The Court of Appeal has quashed the defilement conviction of a 34-year-old man, directing a retrial after finding the trial judge "crossed a line" in his jury charge. The appellant, who was 28 at the time of the alleged 2020 offence in Westport, had been convicted by majority verdict of defilement of a 16-year-old girl, while being acquitted of sexual assault. He maintained that he believed the complainant was over 18. Ms Justice Nuala Butler ruled that the trial judge improperly suggested the jury might take a "jaundiced" view of the appellant's age defence if they rejected his claim that no sexual intercourse occurred. This misdirection deprived the appellant of the benefit of his alternative defence. The court rejected a secondary appeal ground regarding the prosecution's use of the term "Bart Simpson defence," deeming it unhelpful but not sufficiently disparaging to render the trial unfair. In November 2025, Judge Eoin Garavan had sentenced the man to two years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended and the custodial element deferred, granting him bail pending appeal. Following the appeal decision, Eilis Brennan, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, requested the matter be remanded to the Western Circuit in early October. The judge granted this application, remanding the appellant on continuing bail until that date.
Taylor Moran (23), of McDermott Street, Ballina, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Court to assault causing harm outside St Mary's Secondary School on April 2, 2021. The court heard that the victim, Martin McDonagh (23), suffered three deep puncture wounds to the lower abdomen during a brawl. CCTV footage showed Moran returning to the scene with a broken claw hammer and striking McDonagh five times. Although Moran initially denied involvement to gardaí, he admitted the charge. Judge Eoin Garavan noted the offence was premeditated and involved a deadly weapon. Defending counsel Dr Laura Byrne BL submitted a probation report highlighting Moran's difficult background, mental health medication, and remorse. Moran's mother testified regarding domestic violence in the household and his recent employment prospects. The judge adjourned sentencing until the autumn, warning Moran that custody was probable unless he demonstrated significant improvement. He was instructed to secure employment, address alcohol and cannabis issues, and engage in counselling. Moran was remanded on bail for sentencing on October 6. Co-accused Thomas Maloney (29), of Riverside Drive, Ballina, is also due to be sentenced on the next date.
A couple in the west of Ireland pleaded guilty to two counts each of wilful neglect involving their two children, after a Castlebar Circuit Court hearing about filthy and hazardous conditions in the family home. The man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison with one year suspended, while the woman received a fully suspended two-year sentence. The court also adjourned the man's sentence until the end of March to allow accommodation arrangements to be addressed.
Mihail Tanasevici pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of Maureen Hopkins outside a Westport supermarket. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a five-month prison sentence and did not disqualify him from driving.
Adrian Behan was found not guilty by reason of insanity of 23 criminal damage charges and 10 theft counts involving telecommunications sites in Mayo and Galway. A jury at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court returned the unanimous special verdict after hearing that he had been experiencing an acute psychotic episode caused by schizophrenia.
Adrian Behan pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to 23 criminal damage charges and 10 theft counts concerning alleged incidents at telecommunications sites in Mayo and Galway. The trial heard that cables, wiring, antennae and electrical equipment were damaged or stolen. The case continued before Judge Eoin Garavan.
A Knockmore man has been sentenced to four years in prison at Castlebar Circuit Court for offences including the savage mauling of a woman by his unmuzzled dog. David Barrett, aged 41, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm following an attack on November 20th, 2022, at Mount Falcon estate. The victim sustained life-changing injuries including severe lacerations and puncture wounds requiring emergency surgery and ongoing treatment. Judge Eoin Garavan noted the dog had been wandering loose and described Barrett's casual attitude toward the danger posed to the public. Barrett also pleaded guilty to assaulting two female gardaí who attended his home in July 2024 whilst responding to a domestic disturbance report. The court heard he was heavily intoxicated and attacked both officers with violence. The global sentence comprised two years for the dog attack and three years for assaulting the gardaí, with the final year suspended. Barrett was ordered to engage in mental health services, substance addiction treatment, and probation supervision upon release.
PJ Higgins, 47, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Court to assault causing harm to his brother, Michael Higgins, at their address in Cloongullaune, Swinford, Co Mayo, on July 27, 2022. The defendant admitted to hitting the victim over the head with a shovel, an act Judge Eoin Garavan noted could easily have been fatal. Michael Higgins was taken to Mayo University Hospital unconscious and bleeding, with a CT scan revealing fluid on the brain. He was discharged three days later but reported ongoing headaches, blurred vision, and fear for his life. The court heard the incident arose from an entrenched, longstanding family dispute. Judge Garavan delayed sentencing until the conclusion of two other cases against family members to ensure all background information was available. A probation report placed PJ Higgins at moderate risk of re-offending but noted he accepts responsibility and shows genuine remorse. The judge highlighted that the offence occurred the day before PJ Higgins was due to be sentenced for a previous threat to kill or cause serious harm, for which he served 12 months in custody. Defence counsel argued the act was impulsive rather than premeditated. The matter was adjourned to July 23 to finalise the sentence.
