A man accused of driving with a trace amount of cocaine in his system had his conviction overturned on appeal after a judge noted the identity of a Romanian interpreter provided at a garda station was not recorded. Marcel Nagit was convicted in the District Court of driving while there was present in his body a quantity of benzoylecgonine (cocaine) where the concentration of that drug in his blood was greater than the specified concentration. He was fined €1,000 and disqualified from driving for one year. He later lodged an appeal against his conviction. The court heard that a Romanian interpreter was contacted but the service couldn't guarantee an arrival in time. The garda opted for a telephone translation. The judge noted that the custody record was incomplete and that the identity of the interpreter was not recorded, which was prejudicial to the accused. The judge allowed the appeal, overturning the conviction.
A dangerous driver who gave gardai the 'middle finger' and reached speeds of around 170km/h on the M1 before acting 'extremely aggressively' during his arrest has failed in his appeal to overturn his conviction. Cornelius Kaiser (47) was convicted in the District Court of two counts of dangerous driving on the M1, along with other charges including failing to produce insurance and refusing to provide a blood or urine sample. He received a total of seven months imprisonment and a five-year driving ban. During the appeal, Garda Alan Macklin testified that on December 13, 2023, officers received an anonymous report of dangerous driving. The black Audi was seen weaving through traffic at high speeds, with the driver giving the gardai the middle finger. The vehicle was stopped at the toll, where the driver slammed the brakes and pushed past the barrier. Gardai boxed in the car, leading to Kaiser's arrest. He was highly aggressive and refused to provide a breath sample.
A trainee pilot, Chris Brady, was jailed for six years after being convicted of raping a sleeping college student during a night out in Dublin. The victim described the incident as an 'ordinary night out' that turned into a traumatic experience, affecting her studies and mental health. Brady claimed the encounter was consensual, but the court found that the victim was asleep when the rape occurred. The victim's impact statement highlighted the profound emotional and psychological impact of the crime, including the feeling of being exposed and humiliated during the trial. Brady's defense argued that his character, including his involvement in charity and sports, should be considered, but the court emphasized the severity of the crime. The judge noted the 'intrinsically higher level' of the sexual violation of a sleeping person and the 'profound' impact on the victim. Chris Brady pleaded guilty.
Daire McCormack George, a 31-year-old lawyer, is on trial for the murder of his father, Scott George, after stabbing him 27 times. The accused told gardai that he believed he was doing the right thing, driven by paranoid thoughts that his father would harm his mother and sister. He claimed that his father showed him family pictures and spoke about Trump and China, which triggered his actions. McCormack George pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, with psychiatrists testifying that he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killing. The court heard that the accused had a nervous breakdown and believed he was protecting his family. The trial continues with the accused's mental state being a central focus, as the prosecution argues that he intended to cause serious harm to his father.
Derek Boyd, 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Mark Carroll, 34, at a north Dublin home on June 9, 2024. The jury unanimously rejected the defence of self-defence, finding Boyd guilty after a trial where he had pleaded not guilty. Justice Melanie Greally described the killing as senseless and motiveless, noting Boyd was serving the suspended portion of a prior manslaughter sentence for his sister's death when the offence occurred. The court ordered that Boyd's suspended sentence for the 2022 manslaughter be referred back to the Circuit Court for re-entry. The State entered a nolle prosequi on a separate charge of assault causing harm against Boyd. Chantelle Harcourt, 34, who pleaded not guilty to impeding Boyd's prosecution, remains subject to that charge; the jury recorded a disagreement on the related counts, meaning the matter was not concluded. The victim's family described Boyd as a monster in an emotional impact statement. Boyd's sentence dates from August 5, 2025.
Two getaway drivers involved in separate shootings linked to a violent gang feud in Limerick have each been sentenced to six years in prison by the Special Criminal Court. John O'Donovan (19) and Shane Blackhall (21) were third-tier members of the O'Donoghue organised crime group, which has been in a violent feud with the Collins group since 2022. The feud has led to 36 shootings and various attacks using explosives. Blackhall was the driver of a Volkswagen Scirocco used in a drive-by shooting on Hyde Avenue, where a Glock semi-automatic pistol was fired. Blackhall crashed the car into a lampost and was found to have cocaine, heroin, and cannabis in his home. O'Donovan was involved in a separate incident where a Lexus was used to meet a hit team before an Audi was set on fire. Both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced with suspended terms. The judge noted their early guilty pleas and their efforts in prison to rehabilitate.
