suspended portion of the sentence.
Patrick Kelly, 63, of Moneymore, Drogheda, County Louth, was arrested at Dublin Airport in January 2025 after customs officers noted his suspicious behaviour. A search of his luggage revealed just under 20 kg of cannabis, valued at about €398,680. Kelly admitted in a Garda interview that he had acted as a "suicide mission" and "complete madness", and pleaded guilty to importation of cannabis and possession for sale. He had minor prior traffic convictions and had been remanded since his arrest. Prosecutor Antonia Boyle said Kelly, who retired in November 2023, had been living "hand to mouth" on his pension and was depressed over not being able to buy Christmas presents for his two grandchildren. He claimed he was approached by someone who knew of his financial hardship and offered money to transport the drugs from Thailand.
A Spanish tourist, aged 19 at the time, was raped in Dublin city centre on New Year's Eve 2019. The victim, who has since expressed a desire to meet her attacker in a safe space, said she wants to confront him about his cruelty and to see him acknowledge his wrongdoing. Christopher O'Grady, 33, was found guilty of one count of rape in March 2025. He has 65 prior convictions and was homeless during the offence. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, including loss of confidence, fear of walking alone at night, and hypervigilance. O'Grady has admitted guilt and wishes to apologise. Both parties have agreed to consider restorative justice, but the court noted that this does not preclude a custodial sentence. The case was adjourned to July 24 for the prosecution to investigate the restorative justice option. The trial also covered the victim's subsequent encounter with a second man, who was not charged.
Jibola Moses Akanni, 27, of Drogheda, Co Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after being found guilty by a jury of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The offences occurred in a Dublin city centre apartment in February 2018, where the court heard the 17-year-old victim was intoxicated and barely conscious. Mr Justice David Keane noted aggravating factors including the victim's vulnerability and the age disparity. Although Akanni has 28 previous convictions for other matters, the judge stated no credit was given for a guilty plea as none was offered, nor for remorse. The judge determined there was no realistic hope of rehabilitation and refused to suspend any part of the sentence. Akanni was sentenced to eight and a half years on each rape count and three and a half years for sexual assault, all to run concurrently and backdated to November when he entered custody. To protect the public from the risk of sexual reoffending, the judge ordered that Akanni be placed under the supervision of the Probation Services for two years post-release, instructing him to carry out all directions deemed necessary by the service.
Aaron Connolly, aged 25, has appealed his 2022 conviction for the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly, who was found dead in a field near Dunleer. Connolly argues that Judge Tony Hunt's charge was "disparaging" and "denigrating" of the defence, claiming the judge engaged in "advocacy for the prosecution". He also contends that the judge's handling of Section 22 admissions—statements Connolly made through counsel during the trial—was improper, as the judge accepted them as conclusive evidence without challenge. Connolly's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, cited the Supreme Court's Rattigan decision to argue that the judge's remarks may have crossed a line, undermining the defence's closing. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel defended the judge's approach, stating it was a direct, accessible charge of the evidence. The Court of Appeal will decide the appeal at a later date. Aaron Connolly pleaded not guilty.
Aidan Clohessy, aged 85, was sentenced yesterday to four years for indecently assaulting two boys in the 1980s. He had previously been convicted of 19 counts of indecent assault involving six boys, with five counts from a second trial for assaulting four boys between 1969 and 1986. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the totality principle and Clohessy's age, imposed an additional 16‑month sentence to run consecutively with the earlier four‑year term, giving a global sentence of five years and four months. The offences involved inappropriate touching and physical chastisement of boys aged 10 to 13 who were pupils, and some boarders, at St Augustine's School in Blackrock, Dublin, where Clohessy served as principal from the early 1970s until 1993. The court noted that Clohessy was in a position of trust and that the victims were vulnerable. The 16‑month term is to be served after the four‑year sentence already imposed. Aidan Clohessy pleaded not guilty.
