A man from Ballina, County Mayo, has admitted killing two disabled brothers but denies murder charges relating to their deaths in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. The 30-year-old defendant is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, charged with murdering Thomas Blaine and Jack Blaine. During proceedings, gardaí testimony revealed the accused's account of the incident, including claims he inflicted injuries because he suspected the brothers were child molesters. The State Pathologist's post-mortem examination documented extensive trauma to both victims, including skull fractures, blunt force injuries, and scalding. The pathologist characterised the assault as displaying "overkill", with violence far exceeding what was necessary to cause death. Evidence suggested the initial attack occurred while one victim lay in bed, with injuries consistent with defensive attempts. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and jury.
A Ballinrobe man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at a Castlebar takeaway in May 2015. Yasir Ali, aged 29, admitted stealing commercial kitchen equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway. The stolen items included freezers, deep fat fryers, a burger fryer, microwave, blender, stainless steel tables and bowls, and food preparation equipment. Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to November 2, 2017, when the full facts of the case will be heard before the court.
A man is on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of two elderly brothers found beaten to death in their Castlebar home in July 2013. The accused, aged 30 and from Ballina, Co Mayo, has admitted killing the brothers but pleaded not guilty to murder. Evidence heard during the trial revealed that hours before the deaths, the defendant claimed to be a medical student and told people in a local public house that he worked in the mortuary and would conduct post-mortems on any bodies discovered that night. He also made allegations against another man present in the establishment, suggesting he posed a threat to his wife. Witnesses testified that the brothers were known as harmless and quiet members of the Castlebar community. One barman recalled regularly delivering tea to the brothers and witnessing the defendant in their company on the night in question. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury.
A carer became emotional while testifying at the Central Criminal Court as she described discovering the bloodied bodies of two elderly brothers at their Castlebar home in July 2013. Helen Maloney, who had provided care to Thomas and John Blaine for approximately nine years, told the court she found Thomas in his bedroom saturated with blood and later located John outside the rear of the property, also covered in blood. A garda witness noted that pieces of skin appeared to have been removed from John Blaine's stomach. Alan Cawley, aged 30 and of Four Winds, Corrinbla, Ballina, stands trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with their murder. He has admitted killing both men but pleads not guilty to the murder charge relating to the deaths on 10th July 2013. CCTV evidence placed him entering the brothers' home at midnight, departing approximately one hour later. The court heard Cawley had been released from prison days before the incident. The trial continues.
A 30-year-old man from Ballina has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of two elderly brothers who died in a violent assault at their Castlebar home in July 2013. Alan Cawley has pleaded not guilty to murdering Thomas Blaine and John Blaine at New Antrim Street, Castlebar. The State's case, opened by Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, centres on whether the deaths constitute murder or manslaughter. The brothers were discovered by their home help, with one found in his bedroom and the other in a rear courtyard. The State Pathologist found both men sustained severe blunt force trauma, with Thomas Blaine suffering extensive head, chest and facial injuries, and Jack Blaine, who had speech and hearing impairments, also receiving a scalding injury. Defence counsel subsequently admitted on the accused's behalf that he caused both deaths. The trial before Mr Justice Paul Coffey continues next week.
A 30-year-old man from Ballina in County Mayo appeared before the Central Criminal Court to face trial on charges of murdering two elderly brothers. Alan Cawley of Four Winds, Corrinbla pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in relation to deaths that occurred four years prior. The charges were brought on 10th July 2013 following an incident at New Antrim Street in Castlebar. Justice Isobel Kennedy empanelled a jury of four women and eight men to hear the case. The trial, scheduled to run for between ten and twelve working days, commenced before Mr Justice Paul Coffey.
A man has had the suspended portion of his sentence for aggravated burglary increased by the Court of Appeal following an undue leniency review. Andrzej Topolski, aged 50 and formerly of Castlebar, County Mayo, had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at his former wife's home in Blackfort Manor, Castlebar on 22 March 2015. The Circuit Court had sentenced him to three years in July 2016, suspending the unserved balance after he had spent eleven months in custody awaiting trial. The Court of Appeal increased the suspended sentence to five years. Mr Justice George Birmingham noted the offence occurred in a domestic context following the breakdown of Topolski's marriage, though the court determined a higher starting point of seven years would have been more appropriate. The judge acknowledged Topolski had secured employment as a stone mason during seventeen months at liberty and found that immediate incarceration would be unduly harsh. Topolski was ordered to undertake good behaviour and maintain no contact with the injured party or his former wife for five years.