Simon O'Donovan, a 44-year-old National Museum employee, appeared before the Special Criminal Court at the trial stage, where he was remanded in custody until October 5. O'Donovan is alleged to have knowingly possessed an improvised explosive device on July 22 in Chapelizod, Dublin 10, contrary to the Explosive Substances Act 1883. He remains unrepresented, as his solicitor could not accept instructions due to a legal aid strike. The judge noted that O'Donovan's previous bail application was refused and stated that a second application would require a change of circumstances, such as legal representation. O'Donovan expressed his desire to reapply for bail at the earliest chance. The court indicated that the next procedural step is the service of the book of evidence. In connection with the same investigation, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, a 25-year-old law student, was charged with possession of explosives at a special sitting of Trim District Court. Police alleged that O'Donovan handed a bag containing 394g of Semtex, a timer, and a detonator to Sullivan, who then transported it to Carrickmacross. No plea, finding, or sentence was recorded for either accused at this stage.
A Dublin man, Simon O'Donovan, has been denied bail following a charge of possession of an explosive device in connection with the alleged discovery of a bomb in a car in Co Monaghan. The court heard that the device was allegedly stored in the National Museum at Collins' Barracks where O'Donovan worked. Gardai believe that if O'Donovan were released on bail, he would engage in acts to further the objectives of the dissident Republican group, the New IRA. O'Donovan was arrested after a car carrying the device was stopped on the N2. The device contained 394g of Semtex, a timer switch, and a viable detonator. Gardai objected to bail, citing the risk of O'Donovan interfering with the investigative process and continuing to engage in IRA operational activity. The court ruled that no bail conditions would allay the concerns of gardai and refused bail. A 25-year-old woman, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, was also charged in relation to the same incident and remanded in custody.
Nathan Coakley Hutch (33) has been jailed for five years after assaulting a tourist and stealing an elderly man's car. He has 109 previous convictions and was on bail at the time of each incident. He pleaded guilty to assault with intent to cause bodily harm, assault causing harm, and the unauthorized taking of a motor vehicle. In January 2023, he hit a man repeatedly with a bike saddle, causing injury. In June 2024, he headbutted a tourist, causing a fractured nasal bone and mild concussion. In June 2025, he stole a car worth €28,000 from an elderly man. Coakley Hutch has a cocaine addiction and used drugs as a coping mechanism due to threats he faced. His defence highlighted his efforts to address his addiction and his cooperation with the court. Judge Martina Baxter noted the aggravating factor that he was on bail at the time of the assaults and imposed a six-and-a-half-year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on conditions.
Gerald McCormick (39) of Clonee, Dublin 15, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the false imprisonment of a victim at an address in Ongar, Dublin 15, on July 21, 2023. Judge Ronan Munro at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found McCormick guilty of false imprisonment and a separate offence committed at the direction of, for the benefit of, or in association with a criminal organisation. The judge described the incident as designed to instil terror and assert dominance, noting McCormick's role involved supervision and reporting from a second car. No portion of the sentence was suspended, and it was backdated to when McCormick entered custody. The court acknowledged McCormick's previous convictions and his status as being on the run prior to the offence. In a related matter, co-accused Jamie Geoghegan (28) of Clondalkin, Dublin, received a custodial sentence of six and a half years in March 2024. Geoghegan pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment. The victim suffered multiple stab wounds, fractures to his tibia and wrists, and cuts to his leg during the incident. The judge commended Gardaí for their rapid detection and professional investigation of the complex case.
Derek Boyd was found guilty of murder by a Central Criminal Court jury after fatally stabbing Mark Carroll in his north Dublin home. The prosecution argued that Boyd's actions were not in self-defense, and the jury rejected the defense's claim that Carroll had returned to the house to make peace. Boyd fled to Scotland shortly after the killing and later returned to Ireland to surrender. The court heard that Boyd had previously been convicted of manslaughter for the death of his sister and was on a suspended sentence at the time of the murder. Judge Melanie Greally will sentence Boyd to life imprisonment, with the trial set to continue on July 28. The case also involved Boyd's girlfriend, Chantelle Harcourt, who was accused of obstructing the prosecution. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the assault charge against Boyd and Harcourt, but they unanimously found Boyd guilty of murder. Chantelle Harcourt pleaded not guilty. Derek Boyd pleaded not guilty.
A 27-year-old man, Cal Murphy, who was accused of driving with cannabis in his system, had his case dismissed on appeal. Judge Ronan Munro decided to dismiss the charge against Mr Murphy at the District Court Appeals Court, but commended the prosecuting garda for his actions. Mr Murphy was previously convicted in the District Court of driving while having a quantity of cannabis in his system, equal or greater than the specified amount, under section 4(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 2010. He received a community service order of 240 hours and a four-year driving disqualification. He later appealed his conviction. Garda Ian Galvin testified that he stopped Mr Murphy's Audi A3 on Charlemont Street, Dublin 2, on December 13, 2023, after detecting the smell of cannabis and finding a grinder in the car. A roadside oral fluid test indicated the presence of cannabis, and a blood sample later showed levels of 63.1ng/ml of cannabis metabolite.
