In February 2023 the Court of Appeal upheld a seven‑year jail term for a Louth resident convicted of raping a 21‑year‑old woman at a May 2017 house party. The defendant had pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury, and received an eight‑year sentence with the final year suspended. He appealed, arguing the headline nine‑year sentence was too high and that mitigating factors had not been adequately considered. The appeal was dismissed. The court noted that the defendant's strategy at trial—refusing to admit guilt—forced the victim to give evidence in the witness box, causing her significant trauma. The judge confirmed the headline sentence was within the appropriate range and that no error in principle had occurred. The case remains at the appellate level with the original seven‑year term in force.
The Court of Appeal has increased jail sentences for two women convicted in Ireland's first human trafficking case involving alleged voodoo ceremonies. Alicia Edosa and Edith Enoghaghase, originally sentenced in September 2021 following a June 2021 trial at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, were found guilty of trafficking women between 2016 and 2018. Evidence indicated victims underwent ceremonies in Nigeria before being coerced into prostitution across multiple locations including Castlebar, Letterkenny and Cavan. Mr Justice George Birmingham rejected their conviction appeals and found original sentences substantially inadequate. Edosa, formerly of Mullingar, has been re-sentenced to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment. Enoghaghase, also formerly of Mullingar, received seven years and one month. The judge noted the sentencing judge faced unprecedented circumstances with no comparative guidelines for this offence type. Alicia Edosa pleaded not guilty. Edith Enoghaghase pleaded not guilty.
Hamid Zatout, 25, was jailed for six and a half years after pleading guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm and one attempted robbery. The crimes, committed in July and August 2019, involved targeted muggings of expensive designer watches ranging from €5,000 to €47,000, including a €20,000 watch from an American tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Gardaí used over 57 CCTV clips to show Zatout and accomplices following victims before forcibly breaking watch straps to steal the timepieces. Zatout had lived in a Dundalk hotel at the time of arrest and had previously left Ireland via Belfast in September 2019, returning under a different name. He had no prior convictions in Ireland, and the court accepted his guilty pleas, noting his remorse before sentencing.
At the Special Criminal Court on 10 February 2023, Paul Crosby of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the final six months suspended for two years, following his guilty plea to facilitating the murder of seventeen-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods. His co-accused Gerard Cruise, with addresses in Drogheda and Dublin, received seven-and-a-half years with the final six months suspended. Both men pleaded guilty to charges under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 of assisting a criminal organisation in the killing, which occurred in January 2020. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the treatment of the teenager's remains as "disgraceful and inhuman". Evidence established that Crosby arranged to meet the victim and travelled with Cruise to Rathmullan Park where the murder took place. The judge found Crosby held a higher level of involvement in the criminal organisation than Cruise. The court heard the chief suspect, Robert Lawlor, was subsequently shot dead in Belfast. The victim's mother provided a detailed impact statement to the court.
The Special Criminal Court has heard testimony concerning a credit union robbery in County Louth in January 2013 during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. Staff from Lordship Credit Union and Cooley Credit Union in Bellurgan described a coordinated assault as they prepared to transport takings to a bank in Dundalk under Garda escort. The secretary at Lordship reported that three men blocked the exit and forced entry to his vehicle, stealing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques before gunshots rang out. A colleague from Cooley Credit Union, who remained in her car during the incident, witnessed the attack and subsequently discovered the detective wounded nearby. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn face charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit creeper-style burglaries across four counties between September 2012 and January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Aaron Brady, convicted of Detective Donohoe's murder and serving life with a forty-year minimum, is named as a co-conspirator. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence from victims of "creeper" burglaries in the ongoing trial of two men accused of conspiring to commit such break-ins across the border region. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, both charged with conspiracy to steal car keys from residential properties between September 2012 and January 2013, have pleaded not guilty. They face additional charges relating to a seven-thousand-euro robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth on 25 January 2013. Detective Garda Neil Brady outlined gardaí investigations into overnight burglaries in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Westmeath where door locks were forced to access vehicles. Five witnesses gave accounts of thefts from their homes, including a vehicle stolen from Virginia, Co Cavan in October 2012 whose engine was later recovered on the M1 motorway. Other victims described vehicles taken from properties in Westmeath following forced entry during January 2013. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that burglary and robbery charges against two men will be heard together, rejecting an application to separate the trials. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, County Louth, and James Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, face conspiracy charges relating to house burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and robbery charges stemming from a credit union incident in Bellurgan, County Louth on 25 January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the three-judge court, exercised his discretion to combine the trials while confirming each charge will be considered separately. The court heard evidence from Virginia and Monaghan residents describing break-ins and car thefts during the relevant period. Detective Garda Laura Bolger provided maps charting distances between alleged theft locations and properties connected to the accused. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murder and burglary in the same matter, is serving a life sentence with a forty-year minimum and is appealing his conviction.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued that the prosecution sought to introduce evidence of burglaries committed by Brendan Treanor and James Flynn to prejudice them in the Lordship Credit Union robbery case that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Guerin said the burglaries had no connection to the robbery and requested separate trials for each charge. Bernard Condon SC supported this position for Flynn. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC countered that the burglary and robbery charges were joined because of a continuum of facts, citing similarities in location, timing, method and mobile phone evidence. He argued the burglary evidence would show the accused were not in innocent association on the day of the robbery. The court would rule on the matter next Tuesday. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to both the burglary and robbery charges.
