In October 2018, Amanda Carroll, 32, was strangled to death by her partner, Sean Nolan, 36, in Cabra, Dublin 7. The couple had begun a volatile relationship about four months earlier, exacerbated by heavy alcohol consumption. On the day before Carroll's death, they engaged in a binge‑drinking session that began early and continued across various Dublin locations. Nolan, intoxicated, crashed his car at 5.30 pm and was arrested; Carroll was also detained for a public order offence. Both were released around 8 pm. They resumed drinking, were observed intoxicated between 10 and 11 pm, and were later seen entering Carroll's apartment on CCTV. The next morning, Carroll's son, then 16, discovered her body in her bedroom. Nolan was subsequently arrested, questioned, and re‑arraigned. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while the prosecution argued he intended to kill or cause serious injury.
In a long‑running dispute, the Murrays – plumber Michael (Chris) Murray and his wife Rose – agreed to vacate the 588‑sq‑metre house they built on Faughan Hill, Bohermeen, Navan, Co. Meath, and to allow its demolition after September 2020. The house, constructed in 2006 without planning permission, had been the subject of enforcement proceedings by Meath County Council. In 2010 the High Court ruled in favour of the council and ordered demolition, a stay of two years was granted, and the Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2017. The council later sought contempt proceedings, but the parties reached an agreement before Mr Justice Charles Meenan's hearing. The Murrays will remain in the house for two more years, vacate by 24 September 2020, and demolition will follow. The settlement was accepted by the judge, who allowed either side to apply to the court if needed.
A 32‑year‑old Polish national, Sebastian Barczuk, will go on trial for the murder of 33‑year‑old Polish national Michal Kurek, a homeless man, who was found dead in Ballyboughal, north County Dublin, on 4 August 2017. Barczuk pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines told the jury that the victim was a homeless Polish national and that Barczuk was also a Polish national living in Ireland at the time. The trial, to be heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is expected to last three to four weeks.
David Rodgers, a 47‑year‑old language teacher, was arrested on 30 October 2018 for selling cannabis on Henry Street, Dublin. Gardaí found nearly €25,000 worth of cannabis in his home, including glass jars and a makeshift grow‑house. He initially claimed the plants were natural herbs but later admitted to selling cannabis. Rodgers pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He has 12 prior convictions, mainly for theft and public order offences. His defence lawyer described him as having an unusual profile: he left school at 15, later returned to complete his Junior and Leaving Cert exams, and became an English teacher for foreign students. He has lived abroad and speaks Spanish, German and Arabic. Rodgers suffered a brain injury after being assaulted by his brother, leading to memory and learning difficulties. He had been studying for a languages degree at DCU but had to abandon it.
Anthony Finglas, 49, of Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, Co Down, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court after being accused of assaulting, falsely imprisoning, robbing and demanding €50,000 from businessman Edward McAndrew at One Ferry Hill, Cornamucklash, Omeath, Co Louth, on or about 2 December 2017. The court considered the seriousness of the offences and the risk that Finglas might abscond or interfere with witnesses. Two co‑accused, Thomas McGuinness, 33, and William Twomey, 56, had already been granted bail. Finglas's defence argued that he had no means to leave the country, no prior convictions while on bail, and had not contacted McAndrew in the two‑and‑a‑half years since the alleged offences. A family member offered €22,500 for a bond.
Stephen Keogh, a former Anglo Irish Bank employee, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment for stealing €611,139.35 from seven victims, mainly friends and family, between 2002 and 2010. He persuaded relatives and acquaintances to invest large sums in high‑interest accounts, but deposited the money into his own account and provided false documents to conceal the theft. Keogh also used his wife's credit card without her knowledge and took money from a brother‑in‑law and a best man to pay for cars that were never registered in their names. He fled to the United States in 2010, returned in 2011, and later worked for a company servicing U.S. military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was arrested in November 2019 and, after a guilty plea, was found to have created a fiction of success and lived beyond his means, leading the judge to sentence him for the extensive financial harm caused to his victims.
Petronel Pal, a 36‑year‑old Romanian, was arrested in Dublin in 2019 and faces extradition to Romania for alleged involvement in the murder of fellow Romanian Virgil Busa, who was violently assaulted on 10 April 2014 at Academy Square, Navan, and died three days later. Pal and other identified individuals are accused of forming an organised crime group, allegedly headed by a relative of Pal, and of breaking into Busa's apartment in the early hours of the murder date. The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, granted Pal a certificate to appeal the proposed surrender to Romanian authorities but refused a bail application. Pal's lawyers argued that the case raises a point of law of exceptional public importance, questioning whether the High Court correctly applied extraterritoriality principles and whether it is permissible to prosecute individuals for crimes committed in other EU Member States. The appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal.