Derek Boyd, 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mark Carroll, 34, at a Finglas home on June 9, 2024, and to threatening and assaulting Megan Rock. His partner, Chantelle Harcourt, 34, pleaded not guilty to impeding the prosecution of an arrestable offence. The Central Criminal Court trial heard that Boyd was serving a suspended sentence for the 2022 manslaughter of his sister, Sandra Boyd, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He received a four-year sentence for manslaughter, with the final two years suspended, and a concurrent five-year sentence for firearm offences, with the final three years suspended. The court noted he was under active supervision when Carroll died. The prosecution alleges Boyd stabbed Carroll with intent to kill or cause serious harm. Boyd claimed self-defence, stating Carroll lunged at him. Evidence detailed Carroll's history, including a guilty plea to assaulting Rock in Ashbourne, Co Meath, where she was found bruised and shaking, and a pending charge for assaulting a man in Dublin 7 in 2022. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally.
A sentencing hearing has taken place in the Special Criminal Court for Shane Blackhall (21) and Co-accused O'Donovan (19), both of whom have pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to drug dealing, firearm possession, and involvement in a criminal organisation. Blackhall admitted to possessing cocaine, cannabis, and diamorphine for sale or supply at Mungret Court on June 10, 2025, and possessing a firearm on January 6, 2025, at Hyde Avenue in Limerick, in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable suspicion that he did not have it for a lawful purpose. He also admitted to unlawfully using a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of the owner on June 1, 2025, at Ashbourne Avenue, Limerick. O'Donovan admitted to participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by the O'Donoghue criminal organisation, to wit, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, between April 26 and May 8, 2025. He also faces three further charges of unlawfully using a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of the owner, in Limerick on April 27, 2025, and May 8, 2025, and in Monasterevin on April 26, 2025, as well as a charge of arson at Ashroe, Limerick, on May 8, 2025. The matter was adjourned for sentencing on July 27. Five other men are also due to stand trial in relation to their alleged involvement in these offences.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals against the sentences of Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who were convicted of facilitating the Hutch Criminal Organisation in the murder of David Byrne. Both men, who pleaded not guilty, acted as getaway drivers during the 2016 Regency Hotel attack. Mr Justice John Edwards found their roles "far from peripheral" and upheld the Special Criminal Court's 10-year headline sentences. Bonney, who has no previous convictions, received an 18-month mitigation discount, resulting in an effective sentence of eight-and-a-half years. Murphy, who has 67 previous convictions, received a one-year discount, resulting in a nine-year sentence. The judge rejected arguments that their culpability was lower than that of Jonathan Dowdall, who was sentenced to four years for facilitating the gang by providing a room. Dowdall had originally faced murder charges but admitted to the lesser offence. The Court of Appeal noted that the primary sentencing rationales were retribution and deterrence, given the high level of criminality and the threat posed by the Hutch organisation to the rule of law.
A couple will face trial in connection with the alleged murder of a man in north Dublin two years ago. Derek Boyd and Chantelle Harcourt have been arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on multiple charges, including murder, threats, and obstructing justice. Boyd pleaded not guilty to murdering Mark Carroll and threatening his partner, Megan Rock. Harcourt also pleaded not guilty to obstructing the apprehension of the accused. The trial is set to begin and is expected to last three weeks. The judge informed the jury that Megan Rock, who is Mr Carroll's partner, will be a key witness in the case. The accused are from different areas in Dublin, and the trial will be presided over by Ms Justice Melanie Greally.
Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, convicted of facilitating the murder of David Byrne during the 2016 Regency Hotel attack, are appealing their prison sentences at the Court of Appeal. Both men, who pleaded not guilty and were convicted by the Special Criminal Court, argued their sentences were excessive. Bonney, sentenced to eight-and-a-half years, and Murphy, jailed for nine years, had their bids to overturn convictions dismissed in November. Counsel for Bonney highlighted his unblemished record and argued his involvement was less significant than that of Jonathan Dowdall, who received a headline sentence of eight years for facilitating the Hutch gang. Dowdall was later sentenced to four years imprisonment in October 2022. Counsel for Murphy contended his role was peripheral and he lacked knowledge of the attack's seriousness. The State argued the appellants were integral to a serious criminal endeavour. Appeal judge Mr Justice John Edwards noted that prosocial contributions offer only modest mitigation and that the gravity of the offense mandated significant custody. He stated the court would deliver its judgment on July 3. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the final decision pending.