Aaron Brady, aged 31, is awaiting a new trial for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, a charge that arose from attempts to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in the murder case of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court postponed the trial to April 8 2024 to avoid conflict with Brady's October appeal of his murder conviction. Brady and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 29, are accused of conspiring between April 8 2020 and June 22 2020 to influence Cahill's testimony, and of recording a video of Cahill being interviewed by Gardaí between February 20 2020 and May 7 2020. The video, circulated on social media, was described by Judge Michael White as "the most outrageous contempt of court" and a "deliberate attempt to intimidate." Brady was convicted in August 2020 of murdering Garda Donohoe and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years.
Two men have been charged with conspiracy to commit a series of burglaries known as "creeper burglaries" across Ireland between September 2012 and January 2013. The Special Criminal Court heard that the offences involved late-night break-ins at residential properties, where car keys were stolen and vehicles removed. A Volkswagen Passat taken during a creeper burglary in Clogherhead, County Louth in January 2013 was subsequently used in a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan on 25 January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. Brendan Treanor, 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, 32, from South Armagh are charged with conspiracy and with the credit union robbery. The prosecution indicated it would rely on circumstantial evidence including phone records, cell-site data, and CCTV footage. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murdering Detective Garda Donohoe, is serving a 40-year sentence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court will start a full‑day opening for the trial of Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, accused of a credit union robbery that led to the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Treanor, 34, and Flynn, 32, are charged with conspiracy to steal a car key and robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union on 25 January 2013. Aaron Brady, 31, is already serving a 40‑year sentence for Donohoe's murder and the burglary. Treanor's counsel intends to sever the conspiracy and robbery charges, a move also supported by Flynn's counsel.
A woman giving evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has described coming to Ireland with hopes of improving her circumstances and saving money to start a business. The witness, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told the jury she arrived under what she characterised as an employment arrangement with expectations of financial gain. The woman was testifying in the trial of Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Drumlish, County Longford, and Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, of Roscommon, who are accused of human trafficking. The State alleges both defendants trafficked two vulnerable Brazilian women for exploitation. During cross-examination, the witness clarified aspects of her initial complaint to gardaí and addressed questions regarding her immigration status and residency application. Ms Da Silva has pleaded guilty to organising prostitution and money laundering offences, and has admitted facilitating illegal entry to the State. She maintains her not-guilty plea to human trafficking. Ms Vailones Fidelis has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including human trafficking, organising prostitution, and money laundering. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
In the Special Criminal Court, Gerard Cruise and Paul Crosby pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of Keane Mulready-Woods in Drogheda, Co Louth, between January 11 and 13, 2020. The court heard that Cruise admitted to dropping the victim and Crosby at the murder scene, while Crosby had prior convictions including an acquittal for attempted murder. The presiding judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted that the defendants' apologies may appear empty to the victim's family given the horrific nature of the crime. The matter was adjourned to February 13 for sentencing. The report notes that Gerard McKenna was jailed last year for four years for assisting in the clean-up of the crime scene. Cruise's previous convictions include public order matters and a burglary in 1990. The court acknowledged Crosby's early guilty plea, which entitles him to a 25 percent discount on any headline sentence, and Cruise's early guilty plea. The investigation into other individuals involved in the murder remains ongoing.
