In a High Court judgment on 9 November 2022, Mr Justice Alex Owens dismissed a test action brought by businessman Andrius Bogusas challenging Ireland's ban on the sale of any products containing THC. The court found that the evidence showed THC's dangers and that the current regulatory regime was justified. Mr Bogusas, who sought to import and sell hemp‑oil products with less than 0.2 % THC, was not entitled to rely on EU law or the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU to override Ireland's 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act. The judge noted that Ireland and other member states are bound by the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which precludes permitting such products. The action was also found to have been filed outside the three‑month statutory time limit, and the court was not satisfied that an extension was justified. The case was dismissed with no orders granted.
A man from Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Armagh has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a brutal assault on his musician neighbour in November 2012. Eugene Hanratty Snr, aged 63, was convicted by jury following trial of assault causing harm at Castleblayney, County Monaghan. The court heard the victim was punched, kicked and had his arm stamped on during a sustained attack that left him with multiple broken facial bones, damaged eye sockets and permanent loss of peripheral vision. Judge Melanie Greally noted the assault was premeditated and unprovoked, with aggravating factors including its severity and the targeting of the victim's arm, knowing him to be a musician. The final year of the sentence was suspended for ten years on condition of no contact with the victim or his family. This conviction followed two previous trials, the first resulting in a disagreement and the second being discharged. Hanratty has previous convictions from 1989 and 1997 but no garda attention since the 2012 assault. Eugene Hanratty Snr pleaded not guilty.
James Flynn, 31, of Newry, Northern Ireland, was granted legal aid by the Special Criminal Court despite previously offering over £1 million in bail sureties in the UK. Ms Justice Tara Burns noted the 'odd position' of Flynn claiming to have 'absolutely nothing' after offering £185,000 in cash and a £965,000 surety to Westminster Magistrates' Court. Flynn is accused of robbing Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, in January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady and Brendan Treanor to steal vehicle keys. Flynn was refused bail last week due to flight risk concerns, including evidence that his father told gardai in Boston, 'the boys are gone, you will never get them.' His trial is scheduled for January. Co-accused Brendan Treanor, 34, of Dundalk, is also charged with the robbery and was refused bail in June 2022. Aaron Brady, 31, of Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 jury verdict in August 2020. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus 14 years for the robbery, running concurrently. The matter regarding Flynn's legal aid was finalised, but his trial remains pending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Donal Hayes, a 64‑year‑old former business manager of an insolvent investment company, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for theft and inducing investors to invest under false premises. Hayes claimed he was unaware the company operated as a pyramid scheme, yet he persuaded investors to give him money for a "rescue fund" that would secure their initial investment. Instead, he transferred the money to his own company account and invested it in apartments in Bulgaria and a hotel in Brazil, taking €550,000 for these purchases. When the company liquidator discovered the misuse, Hayes sold the properties and returned most of the money, leaving the company a loss of €65,000. Investors suffered a combined loss of €101,000. Hayes pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and one count of inducing investment under false premises between 2008 and 2011.
The Special Criminal Court has refused bail to James Flynn, who is accused of the 2013 Lordship Credit Union robbery in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Ms Justice Tara Burns, delivering the ruling of a three-judge court, determined that Flynn is a significant flight risk, noting he left the jurisdiction shortly after the alleged crime and has resided in the US, UK, and Northern Ireland since. The court cited "very concerning evidence" regarding an incident where gardai travelled to Boston for an interview with Flynn, only to be met by his father, who allegedly stated, "the boys are gone, you will never get them." The judge emphasized that while the case against Flynn is circumstantial, the prosecution's evidence is strong enough to suggest a potential for conviction. Flynn, who holds US and UK passports, was extradited from the UK after his appeal against extradition was dismissed. He faces charges of robbery and conspiracy to steal vehicle keys. Aaron Brady, who was convicted of murdering Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 jury verdict in August 2020, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for the robbery. Flynn's trial is scheduled for January next year, alongside co-accused Brendan Treanor, who was also refused bail in 2022.
Seamus Marley, an alleged IRA member, has failed in a second bid to obtain an extension of time to lodge an appeal against his convictions. At the Court of Appeal, Marley's legal team argued that a newly discovered fact—specifically an alleged undisclosed agreement between the prosecution and defence regarding the trial's conduct—demonstrated a miscarriage of justice. However, Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the application, stating there was no evidential basis for these submissions and that Marley provided no affidavit or hard evidence to support the claim of a secret deal. Marley, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced in May 2019 by the Central Criminal Court to seven years' imprisonment for the sexual assault and anal rape of two teenage boys in County Louth in the early 1990s. The jury had returned unanimous guilty verdicts on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape. The court noted that Marley had previously been refused an extension in July 2020, as the judges found no modest degree of optimism that his appeal grounds would succeed. The judge emphasized that the court's time was being wasted without evidence, particularly regarding Marley's contention that his extradition from Spain was based on different charges. The application was dismissed, leaving Marley's original sentence intact.