Derek Moore, known as 'Del Boy' Hutch, has had his sentencing for causing serious harm to a grandmother further adjourned due to ongoing industrial action by criminal solicitors. Moore pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm to Valentyna Linck in 2022. His sentencing was adjourned until October, with Moore remanded on bail. Moore has a long history of convictions, including dangerous driving and drug-related offences. The collision occurred at high speed, with Moore testing positive for cannabis. Ms Linck suffered life-threatening injuries, including a stroke and brain bleed, and has required extensive medical treatment. Moore has been on bail and has not come to garda attention except for one public order matter. He has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and has a bail variation allowing him to go on holiday abroad while awaiting sentencing.
Aaron McDermott, 33, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed at Beaumont Hospital on April 7, 2021. The defendant pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle by force or threat, as well as three counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm to the driver and two children. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a sentence of nine years, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that McDermott engage with The Probation Service for 12 months upon his release. He was also disqualified from driving for two consecutive terms of ten years in relation to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. The court heard that McDermott, who was highly intoxicated, held a knife to an infant and threatened the occupants before driving off at speed, causing a crash that left the victim with a fractured ankle. Judge Sheahan described the dashcam footage as harrowing and noted the severe psychological trauma inflicted on the family, including PTSD and financial distress. While acknowledging McDermott's difficult early life and addiction issues, the judge highlighted his 125 previous convictions and disregard for road traffic laws. McDermott expressed remorse in a letter to the court, stating he was determined to turn over a new leaf.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the privacy rights of Kevin Braney, a former leader of the New IRA in Dublin, were not breached when gardaí used a surveillance device to listen in on him conversing with members of a criminal gang at a KFC restaurant. Braney was found guilty of murder in February 2019 by the Special Criminal Court for the killing of dissident republican Peter Butterly in 2013. The court dismissed Braney's appeal, with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy stating that the grounds raised were not proven. Braney's legal team had argued that gardaí did not obtain proper authorisation before using the listening device and that the recording should not have been admitted as evidence. However, the court upheld the use of the device under the Criminal Law (Surveillance) Act 2009, noting that the superintendent believed an emergency justified the action. The court also rejected arguments that the audio evidence was of insufficient quality and that the testimony of David Cullen, a former accomplice who became a witness, should have been excluded.
David Hunter, a British national, has failed in his appeal to overturn his conviction for the murder of Michael Barr in a Dublin pub in 2016. The Court of Appeal upheld the Special Criminal Court's decision to dismiss the evidence of a witness regarding the height of one of the shooters. Hunter had argued that the trial court erred in rejecting the testimony of a witness who claimed the gunman was over six feet tall, while Hunter is five foot ten. The court found that the trial court's assessment of the eye-witness evidence was both cogent and rigorous. The DNA evidence linking Hunter to the crime was also upheld, as was the court's decision to admit the mobile phone evidence despite concerns about privacy rights. The appeal was dismissed, and Hunter's conviction remains in place.
Mary Hand (49), mother of murdered gunman Tristan Sherry, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and possession of an article in the course of a dispute on February 3, 2024. She received a three-and-a-half year suspended sentence, conditional on engaging with the Probation Service for 18 months. The incident occurred weeks after her son's funeral, following his murder in a Dublin steakhouse. During the incident, Hand was involved in a dispute with a bar manager at a pub on Fleet Street. The manager asked the intoxicated Hand and another woman to leave, leading to an altercation. Hand lunged at the manager, who ducked and felt something on his torso. A knife was later found on the ground, and the manager sustained cuts to his abdomen and chest. Hand was arrested and initially claimed she had no memory of the incident, attributing it to alcohol abuse. She has a history of previous convictions, including threats to kill and public order offences. The court heard that Hand had made genuine efforts at rehabilitation, including staying away from alcohol.
A former accountant pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft and deception offences committed over six weeks in early 2025. Michelle Dillon, aged 59 and homeless, stole a bank card and medical card from an elderly patient at a Dublin hospital on 20 February. She subsequently travelled to Cork, Clare, Meath, Westmeath and Wicklow, presenting herself as the legitimate account holder at various banks to withdraw approximately €8,000 in cash. She also made contactless payments totalling €133. Withdrawals occurred in Cork city, Bray, Dublin city centre, Navan, Athlone and Ennis. When presenting at an AIB branch in Navan on 4 March, a warning mark was active on the account, yet she convinced staff she was the genuine holder. She was arrested in October 2025 at Cavan General Hospital after presenting under a false name. The victim's bank refunded all monies. Judge Elma Sheahan described the initial theft as despicable and the subsequent deceptions as planned, premeditated and brazen.