A man from County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two robberies committed in the greater Dublin area in 2015. Craig Dempsey, now residing in Achill, admitted robbing Apache Pizza in Tallaght Shopping Centre on 6 September 2015 in company with an accomplice who carried an electric chainsaw. The court heard that approximately €2,535 was taken. Dempsey also pleaded guilty to robbing a Spar store in Ballycullen on 20 July 2015, during which he produced a broken bottle. The court was informed Dempsey committed the offences to settle a drug debt and that he had since relocated to Mayo away from negative influences. Following a positive probation report, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a probation bond for one year with strict conditions and adjourned finalisation until July 2018.
Dylan Cahill, aged 24, of Lower Irishtown, Clonmel, County Tipperary, received a six-year sentence at the Special Criminal Court following guilty pleas to weapons and explosives charges. On 13 May 2015, gardaí conducting traffic enforcement stopped a vehicle near Glefarne, County Leitrim after reports of fuel theft. A search of the maroon Volkswagen Passat uncovered a plastic shopping bag containing a .380 calibre semi-automatic pistol, four rounds of matching ammunition, and two improvised explosive devices. Cahill, the driver, pleaded guilty to possession of the firearm and ammunition, and to possession of the pipe-bombs at the same location. During interview, he stated he was unaware of the weapon's intended purpose. Gardaí assessed the items were being transported in connection with IRA activities. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding with two colleagues, imposed concurrent sentences of six years, with the final year suspended, on each count.
A 78-year-old American resident has had his prison sentence reduced following a successful appeal at the Court of Appeal in Dublin. The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault, possession of child pornography, and attempted buggery of a minor between 2000 and 2005. He was originally sentenced to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment in June 2016. The Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to five years, finding that the sentencing judge had insufficiently considered his age and serious medical conditions, which render him largely wheelchair dependent. Mr Justice Alan Mahon stated that while the offences were very serious and involved grooming and abuse of a teenager, courts must give appropriate consideration to the health difficulties of elderly offenders. The three-judge court determined that without these mitigating factors, a sentence of approximately eight years would have been imposed.
A 24-year-old man from County Tipperary pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing two pipe-bombs, a pistol, and ammunition discovered during a traffic stop in County Leitrim in May 2015. Dylan Cahill of Clonmel admitted charges relating to a .380 calibre semi-automatic pistol, four rounds of ammunition, and two improvised explosive devices found at Sradrine, Glefarne. Gardaí conducting traffic duties stopped the vehicle after reports it had left a filling station without paying for fuel. A search of the car revealed the weapons and explosives in a shopping bag on the front passenger seat. Detective Garda Derek Bonar told the court that gardaí believed the items were being transported in connection with IRA activities. Cahill's co-accused, John Burke, previously pleaded guilty in the Circuit Criminal Court and received a three-and-a-half-year sentence with six months suspended. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, sitting with two other judges, remanded Cahill in custody pending sentencing on 26 June.
Two brothers from Claremorris in County Mayo have been sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court, with the final two and a half years suspended. Colin Mannion, aged 37, and Brian Mannion, aged 34, of Burriscarra, Clogher, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of explosive substances including RDX, PETN, detonators and electrical components discovered at their home on 9 June 2012. Charges of membership of an unlawful organisation were not proceeded with. The court heard that gardaí found materials and equipment consistent with bomb manufacturing in a metal container in a shed on the property. Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted the men had relevant professional qualifications and skills. Mitigation factors included their guilty pleas, limited involvement of two to three months, good character prior to the offences, and sworn undertakings to refrain from subversive activities. The sentence was backdated to 7 June 2017.