Gerard Hutch, 59, of Clontarf, Dublin 3, is standing trial in the Special Criminal Court, where he denies the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne on February 5, 2016. The defence team, led by Brendan Grehan SC, has raised significant concerns regarding the legality of state surveillance, specifically alleging that gardai may have illegally deployed a tracker device on a vehicle belonging to Jonathan Dowdall while it was in Northern Ireland. Mr Grehan argued that such use would breach the law and sought clarification on how specific CCTV enquiries were initiated. Prosecution witness Sean Gillane SC contended that the defence was conflating issues, while the presiding judge acknowledged the emerging legal arguments. Meanwhile, co-accused Jonathan Dowdall, 44, of Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by providing access to motor vehicles. He was sentenced to four years in prison for this offence. Dowdall is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against Hutch. Other defendants, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who also face charges of participating in the murder by providing vehicles, have pleaded not guilty and remain on trial. The court continues to hear evidence from National Surveillance Unit members, whose identities are withheld by order.
Eugene Hanratty Senior, aged 63, of Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Armagh, was convicted by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following trial of assault causing harm committed at Castleblayney, County Monaghan on 24 November 2012. The victim, a musician, delivered a detailed impact statement describing severe and ongoing injuries sustained during the assault, including multiple facial fractures, permanent vision loss, and facial nerve damage requiring surgical intervention. He outlined how these injuries have fundamentally impaired his ability to read musical notation and continue causing chronic pain and sensory complications. The victim's wife, who witnessed the incident, has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Detective Garda evidence described a sustained attack occurring both within and outside a vehicle. Hanratty had claimed self-defence, which the jury rejected. Sentencing was adjourned to 8 November pending further garda cross-examination and mitigation submissions from the defence. The case reached verdict following two previous trials, the first resulting in disagreement and the second being discharged.
Alan Yip, 47, of Parnell Street, Dublin, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of providing registrars with false or misleading birth information between August 2012 and July 2015. Judge Martin Nolan stated Yip deserved a custodial sentence for his role in a scheme that facilitated Irish passports for children. Five co-accused parents—Ning Zhang, Wei Qin Xie, Jie Chen, Honghui Dong, and Peng Lin—each pleaded guilty to one charge of providing false birth particulars regarding their own children. Although the judge initially considered harsh sentences for deterrence, he ultimately decided against imprisonment, citing their desperation and mitigation. Each of these five defendants received a two-year term suspended in full. The court noted that Yip, a British citizen, falsely registered himself as the father of six children to allow their mothers to secure Irish citizenship and leave to remain. Defence counsel argued that custody would be overly severe for the parents, who had no permanent status. The judge acknowledged the parents' difficult circumstances but emphasized they had breached the law. The matter was finalized with Yip jailed and the others receiving suspended sentences.
A surveillance garda testified in the Special Criminal Court that he saw Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, accused of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne, riding a motorcycle out of former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall's home on February 12, 2016. Gerard Hutch (59), last of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. Jonathan Dowdall (44), a married father of four with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in advance of the trial to a lesser charge of facilitating the Hutch gang by making a hotel room available ahead of the murder. Jonathan Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. The former Dublin councillor is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after agreeing to testify against former co-accused Gerard Hutch, who is charged with Mr Byrne's murder. The Special Criminal Court has already viewed CCTV footage of what the State says is Gerard Hutch making two separate journeys to Northern Ireland with Dowdall on February 20 and March 7, 2016. A garda known as Member BZ testified that he observed Jonathan Dowdall's grey Toyota Land Cruiser parked opposite Forest Park in Killygordon in Co Donegal at 11am on February 20 2016 and that it was beside a silver Renault Megane Scenic. The Megane left the area at 2.35pm with two males in the vehicle. Another officer called Member BU told Ms Murphy that at 3.51pm on March 9 2016, Shane Rowan was observed carrying a long cardboard box as he walked down the escalator of Clarehall Shopping Centre before entering Carphone Warehouse. In July 2016, Rowan from Forest Park, Killygordan, in County Donegal was jailed for seven and a half years for possession of assault rifles and ammunition. He was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of four years in prison for IRA membership, backdated to March 9 2016. Evidence has also been given that bullet cases found at the Regency Hotel murder scene were fired by the three AK-47 assault rifles. Gerard Hutch's two co-accused – Paul Murphy (59), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin and Jason Bonney (50), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The evidence of the NSU members continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone.