An 85‑year‑old former principal of St Augustine's School, Aidan Clohessy, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after being convicted of 19 counts of indecent assault against six boys aged 10 to 13. The offences, which took place between 1969 and 1986, involved inappropriate touching and were described by the judge as "atrocities at night time". Clohessy, who served as principal from the early 1970s until 1993, was found guilty in two separate trials at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. In the first trial he received 14 counts of indecent assault, and in the second he received five counts. He was acquitted of three further counts. Victim impact statements highlighted lasting mental health, educational and employment effects. Clohessy denied wrongdoing and acknowledged corporal punishment used at the school. He will not appeal the verdicts. The sentence was imposed with consideration of his age and health.
Jason O'Driscoll, aged 42, appealed a life‑sentence for the 2012 murders of Anthony Burnett (31) and Joseph Redmond (25). His appeal was heard in the Court of Appeal for two hours on 3 June 2025. During the hearing, defence counsel revealed that Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who had presided over O'Driscoll's original 2017 trial, was also on the appeal panel. McCarthy admitted he had forgotten his role in the earlier case. The court decided to adjourn the appeal so the panel could be reconstituted without McCarthy. The appeal will be reheard on 13 November 2025. The original trial in 2017 ended with a hung jury; a retrial in 2018 resulted in a ten‑to‑two majority verdict and a life sentence imposed by Mr Justice Michael White. The appeal remains pending. Jason O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
Two men, Mark McCourt, 34, of Edencrieve, Newry, and Conor O'Brien, 28, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, are set to be tried before the Special Criminal Court on firearms charges. McCourt faces 24 counts for possessing parts for .223 calibre Remington AR‑15 semi‑automatic rifles and various pistol parts, including Lugers and Sig Sauers, along with pistol magazines and ammunition, all at John St, Blackstick, Ardee, on 19 July 2024. O'Brien is charged with 24 similar offences on the same date and location, plus an additional count for aiding a criminal organisation in importing firearms and ammunition between 10 February 2023 and 19 July 2024. He is also charged under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act for handling €7,450 and $20 Canadian, and for possessing €9,980 in criminal proceeds at Hazelbrook Square, Dublin. The court will hear the case in June.
David Tyrell, a disabled driver exempt from tolls under the Disability Toll Exemption Scheme, filed a discrimination claim after being delayed for 1.47 minutes at a toll bridge on the M1 motorway when a camera misread his number plate. He argued that the operator's questioning of his registration and remarks about his status constituted discrimination. The operator, Louise McMullen, explained that she could only see the plate on a screen, could not see his exemption disc, and had to verify the number, which she said took a minute. She denied making any discriminatory remarks and claimed she had not told Tyrell to be "smart." The Workplace Relations Commission, after hearing the evidence, found no prohibited conduct and rejected Tyrell's Equal Status Act complaint, concluding that the delay was due to a technical issue rather than discrimination. The case remains at the tribunal stage with no further action taken.
Nko Mpase, 62, of Rush, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to smuggling a Congolese national into Ireland. On 16 May 2020 she and the woman arrived at Terminal One on a Ryanair flight from Paris Beauvais, used the same immigration booth, and the woman presented a travel document that did not match her appearance. Garda Sean McGlynn noted that WhatsApp messages and a ticket photo on Mpase's phone linked the two women, and CCTV showed them together on the plane. Mpase admitted travelling with the woman from Paris but made no further admissions. She had two prior convictions for minor traffic offences and one for threatening behaviour. The court heard she had no financial gain and had visited family in Paris for five days. The maximum sentence for the offence is 10 years imprisonment. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to 25 July and ordered a probation report and further documentation of Mpase's educational and work history.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 May 2025, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argued that former soldier Lisa Smith's 2022 conviction for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) was sound and should be upheld. DPP counsel Tony McGillicuddy cited evidence from Smith's own text messages, social media, and testimony from witnesses such as Carol Karimah Duffy and Tania Joya Choudhury, who described Smith's expressions of jihad, desire to fight, and intent to travel to Syria. He also referenced Smith's garda interviews about her divorce and expert testimony from Dr Florence Gaub on the misuse of a one‑finger salute by ISIS. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins countered that no evidence showed Smith recruited, funded, or actively participated in ISIS activities, and that her travel to Syria alone did not prove membership. The court was instructed to reserve judgment on the appeal. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty. Islamic State pleaded not guilty.