A 61-year-old man from Ballina in County Mayo has been sentenced to 11 and a half years imprisonment for sexually abusing five girls over nearly two decades. David Langdon pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Court to seven sample counts of sexual assault on children aged between five and 12 years during the period from April 1996 to July 2015. The offences came to the attention of gardaí in 2019 when the youngest victim, then still a minor, made a disclosure. Judge Sinéad McMullan noted the abuse frequently occurred during sleepovers when the children should have felt secure. The judge cited victim impact evidence describing severe ongoing trauma, including fear of darkness, sleep disturbance, and self-harm. She characterised the offences as representing a serious breach of trust. The headline sentence of 16 years was reduced to 12 and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended, and backdated to October 2024.
A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator has found that a 61-year-old Tesco worker was unfairly dismissed following the loss of a €20 note at a Castlebar store in 2023. Declan Kavanagh was suspended in October 2023 pending investigation and subsequently dismissed in January 2024 after a disciplinary process concluded he had misplaced the money. The adjudicator determined that while Mr Kavanagh did not place the money where required, the company's investigation contained critical flaws, notably the failure to search bins where the note may have been located and the non-interviewing of other employees present at the time. The tribunal found no evidence of dishonesty, noting Mr Kavanagh had acknowledged the misplacement from the outset and offered reimbursement. Given his thirteen years of unblemished service and lack of malicious intent, dismissal for gross misconduct was deemed disproportionate. The adjudicator awarded €12,000 compensation for unfair dismissal, concluding a lesser sanction was warranted.
A 33-year-old man convicted of defiling a child at his home has been granted bail pending his appeal against conviction at the Court of Appeal in Dublin. The man, whose identity is protected to safeguard the complainant, was convicted by majority jury verdict at Castlebar Circuit Court in 2020 of defilement and sentenced to two years imprisonment with the final year suspended. He was acquitted of a separate sexual assault charge relating to the same complainant. His legal team objected to the trial judge's references during jury directions to the prosecution's characterisation of the defence as a "Bart Simpson defence", arguing this amounted to judicial advocacy and rendered the trial unfair. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy found the threshold for bail was met, particularly regarding comments she identified as potentially prejudicial. The man was released on his own bond of €150 with a €5,000 cash lodgement, subject to conditions including attendance at a local garda station three times weekly. The appeal hearing is scheduled for 7 May.
A man in his fifties and a woman in her forties have been sentenced to a combined eight and a half years imprisonment at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court following their conviction for the systematic abuse of six children over several years. The man received six years and three months, with nine months suspended, while the woman was sentenced to three years and nine months, also with nine months suspended. Judge Sinéad McMullan described the abuse as "relentless and degrading," inflicting "immeasurable" trauma on the victims. The case came to light when two eldest children walked into a garda station to report ongoing physical and emotional mistreatment. Secret audio recordings made by a teenager documented the parents hitting the children almost daily and using demeaning language. The man pleaded guilty to four counts of child cruelty, the woman to two counts, out of thirteen offences committed between January 2018 and October 2021. All six children were taken into state care. The judge commended the children for their courage in reporting the abuse.
At Castlebar Circuit Court, two parents have admitted to multiple counts of child cruelty following an investigation into the abuse of their six children. The case emerged after two teenagers walked into a garda station in the west of Ireland to report ongoing physical and emotional abuse. Over 188 secret audio recordings made by one of the young complainants were presented to the court, with extracts depicting instances of striking and verbal abuse directed at children as young as one year old. The defendants, a man in his fifties and a woman in her forties, changed their pleas to guilty after their trial commenced in May. The father pleaded guilty to four sample counts while the mother admitted two counts from a total of thirteen charges on the indictment. Evidence heard during sentencing proceedings this week included a recording of a 999 call made following an alleged serious assault on the eldest son. All six children were subsequently placed in emergency care. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday at Castlebar Circuit Court.