Marius Pughineanu, 42, was sentenced to ten months in prison after pleading guilty to possessing an ATM bank reader and criminal damage to an ATM on Main Street, Lucan, on 7 January 2008. He also admitted using two stolen credit cards to purchase PlayStation consoles worth about €1,200 at GameStop stores in September 2007. The court heard that he had absconded twice, including a seven‑year stay in Thailand after bench warrants were issued. Garda Stuart Gleeson presented evidence that the stolen cards were traced to U.S. owners who had not authorised the transactions. Pughineanu was arrested in January 2008 after tampering with a Bank of Ireland ATM, where CCTV showed him removing the front of the machine with a Stanley knife. He has three prior burglary convictions but claims to have reformed, working 45 hours a week as a fire‑proofer and paying taxes.
A Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard evidence on 20 October 2022 regarding three AK-47 assault rifles recovered in County Meath approximately one month after David Byrne was fatally shot at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on 5 February 2016. Inspector Padraig Boyce testified that a vehicle was intercepted near Slane on 9 March 2016 and the weapons were discovered in its boot, wrapped in a rug and white shirts. Ballistics evidence later matched cartridge cases recovered from the Regency Hotel to the seized rifles. The trial concerns Gerard Hutch, aged 59, from Clontarf, Dublin, who denies murdering Mr Byrne during a boxing weigh-in. Two co-accused, Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, deny participating in or contributing to the murder by providing vehicle access. Detective gardaí provided CCTV evidence tracing movements of vehicles on the day of the incident. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns with two other judges, is expected to continue for approximately 12 weeks. Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty. Jason Bonney pleaded not guilty.
A former schools rugby player, Buti Sashi, aged 26, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for a series of violent attacks on transgender sex workers in Dublin. On 26 May 2017 he entered the victim's city‑centre apartment armed with a large knife, struck her face and body, cut her, demanded sex, sexually assaulted her and stole her mobile phone and laptop. The victim suffered a fractured jaw and an eye socket injury. A month later, on 28 June, Sashi and another man broke into the flat of a second transgender sex worker, beat her, stole two mobile phones and attacked a house‑mate, breaking his jaw and cutting him twice, taking his phone, laptop and €300. Sashi pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two of assault causing harm, one of sexual assault and one of weapon production. He was found to have a history of violent offences, including a 2014 robbery of a taxi driver.
An elderly St John Of God Brother, Aidan Clohessy, aged 82, former principal of St Augustine's School for boys with learning disabilities, faces nine charges of indecent assault against four boys. The alleged offences occurred between 31 August 1968 and 17 August 1986. Clohessy appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Martin Nolan set a trial date for 18 November 2024 and remanded him on continuing bail. Earlier, Judge Nolan lifted reporting restrictions that had prevented the media from naming the defendant, following an application by several news organisations.
Eoin Hickey, aged 23, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for the prolonged, persistent and serious harassment of a teenage girl, who was 15 to 18 at the time of the abuse. Hickey sent hundreds of sexually explicit messages and videos, including a male masturbating video and messages such as "suck my dick" and "give us a wank." He created fake online accounts to bypass safety measures and stalked the victim, who feared a school acquaintance and avoided school and social outings. The victim, now 20, described constant terror and lasting trust issues. Hickey, diagnosed with developmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder at 14, was warned by Gardaí but continued the harassment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 20 months, and imposed conditions that Hickey must have no further contact with the victim. He has since joined a restaurant job and a rugby club for people with special needs. Eoin Hickey pleaded guilty.
Former soldier Lisa Smith, aged 40, was convicted of membership of ISIS by the Special Criminal Court and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Smith travelled to ISIS‑controlled Syria in 2015, where she married, kept a house and did not participate in state‑building or positive acts for ISIS. Her lawyers argue that she was at the lowest level of the organisation, that she was a mother of a young child, and that she endured nine‑and‑a‑half months in two detention camps with harsh conditions. They also cite a report by Professor Anne Speckhard stating that Smith denounced ISIS and did not support its atrocities. The court, however, found that Smith knew of ISIS's bloodlust, discussed its atrocities online, and rejected calls to return. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment, and Smith's lawyers plan to appeal her conviction later this year. The case was the first Irish conviction for an Islamic terrorist offence committed abroad.
James Flynn, aged 31 and from Raven's Glen, Newry, Northern Ireland, was extradited from the UK to face a robbery charge at the Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. The robbery, which took place on 25 January 2013, involved the theft of €7,000 from Pat Bellew's property. Flynn is also accused of conspiring with Aaron Brady, Brendan Treanor and others to enter a residential premises with the intent to steal a motor vehicle's keys between 11 September 2012 and 23 January 2013. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied to transfer the case to the non‑jury Special Criminal Court, and the three‑judge court accepted the application, adjourned the matter to 6 October 2022, and allowed the transfer. Flynn's extradition appeal was unsuccessful, and the case will now be heard at the Special Criminal Court alongside Brendan Treanor's trial.