Ifeanyichukwu Nwaneri, 37, of Donore Avenue, Dublin 8, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of four counts of money laundering for the period February to October 2017. He pleaded not guilty but admitted in Garda interviews that he had handed his bank accounts to another man for use in a larger laundering scheme. The accounts were used to lodge €34,918, €17,109 and €10,000, with an additional €7,000 bounced back. Nwaneri allowed further lodgements into a second account after the first was frozen. Judge Elva Duffy noted his accounting studies should have given him some awareness of the activity. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The case involved Innocent Aigbekaen, who recruited Nwaneri and was sentenced to four years, three of which were suspended. Nwaneri had no prior convictions and had been in Ireland since 2015.
A man accused of conspiring to steal vehicles with garda killer Aaron Brady has been refused bail ahead of his retrial at the Special Criminal Court. James Flynn, aged 43, with an address in Newry, County Down, faced objections from gardaí who contended he poses a flight risk. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding over the three-judge, non-jury court, noted that Mr Flynn holds citizenship of the United Kingdom and the United States and has established businesses in both jurisdictions. The judge cited evidence of his financial capacity to evade justice and rejected submissions that his ties to the Republic of Ireland are sufficiently substantial. Proposed bail conditions, including residence with his mother-in-law in Monaghan, did not allay the court's concerns regarding the seriousness of the charges and the probable sentence upon conviction. The Court of Appeal previously quashed Mr Flynn's conviction on the conspiracy charge and ordered a retrial, finding the Special Criminal Court had breached his constitutional right to natural justice by amending the indictment without consulting legal representatives.
At the Special Criminal Court, Det Inspector Mark Phillips raised concerns about potential witness intimidation if James Flynn (34) is released on bail. He detailed incidents during Aaron Brady's trial for the murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe in 2020, including alleged attempts by James Flynn's father, Eugene Flynn Snr, to intimidate witnesses and jurors. Det Insp Phillips also highlighted alleged intimidation by Tony Brady, Aaron Brady's father, and an associate who sent a Snapchat message to a witness. Aaron Brady has pleaded guilty to conspiring with another man to dissuade a vital prosecution witness from giving evidence at his trial. The court heard that James Flynn was extradited from the UK in 2022 and has access to significant funds. He was originally charged with conspiracy to steal cars and participation in the robbery of the Lordship Credit Union, where Aaron Brady killed Det Gda Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court acquitted Flynn of the robbery charge but found him guilty of conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat used as a getaway car. The Court of Appeal previously ruled that the amendment of the indictment against Flynn was a breach of his right to natural justice. Defence counsel Bernard Condon argued that there is no evidence linking Flynn to witness interference or flight risk and that Flynn has no connection to Tony Brady. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the decision to tomorrow morning.
Martin Connolly, former chief operating officer of Dundalk Town FC, was dismissed by owner Brian Ainscough on 26 February 2024 in a brief conversation that left him without notice of the club's financial difficulties. Connolly did not return to work after the dismissal and was unemployed until May 2024, when his salary stopped. He applied for several jobs before taking a temporary factory shift at Amgen in Cabinteely, earning just under €43,000 a year. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal unfair, noting no substantial grounds for termination and no conduct by Connolly warranting it. The tribunal awarded him €16,667 for four months of lost salary at his former €50,000 a year role, based on the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The award also considered the damage to his reputation and job prospects caused by the public nature of the dismissal. The decision was made by adjudicator Kara Turner.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 11 April 2025, Lisa Smith's lawyers argued that living in an area where ISIS operated could not prove membership in an unlawful organisation. Defence Senior Counsel Michael O'Higgins contended that the Special Criminal Court's conviction of Smith in 2022, based on her travel to Syria in 2015 and a Facebook messenger statement, lacked evidence of active membership such as organising, recruiting or receiving benefits. He highlighted that Smith had claimed she never joined ISIS, stating she was there to live under Sharia law in compliance with her Muslim beliefs. Tony McGillicuddy SC for the DPP countered that the court had considered her travel and social media activity as evidence of intent to participate. The appeal hearing was adjourned to 28 April for a final decision. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Three female students – Margaret Eyong Taku, Wendy Briggs and Christina Igweze – had their expulsions from Dundalk Institute of Technology overturned by the High Court after they contested the punishment for alleged violent altercations that took place on January 30 and 31, 2024. The students claimed the expulsions were disproportionate, that alternative sanctions had not been considered, and that no reason was given. They alleged that the incidents involved aggressive physical confrontations, including a head step, a wet‑floor warning sign, and hair pulling. A February 2024 committee recommended expulsion and campus bans, and an April appeals committee rejected all appeals. Mr Justice Anthony Barr remitted the case to a new appeals committee for fresh consideration, noting the potential impact on the students' education and careers. The students were undergraduate enrollees in the college's Bachelor of Science in Mental Health Nursing and Bioscience programmes.
