Carl Feighery, 32, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing death after killing 77-year-old Rose Douglas in Finglas, Dublin 11, in January 2013. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the sentencing until May 5 to allow for a Probation Service report to determine Feighery's suitability for community service. The judge indicated that the driving did not justify a custodial sentence, describing the loss of focus as a human frailty rather than an aggravating circumstance like drink driving or excessive speed. Feighery was remanded on bail and disqualified from driving for five years. The court heard that Feighery had zero alcohol in his blood and was not speeding. The Douglas family, represented by Dermot Douglas, described the devastating impact of their mother's death, noting she was a community volunteer and church minister. Feighery, an electrician from Ashbourne, County Meath, expressed remorse and accepted full responsibility. He has one minor previous conviction and a 2007 drink-driving offense. The matter remains adjourned pending the probation report.
In a tragic incident on 9 January 2013, 77‑year‑old Rose Douglas was struck by a silver Peugeot while crossing the North Road in Finglas, Dublin. The driver, 32‑year‑old electrician Carl Feighery, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He was found sober, not speeding, and had a prior drink‑driving conviction. The court heard a victim impact statement from Douglas's son Dermot, detailing her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, great‑grandmother, church minister, and hospice volunteer. Feighery remained at the scene, offered a voluntary statement, and expressed remorse. The sentencing hearing was postponed to allow the judge to consider the case overnight. The family expressed relief that Douglas was not at fault and hoped Feighery might engage in charity work in her memory. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In Swords District Court on 2 March 2015, several cases were heard. Dean Whelan, 27, pleaded guilty to stealing €85 from a Polish shop's cash register to pay a drug debt. He was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, a term that will run concurrently with a three‑year sentence he is already serving. Brendan Donovan, 61, admitted possession of a stolen van that had been listed on Done Deal. He was adjourned until 27 April to arrange €500 compensation for the van owner's tools. Kevin Carroll, 27, failed to appear after pleading guilty to damaging a restaurant window, leading to a bench warrant. Patrick Joyce, 22, was convicted of stealing soft drinks worth €5, fined €100, and warned that a further offence could result in custodial time. Each case was addressed with the specific charges, pleas, and court orders as stated in the article.
Wesley Brennan, 28, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for stealing a Honda Accord belonging to Leoney Dunphy during their first date. The theft occurred after Brennan, who met Dunphy on the Plenty of Fish dating site, began shouting at her over her driving and demanded she exit the car so he could drive away. He subsequently sold the vehicle to scrap dealers in Ashbourne. Brennan pleaded guilty to theft of a vehicle worth €5,500. The court noted no violence was used and that Dunphy was not put in fear, though she was flustered. Brennan, who had grown up in Tallaght and was experiencing homelessness and drug debt, apologized to the victim. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, backdating it to September when Brennan entered custody after bail was revoked.
Swords District Court heard five matters presided over by Judge Dermot Dempsey. Mark Sheehan pleaded guilty to driving without insurance. The matter was adjourned until March 9th for a Probation & Welfare report to assess suitability for 240 hours of community service in lieu of a four-month prison sentence. Kevin Carroll pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a restaurant. He was remanded on continuing bail to provide €215 in compensation, with the facts of the case to be heard on March 2nd. David Lawrence, who was absent, had a guilty plea entered for being intoxicated and using threatening and abusive behaviour. He was convicted and fined €200. William Whelan pleaded guilty to holding a mobile phone while driving. He was convicted and fined €100. Marc Savage pleaded guilty to parking a lorry on a footpath. He was convicted and fined €100.
Mark Allen, 36, of Mulhuddart, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for falsely imprisoning Ciaran Noonan on October 20, 2011. Allen pleaded guilty to this charge, as well as destroying phone evidence. The court noted that Allen was not charged with the victim's death, though Judge Patrick McCartan stated Allen's actions ultimately led to Mr Noonan's death. Allen received a nine-year prison sentence. Co-accused Daniel Quinn, 24, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing Mr Noonan between October 20 and November 4, 2011, and destroying phone evidence. Lynn Issacson, 34, of East Wall, pleaded guilty to destroying phone evidence on October 20, 2011, and received a three-year suspended sentence. The court heard that Mr Noonan, a father-of-one, was abducted from Russell Avenue, East Wall, after owing Allen drugs money. His body was found near Trim on November 4, 2011. A post-mortem revealed neck compression as the cause of death. Allen had previously skipped bail conditions and was arrested in Holland earlier this year. The judge expressed sympathy for the Noonan family, describing the victim as a young man who was dearly loved and whose departure left his family deeply traumatised.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 32‑year‑old Carl Feighery of Millbourne Crescent, Ashbourne, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Rosemary Douglas on North Road, Finglas, on 9 July 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring remanded him on continuing bail until 4 March 2015, when all evidence will be heard. Prosecutor Diarmuid Collins said there was no objection to bail and requested a victim impact report for the sentencing date.