The Regency Hotel trial continued in the Special Criminal Court with Senior intelligence analyst Sarah Skedd testifying regarding phone records. Skedd stated there is no clear evidence supporting Jonathan Dowdall's claim that he met Gerard Hutch in a Whitehall park to hear a confession about the murder of David Byrne. While a cell site potentially covering the park was used on February 7, 2016, at 3.16pm, Dowdall's phone connected to a mast in Finglas just 4.5 minutes later, suggesting insufficient time for the meeting. Skedd confirmed no records support a meeting on February 8. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by booking a room at the Regency Hotel, was previously sentenced to four years' imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also admitted to the facilitation offence and was jailed for two years. Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, and co-accused Paul Murphy, 61, of Swords, and Jason Bonney, 52, of Portmarnock, have all pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The defence, led by Brendan Grehan SC, challenged Dowdall's credibility, arguing his account was inconsistent with the digital evidence presented by the State.
Mary Magowan, 88, was given a one‑year suspended sentence after she reversed her car in Stillorgan Shopping Centre's overflow carpark and drove over Suzanne Brennan, who was walking behind her vehicle. Magowan knocked Brennan to the ground and continued reversing at speed, striking her again while she lay on the ground. The car then crashed into a parked vehicle and railings before stopping. Brennan suffered a broken pelvis, dislocated shoulder, multiple fractures to her right arm, nerve damage to both arms, broken ribs, and a torn bladder, requiring seven weeks of hospital treatment and ongoing care. Magowan pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious injury on 18 October 2021. She surrendered her licence after the incident. The judge, citing her remorse, lack of prior convictions and immediate licence surrender, imposed a suspended one‑year term, disqualified her from driving for three years, and did not order custodial imprisonment.
In a High Court decision, Mr Justice Cian Ferriter awarded €2,500 in damages to each of three men—Fintan O'Farrell, Declan Rafferty and Michael McDonald—who had been unlawfully detained in Portlaoise Prison. The men, all from County Louth, had been arrested in 2001 while attempting to procure arms for the Real IRA and were extradited to England, where they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause explosions and received 28‑year sentences. In 2014 the Irish High Court found that the warrants transferring them from an English prison to Ireland were defective, as they referred to the full 28‑year term rather than the 18 years and 8 months they should have served under Irish remission rules. The court held that the men's continued detention on the basis of an invalid Irish order constituted false imprisonment, but noted that their conduct in serious terrorist offences limited their interest in liberty.
A 49-year-old Dublin man has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to facilitating the murder of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. Gerard Cruise, with an address at Lower Sherrard Street in Dublin 1, was originally charged with the murder at a house in Rathmullan Park, County Louth, on January 12 or 13, 2020. He pleaded guilty today to participating in activities with intent to facilitate the serious offence, with knowledge of a criminal organisation's existence, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The 17-year-old was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020. His remains were discovered in various locations over subsequent months. A co-accused, Paul Crosby, pleaded guilty to the same charge last month. Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded Cruise in custody until January 23 for sentencing.
The Special Criminal Court heard a "curious development" in the ongoing trial of Gerard Hutch, who denies murdering David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC apologized for a delay caused by a newly disclosed document and the unavailability of a garda witness, estimating the trial would conclude in two weeks. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder by providing vehicles, remain on trial. Jonathan Dowdall, a former State's witness who pleaded guilty to facilitating the offence by booking the hotel room, was previously jailed for four years. His father, Patrick Dowdall, was jailed for two years for the same facilitation charge. The court heard evidence regarding CCTV footage harvesting, with the trial set to continue before Ms Justice Tara Burns and colleagues. The prosecution alleges Kevin Murray, who died in 2017, was the shooter, while Dowdall testified that Hutch admitted to the killing. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC challenged Dowdall's credibility, citing phone data inconsistencies regarding alleged meetings.
The Special Criminal Court heard the final day of cross-examination of Jonathan Dowdall, a State's witness in the trial of Gerard Hutch, who is accused of the murder of David Byrne. Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by providing a room at the Regency Hotel, denied allegations that he is a manipulator or liar. The defence challenged his testimony regarding alleged meetings with Hutch, playing audio recordings and phone data that contradicted his timeline. The court refused to allow the defence to play a video of Dowdall waterboarding Alexander Hurley, noting that Dowdall had already pleaded guilty to that offence and was re-sentenced to seven years and 11 months imprisonment following a successful appeal. His father, Patrick Dowdall, who also pleaded guilty to the same offence, was re-sentenced to four years imprisonment after his appeal. The trial continues with Hutch, who denies the murder charge, and co-defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in the murder by providing access to vehicles. The matter remains ongoing, with no finalisation or adjournment recorded in this report.