Lisa Smith, aged 43, appeals her conviction for membership of the Islamic State, arguing that her only role was that of a housewife—cooking, cleaning, and caring for her husband—an act the State used to prove membership. She travelled to Syria in 2015 under a "religious obligation" and has denied any active participation in the organisation. Her legal team, led by Michael O'Higgins SC, contended that membership requires a formal application and acceptance, not merely a shared belief or support. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 10 April 2025, noted that Smith had not performed any overt acts of wrongdoing beyond domestic duties. The appeal, which continues tomorrow, seeks to overturn the 15‑month sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court in 2022, where the judges found her to have joined the group during her stay in Syria. The court had previously rejected her earlier appeal against the sentence in March 2023. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
During a seven‑week trial with a 15‑juror panel, Daniel Blanaru, 37, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his 26‑year‑old partner, Larisa Serban, on 12 August 2022. Serban was found early in the morning on the floor between her bedroom and hallway, having died from a 12‑cm stab wound to the chest that punctured her heart, lung and aorta. The prosecution alleged that Blanaru, described as "controlling and jealous", killed Serban in cold blood after a sustained brutal attack. Blanaru pleaded not guilty but admitted guilt during custody interviews. He has six prior Irish convictions for road traffic offences and four theft offences in France. The sentencing judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, imposed a mandatory life sentence, noting the crime involved needless and horrific violence. The victim's family, including Serban's mother, eldest son and siblings, delivered impact statements expressing grief and condemning the killer's actions.
The Court of Appeal has ordered a retrial for James Flynn, 34, who successfully appealed his conviction for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in a 2013 credit union robbery in which Aaron Brady shot and killed Det Gda Adrian Donohoe. Ms Justice Tara Burns rejected Flynn's argument that a retrial would be unfair given his custody since July 2021, noting he had not fully served his original eight-year sentence. The court quashed his conviction because the Special Criminal Court unlawfully amended the indictment after his trial concluded, breaching his right to natural justice. Although Flynn was acquitted of the robbery charge, the DPP sought a retrial on the original conspiracy count. The court dismissed arguments regarding witness memory and prosecution delay, citing the public interest in a valid final verdict. Flynn, who was in custody pending extradition from the UK, was remanded by Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo for a bail hearing scheduled for April 28th. The matter is adjourned for this bail application, and the retrial has been ordered on the original charges.
A Nigerian woman has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to making false statements to gardaí. The 34-year-old woman arrived at Store Street Garda Station in October 2019 claiming she had been trafficked to Ireland and forced into prostitution. Over subsequent months, she provided five statements detailing her alleged captivity in Balbriggan. Gardaí conducted an extensive investigation spanning hundreds of hours, including searches of the area and CCTV analysis. Investigation ultimately revealed the account was fabricated. Handwriting experts linked documentation found in her hostel accommodation and a discovered diary to the woman. Evidence from bank records and CCTV footage contradicted her narrative. The woman, previously resident in Carrickmacross, Monaghan, pleaded guilty to three counts of knowingly making false statements between October 2019 and December 2020. Judge Ronan Munro described her actions as premeditated and calculated, noting they diverted resources from genuine victims and undermined legitimate trafficking complaints.