Alina Buckley, aged 19, received a fully suspended one‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to possession of a knife at three separate incidents near Blackrock Garda Station in January, February and May 2020, and to threatening behaviour on Sweetman's Avenue in April 2020. The court noted her severe mental health difficulties at the time of each offence and her history of eight prior convictions, including two for assault. Judge Orla Crowe imposed the suspended term with conditions that Buckley engage with mental health services for the duration. Garda evidence detailed her abusive conduct towards officers, the discovery of knives and a razor blade, and her refusal to cooperate during arrests. Buckley had spent nine months in custody, which prompted her to seek appropriate services, and she is now living with her parents after a period of homelessness.
Aaron Brady, aged 31, and Dean Byrne, aged 29, are set to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court on charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. They are accused of attempting to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify during Brady's 2020 murder trial for the killing of Garda Adrian Donohoe. Brady's trial, which ran from January to August 2020, saw Cahill testify that he heard Brady admit to shooting a Garda. Brady is also charged with recording a video of a witness interview and distributing it on social media, an act described by Judge Michael White as "the most outrageous contempt of court." A phone recovered from Byrne's cell yielded WhatsApp exchanges offering intimidation to Cahill. The court set a trial date for October 2, 2023, with a mention scheduled for November 7, 2023.
Michael Flatley brought a High Court damages claim against several parties for alleged negligence in works carried out at his Castle Hyde property in Co Cork. The claim arose after a fire on 18 June 2015 damaged the historic house, which Flatley had been renovating since 1999. He alleged that the fire started in an electrical panel and spread, causing extensive damage, and that the plumbing system was incorrectly designed, leading to basement flooding. Flatley sued architect and interior designer Mr Peter Inston, consultant engineer Sean R. McCarthy, and engineering firm Malachy Walsh & Partners, claiming breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence. All defendants denied the allegations and argued the claim was statute‑barred. On 29 July 2022 the parties settled the claim, the proceedings were struck out, and the settlement terms remain confidential. No further details were disclosed to the court.
Richard Morrissey (45) was convicted by a jury of six counts of sexual assault against a girl who was aged seven to fourteen when the abuse occurred between 1996 and 2003 in Louth. The jury could not agree on all counts, so a second trial was held earlier this year, where he was found guilty of one additional count of sexual assault and one count of oral rape. The abuse began with grooming, touching, kissing and culminated in forced oral sex when the girl was fourteen. Morrissey, who was aged 18 to 25 at the time of the offences, maintains his innocence. He has been in custody since the first trial in November last year. Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced him to ten and a half years, suspending the final year on conditions.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced three men for their roles in a romance fraud that caused a woman in her sixties to lose over €254,000 in life savings. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Omowale Owolabi (31) of Navan, Co Meath, to three years and three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to theft. Raak Sami Sadu (32) of Clonsilla, Dublin 15, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud. Samson Ajayi (33) of Grangerath, Co Meath, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to three money laundering charges. The court heard the defendants used a fake profile named Neil Turner on Plenty of Fish to deceive the victim, who made ten payments between November 2019 and mid-2020. Gardaí linked the profile to the three Nigerian nationals and seized devices containing evidence of the scheme, including messages regarding the division of funds. Owolabi admitted receiving €30,000 for his role, while Ajayi admitted receiving money but claimed ignorance of wrongdoing. Sadu made limited admissions. The judge noted the defendants' early guilty pleas, cooperation, remorse, and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors, while emphasizing the severe damage such fraud inflicts on victims who often feel humiliated.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Caolan Smyth and Gary McAreavey regarding the admissibility of mobile phone data used in their convictions. The appellants were found guilty and convicted, respectively, of the attempted murder of James Gately and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life in 2017. McAreavey was also convicted of assisting Smyth by purchasing petrol and helping burn a black Lexus at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth. The appeal challenged the use of data gathered under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011, arguing it breached EU privacy laws following a separate ruling in the Graham Dwyer case. However, the court, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled that the Act was valid in 2017 and that the public interest in investigating crime comprehensively outweighed the limited privacy rights attached to the data. The court noted the data was tightly focused and did not reveal personal details such as beliefs or sexuality. The judgment affirmed the Special Criminal Court's 2020 findings. This decision does not affect the separate appeal by Elaine O'Hara, whose case remains contested and is not part of this finalisation.
The Court of Appeal declined to consider Lisa Smith's bail application, a former Irish soldier convicted of joining ISIS after travelling to Syria in 2015. Smith was jailed five days earlier for a 15‑month sentence. The three‑judge panel agreed to hear an appeal against the severity of her sentence on October 4, before any appeal of her conviction. Smith's lawyers argued that the Special Criminal Court had not adequately credited the time she spent in Syrian refugee camps and under a nightly curfew, claiming she had effectively served about four years. The court noted a recent judgment that a sentencing court should consider time spent in detention. Smith, 40, had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group and was found to have travelled to Syria with "eyes wide open," swearing allegiance to the Islamic State.
Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier from Dundalk, Co Louth, has been jailed for 15 months by the Special Criminal Court following her conviction for membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015, and December 1st, 2019. Smith, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a three-judge, non-jury court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt set the headline sentence at two years and six months but reduced it by 50 per cent to 15 months, citing mitigating factors including her previous good character, military service, and low risk of re-offending. He noted that while she was persistent in joining Isis, there was no evidence she did more than ally herself with the group. The sentence was backdated by one month to account for time in custody. Mr Justice Hunt refused to suspend any portion of the sentence and denied Smith's application for bail pending an appeal, stating there was no basis for such a release. The matter is now in the hands of the Court of Appeal. Smith is the first person convicted in an Irish court of an Islamic terrorist offence committed abroad.
Lisa Smith, an Irish former soldier, was arrested after returning from Syria where she had lived with a Tunisian husband and later a Turkish man. She claimed she joined the Islamic State (IS) out of religious obligation, citing fear of hellfire and a belief that hijrah was mandatory for Muslims. Witnesses described her conversion to Islam in 2010, her relationship with an American convert who encouraged her to travel, and her subsequent travel to Istanbul and then to Syria in 2015. In Syria she lived in a "madaffa" for women, married a Turkish IS fighter, and later moved to Raqqa where she was subjected to domestic violence. She sent €800 to the fighter in 2015, which the prosecution argued was financing terrorism. The Special Criminal Court found her guilty of membership of IS but not of funding terrorism, noting the €800 could have been humanitarian. The court rejected her claim that her religious motives exempted her from criminal liability.
David McDonagh, a settled Traveller, was dismissed by Harmony Catering Services Ltd after only two days of work. He had completed a trial shift on 31 January 2020, which the head chef praised as satisfactory. On 4 February, the managing director, who had previously given McDonagh a lift home, informed him that the company believed he lacked the necessary skills. McDonagh claimed the dismissal was triggered by the director's awareness of his Traveller status. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the company had no evidence of incompetence and that the dismissal was discriminatory. McDonagh was awarded €4,160 in compensation, equivalent to six months' minimum‑wage pay, for unlawful workplace discrimination. The decision upheld his prima facie case and rejected the company's defence. The award was the maximum permitted under the Employment Equality Act.
Alina Buckley, aged 19, will be sentenced on 29 July after admitting possession of a knife outside Blackrock Garda Station on three occasions in 2020. She pleaded guilty to knife possession on 20 January, 1 February and 15 May 2020, and to threatening behaviour on 10 April 2020. Buckley, who had severe mental health difficulties at the time, was also abusive towards Gardaí during each incident. Garda Ciara Morris and Garda Sinead Whelan gave evidence of her behaviour, noting she was 17 during the first incident and that she had a steak knife and a razor blade in her possession. She had eight previous convictions, including two for assault, and had spent nine months in custody. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing to 29 July for finalisation.
The High Court has adjourned the extradition appeal of Imre Arakas to Monday next to fix a hearing date, during which he is to appear by video-link. Mr Justice Paul Burns directed the State to prepare a Section 20 request under the Extradition Act to clarify Lithuanian authorities' allegations regarding Arakas's specific role in the 2015 murder of Deimantas Bugavicius. Lithuanian police allege Arakas was part of a three-man gang that conspired to murder the victim, while Arakas claims he was in Spain on the relevant dates. An eyewitness to the murder stated that Arakas was not present at the scene. The court noted that Arakas was previously jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018 after pleading guilty to conspiring with others to murder James 'Mago' Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. He has been in custody in Ireland since April 2017. The judge also referenced the separate extradition case of Liam Campbell, who was found civilly liable for the Omagh bombing and whose appeal to the Supreme Court resulted in a ruling permitting his extradition to Lithuania for offences including terrorism and weapons possession. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the current session adjourned rather than concluded.
An action challenging Ireland's 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act, which bans all products containing any amount of THC, has been opened before the High Court. The case was brought by Andrius Rogusas, who had oils imported from Slovenia seized by customs on 21 October 2020 because they contained THC. Rogusas argues that the goods, made in another EU country and containing less than 0.2% THC, are not narcotic drugs and that the ban contravenes EU law on the free movement of goods. He cites a Court of Justice of the European Union decision that allows products with less than 0.2% THC to be sold within the EU and claims that the State has failed to conduct the scientific assessments required to justify the ban. The State, represented by the Ministers and the Attorney General, maintains that THC is a controlled drug and that the ban is lawful. The hearing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens continues.