A teenager has been awarded €700,000 by the High Court following the HSE's admission of liability for failures in ante-natal care at Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar during 2009. The girl, now aged sixteen, sued the health authority through her mother over circumstances surrounding her birth. The court heard that a cardiotocography monitor remained unconnected between 2am and 6am on the morning of delivery on November 14th, 2009. The infant was born in poor condition and subsequently transferred to Temple Street Children's Hospital, where an MRI scan revealed diffuse abnormalities consistent with hypoxia ischaemia, a condition involving oxygen deprivation and reduced blood flow. The plaintiff's legal team submitted that midwives failed to commence continuous heart-rate monitoring and did not seek assistance from senior staff when concerning signs emerged. The child was referred to Early Intervention Services and later exhibited a range of neuropsychological difficulties, including fine motor and spatial skill deficits. Mr Justice Paul Coffey approved the settlement, noting the girl's progress in both academic and sporting pursuits.
A Castlebar man has pleaded guilty to three thefts totalling over €34,000 from a Lidl supermarket in Westport during the Christmas and New Year period of 2023. Mantas Kerusauska, aged 39, admitted to stealing €11,250 on Christmas Eve, €10,700 on December 29th, and €12,300 on New Year's Eve. Appearing at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, the court heard that a gambling addiction described as particularly egregious had contributed to the offences. Defence counsel submitted that his client's criminal conduct could be attributed in whole or in part to this addiction. Kerusauska was remanded on bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 3rd next.
Leighton Morrison, 49, of Woodfield, Galway Road, Tuam, Co Galway, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, with the final year suspended. He pleaded guilty to six sample charges from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024. The charges include sexual assault against two girls, aged eight and nine, exploitation of a child, and possession and production of child pornography. Judge Eoin Garavan stated that Morrison remains a paedophile at high risk of recidivism and a grave danger to children. The court noted that Morrison videoed the assaults for his own gratification and can never have unsupervised access to children again. His sentence was backdated to July 2, 2024, when he entered custody. Upon release, he is ordered to undergo one year of probation supervision, during which he must complete counselling and a sex offenders' programme. The judge ordered the destruction of seized videos. Morrison's defence counsel noted his public apology and difficult childhood, while the judge described him as a talented dancer who caused significant destruction. The parents of the victims, who retained their children's anonymity, delivered victim impact statements detailing the severe trauma suffered by their daughters.
A Galway man has been sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, following a violent assault at a petrol station in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo in January 2023. Tommy Sweeney, aged 23, of Castlepark, Ballybane, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a weapon at Corrib Oil service station on Neale Road. At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Eoin Garavan heard that the victim, who was sitting in his car, suffered serious head injuries including skull fractures and blood loss after being attacked by two men armed with a machete and slash hook. The assailants had waited approximately 45 minutes at the garage before striking. CCTV footage showed Sweeney holding the machete during the coordinated attack. The judge described the incident as part of an ongoing feud involving families from the travelling community across Galway and Mayo. Upon release, Sweeney must complete a year of probation supervision and remain substance-free.
An appeal has been heard in the Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court regarding Leighton Morrison (49) of Woodfield, Galway Road, Tuam, Co Galway, who pleaded guilty to six sample charges from a total of 13 offences committed between January 2023 and June 2024. The charges include two separate counts of sexual assault against an eight-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, exploitation of a child, and possession and production of child pornography. Judge Eoin Garavan stated that Morrison remains a paedophile and a grave danger to children, regardless of the length of his incarceration. His sentence was backdated to July 2, 2024, and Morrison was ordered to undergo probation supervision for a year post-release, during which time he must get counselling and undertake a sexual offenders' programme. The court heard that Morrison is at high risk of recidivism and can never have unsupervised access to children again. The matter was adjourned.
A 40-year-old woman from Ballina in County Mayo has pleaded guilty to possessing €62,000 worth of cannabis herb for sale or supply. Bernadette Muldoon, of St Patrick's estate, admitted the offence relating to drugs found at a different address on the same estate on 7 June last year. Gardaí discovered the cannabis in plastic bags and a protein tub following a tip-off search. A man fled the scene when officers arrived. Muldoon presented herself at Ballina Garda Station later that day and accepted responsibility for the drugs. She told gardaí she was holding them under duress due to a €3,000 drug debt and expressed fear for her safety after her home was damaged. The court heard she struggles with cocaine addiction. Judge Eoin Garavan adjourned sentencing to February 2026 to allow Muldoon to engage with probation services and address her substance misuse. The garda acknowledged the operation was not sophisticated and that Muldoon occupied a lower tier in the arrangement.