A 43‑year‑old learner driver, Jijo George, was found guilty of dangerous driving after he ran a stop sign on Drogheda Street, Balbriggan, on 29 January 2023. Garda Joanne McGinn, who was on patrol at the time, observed the vehicle fail to stop, nearly colliding with her patrol car and a child on a bicycle. She noted a strong smell of alcohol and performed a breath test that returned clear. George was driving on a learner's permit without L plates or an accompanying driver. He was charged under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 and Section 69 for failure to produce insurance. The court upheld the conviction, imposing a two‑year disqualification and a €250 fine. The judge accepted all evidence presented by the Garda. Jijo George pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 2 April 2025, the court considered the case of a 17‑year‑old driver, Aleksandrs Garkovskis, who struck a cyclist on 13 June 2021 at Sheriff Street Upper, Dublin 1, after running a red light. The collision threw the cyclist higher than a double‑decker bus, causing catastrophic brain injuries, fractures and ongoing health problems. The cyclist has no memory of the incident, suffers slurred speech and receives rehabilitative treatment in assisted accommodation. Garkovskis pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and was sentenced to two and a half years, deferred until 11 April to allow him to complete college exams. The judge noted the aggravating factors of the red‑light violation and the driver's failure to remain at the scene, but reduced the sentence due to his young age. The court also heard evidence of prior payment frauds and the driver's admission of guilt after CCTV was presented.
Daniel Blanaru, 37, was convicted of the murder of Larisa Serban at the Central Criminal Court. The jury, comprising ten men and two women, deliberated for three hours and two minutes before returning a unanimous verdict. Blanaru had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Serban at her home in Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, on or about August 12, 2022. The prosecution alleged she died from a sustained and brutal attack, including a fatal stab wound to the chest. Although Blanaru initially told gardaí he was guilty, he later claimed the stabbing was accidental. The court heard evidence of prior threats and controlling behavior alleged by the victim's family. Following the conviction, Blanaru will be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 10. Members of the victim's family will be invited to make statements to the court at that time. The matter is now at the sentencing stage, with the specific disposal to be determined by the judge on the specified date.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions presented evidence that Daniel Blanaru, 37, from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, murdered 26‑year‑old Larisa Serban on or about 12 August 2022. Prosecutor Eilis Brennan SC described the attack as sustained and brutal, noting that Blanaru stabbed Serban in the heart, severed a bone in her elbow, and inflicted multiple defensive injuries on her. She highlighted that Serban's body showed numerous incise wounds, abrasions and puncture wounds consistent with defensive actions, while Blanaru had only a minor nick. Brennan urged jurors to focus on the evidence rather than defence theories, which included claims of accidental injury and self‑defence. She also referenced a toxicology report showing no alcohol or drugs in Serban's system and CCTV footage of Blanaru leaving the scene. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Carberry and Glen Bride, accused of disposing of body parts belonging to murdered teenager Keane Mulready Woods, received a trial date at the Special Criminal Court. The two men appeared before Justice Melanie Greally, who set the trial for January 12, 2026. Carberry, 47, of Dublin 4, faces three charges, including transporting and disposing of body parts to enhance a criminal organisation's ability to commit serious offences, impeding the apprehension of the murderer, and setting fire to a Volvo V40 for the benefit of a criminal organisation. Bride, 31, of Dublin 5, faces two charges: participating in the transportation and disposal of body parts to aid a criminal organisation in committing murder and impeding the apprehension of the killer, and setting fire to the same vehicle. The court agreed to make witness and exhibit orders. The matter was adjourned and will be mentioned again before the Special Criminal Court on October 6. Keane Mulready Woods was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020, and was murdered in a house in Drogheda, Co Louth, that month. Body parts were subsequently found in Coolock, Drumcondra, and Rathmullan Park. All allegations remain unproven pending trial.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has sought a retrial for James Flynn, a 34-year-old appellant, following the Court of Appeal's decision to quash his conviction for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the 2013 Lordship Credit Union robbery, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. The appeal court found that the Special Criminal Court breached Flynn's right to natural justice by amending the indictment to secure a guilty verdict on the conspiracy charge without consulting legal teams. While the DPP argues this results in no verdict and requires a return to the Special Criminal Court, Flynn's counsel, Bernard Condon SC, contended that a retrial would be unfair given he has served 44 months in custody since his 2021 extradition from the UK. Condon also argued the court lacks jurisdiction to order a retrial on the original conspiracy charge, as Flynn was acquitted of that specific count. The three-judge panel, comprising Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, Mr Justice John Edwards, and Ms Justice Tara Burns, reserved their judgment on the proposed disposal. Flynn was originally sentenced to eight years' imprisonment in December 2023 for the conspiracy to steal the Volkswagen Passat, a sentence that remains subject to the current appeal proceedings.