Two brothers from Claremorris, County Mayo, have pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of explosive substances discovered during a garda raid on their home in June 2012. Colin Mannion, aged 37, and Brian Mannion, aged 34, of Burriscarra, Clogher, admitted possessing RDX, PETN, detonators, and electronic components found in a shed on their property. The men face additional charges of membership of an unlawful organisation. Armed gardaí executed a search warrant and found the brothers in the shed, where audio-visual surveillance had previously been conducted. Evidence presented at sentence hearing included fingerprints, recorded footage, and expert analysis confirming the explosive nature of recovered materials. Both men have given undertakings to the court against future involvement in such activities. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with two other judges, remanded both men in custody pending sentencing. Their legal representatives sought leniency, citing guilty pleas and limited duration of involvement.
A trial date has been set for a teenager charged with murder in County Mayo. The 17-year-old accused, who cannot be named due to his age, faces a charge of murdering 17-year-old Dovydas Jenkus on 19 December 2015 at Claremount Manor in Claremorris. The defendant, with an address in County Mayo, will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Castlebar on 11 July. The alleged incident occurred approximately eighteen months before the court proceedings were scheduled.
Two brothers from Claremorris, County Mayo, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court on 26 May 2017 to unlawful possession of explosives. Colin Mannion, aged 36, and Brian Mannion, aged 34, both of Burriscarra, Clogher, admitted to possessing RDX, PETN, one loaded detonator, two unloaded detonators, and three electrical component parts at their home address on 9 June 2012. The brothers face a separate charge of membership of an unlawful organisation on the same date. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded both men on continuing bail. They are due to appear for sentencing on 14 June 2017.
Singer Tommy Fleming brought proceedings in the High Court against Telifís Mhaigh Eo Teoranta, trading as Irish TV, alleging breach of copyright following the unauthorised broadcast of his DVD Voice of Hope. The company, which operated from Westport Industrial Park in County Mayo and broadcast on Sky, Eir and free-to-air services, did not contest the application. The station broadcast the promotional material in December 2014 under the title Tommy Fleming Musical Extravaganza without permission. Mr Fleming gave evidence that his career had suffered as a result. His wife and manager, Tina Mitchell Fleming, told the court that sales of the recording had dropped and that planned discussions with SkyArts had ended following the broadcast. The Flemings and their company TF Productions Ltd had previously obtained an injunction against the broadcaster in December. They sought to make the injunction permanent. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan reserved his decision.
A man convicted of sexually exploiting a child online has had his sentence reduced on appeal at the Court of Appeal. The defendant, aged 23, with an address in County Cork, had pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of child exploitation occurring in April 2012. He was originally sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, in February 2016. Following his appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon reduced the sentence to five-and-a-half years, with the final two years suspended. The court heard the defendant was nearly 19 when he engaged in online sexual contact with a 12-year-old victim via video conversation. He accepted continuing contact after learning the victim's true age and requiring her to remove clothing and engage in sexual acts. The judge noted the defendant had previous convictions for sexual assault of an adult woman, describing him as "a significant threat to women" at a young age.
A director of a carpet company based in Charlestown, County Mayo, admitted at the Central Criminal Court to breaching competition law through a price-fixing arrangement. Brendan Smith, aged 39 and a director of Aston Carpets and Flooring, pleaded guilty to engaging in an anti-competitive agreement with a rival firm between July 2012 and April 2013. The agreement involved the companies coordinating bids to artificially inflate prices for their products. Smith further admitted to a second charge of attempting to obstruct a prosecution investigation by instructing an individual to delete emails in April 2013. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded Smith on bail pending sentencing on May 4th.
A 24-year-old man from Clonmel in County Tipperary has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing a firearm and explosive devices. Dylan Cahill admitted to having a .380 calibre Colt semi-automatic pistol and four rounds of ammunition at a location in Glefarne, County Leitrim on 13 May 2015. He also pleaded guilty to possession of two improvised explosive devices at the same address on that date. The non-jury court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy alongside two other judges, remanded Cahill in custody pending sentencing scheduled for 15 May 2017.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for handling stolen property. Judge Elma Sheahan reduced a recommended three-year term to two years following mitigation. Fagan pleaded guilty to possessing a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that Fagan dropped the safe from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the night of the burglary, scattering items including shotgun cartridges. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was not charged with the burglary itself. Separately, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on the same date. The court noted that the original burglary involved the victim's wife and child being tied up. Michael Fagan's defence counsel highlighted his desire to live a sober life, while the judge acknowledged his mitigation.