Swords District Court heard several cases presided over by Judge Dempsey. Mark Jackson was found guilty of attempting to drive under the influence of alcohol after crashing a car in Rathbeale Road; he was fined €750 and disqualified for three years, with the disqualification postponed until January 8th. Jason Harford pleaded guilty to possessing a window-breaking implement and cannabis; he received a three-month suspended sentence for the implement and a €150 fine for the drugs. Sean Brennan pleaded guilty to intoxication and abusive behaviour; the court remanded him on bail until October 13th for a probation report, with 240 hours of community service proposed in lieu of a two-month prison sentence. Edward Doherty pleaded guilty to intoxication and abusive behaviour; he was convicted and fined €200, with a warning regarding future custodial sentences. Philip Garland pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and was convicted and fined €200. Mark Sheridan, alleged to have threatened to kill another man and possessed an imitation firearm, was remanded on continuing bail until September 8th for service of the Book of Evidence. Ivans Zinkevics, alleged to have committed trespass and intoxication offences, was remanded on continuing bail until September 15th for a hearing.
In Swords District Court, Judge Dermot Dempsey applied the Probation Act to 34‑year‑old Natasha Reilly, who breached a Protection Order by being drunk and threatening to "smash the face" off her victim. Reilly had been remanded in custody since 19 May and had detoxed, completed an anger‑management course and remained in custody to address her chronic alcoholism. She is now focused on staying sober and rebuilding her relationship with her children. The court also heard other cases: a 32‑year‑old woman, Jennifer Reilly, was remanded on continuing bail for alleged theft of two pairs of shoes; a 22‑year‑old man, Jamie Bowbrick, was given further time to pay a €350 charitable donation after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and obstruction; a 38‑year‑old woman, Gillian O'Donnell, was remanded on continuing bail for alleged theft of a pair of boots; a 28‑year‑old man, Mark Jackson, was remanded on continuing bail for.
Three men—Gareth Mulley (44), William Burns (38) and David Gallagher (37)—appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 28 May 2014. They were charged with explosives offences and membership of the unlawful organisation Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA). Burns, of Ardoyne, Belfast, was accused of unlawfully possessing PETN and RDX, a 50‑litre beer keg, 50 kg of ammonium nitrate homemade explosive, an improvised detonation cord, a steel booster tube and a time‑and‑power unit found at Kilcurry Church on 25 May. Mulley, of Dundalk, and Gallagher, of Drogheda, were charged with IRA membership on the same date. The Special Detective Unit arrested the men on Sunday evening and presented evidence to the court. No bail applications were made, but legal aid was granted to Mulley. Judge Iseult O'Malley remanded the men in custody, ordering a video‑link appearance on 4 June, with liberty to apply for bail if a production order is sought.
Swords District Court heard three matters involving alleged drug possession and criminal damage. Derek Boylan, 32, of Swords, is alleged to have unlawfully possessed cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at his home in May 2013. Defence solicitor Patrick Jackson sought to have the case struck out due to delays in the Book of Evidence, arguing the State exceeded the 42-day preparation limit. Judge Dermot Dempsey acknowledged the delay but remanded Boylan on continuing bail until April 7, marking the date as peremptory against the State, meaning the case could be struck out if the evidence is not ready. Athula De Silva, 44, of Ashbourne, Co Meath, is charged with trespass, threatening and abusive behaviour, and intoxication at a Swords address in December 2013, and with causing criminal damage to a car wing mirror in January 2014. His case was adjourned, and he was remanded on continuing bail to reappear on May 26. In a separate matter, charges against Karen O'Connor, 22, of Raheny, for unlawful possession of cannabis for sale or supply in May 2013 were struck out at the direction of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Swords District Court heard three matters. Owen Mooney, 43, pleaded not guilty to drink driving and driving without insurance. Judge Dermot Dempsey convicted him, rejecting his claim he was not the driver. Mooney was sentenced to five months in prison and fined €750 for drink driving, with a six-year disqualification. He received a concurrent four-month prison sentence and eight-year disqualification for driving without insurance. Ivo Ignatenki, 26, pleaded guilty to drink driving and having no insurance. He was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended, and bound to the peace for two years. He was fined €750 and disqualified for six years for drink driving, and fined €200 with a two-year disqualification for no insurance. Raymond O'Hara, 47, is alleged to have committed burglary at Portmarnock Hotel. The matter was adjourned because the injured party was unavailable. Judge Dempsey remanded O'Hara on continuing bail to reappear on April 28th.
Three men – Eoin Maguire (29), Cornelius Price (32) and Edward Price (24) – appeared before Judge Dermot Dempsey at Balbriggan District Court charged with several offences alleged to have occurred in December 2013. They are charged with assault causing harm to Clifford Whitehouse and James Whitehouse on 20 December 2013 at Bremore Castle, with the production of a Stanley knife on the same day, and with reckless endangerment of a garda at Balbriggan Garda Station on 22 December 2013. Maguire made no reply after arrest, while Price replied that he had said what he had to say. Maguire was granted bail with conditions to sign on three times a week at Drogheda Garda Station, stay away from witnesses, avoid Balbriggan and reappear on 3 April. Price was refused bail and remanded to Cloverhill to appear on 13 February.