A 17‑year‑old Louth boy pleaded guilty to four counts of anal rape, one count of rape, two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault against his young niece and cousin, aged nine to ten, between November 2019 and March 2020. The offences occurred in the boy's home, a place considered a "safe space" by the children and their parents. At the Central Criminal Court, Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring described the acts as a "breach of trust" and noted the lack of a risk assessment regarding the boy's future offending. She imposed a three‑year detention sentence, ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision by Probation Services, and prohibited any contact with the victims. The court also considered the boy's guilty plea, prior good character, expressions of remorse and engagement with services as mitigating factors. The boy will remain in Oberstown until he completes his exams before being moved to an adult prison.
Aaron Connolly, aged 23, was sentenced to a mandatory life term for the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly on 26 May 2018 in Dunleer. The court heard that Connolly and Reilly had been part of a group that gathered for an outdoor party, later leaving to get food. At about 12:40 am, Connolly and Reilly were last seen together; Reilly's body was found the next morning, with a post‑mortem indicating death by asphyxia or external pressure from a chokehold or rough surface. DNA from a swab taken from Reilly matched a sample provided by Connolly. Connolly denied any sexual activity with Reilly, but evidence from witnesses and his own admissions suggested otherwise. The judge, Mr Justice Hunt, imposed the life sentence, noting Connolly's youth but that Reilly would never recover from the night's events. The family, represented by uncle Darren Flanagan, expressed profound grief and highlighted the impact of the loss. Aaron Connolly pleaded not guilty.
A 17‑year‑old boy from Louth pleaded guilty to four counts of anal rape, one count of rape, two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault against his niece and cousin, aged nine to ten, between November 2019 and March 2020. The court heard that the boy, who had been a good student and sportsman, lured the girls to his bedroom under the pretext of playing with his X‑box, forced them to lie face down on the bed and anally raped them in front of each other, and also vaginally raped one girl, causing her to bleed. He sent the other girl photographs of his erect penis and made her watch adult pornography, later demanding screenshots as proof. The abuse was discovered in April 2020 when the girls' sisters saw messages on the victim's phone. The girls did not give victim impact statements and have not received counselling, though their parents will if needed.
Aaron Connolly, 23, of Willistown, Drumcar, was found guilty by a unanimous jury at the Central Criminal Court of the murder of Cameron Reilly, 18, at Shamrock Hill, Dunleer, on May 26, 2018. Connolly had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The jury, comprising seven women and five men, reached their verdict after 10 hours and 39 minutes of deliberation. Mr Justice Tony Hunt thanked the jury and exempted them from jury duty for 15 years. The court heard that Mr Reilly's cause of death was asphyxia due to external pressure on the neck. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC made a formal admission that sexual contact occurred between the two men, with Connolly performing oral sex on Reilly, and that Reilly was alive when Connolly left. Prosecution counsel Dean Kelly SC argued that Connolly's inconsistent statements and DNA evidence linked him to the crime. Mr Justice Hunt remanded Connolly on continuing bail with strict conditions until December 20, when he will be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.
Cameron Reilly, a 19‑year‑old DKIT student, left his grandmother's house on a Friday in May 2018 to meet friends near the Glen Dimplex factory. Between 12:40 am and 1:40 am on 26 May, Aaron Connolly, two weeks older, attacked Reilly in the field. Reilly died of asphyxia caused by external pressure to the neck, with bruising and abrasions on the neck and face. Witnesses, including David Shiels and neighbour Jean Lynch, described the body's condition and attempted CPR. Connolly was the last person to see Reilly alive and was later charged with murder. The trial at the Central Criminal Court concluded with Connolly's conviction for murder, based on evidence of the attack, forensic DNA findings, and Connolly's statements and admissions. The case highlighted the role of lies told by Connolly during the investigation. The court did not address any subsequent appeals or sentencing details.