Thomas Murray, aged 34, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of robberies in Dublin between December 2015 and February 2016. He used a knife to threaten victims and cut the straps of handbags, and he also used stolen bank cards for small "tap" purchases. The court noted that he had 37 prior convictions and that his most recent offences were committed while on bail. Murray was apprehended after being "rugby tackled" by two Dublin Bus drivers who pursued him following a robbery at a bus stop. He pleaded guilty to eight robberies, one attempted robbery and one threat to kill, and he admitted that his crimes were driven by a heroin addiction and the need to fund his drug habit and provide for his children. The judge imposed a consecutive sentence of eight years, with the final two years suspended, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property. The offence involved a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014, which Fagan dropped from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the same night. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that items, including shotgun cartridges, scattered after the drop. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was jailed for the handling offence. Separately, at Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on May 5, 2014. The court heard that the victims, including Guildea's wife and child, were tied up during the incident. Michael Fagan was not charged with the burglary itself. Judge Elma Sheehan presided over the sentencing in Dublin, while the Trim court handed down the sentences for Dean Fagan and Smith. All three individuals received custodial sentences for their respective convictions.
A former solicitor from Castlebar, County Mayo, has had her prison sentence reduced from twelve to six months following a successful appeal. Jacqueline Durcan, aged 47, had pleaded guilty to stealing €260,000 from clients between February 2008 and January 2011 while operating Durcan Solicitors as a sole practitioner. She was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment in December 2016. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence could have been appropriately reduced for a person of previously good character. The court noted substantial mitigating factors including Durcan's full cooperation, early guilty plea, complete reimbursement through the Solicitors Compensation Fund, and her status as mother of five young children aged between seven and thirteen. The judges acknowledged the particular hardship of her serving her sentence away from her family, who had relocated to Brussels. Durcan has been struck off the solicitors' register.
A former solicitor from Castlebar, County Mayo, has appealed a 12-month jail sentence imposed for stealing €260,000 from clients. Jacqueline Durcan pleaded guilty to the theft, which occurred between February 2008 and January 2011 while she was operating Durcan Solicitors. The funds were withdrawn from mixed client deposit accounts during a period when she and her husband faced significant financial difficulties owing €6.5 million to banks. Durcan has since repaid all stolen monies. At the Court of Appeal hearing on 12 January 2017, her barrister argued that full restitution, her cooperation with authorities, and her personal circumstances as a young mother warranted reconsideration of the sentence. The prosecution submitted the 12-month term fell within the lower range of available custodial sentences. The three-judge court reserved judgement, with decision scheduled for 23 January.
Two men, Paul Reilly (36) and Ray Donnelly (49), were convicted of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm after breaking into Clanna Gael GAA club in Irishtown, Dublin, on the night of the semi‑finals on 2 September 2012. They used a fake gun to threaten the bar manager, Paul Lynch, and a patron, Paul McDonald, tying them with duct tape and leaving them face‑down on the floor. The intruders ransacked the club's safe and stole €7,569, which has not been recovered. Donnelly was also found guilty of handling stolen property for attempting to sell a stolen Volkswagen Golf on DoneDeal. Both men pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment and possession of an imitation firearm. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced them to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment; Donnelly received an additional four months for the stolen‑property charge.
A former solicitor from County Mayo has been sentenced to one year in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €260,000 from her clients between February 2008 and January 2011. Jacqueline Durcan, aged 47, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft from mixed client deposit accounts. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the custodial sentence, noting the serious breach of professional trust, the sustained nature of the offending, and the substantial sum involved as aggravating factors. The court heard Durcan, who ran Durcan Solicitors in Castlebar, made the thefts whilst facing severe financial pressures from property investments. Most funds were redirected into the family practice, with €51,000 applied towards her home purchase. The Law Society paid out €206,184 in compensation claims. Durcan has since made reparations and was struck off the roll. She has since relocated to Belgium.