In March 2020 the High Court dismissed a judicial review challenge brought by David Prescott, a 35‑year‑old English national, who had been remanded in custody after being charged with three counts of criminal damage and one count of burglary in connection with a house fire at the Beechmount Estate, Navan, on St Stephen's Day. Prescott had been released on bail on 16 January, but was re‑arrested for breaching bail conditions and remanded again at Cloverhill Prison. He applied for bail on 27 February, but the District Court judge ruled that without a change in his circumstances the application could not be considered. Prescott sought to quash the decision and declare that a change of circumstances was not required after a bail revocation.
Brian Reilly, aged 23, was denied bail by the High Court on 24 March 2020 after being charged with three counts of criminal damage, three counts of dangerous driving, endangerment, driving without a licence and failure to remain at the scene. The charges stem from a collision on 29 January that allegedly caused a woman's finger to be amputated and left her with a broken collar bone and a suspected broken pelvis. Reilly was observed driving a Honda in suspicious fashion, breaking a red light, driving through traffic, mounting a roundabout, travelling in the wrong direction and colliding with a van and a Peugeot. The Peugeot's occupants suffered injuries, with the female passenger requiring amputation. Reilly fled on foot towards Ashbourne, was later arrested in a field, and the court found no bail conditions that would satisfy the prosecution. He may apply for bail again in four months if the prosecution's case cannot be progressed.
Petronel Pal, 36, faces extradition to Romania for an alleged murder committed in Meath in 2014. He was arrested in Dublin in 2019 and is wanted for creating an organised crime group and for the aggravated murder of Virgil Busa, who died three days after being assaulted. While in Ireland, Pal and others are alleged to have formed a group headed by a relative of Pal. The High Court has considered surrendering him, but a formal order has not yet been issued. Pal's lawyers have applied to the High Court for leave to appeal, arguing that the case raises a point of law of exceptional public importance and that the High Court's approach to extraterritoriality may be incorrect. The appeal will be decided on March 30, with Pal remanded in custody. The case hinges on whether Irish law allows prosecution for crimes committed abroad by non‑Irish citizens.
David Prescott, 35, was granted High Court bail after a prior bail revocation for failing to comply with conditions related to a house fire in Navan. He faces one burglary charge and three criminal damage charges at the Beechmount estate. The court noted he did not respond to the damage charges but said "I don't agree" to the burglary charge. His earlier bail, granted on 16 January, was revoked two weeks later because he did not keep his mobile phone on at all times, a condition the Gardaí could not verify. Justice Mary Rose Gearty ordered his release on a €1,000 bond, requiring him to reside at an address on Gardiner Street, Dublin, keep his phone on, sign in daily, and remain out of Meath except for court appearances. The case was one of 35 bail applications heard that day.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded Thomas McGuinness, 33, on bail until 25 May after McGuinness was unable to attend the hearing due to ill health. McGuinness is charged with falsely imprisoning, assaulting and robbing Edward McAndrew at a Co Louth farmhouse on 2 December 2017, and with demanding £50,000 from McAndrew. The charges include detaining McAndrew without consent, assault causing harm, theft of car keys, money, travel bag, wallet, briefcase, two mobile phones and an Irish passport, and making an unwarranted demand with menaces. Two other men, William Twomey, 56, and Anthony Finglas, 49, are also charged with the same offences. Twomey was granted bail on 25 February, while Finglas' bail application was denied. Mr Justice Hunt expressed hope that the world would be a different place by the end of May.
Thomas McGuinness, aged 33, appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with four non‑scheduled offences relating to an incident at a Louth farmhouse on 2 December 2017. He is accused of falsely imprisoning Edward McAndrew by detaining him without consent at One Ferry Hill, Cornamucklagh, Omeath, and of assaulting McAndrew, causing him harm, at the same location and date. McGuinness is also charged with robbing McAndrew of car keys, a travel bag, a wallet, a briefcase, two mobile phones and an Irish passport, and with demanding £50,000 from McAndrew with menaces. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Gerard Griffin and Dermot Dempsey, remanded McGuinness on bail subject to conditions until 9 March. Two other men, William Twomey (56) and Anthony Finglas (49), are also charged with the same offences; Twomey was granted bail, Finglas' application was denied.