A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction for sexual offences against a woman in County Mayo. Jorge Paris, aged 62 and resident in Dublin, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and one of attempted sexual assault occurring between December 2000 and February 2003. The complainant, now 48, was between six and seven years old when the abuse began. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a headline sentence of six years, subsequently reduced to four and a half years with the final 18 months suspended, citing mitigation including Paris's 25-year employment record and stable 40-year marriage. The judge noted Paris had been removed from the Jehovah's Witnesses congregation following disclosure of the abuse. In her victim impact statement, the woman described lasting psychological and physical harm, stating the offences had destroyed her childhood, adulthood and sense of safety. The defence presented a letter of apology from Paris and a testimonial from his adult daughter.
A man has admitted careless driving causing the death of a woman in her 70s at a supermarket car park in County Mayo last year. The incident occurred on June 6, 2024, at Supervalu in Westport, when a lorry struck the pedestrian in the vehicle forecourt. Mihail Tanasevici, aged 41 and residing in Dublin, pleaded guilty to a single count of careless driving causing death at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard he was operating the vehicle at approximately 2 kilometres per hour whilst engaged in employment duties at the time of the collision. Tanasevici, with no previous convictions, is expected to return to court in February to address two additional charges. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 6. A probation report has been ordered ahead of these proceedings.
A Mayo man received a suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on 17 October for harassment spanning over a year. Brendan Rowland, aged 30, pleaded guilty to sending 14 malicious greeting cards to a couple in Swinford between December 2018 and December 2019. Judge Eoin Garavan noted that whilst 40 sinister cards were received in total, forensic evidence attributed only 14 to Rowland, suggesting an orchestrated campaign involving others. The cards included Mothers' Day and Christmas greetings, alongside messages signed "Joey" referencing the murder of Joe Deacy, aged 21, whose body was discovered at the recipients' home in August 2017. Judge Garavan imposed an 18-month sentence, suspended in full for two years, citing Rowland's guilty plea, apology, and rehabilitation efforts. Rowland was prohibited from approaching the Byrnes' residence or either individual within 500 metres for ten years. The judge expressed hope the matter would end the distress following Deacy's death.
A 70-year-old farmer from County Mayo has received a suspended sentence of seven months following his guilty plea to careless driving causing death. Martin Cullina was sentenced at Castlebar Circuit Court on Thursday after the three-car collision on the N17 near Claremorris on 16 May 2024 resulted in the death of a 58-year-old woman. Judge Eoin Garavan described the incident as a serious misjudgement on a dangerous stretch of road and told Cullina he had made a grave mistake. The court heard the victim's vehicle was stationary and indicating to turn when struck from behind. Cullina told gardaí he had not observed the brake lights or indicators, though a witness reported seeing both. The judge imposed conditions including an optician visit and completion of a pro-social driving test but declined to disqualify Cullina from driving, citing his isolation on a 20-acre farm eight kilometres from the nearest town. Cullina has no previous convictions and cooperated fully with gardaí.
A man who struck and fatally injured a young pedestrian at a crossing in Ballina, County Mayo, has received a fully suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. James Moyles, aged thirty-three, died on February twentieth, two thousand twenty-four, after being hit by a car on Lord Edward Street whilst holding his four-year-old niece's hand. In his final moments, Mr Moyles pushed the child to safety from the oncoming vehicle. Keith O'Brien, aged fifty, of Lowvalley, Crossmolina, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He received a suspended sentence of two and a half years and was disqualified from driving for ten years. Judge Eoin Garavan described Mr Moyles' final act as one of great selflessness, whilst characterising O'Brien as a good man who made a terrible error in judgment. The Moyles family issued a statement calling for improved road safety across Ireland.
Alex Masuku, 34, was sentenced at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to assault causing harm and possession of a weapon. The offences occurred at Cloonishlawn, Ballina, Co Mayo, on November 21, 2023. Judge Eoin Garavan noted that Masuku assaulted his friend in front of the victim's two-year-old daughter, causing facial injuries that required stitching, and threatened him with a hammer. Although Masuku claimed the attack was provoked by a video, the judge found no evidence such a video existed, describing the behaviour as baseless. Judge Garavan set a headline sentence of three years but reduced this to two years, fully suspended, citing mitigating factors including Masuku's 22-year crime-free record in Ireland and a probation report indicating low risk of re-offending. Masuku was ordered to pay €3,000 to the victim within six months and complete a MOVE course. He must also keep the peace for three years, undergo Probation Service supervision for one year, and undertake any advised mental health treatment. The court acknowledged the victim's ongoing stress and anxiety, as well as the trauma experienced by the child witness.