During a sentencing hearing in the Special Criminal Court, Donal O Coisdealbha, a 25‑year‑old Dublin man, pleaded guilty to membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He was arrested on 13 May 2015 after a Garda investigation that had followed him for months. The investigation uncovered explosive device components in his Maynooth University locker and in a house at Harbour Court, Courtown, Wexford. Items seized included improvised rockets, semtex, detonators, a time‑power unit, a broken circuit board, and a PIC chip. DNA evidence linked O Coisdealbha to the devices. Garda audio surveillance revealed discussions about building an artillery rocket and a planned event around the time of Prince Charles's visit. O Coisdealbha denied IRA membership during detention. He has no prior convictions and was remanded in custody until 6 December for sentencing. The maximum sentence for belonging to a dissident republican terrorist organisation is eight years.
A former solicitor who pleaded guilty to stealing €260,000 from clients will have her case re-sentenced after the presiding judge stood aside on grounds of a potential conflict of interest. Jacqueline Durcan, previously from County Mayo but now resident in Brussels, took the money from mixed client deposit accounts between February 2008 and January 2011 whilst running Durcan Solicitors in Castlebar. Judge Melanie Greally, sitting at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, adjourned sentencing after learning that a member of her wider family was known to Durcan's family. The case has been transferred to Judge Patricia Ryan, with proceedings to resume on 2 December. Durcan admitted making multiple withdrawals, including €51,500 used to purchase her own home. The Law Society subsequently paid €206,184 in compensation to affected clients, which Durcan has repaid. She was struck off the roll and has since relocated to Belgium, where she teaches English as a foreign language.
A former solicitor from County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €260,000 from client accounts between 2008 and 2011. Jacqueline Durcan, aged 47, made five withdrawals from mixed deposit accounts while managing Durcan Solicitors in Castlebar, which she had inherited from her father. The court heard she and her husband were indebted to banks for €6.5 million at the time, following property investments during the boom years. While some funds were used for office costs and insurance, €51,500 was applied to her home purchase in 2010. Upon learning an audit was imminent in early 2011, Durcan notified the Law Society of the deficit. She was struck off in 2011 and subsequently relocated to Belgium, where she teaches English. The Law Society paid €206,184 in compensation claims, which Durcan has since repaid. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 21 November 2016.
A 55-year-old Mayo man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, following his conviction on seven counts of indecent assault against two of his sisters committed between 1977 and 1984. The Central Criminal Court sitting in Castlebar heard that the assaults occurred when the victims were aged between 15 and 22 years old. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted by jury in July. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed concurrent sentences ranging from three months to three years, suspending the final year on condition that no further sexual offence is committed. The judge noted that while the offending may be at the lower end of the spectrum, considerable harm had been caused to the victims. The man will be subject to the sex offenders register. The complaints were made to gardaí in 2011, approximately three decades after the alleged incidents occurred.
Three Dublin men were brought before the Special Criminal Court on 16 September 2016, charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Jonathan Hawthorn, aged 44, of Ballintyre Downs, Ballinteer, was arrested on Irishtown Road the previous evening; Detective Garda Rory Geelon testified that he was informed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that he would be charged with IRA membership and that Hawthorn made no reply to caution. Donal O Ceallaigh, aged 32, of Beach Road, Sandymount, was similarly arrested on Irishtown Road; Detective Sergeant Eamon Hoey gave evidence that he was informed of the DPP's direction and also made no reply to caution. James Geraghty, aged 60, of Dolphin House, Dolphin's Barn, was arrested on Kevin Street; Detective Sergeant Alan McDevitt testified that Geraghty replied, "I'm not a member of any group," when informed of the DPP's direction.
A man from Cabra West in Dublin has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for involvement in a cocaine importation scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Michael Moore (62) of Killala Road pleaded guilty to possession of one kilogramme of cocaine discovered at Finglas on 4 September 2009. Gardaí intercepted thirteen packages addressed to a bogus engineering company at Dublin Airport; Moore and a co-accused were arrested while examining one such package at a UPS depot. During detention, Moore received threatening text messages demanding he answer his phone and warning he was "playing a dangerous game". He initially denied involvement but later admitted arranging for the package's collection, claiming he believed it contained cash rather than drugs. Moore told officers he had been provided a phone by associates in Spain and feared for his family's safety. He was released on High Court bail but subsequently absconded for six years before his arrest last May following his return to Ireland.