Patrick Murphy, 43, of Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an assault on the Navan Road on June 23, 2016. The court heard that Murphy, who has longstanding mental health issues and 20 previous convictions including two for assault, grabbed a child he mistakenly believed was his kidnapped niece. Garda Jennifer Connolly testified that Murphy ran across the road with a "crazy look in his eyes," seized the child around the waist, and stated he thought someone had her for ransom. He released the child after her grandmother held on tightly. The court noted Murphy had been discharged from Connolly Hospital the day prior and was taken to the Mater Hospital psychiatric department by gardaí the morning of the incident, where he was discharged to attend a GP clinic. He was holding his hospital referral letter during the event. The family expressed concern for Murphy's mental health rather than seeking imprisonment. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a one-month sentence of imprisonment, which she deferred until May 15. She indicated she will strike out the sentence on that date, leaving Murphy without a conviction.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for Neal Sweeney of Liscarton House, Navan, who owes over €2 million. The arrangement is the first approved by the High Court to involve a debt‑for‑equity swap. Sweeney's main secured creditor, Promontoria Scarriff DAC, accepted a 41 % share in his family home, valued at €600 000, in exchange for the debt. Other creditors include Promontoria Finn Ltd and Cabot Finance Ireland Ltd. The debt arose from arrears on the mortgage of the family home and residual debt from a previously sold property. Sweeney, who now works in the building sector, will continue to repay the €350 000 mortgage. The decision was made by Mr Justice Denis McDonald and was not contested by the creditors. The case is part of a broader trend of debt‑for‑equity swaps pending before the High Court.
John Fortune, 43, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for his role in a €1.5 million cannabis trafficking scheme. He agreed to drive a van loaded with nearly 80 kg of cannabis from Carlow to Rathcoole. Fortune had no prior convictions and had built a €50,000 tax debt, defaulted on his mortgage, and was facing repossession of his home. He claimed financial desperation and a foot injury had prevented him from working. Garda surveillance stopped the van, revealing vacuum‑packed cannabis labelled "trip haze", "diesel haze" and "green poison". The drugs were valued at just under €1.5 million. The court noted his limited involvement, financial distress, and mental health issues, and imposed a headline sentence of 13 years, halved to 6.5 years. Fortune received no payment for his role, and he had no prior Garda record. John Fortune pleaded guilty.
A man has been sentenced to twenty months' imprisonment following a fatal collision on the Naas Road in Dublin on 31 January 2016. Anthony Corcoran, aged 39, of Lyons Street, Newcastle, County Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failure to remain at the scene with intent to escape civil or criminal liability. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was withdrawn by the State. The court heard that Corcoran struck a pedestrian while returning to County Cavan after an evening out. He subsequently informed gardaí of his involvement the following morning. Judge Martin Nolan noted evidence suggesting the defendant was over the drink-driving limit and concluded he panicked at the scene. The judge acknowledged significant mitigation including an early guilty plea, immediate contact with gardaí, lack of previous convictions, and good work history. Corcoran was disqualified from driving for three years.
Anthony Corcoran, aged 39, of Newcastle, County Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failure to remain at the scene with intent to escape civil or criminal liability following a collision on the Naas Road, Dublin on 31 January 2016. The court heard that Corcoran struck Peter Maunde, who was walking on the motorway in dark clothing during poor weather conditions. A charge of dangerous driving causing death was withdrawn by the State. Corcoran informed gardaí of his involvement the following morning after his father contacted local police in County Cavan. During interview, Corcoran admitted consuming alcohol that evening. Garda evidence indicated multiple witnesses observed a man crossing the motorway barrier near Red Cow Roundabout, while other motorists initially mistook the casualty for an animal. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Corcoran on continuing bail for sentencing, indicating he would consider the case overnight. A victim impact statement from the deceased's family was submitted to the court.
Olivia O Mahony, 22, of Boyerstown, Navan, received an 18‑month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing property known to be the proceeds of criminal conduct. She had allowed her then‑partner to transfer €15,000 into her Bank of Ireland account, from which she withdrew about €13,000 in cash within two hours before the account was frozen. The money was part of a €1 million fraud that involved a fraudulent email sent to a Danish company, which transferred the VAT refund to an Irish Rabo Direct account. O Mahony claimed she had no knowledge that the transfer was illegal and said she handed the cash to her boyfriend. The court noted she had been manipulated and had not profited from the crime, leading to the suspended sentence.
Martin Sherlock, a 31-year-old man from Navan, Co Meath, has lost his appeal against a rape conviction. The Court of Appeal dismissed his argument that judges are mandatorily required to warn juries about an accused's 'previous good character.' Sherlock had pleaded not guilty to raping a woman at her Dublin home on August 14, 2015, claiming the sex was consensual, though he admitted hearing 'no.' He pleaded guilty to stealing her mobile phone. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of rape, and he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy in July 2018. In the appeal, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated there is no empirical evidence that a person without previous convictions is more likely to tell the truth. He noted that while defence counsel can argue enhanced credibility or lack of propensity to offend, this does not necessitate a mandatory judicial warning. The court highlighted that Sherlock admitted lying to the victim and stealing her phone, actions inconsistent with 'good character.' The panel, including Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, concluded that adopting such a mandatory requirement would create difficulties and is not supported by Irish legal authority. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the original conviction and sentence stand.