James Carpenter, 31, of Ardee, Co. Louth, was sentenced in Dublin for fraud involving €500 Electric Picnic tickets and rental deposits. He promised tickets to a woman who paid via bank transfer after seeing a Gumtree advert; the tickets never arrived and Carpenter ignored her emails. He also scammed multiple tenants, taking deposits and first‑month rent for rooms advertised online, claiming false reasons for delays such as a supposed death of his mother or inheritance of the property. Gardaí recovered no money. Carpenter had previously been at large until April 2021, when he was arrested under a European arrest warrant and extradited after serving a six‑month sentence in Scotland for similar offences. He has 21 prior convictions, 10 in Scotland. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was sentenced to six months for the ticket fraud and two years for the accommodation scams, with both terms running concurrently and back‑dated for time already served.
Robert Duffy, a 50‑year‑old former IRA member, was jailed for life in Northern Ireland for the 1993 murder of John Gibson, a building contractor director. He was released on licence under the Good Friday Agreement in July 2000, but in 2008 he was convicted in the Republic of Ireland for attempting to murder Colin O'Neill at the Emerald Bar in Dundalk. Duffy pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment after firing a shotgun at O'Neill, who survived but was injured. Following his conviction, his release licence was suspended by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and a warrant was issued under the EU‑UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement to return him to Northern Ireland to serve the remainder of his sentence for Gibson's murder.
Gerard Russell, a 55‑year‑old former purchasing and procurement manager at St Vincent's University Hospital, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft and deception for fraudulently using a company credit card to purchase items worth €22,353 between August 2014 and June 2015. An audit triggered by domestic‑and‑personal purchases revealed the misuse, and items were delivered to the hospital and recovered from Russell's home. He had no prior convictions and no victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan, considering Russell's cooperation, guilty pleas, lack of criminal record, letters from acquaintances, and a psychological report, imposed a three‑year suspended sentence and ordered the €22,353 to be paid back to the hospital within one week. Russell's wife and other family members provided letters describing his struggles with alcoholism, depression, and bipolar disorder, and his efforts to recover. The court noted Russell's job loss and public humiliation as part of the case context.
Lawyers for Lisa Smith, a 40‑year‑old former soldier from Dundalk, have asked the Special Criminal Court to consider her young child and the harsh conditions she endured in Syrian camps before sentencing her for membership of the Islamic State. Michael O'Higgins SC cited four psychological reports describing her as "damaged" and "vulnerable," and a study by Dr Anne Speckhard that found she was not likely to reoffend and had sincerely denounced Isis. He noted that Smith had already spent about four years in custody, including time in Al‑Hawl and Ain Issa camps and under a 13‑hour daily curfew since 2019. O'Higgins urged a fully suspended sentence, arguing that the maximum eight‑year term for terrorist membership would be disproportionate given her circumstances. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 July, allowing Smith to remain on bail but warning against false comfort. The case remains a novel one for the court. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal heard that the posting of Aaron Brady's trial transcripts on social media is being kept under review by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Aaron Brady, 31, was jailed for life for the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, with a minimum term of 40 years. He was also sentenced to 14 years for the robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union, a sentence running concurrently with the life term. The transcripts, from the State's longest murder trial, were posted on Facebook by his father, Tony Brady, in support of Aaron's appeal against conviction. This action contravened instructions from Mr Justice George Birmingham, who had permitted transcript release solely for the appellant's use without further distribution. At a brief hearing, Lorcan Staines SC, for the DPP, stated that nothing further was required from the court at this time and that the matter was being kept under review. Michael O'Higgins SC, for Aaron Brady, accepted that the material should not have been posted and assured the court it would be removed. The appeal against the murder conviction was lodged in October 2020.
William Twomey appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal, arguing he effectively withdrew from a joint enterprise to rob and extort businessman Edward McAndrew in Co Louth in 2017. Twomey, 58, was found guilty at the Special Criminal Court of robbery, assault, and demanding money with menaces, though acquitted of false imprisonment. His counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, contended that Twomey communicated his withdrawal to co-accused Anthony Finglas, gardaí, and the PSNI, negating his mens rea at the time of the attack. The prosecution, represented by Anne Marie Lawlor SC, countered that Twomey was the "architect" of the plan and failed to demonstrate effective withdrawal, noting the fruits of the crime were made available to him. The court heard that Finglas, 51, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was sentenced to four years and nine months in December 2020. The appeal judges questioned whether vague warnings to police constituted valid withdrawal. Presiding Judge George Birmingham stated the Special Criminal Court properly determined the facts and law. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgment, meaning the matter was adjourned pending a decision.