Patrick Brennan, 52, was arrested on Thursday morning as part of an operation targeting dissident republican activity. He was charged at the Special Criminal Court with knowingly possessing over a kilogram of explosives, specifically four 400‑gram blocks of TNT and three electric explosive detonators. The possession was alleged to have occurred at Store Street, Dublin 1, on 16 June. Detective Garda Graham Dunne arrested Brennan on Irishtown Road, Dublin 4, at 12:18 pm, informed him of the charges, and detained him at Irishtown Garda station. Brennan was transported to the Special Criminal Court, shown the charge sheet, and made no reply to the court's questions. He sat in a light blue, striped T‑shirt, arms folded, and only confirmed his identity when asked. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler with Judges Margaret Heneghan and Ann Ryan, remanded Brennan in custody until Friday, 24 June, with a bail application to be made on that day.
The High Court has awarded approximately €700,000 in damages to Mary Molloy, the former owner of Bartragh Island in Killala Bay, County Mayo. Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan ruled on Friday that Ms Molloy was entitled to the damages arising from a 1996 option agreement with Sean Simon of Deerpark, Loughrea, County Roscommon, which was never completed. The island was subsequently sold to a company controlled by golfer Nick Faldo in 1997 for €1.5 million. Ms Molloy had sought to exercise her right to repurchase the property but was unable to do so after the mortgagee, Irish Nationwide Building Society, agreed to its sale. The High Court had previously found in 2003 that Ms Molloy's attempts to exercise her option had been frustrated. The assessment of damages proceeded following the withdrawal of a Supreme Court appeal and re-entry of the case in 2014. A smaller adjoining island is also to be transferred to Ms Molloy.
A man with 96 previous convictions has failed in his appeal against a sentence for criminal damage imposed at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. Anthony Foody, aged 37, from Greenhills Estate in Ballina, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at a house in Ballina on 19 May 2015. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Rory McCabe on 29 October 2015. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against sentence on 9 June 2016, with the three-judge court finding the term imposed fell within the discretion of the trial judge. The court noted Foody's extensive criminal history and poor rehabilitation prospects. Justice Alan Mahon observed that the suspended portion of the sentence was designed as an incentive for reform. The appeal was dismissed without error identified in principle.
A long-running dispute over Bartragh Island in Killala Bay, County Mayo, returned before the High Court on Tuesday. The case concerns a 1996 agreement between former island owner Mary Molloy and Sean Simon regarding a purchase option. Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan dismissed Mr Simon's preliminary application to strike out proceedings on grounds of inordinate and inexcusable delay. The judge acknowledged a delay of over ten years had occurred but determined it was in the interests of justice to proceed with assessing damages. The case will now advance to a damages assessment hearing. In 2003, the High Court previously ruled that Ms Molloy's attempts to exercise her option to repurchase the island had been frustrated when a mortgagee lender agreed to sell the property to an international golf company.
Kenneth Cummins, aged 28, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Thomas Horan, a 63‑year‑old man described as mentally challenged. Cummins initially pleaded not guilty but changed to guilty after four weeks of trial. The prosecution presented evidence that Horan was strangled and suffocated, with injuries consistent with a severe beating, and that Cummins and his sister Sabrina were involved in the assault. Cummins had 77 prior convictions, including 46 for public order offences, and a history of alcohol dependency and psychiatric treatment. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, imposed a life sentence backdated to 8 January 2014, noting Cummins' guilty plea and the violent nature of the killing. No further legal actions were mentioned in the article.
A 16-year-old boy has been sent forward for trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with murder following the death of a 17-year-old in Claremorris, County Mayo. The deceased, Dovydas Jenkus, sustained injuries on December 19th of last year and subsequently died. The teenager appeared before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who set a trial date of July 19th. The case will proceed to the Central Criminal Court this summer.