A random garda stop in Dublin city centre led to the discovery of €375,400 in cannabis and cocaine. The driver, Patryk Czajczynski (32), was not on the garda radar but raised suspicion due to nervous behavior. During the search of his vehicle, gardai found €6,500 of cannabis. A follow-up search of his address in Ratoath, Co Meath, uncovered small amounts of cannabis, cocaine, and amphetamines, along with a key to a storage locker in Finglas. The locker contained 13.9kg of cannabis and 1kg of cocaine. Further searches, including one at a property in Dublin 11, led to the seizure of an additional €4,000 in cannabis. Czajczynski was re-arrested but no evidence was obtained during the interview. He has previous convictions for road traffic offences and obstruction. His defense argued that he was not the owner of the drugs but was transporting them for payment. The court heard that Czajczynski had a serious spinal injury from an accident in 2018 and used cannabis for self-medication.
A Limerick teenager has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to helping a criminal gang possess a firearm with intent to endanger life last year. John O'Donovan (19), of Valley View, O'Malley Park, Southill, Limerick, will appear before the court again on July 13 for a sentencing hearing. The charge to which he entered the plea states that between April 26 and May 8, 2025, O'Donovan, with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, participated in or contributed to activity intending to, or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could, facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. In a related matter, Shane Blackhall (21) of Mungret Court, Watergate Flats, Limerick, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, cannabis and diamorphine for sale or supply at Mungret Court on June 10, 2025.
A man who took part in a violent attack that left another man with life-changing injuries has been jailed for 10 years. Graham Dunphy, 31, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Austin Doherty, who was attacked outside a Dublin casino. The attack, which lasted 45 seconds, left Doherty with serious head injuries, including seizures, spastic paralysis on his left side, and rigidity in his legs. He required extensive speech therapy and is now dependent on a powered wheelchair. Dunphy was a constant throughout the assault, adding to the menace and terror of the event. The court heard that the victim's life has been significantly impaired, with limited improvement four years after the attack. The Director of Public Prosecutions indicated that the offence fell within the serious range of offending, carrying a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years. Judge Martina Baxter noted the ferocity of the attack and the lack of effort to contact emergency services. She imposed a sentence of 10 years imprisonment, backdated to April 20, 2026.
An aggressive beggar has been given a suspended jail sentence for obstructing elderly parishioners as they entered a church at Christmas and for fleeing from the arresting garda. Razvan Rostas, who receives €232 per week in social welfare, was found guilty of aggressive begging and obstructing a garda. The court heard that elderly parishioners had to move around Rostas at the church entrance, and he fled when arrested. Rostas has three previous convictions, including one for theft and two previous begging offences. The judge fined him €250 for the aggressive begging offence and gave him six months to pay. For obstructing the garda after fleeing arrest, the judge imposed a two-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months. The defense argued that the prosecution had not proven obstruction, but the judge accepted the evidence of the garda and found the obstruction proven. Razvan Rostas pleaded not guilty.
Alexander Crowley, 20, of Dalkey, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment and stalking a woman in August 2024. Crowley pleaded guilty to both charges. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a sentence of three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The suspension is conditional on Crowley having no contact with the injured party for 10 years, continuing to take psychiatric medication, and undergoing Probation Service supervision for one year post-release. The court noted Crowley was an involuntary inpatient who absconded from a mental health facility before the offence, during which he was described as acutely psychotic. The judge stated that absent his mental health difficulties, the headline sentence would have been six years. Crowley's offending was considered diminished by his condition, and his unreserved apology was accepted as genuine. He has no previous convictions. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
Felix Adedayo, 55, appealed his conviction for threatening and abusive behaviour, parking offences, running a red light and driving without due care. The District Court had fined him €400 for the abusive conduct, €150 for obstructing traffic, €250 for the red‑light violation and another €250 for careless driving, and disqualified him from driving for six months. In the appeal, Judge Simon McAleese found that Adedayo's testimony was a "pack of lies" and that his conduct was "bizarre, extraordinary and aggressive." The judge upheld the original fines and disqualification, noting that the charges were the most modest possible and that no custodial sentence was imposed. The judge also praised Sergeant Killian Murphy for handling the incident "even‑handed" and "utterly polite.".