Six workers from Keelings Fruit, four men and two women, were used as money mules by an unnamed "money mule herder" to launder between €4,500 and just under €110,000 for a West African gang between 2016 and 2017. They each pleaded guilty to laundering specific amounts: Albert Joseph (€34,236 and €25,575), Josip Vlahovic (€79,000), Toni Kudro (€8,869), Mate Vlahovic (€6,760), Krisztina Baradlai (€5,900) and Claudia Onofrieciuc (€4,592). The court noted they were recruited from various countries, had no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí and were unlikely to reoffend. Judge Martin Nolan imposed suspended sentences ranging from 18 months to three and a half years, with the longest for Albert Joseph. The alleged money mule herder remains before the courts. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jamie Heffernan, aged 22, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for a violent assault on Aaron Murdiff, aged 25, which left Murdiff with a lasting traumatic brain injury. Heffernan attacked Murdiff after learning that Murdiff had assaulted his cousin at a house party earlier that night. CCTV footage showed Heffernan striking Murdiff, causing him to fall, and then delivering three separate blows over four and a half minutes, including repeated strikes while Murdiff lay motionless. Heffernan pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm. The judge described the attack as "breathtaking savagery" and noted the severity of the assault. Two minor co‑accused are awaiting sentencing for their roles. Heffernan has five prior convictions. The court heard that Murdiff's mother and sister provided a victim impact statement, and that Heffernan had consumed significant alcohol that night.
Brendan Treanor, 34, was refused bail by the Special Criminal Court regarding charges of participating in the January 25, 2013, robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, delivering the ruling of the three-judge court, stated there was a real risk of witness interference and upheld a Section 2 Bail Act objection based on fears of further serious offences. Treanor's lawyers had argued that continued custody offended his dignity by separating him from his newborn son, noting his trial was adjourned from October to January next year to allow the DPP to try him alongside James Flynn. Flynn, 31, is currently awaiting an appeal against his extradition from the UK to face the same robbery charge. The report also details the finalised sentencing of Aaron Brady, 30, who was found guilty of the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court on August 11, 2020. Brady was sentenced to the mandatory life imprisonment term, with a minimum of 40 years to be served due to the victim being a garda acting in the course of duty. He also received a concurrent 14-year sentence for the robbery of €7,000 at the credit union.
The High Court deferred judgment on a bail application for Brendan Treanor until June 24. Treanor is charged with participating in a robbery at the Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013. His counsel argued that refusing bail while his trial was delayed from October to January next year offended his client's dignity, particularly given his limited contact with his newborn son. The Director of Public Prosecutions objected to bail under Section 2(a) of the Bail Act, citing fears of further serious offences. The court ordered that details of the application not be published. Separately, Aaron Brady was found guilty of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court on August 11, 2020. Brady was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 40 years, as the victim was a garda acting in the course of duty. He was also sentenced to 14 years for the robbery of €7,000 at the Lordship Credit Union, a sentence to run concurrently with the life term. James Flynn, also charged with the robbery, is awaiting an appeal against his extradition from the UK to Ireland.
Colin Kevitt, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of a 9mm Glock pistol found wrapped in black plastic under a flower pot in a wicker basket by a homeowner in Drogheda. The gun, with five loaded bullets and additional ammunition, was seized and tested, showing no evidence of use in a crime. Kevitt's DNA matched samples from the gun, though he denied any admission. His defence claimed a friend had taken the gun to a party where Kevitt handled it, and that his DNA was not on the bullets or plastic. Judge Melanie Greally noted the DNA evidence and Kevitt's prior convictions for minor offences, describing the current offence as a marked escalation. The case was adjourned to 28 October for finalisation, with Kevitt remanded on continuing bail and a Probation Service report ordered.
The Special Criminal Court ordered the forfeiture of a black Mercedes S350, valued at about €50,000, from Thomas Rooney, a 52‑year‑old member of an international crime gang. Rooney had pleaded guilty to money‑laundering offences under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Act 2010, and was found in possession of large sums of cash and encrypted devices. The vehicle, purchased in 2018 for €72,000, was used by Rooney to transport cash as part of an industrial‑scale laundering operation. The court noted that the car could have been used for legitimate business but that its use in criminal activity made it subject to forfeiture. Rooney was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in January of this year. The forfeiture order was granted by Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
Brendan Treanor, 33, who is charged with participating in the January 25, 2013, robbery of the Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth, will apply for bail for a third time after the Special Criminal Court adjourned his trial. Prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC stated the State intends to try Treanor alongside James Flynn, 31, who is currently awaiting an appeal against his extradition from the UK. Staines indicated the extradition process is expected to conclude by the end of July, after which legal preparation for a trial estimated to last six months would be required. Defense counsel Sean Guerin SC argued that Treanor, who is currently in custody, has a right to a speedy trial and requested his case proceed separately without delay. Mr Justice Hunt acknowledged Treanor's rights but noted the undesirable nature of running two lengthy trials separately and the associated costs. Consequently, the court set a new trial date for January 11. Guerin confirmed Treanor will seek a new bail hearing in light of this decision, which is scheduled for June 16 before the Special Criminal Court. The robbery resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot dead during a cash escort ambush by a five-man gang that fled with €7,000.