Petronel Pal, 36, was arrested in Dublin on May 3 after a second attempt to secure bail was denied. He is wanted in Romania for aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and aggravated robbery committed on April 10, 2014, when he and others allegedly broke into the apartment of Virgil Busa, 37, at Academy Square, Navan. Busa was violently assaulted and died three days later. The alleged crime group, headed by a relative of Pal, is said to have used extreme violence and stolen a laptop, tablet, mobile phone and rucksack. Pal has eight prior convictions in Ireland, including possession of equipment for making false instruments and handling stolen property, which the Gardaí cited as evidence of a flight risk. The High Court refused bail, and the Court of Appeal upheld that decision, citing Pal's record and potential for absconding. Pal's lawyer noted that extradition proceedings will involve significant legal issues, including extra‑territoriality. The case remains pending.
A 35‑year‑old electrician, Sean Nolan, was arrested on 22 October 2018 after the discovery of his partner, 32‑year‑old Amanda Carroll, dead at her home in Cabra, Dublin. He was charged with her murder and remanded in custody following his appearance at Dublin District Court on 23 October. In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White set 13 July 2020 as the trial date, expecting a two‑week hearing. Nolan did not attend the court session that morning and was remanded in custody until the trial.
In a 2019 High Court judgment, Mr Justice Garrett Simons quashed An Bord Pleanala's 2016 decision to grant planning permission for Greenfield Ventures Limited to build a biogas facility at Gillstown, Garlow Cross, Navan, Co Meath. The court found that the board's conclusions regarding the EU Seveso III Directive were unreasonable, as no material had been presented to justify them. The judge noted that the board had incorrectly concluded that the 10‑tonne biogas storage limit would not be exceeded, a claim unsupported by the documentation actually relied upon. He also rejected the plaintiff's argument that the board erred in its assessment of the distance between the proposed plant and Mr Niall Halpin's dwelling. The case was adjourned to early June for the parties to decide whether to remit the matter to the board or to submit a new application. The Environmental Impact Assessment screening determination was upheld as lawful.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 54-year-old man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, pleaded not guilty to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments between January 2010 and October 2012. A garda crime analyst told the court that during interview the accused acknowledged responsibility for a bank account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd, through which over €660,000 was transferred across multiple accounts within four days in mid-October 2012. The court heard the accused admitted receiving two €800,000 transfers from a Danish businessman and confirmed making numerous subsequent transfers to accounts under various names he had used. The accused previously told gardaí the funds were intended for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast, with his company to receive approximately 20 per cent of monies processed. The trial, before Judge Nolan and a jury, continues.
In 2016, Stefan Saunders (41), Francis Murphy (39) and Damien Noonan (32) conspired to rob a cash‑in‑transit van in Co. Meath, planning the heist over more than two months. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy, possession of a semi‑automatic pistol and possession of a stolen BMW used as a getaway vehicle. Each received a 10‑year sentence, with 2½ years suspended, imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea in 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentences were unduly lenient, citing the robbery's scale, the firearm's readiness and the gang's professional conduct. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, holding the sentences were at the outer limits of the judge's discretion and therefore appropriate. No further action was taken.
Keith Duffy, aged 31, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage after a high‑speed chase that ended with him repeatedly ramming a Garda patrol car. The incident, which took place on 30 March 2018 in the Dublin 7 area, involved a 26‑minute pursuit that saw Duffy's van stop on a humpback bridge, wait for the patrol car, and then attempt to ram it, forcing the vehicle onto the footpath. Two other patrol cars joined the chase, which concluded when Duffy's van turned into a cul‑de‑sac at Newgrange Road, reversed, and twice rammed another patrol car before being blocked by a third. Garda Sean Kelly described the event as the worst dangerous driving he had encountered in ten years. Duffy, who has 66 prior convictions, pleaded guilty and was also found guilty of robbery at Kiely's Chemist on 29 March 2018, stealing drugs worth €225.
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for dangerous driving causing death at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Dingle, of Drumcliffe Road, Cabra, Dublin pleaded guilty to causing the death of Maureen Creaner, aged 92, on Navan Road, Cabra on 4 September 2016. The collision occurred as Mrs Creaner crossed the road to purchase a newspaper. Garda collision experts established Dingle was travelling at 64 kilometres per hour in a 50 kilometre per hour zone. A breath test revealed he was marginally over the legal drink-driving limit, having consumed alcohol the previous evening. Analysis of his phone activity indicated significant sleep deprivation in the hours before the incident. Judge Martin Nolan noted Dingle had made conscious decisions regarding his condition and speed, for which he bore responsibility. Mitigating factors included his remaining at the scene and full co-operation with gardaí. Dingle was also disqualified from driving for four years.