A Mayo woman seriously injured when struck by a Bus Éireann van in Ballina last May has expressed no ill-feeling towards the driver. At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on Friday, the court heard that Ann Bourke was briefly trapped beneath the vehicle on Kevin Barry Street on 14 May 2024, sustaining fractures to her wrist, shoulder blade and ribs. She spent two months hospitalised and required surgical intervention, though she told the court she is making good recovery. John Regan, aged 41, of Mountain View, Ballybrooney, Killala, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed 150 hours community service in lieu of a seven-month sentence, describing the incident as a serious lapse of judgment that could have proven fatal. The judge commended both parties, noting that Regan, a family man with no previous convictions, had completed a pro-social driving course and that the two had met cordially for the first time at court.
An intensive care nurse at Mayo General Hospital has received a fully suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Court for forging prescriptions to obtain painkillers. Sinéad Donohoe, aged 42, of Scrigg, Ballyhaunis, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and four counts of forgery, representing 112 charges overall. Between September 2019 and February 2021, she stole three prescription pads and used forged prescriptions across pharmacies in Ballyhaunis, Ballaghdereen, Claremorris, Castlebar, Castlerea, Knock, and Kiltimagh to obtain Solpadol. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a headline sentence of two years, suspended in full for 16 months, citing mitigating factors including her low reconviction risk and positive employment history. The judge noted Donohoe's struggle with endometriosis and workplace stress during the Covid-19 pandemic, describing her as dealing with addiction whilst employed in challenging frontline conditions. Her nursing registration has been suspended and she is currently not working. She has no previous convictions and is a married mother of two.
A man from Castlerea in County Roscommon has received a fully suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court following what the judge described as a remarkable turnaround in his life. Ernest Ashman, aged 39, pleaded guilty to possession of almost one kilogramme of cannabis, valued at approximately €20,000, for sale or supply at Rathcluain, Kiltimagh, County Mayo on 3 October 2023. He was arrested following a traffic stop after gardaí observed his vehicle being driven erratically through a housing estate. Ashman was handed a two-year suspended sentence and disqualified from driving for six years. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a headline sentence of three years but reduced it to two years in light of mitigating factors, including Ashman's rehabilitation efforts. The court heard that Ashman has since trained in addiction counselling to Level 7 qualification standard, now works in a community centre, and remains drug-free. He has been instructed to comply with probation supervision for one year and continue mental health counselling.
A Brazilian man has received a three-year suspended sentence following an assault outside a Westport nightclub that left his victim requiring extensive dental treatment. Joao Hermino Sousa Correia, aged 23, of Middletown, Manulla, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm outside The Castle on Castlebar Street on December 17, 2023. The victim sustained a fractured jaw and deep lacerations after being struck with a pint glass, resulting in the loss of four teeth and an €11,000 dental bill. At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Eoin Garavan imposed the three-year sentence, fully suspended for eight years on condition Correia return to Brazil within two weeks and not re-enter Ireland. Correia was ordered to pay €8,000 towards the victim's dental costs within three years. The court also heard of a second glassing incident occurring minutes earlier at the same venue. Leonardo Rodrigo Jesus Rosa, aged 35, of Orlagh Grove, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after throwing a glass on the dancefloor. Judge Garavan sentenced Rosa to 18 months and ordered 200 hours community service.
Keith O'Brien, 49, of Lowvalley, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to a single count of dangerous driving causing the death of James Moyles, 33. The incident occurred on Lord Edward Street, Ballina, Co Mayo, on February 20, 2024. The plea was entered before Judge Eoin Garavan. The court noted that Mr O'Brien has no previous convictions and is a working father of two. The matter is currently at the sentencing stage, with the judge deferring the imposition of a penalty to allow for the preparation of a probation report. Consequently, the case was adjourned, and Mr O'Brien faces sentencing on October 23 of this year. No final sentence or disposal has been recorded at this procedural stage. The report attributes the allegation of dangerous driving to the prosecution, which the defendant admitted. The summary reflects the validated procedural stage of sentencing and the specific adjournment for a probation report, ensuring no accusation is presented as a final conviction beyond the guilty plea.