Three female students – Margaret Eyong Taku, Wendy Briggs and Christina Igweze – have taken a joint High Court challenge against their expulsions from Dundalk Institute of Technology. They allege that the college imposed disproportionate sanctions without providing reasons or considering alternative measures. The expulsions followed four alleged violent altercations between the students, three on campus and one off campus, that took place on 30 and 31 January 2024. The incidents involved physical aggression, including a head stomp, a wet‑floor warning sign, and the pulling out of hair. A disciplinary committee recommended expulsion in February 2024, and an Appeals Committee rejected the students' appeals in April. The students were granted judicial review in July 2024. At the High Court hearing, counsel argued that the appeals committee failed to explain its decision and that the sanctions were disproportionate. The judge said he would reserve judgment.
The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of a 34‑year‑old man who had been jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the credit union robbery that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The appeal court held that the Special Criminal Court had breached the defendant's right to natural justice by amending the indictment after the three‑month trial had finished and without consulting the prosecution or defence. The amendment added a charge of conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat from a property in Clogherhead, a charge that had not been presented to the defendant during the trial. The Court of Appeal did not consider other arguments raised by the defence and will hear whether the defendant should face a retrial on 18 March. The court also dismissed mobile‑phone evidence used to link the defendant to a series of burglaries, finding it insufficient to prove conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Dundalk FC chief operations officer Martin Connolly now works shifts in a factory after his dismissal from the club last year. Connolly alleged that former owner Brian Ainscough did not conduct due diligence before taking over the club in November 2023, a deal that lasted only two weeks. He claims the dismissal was unfair, citing a brief conversation on 26 February 2024 where he was told to leave and that he was not given a notice period. Connolly was paid until May 2024 under a clause for three months' pay in lieu of notice, but he says he was not informed in writing. He applied for several jobs before taking a temporary factory role at Amgen in September 2024, earning just under €43,000 a year. The Workplace Relations Commission heard evidence of his loss of earnings and the dispute over the club's liability for those losses. The tribunal will decide in due course.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court found Christopher O'Grady, 33, guilty of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist on New Year's Eve 2019 in Dublin's Castle area. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to consent, was led by O'Grady to a car‑park area where the assault occurred. She described the assault as forceful and non‑consensual, noting a lack of memory and physical pain. O'Grady was homeless at the time and remains in custody. The trial also considered a separate sexual encounter the victim had with another man that night, but the jury's verdict focused solely on the charge against O'Grady. The case is scheduled for sentencing on 19 June. The court heard CCTV footage of the assault and the victim's subsequent medical examination. The prosecution highlighted the victim's honest account and urged a guilty verdict. The defense questioned the similarity of the two encounters and the victim's capacity to consent.