Bryan Ryan (31) of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, has had his appeal against conviction for murder dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Ryan was convicted in 2013 of the murder of Ian Tobin at Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown, on May 27, 2007. A jury at the Central Criminal Court returned a majority guilty verdict, and the mandatory life sentence was imposed in March 2013. Ryan's legal team had argued that gardaí possessed "an agenda" to obtain a confession and that admissions made during garda interviews should have been excluded from evidence. Mr Justice George Birmingham, delivering judgment today alongside two other judges, found the trial judge was best positioned to assess these matters and had properly viewed all video evidence. The court upheld the trial judge's findings that Ryan was not oppressed and admissions were not involuntary. The Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction as safe and rejected all grounds of appeal.
This report details five notorious Irish murder cases, including the sentencing of Malcolm McArthur. McArthur pleaded guilty to the murder of Bridie Gargan and was sentenced to life in jail. The article also covers the Grangegorman killings, where Mark Nash was found guilty of the murders of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callinan in 2015, receiving a second life sentence. Although Dean Lyons initially confessed to these crimes, charges against him were dropped in 1998 after psychological testing suggested he was highly suggestible. Additionally, the report notes that Geoffrey Evans and John Shaw were sentenced to life in jail for the murders and rapes of Elizabeth Plunkett and Mary Duffy. Colin Whelan was sentenced to life in 2005 for the murder of his wife, Mary Gough, after faking his death and being extradited from Spain. Finally, Graham Dwyer is described in relation to the murder of Elaine O'Hara, though specific sentencing details for this case are not provided in the text. The validated procedural stage for the highlighted subjects is sentence, with findings of guilt and life imprisonment imposed for the proven charges.
ACC Loan Management Ltd has secured summary judgement in the High Court for €3.893 million against three directors of a Mayo-based development company. Ms Justice Marie Baker granted the order against Seamus Dolan, John Waldron and John A Waldron, who are directors and shareholders of DW Developments Ltd, based at Carrowmore Meadows, Knock. The bank had advanced loans to the company in 2007 and 2008, partly to fund construction at a Knock development, which defaulted in 2008. ACC sought judgement on the basis of five separate personal guarantees executed by the three men. The defendants opposed the application, arguing they had defences including claims of a joint venture arrangement and procedural defects in the guarantee documentation. Justice Baker rejected these contentions, finding no credible defence had been established. The judge confirmed each defendant had executed the guarantees. The matter was adjourned to allow submissions on interest payable on the sum awarded.
A man from Erris, County Mayo, will face a retrial following the Court of Appeal's decision to quash his careless driving conviction. Brendan Hegarty, aged 51, had been convicted at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court of careless driving causing serious injury arising from a road traffic incident on the N59 near Ballina on 14 October 2013. He had been fined €5,000 and disqualified from driving for twelve months. Mr Hegarty appealed his conviction, challenging whether proper statutory procedures governing majority jury verdicts had been followed. The Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently advised the Court of Appeal that it would not be defending the conviction. Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with two colleagues, found sufficient doubt over the majority verdict to quash the conviction and ordered a retrial. The original incident involved a collision between a Volkswagen Transporter van driven by Mr Hegarty and a Ford Transit van driven by another motorist.
A widow from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has settled her High Court damages action for €500,000 following the death of her husband at Galway Sportsgrounds. Dolores Byrne sued her late husband Declan's employer, CDM Steel Ltd, and the Connacht and Irish Rugby Football Unions after he was fatally injured on the site in April 2008. Mr Byrne, a steel fabricator, died when a steel girder fell and struck him while he was realigning it as part of gym construction works. Mrs Byrne had alleged the defendants failed to provide a safe workplace and adequate safety equipment. The defendants denied liability, with CDM Steel claiming Mr Byrne's own negligence caused the accident. Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement at the High Court on Wednesday, describing it as a very good outcome. The case against another defendant, Portant Developments Ltd, has been struck out.
Michael McMahon has been denied a reduction to his nine-year jail sentence following an appeal heard in the Court of Appeal. McMahon, aged 49 and resident in County Louth, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Seán Lavelle and falsely imprisoning Mr and Mrs Lavelle at their Achill Island home on 14 February 2010. He received a twelve-year term with the final three years suspended in January 2012. His appeal against sentence severity was dismissed on grounds that the trial judge had not sufficiently considered his offer of compensation to the victims. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan stated the couple had returned home to find two masked intruders who tied and beat Mr Lavelle and restrained Mrs Lavelle. Both victims reported lasting psychological trauma. McMahon's offered compensation of €20,000 was rejected by the injured parties. The court found no error in sentencing and dismissed the appeal unanimously.