The jury in the trial of 23‑year‑old Aaron Connolly, accused of murdering 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly in Dunleer, will continue deliberations for a third day. The case began when Reilly's body was found in a field on 26 May 2018. Connolly pleaded not guilty. The jury faced technical difficulties viewing CCTV footage, which was later provided via an alternative method. Witnesses Jean Lynch and Dr Alan Moore gave testimony; Lynch performed CPR and Dr Moore pronounced Reilly dead. Connolly's defence claimed he performed oral sex on Reilly and that Reilly was alive when Connolly left, while the prosecution argued Connolly lied from the start and murdered his friend. The judge instructed the jury to reach a unanimous verdict and to consider whether the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The jury will resume at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
The jury in the trial of 23‑year‑old Aaron Connolly, accused of murdering 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly in Dunleer, will resume deliberations tomorrow after a three‑hour session. Mr Justice Tony Hunt directed the jury to reach a unanimous verdict and explained the prosecution's case linking sexual activity, DNA evidence and alleged lies. The defence argued that Connolly and Reilly had oral sex on the night of the murder and that Reilly was alive when Connolly left. Forensic evidence from Dr Clara Boland showed saliva containing DNA from both men, while Dr Linda Mulligan's post‑mortem identified asphyxia by external pressure on the neck as the cause of death, with no ligature marks. Connolly denied any sexual contact and claimed he was "straight." Prosecutor Dean Kelly accused Connolly of lying throughout the investigation, whereas defence counsel Michael Bowman highlighted "strategic lies" and the difficulty of truth‑telling under pressure. The jury will reconvene at 10:30 am tomorrow. Cameron Reilly pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, Shannon Holland, a care worker at Ability West, alleged sexual harassment by a senior colleague. The complaint, lodged in December 2019, led to the senior employee's dismissal in 2020 after investigations found "adverse findings" against him. The investigation report, completed six and a half months after the complaint, confirmed Holland's allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct, including working under the influence of alcohol and scheduling himself to work alone with a female colleague, Ms Y. Holland was told she was not entitled to a copy of the final report, although the senior employee received one. The HR director explained that the report was shared with Holland verbally but not in written form, citing the ongoing disciplinary process. The case remains pending a decision from the adjudicating officer.
The 23‑year‑old Aaron Connolly, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly, told Gardaí he could not recall what he did during a "missing hour" on the night of the death. He said he had taken a combination of drugs that caused him to black out. Connolly denied any sexual activity with Reilly, stating he was "straight", but his defence counsel later admitted he had given oral sex to Reilly. He claimed he had left Reilly at a driveway and then returned home at 1.40 am, with no knowledge of what happened to Reilly during the missing hour. Connolly also disputed the forensic finding that his DNA was on Reilly's penis, arguing the report was wrong. The trial is ongoing, with the prosecution presenting evidence of the alleged assault and murder, while the defence has made submissions regarding sexual contact and the circumstances of the death. Aaron Connolly pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the 22‑year‑old Aaron Connolly, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly, pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC presented a formal admission that Connolly performed oral sex on Reilly on the night of the killing, describing the act and noting that Reilly was still alive and standing when Connolly left. Forensic evidence from Dr Clara Boland showed mixed DNA samples on Reilly's neck, tracksuit, and clothing, with a minor profile matching Connolly's DNA, and a penile swab containing saliva from both individuals. The prosecution, represented by Dean Kelly SC, maintained that Connolly caused Reilly's injuries between 12.40 am and 1.40 am on 26 May 2018 and that Reilly died violently. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of seven women and five men.
During the Cameron Reilly murder trial, witness Jack Conway testified that he and Aaron Connolly, then 15, had sexual relations on several occasions, including a Halloween encounter where they shared a bed and engaged in oral sex. Conway said Connolly would later claim he was straight, though he himself identified as gay. Conway also stated that Connolly told him he was bisexual. The prosecution argued that Connolly intentionally caused Reilly's death between 12.40am and 1.40am on 26 May 2018, with the pathologist confirming asphyxia from external neck pressure as the cause of death. Connolly, aged 18 at the time of the murder, pleaded not guilty. The trial also heard evidence from other witnesses about the night's events, but the case remains at the trial stage before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
Brendan Cummins, aged 27, was convicted of multiple violent offences. In April and May 2019 he stabbed two men in Dundalk with a Stanley knife, leaving serious wounds and threatening them with death. On June 5, 2019, while being arrested by the Garda Armed Support Unit, he attacked a garda with a samurai sword, denting the garda's ballistics shield. In August 2020 he threw boiling water at a prison officer at Midlands Prison, and in January 2021 he assaulted two more officers, threatening to kill one. Cummins pleaded guilty to all counts. He has 19 prior convictions, including eight for assault. He has spent three and a half years in solitary confinement at the National Violence Reduction Unit, a period described by his defence counsel as "not appropriate treatment." The case was adjourned for finalisation.