An engineer at an explosives and blasting firm facing a probe into his 'excessive use' of a company fuel card told his bosses he left his work jeep running 'all weekend', a tribunal has noted. Thomas Giles failed in a case at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) challenging his sacking from Kemek Ltd for gross misconduct. The company said it had 'no alternative' but to sack Mr Giles. Mr Giles was a technical service engineer on the road for the Enfield, Co Meath firm, which specialises in the deployment of explosives in the quarrying and construction sectors. He had been issued with a leased Toyota Land Cruiser as a company car – along with a fuel card – but began to face questions on fuel usage starting in 2022. Mr Giles was confronted with the figures on his fuel usage during a series of investigation meetings in March 2024, showing that he was using more than twice as much fuel as his colleagues.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Michael McGinley to a global term of three years for escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully using a vehicle. McGinley pleaded guilty to both charges. The court heard that on April 23, 2024, while remanded at Balbriggan Garda Station, McGinley asked to be taken out for a cigarette. He subsequently ran and cleared a six-foot perimeter wall, evading capture for two months until his arrest in Athboy, Co Meath, on June 19, 2025. He also admitted to driving a Hyundai stolen from Co Kerry on April 21, 2025. Judge Orla Crowe noted that while the escape was not pre-planned or sophisticated, McGinley hid for a significant period. Acknowledging his youth and potential for rehabilitation, the judge imposed a three-year sentence, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. She also directed 12 months of probation supervision following his release. The sentence was backdated to June 19, 2025, when he entered custody. The matter was finalised with the imposition of this sentence.
A student who failed to repay €5,000 from a money laundering scheme has been given a year to make amends before a judge decides on his sentence. Michael Adeleke, 23, pleaded guilty to receiving €4,982 in an online bank transfer knowing it was the proceeds of crime. He was contacted on Snapchat and agreed to set up a bank account to make money. Judge Anne Watkin said Adeleke had not made any effort to repay the victim in three years and was not truly remorseful. She gave him one final chance to show genuine remorse and adjourned the case for 12 months. The judge warned that if he came to garda attention, a custodial sentence would be imposed. A probation report and a community service suitability report were ordered, and the case was adjourned to April 26, 2027 for sentencing.
A man who acted as a 'money herder' in a cash laundering scheme has been jailed for 18 months. Duke Amaechi (28) pleaded guilty to nine counts of possessing the proceeds of crime by withdrawing €18,000 from various accounts between June 2020 and May 2021. He was sentenced to three years, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. Detective Garda Michael Harney described Amaechi as slightly above money mules in the chain and noted that he was not part of an organised crime group. The investigation into money laundering and smishing fraud revealed that Amaechi withdrew money from multiple accounts and moved it between banks. His home was searched in 2022, and items such as phones and a BMW were seized, but no money was found. Amaechi has previous convictions, including one for robbery. His defence highlighted his early guilty plea, lack of wealth, and good family background. The judge noted his role as a courier and the seriousness of his actions, but acknowledged mitigating factors, leading to the suspended sentence.
A Romanian serial sex offender, Liviu Tenea, who committed two counts of aggravated sexual assault on a vulnerable woman in Leinster, failed to convince the Court of Appeal that his 19-year sentence was excessive. Tenea, who had a prior conviction in Spain, targeted a drunk woman, tricked her into his car, and drove her to an isolated location where he brutally raped her twice. The court found that Tenea showed no remorse or insight into the harm caused, and his actions were planned and executed with malice. The judge emphasized that the victim was an 'easy target' due to her intoxication and isolation. The court upheld the 19-year sentence imposed by the Central Criminal Court, noting that Tenea's guilty plea did not mitigate the severity of the crime due to the strength of the evidence against him. The victim suffered extreme harm, and the court ruled that the sentence was appropriate given the nature of the offence and Tenea's history of violence.
A double killer serving a life sentence for the 'gruesome' murder of Philip Finnegan has argued that his conviction should be quashed, as he was denied an adjournment to get a new legal team after discharging his original barristers for refusing to call certain witnesses. Stephen Penrose (43) told the Court of Appeal that the gardaí fabricated the case to make it fit him. He submitted a number of grounds of appeal, including allegations of perjury against a garda witness and bias from the trial judge. Barristers for the State said that Penrose was the 'author of his own misfortune' after he twice dismissed his legal team to represent himself at trial. Penrose was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict in November 2021 of murdering Mr Finnegan at Rahin Woods, Rahin, Edenderry, Co Kildare on August 10, 2016. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
A worker at a primary school in Dublin was told not to discuss an oven fire that led to the evacuation of hundreds of pupils, a tribunal heard. The incident occurred in 2024 when the fire alarm was triggered by newly-installed ovens, prompting the school to be evacuated twice in one week. The worker, Ashley Staunton, reported the fire to the principal and vice-principal, but was later told by the regional manager not to discuss the incident. The company, The Lunch Bag Ltd, argued that the principals did not want the fire to deter parents from using the hot meals service. Staunton, who has claustrophobia, was reassigned to a smaller space, which she found distressing. She was eventually dismissed, and her legal team argued that her condition was exacerbated by the lack of fire safety training. The tribunal heard that the fire was caused by incorrect loading of the oven, but no performance issues were documented against Staunton.