A High Court judge presiding over the Special Criminal Court has expressed growing scepticism regarding the establishment of a second such court, which the Government announced in October 2015. Mr Justice Paul Butler made the remarks during proceedings concerning two brothers from Claremorris, County Mayo. Colin Mannion, aged 33, and Brian Mannion, aged 31, both of Burriscarra, Clogher, face charges of membership of an unlawful organisation, namely the IRA, on 9 June 2012. They are also charged with unlawful possession of explosive substances and related components discovered at their home on the same date. The second court was proposed to address a significant backlog in the existing court's caseload. Mr Justice Butler indicated he remained doubtful that a trial date would be fixed at the next mention, scheduled for 26 January 2016.
Bryan Ryan, aged 31, originally from Blanchardstown but with an address in Louisburgh, County Mayo, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Ian Tobin in May 2007. Ryan was convicted by majority verdict at the Central Criminal Court in 2013 after initially being convicted in 2008, a conviction later quashed. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the Court of Appeal on Thursday, Ryan's counsel argued that gardaí pursued an agenda to secure a confession by improper means, including misrepresenting the law on manslaughter and overstating evidence. Counsel submitted the confession was unreliable, particularly as Ryan confessed to burning motorcycle parts and clothing that forensic evidence did not support. The defence further contended that alleged constitutional breaches during interviews could not be remedied by a brief conversation with his solicitor. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel maintained the core evidence came from a protected witness and that the confession was properly obtained. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment.
A GAA player from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been released from prison following a successful appeal against his sentence for assault. Michael Prendergast pleaded guilty to causing harm to an opponent during a football match between Bohola Moy Davitt's and Davitt's GAA Club at Ballindine in September 2013. He was originally sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final twelve months suspended. The Court of Appeal found that the sentencing judge had erred in principle by relying primarily on the injured party's account rather than the referee's match report when determining the context of the assault. The appeal court quashed the original sentence and imposed twelve months imprisonment instead, with the balance suspended on condition of one hundred hours community service. The court noted mitigating factors and character references submitted on Prendergast's behalf.
A 30‑year‑old man named Damien Metcalfe appeared at an out‑of‑hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on 26 November 2015. He was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Metcalfe was arrested the previous day by the Special Detective Unit during investigations into dissident republican activity. He was taken to Irishtown Garda Station and then to the court, where he was cautioned and informed of the charge. The judge remanded him in custody until the following Tuesday.
Five nursing staff members at Aras Attracta residential unit in Swinford, County Mayo, have initiated High Court proceedings challenging an investigation and disciplinary process conducted by the Health Services Executive. The staff members contend that the investigation, which followed a 2014 RTÉ Prime Time Investigates broadcast concerning allegations of abuse at the HSE-run facility, is procedurally flawed and breaches fair procedures. They argue the inquiry commenced before any complaints against them were formally upheld under the HSE's Trust in Care Policy, and that the investigation panel was not agreed upon by all parties beforehand. The applicants fear the investigation outcomes have been predetermined. They seek injunctions to prevent their dismissal and to halt the investigation unless complaints are properly upheld, along with declarations that the process breaches HSE policy and is null. They also demand that any disciplinary procedure comply with their contractual rights and principles of natural justice. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted permission to serve short notice on the HSE on an ex-parte basis and adjourned the matter for one week.
A woman from Claremorris, County Mayo, has settled her High Court action against her former employer and an insurance company over disputed income protection payments. Rose Prendergast ceased work at Baxter Healthcare's Castlebar facility in 2002 following a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, a condition causing chronic widespread pain. Her employment was terminated by mutual agreement in 2008. She subsequently applied for benefits under a group income protection plan underwritten by Irish Life Insurance, but her claim was refused. Mrs Prendergast pursued legal proceedings seeking specific performance of the income protection plan, damages for breach of contract, and damages for alleged misrepresentation. Both defendants denied the claims. The settlement was reached on the third day of the High Court hearing before Mr Justice Donald Binchy. Terms of the settlement remain confidential and were not disclosed in open court.