Aaron Connolly, aged 22, was accused of murdering 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly in Dunleer on 26 May 2018. Connolly testified that he and Reilly had been drinking Bulmers in a field with friends on 25 May, and that after the group left the field around 11 pm they went to Enzio's chipper. He said he and Reilly walked toward the Beechwood housing estate, then split: Connolly went left down a laneway toward a Centra shop, while Reilly went the opposite way. Connolly claimed he never looked back to see Reilly's direction. He returned home to Drumcar, and the next morning his sister informed him a body had been found. Garda searches from 27 May to 14 June uncovered Reilly's passport near the body. CCTV footage of both men's movements was shown to the jury. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of twelve. The unnamed 22-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Paul Crosby (27), from Rathmullan Park in Drogheda, Co Louth, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court on December 5th to facilitating the murder of seventeen-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods. Crosby had been scheduled for trial on a murder charge but was instead arraigned on the lesser charge. The teenager was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12th, 2020. His remains were subsequently discovered across multiple locations in Dublin between January and March 2020, with his torso found in an overgrown ravine at Rathmullan Park. Crosby's plea related to participating in activities of a criminal organisation with intent to facilitate the serious offence, contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Sentencing is scheduled for January 23rd, 2023. A co-accused, Gerard Cruise (47), remains charged with murder and indicated he would enter a similar plea at an adjournment on January 13th.
Friends of Cameron Reilly, an 18‑year‑old who was found dead in a field in Dunleer, County Louth in 2018, told the Central Criminal Court that he had confided in them that he was bisexual and used the gay dating site Grindr. Erica McGuinness, who had known him for a couple of years, said he had mentioned being on Grindr to "suss people out" and that he had exchanged a wink with a man he had not met before. She agreed that on the night of May 25, 2018, he was "keen to break away" and that this was "out of character" because he normally was "the last man standing". The court heard that the accused, Aaron Connolly, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Reilly, and that the trial was ongoing with a jury hearing the prosecution's case that Connolly intentionally caused Reilly's death between 12:40 am and 1:40 am on May 26, 2018.
In the Court of Appeal, the State maintained that the evidence against Graham Dwyer remains "overwhelming" and that the mobile‑phone call data used at trial was not essential to securing his conviction for the 2012 murder of Elaine O'Hara. Dwyer, aged 50, is appealing his 2015 conviction. His counsel argues that the retention of the call data constitutes an "opportunistic form of mass surveillance" and that the prosecution's reliance on it was improper. The State countered that Dwyer was identified through multiple independent routes: call‑data, text‑message analysis, DNA evidence, and documentary corroboration. The State highlighted that the texts sent from the phone attributed to Dwyer contained details that matched witnesses' statements and documents, including a child's birth‑certificate and a car‑repair bill. The appeal court has heard both sides and reserved judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no new outcome announced.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 2 December 2022, Graham Dwyer, aged 50, was repeatedly interrupted by his legal team while he denied text messages that the prosecution claimed linked him to the murder of Elaine O'Hara in 2012. Dwyer's lawyers argued that the retention of mobile phone data used in the case was an "opportunistic form of mass surveillance" and that the evidence was not essential to securing the guilty verdict. The prosecution, represented by Sean Guerin SC, maintained that the texts, along with DNA and other documentary evidence, proved Dwyer's intent and identity. Dwyer's appeal focused on the admissibility of the phone data, citing European Court of Justice rulings that such retention breaches fundamental rights. The case remains before the Central Criminal Court.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that ten hours of bugged conversations between murder accused Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch and ex-Sinn Fein Councillor Jonathan Dowdall, captured by a garda bugging device, are admissible in the trial, despite being gathered unlawfully while Dowdall's jeep was outside the State. The court found that the National Surveillance Unit (NSU) officers had no power to gather evidence in Northern Ireland and that the breach was of significance. However, the court was satisfied that the NSU officers acted in good faith and that the conversations should be admitted in the interests of justice. The ruling followed legal arguments by both sides, with the court rejecting the defence's challenge to the authorisation of the audio bugging device but accepting their argument that the operation of the surveillance device was illegal. The court also ruled that gardai have no power to investigate or gather evidence in another State. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Gerard Hutch has pleaded not guilty to charges of Mr Byrne's murder and participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The matter was adjourned for further proceedings.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Aaron Connolly, a witness, David Shiels, recounted finding the body of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly while walking his dogs on a morning in Dunleer. Shiels described seeing the body lying on his back, with discolouration, bruising on the right side of the face, neck and throat, and scrape marks on the front of the neck. He noted the deceased's hands were very white and clean. Shiels also mentioned that he had informed his wife and neighbours, including Catherine Shiels, who initially thought he was mistaken. Catherine later described the body as "chalky white" and "swelled", and recounted that neighbour Jean Lynch attempted CPR, noting bruising and scuff marks on the chin and neck. The court heard that the only injury was neck trauma with extensive bruising. Aaron Connolly pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the State presented evidence that teenager Cameron Reilly (18) was socialising with Aaron Connolly (22) the night before his murder. The prosecution described a large group of about 15–16 young people gathering in a field near Dunleer on 25 May 2018, drinking and possibly using drugs. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Reilly died from asphyxia caused by external pressure to the front of his neck, consistent with a chokehold or suffocation involving a ligature. The jury was told that Reilly was alive until just before 1 a.m., after which Connolly allegedly inflicted injuries that led to Reilly's death. Connolly is charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty. The trial will continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of seven women and five men.