A man has been convicted of defiling a child under 17 at his home in County Mayo six years ago. The accused, whose identity is protected to safeguard the complainant, pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was acquitted of a separate count of sexual assault arising from an incident at a staff party. Following a week-long trial at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, an all-male jury returned a 10–2 majority guilty verdict after deliberating for five and a half hours. The complainant was 16 years old at the time; the accused was 28. Judge Eoin Garavan remanded the accused on bail pending sentencing on 6 November, to allow time for a psychological report. The accused was ordered to sign on weekly at his local garda station. The judge commended the complainant's courage but reserved formal comments for the sentencing hearing.
A man now aged 22 pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to possessing child sexual abuse material discovered on his mother's laptop in County Mayo on 6 June 2018. He was 15 when gardaí found the illegal content after he reported to them that his device had been hacked as part of a sextortion attempt. The accused had been engaging in online exchanges with a hacker who subsequently infected the laptop with malware to extort money. Upon opening a video link, the screen displayed warnings and became inaccessible. He informed his mother and reported the matter to gardaí, leading to the laptop's examination by the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, which recovered the material from the recycle bin. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a two-month sentence, suspended on completion of 100 hours community service within six months, citing the accused's age at the time of the offence, social isolation, and low reoffending risk. The case will be finalised on 7 November 2025. The accused was removed from the Sex Offenders' List.
A 33-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and defilement of a child following an incident in County Mayo in July 2020. The trial, heard this week at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, was told the complainant was 16 years old at the time of the alleged offences, while the accused was 28. The defence argued the accused believed the complainant was over 18, citing her appearance, behaviour, and statements she made during a staff party. However, the court heard evidence from a witness who said she informed the accused of the complainant's actual age that night. The complainant testified the accused pressured her for sexual contact after the party. Both prosecution and defence have delivered closing submissions. Judge Eoin Garavan is to sum up to the jury today or tomorrow, after which the twelve jurors will consider their verdict.
A 42-year-old Ballinrobe woman has admitted assaulting two gardaí at Claremorris Garda Station during an incident in June 2022. Rosemary Sweeney, of Bridge Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. She is remanded in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for July 16. Judge Eoin Garavan ordered the preparation of a prison governor's report ahead of the sentencing hearing.
A Ballina man has been sentenced to one year and four months in prison for stabbing another man with a broken beer bottle during an altercation in the town four years ago. Stephen Lawrence, aged 23, of Cloonishlawn pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Oisín McCarron at Greenhills housing estate on 3 April 2021. Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court heard the incident occurred following a verbal and physical row between the two men, then teenagers, after a night of drinking. Judge Eoin Garavan noted elements of provocation and that both parties had been involved in the altercation. The victim suffered deep lacerations to his face, jaw and neck requiring plastic surgery and continues to experience psychological trauma. A family contribution of €5,000 was presented to court in recognition of the harm caused. The judge acknowledged Lawrence's genuine remorse, stable family background and lack of previous convictions. The sentence, comprising two years and three months with eleven months suspended for two years, was backdated to September 2024.
A man aged 33 has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting a teenage girl at a staff party in County Mayo in July 2020. The trial is taking place at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Eoin Garavan and an all-male jury. The complainant, now aged 21, gave evidence that she was 16 at the time and had consumed several bottles of cider during the event. She alleged the accused, whom she had not previously met, engaged in sexual contact with her in a bathroom and later in an alleyway without her consent. The woman told the court she objected to the contact and pushed the man away. The defendant faces two counts: sexual assault at the party premises on 14 to 15 July 2020, and defilement of a child under 17 at a separate address on 15 July 2020. He denies both charges. The trial is expected to continue for several days.
Gerry Norman, a 24-year-old abattoir worker from Ballina, Co Mayo, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final two years suspended at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to one man and assault causing harm to another following an unprovoked attack in Diamond's carpark, Ballina on 19 December 2021. Judge Eoin Garavan described the incident as random and fuelled by alcohol and cocaine, noting that one victim sustained a skull fracture and brain bleed, resulting in permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors including Norman's lack of prior convictions, completion of an anger management course, and demonstrated commitment to addressing substance abuse. Norman has offered €15,000 in total compensation to the victims. He was ordered to keep the peace for two years upon release.
A man from Castlebar has pleaded guilty to sharing intimate images of a woman without her consent on two separate occasions. Daniel Humphreys, aged 38 and residing on McHale Road, admitted the offences at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, which fall under legislation commonly known as Coco's Law. The incidents occurred on October 6, 2021 and around June 1, 2022. Humphreys also pleaded guilty to harassment of the same woman spanning from February 11, 2021 to June 1, 2022 across various locations. He has no previous convictions. Judge Eoin Garavan ordered both psychological and probation reports to assist in sentencing. The case has been adjourned, with a sentence hearing scheduled for October 21.