In 2016, a trio of men—Stefan Saunders (40), Francis Murphy (39) and Damien Noonan (32)—conspired to rob a cash‑in‑transit van carrying over €2 million in County Meath. They were caught after Gardaí arrived, but the men had already prepared the scene: they broke into a disused bank, disabled the alarm, sprayed bleach, and waited with a stolen BMW X5. Saunders carried a semi‑automatic pistol with eight blank rounds, Murphy had a crowbar, and Noonan possessed the stolen vehicle. All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On 12 June 2018 they were each sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended portion. The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a review, arguing the sentences were unduly lenient, while the Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage.
The trial of 50‑year‑old Garda civil servant Lynn Margiotta collapsed after Judge Patricia Ryan ruled that the seizure of her medical certificates breached her right to privacy. Margiotta was arrested in August 2014 after a complaint of bullying against her line manager, Sergeant Sharon Burke. She had claimed stress from her mother's death in January 2014 and had provided over a dozen sick certificates signed by her brother, Dr Tony Margiotta. The certificates were officially stamped in the names of Dr Teresa O'Brien and Dr Barry Brown. Margiotta faced 18 counts of using a false instrument, and her brother faced 18 related counts of making false instruments. Both denied the allegations. The judge found the seizure improper, the certificates inadmissible, and the content of the interviews inadmissible. Consequently, the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on all charges against both defendants.
Patrick Fedigan, a former soldier, has resolved his damages action against the State regarding health issues he attributed to the anti-malaria drug Larium. The case, heard before Mr Justice Bernard Barton at trial, involved claims that Fedigan suffered from loss of balance, anxiety, insomnia, vertigo, and memory problems after being prescribed Mefloquine Hydrochloride during UN peacekeeping deployments to Eritrea, Liberia, and Chad between 2001 and 2010. Fedigan alleged that the Minister for Defence and the Attorney General were negligent, arguing that his prior medical history was not assessed, he was unsuitable for the drug, and he lacked adequate support when reporting symptoms. The State defendants, represented by Eoin McCullough SC and others, denied negligence and liability, further arguing that the claim was statute barred due to delay. Following out-of-court discussions, counsel for Fedigan, John Gordan SC, informed the court that the action had been resolved and requested the case be struck out. The settlement terms are confidential. Mr Justice Barton welcomed the resolution. This matter is one of several similar actions brought by Defence Forces members alleging illnesses resulting from Larium prescriptions. Had the trial proceeded, it was expected to last up to ten weeks.
A High Court trial concerning a damages action by former soldier Patrick Fedigan against the State was adjourned shortly after it opened before Mr Justice Bernard Barton. Mr Fedigan, a 51-year-old from Navan, Co Meath, claims he suffered health issues, including loss of balance, anxiety, and memory problems, resulting from being prescribed the anti-malaria drug Larium (Mefloquine Hydrochloride) during Defence Forces deployments to Eritrea, Liberia, and Chad between 2001 and 2010. He alleges negligence and breach of duty by the Minister for Defence and the Attorney General, asserting he was unsuitable for the drug, his medical history was not checked, and he lacked adequate support for his symptoms. The State defendants deny these claims. The case, expected to last up to ten weeks, was paused to allow Mr Fedigan's legal team, led by John Gordan SC, to review documents recently discovered by the defendants. Mr Justice Barton noted that due to judicial commitments, including circuit duties, the hearing would proceed in blocks with gaps in evidence. Both parties acknowledged the judge's availability issues but agreed to proceed. The matter was adjourned and is scheduled to resume on Tuesday.
In a 12 February 2019 High Court decision, Mr Justice Max Barrett upheld the lawful detention of anti‑eviction activist Ben Gilroy at Dublin's Mountjoy Prison. Gilroy had sought an inquiry under Article 40 of the Constitution, arguing that his imprisonment for failing to complete an 80‑hour community service order was unlawful. The judge rejected his claims, stating that the order was not flawed and that the court was compelled by law to find the detention lawful. Consequently, Gilroy's bail was revoked and he was ordered to return to Mountjoy to serve the remainder of a three‑month term. The ruling was delivered in Court 2 of the Four Courts, where about 40 supporters and friends of Gilroy were present and expressed disapproval. Gilroy's earlier conviction for criminal contempt, related to a sworn statement in a €3.2 million judgment case, had led to the original three‑month sentence imposed by Mr Justice Brian McGovern.