In a Dublin rape trial, the State presented a 33‑year‑old Louth defendant who is accused of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish student on New Year's Eve. The prosecution argued that the defendant led the woman into a quiet area in a menacing and predatory manner, that she was heavily intoxicated and unable to consent, and that CCTV footage showed the pair meeting at a shop after she had vomited and then walking to a car park where the alleged rape occurred. The defence counsel highlighted "bizarre" elements, noting similarities between the woman's encounters with two men that night, and argued she was in full control of her faculties and capable of consenting. The jury was instructed to consider whether the woman could consent between 1.40 am and 2.17 am. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Rathmore murder case, Daniel Blanaru, 37, denied killing his partner Larisa Serban, 26, who died from stab wounds. During an August 2022 interview at Ashbourne Garda Station, Blanaru claimed that Serban had a knife in her bag to protect herself and that she had approached him with it during an argument. He said the knife accidentally struck her as he turned, and that she had been upset. Blanaru also admitted to pushing and hitting Serban, and to being drunk and smoking that night. He stated he could not remember the exact time he left the house and that he had called his brother to check on a party. The Central Criminal Court heard this testimony and video footage, and the trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon.
A man accused of murdering his partner at their County Meath home in August 2022 told gardaí during interview that he pushed and hit her following a dispute over a gathering at their residence, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Daniel Blanaru, aged 37, from Rathboy, Athboy, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Larisa Serban, aged 26, on or about 12 August 2022. During his first interview at Ashbourne Garda Station on 12 August 2022, Mr Blanaru stated through an interpreter that he discovered his partner hosting a party with her brother and another man when he returned home from Navan. He described an altercation in which physical contact occurred, claiming the other man intervened. Mr Blanaru told detectives he subsequently travelled to Drogheda and contacted gardaí, learning thereafter that Ms Serban had died. The trial, before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of fifteen, continues.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 37‑year‑old man named Daniel Blanaru, accused of murdering his 26‑year‑old partner Larisa Serban, appeared at a Garda station with blood on his clothes and was described as crying hysterically. Blanaru told officers he had drunk half a bottle of whiskey the night of the stabbing at their Co Meath home. He also claimed he had begged the deceased's brother for cocaine that night. Garda John Wallace recounted seeing Blanaru pacing, handing over his licence, and later crying while in custody. Garda Rachael Carr observed him crying repeatedly in the cell. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, will continue next Monday with an enlarged jury. The State maintains that Blanaru was a jealous and controlling partner who stabbed Larisa on or about 12 August 2022. The accused has pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Daniel Blanaru (37) begged his brother, David Serban, for cocaine on the night Larisa Serban (26) was found stabbed in her home. Blanaru, from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, pleaded not guilty to her murder. The State argued that Larisa was killed by her jealous, controlling partner. Serban testified he left the house at about 1 a.m. on 12 August 2022, with no arguing, and that he had stopped at a bank to withdraw money for rent. He denied planning to buy cocaine or return to Rathmore after. He claimed he was the last person to see Larisa alive and that he would have been present if a struggle had occurred. Garda evidence showed Blanaru presented himself at a station at 6 a.m., shouting in a foreign language and saying "my wife, my wife, we fight." The trial continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin rape trial, the jury was shown a 40‑minute CCTV clip of the complainant and a second man having a sexual encounter in a B&B hallway hours after the alleged rape. Judge Caroline Biggs warned the footage could be intrusive and distressing but deemed it necessary to play. The accused, a 33‑year‑old Louth man, pleaded not guilty to raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist on a Dublin Castle street on 1 January 2019. The State alleged the victim could not consent due to alcohol or drugs. After the alleged rape, the victim walked with the accused, then sought help from a couple who directed her to a B&B where she met the second man. She described persistent kissing, anal sex, and pain, and later claimed she had been raped by both men. No charge was brought against the second man.
A 33‑year‑old Spanish tourist, who was accused of rape on New Year's Eve 2019 in Dublin's Castle area, denies being affectionate with the alleged rapist on CCTV footage. She pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The State alleges the man raped her on a street, claiming she could not consent due to alcohol or drugs. She testified she was trying to find a bar, was led into a dark area where the alleged rape occurred, and felt powerless. Afterward she walked with the man back through the city centre, then met a couple outside a shop. She says she was frightened, held the man's arm to avoid falling, and later met a second man at a B&B where she was kissed and had anal sex. She claims she was coerced and that no charge has been brought against the second man. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury.