Bernard McDonagh, aged 30, of Gortnafolla, Turlough, Castlebar, has affirmed guilty pleas to five charges at Castlebar Circuit Court. The charges arise from incidents on November 11 last year at various locations in Castlebar. McDonagh admitted assaulting a garda and another man at Tesco, Knockacroghery. He also pleaded guilty to theft of a bottle of gin valued at €35 and clothing worth €420 from TK Maxx. A further charge concerned criminal damage to a vehicle wing mirror in an Aldi carpark. McDonagh, currently on an enhanced regime in custody, was remanded pending sentencing on July 22. Judge Eoin Garavan directed that probation and governor's reports be prepared for the hearing.
A 33-year-old man from County Mayo has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and child defilement at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. He denies sexually assaulting a female at a county address between 14 and 15 July 2020, and separately denies defiling a child under 17 at another location on 15 July 2020. The defence indicated the alleged incidents occurred at a work or office gathering. A jury of twelve was sworn in by Judge Eoin Garavan, with the trial expected to conclude within three days.
Jemima Burke appeared before the High Court to challenge a public order conviction obtained at Ballina District Court. Ms Burke alleged that her constitutional rights were breached due to the excessive haste of the original proceedings, claiming she was detained for two hours and tried within 55 minutes of release without legal representation or disclosure. She stated she was filming an inquest in Swinford, Co Mayo, when arrested, and argued that the garda's confiscation of her phone deprived her of probative evidence. The District Court judge had convicted her of one public order offence, with the other taken into consideration, and fined her €350. Ms Burke described the process as resembling something from the Middle Ages. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Kieran Kelly BL, did not oppose the quashing of the conviction but argued the matter should be remitted to the District Court for a new hearing before a different judge to ensure a fair trial. Ms Justice Sara Phelan reserved judgment in the matter, meaning the case was adjourned and not concluded.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal by Shane Noonan against his sentence for the rape of Ciara Mangan. The offence occurred at an address in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on May 11, 2013. Noonan, who was 18 at the time, pleaded guilty to the charge. At his sentencing in July 2023, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed a headline sentence of eight years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, resulting in an effective custody period of seven years. In his appeal, counsel for Noonan argued that the sentence was too high given his lack of prior convictions and the late entry of his guilty plea. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions contended that the plea was entered on the day of the trial and that the suspension period appropriately reflected mitigating factors. Mr Justice Michael McGrath, delivering the judgment, stated that Noonan's culpability was high and the harm to the victim was great. Consequently, the court ruled that the sentence was appropriate in the circumstances and dismissed the appeal. Ms Mangan, who waived her anonymity, stated that the 22-month wait for the appeal decision had delayed her healing, but she expressed relief that the process had finally concluded.
Paul Arthur, 59, of Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was sentenced today at the Central Criminal Court to 10 years' imprisonment after being found guilty by a jury of two counts of anal rape and one count of vaginal rape of his former partner, Susan Lynch. The offences occurred between September 2017 and July 2018. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath described the attacks as a repeated, pre-meditated breach of trust. In mitigation, the judge noted Arthur had no previous convictions and health issues, but determined prison would not be unduly oppressive. The sentence was backdated to when Arthur entered custody following the guilty verdicts in November. Ms Lynch, who waived anonymity, read a victim impact statement detailing her trauma, including panic attacks, surgeries, and alopecia. She stated she declined counselling because notes could be used against her at trial, a regret she expressed to the court. She also highlighted financial losses and the loss of her home and identity. Defence counsel John Berry SC confirmed there would be no appeal against the conviction. The court heard that a proposed law to protect rape survivors' counselling notes from admissibility has yet to be passed.