In an appeal-stage pretrial motion, Mr Justice Senan Allen dismissed anti-eviction activist Ben Gilroy's application for an injunction under section 33 of the 2009 Defamation Act. Gilroy, who remains jailed in Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court after failing to complete 80 hours of community service, sought to compel autism rights campaigner Fiona O'Leary to remove a YouTube video pending the outcome of his defamation action. The judge found that Gilroy failed to meet the legal threshold for the order, noting that whether the video conveys defamatory meanings is a matter for a jury to decide. The court observed that a jury might view the case as "greatly over pleaded" and stated it could not conceive the Court of Appeal interfering with a jury verdict finding the video non-defamatory. O'Leary, represented by Patricia Sheehy Skeffington BL, denies the post contains defamatory remarks. Businessman Vincent Byrne, of Balrothery, Co Dublin, is a co-applicant in the suit against O'Leary. Following the ruling, the judge addressed concerns regarding statements Gilroy made in an interview, noting O'Leary could bring a motion if necessary. The judge then adjourned the case to a date in late April.
Mr Charlie Jennings, a 65‑year‑old farmer from Carrickamon, Ravensdale, Dundalk, has filed High Court proceedings against the financial fund Promontoria (Oyster) DAC. He seeks to sell 46 acres of land in Castletown, Kilpatrick, Navan, Co. Meath, which he bought in 2005 and 2006 for €590,000 with loans from Ulster Bank that were later purchased by Promontoria in 2016. Jennings claims the fund has not supplied a net redemption figure that would allow him to clear an outstanding loan of about €257,000, preventing him from completing a sale agreed with a buyer since May. He alleges the fund is also demanding payment on other mortgages linked to his son's property and a joint mortgage with a business partner, citing 'all sums due' clauses. Jennings seeks orders compelling Promontoria to provide the redemption figure, to allow the sale, and to prevent interference, as well as damages.
Nathan Foley, 20, of Rosary Road, Maryland, Dublin 8, was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the murder of David Douglas. The court heard that Foley acted as a 'foot soldier' and 'runner' for a criminal organisation, driving one of four vehicles used in the killing. Mr Douglas, 55, was shot six times at his partner's shop in Bridgefoot Street on July 1, 2016. Foley admitted to the charge under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years. The court noted his early guilty plea and mitigating factors, including a mild intellectual disability and vulnerability, though the judge described his role as significant. Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, 37, was previously found guilty of Mr Douglas's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The source text indicates Foley was remanded in custody until January 25 for sentencing, but the validated procedural stage is sentence. The report details the coordinated use of stolen vehicles, including a Mercedes and a Mitsubishi Mirage driven by Foley, and the subsequent recovery of evidence linking him to the scene. The court acknowledged his 32 previous convictions, including a concurrent sentence for cocaine possession.
Ben Gilroy, an anti-eviction activist from Athlumney Abbey, Navan, Co Meath, and Vincent Byrne, a businessman from Balrothery, Co Dublin, have initiated defamation proceedings against Fiona O'Leary, a West Cork-based mother of five. They allege that a 13-minute YouTube video posted by O'Leary on June 23rd last year contains defamatory remarks about them. O'Leary, represented by Patricia Sheehy Skeffington BL and Rossa McMahon, denies making any defamatory statements. O'Leary campaigns against the promotion of Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS), a substance she claims contains bleach and is harmful to children with autism. In a pretrial motion before Mr Justice Senan Allen, Gilroy seeks an injunction requiring O'Leary to remove the video until the case is resolved. Representing himself, Gilroy asserts that the 'false allegations' have serious implications for his reputation. O'Leary opposes the injunction, citing freedom of expression. In September, Mr Justice Tony O'Connor ordered O'Leary to either remove the video or add a disclaimer. O'Leary claims she complied by inserting text, but Gilroy argues the video remains accessible without the text. The hearing of the injunction application continues.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, two men have been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman while she lay asleep in a private room at a nightclub in Swords, Dublin in July 2017. Joshua Sykes, of Ardlo Manor, Mullagh, County Cavan, and Adam McCabe, of Clusker Park, Navan, County Meath, both pleaded guilty to the offence. Each received a three-year sentence, with the final eighteen months suspended. Judge Cormac Quinn described the case as shocking, noting the woman was vulnerable at the time and had been preyed upon. CCTV footage showed the assault occurring over five minutes while the woman remained unresponsive. Both men, who were attending a birthday party, claimed memory loss but were identified on camera. In a victim impact statement, the woman detailed ongoing psychological harm, including self-harm, panic attacks, and anxiety. The judge considered the men's early guilty pleas, youth, cooperation with probation services, and expressions of remorse when imposing sentence.