The Special Criminal Court is hearing Gerard Hutch's murder trial, where the defence has challenged the admissibility of audio surveillance evidence. Senior counsel Brendan Grehan argued that Irish surveillance law does not apply extraterritorially, contending that the Oireachtas would have legislated with "irresistible clearness" if such scope were intended. The prosecution, represented by Sean Gillane SC, countered that the device was lawfully deployed and retrieved within the State, dismissing jurisdictional concerns as a "cloud." The court will rule on Friday regarding the admissibility of recordings captured when the vehicle crossed into Northern Ireland. In related proceedings, Jonathan Dowdall pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing access to motor vehicles and a hotel room ahead of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns, Judge Sarah Berkeley, and Judge Grainne Malone.
The Special Criminal Court is considering the admissibility of evidence from a garda bugging device used to capture conversations between Jonathan Dowdall and Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, which were recorded on March 7, 2016. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC argued that once a surveillance device is placed and retrieved lawfully within the jurisdiction, the evidence is admissible regardless of where the vehicle travelled. He stated that the issue of extraterritoriality does not arise, as the device was deployed, initiated, and retrieved within the State. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC objected to the admissibility of the evidence, claiming that the device was used outside the jurisdiction and that the evidence was obtained unlawfully. The court has viewed CCTV footage showing Gerard Hutch making two journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall in the weeks following the murder of David Byrne. Jonathan Dowdall has pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne and has been jailed for four years. Gerard Hutch has been convicted of Mr Byrne's murder and is awaiting sentencing. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty and the matter is ongoing.
A 22‑year‑old man, Aaron Connolly of Willistown, Drumcar, will go on trial for the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly, who was killed on 26 May 2018 at Shamrock Hill, Dunleer. Connolly pleaded not guilty when the charge was read. The Central Criminal Court heard that the deceased lived in Dunleer, was a DKIT student, and that Connolly was a construction worker at the time. More than 70 witnesses are expected to be called over a three‑week trial, which will begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
Trevor Keyes, a 49‑year‑old taxi driver from Drogheda, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year prison term for possession of almost €100,000 of cannabis. The drugs were found in the boot of a red Toyota Avensis taxi he was driving on Harold's Cross Road. Keyes had previously helped apprehend a man who stabbed a 60‑year‑old woman in 2010 and had a brain aneurysm that left him unable to work, with surgery scheduled for February of the previous year. Judge Elma Sheahan, who had adjourned the case to allow the operation, noted Keyes' low risk of re‑offending, his remorse, and his positive character before offending. She accepted that he had not profited from the drugs and that he was not a serious drug trafficker. Trevor Keyes pleaded guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, Justice Paul McDermott ordered the release of trial transcripts from the murder case of Aaron Brady to the legal team of Brendan Treanor. Treanor, 34, is charged with participating in the January 25, 2013, robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. The transcripts are intended for use in Treanor's upcoming Special Criminal Court trial. The Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the application but emphasized that the documents must not be shared with anyone outside Treanor and his solicitors, citing witness intimidation concerns. James Flynn, 31, of Newry, Northern Ireland, is also accused of the same robbery and conspiracy to steal vehicle keys. Flynn was extradited from the UK last July to face charges in Ireland. He has not applied for the transcripts. In the related Brady case, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Garda Donohoe but was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority verdict in August 2020. He received a mandatory life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for the robbery.