James Kilroy was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court today following his conviction for the murder of his wife, Valerie French, at their home in Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, between 13 and 14 June 2019. Kilroy had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but a jury rejected that defence. The State Pathologist determined that Ms French died from ligature strangulation combined with blunt force trauma and a stab wound to the neck. During sentencing, Ms French's family called for legislative change to prevent convicted murderers from retaining parental rights over their children, citing similar protections in the United Kingdom. The victim's brother told the court that Kilroy has demonstrated no remorse and attempted to avoid accountability for the killing. Ms French's family emphasised the widespread impact on relatives, friends and the community, and urged women experiencing abuse to contact gardaí.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has unanimously convicted James Kilroy of the murder of his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, at their home in Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, in June 2019. The conviction marks the conclusion of his third trial since 2021, with previous proceedings having collapsed due to unforeseen difficulties. Kilroy had mounted an insanity defence, claiming he was suffering cannabis-induced psychosis when he fatally beat, stabbed and strangled his wife. The jury of eight women and four men rejected this claim after deliberating for approximately two hours. Expert psychiatric evidence was divided on whether cannabis-induced psychosis constitutes a valid defence under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act, though the prosecution's consultant psychiatrist argued such conditions fall within the definition of intoxication rather than mental disorder. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, stated the verdict represented the correct outcome, noting that self-induced scenarios cannot serve as defences. Kilroy will receive the mandatory life sentence at sentencing on the following Monday, when the victim's family will be afforded the opportunity to address the court.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has viewed the bloodied knife and hatchet used in the killing of a woman at her home in Westport, County Mayo. James Kilroy, aged fifty-one, a park ranger, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering his wife Valerie French Kilroy at Kilbree Lower between June thirteenth and fourteenth, 2019. During the trial, gardaí gave evidence that a twenty-centimetre knife, bent at nearly ninety degrees, was discovered at the scene with the victim's blood upon it. Detective Garda Sergeant Michael Doherty of Castlebar Garda Station outlined how the accused demonstrated to gardaí how the killing occurred and sketched the weapon. The defence has accepted that the accused killed his wife. A pathology report established that Mrs French Kilroy died from ligature strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head, and a stab wound to the neck. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues.
A Central Criminal Court jury has heard that psychiatric evidence is disputed in the trial of James Kilroy (51), charged with murdering his wife Valerie French Kilroy (41) at their rural home near Westport and Castlebar in County Mayo in June 2019. Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that the accused is expected to accept he caused his wife's death by blunt force trauma, strangulation, and stabbing. A defence psychiatrist will testify that Mr Kilroy was experiencing cannabis-induced psychosis at the time and meets the legal criteria for a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity. A prosecution psychiatrist will contradict this assessment. The jury will also hear from toxicologists regarding intoxication, which cannot constitute a legal defence to murder. The court has been informed that four possible verdicts are available: guilty of murder, not guilty by reason of insanity, guilty of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility, or acquittal. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
A barrister from Castlebar has had his public order conviction overturned on appeal. Simeon Burke, aged 25, was convicted in July 2023 at Dublin District Court and fined €300 following an incident at the Four Courts on Inns Quay in March that year. The breach of the peace charge related to his behaviour during proceedings involving his brother's legal case before the Court of Appeal. At the District Court Appeals hearing on 15 April, Judge John Martin allowed Mr Burke's appeal and quashed the conviction. The judge found insufficient evidence that Mr Burke's conduct met the criminal threshold required for a public order offence under the relevant legislation. Garda witnesses had testified that Mr Burke resisted and obstructed officers during removal from the courtroom, including making comments about unrelated matters. However, Judge Martin concluded the requisite standard for criminal conviction had not been established beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Burke had argued that gardaí adopted an overzealous approach and removed him without a valid judicial order to do so.
The Central Criminal Court trial of James Kilroy, 50, accused of murdering his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, 41, at their Co Mayo home in June 2019, continued with the prosecution case closing. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury heard evidence from gardai interviews in which the accused described waiting in the long grass for his wife before slitting her throat and choking her with his bare hands. He stated he used a black serrated knife and smashed her head, describing the event as a frenzy. The prosecution noted that Ms French Kilroy died from strangulation, blunt force trauma, and a stab wound. Defence counsel called consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney, who testified that the accused had a long history of cannabis use, including therapeutic consumption of high-THC 'AK-47' strain in the three years prior to the death. Dr Mullaney stated that THC can induce substance-induced psychosis in predisposed individuals and that the accused slightly increased his use in the week before the incident. The accused also reported feeling watched and paranoid in the days leading up to the event. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded at this stage.
At the Central Criminal Court, a consultant psychiatrist told a jury that a man charged with murder disclosed he was "on a mission from God to kill" his wife during a mental health assessment conducted before her body was discovered. Dr Camilla Curtis of Mayo Mental Health Services stated the accused presented with acute psychotic symptoms and posed a significant risk to himself and others, yet she determined he could not be detained in the low-security adult mental health unit in Castlebar. The man, aged 50, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Ms Valerie French Kilroy at their home in Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, between June 13 and 14, 2019. The court heard he was found running naked in a field outside Westport and subsequently confessed to gardaí, stating he had stabbed his wife in the throat with a kitchen knife. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury at the Central Criminal Court.