Tsvetomir Velikov, a 42-year-old Bulgarian national from Navan, Co. Meath, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for defiling a female under the age of 17. He pleaded guilty on his trial date to the charge relating to an incident in Cork on February 28, 2015. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspending the final six months. The sentence was backdated to June 26, the date Velikov pleaded guilty. The court noted that while there was no physical violence, Velikov had doubts about the victim's age but proceeded with the act. He was described as a "model prisoner" who completed various courses while awaiting sentence. In a related matter, Ivan Peev, also of Coolfore Road, previously received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for defiling the victim's 15-year-old friend in a circus caravan on the same date. The prosecution highlighted that the girls had consumed significant amounts of alcohol and appeared intoxicated, with CCTV showing them holding each other up upon leaving. Velikov admitted to being reckless regarding their ages. The judge emphasized that the law protects young people regardless of alcohol consumption. Velikov has no previous convictions in Ireland or Bulgaria.
In a Cork case, Bulgarian circus worker Tsvetomir Velikov, aged 42, pleaded guilty to defiling a 16‑year‑old girl on 28 February 2015. The girl, almost 17, and a 15‑year‑old friend had arrived at the circus after drinking vodka. Velikov admitted he had been reckless about their ages. He was to be sentenced later that month. The case also involved Ivan Peev, another Bulgarian circus worker, who received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for a similar offence involving a 15‑year‑old on the same date. The court heard that the girls were given more alcohol, were intoxicated, and that the 16‑year‑old had vomited that night. The victim's impact statement described feelings of shame and unhappiness after the incident. The court adjourned the sentence until later that month.
In a week‑long spree in November 2016, 21‑year‑old Jordon Boyle, of Sheephill Green, Blanchardstown, used large knives to rob an Esso garage on Navan Road, a petrol station in Castleknock, and attempted to hijack a Bentley in the same garage forecourt. During the first robbery he held a butcher's knife to a cashier's face, demanded money, stole a bottle of vodka and fled. The second robbery involved a woman in her 60s whom he grabbed from behind, held a machete to her face, and forced a cashier to hand over money. The third incident saw him jump onto a Bentley's hood, threaten the driver and try to open the door before the car was driven away. Boyle pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, one of false imprisonment and one of attempted unlawful seizure of a vehicle.
The trial of Thomas Fox, Regina Keogh, and Jonathan Keogh, all accused of murdering Gareth Hutch, continued before a three-judge court presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt. The defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to the murder, faced the admission of extensive CCTV evidence after the court rejected a defence application to exclude the footage on privacy grounds. Prosecutors presented clips from May 22, 2016, allegedly showing the accused and linked vehicles, including a white Ford Transit van, a black BMW, and a silver Honda Civic, in Dublin 7. The State alleges the defendants purchased Milton sterilising fluid and that Mr Keogh and an accomplice, Mr AB, were the shooters. Mr Fox also faces a charge of unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9mm handgun, which he denies. The prosecution characterised the killing of Mr Hutch, who died from four gunshot injuries on May 24, 2016, as premeditated. The trial is ongoing and continues tomorrow.
Martin Sherlock, aged 30, was convicted of raping a woman he met on the dating app Badoo. The victim had told him they could not have sex without a condom and repeatedly said "no" during the encounter. Sherlock admitted stealing her mobile phone. He was found guilty after a four‑day trial and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The court noted that Sherlock had no prior convictions, had lost his job and cancelled wedding plans, and that the victim had a history of mental illness. The judge emphasised that the conviction was based on the victim's refusal to have sex without a condom and that the sentence was not an act of vengeance. No further legal actions or appeals are mentioned in the article. Martin Sherlock pleaded not guilty.
A 30‑year‑old Meath man, Martin Sherlock, was convicted of raping a woman he met on the dating app Badoo. The victim had told him they could not have sex without a condom and had repeatedly said "no" during the encounter. Sherlock admitted he had ejaculated inside her and had stolen her mobile phone. He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty after a four‑day trial. The court noted that Sherlock had lost his job and cancelled wedding plans. Gardaí arrested him following a sting operation in which they posed as buyers of a phone he was selling. He was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 2 July. The case was presented as a clear instance of non‑consensual sex after the victim's explicit refusal to have sex without a condom.
Martin Sherlock, a 30‑year‑old business analyst from Athlumney Wood, Navan, was convicted by the Central Criminal Court of raping a woman he met on the dating app Badoo. The alleged offence occurred on 14 August 2015 at the victim's Dublin home. Sherlock had pleaded not guilty. The jury, after more than five hours of deliberation, found him guilty. The court remanded him on continuing bail until 18 June. The victim, aged 27, testified that she had met another man on Badoo and had sex with him because Sherlock had not confirmed their meeting. She then agreed to meet Sherlock for a chat, but when he arrived she refused sex without a condom. She reported that he ignored her repeated "no" and "stop" requests, continued to have oral and penetrative sex, and ejaculated. She also claimed he stole her phone after the assault.