Albert Tucker, aged 66, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of multiple indecent assault charges against his sister‑in‑law, Ms Aileen Ryan Wright, committed between 1976 and 1979. The offences involved repeated abuse at various locations in Dublin, including assaults in a car while driving her younger sister home. Tucker denied the allegations, claiming only one consensual act occurred when his sister‑in‑law was of legal age. He had no prior convictions. Ms Ryan Wright, who was aged 11 to 17 at the time of the assaults, testified that the abuse left her fearful and caused severe emotional distress, including attempts at self‑harm. The judge noted Tucker's lack of criminal history and medical conditions but considered the seriousness of the offences, sentencing him to four years with no suspended portion and requiring two years of post‑release supervision by probation services. Albert Tucker pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jamie Heffernan, aged 22, pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Aaron Murdiff after a spontaneous assault that left Murdiff with a traumatic brain injury. Heffernan, who had been chatting with Murdiff on CCTV, was reportedly informed that Murdiff had assaulted his cousin at a house party earlier that night. Heffernan struck Murdiff, causing him to fall, and then launched three separate assaults over a period of four and a half minutes, striking him in the head and body. Heffernan was arrested shortly after the attack. Murdiff suffered a brain injury with lasting balance issues, and a victim impact statement was submitted by his mother and sister. Two minor co‑accused await sentencing for their roles in the assault. The case is scheduled for sentencing in July. The court noted Heffernan's prior convictions, his early guilty plea, and his efforts to address alcohol and cannabis use.
Former Irish soldier Lisa Smith, aged 39, was found guilty of membership in the Islamic State by the Special Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, rejected Smith's claim that she joined the group out of religious obligation or to live under Sharia law, stating that religion is irrelevant to criminal membership. Smith was not found guilty of the second charge of funding terrorism, as the court accepted that the €800 she sent in May 2015 could have been for humanitarian reasons. The court held that Smith travelled to Syria with full knowledge of Isis's violent activities and pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi. Smith was granted bail until her sentencing hearing on 11 July, with the judge noting her compliance with bail conditions over the past two years. The verdict was delivered after a 90‑minute hearing. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty. Islamic State pleaded not guilty.
Former Irish soldier Lisa Smith, aged 39, was found not guilty by the Special Criminal Court of financing terrorism. The court, a three‑judge panel, delivered its judgment on the charge that she sent €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015, an act alleged to have supported the Islamic State. Judge Tony Hunt noted it was reasonably possible that Ms Smith intended the money for humanitarian purposes rather than for the benefit of a terrorist organisation. Ms Smith had pleaded not guilty to membership of the Islamic State, a charge relating to her presence in Syria between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019. She denied joining the organisation, claiming she travelled to Syria out of a religious obligation to live within the Islamic State announced by Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi in 2014. The court is still delivering its verdict on the membership charge.
In May 2022, Aaron Brady's trial transcripts were posted on Facebook by his father, Tony Brady, despite a court order prohibiting further dissemination. The Court of Appeal heard that the transcripts had been released to lawyers on both sides in July 2021, but the father had shared them online with commentary that the Director of Public Prosecutions described as "dubious" and potentially contemptuous. Lawyers for Brady acknowledged the mistake and agreed the posts would be removed by the end of the day. The case was adjourned until July 1, 2022. The matter arose after Brady, convicted of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe in 2013, had previously released trial materials on social media as part of a campaign to free him. The court noted that Brady's appeal was pending and that the transcripts should be used only for that purpose. The incident highlighted the court's concern over the unauthorized public release of sensitive trial documents.
A 43-year-old truck driver from Ballyshannon, County Donegal, has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the Court of Appeal after his original suspended sentence was deemed unduly lenient. Ciaran Lawn pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance for sale or supply following his arrest in December 2019 near Ardee, County Louth, while transporting drugs valued at approximately €900,000. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the three-year wholly suspended sentence imposed by Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court in July 2021. At the Court of Appeal hearing in March, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with the Court President and another judge, imposed a seven-year custodial term with the final three years suspended. The court determined an appropriate headline sentence for the offence would not be less than ten years. Gardaí recovered vacuum-sealed packages containing cannabis and cocaine from a van during the operation.
Aaron Brady, a former Garda convicted of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in 2013, and Dean Byrne are to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court on charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice during Brady's 2020 trial. Brady, aged 31, and Byrne, aged 29, are accused of attempting to persuade prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to testify between 8 April and 22 June 2020, and of recording a video interview with Ronan Flynn that allegedly could influence the trial. The cases were moved to the Special Criminal Court after a successful application by State solicitor Susan Hudson, citing the need for a non‑jury court to secure effective administration of justice. The court, comprising Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Marie Keane and Judge Sarah Berkeley, adjourned the matter for a hearing on 2 June 2024. The trial will address the alleged conspiracy to pervert justice during Brady's murder trial.