A Spanish tourist, aged 33, gave evidence in the Central Criminal Court that she was raped on January 1, 2019, in Dublin's city centre. She described feeling "like a doll" and having no strength, and that she was unable to consent due to alcohol or another drug. She recalled walking with the accused, a 33‑year‑old Louth man who is anonymous until the trial ends, and that he held her arm and waist tightly. She said he penetrated her vagina, though she has no clear memory of the act. She later claimed a second rape occurred in a B&B, where she was forced into anal sex. The accused denies any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs.
In the Court of Appeal, Dean Byrne, aged 31, claimed he had a "benign" motive for attempting to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence in the trial of garda murderer Aaron Brady. Lawyers for Byrne argued that Byrne honestly believed Cahill would give false evidence and that his actions were not intended to pervert the course of justice. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Lorcan Staines SC, countered that Byrne's conduct was an attempt to pervert the course of justice, citing a recorded exchange in which Byrne insulted Cahill. The Court was asked to decide whether any attempt to persuade a witness not to give evidence constitutes an attempt to pervert the course of justice. Byrne's appeal concerns the conviction and two‑year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring with Brady to dissuade Cahill, a conviction that followed his earlier 18‑year sentence with four years suspended for a 2013 burglary.
James Kelly, 32, of Rochford Green, Blackrock, pleaded guilty to six charges of knowingly making false 999 calls between February 2021 and March 2023. He made over 30 bogus calls in two years, causing Gardaí to conduct house‑to‑house enquiries and review hours of CCTV footage, including five LUAS cameras. One call claimed an attempted armed robbery; the investigation found no suspect. Another call on 13 January 2022 reported a pub fight that did not occur. Kelly's voluntary statement in March 2023 acknowledged the waste of resources but he did not explain his motives. He has two prior convictions for possession of articles and one for a public order offence. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, fully suspended, with strict conditions: engagement with the Probation Service for one year and addiction support services.
At the Central Criminal Court, a witness told how he harboured growing concerns about his sister's wellbeing in the period preceding an alleged murder in Donegal. The brother of Nikita Burns said he was worried that she had ceased taking prescribed medication for her bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety, and that she appeared to be consuming alcohol during daylight hours. Burns and Alan Vial, both of Co Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Robert Wilkin, a 66-year-old whose body was recovered from the sea beneath Sliabh Liag in June 2023. State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster informed the jury that whilst the fall down the cliff complicated her assessment, she identified two depressed fractures to the back of the deceased's skull inconsistent with cliff-fall injuries and consistent with blunt force trauma. A rock recovered from the cliff top bearing blood and hair matching the deceased was presented as evidence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Dundalk FC sacked former football director Brian Gartland after he raised health and safety concerns about players playing three consecutive days a week after injury. Gartland filed protected disclosures with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on 19 and 22 April 2024, shortly after a new manager was appointed. The WRC tribunal, led by Conor Stokes, found that the club had been notified of the claims since July 2024 and that the dismissal was a whistleblower penalty. The tribunal awarded Gartland €64,433.90 in compensation, including €52,629.62 for loss of employment and €3,727.36 for breach of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, and found the club in breach of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Payment of Wages Act 1991. The decision was based solely on the information in the article.
In January 2025 the Court of Appeal quashed a fully suspended sentence imposed on Conor McLoughlin, 44, who had 30 prior convictions. McLoughlin had pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness, criminal damage and other offences after ramming Grainne McGuigan's Volkswagen Passat on 27 March 2022. The original judge had set a headline sentence of five years for intimidation and criminal damage, reduced to four years and then to three and a half years each, before suspending the sentences entirely. The Court of Appeal held that the offence's intrinsic seriousness required a custodial element. McLoughlin was resentenced to a headline of five years for intimidation, with one year suspended for two years, leaving a final custodial term of three years, and a concurrent three‑year sentence for criminal damage. The earlier sentence was to commence from his release in June 2023. The court also allowed a brief period before his return to custody to arrange his home.