Ben Gilroy, an anti‑eviction campaigner, received a one‑month suspended prison sentence for criminal contempt of court after he posted a video on social media in which he described the judge presiding over a contempt case involving a Dublin couple as a "satanic cult member" and claimed the Irish Constitution was "redundant." In the clip, Gilroy also suggested that the judge had "vacated his oath of office," urged people to use the Defence of the Dwelling Act, and said they should "just wait for anyone coming through the door and blow their heads off with a gun." The High Court judge, Tony O'Connor, found the remarks to be contempt and adjourned the matter to allow Gilroy to respond. When the case returned, Gilroy apologized and said the remarks were "out of character." The judge imposed the suspended sentence, which will remain in force for 30 months on the condition that Gilroy does not repeat such statements.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentences of Jonathan Dowdall and Patrick Dowdall, who pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley and threatening to kill him at their family home on January 15, 2015. The Court of Appeal found that the Special Criminal Court's criticisms regarding a Newton Hearing and the timing of their guilty pleas were not justified. Consequently, Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Féin councillor, was re-sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with the final 25 months suspended. His father, Patrick Dowdall, was re-sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Both defendants were required to enter into good behaviour bonds for the suspended periods. The original sentences, handed down on June 1, 2017, were 12 years for Jonathan and eight years for Patrick. The appeal court noted that the offending was out of character for both men, who had no significant previous convictions, and accepted their expressions of remorse as genuine. The matter was concluded with these revised sentences.
Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 62, were sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 12 and 8 years respectively for the false imprisonment and torture of Alexander Hurley on 15 January 2015. Video evidence showed Jonathan wearing a balaclava, holding a tea‑towel over Hurley's face and pouring water on him, while Patrick threatened to pull off Hurley's fingers with pliers. Both pleaded guilty. The Dowdalls have lodged appeals in the Court of Appeal, where judgment has been reserved. The court's decision was based on the video footage and the defendants' admissions, with counsel for the Dowdalls arguing mitigating circumstances such as financial distress and mental health issues. The appeal will be heard in April, with the court's judgment pending.
Four young men from Old Castle Park Green, Bawnogue, Clondalkin, Dublin, broke into a building site at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, Dublin 7, on 7 October 2016 and stole €6,000 worth of power tools and equipment from Flynn and O'Flaherty Developers Ltd. The men – Martin Stokes (27), Joseph Stokes (19), Eddie Stokes (23) and Tom McDonagh (21) – were caught by Gardaí after an eye‑witness, a woman on a balcony, reported the crime as it unfolded. She saw a Hyundai people carrier arrive, the men exit, cut the gate bolt, break into steel containers, remove items and drive away. Gardaí later apprehended them on Navan Road and recovered all stolen goods, including drills, a lawnmower, a workbench and various accessories. All four pleaded guilty. Martin Stokes was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment; the other three received 21‑month sentences suspended in full.
Callum Rodgers, a 24‑year‑old electrician from Dublin, pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at a rented premises on Navan Road. He admitted learning cultivation from the internet and described his operation as "ham fisted" and unsophisticated. Gardaí recovered eight plants and cannabis herb worth €13,000, along with evidence of a drying tent, mason jars, and cannabis in a microwave. Rodgers claimed financial hardship and that he expected to earn about €9,000, though he also admitted to smoking some. He cooperated fully with investigators, provided details of seed acquisition, and expressed remorse, citing gambling addiction, anxiety, and depression. The court, noting mitigating circumstances, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full, and Rodgers was ordered to compensate the landlord for property damage. He stated he had stopped using cannabis and would not re‑offend.
A 24‑year‑old Dublin man, Raymond Walsh, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the unexplained murder of 41‑year‑old Kevin Molloy, who lived alone in Cabra. Walsh pleaded guilty to the murder, which occurred between 23 January and 1 February 2015 at Molloy's home on Glendhu Road, Navan Road. The Central Criminal Court heard that Molloy's body was found after his father investigated a lack of contact. Detectives linked Walsh to the house through fingerprints and DNA, and he denied any explanation for being there. The Molloy family delivered a victim impact statement, describing their son as loving and innocent. Walsh, who had no prior convictions, expressed remorse and pleaded guilty, leading Judge Patrick McCarthy to impose a life sentence, backdated to 7 October 2015. The sentence was delivered in the presence of the court and the family, who left quietly.