Convicted killer Derek Moore (aka Hutch), who was banned from the roads, high on drugs, driving at 158km/h and pulling wheelies on his motorbike when he struck a Ukrainian grandmother in Dublin city centre, leaving her with serious injuries, has asked a court to allow him complete a detox programme. Moore of Champions Avenue, Dublin 1 has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm to Valentyna Linck on May 27, 2022 at Amiens Street. Moore (42) also pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving and a count of driving under the influence of an intoxicant on the same date. Further counts of dangerous driving are to be taken into consideration by the court. Moore has 44 previous convictions, including those for manslaughter, assault causing serious harm, attempted robbery and possession of drugs. His previous convictions also include eight for dangerous driving and one for endangerment. He was disqualified from driving for five years at the time of this offence, the court was told.
Christopher Judge was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 27-year-old Steven Ring, whose body was tied up and dumped in Carrigfoyle Quarry, Wexford. The Central Criminal Court heard that Judge had taken Ring's phone and offered it for sale while the search was under way. Judge pleaded guilty, while co-accused Jane Corcoran was jailed for six years after admitting she helped move the body. Linda Ring told the court her family would never forgive the murderer.
Karl Phipps pleaded guilty to possessing €260,000 of cannabis for sale or supply after helping move boxes intercepted during a surveillance operation. The court heard he had a lesser role in a transnational organisation's importation effort; a five-year sentence was imposed with the final year suspended and backdated to his custody date.
Luke Kruger, 25, was sentenced at Galway Circuit Criminal Court for two incidents of unauthorised vehicle taking and associated offences. He pleaded guilty to charges arising from April 24, 2021, and October 15, 2023. In the first incident, Kruger allegedly took a car with a female passenger, driving 55km before crashing in Connemara while she begged him to stop. In the second, he allegedly bit a taxi driver and damaged a second vehicle before fleeing. Judge Brian O'Callaghan imposed a headline sentence of three years for reckless endangerment, reduced to 12 months. For the taxi offences, he set a headline sentence of two and a half years, reduced to 18 months to run consecutively. The final nine months of this second sentence were suspended. Kruger was jailed for a total of one year and nine months. He was placed under Probation Services supervision for 18 months post-release. The sentence was backdated to January 17, when he entered custody. The judge noted Kruger frightened the passenger and displayed aggression towards the taxi driver, while acknowledging his age and addiction issues as mitigating factors.
Eamonn Gray, a 38-year-old mechanic from Clonee, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis with a street value of €118,760 on September 26, 2024. Judge Martin Nolan jailed Gray for two and a half years. Prosecution evidence indicated that Gray accepted a controlled delivery of nearly six kilogrammes of cannabis from a garda disguised as a delivery man. Although the package was addressed to another name, a warrant was secured to search Gray's home, where the drugs and a custom receipt were found. Analysis of Gray's seized phone revealed tracking information for the package. Gray admitted to owing a drug debt and stated he was coerced into accepting the delivery under threat. Defence counsel Mark Lynam SC argued that Gray was a vulnerable individual with a cocaine addiction who was effectively a "sitting duck" for those who threatened his family. Judge Nolan accepted that Gray was immediately cooperative and had been exploited due to his debt and vulnerability. The judge acknowledged Gray's strong work record and low risk of re-offending but imposed the custodial sentence.
Ejike Francis Ogubefi and Steven Silvester were sentenced after convictions for directing a criminal organisation and laundering or attempting to launder money through multiple accounts. The court described a sophisticated international operation and imposed nine years on Ogubefi and seven and a half years on Silvester.
CJ Losty drove a stolen car through green areas where children were playing, across footpaths and the wrong way on the M3 while fleeing gardai, reaching more than 160km/hr. He pleaded guilty to endangerment and dangerous-driving charges and received a three-year global sentence, with the final year suspended, plus a six-year driving ban.