Michael Greene, 46, of Seabury Lawns, Mornington, Meath, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to laundering €104,720 in cash. The money was seized from his vehicle on the Swords exit of the M1 after a surveillance operation that had originally targeted Michael Jameson of Aidton Court, Newtown Mearns, Glasgow. Greene claimed he had been asked to collect the cash for €500 and had no knowledge of its contents. During questioning he admitted to a chronic cocaine addiction and a debt that he said was partly to be written off in exchange for his cooperation. He also stated that he used cocaine to "calm him down" because of sleep apnea. The judge, Pauline Codd, found Greene to be a foot‑soldier, highly psychologically vulnerable and in fear for his life over drug debts. She sentenced him to three years, suspended the final year on the condition of good behaviour, and imposed a two‑year custodial term.
The High Court has ruled that 14 luxury watches valued at €152,000, €22,000 in cash, and a mobile home are proceeds of crime. Mr Justice Alexander Owens made the order under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act regarding assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau from Jason Reed, Thomas Rooney, and Catherine Dawson. The applications were unopposed. The assets were seized following a Garda investigation into an international gang involved in illegal drugs and firearms trafficking. The three individuals were previously convicted of laundering over €400,000 for a criminal organisation after being observed exchanging large sums of cash in Drogheda in May 2020. Last year, Jason Reed, from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for money laundering offences. Thomas Rooney, of Bettystown, Co Meath, received a six-year sentence for the same offences. Catherine Dawson, a former partner of Rooney's, received a fully suspended sentence of three years and nine months after pleading guilty to money laundering offences. The court appointed a receiver to sell the non-cash assets, noting that the respondents' financial profiles did not account for the legitimate acquisition of the property.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled to hear ten hours of audio recordings between murder accused Gerard Hutch and Jonathan Dowdall, despite defence arguments that the vehicle was outside State jurisdiction for eight hours. Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC described the recordings as central to the State's case regarding the murder of David Byrne. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC argued the evidence should be excluded as 'illicit fruit' because gardai knew the vehicle was in Northern Ireland, violating the Criminal Justice Surveillance Act 2009. The court will rule on admissibility after listening to the full recording. Jonathan Dowdall, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing a hotel room, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. He is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who pleaded not guilty, remain defendants in the case. The court is currently at the sentencing stage for Dowdall, while the trial for Hutch continues with procedural rulings on evidence admissibility.
The High Court has appointed an interim examiner to Blacklough Construction Limited following an application on grounds of cash-flow insolvency. The company, which has 48 employees and engages subcontractors, is currently constructing over 360 social housing units across five sites for Respond Housing Association, including developments in Charlestown, County Mayo, and locations in Dublin, Meath, Westmeath and Louth. An independent expert's report indicated the company has reasonable prospects of survival if certain steps are taken. Counsel attributed the firm's difficulties primarily to a 33 per cent rise in building material costs since 2020, alongside a potential planning permission issue at the Carrickmines site in Dublin. Trade creditors are owed over €3 million. Chartered accountant Joe Walsh was appointed as interim examiner by Mr Justice Michael Quinn on Thursday. The court was satisfied that creditors would fare better under an examinership than in liquidation. Proceedings were adjourned to later in the month, with creditors to be notified of the application.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) for 41‑year‑old Gerard Conlon of Farndreg, Coxes Demense, Dundalk, Co. Louth, allowing him to write off about €900,000 of debt owed to Pepper Asset Servicing. Conlon, a former self‑employed retail businessman whose shop closed in 2019, entered the insolvency process after borrowing to buy properties between 2000 and 2008, which later fell in value and were repossessed. The PIA, lasting 15 months, lets Conlon remain in his family home and continue paying his mortgage for 29 years, as well as payments to Revenue. A €8,800 third‑party contribution and a property in Dundalk will fund the arrangement, and a small amount will be paid to unsecured creditors. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, found no objections to the PIA and noted creditors would benefit more than if Conlon were declared bankrupt.
Odinas Dziugas, 22, was sentenced to one year in jail at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for 11 counts of fuel theft from petrol stations on the M1 motorway between 6 and 21 August last year. He drove a grey Toyota Corolla, changing its registration number on several occasions, to fill up at Circle K in Dunshaughlin, Applegreen in Balbriggan and Applegreen in Castlebellingham, Co Louth, and also removed containers from his boot. The total value of the stolen diesel was €1,636. Dziugas pleaded guilty and had six prior minor theft convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, citing the defendant's desire for a "free journey", backdated the sentence to 9 May, when Dziugas entered custody. His defence lawyer noted an apology letter and family support, hoping the jail term will change his behaviour.