The Court of Appeal upheld a decision to extradite John Edward McNicholl and Seamus Christopher O'Kane to Northern Ireland over offences linked to the 1975 murder of RUC Constable Robert John McPherson and an attempted murder. The court rejected arguments that delay, alleged abuse of process, ordinary life in the Republic or health concerns justified refusing surrender. It placed a stay on the extraditions to allow the men to ask the Supreme Court to hear their cases.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal proceedings of Boy A, one of two boys convicted of the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel, to July 10 for mention. Boy A, who was 13 at the time of the crime, was sentenced in 2019 to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years for the murder, alongside a concurrent 12-year sentence for aggravated sexual assault. His legal team, represented by Niall Nolan BL, requested additional time to assemble necessary records, describing the upcoming hearing as requiring "document-heavy analysis." Counsel stated that custody progress records were "crucial" to the appeal, noting limited responses to requests for hard data and reports previously directed by the trial judge. The appeal follows a March 2025 Supreme Court ruling by Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley, which established that life sentences for child murder convictions should only be imposed in exceptional cases where the child's actions were akin to those of an adult. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy granted the request for more time and approved the appointment of documentary junior counsel. She adjourned the matter to July 10, indicating an expectation that a hearing date will be fixed at that point. The case involves the conviction of Boy A and Boy B, who lured the teenager to an abandoned house in Lucan, where she was assaulted and killed.
James O'Connor admitted obtaining €2,000 from a woman in Ontario, Canada, after telling her he needed money for child support and then failing to repay it. Judge Orla Crowe described the conduct as a mean-spirited and manipulative romance fraud and suspended an 18-month prison term for four years. The unnamed woman pleaded guilty.
Christopher Judge, 42, of Pairc na Dara, Clonard, Co Wexford, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 27-year-old Stephen Ring on October 15, 2024. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter to March 27 for sentencing, where the mandatory life imprisonment will be imposed. The court also vacated a previously set trial date of April 13. In a related finalisation, Jane Corcorcan, 34, also of Pairc na Dara, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to impeding Judge's apprehension or prosecution. She admitted helping move Ring's remains from her home and assisting Judge by telling falsehoods to gardai. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo noted that Corcoran lied about the circumstances of Ring's death, falsely accused another man of assault, and wasted police resources. CCTV showed Corcoran moving Ring's remains, wrapped in a blanket, to her car boot before driving to Carrigfoyle Quarry, where the body was dumped in the water. Ring's body, which had been in the quarry for 13 days, was discovered by children fishing. His mother, Linda Ring, stated that while the body lay in the quarry, Corcoran posted on Facebook hoping he would return home safely.
A Romanian national, Ionut Danca, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for killing a Canadian tourist, Neno Dolmajian, in Dublin city centre. Danca delivered a full-force running kick to the victim's head, who was lying on the ground under the influence of alcohol. The judge described the attack as brazen and stated that there was no need or justification for the act. Dolmajian, a 42-year-old Canadian of Armenian heritage, was visiting Ireland and was due to leave the country the day after the incident. The victim's family attended the sentencing hearing via video-link from Canada and described him as a positive and creative person. Danca's co-accused, Madalin Ghiuzan, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with the sentence suspended for 12 months. The judge noted that the victim's death was a devastating loss for his family and emphasized the need for justice. Danca's defense highlighted his lack of prior convictions and his exemplary work ethic, but the court ruled that the severity of the crime warranted a significant prison term. Ionut Danca pleaded guilty. Madalin Ghiuzan pleaded guilty.
A rapist who argued that his victim "might have turned something that wasn't a rape into a rape" after her parents discovered emergency contraception pills has failed in his appeal. Matthew Fadeyi, 36, was convicted of raping a young woman in 2018 and received a six-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final year suspended. His legal team argued that the failure to interview the victim's parents prejudiced his trial, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, stating there was no evidence of prejudice. Fadeyi's counsel suggested the victim may have fabricated the rape allegation after her parents found the pills, but the court rejected this argument, noting it was inconsistent with the defence case at trial. The appeal was also dismissed because the defence had previously argued the victim had invented the allegation to protect her relationship. The court upheld Fadeyi's conviction, emphasizing that the evidence supported the prosecution's case and that the appeal arguments were not credible.
Steven Penrose, a double killer currently serving a life sentence for two murders, has appealed a High Court decision that Mountjoy Prison acted appropriately in placing him in solitary confinement. Penrose claims that his detention in the Challenging Behaviour Unit is a form of psychological torture and that the prison authorities made false disciplinary reports to justify his placement. He alleges that the governor of Mountjoy Prison made false affidavits and that his detention was a deliberate campaign to break him. Representing himself at the Court of Appeal, Penrose said that the prison service denied him access to structured activities and education and that they viewed his ability to write as a threat. The prosecution, represented by Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, argued that the High Court judge made proper findings of fact and that the prison's actions were justified. The judge noted that Penrose had not provided evidence to support his claims and that the High Court's decision should not be interfered with.